YM778.TV Chapter 998
Hong Dae-gwang swallowed dry saliva. Seated before him, as expected, was Chung Myung.
Why expected, you ask?
Tsk, tsk. What an obvious thing! Just as it is natural for thread to go where a needle goes, isn’t it natural for Hong Dae-gwang to be where Chung Myung goes?
This time, Mount Hua acted so suddenly that it was a bit late for him to join, but it was his job to fetch information for Mount Hua in the first place!
So, of course, Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword, which was now in a position to look into the situation of the entire Kangho, also had to wait eagerly for him.
Yes. That’s how it should have been…
“Are you certain?”
“Absolutely!”
“Hmm. I wonder if I can trust this…”
“Aigoo. Would I dare to deliver false information to Mount Hua of the world? Just because I’m a beggar doesn’t mean I have two lives.”
“Hmmm.”
“Hehe. You can trust me.”
“Well, if you say that much.”
“…”
Hong Dae-gwang looked at the person sitting next to him with a shocked expression.
Ciwu Beggar.
Elder of Beggar Union…. No, he, the former elder of Beggar Union, is sitting half a step ahead of Hong Dae-gwang and relaying information to that Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword bastard.
This is information that even Hong Dae-gwang does not know.
“A formal letter asking reinforcement, huh. Using a classic tactic.”
Chung Myung muttered and laughed.
“That won’t change anything, but it’s the best they can do, I suppose.”
“Yes. Right now, letters are probably being sent to all corners of the world.”
“It’s not just flying out there; Beggar Union is the one sending them.”
“Keu- Keuhum.”
Ciwu Beggar coughed awkwardly, his face turning red.
“That… Beggar Union has its own position to consider.”
“Who cares what anyone says?”
Chung Myung narrowed his eyes and glared at Ciwu Beggar, but he slightly averted his gaze.
“Well, if you keep acting like a bat, you might end up with torn wings one day.”
“Then I’ll just have to crawl on both legs! We are beggars, so we’re quite spectacular at rolling around on the ground.”
Hong Da-gwang looked at Ciwu Beggar blankly.
‘No, does this guy have no pride at all?’
Who was Ciwu Beggar?
He’s the one unofficially acting as Bangju of Beggar Union in place of the ailing Bangju, who is often absent due to illness.
To sum up, excluding Bangju who is bedridden, it is no exaggeration to say that he is the number one person in Beggar Union. Watching Ciwu Beggar fawning over Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword, who must have been barely over twenty, Hong Dae-gwang’s mouth fell open.
“You will lose trust.”
“Can’t we just restore the lost trust in the future?”
“Tsk.”
Chung Myung nodded, looking at Ciwu Beggar with a disapproving face.
“All right. If you have any other information, please let me know right away.”
“Of course. That’s why I’m here, isn’t it?”
“If you even can.”
Chung Myung waved his hand. Then Ciwu Beggar quickly shook his head and got up from his seat.
“Then I’ll see you again.”
“Yes.”
“…and to Maengju-nim, please speak well…”
“Okay, okay.”
“Yes, then.”
Ciwu Beggar, who had been leaning down as if he had no knees, suddenly turned around. Then he kicked Hong Dae-gwang with a completely different attitude than before.
“What are you doing?”
“Excuse me?”
“Get out.”
“…”
Hong Dae-gwang, who was suddenly dragged out, looked at Ciwu Beggar in bewilderment.
“N- No. Why are you here, Elder?”
“Why wouldn’t I be?”
“…N- No. that….”
A look of despair crossed Hong Dae-gwang’s face.
“Has Bangju decided to completely align with Mount Hua?”
“Is that possible?”
“Right. It wouldn’t be…”
“It’s a basic rule to hold the rope in both hands.”
As Hong Dae-gwang opened his mouth wide, Ciwu Beggar shrugged his shoulders.
“It seems Bangju does not want to let go of the rope to Heavenly Comrade Alliance either.”
“Hohoho.”
Hong Dae-gwang burst out laughing as if it was absurd.
Of course, it is no exaggeration to say that this is how Beggar Union has always been.
Beggar Union virtually monopolizes the information in Gangbuk and has a fair grasp on Gangnam as well. At least within the realm of Righteous Sects, Beggar Union is irreplaceable.
