The God of Death and the God of War - Chapter 32

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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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Evil Hegemon Martial God

Chapter 32

A squirrel-like round appearance with a small stature and build.

A pale face far removed from rough work, clean hands, and luxurious clothing without a single wrinkle.

The man, Go Bok-gil, was undoubtedly a wealthy young master no matter how you looked at him.

‘How did my life come to this…’

He was barely holding back tears that were welling up in his eyes.

It couldn’t be helped.

Even for him, who had lived as the youngest son of the Goga-jang, second to none in Changsha when it came to business.

Having a private meeting with the scoundrel who had recently caused unprecedented chaos in Sadocheon was an overwhelmingly burdensome task.

“Hey, Bok-gil.”

“Yes, yes!”

That scoundrel, Jeok-un, called for Go Bok-gil.

This was the lodging assigned to Jeok-un – a room that was neither large, nor spacious, nor luxurious.

It was truly a modest and ordinary room.

But Go Bok-gil trembled as if this place were a frozen hell.

“You still have what I asked for, right?”

“Of, of course! Lord Jeok!”

“Hmm, your complexion has improved quite a bit since I last saw you. You didn’t secretly skim some off to buy yourself something delicious, did you?”

“Ab-absolutely not, that’s preposterous…!”

Go Bok-gil shook his head at tremendous speed, desperately denying it.

His desperate effort not to give any excuse was evident.

Jeok-un, who had been looking at him with narrowed eyes, soon nodded.

“Alright, if you say it’s all there, I should believe you.”

“Yes, yes! Please trust me!”

“If even a single coin is missing, I could just send you to Noh Hwang-gu’s side.”

“?!”

Go Bok-gil was someone Jeok-un had met by chance at the gambling hall that Noh Hwang-mun had operated.

After saving Go Bok-gil from a life-threatening crisis, Jeok-un immediately made a request(?) and left.

-You have a vault, right?

-Pardon? A, a vault…?

-Yeah, the Goga-jang has traditionally given each bloodline member an untraceable secret vault.

-How, how do you know that?!

He had moved all the gold, promissory notes, and precious metals that Noh Hwang-mun had accumulated from the gambling hall into that guy’s vault.

Jeok-un’s words were a request, but absolutely not a request.

It was a threat with Go Bok-gil’s life as collateral.

However, in truth, even as one of the Ten Heavenly Lords of Sadocheon, one couldn’t carelessly mess with the Goga-jang.

The position that the Goga-jang held in Changsha was that enormous.

…But when has the world ever operated according to common sense?

‘After seeing that scene, how could I…’

The overwhelming force he had witnessed with his own eyes at the gambling hall.

Terrifying techniques that would haunt his dreams, even for someone from Sapa.

And above all, the insane madness of even challenging Dokgo Cheon, the master of Sadocheon.

“Haah…”

For these reasons, Go Bok-gil had demonstrated the greatest concentration of his life and completed the task perfectly.

When Jeok-un became the Daeju of the Oecheon Unit and summoned him again, he had rushed over immediately.

“Tsk, why are you sighing so unluckily from the morning breeze?”

“I’m, I’m sorry!”

“Tch. Anyway, the reason I called you again today is because it’s time to use the money in the vault.”

“…!!”

Go Bok-gil brightened at Jeok-un’s words and began speaking like flowing water.

“That, that’s right! Money is originally money because it circulates! If you leave it sitting, it rots! If you need it, may I recommend a few options? The most promising business these days is…”

The reason Go Bok-gil was stepping forward as if it were his own business was simple.

‘Good! If all the money in the vault is used, I’ll finally be free from this guy!’

He expected that once all the wealth in the vault was spent, he too would be released from his bondage.

Go Bok-gil went on to recite even the future business ventures that were kept secret within the Goga-jang.

“Ah, that’s enough. You can’t make big money with stuff like that.”

Surprisingly, Jeok-un flatly rejected his proposal.

“…Then, do you perhaps have something in mind?”

“Of course. When doing anything big, the most important thing, first and second, is money.”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah, just look at Heukpaesong. They tried to devour all of Sadocheon by slowly poisoning it with dark money.”

“Eek! Such, such words…”

Go Bok-gil frantically looked around.

If these words reached the ears of other Sadocheon warriors, he could face severe punishment.

