Beggars' Sect Xi'an Branch, Third Sub-Branch.

As Jin Sowoon looked around the inside of the den built beneath Cheongmyeong Bridge, he let out a small sound of admiration.

"Why are a bunch of beggar bastards living so damn nicely?"

Samcheol trembled and forced down his rage.

If he'd had even the slightest justification to begin with, he would not have felt this humiliated.

If not for that bastard Osam kneeling over there with a look on his face that said he had no idea what was going on, he would have beaten Jin Sowoon to a pulp on the spot.

"Hey, you've got a guest. Don't you have anything?"

... Endure it. Endure.

Among those who came to the Beggars' Sect to buy information, none came empty-handed.

They were customers with the ability to pay, but the Beggars' Sect, which sold information, was still made up of beggars.

Most guests prepared in advance what they themselves would eat and what they would offer the beggars, so from the Beggars' Sect's position, there was no way they would separately have tea or the like ready for receiving guests.

But the eyes staring at him were so sharp that he felt as if he had to bring out something, anything.

"Ahem. Would you care for some water, at least?"

Samcheol forced a smile and tried to play host, but Jin Sowoon let out a long sigh.

"Ugh, what was I expecting from beggars? Just bring the item already."

No, if you knew we were beggars, why did you ask in the first place...!

Samcheol clenched his fist so hard his palm nearly bled, then signaled another beggar, and soon the beggar brought over a small box.

Samcheol carefully opened the box and held it out toward Jin Sowoon as he spoke.

"This is it."

The moment Jin Sowoon tried to put his hand on the box.

Samcheol snapped the lid shut.

"... What the hell?"

Jin Sowoon's gaze sharpened at once.

While Samcheol glared right back at Jin Sowoon without backing down.

'I'm going to piss myself.'

Only Osam, kneeling beside them, felt like he was dying under the pressure of the two men.

"Young Hero Jin, think carefully. If you take this, any further cooperation with the Beggars' Sect will be off the table."

"... What kind of bullshit are you trying to say?"

"Of course, there are parts where we were at fault. But since it arose from a misunderstanding between both sides, I am saying that without some consideration, future cooperation will also be difficult."

"A beggar bastard is using big words. Say it simply."

At Jin Sowoon's sneer, a vein briefly stood out on Samcheol's forehead, but he soon regained his composure.

"I am saying that even if this matter ends here, the Beggars' Sect has many eyes, and we will be certain to remember this."

Even if the fault lay with his side, no, precisely because they were at fault, he had to speak even more confidently.

They could not pay a price every single time they made a mistake like this.

He could not be pushed back in momentum.

But Jin Sowoon merely snorted.

"Are you threatening me?"

"I am telling you to think again. About a path that benefits both sides."

No matter how insane that bastard was, he could not back down here.

No, because the bastard was insane, he did not know what he might demand later, so he absolutely could not let the first button be fastened wrong...!

Whether he knew Samcheol's desperate feelings or not, Jin Sowoon grumbled.

"You're shameless bastards, all right. You're the ones who did wrong, and now you're threatening the other side."

"Such are the rules of Jianghu, are they not?"

The strong do not accept losses.

The side that always accepts losses is the weak.

That is why every sect stakes its life on yearning to become strong.

In that regard, Samcheol meant to seize the upper hand by pointing out that between the Taiyi Sect and the Beggars' Sect, the strong one was the Beggars' Sect.

"I know. I know very well."

So some common sense still gets through to him.

Samcheol felt inwardly relieved.

"What will you do? Will you truly accept it?"

It would be unbearably unfair to Jin Sowoon now, but if the Taiyi Sect wished to receive the Beggars' Sect's help at any point in the future, he would have to show that he was backing down here.

Even the Nine Sects and Five Great Noble Clans always take one step back before the Beggars' Sect.

Because doing so will help their sects in the future.

However.

"Since I understand perfectly..."

"...?"

An annoyed look appeared on Jin Sowoon's face.

"Move your hand. This is mine now."

"..."

Samcheol could only let his mouth fall open.

'He's staking his sect's future on a single treasure map?'

Of course, if it were an extraordinary treasure map, it would be worth doing so.

But this was nothing more than a map made by the Beggars' Sect.

There might be a spiritual elixir there, but the chance that there was none was high.

