Published at 7th of June 2026 8:24 pm

Chapter 444

This chapter is updated by JustRead.pl

What was that?

Did I just mishear it?

At Woo Ah-seok's answer, I had to put on a blank expression. Did that old man really say what I thought he did?

"...... Excuse me, but what did you just say?"

I couldn't believe it, so I asked again. Woo Ah-seok replied in a curt voice.

"Didn't you hear? I said what you want is too expensive. It's not information you can get for the price you brought."

"...... What the...!"

Is this even possible?

It's the golden badge, not just anything. I brought the Beggar's Union's top grade and asked, but you're saying I can't hear the answer?

"Weren't you supposed to answer anything with gold?"

"Who told you that?"

"Pardon?"

"Who said everything would be answered if you brought gold?"

"...... Well."

That's what's commonly known, isn't it?

"So that's not the case?"

"It isn't."

Woo Ah-seok picked his nose as he spoke.

"There's a grade above gold. It's just that no one possesses it now."

"...... There's such a grade?"

"Black(墨). It's a grade in the Beggar's Union that allows access to any kind of information."

"......."

My face scrunched up at the mention of a black grade. I'd never heard of such a thing existing.

"Of course you wouldn't have. The current Beggar's Union Leader can only bestow it once. The only one who ever had it was your master."

"...... Do you mean the Sword Saint?"

"That's right. But that wretched man went and died. The black grade... well, I suppose it'll only be attainable when the next Beggar's Union Leader appears. Hol hol hol."

"......."

The black badge was in Yu Chun-gil's possession, and he died with it.

'...... Unless the next Beggar's Union Leader appears and grants it to someone, the black grade won't exist.'

Also.

"...... So are you saying that what I asked about requires a black grade to access?"

"You catch on quick."

"Are you kidding me? Why would something like that require a black grade?"

It was ridiculous. What, did I ask for something so significant?

I only wanted to ask about my family and my father. Why did the black badge crop up?

This was baffling beyond words.

'...... What is it?'

What kind of secret does this family have for it to be like this?

Lately, my curiosity about my family had been growing little by little—but now, the curiosity was overwhelming.

'Now there's no way I can't dig deeper.'

Either I don't dig at all.

Or if I do, I need to dig all the way.

There are only two choices. With things like this... What should I do? I hesitated, but only for a moment.

'Is it even worth hesitating?'

There was no answer for now. Still, hadn't I at least learned one thing?

'...... There's something about my family.'

Whether it was my father or my family,

I learned they held a secret significant enough for the Beggar's Union leader to mention the black badge.

'What the hell is going on?'

I always thought my family was just a declining house because we picked the wrong family head.

People might call it a famous family, but I was always a bit embarrassed to admit as much.

'...... Damn.'

Who would've thought there'd be a secret like this in this pathetic house?

"Now then, brat, anything else you want to ask? I'll pretend the last question didn't happen, so ask up."

"...... Hmm."

Anything I'm curious about? With questions about my family off-limits, was there even anything else I wanted to know...?

'Ah.'

Something I'd forgotten came to mind. There was, in fact, something else I wanted to ask.

"Then, may I ask something else?"

"Go ahead."

"Can you share information about the Shadow Sovereign?"

"...... Hm?"

The Shadow Sovereign. At those words, a grimace twisted Woo Ah-seok's face.

"Shadow Sovereign...? Why?"

"I'm just curious about something."

"...... Hol hol hol."

Woo Ah-seok laughed, then said,

"Just out of curiosity, brat..."

"Yes?"

"Are you in a hurry to die or something?"

"...... Not at all?"

If anything, I want to live more than anyone.

"And yet you're asking about the Shadow Sovereign?"

"Why? Does that also require a black badge?"

It could be possible. The Shadow Sovereign of the world—if his information required a black badge, I could accept that.

"No, you can get that with a gold badge."

"...... Oh, really?"

I could get information about the Shadow Sovereign with a gold badge, but for my family, I needed a black one?

'This is driving me crazy.'

Comparing it like this just made it more bizarre.

The implication was that my family's secrets were even more important than the Shadow Sovereign's.

This was absurd, really.

"If you want, I can give it to you, but you'll have to deal with the consequences. Are you really okay with that?"

"...... What do you mean by consequences?"

"You probably don't know, but if the Shadow Sovereign ever finds out, he might come looking for you. And if that happens, not even your illustrious maternal grandfather could protect you."

"......."

A frightening thought. The Shadow Sovereign coming after me? That would be...

'A death sentence.'

An execution.

No one who's ever met the Shadow Sovereign has survived. Well, except me.

Anyway.

I thought about it for a bit. I'd come this far, was there any reason to hesitate more?

After a moment of pause, I reached a conclusion.

"...... Please, give it to me."

"Hol hol... Very well."

Woo Ah-seok nodded.

"However, it's not information I can give you right away. Give me three days, and I'll hand it over then."

"Three days?"

Was there really that much information? I wondered, but Woo Ah-seok explained,

"It's not about the volume of information, but to get it to you safely, outside the Shadow Sovereign's gaze."

"Ah... I understand."

In that case, I could wait as long as needed. Damn.

"It seems we're done here, so go on your way. Pass along my regards to your grandfather as well."

"Yes, understood."

I bowed my head and got to my feet. There was nothing more to say.

When I stepped outside, Yu Yul was waiting for me.

"Done talking?"

"Yes. More or less."

