In the Central Plains, there are as many people who are good with their fists as there are grains of sand on a riverbed.

The Three Sovereigns, the Five Emperors...

They take pride in calling themselves after the figures in the myths who ruled the ancient times.

Also, most of those who have gained such fame are from prestigious families.

To raise a child, they provide all sorts of elixirs and gifted education from a young age. Some even undergo bone-washing and marrow-cleansing.

Damn bastards...

This is why the saying that a dragon can rise from a stream has disappeared.

Now is an era where money raises people.

But if you ask where the most numerous among the many martial artists and martial sects are, a hundred out of a hundred will point to one place.

The Beggars' Sect.

It is said that even the most outstanding sage king cannot save the poor.

The world is now an era where the struggles of the powerful, who are as numerous as mushrooms after rain, are frequent.

Wars are endless, and the powerful annex the powerless, so the world is overflowing with beggars.

Thus, it is impossible to estimate.

The number of beggars increased every time they opened their eyes, and even the Beggars' Sect headquarters had a headache because they couldn't accurately grasp the number of beggars.

In the end, when the situation reached a point where central control was impossible, the Beggars' Sect dispatched skilled beggars to each region to implement autonomous control.

Anyway, money is not needed to set up a branch.

What is a beggar?

They are those who live with the sky as their ceiling and the fields as their floor.

In the first place, old and abandoned shrines that could be used as branches were scattered all over the place.

Like a Guan Di temple, or an abandoned building far from the city...

With one beggar who had properly learned martial arts and a bonfire, that place was a Beggars' Sect branch.

The dilapidated Guan Di temple in Inhoe County, Guizhou Province, which borders Sichuan, is such a place.

A place the Beggars' Sect had made its branch.

However, because there were so many branches, the level difference between each region was severe.

Especially Inhoe, where Cheonyeong had stayed for a while, was at a low level.

Because it had been a peaceful place for a long time.

* * *

"Ugh..."

Yukban, the branch chief of the Inhoe branch in Guizhou Province, stretched lazily and yawned.

His expression was so languid that it overflowed with leisure.

That's how a beggar's life is.

There is no such thing as a daily routine.

They wake up when they open their eyes, beg to soothe their hunger, and then return to the branch and laze around.

Why would they call it a life of ease for no reason?

Even if you're a branch chief, the lower-ranking ones do all the begging.

Yukban just has to prepare his mouth.

And Inhoe is a remote city with no famous martial families or forces.

Why else would they have made Yukban, who was only at the second level, the branch chief?

"Is it going to get cold early? I'm already feeling chilly."

Yukban tightened his single-layered white robe and rummaged through the embers of the bonfire to see if he could light a fire.

"Branch chief! Branch chief!"

At that moment, Yeogyeong, a member of the Beggars' Sect who had gone out first thing in the morning, ran over, out of breath.

That guy is so diligent for a beggar.

Why does he wake up so early and make a fuss?

If you wake up early, you're just cold and hungry...

"Branch chief!"

As Yeogyeong ran over without even catching his breath, Yukban grabbed the club at his waist.

Thwack!

"Kugh!"

Yeogyeong, who was hit by the club that was swung without warning, grabbed his head and prostrated himself on the ground as soon as he arrived.

"Damn it! Why did you hit me!"

"..."

At the sight of Yeogyeong shouting in anger, Yukban sighed.

Haa, this damn beggar.

He's showing his lack of education.

To say "damn it" to the branch chief...

And he's much older.

"...nim."

"What?"

"Don't you know about respecting your elders? You should call me Branch Chief-nim, you bastard! You're like a beggar who doesn't even know etiquette."

"Tsk!"

At Yukban's point, Yeogyeong pouted.

He must not be a beggar himself.

"Look at those eyes."

As Yukban raised his club again, Yeogyeong quickly smiled and said.

"Nim! Branch Chief-nim."

"...You should have done that from the beginning."

Yukban, who put down his club and let out a small laugh, finally asked.

"What's the matter, making a fuss in the morning? To make your stomach empty?"

"Ah, that's. A few days ago, there was a big commotion outside the east gate."

"A commotion?"

"Yes."

At Yeogyeong's words, Yukban's ears perked up as if he was interested.

This is Inhoe County. A leisurely and peaceful place.

The only incidents are stories of someone's dog getting lost, or fights between vagrant gangs.

And it was a few days ago.

The news was late for the Beggars' Sect, but no one in Inhoe cared about such things.

By the way, a commotion?

Seeing Yeogyeong's expression, it didn't seem like an ordinary matter, so Yukban's eyes shone with curiosity.

Will there finally be something to report to the higher-ups?