Furthermore, even if there was nothing there, he could not hold anyone responsible for that.

'More importantly, he won't even be able to enter Cheondong Cave in the first place.'

To stake his sect's future on a mere scrap of paper like that.

He had heard many rumors that the Black Flame Dragon was insane, but he had never imagined that he would be this utterly reckless.

While Samcheol was shocked, Jin Sowoon tapped the box.

"An intelligence organization, you see, needs to know how to look at the bigger picture. The ability to see the distant future and its possibilities and invest in someone while their influence is still small. Pursuing profit over pride, and focusing on newly emerging powers rather than already established powers—that is the essence of an intelligence organization."

The small box creaked in his hand.

"Those who have become completely stagnant and are busy doing nothing but protecting vested interests have essentially lost their nature as an intelligence organization."

Soon, Jin Sowoon seized the map and pulled it out.

"And an intelligence organization that has lost that so-called essence? I don't need one from my side, either."

"..."

The box was left empty.

As Samcheol stared blankly down at it, Jin Sowoon's words left him unable to collect himself.

Every single word he had uttered had pierced through everything currently wrong with the Beggars' Sect.

A reckless fool who ran wild without fearing the heavens? An insane bastard with no sense of consequences?

'I thought wrong!'

The Black Flame Dragon was not someone who spoke and acted however he pleased.

In the words he tossed out so casually, deep schemes and far-reaching considerations were embedded.

Osam had started the quarrel, but Jin Sowoon had been the one to enlarge the fight.

When he thought that even the attempt to clash with him in earnest might have had some intent behind it, goosebumps rose all over his body.

'A bastard who has only just passed twenty...'

As if he no longer had any interest in Samcheol, Jin Sowoon rose from his seat and nudged Osam with his foot.

"Hey, you..."

"Yes."

Then he stared fixedly at Osam's face.

"There was something I was curious about earlier."

Samcheol, who had been dazed, unconsciously focused on Jin Sowoon's words.

Just what profound question was he going to ask...

"If your name is Osam, were you born fifth, or were you born third?"

Huh?

What was he suddenly talking about...

"Can't you hear me?"

"... Pardon?"

"I asked if you were fifth or third."

"T-Third. The 'O' in my name is the character for bright."

"Tsk. Why give you such a confusing name?"

THWACK!

Jin Sowoon smacked Osam on the head once, then left the den.

What the hell was that...

Samcheol could not wipe the dumbfounded look from his face.

Had he seen wrong?

Was he simply an insane bastard after all...?

Samcheol had thought from the beginning that he could not understand Jin Sowoon, but now he felt he understood him even less.

#

"Senior Brother, are you all right?"

At Saryeon's concern, who had kept her mouth tightly shut the whole time inside the den, Jin Sowoon tilted his head.

"About what?"

"The Beggars' Sect. It isn't a place we can antagonize this lightly."

The strength of the Beggars' Sect lay in its countless eyes, ears, and mouths.

Once their mouths began to speak, even a chivalrous hero could become a murderer, and without their eyes and ears, one could not navigate the complex difficulties of Jianghu.

Was there not even a saying that one should make enemies of all the Nine Sects and Five Great Noble Clans before making enemies of the Beggars' Sect?

She was inwardly pleased that the name of the Taiyi Sect had not bowed before the overbearing authority of the Beggars' Sect, but she could not help worrying about what would follow.

Moreover, the Taiyi Sect was expanding into the surrounding cities while growing the Daecheon Merchant Group.

Who knew what disadvantages might come later?

And yet, how could Eldest Senior Brother...

Saryeon's mouth grew drier and drier.

"I heard that when planning anything in Jianghu, the Beggars' Sect is essential. From great problems to minor ones, I heard that nothing can be solved without their help. Is it truly all right to do this...?"

The Taiyi Sect still had a long way to go.

No, not only the Taiyi Sect, but Jin Sowoon himself had a high mountain to climb.

For Jin Sowoon to soar high, the Beggars' Sect's help might be more desperately needed than the Taiyi Sect's.

But Jin Sowoon, the one who ought to be worrying about his own future, was utterly calm.

"Don't worry. Even without those beggars, there won't be any problem at all with the Taiyi Sect moving forward."

"No, that isn't what I mean..."

Saryeon looked at Eunho.

