The Beggar Young Master of the Namgung Clan

Late at night, Namgung Il returned to the warehouse.

Thud—

Namgung Il carefully placed the liquor jar he was holding in his arms on the floor.

'Let's have a taste.'

As he opened the lid, a fragrant smell spread in all directions.

Namgung Il put one finger into the liquor jar and immediately brought it to his mouth.

'...This should be enough.'

This liquor was a high-quality liquor that Namgung Il had obtained with difficulty while wandering around Kaifeng.

As expected of its price, it had an excellent taste and aroma.

Of course, it couldn't be compared to his own liquor that had been aged here for twenty years, but it could still be said to be a sufficiently good liquor.

'I used quite a lot of money to get it in a hurry... but if I can just catch the culprit, it would be a small expense.'

He had paid three hundred gold for this one jar.

No matter how much money he had, it was still a bit of a waste to pay three hundred gold for liquor.

Still, the reason he had boldly paid three hundred gold was all to catch the culprit who had stolen and drunk his liquor.

That brat wouldn't even react to any ordinary liquor, so he had to prepare at least this quality to make him take the bait.

'I hope he takes the bait well.'

The brat might not appear tonight.

Still, Namgung Il, aiming for a slight possibility, placed the bait in a clearly visible place and then hurriedly hid his body.

"..."

Hiding among the liquor jars inside the cave, Namgung Il was quietly holding his breath.

If his prediction was correct, the brat would surely show up here.

Since he was a brat who went crazy for liquor, to the point of being comparable to his master, he would surely react to the smell of that liquor.

* * *

'...Is he not coming?'

It had already been two hours, but no one had shown up inside the cave.

Does that mean it's impossible to catch the culprit in one night?

He would, of course, be on stakeout here until the sun rose, but he was worried about what he should do after that.

'Should I tell Jong Seo-eon to leave first and I'll be on stakeout here a little longer...'

Even if he stayed here for about a day, he would be able to arrive at the academy just in time for the schedule.

Of course, it seemed there would be almost no time to rest in between, but if he couldn't catch the culprit tonight, he would have no choice but to do so...

Thud— Thud—.

It was then.

At the presence felt from the entrance, Namgung Il reflexively held his breath.

'He's here!'

Someone was now approaching this way.

Of course, he still didn't know whether that was the culprit who had stolen and drunk his liquor or not, so Namgung Il decided to watch the situation a little longer.

"..."

In the darkness, a black figure gradually approached the liquor jar.

Sniff— Sniff—.

As Namgung Il had expected, the brat seemed to have come here after smelling the liquor.

Discovering the liquor jar placed right in the middle, the brat immediately rushed there like a dog, and putting his head into the liquor jar, he began to drink the liquor as if he had been starved for several days.

'...My thoughts were right.'

As expected, the culprit who had stolen and drunk his liquor was that brat.

As if he were sure of that fact, Namgung Il released his concealment and quickly came forward.

"Hey, you son of a bitch!"

"...!"

"Did you steal and drink my liquor!"

Namgung Il shouted at the culprit.

The culprit, who was startled by the sound and hurriedly lifted his head that had been stuck in the liquor jar.

Surprisingly, the culprit who had been sticking his nose in the liquor jar and drinking the liquor... no, the culprit dog was a dog covered in white fur.

"Woof—!"

When Namgung Il revealed himself, the dog hurriedly ran towards the entrance.

However.

Since Namgung Il had been raising his internal energy early on, he instantly appeared in front of the dog and blocked the entrance.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"...!"

"To catch you, I used three hundred gold and even specially put your poop on my body."

Namgung Il said with a smile, covered in dog poop.

The reason he had put dog poop on his body like this was to erase his own smell.

Since the brat was sensitive to smell, he would not have shown himself here if even a little bit of a human smell was wafting.

Solely to catch the culprit dog, Namgung Il had steadfastly endured even such filth.

"Now... try to make some excuse."

"Grrr..."

"Baekrang."

Baekrang. The correct name is White Wolf Dog.

It is an animal characterized by an appearance that seems to be a mix of a wolf and a dog.

Namgung Il had known about the existence of this brat very well since he was the leader in the past.

"Yeoksan-ah, go and give Baekrang some food."

"Master... do I have to take care of the dog's food too?"

"It's not just a dog. It's the guardian deity of the Beggars' Sect, so take care of it with care."

The guardian deity of the Beggars' Sect. That was the identity of Baekrang.

As can be seen from its appearance, Baekrang was not a simple dog, but a being called a spiritual beast, and Namgung Il had taken care of Baekrang's food and liquor since he was a Hougai in the past.

"I was sure it was your doing when I saw the poop on the floor here."

"..."

"Because you're a brat who goes crazy for liquor. Especially, you liked the liquor I made the most."

"Woof...?"

Just then, the wariness in Baekrang's two eyes disappeared slightly.

Soon, Baekrang, who was cautiously approaching Namgung Il.

Even when Baekrang approached, Namgung Il just stood still.

Sniff— Sniff—.

Baekrang, who had approached Namgung Il, brought his nose and began to smell something.

"Woof—!"

A moment later, Baekrang barked in a cheerful voice and rubbed his head against Namgung Il's leg.

At the same time, his fluffy tail, which was wagging.

Anyone who saw that would feel that Baekrang was now showing his affection for Namgung Il.

"Baekrang, do you perhaps recognize me?"

"Woof—!"

