“Got it. I’ll execute the sentence tomorrow.”
Baek Myeon-ho-ri’s execution was processed swiftly.
Having obtained all the information desired, and given he was severely intoxicated and not in his right mind, along with the numerous victims left behind, it was decided that executing him hastily would be better than keeping him in the prison.
“Bring the criminal!”
The execution for serious criminals was, in ancient times, a form of entertainment for the public, regardless of the region.
Though Baek Myeon-ho-ri’s execution was supposed to be public, it was carried out quietly with only a few people present, as no one knew what the Demonic Cult might do.
“Gag! Grrr! It itches! It hurts! It hurts, it’s tasty!”
That kid, Baek Myeon-ho-ri, is dying.
The state of Baek Myeon-ho-ri being dragged in was not normal. Was he clawing at his own face in itch and pain?
Of course, he wasn’t pitiful given the amount of crimes he committed, but somehow it felt more like a final beating than an execution.
“Cough! That bastard is the reason my daughter is…!”
“Damn child of the Demonic Cult!”
“It’s a waste to behead that bastard! He should be flayed alive!”
“Bring my son back, you bastard! Cough!”
Although the execution was purposely organized to be simple, it couldn’t be helped that the victims had to witness it. At the very least, they needed to see how painfully the criminal dies to feel satisfied.
Heo Song’s mother, whose face skin was flayed off, and the father of the deceased sibling, among several victim families, sat quietly, venting their fury.
Among them were the eldest daughter of Man Geum-jeon, Ma Yang-baek’s mother, and Jang Nan-ok as well.
“Are you okay, Aunt?”
Turning my head, I saw Jang Nan-ok trembling in silence beside me.
“It’s a little hard to breathe… for some reason…”
This was a phenomenon that occurs due to excessive mental stress.
“If it’s too much to bear…”
As I looked towards the door, Jang Nan-ok waved her hand.
“I’m fine. Thank you for worrying, but I’ll watch until the end.”
“If it gets hard, just say something.”
“Thank you.”
While we were talking, the preparations for Baek Myeon-ho-ri’s execution finished. I expected something like a cleaver to appear like in an old drama, but it was just an ordinary executioner.
I kept my tension up and surveyed the surroundings.
It would be troublesome if that guy suddenly comes to his senses and says he left everything in this world for the Heavenly Mountain, or if there was a decisive battle between the government office and the Demonic Cult to save Baek Myeon-ho-ri.
“We will begin!”
Even if Baek Myeon-ho-ri is left alone, the promise with King Yeom-ra cannot be canceled. Fortunately, nothing happened until the executioner’s blade was raised.
Like striking with an axe, the powerful blade swooped down towards the main culprit of it all.
“Gah!”
He wasn’t decapitated in one go. Is it rare for someone to die in one strike?
“Cough!”
“Cough!”
This is excessive. How many times does he have to hit him?
“Here? Grr!”
“Gah!”
Something’s off. He’s striking too much. What’s going on? On closer inspection, the executioner’s blade wasn’t sharp.
Wait a minute. I turned in surprise.
“Aunt! No way?!”
There was a woman trembling with her fists clenched.
I’ve heard there are people who pay executioners to kill quickly in one strike. So, wouldn’t the opposite be possible?
“Didn’t you say you wouldn’t let him die easily?”
Just as I thought.
I looked at Jang Nan-ok in shock, but her gaze was fixed on the execution ground, as if she wouldn’t miss a single scene.
The sounds of agonizing cries began to gradually subside. Finally, the severed head rolled on the ground.
The fury of a mother who lost her child remained until the end.
———
“This is a report on the incident that Baek Myeon-ho-ri committed in Wuhan.”
“Ho Pil, you must be busy in many ways, but thank you for your hard work until the end.”
As soon as the incident was settled, I wrote a report on the Baek Myeon-ho-ri case and went to find the Inspector.
“Haha. Isn’t he a disaster for the nation, the Demonic Cult? Once you start, you must see it through.”
“I heard that the body that was executed was immediately burned.”
“I put it in the report, but he was a guy who used peculiar martial arts that eat human brains. If there’s anyone who uses other martial arts, it could be a problem, so I thought we should eliminate this disaster for good.”
It was a neatly finished case.
One day, when Baek Myeon-ho-ri’s grave is suspiciously dug up, someone muttering, ‘Could the true identity of Kang Yoon-ho be!’ is something I absolutely cannot allow.
I made sure everything was taken care of properly.
“That’s a good judgment. Well done.”