There was still a bit of unease lingering, but this was enough for now. Thinking so, I moved forward.

* * *

Immediately after Bang Sung-Yun departed, inside the shabby quarters...

"Hmmm."

Beggar's Union Leader Ta Bong, Woo Ah-seok, tilted his head and turned his chin this way and that.

As he did, the old man standing at the back spoke up.

"Union leader."

"What is it?"

The elder, Gae Yong of the Beggar's Union, who had overheard most of the conversation, asked him,

"...... Do you really intend to hand over information about the Shadow Sovereign?"

The Shadow Sovereign (暗尊), called Lord of the Night, a being feared by all martial artists.

Information was extremely scarce, and even if someone managed to learn something, it was said the Shadow Sovereign would track that person down and eliminate them.

"Tsk tsk. That's not entirely true."

"...... What do you mean...?"

"If he killed everyone who knew, how would the Beggar's Union still exist?"

"......."

"Well, it's true he leaves us alone because the Beggar's Union is so big, but he's not someone who kills just anyone and everyone."

There was a line.

It was just so unclear that most people didn't know it existed.

Still—

"It's just that telling that brat is a rather dangerous choice."

"...... If you know that, then why? Are you trying to put him in danger on purpose?"

"What, you think I'm some kind of trash?"

If not, then why?

The elder's eyes were full of suspicion.

Seeing that, Woo Ah-seok chuckled.

"On the contrary, I'm just trying to score some points. For that, I'll have to do a little cleaning up."

"...... Points, for Heavenly Insight?"

"Don't be ridiculous. What good would curry favor with that guy do me? He's already a retired old man."

"Then... surely not..."

For the Moon Hero? The Beggar's Union Leader is trying to score points with the Moon Hero?

"With that youngster?"

"That's right, the youngster. All the more reason I have to try."

"Sorry?"

"That kid is extraordinary. Didn't you notice even as you watched?"

The elder looked lost.

Woo Ah-seok sighed inwardly at the sight.

Ah, there's still no one to hand my seat over to, huh.

"Not only did he notice me, his eyes never stopped moving."

"His eyes, you mean."

"He gauged the environment, the mood around us. I think he even noticed you."

"......!"

You mean he saw me hiding?

"And his behavior—he's no ordinary kid. His attitude is like someone who's been through all sorts of messes and come out the other side. It was hard to find a gap."

Sometimes he acts weak.

Sometimes pretends to know nothing.

Yet he's sharp, flashing fangs, then dulls himself and retreats.

'I almost broke a sweat for the first time in a while.'

Heavenly Insight.

Now I get why that old monster is keeping an eye on him.

'Hol hol hol. That old devil must be having a rough time.'

He must regret it.

'That the kid isn't a descendant of the Jaegal family.'

He's spent all these years unable to pass down the family head position to his son for lack of an heir.

He wants someone on his level or higher, but who'd have thought such a monster would appear in the Central Plains.

'He did manage to raise something from his daughter's line.'

Except the problem is, that kid is the child of the daughter whose ties had been severed.

'Damn clever brat.'

He used to run around so cheekily, he must be agonizing a lot now.

A mirror of himself appeared, and yet he can't bring him into the Jaegal family.

"Hol hol hol."

"Union leader...?"

"And it's not just brains with him, either."

I knew as soon as I saw him. Rising stars? That Moon Sword disciple in the back was amazing, too, but—

'That one can't even be called a rising star.'

He already seemed to have reached the Transcendent realm. They kept saying 'Sword Saint's successor'...

'... That wretched old man had good luck till the very end.'

That eccentric, who always spat about the Blue Moon Sect's disciples being problematic, ended up raising a successor that fit his liking.

'In that case...'

Someone who inherited the brain and intuition, and wields Yu Chun-gil's sword?

'Geez.'

Just imagining such a hybrid is distasteful.

Woo Ah-seok shook his head, thinking along those lines.

If only his own disciple were like that. The thought passed quickly, and he turned to more important matters.

He's an informant. Envy aside, he had to get what could be gotten.

'I've earned some points.'

That one's bound to become someone big someday, no matter what.

So Woo Ah-seok had given up a lot.

That boy isn't clueless—he must know what he's been given.

By bringing up the black badge, he let the boy know indirectly the level of his query.

And he was laundering some things about the Shadow Sovereign that he didn't even have to bother with.

Really, not even for Heavenly Insight would he go this far.

'I'm sure he knows.'

That kid would recognize his consideration. And if not—

'He'll learn.'

If you give something away, you make sure to get something for it.

That was Woo Ah-seok's creed. If Bang Sung-Yun didn't understand, he'd just teach him.

That was his belief, but—

'Hmm.'

Honestly, he wasn't certain about this part.

Bang Sung-Yun's background was a problem.

If he meddled rashly, there was no telling what might happen.

Heavenly Insight? Yu Chun-gil? Divine Spear?

None of those were the issue.

Retired old monsters like that didn't scare him.

The important thing—

'The Bang family, huh...'

The Liaodong Bang Family. That was the biggest stumbling block.

― Please tell me about the Liaodong Bang Family and the family head, Bang Chunho.

Bang Sung-Yun, who had asked for information about his own family and father.

That boy seemed to have noticed something as well, but—

'Forget it.'

That wasn't something to tell just because someone wanted to know.

'That's an abyss.'

A darkness deeper than anything.

One misplaced step, and you'd fall endlessly into the pit.

A twisted history created in the past.

The Bang family as he knew it, was such a place.

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