Revival Spirit Fruit (3)
Mun Gongja looked startled at my words and asked again.
“Pardon? What do you mean by that?”
“To put it precisely, I'm saying I'll lend you business capital using that as collateral.”
“I'm afraid I don't quite follow.”
“No need to overthink it.”
I continued.
“What is Young Master Mun's goal? Becoming the head of the Deokhaeng Merchant Group, or living happily with your mother?”
After pondering my question for a moment, he replied.
“Living happily with my mother.”
But in his previous life, he hadn't achieved that.
His mother had died in the process when experts from the Blood Cult stole the Revival Spirit Fruit.
To fulfill his wish, he couldn't take the Five-Colored Ice Crystal Flower with him.
Back then it was the Blood Cult, but this time the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult would turn the Deokhaeng Merchant Group into a wasteland.
No.
Given that it could suppress the demonic qi of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, the Murim Alliance would covet it too.
“If you take the Five-Colored Ice Crystal Flower, you could become the head of the Deokhaeng Merchant Group. But you won't be able to live happily with your mother.”
“Why not?”
“From the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult's perspective, it's something that must be destroyed. From the orthodox Murim's view, it's something that must be obtained at all costs. In the clash between such massive factions over this item, do you think the Deokhaeng Merchant Group could endure?”
“Ah……”
“Rivers of blood will flow. And that blood might include your mother's—or yours.”
“……”
“But if you entrust the Five-Colored Ice Crystal Flower to me, you can live happily with your mother. With the luck to find something like this, you'll have equal fortune in business too.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Because I saw you find it with my own eyes.”
And in his previous life, Mun Juseong before me had rebuilt the ruined merchant group.
Unexpected luck followed every venture, elevating it to one of the Eight Great Merchant Groups of the World.
Knowing that future, that's why I spoke as I did.
“But will you and your merchant group be safe?”
“As long as you tell no one it's with me.”
“If I entrust it to you, how much will you give me?”
“A thousand nyang of silver.”
“……!”
“Truth be told, I could just give it to you. But I want to use the Five-Colored Ice Crystal Flower as collateral so you won't feel indebted.”
After mulling over my words, a change came to his eyes.
He seemed to have made up his mind.
He held out the Five-Colored Ice Crystal Flower to me and said,
“Very well. I'll do as my benefactor says.”
He continued.
“Honestly, if you coveted this, you could have killed me and taken it. But you didn't. And I could feel your genuine concern for me in your words.”
“Hahaha.”
“Truth is, my mother is the only one who's ever worried about me, so I'm a bit sensitive to it.”
I took the Five-Colored Ice Crystal Flower in hand.
Good thing my persuasion worked.
I'd convinced Mun Gongja out of concern for him, but also to prevent the incident that had frozen the entire central plains' merchant world back then.
Our merchant group had struggled because of it.
.
.
.
We descended Jongnam Mountain.
And it was time to part with Mun Gongja. I said to him,
“Do you remember everything I told you?”
“Yes.”
Mun Gongja nodded.
“I'll go back, leave the house with my mother. Better to walk out on my own feet than be chased out, as you said.”
“And after that?”
“Find a decent job, save money while working, build a house somewhere. And during construction—what's this? Hidden money! Use that as startup capital for business.”
“Good.”
I nodded.
“Do you remember the one more thing I asked?”
“Of course.”
Mun Gongja said,
“You told me not to reveal any connection to you or even mention the Five-Colored Ice Crystal Flower until you say otherwise.”
“You must keep that promise.”
“Understood. I'll stake my life on it.”
With that, Mun Gongja returned to his clan.
He was empty-handed, but his shoulders looked remarkably unburdened.
“Then let's head back to the inn.”
“Yes, sir.”
.
.
.
Upon arriving at the inn, Palgap came rushing out.
“Young master!”
“Aren't you overly excited?”
“Isn't it natural? You came back later than expected—do you know how worried I was?”
“Sorry.”
Then Warriors Bae Cheol and Go Ju-sang emerged. I deliberately smiled brightly and said,
“The client insisted I stay the night.”
My official reason for being out was delivering a letter to a nearby trading partner at Father's request.
Only my escort warriors and Palgap knew the truth beyond that.
“Where's Lieutenant Yeo?”
“She's sleeping now, sir.”
“Huh?”
“She said there's no chance to rest deeply otherwise.”
“Wise choice.”
Taking care of herself—that's the right attitude.
“Still, with you away……”
“She trusts me.”
Palgap flinched at my words.
“Why?”
“I trusted you too, sir.”
“Yeah, yeah, got it.”
And so the day waned into evening.
.
.
.
Night had fallen.
A quiet night with everyone asleep.
I went down to the inn's first floor.
The innkeeper was drinking alone, gazing out the window. She looked utterly pitiful.
I knew her story—that's why.
“Drinking alone?”
At my words, she turned, saw me, and looked startled.
“Oh my! Sorry about that.”
I already knew, but she was putting on an act.
“Shall I join you for one?”
“No, thank you.”
I waved it off.
“My master said nothing good comes from drinking.”
“He's right.”
She nodded.
“Nothing good at all. But……”
“Some days, you can't get by without it.”
She stared at me intently.
“I heard your husband is quite ill.”
At that, she sprang up, suddenly pressing a sharp dagger to my throat.
