Chapter 73 : Chapter 73

Chapter 73. It is Total War (2)

Seok Gu’s attitude was still full of complaints, but he seemed willing to listen.

The others also approached him and began the conversation.

The first to speak was the Tang Clan Head.

“As you well know, the Sichuan Murim is currently facing an unprecedented crisis.”

“I know.”

Seok Gu glanced at Taoist Qingcheng and said.

“Qingcheng acted up and got smashed big time.”

“……!”

Taoist Qingcheng, who was listening, felt a surge of anger.

But he had to endure it.

He had committed a sin, and the Beggar's Gang was an essential military force right now.

And the Tang Clan Head continued.

“To win this war, the Beggar's Gang’s help is essential.”

“We are already cooperating with information gathering. Well, sometimes it’s not accurate, but we are doing our best as much as possible.”

“I know that. And I am not blaming you.”

“…….”

“In the first place, we do not possess information gathering abilities superior to the Beggar's Gang. How could we blame you?”

“Then that’s settled. If you have no other business, I will leave now.”

Seok Gu jumped up from his seat to leave.

To him, the Tang Clan Head spoke urgently.

“We desire the Beggar's Gang’s participation in the war.”

At those words, Seok Gu spoke in a cold voice.

“The Beggar's Gang’s participation…….”

“The Beggar's Gang is not just an intelligence group. Strictly speaking, it is a sect that occupies one seat among the Nine Sects One Gang.”

“…….”

“We are not asking for the entire Beggar's Gang to participate. Even if just the personnel of the Sichuan Branch participates…….”

“Bullshit.”

With one word from Seok Gu, the atmosphere turned cold.

Then Abbess Hyeonwol, who was listening, stepped forward.

“What did you just say?”

“A disaster for the Emei Sect. Has the old lady who is nominally a Sect Leader gone deaf too?”

“…….”

At this point, it was beyond provocation; it was a declaration of war.

Just as Abbess Hyeonwol was about to reach for the sword at her waist, Seok Gu spoke.

“Does the Beggar's Gang look like a pushover to you? You sons of bitches! Do you think beggars' lives aren’t human lives?”

Seok Gu spoke in a voice more agitated than ever before.

“Even in the process of obtaining the information you bastards want, countless beggars are already bleeding and dying. But that’s not enough, and now you want us to step forward and fight directly? Why? Your disciples’ lives are precious, but our beggars deserve to die, is that it?”

“We aren’t saying that, are we? do you think we don’t shed blood?”

At Taoist Qingcheng’s words, Seok Gu shouted in anger.

“Even so, would it be more than our deaths? How many died because of Qingcheng’s blunder this time? Fifty? Eighty? Whatever it is, it won’t exceed a hundred. Is that not so?”

Seok Gu paused for a moment and continued.

“Our Beggar's Gang is dying by hundreds every year just gathering information in the Evil Way’s domain. To obtain the information you bastards demand so naturally whenever you need it, hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands of beggars have died.”

Seok Gu pointed his finger at Taoist Qingcheng and said.

“Speak, you horse-nosed bastard. The deaths of your hundred or so disciples are pitiful, but the deaths of hundreds and thousands of our beggars can be glossed over with just one chant of Infinite Life Buddha? Is that it?!”

“That…… is not what I meant. I just…….”

He had no words to answer, so words did not come out easily.

And that was the same for Abbess Hyeonwol and the Tang Clan Head next to him.

It is a shameful story, but what Seok Gu is saying right now was true to some extent.

They naturally know there is sacrifice from the Beggar's Gang.

How could they not know?

They are people who risk their lives to operate in the Evil Way’s domain to obtain information.

And it is also true that they were relatively insensitive to their sacrifices.

The reason is simple.

Because they are the Beggar's Gang.

Because they were beggars.

But how could they say it?

‘A beggar’s life has a different value from our martial artists' lives, so it can’t be helped.’

