It's a coincidence. (2)
A hut built to look somewhat impressive.
Since only the exterior was cared for, the cold winter wind seeped in through the gaps
here and there.
Winter is an especially hellish season for beggars.
Considering the sheer number of beggars freezing to death.
As for Chu Ong, since he had reached a certain level as a martial artist, he could endure by wrapping himself in qi
, but.
The beggars under him wouldn't be able to do that.
That was why Chu Ong disliked winter.
Because it was a season where there was nothing he could do.
| |
..
!
"Boss..."
A Beggar's Union member inside the hut called out to Chu Ong.
"What."
"Do you not need to collect the plaque?"
At the beggar's words, Chu Ong looked at the wooden plaque placed on the table.
It was the plaque Chu Ong had just intended to give Jin Ryong.
"Hmm."
The plaque the beggar was talking about wouldn't be that one.
The Zhengqi Plaque (Strife-Beg Plaque) that Jin Ryong possessed.
He was asking if they didn't need to retrieve that.
"Crazy bastard, how the hell am I supposed to take that?"
"But... since you granted his request, isn't it right to take it?"
Originally, that would be the right thing to do.
The wooden plaque Chu Ong was going to give didn't have a strictly defined number of uses, but...
The Zhengqi Plaque Jin Ryong possessed was different.
An item that could extract any information at the Beggar's Union level.
Furthermore, even if there was no information, it was something that had to be issued even if they had to find out separately.
It was an item given only to the benefactors of the Union Lord.
It was an item that had to be dealt with as top priority no matter what, and if push came to shove, it could make the Union Lord
move directly to handle it...
'Why does Jin Ryong have that?'
How surprised was Chu Ong when Jin Ryong pulled out the Zhengqi Plaque from his bosom.
That was not something a mere rising exponent could possess.
'Is it a fake?'
That thought crossed his mind for a moment, but he immediately brushed it off.
If it was the Gu family, they were a prestigious family that was rated highly, if not as much as the Four Great Families.
A blood relative of such a prestigious family wouldn't do something as crazy as carrying a fake Zhengqi Plaque
.
Of course, he would have to properly verify whether it was genuine or fake, but Chu Ong thought it wouldn't
be.
"Boss?"
"You little bastard, wait a bit. It's already complicated enough."
At the urging voice, Chu Ong answered, scratching his head vigorously.
As the beggar said, the Zhengqi Plaque was a one-time use item.
Since its utility value disappeared once the request was granted, it was right to take it, but...
'That's not for me to judge.'
No matter how much the owner of the Zhengqi Plaque showed the plaque and made a request, retrieving it
was not his decision to make.
Jin Ryong also knew that, so it was highly likely he showed it to him for that reason.
"...Tsk."
He said his name was Jin Ryong (True Dragon). Setting aside his martial prowess, he had fox-like aspects.
Scratching his head, Chu Ong asked the beggar behind him.
"...Do you remember what Jin Ryong said?"
At Chu Ong's question, the beggar immediately gave an answer.
"He asked you to look into Hwangbo Se-ga's Hwangbo Seon, and Tou Long, right?"
Hwangbo Se-ga was the family of Hwangbo Cheol-wi, who participated in the banquet for the first time this time.
He didn't show an outstanding appearance for a blood relative of a prestigious family, but he was a rising exponent
who showed glimpses of potential.
'But who is Hwangbo Seon?'
Seeing as it was a name he was hearing for the first time, he didn't seem to be a promising blood relative.
Why did Jin Ryong ask to look into such a person?
As for Tou Long...'
Tou Long was the least known figure among those called Dragon and Phoenix.
He had only appeared once.
He was a great person who came to be called Tou Long just from that single appearance, but...
He never appeared at the Dragon and Phoenix Gathering again, and...
He was a martial artist who was gradually being forgotten as he had no other notable activities.
Chu Ong also tried to meet him a few times, but...
'...I don't really want to recall that time.'
He pushed the bleak memory to the back of his mind.
To say more, there was someone even worse than Geom Bong.
First, Chu Ong recalled Jin Ryong—Gu Yang-cheon—who had thrown this at him as a request and
disappeared.
'I don't know his intentions.'
No, rather, I know it too well, so is that the problem?
'It seems like he wants to form a connection with me.'
The fact that he didn't avoid conversation with a face that looked like he found the world annoying and was reluctant,
was like that.
The fact that he showed the Zhengqi Plaque, which he didn't need to reveal, and made a personal request, was
also like that.
It felt as if he was testing him.
'From a rising exponent who probably hasn't even lived half my age, no less.'
Since Chu Ong was also human, the feeling of being tested wasn't very pleasant, but...
Funnily enough, he felt that the existence called Jin Ryong was as if it was fine to do
so.
