Almighty God of War - Chapter 22

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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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022

After Heo Ilbi left and Guyang Cheongang was alone, he asked Akasha.

‘I couldn’t ask in front of Uncle earlier, but what was the annual revenue of the Yang Dragon Pill manufacturer in the 21st century? It was much more than a few thousand nyang, wasn’t it?’

[During its peak years, the annual revenue of that medicine, when converted to this era’s silver coin value (1 nyang of silver = 1 seok of rice), is estimated to have ranged from a minimum of 5 million nyang to a maximum of 13 million nyang depending on market conditions.]

‘…What?’

Guyang Cheongang momentarily doubted his own ears.

He knew the revenue had been large, but he hadn’t thought it would be to this extent.

A few thousand nyang wasn’t small money either, but millions of nyang – the scale was completely different.

‘Akasha, I need a comparison. What’s the total annual budget of the Great Hwan Empire that you’ve analyzed?’

[According to cross-analysis of records from ‘Financial History of the Great Hwan Empire’ and various other texts, the current Hwan Empire’s total annual budget is estimated at approximately 50 million nyang of silver.]

Guyang Cheongang unconsciously swallowed dry saliva.

‘The expected revenue for Yang Dragon Pills is 5 million to 13 million nyang annually? That’s one-tenth to one-fifth of the empire’s annual budget?’

[That’s correct.]

Guyang Cheongang momentarily felt dizzy and pressed his hand to his forehead.

He had expected it to be larger than the projected revenue Heo Ilbi had mentioned.

But not to this extent.

The expected revenue Akasha mentioned wasn’t simply at the level of securing funds to revive the family clan.

Yang Dragon Pills were truly a ‘strategic weapon’ level business item that could shake a nation’s economy and drive all the powerful figures under heaven mad with greed.

The problem was that this wasn’t entirely positive.

This business was much more massive than the plan Guyang Cheongang had established to rebuild his family while excluding Golden Tower Manor’s interference, and simultaneously became far more dangerous than he had imagined.

The moment a cunning merchant like Dong Hyeondo noticed this tremendous value, he would immediately realize that Guyang Cheongang was a ‘goose that lays golden eggs.’

While he wasn’t foolish enough to kill the goose for its eggs, there was sufficient possibility he would try to secure the secret of the golden eggs themselves.

For a powerless person to possess treasure was to invite disaster.

Wrinkles resembling the character (cheon) formed between Guyang Cheongang’s straight brows.

The game had grown beyond his imagination.

Could he really handle this?

He had originally been a scientist.

Not a hero from movies, but someone who had lived his entire life in the cold air and data of research laboratories.

Assassinations, conspiracies, and power struggles between major forces were stories from a world too distant from him, things he had never even imagined in his dreams.

Yet now, he was trying to become the center of that massive whirlpool himself.

He scratched the back of his head.

‘Yang Dragon Pills… should I just pretend it never happened?’

He felt like forgetting everything and just quietly focusing on treating his Nine Yin Severed Meridians.

But several faces flashed through his mind.

Guyang Baek’s weary face after decades of holding back the family’s decline with his entire body, and Dong Yeonhwa’s deep gaze as she trusted him and told him everything.

Young brother Guyang Cheongi who truly followed and worried about him, and Guyang Cheongcheong who would run into his arms with an innocent smile, knowing nothing.

Even Heo Ilbi who believed in his absurd plan and willingly supported him, and Heo Choryeong who genuinely cared for him with sympathy.

Could he turn away from all of this now?

Could he just watch as they slowly withered away under Golden Tower Manor’s shadow?

Above all, this dangerous plan was directly connected to his own survival.

It was the only lifeline that would cure his detestable Nine Yin Severed Meridians and buy him time to live as an ordinary human.

Then Akasha spoke in a voice somehow tinged with laughter.

[Doctor, you haven’t forgotten the golden words about taking one step forward from a hundred-foot precipice, have you?]

The phrase she mentioned was a motto that Guyang Cheongang had lived by during his researcher days.

Coming to his senses, he gave a bitter smile.

