Chapter 572

Chapter 572 - Side Story 6

Tang Yu-jeong explained.

"This is stir-fried pig brain with vegetables, and this is clear soup made from boiling pig's feet for a long time..."

Tang Gyeong's eyes widened at the food he was eating outside the house for the first time. As soon as he picked up his chopsticks, he ate the food excitedly.

Chew chew.

He forced himself to swallow.

"Wow, it's terrible."

Tang Gyeong imitated a woman's voice and said to Tang Yu-jeong.

"Elder. Does everyone outside eat such tasteless food?"

Tang Yu-jeong, still disguised as an old person, glared at him to stop it. Tang Yu-jeong also imitated an old person's voice as Yeong-gwi had taught her.

"Do you think this is home? Shut your mouth and eat."

The Tang Family hadn't been one for empty formalities even during the King of Hell's time, but had become even more frugal since Tang Ha-ran's generation. However, no matter how frugal, the Tang Family was still the Tang Family. The greatest family under heaven today. Though the number of dishes was few, they were cooked by chefs of exceptional skill in Sichuan and tasted excellent. They couldn't compare to market restaurants.

Tang Gyeong chewed the food like chewing rocks with an unwilling expression.

Tang Yu-jeong spoke in a somewhat boastful tone.

"It's like this because this road has many people passing through, but if you go around, there are really delicious shops in corners here and there. Finding those places is also fun."

"No wonder you always wandered outside... If you know such places, take me there first. Why..."

"You said you need to experience hardships like Dad. Do you think Dad went around looking for delicious restaurants at our age?"

When Dad was mentioned, Tang Gyeong's expression became strange.

Sensing something suspicious, Tang Yu-jeong grabbed Tang Gyeong's chin and made him look up.

"Tell me. You suddenly following me out is strange, and every time Dad is mentioned, your expression is strange. What's going on?"

Since an old person was holding up a young maiden's chin, people in the restaurant glanced uncomfortably.

"Let's go out. I'll tell you outside."

"Should I put up an energy barrier?"

Even with an energy barrier, ordinary people wouldn't be able to hear. But Tang Yu-jeong felt uneasy.

"No, there's no law that there isn't another strange character like you in the world... Let's not do that."

"Of course. Should we get up then?"

Tang Gyeong was about to stand up when Tang Yu-jeong pointed at the remaining food with her gaze.

"Where are you going? You have to finish eating. You ordered it."

Tang Gyeong clenched his mouth and held firm.

"I won't eat. I won't."

Tang Yu-jeong called the waiter in the distance in a low, thick voice.

"Wrap up the leftovers please."

Tang Gyeong said in a low voice.

"Why wrap up this tasteless stuff?"

"How reassuring it would be to have packed food when we're sleeping rough later. I've even gone days without food on missions."

"Don't worry. I can eat anything like Dad. Even this tasteless stuff right now..."

"Your voice is too lou..."

"..."

Tang Yu-jeong raised her head.

The chef was looking down at them. Tang Yu-jeong smiled awkwardly.

The chef smiled and asked.

"By any chance, are you related to the Tang Family Estate?"

Before Tang Gyeong could say something strange, Tang Yu-jeong struck first.

"No. We have nothing to do with the Tang Clan."

The chef immediately changed his expression. He became grim-faced.

"Get out."

***

"You did that on purpose! You!"

Having been kicked out without getting the food wrapped, Tang Yu-jeong scolded Tang Gyeong. Tang Gyeong giggled while being scolded.

"Don't think about eating anywhere from now on. Try going hungry and coming to your senses."

"No? If you starve me, I won't tell you?"

Tang Yu-jeong held up the money pouch.

"Funny. Let's see if you can eat. All the money is with me."

Tang Gyeong nodded and imitated Tang Yu-jeong's tone.

"Let's see if you can refuse to buy me food after hearing what I have to say."

"Ah, really, if it's nothing after I hear it, you're dead."

While bickering, the two had already entered the mountains.

