You can just leave it be. (3)
“So…”
Hong Dae-kwang swallowed hard. Right in front of him sat Chung Myung, of course.
Why “of course” you ask? Well, that was obvious. Just as a needle follows a thread, it was only natural for Hong Dae-kwang to be wherever Chung Myung was.
Sure, this timing had been a bit delayed because of Hwasan’s sudden movements, but originally, gathering information from Hwasan was his job.
So, now Hwasan Geomhyeop, who had inevitably become responsible for assessing the overall situation of the entire Kangho, was left waiting eagerly for him.
Yeah, it definitely should have been that way…
“Are you sure?”
“Are you questioning me?”
“Well, whether we can trust…”
“Oh, come on. Do you think I’d dare to give false information to the entire Hwasan sect? I’m not that much of a beggar. And it’s not like I have two lives.”
“Hmm…”
“Hehe. You can trust me.”
“Well, if you put it that way…”
“…”
Hong Dae-kwang looked at the person sitting beside him with a troubled expression.
Jao Gae.
The Elder of the Beggar’s Sect… No, the former Elder, sat a step ahead of Hong Dae-kwang, delivering information to this Hwasan Geomhyeop bastard.
Even Hong Dae-kwang didn’t know this information.
“A telegram, huh? Using old-school methods.”
Chung Myung muttered and smirked.
“Well, it might not change anything, but it’s probably the best they can do over there.”
“Yes. Right now, I suppose telegrams are flying to all the Gupailbang across the world.”
“They’re not just flying, the Beggar’s Sect is delivering them, right?”
“C-Cough.”
Jao Gae cleared his throat, his face turning red.
“Well, the beggar’s also have a reputation, you see.”
“Who cares about that?”
Chung Myung narrowed his eyes and gave Jao Gae a stern look, causing him to avert his gaze.
“I-if you keep acting like a bat, one day your wings will get torn.”
“Well, then I’ll just work hard with my two legs, won’t I? We are beggars, so we do nothing much but roll around in the mud.”
Hong Dae-kwang stared at Jao Gae, puzzled.
‘Wait, does this man have no pride at all?’
Jao Gae is someone of importance, filling in for the absent Sect Leader, who has often been ill and unable to attend meetings in the current Beggars Sect.
To sum it up, excluding Sect Leader lying in the sick bed, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that he’s the leader of the current Beggars Sect. As Hong Dae-kwang watched the figure of Jao Gae, swaying in front of Hwasan Geomhyeop, who had just turned twenty, couldn’t help but open his mouth involuntarily.
“Trust in the heroes, that’s what matters.”
“Lost trust can be regained in the future, can’t it?”
“Tsk.”
Chung Myung nodded with a troubled expression, looking at Jao Gae.
“Got it. If you have any other information, please let me know immediately.”
“Of course, that’s why I’m here, isn’t it?”
“If you can’t talk.”
Chung Myung waved his hand. Upon this gesture, Jao Gae quickly stood up from his seat.
“Then, I’ll see you again.”
“Yes.”
“…And please speak to the Alliance Leader more politely.”
“Understood, understood.”
“Yes, then.”
Jao Gae, who had been bowing down so much that he seemed to have no knees, turned his body gracefully. Then, in a completely different attitude from before, he casually brushed off Hong Dae-kwang.
“What are you doing?”
“Yes?”
“Get out.”
“….”
Dragged out in cold swaet, Hong Dae-kwang looked at Jao Gae with wide eyes.
“Oh, no. Why is the Elder here?”
“Why wouldn’t I be here?”
“…Oh, no. I mean…”
A look of embarrassment briefly crossed Hong Dae-kwang’s face.
“Did Sect Leader decide to completely side with Hwasan?”
“Would that even be possible?”
“Right. It’s impossible…”
“Grasping the rope with both hands is the basic rule.”
When Hong Dae-kwang opened his mouth wide, Jao Gae shrugged his shoulders.
“It seems that Sect Leader doesn’t want to miss out on the Cheonumaeng’s rope either.”
“Hehehe.”
Hong Dae-kwang burst into a hollow laugh, as if finding the situation absurd.
Of course, it’s not an exaggeration to say that this is something that the Beggars Sect always did.
