The Wealthiest Under Heaven (3)
“Let’s draw lots to keep it fair.”
It wasn’t as if the merchants could start brawling or settle things with an abacus.
“Agreed.”
“Fine by me.”
Two of them accepted the proposal from the shadowy merchant.
The shadowy merchant brought out two pieces of paper, marking one and leaving the other blank before folding them.
The remaining four, who had been watching the process, grew increasingly anxious.
They had no intention of giving up half their wealth. They’d rather die than part with their fortune.
But seeing others so desperate as to resort to drawing lots made them uneasy.
The thought crossed their minds that they might actually die. It felt like being the stubborn old man refusing to jump from a carriage racing toward a cliff.
Yet, giving up half their wealth was unthinkable.
Their shared sentiment was this:
“How hard did we work for this money?”
They had done everything imaginable to amass their fortunes. The tears they caused and the blood spilled in the process could have formed a river.
And now they were expected to give up half? It was absurd.
“Ah! I’m safe!”
“Damn it!”
The winner of the draw was ecstatic, while Gusan shouted in frustration.
“Isn’t this just a ploy to sacrifice us while you save yourselves?”
The word “sacrifice” froze the room.
The shadowy merchant seized the moment.
“Sacrifice? Sacrifice! How dare you suggest such a thing?”
He scolded them sternly, deliberately repeating the word “sacrifice.”
“Then don’t limit the number. Let anyone who wants to join in.”
“That’s impossible. Even getting five was a stretch, a favor I begged for on your behalf.”
“Convince him further.”
“I can’t. Do you really think I’d betray you?”
“The merchant might not, but…”
Gusan’s gaze shifted to the other four.
There were four more who might betray them.
Silence fell. The suspicion born from the word “sacrifice” weighed heavily on them. A natural question arose.
“What if it were me?”
The expressions of the five who weren’t chosen hardened.
If they were in the opposite position, would they betray? If sacrificing others meant they could live, could they truly claim they’d remain loyal?
Alone, betrayal might be difficult. But with five, the guilt would be divided.
The remaining four finally realized this wasn’t about fair choices.
There was another option. They could betray the others and save themselves.
Why not betray them first?
They couldn’t. The other side had a protective wall.
The four exchanged glances. Without a word, they stood up simultaneously.
“I’ll join too!”
“We’ll give up half as well.”
“Don’t abandon us!”
“Let’s live and die together!”
They shouted over each other.
The shadowy merchant looked troubled, though no one saw the satisfied smile hidden behind his expression.
With a deep sigh, the shadowy merchant spoke.
“Very well. Out of respect for our connection, I’ll plead with him again. I can’t promise anything, but I’ll do my utmost to protect everyone.”
The four gathered around him.
“Thank you.”
“We trust you.”
“Please.”
“Save us!”
The shadowy merchant watched, feeling a chill.
He was selling them out while they thanked him. It was a moment that confirmed just how cunning and terrifying he was.
“The shadowy merchant succeeded in persuading them.”
Baekpyo reported, and I smiled.
“Of course he did.”
“I thought their greed would make it difficult, but it was surprisingly easy.”
“The more they have to protect, the harder it is to make the right choice.”
The shadowy merchant was in a desperate situation. He would have used every means at his disposal with the shadowy merchant.
Even if he had failed, the outcome wouldn’t have been much different.
I had planned to deal with their subordinates and extract information through torture.
I intended to punish them all. They had amassed wealth through illicit means. By the end of this, I planned to leave them penniless.
But if they willingly handed over their money, it would speed things up. I could dispose of the wealth of all eight at once.
The exact amount would be clear once the work was done. But one thing was certain.
“Congratulations. You’ve become the wealthiest in the land, perhaps in all of history.”
“Hahaha, it seems so.”
In my past life, I had no connection to money. In this life, money wasn’t my goal either. I amassed wealth to face formidable enemies.
“It’s not about how much you have, but what you do with it.”
“That’s one thing you don’t need to worry about.”
“Haha, who knows? Go to Seongwangbo and find out which of the warriors Sipsang brought should be spared and which should be eliminated.”
“Understood.”
Everyone would be busy now. Galsaryang and Gongsuchan had to take over their assets, and Baekpyo and Heukpyo would assist and protect them.
After Baekpyo left, Cheonma spoke.
[He has no idea how dark and twisted your mind is.]
[That’s because you’re in here.]
[Haha, is that so?]
[Enough nonsense. Let’s have a celebratory drink.]
[Ah! A drink sounds good.]
After preparing the drinks, I summoned him with Cheonma’s technique.
As soon as he saw me, he grinned.
[Now that you’ve made a fortune, let’s enjoy it! Meet all the beauties of the martial world! Forget Songsojeo! Let’s party! Enjoy life!]
[The spirit of unfulfilled desires has awakened.]
[More like the guide to joy.]
[What’s money, anyway?]
[You fool! Whether you desire money or not, having billions is a big deal. You’re probably the first since the martial world began.]
[Is that so?]
[Why such a lukewarm reaction?]
[Honestly, neither of us knows much about money. We’ve lived comfortably as leaders and Cheonma, but we’ve never really thought deeply about money, have we?]