It was always just 'no special matters'...

"The east gate... is that where Ucheol's gang is?"

"Yes. Right there."

"Hoo?"

Yukban knew Ucheol's Dongmun gang very well.

It's the same everywhere, but those who beg on the streets are largely divided into three types.

Are all beggars in the same situation?

There is a strict hierarchy among them.

First, those who can be called the top among beggars are those who are recognized as members of the Beggars' Sect, like Yukban and his subordinate beggars.

Because they are a righteous sect and advocate for justice, they didn't let just anyone into the Beggars' Sect.

If they accepted this and that person, and an accident happened, the aftermath would just be troublesome.

But isn't it the Beggars' Sect?

No matter how quiet a place is, they have to gather rumors.

Thus, the members of the Beggars' Sect supplement the lack of ability of the main sect with street beggars.

Gyuhwa.

Also known as flower beggars.

They are good at singing and dancing, and they are treated quite well among the beggars.

Their system is also well-established.

The Beggars' Sect divided them into potential members of the Beggars' Sect and had the head of each branch manage them.

Some of the members of the Inhoe branch were those who had been promoted to official members of the Beggars' Sect after belonging to the Gyuhwa.

And finally, the vagrant gangs.

Those who form an organization but have no system.

Those whose only skill is begging.

Of course, although it's rare, some vagrant gangs create an organized system like others.

The Ucheol gang was one of those vagrant gangs that had a firm grip on the east gate, and their quality was very bad.

They were the opposite of the righteous Beggars' Sect, and had connections with the delinquent gangs of the back alleys.

Their actions were just like those of an unorthodox sect.

They would cause trouble in shops they didn't like, and they would make young vagrant children beg for them.

There were even rumors that they secretly sold vagrant children as slaves.

But they had a problem?

Yukban's curiosity grew even stronger.

"Tell me in detail. What the hell happened?"

"They were shattered."

"Shattered?"

"Yes. That Ucheol guy's four limbs' tendons were cut, so he became a cripple who can't use his hands or feet, and the guy under him, Jangil, had his throat slit and died."

"What? You mean there was a murder?"

"Yes."

Fights over territory or hierarchy are common among vagrants, but murder is rare.

"Who did it? Did the vagrant gang from the south gate attack? Hmm, then that's a problem... that's a place we secretly backed."

"It doesn't seem like that."

"No?"

"Yes."

"Then?"

As Yukban tilted his head in puzzlement, Yeogyeong smiled triumphantly.

"Don't be surprised when you hear this. It was actually one person."

"One person?"

"Yes. One person completely shattered Ucheol's gang."

"Hoo? Really?"

"Yes. The thirty members of Ucheol's gang couldn't even move."

It wasn't surprising.

A gang of vagrants who haven't even learned martial arts... he could do that himself.

But what if someone else couldn't stand Ucheol's gang's evil deeds and stepped in?

Of course, it's something to report to the higher-ups.

If it's a beautiful story about a hero of justice who punishes bad guys, the higher-ups will be interested.

Also, what if he is one of the vagrants?

He is perfect for recruiting into the Beggars' Sect. Because beggars also value talent.

"Wait, wait a minute. Wait."

Yukban untied the small cloth tied to his waist and took out an old piece of paper.

A brush? Where would a beggar get something like that?

A burnt piece of charcoal is enough.

"Now, tell me in detail. I might have to report it to the higher-ups."

"A report?"

"Of course. A person died, and another became a cripple..."

At the sight of Yukban preparing to write on the paper, the excited Yeogyeong began to tell the story he had heard.

And at the end of the exciting story.

"That guy was a thirteen-year-old kid."

"...What?"

Yukban, who was writing down the details, stopped the charcoal stick that was dancing on the paper.

"...How... old?"

"Thirteen years old."

"Thir...teen years old?"

"Yes."

"And a vagrant?"

"Yes. He was in a gang of a guy named Makgae. Was his name Cheonyeong? It probably is."

"So you're saying... a thirteen-year-old attacked the Ucheol gang, which is made up of thirty adults? A guy who was a vagrant? Alone?"

"That's what I'm saying."

"He made Ucheol a cripple, and even killed the guy named Jangil?"

"That's right. I heard it clearly. He must have been hiding his strength all this time. I heard he suddenly revealed his strength. Let's find him quickly. He might become a talent for our Beggars' Sect."

Yukban stared blankly at Yeogyeong's confident expression.

And he grabbed his club.

A thirteen-year-old is a hero of justice... pfft!

"So? Where is that thirteen-year-old?"

"He disappeared! He shattered Ucheol's gang and disappeared without a trace."

