A Tense Encounter
Sensing the subtle tension, Hwayeon Shinni did not speak. Instead, Hongmyeon Nogae turned to Hong Geolgae.
"What is your name?"
"Hong Jusan."
"Your epithet?"
"I am not great enough to be called by an epithet. But those who know me often call me Hong Geolgae."
"Hong Geolgae. A beggar of the Hong family line. I've seen at least ten with the same nickname."
So saying, Hongmyeon Nogae continued.
"But you're not some random drifter. You're the one whom Daepunggae Pengcheon accepted as a disciple, aren't you?"
"That's correct. It seems you know my master."
"Yes. We've known each other for quite some time."
Pengcheon bore six knots, while Hongmyeon Nogae had five. In rank, Pengcheon stood higher.
Yet their age and martial prowess were similar, and they had a bond of camaraderie, so they never insisted on superiority over one another.
This time, Hong Geolgae asked,
"Elder, are you truly the Central Deputy Chief of the Beggar Sect, Hongmyeon Nogae?"
"That's right."
Hong Geolgae thought for a moment, then asked in a subdued voice,
"Elder Hongmyeon Nogae. Do you remember the name of the previous Central Deputy Chief?"
"Yes. It was Yubonggae Hong Jeong."
At those words, the master of Deungseonru sucked in a sharp breath.
Hong Geolgae and Hong Jeong. That both bore the surname Hong could hardly be coincidence.
Jang Sangchaeju and even Hwayeon Shinni sensed the connection between Hong Geolgae, Hong Jeong, and Hongmyeon Nogae.
Hong Geolgae gazed steadily at Hongmyeon Nogae.
At a glance, his eyes seemed devoid of any emotion. Yet at the same time, they brimmed with a cold fury.
Unconsciously, Jang Sangchaeju placed his hand on the hilt of his sword.
…Has the son come to avenge his father?
In contrast, Hwayeon Shinni betrayed no reaction. It was the composure of an absolute powerhouse.
Weapon or no, should a battle erupt here, the outcome would rest solely in Hwayeon Shinni's hands.
Tang Mujin and Namgung Myeong knew this well. That was why they both stepped forward, each laying a hand on Hong Geolgae's shoulders.
Calm down. If a fight starts now, the consequences will be dire.
Namgung Myeong's sound transmission pierced Hong Geolgae's ear.
Right after, Tang Mujin's voice followed, though less polished than Namgung Myeong's.
Now is not the time. Revenge only holds meaning if you have even the slightest chance of success.
The sudden seriousness left Hong Geolgae bewildered.
For in truth, the resentment he held toward Hongmyeon Nogae was not so grave.
He knew Hongmyeon Nogae was his biological father's enemy.
But he had never once seen his real father's face.
Even after learning of the connection between himself and Majeonggae, the one he considered father and master was not Hong Jeong, but Majeonggae.
Of course, that didn't mean he had no feelings toward Hongmyeon Nogae at all.
Still, had it not been for Hongmyeon Nogae, Hong Geolgae would never have crossed paths with Majeonggae or Tang Mujin.
And since he was more than satisfied with his current life, what he felt toward Hongmyeon Nogae was not hatred or vengeance, but a faint distaste, a touch of bitterness.
Hong Geolgae glanced around at the others.
Why does it feel like this is getting way out of hand?
He hadn't asked about the former Deputy Chief's name to rekindle a grudge.
He had simply forgotten his father's name and thought to ask someone who might know.
In fact, he had only ever heard his biological father's name once in his life—from an old beggar woman under a bridge, two summers ago.
He was bound to forget. It wasn't a particularly unique or memorable name.
Yet contrary to his intent, the mood was twisting in a strange direction.
Had he known how to use sound transmission, he might have carefully explained. But as a first-class fighter, he couldn't.
So Hong Geolgae fidgeted, unable to speak up.
Meanwhile, every eye was fixed upon him.
Each had different expectations for how he would react, but all agreed on one thing: Hong Geolgae must be burning with revenge. Even Hongmyeon Nogae thought so. The sole exception was Hong Geolgae himself.
