The World’s Greatest is Dead - Chapter 443

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

The Heavenly Supreme Has Died – Episode 443
The Gaebangjoo is commonly called a den of beggars, but if one digs deeper into reality, it is not quite so simple.
Every martial artist belonging to the Gaebangjoo is indeed a beggar without exception.
However, not all beggars in the Central Plains belonged to the Gaebangjoo.
Moreover.
‘Not just anyone can become a beggar of the Gaebangjoo.’
Among all the Gupaibang, it was the place with the most disciples.
The important thing to note about the Gaebangjoo is that it is one of the Gupaibang.
Nine sects and one organization. Among so many illustrious factions, there were only ten.
The mere fact of being counted among them spoke volumes of the Gaebangjoo’s prestige.
As for the Gaebangjoo’s position, it was not achieved through martial prowess.
If one were to recall the term commonly used.
‘The eyes and ears of the Alliance.’
It would be accurate to say so.
If the Martial Arts Alliance’s brain was Cheon Rijin-an, then the Alliance’s eyes and ears could be said to be the Gaebangjoo.
All news from the Central Plains began and ended with the Gaebangjoo.
There existed no secrets unknown to them. In fact, when information was requested from the Gaebangjoo, they answered not with “we don’t know” but with “we cannot tell you.”
Through information, they became supreme in the realm. Though not through martial might, the Gaebangjoo rose to the top through other means.
And the master of such an organization was no ordinary figure.
Tabong Wooaesuk.
The Gaebangjoo and likewise a martial artist called the Celestial Demon. Though the Gaebangjoo did not directly participate in the Jeongma Great War, his presence allowed them to grasp the Demonic Sect’s movements and military strength, enabling Cheon Rijin-an to issue commands faster and more accurately.
Meanwhile, Wooaesuk, the Gaebangjoo, unlike the other members who merely passed information, was the only martial artist who actually participated in combat.
An iron old man who wielded a heavy iron staff, crushing the heads of Marins.
It was said that with just a few swings of his staff, entire hills were erased.
‘For someone like that…’
I gaze at the old man prostrated before me, lost in peculiar thoughts. For one called the iron old man, his body appeared remarkably frail.
A skeletal frame with bones clearly visible. I was momentarily taken aback by such an appearance.
“How did you know?”
My heart lurches at the suddenly changed voice and atmosphere. No—despite my wavering thoughts, the being before me seemed to be exactly who I had anticipated.
“How could I fail to recognize the great Gaebangjoo?”
“Hehehehe.”
With a swish, he raises his prostrated upper body. The beggar old man speaks to me.
“I am not playing word games. Answer me, you little blood clot.”
Uuuung. Is it a mistake? The downpouring rain seems to have slowed slightly. The raindrops appear as though they might stop in midair.
“How did you recognize me?”
His soaked hair obscured his gaze, but I could sense it. The eyes hidden beneath those strands were boring into me with piercing intensity.
“…Is this person the Bang Ju of the Gaebangjoo?”
Yoo Yul asks as if unable to comprehend. Hearing that, I steadied my breathing.
“That is correct. This is Tabong Wooaesuk Daehaep.”
The Celestial Demon.
And alongside Amjeon, the figure whose presence was least known.
Looking at him, I spoke.
“The first reason I recognized you, Lord Bang, is nothing special.”
I pulled out the letter I had been carrying and handed it to him.
“It’s a message sent by the Scholar. The reason this location was chosen was to deliver it to you.”
“You recognized me simply because it was a place we agreed to meet? You were just guessing?”
“No. The second reason is that you reached out to me, sir.”
“Hmm?”
“A beggar wouldn’t casually grab the pant leg of someone clearly carrying a sword in this downpour, begging for alms.”
Rain falling, wet ground. In an already unpleasant situation, who would approach someone obviously a martial artist and beg?
In conditions perfect for blood to wash away into the earth if someone were killed? There aren’t many beggars with that kind of audacity.
Especially not in a place like this.
