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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 8
Chapter Title: The Cold World of M&A
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#008. The Cold World of M&A
"Ugh, I'm beat."
Freelancing really isn't for everyone.
I won a fair fight, but if there had been just one more master like that old man, I would have been dead for sure today.
*Shudder.*
The thought of ending my second life as a virgin too is just horrifying.
'Anyway, it's been a while since I've been here.'
It was a safe house I set up in advance, thinking I'd leave Nine Dragons Fortress one day.
The plan was to wait here until the masters from the Red Dragon Hall secured the area and gave the signal.
"Where did I put it..."
I took out the first-aid kit I'd left in the safe house and fed a healing pill to the hall master.
After a short while, the hall master groaned, seemingly regaining consciousness.
"Ugh..."
"Are you awake?"
"Aaaah!"
*Smack!*
The moment she came to, the hall master suddenly swung a fist and clocked me in the jaw.
The sharp punch landed pinpoint on the tip of my chin, and I nearly lost consciousness for a moment.
"Y-you kidnapper! How dare you! Do you really expect to live after doing this?! I'll tell my family and..."
*Poke. Poke.*
I quickly struck her muting and paralyzing pressure points, stopping her from speaking or moving.
Deprived of speech and movement, she glared at me with bloodshot eyes.
She glared at me as if I were some kind of pervert.
Completely forgetting how she'd been playing queen just moments before.
"Sigh, I'll never understand women."
It seems to be a truly difficult problem.
***
"Good work."
At dawn, Jeok Hwa-ran, who had waited for me without sleeping, smiled brightly and said.
"But can you really ruin the Gold Blossom Hall just by kidnapping its master?"
"Just watch, Senior. This junior will take care of the rest."
*It's because I don't trust you.*
"...Well, if you say so."
*Anyway, if a problem arises, the Red Dragon Hall Master will step in, so it probably won't be a big deal.*
However, Jeok Hwa-ran seemed to think differently.
"This is our chance. A chance to leave a deep impression on my grandfather and the elders. You can do it."
"..."
I should just take the reward and cut my losses.
"The money?"
"...And so... like this... Huh?"
"Give me the money. I did what you asked."
"Oh! That?!"
As if just remembering, Jeok Hwa-ran took out a small wooden box from the desk.
Her confident expression made me want to smack her.
"Hehehe. Open it."
Inside the wooden box were two small pills.
One was blue with a clear, refreshing scent, and the other was red with a pungent, smoky aroma.
"What's this?"
"They're the Blue and Red Twin Pills."
"I'm asking, what are they?"
"What do you think? They're elixirs. You should know how lucky you are to have such a great junior, Senior. Where else would you find a junior who just hands over elixirs you can't easily get even with money?"
As I stared blankly, dumbfounded, Jeok Hwa-ran giggled with that uniquely annoying expression of hers.
"Are you so moved that you've fallen for me? Hmph, that would be troublesome... Well, if it's you, Senior, maybe I wouldn't mind going out with you at least once?"
"...Mumble mumble."
"What was that? This junior can't hear you unless you speak up."
"...You bitch."
"Come on, I told you to speak up."
"I said give me the money, you bitch!"
***
As I was fuming, Yuk Jin-hwa, who had brought in the Gold Blossom Hall Master, stopped me.
Fortunately, the moment something ample of hers touched my elbow, my anger instantly subsided.
Jeok Hwa-ran sniffled.
"Shut up! What did you do right to be crying?!"
"*Hic!* I... I was wrong..."
As my voice grew louder, Yuk Jin-hwa stepped between me and Jeok Hwa-ran.
That ample something swayed, drawing my gaze.
"Squad Leader Jin, please calm down. The Young Mistress went to great trouble to acquire this for you, did she not?"
"...Ahem, is... is that so?"
"Furthermore, the Blue and Red Twin Pills are a treasure that cannot be obtained without connections, even with money. I don't know how much you were expecting for your reward, Squad Leader Jin, but I assure you their value is not less than that."
"Hmph, I suppose I got a little heated. I apologize to Sister Hwa."
A man must always listen to a woman.
Following the advice of my future wife, I apologized to Jeok Hwa-ran.
"Well then, I'll be on my way. Tell me how things wrap up over a cup of tea later."
"Understood."
*So damn charismatic.*
***
After Mujeon left, Yuk Jin-hwa immediately reported the events of the early morning to Jeok Hwa-ran.
Somehow, she knew everything, and she explained every single one of Mujeon's actions in detail.
"...And that is the summary of how Squad Leader Jin brought the Gold Blossom Hall Master here."
"Has the Gold Blossom Hall Master talked?"
"We've called for Old Seok, so it won't take long."
Hearing the name of Old Seok, the Red Dragon Hall's greatest torture expert, Jeok Hwa-ran smiled coldly.
"I can trust him."
"And..."
"Yes?"
"It seems Squad Leader Jin has taken care of the Gold Dragon Hall's Shaking Gold Sword."
"Really?"
"We have intelligence that Young Master Geum left the Gold Dragon Hall with the Shaking Gold Sword last night. He returned alone. He must have been either gravely injured or killed."
"I had a feeling, but..."
"Yes, it seems your eye was accurate, Young Mistress. He is a hidden dragon among hidden dragons."
Yuk Jin-hwa was genuinely impressed.
In truth, the Shaking Gold Sword was not a particularly remarkable martial artist within Nine Dragons Fortress.
In the Red Dragon Hall alone, there were over thirty masters stronger than him, and in the entire Nine Dragons Fortress, there were over three hundred.
What was noteworthy was that Jin Mujeon, who was barely twenty years old, had taken down the Shaking Gold Sword—a seasoned peak master—all by himself.
To be this strong at only twenty, one could hardly imagine how much he would grow in the future.
