Chapter 145

Namgung Geom summoned the squad leaders assigned to search each area around Mount Cheonjung.

The Wudang and Shaolin martial artists were also temporarily given the role of squad leaders.

During the pursuit of Raging Evil, they too would follow Namgung Geom’s command.

“Report.”

“Report from the Runan team. We searched the households, courier stations, and merchant groups in Runan but could not find any trace of Raging Evil.”

“In Zhongyang we checked outsiders, focusing on inns, but there was no one particularly suspicious.”

“We searched all mountain paths leading to Mount Cheonjung but found no sign of anyone hiding.”

Jugu, Hangseong, Tapha, Pingyeo….

Reports continued that nowhere had they found traces of Raging Evil.

Listening to the reports, Namgung Geom raised a finger and pressed his temple repeatedly.

“Stop! I don’t need any more reports saying you couldn’t find him! Is there no squad that found any trace of Raging Evil?”

“….”

People exchanged glances and fell silent.

The corner of Namgung Geom’s mouth trembled.

Thud!

“You sent the Three sect’s warriors and searched the Mount Cheonjung area as if raking through grass, yet you couldn’t find so much as a shadow of Raging Evil!”

More than one hundred and fifty warriors of the Three-Gate sect were invested in this task alone.

With that kind of force, they could have waged war against the Demonic Cult.

And with that many people, you can’t find a single person?

“What are the Wudang Sects’ search results?”

“…The same.”

“How about the Shaolin search results?”

Namgung Geom asked Jong Haeng, who stood as the representative of the Shaolin monks.

“This side is the same.”

Namgung Geom was angry, but he could not bring himself to scold Jong Haeng.

Jong Haeng offered his opinion.

“If they searched the nearby area and couldn’t find him, isn’t he hiding in the depths of Mount Cheonjung?”

Raging Evil was injured, so he couldn’t have run farther than the vast net they had cast.

They had expected that tightening the search net would force him to flee, but it seemed to be the opposite.

Namgung Geom pondered whether they should search Mount Cheonjung itself, as Jong Haeng suggested.

At that moment, Namgung Ji-eon, who had been in charge of the pass between Juma Station and Seopyeong, approached and reported to Namgung Geom.

“Family Lord, excuse me, could you take a look at this?”

“What is it?”

What Namgung Ji-eon handed over looked like a stamp/seal.

As Namgung Geom examined the item slowly, his eyes widened.

The characters inscribed on the face of the seal looked familiar.

“Bring ink paste! Anything, food or whatever!”

They hurriedly brought ink paste; when he stamped it onto the back of his hand, the characters appeared clearly.

Raging Evil seal.

It means a painting drawn by Raging Evil.

It was Raging Evil’s seal.

“Who did you get this from!”

“It was lying in the bushes on the pass that goes from Seopyeong to Juma Station.”

“What?”

“We found it late, so we couldn’t ascertain who the seal belonged to. Perhaps Raging Evil passed this way in disguise….”

“Was it toward Juma Station or Seopyeong?”

“It was found at the top of the pass, so we couldn’t determine the direction.”

“Immediately send warriors to search Seopyeong and Juma Station.”

Impatient Namgung Geom immediately contradicted himself.

“No. I will go to Juma Station myself. Shaolin and the shamans, please check Seopyeong.”

Namgung Geom strapped on his sword and hurried off using the divine method.

The warriors who received his orders moved in unison, and Jong Haeng, left behind, scratched the back of his head.

“Oh dear….”

He too followed Namgung Geom straight toward Juma Station.

“Ha! Stupid fools! Do you really think you can capture this Raging Evil?”

Raging Evil, having slipped past the Namgung family’s encirclement and arrived at Juma Station, burst into uproarious laughter.

After crossing the steep pass and reaching a place out of the Namgung warriors’ sight, his hunched back straightened and a smile played at his lips.

“You’re heavy, so get off now.”

He said this to Shapeshifter Demon, who was riding in the cart.

“What happened?”

“What?”

“How did we get away?”

“My acting must have been flawless. Didn’t you see earlier? The all-out performance of shedding a few tears and begging to be spared? They were completely fooled. I really do have a natural talent for the arts.”

“I’m not talking about the Namgung family’s greenhorns. That monk, the famous Shaolin Victorious Fighting Monk, right?”

“Yes.”

“A member of the Three Lords of Murim.”

“An inflated reputation.”

“How did you not get caught by that man?”

Shapeshifter Demon could tell, at least, whether her trick had worked on the opponent or not.

Those who notice such deception never hide it. She had a sense developed from doing this for a long time.

That monk, Victorious Fighting Monk, had certainly sensed the two people’s act. The moment he noticed, Raging Evil even prepared to flee.

There was no way the Three Lords didn’t notice what Shapeshifter Demon had perceived.

And yet he let the two of them go.

Even while hiding their identities from the Namgung family’s warriors.

Why on earth?

“I don’t know either.”

“Don’t say that. Didn’t he check your pulse? Warriors can tell if someone has martial arts training just by grabbing the wrist, can’t they?”

“Don’t poke into past events. Do you want to die?”

“Another one of your threats? You never answers questions willingly. Ungrateful little rascal.”

“Maybe he’s just stupid. By the way, aren’t you a bit peckish? Running away has made me hungry. Let’s find an inn and have a bowl of thin noodles.”

“You’re living the high life.”

Come to think of it, there was one more strange thing.

That monk, when he let Raging Evil go, said this.

—Give my regards to respected sir.

Respected sir is a respectful way to refer to someone else’s father.

Shapeshifter Demon did not know whose child Raging Evil was.

