“......Young Lord, it would be better for you to cooperate with the Seongjak Union from now on. Do not waste your time here for the sake of the Cheon Alliance. If you stand with us, then without even going through the Cheon Alliance, you will still be able to broaden the influence of Everlasting Snow Palace across the central plains.”

Unhwi let out a faint laugh before finally opening his mouth.

“You said your name was Wi Geumcheon?”

“......That’s right. But...... you speak informally to me the very first time we meet.”

“I kept listening to the nonsense coming out of your mouth, but the very first words you should have spoken never came.”

“......What do you mean?”

“Since when did the sects here stop acknowledging the authority of the Cheon Alliance?”

Wi Geumcheon’s brows furrowed deeply.

Unhwi was pointing it out. Why was he showing no respect?

Respect for authority was natural. All the more so since the Cheonsusa was the official post of the Cheon Alliance governing this region, and the sects of Seongjak Province were meant to follow the orders of that Cheonsusa. So how could they not even offer a greeting?

That was what he meant.

“I’m curious, do you not understand the standing of the office of Cheonsusa?”

“......Of course I understand. But the world changes, and since Ye Wonje died, the Cheon Alliance has already collapsed. The strong taking the place of the weak—that is the law of the martial world, is it not?”

“Then do you know the reason I am sitting in this seat right now?”

“.......”

“This land is the territory of the Cheon Alliance, but from now on it will also be the land managed by Everlasting Snow Palace. Before that, let’s make something clear. Breaking the contract with the Cheon Alliance and independently forming a union is an act of outright betrayal. Do you have anything to say about that?”

A flicker of anger passed across Wi Geumcheon’s face.

“Betrayal? It was the Cheon Alliance who abandoned us first. After Ye Wonje’s death, no one ever came here, so we had to fight and defend ourselves......”

Hah.

Unhwi’s dry laugh cut off Wi Geumcheon’s words. This insolent bastard......

That was what Wi Geumcheon thought, but then Unhwi’s next words struck him speechless.

“Defend yourselves against whom?”

“......What......?”

“Ye Wonje died only four months ago. In those four months, who exactly have you been fighting? Around Seongjak Province, the Green Forest bandits are still running wild and committing human trafficking without hesitation. The state of Un has not fought any wars with foreign nations, and no sect has invaded Seongjak Province. So—fight? Defend yourselves?”

“.......”

“Excuses, self-pity, escapism—call it what you will. The only thing I know is this. This place is the territory of the Cheon Alliance, and I am the Cheonsusa, the governor of this land. The Seongjak Union, you included, prospered under the protection of the Cheon Alliance. In return, you swore loyalty. But when the Cheon Alliance faltered for a moment, you turned your backs—traitors, all of you.”

Wi Geumcheon’s expression stiffened, and the two martial men standing behind him immediately reached for their swords.

But before they could, Commander Seong, who had silently approached, struck each of their wrists with a broom.

Tak–! Tak–!

“Let’s not draw swords and make the mood any uglier than it already is.”

At those words, the two martial men frowned and stepped back. Wi Geumcheon, however, quietly glared at Unhwi and Commander Seong.

“......Traitors, you say......”

“Do you deny it?”

“......I believe it depends on one’s perspective.”

Unhwi gazed silently at Wi Geumcheon.

What kind of man was he? What was he thinking? And how would he move from here on?

After finishing his judgment, he spoke quietly.

“At the start of Haeshi today, all the sects of Seongjak Province will gather here at the Cheonryong Hall.”

The words themselves were strange.

All the sects would gather?

So far, not a single one had come to pay respects to Unhwi, who had newly been appointed Cheonsusa.

As for Wi Geumcheon, he hadn’t come to greet him either, but rather to issue something closer to a warning.

Yet Unhwi spoke as though their gathering was already certain. Strange indeed.

“This is the first I’ve heard of it. Did you send letters calling them to gather? No, even before that—why do you think they would come? The title of Cheonsusa has no meaning anymore here in Seongjak Province.”

Unhwi smiled faintly.

“Today a banquet will be held here in Cheonryong Hall. I will extend a formal invitation to all of you, and all of you will come.”

“......Words with no meaning. They say you’re skilled at Go—is this, too, one of your stratagems? Some kind of scheme......?”

“Wait and see.”

With that, Unhwi turned his body. Wi Geumcheon was about to lash out, but at that moment he met the fierce gaze of Commander Seong, who was glaring at him with a grim expression.

‘......They say he is a martial man of the Ipshin Realm, and a member of the Baekseol Ghost Brigade....... No doubt their numbers are scattered all throughout the central plains...... could it be the Baekseol Ghost Brigade has infiltrated here?’

It was a rather reasonable suspicion.

For as long as one had observed Seol Unhwi’s actions, he never acted without reason.

Unhwi returned to sit at the pavilion.

“Remember this. Now that I am the Cheonsusa of Seongjak Province, this is the land of the Cheon Alliance, and it is also the land of Everlasting Snow Palace. And ‘for now,’ the enemy of the Cheon Alliance is the enemy of Everlasting Snow Palace as well.”

Wi Geumcheon stared silently at him.

“For the merit of being the first to come to me today, you will be given one chance, even if you are late. Spread the word. At the start of Haeshi, anyone who arrives late will pay the price in blood.”

