Disciple of The Three Kings [EN]: Chapter 116

A golden silk gown, embroidered with a dragon that seemed ready to ascend to the heavens.

Inside the half-open gown, a chest covered in numerous scars heaved, causing the dragon to writhe.

Particularly noticeable were the tattoos.

Writhing.

Several dragons drawn over the scars, as if they were consuming them.

They stretched across his chest and shoulders, reaching up to his neck.

A man with a sharp impression.

“What the hell is this ‘seclusion’ of Chun In-woo?”

He was Geumgae.

A man known to handle a third of the Gaebang’s [a large, influential organization] funds alone.

At the same time, a man whose martial prowess was rated as heavenly.

Furthermore, he was.

“It’s said… that the head of the Hwasan Guild ordered him into seclusion due to the incident in Hainan.”

One of only three disciples of the Gaebang leader.

“Bullshit.”

At Geumgae’s gesture, one of his underlings brought him a water pipe.

“Puff… ha.”

The smoke that had filled his lungs spread throughout the room.

Geumgae’s sharp eyes instantly became hazy.

“Who the hell would listen to that bastard? He’s probably hiding and doing some other nonsense.”

A man who could call Red Plum Blossom Chun In-woo by his name so casually.

“Whatever he’s doing…”

Smirk.

Geumgae put down the water pipe and smiled.

“I hope it’s something fun.”

Geumgae sat on the table.

Before him, dozens of men and women bowed their heads.

“V, Vice Chairman.”

One of them approached Geumgae, kneeling respectfully.

“Vice Chairman, you say.”

Geumgae’s eyes twitched.

“Can’t you see I’ve been demoted to branch manager after being stripped of my Vice Chairman position?”

“H, Hup!”

The kneeling man suddenly clutched his neck, letting out a painful groan.

The man was turning as hard as stone.

“Let’s get the title right, okay? I’m already annoyed to death.”

“I, I’m sorry!”

Geumgae waved his hand as if he was annoyed, and the man returned to his original state.

Demotion.

Geumgae had clearly said that.

The group created under Geumgae’s name.

Originally, Geumgae held the position of chairman.

“Damn old man.”

But that chairmanship was taken away by someone.

Under the name of master, under the name of leader.

‘Excellent. But this all belongs to the Gaebang. When you prove your worth, not only Geumgae but everything will be yours.’

That was how Geumgae remained as Vice Chairman.

Crack.

But once again, even that position was taken away.

The Gaebang was now in a bloodbath.

It was because he had been pushed out of the competition for the position of sub-leader.

Geumgae, who had come to South Korea not as a refuge but as a chance.

“H, Heukgyeonju has taken the bait.”

Geumgae thought of this as another stepping stone for a leap forward.

“Heukgyeonju?”

A smile spread across Geumgae’s lips.

“I thought he was somewhat clever, but was he just a moron?”

Heukgyeonju, meaning the owner of the black dog.

A black dog who had been saved by the Gaebang’s grace, who had even gained immense power, but used that power to protect something other than the Gaebang.

‘Yoo Do-hyung.’

The owner of that idiot was Heukgyeonju.

“It was Lee Rowan, wasn’t it.”

A special guild member of Eunha.

“It’s no fun if he takes the bait so early.”

His sharp impression became even more ferocious.

But he soon smiled.

“Well, it might not be so bad. Proceed as planned.”

They called Gyeonggi Province in South Korea this way, didn’t they?

‘The Land of Opportunity.’

Geumgae also did not deny that.

Gyeonggi Province was…

Smirk.

It would become a land of opportunity for him as well.

***

“Jungsang Guild, Choi Jong Guild… Bluecon Guild…”

The names coming from Kang Eunha’s mouth.

The expression on Kang Eunha’s face as she spoke those names was something to behold.

An expression filled with anger, regret, and even a sense of futility.

“They were all guilds that wanted to relocate to Gyeonggi Province, and they successfully did so.”

Over dozens of guilds.

Player guilds that had applied to relocate to Gyeonggi Province after the gate raid and had established new nests.

