He couldn't sleep.

He had fought all night and only returned at dawn, but he couldn't fall asleep due to his anger flaring up repeatedly.

When Wang Noya called that meals were prepared, his mouth felt parched and he couldn't eat at all.

The gambling den had collapsed and dozens had died, so by now rumors must have spread through the marketplace.

Marketplaces were always quick with rumors.

But the problem was the justification.

Why had he attacked?

People would surely wonder about the reason and come up with their own answers. Probably.

They would say it was because of money...

That wasn't good.

Even if his true intentions were mercenary, it should have appeared outwardly as if he were following a righteous cause.

Rumors were important at their starting point. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

They would be exaggerated from that point onward.

If it started as mercenary, it would remain mercenary to the end.

If that happened, even if the Tang Family later drove out the ruffians, people would think it was for their own gain rather than to stabilize people's livelihoods.

Wasn't that why when he first created the Tang Family, he had given good deeds to the people of Ganyang without asking or questioning?

He had no interest in distinguishing between orthodox and unorthodox factions, but in situations like this, he preferred the orthodox approach.

It was good.

For imprinting the Tang Family's name in people's hearts.

"Damn it, I was planning to start once all the men arrived."

Cheonyeong frowned.

Then he saw Gongsun Cheok kneeling before him, nodding off and dozing.

This...

Bang!

"Ugh! Please spare me! I was completely wrong!"

As soon as his head was struck, Gongsun Cheok immediately prostrated himself and began begging.

"Were you sleeping?"

"I wasn't sleeping."

"I saw it all, you bastard!"

How could good things come from this?

It was all because of this bastard...

You ruined everything from the start.

While he was grinding his teeth, Oweng Gae arrived.

Seeing someone for whom laziness was routine come this early, it seemed there was trouble in the northern district.

"Sigh, Family Head. What exactly did you do yesterday?"

"Ah, about the gambling den?"

"You know about it? There's been quite an uproar."

Of course there would be an uproar.

And of course rumors would have spread.

"Officials came in large numbers but left after learning it was a martial world matter."

"That would be the case."

"And about the alley people. All the factions in the southern region of Dongting Lake have disappeared as if by agreement."

Cheonyeong nodded weakly.

That would be the case too.

Even though they were different factions, one faction being completely wiped out overnight would make them wonder what happened.

"You suddenly rushed out yesterday, so I followed right behind... but I couldn't really get involved."

"You did well. I wasn't expecting help anyway. It was a problem I had to solve alone regardless."

From the start, he hadn't expected Oweng Gae's help.

If the Beggar Gang got involved, it could complicate matters further.

It might even appear as if the Beggar Gang was interfering in Dongting Lake's interests.

All he wanted from them was information.

"Did you perhaps start early?"

"How could that be? It just looks ridiculous. And it might have scared the ruffians into running away."

That would have been troublesome.

It would have eliminated the Tang Family's opportunity to gain people's trust.

Cheonyeong glared at Gongsun Cheok and spoke.

"You know. Yesterday, this bastard hid that the estate was mortgaged and sold me the Gongsun family's estate. Then he went to the gambling den with that money."

Smack!

Cheonyeong, angry again, struck Gongsun Cheok's head.

"I know. It's information I provided. But the rumors are spreading in a strange way."

"...Yes?"

Oweng Gae tilted his head, and Cheonyeong made a puzzled expression.

Rumors spreading strangely?

What was this about?

"Rumors about this incident have started spreading through the marketplace. Wherever people gather, they're all saying the same thing."

"What?"

"That a person named Tang Cheonyeong, who bought the Gongsun family, went to gamble, lost a lot of money, got angry, and destroyed the gambling den itself."

"What, what?"

What kind of nonsense was this?

Who would... no, were such detailed rumors already spreading?

It should have taken at least a day no matter how fast.

How could rumors spread in less than a day with details about when, where, who, how, and why?

Unable to hide his bewilderment, Cheonyeong tilted his head and looked at Oweng Gae.

"From what I can see, it seemed so strange that I wondered if the Heukgal Faction people running the gambling den had spread it... but that doesn't seem to be the case. The source of the rumors started from commoners."

"Commoners?"

"Yes, I've already asked them to investigate. It seems like someone deliberately spread these rumors with malicious intent."

"Ha!"

What was this?

Cheonyeong's mind became complicated.

Who? Why?

Why would they spread such rumors?

And the source of the rumors was from commoners?

Didn't that not make sense?

"This is... serious."

"Yes?"

Oweng Gae looked at him, but Cheonyeong remained lost in thought with furrowed brows.

This was very serious.

It would have been better to just be known as mercenary.

By the time rumors of him being mercenary spread, the Tang Family's people would arrive, and once they declared that the Gongsun family's estate had become a Tang Family branch, they could clean up the streets.

The beginning was a bit rough, but the result wouldn't be bad.

But if the rumors were like this?

The fact that it was so detailed meant there was a high possibility of it being embellished further.

Moreover, that meant it wasn't spreading gradually but was being deliberately spread as Oweng Gae said.

If those rumors solidified, the Tang Family would take root without the support of the common people.

Wasn't it said that the will of the people is the will of heaven? Did that only apply to rulers governing nations?

A martial faction with territory in a region was the same.

They couldn't last long.

