"He took a boat?"

"Yes."

Baekta's face hardened as he received the carrier pigeon from the subordinate carrier pigeon beggar.

Tang Cheonyeong, who was staying at the Jeonghwa-ru.

"He said he went on a cruise to enjoy the night view of Dongting Lake... hmm."

His brow furrowed and his thoughts deepened.

Tok, tok, tok.

One finger tapped his knee, creating a rhythm.

Pieces of information that the Beggars' Sect had gathered so far came to mind, and they were pieced together one by one amidst suspicion and speculation.

Tok-tok-tok.

His finger quickened, and a smile spread across his hardened face.

Baekta was a Beggars' Sect member who was considered a top beggar among beggars, and among those Beggars' Sect members, he was a person who was vying for the position of a future leader.

To them, curiosity was like a deep illness, and the process of pondering to satisfy that curiosity was a very meaningful and enjoyable thing.

Finding the answer amidst the scattered information was close to ecstasy.

"That night, the dead person was likely an assassin... no, he must have been an assassin."

He didn't know his name or identity.

But the body tells a lot.

Because just by looking at the weapon, clothes, and the calluses on his hands and the developed muscles, it was possible to predict to some extent what kind of martial arts he had learned.

If so, what if the flying needle that killed that assassin was Tang Cheonyeong's?

"But for what reason?"

The personality of Tang Cheonyeong that Nosanggae had told him about was peculiar.

A person who is thorough about grudges.

Especially, a person who, if he holds a grudge, will repay it no matter what.

How else would he have made 'a grudge must be repaid tenfold' the law of the Tang Family's estate?

If so?

"Hwandong."

"Yes. Branch Leader."

"Who was on that boat?"

"That dancer and the dance boy."

"A dancer?"

"Yes. You saw her before, right? The one who was using the room next to Family Head Tang's..."

"Ah!"

Baekta stops his finger with an exclamation at Hwandong's words.

"That woman also checked out and went on a night view cruise with the dance boy."

"Is that so?"

"Yes. The strange thing is that Tang Cheonyeong paid for all the remaining seats."

"Hoh?"

Baekta's eyes narrow.

When the crow flies, the pear falls.

It is a coincidence.

Although the crow is unfairly suspected by the farmer, to a Beggars' Sect member, a coincidence is an object of suspicion.

A dancer... a dancer...

It was all his own speculation.

But.

"Although I'm not sure, it's something that needs to be looked into, right?"

Hwandong sighs at Baekta's muttering.

Hwandong, who had been by Baekta's side since childhood, knew him well.

He must have completed a novel in his head, setting up numerous hypotheses.

It was just a story based on speculation for now.

But the novels he created in his head often coincided with reality.

Sometimes, Baekta's intuition was almost like a fortune teller's.

Then what should he do?

"What should we do? Should we keep the Night Cats on him?"

"Are the Night Cats skilled in diving or water skills?"

"Hmm... I'll look for another punk."

"No, no. The boat has already left, and it will be too late if we look for a punk with the necessary talent."

"Then?"

"Dongting Lake..."

"Pardon?"

"Yes! The water bandits."

Hwandong frowns and tilts his head at Baekta's words, who had shot up and shouted.

"Where is Chief Nam?"

"Well... just a moment. Surely? You're not going to ask the water bandits to conduct surveillance, are you?"

"That's right."

"Hah, Branch Leader."

"What?"

"We are the Beggars' Sect."

"That's right."

"And we're an Orthodox Faction."

"I know."

"And yet you're asking for the cooperation of the water bandits?"

"Yes."

"It won't work."

"It will."

Hwandong asked in disbelief at his firm answer.

"Why would they? Last time, we leaked the location of their stronghold to the government forces, and Chief Nam has been counting the days until he can take your head, Branch Leader."

"I suppose so."

"Is cooperation even possible?"

"It will be."

"Why?"

"Because I know where Chief Nam's hidden funds are, somewhere in Gunsan."

"...Pardon?"

Hwandong's eyes widen at Baekta's playful expression.

