Chapter 557: Wind Cloud Ghost Thief (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 557: Wind Cloud Ghost Thief (2)
The Wind Cloud Ghost Thief, Nameless.
That was the alias of a figure who had shaken the world some forty or fifty years ago.
His gender.
His identity.
His affiliation.
His motives—none of it was ever known.
Despite that shroud of secrecy, he was a man who had firmly carved his name into the annals of the Central Plains.
The Wind Cloud Ghost Thief, Nameless. The man known as the King of Treasures.
‘It’s a fancy title, but at the end of the day, he was just a thief.’
No matter where a treasure was hidden, if he wanted it, he stole it.
The entire Murim Alliance had once mobilized to catch him, only to fail miserably. They couldn't find a single trace, let alone figure out what methods he used.
Was he a master of Lightness Arts? A master of Stealth? Or perhaps a master of the Art of Disguise?
No one knew.
He was like the wind, hence the name Wind Cloud Ghost Thief. His identity was a void, hence Nameless.
Furthermore…
‘The crazy bastard robbed every noble clan in sight.’
He was a man who had plundered treasures from not only the Four Noble Clans but also the Ten Sect Alliance. He even went so far as to steal a treasure from the Murim Alliance’s own headquarters.
‘And what’s even more absurd is this.’
The biggest reason the Wind Cloud Ghost Thief became so legendary—just like the letter Wudang now possessed—was his calling card.
‘He sent advance notices.’
He would announce exactly when he would appear and what he would take. He was a true madman.
‘What kind of thief announces his crime beforehand?’
But that man did exactly that. And he never failed. Every single one of the Wind Cloud Ghost Thief's heists was a resounding success.
That was the source of his fame. He was absurdly good at thievery.
But what truly cemented his place in history was the incident that followed.
‘He returned every single treasure he stole.’
The Wind Cloud Ghost Thief eventually returned all fifteen legendary treasures that had made him famous to the Murim Alliance. For his victims, it was a baffling turn of events. To think he would go through all the trouble of stealing them, only to give them all back.
‘And the reason he gave was the real kicker.’
The excuse the Wind Cloud Ghost Thief gave when he returned the treasures was a masterpiece of absurdity:
[It’s not fun anymore.]
He was returning them because stealing had lost its charm. That was it.
‘I can only imagine how pissed the Murim Alliance was.’
They failed to catch the thief they were hunting, only to have the treasures returned with the excuse that he was bored. To top it off, he returned them secretly, so they couldn't even catch him during the drop-off.
He was truly a thief for the history books.
That all happened decades ago.
‘And he hasn’t shown himself once since then.’
The fact that this man had now sent a letter to Wudang was something I couldn't comprehend. Not only did this not happen in my past life…
‘What is that busybody doing at a time like this?’
For someone who knew the Wind Cloud Ghost Thief's true identity, the situation was even more ridiculous.
That’s right. I knew the identity of the great thief who had once turned the world upside down. I didn't know him well, but I knew who he was.
‘Because the old man revealed it himself.’
It wasn't uncovered by an investigator; the man himself confessed.
Back when the Heavenly Demon started the Blood Disaster, we were launching an operation to infiltrate the Demonic Cult. When the question arose of who would lead the infiltration, an old man stepped forward. He volunteered, stating his justification with total confidence.
He was the Wind Cloud Ghost Thief. When it came to infiltration, he was more skilled than anyone. That’s what he said.
Which meant…
‘The Wind Cloud Ghost Thief was a member of the Orthodox Faction.’
It also meant he was a high-ranking figure, important enough to participate in such a crucial war council. At the time, even in the midst of a bloody war, the revelation caused quite a stir. I couldn't help but learn the old man's identity.
The true identity of the Wind Cloud Ghost Thief, Nameless. He was none other than…
‘The master of the Beggar King, Chuwong, and the former leader of the Beggar’s Sect.’
He was also the man known as the "Ear of the Sword Venerable," the Alliance Leader from two generations ago.
The Beggar’s Sect Leader, Drunken Beggar Woo Bong Baekdo.
Surprisingly, he was the Wind Cloud Ghost Thief. Why a man known as the "Ear" of the Orthodox Faction would go around committing high-profile thefts was a mystery. But back then, we didn't have the luxury of worrying about his motives.
‘I heard they never found out the "why" because Drunken Beggar Woo Bong died during that infiltration.’
In the middle of the operation, Drunken Beggar Woo Bong met his end at the hands of the Heavenly Demon. Because of that, his reasons for his past life as a thief remained unknown.
And yet…
‘The Wind Cloud Ghost Thief appears now.’
This information sparked a flurry of thoughts.
‘At a time when the Alliance Leader has just changed and information is exploding, does the Beggar’s Sect Leader really have time for this?’
