Chapter 472: Will It Rain Money or Will It Rain Blood?
"Youâre asking for half?"
Geum Cheonbang couldnât hide his surprise. It was a demand as excessive as his own unreasonable request.
"In cases like this, they usually give a labor feeâat most, they pay one-tenth and get the job done."
"That would be true, if the opponent were ordinary."
Rather, Geom Mugeuk upped the ante.
"Honestly, even if you gave me all of it, it would still be a gain for you, Family Head."
"And what sort of nonsense is that?"
In response, Geom Mugeuk raised his voice and spoke boldly.
"If you make a deal with the Golden Dragon Family, you must repay the money."
It was a statement that resonated pleasantly through the hall, a line that lifted the mood just by hearing it.
"You absolutely cannot get away with not paying back the Golden Dragon Family."
When thinking of all the debts he hadnât been able to collect for one reason or another, how good would it be if things could work out just like that? The thought alone brought a smile to his lips.
Having been drawn with such pleasing words, Geum Cheonbang naturally leaned in to hear the next.
"And how about this rumor? Even the Hundred Immortals Gang repaid their debt, I hear."
What more needed to be said? It was a killer rumor.
"If thatâs how it turns out, then from now on, no one will dare think of dodging the Golden Dragon Familyâs money."
Geom Mugeuk stared straight into Geum Cheonbangâs eyes as he asked,
"How much do you think that is worth?"
Even someone as quick at calculations as Geum Cheonbang couldnât answer right away. Not just in the present, but considering the future tooâit was something that couldnât be measured in money.
"All that only matters if you actually collect the money from them, no?"
To that, Geom Mugeuk responded with confident eyes.
"Iâll collect itâand Iâm only asking for half."
âHalfâ had now become âonly half,â but Geum Cheonbang felt no resistance to the shift.
And to top it off, Geom Mugeuk added a touch of generosity.
"I made a special concession because of your daughter."
A flicker of curiosity passed through Geum Cheonbangâs gaze. He found it impressive. Yes, this is how a deal should be struckâwith the boldness to be shameless and the persuasion to back it up.
âYes, the Galaxy Trading Company Head wouldnât have met just anyone.â
Maybe? Maybe he really could collect the money.
But the thought was short-lived.
He knew the Hundred Immortals Gang well.
Ordinary folks tended to think of them as brutal, emotional, and recklessly violentâignorant thugs you couldnât reason with.
At first, Geum Cheonbang thought the same. But now he knew better. The gangâs leader was a clever man. Their revenge, their legal robberyâit all stemmed from meticulous calculation.
âCan you really handle that difficult man?â
Though he didnât see him as a real contender, the fact that he was still curious meant this young manâs demeanor had left an impression. It wasnât easy to find this kind of boldness these days.
"What if you fail to collect?"
He had expected to hear something about returning the two million nyang given to him by his daughter.
"If I fail, then I fail. Would I really be able to recover money that even the Family Head couldnât?"
Pulling him into the statement, Geum Cheonbang found himself unable to refute. He admired Geom Mugeukâs response.
"Will you give me half?"
It was money he hadnât been able to collect anyway. Even if he recovered just one and a half million out of three million nyang, it would be a gain.
And if he really did recover it, as that servant had said earlier, he would gain a reputation even more valuable than money.
'And if he fails?'
The Hundred Immortals Gang would rough him up a little and send him back. Since they owed the Golden Dragon Family, they wouldnât escalate it.
If they broke this bratâs spirit, recovering the remaining two million nyang later would be easier.
That concluded Geum Cheonbangâs calculation.
"Fine, Iâll give you half."
Geum Arin, who had been watching, couldnât hold back and interrupted.
"You canât!"
She hadnât meant to speak up, knowing her father was already upset with her, but if she didnât stop it now, it would be too late later.
"Do you even understand how dangerous this task is before making such a promise?"
Geom Mugeuk looked at her and calmly replied,
"I know how large a sum two million nyang is. I also know that one and a half million nyang is still a great deal of money. And if you want to earn that kind of money, you must be willing to take on danger."
Geum Cheonbang liked what he heard. He disliked people who tried to make money without taking risks. To earn big, one had to risk big.
Geom Mugeukâs gaze shifted from Geum Arin back to Geum Cheonbang.
"Indeed, to make money, one must throw themselves into the trading world. The moment I arrive, money rains down."
At Geom Mugeukâs nonchalant attitude, Geum Cheonbang responded just as smoothly.
"Whether it rains money or bloodâyouâll only find out at the end."
The two men stared at one another. What could have been a mere feeling-out encounter now carried a heavy promise.
