Plundering the Front Yard (5)
Taeum.
Was it mere coincidence that Taeum Binghae Singong sprang to mind the instant I laid eyes on that character?
Before I knew it, the old man from the bookstore had sidled up beside me.
"You buying that martial arts manual?"
"Ah, yes, sir. But this is a martial arts manual?"
The old man nodded slowly.
"That's right. This is a shop that sells used martial arts manuals."
"You sell martial arts manuals?"
Shouldn't those be precious treasures locked away in clan vaults or sect libraries?
The old man chuckled and explained.
"There are countless martial arts manuals in the world, but not all of them are peerless secret tomes."
"True enough."
"Those lesser ones eventually trickle down and end up here."
He continued.
"The one you picked out costs four silver mun."
Four silver mun—barely the price of a chicken.
"It's a martial arts manual, and you're letting it go that cheap?"
"If no one buys it, it'll just rot away here. And everything in this shop is, well, used."
With that, I pulled out four silver mun and paid up.
"Here you go."
"Much obliged."
"Take care, then."
I turned to leave, but the old man suddenly called out.
"Hold on."
"...?"
"Wait just a moment."
He stared intently at Palgap beside me, then pulled a book from the shelf and held it out.
"Take this one too."
"Pardon?"
"Your bear of a companion here could use it."
Used Martial Arts Manual
A short while later,
After slurping down some chicken noodle soup at Miji Restaurant, tending to a few errands, and returning to the inn, I took another look at the used martial arts manual I'd bought from the bookstore.
It definitely felt familiar somehow.
Maybe if I show it to Master, he'll know what it is, I thought, tucking it away and pulling out another manual.
This was the one the old bookstore owner had recommended for Palgap, saying he'd find it useful.
Sure enough, the cover was blank.
I flipped through the pages and quickly realized the content was peculiar.
To the one walking the Path of the King Slayer...
Palgap struck me as someone born with the talents of the King Slayer, the legendary assassin king.
For the old man to zero in on him and recommend this manual felt anything but ordinary.
Just who the hell is that old guy?
I read on calmly.
This was a sort of assassin’s guidebook.
It covered everything from concealing your presence and taking a target's life to the martial techniques every killer needed to master.
I could guess why it had ended up in a used bookstore.
The moment you think "I must not be discovered," all things around you will conspire to hide you...
Most of it would seem utterly ridiculous to ordinary eyes.
But for someone innately gifted like the King Slayer, it was the ultimate secret manual.
Having observed Palgap for so long, I was certain he had those gifts.
Still, I hesitated.
Should I let him learn this?
If he'd mastered it, he wouldn't have died so pointlessly in my previous life.
But if he did... would he still be the Palgap I knew?
What should I do?
I pondered long and hard, but no clear answer emerged, so I slipped the manual back into my pouch for now.
I should discuss this with Master too. He's full of secrets himself, so if I ask, he'll keep it under wraps.
Before that, I needed to swing by the bookstore again tomorrow.
Time had already slipped toward evening.
That evening,
After dining with my parents at the inn, I headed to Daejin House.
It was one of Luoyang's finer taverns.
"Welcome!"
Palgap spoke to the eager server.
"We have a reservation."
He handed over a note with the details, and the server bowed deeply.
"Ah, you're the guests for the third private room. Everything's ready. This way, please."
The server led us in.
I was here to meet the great thief Chunil.
We'd chosen this place for its superior privacy compared to other taverns.
As I entered the private room, servers followed with a massive tray.
The standard banquet spread that came with renting the room.
"Ring the bell if you need anything."
They bowed politely and left.
I surveyed the feast on the table.
The lavish, exquisite dishes perfectly showcased Luoyang's abundance.
No matter how upscale the tavern, such opulence required a prosperous region.
"Mm, delicious. Everyone, dig in. The food's pretty good."
Palgap and the three guards shook their heads.
"No, thank you."
"We ate earlier, and this is a tavern now. Especially at night—we need to stay alert. A full belly dulls the senses."
I didn't press them further in the face of their resolve.
Am I the weird one for eating so casually?
But I steered clear of the alcohol.
My goal here was to recruit Chunil the great thief, after all.
A few drinks wouldn't cloud my judgment, but there was no need to risk it.
Dong! Dong! Dong! Dong!
A distant drum echoed.
The signal for the Hour of the Pig—9 to 11 p.m.
He should arrive any moment now.
I'd deliberately not told him which room. If he was the talent I imagined, he'd find me.
That's when it happened.
"Milord, the wallflower enters."
A woman's voice accompanied the opening door, and in swept a elegantly dressed courtesan.
Sensing her aura, I grinned and nodded to the seat before me.
"Have a seat."
"Yes, milord."
I marveled at her demure poise.
Dancer last time, courtesan now.
Incredible disguise skills.
Impressed inwardly, I spoke.
"Right on time."
"Time is precious, after all."
"How'd you know I was here?"
"Trade secret."
Chunil smiled seductively, and I smirked.
"Doesn't suit you. To someone who knows you're a man, that smile's more poison than charm, don't you think?"
"Fair point."
Her voice shifted seamlessly to a man's tenor.
Palgap and the guards startled but held their reactions.
"So, what does the man who bested me in our little contest want from me?"
I cut straight to it.
"We at the Eunhae Merchant Group want to hire you."
"...Pardon? Hire me?"
"Yes."
I nodded and continued.
"You're suffering, aren't you?"
"..."
"You hate that you steal, yet you can't stop. Must feel pretty shitty."
"I..."
"No excuses. Your trembling eyes and twitching lips already confirm it."
"..."
Silence fell.
"Yes, you're right. I hate stealing. But what can I do? Look at me."
He sighed.
"I tried to quit. But next thing I knew, my hands were at it again. So I chained them up tight... only to steal with those same hands."
Sadness laced his words.
"Stealing's become part of my body now. Only death will stop it. And I can't even manage that—makes me despise myself."
He met my gaze squarely.
"You'd still hire a mess like me?"
"Yes."
"...!"
My firm reply left him dumbfounded.
"I want to hire you as security consultant for our merchant group."
"Entrusting the sparrow with the rice grains?"
"Maybe. But even you couldn't steal everything from us. No warehouse could hold it all."
"..."
"And I'm the youngest son of the Eunhae Merchant Group."
"Heh heh heh."
He chuckled.
"True enough."
"But that's just the official title. The real reason..."
"...?"
His expression turned quizzical again.
"Truth be told, I'm impressed by your uncanny disguises."
"Ah..."
He flashed another alluring smile.
"I am pretty good at it. Master drilled me hard, but I worked my ass off too."
His face grew serious.
"No one's ever seen through my disguises—until you."
"..."
"Meaning someone else might spot them someday... You sure about hiring me just for that?"
"Nah, I'm a bit of a genius, that's all."
"Huh?"
"No need to worry about others seeing through it."
In my previous life, no one pierced his disguises. He even altered his aura to match—how could they?
He got caught because he turned himself in to the authorities, unable to bear an innocent man suffering under his alias.
This man before me had a soft heart.
I pressed on.
"And I'll let you steal to your heart's content."
"What bullshit is that? You gonna make a thief who hates stealing keep at it?"
Palgap and the guards flinched at the crude words, but I waved them off.
"You don't actually hate stealing itself, do you? That's why you took my bet."
"..."
"So steal information."
"Pardon?"
"Why limit theft to money? You can steal hearts, secrets... And that's what I want from you: information."
He looked dazed, and I grinned.
What I needed from Chunil was an information broker.
I required a top-tier one—Father agreed.
As our group grew, so did the value of intel. That's why the hundred great merchants met yearly.
To face the Murim Alliance later, I'd need quality info.
The Hao Clan helped, but they weren't fast or precise enough—and they might feed us disinformation.
In my past life, we didn't run a proper intel team until we hit the top ten merchants.
Funding was part of it, but talented people were scarce.
Now, the perfect candidate sat before me.
And money was no issue.
We were growing steadily, and this intel would accelerate it.
I asked Chunil,
"Stealing info is way harder than now. Even for you, it'd be tough."
A vein pulsed on his forehead.
Stroking a thief's pride always works best.
"So, think you can manage?"
"Nothing in this world I can't steal."
"Then no reason you can't sign with us."
I slid over the prepared contract.
"Right?"
"Deal. Let's contract."
Chunil signed it.
Hooked the big one. Fresh and flopping.
I reclaimed the contract.
"As stated, steal anything but info, and it comes out of your pay. Meaning, only steal your own stuff."
He smirked.
"My pay's that cheap?"
"See? Signed without reading."
"...?"
"It says pay scales with info value. Lowest: one silver nyang. Highest: ten gold nyang."
"...!"
He gaped.
"For real?"
"Want to reread the contract?"
He nodded, scanned it again, then returned it with deference.
"When do I start?"
Straightforward about money—perfect.