Chapter 466: But Why Does It Feel Like We Lost?
Chapter 466: But Why Does It Feel Like We Lost?
Geom Mu-geuk looked at Geum A-rin and smiled.
“My apologies for laughing once more.”
He claimed to be sorry, but his smirk was a blatant provocation. She didn’t realize it yet—that every casual word and every smirk from Geom Mu-geuk was a calculated strike.
“I am not playing games,” she said, her expression hardening.
Only then did the smile vanish from Geom Mu-geuk’s face.
“Are you asking in earnest?”
“I am.”
Geom Mu-geuk stared at her for a moment before naming an unexpected figure.
“Thirty thousand taels.”
Geum A-rin blinked, her expression one of pure bewilderment.
“Thirty thousand taels?”
Had they truly sold their services for such a pittance?
A-rin assumed these martial artists, powerful as they were, were ignorant of the world’s ways and had been swindled by the Silver River Merchant Group. Finding this out now felt like a godsend.
“Did they tell you your worth was only thirty thousand taels? You’ve been cheated!”
Geom Mu-geuk didn’t look bothered at all. Instead, a peculiar smile played on his lips. Seeing that expression, A-rin realized she had misunderstood something fundamental.
“You didn’t sign a contract with them for thirty thousand taels, did you?”
“Of course not.”
“Then what is the thirty thousand for?”
“It means that if you want to hear how much the other side offered, you have to pay thirty thousand taels first.”
A-rin’s face instantly stiffened.
In contrast, Geom Mu-geuk calmly explained the reasoning behind the fee.
“You spoke as if you could offer more money than the Silver River Merchant Group. If that’s the case, shouldn’t you show me you’re willing to drop thirty thousand taels just for a question? Only then can I trust your capital, don’t you think?”
A-rin was speechless. She could have argued that thirty thousand taels was an absurd amount for a single question, or she could have lost her temper and told him to forget the whole thing.
But that would have made her look pathetic. It had been her mistake to expect such vital information for free.
The man before her seemed easygoing, yet he was anything but. The way he had calmly backed her into a corner proved that.
As Geom Mu-geuk drained his glass, suggesting they return to their drinks, A-rin sent a telepathic message to Im Hyeok.
— Go to the bank and withdraw thirty thousand taels.
— My Lady, we are already investigating the Continental Bank. We will find out the amount eventually.
— I know. This isn’t a fee for a question; it’s the price of our pride. Go.
— Understood.
A short while later, Im Hyeok returned and handed her a bank note.
He had withdrawn thirty thousand taels from the bank. While the Golden Dragon Clan funded their secret organization, those funds couldn't be used without permission. This money came entirely from her personal coffers.
“Here. Thirty thousand taels.”
Geom Mu-geuk offered a look of feigned apology.
“It seems I’ve bruised your pride. My apologies.”
“It’s not about pride.”
“Then what is it about?”
“It’s a gesture to show my sincerity in wanting to recruit you.”
Her instincts were screaming at her, urging her to bring this man to her side. She felt a mounting sense of crisis—if this man, whose depths she couldn't fathom, became an enemy, she doubted any master in her clan could handle him.
He was the type of man who could smile comfortably one moment and then stab her through the heart the next, saying, “Well, it couldn't be helped, could it?”
“Now, tell me.”
Geom Mu-geuk stared at her in silence before revealing the amount.
“Two million taels.”
It was a staggering sum.
“If you want to hire us, you must pay two million taels.”
Though it was a shocking figure, A-rin didn't flinch, as if she had expected something of the sort.
“You don’t look surprised,” he noted.
“Because I believe you are worth that much.”
She did her best to flatter him.
“Did the Silver River Merchant Group offer two million? Or is that what you demanded?”
“Neither. The amount we received from Silver River was one million taels.”
“Then why two million?”
“If we’re going to break our deal with them and start a new one with you, we need to be paid double to justify the move, don’t you think?”
Geom Mu-geuk fixed his gaze on her and added, “Can you give us two million taels?”
A-rin couldn't answer. If the decision were hers alone...
— I’ll give it to you. From this moment on, you are mine.
She might have actually said it. Even if they didn't end up being worth the money, she would have said it because her instincts demanded it.
However, the one who actually held the purse strings would consider it an absurdly high amount. No matter how much she emphasized their importance, it was a sum that would never be approved.
As if he had expected as much, Geom Mu-geuk pushed the thirty thousand taels back toward her.
“Why are you returning this?”
“I wanted to see your resolve. Money wasn't the goal.”
Having returned the money, Geom Mu-geuk was the first to stand.
“Well then, I’ll see you again.”
He even paid for the drinks before walking out.
Left alone, A-rin sipped the liquor in front of her. Her instinct to capture him and the reality that she couldn't continued to tangle in her mind. Sensing her low mood, Im Hyeok sat in the seat Geom Mu-geuk had vacated.
