Chapter 241
Chapter 241
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 241
Chapter Title: 55. Bean Powder (1)
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Uncle.
Reading it backwards, from Song Tae-ho's perspective, Yeong-woo was essentially his own nephew.
The illegitimate child born from his estranged younger sister's indiscretion.
And that illegitimate child just happened to be the Joseon First Sword, a powerhouse who had already slain a dragon once.
―I… I have a nephew?
Not just any nephew, either.
Jeong Yeong-woo was a powerful survivor from the world after the Reset.
―…….
Song Tae-ho, struck by no small shock, couldn't find words to continue.
Then—
Whoosh!
The blood-red sky returned to normal, and the presence felt beyond the clouds vanished.
‘He's gone?’
It was probably because the permitted stay time from using the general mark earlier had expired.
But the Variant emergence would happen soon after, so they'd meet again shortly.
Boom! Crack!
Yeong-woo urged Negig onward, speeding deep into Gangnam District.
Soon enough, Im Seon-a, Kim Jeong-gu, and Yangju First Sword Choi Jong-seon, waiting in front of the Parunas Hotel, came into view.
With Yeong-woo not back even as 1 p.m. approached, they'd decided to step up themselves, coming out in full gear.
“Oh, Seon-a!”
Yeong-woo, who had plenty to relay to Tae-won anyway, waved her over.
Jeong-gu and Jong-seon, standing on either side of her, gave awkward smiles and holstered their weapons.
Seeing Yeong-woo charging in on an iron horse from outer space made their own resolve to fight in his stead feel a bit silly.
Of course, Yeong-woo had no such thoughts.
“Nothing happened in the meantime, right?”
“Yes… Are you okay, Yeong-woo? Nothing happened to you?”
Seon-a scanned the Joseon First Sword up and down.
He was wandering around in just pants now, without even shoes.
Yeong-woo glanced at the still-clear sky, then spoke in a flat tone.
“I had something come up.”
“Yes……?”
“Someone from near Busan will arrive this afternoon. An acquaintance of mine… Make sure no one blocks them and let them through to the lodging. Announce it.”
“Ah, got it. May I ask the person's name?”
As Seon-a hurriedly pulled out her notepad, Yeong-woo realized something.
“…Uh.”
He should've gotten the name before parting, but in the rush, he'd forgotten.
“…Chan?”
Still, only one syllable of his disciple's name came to mind.
Then—
“Ooh… Ye-chan?”
Finally, he recalled the name of the first companion he'd gained in the post-Reset world.
“I think it's Ye-chan.”
Seon-a nodded, then threw a question Yeong-woo hadn't expected.
“Then what's their family name?”
“……?”
He knew the name—why ask for the surname?
“Well, it's been a while since I saw him… If he gets stopped at inspection, ask for me. I'm curious too.”
“Ah… Got it.”
Seon-a wrote down ‘Ye-chan’ with a puzzled look.
“Alright, next.”
“What else is there?”
“Yeah. But this isn't something you can handle, Seon-a.”
Swoosh.
As Yeong-woo's gaze shifted to Jong-seon and Jeong-gu, the two First Swords' faces darkened.
“W-what is it?”
Jeong-gu reflexively snapped back curtly.
Jong-seon looked at the Joseon First Sword with clear unease.
Yeong-woo pointed west, speaking with loaded meaning.
“I need someone to go to Incheon and pick up money. Every day.”
“Every day? To Incheon? You shaking down the whole country now?”
Jeong-gu, who'd been worrying Incheon wasn't some easy place.
To him, the request itself made no sense.
Why would Incheon's folks, no pushovers, hand over money willingly?
But Yeong-woo's follow-up shattered Jeong-gu's expectations.
“Not Incheon's money.”
“…Huh?”
“It's Chinese money. Shandong Province will send 20 million karma every day from now on.”
“What? You mad bastard.”
“Wait a sec. So that money you're talking about picking up…”
Choi Jong-seon's wide eyes blinked twice.
“You mean go to Incheon to collect Chinese money? So we meet Chinese people too?”
“Yeah. Possibly. They'll bring the money bags from Shandong to Incheon, and Incheon folks will hold onto it. Then our guy picks it up.”
As Yeong-woo added they might even have tea if the Chinese stuck around, Jong-seon stepped back.
“Sm-smuggling?”
“Why smuggling? It's foreign currency import.”
Strictly speaking, Yeong-woo was right.
Suspicious as the deal was, with no customs existing, smuggling wasn't even a concept in this world.
“We're taking a sort of defense fee from Shandong now too. It's informal, but it's inter-nation trade, big money, so we need reliable people.”
Yeong-woo explained, then added,
“Of course, if either Shandong or Incheon gets ideas, it's disaster. Worst case, we need someone who can handle it.”
Meaning the two standing here were candidates for that ‘someone.’
“Hmm.”
“Hmm…….”
Flattered by Yeong-woo's words, the newly minted ‘someones’ unconsciously puffed out their chests.
