At the Shaolin Temple, the regular meetings of the elders are held twice a month—once on the full moon and once on the new moon.
Today, under the glow of the full moon, a considerable number of monks had gathered in the Hall of Longevity. These were monks who held various positions, big or small, within the temple.
However, as many seats were empty as were filled. The head monk, Shinseung, was still in seclusion, and others were absent due to their own duties.
The regular meetings at Shaolin rarely involved any significant discussions, allowing monks to skip them without much concern if they had other obligations.
In truth, these meetings were more about seeing familiar faces and exchanging words than about any serious deliberation.
As usual, after the meeting disguised as idle chatter had ended and a few impatient monks had left, Cheongbok, one of the Ten Precepts Monks known for his sharp tongue, spoke up.
“By the way, I heard a rumor that the Wooden Man Alley has been opened. Is it true?”
The head of the Chu Bo Hall nodded.
“Yes, it’s true.”
“Why? Weren’t we supposed to dismantle it before winter?”
Many monks at Shaolin had advocated for the dismantling of the Wooden Man Alley. Among them, Cheongbok and the head of the Chu Bo Hall, Cheongjin, were the most vocal.
Cheongjin wanted it gone because he was often left to clean up the mess whenever a con artist claimed to have mastered the Wooden Man Alley. Cheongbok, on the other hand, had a simpler reason: the alley blocked the sunlight from reaching his quarters.
Cheongbok knew it was a trivial reason.
When he first inherited the quarters of the previous Ten Precepts Monk, he hadn’t cared whether the alley blocked his view or not.
But as his martial progress stagnated, and his juniors surpassed him, the alley became an eyesore.
With his martial skills stuck at a plateau, the sight of the alley blocking the sunlight only fueled his frustration.
He began to wonder if the alley’s presence was somehow hindering his progress, recalling vague talks of feng shui or the feeling of being blocked.
Even though he tried to dismiss these thoughts as nonsense, the alley was always there when he opened his door, making it hard to ignore.
Now, he understood why the previous Ten Precepts Monk had despised the alley so much. Despite his role in curbing harsh words among the monks, Cheongbok found himself cursing under his breath every time he saw it.
Whether aware of Cheongbok’s simmering resentment or not, the head of the Chu Bo Hall replied calmly.
“There isn’t a particular reason. We just found someone capable of handling the task.”
“That makes it even harder to understand. I heard it was a young warrior brought in by Gwiui.”
The mention of Gwiui’s nickname caused a stir among the monks, as he was not well-regarded.
Cheongbok continued, “I don’t like that Gwiui is involved in Shaolin’s affairs. I still don’t understand why he hasn’t been declared a public enemy. He kills indiscriminately, yet somehow…”
The head of the Arhat Hall, Manryeok Monk Cheonguk, interjected.
“Anyone listening would think Ichung only kills the innocent. Most of those he killed were villains.”
“But he also killed many innocents. Killing a doctor for not handing over a family heirloom medical book? Cutting off a patient’s arm for not paying for medicine? How do you justify that?”
Cheonguk was at a loss for words. Those were indeed Gwiui’s misdeeds.
Still, Cheonguk tried to steer the conversation to defend Gwiui.
“People must believe Ichung’s merits outweigh his faults, which is why he hasn’t been declared a public enemy. Is there any renowned sect or family that hasn’t owed him a favor? And have you ever heard of him refusing to treat the poor?”
“Perhaps the living have forgiven his sins, but who knows if the judges of the afterlife will see it the same way. His disciple is likely no different.”
“That young warrior isn’t Ichung’s disciple. They’re merely traveling together.”
“But there’s a saying that birds of a feather flock together.”
“Enough.”
The head of the Disciplinary Hall, who had been listening quietly, intervened in the argument.
The remaining monks turned their attention to the head of the Disciplinary Hall, a figure known for not engaging in idle talk and holding a significant position within Shaolin.
“On a slightly different note, I heard that young warrior completed a wooden man recently.”
“Yes, it was impressive.”
The head of the Chu Bo Hall nodded.
His faith had not been misplaced, and Tang Mujin had brought in two wooden men in just a few days.
Tang Mujin had even demonstrated the wooden man’s movements in front of the head of the Chu Bo Hall, a sight that even someone with no martial knowledge could appreciate.
“I heard it was completed outside and brought into the temple?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“That’s problematic. As you know, Shaolin strictly prohibits the external dissemination of our martial arts. If a wooden man were lost, it could cause issues.”
