Episode 311

Baek Cheon smiled.

‘Cho Sam.’

Such a beggar-like name, right?

They were probably looking for a beggar…

Uh?

Why is that person coming over here?

The beggar, still with a young face and specks on his face, approached the Mount Hua disciples, and with a bright smile, he said,

“Cho Sam! You are Cho Sam, right?”

“… Uh?”

Was he talking to me?

Who was he talking…

Uh?

Chung Myung?

Seeing that his gaze was directed towards Chung Myung, the expressions of the Mount Hua disciples all turned into those of wonder.

What was this?

Tak!

Chung Myung, who was drinking heavily, put down the bottle and looked up at the young beggar with his brow slightly frowning.

“What are you talking about? Who are you?”

“Don’t know me? Gu Chil! We were together before!”

“Uh? Gu Chil?”

Why did that seem so familiar?

Gu Chil…

“Uh?”

Chung Myung jumped up from his seat. And looking at Gu Chil with shocked eyes, he pointed his finger,

“You… you! It is you from then!”

Gu Chil.

It was the young beggar from the beggar group that Chung Myung met when he woke up in this body.

Wasn’t he the kind person who helped Chung Myung, who was too confused by the fact that he had come after a hundred years into a new body?

And it seems that the true owner of his body was quite friendly with this guy.

“You are Cho Sam!”

Gu Chil smiled brightly,

“How long has it been since you said you were heading for Mount Hua? You even became a disciple of Mount Hua for real?”

“I did.”

Baek Cheon’s face was slightly dazed as he now understood the situation.

‘He was a beggar for real?’

Chung Myung often did say that, but Baek Cheon never believed it.

Be that as it may, how incongruous of a combination was the personality of Chung Myung and that of beggars?

It isn’t hard to say that beggars don’t get along with Chung Myung’s attitude. He couldn’t accept that Chung Myung was begging quietly.

How could this guy be like that? If Chung Myung had said that his former job was as a thief, bandit, or robber, or maybe even a con artist, he would have believed Chung Myung without a doubt.

Anyway, that’s not an important thing now.

So his name…

“… Cho Sam?”

“…”

“Your name was Cho Sam?”

The disciples of Mount Hua covered their mouths and chuckled.

Cho Sam.

What an absurd name!

Baek Cheon, who was trembling as if he would die, finally burst out into laughter, looking at Chung Myung,

“Huahahahah! Cho Sam!”

“…”

“Our Chung Myung’s name was originally Cho Sam! Cho Sam!”

“Dong-Ryong, shut it.”

“Dong-Ryong is better than Cho Sam!”

“Cho Sam is better, though?”

“Right, right. Cho Sam!”

“Yah!”

Chung Myung reached out underneath the table and kicked, but Baek Cheon avoided the hit.

“Oh god. Our Chung Myung’s kick is sharp, but Cho Sam didn’t seem to have that spark?”

“Ugh. The day has come when Jin Dong-Ryong makes fun of me by my name…”

“Of course, that would happen, Cho Sam!”

Seeing the two people mocking one another, the remaining disciples of Mount Hua laughed.

‘Well, I guess it is.’

‘It is tough to know who is superior here.’

Chung Myung shrugged and stepped in front of Gu Chil, his old relation.

“How did you get here?”

“I am here to watch the matches.”

“You?”

Gu Chil nodded at his question,

“I am of the second beggar group now.”

“Oh?”

Chung Myung gently lowered his head and looked at the knot on Gu Chil’s waist. There were now two knots.

“Did you enter the Beggars Union officially?”

“…you are so weird. I was already in it, back then, just undisciplined.”

“… Ah. Right.”

What can I know? I don’t remember what happened before.

“Well, anyway, this is good. But the Beggars Union has been showing up to spars too.”

“So lucky.”

Chung Myung smiled.

It wasn’t because of luck. Among the beggars in the world, the only beggars that could come here were those who were recognized for their skills amongst the Beggars Union and those considered worthy of being raised by them.

At the time, he couldn’t confirm it because he was in a bad mood, but this guy was someone recognized by the Beggars Union.

“Right. You did well coming here.”

“But you really went all the way. I thought you were just running away.”

“… running away?”

“Because it isn’t easy for a young child to go to Shaanxi all alone, right? At that time, Wang Cho was so upset that you vanished. Huh.”

“Right. It… wait.”

“Uh?”

“Wang Cho?”

“Uh. Wang Cho.”

“So he… right. Wang Cho, right?”

“Right. Wang Cho.”

Chung Myung’s face began to twitch.

Wang…

“I am asking just in case.”

