I Will Start Doing Business In Jungwon From Today [EN]: Chapter 15

I had considered sending a secret message first, but I didn’t want to make a bad impression with our first interaction.

Ok Gang-il would be devising a plan to conquer Gaebong, and specifically request the support of the Silent Blood Society, stating that he needs them.

If his demands are so blatant that they are unreasonable, it will only incur the wrath of the Silent Blood Society. If the demands are easy to grant, a bloody battle with the Green Blood Sect cannot be avoided.

Since the Five Mountains Sect wants to maintain the status quo rather than fighting and bleeding, they must naturally induce the Silent Blood Society to give up their support.

If Ok Gang-il is truly smart, he will demand support that the Silent Blood Society finds ambiguous to accept, and try to make it seem like nothing significant is happening.

About three days after the noisy first meeting, I received a message to meet quietly. Jo Gwang-yun summoned only Ok Gang-il to the bureau to avoid any potential issues.

Unlike the first time, Ok Gang-il didn’t display a polite demeanor. It wasn’t arrogance, but a look full of intriguing curiosity.

“I looked around and found out that you weren’t dispatched from the Black Blood Society.”

He didn’t spend the last three days just planning, but investigating? I liked his work ethic.

You have to think about *why* you’re doing something before *how* to do it, especially when it’s not voluntary but forced.

Was Ok Gang-il worried that the Five Mountains Sect would become someone’s pawn? Or was he trying to exploit this situation instead?

The answer was already clear. If Wi Dal knew that Jo Gwang-yun wasn’t a member of the Silent Blood Society, he would have already drawn his sword and attacked.

The fact that such a thing didn’t happen means he hasn’t reported it yet.

“Didn’t you ever think that someone brought in by the Silent Blood Society is more valuable than someone simply dispatched?”

Jo Gwang-yun tensed his lower abdomen and spoke.

“I heard you were dragged in and work like a dog, let alone being brought in? Hehe.”

“You can’t farm without a cow. Likewise, Gyeong-an Bureau can’t function without me. Didn’t you confirm that?”

“Now that I see it, you’re all talk.”

“I have guts and brains. Now… Why don’t you tell me what you came here for? Why did you secretly come to me, even knowing that I’m not a member of the Silent Blood Society?”

Jo Gwang-yun swallowed hard.

Depending on Ok Gang-il’s answer, achieving his goal could be easy or difficult.

“It’s because of curiosity. I was curious about what you were thinking, using such absurd tactics.”

“Is curiosity really all? There’s no other reason?”

“What do you mean?”

“Didn’t you think this might be an opportunity?”

Jo Gwang-yun carefully examined Ok Gang-il’s expression.

He couldn’t readily deny it, and his face hardened. It’s a common reaction for someone who’s been caught. In this case, you have to help the other person. Jo Gwang-yun changed the subject.

“I heard you have a good reputation? Smart, good at your job… A pillar of the organization…?”

“Cut the crap and answer my question. Why did you suddenly shake us up by invoking the name of the unrelated Silent Blood Society?”

“Money.”

The answer was short, but Ok Gang-il’s silence was long.

Jo Gwang-yun, unable to bear the long silence, said,

“Shall we talk over a drink?”

Ok Gang-il slowly nodded.

* * *

“No matter how much I try to figure it out, the whole thing doesn’t add up. I guarantee there’s a big discrepancy somewhere.”

“What discrepancy is that?”

“The difference between the money your organization gave to Yang-cheong and the money Yang-cheong gave to the Silent Blood Society.”

“You’re sure that bitch embezzled money.”

“Don’t you suspect it too?”

“I don’t know.”

Ok Gang-il hurriedly brought the glass to his mouth, trying to hide his embarrassment.

‘This guy is no different. How much did he embezzle?’

The problem with underground businesses is this: since it’s not transparent, everyone is busy embezzling money.

Ok Gang-il put down his glass and said,

“Now tell me, what were you trying to get by invoking the name of the Silent Blood Society?”

