Episode 320: Wanted

As Mu Chang’s branch leader extended his hand, Hong Geolgae felt as if he were being dragged toward ruin.

The moment he took that hand, his social standing would be obliterated. Not that a beggar had much of a reputation to begin with.

Hong Geolgae took a cautious step back and spoke.

“Ah… being a deputy is too much for me. There are many more capable members in the Beggars’ Sect. You should consider someone else.”

A clear refusal.

Yet, the branch leader interpreted Hong Geolgae’s words as mere modesty.

Typically, beggars didn’t engage in such formalities, but those with wealth often declined offers once or twice before accepting. And since Hong Geolgae wasn’t your average beggar, it wasn’t strange for him to show a bit of decorum.

“No need to be modest. The right person should fill the right position, don’t you think?”

“I’m really not the right person. Truly.”

“Come now, don’t be so modest.”

As the branch leader reached for Hong Geolgae’s sleeve, Hong Geolgae deftly used his skills to shake off the hand.

The branch leader’s eyebrow arched in surprise.

‘This young one should just accept if he wants it. Why all the refusals? It’s not like either of us is living a life of luxury…’

Driven by a mix of duty and competitive spirit, the branch leader persisted in trying to recruit Hong Geolgae.

Though only a brief moment passed, a crowd of beggars had gathered around them, quickly swelling to over fifty.

Hong Geolgae felt a suffocating fear as he looked at the beggars surrounding him.

It was as if he were caught in a deadly formation or surrounded by the guards of hell.

’…No one’s going to listen to me. I need to get out of here.’

With that thought, Hong Geolgae leapt onto the roof to escape the encirclement.

It wasn’t the best decision.

Under normal circumstances, it might have worked, but with so many beggars around, all eyes were on him. Jumping onto a roof only drew more attention, especially in the dim evening light.

Someone shouted, “He’s trying to escape! Catch him!”

The shout didn’t even come from a member of the Beggars’ Sect. It was likely someone who didn’t know the situation, yelling for fun. For the first time in a long while, Hong Geolgae felt a murderous intent.

But there was no time to act on it. People were already climbing onto the roof to block his path.

‘Damn it!’

Before the net could tighten further, Hong Geolgae sprinted across the rooftops, racing through Mu Chang.

“Stop him! Don’t let him get away!”

Hong Geolgae dodged his pursuers with all his might. He couldn’t risk swinging a weapon or shoving people aside, fearing someone might get hurt or fall from the roof.

Instead, the skills he had honed—his nimble footwork and martial arts—shone through. Anyone who tried to grab him found themselves stumbling and falling.

‘I see a way out. Just a little further!’

As Hong Geolgae made his escape, the last person he wanted to encounter appeared before him: Hwa Hwa Nogae.

With a stern demeanor, Hwa Hwa Nogae blocked his path.

“Impressive for someone so young. Are you the legendary Hong Geolgae?”

Hwa Hwa Nogae had suspected that Hong Geolgae and the renowned Hong Geolgae might be the same person. It was rare for two such talented beggars to emerge at the same time.

But upon closer inspection, it was clear they were different people.

“I have something important to tell you. Please, stop for a moment.”

”···.”

Hong Geolgae couldn’t even speak. Hwa Hwa Nogae knew his voice too well. Changing his appearance wouldn’t alter his voice.

Instead, Hong Geolgae glared at Hwa Hwa Nogae with eyes as fierce as a cornered beast.

Hwa Hwa Nogae saw it as youthful defiance.

‘Full of spirit, but still too early.’

With too many obstacles on the roof, Hong Geolgae jumped down to the ground.

Hwa Hwa Nogae followed, landing in front of him. The spectators on the roof now looked down at the two of them.

Hwa Hwa Nogae spoke calmly.

“I’ll let the younger generation take the lead.”

Hong Geolgae didn’t hesitate, extending his open palm.

In response, Hwa Hwa Nogae unleashed a complex martial art, his arms weaving like two ascending dragons. It was the Beggars’ Sect’s signature technique, Dragon Fist.

Hong Geolgae countered with his own technique, unraveling the intricate flow of the Dragon Fist with ease.

Though they exchanged only a single move, Hwa Hwa Nogae’s eyebrow twitched.

He couldn’t definitively say that Hong Geolgae was beneath him.

