Chapter 73
The orphanage director’s office was located on the top floor of the building.
As they climbed the last stairs, a corridor appeared — neat and spotless, unlike the messy lower floors.
The walls and floors gleamed.
“Looks like it was painted recently.”
Kang Yu brushed the wall with his hand.
It was still sticky, as if the paint had not dried long ago.
The smell of lacquer still lingered in the air.
The closer they got to the director’s office, the more extravagant the hallway became.
Fine paintings filled the walls, and beneath them stood antique porcelain and tables.
Judging only by the scenery, this looked less like an orphanage and more like a rich man’s hobby room.
Yeon Baek-rim remembered the children they had met in the courtyard.
“Hello!”
“Hello!”
Every child who had run out was skin and bones.
Their clothes were full of holes, and malnutrition rashes covered their faces.
It was a stark contrast —
the luxury before their eyes and the children’s misery.
“Is anyone there?!”
Kang Yu knocked on the director’s door repeatedly.
No response came.
“B-but they said he was here…”
Glancing at Yeon Baek-rim, Kang Yu cautiously grabbed the doorknob.
Surprisingly, it opened easily.
The two stepped inside — and their mouths fell open.
“Whoa…”
The inside of the office resembled a royal chamber.
Smaller in size, but comparable in furnishings.
“This is outright robbery.”
Yeon Baek-rim muttered unconsciously.
He too had been an orphan wandering since childhood.
When troupe members starved, only the troupe leader’s face had grease on it — special food, carriage, lodging.
So he had roughly expected the orphanage’s condition… but this was excessive.
Especially since a slum orphanage director shouldn’t be able to embezzle this much.
He recalled what he’d heard at the wall-facing cave.
“Don’t go there! There’s nothing there! Nothing at all!”
Definitely suspicious.
But Yeon Baek-rim was too afraid to talk about monsters—
Just then.
“Ahem… come over here.”
A low whisper came from a corner of the luxurious room.
Expensive robes were scattered across a stone floor.
Following the sound, they saw a golden screen.
A coquettish voice came from behind it.
“Oh dear, you shouldn’t do this.”
“Heh… stay still.”
A liver-spotted hand pulled apart the courtesan’s clothes.
Though she protested, she obediently allowed the director’s touch.
“KYAAAH!”
A young face popped above the screen.
The courtesan kicked the director in panic.
“Ugh!”
The old man tumbled under the bed.
Looking up, he saw two men standing over him — upside down from his view.
One looked like a child.
The other, a refined handsome young master.
“W-what are you brats?”
The “child” bowed politely.
“Hello. Are you the director of this orphanage?”
The director’s face twisted.
“That idiot should’ve just cut you off! I told him to say I wasn’t here!”
Kang Yu and Yeon Baek-rim exchanged looks.
That was basically an admission.
Meanwhile the courtesan hurriedly fled.
The director stood up, glaring at them.
“What do you want, barging in like that?”
Kang Yu bowed again.
“Hello. My name is Kang Yu. I’d like to ask you something.”
“Who?”
“I’m Kang Yu, and this is Lord Divine Dragon.”
The director sighed and straightened his expensive clothes.
“Don’t care who you are. If you brought a donation, leave the coins and go.”
“Coins?”
“You came to donate, didn’t you?”
“Ah… well…”
Kang Yu scratched his head.
It seemed they’d need to offer something first.
He reached into his pouch, hesitating between two items.
One was money earned risking his life — impossible to give away.
So he picked the other.
“W-would this be okay?”
Without looking, the director scoffed—
“That’s nowhere near enough, so get ou— HUH?!”
His eyes bulged.
He stared back and forth between Kang Yu and the banknote.
10,000 gold taels
He gulped.
The seal of the Central Plains’ greatest bank was stamped in the center — impossible to fake.
That amount was over a thousand times his recent advance payment.
His posture immediately lowered.
“H-hehe… I committed a grave discourtesy… If you give it here I will process—”
Kang Yu pulled it back.
“Hmm…”
He couldn’t understand why everyone changed attitude at this paper money.
“Lord Divine Dragon, how much money is this?”
Yeon Baek-rim flinched but answered calmly.
“You don’t know?”
“I knew it.”
Kang Yu waved the note.
If it were truly huge money, the villagers wouldn’t live eating grass roots in tiny huts.
So the director must be pitying him like masters back in Jilin.
He decided not to give fake-looking money.
“Wait.”
He instead handed a single silver coin.
“I’ll give this.”
The director stared blankly.
From 10,000 gold… to 1 silver.
An absurd drop.
“Can I ask now?”
“…Yes, anything.”
Kang Yu asked:
Had Monk Muhak visited recently?
If yes, when?
If not, when last?
The director hesitated.
“Why do you ask…?”
“Because I’m curious.”
He bowed nervously.
“He hasn’t visited in the past year. Only letters every season.”
Kang Yu remembered Muhak shouting:
“There’s nothing there!”
But something felt off.
“You’re not lying, right?”
“O-of course not! Not a single lie!”
Kang Yu felt uneasy but was about to just look around—
He’s lying.
“Eh?”
Yeon Baek-rim explained:
The director’s eyes moved upper-left only when speaking about Muhak.
Wrinkles changed.
Mouth stiffened — classic acting signs.
“Acting?”
“Lying and acting differ by a hair.”
“How do you know?”
“…I’ve done it countless times.”
Yeon Baek-rim froze.
If discovered, his identity — a mere opera actor — would be exposed.
The monster would see through him.
Your real identity is…?
Heart pounding—
You’re a secret agent.
“…What?”
Only secret agents imitate others. A master like you wouldn’t be in a theater troupe.
Actually very close to the truth — but safer to agree.
Correct. I am a secret agent.
Oooh!
Kang Yu’s eyes sparkled with admiration.
Anyway, he’s lying, right?
Yes.
Kang Yu stepped forward.
The director rubbed his hands eagerly.
“Hehe… then about that earlier money—”
Tap.
Kang Yu placed a hand on his bald forehead.
“Why did you lie?”
“W-what?”
“Grandpa Muhak came recently, right?”
The director tried denying—
“Give it back.”
“What?”
“The silver.”
Kang Yu took it back.
His eyes changed color.
The director trembled.
“W-what are you— KGH!”
Dark energy lifted him into the air.
“Ha…”
“You’ve fallen for it…!”
“?!”
A grotesque voice burst from the director’s mouth.
Kang Yu and Yeon Baek-rim scattered like smoke.