“I already told you: money.”

“How?”

“If you and I join hands, we can earn a lot of money very easily, right?”

“How?”

“I can’t tell someone who hasn’t joined hands, can I?”

“It seems like we’ve already joined hands halfway?”

“I’ll only speak when we’ve completely joined hands. I despise guys who only half-commit and test the waters the most.”

“Then what do I have to do to completely join hands?”

“It’s simple. Kill Wi Dal and take control of the Five Mountains Sect.”

“You’re crazy.”

Seeing Ok Gang-il, who threw out that word as if he was dumbfounded and picked up his glass again, I was convinced.

Among the morals of the Jianghu [martial arts world], loyalty is paramount. Isn’t death more natural than betrayal?

But Ok Gang-il heard the words to betray his lord and picked up the glass. He should have thrown that glass.

There is also an understandable aspect. If Ok Gang-il is the second-in-command, he will constantly compare himself to Wi Dal, the first-in-command. He is inferior to Wi Dal in martial arts, but he is much better at leading the organization and handles most of the work himself.

In his eyes, Wi Dal is just a guy who goofs off and eats because he founded the company, thanks to him. He would have already erased the difficult process of starting a business from his head.

For a guy like this, only the timing remains, and he will eventually turn his back. Jo Gwang-yun is just throwing him an opportunity to do so.

“Are you scared?”

“Stop it.”

“I’ll just cut to the chase. Except for the money that has to be paid to the Silent Blood Society, the rest is yours. You get all the money that Yang-cheong embezzles in the middle. I guarantee that the money Yang-cheong embezzles is bigger than the money paid to the Silent Blood Society.”

It’s all about money, after all.

Ok Gang-il must have finished calculating in an instant. His eyes sparkled.

“That means you’re going to get rid of that bitch Yang-cheong too. That’s the only way you can give me the money she takes.”

“Let’s get rid of Wi Dal and Yang-cheong, and you and I will create a new board. Two young men instead of a grumpy gangster and a greedy middle-aged woman. It’s a good picture. Don’t you think?”

“I don’t see the money you’re taking in that picture? Are you only half-committing too?”

He sees everything without missing anything. Jo Gwang-yun had to resolve Ok Gang-il’s question.

“I’m making you do the hard work, but if I take the money too, I’m a thief. Just think of the money you earn under your organization’s management as just organizational operating expenses. I’m going to earn more money with bigger businesses, and some of that money will go into your organization too. We have to grow the organization bigger.”

He doesn’t believe all of Jo Gwang-yun’s words, but it’s a temptation that shakes him. Ok Gang-il, who had been drinking for a long time, opened his mouth.

“If Yang-cheong disappears, will the Silent Blood Society stay still? She’s in charge of Gaebong’s funds.”

“In charge? She’s just a messenger. And a young, hardworking bull has come in; who cares about an old cow?”

Ok Gang-il put down his glass and stood up at Jo Gwang-yun’s confident appearance.

“I’ll take care of Yang-cheong first. If there’s no noise from the Silent Blood Society, I’ll take your hand. If I see any strange signs, you’ll be Yang-cheong’s friend on the way to the afterlife.”

Forgetting to threaten to the end is not because of his caution, but because of the characteristics of a fist-using guy.

“I’m curious how you’re going to deal with Wi Dal. I hope you don’t disappoint me.”

Ok Gang-il did not respond to Jo Gwang-yun’s sarcastic tone. Instead, he only asked a question that might be really important.

“Is all this because of money? Is there no other reason?”

Money has no secrets. It is the clearest and most certain motive. If there is another reason, you should not act rashly, because uncertainty increases.

Jo Gwang-yun thought for a moment and said with a smile.

“Money is everything… But if I had to say another reason, there’s one more. I’m going to stop working under someone else now.”

He thought it was a good reason. Hadn’t Ok Gang-il himself worked under someone else all his life? It’s time to quit.

End