Late at night.

Dog meat was being roasted golden brown over a bonfire that had bloomed in the ruins of Mandeok Estate.

Oyong began to talk about what he had investigated to Nosanggae, who was tearing off a well-cooked piece of meat and chewing it.

"It seems he is the son of Mandeok Estate."

"Damn it. So it was."

Nosanggae squinted his eyes.

What Oyong had investigated was the record of the past seven years.

The story of Mandeok Estate and its downfall, and the son who was said to have disappeared.

Since Oyong had confirmed it, it seems he is indeed the owner.

Well, since that was the case, he must have confidently asked them to vacate.

Damn it, the land is wide... and the remaining ruins were good for blocking the wind and rain...

If he has to move the branch all of a sudden, where can he find such a good place again?

"Upon checking, it seems that after the family was ruined, he was dragged around by creditors and suffered all sorts of hardships."

"...Hardships. You mean his labor was exploited?"

At Oyong's report, Nosanggae, who was chewing on the meat, grimaced as he brought the liquor bottle to his mouth.

Such things happen.

Debt.

Is there a saying that it's scarier than tigers and smallpox for no reason?

Is that debt limited to material property?

It also includes people.

Especially in the case of the unorthodox sects, they are extremely ruthless.

If a debt is incurred, they not only confiscate the property but also sell off the family members to cover the debt.

The women are sold to brothels, and the children are sold off as slaves.

"But about four years ago, it seems he ran away."

"Ran away?"

"Yes. After that, his whereabouts were unknown. I requested information about him from the nearby branches, but I couldn't find anything."

"Hmm, that's strange. He would have disappeared around the age of thirteen... and he avoided the eyes of the Beggars' Sect?"

"Yes. According to the information sent by the nearby branches, that's the case."

Nosanggae nodded his head as he recalled Cheonyeong.

But it's even more puzzling.

I thought it was seven years, but it's only four years?

Although his skills are still unknown, the aura he exuded was quite something.

Wasn't it something that couldn't be achieved in just four years?

"How did he escape from the creditors?"

"It was a long time ago, so I couldn't confirm that. But."

"But?"

"I heard he was famous as a prodigy since he was young."

"Tsk, are there only one or two prodigies? When you're young, you're usually treated as a genius even if you're just a little good."

"I found out that it wasn't just that."

"What?"

"By any chance, do you know about the Thirteen Classics?"

"Thirteen..."

Nosanggae repeated it as if chewing on it.

Thirteen, thirteen...

But how would he know?

Nosanggae was a true beggar who was abandoned by his parents and raised by the streets.

He had learned some martial arts, and had read the Thousand Character Classic and the Lesser Learning...

"What's that?"

"Haa, as expected, the branch chief doesn't know either."

At Oyong's sigh, which seemed to contain a subtle disregard, Nosanggae's lips twitched.

This bastard... he doesn't know either.

"The Thirteen Classics."

"...?"

"The Classic of Poetry, the Classic of History, and the Classic of Changes, which are called the Three Classics. The Rites of Zhou, the Etiquette and Rites, and the Book of Rites, which are the Three Rites. And the Zuo Zhuan, the Guliang Zhuan, and the Gongyang Zhuan. The Classic of Filial Piety and the Erya are called the Thirteen Classics."

"Ah, really?"

He had only heard the names.

That such things exist...

"Even the scholars who take the state examination only manage to finish the Four Books and Three Classics."

"Huh?"

"But that boy named Cheonyeong is said to have finished the Eleven Classics, excluding the Classic of Filial Piety and the Erya, when he was only eight years old."

"R, really?"

I don't know what it is, but it's amazing.

Even the scholars who take the state examination barely finish seven... but eleven?

And at the age of eight?

This is not just a prodigy, but an extraordinary one.

Well... he did seem to have something.

Then did he meet a fortuitous encounter during the four years his whereabouts were unknown?

