Chapter 78. The One Who Couldn’t Be an Ordinary Man (1)

Myeong-gae was twenty-two years old.

There was a time when I was diligently collecting information with the thought of becoming a three-knot beggar and becoming independent after the new year.

It was a time when a cold air had begun to circulate in the market as the start of winter approached.

“Myeong-gae, have you heard the story?”

A drinker who used to provide me with information, known by another name as a gossip, a certain Mr. Gwak, started the conversation with a suggestive voice.

Even though they knew that I was not a mind reader, they always started the conversation in that way.

“Do you have good news?”

Nevertheless, the people that the members of the Beggar’s Gang liked the most were these people called gossips.

If you became close to them, there were many good things in many ways, and it could be said that it was because of the disposition that gossips usually had.

The first reason was that gossips were generally people who wandered around looking for a listener to tell their stories, so they willingly gave food and drink to the members of the Beggar’s Gang who listened attentively to their stories.

A more important fact than that was that the stories that gossips collected and spread just for fun often became blood and flesh from the perspective of the members of the Beggar’s Gang.

Gossips and members of the Beggar’s Gang.

It was a combination of those who wanted to speak and those who wanted to listen, so it could be said to be a classic example of mutual help.

But today’s Mr. Gwak was quite different from the past.

“Hmm- it’s a bit of a waste to tell you for free, isn’t it?”

Mr. Gwak grinned with a look more full of confidence than usual.

The bonus was that the man who should have been dying to speak was instead keeping his mouth shut.

“Hoh?”

Wasn’t it the duty of a member of the Beggar’s Gang to dig into it when something noteworthy happened?

“Ahem.”

“Hoooh?”

“Ahe-hem.”

At my reaction, Mr. Gwak shrugged his shoulders and swaggered.

His lips were twitching constantly, as if he wanted to speak quickly.

In fact, I was a competent beggar and Mr. Gwak was a skilled gossip, so we both knew what it meant.

The fact that the gossip, Mr. Gwak, was stalling meant that this story was not just a simple rumor of gossips but was quite valuable information.

Since a highly developed gossip was difficult to distinguish from an information dealer, there was a high probability that it was information of great value.

“Mr. Gwak, who am I? Am I not Myeong-gae, the conscience of the Beggar’s Gang?”

“That’s right. I brought up the story because it was you, Myeong-gae.”

“Wait a moment.”

After saying that, I turned my back on Mr. Gwak.

Rummage, rummage.

Since I was a beggar with a conscience, I took out the rice ball I had hidden in my pants to pay for the information.

Thanks to the warmth of my pants, it was a top-quality rice ball that still held a warm steamy aura.

It also contained finely minced meat pieces, so it would not be an exaggeration to call it a super-premium product.

With great determination, I held it out to Mr. Gwak.

“I will give you this. It is my treasure.”

Mr. Gwak, who could not hide the trembling of his pupils at my confident appearance…….

“……I’ll just tell you.”

It seemed he had decided to bestow a favor upon me.

“Thank you.”

As expected, the gossip, Mr. Gwak, was a good person.

Mr. Gwak, who had brought his face close as if to whisper in my ear, muttered, ‘Ugh, the smell,’ and opened his mouth after putting some distance between us.

“There’s a rumor that a demonic head has appeared in the Central Plains.”

“Aish.”

My excitement deflated.

Unlike Mr. Gwak’s confidence, the information was not nutritious.

Wasn’t the Jianghu Murim a place where demonic heads and public enemies of the Murim appeared every other day?

“Hey, Myeong-gae. Are you treating me, Gwak Mo, as just any other gossip?”

“The information isn’t tasty.”

“What if that demonic head is a Divine Demon of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult?”

“It’s delicious. Hurry up and give me more information. As expected, Mr. Gwak is the best.”

A smile spread across Mr. Gwak’s face at my sharp reaction, which included a thumbs-up.

“You see, that is…….”

Thanks to Mr. Gwak, who unraveled his story with all his heart and soul, as befitting the foundation of a gossip, I was able to obtain high-quality information.

It was the best harvest in recent times.

