The Owner Of The Thousand Gold Coins Is A Military Official - Chapter 109

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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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Chapter 109

“Do you know who attacked Sohyeop?”

“Shouldn’t I know? That head you personally brought… he seemed to be their leader.”

Good intuition.

He would be quick-witted too, and his martial prowess was also excellent.

And lastly, the scale of his wealth was enormous—far too enormous.

‘…I must recruit him by all means.’

Then what should I give him to satisfy him?

What could this Patriarch of Cheongeumjang have been seeking, wandering these streets without guards?

Asking what he wanted would be a poor strategy.

Only by grasping this with one’s own ability would one earn the right to have a conversation.

“It’s Salmaek.”

“Salmaek… you say? But the hidden weapons belonged to Saseokryeon.”

“Isn’t it obvious?”

They would drive Danju-level experts into a death trap, then fabricate evidence to put another Assassin Group in crisis.

They hadn’t doubted or underestimated Cheongun’s martial prowess.

Rather, they believed what they had heard and prepared their own secret plan to seize the position in one stroke.

It wasn’t a bad choice, but that was only when their leader was alive.

Having suddenly lost everyone, Salmaek’s collapse was now just a matter of time.

“I see. Now I’m beginning to understand the situation.”

“Isn’t it sordid?”

“I don’t feel that way. However, if they were going to do it, they should have done it properly.”

“Haha. Right. Whatever you do, you should do it properly.”

Soon Dokgo Geom raised his cup, and Cheongun raised his cup accordingly.

“Ah, there’s truly no place with fragrance as good as this.”

“The fragrance is certainly quite good.”

“Is that so? Ah, there’s something I’d like to ask of you.”

“Please speak.”

Dokgo Geom filled his cup again, then emptied it again.

Then he erased the relatively light expression he had shown until just before and spoke.

“Have you considered joining the Martial Arts Alliance?”

“Didn’t you already hear who I am and where I’m from?”

“Right. I heard. The Patriarch of Cheongeumjang.”

“Yet you still ask me to join the Martial Arts Alliance?”

Cheongun was well-mannered.

Just from conversing with him, one wouldn’t think at all that he was the heir of a place standing atop endless gold.

However, that didn’t mean he was an easy person.

He was showing respect and giving appropriate treatment, but that was as far as it went.

If one wanted more than that, they had to bring a corresponding price.

“I think I could help you obtain what you desire.”

“What I desire. Do you know what that is, senior?”

The direction of the conversation began to grow somewhat sharp.

Not to an acute level, but it was a flow completely opposite to calling each other senior and junior and coming to Giru together.

“What you’re most anxious about. It’s neutrality, isn’t it?”

This was like a gamble for Dokgo Geom.

Within extremely limited information, this was the only thing he could deduce.

That one thing Cheongun had answered to Dokgo Geom’s question in their earlier conversation.

Having feet in both the government and martial world, unable to prioritize either one more, nor neglect either.

Also, within the martial world, it was always a target for the Demonic Sect as well.

‘Neutrality always demands power.’

If one couldn’t cultivate such power, it would only amount to hiding out of fear of loss.

“More precisely, I believe what our junior wants is to have the power for neutrality.”

“As expected of you, senior.”

A very, very faint smile playing at Cheongun’s lips.

For some reason, Dokgo Geom felt an eerie sensation from that smile.

“However…”

This time it was Cheongun’s cup that was emptied.

Slowly.

Even while drinking, he didn’t take his gaze off him for even a moment.

Receiving that emotionless stare, he even had the thought that he was being appraised.

“What can you give me, senior?”

It was a question not much different from the earlier one, but the meaning contained was quite different.

Even if you knew what someone wanted, if you couldn’t actually give anything, it would be meaningless.

So it meant to speak of what he could actually offer.

“As you already know, I’m serving as Daeju of the Gyeolho Faction.”

“Yes. It’s been about two weeks now.”

“You probably know that the Martial Arts Alliance is planning to create military units centered on the Blue Righteousness Corps, Yellow Righteousness Corps, and rising talents.”

“I’ve heard that as well.”

“If you wish, I could arrange for a new corps to be established.”

It was an unexpected proposal.

At most, he would offer a position like vice-commander.

He thought it would end like that.

What Dokgo Geom was saying now meant to create a new military unit and fill it with people of his choosing.

To personally select those who would follow Cheongun’s orders and become his closest associates within the Martial Arts Alliance.

It was like the greatest thing Dokgo Geom could offer.

It wasn’t just that simple.

If someone belonging to Cheongun became a key figure in the Martial Arts Alliance, there would be the advantage of naturally being able to back himself with part of the Alliance’s power.

However, Cheongun didn’t desire even that much.

If Cheongun were to gain power, that power had to be used as a stepping stone, not something to lean on.

Without anyone’s help.

Cheongun wanted to achieve it on his own.

He could receive help, but it shouldn’t exceed an appropriate level.

And Dokgo Geom’s current proposal had quite exceeded that level.

Though the world’s assessment of Dokgo Geom was close to laziness, that was something one could say only from not knowing well.

