"I have no intention of going, so you guys go."

"J, just us?"

"Yeah."

At Cheonyeong's cold reply, the children's faces immediately became sullen.

Their shoulders slumped...

Perhaps because they couldn't sleep, they looked even more listless than usual.

"Hey, Cheonyeong."

"What, when did you wake up?"

Yongcheon, who had woken up at some point, interjected with a rather serious expression.

"As the vice captain, let me say a word."

"...Huh? What? Vice... captain?"

What is this now?

Was there such a position here?

"Of course, since you're the captain, I, your closest associate, am the vice captain."

"..."

"Everyone probably thinks so."

At Yongcheon's words, the children nodded their heads.

You're acknowledging it?

So easily?

Ha... I'm at a loss for words.

Someone fought to get the position, but someone else, just because they're a friend, is second in command... well, not exactly, but still!

"As the vice captain, let me say a word. I think you don't know your role right now."

"My role?"

"Yeah. If you become the leader of a gang, you should naturally take the lead. 'You guys live your own lives! I don't care' is not a good attitude."

Cheonyeong stared at Yongcheon.

"Lead the begging, lead the alms-seeking! If a fight breaks out with another gang, mediate! Step up and protect the kids! Huh?! Do you know what I mean?"

At the voice that was turning into half a roar, Cheonyeong blinked his eyes.

I don't know about anything else, but I know one thing.

The position makes the man.

After becoming the self-proclaimed vice captain, his eloquence, his eloquence...

But... who is teaching whom?

What kind of guy was Yongcheon at this time?

He has overflowing talent, but as a guy who has lived a true street life... he's illiterate.

Leading, mediating... he must have picked up those words from somewhere.

Well, he's not wrong.

The role of a captain.

It's especially so on the streets.

Children who are used to a passive life never do anything on their own.

They needed a captain to lead them.

Especially the Makgae gang, which was made up of thirteen-year-old children, was the weakest on the streets.

It was only because of Makgae, who was under Ucheol's protection, that they could even beg.

But now that Makgae is gone, what if Cheonyeong, who defeated him, doesn't join them?

Even if they beg, everything they get will be taken away by other gangs.

Then they'll starve... and some might even starve to death...

"Damn it! So what do you want me to do? Are you telling me to lead the kids and beg?"

"No!"

"No?"

"We'll do the begging! You just protect us."

The children, whose shoulders were slumped, put strength in their eyes and nodded at Yongcheon's words.

For a moment, the food that Yongcheon had secretly brought came to mind.

The unidentifiable... taken out from a secret place...

"Ugh!"

Just thinking about it makes Cheonyeong want to vomit.

"Huh? What's wrong? Are you not feeling well?"

"Shut up. It's because of you."

"Me? Why?"

"I said shut up."

"Yeah!"

As Cheonyeong glared, Yongcheon immediately replied.

After taking a moment to catch his breath and calm his nausea, Cheonyeong sighed.

"Alright. I get it. Well, since I'm the captain anyway. But I'm not begging."

"Hey!"

"Instead, let's all go to the mountain."

"To the mountain... ah!"

At Cheonyeong's words, Yongcheon's eyes widened and he exclaimed in admiration.

Edible grass, rabbit meat.

He knows the feeling.

But how would the children know the meaning of that exclamation?

Hwangsam, who was bewildered because he didn't know what was going on, said.

"Hey, vice captain."

"Yeah?"

"To the mountain... why are we going? Are we going to run too?"

"No."

"Then?"

"To eat grass."

At Yongcheon's words with a grin, Hwangsam and the children thought.

These crazy bastards.

How did guys like this become the captain and vice captain...

* * *

Chew chew, munch munch.

The children's thoughts changed in an instant.

The children, who had learned about edible and inedible grass according to Yongcheon's instructions, were sitting in a circle and chewing on grass.

"It's sweet!"

"It's delicious!"

"Why is it delicious?"

Watching them eat while exclaiming in admiration one after another... were you guys rabbits in your past lives?