[True. That’s true.]
[We’ll invest in our subordinates, do good deeds, and, as you said, enjoy ourselves. There’ll be plenty to spend on. Let’s think it over slowly. Here, have a drink.]
[Hahaha! Let’s drink to the wealthiest under heaven.]
We drank late into the night. This venture, which began with Cheonma’s son, was concluding with tremendous success.
In Shaanxi, things were handled swiftly.
I scattered their subordinates. Through Seongwangbo, I identified those who needed to be eliminated.
Though they claimed to follow orders, those who killed without remorse were executed publicly.
Those who hadn’t committed capital offenses were dispersed on the spot. There was no need for threats. I simply told them their masters could no longer pay them. They quietly left. They were mercenaries bound by money, not loyalty.
The wealth of the eight shadowy merchants was absorbed into my holdings. With prior experience from the shadowy merchant and the merchant, the process was smooth and quick.
Seongwangbo, rumored to have betrayed and joined the Heavenly King Army, secretly assisted, making the task easier.
Thus, I absorbed half of the wealth of the eight.
Each had between five and seven million nyang. The total came to twenty-four million nyang. Combined with my existing wealth, it totaled forty-one million nyang.
Gongsuchan brought me the ledger detailing where the money was allocated.
I invested nine million nyang in the three major banks of the central plains, three million each, and one million in smaller banks, totaling ten million nyang.
The rest was distributed among dozens of trading companies centered around Taeseong Trading Company.
Extracting their money wasn’t just about increasing my wealth. It also delayed the Heavenly King Army’s plans.
“Let’s head back.”
“What about them?”
“We’ll take them and manage them ourselves. We’ll drain them dry later.”
I intended to strip them of every last penny. But not yet. I needed the shadowy merchant to deal with the Heavenly King Army.
Before leaving, I visited Cheonma’s son.
Baekseongwon had recovered and was out of bed.
“I heard you helped a lot. Thank you.”
“It was nothing.”
“But how did you know about Cheonma Baekcheon Temple?”
It was a location Cheonma had left with Baekseongwon’s mother. A lifeline to contact in times of trouble. He had heard I mentioned the place.
“I received orders from a distinguished person.”
I presented myself as a subordinate of Cheonma. It was the most natural explanation.
“And that person?”
“He has passed away.”
“I thought so.”
Baekseongwon smiled wistfully. Everyone knew the Blood Heaven Sect had fallen. It was also known that Cheonma had died in the final battle.
“I still hoped, though. That my father might be alive somewhere.”
Baekseongwon revealed a hope he had kept hidden in his heart.
“When I was young, I honestly didn’t understand much. To be frank, I was scared of my father when he came to visit. He was so stern.”
“It was just his way of expressing himself. I’m sure he cared deeply for you.”
“Yes, now that I have a son of my own, I understand what he must have felt. Unfortunately, I realized it too late.”
He gave me a faint smile. There are many things we only understand in hindsight, but the bond between parent and child is perhaps the most poignant of them all.
“This is something he left for you.”
I handed him an envelope. The amount was decided after consulting with Cheonma. It wasn’t a fortune, but enough to return to life before illness struck, with a little extra to ensure a few years of comfort. Cheonma had agreed with my advice that too much money at once could disrupt his life.
Instead, I offered him something else as a gift.
“The Baekcheon Temple in Shanxi is still available to you. If you ever face insurmountable difficulties, reach out to them. It’s your father’s last wish.”
“Oh, he never abandoned us, even in the end.”
Baek Seong-won finally shed a tear.
In addition, I stationed a special branch of the Samangak and some skilled warriors nearby, with strict orders to watch over them from a distance without interfering in their lives.
As I bid farewell to the family and left the house, Cheonma spoke.
[Thank you.]
Though I couldn’t see or feel it, I wondered if Cheonma might have shed a tear when his son cried earlier.
[No need to thank me.]
Seeing Cheonma’s son, grandson, and great-grandson stirred a mix of envy and fear within me.
Could I ever raise a child well?
[Don’t envy them.]
[Envy what?]
[Marriage. Just live freely on your own.]
[Is that the wisdom of experience?]
[It’s advice from someone who’s been through it.]
[Hahaha. What have you been through, really?]
[You have no idea. For people like us, having a family isn’t easy.]
Yes, I know. That was a big reason I lived alone in my past life.
[What about Hwarin?]
[If she holds a martial arts tournament to find a husband, men will line up from Hubei to Shanxi. She’s smart and will live a hundred times better than you. So don’t worry about her.]
[Hahaha.]
[Remember, you have to sacrifice a lot for a moment of happiness. Don’t forget my words!]
I knew he was half-joking, half-serious. On a day like today, he might joke about getting married, but he stood firmly against it.
I could sense his emotions.
He was overwhelmed with joy, so much so that he wanted to be with those children. It’s paradoxical, but sometimes when something is too good, you feel like running away.
I kicked off the ground and soared into the sky with my martial arts technique.
[Let’s deal with the troublemakers first, then we can think about it.]
[Sounds good! Wipe them all out!]
With a whoosh, I cut through the air, flying swiftly with the wind.
My destination was Hubei, where the Martial Alliance was located.