How could they dare say that?

Those were words that could not come out of the mouths of those called the celebrated figures of the Righteous Way even if their mouths were torn.

To the three who became mute as if they had eaten honey, Seok Gu shouted.

“If you have a conscience, you bastards cannot demand more blood from the Beggar's Gang here. But what? Crisis of the Sichuan Murim? So what, you bastards!”

Watching Seok Gu shouting with a voice full of resentment, Han Cheong-un thought.

‘What was bound to explode has exploded.’

* * *

Seok Gu’s words contained all the sorrow the Beggar's Gang had received until now.

Sorrow of the Beggar's Gang?

It might seem strange, but this is a fact.

The Beggar's Gang is the most important sect in the Righteous Way yet the most despised sect.

Although called the Nine Sects One Gang, they don’t exactly have a stable territory, nor does the Murim Alliance give them important positions.

Actually, other sects might have complaints, but the Beggar's Gang didn’t care much about that.

This is because it is a tradition that has continued in the Beggar's Gang since the early days of the Murim Alliance’s formation.

It is said that at first, the Murim Alliance tried to give a seat to the Beggar's Gang as well. However…….

[What kind of freezing to death position is this for a begging beggar bastard?]

The Beggar's Gang Sect Leader at the time retreated without taking any position in the Murim Alliance with these words.

Free wandering heroes living only for righteousness in the lowest places.

That was because it was the identity of the Beggar's Gang.

The Sect Leader of that time was one who kept that righteousness, and other beggars who assisted him were also real heroes who all agreed with that.

And the famous figures of the Murim Alliance also respected the noble righteousness of the Beggar's Gang at that time.

The Beggar's Gang did not obtain any position in the Murim Alliance, but they obtained greater respect and regard than any other sect.

Successive Murim Alliance Leaders even visited the Beggar's Gang Sect Leader directly to ask for advice whenever there were difficulties.

The fact that the Murim Alliance Leader personally visited a shabby hut to ask for opinions showed the status of the Beggar's Gang well.

However, as time passed, everything began to change gradually.

In the first place, keeping the will of a great sage continuously is difficult. The more difficult and noble the will, the more so it is.

Respect for the Beggar's Gang disappeared little by little, and the Murim Alliance began to accept the Beggar's Gang’s dedication as a natural duty.

If they couldn’t get the information they wanted properly, they urged the Beggar's Gang, and support for the Beggar's Gang was also gradually reduced.

Still, the Beggar's Gang had to endure.

Because living only for righteousness in the lowest places was the identity of the Beggar's Gang.

The identity of a sect is not something that can be easily denied even by the Sect Leader of that sect.

Because it is the strictest unwritten rule handed down from generation to generation starting from the founder.

So Shaolin is Buddhist, Wudang is Taoist, and the Beggar's Gang are devoted heroes.

But they are also people.

Inflammation towards the Murim Alliance, which accepted the information they obtained by sacrificing their blood and lives as if it were natural, was bound to arise.

That accumulated dissatisfaction exploding is exactly the appearance of Seok Gu in front of their eyes right now.

Seok Gu fuming with anger, and the three silent not knowing what to say to that.

Between them, Han Cheong-un intervened.

“First, may I say a word?”

“What?”

“I understand the Beggar's Gang’s anger. I also don’t like what the Murim Alliance does very much.”

“Are you saying you are unrelated to the Murim Alliance?”

“If it’s the Beggar's Gang, you should know, right? Our Ultimate Path Gate is between Righteous and Evil.”

“…….”

Seok Gu shut his mouth tight.

And Han Cheong-un said.

“As the Sect Leader of the Ultimate Path Gate, I formally request the Beggar's Gang. Please lend your strength to this war, Beggar's Gang.”

“Why should we do that?”

“Broadly, for the common people living in Sichuan…….”

“…….”

“Narrowly, it is for the Beggar's Gang.”

