Immortal Loan.
It was a term born as the opposite of the vicious usurious loan known as Yama Debt (閻王債). Money lent without interest—money given by immortals—was called Immortal Loan.
Before my regression, a major incident related to Immortal Loan had occurred, so of course I knew about it. And the moment I heard the name, I thought to myself: So those bastards had already been moving from this point onward. The Immortal Loan incident would not be revealed to the world until much later.
Gowol explained Immortal Loan.
“It’s a new term that has appeared recently. It refers to lending money without taking interest. It’s spreading in secret, mainly among young martial artists.”
Immortal Loan.
It was also a term that heralded the beginning of evils so vile even demons would shake their heads.
“When I first heard in Guizhou that someone was lending money to young martial artists without interest, I thought some wealthy magnate was acting out of goodwill. But afterward I heard about it in Chongqing as well, and in Hubei too. Ah, of course, I wouldn’t have known if I weren’t in the business of handling information. It’s spreading quite discreetly.”
And Gowol’s suspicion began right there.
“Who on earth is lending money without even taking interest? And why only to young martial artists, of all people?”
Gowol already seemed to have sensed that there was something behind this matter.
“When I looked into it, a mysterious organization called Hyeopgye (協契) was the one lending the money.”
The name carried the meaning of helping one another, but their real name, later revealed, was the Dark Merchant Realm (暗黑商界).
“There was one decisively strange point.”
“What was it?”
“They say there is no repayment date written on the promissory notes.”
“No interest, and no repayment date? Then the borrowers would lose any sense of responsibility and have no intention of paying it back, wouldn’t they?”
“That’s right. So people began borrowing again and again without repaying.”
It was a method to make the other party keep borrowing more money. They were all young and clever martial artists, but they still lacked the experience to withstand the despicable scheme of hiding a knife behind a smile, designed with deliberate intent.
“They must have misunderstood. No repayment date doesn’t mean you can put it off forever. It means they can come at any time and demand that you repay the principal.”
What if they suddenly came, placed all the accumulated promissory notes before you, and demanded that you repay the entire principal at once?
If you said you couldn’t, that would be when they started dropping all pretense. Depending on the target’s disposition and personality, they might use force or threaten to kill their family. They might appeal to their conscience, or soothe them with kind words. In the meantime, they would already have investigated every weakness there was to exploit, and because the borrower had freely taken money that carried no interest, the justification in the eyes of the world would also belong to them.
“They’re using money to completely seize control of a person’s life. From the start, they probably didn’t lend that money with any intention of recovering it. They’ll use the debt as an excuse to make them do other things. The moment someone commits even a single evil deed on the condition that their debt will be forgiven, they become those bastards’ slave for life.”
Gowol looked at me with admiration.
There was no need to admire me like that. I hadn’t figured it out because I was clever; it was something that had actually happened. You’re the impressive one for catching this conspiracy without letting it slip by.
Those Dark Realm bastards used indebted youths to commit countless atrocities. Because of them, many innocent people lost their lives. There were also many young people who could not endure the suffering and took their own lives.
The fact that the Dark Merchant Realm was behind all of it was only revealed after a great many years had passed. Their wicked atrocities, with which they had thoroughly toyed with people using money.
At least when dealing with those who used Yama Debt, one could be wary from the start. These people approached with smiling faces and sucked the marrow from the bones of the young.
By the time they were later branded public enemies of the murim, the leaders, including the head of the Dark Realm, had already earned an immense fortune and gone into hiding. In the end, they were never caught.
“I want to confirm just how much money they have, for them to be playing such tricks.”
I could understand Gowol’s intention. Since we were suffering from a shortage of funds right now, he meant to deal with these villains and recover the money. Since he was in the position of spending money directly to build an organization, he must have felt apologetic toward me as well.
“We’re short on money anyway. Shall we get a little help from the immortals?”
When I readily went along with it, Gowol’s expression brightened.
“May I activate the intelligence organization?”
“This organization isn’t mine. It’s yours. You can judge for yourself, move first, and report afterward.”
I gave him full authority and infinite trust when it came to his work.
Gowol bowed his head in gratitude.
“Show me what you can do.”
“Yes!”
It was the moment Gowol moved against an external enemy for the first time.
Gowol would take care of devising the plan from here on. As for me, all I had to do was swing my fists on the stage Gowol prepared. Wasn’t being able to feel this at ease the privilege of a leader with a capable strategist?
