“I don’t know how to repay this favor. First, let’s have a drink!”
That evening, after the heinous acts of the Lush Green Post Office were revealed.
The postmen of the Seocheon Post Office guided me to a drinking party after overpowering the Lush Green Post Office with overwhelming strength, leaving no serious injuries.
“…?”
I can’t believe that Jeonggak Hyang would make such a request.
When she said ‘request,’ I thought it would be to go out for a meal at a barbecue place where you can’t eat alone, or go shopping or sightseeing.
“Master Kang? Is there something troubling you?”
“I was lost in thought for a moment. Are you going to keep your position as branch manager?”
Honey dripped from my eyes. I asked the branch manager, who almost faced mandatory retirement.
“Yes. It’s all thanks to Master Kang. Just as I’ve heard, that person’s blood… Ah! Ahem!”
The Wuhan branch manager, realizing a little too late that my identity as the Tang Family’s illegitimate son was a secret, awkwardly coughed.
“One can’t live just as they were born. You have someone worthy of respect, like you, Branch Manager.”
In an effort to change the subject, I praised the Wuhan branch manager, even though he wasn’t from the Tang Family but had risen to a high position.
“Our branch manager! He deliberately supported risky areas to aim for higher positions, but he must have been quite anxious, thinking decades of effort would go to waste overnight!”
“Did you see? He was pacing around all night! Hahaha!”
“You little rascals!”
The branch manager scolded the laughing postmen with a flushed face, but he couldn’t help but smile.
“Thanks to Master Kang, we were able to retrieve the cargo, and we are very fortunate!”
“How on earth did you find the cargo in just one day? I was amazed over and over!”
“When you pointed out the suspect, I thought the world was coming back to life!”
“Master Kang! Please refill the branch manager’s drinking cup quickly! We’re all waiting for our chance!”
The postmen looked at my cup like it was their prey and shouted.
Looks like I won’t be going home sober tonight.
I took the cup from the branch manager, who was holding the bottle, and stood up in the empty spot.
Even if I’m drinking, I might as well socialize a bit.
“Could you please bring a few more cups?”
“Huh? You want them all at once?”
“It’s not my turn to be served first.”
“…?”
Receiving the puzzled gazes of the postmen, I accepted the cups and poured one by one into the empty spot.
The branch manager seemed to have caught on to what I was doing.
The postmen still looked puzzled, though.
Today, it’s clear I was the one who contributed the most. However, I’m not the one who should be served first.
I lightly nodded to the drinking cup and spoke.
“I’ve revealed the truth. Please soothe your grievances with this drink and head to a good place.”
“Whoa…”
“Ugh!”
As I comforted the spirits of the fallen while simultaneously honoring the contributions of the postmen who worked hard today, they looked at me with touched expressions.
It might look like mere formality, but isn’t this all part of social niceties?
“They were indeed diligent folks. They’ll surely express their gratitude to Master Kang in the afterlife.”
The branch manager said with a bitter smile.
“I feel bad for using them.”
It was true that the Lush Green Post Office had hidden itself among the sailors’ cargo, but the postmen of Seocheon Post Office didn’t literally swallow hair.
It was an exaggeration to enhance the story, but since I had told a lie, I felt the need to apologize to the branch manager.
“Even if they didn’t swallow hair, they are postmen who fought to the end without jumping into the Yangtze River to save their lives. They will rather be thankful to you for helping them spread their name in death, Master Kang.”
“That’s right! If it weren’t for Master Kang, we might never have found the cargo!”
“Rumors are spreading like wildfire in Wuhan! I heard people at the inn talking about the Seocheon Post Office incident on the way here!”
“That’s a relief.”
“Now, please refill my cup! My arm is starting to tremble! Hahaha!”
“I’ll drink gratefully.”
The branch manager watched me drink with a pleased expression before bringing up a rather perplexing story.
“Ah! There seems to be another interesting rumor spreading about today.”
“Huh?”
—————————-
“It’s out.”
I’ve drunk too much.
The world is spinning. I know how to use my internal energy to dispel the effects of alcohol, but that’s not what I want when I’m drinking. Even martial artists prefer not to use such methods.
I barely managed to open the inn’s door with my unsteady steps.
“The club leader has arrived!”
“Welcome!”
“What’s going on? Are there a lot of late-night deliveries today? Why are there so many people?”
