Chapter 7
Cheongsa Sect had been in an increasingly violent turf war with Honggyo Sect lately—so much so that knife fights were becoming a regular occurrence. The two black-path sects were far from friendly.
For Honggyo Sect, the rumor that Cheongsa Sect had smuggled in a large quantity of poison bombs and hidden them away was a serious matter.
“That’s not something you can say lightly. Can you swear by it?”
Gu-Ak wasn’t agitated anymore. On the contrary, his tone had gone cold and composed, even grave.
In contrast, Yang-hwi replied with a light shrug.
“What, you want me to stake my life on it again?”
“…Just like last time. You sure are quick to gamble.”
“Well, that’s because I’m sure.”
The reason Yang-hwi knew about Cheongsa Sect’s secret vault was simple.
In his previous life, there had been an explosion—poison bombs had gone off, killing countless innocent villagers nearby.
It had happened the day after he was officially adopted into the family. Things were chaotic, and yet the event had been unforgettable.
‘The only reason the Honggyo Sect even discovered a Cheongsa Sect spy was because of the aftermath of that disaster.’
The explosion occurred right at the hideout where they had stashed their secret funds and prized weaponry.
Naturally, Cheongsa Sect was shaken, and in the resulting panic, one of their embedded spies inadvertently revealed themselves.
Eventually, the Honggyo Sect was wiped out in a bloody retaliation, and Cheongsa Sect took over the surrounding region—but that wasn’t important for now.
“There’s a run-down house on the outskirts of Akan-hyeon with a nameplate reading Shim Family Estate. A couple of beggars live there—or so it seems. They’re actually Cheongsa Sect’s operatives in disguise.”
“And your evidence that it’s their hideout?”
Yang-hwi quickly constructed a plausible explanation in his head.
“There was a beggar crew there, so I tried to spend the night. Got beaten and kicked out. Out of spite, I started watching them.”
“And?”
“They’re beggars, right? Yet they bathe every three days. Strange, isn’t it?”
“That’s all your proof?”
“Of course not. Suspicious, I kept tailing them. And then…”
“And then?”
“Later, I spotted one of them wearing a Cheongsa Sect martial robe in the marketplace.”
Gu-Ak raised an eyebrow.
“So you’re telling me your memory’s that good?”
“I can’t forget the details I pay close attention to. A curse of being a once-in-a-generation genius, I suppose.”
“I can’t just take your word for it.”
Gu-Ak left briefly, then returned from a nearby bookshop and tossed a book at Yang-hwi.
“I’ll give you one il-gak*. Memorize at least ten pages. Do that, and I’ll believe you.”
“An il-gak? How generous.”
Within half that time, Yang-hwi had read through more than half the book—and began to recite it word-for-word.
Amazingly, he didn’t miss a single syllable.
“…So it’s true.”
“As a proud heir of a righteous sect, I can’t exactly make a habit of lying, can I?”
“How did you know they had poison bombs?”
Yang-hwi answered without hesitation—though it was a lie.
“I remembered a strange smell from that place. Then later, while I was begging a passing Tang Family warrior, I caught a similar scent.”
The Tang Family—one of the Five Great Houses—was famous for its expertise in poison and covert weapons.
“A scent like the Tang Family, huh… Even if it’s not poison bombs, they’re definitely storing poison. And enough of it to stink up the place.”
That was enough circumstantial evidence for Gu-Ak to consider checking it out.
“little brother”
“Yes, Gu-hyung.”
“I’ll take 80%. You get 20%.”
“No honor among brothers, huh?”
“Then go check it out yourself.”
Gu-Ak wore a smug expression.
In his mind, handing over 80% of the credit to this young kid would’ve been excessive.
But—
Yang-hwi shot back instantly, as if expecting it.
“You think that’s the only thing I know?”
“….”
Logically, there was no way he’d know more than this.
And yet…
Two major secrets already spilled—things no one else could’ve known. There shouldn’t be anything left.
And yet… Yang Hwi’s confident attitude continued to gnaw at Gu-Ak.
‘Annoying brat aside, I can’t deny he’s sharp. He doesn’t even flinch at dealing with the black-path sects. If I bring him under my wing now, maybe I can make use of him later.’
With that thought, Gu-Ak decided to take a step back.
“Fine. We’ll split the credit evenly. I’ll be generous and show a little mercy to my dear junior.”
