Murim Troubleshooter Dan Mujin-Chapter 113 : The Decoy

Chapter 113: The Decoy
The moment a single woman stepped inside, the office suddenly felt full.
Ilhong and I stared at Peng Huayeop, who radiated an overwhelming presence, as if in wonder.
“Please… don’t stare too much.”
Perhaps our curious gazes weighed on her, for she turned her head slightly away.
“Are you really friends?”
At my blunt, cut-to-the-chase question, Peng Huayeop gave an awkward nod.
“…We’re friends.”
It seemed she was the complete opposite of Tang Yeo-hye in personality.
If the latter was like looking at a prickly hedgehog, then Peng Huayeop was like looking at a steadfast bear.
Perhaps it was exactly because of such a nature that she could even be friends with someone like Tang Yeo-hye.
“Do you find it hard to believe?”
“No, it’s just surprising.”
“How did you… handle her personality?”
Hearing our question, Peng Huayeop smirked and opened her mouth.
“Heh, whenever I say we’re friends, everyone always asks that.”
The smile that seemed so familiar told me she must have received that question countless times before.
“At first, of course, our personalities didn’t match. But during a chivalrous journey, we ended up killing a Demonic Practitioner together, and after all sorts of twists and turns, we became close.”
At first, she had grown sick of that personality that cursed and snapped at everything.
But by chance, when they encountered a threatening Demonic Practitioner and fought back-to-back, she came to know the sincerity hidden behind that prickly exterior, and they became friends.
“Oh.”
The story sounded oddly familiar. After all, the way I had grown close with her was somewhat similar.
In other words, unless there was some near-death event, it was hard to become friends with that woman.
As expected, Tang Yeo-hye was remarkable.
“Then how did you come to be close with our Yeo-hye?”
She seemed a little curious about my existence.
Peng Huayeop looked at me with eyes that earnestly wanted to know.
“Well, it’s similar to how you did, Lady Hero Peng Huayeop.”
It had been one life-threatening crisis after another, a string of countless incidents.
“So… you’re really like older sister and younger brother?”
Her voice carried a hint of disbelief, as though it was hard to accept.
“Yes, something like that.”
Though at the beginning, it had been half-forced.
When I nodded, Peng Huayeop let out an admiring sound, as though astonished.
“To think such a day would come. No wonder Neung Sam has seemed brighter lately.”
That uncle had suffered quite a lot serving the young lady at her side, but it seemed things were going well now.
“Has Sister Tang Yeo-hye been well at home lately?”
At that question, Peng Huayeop’s expression darkened a little.
“At one time, the entire clan tried to expel her. Do you think she’s well? Of course, she’s sitting on a bed of thorns.”
Well, aside from her father, she practically had no one on her side.
And since she was clumsy at repairing twisted relationships due to her lack of sociability, even after being ousted from her Young Clan Master position, she must have been spending suffocating days within the clan.
“She’s been grumbling a lot. It seems she plans to leave the clan soon and enlist either in the Azure Dragon Corps or the Demon-Slaying Unit.”
I had heard before that she intended to join the Demon-Slaying Unit.
Indeed, more than internal clan politics, she was a woman better suited to striking down villains on the battlefield.
“Anyway, I think we’ve talked enough about that sister. Let’s get to the commission.”
The Hebei Peng Clan was, alongside the Jinju Eon Clan, one of the most prosperous of the Five Great Clans in Hebei.
After asking Ilhong to serve some fine tea leaves, I brought up the main topic.
“Yeo-hye said you were good at finding things, didn’t she?”
Peng Huayeop asked this while bringing up examples such as the Human-faced Spider, which was said to be nearly impossible to track down.
Of course, I had only found that thanks to the map handed down through generations of the Tang Clan.
It seemed my sworn sister had praised me to no end, wanting to toss some work my way.
“Yes, well, when it comes to finding or discovering things, we’re quite skilled.”
