Chapter 71
Chapter 71
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 71
Chapter Title: Revival of Trust
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“Hoo. Much faster than I expected.”
While handling his duties in the Pure Heaven Pavilion, Hyeok Mulin received a single homing pigeon message.
The letter from the head of the Secret Affairs Hall contained news that she had successfully acquired the Myriad Gold Money House.
The letter also included an initial report on operations: the final acquisition amount, along with a sequential outline of her rough plans moving forward.
Revive the main branch in the near future, while simultaneously deploying the Secret Affairs Hall to spin the rumors to their advantage.
Then, depending on the risks, distribute martial artists and funds to sequentially resurrect the branches across all of Sichuan Province.
'As expected, she's reliable.'
Hyeok Mulin had assumed she would have only just arrived in Sichuan by now and begun gathering information, but that prediction was pleasantly off the mark.
Cho Sahyeon's information-gathering skills, decisiveness, and negotiation prowess all seemed even sharper than he had anticipated.
Reading the letter with a pleased expression, Hyeok Mulin soon set it aside with a smile tugging at his lips.
“Left Protector.”
“Yes.”
At his call, Jang Wi appeared.
“Mobilize the Divine Demon Blood Death Squad immediately and transport the Black Dark Chamber's assets to the Myriad Gold Money House.”
Hyeok Mulin swiftly penned a new letter, handed it to Jang Wi, and added,
“Deliver this letter to the head of the Secret Affairs Hall as well.”
“Understood.”
Jang Wi's figure blurred, vanishing in an instant.
Simply acquiring it wasn't the end.
It was merely the beginning.
'This will be good experience for her.'
A faint smile crossed Hyeok Mulin's face as he picked up his brush once more and resumed his work.
Having signed the acquisition contract, Cho Sahyeon was escorted to a private chamber in the estate.
On the very day she acquired the Myriad Gold Money House, she had sent word to the Cult Leader, and for the past few days, she had been devising detailed plans while preparing for what lay ahead.
As she wrote out instructions to the Secret Affairs Hall, her brush suddenly paused.
“Hmm...”
The acquisition had gone smoothly, just as the Cult Leader wished.
But she still had a few lingering concerns.
All the Myriad Gold Money House currently possessed were the few promissory notes used for the acquisition.
That would put out the immediate fires, but it was far too little to push forward with anything substantial.
Until the Cult Leader sent additional support, she couldn't make any bold moves.
'Waiting a bit is fine. But there's a bigger problem.'
Having inspected the interior of the Myriad Gold Money House, she let out a sigh.
The martial artists guarding the place were utterly inadequate.
Generously speaking, they might barely scrape the edge of first-rate.
She understood.
As fortunes dwindled, they had closed branches, shrunk the estate, and cut staff—naturally, the quality of hired martial artists had to drop as well.
Yes, she understood, but...
'Even with funds, they couldn't deliver to the branches like this.'
What the branches needed now wasn't promissory notes, but hard currency.
Which meant direct transport of funds—and those carrying money were prime targets for bandits and thieves.
Thus, they needed not only skill, but also unwavering trustworthiness to not abscond with the cash en route.
But in her eyes, the Myriad Gold Money House's current martial artists lacked both skill and reliability.
“...Hoo. Looks like I'll have to hire fresh ronin after all.”
In truth, she already knew the answer.
The surest solution was to request martial support from the Cult Leader himself.
No one else combined that level of skill and loyalty.
But the Cult Leader would hardly want to deploy the cult's martial forces for something tied to the Myriad Gold Money House.
If he did send martial artists, it would have to be the Divine Demon Blood Death Squad—but she didn't have the gall to ask for the Cult Leader's personal guard.
“Hmmm...”
Her deliberations deepened, a long groan escaping her lips.
At that moment, a sudden commotion erupted outside.
Busy footsteps and murmuring voices drew near, prompting Cho Sahyeon to rise from her seat with a puzzled look.
Tucking away the half-written letter, she opened the door and stepped out of the private chamber.
She immediately spotted the source of the uproar—and blinked in disbelief.
“No way, how did they...!”
People and wagons had arrived at the estate's back gate.