A subtle pressure he hadn't felt from other rising exponents.
Feeling such a thing from a boy who was barely a lump of flesh seemed like it would crush his pride, but...
On the contrary, he did feel a different emotion from having confirmed his true character a little
more.
'Where is the pride left in me to begin with?'
Chu Ong smiled slightly at the self-deprecation that brushed his mind.
Where would a beggar, stuck on the ground living off alms, have any pride?
As long as he could survive even by clinging to others, that was enough.
'If we're going by that, the name Jin Ryong suits him way too well.'
Even though the person himself seemed to dislike it.
Chu Ong, who had been quietly organizing his thoughts, came to a conclusion.
"Bang Choo-ya."
"Yes, Boss."
"I'll take care of anything related to the plaque Jin Ryong possessed, so keep your mouth shut
."
"Huh? You're not going to report it to the Branch Leader?"
"I said I'll take care of it, so just keep your mouth shut. Even if you report it, I'll be the one doing it."
"Boss... Last time, you got chewed out severely for reporting late about Shin Seong and Jin Ryong
."
"...Do you want to get chewed out too?"
"I'll keep my mouth shut."
Branch Leader my ass.
If he was going to report something of this level, it wouldn't be the Branch Leader, but the Union Lord he had to go
to.
Because asking that human would be faster.
'Finding him is the problem, though.'
He was an old man who would be drinking on the streets, but he was the hardest person in the world to find if one tried.
-Disciple.
-Yes.
-Hiccup, life is a string.
-What? A string?
-Yeah, a string. If you just ride it well... Hiccup, the world becomes easy, I'm telling you.
A human who made his young disciple beg while he drank behind him.
The former Alliance Leader and one of the Three Venerables of the World, a human called the Ghost of the Sword Venerable—or rather, a bastard with a fate worth
beating to death.
"Boss, then what about the request?"
"What do you mean, if we agreed to do it, we have to do it."
"...Without compensation?"
The Boss grabbed the plaque on the table and threw it to the beggar.
"Do it with this, roughly."
"...R-roughly?"
"If you think there's no other way, just put it under my name."
"Boss, if you count only the things under Boss's name, you could build an inn with the names of the people in Henan
...Agh!"
"You little bastard, when I tell you to do it, just do it! Why do you talk so much!"
The beggar rubbed the lump on his head and shouted.
"I'm saying if I follow Boss's orders and get screwed, and Boss dies, who takes the fall, huh?!"
The beggar knew.
Because that human was definitely not one to work normally.
'He gives away all the money he receives to the neighborhood beggars, and what? He's going to become the Union Lord?'
Nonsense. How could he sit in a high position while giving everything away like that.
"I'll take care of it. This is the last time, okay?"
"What, 'I'll take care of it' every day."
"Ah, geez! I said it's really the last time."
Chu Ong huffed and kicked the beggar, sending him outside.
He understood that beggar bastard's worry for him, but who was worrying about whom
?
'If you're a beggar bastard, worry about living day by day, don't worry about me.'
Useless worries were refused. If he harbored such damned affection, his vision would become
clouded.
Beggars shouldn't trust each other.
Only then could they live even one more day.
Sitting still, Chu Ong let out a breath and recalled the last words Gu Yang-cheon had said before
leaving.
-Let's meet next time.
Last time he had reached out his hand, but this time he reached out first.
'He wasn't even disgusted.'
The boy who didn't frown while holding a sometimes stained hand.
Felt different to Chu Ong.
It was just a clasped hand, so what.
He must have met countless figures from prestigious families who put on such hypocrisy.
'Fuck.'
What the boy's gaze directed at him meant, Chu Ong kept ruminating
on.
What he was harboring within those fierce eyes as he looked at him.
What on earth did Jin Ryong want from him?
"I've eaten all these years and still know nothing, this is why beggar bastards are no good."
Chu Ong ended his thoughts and stood up.
He didn't reach a conclusion.
If he had done that well, he wouldn't be in this state.
"Sigh, this fucked up life."
Chu Ong jumped up and dashed out the door.
He had to report the information about this martial tournament up the chain, but...
He told them to take care of it...
'The Branch Leader will throw a fit again, though.'
If he doesn't like it, he can fire me. I've been holed up and rolling around here for years.
Screw his master's words, he had to find a way to live too.
If things went on like this, it felt like he'd really become a complete failure.
"Hey."
"Yes, Boss."
"Leave a message for the Branch Leader."
"What should I say?"
"That I'm going to Xi'an for a bit."
"Huh?"
Chu Ong casually threw the words and immediately leaped into the air.
The direction was west from Henan.
The destination was the place where the Xi'an Bi-ga, where Tou Long's secret formation was located, resided.
