Chapter 24 : Chapter 24

Chapter 24. This Is Somewhat Unfair (2)

Wi Clan Escort Agency.

This place is just an ordinary small-to-medium escort agency.

And the biggest problem of such a small-to-medium escort agency is, as always, a chronic shortage of manpower.

Unlike large escort agencies that can give ample pay, small-to-medium escort agencies do not have high pay.

So they cannot hire strong masters, and naturally, the danger of escort missions is high.

As a result, there were many who quit after getting injured or dying in one or two escort missions, and even those who safely completed escort missions often quit unable to endure it.

Because of this, the Wi Clan Escort Agency's guideline regarding manpower is exactly one.

Always recruiting and unconditional acceptance.

There is no such thing as an entrance exam or whatever.

The problem is that there are no people to work, so what nonsense is an exam or whatever?

Such things are for large escort agencies rich in money and talent.

But eight people appeared at once at the Wi Clan Escort Agency.

Even.......

“You say you are disciples of Mount Hua?”

“That is correct. Ah, not everyone is, but those six over there are Mount Hua disciples.”

“.......”

At Han Cheong-un's words, the Agency Head was lost for words for a moment.

A lie? Could that be?

In this Shaanxi land, wearing a Plum Blossom Sword and martial arts uniform embroidered with plum blossoms means one is either a Mount Hua disciple or a madman.

“By any chance, the seniority......?”

“That elderly person over there is an Elder, and the other young people are first-class disciples.”

“Ah...... I see. So that's it.”

The Wi Clan Escort Agency's Head was desperate to stop his mouth from hanging from his ears.

What kind of windfall is this?

Even a Mount Hua Elder and first-class disciples rolled in.

If so.......

‘Daebyeol Keep, Sogyeong Keep, and where was it again....... Anyway, you are all dead.’

He will take this opportunity to wipe out the seeds of the bandits who usually charged exceptionally high tolls to them.

To him thinking so, the boy in front of his eyes spoke.

“The condition is joining the escort going to Hunan just once this time and strictly hiding our party's affiliation.”

“The reason is.......”

“That cannot be revealed.”

“Ah, right. Yes. It must be so.”

The Agency Head hurriedly shut his mouth.

A Mount Hua Elder going down to Hunan with disciples.

Since actions might be restricted in Hunan, the domain of the Unorthodox Faction, camouflage will probably be needed.

He can guess that far.

Although he is curious about 'why'.......

‘It is better not to know to live long.’

In the Jianghu, useless curiosity is usually not beneficial.

The Agency Head kept that fact in mind and said.

“Then you will disguise yourselves as escort warriors.”

“Yes. We request seven escort warrior uniforms.”

“Seven......? Aren't there eight people?”

“Right. But the escort warriors are seven. One intends to disguise as a porter.”

“A porter?”

“Why? Are you curious about the reason?”

At Han Cheong-un's question, the Agency Head hurriedly shook his head.

“No. I will just do as you wish.”

He doesn't know the reason, but it seems better just not to know.

Thus.......

Han Cheong-un took seven escort warrior uniforms and dressed his companions.

And then.......

“It seems the Elder must disguise as a porter.”

“......No, what does that mean?”

“Think about it. Isn't the Elder too conspicuous to disguise as an escort warrior?”

“Me?”

“Yes. Just looking at you, the appearance like a Taoist Immortal, the extraordinary energy, and the traces of lofty martial arts are absolutely not things that can be hidden.”

“Ahem.......”

First, praise him.

And then.......

“A pearl is bound to emit radiance even if hidden in mud. So the Elder needs a much stronger disguise.”

“So a porter?”

“Yes. Even if someone sees the Elder, who would dare imagine? The Great Mount Hua's Elder disguising as a porter and doing menial work? They won't be able to even imagine such a thing.”

“.......”

There is a point.

Even thinking about it himself, no one would think that a person called an Elder of a prestigious Orthodox sect would disguise as a porter and do menial work.

“Not bad.”

