Chapter 7

The Cheongsa Gang was an underworld faction whose recent fierce territorial disputes with the Honggyo Gang had turned knife fights into a common occurrence.

The fact that the Cheongsa Gang had brought in and hidden a large quantity of Poison Bombs was a grave matter for the Honggyo Gang.

“Young Brother So, the words you just spat out are not to be taken lightly. Can you guarantee them?”

Gu Ak was no longer excited. Instead, he spoke with a cold, calm, and serious demeanor.

In contrast, Yang-hwi gave a casual nod.

“Shall I put my life on the line again?”

“…Just like before, you wager it so easily.”

“That’s because I’m certain.”

The reason Yang-hwi knew about the Cheongsa Gang’s Secret Hideout was simple.

In his past life, the Poison Bombs had exploded for some unknown reason, causing massive casualties among the local commoners.

Since such chaos had erupted the very day after his adoption, it was impossible for him not to know—even back when he hardly had room to breathe.

‘In the first place, the revelation that there was a Cheongsa Gang spy inside the Honggyo Gang was also an aftermath of that incident.’

An explosion had occurred right where their secret funds and trump cards were hidden.

Naturally, the Cheongsa Gang was severely shaken, and the anxious spy ended up exposing his identity.

Afterward, a bloody feud erupted within the Honggyo Gang, allowing the Cheongsa Gang to eventually seize control of the surrounding area—though that was a story for another time.

“On the outer edge of E’an County, two or three beggars are staying in an abandoned estate with a plaque reading Sim Manor. In truth, they are Cheongsa Gang members in disguise.”

“What is your basis for claiming that place is the Cheongsa Gang’s Secret Hideout?”

Yang-hwi quickly pieced together a plausible story in his head to persuade Gu Ak.

“Since they looked like members of a Beggar Gang, I went in to spend the night with them, but I was beaten up and thrown out. Harboring a grudge, I kept watch on those bastards to get revenge, but…”

“But?”

“Even though they were beggars, they washed themselves once every three days.”

“Is that the whole basis for your claim?”

“Of course not. Sensing something suspicious, I kept trailing those beggar bastards, and then…”

“And then?”

“Later, in the Marketplace, I saw one of those bastards walking around in the Cheongsa Gang’s martial uniform.”

Gu Ak wore an incredulous expression.

“So you’re saying your memory is that sharp?”

“Once I pay close attention to something, I can’t forget it even if I try—it’s almost painful. You could call it a curse given to a peerless genius.”

“I can’t just take your word for it.”

Gu Ak bought a book from a nearby secondhand bookstore and tossed it to Yang-hwi.

“I’ll give you fifteen minutes. Recite at least ten pages from memory. Then I’ll believe you.”

“Fifteen minutes? You’re quite generous.”

In just seven and a half minutes, Yang-hwi read more than half the book and began reciting it fluidly.

Astonishingly, he did not get a single syllable wrong.

“…It really is true.”

“As a child of an honorable Righteous Path family, how could I tell a lie?”

“How did you know there were Poison Bombs?”

Yang-hwi offered a lie without hesitation.

“There was a distinct smell I remembered, and when I begged for alms from Dang Yeon of the Tang Clan, I caught a similar scent.”

The Sichuan Tang Clan. One of the Five Great Families, renowned for their unrivaled mastery over poisons and hidden weapons.

“A scent similar to Dang Yeon… I don’t know if they’re Poison Bombs, but it at least means there’s poison. And in a quantity large enough to stink so strongly.”

Gu Ak reckoned that with this much circumstantial evidence, it was worth investigating.

“Young Brother So.”

“Yes, Brother Gu.”

“I take eighty percent, and you take twenty, Young Brother So.”

“Do you have no business ethics at all?”

“If you don’t like it, try going alone.”

Gu Ak wore a smug expression.

Gu Ak believed that giving more than twenty percent of the hidden goods to a young kid was overly generous.

However.

Yang-hwi replied immediately, as though he had anticipated this.

“Do you really think this is the only thing I know?”

“…”

Logically speaking, there was no way the kid could know anything more.

He had already divulged two pieces of information that no outsider could possibly know, so he couldn’t have anything left.

And yet… Yang-hwi’s unwavering confidence gave him pause.

‘Impudence aside, there’s no denying how sharp he is. He doesn’t flinch around underworld figures either, so keeping him wrapped around my finger to use later might not be a bad idea.’

With that thought, Gu Ak decided to compromise.

“Fifty-fifty, then. I’ll show some generosity out of affection for you, Young Brother So.”

“Hmm. Since I also hold you in special regard, Brother Gu, I’ll take it as a concession out of brotherly duty.”