‘He was a second-rate fighter at the last tournament, and by the end, he had surpassed the pinnacle. It’s only been a couple of months since then, and he’s already achieved this level? Truly a frightening talent.’

After exchanging three more moves, Hwa Hwa Nogae reached a clear conclusion.

There was no need to hold back.

In fact, it was best to demonstrate the gap in their abilities.

Even if Hong Geolgae was to become the deputy, for now, Hwa Hwa Nogae was the leader, and Hong Geolgae was the deputy. A master couldn’t lose to his disciple.

Hwa Hwa Nogae shouted in a booming voice.

“Try this on for size!”

With a solemn expression, Hwa Hwa Nogae leapt high into the air.

It was the Dragon’s Flight, a technique from the Eighteen Dragon Palms.

The Dragon’s Flight involved twisting the body mid-air to deliver three consecutive kicks. Without a solid footing, its power wasn’t as strong as ground techniques, but it was one of the most unpredictable and difficult to counter.

Unless one had faced the Eighteen Dragon Palms multiple times or had exceptional insight, they would inevitably fall to the second or third kick.

The Dragon’s Flight was a dazzling technique, perfect for showing off in front of an audience.

Hong Geolgae crouched low, focusing intently on Hwa Hwa Nogae’s legs.

The right foot struck once. The left foot, hidden behind, struck again. Finally, the right foot, which seemed to retreat, aimed for the back of Hong Geolgae’s head.

Hong Geolgae skillfully countered Hwa Hwa Nogae’s technique. Hwa Hwa Nogae’s eyes widened in admiration and disbelief.

‘Remarkable!’

But Hwa Hwa Nogae’s plan wasn’t over. After countering the Dragon’s Flight, one’s balance would inevitably falter. As Hwa Hwa Nogae landed, he shouted.

“It’s not over yet!”

Hwa Hwa Nogae’s feet firmly planted on the ground, his arms drawing large circles before stopping in front of his chest. Then, his hands shot forward.

The first technique of the Eighteen Dragon Palms, the Dragon’s Roar.

The transition from Dragon’s Flight to Dragon’s Roar was Hwa Hwa Nogae’s most confident move.

However, there was one thing Hwa Hwa Nogae didn’t know. Hong Geolgae also considered the Dragon’s Roar his most confident technique.

Hong Geolgae crouched again, using his hands to disperse the energy of the Dragon’s Roar.

Then, his hands traced circles in the opposite direction, scattering the energy in all directions. He had reversed the Dragon’s Roar perfectly.

‘Is that even possible?’

Hwa Hwa Nogae was speechless, his mouth agape. He had never seen such a counter in his life.

And then, Hong Geolgae’s hands traced circles in the correct direction. As if it were his turn, Hong Geolgae unleashed the Dragon’s Roar. His palms aimed at Hwa Hwa Nogae.

“Dragon…!”

Hong Geolgae almost shouted the technique’s name out of habit but stopped himself.

Though he didn’t call out the name, the technique’s power didn’t diminish.

A massive wave of energy cascaded down on Hwa Hwa Nogae like a waterfall.

Hwa Hwa Nogae tried to reverse the Dragon’s Roar, inspired by Hong Geolgae’s counter. It was a moment of enlightenment.

But Hong Geolgae wasn’t in a position to wait for such realizations.

Before Hwa Hwa Nogae could fully dissipate the force of Hong Geolgae’s attack, Hong Geolgae charged at him, slamming his right fist into Hwa Hwa Nogae’s jaw.

A blow to the jaw renders a person unconscious. Hwa Hwa Nogae immediately lost consciousness, collapsing in front of everyone.

The surrounding members of the Beggars’ Sect cried out in shock.

“The leader!”

The sight of their leader falling was so shocking that everyone rushed to Hwa Hwa Nogae’s side. Taking advantage of the chaos, Hong Geolgae made his escape.

‘Good, the path is clear!’

Hong Geolge sprinted frantically towards the outskirts of Wuchang.

“Master, are you alright?”

As people gathered around Hwahwa Nogae, shaking him gently, he soon regained consciousness.

“I’m… I’m fine.”

He waved them off, shook his head a couple of times, and staggered to his feet. After brushing some dirt off his clothes, he spat on the ground. The spit was tinged with blood, giving it a reddish hue.

His throat felt oddly sour, and his stomach churned. He had sustained a minor internal injury.

