Chapter 465: I Need to Find Out the Amount
Chapter 465: I Need to Find Out the Amount
Had he ever laughed this heartily in recent years?
Yong Ja-myeong let out a truly thunderous laugh.
"Do you have any money?"
Asking the wealthiest man in the Central Plains such a question was no different from asking the Leader of the Demonic Cult, "Do you know any martial arts?" And the person making such a joke was none other than the current Young Cult Leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.
While building the Silver River Merchant Group, Yong Ja-myeong had always been wary of martial artists. Among them, he was most cautious and guarded against the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult. He had always felt that if trouble ever arose, negotiation with them would be impossible. They were an existence that seemed poised to sweep over everything like a tidal wave.
Then, new rumors regarding the Demonic Cult began to spread.
They were about the young man standing right before his eyes—the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult.
The information gathered in secret was truly astonishing. They were stories that were genuinely hard to believe. Even as he heard repeated reports that this Young Cult Leader was different from the demonic practitioners of the past, he had thought to himself, How different could he really be? A demon is still a demon.
However, meeting this Young Cult Leader in person proved he was indeed different. How different? As one could see, he was far too different. He was someone even more extraordinary than the rumors suggested.
"How much do you need?"
At Yong Ja-myeong’s question, Geom Mu-geuk replied with a smile.
"The more, the better."
"That is the one thing I am best at providing."
Despite Yong Ja-myeong's humble remark, Geom Mu-geuk brought up an unexpected point.
"However, you don't actually need to give it to me."
"What do you mean by that?"
"You only need to make it look like you are giving it."
Yong Ja-myeong immediately grasped Geom Mu-geuk’s intention. He meant that they only needed to leak information that the Silver River Merchant Group had provided a massive sum of money to the West Blade Sect.
"And the question of 'how much' is something that should be heard from the opposing side, not from you, Leader."
Yong Ja-myeong looked at Geom Mu-geuk with admiration. It was only a moment ago that he had asked to stay here. Because of that, he had gained three days of time. In other words, in this brief span of time, Geom Mu-geuk had already formulated a plan.
The most extraordinary Young Cult Leader in history. He was certainly living up to that reputation.
"Young Cult Leader."
"Yes, Leader."
It was now time to formally express his gratitude.
"Thank you."
If it hadn't been for Geom Mu-geuk, he would never have realized that Geom Wu-jin was his benefactor. If Mu-geuk hadn't asked to hear the old stories, if he hadn't asked to see the wanted portrait, and if Yong Ja-myeong hadn't seen glimpses of Geom Wu-jin in Geom Mu-geuk’s own appearance... he would never have known the truth.
Even though he knew exactly what Yong Ja-myeong meant, Geom Mu-geuk said with a chuckle, "I'm staying with the richest man in the world, and even after asking him for money, I'm the one being thanked."
Yong Ja-myeong found himself genuinely liking Geom Mu-geuk. The Young Cult Leader’s words—that this wouldn't be a bad deal for him either—were now perfectly clear. No, it wasn't just 'not bad.' If he could continue to build a good relationship with a Young Cult Leader like this, it would be a great help not only to himself but to the Silver River Merchant Group as well.
Perhaps that was why these words came out so naturally.
"Those three days... let's start counting them from tomorrow."
He was a man for whom even a single day was precious, yet he offered more.
*
"The Silver River Merchant Group is up to something."
At Geum A-rin’s words, her personal bodyguard, Im Hyeok, nodded silently.
The fact that the leader of the Silver River Merchant Group had appeared here in person was proof enough. At first glance, the circumstances suggested that Silver River and the West Blade Sect were joining forces.
"The people of the West Blade Sect are no ordinary figures," Im Hyeok remarked.
He recalled Hwi, who had appeared after releasing his stealth. It was the first time he had encountered such incredible stealth techniques. It was a level of mastery that only someone else trained in the art could truly appreciate—stealth that had reached the ultimate principle.
He remembered what Hwi had said then.
— Do you wish to protect your master? Then stop. Your thoughts, your actions. And keep your mouth shut.
It was meant as a warning not to act recklessly within that manor. Somehow, he couldn't shake the feeling that it was a warning that applied to this entire affair.
"That must be why the leader of Silver River came personally."
The man named Geom Yeon, as well as the presence shown by his father and uncle, were far from ordinary. In particular, the presence his father exuded was something difficult to describe in words.
"If they have joined hands, then in the end, my subordinates were defeated by the Silver River Merchant Group."
This was a different problem from simply being defeated in a random clash with a Murim sect. It meant that Silver River could be the power behind this entire situation. Of course, the possibility was slim. If that were the case, they wouldn't have let them leave the manor so easily that day.
