Dokmaeuiseon - Chapter 23

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

Chapter 23

 

 

As soon as the conversation began.

Namgung Yeon pressed Jung Myeong aggressively.

The urgency glimpsed in her eyes as Jung Myeong looked at her was no illusion.

Even knowing this, Jung Myeong simply listened quietly.

 

‘This is interesting.’

 

And so he heard Namgung Yeon’s proposal.

To summarize, it was simple.

She wanted a kind of alliance.

 

“An alliance between an escort agency and a medical clinic that just started. Isn’t this proposal too advantageous for my side?”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. The escort agency protects the medical clinic. In return, all I have to offer is one thing, isn’t it?”

“That’s right. The physician’s abilities.”

“Yes. That’s all.”

 

What needs to be done seems clear.

The escort agency protects the medical clinic.

Jung Myeong of the medical clinic treats patients when they come from the escort agency.

It’s simple.

However, it’s obvious to anyone.

This benefits Jung Myeong. Far too much.

That’s the problem.

 

‘There’s no such thing as kindness without a price.’

 

The scales are tilted too far.

There are more suspicious points.

 

“Yes. You say you want treatment, but don’t you already have connections with other medical clinics?”

“Yes. There are several medical clinics.”

“I thought so.”

“For reference, we also have two physicians affiliated with our escort agency. They’ve been with us since before our escort agency was established.”

“You have affiliated physicians too. And you already have connections with several medical clinics. Hmm….”

 

The question is whether he’s truly needed.

It doesn’t matter if Jung Myeong isn’t there.

The escort agency already runs well.

In this situation, the reason to specifically reach out to Jung Myeong.

 

‘There is none.’

 

And yet it’s a tilted cooperation proposal.

 

“This seems more like trying to establish connections rather than an alliance.”

“You could see it that way.”

“Is there a reason the escort agency specifically needs to maintain connections with me?”

“Yes. There is.”

“What is it?”

“It’s an investment.”

 

Investment here.

An unexpected word.

 

‘This is the first time I’ve heard talk of investment in this life.’

 

When an unexpected word came out.

The situation became quite plausible.

Jung Myeong’s curiosity was also piqued.

If she had known this beforehand and called it an investment.

 

‘I should at least listen.’

 

It worked well on Jung Myeong.

 

“You mean investment?”

“Yes. Investment.”

“Hmm….”

“From what I can see, simple explanations won’t even convince you.”

“Honestly, that’s right.”

“Then I’ll tell you. I was planning to mention this if we formed an alliance anyway. I have no choice.”

“You’re going to tell me in advance, is that it?”

“Yes. I felt it was unavoidable if I wanted to convince you.”

“Go ahead.”

“I want to inherit this escort agency.”

“You want to inherit the escort agency. Ah….”

 

Under the pretext of honesty.

She gradually continued her conversation with Jung Myeong.

And so the story that emerged.

 

‘This is quite big.’

 

She says she wants to inherit the escort agency.

This is no different from wanting to inherit a family clan.

Though she’s a daughter.

That doesn’t mean she can’t inherit it.

She could bring in a son-in-law and continue the line.

It’s a surprisingly common method.

In the end, what matters is the justification and means to inherit.

It seemed she intended to use Jung Myeong for that.

 

“It won’t be easy to inherit.”

“Honestly. Father has several children.”

“Then you’d need justification worthy of inheritance. No, in cases like this, would it be merit?”

“Exactly. Connecting with the physician’s medical clinic. Building good relationships and trust to establish connections. This is more important to the escort agency than you might think.”

“A kind of business expansion. Furthermore, an investment for the future under that pretext. Just hearing it sounds reasonable.”

“For now, yes. If that’s easier for you to understand, you may think of it that way.”

“Hmm….”

 

Jung Myeong’s medical clinic that had suddenly appeared.

Since that place looked promising, she wanted to extend her hand first.

Not bad.

It would be a loss for the escort agency for now.

But looking at the long term, it was right.

 

‘There’s no way my medical clinic won’t grow.’

 

Jung Myeong was receiving the system’s power.

On top of that, he had even declared the medical clinic as his territory.

The medical clinic’s growth potential was overflowing more than it appeared.

However, this was a fact only he knew.

Yet she was talking about investment.

 

‘She’s making this proposal right at our first meeting. Does she have good instincts? Or is she bold?’

 

Indeed, Namgung Yeon.

What was she seeing in Jung Myeong to want to make such an investment?

That had been his question all along.

 

“What are you trusting in me to say such things? What if I don’t grow even after we build a cooperative relationship?”

“I’m not trusting in you, Physician.”

“Then what are you trusting?”

 

As an answer to his question.

Namgung Yeon pointed to her own eyes.

 

“I trust myself, not you, Physician. This is a conclusion I’m giving based on what I’ve seen with my eyes and heard with my ears.”

“Ho.”

 

The judgment of her own eyes.

 

‘How refreshing.’

 

Did she think her words had worked?

Namgung Yeon pressed him further.

 

“Actually, I also think this meeting is fate.”

“Fate?”

“Yes. Fate. In fact, even if you hadn’t come here, Physician, I would have visited you in the near future.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. So we definitely would have met somehow, but since we met this quickly, isn’t it fate?”

“It’s a rather forced fate though.”

“If being forcibly connected is also fate, then it’s fate.”

“Hah….”

 

She had added fate on top of her own eyes.

That even forced connections were fate.

 

‘She even acknowledges the forcing, how refreshing. Not bad though.’

 

Words that struck deep into Jung Myeong’s heart, who wasn’t a native of Hangzhou.

