Chapter 380: Chapter 380

“The Golden Lion… of course I know him well. Hahaha.”

Namgung Cheon burst into laughter.

How many years had it been since he heard that name?

Golden Lion Mu Cheon-pung.

One who was neither orthodox, nor unorthodox, nor even demonic, nor from the outer realms.

He walked neutrality and was strong, but the purpose he originally held lay not in standing above others through martial arts, but in gathering gold and money.

Weighing it, his actions were not without aspects similar to Geum Wang-su, but if there was a difference, it lay in that the Golden Lion did not steal, whereas Geum Wang-su was one who eked out a living by stealing.

“Doesn’t steal? He ended up like that after robbing the Imperial Court, though?”

“Ah, I have also heard of that. When that fact became known, people were quite surprised. Geum Wang-su is originally a thief, but the Golden Lion had never stolen until then, and was famous for legally acquiring gold.”

“Such a fellow committed theft?”

Dan Woo-hyun looked at Namgung Cheon and asked.

However, Namgung Cheon also did not know the detailed inside story of why he did such a thing. Even though they were both of the Five Emperors, he was a person with whom he had no interaction.

Because just seeing his face a few times was all, indeed.

“I do not know in detail either… but it is indeed a strange event. Why did he rob the Imperial Court?”

“Anyway, they say that fellow might be in Hunan.”

Even if he groaned over what had no answer and thought about it, it would only give him a headache. Therefore, Dan Woo-hyun brushed it off as nothing and thought.

Where would he be?

Wasn’t it quite curious?

Of course, he had no interest in the likes of the Golden Lion.

“Are you interested?”

“I am not uninterested.”

“…Are you interested in the Golden Lion?”

“…….”

Dan Woo-hyun did not say anything.

Looking at him, everyone including Namgung So-hye let out a sigh. Seeing this, he had not even a shred of interest in the likes of the Golden Lion, and seemed interested solely in the treasure and money he possessed.

‘Please let him not appear in front of my eyes…’

‘How pitiful would he be if it’s snatched away…? Having guarded it for as long as twenty years.’

Each worried about the Golden Lion in their heads.

In whatever way, the moment he clashed with Dan Woo-hyun.

Because his life would be no different from finished.

“In any case, Hunan province is not narrow, so give up on searching. Even if you find him, would he easily hand over what he has hidden for twenty years?”

“I did not say I would snatch anything, though?”

“No… well, I mean so.”

Looking at Dan Woo-hyun who spoke otherwise while showing eyes that looked full of intent to snatch, Namgung Cheon also was speechless.

But even if he hid a tremendous treasure, where would he hand it over easily, and how would they discover him in this vast land of Hunan?

The Golden Lion was extraordinary at hiding, if nothing else.

To the extent that even the Hao Sect had never confirmed his traces even once. Since the Beggars’ Sect was also the same, no matter how great Dan Woo-hyun was, finding the Golden Lion would not be that easy of a task.

But Dan Woo-hyun looked like someone who had some plan.

Seeing him let out a grin, a sense of anxiety arose for no reason.

“So-mi.”

“Yes?”

He called Dan So-mi.

Dan So-mi, who was playing while holding both hands by Namgung So-hye’s side, ran rapidly toward Dan Woo-hyun. Soon, wearing a bright smile, she clung to his leg.

It was like looking at a cicada.

“Let’s play a fun game.”

“Yes! I am fine with anything!”

Dan So-mi leaped up and down, welcoming it enthusiastically. She had an expression as if she was highly excited to play with Dan Woo-hyun after a long time.

“What kind is it?”

“It is to see who finds a person with a beard like a lion’s mane first over a few days.”

“Yes? Is that all it takes?”

“Yes, if you win, I will buy you one thing you want to have.”

“Alright! I will surely win!”

“Haha, I will look forward to it.”

Those listening to the conversation of the two wore dumbfounded expressions. The gazes quietly looking at Dan Woo-hyun were not good.

‘Tr… Trash…’

To utilize his daughter to obtain what he wants?

It was something normally unthinkable.

Watching that, Namgung So-hye pinched the bridge of her nose.

“Even so, even if it is So-mi, she won’t find him easily…”

Gwon Mu-jin muttered.

Hunan province was vast, and the Golden Lion’s movements were considerably rapid. How on earth could they find someone whose approximate hiding place they did not even know?

Considering even the point that he might have shaved his beard, it was not deemed that good of a bet.

“We will know if we watch.”

Ma Jang-gang let out a laugh with an absurd expression and shook his head.

* * *

“Haa, I’m hungry!”

Golden Lion Mu Cheon-pung.

He lay down in the mountains and looked at the sky. His neatly lined pure white beard swept the ground in disarray. To the extent that no matter who looked, the word ‘lion’ would not suit him.

Rather, should it be said that the bushy pure white beard made him look like a Taoist immortal?

It seemed no one would think of him as the Golden Lion looking at this.

He wandered in the mountains for a long time.

Rather than wandering, he was digging through the mountains. Having succeeded in escaping was good.

Although in truth he had formed his dantian to some extent and reclaimed his energy, since it was not perfect, if the government troops had pursued him to the end, the Golden Lion would also be in a situation where he could do nothing.

Fortunately, however, he succeeded in shaking off the government troops and descending to Hunan, but the problem was that he did not recall well the place where he buried the treasure twenty years ago.

Even more, since he had no money and could not approach towns, it became a situation where he could not get a single meal anywhere.

Since he had been skipping meals for several days already, even that drove him crazy.