With this much information, I would be able to puff out my chest about twice in front of the old man Chwipung-gae, so it could be said to be truly satisfying.

“It’s not right to snatch such precious information for free. Take this.”

“It’s fine.”

Mr. Gwak did not accept the steamy, warm rice ball that came out of my pants in the end, so it could be said to be a true model of gossip.

Anyway…….

I returned to Chwipung-gae’s shack to report that I had obtained high-quality information and to boast a little.

[I’ll be out for a while.]

But I couldn’t boast.

The reason was that Chwipung-gae, who had not left his post for a single time in the past two years, had left his post leaving only a single letter behind.

“Where did this old man go?”

Chwipung-gae, who I thought would return soon, did not return even after a month had passed.

***

After a long time had passed, the season had changed and the year had turned over.

“Have you been well?”

Chwipung-gae had returned.

Along with a haggard complexion, which was unlike him.

His expression was like a gambler who had lost all his stakes, and also like an enlightened high monk.

“Did something happen?”

I suppressed the information dealer’s characteristic desire to dig in detail and asked Chwipung-gae, pretending to be indifferent.

“Nothing, you rascal.”

There was something.

It just seemed that it wasn’t the time to tell me yet.

The years I had spent with Chwipung-gae had made me realize that fact for myself.

While Chwipung-gae was away, I had risen to three knots and become a proper beggar, so it was also thanks to having shed my naive appearance.

Chwipung-gae, who had been looking at the sky silently for a moment…….

“I must become an elder.”

He said so out of the blue.

A short while later, Chwipung-gae tied seven knots around his waist and became an elder.

The appearance of Chwipung-gae, who had risen to the position that all beggars desired, did not look happy.

***

“You’ll grant my wish?”

“That’s what I said.”

Chwipung-gae asked me, not hiding his mischievous expression.

Although it was a truly natural act, I knew that that expression was something Chwipung-gae had intentionally created.

“So. Young master, what do you think my wish is?”

I could guess Chwipung-gae’s thoughts.

The reason was that Chwipung-gae’s secret was not well known even within the Beggar’s Gang.

He was convinced that there was no way I could know something so secret.

Perhaps he was evaluating me as a short-sighted young master of a prestigious family who thought that beggars would move for money.

I was sorry, but this time, Chwipung-gae was wrong.

The reason was that I truly knew the secret he had hidden deep in his heart.

“Yin Blood Divine Demon.”

Flinch.

As soon as my mouth opened, Chwipung-gae’s mischievously crumpled expression hardened frighteningly.

The reason was that the existence of the Yin Blood Divine Demon held such a great meaning to Chwipung-gae that the veteran Chwipung-gae could not hide his expression.

-You rascal, what are you doing revealing all your cards when you make a living handling information? In general, controlling one’s expression is the core of a member of the Beggar’s Gang.

It could be said that the destructive power of the card I had played was so strong that Chwipung-gae, who had given me such a lesson in my past life, could not keep it himself.

Since negotiation was about momentum, I continued without giving Chwipung-gae a chance to collect his thoughts.

“I will catch him for you.”

I could see Chwipung-gae’s head nodding slightly, his pupils trembling as if he had been caught in an illusion.

It was not an action ordered by his reason, but his instinct had made his head move on its own.

“Would you prefer him killed or captured alive?”

At my repeated question, confusion filled Chwipung-gae’s expression.

“I will do as you wish.”

But he was a beggar among beggars, so he soon composed himself and asked a question.

“……Is it true?”

It was a question like a sigh, as if he had barely managed to squeeze it out of his lungs.

“Why would I joke about it?”

“…….”

Chwipung-gae began to think seriously without even answering.

Since I could already guess the answer he would give, I also remained silent.

Since I had to repay the great favor I had received from my master in my past life.

Unlike the last timeline, the Yin Blood Divine Demon would not be able to return to Xinjiang safely.

Since Singija’s Murim Alliance Special Operations Unit was already tracking him, the Yin Blood Divine Demon would not be able to escape.

***

Many people say that alcohol is the root of all evil.