"Then, Iâll return once Iâve collected the money."
Geom Mugeuk bowed respectfully and was about to leave when Geum Arin spoke up.
"Please wait outside for a moment. I have something to speak with my father about."
"Very well."
When Geom Mugeuk exited the Family Headâs Hall, only Geum Cheonbang and Geum Arin remained inside.
Geum Cheonbang already had a good guess as to what his daughter was about to say.
"You know that he absolutely canât succeed, donât you? And yet youâre sending him anywayâthis is just your way of punishing me, isnât it? Thatâs too cruel."
Geum Cheonbang responded coldly.
"The one being cruel is you."
"What do you mean?"
"Bringing a future threat into the main houseâthatâs what I mean."
"The Galaxy Trading Company was trying to bring them in to crush my organization. I couldnât just sit by and do nothing."
Strictly speaking, this was a matter of life and death.
Her life was on the lineâhow could he lose his temper over money?
She held back the words rising to her throat with great effort. After all, it had been a mistake to spend two million nyang without permission.
âWhen you found out the truth, you shouldâve returned to the main family right away and discussed it with your father.â
Geum Arin had something to say in response.
âIf I had, my older brothers would have seized on it to criticize me. They wouldâve said I couldnât handle my own affairs and came running to hide behind Father.â
âEven so, you were reckless. What if that man turns out to be a spy the Galaxy Trading Company planted in our family?â
âHave you ever seen a spy who causes such a commotion?â
Geum Cheonbang said nothing more.
Geum Arin left him with one last remark before turning away.
âHeâs not a future threatâheâs a blessing. And you threw that blessing into the gutter.â
Geum Arin exited the Family Headâs Hall.
Her chest felt tight. Of all places, it had to be the Hundred Immortals Gang.
Geom Mugeuk was waiting for her outside the building.
âYouâre really going through with this?â
Geom Mugeuk nodded and began walking. The two walked side by side, talking as they went.
âDo you even know what kind of place the Hundred Immortals Gang is?â
âWhat kind of place is it?â
Geum Arin, wearing an I knew it expression, described the people she hated even thinking about.
âItâs a place where human scum gather. And theyâre not just local thugsâtheyâre top-tier experts. The one who leads them is known as a peerless master.â
Geom Mugeuk simply continued walking in silence.
âAnd thatâs not all. The truly terrifying part about them is that when one of their own dies, the others swarm in to get revenge. Theyâre the kind who even kill their victimsâ families and friends.â
That wide-reaching vengeance was the main reason the Hundred Immortals Gang had become a symbol of fearâand also why many thought they deserved to die.
âHow have such people survived until now? Did the Martial Alliance just leave them alone?â
âThey never leave behind any evidence. If anyone does manage to gather proof, they eliminate that person and sever the tail. So in the end, only rumors about them spread.â
In his life before regression, the Hundred Immortals Gang was eventually purged by the Martial Alliance. The alliance uncovered evidence of their atrocities and launched an attack. The gang resisted fiercely and was wiped out. He remembered that even the Martial Allianceâs top fighters suffered heavy casualties during that battle.
The fact that the Hundred Immortals Gang had become involved with him in this life made him feel once again that fate would inevitably lead those who must die to their deaths.
âAre you listening to me? They even kill innocent families.â
âMy family is fine.â
Geom Mugeuk smiled as he added.
"You're too fineâthat's the problem."
Geum Arin understood where that confidence of his came from.
"I know you trust your father, butâŠ"
As they continued walking silently for a moment, she made a bold decision.
"Fine, then I'll go with you."
It was a life-risking decision, but she was rejected instantly.
"You want to give them more reason to squeeze money from us?"
"What do you mean?"
"If you show up there, you think they'll just let you be? Theyâll find some excuse to pick a fight, capture you, and then demand your father pay up to get you back. 'Bring money if you want your daughter.' Thatâs what theyâll say."
They were certainly capable of doing just thatâshe couldnât deny it.
"Then what about you? Are you going to be alright?"
"Iâll be fine. My father wonât give a single penny for me anyway."
A joke? In this situation? She felt Geom Mugeukâs nonchalance was excessive. He could at least calmly explain what he was planning, but instead, he started heading in a different direction than where the guest quarters were.
"Where are you going? The guest quarters are this way."
"Iâve got a place to be. See you later."
Geum Arin let out the sigh sheâd been holding back as she watched Geom Mugeuk stride away.
Now she understoodâwhy he had said those words.
How far can you trust me?
How far will you make me worry?
* Â Â Â Â * Â Â Â Â *
That night, Geum Arin visited Geom Mugeukâs quarters.