“Who are you? Who sent you?”
I gently pushed the blade away with a finger.
“Just happened to learn of it. Trade secret—can't say how.”
Currently, her husband lay in one of the inn's rooms, bedridden from qi deviation.
She ran the inn to care for and protect him.
She also disguised herself as a young woman with makeup to hide their identities.
In a way, her situation resembled Madam Hong Geum-so's.
Five years from now, her husband would pass away.
Padoopapa would burn the inn to the ground and step into the world for revenge.
Because the Yeom Clan—one of the Murim Alliance families—had schemed to cause his qi deviation.
Padoopapa's signature weapon was an axe.
They called her Padoopapa for smashing enemies' heads with it like a grandma.
And that's when people learned she was a Super First-rate expert.
She completed her revenge.
Then quietly vanished from the world.
When I saw two Revival Spirit Fruits amid the storm on Jongnam Mountain, her husband came to mind.
If I save him, couldn't I win her to my side?
But I soon sighed.
Even for revenge against the Murim Alliance and Baekcheon Merchant Group, taking a sick man hostage? What kind of ugliness is that?
People shouldn't stoop so low.
Instead, I'd just save him since I could.
Wasteful?
What if I need the Revival Spirit Fruit later? Use it here?
It's fine.
Time isn't pressing, and the world won't run out of spirit medicines anytime soon.
I sat before Padoopapa.
Then took a box from my bosom and placed it on the table.
A small box containing one Revival Spirit Fruit, prepared in advance.
“Open it.”
“……?”
She cautiously opened the box.
“……!”
Her eyes widened.
She recognized it as the Revival Spirit Fruit.
“What's the price?”
As expected of a veteran Murim expert. She wouldn't accept kindness lightly.
“If I said I pitied you and gave it freely, you wouldn't believe me, right?”
“Do I look pitiful?”
“Yes.”
After staring at me, she chuckled.
“Say what you want. I'll grant anything except a few things.”
Those exceptions were probably anything harmful to her husband or drawing a blade on her Murim benefactors.
“First, use it three days after we leave.”
“Why?”
“It ties to the second condition. Don't link it to me or this. I hate others knowing.”
“Got it.”
“Third, take in someone for me. Protect him for five years as a bonus. Keep this secret from others too.”
Might as well have Mun Juseong stay here while I'm at it.
.
.
.
The next day, we left the inn.
Now it was time to head home.
* * *
A few days later.
On a rural road in Shaanxi Province.
A middle-aged woman sat in a cart pulled by a young man.
“Tired, son?”
“No, Mother. Not at all. I……”
“What?”
“I'm sorry, Mother.”
“For what?”
“Just…… everything. I'm sorry.”
They were Mun Juseong and his mother.
After parting with Eun Seo-ho, Mun Juseong returned to the Deokhaeng Merchant Group.
Naturally, coming back empty-handed, he faced much mockery. His father said coldly,
“As expected, you have no luck. You're useless to the merchant group.”
“I'm sorry.”
It was the scorn and disdain he'd anticipated.
But he never uttered a word about finding the Five-Colored Ice Crystal Flower.
It was his promise to Eun Seo-ho, and he'd sworn to it.
A man keeps his oaths.
And he was a merchant.
For a merchant, trust was as vital as life.
“Father, I have something to say.”
“What?”
“I've thought it over on Jongnam Mountain. If my unlucky existence harms the merchant group, leaving sooner would benefit it.”
“You're leaving?”
“Yes. I have to go eventually, right? Better now than later—it repays the group for feeding and clothing me all these years.”
“Fine. Do as you wish. Since you're forfeiting succession yourself, I'll add a bit more to what I was going to give you.”
“Thank you.”
“But don't expect my help afterward. From the day you leave, you're no longer my son. Nor is your mother my wife.”
“……Yes.”
He withdrew from his father.
He'd already discussed it with his mother, who agreed to follow his decision.
She welcomed it too—better to leave early than endure endless contempt.
So they packed their belongings.
On the departure day, his father sent a cart.
Meaning he could take as much as it held.
Normally, he'd be limited to a single shoulder load.
Mun Juseong loaded the cart with valuables.
Just as my benefactor said.
Eun Seo-ho had told him: Say you'll leave on your own to avoid burdening the group further, and they'll give you a little extra.
“You have to take what you can.”
Recalling Eun Seo-ho's words, he chuckled unwittingly.
Having packed, he gave a final bow toward his father's quarters.
Even visits wouldn't be allowed anymore.
Then he seated his mother in the cart and left the Deokhaeng Merchant Group.
Whispers and jeers followed, but he didn't care a bit.
No, his heart felt freer than ever.
He walked and walked and walked some more.
On the third day, as they entered a forest,
“Hey, you there.”
“……!”
“Leave the cart and scram, or die by my blade. What's your choice?”
Bandits.
He gripped his sword at his waist, regretting.
My benefactor told me to hire escorts from an escort agency……
Of all things to forget.
But what was done was done.
He decided quickly.
Wealth mattered, but his and his mother's lives more.
So this wealth……
“Hey, kid? Who do you think you're pointing that sword at?”
Then a voice rang out.
Turning, he saw a woman standing with an axe over her shoulder.
She looked in her twenties holding a massive axe, but her speech was that of a grandma.