“Hmph. Since I hold Gu-hyung in high regard, I’ll consider it an act of brotherly courtesy to yield this once.”
…This little punk. He just refuses to lose, doesn’t he?
“Wait here.”
“Hey, Gu-hyung. Take me with you.”
“No can do. I’ll be using light-footwork techniques. You want me to carry you on my back?”
For a black-path warrior—who valued dignity more than the so-called righteous sects—carrying someone on their back was unthinkable.
“You don’t even know the layout of that place or the habits of those disguised beggars. Unless you take out two or three in one go with a surprise attack, the place will descend into chaos.”
“…”
And just like that, Yang-hwi turned the impossible into possible.
****
Thanks to turning Gu-Ak into his personal ride, Yang-hwi arrived near Shim family state quickly and comfortably.
As he said, three “beggars” were loitering inside the abandoned estate.
Yang-hwi leaned in and whispered into Gu-Ak’s ear.
“See that? It’s nearly dinnertime, the prime hour for panhandling—and yet, they’re not even out begging.”
“Suspicious, no doubt. We’ll wait for nightfall and ambush them then.”
But Yang-hwi immediately shook his head in protest.
“That won’t work. If I get home too late, Father will scold me.”
Gu-Ak was left speechless once again.
Does this brat even understand what a stealth operation is…?
“I have a plan. Just trust me.”
With full confidence, Yang-hwi began undressing and threw on the ragged clothes he’d brought.
‘Knew it’d come to this, so I made sure to get the right size when I donated to that beggar.’
He smeared dirt on his face. In seconds, he looked like an authentic street urchin.
“When I give the signal, you rush in and take them out.”
Then, Yang-hwi boldly approached a nearby house.
“Excuse me, mister. Do you have any food to spare?”
“Sorry, not today. We don’t have any leftovers.”
“Oh, that’s okay. I’m not here for charity. I’ll pay.”
He handed over a few coins and received a flat wooden bowl with some food.
Yang-hwi mixed the food haphazardly, sprinkled some dirt on top to make it look extra miserable, and marched straight toward Shim family State.
“Ahem! I’ve brought guests!”
Watching from behind, Gu-Ak instinctively covered his face with his hand.
He said he’d lure them out, not… humiliate himself like this.
‘Forget courage—this guy’s guts are so big he must’ve traded them with the Dragon King of the East Sea.’
“Guests incoming! Food delivery!”
Unaware of Gu-Ak’s inner monologue, Yang-hwi kept shouting to grab the beggars’ attention.
“Who the hell’s this beggar…?”
“Who are you?”
“Get lost, brat. Don’t bother us.”
Though they looked irritated, there was a nervous edge to their reactions.
Smiling slyly, Yang-hwi shouted again.
“What kind of beggar? I’m your junior! Heard there were beggars here who don’t even go out to beg, so I brought food myself! Let’s eat together!”
He held out the grimy bowl of food, prompting all three beggars to scowl in disgust.
“We’re not hungry. Get lost.”
“You’re not hungry, so you’re turning down food? Are you really beggars? A true beggar stuffs his belly whenever food appears, no questions asked.”
When Yang-hwi gave them a suspicious look, the three men’s faces turned cold and tense.
“You deaf or something? I said beat it.”
One of the beggars began to close the distance, clearly intending to drive Yang-hwi away by force.
But with his razor-sharp instincts, Yang-hwi could already gauge the man’s martial level.
‘Second-class realm. I don’t stand a chance in a straight fight… not yet.’
Still, he remained supremely confident.
After all, the man didn’t even see him as a threat—let alone an enemy. He was completely off guard.
In the martial world, there’s an old saying: Beware of women, the elderly, and children.
The true meaning? Never drop your guard.
“But hey, even a beggar deserves a—oh no!”
Pretending to trip over a stone, Yang-hwi spilled his bowl of food mid-sentence.
The man instinctively moved to avoid the mess, his vision momentarily obscured.
That was the opening.
With all the momentum of a tumbling fall, Yang-hwi stepped forward, planted his foot firmly on the ground—
Thud!
He had no internal energy. But what he lacked in strength, he made up for in precise movement.
The power surged from his foot through his waist, amplified along his frame, and shot out with no loss through his palm.
Smack!
That single palm—delivered by a boy barely trained—struck the jaw of a second-class martial artist.
