CHAPTER 45: WILL BE FIXED SOON!

"Kekeke, I’m just a nobody," I blurted out, following my intrusive thought.

I initially wanted to try to lighten the mood by starting off a friendly laugh, but what I didn’t expect was that what came out of my mouth sounded more like a creepy giggle than anything else.

’Fuck, what did I just say?’

’If the rumor was spread by the Sadis Gang to keep people off Nolan Street... then what’s so important about the original Aiden’s house that they’d go to such lengths to gatekeep it?’

Was Aiden hiding gold or something?

Or maybe there’s been a hidden basement inside the house all along, one that holds a buried secret of humanity?!

It had only been a few hours since I inherited the original Aiden’s memories, and there was still a flood of information to process. Trying to pinpoint any specific memory that might offer a clue was like finding a needle in a haystack.

"Wait, why was I trying so hard to guess? I’m about to meet them anyway. I can just get the answer straight from their mouths."

As I walked closer to my destination, Richie’s words suddenly echoed in my mind. Instinctively, my gaze shot upwards, scanning the ceilings and roofs above.

"Nothing, huh? Well, Richie said his drink buddy saw an owl. It’s noon now, perfect napping time for an owl. I guess even a beast tamer can’t push their pets to go against their nature."

Gang entirely.

With that thought, I reached into the worn cloth bag where I kept all the items Althea had given me and pulled out a fiery red pill.

[Mid-Tier Temporary Stats Enhancer Pills]

I froze. And so did the other guy before he took a few steps back. I could feel his suspicion spike almost instantly.

"Wait, wait! I’m just kidding! I’m harmless, really. Can’t you tell?" I hurriedly raised both hands, palms open, trying to show I meant no harm and came in peace as I noticed him edging toward his door.

Upon hearing my words, he stopped retreating but still kept a safe distance between us.

"What do you want? Why did you come up to me?"

I got straight to the point.

"Do you know what’s going on around here? This area used to be crawling with thugs and vagrants, but now it’s like they’ve all vanished."

The man relaxed his shoulders, took a drag from his tobacco, then said, "You don’t know? There’s been a plague going around. I’m not sure when it started, but a lot of people started getting sick. There’s a saying—’only idiots catch illness’—and I guess there’s some truth to it. So far, it’s mostly the vagrants and thugs who’ve come down with it."

"What about the residents here?" I asked.

"They’re fine. Look at me, do I look sick?" he said confidently, then coughed severely right after, while pointing to himself.

I gave him a slow scan from head to toe. Then I averted my gaze.

He caught that immediately. "Hey, what’s that supposed to mean?" he asked, suddenly looking concerned.

"You might not look sick," I said, "but who knows what’s going on inside. You should stop smoking that tobacco. Otherwise, your lungs might give out."

He squinted at me like I had just told him the sky was green. "What do you know about tobacco? Lungs, huh? Kid, that nonsense might work on someone else, but not me. You just had to say it to me of all people."

He held up the half-burned roll with a kind of reverence, almost like worshipping it.

"If it weren’t for this little thing, I would’ve thrown myself off that bridge years ago. It’s because of tobacco that I found the will to keep going. To me, it’s not just a commodity I bought to fulfill my craving, but it’s also a reminder that it once saved me. This is my savior!"

I was speechless. More importantly, I realized there was no point arguing with a smoker, especially a heavy one like him.

It’s not like anyone in this world knew about the health risks associated with tobacco anyway. Talking about lung damage would just make me sound like a lunatic. And really, even back on modern Earth, people kept smoking despite warning labels printed right on the packaging. If that didn’t stop them, why would my warning work here?

"By the way, do you know anything going on over Nolan Street?" I asked, changing the subject.

Nolan Street was the street that housed my home.

"Nolan Street?" He scratched his head. "Can’t say I’ve heard anything from there..."

I was just about to feel disappointed when he suddenly snapped his fingers.

"Wait! Actually, I think I know something."

"They’re convinced they’ll be the creep’s next victim," he added with a shiver.

