Chapter 165
Chapter 165
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 165
Chapter Title: The Yellow Dog Order
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Little Snare chuckled as he slipped out of the hall.
"I told you, didn't I? The brat's got no manners."
"......"
"And he went and washed it for nothing. Where am I supposed to find a millennium flower carp? Just buy some jade and carve a new one."
Big Snare grabbed Little Snare by the scruff of the neck and dragged him back, bulging his eyes.
"From this moment, the Yellow Dog Order is in effect."
"What?! The Yellow Dog Order?"
"All Beggars' Union disciples will drop everything and pursue the tail of that millennium flower carp!"
......Crazy. Hunt down a legendary beast?
For real?
Little Snare stared blankly at Big Snare, but Big Snare's eyes were already filled with visions of the jade beggar staff.
'Crazy! He's halting all operations just to find a millennium flower carp?!'
In the history of the Beggars' Union, the Yellow Dog Order had been invoked exactly twice.
Both times during the Demonic Blood Tribulation.
And now it was being called for a millennium flower carp—or whatever it was!
Little Snare looked at Big Snare with distraught eyes.
"Wh-what about the tournament?"
"You idiot! Who gives a damn about the tournament right now!"
"But the analysis of each sect's forces and our own strength to show the world..."
"Shut your nonsense and follow me!"
"What? We're heading out right now?"
"Shut up and move!"
Smack!
Big Snare cracked Little Snare on the back of the head with a satisfying whack and strode forward.
His eyes were already half-rolled back.
Little Snare gritted his teeth, holding back tears.
'Damn it, he always says what goes around comes around!'
The Beggars' Union had operated just fine without that jade beggar staff...
It was a thought only Little Snare, who had never truly appreciated the staff's value, could have.
Big Snare wiggled his fingers.
The feel of the jade beggar staff still lingered.
'I'll find it, no matter what!'
Vowing once more to catch that millennium flower carp, Big Snare quickened his pace toward the Pure Beggars' Hall.
* * *
Watching Big Snare and Little Snare depart, Namgung Hyeok grinned.
"The Yellow Dog Order, huh."
Namgung Hyeok chuckled at hearing the order after so long.
The issuance of the Yellow Dog Order meant the Beggars' Union was staking its all on this.
Recalling how the beggars had nearly been wiped out tracking demonic forces during the Demonic Blood Tribulation, it was clear how seriously Big Snare took this.
"Then all that's left is to wait."
Having achieved his goal, Namgung Hyeok took a satisfied sip of his drink.
Gulp!
Geon Cheon-hwi stared at Namgung Hyeok in wonder.
"What's so special about that thing that even a leader like the Union Head loses his mind over it?"
To him, it was just a broken green stick.
A filthy, grimy broken stick.
For a single stick like that to send the Union Head into a frenzy after a millennium flower carp—it was downright bizarre.
Namgung Hyeok tossed out the answer casually, as if it were nothing.
"It's the jade beggar staff."
"What's that?"
"Heavens, a time when even the jade beggar staff is unknown."
Namgung Hyeok let out a deep sigh.
Geon Cheon-hwi, clueless, just blinked.
'......Anyway, sounds like it's something valuable.'
Judging by how the Union Head's eyes had rolled back.
'......But how does this young master know so much about the jianghu?'
Even with ten years under his belt eating "sword rice," his knowledge paled compared to the Thunder Dragon Squad's young master.
Realizing this anew, Namgung Hyeok's prowess sank in.
Though he hated to admit it.
'First the Peng Family Head, now the Beggars' Union Head—he's got them both wrapped around his finger.'
Heavens, Geon Cheon-hwi sighed lowly.
Not that it was a bad thing.
The growing influence of the one the Thunder Dragon Squad served was good, but in the end, wasn't the Namgung family's position strengthening too?
As Geon Cheon-hwi mulled this over.
"Anyway, the flower carp business is settled."
Namgung Hyeok slurped another hearty shot and glanced at Namgung Ryong off to the side.
"Hey, bro."
......What the—?
He'd never call him "bro" like that under normal circumstances?
Geon Cheon-hwi watched in disbelief as Namgung Ryong's head snapped up and he scurried over.
"Got a job for you."
......Normally, even a blood brother wouldn't say it like that.
Namgung Hyeok stood up.
"You're still the Namgung family's eldest young master, right?"
Nod.
"Then you gotta make a name for yourself at the tournament, yeah?"
Nod.
"But you gonna pull it off like that?"
"......"
"Name or whatever, that's not the point. Using fifty exchanges against a Jungnam lackey? That's a serious problem. My— anyway, that's absolutely unacceptable!"
......The Silver Snake Dragon of Shaanxi isn't a lackey.
"If you struggle against mere Jungnam trash, what about Shaolin? What about Wudang? I can't even imagine losing to those Nine Great Sects until dirt's in my eyes!"
"The Nine Great Sects... strong..."
"The Nine Great Sects are strong? They are? Ha ha ha ha ha!"
Namgung Hyeok threw his head back in laughter, then suddenly sobered and glared fiercely.
"I'll make you stronger then. Strong enough to see those damn monks and long-noses as dog food scraps!"
"Th-that's..."
"Come on? We've still got ten days."
At "ten days," everyone's pupils trembled.
Images of Namgung Chang rolling in agony for ten days flashed automatically in their minds.
Namgung Hyeok snorted and turned toward the training ground.
"What're you waiting for?"
Namgung Ryong gazed wistfully at Namgung Hyeok's back with woe-filled eyes, then dragged his feet over.
Geon Cheon-hwi and the other two Thunder Dragon Squad members clicked their tongues.
"Why aren't you lot coming?"
"......Pardon?"
"Aren't you my hands and feet?"
"......"
"Come on."
......Fuck.