“Ugh…”
‘Welcome to the martial world, punk. Drop your guard, and even a random civilian can kill you.’
The man collapsed unconscious. Just as the other two beggars scrambled up in alarm—
Gu-Ak, now in disguise with a cloth mask, leapt out of hiding and knocked both men out cold.
‘Nice. That’s what a first-class expert should look like against second-rates.’
While Yang-hwi was thinking that Gu-Ak was actually pretty capable, the man turned to speak.
“little brother… I’m impressed.”
“Where’d the mask come from?”
“Any self-respecting black-path warrior carries one at all times. But when you said only one would go down… this is what you meant, huh?”
There was genuine admiration in Gu-Ak’s eyes.
“Your movements were efficient. Where did you learn your martial arts?”
“If a kid wants to survive among beggars, he better have a trick or two. I picked up techniques from watching people here and there.”
“…Incredible talent. So that’s why the Baek Family Head took you in as an adopted son.”
“It’s not Baek Family Head—it’s Master. Anyway, let’s start searching the place.”
“Right. We’d better move fast. I’m sure they’ve got a lookout watching this estate from afar.”
Even within the estate, finding the hidden stash didn’t take long.
Gu-Ak, true to his black-path roots, smashed and tore through the interior without hesitation.
Before even half an hour had passed, they uncovered a trove of gold ingots, throwing weapons, and a large box filled with poison bombs.
“This… This is a lot.”
Just the gold alone could be worth over 10,000 nyang. Gu-Ak’s face darkened.
“There’s no way Cheongsa Sect can store this much wealth in a secondary hideout—not without support from the main base.”
Yang-hwi was wondering the same. But even with memories of his past life, he had no answer.
“Well, does it matter? What’s important is… it’s ours now.”
“We can’t carry all of it. What a shame.”
“You’re carrying me, so we’ll have to settle for the gold and poison bombs.”
“Honestly, with this much treasure, I’m starting to think carrying you might be a waste.”
Gu-Ak chuckled as he looked at Yang-hwi.
“Well, the lookout probably just saw a street urchin wandering into the estate. And I was masked when I moved in.”
Yang-hwi smiled back and locked eyes with him.
“So what’ll it be? You leaving me behind so you can run off with all the treasure?”
Gu-Ak hesitated briefly—then sighed and shook his head.
“We’ll just take the gold and the bombs.”
Which meant he’d be carrying Yang-hwi back.
‘Knew it. He’s not completely heartless.’
With a smug grin, Yang-hwi scooped up the gold and grabbed the box of poison bombs before hopping onto Gu-Ak’s back.
Together, they made their way back toward the Baek family estate.
****
“We agreed to split the spoils fifty-fifty, but I think it’s only right you take all the poison bombs, Gu-hyung.”
“I never intended to hand something that dangerous to you anyway.”
“Then let’s split it—gold for me, poison bombs for you.”
“If we count value, the bombs probably aren’t worth half.”
“Come on, be generous. You know how rare poison bombs are.”
Gu-Ak suddenly had the urge to smack that smug little mouth of his. It was annoying how he was technically right.
“Haa… Fine.”
Grumbling, Gu-Ak grabbed the poison bomb box and leapt away without another word.
‘Not even a goodbye? Fine. I’ll teach him manners later.’
With gold tucked safely in his robes, Yang-hwi strode proudly through the gates of the Baek estate.
Just then, Baek Mu-ryang, who had been pacing in the courtyard, whipped his head toward the entrance.
“Father! I’ve returned—uh…”
One look at his father’s face, and Yang-hwi knew he was in trouble.
Baek Mu-ryang was furious.
“Baek Yang-hwi! Where in the world have you been at this hour?!”
‘Oh crap. When Father gets mad, he lectures for at least two whole hours…’
Yang-hwi quickly racked his brain for a solution—until he realized there was a very simple one.
“Father! I made money!”
“You even dragged along Gu-Ak as a bodyguard! After all that, you think—wait, you said… money…?”
The moment Baek Mu-ryang laid eyes on the stack of gold, the fury vanished from his face.
It was impossible to stay angry with that much wealth staring him in the face.
“What exactly… did you do?”
To that, Yang-hwi responded with a cheeky grin.
[TL: il-gak- It means 'a short amount of time' often about 15 minutes in classical usage, but in modern Korean, it's just understood as a "short while."]
---The End Of The Chapter---
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