Jung Mun-won also flipped through the report and nodded in satisfaction.
“Although we found and punished the offender, I worry about the people left behind.”
“I never imagined so many people would suffer because of one Demonic Cult member. I really can’t imagine what would have happened if you, Ho Pil, weren’t here for this case.”
“It’s horrific to think, but the Man Geum Battlefield would have fallen into the hands of the Demonic Cult.”
While writing the report, a small question was resolved in my mind.
‘The Man Geum Battlefield didn’t appear in the original work.’
The first day I met Man Geum-jeon with Hwa Lin, I thought that it was a place I had never heard of before.
I brushed it off, thinking it simply wasn’t mentioned in the original story. But now, that might not have been the case. According to the original history, the Demonic Cult would have taken over the Man Geum Battlefield.
“Truly impressive. Even the officials in the government office are talking about you whenever the three of them gather.”
“Haha. You flatter me.”
Our Inspector. It seems like the constant praising means he has something more to say.
“With such achievements, are you really not considering a government position?”
As expected. I knew this would happen.
“It’s said that a blunt stone receives its grace. I’m content just maintaining the position I’ve earned through my efforts.”
Having become the successor of Man Geum Battlefield, why would I struggle with civil service? I spoke indirectly.
“Ah, as the successor of Man Geum Battlefield, it makes sense that you wouldn’t be greedy. Are you thinking of putting an end to the Ho Pil matter now?”
“The wounds the Demonic Cult left are too deep, so I think I’ll need to focus on handling my family’s aftermath for a while.”
“I see…”
A look of disappointment was clear on Jung Mun-won’s face.
“Of course, that doesn’t mean I’m planning to completely drop the title of Ho Pil.”
“Then?!”
For a moment, the Inspector’s face lit up with surprise.
“For the time being, I may be called the successor of Man Geum Battlefield, Kang Yoon-ho, but if you need me, Inspector, I will always come running.”
The Ho Pil title was quite useful every time I resolved cases. Plus, to maintain my connection with the Inspector, it’s better to keep it for now.
“Exactly! Losing a Ho Pil like you is a real loss to this country! When I write about this recent event, I’ll make sure to properly include your name! Thank you! Truly, thank you!”
A letter? Did he misspeak about the report?
I didn’t bother asking. It was finally time to end all this as the Inspector lovingly patted my shoulder.
The lengthy trial of Man Geum-jeon.
From the matter of Hwa Oon Moon to the Man Geum Battlefield incident. Enjoying a drink with Jung Mun-won, we finally concluded the case of Baek Myeon-ho-ri today.
———
“Hmm.”
While the Baek Myeon-ho-ri case came to an end, my worries were far from vanishing entirely.
“How is Lord Man Geum-jeon doing?”
I asked the physician who was still examining the unconscious Man Geum-jeon.
“I have the same thing to say. His condition is very good. I don’t know what the Zhuge family gave him, but the energy flowing inside him is as good as a young man’s.”
“Then why is he not waking up?”
Man Geum-jeon still hadn’t woken. Even if his body was fine, why was he still unconscious?
“Even if both are broken legs, a young man recovers quickly, but an old man might live the rest of his life limping. Since it was an extremely strong poison, there would have been a great shock to his body.”
“Is there no other method?”
“I take pride in my medical skills, but I cannot stop the passage of time. Besides, what more can I do to someone who has also had an elixir from the Zhuge family?”
“Is waiting the only option?”
“He can wake at any time, but it’s impossible to predict when. There’s no need to be too anxious.”
Every physician that comes tells me not to worry too much, but the family watching someone continuously in a coma feels differently.
“Thank you.”
In the end, I bid farewell to the physician after hearing the same thing once more.
“Brother-in-law, what are you thinking of doing now?”
Is it because the Deputy Head of Guards Un Yeop is next to me? Gil-san asked me in a respectful tone.
“The original plan was to proceed thoroughly with the aftermath once Lord Jang-no wakes up.”
“Can’t you just push through and proceed with it yourself?”
I wish I could do that. I ran my hand through my hair in frustration.
“I’ve never been a successor before. I’m not sure how far I can proceed independently as a successor.”
This wasn’t a situation where Man Geum-jeon passed away. Every physician keeps saying he’ll wake up soon, so I have no idea how far I should handle things on my own.
“Even if you are the successor, it would be best to operate with Lord Man Geum-jeon’s permission before doing anything big.”
The Deputy Head of Guards Un Yeop agreed with my words.
“That’s correct.”