Why are you eating so well?

"Shall we try that too?"

"Oh! It looks delicious."

The guys who were eating grass became interested in a new plant.

"It's a poisonous plant."

"Huh?"

"If you eat it, you'll have diarrhea for two or three days."

"Then what about that one?"

"It won't end with diarrhea."

"Ah..."

At Cheonyeong's words, the children soon gave up their interest in new things.

"Did the captain teach you about edible grass?"

"Yeah, he said he learned it. When he was rich."

"Ah... so that was true."

"There are many other things. Like how to hunt?"

"How to hunt?"

"Shall I show you?"

"Yeah."

As the children showed curiosity, Yongcheon stood up as if to show off and took a stance.

"Hahap!"

He threw a punch, and with a whoosh, he jumped up and kicked.

"Wooooow!"

Yongcheon, who had outstanding talent, and through diligent training, even created wind with his fists and feet, the children's mouths dropped open and they all exclaimed in admiration.

Applause was a natural response.

Some of them even whistled.

"Vice captain! You're so cool!"

"That's right! Amazing! Do you catch rabbits and stuff with that?"

"Nah, no. I'm still learning..."

At the children's praise, Yongcheon scratched his head and looked embarrassed.

But why?

Putting aside Yongcheon, who believes his words as they are, why is there not a single one who thinks that's a martial art?

How does Six Harmonies Fist look like it would be used for rabbit hunting?

"Hey, by any chance... can we learn it too?"

"You guys too?"

"Yeah."

"That... the captain has to give permission..."

At Yongcheon's words, the children glanced at Cheonyeong.

Without a word...

They even stopped eating grass...

Haa...

That bastard showed them something useless for no reason, and just raised their expectations.

Why should I teach guys like them?

Other than being in the same vagrant gang, they don't have any particular connection.

As he thought that, the children's appearance suddenly overlapped with his own life, and he had this thought.

Maybe those guys need a chance too? Maybe they have a talent they don't even know about, like Yongcheon? Maybe they just couldn't even choose the direction of their lives because they didn't have a chance?

Edible grass and inedible grass.

In fact, even without special talent, if you can just distinguish between medicinal herbs and poisonous plants, you can become a wild ginseng digger.

And if you're lucky and dig up a wild ginseng?

You change your fate.

No, it doesn't have to be wild ginseng.

If you just know how to set a snare on the path where beasts pass, you don't have to live by begging like now.

Perhaps the reason for such thoughts was that Cheonyeong was an adult.

No matter how much of a genius he was, he wouldn't have had such thoughts if he were his thirteen-year-old self.

"Hey, Cheonyeong."

"What."

"By any chance... if you teach those kids a little..."

At Yongcheon's words, Cheonyeong's frown deepened a little more.

What should I do?

He was planning to leave with Yongcheon after punishing the guys who had kidnapped him soon.

He was going to take revenge on the creditors and rebuild his family.

The family...

Well, is rebuilding a family an easy thing?

No matter how outstanding he is, even if he remembers his past life, he always needs people.

Come to think of it, there's nothing to lose.

He can teach them and use the talented ones, and the untalented ones will be useful as workers.

"You guys, you want to learn?"

"Huh?"

At Cheonyeong's words, the children were so startled that they dropped the grass they were holding.

"Y, you'll teach us?"

"Yeah."

"Really?"

"I said so."

At the words that confirmed it again, a broad smile appeared on the faces of the children who were looking at each other.

"Cheo, Cheonyeong, no, captain! You really!"

"You're a good guy, no, a captain!"

"Is it okay to just teach us that amazing thing like that?"

It was a crucible of joy.

Getting a chance is like that. For them, it's an unexpected opportunity, so it's even more so.

Thud!

Suddenly, one of them knelt down to Cheonyeong.

"Captain! I'll serve you as my master from now on."

"Me too! Me too!"

"Yes, accept our bow!"

Where did they learn this kind of thing?

Anyway, they seem to have picked up all sorts of things on the streets.