But Jeok-un didn’t care about such things and finally revealed his plan. 

“Now, let me tell you what you need to do.”

“Just give the word!”

Rustle.

Jeok-un spread a map on the table.

The map showing all of Honam Province had markings scattered throughout.

“Buy all the mines marked here. Every single one without exception. Can you do it?”

“…Uh, Lord Jeok. It wouldn’t be difficult, but why these mines…?”

“Why? I told you. To make big money.”

“…With these places?”

Go Bok-gil’s eyes and expression were filled with bewilderment.

And he couldn’t help it.

All the mines that Jeok-un had marked on the map were entirely.

‘Wait, why is he telling me to buy all these abandoned mines?’

They were mines that had been abandoned because they were deemed to have nothing left to extract.

Go Bok-gil was also of Goga-jang blood. He knew this much information.

They were places with absolutely no current value, to the point where you’d wonder how he found only such locations.

‘Could it be…?’

A thought flashed through his mind.

Ha, truly befitting someone crazy about gambling…

Yes, there were occasionally such people.

Fools who mistakenly believed there might still be gold veins in abandoned mines that no one had found yet.

“Lord Jeok. From what I know through my family’s information, the mines you want are truly worthless places. Even now, if you change your mind…”

“No, it’s fine.”

“But, this place really isn’t…”

“Tsk.”

“…Ugh, I’ll handle it as quickly as possible…”

Go Bok-gil wanted to dissuade Jeok-un from making what was clearly a doomed investment until the end, but ultimately gave in.

He was more afraid of the fist that might come flying.

However, Jeok-un’s intention to buy the abandoned mines was truly sincere.

‘To wage war against Heukpaesong and later the Demonic Cult, I need enormous funds enough to buy several entire cities. To earn that much money, this is the only way.’

As Jeok-un was reviewing his plan once more while looking at the map, Go Bok-gil quietly stood up.

“Well, then I’ll be going now, Lord Jeok.”

Though the ending felt unsatisfying, Go Bok-gil thought that his connection with Jeok-un would end here.

“Hm? Where are you going?”

“Huh…?”

“Sit over there. Our Bok-gil.”

“What??”

Go Bok-gil wore a bewildered expression and unknowingly sat down in the seat.

Then he looked at Jeok-un’s expression.

Grin.

‘What, what is this…?’

It was ominous. Truly ominous.

Just as he shuddered slightly at Jeok-un’s murderous smile.

Jeok-un approached stealthily and placed his hand on his shoulder, saying.

“Congratulations.”

“What? For, for what?”

“What else. You’re becoming my first subordinate.”

“?!?!”

What did I become?

Go Bok-gil felt like he might foam at the mouth and collapse, but desperately held onto his sanity.

“Sir, Sir Jeok! Our Goga-jang only provides support to Sadocheon, we have no particular intention of joining a combat unit…!”

“That’s perfect.”

“What?”

“You’ll be the man who takes that magnificent first step at Goga-jang.”

“What, what does that mean?!”

Jeok-un spoke as if his future was already decided.

There were two reasons he wanted to recruit Go Bok-gil.

‘First of all, isn’t he the most suitable guy to be a figurehead?’

As mentioned earlier, Goga-jang couldn’t be easily touched even by a Daeju of the Ten Heavenly Commanders.

Because they had solid financial power as one of the Three Major Merchant Guilds of the Central Plains and had built strong connections with officials over the years.

But the guy before him wasn’t just suitable in terms of background.

‘He didn’t lay a finger on the items I entrusted to him.’

The most important thing for a merchant is trust.

Even if it was due to fear, not being blinded by immediate greed was certainly praiseworthy.

‘And he has quite a bit of sincerity and loyalty too.’

This was the biggest factor.

After Jeok-un caused a major incident in Ibmaeng City, naturally there were follow-up investigations.

Even when Goga-jang separately inquired about what happened.

Even when Sadocheon separately summoned him and asked about himself.

Go Bok-gil didn’t reveal what Jeok-un had done in the underground gambling hall.

Even if he looked like a frightened coward trembling before him now.

At least it meant he wasn’t trash who would sell information like a rat.

‘Besides, he could have just pretended not to know about the abandoned mine, but he told me about it anyway.’

