Chapter 33. Ship Reconnaissance
Dong Bong-su followed behind Do Heo-ok and realized that what was bound to come had finally arrived. However, in truth, it was impossible to figure out anything about him just by asking a few questions.
Moreover, thanks to the Head-Opening Great Method performed yesterday, meridian pathways had temporarily formed in his body. Unless Do Heo-ok captured him and conducted a thorough examination, there was no way he could discover the Bloodless Body.
"Yes."
Dong Bong-su answered while looking at Do Heo-ok. It was the bare minimum response he could give. Just a single word, "yes."
At that, Do Heo-ok let out a hearty laugh, left Dong Bong-su alone at the bow, and went down below the deck.
"Wait here for a moment. I'll be right back with some incredible liquor."
As Do Heo-ok disappeared below the deck, piercing vision informed him of the man's retreating distance.
[5, 6, 7, 8 ....]
Even in that brief moment, Dong Bong-su kept thinking about Do Heo-ok.
Just like before, he still could not tell who Do Heo-ok really was. At the moment, that wasn't particularly important either. What mattered to him was why Do Heo-ok had infiltrated the Namgung Family in such a manner.
There was no way to find that out right now. Still, one thing was certain—someone of Do Heo-ok's caliber could scheme something quite significant within the Namgung Family. That alone showed how important a figure Do Heo-ok currently was inside the Namgung Family.
He continued thinking.
Then when would that "big event" begin?
Without an answer to "why," it was difficult to determine. However, at the very least, it was clear that now was not the time. After going through such lengths to infiltrate the Namgung Family, there was no reason to cause trouble during a casual outing like this.
Yet there was another equally certain fact.
That Do Heo-ok would not have come out on this outing without reason. Earlier, Namgung Hye had clearly said this.
That this outing had been planned "from the beginning."
Based on what he had observed today, Do Heo-ok was the type of person—much like himself—who did not do anything unnecessary.
Namgung Hye was already completely within his grasp, so there was no need for an "unnecessary" nighttime outing like this just to win more of her favor.
People like himself or Do Heo-ok tended to be busier at night. Much like how most predators were nocturnal.
Despite that, spending such an important night on nothing more than a moonlight outing was unimaginable.
"What exactly did Do Heo-ok intend to do by coming out on this outing?"
Trying to probe him was merely incidental. There had to be something else, something more important.
"What is it?"
He wanted to confirm that.
Dong Bong-su continuously thought about it as he searched for the answer.
One by one, step by step.
First, they boarded a ship. Why? What was the ship's role?
To transport something? If so...….
"What?"
He didn't know. It was difficult even to guess. Because he still had no idea about the scale of what Do Heo-ok was planning, nor what direction it would take.
He needed to narrow it down.
A big job, a major incident.
Something that required infiltrating deep into the Namgung Family.
Something important enough to warrant creating a fictitious yet perfect "character" like Do Heo-ok.
Several possibilities quickly came to mind.
First, that a rival faction or an unorthodox faction had planted Do Heo-ok in the Namgung Family as a spy. It would take a long time, but if Do Heo-ok remained as a live-in son-in-law and secured a key position, he could act as the ultimate informant.
Second, that a rival faction or an unorthodox faction had infiltrated Do Heo-ok in order to completely destroy the Namgung Family. It involved a very complex process, but it was undoubtedly efficient. An external assault combined with Do Heo-ok providing internal support.
Third, that Do Heo-ok had independently infiltrated the Namgung Family alone. Possibly for revenge, or to steal and learn martial arts.
Fourth, that he had genuinely fallen in love with Namgung Hye.
There could be other reasons Dong Bong-su hadn't even considered. But broadly speaking, they wouldn't stray far from these categories.
Among them, the first, third, and fourth would have no impact on Dong Bong-su himself.
The problem was—
"The second one."
If Do Heo-ok was truly here to destroy the Namgung Family, then he would have prepared thoroughly, and it would mean he belonged to a massive force capable of bringing the Namgung Family down.
In that case, it would be extremely dangerous.
The current situation already left Dong Bong-su unable either to kill Do Heo-ok or to avoid him. The only way he could deal with an enemy like Do Heo-ok was through deception.
