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Everyone started to get agitated by the rumor that Ma Jeongsu was joining hands with the Shandong Merchant Association.

If he not only builds a martial arts academy but also joins hands with a large trading company, his influence in Shandong will grow even greater.

My father and mother, who heard the rumor, were also very worried.

“I can’t figure out what their intentions are.”

“That’s right. I’m worried they might be trying to swallow up all of Shandong.”

Knowing the inside story, I was calm.

“Don’t worry too much. Our Shandong isn’t such an easy place to take over, is it?”

I couldn’t tell them. That this collaboration was both sides’ desperate struggle. A last-ditch effort at a dead end.

After meeting my parents, I went straight to find Gong Su-chan.

“I came to ask you one thing.”

Sharp as he was, he had already guessed why I came.

“Is it about the Shandong Merchant Association?”

“That’s right. Tell me everything you know about the Shandong Merchant Association.”

“You must have heard the recent rumors about Ma Jeongsu. Because of those rumors, the Hebei Merchant Association, which wasn’t on good terms with the Shandong Merchant Association, is extremely tense.”

It seemed the name Heavenly Blade Sect carried some intimidation.

Gong Su-chan told me about the internal affairs of the Shandong Merchant Association. The situation was much worse than I thought.

“What do you think is the Shandong Merchant Association’s weakness, Chief Gong?”

Despite the sudden question, the answer came quickly.

“Go Sun-gyeong.”

Unexpectedly, he pointed to the president of Shandong Merchant Association.

“He has the ambition to grow the Shandong Merchant Association into the number one trading company in the central plains. That’s why he’s been aggressively expanding the business. But because of that, he’s also accumulated a lot of debt and made many enemies.”

A prime example would be Hebei Merchant Association and Seok Clan Leader.

“In the past, he was certainly a man capable of dreaming such dreams. But time has passed, and the business world has changed a lot. It’s become faster, newer, younger. But unfortunately, he remains stuck in the past.”

Gong Su-chan brought up an unexpected topic.

“Oh, and there’s a rumor that Shandong Merchant Association agreed to give Ma Jeongsu 100,000 taels in exchange for the collaboration.”

“100,000 taels!”

It was a larger sum than I thought.

“Can they raise that money when Shandong Merchant Association is in difficulty?”

“They can’t raise it on their own.”

“Then?”

“I think they’ll draw money from the Night Merchants.”

Night Merchants! I knew that organization too. They’re the ones who move dark money.

“I’ve heard they’re very dangerous people?”

“That’s right. They’re the kind of people you’d better not deal with if possible. But right now, they’re the only ones who will lend money to Shandong Merchant Association.”

“That was very helpful. Thank you.”

“It’s nothing.”

I could have asked Gong Su-chan to find out more about Shandong Merchant Association and the Night Merchants.

But there was no need to assign such a dangerous task to him.

Because now I have someone who does this kind of work best.

I immediately sent a carrier pigeon to Jeong Yeo.

The message asked him to find out in detail how Shandong Merchant Association was raising funds, and if they were drawing money from the Night Merchants, when, where, and how they were borrowing the money. I added an order to find out no matter how much money it cost.

The answer came three days later.

***

Two days after that, Ma Jeongsu suddenly came to see me.

It was an unannounced visit, but I knew he would come. Jeong Yeo had reported his movements one step ahead.

“Hahaha. Brother, have you been well?”

We had never agreed to call each other brothers, but he treated me like a younger brother.

“Have you been well?”

“I’ve been fine.”

Indeed, he looked to be in a very good mood. It must be because he was set to receive 100,000 taels from the Shandong Merchant Association.

“What brings you here?”

“I dropped by on my way.”

“You’re welcome. Come in.”

“Let’s not do that. Let’s go out.”

“Pardon?”

“Didn’t we promise before? That you’d show me your fiancée. By now, her injuries should have healed. Give this older brother a chance to see Shandong’s greatest beauty.”

At a time when he should be preoccupied with the Flower Fan Elder incident, he hadn’t forgotten about Song Hwa-rin even in this situation.

I could feel that this wasn’t just simple lust.

If it were, he would have found an excuse to meet Song Hwa-rin directly. But coming to me and asking to go together means he wants to take her from me. He wants to enjoy the process. He probably thinks it’s easier now that talks of breaking off the engagement have come up. What a disgusting bastard.