Like falling off a cliff and finding a cave left by a past master, or a spiritual beast, or the teachings of a reclusive master.

But it's just a guess.

It's not something to be hasty about.

Don't I still know nothing?

"Since he's such a prodigy, I think it wouldn't have been difficult for him to escape from the creditors."

"Hmm... alright, continue."

"I heard that Mandeok Estate was quite generous to people."

"That would be right. The name itself is Mandeok Estate."

Nosanggae nodded his head.

Mandeok.

It means to accumulate and bestow virtue. Since the name was even given like that, the good deeds of Mandeok Estate must have been famous in Ganyang.

"But I heard no one helped."

"Didn't help?"

"Yes. When Mandeok Estate collapsed, both the authorities and the people turned their backs."

"They're worse than beasts."

"You could think so, but... it seems there was influence from the ones who brought down Mandeok Estate."

"The ones who brought down Mandeok Estate? You mean the creditors?"

"Yes."

"Who are they?"

"Yin Hand Chamber..."

"Ah, that son of a bitch Lee Ilpyeong? He's the one who brought down Mandeok Estate?"

"There was no problem in the official investigation, but according to our investigation, that's the case."

Nosanggae's face contorted even more.

Yin Hand Chamber's leader, Lee Ilpyeong.

He's a scum of the unorthodox sect who rules the back alleys of Ganyang.

"That's right. Damn it, now that I think about it, Yin Hand Chamber also established its base in Ganyang seven years ago. That bastard Lee Ilpyeong, he took Mandeok Estate's property and made Yin Hand Chamber."

"Yes. At that time, the Beggars' Sect had already separately investigated that part of Mandeok Estate."

"Hmm..."

Nosanggae nodded his head.

It wasn't uncommon for a righteous or unorthodox sect to gain power and occupy an entire region, but a place like Ganyang was not like that.

The coexistence of righteousness and unorthodoxy.

Of course, he didn't like what Yin Hand Chamber was doing, but unless they invaded the territory of the righteous sects, there was no way for the Beggars' Sect to interfere in their affairs.

Also, wasn't Yin Hand Chamber a place with a strong relationship with the authorities because of how much bribe they gave?

Anyway, since they would have been watching, the Beggars' Sect branch must have investigated Yin Hand Chamber in detail.

But no matter how well the investigation was done, Nosanggae, who had only been the branch chief of Ganyang for two years, couldn't know everything.

It's not like he had looked at the records...

"But how did someone like Lee Ilpyeong dare to touch Mandeok Estate, which was respected by the people? It would have been impossible without the protection of the authorities."

"I found out during the investigation that Lee Ilpyeong seems to have a relationship with the Blue Serpent Sect."

"Blue Serpent Sect?"

"Yes."

Nosanggae tilted his head.

The Blue Serpent Sect... it's a place located in Chengdu, and it's quite large for a mid-sized sect.

They helped Lee Ilpyeong?

"Hmm..."

Nosanggae's face contorted.

Nosanggae, whose thoughts had become complicated, retraced the information Oyong had brought.

The downfall of Mandeok Estate due to Lee Ilpyeong's conspiracy.

The people's turning away.

He must have been furious.

He must have harbored a desire for revenge.

The son of Mandeok Estate, who had run away and whose whereabouts were unknown for four years, returned as a martial artist of unknown identity.

He said he would reclaim his house.

Also, the aura he felt from him was not that of a righteous sect.

The killing intent that made the back of his head prickle was like that.

What if his steps are leading to revenge?

"Hmm... this is not good."

The more he thought, the more Nosanggae's face contorted.

How much venomous aura would have accumulated due to the grudge?

A disaster will surely happen.

And what if the son of Mandeok Estate knows the target of his revenge?

No, he must know.

Isn't he a genius?

Also, didn't he say he suffered for three years, his labor exploited by creditors?

With that good head, there's no way he would leave Lee Ilpyeong alone.

