Monopolizing Fortunes (81)
Monopolizing Fortunes (81)
The pain that began somewhere below his solar plexus felt like thousands, tens of thousands of needles tearing through his blood vessels. He knew in theory that this was the process of expelling the turbid energy accumulated in his acupoints, blood vessels, and meridians.
But knowing it was good for his body did nothing to lessen the pain. This was the price Do Tong-dal paid for never having cultivated Internal Energy.
If he had cultivated Internal Energy, he would have followed the energy Won Dae-yeon was guiding and expelled the turbid energy himself.
Of course, there would still have been pain, but it clearly would have been incomparably weaker than this.
Time stretched on like an eternity. He felt as though he had already died and fallen into hell. If hell required enduring this kind of pain, Do Tong-dal swore he would live like the Buddha.
"Just hold on a little longer! It's almost done!"
He must have heard Namgung Seol-rin say that ten times by now. We're almost there. Just over that hill. Just past that tree. Just across that bridge and you can rest.
It was an endless repetition of lies, but even so, the signal that there was an end gave him the strength to endure.
Crack!
The wooden chopstick clenched between his teeth snapped. The sharp edge tore his lip, but he couldn't even feel it.
Crunch! Crunch!
The sound of his molars grinding and clashing together continued without pause. He was biting down so hard it felt like his back teeth would shatter.
'Enough already. Fuck.'
Do Tong-dal finally grabbed the thread of temptation that had passed by countless times. He couldn't take it anymore. As he bent forward, the pain suddenly vanished.
It seemed that leaning forward had pulled him away from Won Dae-yeon's palm.
'Fuck, I ruined it.'
He was thinking that when Namgung Seol-rin tapped his shoulder.
"You did well."
He breathed roughly through his nose and kept swallowing dry spit through his mouth. His throat felt cracked and parched, so it was a long while before he could speak.
"Is it done?"
Won Dae-yeon answered.
"It got a little dangerous, but you pulled through."
Won Dae-yeon's entire body was also drenched in sweat. He had expended a considerable amount of true energy.
"Ugh...... Myeongwol, not there. Heh heh heh......."
At Gong Myeong-un's sleep-talking, they burst into quiet laughter. Namgung Seol-rin supported Do Tong-dal when he staggered as he stood up.
"I'm never doing this again."
"It's fine. The second time will be much easier."
"I said I'm not doing it!"
Won Dae-yeon spoke.
"It's not like a fortuitous encounter like the Ten-Thousand-Year Ginseng King is going to come twice."
"I said I'm not doing it, anyway! I'm absolutely never doing it!"
Do Tong-dal gulped down water, let out a long breath, and checked his own body.
"It doesn't feel that different. Except for being sober."
"You'll only feel something once you learn an internal cultivation method."
"And where is one of those?"
"We'll have to find a suitable one going forward."
"I'll give you mine."
Namgung Seol-rin was startled by Won Dae-yeon's words.
"Won Dae-yeon's?"
"Why? Is my Wonhyeong Musang Art lacking?"
"No! The Wonhyeong Musang Art is one of the finest internal cultivation methods in the martial world!"
The reason Won Dae-yeon's martial arts could rival the Ten Great Masters of the martial world was precisely his profound Internal Energy.
"I'm just asking whether it's really all right to give something that precious to this guy."
"It's a martial art that will be lost if I don't pass it on to someone. Someone of Coordinator Do's caliber is a decent successor."
Do Tong-dal asked.
"Don't I get a say?"
Namgung Seol-rin growled.
"Won Dae-yeon is offering you a favor. Just say thank you and accept it."
"Rather than bestowing a favor, I'd say I'm repaying one."
"Is it really all right for me to learn your martial arts? I mean, do we need to form some kind of master-disciple bond?"
"What? Hahaha! No need for that. I haven't the slightest desire to take a disciple like you."
"What's wrong with me?"
"Who would want a disciple who obviously would never listen to his master?"
"Well......."
He couldn't argue with that.
"Let's rest today and start training tomorrow."