“The Silver River Merchant Group invested a whole million taels... that’s incredible.”
While Im Hyeok was shocked, A-rin was running a different set of numbers.
“No, those men were the ones who got played by Silver River.”
“Played?”
“If it were just one person for a single mission, that would be a record-breaking sum. But there are three of them.”
The other two were no ordinary men either—one was his father, a man whose presence was hard to describe, and the other was his uncle, a master of stealth.
“I don’t know if there are more, but let’s assume it’s just the three of them. That’s roughly three hundred and thirty thousand taels per person, right?”
“I suppose so.”
“And did you hear what he said earlier? He expects to take down a secret organization and take over their position. In other words, they are looking at the long term. They’re thinking years ahead. If we assume it takes at least three or four years, they’re getting less than a hundred thousand taels a year per person. For masters of that caliber to be used at will, while they also earn back the money used to hire them... when you look at it that way, they were hired incredibly cheap.”
Im Hyeok nodded. Hearing her explanation, he realized the price wasn't actually that high. He asked cautiously, “The secret organization Silver River assigned them to... is it... us?”
A-rin nodded.
“Yes, it’s definitely us.”
Though he had suspected it, the reality of being the target made Im Hyeok turn grim. He remembered Hwi’s stealth. If that man approached silently to kill Geum A-rin, could he actually stop him?
“The fire is already licking at our heels.”
For the first time in a long while, Im Hyeok felt like having a drink.
“What do you plan to do now?”
She didn't have to think long.
“We have to bring them to our side. If we leave things as they are, it’s only a matter of time before we’re finished.”
Im Hyeok couldn't bring himself to say he would protect her and not to worry.
“It’s two million taels. The Family Head will never allow it.”
“I’ll have to haggle as much as I can. I am a descendant of a merchant family, after all.”
Hearing that, Im Hyeok knew she was serious. She truly intended to recruit them.
“There is one more problem. Even if the Family Head agrees and we succeed in bringing them over, what about the Silver River Merchant Group? Will they just sit back after having their men stolen?”
“And if they don’t? Will they try to kill them?”
“The Silver River Merchant Group values their pride above all else.”
But A-rin was certain Silver River wouldn't be able to do anything.
“They value money even more. How much would it cost to eliminate those three? Since they’ve already valued them at a million taels, it would cost at least that much to try and kill them. And what if they fail? If masters of that level decide to seek revenge? How much more would it cost to stop them then?”
She shook her head firmly.
“The leader of the world’s greatest merchant group wouldn't engage in a losing business. In the end, it means nothing will happen even if we take them.”
This was why Im Hyeok trusted her. She was sharp and her judgment was sound. His final concern was this:
“Doesn't the Silver River Merchant Group know that the Golden Dragon Clan is behind us?”
That was something she couldn't help.
“Do we have the luxury of worrying about the Clan right now? Let’s save our own necks first.”
A-rin poured a drink for Im Hyeok.
“Just one glass. We should at least have a celebratory drink. We got all the information we wanted while even getting treated to drinks.”
They got their money back, they got the information, and they clinked their glasses in a good mood. Yet, the liquor tasted bitter to Im Hyeok.
‘But why does it feel like we lost?’
*
Yong Ja-myeong paced the courtyard.
He would walk a few steps, look at the building, walk a few more, and look again. He was staring at the room where the Heavenly Demon was staying. He wanted to see Geom Wu-jin. He wanted to meet him and talk, but he didn't have the courage to simply seek him out.
‘I only have three days left.’
As he paced back and forth, Geom Wu-jin emerged from the building.
“Cult Leader!”
“Unit Leader Yong.”
Seeing Geom Wu-jin’s face made Yong Ja-myeong’s heart race again. Who would have thought he’d feel this way looking at someone at his age?
“Are you heading out?”
“I thought I’d get some fresh air. Would you like to join me?”
“Would I not be a bother?”
“Not at all. Let’s go.”
Yong Ja-myeong followed Geom Wu-jin with a light heart. He told the three masters from his merchant group to stay behind and wait at their quarters. Normally, this wouldn't be allowed, but since it had been revealed that the benefactor Yong Ja-myeong had sought for so long was the Heavenly Demon, the martial artists obeyed without question.
The two walked slowly toward the marketplace. It was a situation that could have been incredibly awkward, but surprisingly, they conversed well.
“How many children do you have?”
“Three sons.”
“That must be difficult.”
Yong Ja-myeong guessed what Geom Wu-jin meant. He was referring to the inevitable struggle for succession.
“I don’t intend to pass the family business down to my children.”
Geom Wu-jin looked at him with a somewhat surprised expression.
“None of them have the talent to lead the merchant group. And even if they did, I had no intention of handing it over.”