The oppressive atmosphere weighed down on him. Too indecisive to defy their assumptions, Hong Geolgae ended up glaring at Hongmyeon Nogae with wide, burning eyes.
I can explain to Mujin and Namgung later.
The others, seeing his expression, tensed.
Yet at the same time, they seemed oddly relieved—Hong Geolgae was reacting just as they had expected.
As Hong Geolgae fretted over how to steer this situation, Hwayeon Shinni stepped forward.
"Enough. Stop."
Her gaze swept between Hong Geolgae and Hongmyeon Nogae before she continued.
"This is not unrelated to me, and now I understand the past circumstances. But I will not allow discord between you two."
Her words carried the weight of a mediator. The master of Deungseonru let out a sigh of relief.
If masters of this caliber clashed here on the third floor, Deungseonru would be reduced to rubble.
"I know this is selfish. But here and now, I will permit no conflict. Both of you—stand down."
Her authority was overwhelming, and everyone backed off.
Hong Geolgae, too, exhaled in relief.
Thus, their brief encounter at Deungseonru fizzled out without incident.
***
A Midnight Visit
Tang Mujin's group took lodgings at a nearby inn.
Hong Geolgae drifted into a short sleep, only to awaken soon after, torn over whether to tell Mujin and Namgung the truth.
It wasn't much of a dilemma. He simply wondered if they would look at him strangely if he admitted he had no intention of avenging his father. That was all.
As he tossed about, trying to fall asleep again, Hong Geolgae sensed someone approaching from outside.
Tang Mujin and Namgung Myeong awoke as well, sharp and alert—the mark of those who had touched the threshold of the pinnacle.
Creak.
The door opened. The visitor was none other than Hongmyeon Nogae.
He carried a bluish staff, and—unlike most Beggar Sect elders who disdained swords—he also bore a blade at his waist. Mujin's group rose abruptly in surprise.
But they were not intimidated.
Namgung Myeong and Tang Mujin both believed they could fight Hongmyeon Nogae evenly one-on-one. With three against one, they had confidence. So they waited calmly.
Hongmyeon Nogae, however, set his sword aside and sat down, showing no sign of hostility.
"Forgive me for coming at this late hour."
"State your purpose," Namgung Myeong replied, his voice sharp as a blade drawn to the brink.
Hearing it, Hong Geolgae felt a sinking certainty—this wouldn't end peacefully.
Hongmyeon Nogae spoke.
"I came to talk with Hong Geolgae."
"Neither Mujin nor I intend to leave the room."
"I know."
Everyone looked to Hong Geolgae. The choice was his.
Hong Geolgae sighed deeply, then forced a stern expression.
"What do you want to say?"
"An old story."
Hongmyeon Nogae let out a long breath, his voice heavy with regret.
"You know I was a member of the Righteous Faction, while Hong Jeong belonged to the Unorthodox, don't you?"
"Yes."
"At the time, I thought the matter terribly complex. But looking back, it was simple. I believed beggars, too, should be allowed to prosper if they worked hard. But Hong Jeong believed the Beggar Sect must uphold tradition above all else."
It was a tale Hong Geolgae already knew. He began to nod—when Tang Mujin cut in, bluntly refuting with harsh words.
"Did you come here in the middle of the night just to say the Oyi Faction were hidebound fools, shackled by tradition?" Tang Mujin said coldly.
Hongmyeon Nogae shook his head.
"No. The Oyi Faction's arguments had weight. All others in the world live thinking like the Righteous Faction, so the Beggar Sect alone must remain among the lowest, embracing those mired in poverty and suffering. Shamefully, at the time, I believed the Righteous Faction right and the Oyi Faction wrong. But as years passed, I saw it was not a matter of right and wrong."
Hongmyeon Nogae drew his knees together and sat formally. It was not a posture one should take before someone young enough to be his son.
But the meaning was clear. An apology.
"As more time passed, my thoughts began to shift in the opposite direction. The Beggar Sect exists for the very lowest, for those too weary to even look up. I should have pursued my dream as a Hao clan disciple, not shattered the Beggar Sect's tradition. Even Hwayeon Shinni later realized this truth and regretted it."
He picked up the sword he had set down, then turned its hilt toward Hong Geolgae.
"I have come to understand my sins."
