Chapter 23: To Guangdong Province (3)
On the fourth day of travel, we finally arrived in Guangdong Province.
After passing through several small villages, we entered a moderately bustling town. Before long, a young boy came running toward us with a fawning smile on his face.
"Great hero! Is this your first time here? Do you need an inn with a large stable?"
"A stable, you say."
Tang Jincheon stared at the boy for a moment before nodding.
"Lead the way. We don't mind if it's a little dirty, so don't worry about that."
"Yes, sir! I'll take you to a good place!"
The boy flinched momentarily but quickly straightened up and began leading the way at a brisk pace.
Curious about something, Tang Sowol urged her horse forward, riding beside me and Tang Jincheon as she asked,
"Father, what exactly did you mean by that just now?"
"It means we have some business with not only the inn but also Hao Gate."
"Hao Gate?"
Tang Sowol tilted her head in confusion, not understanding his words. This time, I answered on his behalf.
"Think about the name 'Hao Gate.' It's just a simple wordplay."
"Ah…"
Tang Sowol's eyes widened in sudden realization, though it seemed there was another reason behind her surprise.
"Father, I understand, but how does So-hyeob know about this?"
"Anyone who's been around Murim for a while knows it. If you need to contact the Beggar's Sect, you find a beggar with a knotted hem. If you need something from Hao Gate, you approach those with black-dyed sleeves and say, 'I don't mind if it's dirty.'"
"So there was something like that... Does that mean we're heading to a Hao Gate branch right now?"
"Not quite. While that boy may indeed be a member of Hao Gate, he likely has no idea who we are. Even the owner of the inn we're heading to might not know."
"Wait, isn't Hao Gate supposed to be a sect that deals in information, like the Beggar's Sect?"
"That's true. However, unlike the Beggar's Sect, Hao Gate accepts anyone regardless of status. Most members are just riffraff, except for those directly handling requests or compiling local information to send to headquarters."
If someone seeks out Hao Gate, they're supposed to relay the request to a superior if possible. Occasionally, they might assist fellow members in need. Above all, they should avoid betrayal if they can.
These are the only three rules Hao Gate members need to follow.
As long as they adhere to these basic principles, anyone can join Hao Gate. Whether they've learned martial arts or have experience gathering information doesn't matter.
"That's quite different from the Beggar's Sect."
"Well, of course. They were founded for entirely different purposes."
The Beggar's Sect was established during a time when the boundaries between orthodox and unorthodox factions weren't as clearly defined as they are now, and martial artists were constantly embroiled in conflicts.
Back then, it wasn't uncommon for ordinary people to lose their families or livelihoods due to these battles, leaving them as beggars with nothing to their name.
Amid this chaos, one man—who had lost everything—stood up and rallied beggars in similar circumstances, determined to change their fate.
That man became the first leader of the Beggar's Sect.
"I learned about that story when I was younger. He referred to evildoers as dogs disturbing the world's peace and drove them out, helping to establish clear distinctions between orthodox and unorthodox factions. Afterward, the sect gathered information from across the nine provinces to prevent such chaos from happening again."
"Correct. The Beggar's Sect's emphasis on righteousness and information-gathering comes entirely from the influence of their first leader."
Though the Beggar's Sect eventually grew in power and wealth, leading to internal factions such as the Blue Clothes Faction and Black Clothes Faction, in my previous life—when the Heavenly Demon led the Demonic Cult in their invasion of the central plains—the Beggar's Sect was the first to stand against them.
They fought until the very last member fell, never retreating, regardless of internal divisions.
This unwavering spirit became the turning point that changed the cynical view unorthodox martial artists like myself held toward the orthodox sects. It shattered the notion that righteousness was merely a form of hypocrisy.
Although the Beggar's Sect's martial arts lineage was eventually broken, their spirit played a crucial role in uniting the orthodox and unorthodox factions.
"On the other hand, Hao Gate is different. No one knows who founded it, when it was founded, or for what purpose."
"Why is that?"
"That's because it wasn't initially created as a sect. It started as a natural network of mutual aid among those in harsh circumstances, which eventually evolved into a formal organization."
Those who did menial and arduous work rarely had anyone to confide in. People who weren't in the same situation couldn't understand their struggles, and no one cared enough to listen to them.
So, just as farmers form cooperatives to help each other, these laborers banded together for mutual support, which became the foundation of Hao Gate.
Unlike the Beggar's Sect, which selects disciples based on martial talent, intelligence, or a sense of justice, Hao Gate accepts anyone because it was formed by ordinary people from the start.
"Hao Gate's purpose isn't grand—it's survival. Their only goal is to endure in this harsh world without suffering too much. That's why their rules are so lenient."
They inform others if someone comes looking for Hao Gate, assist fellow members when possible, and avoid betrayal if they can.
It's a simple set of rules, but the key lies in the phrase 'if possible.'
There's no absolute obligation. If their lives are at stake or if the reward is significant enough to make their heads spin, they're free to break the rules.
"If breaking the rules allows them to survive or escape their lowly status, they're encouraged to do so. That's the true philosophy of Hao Gate."
