Chapter 150
Chapter 150
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 150
Chapter Title: Jin Mujeon's Martial Arts Academy
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What does it take to build a successful business?
Innovative technology, a powerful drive for achievement, the ability to manage uncertainty, sustainable and mutually beneficial management practices—modern business theories propose many factors, but…
‘Here, that’s all bullshit.’
Such theories were utterly useless in the world of Murim.
Connections and money.
Here, one could only build a successful business by properly balancing these two things.
And I had plenty of both.
After all, wasn't the son of the Nine Dragons Fortress's second-in-command sitting right in front of me?
“Hehehe, you know I always think of you like a real younger brother, right?”
“...Pardon me, but I believe we are the same age.”
“But my birthday’s earlier.”
“By two days, I believe…”
“Two days means I’ve eaten at least six more meals than you.”
“…”
Yu So-pyeong sighed and asked.
“So, are you really planning on opening a martial arts academy?”
“Not just a martial arts academy, a comprehensive one.”
“What on earth is the difference?”
“There is one.”
The information Yu So-pyeong had brought back was that the Nine Dragons Fortress was recruiting more members.
On a scale so massive that even the word ‘major’ felt inadequate.
Thanks to him, a brilliant business idea had come to me.
“Just you wait. I'll make the slogan ‘The key to passing the Nine Dragons Fortress exam is Jin Mujeon’s Academy’ echo from every corner.”
It was basically a civil service cram school.
In some ways, its business might overlap with the Black Dragon Martial Arts Academy, where I was the second-largest shareholder, but this was a completely different domain.
‘The customer base is entirely different.’
The clients of the Black Dragon Martial Arts Academy were Outer Hall warriors training in martial arts and local ladies looking for some eye candy.
On the other hand, my clients would be examinees training fiercely to pass the public official exam.
But Yu So-pyeong, unaware of these details, shook his head.
“Will that, uh, make money?”
“Of course, it will. If I charge just two taels a month, think how much that adds up to.”
“I don’t know. Will there be many people who can afford that?”
He had a point.
Even a six-month preparation period would amount to the hefty sum of twelve taels.
For reference, about ten taels was enough to buy a decent house in a country village.
But I had a plan for that, too.
“I’ll collect the fee after they pass.”
“What? You mean you’ll offer it on credit?”
“That’s right. I plan to get them to pass first and then let them pay in installments. They’ve just landed a job, so it’s not like they’ll skip town, right? Of course, there will be a little interest.”
It was the concept of a post-payment system with interest-bearing installments.
“…What if they don’t pass? You can’t exactly cut them open, can you?”
“Then I don’t get paid.”
“Hmm…”
Yu So-pyeong shook his head, his eyes filled with deep concern.
“It’s fine. I’ll make sure every single one of them passes.”
“What? What do you mean by that…?”
I presented a very clear solution to his concern.
“Because I’m only going to accept those who are likely to pass from the start.”
That was the plan.
Those who were already strong in martial arts wouldn't need the help of the academy I was building.
Those with no foundation in martial arts wouldn't pass even if I taught them.
So, I planned to focus on those in between—the borderline cases—and train them into public officials.
And this was where I needed connections.
I planned to make good use of my greatest asset, Bukgung Baek.
“…Is there really a martial arts academy that cherry-picks its members?”
“You think? Of course, we’ll be the first.”
“So?”
“I’m going to bring in my master as a special instructor.”
“Y-Your master? I heard you learned martial arts at the Heaven-Ascending Pavilion, Squad Leader.”
“Did I not tell you? I recently entered into a master-disciple relationship.”
“W-With whom?”
“Who else? The Hall Master, Bukgung Baek.”
“Gasp!”
Yu So-pyeong's eyes widened in shock.
I spoke to him with confidence.
“How about it? A martial arts academy taught by a master in the Divine Realm. Don’t you think people will be lining up to get in?”
“Indeed…”
“There’s one academy, but many who want to join. What happens then?”
“You’ll be able to pick and choose those most likely to pass.”
