Return of The Mount Hua – Chapter 1479. The Plan Was Sound (4)
Editor: Hoamzz
Co-Translator: Xoxo
"Give me just a penny!"
"Aigoo, sir. The child is quite adorable. If you bestow blessings, the child will receive blessings in return."
"If you just give one of those dumplings as alms, a starving young beggar can live happily for two days. Would you not share your happiness with this hungry little beggar?"
The main street of Kaifeng was surrounded by large walls.
Dozens of beggars were begging with their heads bowed. However, the people of Kaifeng passing by seemed quite accustomed to this scene, as they didn’t even glance at the beggars.
And in one corner on top of that high castle wall.
“...There are more beggars than people.”
"That's right."
Hollow voices leaked from the mouths of Five Swords, who were crouched low while surveying the inside of Kaifeng.
It was neither a joke nor an exaggeration. It looks like there are more beggars begging than people coming and going on the streets. And it wasn't just the main street. Every narrow alley was packed with beggars lying down.
"... At this point, shouldn’t the beggars be feeding the people? How can all these beggars survive in this town by begging?"
"Seems like they can’t."
Their whispered conversation was interrupted by Chung Myung's voice cutting in sharply.
"You're talking nonsense like 'begging'."
"Huh?"
"I told you. Those beggars, if you look at it, might actually be the richest people in the world. If they go to the main headquarters, they can probably eat as much as they want?"
Yoon Jong asked as if he didn't understand.
“No, then why are they out on the street begging? People with lots of money."
"How would I know. Those bastards have just been like that since the old days."
“So why they....”
“Amitabha.”
At that moment, Hye Yeon opened his mouth and chanted briefly as if knowing the answer.
"This humble monk has heard that for Beggar Union beggars, begging is something they must do regardless of wealth.”
"What? They beg even when they have money? Why?"
"Because it represents the lowest position."
“...Huh?”
"This humble monk has not heard in detail either, but I have heard that everyone begs without exception in order to uphold the sect's principle of looking at the world from the lowest place and helping those in hardship."
“...I understand what you’re saying, but..."
Yoon Jong let out a hollow laugh, as if he found it a bit absurd.
“It’s strange. If you have money, you're no longer a beggar, yet you beg in order to live as a beggar."
“Why is that strange, Sahyung?”
“Huh? Don’t you find it strange?”
"Of course, it's not strange. Even that bastard is a Taoist."
At that moment, everyone's gaze turned towards Chung Myung.
“What? Why me?”
Eventually, everyone nodded in agreement.
“That could be the case.”
“Yeah, there must have been some circumstances.”
"Honestly, what are the conditions for being a beggar? There are people who break heads and still act as Taoists."
Yoon Jong suddenly thought. Perhaps Chung Myung’s existence was making the world’s strict standards a little lenient.
Of course, such a useless thought had to be quickly shaken off. A too-large problem remained. He stared at Kaifeng with a half-dismayed face.
“That’s not the problem right now… How are we going to get in there?”
“...Well, won’t it work out somehow?”
“Somehow?”
Yoon Jong rarely overturned his eyes, but now they were full of contempt.
"Hey, you crazy bastard. Is that a situation that can be solved with the word 'somehow'? The beggars are not just teeming, they're swarming! It would be easier to commit evil deeds avoiding the eyes of Daode Tianzun (태상노군(太上老君)/I think previously was Taesangnogun)."
"Sahyung. Maybe that was never actually difficult to begin with? That bastard is still Taoist .”
"Huh...?"
Confusion crept into Yoon Jong's face. Just before he was about to enter a serious Taoist crisis, Baek Cheon quickly spoke up.
“We have to find a way. It won’t work with a complacent attitude.”
"That's certainly right, Sasuk.”
"I agree."
Tang Soso and Yoo Iseol nodded in agreement. Avoiding the watch of all the beggars scattered around would be absolutely impossible. Moreover, if the place they were trying to enter was a hidden area in Beggar Union, wouldn't the surveillance get even more intense as they got closer?
