The Blue Serpent Hall was an unorthodox faction on bad terms with the Crimson Sect Hall, their territorial disputes escalating to frequent knife fights in recent times.
For them to have stockpiled a large quantity of poison bombs in secret was a grave issue for the Crimson Sect Hall.
"Little brother. Don't toss those words around lightly. Can you swear it's true?"
Gu-ak was no longer excited. Instead, he asked in a chillingly calm and serious tone.
And in stark contrast, Yang-hwi nodded with a casual air.
"Stake your life on it again?"
"...As I said before, you sure hang it out there easily."
"That's because I'm certain."
The reason Yang-hwi knew about the Blue Serpent Hall's secret base was simple.
In his previous life, poison bombs had detonated there, massacring the nearby commoners.
It had happened the day after he was formally adopted as a foster son, so even in those hectic times with no room to spare, it was impossible not to know.
'To begin with, the revelation of a Blue Serpent Hall spy in the Crimson Sect Hall stemmed from the aftermath of that incident.'
The accident had occurred right at the spot where they hid their secret funds and prized weapons.
Naturally, the Blue Serpent Hall had been thrown into turmoil, causing their uneasy spy to expose themselves.
Afterward, a bloodbath erupted in the Crimson Sect Hall, allowing the Blue Serpent Hall to seize control of the area—but that was irrelevant for now.
"In the outermost abandoned house at the edge of Ak-an County, with a plaque reading 'Shim Manor,' there live two or three beggars. In truth, they're Blue Serpent Hall underlings in disguise."
"What's your proof that it's their secret base?"
Yang-hwi quickly pieced together in his mind the logic that would convince Gu-ak.
"There was a beggar gang, so I went in to spend the night with them. Got beaten and chased out. Burning with resentment, I spied on them for revenge, and..."
"And?"
"Beggars who don't wash even once every three days?"
"Is that all your evidence?"
"Of course not. Feeling something off, I kept watch on those beggar bastards. And then..."
"Then?"
"Later, I spotted one of them wandering the market streets in Blue Serpent Hall uniform."
Gu-ak wore an incredulous expression.
"So, you're saying you have an amazing memory?"
"When I pay close attention, it sticks so firmly it's agonizing. A curse of genius, you might say."
"Hard to believe just like that."
Gu-ak fetched a book from a nearby old bookstore and tossed it to Yang-hwi.
"I'll give you a gak. Recite at least ten pages from memory. Then I'll believe you."
"A whole gak? How generous."
In half a gak, Yang-hwi had read more than half the book and began reciting it flawlessly.
Amazingly, he didn't miss a single word.
"...It's real."
"As a scion of a righteous White Dao clan, how could I utter falsehoods!"
"How did you know about the poison bombs?"
Yang-hwi lied straight through his teeth.
"A strange smell lingered, so I remembered it. Then, passing by a Tang Clan warrior making a donation to beggars, I caught a similar scent."
Sichuan Tang Clan. One of the Five Great Clans, renowned for their unparalleled poison and hidden weapons techniques.
"A smell like the Tang Clan's warriors... Not sure if they're poison bombs, but there's definitely poison. And a massive amount, reeking so strongly."
With this much circumstantial evidence, it was worth checking out, Gu-ak thought.
"Little brother."
"Yes, Brother Gu."
"I'll take eight shares, you take two."
"No sense of honor?"
"If you don't like it, go alone."
Gu-ak smirked confidently.
Handing over eight parts of the hidden loot to this kid was too much, in his view.
But.
Yang-hwi shot back as if he'd expected it.
"Is this the only thing I know?"
"..."
Common sense said there couldn't be more.
He'd already spilled two pieces of info no one else knew—impossible for more to remain.
But... Yang-hwi's confident demeanor grated on him.
'His guts are secondary. He's sharp as hell, doesn't shy from Black Dao folk, and pulling him to my side could be useful later.'
With that in mind, Gu-ak decided to step back a bit.
"Exactly half each. Showing mercy to my little brother."
"Hm. Since I hold Brother Gu dear too, I'll yield as a brother's duty."
...This cheeky brat. Never backs down once.
"Wait here then."
"Hey, Brother Gu. Take me along."
"Impossible. I'll use lightness skill—carrying you means piggybacking."
To a Black Dao man who valued face even more than White Dao folk in some ways, that was out of the question.
"Don't you need to know the Shim Manor's layout and those disguised beggars' patterns? Sneak in and take out two or three at once to avoid a fuss."
"..."
Yang-hwi turned the impossible into possible.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Thus, Yang-hwi used Gu-ak as swift, convenient transport and arrived comfortably near Shim Manor.
Inside, just as Yang-hwi said, three beggars lurked.
Yang-hwi whispered into Gu-ak's ear beside him.
"See? Evening peak begging time, yet they don't go out scavenging."
"Suspicious indeed. We'll wait till night and strike."
Yang-hwi refuted as if that was absurd.
"No can do. Coming back late might get me scolded by Father."
Gu-ak could only gape in bewilderment again.
What does this kid think a sneak attack is...?
"I have a way. Leave it to me."
With confident words, Yang-hwi stripped off his clothes and donned the rags he'd brought.
'Knew this'd come, so I got size-appropriate rags as payment when giving alms to that beggar.'
Smearing dirt on his face too, he instantly transformed into a beggar boy.
"Rush in and subdue them on my signal."
With that, Yang-hwi headed to a nearby house.
"Hey, mister. Got any food?"
"No leftovers today. Sorry."
"It's fine. Not begging alms—I'll buy it."