The head of the Chu Bo Hall couldn’t hide his discomfort at the Disciplinary Hall’s words.
“I’m not a martial artist, but losing one or two wooden men doesn’t seem like it would lead to the leakage of Shaolin’s martial arts.”
“I understand. But it’s wise not to underestimate even small matters and to be cautious in advance.”
“Then what should we do? We’ve finally found someone who can repair the Wooden Man Alley. You’re not suggesting we stop the repairs, are you?”
“Of course not. But if we’re going to make wooden men, I think it’s best to do so within the temple grounds.”
The Disciplinary Hall’s words were conservative and fundamental, but they were correct. The other monks nodded cautiously in agreement.
”…That’s how it is.”
The head of the Chu Bo Hall explained the situation to Tang Mujin with an apologetic expression.
“Surely they don’t expect us to discard the wooden men we’ve already made and start over?”
“There’s no need for that. But any future wooden men will need to be made within the temple.”
It was understandable, but not easy to accept practically.
“I can’t repair the Wooden Man Alley without Dan Sojeo’s help. She’s the only one who truly understands the structure of the wooden men and the alley.”
After successfully creating the first wooden man, Tang Mujin had attempted to make a second one based solely on Dan Seolyeong’s explanations, without a prototype.
The result was a complete failure. It took two days to make the wooden man and another two days to try and fix it, all to no avail.
From this, Tang Mujin realized that he needed Dan Seolyeong’s help to create a prototype and understand the structure before proceeding with the actual construction.
“Anticipating this, I spoke with the head of the Disciplinary Hall. They said making partial prototypes outside is acceptable, as long as they don’t form a complete wooden man. Is that manageable?”
“That should be fine.”
“I’m sorry for the added inconvenience. But it’s the head of the Disciplinary Hall’s decision, so there’s no way around it.”
The head of the Chu Bo Hall was genuinely apologetic, even though it wasn’t his fault. Tang Mujin nodded in understanding.
When Tang Mujin went to find Dan Seolyeong, she was already waiting with materials piled up for making the wooden men.
Recalling her joy at seeing the wooden men move, Tang Mujin felt a heaviness in his heart. But he had to tell her.
“They said we can’t make the wooden men outside.”
“What do you mean?”
Tang Mujin relayed the head of the Chu Bo Hall’s message. He expected Dan Seolyeong to be disappointed, but she remained surprisingly calm.
“It doesn’t matter. I just want to repair the Wooden Man Alley. I wasn’t planning on watching the repaired wooden men anyway. Just knowing we’re fixing the alley feels like a dream. Besides, I’ve had my own worries lately.”
“What worries?”
“I have my own work to do, but I haven’t been able to focus on it.”
Dan Seolyeong pointed to a patch of ground she had started digging but left unfinished.
In recent days, Tang Mujin hadn’t seen her with a pickaxe. Whenever they met, they were always focused on making the wooden men.
After a moment’s thought, Dan Seolyeong added, “So, you won’t be coming every day anymore?”
“Probably not. I’ll come every three days to work on the prototype, but the other two days I’ll need to work inside the Wooden Man Alley.”
For a brief moment, a hint of disappointment crossed Dan Seolyeong’s face.
She had been pretending to be indifferent, but it seemed she was bothered by not being able to see the wooden men move.
For reasons he couldn’t quite understand, Tang Mujin also felt a bit down.
But there was no other way. Rules are rules because they can’t be compromised.
To lighten the mood, Tang Mujin spoke in a deliberately cheerful tone.
“Today, you don’t have to worry. We can make the prototype as usual, just without assembling it completely. We can still test the arms and legs separately.”
“Yeah, that’s true.”
Dan Seolyeong smiled, though her expression was still a bit uncertain.
While Tang Mujin and Dan Seolyeong were engrossed in the Wooden Man Alley and Gwiui was tucked away writing, Hong Geolgae was busy exploring every corner of the village below.
In just a few days, Hong Geolgae had become quite the talk among the local beggars. With three knots to his name, he was considered a skilled figure in their circles.
Even at the Dengfeng branch of the Beggars’ Sect under Mount Song, there was a three-knot beggar. Wang Bong, the leader of the branch, chose to befriend Hong Geolgae rather than challenge him.
It was clear that Hong Geolgae was no pushover and unlikely to stay long at Dengfeng, so there was no benefit in antagonizing him.
“Ah, brother! You’ve come.”
