“How did you do that?” Jongjeong Yak asked, approaching in shock.
Bu Eunseol replied calmly, “I infused inner energy to temporarily neutralize the poison.”
As he spoke, he infused more of his Ban-geuk Energy.
Hum.
Two streams of intense heat flowed through the life gate, gradually restoring color to the assassin’s deathly pale face.
The Ban-geuk Energy, encompassing both yin and yang, was antithetical to poison. Bu Eunseol’s resistance to most poisons stemmed not only from his deep inner energy but also from his body’s natural ability to expel toxins through this energy.
“That’s impossible,” Jongjeong Yak said, unable to believe her eyes even as she witnessed it.
The martial world had many inner energy techniques, but none could neutralize poison spread throughout the body by infusing energy.
“Utter nonsense,” Neung Joun scoffed, approaching Jongjeong Yak and whispering, “He probably slipped him an antidote discreetly.”
Mercenaries, never knowing when or how they might face danger, often carried antidotes. Hearing this, Jongjeong Yak nodded faintly.
“Mercenaries who take on all sorts of dangerous tasks in the martial world must have some tricks up their sleeves,” she said.
“Exactly. This guy’s full of bluster,” Neung Joun agreed.
While the two whispered, Bu Eunseol, examining the assassin, frowned.
‘The poison has already spread to his organs.’ Ignoring their reactions, he noted that despite infusing Ban-geuk Energy for half a quarter-hour, he could only briefly rouse the assassin.
“Who sent you?” Bu Eunseol demanded.
“I… don’t know…” the assassin muttered, shaking his head as if he were a low-ranking grunt. “I really… don’t know.”
Jongjeong Yak rushed forward and shouted, “Then where are the stolen Purple Dawn Pills?”
The assassin shook his head, unable to answer. Watching silently, Bu Eunseol doubled the intensity of the Ban-geuk Energy he was infusing.
The assassin’s body flushed red, and thick veins bulged on his forehead. The clash between the poison absorbed into his organs and the fiercely infused Ban-geuk Energy caused unimaginable pain.
“Mil… milsi…” the assassin gasped, before breathing his last.
The extreme poison had already melted his organs and hardened his blood. Even a divine sage couldn’t have saved him.
“Milmilsi?” Jongjeong Yak’s eyes lost focus.
Milmilsi was a term for the black markets held across various regions. Neung Joun, who had been standing dazed, nodded.
“They can’t openly distribute treasures like the Purple Dawn Pills, so they likely plan to sell them all at once in the Milmilsi.”
No matter how bold a faction might be, they couldn’t openly sell elixirs meant for the Martial Alliance, like those from the Huashan Sect. But in the black market of Milmilsi, even something as precious as the Shaolin Temple’s Great Restoration Pills could be disposed of.
‘The Milmilsi is held once a month, so they likely haven’t sold them yet.’ Clinging to a thread of hope, Jongjeong Yak addressed the two warriors standing at the forefront.
“Woo Myeong, Jeong Hak, take the injured back to the Alliance.” Then, looking at Neung Joun and the uninjured warriors, she declared firmly, “The rest of you will follow me to pursue the Purple Dawn Pills.”
Except for Neung Joun, the other warriors looked weary and disheartened. Continuing to chase the Purple Dawn Pills was an incredibly dangerous and reckless endeavor. But how could they defy the stern command of a Law Enforcement Officer?
“Understood,” they said, reluctantly clasping their hands.
***
In the past, black markets were typically organized under the leadership of the Hao Clan, a collective of lower-class forces.
But as the Hao Clan grew increasingly irrelevant and lost its influence, black factions across various regions began to take control of these markets.
The Milmilsi.
Under this name, black factions in various locales traded stolen goods, hidden weapons, explosives, sedatives, and deadly poisons—items forbidden or restricted in the martial world.
However, such goods couldn’t be openly displayed for sale, and there was always the risk of government raids. Thus, the black factions held the Milmilsi irregularly, about once a month, in remote and secretive locations.