They almost monopolize the information in Gangbuk and has secured a fair amount of information in Gangnam as well. At least within the territory of the righteous factions, one could say that the Beggars Sect is an indispensable faction.
So, unlike other factions, it means that they can put one foot in a powerful place with relatively few repercussions.
“This has meaning.”
Having few repercussions doesn’t mean they have none.
In other words, according to Sect Leader’s judgment, Cheonumaeng has now become a force worth putting one foot into, even if it means taking risks.
So, this basically proves that Hong Dae-kwang’s decision to bet everything on Hwasan was the right one, and it means that Hong Dae-kwang’s position has dramatically risen, doesn’t it? It’s good to think that way… but…
“No, but why are you, Elder, dealing with that person? Wasn’t it originally agreed that matters related to Hwasan were entrusted to me!”
At that moment, Jao Gae turned his head abruptly and glared at Hong Dae-kwang with a fierce gaze.
“Entrusted?”
For a moment, Hong Dae-kwang was taken aback by his assertiveness.
“Entrusted? Right. You said it well, you beggar!”
“Yes?”
“Exactly. What have you been doing all this time that Hwasan Geomhyeop looks at the Beggars Sect with those eyes?”
“Those eyes?”
“What kind of actions have you shown so far that he sees the Beggars Sect as a bunch of freeloaders who haven’t done a thing?”
Hong Dae-kwang blinked.
“Isn’t that a valid point?”
“What?”
“Isn’t that what beggars do? Freeloading without doing anything. Why would a person who works diligently become a beggar?”
Jao Gae fell silent.
“Why do you see it that way? Did I say something wrong?”
Jao Gae silently gazed up at the distant sky.
“What have I gotten myself into? Placing a guy like him right next to Hwasan. It’s amazing that the relationship with them has been maintained intact until now.”
“Anyway, from now on, I’ll personally manage this side for a while, so be aware of that.”
“What? Is there such a case? No matter how much of an elder you are, you can’t just casually barge into an area that others have been running for years!”
“Don’t be such a stubborn seedling! Is this about territory?”
“Ah, anyway, I won’t accept it! How much effort have I put into Hwasan all this time! Why did I endure such harsh persecution? No matter how much of an elder you are, if you touch my territory, that’s when things will break loose!”
“Do you really want to fight?”
“Do as you please! I’m just a beggar anyway, I have nothing to lose! If I go down, I go down!”
Jao Gae shook his head while looking at Hong Dae-kwang, whose eyes were darting around.
‘Unbelievable. This crazy guy…’
He may have originally been a quirky character, but he wasn’t this irrational. How did he end up losing his sense of reason like this?
‘Is there any sanity left in him?’
Even if there was any, he was acting like a madman. After being close to Hwasan Geomhyeop for a few years, it seemed he had unintentionally become like him. Of course, if you asked him, he’d probably jump and say it’s nonsense.
“Anyway, this is Sect Leader’s order, so don’t say a word!”
“But Elder, you’re not part of the sect anymore, right?”
“So what? Are you going to take a swing at someone who’s not part of it?”
“Mm…”
Hong Dae-kwang made a groaning sound.
No matter how much he pushed the Beggars Sect with his own feet and went out on his own, there was probably no one who thought Jao Gae wasn’t still part of it. When the time comes, it’s only Hong Dae-kwang who will suffer for trying to set up a rival for someone who’s planning to quietly return.
“Even so!”
Since the days when Hwasan was a third-rate sect that no one paid attention to, Hong Dae-kwang had endured harsh hardships. Who wouldn’t foam at the mouth when someone from above quietly extends their feet to a place where others have worked hard?
“I won’t give in even if I die!”
Hong Dae-kwang’s eyes flared with determination. Jao Gae seemed to understand his feelings and gently reassured him this time.
“Don’t worry. What I’m in charge of is related to Cheonumaeng. You can focus on Hwasan as you have been.”
“…Are you sure?”
“This guy here!”
“Alright, if you say so.”
Jao Gae nodded. In truth, it seemed that Sect Leader hoped he would personally oversee Hwasan too, but…
‘Then, I won’t die from this disgrace.’
Jao Gae was a person who spoke deliberately even in front of the Shaolin’s leader. However, dealing with this Chung Myung character was a different story. Facing him felt like having a bomb in front of you, ready to explode at any moment.