A lack of talent didn't mean a lack of greed. The fortune was massive. Yong Ja-myeong knew all too well how much those around his sons would whisper in their ears, even if the sons themselves weren't ambitious. Thus, he intended to announce early on that he wouldn't be passing it to any of them.
“I plan to divide enough wealth for them to live comfortably for generations, but they will be barred from interfering in the group’s affairs. I will entrust the merchant group to someone who knows the business better than anyone and can be trusted. The livelihoods of countless employees and their families depend on it.”
Geom Wu-jin looked at him and spoke calmly.
“That is admirable.”
The praise was sincere. Wu-jin knew how difficult such a decision was. Yong Ja-myeong was a man whose character lived up to his reputation. At that, Yong Ja-myeong revealed his honest feelings.
“If I had a son like the Young Cult Leader, I would have handed over everything. He would have handled it all perfectly. In that regard, I am very envious of you, Cult Leader.”
When was the last time he had been this honest? He especially found it difficult to talk about his children with anyone.
“He’s still a reckless brat. So, Unit Leader Yong, please look after him in the future.”
He said it like that, but Yong Ja-myeong could feel that Geom Wu-jin was proud of his son. As a fellow father, how could he not sense that emotion?
Just then, a cart approached them from ahead. Their eyes naturally turned toward it.
An old man held the reins of the donkey pulling the cart. In the back sat an adult and a child. The adult was Geom Mu-geuk, and the child was the old man’s granddaughter.
“There, it’s finished.”
Geom Mu-geuk handed over a small doll carved from wood. For something he had whipped up with a dagger while riding from the market, it was quite well-made.
“I love it!”
The child happily accepted the wooden doll. As the cart passed by Geom Wu-jin and Yong Ja-myeong, Geom Mu-geuk hopped off.
“Take care!”
Mu-geuk waved goodbye to the child. As the cart pulled away, the girl waved back, holding her doll high. After seeing them off, Mu-geuk explained to the two men.
“Ah, their cart was stuck in a ditch, so I helped them out.”
Yong Ja-myeong looked at Mu-geuk with a new light in his eyes. Helping a stuck cart was one thing, but riding along and carving a doll for the child was not something just anyone would do.
Yong Ja-myeong glanced at Geom Wu-jin. Wu-jin was looking at his son with a look that said, ‘You really can’t mind your own business, can you?’ but Yong could feel it. He was watching with pleasure. That was why he was envious.
“Where are you two heading?”
“I’m taking a walk with the Cult Leader.”
Geom Mu-geuk could imagine how much Yong Ja-myeong had wanted this moment, and how much effort it must have taken to make it happen.
“How did your business go?” Wu-jin asked.
Mu-geuk had made it look like he had gone to the Continental Bank with Yong Ja-myeong to receive a million taels. Once that news was leaked, the woman had come looking for him.
“I asked for two million taels. Of course, considering Father, I should have asked for a billion.”
Yong Ja-myeong was inwardly shocked. Those words meant he had already gained the upper hand over the opponent.
“You’re better at making money than I am,” Wu-jin remarked.
“Unfortunately, I have to split this money.”
Mu-geuk turned to his father.
“I’m going to split the earnings from this exactly three ways.”
Hwi’s voice drifted from the air.
“I am fine.”
Given his personality, there was no way he would dare accept the same amount of money as the Cult Leader.
“This is the price for selling the three of us as a package deal, so you must take it.”
Hwi’s refusal came again, firm as ever.
“I have no need for it.”
“I know. You are the most expensive escort in the Murim.”
Hwi had likely never heard such words from anyone before. That was why Mu-geuk said it. For the man who had the greatest skills but never had the chance to boast. For the man who never even had the opportunity.
This split was a gesture of gratitude. It was the only chance to provide a material reward to the man who had dedicated his life to his father.
“In the field of escorting, you’re the Heavenly Demon, and I’m the leader of the Silver River Merchant Group, aren’t we, Uncle?”
“Please, do not say such things.”
It had been a long time since Hwi’s voice sounded so flustered. A faint smile touched Geom Wu-jin’s lips as he watched Mu-geuk. It was a smile that said, ‘You rascal, stop teasing him.’
“I know you’ve saved up plenty of money and have no time to spend it. That’s exactly why you should take it. You don’t have time to spend it, but you can live with the joy of knowing you have that much. Oh, and when Father steps down as Cult Leader, you should retire too and live a life of luxury.”
After a brief pause, Hwi spoke.
“I will serve the Cult Leader until my final moment.”
It meant that even if Wu-jin stepped down, Hwi would serve him until death. He was the very definition of loyalty.
The father, who had been listening, finally spoke up.
“Take it.”
No persuasion was needed. With that one word, Hwi could no longer refuse.
“Understood.”
Then, the father gave his son a mission. This, too, was out of Wu-jin’s affection for Hwi.
“In that case, squeeze them for every last drop.”