Not only did they take a cut of the profits, but they also sold information about the time and place of the Milmilsi for a tidy sum.
Deep in the mountains, near a graveyard.
Lanterns were hung, and stalls were set up throughout the area. People moved about wearing masks, and the merchants at the stalls also concealed their faces.
The Milmilsi in this region was being held in a graveyard far from the village.
Step, step.
A woman in a loose cloak, her face covered, and a man who appeared to be her attendant climbed the mountain path. Upon reaching the graveyard where the Milmilsi was held, the woman took a moment to catch her breath.
“Phew.” Following the lanterns along the winding path, she stopped to survey her surroundings.
She spotted a group of menacing black faction members gathered under a large tree. In front of them were large boxes containing various items: glass bottles filled with viscous red liquid and ornate wooden cases.
“How much for all these?” the woman asked.
The black faction man guarding the items sneered.
“These aren’t for sale.”
“Then what are they?” she asked.
“They’re items to be auctioned soon,” he replied.
“An auction?” she said, blinking.
The man chuckled. “Your first time at the Milmilsi, huh?” He pointed toward a clearing deeper inside.
“High-value items are sold at auction. This is just a temporary holding area for those items.”
“I see,” she said.
“If you’ve got money to spend, check it out. There are some great items up for grabs.”
“Alright,” she replied.
Her eyes sparkling with interest, the woman headed toward the area he indicated.
The clearing was well-lit with lanterns hung around it.
At the center stood a canopy, with a table for displaying items and a platform for someone to stand on. On the platform was a man wearing a monkey mask, likely the auctioneer.
“Let’s move on to the next item,” the masked man announced, pointing to a small wooden box on the table.
“This is the Corpse Blood Poison.”
The Corpse Blood Poison.
One of the deadliest poisons strictly forbidden in the martial world.
Once infected, the victim’s blood itself turned into Corpse Blood Poison. This meant that poisoning just three or four healthy adults could yield about eighteen liters of the lethal substance.
Due to its terrifying nature, merely possessing Corpse Blood Poison branded one a public enemy of the martial world.
Yet here it was, openly up for auction.
“We’ll start at thirty thousand taels,” the masked man declared.
People in the crowd began calling out bids.
“Thirty thousand taels.”
“Thirty-five thousand taels.”
The price skyrocketed.
In the end, the Corpse Blood Poison was sold to an old woman with her face veiled in purple cloth for a staggering two hundred thousand taels.
After that, various rare items went up for auction: authentic hidden weapons from the Sichuan Tang Clan and even live mythical creatures thought to be extinct.
About an hour later, a large wooden box adorned with gold foil was placed on the table. Even without opening the lid, a sweet, subtle fragrance wafted through the air.
It was the same box seen earlier at the old man’s stall.
“This item is the Purple Dawn Pill, an elixir crafted by the Huashan Sect over generations,” the masked man said, his eyes glinting as he scanned the crowd. “Fifty pills in total. A rare treasure, starting at one hundred thousand taels.”
The masked woman who had been watching the auction raised her hand.
“One hundred thousand taels.” A heavyset masked man on the opposite side raised his hand.
“Two hundred thousand taels.”
The woman raised the bid.
“Two hundred forty thousand taels.”
“Three hundred thousand taels.”
As time passed, the price for the Purple Dawn Pills soared.
“Five hundred thousand taels,” the heavyset man called out.
The masked woman, who had been bidding fervently, fell silent.
“Five hundred thousand taels. Any more bids?” the masked auctioneer asked.
The woman lowered her head, seemingly giving up.
“The fifty Purple Dawn Pills are sold for five hundred thousand taels.”
As soon as the bid was finalized, the heavyset man nodded to the sturdy attendants behind him. They brought forward a large chest and placed it before the masked auctioneer.
“Five hundred thousand taels,” the man said.
“Correct. Take it,” the auctioneer replied.
At the monkey-masked man’s words, the heavyset man tucked the wooden box under his arm and left the auction.
It seemed to be the final auction, as two black faction members began dismantling the platform.
The monkey-masked man retreated behind the canopy.
