Abolition of the Wicked - Chapter 24

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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#024

So Gi-cheon rushed toward Geom U-bin as he emerged from the crowd.
“Brother!”
Acting on orders from Noh Dae-sul, So Gi-cheon had taken to asking Geom U-bin for alms whenever the latter appeared in town.
Though he might have been refused at any point, Geom U-bin showed no displeasure, consistently handing So Gi-cheon one coin each time.
Before long, So Gi-cheon had begun calling him brother, and they’d grown quite fond of each other.
“Kid, what if a beggar starts a brawl?”
“I was just going to take the hits. But he smashed my bowl, you know. Damn!”
“A beggar proud of a shattered bowl—you little fool!”
Geom U-bin delivered a playful flick to So Gi-cheon’s forehead before turning to I Pil-ryong.
“It appears your school’s disciple was at fault first. Shall we call it even?”
“I can’t believe this.”
I Pil-ryong’s expression was one of utter bewilderment.
“So they say Hang Ju-sa-ung’s nephew is strangely precocious, and now I see it. Would you rather I beat you instead of the beggar? Honestly, I’d find more satisfaction in that—at least you’ve got a name to your reputation.”
“I’ll offer my apologies. Surely that’s sufficient for the sake of face. Shall you withdraw?”
I Pil-ryong’s expression grew even more incredulous.
“Are you seriously telling me to back down?”
Geom U-bin didn’t answer, but everyone understood his silence as assent.
“For some time now, I’ve been curious just how formidable this Hang Ju-sa-ung is, whom everyone speaks of with such praise. If I beat you to death, they’ll surely come looking for me.”
“What a pity, then.”
Geom U-bin smacked his lips as he spoke.
“Since you’ve pushed matters this far despite my words, I’ll spare you regret. Let me show you that you’re not losing by ill fortune—I’ll end this with the Three Moves Technique.”
Had anyone else declared such a thing, I Pil-ryong would have felt genuine wariness.
But his opponent was merely a child of ten years old.
Though larger than his peers—looking perhaps twelve—a child remained a child nonetheless.
This only inflamed I Pil-ryong’s fury further.
“You haven’t met anyone truly terrifying. Today I’ll teach you some respect!”
I Pil-ryong extended his arm to seize Geom U-bin by the back of the neck.
It was a strike only possible if one believed absolutely in one’s own strength.
I Pil-ryong was certain he had the boy’s neck in his grip.
But his massive body spun through the air and drove straight into the ground. Between the screams torn from his back’s impact, Geom U-bin’s voice cut through.
“That’s the first move… but you’re not wise enough to surrender already, are you?”
Geom U-bin’s face hung above him, wearing a slight smile.
I Pil-ryong hadn’t the faintest notion what technique had struck him—it was his first time sprawled flat since he was ten years old. As he lurched to his feet, his teeth ground together with an audible crack.
“So the little bastard does have some skill. Now I’ll show you what real fighting looks like!”
I Pil-ryong decided he would kill the boy outright.
His side kick flew toward Geom U-bin’s face with enough force to shatter an ox’s ribs.
But there was no point if it didn’t land.
Geom U-bin twisted his body, slipped the strike, and drove his fist into I Pil-ryong’s side.
“Gah!”
I Pil-ryong gasped as if the wind had been knocked from him and sank to his knees.
“Second move.”
“You son of a bitch!”
I Pil-ryong gritted through the pain and threw his whole body at Geom U-bin.
Geom U-bin’s knee drove upward into the man’s jaw. In that instant, I Pil-ryong’s mind went blank—he never even heard the word “three.”
The massive frame collapsed prone, and a brief silence fell over the crowd.
It was the hush of an outcome no one had foreseen. Then someone began to clap, and the sound spread like wildfire through the gathered people.
“Of course—nephew of Hang Ju-sa-ung!”
“They say the tiger doesn’t breed litters—but his nephew’s no small thing!”
“That bastard strutting around like he was so tough—serves him right! Geom U-bin! Well done!”
Geom U-bin picked up his alcohol bag from where it had fallen and made his way through the crowd with an embarrassed expression.
“Brother!”
So Gi-cheon came running after him, his thumb thrust high.
“Brother, you’re amazing! If it weren’t for you, I’d have gotten beaten to a pulp by that guy!”
“Do you know why I fought in your place?”
“Well, it was to save you, wasn’t it…….”
“You did save me, that much is true — but not because of I Pil-ryong. How much longer are you planning to deceive me? I know your skill well enough. You could beat I Pil-ryong and have strength to spare. The real problem is that if you actually beat him, it’ll be much harder to keep begging as a street child, won’t it? I fought I Pil-ryong in your place for exactly that reason.”
