Monopolizing Fortunes (49)
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Monopolizing Fortunes (49)
"I don't know what the hell you're talking about, Coordinator Do."
"Doesn't matter. I only wanted to see it with my own eyes. Sending assassins after me—I can't imagine where you got such a stupid idea."
"You come here over something I didn't do and talk about starting a war. If we and the Red Tiger Society go to war, the only ones who benefit are the Haerang Society. Are you fine with that?"
"I intend to visit the Haerang Society too. If the Red Tiger Society and the Black Dragon Society fight right now, whose side do you think the Haerang Society will take?"
Whether it was nations or the martial world, siding with the stronger side was human nature. All the more so in the underworld—no one there willingly sided with the weak just to take a beating.
"Do you really think so?"
In that instant, Do Tong-dal caught a strange sense of incongruity on So Tae-sang's face.
"Oh-ho, this is interesting. It seems you weren't the only one who sent assassins after me, were you, Society Leader?"
No matter how slight it was, Do Tong-dal was not the sort to miss a change in expression.
"You're saying you conspired with the Haerang Society to eliminate me?"
"Hah! You're talking nonsense. Do you have any proof of what you're saying?"
"You've lived as a thug for that long, and you still don't understand the essence of being a thug?"
Do Tong-dal rose to his feet and went on.
"Proof is something only the authorities need. A thug doesn't need proof. All he needs is conviction, and that's that."
As Do Tong-dal stood before the stairs, So Tae-sang asked urgently.
"You're not really thinking of starting a war, are you? Countless people will die!"
"You should have thought of that before sending assassins after me."
"I never sent any assassins!"
"You don't even have the guts to be honest."
Do Tong-dal went down the stairs. The moment he set foot on the first floor, the thugs around him surrounded him in a half-circle. There were roughly twenty of them.
"Starting the war quickly wouldn't be so bad either."
Do Tong-dal alone was more than enough, and with Namgung Seol-rin there as well, their strength was overflowing.
"Everyone, stand down!"
The middle-aged man who had been on the second floor with So Tae-sang called off the thugs. Thinking, 'What a shame,' Do Tong-dal returned to headquarters.
The moment he arrived at headquarters, Wang Chil came running over.
"Were you really attacked by assassins?"
"That's what we were talking about earlier—no, we didn't get to it."
Because of Namgung Seol-rin, he had completely forgotten that important matter.
"Are you all right?"
Namgung Seol-rin answered promptly.
"If it weren't for me, he would've nearly died."
"I could've won easily!"
"You don't even have the guts to be honest."
The very words he had said to So Tae-sang came right back at him.
"Damn it!"
"Do you know who did it? Well, since it happened last night, there's no way you've already found the culprit."
"I found out."
"Already?"
"The Black Dragon Society and the Haerang Society hired the assassins together."
"You're saying So Tae-sang and Yang Sang-jin, those rotten bastards, joined hands to kill you?"
"It's nothing surprising. To them, I'm a thorn in their side."
Jo Jin-ho, who had been listening quietly, spoke.
"Do you have proof?"
Wang Chil shouted angrily.
"What does a thug need proof for!"
Wang Chil, too, was a thug to the bone.
"There's no way Tong-dal is wrong, but convincing the men who'll do the fighting is still important."
You can't just tell subordinates who are risking their lives, "It's my order, so fight!" It's not that no leaders do that, but they're never good leaders.
"Enough! They tried to kill Tong-dal, so we can't just let it slide! How much would those bastards look down on us then? The moment a thug looks weak, it's over."
Namgung Seol-rin spoke.
"Seeing even the underworld look for justification, it's not much different from the martial world."
Jo Jin-ho said.
"Maybe it's worse than the martial world. Because you can't become true scum. Of course, not every thug is like that."
"Should I just go sweep them all away?"
If it was Namgung Seol-rin, she could wipe out the Haerang Society and the Black Dragon Society by herself. Jo Jin-ho stopped her.
"If the goal is to eliminate the two underworld groups, that would be fine, but you still wouldn't be able to take over their territory. Their relationships and interests involve far more than just the thugs themselves."
"Then what should we do?"
Without proof, there was no justification, and without justification, it was hard to make the other side submit completely.
