Chapter 126: Beggars Sect Hao Sect and Dragon Scale Squad
The Jungshin Merchant Group was connected to the Defeng Yin Clan. That fact alone meant that the matter of the Jungshin Merchant Group was no longer simply a concern of the Bright Fate Escort Agency.
As I was concerned and checked the unfolding situation several times, Baek Mu-ho pretended to ponder for a moment before making a suggestion.
“If you are that curious, why don’t we go together?”
“Together? Where?”
“To my information source.”
Somehow, it sounded like he was telling me to go find out for myself from now on if I was curious about something.
Certainly, my curiosity was piqued.
“Alright.”
Although I still needed more time to fill today’s quota of ten thousand repetitions, it was fine to just sleep a little less.
Baek Mu-ho smirked.
“Right, you need to get some fresh air too.”
This guy was doing something out of character.
He was trying to be considerate of me, who had been training at an insane level lately.
‘Was it worth worrying about?’
Since it was a level that far exceeded my previous amount of training, it was indeed worth worrying about.
I was only enduring because the durability and recovery rate of my body were at an unbelievable level due to the Earth’s divine power and the Heavy Earth Divine Art; if even one of the two had been missing, I would not have even dared to attempt it.
Feeling the consideration that showed my friend’s heart, I smiled brightly and walked out of the main gate with Baek Mu-ho.
***
The place Baek Mu-ho headed to was the outskirts of Huihua County. It was near the riverbank, a place that any formed town would naturally have.
There, a group of people could be seen lying down and basking in the sun.
They were beggars dressed in rags.
“The Beggars’ Sect?”
“That’s right.”
Although it was a sect composed of beggars, its influence was known to rival the Nine Great Sects.
In fact, the ‘One Gang’ in the name ‘Nine Sects and One Gang,’ which represented the orthodox martial world, was precisely the Beggars’ Sect.
“There is no place with the size of a town that doesn’t have beggars. Of course, not all beggars are members of the Beggars’ Sect, so you have to distinguish them, but you only need to check one thing. Whether there is a knot at their waist.”
“Oh?”
There was no place where people gathered that did not have beggars. Those vast numbers of beggars could become eyes and ears all over the world to gather information?
It was truly worthy of being called the best information organization.
‘I should keep that in mind.’
The Beggars’ Sect could be found anywhere. If I kept it in mind, there would be a time to use them separately someday.
While I was having such thoughts, an old beggar approached.
“You come often. At this rate, we’re going to become rich.”
“Haha! It’s because my friend keeps pestering me.”
“Hmm… Your friend.”
The old beggar’s gaze turned toward me.
“A precious guest has arrived.”
He seemed to recognize who I was. I could feel him scanning and probing me here and there.
By the time that gaze felt a bit too blatant, Baek Mu-ho grumbled exaggeratingly.
“Excuse me? I’m the sponsor here, you know?”
“Oops! My mistake. Precious ‘guests’ have arrived. Haha!”
The old beggar, who brushed it off with a sly grin, laughed peacefully.
Like an elderly man, his teeth were sparse when he smiled brightly, and seeing that scene gave me a strange feeling.
You know how it is. The feeling of wanting to offer even a little help to someone who smiles brightly despite being in a difficult and harsh situation.
The old beggar was merely smiling, but it felt like my hand would naturally go to my pocket.
“Stop playing tricks and tell us the information you know. You already know why we came here anyway.”
“Tsk, how cold.”
The old beggar, who had been smiling brightly, clicked his tongue and grumbled at Baek Mu-ho’s prompting.
‘Whoa! Did I almost fall for that?’
Only after hearing Baek Mu-ho’s words did I realize that the laugh from earlier was a trick peculiar to beggars.
“…You knew, didn’t you?”
As I murmured while glancing slightly at the heavens, the masters reacted immediately.
[Well, think of it as sharing the same plight.]
[If you do good deeds, you will receive blessings, disciple.]
Perhaps because the Sloppy Taoist was someone who had roamed the world dressed in attire no less dirty and filthy than the beggars, the words he spoke were also just like him.
And the words about receiving blessings if I did good deeds were also just like Master Bodhidharma.
“Be careful. Once you are branded as a pushover by the Beggars’ Sect, it will be annoying for a long time.”
Perhaps because I was someone who had not yet ascended to the heavens, Baek Mu-ho’s words struck a chord with me more this time.
“Is that from experience?”
“…Shut up.”
It seemed that was indeed the case.
Since it was a lesson Baek Mu-ho had learned by having his pockets picked, I should keep it in mind.
“Hmm… The Jungshin Merchant Group, the Hongmu Sect, and the Defeng Yin Clan…”
“The Defeng Yin Clan? Why do they come up?”
“Did you not know? They are the power protecting the Jungshin Merchant Group from behind, whether knowingly or unknowingly.”
“No wonder. That old man Jong In-geol, even if his connections or skills were good, it would have been difficult for him to grow his influence that quickly without a backer…”
“Haha! Since you said you didn’t know, I will have to charge for this separately.”
“You sure run a good business. Talk about a hard sell.”
