The Night of the Greedy (3)
People are most dumbfounded when they're just minding their own business and suddenly get a faceful of abuse. That's exactly the state Jin Sowoon was in right now—his sense of disbelief had straight-up run away from home.
"I'm from the Beggar Union!"
He couldn't even wrap his head around this beggar's nonstop yapping about being from the Beggar Union. Did that give them the right to spew filth at passersby?
And on top of that.
"Staff Technique! Smashing Blow Retreat!"
Shouting out the move names while using martial arts? This guy was clearly out of his mind. So Jin Sowoon bottled up his emotions tight and started beating the beggar senseless.
The Beggar Union teaches martial arts even to trash like this? Tsk tsk, no wonder they get crushed by the Demonic Cult.
Intelligence networks like them couldn't even tell which of their own beggars were crazy and which weren't. Hell, if you can't count your own spoons at home, how are you supposed to know your neighbor's business? Could you even call this an intelligence network?
The staff whipped through the air viciously, but this was a technique whose flaws had already been exposed by Jegal Cheongi. Unless he used an advanced form, it was useless—and this beggar still didn't know that.
"Urk! Gah!"
Jin Sowoon struck the beggar's elbow with his scabbard to halt the staff, then stomped his foot as the thug toppled, following up with a kick to the gut.
"Kuhk!"
As the airborne beggar came crashing down, Jin Sowoon spun and nailed him with a roundhouse kick.
Thud!
From here on, that beggar would be known as "the guy who ate a roundhouse."
"Groooan……."
The impact must've been brutal—or maybe he was already agonizing over his humiliating new nickname—because the beggar curled up and stayed down for a good while.
His underlings swarmed him regardless, voices thick with concern.
"Wangcho!"
"Wangcho! You okay?"
"You just took a roundhouse—!"
"Aaaargh! Shut up!"
Even their worried shouts grated on O Sam's nerves as he ground his teeth and scanned the area. Lying there whining about the pain was too shameful.
"Y-You coward…… How dare you……!"
A roundhouse kick…… A roundhouse kick…… In the orthodox martial world, that was as low as throwing dirt in someone's eyes.
For O Sam, who'd lived his life as an elite Beggar Union disciple, it was utterly unforgivable.
"You bastard! Aren't you afraid of the consequences?"
But the slave trader—no, Jin Sowoon—didn't bat an eye. He just sighed.
"Hah, this damn beggar's such a pain…… I'm busy, so if you don't wanna eat more, scram."
"……That punk!"
He'd only taken that hit because he'd let his guard down. He'd gotten into the habit of calling out his moves to avoid harming innocents, and it'd backfired. Still, no regrets. If a proud Beggar Union disciple like him buckled at this level of hardship, he couldn't call himself a true disciple.
O Sam stood tall, shoulders squared.
"This time for real. Get ready."
"……Hah."
Jin Sowoon clutched his head, eyeing the persistent beggar. His ready stance was the Staff Eighteen Forms. Looked like he hadn't mastered any advanced techniques.
This clown was halting his juniors' training.
All this way, and this is the mess we get into.
His juniors were just as pressed for time, eyes glued to O Sam without blinking.
For those scrawny little guys, he had to wrap this up quick—a sense of duty welled up in him.
Jin Sowoon thumped his chest like trust me, flashing his juniors a benevolent smile.
Of course, the other four were thinking……
Hold on just a bit longer, please! Let us rest……
Poor mortals keep multiplying……
Totally different stuff.
Jin Sowoon crooked a finger at O Sam.
"Fine. My life's never been smooth anyway. Come on. I'll just chalk this up to enlightening a mad dog today."
"Tahat!"
Starting with Mounted Horse Stance, O Sam chained into Scratching Dog's Eyes, Flower-Smashing Staff, and Wind-Dragon Twisting Horn.
Jin Sowoon flowed with Tae-eul Eight Myriad Divine Steps, elegantly dodging the staff strikes. O Sam's eyes bulged.
Staff Technique was one thing, but the Staff Eighteen Forms weren't easy to evade. Even fellow young disciples and senior branch elites struggled against it—how was this nobody dodging like he'd memorized every move?
What the……
And he wasn't even dodging big. Just the bare minimum, razor-thin margins.
That meant one of two things.
Am I…… this far behind Sowoon?
Either there was a massive gap in their skills, or he'd memorized all eighteen forms.
But it'd taken O Sam a full year to commit them to memory—Sowoon couldn't have.
His thoughts hit a wall: this was beyond him. But it was too late.
"W-Wait……."
"Wait my ass."
Jin Sowoon pulled back a fist humming with power, glaring venomously at O Sam.
"This is payback for the unprovoked abuse."
Thump.
The shock rattled O Sam's organs. Yet his body didn't budge an inch.
Guuk!
Before he could scream, another straight punch slammed into his gut.
"This is for ruining my morning by showing up."
Bam.
"And this—for interrupting our cute juniors' precious training!"
Jin Sowoon's foot rocketed straight down from overhead onto O Sam's crown.
Crack!