‘…In the end, I have to proceed, don’t I?’

[Yes.]

After answering briefly, Akasha continued in an even softer voice.

[Of course, I know that as the plan’s scale has grown, the danger has also increased beyond imagination. It’s natural for you to worry, Doctor. However, your current concerns are somewhat premature. You’re forgetting one very important thing.]

‘What am I forgetting?’

[The fact that we haven’t established any mass production system for ‘Yang Dragon Pills’ yet. What we have now is just one ‘possibility,’ not yet reality. Making that possibility into reality is our first task.]

Guyang Cheongang came to his senses at her words.

Akasha was right.

Yang Dragon Pills were still just imaginary wealth and danger.

‘That’s true, but the size of that potential is dizzying.’

[Regarding that point, let me provide you with more precise data. Based on data from this era, I’ve estimated the Great Hwan Empire’s total gross domestic product to be approximately 2.2 billion nyang, similar to Earth’s Qing Dynasty during Emperor Kangxi’s reign.]

“2.2 billion nyang…?”

Guyang Cheongang unconsciously voiced the question aloud.

[Yes. And Yang Dragon Pills’ maximum expected revenue is about 1/40th to 1/22nd of that total production. Of course, it’s an enormous scale without doubt. But it also means it’s not a catastrophic scale.]

‘You mean it’s controllable and manageable?’

[That’s correct.]

Her following voice contained absolute trust in Guyang Cheongang.

[Above all, you’re not handling this enormous and dangerous task alone, Doctor.]

‘Hmm…’

[I will calculate all variables, establish response protocols for possible risks, and find the optimal path for you to proceed, Doctor. So please don’t worry too much. We’re partners, after all.]

At Akasha’s words, Guyang Cheongang felt the anxiety weighing on his heart melt away like snow.

That’s right.

He wasn’t alone.

Just as they had always found a way even in desperate situations, this time too they were together.

Guyang Cheongang let out a long breath.

‘Alright, Akasha. Let’s go together.’

[Gladly!]

That afternoon, Heo Ilbi promptly obtained all the medicinal ingredients Guyang Cheongang had requested as promised.

Guyang Cheongang immediately shut himself back in the alchemy room in Bamboo Forest Manor’s back garden.

His unique alchemy method was highly efficient, but the delicate process of handling Pure Yin Energy required tremendous mental strength.

So his limit was producing about ten Premium Yang Dragon Pills and fifty Regular Yang Dragon Pills per day.

Since they had agreed to start sales after sufficient inventory was secured, through the bamboo paper and grain distribution network operated by Heo Ilbi, there was no rush.

Yang Dragon Pills’ efficacy preservation period was four months.

Therefore, they planned to begin full-scale sales after one month once they had secured adequate inventory.

While Guyang Cheongang was absorbed in alchemy, Heo Ilbi sent a letter to Guyang Baek.

It contained information that Guyang Cheongang had decided to stay at Bamboo Forest Manor for a while to focus on recuperation.

Of course, concerned about the possibility of the letter meeting with misfortune and information being leaked, he didn’t write a single word about Yang Dragon Pills.

Ten days passed like this.

Guyang Cheongang, who had been shut up in the alchemy room, came out to the separate building to rest and clear his head.

Due to exhausting his energy and internal power through relentless alchemy work, his complexion had grown pale again, and deep fatigue lingered in his eyes.

Then, Heo Choryeong came to see him.

“Gang-je, were you in the alchemy room again? You’re really going to cause big trouble at this rate.”

Her face showed genuine concern.

“Your complexion looks worse than ten days ago. Your body isn’t made of iron, so if you overwork yourself like this, your illness will only deepen. Today, come out to the city with me to get some fresh air. We’ll see famous sights, eat delicious food, okay?”

Since Guyang Cheongang was also feeling extreme mental fatigue, he had no reason to refuse her suggestion.

“Thank you for caring, Elder Sister. I’ll do that.”

The two went out to the city and headed to Blue Cloud Inn, which they hadn’t been able to properly enjoy before due to Hwa Doryeong.

