Chapter 119. That’s a Story for When You’re Still Alive.

“My lord, it is said that the Shijiazhuang family is recruiting patrol teams to guard the area around the manor.”

Danmok Cheong reported to Jin Cheon.

“Patrol teams?”

“Yes. It seems they plan to have those with deep ties to the Shijiazhuang family prepare for the Heavenly Evasion Divine Thief’s intrusion from inside the manor, and use the rest of the people as patrol teams to guard the area around the manor.”

“Well.”

Jin Cheon nodded as if he understood.

“With so many people flocking, they can’t let just any riffraff into the manor.”

“Yes, the inside of the Shijiazhuang family’s manor is probably no different from a den of demons right now. The key masters of the sects with ties to the Shijiazhuang family will be deployed there.”

“It would be difficult for us to infiltrate the interior.”

“Yes, since it is a place where only people with certain identities can enter and exit…”

“What about joining a patrol team?”

“I believe that would be quite possible.”

“Then I will join a patrol team and scout the area around the Shijiazhuang family. If by any chance I encounter the Heavenly Evasion Divine Thief, there might be a chance to catch him.”

“Yes, my lord.”

“Do we know what the Heavenly Evasion Divine Thief is trying to steal from the Shijiazhuang family?”

“That is a situation that is difficult to grasp from the outside, as the Shijiazhuang family has not revealed it.”

“Hmm.”

Jin Cheon narrowed his eyes and looked at the truly huge Shijiazhuang family manor in the distance, a scale that an uninformed person might mistake for the imperial palace.

“The one trying to steal is the Heavenly Evasion Divine Thief, and the one trying to protect is the Shijiazhuang family, so it must be a treasure second to none in the world.”

“Wouldn’t that be the case? The wealth held by the Shijiazhuang family is impossible to even guess…”

“Well, it’s none of our Cult’s business. What does it matter what those bastards have? The important thing is whether we can make contact with the Heavenly Evasion Divine Thief and obtain his help or not.”

“Yes, my lord.”

“Let’s each split up and join a patrol team. Make sure to hide your demonic qi thoroughly. If it’s discovered that we practice demonic arts, it’s the end.”

“As you command. I will make sure to instruct them firmly.”

Jin Cheon’s joining of the patrol team proceeded smoothly.

Jin Cheon used a fake identity prepared in advance at a secret branch of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, and slightly changed his appearance with disguise art to disguise himself as a fairly well-known third-rate wanderer.

The Shijiazhuang family did not greatly suspect Jin Cheon’s identity.

And for a good reason; because so many people had flocked, it was close to impossible to verify each person’s identity one by one.

Since those who could not be fully trusted could just be assigned to the patrol teams guarding the area around the manor, there was no reason to be particularly picky.

“You said you are the Soul-Snatching Guest, Jinmyeong?”

“That is correct.”

“I have heard of that title before. You were active during the subjugation of the Tiger King Fortress, right?”

“It was a difficult fight.”

Jin Cheon played the role of the Soul-Snatching Guest, Jinmyeong, with a straight face, without batting an eye.

The Shijiazhuang family did not suspect Jin Cheon’s identity in the slightest.

The person named Soul-Snatching Guest Jinmyeong was a real person, who had been secretly assassinated in the process of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult establishing a secret branch.

“Still, since you are a fairly well-known martial artist, please take on the role of the leader of the thirty-seventh team. I will assign a few martial artists under your command.”

“Thank you.”

Thus, Jin Cheon became the leader of a patrol team guarding the area around the Shijiazhuang family.

* * *

The patrol team mission was very easy, as expected.

All he had to do was wander around the Shijiazhuang family’s manor and see if there was anything suspicious or any suspicious people.

However, compared to the easy mission, the amount of silver paid by the Shijiazhuang family was considerable.

The Shijiazhuang family paid an amount of silver for this easy patrol that would take an ordinary third-rate martial artist about two full months of work to earn.

Thanks to that, even third-rate martial artists who were jobless gathered, so it was no exaggeration to say that a human barrier had been erected around the Shijiazhuang family.

‘Hmm. No matter how outstanding the Heavenly Evasion Divine Thief’s movement art is, it won’t be an ordinary task to shake off all these people and escape. With what confidence did he send the warning note?’

Was it just around the Shijiazhuang family?

Inside the palace-like Shijiazhuang family’s manor, there would surely be a lineup of brilliant masters from the prestigious great sects, so Jin Cheon couldn’t even begin to guess how he could steal something from there and get out.

