Chapter 422
Chapter 422
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 422
Chapter Title: The Beggar's Dream
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The gang of beggars in Byeokgye Village, seeing Mumu picking up and eating bugs again instead of begging, approached him fuming.
“Hey, you idiot!”
*Thwack!*
The beggar who struck the squatting Mumu on the head with a gourd bowl shouted in anger.
“Shouldn’t you be begging to get something? Why are you eating bugs by yourself?”
Like other beggar gangs, the one in Byeokgye Village lived together in a community.
They would offer what they begged to their boss, who would then distribute it appropriately.
But Mumu, far from begging properly, was just picking up bugs and trash to stuff in his own mouth.
It was enough to make them burst with frustration.
*Munch, munch.*
Despite the hard blow to his head, Mumu paid it no mind and continued to chew on the bug.
“Damn it all!”
As the middle-aged man who had been glaring at Mumu’s hideous face raised his fist again,
“Leave him be. How hungry must he be to act like that? Just look how skinny he is.”
A fat beggar stepped forward and held out his own bowl.
“I managed to get some cold rice from the village below.”
In the bowl, along with the cold rice, was a generous chunk of tofu.
“I’ll teach this one right, so you guys can head back.”
The fat beggar was affable and quite silver-tongued, making him well-regarded not only by the gang but also in the village.
“Fatso, I’m letting this go because of you.”
The middle-aged man snatched the bowl from the fat beggar’s hand and turned away.
“Those bastards. Couldn’t even leave a little. They took it all.”
The fat beggar sighed, grumbling as he watched the group walk away.
“Mumu, when are you going to learn to beg properly?”
“I have no desire to beg.”
For once, Mumu spoke.
His voice was low and cold, yet quite pleasant to hear.
“What do you mean, ‘no desire’? I told you to speak respectfully to your elder brother, didn't I?”
The fat beggar said with a frown.
“Once you’re in a beggar gang, communal life comes first. You can’t just eat bugs because you want to.”
“I never said I would join a beggar gang.”
“Aren’t you a beggar? All the beggars around Byeokgye Village are managed by that bald fellow.”
“Bald fellow?”
Just then, from behind the fat beggar, a large man with not a single hair on his head and severe burn scars on his face was approaching, leading five or six other beggars.
It was Heuk-ung, the boss of the Byeokgye Village beggar gang.
“B-Boss.”
“Fatso. You bastard. I let you off because you’re a decent beggar, and now you’re getting cocky?”
*Thud!*
A kick from Heuk-ung sent the fat beggar tumbling.
“And what are you looking at? Why are you staring like that?”
*Thud!*
Mumu, too, was knocked flat by Heuk-ung’s kick.
“Boys, teach these two how to look at people properly.”
*Thud. Pow, pow, pow!*
At Heuk-ung’s command, Mumu and the fat beggar were beaten by the gang until they were black and blue, as the saying goes.
“Watch your mouth from now on. Don’t get on the boss’s bad side for no reason.”
After Heuk-ung’s gang dusted off their hands and left, Mumu and the fat beggar lay sprawled out, their faces swollen.
“You bastard… I got beaten up because of you.”
“I wasn’t the one who called him bald.”
“Oh, real clever, you bastard.”
*Drip.*
Red blood trickled down from the fat beggar’s forehead.
The skin on the head is very thin, so even a small cut can bleed a lot.
Mumu, who had been staring at the sight, abruptly stood up and started pulling out the grass growing opposite them.
He then found a clean stone and began to crush the grass with it. He started applying the sticky green paste to the fat beggar’s bleeding head.
“It stings!”
“It hurts, but bear it.”
As he applied the thick paste, the gushing blood began to slow to a stop.
Mumu then applied a little more of the paste to the wound.
The fat beggar watched Mumu examining the wound with a serious expression and spoke with a hint of envy.
“Damn. You’re skinny as a rail, but your bones are tough.”
Mumu seemed to be used to beatings; no matter how badly he was thrashed, he would get right back up and move around.
“Seeing as you can still move your mouth, you must be fine.”
Once the fat beggar’s bleeding had completely stopped, Mumu went back to picking up and eating bugs.
“Is it good?”
“It’s not.”
“Give me some. Thanks to you, I lost all the rice I got.”
