I Will Start Doing Business In Jungwon From Today [EN]: Chapter 17

“Agh-!”

Agh? That’s a short scream. Jo Gwang-yun quickly checked Yang-cheong’s condition and frowned.

Ok Gang-il’s subordinate was just blinking, holding the bloody ear he’d just lost.

“Why are you doing this…?”

“Oh, dear. It hurts more if you saw it off slowly. Why tear it off all at once? Does it hurt a lot?”

“Ah, I see.”

“Give it here.”

Jo Gwang-yun snatched the saw.

“Watch closely. You have to gnaw at it slowly. That way, it’s easier to dispose of the body later.”

Strength surged into the hand holding the saw. He had killed people before, but this was different.

Murder only requires a single, swift stab, but sawing off a living person’s limbs is a completely different matter. But it was something he had to do, at least once, to prove himself.

Ok Gang-il and the Oryun Sect [Five Dragon Sect, a fictional martial arts sect] guys, who wouldn’t even blink at tearing off people’s limbs, were watching. If he didn’t show his mettle here, they would see him as just a clever merchant, not a man to be feared.

Jo Gwang-yun was just hoping that Yang-cheong would give up around this point.

That way, he wouldn’t have to pretend to be a butcher.

Yang-cheong was gritting her teeth and enduring the pain. Blood was constantly flowing from her almost-severed ear, and the floor was soaked with her blood.

He moved the saw to her ankle to avoid her gaze.

‘They were insiders.’

The face of the bespectacled actor cutting his wrist with a wire saw suddenly came to mind as the saw blade touched Yang-cheong’s ankle.

‘Damn it. The blood splattered so much…’

Ok Gang-il, unable to read Jo Gwang-yun’s mind, was watching the situation with interest.

“Do you think that guy will actually saw?”

“Judging by his looks, he’ll definitely do it.”

“Does it seem that way? I’ve chopped joints with an axe before, but I’ve never thought about using a saw. That guy is more vicious than I thought.”

It was fortunate that Ok Gang-il was only seeing Jo Gwang-yun’s back. If he had seen Jo Gwang-yun’s trembling hands, he would have seen through his facade.

Jo Gwang-yun put strength into the hand holding Yang-cheong’s ankle. If he hesitated here, not only Ok Gang-il but even Yang-cheong would ignore him and try to negotiate with Ok Gang-il.

Just as the saw blade touched Yang-cheong’s ankle and a faint bloodstain appeared, he heard her urgent voice.

“B, Brother! W, Wait a minute!”

That’s right. She wasn’t a staunch, resolute warrior, but a woman.

Even considering her already torn-off ear, he knew she wasn’t crazy enough to endure having her ankle sawn off.

Even when they get old, women are still women. She might be able to accept death by having her head cut off in one swift blow, but living as a cripple who can’t walk for the rest of her life was too much for her to bear as a woman.

Jo Gwang-yun pressed down harder with the hand holding the saw.

“Agh-!”

Another scream erupted, but she could still speak.

“Stop! Stop it! I’ll talk, so please stop!”

“Are you serious? You said you’d rather die with the money?”

“Y, Yes, I’m serious. Please…”

The sigh of relief that escaped Jo Gwang-yun’s lips as he took the saw off her ankle was drowned out by Yang-cheong’s even louder breathing.

This time, he put the saw to Yang-cheong’s neck.

“If you say anything stupid, I’ll saw off your neck. Talk.”

“Wangjang Village, Lee Yeon Inn.”

Ok Gang-il, who quickly ran to Yang-cheong’s side, said in disbelief.

“An inn? You hid the money in an inn?”

“Lee Yeon Inn is mine. I bought it myself.”

Investing the money she earned. There are ambitious women everywhere.

“So? Where did you hide the money?”

“The innermost room on the second floor. I don’t take guests there. It was a room just for me.”

“Hehehe. I see.”

Ok Gang-il burst into a strange laugh and said to Jo Gwang-yun, who was looking at him with a puzzled expression.

“Ah, this woman sometimes brought young studs to that inn. Now that I see it, she was hiding money and enjoying men… She must have been busy. Hehe.”

There was no need to inflict humiliation when all he needed was the money. Jo Gwang-yun asked Yang-cheong again.

