My Younger Siblings Are the Greatest Masters in the World - Chapter 155
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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155.
“They say even the law has tears…”
Pyo Suncheol cut off Seol Mujin’s words.
“Laws with tears are for the government office to consider. And if you try to oppress Gaebang using your position, we absolutely won’t stand for it, so keep that in mind.”
Seol Mujin furrowed his brow.
“I had no such intention, but since you put it that way, I’m tempted to use my position.”
“Hmph! Gaebang doesn’t fear the power of royalty. Go ahead and try it.”
Pyo Suncheol knew exactly what Seol Mujin did for a living.
“It seems you’ve investigated me.”
“You’ve simply caught the attention of Gaebang’s eyes and ears throughout the world.”
It was a well-known fact that Gaebang possessed the greatest intelligence network in Murim.
“Then you must know everything I’ve done. Do you really want to become my enemy?”
Even at Seol Mujin’s cold voice, the stubborn Pyo Suncheol didn’t back down.
“As I already said, Gaebang is not a dog that wags its tail for the government.”
Hwangbo Cheonak stepped forward.
“Elder Pyo’s words make it sound like Odaesega are dogs wagging their tails for power.”
“Think whatever you want. Let’s go!”
Leaving those words, Pyo Suncheol disappeared with Jang Baekjoong.
Watching the Gaebang disciples disappear into the crowd, Seol Mujin said,
“The hostility is practically radiating off them.”
Jegal Jaeryeong said,
“It’s probably because Gaebang is very displeased about the Bang-ju incident.”
“Even so, that was a bit much, wasn’t it? I can’t just let such words slide.”
“What are you planning to do?”
“I need to show them what a government office that Gaebang doesn’t fear can actually do.”
“Brother, making an enemy of Gaebang in Murim isn’t good.”
“Just as Gaebang doesn’t fear the government, I don’t fear Gaebang either. They bit me first, so I can’t just run away.”
“Are you hurt?”
“Blood is flowing from my wounded heart.”
Seol Mujin headed straight to Gaebong Government Office.
The scale of the government office was twice that of Jinan Government Office, and there were probably just as many more officials.
Four officials were guarding the main gate, which was large enough for two carriages to pass through side by side.
Seol Mujin’s group looked exactly like martial artists.
So the officials greeting them were tense.
“What brings you here?”
Seol Mujin showed his Geumeuiwi Cheomsadaein identification badge from his chest.
The official who first checked the badge had an expression that said ‘What is this?’
Not all officials knew about Geumeuiwi identification badges.
Fortunately, without much trouble, one of the officials recognized the badge.
“Ge, Geumeuiwi Cheomsadaein?”
His face turned pale just from that title alone.
“I’m not here to arrest you, so don’t be frightened.”
“Of, of course not. There’s no way you’d come for a lowly Pokwae like me. Sh, shall I call the Magistrate?”
“I’ll go myself. Guide me.”
“Yes! I’ll escort you this way!”
One guided Seol Mujin’s group while another ran frantically inside.
His running speed looked like watching a Light Body Technique master.
When they crossed the wide government office and arrived at the Magistrate’s office, the Magistrate was already waiting in the courtyard.
The Magistrate, a man in his mid-forties with a neatly groomed beard, bowed from the waist as soon as he saw Seol Mujin’s group.
“Gaebong Magistrate Gwak Omun greets Cheomsadaein!”
Gwak Omun probably didn’t even know which of Seol Mujin and Hwangbo Cheonak was the Cheomsadaein.
Seol Mujin stood before Gwak Omun.
“I am Geumeuiwi Cheomsadaein Seol Mujin.”
“I have long heard of your great reputation and held admiration in my heart! Meeting you in person is an honor for my family!”
“What family honor. Gaebong is quite large. Prosperous and…”
“I am honored…!”
“Dirty.”
Gwak Omun’s body trembled with a start.
“So dirty it’s as if His Majesty’s grace doesn’t reach here.”
When even the Emperor was mentioned, Gwak Omun began to get nervous.