"In a situation like this, what if an unexpected and powerful force suddenly storms in here? And what if the Namgung Family is completely unable to stop them?"
In that case, even if Dong Bong-su perfectly deceived Do Heo-ok, survival would be unlikely.
When there are many possibilities, one must prepare for the worst. Especially when one's life is on the line.
Above all, Dong Bong-su's instincts kept whispering to him that this really might be the worst-case scenario. It felt as though instincts honed over decades were screaming through deep breathing.
If that worst-case scenario were true, then Do Heo-ok's decisive action would undoubtedly take place on his wedding day. Though he didn't know the exact details, the symbolism and practicality would make it the perfect choice.
Dong Bong-su had only assembled a few puzzle pieces so far, but he felt as though he could vaguely see the outline of the entire picture.
Combining his instincts with this hypothesis...
Who?
Do Heo-ok and the force backing him.
When?
The day the full moon rises this time.
Where?
Here.
What?
The Namgung Family.
How?
They attack.
Why?
Still unknown.
If all these ominous premonitions and deductions were correct, then he would inevitably become prey for another predator here.
Dong Bong-su's eyes sank low.
"Is there a way out?"
At the moment his mind behind those darkened eyes began spinning rapidly—!
[10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5.]
piercing vision urgently alerted him to an approaching enemy.
"......!"
Dong Bong-su was clearly staring toward the entrance leading below the deck. He needed to respond instantly if Do Heo-ok appeared. Yet Do Heo-ok had not come back up to the deck.
Despite that, some unknown high-level enemy was approaching him.
Was Do Heo-ok moving below the ship?
The distance indicated by piercing vision stopped at five meters.
If it were Do Heo-ok, the distance would increase again, then decrease after he came up onto the deck.
But—
"Ah, sorry about that. The liquor was in an odd place, so it took a while to find. Hahaha."
Do Heo-ok finally came back up onto the deck.
However, the distance to the enemy reported by piercing vision was still fixed at five meters.
"So it's not Do Heo-ok?"
The ship was roughly 25 meters long, 10 meters wide, and about 5 to 6 meters tall.
The enemy detected by piercing vision was located at the bottom planks of the ship.
[5, 4, 3, 2, 1.]
The numbers from piercing vision only began to decrease once Do Heo-ok approached within five meters.
Now there was no room for doubt.
An enemy other than Do Heo-ok had appeared here!
"It's fine."
Dong Bong-su gave the most neutral response to Do Heo-ok's apology. Even so, his mind never stopped racing.
"So this was it? The reason for coming out on a night boat ride?"
Going to fetch liquor was probably just an excuse. Do Heo-ok must have gone below the deck to send a "prearranged" signal to the enemy clinging to the bottom planks, telling them to board this ship.
At present, aside from the ship Dong Bong-su was on, many wealthy citizens of Hefei and drinkers were also out on pleasure boats watching the moon on Chaohu.
Those aboard one of those pleasure boats must have seen Do Heo-ok's signal and infiltrated this ship. And they were likely experts on par with Do Heo-ok—or experts, plural.
This was the main purpose of Do Heo-ok's boat outing tonight, and it seemed to have already been accomplished.
"Here, take my cup. This is Tangerine Sprout Wine. It's a bit strong, but it's extremely rare. I only tasted it for the first time after coming here, and it was so good that it made me decide to stay with the Namgung Family just for this alone. Haha."
Do Heo-ok handed Dong Bong-su a cup he was holding.
Originally, ever since Do Heo-ok went down to fetch the liquor, Dong Bong-su had been thinking about how to properly deal with him and dispel any doubts about himself.
But now, that wasn't the important issue.
What mattered most right now was figuring out exactly how many of them had infiltrated this ship.
Bluntly speaking, Do Heo-ok's doubts about him could be largely resolved just by reciting Sosam's life story. His special encounter with Tang Wu had only lasted a single day. After spending an entire lifetime as a Horse Stable Hireling, it was merely one day.
No matter how meticulous Do Heo-ok was, it was obvious he wouldn't make an issue out of that single day. Moreover, there were plenty of people—the members of the Danri Family—who could confirm it.