Although he wanted to catch even an animal to roast and eat, none were seen in this vicinity, and he did not know at all which pieces of grass he should eat.

In the end, since he had starved for days, Mu Cheon-pung only had an earnest desire to invade a village right away and steal something to eat.

At that moment, a strange smell flowed into Mu Cheon-pung’s nose.

“Meat!”

He knew just by the smell.

This was definitely the smell of roasting meat.

It seemed even fish was being roasted.

The gently wafting smells violently stimulated Mu Cheon-pung’s nose.

Standing up from his spot, Mu Cheon-pung began to move toward that place, as if drawn by the smell.

The sight of him approaching while sniffing felt like he was enchanted by the smell of food, unable to escape.

Before long, as he got close to that place, the voices of young children were heard.

“I wonder if it is truly alright to eat in a place like this?”

“It’s fine. Dad lit the fire for us, anyway.”

“What if a forest fire breaks out because of this…?”

Two girls and one boy.

The three children sat gathered near the fire. A campfire was lit in the surroundings, and several large chunks of meat were visible on the ground.

They were roasting them on wooden skewers, and on the other side, what looked like fish, perhaps caught, was being roasted golden over the fire.

“Hehe, eating like this is so delicious.”

Dan So-mi laughed, rubbing her nose with a blackened hand. Eating at home was good, but roasting and eating something outside like this also felt nice in its own way.

She had copied exactly the way Dan Woo-hyun did for her when they had no home, and as time passed, she could not hold back as the delicious smell vibrated.

This was the same for Hong Jin-rang and Ju Ji-yak, who had never eaten such food.

To the children who only ate foods that were always served, this method was highly unique, and making them feel like sleeping in the open, their hearts fluttered without them realizing it.

“Here, try it!”

Dan So-mi carefully tore the hot meat. The heat rose to the extent that it felt hot just by touching, but she had an expression that it mattered not in the least.

Ju Ji-yak opened her mouth with a somewhat anxious expression.

Soon, the moment it was about to enter her mouth.

“Huh?”

Ju Ji-yak, who tried to chew the meat, widened her eyes, feeling that nothing was being chewed.

That was the same for Dan So-mi as well.

The meat that was in front of their eyes vanished in an instant.

“What!?”

“A… ghost?!”

The startled children flustered.

Since the meat in front of their eyes vanished suddenly, it was only natural. Even rustling sounds were heard in various spots, and soon what was assumed to be a person’s crying voice stimulated their ears.

“Uhehehehe…”

It was a dreadful sound, unknown whether it was crying or laughing.

The complexions of the three children turned pale blue.

Dan So-mi, who was about to say she didn’t care about ghosts, also had a bad complexion as the two children approached in fear.

“It’s not a ghost, so don’t worry.”

“But this kind of sound is strange, isn’t it?”

“Uaaaak! What if it’s really a ghost? There’s a rumor that one appears in this vicinity!”

“Really?”

“That’s why I said let’s not come!”

Hong Jin-rang clenched his fists while raising his voice. Although he was large in build, the faint-hearted Hong Jin-rang clenched his fists to protect the two girls from the ghost in his own way, but he did not seem to have the courage to swing them.

“It is resentful… I will curse you to death…”

Grotesque voices were heard consecutively.

At that voice, even Dan So-mi’s face turned pale.

Just how spine-chilling the voice was, goosebumps broke out on her entire body just by hearing it.

Whoosh!

Before long, another strange event occurred.

A fish that was being roasted nicely golden vanished. Soon, the wind sound violently stimulated the children’s ears once again, and one by one the eatables disappeared.

“Uaaaak!”

The one who ran headlong was none other than Hong Jin-rang. Whether the thought of having to protect the two girls was not even in his head, he dashed blindly, looking only ahead.

“W… Where are you going? You must protect me!”

Soon, Ju Ji-yak followed behind while shouting.

She directed a resentful voice toward the leading Hong Jin-rang, but Hong Jin-rang, who was running while shouting, did not even look back.

In his fear, there seemed to be no rank, power, or anything of the sort.

Dan So-mi watched that sight blankly.

Although she was in a state of still trying to protect the food, as the two children fled, a sudden fear arose, and she could not bear to remain.

Dan So-mi forced the fire out with her trembling body, then stared at the surroundings where no one was visible and spoke.

“P… Please eat, Mr. Ghost… W-We do not have to eat.”

Saying so, she stepped backward.

And soon, running headlong toward where the children had vanished, she shouted.

“E… Eat deliciously!”

She drew away in an instant.

To the extent that her tiny body was invisible before long.

“Hehehehe.”

Before long, Mu Cheon-pung revealed himself.

Just how amusing it was, he clutched his belly and rolled on the ground. If someone saw this sight, they would call him a senile old geezer.

Even his laughter was strange.

“Yes, yes, this Mr. Ghost will eat well!”

Mu Cheon-pung said so and began to chew on the things in his hand with crunching sounds. Soon, the moment he was about to approach the wild boar meat that was being roasted nicely.

Rustle.

A strange sound was heard, and he turned his head despite himself.

“A white tiger?”

In that place, a white tiger was standing. On its head, there was also a tiny cat-like creature. The two looked at Mu Cheon-pung simultaneously, then snorted as if letting out a smirk.

Soon, they leaped swiftly.

Before long, they vanished in an instant, to the extent that even their figures were invisible.

“What is it? Disgustingly?”

Mu Cheon-pung wore an uncomfortable expression.

Did it not feel like an adult mocking upon seeing a senile old man’s prank played on young children?

Shaking his head, he thought, ‘No way, right?’

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