The Jibu-jang of the Jiangxi Branch of Haomun, Yohwa, was doing her makeup when she was startled. That was because the Muno who had gone out to greet the guests returned looking as pale as a ghost.
But what came out of the Muno’s mouth was even more absurd. He said someone had brought five hundred Wonbo. Yohwa hastily tidied up her clothes and rushed into the room where the guests were waiting.
In the room, there were two people wearing black bamboo hats that covered their faces up to their noses. Were they perhaps from Gupailbang? Sometimes even Noble Families used Haomun.
Still, five hundred Wonbo—that was two thousand five hundred Eunja. Not even the Gupailbang could easily use such an amount. Just who were these people? Yohwa was curious, but knew better than to show it.
“Hello. I am Yohwa, the Jibu-jang of Haomun’s Jiangxi Branch.”
“Yes. Please, have a seat.”
Yohwa was surprised. The voice from beneath the bamboo hat sounded young, almost untrained, and they even spoke in Gyeong-eo. Someone with this much money was definitely from a Noble Family. Usually, such people looked down on Haomun and wouldn’t bother to speak properly.
“Ahem, ahem. I hear you’re looking for Children with Jeolmyeok?”
“Yes.”
The voice was definitely disguised. She couldn’t tell at all if the person before her was from the Majyo, Salmun, or Gupailbang.
Children with Jeolmyeok. The reason for seeking such children was simple. Those afflicted with Jeolmyeok possessed extraordinary talent in Mugong.
If only they could be cured, it would be a gold mine. Of course, curing them was difficult.
So these requests came in from time to time. But this was the first time she’d seen one like this. Jeon Jungwon, no less. Just what did they intend to do, to need so many Children with Jeolmyeok?
Yohwa did her best to keep calm and slowly opened her mouth.
“Children with Jeolmyeok, you say. When you say ‘children,’ what age range are you referring to?”
“Up to fifteen years old.”
“I, I see.”
One surprise after another. It varied a little depending on the type of Jeolmyeok, but most afflicted people died by fifteen if not treated. That meant they needed information on those who might die any day now.
Just who were these people? The question rose to her throat, but she couldn’t ask. Haomun’s role was simply to provide information in exchange for money. She mustn’t forget that.
Yohwa swallowed hard. The purse they’d opened was stuffed with Eunja. Even by rough estimate, it had to be over a thousand pieces.
Anyone would be tempted. Since she became the Jibu-jang of the Jiangxi Branch, this was the largest commission she’d ever received.
However, Haomun had its own code. Yohwa steeled herself and spoke resolutely.
“How much is all this money?”
“Fifteen hundred Eunja.”
“This much isn’t necessary.”
Yohwa swallowed her tears inside. Haomun only worked for what they were paid. That trust was what allowed them to survive in the murim.
“If you only need information on Children with Jeolmyeok in Jeon Jungwon, five hundred Eunja is plenty. Since the children’s condition is well-known in their villages, they aren’t hard to find. But since Jungwon is so vast, I’ll need to be paid accordingly.”
At those words, the man in the bamboo hat raised his head a little. She caught a glimpse of his face and was startled. He was truly a young boy. And she felt she’d seen his face somewhere before, but couldn’t be sure. After all, she’d only caught his eye for a brief moment.
“Then use the remaining thousand Eunja to bring those people here to Nanchang.”
“…Pardon?”
“It was our original request anyway. I thought you’d need more money, but it turns out you’re quite inexpensive.”
The man’s words left her speechless. Calling fifteen hundred Eunja cheap—what madness was this?
“Send all the children you gather to Sung Gajang of Yeogang. Tell them they will be treated there. If their families object, bring their whole families if you must. There’s no limit to the cost of persuading them. I’ll pay extra as needed.”
With that, the man stood up, and his companion followed suit. Yohwa was left dumbfounded. Were they really leaving so casually after dropping off fifteen hundred Eunja?
