I came out to the market street with Wulian, the letter still in my bosom.
I walked the same street as last time, but I wasn't as out of breath as before.
I could feel that I had improved a bit from the training.
'That was strange, I thought I was going to die from just walking.'
I chuckled once and walked into the alley.
After walking a bit further, I saw the dilapidated building I had visited before. It was the Haomen Shanxi branch.
The difference this time was that the martial artists who had been performing on the street last time were now wearing the same martial artist uniforms as the branch manager, and they greeted me.
As I approached the building, someone greeted me.
"Welcome, Master Gu."
"What? You're dressed neatly this time."
"I apologize for last time."
It was the man who had cursed at me last time. With his disheveled hair tied back and a neat outfit, he looked like a different person.
"That's fine, but where should I go? Should I go to the basement like last time?"
"There's no need for that, Master."
Following the voice, I looked up to see Branch Manager Dou Chou slowly descending the stairs.
"It's different this time, you're appearing right away."
"Could I dare not appear before such an important customer? I must appear immediately."
"So, I wasn't a customer before?"
Dou Chou just smiled at the meaningless nitpicking. I didn't say anything more.
I could have said more if I wanted to, but since I wanted to finish the task and return quickly, it was better to get to the point.
I followed Dou Chou upstairs. Unlike the dusty first floor of the dilapidated building, the second floor was quite clean.
I sat down, and a Haomen member immediately brought me tea, but Wulian stopped him.
This meant he didn't trust them.
When the martial artist showed a displeased expression, Dou Chou pointed it out.
"Control your expression, this is in front of an important customer."
His voice was cold.
"...I apologize, Branch Manager."
"Apologize to Master, not to me."
"I apologize, Master."
I waved my hand to indicate it was fine and fixed my gaze on Dou Chou.
'This is annoying...'
After all, everything they were doing now was just unnecessary acting.
Wulian had probably known he would act this way.
Dou Chou immediately stopped him and pointed out the martial artist's mistake.
He knew it was all just an act.
Whether he was trying to show me respect or gain the upper hand in the conversation, it was annoying and tedious for me.
"I don't know what you're trying to show, but you're just wasting my precious time. Let's get to the point, Branch Manager."
I didn't want any unnecessary drama.
Dou Chou hesitated at my annoyed tone. Though his half-closed eyes made it hard to read his expression, I was sure he understood.
Dou Chou sighed.
"...I'm not sure where to start revising the information we have on you."
"As I said last time, the information you have is correct, so there's no need to change it."
Dou Chou took a quiet sip of the tea in front of him before getting to the point.
"Master, how much will you tell us if we complete the task you requested?"
"How much? You're not asking for everything?"
"We are people who buy and sell information. We know the value of the information you have better than anyone."
The whereabouts of someone the important members of Haomen couldn't find.
Now, I was in a position to monopolize such information.
Of course, I had no intention of spilling it all at once.
The Haomen leader's recapture would happen a few years from now.
While the leader would die during the operation, the information suggested he would be alive for at least a few years.
Dou Chou, of course, wouldn't know this, so it must be a very urgent situation for him.
'I don't know what relationship Dou Chou has with the Haomen leader, but based on past information, if Dou Chou becomes the next leader, they must be closely connected.'
Otherwise, there would be no need for him to lead the recapture operation.
However, Dou Chou doesn't show any signs of urgency or impatience.
I can't tell if he's hiding it thoroughly or just considers it necessary as information.
To be precise, I don't need to know.
It doesn't matter what relationship Dou Chou has with the Haomen leader or what he's thinking.
If it's important, I need to use it.
'If necessary, that is...'
"Branch Manager, do you even believe what I'm saying?"
If I were in his shoes, I wouldn't believe a kid who suddenly appeared and claimed to have such information.
Dou Chou laughed at my question.
"You can only have such doubts when you're in a position to do anything."
This was what I had said last time.
"...In that case, I'll tell you everything about the information, so don't worry."
"Understood."
With my answer, Dou Chou didn't say anything more. He only added necessary details.
"The task will take about a month. It could be completed faster, but it shouldn't take longer than this."
"...A month, huh."
By then, it would probably be summer. Considering it, it wasn't a particularly long wait.
As I was organizing my thoughts, Dou Chou suddenly spoke.
"...May I ask one question?"
"If I can answer it."
"About the leader..."
Dou Chou stopped. He was probably going to ask about the leader's life or death.
He would know on his own. While it might be important to Dou Chou, it was clearly unnecessary to mention now.
I said to Dou Chou,
"You know that's not helpful to you right now, right?"
Thinking Dou Chou and the Haomen leader are closely related is just a guess. In this situation, Dou Chou's words were convincing.
Of course, considering Haomen, it could be an act.
Dou Chou said nothing.
Was it a mistake made out of impatience or a calculated move?