One might think the busiest people in this era of upheaval would be the Murim Alliance or the Great Sects. But in reality, the busiest were those who dealt in information. They had to report news and gather intelligence in response to every shift in power. That was the only way to prepare for what was to come.
Especially in a situation like this, the Beggar’s Sect—the "Ears" of the Orthodox Faction…
‘Should be running themselves ragged.’
They should be moving without a moment's rest.
‘But if the Wind Cloud Ghost Thief has appeared like this…’
Either Drunken Beggar Woo Bong had gone senile and lost his mind, or he had a very specific reason for doing this. Or…
‘Drunken Beggar Woo Bong isn't the Wind Cloud Ghost Thief.’
It had to be one of those three.
‘The most likely possibility is…’
The third option. The idea that Drunken Beggar Woo Bong wasn't the Wind Cloud Ghost Thief in the first place made the most sense in this timeline. However…
‘In the end, it’s not a certainty.’
It was just a guess.
‘It could also be an impersonator.’
The letter could be a prank from someone pretending to be the legendary thief.
Now that I understood the context, I finally saw why Wudang's security had been tightened so much.
‘No wonder they were acting so damn sensitive.’
A letter from the Wind Cloud Ghost Thief would warrant such a reaction from any sect. What's more, this was happening just as their own Sect Leader was settling into his new role as the Alliance Leader.
‘If they get robbed by the Wind Cloud Ghost Thief now, they’ll look like total fools.’
I could come up with various hypotheses because I had future knowledge about the thief, even if it was incomplete. But in this era, no one knew anything about him. As such, their extreme caution was the natural course of action.
“Therefore…”
As I was lost in thought, Woobaek spoke, breaking the silence.
“The Sect is taking certain precautions, so we ask for our guests’ generous understanding.”
“What kind of precautions are you referring to?”
I understood that the Wind Cloud Ghost Thief had announced his intentions. But what kind of measures were they taking to guard against a ghost?
Hearing my question, Woobaek took something from his sleeve and placed it on the table. It looked like a rather shabby piece of string.
But seeing it, my eyes widened internally.
‘That’s… I’m sure of it.’
“It is an object called the Yeonuiseon.”
The Yeonuiseon—the Suspicion-linking Thread.
I knew it well. Like the demonic charms used to detect the appearance of a Gate of Demons, it was an item developed by the Wudang Sect, which was famous for creating strange artifacts. As for its effect…
‘It lets you sense the presence of those wearing it, right?’
To be precise, it was an item that allowed captains to monitor the status of their unit members instantly.
‘So it was already finished by this time.’
If I remembered correctly, it was an item that was supposed to be revealed about five years from now. It seemed its development had been completed much earlier than I thought.
“We ask that you wear this and stay within the Sect for one day. Just one day,” Woobaek said with a smile as he presented the Yeonuiseon.
“One day, you say?” I questioned him. “What is this thing, that you must go to such lengths?”
I knew exactly what it did, but I feigned ignorance. I wanted to see how he would frame it.
“If you wear this item like a bracelet, we will be able to monitor each other's status.”
“…Our status?”
“That’s right. We will be able to clearly perceive each other’s movements within a certain distance.”
Surprising. I thought he would try to deceive me since I wasn't supposed to know what the artifact was. Contrary to my expectations, Woobaek was honest about the Yeonuiseon.
The problem was, this was just a polite way of saying…
“You mean you’re going to watch us for a day.”
It was no different from keeping us under house arrest and monitoring our every move. At my words, Woobaek’s smile never faded.
“Today is the fifth day mentioned in the letter.”
The letter stated he would take the treasure within five days. Today was the deadline.
“It would be a relief if it were a simple prank. But we believe the chances of it being genuine are high.”
“…On what grounds did you make that judgment?”
“Because five days ago, the letter appeared on the desk in my private residence.”
What about it? I was about to ask, when he continued.
“I was inside my residence at the time. Yet, I did not sense a single presence until that letter was placed upon my desk.”
“…!”
It meant that a Wudang elder—a master ranked among the Hundred Masters of the Central Plains—had failed to notice someone entering his room and leaving a note.
This meant…
‘Wudang didn't even know an outsider had broken in, finished their business, and left.’
No matter how lax their security might have been, this was still Wudang. The Ten Sect Alliance wasn't just a name; how could something like this happen so easily?
‘If it were me…’
It would probably be possible. If I used powers other than martial arts, I could pull it off.
‘But I couldn’t do it like that.’
Hiding my presence from someone like Woobaek while leaving a physical object on his desk was a feat of legendary proportions. One would need infiltration and stealth skills on par with the Dark King to even attempt it.
“As such, we have no choice but to be suspicious of everyone.”
“Hmm.”
Listening to Woobaek’s explanation, I understood his position to some extent, even if being monitored was unpleasant.
“I understand the situation. But by any chance…”
“Speak.”
“If I were to say I’m leaving now, would you let me go peacefully?”
