Episode 293: Where does Geom Woo-jin live?
âLetâs eat together and then part ways.â
Pyeonjung backed away from the recommendation of sword dance, saying it was not necessary.
âitâs okay.â
âWe ate together every day on the way here. Isnât it strange that we donât eat on the last day?â
Itâs even weird. But Geommugeuk was already pulling at his sleeve.
âWhich guest cup here tastes best? âLetâs go there.â
The two people walked down the street, drawn by the sword dance performance. I met good customers and my mouth was full until the last day.
As I was walking like that, a fierce-looking man stopped me and held out his hand.
Pyeonjung gave him two-thirds of the money he earned this time.
The man who took the money left. There were no greetings, no swearing or threats. The sword dance performance actually felt more heartless. Because my hard-earned money was gone before I could feel any emotions, such as anger or sadness.
Pyeonjung, who was walking a few steps again, sighed and said.
âAt first, I protested and resisted, saying it was unfair.â
His difficult past continued.
âI was beaten up in front of my wife and children. I endured it even there. But when that guy put a knife to my sonâs throat, I gave up everything.â
Now, out of desperation, he was surviving each day by saving more and working more.
Pyeonjung glanced at the sword dance. Geomgeuk didnât say anything.
âThere it is. âThatâs where the workmanship is the best.â
Geommugeuk entered the guest house, found a room to stay for a while, and then had a meal with Pyeonjung on the first floor. We ordered the best dish at this inn and ate it together.
âWhy did I borrow ten nyang when I had so much money? âItâs just going to be complicated for no reason.â
Pyunjung spoke cautiously.
âIf you are thinking of doing something to the power station, donât do it. They are no ordinary Parakho bastards. The size of the organization is also large. âThere is no place in the midfield that is missing.â
Sword dance performance filled his drink.
âYou donât have to worry about me.â
As usual, Geomjugeuk ate drinks and food in silence, and Pyeonjung also ate his food quietly.
After we finished eating, Geommugeuk said goodbye.
âYou must be tired. Go and rest. âThank you for your hard work driving the carriage here.â
Geommugeuk called the owner of the inn. There was another reason why I brought him here. The owner of the inn brought packaged dishes.
âI asked for a dish that the kids will enjoy, so take it and feed them.â
Geommugeuk noticed that Pyeonjung was lost in thought every time he ate his food, and that he was thinking about his children.
Pyeonjungâs heart was touched as he took care of his children as well.
âWhy are you so nice to me?â
âThis is my reward for bringing me back safely.â
The bias is breathtaking. They say you meet good people and have lucky days in your life, but this was the first time I saw someone who was so kind to me.
After saying thank you several times, Pyeonjung headed home with both hands full of food. The thought that the kids would really like it made me walk faster.
You might think that the relationship that started as a coachman and a customer ended when they arrived at their destination, but the relationship is not over yet.
Geommugeuk, who was watching him leave, took out ten nyang from his arms and looked down at him without saying a word.
* * *
Deokchul was nervous.
After spending three months as a trainee investigator at a power station, he finally conducted his first official investigation.
âLetâs do it well and be recognized.â
The investigatorâs job was to go to the debtorâs address and check whether the parents or family members were really living there. This was more important than recovering the money. This is because you cannot escape if your family is held hostage.
The closer Deokchul got to the address, the more nervous he became.
âI heard there is a Demonic Cult headquarters in this area. This place is really a Demon Cave.â
I donât know how many demons Iâve met who are full of demonic energy while coming here.
I was scared, but I couldnât back down. Only if I do this job well can I become an official investigator.
Deokchul checked the address written on the paper and started walking again. I acted as naturally as possible. It was obvious that if I made a mistake in the realm of the demons, I wouldnât be able to survive. I walked leisurely, like someone who often comes here.
Thatâs how Deokchul entered Magachon. As I was passing by, there were peddlers selling various items.
âThere are a lot of good things to check out!â
Deokchul could not refuse the invitation of the goatee peddler and was dragged away. It was because I thought that if I said no, the retired Mine would suddenly come out, twisting that treacherous-looking goatee and saying, âDo you know who I am?â
There were all kinds of items on the shelves, ranging from dolls carved from heavenly demon spirits to products related to mazons. The white mask of Extreme Soma was also hanging.
âThe demonic cults are really crazy people. âTheyâre selling all these things.â
The Heavenly Demon Spirit doll was really scary. I thought it might cause a fight if I watched it in my sleep. By the way, has the person who made this ever seen the Heavenly Demon Spirit? Come to think of it, thereâs no way someone who makes and sells dolls would have seen it, right?
Palmazon dolls were standing next to it.