Without even the most basic farewell, she found herself watching them go in a daze.
As she sat in a daze, the door opened again. The same man in the black bamboo hat entered.
Yohwa smiled inwardly. Of course. Saying fifteen hundred Eunja was cheap must have been a bluff. Now, belatedly realizing his mistake, he must have come to ask about the information process, or how it would be handled, or if there were any risks.
But that wasn’t a bad look. This was, after all, a place where she saw far stranger people.
“What brings you back?”
Yohwa felt a little more relaxed now that the bamboo-hatted man had returned. Thinking he was just another ordinary person made her feel a bit better.
“There’s one more thing I’d like to request.”
He pulled a sheet of paper from his clothes. From its shape, it was an Information Note. It was widely used in the old days when heavy coins were common, but ever since silver banknotes became common, they were rarely seen.
“I’d like you to find a Secret Martial Arts Manual that can produce a Sangsung-level Muin.”
“…Excuse me? How many…”
“The more, the better.”
“What do you…”
His voice was flat, with no highs or lows.
Yohwa quickly thought things through. This was something the Haomun Jiangxi Branch alone couldn’t handle.
Such requests could rack up unpredictable costs. But this was Haomun. The Information Hall. There was a protocol for dealing with such requests.
Yohwa answered mechanically.
“For that kind of information, we’ll provide as much as you pay for. Additional costs may arise at any time.”
“Ah, I see.”
The man picked up a brush and quickly scrawled on the Information Note.
“Then I’ll write it for this amount.”
Yohwa took the Information Note from him, still in a daze. The man left the room immediately. As soon as she saw the amount written on the note, she gasped in shock.
“What on earth…”
Fifty thousand Nyang. That’s what was written on the note. This was definitely something that had to be reported to headquarters.
***
Haomun handled things quickly. Soon, the Jangwon of Sung Gajang in Yeogang was steadily filling up with families. As expected, most children came with their families.
All preparations at Sung Gajang had been completed. Dormitories, food, even Servants to take care of everyone had been perfectly arranged.
“That makes seventy-two today. The ones who just arrived are from Cheonghae. This is the last group.”
“I see. Thank you.”
Haomun’s people always gave such reports when their work was done. Maybe it was because they’d been paid so much, or maybe that was just how they worked.
“There are a lot of people, but it’s so quiet.”
I looked down at Sung Gajang from the hill. Just as the Haomun-do said, there were many people, but it was quiet.
“They must be doubtful. Being promised treatment and even money… it’s hard to believe.”
For them, being promised treatment and even money must have sounded too good to be true.
What was curious was that the children with Jeolmyeok were calmer than their families.
They ate their meals and slept in the assigned places according to the Servants’ instructions. No one complained.
“Usually, unless you’re a Noble Family, you can’t afford to treat Jeolmyeok. It costs too much. Even Mansukkun families have gone bankrupt trying to cure it. So it’s natural they don’t trust you.”
“I see. How many children came without families?”
“Eight.”
“Quite a few.”
“Many families abandon their child as soon as a Diagnosis of Jeolmyeok is made. For poor families, even nursing the illness is too hard.”
I nodded. Those children had been abandoned by their families from birth, simply because of Jeolmyeok.
Yet whether they had families or not, the look in the children’s eyes was the same—calm. In fact, it was less calmness and more numbness.
Children with Jeolmyeok must have already heard their fate. Those with Guum Jeolmyeok heard over and over that they would die shivering before a fire; those with Geukyang Jeolmyeok that they would die trembling on the cold ground in the dead of winter.
So from the beginning, they had little hope for life. Just like I had in my previous life.
“You can go now, if you wish.”
“Our Jibu-jang told us to make things as convenient as possible for you…”
“It’s fine. I just have some things I want to do alone.”
At that, the Haomun-do bowed, saying to send word to the branch if I needed anything, and left. They probably didn’t treat everyone so well—it must have been because I paid so much.
