It was well into the night when Cheonyeong returned to the Tang Family's estate with Old Man Ahn.

Fortunately, no one had followed them.

Then again, there was no way the man guarding Old Man Ahn's house had already reported to his superiors.

He had put his heart into that blow, so there was no way the man was awake yet.

But they would find out soon enough.

The bearded man from the abandoned lumber mill, his leg broken, would surely have tattled out of sheer spite.

"Oh? Family Head."

When Cheonyeong returned, Yongcheon and the kids, who had come back earlier to rest at the estate, greeted him warmly.

"Where on earth have you been until this hour?"

"I had something to do."

"Something to do...? Huh? Who is this gentleman?"

"Ah! First, you should all greet him."

"Greet him?"

At Cheonyeong's words, Yongcheon and the kids tilted their heads, looking at Old Man Ahn standing beside him.

He just looked like a shabby old man...

"Who is he?"

"Didn't I tell you to greet him first?"

"Right! Hello, I am Yong... no, Tang Yongcheon."

"I am Ahn Chilgang."

After everyone from Yongcheon to Sanghui had finished their greetings, Old Man Ahn looked around and spoke.

"But, isn't this... the site of the Mandeok Estate?"

"Yes."

"How did you come to be here?"

"Can you not tell from my surname?"

"Pardon?"

"My father was the master of the Mandeok Workshop, Hwarim Tang Munseong."

"Tang... Pardon? Then you mean to say, benefactor, that you are the son of that Hwarim?"

"Yes."

"How, how can that be? I heard the family was ruined and disappeared after being hounded by creditors."

"I have returned. Just a short while ago."

"Hah..."

Old Man Ahn felt as if all his questions were finally being answered.

Why Cheonyeong had revealed such killing intent upon hearing Lee Ilpyeong's name.

And what the revenge he was asked to join was all about.

"It is late tonight, so let us speak of the details tomorrow."

"Mm... I understand."

Old Man Ahn nodded at Cheonyeong's words.

"Yongcheon."

"Yeah."

"Get a room for him at a nearby inn."

"Why?"

"There's no roof, is there? It will be uncomfortable for the elder to sleep."

"We sleep here every day, though?"

Yongcheon narrowed his brow and grumbled.

This guy...

Do you think he's the same as you?

You lump of pure health.

What are you going to do if an old man who just recovered from an illness catches a cold and has a stroke?

There's a limit to how lightly you can take the Family Head's orders.

Just as Cheonyeong was about to scold Yongcheon, Old Man Ahn quickly interjected.

"Benefactor, I am quite alright."

"...Pardon?"

"For carpenters, sleeping outdoors is a frequent occurrence. I am content just to be free from the Yin Hand Chamber's surveillance... so please do not trouble yourself too much."

"But you just came from the physician's..."

"I am truly fine."

"Hmm, then I understand."

Although he was worried about the old man's condition, in a way, it was a relief.

If Old Man Ahn had stayed at an inn, he would have had to post a separate guard.

Cheonyeong, who was looking at Old Man Ahn, called for Baekgang.

"Baekgang."

"Yeah!"

"Prepare a spot for the elder, make sure it's not damp... lay down some grass to make it soft, like that shelter we made before."

"Okay!"

Baekgang scurried off.

With the introductions more or less over and the situation settled for now, Cheonyeong sat down by the campfire.

But for some reason...

"Hmm, the number of Beggars' Sect people has increased?"

Cheonyeong looked at the beggars loitering nearby.

They were extremely young...

They didn't seem like official members of the Beggars' Sect.

And even if they didn't have a fixed place to stay, why were they so close?

They were all kids, so he couldn't just coldly tell them to go away...

"Tch, I should raise the rent or something. Why is he increasing the number of people as he pleases?"

As Cheonyeong glared at Nosanggae, who was sitting far away, with an annoyed expression, Yongcheon scratched his cheek and spoke.

"Family Head..."

"Yeah?"

"Uh... I brought them here."

"You... brought them?"

"Yeah."

"...Them?"

"Yeah."

"Who are they?"

"Vagrant children from the outskirts of Ganyang."

“Vagrant... Children?"

"Yeah."

Cheonyeong stared blankly at Yongcheon.