‘I am curious, though. How outstanding the Heavenly Evasion Divine Thief’s thieving skills are.’

Just as Jin Cheon was thinking that.

“Everyone, make way!”

Someone’s shout was heard, and when he turned his head, he saw masters in splendid clothes entering the Shijiazhuang family’s manor.

Most of them were martial artists belonging to the Nine Sects One Gang, and there were even some famous people whom Jin Cheon recognized.

It was clear that they had rushed to help the Shijiazhuang family due to this incident.

But then.

‘Well, well.’

A cold smile appeared on Jin Cheon’s lips.

‘To think I’d see that beggar bastard here.’

A blue killing intent glinted in Jin Cheon’s eyes as he saw a beggar in the distance with disheveled hair, bare feet, and tattered rags.

The Heroic Beggar, Sip Bang.

A self-proclaimed member of the Seven Prodigies of Heavenly Martial, and the disciple of the notoriously ill-tempered Beggar’s Gang elder, the Drunken Wind Beggar.

Despite his outstanding talent and martial arts skills, which made him a fairly promising prodigy, and his excellent background as a direct disciple of the Beggar’s Gang, the number one gang under heaven, Sip Bang was a person riddled with inferiority and a complex.

No matter how outstanding his martial arts and abilities were, he was extremely dissatisfied due to the limitations of his status as a beggar.

Perhaps because of that, Sip Bang was one of the people who particularly tormented Jin Cheon.

How many times had he been beaten by the Dog Beating Staff wielded by Sip Bang when he was suffering from qi deviation?

‘He’s already a five-knot.’

At Sip Bang’s waist hung five knots, indicating his status among the beggars of the Beggar’s Gang.

Five-knot.

It was a very high-ranking status in the Beggar’s Gang.

The Beggar Lord, the Dragon Head Beggar Lord, had nine knots.

The Beggar Lord’s successor, the heir, had eight knots, the elders had seven knots, the branch masters of each province had six knots, and a five-knot was a status treated as a key figure in the Beggar’s Gang.

As the disciple of the elder, the Drunken Wind Beggar, it was no exaggeration to say that Sip Bang’s future within the Beggar’s Gang was a smooth road.

If time passed without any particular problems, he would one day become an elder of the Beggar’s Gang and receive the seven knots.

‘Of course, that’s a story for when you’re still alive. It seems I have one more thing to do besides the Heavenly Evasion Divine Thief.’

Now that Jin Cheon had seen Sip Bang, he had no intention of letting him go peacefully.

‘Even if I can’t make contact with the Heavenly Evasion Divine Thief, if I can catch that beggar bastard, it won’t be a waste of time.’

Sip Bang, unaware that the past Jin Yeong-in, that is, Jin Cheon, was glaring at him, was busy walking with those who had come with him.

* * *

Several days passed after that, but the area around the Shijiazhuang family was as quiet as could be.

Of course, the place was packed with people, forming a human barrier, but the Heavenly Evasion Divine Thief, who had publicly announced he would steal something from the Shijiazhuang family, did not show himself.

Before going on patrol duty.

“Don’t tell me he gave up?”

Jin Cheon thought that the Heavenly Evasion Divine Thief might have given up on the Shijiazhuang family while eating lunch at an inn.

However, Danmok Cheong’s thoughts were different.

“He would not have done that.”

“Why is that?”

“After investigating his past records, it is said that the Heavenly Evasion Divine Thief always appears on a set date to steal a set item.”

“So he’s never given up, is that it?”

“Yes, as far as I know, he has failed before, but he has never given up.”

“Ah, so he has failed.”

Jin Cheon said, as if he remembered.

Was it about twenty years ago?

He seemed to have heard a story that the Heavenly Evasion Divine Thief had failed in his attempt to steal the Jade Buddha Staff, the sacred treasure of the Shaolin Abbot.

Well, at that time too, he would have sent a warning note and gone to steal the Jade Buddha Staff openly, so it would have been more difficult, if anything, than robbing the current Shijiazhuang family, and by no means easy.

“Since the Shijiazhuang family has not disclosed the exact date, we do not know, but there is no doubt that the Heavenly Evasion Divine Thief will appear soon.”

“I see.”

“Let’s wait a few more days. The Heavenly Evasion Divine Thief will surely appear.”

“Let’s do that.”