“Exactly. You’re pretty sharp for a bookworm.”
Yu So-pyeong nodded, finally understanding.
“And I’m going to need your help, too.”
“Ah, don’t worry. I’ll take care of the paperwork for the administrative procedures…”
“No, not that.”
“Then what on earth could you…”
“Go ask your father about the passing criteria and the exam content. You can do that, right?”
Yu So-pyeong squeezed his eyes shut.
* * *
After forcibly sending away the reluctant Yu So-pyeong, I went straight to Yong Ma-san.
I wasn’t fond of partnerships, but I needed the manpower of the Hao Mun to successfully launch my venture.
Therefore, with the mindset of a startup CEO pitching to an investor, I briefed Yong Ma-san.
“So, this is the plan. What do you think? It’s good, right?”
“…It’s not bad.”
“Not bad? It reeks of money.”
“Ahem, well, if Squad Leader Jin says so, then it must be so.”
“So, what’s the plan now?”
“What do you mean?”
This bald-headed bastard.
“You’re the one who suggested a partnership. I’ve even come up with a business plan, and now you’re changing your tune?”
“I said we should build a business together, not that we should be partners.”
For a moment, I wondered if my grasp of the language had failed me.
What was the difference between building a business together and being partners?
“This won’t be funny if you tell me you were just joking…”
“Of course not. How could I dare?”
As I let out a low growl, Yong Ma-san, his bald head gleaming, spoke.
“I was planning to help you for free.”
“For free?”
The Hao Mun and I were not comrades; we had a transactional relationship.
For him to offer to help my business for free meant there was a ninety-nine percent chance he wanted something.
Sure enough, Yong Ma-san revealed his true motive.
“What kind of nonsense are you spouting now?”
“On the condition that you look after our Hao Mun in the future. Simple, isn’t it?”
‘In the future’ meant on credit.
It was a condition I had no reason to refuse.
As the old saying goes, if it’s on credit, you’d even eat a whole cow.
“…Are you sure all I have to do is look after you?”
“That is correct.”
“And if you go back on your word later?”
“I’ll stake the name of the Hao Mun’s leader on it.”
“Alright. Let’s do it that way.”
“Then, tell me what you need.”
“I will.”
*Fwip.*
I unfolded the paper on which I had written my demands.
“First, manpower and promotion… I need you to spread some rumors… and people to do odd jobs… Also, I need a building constructed…”
A short while later.
“Heh.”
Having conveyed all my demands, I left the Two Immortals Gang, satisfied.
To be honest, I had thrown in a few unreasonable requests in case he refused, but to my surprise, he agreed to all of them.
For example, free promotion.
Now, everywhere the Hao Mun’s influence reached, rumors would spread simultaneously about the Nine Dragons Fortress’s recruitment drive and how Jin Mujeon’s Academy was essential for passing.
Confident in the beautiful future and bright tomorrow of Jin Mujeon’s Academy, I turned my head and looked at the sign of the Two Immortals Gang.
‘Alpha male trait: never procrastinates.’
Since he asked me to look after them, I planned to carefully inspect the sign of the Two Immortals Gang whenever I had the time.
* * *
The plan to establish Jin Mujeon’s Academy proceeded smoothly.
With Madam Bok’s help, I secured a suitable plot of land outside the outer fortress.
I entrusted the construction of the building to skilled carpenters introduced by the Hao Mun.
Now, while the building was being erected, the Hao Mun would spread the rumors.
That in line with the Nine Dragons Fortress’s massive recruitment, a martial arts academy taught by a master of the Divine Realm, the Heaven and Earth Combat King, would be established.
There was a bit of exaggeration, but if any complaints arose, I could just invite Bukgung Baek over once in a while to give sensational lectures like ‘How to Become a Peak Master in Ten Years’ or ‘How to Survive Before an Enemy,’ so I wasn’t worried.
Of course, preparations were also proceeding smoothly internally.