It wasn’t entirely untrue.
Now, thanks to Majungcheon, I had access to the Beggars’ Gang’s information, and through Pavilion Master Il Soyong, even to the Rogues’ Guild’s core intelligence.
A Troubleshooter’s Office that could cross-verify intel from two major information groups—ours in Beijing was probably the only one.
“Do you know anything about the Gui Myeon-gak (鬼面客), who’s been rampaging around Hebei recently?”
At that question, I immediately glanced over at Ilhong beside me.
“It’s the first I’ve heard of him.”
When Peng Huayeop first visited the office, she had rattled off all the details about her background, calling her one of the Heroic Maidens. But this time, she just shrugged as though clueless.
“Well, of course. He’s only recently begun to spread his infamy as a lecherous beast.”
Shaking her head, she said that wanted posters probably hadn’t even been issued yet.
To think a master of the Peng Clan was mobilizing even Troubleshooters to pursue some lecher not yet listed in the magistrate’s bounties…
“What exactly did that bastard do?”
At my question, Peng Huayeop’s face hardened.
“Oh, he’s done something, all right. Though it’s still being kept a secret, that lunatic attacked one of our Peng Clan’s martial artists.”
She fiddled with the hilt of her broadsword as she revealed the clan’s internal situation.
“…Ah.”
So, that bastard was not only a lecher but also a Peak Martial Artist.
Still, of all people, how could he dare to lay hands on a martial artist of the Peng Clan, which wielded such tremendous influence in Hebei?
Naturally, it was only to be expected that a Peak Martial Artist like this would immediately take up the pursuit.
“So, you’re asking us to find out where he’s hiding?”
“…No. We already know his whereabouts. According to the latest intelligence, he’s hiding in a place called Goan, near Beijing.”
I glanced sideways at Ilhong.
“Goan is a small city right below Beijing.”
The Hebei Peng Clan had deep roots spread across Hebei, in businesses and officialdom alike. It seemed they had managed to track his movements to some extent.
“Then you don’t really need our help, do you? You already know where he is.”
But no, it wasn’t that simple.
“He’s an exceedingly meticulous man. Judging from the traces, it seems he’s been at this for quite some time, though only recently exposed.”
Apparently, he excelled at disguise techniques and concealing his identity, leaving almost no trace.
Until now, unaware he was being pursued, he had left trails. But once his identity was uncovered, he vanished completely from that city.
Seeing how even in Beijing, characters like Yongdam Ho-hyeol had run rampant for ages before finally being caught, it seemed this bastard had disguise skills rivaling even Ilhong’s.
“That’s why we need a ‘bait’ to lure him out.”
From his past patterns, it seemed he had some compulsion—he acted unfailingly every half-year.
Peng Huayeop explained that soon he would move again, and for that, a decoy was necessary.
“Bait? Why did you come to our Troubleshooter’s Office for that?”
“Well, this lecher….”
“The lecher?”
Peng Huayeop glanced at us nervously before cautiously speaking.
“He’s a sodomite who lusts after handsome men.”
“……”
This client had just dropped a rather shocking revelation.
The Central Plains was indeed a place crawling with all manner of strange folk, but a lecher who pursued men?
“It seems there’s something wrong with his body. He roams about practicing ‘Gathering Yin to Supplement Yang,’ absorbing men’s yang energy. Especially, he targets martial artists with handsome faces first and foremost.”
Peng Huayeop rattled off the information about the lecher.
I stared blankly at Ilhong, who was frozen stiff while holding her teacup, and spoke.
“Ilhong, see the guest out.”
“Now, now, Dan Mujin, my young hero. Hear me out a little longer.”
At that, Lady Hero Peng Huayeop grabbed my hand with a flustered expression.
“Let go of this. And what, you’re saying that kind of… sodomitical ‘gathering yin’ thing is even possible?”
I spoke in disbelief.
