Geum Ajong could not make sense of this situation at all.
Fine, even if he conceded a hundred times over that the other party was more skilled than the money-grubbers.
But he had made those fierce, rough, arrogant bastards this docile? How on earth?
The one over there clearing away the shattered stones scattered on the ground was someone who normally did not even greet him. He truly was an arrogant fellow who lived as if there were no tomorrow. Geum Ajong had only learned today that he was capable of making such an innocent expression.
Meanwhile, Geom Mugeuk walked up to the two of them.
Just then, one of the nearby money-grubbers dropped a stone he had been clearing.
When Geom Mugeuk picked it up and handed it to him, the money-grubber thought he was about to be hit, flinched in terror, and fell on his backside.
Watching that, Geum Ajong was dumbfounded.
‘What a load of shit. Seriously.’
What he could not understand was this.
If the money-grubbers had had their arms and legs cut off, he would have understood. They would have been through something truly dreadful. Forget cleaning—if they were told to crawl across the floor like insects, they would have to crawl.
But they had merely been beaten up, and they were this docile? Those foul-tempered bastards? Just what kind of beating had he given them?
“This is my elder brother.”
Geum Arin introduced her brother to Geom Mugeuk.
“Pleased to meet you. I am Geom Yeon.”
The look Geum Ajong gave Geom Mugeuk could not possibly be a kind one. But in this situation, with the money-grubbers cleaning, he could not very well interrogate him by saying, “I know you’re a fraud.”
“I heard about you from my younger sister.”
“What did your sister say?”
Geom Mugeuk’s gaze naturally turned toward Geum Arin. Her eyes as she looked at him held gratitude.
‘Thank you. For not running away, and for not killing the money-grubbers.’
The fact that he had not run away meant that, at the very least, he was not a fraud as Geum Ajong had claimed.
Geum Ajong, selfish by nature, was someone who valued himself above all else. Naturally, he also chose carefully when and where to throw his temper around.
“She said you were a person of remarkable skill.”
“Since ancient times, a martial artist risks his life for the one who recognizes his worth.”
It’s because of the money, isn’t it! Geum Ajong struggled to swallow the words rising in his throat. As if that were the only thing he wanted to pour out.
A lowly servant bastard!
He was surely a fraud. How had a mere servant forced the money-grubbers to submit? Had he used some trick? Was the man said to be his father an expert? Yes, that must be it. The person inside that house had to be an expert. He probably wasn’t even his father. He must have hired him with money.
The one who answered his curiosity was Geum Arin. She did not hold back.
“You said the Seodo Sect produced the winner of the Little Dragon Tournament?”
It was something she had to ask at least once anyway, and because she had prepared herself to accept whatever the result might be, she could ask calmly.
“They did.”
That was the reason Geom Mugeuk was using the Seodo Sect again. Because the Seodo Sect had such a history.
When judging someone, one could only first look at outward appearances or facts.
The Seodo Sect produced a winner?
Geom Yeon was that winner’s servant?
One could not help but focus on such facts.
But facts were nothing more than shells.
The truth that Geom Yeon was Geom Mugeuk would only be visible once all those shells were peeled away and one looked inside.
But it would not be easy. The prejudice that he was a servant was wrapped around their attention. The more provocative the surrounding facts, the more they became a powerful shield that hid the truth.
“I heard the winner was someone named Seo Ryong.”
“That’s right. He is my senior brother.”
“Senior brother? I heard you were Seo Ryong’s servant.”
From Geom Mugeuk’s mouth came an answer she had never imagined.
“The Martial Alliance Leader’s granddaughter liked me, so I had no choice but to pretend to be a servant.”
Since Jin Haryeong had once taken him to the Alliance Leader, it would seem plausible enough.
“Ah! The greatness of love that transcends even status!”
Geum Ajong and the nearby money-grubbers who were listening wore expressions of utter disbelief.
In particular, one of the money-grubbers muttered without realizing it, “Crazy bastard!”
Then he started in fright. Realizing he had spoken rashly, he froze, and the money-grubbers beside him took him and withdrew backward.
Watching this, Geum Ajong found the money-grubbers’ reaction even more absurd. They were practically performing tricks in front of Geom Mugeuk. And he was paying such expensive monthly wages to bastards like these!
Geum Arin asked Geom Mugeuk.
“Is that true?”
The Martial Alliance Leader’s granddaughter liked this man? Then again, if she liked him, that must be why she had taken him to the Martial Alliance Leader. The fact that had bewitched her had changed like this.
From “Geom Yeon is a servant” to now “The Martial Alliance Leader’s granddaughter liked him.”
“I’ll introduce you to Miss Jin next time. Since then, we have been getting along like friends.”
She felt half-convinced and half-doubtful, but soon her gaze turned toward the money-grubbers.
