Acquiring the Murim with Money - Chapter 40

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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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Chapter 40. The River’s Return.

The laborers who had been sleeping jolted awake at the sight of No Gak, their eyes widening.
“The Faction Leader? A ghost? We heard you died in that raid.”
“You want me dead so badly you’d hold a funeral rite for me? I’ve got more staying power than that, you fools.”
No Gak crouched down in front of them.
“The ones who followed the Faction Leader—the ones who hit Chang Hae Pyo Nation. You know about them?”
One of the former Muryong Clan pirates nodded cautiously, gauging his intent.
“Do you know what’s happened to them by now?”
No one answered.
“Chang Hae Pyo Nation has Shaolin martial monks and swordmasters from the Bigyeon Byeokga. And the regular Namyang naval forces have mobilized too.”
No Gak spoke quietly.
“They won’t be coming back unscathed.”
The former Muryong Clan pirates exchanged glances with one another.
No Gak rose to his feet and spoke.
“The Muryong Clan that Hyung Gwang led—it’s finished now. The ones Chu Woo brought with him will be done for by today too. What’s left is us.”
“…That’s a good thing, isn’t it?”
No Gak turned his gaze toward the Dock.
“You pirates may be poor at fighting and plundering, but you know how to repair ships, don’t you? You row well enough too.”
The pirates nodded.
“You’ve all served alongside Hyung Gwang.”
The heads continued to nod.
No Gak smiled and spoke.
“Follow me. There’s work to be done.”

The Dock.
Several vessels were moored at Muk Su Island—Fast Patrol Boats, Flat-Bottom Barges, even medium-sized Cargo Ships.
Byeok Hyung Geom surveyed them and asked.
“What’s their condition?”
No Gak replied.
“The three Fast Patrol Boats are ready for immediate use. The two Flat-Bottom Barges and those three large Cargo Ships over there need repairs, but they’ll manage short distances. The rest are better stripped for parts.”
“So how many total?”
“Eight that we can take with us right now.”
Byeok Hyung Geom turned his gaze to the Bigyeon Byeokga martial artists.
“Move everything salvageable here and all the vessels to the Chang Hae Pyo Nation dock.”
The martial artists and former Muryong Clan pirates began moving. From the heavily damaged ships, they extracted only the essential components and loaded them. Then came the plundered goods piled high in the warehouses, the weapons, and the silver coins from the strongbox. All distributed across the eight vessels, which were soon filled to capacity.
A flawless looting operation.
The ships raised anchor one by one. Byeok Hyung Geom cast one final look around the island.
Muk Su Island receded into the darkness.