Just one day.
Given Do Heo-ok's disposition, that day would simply be...
A little "unsettling," at most.
"Ah, I apologize, but I've been feeling unwell for a while now. May I step away briefly to take care of something?"
Dong Bong-su lightly grabbed the ship's railing and slightly frowned.
"Ah, of course. Come to think of it, you probably haven't had the chance since arriving here. If you go below the deck and ask the ship crew, they'll tell you what to do."
Do Heo-ok showed no sign of noticing Dong Bong-su's act. It was too vivid to even call it an act, and from his perspective, there was no reason for Dong Bong-su to pretend in front of him.
After thanking Do Heo-ok, Dong Bong-su immediately moved toward the wall tower at the center of the ship. At that moment, his eyes briefly met Tang Hua's, who was chatting cheerfully with Namgung Hye while looking at the moon. Tang Hua instantly frowned and turned her head away.
It was the look one might give after seeing a filthy insect.
Dong Bong-su paid her expression no mind whatsoever. There was no reason or need to be affected by insignificant matters.
He focused solely on piercing vision.
piercing vision only targets the single closest individual whose level exceeds Dong Bong-su's by ten or more. If one person is within ten meters and another within five meters, the only one piercing vision can detect is the one at five meters.
Thanks to this characteristic, he was able to accurately detect the appearance of an enemy other than Do Heo-ok.
[ ... 12, 13, 14.]
Even as Dong Bong-su descended the stairs installed beneath the wall tower to go below the upper deck, the distance indicated by piercing vision continued to increase.
The lower chamber beneath the deck was wider than expected, with various odds and ends scattered around, and ship craftsmen of the Namgung Family sleeping here and there. When people of the family came out like this at such a late hour, these craftsmen were inevitably mobilized at all times. Thus, they had to snatch sleep whenever they could, even like this.
If Dong Bong-su had remained a Horse Stable Hireling, he would still have been living a life outwardly similar to theirs. Even so, his essence would not have changed.
"Where can I take care of my business?"
He woke one of the ship craftsmen sprawled beside the wall tower stairs and asked about the location of the latrine. It was a perfunctory question. His true purpose was not actually to relieve himself, but to handle another "matter."
"Do you see that plank room over in the corner? There should be a chamber pot there. If that's uncomfortable, you can use the scupper beside it. We always leave the oars out unless we're sailing far. Honestly, all sailors do their business there."
Even though Dong Bong-su had woken him from a sweet nap, the ship craftsman answered diligently, unfazed.
To him, regardless of Dong Bong-su's appearance, Dong Bong-su was a guest of the Namgung Family—important enough to be riding a pleasure boat with Namgung Hye. As a mere craftsman, there was no way he could know Dong Bong-su had been a Horse Stable Hireling until just yesterday.
Dong Bong-su looked in the direction the man pointed. It was toward the stern, where two wooden boards were set upright on each side. Their height perfectly connected the upper deck and lower deck without any gap. Between those two boards—the center of the ship—there was a narrow passage, making it impossible to see inside the plank room from here.
Based on the craftsman's words, there was likely one scupper behind each of those boards.
He walked toward the plank room as instructed.
Even as he did, the warning sounds from piercing vision continued to stimulate his nerves. When piercing vision first manifested, the noise was so loud it gave him headaches, but now, hearing it sharpened his focus instead. It felt as though it maximized his brain's tension.
From a game perspective, something that was once a nerf had now become a buff.
Tap, tap. Thud, thud.
By the time he reached beneath the wall tower, the distance indicated by piercing vision had continued increasing until it pointed to fourteen meters—the distance to the first newly detected enemy.
But then—
[14, 13, 11, 10 ....]
The closer he got to the plank room, the more the numbers from piercing vision decreased.
Do Heo-ok and the new enemy were clearly near the bow. Dong Bong-su, meanwhile, was heading toward the stern. Under normal circumstances, the distance should have continued increasing until the warning stopped altogether.
Yet after reaching fourteen meters, the distance began decreasing again.
This indicated one thing.
"There's another one!"
There was definitely more than one enemy hiding aboard this ship.