Chapter 467: Pay Them Well, and Get Your Money’s Worth
Chapter 467: Pay Them Well, and Get Your Money’s Worth
Hwi was truly moved.
He was grateful that Geom Mu-geuk was willing to share the windfall with him, and equally grateful to the Cult Leader for commanding him to accept it.
Furthermore, a surge of pride welled up within him when Geom Mu-geuk referred to him as a bodyguard with the highest bounty in the land. Hwi had always considered himself a man without vanity, but seeing how much those words bolstered his spirit, it seemed he possessed a trace of it after all.
Yet, among all these pleasant emotions, what he appreciated most were the Cult Leader’s final words.
‘So, take them for all they’re worth.’
It was a statement that seemed entirely uncharacteristic of the Cult Leader. The idea of squeezing money out of someone—especially as much as humanly possible—was a concept that shouldn't have existed in the man’s vocabulary. Yet, the Cult Leader had said it specifically for Hwi’s sake.
Yong Ja-myeong felt that same sentiment.
If the Cult Leader were a man driven by greed, he would have sought Yong Ja-myeong out numerous times by now. Instead, such a man had boldly told his subordinate to milk the target for every penny.
Yong Ja-myeong looked back and forth between Geom Wu-jin and Geom Mu-geuk. Every moment spent with them was fresh and surprising. Even the Young Cult Leader’s response was a testament to that. Before meeting them, could he have ever imagined the Young Cult Leader giving such an answer?
“Do not worry, Father. Who is this son of yours? Am I not the very incarnation of avarice? I shall ensure we receive every last coin.”
After Geom Wu-jin nodded, he turned to Yong Ja-myeong.
“Let us go.”
“Yes, Cult Leader.”
Leaving Geom Mu-geuk behind, Geom Wu-jin and Yong Ja-myeong began to walk once more.
Yong Ja-myeong glanced back.
Geom Mu-geuk was already walking in the opposite direction. Unlike his playful demeanor from moments ago, his retreating figure looked composed and calm. When Yong Ja-myeong looked forward again, Geom Wu-jin had already gained quite a bit of distance.
Yong Ja-myeong quickened his pace to walk alongside him.
“In all my life, I have likely seen more 'incarnations of avarice' than anyone else. But this is the first time I’ve seen one with such clear eyes.”
Geom Wu-jin didn't respond to Yong Ja-myeong’s joke and simply kept walking, but Yong Ja-myeong could feel it—the man was proud of his son. He had sensed it during their previous conversation, and he felt it again now.
This meant that Geom Wu-jin was no longer hiding such emotions from him.
It felt like the same kind of openness the Cult Leader had shown when he honestly confessed his intention not to pass the family business down to his child. To whom else would he reveal such thoughts? One would only say such things to someone they knew would never breathe a word of it to others.
The trust required to share private matters is independent of how long two people have known each other. There are those you can trust after a single day, while there are others with whom you can never truly open up, even after ten years.
Yong Ja-myeong was delighted by the fact that the Cult Leader trusted him.
This was a bond of trust that could be felt without words—the kind of connection one might find only once or twice in a lifetime. He had liked the Cult Leader from the start, but feeling this depth of connection made him fond of Geom Wu-jin even more.
Perhaps he had been lonely.
Living as the world’s greatest merchant, he had no one to comfortably lean on or share his worries with outside the realm of interests and networking. He had lived a life where his first thought upon meeting someone was always: What does this person want from me?
To such a man, this Heavenly Demon… had shifted from a benefactor to someone who felt like an older brother.
As they walked, the two shared various stories. Both were men who had reached the pinnacle of their respective fields—the very ends of all human desire: power and wealth. They were truly the peak of the peaks.
Perhaps that was why they understood each other so well. Yong Ja-myeong had thought the Demonic Cult Leader would be nothing but taciturn, but that wasn't the case. When there was something to say, he spoke well, and he even asked questions.
They talked about their children, the merchant world, the Murim, and how Yong Ja-myeong felt when he first received the Cult Leader’s personal letter. They conversed until they completely lost track of time.
Yong Ja-myeong believed this would be his last chance in life to take a stroll and share idle chatter with the Heavenly Demon. Thus, he cherished every second.
