Chapter 309: Reunion (2)

On a rainy midnight.

Someone wearing a bamboo hat and a bamboo raincoat was looking down at a small village with flickering lights from halfway up the mountain.

As he was staring intently at the village, the sound of a cane tapping on the muddy ground came from behind.

Then, a voice was heard.

“Indeed, it’s just as you said. They ended up coming here. The bait was certainly effective.”

“Although they had no choice but to escape due to unfavorable circumstances, unless they’re fools, they have no reason to do anything conspicuous.”

“That’s right. Thanks to that, the wait was worth it, and you won the bet.”

-Ting!

Someone behind him flicked a silver coin with his finger.

The person wearing the bamboo raincoat caught it without turning his head.

The silver coin was the price of the bet.

Putting the silver coin he received into his bosom, the bamboo hat-wearing man said,

“Are you certain about the preparations?”

“Hohoho, do you not trust this old man?”

“How could that be? If that were the case, there would be no reason for me to be with you, Elder So. Now, let’s see your skills.”

“Just wait and see. I can handle this quietly.”

The one called “elder” showed strong confidence.

***

-Thud!

“Hah!”

The expelled monk Ja Geum-jeong, who had put down a wine jar the size of a five-year-old child, looked at Seop Chun across from him with a grin on his face.

Seop Chun was also grabbing a wine jar with both hands and gulping it down, but more than half of the alcohol was soaking his chin and upper garment instead of his mouth.

Then, Seop Chun staggered and put down the wine jar.

-Thud!

“D-shit!”

“Hahaha, you’re no match for this monk.”

Ja Geum-jeong, who checked the remaining alcohol in Seop Chun’s wine jar, spoke with a triumphant expression.

At this, Seop Chun looked at Ja Geum-jeong with a disgusted face.

He had prided himself on being a drinker, so he had purposely challenged him, but this was not just a living wine jar but a level of pouring alcohol down his throat.

He wasn’t even pushing out the alcohol’s effects with internal energy, so how could he be so unaffected?

“Are you really not feeling anything?”

“Do you think I would get drunk just by emptying three wine jars of this size? Hahahaha!”

After being expelled, he had been drinking almost every day.

Not wanting to see the invisible things and always wanting to be in a drunken state, he had been drinking continuously, thanks to which he had become one of the most renowned drinkers in the martial arts world of the Central Plains.

“Haa haa……”

“Youngster. Now that you know you can’t do it, don’t try to challenge me.”

“What are you talking about? It’s still far from over. Let’s do it again.”

“I told you, you can’t do it.”

“I said let’s do it again!”

Seop Chun grabbed the wine jar with determination and started gulping it down again.

After a few mouthfuls went down his throat, he couldn’t endure it any longer and vomit rose up, so he ran outside.

“Blegh!”

“Foolish kid. Hahaha.”

Ja Geum-jeong, who was watching him with a sneer, started drinking again.

Mong Mu-yak looked at the two of them pathetically, shaking his head, and then took a sip of the warm rice wine.

“They don’t even know the way of alcohol.”

What’s the point of enjoying alcohol if you drink it like that?

They were truly pathetic fellows.

-Tap!

Putting down the cup, Mong Mu-yak raised the corners of his mouth, feeling much better.

Since entering the imperial palace for the mission, he had to maintain a state of tension, so he didn’t have the leisure to drink alcohol like this.

“Phew.”

However, he had a drink to relieve the fatigue of nearly five days of non-stop southward travel, and he felt the blood circulating throughout his body and his stomach warming up.

Perhaps because of that, the alcohol tasted exceptionally sweet.

“Branch leader. Did you say this rice wine is Shaoxing wine?”

“That’s right. I brought it from Shaoxing in Zhejiang Province while going down to Jiangnan this time. How is it? Is the taste good?”

“It’s delicious. The six flavors of sweetness, sourness, bitterness, spiciness, and astringency are well-balanced. It is indeed the wine that King Goujian of the Yue Kingdom enjoyed.”

The Henan region, where the Yue Kingdom was located, was a granary, so the rice wine brewing method was developed, thanks to which there were many famous rice wine (yellow wine) varieties.

Shaoxing wine was a specialty rice wine of Shaoxing in Zhejiang Province.

Among rice wine, Shaoxing wine, which was considered the best, was also famous for being distributed by King Goujian of the Yue Kingdom to his soldiers before going to punish the Wu Kingdom, using a brewing method that had been passed down since the Spring and Autumn period.

“As expected from the deputy head of the intelligence department under the Society Leader, your knowledge is extensive. Truly brilliant.”

At the branch leader’s flattery, Mong Mu-yak smiled nonchalantly.