The woman, watching this, nodded and slowly reached for the sword at her waist.
That woman was none other than Jongjeong Yak.
‘The black faction thugs wouldn’t have stolen the Purple Dawn Pills themselves. If I take down the organizer, I can find out who did.’
Upon hearing the assassin’s words, she had immediately gathered information about the Milmilsi in the area and come here. And now, she had found the black faction group with the box containing the Purple Dawn Pills.
But those selling the pills were unlikely to be the culprits. Her plan was to recover the Purple Dawn Pills and return to the Martial Alliance. Simply retrieving the lost pills would make this investigation worthwhile.
Click.
As she drew her sword from her waist, a voice transmission reached her.
“Don’t do it.”
A man who had been watching the auction approached and sent the transmission.
It was Bu Eunseol.
“The chances that the box contains fifty Purple Dawn Pills are almost zero.”
“What do you mean? I clearly smelled the Purple Dawn Pills’ fragrance from that box earlier.”
“The scent was too faint for fifty pills. At best, it’s one or two.”
“The number doesn’t matter,” Jongjeong Yak said with a grave expression. “If I can’t catch the culprit, I need to recover at least one or two pills.”
This investigation was already a risky endeavor, undertaken against the pressure of her superiors.
If she returned empty-handed, she could face disciplinary action for losing her warriors.
“If you must seize it, do it at the fat man’s destination. That wasn’t a legitimate auction anyway.”
“What do you mean?”
“I heard the theft of the Purple Dawn Pills happened some time ago. What are the odds that an auction for them would coincide so perfectly with your arrival at the Milmilsi?”
Jongjeong Yak blinked.
Now that she thought about it, it was suspicious.
The timing was too perfect to be a coincidence.
“They might be adding another layer of complexity to make the goods untraceable.”
“That’s possible,” Bu Eunseol agreed, nodding as he sent another transmission. “Which is why we need to keep watching. See where that fat man takes the Purple Dawn Pills.”
Jongjeong Yak’s eyes sparkled as she nodded.
“You’re saying the buyer might be an intermediary.”
She lacked experience in the martial world, but her mind was sharp, and her judgment was quick. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been appointed a Law Enforcement Officer among so many talented individuals.
“Or he could be the final buyer after the last step. Or this could be another trap.”
‘She catches on quickly,’ Bu Eunseol thought, nodding.
“Exactly.”
“Alright. I can’t pass up a chance to catch their tail.”
Jongjeong Yak turned to Neung Joun, who had been following her, posing as an attendant.
“Prepare all the warriors waiting at the base of the mountain. Don’t let that man’s trail go cold.” Neung Joun nodded and quietly left the auction.
Watching the heavyset man leave with his attendants, Jongjeong Yak clenched her fists.
If she could secretly track the buyer, she might catch the tail of those who stole the Purple Dawn Pills.
***
An ornately decorated eight-horse carriage sped out of the Milmilsi and down the official road.
Inside was the heavyset man who had won the Purple Dawn Pills at auction.
Their destination was a large estate situated by a lake.
The Song Family Estate.
This was the residence of a merchant, located some distance from the village. Following discreetly, a faint doubt flickered in Jongjeong Yak’s eyes.
Could the master of the Song Family Estate or someone close to him be the one seeking the Purple Dawn Pills?
Swish! Swish! Swish!
Pushing aside her complex thoughts, she swiftly climbed onto the estate’s roof, stealthily observing the situation.
‘I need to be cautious.’
Having been burned once at the Woo River Escort Agency, she examined the estate with utmost care. She had realized that to those targeting her life, her status as a Law Enforcement Officer and her badge held no power.
Step, step.
The heavyset man, having disembarked from the carriage, didn’t head toward the main residence but instead walked toward a dilapidated warehouse on the estate’s outskirts.
Carefully carrying the box containing the Purple Dawn Pills, he entered the warehouse and emerged empty-handed shortly after.
“There must be a secret storage area in there,” Neung Joun said.
Jongjeong Yak nodded.
