Almighty God of War - Chapter 154
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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154
Shangguan Wana’s eyes lit up as she spoke.
“If the justification Young Master mentioned brings substantial benefits to the Gunma Alliance, Gang Pil might receive a reward rather than punishment.”
Then she asked.
“What are these substantial benefits the Gunma Alliance could gain?”
Guyang Cheongang looked at her and answered.
“That’s something Shangguan Family Head will need to create.”
Shangguan Wana’s eyes widened.
“…Me?”
“That’s right. The Gunma Alliance is also a group of people. They too will have matters of livelihood to consider. If Young Lady proposes salt trade to the Gunma Alliance under appropriate conditions, they won’t be able to ignore it.”
Shangguan Wana’s eyes sparkled.
“From the Gunma Alliance’s perspective, they lost five hundred Blood Tiger Corps members, but they’d gain even greater economic benefits.”
“Exactly.”
Yeom Pung spoke in an admiring tone.
“From Gang Pil’s standpoint, the Blood Tiger Corps’ annihilation becomes a blessing in disguise. He becomes a contributor.”
“That’s right. If a business relationship is established between Miss Shangguan and the Gunma Alliance, Gang Pil will have the opportunity to turn his failure into success.”
Jupyo, who had been listening, asked.
“Grand Young Master, what can we gain from successfully negotiating with the Gunma Alliance?”
Guyang Cheongang answered in a brief but firm tone.
“Time.”
His eyes gleamed as he continued.
“After making it clear that we’re not in an adversarial relationship with the Gunma Alliance, we buy time. Right now, we don’t have the strength to fight them head-on.”
“Hmm…”
Since it was an undeniable statement, quiet murmurs flowed from people’s lips.
Guyang Cheongang smiled slightly and said.
“But it will be different after a year. By then, we won’t need to worry about the Gunma Alliance.”
Shangguan Wana’s eyes sparkled as she asked.
“Is that possible? They’re a massive force occupying one of the Five Great Powers of All Under Heaven.”
“It’s possible.”
Guyang Cheongang’s words carried strong conviction.
People’s expressions brightened.
That’s how much they trusted Guyang Cheongang.
Yeom Pung let out a long breath and said.
“Young Master Guyang truly moves without wasting even an inch. Even while sparing an enemy’s life, he tries to secure what we need in the process.”
“You’re too kind. I simply think realistically. Even if we kill Gang Pil now, the Gunma Alliance won’t back down. Rather, they’ll try to retaliate even more severely.”
Shangguan Wana nodded and continued.
“You’re right. If we spare Gang Pil’s life as Young Master thinks, but make it beneficial for all of us…”
Guyang Cheongang smiled and said.
“At least for the time being, we can buy peace. And during that time, we’ll become stronger.”
Shangguan Wana also spoke with a bright expression.
“Understood. I’ll review the trading conditions with the Gunma Alliance. Something attractive enough that they can’t refuse, yet not detrimental to us.”
“I’ll leave it in your capable hands, Young Lady.”
Guyang Cheongang continued.
“I’ll meet with Gang Pil tomorrow.”
Having finished discussing Gang Pil’s handling, he stood up and continued.
“There’s something I’d like to show the three of you. Please follow me.”
Shangguan Wana, Yeom Pung, and Jupyo exchanged glances.
They sensed something unusual in Guyang Cheongang’s expression.
The place they arrived at was a large warehouse located in the deepest part of the salt factory.
At the entrance, about thirty elite members of the Jagang Corps, including Jang Cheol-un, Mong Ji-hye, and Jin Yu-han, were standing strict guard.
“Instructor.”
Jang Cheol-un placed his fist to his chest and bowed his head.
“Open the door.”
As Guyang Cheongang nodded and spoke, Jang Cheol-un unlocked the thick iron lock and opened the warehouse door.
Creeeeak-
The heavy door opened, revealing the interior.
Inside the warehouse, wooden crates were packed densely together.
There were so many that it was difficult to grasp their number at a glance.
Guyang Cheongang casually approached the nearest wooden crate and opened its lid.
Click-
The moment the lid opened with a faint sound, brilliant golden light poured out.
“Th-this is…”
Yeom Pung’s voice trembled as he saw inside the crate.
Gold ingots.
Neatly formed one-geun gold ingots were stacked orderly inside the crate.
They shone so brilliantly and enchantingly, as if containing fragments of the sun.
Shangguan Wana held her breath as she gazed at the sight.
Her gaze slowly began counting the crates filling the entire warehouse.
One, two, three… ten, twenty, fifty…
‘Surely… all of them?’
Her lips went completely dry.
“Young Master, how many crates are there in total?”
“Two hundred and fifty.”
Guyang Cheongang continued in a calm tone.
“One hundred geun in each crate, totaling twenty-five thousand geun.”
People’s complexions changed, shocked by the enormous amount of gold.
Even amid this, Shangguan Wana’s mind raced quickly.
Twenty-five thousand geun of gold.
Four hundred thousand nyang in gold coins.
Converted to silver coins…
‘Six million nyang…’
She unconsciously bit her lip.
Ten Thousand Gold Mountain Villa, one of the Five Great Wealthy Houses of All Under Heaven, had an annual net profit of about three million silver nyang.
In other words, these gold ingots represented an astronomical sum that Ten Thousand Gold Mountain Villa could only accumulate by saving pure profits for two years.
She asked in a trembling voice.
“…Is all of this yours, Young Master?”
“That’s right.”
Guyang Cheongang’s answer was short and clear.