It was late, but Geom Mugeuk was still awake.
"Did I disturb your sleep?"
"Itâs fine, come in. We're people who are busy at night."
"What?"
Geom Mugeuk simply smiled enigmatically.
Geum Arin stepped inside. Seeing the bottle of liquor on the table, it looked like he had been drinking.
"Would you like a drink?"
"Pour me one."
She truly felt like drinking.
Never in her dreams had she imagined going through something like this after returning to the main family.
"Did you contact your Father and Uncle?"
"Contact them about what?"
"About the Hundred Immortals Gang. They need to be informed."
She asked with a hopeful heart, though she feared the answer.
"Donât tell me you plan to go alone?"
Even the three of them together would be walking into danger.
"Iâm going alone."
Geum Arin was startled. One look at Geom Mugeukâs calm eyes told her this wasnât a joke.
She downed the drink she had been given in one gulp, then slammed the empty cup down on the table with a clack.
"A two-million-nyang worth of drinking session, huh."
A joke about this being her last time seeing him. A jokeâbut not a joke.
"Fine, letâs say you really are some hidden peerless master."
It was possible. He had killed Jeon Nak, and he had made those Money Bugs obedient.
âNo matter how confident you are, you still need a proper plan. Youâre dealing with nearly a hundred people! You should know who to approach first, what to say when you get there, and what to do if they refuse to pay. Actuallyâno, they will refuse to pay, so you need to be prepared for that.â
âIâm already making one.â
âOr at the very least, find their weaknessesâwait, what did you say?â
âI said Iâve already been making a plan.â
Only then did her eyes notice the stack of papers on the table. On the top sheet, the words Hundred Immortals Gang were clearly written.
âWhatâs this?â
âInformation on the Hundred Immortals Gang.â
âWhere did you get it?â
âI bought it from an informant.â
In truth, the documents had come through Hidden Moon. Naturally, the Hidden Moonâs Shaanxi Branch had already compiled extensive intel on the Hundred Immortals Gang, one of the highest-risk groups in the area.
âWhen?â
âI went out earlier and bought it.â
âCan I take a look?â
When Geom Mugeuk nodded, Geum Arin began reviewing the materials.
They really were documents about the gangâdetailing who the leader was, what martial arts he used, who his close associates were, and how much they trusted one another. Their personalities, assigned roles, and all the crimes they had committed were carefully listed.
And that wasnât all. The documents showed which trading companies they had borrowed money from, how much they defaulted on, and what kinds of ventures they were investing that money into. They were deeply entangled in various profit streams and were reaping enormous gains.
âDo informants really sell this kind of detailed information?â
âIf youâve got money, thereâs no information you canât buy.â
She felt embarrassed. Here she was, telling him to come up with a strategy, yet he had already prepared all this. If she had truly been concerned, she shouldâve been the one to buy these documents and give them to him. Instead, she had merely worried without actionâa worrier without initiative, not a strategist.
âSo, youâve made a plan?â
âI have.â
Really, no one could match how refreshingly direct his answers were.
âTell me.â
âItâs a secret.â
Seeing him like this, she began to wonderâmaybe he really would succeed in collecting the money. A useless, fleeting hope began to take root.
âBut I do have a favor to ask you.â
âWhat is it?â
And that favorâwas something she never could have expected.
âGo visit the trading companies and sects listed in those documents. Tell them youâll collect the money the Hundred Immortals Gang owes themâand in return, youâll take half as your fee.â
âWhat?â
So shocked that she couldnât help herself, Geum Arin shot up from her seat. It was one of those momentsâwhen you're too surprised, your body just reacts.
âYou going instead of me would be more convincing.â
Geum Arin was too stunned to respond, standing there blankly. Meanwhile, Geom Mugeuk continued speaking.
âI could just keep all of the money for myself. But this is a better way. Youâll gain a reputation for retrieving lost money, theyâll recover money they thought was gone forever, and Iâll earn half as my share.â
He made it clear that this task had a different significanceâespecially for her.
âThis will play a big part in your path to becoming heir. Your name will rise across Shaanxi.â
Geum Arin could feel he was sincere.
âYou really plan to collect all that money, donât you?â
All of it? Every nyang owed to those swindled by the Hundred Immortals Gang?
âYes. Iâll retrieve it for everyone who wants it back.â
âWe couldnât even get back our moneyâŠâ
And then, a single thought struck her like a lightning bolt to the skull.
âYouâre notâŠâ
It was the most shocked sheâd been since meeting Geom Mugeuk.
âYouâre planning to kill them all.â