Chapter 73
Are they not people from the Folding Snow Valley? Then who? No particular group came to mind.
"Shaolin? No."
It didn't seem like it was time for Shaolin to arrive yet, and even if they had arrived, they wouldn't have jumped into a fight like this.
"They were all wearing masks, and they retreated quickly after the attack. There were about fifty of them."
The masked men were all considerable masters, so both the Mok family's side and the Baek family's side had suffered great damage. Dan Bulseok had secretly followed the masked men. After saying that much, Dan Bulseok took a breath and then bowed his head and said very quietly.
"I think they were people from the government office."
"Masters from the government office?"
It was completely unexpected. It was because he couldn't think of a reason for the government office to attack. Besides, there weren't that many masters in the government office. But to be able to mobilize about fifty masters, he would have to be a considerable person of power.
"In this vicinity, a place that can mobilize that many masters..."
There was. Just one person. There was no one who could mobilize that many masters except for the Chang'an magistrate.
"But is there a reason for the Chang'an magistrate to do that?"
On the contrary, he was in a position to help. Because they were people who were going to get the thousand-year-old fire carp to treat his mother. But why? Then Mok Wigun thought of Yuk Samcheon.
'Ah. If Yuk Samcheon had talked about the child ginseng.'
Then the spiritual medicine to be used for the treatment was solved. Then it made some sense. From the Chang'an magistrate's point of view, the Mok family, the Baek family, and the Huashan Sect would all be seen as beings that threatened his power.
There is no person of power who likes the power of the martial artist to become strong. Because power cannot be shared, and you feel the greatest pleasure when you wield it alone as you please.
"Did they also attack the Divine Physician Valley?"
"No. They attacked mainly the martial artists."
Mok Wigun nodded his head. Then it was certain that it was the Chang'an magistrate. He was trying to reduce the power of the surrounding martial artists on this occasion. He had left the people of the Divine Physician Valley alone because they had to treat people. If it had been an attack from the Folding Snow Valley, they would have tried to kill everyone without distinction.
The situation had become more complicated than he had thought. But he thought it was actually a good thing. It seemed he could solve the complicatedly entangled things in one go on this occasion. As he was thinking that, Pyon Juksu approached and said.
"When I first came here, I thought this place was better, but don't you think it was better when we were fighting the Demon King?"
"It's the same here and there. It's all the same."
He wasn't particularly disappointed or anything. Because the world was originally like that.
"I just have to use it."
Mok Wigun shouted to the people.
"Alright! Then let's move too."
At that, Dan Bulseok said cautiously.
"Will you be alright? If your condition is not good, it would be better to rest a little and then go..."
Mok Wigun shook his head. His condition was fine. And it wasn't a time to be resting leisurely.
"We're moving right now."
Mok Wigun led the party and set off.
* * *
"That's the Flame Pond."
The Flame Pond was in the distance. He could see why it was called the Flame Pond. The surroundings were parched, and he could see it boiling even from a distance.
"There are people over there."
Dan Bulseok said, pointing to one side. At the entrance of the valley leading to the Flame Pond, two groups had taken their places. They were far apart on the left and right, and he could see that they were severely wary of each other. But the people from the government office were not seen.
"There's no way they fought once and left, so they must be somewhere in the vicinity."
If they were people from the government office, they would be skilled at secretly ambushing. Mok Wigun said to the people around him.
"We won't go too close, let's take a place in this vicinity."
The place where Mok Wigun's party was was a low hill. There was a space on the top where about ten people could be. Since their numbers were large, they needed a wide space, but this much was enough for Mok Wigun's party.
And in a situation like this, a place like this where it's good to be on guard in all directions is good. Because it's a situation where you don't know what will happen.
"People are coming over there."
Gu Mungoe shouted. It was something he had expected to some extent. The two groups that had arrived first had also been attacked, so they would have been on high alert. So it was natural that they would have known that Mok Wigun's party was coming.
Both sides came in a group of nearly twenty people, on high alert. The representatives of both sides were the Mok family's protector, Jin Jaryun, and on the other side, the Baek family's eldest son, Baek Jongmun. Their purpose was the same.
"How about you join us? It's dangerous to move with only about ten people."
Baek Jongmun started the conversation first.
"But it seems everyone wants the thousand-year-old fire carp's inner core, so what will you do if you get it?"
There are many people who want it, and there is only one inner core. There will definitely be a problem.
"Isn't it that the one who catches it gets to have it? Instead, since there was also the help of other people, they should be compensated accordingly."
It seems very reasonable, but it was a cunning condition. Even if you catch it, what if you can't give enough compensation to the other groups?
"Then shouldn't the ownership be handed over to the side that presents a good condition?"
The Divine Physician Valley doesn't have the capacity to catch it, and Mok Wigun doesn't have the ability to give enough compensation. So this condition is only advantageous to the Baek family or the Huashan Sect. After saying he understood, this time he talked with the Mok family's side.
"Aren't you a person of our Mok family? You should go with us."
"Was our relationship that good? I'm a bit flustered that you're suddenly talking like family."
Although Jin Jaryun tried to appeal to their blood ties somehow, it was a method that didn't work on Mok Wigun. Mok Wigun asked the same question as before.