"...Was that true?"

Namgung Il muttered and remembered what his master had said in the past.

That Baekrang could smell the soul.

In the past, he had thought it was just nonsense, but since the situation was like this, Namgung Il had no choice but to believe those words now.

"Do you recognize me because I took care of your food for decades?"

"Woof—!"

"Yes, it's nice to see you. You're still the same even after all these years."

Namgung Il said and lowered his posture to pat Baekrang's head.

However.

To the point where the smile just now felt like a lie, Namgung Il was now looking at Baekrang with a cold gaze.

"So you're the one who drank the liquor here?"

"...Woof?"

"Don't pretend you don't know."

Of course, Namgung Il was very happy to meet Baekrang after a long time.

But that and the fact that all his liquor had been stolen were separate matters.

No matter how much he was called the guardian deity of the Beggars' Sect, he had no intention of just letting it go.

"Was it delicious?"

"..."

"I'm sure I told you before that I would never forgive you if you rummaged through the warehouse without my permission."

"Woof—! Woof—!"

Just then, Baekrang said something to Namgung Il as if he were wronged.

Although it sounded like just a dog's barking on the outside, what Baekrang was saying was strangely all conveyed to Namgung Il.

"You rummaged through the warehouse because you thought I was dead?"

"Woof—!"

"Yes, then it might be unfair. Since I was dead, this became a warehouse without an owner."

When Namgung Il said that, Baekrang wagged his tail again.

But.

"But I'm alive here."

"...!"

"In the first place, I'm even more angry when I imagine you happily drinking the liquor in the warehouse because you thought I was dead."

When Namgung Il said that, Baekrang's tail went down again.

"If you hadn't drunk the liquor here, my internal energy might have increased much more than now..."

"..."

"You drank it all... something that can't be obtained even with ten million gold...!"

Namgung Il muttered in a voice that felt angry.

At that, Baekrang tried to retreat stealthily, but Namgung Il's hand suddenly came forward and grabbed Baekrang's body again.

"Your fur is very glossy compared to before? Looking at you again, your face seems to be full of life."

"Woof..."

"That's natural. Since you drank all the liquor here, wouldn't your body have changed to the point of almost being reborn?"

In other words, if he had drunk all that liquor, he might have been reborn.

But for all the liquor that he had worked so hard to make to go into that dog's stomach... thinking that, Namgung Il could not contain his anger.

"I really gave it to a dog after all the trouble."

"...!"

"How are you going to take responsibility for this situation?"

"Woof-woof-woof—!"

Baekrang hurriedly bowed his head to Namgung Il and apologized.

But Namgung Il was still looking down at Baekrang with a cold gaze.

"Sorry... is that all you have to say?"

"Woof-woof—!"

"You'll do anything...? Yes, then there is one way."

Baekrang instinctively felt danger from those words.

That was a more murderous feeling than when Baekrang had peed on Namgung Il's Beggar's Staff in the past.

"Your belly is quite plump, so there must be a pretty good inner core in there."

"...!"

"Since you said you'd do anything, you can take it out, right?"

The energy that was condensed in the body like a spiritual pill. That was the inner core.

It was usually found in the body of a spiritual beast that had lived for a long time, and it is said that if one absorbs that inner core, one can obtain an internal energy almost on par with a spiritual medicine.

Of course, there would be an inner core in Baekrang's body, and especially since Baekrang had drunk all the spiritual liquor that Namgung Il had made, the energy of the inner core would have grown enormously in the meantime.

"I'll end it without pain."

"Woof-woof-woof—!"

"The guardian deity of the Beggars' Sect? To me now, you're just a thief dog."

Namgung Il said and slowly approached Baekrang.

Seeing that, Baekrang, who retreated with a pale face.

Since he knew Namgung Il's personality well, Baekrang felt that if he went on like this, his inner core would really be taken out.

Phat—!

Just then, Baekrang quickly ran towards the cave entrance.

Although it was a very fast movement, Namgung Il's speed, who had already predicted Baekrang's movement, was even faster.

Whack—!

In the end, Baekrang was caught by Namgung Il and was laid on the floor.

"Since I've fed you well all this time, one inner core should be fine, right?"

"...!"

"It's okay. I'll end it in one go without pain."

"Woof—!"

Just then, Namgung Il's hand stopped right in front of Baekrang's eyes.

"...Hah, no. How can I kill you?"

"..."

"You're still called the guardian deity of the Beggars' Sect. If I make you into dog soup, my master will appear in my dreams every day."

Namgung Il said and released Baekrang.

Although he had committed such an act for a moment because he was angry at the fact that he had missed the opportunity to obtain a huge serendipitous encounter... still, for him, the former leader, to eat the guardian deity of the Beggars' Sect as dog soup, no matter how he thought about it, it felt like an act that was against the rules.

"Just go."

"...Woof."

"I'm still not over my anger. But it can't be helped. Just watch over that brat Du-sik well from now on."

"..."

When Namgung Il said that, Baekrang felt even more guilty for some reason.

"Woof!"

Just then, as if something had come to mind, Baekrang said something to Namgung Il.

Hearing Baekrang's words, Namgung Il opened his mouth with a slightly surprised expression.

"Baekrang... is that true? You know that place?"

"Woof-woof—!"

"...Alright. Guide me there."

Baekrang was now saying this to Namgung Il.

His master's grave. That he would guide Namgung Il there.

(End of Chapter)