Chapter 291

청’s sword tip made the crowd part like the Red Sea.

It was as if cannonballs were being fired from the blade, with people shouting and scrambling to the sides, creating a clear path through the once tightly packed crowd.

A straight and narrow line has formed, allowing a glimpse beyond the open space.

In the midst of this chaos, a man was shoved forward out into the open.

The man staggered as he spotted 청’s blade aimed at him, turning pale as he hurriedly ducked back into the crowd.

“What’s going on? Does he think some laser’s coming from my sword? Hmm. This is kind of amusing.”

But then the man was again roughly pushed around and took a nasty spill, landing squarely on his butt.

“I’m… I’m not the one!”

“Don’t joke around! You were the one screaming!”

“I distinctly heard you yell!”

청 narrowed her eyes.

“What’s this? You were shouting with such boldness earlier, but now you’re trying to backpedal?”

“Uh, umm…”

“What are you even doing trying to stir things up? Hmm. Do you know him?”

청 asked the designer.

But the designer could only shake his head.

“I don’t know him.”

“That’s what he says. Does anyone recognize this guy?”

청 knows to ask when unsure.

And indeed, the power of collective intelligence was impressive.

“That guy, he’s Jeomsoi from the Jeha Half-Horse!”

“Right! That voice sounded familiar!”

Unlike 청’s hometown, here in the Central Plain, the bonds between neighbors were still tightly knit.

And those bonds translated into information, so much so that living in a neighborhood for just a week would make you recognizable to the whole village.

Thus, with fervent enthusiasm, his identity was quickly revealed.

“Jeomsoi? No wonder his voice was booming. Hey, why are you still messing around?”

“That’s because I heard it perfectly!”

Jeomsoi, probably caught up in the moment, spilled his story.

Last winter, when the construction was in full swing, carpenters from Zhangxing Company had come for a company dinner.

Well, when alcohol was involved, people tended to say things they shouldn’t if they drank too much.

Also, weirdly enough, across the Central Plain, the hometown of 청, people often didn’t consider the waitstaff as people, treating them more like the wallpaper.

So Jeomsoi heard loud and clear,

“I said it was a ridiculous design from the start! Seriously, who builds levees like that? I’ve never seen a guy like that who’s never been on-site come up with such a scheme! The complaints were pouring in like crazy!”

“Oh wow.”

청 looked back at the designer.

The designer’s expression twisted with annoyance.

“Where exactly is my design ridiculous!? I laid it out as simply as possible from the housing to the road, just needing to set it up and stack it! The government took my design, right!?”

Now, 청 didn’t know much about civil engineering terms. Even if she did, with the difference between her hometown jargon and Central Plain lingo, she wouldn’t get it anyway.

Jeomsoi fell silent at the designer’s protest.

“Well, I wouldn’t know about that… I just heard it that way…”

“This is bad. Are you planning to just yell in the middle of life and death? You’re basically throwing a funeral over it!”

“But it’s a mess because of that guy.”

“We don’t actually know if it’s his fault, do we? We can hang him later if we find out he’s at fault.”

“Well…”

Jeomsoi couldn’t meet their eyes.

In fact, seeking someone to blame in the face of a disaster is a natural human instinct.

You could say the history of humanity is a history of scapegoats; it’s a defensive mechanism to relieve unjust grievances by pointing to someone else and calming one’s burning insides.

“So, Zhangxing Company, huh?”

“They’re in charge of flood control works.”

This was the process of flood control construction.

When the government announced flood control works, the company would apply for it and get selected.

Simultaneously, designs would be solicited, with the best ones chosen.

After that, the government would grant the selected company the blueprints and funds.

Just a side note, separating the design from construction was their way of preventing corruption here in the Central Plain.

But management in the Central Plain has never been corrupt-free from the past to the future.

In principle, the designs should be set down by the flood control official of the government.

But that flood control official is basically a nonexistent position filled by the sons or friends of higher-ups, or made-up names written into the officials’ roster to pocket salaries.

So, when seeking talented people from outside, they run open calls for designs under the pretense of giving them a chance to shine.

They call it “giving opportunities,” yet they don’t pay for design costs at all.

Instead, they even have to praise the officials’ integrity who accepted their design without any kickbacks.

“Zhangxing Company, huh? So if the design was fine, that means the construction was the problem.”

“Ahem.”

“Zhangxing Company is kind of…”

“Hm…”

Something about the crowd’s reaction felt lukewarm.

What’s going on? Why?

I expected shouts of “Let’s burn this down!” or something, but instead, as soon as Zhangxing Company’s name was mentioned, the atmosphere fell flat, sighs were heaved, shoulders drooped, and people began to disperse.

What’s with this vibe?

It felt like they were facing some untouchable figure, like someone you just can’t mention.

As 청 stood there baffled, the designer dropped to the ground, bowing deeply.

“I failed to greet you properly, benefactor. My name is Yak Joong-yun, and child, greet the benefactor.”

“It’s Yak Ji-jun.”

“Hmm. What are you planning to do now? It seems dangerous to stay in the city.”

“Well, yes, but the roads are a mess and the situation is chaotic, so I can’t just leave.”

After a disaster, bandits and thieves swarm.

Even though the city is dangerous, it’s still safer than the current government office.

“Hmm. I’m on my way to meet Nakeun Military Commander. I’ll ask if they can offer some protection over there.”

“How could I deserve such grace? I had no idea how to express my gratitude properly.”

“Hmm.”

청 made a somewhat embarrassed expression.