And their faces were all too familiar.
It was the Divine Demon Blood Death Squad, delivering the promised funds.
'I only just sent the letter...!'
Only the Divine Demon Blood Death Squad could traverse from Singang to Sichuan in a mere few days.
As Cho Sahyeon struggled to hide her shock, Ji Wolhon, spotting her, approached.
“Pleased to see you. Your reaction tells me we arrived at just the right time.”
“What in the world brings you all here?”
“We merely follow the Cult Leader's will.”
Ji Wolhon pulled a letter from his bosom and handed it to her.
Snapping out of her daze, she unfolded it.
“...!”
Her eyes widened as she read the contents.
How many steps ahead was the Cult Leader always thinking?
Chills ran down her spine in sheer admiration.
She closed her eyes briefly, organizing her thoughts.
Sichuan Province. Myriad Gold Money House. Main and branch offices. Abundant funds. Divine Demon Blood Death Squad. Secret Affairs Hall.
It all clicked together in her mind like perfectly fitted puzzle pieces.
The situation was clear; the plan was set.
As she slowly opened her eyes, Ji Wolhon, who had been watching, asked,
“So, what are we to do?”
Meeting his gaze, Cho Sahyeon paused before speaking.
“I do have something in mind...”
Her whispering voice softly reached his ear.
The next day.
Just past the witching hour, before the sun had fully risen.
Even in the early dawn, people were already gathering on the capital's main avenue and setting off.
Among them were ordinary folk, as well as quite a few martial artists radiating fierce auras.
“This nonsense has been going on for weeks now.”
“I'm sick of it.”
“I can't tolerate it any longer.”
“If they keep the doors shut and refuse entry today, we'll force our way in.”
Voicing their complaints in varied tones, they were all headed to the Myriad Gold Money House.
Their steps were resolute, each footfall heavy with pent-up anger.
In the tense atmosphere on the verge of explosion, a middle-aged man spoke in a subdued voice.
“I, too, can no longer tolerate it.”
A towering figure over eight feet tall stepped forward, his frame imposing.
He wore a yellow robe patterned diagonally, and his protruding hands were larger than a man's face.
The crowd's eyes widened upon spotting him.
“Isn't that Iron Strong Fist Gok Hu?”
“Why is Zhongqing's hero here...!”
He was a righteous faction martial artist famed for hunting only the wicked who plagued Zhongqing.
For such a man to come to Sichuan?
In response to their surprised voices, Gok Hu explained.
“I'm here for the same reason as you all. When I went to withdraw my deposit from the Myriad Gold Money House, they had already shuttered up and fled Zhongqing.”
“Good heavens...”
Sighs of sympathy rippled through the onlookers.
Gok Hu clenched his fist tightly and declared,
“I've endured enough, but my patience has run dry. If they stay silent today, I won't hold back.”
A ripple of blue internal energy flickered across his body.
The crowd gulped and nodded at the sight.
Led by Gok Hu, they pressed on until the Myriad Gold Money House came into view.
But...
“...Hm?”
The scene at the entrance was different from usual.
Two martial artists stood sentinel on either side of the main gate.
They merely stood at attention, yet everyone could tell at a glance.
Unlike the ragtag guards who had loitered about before, these two were clearly beyond first-rate.
'They wouldn't rough up the protesters, would they?'
Gok Hu eyed them briefly before marching straight ahead.
Soon after, Gok Hu and his followers' pupils dilated in shock.
The gates, hitherto sealed like an iron fortress, now stood wide open.
Stunned by the unfamiliar sight, the group halted—except for Gok Hu, who strode forward alone.
The others hesitated, then trailed behind him.
Passing through the entrance, they encountered an even more astonishing scene.
Dozens of martial artists lined both sides from the gate to the inner hall, standing in majestic formation.
They appeared to be of even higher caliber than the gate sentries.
Without emitting any killing intent, their mere gazes subdued the crowd's momentum entirely.
“Th-this isn't what we heard...”
“They said it was collapsing, but the inside looks totally different.”
The angry mob, shoulders hunched and hearts pounding, now crept cautiously between the lines.