“But…”

Now, less than a month later.

“They’ve all been devoured by Geumgae.”

They were not entirely intact.

“They use the same names, but the inside is completely different. It’s filled with players that Geumgae has placed.”

Taking everything and making it his own.

That was Geumgae’s way.

In fact, there was no legal way to deal with them.

The relocated guilds remained the same, and their interiors could be changed at any time.

The problem was that the guilds that had been changed inside were showing strange movements.

They were forming alliances and creating bizarre public opinions.

They were creating public opinions about Eunha’s non-existent corruption or opposition to Baran.

Also, they were buying up land in Gyeonggi Province with funds from unknown sources.

“At this rate…”

Kang Eunha said.

“In less than half a year, more than half of the player guilds in Gyeonggi Province will be under Geumgae’s control.”

Geumgae was taking over Gyeonggi Province?

Clench.

Kang Eunha was furious.

Geumgae had put a stop to Eunha’s rising fame.

And Eunha was.

“I’m… sorry.”

She couldn’t do anything.

Even if she tried to fight back, she couldn’t.

There was a huge difference in power.

‘Financial power.’

Even though the world had changed, that power still dominated this world.

“It’s money again.”

Lee Rowan said, as if he was dumbfounded.

“Geumgae’s tyranny is not just that.”

Ha Semin said in a low voice.

“It’s just the beginning.”

Geumgae’s methods were low and petty, but there was no way to stop him.

“Isn’t this Gyeonggi Province?”

Lee Yongjin said, as if he was dumbfounded.

“How can this be happening in Eunha’s sphere of influence?”

“The sphere of influence has authority over gate management and coordination, as well as other privileges, but it’s not perfect.”

In the end, it was a structure that belonged to the country of South Korea.

And that South Korea was occupied by Eun.

Eun.

“Well, it’s not like we didn’t know.”

The result of all laws and structures being carried out in favor of Eun.

Eunha was, after all, not yet part of the mainstream.

“Can’t we use the power of Black City?”

Lee Yongjin asked Ha Semin, as if he was frustrated.

“We can’t even predict how much it would cost to fight Geumgae with money. This fight here will soon lead to a fight across Asia.”

“Th, then what?”

“It’ll be a mess.”

It was Lee Rowan.

“The economy will collapse.”

Financial power exceeding trillions of won would clash.

The result would have a huge impact on the Asian economy itself.

The biggest impact would be on the players and the residents of Earth.

The place where the money of Black City or Gaebang circulates is not the top, but the bottom.

‘That kind of thing isn’t important, though.’

Wasn’t it unpleasant?

Such a pointless fight was not Lee Rowan’s way.

Also, in that fight, Gyeonggi Province, as well as Eunha, would be under immense pressure.

“Interesting.”

All of that would be a game set up by Geumgae.

A fight where they couldn’t retreat or fight back.

A fight using financial power.

Pfft.

Lee Rowan smiled and said.

A method that no one had mentioned, it wasn’t that they didn’t know it.

It was just that they couldn’t do it, so they didn’t mention it.

“The world has changed, hasn’t it?”

It was funny.

Those who claimed to be the masters of the changed world did not yet understand the changed world.

* * *

Eunha, which had been growing, was faltering due to Geumgae’s continued attacks.

They couldn’t even hope for mediation from somewhere.

‘The justification is on their side too.’

The incident where Eunha’s warriors trampled and killed Geumgae’s warriors.

If they were to make an issue of that, it would eventually turn into an all-out war.

Geumgae was, after all, Gaebang.

An all-out war with Gaebang was too much, even for the grown Eunha.

That was why Kang Eunha and the others were furious at their behavior, but couldn’t do anything.

‘Wait.’

Moreover, Lee Rowan’s orders were absolute.

They were just enduring, and enduring, and time was passing.

The situation was getting worse.

“First, Baran has repaid some of the guilds’ debts with Black City’s money.”

Black City’s money was being spread in places where Geumgae had not reached.