Seok Gu frowned.

“I understand the justification of…… for the common people of Sichuan. Although I don’t know how sincere that is.”

“…….”

“But what kind of bullshit is it that it is for the Beggar's Gang?”

At Seok Gu’s words, Han Cheong-un shrugged and said.

“It is literally as I said. If left like this, the Sichuan Branch of the Beggar's Gang will see great damage.”

“Are you threatening us now?”

“Surely not. Is the Beggar's Gang a place where threats work?”

Han Cheong-un smirked.

And he explained the situation in a quiet voice.

“As I see it, this war will become quite large. Although we will request support from the Murim Alliance, in a situation where we don’t know when those slowpokes will come, the Sichuan Murim will see great damage. Perhaps we might lose.”

“So? What does that have to do with our Beggar's Gang?”

“It has something to do with it. If we lose, those Evil Way bastards will push into Sichuan.”

“…….”

Seok Gu’s expression flinched.

And Han Cheong-un continued.

“Can the Beggar's Gang remain silent seeing that sight?”

“…….”

“Can the Beggar's Gang retreat after seeing with their own two eyes the common people suffering from the immoral Evil Way bastards?”

“You bastard…….”

“I guarantee the Beggar's Gang cannot do that. Because, you are the Beggar's Gang.”

“Damn it…….”

“Eventually, after other sects in Sichuan are defeated, the Beggar's Gang will have to fight alone to protect Sichuan.”

“Oh, damn bastard…….”

They can be at odds with the Murim Alliance.

They can curse to the face of the Shaolin Abbot.

Laying a mat and lying down to cause a scene at the Sword Understanding Pond of the Wudang Sect is also something they can do if they want.

In the first place, that is the Beggar's Gang.

Since they are beggars who have nothing and free people who have no face to save.

But even they cannot forsake righteousness.

The Beggar's Gang running away ignoring suffering common people?

That is already not the Beggar's Gang.

‘Actually, if you could abandon that, you wouldn’t have died fighting at the forefront during the war.’

Seok Gu’s expression was full of agony and conflict.

Emotionally, he hates to admit it, but his head knows that what Han Cheong-un is saying is not wrong.

Han Cheong-un knew well what answer Seok Gu would bring out from that agony.

‘You are a practical person.’

He was a person who prioritized practicality enough to use an iron staff even after becoming the Beggar's Gang Sect Leader.

When head and emotion clash, he is a person who prioritizes his judgment.

“Damn, this is the only time.”

“Thank you.”

“And hand over the price too.”

At Seok Gu’s words, Abbess Hyeonwol frowned and said.

“Are you saying the Beggar's Gang demands a price? You are not ronin, are you?”

“It hurts my stomach to see you guys benefiting if we fight for free! Why, do you have a problem with that? You old lady?!”

Abbess Hyeonwol, who felt a surge of anger, tried to say something, but Han Cheong-un intervened before that.

“I will pay the price.”

“How? Are you saying you will give money?”

“That is the fairest.”

Then Seok Gu frowned and said.

“Are you trying to convert the blood and sweat of the Beggar's Gang into money right now?”

“You were the one who demanded the price first. And…….”

Han Cheong-un spoke seriously.

“Money isn’t the most precious thing in the world, but it can be the most useful and fairest thing.”

“That is…….”

Words that are correct.

Seok Gu, who couldn't refute rashly, hesitated and said.

“No, even so, accepting money is too…….”

“How about one hundred thousand gold taels?”

“……Good.”

It was too large a sum to refuse because of face.

“Khm, come to think of it, the Ultimate Path Gate had a lot of money.”

“We aren’t lacking.”

The assets obtained from the Secret Cave of the Shadowless Divine Thief were steadily increased with Yueyang as the base.

The Ultimate Path Gate was not inferior at all even compared to giant sects when it came to money.

And here, Han Cheong-un saved the face of the Beggar's Gang once more.

