“Half, you say?”
Geumcheonbang could not hide his surprise. It was an excessive demand, just as excessive as his own unreasonable request.
“In such cases, the usual commission is ten percent. Even if they offer a generous sum, the matter is handled for twenty percent of the money.”
“That would be true for an ordinary opponent.”
Rather, Geommuguk went a step further.
“Truthfully, even if you gave me the entire sum, it would still be a gain for the Family Head.”
“And what sophistry is that?”
At that, Geommuguk raised his voice and spoke with vigor.
“If you do business with the Geumryong Sega, you must pay back the money.”
Those pleasant words echoed loudly throughout the hall.
“No one can ever cheat the Geumryong Sega out of its money.”
Thinking of all the money he had failed to collect for this reason and that, how wonderful would it be if things could truly be as those words said? It was the kind of statement that brought a smile to one’s lips just thinking about it.
Having captured his interest with such pleasing words, Geumcheonbang naturally inclined his ear to what followed.
“What do you think of this rumor? They say even the Baekseonbang paid back the money.”
What more needed to be said? It was a tremendous rumor indeed.
“If it truly comes to that, no one going forward will even think of cheating the Geumryong Sega out of its money.”
Geommuguk gazed directly into Geumcheonbang’s eyes and asked.
“How much do you think that value is worth?”
Even Geumcheonbang, who was quick with calculations, could not answer easily. Considering not just the present but the future as well, it was not something that could be converted into money.
“That only applies once the money has actually been collected from them, does it not?”
To Geumcheonbang’s words, Geommuguk answered with a gaze full of conviction.
“I will collect it, and I am saying I will take only half of that money.”
Though “as much as half” had become “only half,” Geumcheonbang felt no sense of incongruity whatsoever.
On top of that, it even became an act of favor.
“I have made a special concession, thinking of your daughter.”
Curiosity flickered in Geumcheonbang’s eyes. *He’s quite something*, he thought. Yes, this was how one negotiated. Bold to the point of shamelessness, yet persuasive.
*Indeed, the Eunha Merchant Group Leader would not go to meet just anyone.*
Could it be? For a moment, he thought that perhaps the money might actually be collected.
But he soon dismissed the notion.
He knew well what the Baekseonbang was.
Ordinary people inevitably perceived them as cruel, emotional, and unreasonable. Truly ignorant brutes with whom reasoning was impossible.
At first, Geumcheonbang had thought so too. But now he knew. The Bangju who led them was a clever person. Their revenge, too—their legal plunder—all sprang from thorough calculation.
*Can you really handle such a difficult person?*
Even while thinking him no match, the fact that curiosity arose meant this young man’s display was impressive indeed. Such spirit was rare to see these days.
“What will you do if you cannot collect it?”
He had expected him to say he would return the two million taels received from his daughter, but.
“If I cannot collect it, then I cannot collect it. Would I easily collect money that even the Family Head could not?”
Drawing him in like that, Geumcheonbang could offer no rebuttal. He admired Geommuguk’s response.
“Will you give me half?”
It was money he could not collect anyway. If he could secure even 1.5 million taels out of three million, it was profit.
Moreover, if the man truly collected it, he would gain a reputation more precious than money, just as this fellow had said.
*If he fails?*
The Baekseonbang would likely let him off with moderate injuries before sending him back. Since they owed a debt to the Geumryong Sega, they would not make a major incident of it.
If this fellow’s spirit was broken, it would be easy to collect the two million taels from him going forward.
Thus Geumcheonbang’s calculations concluded.
“Very well, I shall give you half.”
Geum Arin, who had been watching, could not hold back and interjected.
“You cannot!”
She had tried not to step forward knowing her father was angry at her, but if she did not stop this now, it would be too late later.
“Are you making this promise knowing how dangerous this matter is?”
At that, Geommuguk looked at her and spoke calmly.
“I know how large a sum two million taels is. I also know that 1.5 million taels is a large sum. To earn large sums of money, must one not naturally take risks?”
Geumcheonbang liked those words. He detested people who tried to earn money without cost. To earn big money, one had to embrace big risks.
Geommuguk’s gaze turned from Geum Arin back to Geumcheonbang.
“As expected, to earn money, one must jump into the major leagues. The moment I arrive, money pours in.”
To Geommuguk’s composure, Geumcheonbang responded with composure of his own.