Just in case, Tang Yu-jeong put up an energy barrier. But thinking that Tang Gyeong could hear even through the energy barrier made her feel uneasy.

Tang Gyeong said.

"Big sister, from now on, what I'm about to tell you is absolutely secret. Including that I can eavesdrop on voice transmissions."

"Okay. Got it."

Tang Gyeong said.

"Dad has another child besides us. A son too."

"...Mom's son?"

"No, someone else. So a half-brother."

Tang Yu-jeong looked at Tang Gyeong with eyes that seemed to say, "What nonsense is this all of a sudden?"

"Ah geez, it's true. I heard it coming from Mom's room."

Tang Gyeong had eavesdropped on Tang Ha-ran receiving secret reports and giving orders via voice transmission.

"Was it just talk? Or did she... acknowledge it as fact?"

"If Mom acknowledged it, then it must be true."

"Ha... So it was real. That rumor."

"What? You knew too?"

"There was such a rumor. That the reason Dad goes out every year is to see his hidden wife..."

"Ah, so that's what people outside say. It's definitely true. I even thought they were talking about me at first."

Tang Yu-jeong looked at the sky with a blank expression and let out a long sigh.

"What is this? I feel really strange. Thinking there's another child of Dad's besides us."

She felt complicated somehow. Like she'd been betrayed by Dad...

But Tang Gyeong seemed not too bothered.

Tang Yu-jeong asked Tang Gyeong with puzzlement.

"Are you okay? Weren't you shocked when you heard that?"

"Heroes have three wives and four concubines. You don't seem to know, but our dad is the world's greatest master. Women must have followed him, right? I actually wish I had a few more brothers or sisters. That's also the way for the family."

Originally, influential people in a family produced as many descendants as possible. This was to ensure that capable, excellent bloodlines wouldn't be cut off in the martial world where no one knew what might happen. That was the family's strength and the path to development. The Tang Family also advocated against monogamy, with numerous direct and collateral bloodlines intertwined in complex relationships.

Watching Tang Gyeong smile purely, Tang Yu-jeong smacked her lips bitterly.

"This is the first time I've been comforted by your words. Thinking like you makes me feel a bit calmer."

"Of course. Later when I become the world's greatest master like Dad, I don't want to be interfered with by big sister over women..."

Tang Yu-jeong kicked Tang Gyeong's behind.

"Give back my comfort."

Tang Gyeong dodged and said.

"Stop hitting me. Right now I'm not your little brother, I'm a young woman."

"Hey, stop talking nonsense and tell me more about Dad's son. Age? Where he lives?"

"That's all about his personal details."

Tang Yu-jeong let out another sigh and thought briefly before asking.

"Have you been listening to all that the whole time? Even Mom working?"

"Yeah."

"Even when I muttered to myself?"

"Yeah."

"My sleep-talking too?"

"Yeah."

Tang Yu-jeong stared at Tang Gyeong.

Then she picked up a rock by the roadside as big as a person's head.

"Let's die a little."

Tang Gyeong raised his hands in resistance.

"Why!"

"Death and annihilation."

"Big sister's sleep-talking has nothing to do with voice transmission!"

"That's why you must die. You were secretly eavesdropping on things that weren't even voice transmission."

"No? I just heard it! When you were crying in your sleep saying you wanted to go out, it would be stranger if I didn't hear it. I can hear voice transmissions, but my hearing isn't good! Probably everyone in the inner courtyard heard your sleep-talking?"

"Hmm, is that so?"

Tang Yu-jeong put down the rock.

"Geez, it's scary so don't even joke about it. Anyway, big sister didn't say anything much."

"Anyway. Is that all? What else besides personal details?"

"That kid is in danger."

"What? What do you mean?"

"The Hungry Ghost King's successor appeared. The successor is trying to kill that kid to draw Dad back into the martial world."

If it's the Hungry Ghost King's successor, they'd have a grudge against Jin Ja-gang.

"Planning to bring bloodshed to the martial world..."