“Did you sleep well last night, brother?”
Hong Geolgae had no reason to be hostile towards Wang Bong either. In fact, with Wang Bong being older and having three knots, it was natural for Hong Geolgae to address him as “brother.” They got along well.
During the day, the two would laze around instead of begging, and as dusk fell, they would leisurely stroll through the alleys near the inns.
Shaolin Temple was known for its disciplined monks, but not everyone who visited was like that.
The village below Shaolin was bustling, especially as the sun set. Gamblers would set up games everywhere, and travelers from all over the central plains, visiting Mount Song, would gather to roll dice.
Hong Geolgae and Wang Bong discovered that begging around these gambling dens was quite effective.
Wang Bong, with his ever-smiling face, easily received alms from gamblers who were in high spirits after a win.
“Heh heh. Great hero, did you win big today?”
“Ah, Wang, my brother! Of course, I did! Here, take this for a meal.”
The gambler cheerfully rummaged through his pockets.
Though it sounded like he might give silver coins, all Wang Bong received were a couple of coins. But whether it was a lot or a little, free money was still free money.
Hong Geolgae, on the other hand, was popular with a different crowd.
A gambler who had lost a significant amount and was pulling at his hair brightened up upon seeing Hong Geolgae.
“Ah, Hong! Come over here!”
Whenever Hong Geolgae approached, he didn’t need to flatter like Wang Bong. The gambler would hand over five or even ten coins. It seemed more like a tribute than charity.
The reason they gave money to Hong Geolgae was simple: rumors of his good luck had spread far and wide.
“Hong, could you roll the dice for me?”
“Well, it’s not difficult, but I can’t guarantee a good roll.”
“Ah, I know, I know. Just give it a try.”
The gambler, sweating profusely despite the cool weather, had lost quite a bit playing dice.
Hong Geolgae took the two dice and rolled them. The result was 2-5. Average.
But the gambler didn’t blame him and waited eagerly for his turn, hands clasped.
4-3. 3-5. 1-4. After several average rolls, on the fifth try, Hong Geolgae rolled a pair of sixes.
“Wow! Wow!”
The gambler screamed with joy, having recouped his losses in one round.
While others might need thirty or fifty rolls to get such a result, Hong Geolgae seemed to roll double sixes every five or ten tries. He didn’t know why; he’d only started handling dice a few days ago.
The gambler, after sweeping up his winnings, handed Hong Geolgae ten more coins. A generous tip.
Not satisfied with just the tip, the gambler stood behind Hong Geolgae, massaging his shoulders with the reverence one might show a superior.
“Thanks to you, Hong, I dodged a bullet. Could you roll for me a bit more? I’ll make it worth your while.”
Hong Geolgae glanced around. The expressions of the other gamblers were anything but ordinary.
They seemed to wonder if Hong Geolgae had some mystical power, despite thinking it might just be luck. Gamblers were often superstitious.
“No, I can’t.”
So Hong Geolgae waved his hands and stood up. He enjoyed seeing people happy but disliked facing others’ dissatisfaction.
“Just one more round, please?”
“I’ve heard that after a streak of good luck, bad luck follows. I have a feeling the worst roll is coming.”
“Well, if you say so.”
As Hong Geolgae stood up, Wang Bong approached with a chuckle.
“The more I see, the more amazed I am. I’ve seen many beggars, but you’re the only one who gets alms from a losing gambler.”
“The dice seem to favor me. Who knows how long it’ll last.”
As they walked, Hong Geolgae noticed a beggar father and daughter, both painfully thin.
He handed them all the coins he’d received from the gambler. A beggar giving alms to another beggar—a curious sight.
The father beggar’s eyes widened in disbelief as he bowed repeatedly.
“Thank you, sir. Thank you!”
“They say if you don’t spend free money quickly, you’ll lose it. Go buy something nice for your daughter.”
“Yes, of course!”
The little girl’s face was full of anticipation as she held her father’s hand. It might be her first chance to taste a treat she’d only ever smelled.
Watching the two beggars walk away, Wang Bong laughed heartily.
“It’s more amazing to see you give away your earnings than to get them in the first place. Don’t you feel it’s a waste?”
“I’ve never bought anything with money in my life. I don’t plan to start now.”
“Really? Maybe I should try giving alms too. How about I treat my brother to dinner?”
“Sounds good.”
The two disappeared into a shabby alley.
And an old man watched Hong Geolgae’s retreating figure.