The Hunting Dog of the Prestigious Family Has Returned Chapter 29

-You’ll release monsters in Hanseong? And we’re supposed to obtain the monster you’ll use for that plan?

Upon hearing Kim Changwoon’s plan, Bune mask beyond the communicator scoffed as if dumbfounded.

-Wooow, what a reeeeally magnificent plan. The media and those power clan bastards call us terrorists, so you’re thinking of actually becoming terrorists? Why? While you’re at it, why not go out on the street and shoot some guns?

Along with Bune mask’s sharp voice, other voices appeared on Imae mask’s visual interface.

Hahoe organization members active in various regions.

It was a communication network where those with named masks among them had gathered.

-Don’t you think there’s no need to be that sarcastic? I like it. Seems like quite a usable operation too.

-Usable? Releasing monsters in the middle of Hanseong is a usable plan?

-Think carefully. Releasing monsters ‘in the middle of Hanseong,’ he says?

Upon hearing the frivolous-sounding voice, Bune’s voice grew even more fierce.

But regardless of that.

The voice’s owner, ‘Gaksi mask,’ began explaining in her characteristically smooth voice.

-According to the information Imae brought, the research facility’s scale is about one high-rise building. Considering the size of the restraints and experimental equipment, the monsters inside would be at most 50 specimens.

As if intending to object to those words, Bune mask’s signal blinked several times.

-Even so, monsters…!

-And as you said.

As if not giving room to object, Gaksi mask began continuing what she wanted to say.

-…As you said, this is the middle of Hanseong. A city where the Training Command headquarters is located and thousands of royal guards protect it like an iron fortress. Even if dozens of monsters are released, they’d be suppressed in less than 5 minutes, right?

Bune’s voice, unable to come up with a rebuttal in time, stopped briefly.

-We make the monsters go berserk to smash the Pungyang Jo clan’s research facility, then have the royal guard handle the cleanup. We achieve maximum results with limited personnel while not needing to reveal our existence. Where would you find a better operation than this?

-I oppose.

What answered on behalf of Bune mask was the sharp-eyed Seonbi mask.

Unlike Gaksi mask, a dignified voice flowed in through the interface.

-It’s true we conducted the operation together, and it’s true we achieved results. But at the same time, that boy hasn’t joined Hahoe and is moving as a member of the nobles. We can’t carelessly trust such a person.

-Wasn’t it because of that status as a member of the nobles that the last operation succeeded? Otherwise, we couldn’t be talking here at ease like this.

-I merely stated principles.

-Ah, really? A person who moves while following those damn principles, why in the infiltration operation three years ago did you…!

-Stop it.

Right before Changwoon’s operation talk was about to deteriorate into an emotional fight.

When an aged voice blocked them, the voices of the two masks that seemed about to clash immediately stopped in unison.

Eight masks arranged in a circle.

It was the voice of ‘Yangban mask,’ positioned at the very top among them.

-Imae.

“Yes, elder.”

He politely answered the voice calling him quietly.

Hahoe’s leader, Yangban mask.

After pausing briefly, he asked Imae mask in a benevolent voice.

“What do you want to do?”

A plain voice.

Therefore, one whose embedded emotions couldn’t be known.

“I’m thinking of trying it.”

Imae mask who’d thought briefly opened his mouth.

“After failing the infiltration operation three years ago, Hahoe still hasn’t recovered from that damage.”

-…

Though there were no answering words, the signals of the masks assembled in the gathering blinked several times.

The infiltration operation three years ago.

It was the largest-scale battle among operations Hahoe conducted, and also the most disastrous battle.

“The vacant positions of our fallen comrades still haven’t been filled, weapons are broken and rusted, and the Royal Investigative Bureau is increasingly tightening our windpipes.”

Though there were no answering words, the signals of the masks assembled in the gathering blinked several times.

Meaning they too agreed.

Having read that atmosphere, power entered Imae mask’s voice.

“But in the last operation, we could deal proper damage to the nobles for the first time. By saving the Iron Tiger General and the royal bloodline, we created the possibility of overturning Joseon.”

If not for his plan, he himself might not be in this position.

It was that dangerous an operation, and Changwoon’s role in that operation was decisive.

Having finished thinking, Imae mask spoke toward the comrades gathered in the communication network.

“The boy named Kim Changwoon desires Joseon’s transformation. And if such a person wants our cooperation, I believe supporting him to the maximum is right.”

