Chapter 35 Fool (2)

Chapter 35 Fool (2)

* * *

By the third day.

‘I’ve been here too long.’

Gu Yangjie sensed this and left the inn where he’d been holed up, heading for the market.

Of course, he didn’t forget to deploy his transformation technique along the way.

‘I’m not that famous yet, but it can’t hurt to be prepared just in case.’

Gu Yangjie moved forward, keeping a watchful eye on his surroundings.

The market he reached was bustling with peddlers, shops, and street stalls, but as expected, there were also many caravans accompanied by wagons.

Among them, he spotted a familiar face bearing the nameplate of the Golden Ring Merchants’ Guild, but Gu Yangjeok quickly averted his gaze.

‘Better not to recognize them first—it’ll just cause trouble.’

He simply had a passing child deliver a brief note. Fortunately, this merchant seemed quite perceptive.

Noticing a vendor slightly bow his head, Gu Yangjeok headed toward a peddler positioned on the outskirts.

“I have something I wish to purchase.”

Though the abrupt statement could have startled him, the peddler responded politely, rubbing his hands together.

“What are you looking for?”

“What you brought this time.”

“……?”

As if completely taken aback, the peddler turned his bundle around. Gu Yangjeok held out both palms.

“I don’t mean to do anything to you, literally.”

“What exactly does that mean……?”

As a flushed color gradually spread across the peddler’s face, Gu Yangjeok chuckled softly.

“Your luck’s running today.”

At that, the peddler hastily unwrapped his bundle and began haggling over the price.

He seemed to be eyeing Gu Yangjie as a sucker, trying to knock the price down a bit, but Gu Yangjie didn’t take the bait.

Instead, he pressed him leisurely.

“If you’re thinking of kicking away the luck that’s come your way, you should go find someone else…”

“Oh dear, my apologies!”

As the peddler grabbed his wrist apologetically, Gu Yangjeok let himself be pulled along, as if resigned.

“That’s more like it.”

Afterwards, the peddler’s eyes widened at the price Gu Yangjeok offered.

But isn’t a merchant someone who demands full price for everything they can sell?

“Agreed!”

The peddler nodded, and Gu Yang-jeok flicked his coin, sealing the deal.

* * *

Squeak…

Gu Yang-jeok passed through the inn’s main gate, slung the bundle he’d bought from the peddler over his shoulder.

The moment he stepped inside, he met the innkeeper’s gaze, brimming with suspicion.

“……Ugh, heavy.”

Gu Yang-jeok frowned and set the bundle down briefly.

As he glanced at the innkeeper’s expression, the man quickly turned his head away.

‘I expected as much.’

Gu Yangji’s lips twitched.

Having started a business near the Black Dragon Sect, he was bound to be wary of them.

Then, what would his thoughts be regarding long-term lodgers?

Gu Yangji, keeping his guard up, headed to the market and just bought a bundle from a peddler.

But it seemed he couldn’t leave it at that.

Gu Yangjeok opened his mouth, his gaze fixed on the innkeeper.

“Hey, if someone’s carrying something heavy, you should help them!”

Gu Yangjeok urged in an irritated tone, and the innkeeper hurried over.

The worry that it might look awkward was plain to see.

Gu Yangjeok groaned and arched his back.

“It’s a jar, so it’s a bit heavy.”

“It’s fine!”

The innkeeper repeatedly bowed, secretly observing Gu Yangjeok.

Then his gaze drifted to Gu Yangjeok’s waist.

‘……That.’

There, folded, lay a nameplate proving his affiliation with the Golden Ring Merchants’ Guild and a document resembling a certificate.

The innkeeper, now sharing the bundle with Gu Yangjeok, asked subtly.

“But what brings you to Chang’an, sir?”

“Can’t you tell? Just testing the waters to see if I can do some business.”

Gu Yangji feigned exhaustion while meticulously adjusting his internal energy.

Swoosh.

As his energy slightly escaped through his pores, the certificate wedged between his waistband tumbled to the floor.

A position deliberately close to the innkeeper.

Gu Yangjie’s control over his internal energy hadn’t weakened at all from his previous life; he could wield it as effortlessly as his own hand.

“I’ll pick it up for you.”

The innkeeper cautiously reached for the document.

Seeing this, Gu Yangjie pointed out in a serious tone.

“It mustn’t get fingerprints on it!”

“I’ll be careful.”

