novelraw Chapter 85 : Chapter 85
Chapter 85 : Chapter 85
Chapter 85 - You Only Come to Your Senses After a Beating
“See. Even at this very moment, there's a rat hiding.”
At Biyoung’s words, Eung Gajin tilted his head,
“?”
and a man hiding in the woods became as rigid as if struck by lightning.
“!”
‘Was I discovered? That can't be.’
The man’s name was Ji Seok-gi.
His clothes were so tattered they were no different from rags, and dried grime was caked on his temples and other parts of his face, making him look very dirty.
His face was long, resembling a horse, which was in line with his nickname.
Ji Seok-gi, the Flying Beggar.
A name given because his movement technique was so fast it was as if he were soaring through the sky.
That was his famous nickname in Jianghu.
‘He doesn't seem like the type to make tasteless jokes, what should I do?’
The opponent’s expression was so strange he couldn't read it.
It was unclear whether he had really discovered him or was just saying it as a joke.
Ji Seok-gi hesitated for a moment, but his deliberation was not long.
What was the big deal if he was discovered?
In this Jianghu, those with superior movement techniques than his could be counted on one hand.
Ji Seok-gi, the Flying Beggar, had one creed.
‘If I'm not caught, I didn't do it.’
It was an absurdly shameless statement, but it was also a statement that permeated Ji Seok-gi’s life.
There were times when he was discovered while spying.
However, Ji Seok-gi utilized his specialty, the movement technique, to leisurely escape the scene.
Even those who were confident in their qinggong skills could not present their name cards in front of Ji Seok-gi.
The only thing they could barely reach Ji Seok-gi with was the curses they spat at his back.
Pabababak!
What if the gods of heaven and earth gave people facial features that matched their abilities when creating new life?
Ji Seok-gi was a person who perfectly matched that assumption.
Not only was his face long like a horse, but he also had sturdy calves and shins that would put Solbo to shame.
With his innate physique and having mastered the supreme qinggong art called ‘Footless Movement Technique’, even the decent masters of the orthodox sects were no match for him.
Footless Movement Technique, so called because the feet were invisible.
On the other hand, it was also a statement with the duality that there was no more satisfying movement technique.
It could indeed be called arrogant confidence, but the people of the world had no choice but to acknowledge it.
Isn't there a saying, in a place without a tiger, a fox acts as the king?
Fifteen years ago.
Now that the best movement technique, praised as the best in Murim, had vanished, the Footless Movement Technique was more than enough to act as king.
At least, until this very moment today.
Sasasat!
The leaves and the grass on the ground brushed past Ji Seok-gi’s body at the speed of light.
He saw tree branches jabbing at his face and neck from time to time, but he changed his posture with an elegant motion.
Looking at his attire and appearance, quadrupedal locomotion would have seemed more fitting for the man, so if someone had seen this sight, they would have felt a great sense of disparity.
“Phew. That should be enough.”
Ji Seok-gi stopped his movement technique and dusted off his hands.
Beads of sweat had already formed on his forehead.
“I haven't been caught recently, he must be a young punk with a well-developed sense of presence.”
Was it because he was not satisfied with being caught spying?
Ji Seok-gi smacked his lips with a bitter expression.
In fact, it was a good thing his movement technique was so excellent; spying was not a method of action that suited their group.
Because their ears were open in all directions.
Comrades who wore clothes no different from rags and walked around barefoot, begging.
Ji Seok-gi’s affiliation was none other than the Beggars' Union.
“By the way, what should I do? The Guho branch leader is going to throw a fit.”
Ji Seok-gi scratched the back of his head and mentioned the Yiliang County branch leader.
There was a good reason why he dared(?) to say the branch leader's name so casually.
The three knots tied around his waist.
Three knots.
Originally, he was also of a position to lead a branch.