Jin Cheon trusted Danmok Cheong’s words and decided to wait for now.

Two days later.

‘The atmosphere is different.’

Jin Cheon sensed that the atmosphere around the Shijiazhuang family had changed from before.

The patrol teams wandering around the manor were just small fry from the beginning, so there was no difference from usual, but the internal atmosphere was clearly different.

The sternness and silence could be felt even beyond the walls, and the aura emitted by the masters inside was so strong that his skin tingled.

‘Today’s the day.’

Jin Cheon sensed that today was the day the Heavenly Evasion Divine Thief would steal something from the Shijiazhuang family.

And it did not take long to confirm that his premonition was correct.

“Guard the surroundings thoroughly! The Heavenly Evasion Divine Thief will appear tonight! Those who are negligent in their guard will not be forgiven by the Shijiazhuang family! I hope you all faithfully carry out your duties!”

When night fell, the martial artists of the Shijiazhuang family repeatedly urged the patrol teams that were circling the manor.

In addition to that, beggars of the Beggar’s Gang began to be deployed all around the Shijiazhuang family.

‘Well. The beggars of the Beggar’s Gang are good at movement arts.’

Most of the beggars of the Beggar’s Gang were not very skilled in martial arts.

In the first place, the Beggar’s Gang was a faction whose strength was its information network based on its overwhelming numbers rather than individual martial power.

However, such beggars of the Beggar’s Gang had one unique advantage: the average movement skill of each individual was considerably superior compared to other sects.

Although the movement art of the Beggar’s Gang was not the best in the world, since the average skill of the beggars was on the superior side, in a situation like this, they would have more advantages than the martial artists of other sects.

‘It’s terrible.’

The stench emanating from the bodies of the beggars of the Beggar’s Gang was truly extraordinary, so Jin Cheon had to experience his nose going numb every time they passed by.

About four hours after that.

‘When on earth will he appe…’

Boom! Boom!

KABOOM!

Out of nowhere, explosions echoed from inside the manor.

“……!”

The patrol teams and the beggars of the Beggar’s Gang who were guarding the area around the manor were startled and looked around.

The explosions did not occur in just one or two places.

Boom boom! Boom! Boom boom! Boom!

Kaboom! Boom! Boom boom boom!

It was unknown in how many places and how much explosive had been installed, but explosions continuously erupted from inside the manor.

Was that all?

It was already a deep night with no moonlight, and visibility was limited, but with the addition of a thick, hazy smoke, it was impossible to see even an inch ahead.

To what extent was it that the white smoke that flowed out from inside the manor seeped out and even obscured the vision of the patrol teams circling the outside?

Soon, all sorts of shouts began to be heard from inside the manor.

“It’s the Heavenly Evasion Divine Thief! The Heavenly Evasion Divine Thief is over there!”

“Chase him!”

Rumble rumble rumble!

The sound of hundreds of martial artists inside the manor moving all at once was heard.

‘Where is he.’

In the limited visibility, Jin Cheon maximized his qi sense and five senses to survey the situation inside the manor.

For a master who had reached Jin Cheon’s level, it was possible to see, hear, and feel the surrounding situation using only qi sense and the five senses.

Just as he was expanding his qi sense and five senses to their limits to survey the situation inside the manor beyond the wall.

‘This is.’

Jin Cheon frowned at the demonic qi he felt from inside the manor.

That demonic qi was so faint that only Jin Cheon with his Heavenly Demon’s Physique could feel it, but its characteristics were very peculiar.

‘Such a stealthy demonic qi. If it weren’t for the Heavenly Demon’s Physique, I wouldn’t have even noticed it.’

Soon, that demonic qi was visualized in Jin Cheon’s mind.

That demonic qi was… truly diverse.

It seemed to contain all the colors that exist in the world, but it felt like an illusion that had no form.

A very peculiar demonic qi with the nature of a thousand, no, a myriad of changes.

‘To think the Heavenly Evasion Divine Thief was also a practitioner of demonic arts.’

Jin Cheon did not doubt that the person with that demonic qi was the Heavenly Evasion Divine Thief.

The Heavenly Evasion Divine Thief was a person known to possess the greatest disguise art in the world.

The nature of the demonic qi he was feeling now was a perfect match for the disguise art.

That meant…

‘There he is!’

Jin Cheon leaped towards the place where he felt the demonic qi of the Heavenly Evasion Divine Thief.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep