Chapter 46: Chapter 46

Chapter 46: Leave Extermination to the Expert

"Ink Sword Hero, it's been a while."

An unexpected person came to visit.

Recognizing her, I clasped both hands in greeting.

"Isn't it Senior Sang Jinhwa?"

The person who called me was Yang Cheonjo's mother, Sang Jinhwa.

While heading to Oga Pharmacy, I'd met Yang Cheonjo and we'd been together until annihilating Master Dongpae's gang. Afterward, the boy was led by his mother Sang Jinhwa's hand back to Banggachon.

"After coming to Luoyang after a long time, I didn't know where to go. But everywhere I went, I heard the Ink Sword Hero's name."

Many incidents occurred in ten days, and became widely known to people.

Sang Jinhwa smiled lightly.

"Black Path Butcher, Sword Demon, Cursed Swordsman... You gained unexpected reputations."

"Urk. You heard those names too? They're just what Black Path babble roughly, so they'll disappear soon."

"I also heard you recently had a son. And after that, your behavior suddenly changed."

"Even such stories? It's true though. Having a child changed me."

"Hohoho, I understand. I was the same."

I asked about Yang Cheonjo's well-being and continued light conversation.

However, this was strange.

She was a reclusive person. She didn't interact with martial artists and lived quietly in Banggachon.

Unless I visited, she wasn't someone who'd come visit.

Moreover, for such leisurely talk?

This visit had a purpose.

"Senior Sang, I'm curious about something."

"Earlier you said you didn't know where to go, but everywhere you went, my name was heard?"

"Perhaps you intended to investigate me from the start?"

The current conversation felt the same way.

"To investigate Jin Yeomyeong. Didn't know where to go. Fortunately. Everywhere I went, Jin Yeomyeong's name was heard. This seems to be the premise."

Sang Jinhwa quietly nodded.

"Sorry for digging into your background."

I had saved her son Yang Cheonjo.

She'd also said to come find her if help was needed.

Trust wouldn't be lacking, yet being this cautious meant—

"It's an important matter. Important enough to investigate even trustworthy people once more."

Even if she investigated my background, I wasn't angry.

How could I not know how important choosing trustworthy people was? I'd experienced countless betrayals fighting the Demonic Cult.

Rather, I was curious.

"How is it? After hearing stories, was I trustworthy to Senior Sang?"

Since regressing, I'd been doing words and actions I hadn't done before.

Close people seemed so too.

How would it look in the eyes of people at distance like Sang Jinhwa?

Going forward, to do many things, my name should be trustworthy to people besides Black Path or Demonic Cult.

Was Jin Yeomyeong trustworthy?

However, instead of an answer to my question, different talk emerged.

"I heard you submitted a leave application to the Alliance. From what I heard, seems you're thoroughly using the Alliance."

Briefly puzzled, I soon realized.

The reason Alliance talk emerged to my question—

"Is the Alliance involved?"

Sang Jinhwa nodded heavily.

So that's why she confirmed once more while coming to find me. After all, I belonged to the Alliance.

Help needed related to the Alliance. Must be a trustworthy person.

Simultaneously, someone helping this matter must be somewhat free from Alliance influence.

Of course, they must also have skills.

Then I should speak clearly.

"Don't worry. If necessary, I'll even storm not just Luoyang branch but the main Alliance."

I would live this life .

"Throughout Luoyang, the hero's reputation was lofty. But reputation and trust don't always accompany each other. What I felt from stories about the hero was different."

"That the hero goes his own path? Recent incidents weren't anyone's instructions or requests but solely the hero's accomplishments."

"So I trusted. Meeting makes it more certain."

Actually, that path was for Taebok's treatment, but that became my will.

"I live in a quiet village called Banggachon in Sangyang County."

Sang Jinhwa finally brought out the story she came with.

A quiet village with nothing special.

In mountains visible from that village, fire arose.

At first she thought it was a forest fire, but signs were strange.

Fire rose in a remote place where people didn't enter, but didn't spread and soon disappeared.

"Like someone extinguished it?"

At that destination, she saw easily hundreds of Black Path.

"They disguised as a mountain stronghold to hide, and like a mine, dug the mountain to make a base."

Near Luoyang, a disguised stronghold, hundreds of Black Path.

Generally got the feeling, but I asked to confirm.

"Not mountain bandits?"

"No. Too remote a place even for mountain bandits to live."

As expected, the anticipated answer came.

To maintain hundreds required diligently banditry.

Needed large mountain roads or villages to plunder.

Eliminating the last possibility, their identity became clear.

"Black Path who fled Luoyang."

Some who left Luoyang hid in the mountains.

"Yes, recently Luoyang is becoming a difficult place for Black Path to live."

Instead, so children could live well.

Black Path headed to the mountains following instructions from the Black Path King or Guyang Je beneath him.

That was also guessable. Follow current ɴᴏᴠᴇʟs on NoveI-Fire.ɴet

Easy thinking about when the Demonic Cult rampaged, Black Path largely crossed to the Demonic Cult.

The Black Path King was trying to maintain the dogs and horses painstakingly gathered.

These Black Path still following instructions were bastards who'd join the Demonic Cult later.

Demonic Cult members making teeth grind.