"Hmph, that's why I gave him the Blue and Red Twin Pills."
"It seems Squad Leader Jin was unaware of their value and acted disrespectfully toward you, Young Mistress. Once he consumes the pills and deepens his internal energy, he will surely be greatly impressed by your generosity."
"I suppose you're right."
"Without a doubt."
"Speaking of which, I was so upset earlier... But still... he was cool... at me... even when he was angry..."
The night at the Red Blossom Hall passed by.
***
Ten days later, while I was on duty at the North Gate, I overheard an interesting rumor.
"I hear the Gold Blossom Hall is closing down."
"Not closing down, merging with the Red Blossom Hall."
"Isn't that the same thing?"
*Look at this. She swallowed the Gold Blossom Hall whole?*
As I marveled inwardly, the two men's conversation continued.
"But do you know how it happened?"
"Apparently, the Gold Blossom Hall was trafficking women to supply its courtesans. The Red Dragon Hall uncovered this and arrested the hall master."
"So that's why they took down their sign?"
"Exactly. They couldn't very well keep doing business after something like that. The rumor is that as soon as the hall master was thrown in prison, the Gold Dragon Hall handed the Gold Blossom Hall over to the Red Blossom Hall."
"So the master of the Red Blossom Hall has struck gold, then?"
"It seems so. She became the best in this vast Nine Dragons Fortress in just a month since opening. I bet she'll be raking in money from now on."
The merchants who were talking passed through the outer wall.
'Not bad.'
To handle things so cleanly just by catching the Gold Blossom Hall Master.
It seemed she handled it by offering to bury Geum Jong-dae's wrongdoings.
Still, if I'd known it would turn out like this, I would have demanded a bigger payout.
Instead, I got these useless elixirs.
Actually, I know what the Blue and Red Twin Pills are and what they're worth.
They're a mass-produced elixir developed by the Tang family—the greatest chemical pharmaceutical company of this era—that can grant ten years of internal energy with a single dose.
Thanks to the Tang family's outstanding refinement techniques, their purity is incomparably superior to other brands of elixirs.
Although, you can only take them once.
The problem is.
I don't need to get any stronger.
For a man, martial arts aren't all that important.
What's really important is having the wealth to support three wives and four concubines.
'Yep, that's right.'
Anyway, I felt it was a shame that the Gold Blossom Hall Master was in prison.
She might have had a kinky side, but she was pretty... and her chest was big...
I should add her to my list of ideal types.
As I was heading home, once again contemplating my life's goals.
'Huh?'
I sensed someone inside my house.
'Could it be?'
Did Yuk Jin-hwa come?
Well, I haven't shown my face at the Red Blossom Hall for the past ten days, playing hard to get. She must be starting to miss me.
'What an irresistible man.'
Once they fall for me, they can't get out.
Having prepared myself mentally, I stood before the door, making my presence as known as possible.
"*Ahem! Ahem!*"
*Creeak.*
Thinking Yuk Jin-hwa was inside, the sound of the old hinges was incredibly welcoming.
Just as I closed my eyes for a moment to savor the feeling, a voice greeted me.
"You're home?"
A clear and refreshing voice.
I opened my eyes and looked forward to see a beautiful woman with a pure, clean, and refreshing aura smiling at me.
It wasn't Yuk Jin-hwa, but it was someone who made me feel even happier to see.
"Sister!"
It was Myo Hyang, who had cared for me more devotedly than anyone else during my time at the Heaven-Ascending Pavilion.
A moment later.
A table was laden with food prepared by Myo Hyang. It was a full spread of all my favorite dishes.
"Wow, when did you prepare all this? And it's all my favorite stuff."
"How could I forget your tastes, Young Master Jin?"
"I told you to drop that 'Young Master' stuff."
"Should I? Then what should I call you?"
"Hmm... Call me Squad Leader."
"Yes, Squad Leader Jin."
"And speak casually. You're six years older than me, Sister."
"Later. And it's rude to mention a woman's age so freely."
"Is it?"
"Of course."
Seeing her face after so long brought back old memories.
'You have to eat your vegetables!'
'If you don't eat a balanced meal, there won't be any meat dishes for a while.'
'Where did you catch this sparrow! What? You're going to roast and eat this poor thing?'
'Did I tell you to put your clothes in the basket when you take them off, or not?'
"..."
Well, there are all sorts of memories.
But one thing was certain.
I would have never survived my time at the Heaven-Ascending Pavilion without Myo Hyang.
And to me, she was no different from a real older sister.
"Have a drink."
"I told you to speak casually. You're not a servant at the Heaven-Ascending Pavilion anymore."
"Later."
*Gurgle.*
Myo Hyang poured wine into my cup.
A floral fragrance instantly spread, stimulating my senses.
After downing a cup, I recognized the drink.
"Red Blossom Wine?"
"Young Mistress Jeok Hwa-ran specially prepared it for you."
As I accepted the cup, Myo Hyang smiled, rose from her seat, and bowed respectfully.
Startled by her sudden action, I couldn't say a word.
"I am deeply indebted to you, Squad Leader Jin."
"No, Sister!"
Myo Hyang, who had bowed her head, looked up with teary eyes and said.
"I heard from the Young Mistress Jeok that you risked your life to capture the Gold Blossom Hall Master."
"It wasn't that dangerous..."
"And you did it for me."
"She said she'd pay a hefty reward..."
"Thanks to you, I wasn't sold to Baek Ha-jin, and my younger brother in Nanjing can continue his studies safely. You are my greatest benefactor, Squad Leader."
"No, it was nothing."
"I cannot imagine how I could ever repay this debt."
"Haha, what's a debt between us?"
"So, I've decided to take care of you, Squad Leader Jin."
"Huh?"
Huh?