THE CURSED ONE - THE BOY WHO CHALLENGE DESTINY

Clue - 1

Emperor City

The sun rising and begin to shine on the Emperor City. It’s been a while since Hyung Jae became gungjeon gyeongbi and he still didn’t get the information that he wanted regarding the boy that he was looked for. He has asked 4 merchants that went through the Wangdu Forest 6 or 7 months back but no one ever saw a kid hiding in his chariots. He didn’t intend to give up on looking for the boy, he still has plenty of time and he didn’t need to worry about the shelter or the food as he got a good income by becoming gungjeon gyeongbi.

Hyung Jae feels very bored doing his routine task every day, he must wake up early in the morning and doing so many regular daily activities as a guard. He only able to look for the boy’s information during his break or in the night after he finished his guarding shift, that’s why after almost two weeks he only able to meet 4 merchants from the list that he got from Deok Cul.

Two weeks ago Deok Cul was the one who put him into jail, but right now Deok Cul was a good friend for him after he has freed from every accusation that pointed at him previously although the real thief is still not caught yet. As a sign of apology, Deok Cul helping him to get the list of everyone in the Emperor City who went through Wangdu Forest 6 or 7 months back. In Deok Cul’s list 11 travelers went through there with 9 of them were merchants and 2 of them were travelers.

Today he got 1 day off and he planned to check another 4 places from the Deok Cul’s list, Hyung Jae has prepared himself since early morning as he has to go earlier because the place that he aimed for was separated by a far distance. After his stomach has filled with food, he starts his journey by walking alone this morning. Hyung Jae doesn’t use his body lifting technique and walks normally as he doesn’t want to get people’s attention. The first one he wanted to ask was Jai, the merchants from the western district of the Emperor City. According to the information from Deok Cul, Jai went through Wangdu Forest around 7 months ago to trade in En City which is the biggest city around Gaja Mountain. 

After several thousand steps he stopped in front of a big house, he looks around and thinks if the owner, Jai, must be a successful merchant, but he doesn’t see any guards or any workers around. He then knocked on the door and not long after a man with a hard face opened the door and asked him about his purpose coming there. Hyung Jae answered that he wanted to meet with Jai the merchant because he has something to ask for, but the answer from that hard face man was out of Hyung Jae’s prediction. That man said if Jai has died one month ago because of illness.

Hyung Jae doesn’t want to give up, he asked if that man knows about Jai’s travel inside Wangdu Forest a few months ago, but Instead of answered the question that man suddenly closed the door. Hyung Jae is shocked as he feels something strange in that man's reaction, but he can’t do anything about it right now and he starts to walk away from the house going to his next target.

The sun almost set and Hyung Jae has met three merchants today but none of them knew about the boy's presence. He wanted to return to his barrack as today is enough for him to look for any information about the boy. Suddenly he remembered about the house of the first merchant who has died, he still feels that the person who he talked to this morning was hiding something. He planned to re-visit that house as it was in the same directions as his barrack. It’s already dark when he arrived at the front door of the house, Hyung Jae looked around but he doesn’t saw any humans except himself, it is very quiet although it’s still early night. He knocked on the door and the same hard face man opened the door.

“Hello, good night, Mr.” Hyung Jae said politely.

“You again, what do you want this time?” That man asked. He said in a hard tone.

“I just want to ask you about Mr. Jai’s travel inside Wangdu Forest a few months ago.” Hyung Jae asked.

That man doesn’t answer again and he immediately closed the door without words.

“What a rude guy.” Hyung Jae murmured.

Hyung Jae is disappointed again as he doesn’t understand why that man was doing a mysterious act like that when he asked about Jai’s travel in Wangdu Forest. He decides to sneak inside the house as he wants to find out what that hard face man was hiding just in case they hide the boy inside. He walked to the outside corner of the house and looks around before he jumps over the wall and land on top of the roof. It’s an easy thing for him as he has a decent body lifting technique. He tried to be as quiet as possible to avoid anyone noticing him, he jumps inside the house and walks silently into the house yard. The house yard was big enough with a few big trees standing tall, this tree's making it easier for him to hide. He sees the hard face man walking in the corridor of the house and he stands in front of one room that has a light inside, apparently, someone is inside the room. Hyung Jae moves in between the trees to get as close as possible to the room as he wanted to hear the conversation.

“Madame, that person has returned.” The hard face man said.

“Is he asked the same question?” Someone inside the room spoke. Hyung Jae thinks if it was a female voice.

The door opened and a beautiful mid-aged lady is seen inside, she asked that man to enter the room and that man followed her order and closed the door. Hyung Jae decided to come closer as he will not be able to hear anything from his position, he walks slowly until he is in the side of the room and he can hear their voices.

“This is his fault, if only we told to the guards that night we don’t need to be afraid like this,” The lady said. “It doesn’t matter now, he’s dead now and it’s good for us.” She added.

“Yes, madame.” That man answered.

Hyung Jae closing his ear to the room’s wall as the voice has disappeared, but a moment later they start talking again.

“That boy actually a blessing in disguise for us, right?” She said.

“Yes, Madame.” That man answered shortly, similar to his previous answer.

“If that unknown man coming back, just kick him out so he won’t dare to come here again.” She said.

“Yes, Madame.” That man answered.

Hyung Jae thinks if that man inside either too stupid or he just too obedient to the women, he only answered with the same word just like he was programmed to answer that way. But he now certain if they hide some secret regarding Jai's travel in Wangdu Forest although he didn’t sure himself if the secret that they hide was about the boy that he looked for.

Their voices have disappeared again and Hyung Jae moved out of the house as he feels he already get enough clue this night and wanted to go back to his barrack. He planned to use his power as a gungjeon gyeongbi to ask them about this matter thoroughly by tomorrow, but tonight he will rest his body first after a full day of activity.