Chapter 98
Chapter 98
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 98
Chapter Title: The Poison Master's Calculations
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In the heart of Chengdu, the provincial capital of Sichuan.
Somewhere within the vast arsenal grounds of the Tang Clan of Sichuan stood a serene garden.
Beautifully arranged flowers, grasses, and trees adorned the space, and at its center stood a middle-aged man.
He was none other than the Third Elder who oversaw the Tang Clan's martial forces, the Poison Master Dang Jongseo.
His pale skin, protruding cheekbones, deeply etched wrinkles, and eyes as cold as ice all betrayed the chilling ruthlessness that made even seasoned warriors avert their gaze.
Yet the most striking feature was his lips.
Unlike ordinary folk, they bore an eerie purple hue.
Years of handling deadly poisons had stripped them of their natural color entirely.
The unnatural shade sent chills crawling down the spines of all who beheld it.
Thud... thud...
As he strolled through the garden, he held a teacup in hand.
The tea within emitted no warmth—instead, a frigid chill emanated from it, and curiously, it shimmered with a bluish-green tint.
Before long, he halted and brought the cup to his nose.
"...Hm."
After inhaling the aroma briefly, he peered down at it with a dissatisfied expression.
Then, he lightly touched the rim to his lips.
Slurp—
Dang Jongseo savored the tea just enough to moisten his lips.
Moments later, one brow furrowed sharply.
"Tch. A failure again."
He glared at the cup as if it were repulsive filth, clicked his tongue, and tilted it.
The contents poured onto the flowerbed, and astonishingly, the flowers and grass it touched withered instantly, losing all vitality.
They blackened in seconds, soon rotting away and crumbling to dust.
This brew was a new poison tea he had concocted by blending several lethal toxins.
Yet despite its tremendous lethality, as demonstrated, it fell short of his standards.
"I'll have to adjust the formula."
Gazing at the ruined flowerbed, Dang Jongseo shook his head and clasped his hands behind his back.
He then turned toward the approaching presence.
"What is it?"
"Elder, I have a report."
A warrior appeared behind him and dropped to one knee.
He was Dang Myeong, captain of the Tang Clan's assault unit, the Black Tiger Corps.
Dang Jongseo, eyes still fixed on the garden, spoke in a flat tone.
"Speak."
"It seems the Myriad Gold Money House, which we attempted to acquire from the main branch recently, is facing renewed difficulties."
"Difficulties?"
"Yes. Sensing the Myriad Gold Money House's attempt to revive, the money houses across all of Sichuan have colluded to suppress it. As a result, both its branches and headquarters now see no customers at all."
"It overreached and now pays the price."
After a brief surge post-acquisition, just as expected—Dang Jongseo sneered, one corner of his mouth twisting upward.
If only they'd quietly accepted our takeover from the main branch.
It was their own foolish choice.
Even after we stepped in to acquire it, they handed it off to shady outsiders.
With the Tang Clan's backing, such riffraff wouldn't have dared play their petty tricks.
'Let's see if they can survive on their own.'
Stung by the initial rejection, the Tang Clan had no intention of helping until they came crawling back.
Still, in such straits, we might get another shot.
"Keep a close eye on the Myriad Gold Money House. If luck favors us, we could snag it for a song."
"Yes, sir!"
With every money house in Sichuan united against it, he was certain the Myriad Gold couldn't withstand the pressure.
In that case, when bankruptcy loomed, who else could they turn to for salvation but the Tang Clan right here in Sichuan?
He planned to swoop in just before it collapsed and devour it whole.
"Is there more?"
Noting his subordinate lingered after the orders, Dang Jongseo raised a questioning brow.
"One more report."
The man nodded firmly and continued.
"This morning, the warriors who had left the Myriad Gold Money House reentered Chengdu."
"When things got tough, they scurried back. Won't change a thing, though."
As Dang Jongseo scoffed, Dang Myeong got to the point.
"Among those warriors was a man with one eye sewn shut with thread."
"What...!"
Dang Jongseo whipped his head around to stare at him.
"Is that true?"
"Yes. We confirmed not just the eye, but parts of his face are also stitched with thread."
At the confirmation, a glint sparked in Dang Jongseo's eyes.
There was only one man in the world with such features.
"Gwang Ui has entered Chengdu!"
Dang Jongseo's face lit up with delight.