“Furthermore.”
The second reason aside, the third reason is.
“There are far too few beggars on this street.”
“What?”
“Beggars beg regardless of the rain, don’t they?”
I looked up at the torrential downpour pouring down.
“I don’t think beggars would have retreated indoors just because of rain like this.”
“Is that all the reasons?”
His response suggested he still wanted more. I smiled and spoke.
“No. There’s one more. This is probably the most important reason.”
The fourth reason. It was simple, and only I could perceive it.
‘Your spiritual essence is too refined.’
The power of the spirit I sensed was held with remarkable control. It was barely perceptible at all.
Usually, a person with such a presence would be.
‘One of two things.’
Either truly empty of everything.
‘Or someone who has transcended into a higher orbit.’
Beings who have accumulated enough karma in a single lifetime to achieve perfect spiritual equilibrium.
Combined with the previous reasons, it wasn’t difficult to discern who he was.
As I contemplated these reasons.
“What’s the last reason?”
Gaebangjoo asked with curiosity.
“That’s a secret.”
“What?”
I chose to keep it hidden.
“There’s no need for me to tell you everything.”
“…Hehehehe.”
A light laugh escaped Woo Aseok. In that moment.
Whoosh—!!
His hand extended toward me. Fingernails caked with grime, never properly trimmed. In the instant before that sharp strike could gouge out my eyes—
It stopped inches from my face.
“Those eyes. The two old wretches I despise most are perfectly mixed within them.”
Two old wretches. At those words, my eyes narrowed.
“The Sword Saint. Cheon Rijin-an. Damned things all tangled together.”
“…Should I take that as a compliment?”
“Hehehehe. How does it sound to you?”
“It doesn’t sound particularly good.”
“That one answer pleases me.”
His fingers slowly withdrew.
“The man standing behind. Lower your hand. Since I was merely playing around, you can drop your guard.”
“…”
When I glanced back, Yoo Yul had somehow drawn his blade.
“Saplings of the Cheongwol Sect… I heard that this time, finally, some useful ones have emerged. It seems the rumors were true.”
Tap, tap. Woo Aseok patted his own back as he rose.
“Come inside.”
Leaving those words behind, he entered his dwelling. Watching him, we followed.

* * *
The interior was merely bare earth with a roof hastily placed atop it. Inside was another old man. Upon seeing him, Woo Aseok spoke.
“Come out. Your cover is already blown, so there’s no point.”
“…Bang Ju?”
“Hehehehe. This fellow has sharper senses than I expected.”
It seemed he had left a substitute behind. The man exited with a startled expression, and Woo Aseok settled carelessly into a chair inside.
“You wouldn’t expect tea from a beggar, would you?”
“No. I’m not particularly fond of tea either.”
“Hehe. That’s fortunate.”
Whoosh. The moment he spoke, heat radiated outward. The damp clothes clinging to Woo Aseok’s body dried instantly.
He had used his inner energy to dry both his body and garments.
“I heard you are the descendant of Cheon Rijin-an. Indeed, that claim seems justified.”
“…It’s somewhat ambiguous to call me that.”
I was not a direct heir, but a grandson through marriage.
“The blood runs thick enough, doesn’t it? And I see the resemblance. That disagreeable gaze—you’ve inherited it exactly.”
“I don’t think my eyes are quite that fierce.”
Whether it was my father or mother, their eye corners drooped downward, not lifted upward in that sharp manner.
“That distinctive weary yet arrogant glint in your eyes. That’s what you’ve inherited.”
“…Ah.”
The weary part seemed accurate enough. The arrogant part, however, I couldn’t accept.
“To think you’d recognize it immediately. Well, that’s one point for me.”
“Shall I pretend not to recognize you and try again?”
“Enough with the wordplay. You’re better than Jeongal’s Younger Master. That man couldn’t even recognize me. So, what do you say? Do you have the will to succeed the Jeongal Clan? From what I can see, you’d be more suited for it.”
“…I’m sorry, but for that to happen, I’d need to change my surname first.”