-…

Yangban mask who’d heard Imae mask’s words was silent for a while.

He must be gauging what kind of blow this matter could deal to the power clan families.

How much time passed like that?

-Make the monsters go berserk to smash the research facility, and have the royal guard suppress it.

The voice of Yangban mask heard after a long while contained faint laughter.

-Then that boy called Changwoon’s intention lies in what comes after.

“…Pardon?”

What does that mean?

Intention?

Just as the puzzled Imae mask asked back.

-Listen, everyone.

Yangban mask returned to his original voice and spoke toward the organization members.

-Seonbi, go to the coordinates I’ll send. There’s an acquaintance I know, so he’ll obtain the necessary items.

-Understood.

-Bune and Gaksi, let’s prepare vehicles. If it’s the Pungyang Jo clan’s transport vehicles, there should be blueprints, so you can forge identification signals and disguise them.

-We’ll do as ordered, elder. Hey Bune, where should we make contact?

-I’ll send coordinates, come there. I’m going ahead.

The executives disappearing from the communication network one by one after receiving Yangban mask’s instructions.

Soon, when all executives except himself had left.

-Imae, deliver word to the boy called Changwoon. That Hahoe will help with his plan.

“Understood.”

-And one more thing.

Yangban mask who’d called Imae mask slowly opened his mouth.

-When everything is finished, send the boy the coordinates I’ll send you.

“Coordinates, you say?”

As soon as the words ended, location data appeared on Imae mask’s interface.

“Elder, this is…!”

Imae mask’s eyes widened at once upon seeing it.

What appeared at the designated place was a secret location unknown even to the executives except himself.

-Isn’t he a rare guest who’s come to our traveling troupe that was slowly drowning?

Though Imae mask was startled, Yangban mask answered him in a leisurely voice.

-Whether he truly has the will to change Joseon, whether he has that ability…

“…”

-We’ll have to meet directly and confirm.

---

“Young Master!”

“Uh, mm?”

Ah, did I doze off briefly?

Feeling the faintly shaking seat’s texture, I loosened my stiff body.

“Did we arrive?”

“We just entered inside the city.”

“Power clan lives sure are nice. Fifty minutes from Hanseong to Busan.”

Having said that, I stretched and gathered my hazy mind.

Where we were sitting was the highest-grade taxi heading to Busan.

Mooyoung opened his mouth with a worried expression.

“You were sweating coldly the entire time you slept. Your condition doesn’t seem good, so today you should rest…”

“The employees are already waiting. If I suddenly change the schedule, I’ll just get on their bad side.”

When I said that, the expression of Mooyoung who’d accompanied me was quite a sight to see.

The guys we were going to meet now were trash who engaged in human trafficking under the power clans.

He must mean what would it matter if I got on the bad side of such guys.

But what could I do?

Right now, we were also one of those bad guys.

Beep—

While thinking that, the car carrying the two of us arrived at the promised location.

A group of people lined up at the entrance.

They were employees of Pungyang Trading wearing employee IDs and suits.

“Welcome—!”

Voices heard the moment I entered the company’s front gate.

When I looked at the window, the employees who’d been lined up at the entrance were bowing their heads earnestly toward the car I was riding.

“What are you looking at so intently?”

“I heard this trading company supports the Pungyang Jo clan’s human trafficking and human experimentation. But…”

When I asked Mooyoung who was looking at the employees lined up outside the window, he muttered with a displeased face.

“There are no armed people, nor anyone with combat artificial bodies implanted. Rather than an organization conducting illegal transactions, this is…”

“Just ordinary office workers.”

Seeing their appearance, Mooyoung looked quite confused.

It made sense.

Since he was told to transport people in place of Dokgo Seong, he expected the same Sword Pact bastards to appear, but what actually came out were neatly dressed suit-wearers.

“That’s probably true in reality too.”

“Pardon?”

Upon hearing my following words, Mooyoung’s gaze turned toward me.

“What do you mean it’s true in reality too?”

“Literally. They’re just ordinary office workers.”

I spoke while looking at the employees greeting politely.

“Most of the guys working here don’t even know what they’re transporting. They’re people who just receive salaries from a company the power clans operate and only worry about making a living.”

There wouldn’t be anyone gutsy enough to dig into the power clans’ dirty secrets at a workplace where their livelihood was at stake, and even if there were one, the power clans’ surveillance network would never leave such a rat alone.