His father, Vice-Leader Mong Seo-cheon, had a deep understanding of alcohol and placed great importance on the way of alcohol, so he had also let his son, Mong Mu-yak, taste various regional alcohols of the Central Plains.

Therefore, Mong Mu-yak had also experienced many unique alcohols and had his own insights into alcohol.

“Puhahaha! You’re putting on all sorts of airs just for drinking alcohol.”

At that moment, Ja Geum-jeong provoked Mong Mu-yak with a sneer.

At his provocation, one of Mong Mu-yak’s eyebrows rose.

However, he soon ignored it.

Playing along with those who lacked class would only tire out his noble self.

“The way you drink is just like pretty Bodhisattvas saying, ‘Oh, I can’t drink,’ and just putting their lips to it and sipping. Puhahahaha!”

‘……Huh? Sipping?’

A vein bulged on the forehead of Mong Mu-yak, who had been trying hard to ignore him.

Ja Geum-jeong made a ridiculous expression and provoked him further.

“Why, feeling bad? But it’s the truth, isn’t it? A true man can’t even drink properly and can’t join in a drinking game……”

-Smack!

Before he could even finish his words, Mong Mu-yak abruptly stood up from his seat, grabbed a wine jar, and started gulping it down.

He drained it in one go without stopping even once.

But that wasn’t the end of it.

Immediately after, Mong Mu-yak grabbed the wine jar next to him and started gulping it down as well.

Up to the first jar,

‘The youngster fell for it.’

Ja Geum-jeong, who had been looking relaxed with this expression, soon swallowed his dry saliva, and his eyes widened.

I thought this fellow, who was pretentious about the way of alcohol, was just a clumsy noble, but it seems that’s not the case.

-Thud!

Mong Mu-yak, who had emptied two jars in one go, soon found a full wine jar.

Then, he shouted at the branch leader at the same time as Ja Geum-jeong.

“Bring out all the alcohol you have.”

“Please bring more alcohol.”

At the requests of the two, the branch leader was perplexed, but unable to resist their urging, he gestured to his subordinates to go to the warehouse.

-Rumble! Rumble!

Despite this noisy situation, the Holy Fire Priestess was sleeping with a blanket over her, even snoring, in front of the warm brazier.

It was only natural that she couldn’t endure it, as she had not been able to sleep properly, and now that she had satisfied her hunger and was in a warm place.

There was someone staring at the Holy Fire Priestess with disapproval.

It was the masked Ma Ra-hyeon.

If it weren’t for the agreement with his lord, Mok Gyeong-un, he would have kicked her right away to find out how his father had died.

However, since he had made an agreement, he had to endure until Mok Gyeong-un’s business was finished.

“Hmph.”

Ma Ra-hyeon snorted and then drank his tea.

Mok Gyeong-un, who was tilting his wine cup, pointed to the full cup and said,

“If you’re in a bad mood, why don’t you have a drink of that alcohol?”

“No, thank you.”

“This is my first time drinking warm alcohol, and it’s quite delicious.”

“It’s alright. If everyone drinks alcohol, their senses will naturally become dull, so someone needs to stand guard and protect the lord with a clear mind.”

Ma Ra-hyeon firmly refused.

He had traveled southward for five days without rest, and although there had been no pursuit during that time, he still believed that they should not let their guard down.

Looking at him, Mok Gyeong-un smiled faintly.

Mok Gyeong-un had a favorable view of him, seeing him as inflexible but never neglecting his vigilance even after entering this place, constantly releasing his energy.

“Not bad. Having a drink or two would warm up your body and be good for you.”

-Clink!

Mok Gyeong-un clinked his cup against Ma Ra-hyeon’s full cup and downed it.

At this, Ma Ra-hyeon stretched out his hand towards the wine cup for a moment, but then politely grasped the teacup with both hands, raised it towards Mok Gyeong-un, and said,

“I will use this as a substitute.”

With that, he drank the warm tea in one gulp.

Mok Gyeong-un did not urge him to drink anymore.

***

In the dark dawn, about two hours later.

-Swish!

Outside, it was still noisy with the sound of rain.

The once noisy and bustling inn was now dark and silent, with only the sound of snoring heard.

A middle-aged man carefully opened the door and came out of the inn building.

He was the branch leader of this place.

The branch leader, who had come out of the inn, soon raised his hand, sent a signal, and lightly flicked his fingers.

-Tap!

As soon as he did that, dark figures appeared from the surrounding buildings.

They were all wearing black masks.

Thanks to the sound of rain, they were not hindered in their movements and boldly surrounded the inn building.

The number of masked individuals surrounding the building reached several dozens.

Nevertheless, even more masked individuals appeared from somewhere.

Meanwhile, unlike the masked individuals, an old man with a fierce appearance, wearing a bamboo hat and leaning on a bizarre-looking cane with a snake’s head, walked towards the branch leader.