“Yes?”

“Did that Wang Cho come here too?”

“Yes. We came together.”

Chung Myung lifted his head and looked at the group Gu Chil came with.

No.

There was no one he recognized.

Chung Myung smiled,

“Gu Chil.”

“Uh?”

“… where is he?”

“What?”

A gloomy voice came from Chung Myung’s mouth,

“Where is that fucking bastard right now?”

Jong Pal’s hand was clenched shut.

It was unusual to spot him, as there were many strong men here. The eyes of powerful men pass by the place with their four knots.

‘Huhuhu.’

Everyone would be surprised.

Because he was quite young to be in the fourth group.

The four knots tied around his waist proved that he was one of the most successful disciples in the Beggars Union.

Strong people would understand what that knot meant, but ordinary people wouldn’t care too much about it. Therefore this knot shone more in the eyes of warriors.

“Fourth beggars group.”

“He looks young but is already in the fourth group.”

Hearing those words from behind, Jong Pal’s back grew with pride.

‘Such a solid eye.’

It was encouraging when people recognized his influence. What was more encouraging was that the person who called him here was the Luoyang Branch Leader, Hong Dae-Kwang.

‘The fact that the most advanced candidate to become an elder of the Beggars Unions called for me! It must mean they recognize me!’

When was the role of branch leader within the union given with just character or skill? The Beggar’s Union Branch Leaders led all the beggars who were inundated with strong force. Among the Nine Great Sects, many evaluated the Beggars Union as skilled but only because of their vast influence. In regards to that, it was comparable to the Shaolin Sect.

Therefore, the person who will become the Beggars Union branch leader has to firmly establish their power.

And the fact that Hong Dae-Kwang brought him here meant that Hong Dae-Kwang was beginning to select his own people to side with him.

‘And I was chosen.’

Jong Pal’s mouth went wide.

If Hong Dae-Kwang wanted to aim for the sect leader’s position in the future, he would lose a lot.

‘No. No.’

Considering Hong Dae-Kwang and his difference in power, it wouldn’t end there. But if Hong Dae-Kwang was the next…

“Heheheeheh!”

He laughed out loud, liking the situation.

It was just a nonsensical story right now, and depending on what he did, it may turn out to be nothing more than a delusion.

When he imagined himself commanding the beggars with a jade-colored bitch expelling stick, the one that symbolized the Beggars Union, it made him gleam with excitement.

‘In order for all that to happen, I need to establish a perfect relationship with Hong Dae-Kwang.’

Recently, Hong Dae-Kwang left Luoyang and moved to the less crowded Hua-Um.

A few light-hearted people teased the man saying that he had lost it, but Jong Pal had other thoughts. Hong Dae-Kwang went to Hua-Um of his own will, not under the direction of his superiors. That meant he definitely had a goal.

‘Maybe he is aiming to be the head of the third group.’

A place where he would govern a province instead of a single city. If he could get that position, it would be easier to become the next head.

“Then, for now, I will eat the position of branch leader. Hehehe!”

Jong Pal was all delighted and moved forward.

“But where is the diner?”

He said to head to the diner for the meeting, right?

With his head down and looking around, he grabbed the attention of a man and asked,

“W-wait…”

“Ah! I don’t have money!”

“… it isn’t that. Where is the diner?”

“Um? If it is a diner, it has to be around the corner.”

“Thank you!”

With a smile, Jong Pal moved in the direction the man pointed to.

“If I had only been able to participate in the competition, the championship winner would be me.”

Tch.

The old beggars had no brains. Why didn’t they send him to the competition? He thought he would be asked to participate.

Anyway, it didn’t matter now.

Getting a solid position in the sect was more important than winning the competition.

He looked at the floating light around the corner and then stopped.

‘So, the diner…’

Ah, that!

Uh?

But… what is that?

Jong Pal tilted his head. He saw a crowd of people standing just a bit in front of him.

One of the beggars from Hubei who came to Shaolin was there.

And the other one?

Jong Pal frowned.

‘Black uniform. The plum blossom crest on his chest.’

Mount Hua?

For a moment, his eyes shone.

The Beggars Union was a place that dealt with information, so they knew all kinds of things. It hadn’t been long since they arrived in Shaolin, but Jong Pal was already aware of the news that Mount Hua was dominating the spars.

But why was Mount Hua with the Beggars Union?

‘It doesn’t seem like a fight.’

He couldn’t say the atmosphere was good, but it wasn’t a fight either.

Did this mean that his party knew the disciples from Mount Hua?

“Hehehe. For things to work so well.”

