You Really Got Played.

People stole glances at the two squatting and eating potatoes.

It wasn’t rare to see people eating something off the ground.

There were many beggars around.

However, a big, muscular man doing that was certainly not a common sight.

They were curious what their story was, but looking at the wounds on their bodies, they didn’t feel like people that could be casually approached.

So they only snuck glances from afar.

In the midst of that, a group of men appeared.

They looked to be martial artists.

They were not walking toward the two, just passing by.

But the man in the lead tilted his head when he saw them.

The young man started walking again.

However, after only a few steps he turned back.

“Young master, what is it?”

The martial artists following behind were puzzled, but the man only stared hard at the two with a grave expression.

“Is it someone you know?”

“…It feels like it, but that makes no sense.”

The young man’s brow furrowed.

“Still… No, that would be ridiculous.”

The young man stopped and muttered to himself.

Even the martial artists were looking at him strangely.

Regardless, the young man’s gaze stayed fixed on one person, and Gyo-ha set down the potato he had been eating.

“I think he recognized you.”

He spoke quietly so they couldn’t hear.

[I’d like to say no, but I think you’re right.]

He had let his guard down.

He had not imagined there would be someone with sharper eyes than a Beggars Union disciple.

However, at the sound he heard by his ear, Gyo-ha’s eyes went wide.

Only Namgung Hyeok’s Adam’s apple moved. He had not made a sound.

“What the? How did you do that?”

[It’s sound transmission. Don’t tell me you don’t know it?]

At Gyo-ha’s reaction, it was Namgung Hyeok who answered in surprise.

“Ah, I know. So this is sound transmission.”

Gyo-ha scratched his head.

A method of sending speech by infusing it with qi.

It was a kind of sound-based art.

He had heard of it, but it was a technique Gyo-ha could not use.

It was an art only possible if you could freely send and receive qi.

Any first-rate martial artist could handle it.

But Gyo-ha was what people commonly called third-rate.

Only then did Namgung Hyeok let out a sigh.

[My apologies. You’re so strong I forget sometimes.]

“It’s fine.”

It wasn’t anything to apologize for, and Gyo-ha didn’t particularly mind.

In the meantime, the young man seemed to have made up his mind and carefully approached.

“Are you perhaps Young Master Namgung Hyeok?”

The martial artists behind him looked at the young man as if to say, what on earth are you talking about.

Namgung Hyeok calmly nodded.

But Gyo-ha noticed that Namgung Hyeok had hesitated for one brief moment.

He had been debating whether to deny it or not.

It was something the old Namgung Hyeok would never have done.

When Namgung Hyeok answered, he could hear the martial artists gulp.

But the young man’s face lit up.

“So it really is you. You’ve changed so much I almost didn’t recognize you.”

Normally, not recognizing him would be the natural result.

“What in the world brings you here, Young Master? And why are you dressed like that?”

“I am in training.”

Namgung Hyeok stated it calmly.

“What kind of training…”

Was he going to say he was wandering for duels? Even so, there was no need to go around looking like this.

Then the young man seemed to realize something.

“Ah, dhuta practice! Something like that?”

Dhuta practice.

An ascetic practice performed in the Buddhist tradition.

“Something like that.”

“I knew it!”

The young man tapped his own head, apparently pleased with having guessed right.

He had a sharp eye, but not much tact.

A few of the martial artists behind him tilted their heads.

“Was the Namgung Clan Buddhist?”

They knew better than anyone that such a thing was impossible, but this was a direct descendant of the great Namgung Clan.

They could not refute the words of Namgung Hyeok, a strong candidate for successor at that.

Namgung Hyeok looked at the young man.

Realizing he was late, the young man quickly cupped his fists.

“I am Tang Sang-hyeok of Jeokmu Hall. I use the same ‘Hyeok’ character as you, Young Master. Ah, my surname has nothing to do with Tang Clan’s Tang.”

No one had misunderstood, but Tang Sang-hyeok hurried to add the explanation.

Tang wasn’t the most common surname, but it wasn’t particularly rare either.

Even after hearing the name, Namgung Hyeok looked puzzled, so Tang Sang-hyeok spoke up.

“I saw you once at Namgung’s Clan Head inauguration ceremony. My uncle’s sworn brother was acquainted with Hero Namgung Gi-chan.”

“Ah, from the Muwidae?”

He was also a distant relative of Namgung Hyeok.

That was only natural since he was from the Namgung Clan.

