Chapter 172 : An Expert in This Field. -01
Chapter 172: An Expert in This Field. -01
Sama Uiseong’s eyes sparkled brightly.
It was because he felt confidence in Ban Hojin’s voice.
At Ban Hojin’s tone, which naturally stirred anticipation, Sama Uiseong’s eyes shone.
“This kind of matter should be left to an expert.”
“An expert?”
“Yeah. We have the Hao Sect and the Geum Family Estate, don’t we?”
“Ah!”
“A network exists to be used at times like this.”
Ban Hojin shrugged his shoulders.
No matter how clever a swindler might be or how thoroughly prepared, in this world there was always someone superior to them.
In particular, it would not be an exaggeration to say that the Hao Sect specialized in background investigations. They possessed outstanding capabilities in that field, and Sama Uiseong’s face brightened at the thought.
Considering the Hao Sect’s capacity, they would uncover the truth swiftly, accurately, and discreetly.
“Wouldn’t this put you in debt to the Hao Sect for no reason, Brother?”
His joy lasted only a moment before Sama Uiseong cautiously spoke.
He felt as though he might be placing a burden on Ban Hojin.
If it were a matter that concerned everyone, it would be different, but this was an entirely personal issue. Because of that, Sama Uiseong found it difficult to ask for help outright.
“It’s the opposite. The Hao Sect owes me. And it’s not like I lack money. I’ve got plenty. I have so much I don’t even know where to spend it—interest just keeps piling up.”
“Even so, I feel apologetic.”
“You’re my younger brother too. If I saw my younger brother struggling and did nothing as his elder brother, wouldn’t that be strange? If our positions were reversed, would you just stand by and watch?”
“I’d help without question.”
“It’s the same thing. If I lacked the means, that would be one thing, but I have cards I can play. So I should use them. It’s not even a difficult task. For the Hao Sect, something like this is extremely easy. I’m not asking them to investigate a martial master of Murim—just to verify whether something is true. So leave this matter to me.”
“Thank you.”
Refusing any further would have been discourteous, so Sama Uiseong expressed his gratitude with a much brighter expression.
But at that sight, Ban Hojin waved his hand dismissively.
“That’s enough. What’s with that between us? It’s embarrassing.”
“I’ve heard that the closer you are, the less you should be stingy with expressing yourself.”
“From who?”
“From Bang Yi.”
“Well, it’s not wrong. Anyway, leave this to me. I’ll look into it as quickly as possible.”
Though he did not say it outright, Ban Hojin guessed that Sama Uiseong must have been agonizing over this alone for quite some time. That was why he deliberately spoke with such confidence.
He hoped it would ease his mind, even a little.
And if it was the Hao Sect—if it was Nan Hui-ju’s capability—then they would truly uncover the truth.
Perhaps even more than what Ban Hojin wanted.
“Yes. I’ll trust you and wait, Brother.”
“You just focus on the possibility that it might truly be your blood relative. It could be a swindler, but it might not be. You have to leave the possibility open.”
“I’m worried that if I get my hopes up, I’ll only end up disappointed.”
“Think positively. At the very least, the surname Sama has begun to be mentioned in Jianghu again, hasn’t it? Maybe it won’t be this time, but next time a real descendant might appear. And once this gets sorted out, those with foolish intentions will be less likely to come knocking. Frankly speaking, the only thing you stand to lose is your expectations, right?”
“That’s true.”
Sama Uiseong nodded.
He might suffer a psychological blow, but in practical terms, he had nothing to lose.
Thinking of it that way eased his heart.
“Let’s think only about what lies ahead.”
“Yes!”
“I’ll be off now. You should get some sleep too.”
“Rest well.”
“Alright.”
Sama Uiseong smiled faintly at the sight of Ban Hojin rising from his seat after saying only what needed to be said.
He was only twenty-one, yet judging by his actions and manner of speech, one would not find it strange to call him an elder.
Naturally clasping his hands behind his back, Ban Hojin left the room, and Sama Uiseong saw him off with a smile.