But if the Blue Serpent Sect is behind Lee Ilpyeong, the problem becomes bigger.

"Haa, damn it... this is troublesome. Really troublesome. My peaceful life as a branch chief seems to be getting twisted."

Nosanggae let out a deep sigh.

It's still just a guess of the Beggars' Sect, but he has a strange conviction.

What should he do?

Should he dismiss it as a fight between unorthodox sects and leave it alone?

Or... should he stop the childish revenge of a young martial artist?

What if the revenge, which is like a small breeze, reaches beyond Yin Hand Chamber to the Blue Serpent Sect?

"Oyong."

"Yes."

"So, what is that Cheonyeong, the son of Mandeok Estate, doing now?"

"Ah, I've put some kids on him... it's about time they came back... ah, there they are."

As soon as Oyong's words were finished, a few beggars ran to the ruins of Mandeok Estate.

"Branch chief-nim, we're back."

"Yeah. You've worked hard. Did you check?"

"Yes."

"What was he doing?"

"He was selling skins."

At the subordinate beggar's words, Nosanggae, whose complicated mind had become empty, blinked blankly and asked.

"...What... was he doing?"

"Skins. Skins."

"..."

"He was selling skins in the leather street. The amount is enormous. So, twenty wolf skins, a hundred rabbit skins, badgers and raccoons... I didn't count them all, but he must have earned at least two hundred silver coins."

At the words of the Beggars' Sect member who was explaining diligently, counting on his fingers, Nosanggae made a blank expression and said.

"So... skins?"

"Yes. I think he has become a hunter."

"A hunter?"

"Yes."

It's nonsense.

A hunter has that much aura?

What the...

But a moment later, a situation that made the already bewildered Nosanggae even more bewildered occurred.

The beggar who had just returned from the pharmacy alley said.

"Skins? No."

"What?"

"What I saw was him selling medicinal herbs."

"Medicinal herbs?"

"Yes. He released an enormous amount of medicinal herbs in the pharmacy street. There was no wild ginseng digger like him."

What kind of bullshit is this now?

After animal skins, now medicinal herbs?

"Hey, I said he's a hunter."

"No. He's a medicinal herb gatherer. The doctors at the pharmacy were all amazed. They were all in an uproar, saying that such a high-quality product is not easy to get."

"..."

At the sight of the beggars arguing with different opinions, Nosanggae just blinked his eyes.

A hunter? A wild ginseng digger?

What the hell is this...

But come to think of it, they are not completely unrelated professions.

Because they both search the mountains.

They catch animals, and they dig up medicinal herbs...

When he first saw them, the bundles they were carrying on their backs were then, animal skins and medicinal herbs?

But was there anyone who did both of those things?

"Branch chief-nim! Branch chief-nim!"

Just as the questions were piling up, another person ran over.

"There's big trouble."

"Big trouble? What do you mean?"

"I'm on my way from the Pyeongan Inn..."

The Pyeongan Inn is a small place at the end of the main road that serves as both a tavern and an inn.

Why there?

"The son of Mandeok Estate, no, to be precise, the boys who seem to be his subordinates were beating up the hunters and wild ginseng diggers."

"What? What's that again? The son of Mandeok Estate, no, the guys who seem to be his subordinates were beating them up?"

The words were added, and as the situation became more and more complicated, Nosanggae asked with a voice full of displeasure.

"That's..."

The beggar explained as if pouring out everything he had seen.

The hunters' scene.

The wild ginseng diggers' scene.

And the beating.

"They were amazing guys. The big guy who beat up the hunters was as strong as an ox, and the guy who beat up the wild ginseng diggers was really fast."

After the explanation, Nosanggae was silent for a long time.

The situation is understandable.

If they had released animal skins and medicinal herbs on the streets... there's no way the hunters and wild ginseng diggers who had been trading with the shops would have stood by.

But...

"What the hell is this bastard's identity?"

(End of Chapter)