The information and networking arts of Kangho! First, get information and then establish good relationships with well-known people. Especially with the people from Mount Hua!

Aren’t they the ones who are taking all the attention of the people right now? Then any relationship with them was beneficial now!

Jong Pal rubbed his hands and approached them.

“Gu Chil!”

“W-Wang Cho?”

Gu Chil’s eyes trembled violently when he saw him.

Unfortunately, Jong Pal didn’t notice Gu Chil’s eyes.

“Hahaha! It seems like a good relationship formed while I was away. Would you like to introduce the heroes of Mount Hua to me as well?”

“Ah, no. Wang Cho. That…”

Confused, Gu Chil hesitated and tried to say something but then went silent.

What the hell was he supposed to say?

In the meantime, Jong Pal walked around without noticing and swept his eyes over the disciples from Mount Hua.

“It is nice to meet you. I am Jong Pal of the Beggars Union. It is a bit embarrassing, but Kangho calls me the Small Fire beggar.”

Baek Cheon, who was standing ahead, looked at Jong Pal with pitiful eyes.

“Small fire… a forest fire definitely starts from a small fire.”

“…and burns the self too.”

“I don’t know what you did, but why was such a na…”

Jong Pal tilted his head as too many people were speaking.

“… Uh?”

“It is better to jump into the fire.”

“If it were me, I would put my nose into a water bucket!”

“So unfortunate.”

The head of Jong Pal turned to the side.

‘What do they mean?’

He couldn’t understand what these people were saying. Looking at the situation, they were looking at him.

What is with them? Why did they have pitiful expressions looking at him?

Srrr.

There was the sound of rustling clothes coming from somewhere.

Jong Pal turned his head.

‘Uh?’

The one disciple of Mount Hua who was in the corner slowly got up.

‘Who?’

His long hair was tied up.

And black robes.

The man’s handsome face was impressive but what caught his eye was the eyes of this man…. And the dark, twisted smile.

It was more like a smile from a backstreet thug than a disciple of Mount Hua, but…

“Huh, Jong Pal.”

He got up slowly and walked towards him.

Jong Pal stuttered without realizing it,

“D-do you know me?”

“I know. I know you well.”

“…but I don’t seem to remember you?”

“Mount Hua’s Chung Myung.”

“Ah. Chung Myung…. Chung Myung?”

Jong Pal flinched and looked at the man again.

‘This man is?’

If it was Chung Myung from Mount Hua, wasn’t he Mount Hua’s Divine Dragon, who was now famous?

So, does this mean that the person in front of him was the same one?

‘Certainly, the appearance matches with what was heard.’

But Mount Hua’s Divine Dragon knows him?

“W-we met?”

“Yes, we did.”

Chung Myung smiled,

“We used to be together. Why pretend like you don’t know? It feels sad.”

“… Uh?”

Chung Myung smiled brightly,

“Ah, Chung Myung might be a name you wouldn’t know. My actual name is…”

“Cho Sam.”

At the voice of Baek Cheon, who dared to say his name, Chung Myung frowned,

“… right. Do you know Cho Sam?”

Jon Pal tilted his head.

Cho Sam?

Cho Sam….

“Uh? Cho Sam?”

Jong Pal’s eyes widened; it looked like this was the young beggar from the past.

“Rookie? The junior?”

“Now you seem to remember.”

“Hahaha! Oh my! Cho Sam was Mount Hua’s Divine Dragon! Right, it was you! Nice to meet you!”

“Ah. Nice to meet me?”

“Of course. It has been so long since….”

“Nice to meet me?”

“….”

At Chung Myung’s twisted look, Jong Pal tilted his head.

Uh?

Why was the atmosphere like this?

“Right. Nice to see you. But you won’t be feeling nice from now on, Wang Cho.”

Chung Myung smiled bitterly and spread his arms wide as he looked at Jong Pal.

And Jong Pal also awkwardly widened his eyes.

“R-right, I really…”

“I wanted to meet you! You bastard!”

In an instant, Chung Myung leaped from his spot and slammed the head of Jong Pal with his heel.

Wooong!

With the sound of a huge rock falling on another

Thud!

Flinch.

The body of Jong Pal was down on the ground.

Then…

“Aaahhhhh!”

He grabbed his head and began to roll in pain, with tears coming from his eyes.

“Ah! No! Why! Why!”

His screams said that he felt this was unfair, and Chung Myung only smiled,

“I will tell you the reason later.”

His eyes glistened like a predator who had caught its prey.

“Let’s get hit first.”

Chung Myung rushed to Jong Pal like a mad dog.