The Mad Dog Inspector of the Martial Alliance

Chapter 105 : A Windfall (1)

Jang So-gil's activities increased the number of diligent taxpayers in Luoyang City. It was a truly good thing.

But as is the way of the world, bad people do not change easily. They try to continue doing bad things no matter what.

"Let's go catch some bad guys."

Jang So-gil and Yang Gwan put on the stealth clothes they had prepared. The pitch-black stealth clothes, which reduced the possibility of being caught when moving at night, were a necessity for assassins and spies.

But the stealth clothes worn by those who had to act secretly and not be seen by others were thin and light. They lacked warmth to be worn in this kind of winter. It would be terribly cold if he wore that.

As Jang So-gil was looking at the silver marten overcoat and fox scarf he had brought from the North Sea with affectionate eyes, Yang Gwan handed him a heated stone. If you put it in the inner pocket of your stealth clothes, it would get a little warmer, so this was also a winter necessity.

"To think I have to carry a stone in my bosom, leaving behind the warmest overcoat in the world."

"The silver marten overcoat is too conspicuous. Be satisfied with this."

"Keum... It would be better to heat the stone a little more."

"Understood."

The two were bustling about. It seemed they were preparing to go out, and it seemed they were trying to move a little more secretly than usual. Ye-er, whose cheeks were puffed up from eating rice cakes, asked with curiosity.

"What bad guy. Are you going to catch?"

"Heueum. There's a little time left until the stone heats up. So I'll tell you the general story."

"Okay."

Ye-er sat down in front of him with a 'cheolpudeok'.

She looks like a baby bear. Thinking so, Jang So-gil said.

"The number of diligent taxpayers in Luoyang City has increased. But the merchants outside Luoyang City do not pay their taxes voluntarily. Why do you think that is?"

"Well. Because So is here."

"That's right. It's because I live in Luoyang. After all, I'm the only inspector of the Martial Alliance right now. So if they just watch my movements well, they can avoid trouble."

No matter how much the Sword Dragon Unit made a fuss, calling him the Ghost King, Jang So-gil's body was only one. Even if he was called the king of ghosts, he was not a real ghost. In the end, since he was a person, he could not move in this vast central plains without leaving any trace.

"Gwan said that there are at least ninety spies that those guys have planted."

The other merchant guilds outside Luoyang City had come up with a plan. They had pooled their money and planted spies.

They had surrounded Luoyang City and released a lot of spies to watch Jang So-gil, and if Jang So-gil moved, they would give a signal outside by lighting a beacon or doing something.

"Their thoughts are obvious. The moment I leave Luoyang City, those guys will close their shops right away. Because they are sick, because their child or parent is sick. Because it's cold, because they can't get the goods. They'll make up some excuse and close the shop, and then even I can't do anything."

"Why?"

"You can't order a shop that the owner has closed to open by force, can you?"

"I think So would."

He would kick the closed door of the shop, break it, and go in, and stick a seizure notice anywhere. Ye-er thought it was a perfectly possible thing to do.

"What on earth do you think of me?"

"To put it nicely. A complete scoundrel."

"So if that's putting it nicely, then to put it badly... Ah, anyway, I'd like to do that, but. I can't even do that without evidence. I only act recklessly when there's evidence."

"Is that so?"

"That's so."

If it was an opponent who had clearly committed embezzlement, then whether they closed the shop, went out of business, or did whatever, he would follow them to hell and collect. But now, he was investigating indiscriminately without the stage of collecting evidence. He couldn't just decide they were guilty before even starting the investigation.

"So to catch those guys off guard, I'm secretly leaving Luoyang City at night like this."

"I understand. But why aren't you taking me? I'm good at hiding."

"Lose some weight and then talk. What kind of stealth are you going to do with that bear-like body?"

