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Chapter 29
“Release monsters in Hanseong? And we’re supposed to get the monsters for that plan?”
Upon hearing Kim Chang-woon’s plan, Bunetal sneered through the communicator, as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
“Well, isn’t that just a marvelous plan. Since the press and those aristocratic bastards keep calling us terrorists, do you actually plan on becoming real terrorists? Why stop there? Why not just run out into the streets and start shooting people while you’re at it?”
As Bunetal’s sharp voice rang out, additional voices appeared on Imetal’s visual interface.
They were the Hahoe members, operating in different regions.
Among them were those who carried masks with names, the higher-ranking ones gathered on this private channel.
“Do you have to mock it that much? I actually like it. Sounds like a pretty useful operation.”
“Useful? You call releasing monsters in the middle of Hanseong a useful plan?”
“Think about it. Monsters. In the heart of Hanseong.”
At that frivolous-sounding voice, Bunetal’s tone grew even harsher.
But the one who spoke, Gaksital, continued in its sly, grinning tone.
“According to the intel Imetal brought us, the lab itself is about the size of a high-rise building. Considering the restraints and equipment inside, there can’t be more than fifty monsters in there.”
Bunetal’s signal flickered a few times, as if trying to interrupt.
“Even so, monsters…!”
“And just as you said.”
Not allowing any chance to cut him off, Gaksital pressed on.
“…Yes, just as you said, this is the heart of Hanseong. The headquarters of the Royal Training Command is located here, with thousands of Royal Guards guarding the city. Even if dozens of monsters were released, they’d be suppressed in under five minutes.”
Bunetal’s voice went silent, unable to come up with a retort in time.
“We’ll drive the monsters berserk, smash Pungyang Cho Clan’s laboratory, and let the Royal Guards handle the cleanup. With minimal manpower, we’ll cause maximum damage while never exposing ourselves. Tell me, what better plan could there be?”
“I oppose it.”
This time, the reply came not from Bunetal but from Seonbital, whose sharp eyes matched his deep, weighty voice.
“It’s true we’ve worked operations together. It’s true we’ve achieved results. But at the same time, that boy has not joined Hahoe. He still moves as a member of the Nobles. We cannot recklessly place our trust in such a person.”
“And wasn’t it precisely because he was one of the Nobles that the last operation succeeded? Without that, we couldn’t even be talking this openly right now.”
“I’m simply stating principle.”
“Oh, really? Funny how a man so obsessed with principles had no qualms about bending them during the infiltration mission three years ago—”
“That’s enough.”
Just as their bickering threatened to turn into an outright fight, an older voice cut in.
At once, the voices of the two masks fell silent.
On the circular display of eight masks, the one seated at the highest position spoke.
It was Yangbantal.
“Imetal.”
“Yes, Elder.”
Answering the gentle voice that addressed him, Imetal bowed his head with respect.
The leader of Hahoe, Yangbantal.
After a pause, he asked Imetal in a mild, unreadable tone:
“What do you wish to do?”
Plain.
Devoid of discernible emotion.
“…I intend to attempt it.”
After some thought, Imetal finally spoke.
“Since the failed infiltration three years ago, Hahoe still has not recovered from the damage.”
“……”
There was no verbal reply, but the signal icons of the gathered masks flickered in acknowledgment.
The failed infiltration three years prior…
It had been Hahoe’s largest operation, and also its most disastrous.
“Our fallen comrades have yet to be replaced. Our weapons are broken and rusted. And the Royal Inquisition Bureau tightens its noose around us with each passing day.”
Again, silence. Again, signals flickered.
They agreed.
Sensing the mood, Imetal’s voice grew firm.
“But in the last operation, for the first time, we dealt a real blow to the nobles. By rescuing the Commander of Iron Tiger Corps and a princess of the royal bloodline, we created the possibility of overturning Joseon.”
Had it not been for that plan, he himself might not even be alive.
That was how dangerous it had been, and Kim Chang-woon’s role had been decisive.
Imetal finished his thoughts and spoke to the gathered comrades.
“The boy, Kim Chang-woon, seeks the transformation of Joseon. And if someone like him seeks our cooperation, I believe it is right to support him with everything we can.”
“……”
For a long moment, Yangbantal said nothing.
He was no doubt measuring what kind of blow this could deal to the powerful noble clans.
Finally, after much time had passed…
“Drive the monsters berserk. Destroy the lab. Let the Royal Guards crush the chaos.”