Swaaaaaa.
Near Poyang Lake in Jiangxi Province, in the valley of an unnamed wild mountain, Ban Hojin revealed himself.
Behind him followed Seo Jo-woon, Seonwu Bang, Moyong Cheok, Jeong Iryong, and Sama Uiseong, all scanning their surroundings with sharp eyes.
“There really are no signs of people.”
“No traces of hunters or herb gatherers either.”
The waterfall before them was not small, but neither was it large enough nor scenic enough to draw visitors deliberately.
It was merely an ordinary waterfall one could easily find anywhere.
“Meticulousness is the basic virtue of a thief.”
Watching his companions survey the surroundings, Ban Hojin let out a faint chuckle.
They all seemed unnecessarily serious.
“Isn’t it you who’s not tense enough?”
“You can afford to be. You could just activate Protective Energy and walk straight through, if it came to that.”
Seonwu Bang grumbled at Ban Hojin, who stood there utterly at ease.
He was simply too different from the rest of them.
But Seo Jo-woon, as if understanding Ban Hojin, defended him.
“Well, when you put it that way, I’ve got nothing to say.”
“We’ve got an expert with us.”
At Seo Jo-woon’s mild rebuke, Seonwu Bang shook his head, and Ban Hojin gestured toward Sama Uiseong with his eyes.
He trusted in his own martial arts, but he also had another source of confidence.
“Haha. Though this is my first time personally experiencing a mechanism formation.”
“You’ve studied it for a long time. Think of this as gaining experience. You don’t seriously believe your skill is inferior to the Thief Fiend, do you?”
“That’s not it. I’m just saying, don’t expect too much. Since it’s my first time, I might make mistakes.”
Sama Uiseong’s expression changed.
Even if his practical experience with mechanism formations was limited, he was the direct heir of the Sama Family, which once contended with the Zhuge Family for supremacy under heaven.
If it were a formation constructed by the Zhuge Family, that would be one thing. But if it was made by a mere thief, he was confident he could break it.
“Don’t be afraid of making mistakes. I can cover for that. Just be confident.”
“Yes!”
“Alright then, let’s go in.”
Because of the waterfall cascading from a considerable height, thick water mist drifted throughout the valley.
It partially obscured their vision, but it meant nothing to the group.
There was no need to mention Ban Hojin.
He stepped forward first and executed the Water-Walking Technique.
Plop. Plop. Plop.
Ban Hojin’s figure moved leisurely across the surface of the water.
The others followed behind him.
Though they could not tread through the air, performing the Water-Walking Technique was possible for all of them—except Sama Uiseong.
“Here, grab my arm.”
“And mine too.”
It was possible for him to use Voice Transmission, but high-level lightness techniques such as the Water-Walking Technique were beyond him. Thus, Sama Uiseong moved while gripping one arm each of Seo Jo-woon and Jeong Iryong.
The two of them lifted him as they advanced.
Swaaaaaa.
Before long, starting with Ban Hojin, the group parted the refreshing torrent of the waterfall and stepped inside.
Soon, a cavern entrance barely wide enough for a single person to pass through came into view.
“What an impressive bit of cunning. How did he even think of making a hidden retreat in a place like this?”
“That’s probably how he became one of the Eight Evils. To become a Public Enemy of Murim, skill matters—but surviving for a long time matters just as much. It’s easy to erase traces here, and convenient to secure food.”
The cave passage itself was slick with moisture and moss, yet not enough to hinder their steps.
Perhaps because of that, Moyong Cheok walked in as though sightseeing.
After a short while, once they passed through the narrow corridor, a fairly spacious area revealed itself.
“I’ll take the lead from here.”
“Alright.”
At the sight of the cave, which clearly bore artificial marks, Sama Uiseong stepped forward, his eyes gleaming.
It seemed that this was where it truly began.
At the same time, his heart pounded.