“Yes. If we do this, we can pass safely to Hunan without any trouble. Only with the Elder's sacrifice.”

“Hmm.......”

“However, the flaw is that due to my lacking strategy, the Elder's prestige.......”

“Ah, it is done.”

Elder Hyun Myeong raised his hand and blocked Han Cheong-un's words.

And then.......

“Your thought has a point. Understood. If it is for the grand plan, what problem is this Taoist's face?”

“Indeed, you are the Great Mount Hua's Elder.”

“Give it here.”

Like that, Elder Hyun Myeong wore the worn-out porter outfit.

And he did not see.

The evil smile hanging on the mouth of Han Cheong-un who lowered his head.

* * *

The conditions Han Cheong-un hung while talking with the Agency Head were as follows.

On the way to Hunan, we want to thoroughly disguise our identities.

So the Agency Head should also treat us as the agency's escort warriors. And the others in the agency must strictly not know this fact.

These are the conditions.

Of course, the Agency Head accepted this fact.

However.......

“Excuse me, but if you completely hide your identities, the Elder who disguised as a porter might be uncomfortable.......”

“That is exactly what is good.”

“Pardon?”

“Ahem, not that, but the Elder is ready to willingly sacrifice himself for this mission.”

“.......”

“So do not mind and just treat him thoroughly as an old and incompetent porter. Ah, for reference, the Elder is set to not know martial arts either. Isn't it strange if a porter is a martial arts master?”

“.......”

“And I ask just in case, is there no senior porter with long experience and a dirty temper in the Wi Clan Escort Agency?”

“There is a person named Mr. Jang who is a bit.......”

“That worked out well. Please attach that person named Mr. Jang as the Elder's exclusive.”

“.......”

“Kukuku....... I look forward to it.”

The Agency Head thought.

For now, he will do as requested, but.......

‘Is this really okay?’

* * *

“You stupid old fogey?!”

Of course, there was no way it was okay.

The senior porter named Mr. Jang was a person who evenly possessed all the virtues one would not want to meet as a superior in any workplace, being truly dirty-tempered, petty, and narrow-minded.

“I told you to load this load on the carriage in the back row? What did you hear people say to do this? Huh?”

“Hahaha. First, calm down.......”

“Calm down my ass. You do the job like a beggar and now you smile and bullshit? Does laughter come out? Huh?”

“Ahem....... This load, I...... you did not say to load it here.......”

“Ah, so it is my fault?”

“.......”

“Wow, really, ten years in the porter industry and I'm going crazy. Where did such a washed-up old man age improperly? Huh? What? What are you glaring at? I'll just, man!”

“.......”

The dirty-tempered porter Mr. Jang unilaterally berating.

Receiving that berating, Mount Hua's Elder Hyun Myeong repeatedly brought one hand to his empty waist and stopped.

“Elder...... will he be okay?”

“Even if it is a disguise, that is a bit.......”

“Hmm....... Shouldn't we stop him?”

The first-class disciples whispered.

Until Elder Hyun Myeong fell for the words of the boy named Han Cheong-un and disguised himself, they didn't think such a thing would happen.

Eventually, someone unable to endure approached Han Cheong-un and whispered.

“Young Master Han.”

“What is the matter? Master Yun.”

Yun Sang.

Even among Mount Hua's first-class disciples, he is a figure counted at the top, one of Mount Hua's hopefuls called the Seven Swords of Mount Hua.

Excluding Baek Sua who does not do external activities and hides her skills, he is a man who is a top-tier strongman even among Mount Hua's first-class disciples.

He spoke to Han Cheong-un with a serious voice.

“Shouldn't we stop him?”

“Huh? What?”

Does 'What?' come out?

When a Mount Hua Elder is being berated like a dog by a single porter?

“Isn't that a bit too much?”

“It is fine. It is fine. How much is the Elder's cultivation, would he get angry at just such berating?”

“.......”

I think he will?

Look. Steam is also rising from his head.

Ah, no. It's just his soul escaping from his body.

