RDM (Novel) Chapter 329

C329

The significance of Hong Yushin in the Hao Clan was by no means small. 


Although everyone was cautious of him because of his position as the supervisor, his ability to handle matters fairly and respond quickly to changes in the national situation was welcomed by all.


His efforts were also instrumental in keeping many of the scattered branches throughout the Kangho in good condition. 


He visited them frequently and collected information as part of his duties.


Furthermore, he had an excellent ability to coordinate the various branches. Even if they were part of the Hao Clan, there were often conflicting interests with neighboring areas.


Hong Yushin was able to solve such problems wisely, and as a result, he gained the support of many branch managers. 


However, after he went missing, many problems began to arise in the branches.


As a result, the Hao Clan was in a state of emergency.


The old man's explanation helped Pyo Wol understand the situation in the Hao Clan.


After Hong Yushin went missing, the Taeho branch here did not receive proper support, and its activities were weakened.


In particular, since the branch managers were the main operators, there was a significant difference in the quantity and quality of information compared to other places.


The women could ease people's wariness with a smile, but the approach of the branch managers made people more cautious.


"Of course, that doesn't mean we have no information at all. It's just that it takes time to gather the information, so our handling of matters may be delayed a bit."


"How long will it take?"


"Just wait two more days. We'll uncover everything about the Cheolsan Ironworks for you."


"Very well."


Pyo Wol nodded his head.

 

Since time was not urgent anyway, Pyo Wol had to be satisfied with that.


"I'll stay at the Taeho First Pavillion for a while. Send the information there."


"Okay."


The old master answered obediently.


There was a faint fear in his eyes as he looked at Pyo Wol.


He had lived his entire life seeing the blood of beasts.


It was a job that others dismissed as menial, but he still believed it was his calling and had done his best at it.


Devoting his life to catching animals, he had risen to the level of a skilled butcher.


He could even cut a large cow with a single stroke of his knife, without causing any pain.


The flesh of the cows he killed was particularly tender since they did not even feel the pain of death, and many of the wealthy desired to have the cows he caught themselves.


If the old master wanted to, he could have killed a human being just as easily.

He had a knack for killing instantly.


It was impossible to describe in words, but he knew that once he used his skill, any living creature would inevitably succumb to death.


No other human he'd ever seen was immune.


There was always a difference in degree, but there was definitely a knack for killing.

 

However, he could not see any such thing in the man in front of him now.


No matter how hard he looked, he could not see any flaws, let alone a knack for killing.


Instead, he felt a sensation of being pierced by something sharp in his own brow.


"What?"


He was startled by the strange sensation he had never experienced before. But soon he realized.


The sensation he was feeling was what the cows or pigs he had killed had felt.


"Am I being targeted by a knack for killing?"


The old master shuddered all over.


What Pyo Wol called "lifeblood" was something that he, as a butcher, had learned to recognize throughout his life.


It was the blood that could split life and death even with a small blow, depending on the human body, the surrounding environment, and the changing seasons.


Pyo Wol would never have discovered it if he had not worked in a slaughterhouse.


"It's no exaggeration to call him a messenger of death from Kangho."

 

If Pyo Wol had harbored a malicious heart, he would have already ceased to be a person in this world. 


It was certain that he would have died without knowing how, just like the cows and pigs he had caught.


Realizing that his opponent had shown mercy only made it more frightening.


"He's definitely a man who must never be turned against."


The old master shuddered and watched Pyo Wol's back as he moved away, his arms trembling.


Finally, Pyo Wol disappeared, and he said to the young apprentices:


"For the next two days, close the doors of the slaughterhouse and collect information on Iron Mountain Manor and the workshop."


***


Pyo Wol walked along the river after leaving the slaughterhouse.


Taeho was not only connected to the Yangtze River, but also to other streams whose names were unknown. 


When small rivers and streams were added, dozens of branches spread out like tree branches, all connected.


The place where Pyo Wol was walking was one of those unknown rivers.


The scenery along the river was so beautiful that not only Pyo Wol, but also many others were strolling and admiring it.


"Cheolsan!"


If Pyo Wol's memory was correct, Cheolsan was undoubtedly the one who hired Hundred Wraith Union's assassins to steal Tang Sochu's vision.


Because of this, Tang Sochu had to move his Workshop to Pyo Wol's mansion, and he was still in hiding.


Pyo Wol promised to help Tang Sochu solve this problem.


He didn't know that Cheolsan was staying here, but now that he knew there was a Cheolsan's Workshop and the Iron Mountain Manor, he couldn't just ignore it. 


So he hired Hao Clan to collect information about  Iron Mountain Manor.


He had to confirm whether Cheolsan was truly the one who hired Hundred Wraith Union.


If he stayed here for just two more days, he would be sure.


It wasn't too late to act then.


Laughter could be heard around him.


The faces of the man and woman walking together were full of excitement, and a monk teasing the fish under a big tree could be seen. 


Some were laughing while dipping their feet in the river, and children were playing along the riverbank.


It was a truly peaceful scene. But people's peace did not last long.


"Ahhh!"


Suddenly, a woman's piercing scream echoed.


"What's going on?"


"Why are you like that?"


People around were surprised and ran to where the scream came from.

 

After a moment, voices could be heard.


"It's a corpse."


"The body has been found."


"Oh my goodness! It's the body of a young girl."