"Rest for about three days, and then......."
Smack—!
Only after Namgung Seol-rin slapped him on the back did Do Tong-dal agree to start training the next day.
* * *
Growl—! Growl—! Growl—!
He hadn't known a stomach could signal for food this often.
"How did I end up like this?"
Gong So-yang sat down in the yard and looked up at the clear sky where clouds drifted slowly by.
He had never felt happy. He had simply lived diligently in the circumstances he was given.
Living diligently had sometimes drawn tears from others, but who in the world didn't do that? To protect what he had and increase it, he had done things that earned him curses. But who in the world didn't do that?
He had simply lived the way people in this world live. Yet for this harsh a punishment to fall on him alone was unfair.
"It's because of that bastard Do Tong-dal."
The more his hunger grew, the deeper his resentment became. If he could kill Do Tong-dal, he felt he would give up his entire fortune.
Though as far as fortune went, all that remained was his house, land, rice paddies, and fields. Even selling just those would easily bring five thousand nyang.
The problem was that no one would buy his property. The food stored in his house's storehouse reeked of rot. Restaurants where he might have eaten refused to take him as a customer.
So the only thing he could eat was filthy street food. The problem was that he couldn't even buy that anymore.
His wife and children had scraped up every bit of money in the house, leaving not a single coin behind.
So he had tried to sell his tea field, now overrun with weeds, but no one would buy it. Even when he named a price far below market value, they wouldn't budge.
—Why would I buy that and invite trouble?
From those words, he could tell the Red Tiger Society's influence had reached everywhere. He couldn't live by eating dirt, so he might well starve to death.
"Fine. I'll leave Hangzhou and sell it to an outsider."
He made up his mind, then immediately cursed, "Fuck." He had no travel money.
"You look rather pitiful."
Startled, Gong So-yang looked toward where the voice had come from. Do Tong-dal stood there with his hands clasped behind his back, as if he had arrived long ago.
"Y-you...... you......!"
"You don't even have the strength to curse, do you?"
Do Tong-dal knew Gong So-yang's situation thoroughly.
"Tsk tsk tsk...... That's why a man should earn some goodwill while he lives."
"Did you come to gloat?"
"I came to fill your stomach."
"What do you mean by that?"
Clink!
A metallic sound came from the pouch Do Tong-dal took from his bosom. It was a fairly large pouch, and the sound alone told him the contents were silver.
"Transfer all the land you hold in Hangzhou and this house to me."
Gong So-yang checked the pouch Do Tong-dal tossed.
"Three hundred nyang of silver?"
"I specially prepared cash for your convenience. A small token of my sincerity."
"You lunatic! You're trying to buy property worth at least five thousand nyang for a mere three hundred?"
"You haven't starved enough yet."
Do Tong-dal bent down and brought his face right up to Gong So-yang's.
"Or maybe you don't value your life."
Gong So-yang swallowed hard without meaning to.
"I don't know about before, but right now, no one in Hangzhou would care if you disappeared."
That was true. His family had all left, and Do Tong-dal even had the authorities in his grip. In that situation, there was no one to mourn his death or investigate it.
"You seem to have suffered enough, so out of pity I'm trying to offer you at least this much. How do you think I'll feel if you kick it away?"
"B-but three hundred nyang is too little."
"Everyone else said it was too much. The most common opinion was to just kill you. I think I'd better follow their advice."
When Do Tong-dal reached for the pouch, Gong So-yang quickly hid it behind his back.
"F-fine. I'll sell. I'll sell."
If he wanted to leave Hangzhou alive, he had no choice.
'Just wait. Do you think I'll disappear like this?'
Gong So-yang had become one of Hangzhou's three great merchants starting with just two nyang. He had been much younger then, but now he had three hundred nyang of silver instead.
With his experience and knowledge, growing his fortune wouldn't be difficult.
'I will definitely come back and cut off your head!'
With that vow, Gong So-yang handed over the documents.
"Let's see if anything's missing. House deed, deed for the burned-down storehouse, tea field, rice paddies and fields......."