When I finished the conversation and returned to the room, silence hung in the air. The Fist Demon and Cult Leader Pungcheon were drinking tea without a word. The awkwardness was suffocating.
“What were you two talking about?”
At my question, Cult Leader Pungcheon answered.
“I told him to take good care of our Second Young Master.”
“Even though you curse me behind my back all the time?”
“You have to keep rising in triumph for me to keep cursing you, don’t you?”
“That is true.”
Cult Leader Pungcheon seemed to be in a much better mood. Seeing his bright expression, I looked at Gowol. Gowol also wore an expression that said he had no idea why.
The reason was revealed that night.
I was inside the Spacetime Transposition Art created by Cult Leader Pungcheon. When I said I wanted to talk for a moment, he had unfolded the Spacetime Transposition Art. A field stretched out beneath a blue sky; it was an exceedingly beautiful and refreshing sight.
“Master!”
“Master?”
“Have you forgotten? Did we not agree that, at least in here, I would take you as my master?”
The one who had passed down the Spacetime Transposition Art to me was none other than Cult Leader Pungcheon. That was why we had once spoken about how I would regard him as my master, at least within this place.
“Ah! That’s right.”
Instead of being pleased, Cult Leader Pungcheon sighed.
“What is the matter?”
He let out a sigh and said,
“Since it’s you, I’ll speak honestly. When I heard that the Fist Demon had become your master, I was truly happy. Not because the two of you had become master and disciple, but because I thought, Ah, the Fist Demon got completely stripped bare by you too. I’d been depressed, thinking I was the only one who had been thoroughly wrung dry by you.”
Truly, the only person who could say something like this so openly was Cult Leader Pungcheon.
“But then I thought about it, and I’m your master too, aren’t I? The one who was stripped bare first wasn’t the Fist Demon. It was me. Me, I tell you.”
At his self-reproach, I ended up laughing.
“Are you mocking me?”
“Mocking you? How could I? You are my master.”
“Yes, mock me all you like.”
“Cult Leader.”
“What is it?”
I gazed at him for a moment, then spoke with sincerity.
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For staying by my side. For staying by Gowol’s side.”
“Why are you suddenly acting like this? I don’t have any money!”
Why was I doing this? Something I had been trying hard to uphold lately in my relationships with people. Something as important as looking at people properly.
Saying it.
Do not keep it saved up. Say it when it comes to mind, without putting it off. I was putting that into practice now.
“Thank you, truly.”
When I conveyed my sincere gratitude once more, Cult Leader Pungcheon’s eyes grew deep.
“I’m doing fine, so you don’t need to look after me like this.”
“No, I will look after you. I’m human too, so I’ll make mistakes. If I ever neglect you, please keep cursing me. Don’t treat me like that cult leader from back then! Don’t treat me like a fish you’ve already caught! Please keep cursing me.”
The wind that blew in made the hems of our clothes flutter.
Looking at the grass that surrendered to the wind and lay down all at once, Cult Leader Pungcheon asked,
“Gowol told you to look after me, didn’t he?”
“Yes.”
“Why are you young ones looking after an old person so much? You’re hurting my pride.”
“Strategist Go said this. That he still dreams of the time when he was bound in shackles. That it truly does not seem easy for someone to escape from the past. He said you would be the same.”
“He should look after himself. Listen, Second Young Master. Instead of me, look after that strategist of yours. He’s having a hard time these days.”
“Can’t you look after him yourself?”
At that, Cult Leader Pungcheon abruptly revealed what was in his heart.
“This was the place Gowol liked best. He truly loved the fields and sky here. But after he became a strategist, I became reluctant to bring him here.”
“Why is that?”
After a brief pause, Cult Leader Pungcheon said,
“I’m afraid. I’m afraid that if he comes here, he’ll think this: Back then, I was so oppressed that I even longed for this fake world, wasn’t I?”
I understood Cult Leader Pungcheon’s concern. Yes, the past was a disgustingly difficult thing to shake off.
“Bring Strategist Go here.”
“Bring him?”
“The memories won’t disappear from this place just because he doesn’t come. Do you think someone with a mind as sharp as his would forget this place simply because he avoids coming here?”
“!”
“If anything, if he is to forget, he will have to forget here.”
Whooooosh.
Was it reflecting Cult Leader Pungcheon’s heart? An even fiercer wind blew in.
“Then I’ll be going now.”
Even after I left, Cult Leader Pungcheon did not emerge from the Spacetime Transposition Art for a long while.
* * *
The next day as well, Cult Leader Pungcheon was inside the Spacetime Transposition Art. In the same place, with another person. Gowol stood where Geom Mugeuk had been.