“Come on, let’s go. She’ll be happy if you visit.”

He pulled at my sleeve insistently.

“But to visit so suddenly like this…”

When I hesitated, Si-gon, who was standing next to him, glared at me coldly. I pretended to flinch, as if cowed by his intimidation.

“Alright. Let’s go together.”

As I was leaving the house, pretending to give in reluctantly, a warrior rushed over and handed a letter to Si-gon.

Si-gon’s expression changed dramatically after checking the contents of the letter.

He whispered to Ma Jeongsu again.

“An urgent message has come from the Shandong Merchant Association.”

“What’s the matter?”

Si-gon spoke coldly, looking at me.

“Young Master Byeok, please go inside and wait for a moment.”

“Understood.”

I closed the door and went inside. With my excellent hearing, even though they tried to whisper, their somewhat excited conversation was clearly audible word for word.

“Shandong Merchant Association says they can’t send the promised 100,000 taels.”

“What? Why on earth not?”

“It seems the money was robbed by someone while being transported last night.”

“What kind of idiotic talk is that?”

Ma Jeongsu yelled angrily.

There was no use in getting angry at Si-gon, but he couldn’t calm down and spoke in an agitated voice.

“How could they handle things like this!”

“I don’t know the details, but it seems the Shandong Merchant Association is also in a state of emergency now.”

Inside the door, I was smiling sweetly.

Those 100,000 taels are in my possession.

I robbed it while the manager and guard warriors of the Shandong Merchant Association were returning after borrowing money from the Night Merchants. Of course, I wore a human skin mask and a face covering, and I didn’t kill the company’s warriors. I was able to subdue them sufficiently without seriously injuring them.

They had mobilized their most trusted and skilled people from the company, but they were no match for me. Moreover, due to the nature of the task, they couldn’t mobilize a large number, which made it even easier.

All of this was possible because of accurate transaction information.

Jeong Yeo said he spent 20,000 taels to buy this information. It was an enormous amount for a single piece of information.

But it was worth it.

100,000 taels.

Moreover, the money provided by the Night Merchants was in small-denomination notes that left no trace.

In other words, it’s money I can use as I please. Of course, I won’t use this money right away. I plan to use it when I’ve dealt with Ma Jeongsu’s affairs and judged that there won’t be any aftermath.

It was truly killing three birds with one stone.

I felt no burden because it was dirty money from the Night Merchants, I had humiliated the Shandong Merchant Association, and Ma Jeongsu had fallen into a very difficult situation.

I could hear the low conversation continuing outside.

“It must be that old man’s doing.”

“Surely you don’t mean Flower Fan Elder?”

“Who else would dare to do such a thing? Only someone who knows our situation best could have done this.”

“This crazy old man!”

Si-gon spoke carefully.

“It’s time we need help from the main family. Aren’t there people who can help the young master?”

“But that woman is monitoring our every move. In other words, this incident will be reported directly to father. As you know, the Shandong affair is a test. A test to select the successor!”

My smile behind the door grew deeper.

Yes, that greedy bastard wouldn’t want to be the first to fail that test.

Yes, keep being greedy. That’s essential for my plan to succeed.

“We must handle this with our own hands.”

“Anyway, it seems you should return for now. You need to meet with the Shandong Merchant Association again and discuss this matter. If you can’t send the payment to Jinan within a few days, the contract for establishing the martial arts academy will be nullified.”

“Damn it!”

Ma Jeongsu’s regret-filled sigh sounded too sweet to my ears.

Soon after, there was a knock on the door from outside.

When I opened the door and went out, Ma Jeongsu said:

“It seems I have to return due to an urgent matter.”

“Ah, I see. It’s a shame, but please come again next time.”

“I will.”

Ma Jeongsu hurried back with Si-gon.

I was smiling as I watched their retreating figures.

The moment I heard that the Shandong Merchant Association had brought in the Night Merchants, a plan occurred to me. A way to cleanly dispose of Ma Jeongsu. Robbing their money was the beginning of that plan.

It’s a pity I couldn’t tell Ma Jeongsu this.

There is no next time for you.

***

Ma Jeongsu contacted the Shandong Merchant Association again.

Go Sun-gyeong said he would try to raise money again, but he couldn’t do it right away.

Not understanding others’ circumstances, Go Sun-gyeong even asked for help. He said he would definitely raise the money, so they should continue with the collaboration.