He knows that?

If so?

"Let's steal it right away!"

"What?"

"Ah, I'm sorry. It was my inner thoughts... but come to think of it, wouldn't that be okay? If it's Chief Nam's hidden funds, it must be blind money whose source is unknown! The main stronghold won't know, and if it gets caught by the authorities, what more can they do than confiscate it? Let's take it."

Baekta looked at Hwandong with narrowed eyes.

"Hwandong."

"Yes!"

"You are an Orthodox Faction. And a righteous beggar of the Beggars' Sect."

Hwandong's mouth pouts at Baekta's sigh.

And you...

A person who might lead the Beggars' Sect in the future is trying to seek the cooperation of a vicious water bandit.

"And, if we rob him, the weakness we've worked so hard to get our hands on will disappear, won't it? We have to use this for a long time."

"...I understand."

Hwandong grumbles with his mouth sticking out.

A person like that is the future of the Beggars' Sect.

Just using others' weaknesses.

"Now, then, let's move. First, send a polite carrier pigeon to Chief Nam. Ask him to secretly watch a pleasure boat floating on Dongting Lake."

"Yes."

"And tell our kids to monitor all the points where the pleasure boat might land."

"A-all of them?"

"We have a lot of kids, right? Mobilize all the vagrant gangs and Kyuhwa gangs and spread them out."

"I understand."

"Tell the Night Cats to wait nearby and follow Tang Cheonyeong as soon as his destination is identified."

"Yes. But..."

"What?"

"What if Family Head Tang notices the surveillance of the water bandits?"

"Why does that matter?"

"If there is friction, won't it be troublesome?"

"What does it matter?"

"Pardon?"

"It's what the water bandits did. Even if a fight breaks out, it's a fight between the water bandits and the Tang family. We're just looking for the punk who injured a Beggars' Sect member last night. Even if our side is suspected, we can just flatly deny it. What can Chief Nam say? If he's not careful, his hidden funds for his retirement might be blown away."

Hwandong stared blankly at Baekta's sinister expression.

It must be nice for you, Branch Leader, to have a plan.

To think he would hold the water bandit's hidden funds hostage.

Again, a person like that...

"Stop thinking. I can hear you somehow."

"Ahem. But this might worsen our relationship with the Tang Family's estate... wouldn't it be better if we just took care of it cleanly?"

"Hwandong."

"Aish! Alright! Alright."

"Hurry up and move."

"Yes."

Hwandong still grumbled even after answering.

But his movements were swift.

As befits the assistant of one of the candidates who would lead the future Beggars' Sect.

* * *

Kwang!

The hand that was tightly clutching the letter hits the table.

And it trembles.

The faint trembling travels up his arm, through his body, and makes even a single strand of his beard tremble.

"This son of a bitch..."

He had been in a good mood until a moment ago.

He had extorted money from the smugglers who had been wandering around Dongting Lake a while ago, so he was quite drunk. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

It felt like he could hear the sound of money piling up in his hidden funds for retirement... but...

"What's wrong, Chief?"

"..."

"What did that little devil of the Beggars' Sect say again?"

The little devil, of course, referred to Baekta, the Dongting Lake North Branch Leader of the Beggars' Sect.

The water bandits called him that because of the many things he had done to them.

But even at his subordinate Seong Ilgwang's question, Nam Gwangro, the master of the Gunsan Stronghold, which occupied the twelfth position of the Eighteen Strongholds of the Yangtze River, just ground his teeth.

How should he say it?

The Beggars' Sect's carrier pigeon, which had been sent with a wax seal so that only he could open it.

Gunsan, Uiryeongbi.

The moment he saw the preface of the carrier pigeon's letter, it felt as if his blood was boiling.

How did this punk?

To the extent that he could pinpoint the location... he knows.

That his secretly hidden funds are there.

And below that, what he had to do was written.

"Gwang."

"Yes, Chief."

"Find a pleasure boat that departed from the north of Dongting Lake."

"Pardon? A pleasure boat all of a sudden?"

