Heavenly Inquisition Sword Novel - Chapter 193
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Chapter 193. Let’s Go to Hell
After finishing the conversation, the Heaven Destroyer Demon Lord, Seok Muhae, left the Suicide Rock along with the Twelve Demon Generals.
As they were leaving Hwasang Village, the first of the Twelve Demon Generals, Gui Yeongjagun, discreetly asked:
“Master, do you really intend to leave the Nokrim Sword in the hands of the Grand Inspector?”
“Why?”
“I’m concerned that his lack of experience in the Murim might prevent him from doing well.”
“Tsk, tsk! How can a sparrow understand the intentions of a crane?”
Seok Muhae shook his head in disapproval.
Then, the second Demon General, Jeok Anchukgun, also voiced his misunderstanding.
“I also thought you were giving too much authority to the Grand Inspector. What if he has ill intentions?”
“Ill intentions?”
“He might try to take over Nokrim.”
“Bah! You speak like a fool. The Grand Inspector, who doesn’t even want a Mountain Stronghold, would try to take over Nokrim? Speak with sense!”
Jeok Anchukgun cleared his throat and changed his argument.
“That was just an example. I don’t understand why you’re giving the Nokrim Sword when you are here. If the other Bosses find out, it could cause confusion.”
Seok Muhae looked at the Twelve Demon Generals.
They all had expressions of dissatisfaction and lack of understanding.
Those aspiring to become the next Grand Chaeju felt uneasy about the power concentrated in Yeon Jeokha.
However, from a strategic perspective, there was no other option.
The Twelve Demon Generals were no match for the Yoomyung Cult, so he needed to put Yeon Jeokha at the forefront.
“If I intervene, the fight might end before it even begins. That’s not what I want. What I seek is for the Yoomyung Cult and the Justice Alliance to destroy each other. The Grand Inspector must act as the catalyst in my place. If you could face the Yoomyung Cult, I would leave it to you. Who will do it?”
At Seok Muhae’s question, the Twelve Demon Generals avoided his gaze.
“Tsk, tsk! You don’t have the necessary skills, but you have too much ambition. Nokrim is a family. To gain benefits, we must put those with the skills at the forefront. Age, origin, and experience don’t matter.”
“…”
Faced with Seok Muhae’s reprimand, the Twelve Demon Generals offered no further objections.
In Hataek
An old man with a goatee entered the city under a blazing red sunset. With a red sword at his waist, he was Shim Tong, the Old Dao of Nine Heavens.
Shim Tong looked around with fiery eyes.
He first went to Zhengzhou, as the man posing as the innkeeper said it was his hometown. As expected, no one in the Zhengzhou branch had seen such a man. Without much disappointment, Shim Tong headed to Bowyang in the north of Kaifeng, but it was also in vain. His next stop was Hataek, east of Kaifeng.
Shim Tong observed every face on the street.
“They say swindlers lurk in big cities.”
He had learned a lot about the habits of swindlers while interrogating sect branches. Their main scenes were the big cities. They lived honestly for a year or two to gain trust, and then, when they identified a victim, they escaped with a large haul.
“If they have a lot of money, they should start with the brothels.”
Shim Tong entered the largest and most luxurious brothel he saw and began checking the rooms without warning. The brothel’s guards tried to stop him but were sent flying with a single gesture. Eventually, the organization managing the brothel, the Yongho Clan, intervened, but they were no match for Shim Tong.
Shortly after, Dan Sugo, the leader of the Yongho Clan, with a black eye, knelt meekly.
Shim Tong suppressed his murderous intent and spoke.
“I’m looking for three swindlers. They use the names Huang So, Seok In, and So Sam. Huang So seems kind, Seok In has a large mole under his eye. So Sam…”
Shim Tong tried to recall something distinctive about So Sam but couldn’t.
“He accompanies them and takes care of distractions. They must have a lot of money, so they are probably splurging. Have you seen them?”
“No.”
“Jeje. You answered too quickly. I’ll give you a day to find them. If you don’t find them, the Yongho Clan will have a new leader because I will kill you.”
“Oh! Yes, I will find them. I will definitely find them!”
With a gesture from Shim Tong, Dan Sugo quickly withdrew.
After leaving the brothel, Shim Tong went to the Hao Sect* branch in Hataek and caused a great commotion. The city was turned upside down because of Shim Tong. Being from the dark faction, his approach was simple and direct, but effective.
*Note: The Hao Sect or Clan is similar to the Beggar Sect in that they primarily deal with intelligence and information, but while the Beggar Sect is made up of beggars and technically part of the Justice Alliance, the people of the Hao Sect are courtesans, dancers… (basically, people working in brothels). The main job of the Hao Sect is to sell information to anyone, regardless of which side the client is on, and that is their main job, so their martial strength is weaker.
The next day, Dan Sugo brought a beautiful courtesan to Shim Tong’s lodging. The courtesan, Wolhyang, bowed deeply before Shim Tong.
“My name is Wolhyang.”
“Get to the point. Talk about the swindlers.”
“Yes, two weeks ago we received a guest with a mole under his eye.”
“Where are they now?”
“I don’t know. He said he was going to Zenyeong to buy a brothel. They planned to do big business there. They spent a lot of money, so I remember them clearly.”
Shim Tong jumped up and glared at Dan Sugo.
