Tangmunjeon - Chapter 345



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Chapter 345 of Tangmunjeon: Duke Zhu Xuan asked Tang Wujin.

“Where are you going?”

“If the destination is the north, there is no need to go through Chongqing. Let’s go through Hanjung.”

Dang Mu-jin decided on the route to Han-Jung as if it was a given. There were no other opinions.

When merchants travel to and from Sichuan, they use the Yangtze River, and when non-merchants travel to and from Sichuan, they usually use the Hanzhong River.

Long ago, Han and Zhong were lands where heroes like Liu Bang and Liu Bei fought for world hegemony, but now they are merely important transportation hubs.

In fact, since everyone in the group has outstanding martial arts achievements, instead of going northeast and passing through Hanjung, you can go straight north and cross the mountain.

However, even among the many eccentric martial artists, there was no one who traveled between Sacheon and other regions in that manner.

The journey doesn’t get any shorter just because you have to go through the steep mountains in and out of Sacheon, but it takes more than ten times as much effort.

Even the journey wasn’t the only thing that was difficult. It was a mountain village with few people, so it was obvious that there wouldn’t be any houses, let alone inns. Dang Mu-jin had no intention of sleeping outside in the cold dew as soon as he started his journey.

‘You need to build up your stamina from the beginning so that you can be comfortable until the end of the journey.’

*

After moving for four days, the group arrived in Hanzhong and went straight to the inn.

There was no need to estimate the price range of an inn by looking at its exterior and the impressions of its guests, as there used to be.

Dang Mu-jin led the group to the nicest-looking guest house.

As the four people including Dang Mu-jin entered the guest house, the noisy guest house suddenly became quiet.

People in the martial arts world are always the subject of interest. The guests’ reaction was curiosity. The guests stopped talking and observed the behavior and actions of Dang Mujin and his party.

On the other hand, the inn owner looked a little uneasy.

When you receive a martial artist as a guest, there are many cases where arguments arise and sword fights ensue.

To make matters worse, there were often cases of young martial artists who, because of their financial situation, resorted to force to avoid paying their rent.

You may wonder, ‘If you don’t have enough money, why don’t you just go to a cheap inn?’, but young martial artists inevitably go through a period where their lungs are filled with empty air.

He claims to be a martial artist and monopolizes people’s attention, and he even carries a sword at his waist, so everyone in the world looks like they are his inferiors.

Young fools often think that they should be treated lavishly even if they have no money. This continues until they are beaten up by other martial artists who cannot tolerate their shame.

As the innkeeper’s expression darkened by the second, Dang Mu-jin placed the Jeon-nang in front of the innkeeper. As the Jeon-nang showed off its considerable presence, the innkeeper’s expression became noticeably relaxed.

“I need a room to stay in. How much per night?”

“It costs one nyang per room.”

It was a bit expensive for a one-night stay, but it is an area with a lot of people coming and going between Korea and China. The cost of living is also quite high.

Since we entered the most expensive guest house in the country, one nyang of silver was the expected price.

‘I’ll sleep alone, let Honggeolgae and Hyeon-gong sleep together, and Seol-hwa will also need a separate room.’

The moment Dang Mu-jin was about to take out three nyang of silver, he heard Hyeon-gong’s voice.

– Dang Mu-jin. I think we only need to reserve two rooms.

– why?

– If you’re going to do it, it’s better to save money. Sleep with Hong Geol-gae.

In other words, it means that he will use the same room as Seolhwa.

Dang Mu-jin looked at Seol-hwa’s expression. It seemed like there had been no agreement with Hyun-gong, and he seemed unaware of anything.

Suddenly, I remembered the day when Hyun-gong said he would leave for the north with Seol-hwa.

Looking back, Hyun-gong wasn’t that disappointed when Dang Mu-jin showed an attitude that seemed like he wouldn’t follow through. Perhaps he had expected this kind of situation.

If Dang Mu-jin takes two rooms here, Hyun-gong will pretend not to be able to win and will extend his hand to Seol-hwa.

Dang Mu-jin decided to correct the world’s corrupt ethics.

– You are my friend. And I am a person who does not spare money on my friends.

– for a moment!

Although the sound of the bell rang in his ears, Dang Mu-jin took out three silver coins with a brisk hand movement and placed them on the table.

“Master! Here, three rooms!”

“Yes. I will guide you. Please follow me.”

The innkeeper led the group to their guest rooms with a brighter expression on his face.

Hyun-gong looked at Dang Mu-jin with burning eyes.

It was clear what he wanted to protest, but the party leader had a cause. Wouldn’t it be embarrassing for a woman to share a room with a grown man?

Dang Mu-jin gestured to Hyun-gong.

“You grow up with Hong Geol-gae.”

“···You don’t spare money for your friends?”

There is no evidence left in the transcript. Dang Mu-jin replied with a dismissive tone.

“When me?”

Hyun-gong looked at Dang Mu-jin with a look full of discontent.

