The World’s Greatest is Dead - Chapter 274

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Heavenly Supreme Has Died – Episode 274
Among the Five Kings of the Central Plains.
When one speaks of the Baekwang, various images come to mind.
But if there is one most renowned.
It would be the Deity of Wealth.
Or perhaps the Money King.
Baekwang is his primary epithet, yet the name Money King always followed in its wake.
Literally, the king of wealth.
Wherever the Baekwang treads, fortune follows. Should he walk through a marketplace, gold and silver treasures would manifest within it.
Should he happen to pause during a stroll, gold ingots would rain from the heavens.
An absurd tale, yet this speaks to how many accomplishments the Baekwang has achieved regarding wealth.
Just look at the Moyong Clan alone.
Though originally called a renowned sword family, the Moyong Clan had long dwelt in shadow, overshadowed by the Namgung Clan before it.
Yet everything changed when the Baekwang rose to become the Lord of the Clan.
The Baekwang did not focus on the sword. Of course, his talent was exceptional. Having reached the pinnacle of mastery with the blade, he was naturally a remarkable figure.
‘Yet something far greater.’
What stood out even more than his genius with the sword was his gift for wealth.
He possessed an innate talent for circulating and drawing in money.
The Moyong Clan had never lacked for funds, being a prestigious family.
Yet the Baekwang could not rest content with that, and began directly managing the merchant houses under his purview.
As a result.
‘Within mere years, the merchant houses operated by the Moyong Clan rose to become first-rate in the Central Plains.’
He swept up wealth abundantly. Gold mines were discovered in mountains he purchased. The merchant houses and individuals he touched grew prosperous, becoming figures who aided the Moyong Clan.
And what of the organizations he created?
‘…The Merchant Lords’ Assembly.’
Merchants view even humans as mere commodities, pursuing only their own interests.
‘Yet he unified them to form a confederation.’
The Baekwang unified the merchants and established a single organization.
To understand how remarkable this is.
‘In my view, it equals unifying the heterodox sects.’
Those heterodox men who act only upon their greed and desire.
Unifying them would be comparable in difficulty.
‘Yet the Baekwang accomplished it.’
I know not what transpires within that assembly, but he achieved something extraordinarily difficult.
His influence spread throughout the entire Central Plains.
The master of wealth.
Baekwang Moyong Hyeok.
I had come to meet him.
“Be seated.”
“Ah, yes.”
Upon arrival, I encountered Baekwang inside the desolate inn.
I dragged a chair over carelessly and sat down, then asked him.
“Did you rent out this entire place?”
“I prefer the quiet.”
“…In any case.”
If he preferred quiet, he could simply find a quiet inn instead.
‘Renting out an entire inn—what kind of madness is this.’
Even money-squandering had its limits, yet this man seemed to have none.
I wasn’t particularly surprised, though. I knew well enough what kind of man Baekwang was.
‘This much is nothing.’
There was no reason to be astonished. The man had wealth overflowing in abundance, so spending this amount wouldn’t even leave a mark on his fortune.
“So, why did you ask to meet?”
I cut straight to the point.
“What could be so important that you’d rent out an entire inn? This place is the finest establishment in Hanan County, from what I can see.”
What matter could be so significant?
I spoke with clear questioning in my tone.
Baekwang before me quietly ate something from the plate in front of him.
“…What are you eating?”
“Yakgwa.”
“Well, I can see that much.”
Puzzled, I asked why he was eating yakgwa here of all places.
“I heard this inn makes excellent yakgwa.”
“…Lord of the Clan. I’m asking just to be sure.”
“Ask away.”
“Did you rent this place just because the yakgwa is delicious?”
“….”
“Give me an answer.”
“I never promised to answer.”
Ah.
So he tells me to ask, but won’t answer?
‘This is absurd.’
The answer was obvious anyway, even without hearing it.
‘This old man is something else.’
Baekwang loves sweets. Despite appearing utterly unaccustomed to such things, he remarkably did.
And this was—
“His daughter would be truly shocked if she knew.”
A secret even Muyong Youngsoon, Baekwang’s own daughter, didn’t know.
A secret only I knew.
Or rather, a secret only I know now.
Clatter.
After finishing the yakgwa, Baekwang naturally wiped his mouth with a cloth and looked at me.
“What is Sochul Daeju?”
I speak while looking at Sochul Daeju, who stands a distance behind me.
“An escort. Since you’re heading to Hwasan, Wol Seon-geom assigned him to you.”
“Sochul Daeju?”
“Yes. I’m surprised as well.”
Sowoldae was already burdened with many duties, yet Wol Seon-geom had assigned the strongest among them as my escort—a fact that astonished both Baekwang and me.
“I see.”
Not long after, Baekwang nodded as if he understood.
“It seems Wol Seon-geom holds you in high regard.”
“…What?”
What does he mean by that?
“…Suddenly?”
“There’s the matter of assessing risk, but judging from the circumstances, that’s how it appears.”
“Hmm…”
I hadn’t thought of it that way. Really? If he assigned Sochul Daeju to me, does that mean he thinks well of me?
Just as I was about to smile with a sense of satisfaction.
“How troublesome.”
Baekwang mutters quietly.
“I’ve already marked him.”
“What?”
“Never mind.”
Baekwang clears away the plate and brings up a different matter.
“Two remain now. You understand, don’t you?”
…
At those words, I smack my lips regretfully.
Baekwang is speaking of none other than the wish tokens.
I’ve used one, so two remain.
He said he’d give three, so two are left.
“…I’m grateful.”
First, I offer my thanks.
“I made the request hastily. I didn’t expect you to grant it.”
Though he said he’d grant anything.
I never imagined he would kill the Daeju so unhesitatingly.
“It was a promise I had to keep.”