Jeok-un only accepts as fact what he sees and feels himself.

Go Bok-gil, according to memories from before his regression, was merely evaluated as a half-wit abandoned by Goga-jang.

But when Jeok-un looked at him anew now, he was a not-so-bad sprout.

“No, no. I don’t know even the basics of martial arts.”

“You don’t know internal energy cultivation methods, but you must have learned at least one breathing technique for health, right?”

“That, that’s true. But that’s just for maintaining a healthy body.”

“Then that’s enough.”

“What?”

“This big brother will take care of the rest.”

“No, no. Sir, Sir.”

“Hey now, you should call me Daeju from now on.”

“Sir, Sir!”

Go Bok-gil wouldn’t easily call him Daeju.

It was a subtle way of expressing his unwillingness to join his combat unit, the Baekya Unit.

At this, Jeok-un put away his playful attitude and spoke in a serious tone.

“Go Bok-gil. Think carefully.”

“Yes, yes??”

“The elimination of the No-ga brothers and the negotiation with Cheon-ju.”

“…!”

“His people say all my achievements were just luck, but you who saw it directly know, don’t you. My real ability.”

“!!”

When he listed them all out, everything was true.

Jeok-un possessed skills he could be proud of and had produced remarkable results.

‘That, that is true, but…’

Thinking about it, there really hadn’t been anyone like this in the history of Gangho.

The only flaw was that he didn’t distinguish between right and wrong and had a bad reputation.

But hadn’t he himself seen Jeok-un’s true nature?

He was definitely not an empty shell.

‘Tsk, his personality is just terribly bad.’

Go Bok-gil thought this while glancing sideways at Jeok-un.

This bastard is thinking about getting beaten up.

Jeok-un guessed Go Bok-gil’s inner thoughts with amazing intuition, but let it slide once and put his arm on the guy’s shoulder.

“Listen carefully, Bok-gil. Everyone gets at least one opportunity in their lifetime.”

“…!”

“And when such an opportunity comes, you need at least the courage to seize it to completely change your life.”

“Sir, Sir Jeok.”

Go Bok-gil felt overwhelmed without realizing it by Jeok-un who was looking straight at him while speaking.

“If you miss it with your eyes open, you’ll regret it for life and can’t turn back. By then, the opportunity has already left.”

“…!”

“Are you really going to live your whole life being ignored like now?”

“!!”

Go Bok-gil’s body stiffened like he’d been struck by lightning at Jeok-un’s words.

The reason Go Bok-gil fell into gambling and lived as a wastrel was because of his elder blood relatives.

The brothers and relatives lined up above him had arranged everything so that he, a concubine’s child, could never find even the tiniest gap to penetrate the family.

No matter how much the commercial world operated on a winner-takes-all structure.

They had already made him a loser without giving him even one chance.

There was only one way to overturn this situation.

‘Right, breaking the game itself…!’

Just then.

Go Bok-gil’s eyes, which had been utterly confused, cleared up.

The moment he saw that, Jeok-un extended one hand.

“Take it. Then I’ll give you a new life.”

“…!”

Finally.

Grab.

“I’ll, I’ll do it, I’ll do it! Daeju!!”

Go Bok-gil grasped Jeok-un’s hand with both hands and shouted loudly.

“Hehe, good. I’m counting on you, Member Go.”

“Yes sir!!”

Go Bok-gil repeatedly bowed his head in response.

…But because of that, Go Bok-gil couldn’t see.

‘He’s been caught.’

Heh.

Jeok-un’s evil gaze looking down at him was like someone watching a fish caught in a trap.

“Now, since you’ve stamped your seal, let’s go.”

“Huh? Uh, where to?”

“We need to go meet your colleagues.”

“Ah.”

Only then did Go Bok-gil realize where Jeok-un’s steps were heading.

Baekya Unit.

It was the place where he would be taking up his new position as the person in charge.

“If you’re late, I’m going alone.”

“L-let’s go together! Daeju!”

Bok-gil hurriedly followed behind Jeok-un.

It was obvious that there would be extreme resistance against them as newcomers.

‘Well, I’ll be seeing you again after a long time. Hyeol-hu.’

Jeok-un paid no mind to this, only thinking of the dear connection he would soon reunite with at the Baekya Unit.

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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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