After what felt like traversing a hundred li in tense silence, they finally reached the main Myriad Gold Money House building.
There, they spotted a young man waiting at the front.
He smiled warmly at the crowd and said,
“What brings you here today?”
His calm demeanor prompted Gok Hu to respond after a pause.
“Here to withdraw my deposit.”
“I see. If your deposited amount is ten gold taels or more, please present your promissory note.”
Gok Hu handed over his note from his bosom. Geum Hyeon-mong verified it, confirmed the identity, and said,
“Iron Strong Fist Hero Gok. Your deposit was thirty gold taels, correct?”
“Yes.”
“Please wait a moment.”
Geum Hyeon-mong instructed a nearby subordinate and soon received a wooden box containing thirty gold taels, facing Gok Hu.
“Here you are. Thank you for trusting and using the Myriad Gold Money House all this time.”
He bowed deeply toward the front.
Confirming the contents of the box, Gok Hu remarked,
“Indeed, thirty gold taels.”
Hearing this, several others approached the manager.
“They really gave it back?”
“I want to withdraw mine too. Can you do it right now?”
“Of course. Those with promissory notes, please present them. For smaller amounts, we'll need to check the ledger, so kindly wait a moment.”
Geum Hyeon-mong personally checked the ledgers and returned every customer's deposit.
The process was so smooth and unhurried that the onlookers were left stunned and bewildered.
Watching this, Gok Hu asked Geum Hyeon-mong,
“Manager, is this money truly the Myriad Gold Money House's?”
“Yes. It's not borrowed from anyone else—it's the Myriad Gold Money House's own funds.”
It was the truth.
Now that they had acquired it, their money was the Myriad Gold Money House's capital.
“So, the Myriad Gold Money House won't close and will continue operations?”
“Of course. I can clearly promise that, no matter what, we will not shut down for at least the next fifty years. And to any who wish, we will return your deposits anytime, no questions asked.”
Gok Hu pondered this for a moment.
As time passed and everyone who had come received their money and prepared to leave, they noticed Gok Hu lingering at the entrance.
“Didn't Hero Gok get his money first?”
“Why hasn't he left yet?”
“...”
To their questions, Gok Hu silently stared at the gold-filled box.
Moments later, he turned and reentered the hall.
“Hm?”
Thinking all had been sent off, Geum Hyeon-mong looked puzzled at the familiar face returning.
“Hero Gok, why have you come back? Is there a problem?”
Gok Hu promptly handed over the gold box and said,
“I'll redeposit this in the house.”
“...!”
The onlookers, curious about his decision, gaped in surprise.
“Our clan has used this place since my great-grandfather's time. My grandfather once borrowed from here to overcome our family's decline.”
“...”
“So if it won't fail, I see no reason to sever ties with a house of such history.”
Having shared his thoughts, Gok Hu received a new promissory note from the manager and departed.
Seizing the shift in mood, a few planted among the crowd raised their voices.
“See? There was never any problem with the money house.”
“Does that mean the rumors were false?”
“The Three Great Money Houses Under Heaven wouldn't collapse so easily.”
“I heard rivals spread those false rumors to undermine them.”
Those who overheard nodded and shared their own views.
“So the rumors were lies.”
“Come to think of it, two years ago, I borrowed from here to survive a bad harvest. It let me feed my starving kids properly.”
“I rebuilt my business after a failure thanks to a loan from here.”
“With so many getting their money back, it looks like they really won't fail.”
“No need to withdraw then, right? Hard to find another house with as many branches in Sichuan.”
Chatting among themselves, they nodded and reentered the hall.
“Fine, I'll keep my deposit here.”
“Me too.”
“Hmm, no money house in Sichuan is as trustworthy as the Myriad Gold.”
Thus, the people streamed back in and redeposited their funds.
It was the power of Hyeok Mulin's overwhelming wealth, combined with the trust the Myriad Gold Money House had built over centuries.
Geum Hyeon-mong's eyes reddened as he watched them leave after redepositing.
Biting his lower lip, he bowed deeply to their retreating backs.
“Thank you. We will never betray your trust again.”
After his grateful bow, tears streaming down his face kept him from lifting his head for a long while.