Wi Geumcheon clenched his trembling fist, then released it. Without another word, he turned and left Cheonryong Hall. His subordinates hurried after him. As soon as the doors closed, Commander Seong approached Unhwi’s side.

Unhwi was lighting a Shinsamyeon from his sleeve.

“Young Master, but will they truly gather today?”

“Some will come, some will not.”

“.......”

“But one way or another, they will all be present here in Cheonryong Hall.”

Commander Seong interpreted his words like this.

If they did not come, then he would personally go and drag them here.

“A banquet has been declared, so the words spoken must be kept. For now, go buy wine and food.”

“......I heard there is a rather famous inn nearby. I’ll reserve some dishes there.”

“I leave it to you.”

***

They say even if the world collapses, beggars will always survive.

That saying was certainly not wrong.

Hundreds of years had passed since the Millennium Cataclysm, and the only sect that succeeded in rebuilding itself was none other than Beggar’s Union.

There was also a Beggar’s Union branch here in Seongjak Province.

The Seongjak Branch.

Its branch head was Ham Jangsik, a man who had reached the Five-Knot rank—acknowledged even within the Beggar’s Union as a beggar among beggars.

At this moment he was sitting in his office, reading a letter.

His face was grimly stiff.

***

To Branch Head Ham Jangsik, greetings.

My name is Jang Seok, Branch Head of the Yangryeong Province.

Your reputation, Senior, has spread even here to Yangryeong. It is an honor to send this letter to one who has reached the rank of Five-Knot.

First, I wish to speak a few words regarding Young Lord Seol Unhwi, newly appointed as Cheonsusa of Seongjak Province.

Surely you have already heard the rumors about him. A genius who reached the Ogijo level at a young age, the knight who seized one of the Ten Great Swords from the Sichuan Alliance, the strategist who defeated Jegal Yeonghyeon of the Martial Alliance...... such rumors abound.

But what is more important than any rumor is what I myself have witnessed of his deeds.

When I first met him, I was only a vice branch head of the small mountain village of Seolap, barely struggling through each day.

But after a serious meeting with Young Lord Seol Unhwi, everything changed.

He annexed Yangryeong into Seolap’s territory, then continued with Saryang, Jeokan, Bongrae, Shinsam Valley...... until at last he created the vast territory of Yangryeong Province. Something unthinkable before. In the process, I was promoted from Two-Knot to Three-Knot, and now even Four-Knot is within reach.

Senior, to be honest, at first I too was wary of him. Enemies always surrounded him, and standing with him looked dangerous.

But I soon realized this—he is a man who produces results in any situation, and one who gives opportunities to those with him.

The teachings of the Beggar’s Union are clear. We are those who survive. We are those who seize opportunity.

Just as you, Senior, have survived successfully in Seongjak Province, I too have survived in Yangryeong Province. And now I prosper.

If Young Lord Seol Unhwi seeks to unite the seven sects of Seongjak Province, then he will surely succeed. And if you stand by his side in that process, the standing of the Seongjak Branch of the Beggar’s Union will rise ever higher.

Of course, the choice is yours. But I would say this: when the wind of Seol Unhwi blows, it is wiser for a beggar not to resist it, but to ride it and soar higher.

May you be in peace.

From Jang Seok, Branch Head of the Beggar’s Union, Yangryeong Province.

***

Ham Jangsik finished reading and let out a deep sigh. His fingers slowly traced the letter.

“Jang Seok...... this bastard, what a funny one.”

On the surface, the contents of the letter were very useful. Seol Unhwi’s deeds aside, what it conveyed most clearly was that he was a man who would, in one way or another, produce results.

But if one read deeper, the letter ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ was close to a warning.

Three-Knot Jang Seok.

If Ham Jangsik did not know that he would soon rise to Four-Knot, he would have no right to hold the seat of branch head of an intelligence organization.

It was true that Jang Seok had stood by Seol Unhwi when Seolap, a small town, grew into the vast Yangryeong Province.

And that was what was laughable.

He belonged to the Beggar’s Union, yet why did it look as if his loyalty lay with Seol Unhwi?

Ham Jangsik rubbed his chin.

Wait. Perhaps it should be seen differently.

‘......Not a warning, but goodwill......?’

As with all intelligence organizations, offering convenience to the ruling powers of a region was nothing unusual.

But in his case, instead of offering convenience to the Seongjak Union, he was now moving almost as one body with them.

“......Don’t stand with both sides. Stand with one. And that one must be Seol Unhwi’s side......”

Otherwise, just like when Yangryeong Province was built, he would end up like the piles of corpses stacked in the corners.

Seol Unhwi was not a man who feared the Beggar’s Union.

Now it was certain.

This letter was goodwill from Jang Seok of the Beggar’s Union.

A warning that unless one stood with Seol Unhwi, one would soon die a dog’s death—and an offer to join hands with him.

“Seol Unhwi......”

It was not yesterday or today that the seven sects of Seongjak Province turned their backs on the Cheon Alliance. They had already formed a new organization, the Seongjak Union, and the authority of the Cheon Alliance had completely disappeared here.

In such a situation, the arrival of a new Cheonsusa was bound to cause a great upheaval.

Ahh.

Ham Jangsik scratched his head roughly.

“......For now...... I’d best test the waters.”

That way he could see which side’s rope was stronger.