When Yangbantal’s voice finally came, there was the faintest trace of laughter within it.
“In that case, the true intent of that boy Chang-woon must lie after that.”
“…Excuse me?”
What did he mean?
Intent?
Imetal, confused, asked again.
But only for a moment.
“Everyone, listen well.”
Yangbantal returned to his natural commanding voice, addressing all present.
“Seonbital, go to the coordinates I’ve sent. An acquaintance of mine there will supply you with what’s needed.”
“Understood.”
“Bunetal and Gaksital, prepare the vehicles. If it’s a transport truck of the Jo Clan of Pungyang, there should be schematics. Forge the ID signals and disguise yourselves.”
“As you command, Elder. Hey, Bune, where do you want to rendezvous?”
“I’ll pin the coordinates. Head there. I’m off first.”
With Yangbantal’s orders, the executives began logging off the channel one by one.
Soon, only Imetal remained connected.
“Imetal, deliver the message to the boy called Chang-woon. Tell him that Hahoe will support his plan.”
“Yes, Elder.”
“And one more thing…”
Yangbantal, who had called for Imetal, spoke slowly.
“When all this is over, send the boy the coordinates I give you.”
“Coordinates, Elder?”
No sooner had he spoken than new location data appeared on Imetal’s interface.
“Elder, this is…!”
Imetal’s eyes widened at once.
What appeared was a secret place, one even the other executives besides himself didn’t know about.
“To our drowning Masked Troupe, a rare guest has finally come.”
Though startled, Imetal received Yangbantal’s unhurried answer.
“Whether he truly has the will to change Joseon, whether he has the ability….”
“……”
“We must see it for ourselves.”
*****
“Master!”
“Mm, huh?”
Ah… did I doze off for a moment?
Feeling the faint sway of the seat, I stretched my stiff body.
“Are we there?”
“We just entered the city, sir.”
“Ha, the noble clans sure live easy. Hanseong to Busan in fifty minutes.”
I muttered as I shook off the haze of sleep, stretching my arms.
We were seated in a luxury taxi bound for Busan.
Beside me, Moo-yeong spoke with a worried expression.
“You were sweating in your sleep the whole way. You don’t seem well… perhaps you should rest today—”
“The staff are already waiting. If I suddenly cancel, it’ll only breed resentment.”
At that, Moo-yeong gave me a look.
The ones we were about to meet were scum, the sort who engaged in human trafficking under the backing of the noble families.
Getting on their bad side would normally mean trouble… but so what?
After all, at this moment, we were part of those rotten ranks too.
Beep!
While I thought on that bitter truth, our car finally arrived at the promised location.
Waiting at the entrance was a line of people.
Employees of Pungyang Trading Company, wearing ID badges and neat suits.
“Welcome—!”
The moment we crossed into the company’s gates, voices rang out.
Through the window, I could see the employees lined up at the entrance bowing deeply toward our car.
“What are you staring at so intently?”
“I heard this company supports the Pungyang Cho Clan’s human trafficking and human experiments. But…”
Moo-yeong trailed off as he gazed out the window at the neat rows of employees.
He muttered uneasily,
“No one is armed. No one has combat prosthetics either. This doesn’t look like an illegal trafficking ring at all. It looks more like…”
“Just regular office workers.”
Indeed, Moo-yeong’s face showed confusion.
Understandable.
We’d been told we were coming to replace Dok Go-seong in transport work, so we expected more underworld thugs.
Instead, we were met by well-dressed men in pressed suits.
“And that’s exactly what they are.”
“What?”
Moo-yeong looked at me, bewildered.
“They’re just ordinary workers.”
I spoke as I watched the employees bowing politely.
“Most of the people here don’t even know what they’re transporting. They just take a salary from a company owned by a noble clan and worry about putting food on the table. That’s all.”
In a workplace tied to their livelihood, few would dare pry into the noble clan’s dark dealings.
And even if one did, the clan’s surveillance net would snuff them out long before they caused trouble.
“They either truly don’t know, or they desperately pretend not to. That’s how common people survive. And when something does go wrong? They pin everything on one expendable employee and it’s all swept clean.”
“……”
Looking again, Moo-yeong’s face had gone pale as he stared at the laborers working in the loading yard.
“To the nobles, both the people bought and sold and the ones transporting them… are nothing more than disposable tools.”