* * *

Across the dark river of Namyang, massive waves churned.
Forty Fast Patrol Boats commanded by Chu Woo Gyeong, the Faction Leader of the Muryong Clan, cut through the water like a serpent swarm, moving downriver. It was the largest military force to control the Namyang waterways in years.
Standing at the bow of the command vessel, Chu Woo Gyeong’s expression was cold and sharp. Even in darkness, his eyes—which scanned the current and surrounding terrain with keen alertness—resembled a well-honed blade more than any beast’s gaze.
“Faction Leader! Ahead—vessels! They don’t appear to be merchant ships!”
An urgent cry came from the lead Fast Patrol Boat. Chu Woo Gyeong’s eyes narrowed.
Five warships blazed with torches, their bows reinforced with red pine armor, their high superstructures—the tiered cabin decks—blocking the full width of the river.
Government Authority regular navy.
“Navy…? Fleet Commander Wi Jun. Has that old man lost his mind?”
Chu Woo Gyeong clicked his tongue softly. The navy’s mobilization was an unforeseen variable. Yet he recovered his composure quickly. The Fleet Commander had accepted bribes before, and surely he had no intention of full-scale warfare. And even in the worst case, while the losses would be significant, he was confident he could handle five warships if absolutely necessary.
Chu Woo Gyeong drew up his Inner Power and thundered across the water toward the navy’s command vessel.
“Well, well—if it isn’t Fleet Commander Peng Mu Jin! The night wind is cold, yet here you strain yourself commanding these forces. Are you unaware that maintaining peace in Namyang depends on the Muryong Clan and the Government Authority avoiding bloodshed? We do not oppose the navy—surely you’ll clear the way for us!”
It was before the eyes of countless pirates. As Faction Leader, he had to preserve his dignity while projecting ease, intent on breaking his opponent’s resolve through masterful provocation. In any case, there was no need to clash head-on; they could use the patrol boats’ speed to sail far around, make landfall, and strike Chang Hae Pyo Nation from behind.
But Chu Woo Gyeong had miscalculated one thing—the nature of the man named Peng Mu Jin and the magnitude of resentment that had been building within him.
On the deck of the navy command vessel, Peng Mu Jin’s face contorted savagely.
“That lowborn pirate dog! How dare he wag his tongue so brazenly before the Fleet Commander!”
Peng Mu Jin raised his hand sharply.
“All ships, load the cannons!”
The officers paled, rushing to stop Peng Mu Jin.
“Commander, sir! You’re actually going to fire? We haven’t received formal authorization from the Minister…!”
“Silence! We’re suppressing rebels—authorization be damned. Fire!”
Boom—!
A deafening roar split the night sky above Namyang as a burst of crimson flame erupted from the naval flagship. A steel cannonball tore through the air and struck the center of a nearby Fast Patrol Boat dead on.
Crack!
The hull, built of light timber, split wide open. The vessel sank in a single blow.
Chu Woo Gyeong’s pupils trembled.
‘The madman actually fired.’
But what was done was done. He steadied himself at once and assessed the situation with cold clarity.
“All ships, turn about! Retreat immediately! Douse all torches and put as much distance between us as possible.”
The Fast Patrol Boats of the Muryong Clan wheeled smartly about. With their speed, they could easily slip beyond the cannons’ range.
But it was precisely at that moment—
From the merchant vessels hidden in the darkness, Jin Mu Yeon raised a red flag high.
“Now! Hoist it!”
The instant his command rang out, a dozen Cargo Ships lurking in the reeds on both banks of the river hurled massive wooden barrels into the center of the channel and pulled with all their might on something taut.
Clang! Crash—!
Enormous Iron Chains, thick as a man’s forearm, surged up through the dark water. These were the chains Cheol Bang Ui had forged day and night in the Namyang Iron Works furnaces since sealing its gates under the pretense of illness—layer upon layer of them, firmly anchored to the anchor lines of every available merchant vessel. Now they rose from the water to form a perfect net, completely sealing off the river’s only escape route.
“What—what is this!”
The Muryong Clan’s Fast Patrol Boats, unable to slow in time, plowed directly into the taut Iron Chains rising from the water’s surface.
Crunch! Bang!
Hulls cracked open, masts snapped, and the vessels tangled with one another. Stripped of their speed, the Fast Patrol Boats caught on the chains and snarled together, becoming sitting ducks.
“Fire Arrows! Release them!”
Under Jin Mu Yeon’s command, Fire Arrows poured like rain from both banks of cargo vessels.
Chaos and screams.
Amid the burning ships and the cries of the dying, Chu Woo Gyeong’s mind turned ice-cold—he had barely escaped the cannon fire.
‘A rat in a bottle. No way out. Then there’s only one path to victory.’
Chu Woo Gyeong launched himself. Using the debris of a shattered Fast Patrol Boat as stepping stones through the air, he shot toward the naval flagship, his body technique cutting through space.
‘Kill this madman Peng Mu Jin and their command structure collapses.’
The moment Chu Woo Gyeong moved, Baek Un Hui’s group, who had been watching him intently, sprang into action.
Hye Gwang flashed across the water’s surface, Ju Yak Gyeong right on his heels. Byeok So Yeon rose lightly as a bird a heartbeat later, and finally Baek Un Hui, moving with barely controlled grace across the water, joined them. All five deployed their Qinggong toward the flagship.
Chu Woo Gyeong gritted his teeth and vaulted onto the deck. He ignored the soldiers around him entirely and hurled himself at Peng Mu Jin, his blade blazing crimson.
In that instant, gold and blue light flashed behind Peng Mu Jin in rapid succession.
“How dare you attempt to board illegally!”
“Coward, jumping ahead! Bald monk!”
A golden cudgel and blue sword energy erupted from the darkness like lightning, cutting off Chu Woo Gyeong’s advance. Hye Gwang and Ju Yak Gyeong.
Crack—!
The three weapons collided. A tremendous Space-Tearing Sound exploded outward. Chu Woo Gyeong was driven back a full zhang, barely landing on the prow.
“These brats… the famous bald siblings from the rumors?”
“Who’s a sibling! Get out of my way! This one’s mine!”
“Your swordwork alone cannot subdue him, lady.”
Despite their bickering, their Combined Attack was flawless—chilling in its precision. As Hye Gwang’s weighty Fortune-Breaking Cudgel shattered Chu Woo Gyeong’s defense, Ju Yak Gyeong’s Nine Palaces Sword Technique slipped through like a viper.
‘They’re strong. I’m losing.’
A cold glimmer crossed Chu Woo Gyeong’s eyes. Beneath his skin, crimson veins began to crawl and pulse.
He was forcing open the Blood Yin Energy, a Secret Transmission of the Blood Sect, to detonate his Hidden Potential.
The sinister aura that poured from his body made even Hye Gwang and Ju Yak Gyeong’s breath catch. They stepped back.
Chu Woo Gyeong’s eyes blazed blood-red as he began to run wild—
“Don’t move.”
Byeok So Yeon, who had been watching from the rail for her opening, rose silently on the Flying Swallow Step at maximum extension and seized Chu Woo Gyeong from behind. Her Assassin’s Dagger was already pressed cold against his throat.
At the same moment, Baek Un Hui, who had only just arrived, opened his fan with casual grace and spoke.
“You mean to release all your Hidden Potential? Is your life truly worth such a gamble?”
Chu Woo Gyeong’s body went rigid.
The Golden Divine Eye flickered in the corners of Baek Un Hui’s eyes.