“I, I will order the officials to clean more thoroughly.”
“Cleaning? Will that work?”
Now cold sweat was running down his spine.
Even Gwak Omun, who acted like a king in Gaebong, could lose his head with one word from Seol Mujin.
“Wh, what pa, parts does Cheomsadaein fi, find displeasing…?”
“Too many beggars.”
“Pardon?”
“Not only do they spread lice and fleas everywhere, they’re unsightly to look at, and they even commit crimes against citizens.”
“Cr, crimes?”
Since Gaebong housed Gaebang’s main headquarters, having many beggars was natural.
Gaebong Government Office had been maintaining good relations with Gaebang for a long time.
Gaebang, with the best intelligence network in Murim, often provided tips about crimes to the government office, while the office turned a blind eye to minor wrongdoings by Gaebang beggars.
“I saw earlier that a mob of beggars had set up camp at a feast and were causing trouble.”
Beggars flocking to houses holding feasts, making noise with gongs and drums before getting food was a common occurrence.
Some citizens reported this to the government office, but the office overlooked such minor misdeeds by Gaebang.
“In broad daylight, dirty beggars causing such incidents while not a single official is to be seen. Are you doing your job properly?”
Now his cold sweat was soaked with fear.
“I, I will immediately order the arrest of the beggars!”
“The prison will need to be very spacious.”
***
Gaebang Bang-ju Sogungja knew from his name that he was destined to become a beggar.
“A small and poor fellow is exactly a beggar, isn’t that right? Hehehe…”
Since this was something he often said when drinking, Pyo Suncheol would brush it off with “It’s your calling.”
Sogungja, who had poured cheap liquor into a grimy white bowl and drunk it, said,
“Do you know what’s the best thing about being Gaebang Bang-ju?”
“Being able to drink freely from broad daylight.”
“Huh? How do you know that?”
“Because I’ve heard it about eighty times.”
It was actually about a hundred times, but he cut twenty for Sogungja’s dignity.
“Being grateful for a cup of cheap liquor in broad daylight is what makes a beggar. That’s how lowly beggars are.”
He’d heard the story about beggars being lowly a hundred times too.
“Only when you reach Bang-ju level can you drink freely during the day, so how lowly and lowly beggars are.”
Finally, Pyo Suncheol rebelled.
“Beggars may be lowly, but Gaebang is absolutely not lowly.”
“Huh? What kind of nonsense is that?”
“Isn’t Gaebang a prestigious orthodox sect with a long history, boasting the most disciples in Murim?”
“So you think it’s okay to be a bit arrogant?”
“As a member of the Nine Sects and One Gang, you should have pride.”
“Pride is good. Of course beggars should have pride too. But that pride shouldn’t become arrogance, right? There’s nothing more unsightly than a beggar being arrogant while prostrating all day in front of a rice bowl for alms.”
“I’ve never been arrogant.”
Pyo Suncheol, who had been scratching his head, looked at the louse caught between his fingers and muttered, ‘This is also meat, should I eat it as a drinking snack?’
“No, that won’t do. They say if a monk tastes meat, there won’t be a single flea left in the temple, but for a beggar, lice are lifelong neighbors. Ah! Where was I in the story?”
“You said we shouldn’t be arrogant…”
“Right. Beggars should prostrate flat even before common people, so what about before high-ranking officials?”
Only then did Pyo Suncheol realize why Sogungja had brought up this topic.
“Is this because of Seol Podoo?”
“I heard your head was unnecessarily stiff.”
“A Gaebang disciple who must live or die by chivalrous spirit cannot bow his head just because someone is a high-ranking official.”
“Elder Pyo. Do you remember what I said when I became Bang-ju five years ago?”
“You said you gave me my current position because of my upright chivalrous spirit.”
“What else?”
“You said I needed to have a bamboo-like character.”
“Most of the time it stretches straight toward the sky, but sometimes it bends gracefully.”
“I bow well to the people.”
“Isn’t Seol Podoo a person too?”