However, the one who had the money was Dang Mu-jin. Furthermore, Dang Mu-jin knew that he had to maintain discipline and not let his guard down in times like these.

An ordinary person would harbor resentment over something like this, but Hyun-gong was a guy who knew how to calmly assess reality and bow down low in a situation like this.

Since I showed Hyungong that I have the power, Hyungong will be a little more polite tomorrow.

Dang Mu-jin went into the room alone and fell into a comfortable sleep in the spacious space.

*

And the next morning.

When Dang Mu-jin woke up, he realized that there was a person lying next to him.

Dang Mu-jin opened his eyes half-heartedly and checked to see who was sleeping next to him.

It was Namgung Myeong.

“···?”

Dang Mu-jin quietly got up from his seat and kicked Namgung Myung in the side.

“Ugh!”

Namgung Myung said with a frown.

“Why wake up a person who is sleeping soundly?”

“When did you come?”

“When did you come? Of course you came last night.”

Dang Mu-jin does not sleep deeply outside the party hall.

Even though he seemed to be fast asleep at first glance, he would wake up in an instant and look around when he sensed any movement.

But even Dang Mu-jin didn’t sense Namgung Myung hiding in the guest room. In fact, it was only natural. It was Namgung Myung, not someone else.

Namgung Myung smiled and spoke confidently, wondering how he understood Dang Mujin’s reaction.

“Don’t worry. I shook off the pursuer well. He didn’t even show his face.”

If there was a pursuer, it would most likely be Namgung Jincheon, who was going to catch ‘Shintu’.

Namgung Myung was such a great bastard that he could even call his father a pursuer.

Although Namgung Myung’s appearance was somewhat sudden, Dang Mujin felt a faint sense of relief.

Now it feels like everyone is here, without anyone missing.

“You’re already awake, aren’t you? Get up now.”

Dang Mu-jin stretched and headed out of the room.

The other party members weren’t particularly surprised to see Namgung Myung. It was as if they had expected him to show up.

*

The party left Hanjung and headed north again.

The plan was to cross the Yellow River through the Gyeju region, which was roughly the area between the Gongdongpa and Jongnampa factions.

For convenience, I said it was a gap between the communist and pro-North Korea factions, but the distance between them is quite far.

In other words, the Gyeju region is a place with a lot of people but no large sects, so it is a perfect area for small and medium-sized sects to settle down and grow their influence.

As the group entered the relay, the authors who had learned some martial arts were seen walking around, talking nonsense.

Most of those people didn’t react much upon seeing Dang Mu-jin and his party, but some people were startled and flinched when they saw Dang Mu-jin and his party.

“Come here!”

When the superior suddenly took on a cautious attitude, the young warriors asked back with a puzzled look.

“Why are you doing that?”

“Do you see those young men over there? The one in front is Jeong-eon, and the one standing next to him is Ui-ryong.”

“Then the two behind are… Gyuchogae and Namgungmyeong?”

“okay.”

The group pricked up their ears and eavesdropped on the people’s whispers.

While Dang Mu-jin and Hyeon-gong didn’t think much of it, Hong Geol-gae and Nam-gung Myeong felt sorry in opposite directions.

Hong Geol-gae was heartbroken because his nickname was known to this extent, and Namgung Myeong was heartbroken because he was not called the Sword King.

In fact, it was natural that the nickname Sword King did not spread to this place. The distance between Namgung and Gyeju was very long.

Just as they were about to leave after purchasing the food and necessities they needed for the relay, some familiar people began to gather around Dang Mu-jin and his party and started to glance at them.

They were not great masters, no one I knew by name, and certainly no one I had ever talked to.

But there was definitely a face there that I had seen somewhere, and the clothes were familiar.

Hong Geol-gae noticed their clothing and asked Hyeon-gong.

“Aren’t those people the Communist Taoists?”

“That’s right. They’re the people I saw at the last Jeongsa Daejeon.”

Dang Mu-jin and his party could not understand why the Gongdongpa Taoists were wandering around Gyeju.

Large sects tend to set up branches here and there.

However, as far as the party leader knew, there was nothing in the Gongdongpa that could be called a branch office.

While other sects were increasing their branch offices by dividing up their members, the Gongdong faction was having a hard time even running one Hwanggolgak in the north.

Hyun-gong guessed the reason.

“Since the Hwanggol Pavilion has burned down and reconstruction has been abandoned, it seems that the Gongdongpa has decided to establish a branch office like other sects.”

“Oh, I see.”

That was the end of the reaction of Dang Mu-jin and his party.

If it had been a faction of the Mudangpa, Jongnampa, or Hwasanpa, the party led by Dangmujin would have been treated with great hospitality and stayed overnight.

However, the relationship between Dang Mu-jin and the Gongdong faction was complicated.

Hong Geol-gae asked Dang Mu-jin.

“Mujin-ah. How many times has the head of the community changed recently?”

“There were four long-term members… so it changed three times.”