Ji Seok-gi was a genius of qinggong who had mastered the Footless Movement Technique, which was the reason he had reached the Three Knots at a relatively young age, and also the reason why he was assigned a special mission instead of being a branch leader even after reaching the Three Knots.
However, Ji Seok-gi did not particularly mind this role.
His disposition was such that he had no particular interest in becoming the head of a region.
Beggars should be like beggars.
It was enough to live while wandering throughout Murim.
Sometimes, while carrying out tense missions like this.
“Well, I can just try again.”
The process of acquiring information was like a pleasure without responsibility for Ji Seok-gi.
Why?
Because he wouldn't get caught even if he was discovered.
For him, there was no risk factor in the process of spying.
Until someone suddenly spoke to him.
“Aigoo. That's why I told you to wash. Look how the sweat turns into grime as soon as it forms.”
“Mind your own business, you punk. It's natural for a beggar to be dirty. Is he a beggar if he's clean?”
Ji Seok-gi, who was wiping his forehead while retorting, was suddenly startled.
“E-e-e-e-ek!”
He hadn't felt any unease because the person had spoken to him so naturally.
But now, Ji Seok-gi’s face was filled with a horror he had never seen before.
“You, you, you……!!”
He was so shocked that he couldn't even speak properly.
The man who had spoken to him was still smiling a dignified smile.
“Why are you so surprised? It's not like we're strangers.”
Not strangers.
At those words, Ji Seok-gi’s heart sank once more.
He had no memory of seeing the man’s face anywhere else but today.
The fellow knew.
That the one who had been spying a moment ago was him……!
‘How on earth?’
Alright.
Let’s just say he recognized him.
This shabby attire was not something one could easily see on Diancang Mountain.
But it was hard to believe that this person had appeared before his eyes.
Ji Seok-gi, the Flying Beggar.
One of the fastest movement technique users in Murim.
He was a man who had even been given a nickname because he was so skilled in qinggong that even fellow masters were surprised.
‘Could they be twins?’
No.
If so, he wouldn't have said they weren't strangers.
Then the other assumption is…….
‘A shortcut……! There must be a shortcut……!’
Ji Seok-gi, the Flying Beggar, finally seemed to understand the situation.
The person in front of him had discovered him and then got ahead of him through some existing shortcut.
“Judging by your beggar's attire, you seem to be from the Beggars' Union. Your skills must be good. Three knots at that age.”
“……!”
The man in front of him had instantly analyzed his identity.
For a moment, Ji Seok-gi felt his face flush.
Since he had never been caught after running away, he also had no experience of giving up information.
‘It's still okay.’
However, Ji Seok-gi soon regained his composure.
There was still a distance of about two zhang between him and the brat.
Normally, it was a distance that could be covered in a few steps, but if the target was Ji Seok-gi, it would change into a distance from which he would never be caught.
“Hehe. Brat! Don't be so smug just because you took a shortcut.”
“Eh? Shortcut?”
A faint smile appeared on the lips of the man who asked back.
Ji Seok-gi nodded with a confident face.
“Otherwise, there's no way you could have caught up to me. How foolish of you to talk to me after catching up. You will regret not approaching me secretly for the rest of your life.”
At the same time as he said that, Ji Seok-gi kicked off the ground and flew up.
His movement technique was so nimble and light that a whistle naturally came out of Biyoung’s mouth as he watched.
“Whew.”
Foolish brat.
Whistling when he should be chasing right away.
Well.
Now that he had created a distance, there was no way he could be caught no matter what he did.
Pabababak!
Ji Seok-gi ran down the mountain path with all his might.
Before, he had shown the leisure of avoiding tree branches, but now he didn't even mind getting parts of his body scratched.
‘I won't be caught this time……!!’
To have failed to escape from an opponent even after fleeing.
Although the opponent had used a shortcut, it was an incident that could have bruised the pride of the Flying Beggar.
“Heok…… heok……!!”
After using his qinggong to its fullest, Ji Seok-gi gasped for breath.