But this was only a temporary measure, and in the end, there was a limit to blocking money with money.

While Lee Rowan was in seclusion in the Blood King’s Castle, Kang Eunha and Ha Semin were looking for a way to overcome this situation.

Even during that time, Geumgae’s attacks were being carried out from deep within Gyeonggi Province.

“I didn’t know that protecting something would be this annoying.”

Ha Semin said, as if he was uncomfortable.

A fight that was different from his way.

If Geumgae had attacked Black City, Black City would have been prepared to self-destruct and fight Geumgae.

That was Black City’s way, and the way for the people at the bottom to survive.

‘If you look weak, you die.’

You had to show that if you bit wrong, you could die too.

But Ha Semin couldn’t do that.

Their attacks were not against Black City, but against Eunha, and Eunha was.

“Ha! What is Jincheon thinking?”

It belonged to Jincheon.

A sacred place that should not be hurt or bitten.

It was a fight that had to be protected, so there were various restrictions.

“Shall we kill them?”

“What kind of fish does the Vice Chief catch?”

Ha Semin said, as if he was dumbfounded at Lee Yongjin’s words.

“No, can’t we just kill them all?”

Guihongok, considered the best among assassins.

“Geumgae is not an easy opponent.”

Ha Semin said.

“He’s a heavenly master, and a disciple of the Gaebang leader. Even if the Vice Chief kills him…”

It wasn’t that he hadn’t thought about it.

“There’s no answer. Gaebang will step in. It’s an all-out war. Can you kill all of Gaebang?”

Only then did Lee Yongjin shut his mouth.

It was then.

Bang!

Kang Eunha, with long dark circles under her eyes, burst into the room.

“What’s going on?”

“The Blood Demon has called for you!”

Finally, the call from Lee Rowan, whom they had been ordered to wait for, had come.

They moved quickly.

In the basement of the Eunha Guild House, they were able to meet Lee Rowan, whom they had been waiting for.

His appearance was unchanged.

In contrast to that.

Queeng.

The eyes of the man kneeling next to him were hollow.

The man’s complexion, which looked as if he was about to die, was enough to make them feel sorry for him.

He was Heukgyeon, whom Lee Rowan had called before entering the Blood King’s Castle.

“Why do you all look like that?”

At Lee Rowan’s words, Ha Semin frowned.

“Do you not know? It’s all because of…”

“I told you to wait.”

Only then did a light appear in Ha Semin’s eyes.

“Is there really a way?”

He thought that even if it was Lee Rowan, there was no way to win this fight.

If necessary, Ha Semin had even thought of stepping forward and mediating with Geumgae.

“There is a way.”

From the beginning.

“Why are you all so serious?”

From the moment Lee Rowan trampled on Geumgae’s warriors, there was a way.

“What’s so special about catching and beating up some beggars?”

“Are you really… thinking of an all-out war?”

Ha Semin said with clenched lips.

He knew that was the only way.

But he hadn’t said it because he thought it was too reckless and a bad move.

“Well, it’s similar.”

Lee Rowan, who had said that, put his hand on Yoo Do-hyung’s head and said.

“The way you guys are acting is really strange.”

Lee Rowan said, as if he truly didn’t understand.

“The world has changed.”

The world that had changed due to the invaded world.

“The laws that make up the world have also changed.”

The world where financial power had become the mainstream.

That world had changed.

But these people were not adapting to the changed world.

No.

‘The changed laws are actually effective for them.’

The laws between the same warriors.

That was why their world had not changed.

The laws and morals, the rules that had to be protected.

Those things bound them.

But on the contrary.

“We’ll catch Geumgae.”

Because Lee Rowan, who was free from that, it seemed so easy.

Financial power?

“And we’ll take Geumgae.”

It was enough to crush them with greater force.

“Take him?”

Ha Semin said, not understanding.

Whoosh!

A holy fire began to rise in Lee Rowan’s hand.

That was the answer.

Crack.

A disturbing sound began to echo from Yoo Do-hyung’s entire body.