"That's quite different from what I expected. I thought they'd be like the unorthodox version of the Beggar's Sect."
"Well, you're not entirely wrong. Hao Gate became famous as an intelligence network by imitating the Beggar's Sect, but their objectives are different."
"And by objectives, you mean… money?"
"That's part of it. But there's another reason—to anticipate and avoid potential danger. Think of it like a rabbit growing large ears to hear a wolf's footsteps in advance."
Just as the Beggar's Sect refuses to handle information that could be misused, Hao Gate avoids dangerous requests unless the compensation is worth risking their lives.
"That's also why Hao Gate sent information about the hidden instigators to the Tang Clan without being asked."
"To extract money from Father in a roundabout way?"
"That may be part of it, but their primary goal was likely to avoid the Tang Clan's wrath."
As luck would have it, the place where the Demonic Cult spies were hiding turned out to be in Guangdong, where Hao Gate's headquarters is located. Worse yet, they provoked the notoriously persistent Sichuan Tang Clan, and Tang Jincheon found the instigators even faster than the spies could report their failure.
Realizing the situation, Hao Gate likely decided it would be better to sell out the Demonic Cult spies and earn both trust and money.
"That's why we've come all the way to Guangdong. It's possible that Father-in-law is meeting with Hao Gate not just to receive information, but because they promised to cooperate in capturing the instigators."
"Wow… Is that true, Father?"
Tang Sowol widened her eyes and looked at Tang Jincheon in amazement.
"Everything Young Cheon said is correct. Honestly, I'm a bit surprised. I knew you were skilled with a sword, but I didn't expect you to have such insight."
"It's just that I'm from Zhejiang Province, so I happened to pick up bits and pieces of information here and there."
After toppling the Red Sand Gang and leaving my hometown, I spent nearly a decade as a wandering vagabond before joining the Black Lotus Sect. During that time, I had several encounters with Hao Gate, and after joining the sect, I learned more about them from the Ironblood Hall master.
Tang Jincheon gave me a curious look before chuckling and nodding.
"Well, it's not something that can be entirely explained by being from Zhejiang… but never mind. Having a sharp-witted family member is always a good thing."
Tang Jincheon laughed heartily, and soon after, we arrived at the inn.
It was a fairly large building—likely the best in town. Considering it had a sizable stable, there was probably a good reason for its reputation.
"Go ahead and rest inside for now. The Dark Soul Commander and I will visit Hao Gate."
Tang Jincheon dismounted, relayed the same message to the Dark Soul Unit, and handed a pouch to the vice-captain before leaving with the commander and the boy who had guided us.
As I watched the vice-captain arrange for rooms that would allow us to stay together, I turned to Tang Sowol and asked,
"By the way, didn't you say you finished absorbing the Purple Flower Poison Enhancing Grass? Could you show me?"
"Hehe, you'll be amazed."
Tang Sowol puffed out her chest proudly.
***
While waiting for Tang Jincheon and the Dark Soul Commander to return, half of our group rested in the rooms we rented, while the other half went in pairs or trios to the marketplace to purchase necessary supplies.
And as for Tang Sowol and me…
Chirp!
We were in the backyard, catching sparrows.
"Did you kill it?"
"Of course not. I just paralyzed it. Still, the effect is stronger than I expected—it might have actually died."
Tang Sowol picked up the stiff sparrow with a troubled expression. She gently stroked its feathers, and soon, the bird began to move again.
After looking around for a moment, the sparrow suddenly flapped its wings frantically and flew away.
"Looks like it didn't die, fortunately."
"I see. Dropping a flying bird with just a flick of your hand was impressive, but since I'm not well-versed in poison arts, I can't say exactly how impressive it was."
"Oh! That was a subtle, low-potency paralysis poison. It wouldn't normally be enough to bring down a flying bird unless it was already resting."
"Are you sure?"
"Absolutely. Unlike ordinary weapons, which can increase their power by applying more strength or internal energy, poison's potency and method of use are fixed."
"True. Increasing the amount of poison doesn't necessarily enhance its potency—it just increases the chances of poisoning someone with insufficient internal energy to resist it."
"That's exactly right."
"Still, there are cases where the same type of poison varies in potency. For example, in the case of 'Scattered Bone Poison,' some versions completely block internal energy flow, while others only partially inhibit it."
"That's due to differences in purity, not potency."
"Purity?"
"Yes. It's like drinking pure alcohol versus diluted alcohol—the speed at which you get drunk is different."
"That analogy makes sense."
I nodded in understanding and turned my gaze to Tang Sowol, who was watching the sparrow as it flew off to rejoin its flock.
After briefly admiring her delicate profile, I asked,
"If the poison itself becomes more potent, wouldn't it also be harder to detoxify?"
"Harder? That's putting it lightly."
Tang Sowol turned to me with a smug expression, raising her chin proudly and even crossing her arms in a way that emphasized her chest. With a sly grin, she declared,
"I guarantee, unless I personally retrieve the poison, complete detoxification will be nearly impossible."
I suddenly didn't know where to direct my gaze.