At that moment, Jo-Gol lifted Baek-ah up high and showed him the scenery of Kaifeng.
"Hey, can't you tell where that bird went from here?"
Baek-ah twitched his black nose and shook his small head. No matter how much of a mystical creature he was, it seemed impossible to specify the source of the scent from this distance.
"Hnnnggg, so you can’t. You’re quite useless, aren-.... Agh! Aaaaghh! I told you not to pull my hair! I might really get a monk's hea-.... Monk-nim, please forgive me. I mispoke. First of all, please lower your fist. We can't get caught due to your buddhist gleam now, can we....."
Hye Yeon quietly lowered the fist he had raised.
"I’ve said this before, I’m not bald, I shaved my head."
“But the result is all the same?”
“It’s different!”
Hye Yeon finally snapped. Baek-cheon let out a long sigh as he watched the two bickering. It seems like they still have the energy to play around in the midst of all this. Jo-Gol aside, even that monk Hye Yeon…
“Hey, Chung Myung. Don't you have any ideas?"
"Haha. Sasuk too. Why ask something so obvious."
"Oh? As expected..."
“None.”
…Baek Cheon was tormented by the urge to smash that nonchalant face. It was an anger he felt for the first time in a very long time. Come to think of it, he used to feel it quite often in the past...
"But anyway, there's no need to think too hard about it. We just need to infiltrate. We'll figure out how when the time comes!"
"Hmm."
Everyone nodded. Not because they understood, but because they knew complaining wouldn't change anything.
“How about sneaking in at night? I think there would be less surveillance then.”
"Beggars see better at night. Important and secret information mainly comes out at night in the first place. Don't you even know that?"
“Ugh.”
Tang Soso was speechless at Chung Myung's rebuttal.
“Then how about getting help from a nearby merchant? If we hide in a pile of luggage and enter, it would be difficult to notice."
“Hehe! Because of the information spread in the merchant world this time, merchants probably became the number one surveillance target! We'd be discovered before the wheels turn twice. Really, you have no thoughts, no thoughts!"
“....”
Jo-Gol's eyes trembled.
“Then.... um.”
Baek Cheon said while scratching his head.
"How about trying to disguise ourselves? If those people just can't recognize us, it seems there won't be a problem moving around."
"That won’t work."
"Would that work?"
"Oh really, Sasuk."
"Rejected."
Baek Cheon's body trembled violently. These bastards, when they talk amongst themselves, they listen to the dumbest ideas... Why only me....
“Sasuk.”
"What?"
"Just don't say anything and stay stuck in that corner."
"...Sorry."
Baek Cheon shrank back. Chung Myung clicked his tongue.
"I know you probably thought it through, but everyone knows it’s nonsense, right?"
"I know. Even if we disguise ourselves, it's difficult to hide the fact that we are martial artists anyway. Among the beggars, there’ll probably be high-level experts hiding, and a disguised martial artist enters Kaifeng? Before taking a few steps, dozens of beggars will be following us."
"Then what if we disguise ourselves as martial artists?"
"That won't work either."
This time, Tang Soso shook her head.
"Even if we could somehow hide our Taoist energy, people who belong to a sect like Mount Hua emanate a majestic aura. This is not something ordinary martial artists can have. Rather, it will be more conspicuous."
"R- Really?"
"Yes. Sahyung may not know, since you're from Mount Hua, but when I was in Tang Family, I could always distinguish Ten Great Sects members like ghosts. Beggars will definitely notice more."
“Mmm. Then there’s no good way....”
Yoon Jong scratched his head vigorously.
This doesn't make sense in the first place. Beggar Union bastards have done the job of monitoring people their whole lives. Does it even make sense to say we will enter their main headquarters without being caught?
It would be easier to enter Magyo’s headquarters, have tea with Heavenly Demon, and come back.
“Chung Myung-ah. No matter how I think about it, this won't work. Let's find another way."
"There is no other way. We have to go."
"I'm telling you there's no method? Isn’t this realistically impossible?”