And so hellish training time descended on the four.
The rest of the Thunder Dragon Squad, left behind at the Namgung family home, would shiver with envy.
* * *
Five days before the tournament.
Peng Junghyeok entered the Heavenly Justice Alliance and headed straight for the Namgung family's lodgings, even before meeting Peng Yeonhwa.
He gazed at the distant Namgung lodgings with complicated feelings.
His father's voice, Peng Cheon-wi's, echoed in his mind.
- Watch him closely during the tournament. Casually ask about the Blade King Manual too, and treat him like royalty—act like you're dead to the world otherwise.
- ...Father, I'm the young clan head.
- Shut it! For a chance to leap our clan forward, who cares about a title!
- ....
- No buts! Serve him like a lord. And get answers about the latter half, no matter what!
Remembering his near-threatening words, Peng Junghyeok couldn't help but sigh.
Serve him like a lord...
'......He's younger than me, too.'
And he was supposed to serve the guy who'd beaten him in the prelims? The awkwardness was indescribable just thinking about it.
"No. This is for the clan. Right! If needed, I'll give him my liver! Can't I handle a few egos?"
Compared to the trials ahead in life, this was nothing.
Thinking of the hardships as clan head, this would be good experience, fertile ground.
"Alright! Five days—can't I manage that? Even if he stays after the tournament, it's ten days max. Can't endure that, might as well quit being young clan head!"
Peng Junghyeok steeled himself.
He strode toward the Namgung lodgings and pushed open the door confidently.
Creak!
The door swung open, and a black mass plummeted forcefully through the gap.
Thud!
Peng Junghyeok stared blankly at the wriggling lump at his feet.
A bearish man of similar build to the Hebei Peng Clan fellows muttered as he twitched.
"......Ki-kill... me. Fuck. Kill me... ugh."
......Kill him?
Peng Junghyeok gaped at Tak Hyeok-dong rolling on the floor.
Tak Hyeok-dong stared blankly into space with slack eyes, then flopped his head over.
"......"
What the hell happened?
Tongue lolling, drool pooling from Tak Hyeok-dong.
Seeing a strangely familiar sight stirred odd feelings in Peng Junghyeok.
Peng Junghyeok swallowed hard and looked toward the source of the noise.
"Tsk tsk, with such weak strength, what good are you? No wonder your sword lacks power! What's so heavy about a two-hundred-catty rock!"
Even for him, blessed with divine strength, lifting the rock dangling from the iron bar one-handed was tough.
"Hang in there, hang! Hey, I said hang! Can't? Speak up. I'll detach that cumbersome head too."
"......"
"Good, now swing it a thousand more times. Come on... Hm?"
Namgung Hyeok spotted Peng Junghyeok at the door.
The nearly collapsing Thunder Dragon Squad and Namgung Ryong also turned toward the door.
Peng Junghyeok flushed awkwardly under their arrow-like stares.
"......G-good to see you. Y-young master Namgung Hyeok! Heard the Namgung family arrived, so I stopped by to pay respects."
Namgung Hyeok flung the iron bar with its rock backward and eyed Peng Junghyeok.
"The clan head sent you."
"Haha. Wh-what are you talking about. Ahem..."
"Checking if the latter half is safe?"
Startled!
Whoa, he's a mind reader or something?
Peng Junghyeok sweated profusely and smiled awkwardly.
"H-ha! Not exactly."
"Busy, so cut to the chase."
As Namgung Hyeok cut in bluntly, Peng Junghyeok rolled his eyes and forced a grin.
'Not an easy mark.'
As expected of the one who'd negotiated with his father.
'......Gotta make up some reason first.'
If he could recruit him, great; if not, just having a reason to stick close would be success enough.
"Before the tournament, the Five Great Families' participants are meeting to discuss matters, and I'd like the Namgung family to attend..."
"And?"
"I humbly request your presence..."
"Ah, you telling me to come and go as you say?"
"N-no, I'm politely requesting..."
"Request? Re-quest?"
Ah...... Father, I have no idea why he's acting like this.
Peng Junghyeok's mind went blank at Namgung Hyeok's unpredictable reaction.
Sweat poured down as they barely exchanged words, yet his soul felt sucked out.
'The meeting's sunk.'
As Peng Junghyeok despaired.
The slouched, panting Namgung Ryong's eyes lit up.
"Attend!"
Huh?
Namgung Hyeok bulged his eyes.
"Attend? Who said you could decide?"
"......Harmony. Important."
"Important my ass! You wanna play house?"
"......Important! Clan! Event!"
Namgung Ryong shot to his feet and ran to Peng Junghyeok.
"Peng bro...... thanks."
"Uh, uh......"
Whoa, even holding hands.
Peng Junghyeok stared blankly at Namgung Ryong.
He'd seen him several times, but this fervent reaction was a first—leaving him stunned.
The man who'd crushed him begging desperately stirred strange ripples.
Peng Junghyeok gripped Namgung Ryong's hand firmly and whispered.
"Bring the young master too. Absolutely!"
Namgung Ryong nodded vigorously.
Joy lit up Namgung Ryong's face, as if he'd just escaped hell.
Namgung Hyeok, watching the two, twisted his lips.
"Then train till the meeting."
"......"
"Hey, bro."
"......"
"Drop that and grab the iron bar?"
Namgung Hyeok smiled gently, his tone soft and coaxing.
Misery clouded Namgung Ryong's eyes.
Even Peng Junghyeok felt pity surging.
But there was nothing he could do.
"Come to the Golden Court Pavilion in the inner garden this evening."
Peng Junghyeok clasped his fists and fled as Namgung Hyeok waved him off irritably.
Agonized groans erupted behind him.
'......At least I got them out. Whew!'
Peng Junghyeok sighed in relief, mission accomplished.