Eventually, they arrived at the marketplace, and Geom Wu-jin stood still for a moment, watching the people passing by.
“Do you know what my son wants most from me on this journey?”
“What is it?”
“To stand here and watch the people.”
Yong Ja-myeong looked at Geom Wu-jin with a puzzled expression, but the man offered no further explanation. Only after a long silence did Yong Ja-myeong hear Geom Wu-jin whisper a single word.
“Indeed…”
He couldn't tell what words were meant to follow that "indeed."
*
The next day, Geum A-rin sought out Geom Mu-geuk again.
“We need to talk.”
“Very well.”
Geom Mu-geuk didn't ask her inside; instead, he stepped out.
Last time, she had kept a significant distance while walking, but today she walked a bit closer, signaling that her guard had lowered. They didn't head toward the marketplace today, but toward the fields on the opposite side of town.
The fields stretched out to the horizon, offering an unobstructed view. The two stood in silence for a long time, watching the grass and crops sway in the wind.
Finally, Geum A-rin was the first to speak.
“Two million taels is impossible.”
She was asking for a discount. Geom Mu-geuk could tell she had made up her mind. Everything was proceeding according to plan.
“That amount is impossible for anyone, not just you. That is exactly why we teamed up with the Silver River Merchant Group.”
At his words, Geum A-rin spoke with difficulty. It was something she didn't want to say, but she had no choice now.
“If you lower the price, we can do it too.”
Geom Mu-geuk chuckled.
“Are you asking for a discount of, say, one million nine hundred and seventy thousand taels?”
It was a joke referring to the thirty thousand taels he had returned last time.
“Do it for us for one million taels.”
One million taels. She had come in with a half-price offer. If he only considered the plan to infiltrate their inner circle, he might have accepted, but unfortunately, Geom Mu-geuk had been given a supreme directive: take as much as possible.
“Did I not tell you? We need a justification to turn down the Silver River Merchant Group. If we go elsewhere for the same million taels, what would they think?”
“They’ll think you found someone better to partner with.”
Geom Mu-geuk turned to look at the woman standing beside him.
“Are you that 'better person'?”
She did not look away from his piercing gaze.
“I wouldn't know. I don't know what kind of person the Silver River Merchant Group Leader is. But you’ve seen him, so you should know, shouldn't you? Who looks like the better person?”
Though phrased as a question, it was a confident inquiry from someone who had already decided the answer. This was her momentum.
“At the very least, you are certainly more shameless.”
At his reaction, Geum A-rin felt that things might go better than expected. She felt certain that he had a favorable impression of her.
“Whether it’s one million or two million, you aren't the decision-maker anyway, are you?”
“Why do you keep assuming I am someone’s subordinate? Because I’m young? Because I’m a woman?”
Geom Mu-geuk shook his head.
“That is not why.”
He revealed an unexpected reason.
“It is because I don't get the feeling that you’ve staked everything on your organization.”
Geum A-rin flinched. It was true. She hadn't staked everything on this secret organization. In fact, she wanted to get this job over with as quickly as possible. She had hated the reason she was assigned this task from the very beginning.
He read that?
This man was incredibly sharp. He was smarter and more eloquent than anyone she had ever met. Geum A-rin felt that the time had come to make her move. It was the biggest gamble of her life, one that her very survival depended on.
“The organization you are trying to eliminate is the one I lead.”
It was a life-or-death gamble of honesty. If this sincerity didn't work, she could die right here. She expected him to be shocked, but Geom Mu-geuk didn't even blink. In the end, she was the one who was surprised.
“Did you… already know?”
Geom Mu-geuk nodded.
“How?”
“The Silver River Merchant Group’s investigation into your people was quite advanced.”
He attributed the information to the Silver River Merchant Group. Geum A-rin watched him with trembling eyes. If he had heard it through them, it meant he already knew during their last meeting.
“Then why didn't you kill me? This is a million-tael job.”
She tried to remain calm, but she was tense. To her, Geom Mu-geuk was an unpredictable man who could easily draw his sword and say, 'Actually, I was just about to.'
At least she was right about that much. He gave another answer she never could have anticipated.
“Because I thought you might be able to give me even more money.”
It was one surprise after another. She never expected a man like him to admit he spared her just to squeeze out more coin.