How long had it been since he had used the Footless Movement Technique to such an extreme?
His breath came up to the tip of his chin, but on the other hand, he was relieved.
He had chosen a relatively straight mountain path to come down, so there would be no shortcuts.
He would not have to face that gisaeng-looking brat anymore.
“Phew. I'm experiencing all sorts of things in my life.”
“The mountain is a bit rugged, isn't it?”
“Rugged is an understatement! The trees are so dense you can't even see……”
Ji Seok-gi’s heart, who had been answering without thinking, dropped with a thud!
From behind him.
He heard that bastard’s voice again.
The very same bastard's voice that had a faint smile when they made eye contact!
“Eek!”
Ji Seok-gi convulsed and jumped up from his spot.
When he turned his head behind him, the handsome man he had seen just a moment ago was standing in the same pose.
‘Wh-what on earth is going on?’
He wouldn't have been this surprised even if he had seen a ghost.
The man who had startled him a moment ago was once again standing in front of him.
‘There were no shortcuts this time……?!’
For Ji Seok-gi, it was something he couldn't understand no matter how much he wracked his brain.
Twins.
A shortcut.
Or a dream?
Countless assumptions came to his mind, but none of them matched.
“You still look like you don't get it.”
Biyoung took a step with a mischievous smile.
Normally, he would have used the Footless Movement Technique right away, but Ji Seok-gi had already exhausted all his stamina.
“You look like that because you're ignoring the simplest assumption.”
Is he unable to think of it?
Or does he not want to admit it?
As Biyoung said, Ji Seok-gi was completely excluding one of the simplest assumptions.
The assumption that Biyoung was faster than Ji Seok-gi.
“That's impossible!”
Ji Seok-gi shouted convulsively, as if he understood the meaning of Biyoung’s words.
In a way, it was a natural reaction.
Wasn't he a young man who didn't even look twenty years old?
Like other martial arts, movement techniques also had to be built up like a tower over a long period of training and internal energy to show their true value.
It might be different for a top-tier master of an orthodox sect.
The fact that a fellow who had lived at most half as long as him was faster than him was something Ji Seok-gi could not accept.
“Aigoo. It's the same now as it was then. You only come to your senses after a beating.”
Now as it was then.
Was that something a young brat should be saying?
Ji Seok-gi was momentarily at a loss for words, but he soon clenched his teeth.
‘I don't know what's going on, but he's alone.’
In the first place, the reason for running away while spying is because the opponent is a group.
But now, there were no other companions around Biyoung.
The three knots created in the Beggars' Union were not achieved by just lying down and scratching one's belly.
“Ho?”
As Ji Seok-gi raised his internal energy, Biyoung smirked.
“Running away one moment, and now you want to fight?”
“The capabilities of movement technique and footwork are proportional.”
Ji Seok-gi retorted with a cold voice.
Being skilled in qinggong meant that one could utilize their legs well.
In fact, Ji Seok-gi was terrible at swordsmanship, but he was quite confident in his fist and foot techniques.
Iron Striking Martial Art.
As befitting a Three Knots Beggar, Ji Seok-gi was a person who had learned the Iron Striking Martial Art, which could be called the representative fist and foot technique of the Beggars' Union.
At least in martial arts using hands and feet, they did not fall behind any of the Nine Sects.
The Iron Striking Martial Art could be said to be a martial art that proved the pride of the Beggars' Union.
“Tahaaat!”
With a powerful kiai, Ji Seok-gi’s figure shot out like lightning.
“Oh…….”
Does he have a few tricks up his sleeve?
Biyoung’s expression seemed to be saying so.
Soon his shoulder trembled once, and he disappeared like an illusion.
“?!”
Paaang!
Ji Seok-gi’s kick cut through the empty air.
The space where he had been just a moment ago had completely turned to nothing.
The only thing remaining in that spot was the afterimage of a strange smile.