Ma Jeongsu coldly told him to bring the money first if he wanted to continue, and left.

‘Stupid bastards!’

But once the downward spiral began, it seemed endless.

Si-gon entered with a gloomy expression and delivered the news they had been dreading.

“The side in charge of the martial arts academy construction has notified us that they’re canceling the contract.”

“They dared to refuse my request to postpone the payment date?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“These sons of bitches must be crazy to die!”

Ma Jeongsu’s eyes rolled with murderous intent.

“It seems someone has spread a rumor.”

“What?”

Si-gon hesitated to answer.

“Answer me quickly!”

“There’s a rumor that the young master has gone bankrupt.”

“What?”

It seemed like something was about to be smashed.

But Ma Jeongsu didn’t get angry. The moment he heard that rumor, he realized something.

“I see! I know whose doing this is.”

Spreading a rumor might seem as simple as going around to a few inns and spreading the word, but realistically, it wasn’t that simple. To spread a single rumor, many people need to work organizationally over a long period of time. Especially when a rumor that shouldn’t spread does spread.

“Flower Fan Elder can’t be this organized and bold. It must be the work of one of my damned siblings.”

Now the incomprehensible betrayal of Flower Fan Elder made sense. He must have been recruited by one of the other successor candidates. No, he might have approached him already recruited from the start.

Si-gon agreed with this opinion.

“I think so too.”

The reason for bringing in an outsider like Flower Fan Elder was honestly because he couldn’t trust the people inside. But now he had been properly backstabbed.

Bang!

In the end, another innocent desk was smashed.

Ma Jeongsu wondered if he had ever felt this helpless in his life.

He had lived harboring hatred. He thought he was quite smart. But he wasn’t. He had just been used like an idiot.

What dominated Ma Jeongsu now was murderous intent.

The thought of finding and killing Flower Fan Elder, the thought of finding and killing the person who recruited him.

But that would have to come later. First, he had to resolve this situation.

“Right, whatever the process, I just need to produce results.”

If he could succeed in this difficult situation, it might even make him look better in his father’s eyes.

“Go and get the money right now.”

“How am I supposed to do that?”

“Damn it! Get it somehow! Don’t just stand there like an idiot giving me bad news, earn your keep! Steal it or extort it, just do it now!”

Although Si-gon was in charge of his protection, considering his age and position within the Heavenly Blade Sect, such verbal abuse was crossing the line.

“Understood.”

Si-gon quietly left the room.

***

Si-gon was drinking at an inn.

It was already late, and the customers who had been drinking had left one by one, leaving him alone in the inn.

He was greatly angered by Ma Jeongsu’s earlier behavior, but on the other hand, he could understand it.

He was backed into a corner as far as he could go.

He had been going around all afternoon trying to raise money. He went to merchant groups other than the Shandong Merchant Association.

But it seemed the bad rumors had spread enough that everyone refused with various excuses. Some even lied, saying they weren’t available. He really wanted to kill them all.

“Damn merchant bastards!”

It seems that when money is involved, even life isn’t precious.

In fact, he had no knack for handling such matters. Having lived a life of wielding a sword, how could he persuade merchants in this situation?

He usually didn’t drink much, but today he was overindulging.

“Bring more alcohol here!”

“Yes.”

The waiter walked towards the kitchen while yawning.

Being in a bad mood, even that sight was unpleasant. He wanted to go and beat him up.

One should always choose the right side… He had failed.

He had chosen Ma Jeongsu, who had relatively the least talent. At that time, he thought like this:

If Ma Jeongsu succeeded, he would get all the credit. Since there were fewer competitors, he hoped to rise to the position of second-in-command in one go. Because of that, he had done all sorts of dirty work cleaning up after Ma Jeongsu.

“Damn it.”

He emptied the last of his remaining alcohol.

He could tolerate lack of ability. He knew about it from the start. But when he was humiliated like that, it was hard to endure.

He had believed that Ma Jeongsu’s viciousness would be the driving force to overcome other competitors, but when cornered, that viciousness turned into vulgarity.

However, he had no intention of betraying Ma Jeongsu. Who would accept him now?

“You bastard! Aren’t you bringing the alcohol quickly?”

The moment he turned his head irritably.

Whack!

The moment he was punched in the face, he knew. It was the same fist that had hit him in front of the safe back then.