So one by one, they looked at Do Tong-dal. The person to solve this problem was, as expected, Do Tong-dal alone.
After thinking it over, Do Tong-dal said to Wang Chil.
"Tell the Black Dragon Society and the Haerang Society we're giving them one month. If they can't present a satisfactory solution within that time, both organizations will be dismantled."
"Why give them a month?"
"You'll find out in a month."
* * *
"What? The Black Dragon Society and the Haerang Society sent assassins after you?"
To the startled Go Seong-cheol, Do Tong-dal said.
"That's why I'd like the Hao Sect to find proof."
"Hm. It's not an easy task. Who was the assassin?"
"The Baekeum Assassin."
Go Seong-cheol looked like he had used up a year's worth of surprises today.
"You really mean the Baekeum Assassin?"
"That's what he said himself. Is he such a great assassin?"
"The Baekeum Assassin is considered first-rate even in the martial world. Even a first-rate martial master would find him a difficult opponent, so it's hard to believe you killed him."
Do Tong-dal deliberately did not bring up Namgung Seol-rin.
"Now that we know the assassin's identity, we should be able to find proof as well."
"Knowing his identity and finding proof are two different matters."
"So can you do it or not?"
"I'm saying I can't guarantee it."
"I'll give you a month. If you can't find proof, it can't be helped."
"If I find proof, the Hao Sect will have repaid its debt to you."
"Of course."
* * *
Even though Wang Chil had given them a one-month deadline, the Black Dragon Society and the Haerang Society did not present anything satisfactory.
If it became known that they had hired a martial-world assassin to eliminate Do Tong-dal, they would clearly face criticism even within the Underworld.
Wang Chil thought, 'Looks like they're just going to hold out?' but Do Tong-dal thought differently.
If the two Underworld groups had come in with their heads bowed, he had intended to compromise modestly with a few territories. But the fact that there was no response at all meant they were preparing a counterattack.
They were not the sort to waste time pointlessly and then get hit by Do Tong-dal's fist.
At best, they would drag in martial-world forces. That was the best method they could think of, and also the only one.
But Do Tong-dal had given the two underworld groups a month so he could attack them in a way they would never anticipate.
And that day came.
"Coordinator Do!"
Yang Su-pan came looking for Do Tong-dal. The county magistrate had personally come to the underworld headquarters.
Do Tong-dal asked, pretending not to know.
"What's the matter that you've come looking for me in such a fuss?"
Yang Su-pan spoke as if he might keel over at any moment.
"The Provincial Vice Commissioner has been summoned to Beijing!"
"What for?"
Even asking while already knowing was tiresome.
"What do you think it's for?"
He barely held back the urge to shout, 'Just say it, old man!'
"What is it for?"
"Take a guess."
Letting out a sigh, Do Tong-dal spoke with the feeling, 'I give up, I give up.'
"The Provincial Vice Commissioner must have been summoned for distinguished service."
"Huh! How did you know that?"
Do Tong-dal answered nonchalantly.
"Would the Provincial Vice Commissioner have been summoned for committing a crime?"
"He could have been."
"But you, Magistrate, look so pleased?"
"Heh heh heh... Was it that obvious?"
"Your mouth is stretched from ear to ear."
"How could I not be pleased? Do you know how much money I've given that man all this time? He even stopped by to see me on his way to Beijing. He said he owed me a great deal and wouldn't forget it."
"Soon you'll be going to Beijing too, Magistrate."
Do Tong-dal attached a sigh to the end of his words.
"Why?"
"It seems I helped you for nothing. Once you go to Beijing, I'll be a kite with its string cut."
"Why is the great Do Tong-dal making such a fuss? Don't worry. How could I forget you? I'm a man who repays exactly what he receives."
Yang Su-pan left, saying, "Let's have a drink at Cheonsangru this evening."
Seeing that he had run all the way to the Underworld headquarters in one breath, he must have been quite happy.
"The mood is ripe now, but the Hao Sect still hasn't come through?"
If he could just find proof that the two underworld groups had commissioned the Baekeum Assassin, it would be perfect.
"I suppose I'll have to visit the Hao Sect branch."