Swish-swish-

The innkeeper, who had stopped mid-reach to wipe his palm on his trousers, glanced inside.

At the same moment, his brow furrowed.

‘I thought something was off about it being here so long…’

A seal was faintly visible.

The name of the appraiser beside it was written in cursive, deliberately illegible.

This meant one thing.

It meant someone who got fake certificates from a novice appraiser to drive down the price.

Only then did the innkeeper drop his guard toward Gu Yangjeok.

“When do you plan to leave here?”

What followed was clear disgust.

Gu Yangjeok chuckled and replied.

“A week at most.”

“My apologies for accidentally overhearing, but I’d rather not get entangled in unnecessary trouble.”

“Ah, well. Does business ever pick and choose its days?”

Gu Yangjeok’s nonchalant reply only made the innkeeper’s attitude sour further.

But Gu Yangjeok didn’t care.

Disdain was simply an emotion born from judging someone as inferior.

He preferred this over being regarded as something special and arousing curiosity.

“You piece of shit! Come here and help this gentleman with his luggage!”

“Yes, sir!”

At that, Gu Yangji nonchalantly set down his bundle.

It was the sort of behavior that would make anyone think he was a dishonest merchant.

‘Well, that saved me some time.’

Gu Yang-jeok knew well that neighbors who weren’t close were more dangerous than distant enemies.

Squeak, click.

Stepping into the room, Gu Yang-jeok closed the door.

Soon, as he always did, he cast his gaze out the window.

He’d have to turn his gaze back when the servant Gaedong arrived, but incidents always came without warning.

Yet, the sight outside made Gu Yangjeok narrow his eyes.

“That fool again…”

Big and clumsy, he’d been beaten by children, and today he’d been loitering in front of the Black Dragon Pavilion only to end up as a wooden puppet.

Gu Yangjeok flicked his fingers again.

“Ugh!”

The warrior, struck in the forehead by a stone, glanced around angrily before stomping away from the fool.

He was a smart one, after all.

‘I was going to knock his head off if he took it out on me.’

Knock, knock.

“Are you there?”

Hearing the voice from outside, Gu Yangji feigned anger.

“I’m here. Why are you so late!”

Gu Yangji confirmed the fool had slipped away before opening the door.

* * *

Several days later.

“…Again today?”

Gu Yangji propped his chin up, his expression indifferent.

Once something caught his eye, it kept nagging at him.

Just in case, he’d even looked into it personally…

Last night’s conversation flashed through Gu Yangji’s mind.

“That boy’s father ran off ages ago, leaving his mother to raise him alone. She poured her heart and soul into it.”

The middle-aged man seemed genuinely pleased to have a drinking companion after so long.

Above all, he was a generous soul who bought drinks for free, so it was impossible not to like him.

“But you see, the mother was getting on in years, and that boy was growing thick-headed. She started to fear what lay ahead.”

“You were close, I see?”

At Gu Yangjeok’s subtle remark, the middle-aged man cleared his throat briefly.

He didn’t elaborate, but it seemed he had helped her in ways known and unknown.

“…Well, raising a good-for-nothing child alone as a widow must be hard, so I helped a little. But there are limits to what one can do. Everyone has their own circumstances.”

“That’s true. You must be drinking to drown your sorrows, old man.”

With this appropriate response, the middle-aged man vented his frustrations before returning to the fool’s story.

“That boy’s mother ran off late last winter. You can understand why. She’s getting older, and the child shows no sign of improvement.”

“So that’s why he keeps loitering around the inn?”

Thud!

At those words, the middle-aged man instantly flew into a rage and slammed his fist on the table.

“I told you so!”

“……”

“Ah, I’m sorry about that.”

The middle-aged man poured wine into Gu Yangji’s cup with an embarrassed expression.

“That foolish boy doesn’t even know his mother ran away! He just stands there in a busy spot getting beaten up! And wearing those thin shoes in this summer heat? He really needs to listen to advice!”

“I see you’ve taken a special interest in him, sir?”

At Gu Yangji’s remark, the middle-aged man pursed his lips.

“You seem to have a knack for seeing right through people, young man?”

“Oh, it’s just that he caught my eye so much, I couldn’t help but notice.”

Gu Yangji talked with the middle-aged man for quite some time.

They didn’t just discuss the fool the whole while.

‘Being a native of Chang’an, he must know quite a bit.’