Even if the others did not, would the clever Eunho not know the importance of the Beggars' Sect well?

"Eunho. Shouldn't you stop him?"

"Don't worry."

"Hm?"

Eunho pointed at Jin Sowoon, who had already become absorbed in looking around the street, and spoke.

"Eldest Senior Brother is a madman, but he isn't the kind of person who would do something like that without preparation."

When even Eunho, said to be the cleverest in the Taiyi Sect, showed such a relaxed attitude, Saryeon's doubts only grew, but she had no choice but to keep her mouth shut.

"Ohh, I want to try that too!"

"..."

... She was almost starting to think that worrying about Eldest Senior Brother only put her at a loss.

"Let's find lodging first, Eldest Senior Brother."

The streets of Xi'an were packed with crowds.

In addition to people entering guest houses only to come back out because there were no seats, there were also people stamping their feet because they could not find lodging right away.

At times like this, what one needed was information from the beggars of that town.

Beggars shared information in real time on which guest houses and lodgings were full, and made money from it.

But perhaps because the incident at the den had already spread, even the beggars who had been soliciting customers did not approach Jin Sowoon's group and only glared at them.

Saryeon's worry rose again.

"Phew... This is what I was worried about."

But not only Jin Sowoon, even all of the Geum-eun-dong Brothers were completely relaxed.

Just when she was about to sigh out of frustration.

"Senior Sister."

Eunho grinned and tapped her shoulder.

"Watch."

"Watch what?"

Soon, Eunho gestured with his eyes toward Jin Sowoon.

In the meantime, Jin Sowoon took a black token about the size of two fingers from inside his robes and hung it from his sword's pommel.

And not long after.

"Excuse me."

Some waiter approached Jin Sowoon's group.

"You are Great Warrior Jin Sowoon, correct?"

"I am."

"Your lodging has been prepared. I will guide you."

"Thank you."

"Not at all."

At the sudden turn of events, Saryeon was left speechless.

Xi'an was not even a place he had often visited before, yet as if someone had been waiting, a waiter had appeared and offered to guide them.

On top of that, the place the waiter guided them to was a fairly large guest house, even among guest houses.

As if it were popular, the inside of the guest house was already so crowded that there was not even room to set foot.

"This way."

But the waiter passed through the guest house and guided the group to the back.

There, they arrived at a separate annex with a small pond attached.

"Shall I prepare a meal first? Or shall I prepare bathwater first?"

"Everyone seems hungry, so prepare food first."

"Understood."

The waiter bowed so deeply his back nearly folded, then left.

Saryeon could not make sense of the current situation.

"What on earth is going on?"

Unlike her, who was utterly bewildered, Eunho smiled with satisfaction.

"Eldest Senior Brother has a close relationship with the Hao Sect."

"A close relationship?"

"Yes. As a 'Guest.'"

Saryeon's mouth fell open.

A "Guest" of the Hao Sect.

No, did that even actually exist in the first place...?

And Eldest Senior Brother had that qualification?

'What on earth is he?'

While Saryeon mulled over her unidentified Eldest Senior Brother, the excited Eunho approached Jin Sowoon.

"Eldest Senior Brother, we could have gotten a small lodging, but you deliberately got an annex because you had the profound intention of letting us fully enjoy the feeling of a vacation, right?"

"Hm?"

Jin Sowoon stopped taking things out of his bundle and looked at Eunho.

"What are you talking about?"

"Pardon? Then why did you specifically come to an annex..."

"Hup!"

Before Jin Sowoon answered, he pulled iron rings out of his bundle.

No, why are you taking those out here again...?

"Because if we train in a guest room, we'll trouble other people."

"..."

"If it's an annex, no matter what sounds come out, there won't be much of a problem."

You clearly said we were only going to train until we reached Xi'an!

Did you trick us again!

Their dissatisfaction surged like an active volcano, but afraid that even more iron rings might be added, the four of them kept their mouths tightly shut.

#

Leaving behind my useless juniors, who had flopped onto their backs saying they could not move another inch, I came out onto the streets of Xi'an, and even though the sun had set, the streets were packed with people.

'More have gathered than was recorded.'

It seemed an even greater crowd had gathered than what had been written in the reports of the Murim Alliance's Xi'an Branch in my previous life.

