The workers’ protest at the Jeji factory was escalating further.

“Workers of Wuhan, unite!”
“Raise the red flag high! We will die in this shade!”
“We will not become slaves! Death before negotiation!”
“Even if they own the means of production, they cannot own us!”
“Unite! Fight! Jeji Union! All unite!”

I couldn’t help but feel proud that they were doing well with the slogans.

“Master Ho Pil, is it really okay to leave them like that?”

Gathered in a threatening manner, it seemed like hundreds were ready to kill at any moment. A constable asked with a frightened voice.

“Let them be. Are they wielding swords? Do they have makeshift spears? They’re just drumming, waving flags, and shouting. Even if someone orders to suppress them, don’t listen, and report back to me. Understood?”
“Understood!”

The protestors held the crucial key to negotiate with the Head of Guards. They couldn’t lose it before the negotiations even started.

I kept emphasizing that the ultimate responsibility for this situation lay with Ho Pil Kang Yoon-ho and returned to the mansion.

—–

“Was it alright to spill everything to the Head of the Right Guards?”

Would there be a response from the Head of Guards? Sitting in the living room chair in anticipation of the opponent’s reaction, Jeon Gil-san, munching on snacks, asked me with concern.

“Why would a sword move by itself, I had to give them an answer.”
“What?”
“The tool is moving on its own. That shouldn’t happen. I found out someone was wielding a sword. A butcher skillfully catching a cow. But it’s strange. There’s no cow around. And then the pig realizes, ah, it’s my turn.”
“What are you talking about? Can you explain it better?”

As Jeon Gil-san tilted his head, Miss Zhuge peered in quietly between us.

“T-t-the sword represents Master Kang, and the butcher is the Inspector. The cow is the Head of Guards, and the pig is the Head of Guards!”

Miss Zhuge has hit the nail on the head! I wanted to stamp my approval on her hand with a “Well done” seal.

I clapped softly, looking at the flunky as if to say, “How could you not get this easy question?”
“Those guys only understand their own words. Right. It seems you all will have a good relationship going forward. I envy that.”
“Eheh.”
What’s with this guy pouting over something like this? I thought about saying something, but I gave up at Miss Zhuge’s smiling face.

“It’s too big a scale to think of it as just Ho Pil’s solo act. In fact, there was the Inspector behind Ho Pil. The Head of Guards will realize and feel a huge sense of crisis.”

Even if rumors spread that I was trying to reclaim money from the Head of Guards, he wouldn’t believe it.

“Do you think some barbarian like Ho Pil would dare ask him for his money back? Just take care of him. He probably chuckled, thinking the situation would end.”
“The Inspector is the only reason he’d barely understand why I’m moving.”

“If the Head of Guards wants to live, he has to meet the Inspector; there’s no reason for him to meet you.”
“The butcher wouldn’t be someone you can reason with, so should I at least talk to the sword? In the end, they’ll make me a target for persuasion.”

The opponent had thrown the book at the governor the moment he was appointed and cuffed him; would he even exchange a word with a market-level guy?

Jeon Gil-san finally nodded as if he understood.
“Ah, so you’re saying you’ll pass all the blame to the Inspector while pretending to be naive and drink the honey they offered, right?”
“Not honey, they should give me the whole jar to make it worth it.”

All of this was orchestrated by the Inspector. But I’m the only one who can stop him. Of course, my price would rise at the same time.

“Where in the world did such a guy come from… But do you think it’s possible?”
“Opposing the Inspector would be a suicidal move. If I don’t want to end up in prison alongside the Head of Guards, what choice do I have? I must go find him.”

The question was how soon a response would come. Did the Head of the Right Guards not meet with the Head of Guards immediately? It’s been a day—why hasn’t there been any response?

“Master Kang Yoon-ho!!!”

Could it be…? A hurried voice rushed in.
“What’s the matter?”
“The Head of Guards has sent someone!”
Fortunately, it didn’t take as long as I had feared.

———

“It’s an honor to meet the Head of Guards. I am Ho Pil Kang Yoon-ho.”

At the finest tavern in Wuhan, I knelt courteously and greeted the Head of Guards, who was drinking the wine poured by a courtesan.
“So you are the famous Ho Pil Kang Yoon-ho I’ve been hearing about lately. Nice to meet you.”

I’d heard it from the Inspector, but how much illegal wealth had he actually amassed? I thought Gu Jook would be a slender man like bamboo, but it seems I can as well call him Gu Don (Pig). If he rolled down a slope, he’d just go rattle rattle all the way.

“It is truly an honor for you to remember such a mere name, sir. I am Kang Yoon-ho.”

I said it with the enthusiasm of a fan thrilled that their favorite actor remembered their name.
“Oh, merely a name… If what I heard is only half true, it seems other Ho Pil are slacking around.”
“Simply, it was a series of events I did my best in that happened to catch attention. All Ho Pil in Wuhan are diligently working for the country.”

Was I perhaps too proactive in defending my fellow Ho Pil? Gu Jook’s round cheeks lifted into a smile.