Asking if I had any intention of succeeding the Jeongal Clan—what a terrifying thing to say.
“Is that so? Hmm. What a shame.”
With a rustling sound, Woo Aseok examined the letter from Cheon Rijin-an that I had handed over.
We had come here because we heard our purpose was to deliver this letter to the Gaebangjoo.
“Hmm.”
After examining the letter thoroughly, Woo Aseok ignited flames in the hand holding it.
Whoooosh—!!! The letter burned away completely.
“He’s always giving pointless orders. Damn old fool.”
“…”
“Listen here, you little bloodstain. Do you know how busy the Gaebangjoo has been without a moment’s rest because of what you’ve done?”
“Me?”
“Because of the friction you caused with that Demonic Sect man, work has piled up.”
“Ah.”
He was talking about my fight with the Young Master.
“Just from that alone, he’s been using beggars left and right, and the expenses are no small matter. Now he’s making us do all sorts of things.”
“…”
“Are you curious what it is?”
“No.”
I answered without hesitation.
I wasn’t curious at all. I had no desire to know.
‘I have a feeling I shouldn’t know.’
I’d rather decline. The last thing I needed was to get more entangled here.
“Heh heh.”
Woo Aseok let out a laugh at my answer.
“Fine. Besides, if I told you, that man might have some kind of fit.”
“…A fit?”
“He’s not the type to reveal his own weaknesses, so this is unexpected. You little bloodstain. What exactly did you do to him?”
“…Me? What could I have possibly done to someone?”
“You don’t know?”
“No.”
“If you don’t know, that’s even better. It’ll be more entertaining that way.”
What was he even talking about? Anxiety made me slightly curl my tongue and bite it inside my mouth.
“Well, never mind that.”
Woo Aseok cracked his body with a creaking sound and then asked me.
“Now, ask me something.”
“Ask you what?”
Ask? Suddenly about what?
At my sudden question, Woo Aseok continued speaking.
“Cheon Rijin-an has used his opportunity. Blood clot. From now on, you may ask me anything—one thing. In return, I shall answer anything—one thing—from the golden standard.”
“…!”
The golden standard. My eyes widened at those words.
The golden standard that Woo Aseok spoke of referred to the conditions and grades of information one could inquire about at the Gaebangjoo’s office.
Green, cyan, red, purple, gold.
In order, these were the grades of information accessible through inquiry. Green was the lowest level. Gold was the highest level—only elders of major sects or high-ranking officials were known to possess such authority.
“…You gave that to me?”
“Yes.”
Cheon Rijin-an had given me a golden-grade opportunity?
“This man obtained it by assisting the Gaebangjoo with one matter. He hadn’t used it for ten years, so he passed it on to you.”
“….”
Why was that? The thought struck me first. I didn’t see the necessity, but—
‘This is fortunate.’
It was an opportunity. The best I could manage with my own resources would be the red grade at most. I could never obtain anything higher. Yet this was the supreme gold.
“So I just need to ask, correct?”
“Yes.”
“…Senior.”
The moment I called out to Yoo Yul, he rose as though he’d been waiting.
“Wait outside?”
“….”
The perceptive Yoo Yul hummed a tune and left before I could even make my request. As he departed, he bowed respectfully to Woo Aseok as well.
A barrier shimmered into place. The soundproofing had been activated.
“Haha. What are you about to ask that requires a barrier?”
“Since you’ve told me to ask, I’ll ask without hesitation.”
There was something I’d been wanting to ask. There was something I’d been trying to learn about.
“Gaebangjoo.”
“Yes.”
“Please tell me about the Yoryeong Clan and Bang Cheon-ho, the Lord of the Clan.”
“….”
At those words, Woo Aseok’s body went rigid in an instant.
“…Oh…. My.”
With the golden standard, I should be able to hear it. My anticipation swelled—
“That’s too expensive. The price doesn’t match. Ask me something cheaper.”
An answer that exceeded my expectations came back.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————