Chapter 64
An old bamboo forest appeared near the exit.
Yang Do-jin headed straight for it, grabbed a half-broken stalk of bamboo, and kicked it until he finally managed to snap it off.
He had fashioned a "Green Bamboo Staff," the weapon of choice for the Beggars' Clan.
Seeing this, Hong-seol felt a sudden jolt of fear.
‘There is no doubt about it. Do-jin is definitely planning something dangerous.’
“Hey, listen, Do-jin...!”
Just as a worried Hong-seol called out to him—
Sure enough!
The shadow of Yang Do-jin, clutching the Green Bamboo Staff, had already vanished into the earthen pit.
“Where did Brother Do-jin go?”
“Huh?”
The remaining children murmured, completely bewildered.
‘Without Do-jin’s ears, I can’t track So-rang’s location!’
This was the only chance to save her.
Pale with anxiety, Hong-seol grabbed Deng Soso by the shoulders and said, “Soso, please look after the others!”
“What? You have to come down with me!”
Hong-seol wore a troubled expression.
“You know So-rang, the one who was dragged away yesterday? If we’re lucky, I might be able to bring her back. So please, take care of the others!”
With those words, Hong-seol hurried to follow Do-jin.
“Hey!”
As she ducked back into the pit, Hong-seol didn't forget to cast one last glance at Deng Soso.
“Please!”
Left alone, Deng Soso seemed dazed.
‘So that’s why Hong-seol asked yesterday...’
She had been asking Yang Do-jin how long the abducted children could stay alive.
She was trying to save So-rang at any cost!
‘And yet, here I am, the successor of the Deng Clan...’
It was shameful.
Deng Soso bit her lip.
But now, she was the only eight-year-old left who could look after the children.
They had to escape before the men who had imprisoned them returned.
Deng Soso urged the children on in a hushed whisper.
“Come on, let’s go home! Hurry!”
* * *
“Do-jin!”
Hong-seol called out to him, keeping her voice as low as possible.
The shadow that had been stealthily walking through the pit ahead of her paused.
“What...? Why did you follow me, cat?”
“I’m not a cat, I’m Hong-seol.”
“Fine, why did you follow me, Hong-seol?”
“Our paths just happened to cross.”
“What?”
“I was planning on saving So-rang and bringing her back anyway.”
Originally, she had intended to ask the adults for help before it was too late, but...
In truth, Hong-seol knew.
She knew that if she did that, it would be too late.
That was why, when Yang Do-jin re-entered the pit, she had followed him without a word.
But it seemed this was something Do-jin had never imagined.
“You managed to escape, so why on earth are you crawling back in here?”
“Because that is the Justice and Chivalry I was taught.”
“You’re out of your mind. You won’t leave even if I tell you to, will you?”
“No.”
“Then you’d better stay in your cat form. At least if the Black Eagle Gang members spot you, there’s less risk of you being captured again.”
“Okay, okay!”
Nodding, Hong-seol did a somersault.
Soon, a small kitten began to walk carefully in step beside Yang Do-jin.
‘Where are we going?’
“You’re asking where we’re going?”
She had only tilted her head slightly, but Yang Do-jin answered in a low voice.
He was quick-witted, as expected of a beggar.
“That way. I can hear the sound of a child over there.”
His hearing was truly remarkable.
“It seems the Black Eagle Gang members are out, but be careful just in case.”
“Meow!”
Though her voice was small, the kitten answered with a spirited heart and walked on, placing her front paws down with precision.
* * *
Quite some time had passed since they left the pit where they had been imprisoned.
As they ventured deeper, Hong-seol could now hear a strange sound as well.
Ugh...
Ugh...
It was a moan, like a child who had lost consciousness and was shivering in the cold.
At that heartbreaking sound, Hong-seol’s heart filled with worry.
‘Is the owner of that sound really So-rang?’
When Hong-seol looked up, the sharp-witted Yang Do-jin nodded.
The further they walked, the more humid the surroundings became, and the moss on the walls grew thicker.
Then, at one moment.
As they turned a corner, a sudden chill brushed against their noses.
There was a small pond there.
“Gasp!”
“Meow!”
The two stopped in their tracks at the same time, struck by the bizarre sight.
An iron ring was embedded in the ceiling above the pond.
A sturdy rope hung from it, binding So-rang’s body tightly.
“Ugh...”
The mysterious moaning was indeed So-rang’s.