It’s one thing to ask for protection, but it’s also a means of surveillance.

As long as the designer’s plans weren’t messed up, there wouldn’t be any problems.

If they turned out to have issues later, that would mean confinement.

So, the crowd slinked away, and Yak Joong-yun stepped forward to take the reins of the carriage, while 청 cautiously climbed aboard, leaving behind the slowly bonding horse’s rear.

Just as she was about to get on,

“Young lady! Seomun young lady! We meet here!”

“Oh? That.”

청 tilted her head.

Someone was welcoming her with great enthusiasm, but who was it?

The face looked familiar from somewhere but felt entirely unfamiliar at the same time.

“Who are you? Do you know me?”

청 scrutinized the man.

His rough hands were covered in calluses and scars, so he seemed like some typical half-baked martial artist.

Strange.

I’ve never dined with any martial artist, only with Shaolin monks.

Oh, but there were the ronin guys I encountered. But this guy doesn’t seem to be one of them, no?

The man continued making a fuss.

“I’m Geoltaran, just a lowly being. I’ve only seen young lady a couple of times at the Seolga Merchant Association, so of course, you wouldn’t remember me, but I was so moved to see you that I couldn’t help myself and made all this noise! Hehe.”

“Oh, you’re from the Merchant Association? What brings you here? Wait, has the Seolga Merchant Association expanded all the way here?”

“Please, lower your voice a bit. Also, I’m the branch chief of Nakeun under the Taecheong Sect.”

“Huh? You changed jobs?”

“You can think of it as an alliance—a brotherly partnership between the two associations. Um. That’s it, really.”

Geoltaran made a circle with his thumb and index finger, continuing on.

“Let’s just say we share the same ancestor.”

“Oh, the same ancestor.”

청 understood right away.

It meant that both the Seolga Merchant Association and the Taecheong Sect had significant ownership held by the same person or group.

What 청 didn’t know was who the ancestor was.

The ancestor is none other than the Heavenly Demon Sect.

So, when the elite agent of the demonic sect saw 청, the emotions involved were not just any small thing.

Especially since when 청 subdued the crowd with a single kick, the awe she elicited was monumental.

It was a hundredfold struggle to hold back tears of joy.

To bow down in overwhelming gratitude was five hundredfold!

“Hehe, please lower your voice.”

“No, how could I? I’m no one associated with your association.”

“That’s not true. The Great Lord Choi ordered me to treat you like a venerable elder when you were seen.”

“Great Lord Choi? Grandpa?”

“Yes, he just established a new branch under the ancestors’ investment. So, young lady, you’re now even a higher-up than me.”

“Huh. Is that so?”

Hmm. Grandpa is quite skillful.

If it’s Grandpa’s sect, then…

At this, 청 thought to ask.

“By any chance, is the name Taecheong Sect…?”

“Hehe. Of course, it’s named after you, young lady.”

“Why would you arbitrarily use someone’s name?”

Yikes, that feels a little burdensome.

But if it’s Grandpa, he’s definitely the kind of person that could do that.

But if it’s Grandpa’s association, could I maybe leverage that somehow?

“Well, it’s perfect timing. The city’s in shambles, and I was thinking of offering some relief…”

“Seriously? How can someone as compassionate as you be so beautiful inside and out?”

“Hmm. I have a little gold on me. How much of a help can forty guan be?”

“Please, lower your voice.”

“Oh, right.”

It feels weird to talk down to a complete stranger, but it seems Geoltaran was quite pleased about it.

“Are you talking about gold? But we’re already preparing relief supplies, so you don’t have to share your precious wealth with us.”

“Oh? You’re preparing relief supplies?”

“Please speak more comfortably…”

“Oh, you’re already getting ready for it?”

“Yes. What use would business be when the city’s like this? We need to prioritize living people.”

Sure, he had a point, but the Taecheong Sect’s very purpose was relief efforts.

This was just a dirty scheme by the Heavenly Demon Sect to gain favor via relief!

Just when the floods were due to hit, they sneakily made their way into Hanan, and when the real flood struck, Geoltaran was ecstatic as he watched the hit city.

He must have thought, “The heavens must be blessing the demonic sect with such a grand opportunity.”

“Hmm. You’re doing a good deed. No, you are.”

Unaware of the implications, 청 said that.

But even if she knew, she’d still likely say the same.

They didn’t intentionally cause the floods, and even if the motives were somewhat impure, relief is still relief, right?

“Hehe. Could you praise me a little more?”

“Oh, that’s commendable! Excellent!”

“Cough.”

Suddenly, Geoltaran’s gaze reddened with excitement.

After all, not only was he facing the Supreme Heavenly Demon, but he also received praise from them.

Being agents of the evil sect exposed to the outside world, they were all brainwashed hardcore, worshiping the Heavenly Demon from a young age.

Oh, Supreme Heavenly Demon!

You are my light, my salvation, the reason for living!

Unaware of the dire sentiments, 청 just found it a bit sour.

Hmm. Is this really that big a deal?

Isn’t this guy a bit odd?

Is the Taecheong Sect really alright like this?

Using someone else’s name to carry on could lead to downfall.

“Well, good things only get better as they pile up. I was worried about the gold slipping away since I just had to leave it there; this turned out well.”

I mean, I had to give relief anyway, but all I had was a gold nugget and had no idea what to do.

I’d thought, if I entrusted it to the orthodox military, it’d be used earnestly, so I was on my way to Nakeun Military Commander.

But with Grandpa’s association, I could actually trustfully hand it over!

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