First of all, the infinite number of commoners.

Muryangja was Baek Hyang-ah’s teacher and the former Six Lords, but he ended up dying while trying to kill Yu Gwan-il and Yu Jin-gwang.

Next, the leader of the Gongdong faction was Sangyudoin. Dang Mujin had never met Sangyudoin. Baek Yahyo, who was a traitor to the Demonic Cult, killed Sangyudoin and took control of the Gongdong faction.

That Baek Ye-hyo was killed by Wan Li Sheng, and then Sang Gwal Do-in, who was the younger brother of Sang Yu-do-in, became the leader of the Gongdong faction.

Hyun-gong briefly assessed the situation of the joint faction.

“It’s a mess.”

The situation of the Gongdongpa was a mess, and the relationship between the party leader and the Gongdongpa was also a mess.

Aren’t Dang Mu-jin and his party involved in the deaths of two of the four elders? They are even on their way to find Baek Hyang-ah, a disciple of Muryangja.

It was also difficult to guess how the current head of the household, Sang Gwal Do-in, viewed Dang Mu-jin and his party.

Didn’t Dang Mu-jin and his party kill Baek Ya-hyo and help save the Gongdong faction, but at the same time kill Muryangja and lead the Gongdong faction to its downfall?

Likewise, it was impossible to guess how the unknown joint faction leader, Gyeju Buntaju, viewed Dangmujin and his party.

Although he probably wouldn’t draw his sword in front of Dang Mu-jin and his party unless he was crazy, there’s a high chance he’d be met with harsh stares.

Hong Geol-gae said.

“It doesn’t seem like a good situation to get a meal.”

“Yeah. I’d rather not get entangled.”

Just as Dang Mujin and his party were about to leave the relay race, ignoring the gazes of the other Taoists, a Taoist appeared in a hurry and threw a lottery ticket in front of Dang Mujin. From the looks of it, he seemed to have a higher status than the other Taoists.

“Are you by any chance one of the Four Dragons?”

“···A dragon?”

When the party was embarrassed by the story they heard for the first time, the Taoist hurriedly continued the story.

“Yes! The dragon, the sword dragon, the path dragon, and that…”

It looks like they are making up a plausible nickname based on Dangmujin’s nickname.

As evidence, the Taoist was clearly struggling to decide what to call Honggeolgae. In the end, the Taoist said whatever came to mind.

“···Earth Dragon?”

Hong Geol-gae’s face distorted subtly. To-ryong means earthworm.

However, he couldn’t get angry right away. He thought that maybe Toryong was better than Gyuchogae. Honggeolgae felt a faint sense of self-loathing.

Dang Mu-jin asked the Taoist.

“By any chance, what brings you here?”

“Young heroes have come all the way to the relay, so we have been instructed to treat you with the utmost respect.”

“ah···.”

It’s a little early to be staying overnight in Gyeju.

But, even though we’re talking like this, I can’t just decline the invitation and leave.

Dang Mu-jin nodded, thinking that this might be an opportunity to improve relations with the Gonghappa.

“All right.”

*

Dang Mu-jin and his party followed the Taoist monk.

The place we arrived at was a bit shabby and narrow for a branch of the Gongdongpa. It was about half the size of the Seongdo branch of the Cheongseongpa.

“···.”

I didn’t have high expectations for the joint treatment, but my expectations were lowered a little.

The group entered the building led by the Taoist and sat down to wait.

Namgung Myung spoke.

“No matter how I look at it, it doesn’t look good. Is this the communist faction’s branch?”

“You know that the situation at the communal camp isn’t good. The condition of the bunta may be a little shabby. Everyone has hard times, and the communal camp is going through those hard times too.”

Dang Mu-jin spoke in a fairly mature manner.

At that moment, a noise was felt outside.

Soon the door opened and three people came in carrying a tray of food, the condition of which was a bit peculiar.

It could be that there are fewer types.

However, it was clear that they had tried to increase the proportion of meat and oily foods while spending less, meaning that it was full of chicken.

However, since he had no intention of refusing the favor by pointing out the lack of food, Dang Mu-jin politely paid his respects.

“Thank you for your warm hospitality.”

“Yes. I hope you enjoy the food…”

As the three people who had brought in the prizes were leaving and about to start eating, someone Dang Mu-jin clearly remembered appeared.

If nothing else, the large scar on the man’s forehead was unmistakable.

The Taoist with a large scar on his forehead spoke to Dang Mu-jin and his group.

“Welcome to the headquarters of the Gongdongpa. Please rest comfortably.”

A man with a scar on his forehead. He was the head of the Gongdongpa, the Sanggwaldoin.

‘···Why is Jang Moon-in here?’

What’s even more bizarre is that he introduced this place as the headquarters of the Gongdongpa faction, not the Gongdongpa relay headquarters.

Why is the headquarters of the Gongdongpa in Gyeju and not in Gongdongsan?

The party of Dang Mu-jin became confused.