It was already late at night. The first floor of the inn was bustling with people from the Local Club Association.
Not just delivery people. I wonder if there’s some celebration happening that I don’t know about.
“Our Mighty Ho Pil! Please take a seat here.”
The innkeeper guided me to a seat, trying to stabilize my wobbling figure.
“Mighty Ho Pil?”
What are they talking about?
“Master Kang has revealed the heinous acts of the Lush Green Post Office with a brilliant deduction, waving his fan and subduing the postmaster, and now it’s causing quite a stir in Wuhan!”
“He’s done what even the officials and martial artists couldn’t! A Joseon person, Mighty Ho Pil, has taken care of it! The markets and the inns are buzzing with tales of ghost ships and Master Kang!”
“They’ve been gossiping at the inn. Do you know who that person is? Our club leader, the boss of the Yunqi Inn! He was boasting quite a bit!”
“Haha…”
So this is what the branch manager was referring to when he mentioned an interesting rumor.
Because of the ghost ship stories, it seems no one realized that the renowned detective Kang Yoon-ho had also uncovered the cargo no one could find.
Not to mention he’s also good with tranquilizer guns, making him even more unique!
“I’ve been celebrating your news, so we set up a little feast.”
The innkeeper said while sipping his drink in a corner.
It’s like the way people cheer for those participating in overseas sports leagues in tough times back in South Korea—celebrating because a Joseon person has brought pride to Wuhan.
“I’d love to hear about what happened today… Oops! Why?”
“Be mindful, you fool!”
One of the delivery people slapped the innkeeper’s head.
“What? Is something wrong?”
“Upstairs, your sister-in-law is waiting.”
“At this hour?”
I looked up at the third floor.
“When she heard the stories about Mighty Ho Pil, she couldn’t keep a smile off her face. But when she heard about the fight and subduing the postmaster, the color drained from her face. I think you should… go on up.”
Did I worry too much?
“And club leader, I need to say this sincerely.”
The delivery person said earnestly.
“Huh?”
“Your sister-in-law is glaring at you, how could you bring another woman into your room?”
“What are you talking about?”
When did I do that?
“Your sister-in-law barely slept and is working hard, how could you bring the young lady from the Jeonggak family home? I saw you going out with her just fine today.”
The delivery person pointed dramatically at his eyes, making it clear.
What should I say? I scanned the surroundings and saw everyone looking at me with sealed lips.
Is that why the expressions of the staff turned strange every time I brought Jeonggak Hyang to the inn?
“That’s right. She may be from the Jeonggak family, pretty as she is, with a prestigious family and wealth, but… huh?!”
“Hey! What are you saying to the club leader! Don’t you know the customs of the Central Plains? As long as you’re capable, a man can date multiple women at the same time!”
“Is that really the case?”
“Yes! You have quickly assimilated into the manners of the Central Plains, and now you court women Central Plains style!”
“Still! Look! Your sister-in-law is tossing and turning, unable to sleep!”
“Right! Your wife is still the primary one!”
At this rate, it seems like a fight could break out.
“Enough with the nonsense! Just have fun and don’t worry about me. I’m feeling dizzy from drinking, so I’m heading upstairs.”
Nonchalantly, as if it weren’t a big deal, I patted the back of the delivery person who was worrying too much and headed toward the third floor, where the final boss awaited.
—————————
“Absolutely! Don’t even think about doing dangerous things! Do you understand?”
Standing in front of the office with a presence behind the door, I felt a twinge of fear. I had promised Im Ha-yeon that this wouldn’t draw too much attention, but I ended up getting involved in something far more dangerous than I imagined.
“Um… I’m back.”
Is this how a newlywed returning home after a three-part drinking party and sneaking in through a dark house feels?
I swallowed hard and slowly opened the door.
What a mess.
As soon as I opened the door, I saw Im Ha-yeon sitting at the desk, making a peculiar grimace, waiting for someone.
I’m in for a scolding.
Steeling myself for a waterfall of nagging…
“Huh?”
I felt a warm hand gently touch my cheek as I closed my eyes.
“Are you okay?! Are you hurt anywhere?”
When I opened my eyes, I saw Im Ha-yeon approaching with a concerned look on her face.
“I’m not hurt.”
I replied with a slightly dazed expression.
