My confidence was not directed at my enemies.
This was something I said to my father.
That I trusted him this much.
I didn't know how much strength these words would give Father.
Because he had never heard such words from his child before.
Would he ever have the chance to hear such words from his child in this life?
“Father, I trust you, so I will handle matters comfortably and freely, just as I please.”
That was the core of this Shaanxi operation.
But that was my thinking; Father's thoughts were different.
“Go and clean up the aftermath.”
“Understood.”
The expression of Hwi, who had received the order, brightened.
The order to clean up the aftermath meant completely erasing any traces left at Baekseonbang.
The command was to handle it as though they had vacated Baekseonbang and left.
Hwi's mission was, above all, Father's safe return to the sect.
Quietly, without drawing as much attention as possible—that was what he desired, so this was likely something he had wanted to request first.
I wanted to make this joke:
‘No, why is someone who wants to fight all of Murim being so careful!’
My itched to say it, but I held back.
Because it was best not to say things related to the Murim Unification.
Instead, I spoke to Father about this matter.
“The results of this matter will draw out the masterminds. They’ll make a move soon. They can’t afford to give up the Geumnyongsega financial line.”
They might attack me or Father, or make an unexpected move. There was no telling how they would act.
“Move carefully.”
“Yes!”
Even though he was the one who possessed the greatest power in all of Murim.
“Surely you’re being this careful because of me? Because you’re worried about your son?”
And I saw it.
That scornful smirk forming at Father’s lips.
These days, ever since we left the sect together, the mood had been good, so I hadn’t seen it often.
So I had forgotten. How good it felt to see that scoff.
“You’re too much! Worry about your son a little, would you!”
Father walked to the window without a word and gazed at the sky outside.
I stared at Father’s back like that, and the cloudless blue sky stretched out above him.
It was an unremarkable sight, but the two solitudes shared a resemblance.
‘I know well that it’s for me.’
Father wasn’t someone who would clean up traces out of concern for someone else.
Because if it were the kind of situation that required that, he wouldn’t even have drawn his sword in the first place.
So I will be careful. Don’t worry.
* * *
Geumcheonbang silently looked down at the 1.5 million nyang promissory note. This was not merely money. It was a signal that everyone’s destiny was beginning to change.
“Did he really collect this money from Baekseonbang?”
To her surprised father’s question, Geum Arin calmly replied,
“Why are you so surprised? You entrusted this to me because you expected success, didn’t you?”
She felt sorry speaking to her father like this.
Because she herself had been many times more surprised.
“What about Baekseonbang?”
Toward his disbelieving gaze, an astonishing answer flowed out.
“He said they disappeared from this world.”
Geumcheonbang couldn’t believe it. He had entrusted her with the task because of a slight hope that she might pull it off as she said. The benefits of success were too great to not entrust her with it.
But to think he really annihilated them and brought back the money?
“That can’t be.”
He must have pulled some trick.
“What about him? Why hasn’t he come?”
He wanted to see him and ask directly.
“He is my subordinate. This matter is entirely mine. If you have questions, ask me.”
Geum Arin had come alone on purpose.
Because the fight with her father over the successor position was beginning now.
“Did you verify what happened to Baekseonbang?”
For a moment, Geum Arin flinched.
“You didn’t.”
“I trust my subordinate.”
That wasn’t the reason.
She hadn’t even thought to verify it.
Because she trusted Geom Mugeuk?
No. This wasn’t a matter of trust.
She was so astonished by the results, so distracted by the man named Geom Mugeuk who had accomplished this, that she had neglected to send people to Baekseonbang to confirm what had happened.
Since he had said they disappeared from the world, she had thoughtlessly assumed he killed them all.
What if those words were a lie? What if all of this was a scheme orchestrated with Baekseonbang and the Sword Alliance?
It probably wasn’t the case, but not verifying was clearly a mistake.
‘I can’t be like this from now on.’
The reason she was reflecting so properly was that she felt she had been bewitched by the man named Geom Mugeuk. The entire way to meet her father, she had thought only of him.
“There is more I must tell you.”
Geum Arin told her father about the task entrusted by Geom Mugeuk. The fact that they had taken money from the merchant companies that had been extorted by Baekseonbang and kept half. Already yesterday and today, she had gone around to all the merchant companies and returned the money.
Geumcheonbang wasn’t surprised at all. From that reaction, she could tell her father had known beforehand. After all, among the merchant guild leaders who had asked for the money to be retrieved, there must have been those who checked separately with her father.
“Why didn’t you tell me this in advance?”
“I was going to tell you once the results came out. I had resolved to take full responsibility even if problems arose later.”
She spoke resolutely, but the truth was she hadn’t told him because she was afraid he would stop her. If this matter succeeded, she would be the one to gain the most. She had wanted to show her father after achieving results.
That was why she had come to her father last, after returning all the money to each merchant company.