“It’s charity, charity. It’s all to help you receive blessings.”
The old beggar once again brushed off Baek Mu-ho’s complaint with a sly grin.
Listening to the conversation, I truly realized that they were well-versed in the affairs of the martial world. They had already known the information that the Jungshin Merchant Group and the Defeng Yin Clan were connected.
‘We should be careful in Samyang County as well.’
At the same time, I felt a bit uneasy for no reason. After all, there were members of the Demonic Cult among those I was associating with.
Right next to me was Yi Hwa, the Divine Maiden of the Demonic Cult.
“It seems the Hongmu Sect is about to move at any moment. For the Jungshin Merchant Group, it is a heart-stopping matter. If they had a few more years, it might be different, but right now, they wouldn’t have been able to build proper martial power.”
“Well, since they were already hard-pressed to handle the Hongmu Sect, they wouldn’t have had the leisure to turn the escort agencies into enemies as well.”
Although the Jungshin Merchant Group acquired a significant foundation and wealth by taking over the Hongmu Sect’s turf, they were unable to convert it into building martial power. That was why they borrowed the strength of the Bright Fate Escort Agency and the Baek Family Escort during the last bribe transport.
Why could a merchant group not simply raise its own martial power at will?
The answer was simple. Such an action directly led to encroaching on the livelihood of the escort agencies.
From the perspective of an escort agency, a merchant was a client who provided work.
However, if they were to raise their own martial power, they would become competitors.
If a merchant wished to openly raise martial power, it had to be after they had grown strong enough that cutting ties with the surrounding escort agencies would not cause any issues.
For the Jungshin Merchant Group, which was confronting the Hongmu Sect, it was an unbearable burden.
Above all, if it was perceived as a wrong signal by the Defeng Yin Clan, who acted as the Jungshin Merchant Group’s backer, that they were trying to escape their influence, things would inevitably become very troublesome.
“What about the Defeng Yin Clan?”
“At first, they had no intention of intervening. However, I don’t know what proposal the Jungshin Merchant Group made, but they are moving their heavy hips. Well, since the Jungshin Merchant Group is at the center of the scandal, they seem to be moving only a small number of people, perhaps just to save face.”
“It seems they paid a significant price.”
“Either way, it will be a fun sight to watch from the perspective of the Bright Fate Escort Agency. If you have time, why don’t you go take a look?”
“That would be nice too.”
I could feel displeasure toward the Jungshin Merchant Group from the old beggar of the Beggars’ Sect as he spoke about the position of the Bright Fate Escort Agency. It probably was not just my imagination.
The reason was not difficult to guess.
Revere righteousness. Even if the body is in a dirty place, let the mind be as beautiful as a lotus blooming in the mud.
This was the ideology put forward by the Beggars’ Sect. If one was a disciple of the Beggars’ Sect faithful to this ideology, the Jungshin Merchant Group would not look pleasant to them.
Perhaps they knew even more of the Jungshin Merchant Group’s dirty deeds that we were unaware of.
“Thank you for the information.”
Baek Mu-ho took out two taels of silver from his pocket and handed them to the old beggar.
“May you receive blessings too.”
Perhaps imagining something pleasant, the old beggar’s smile deepened even before he received the silver.
***
This time, Baek Mu-ho headed toward the center of the town.
“Let’s go to one more place.”
“One more place?”
“The Beggars’ Sect’s information is of good quality regarding external movements, but it leaves something to be desired when it comes to internal matters.”
“True.”
Although they said beggars were wherever people were, the area they could access was merely outside the walls.
Therefore, I could roughly guess where we were going now.
“Is it the Hao Gate this time?”
“You know well. Follow me. I’ll teach you how to make contact.”
This time too, I followed Baek Mu-ho without a word.
The place Baek Mu-ho entered was a tavern that sold alcohol and food.
“Basically, you can assume that most gambling dens are managed by the Hao Gate. But if there is no gambling den or it’s hard to find, you can look for a tavern or a brothel.”
The Hao Gate itself was an information organization created by the combined efforts of those working in the shadows, such as thieves, gamblers, pickpockets, courtesans, waiters, and swindlers. Naturally, the contact locations had no choice but to be related businesses.
Suddenly, a curious question came to mind.
“Have you ever been to a brothel?”
“…Do you want to see someone get their head chopped off?”
Baek Mu-ho growled in fright.
Judging by his response, it seemed he had never been.
‘Indeed, if he went to such a place and got caught, the aftermath…’
Whether it was a topic too terrifying to mention, Baek Mu-ho quickly took a seat in the tavern and called the waiter.
“Three plates of dumplings and a bottle of fire liquor here. Give us only one cup.”
“Yes, sir! Ah! Are there three of you?”
“No, two.”
“Understood!”
Upon receiving the order, the waiter moved busily.
As the table was set quickly, Baek Mu-ho placed the fire liquor at the empty seat where no one sat and filled the cup. Then, he crossed his chopsticks in the shape of a cross in front of him.
A moment later, a man with a pleasant impression sat in the seat where the cup was placed and sipped the liquor dry.
