Mutual Preparations
"Please make your personal preparations and arrive by the Chen hour tomorrow."
Recalling the maid's parting words, I Yeon headed to the bustling market street. She had no habit of extravagance, so her luggage wouldn't be heavy—but she still needed a few new outfits.
Passing shops that dealt in fine silks, she entered a plainly ordinary clothing store, the kind anyone would overlook. To a martial artist, flashy brocade robes were pointless luxuries. Simple cotton garb was more than enough.
"Welcome."
The shopkeeper, sporting a goatee, greeted her as she stepped inside.
"I'm here for some travel clothes."
"Haha, of course. What about your measurements? Shall I take them?"
"No need. I'll write them down."
I Yeon jotted her sizes on the cloth the shopkeeper handed her.
"Thank you. I'll prepare them right aw—oh, and what colors would you like?"
"Two each in white and blue."
"Got it. Right away."
The shopkeeper headed to the racks and soon returned with four sets of travel clothes.
"Here you are. But just to be safe, why not try them on?"
"Sure."
I Yeon nodded.
"This way, then. There's a changing room in the back corner."
Following his lead, she entered an empty room tucked away behind.
Click.
The door shut.
But I Yeon didn't change. Of course not. A man sat inside—a man with a stern, impassive face.
She knew it wasn't his real one, though. His features changed every time. Disguise arts with a human-skin mask. That was his specialty.
"No tail?"
He checked that first. Meticulous to a fault.
"None."
I Yeon answered promptly. She'd been cautious, just in case, but she doubted it was even possible. Tailing her through twenty first-rate experts? Did Geumryongjeonjang even have that kind of force? If they did, they wouldn't be recruiting martial artists on such a grand scale.
"My apologies for the intrusion."
Only then did he belatedly excuse his rudeness.
"So, whose idea was this ridiculously thorough setup?"
I Yeon hadn't known until moments before entering, either. She'd only learned after the goateed shopkeeper's transmitted voice.
"Lady Lu's."
"Ah, figures. No wonder you're here, Muyeong."
Muyeong. Eun Hwa-yeong's right-hand man, her closest confidant. Yet utterly unknown to the outside world.
I Yeon knew of him, though. That alone spoke volumes about her bond with Eun Hwa-yeong.
"Lady Lu takes this matter gravely."
"I imagine. Enough to ask me for that favor."
I Yeon continued.
"And what do you think? Is Geumryongjeonjang really that suspicious?"
"I wouldn't dare question Lady Lu's decisions. But one thing I must say."
"What?"
"Lady Lu's instincts far surpass those of ordinary folk. I know how fearsome they are."
"I see. I think so too."
I Yeon nodded at his words.
Silence fell briefly. She had nothing more to say first, and he seemed to be gathering his thoughts.
Then Muyeong spoke again.
"Did you notice anything suspicious at Geumryongjeonjang today?"
"No. The retainers seemed untroubled, and the atmosphere was peaceful."
"They wouldn't show weakness on a day like this, of course."
"True. If her instincts are right, whoever's behind it won't be a pushover."
"Indeed. We'll trust your sharp eyes for that, Lady Heroine."
"What a burden."
I Yeon let out a wry chuckle.
"Lady Lu and the rest of us will support you fully. Please take this."
Muyeong held out something—a small gray box.
"What's this?"
He opened it silently at her question.
A rat emerged. Small, with black fur. Oddly, it didn't squeak. Mute, like it couldn't make a sound.
"A rat? What's it for?"
Any ordinary woman might have screamed, but she was a martial artist. Calmly, she asked its purpose.
"A black rat."
"Black rat. And?"
"A spirit beast. Highly intelligent—perfect for messages."
"For messages? First I've heard of using rats for that."
Carrier pigeons were common. Homing orioles for the elite. Those were the staples of the jianghu.
Rats? Unheard of.
"As expected. Black rats are exclusive to the head branch. Only three exist in all. Only those in the highest positions can use them."
Head branch—Haomen, naturally. Eun Hwa-yeong was its Hangzhou branch chief, though her role dwarfed any ordinary regional head. Hangzhou's pleasure district was legendary, a city that never slept. Thus, its courtesans outnumbered anywhere else—and she led them, the core of Haomen's network. Her status was immense.
Owning a black rat proved it.
"I see. But is it okay to give away something so precious?"
"Pigeons won't work. Geumryongjeonjang isn't that sloppy."
"Fair enough, but..."
"A black rat can."
Pigeons flew openly, easy to spot. But rats? People overlooked what scurried at their feet. Tiny, slipping through any crack—ideal for secrecy.
"Got it. We'll use this for contact."
"Thank you."
Muyeong explained handling and contact times, then added,
"Muyeong Corps will stand by near Geumryongjeonjang at all times."
This wasn't Lady Lu's order. His own initiative, to convey her sincerity to her sole true friend.
"...I see. She's too worried. I'm not a child."
I Yeon said it lightly, but she looked pleased.
"Always stay cautious—extra cautious."
Bang So-un warned.
"Of course, Young Master. What do you take me for?"
Jang Il replied with a relaxed grin. Ever since securing Hwang Bo-seol, everything had fallen into place perfectly. No wonder he felt so at ease.
But Bang So-un was different. Caution was his nature. Perhaps that's what tempered Jang Il's recklessness, yielding better results.
"I know your heart. But do you grasp what twenty first-rate experts mean?"
"Twenty first-rate experts are twenty first-rate experts."
Jang Il answered with a puzzled look, as if it were the oddest question.
Bang So-un clicked his tongue in disbelief.
"It means chaos if they catch on and move, you fool."
They had Yeon Su-rin, their peak expert trump card. But the rest of their forces? Laughably inadequate. She couldn't handle it alone.
"Ah... yeah, true."
Jang Il finally nodded.
"So we dismantle them one by one—silently, thoroughly. Never let them suspect."
"Haha, naturally."
He thumped his chest confidently, but with a newfound wariness. Good enough.
"One more thing."
"What now, Young Master?"
"There might be a plant among those twenty."
Bang So-un narrowed his eyes.
"Huh? No way. They're all first-rates."
Jang Il tilted his head.
"Fool. Is there a rule saying first-rates can't spy?"
"W-well, no..."
"I anticipated this before we even started. Told the deputy chief and Yeon Mae to lock down the inner courtyard tight."
"But I could handle inner courtyard duty..."
"Think, idiot. Everyone knows you're my official guard. You gonna strut around playing warden?"
"Whoa."
Jang Il's eyes widened as reality hit. No more free rein like before.
"We just need to finish before anyone notices. Still, prepare for the worst."
"Yes. Understood, Young Master."
His gaze sharpened.
"Now, let's set the order. It can shift with circumstances, of course."
Thus, Bang So-un and Jang Il meticulously planned their next moves.