“I refuse.”

“Are you not even going to hear who it is?”

“Whoever it is, I have no intention of killing anyone.”

As Jin Sohyun, who had spoken firmly, stood up from his seat, Jeokmyeon continued with a short sigh.

“The Baekhwa Pass.”

Jin Sohyun’s movement stopped.

“There’s no way you wouldn’t know. It was the Blue Dragon Daoist Temple that destroyed the Baekhwa Pass. Your work.”

“…”

“The Baekhwa Pass accounted for a considerable share of the Hao Sect’s many sources of funds. Thanks to that, Baekmyeon’s share and influence in the Hao Sect were enormous. Naturally, the higher the share, the louder the voice.”

“So?”

“That Baekmyeon is now eyeing my business. The numerous brothels in Honggang, including the Cheonhwagak, are under my management, and the funds the brothels bring in are substantial. But more importantly…”

Jeokmyeon tapped his temple with his index finger.

“It’s information.”

“Information?”

“Brothels sell the two things a man should be most careful of. Women and alcohol. No matter how outstanding a martial artist is… or how tight-lipped a merchant or a powerful person is, they can’t resist the alcohol poured by a pretty courtesan.”

Jeokmyeon leaned deep into his chair.

“Men, you see. They want to share their tales of heroism with someone. How could renowned powerful people, merchants, and martial artists resist this?”

The red mask shook from side to side.

“They can’t. Besides, there are courtesans here whom everyone looks down on, so there are plenty of bastards who believe it doesn’t matter what they say. That’s why brothels are places overflowing with precious information that even the Beggars' Sect can’t find out. Thanks to that, I weave together that precious information, sort out only the useful things, and sell them.”

Jin Sohyun couldn't just blame Jeokmyeon.

The way the Beggars' Sect and the Hao Sect obtained information was similar.

If they were wrong, could the Beggars' Sect be said to be righteous?

While Jin Sohyun was contemplating, Jeokmyeon’s voice grew louder with excitement.

“But now that Baekmyeon, who has lost the Baekhwa Pass, is threatening my position, how annoying is that?”

“So you want me to kill your colleague?”

“Colleague? Hahaha! In the Hao Sect, there is no such romantic relationship as a colleague. We are just businessmen with the same purpose. That’s why I didn’t report it to the sect master even after meeting the famous Jin Sohyun.”

As he said, Jeokmyeon had not reported the truth about Jin Sohyun to the Hao Sect’s master.

The reason was simple.

“I have no interest in the relationship between the Heretic Path's Alliance and you. I’m not interested in the great cause they are trying to achieve either. What I’m interested in is only my own well-being and a future that will shine brilliantly with gold.”

“You mean you’ll keep quiet about me if I kill Baekmyeon?”

“That’s right. I will never tell anyone that Young Master Jin is fine. I swear on my neck.”

“What if I refuse?”

“Then I have no choice… the heretic martial world will find out that Jin Sohyun is alive and well.”

“There’s only one person who knows that fact, right?”

Jeokmyeon, who had understood the meaning of Jin Sohyun’s words, laughed silently.

“Do you think I would have revealed myself in front of you without any countermeasures for that?”

“Shall we check?”

Jin Sohyun broke the alcohol bottle and raised his hand.

The broken pieces of the bottle floated up.

As internal energy was imbued into them, the pieces became sharp daggers and surrounded Jeokmyeon.

“A considerable level of telekinesis. The rumor that you destroyed the Nameless Pavilion alone was not an empty one.”

“You’d better take out your countermeasures right now.”

One of the bottle pieces touched Jeokmyeon’s throat.

Nevertheless, Jeokmyeon was not agitated.

Rather, he was watching Jin Sohyun with an interested gaze, as if observing him.

“Young Master Jin. Do you know why we wear masks?”

“No.”

“That is.”

Jeokmyeon took off the mask he was wearing.

What was revealed was a very ordinary-looking middle-aged face.

Jeokmyeon opened his mouth and said.

“Do you understand?”

Jin Sohyun, who was facing him, furrowed his brow slightly.

“Hahaha! That’s it. It means that anyone can become the Red-Faced Lord just by wearing a red mask.”

Jin Sohyun, who had come face to face with the unmasked Jeokmyeon, could tell at once.