As the man’s attitude softened slightly, Gu Yangji also asked a few questions about the merchant guild that frequented the Black Dragon Pavilion.

It was likely only possible because they shared the common topic of the fool.

Gu Yangjeok chuckled softly, ending his recollection.

Then, seeing the man being grabbed by someone again, irritation and pity flashed across Gu Yangjeok’s face.

“Not just once or twice, but constantly. How tiresome.”

Gu Yangjeok glanced sideways at the beggar leaning against the wall.

“Hey, beggar.”

“…Still as rude as ever.”

As the beggar rose, three knots tied to his waist dangled loosely.

If Gu Yangji hadn’t misseen, these were the incense knots from when he’d dealt with Du Zheguang, one of the Three Evils of Shaanxi.

A pleased smile lingered on Gu Yangji’s face.

‘There’s no need to handle everything alone.’

Sometimes it was best to let others handle things, wasn’t it?

“You owe me a favor, don’t you?”

Recalling the fool’s business, Gu Yangji gave the beggar an order.

“I’d like you to find someone for me.”

At those words, the beggar clicked his tongue lightly.

“You won’t even ask my name?”

“What if I know it and end up blurting out yours?”

“Trying to wrap up your lack of manners like that.”

When Gu Yangji offered no reply, the beggar stormed off in a huff.

After that, Gu Yangji calmly kept watch on the Black Dragon Sect.

Whether it was because of his conversation with the middle-aged man, the man’s appearances became somewhat less frequent.

A day of utter peace.

As time passed, the information in his mind about the Black Dragon Sect gradually became more precise.

Two more days passed, the seventh day since arriving in Chang’an.

Gu Yangji had already grasped the entire daily routine of the Black Dragon Sect.

This was possible thanks to the observational skills and intuition he had cultivated since his previous life, along with his experience in the martial arts world of the heretical sects.

‘Now, if I disguise myself under a different identity and send a letter, the Huashan Sect will send someone.’

Since it was said that Zhi Hougui was currently away, it would be feasible for Gu Yangjie to infiltrate the Shaanxi branch alone.

But that would be a case of losing the forest for the trees.

Up until now, he had acted alongside renowned figures like Yu Zhangming and Ha Jin’e, so his fame had been somewhat dispersed.

Even his victory in the Nine Dragons Tournament would likely end up as a minor footnote.

But if he took down the Black Dragon Sect’s Shaanxi branch this time, it would be different.

This would become an opportunity for Gu Yangji alone to build his own reputation.

‘Should I use the beggar again this time?’

Just as Gu Yang-jeok was pondering this, the beggar’s footsteps approached.

“Hey, Mal-ko.”

“What is it, Master Beggar?”

“……Look at him, refusing to give in till the very end! Hey, you bastard! You pay your dues to everyone else without fail, but why not to me……!”

As the beggar’s face flushed red, Gu Yang-jeok promptly cut off his words.

Gu Yangji’s face was full of mischief.

“Let’s start with what you were going to say.”

“I found him.”

“…?”

Gu Yangji tilted his head, and the beggar snapped unnecessarily.

“Have you completely forgotten the task the old master gave you?!”

“…Ah.”

Only then did Gu Yangji slap his knee.

He hadn’t seen the man around lately, and with other matters taking precedence, it had slipped his mind.

“A master is a master after all. Finding someone who slipped away unnoticed by his hometown folk in just two days.”

“He was a bit closer than that.”

The beggar pointed to the first floor of another inn.

“I told him to wait on the first floor for now. You handle the next part.”

“Understood.”

As Gu Yangji turned to leave, the beggar hissed a warning.

“Just in case…”

“Ugh. The Xiangzhu of Shaanxi is keeping a close watch, so don’t do anything stupid.”

“…Right.”

The beggar momentarily lost his words and floundered, while Gu Yangji hurried down the stairs.

Before settling the Shaanxi branch of the Black Dragon Sect, he intended to resolve the lingering resentment.

Gu Yangji’s palm swept once over his head, and another face was superimposed.

* * *

“…Mom?”

The red thread often called fate.

The man who awoke from sleep recalled how it had gradually drawn closer in his dream.

Then he glanced at the snowflake his mother had left behind.

“I’m a fool.”

After the words that had become a habit, the man murmured what he couldn’t say.

“But please don’t abandon me.”

A single tear slid down his cheek.