Chapter 130: The Source of Inspiration
“At first, I felt a bit proud. I thought, ‘Has the world finally recognized ?’ It felt like all the sorrow and hardship I endured were finally being rewarded.”
The young man who had once leapt into the industry full of dreams of becoming a renowned beast painter now stood before us, wearing a bitter smile, a man steeped in both reality and liquor.
“You were the one who introduced
to that Trading Lord, Eun Hwaran, weren’t you?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
We had made use of her vast guanxi network to find a wealthy patron with matching tastes.
I still rembered the look of bewildernt on her face when she first saw the beast paintings.
“Thanks to that, I got connected to several wealthy patrons and ended up making more money than I’d ever seen. So, yes, I got a bit cocky. I started looking down on people on the street for no reason... Cough. But what kind of tea leaves are these, anyway?”
Apparently, Ilhong had brought out the leaves reserved for unwelco guests.
Perhaps his tastes had beco too refined—he winced at the bitterness that swept across his tongue.
“It’s the flavor of the common folk, Painter Neung Jin-sam.”
“Urgh, common folk, my ass… These tea leaves must be ten years old.”
Well, the office wasn’t exactly flush with cash.
In a recession, saving is living.
“Anyway, that was the problem. Once greed crept in, my clarity of mind started to fade. Before I knew it, I was painting not because I loved beasts, but for money.”
He said this while fiddling with his brush, which he had taken out from a lacquered bamboo brush case.
At one point, he was the only beast painter around, and commissions had poured in from everywhere.
So were genuine enthusiasts, others sought to invest as the value of his paintings soared.
Neung Jin-sam had been intoxicated by the sweet taste of success.
But it didn’t last. Word spread in Beijing that beast paintings were profitable, and soon, renowned painters jumped into the market.
“They were painting beasts just as well as I was… At the ti, I really felt like snapping my brush in half.”
The intricate depiction of fur, the forms of the beasts, the claws and the eyes—none of it was lacking compared to his own work.
One by one, these other painters began to eat into what should have been his clientele.
“If it were the old , pride would’ve driven
to work even harder. But now, every ti I picked up the brush, nothing ca to mind. I lost my inspiration while basking in arrogance.”
That inspiration—the lifeblood of an artist, said to be more precious than life itself.
It had a certain similarity to a martial artist’s mont of enlightennt.
“Since then, I drowned in alcohol, trying to forget it all, shrouded in self-loathing. That’s when I ran into you at that brothel.”
Maybe he just needed soone to talk to. Once the dam broke, Neung Jin-sam began pouring out his story without restraint.
Well, what can I say? Even a rich and famous figure in Beijing had his hardships.
Honestly, I’d heard such lants more tis than I could count as a troubleshooter.
People’s lives were fundantally the sa, whether here or there.
“Life really isn’t easy. Back then, I thought I’d have no more wishes once I beca a famous painter… But now, fewer people are looking for , and I’ve even received threats…”
“Huh? What kind of threats?”
I paused mid-sip of the refreshing tea Ilhong had poured and turned my gaze to him.
“I borrowed so money… There was this trading post nearby that offered loans at ridiculously low interest…”
Oh, no. This guy’s gotten himself into deep trouble.
He’d tasted money once and now seed numb to its dangers.
“Which trading post was it?”
“Man Geum Trading Post. So sleazy rchant tricked
into borrowing. Told
I could repay it slowly, but as soon as my beast paintings stopped rising in value, he ca to collect like a vulture.”
“Was the rchant goat-bearded by any chance?”
“…How did you know?”
I’d just guessed based on the “sleazy” part.
That guy sure worked hard.
I let out a short laugh at the strange web of fate.
“But you used to make good money. How’d you end up borrowing from a place like that?”
“Well, the brothel I stayed at was Cheonhwa Pavilion. High-ranking officials from the Imperial Household frequent it. Just one night there costs a fortune.”
“Then why didn’t you move to a cheaper place? Why stay until you ran out of money?”
At my baffled question, he scratched his cheek awkwardly and whispered.
“…Because other places don’t have Juwol-a.”
“Hmm. That makes sense.”
Now that he ntioned it, it was a surprisingly convincing answer.
She had even captivated mbers of the Imperial Palace. It was a fate no man could resist.
“n, honestly…”
This ti, Jo Harang looked at us with a mixture of disbelief and resignation.
That’s unfair. I was just empathizing with a client.
“Ahem. I keep rambling about myself. So, why did you co looking for ?”
“I heard things have been rough lately. And since we go way back, I thought I’d co and help.”
People always appreciate those who visit during tough tis.
He looked genuinely touched by my words.