Ye-er's large pupils trembled with anger. If you were to ask who among them had the qualities of a great thief, it was of course Ye-er. She had robbed even the treasure vault of the Nan Yue Beast Palace without any tools or assistance. Until she had run away with an armful of treasure from there, no one had noticed.

Was that all? She had even deceived the qi sense of the Nan Yue Beast Palace Lord, Ye Daesan, and had eavesdropped on his conversation at close range. No matter how much Ye Daesan had focused on external arts, he was also a super-peak master. There were not many people who could deceive his qi sense.

'If I make up my mind and use the 'Lizard Art' to stick to the wall, no one will be able to notice!'

Ye-er had this long rebuttal in her head, but her vocabulary was still lacking to spit it out. So she growled and, suppressing her anger, replied.

"I. Am good at hiding."

"I'm sure."

"..."

It seems I have to show you my twelve-star level Lizard Art. Ye-er jumped up from her seat.

And on the wall, with a 'chalssak', and.

-Kung.

She couldn't stick. Ye-er's weight was too heavy to hold on with the Lizard Art.

A bigger problem was her belly fat. Since her belly was bulging, she had become like a round moon, so she couldn't properly touch the wall. Her elbows and knees were floating, so she couldn't stick to the wall.

"..."

"See?"

Ye-er, who had fallen to the ground, rolled around. Seeing that she didn't move at all after rolling for a while, it seemed she had received quite a shock. As Jang So-gil was pressing his brow, Yang Gwan approached.

"Young Master So, is this enough for the heated stone?"

"It's warm and nice. This should be enough."

The fewer belongings, the better for stealth. The things to pack were the White Azure Divine Sword and the golden plaque. And a little money.

Yang Gwan's spear was too bulky to be used. A three-section staff that could be used like a staff if unfolded and fixed was a compromise.

While they were checking their weapons, a person from the Fengya Unit arrived.

"The movement path has been secured."

Luoyang was a city that many countries had made their capital. It was the center of power and the center of many wars. So there were countless side roads and secret passages in Luoyang. Securing these secret passages and filling in the map was also the job of the information organization, the Fengya Unit.

Among the many secret passages, the Fengya Unit had suggested a winding underground waterway as the movement path. It was originally a waterway created to filter and use the water of the Yellow River. In a corner of it, there was a secret passage that someone had made. The Fengya Unit member explained that it was presumed to have been made during the Song Dynasty.

Since it was an underground waterway, the fact that they could move by riding a small boat instead of walking was good. But the wind blowing in the waterway was so cold that it made one's tears come out.

But the effect was excellent. Among the well over ninety spies, no one knew that Jang So-gil and Yang Gwan had left Luoyang.

* * *

Appearing in the east, appearing in the west. The Martial Alliance inspector appeared everywhere.

Even if a phantom thief who appeared and disappeared like a ghost had appeared, it would not have been this bewildering.

Yesterday he had appeared in Yeoyang, but today he appeared in Xinzheng.

He would enter a shop that was in business, calmly demand the ledgers, and then, with a ghost-like skill, expose the corruption, stick a red notice, and disappear.

"Master! The scoundrel inspector is robbing our shop!"

"W-what!?"

There had been no news from Luoyang, so what on earth had happened?

They were spies hired by pooling so much money. They had spent twice the originally expected amount, saying they would watch him closely without any leaks. The number of spies finally deployed was well over three hundred.

To think he had broken through a wall of that many people and come this far. It was an impossible thing unless he was a ghost. Then wasn't there some kind of mistake? The shop owner, thinking quietly, shook his head.

"I haven't heard that that damn brat has left Luoyang."

"But master, they say the shop is being painted all red."

"It seems that's an impersonator."

"What kind of crazy person would impersonate an inspector? Come out and see!"

"Y-yes. Anyway, let's go."

The residents, greatly alarmed, tried to handle the situation. But there was no way it could be handled.

First, Jang So-gil was fast. He would suddenly barge into any shop and handle the matter. Even if they resisted physically, they couldn't match his strength. He would kick and push and take the ledgers.

