“Haaa… So this is how it ends, huh?”
Yu Sa-yeon and the Black Cat stepped out of Governor Samayeom’s place side by side.
“So the request fell through, huh?”
“That’s not it. The innkeeper’s request was ultimately to find the whereabouts of Gu Ak-geom Dok Yeong-chan, right?”
That was the initial contract between Yu Sa-yeon and the Black Cat. They took in the outcasts of the Outcast Inn in exchange for finding Gu Ak-geom Dok Yeong-chan. And that request was one Yu Sa-yeon had made to the outcasts who had left the Outcast Inn after becoming Peak Experts.
Without Dok Yeong-chan’s testimony, they couldn’t fully deal with the Jumong Sect and the Gae Myung-bu.
“I’ll definitely find out his whereabouts, so don’t worry.”
“Hmmm. Right. I guess that means you and Ho Cheon-an are now comrades?”
“Haaa. Seems like my senpai doesn’t really acknowledge that.”
As the Black Cat let out a heartfelt sigh, Yu Sa-yeon chuckled.
“You’ve grown a lot. You even have a girl chasing after you.”
“Not really chasing, okay? We just decided to stick together!”
Hearing the Black Cat’s sharp tone, Yu Sa-yeon recalled Ho Cheon-an from seven years ago. A boy, still a bit childish, had knocked on the door of the Outcast Inn. She thought he was a bold little kid with lively eyes, but Ho Cheon-an turned out to be cunning and constantly causing trouble, overflowing with talent.
After about two years of causing trouble, suddenly the kid started lounging around.
He stopped training, buried himself in a corner, immersing himself in martial arts novels and diving into gambling…
“I really wondered what he would become back then.”
At eighteen, being at the tail end of the Iryu was not a bad achievement. She tried to persuade him, console him, yell at him, and even scold him, but Ho Cheon-an was unmoved.
“Sometimes he acted crazy, causing incidents just to mess with people.”
“Did you also cause a lot of trouble in the past, senpai? What kind, specifically?”
The Black Cat tightens her proximity to Yu Sa-yeon. Ho Cheon-an’s past? That certainly seemed like an interesting story.
“Oh… thinking back to those times… Yeah, Ho Cheon-an might be maturing with age.”
“Don’t say that…”
Seeing the eager curiosity radiating from the Black Cat, Yu Sa-yeon chuckled.
“How long has it been since you met Ho Cheon-an?”
“Hmm… Not long?”
“Think about what that guy has done in that time. How many troubles has he caused in the last seven years?”
“Ah!”
“Later, once everything is over, I’ll tell you one by one.”
While they were having such exchanges, they arrived at the Outcast Inn.
“Handle your business well.”
“I’m curious… Alright! It’s a promise!”
“Okay.”
Yu Sa-yeon waved as she watched the Black Cat vanish to seize information on Sacheon City.
Yu Sa-yeon thought about how much the Black Cat had changed compared to when they first met, when she seemed almost inhuman. There was still some aura of reluctance, but it was undeniable that her current self was much more amiable.
‘Did Ho Cheon-an influence her?’
Yu Sa-yeon recalled Jeong Sam and Yeo Jin-sang. When they first came, Jeong Sam, who had been steeped in filth, had transformed into a goofy guy, while Yeo Jin-sang, who wouldn’t hesitate to swing a sword at a companion for a penny, had changed into a kind neighborhood uncle.
“What a unique guy.”
He seemed to be someone who saved a lot of people. Could he also be considered a chivalrous figure? Yu Sa-yeon decided not to think too deeply. Ho Cheon-an was just that kind of guy, and trying to classify him with various standards was a headache.
Since she agreed to help him take revenge, she thought she should thank him later.
With that thought, Yu Sa-yeon kicked the door of the Outcast Inn wide open.
“It’s business! You rascals!”
*
Tang Guanglie contemplated while sipping tea.
“Smooth sailing,” he thought. These days, the Tang Clan was running without a hitch.
“Hahaha.”
Oops, there he goes again. Lately, just thinking about the Tang Clan’s future made him smile automatically. Tang Guanglie tried to suppress it but ended up laughing.
The Tang Clan’s Bat-Leaping Tiger Method was rapidly being refined, and Tang Do-gyeong’s skill with Hidden Weapons was growing each day.
The upheaval caused by Tang Do-gyeong and the direct line members regarding the Hidden Weapons had all been resolved thanks to the fire-breathing finger of Tang Guanglie, while the direct line members rubbed their foreheads with one hand and held on to their Hidden Weapons with the other.
After that, the use of Hidden Weapons and gambling involving poison was conducted under the Tang Clan’s regulations.
Tang Do-gyeong was slowly integrating into the direct line members while teaching gambling techniques to those who had previously squandered Hidden Weapons. The Peak Experts who had been disciplined when bringing Tang Do-gyeong were also handling various issues smoothly, so the little problems were getting cleared up as well.
“Hahaha.”
Not to mention, just a while ago, he exchanged regular correspondence with the Poison Doctor Tang, which even included resolving issues with Teacher Ya, so everything was going quite well.
“Head of the family, Miss Tang Do-yeon has arrived.”
“Miss Do-yeon? Hmmm. Let her in.”
“Greetings. Head of the family.”
Tang Do-yeon delivered a letter that had been attached to the envelope her brother had sent her. She briefly explained the situation. She had handed back the Return Coin to Ho Cheon-an when they parted. They had agreed to help each other in emergencies.