However, Jung Myeong first chose to deny it for now.

 

“Even if you connect things that way, I don’t consider this fate though?”

“Hehe. Do you really think so?”

“Are you saying I don’t?”

“Yes. The Physician I know is quite sentimental. You’re the type who would develop small feelings from this conversation.”

“Ahem.”

 

The ploy of calling it fate.

The words that even if forcibly connected, it was still fate in the end.

Wasn’t she using those words quite well?

 

‘Namgung Yeon. This person is quite frightening, isn’t she?’

 

Strong against the strong.

Jung Myeong who actually approached the weak even more gently.

Strong to the strong, weak to the weak.

That was his essence.

She had clearly grasped his essence.

He could see the ploy she was using, knowing his character that was weak to sentiment.

That scheming wasn’t bad.

Right. Let’s acknowledge it.

He was attracted.

In that aspect, she passed.

 

“Do you think such sentiment will necessarily go to you?”

“You don’t have to give it to me. Connections aren’t always repaid.”

“But still, you said this… you want me to acknowledge it, right?”

“Yes. At least I, Namgung Yeon, was the first to recognize you, Physician, before anyone else. So I want you to acknowledge that I made this proposal because of that.”

 

But even so, the reason he wasn’t drawn in was probably because she was pulling him in too urgently.

Interesting.

Truly, an interesting woman.

 

“You’re not the very first. But you are the second.”

“You’re talking about Black Point.”

“You know about that too, as expected.”

“Anyone worth knowing in Hangzhou would know.”

“Yes. Then this conversation will be easier. Black Point is also a place where fate connected us.”

“Even if it’s a bad fate?”

“Yes. Even if it’s bad fate, I did receive the medical clinic from them. A debt is a debt.”

“Hmm…. That’s not wrong.”

“Yes. If you put Black Point on the scales too, I’m more like a burden than attractive, aren’t I?”

“Not at all. The fact that the Madman is concerned about you makes you even more attractive.”

“Hooo….”

“Of course, it would have been better if you’d found out first. But second place isn’t bad either.”

 

He even mentioned Black Point.

Trying to control the pace.

But Namgung Yeon valued even that highly.

Her attitude showed she didn’t mind either way.

 

‘He surprises me three times over.’

 

Not bad at all.

The way he tried to make a wager.

The way he assessed value.

Even his responses in the midst of it all.

 

‘At least there’s nothing lacking about him.’

 

He didn’t seem like someone who belonged at a small regional escort agency.

Should I say his vessel itself was large?

 

“Now, I’ve revealed my true intentions.”

“Yes. At least it seems you’re not hiding anything.”

“So I’ll ask again. What do you think of my proposal?”

 

Namgung Yeon asked boldly.

She was confident and self-assured.

Come on, hurry up and come over, Jung Myeong.

Her expression said there was no way he wouldn’t come over.

 

‘So this is how she’s been recruiting talent. A strategy to gradually build her power and take over the escort agency. Interesting.’

 

When it was time for Jung Myeong to answer.

His response was quite unexpected.

 

“Hmm… How about this instead?”

 

Instead of an answer, he was making a counter-proposal.

Namgung Yeon, who had been pushing forward with momentum.

Her intention to make him answer on the spot.

It was the moment her plan was clearly seen through.

 

‘Now, the momentum has shifted to me. Shall I make my proposal?’

 

 

* * *

 

 

Namgung Yeon and Jung Myeong.

While their push and pull was in full swing.

Far from pushing and pulling, there was someone burning with anxiety.

It was the Vice Guild Master of Donghwa Guild.

 

“Good grief. Why is there still no communication tube? Did all these bastards leak out through different routes?”

 

The Vice Guild Master. He had wandered aimlessly around the Deputy Leader’s Office all night long.

Unable to even step outside.

His insides continued to churn restlessly.

Because what he was looking for couldn’t be found.

 

“Still nothing? No communication tube either?”

“Yes. Still nothing.”

 

He endlessly searched for Chang Hwa-geom.

 

“That bastard still hasn’t come back?”

“Don’t you know? If he had come, he would have. Something must have….”

“Hmm. No.”

 

Even when dawn passed and morning came.

The Vice Guild Master stayed inside.

He was determined to see Chang Hwa-geom today no matter what.

 

“Then I’ll take my shift change….”

“No. Go out and bring Chang-gyeon as soon as he arrives.”

“What? I’ve been up all night….”

“What did you say?”

“…I’ll bring him as soon as he arrives.”

“Good.”

 

Chang Hwa-geom, or rather, now referring to him as Chang-gyeon.

He urgently demanded they find him.

 

“And to the Guild Leader.”

“…I won’t tell him, Vice Guild Master.”

“Good. You thought well.”

 

This urgency wasn’t public.

The task he had assigned to Chang Hwa-geom.

It wasn’t something he had gotten the Guild Leader’s permission for.

 

‘Is there really a need to get permission for something like this?’

 

Originally, recruiting team members including Chang Hwa-geom.

It was something the Vice Guild Master had planned alone to establish connections with the Golden Tiger Gang above.

It was also something that cautious Guild Leader would never have ordered if he had known.

The current Donghwa Guild Leader was satisfied with his present position.

 

‘I can’t spend my whole life just cleaning up after the Guild Leader, can I?’

 

Only the Vice Guild Master beneath him was burning with anxiety.

After all, he had no intention of spending his entire life serving under the Guild Leader.

So he had set his plan in motion.

 

‘Where the hell did these bastards disappear to after stirring up all this trouble?’

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