They needed to obtain Dongting Lake's commercial rights immediately, but would those people trust them?

If their hearts were good, it would be support, but if they disliked them, what they received would be protection money and extortion.

Then someone was aiming for this?

To make the Gongsun family or the Tang Family's reputation hit rock bottom?

If so...

"Sowing discord? Damn it!"

The thought that he would become like a dog chasing chickens made him curse involuntarily.

The future that hadn't yet arrived became vividly clear in his mind.

"Branch Leader!"

"Yes?"

"We need to find the source of these rumors."

"Ah, that's already..."

"That's not enough."

"Yes?"

"Put all your strength into it. You must!"

As Cheonyeong shouted, Oweng Gae made a troubled expression.

"Um, Family Head."

"Yes?"

"No matter how much we make our living from information, that's a bit difficult."

"...Yes?"

"As I mentioned, the source of the rumors is from commoners."

"Ah!"

Cheonyeong immediately understood what Oweng Gae was trying to say.

Officials don't interfere with commoners.

The reason this was maintained was because they didn't invade each other's territories.

To understand information, investigation was necessary, and putting in full effort would inevitably involve forceful means.

Since it started from commoners, commoners would have to be questioned.

Officials wouldn't overlook that.

Their duty was to protect commoners.

That's what Oweng Gae was worried about.

He understood too.

But he absolutely had to know, and right now the only help he could get was from the Beggar Gang.

If Gunsan Faction stepped in, it wouldn't end with just an uproar.

"Branch Leader."

"Yes."

"What would you need?"

"Yes?"

I absolutely must know.

Which bastards were defiling the Tang Family's name.

"Would a position next to the Faction Leader be sufficient?"

"Ye-yes!?"

Oweng Gae's eyes widened.

"N-Next to the Faction Leader? How could that be?"

I know.

It's overreaching.

I know that too.

But right now, that's how I feel.

"I'm not saying I'll change the Beggar Gang's system. Me? But I can speak, can't I?"

"Yes?"

"You know, right? My relationship with the Successor Beggar. I won't go into detail about the secret history of how he became the Successor Beggar."

"..."

Oweng Gae unconsciously swallowed hard.

Right now Tang Cheonyeong was crossing the line significantly.

If someone heard and misunderstood, the Beggar Gang would beat him, and the Tang Family might even become enemies with the Beggar Gang.

But a position next to the Faction Leader.

It was tempting.

He couldn't deny it.

"Noshang Gae was merely a branch leader in the countryside of Sichuan, Ganyang. Where is he now?"

It was cunning.

The Family Head was now using his greed.

He knew it but couldn't refuse.

His voice was serpentine, cunning, and evil, piercing into Oweng Gae's heart.

Wasn't it too attractive a proposal to reject?

A life that would end as the southern branch leader of Dongting Lake could lead to the center of the Beggar Gang's leadership with just one choice.

"You said the Successor Beggar would come soon, didn't you?"

"Ye-yes."

"We'll have quite a lot to discuss. Won't we?"

Cheonyeong smiled broadly.

Oweng Gae's pupils trembled constantly and his throat kept bobbing.

The decision was obvious.

"How... how can I help?"

Oweng Gae asked with a serious expression, his eyes wide open.

Cheonyeong, smiling broadly, spoke.

"From now on, deploy all the forces under your command to find the source of these rumors."

"..."

"Not just those registered with the Beggar Gang, but also street beggars and vagrants on the outskirts of Dongting Lake. Monitor all the ruffian factions staying in Dongting Lake, their movements in the merchant world, and whether any other forces are moving secretly."

"Other forces?"

"Yes, they could be ruffian factions, but they could also be other forces."

"Understood. I will do this. I will definitely find the source of the rumors."

"I'm counting on you. The fate of the Beggar Gang's Dongting branch depends on it. And I never forget favors. That is the Tang Family's law."

Oweng Gae nodded with a determined expression and left.

Crunch crunch crunch.

Cheonyeong ground his teeth audibly, frowned, and stared at Gongsun Cheok.

Bang!

"Argh!"

"Is this bastard sleeping again? Do you know what you've done?"

"P-Please spare me. You're right. It's all my fault!"

"Sigh."

At the sight of him immediately prostrating and begging, Cheonyeong let out a sigh so deep it seemed the earth would collapse.

He had crossed the line.

If things went wrong, there would be friction with officials, and his relationship with the Beggar Gang might be damaged.

* * *

As evening fell.

Cheonyeong sat in the courtyard the whole time, waiting for news from Oweng Gae.

"Family Head."

"Yes."

Wang Noya approached hesitantly.

"...Is the Tang Family unorthodox?"

"Yes?"

"That is, there are rumors that Tang Cheonyeong, the unorthodox Tang Family of Sichuan, is trying to swallow Dongting Lake..."

"What did you say?"

"Isn't it?"

Crunch crunch.

Cheonyeong simply ground his teeth.

The rumors had become more vicious.

According to Wang Noya, rumors were even circulating that the Tang Family had deliberately participated in the Gongsun family's destruction.

The Tang Family was gradually becoming the villain of the world.

"Damn it, whoever you are, really prepare yourself. I will absolutely not end this lightly."

He would find out exactly which bastard had spread such rumors and take revenge.

If they made the Tang Family their enemy, he would show them exactly what happens.

(End of Chapter)