I casually tested the waters to see if I could back out.
“I hope you will understand our position with a generous heart.”
Unsurprisingly, Woobaek indicated that wasn't an option.
‘I’ve already heard too much about the Wind Cloud Ghost Thief.’
They couldn't let me leave now.
‘This has gotten annoying.’
I was curious about Wudang's affairs, but I had no intention of getting tangled up in them. All I needed was to find out about the Solar Light and check on Yung Pung. Getting caught up in a thief's game was the last thing I wanted.
‘Should I just flip the table and walk out?’
I ran the calculations in my head. Could I get out of here peacefully after causing a scene? The answer came quickly.
‘Impossible.’
Not in my current state. That was my conclusion.
‘If I make a fuss over this, my plans will get derailed.’
It wasn't that I couldn't fight my way out; it was that I shouldn't. Throwing away my long-term plans for the sake of avoiding one day of surveillance was a bad trade.
‘Even if that weren’t the case…’
Looking at the Yeonuiseon, something felt off. There were too many strange things about this situation. The more I put the pieces together, the weirder it became.
‘It would have been easier if Moyong Hi-ah or that Jiseon bastard were here.’
Those two might have solved the puzzle with just this much information. My head didn't work quite that fast, so it was taking me a moment. However, if there was one thing I was certain of…
‘Something stinks.’
Something was rotten in this affair. Figuring that much out was enough.
‘This might actually be good.’
Using this situation, it might not be too difficult to get what I wanted.
‘If my prediction is correct, that is.’
I thought to myself as I fastened the Yeonuiseon around my wrist. One day, he said. That would be enough. Enough time to find out where this stench was coming from.
Just as I was settling in…
Creeak.
A presence approached from outside.
“Elder, the Sword Queen has arrived.”
The door to the residence opened, and a figure stepped inside.
“Master!”
Gu Ryunghwa stood up with a bright smile. Yung Pung followed suit.
The person who entered was, as expected, the Sword Queen of the current era.
Soi.
She was a graceful beauty with long, flowing black hair. The woman, who looked to be in her early thirties, stroked Gu Ryunghwa’s head and spoke softly.
“It’s been a while. Have you been well?”
“Yes…”
Gu Ryunghwa leaned into Soi’s embrace, clearly missing her master. Soi’s gaze lingered on her for a moment before turning to me. Yung Pung must have mentioned my arrival in a letter, as she didn't seem surprised to see me.
“You’ve also been well…”
Soi, who was about to greet me, suddenly paused. Her eyes widened in shock. After a few seconds of silence, she spoke, her surprised expression still fixed.
“…You truly are incredible. How much time has passed, and yet…”
I offered an awkward smile. Her reaction was a bit much.
“Have you been well, Senior?”
“…Yes.”
Has it been three years? Considering the last time I saw her was at the Heavenly Dragon Academy, it had been quite a while.
Setting her reaction aside, I looked at the box in her hands. The ‘Solar Light’ had to be in there.
“I will greet you properly later,” I said. “I don’t think this is a place for me to stay any longer.”
No one argued. I was an honorary disciple, but this was a private matter between sects. If they were about to exchange treasures, an outsider had to step away. It was basic courtesy.
‘I’d love to see it for myself, but…’
I wanted to verify if that Solar Light was the real deal immediately. But I couldn't be stubborn, so I planned to wait outside.
‘If Yung Pung gets to use it, I’ll see it eventually.’
I’d see it soon enough. No need to rush. I was stuck here for a day anyway.
“I’ll head out first. I’ll ask the Taoist Master to fill me in later.”
“Ah, I understand,” Yung Pung replied.
After nodding to the group, I left the residence. Outside, Wudang disciples were already waiting. Their purpose was clear: surveillance.
‘Tsk.’
As I clicked my tongue, the disciple in front of me approached.
“We have prepared a place for you to rest. I will guide you.”
I was about to follow him when…
—“Huh!? What’s going on!?”
—“W-wait…!”
—“We have to catch it…!”
Shouts erupted from inside the residence I had just left.
“Hm?”
I turned my head toward the noise.
Screech—! Thud—!
The closed doors of the residence burst open.
Whooosh—!
Something shot out from the room, flying straight toward me.
“What in the world…?”
I was startled, but only for a split second. My body froze as I saw the object hurtling through the air.
It was a long cloth, imbued with a deep crimson hue. The object looked hauntingly familiar.
Fwip-fwip-fwip-fwip—!
Without warning, it lashed out and wrapped itself tightly around my right arm.
“You’ve got to be kidding me!”
I was about to tear it off in shock when…
“Oh.”
“Huh?”
“Wha-what…?”
My eyes met the group that had rushed out of the residence in pursuit. Their gazes shifted from my face down to my right arm.
‘I’m screwed.’
Feeling their stunned stares, I could only swallow hard.