‘It’s strange.’
He looked at the room where Chung Myung was with a perplexed gaze.
‘Certainly, his quick temper might make it challenging to handle… but it’s not the only reason.’
The sense of intimidation he felt when facing Chung Myung could be even more than facing the leaders of the Beggars Sect or Shaolin. It wasn’t because of his reputation or his position in the Gangho, but this feeling was hard to grasp.
‘I think I understand why those who encountered Hwasan Geomhyeop find it difficult to face him.’
This is something that cannot be fully expressed in words alone. Those who handle information must not blindly believe or be submerged in the information they have.
The best way to gauge the greatness of a faction is to look at who leads it.
‘It seems like the reason the Gupailbang is falling apart and Cheonumaeng is rising is known.’
Hyun Jong and Chung Myung.
As long as these two people lead the core of Cheonumaeng , their momentum is undoubtedly growing day by day.
“But is everything okay?”
“Hmm? What do you mean?”
Hong Dae-kwang asked with a somewhat worried expression.
“Word is that Sect Leader has decided to extend its influence to Cheonumaeng.”
Until now, the Beggars Sect had undoubtedly been providing information to Cheonumaeng and Hwasan. However, this was limited to information that Hong Dae-kwang could handle. Information like the internal dynamics of the Gupailbang, which couldn’t be publicly disclosed, had not been shared with Hong Dae-kwang.
But the fact that Jao Gae was about to take action meant that the Beggars Sect had decided to provide even that kind of information to Cheonumaeng.
In other words,
“…Doesn’t this mean that Sect Leader has officially designated Cheonumaeng as a rival to Gupailbang?”
“There’s no need to look for meaning. It’s already set in stone.”
Jao Gae nodded. However, Hong Dae-kwang couldn’t shake off his concerns.
“…Honestly, I’m a bit worried. The Sapa are increasingly uniting and posing a threat to Gangbuk, and now the Jeongpa [just sects – opposite of Sapa] is splitting into two.”
“Not everything goes as planned in this world.”
“But…”
“Such worries are not our concern.”
“Excuse me?”
Jao Gae gestured slightly towards the room where Chung Myung was.
“Do you think that guy doesn’t know what we know?”
“…”
“Perhaps Hwasan Geomhyeop has been planning for this situation for quite some time. So, discussing countermeasures is his business.”
“Ah, that guy isn’t as calculated as you think, Elder.”
“Well, who knows?”
“My point is correct,” Jao Gae completely disregarded Hong Dae-kwang’s words.
With this incident, the world had clearly been divided into three factions: the Southern(南) Sapaeryeon, the Eastern(東) Gupailbang, and the Western(西) Cheonumaeng. The boundaries were not as clear as national borders, but it was an undeniable fact that Cheonumaeng had swallowed up the western part of the central plains.
Jao Gae didn’t believe in coincidences. In such significant events, human intentions must be involved.
“It’s going to be tough.”
“Hmm?”
“No, never mind.”
When Hong Dae-kwang asked, Jao Gae shook his head. Yet his gaze remained fixed on the pavilion where Chung Myung was.
Over the course of several years, whatever it took to reach this point, even though it was unclear, one could imagine how intense and complex the thoughts of the person behind all this must be.
“Just like a swan may look graceful above water, but underneath, it desperately paddles its feet to stay afloat, I’m sure Hwasan Geomhyeop is working tirelessly behind the scenes to maintain his seemingly careless appearance.”
“Those are lies. Swans float effortlessly in the water without even kicking their feet.”
“…Really?”
“…”
“…”
Jao Gae let out a deep sigh.
“In any case, he’s an impressive person…”
Suddenly, Chung Myung’s door swung wide open.
“Oh. The bottles have become smaller these days, I haven’t even had a few sips, and it’s already empty…”
Chung Myung, holding a bright white liquor bottles in both hands, walked out, looking surprised when he saw the two still standing in front of his room.
“…”
“…”
A strange silence hung for a moment. Chung Myung awkwardly held up one of the bottles.
“…Would you like some? There’s a bit left.”
“…”
Or maybe it was just a misunderstanding.
________
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Return of the Mount Hua 
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