Seeking Investors
I was a latecomer. I might have started from an overwhelmingly advantageous position compared to ordinary dokkaebi, but I couldn't let it get to my head. My edge only existed when compared to the run-of-the-mill rabble.
The cultivation arts and spiritual treasures I had received were things that children of prestigious families possessed as a default. If anything, I had only barely managed to catch up to their coattails just now.
Normally, a prodigy with outstanding talent backed by the full support of their family could reach the Qi Circulation Realm in about ten years. In other words, those who achieved Qi Circulation within a decade were the next-generation leaders pushed forward by their clans.
Kang Baek-jin's words meant he wanted me to become one of the pillars supporting the next generation of the Kang family. Was he saying that if I couldn't even manage that, I didn't deserve the Kang surname?
But on top of reaching the Qi Circulation Realm, I also had to establish a proper record of achievements. Even if I had ten bodies, time would still be tight. When I put all these facts together, it was clear that achieving this through normal means was impossible. Doing it by the book was out of the question.
"I'm running out of time."
Time. Fucking time. It flowed equally for everyone, whether they were a beggar or a rich bastard. Paradoxically, that was exactly why a latecomer could never overtake the frontrunners. I'd hated the concept of time since my previous life.
If I wanted to catch up to them, I needed a more extraordinary move.
"Don't you think so too, So-wol?"
"..."
Oh dear. Was she unable to speak because I was fondling her nipples? Considering how she used to desperately answer even while I played with her tits, I suppose she had grown in her own way. She probably realized that if she spoke while being caressed so lewdly, she would let slip an embarrassing moan. Had she chosen to keep her mouth shut rather than show such a vulnerable side?
To coax a response out of the tight-lipped So-wol, I slid my hand deep into the sleeveless opening of her dress, right up to her armpit.
"Eek!"
"What do you think, So-wol?"
"Th-this low one... thinks so as well."
Once her sensitive armpit was captured, So-wol finally agreed. As expected, there were times when you had to take action to get the answer and respect you wanted from someone. Stroking her soft, slender arm slyly, I rested my head on her shoulder.
"I need to reach the Qi Circulation Realm first to do anything, but where the hell am I going to find spiritual medicine?"
No matter how I looked at it, it seemed impossible unless I could multitask or pick up some chain quest that linked cultivation to achievements. So-wol whimpered like a puppy for a moment before finally speaking up.
"Why not ask the Master?"
"Would that work?"
Didn't my new father say so? He would provide support if I showed results along the way. In other words, he wouldn't give me a single thing until I brought him results.
"Of course, if you shamelessly demand something when you have accomplished nothing, you will surely face his wrath. However, are you not the Master's son, Young Master? No matter how cold-hearted he pretends to be, the bond of blood is not easily severed."
In short, she was telling me to go act cute, put on a little show, and beg for some pocket money. Her judgment wasn't wrong. Kang Baek-jin was indeed the one who could most quickly and easily provide what we needed. If I were his biological son, it would have been a shot worth taking.
"It's not that simple."
"Is that so? Then this low one has no other ideas..."
"It's fine."
Just by letting me squeeze her soft breasts whenever my training got tough, she was already doing more than enough. Two months had already passed since I began my training. I could proudly say I had firmly grasped the concepts and basics of spells and martial arts. This wasn't because I was some genius, but rather thanks to my memories of a past life spent studying various subjects and preparing for systematic entrance exams. Studying, in the end, was always the same. I was simply using my mental age to bulldoze through a beginner's phase meant for actual children.
"You are a genius, Young Master."
"Me?"
I was a guy whose only top-tier grades on the CSAT were in English, Korean, and Math. Don't compare me to those monsters who solved every question in thirty minutes and wrote their own error-analysis notes. No matter how I looked at it, the word 'talented' suited me much better than 'genius.'
"Ordinary dokkaebi always run into walls when learning cultivation arts, but you have faced no such obstacles, Young Master. This is proof that your comprehension far surpasses others."
But to So-wol, it must have looked different. Seeing a dokkaebi who had just started training make such rapid progress, she might have sensed some immense potential. While it felt good to have a beautiful woman hold high expectations for me, it would be troublesome if misunderstandings piled up.