So-rang was submerged up to her neck in the crystal-clear pond, but she was unconscious.
It seemed they had struck her meridians.
Seeing this, Yang Do-jin gulped and shouted, “I’ll go!”
Splashing through the water pooled on the floor, Yang Do-jin took one leap into the pond, only to jump right back out in a panic.
“Aaaah!”
Aaaah... Aaaah... Aaaah...
A loud echo rang through the cave.
Yang Do-jin clutched his arms and shivered violently.
“Th-the water is freezing cold!”
Now that he mentioned it, So-rang’s lips, submerged up to her neck, were deathly blue.
‘She’ll stop breathing at this rate!’
Hong-seol paced back and forth around the edge of the pond, restless and anxious.
But she couldn’t bring herself to even dip a paw into the water.
She had never been fond of water to begin with, but in her cat form, perhaps due to instinct, she was twice as terrified of it.
“Those Black Eagle Gang bastards, why would they put a child in such freezing water...”
Yang Do-jin ground his teeth.
Beside him, Hong-seol bristled her fur and meowed in sympathy. Yang Do-jin pulled at his hair and said, “Now, what should we do?”
Just then, a sharp voice echoed through the cave.
“What do you mean, what should we do?”
It was Deng Soso, who had decided to descend the mountain with the other children.
“Deng Soso!”
“Meow!”
Yang Do-jin and Hong-seol, who hadn't expected her, widened their eyes.
“Did you think you could practice Justice and Chivalry by leaving me behind?”
Surprised, Hong-seol couldn't help but do a somersault in the air.
Transforming back into a human, she grabbed Deng Soso’s collar and shook it.
“Th-the other children? What did you do with them?”
“Don’t worry. I hid them in the old Guan Yu shrine. Since there are signs of beggars coming and going, even if something happens to us...”
Deng Soso hid her trembling voice as best she could and spoke with resolve.
“The children will be found by the Beggars' Clan soon enough.”
A Guan Yu shrine referred to a temple dedicated to the worship of Guan Yu.
The old shrines scattered throughout the Central Plains often served as gathering spots for beggars.
Relieved, Hong-seol asked, “How did you find the way?”
“This is a pit, isn't it? Your footprints were left on the dirt floor as clear as day.”
A kitten’s paw prints next to a small child’s footprints—there was no need to look any further.
Deng Soso chuckled.
“Next time, don’t forget to erase your tracks.”
At Deng Soso’s advice, Yang Do-jin grumbled.
“You idiot! You're putting yourself in danger for no reason.”
“Do you think you could save that child without my help? If so, be my guest.”
At that, Yang Do-jin made a resentful face and retorted, “I suppose you have some special trick up your sleeve, young lady?”
“Of course.”
Deng Soso held her index finger high.
“Acupoint striking can save a person, kill a person, or even temporarily numb their senses.”
Hong-seol’s jaw dropped.
Deng Soso continued triumphantly.
“Have you ever heard of fishermen who use acupoint striking to anesthetize fish and keep them alive?”
“Really? Is there such a thing?”
“Of course! Thanks to that, our family gets fresh fish to eat every holiday.”
Deng Soso tilted her nose up and thumped her chest.
“That’s all thanks to the acupoint striking technique our family taught the fishermen!”
Deng Soso excitedly rattled off the stories passed down in her family.
It was a tale of how, long ago, an ancestor of the Deng Clan had repaid a debt of gratitude to a fisherman who had saved their life by teaching him the vital points of fish.
Annoyed by her rambling, Yang Do-jin snapped, “So how is that supposed to help, young lady?”
“You’re so dense. I’m talking about you! I’m going to strike your acupoints to temporarily dull your body’s senses.”
“What?”
“Then you can just go into that ice-cold water and rescue So-rang!”
“...”
After a moment of blankness, Yang Do-jin stripped off his outer shirt and pants.
As he reached for his undergarments, Deng Soso screamed.
“Eek! What are you doing!”
“Ah.”
Right, they were girls.
Yang Do-jin, having regained his senses and his undergarments, thrust his back right in front of Soso’s nose.
“Go ahead, strike the points.”
“Ugh, honestly.”
Though she frowned at his stubborn attitude, Deng Soso poked a few spots with a sharp tap.
Yang Do-jin carefully dipped one foot into the pond. Then, he suddenly whipped his head around to look behind him.
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