Yes, if it was this man.
Geum Arin decided to believe him. She had already staked her fate on him, so she would believe him.
Geum Ajong’s thoughts, however, were different.
‘He’s definitely a fraud.’
Was it not the way of frauds to put forward their connections with famous people?
The reason the Martial Alliance Leader’s granddaughter had taken him to the Alliance Leader must have been as an act of rebellion against the Martial Alliance Leader.
Otherwise, why would he not marry the Alliance Leader’s granddaughter and instead be here extorting two million nyang? With such remarkable skill, no less.
That was why he was a fraud. Perhaps he had even extorted money from the Alliance Leader’s granddaughter.
While Geum Ajong was indulging in all sorts of delusions, Geom Mugeuk called the money-grubbers over.
“Now, if you’re done cleaning, gather here.”
At that, the money-grubbers gathered there. They must have been ordered to look kind and innocent. All of them were making the kindest expressions they could.
Seeing that sight up close made Geum Ajong even more dumbfounded.
That money-grubber’s forearm over there was as thick as this man Geom Yeon’s waist. Weren’t they ashamed?
Could it be? Had they all been poisoned? Unless that was the case, he could not believe they had been defeated by this young man.
Geum Arin, seeing those who had behaved so arrogantly now cowed, felt inwardly exhilarated. It was fine for her to feel exhilarated. Geom Yeon was now her own hands and feet.
Geom Mugeuk said to the money-grubbers.
“Now then, you’ve all worked hard. You may go.”
At that, the money-grubbers bowed deeply and left the place.
Geum Ajong glared at them.
‘They’re really leaving just because that bastard told them to?’
But they truly left without even looking back. It may have been because their pride was hurt, but because of that, Geum Ajong’s pride was hurt as well. No matter how much they followed his father, he was still his father’s flesh and blood.
Geom Mugeuk said to the two of them.
“Come to think of it, both of you sent people to kill me. It seems your bloodline is fated not to leave me alone. How many siblings are there? Surely you’re not nine brothers and sisters or something, are you?”
At Geom Mugeuk’s joke, Geum Arin’s face flushed slightly. Geum Ajong maintained a brazen expression, as if he had not been the one who sent the money-grubbers.
“When will we depart? We are all ready to leave.”
At Geom Mugeuk’s question, Geum Arin answered.
“Then let’s depart right away. I’ll come here in half a shichen.”
“Let’s do that. If you lead the way, we’ll follow your carriage.”
“Then I’ll see you later.”
After saying farewell and turning to leave, Geum Arin turned back again and said,
“Thank you.”
She did not say why she was grateful, but Geom Mugeuk smiled at her with eyes that said he knew everything. At that moment, Geum Arin realized anew.
‘So that was it.’
Now she knew for certain why she had been drawn to Geom Mugeuk. It was because of that composure. The reason she had invested two million nyang and even staked her own fate was because of that relaxed smile. Because of the composure of this man, who seemed to know everything.
Thus Geum Arin and Geum Ajong left the place. Geum Ajong said,
“That bastard is a fraud.”
After a brief pause, Geum Arin asked,
“And you aren’t, Brother?”
The rebuke that struck the startled Geum Ajong was sharp.
“You act as if you’re doing it for me or for the clan, but you’re not, are you? If you had been doing it for me, you would have discussed it with me beforehand before sending the money-grubbers. You were sure I had made a mistake, and you were going to fix it and score points with Father, weren’t you?”
“What nonsense are you spouting?”
Geum Ajong, struck where it hurt, flatly denied it. If things had gone according to his expectations, he would have answered those words like this: Serves you right. You’re completely out of Father’s favor now.
“I’ll see you at the main estate. Oh, and if you get the chance, make sure to thank the servant. If you had lost all the money-grubbers, Brother, you would have been the one to fall out of Father’s favor.”
Geum Arin left first.
Geum Ajong, watching her retreating back, looked toward the estate behind him.
Through the half-open gate, he could see Geom Mugeuk. Geom Mugeuk was looking up at the sky, and strangely enough, he seemed lonely.
Then Geom Mugeuk sensed Geum Ajong’s gaze, looked over at him, and waved.
Geum Ajong pretended not to see him, whipped around, and quickened his steps.
His older brother had once said to him: you are not only greedy, you even have the makings of a fraud. Yes, he admitted it. A fraud recognized another fraud. That bastard was definitely hiding something.
‘I’ll expose your true identity.’
And to do that, he had a subordinate more outstanding than anyone else.
“I Chu!”
At that, a masked man appeared.
“Find proof that bastard is a fraud as quickly as possible!”
“Understood.”
I Chu was a man specialized in digging into people’s backgrounds and gathering information, and among Geum Ajong’s subordinates, he commanded the highest price.