"Big brother!"

One of the kids suddenly called him that.

"Hey, what's with the big brother between people of the same age?"

"Huh? No? I'm one year younger."

"Huh?"

"Twelve years old."

"Ah!"

At those words, Cheonyeong made a dumbfounded expression.

Well, does age matter?

There is no age on the streets.

They don't even ask.

The one with a lot of money is the big brother, and the one with strength is the captain.

"Everyone get up."

"Huh? Get up?"

"Yeah."

"But... you're bestowing such grace upon us..."

What grace?

How much work you guys have to do from now on...

Do you think I'll teach you for free?

I'm going to work you to the bone.

"I said get up."

Cheonyeong said again, but the children hesitated, looking at each other.

Waiting for someone to get up first.

"Yongcheon."

"Yeah?"

"Get up."

Yongcheon, who was usually very obedient to his words, smiled and shot up.

"Yeah!"

Then, the children who were watching, all got up without exception.

"But! There's something you guys have to keep in mind."

"What?"

"From now on, you guys owe me a debt."

"A debt?"

"Yeah."

"But, we don't have anything."

"Not for now. But you'll have something someday, won't you?"

"I guess so?"

"Of course."

"Um..."

"Yongcheon already owes me a debt before you guys."

"Really?"

At those words, the children all looked at Yongcheon.

"That's right. I owe a debt. Because I learned much more than you guys. Hehe, aren't you jealous?"

At the sight of Yongcheon showing off, the children grimaced again.

Of course, it's envy.

About not being able to owe a debt before Yongcheon...

Haa, how can they be so stupid.

The guys who are happy about being in debt, and the guys who are disappointed for not being in debt first.

But do you guys know?

That debt is much scarier than tigers and smallpox.

In other words, I'll exploit you to my heart's content.

Because you guys chose this.

"And one more thing! Don't ever disobey orders while you're being taught. Insubordination will be beaten more painfully than Makgae then. Got it?"

"Yeah!"

The children answered energetically.

And.

"But captain."

"Yeah?"

"What's insubordination?"

The children looked at Cheonyeong with wide, innocent eyes.

These guys... should I teach them how to read first?

Cheonyeong let out a deep sigh.

And from that day on, the teaching of the children began.

They ran every day, held the horse stance for more than one hour a day, and practiced Six Harmonies Fist.

He taught them how to distinguish between medicinal herbs and poisonous plants by having them eat grass, and taught them how to hunt beasts.

How to identify the paths where beasts travel, how to set snares, and even stone throwing, which was a variation of his hidden weapon technique.

Of course, he didn't pass on the Samyang Divine Art to anyone other than Yongcheon.

What he taught the children was Hidden Flow Art, the breathing method passed down to assassins.

That was enough.

However, a few of them rebelled after a few days.

That's how life as a vagrant is.

They are lazy by nature.

They only get up and become active when the sun is high in the sky, and they rarely move except when begging and being chased by dogs.

How could a regular and active life be easy for such guys?

So, unable to endure waking up at dawn, dropouts occurred.

The solution was clear.

Just as the creditors did, and the assassins who had educated him did...

"Hwangsam, I think so. I don't think you're a guy who would give up with just this."

"Ca, captain... w, wait a minute. I'm up. I said I'm up!"

"No. No. I know you well... you're not a guy who will listen to words."

"Captain!"

Thwack! Crack! Craaack!

Cheonyeong smiled and brutally stomped on the straw mat.

With Hwangsam under it.

"Squeeeal! Squeeeal!"

The sound of a pig being slaughtered echoed powerfully in the vagrant village.

It would have been a good example.

See?

Debt is this scary.

And far away... Makgae, with his nose wrapped in cloth, had been watching the Cheonyeong gang for several days.

"Son of a bitch. Just you wait. I'll never let you go."

Of course, Makgae had to flinch and tremble every time Hwangsam's scream echoed.

Because it reminded him of when he was beaten.

(End of Chapter)