"Everyone wants the thousand-year-old fire carp's inner core, so who gets it if we get it?"
"The Mok family will give sufficient compensation. Whatever you want."
As he said that, Jin Jaryun added that if their relationship with the Chang'an magistrate improved with the inner core, they could gain enormous benefits. As expected of the Mok family. They presented a condition that would be more suitable for a threat than a negotiation. Compared to the Baek family's proposal, the content was poor.
Mok Wigun called both groups and said.
"I'll have to go and hear the story a little more."
Both sides had surprised expressions. They had both thought he wouldn't join anyway, but they had come with the intention of at least trying. But didn't it seem like he was thinking of joining?
"I'll talk about it internally and then go, so I think it would be good if you all go back first."
Both sides became chaotic. They murmured something and hurriedly returned to their groups. When the people returned, Dan Bulseok asked.
"Are you thinking of joining?"
Dan Bulseok also seemed to think it was unexpected.
"No."
"Pardon? Then why did you say you would go and listen to the story..."
Mok Wigun just smiled.
"You'll know when you see."
At that, this time, Pyon Juksu approached.
"What are you going to do again?"
"It's a good opportunity. It's not easy for people with entangled interests to gather in one place like this."
Mok Wigun was planning to do it properly now that he was independent. To do that, there were many things to sort out and many things to make known. An opportunity to do that in one go had come. There was no better opportunity than now.
* * *
Mok Wigun moved with Pyon Juksu and Dan Bulseok. The first place he visited was the Baek family. Baek Seokhu was very active in recruiting Mok Wigun. He presented even better conditions and said to talk if there were any conditions he wanted.
It seemed he would grant whatever condition he said, for the most part. But Mok Wigun didn't answer right away and said he would talk with other places and then decide.
"Then are you going to the Mok family's side this time?"
Dan Bulseok said as he set his direction towards the Mok family's side.
"No."
"Pardon? Then where are you going to talk?"
"I'm going to the Divine Physician Valley."
"Pardon?"
Dan Bulseok had a flustered expression. To suddenly say he was going to meet the people of the Divine Physician Valley, he couldn't help it. But Mok Wigun didn't care and went to find the Divine Physician.
"No. What brings you here?"
The Divine Physician had a very surprised expression. It was a natural reaction, as he had not expected at all that Mok Wigun would visit.
"I came to have a talk. If you don't have time, I'll go to another place."
"No. Sit here."
He hurriedly boiled water, saying he would make tea. But that wasn't important. Mok Wigun asked the Divine Physician a question.
"I heard you were attacked before you arrived here."
"That's right. Many people died before we could do anything."
As if the situation at that time came to mind, the Divine Physician's expression was not good.
"Where was the attack from?"
"Isn't it the Folding Snow Valley? Seomun Daecheol took revenge."
He had thought he would know that. Mok Wigun was just staring at the Divine Physician, and at that, the Divine Physician asked back.
"It seems not. Then where?"
"I think it's the government office."
"The government office? If it's the government office, there would be no one who could mobilize that much except for the Chang'an magistrate..."
The Divine Physician tried not to believe it. He was saying there was no way the Chang'an magistrate would do that.
"I met a person from the Three Thousand Merchant Group right before I came here."
Mok Wigun didn't say he had met Yuk Samcheon directly and told the story, processing it moderately.
"So the Three Thousand Merchant Group has a child ginseng? If so..."
From the Chang'an magistrate's point of view, it's not important whether it's the thousand-year-old fire carp's inner core or the thousand-year-old child ginseng. Anything is fine.
Only then did the Divine Physician seem to think that the masters of the government office might have attacked with masks on. The situation is also not good. He could also blame it on the Folding Snow Valley.
"Alright. Let's say that's the case. But why are you telling me that?"
"Because I also wanted to know some information."
"What kind of information do you want?"
"By any chance, is there any information related to the Flame Pond? I thought you would have scouted it."
To get to the Flame Pond from here, you have to pass through a narrow gorge-like terrain. Of course, they would have scouted it.
"I don't know much about that."
"You didn't scout it?"
"That's not it..."
The Divine Physician was reluctant to talk and then opened his mouth.
"The first person who went to scout died. And after that, they also went to scout, but they didn't tell me the details."
He just said that danger was lurking. And he said he had asked a lot of questions related to detoxification.
"I see. I wanted to know some information related to that..."
Mok Wigun said that and then looked at the Divine Physician's expression. The Divine Physician, after hearing Mok Wigun's story, also asked, as if he was curious about the situation.
"What do you think?"
"Well. I don't know for sure either, but they say danger always lurks around spiritual creatures and spiritual medicines."
"That's true. Whether it's a person or not."
Something dangerous is lurking. He had made him realize that. It seemed he had understood enough with this much talk. But the Divine Physician suddenly asked, as if he was curious.
"But why are you here without going back? You can just treat the magistrate's mother with the child ginseng, can't you?"
A question that was worth being curious about. From now on is the real negotiation.
"I have a reason to be here longer... So I'm going to tell you a way."
Mok Wigun answered with a smile.
"A way for you to live."
(End of Chapter)