Fortunately, there was no interference this time.

It was when they had finished their meal pleasantly and came back out to the street.

Akasha’s voice rang in Guyang Cheongang’s mind.

[Those two at 3 o’clock and 7 o’clock positions have been continuously following Miss Heo and you since Blue Cloud Inn. They’re not ordinary passersby.]

‘Who’s following us…?’

Just as Guyang Cheongang frowned and was about to glance back in the direction Akasha mentioned.

About ten zhang ahead, a young man who appeared to be around sixteen or seventeen brushed past a shabbily dressed old woman and instantly snatched the money pouch from her waist before running away.

The startled old woman screamed.

“That, that bastard! My money! Oh no, my money!”

Seeing this, Heo Choryeong’s eyebrows shot up.

“Gang-je, wait here for a moment. I’ll be right back.”

Without even waiting for Guyang Cheongang’s response, she flew like a swallow to chase after the pickpocket.

Even though she couldn’t properly deploy her light body technique on the busy street, her speed as she pushed through the crowd was remarkably fast.

Guyang Cheongang’s eyes widened at the sudden situation and he shouted.

“Elder Sister, wait!”

Before his cry could even finish, Heo Choryeong’s figure had disappeared into the crowd.

‘I have a bad feeling about this. Akasha, what happened to those who were watching us?’

[They’re not visible. They disappeared when the pickpocketing incident occurred.]

‘Those people and the pickpocket… I’m getting anxious. I need to follow Elder Sister.’

Guyang Cheongang also gritted his teeth and ran in the direction Heo Choryeong had disappeared.

“Huff… huff huff…”

Before long, he was gasping for breath.

Although the constant qi circulation system of the Transcendent Impermanence Divine Art was continuously operating, he was still a patient suffering from Nine Yin Severed Meridians.

Moreover, for someone who had never systematically trained in light body technique, this kind of full-speed sprint couldn’t be easy.

Still, he didn’t stop walking while circulating his weak internal energy.

Fortunately, proving that the past hundred days of training hadn’t been in vain, he persistently narrowed the distance with Heo Choryeong without collapsing.

[Doctor, I’ll display the pickpocket’s predicted escape route in your field of vision.]

A map of Nanchang’s back alleys, tangled like a maze, appeared before Guyang Cheongang’s eyes, and a single red line began to overlay it.

It was the pickpocket’s predicted escape route that Akasha had mentioned.

Guyang Cheongang followed the red line and plunged into the narrow alley.

After running for half an hour, Guyang Cheongang was finally able to spot Heo Choryeong.

‘Hmm…’

The scene that entered his view could hardly be called good.

Heo Choryeong was surrounded by about ten men in a dead-end alley, along with the pickpocket child who had been fleeing.

At their center, Hwa Doryeong could be seen with his arms crossed, wearing a sinister smile.

The pickpocket child was now beside him, giggling mischievously.

Seeing the scene unfolding before his eyes, Guyang Cheongang immediately understood what was happening.

‘It was a trap to lure Miss Heo.’

No matter how crude the trap was, it wasn’t without danger.

Even though Heo Choryeong was a first-rate master, her opponents numbered over ten men, including Hwa Doryeong who had even studied martial arts abroad.

The situation was at its worst, but Heo Choryeong appeared calm.

Hwa Doryeong completely ignored Guyang Cheongang’s existence and spoke to Heo Choryeong.

“Miss Heo, can’t you understand my feelings for having to resort to such a trivial play? Let’s end this here. Either obediently fall into my embrace, or be miserably broken here along with that pathetic fellow. I’ll leave the choice to you. Of course, the consequences are also your responsibility.”

His voice was gentle, but his eyes blazed with what felt like madness.

Guyang Cheongang was momentarily speechless.

No, it was so absurd that his mind went cold instead, and even the emotion of anger felt like a luxury.

He simply found the low-grade blackmail drama unfolding before his eyes pathetic and disgusting.

‘Hwa Doryeong… I never thought a supposed descendant of a prestigious family would be this much of a complete mess…’

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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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