I Will Start Doing Business In Jungwon From Today [EN]: Chapter 8

< Entering Kaifeng (1) >

“You’re not foolish enough to forget your place, are you? You’re our property now. That means we decide how you’re used. Business? Of course, that’s fine. You can even do big business. But you’ll never become a big businessman in your own right. Because everything you earn belongs to us.”

Jo Gwangyun was a slave of the Mookdo Assembly.

Working until his body crumbled, working endlessly… a merchant slave who couldn’t hold a single penny for himself.

Though he acknowledged his bleak future, Jo Gwangyun’s expression remained unchanged as he spoke politely.

“I am not so foolish as to misunderstand that, sir.”

Lee Hak-lin blinked, taken aback by Jo Gwangyun’s polite demeanor.

“But exceptions exist anytime, anywhere, wouldn’t you agree?”

“An exception? Are you suggesting you’re an exception?”

“That judgment is entirely up to you, sir. I will only do my best to become that exception.”

A goose that only eats and defecates is trapped in a dirty pen, waiting to be slaughtered. But a goose that lays golden eggs is treated with precious feed, as long as the owner isn’t ignorant enough to kill it for the gold inside.

Surely, even the Black Faction isn’t ignorant enough to not recognize the value of gold.

“Then, if you’ll excuse me, I must hand over my duties.”

Lee Hak-lin narrowed his eyes, watching Jo Gwangyun bow politely as he left.

* * *

“So, it’s classified based on the central keyword.”

“That’s right. It’s a complete record of everything that has happened at the collection point over the past two years. The order is from the most frequent to the least frequent occurrences. You shouldn’t have much difficulty understanding it.”

“If something happens that isn’t recorded here…?”

“If it’s something not recorded here, then it’s something I’ve never experienced either, so I can’t say. But you have to trust your own judgment and make a decision. Isn’t that what a person in charge does?”

The successor’s face flushed slightly at Jo Gwangyun’s sharp tone.

It was such an obvious thing to say, but he had forgotten the meaning of responsibility. He had only struggled to avoid taking responsibility in order to survive under the Black Faction’s ruthless pressure.

“You are right. My apologies, I spoke foolishly.”

The successor adopted a polite attitude and watched Jo Gwangyun carefully.

“By the way… I heard you’re going to Kaifeng.”

“Yes.”

“I hesitate to say this… but it might be better to reconsider at this point.”

Jo Gwangyun put a finger to his lips, stopping the successor from speaking, and whispered quietly.

“There are ears listening. I was looking for a chance to ask you some questions anyway… Let’s meet tonight at midnight (子時, *zishi*, the hour of the Rat in the Chinese Zodiac, often associated with secrecy) at the inn behind the collection point.”

“It’s late, so the inn is probably…”

“I’ll take care of it.”

The successor swallowed hard at Jo Gwangyun’s secretive look and nodded.

* * *

“Kaifeng isn’t controlled by a specific power, so it’s a relatively comfortable place for merchants.”

“I heard the Beggars’ Union controls it, is that not true?”

“They’re just beggars who aren’t particularly interested in money. They sometimes come in droves and cause trouble, but if you give them a bit of pocket money for drinks, they’re grateful and leave.”

“Then what about them?”

Jo Gwangyun asked cautiously.

“Them? Ah, you mean the Black Faction? No.”

The successor shook his head.

“They only run the Gyeong-an Escort Agency and a few shops in the market street. And there’s been a long-standing, unspoken agreement in Kaifeng not to interfere with each other.”

“By ‘each other,’ do you mean…?”

“There are plenty of orthodox martial arts families and lower-level organizations of the unorthodox factions in Kaifeng. They all do business and make money. They’re the source of funds for their respective groups.”

The information the successor provided wasn’t much different from what Jo Gwangyun had gathered so far. The only new piece was the shops in the market street run by the Black Faction.

“You said a few shops, but what is the scale of their operation?”

“They’re all fairly small. I know they have a fabric store, an inn, and a brassware shop, that’s all.”

“Seeing as you came here, I assume you weren’t involved in managing those businesses.”

“Oh, sir, please. That’s too kind. Haha.”