“Don’t fail under any circumstances! I’ve had enough failure for today.”
* * *
The carriage raced toward Shaanxi, where the main headquarters of the Golden Dragon Clan was located.
The two carriages traveled some distance apart, and Geum Arin told Im Hyeok, who was driving the carriage, not to worry even if Geom Mugeuk’s carriage did not follow closely behind.
Inside the carriage, Geom Mugeuk reported to his father what he knew about the Golden Dragon Clan. His father would also have heard all the information from Tongcheon Pavilion, but this information had come from Eunwol.
“The Golden Dragon Clan has three children. Geum Ajong and Geum Arin, whom we met earlier, are the second and third, respectively. The eldest son, Geum Ahyeok, is currently the most likely successor. If one had to express the possibilities numerically, they analyzed it as six-tenths for Geum Ahyeok, three-tenths for Geum Ajong, and one-tenth for Geum Arin.”
Geom Mugeuk had accurately grasped Geum Arin’s intentions.
“The ultimate reason Geum Arin brought us in this time is probably to use us in her fight for succession. It’s a fight she’s bound to lose, so she’s dreaming of a last-minute reversal.”
Geom Ujin simply listened in silence to Geom Mugeuk’s report.
“Once we arrive at the Golden Dragon Clan, I intend to investigate the clan head first. I believe he is connected to the force behind this.”
“Why?”
The reason was Geum Arin.
“The money earned by the secret organization flowed to the force behind it. And since the leader of this secret organization is the daughter of the Golden Dragon Clan’s clan head, it is certain the clan head sent the money.”
If the leader had been someone else, there might have been a slight possibility that one of the leadership had schemed without the clan head’s knowledge. But since it was Geum Arin, the head of the Golden Dragon Clan was definitely involved.
“The problem is how he is connected. Whether he is completely their subordinate, whether he is a sympathizer, or whether he might be under threat. He might even have been deceived.”
There was also a concrete plan.
“However, because they gave us two million nyang this time, the payment has been disrupted. In a situation where they have to hand money over to those people, a major problem has arisen. I intend to focus on that point. From the clan head’s reaction, we should be able to infer his relationship with them.”
A strange light flashed through Geom Ujin’s eyes.
“Did you take the money with all that in mind from the beginning?”
Geom Mugeuk’s shining eyes had already answered yes.
Then Geom Ujin said,
“Is there really any need for me to go as well?”
He meant that if Geom Mugeuk could see through the situation so thoroughly, did he truly need his help?
“There is a need to show them once.”
“Show them what?”
Geom Mugeuk said calmly,
“That Father exists in this murim.”
“!”
Geom Ujin looked at his son without a word, then turned his head toward the window of the racing carriage.
Geom Mugeuk added one more sentence to his father.
“Of course, Father, I know you would prefer to make that known in a different way.”
* * *
They stayed at an inn that day.
At dawn, when everyone was asleep, a masked man quietly appeared. He was none other than I Chu, whom Geum Ajong had sent.
He slipped not into the guest rooms where people were sleeping, but into the stables.
His footsteps made no sound, and even when he opened the carriage door, there was no noise. His movements were such that one could believe he was a thief, or an assassin.
I Chu did not rashly enter the guest room where they were sleeping.
First, he examined the carriage.
After carefully inspecting the compartment inside the carriage, he next examined the driver’s seat. Perhaps their luggage had been moved to the guest room, for there was nothing noteworthy.
In this utterly ordinary carriage, I Chu felt an inexplicable sense of incongruity.
‘Something is strange.’
After looking around for a moment, he realized the source of that incongruity.
‘The carriage is too old compared to the horses.’
The horses were truly fine steeds, but the carriage was far too old.
I Chu slowly examined the carriage. He looked here and there, tapped on it, and inspected it.
As a result, he realized that the exterior of the carriage had been newly covered with a thin plywood panel. It had been deliberately disguised to look like an old carriage.
I Chu scraped the edge of the plywood with a dagger and pried it open slightly.
When he peered into the gap, he could tell that a picture had been drawn on the carriage.
Looking closely, it was shaped like a crescent moon.
“A crescent moon?”
He murmured softly to himself. Was there a sect in the murim that used a crescent moon?
It seemed he might be able to recognize it if he peeled away a little more. But if he did that, it looked as though he would leave traces of having removed the plywood. He thought he should bring materials to reattach the plywood and then peel it off completely.
Before that, just as he was looking into the gap to check the picture once more—
“!”
I Chu was startled out of his wits. It was not because of the picture. Before he knew it, someone had come silently to his side and was peering into the gap in the plywood with him. It was none other than Geom Mugeuk.
“It looks more like a horn than a crescent moon.”
Absolute Regression, Chapter 470