I was teaching Yang Gang, Ha Jin-hyeong, and Lee Dang-pal the hellish PT routine that would be responsible for the members’ physical fitness, as well as reviewing a curriculum designed to be as realistic as actual combat.
The only disappointing thing was that Yu So-pyeong had failed to find out the exam content.
Apparently, he got kicked out for asking.
What a useless fellow.
Anyway, aside from that, I was generally satisfied.
“Now all that’s left is to rake in the money.”
Of course, since it was a post-payment system, I was prepared for a considerable deficit at the beginning.
But as time passed and the scale grew, the profits were bound to increase.
Why?
Because according to what I found out through Yu So-pyeong, the scale of this recruitment was truly enormous.
‘A thousand people.’
If even half of them enrolled, that would generate six thousand taels in revenue, and after deducting expenses, it was a business that would surely net over five thousand taels.
And that wasn't the end of it.
If I managed to get a large number of students to pass the exam, the reputation of Jin Mujeon’s Academy would echo throughout the world.
People would come from all over to learn martial arts.
For a warrior, the desire to become stronger was like a drug.
And for that…
‘I need a martial art.’
Jin Mujeon’s Academy needed its own original, unique martial art.
That’s why I went to see Bukgung Baek, my family elder and master.
“Do you have any spare martial arts?”
He looked at me as if thinking, ‘What kind of idiotic nonsense is this?’, but I stood my ground.
His one and only disciple was about to pursue a grand dream; he had to help.
I briefly explained the plan to establish Jin Mujeon’s Academy to Bukgung Baek, who was glaring at me with a very disrespectful gaze.
“So you intend to run a business to generate continuous profit… For you, that’s not a bad idea.”
“What does a master like you know about business to be judging me?”
*Thwack!*
“Ack.”
Well, I did get hit for being cheeky.
After creating a large lump on my head, he instructed his servants, who were former spies.
“Bring out the drinks.”
“…I just came to get a martial art today.”
“Should it be so difficult for a master to have a drink with the disciple he hasn’t seen in a while?”
‘Does reaching the Divine Realm give you a new liver?’
Perhaps martial arts could become the new paradigm in modern medicine.
Anyway, at the drinking session that began, Bukgung Baek started asking many questions about Jin Mujeon’s Academy, from its location to its staff, and I explained everything in detail.
After an hour, once all his questions were answered, Bukgung Baek threw two dusty books that had been piled in a corner at me.
*Thud.*
“What are these?”
“Didn’t you ask for a spare martial art?”
“No, I mean.”
Why would he manage martial arts manuals like this?
Especially while living with former members of the Ten Demon Alliance.
After dusting them off, I read the titles: *Black Mist Spear Art* and *Black Mist Art*.
“Wasn’t the foundation of the Bukgung arts unarmed combat?”
“It’s a martial art acquired from an outside source.”
“Ah…”
If that was the case.
“Its quality is not to be underestimated, so it should suit your purpose.”
“How good is it?”
“If you master it to the tenth stage, you can reach the Transcendent Realm.”
I had no idea what this man considered a martial art to be.
If one could reach the Transcendent Realm at the tenth stage, didn’t that mean it was a supreme-grade martial art?
If it were leaked, it would immediately cause a bloodbath.
And he was telling me to give it away in exchange for tuition fees.
This was something that could bring great chaos to the Murim ecosystem.
“…Don’t you have something on the level of the Dark Suppression Sword Art?”
“You can just release the first half, can’t you?”
“I see.”
Bukgung Baek took a swig of his drink with a look that screamed ‘pathetic.’
“By the way, I have one more favor to ask.”
“…This is getting tedious. Just leave.”
“Hehe, don’t be like that. Please, help your disciple out just this once.”
“What is it?”
Facing the glaring Bukgung Baek, I spoke clearly.
“I was wondering if you could stop by once a month. Of course, you just need to show your face. It would be even better if you occasionally dropped a famous quote like ‘Pain is part of being young.’ Hehe.”
“…”
That day, I ended up entertaining Bukgung Baek, the future guest instructor of Jin Mujeon’s Academy, late into the night.