The first thing that caught my eye was the Gwonma doll. He was twice the size of others and had a face that rivaled that of the Heavenly Demon Spirit.
Goatbeard quickly explained.
âThis is Madam Gwon. âItâs really well made and has realistic proportions.â
Your fist is as big as a human head, but is it real? Who do you think is a fool?
Deokchul put down the Gwonma doll and looked at the other doll next to him. It was a doll that caught my eye because it looked so different from the horse.
âHe is the poison king. Youâre really handsome, right? Look at the twelve poison sacs there. âEvery single wrinkle was made with great care.â
Goatbeard introduced it while spitting, but Deokchul was secretly suspicious.
âThe poison king is this young and handsome? Even though there is no need to see the real thing, is it okay to scam like this?â
How about the Ilhwa Geomzone doll there? She was wearing a pure white military uniform, showing off her middle-aged beauty. How can Deokchul, who doesnât even know that Geomzon is a woman, believe that Geomzon is a woman?
âThese were just made.â
Crucially, the doll that fueled Deokchulâs distrust was the Mabul doll. It was about half the size of the other dolls and was shining golden.
âI cut it in half to reduce costs.â
Besides, how can a human body get this golden color?
This time, Deokchul held up the Hyeolcheon chopping board, making good use of his mischievous eyes, and pulled out the Myeolcheon Great Sword that was on his back. Oh this is cool.
When I saw the Extreme Evil Soma doll wearing a white mask and arrogantly crossing its arms, my heart felt cold and I tried putting the mask on its face for no reason.
The Suphon Mazon doll that was controlling the puppet and the Chuma doll that was drinking alcohol while lying diagonally on a rock were also cool. Itâs because they all made it arbitrarily.
âIf you buy all Palmazon at once, weâll give you a 30% discount.â
âI will buy it next time.â
He was just about to go, but Goatbeard stopped him. He had already realized that Deokchul was a newbie from a foreign place.
The goateeâs eyes said this. Youâre just going to see everything like this and then leave? Even if you pull out the Great Blade of Destruction, you donât buy it? Have you even tried wearing a mask? really?
Feeling like he couldnât afford to buy something, Deokchul picked up a Hyeolcheon chopping doll.
âI will buy this.â
Only then did Goatbeard smile brightly.
It was at that time that Deokchul bought the Hyeolcheon Doma doll through a hard sell and turned around.
A golden glow walked towards me from ahead.
Deokchul closed his eyes tightly and opened them again. I didnât see anything in vain. The real Mabul was walking this way.
Deokchul looked at the doll in the house again.
âsame!â
As Mabul walked, he glanced at Deokchul. The Hyeolcheon chopping doll in Deokchulâs hand trembled.
âShould I have bought a Mabul doll?â
My heart was pounding. Surely they wonât kill me for buying another doll?
At that time, I heard a voice coming from the other side.
âwelcome.â
When Deokchul turned around, a young man was standing there.
He was none other than Grand Duke Geommuyang.
âGrand Duke.â
Deokchul stopped breathing.
âThe Archduke? Could it be that I am standing right now at the place where the Archduke of the Heavenly Demon God Church and the Demon Buddha meet?â
Geommuyang said to Mabul.
âMazon bought it last time, so Iâll buy the alcohol today.â
âgreat.â
Mabul smiled brightly and walked away. Rather, the relationship between the two became better after Geommugeuk became Sogyoju.
Mabul protected Geommuyang, who could not become the head of the small religion, until the end. The two began a new friendship after being freed from power.
Mabul glanced at Deokchul as he passed by. Before he knew it, Deokchul was also holding the Mabul doll that Goatbeard had tightly held in his hands.
Deokchul, who had even bought a Mabul doll, quickly escaped from there.
Youâre messing around near the magic bridge. I was so crazy about wanting to die. Now, letâs check it quickly and then go back.
âAfter passing Magachon, walk five hundred steps west and turn the corner of Dolsan MountainâŠâ
When Deokchul arrived there, his mouth widened. He checked the paper he was holding again.
âItâs definitely here?â
Deokchul raised his head and looked at the scene unfolding before his eyes.
The place where magnificent buildings stretched out endlessly and giant statues of evil spirits stood tall was the headquarters of the Heavenly Demon Church. It was my first time coming here too. He checked the address written on the paper again, but it was still here.
âThis is crazy!â
What kind of crazy person writes his address here after borrowing money?
âah! No. Could it be that he works for the Demonic Cultâs headquarters?â
In that case, I need to go and check if the person listed here is there.
Go to the front gate and ask, âDoes a person named Geom Woo-jin live here?â Then, what if they cut off the head with a single knife, saying, âHow many people live here and ask such questions?â
âOh what should I do? Itâs my first official mission!â
As Deokchul was contemplating under the huge wall of the Heavenly Demon Church with his head covered, two people were walking from afar.