I was at a complete loss for words. I did what to men? Isn’t that rumor too exaggerated? Who comes up with this kind of nonsense? And everyone seems to be buying it?!

But more importantly, I suddenly realized how badly this had screwed up my brilliant plan of setting up the new ero-massage program!

This was supposed to be perfect. I had the massage skill inherited from the original Aiden’s memory, and with the "Sensual Touch" skill on top of that, I was sure I could bring in plenty of customers and finish the main quest just in time.

But now?

If everyone’s started avoiding my parlor like it’s the plague, how am I supposed to get any customers?

Fuck! Who the hell started spreading this crap?

Could it be the Sadis Gang again? Of course, it had to be their doing again! That would explain everything. News about my capture spread far too fast. And knowing the Sadis Gang specialized in gathering and leaking information, it wasn’t a stretch to think they were behind this too.

’Looks like me and those shitheads really are fated to be mortal enemies, huh? Fine by me, after all, it’s not like I can rest peacefully until I’ve destroyed them.’

Still, there’s something that bothers me.

If the Sadis Gang was behind the rumor... why go through all this trouble? They’d already killed the original Aiden. Why keep targeting the massage parlor? What exactly is their goal?

Just then, I was struck with realization.

The rumor wasn’t just about me being some predatory scumbag; it specifically said I went after men and women equally. And that had made people of both genders scared to set foot anywhere near Nolan Street...

Is it possible...

Could there be something in my parlor, something so important that they had to go to these lengths, start this wild rumor just to keep people away and make sure nobody stumbled onto... whatever it is?

...

A short, plump man with two front teeth sticking out stood in front of a two-story building.

Pasted across the entrance door was a sheet of parchment bearing the kingdom’s crest, a golden scabbard.

In bold letters, it read:

"The business within this property is closed under investigation. Reopening is forbidden without formal clearance."

"Kekeke, good thing we got word those knights were coming last night," Peter chuckled. "If not, they would’ve caught us red-handed while we were still tearing the place apart."

He then turned to face his subordinates behind him. His posture was slightly hunched, but no one dared make fun of him. "Anyway, Lord Sadis wants us to sweep the place again. This time, he made it clear that we can’t come back until we find that map. Got it?"

A thin man scratched his head among the crowd, looking unsure. "But sir, we already searched the whole house last night and found nothing. What exactly are we supposed to be looking for now?"

Peter shot him a glare. "That’s your job to figure out, genius! If David hadn’t panicked and screwed everything up, we’d have the map by now."

He spat on the ground. "How the hell did he get scared of a half-dead, beaten-down guy and accidentally stab him?"

Someone else hesitantly asked, "What happened to David? Why haven’t we seen him?"

"He’s dead," Peter replied coldly.

The man who asked instantly froze.

Peter indifferently looked over the group. "If you don’t want to end up like him, then get your asses in there and find that map. Understood?"

"Yes, sir!"

"Good. Now move!"

As his men spread out and slipped into the building through windows and the front door, Peter stayed outside.

He looked up at the roof. A pigeon was perched on the ceiling, staring straight at him. After a moment, it spread its wings, glided down, and landed gently on Peter’s shoulder.

"Do you see anyone suspicious coming to this street?"

The pigeon tilted its head, then let out a soft squawk. "Ku! Ku! Ku!"

"Hmm, so no one, huh? From the looks of it, the rumor worked really well at keeping people from going through this street. Other than the residents who lived on this street, probably no one else wants to set foot here. Haha, I’m such a genius for coming up with that rumor!"

Just then, Peter saw a rat scurrying toward him and patting his shoe with its paw.

"Squeak, squeak!"

Right after the rat made its squeaking noises, Peter nodd

"Yeah?"

"There’s a strange Radhanian guy who recently moved in and opened... what was it again...?"

"Massage parlor?" I said unsurely.

"Ah, that’s right! Massage parlor! You know it too?"

"Yeah," Not only do I know it, I even own the place!