I took him around as my junior disciple, trained him well, and he turned around to run off on me. Ah, well, that’s fine, I suppose. Even if we’re all outcasts, it’s every man for himself, and to be honest, I did make good use of him while he was around.

But honestly, I didn’t really feel any deep affection for those friends of mine. They were just buddies I could milk for training expenses. And before I could even settle those expenses, Yu Sa-yeon swooped in and snatched them all away.

And then, she completely cleaned her hands of it, exhibiting a total lack of moral integrity.

“So, I’m asking you…”

“Not happening.”

The reason I’ve kept my mouth shut about what I went through until now isn’t because I’m a pushover. It’s just that keeping quiet benefits me. Is there any stronger justification than that of a victim? A strong justification is super helpful in compensating for a lack of strength.

So, when Yu Sa-yeon tries to force me into something, I’ve been saving this card to refuse her.

I’ve already been a victim twice because of the junior disciples’ issues.

Now, she wants to stick another one on me? Sure, Yu Sa-yeon has the upper hand, so I can see why. But if it comes out that Yu Sa-yeon exploited the junior disciples, she’s going to be in big trouble too.

Yu Sa-yeon raised an eyebrow.

“Hey, Ho Cheon-an. I’m asking you! Wow, you’re still holding onto something from years ago? I’ll fully compensate you for that time.”

“Not happening.”

Basically, requests ought to be made through intermediaries. But there have been instances like now, where it’s about maintaining order among outcasts or when Yu Sa-yeon directly solicits big jobs. Each time, there was intense negotiation.

Yu Sa-yeon speaking in such a close tone isn’t a show of intimacy, it’s just her being all chummy.

“Aw, come on! This is definitely not a bad deal for you.”

I shook my head firmly.

Now she’s glaring at me as if she’s got a serious bone to pick.

“There’s no option to refuse this time. The pay will be quite lucrative, so you’d best remember that.”

I looked at Yu Sa-yeon for a moment. She was good at pushing her weight around, but she didn’t tend to be unreasonable. Rather than push directly, she often schemed from the shadows.

Thinking about it, it makes her even worse.

True, I’ve never had a good interaction with the innkeeper. I need to set some boundaries today. I took a deep breath and shouted.

“Ahhhhhhh NOOOOOOOO!!!”

Silence.

A complete hush fell over the Outcast Inn. Intermediaries and outcasts alike turned to us. Yu Sa-yeon was watching me with cold eyes, but perhaps because she hadn’t anticipated such a reaction, she was shaking her legs nervously.

“Yu Sa-yeon, have you ever thought about why I insist on upfront payment?”

“…No, I haven’t.”

“Right. Of course not. The reason I insist on upfront payment is to avoid taking on such trashy requests. Once you start worrying about lodging costs for tomorrow, you might end up taking on requests you shouldn’t. I’ve seen plenty of people die that way.”

A person’s condition and environment influence their judgment. The harder my situation gets, the narrower my perspective becomes, forcing me to think short-term. The discount is just an addition. Upfront payment is a way to preserve my judgment about where I should be laying down roots.

In the end, Yu Sa-yeon’s goal is to get me hooked onto the junior disciples. What benefits that offers her is anyone’s guess, but pushing this hard is bound to backfire.

If nothing else, if Yu Sa-yeon is pushing me this hard, the stakes must be high.

She’s probably slurping up behind-the-scenes money from sects needing outcasts while charging exorbitant fees because outcasts can still rake in cash. I don’t know for sure, but it’s likely bringing in profits similar to the Video Tower. The scale may be small, but the net earnings are huge.

And I must be the golden goose for Yu Sa-yeon, probably in her top ten. I helped wrap up difficult, high-stakes jobs only because she needed gambling funds. I was just a pretty little goose that could fatten her purse without her needing to lift a finger.

But how big could the payoff be that she’d be itching to pluck the goose open?

Let’s be real, Yu Sa-yeon knows me, just as I know her.

The fact that she’s not saying a word to me and aggressively pushing me means she’s concluded I likely wouldn’t be persuaded if she laid everything out honestly. She assumed I’d freak out if I knew about the details of the junior disciple requests.

So, I have to firmly refuse with all the toughness I can muster.

“I’ll say it again. I will NOT accept this request!”

There’s no turning back now. Every outcast on the first floor heard this declaration.

If Yu Sa-yeon makes a strong move here, we could end up in a deadly game of chicken until one of us drops. Can I handle that? Of course not. But neither can she.

“Ho Cheon-an, you’ll regret this.”

“Yep~ The one regretting it is the innkeeper right now.”

A few outcasts chuckled lightly through ventriloquism. Wow, hiding and making jokes like ventriloquists, this is so typical of outcasts. Management of risky elements has become second nature.

Yu Sa-yeon glared around, but I’d wager it’d be tough for her to pinpoint anyone specific. She seemed to think she’d been humiliated, her biting her lip was quite the sight to behold.

I handed over my money pouch again.

“Let’s keep things civil. Have I been in this business for just a day or two? I could turn a blind eye to casual skimming, but asking for my life in return? That’s overstepping.”