Handing over a few coins, Yang-hwi got a wide bowl and food, beggar-style: sprinkle dirt, mix roughly.
Preparation done, he charged straight to Shim Manor.
"Ahem! Customers, come get some!"
Gu-ak, watching from behind, reflexively covered his eyes.
Said it'd be a lure tactic, but this?
'Not that his guts are spilling out. Already sold his liver to the Dragon King of the East Sea.'
"Customers! Come get some!"
oblivious to Gu-ak's thoughts, Yang-hwi kept shouting to draw the beggars' eyes.
"What beggar...?"
"Who the hell are you?"
"Don't be a nuisance—scram."
They looked irritated yet wary, as if on edge.
Grinning, Yang-hwi shouted again.
"What beggar? Heard there were weird ones skipping scavenging, so your little brother brought food as alms. Let's eat together!"
The beggars grimaced at the bowl he proffered.
"Not hungry. Get lost."
"Not hungry and refusing food? You guys real beggars? True beggars stuff their guts first when food's around."
Yang-hwi feigned deep suspicion, and the three beggars' faces stiffened.
"Can't you hear us—get out!"
One closed in, intent on forcing him away.
His hypersensitive senses gauged the foe's level.
'Second-rate. Can't win now, but...'
Still, Yang-hwi brimmed with confidence.
Because the opponents weren't just off-guard—they didn't see him as a threat at all.
The Jianghu proverb warned: beware women, elders, children.
Its hidden meaning: don't get complacent.
"At least one bite— whoa!"
Feigning a trip over a stone while rushing innocently, he splattered the food.
As the foe dodged reflexively and his view was blocked.
Yang-hwi lunged a big step. Using the stumbling momentum, he stomped hard.
Thud!
No inner energy. But he compensated for lacking skill with a solid stamp.
The force flowed from foot through waist, amplifying, straight to his hand without loss.
Splat!
A mere child's palm—not even third-rate—uppercut the second-rate expert's jaw.
"Ugh..."
'Get careless in the Jianghu, and even a civilian guts you with a knife, punk.'
The foe crumpled unconscious. As the other two leaped up in shock.
Gu-ak, masked from who-knows-where, knocked both out simultaneously.
'Oho, first-rate master indeed. Gotta handle second-rates like this.'
As Yang-hwi eyed Gu-ak approvingly, the man spoke.
"Little brother. Not bad."
"Where'd you get the mask?"
"Every Black Dao man carries one. Anyway, one down as you said— this what you meant?"
Gu-ak's eyes shone with genuine admiration.
"No waste in your movements. Where'd you learn martial arts?"
"A boy surviving beggar gangs needs a hidden trick. Peeked and begged scraps here and there."
"...Remarkable talent. That's why the Baek Clan Head adopted you."
"Not Baek Clan Head—Clan Head. Anyway, let's search inside."
"Right. Make it quick. There'll be watchers surveilling from afar besides these."
Finding the hidden cache inside didn't take long.
Gu-ak, true to Black Dao style, smashed everything thoroughly.
Less than a meal's time later, they uncovered piles of gold ingots, hidden weapons, and a box of poison bombs.
"This is... an enormous haul."
Converted to silver taels, worth ten thousand—a fortune. Gu-ak's face hardened.
"For Blue Serpent Hall underlings—not even branch hall level—to stash this much here."
Yang-hwi shared the doubt. But even past-life memories couldn't explain this.
"Whatever. Point is, it's in our hands now."
"Can't carry it all. Shame."
"Since you'll piggyback me, just gold and poison bombs."
"With this much loot, carrying you seems wasteful."
Gu-ak chuckled at Yang-hwi.
"True, watchers only saw some beggar kid enter. You struck from shadows, masked."
Yang-hwi chuckled back, staring into Gu-ak's eyes.
"What'll you do? Ditch me and hog it all?"
After brief hesitation, Gu-ak shook his head.
"Just take gold and poison bombs."
Meaning he'd carry Yang-hwi back.
'Knew it. Not a total lost cause at heart.'
Grinning, Yang-hwi pocketed the gold ingots, grabbed the poison bomb box, and hopped on Gu-ak's back.
Thus, they returned near Baek Manor.
"We agreed half spoils. I think you should take all the poison bombs, Brother Gu."
"Wasn't planning to foist such dangerous stuff on you anyway."
"Then gold for me, bombs for you."
"Bombs aren't half the value?"
"Be generous. Poison bombs are hard to acquire even if you try."
Gu-ak suddenly itched to smack that endlessly cheeky, irrefutable mouth.
"Sigh. Fine."
Answering lazily, as if arguing was tiresome, Gu-ak grabbed the bomb box and leaped away.
'No farewell? Just bounces off?'
Deciding to fix that thick skull slowly.
Stuffed with gold inside his clothes, Yang-hwi boldly flung open Baek Clan's gates.
Baek Mu-ryang, pacing the courtyard, whipped his head toward the entrance.
"Father! Your son has re—"
He read the face instantly. Father was furious.
"Baek Yang-hwi! What have you been doing till this hour?!"
'Trouble. When Father rages, he lectures at least two shichen.'
Yang-hwi racked his wits for a solution, then hit on a simple one.
"Father! I made money!"
"Even hiring Blood Axe Gu-ak as escort! After pulling that stunt, money—what money... money...?"
Seeing the proffered gold pile, fury drained from Baek Mu-ryang's face.
Too vast a sum to stay mad.
"What exactly did you do?"
Yang-hwi grinned at the question.