"Don't make me say it twice, Gwang. The number of passengers is three."

"I'll look for it. What should I do when I find it?"

"Just watch from a distance."

"Pardon?"

"Just find out what's happening and report it."

It was a strange order.

It was normal for a water bandit to at least receive a toll if he found a boat in the middle of this late night.

But at Nam Gwangro's command, Seong Ilgwang could only answer immediately.

What more could he ask when Nam Gwangro, who was tightly gripping the armrests of his chair, was speaking, cutting off each word, gritting his teeth?

But.

"Huh? Are you going yourself?"

"No."

"Then... where are you going?"

Seong Ilgwang asked cautiously as Nam Gwangro, who had given the order, got up from his seat.

"I have... a place to go... urgently."

"Shall I prepare the Black Ship and the kids?"

Nam Gwangro shook his head.

If it were you, would you take the kids to a place where you had secretly hidden money?

"Not necessary."

"I understand... huh, he's already gone."

Before Seong Ilgwang could even answer, Nam Gwangro had run out.

His lightness skill as he kicked off the ground and ran was so agile.

"Heh, as expected of the Chief. He's like a water swallow."

And then.

"Baekta, you son of a bitch!"

Nam Gwangro's voice, as if full of resentment, echoed.

"I will definitely kill you!"

The voice of a curse full of poison gradually fades away.

In fact, from Nam Gwangro's perspective, a water swallow, no, even a sea eagle snatching its prey was not enough.

If that punk Baekta knew the location of his hidden funds, he had to go to Uiryeongbi quickly and check.

What if he had already robbed it?

If he hadn't robbed it yet, he had to move the location quickly.

But Seong Ilgwang, who had no way of knowing Nam Gwangro's burning heart, could only tilt his head.

"Hmm, I wonder what that little devil punk has scribbled again. Hmm, for now, shall I hurry up and take care of the matter he instructed?"

Seong Ilgwang moved busily.

Since the Chief was so angry, he didn't know what kind of trouble he would get into if he hesitated.

The carrier pigeons are delivered to the surveillance ships of the Gunsan Stronghold, which are on standby in various parts of Dongting Lake.

Seureureu.

The surveillance ships, hidden in the darkness with black lacquer, glide over the surface of the water.

The Beggars' Sect, and the water bandits, move.

But it was quiet.

Therefore, the boats of Dongting Lake, which had no way of knowing that fact, were busy enjoying the brilliant night view.

A set route.

That's how the pleasure boats of Dongting Lake are.

They either stay at a point where the lights lit on the distant land look like a line of stars in the sky, or they slowly navigate along the route that connects those many points.

But.

"Pardon? Where are we going?"

"The south riverbank."

"To the south?"

"Yes."

It was a sudden request.

The south.

The place where you could see the night view was only the north of Dongting Lake.

There was nothing to see in the south, as there were only villages.

And since you had to go around Gunsan, it was extremely dangerous as you might encounter water bandits.

"Um... young master. The south is..."

"It's dark, right?"

"Yes."

"Isn't that even better?"

"Pardon?"

"Ahem, you know what I mean, right?"

"...What?"

Cheonyeong nudges the boatman's side and whispers, looking at the dancer.

"Such a beautiful, ahem ahem. Huh? It's dark... and quiet... you know what I mean, right?"

Cheonyeong takes out a heavy money pouch from his bosom and secretly places it in the boatman's hand.

"Ah!"

He understood.

Anyway, men.

The boatman nods with a sinister smile.

Looking at the situation, he might have to dock the boat at a secluded island nearby.

"Well, sometimes it's good to go to the south. What do you two think?"

Jasu smiles brightly and nods at the boatman's words.

At that sight, the boatman thought that the two of them must have fallen for each other.

And he sighs, looking at the young man sitting silently next to Jasu.

One punk will have fun, but the other punk... tsk, what can you do?

His born status is like that.

"Now, then, let's go to the south!"

Chwa-a-ak!

The boat carrying Cheonyeong, Jasu, and Sagyo heads towards the black southern darkness.

(End of Chapter)