“…Still.”
Because of this, Baekwang nearly faced grave consequences.
Regardless of the reason, he had executed the Daeju.
In the process, he had to undergo investigation.
Had Jegal Jin not known about my eyes, perhaps not only Baekwang but the entire Moyong clan itself would have been shaken.
No matter how much the Baekwang is called a genius of commerce….
‘If I make an enemy of the Martial Arts Alliance, problems will arise.’
To properly operate the merchant house and the clans, the Martial Arts Alliance must have power.
If I were to antagonize them, I could never move as I wished.
Yet the Baekwang granted my request despite knowing this.
Even if it were merely a wish token.
No—
‘Even if it were the price of my daughter’s life.’
The Baekwang was a peculiar existence.
“…In any case, thank you.”
“That will do.”
The Baekwang waves his hand, dismissing further pleasantries. What was amusing was—
“…When did you order the honey cakes, sir?”
“Just now.”
He had ordered them without anyone’s knowledge.
“…Eating like that is bad for your health, Lord of the Clan.”
“It’s been a while, so it’s fine.”
“No, if you enjoy them so much, why not just tell your daughter and eat them openly?”
The Baekwang kept his obsession with sweets hidden from Muyong Youngsoon.
So he wouldn’t eat them at home and only indulged at times like this.
As the Baekwang quietly ate the honey cakes—
“I have a question.”
“Yes? Ah, you’ve finished them all?”
He had quietly finished them all before asking me.
“Do you have no intention of becoming engaged again?”
“….”
He was broaching an extraordinarily weighty subject.
My throat tightened immediately, though I hadn’t eaten anything.
“…Haha. A jest, surely?”
“Does it sound like a jest?”
“…It wouldn’t seem so, would it?”
Look at that face—was this a man who made jests so casually?
That’s what made it all the more bewildering.
“Suddenly speaking of engagement? We—”
Haven’t we already broken off the engagement?
I try to speak thus.
“That was your desire. I merely granted it.”
Not a wish token, but a request.
‘That matter’ was when I had spoken to the Baekwang, owing him a debt of gratitude.
Please.
—Please annul the engagement.
I’m asking you to break off the engagement with the Moyong Clan.
Muyong Youngsoon still seemed to believe she had ended the engagement of her own volition.
“I apologize.”
But that wasn’t true.
This annulment had been driven by my will. Ironically, Baekwang had no intention of honoring Muyong Youngsoon’s wishes.
“Your reason?”
Baekwang asked calmly for my justification at my refusal.
What could I possibly answer at this moment?
There was nothing particularly profound.
It was simple.
“I dislike her.”
I disliked her.
I did not desire this betrothal with her.
“I see.”
Baekwang nodded at my answer.
That was all.
“….”
“….”
He asked no further reasons. Perhaps there was no need to hear more?
Just as I hesitated at his remarkably plain response.
“Then rise and go.”
“…Pardon? Ah, yes.”
Baekwang issued me an order to leave—literally telling me to get out.
What? That’s all there was to this matter…?
“…You summoned me just to ask this?”
“Yes.”
“Then why the inn….”
He really borrowed it just to brew medicine?
This is utterly absurd.
I stood there dazed, about to leave.
“One more thing I must ask.”
Baekwang spoke to me without meeting my gaze.
“Yes. Please go ahead—”
“When you say you dislike her—is it my daughter’s fault, or.”
He cut off my words and asked.
“Is it your own will?”
“….”
I froze entirely.
I could offer no answer.
It was too late. I should have said something, anything.
But I didn’t.
“That answers my question then.”
Baekwang nodded, seemingly satisfied.
“I believe I need to eat more of these pastries. You may go on ahead.”
“…Understood.”
Damn it.
That perceptive old man.
I left the inn with my lips pressed tightly together.
* * *
After Bangseong-yeon departed, the inn fell silent.
Muyong Hyeok toyed with the additional pastries, his expression shifting.
The moment everyone had gone, the man who had maintained perfect composure broke into a subtle smile.
“This won’t do.”
He muttered quietly.
“No matter how I think about it.”
Baekwang reaffirmed the conviction he had held before.
-Lord of the Clan, have you lost your mind?
Just a child barely thirteen years old, staring intently at his face as she spoke those words.
-If you keep this up, your daughter will die. Come to your senses. If you don’t want to lose your daughter too.
That moment when the child’s sharp rebuke pierced through his heart.
“I cannot give it.”
I cannot give it away.
Whether it be the Cheongwol Sect or the Jegal Clan.
With that thought, Baekwang chewed and swallowed the pastry.
He had always obtained everything he desired.
This time would be no different.
Even if it meant taking a person.
* * *
The sun set and night fell.
After the two hours I had anticipated passed, darkness finally descended.
People gathered in the quiet outskirts without even lighting lanterns.
“All preparations are complete.”
A martial artist dressed in Martial Arts Alliance robes spoke to Jegal Jin.
Jegal Jin nodded at those words.
“The provisions are sufficient and the carriages are well-maintained. This should be enough to reach Shaanxi.”
Jegal Jin spoke, and I heard it.
“…Yes. It appears so.”
“Appears so? Does that mean something else concerns you?”
“There is. Somewhat, actually.”
If I had to pick one reason.
“I have to go.”
It was my way of saying I’d rather die than make the trip.
“…Ugh. I don’t want to go.”
“Save your complaints for the journey. I’d rather not hear them.”
“…Fine.”
The Old Man didn’t appreciate jokes. Not that this one was really a joke anyway.
I genuinely didn’t want to go.
But.
‘…Damn it, I have to go after all.’
I let out a heavy sigh as I watched the carriage being prepared in the darkness.
Hwasan.
The moment I’d been dreading had finally arrived.

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