“A Ho Pil who looks better than expected and seems to have depth in character; I had thought he was just living for his own sake, but you’re a rare young man with a good mind!”
“Thank you.”

First impressions seem to be passing grade. Now, I need to butter up the Head of Guards and somehow get back the money I borrowed from the Man Geum Battlefield.

But there was a slight problem.
“Why did it have to be Hwa Wol Ru?”

Of all places, it had to be Miss Gi-mun Hyang-ju’s tavern. Of course, Hwa Wol Ru is the finest tavern in Wuhan. It feels like I followed a friend to a great restaurant, only to end up in an eatery run by my uncle.

It was somewhat fortunate that Miss Gi-mun Hyang-ju was absent.
“Please don’t tell me I’ll get scolded for having come to a tavern later on. No matter how much I promised not to go to taverns, work is work!”

While I sighed internally, the door opened and, with a familiar scented tickle in the nose, a woman with a familiar face approached.
“Master Ho Pil. Are you feeling better now? I’ve been waiting day and night for you to return.”

The woman who approached me was Mae-hyang, one of the most popular courtesans in Wuhan. Due to certain incidents, I had been uncomfortable meeting her.
“Do you know her?”
“It’s just a face I saw because of work.”
“Oh my! Don’t be so modest. Mae-hyang has never forgotten you even for a moment!”

Mae-hyang tilted her head as if disappointed and then smiled in a way that would make hearts skip a beat.
I remained unfazed though.
Who does she think she is, trying to enchant me with her face? The expression of Miss Zhuge, who met my eyes while sneaking a late-night snack, is far prettier!

“Oho.”
“Sir, may I have the honor of serving Master Ho Pil today?”

Mae-hyang came close with a lively face and politely asked the Head of Guards.
“Sure. Attend to him earnestly. Sit.”

I wanted to say I don’t need any, that I’d like the choice too, but I couldn’t ruin the atmosphere, so I took a seat.
“Master Ho Pil, I will offer you a glass of wine.”
“I’m fine, but this…!”

As I tried to refuse the wine glass, I accidentally knocked into the wine bottle Mae-hyang was holding.
What to do? Mae-hyang’s front was soaked in wine. I couldn’t even dry it off. Just as I was feeling troubled…
“Oh my. If you need help with the upper part, just let me know.”
“…What?”

Mae-hyang loosened her front.
Why is she pulling at that inner cloth? Sure, I’m holding the lower part, but I never thought I’d need the upper part.
Why the heck is she doing this?

‘Is she trying to catch me off guard!’
Right. We’re in a place for negotiation now. There’s no way they’d send in a woman to distract me before negotiation.

Suddenly, I snapped back to reality.
No wonder! Mae-hyang has been far too proactive. That’s scary. Head of Guards! This isn’t an ordinary person.

Get a hold of yourself, Kang Yoon-ho. Miss Zhuge is waiting back home too, and there’s also Gil-san, who almost came along today.
“Looks like you have a clumsy side despite your looks.”

The Head of Guards found my reaction amusing and smiled.
“Since I’ve been working, I’ve not had the chance to enjoy such gatherings.”

I deliberately lowered my head, acting bashful like a naive young man.
It was partly true, but for negotiation purposes, I had to create the image of a young man who got accidentally caught up in political struggles through diligence.
“I heard you jumped into the Yangtze River from the rooftop at midnight to catch the true Shadowless Thief. That news made the government office buzz about the exemplary Ho Pil.”

Is he greasing the wheels of negotiation before diving in?
The Head of Guards nodded, referring to my impressive act, the so-called great Ho Pil Kang Yoon-ho.
“I’m embarrassed. When I followed the evidence, I found not the true Shadowless Thief but a similar criminal. It was quite disappointing not to find the real one.”

I bit my lower lip as if I were regretting a lost opportunity.
“When the fake was killed, the real one must have gone into hiding, right? Thanks to you, the Shadowless Thief is surely being cautious in their actions.”
“Too much flattery.”
“Flattery? I’m merely stating the truth that everyone in Wuhan knows; how could that be flattery?”

“You’re right, Master Ho Pil, you’re indeed remarkable!”
That’s flattery!
‘That’s not true.’

What about the internal conflict at Hao Moon from a while ago? How should I deal with the incident caused by the Dou Moon people?
The scale of the incident and the number of casualties were too great. After much deliberation, Hyang-ju and the others came up with the solution of building up the reputation of Ho Pil.

“Even the Head of Guards must have known about it. Hao Moon pulled one on us.”
Transforming the internal conflict at Hao Moon into Ho Pil’s heroic cleanup mission.
Let it be known that Ho Pil, with the help of martial artists, eradicated vicious criminals. The Hyang-ju ladies sheepishly asked me to accept it.
“If we make it all my achievement, the sound of my growing fame is too tempting to refuse.”

Thanks to that, the tale of Ho Pil jumping from a rooftop into the Yangtze River and hunting down culprits was born.
“You’re indeed a humble Ho Pil! A true paragon of Ho Pil!”

Everyone benefits from public opinion manipulation. I merely smiled sheepishly at the Head of Guards, who was applauding the manipulation.