[Target: Chu Woo Gyeong (Faction Leader of Muryong Clan)]
[Core Traits: Calculating. Profit-driven. Learned martial techniques from the Blood Sect but harbors no blind faith. Prioritizes personal survival above all else.]

Baek Un Hui smiled and struck at Chu Woo Gyeong’s weakness.
“There is still a path to life. All you need do is cooperate.”
Chu Woo Gyeong’s blood-red eyes wavered.
Baek Un Hui was right. He had climbed to the position of Faction Leader by borrowing the Blood Sect’s power—that was all. He had never harbored any intention of martyring himself for them. The situation couldn’t be ended in a flash, and if he continued raging like this to the bitter end, he would kill everyone here and still die himself in the escape. The math didn’t add up.
Chu Woo Gyeong slowly released his grip on the sword hilt he’d been clenching. The blood vessels crawling beneath his skin subsided, and the sinister aura dispersed. It was the result of a calculation both cold-blooded and utterly self-serving.
Clang.
His blade fell onto the deck. The moment the Fleet Commander surrendered, the remaining pirates—already in chaos—lost their rallying point and collapsed in an instant.
As dawn broke.
The riverbank of Namyang lay smothered in wreckage and black smoke.
Yet Peng Mu Jin’s face, standing on the Government Authority’s flagship, was filled with exultant laughter.
“Our losses?”
“Not a single casualty among the naval forces, sir!”
It had been a one-sided battle born from overwhelming numbers, cannons, and the trap perfected through coordination with Namyang merchants—including the Chang Hae Pyo Nation.
Peng Mu Jin nodded, looking at Baek Un Hui and Jin Mu Yeon.
“As promised, I’m entrusting all the cleanup to you two. While I have authority as the field commander, I’ve already involved myself far deeper than the orders from above warranted. We’ll withdraw immediately, so handle the remaining work yourselves.”
“We are grateful for the Government Authority’s benevolence, Commander. These pirates who have surrendered or are scattered about—we’ll organize them properly and send them to the authorities.”
Baek Un Hui and Jin Mu Yeon bowed respectfully. Peng Mu Jin laughed heartily and turned his ship’s bow away.

Shortly after, once the cleanup was complete, So Ryang approached Baek Un Hui carrying an abacus. His voice trembled with excitement.
“Baek Un Hui. This isn’t a dream, is it?”
“What do you mean?”
“We took on over forty Fast Patrol Boats and suffered zero losses on our side. Nearly twenty vessels destroyed by cannons and fire arrows. Meanwhile, around six ships managed to escape. And… the Chang Hae Pyo Nation alone captured fifteen intact vessels. Not to mention eighty-eight prisoners to hand over to the authorities. Among them are quite a few with bounties on their heads. So if we combine the bounties with the labor compensation fees…”
So Ryang, breathing heavily, held up the abacus to show him.
“This is enough to establish an entirely new, substantial trading house in Namyang and still have surplus.”
“Not all of this is ours. And beyond the money—we’ve already gained something far more valuable.”
The darkness receded entirely, and the red morning sun, climbing high in the sky, began to illuminate the waters of Namyang.
Above the river where the wreckage of dozens of Fast Patrol Boats drifted, Jin Mu Yeon, the merchants, and the people of the Chang Hae Pyo Nation at last erupted in jubilation. It was a perfect, overwhelming victory—the changing of masters in Namyang itself.

Buying Out the Martial Realm, Chapter 40

AUTHOR
Song Jjuun Bol
PUBLISHER
Daon Creative
PLANNING / EDITING / PRODUCTION
Yun Tae Ri
COVER
Sik

UCI
G720:N+A036-20260907057.0040

© 2026, Song Jjuun Bol

※ This e-book is protected under the Copyright Law of the Republic of Korea.
No part or whole of this work may be reprocessed in any form without permission from the author and publisher.

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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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