“20 million in cash… yeah, that's big money. Not just anyone can go to Incheon and haul it back.”
As Jeong-gu said this, Yeong-woo tacked on,
“Out of 20 million, leave 5 million for Incheon. Brokerage fee.”
“Oh? Then they'll probably deduct the 5 and hand it over.”
“Likely.”
“Pickup time?”
“We both have Variants to handle first, so afternoon's fine. Around 6 p.m. good?”
Whoever took the job would have packed days.
Drag their district's Variants to Gwangjin by 1 p.m., offer them to Yeong-woo, then race to Incheon for the cash once done.
“So… no separate pay for our trouble?”
Jeong-gu finally haggled for real.
“Pay for trouble?”
“Call it trouble pay, but really it's dignity maintenance. Can't look weak to Incheon or Chinese bastards.”
Jeong-gu's point was simple.
Facing top fighters from at least two regions, they needed to bulk up the collector's rep beforehand for worst-case prep.
“Hey, skimping on pocket change now means losing the whole 15 million someday.”
“Yeah. Can't argue that.”
Surprisingly, Yeong-woo nodded easily.
It was the same reason for the 5 million Incheon fee.
This world was pure lawless zone.
With enough power, you could do anything—or nothing.
Incheon's willingness to hold 20 million boiled down to lacking that power.
“How much for the pay?”
Yeong-woo cut straight to it. Jeong-gu scratched his chin, cautious.
“1.5 million……?”
10% of the funds he'd haul.
Yeong-woo turned to Jong-seon.
“What about you, ma'am?”
“…Just call me Jong-seon.”
“Right, Jong-seon then.”
“1.5 million's plenty for me too.”
“Great.”
Clap. Yeong-woo clapped once.
Then alternated glances between them.
“I'll give 5 million total as pay. You two go together, split 2.5 each.”
“What?”
“R-really?”
“Yeah. But if Father's worst-case hits, no abandoning each other and running.”
Yeong-woo flashed killing intent mid-sentence.
Silent warning: betray, and he'd handle it personally.
“You sure? We're good with it, but… 20 million minus 5 to Incheon and 5 to us leaves you with what?”
“What else? 10 million.”
“…….”
“One side's my dad anyway, the other's sorta mom, right? Think family business.”
With Yeong-woo going that far, Jeong-gu—and Jong-seon, who wasn't even family—had nothing to say.
“Collections start today. Avoid killing civilians if possible, but First Sword level's fair game if needed. Report after.”
“O-of course.”
“…Sounds good.”
Nods sealed the collection side-gig deal.
Right on cue—
Ping!
A familiar alert chimed, completing a quest Yeong-woo had held for three days.
[Quest Complete - “Paternity Confirmed”]
[Reward Issued]
|20,000,000 Karma
“Ah, three days already passed.”
Even in death, Dogo's wish to keep the parents alive that long held.
Then—
Swoooosh!
A black card shot down from the sky.
“W-what, more money?”
Jeong-gu blinked, clueless it was his-related cash. Meanwhile, Yeong-woo scooped up the 20-million lump.
Thud.
His assets surged back past 30 million.
* Available Karma: 36,938,500
‘More tax money piles up.’
Today's projected intake: at least 70 million karma.
10 million from China via the two ahead, 55 million total defense fees from Seoul districts.
‘No big incidents, and Ye-chan brings 8.6 million this afternoon… Money party today.’
Prosperity breeds generosity, as they say.
Yeong-woo's face softened as he eyed the two First Swords.
“Time to head out? Variants incoming soon.”
Jeong-gu stepped forward first at Yeong-woo's words.
“Yeah. Drag 'em to Gwangjin today too?”
“Yeah. I'll lend you Negig—drop Jong-seon at Yangju first.”
Thud!
Yeong-woo dismounted Negig, handing reins to his father. Jeong-gu took them, swallowing hard.
“What? You've ridden before.”
“No, not that…….”
“……?”
“Your mom not coming today, right?”
“Oh.”
Yeong-woo finally got it.
His father must've overheard parts of the uncle chat.
He hadn't heard Yeong-woo's lines to uncle, but uncle's to him? All of it.
Like—
―And who the hell's Kim Jeong-gu?
“Mom? Well, if she was due today, wouldn't she show like uncle for a mark?”
Uncle… Jeong-gu flinched at the word.
Yeong-woo's uncle was his wife's brother—thus ‘brother-in-law.’
“How'd you introduce me to your uncle… er, bro-in-law?”
Fear laced Jeong-gu's voice.
The Joseon First Sword son was scary, but the dragon-returning brother-in-law? Worse.
Confucian dread.
“What'd I say? Nothing weird, right?”
Jeong-gu pressed his son.
Yeong-woo rolled his eyes upward.
“Dad? What was it…”
Then recited from memory.
“The guy who one-night-stood with Chairman Song……?”
“No, fuck, that?”
Jeong-gu gaped at the unbelievable reality—
Whoosh!
Countless light pillars finally descended from the sky.