Yet, there was no trace of defeat or distress on Hwahwa Nogae’s face. Only joy and exhilaration.

He swayed a little, then leaned against a nearby building and burst into laughter.

“Ha ha, ha ha ha!”

The members of the Beggars’ Sect and the martial artists in Wuchang couldn’t comprehend the meaning behind his laughter.

The leader of the Wuchang branch asked, “Why… why are you laughing?”

“Didn’t you see? Didn’t you all see?”

“See what, exactly?”

“Did you not witness how Hong Gyeon, the Celestial Hound, countered my Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms? He saw through it in an instant, dismantled it, and then immediately replicated it!”

Only after hearing Hwahwa Nogae’s explanation did the martial artists around him understand what had transpired.

It wasn’t some flimsy martial art like the Three Talents Sword Technique. To see through and mimic a high-level technique like the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms? Was such a thing even possible?

But as they recalled the events, they realized that Hong Gyeon’s response could only be explained in that way.

Hwahwa Nogae laughed with satisfaction. “A prodigy of the ages has appeared. A genius comparable to Bodhidharma and Zhang Sanfeng… No, surpassing even them. A genius worthy of being called the greatest in the history of the martial world. The Beggars’ Sect is destined for greatness!”

People began to murmur. A young genius had emerged within the Beggars’ Sect.

A young man who, despite having only recently learned martial arts, had already bested the leader of the sect.

What heights would Hong Gyeon, the Celestial Hound, reach when his talents fully blossomed?

No one could say for sure.

But one thing was certain: the future leaders of the orthodox martial world would not be from the Shaolin Temple or the Namgung family, but from the Beggars’ Sect.

The order of the martial world would be reshaped around the Beggars’ Sect. The faces of the sect members were alight with joy.

In contrast, the martial artists not affiliated with the sect were deeply anxious. They were filled with the urgent need to return to their respective clans and families to relay this news.

An hour later, many martial artists packed their belongings and left Wuchang.

Hong Geolge released his disguise and returned to his friends. The tension had left him, and his steps felt heavy.

As he approached, Dang Mujin asked, “What happened? Why are you covered in dirt?”

It was a question he couldn’t answer truthfully.

As far as Hong Geolge knew, his friends weren’t the type to sympathize with his predicament. They were more likely to subdue him and deliver him to Hongmyeon Nogae.

He made up a plausible excuse. “I figured if I came back too clean, people might get suspicious, so I rolled around in some dirt.”

“Really?”

Hyeongong seemed slightly skeptical, but Dang Mujin and Namgung Myeong didn’t doubt his story.

“What was the atmosphere like inside Wuchang?”

“There were posters everywhere inside, all with Namgung Myeong’s face on them. There’s no avoiding it.”

The situation was tricky. Yet, as always, Dang Mujin and his group laughed off the predicament with a touch of recklessness.

After the laughter subsided, Dang Mujin spoke. “We can’t take the river back.”

“So, what’s the plan?”

“We’ll go by land.”

“By land? There’s no guarantee people aren’t looking for Namgung Myeong there too.”

Though he didn’t voice it, Hong Geolge knew there were likely just as many people searching for the Celestial Hound, Hong Gyeon.

But Dang Mujin was unfazed. “That might be true in the orthodox territories.”

“You’re not suggesting…?”

“Exactly. Instead of heading to Sichuan via the Yangtze, we’ll move south through the Jiangnan region. They won’t be looking for Namgung Myeong in the unorthodox territories.”

After a brief deliberation, the group nodded in agreement.

With the demonic cult having retreated, they didn’t anticipate any severe clashes with the unorthodox martial artists.

Even if a confrontation arose, they were confident in their strength.

With the plan settled, Namgung Myeong concluded, “Alright, let’s do that. We’ll rest tonight and set out early tomorrow.”

Each of them lay down to sleep.

Hong Geolge closed his eyes, listening to the sounds around him.

The breathing of his companions gradually slowed, and soon, Seolhwa’s soft snores blended with the chirping of insects.

But Hong Geolge couldn’t easily fall asleep. Every time he closed his eyes, the events inside Wuchang replayed vividly in his mind.

‘Please…’

He silently pleaded.

That the onlookers in Wuchang wouldn’t spread strange rumors.

And that those rumors wouldn’t reach his friends’ ears.

Hong Geolge hoped he still had that much luck left.