"Demonic Cult..., no, Black Path must be exterminated!"

Annihilate Black Path plotting counterattack and this time truly smash the Black Path King's forces.

'They said Guyang Je went toward Hyunwon County direction.'

White Path sense activated.

Changed direction midway.

'Guyang Je also headed here.'

Better to withdraw leaving only some toward Hyunwon County direction.

He'd definitely headed somewhere related to the Black Path King.

"Hero? Are you smiling?"

"Yes. Because I think I can finally exterminate the cockroach swarm."

"The Black Path swarm like cockroaches."

If there's a gap in public order, they crawl in before you know.

Like cockroaches hatching eggs, Black Path call Black Path and proliferate.

When trying to catch them, swoosh, swoosh, they escape somewhere again.

Yet they say those bastards are gathered in one place.

"Shall we burn them with fire?"

Since they say fire rose.

Also since they say they're digging earth.

"Well, doing both wouldn't be bad either."

The core was extermination.

"Hero... Cheonjo said you have no mercy for Black Path. So that's true?"

I thought briefly and answered.

"True. Though limited to low-quality Black Path, I have no mercy."

Luoyang's Black Path had destroyed commoners' lives under the Black Path King's instructions.

And going forward, they were people scheduled to become Demonic Cult subordinates.

To Sang Jinhwa, I very briefly told only matters entangled with recent Luoyang Black Path.

"Such... That they participated in such matters."

Public indignation also rose on her face.

"Yes. Thinking again, the core is extermination."

"Extermination. A good word."

The Black Path Extermination Corps came to mind.

Including them, I had to gather all personnel I could summon and storm the base.

Around here, something to ask.

"The Alliance. What connection does the Alliance have?"

"I monitored for several days. Someone appearing to be an outsider left the stronghold. Just in case, I tailed them."

The place that outsider arrived was precisely—

"They entered inside Luoyang branch."

"An Alliance member."

Really almost at the end.

"I'll contact people. Let's go as soon as day breaks."

Black Path, trading companies, Murim Alliance.

Everything the Black Path King cultivated was gathered.

"You came at the right time."

Because I'm precisely an extermination expert.

Before entering the house, I conveyed my prediction to Rogues' Guild and asked them to contact people who might respond to the request.

Of course, Rogues' Guild wouldn't step to the forefront.

What people receiving requests saw was just errand runners receiving wages.

Sang Jinhwa went to a nearby inn instead of our house with a baby.

Tomorrow morning, I planned to depart with her as guide.

Since I told people who couldn't join from Luoyang to gather at Banggachon, when arriving at the mine, numbers would increase more.

Since Black Path were hundreds, we also gathered numbers to go.

"Honey, you're home?"

"Just fed and put to sleep."

Through the open room door, the baby bed where Taebok lay was visible.

Newborns must be kept where visible by eye and audible by ear. Because various things happen even while sleeping.

"Oh my, sleeping well."

Golong, pyuu, squirm—not quiet even while sleeping.

Storing the tightly closed eyes and various sounds, I returned beside Jayeong.

Should go in and look again shortly.

Tomorrow I'm going to fight again. Before that, must see and see again.

"How was today's poetry gathering?"

"Mm, as you said. Since I took last place, I boarded the boat."

The confrontation with Guyang An, Guyang Je's failed assassination attempt and escape, and even the story just heard from Sang Jinhwa.

Jayeong nodded and listened with shining eyes.

"I'm also a jianghu person. Naturally interesting."

"Fortunate it's interesting. Don't think of stepping forward. You still need to care for your body."

"Regrettable. I also want to help quickly."

Rogues' Guild master Iron Bead staying only at home seemed to be itching.

"Only by caring for your body well will that time come quickly. Restrain yourself for now."

That time coming quickly. Actually words I didn't mean.

I wished there'd be no occasions for Jayeong to step forward at all.

I wanted to step forward and end all this faster than the previous life.

With Jayeong, I wanted to spend peaceful time together.

"Lately many things really happen around you. To think there was backing."

"Mm, right. I'll definitely exterminate this time."

They were all matters that could have passed unknown.

However, since I wasn't passing over them like that—

In some sense, I was causing many incidents.

As Sang Jinhwa said, my path—

"Perhaps you're causing it with some purpose?"

Jayeong's sixth sense stabbed the vital point.

Sharper than any attack experienced after returning.

"Would someone operating wind's natural energy choke?"

"Of course. Isn't choking also humans' natural bodily response?"

"Water. Ahem, water."

I drank water slowly.

To buy thinking time.

Talking about Taebok's Severed Meridians was still premature. Only ten days passed since birth.

Bringing up the story—after more time passes.

While obtaining the first spiritual medicine and starting treatment.

When I could present hope, I wanted to speak.

Since I steeled my heart, I wouldn't waver—

"There's nothing hidden, right?"

I spat out the water I was slowly drinking to buy time.

"Hidden? How could I do such. It's so absurd I spat water."

Jayeong narrowed her eyes.

With narrowed eyes, she watched me.

Thoroughly—I was thoroughly exposed.

Wavering completely before my wife.

This moment that wasn't life-threatening yet felt desperate—

"Oh my, Taebok is crying. Must go to the child. Taebok, what's wrong? Father is coming."