“……”
“So? Isn’t our Joseon just wonderful?”
I chuckled bitterly at my own cruel joke.
But the moment didn’t last.
“You’ve arrived, Young Master Kim Chang-woon. We’ve been expecting you.”
The car door opened, and a middle-aged man in a suit layered with a traditional Korean overcoat greeted me.
Ugh. Awkward.
His polished manner showed he’d been at this a long time.
Waving him off with a weary expression, I said,
“Don’t do this kind of thing again. I don’t want to disrupt the workers with a useless ceremony.”
Perhaps realizing I disliked such pomp, the executive at the front nodded slightly.
At once, the other employees bowed once more and dispersed.
“I am Gu Jeong-hyeok. I handle logistics in Young Master Cho Seong-hwan’s business, though I am lacking.”
“Kim Chang-woon. The new recruit.”
Though the man was easily past fifty, I spoke down to him without hesitation.
Normally, such disrespect from a fifteen-year-old boy might spark anger.
But Gu Jeong-hyeok showed no reaction.
Of course.
I was nobility, even if only a collateral branch, and they were commoners.
‘Still… Gu Jeong-hyeok? I don’t recall that name in my previous life.’
A new face.
But from his clothes and his demeanor, I could guess enough.
Looking at his professional smile, I asked lightly,
“Judging by your manner, you must be from the main household. Sent here to fill the void left by Dok Go-seong, perhaps?”
“Oh?”
He gave a short exclamation of surprise, perhaps impressed I’d guessed correctly.
“How did you know?”
“Your footsteps.”
I gestured toward his shoes.
“Only people who’ve worked in noble households learn to move with footsteps that quiet.”
“Remarkable eye, truly. As expected…”
Testing me with small talk, then.
Sensing the undertone, I noted the slight shift in his aura.
“As expected of the son of the Andong Kim Clan.”
“…Indeed.”
Well, well.
I raised the corner of my mouth at his meaningful words.
By invoking the Kim Clan of Andong after hearing my name, his message was clear:
‘I know why someone from the Andong Kim Clan has come here.’
In other words—
This Gu Jeong-hyeok had been placed here by Jo Seong-hwan to watch me.
To see if I harbored other intentions.
To judge if I would betray the Kim Clan of Andong and swear loyalty to him.
A kind of examiner, then.
And a warning, to mind my every word and action before him.
“A humble greeting, but I’ve prepared light refreshments. Please join me. However…”
After the formalities, Gu Jeong-hyeok led me toward the office.
But his words trailed off as his gaze shifted.
He was looking at the taxi I had just exited.
My bodyguard, Moo-yeong, was gone. Disappeared without a trace.
“I didn’t expect you to travel this far without a bodyguard. It could be dangerous…”
“Dangerous? Hardly.”
I glanced at the empty car and gave him a pleasant smile.
“With the Pungyang Cho Clan’s men guarding me, why would I need to bring a bodyguard? Don’t you agree?”
“Haha, indeed.”
In other words: If anything happens to me, it’s on you.
Catching my meaning, Gu Jeong-hyeok’s smile deepened.
“Then I’ll take utmost care. I’ll make sure you’re never inconvenienced.”
As I watched his face, I had to stifle a laugh.
Because the real blade I’d brought to Busan, Moo-yeong, had already slipped away, heading deeper into the city.
And the fact that Gu Jeong-hyeok hadn’t noticed…
Meant this game of wits had already started with my victory.
[TL: Fun fact: All of the Hahoe mask dance members’ names are based on traditional Korean masks (tal / 탈), each carrying its own meaning:
Yangbantal (양반탈) – “Nobleman Mask.” Yangban (양반) refers to the upper-class nobility in Joseon society.
Bunetal (부네탈) – “Young Woman Mask.” Bune (부네) means a flirtatious or coquettish young woman.
Gaksital (각시탈) – “Bride Mask.” Gaksi (각시) means bride or young married woman.
Seonbital (선비탈) – “Scholar Mask.” Seonbi (선비) were virtuous Confucian scholars.
Imetal (이매탈) – “Fool Mask.” Ime (이매) means a simpleton or foolish person.
So every character’s name is literally tied to a type of mask, reflecting the personalities or roles traditionally represented in Korean mask dramas. Also author often uses gender-neutral terms when referring to these masks, leaving the actual gender identity of the character ambiguous and mysterious. ]
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