Tales Of The Nine Dragons [EN]: Chapter 209

구룡전기 (209)

“Shit.”

A rough curse burst from Lee Seo-won’s mouth.

As Hwa-rin said, they were taking turns fighting at the cave entrance, but he really felt like he couldn’t keep this up.

It was absurd to constantly fight against opponents with similar martial skills, and it was equally absurd to have to find brief moments to step in and allow their allies to rest.

But what was even funnier was that Baek Gun-seong and he were actually doing this ridiculous dance.

“Huff… Huff… I killed two guys.”

Lee Seo-won said to Baek Gun-seong, barely blocking the Shaolin Temple monk’s sword while breathing heavily.

“Yeah. You killed two, I killed one. Now it’s my turn. Switch.”

As soon as Baek Gun-seong finished speaking, Lee Seo-won defended against the Shaolin Temple monk’s kick with both arms. Pushed back by the force, Baek Gun-seong stepped in to where Lee Seo-won had been and swung his sword powerfully to prevent the Shaolin Temple monks from entering the cave.

Cheeeeeeeeng!

Baek Gun-seong was doing his best, pushing himself beyond his known abilities.

A Shaolin Temple monk, who was watching the fight at the narrow entrance from behind, frowned, displeased, and clapped loudly.

The sound echoed loudly in the cave, breaking Baek Gun-seong’s concentration.

“Aliumbadi… Soradusokum… Radirandum…….”

As they began chanting magic from behind, Baek Gun-seong and Lee Seo-won felt the air getting heavier, and they felt like they would be helpless if the monk completed the spell.

“Those guys cast spells when they can’t win a fight,” Lee Seo-won, who was watching from behind, said. He got up from his seat and looked around.

Lee Seo-won picked up a sword that had fallen next to the fallen Shaolin Temple monks, jumped up, and threw the sword at the man who was chanting a spell.

He knew how to interrupt the spellcasting, having experienced it once before.

The sword flew, aiming at the chanting monk, but another monk in front of him blocked the flying sword.

“Shitheads!”

Lee Seo-won threw another sword in the same way, but this time, too, the sword was blocked by the same monk.

“This is going to be tiring.”

Lee Seo-won said to Baek Gun-seong, feeling the heavy air.

“I know.”

“What’s tiring? Just beat these guys quickly.”

A voice from behind expressed delight.

The Shaolin Temple monks were also surprised and turned around, and Hwa-rin was standing there.

“I waited for a while, thinking there might be more of them. But you couldn’t handle just nine guys and are struggling?”

“Are we you? And do something about that guy chanting spells over there.”

When Lee Seo-won spoke, Hwa-rin made a circle with her fingers and flicked it at him.

Peeshoong!

A bullet of energy flew at the speed of light and pierced the head of the Shaolin Temple monk.

It happened so quickly that even the monk next to him didn’t have time to react.

As the man chanting the spell died, the atmosphere in the cave changed.

Baek Gun-seong was also able to deal with the Shaolin Temple monks with much lighter movements.

As the monk who was using magic died, the Shaolin Temple monks drew their swords and moved towards Hwa-rin.

Hwa-rin smiled, not afraid even though she was surrounded by them.

Hwa-rin lifted her foot and stomped hard on the ground.

Then, a strong vibration rose from the floor, affecting the Shaolin Temple monks who had gathered around, and they staggered for a moment, unable to maintain their balance.

Seeing their disarray, Hwa-rin stretched out her hand towards the sky and pretended to grab a sword, pulling it out as if from a scabbard.

“Kuh-huh-huh!”

Hwa-rin cut down the four Shaolin Temple monks who surrounded her in an instant.

Baek Gun-seong bit his lip slightly as he watched this. He was once again reminded that she was in a realm that he could not yet reach.

‘I’m still lacking a lot now, but I’ll catch up soon.’

“You can handle that guy alone, right?”

Hwa-rin said to Baek Gun-seong, and Baek Gun-seong, as if it were natural, devoted all his strength to the remaining Shaolin Temple monk.

Cheeeeeeeeng!