“For your reference, I am not paying money as a price for receiving the Beggar's Gang’s help.”

“What, then what is it?”

“I am just giving it.”

Then Seok Gu made an absurd expression.

Giving a huge sum of one hundred thousand gold taels just like that? Just?

“You bastard, do you think we are beggars?”

“Yes.”

“……Ah, right. We are beggars.”

There was a moment of confusion about identity due to too much money. But thinking about it calmly…….

‘Not bad?’

The Beggar's Gang are beggars.

And beggars are originally people who beg for food without any reason.

So if Han Cheong-un says he will just give money, they can just accept it.

The Evil Way would rather steal it than do this, but only the Beggar's Gang can do it and it’s fine.

Why? Because they are beggars.

“When will you give the money?”

“If you wish, I will give it now. I will cut a check for you, that will be fine, right?”

And Han Cheong-un took out a promissory note from his bosom, wrote down one hundred thousand gold taels, signed it immediately, and gave it.

“Here it is.”

“Ha…….”

It was a blank check under the name of the Eon Clan Merchant Group.

One hundred thousand gold taels clearly inscribed there.

Seok Gu received the check and looked at Han Cheong-un and said.

“You are a generous guy.”

“I tend to be like that.”

“I kind of like you.”

“That is fortunate.”

“Good. Since you showed trust to the Beggar's Gang first, we will repay that trust. Not repayment for money, but repayment for trust.”

“Of course, I know.”

Han Cheong-un smiled.

One hundred thousand gold taels is a lot of money.

But thinking that he can make the Beggar's Gang his side and form a good connection with the future Sect Leader with that money…….

‘It was cheap.’

* * *

The policy of the war was decided.

First, request support from the Murim Alliance.

Although there isn’t much expectation, it’s better than not doing it.

And they decided to concentrate and command the forces of Emei, Qingcheng, and the Tang Clan in one place.

The temporarily decided base is the Sichuan Tang Clan’s manor.

In the case of the Emei Sect or Qingcheng Sect located on mountains, they are not suitable to use as bases during a war.

And the Beggar's Gang joined.

This is big.

As the Beggar's Gang joined the war in earnest, they spread their unique information network widely and thoroughly monitored the movements of the Evil Way.

The Beggar's Gang’s surveillance network covering the entire Sichuan thoroughly grasped the movements of the Eight Gates of the Evil Way.

In the first place, compared to risking their lives to operate in the Evil Way’s domain, spreading an information network throughout Sichuan to keep watch was an easy task.

Also, five hundred heroes of the Beggar's Gang capable of actual combat joined. Just this alone is a great strength.

And amidst this, Han Cheong-un…….

“Sect Leader Han! Enemies suspected to be the Poison Hand Gate have appeared.”

“Going now. Everyone follow me!”

“Yes!”

He was personally leading a guerrilla squad and carrying out the mission of responding to the Evil Way’s attacks.

Originally, holding the position of Sect Leader, one does not step forward to the front lines often.

But Han Cheong-un volunteered to lead the guerrilla squad himself and fight.

[Everyone must do what they can do best.]

Han Cheong-un said this and organized the guerrilla squad.

His guerrilla squad included Vice Sect Leader Dang Jin, and thirty elite disciples sent from Emei, Qingcheng, and the Tang Clan.

Han Cheong-un’s moves, leading these hastily assembled people and traversing the war, could have been perilous. However…….

“Sect Leader Han has repelled the Poison Hand Gate’s attack.”

“Fifty disciples of the Blood Hand Gate attacked Jinchang, but Sect Leader Han annihilated them.”

“The special detachment led by Sect Leader Han has captured ten disciples of the Ghost Gate Palace alive.”

“Sect Leader Han has…….”

He began to send truly nonsensical and overwhelming achievements.

Han Cheong-un’s performance, traversing the border area between Sichuan and Guizhou, was dazzling.