The innkeeper who recruited for outlaws. Zhu Gui ran a tavern on the shore opposite the Liangshan marsh stronghold, but hospitality was just cover for his real job - spotting talented fighters and criminals who might join the bandit brotherhood. His nickname "Dry Land Alligator" suggested someone dangerous lurking where you least expected, a predator disguised as a simple businessman. He'd serve you wine, size you up, and if you had the skills and the right kind of trouble following you, he'd send the signal.

Kuniyoshi captures him in that crucial moment - standing on the dock by the water, drawing his bow with perfect form, about to fire a whistling arrow across the lake. His heavily tattooed back is exposed, blue patterns covering his shoulders and arms, while his ornate robes hang open. The water stretches behind him toward the distant Liangshan base, mountains visible on the horizon. His expression is focused, calm, the face of a man who's done this a hundred times. That arrow will scream across the water, and the outlaws will know someone worth recruiting has arrived.

This is from Kuniyoshi's legendary 1827 Suikoden series. Kuniyoshi captures Zhu Gui at his most essential - not fighting, but signaling. The bridge between the ordinary world and the outlaw stronghold, the man who decided who was worthy of joining the 108.

This is Zhu Gui (朱貴), the "Dry Land Alligator" (旱地忽律); known in Japan as Kanchikotsuritsu Shuki (旱地忽律朱貴), from the series Tsūzoku suikoden gōketsu hiyakuhachinin no hitori (通俗水滸伝豪傑百八人之一個, One of the 108 famous Suikoden heroes) 1827.

Utagawa Kuniyoshi (歌川国芳, 1798-1861)