Having done Tang Family missions for a long time, Tang Yu-jeong could tell the situation was serious.

"Don't tell me Dad went out this time because of that?"

Tang Gyeong spoke in a tone suggesting he'd caught something.

"Dad doesn't know about it. When Mom gave orders via voice transmission, she said not to tell Dad. So we have to do it."

"Do what?"

"Protect that kid."

Tang Gyeong's eyes gleamed.

"We can do it. We'll accomplish things in Dad's place. Like Dad did. This time it won't be Dad but us who will drive away the Hungry Ghost King's successor!"

To Tang Gyeong who wanted to become like Jin Ja-gang, this matter seemed like a very important opportunity. That's why he followed Tang Yu-jeong out of the house.

Tang Yu-jeong let out her third long sigh.

"Huu..."

"What? Are you scared?"

"You idiot! Who's scared? But the Hungry Ghost King's successor targeting Dad's child means we're in danger too if our identities are discovered!"

"Seems so?"

"No way. You go back."

But saying it was dangerous only further ignited Tang Gyeong's sense of adventure.

"Compared to what Dad experienced, this is trivial. I'm not scared at all. I can overcome it like Dad."

Tang Yu-jeong raised the rock higher.

"Oh, is that so? But to do that, you first have to overcome me. I'm thinking of knocking you out with this, putting you in a coffin and sending you back."

"I'll die if you hit me with that!"

"Yeah, it's okay. I know you won't die."

"But why put me in a coff..."

At that moment, Tang Yu-jeong's eyes turned first, and Tang Gyeong also turned his head.

An herb gatherer coming down from the mountain discovered them and was greatly startled.

"No, what are you... doing there!"

To others, they looked like an old person holding a rock trying to beat a young woman to death!

Tang Yu-jeong suddenly struck Tang Gyeong's head with the rock. Tang Gyeong caught the falling rock with his head.

"Oop!"

Crack!

The rock split in half and shattered.

Tang Yu-jeong shrugged at the herb gatherer, and Tang Gyeong casually brushed off his head as if it was nothing. They acted naturally as if they always played like that.

But the herb gatherer became even more flustered and even broke into a sweat.

Tang Yu-jeong and Tang Gyeong realized their attempt to appear natural had failed, grinned at the herb gatherer, and ran away.

***

Execution required planning.

"First, we need to find out who Dad's other son is. Where he lives, age, name, and appearance."

Tang Gyeong was puzzled by Tang Yu-jeong's conditions.

"What about appearance? He'll look like Dad anyway."

"I'm wondering if he's handsome. It'd be nice to have a handsome older brother."

"Stop mixing personal feelings into the mission."

"Okay. Think about who would know about him first. Someone close enough to Dad to know about Dad's other son."

"Mom."

"Let's just die. Cleanly. What's the point of living in this world anymore?"

Tang Yu-jeong picked up a rock.

"Someone close to Dad besides Mom! Someone we can extract information from without getting caught coming out!"

"There's no one like that."

"What about the Qingcheng Sect?"

"Sect Leader Bok-cheon? No way. Our disguise will be exposed as soon as we enter. He's inflexible and dislikes lying, so he won't refuse to answer if we ask. But likewise, when Dad asks, he won't hide that we came to ask."

"Hmm. Then the Emei Sect. I heard Abbess Divine Nun knows everything that happened during the Jianwen 4th year."

This time, Tang Yu-jeong shook her head after saying it herself.

"But Abbess Divine Nun... I heard on missions. This is too irreverent to say, but everyone around calls the Abbess a fox spirit. Novices like us entering the martial world for the first time might get sucked dry and used."

Tang Gyeong thought for a while and said.

"Ah! There's one person!"

"Who who?"

"Someone who knows Dad well but can keep quiet about us!"

"If there's such a person, say it sooner!"

"But there's one problem."

Tang Gyeong smiled sheepishly.

"I don't know that person's name or where he lives either. His Taoist name was once Woon-jeong, but later he left the Qingcheng Sect and live somewhere near there..."