The unnatural expression and the movement of the lips.

‘This person is not the real Red-Faced Lord.’

He didn't know what method was used, but the man in front of Jin Sohyun now was not the real Red-Faced Lord.

The real one was hiding somewhere and had sent out a fake to take his place.

“In any case, this person will die as soon as our conversation is over. So the secret between you and me will be known only to the two of us.”

“And even if I kill this person here, it will be meaningless.”

“Haha! That’s right. It’s good that we can communicate well. Even if you kill my double, nothing will change. Rather, the Heretic Path's Alliance will find out. That Jin Sohyun is fine.”

Jin Sohyun, who was contemplating, raised his hand and said.

“Give me some time to think.”

“How much time do you need?”

“I’ll come back tomorrow.”

“If you’re thinking of finding me, you’d better give up. If you show any suspicious movements… a letter containing all the truth will immediately fly toward the Heretic Path's Alliance.”

Jin Sohyun turned his body instead of answering.

At that, the man who had been breathing just a moment ago choked and then collapsed, foaming at the mouth.

‘He’s dead.’

Jin Sohyun, who had confirmed that Jeokmyeon’s double was dead, let out an unpleasant breath and then threw himself out of the Cheonru’s window.

And after a while,

Creak—!

The dead man lifted his head with a creaking sound.

“Phew… that was close.”

Jeokmyeon wiped the foam from his mouth with his sleeve and picked up the red mask he had placed on the table.

“A more naive fellow than I thought. Jin Sohyun.”

It was a gamble.

He had pretended to use a double and then feigned death by applying the Turtle Breathing Grand Art.

Jeokmyeon, who had succeeded in deceiving Jin Sohyun by feigning death, put on the mask and slowly stood up.

“Then, shall we prepare for the deal?”

***

“Little brother!”

Beomgang, who was resting comfortably at the Jahong Inn, glared at Jin Sohyun with his bulging eyes.

“You left me with the task of dealing with the flies, and you went to the Cheonhwagak alone!”

“I did.”

“No, how could you do that! There’s a proper order even in cold water!”

“Be quiet. My head hurts.”

At the news that the handsome waiter had quit, the bustling Jahong Inn became a quiet and secluded inn frequented only by a few regulars again.

Thanks to that, Jin Sohyun, who was sitting in an empty seat and thinking, had a headache.

‘I can’t just kill that person named Baekmyeon.’

Recalling the incident at the Baekhwa Pass, Baekmyeon was a bastard who deserved to die.

But he couldn't just go and kill him.

But if he refused Jeokmyeon’s proposal like this, the Heretic Path's Alliance would threaten his family.

A situation where he could neither do this nor that.

“Aigoo… my head hurts. I didn’t know going home would be this hard.”

“Tell this Beomgang your worries. As your older brother, I’ll give you some appropriate advice!”

“This is all because of you!”

Jin Sohyun, who could no longer hold it in and exploded, grabbed Beomgang’s hair tightly.

At that lightning-fast speed, Beomgang, who could not dodge in time and had his hair grabbed, flailed his two arms.

“B-brother, what are you doing!”

“What do you mean, brother!”

Beomgang, the one and only disciple and adopted son of the Fist King, Beom Utae, one of the Five Great Masters of the Central Plains.

Likewise, Jin Sohyun, the one and only disciple of the Flying Heaven Ten Sword, Kang Cheon, one of the Five Great Masters of the Central Plains.

Who would know?

That the one and only disciples of the two absolute masters were fighting, grabbing each other’s hair.

Of course, the one who was unilaterally grabbing and shaking Beomgang’s hair was Jin Sohyun.

Jin Sohyun, who had been pulling at Beomgang’s hair for a long time, raised his head at the sound of the bell announcing a customer.

It was a habit he had developed while working as a waiter.

“Haa… haa…”

The person who appeared, opening the door, panting, was a woman he had seen once before.

“Help… help… I need help.”

Seolmae came running to Jin Sohyun and Beomgang, panting.

“What’s wrong?”

As Jin Sohyun asked, letting go of Beomgang’s hair, Seolmae said, choking back tears.

“Please… please save my friend.”

***

Slap—!!

Yuha, who was slapped across the face, was a mess, as if she had already been subjected to all sorts of assaults.