“Haha! Did you look for me?”
If it was the Hao Gate, it was a gathering of people working in the shadows. However, the man in front of me looked incredibly bright, unlike an industry insider.
“Is this guy really from the Hao Gate?”
“From the Hao Gate? No way. I’m just a story-seller who goes around selling tales.”
The occupation of pocketing small change from people by sharing interesting stories and intriguing news in the marketplace was called a story-seller.
‘Selling information is also, in a way, selling stories, so it’s not wrong.’
Toward the man who showed wit with a smiling face, Baek Mu-ho asked point-blank.
“If you have any newly updated information about the Jungshin Merchant Group, the Hongmu Sect, and the Defeng Yin Clan, tell us.”
“Aha! Seeing that you know about the Defeng Yin Clan, it seems you came after stopping by the Beggars’ Sect?”
Judging by his words, it seemed it was not Baek Mu-ho’s first time coming here.
Since it was no different from admitting that he had not told all the information he knew, Baek Mu-ho’s eyes were sharp.
“You kept your mouth shut nicely when I came last time.”
“Isn’t a story only flavorful when it’s unraveled in order?”
“And so you can handle some money by having me visit often?”
“There aren’t many things that taste as good as free liquor, you know. Hahaha!”
His words were brazen. Although he introduced himself as a story-seller, he was a guy with a strong air of a swindler. It seemed his primary job was likely a conman.
“Let’s see. The Jungshin Merchant Group, the Hongmu Sect, and the Defeng Yin Clan… The Hongmu Sect is literally curled up, so we have no room to approach them… and I did hear that the Jungshin Merchant Group has fallen into chaos. They say most of their wealth has been moved to the Defeng Yin Clan, right?”
“Is that all?”
“Ah! There is one more thing. Perhaps because of the manifesto of someone named Taoist Master Guak this time, the government officials are pulling out completely. They say that if the Hongmu Sect and the Defeng Yin Clan move, it is a matter of the martial world, so the government will not interfere?”
“Wow. Talk about making excuses to suit themselves.”
Non-interference between the government and the martial world. That plausible-sounding story also served as a great pretext depending on the occasion.
However, it was not bad.
“The government is not intervening…”
“Then all that remains will be the laws of the martial world… some blood will flow.”
The story-seller of the Hao Gate, a guy with a strong air of a swindler who sniffed as if he had already caught the scent of blood, filled his empty cup and sipped.
He looked quite pleased.
Well, even the conclusion of the story being discussed would look like money to him.
‘If these words are true, there is also plenty of room for us to intervene.’
Perhaps the Hongmu Sect already knew about this information.
The fact that they showed signs of moving now was also proof that they knew the government would not move.
Although his attitude was displeasing, the information that came out of his mouth was useful in its own way.
“How much is it?”
“Just give me seven taels of silver. Normally I should receive about nine taels, but since there is something I hid, I will discount two taels for you.”
“Sigh… What a day. After forced selling, now it’s a rip-off.”
Though complaining, Baek Mu-ho placed seven taels of silver on the table.
At the sight of the story-seller pocketing the silver in high spirits, a sudden curiosity crossed my mind.
“I have something I’m curious about too.”
“Please speak. I will serve you at a cheap price.”
Smiling and giggling, he looked at me completely as if I were a pushover. Though his mouth said he would serve me at a cheap price, his eyes were full of greed for money.
What, if I could get an answer, great; if not, whatever.
It was exactly that level of curiosity.
“Do you know anything about an organization called the Dragon Scale Squad?”
“…!”
The face of the guy who had been sipping alcohol and giggling stiffened in an instant. It was to the extent that I even doubted if he was the same person who had been giggling just moments ago.
“Sigh… No wonder my dreams were bad.”
The story-seller stood up from his seat with an expression as if he had lost all his stakes in a gambling house.
“I will return the money.”
Then, he laid down the silver he had pocketed in high spirits.
However, what he laid down was not only the silver.
“I heard nothing, and I said nothing.”
With those words, the story-seller bit off his own ring finger.
“Urgh! Eek! Mmmph! Hmph!”
The ring finger that fell from the story-seller’s hand was placed next to the silver.
“Let’s never meet again.”
Leaving behind the money and the ring finger, the story-seller hurriedly left the place with a blood-covered face.
Baek Mu-ho looked at me with a dumbfounded expression.
“What on earth is the Dragon Scale Squad that makes him react like that?”
“I asked because I didn’t know either.”
However, one thing seemed certain.
The Hao Gate was a group that processed all kinds of rumors and scandals into information to sell. They were people who even made the private stories of county magistrates into drinking snacks.
The place where such characters, terrified just by hearing the name, bit off their ring fingers and fled without hesitation was the Dragon Scale Squad.
And the person whom even that Dragon Scale Squad could not treat lightly was my grandfather.
I had only thought that grandfather was living quietly and leisurely after returning to the countryside. Although I later realized through various events that he had not returned to the countryside for no reason, this far exceeded my expectations.
At this point, I had no idea how great grandfather’s power actually was.