*Munch, munch. Crunch, crunch.*
Before long, the fat beggar was squatting next to Mumu, and they were amicably eating bugs together.
*Gallop! Gallop!*
Just then, a large shadow could be seen madly charging toward them from the distance.
It was a white horse with a coat as white as snow, and on its back, a mysterious woman with wide eyes was screaming.
“Whoa!”
Seeing her courtly attire, completely unsuitable for riding, it seemed she had forced herself onto a horse she couldn’t handle, and disaster had struck.
“Get out of the way!”
The woman spotted Mumu and the fat beggar too late and yelled, but it was no use.
The madly galloping white horse was already right in front of Mumu.
But just as the horse and Mumu’s eyes met,
*Screech.*
The horse suddenly came to a sharp halt, skidding to a stop.
*Heeigh!*
It then reared up on its hind legs.
“Ah!”
The woman let out a short scream and fell from the horse.
But in that instant, Mumu moved swiftly and caught the falling woman in his arms.
“Oh.”
The fat beggar gasped in surprise.
Mumu had been on the verge of colliding with the horse just a moment ago. When had he moved to its side?
“Young Lady!”
*Gallop. Gallop!*
Just then, a shout came from the distance, and a mounted warrior galloped over in a flash.
He had sharp eyes and wore a glossy, black, close-fitting uniform, with a crimson sash tied tightly around his waist.
He was quite handsome, but his eyes held a vaguely sinister glint.
He was Gyo Cheon-ak, a martial arts instructor employed by the Seong family.
“Are you alright?”
Gyo Cheon-ak dismounted and rushed over. The woman in white, having come to her senses, nodded.
“Yes, I’m fine.”
Only then did she look at the face of the beggar holding her.
His long hair covered his face, but she could see the melted skin underneath and the dark, clotted scabs.
He was hideously disfigured, but strangely, his eyes were endlessly clear and deep.
Mumu carefully set the woman he was holding down on the ground.
Watching this, Gyo Cheon-ak swung his whip and struck Mumu across the back.
“How dare you!”
*Crack!*
In that moment, a vivid red welt appeared on Mumu’s back.
The pain must have been enough to make him faint, but Mumu only let out a low groan, “Umm,” and curled up.
“Instructor Gyo! What are you doing?”
The woman in white shouted, and Gyo Cheon-ak replied as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
“Did that beggar not dare to lay his hands on your person, Young Lady?”
“He only saved me when I fell from the horse.”
She then helped the fallen Mumu to his feet.
“Are you alright?”
Mumu’s clothes were covered in all sorts of filth, but she spoke without a hint of concern for it.
“I’m so sorry. I apologize on his behalf.”
Only then did Mumu stare intently at the woman’s face.
Her eyes were long like a phoenix’s, and her skin was clear. Her elegant features were only slightly marred by her tomboyish expression and voice.
She was Seong Su-ryeo, the only daughter of the head of the Seong family, rumored to be the wealthiest in the region.
“…”
Mumu didn’t answer her question and averted his gaze.
“We’re fine!”
As an awkward silence fell, the fat beggar, sensing the mood, stepped forward and waved his hands.
“For beggars like us, getting beaten is a daily routine. You don’t need to worry, Young Lady.”
“But…”
Seong Su-ryeo looked back and forth between them with an apologetic expression, then her eyes widened.
She had noticed the half-chewed bugs stuck around the fat beggar’s mouth.
“Don’t tell me you were eating bugs?”
“Huh? Yes. Ah, no… I was just eating this because I was a bit peckish.”
As the fat beggar wiped his mouth, Seong Su-ryeo seemed to make a decision and took off the bracelet on her wrist.
“Please take this. With this, you won’t have to worry about food for a few months.”
“You’re giving this to us?”
“You got hurt while helping me, didn’t you? This is nothing.”
“Oh, thank you so much!”
The fat beggar bowed deeply and reached out his hand, but Mumu stepped forward with a frown.
“We don’t need it.”
He waved his hand and said firmly.
“Take it back.”
As Seong Su-ryeo blinked, Mumu said flatly.
“Even if you give something like this to us, we can’t get rid of it. We’d be lucky not to be accused of stealing it and beaten for it.”
“S-Sorry! This one’s a little strange in the head!”
The fat beggar tried to cover Mumu’s mouth, but Mumu pushed his hand away coldly and said.