“Whether money pours or blood pours, we shall see when it is over.”
The two men faced each other. At their first meeting, which could have ended as a mere probing bout, a grand bargain was struck.
“Then I shall see you again after I have collected the money.”
As Geommuguk politely bowed and made to leave, Geum Arin spoke.
“Please wait outside for a moment. I have something to discuss with my father.”
“Let us do so.”
Once Geommuguk exited the Patriarch’s chamber, only Geumcheonbang and Geum Arin remained.
Geumcheonbang had a guess as to what his daughter was going to say.
“You know he will absolutely fail, do you not? Yet you are having him do this to punish me, are you not? That is too much.”
Geumcheonbang responded coldly.
“It is you who has gone too far.”
“What do you mean?”
“It means you brought a source of future trouble to the main house.”
“The Eunha Merchant Group was trying to bring them in to strike at my organization. I could not simply stand by and watch.”
Strictly speaking, it was a matter of her own life.
Her life was on the line, yet he flew into a rage over money!
She forcibly swallowed the words that had risen to her throat. After all, she had been in the wrong for spending two million taels without permission.
“When you learned of that fact, you should have returned to the family immediately and discussed it with this father of yours.”
Geum Arin also had something to say about that.
“Then my older brothers would have seized upon it as a pretext. They would say I could not handle my own affairs and was hiding in my father’s embrace.”
“It was still rash. What if that man is a spy the Eunha Merchant Group planted among us?”
“Is there such a loud and conspicuous spy in this world?”
Geumcheonbang said nothing more.
Geum Arin left those final words and departed.
“He is not a source of trouble, but a blessing. Though you have thrown that blessing into a cesspit.”
Geum Arin exited the Patriarch’s chamber.
Her chest felt tight. And of all places, it had to be the Baekseonbang.
Geommuguk was waiting for her outside the building.
“Are you really going to do this?”
Geommuguk nodded and moved his steps. The two walked side by side, conversing.
“Do you know what kind of place the Baekseonbang is?”
“What kind of place is it?”
With an expression that said *I knew you would ask this*, Geum Arin explained the people she did not even want to think about.
“It is a gathering of human trash. And that trash is not local ruffians, but experts who soar and crawl. Especially the Bangju who leads them is known as a peerless expert.”
Geommuguk merely walked in silence.
“That is not all. What makes them truly terrifying is that if one of them dies, the rest swarm and take revenge without fail. They are cruel people who kill even friends and family.”
That extensive vengeance was the greatest reason the Baekseonbang had become a symbol of terror. At the same time, it was also a reason they deserved to die.
“How have such people survived until now? Has the Murim Alliance simply let them be?”
“They never leave behind evidence. I heard that if someone does leave evidence, they eliminate that person themselves to cut off the tail. In the end, there are only abundant rumors about them.”
In his life before regression, the Baekseonbang had eventually been subjugated by the Murim Alliance. The Alliance had found evidence of their evil deeds and attacked; the brutes had resisted fiercely but were annihilated. In that process, a considerable number of the Alliance’s experts had been injured or killed, he knew.
Seeing that in this life, the Baekseonbang was forming a connection with him, he could truly feel anew the fate that those who must die would die.
“Did you hear me? They kill even innocent families.”
“My family is fine.”
Geommuguk added with a smile.
“So fine that it is problematic.”
Geum Arin knew where that confidence stemmed from.
“I know well that you trust my father, but……”
She walked in silence for a moment, then made a great resolve.
“Fine, then I shall go with you.”
Though it was a life-risking resolve, she was refused instantly.
“Do you wish for them to extort more money?”
“What do you mean?”
“If you visit, do you think they will simply let you be? They will pick a fight somehow, capture you, then demand from your father. ‘Bring money if you want your daughter back.’”
They were exactly the type to do such a thing, so she could not argue.
“Then what about you? Will you be alright?”
“I will be fine. My father will not pay a single penny.”
A joke at a time like this? She thought Geommuguk’s composure was excessive. If only he would calmly explain what he was thinking, but Geommuguk headed in a different direction from where he needed to go.
“Where are you going? The guest quarters are this way.”
“I have somewhere to be. See you later.”
Geum Arin watched Geommuguk’s retreating figure as he strode away and let out a sigh she had been holding in. Now she understood. Why he had said those words.