Though he had consistently studied and researched mechanism formations—and even constructed small-scale ones himself—this was his first time seeing one installed by someone else. Thus, with a fitting mixture of tension and anticipation, Sama Uiseong carefully surveyed his surroundings.
“Wouldn’t it be better to have a torch?”
“Better than nothing.”
“That’s why I brought one. Isn’t this what friends are for?”
Seo Jo-woon loosened the small travel bundle strapped to his back.
From it emerged a staff about the size of a cudgel.
Wrapping plain cloth tightly around it, Seo Jo-woon ignited it easily using Extreme Yang Energy.
“Thanks.”
The cave, which had not a trace of light before, brightened instantly.
The others were not greatly hindered by darkness—but Sama Uiseong was different.
That was why he smiled and expressed his gratitude.
“You see it’s Left White Tiger and Right Azure Dragon? Do well.”
“Aren’t you putting too much pressure on him?”
“That just means I’m expecting a lot.”
Seo Jo-woon grinned playfully and gestured toward Ban Hojin beside him.
It was a natural attempt to ease his friend’s tension.
“You still have to consider that it’s my first time.”
“Of course. I’ve got that much understanding.”
“Thanks for that.”
“Heh heh! Hurry up and show us.”
Seo Jo-woon’s eyes sparkled.
It was his first time seeing a mechanism formation as well, and his face was filled with curiosity.
The same went for the others.
Only Ban Hojin, who had experienced such things to the point of exhaustion in his previous life, wore a mildly indifferent expression.
“Then I’ll begin.”
With the torch flickering gently—suggesting there might be a ventilation opening somewhere—Sama Uiseong slowly stepped forward.
On the surface, it looked like a cave simply carved for easy passage, but he placed each step with care.
At the slightest hint of something unusual, he would touch it with his hand or prod it with the stick he had prepared beforehand.
Not only that—he also used nearby stones to tap suspicious-looking spots.
Shuuk!
After walking about half a gak, a rusted iron spike shot up from the ground.
The moment Sama Uiseong touched a certain spot on the floor.
But that was merely the beginning.
Iron spikes thrust out from both walls as a matter of course, and from the ceiling, daggers smeared with poison dropped down.
On top of that, arrows flew at irregular intervals.
“Wow.”
“So all of this activates automatically?”
“If he built all this alone, then the Thief Fiend’s level isn’t exactly low.”
Though the mechanisms activated one after another at unpredictable moments, not a single one struck any of the group.
It was thanks to Sama Uiseong methodically dismantling them, even if his pace was somewhat slow.
And as time passed, his confidence grew, and their speed gradually increased.
“Maintaining all this must be a lot of work.”
“Recovering them too. He’d have to reset everything into place and camouflage it again.”
Following behind Ban Hojin and Seo Jo-woon, Moyong Cheok and Seonwu Bang spoke as though watching festivities at someone else’s house.
With Sama Uiseong at the front and Ban Hojin behind him, neither showed the slightest sign of tension.
They were certain that unless the entire cave collapsed, no real danger could occur.
“It does take more effort than you’d think.”
“But once it’s built, it would be reassuring.”
Seonwu Bang stroked his chin.
It was simple, yet undeniably threatening.
They were safe now only because they had an expert like Sama Uiseong and an Absolute Master like Ban Hojin. Had they been ordinary martial artists, they would have long since crossed the River of the Three Paths.
To speak frankly, even First-Rate Martial Artists could easily fall victim if they let their guard down.
“Brother, you’re thinking the same thing as me, aren’t you?”
“You and I both have families to carry on. The problem is that it requires someone to maintain it periodically.”
“That can be solved with proper instruction. Fortunately, we at least have the option of trying.”
“That’s true.”
Moyong Cheok and Seonwu Bang’s gazes shifted toward Sama Uiseong.
Installing and arranging such mechanisms would be difficult, but managing an already-built system—perhaps that was something Sama Uiseong could teach.
Or perhaps they could train personnel specialized in such work.
“I think we’re almost there.”