“He’s a high-ranking official…”
“Aren’t high-ranking officials people too?”
Pyo Suncheol hesitated before speaking.
“He was someone who protected Gaebang’s criminal.”
“That’s not proof that he’s a bad person.”
“Someone who rushes toward power like a moth to flame cannot be a good person.”
Sogungju clicked his tongue and shook his head left and right.
“Tsk tsk tsk… How can such a lowly beggar presume to judge others? And regardless of their good or evil, you must always be careful around those with power. That’s not being servile, it’s being prudent. This is going to be more troublesome than I thought because of Elder Bang.”
“No matter how powerful Seol Podoo is, he wouldn’t dare touch our Gaebang…”
Just then, a disciple’s urgent voice was heard from outside the door.
“Bang-ju! Something terrible has happened!”
Even at the disciple’s voice saying something terrible had happened, there was no change in Sogungja’s expression.
“Suncheol, that terrible thing is probably related to Seol Podoo.”
Pyo Suncheol told the disciple who came to report to come in.
The disciple who opened the office door shouted.
“Gaebang disciples are being arrested one after another at the government office!”
Pyo Suncheol asked in surprise.
“Why is the government office arresting our disciples!”
“I don’t know! They say the Magistrate is arresting them under the pretext of city purification and establishing order! Over a hundred disciples have already been imprisoned!”
“The Magistrate isn’t crazy…”
Sogungja slowly stood up.
“He’s sane, that’s why he’s arresting beggars. How could a sane person disobey Cheomsadaein’s orders?”
“Are you saying this is Seol Podoo’s doing?”
“If you touched a tiger’s whiskers, you should have been prepared to be bitten.”
“But isn’t this against the law? Arresting innocent people!”
“Stop pretending to be naive. Has the law ever been on the people’s side? I hope Seol Podoo isn’t too fierce a tiger.”
Sogungja asked as he left the office.
“You said Seol Podoo is at Yeonyang-ro Hwaseoggaejjan, right?”
***
They were having an early dinner since they had skipped lunch.
Namgung Hyemin asked Seol Mujin while chewing on braised pork.
“What do you think Gaebang will do?”
“It depends on what kind of person the Bang-ju is. This five-spice pork is delicious, isn’t it?”
Hwangbo Cheonag said.
“This isn’t the time to be evaluating flavors. There are two sects in Murim that should never be touched – one is the Sichuan Dang Clan and the other is Gaebang. If I had to pick just one, it would definitely be Gaebang.”
Gaebang is known to have over a hundred thousand disciples.
Considering that Gaebang’s influence reaches all beggars in the Central Plains, it could be a million people, not just a hundred thousand.
With overwhelming numbers plus the best intelligence network in the Central Plains, Gaebang showed an unparalleled presence in Murim.
Namgung Hyemin continued Hwangbo Cheonag’s words.
“Gaebang is a sect that all Murim forces are reluctant to antagonize. Even evil sects that don’t fear Gudaemunpa give way to Gaebang.”
“So that’s why that Pyo Suncheol fellow was so arrogant.”
“I don’t know much about Elder Pyo Suncheol, but Gaebang isn’t an arrogant group. Especially Bang-ju Sogungja is famous for being humble. He says he’s just a mere beggar.”
“He probably isn’t someone who’s humble all the time.”
Seol Mujin thought that the Bang-ju of Gaebang, a member of the Nine Sects and One Gang, couldn’t be soft.
“Oh my, Young Waitress, you look so kind-hearted. How about showing some charity to this old beggar?”
Seol Mujin turned his head toward where the voice came from.
The old beggar with a hunched back had a scraggly beard and completely white hair that was messy like a magpie’s nest.
He appeared to be in his mid-seventies, but considering his shabby appearance, he was probably in his late sixties.
The young waitress frowned and raised her voice.
“What do you think this place is, begging here! Get out right now!”
“Don’t be like that, just give me one coin.”
“Get out! Hurry up and leave!”
As if by chance, the old beggar’s and Seol Mujin’s eyes met.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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