"What you lack compared to others is experience and backing. Since experience cannot be gained overnight, you must secure the family's support."
"How?"
So-wol's eyes narrowed as she fell into deep thought. I pulled my hand away from her bare breast to help her concentrate. Soon, So-wol's eyes snapped open, and she averted her gaze, muttering defensively.
"...This low one's knowledge is too shallow to be of help—ngh?!"
"So you don't know after all!"
To speak with such gravity only to admit she had no idea. I immediately began to tease and play with So-wol's lewd body—her single greatest utility. The way she desperately tried to guard her ass and pussy while being fondled was incredibly arousing, but no, that wasn't what was important right now.
"This is frustrating."
"Mnh, ah... haa..."
So-wol let out lewd moans, seemingly growing accustomed to my touch. Kneading her breathtakingly soft breasts like dough, I sank into contemplation. I already had a cultivation art, and I had a spiritual treasure. The only thing left was actual spiritual medicine. The problem was that everyone and their mother needed spiritual medicine. With nothing to my name but So-wol's supple tits and the name Gang Hayun, what could I possibly do here...?
"I've got it."
"Haa... Yes?"
"Let's go, So-wol. You know who the influential figures in the family are, right?"
Once a decision was made, there was no time to waste. I immediately prepared to head out, and So-wol quickly tidied her disheveled clothes. First things first.
"Tell me how things are currently run around here."
Let's get a grasp of the family's internal affairs first.
In the world I used to live in, there were wonderful systems called scholarships and sponsorships. Funding provided by the state, or even corporations, to secure talented individuals. While college tuition was a staggering sum for a student, it was pocket change to a conglomerate or a government. To be precise, it was money well worth investing if it meant nurturing top-tier talent. Unfortunately, the dokkaebi's dog-eat-dog culture didn't seem to have anything of the sort.
But if it didn't exist, couldn't I just create it?
There was a saying from a high-ranking bastard I used to serve in my past life, uttered while he was busy screwing a beautiful actress. You can never have too many talented people. He said that once you gather talent, they work hard to expand the business, and as the scale grows, you end up needing even more talent. Why on earth he chose to explain this while banging an actress in a VIP room remained a mystery, but regardless, this was a chronic phenomenon seen in any corporation of decent size.
If I considered the support from the patriarch, Kang Baek-jin, as a government grant, then it was now time to secure corporate funding.
The Kang family, held together by Kang Baek-jin as its head, was an undeniable powerhouse—a deeply rooted clan with history and tradition. With a scale this massive, factional infighting was inevitable. And from the moment Kang Baek-jin recognized me as his son and accepted me into the fold, I gained a voice, however faint. In other words, I had become a piece of talent that someone out there would want to recruit.
Hearing my explanation, So-wol's eyes widened in genuine admiration. Her expression practically screamed, Why didn't I ever think of that? For a brief moment, a faint glimmer of something resembling respect entered those eyes that had once held nothing but hatred and contempt.
"Indeed... This low one can only marvel at your brilliant creativity, Young Master."
I, on the other hand, just felt awkward. I mean, was this really such a novel and creative concept? Even outside of Earth, any civilization with intelligent life would bound to develop this method eventually. At any rate, thanks to So-wol, I was able to get a rough grasp of the family's current situation.
"Currently, the Kang family is embroiled in various conflicts, both large and small, to determine the next successor, who has yet to be finalized."
"But Father is perfectly healthy?"
Kang Baek-jin was a bit too healthy. He was so robust that I wouldn't be surprised if he outlived all his sons dying of old age. Publicly, Kang Baek-jin's cultivation realm was known to be at the absolute peak of the Samgeuk (Three Extremes). Given the nature of yokai, whose lifespans far exceeded other creatures, he could easily live for eight hundred years, and if he consumed enough high-grade treasures, he could probably push it to a thousand. Yet they were already fighting over who would be the next patriarch?
"It is a family tradition. Since yokai live in constant struggle, no one knows when or how the patriarch might fall. Thus, candidates are chosen in advance while the patriarch is still healthy. Otherwise, the clan would crumble from within."
"I see."
This was excellent news for me. The more chaotic the internal affairs, the easier it would be for an outsider like me to find a warm welcome.