"We should receive word from the clan soon."
They had already reported to the clan that the leader of the Silver River Merchant Group was moving independently.
"We can't just wait for word to arrive."
The situation here could be over before then. She had to step forward and investigate for herself. She needed to know the relationship between Silver River and the West Blade Sect, and why the leader of Silver River had come here personally.
"What do you intend to do?"
"I'll find out what's going on through that man, Geom Yeon."
Im Hyeok looked at her with a worried expression. She had handled her duties well until now. Despite her young age, she certainly possessed extraordinary qualities. But this time, he had a bad feeling.
Geum A-rin sensed Im Hyeok’s concern.
"I know. He's not an easy opponent."
She thought of Geom Mu-geuk. When she pictured him, the first thing that came to mind was him smiling and joking. But she knew. As a rule, it was the strong who smiled. Geom Mu-geuk’s smile was one born of composure. And that composure came from strength.
Just then, a subordinate arrived to report.
"Geom Yeon and the leader of the Silver River Merchant Group have moved."
"Just the two of them?"
"Yes, that is correct."
"Where to?"
"To the Continental Bank."
Geum A-rin immediately guessed the reason. When a merchant and a martial artist go to a bank together, what other reason could there be? Silver River must have handed over money to the West Blade Sect.
Geum A-rin commanded her subordinate.
"Find out secretly how much money changed hands. You must find out the exact amount."
*
That afternoon, Geum A-rin visited Geom Mu-geuk’s residence.
"What brings you here?"
"I came because I have something to say to you."
"Come inside."
"It's stuffy in there. Let's walk for a bit."
Geum A-rin refused to enter the house. She knew the leader of the Silver River Merchant Group was still staying there. This man’s father was there as well. That place was a tiger's den.
Geom Mu-geuk readily accepted her suggestion.
"Fine, let's do that."
It was precisely because of this attitude. For some reason, she felt like she could get something out of this man. She had to exploit his confidence. She would sink a straw into that confidence and drain every drop of humility from him. After all, when humility vanished from confidence, only arrogance remained.
The two of them walked slowly toward the marketplace. She walked a short distance away from him.
"Why are you walking so far apart?"
At Mu-geuk’s question, Geum A-rin replied, "Have you forgotten? Our last meeting was a place where we were trying to kill each other."
"Let's get our facts straight. It wasn't 'each other.' It was a place where you were trying to kill me."
"The blood of my subordinates must still be on your sword."
"Because they tried to kill me first."
"Well, you survived, didn't you?"
She focused her entire mind on every single word, being incredibly cautious. She had never dealt with someone of this type before. Even when he made a joke, she had to stay sharp.
"But there is one strange thing."
"What is so strange?"
"As you know, the leader of Silver River and I crossed paths that day. Normally, the merchant group's martial artists would have investigated my background, yet there hasn't been any movement."
It was a probing remark to see if the Silver River Merchant Group knew about her identity. In reality, the Silver River leader's protection was known to be airtight; if an unknown person made contact, they were certain to be investigated.
"I spoke to them about you first."
"What did you say?"
"Didn't you hear it that day? I said you were a woman blessed with good food."
When Geum A-rin looked at him with an incredulous expression, Geom Mu-geuk added with a smile, "I told them you were someone with whom I have a personal connection. So, out of respect for me, they won't be investigating you."
Geum A-rin stopped walking for a moment. Naturally, Geom Mu-geuk stopped as well.
"Our connection is an ill-fated one."
She deliberately avoided saying anything pleasant to him. He had claimed they had a personal connection. In other words, he was implying he felt some goodwill toward her. In times like this, it was better to be cold.
As expected, her opponent didn't take it as an ill fate.
"We don't know that yet, do we? Since our meeting hasn't ended."
The two began walking again. She subtly inserted her straw and took a sip of his humility.
"The leader of the Silver River Merchant Group visiting you personally... You are a more impressive person than I thought."
At that, Geom Mu-geuk looked at her with a peculiar smile. At times like this, his gaze felt as if it were peering right through her heart.
"I think you are the more impressive one."
"What do you mean?"
"Didn't you come to find such an 'impressive person' without a hint of fear?"
Such an impressive person? It seemed her previous words had successfully drained his humility.
"Why did you come to find me?"
"To be honest, dealing with someone like you is burdensome for me as well. However, since an incident has occurred, it must be settled one way or another."
While they conversed, the two entered the marketplace. Geom Mu-geuk made the first suggestion.
"Let's have a drink."
It was the very offer she had been hoping for, but she played hard to get. To get information out of an opponent, one must not appear desperate. She had to approach this strategically.
"We aren't exactly on terms to sit down and drink together."