“Of course, that’s assuming our boss doesn’t take it before we can even sell it.”
“Is that so?”
Seong Su-ryeo said with an apologetic look.
“I want to reward you. What should I do?”
“If you feel grateful, have your servants bring a lump of cold rice. That would be the best thing.”
“You insolent whelp! Do you have any idea who our lady is, you vagrant?”
Gyo Cheon-ak bellowed again at Mumu’s blunt tone.
But Seong Su-ryeo just nodded, unfazed.
“Most beggars take whatever they’re given. You’re quite particular.”
Then she smiled, revealing her white teeth.
“Alright. I’ll bring a lump of cold rice next time.”
She turned and bowed her head to Gyo Cheon-ak as well.
“Instructor Gyo, I’m sorry. I apologize for insisting on riding Baek-a when you told me not to. I just wanted to tame her quickly.”
Gyo Cheon-ak smacked his lips as if he had no choice and said.
“Let’s head back for now, Young Lady.”
He helped her onto his own horse, then took the reins of the white horse and began to walk slowly.
The fat beggar, who had been staring blankly as they left, finally snapped back to his senses.
“You crazy bastard!”
He grabbed Mumu by the collar and shook him.
“Do you have any idea how expensive those accessories are? Just one of those could have let us eat and relax for a whole year!”
He then slammed his fist on the ground in frustration and yelled.
“And what do you mean we can’t get rid of it? There are fences who specialize in handling things like that!”
“You’d die.”
“What?”
“If we took something like that, we’d be dead, nine times out of ten.”
“What do you mean? Dead?”
Mumu said with a firm expression.
“Don’t fences get extorted by the underworld?”
Mumu stared at the fat beggar and continued.
“People’s lives are bought and sold for a silver coin or two… What wouldn’t they do to quietly pocket such a valuable item?”
The fat beggar’s jaw dropped.
He had been too excited at the sight of the jewel-encrusted accessory.
But thinking about it calmly, a fence would most likely kill them and swallow the treasure whole.
Killing one or two nameless beggars would be nothing to the thugs from the underworld.
“You have a point… I remember Gae-ko from the back village got beaten to death by the underworld guys after he messed with some cheap stolen goods.”
“Even besides that, it’s best not to accept things offered by the wealthy if you can help it. It’s common for servants or warriors who’ve been eyeing it to snatch it away.”
“Hmm.”
The fat beggar nodded, recalling Gyo Cheon-ak’s chilling gaze.
If they had taken that bracelet, he felt certain that man, if no one else, would have definitely done something.
“Mumu, you might not know anything else, but you’re definitely a beggar through and through.”
”What do you mean?”
“Even with your memory gone, you know more about the beggar’s life than I do. Hahaha.”
“I suppose that seems to be the case.”
Mumu nodded as if in agreement.
He couldn't even remember his name, let alone anything before coming to the village. Yet, his beggar instincts were sharp.
That must mean he was indeed a beggar.
“Maybe you were killed for messing with stolen goods like that? Your clothes were all torn, but the material was pretty good quality.”
When the fat beggar had found Mumu, his clothes were torn to shreds.
It was possible Mumu had also met with misfortune after getting his hands on some unnecessary stolen goods or valuables.
“That’s a possibility.”
Mumu looked up at the distant sky with a bitter expression.
“Perhaps I’m being punished with memory loss for the bad things I’ve done…”
“Why would you say something like that? It could have been something else.”
The fat beggar smiled and patted Mumu’s shoulder.
“Let’s go get some sleep. My whole body aches from that beating.”
“Let’s.”
Mumu walked shoulder to shoulder with the fat beggar toward Byeokgye Village.
That night.
Heavy snowflakes fell, blanketing the world in white, while a biting wind howled ceaselessly.
Despite the world-freezing cold, Mumu was curled up asleep in a small hut a short distance from Byeokgye Village.
Normally, he should have been sleeping in the village led by Heuk-ung.
That place had sturdily built houses and warm fires lit here and there to ward off the cold.
But Mumu did not sleep there.
He didn’t want to be under the thumb of the boss, Heuk-ung, and more importantly, he talked a lot in his sleep, which got him beaten every time.
It was more comfortable for his mind to sleep separately like this, even if it was cold and difficult.