“However, a letter has arrived addressed to you, Head of the family.”
“Got it.”
Tang Guanglie immediately thought of Teacher Ya. Teacher Ya had already formed such a deep bond with the Tang Clan that it was hard to say he was an outsider. He had woken Tang Do-gyeong and contributed to the birth of the Tang Clan’s Bat-Leaping Tiger Method, opened Tang Guanglie’s eyes to the world, and improved the Tang Clan’s chronic issues.
‘What could warrant a letter from Teacher?’
It wouldn’t be something ordinary. Thinking this, Tang Guanglie sat up straight and opened the letter.
As he read on, the expression on Tang Guanglie’s face grew serious. Curious expressions appeared on the faces of the Master of Feng Ying and Tang Do-yeon.
“Hahaha…”
Then suddenly, he burst into a hearty laugh. The curiosity of the Feng Ying Master only deepened.
“…Do-yeon.”
“Please, ask away, Head of the family.”
“Bring Tang Do-gyeong.”
“Understood!”
Do-yeon disappeared, and the Feng Ying Master asked, “But, Head of the family, what did Teacher Ya write that made you laugh so?”
Without a word, Tang Guanglie handed the bundle of letters to the Feng Ying Master.
[How have you been, Head of the family? I, the Sacheon Outcast Ho Cheon-an, send my regards.]
‘Ho Cheon-an?’
Is that Teacher Ya’s real name? The Feng Ying Master felt something was off right from the start and began reading the letter.
[Pardon my intrusion, but I send this letter because I have a request for you, Head of the family. I believe you may have already guessed, but it concerns the bandit issue in Sacheon City.]
‘Sacheon City’s bandits.’
The rumors about the bandits had long reached them. So, living near Sacheon City, they had no intention of getting involved. They had decided long ago to turn a blind eye to any power struggles nearby. While the influence of the bandits was significant, they believed any major faction could handle them easily.
‘So, there was this issue in Sacheon City.’
However, the content of the letter from Ho Cheon-an wasn’t simple at all. Why did bandits settle near Sacheon City, and why haven’t they been dealt with until now? What was happening within Sacheon City?
It was understandable why the Head of the family appeared serious. No matter how much the Tang Clan had vowed not to interfere in Sacheon City, being a part of the Righteous Faction, witnessing such issues within Sacheon City couldn’t be ignored.
As he continued reading Ho Cheon-an’s letter, the expression of the Feng Ying Master grew complicated.
‘But there’s no justification.’
Now, to get involved would complicate many aspects. After all, they had never interfered, citing their status as a local clan in Sacheon City. If a government event were underway, it was only natural for local clans to participate!
Ho Cheon-an was saying just that, and he was relaying that the governor had approved it.
“Haa…”
The Feng Ying Master couldn’t help but sincerely admire Ho Cheon-an’s cunning. It was impressive to have connections with the governor, but more so was the fact that Governor Samayeom permitted the Tang Clan to intervene in Sacheon City’s affairs. What kind of strange trick did Ho Cheon-an employ?
The Feng Ying Master tore his gaze away from the letter and spoke.
“…Is that why you told Do-yeon to bring Tang Do-gyeong? Wouldn’t it be better to mobilize all the Peak Experts currently on minor duties?”
Regardless of how good Tang Do-gyeong and Do-yeon were, Do-yeon had just barely crossed into the lower ranks of Peak Experts. If she released her Hidden Weapons and Poison with the intention of wiping out a mountain of bandits, it wouldn’t be suppression; it would be a massacre, even against five hundred of them.
The royal guards were more about filling numbers than actual combat, so it would be unfeasible for just the two of them to subdue the bandit hideout.
“Hahaha. Just keep reading the letter, Master.”
The Master turned his gaze back to the letter, and as he read, he couldn’t suppress a grin. Yes, our Teacher Ya had a grand plan all along. Just reading the letter brought laughter from his lips.
Just as the Master finished reading the first part of the letter, Tang Do-yeon arrived with Tang Do-gyeong.
“Did you call, Head of the family?”
“Yes, Do-gyeong! Teacher Ho Cheon-an… I mean Teacher Ya has requested assistance from the Tang Clan.”
With just that one statement, Tang Do-gyeong’s previously friendly smile disappeared, replaced by a face filled with intense passion, one that would never let an opponent escape during their sparring days.
“Will you go? From what I see, it doesn’t seem like an easy task.”
“Of course. So, Ho Cheon-an’s name was Ho Cheon-an. How could I possibly turn down the invitation of a teacher who dressed me with respect while discarding even the title of ‘Outcast’? Even if it’s a difficult task, we must face it together!”
“Good! I trust that Do-yeon has a private agreement with Teacher Ho for her to accompany you!”
“Understood!”
At that moment, the Feng Ying Master read the last line of the letter.
[Since time is pressing, I request you to send Do-gyeong with Young Miss Tang Do-yeon on the Bicheongmacha.]
“Right now, take the Bicheongmacha and head for Sacheon City immediately!”
Instantly, Tang Do-gyeong turned pale, and
Tang Do-yeon wore the happiest smile in the world.
And at that moment…
“So this is where we are… The famous Seongrakru, one of the three great gambling dens in Sacheon.”
Ho Cheon-an arrived at the gambling table of Seongrakru, accompanied by Miss Yeo Il-ye.