When he appeared, the branch leader smiled and said,

“Just as you said, Elder, after about an hour passed, they really started collapsing one by one and fell asleep.”

“Didn’t I tell you? I told you they would all fall asleep after an hour. But you said there was someone who endured for nearly two hours. What a tenacious fellow.”

“Come to think of it, I couldn’t put much of the medicinal ingredient you gave me into the golden bell tea just in case, so I think that’s why the masked fellow fell asleep late. But there was one fellow who drank a lot of alcohol but fell asleep the latest.”

“He must have some tolerance.”

“Tolerance?”

“Yes. That medicinal ingredient is closer to a medicine than a poison. So it doesn’t harm the body and naturally makes one fall asleep slowly, even for masters, so it makes them lower their guard. However, if they have ever been prescribed that medicinal ingredient even a little, they will have a tolerance and fall asleep late.”

“I see. Anyway, you are amazing. Indeed, Elder, you have reached the highest level not only in poisons but also in all medicinal ingredients.”

“Hohoho. Stop the flattery there. Did you make sure they were sound asleep?”

“Yes. I even pressed the acupuncture points you mentioned, and they didn’t budge.”

“Good.”

With those words, the old man turned his head.

Then, as if waiting, the person wearing the bamboo hat and bamboo raincoat walked over from behind and said,

“It was worth bringing Elder So.”

-Swish!

The person wearing the bamboo raincoat slightly raised his hand.

Then, some of the masked individuals stepped forward.

They were skilled in concealing their presence and had extraordinary martial arts abilities.

As a total of six people came out, the bamboo hat-wearing man ordered,

“Bring out only the old woman and pierce the hearts of the rest to kill them instantly.”

“Yes, sir!”

As soon as the order was given, the six masked individuals cautiously approached the inn.

-Swish!

Due to the heavy sound of rain, there was no problem concealing their presence.

Thus, they entered the dark building one by one, where the lights were out.

As they entered, the bamboo hat-wearing man crossed his arms and silently watched.

Fortunately, things were resolved more easily than expected.

The fellow who was said to resemble that bastard had already lost his life in the imperial palace, so they just needed to deal with the rest and take away the Holy Fire Priestess.

Meanwhile, the branch leader of the Heaven and Earth Society approached him and cautiously said,

“Now that we have successfully completed this mission, can you recommend me to the Three Realms as promised?”

At his question, the bamboo hat-wearing man answered in a heavy voice,

“Don’t be impatient. Since you played an important role, you will naturally be rewarded.”

“I-I apologize.”

The branch leader of the Heaven and Earth Society bowed his head in apology and then stepped aside.

The bamboo hat-wearing man looked at him with disapproval.

‘Cockroach-like bastard.’

The fellow’s martial arts were only at the Fourth Realm level, yet he was greedy despite being entrusted with such an easy task.

As he was thinking of him as pathetic, the old man leaning on the cane with a snake’s head shape opened his mouth, tilting his head.

“They’re late.”

At the old man’s words, the bamboo hat-wearing man’s eyes narrowed between the gaps of the bamboo hat.

Indeed, they were late.

Those who had eaten the medicinal ingredient made by the old man and fallen asleep would not easily wake up even if they were beaten, shaken, or even had their acupuncture points pressed.

It was taking too long for killing such people.

-Creak!

Then, the closed door of the inn opened.

As the door opened, a figure’s face could be seen from the dark inn.

Judging by the shape, it seemed to be one of the masked individuals, but,

‘!?’

At that moment, the bamboo hat-wearing man frowned.

He thought one of the masked individuals was coming out, but it was none other than the head of a masked individual.

In the darkness, someone was grasping the masked individual’s hair and sticking out their head.

‘W-What the ... is this?’

The startled branch leader was at a loss.

What on earth was going on?

Clearly, everyone inside had fallen asleep, and he had personally confirmed it by pressing their acupuncture points.

Yet, who was the one inside, holding out the severed head of a masked individual?

Then, a voice was heard.

“I thought it was a considerate gesture to make us sleep soundly with the medicinal ingredients like Liriodendron root, angelica, and jujube seeds, but it seems that’s not the case.”

‘!?’

At that voice, the eyes of the old man leaning on the cane with a snake’s head shape widened.

‘How…… Did he figure it out?’

That was because the person had accurately identified the medicinal ingredients used, even though they had been refined with a special secret method to change the aroma and taste.

-Splash!

At that moment, the severed head of the masked individual fell into the puddle of rainwater on the ground.

Along with it, someone who appeared to be in his twenties, wearing two sword sheaths at his waist, walked out from the darkness.

It was none other than Mok Gyeong-un, wearing a human skin mask.