“It’s been a long time since you came here, hasn’t it?”
At Cult Leader Pungcheon’s words, Gowol nodded with a gloomy expression. Watching Gowol’s mood, Cult Leader Pungcheon asked,
“What’s wrong?”
“What do you think? Coming here makes me remember the old days. There isn’t a single good memory, is there?”
Hearing those words directly from Gowol made Cult Leader Pungcheon’s heart ache.
“Why did you bring me here? To tell me, You are still wearing my invisible shackles?”
At Gowol’s cold reaction, Cult Leader Pungcheon grew flustered.
“No. I just, after so long…”
“Let me out.”
“Very well.”
Cult Leader Pungcheon was about to undo the Spacetime Transposition Art, then suddenly flared up. Now that he thought about it, anger was surging within him.
“Hey! Why are you getting so serious and angry over this? Do our old memories mean nothing at all? I apologized over and over for what happened back then, didn’t I? Do you really have to react so sharply? I just wanted to, with you…”
As he spoke, Cult Leader Pungcheon found himself at a loss for words. Just what was he trying to do with him? Did he want to recall old memories? Because Geom Mugeuk had told him to do it? Or because he wanted to hear Gowol say from his own mouth that he was all right now? Damn it. This was a place he should never have opened.
It was then. Gowol’s gentle voice reached him.
“Cult Leader. You were worried I might act like I did just now, weren’t you?”
Startled, Cult Leader Pungcheon raised his head. Gowol, who had been angry just moments before, was gone, and he had returned to his usual self. Cult Leader Pungcheon understood. Gowol had deliberately acted that way.
“What do you take me for, worrying about something like that? You’ve watched me for so long and still don’t know?”
“Honestly, the more I watch, the less I know. I don’t know you, and I don’t know myself either.”
Looking around, Gowol said,
“I wanted to come here. There was no time when I was happier than when I was in this place. I may be wandering around the Central Plains now, but I liked standing here with you more. That’s why I was waiting, wondering when you would suggest coming here.”
At that, Cult Leader Pungcheon shouted.
“What kind of insane nonsense is that? Take that back right now! You liked this paltry fabricated world more? Are you mad? This place is just… Forget it! Forget it, I said! It was nothing but a miserable little airhole in that painful life. What are we supposed to do if you like this wretched place more? Is your life now worth no more than that? If you’re that unhappy, what’s the point of an intelligence organization? Forget the Second Young Master and everything else—quit it all!”
At the fervor in Cult Leader Pungcheon’s eyes, hot emotion surged up within Gowol. To have even one person like this in one’s life—what more could he ask for?
“Aaaaah! This is good!”
Gowol began running across the field as he had in the past. Then he lay spread-eagled on the grass.
“This is nice.”
“What’s so nice about it?”
“You finally seem like that damned Cult Leader again. Your anger’s eased a bit today, hasn’t it?”
“Eased? The resentment that had eased has piled up again.”
But unlike his words, Cult Leader Pungcheon’s expression had become more relaxed than before he entered the Spacetime Transposition Art.
Gowol, who had been lying down, raised himself up.
“Cult Leader, let’s go out. I’m busy.”
“Stay a little longer. Rest a bit more. Forget that trivial work. Forget the Second Young Master too.”
At that, Gowol’s gaze turned toward the sky again.
“It really is better. The sky here is better.”
At least in that moment, they felt the same way, but Cult Leader Pungcheon said something different from what was in his heart.
“I’ll never open this place again. Look and roll around to your heart’s content.”
* * *
While Gowol was setting the stage regarding Hyeopgye, I trained in martial arts with the Fist Demon.
This time was truly precious. We had finally begun exchanging pointers through fist techniques.
Thunderbolt Asura Fist against Thunderbolt Asura Fist.
The Fist Demon had now begun teaching me with his body.
Now that he had formally become my master, simply fighting was out of the question. Instead, when it came to the Thunderbolt Asura Fist, we could exchange blows as much as we liked.
Even if I were to defeat him later, I would be defeating him with his own martial art, so there was no great need to worry.
And a few days later.
Gowol produced results faster than expected. He had succeeded in establishing a connection with Hyeopgye.
“Are you ready to borrow money from the immortals?”
I smiled broadly as I looked at Gowol. I intended to return to them exactly what they had done to the youths. Those demon-like bastards—I would scrape them clean away, not leaving a single one behind.
“Shall we go and see just how much money our dear immortals have?”