No one would store a treasure like the Purple Dawn Pills in such a rundown warehouse. There had to be a hidden space inside.
“It’s too early now. Let’s go in around the third watch.”
“Understood,” Neung Joun replied.
As night deepened, Jongjeong Yak addressed Bu Eunseol and the warriors.
“While Deputy Neung and I investigate that place, the rest of you stay here and remain hidden.”
“I’m going too,” Bu Eunseol said.
Jongjeong Yak shook her head. “This investigation is being conducted as a Law Enforcement Officer of the Martial Alliance.”
In other words, since Bu Eunseol wasn’t part of the Martial Alliance, he couldn’t join the investigation.
‘It’s because I’m a mercenary,’ Bu Eunseol thought.
Mercenaries wouldn’t leave a treasure vault untouched. She was clearly worried that Bu Eunseol might secretly steal from the Song Family’s treasure vault.
But Bu Eunseol was firm. “That’s not acceptable.”
“What?” she asked.
“Didn’t you agree to follow my instructions regarding your protection?”
“I’m just investigating whether the Purple Dawn Pills are there. You’re not a member of the Alliance, so you can’t accompany me to the investigation site.”
“I’m only doing my job,” he insisted.
Neung Joun, bristling with hostility, said, “Look, act like a mercenary and stay out of this.”
“I’m doing my job as a mercenary, so you stay out of it,” Bu Eunseol retorted.
Seeing Bu Eunseol’s resolute stance, Jongjeong Yak hesitated.
No matter what happens, trust and rely on Seolso. Understood?
Dam Yuyeon’s words echoed in her mind.
‘Sister Dam isn’t one to speak lightly.’ After a moment of hesitation, she nodded.
“Alright. Come along.”
“Law Enforcement Officer!” Neung Joun protested.
“Are you going to pay his three thousand taels? I emptied my personal funds to hire him.”
‘…What a bargain,’ Bu Eunseol thought.
The advance Dam Yuyeon had given him for the contract was a whopping one hundred thousand taels.
If he safely escorted Jongjeong Yak back to the Martial Alliance, he was set to receive another hundred thousand.
But Jongjeong Yak believed he was a high-tier mercenary hired for a mere three thousand taels. If she knew he was an elite-grade mercenary, let alone the successor of Majeon, she’d probably faint on the spot.
“But as per the contract, you must not reveal anything you see or hear from now on. Understood?”
“Agreed,” Bu Eunseol said.
In the end, he joined Jongjeong Yak and entered the warehouse. Inside, various weapons were stacked, and shelves held hidden weapons and powerful bows.
“No matter how I look, I don’t see any mechanisms,” Neung Joun said, frowning as he meticulously searched the armory.
Despite their thorough search, there was no trace of a mechanism—or the box containing the Purple Dawn Pills.
“You’re right,” Jongjeong Yak said, sweat beading on her forehead.
Could the man have entered the warehouse and left with the Purple Dawn Pills?
“There,” Bu Eunseol said, pointing to a corner where rusted weapons were stored in a rack against the wall. “There’s a mechanism there. Likely a hidden door.”
Having experienced countless traps in the Martial Emperor’s Secret Vault, he could detect signs of mechanisms without even channeling his Supreme Unity Energy.
“A hidden door?” Jongjeong Yak asked.
“Yes,” he replied.
Neung Joun let out a hollow laugh. “You don’t even know the basics of searching. Those cobwebs mean no one’s touched that area.”
“I see,” Bu Eunseol said, nodding.
He walked toward the rack of rusted weapons, examined it, and unhesitatingly drew a rusty sword.
Rumble.
With a low vibration, a section of the wall slid open, revealing a passageway.
“Ahem,” Neung Joun coughed, avoiding the sharp gazes of Jongjeong Yak and Bu Eunseol. “Impressive. The basics of searching involve checking the places no one would suspect,” he said.
“…” Jongjeong Yak, with a cold expression, brushed past Neung Joun and carefully inspected the passageway.
“What’s this…?”
As she looked at the cobwebs stretched across the entrance, a glint flashed in her eyes.