Usually, those who occupied such key positions yet received evaluations of laziness were one of two types.

Either they had obtained that position through backing, or they were raising several snakes within.

Though he didn’t know Dokgo Geom well, he was certain it wasn’t the former.

So it would be the latter.

“I’m grateful for your words, but…”

Was it ultimately a refusal?

Well, what would the Patriarch of Cheongeumjang lack that he would join the Martial Arts Alliance?

And as a military unit at that.

“Even without that proposal, I’m thinking of joining one of the two corps.”

“…Really?”

“I don’t have the bad taste of lying to you, senior.”

“Haha. Sorry. I didn’t know you valued righteousness and chivalry so much. I’m quite impressed.”

“I’m a merchant, but I’m also a martial artist, aren’t I?”

Dokgo Geom quite liked Cheongun.

Appropriately honest, appropriately courteous.

Perhaps because of his merchant bloodline, he was quite quick-witted.

“I happen to be returning there. How about going together? If you come with me, you won’t need to take the entrance exam.”

“I would like to do so, but I’m actually in the middle of a business trip right now.”

“Ah, then it can’t be helped. By any chance, where are you headed?”

“I’m going to Shandong.”

“Then you’ll need quite some time. The recruitment will be ongoing, so feel free to visit when convenient.”

“Yes, I will do so.”

After that, personal conversations followed.

Dokgo Geom mainly asked Cheongun many questions related to martial arts.

Whether he had a master, and if so, who it was.

Cheongun did have someone he could call a master now, but even someone as straightforward as Cheongun wouldn’t suddenly mention Geomma’s name.

The two who had been conversing for quite a long time finally rose from their seats when night had grown late.

For both Cheongun and Dokgo Geom.

It had been quite a meaningful time.

Dokgo Geom sensed that a new rising star had appeared in Gangho, and Cheongun was able to obtain a bit more information about the Martial Arts Alliance.

Returning to his chamber, Cheongun recalled Dokgo Geom’s proposal again.

Since it was a proposal he had already declined, reconsidering it was meaningless, but if he focused on the significance of being able to make such a proposal, the story changed.

“The factions within the Martial Arts Alliance seem to be taking shape as well.”

Wherever people gather, there cannot be no factions.

Just as in the Demonic Sect, those supporting each Junior Patriarch candidate were all different, the Martial Arts Alliance was the same.

Cheongeumjang was like that right now, and the Five Great Sects and Nine Sects and One School were no different.

Factions exist everywhere.

The difference lies in whether they are revealed or not, and it seemed some of that was becoming visible.

First, Dokgo Geom clearly intended to make the two newly established units his faction.

Though it wasn’t yet clear in detail which side Dokgo Geom belonged to, it was mostly either the Martial Arts Alliance Leader or the opposite side.

“That means the two units haven’t had their course firmly decided yet…”

Isn’t this quite a big opportunity?

Cheongun would create a new faction.

He wasn’t saying such absurd things.

All units and of course the Martial Arts Alliance are places created and continued by just one thing.

People.

The saying that the people’s will is heaven’s will isn’t there for nothing.

Depending on how Cheongun acted, it seemed he could make the two units follow him.

“I should head to the Martial Arts Alliance immediately after finishing business in Shandong.”

Even so, time would probably be tight.

Though they said recruitment was ongoing, this too would end once all positions were filled.

Cheongun had already caught Dokgo Geom’s eye, so he could join even if all positions were filled.

However, if that happened, he wouldn’t be able to take the entrance exam.

Since ongoing recruitment and entrance exams were held periodically on set days, he planned to go according to that schedule.

After the entrance exam ended, there would be another test for all those who passed.

Cheongun had curtly refused when they tried to tell him the test content, saying it was unnecessary.

“…They’re lucky.”

The target of Cheongun’s words was Salmak.

With the executive members and even their leader already dead, he had been planning to weed out these remnants who had become like a ragtag bunch.

Also, though Cheongeumjang had its own information network, Cheongun personally needed an information group.

It seemed good to create one using Salmak’s remnants, but time had become tight.

“…Or maybe, I could go right now.”

Couldn’t he visit Salmak’s headquarters before the business trip departed?

He had heard the detailed location from Dokgo Geom, who had been to Salmak, so there was no need to find the way.

Along with the hidden weapons taken from them, there was the Shadowless Blade he had received from Dokgo Geom who had finished off the leader.

This Shadowless Blade, which was like a symbol of the leader, meant that whoever possessed it was like Salmak’s leader.

Wasn’t it the law of the strong?

If anyone was dissatisfied with that, they could just take it by force.

“There’s quite a lot to do today.”

How wonderful was this?

All the things Cheongun was doing aligned perfectly with his purposes without exception.

Though it was about a day’s distance, if he went with his lightness skill without distinguishing between night and day, he could arrive quickly.

Still, since they were an assassin group, wouldn’t they handle information quite well?

Also, assassins are generally raised directly.

Either bringing orphans and raising them as assassins, or directly making them orphans and taking them.

There was nothing Cheongun could do for the children he had seen in the Demonic Sect, but this time was different.

Because he had all the necessary things like the power and qualifications to do so.

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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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