“Why do you look so shocked?”
“I didn't think you were the type to say something like that. You have a certain… noble air about you. Oh, don't misunderstand, I’m not being sarcastic. It’s a compliment.”
Geom Mu-geuk countered her bluntness.
“Is one noble simply because they have no interest in money? Does that mean one is vulgar and base if they are interested in it? Those aren't words I expected to hear from a merchant.”
“I didn't mean it like that. I just meant it was unexpected.”
“'If I ask for more money, will that person dislike me? If I ask for more money, will they think I’m low-class?' I consider such thoughts to be nothing more than a nuisance and an escape from reality. When it comes to making money, one must summon courage they didn't even know they had. Even if a penny falls into the gutter, you should roll up your sleeves and reach for it.”
Geom Mu-geuk spoke like the incarnation of avarice, but in truth, his life before regression had been far removed from money. His life had been solely dedicated to martial arts and materials for the Great Regression Art.
“Take that back.”
“I suppose I should. I’m having a conversation with an enemy worth a million taels instead of drawing my sword. Isn't that noble enough?”
It wasn't a situation to laugh in, but Geum A-rin found herself chuckling despite herself. She quickly straightened her expression and changed the subject.
“Can you really get more money out of me while viewing me as a mere underling?”
“You are an underling, but you have another identity as well.”
After a brief pause, Geom Mu-geuk spoke.
“I believe you are of the Golden Dragon Clan Head’s bloodline.”
She wasn't surprised that he knew about her. It felt as though he knew everything.
“Is it because I wouldn't have been able to propose such a deal in the first place if I weren't?”
“That is part of it, but there is a bigger reason.”
Geom Mu-geuk read her perfectly once again.
“I don't sense a craving for money from you.”
“!”
His words struck a chord. Having lived as a blood relative of the Golden Dragon Clan, why would she ever crave money? He had recognized that she had lived a life of abundance since childhood, never having to worry about wealth.
“How do you see these things?”
She didn't ask how he knew; she asked how he saw. This man’s gaze felt as though it were peering directly into her soul.
“Give me two million taels and join hands with us. I will take care of cutting ties with the Silver River Merchant Group cleanly.”
She truly wanted to give it to him. She wanted a man like this on her side.
“I told you, I can't.”
“If two million is impossible, then wasn't one million impossible from the start?”
He hit the nail on the head. Whether it was one million or two million, the fallout would be the same.
“Please understand my situation.”
Despite her plea, Geom Mu-geuk remained firm.
“Could the situation of the one giving the money ever be as dire as the one receiving it? Do not appeal to my emotions. I believe that is the worst thing one can do in a deal.”
Geum A-rin bit her lip. She agreed with him. It was only because such a massive sum was at stake that she felt she had no choice.
Regardless, she had to bring this man to her side. Today’s conversation had made it even clearer. If she kept him as an enemy, she would surely die. He was a man who could make her think such things without ever drawing his sword.
“Pay them well, and get your money’s worth.”
Should she sign a contract for two million taels?
How would her father react? Surely, he wouldn't kill his only daughter. The problem was her brothers. Especially her second brother, who viewed her as a thorn in his side; he would use this as an excuse to hound her to the ends of the earth. Could this man truly protect her from him?
Her gaze met Geom Mu-geuk’s clear, deep eyes.
Can I really trust you?
Did he read that question in her eyes?
“For the duration of the contract, I will be firmly on your side.”
“Well, isn't that a given?”
“Is it not because people fail to uphold that 'given' that all sorts of trouble arise?”
He wasn't just saying it; he meant it.
“Can you keep that promise? To be firmly on my side?”
“You shouldn't trust my words. You should trust your own eyes as a merchant.”
She turned her gaze toward the fields.
It’s because I trust them too much that I’m like this.
How long had she known him? How much did she really know? And yet, this man radiated a sense of reliability. He stimulated her instincts and pulled at her premonitions. Choose me.
The grass swayed in the wind like rolling waves. Her heart wavered along with them. The last thought that came to her before making her decision was this:
—Pay them well, and get your money’s worth.
Do you even know what I intend to get out of you when you say that?
Finally, Geum A-rin made the decision that would change her life.
“I’ll send the contract as soon as possible.”