“You speak without thinking.”
“Since you’re not denying it, there must indeed be some connection, it seems.”
For some reason, I had that feeling.
If Lord Jang has ties to the Shadowless Divine Dagger, the puzzle will unravel.
At the very least, I could figure out how Lord Jang acquired the Shadowless Divine Dagger’s manual through some channel. If I can also uncover his secrets, there’s a good chance I’ll get a clue to finding the treasure.
“Listen here, Wei Xiaopan…”
“Meng Podu. I know what you’re about to say, but now that we’ve come this far, there’s no turning back. Right, Lord Jang?”
“Heh, where did such an absurd fellow come from…?”
He looked at me, astonished as if he couldn’t believe I’d said such a thing.
I crossed my arms, waiting for his reply.
He could call his subordinates to drive us out, but doing so would only be tantamount to admitting he’s done something shady.
So, either he should honestly reveal the facts he’s been hiding or settle it here with a life-or-death duel.
Of course, I’m not about to give up easily, so he’d have to risk his life too.
Even though I didn’t bring a sword to avoid appearing threatening, I figured I could still overpower any mediocre goons with just wrestling maneuvers.
“…Lord Jang, enlighten us, please.”
Meng Podu added his own weight to my request.
Since I’ve already stirred up trouble, Meng Podu must have realized there’s no way things will resolve peacefully.
In fact, if he couldn’t gauge the situation, he wouldn’t deserve his position as a Podu.
As the two of us began to exert pressure, Lord Jang’s face contorted, as if his patience was wearing thin.
“…Do you think I’ll be intimidated by this kind of coercion?”
“Anyone watching might think it’s me doing the intimidating.”
The one I’m dealing with doesn’t seem particularly devious. On second thought, I’ve never really heard how Lord Jang managed to rise to his present stature.
While it’s common knowledge that he suddenly appeared, started a trading company, and started raking in profits, founding a company like that implies he must’ve had some initial capital.
Where could that have come from?
Could it have been from the treasures stolen by the Shadowless Divine Dagger?
“Lord, just speak plainly. What difference will it make if you tell us?”
“…If I just do my work as instructed, that should be fine.”
“So, are you going to explain or not?”
Let’s just get this over with instead of wasting time.
At my urging, Lord Jang glared at me, sighed, and leaned back in his seat. The look in his eyes seemed to suggest he was contemplating whether or not to kill us. But if he gives away any signs, I’ll be ready to act.
“…I am a disciple of the Shadowless Divine Dagger.”
“The disciple of the Shadowless Divine Dagger…?”
Meng Podu muttered, astonished. His confession clearly took him by surprise. I, on the other hand, remained calm and nodded at the information he revealed, not showing any surprise.
For some reason, that’s what I had expected.
Lord Jang didn’t seem like the type who could be the Shadowless Divine Dagger himself.
A seasoned thief wouldn’t leave his defenses so loose. Hardly anyone knows better than thieves how important vigilance is.
It was probably intentional to make it seem easy to steal the manual at first glance.
For instance…
“It’s only a half-complete manual, anyway.”
A tone of regret crept into his voice.
It appeared there was a complicated backstory.
“My talent was insufficient; I couldn’t learn the kung fu properly, so the only disciple to actually learn anything was my senior. ”
The situation gradually became clearer.
“I was doing my usual work, cleaning the place, when my senior killed our master and tried to kill me too. Fortunately, I had noticed his intentions earlier, so I managed to grab the manual and some tokens and escape. If not, I wouldn’t be alive today.”
“What does this have to do with the manual being carelessly displayed?”
I failed to see the connection between his past and the reason for the manual being out in the open.
“The manual I took with me is only half.”
“Half… you mean?”
“The master left two volumes. One I took, and the other… was taken by my senior, no doubt.”
“…Are you deliberately displaying the manual to find the other?”
“It’s not the real manual, just a copy that mimics the real one as closely as possible.”
Ah, I see.
So, he spread rumors to lure his senior. The senior must’ve come looking for the manual.
“What’s the reason you’re looking for the manual now?”
“…Just some lingering regret over what I couldn’t learn.”
There might be more to it, but I didn’t press the issue further.
After all, from my standpoint, it’s enough to resolve the matter, get paid, and go home.
Besides…
If we find this “senior,” it won’t be difficult to get the rest of the story.
But how are we even supposed to find this “senior”?