"Why is there no method? There is! And what is that..."
“I’m telling you in advance, don’t say any bullshit like, ‘Let’s just go in there and beat up all these beggars and get where wew want to go.’ That won’t do.”
“...Uh.... It won't work?"
"Are you serious! If we do something like that, Sect Leader and Grand Sect Leader will try to strip us of our skin. Don’t even dream about it!"
"Ei. That would be the easiest way though."
Chung Myung smacked his lips as if truly regretful. Yoon Jong felt his blood pressure spike for a moment and grabbed the back of his neck with ‘Urgh’. No, what on earth is going on with this bastard's head...
Then Chung Myung scratched his chin and said.
"If the best way doesn't work, it can't be helped. We have to use the second-best way."
"Huh? There's a second-best way?"
"Yeah. Well, as long as we can enter without them realizing we're from Mount Hua, that's enough, right?"
“I told you there’s no way to avoid being caught. We're martial artists, moreover martial artists who emanate the unique aura of great sects. And this is Henan. The moment we open our mouths, we'll be exposed because of our Shaanxi accent. So how do we not get caught?"
"Yes, right. That's exactly it."
"...What?"
Tang Soso looked at Chung Myung as if wondering what he was talking about. Then suddenly seeing Chung Myung's smile, she flinched and trembled.
"W- What exactly are you planning, Sahyung?"
"Just like you said. We just need to become people who wouldn't seem strange. Let's see... Even without entering Kaifeng, we should be able to get some cloth. And everyone can do a bit of sewing, right?"
"Can't do it."
"I can cut fabric."
Chung Myung looked up at the distant sky at Yoo Iseol’s and Jo-Gol's answer. What would these bastards have done if they hadn’t become martial artists?
“So what should we make?”
“Oh, that's not for me to tell you."
"Huh? What does that mean?”
"Because the person who knows best what that looks like is that yangban over there, ask him. He probably even remembers the sleeve length?"
“...That yangban?”
Everyone's eyes turned at Chung Myung's chin gesture. Baek Cheon was still sitting blankly in the corner with both knees together.
“Huh? Me?”
He, who had been deeply pondering what life was, looked up in surprise at everyone’s gaze and turned to look at Chung Myung. Chung Myung nodded.
"Yeah, Sasuk. You."
"Clothing that I know better than you, what could that be... I've never particularly paid attention to clothing or anything..."
At that moment, Baek Cheon’s eyes widened to the point where they seemed like they couldn’t get any bigger.
"You, you... You, don't tell me, you crazy bastard, don't tell me?"
Baek Cheon's face was distorted to a horrifying degree.
"Oh? It seems you understood."
"A bastard who calls himself a disciple of Mount Hua! Is this something a proud disciple of Mount Hua should even consider? I can't do it! Even if I die, I can't put that filthy thing on my body again! I won't do it! I'd rather have my skin torn off!"
Baek Cheon’s eyes burned with fury as he resisted desperately. Chung Myung approached with a beaming smile and placed a hand on his shoulder.
“Be honest, you wanted to try wearing it again at least once, didn't you?"
“Die, you crazy bastard!”
"Whoa, crazy. He's actually drawing his sword."
“Stop that guy, quick!”
Hye Yeon, who was blocking the sounds from leaking out with his internal strength, suddenly looked up at the distant sky.
“...Amitabha.”
Even after going to Hainan and back, these humans haven't changed.
Then Jo-Gol spoke seriously.
"Monk-nim, the sun's reflection is too blinding. Could you please move a bit to the side?"
"...Please rop dead, Jo-Gol Dojang.”
And it seemed Hye Yeon was the same way too.
|Note
Consider supporting me by subscribing on Patreon for 5$. The Patreon membership for Mount Hua and Infinite Mage is the same. The benefit:
Advance chapters of Mount Hua : 76
Advance chapters of Magic Realm Convenience Store Worker : 144 Chapters
Advance chapters of Got a Gallery in the Wild : 10
Comments Box