So Gi-cheon couldn’t help but flinch.
Two years of training had opened So Gi-cheon’s eyes to martial arts in earnest.
His talent was so exceptional that even Noh Dae-sul had been astonished — by now he could hold his own against three I Pil-ryongs without breaking a sweat.
Yet no one had noticed that So Gi-cheon was studying martial arts. The fact that a street beggar from Hangju had become the renowned disciple of the Sect’s master and was receiving instruction in Gongfu was a closely guarded secret.
It was a precaution taken largely with Geom U-bin in mind — and yet Geom U-bin, the very person meant to be kept in the dark, had already sensed that So Gi-cheon was mastering martial arts.
“Brother, come on now. If those children from the martial arts school wouldn’t know — how am I supposed to beat I Pil-ryong?”
“If you feel the need to hide something, you must have your reasons. But I want to make one promise with you.”
“What promise?”
“Never betray your trust in me. Can you keep that?”
So Gi-cheon found no answer coming.
It would be simple enough to lie and say yes. But looking into Geom U-bin’s eyes — eyes that saw things in stark blacks and whites — he couldn’t bring himself to utter a falsehood.
After studying So Gi-cheon for a moment, Geom U-bin patted his shoulder and spoke.
“If answering right now is difficult, I’ll give you time to think it over. If you find later that you can’t keep that promise, just pretend you don’t know me. Understood?”
Without waiting for So Gi-cheon’s reply, Geom U-bin turned toward Wolhagi Pavilion.
Soon So Gi-cheon disappeared into the crowd as well.
From that brief backward roll, Geom U-bin had been able to judge So Gi-cheon’s level at a glance.
There must be a reason for hiding such skill.
Geom U-bin made no effort to pry into that secret.
Everyone has secrets, and the right to keep them is theirs alone.
So instead of asking about the secret, Geom U-bin had spoken of trust. If So Gi-cheon’s secret would compromise his loyalty to him, then the boy simply would not appear before him again.
Was that not enough?
So lost in thought about So Gi-cheon was Geom U-bin that he only belatedly noticed the scrap of paper Ha Seok-mun was holding out to him.

“What’s this……?”
“Starting today, you’ll need to settle accounts with banknotes instead of silver coins.”
“Banknotes?”
“Yes. Don’t worry. These are from the Cheonha Jeoljang, the most creditworthy house in all Zhongyuan — you can exchange them for silver anywhere.”
“But why the sudden change to banknotes……?”
Ha Seok-mun sighed.
“Silver’s become scarce in Hangju these days. Seven out of every ten customers are settling their accounts with notes now, so I have no choice. Strange, isn’t it? Where could all that silver have gone?”
In that instant, a thought flashed through Geom U-bin’s mind.
“Banknotes are fine. Then I’ll see you again in two days!”
After bowing, Geom U-bin hurried home.

“Master! Welcome home!”
Their excessive deference still felt unnatural. And “Master,” no less!
No matter that they were servants, using such a title for a ten-year-old boy just felt wrong.
“Brother, you’ve returned. I heard you made quite a scene at Market Street today?”
Do Pyeong-su grinned with obvious satisfaction.
Word traveled faster than rumor — news that he’d thrashed I Pil-ryong had already reached the disciples’ ears.
“We shouldn’t tarnish the reputation of our worthy sect. Though I admit it’s a bit uncomfortable when they call me ‘Master’ like that.”
“You find it uncomfortable? We can’t have that. Should I have them call you ‘Elder’ instead? What other honorific would be fitting?”
Seo Seok-san spoke up.
“Brother, you mustn’t concern yourself with such trivial people.”
Truth be told, Geom U-bin had barely had the mind to spare for Gangseо Samak and Se-hwa. Training in martial arts alone had pushed him to the brink of collapse nearly every day.
Yet however wicked those people might be, they all lived under the same roof.
Treating them as if they didn’t exist wasn’t courtesy, was it?
“What are their names?”
“Their names?”
O Tong-su opened his mouth.
“My name is O…….”
But the moment only his family name left his lips, he was cut short by Yeon Geum-hong.
“People hardly worth your notice, Brother. If you ever need to call them, that one’s Dungheap, that one’s Pigsty, that one’s Horsedung, and the girl’s Chickenscratch — or some such will do.”
Seo Seok-san suppressed a laugh.
“The whole house reeks of manure. We’d better sweep out all this excrement soon.”