When she had entered this place, she had come like a triumphant general.
Even if not quite a ‘Well done, my daughter,’ she hadn’t expected this interrogation.
“Through this matter, many merchant companies and sects that suffered at Baekseonbang’s hands will hold great goodwill toward the main family. If you make good use of that, you will see enormous profits. I didn’t spend money in vain, did I?”
Still, her father’s reaction was cold.
“What mistake did I make?”
She had thought he was angry because she hadn’t told him in advance, but that wasn’t it.
“Do you want to become the successor?”
Geumcheonbang saw through why she hadn’t told him in advance.
She answered honestly.
“Yes, I want to become the successor.”
Then, words like a bolt from the blue fell from her father’s mouth.
“Give up on becoming the successor.”
“!”
She had never imagined her father would say such words himself.
“Why?”
Geumcheonbang did not give a reason.
“Leave now.”
“Father!”
Geumcheonbang looked coldly at his daughter. Normally, when he was this angry, it was frightening, so she would quietly retreat. But not today.
“Are you angry that I didn’t tell you in advance? Or are you angry that I’m coveting the successor position?”
Geumcheonbang made no answer at all.
“Did you not consider me as a successor from the beginning?”
She raised her voice, but Geumcheonbang said nothing.
To her, his silence sounded like affirmation. Then, naturally, a sense of disappointment washed over her.
‘Is it because I’m a daughter? Or because I lack ability? Because you favor my older brother?’
Because of her disappointment, she couldn’t judge rationally.
“I will definitely become the successor.”
She declared as if making a declaration of war, then left the room.
Geumcheonbang’s gaze deepened as he stood with his back turned. It was a gaze that, had she seen it, would have made her think, ‘There must be a reason for this.’
Having come out of her father’s quarters, Geum Arin stood in the middle of the courtyard for a moment, trying to compose her emotions. She was so disappointed and angry.
Then, she thought of someone. She didn’t know why he came to mind at a time like this, but her feet naturally moved toward his quarters.
* * *
When Geum Arin arrived, Geom Mugeuk was in his room.
“Do you have a moment?”
“Of course. If the chief calls, I must make time even when I have none.”
Geom Mugeuk’s martial arts uniform was soaked with sweat.
“Please wait a moment. I shall wash and change my clothes.”
Geum Arin was inwardly puzzled.
‘What did he do in his room to sweat like that?’
Then she flinched, startled.
‘Could it be?’
Standing in the courtyard, she couldn’t contain her curiosity and entered the building.
Walking silently down the corridor, she arrived at Geom Mugeuk’s room. She peeked inside through the window gap. There was no one in the room. Seeing the empty bedding neatly arranged, she felt a needless sense of relief.
Just as she was about to turn around, she was startled. Someone was standing behind her, she knew not when.
It was Geom Woo-jin.
She was so surprised by his figure staring intently at her that she nearly screamed.
“Ah, I wasn’t peeking. I came to meet Young Hero Geom. Ah, he went to wash. No, that’s not it….”
Flustered, she rambled incoherently.
“Go in and wait.”
“No, I can wait outside. Then, I’ll see you next time.”
She bowed and ran outside as if fleeing.
Coming out into the courtyard, she sighed. She didn’t know why it was so difficult to deal with Geom Woo-jin. Besides, she had been caught peeking into the room.
After a short while, Geom Mugeuk returned.
The sight of Geom Mugeuk in a clean martial arts uniform overlapped with the sight of him returning then in blood-stained clothes.
‘Which is your true appearance?’
Not knowing what kind of person he was, with her heart in turmoil and angry, she had ended up coming to find Geom Mugeuk.
“You were sweating profusely?”
“I did some martial arts training.”
“In your room?”
“Training in a narrow place is actually more difficult and consumes more mental strength. You should try it next time, young lady.”
Of course, that wasn’t the reason.
While training in his room, he had unfolded the Space-Time Displacement Technique and even used the Sicheon Secret Art.
He saved even spare moments. For Geom Mugeuk, there was no such thing as spare time.
“You look downcast; has something happened?”
She was grateful to Geom Mugeuk for accurately reading her mood. For allowing her to speak so easily of the matter she had come for, without worrying how to broach the subject.
“Our efforts were in vain. Father has no intention of making me the successor.”
Geom Mugeuk showed no particular reaction to her words.
“Why aren’t you surprised? Surely you didn’t also think I wouldn’t become the successor, did you?”
She snapped, then realized her mistake. She realized she had reacted neurotically out of needless insecurity. Geom Mugeuk, on the other hand, was composed.
“Would you have hired me for such a large sum if this were an easy matter?”
Hearing Geom Mugeuk’s answer, Geum Arin calmed down. ‘Yes, he’s right. It wasn’t easy from the start. I had been thinking as if I had already become the successor.’
