Bloodhound’s Regression Instinct

Chapter 61

“It’s so hot.”

Yan discarded his fur coat into a nearby trash can.

The tight black shirt clung to his body, revealing his well-defined abs.

“Farewell!”

Yan left the transportation bureau employees, who were bowing at right angles, behind as he exited Soma Station.

Soma.

Not far from the north, but a region less cold.

Soma was a city slightly more developed than Villien, where he had stopped before heading to Beowulf’s domain.

Yan decided to do something he had thought of before searching for the special task force leader’s daughter.

Establishing an intelligence organization.

Or should it be called talent scouting?

“The information available now is too limited.”

The person he was trying to recruit was the future leader of ‘Beggars’ Den,’ an intelligence group known to have the most extensive information across the continent.

If the guy wasn’t groveling now, recruiting him would be quite a headache.

Later on, as he becomes materially wealthy, it won’t be as easy to draw him in as it is now.

“Sir! We have some fine fruits here, take a look!”

“Hello! Lumi’s general store is offering a discount on low-grade potions!”

“The beef that came in today is very tender. Everyone, try some before you go!”

Entering the bustling market, Yan headed straight to his destination.

The place he visited was a tailor’s shop, selling luxurious clothes and suits at a glance.

“Good day.”

The tailor, who was handling fabric, bowed his head upon seeing Yan.

Yan glanced over the clothes displayed inside the shop and said,

“I’ll take the most expensive suit here.”

The tailor’s eyes widened, and he quickly brought out a suit.

“This suit was tailored for Lord Soma’s son’s birthday, but the order was canceled. How about it?”

The black suit, with gold embroidery in the middle, exuded luxury at first glance.

“It’s perfect.”

* * *

Dressed in an expensive suit, Yan stepped out of the tailor’s shop and strode into the depths of the market.

The entrance and the center of the bustling market were lively, but as he moved further in, an eerie silence prevailed.

“Should be around here somewhere.”

Yan scanned his surroundings, trying to recall his memory.

Homeless people lay scattered on the ground, and third-rate thugs spat on the streets as they roamed in packs.

A perfect back alley.

The thugs, who had been picking fights with others, quietly passed by Yan, perhaps intimidated by his attire and the sword at his waist.

But then.

“Sir, why not quench your thirst at our salon?”

“We have many beautiful ladies! If you have a preference, we’ll find it for you!”

“Wow, brother, you’re really handsome!”

“Why not hang out for a while~.”

In front of the luxurious-looking pubs, the touts and madams saw him as prime prey.

Yan brushed off their hospitality and moved on.

He stopped in front of a shabby pub with a fading sign.

[Hobitan Tavern]

-What a lackluster name.

Momon clicked his tongue at the tavern’s name.

“It’s not like it was opened to sell alcohol anyway.”

-If not alcohol, what does it sell?

“Information.”

-Information? In such a tiny place?

“Well, considering the small scale and the lowly clientele, there’s no need for a bigger establishment.”

By now, the place would be selling gossip that nobles and bureaucrats would find intriguing.

Yan opened the door and entered the tavern.

Inside, the interior matched the shabby exterior, with a few wooden chairs, tables, and a cabinet filled with bottles of alcohol.

The old bartender, cleaning glasses in front of the cabinet, didn’t greet Yan but simply sat quietly in his chair.

Yan walked up to where the bartender stood without hesitation.

The bartender finally looked up and faced him as he approached.

“What would you like to drink? Help yourself to whatever you want.”

An unfriendly clerk and a terrible interior.

If it were truly a pub opened for livelihood, it would be a recipe for disaster.

“Two whiskeys mixed with wine, and add some olives.”

A spark of recognition flashed in the old bartender’s eyes.

What Yan had said was a code used within the establishment.

It was a special code shared only with the most special VIP guests.

The old bartender scanned Yan’s attire.

Then he stood up and bowed his head.

“Welcome, VIP guest.”

Rumble rumble rumble.

Behind the old bartender, the cabinet began to make noise and move.

Beyond the cabinet doors, which opened like wings, another space was revealed.

“Please, come in.”

“What an interesting device.”

Yan glanced at the chair where the old bartender had been sitting.

It seemed there was a special button under the seat that would open the cabinet behind when the bartender stood up.

The old bartender lit a lantern at his feet and handed it to Yan.

“It’s quite dark inside; you’ll need this to see.”

Yan took the lantern and went behind the cabinet.

The lantern dispelled the pitch-black darkness.

The smell of dust hit his nose, and not far ahead, he could see a light that seemed to lead to ‘that person.’

Yan strode forward and flung open the door where the light seeped through.

The room was small, but the white marble floor and black wallpaper gave it an air of luxury.

A woman sitting at a small table looked up at Yan and smiled faintly, nodding her head.

“Hello. I don’t believe we’ve met before.”

Yan stared at the woman.

She had long wavy brown hair and wore a shirt, giving her the appearance of a high-ranking female bureaucrat.

As Yan continued to look at her without saying a word, the woman’s face slightly frowned.

“May I know what request brings you here?”

“Bella.”

The name that came from Yan’s mouth made the woman’s eyes widen.

It was her name, after all.

But no one running this information brokerage should have known her name.

“How did you…”

Her poker face shattered in an instant.

‘She’s a bit sloppy, having just stepped in. Can’t even manage her expressions well.’

It seemed she would be easy to manipulate, which was rather pleasing.

“There are quite a few looking for you, aren’t there? Did you think they wouldn’t know your name?”