"Why the vagrant children?"

"...They looked like they had nowhere to go."

Vagrant children never have a place to go.

They don't have homes in the first place...

Isn't the street their home and their sanctuary?

"Hey, Yongcheon."

"Yeah."

"I'm just curious... do you happen to know any of them?"

"Nope."

"Then why did you bring them here?"

"I felt sorry for them."

"..."

"You said it yourself. To help those who are pitiful."

He did.

He had said that, but he didn't mean for him to go out and multiply their numbers.

"Send them back."

"What?"

"I said, send them back."

"I can't do that."

"Why not?"

"I beat up their leader. If they go back... they'll get a group beating because of me."

"That's their problem!"

"It's my problem now, too!"

"You son of a...!"

Yongcheon retorted without backing down from Cheonyeong's words.

This damn kid...

He never changes.

He was the same in his past life.

An assassin, of all things, but whenever he saw pitiful kids...

But he couldn't allow it.

They had to fight the Yin Hand Chamber from now on.

If children like that became part of the Tang Family's estate, they could face dangers far worse than a group beating.

"It's an order from the Family Head."

"...That's why I'm asking you as a favor."

"When did you ask for a favor! This, you punk! This is a notification! A notification! You decided on your own!"

"I'm sorry about that. But you know it too. What will happen to those kids... if they go back."

"...Even if I know, the answer is no."

As Cheonyeong averted his gaze, the nearby children lowered their heads with sullen expressions.

Seeing this, Yongcheon got angry and stubbornly insisted.

"Let them stay."

"No!"

"You son of a...! Did I teach you to be like this?"

"...What?"

Who taught whom?

You? Taught me? When?

Has this guy really lost his mind?

"You took us in, didn't you! You taught us! Hunting, how to gather herbs, you taught us everything! Why can't they stay?"

Your words don't even make sense, you punk!

You just said you taught me?

"That's... Dammit, when I say no, you should know it means no!"

"I refuse! If you won't, then I'll teach them."

"This guy, really!"

The moment Cheonyeong shot up to punish Yongcheon.

"Excuse me..."

At the voice that came from somewhere, Yongcheon and Cheonyeong whipped their heads around.

It was a young vagrant.

With an incredibly familiar face...

"Is this the Tang Family's estate?"

The child who asked cautiously was... the one who had guided him to Old Man Ahn's house?

"Ah! Young Master!"

"..."

"I've been looking for a long time. It was my first time hearing of a place called the Tang Family's estate..."

"Why are you guys here?"

"You told us to come."

At the child's words, Cheonyeong glanced at Yongcheon.

His eyes were narrowed.

A smirk played on his lips...

"As expected, Cheonyeong, you too... you just can't leave pitiful kids alone, can you?"

"Hey! This isn't like that. They just came to collect the money I owe them!"

"Hoh? You even gave them money? I've got to hand it to you. Getting all shy for no reason. Alright. We'll just take them in too, right? Right?"

"That's..."

"You punk, this is why I like you. I taught you well. Yep! That's right."

Yongcheon patted Cheonyeong's shoulder a few times.

Who the hell taught whom!

Hah, this is driving me crazy.

All of a sudden, the population of the Tang Family's estate had swelled.

And they were all grimy kids.

What is this, a Tang Family daycare or something...?

"Hey kids, don't be scared. He talks like that, but he's a warm-hearted guy. See? He brought other kids besides you, right?"

"Yes, big brother."

"Let's go, I'll prepare a place for you to sleep. Hey! You guys follow too."

"Us too?"

"Of course? Are you going to sleep somewhere else when you have a home?"

Yongcheon led all the children to a corner.

"Hah..."

Cheonyeong let out a deep sigh.

That guy!

If he didn't owe him his life, he would have kicked him out long ago.

"Chunil."

"Yeah?"

After the commotion died down, Cheonyeong called for Chunil.

"You, you'll have to go to the mountains with Hwangsam tomorrow."

"To the mountains?"

"Yes. Go and get me a tiger skin. Without any scratches."

"A tiger skin? Hmm, alright. I'll do that."

Chunil and Hwangsama nodded without question.

A good attitude.

That's how they should be when the Family Head's order is given.

That damn Yongcheon.