“Well, ordinarily, yang energy building upon yang energy would be dangerous, but if his constitution is abnormal, then it might be possible without dying.”
She explained her deductions made while tracking the man.
Such was the mysterious wonder of martial arts and the human body.
“Young hero, I heard from Tang Yeo-hye herself that you’re a man of great spirit and chivalry, one who stood unflinchingly before the Soul-Stealing Demon Lord. Would you not lend us your aid?”
“Wait, so that sister actually introduced me for this kind of request?”
“…Of course she didn’t know. I glossed over the details.”
Damn it all.
I had been pleased, thinking at last a commission had come that would make our name resound through Beijing.
But it had to be bait for a sodomite?
“Ilhong, why aren’t you escorting the guest out yet?!”
I felt like I ought to sprinkle salt at this point.
As I waved my hand in disgust, Peng Huayeop, seeing it wouldn’t work, proposed a deal.
“Five silver coins. Just drawing attention in Goan will earn you that much from the Peng Clan.”
So Tang Yeo-hye must have told her something about me.
She suddenly spread five fingers.
“Hmph, far too little.”
What, did she think she could buy me off with so little coin?
“Fine, even just attracting attention, we’ll offer ten silver coins.”
“Hmm.”
I had to admit, that was a tempting sum.
Especially since she kept persuading me that the Peng Clan’s experts would handle all the real work.
“But when you say ‘attract attention in Goan,’ what exactly do you mean?”
“Well, what I mean is….”
Peng Huayeop looked back and forth between my face—supposedly one that had stolen the hearts of merchant ladies—and Ilhong’s beautiful appearance beneath her boyish disguise.
“If you two openly displayed a very close… brotherly affection in front of people, that should suffice.”
If the two of us acted intimate and the rumors spread, she said, the sodomite would inevitably bite at the bait.
“Wait, you mean, the two of us…”
I trailed off in disbelief.
Ilhong, standing at my side, had her lips pressed shut, her ears reddened, as though she’d already imagined something.
“Damn it, Ilhong, say something too.”
“I-I think it might be… fine….”
“What do you mean fine, you idiot?!”
After all my struggles, I’d finally earned the title of Dog-Beating Dragon, and now it risked being twisted into ‘Sodomite Dragon’?
What would happen to my reputation then?
“Of course, your identities would be disguised before the rumors spread.”
“Then how would I make a name for myself?”
That would just mean more days with no commissions.
Just like with that last adultery case. Why was it that whenever work came through acquaintances, it always turned out like this?
“Boss, the silver coins we received last time are about to run out. Maybe you should consider it.”
Ilhong, watching me silently from the side, spoke up.
We had taxes to pay, debts to clear, and yet no work.
What a diligent subordinate, stabbing straight into the boss’s sore spot.
“Fifteen silver coins.”
Seeing me waver, Peng Huayeop quietly raised the offer.
“I heard from Yeo-hye you’re a man who takes on any request fearlessly, no matter what it is.”
To top it off, she even used that magical, provoking word—‘coward?’
“Haa.”
After struggling with the thought, I let out a deep sigh.
Goan, a thriving gateway city to Beijing.
There we stood tall in the most bustling district of all.
Dressed up like refined, elegant young lords out for pleasure.
“Boss, how do I look?”
Clad in expensive Sichuan silk provided by the Hebei Peng Clan, Ilhong spun around, showing herself off.
She looked… oddly pleased.
“Well, not bad, I guess.”
“Tch, what’s that supposed to mean? Was that even a compliment?”
Even dressed in men’s clothes, that jade-like face of hers radiated beauty. I kept a straight face and answered.
“Then how do I look?”
Silken robes fluttering, a headband tied proudly, and a splendid treasured sword at my waist.
I was now the very image of a noble young master, raised in dignity by a prestigious clan.
“Well… you do look a little dashing….”
Though pretending indifference, Ilhong’s lips twitched faintly upward as she replied.