Ultimately, the Man Geum Battlefield was an organization built solely by Lord Man Geum-jeon’s strength. Given the successor position has been empty for decades, no one has deeply pondered the successor’s authority.
Just how much can the new successor do?
What should be done about the confiscated businesses? How should the organization be structured and run? I’m not some chaebol’s youngest son. I’m just a small business owner running a few shops.
Even though the Head of Guards and Deputy Head of Guards were helping, with no preparation or experience and authority issues in the mix, it was a bit of a troublesome situation.
“It sounds quite ambiguous.”
Jeon Gil-san looked at me pitifully as if he could see my struggle.
“There’s much I can do within my limits, so I should just start with what I can.”
Let’s think positively. If I handle the urgent matters, maybe Man Geum-jeon will wake. Then it will ease the pressure.
“By the way, where did Hyang go? Didn’t she move to her grandfather’s mansion together?”
Once we wrapped up the discussion about immediate issues, Gil-san looked for the absent woman next to me.
“She went back to the mansion.”
“What? Hyang? Why?”
“She was restless since yesterday evening but wouldn’t tell me why when I asked. So she said she’d stay a few nights at the mansion.”
I had no choice but to sleep at Man Geum Battlefield since my room was halfway destroyed.
“Did she develop a phobia of the new room?”
“Isn’t that a bit too much? You’re her cousin.”
I subtly shot back at Gil-san. No matter how much Zhuge so-called Miss is a homebody, would she really be uncomfortable staying at her grandfather’s house?
“I suppose it’s understandable. While accepting it inwardly…”
“…….”
No, she might be a little unfamiliar with it. I don’t think it’s a big deal, given they’re not that far apart.
“What should we start with…”
clatter
At that moment, the door swung open, interrupting our conversation.
“Kang Yoon-hoooooo!”
A beautiful woman with silver hair and blue eyes burst in, displaying an expression that didn’t match her looks as she rushed in.
“Miss Zhuge! You’re back?”
Indeed, she must have disliked being home alone. Right, what matters is not the familiar home but the familiar person. I should remind her to prepare for the move and have her bring it up.
“Master Kang, run away!”
An unexpected statement burst from Miss Zhuge’s mouth.
“What?”
Miss Zhuge seemed anxious, fidgeting nervously.
“There’s no time! Quick, run away!”
Miss Zhuge grabbed my sleeve as if she were a bride trying to escape an arranged marriage.
“What’s going on suddenly? Please calm down and tell me slowly.”
What on earth is happening?
“Are you here?!”
Suddenly, I heard a loud noise from outside the door.
“Huh?”
“You have to enter with permission! How can you force your way in! What kind of law is this?”
“I didn’t explain the circumstances! Are you trying to disrupt the Man Geum Battlefield’s events?”
“No, no matter what…”
“What’s happening?”
Outside, I could hear voices arguing. Who is coming uninvited to Man Geum Battlefield’s territory?
“Aah! This is bad. They’ve already made it here…”
Miss Zhuge’s face turned pale, and she crawled underneath my desk in a hurry.
“Miss Zhuge? Why are you hiding?”
Miss Zhuge, even though we may be close, hiding under the desk during work hours raises suspicion.
“Is there a box anywhere, Master Kang? Or maybe I can prepare a formation!”
What kind of person is out there to make her so flustered?
“Miss! We know you’re in there! Come out, please!”
“Eek!”
Miss?
No way.
“What kind of ruckus is this!”
To solve this perplexity, I grabbed Miss Zhuge’s hand and stepped outside.
“Ah… this can’t be happening.”
Emerging from the office with the flustered Miss Zhuge, I saw people that definitely looked like martial artists standing off against my Man Geum Battlefield’s warriors.
Who are they? As I glanced at the martial artists, I noticed one strikingly odd commonality.
Silver hair and blue eyes.
“The Zhuge family?”
The ones who visited Man Geum Battlefield were members of the Zhuge family.
“Lady Zhuge Hyang! We’ve come to take you back on the head’s orders.”
The one seemingly representing the Zhuge family spoke to Jang Hyang, hiding behind me with a stern face.
What the hell? Summoning her home all of a sudden? It’s understandable to be taken aback. Let’s calm the situation first.
“Ah, so you are from the Zhuge family. Welcome…”
“And.”
The martial artist interrupted me as if she didn’t need to hear more and glared at me as if she wanted to swallow me whole.
“Huh?”
“You are to bring that black-haired brat with you, per the head’s orders.”