…This cocky brat. He never conceded a single point.

“Then wait here.”

“Hold on, Brother Gu. Take me with you.”

“No. I’m using my lightness skill. If I take you along, I’d have to carry you on my back, wouldn’t I?”

For an underworld martial artist—who in some ways valued pride even more than those of the Righteous Path—that was out of the question.

“You don’t know the layout of Sim Manor or the routines of those fake beggars, do you? To avoid drawing attention, we need a surprise attack that can neutralize all three of them in a single breath.”

“…”

Yang-hwi made the impossible happen.

* * *

Having used Gu Ak as a fast and convenient mode of transport, Yang-hwi arrived near Sim Manor in absolute comfort.

Inside Sim Manor, three beggars were present, exactly as Yang-hwi had described.

Yang-hwi whispered into Gu Ak’s ear beside him.

“Look. It’s almost dinner, prime begging time, yet those fellows aren’t even making a move.”

“They’re certainly suspicious. I’ll wait until nightfall and raid the place.”

Yang-hwi immediately shot the idea down.

“That won’t work. If I get home late, my father will scold me.”

Gu Ak was once again left dumbfounded.

What on earth did this brat think a surprise attack was…?

“I have a plan. Leave it to me.”

Speaking with confidence, Yang-hwi stripped off his outer clothes and slipped into the rags he had brought along.

‘Anticipating this, I traded for clothes my size when I gave alms to a beggar earlier.’

After smearing dirt across his face, Yang-hwi instantly transformed into a beggar child.

“When I give the signal, rush in and subdue them.”

With that, Yang-hwi approached a nearby house.

“Excuse me, mister. Could you spare some food?”

“There’s no food left today, kid. I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. I’m not asking for free handouts—I’ll pay for it.”

Handing over a few coins, Yang-hwi received a wide wooden bowl filled with food, then prepared it to look like proper beggar’s fare.

Simply put, he sprinkled dirt over it and stirred it into a messy heap.

Preparations complete, Yang-hwi strolled boldly into Sim Manor.

“Ahem! Welcome your guest!”

Watching from behind, Gu Ak reflexively covered his eyes.

He claimed he was going to execute a distraction, and this was it?

‘His liver didn’t just stick out of his stomach—it’s already been plucked out by the Dragon King of the Eastern Sea.’

“Welcome your guest! Welcome your guest!”

Unaware of Gu Ak’s thoughts, Yang-hwi continued shouting loudly, drawing the beggars’ eyes.

“What’s with this beggar…?”

“Who the hell are you?”

“Stop causing a nuisance and beat it.”

All three looked thoroughly annoyed, yet their wary demeanor betrayed a lingering anxiety.

Grinning, Yang-hwi shouted once more.

“What do you mean, ‘what’s with this beggar’! Hearing there were odd beggars here who don’t even go out to beg, Young Brother So personally begged for food and brought it over! Let’s eat together!”

Seeing the food in the bowl Yang-hwi held out, the beggars scowled in unison.

“We’re not hungry. Get lost.”

“Turning down food because you’re not hungry? Are you guys really beggars? Real beggars stuff their bellies whenever food is in front of them!”

As Yang-hwi put on a suspicious look, the faces of the three beggars froze.

“Didn’t you hear me tell you to beat it?!”

One beggar closed the distance, clearly intending to throw him out by force.

Yang-hwi’s sharp senses quickly gauged the man’s martial realm.

‘Second-Rate realm. Normally, I wouldn’t stand a chance against him, but…’

Even so, Yang-hwi remained brimful of confidence.

Because his opponent was completely off guard—he didn’t even view Yang-hwi as a threat.

In the Jianghu, there was an adage: always beware of women, the elderly, and children.

The core lesson behind it was simple—never lower your guard.

“Come on, at least take a bite—whoops!”

Cheerfully rushing forward, he pretended to trip over a stone, sending the food flying.

The moment the man reflexively flinched to dodge, his vision obscured by the flying food—

Yang-hwi took a wide step forward. He stomped firmly onto the ground, harnessing the momentum from his deliberate stumble.

Thump!

He lacked internal energy, but he compensated for his meager cultivation through that single stomping step.

The force surging up from his foot amplified through his waist and transferred directly into his palm without losing a shred of power.

Smack!

The palm of a child who couldn’t even be called Third-rate slammed upward into the chin of a Second-Rate martial artist.

“Ugh…”

‘In the Jianghu, if you drop your guard, even a commoner can stab you to death, you punk.’