This was also a display of her own confidence—a woman's confidence that the man wouldn't back down just because she played hard to get. Until now, she could solve problems with men using her sword, so she simply hadn't needed this particular charm.
"But we aren't on terms where we can't drink, are we? Come, let's go."
Geom Mu-geuk led the way into an inn. A faint smile touched Geum A-rin’s lips as she followed him. So far, the plan was proceeding smoothly.
"There are many other taverns, but you seem to like this place."
"Didn't I meet you here? It's a place of significance regarding you."
Geum A-rin flinched at the unexpected words. She stared at Geom Mu-geuk, but she couldn't tell if he truly meant it or if he was just joking.
"Bring some wine here!"
Geom Mu-geuk ordered one dish for her and one for himself. After a drink, he asked with a curious expression, "Let me ask you one thing. Which group do you belong to?"
"Why do you think I belong somewhere?"
"To be doing this kind of work..."
Geom Mu-geuk paused for a moment, and Geum A-rin finished his sentence.
"You think I'm too young."
Geom Mu-geuk shook his head.
"No. I was going to say you don't seem like the type of person suited for this kind of work."
"What kind of person is suited for this work?"
"Someone who wouldn't bat an eye after stealing another's family business. Someone who wouldn't hesitate to kill those who try to stop them."
Geum A-rin’s lips curled up slightly as he hit the mark. Sharp as she was, there was no way she could miss his meaning. He's talking about me. He said she wasn't suited for it, but in the end, it was a rebuke.
Though she felt an internal flash of anger, she feigned ignorance and changed the subject. She hadn't come to fight, but to gather information.
"Your father seems truly incredible. I thought a martial artist would have to be at least the leader of a major alliance to get a private audience with the head of the Silver River Merchant Group."
She deliberately praised his father. There was no better way to strip away an opponent's humility than by provoking jealousy. It went exactly as she expected.
"It was I who suggested we call for the Silver River Merchant Group."
"For what reason did you call them?"
Geom Mu-geuk spoke to her as if it weren't much of a secret.
"Silver River was secretly looking for experts. Experts whose names aren't known in the Murim. In that regard, my father is the perfect fit. It has been a very long time since he last stepped out into the world."
It wasn't a lie. It really had been a long time since his father had been active in the Murim. Geum A-rin’s mind raced at this unexpected and significant piece of information.
Silver River is secretly looking for experts? Why on earth?
The Silver River Merchant Group already had countless experts at their disposal. As if reading her thoughts, Geom Mu-geuk said, "I was curious why they needed experts in secret, so I asked them directly."
Geum A-rin waited for the answer, feeling internally tense. But Geom Mu-geuk didn't answer immediately, drawing out the moment. He called the waiter to order more wine and another dish. As if he had forgotten what he was saying, he drank and shifted the topic to the food.
Finally, after a few more cups of wine, she asked, "Why did they say they were looking for experts?"
"Ah, did I not mention that?"
By unfolding the story this way, her suspicion of 'Why is he telling me this so easily?' was diverted.
"They said there is a secret organization moving within the merchant world. They said these people ignore commercial ethics and disrupt order. They asked us to eliminate them."
Geum A-rin was truly shocked, but she struggled to maintain her composure. That secret organization was undoubtedly her own. She had expected Silver River to notice eventually, but she hadn't expected them to respond like this.
"Then why don't they handle it themselves instead of bringing in outside forces?"
"That's obvious."
Geom Mu-geuk spoke confidently, as if he saw through that as well.
"They probably want to take over the positions left vacant once those people are gone."
"How could that be? They are the World's Greatest Merchant Group."
Geom Mu-geuk emptied his cup and said, "That's probably how they became the World's Greatest Merchant Group."
After a moment of silence, Geum A-rin asked, "Why are you telling me such secrets so readily?"
"Because you seemed curious. At this point, can we call this a connection rather than an ill fate?"
Geom Mu-geuk stared intently at Geum A-rin. She simply couldn't fathom this man's true intentions. Regardless, she could verify later whether it was true or not. Since he was talking so freely, she decided she should ask everything she needed to know.
"How much did they offer you?"
If Geom Mu-geuk’s words were true, she had to stop them from joining hands. The loss they would suffer would be far greater than the money used to hire these men. No, more than that, her own life was at risk.
Geom Mu-geuk, who had been so forthcoming until now, withheld his answer this time.
"Why do you ask that?"
"If I offer more money, you could come to us instead, couldn't you?"
Geom Mu-geuk laughed openly.
"I'm sorry. I wasn't mocking you."
To him, it must have looked as if she were trying to compete with the richest man under heaven.
Hey, we're in the top three too, she thought indignantly.
"Tell me. How much will it take?"