“Ugh.”
Mumu, curled up asleep in the hut, let out a groan.
He was dreaming again.
***
The sleeping child slowly opened his eyes.
Before his unfocused vision could take in the surroundings, he saw what resembled a vast, open sea.
A pair of clear and beautiful eyes.
“You must have had another nightmare.”
A mother’s gentle hand brushed against the child’s head and cheek.
When the child blinked again, his eyes focused.
He could see the beautiful face of his mother, wearing a benevolent smile.
“…”
The child’s eyes darted left and right.
He could see the scenery of a room dimly lit by an oil lamp.
In one corner was a small table with a high-quality inkstone and brush, the kind used by high-ranking officials.
Countless books lined the bookshelf, and the chair was the perfect size for a six or seven-year-old child.
At a glance, it was the bedroom of a scion from a prestigious family, one who read many books.
“Are you alright?”
When his mother stroked his forehead and asked again, the child, with only his head peeking out from the covers, nodded.
Was he about five or six years old?
He was a child with plump cheeks, fair skin, and eyes of stark black and white.
His appearance was like that of a celestial cherub, and his gaze was calm and mature.
“Go back to sleep. It’s not even the third watch yet.”
At his mother’s words, the child nodded and soon fell back into a deep sleep.
*Creak.*
Just then, the door opened, and a middle-aged man in blue robes entered and spoke in a low voice. It was the child’s father.
“It seems he had another nightmare.”
His voice was low and clear.
The father looked at his son tucked under the covers and smiled gently.
“I don’t know why he’s been so restless in his sleep lately.”
The couple had rushed here from their own room after hearing a short groan from the child’s room.
“Could it be because he secretly read the Bestial Poison Sutra last night?”
“The Bestial Poison Sutra? Who would have given him such a book?”
“Who do you think? That lama you brought from the west.”
The woman said with her arms crossed.
“This child loves reading more than anything. That lama knows it and has been secretly giving him rare books he shouldn’t be reading, one by one.”
The man cleared his throat with an embarrassed expression.
“He is a high monk of great spiritual power and came here to heal our child. He would never do anything foolish…”
The couple’s whispered conversation continued for some time.
In truth, the child was not yet asleep.
And he was listening to their soft chatter as if it were a lullaby.
A father admired by all, and a mother who was the most benevolent and gentle in the world.
As long as his family was together like this, the child wanted for nothing. And he wished for this time to last forever.
But that was nothing more than a foolish dream.
*Fwoosh.*
The massive estate was engulfed in flames.
The clash of weapons and desperate screams echoed from all directions.
“I’m sorry.”
The middle-aged man, holding the child with a sorrowful expression, opened the door to the estate’s secret passage.
“This father… lacks the strength to protect you any longer.”
The middle-aged man swallowed his anguish and hugged his beloved son tightly.
“Forget everything.”
He gathered his energy and lightly tapped the crown of the child’s head.
Instantly, all the warm memories in the child’s mind vanished. At the same time, he lost consciousness and fell into a deep sleep.
*Tap, tap, tap!*
The middle-aged man quickly pressed several of his son’s acupoints. It was the Grand Art of Feigned Death, a technique long lost to the martial world…
It could create a state of suspended animation, leaving just a wisp of breath, allowing one to survive for three months.
“And survive, until the very end.”
With a sorrowful expression, he hugged the child’s body tightly, placed him inside the passage, and closed the door again.
And just like that, a season changed.
*Rumble, rumble.*
In front of a pavilion in the estate, which had been burned to ruins, a round hole appeared where a main beam once stood, and a small child emerged.
“…”
The child’s eyes, as he climbed out onto the ground, were empty.
*Who am I?*
*Why am I standing in this ruin?*
No matter how much he thought, he could find no answer.
*Pitter-patter.*
Suddenly, the sky turned gray, and white snowflakes began to fall.
The child unconsciously reached out his hand and touched a snowflake.
It should have melted upon contact, but because his blood circulation had not yet properly returned, the snowflake did not melt.
“…”
After staring at the snowflake for a long time, the child looked around.
Then, with a vacant gaze, he began to walk.
He didn’t know where he was going, but the child felt an unconscious need to move forward.
And so, through the falling snowflakes… the child followed his instincts, walking away from the estate.