Chapter 3

Chapter- 3

“What happened?”

“A similar incident occurred eight months ago.”

Gwi Myung was surprised that the Rat Hole had a record of a similar case, but that wasn’t the issue. The target of that case was what astonished him.

“Do you know of Geum Jeok-San?”

“Of course, isn’t he the wealthiest man in Shandong?”

Lim Dal had the most wealth in Shandong, and he was known as Geum Jeok-San because he owned so much gold that it formed a mountain.

Gwi Myung’s eyes showed a glint of interest.

“Even him?”

Gu Seo confirmed with a nod.

“Even though they’re keeping it under wraps... we found out that he was also swindled.”

“It was similar to this case but over there...”

Gwi Myung was taken aback by his next words.

“Geum Jeok-San lost not just five, but seven of his fingers.”

As his eyes opened wide, Gwi Myung felt a thrill. Jeok Lee-Gun was definitely related to that incident as well.

“How much damage was done over there?”

“The exact number is unknown, but estimates say it was around 1.5 million nyang.”

‘!’

He let out a gasp. If Jeok Lee-Gun was involved in that incident as well...

‘How much money did this guy take?’

If Jin Lee-Bong and Geum Jeok-San were not the only victims, then the amount he had must be astronomical.

Gwi Myung’s heart was racing. Assuming he was able to take care of him, if he got lucky, he would end up with an immense amount of wealth.

“I have a question for you.”

“Of course.”

“If you had a subordinate who worked for somebody for twenty years, would you be able to deceive him in one night?”

Gu Seo took a moment to think about it.

“We have to take many variables into account, such as the subordinate’s personality, observational skills, and what they thought of their master. If your target’s skill is at such a level, his abilities are truly impressive.”

“Is there someone who makes human skin masks in this area?”

“I know a person.”

“Can you get me in touch with them?”

Gu Seo hesitated to tell him, as the mask creator was an important connection for the Rat Hole, and his identity couldn’t be given away carelessly. Sensing the concern on his face, Gwi Myung spoke in an assuring tone.

“There’s no need to worry, I’m Gwi Myung.”

“He was truly a frightening individual.”

Merchant Yun’s recollection of Jeok Lee-Gun was unsettling.

As Gwi Myung had anticipated, Jeok Lee-Gun procured the materials for crafting a human skin mask from this place. Not only that, but he acquired items to alter his physique and medicines to modify his voice.

“He was the kind of person who could take a life with a smile on his face.”

This was a stark contrast to the impression given by the courtesans.

“Is that your intuition speaking?”

Yun nodded, his trust in Gwi Myung was bolstered by the introduction from his long-time patron, Gu Seo.

“In this line of work, one encounters a myriad of individuals. Yet, it was the first time I met someone who exudes such an unsettling aura. And he was so young, too.”

“Be more specific.”

“It was an innate presence. Simply standing beside him made it difficult to breathe.”

Could a mere twenty-year-old really emanate such a murderous aura?

It was a notion that swayed on the edge of believability.

The deeper he delved into Jeok Lee-Gun’s background, the more enigmatic he seemed to appear.

“He possessed extensive knowledge of disguising techniques. He must have been trained by a master of considerable reputation.”

“Do you know who that might be?”

Yun shook his head. It was an understandable response. Techniques of disguise were closely guarded secrets. Even Yun, who appeared to be an ordinary general store owner, was no exception.

Gwi Myung concluded that there was nothing more to extract from Yun.

As he turned to leave, he hesitated momentarily.

“Who introduced him to this establishment?”

“It was a gambler named Yeom who made the introduction.”

“The guy was a fool.”

Yeom was very critical of the addict who had squandered his life on gambling.

“He always lost money. In my three decades of gambling, I have never encountered anyone as inept as that guy.”

Gwi Myung, listening intently, sighed lightly. The man he was pursuing was like an onion; peeling away one layer only revealed another. He was an enigmatic bastard.

Perhaps feeling grateful for the few nyang he had received, Yeom began to babble about things he hadn’t even been asked.

“One day, I got so frustrated that I questioned why he kept coming back in spite of losing so much. His answer was a real masterpiece.”

“What was his response?”

“He claimed he was preparing for something that required immense luck in the future. So, he wanted to exhaust all his bad luck here. Hahaha! In all my years, I had never heard such an absurd excuse.”

Gwi Myung’s expression hardened in an instant.

This isn’t an excuse, is it? Does this imply he lost deliberately?

If he could lose on purpose, he could also win on purpose.

Furthermore, he wanted to find a woman to oversee a large household? What could this guy possibly be planning?

Gwi Myung entered the building at a leisurely pace. He walked down the corridor and stepped into the room where Jeok Lee-Gun was said to have stayed.