“Yes. I never thought I would see you again like this. Surely this is fate, no? Instead of standing around, please come to our hall. My uncle and his sworn brother, Hero Jang Hyu, are here as well. They will be delighted to meet you, Young Master.”

Rather than answer, Namgung Hyeok turned his head to look at Gyo-ha.

Only then did Tang Sang-hyeok’s gaze move as well.

“And this is…?”

“My sworn elder brother.”

At Namgung Hyeok’s words, Tang Sang-hyeok’s eyes widened.

Gyo-ha could feel his gaze quickly travel up and down.

“Where might you be from…?”

Tang Sang-hyeok asked cautiously.

“Gyo-ha of Kunlun.”

“Ah, Kunlun.”

Disappointment colored Tang Sang-hyeok’s face.

At that sight, Namgung Hyeok’s eyebrows rose.

“I appreciate the invitation, but since I am not alone, I will decline.”

The words sounded polite, but his voice was cold.

At that, Tang Sang-hyeok hurriedly opened his mouth.

“Then your elder brother should come with you. If he is Young Master Namgung’s sworn elder brother, he is no stranger to me either.”

How was he no stranger when they had just met?

Just as Namgung Hyeok was about to speak again, Gyo-ha stepped forward.

“Shall we, then?”

“Brother?”

Namgung Hyeok looked at Gyo-ha in puzzlement.

At his questioning look of ‘Is this okay?’, Gyo-ha nodded.

“If that is what you wish, Brother…”

As Namgung Hyeok’s resistance subsided, Tang Sang-hyeok’s expression brightened.

“Let’s go! My father will be delighted!”

Tang Sang-hyeok took the lead and walked ahead.

Watching him, Namgung Hyeok’s Adam’s apple moved.

[Are you truly all right with this?]

He thought he had dragged Gyo-ha into troublesome matters because of himself.

At that question, Gyo-ha shrugged.

“You never know.”

Never know what?

Looking at the somehow cheerful Gyo-ha, Namgung Hyeok nodded.

He didn’t understand, but judged that there must be a reason.

A sect in the middle of a war. It was something that could draw Gyo-ha’s interest.

And so the two followed Tang Sang-hyeok toward Jeokmu Hall.

Jeokmu Hall looked so peaceful it was hard to believe they were at war.

The estate was boisterous, as if guests had arrived.

Servants were hurrying busily about.

Finding it strange, Gyo-ha asked one of the martial artists.

The martial artist replied with a laugh.

“Do you really think that pathetic Taedong Gate could stand against our main hall? There is no need to worry so much.”

Even from his tone, you could feel the contempt for their opponent.

The other martial artists all nodded as if that were only natural.

In the meantime, Tang Sang-hyeok returned from reporting to the hall master.

A middle-aged man followed behind him, and the moment he saw Namgung Hyeok his eyes went wide.

“So it really is Young Master Namgung! To think I would see you in a place like this. Ah, I am Tang Gwan-il, Sang-hyeok’s uncle. The Hall Master wished to greet you personally, but he couldn’t as he is currently receiving guests.”

Joy was plain on the middle-aged man’s face.

In contrast, Namgung Hyeok showed no sign of recognizing him.

But Tang Gwan-il didn’t mind.

On the contrary, seeing how Namgung Hyeok was dressed, he got angry at the martial artists.

“How could you leave the Young Master standing here in such a state? Hurry and bring clothes. No, tell the steward and have bathwater prepared first.”

“No. I am fine.”

“Absolutely not. If word gets out that we treated you like this, others will point fingers at us.”

When he put it that way, even Namgung Hyeok didn’t insist.

The elders of the Namgung Clan were just as strict about such matters.

After he washed and came out, clothes had been prepared. But once he put them on, Namgung Hyeok’s eyebrows twitched.

It was because he saw Gyo-ha.

“What?”

Gyo-ha, who had also come out looking neat, tilted his head.

Gyo-ha didn’t seem to notice, but Namgung Hyeok, who had grown up in a prestigious clan, could tell.

The two sets of clothes were of different quality.

“It’s nothing.”

Namgung Hyeok shook his head.

But displeasure was written clearly on his face. The servants who had brought the clothes glanced around nervously, but it wasn’t their fault.

Besides, it would be awkward to complain about clothes that had been prepared for them.

Just then, Tang Sang-hyeok appeared, having heard that they had finished washing.

