“Jeombak, prepare to go out.”

“Pardon?”

“I need to go to this medicinal herb merchant.”

“Y-Young Master, at this time of night…”

Jeombak trailed off as he saw Cheon Mubaeck’s serious expression.

He already knew, but his young master was very stubborn.

Well, that’s why he hadn’t let go of his instruments and paintings for 16 years despite all the nagging.

Lately, that stubbornness seemed to have gotten stronger.

Jeombak realized that he couldn’t stop Cheon Mubaeck from going out now.

“Then, I’ll quickly bring an escort warrior to accompany you.”

“An escort?”

“If the Vice Chief finds out now, she’ll definitely stop you from going out. Going out at this hour. So you’re planning to sneak out, aren’t you?”

Cheon Mubaeck’s expression wrinkled.

It seemed that Cheon Yuhwa, who still treated Cheon Mubaeck as a youngest child to be held in her arms, would not easily allow him to go out this evening.

Even if she did, the reason was a little insufficient. To suddenly say he was going to visit because there was poison in the medicinal herbs. Such a thing should be entrusted to the escort warriors.

But Cheon Mubaeck felt the need to go himself.

It wasn’t an ordinary poisonous herb.

‘A guy who makes something like this.’

In the martial world, there are often times when something that seems like nothing has a secret hidden within it.

This poisonous herb was the same. At least, if what was in Cheon Mubaeck’s head was correct, Cheon Mubaeck was convinced.

That there was something behind this poisonous herb.

So in the end, he had to sneak out…

“If you go with an escort, you’ll have an excuse even if you get caught later, won’t you?”

Cheon Mubaeck looked at Jeombak with a new look.

He’s quite smart.

“Jeombak, shouldn’t you normally follow my sister’s or father’s words more?”

“The benefactor who treated my ankle is the Young Master. Of course, the Chief and Vice Chief are also my benefactors who took me in, but…”

Jeombak’s face showed an expression that said he would follow him even to hell.

Cheon Mubaeck laughed inwardly.

Isn’t he just like his last disciple who followed him?

Cheon Mubaeck slowly nodded.

“I’m just going to check briefly, so one escort is enough.”

“Yes. Young Master.”

After sending Jeombak out, Cheon Mubaeck immediately got dressed. Jeombak, who no longer limped, moved very quickly. As soon as Cheon Mubaeck had changed into his martial arts uniform and finished preparing to go out, Jeombak came back, sweating profusely.

“Young Master, I’ve brought Leader Heo.”

“Leader Heo? Why a leader of all people…”

Cheon Mubaeck clicked his tongue and left the room.

* * *

Heo Seong.

Heo Seong, the leader of the Azure Moon Faction of the Azure Star Escort Agency, had stepped forward himself when Jeombak was urgently looking for an escort warrior to take charge of Cheon Mubaeck’s escort.

First of all, the escort warriors under his command were tired after finishing their training, and the ones who were fine were in charge of security at the nearby Hwang family’s residence, so he was the only one available.

Of course, this was the superficial reason, and his real intention for stepping forward was to observe Cheon Mubaeck up close.

‘The Chief Instructor’s expression was not ordinary.’

There were also rumors that Cheon Mubaeck had quite a talent for martial arts.

It was hard to believe.

Heo Seong had also been in the Azure Star Escort Agency for a long time and knew what kind of person Cheon Mubaeck was.

‘That weak and immature brat has talent?’

In fact, hadn’t he scoffed at it?

But the Cheon Mubaeck he saw in person looked so different that he wondered if he was the same Cheon Mubaeck who had been cooped up in his room a month ago.

Where had his slender limbs gone? A faint outline was caught beyond the rather sturdy clothes of muscle.

Was that all? His face was slightly flushed and full of life, and a clear energy flowed from his two eyes that was hard to look at.

A change in just one month.

‘If he’s changed this much, it means he really has a talent for using his body, right? Is that all? If he can endure Chief Instructor Jang’s training, it means his patience is also strong.’

Heo Seong’s pupils sparkled.

“What are you looking at so much?”