Meaning, unlike other sects, it’s a sect that can afford to put other feet in powerful places with minimal backlash.
‘This is significant.’
Just because there is minimal backlash doesn’t mean there’s no backlash at all.
In other words, Bangju of Beggar Union judges that Heavenly Comrade Alliance has now become a force worth grabbing, even with the risk.
So, doesn’t this mean that Hong Dae-gwang’s choice to bet everything on Mount Hua has been proven to be right, and that Hong Dae-gwang’s position has skyrocketed?
It’s good to think that way…. It’s all good….
“No, but why is Elder-nim dealing with that man! Wasn’t Mount Hua-related work supposed to be left to me in the first place?”
At that moment, Ciwu Beggar turned his head and glared at Hong Da-gwang with a fearsome look.
“Work?”
For a moment, Hong Dae-gwang was overwhelmed by his momentum and was shocked.
“Work? Right. You spoke well, you beggar punk!”
“…Yes?”
“What have you been doing all this time for Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword to look at Beggar Union with such eyes?”
“What look are you talking about?”
“What kind of image have you shown to Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword, that he views Beggar Union as a bunch of idiots who beg for food without doing anything!”
Hong Dae-gwang blinked.
“Isn’t that correct?”
“Huh?”
“… Isn’t that what beggars do? Beggar without doing anything. Why would someone who handles their business efficiently be a beggar?”
“…,,.”
“Why do you look at me like that? Did I say something wrong?”
Ciwu Beggar looked up at the distant sky in silence.
‘What have I done?’
He can’t believe they put this guy next to Mount Hua. It was a wonder that the relationship with Mount Hua had been maintained properly until now.
“…Anyway, I will be managing this myself for a while from now on, so just know that.”
“What? Where does this kind of situation exist! No matter how much you are an elder, how can you just barge into and take over an area someone has been working on for years!”
“Look at this unbearable bastard! Is this a matter of arguing over territory?”
“A- Anyway, I can’t accept this! Do you know how much effort I’ve put into Mount Hua! Why did I endure all that harsh persecution! No matter how much you call yourself an elder if you touch my territory, then it’s the end for you!”
“Do you really want to die?”
“Go ahead as you please! After all, I’m just a beggar with nothing to lose! If I die, I die!”
Looking at Hong Dae-gwang, whose eyes were fluttering, Ciwu Beggar held his head.
“Hngg. This crazy guy…”
Although he was originally a weirdo, he wasn’t this crazy, but how did he end up being so incapable of discerning what’s right or wrong?
‘Is there a water line (??(水脈) under Mount Hua?’
Even if it’s not even a water vein, the saying goes, “You become like those you accompany” (????(近墨者黑)). After being close to Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword for several years, it seemed that he become similar to him. Of course, he would jump at this if he heard it.
“Anyway, these are Bangju’s instructions, so don’t complain!”
“But Elder-nim, you don’t even belong to Beggar Union anymore!”
“So what? Do you want to get beaten by someone who’s not even affiliated?”
“Ugh.”
Hong Dae-gwang groaned.
No matter how much he kicked up a fuss about leaving Beggar Union, nobody really believes Ciwu Beggar is not a member of it. Hong Dae-gwang is the only one who will have a hard time having bad blood against someone who will secretly return when the time comes.
‘But still!’
Isn’t he Hong Dae-gwang, who has always stuck with Mount Hua and suffered a lot since it was a third-rate sect that no one paid attention to? Who else would not foam at the mouth when someone higher up sneakily extends their foot into a place built up with so much blood and sweat?
‘I can’t just give it up, even if it kills me!’
Hong Dae-gwang’s eyes were bloodshot. Perhaps knowing how he felt, Ciwu Beggar gently comforted Hong Dae-gwang this time.
“No need to worry. Because what I am in charge of is the part related to Heavenly Comrade Alliance. You just need to focus on Mount Hua like you are now.”
“…Are you sure?”
“This punk!”
“Oh. If that’s the case, then whatever.”
Ciwu Beggar shook his head. In fact, it seemed like Bangju wanted him to take charge of Mount Hua himself….
‘Then I’d rather die.’
Ciwu Beggar was a person who was reluctant to say anything even in front of Shaolin Bangjang. However, that punk named Chung Myung was difficult for even him to handle. Being around him felt like having a bomb that could explode at any moment.