The man lost consciousness and crumpled to the ground. Just as the other two beggars sprang up in shock—

Gu Ak, who had snuck in wearing a mask sourced from god knows where, knocked out both beggar bastards at once.

‘Oh, as expected of a First-rate master. Against Second-Rate opponents, he should at least be capable of this much.’

Just as Yang-hwi was thinking Gu Ak was quite handy, the man spoke up.

“Young Brother So… impressive.”

“Where did you get that mask?”

“Any underworld figure worth their salt keeps a mask tucked in their robes. By the way, when you said you’d take one down, did you mean like that?”

There was genuine admiration in Gu Ak’s eyes as he spoke.

“There wasn’t a single wasted movement. Where did you learn martial arts?”

“For a young boy to survive in the Beggar Gang, he needs a hidden ace up his sleeve. I just picked up bits and pieces by watching others while begging.”

“…Remarkable talent. So this is why Family Head Baek took you in as his adopted son.”

“Not ‘Family Head Baek’—just ‘the Family Head.’ Anyway, let’s search the inside.”

“Leave that to me. We have to hurry. Aside from these bastards, there’s bound to be a lookout watching from afar.”

Locating the hidden cache inside Sim Manor didn’t take long.

True to his nature as a Black Path Band member, Gu Ak searched by smashing everything in sight to pieces.

As a result, in under an hour, they uncovered a stash of gold, various hidden weapons, and a box containing Poison Bombs.

“This is… an astounding amount.”

Converted to silver, its value reached a staggering ten thousand taels. Gu Ak’s face hardened.

“With the Cheongsa Gang’s level of income, there’s no way they could accumulate this much wealth in a Secret Hideout—let alone at their headquarters.”

Yang-hwi shared the same suspicion. However, even digging through the memories of his past life yielded no answers to this puzzle.

“Well, what does it matter? What counts is that this wealth is ours now.”

“It seems we can’t take everything with us. What a shame.”

“Since you have to carry me on your back too, we can only haul the gold and the Poison Bombs.”

“With this much wealth, hauling you along feels like a waste of carrying capacity, Young Brother So.”

Gu Ak smirked at Yang-hwi.

“True enough. All the lookout saw was a beggar child entering the manor. And while Brother Gu launched a surprise attack, you were wearing a mask.”

Yang-hwi smirked back, looking Gu Ak dead in the eye.

“What will you do, then? Leave me behind and keep all the treasure for yourself?”

After a brief hesitation, Gu Ak shook his head.

“We’ll take only the gold and the Poison Bombs.”

It meant he would carry Yang-hwi back after all.

‘As expected, his nature isn’t entirely rotten.’

Grinning, Yang-hwi stashed the gold inside his robes, picked up the box of Poison Bombs, and climbed onto Gu Ak’s back.

Thus, the two returned to the vicinity of Baek Manor.

“We agreed to split the spoils fifty-fifty, but in my humble opinion, it’s only right that Brother Gu takes all the Poison Bombs.”

“I had no intention of letting a kid handle something that dangerous anyway, Young Brother So.”

“Then let’s split it this way: the gold for me, and the Poison Bombs for you.”

“If you convert those Poison Bombs to monetary value, that hardly equals half, does it?”

“Come on, show a little generosity. Aren’t Poison Bombs the exact kind of item that money can’t normally buy?”

Gu Ak suddenly felt a strong urge to punch that mouth, which spewed endlessly infuriating yet undeniably logical words.

“Phew. Fine, let’s do that.”

Replying with an air of sheer exasperation, Gu Ak took the box of Poison Bombs and bounded away.

‘Leaving without even saying goodbye, huh?’

Resolving to fix the man’s terrible manners over time—

Yang-hwi, his robes bulging with gold, kicked open the gate of the Baek Clan with majestic strides.

At the sound, Baek Mu-ryang, who had been pacing anxiously in the courtyard, whipped his head toward the entrance.

“Father! Your son has return—”

The moment Yang-hwi saw his face, he knew. His father was thoroughly enraged.

“Baek Yang-hwi! What on earth have you been doing until this hour?!”

‘I’m in trouble. Once Father gets angry, he lectures for at least four hours.’

Yang-hwi was about to strain his mind using his extraordinary comprehension to squeeze out an excuse, when he realized there was a far simpler way.

“Father! I brought home money!”

“To think you dragged Blood Axe Gu Ak around like a bodyguard! After pulling a stunt like that, what money… what… money…?”

Seeing the pile of gold Yang-hwi held out, the fury on Baek Mu-ryang’s face vanished instantly.

The sheer volume of treasure was simply too vast for him to stay mad.

“What on earth have you been up to?”

Hearing the question, Yang-hwi grinned.