As it happened, Cheon Mubaeck was not in a good mood, so a blunt voice came out.

He could have been offended, but Heo Seong just smiled lightly.

“It’s nothing. Young Master. A sudden outing. Are you perhaps trying to get the next volume of the book you saw last time?”

“A book?”

“Why, when you sent Jeombak on an errand last time, I recommended a fun one among the military tales circulating in the market. The Comprehensive Guide to Medicine.”

Cheon Mubaeck’s face contorted.

Such a vain and absurd military tale.

To Cheon Mubaeck, who had roamed the martial world for hundreds of years, the stories of the military tales were all clumsy.

Come to think of it, there were many clumsy military novels with titles like The Comprehensive Guide to Medicine in his room. He would have to get rid of them all when he got back.

“I’m not going to the bookstore.”

“Aha, then are you going to the instrument store? The instrument store should be closed at this hour.”

“No, let’s go to the medicinal herb merchant.”

“The medicinal herb merchant?”

“Let’s go before it closes. It’s late.”

Cheon Mubaeck, with Jeombak in the lead, walked briskly.

Heo Seong tilted his head and followed him.

* * *

“Hmm. Is this place usually this famous?”

“It’s a place that supplies not only our Azure Star Escort Agency but also the government office.”

“Really?”

“Still… seeing so many people gathered like this, it seems to be because of the recent rumors about the plague.”

“The plague.”

Cheon Mubaeck nodded at Jeombak’s words.

The medicinal herb merchant, which was quite large, was a three-story building that was hard to see in the vicinity.

At a glance, the building seemed to be full of people, and there were also a lot of people outside. There seemed to be a considerable number of servants from some influential families.

To think that a poisonous herb came from a place like this.

‘It smells. It smells.’

A very foul smell.

Cheon Mubaeck, with Jeombak in the lead, entered the medicinal herb merchant.

As he entered the medicinal herb merchant, the owner, who saw Cheon Mubaeck, was startled and came out.

The owner looked a little naive because of his slightly drooping eyes.

But since he ran such a large medicinal herb merchant, he couldn’t be a naive person.

“Oh my, isn’t it Young Master Cheon of the Azure Star Escort Agency? What brings you here? Physician Jin bought some medicinal herbs himself a few hours ago…”

“Right. I came because I have something to check about those medicinal herbs.”

“The medicinal herbs?”

The owner’s expression as he tilted his head and responded nonchalantly.

To others, there was nothing unusual.

In fact, even Jeombak and Heo Seong did not feel anything unusual.

But a smile slowly bloomed on Cheon Mubaeck’s lips.

‘Look at this bastard?’

The moment he said he came because of the medicinal herbs, the owner’s pupils shook for a moment. Beyond that, he felt a sinister energy. Only Cheon Mubaeck did not miss that brief change.

Cheon Mubaeck nonchalantly sat down in a chair. The owner sat opposite him with a slightly dazed look.

“There are a lot of people.”

At Cheon Mubaeck’s words as he looked around, the owner said with a grin. It was a naive expression that anyone could see.

“There are some ominous rumors going around these days.”

“Ominous rumors?”

“Yes, yes. A rumor has spread that a patient from the plague that started in Shaanxi Province was recently found in Lingbao County.”

Lingbao County was in the western part of Henan Province.

It was adjacent to Shaanxi Province.

“The plague. So a lot of people have gathered here?”

“Sigh. I’m dying. There are many people looking for medicinal herbs to strengthen their bodies. Isn’t this place the best in Wonyang County anyway? Haha! Don’t worry, Young Master. The medicinal herbs of my medicinal herb merchant will even ward off the plague!”

Cheon Mubaeck stared at the owner.

In fact, there was nothing better than silence when setting the mood.

As Cheon Mubaeck stared at him without saying a word, the medicinal herb merchant owner, who finally felt that the atmosphere had become strange, wiped his smile away.

He had a reluctant face.

“Young Master? What’s wrong?”

“That can’t be.”

Cheon Mubaeck smiled brightly. Then he pointed at the table with his finger.