As his bones ground and his skull threatened to split, O Sam flashed back to what he'd seen: four guys sweating buckets in midwinter, faces pale as death, trudging like zombies……
Who the hell makes juniors train like that!
He wanted to scream his injustice, but O Sam had already passed out with a final yelp.
Pat pat.
"What a pathetic beggar…… Nah, he is a beggar. What a pain this trash is, tsk."
As Jin Sowoon dusted his hands and approached, Eunho asked with genuine curiosity.
"Uh…… Big Brother. Who's these 'cute juniors'? There's no one here but us."
"What're you talking about? You guys are the cute ones."
……Huh? Did I hear wrong?
"……Us?"
"Yeah. Can't you tell how I treasure you like gold and jade?"
Eunho got instant goosebumps and lost his words.
"But Eunho."
"……Yes."
For some reason, Big Brother's so-called affectionate gaze seemed fixed on his feet.
"Why'd you stop moving?"
"Uh…… What?"
Eunho whipped his head around.
"I was so furious at that beggar insulting our pillar, Big Brother, that I couldn't hold back and…… Sorry."
"Oh?"
The other juniors, who'd been watching anxiously, gave tiny thumbs-ups. Eunho sighed in relief and quickly changed the subject to distract him.
"But Big Brother, didn't you say those guys are from the Beggar Union? Is this okay?"
"And if it's not?"
"They'll…… call for backup."
>
The Beggar Union's scary not because of individual skill. It's their endless manpower. Every one of them has at least some internal energy. They come and go in waves.
One hundred thousand disciples? That's just an estimate—some say it's more.
Folks in the jianghu say: It'd take ten years to wipe out Shaolin, but a hundred to eradicate the Beggar Union.
"You poked a bear like that? He kept yelling 'Beggar Union' like he knew you'd back off……."
"Tch. Beggars gonna beggar."
Whatever. Who cares?
"Move those feet. Unless you wanna end up like him."
Avoiding a beating from Big Brother was priority one.
"Yes, sir!"
But their steps halted soon after. Nearly twenty beggars surged forward, blocking Jin Sowoon's group.
"See? What'd I tell you."
"Eunho."
"Yes!"
"You—march in place."
"……."
"Or I'll clear them out and you're dead."
"I'm marching extra hard!"
Eunho stomped like he was on hot coals.
As expected. Beggars or not, they were one of the Nine Great Sects. Beating one to a pulp and expecting no retaliation? No way.
But Big Brother looked utterly relaxed.
"Why're you lot swarming again?"
At Jin Sowoon's scolding, the flashiest-dressed beggar stepped forward.
"I'm Samcheol, Third Division Leader of the Shaanxi Xi'an Branch."
"Skip the intro."
Jin Sowoon picked his ear and nudged O Sam with his foot.
"This beggar ruined our training. How're you compensating?"
The Tae-eul Gate juniors' hearts skipped.
Crazy……
What the hell?
Has he lost it?
Big Brother's…… off……
Samcheol trembled at Jin Sowoon's attitude.
"Ruining a little training justifies this?"
"What? A little?"
Jin Sowoon splayed his fingers, folding them one by one.
"Plus abuse and he threw first."
Enraged by the nonchalance, Samcheol bellowed.
"Do you even know who he belongs to?!"
"Duh, he shouted his move names."
"And you still dare?!"
Samcheol gnashed his teeth.
"To oppress a Beggar Union disciple?!"
"If you're too dumb to read the room, you get your bowl smashed begging. That's beggar life, no?"
"Reveal your affiliation! I'll grind your sect and faction to dust!"
Jin Sowoon snickered at the bloodshot threat.
"World's gone soft. A third-rate division leader threatening revenge. What would the Murim Alliance say about academy reps getting bullied like this?"
"Wha……?"
Samcheol's spine chilled.
Why'd academy rep pop up? Academy students were Murim Alliance executive candidates. Their status was basically an Alliance badge. Protecting them was top priority. If they suffered outside, the Alliance retaliated in its name.
That's why background-less hopefuls flocked to the academy.
Samcheol had basically threatened to pulverize the Alliance.
"Y-You're not gonna reveal your status?"
But no need to panic. Academy kids networked inside too. This intake had Beggar Union reps. He could settle this through them—maybe even get an apology for disrespecting a friend's senior.
"You first."
Opponent intel was key.
"Jeez."
Jin Sowoon shook his head like he'd read his mind, answering dryly.
"Tae-eul Gate."
"What?"
Samcheol scowled. Some no-name sect…… Wait, why familiar? Tae-eul Gate…… Tae-eul Gate……
His eyes snapped wide.
"Hefei's Divine Dragon! Tae-eul Gate!"
Jin Sowoon clicked his tongue.
"Not Anhui Divine Dragon—what's with Hefei Divine Dragon? Name-givers got no class……."
Samcheol scrutinized the shabby crew. Black uniforms with subtle embroidery. Black sword at the waist. Sneaky face. And most tellingly……
That bulging crotch he couldn't hide!
"N-No way…… You're the Black Flame Dragon?"
Jin Sowoon frowned at the hated nickname.
Then it hit Samcheol like an air-raid siren.
