Chapter 100
Translator: penny
Chapter: 100
Chapter Title: The Beggar Successor's Inquiry
I chatted idly with Cheon Woojin for a bit, then changed my clothes one more time before heading back to Silver Flower Pavilion.
'Reminds me of my days back at the clan.'
Even then, I'd swap outfits at home and head straight to the brothel like it was my job.
The only real difference was that back then, I'd pinch my allowance to make it last, whereas now I enjoyed myself without spending a single coin.
'Come to think of it, I played without paying back in Taewon too, didn't I?'
After my allowance got cut off, I'd racked up tabs.
Eventually, the courtesans tracked me down at the clan, and Father kicked me out.
'And that's when I acquired the Blissful Creation Art.'
Aeng-i, that courtesan, suddenly popped into my mind.
The one who'd brazenly pocketed compensation without ever sleeping with me, only to later fall victim to the Blissful Creation Art.
'...When did she even start working as a courtesan?'
My past life might as well have never happened, but personally, I felt a twinge of guilt toward Aeng-i.
I hadn't known any better back then, after all.
'If I run into her later, I should make it up to her somehow.'
Lost in those old memories as I made my way to Silver Flower Pavilion, a familiar face suddenly caught my eye.
'Huh? What the hell is that guy doing here?'
His clothes were ragged and torn, his hair matted and greasy with oil.
A beard left untended at an age pushing forty, skin caked in grime like he hadn't bathed in who knows how long.
Up to that point, he could've been any old beggar you spot on the street...
'Dragon Head Leader? No, just the successor for now, I guess?'
Eight knots tied into the straw cord at his waist marked his status.
Truth be told, I didn't even need to check the knots.
It was a face I knew all too well.
The wrinkles should've been deeper, the hair and beard a bit whiter to match my memories, but there was no mistaking the man I'd crossed paths with dozens of times.
'Dragon Head Leader Bae Cheolsan.'
In the jianghu, folks tend to split martial artists into the righteous and the wicked. This guy? He was just a decent, good-hearted soul.
Others chased me down for revenge or out of some sense of justice and honor, but Bae Cheolsan moved for plain human decency.
He'd even saved my skin once.
'Long before I made a name as the Lecherous Demon, though.'
To tell that story, we'd have to go back to my days as a lowly Red Serpent Sect warrior.
He'd stumbled on my past by chance and tried to set me straight more than once, but I'd dodged him every time.
Even after I became the Lecherous Demon, he kept trying to talk me down...
'Until he finally threw in the towel.'
By then, I'd piled up too many grudges.
For the record, I wasn't all that fond of Bae Cheolsan.
His ideals were just too pie-in-the-sky, completely out of touch with reality.
'Guess that's why he's still slumming it as a beggar.'
Could a guy who'd viciously shaken down debtors and extorted begging kids really repent and crawl back to his family?
He had accusations of tormenting commoners hanging over him from the start.
Bae Cheolsan was undeniably a good man at heart, but he and I just didn't click.
To put it more precisely, he made me uncomfortable.
Which is why I planned to walk right on by without a glance—until the unlucky bastard spotted me and came shambling over.
"You're Mok Jimyeong, right?"
Looked like he'd already pieced it all together.
Recently, I'd kept spotting beggar punks lurking nearby but none approaching. Guess he'd planned to handle it personally.
I shot him a sidelong glance but didn't break stride.
He seemed thrown off for a second, then hustled to catch up.
"Off to Silver Flower Pavilion again today?"
He looked like the type who'd tail me forever if I didn't respond.
Fine with a pretty girl, but I had no hobby of strolling the streets with a beggar in tow, so I gave him a curt reply.
"Yes."
My answer must've been too clipped, because he cleared his throat.
Then he casually lifted the knotted cord from his waist.
"Ahem. You blind or something? Can't you see this?"
Eight knots. Palgyeol.
The mark of the successor who would one day lead the Beggar Clan.
'And sure enough, he ends up as Dragon Head Leader later.'
But what did I care?
I played dumb and shot back.
"What's that? Showing off your jewelry?"
If it was a trinket contest, I wasn't about to lose.
Muttering under my breath, I lifted the black tassel my second sister had given me when I left the clan.
"I've got one of these too."
The successor blinked in confusion for a moment, then cleared his throat again.
"Ahem. What kind of man walks around with a tassel?"
