Chapter 122
122
An hour later, Beopgong and Yeon-ryang returned with faces that looked no different from usual.
"Brother. Are you okay?"
"It's nothing. I'm fine. The sun's up, let's go eat. I'm hungry."
But his voice trembled slightly.
Was he not angry, but did my words remind him of something bad? He's not in good condition when he has nightmares sometimes.
I slyly approached and linked arms with Yeon-ryang, who smiled weakly and stroked my head. I faked a bright voice.
"Brother. You stayed up all night, don't you want to eat meat? You like duck, right? How about grilled duck for breakfast?"
Yeon-ryang's eyes softened at my easygoing manner.
"Okay. Let's eat duck."
"Tsk, such good siblings. People without sisters must feel so lonely."
Beopgong scoffed and grumbled. I pretended not to hear and looked up at Beopgong, asking.
"But. Is it okay to leave them like that?"
"Them? The Ghost Spirit Valley guys?"
"Yes. Won't their remaining comrades come looking for revenge?"
Beopgong shook his head as if that would never happen.
"Not at all. Do you think those guys have any camaraderie?"
"Don't... they?"
"Unorthodox Faction/Evil Faction are no different from beasts, kid. They only form groups to increase their chances of survival, but there's no hierarchy or order. If you leave them alone, they'll fall apart on their own."
"Is that so?"
"Yeah. You dealt with them yourself, so you know, they were all terrible, like common thugs. They inflate their size with numbers like a school of fish, but individually they're empty. That's how Unorthodox Faction/Evil Faction are."
Beopgong said coldly, picked his ear, and flicked the earwax off his finger.
"The really strong guys don't form groups. They go solo like your brother. Unless it's the high-ranking executives of the Evil Faction/Unorthodox Faction Alliance that Salhyung drags around."
"Who's Salhyung?"
"The Evil Faction/Unorthodox Faction Alliance Lord. Salhyung (Murderous) Chae Hong-gyo. Haven't you heard of him? No, it's better if you don't. Kid, never get involved with that crazy bitch."
"Her name is Rainbow Bridge?"
"Yeah. She named herself that. Rumor has it that on a good day, she likes to scatter people's blood to see a rainbow..."
"Beopgong. Stop saying things that ruin my appetite."
Yeon-ryang poked Beopgong in the elbow, cutting him off.
Beopgong, seeing my expression, seemed to realize he had gone too far and quietly shut his mouth.
"Anyway, there's nothing to worry about. He must have made a lot of enemies, so he'll meet a fitting end for his karma. The locals won't leave those guys alone."
I nodded slowly. Although Beopgong had destroyed his Dantian/Energy Core, he wouldn't die easily.
If you wielded a sword against the weak and made them shed tears of blood, you should pay the price in kind.
...Yes. This is right.
I suppressed my uneasy feelings and cleared my mind. Thanks to Yeon-ryang's body temperature, I quickly regained my composure.
I don't care what happens to the Unorthodox Faction/Evil Faction guys. First, I should feed this huge man.
After breakfast, Yeon-ryang left me in Beopgong's care.
"I can't take you with me, so I'm leaving you in his care, but I don't know if I can trust you."
"Don't worry. I'll treat her like my daughter, no, I'll take care of her."
"I think you just said 'roll'."
"No way. You misheard."
Yeon-ryang frowned with a dubious look at the glib lie.
Even he who was entrusting me didn't seem to trust him, but he couldn't take me to the Lowborn Sect.
Yeon-ryang glared at Beopgong and said.
"I'll be back. So-hye. Just in case, stick close to that guy. You won't get hurt if you're next to him."
"Okay. Come back soon, Brother. Oh, just pretend to take the medicine and bring it back. Let's see what he put in the antidote."
"Okay. I'll bring it. Beopgong. I'm counting on you."
"Don't worry. Just hurry back. There's no time. We're taking a boat tonight."
"Okay."
Yeon-ryang sighed and turned away at Beopgong's urging. As Yeon-ryang disappeared, Beopgong grinned and raised the corners of his mouth.
"Kid. It's just us two now?"
At the ominous smile, I hurriedly moved away from Beopgong. Beopgong chuckled at my wary look.
"Why are you so nervous when I say it's just us two? I won't hit you."
"Huh? Were you going to hit me?"
"I said I wouldn't. How can I hit a kid like you? Maybe those sweaty Nahan Hall guys."
You hit me just fine earlier.
I glared at him and fidgeted awkwardly. It was awkward to be alone with the man I had been wrestling with for half a day.
"..."
"..."
Beopgong was just as awkward, and there was a long silence.
Beopgong, who was resting his chin on his hand and tapping the table, soon called the Jeomsoi.
"Jeomsoi! Some hot water and a new tea set here."
"Yes!"
"Kid. Do you like sweets? Should I make you a cup of sugar water?"
"Sugar water? Do you carry sugar around?"
"Yeah. Try it. It's good for a change of pace."
Beopgong replied and took out a fist-sized jar from his pocket. When he opened the lid, it was full of oddly shaped sugar cubes.
Wow. It's so expensive that I couldn't even see it outside the Tang Clan. Shaolin is good.
When the Jeomsoi brought a new tea set, Beopgong poured hot water into the teapot and poured in the sugar cubes.
Then he put in a cinnamon stick and stirred it around to dissolve the sugar. The sweet smell of cinnamon-flavored sugar water tickled my nose.
"Drink."
"Yes, I will enjoy it."