“Where’s the money?”

“There’s a secret space behind the screen in that room.”

“How much did you stash away?”

“You’ll know when you see it, won’t you?”

Yang-cheong closed her eyes tightly and turned her head. She seemed to have given up.

Ok Gang-il needed to get confirmation from Jo Gwang-yun.

“I made it clear, right? Whatever money this woman hid is all mine. You’re not going to change your mind just because the amount is large, are you?”

“Of course. Take it all. And take that inn too. If it’s a good business, run it yourself and take the profits, and if it’s not, just sell it. Okay?”

Ok Gang-il grinned and approached Yang-cheong.

“Did you hear that? You have to hand over the inn documents, right?”

“It’s in there with the money. Do as you please.”

Ok Gang-il tapped Jo Gwang-yun on the shoulder.

“I’m going to take my brothers and go get the money. You finish up here and come.”

“I’ll take care of the end, so send the guys in an hour. We have to dispose of the bodies.”

“Is this my share of the dirty work?”

“You’re not going to argue about something that’s already been decided, are you? And don’t forget. It’s your job to take care of that guy Wi Dal too. Don’t drag it out, take care of it quickly.”

When Jo Gwang-yun glared at him, Ok Gang-il put his hand on Jo Gwang-yun’s shoulder and said quietly.

“Stop nagging. Let’s have a drink the day I kill Wi Dal and take the Oryun Sect leader’s seat. We need to get along better.”

As soon as Ok Gang-il left with his men, Yang-cheong shouted.

“You bastard. You said you’d let me live if I gave you all the money, right? Keep your promise!”

“If you give me all the money.”

“What?”

Jo Gwang-yun squatted next to Yang-cheong.

“Listen. A shabby inn and some unknown amount of silver is all you have? You’re smart enough to save up money and secretly buy an inn?”

Suddenly, Yang-cheong’s face changed.

“The most reliable thing is land. There’s no risk of it being stolen like silver. You’ve been buying land and stashing it away as soon as you make money, right? So you wouldn’t mind Ok Gang-il taking a few coins of silver. Hand over the land deeds. Then I’ll keep my promise. I’ll make sure you have enough to live on. Hurry!”

“Brother.”

Yang-cheong’s voice suddenly softened.

“Do you trust Ok Gang-il? That guy is treacherous. He’s not someone you can trust to work with. Why would I work with Wi Dal? Ok Gang-il is much smarter and understands what I’m saying. You’ll get hurt if you trust that guy. He doesn’t have an ounce of loyalty.”

“So?”

“It’s not too late. Join hands with me. This time, it’s for real. No, I’ll work under you. If I tell Wi Dal, Ok Gang-il will be a dead man that day. Trust me.”

It was a little sad to see her struggling until the end. Maybe that’s how she survived in this harsh world.

“Is there trust or loyalty in this world? Skill is loyalty, and ability is trust. Ok Gang-il will trust and follow me anyway. It’s just that I don’t trust him. Now, stop chattering and give me everything you’ve stashed away. I guarantee that if I search your place, I’ll find most of the land deeds.”

The silver was probably just the operating funds, so she kept it at the inn, and she kept the land deeds, which are easy to store, close by.

People always keep their precious assets within reach.

“Half.”

“What?”

“Give me half of the land deeds as my share. Then I’ll tell you.”

Her greed and persistence were truly amazing. But she revealed the truth because she was desperate.

As soon as the word ‘search your place’ came out, she demanded half. She must be trying to get the upper hand since she’s already been caught.

Jo Gwang-yun pulled out the dagger he had tucked into his waistband.

“The farmers who work on that land are the only ones who benefited. Now there’s no one to collect the rent.”

“What…? Wh, What are you doing?”

“It’s okay. It’s good if the land deeds come out when I search your place, and it’s okay if they don’t. Let’s just say I did something good for the tenant farmers.”

It was hard to stab her while looking her in the eye. Jo Gwang-yun rolled Yang-cheong’s body over. He grabbed the back of her head tightly to prevent her from turning her head, and then he shoved the dagger into her squirming and screaming neck.

He checked her limp body and slowly stood up.

He still couldn’t get used to murder.

End