Chapter 9

Shiu Kong had known Toji for a long time.

From the days when Toji first left the Zenin family as a teenager, solving all sorts of requests and being called a sorcerer killer, Shiu Kong worked alongside Toji as his broker.

That's not to say they were close enough to use a term as intimate as partners. The relationship was strictly that of a killer and the broker who conveyed assignments to the killer, nothing more.

However, excluding those from his family, it was true that Shiu Kong was the human who had known Toji the longest.

Toji was, how to say, a specimen of the dregs of life. A villain who killed people he didn't even know for money, a philanderer who changed women faster than clothes, miserly to men but squandered all his collected money on gambling addiction in a flash, prone to creating conflicts with his mocking and occasionally lashing out as if he was fed up with everything in this world.

He might have been slightly kinder to women, but even that seemed motivated by his own needs. A host for a few days' stay and a partner to satisfy his urges. To Toji, women meant just that much. He didn't even bother to hide it.

Then, Toji met that woman.

Shiu Kong didn't know her name. At first, he thought she was just one of the many women passing through Toji's life, so he wasn't interested, and later on, he deliberately avoided asking.

Collecting information about a client's Achilles' heel could cost a broker his head.

That woman was special to Toji. It was undeniable. After meeting her, Toji only accepted relatively clean and straightforward assignments. He stopped visiting the gambling dens he frequented, opting instead to date her, and his once skewed gaze and tone softened almost to the point of becoming a different person.

Then one day, he suddenly announced his retirement.

Shiu Kong had heard rumors of men who left the underworld for a woman but never thought Toji would be among them.

What kind of woman was she, to pique his interest? But Shiu Kong valued his life more than his curiosity. Knowing Toji's cruelty better than anyone, he had absolutely, absolutely no intention of digging up information about that woman.

Losing a competent killer was regrettable, but Shiu Kong had other killers under his management, so it was something he could tolerate. Thus, they parted ways, and their contact ceased.

Then, a few days ago, out of the blue, a call came.

"I need a sorcerer."

It had been four years. The first words after four years were those. He needed a sorcerer skilled enough to precisely identify traces or remnants of magic, who would agree to a binding oath not to disclose any information. He would pay whatever it took, so bring them to the address provided as soon as possible.

If it had been the usual voice, Shiu Kong would have been irritated. Calling after four years to say what and how? And where does one find a competent sorcerer willing to enter into a non-disclosure agreement immediately? It was absurd.

If it had been the usual, that's what he would have said.

But Toji that day was not his usual self. The content of his words was incoherent, breaking off abruptly, and his deep, submerged voice was shaking terribly.

As if everything about him had shattered.

After quickly contacting a retired first-class sorcerer, Shiu Kong went to the location Toji had mentioned. It was a hospital. There, shrouded in white and red cloth, was a form.

Having seen many such sights during his time as a detective and a broker, Shiu Kong immediately knew it was someone's corpse.

And that it was a woman.

"There are absolutely no traces of sorcery."

The sorcerer, after meticulously examining the corpse, stated this. Though interested in money, the old man had never lied about his work. After all, he was bound by a pact to speak only the truth.

Yet, Toji demanded a more thorough investigation.

Thus, the market where the accident occurred and the truck involved in the accident were also inspected, but the result was the same. Not even the most common fourth-grade spirits, not to mention a stronger curse, were found.

It was not an intervention of sorcery, but merely an accident. Even to Shiu Kong, who was a non-sorcerer, it was crystal clear. The sorcerer repeated the same conclusion.

"There is no involvement of sorcery. It's just an accident."

Upon hearing this, Toji commanded Shiu Kong to investigate the truck driver and the bus driver who caused the accident. He wanted to know if they had been paid to plan the accident.

As expected, there was nothing. The bank records of both drivers were clean, and there was no apparent reason for them to have planned the accident. The woman's death was simply an accident, a combination of a slight mistake, misfortune, and coincidence.

Shiu Kong removed the cigarette from his mouth and exhaled a cloud of smoke.

That sharp man surely knew what Shiu Kong knew. He just wanted something or someone to blame. If the two drivers had been alive, he might have taken his anger out on them, but unfortunately, both had died on the spot due to the accident.

Anyway, having been paid, Shiu Kong had to deliver on his money's worth. He gathered the investigation materials and got into his car. His destination was a boat racing gambling den where Toji used to frequent.

Toji was sitting in his usual spot. Betting slips were scattered on the floor, indicating how many times he had already lost money. The ashtray was filled with cigarette butts, and empty liquor bottles filled one crate and spilled over to the seat next to it.

Even though he rarely drank alcohol because he hated not getting drunk no matter how much he drank.

Toji turned his head to look at Shiu Kong. His face was as expressionless as ever, but Shiu Kong could tell something had changed.

"The results of the investigation?"

"Here."

Shiu Kong handed over the thick stack of paper documents. Contrary to what he thought that Toji might just take the documents and tell him to leave, Toji continued speaking.

"I have something to say, so take a seat."

I was about to leave, but then again, such is the life of a broker, always being called from one place to another. Shiu Kong sighed quietly and sat a few seats away from Toji.

Whoosh.

A boat sped past right in front of them. However, neither Shiu Kong nor Toji paid any attention to the scene.

Thud.

Toji, having finished reading, threw a bundle of documents onto the seat in front.

"Is this information reliable?"

"...I've combed through everything from the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department to insurance company data. That should be reliable enough. You know it as well."

For those involved in contract killing, preliminary research is essential. Having received countless pieces of information, Toji had no choice but to recognize the truth in the data Shiu Kong provided.

"..."

Toji said nothing. He neither cried, frowned, nor showed anger. He simply remained as he was.

But sometimes, silence can be louder than any words.

Naturally, Shiu Kong turned his head away. Getting emotionally involved with clients is a significant weakness for a broker. It was better not to create any unnecessary burdens for himself.

"Contact me if you want to work again."

"..."

"Anything else?"

"Find someone to look after the kids."

The kids? It was then that Shiu Kong remembered the children he had seen in passing that day. A boy with green hair, who seemed about four or five years old, was tightly holding a baby.

Both had unusual names. What were they again?

"What are their names?"

"The older one is Zoro, three years old. The younger one is Megumi. He was born last winter."

I see. Shiu Kong responded casually. He hadn't realized the boy, who appeared to be four or five, was his son since he looked nothing like him. Even the color of his hair was like grass.

"Get ready. Let me know the address later. I'll send someone."

The nanny's salary will be deducted from your payment. Shiu Kong added, but Toji did not respond.

Whoosh!

A boat crossed the finish line, and Toji crumpled the paper in his hand. It seemed he had lost again, as always.

But by now, Shiu Kong knew that it didn't matter what happened anymore.

...

On the first day of April, when an unknown woman came to the house instead of Toji.

Zoro knew that Toji would not be coming home.