Oh shit!
Big time.
#
Samcheol slowly turned. Three youths who looked half-beggar but familiar.
Those must be the Ironclad Three Dragons: the Gold-Silver-Bronze Brothers.
A woman whose dust-smeared face promised flower-like beauty.
Hong Moon-gi's pampered only daughter, Hong Saryeon.
She'd even met privately with Namgung Taeha at the academy.
To the world, a nothing sect. But to an intel group like the Union? A powder keg ready to blow.
Black Flame Dragon…… That guy's a wildcard……
And at the center: Black Flame Dragon Jin Sowoon. The shady thug's true identity.
"Jin Sowoon……."
Samcheol growled low.
"Why…… go through all this instead of using the academy?"
Academy reps milked their status. One perk: easy hometown trips.
If he'd used it, none of this would've happened. Hence the question.
But Jin Sowoon dug his ear nonchalantly.
"'Cause I felt like it."
Samcheol soured.
"I move how I want, gotta get beggar permission now?"
"……."
Too logical to argue.
O Sam's beating was unfair, but he'd picked the fight without scouting. Time to end it.
"Fine. Seems like a misunderstanding. Let's call it here quietly?"
The academy/Murim Alliance backing was intimidating, but they were the Beggar Union. Massive compared to Tae-eul Gate. No sect wanted them as enemies.
"Sure."
Hah, scared of the Union after all.
As Samcheol turned to leave, assuming it was settled.
"One condition."
Jin Sowoon's voice from behind.
"Compensate properly, and we're good."
"……Compensation?"
Samcheol eyed the comatose, eye-rolling O Sam. Then the cocky, unscathed Jin Sowoon.
Who was compensating who?
"That beggar punk stopped our juniors' training. Shredded my delicate feelings with his foul mouth. Time and mental damages owed."
"……Hah!"
Black Flame Dragon's tongue was sharper than a needle, they said. Spouting utter nonsense like a pro.
Samcheol laughed in disbelief.
"Not scared of Beggar Union fallout?"
"What're you on about, beggar scum."
Yep, total madman. Expectations met.
"Own your mistakes! Doesn't the Union teach basics?!"
"……."
"That downed trash picked a fight with an innocent guy and swung first. Facts are clear: provoker and victim. Stop twisting it, you beggar scum!"
Factually, yes—Union's fault. Usually glossed over as misunderstanding……
"No comp? Pay with your body then."
"……Wait."
Samcheol stalled as Jin Sowoon reached for his sword. His brain spun at max speed.
No backing down. Screw up, and who knows where the fire spreads.
Look at Black Flame Dragon's track record: everywhere he went turned to locust-ravaged ruins.
With them holding the moral high ground. Tae-eul Gate? No sweat. Academy and Alliance? Different story.
Union would survive, but as division leader, his head would roll.
Better settle cheap.
Decision made, Samcheol steeled himself.
"What do you want? Money?"
Jin Sowoon stroked his prominent bulge mockingly.
"Like beggars got cash."
Samcheol barely contained his fury.
Yes, he was a beggar. But why did that punk's "beggar scum" stick like a curse?
Endure. He's the academy rep Black Flame Dragon.
"……So what?"
Jin Sowoon smirked.
"Still peddling maps?"
"……."
"Can't learn even after Ma-ryeong Plateau, huh."
Contempt crossed Jin Sowoon's face, but Samcheol swallowed rage.
"Bring 'em. Then we're square……."
"The Oryeongseonhwayu maps?"
Trading at twenty silver taels a pop now.
Hand over one for a "mistake"? Not crazy—thief!
"You know how much those maps cost?"
"What map? Think I don't know it's just Thousand Cave sketches?"
"……!"
Samcheol's hair stood on end.
How the hell did he know?!
Yes, they sold O-ryeongseonhwayu maps, but not the real locations. Just layouts of the maze-like Thousand Caves, with guesses on where the flower might be.
Still sold like hotcakes. Twenty taels was absurd, but for a shot at life-saving elixir? Bargain.
"What're you……."
"Playing dumb? Fine, forget it."
Jin Sowoon drew again.
"Wait!"
"What?"
Samcheol blurted desperately.
"How'd you……."
"Twenty taels."
"……Huh?"
Jin Sowoon wagged two fingers.
"Wanna know how? Twenty taels. Intel sellers begging for freebies now?"
"……."
"Buy?"
What the— who is this guy?
"……Pass."
"The map?"
"……."
Samcheol agonized, then decided. Useless map anyway. Better than tangling with this psycho.
"……Deal."
"Good."
As the dramatic deal closed.
"Groooan……."
O Sam stirred, spotting Samcheol and wailing like a lost chick.
"D-Division Leader! That guy! Him! Some punk academy student ignores the terror of our hundred thousand and dares assault an elite Beggar Union—!"
But his plea cut short.
Papapapapapapapow!
Samcheol's Eighteen Leaf Palms exploded from his hand, smashing O Sam's jaw.
As darkness claimed him again, O Sam glared at the sneering Jin Sowoon, wondering.
Why…… me……
No one explained.