The Elixir’s True Owner (1)
From the old man’s prayer, I could sense the presence of a master. Though I couldn’t read people as precisely and sharply as I once did, I could still get a general sense.
The old man was likely the person in charge here, or someone with a similar level of authority. After all, among the various martial world items sold here, the elixir was undoubtedly the most valuable.
“What kind are you looking for? Pills? Herbs? Pellets?”
“Anything will do.”
“Are you running an errand for someone?”
The old man could only hear my voice, as my face was hidden beneath a wide-brimmed hat. I had even altered my voice slightly. It was best to conduct such matters discreetly.
In the early days of leading the alliance, I often had to wear a mask. During that time, I learned how to modify my voice. As a result, I could now speak in several different tones. I was using one of those voices now.
“No.”
“You’re quite capable for a young man. Have you been here before?”
“No.”
Despite my brief responses, the old man kept asking questions. I had a hunch about why he was doing this.
In the past, we used to gauge each other through conversation. The black market was a dangerous place back then. The customers were risky, and the market itself was perilous.
This old man, trying to assess me through our exchange, must have been working here for a long time.
I answered all his trivial questions without showing any annoyance. Though my answers were short, the old man seemed satisfied.
“You’re quite polite, unlike most young people these days.”
I wasn’t answering just to hear such compliments. I was considering the possibility of returning for future transactions.
“You’re quite lucky. We haven’t had any elixirs in our branch for the past six months.”
It seemed elixirs were indeed rare and precious in these times.
“But just two days ago, we received one.”
“What kind?”
“The Millennium Banyan Herb.”
The Millennium Banyan Herb! Known to grant anywhere from ten to fifteen years of internal energy, it was exactly what I needed.
“How much?”
“Forty-three thousand nyang.”
Damn! I was short by fifteen thousand nyang.
“As you might know, all prices in the black market are fixed. If you’re worried about being overcharged, you can check with other branches.”
I was aware of that.
The black market had grown to be the largest trading hub for two reasons.
First, the black market never betrayed its customers. There were no fake goods, no leaks of customer secrets, and no embezzlement of customer money.
Second, there was a fixed pricing system.
All branches across the central plains had the same prices. If the price of an item changed, it changed for all branches simultaneously.
While the black market’s prices weren’t cheap, people trusted that they wouldn’t be overcharged, which is why many used it.
That’s why the black market had thrived for so long.
“Even if it’s not me, it’ll sell quickly, won’t it?”
“Most likely.”
If you missed the chance to buy an elixir when it was available, it could be months or even years before you got another opportunity. Truly, as the old man said, it was fortunate that the Millennium Banyan Herb was available now.
But there was nothing I could do.
“I’ll have to wait for another chance since I don’t have enough money.”
As I was about to leave, the old man asked,
“Why do you want the elixir?”
“To become stronger.”
“And once you’re strong?”
There were many reasons. I mentioned the first that came to mind.
“I’ve been unfilial all my life, and now I’ve finally come to my senses. I want to try being a good son.”
The old man stared at me blankly for a moment, then burst into laughter.
“Hahaha. That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve heard while doing business here.”
“Why’s that?”
“Because there hasn’t been a single filial martial artist who wanted to buy an elixir.”
I understood what he meant. I was the same. When you’re obsessed with becoming stronger, you tend to neglect those around you.
I had planned to become the greatest martial artist and then shower my mother with all the filial piety I hadn’t shown. But she didn’t wait for me.
This time would be different. I intended to take care of everything I couldn’t afford to miss.
“It seems I’ve missed the chance to be the first filial son.”
Then the old man said something unexpected.
“I’ll give you ten days. If you can gather the money by then, I’ll sell it to you. Exactly ten days.”
Whether he was reminded of his own parents or simply liked my polite demeanor, he was showing me a bit of kindness.
“Thank you for your consideration.”
“I believe the elixir has its rightful owner. Prove that it’s you.”
I thanked him and left.
Could I really gather fifteen thousand nyang in ten days?
Despite my recent positive contributions, there was someone in the family whose opinion of me hadn’t changed.
“I don’t trust you.”
It was the head steward, the very old man who had spoken ill of me when I first woke up.
“May I ask why?”
“Just a gut feeling. Someday you’ll reveal your true nature and cause trouble.”
Stubborn old man. Sometimes you need to trust instead of just doubting.
The elders of the Martial Alliance are just like that. As greedy as they are suspicious, and just as stubborn.
I leaned in and whispered in his ear.
“Head Steward, do you happen to have any money?”
The head steward’s eyes widened, as if to say, “See, I was right!”
“As long as I’m alive, not a chance!”
He stormed off.
I chuckled as I watched him go. Stubborn as he was, he was an essential part of the family, especially with his excellent skills as a physician.
But this was a problem.
Three days had already passed since the ten-day deadline was set. Time was slipping away, and I had no way to gather the money.
There was one option.
I could go to Yang’s Trading House and squeeze Jeongyeo for money. If I quickly liquidated some assets, I might be able to gather fifteen thousand nyang.