“Really…? How grateful I am. I didn’t know soone as warm as you still existed in this cold city of Beijing.”
Of course, I’d co because of Chairman Gam Un’s request.
Not that he cared much about Neung Jin-sam’s wellbeing—he just wanted to revive the value of his beast paintings, which were plumting along with the artist’s reputation.
I’d seen more and more beast paintings accumulating in the Chairman’s office lately.
This was exactly why you shouldn’t put all your investnts in one basket. Even if it’s profitable, diversification is key.
“Beijing could use more noble wanderers like you…”
“Oh, I’m not a wanderer anymore. I work as a troubleshooter now.”
I pointed at the hard-earned office and explained that I’d gone independent.
“Hmm, what’s the difference? Seems like the job’s the sa.”
The sa, huh.
For example, a wanderer doesn’t get requests like rescuing an artist lost in despair and reviving his inspiration to raise art prices.
But a troubleshooter? If it pays, we take anything and find a way to solve it.
“The difference is, I don’t pay any brokerage fee. I keep everything I earn.”
“Oh, now that’s enviable.”
He seed much more impressed by this practical explanation.
“So, is there no way to recover that so-called ‘inspiration’ of yours?”
Even with a brush in hand and a silk canvas in front of him, nothing ca to mind—that was his plight.
Just like athletes get the yips or martial artists fall into inner demons. I had a rough idea of what he was going through.
“Beasts.”
“Pardon?”
“Like in the old days… I want to go up into the deep mountains and observe beasts with my own two eyes.”
“Ahh…”
He’d made similar requests before. That ant trekking through dangerous, beast-filled mountains.
Which also ant I'd end up opening knowledge I probably shouldn’t have…
“I want to return to my roots. That feeling, that mindset. So I’d like your help in observing wild beasts again. Could you do that for ?”
“That’s not difficult at all.”
Compared to the tangled requests I usually received, this was a walk in the park.
“Thank you, truly.”
“Oh, it’s nothing.”
Of course, he didn’t know it was still a paid job.
“Then let’s depart tomorrow. I’ll clear my mind today. It’s ti to return—to the Neung Jin-sam of the past.”
“That’s the spirit. I’ll see you again tomorrow with a clear mind.”
For once, it felt like this would be a relatively easy job.
So I sent him ho without much thought.
But the next morning, I received word that Painter Neung Jin-sam had been kidnapped by loan sharks.
“Ah, for fuck’s sake.”
“Co now, it’s not just any matter. He’s a famous beast painter, you know.”
Il Hyehyang, the Pavilion Master of the Mysterious Pavilion, wore an annoyed expression at my sudden intrusion and demand for information.
However, since the blade was in my hand this ti, she begrudgingly gathered intelligence scattered across the Rogues’ Guild network and pinpointed the identities of the loan sharks and the places where he might be held.
“Don’t co in and out so often—people are starting to get suspicious... Though, of course, if you’re here to pay for the company of a courtesan, you’re always welco.”
Those were her parting words as I exited the basent.
“Please, if I were doing that, I’d go see Juwol-a. Why would I co here?”
“Tch… That wench again. Every damn man.”
Il Hyehyang ground her teeth.
Leaving behind the furious Pavilion Master of Honghwa Brothel, we set off to retrieve our client.
The back alleys of Beijing had once been our old stomping grounds, so it didn’t take long to locate their hideout.
“Why do bastards like these always hole up in shady places?”
“It’s in their nature, Boss.”
“Their nature? We used to live in places like this too, you know.”
“That’s because we had no money.”
With just the two of us out on the field in a while, Ilhong sounded rather excited.
I nodded in agreent and trudged forward until we ca to a shabby building—just as the Pavilion Master had described.
“It’s locked, right?”
“Just a second, I’ll handle it.”
Ilhong took out sothing like a wire, and with a few light clinks, she easily unlocked the door.
“…What are you, knowing how to do sothing like this?”
“This is nothing compared to the complex hidden weapons of the Tang Clan or the chanical formations of the Rogues’ Guild.”
“…Sure, let’s go with that.”
Her manual skills were growing more diverse by the day.
Not a bad thing—an able subordinate only ant good things for our office.
I nodded and slipped into the dusty, warehouse-like building.
A lone collector acting as a guard stared at us with a blank face as we walked in naturally.
“…Who are you?”
“It’s .”
A look like he’d never seen
before in his life.
“Who the hell are you supposed to be?”
Thwack!
“Sesa oil.”
I took him down easily with the Hundred-Knot Divine Fist and walked further inside, where we heard soone getting beaten.
“When are you gonna pay up…?!”