âIf you are a good-looking person, letâs ask those people.â
But he was someone he could never ask.
The two people were Kwon Ma and Ian, who had just returned to the headquarters.
As the huge body approached, Deokchul could tell that the other man was someone he had seen before. Where did you see that big guy? The moment I did that, the dolls that the peddler sold came to mind. That doll with a fist as big as its head.
âEvery volume!â
He was so startled that he stepped aside and lowered his head. The two continued to talk as they walked.
âfather.â
âWhy are you doing that?â
You two are father and daughter? No way! ah! You were kidnapped. Itâs like fucking Mine.
âI just called.â
âItâs bland.â
âfather!â
âStop playing around!â
Itâs not like Iâm calling you because I really like that scary person. Are you asking for help from me?
Sorry Sozer! There will be only a few people in this entire martial arts world who can save you from Gwonma!
I inadvertently raised my head to look at the woman one more time, and my eyes met with the horse.
It was truly my first time seeing such a scary face. My cheeks were numb and the hair on my entire body stood up.
The scary doll sold by the vendor did not properly depict the actual Gwonma. The real thing was much scarier than the doll.
The dolls he is holding in his hands are a Hyeolcheon chopping board and a Mabul doll.
âI should have bought a Gwonma doll!â
Meanwhile, two people passed in front of Deokchul.
As Deokchul turned around with a sigh of relief, this time an old man holding a huge sword walked towards him.
Deokchul looked at him and then back at the doll in his hand. It was the same.
âHyeolcheon chopping board?â
Deokchul really felt like screaming.
Hyeolcheondoma looked at Deokchul with flirtatious eyes and blurted out.
âWhat are you doing there?â
Deokchul was startled by Hyeolcheon Domaâs question.
He had no idea that Hyeolcheondoma would talk to him. Deokchul, who hesitated because he didnât know what to say, lifted the Hyeolcheon chopping doll he was holding forward.
âPlease save me! I bought that doll too.â
At that time, I heard a voice above my head.
âIâm waiting for my drinking buddy to come back.â
When I turned around, I saw a man sitting on a high wall, drinking. Deokchul knew. That he was not talking to himself, but to the man on the wall.
The man on the roof was a drunkard.
âI rushed out when I heard that you two had returned, but the person I wanted to see didnât come.â
Hyeolcheondoma took a step again.
âYou know, right? âHe is a guy who gets involved in all sorts of things in the world.â
Then Chwima looked in the distance to where Hyeolcheondoma had walked.
âYou know, thatâs why you miss it even more, right?â
âIf you really want to see it, stop drinking and go look for it.â
In the past, he would have told him to stop being a drunkard, but as the three of them spent more time hanging out together with Ilhwa Geomzon, Hyeolcheon Doma became much more lenient towards Chuma.
Hyeolcheondoma walked towards the main gate of Cheonmashinyo Church and Chwima drank again.
Deokchul didnât know how he got out of there. I ran and ran and ran into any tavern in Magachon.
âGive me a drink.â
As soon as he sat down, he ordered a drink. Iâm thirsty and my legs are shaking. But I couldnât just go. If I returned without confirming my first official mission, the probationary period could have been longer.
The person who brought the alcohol was Cho Chun-bae. The bar he ran into was Pungryu Bar.
He handed me a drink and spoke softly.
âI received it because it seemed like the situation was urgent, but since an important guest is here now, you should drink quietly.â
Deokchul gulped down his drink. Since you are a guest and a stranger, you have to live for yourself first. My heart was so pounding that I thought I was going to die.
Jo Chun-bae was about to turn around when Deok-chul asked.
âOwner, do you know where a person named Geom Woo-jin lives around here?â
For a moment, silence fell in the tavern.
Everyoneâs eyes turned to Deokchul and then to the second floor of the bar. There, a man was drinking with his back turned.
Deokchul quickly asked in response to the reactions of those around him.
âIs it him?â
Cho Chun-bae said in a trembling voice.
âThatâs true, but⊠Iâm sure heâs not the person our customers are looking for.â
âEveryone says no.â
What I was saying was that it wasnât something I saw and heard every day during my training period. I donât know anyone like that. Itâs not my child. Itâs been a long time since we lost contact. Whatâs wrong with that?
Without any time to stop him, Deokchul hurried up to this floor.
âThere is no law that tells you to die.â
I canât believe I met Geom Woojin here.
âIt is heavenâs will for me to become an official investigator!â
Deokchul asked, holding out a piece of paper to Geom Woojin, who was drinking alone on this floor.
âAre you sure you live at this address?â