“Is your father connected to that Victorious Fighting Monk?”

:Ah, shut up. I’m hungry, so find a suitable inn.”

Raging Evil did not seem inclined to answer.

The Juma Station they arrived at had a developed relay post, with many noodle shops where coachmen could eat quickly.

Raging Evil chose and entered a suitable noodle shop that had no other customers.

“Welcome!”

“Two bowls of thin noodles here.”

“Yes! Two bowls of thin noodles!”

The shop helper answered cheerfully.

“Thin noodles are served here!”

The food arrived almost as soon as they sat down.

“Why is it coming out so fast?”

“At this Juma Station, coachmen are the main customers, so speed is everything. Any noodle shop where food comes out slowly is doomed.”

“You’re not serving something prepared in advance, are you?”

“Our master cook has seventy years of experience at Juma Station noodle shops. His skill at making thin noodles could be called the best in the land.”

“Seventy years’ experience? How old is this master cook then?”

“I don’t really know.”

“….”

For a shop helper, he was quite cheeky.

“If you don’t believe me, would you like to order something else?”

“Then bring the stir-fried meat.”

The shop helper grinned as if he’d hooked them.

“Yes! Thank you for the sale! My hero!”

“Well, I’ve never seen a shop helper as brazen as that in my life.”

Shapeshifter Demon was still puzzled as to why Victorious Fighting Monk had let them go and couldn’t study the shop helper closely.

Slurp! Slurp!

Indeed, the claim of seventy years wasn’t entirely empty boast; the thin noodles tasted excellent.

Hungry Raging Evil devoured the noodles in no time. As soon as he set down the bowl, the stir-fried meat he ordered arrived.

Steam rose from the dish, clearly freshly made.

“The master cook’s hands really are fast.”

“Isn’t that right? You won’t find a cook faster than this anywhere in the Central Plains. He was already quick, and these days he’s even faster.”

“Why?”

“Lately a lot of sword-bearing warriors have been coming as customers. It’s always best to take their money and hurry them out, isn’t it? You don’t want to seat them too long and risk trouble…. Oh, there’s more of them over there.”

When he looked in the direction the helper was staring, indeed men wearing the Namgung family’s martial uniforms were spread all along the Juma Station street.

Raging Evil gasped, lowered his head, and hid his face.

“Wow~ what on earth is going on. I’ve never seen so many warriors gather in this neighborhood. Has some evil band appeared nearby? Aren’t all those people from the Namgung family? Sir, do you happen to know what’s happening?”

“Shut your mouth and go do your work!”

“I’d like to, but there are no other customers in the shop.”

“Then quietly get out!”

“Oh, why be like that? You act as if someone is chasing you.”

The shop helper, seemingly oblivious to hints, couldn’t keep his mouth shut for a moment.

It seemed the shop’s attraction wasn’t the cook’s hands but this helper’s mouth.

“Search the entire area! Find that bastard at all costs!”

The voice coming from beyond the window was Namgung Geom’s, the one that had carved a wound into Raging Evil’s chest.

“This is bad. The Namgung family scoundrels are checking people one by one. They’re spread all over the street.”

Shapeshifter Demon watched outside the window and warned Raging Evil.

“Damn! How did they know?”

“That’s why you shouldn’t have dawdled; you should have fled as far as possible when you had the chance. Didn’t I say Victorious Fighting Monk seemed to have noticed your identity?”

“No way that old geezer did?”

‘That can’t be.’

Raging Evil thought.

But for now, getting out of here was the priority.

“Wow, what a commotion. They really seem determined. Who on earth are they trying to catch?”

“Hey, shop helper.”

“Yes, sir. Would you like to order anything else?”

The helper, unaware of Raging Evil’s state, kept chatting idly.

“Our master’s skills are good, aren’t they?”

“I don’t need your damn food, just tell me if there’s a back door out of here.”

“A back door? Why would you suddenly want to run away somewhere?”

Raging Evil felt a surge of pent-up rage.

Why did everyone have to ask so many prying questions?

Flare!

“Shut up and show me the back door! Before I burn you to death!”

Raging Evil ignited a blue ember in his hand and shot the hidden killing intent at the shop helper.

The shop helper, whom he expected to tremble in surprise, looked at him calmly.

“Can you do it?”

“…What?”

“There are Namgung sword troops searching for you outside this door; do you really have the nerve to set a fire here?”

Raging Evil and Shapeshifter Demon finally looked closely at the shop helper.

“Who are you? A Namgung Geom informant?”

“You are….”

At that moment the shop helper shouted toward the outside.

“Fire!”

Raging Evil flinched and ducked.

“Has this fool lost his mind!”

“Fire! People of the village, fire!”

The helper shouted outside like a madman.

Everyone on the Juma Station street turned their attention to him.

And then,

Whoosh!

A fire really broke out.

Not the noodle shop they were in, but a large blaze erupted far across the street.

“Fire!”

Passersby scattered in panic.

Fire was Raging Evil’s symbol. With their attention drawn to the flames, Namgung Geom and the Namgung family’s warriors ran toward the burning building.

“There he is! Raging Evil is over there!”

“Seal off the surroundings! Block him! Don’t let a single rat escape!”

Raging Evil stood stunned as he assessed the situation.

“What the…?”

“You want to get out of here?”

The shop helper spoke behind him in a calm tone.

“Before your master’s fire is noticed, quickly follow me.”

“What are you, really?”

“Me?”

The helper smiled.

“Ask the person beside me.”

He greeted Shapeshifter Demon.

“Long time no see, Shapeshifter Demon.”