“Sigh. I told you to run away instead of fighting! Your only redeeming feature is your face; what would you have done if you got hurt?”
“Are you mad?”
“I am. But I’ll confirm that you’re unhurt before yelling at you tomorrow.”
Im Ha-yeon scanned my figure from head to toe for a while, then sighed softly in relief.
Is it finally my turn to get scolded? Then let’s dive right in.
“Thanks to you, I was able to avoid injury. I used the Shadowless Body Technique and threw the letter, and even seasoned postmen couldn’t deal with it.”
“That’s why I told you we should go together.”
“There were too many eyes on us. However, using the Shadowless Body Technique felt like being with you.”
It’s all thanks to you, Ha-yeon. It wasn’t that dangerous. I desperately tried to convey that.
Im Ha-yeon seemed displeased, pouting her lips and looking me up and down, before eventually slumping her shoulders as if her anger had fizzled out.
“…Did it get resolved well?”
Thank goodness, it seems I passed the test.
“Who am I? The truth is always one! I shouted, ‘The culprit is you!’ and everyone was dumbfounded.”
I laughed, pretending to be a great detective.
“Well done. You’re awesome as always.”
Im Ha-yeon looked at me with pride before lightly holding onto my shoulders.
Her breath felt light.
Im Ha-yeon continued to gaze at me with strangely trembling eyes.
This… feels a bit strange.
Her blue eyes appeared especially beautiful today.
Is it because she called me ‘brother-in-law’? Or from the drinks? Or is it because she’s worried about me instead of scolding me?
Why am I getting conscious of this?
Get it together, Kang Yoon-ho. If you mess up while drunk, the Sichuan Tang Family will…
Tang Family?
Ah?!
“Oh no!”
I dashed to the window in surprise.
“What?!”
“I forgot to recover the letters after the fight!”
“Are those letters single-use?”
Only elementary school detectives who are close friends with those earning from patents would have that luxury.
“If you use them multiple times, they are reusable. Since they belong to the Tang Family, where else can I get them?”
Why did I forget to recover them?
“Do you think if we go now, we can find them?”
We could find them since we just escorted the postmen of the Lush Green Post Office, and the post office is currently surrounded by the people at Man Geum Battlefield. If I look for them, I might find them.
But can I search for them alone at night? In this case…
Scratching my head in embarrassment, I asked her.
“Would you like to take a night stroll with me?”
Im Ha-yeon looked at me with a face of disbelief before breaking into a soft chuckle.
“Sure, let’s go.”
——————
“It was a joint effort between the Lush Green Post Office and the Ilga Merchant Association.”
A few days later, after receiving a message from the branch manager to come to the Seocheon Post Office, I visited with Im Ha-yeon.
“Are you saying that the Lush Green Post Office didn’t act alone?”
“When we interrogated the postmen, it turned out that the Ilga Merchant Association bribed the sailors, and the Lush Green Post Office hired postmen and ronins to commit their deeds.”
The Ilga Merchant Association would just have to collect the rewards and switch allegiance back to the Lush Green Post Office, while the Lush Green Post Office could take down the Seocheon Post Office.
It was a mutually beneficial arrangement.
“I thought the incident was too big for just that.”
“The Man Geum Battlefield and the Seocheon Post Office are expected to handle it. However, during the investigation, we heard something strange that I felt both Master Kang and Ha-yeon should know.”
“What are you talking about?”
Something that involves both me and Im Ha-yeon?
Im Ha-yeon and I exchanged confused glances.
“You mentioned that a martial artist who got off the ship said, ‘I can’t see it! Move it and find it!’ about the cargo we recovered, right?”
“Yes. That was about the cargo that the Seocheon Post Office had to pay a hefty reward for, wasn’t it?”
Why was he mentioning that? I looked at the branch manager with wide eyes.
“No, the martial artist was looking for something else.”
“What do you mean?”
“After the investigation, we found out that the martial artist had been hired externally. He said exactly this.”
“What did he say?”
So, the martial artist was not looking for something that was inside the cargo.
I thought he meant that since it was hard to confirm on the ship, he meant to look for it after moving.
The branch manager looked back and forth between me and Im Ha-yeon before ultimately revealing what the martial artist had said.
The identity of what the martial artist was searching for.
It was none other than—
“I can’t see Im Ha-yeon in the cargo! Move it and find her!”