“Urgh, just a little more ti! I’ll get it soon, I swear!”
“You bastard! You’re a painter! You’re supposed to pay back by painting! How dare you think of gambling instead?!”
It sounded like our target, but for so reason the loan sharks seed more outraged than him.
‘Gambling to pay back debt’—was there a more unconvincing excuse?
“But I’ve lost my inspiration! My brush won’t move!”
“This crazy bastard, beat him!”
What followed were smacks and whacks, the sounds of a thorough beating.
“Boss, shouldn’t we go help him now?”
“No, I think he needs to get hit a bit more to co to his senses.”
Sotis, getting smacked around works better than observing beasts.
And judging from his ntal state… he probably deserved a few.
“Grrgh! Aaagh!”
Kicked around by the loan sharks, Neung Jin-sam rolled and tumbled our way, flopping like a fish.
That’s when their eyes t ours.
And they saw the guard lying unconscious with his teeth scattered.
“What the hell—who’s that bastard?!”
I imdiately launched a kick at the biggest one among them.
“Yah!”
The large man went flying, and the others froze at the overwhelming strength, realizing I was a martial artist.
Violence—always the most effective thod of negotiation.
“Who the hell are you?! You dare pull this crap in Man Geum Trading Post’s territory?!”
They quickly invoked their backers, issuing threats about the consequences if I caused trouble.
“Hand over Neung Jin-sam.”
“What? Painter Neung Jin-sam?”
“This bastard—who do you think you are, barging in and making demands?!”
Who I was? Allow
to explain.
“I recognize that face. He’s that Troubleshooter—the one they call the School-Breaking Fiend who wrecked Golden Dragon Academy. He’s a monster, just like us.”
That’s right. That’s .
Dammit.
“Why is it that only those stories get around?”
“Exactly.”
Ilhong nodded beside
with sympathetic understanding.
“What? A troubleshooter? A local operative? Then why the hell are you here?”
“There are boundaries, you know! You here to collect on him too?”
It seed they had misunderstood the situation and started accusing
of lacking professional courtesy.
Despite the flood of complaints, I simply pointed at Neung Jin-sam, who was bound and being rolled in a mat.
“Enough talk. Hand him over.”
The man, who had been tightly bound and beaten into a pulp, blinked at
in surprise.
“We’ve got our pride, you know. We can’t let him go when he still hasn’t paid up.”
“Even if you’re the guy who beat up that second-rate troubleshooter, we can’t let him go. If we don’t collect, that ugly rchant is going to tear us a new one!”
Ugly rchant? That rang a bell.
“You an that goat-bearded rchant?”
“What? How the hell did you…?”
Another guess, spot on. When soone’s described as ugly, nine tis out of ten, it’s him.
“Just let him go. He’ll pay it back.”
I raised my hands in a non-threatening gesture—suggesting we end this peacefully.
They sweated nervously but refused, knowing full well they’d be dood in a direct fight.
“And what are we supposed to believe in? The guy can’t even paint anymore.”
“He’s just lacking inspiration. Happens to artists.”
They’re sensitive souls. Sotis they just break down.
“Not our problem. We just want our money back. That’s it.”
“I’m saying he’ll paint and pay it back.”
As our conversation reached a standstill, one of them—who had recognized
earlier—spoke up.
“Boss, I heard that guy’s backed by Trading Lord Eun Hwaran of the Eunseong Trading Company.”
“What…? Are you sure?”
“Yes, they’re on close terms. Might as well let him go. If he’s this confident, he must have a way to get the money.”
Their gazes darted around.
After so whispering among themselves, they seed to conclude that there was no way to squeeze money out of a painter who wasn’t painting.
And they definitely had no way to kick
out of here.
“…You’ve got one week. No more.”
With that, the loan sharks dispersed, leaving behind a battered Neung Jin-sam.
I looked down at him.
“You look awful.”
“Sigh… Miserable. I feel like I’m scraping rock bottom.”
He truly looked wretched.
They say pain and suffering are the wellsprings of artistic inspiration.
“Sigh… Is this really what my life’s co to? I don’t even feel like going to the mountains anymore.”
Maybe they beat him too much—his spirit looked utterly crushed.
Once, his face had burned with passion for beasts, despite its shadiness.
If I forced him to go into the mountains now, would it even work?
“Boss, Chairman Gam Un specifically asked you to take care of this. What now?”
Sensing the sll of failure, Ilhong asked with unease.
The reward was enormous, and with the mood turning grim, she was clearly nervous.
The office had only recently opened, and now we faced the sha of failure?
“Hoo…”
I couldn’t accept that.
Perhaps… it was ti to break another taboo.
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