Yan shrugged and pulled out a chair to sit.

Bella froze, glaring at Yan.

“Who are you?”

“One of those looking for you?”

As soon as Yan finished speaking, Bella’s face contorted with rage.

“Die!”

With a thunderous crash, Bella slammed her hand down on the armrest of her chair, her voice seething with venom.

Suddenly…

Whoosh!

Arrows shot from a corner of the room, aimed straight at Yan. Bella was certain Yan would meet his end by the swift arrows. Had he been a knight, he might have moved or drawn his sword, but there he sat, still as stone.

‘What a naive young master,’ she thought.

His clothes alone looked to be worth at least two gold coins. Killing Yan and reducing his clothes to unrecognizable fabric could fetch her one gold coin.

As Bella entertained these thoughts, Yan waved his hand and uttered a single word, “.”

Clang!

The arrows crumpled as if hitting a wall, unable to pierce Yan’s skin, and fell to the floor.

“A mage?!” Bella gasped, leaping from her chair in shock.

Mages, who couldn’t exist without innate talent, were treated with immense respect, regardless of their level.

‘Why would such a high-class asset like a mage come to such a small town just to rob an information broker?’

Yan’s calm gaze met hers, and Bella bit her lip.

‘Have I ever sold information that could move a mage? No, I haven’t.’

She knew all too well how vile the nobles could be. They despised tarnishing their honor more than suffering financial loss.

Thus, Bella had only ever sold information that would slightly dent their pride or honor.

In other words, she had been walking a tightrope.

‘Who could it be? Count Franken? Baron Gordon? Or perhaps Baron Hwigin? No, it couldn’t be him…’

She racked her brain, trying to deduce which noble could be behind this.

But Yan’s next words turned her thoughts to white noise.

“I hear you’ve been selling quite a lot of noble’s secrets. From what I know, all the information about the local nobility came from your lips.”

Bella’s face turned pale. Spreading rumors about a noble’s private life was a ‘crime of noble insult,’ severely punished under imperial law.

Even if she survived, becoming a target of the nobility meant living a life that wasn’t life at all.

“Don’t talk nonsense. What power do I have to…”

“If we tear this tavern apart, I wonder if we’ll find any evidence.”

Bella was cornered. Indeed, this place held all the information she had gathered over time.

But she wasn’t trapped yet.

‘There’s still a chance to escape.’

Her eyes darted to the emergency passage she had secretly constructed. If she could just get inside, not even a mage could easily follow her, thanks to the traps and decoys installed within.

And judging by the mage’s demeanor, he seemed unaware of the emergency passage’s existence.

If she could just slip away, liquidate her assets and flee overseas…

Yan watched Bella’s frantic thoughts with a smirk, fully aware she was contemplating escape.

“I propose a deal.”

“A deal?”

“Yes. Come work for me, and I’ll spare your life.”

“Then I’ll die.”

Bella spoke firmly. Despite the risk of death, she seemed resolute.

“If the nobles I’m dealing with find out I’ve joined you, they’ll kill me no matter what.”

“You must have traded some rather unsavory information, huh?”

“Yes.”

For those who had bought information from her, it was an uncomfortable thought. Unwholesome information could become a weakness if it fell into the hands of a rival.

Yan chuckled and pulled out an interdimensional pouch. The easiest way to change this person’s mind was ‘money.’

Though the exact reason was unknown, it was clear she had entered the information industry to make a lot of money.

Yan reached into the pouch and pulled out gold coins, placing them on the table.

The sound of gold coins spilling onto the table made Bella’s jaw drop.

“What are you doing?”

“We’re going to play a game with your future at stake.”

Yan continued.

“I’ll keep taking out money. If you say stop, all the money taken out till then is yours. But then, you’ll have to work for me.”

Bella, who had been gloomy moments before, swallowed hard at the sight of the glittering pile of gold coins on the table.

Yan shrugged as he watched her.

“But if you don’t say stop even when I reach the amount I have in mind, it’s over. You’ll be dragged to the courtroom.”

Yan reached into the pouch again and scattered more gold coins onto the table.

“200 gold coins.”

With 200 gold coins, one could live a life of luxury.

Conflict flickered in Bella’s eyes. Such a fortune was within her grasp, yet she had never touched it before.

But she didn’t say stop.

Yan smirked and poured out more gold coins.

“300 pieces.”

An amount equivalent to what a medium-sized trading company might earn in a year.

The conflict in Bella’s eyes grew.

Yet again, she remained silent.

“400 pieces.”

Enough to feed about 4,000 villagers for a year.

Bella’s pupils danced with turmoil.

If this was the end, she would gain nothing and be dragged to court for trial.

‘Just a little more?’

Bella pulled out all the stops in her mind.

If she got greedy and ended up with nothing, she would be the only one to suffer.

Her eyes watched Yan’s mouth and hands closely.

Then, after a brief moment…

“Stop! That’s enough! Stooop!”

“Really?”

Yan sounded almost disappointed.

“I was ready to go up to a thousand.”

“A thousand?!”

Bella collapsed backward, foaming at the mouth at the thought of the limit.

Yan chuckled at the sight.

Bella was the top information broker in the continent, having built a network by gathering beggars from across the land.

Even Yan, during his time as a special mission commander, had sought her services for matters outside the empire.

And now, he had hooked her for a mere 400 gold coins.

‘Very satisfying.’

At this moment, Bella seemed smaller than Yan had anticipated.