With the mask on, there was no way to read his expression.
He didn't seem like someone who would show his emotions anyway.
After a moment's thought, I said to Dou Chou,
"Yejishan Range."
At my words, Dou Chou's eyes widened slightly.
The name of the massive mountain range in the south, not exactly where the Haomen leader is, but one of the Black Night Palace's branches.
'I don't know exactly where in the mountain range.'
I specifically mentioned this because this branch has the information Dou Chou needs.
"This is a deposit. I think this is enough."
It didn't matter if he believed me or not.
"If you need to verify, it's best to take it to the formation expert."
The Black Night Palace wouldn't have left it unprotected.
The reason the martial arts alliance had a hard time finding the Black Night Palace's base was due to the formations.
With this, the conversation was over.
I stood up to return to the manor, leaving Dou Chou behind.
'A month.'
It was a bit of a long wait.
******************
Back on the market street, on my way to the manor, I was buying sweets as a habit. Naturally, they were for Weixueya.
Not just me, but all the servants in the residence gave snacks to Weixueya, so she looked a bit heavier than when we first met.
As I walked, a breeze blew.
"It's still spring, so it's cool... but from next month, it will be summer again, and it will be unbearable."
It was Wulian's comment.
By the end of the month, it would be early summer. Next month, as Wulian said, summer would arrive.
'Summer...'
Something vague and indistinct was stirring in my mind, making me feel uneasy.
Why is this so unsettling?
Thud.
I stopped walking to the manor. The foggy memory had resurfaced.
There was a significant event during the summer of this period.
"Why is this coming to mind now?"
It was around this time that the secret vault of the Jinchuanlian family, who once operated the most prosperous trading house, was discovered.
The first discoverer was the Sichuan Tang Family, but ultimately, the secret vault was obtained by the Jixianmen, a heretical sect in Sichuan.
Both the Tang Family and the Jixianmen were in Sichuan and had a poor relationship.
Later, when the Devil Sect appeared, the Jixianmen joined it.
'The Jinchuanlian family's secret vault is also in Sichuan.'
...This is a mess.
I clicked my tongue, thinking about the location and timing.
The discovery of the secret vault was in late summer, and I wanted to claim it before it ended up in the hands of the Jixianmen. However, the location was the problem.
'I can't go to Sichuan right away.'
The deadline set by Haomen is a month, and there's enough time, but I need a way to get there.
I had no excuse to travel to distant Sichuan.
Should I go on a trip?
'The manor wouldn't allow it.'
If I suddenly said there's a treasure hidden in Sichuan and I need to go get it, they wouldn't believe me.
While the Jinchuanlian family's secret vault didn't contain vast treasures, it was said to have many valuable elixirs.
The reason the Jixianmen leader reached the realm of enlightenment before becoming a demon was due to this.
'At least, I don't want the Jixianmen to get it.'
Even if I can't get it, I don't want it to fall into the hands of those who will become demons.
Of course, it would be better if I could get it.
But if I can't, I need to find another way.
"Should I spread the information to the Beggar Sect?"
Few would believe it, but it might change the timing and alter the flow. However, it's questionable whether the news would spread even if I told the Beggar Sect.
In fact, there are easier ways, but I hesitate simply because of greed.
I thought I would live a peaceful life with the opportunity of reincarnation, but now that a treasure trove is in front of me, I can't help but reach for it.
"I'm crazy again, I should know when to give up."
Even after learning from the beatings in my past life, my expectations are still impossibly high.
Why did this come to mind all of a sudden, making me feel so frustrated...
I felt only a sense of futility. I thought about buying something to eat to feel better and looked around.
Seeing a steaming bun shop in the distance, I headed over. I remembered the buns from last time were delicious.
"Master, are you buying buns too?"
"The buns I had last time were delicious."
"But you said you spent all the money you brought when you bought sweets earlier...?"
"Give it to me."
"Excuse me?"
"Give it to me."
"Y-Yes..."
I'm sorry.
Don't look so sad. I'll give it to you, okay?
'Now that I think about it, I didn't give you the money for the sweets I bought last time...'
Watching Wulian reluctantly take out the coins from his pocket, I felt a bit guilty.
'I really need to give it to him this time.'
Really, I really mean it this time.
Really...
After buying the buns, I returned to the manor. By the time I arrived, the sun was setting.
As I entered the entrance of my residence, Weixueya came running to take my outer robe, and I handed her the robe and the sweets.
Seeing the sweets, she smiled widely and ran to the other servants, and I felt satisfied that I had bought them.
'The Jinchuanlian family's secret vault is disappointing, but it wasn't mine to begin with.'
It's foolish to regret something that never belonged to you.
What can I do if there's no way?
...But.
"Gu Jieye. I request a sparring session with a member of the main family."
I didn't expect the solution to come to me directly.