Chapter 3

"Young Master Jeok was a true romantic, a man who appreciated the finer things in life."

This was Hwa Yong, a courtesan of the House of courtesans, Red Flower House's assessment of Jeok Leegeon.

This was a place Jeok Leegeon frequented as easily as a rat scurrying in and out of a straw bag, and it was here that Gwimyeong began his initial investigation into Jeok Leegeon.

In Jianghu, the women who know men best are the courtesans. After just a few drinks with a man, they can make educated guesses about his background and profession. That's how perceptive they are.

This courtesan, Hwa Yong, immediately recognized that he was a dangerous individual and readily answered his questions.

"Did he spend a lot of money?"

Unexpectedly, she shook her head.

"Young Master Jeok hardly spent any money at all."

"Tell me more."

"Many of the courtesans were fond of him."

Which meant he drank and played for free.

"I heard he hadn't been coming here long?"

"No, it doesn't take long to capture a woman's heart."

"He must have been skilled in the bedroom."

Hwa Yong shook her head, her expression revealing her inner thoughts: 'Typical male thinking.'

"He didn't sleep with any of us."

He couldn't get a read on what kind of guy he was. Why would he frequent a House of courtesans if he wasn't going to sleep with the courtesans? Was he perhaps incapable of performing?

"Why would they like a guy like that?"

A hint of weariness flickered across Hwa Yong's face. If the person before her wasn't the formidable Gwimyeong, she would have given him a scornful look.

"Young Master Jeok understood us well. Sometimes he scolded us like an older brother, and other times he acted like a naive younger brother."

Gwimyeong scoffed. Foolish women. To be so easily swayed by a few sweet words.

"Once, a group of Wanderer thugs got drunk and caused a ruckus. Our protectors stepped in, but they couldn't stop them. I later heard that a fairly well-known expert was backing them. Anyway, two of my sisters were stabbed, and the rest were locked in their rooms. A courtesan's life is worth less than a dog's... We were all so frustrated and wronged. Everyone was wringing their hands when Young Master Jeok stepped in."

"Did he kill them all?"

He wondered what Martial arts he had used.

Hwa Yong looked puzzled and asked, "Kill them? Young Master Jeok took a thorough beating and suffered the humiliation of crawling between their legs. But with everyone's attention on Young Master Jeok, the sisters in the rooms were able to escape."

That was unexpected. He had demonstrated the Thunderbolt Sword in front of Jin I-bong. Even if it was only a fraction of its power, those Wanderers wouldn't have been a match. But he endured such humiliation? Why would he hide his Martial arts?

"So, what happened then?"

"The thugs lost interest and left."

He must have secretly used some trick.

"Anyway, we closed early that day, and we all gathered separately with Young Master Jeok to have fun. Even the owner couldn't stop us! Ah! I still can't forget the song Young Master Jeok sang that day."

Her face flushed as the emotion of that moment resurfaced.

'This guy is quite the charmer.'

That was the end of Hwa Yong's story. Hwa Yong took the agreed-upon money and left the room. Left alone, Gwimyeong emptied the remaining liquor in his glass.

'Where did he run off to?'

In most cases, he would go into hiding, right? For a few years, he would hide in the deep mountains, gathering medicinal herbs, or dry squid by the sea. Eventually, the pursuers would tire, and he could start anew with a new identity in a new town. This was the common path of the fugitives Gwimyeong had encountered so far. Obvious, but the most reliable method of escape.

But this guy was no ordinary man. He had to conduct a more thorough and meticulous investigation than with other contracts.

After drinking two more cups of liquor, Gwimyeong left Red Flower House, where Guseo was waiting outside.

The ninth rat of the Rat Hole Gang.

Large-scale assassin organizations in Jianghu used organizations called Rat Hole to gather information. Despite their ridiculous name, they were a very secretive and dangerous organization. Rat Hole was a specialized group that dealt exclusively with information for assassins.

If they set their minds to it, they could find out when the target started walking and when they had their first experience.

The informants who worked there were called Rat Master, and due to the nature of their work, they prioritized confidentiality above all else. Also, since they were dealing with assassins, they naturally possessed a bold and ruthless nature.

Because he always wore a Human skin mask, Guseo's face changed every time they met. Sometimes he appeared as an old man, other times as a young man. Today, he appeared as an ordinary middle-aged man.

The two men walked side by side.

As they left the pleasure district lined with Houses of courtesans, Guseo handed over several letters.

"Is this a target you'll handle personally?"

Gwimyeong and Guseo had worked together more than ten times. Among the rats of Rat Hole, Guseo was known for his thorough and clean work. They also had good chemistry. From the third contract onward, Gwimyeong had deliberately requested him.

Guseo had never asked a question first while working on a job.

That meant even he couldn't understand this contract.

Indeed, as he read the information he had gathered, he had the same thought.

'Why couldn't they kill a guy like this?'

The documents contained detailed information about Jeok Leegeon's activities over the past six months. Of course, his relationship with Jin I-bong was also included.

The incident at Red Flower House was also described in detail. But that was it.

Other than that, he had no particular grudges or fights. Jeok Leegeon was truly just an ordinary idler.

"What about his previous activities?"

"I didn't have time to look into that. If you wish..."

"That's alright."

His subsequent activities were more important than his previous ones.

"First, find out where he is."

"Understood. But there's one thing I need to tell you."

If the client was an ordinary assassin, Guseo would have left it at that. There was nothing to be gained from having a deep relationship with an assassin.

But the client was Gwimyeong. Because the top assassin of Ghost Killing Gate always requested him, his position within Rat Hole had become even more solid. Now was the time to repay that gratitude.

"There's one strange thing."

"What is it?"

"Eight months ago, there was a similar incident."

Gwimyeong was startled. As expected, Rat Hole already knew about this incident. But that wasn't the issue. The moment he heard who the target was, Gwimyeong was shocked.

"Have you perhaps heard of Golden Accumulation Mountain?"

"Of course. Isn't he the wealthiest man in Shandong?"

Because he accumulated gold to form a mountain, Im Dal, the wealthiest man in Shandong, was called Golden Accumulation Mountain.

Gwimyeong's eyes flashed.

"Could it be?"

Guseo nodded.

"It's being kept quiet, but... he was also swindled out of a large sum."

"But that's not enough to connect it to this case..."

Guseo's next words were shocking.

"Golden Accumulation Mountain had seven of his fingers cut off."

Gwimyeong's eyes widened. He felt a thrill. It was definitely him.

"How much was the damage?"

"The exact amount is unknown, but it's estimated to be around 1.5 million taels."

A gasp escaped him.

If that incident was also the work of this Jeok Leegeon?

'Just how much has this guy made?'

And if there were other victims before that, he would have an astronomical amount of money.

Gwimyeong's heart pounded. If he found him, and if fortune favored him, he could gain wealth beyond measure.

"Let me ask you something."

"Go ahead."

"Could you Shapeshifting enough to deceive a subordinate you've used like a limb for twenty years in just one night's work?"

Guseo pondered Gwimyeong's question for a moment.

"There would be several variables. It would depend on the subordinate's personality, observational skills, and attitude towards their master. But that level of skill would be considered remarkable."

"Is there a Human skin mask maker nearby?"

"There is."

"Can you connect me with them?"

Guseo hesitated for a moment. The mask maker was someone with whom they also had a close relationship. He wasn't someone to be exposed carelessly.

Reading his concerns, Gwimyeong said calmly, "Don't worry. It's me, Gwimyeong."