He needed to know the exact progress to plan his operation accordingly. As he left headquarters, Namgung Seol-rin followed.
"You don't have to escort me anymore."
"It's the Society Leader's order."
"Why would he... Anyway, you're speaking informally."
"My position is higher than yours. And I'm even a year older."
Past life aside, in their current ages, Do Tong-dal was nineteen and Namgung Seol-rin was twenty.
"So... that's why you're dropping honorifics?"
"I won't demand you use honorifics with me. Still, you're my older brother's friend, so you should at least treat me that well."
Do Tong-dal stared blankly at Namgung Seol-rin, who looked as though she were being extremely generous. With a composed face, she seemed to have let go of something in her heart.
'As long as she doesn't lose her mind.'
Since he couldn't physically stop her from following, he had no choice but to drag her along(?).
At the Hao Sect branch, Go Seong-cheol happened to be there.
"Did you find the proof I asked for?"
"Well, it's not perfect yet..."
They said the Hao Sect's information network rivaled the Beggars' Sect, but that seemed to have been an exaggeration.
"It can't be helped. We'll just have to proceed without proof."
"Should I give you what I've collected so far?"
Without much expectation, Do Tong-dal answered, "Yes." Go Seong-cheol went to his desk and rummaged around, pulling something out.
"There are promissory notes issued by the Central Plains Exchange. You know that anything over one hundred nyang of silver requires the owner's signature, right?"
"That's right."
"At the Baekeum Assassin's residence, we found promissory notes with So Tae-sang's and Yang Sang-jin's names written on them."
"What? Really?"
"And this is a witness statement from someone who saw two elders of the Black Dragon Society and the Haerang Society enter the Baekeum Assassin's residence... This is a statement from one of their thugs saying the two organizations planned to assassinate you... And this one is......"
The evidence came pouring out. He had said it wasn't perfect, but in Do Tong-dal's eyes, this was truly perfect.
"This is more than enough, isn't it?"
"There's someone who takes requests on behalf of the Baekeum Assassin. We haven't secured that person yet."
"This much is enough."
"Is it? It seemed a bit lacking, but if you say it's enough, that's a relief. Then the debt between you and the Hao Sect is settled?"
"Completely clean. By the way, did you find that titty thing, the Young Sect Leader's token?"
Namgung Seol-rin, who had been quiet, asked out of curiosity at the unfamiliar word.
"What's a titty thing?"
"You know. Put it on your arm, it's a bracelet; put it on your ankle, it's an ank..."
Go Seong-cheol quietly called Do Tong-dal.
"Coordinator Do, that's something of a Hao Sect secret."
"I see. Understood."
"The token was found, and the Young Sect Leader has been replaced."
"What?"
"The Sect Leader believes a Young Sect Leader who gave the token away to a courtesan is unqualified. He had already agonized over the first and second sons before finally passing the position to the eldest, and then the eldest went and caused that incident."
"If the eldest made him agonize that much, the second son's abilities must be considerable."
Go Seong-cheol grinned.
"If the second young master becomes Sect Leader, the Hao Sect will change a great deal."
From the look of it, Go Seong-cheol had been pushing for the second son as Young Sect Leader from the start.
"This incident has actually turned into a blessing in disguise for the Hao Sect."
"You could say that."
"Congratulations. And thank you for the evidence. I'll buy you a drink later."
"I was only repaying a debt."
"Then let yourself owe a drink debt."
Go Seong-cheol smiled brightly.
"I will."
* * *
Throughout the drinking session, the smile never left Yang Su-pan's face.
"Do you like success that much?"
"I do. I really do."
"Turns out you're the embodiment of ambition."
"Success isn't just about wielding power. It's about proving myself to the world. What kind of success it is doesn't matter much. That sort of thing is forgotten soon enough anyway. What matters is that I have power."
Do Tong-dal asked.
"What do you intend to do with that power?"
"It's not that doing something particular is good. The fact that I can do anything is what matters."
"Is it the difference between not doing something and not being able to do it?"
"You could also call it the difference between shit and a tiger."
"Avoiding one because it's dirty, and avoiding the other because it's scary."
"You asked what I'd do with power, right? What should I do for you?"
* * *