Well, there would have been no need to include useless details in a report in the first place.

Those who had gathered after catching scent of the Five-Spirit Immortal Flower Milk, which appeared in Xi'an once every sixty years and was now appearing for the fourth time.

Because of those who had gathered to seize the Five-Spirit Immortal Flower Milk that would appear for the fourth time, a tenser air than ever hung over Xi'an.

'There are unusually many.'

In particular, there were many disciples of the Zhongnan Sect, who should not have been seen in winter.

The disciples of the Zhongnan Sect were each leading people who appeared to be from lay sects as they strode through the streets.

As if showing who the master of Shaanxi was.

Just then.

"What?! What did you just say?"

A loud voice suddenly rang out from the street.

Passersby began turning their heads one by one, and some even wore expectant looks, wondering if a fight had broken out.

"I believe making the disciples patrol all night like this is a meaningless waste of stamina. Rather, if we rest a little and then near Cheondong Cave..."

SMACK!

With a sharp sound, the head of the one who had raised the objection snapped to the side.

"Impudent bastard."

Though the one who struck and the one who was struck were clearly wearing different martial uniforms, the one who was struck did not put up the resistance he naturally ought to have.

Looking at it, I could see exactly what this was.

"How dare someone from a mere lay sect flap his mouth so impudently!"

"..."

"You lot need only do as we tell you! Don't try to use your worthless heads!"

Tsk, of course. They really are masters at dividing people by rank.

The old man who had slapped him whirled around and walked away, and the group briefly looked at the one who had been struck before soon following the old man.

But.

'Why does he look familiar?'

As I stared at the struck man's profile, he turned his head, and our eyes met.

"Hm?"

He was none other than Cheol Sunjik.

"Tsk."

I was about to acknowledge him, but hurriedly lowered my hand.

Since I did not know how much influence Zhongnan had over the Jukhyeon Gang, the sight was nothing short of surprising to me.

At least the Cheol Sunjik I knew was not someone who would fully accept such treatment.

'But he probably can't help it either.'

If he acted according to his feelings, others would suffer harm.

Because Cheol Sunjik cherished his sect above all else, he likely had no choice but to endure that position.

I turned my head as if I had not seen anything as much as possible and began walking through the streets again.

Around the time I was familiarizing myself with the faces of those I needed to be careful of inside Cheondong Cave and recording each of them in my mind.

"Hm?"

Cheol Sunjik, whom I had passed earlier, was somehow standing before me again.

"..."

Considering what had happened earlier and the fact that neither of us was particularly in the mood to get into a scuffle, I was about to simply pass by him.

Cheol Sunjik asked in a low voice.

"Representative Jin."

"Have you decided to call me 'Representative Jin' again now?"

I tried to pretend we had just met, as though nothing had happened.

"... You saw it just now, didn't you?"

Tsk. Did he come all this way just to ask that?

I answered as calmly as possible.

"I didn't see it."

"... I did not even ask what you saw."

Damn it, I shouldn't have seen that scene.

"If I say I saw it, will anything change?"

Cheol Sunjik's present was no different from my past.

That discomfort was the biggest reason I had avoided that place earlier.

Cheol Sunjik's current appearance brought my past to mind.

When I lowered my gaze, both of his clenched fists were trembling faintly.

It could not be only because of the cold wind.

"Do I look pitiful to you? Or do I look ridiculous?"

Each time he spoke in the freezing winter weather, white breath puffed out.

And Cheol Sunjik's eyes, colder still, seemed deeper than ever before.

I looked at him for a moment, then shook my head.

"You look neither."

"..."

Because I knew what feelings he had endured with, and because I knew what mindset he must have had.

I spoke while understanding that state of mind.

"You just look like someone who almost tripped over a stone for a moment."

Cheol Sunjik's eyes shook greatly for an instant.

"Representative Jin, you truly..."

After hesitating for a long while, he opened his mouth again.

"Did you come to find the Five-Spirit Immortal Flower Milk?"

As someone who lived in Hefei, it would have been ridiculous for me to claim I had come to Xi'an for some other reason, so I spoke honestly.

"Why else would I have come to Xi'an?"

"Then it would be best if you simply turned back."

"...?"

Cheol Sunjik continued calmly.

"The Five-Spirit Immortal Flower Milk is an item whose owner has already been decided."