"Ah, really? Well... that's a great thing. A thirteen-year-old vagrant is a martial arts master, a martial arts master. A hidden master, right?"

"It's true! I told you I heard it clearly!"

Thwack!

"Damn it! Why did you hit me!"

"Why do you think I hit you?"

"Yes?"

"How old?"

"Thirteen years old..."

"Exactly."

As Yeogyeong pouted with a crying face, Yukban even spat on the hand holding the club and rubbed it.

"W, wait a minute? What are you doing?"

"What do you think I'm doing?"

"..."

"This is why beggars are told not to wake up early."

"Yes?"

"You talk nonsense because you're hungry. Like you."

"Th, what's that?"

"How old?"

"Thirteen..."

Thwack!

"Kugh!"

Yukban's club danced once more, and Yeogyeong grabbed his head.

"This damn bastard! You're spouting nonsense first thing in the morning? How old? Thirteen... pfft! This crazy bastard! Does that make sense? Does it make sense?"

"No, I just heard it as it was..."

"Hoo? You're going to go all the way, is that what you're saying?"

"..."

"Alright, let's have a funeral today!"

"B, branch chief-nim! It's true..."

Despite Yeogyeong's pleas, Yukban was unforgiving.

"Shut up! Is your head a decoration? A thirteen-year-old slits a person's throat and makes Ucheol a cripple? This bastard, wasting precious paper! Why are you talking nonsense in the morning! Nonsense! Did you eat some spoiled dog meat somewhere?"

Yukban's club, which had wasted precious paper because of Yeogyeong, raged with anger.

Thwack! Thwack thwack! Thwack!

"Kugh! Hey, Branch Chief-nim, stop hitting me. It hurts! It hurts!"

He hit him to make it hurt.

To make him come to his senses.

"You still haven't been hit enough. You, today... let's get beaten until you come to your senses."

"..."

"Thirteen years old? Pfft! You're really funny."

For saying something that didn't make sense, Yeogyeong received a club massage from the morning, and the name of Cheonyeong, who had caused a murder at the east gate of Inhoe... was dismissed as nonsense and buried.

* * *

Ganyang, southern Sichuan.

An abandoned house at the foot of a mountain, quite far from the city.

The collapsed wall was unsightly, and the wide stone platform in front of the building suggested that there had been a building there.

If it were in good condition, it would have been the manor of a quite famous family, but it was full of scorched marks from when it was burned, and the remains of what had burned were visible here and there.

Since it was left abandoned after being burned, this place naturally became the property of beggars.

At the time when the sun was setting, when the beggars who had finished begging returned and gathered one by one to light a bonfire.

"Is this the place?"

"Yeah."

A group of people stopped in front of the main gate of the building, of which only traces remained.

They were five boys and one girl, with faces that looked too young to be adults.

"Wow... you were really rich."

"Yeah. I was rich."

At the admiration of the boy who looked like an adult with his bear-like large build, the boy with a sturdy build nodded and picked up a burnt plank from the ground.

Mandeok Estate.

Longing filled the boy's eyes and then disappeared.

"Virtue, my ass..."

The boy, with a sneer, looked at the manor, which was clearly visible because there was no gate.

A few bonfires and beggars.

"In the end, it's this state."

The boy with a bitter smile was Cheonyeong, and behind him were the vagrant children who had followed him from Inhoe, Guizhou Province.

After the fight with the Ucheol gang, Cheonyeong built a hut in a deep mountain located on the border of Sichuan and Guizhou and began to train.

Four years have passed since then.

Cheonyeong, who had grown enough to be called a fine young man and had gained some confidence in his skills, headed to his hometown, Ganyang.

To reclaim everything...

His house, which he had come to check just in case, was fortunately the same as before.

Although the fire was out and only the remains were left.

Seeing the beggars camped out in a place that was no different from an abandoned house, the creditors must not have touched the house.

Well, all the property was embezzled, and the house was burned down, so it must have been useless.

What would they do with the remaining land?

It's not a particularly good spot, and no one would want to buy land with a bad omen.

Cheonyeong, who was staring blankly at the Mandeok Estate sign, put strength in his hand.

Crack, crack.

The burnt sign of Mandeok Estate broke in the hand of Cheonyeong, who was looking inside the manor.

Mandeok Estate, my ass.

I don't need a name like this anymore.

Because the new family I'm going to build doesn't need virtue.

But the beggars, surprised by the sound, turned their heads and asked.

"Who are you?"

At the beggar's question, Cheonyeong, who had stepped inside the main gate, smiled brightly and said.

"The owner of this place."

And so he returned.

Seven years after his family was ruined.

No, twenty years and a little more...

(End of Chapter)