The successor blushed at Jo Gwangyun’s respectful address and waved his hand.

“There’s a separate person in charge of managing the shops. I was only in charge of half of the escort agency.”

“Half?”

“Yes. Within the Gyeong-an Escort Agency, there’s another, more secretive escort agency. They’re the experts from the Mookdo Assembly, and I had no idea what they were transporting.”

Jo Gwangyun blinked, organizing the information the successor had given him in his head.

“Oh, right, the person in charge of managing the business and shops is a woman.”

“A woman?”

“Yes. She must have grown up in the marketplace since she was young, because she’s no ordinary tough cookie. Well… she must have that much grit to work with the Black Faction. No, you could even say she *is* the Black Faction itself, in that area.”

“I see. Is there anything else I should know?”

Looking at Jo Gwangyun’s sparkling eyes, the successor sighed.

“I don’t know what you’re planning, but please be careful, very careful. Martial artists’ blades show no mercy.”

Blades show no mercy, but before money, there are no familial bonds. Whether the Black Faction’s merciless blades are scarier, or the money that even controls ghosts is scarier, remains to be seen.

Jo Gwangyun kept these thoughts to himself, stood up abruptly, clasped his hands together, and bowed.

“I will engrave your valuable words in my heart. Thank you, sir.”

* * *

“How can you not ride a horse? You said you worked in an escort agency, what did you even do?”

“I was a needlepoint artist, so I traveled on two legs.”

“You idiot. That’s not what I mean! What did you *do* during your years at the escort agency? Ugh, never mind. It just hurts my mouth to say more.”

Lee Hak-lin grumbled in the carriage to Kaifeng. Jo Gwangyun was so uncomfortable at the sight that he didn’t know where to look.

The terrifying aura that made his legs tremble was nowhere to be found, and he constantly complained about the inconvenience of using a carriage instead of a horse. It was like a child’s tantrum.

‘This guy… his character is… complicated….’

He had heard that martial artists were fickle and had terrible tempers, but Lee Hak-lin seemed even worse because he was a Black Faction expert.

“I apologize, sir. When we arrive in Kaifeng, I will learn how to ride a horse immediately.”

“Really? You’re willing to learn?”

The car of this era is the horse.

Of course, he had to get a driver’s license, right?

“Of course.”

As soon as Jo Gwangyun’s answer landed, Lee Hak-lin’s lips curled up and the carriage stopped.

The carriage door burst open and a Black Faction member in the driver’s seat bowed his head and said.

“I await your command.”

“You go to Kaifeng first.”

“Then who will take care of the carriage…?”

The Black Faction member carefully raised his head and asked, but Lee Hak-lin simply flicked his hand dismissively.

“Yes, sir!”

The driver disappeared in an instant, and Lee Hak-lin stretched and stood up.

“Get off.”

“Yes?”

Jo Gwangyun had to get out of the carriage without knowing why.

Lee Hak-lin looked at the carriage and the two horses pulling it for a moment, then waved his hand once.

Jo Gwangyun couldn’t believe the sight he was seeing with his own eyes and gaped.

The sturdy carriage that had been tied to the horses until just now had turned to dust, and even its traces had disappeared, mixed with the whistling wind.

He had met quite a few martial artists while working at the noodle shop and the escort agency.

He was surprised and admired their abilities that surpassed human limits, but he had never thought it was as amazing as it was now.

Formless energy.

Lee Hak-lin glanced at Jo Gwangyun, who couldn’t close his mouth after witnessing the essence of it, and chuckled.

“What are you doing? Get on quickly.”

“…Yes?”

“There’s no carriage anymore. We’re going to Kaifeng on horseback.”

“H-How can I…?”

This is absurd!

How far is it to Kaifeng, and he’s telling him to ride a horse?

Jo Gwangyun hesitated even to go near the horse, but there was no other choice.

Lee Hak-lin had already climbed onto the horse. And he tossed a word back.

“I’ll go slowly, so try to keep up.”

It wasn’t slow. The horse he was riding ran like an arrow, and Jo Gwangyun could only stare blankly at his back as he grabbed the horse’s reins, watching him turn into a distant dot.

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