‘It’s strange.’
He looked at the room where Chung Myung was located with a strange gaze.
‘Of course, it may be burdensome because of his impatient temperament, but… Obviously that wasn’t everything.’
At first glance, he felt something more intimidating than when dealing with Bangju of Beggar Union or Bangjang of Shaolin. Considering Chung Myung’s years of experience and his status in Kangho, this could never have been possible.
‘It seems I understand why everyone who meets Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword finds him difficult to deal with.’
This is something that cannot be expressed simply through words. For this reason, anyone who handles information should not blindly trust or become obsessed with the information.
The best way to gauge how formidable a force is, is to see who leads it.
‘I think I understand why Ten Great Sects are in disarray and why Heavenly Comrade Alliance is ascending to heaven.’
Hyun Jong and Chung Myung.
As long as there are these two leading Mount Hua, the center of Heavenly Comrade Alliance, its momentum is sure to increase day by day.
“By the way, are you sure it’s okay?”
“Hm? What do you mean?”
Hong Dae-gwang asked with a somewhat worried look.
“That Bangju has decided to extend a hand to Heavenly Comrade Alliance.”
So far, Beggar Union has clearly provided information to Heavenly Comrade Alliance and Mount Hua. However, that was limited to information that could be handled along Hong Dae-gwang’s lines. Information that could not be disclosed to the public, such as the internal movements of Ten Great Sects, was not conveyed to Hong Dae-gwang.
However, the fact that Ciwu Beggar decided to make a move means that Beggar Union decided to provide such information to Heavenly Comrade Alliance.
That implies.
“…Doesn’t this mean Bangju has definitively positioned Heavenly Comrade Alliance in opposition to Ten Great Sects?”
“There’s no need to find meaning in it. It’s already the way it is.”
Ciwu Beggar shook his head. However, Hong Dae-gwang could not shake off his concerns.
“…Honestly, I am a bit concerned. Evil Sects are uniting day by day, threatening Gangbuk, while Righteous Sects are divided into two.”
“The world doesn’t always go as one desires.”
“However….”
“It is not for us to worry about that.”
“Yes?”
Ciwu Beggar slowly gestured toward the room where Chung Myung was.
“Do you think there’s anything we know that he doesn’t?”
“…”
“The plan for this situation has probably been in the minds of Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword for quite some time. So, it would be Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword’s job to discuss countermeasures.”
“Ei. That guy is not as thorough a person as you think.”
“Anyway. Let’s see?”
“I’m telling you I’m right.”
Ciwu Beggar completely ignored Hong Dae-gwang’s words.
With this incident, Kangho has clearly been divided into three.
Evil Tyrant Alliance in the south, Ten Great Sects in the east, and Heavenly Comrade Alliance in the west.
The boundary is not yet as clear as the border. However, it will be a fact that no one can deny that the western part of Jungwon was swallowed up by Heavenly Comrade Alliance.
Ciwu Beggar did not believe it was a coincidence. Such significant events must involve human will.
“It must be exhausting.”
“Yes?”
“No, nothing.”
When Hong Dae-gwang asked, Ciwu Beggar shook his head.
Yet his gaze did not leave the pavilion where Chung Myung was located.
He doesn’t know how many years it took to achieve this or how much thought it took to come up with the idea, but he can fully guess how intense and complex the mind of the person making it all happen must be.
“Just like a swan looks elegant above water but desperately paddles its feet below to stay afloat, Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword must also be secretly trying to maintain his frivolous appearance.”
“That’s a lie. Swans don’t paddle their feet in the water; they just float.”
“…Really?”
“…”
“…”
Ciwu Beggar cleared his throat loudly.
“Anyway, he’s an impressive person…”
Creak!
At that moment, Chung Myung’s door burst open.
“Ouh. Has the bottle gotten smaller these days, I haven’t even had a few sips, but it’s emptied quickly…”
Chung Myung, who came out staggering with white liquor bottles in both hands, jumped upon seeing the two men still standing in front of his room.
“…”
“…”
A strange silence passed for a moment. Chung Myung held up a bottle of alcohol with an awkward expression.
“…Want some? There’s a little left?”
“…”
No, it might have just been an illusion.