Poison masters and physicians always shared a close bond.
A top-tier doctor's presence could aid the Tang Clan in countless ways.
Normally, Gwang Ui wandered the world like the Divine Physician, his location a mystery.
'What fortune is this!'
To walk right into the Tang Clan's front yard in Chengdu, no less.
If he could secure Gwang Ui, it would prove invaluable for the impending Grand Elder selection.
He had no intention of letting Gwang Ui slip away while he prowled nearby.
"Where is he now?"
"He entered the Myriad Gold Money House. Is that alright?"
The Myriad Gold Money House, again.
Dang Jongseo closed his eyes briefly at the question, then spoke.
"A valuable guest. Escort him here with utmost courtesy."
"Understood!"
Geum Hyeon-mong's jaw dropped in disbelief as he echoed the words.
"Z-zero-interest loans? You're saying we should offer them?"
Zero-interest loans!
No profit from lending money at all.
Factoring in defaulters, it was practically a loss.
The sole upside: unbeatable edge in customer acquisition against rival money houses...
"Exactly. We'll never back down first, no matter what."
Hyeok Mulin nodded casually, affirming it, while Geum Hyeon-mong sweated profusely.
"The losses would be catastrophic. And we don't have the capital to outlast their united front."
Geum Hyeon-mong's concerns were entirely valid.
Money could drag it out and bleed rivals dry.
But where would that money fall from the sky? Or sprout from the earth?
Reviving headquarters and branches had been a miracle; now, at the foundation-building stage, more funds?
He deemed it impossible.
However.
Scribble, scratch.
Hyeok Mulin dashed off a letter in one go and handed it to Ji Wolhon.
Having instructed the deputy strategist to relay it, he turned back to Geum Hyeon-mong.
"Don't worry about the money. We'll provide as much as needed."
"Pardon?!"
"This is a battle of wills. The first to flinch loses."
Hyeok Mulin believed they'd fold before mutual ruin, but even if not, it mattered little.
Lacking funds?
There was the Manri Merchant Group.
One of Shin-gang's top trading conglomerates, fresh off a massively successful venture—their coffers were ample.
He planned to redirect those funds here.
Both were under his thumb anyway.
"My lord...!"
Geum Hyeon-mong's eyes brimmed with emotion at the promise of unlimited backing.
Yet his worries lingered.
Zero-interest loans.
Soon, crowds would flock for this hot commodity.
But it only meant money hemorrhaging from the money house.
'Can't rely on my lord forever.'
He knew Hyeok Mulin commanded vast wealth beyond this acquisition.
Still, endless dependence had limits, no matter the capital.
They needed a self-sustaining system fueled by house-generated profits.
"We need deposits. Inflows to balance the outflows. I'll devise incentives."
"Oh?"
Hyeok Mulin pondered briefly.
Soon, he met Geum's gaze.
"Then offer interest on deposits instead."
"...Pardon?"
"Tell them that when they withdraw, we add interest. Nothing excessive—one or two percent should suffice."
Geum Hyeon-mong initially couldn't grasp it.
Hold their money, then pay extra on withdrawal?
But upon reflection, he realized the sheer brilliance of the idea.
People used money houses to safeguard funds from threats.
For their money to grow safely?
Revolutionary.
Geum's eyes sparkled, envisioning the stampede of customers.
This way, no massive reserves needed for zero-interest loans.
And paying interest wasn't a loss for the house.
Money begets more money.
Holding vast sums offered endless advantages.
Only the Myriad Gold could pull this off in Sichuan.
Built-up trust meant folks would believe the unbelievable and deposit anyway.
'What profound insight.'
Gazing at Hyeok Mulin with reverence, Geum Hyeon-mong glanced at Cho Sa-hyeon.
Before the lord returned with the warriors, when no path seemed possible and despair loomed.
She, racking her brains alongside him, had said:
—Let's shift perspective. From now on, we'll pivot the money house to endurance mode.
—Endure? Their blades are at our throats—how long can we hold?
—Until the lord returns.
Geum had doubted then.
The lord was exceptional, but could one man unravel this alone?
Now, it seemed utterly foolish.
"I'll draft a plan based on your directives at once."
"I trust you with it."
"Yes, sir!"
But it didn't end there.
Finished with the manager, Hyeok Mulin turned to Cho Sa-hyeon.
"You have a task."