“Well, I understand. In the end, Lord Jang, you simply wish to complete the Shadowless Divine Dagger manual, right?”
“…Yes.”
He reluctantly agreed with a face that showed his disapproval at having to admit it.
So he wasn’t particularly pleased by the necessity of answering my questions.
In any case, now that I know his intentions, let’s start negotiating.
“I’ll help you find this ‘senior.’ How about we make a deal?”
“A deal? You’re pretty gutsy, aren’t you? Don’t you know that I could easily have you killed?”
Is he now attempting to intimidate us? My senses are sharp, and I can feel some movement around the room.
Most likely, those are his bodyguards. They’re probably ready to chop off our heads and dispose of us quietly, or frame us as criminals. It seems Lord Jang is confident he can suppress any objection with his authority.
Just in time, I came without any weapons, which could fit into his plan of quietly killing us and burying us somewhere secluded or putting a false charge on us.
While this might be just a wild suspicion, I have witnessed this sort of thing firsthand on battlefields before.
This so-called crusade just turned political…
“That’s not a good option.”
“…”
What do some war-naïve kids think their intimidation will do to me?
Compared to my experiences of being showered in blood and intestines to the point of exhaustion, I find this situation quite peaceful.
“What’s more, if that were to happen, then the manual will remain incomplete forever.”
“…Forever.”
Lord Jang furrows his brow.
He’s puzzled by my confidence.
Clearly, he hasn’t fully assessed my martial arts skills since it appears he has hardly any information about me from the Central Plains.
The old man wouldn’t be able to predict what I’m capable of.
In such a situation, if I act confidently, he’ll likely assume I’m hiding some scheme.
Therefore, I take the bold move.
“What are you worried about? Am I going to spread rumors about you everywhere? It’s been decades, so there’s really no need to hide it anymore.”
“…”
“Anyway, since you didn’t give him a perfect copy, if this ‘senior’s’ goal is the manual, won’t he come here to your estate to find it?”
“Hm.”
“Given he couldn’t be caught by the Tracing Perfume, it’s unlikely any ordinary method would succeed. You might as well let Meng Podu and me take on the task and neatly capture this ‘senior’ for you.”
“What do you want?”
Lord Jang’s question reached my ears. That was when the threatening atmosphere around us began to dissipate somewhat.
Has he bought into it halfway?
I immediately stated my terms.
“If you give me time and a budget, I’ll bring this ‘senior’ here. And… I’ve heard that Lord Jang has gathered some Light Leaping kung fu manuals. I’d like a decent one that’ll suffice for my use.”
“…If you really can capture the senior, I’ll consider it.”
“Of course.”
“…Dismissed.”
Clutching his forehead as if he had a headache, he ordered us to leave.
Meng Podu and I bowed respectfully and turned to leave the room.
—————
“What made you pull such a stunt?”
“What, were you expecting me to cower and grovel?”
If I had, my head would’ve been gone by now.
Meng Podu sighed, seemingly exasperated by my brashness.
“He could’ve easily had us killed and buried where no one would find us. He’s got the means and authority.”
“My strength is unknown to him, so it wasn’t that easy. People who have much to lose tend to be cautious about even the smallest blemish.”
Burying me like that wouldn’t be a wise choice either.
Not only am I in a position to strike him down first, but even if his bodyguards intervene, the ensuing brawl would complicate his situation more.
…He shouldn’t have brought me in if he had the intention to kill from the start.
The guards probably thought I was just another subordinate of Meng Podu and didn’t take me seriously.
“You’re showing off your knowledge, aren’t you?”
“I’ve been learning a thing or two.”
“Hm.”
“In any case, we’ll soon hear back from the Lord. And when we do, it’ll be time to… lay the groundwork.”
“Groundwork?”
“If the ‘senior’s’ goal is the manual, he will react to the bait we set. Then we need to move quickly to capture him.”
“So you intend to resolve the case like that.”
“That’s right.”
…Of course, this assumes everything Lord Jang has told us about his past is true. There are still many unresolved questions based only on the fragmented information he provided.
Like the nature of the Tracing Perfume on my body.
“So, let’s have some food. Meng Podu, let’s head to a good restaurant. Naturally, you’re paying.”
“No, let’s go; I know a decent place.”
As always, free food is the best!
We set off toward a reputed restaurant, Meng Podu leading the way.