It seems he intends to ascend as an immortal right now.

“Look here!”

Yun Sang put on a straight face and spoke towards Han Cheong-un.

“As a disciple of Mount Hua, I can no longer stand by and watch the sect's Elder suffer such an insult.”

“Hmm, indeed, as a disciple of Mount Hua, you say you cannot stand by and watch such a scene.”

“Of course.......”

“But right now we are not Mount Hua disciples but escort warriors of the Wi Clan Escort Agency?”

“That is just a disguised identity.”

“Tsk tsk, you are still not focusing.”

“Pardon?”

To the flustered Yun Sang, Han Cheong-un put on a fake stern expression and said.

“How can a person called a Mount Hua disciple not do his best in the mission being carried out under the Sect Leader's orders?”

“No, what kind of.......”

“Look at the Elder. Do you see?”

I do see.

I see very well the appearance of receiving all sorts of berating from a dirty-tempered porter.

“Mount Hua's Elder is also doing his best like that to carry out the mission. Yet how can Master Yun not do his best.......”

“Huh?”

Does it work like that?

No, but.......

“Look. At that figure silently accepting the berating of a porter who isn't even a handful! Isn't it beautiful?”

“.......”

“The Elder is doing his best even in the difficult role of a porter like that, yet you say Master Yun cannot focus even on the easy role of an escort warrior?”

“No, not that, I mean.......”

Yun Sang thinks that any more sophistry must stop.

But Han Cheong-un pierced another core.

“Or should we stop the camouflage tactic and request aid from the Murim Alliance as the Elder said?”

“.......”

“Should we contact the Alliance, reveal our mission, and receive help from the Ten Swords Squad?”

“No, not that. That is not it.”

Yun Sang refused flatly.

One of the biggest reasons he accepted this camouflage plan without complaint was because the Elder tried to drag in the Murim Alliance.

No matter if Mount Hua is Orthodox and the Murim Alliance is the representative of the Orthodox Faction, dragging the Alliance into such a matter is not right.

Secret Cave of the Shadowless Divine Thief?

Honestly, if they can take it, it is best for Mount Hua to take it alone.

But if they receive help from the Murim Alliance, won't they have to share?

No, sharing would also be difficult.

Except for the Purple Mist Divine Sword, there is a high possibility that everything else will be taken under the pretext of 'management' by the Alliance.

‘As a Mount Hua disciple, I cannot see that sight.’

If so, it was better to continue the camouflage tactic.

“Then, be faithful to this disguise. Until this mission ends, you must become a thorough escort warrior of the Wi Clan Escort Agency.”

“Hmm.......”

“Look at the Elder's sacrifice (?) over there. Do you not think you all should emulate it a bit?”

* * *

“You frustrating old man. Being so dull to understand words. Huh? Are you listening?!”

“.......”

“Social life is, you see. Before blaming others, one must reflect on one's own faults first. Daring to talk back to a superior....... Huh?”

“.......”

* * *

Although I don't want to emulate it.......

Certainly, that is a bit amazing.

Eventually, watching the Elder who couldn't endure the berating and silently unloaded and reloaded the carriage load alone makes one reflect on whether oneself was too complacent.

“I understand. I will keep your words in mind.”

“That is exactly it. Master Yun. No, Escort Yun.”

“Understood. Escort Han. Then, let's see later.”

“Yes. Understood.”

After sending Yun Sang back like that.

Han Cheong-un looked at Elder Hyun Myeong with a proud expression.

Looking at the appearance of carrying loads with an expression of 'Who am I? Where is here?', Mr. Jang shouts from behind.

“You slow old man! The sun will rise at this rate! If the escort schedule is delayed because of this, will you compensate for everything? Huh?”

“......No. Quickly....... I will do it.”

“Don't just talk, do it quickly! Quickly!”

Ah....... The grudge of the past melts away a little.

Just a very little.

* * *

The escort proceeded smoothly.

At least in the land of Shaanxi.

This Orthodox domain where Mount Hua and Zhongnan are settled was too harsh a place for bandits to operate.