The Shaolin Temple monk, who was left alone due to the suddenly changed atmosphere, was embarrassed, and that embarrassment eventually became a factor in his defeat to Baek Gun-seong.

Baek Gun-seong’s sword passed through the Shaolin Temple monk’s stomach, cutting it lengthwise.

“Huff, huff…….”

“Why are you panting so much with just this? Quickly pack up what you need and get out of here.”

“Pack what?”

“We have to take the reward.”

While speaking, Hwa-rin took all the weapons of the Shaolin Temple monks and rummaged through their pockets, taking everything that could be money.

“It’s not like they’re taking it with them when they die, so why are you looking at me like that? The dead are dead, and the living have to live better. And selling this to the blacksmith won’t get you much money.”

Hwa-rin picked up Natalpasha, who was sleeping on one side.

“What are you doing? Are you going to leave this child here?”

When Hwa-rin spoke, Lee Seo-won hugged the boy.

“Let’s go. Now that we’re done, we have to go down and report.”

“Is it over like this?”

“Then?”

“Isn’t there something more? It feels like I went to the bathroom and didn’t wipe.”

Lee Seo-won nodded in agreement with Baek Gun-seong’s words.

“I’ll tell you when we go down. Do you want to hear stories in a place with corpses scattered around?”

“No, that’s not it.”

“Then let’s go down. Let’s stop by Osan Inn in Hyeonmunhyeon [a town], take a bath, eat delicious food, have a drink, and take a good rest for a day before going to the Daeri family. I’ll tell you the story in the meantime.”

Hwa-rin led them out of the cave and headed to Hyeonmunhyeon’s Osan Inn.

* * *

“I’ve heard that the Hwamyeong Merchant Group’s situation isn’t good these days. How is it? I’m willing to pay a premium to acquire the inns you operate.”

Hwa Jung-soo was annoyed by the words of the person who came to see him, but he couldn’t just get angry.

“How did the rumor spread to Sangrim that you came to me and asked me to sell the business locations operated by the merchant group?”

“I heard it’s difficult. I heard that there’s a bit of debt to repay to the Daeri family, and even the work of distributing grain has been taken away by Guryongjang [Nine Dragons Company, a powerful organization], so it’s not going smoothly.”

“Who spread such rumors…….”

“I heard that you sold the place you used to use as a grain warehouse. Isn’t that because it’s not easy to secure grain?”

“No.”

“Or not. Anyway, I’m looking for an inn, and I know that the inn in Shanxi Province, which is operated by Hwamyeong Merchant Group, is doing quite well. The site is quite large, and there’s also a detached building.”

“Are you saying to sell the inn in Shanxi Province?”

“That’s why I’m saying I’ll give you more premium. To be honest, even if the inn is doing well, it won’t make the money Hwamyeong Merchant Group needs in a short period of time.”

Hwa Jung-soo did not answer.

“If you sell it to me now, I’ll give you 20% more than the market price.”

“20% more?”

“That’s right. If I buy it and operate it for two or three years, I’ll earn that 20%, right? Then I’ll be making money from three years later, so it doesn’t seem like a big loss for me to do that.”

The words “20% more” made him seriously consider selling the inn, which he hadn’t even thought about.

‘If I receive 60,000 gold nyang [currency] for 50,000 gold nyang, it’s a huge condition for me.’

When calculating net profit rather than sales, it may take longer than two or three years to earn 10,000 gold nyang.

“If you’re not going to sell it, I’ll look for another inn, but if it’s not now, I can’t give you that 20% premium.”

“Why is that…?”

“I’m also in the business, so if it’s not Hwamyeong Merchant Group’s inn, I have to look for another inn. If I offer the same conditions to other inn owners, there will be someone who sells it.”

Hwa Jung-soo pondered for a moment because his words made sense. Even so, it was hard to resist the temptation of giving 20% more.

‘Damn it, if things had gone well, I wouldn’t have even thought about this.’

In the end, Hwa Jung-soo accepted his offer.

“Okay. Then I’ll give it to you for 65,000 gold nyang with 25% more.”