Daring to badmouth a gift from my second sister?
"Better than strutting around with knotted twine."
"Ahem. You really have no idea what these knots mean?"
Never noticed him cough this much back in the day.
Cold or something?
Of course a warrior of his caliber wouldn't catch a cold, but I decided not to dwell on it.
More pressing was shaking this guy off.
I fixed him with a bored stare.
"What the hell is it with that stupid rope? Why keep bugging me? Eight knots make you successor, nine make you Dragon Head Leader or whatever?"
He finally realized I'd been ribbing him, and his face flushed beet red.
But it didn't last.
He schooled his features in an instant and pressed on.
"Anyway, how's Hyea doing?"
I'd ignored him as best I could, but that name stopped me dead in my tracks.
Satisfaction spread across the successor's face as he grinned.
"I'm tight with the head of the Moyong family. Practically uncle and niece with Hyea."
News to me.
But nothing special.
"And?"
"I swung by the Moyong family not long ago. Heard all about you there."
Explained why he'd taken his sweet time approaching.
He'd been off in Shenyang.
'Tch. A Beggar Clan guy who can't even feed intel to one of the Five Great Families—instead, he goes begging for it.'
Wonder how much Father-in-law spilled.
If he'd mentioned my ties to the Shadow Gate Sect, that could spell trouble.
I halted and stared him down, and he smirked like he'd won.
"Got a minute?"
I didn't even need to think.
"No. Busy."
What else would he want time for?
Obviously to lob questions and pry info.
Sure, he was decent and sentimental—but that applied to the weak. Not me, not now.
'And I really am busy.'
Courtesans back at Silver Flower Pavilion waiting desperately for me.
No time to spare for some middle-aged beggar.
"I know you're headed to that brothel anyway."
"You know, so why hassle me? Wanna tag along?"
This time, his feet stuttered to a halt.
Had to be a little tempted.
"...As if. Folks would talk if a beggar like me showed up there."
Talk? They'd boot him on sight.
'Hmm, if he came with me, they might let it slide?'
Not that I had any plans to bring him.
"Ugh, such a pain. Then what? Why keep following?"
"I've been looking into you, and a few questions came up. Mind if I ask just a couple...?"
I finally stopped and turned to face him squarely.
Then I snapped.
"Proud of snooping behind someone's back? And blabbing about it right to their face?"
"Ahem."
Even a beggar had some shame—he flicked his eyes away from mine.
But he didn't budge. Looked like he'd tail me until he got answers.
"Sigh. Fine, one answer. Since you know Hyea, I'll make an exception."
"...Appreciate it."
The successor looked begrudging.
But he'd heard the "one only" part loud and clear, so he mulled it over.
He opened his mouth, decision made.
"I want to ask about the Red Serpent Sect."
"Red Serpent Sect? Bunch of bastards."
Obvious reply, but he shook his head.
"You know that's not what I'm asking."
Of course I did.
But no clue what exactly he wanted.
Why I wiped them out?
Or about the sword aura?
'Whatever. Just one answer.'
If it was the extermination, I'd say, 'They started it.' If sword aura, 'Yeah.'
I'd prepped my lines and prompted him.
"So, what're you curious about?"
But his question blindsided me.
"Don't you think the Red Serpent Sect's ill-gotten gains should be handed out to their victims?"
Good guy asking a good guy question—totally predictable.
'Proper question, though.'
He wasn't seriously demanding I divvy up the loot.
If he was, he'd have piped up before I spent it.
'Not like he's got the right to nitpick my money.'
Just probing my character.
And I fired right back.
"Why should I?"
"...It's filthy money from dirty deeds. Wouldn't it be better spent valuably than blown on brothel revelry?"
I had counters aplenty.
Why blow my hard-earned cash that way? Courtesans were pitiful folk too. For me, nothing more valuable than splashing it at the brothel.
But I went in a whole different direction.
"Oh, you were panhandling? Should've said so sooner. Since you know Hyea, I'll play benefactor."
I fished a single tael of silver from my pouch and tossed it over.
He caught it and gawked back and forth between me and the coin.
"That enough? I'm out."
True to my word with one answer, he didn't follow anymore.
Instead, he muttered loudly enough for me to hear.
"What an inscrutable guy."
Not one to back down, I hummed a cheery tune and kept walking.