Pyo Wol moved towards where the voices were coming from.


A group of people had gathered by the riverbank, which was full of reeds.


Pyo Wol pushed her way through the crowd and moved forward. There, she saw the half-submerged body of a young girl.


The girl's body was horribly disfigured.


Her face was swollen beyond recognition, and her body was covered in bruises that looked like fish gills.


Pyo Wol noticed that all of the girl's nails had been pulled out.


It was clear that she had been tortured.


He didn't know who the culprit was, but it was obvious that they had not only killed the girl but also brutally tortured her.


The torture was so gruesome that it even made Pyo Wol, a cold-hearted person, furrow his brows in anger.


Suddenly, something caught Pyo Wol's eye.


It was a necklace that was hanging around the girl's neck.


The necklace itself was nothing special.


It wasn't made of gold or silver, and it didn't have any precious gems on it.


What caught Pyo Wol's attention was the symbol engraved in the middle of the round pendant.


It was a symbol of two circles intersecting each other.


Pyo Wol took out a needle from his pocket.


The same symbol was embroidered on the ribbon that was tying the needle.


"Ah!"


Without realizing it, Pyo Wol let out a sigh.

 

Because he thought he knew who the dead girl was.


Pyo Wol took off the necklace from the girl's neck.


No one noticed Pyo Wol taking the necklace because the atmosphere was chaotic.


Pyo Wol pushed through the people and went outside.


More people were gathering because the rumor of a body being found had spread.


In front of their eyes was the reality that someone's death was nothing more than a spectacle for others.


Pyo Wol didn't blame the people.


He wasn't that emotionally sensitive, and he didn't believe people's nature was inherently good.


Pyo Wol's gaze suddenly turned to the top of a hill.


There was a young man who seemed like a wanderer and a warrior following him.


What Pyo Wol noticed was the young man.


He was smiling, as if he liked something, and looking at the place where people were gathered. Then he felt Pyo Wol's gaze and turned his head this way.


The two people's gazes met in the air.


At that moment, the young man hurriedly bowed his head and covered his face.

He soon hid himself with the warrior.


He was too far away, and he bowed his head, so he couldn't confirm his face.


He couldn't confirm his face, but the atmosphere felt familiar.


He seemed like someone he had met recently.


He hesitantly climbed the hill, but the man had already disappeared.


Pyo Wol immediately headed to the Cheolsan workshop.


Because he had already bought the cow hair needle there.


Since he had been there before, it was not difficult to find the Cheolsan workshop.


"Welcome. How can I help you?"


When Pyo Wol entered the Cheolsan workshop, the clerk greeted him. Pyo Wol looked around, but he couldn't see Do Yeonsan anywhere in the workshop.


"Is Do Yeonsan here?"


"Yes?"


The clerk looked puzzled.


It was surprising to him that a stranger knew the name of Do Yeonsan, who was just an apprentice.


"Excuse me, what is your relationship with Yeonsan?"


"I bought something from him."


"Is that bastard trying to sell his own products again? That damn guy..."


The store clerk's face twisted in disgust. It seemed like this had happened before, but it wasn't important to Pyo Wol.


"Where is he?"


"Excuse me? Why do you ask?"


"I want to meet him."


"He's not here right now. If you have any refund issues, you can talk to me."


"I want to talk to him directly."


"You can't meet him right now."


"Why not?"


"The owner sent him on an errand."


"Is the owner Tang ik-gi?"


"Yes."


"Then call Tang ik-gi."


"What?"


The store clerk looked puzzled.


He couldn't understand why Pyo Wol was calling the owner of the store like a neighborhood dog.


Most people would have argued with the customer and fought back, but the store clerk responded coldly.


"The owner isn't here right now. If you have anything to say to him, please tell me."


"I see. So I can't meet him directly."


"How can you meet someone who's not here?"


"When will Tang ik-gi come back?"


"How would a lowly store clerk like me know the owner's schedule?"


"You seem to know quite a bit about it."


"Now that you're done with your business, please leave. We have to do business too..."


Pyo Wol looked at the store clerk for a moment.


As soon as he met his gaze, the store clerk trembled.


Although Pyo Wol didn't threaten him in any way, just his gaze was enough to make him feel terrified. If he had looked a little longer, he might have wet himself.


Fortunately for the store clerk, Pyo Wol soon averted his gaze and left.


"Ugh!"


The store clerk collapsed onto the ground, his legs giving out from under him.


He lay there for a while, sobbing and groaning, and finally managed to stand up. There were traces of vomit around his mouth.

 

"I almost died. Fuck!"


The clerk muttered under his breath, wiping his lips with his sleeve.


"This isn't right. We need to inform the boss, or better yet, ask Yeonsan about his identity first. Yeah, let's go to Yeonsan."


Tang ik-gi didn't like it when people spoke in uncertain terms. To report to him, they needed to provide a causal relationship or at least some solid information.


The clerk quickly made up his mind.


He ran towards a warehouse inside the Cheolsan workshop.


Inside the warehouse, Do Yeonsan was trapped.


The clerk opened a small window and called out to Do Yeonsan.


"Hey!"


But Do Yeonsan didn't answer, staring blankly at the wall like a person who had lost the will to live.


As the clerk was about to call out to him again, someone's voice was heard from behind.


"Here you are."


A voice came from right behind him.
-

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