Once he saw the ledgers like that, it was over. He would find the corruption in one go, and then, shaking the golden plaque that symbolized the authority of the Alliance Leader, he would stick the red notice of 'Do Not Touch'.

When the residents entered the shop belatedly, they would mostly see a scene like this.

"Aigoo, Ghost King-nim. I did it because I was desperate to make a living!"

"Your profit has increased by forty percent compared to last year, and you're desperate to make a living? Did you live on dew last year? You have to be moderate with your nonsense to not get beaten. If you keep talking nonsense, I'll rule you with a cane, so seal your mouth and just think about paying the fine quietly."

"Haigoooooo-!"

Would the general manager or the clerks who were managing the shop have the means to handle the Ghost King? So the wailing did not stop. They lost their money, and their face was disgraced. The shop owners who arrived late were only scolded further.

"Are you the owner? You've come at a good time. I've explained everything to your general manager, so listen to him. And pay the fine promptly. The deadline would normally be ten days, but since the general manager's nonsense was so exquisite, I'll reduce it by one day. Then pay the fine well. And may your business prosper."

What would the common people think when they saw the shop plastered with the red notices of 'Do Not Touch'?

No, the owner of this shop, so-and-so, had lived with his head held high until now because he had quite a bit of money and power. But wouldn't they think that all that power was obtained through tax evasion?

Besides, what was this treatment? Wasn't he clearly looking down on them!

"A-a brat who hasn't even shed his baby fat! You insolent! Do you have no sense of hierarchy!"

"I'm usually nice to diligent taxpayers, but not to a pig who has been eating away at money. Since my feelings have been hurt by those words, I'll reduce it by two more days. I'll see you in seven days."

Eyes distorted with fear or fearful eyes were welcome, but no one liked eyes of contempt. Not only the people of renowned prestigious families, but even the local powerful people who had spat some saliva in the neighborhood and the country gentlemen lived and died by their face.

To have ink splashed all over that face, it was an incomparably shameful thing. There were even people who shouted that they would die because they couldn't live with such shame. But most of them quietly accepted Jang So-gil's disposition.

When they saw him match the embezzled amount they had calculated without any error, they were overwhelmed as merchants. The more outstanding the merchant, the faster their understanding, and the faster their tax payment. They had to pay quickly to at least reduce the loss.

"The spies are not very helpful either..."

How could he run around so fast? The merchants gathered again to discuss a response, and they soon found out the cause. A man who had been a teacher in Luoyang and had made a great success through the ink business said.

"Luoyang has been the capital of many countries since ancient times. It is a place where various worlds such as the Zhou, Han, Wei, and Sui dynasties have settled. Do you think there wouldn't be a single secret passage in such a place?"

"Then can't we just watch that secret passage?"

"That's a matter of course, but the reason a secret passage is called a secret passage is because it is a secret. How would there be a way to know it? Even if there is, it is a military secret, so we should not approach it."

"Then what are you suggesting we do? Are you suggesting we just let ourselves be beaten!?"

"I have a way."

A man stepped forward. He was a man named Jagwang, who had started from a ronin unit and had even created an escort agency, a rather self-made man. He, stroking his hooked nose, chuckled.

"Since it has come to this. As expected, we have no choice but to deal with him."

"The assassination den does not accept commissions for that fellow."

"In the world, how can the assassination den be the only group that earns money by killing people?"

"That's true, but there's no place like the assassination den."

"I have an idea. Let's put a bounty on that fellow."

Put a bounty, and let the ronin who are aiming for the bounty strike the fellow. Since there was no other alternative, that opinion was passed unanimously.

What was surprising was that when they collected the bounty to be put on Jang So-gil, a large sum of five thousand taels was gathered in a short period of time. It was a huge sum that even the merchants who had made the plan had not expected.

A wind of money began to blow in the martial world.

(End of Chapter)