That was the same even going to the Hubei region below it.

Here, Wudang and the Zhuge Clan exist.

If a bandit stronghold settles in this land, the two sects will competitively organize them saying good practice partners have appeared.

Eventually, up to here was a peaceful and safe journey.

“You old bastard! Don't you work properly? Did I tell you to tie the rope here stronger? Or not?”

“Isn't this strong enough?”

“It is not. So what?”

“.......”

“Tie it again!”

Well, one person might not agree, though.

Anyway, the problem with this smooth escort arose from the Yangtze River heading to Hunan beyond Hubei.

Yangtze River.

This huge river crossing the south and north of the Central Plains has been used as a useful means of water transport since ancient times.

Moving logistics by boat allows transporting large amounts of goods much faster and cheaper, so wouldn't anyone do so?

And moving a lot of logistics is a tempting story for thieves targeting that.

Bandits basing themselves on the Yangtze River.

Those called water bandits began to gather. Those who gathered in threes and fives soon began to form one force.

That is exactly the Eighteen Water Fortresses of the Yangtze River.

That water bandit group, which once spread notoriety in the Jianghu, was created like that.

However.......

[How dare mere water bandits cause harm to civilians?]

They were beaten to death by the Murim Alliance, took down their signboard, and disappeared into the back alleys of Murim history.

However, bandits originally possess the characteristic that although defeating them is possible, exterminating them is difficult.

Even now, water bandit groups claiming to be Yangtze River Water Fortresses are scattered here and there in the Yangtze River.

For example.......

“Hahaha. Stop the ship! The heroes of the Yangtze River have come here!”

Leading as many as five huge ships, they surrounded the Wi Clan Escort Agency's ship.

The Agency Head shouted towards them.

“We are the Wi Clan Escort Agency. From where are you heroes?”

To that question, the opponent answered.

“We are the Shark King Fortress.”

“Shark King Fortress?”

The Wi Clan Escort Agency's Head frowned.

As far as he knew, the Shark King Fortress is a water fortress active in a more upstream area.

Considering the characteristic of water bandits with strong obsession over territory, the fact that they appeared here means.......

“Did the heroes of the Violent Shark Fortress perhaps retreat?”

“Hahaha. Those guys must be meeting the Dragon King of the Yangtze River by now.”

As expected, it seems they expanded their territory.

They drove out the Violent Shark Fortress that was originally active in this area and took over this entire area.

‘Then...... what to do?’

The Wi Clan Escort Agency's Head thought.

Even if they have Mount Hua disciples, turning water bandits into enemies on the water is not a wise decision.

Even if they can defeat them now, he has to think about the next time too.

‘As expected, if it can be solved with money, that would be best.’

After concluding so, the Agency Head said.

“I congratulate the heroes of the Shark King Fortress on the prosperity of your business. Our Wi Clan Escort Agency wants to maintain a good relationship with the Shark King Fortress in the future as well.”

“That depends on how much sincerity you show.”

Then the Agency Head took out a pouch from his bosom and threw it.

“I added some more to what we used to pay to the Violent Shark Fortress. Since this is the first transaction, it means please take care of us in the future too.”

This much should be enough to pass amicably.

However.......

“Hahaha. This much is far from enough.”

The opponent rejected it flatly without even checking the contents of the pouch.

“What do you mean?”

“Having such a treasure and passing with this petty cash, isn't that too unconscionable?”

“Treasure?”

At the opponent's words, he didn't understand the reason at first.

But as soon as he checked where his gaze was directed, the Agency Head was startled.

The place where that water bandit bastard's sticky gaze was directed was.......

“Baek...... Lady Baek?”

There was Baek Sua, who couldn't hide all her beauty even in plain escort attire.

And the water bandit burst into hearty laughter and said.

“Hahaha. Truly a peerless beauty. Only such a woman belongs to a hero. And since I am indeed the hero of the world, am I not suitable as a spouse for that peerless beauty?”

Bullshit exploded.

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