Yu Sa-yeon swatted my money pouch away.

“You won’t receive any upfront payment from now on!”

“Oh, is that so?”

I decided to not sweat this situation. While I had maintained a decent relationship with Yu Sa-yeon, it was annoying to let sunk costs lie. If I missed the timing to cut ties, all that awaited me would be the Han River.

My danger sensors were blaring, as though an opposing laner was marching in with a mini army in front while an enemy jungler released the Rift Herald from behind me, and the enemy support launched a grab from out of nowhere.

I nonchalantly mounted the stairs to the second floor while feeling someone’s deadly gaze prick my back, but I ignored it entirely.

* *

I underestimated the situation.

As I was warming up in the morning and having a bowl of noodles, someone sat down in front of me. She wore a spacious martial outfit, but her chest was ample, and her waist was loose, presenting an enticing beauty.

Her face was shrouded in a noodle mask, so I couldn’t identify her features, but the shape of her face screamed absolute beauty, prompting my brain’s approval committee to hit the green light ferociously.

She was the kind of woman who could turn passersby into squids and make flipping rags seem fashionable.

The issue was that this beauty wearing the Black Rib was indeed an outcast.

If she wasn’t just a pretty face, the rumor mill would’ve spun an ample tale about her, implying she was likely a newcomer. Given how Yu Sa-yeon had been clinging tightly just yesterday, the conclusion that she had intended to foist this girl onto me was an easy deduction.

So now, she’s just gonna shove me into it?

“Hey, Senior Ho! You’re pretty popular, huh?”

“Looks like the Truth pouch got promoted!”

“Hey, I’m in a bad mood today, so don’t bother me.”

Nearby outcasts started ribbing and laughing. These thirsty outcast boys must have heard the story of the duel between Iryu martial artist and the innkeeper. I could feel their eager eyes on me and the masked woman, which was enthralling.

Fortunately, the sensational tale of Ho Cheon-an’s Truth pouch had temporarily stalled due to the storm of this juicy duel. Just like with superstitions and wild rumors, when new winds blow, the old ones tend to blow away easily.

For now, managing this masked beauty in front of me was my utmost priority.

Just by standing there and breathing, she could elevate my prestige.

As if I weren’t already anxious enough about my recently spiking reputation due to Miss Yeo Il-ye, if I became associated with this woman, it would be a reservation for my demise.

Ignoring my opponent entirely, I slowly finished my noodles and made my way towards where the intermediaries had gathered. The woman quietly followed me.

But the treatment here was entirely different from usual.

I am Ho Cheon-an. Any intermediary would desire to work with me. My rank may be that of Iryu, but as an outcast, I’m at the top tier. After all, intermediaries don’t care if their partners are tough or weak; they just want the job to be handled correctly in the end.

My ability to follow through with requests has been sufficiently proven over the past seven years to all intermediaries.

Normally, intermediaries would cling to me, offering this request or that one, and I’d select the most reasonable from the lot…

Especially now that the tales of hidden expert longevity have been floating around, it’s only natural for me to have a massive request lineup.

But all the intermediaries were just exchanging furtive glances. Someone finally cleared their throat and, acting all suave, suggested.

“Ahem, Ho Cheon-an, how about you give the rogues of Gyeongmun Road a hand today? It seems like two people might be necessary… maybe that girl behind you would fit the bill!”

Oh, so they aim to set something up without my input, huh? This mysterious masked woman would just trail behind me while they all pushed me into this request, practically treating it like a junior disciple arrangement. Is that it?

“I’m not doing any request.”

“Now, wait a minute… I understand how you feel, but you still have to make a living…”

“Ha. What good would me getting angry do? From today on, I’ll live as a bum who doesn’t take requests, so don’t come to me with any.”

I flopped down right there and then.

Tilting my Black Rib down, I closed my eyes.

The intermediaries don’t know what a strike is.

Let’s see how they enjoy this.

* *

Day one of the strike. While I was sprawled at the entrance of the first floor, Yu Sa-yeon showed up and claimed I was blocking her way, so I flopped on the table to avoid that.

Yu Sa-yeon was left speechless and frustrated.

Day two of the strike. I piled up martial arts novels in the yard and began leisurely reading. The masked woman seemed bewildered but kept silent, maintaining her post. I figured Yu Sa-yeon’s glowering eyes could kill me, but she must have her reasons for wanting me alive. I waved Yeo Il-ye’s Gratitude Plaque in front of her to keep her at bay, which was quite satisfying.

Day three of the strike. I kicked back and slurped down a bowl of booze first-thing in the morning and then had a solid sleep. Is this what a vacation is like? I had been so busy hurrying to take on requests, yet this lounging around isn’t bad at all. Sleeping during the day, sleeping at night.

Day four of the strike. The intermediaries were begging me to take on requests, clutching at the hems of my pants. So, I just ripped my pants off and went up to my room.

Day five of the strike. While guzzling a bowl of noodles that had half the normal content, the masked woman finally opened her mouth.

“How long are you going to keep this up?”