How far can you trust me?
How far will you make me worry?
* * *
That night, Geum Arin came to Geommuguk’s quarters.
Though it was late, Geommuguk was awake.
“Did I disturb your sleep?”
“It is fine, please come in. We are people who are busy at night.”
“Pardon?”
Geommuguk merely wore an inscrutable smile.
Geum Arin entered. Seeing the liquor bottle on the table, it seemed he had been drinking.
“Will you have a drink?”
“Please.”
She was truly in a state where liquor came to mind unbidden.
After returning to the family, she had never dreamed she would experience such things.
“Have you contacted your father and uncle?”
“What contact do you mean?”
“The matter of the Baekseonbang. You should inform them of it.”
She asked with a feeling of *surely not*.
“Surely you are not thinking of going alone?”
She had thought it dangerous even if the three of them went together.
“I am going alone.”
Geum Arin was startled. Seeing Geommuguk’s calm eyes, she could tell it was not a joke.
She downed the drink she had received earlier in one go and set down the empty cup with a sharp clack.
“This is a two-million-tael drinking session.”
It was a joke that this would be the last time she saw him. A joke, yet not a joke.
“Fine, let us say you are a peerless expert unknown to me.”
It was possible. He had killed Jeonnak and made those money-grubbers so obedient.
“No matter what, you must formulate a plan. The opponent numbers a hundred strong. Whom to seek out first among them, what to say when you arrive, what to do if they do not hand over the money willingly. No, since they will definitely not give the money, you must think in advance about how to respond.”
“I am formulating one.”
“Or at least find their weakness, right? What did you say?”
“I said I was formulating a plan.”
Only then did the papers stacked on the table enter her eyes. On the topmost paper, the characters “Baekseonbang” were visible.
“What is this?”
“Materials on the Baekseonbang.”
“Where did you get them?”
“I bought them from an information broker.”
In truth, he had received these materials through Eunwol. The Eunwol Seomseo Branch had naturally conducted investigations on the Baekseonbang, an organization of interest in this region.
“When?”
“I went out and bought them earlier.”
“May I look?”
Geommuguk nodded, and Geum Arin examined the materials.
They were truly materials about them. Who the Bangju was, what martial arts he possessed, who his subordinates were and how much they trusted each other. What their personalities were like and what affairs they handled. All the evil deeds each had committed were recorded.
That was not all. It detailed which merchant groups and martial sects they had borrowed money from, how much they had swindled, and what businesses they were running with that money. They were involved in all manner of vested interests, reaping enormous profits.
“Information brokers sell even such detailed information.”
“There is no information that cannot be obtained if one has money.”
She felt embarrassed. She had come to someone so thoroughly prepared and told him to make a plan with mere words. If she had truly been worried, she should have bought this information and given it to him. She was not an intellect that failed to act, but a worrier who failed to act.
“So have you made a plan?”
“I have.”
Truly, no one could match such a refreshing answer.
“Tell me.”
“It is a secret.”
Seeing him like this, a vain hope arose that perhaps he really would collect the money.
“Instead, I have a request for you.”
“What is it?”
It was truly something she had never imagined.
“Go to the merchant groups and martial sects written there and tell them you will collect the money swindled by the Baekseonbang on their behalf. In exchange, say you will take half as a commission.”
“What?”
So surprised was Geum Arin that she sprang to her feet. Truly, when one is too surprised, one leaps up.
“They would trust you going more than me.”
Geum Arin was dazed, not knowing what to say. While she stood thus, Geommuguk’s words continued.
“I could take all their money for myself. But this is the better way. You will gain the reputation of having recovered their money, they will retrieve money they thought lost, and I will gain half the profit.”
Geommuguk pointed out that, at least for her, this matter held a different meaning.
“This matter will play a great role in you becoming the successor. Your reputation in Seomseo will rise greatly.”
Geum Arin could tell Geommuguk was sincere.
“You truly intend to collect all that money.”
All of it? All the money from those who were victimized by the Baekseonbang?
“That is right. I will collect the money for all who wish it.”
“Even collecting our money is impossible……”
In an instant, a single thought struck her mind like lightning.
“Surely you do not mean……?”
It was the most surprising moment since meeting Geommuguk.
“You intend to kill them all.”
Absolute Regression, Chapter 473.