But doing so would ruin my relationship with Jeongyeo. He would see me as a leech, only interested in draining him of money.
Though it wasn’t a small amount, losing trust over fifteen thousand nyang was too much of a waste. I intended to use Yang’s Trading House for something bigger.
As I was wrestling with this dilemma, Gwangdu seemed to sniff out my worries like a ghost.
“You’re worried about something, aren’t you?”
His intuition was almost as sharp as a blade. Though he was wrong about the specifics.
“You’re missing Miss Song, aren’t you? No matter how much you say you don’t like her, you still want to see her, right?”
“I need some money.”
Gwangdu had already backed away.
“Come on, just when we’re getting closer, you ask to borrow money?”
“I haven’t asked to borrow it yet.”
“I can tell. So how much do you need? Alright, I can lend you up to fifteen nyang. But you have to pay me back.”
“I need fifteen thousand nyang.”
“What?!”
“In seven days.”
Gwangdu blinked in disbelief.
“I’d have to be reborn fifteen times to earn that much. And that’s only if I didn’t have a miserly master taking my wages.”
Gwangdu sat down next to me.
“You have the compensation money from Yang’s Trading House, right?”
“It’s not enough.”
“Are you planning to buy a mansion or something?”
“I’m trying to buy something more important.”
In my past life, I never had to worry about money. So now, money-related issues might be my weakest point. I wished I had a sharp young steward instead of an old man like the head steward.
“Talking about money reminds me of the past. You caused a lot of trouble trying to gather money back then, too. That’s how you ended up in debt to Yang’s Trading House.”
“How did I end up owing twenty thousand nyang?”
“Because you caused so much trouble, the family head cut off your funds. In an attempt to gather money, you decided to capture a wanted criminal and ended up being taken hostage instead. You ended up paying the criminal a hefty sum.”
I really did all sorts of foolish things.
“But with your martial skills, how did you even think of doing that?”
“Because of Gong Daehyup.”
“Gong Daehyup?”
“Yes.”
“The head of the Martial Alliance’s Gokbu branch.”
The mention of the Martial Alliance stirred something in me. How long had it been since I last heard that name?
“And? What do you mean by ‘because of him’?”
“You started hanging out with him and got caught up in the idea of being a hero.”
“Really?”
Something felt off.
Would someone of the Martial Alliance branch head’s stature associate with such a troublemaker, especially a young one?
“What was the state of our family back then?”
“It was at its worst. That incident was the final blow that weakened us.”
“I see. And this Gong Daehyup was the branch head here. So who was the criminal with the bounty?”
“A man named Gwak Dosu. He invaded the Sangdong Oga family, stole their wealth, and massacred the entire family. He was a notorious criminal known for multiple thefts and murders.”
I’d never heard of him. Then again, I wouldn’t know every criminal out there.
“What was the bounty the Martial Alliance placed on him?”
“At the time, it was five thousand nyang.”
Five thousand nyang meant he was classified as a heinous criminal.
“And this criminal just let you go after taking the money? Doesn’t that seem strange?”
“Gong Daehyup mediated. Thanks to him, you were spared.”
“How did he mediate?”
“I don’t know the details.”
“Did Gwak Dosu demand twenty thousand nyang?”
“No, fifteen thousand nyang. I heard five thousand nyang was given to Gong Daehyup as a mediation fee.”
“A bribe?”
“You shouldn’t call it a bribe. It was a gift from the head of the family.”
“Sure, a father might give something for saving his child, but it’s the official’s job to refuse.”
Knowing my father’s character, it seemed unlikely he would have offered it first. The official probably hinted at wanting money.
After hearing the whole story, I had a strong suspicion. Could it be that this guy, Gong Daehyeop, was in cahoots with Gwak Dosu?
What if they exploited the boundless trust that comes with being a branch leader of the Martial Alliance to pull off a scam? Preying on a parent’s helplessness when it comes to their child.
“Has Gwak Dosu been caught?”
“I haven’t heard any news of his capture yet.”
Seeing me nod, Gwangdu feigned surprise.
“You’re not seriously thinking of going after him, are you?”
“I have to. That scumbag swindled fifteen thousand nyang. I can’t just let that slide.”
“It’s dangerous! He’s notorious for being a vicious criminal!”
“Then at least lend me all your money.”
“If it’s you, I’m sure you can catch him. You handled the Yang Sobang incident with ease, didn’t you?”
“Hahaha.”
Gwangdu then spoke earnestly.
“Then I’ll go with you. I may not be able to lend you money, but I’ll gladly lend you a hand.”
I understood Gwangdu’s concern and thought about taking him along to give him some experience.
But this needed to be resolved swiftly.
I had a hunch that if I handled this well, I might solve the money problem too.
“That right arm of yours is still just for show, so focus on your martial arts training. Tell your parents something reasonable, like you’re going into training for a few days.”
As I left the house, my gaze turned cold.
If those two really conspired to pocket twenty thousand nyang?
They’d better be ready for what’s coming.