“You’ve made a good decision. I don’t know how much the money of 60,000 gold nyang will help Hwamyeong Merchant Group recover, but I hope it helps.”
Hwa Jung-soo handed over the inn he operated in Shanxi Province.

After completing the transaction, Hwa Jung-soo pondered for a moment whether his choice was a good one, then shook his head violently.

“It’s already sold, what’s the point of regretting it.”

“Master!”

Hwa Jung-soo answered the call from outside.

“What is it?”

“A guest from Guryongjang has come to see you.”

“What? From Guryongjang?”

“Yes.”

Hwa Jung-soo frowned and was about to send him back, but he was curious as to why he had come to see him, so he told him to let him in.

“Hello.”

“What brings you here?”

“Isn’t the reason I came to Hwamyeong Merchant Group obvious?”

“What is that obviousness?”

“I heard you’re having a lot of difficulties these days.”

“Hmph, we’re not having as much difficulty as you’re worried about, so go back if you’re going to talk nonsense.”

“That’s a relief, and I came to hear your opinion on whether you’re thinking of selling the threshing ground and refinery cheaply.”

“Threshing ground?”

“I heard that it’s difficult to trade grain with the landlords of the Traviel Kingdom, and this time, transactions with the landlords of Sichuan, Yunnan, and Guizhou provinces have become uncertain, and the farmland owned by Hwamyeong Merchant Group has been mortgaged, so the threshing ground and refinery will have to be idle for the time being, right?”

“What!”

Hwa Jung-soo was furious, but Seo Dae-young calmly accepted it.

“Instead of just getting angry, you should accurately recognize the situation and reduce the losses as much as possible, right? Even if you leave the threshing ground and refinery that you don’t use, what will you do with the labor costs of the workers who work there? Are you just going to tell them to play because there’s no work?”

Hwa Jung-soo glared at Seo Dae-young.

“To be honest, it doesn’t matter if you don’t sell it to our Guryongjang. Other merchant groups are also jumping into grain distribution, so if you agree with them, you can sell it to them.”

“Then why did you come?”

“If a merchant has even a 10% chance, shouldn’t they come and negotiate? We have also purchased land near the threshing ground and refinery operated by Hwamyeong Merchant Group.”
Hwa Jung-soo narrowed his eyes slightly.

“If Hwamyeong Merchant Group doesn’t sell it, we have to build it and use it. And if we hire the workers of Hwamyeong Merchant Group who are playing because there is no work, it will run smoothly without any obstacles.”
Hwa Jung-soo trembled.

“Like this, our Guryongjang can operate in other ways. However, it costs a lot to build new buildings and bring in facilities, so I’m making this proposal to utilize the existing buildings. I’ll match up to 90% of the market price.”

“What?”

“It’s clear that it will fall further if you just leave it, right? If we build a threshing ground and refinery next to it, the price will fall further. At that time, you won’t be able to receive even 70%, not 90%.”

“Hmph, try doing that.”

“I thought Hwa Dae-in [a respectful title] would make a more cold-hearted judgment if he was a merchant, but it’s a pity.”

“I’ll take care of my own business.”

“I’m sure you will. I came to trade as a merchant to a merchant, putting aside old feelings, but it’s a bit of a shame that the transaction failed because emotions were involved.”

“Hmph!”

“Then I’ll go back. I hope your merchant group works out well and regains its former reputation.”

“You don’t have to worry about it, it will happen, so don’t worry.”

“I’m sure it will. You’ve sold all your business locations, all your customers have been cut off, and now there’s no place to get money, but you have to repay 50 million gold nyang……. It will work out well.”
Hwa Jung-soo’s hand tightened.

“There are quite a few guys who boasted about their poorly learned martial arts and died at my hands. So, release the power in your fist.”
Hwa Jung-soo flinched.

“You should have chosen your opponent well from the beginning. What’s wrong with your family because you tried to covet our Lord’s things?”

“Do you think you’ll be safe after doing this to me?”

“Not anymore, not like before. Aren’t you the owner of a failing merchant group now? Just like you did to the Danri family in the old days.”