After sending the Haomun-do away, I started down the hill toward Sung Gajang.
As I drew closer to Sung Gajang, I could see the children’s eyes more clearly. Though their pupils seemed as dark as the night sky, if you looked closely, some of them had stars shining in their eyes. They were just too far away to notice at first.
Indeed, there were those who held onto hope even in despair. I hadn’t known, but wasn’t Geumwolsang like that?
Even in such circumstances, he tried to learn Mugong and escape somehow. In my past life, I’d never even thought of such defiance.
The main gate of Sung Gajang came into view. Old memories resurfaced. It was here I’d once cut down Sung Gajang’s errand boys and Bodyguards.
Remembering that, I stood in the center of the main gate and looked up. In the darkness above, a dazzling light flashed.
From the Cheonjang where the Hyeonpan hung, a figure dropped down toward me. I drew my Gum and held it horizontally.
Thunk!
A chilling shock ran through my palm. The small girl was one of the Children with Jeolmyeok that Haomun had brought.
She looked about my age, and without a word, she immediately attacked with a Jangbeop.
“So this is Eumgong.”
Even though I dodged to the side, my chest tingled with cold.
She instantly recovered her stance and came at me from below. Again, the attack was filled with Eumgi.
Thwack!
She came at me, tracing the air with her hands as if to press me.
“Haaa!”
With a shout, she launched another Jangbeop at me from the center. The systematic training was obvious. She could go toe-to-toe with a Yumangju of Hyeongsan—whose name I couldn’t even remember anymore.
But that meant she wasn’t a match for me. I quickly slipped in, grabbed her wrist, tucked my shoulder under her armpit, and threw her down.
“Hwah!”
A short scream escaped her. I looked down at her from above.
“Who are you?”
“…Hrrk, just kill me. You villain!”
Villain. A childish word choice. She glared at me with eyes full of hatred.
The commotion brought out a few more children from inside to watch. Some seemed unable to come out, stopped by their families.
I looked at the children who came out. They only whispered among themselves; it didn’t seem they were uniting with this girl.
I’d already noticed she was hiding atop the Hyeonpan. My senses weren’t so dull.
I could guess why she acted this way, but I asked anyway, to be sure.
“Why did you attack me out of nowhere?”
“You dare ask? You gather all these Children with Jeolmyeok and ask why you’re being attacked?”
“Am I not allowed to gather Children with Jeolmyeok?”
“To gather this many, you’d have to be a Noble Family from Gupailbang or someone from the Majyo. Since you’re not Gupailbang, you must be Majyo!”
At the girl’s words, the faces of the watching children and their families turned pale. Her logic seemed convincing to them. Among those already suspicious, such a spark spread instantly.
I knew about it, too. There were rumors that people from the Majyo kidnapped those with Jeolmyeok. Since Jeolmyeok was rare, there were all sorts of horrifying stories—catching it like an infection, punishment for sins in a past life, and so on. That must be why so many abandoned children ended up here.
“Do you know how much it costs to treat even one person with Jeolmyeok? At least a thousand Eunja. And you say you’re going to treat all these children? Stop lying…”
From her Mugong and knowledge, the girl seemed to have had a good education. Why she was here without her family, I didn’t know, but for the sake of the others, I needed to quell this disturbance quickly.
Of course, persuading people was simple. I just had to show them. Actions spoke ten times louder than words.
“If I were truly a villain from the Majyo, shouldn’t I have killed you for attacking me?”
“Th-that’s right! Just kill me already!”
Her eyes were full of fear, yet she shouted back. The unrest among the people grew.
“I won’t kill you. I’m not Majyo.”
Before the commotion could grow, I pulled her to her feet and stepped back. Suddenly freed, the girl looked bewildered.
After helping her up, I looked out over the crowd and declared, as if making an announcement:
“I am the one who came to cure you.”