“Let’s set that aside for now — could I see the disciples’ quarters?”
“Our rooms? Of course, feel free to look around.”
“Then I’ll take a quick look.”
Geom U-bin opened Seo Seok-san’s door first.
The man needed a good bed for his back, so only a large, fine bed sat in the middle of the room.
Around that bed, purses of various sizes lay scattered haphazardly, and silver coins spilled from open ones rolled across the floor.
Do Pyeong-su’s room was little different.
It was quite simply a wasteland of silver coins.
When Geom U-bin opened Yeon Geum-hong’s door, the brightness forced his eyes to narrow. Unlike the other two, Yeon Geum-hong had stacked silver coins neatly along one wall.
“I like the brightness. It’s better than lighting candles.”
But the amount of silver coins in Jang Man-dok’s room was woefully small.
“Jang, you spent the silver coins?”
Jang Man-dok shook his head and went into the kitchen.
Beside the stove, silver coins lay scattered about in a darkened, tarnished state.
“Silver is good for drawing out the toxins from medicines.”
Had the Bloodwind Four Lions’ financial sense been even one-tenth as keen as their martial prowess, they would have become the wealthiest magnates under heaven.
“Because we don’t spend the money we earn, silver coins aren’t circulating in Hangju.”
“What? Don’t silver coins just generate naturally?”
“Generate naturally, how?”
“We’d dig them from the ground.”
At Seo Seok-san’s words, the other three nodded in agreement. It seemed pointless to explain to them how currency actually flowed.
“We should probably start spending some money.”
“On what?”
At Do Pyeong-su’s question, Geom U-bin’s expression grew troubled as well.
Geom U-bin’s largest expense was the charity work at ten different establishments.
Beyond that, there were only modest costs for food and clothing—but where would one possibly spend such large sums?
As Geom U-bin turned his head, his eyes fell on Gangseo Samak and Se-hwa.
‘That’s it! Food and clothing are abundant now, so we need to improve our lodgings!’
“We should expand our house.”
Do Pyeong-su’s expression turned confused.
“Is the house too small now?”
For Do Pyeong-su, a space large enough to lie down in, the brewing house, and Geom U-bin’s cultivation ground were sufficient.
So even the house they currently occupied seemed somewhat spacious to him.
“We have new members joining us.”
“They’ll be gone soon enough. Don’t concern yourself.”
“They’ll be gone soon?”
“Ah, no. Not that.”
Yeon Geum-hong stepped forward.
“If you wish to build something grand, then we should do it properly. Just give me half a month. I’ll have it up in no time.”
“There’s no need for the disciples to suffer. We’ll buy the land and materials, hire workers, and build it ourselves. That way the money will circulate properly.”
Once that was settled, another problem arose.
In truth, this house had been built unlawfully on land whose owner was unknown.
Fortunately, no one had come forward yet, but there was no telling when the true owner might appear and demand it be torn down.
If such a person did appear, they would surely seek to reclaim their rights—only to suffer a beating from the Bloodwind Four Lions.
So they needed to find new land.
The first issue to resolve was location.
With the money Geom U-bin and his disciples possessed, they could have built a vast estate in the very heart of Hangju’s most expensive district.
Naturally, that had been the first thought.
But Seo Seok-san opposed it.
“If we’re right in the middle of the city, everything’s convenient, isn’t it? You wouldn’t have to make such long trips to deliver alcohol.”
Among the four, Yeon Geum-hong and Seo Seok-san—the two who possessed some measure of sense—clashed.
“Of course it would be. But convenience has its drawbacks. If we’re in a crowded place, that much more exposes you to danger. Besides, your alcohol deliveries five times a day are the only time you get to rest.”
“That’s true.”
“And crucially, if we’re in the city where there are many eyes watching, those who’d attack the brewing house might not come at all.”
“Huh?”
“We expand the house and enlarge the brewing operation, increasing our alcohol production. We sell not just in Hangju, but in other places too. What happens then?”
“Places that sell fraudulent alcohol will collapse?”
“And when they collapse, they’ll hold a grudge against us. Won’t others like Gangseo Samak come looking for us again? Gangseo Samak had no real intent to kill us, but what about those who come next? The world is full of wicked men.”
The faces of the three listening turned bright with understanding.
“Ah! The moths will fly to the flame of their own accord.”
“Right. We need to be in a secluded place so they come easily.”
Do Pyeong-su broke into a grin full of anticipation.
“Hehehehe! Let’s build the brewing house big and increase production so lots of those bugs come flocking.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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