Without quite knowing why, Hong Geolgae accepted the sword. The moment seemed to demand it.
"And I carry another sin—that I could not stop my subordinates, and that I watched a close friend die before my eyes. Never once have I forgotten that crime. I ought to pay with my life, but I still have duties left unfinished. Take my arm in payment for now, and let the rest wait until later. That is what I came to ask."
With those words, Hongmyeon Nogae lifted his left arm and closed his eyes.
Even in his confusion, Hong Geolgae's mind raced to make sense of it.
To atone for his sins against my father, he would offer me his arm first…
But Hong Geolgae had no intention of severing the man's arm.
Cutting it off would not bring him any peace. Nor did he know which side had truly been right, the Oyi Faction or the Righteous Faction.
Moreover, Hongmyeon Nogae was Hwayeon Shinni's most loyal hand.
To cast off feelings barely worthy of being called resentment, he was not about to incur Hwayeon Shinni's wrath.
So Hong Geolgae schooled his face and returned the sword.
"…Go back."
Hongmyeon Nogae stared, as if not understanding.
"Do you mean an arm is not enough?"
"No. I need neither arm nor neck. Just go."
Both Tang Mujin and Namgung Myeong, as well as Hongmyeon Nogae himself, gaped at him in astonishment.
Their faces betrayed it clearly: each was imagining their own father, or their dearest kin.
"You lost someone so precious, and yet you forgive?"—that was what their expressions seemed to say.
Hongmyeon Nogae gazed at Hong Geolgae for a long while.
At last, he let out a sigh heavy with regret.
"…Hong Jeong, you raised an extraordinary son."
"My master deserves the credit more than my father."
"…I see. That Majeonggae fellow must have been remarkable indeed."
A complicated look crossed Hongmyeon Nogae's face.
Even if Hong Geolgae forgave him, the guilt he had borne all his life could not simply vanish.
Hongmyeon Nogae fell silent for a long time, wrestling with his thoughts.
"At the least, this is what I can do."
He reached for the rope at his waist, on which five knots were tied. He first extended it toward Hong Geolgae, then changed his mind. Untying all five knots, he instead took Hong Geolgae's rope and tied two additional knots upon it, bringing the total to five.
"I realized only after seizing the position—I was no vessel fit for such responsibility, unlike Hong Jeong. But you, perhaps, may be."
He handed the rope back.
"From this day, I return to being nothing but a Mukyolgei—knotless. You will take my place as Central Branch Leader and Deputy Chief of the Central Division."
Hong Geolgae was stunned by the sudden declaration. And it did not end there.
Hongmyeon Nogae also extended the bluish staff he had brought.
At first it looked like an ordinary bamboo cane, but in Hong Geolgae's hand, it felt nothing like wood. Its texture was closer to metal or gemstone.
"The Chief himself coveted this, but I never yielded it. Treat it with care."
"…What is it?"
"An elder I once met in my youth gave it to me. He called it the Cheongnok Bamboo Staff. It was too much for me, but I believe it suits you."
Despite the grand name, small characters were carved inside the staff: Dog Beating Staff.
Its relation to the Dog Beating Staff Technique was unclear, but the sensation of it clinging to his hand was extraordinary.
Hongmyeon Nogae rose and saluted with cupped fists.
"I, Hongmyeon Nogae Guwolun, withdraw here. Deputy Chief, I leave the future in your hands."
With that, he backed away and left the inn. Soon, all trace of his presence vanished.
Only then did Namgung Myeong and Tang Mujin begin their racket.
"So what now, do we call you Deputy Chief?"
"Which outranks which—pinnacle master or Deputy Chief?"
"Obviously, pinnacle master is higher."
"What's that staff made of? I've never seen such a material."
"How should I know?"
"If you don't know, who does?"
While Namgung Myeong and Tang Mujin bickered, Hong Geolgae sat in a daze, saying nothing.
Just a few hours ago, upon entering Junggyeong, he had no particular plans.
Yet somehow, in one night, he had become Branch Leader of Junggyeong, Deputy Chief of the Central Division, and gained a weapon of unusual nature.
Hong Geolgae thought to himself,
Fortune smiles on me.
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