“Pardon?”

“This is the source, isn’t it?”

“The source…?”

“The source of the plague. A foul and rank smell is wafting from here, isn’t it?”

At that moment.

A sinister light flashed once again in the medicinal herb merchant owner’s pupils.

* * *

“Haha… ha. Young Master, I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

But this time, even before Cheon Mubaeck could step forward, Heo Seong moved first.

He quickly took his place next to Cheon Mubaeck and placed his hand on his scabbard.

This time, not only Cheon Mubaeck but also Heo Seong had clearly seen the change in the medicinal herb merchant owner.

‘Killing intent?’

A killing intent mixed with bewilderment and a sinister light.

This time it was so blatant that not only Cheon Mubaeck but also Heo Seong noticed it.

A silence that seemed about to explode at any moment descended.

In the midst of it, Cheon Mubaeck smiled leisurely and tapped the table.

“A guest has come, isn’t it common courtesy to serve tea?”

“…”

An endlessly leisurely expression.

The medicinal herb merchant owner bit his lip and gestured.

One of the employees nearby went down to the second floor to prepare tea with a somewhat awkward gesture.

An uncomfortable silence continued.

Heo Seong took a stance so that he could draw his sword at any time.

He also didn’t know what was going on, but he instinctively felt that the medicinal herb merchant owner in front of him was not an ordinary person.

‘What on earth is going on?’

And what about Cheon Mubaeck?

He’s saying strange things like the source of the plague, and seeing the medicinal herb merchant owner reveal his killing intent, he must know something.

But isn’t it too dangerous?

He’s just now training his body to be human-like, so could it be that he’s fallen into some delusion after reading a military tale?

Heo Seong planned to cut down the medicinal herb merchant owner here and escape with Cheon Mubaeck if necessary.

‘I’ll cut down the bastard right away and carry the Young Master out. If the bastard has a hidden move, I can’t be sure about the employees here either.’

He quickly scanned his surroundings.

As the leader of the Azure Moon Faction, which was in charge of protecting important people and security, he prioritized Cheon Mubaeck’s safety.

‘He’s secretly sending the customers out. Right. Two at the main gate. One on the second floor. Three on the first floor. Two on the third floor. Hmm.’

He didn’t know if they were just thugs or if they had internal energy.

If they were thugs, he could get out without any trouble, but…

‘If necessary, I’ll have to save only the Young Master.’

He glanced at Jeombak with a somewhat apologetic look.

He was a guy who was good at various things, so even though he was just a body servant, everyone thought well of Jeombak. Heo Seong was the same.

But to get out with the crippled Jeombak’s body…

‘Huh? Crippled?’

Come to think of it, did he limp on the way here?

In the midst of his thoughts.

The employee with an awkward expression who had gone to get tea approached with a teacup.

It was then.

“…!”

The employee who brought the tea spilled it. In an instant, Heo Seong’s hand moved reflexively.

A pure white dagger hidden under the teacup.

The moment that dagger was aimed at Cheon Mubaeck’s throat, the sword drawn from Heo Seong’s scabbard cleanly cut off the employee’s wrist at the same time as it was drawn.

Heo Seong barely took a surprised breath.

But that was just a trap.

‘Oops!’

The real one was the medicinal herb merchant owner who was sitting opposite Cheon Mubaeck.

The medicinal herb merchant owner took out a dagger the size of his wrist from his bosom, stood up abruptly, and thrust it.

‘It’s too late!’

Before he could retrieve the sword he had extended to cut off the employee’s wrist, the knife would be stuck in Cheon Mubaeck’s chest!

Heo Seong’s vision went dark.

It was then.

Cheon Mubaeck stood up and kicked the table up with his knee.

Puk!

The dagger that the medicinal herb merchant owner had thrust with all his might was blocked by the wooden table.

At the same time, Cheon Mubaean reached out his hand over the overturned table.

“…!”

“Where do you think you’re pulling this crap, you bastard.”

Cheon Mubaeck’s lips twisted as he grabbed his hair.

(End of Chapter)

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep