"Myeongseon!"

The fist that had been clenched tight was released, and then it opened wide to embrace Baekta.

Tung, tung!

Then he even pats his back.

"Yeah, I'm glad to see you too... Aak! St-stop! Stop it, you punk!"

"Ugh?"

"Ouch, this punk is only strong."

Baekta barely pushes Yongcheon away and twists his body with a frown.

He was glad to see him, and he liked the hug, but please stop patting his back.

"Sorry, I was just happy to see you after a long time."

"If you're happy twice, my spine won't be left. How can you not control your strength?"

"I'll try to be careful."

Yongcheon grins and scratches his head at Baekta's nagging.

"By the way, you came with him?"

"Uh, I didn't want to come, but the family head kept asking me to."

"What about Lady Tang?"

"Sanghui?"

"Didn't she come?"

"No, she has a lot of work to do at the main family."

Baekta, who had been looking around beyond Yongcheon, lets out a long breath and strokes his chest.

"Hoo, that's a relief."

"What's a relief?"

"Lady Tang really hated me. I was so self-conscious in Yunnan."

"Hmm, I'm scared of that girl too."

"You too?"

"Yeah, her personality is terrible. It's very tiring to be with her."

"You're full of it. You were walking around with your arm linked with hers in Yeongin."

"That was."

"Well, whatever. It's not like I don't know your relationship. Get out of the way. I have to greet the family head too."

"Okay."

As Yongcheon smiles and makes way, Baekta approaches the campfire.

"Cheonyeong, how long has it been?"

"Oh, you're here?"

Cheonyeong glances at Baekta's greeting and raises his hand.

"This punk, can't you be a little happy to see me?"

"Didn't you feel it? I had a very happy expression."

"Ugh, I'd rather die than suffer. What can I expect from you?"

Baekta shakes his head and looks at the people around him.

"Hmm, but you've got a lot of company in the meantime?"

"It just happened."

As Cheonyeong smirks, Baekta greets them.

"I may not know the others, but I recognize you. You're the Lee Family Sword Dragon, aren't you?"

"Ah, yes. I am Cheongik of the Lee family."

"And for the rest of you, if it's not too rude, may I ask you to introduce yourselves?"

"I'm Gwak Wolhyeop, the Iron Fist of the Iksan Gwak family."

"I'm the Short Breaking Spear, Go Yeonggil."

"The Chungyeong Saber, Lee Saek."

Starting with Lee Cheongik, each of them reveals their names with a reluctant expression.

"Ah, fortunately, the other names are also ones I've heard. It's a pleasure to meet you. I am Baekta of the Beggars' Sect."

"I see. It's a pleasure... pardon?"

Lee Cheongik, who had been habitually greeting, raises his head.

It was natural for his eyes to widen. His tone of voice also changed abruptly.

"B-Baekta?"

"This person?"

"That Baekta?"

Lee Cheongik was not the only one who was surprised.

Gwak Wolhyeop, Go Yeonggil, and Lee Saek were also staring at Baekta with their eyes wide open as if they would tear. Even if they hadn't heard the name Myeongseon, how could they not know the name Baekta?

The most famous person in Sicheon lately was him.

"It seems you all know me?"

As Baekta asks as if he were embarrassed, everyone jumps up and blurts out a word as if they were vomiting.

"The Yeongin Negotiation!"

"The Sicheon Savior Tongue!"

"The Beggar Dragon!"

"A-are you really Mr. Baekta?"

Baekta smiles awkwardly at the question asked with wide eyes.

"Ha ha, you're gilding me so much that I don't know where to put myself. I don't know the names I'm called here and there in the world, but I am that Baekta."

"O-o-o-o!"

As Baekta admits his identity, everyone exclaims with a moved expression.

But why is he, a member of the Beggars' Sect?

His place is the center of the village, no, if he wanted, he could have gone up to the Blue Green Sect's Taoist temple and stayed there.

Cheonyeong sneers at their expressions, which are full of emotion and wonder.

It's a complete uproar. This is what, a young people's idol?

The expressions are also funny. Let's say the Yeongin Negotiation is that. Externally, he was dramatized as the main character who met the Black Scorpion Clan and peacefully pushed back their branch through a grand discussion.

But the Sicheon Savior Tongue? He saved Sicheon with his tongue?

What? The Beggar Dragon? This is what, not even a begging dragon.

Who on earth gives such ridiculous names?

"Ha ha, please stop. I don't know where to put myself when you praise me so much in front of Family Head Tang."

"Pardon?"

"I'm nothing compared to this friend, like a firefly in front of a full moon, no, like a drop in the bucket. No, is that so? Cheonyeong?"

"Ye-es?"

At Baekta's words, Lee Cheongik and the others turn their heads and look at Cheonyeong.

What on earth does that mean?

Baekta is a firefly? Tang Cheonyeong is a full moon? A drop in the bucket?

"It's a relief if you know."

"Ye-e-e-ek!"

As Cheonyeong agrees, their surprise grows even more.

"Damn it, it's so noisy. Can't you guys not say 'yes', or 'ye-es', or 'ye-e-ek'? Looking at your stupid faces makes me want to tear your mouths wide open. Really."

As Cheonyeong glares at them annoyedly, Lee Cheongik and the others shut their mouths.

It's not just words, he's a punk who would really tear them.

"My goodness, your personality. Would it kill you to speak a little more nicely?"

"Shut up. Sit down and drink."

"Let's do that."

Baekta obediently sits next to Cheonyeong.

Lee Cheongik and the others stand awkwardly, unable to dare to sit, and look at the two.

The Beggar Dragon, Baekta.

It had not been long since his name became known. But didn't they say that rumors travel a thousand li without feet?

With the matter of Yunnan, the rumors about him spread like wildfire, and many people investigated him and came to know him.

He had become a righteous man of the Beggars' Sect, respected and admired by many young martial artists.

So it was natural that he was on a different level from names like the Lee Family Sword Dragon, which belonged to the Twelve Dragons of Sicheon. Didn't the Beggar Dragon not even have a regional name in front of it?

In other words, he was a national figure whose name was known throughout the world, not just in a regional district like Sicheon.

Didn't they say that he was mentioned as a future leader of the Beggars' Sect?

In other words, he was a person who was not lacking even when compared to the successors of the great Nine Factions and Five Great Families.

"Here, take it."

"What? It's white liquor? A friend came after a long time, so you should have brought some good wine. I saw that the Tang family's brewery had a lot of good stuff before."

"Shut up! How much do you think that costs? If you don't want to eat it, don't eat it. Where does a beggar get off being picky about alcohol?"

"Your temper. Who said I wouldn't eat it? Give it here. That meat looks delicious too."

"I didn't grill it for you to eat."

"Here we go again."

"You punk!"

"Aish! Are you trying to start a fistfight over every little thing?"

"You deserve to be hit."

"Yongcheon! Stop your family head."

As Cheonyeong raises his fist, Baekta, who had flinched and stepped back, asks Yongcheon for help.

"Keuk keuk. Just take it. I do too. You can't avoid it anyway."

Yongcheon waves his hand and refuses.

He was just bewildered.

Why is that Baekta so friendly with the family head? In the meantime, he seems to be friendly with the person named Yongcheon too.

The Beggars' Sect. It's a place that stands shoulder to shoulder with the Nine Factions. But the Tang Family's estate is a rural sect in a corner of Ganyang whose name is not even properly known.

Their close relationship just seemed awkward.

But Lee Cheongik was different.

As expected... he hadn't seen wrong. He had known from the time he had passed on his enlightenment to him, who had been bound by a bad relationship.

Family Head Tang was truly a great person.

Also, Gwak Wolhyeop and the other three thought.

So that's why we were beaten.

"Oh, I heard from Nosanggae."

"W-wait a minute!"

As Cheonyeong asks casually, Baekta looks around with a surprised expression and covers his mouth.

"Let's talk about that later, later. It's a story that's not good for others to hear."

"Others? Who? Them?"

"Huh?"

"It's okay. It doesn't matter if they hear."

"But."

"I said it's okay. I've already checked."

"Huh?"

Baekta wears a bewildered expression at Cheonyeong's grinning.

He had already checked. While they were asleep.

If they were disguised punks, they would surely be wearing masks on their faces, or they would have used acupuncture to move their facial muscles for disguise.

But there was none.

If it were a disguise, it would have been revealed the moment they were beaten. No, perhaps they wouldn't have even attacked him.

"You guys, don't just stand there blankly, sit down. Don't ruin the atmosphere of the drinking party."

"Pardon? Ah, yes!"

As Cheonyeong calls them, Lee Cheongik and the others answer at the same time and quickly squat down next to Baekta.

"Why are you sitting so close?"

"Ah!"

"Move away, like before. We've lit a campfire, so it's not like you're cold."

"Yes!"

They move politely and quickly every time Cheonyeong speaks.

His martial arts are excellent, and he even knows a big shot like Baekta.

Now, in their eyes, Cheonyeong was transforming into a great person who could not even be compared to before.

"Myeongseon."

"Yeah?"

"Tell me. About them. Since I heard from Nosanggae three months ago, if you haven't been playing around in the meantime, you must have figured out a lot."

"Hmm."

Baekta frowns, looking around.

But if Cheonyeong says it's okay.

"Then at least send the others away."

"The others?"

"Let's limit the ears to around the campfire."

"Hmm, that's true. Since I haven't checked all of the party."

Cheonyeong nods his head and says.

"Young Master."

"Yes?"

"I'd like it if there were no one around the campfire."

"Ah! I understand."

Cheongik, who had answered, jumps up and calls his younger brother, Lee Wonik.

"Wonik."

"Yes, brother."

"Issue a Class A emergency order to Brigade Master Jinrip and all members of the Shadow Severing Brigade and have them guard the surroundings."

"I understand."

The Class A emergency order was an alert network that was only activated in the worst-case scenario.

Although it was an excessive measure that was completely out of place in a situation where they were just having a drink around a campfire, how could he argue with his brother's command?

Lee Wonik calls Jinrip and immediately conveys the order.

"Yongcheon."

"Oh, I know. I'll personally take the Green Warrior Unit kids and guard the outside."

"Alright."

Cheonyeong smiles and nods his head at Yongcheon's answer.

It's good that the dull punk is so quick-witted at times like this.

As the escort party retreats and the presence of people around them completely disappears, Cheonyeong asks in a low voice.

"Now, is that it? Now tell me."

"Hmm."

Baekta nods his head.

Although Lee Cheongik and the others were listening next to him, if Cheonyeong said it was okay, it must be okay. He had also said that he had already checked.

Wasn't he a person who would do such things carelessly?

"Hoo, I moved after hearing the circumstances from my senior brother."

As Baekta's voice lowers, Lee Cheongik and the others swallow dryly with tense expressions.

The atmosphere was like that. As if some secret and huge story would come out.

Wasn't the speaker Baekta? For some reason, it felt as if they were listening to a secret history of the Central Plains that they could never know.

"The part that my senior brother paid attention to was the recent incident in Gansu."

"Gansu?"

"Yes. It's a place called the Hyeokseon Faction, which is quite a large faction in the Gansu Unorthodox Faction."

"Hmm. So?"

"The successor of that place died a mysterious death."

"What?"

"I hear there was an uproar. It seems the Hyeokseon Faction searched all over Gansu. Even the places and people they had a grudge with."

"If it's an Unorthodox Faction, there must have been many suspects. Since they would have had many grudges."

"That's right. But they couldn't find anything."

That's right.

If the culprit was the Jinkagu, they wouldn't have easily left a trail.

"But there was something strange."

"Something strange?"

"Yes."

"What was it?"

"I hear that the young master of the Hyeokseon Faction had shown interest in the Assembly of Elders."

"The Assembly of Elders?"

"Yes. Because anyone would covet the secret manual of the Blue Green Sect's Seventy-Two Wave Sword."

"That's true."

"According to my investigation, he had applied to participate and had even received a letter of acceptance."

"And?"

Baekta takes a deep breath and says in a lower voice.

"A strange trace was left on the letter of acceptance sent by the Blue Green Sect."

"A strange trace?"

"Yes, we only found out after looking at it several times."