Soon, he would have to teach him about the authority of the Family Head in a way that would be engraved on his bones.

"Alright, let's get some sleep. Everyone must be tired."

"Okay."

With Cheonyeong leading the way, everyone went to find a place to sleep, and the night deepened at the Tang Family's estate.

And in a corner, watching them.

"Dammit... what the hell is going on? Why on earth did he bring Old Man Ahn here?"

Nosanggae's face was completely distorted.

Old Man Ahn.

It was his own fault for forgetting that the man had a connection to the Yin Hand Chamber.

Furthermore, Cheonyeong's skill when he visited the abandoned lumber mill.

According to Oyong, he was at least a first-rate master, and perhaps might have even reached the peak.

He said he had imbued his fist with energy... so his guess was probably correct.

The fight at the abandoned lumber mill, and now Old Man Ahn who was under the Yin Hand Chamber's surveillance.

It wouldn't be strange if a fight broke out right away.

But all of a sudden, a tiger skins?

Why that, too?

"Branch Leader."

"Yeah?"

"That fellow, could it be that he has run out of money?"

"Run out of money?"

"Yes. Since he brought Old Man Ahn, doesn't that mean he intends to build a house?"

"That would be right."

"Naturally, he'll be buying materials now, and he'll need money for that... It seems he plans to sell a tiger skins to cover his finances."

"Hmm... I don't think that's it."

"Pardon?"

"Didn't you say he earned a ton of not just silver but also gold from the last deal?"

"I did."

"No way that guy, who wouldn't share a single bean, has already spent it all, right?"

"Now that you mention it, that's true."

"That bastard definitely has something up his sleeve. Something... But I just can't figure out the reason."

Nosanggae, his face scrunched up, asked Oyong.

"Yong."

"Yes."

"Putting aside that Tang Cheonyeong fellow, what about the skills of the other kids?"

"The one named Yongcheon is said to possess monstrous strength."

"Monstrous strength?"

"With a single punch... Byeon Giltae's face was caved in, they say."

"Is, is it that much?"

"It's more than that. They say he beat down twenty-two members of a vagrant gang by himself. He took care of them in the blink of an eye. The kids who came with him are the ones he brought from there."

"Heh!"

Nosanggae's face showed great surprise at Oyong's words.

Twenty-two?

In the blink of an eye, at that?

Somehow, he looked like he would live up to his size...

"By any chance, are the other ones like that too?"

"Hmm, the other four were said to fight a bit differently."

"Differently?"

"Yes. They don't have monstrous strength like that Yongcheon fellow, but... their stone-throwing is said to be superb."

"What? Stone-throwing?"

"It's not just any stone-throwing. It was as if they were using hidden weapons. Their footwork was also strange... it was like watching a trained assassin, they said."

"An assassin?"

"Yes."

"Moreover... it seems Tang Cheonyeong taught them all of it."

"What?"

"That's what they said. That the skills they learned from their leader were quite useful."

At the beggar's words, Nosanggae quietly stared at the sleeping Tang Cheonyeong.

Hidden weapons...

What the hell is that bastard?

Is he from the Unorthodox Faction?

Or is he really an assassin... no way.

How old is he?

"Damn it, what the hell kind of bastards are they?"

"I don't know about that... but shouldn't we move the branch's location first?"

"The branch? In the middle of the night?"

"Then are you going to stay here when the Yin Hand Chamber could attack at any moment?"

At Oyong's words, Nosanggae let out a cry as if he had a great realization.

The fight between the Yin Hand Chamber and the Tang Family's estate.

The cause of it lay in the Yin Hand Chamber's past wrongdoings.

But what if it became known that a Beggars' Sect branch was at the Tang Family's estate?

It would escalate into a problem between the Orthodox and Unorthodox Factions.

If that happened, it would be more than enough justification for the Cheongsa Sect to intervene.

"Damn it... looks like we're moving in the middle of the night."

"Whose fault do you think it is?"

"..."

"It's all because you, Branch Leader..."

"Shut up."

"Tch!"

That night, Nosanggae moved the branch's location to a forest a short distance away from the Tang Family's estate.

However, the contract was still valid, and they were still tenants of the Tang Family's estate.

(End of Chapter)