"I wonder if he'll do the job well."
Saying that while holding food generously in both hands.
Gu Jeol-yeop naturally took my luggage from me and asked.
"What job are you talking about?"
If he was asking what, it was naturally about the job requested of Chu Ong.
'I'm not particularly expecting anything, though.'
That would be one thing if it was a level of a formal request to the Beggar's Union.
Since it was something said personally to Chu Ong, it didn't matter if it didn't work out.
Since it wasn't a particularly important request to begin with.
'Seeing as he didn't take the plaque, it seems like it'll be fine.'
Honestly, even if he took it, there wouldn't be a big problem.
It was a shame, but it wasn't something to nitpick and look strangely at.
As we were walking impassively, perhaps the silence was uncomfortable, Gu Jeol-yeop asked me something else.
"...Young Master."
"What."
"Is it alright to converse with the Beggar's Union in such a manner?"
At Gu Jeol-yeop's words, I stopped walking and looked at the guy.
Gu Jeol-yeop flinched as he met my gaze.
"What do you mean?"
"Even if it's the Righteous Faction, I thought you should still report to the family separately
..."
"I don't have to do it."
"Pardon?"
"You're going to do it."
At my nonchalant words, Gu Jeol-yeop's eyes widened.
Rather, that reaction felt strange to me.
"Were you not going to do it?"
"No... well."
"I don't want to drag this out with obvious talk, so you can just say everything outright
."
Gu Jeol-yeop reacted as if he didn't know I would say it so openly, but...
In reality, both Mu-yeon and Gu Jeol-yeop.
Most of the people attached to me were the eyes and ears of the family.
The only one I could trust was Wi Seol-a.
If there was a slight difference, it was that Gu Jeol-yeop was more of the First Elder's person than the family's
.
"You can tell your grandfather everything."
"..."
"Because even if you find out, nothing major will change."
I looked at Gu Jeol-yeop, who had shut his mouth tight, and moved my steps again.
With a not-bad disposition and decent talent, I felt like keeping him by my side and raising him
, but...
Gu Jeol-yeop was ultimately the First Elder's person.
I didn't harbor any particularly high expectations.
If I were to wish for something, it would be for that fox-like old man not to cross the line?
The First Elder was a moth diving into a flame.
Knowing that he would eventually be unable to hold back and burn, this was a thought of no-mind
.
To yield a bit more, a wish that he would do it in moderation since I didn't want to burn him
with my own hands.
Of course, looking at it, this didn't seem like it would come true either
.
'...For the Beggar's Union too, this is enough for now.'
Regarding the Beggar's Union, or precisely Chu Ong, I intended to cut it concisely.
Since he was someone who didn't have a very long connection with me in my past life, there was no need to form a deep bond
.
If a proper connection was formed, it was good.
If not, it didn't matter.
Honestly, it seemed like we had already made contact, and it would depend on Chu Ong's situation, but...
I could tell that he was showing some interest in this side.
Buying a few skewers last and tossing them to Gu Jeol-yeop, I looked at Mu-yeon and said.
"Mu-yeon."
"Yes, Young Master."
"It seems I have some business to attend to."
At my words, Mu-yeon nodded.
Not even asking what kind of business it was, it was a very dutiful appearance.
Seeing that, I smiled and said to Mu-yeon and Gu Jeol-yeop.
"Then go tell the kids."
"Huh?"
As soon as I finished speaking, I filled my body with heat and kicked off the ground, leaping away.
Quickly, so that the two, especially Mu-yeon, couldn't follow.
Mu-yeon momentarily pulled up his qi and tried to stick close, but...
Seeing my speed, he froze with a dumbfounded expression.
This was also the reason I intentionally slipped away from the kids to meet Chu Ong.
I'd probably get an earful of nagging when I got back.
'...Ugh.'
Still, there was no other way.
It was awkward to take Mu-yeon along, and if I said I'd go alone, he was absolutely not the kind of guy to let me go
alone.
'It would be convenient to just tell him to stay since he's weaker than me, but...'
Words I could say so easily to Gu Jeol-yeop were a bit reluctant to say to Mu-yeon.
Because I knew he was swinging his sword to death.
'I'm sorry, but I'll be back soon, so he'll cut me some slack.'
It won't take long.
It hasn't been long since noon now.
I would be able to return before the sun sets.
That's what I thought at the time.
"...Why are you here?"
If it weren't for the woman standing below the stairs leading up to Shaolin Temple, looking at me as if she knew this would happen
.
A beautiful woman who felt full of a subtle cold energy.
Mo Yong-hui, known as Snow Phoenix, looks at me and speaks with a captivating smile.
"It's a coincidence. Meeting you here like this."
To anyone, it was definitely not a coincidence at first glance.