“If this is a trick of yours, I’ll come back and cut off your head.”
“Oh no! How could I dare to deceive the master? I only brought Wolhyang because she had information.”
Dan Sugo waved his hands, pale with fear.
Shim Tong snorted and left the lodging.
As soon as he left, Dan Sugo grabbed Wolhyang and repeatedly asked if what she said was true.
In Zenyeong
At the Okjeok Inn.
“Ah!”
A man flailing his arms sat up with a scream. The noise woke Seok In, who asked in a hoarse voice:
“Brother Huang, did you have a nightmare?”
“Ugh! I dreamed I was before the King Yama. I must be getting old. I dreamed strange things.”
“They say meeting the King Yama in a dream brings good luck. It’s a good omen. Give me some of that good luck.”
“You can have it all. I don’t want to see him again.”
“I’ll gladly take it. I’ll pay you for it in the morning.”
Huang So, lying down again, murmured as he stared at the dark ceiling.
“What a weird dream… My heart is still racing.”
“Are you feeling lonely? You should sleep with a courtesan from tomorrow.”
“Do you think that’s it?”
After joking, the two men went back to sleep.
In the morning, they went down to the dining hall. To their surprise, the large hall was full of customers. Seok In whispered to Huang So as they hesitated at the entrance.
“Hey, what’s going on here so early? They’re all from the Murim.”
Huang So’s face also tensed.
With those fierce faces, they seemed to be from the evil faction of the Murim. In situations like this, it’s best to leave.
Huang So and Seok In tried to quietly return to the second floor.
At that moment, someone called out to them.
“Hey, you two.”
Huang So and Seok In turned, surprised.
The man who called them, Seoldo, was the leader of the Hao Sect branch in Zenyeong, smiled strangely, and beckoned them with his finger.
“Come here.”
Huang So and Seok In, unable to refuse, timidly approached Seoldo.
“Let’s see. Kind face and mole under the eye. Correct. Thank you. You’ve saved me.”
“What do you mean?”
Huang So looked at the man in confusion. That someone he’d never seen before would thank him so early was bewildering.
Seoldo shouted to his subordinates.
“Take the innkeeper and search these guys’ room. Just so you know, if you take a single coin, everyone will die. Bring everything.”
“Yes!”
The Murim men went up to the second floor.
Surprised, Seok In raised his voice.
“No matter if you’re from the Murim, what are you doing? Do you know who we are? We are judges in Zenyeong.”
“Judges, my foot. That mole under your eye gives you away, you’re Seok In. Have you ever heard of a judge spending three consecutive days in a brothel? Damn swindlers! If it weren’t for the master ordering us to bring you alive, you’d be dead already. We’ve gone through hell because of you.”
Seoldo gritted his teeth in anger.
Finally, Seok In realized they had been caught. Desperate, he tried to change his tactic.
“We don’t know who you are, but please, forgive us this time. We’ll give you all the money you want.”
“Idiot! Do you think I’m interested in your money? Will you take it as an offering to the underworld?”
Meanwhile, Seoldo’s men returned with two backpacks.
“There are no other belongings. These two backpacks have everything.”
“How much money is in them?”
“Each one contains around five thousand taels of silver.”
“Wow! These guys have hit a good haul somewhere. Let’s go; the master is waiting for us.”
Seoldo set off, and his men dragged Huang So and Seok In along.
At the Earth God’s Temple, on the outskirts of Zenyeong
“Hehehe.”
Shim Tong was laughing sinisterly as he observed the two men before him. Seeing Huang So and Seok In, whom he had searched for so long, brought him immense joy, greater even than enlightenment.
After carefully examining each of them, Shim Tong asked:
“Where is So Sam?”
Huang So, his face haggard, replied:
“Sir, I’ve committed a great sin. Please spare my life.”
“Hehehe. Don’t worry; I won’t kill you… yet. Tell me, where is So Sam?”
“We don’t know. We left him in Kaifeng when we fled.”
Huang So confessed that they had betrayed So Sam.
“So you abandoned him?”
“Yes, please forgive us.”
“If you ask for forgiveness again, I’ll rip out your tongue.”
“…”
Terrified, Huang So and Seok In remained silent and began to repeatedly bang their foreheads against the ground.
“And I don’t want to hear those bangs either. Quiet.”
Only then did they stop banging their foreheads.
Shim Tong turned to Seoldo.
“Do you know who I am?”
Startled, Seoldo lowered his gaze.
At first, he didn’t know who Shim Tong was, but thanks to the Hao Sect’s intelligence network, he soon discovered that this was the fearsome Old Dao of Nine Heavens, Shim Tong, the shadow of the Grand Inspector of Nokrim, Yeon Jeokha.
Ever since he found out, he hadn’t slept well and had diligently tracked the swindlers’ movements.
“Yes, master.”
“Forget what you’ve seen today. Make sure your subordinates keep quiet too. If I hear a single rumor, I’ll slit your throat.”
Shim Tong made a throat-slitting gesture with his thumb.
If it were known that the leaders of Nokrim had been swindled, it would be an insurmountable shame.
That’s why he had taken the swindlers to a secluded place.
“Don’t worry, master. No one will dare to speak of this.”
Shim Tong waved his finger, and Seoldo quickly withdrew.
Finally, Shim Tong looked at the trembling Huang So and Seok In.
“Let’s go. To hell.”
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