“You speak like someone who has experienced a fierce succession struggle. Even though you’ve never been through one.”
Geom Mugeuk smiled. If she knew what the fight with his older brother had been like, she would know that her struggle didn’t even qualify as a mere sparring match.
“Can you tell me why I can’t become the successor?”
Geum Arin shook her head.
If seeing that he had entrusted a secret organization to her meant he surely had faith in her, then why couldn’t she become the successor?
Geom Mugeuk began to think that the reason might be related to the masterminds behind the scenes.
Meeting Geum Arin, he had come to know. She didn’t know where the money she had earned drained away to. Geum Ajong, the second son, also seemed preoccupied only with the succession struggle.
Then the mastermind must be somewhere around the head of Geumnyongsega or the first son, Geum Ahyeok.
‘Where are you hiding?’
At that moment, a new visitor arrived there.
It was Geum Ajong, the second son.
“What brings you here, Brother?”
When he came to Geom Mugeuk’s quarters, Geum Arin showed wariness.
“There are matters between men that you wouldn’t know about.”
Geum Ajong said, looking at Geom Mugeuk.
“Surely you haven’t forgotten our plan to have a drink?”
Geum Ajong was determined to somehow introduce this swindler to his older brother. ‘If you ruin my younger sister and my older brother as well, I’ll carry you around Shaanxi on my back.’
However, before proceeding in earnest, there was one question that needed answering. Today, he had come determined to resolve that question.
“How about today? Let’s have a drink.”
“Very well. Let’s go.”
Geom Mugeuk readily accepted his proposal.
“I’ll go too.”
She didn’t want to leave Geom Mugeuk alone with her older brother. Because he was an older brother who might use some dirty trick.
But Geum Ajong wouldn’t include her.
“This is a prior engagement.”
She pleaded for help with her eyes, but Geom Mugeuk pretended not to notice. Because it was easier to handle him when it was just the two of them, Geum Ajong and himself.
* * *
A drinking table for just the two of them commenced.
Since both men had clear objectives, the atmosphere at the drinking table was truly excellent.
Geommugeuk knew very well that Geum Ajong regarded him as a swindler.
Some time ago, his subordinate I Chu had come to inspect the carriage and been caught by him. Geommugeuk had turned that around and used him to make Geum Ajong think he was a swindler.
Back then, I Chu had reported this to Geum Ajong: he had overheard them saying they should go to the clan and make one big score.
So of course he regarded him as a swindler through and through.
Conversely, I Chu had relayed Geum Ajong’s intentions to Geommugeuk.
—He means to introduce you to the Eldest Young Master and ruin you.
Geum Ajong raised his cup high and said,
“If you bear any old grievances against me, forget them.”
At Geum Ajong’s concern, Geommugeuk spoke as if he did not mind in the slightest.
“If there are old feelings, let us build new ones and bury them beneath.”
“Splendid words!”
“Now, let’s drink!”
And so the two drank merrily.
Geommugeuk boasted of his capacity and drank cup after cup. He knew the other man was trying to get him drunk and learn something from him, so he played along.
After they had drunk like that for a while and Geommugeuk began slurring his words in intoxication, Geum Ajong asked casually,
“What did you do to those Money Grubs back then?”
This was the very question he had to unravel.
There had to be a reason those ferocious men had become so polite and done the cleaning.
He could not find out through the Money Grubs either. Their pride had been wounded to the limit, and they were the sort who might draw blades if he brought it up. Perhaps if his father asked, it would be different, but they were not people who would readily tell him.
Were they truly swindlers with such remarkable skill, or had they used some other trick?
Geum Ajong was determined to find out somehow. Even when cooking, one had to know the ingredients.
“You are curious about that?”
“Of course I’m curious. It’s all in the past now, so surely you can tell me?”
With his face flushed from drink, Geommugeuk raised his fist.
“This was it. What other reason could there be?”
If that were the case, there was one problem.
What if, after making a score off his elder brother, they did not leave? What if they tried to swallow the entire clan whole? What if they truly were swindlers with that level of ability?
It was just then. I Chu’s sound transmission reached him. While Geommugeuk had left his quarters, I Chu had gone to search them.
—I found empty medicine bottles in his quarters. I checked the medicine left inside, and it was one I know.
—What medicine?
—Have you perhaps heard of Heukbi?
Geum Ajong had heard of it. There was an incredible internal energy-dispersing poison made by the Evil Dao Alliance, and its name was Heukbi.
That was it. Since all their internal energy had vanished, the Money Grubs had been unable to move an inch.
Now the secret was revealed!
Everything was going smoothly. As if fate itself were pushing him to become the successor, Geommugeuk casually asked,
“What sort of person is the Eldest Young Master?”
At the thought that he could comfortably proceed with the next plan, Geum Ajong broke into a broad smile.
‘You adorable little swindler!’
Absolute Regression, Chapter 478