The weight contained in those few words pressed down on the air inside the warehouse.
Yeom Pung’s gaze sank deeply.
‘Dongban Island…’
He recalled the ships moored at the wharf.
‘This massive amount of gold must have been brought from Dongban Island. He only went to subjugate Baekgyeong Bang and returned, yet in that time he obtained such enormous wealth…’
His brow furrowed.
‘Baekgyeong Bang didn’t possess this level of wealth. Then was there a gold mine on Dongban Island? No, even if there was a gold mine, extracting twenty-five thousand geun in such a short time would be logically impossible.’
But the one who made the impossible possible was precisely Guyang Cheongang.
Yeom Pung’s thoughts flowed in another direction.
‘In any case, transporting twenty-five thousand geun of gold from there means…’
He recalled the faces of the three hundred Jagang Corps warriors.
‘Two hundred and fifty wooden boxes containing one hundred geun of gold each… They carried this on their backs and walked the treacherous mountain paths of Dongban Island….’
Even for first-rate warriors, carrying one hundred geun on their backs and walking mountain paths for days was an ordeal.
Moreover, most of the Jagang Corps warriors had barely set foot on the threshold of first-rate.
‘They had six million nyang right before their eyes, yet not a single traitor emerged.’
It was a world where one could live comfortably for a month with just one silver coin.
Even pocketing just one geun of gold ingot and fleeing would allow one to live in luxury for a lifetime.
Yet among the three hundred warriors, not a single one even thought of harboring greed.
Yeom Pung found this fact even more terrifying.
Without realizing it, he let out a deep sigh.
‘What Instructor Jang possessed wasn’t gold, but people’s hearts….’
Having spent his entire life in a massive merchant organization, he easily realized how important this was.
More valuable than the vast gold was the loyalty of the Jagang Corps warriors who transported it.
A moment of silence flowed.
Shangguan Wana alternated between looking at the gold and looking at Guyang Cheongang.
Her lips trembled slightly.
It was clear she wanted to ask something but was holding back.
Yeom Pung was the same.
His gaze moved from the gold ingots to Guyang Cheongang, then back to the gold ingots.
In his eyes was a mixture of curiosity, awe, and self-restraint suppressing something.
Guyang Cheongang watched them with calm eyes.
Two people wavering between curiosity and courtesy.
Two people who wanted to ask but knew the line they shouldn’t cross.
He already knew what choice they would make.
Shangguan Wana took a deep breath and withdrew her gaze from the gold ingots.
“Showing us this means you want to entrust it to Mangeum Exchange, doesn’t it?”
“That’s correct, Young Lady.”
Yeom Pung nodded and said.
“Mangeum Exchange’s credibility is recognized throughout All Under Heaven. You’ll be able to withdraw any amount you desire with just a promissory note at any branch.”
A faint smile appeared on Guyang Cheongang’s lips.
They didn’t ask what had happened on Dongban Island or how he had obtained such astronomical wealth.
They simply responded silently to his request to entrust it to them.
‘These are indeed people I can work with.’
Guyang Cheongang muttered to himself.
Shangguan Wana fell into thought for a moment before speaking.
“I’ll proceed with depositing twenty-five thousand geun of gold ingots at the Iljo branch of Mangeum Exchange.”
She continued with a serious expression.
“However, transporting and recording this scale of gold in the account books will require time. I’ll complete all procedures within three days and bring you the promissory note along with official certification.”
“I apologize for the trouble, Young Lady.”
Shangguan Wana bowed her head as she replied.
“Not at all. It’s what we should naturally do. Then I’ll begin transporting the gold ingots starting tomorrow.”
Shangguan Wana and Yeom Pung left the warehouse.
Now only Guyang Cheongang and Jupyo remained in the warehouse.
Jupyo silently stared at the golden boxes for a while.
His hands were trembling slightly.
“Six million nyang… six million nyang….”
He paused briefly, then continued with a choked voice.
“With this money, we can revive the Guyang Family. No, we could make it an even more powerful family than before.”
Guyang Cheongang silently watched him.
Jupyo’s eyes reddened as he continued speaking.
“Grand Young Master, this old man decided to return to the family because I believed in you. But I never expected you to show such swift and certain hope.”
He bowed deeply.
“This old man’s decision to follow the Grand Young Master… was the best choice of my lifetime.”
Guyang Cheongang quietly spoke.
“Elder Master Ju, please raise your head.”
“Grand Young Master….”
“This gold is merely the beginning. True reconstruction hasn’t even started yet.”
Jupyo’s face showed determination as he raised his head.
“This old man is certain that the Guyang Family will surely rise again.”
His voice gained strength as he continued.
“This old man has wandered Gangho for decades and seen countless heroes. But someone like the Grand Young Master is a first. Your martial arts are outstanding, but even more fearsome are your magnanimity and strategy.”
“You seem to be praising me excessively today, Elder Master.”
“It’s not excessive praise. Winning people’s hearts. That is the first step to conquering All Under Heaven. The Grand Young Master is already walking that path.”
Jupyo continued with a trembling voice.
“This old man… wants to see the day when the Guyang Family stands tall in All Under Heaven. And if I can serve the Grand Young Master by your side on that day, I could die without regrets.”
“Elder Master Ju, you will surely witness that day together with me. I promise.”
A tear rolled down from Jupyo’s eyes.
The two men left the warehouse together.
Each time the silver waves of the coast crashed white, the sunlight caught at the tips of the spray sparkled like jewels.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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