I took the cup that Beopgong handed me and slowly tilted the sugar water. The sweetness I tasted after a long time made the corners of my mouth relax.
Beopgong chuckled and opened his mouth.
"When your brother comes back, we'll take a boat. It'll be quick if we go by water, and it won't even take half a day if the wind is good."
"Yes."
"Kid. Don't you have a disguise?"
"No, I don't."
"Let's buy one. It doesn't matter here in this quiet neighborhood, but it'll get noisy when you go to Mu-han. Because the Jinseong disciple made such a fuss, there's no Alliance member who doesn't know your face. You're a celebrity."
Damn it. I'm starting to dislike Jinseong disciple a little.
As a deep furrow formed between my brows, Beopgong flicked my forehead.
"You're so small, don't frown like that or you'll get wrinkles."
"Ouch! That hurts! You said you wouldn't hit me! Why does a monk use his fists before his words?"
As I covered my forehead and grumbled, Beopgong chuckled and called the Jeomsoi again.
"Jeomsoi! Just one disguise that this kid can use."
"Yes!"
The Jeomsoi's eyes lit up as he snatched the silver coin Beopgong threw. He brought a disguise from somewhere faster than the wind.
Beopgong, who put the disguise on me, stroked his chin and made a strange noise.
"Hmm, that's strange."
"What is?"
"You, kid. No matter how I look at you, you're definitely Tang Clan blood? But your eyes are different. The corners of your eyes droop gently, just like Yeon-ryang."
"That's the nicest thing you've said so far. I hate being told I look like Tang Clan blood. I'd rather look like Yeon-ryang."
"Temper. Are you prickly because your brother's not here?"
Beopgong grinned and adjusted the cloth of the disguise, asking.
"Kid. Are you a bastard by any chance?"
"Why are you asking that? How rude."
"I'm just curious. I'm a bastard too."
"Beopgong Monk too?"
"Yeah. My biological father is a high-ranking official in Geumneung. My biological mother was a maid of the legal wife. As soon as I turned five, my biological father threw me on Mount Song and left. I haven't seen him since."
"Oh dear."
This guy's life must not have been easy either.
As I rolled my eyes, Beopgong snorted.
"What. Why are you looking at me like that? I'm not pitiful. Thanks to that, I had the good fortune of having the Abbot personally teach me?"
"Ah. Yes. You're the most self-absorbed person I've ever seen."
"Of course. I was born a man, so I must have great ambitions."
"You're just a monk, though. What ambition can you have when you can't even grow your hair as you please?"
"Shh. Be quiet."
Beopgong put his index finger to his lips and made a stern face. I shook my head and subtly asked.
"Do you know... what Yeon-ryang was like?"
"I've never asked. Didn't you ask either?"
"How can I ask that? If I talk about the old days... that thought will come to mind first."
"You're a sensitive kid."
Beopgong shrugged and waved his hand behind me.
"Hey! Yeon-ryang!"
Startled, I turned around and saw Yeon-ryang entering the inn. I jumped up and ran to Yeon-ryang.
"Brother! You're back so soon? Did anything happen?"
"I came quickly because I thought my sister would be waiting. Why are you wearing a disguise?"
Yeon-ryang winked and stretched out his arm as if to embrace me. I also walked in step with Yeon-ryang and replied.
"The monk told me to wear it."
"Hey, am I not visible? There's a person here too."
"Yeah. Why are you calling me, you bald monk."
"Are you a bastard too?"
I gaped at the utterly rude question.
He's asking that like that?
"What? I told you to watch the kid, did you have a drink during the day?"
Unlike me, who was horrified, Yeon-ryang didn't care. He seemed used to Beopgong's nonsense.
"If not, then not. Then do you remember who your parents are?"
"Would I? I was kidnapped when I was four years old. And how would a child born in a brothel know his father?"
"Ah, you were a courtesan's son? This kid is a bastard too. Kid. You're a courtesan's daughter, right? That's what I heard."
Beopgong clapped his hands as if he had found a commonality.
I rubbed my forehead with a sullen face.
"It's true that my biological mother is a courtesan. But is there any need to shout it so loudly?"
"What's wrong with that? Does saying it quietly make you not a bastard?"
"That's enough. I'd rather talk to a wall than talk to you."
Yeon-ryang, who chuckled at my blunt reply, patted me.
"You can't expect common sense from that guy, Sister."
"Yeah. I'm feeling it deeply now. But you know. Can I ask more about what Brother was like when he was young?"
"Haha, why not. I used to live in Sichuan before I was kidnapped. My mother was a young courtesan in Chengdu."
"A courtesan in Chengdu? Are you talking about Moon Scent Pavilion?"
"You know Moon Scent Pavilion? Well, you can't not know it. It's the biggest brothel in Chengdu."
Yeon-ryang, who answered his own question, scratched his cheek.
"I don't know if my mother is still alive. I've never been there. I don't feel like seeing my old mother. And I don't have the confidence to say I'm your son."
"If you're curious, should I ask? I know someone at Moon Scent Pavilion."
If it's a courtesan who worked there 30 years ago, Hwahong would know and be able to find out if she's alive or not.
Yeon-ryang slowly nodded.
"That's not a bad idea either."
"Do you remember your mother's name?"
"Ryeon."
"I see. Ryeon... Uh, Brother. Wait a minute. Who did you say?"
I shouted in a flustered voice.
Ryeon of Moon Scent Pavilion?
Choryeon?