“Either not knowing, or desperately pretending not to know. Most are ordinary people making a living like that. They continue business like that, and when the tail gets caught, they just grab an employee and dump everything on that guy—clean and simple.”

“…”

Looking again, Mooyoung looked at the people working in the loading dock with a disgusted expression.

“Both the people caught and bought and sold by power clans, and the people transporting them. From the aristocrats’ position, they’re just tools to use and discard.”

“…”

“How about it, isn’t our Joseon amazing?”

While giggling after tossing such a mischievous joke.

“Have you arrived, Young Master Kim Changwoon? We’ve been waiting.”

The moment the car door opened, a middle-aged man wearing a neatly pressed overcoat over a suit greeted me.

Ugh, uncomfortable.

Seeing how perfectly angled it was, this wasn’t done in a day or two.

I waved my hand with a disgusted expression and spoke.

“Don’t do this kind of thing from now on. I have no desire to interfere with people working.”

Did he realize I didn’t like such formalities?

When the executive standing at the front gestured with his head, the employees who understood that signal bowed in greeting and scattered separately.

“I’m Koo Junghyuk. Though inadequate, I’m managing the logistics side of Young Master Jo Seonghwan’s business.”

“Kim Changwoon. The newly hired employee this time.”

Though he was a high-ranking executive well over fifty years old, I spoke down to him without particular reservation.

It would be natural to be angry receiving informal speech from a fifteen-year-old child, but Koo Junghyuk also seemed unfazed.

It was natural.

Though illegitimate, I was an aristocrat, and they were commoners.

‘By the way, Koo Junghyuk… a name I never heard in my past life?’

A person I was seeing for the first time.

But just looking at the clothes he wore and his behavior, there was quite a bit I could infer.

I looked at Koo Junghyuk who wore his characteristic business smile and spoke.

“From what I see, you seem like someone from the main house—were you dispatched to fill Dokgo Seong’s vacancy?”

“Ooh.”

Was he surprised I’d noticed he was someone from the main house?

Koo Junghyuk who’d let out a brief exclamation asked me.

“How did you know?”

“Footsteps.”

Having said that, I looked at the guy’s shoes and spoke.

“Reducing footsteps this much is only done by those who work in aristocratic houses.”

“Well, well. Your eye for detail is impressive. As expected…”

Small talk wearing the guise of probing.

As if noticing that tone, the atmosphere of the executive named Koo Junghyuk changed slightly.

“As expected, you’re worthy of being the Andong Kim clan’s young master.”

“…Right?”

Look at this guy.

While listening to Koo Junghyuk’s meaningful voice, I slightly raised the corners of my mouth.

The appearance of deliberately mentioning the Andong Kim clan even after hearing my name.

To interpret it, he was saying, ‘I’ve also heard about what circumstances brought you, a member of the Andong Kim clan, here.’

And that meant…

‘This guy named Koo Junghyuk is personnel Jo Seonghwan stationed to monitor me.’

Whether I harbored other intentions or not.

Whether I was someone who’d betray the Andong Kim clan and be worth swearing loyalty to him.

He’d be a kind of judge making that determination.

So it would also mean to be careful of my behavior in front of him.

“It’s nothing much as a welcome greeting, but we’ve prepared simple refreshments, so please enjoy. However…”

Having finished his courtesy, Koo Junghyuk guided me to the office.

But that was brief—his gaze whose words trailed off touched one place.

What the guy looked at was the taxi I’d gotten out of.

The guard Mooyoung who’d been riding together had already disappeared without a trace.

“I didn’t know you’d come this far without even a guard. It might be dangerous…”

“Dangerous, what.”

The empty car interior.

While looking at Koo Junghyuk muttering as if puzzled, I showed a pleased smile.

“When the Pungyang Jo clan’s talents are protecting me, there’s no need to bring a guard. Right?”

“Haha, well now.”

In other words, ‘If by any chance something happens to my body, that’s all your responsibility.’

As if understanding my meaning, a deep smile appeared on Koo Junghyuk’s face.

“We’ll have to pay special attention. We’ll do our best so you’re not uncomfortable.”

While looking at Koo Junghyuk’s face saying that, I barely swallowed the laughter about to burst out.

My real hidden blade I’d brought to Busan, Mooyoung.

That guy would have successfully exited the vehicle and headed inside Busan’s downtown area by now.

And at this point where they hadn’t noticed that.

This battle of wits was my victory from the start.