"Currently, there are three leading candidates. The eldest son, the 'One-eyed Dragon' Kang Su-gong. The second daughter, the 'Sneering Ghost Girl' Kang So-ye. And..."
"The 'Red Flame Bird', Kang Ha-yeon."
"That is corr—huh?"
Both So-wol and I snapped our heads toward the source of the voice. Standing there were two servants with their heads bowed low, a massive giant of a man, and at the center of them all, a woman with long, cascading red hair, scanning me from head to toe.
. . . . . . . .
"For someone who has only just entered the family, you possess quite the keen insight."
My first impression of the red-haired woman was quite positive. I shot a quick glance at So-wol next to me, silently asking if this was indeed the person I thought it was. So-wol gave a tiny nod of confirmation.
So this is her.
The final leading candidate for the succession, Kang Ha-yeon. She had personally come all the way to my room. Since a true power player had arrived, there was no need to act foolish. I cupped my fists in a polite martial greeting.
"Your humble younger brother greets you, Sister Ha-yeon."
"Though you are merely a prospective brother for now."
As she spoke, Kang Ha-yeon's ruby eyes swept over me. Her gaze was so intense it felt as if she were inspecting every single hair on my body. Having nothing better to do, I took the opportunity to examine her in return. Ruby pupils, silky crimson hair cascading down. Her skin was pale, and she stood slightly taller than me. Her face possessed a mature beauty—not decadent, but radiating a rich, seductive maturity. Overall, she looked haughty and chic. Her breasts swelled temptingly, perfect for kneading, and her slender waist was particularly to my liking. The cut of her light armor accentuated her legs and pelvis, leaving a smooth, deeply slit opening that practically begged me to lift it up and take a peek. She wore elegant light armor paired with a white fur scarf wrapped around her neck, and several ornamental knots hung from her waist. She was a stunning beauty—the classic high-pride older sister type. A pair of reddish-horn protrusions growing prominently from her head added a unique, exotic touch.
It was then. Perhaps my gaze had been too blatant, as she pulled a folding fan from her sleeve to cover her mouth, offering a mild scolding.
"Your gaze is rather sticky."
"My apologies."
"At least you are quick to apologize. I like that."
Sister Ha-yeon accepted my apology much more easily than expected. Normally, wouldn't staring like that on a first meeting completely ruin your impression? I had actually been a bit startled. But then, I remembered my new father, who was incredibly open-minded and passionate about sex, along with the uniquely liberal sexual culture of the dokkaebi. Perhaps a casual, lustful glance was perfectly acceptable here. In fact, she seemed to enjoy being stared at—basking in a sense of superiority that said, Look all you want while sucking your thumbs, because you can't touch this.
"At least you are different from those pathetic fools who make excuses or claim I seduced them first."
She actually found it commendable that I apologized so readily. This gave me an indirect clue as to how blatantly other dokkaebi engaged in sexual advances and crude compliments. Come to think of it, I had heard a rumor that during a gambling match in my childhood, a woman had actually wagered the rights to her own pussy. Wow. Dokkaebi really were a passionate race.
"Ahem. More importantly, since you've graced me with your presence, may I offer you some tea?"
Of course, if she actually accepted, I would be in deep trouble. I was a dirt-poor beggar who didn't own a single tea leaf.
"No need. More importantly, about this 'investment' you spoke of... I would like to participate."
"What do you mean by that?"
Fortunately, I was spared the embarrassment of serving her plain tap water. Instead, Kang Ha-yeon pointed at me with the feather attached to her fan and spoke.
"I have heard the rumors about you. Born the son of a lowly laborer, picked up by Father, and it has only been two months since you began practicing the Great Mountain Demonic Wisdom Art, correct?"
"Yes."
"Two months of training without a proper master. This is the exact period where one's talent and growth potential become crystal clear."
With those words, the massive giant stepped forward. Loosening his muscles, he released a familiar aura. It was the energy of the Great Mountain Demonic Wisdom Art that I had been practicing.
"My bodyguard, Yugo, has also mastered the Great Mountain Demonic Wisdom Art. He will test your talent. What do you say?"
There was no way I could back down here. I nodded. This was my golden opportunity to secure a massive sponsorship.