“Let’s go. My father is waiting.”

For some reason, Tang Sang-hyeok looked very excited.

The place he led them to wasn’t a reception room, but a banquet hall.

The hall was noisy with chatter.

People looked puzzled at the appearance of the two strangers.

“This atmosphere is strange.”

Gyo-ha muttered as he rubbed the tip of his nose.

In contrast, Namgung Hyeok sighed, as if he had guessed what was going on.

Soon, Tang Gwan-il sprang to his feet and came over.

“Ooh, Young Master Namgung, you are here?”

At the name Namgung, the eyes of everyone in the banquet hall went wide.

“Namgung, as in…?”

As murmurs began to spread, the middle-aged man seated at the head of the table stood up.

“Young Master, you must have had a hard journey from the Namgung Clan. If there is anything you need, please do not hesitate to say so.”

The middle-aged man emphasized the words “Namgung Clan.”

He was the Hall Master of Jeokmu Hall.

“…Understood.”

Namgung Hyeok replied briefly, his tone cold. The hall master’s face showed a moment of embarrassment, but only for an instant.

“It seems the fatigue of the journey has not yet left him. Sang-hyeok, see to it that he is well looked after.”

“Yes, Father.”

Tang Sang-hyeok bowed his head.

“This way, please. The food is ready.”

Eyes moved along with them, and even after they sat down, everyone kept stealing glances at the two.

A cluster of younger people especially stood out.

They kept sending looks not only at the two, but also at Tang Sang-hyeok.

After hesitating a moment, Tang Sang-hyeok spoke.

“Um, if it’s all right…”

“We can eat on our own, so please feel free to go.”

“Ah, yes.”

Awkwardness spread across Tang Sang-hyeok’s face.

Namgung Hyeok had cut him off, anticipating what he was going to say.

But Tang Sang-hyeok didn’t give up easily.

“The people over there are my old friends…”

“I must decline. There are things I wish to talk about with my elder brother.”

Namgung Hyeok stated it coolly.

“Ah, haha. Understood.”

Startled, Tang Sang-hyeok left almost as if fleeing.

Namgung Hyeok let out a sigh, as if tired.

At that moment, a voice came from beside him.

“You really got played.”

When he turned his head, Gyo-ha was popping a dumpling into his mouth.

He hadn’t noticed the difference in their clothes, but he had grasped what was going on.

They were acting as if they had deep ties with Namgung Hyeok.

It wasn’t as if they were telling outright lies.

They were simply creating a situation others would misunderstand.

“I’m used to it.”

“Hm. Being a rich young master sounds tough too.”

Gyo-ha said that and swallowed the dumpling.

Then he spotted something and frowned.

Following Gyo-ha’s gaze, Namgung Hyeok saw a small group of people.

It was such a tucked-away corner that they would have missed it without looking carefully.

“…They’re wanderers.”

That one table felt isolated from the rest.

They had been deliberately seated where they would not be easily seen.

“Seems they like dividing people by rank.”

Disgust crossed Namgung Hyeok’s face.

It wasn’t only their seats that were different. The food brought out to them was different as well.

There were five men.

But it looked far too little for five to share.

Namgung Hyeok set down his chopsticks.

He had lost his appetite.

But Gyo-ha chuckled as if finding it amusing and sprang to his feet.

“Brother?”

“Let’s see.”

He glanced over the table and picked up a few plates.

Thanks to Namgung Hyeok, their table had more food than anywhere else.

He strode over toward the wanderers.

Seeing him, Namgung Hyeok hesitated for a moment, then picked up a plate and followed.

Naturally, people’s gazes converged on the two of them.

The wanderers looked at them with wary eyes as they suddenly appeared.

“We had too much food, so we brought some over.”

Gyo-ha flopped down to sit.

But the wanderers only stared at the two.

Gyo-ha spoke to the wary men.

“Do you know Mudo? Mudo in Gansu Province. There’s an arena there.”

“…I know it.”

One of the wanderers spoke.

At that, Gyo-ha’s expression brightened.

“So you know it. I fought there.”

Gyo-ha grinned, and the expression of the wanderer who had answered changed.

“Are you from a wanderer background?”

“I stayed there for a bit.”

Gyo-ha answered calmly.

It wasn’t a lie.

However, even at those words, the suspicion didn’t disappear from the wanderer’s eyes.

That was only natural.

There was no way someone walking around with Namgung Hyeok could be from a wanderer’s background.