“You worthless wench! Are you trying to ruin the Bongrugak that I built with my blood and sweat by bringing in a bastard like that?”

“It’s not like that…”

“What do you mean, it’s not like that! Because of you, the number of customers coming to the Bongrugak has decreased by almost half! The losses incurred because of that will be added to your debt, so you know.”

“No… no!”

Yuha grabbed the Bongrugak Master’s trouser legs and begged.

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry! Just once… just once, please let me go. I’ll work hard.”

“Yes. You have to work hard. That’s the only way you’ll pay off the ten thousand nyang debt you have, won’t you?”

“T-ten thousand nyang…”

“I told you. You have to make up for the losses I’ve incurred.”

In front of the despairing Yuha, the Bongrugak Master cackled.

“Don’t worry. You’ll be able to pay it all off if you work for about twenty years.”

Yuha, who could no longer stand it, took out a small dagger from her waist.

The startled Bongrugak Master stepped back, but he soon said with a sly smile.

“What are you going to do with that? What can you do?”

“I’ll kill you… and then I’ll kill myself…”

“Really? Then what about your younger sibling?”

At the mention of her younger sibling, Yuha’s face hardened.

“That… how…”

“Did you think I wouldn’t know? That you were hiding your younger sibling? You foolish wench, should I sell your younger sibling to the male brothel district too? To pay off your debt instead?”

Yuha threw the dagger she was holding to the floor and prostrated herself.

“I’m sorry… I’m sorry… I’ll pay off all ten thousand nyang… so my sibling… don’t touch my sibling.”

The Bongrugak Master stepped on Yuha’s head with his foot and smiled slyly.

“Twelve thousand nyang.”

“Yes?”

“That’s the price for trying to kill me just now. It’s only increased by two thousand nyang, so don’t worry too much.”

Whether it was ten thousand nyang or twelve thousand nyang, Yuha had no choice.

She could only shed tears and beg for mercy.

“Now, then… take it off.”

“Take… it off?”

“I have to see with my own eyes if there’s a problem with the merchandise. Hurry!”

At the Bongrugak Master’s order, the prostrated Yuha brought her hand to her clothes, holding back her tears.

Her lips trembled.

“What are you doing, not taking it off quickly!”

At the Bongrugak Master’s urging, Yuha closed her eyes tightly and tried to take off her clothes.

‘It’s a ruined body anyway. Let’s not hesitate.’

It was when a layer of her clothes, which were covering her body, was about to be taken off by Yuha’s hand.

“Stop him! Stop him!”

“Stop!”

“W-wait a minute…”

“Uaaaargh!”

The rough screams of men were heard from behind her.

Startled by this, the Bongrugak Master ordered the two escort martial artists who were protecting him.

“Go out and check.”

“Yes!”

The moment the two escorts opened the door, men who had flown in from somewhere attacked them.

“Heok!”

The two escorts, who were standing perfectly fine, got entangled with the men who had flown in and rolled on the floor.

And soon, Beomgang appeared inside the warehouse where Yuha was trapped, rolling his wrists.

The Bongrugak Master picked up the fallen sword and shouted.

“Who, who are you!”

“This body’s name is Beomgang.”

“Beomgang?”

It was a name he had never heard before.

At that moment, one of the men who had been thrown opened his mouth with difficulty.

“The… the waiter from the Jahong Inn… sir.”

“What? A waiter!?”

A hollow laugh burst from the Bongrugak Master’s mouth.

“A mere waiter… you brat! Do you know who I am to be causing a ruckus!”

Before the Bongrugak Master’s words could end, Beomgang’s fist grazed past his face.

Kwa-ga-ga-ga-gang!!

The fist wind contained in the fist strike destroyed the wall of the warehouse in one go and sent it flying.

Beomgang, who had withdrawn his fist, asked with an annoyed face.

“Well, who do you think you are?”

A hiccup burst from the mouth of the Bongrugak Master, who was already filled with fear.

“Hiccup!”

In the meantime, Jin Sohyun walked out from behind Beomgang.

Jin Sohyun looked back and forth between the messy Yuha and the Bongrugak Master and then said in a coldly subdued voice.

“Shall we talk?”

The Bongrugak Master said.

“Yes!”

(End of Chapter)