The reason is that not only does excessive drinking harm one’s health, but it is also the main culprit of all sorts of incidents and accidents.

When looking at the frequency of incidents and accidents in the Jianghu Murim, isn’t the reason why taverns and inns are always at the top of the list because of that damned alcohol?

Especially for the martial artists of the Jianghu Murim, alcohol could be said to be dangerous.

The common people of the market may get into a squabble with heightened emotions after drinking, and it would end with some scuffling and a few bruises on their faces, but for martial artists who always carry weapons and have learned lethal martial arts, a fight at a drinking party meant a life-and-death battle.

At the Peak Realm, one could discharge the alcohol’s poison by operating their internal energy and prevent the harm of alcohol, but were Peak masters a common existence?

Anyway.

Although the root of all evil was alcohol, it was not that alcohol only had bad points.

Wasn’t there a reason why that demon called alcohol had continued its history unbroken?

Slurp- Gulp.

“Kyah-”

“Is it good?”

I asked the seven-knot elder Chwipung-gae, who was drinking the low-quality rice wine as if it were a rare delicacy.

“Where else can a beggar find such pleasure?”

Chwipung-gae’s words were right, so there was nothing better than alcohol to make one forget the hardships of a beggar’s life for a moment.

When I glanced at Chwipung-gae, his face was flushed.

Since he was deliberately not discharging the alcohol’s poison, I knew that he wanted to get drunk right now.

If so, now could be the right time.

“Old man, why did you become a beggar?”

“Are you curious about that?”

“I suppose so.”

Allowing one to attempt a heartfelt conversation by borrowing the courage of alcohol was also a utility of alcohol.

To dismiss alcohol as the root of all evil, there were times when one had to borrow the power of alcohol.

“Kekeke. You impudent fellow.”

There was sadness in the eyes of Chwipung-gae, who was laughing drunkenly.

That day was such a day.

It was the day when Chwipung-gae, who had adhered to a beggar-like life even after becoming a seven-knot elder, had uncharacteristically carried a jug of alcohol and visited Myeong-gae, a three-knot beggar who had long since become independent.

In a way, as befitting a beggar, it was only low-quality rice wine, but the amount could not be said to be an amount that could be obtained through begging.

“Shall I tell you an old story?”

Chwipung-gae, who had been giggling while drinking, opened his mouth.

It would be right to say that all of this was an opportunity created by alcohol.

“It would be a good side dish for the drink.”

Chwipung-gae just said it was an old story.

I also just took it as an old story.

Although both Chwipung-gae and I knew whose story it was, we didn’t mention it.

After all, only then could we speak a little more comfortably.

It was the way the scarred beggars shared each other’s pain.

“There was a man.”

The story, which began with a truly cliché opening, was a really ordinary story.

There was a man.

He, who had a talent for martial arts, met a connection and became a martial artist.

He grew through intense training and the experience of life-and-death battles.

Whether he was lucky or not, the man survived in the harsh Jianghu Murim and achieved an enviable accomplishment.

Before it was too late, he met a spouse with whom he could share his heart.

He settled down and started a happy family with his spouse.

A blessing came to the couple, and a child was born.

It was truly a common story of an ordinary man.

For reference, the ones that the members of the Beggar’s Gang envied the most were not the wealthy merchants of some town, or the masters of some martial clan.

It was precisely those ordinary men.

The reason was that if you lived the life of a beggar, you would realize that ordinariness was a great value.

Anyway, the story of a certain man sounded truly peaceful and heartwarming, as befitting an old story.

“When he returned from work, a scene from hell had unfolded.”

That was, until a major turning point came in the story.

On an ordinary day, when the man returned from work, the village had disappeared.

Since a village referred to the people living within its fences, it meant that all the members of the village had passed away.

He said that there was no way to describe the scene other than as a scene from hell.

The man headed to his house with a dazed expression.

There, his wife and child, who had always greeted him with a smile, were lying cold.

Although the man wailed and held his wife and child in his arms, he could no longer feel their warmth.

“What else could hell be? That must have been hell.”

As if representing the man’s cry, Chwipung-gae’s eyes, who was calmly telling the old story, were red.

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