The room was meticulously organized. Dust had accumulated on the table, as it hadn’t been cleaned during the period it remained vacant.

Gwi Myung’s attention shifted to the map of the Central Plains adorning the wall. His eyes, which had initially skimmed over it, now homed in with focus.

He approached it with urgency.

A red circle was drawn over the Hubei region, accompanied by a hastily scribbled phrase in red letters.

“Conquer Hubei.”

Conquer Hubei? The province itself?

At that moment, the two significant martial arts tournaments scheduled to be held there this year flashed through Gwi Myung’s mind like a bolt of lightning. It felt as though a previously obstructed clue was finally unraveling.

Re-examining the map, Gwi Myung chuckled, as if Jeok Lee-Gun were standing right before him, Gwi Myung provocatively said.

“Why limit yourself? Why not inscribe ‘Dominate the World’?”

Then, a chilling voice replied from behind him.

“I stopped him from doing that. Advised him to take it step by step.”

Ttorororong–

Gwi Myung was jolted back to awareness by the sound of clear, flowing water.

He was startled.

‘Gasp! Did I lose consciousness?’

The more alarming realization was that he couldn’t figure out how he had lost consciousness. Fragmented scenes flickered in his mind, and his head felt as though it might explode.

‘Let’s stay calm.’

Gwi Myung steadied himself.

The title of ‘Best in the World’ was not bestowed lightly. He had once completed an assassination after enduring ten days in a cesspool. His mental fortitude was unparalleled in the martial world.

His shoulder felt as though it were ablaze. How much blood had he lost? The fact that he could still feel pain was a positive sign. If the nerves had been completely severed, he would feel nothing.

Gwi Myung refrained from opening his eyes hastily.

The scene before him would remain unchanged regardless. It was prudent to delay revealing his regained consciousness for as long as possible.

As he concentrated, his memory began to resurface gradually. Amidst the splitting headache, fragmented testimonies about Jeok Lee-Gun emerged.

And then, the eerie voice that reverberated in Gwi Myung’s mind.

Ah! That’s right. He had heard a voice from behind.

In that moment, Gwi Myung turned without hesitation and unleashed a lethal hidden weapon. The individual had approached him without a sound, indicating their superiority.

My God! Such a master.

Only a surprise attack could save him. That judgment was undoubtedly correct.

‘But...’

His head throbbed once more.

A fleeting vision of an object hurtling towards him materialized.

It moved with a swiftness surpassing any weapon Gwi Myung had ever faced.

‘I was struck by that.’

Ttorororong.

The gentle sound of water dripping echoed once more. It was the noise produced by the sound of tea being poured into a cup.

‘Who could be the one who captured me?’

Praying it wasn’t the worst-case scenario, Gwi Myung cautiously opened his eyes.

His blurred vision slowly began to sharpen.

Three individuals were seated around a table, sipping tea.

Gwi Myung squeezed his eyes shut once more.

How he wished they were burly brutes, exchanging crude jokes, or a torturer brandishing heated iron rods to intimidate him. But reality diverged sharply from Gwi Myung’s desire.

‘Damn! This is bad.’

Though he couldn’t verify it clearly, he sensed they were all elderly. And the one with her back turned was unmistakably an old woman.

Sipping tea with elegance while holding someone captive? That could signify only one thing. Masters! Damn, and there were three of them.

Gwi Myung cracked his eyes open slightly again and glanced down at his throbbing right shoulder.

Gwi Myung nearly let out a scream.

Embedded in his shoulder was something beyond his wildest nightmares.

It was a sickle.

A crude, heavy sickle with a blue steel blade had pierced his shoulder and lodged itself into the wall behind him.

‘Could it be that the object that flew at me was this sickle?’

The mental shock of failing to evade such a crude and enormous sickle rattled Gwi Myung’s mind.

At that moment, a realization struck him like a bolt of lightning.

‘Impossible!’

No sickle-wielding master in existence could penetrate his shoulder.

All but one.

The master who wielded a set of cursed demonic weapons.

The Twin Sickle-Wielding Demon.

Sixty years ago, the legendary demonic master, Yang Hwa-Young, had terrorized the martial world with her twin sickles.

Yang Hwa-Young was one of the most extraordinary women in the long history of the martial world. It was rare enough for a woman to wield a sickle as a weapon, but what was truly astonishing was her earth-shattering martial prowess.

She was the most trusted and favored by the previous Heavenly Demon. Known for her extreme demonic arts and cold nature, she was called the Supreme Demon Empress, a legendary figure regarded to be above the Six Demon Supremes.

The legendary demonic master of the martial world, Yang Hwa-Young, wielding the Twin Demonic Sickles.

‘Is it really her?’