Do Tong-dal inspected them meticulously. After putting the documents into his bosom, Do Tong-dal spoke.
"It's been a pleasant transaction. I'll be going, then."
"You're leaving just like that?"
"Would you like me to see you off?"
"N-no."
After Do Tong-dal left, Gong So-yang filled his stomach with dumplings and prepared provisions. Since he might have to sleep outdoors, he also bought a bedroll and acquired a horse.
"I've been through worse than this."
His riding was clumsy after so long, but he soon got used to it. People passing on the road muttered among themselves when they saw Gong So-yang.
Some said he was pitiful, others said he had it coming. In any case, within three days there wouldn't be a soul who didn't know he had left Hangzhou.
'I'll come back! I'll definitely come back!'
Gong So-yang urged his horse faster and entered Dongu Mountain, which led over to Yeohang. The path was occasionally steep, but the mountain road continued at a level passable for horses.
Around the midpoint, hunger struck. Gong So-yang took provisions and water from the bag hanging on the horse's flank and soothed his empty stomach.
Gong So-yang chewed the provisions thoroughly, as if they were Do Tong-dal. As he did, he once again vowed revenge in his heart.
Neigh—!
The horse screamed and bolted over the ridge. He had clearly tied the reins to a tree, but it happened suddenly.
He chased after the horse in a panic, but his old heart couldn't last ten jang.
"Huff! Huff! That damned colt!"
Gong So-yang caught his breath, which had risen to his chin, straightened his back—and fell on his rear in shock.
"D-Do Tong-dal!"
Do Tong-dal, hands clasped behind his back, approached slowly.
"W-why did you come all the way here?"
"Did I look stupid enough to leave behind a future threat?"
"A f-future threat?"
"You're planning to leave Hangzhou, succeed, and take revenge on me, aren't you?"
"N-no! I have absolutely no such intention!"
"Unfortunately for you, I'm good at reading people's minds. So don't bother with pointless lies."
"I-I mean it! I'm going to take the three hundred nyang you gave me and spend my old age somewhere scenic!"
"How I wish those words were sincere......."
Do Tong-dal shook his head.
"I told you before. When you die, I'll be the only one there."
"Y-you're going to kill me? No matter how much of an Underworld thug you are, you'd kill a powerless old man out here in the mountains?!"
"Do you know what's good about killing someone in the mountains? There are plenty of places to bury them."
"P-please......!"
Do Tong-dal didn't give Gong So-yang time to beg.
Snap!
Gong So-yang's neck twisted and he crumpled forward. It left a worse feeling than any other killing. But if he left a future threat behind, that threat might one day close its hands around his own neck.
"I suppose I'll have a drink at Cheonsangru tonight."
His plan was dashed by Namgung Seol-rin's attack on his back.
"What do you mean, drinking, at a time like this! Hurry up and train!"
"No, I need to rest sometimes so my head works— Ack! Fine! I'll do it, all right?!"
It was clearly jealousy. But even jealousy couldn't be refused when it had justification.
"Until your Internal Energy reaches three gapja, don't even think about drinking, let alone going anywhere."
"Th-three gapja? Can my Internal Energy even reach that level?"
"The physician in black said the Ten-Thousand-Year Ginseng King is top-grade even among top-grade. Three gapja is the baseline, and if it goes well, you could even reach four."
"I don't know what good it'll do for my Internal Energy to get that high."
"You still don't know?"
"No, I mean, it has gotten better."
His footwork, movement arts, and blade arts had become incomparably faster than before. On top of that, the destructive power was enough to surprise even Do Tong-dal, who was executing the techniques.
Paths he hadn't seen before became visible, and his techniques grew more refined. When he had only heard about it, he hadn't understood, but now that he actually possessed Internal Energy, his martial arts had risen to a new level.
"It's good, but does a thug really need martial arts this strong?"
"You never know what might happen. Take this Ten-Thousand-Year Ginseng King incident—if you hadn't had martial arts, what do you think would have happened?"
* * *