Episode 41
The treatment went smoothly.
While the owner of Hwayang Sangdan and the guards watched with nervous expressions, Iid the patient, who was falling asleep, on the bed and said,
“Please wipe your body with a wet towel and change your clothes. “Please ventte the room to prevent odors from spreading.”
As I stood up and took a long breath, Hwayang Sangdanju approached me.
he asked, holding my hand tightly.
“Did the treatment go well?”
“It went well. “Continued treatment may be necessary forplete recovery.”
“Thank goodness. thank god.”
“…….”
I looked down at my sweaty hands with a shocked expression.
Why does this guy like holding other people’s hands so much?
“There are many things I want to ask you. “Can you give me a moment?”
“I’ll give you as much as I want.”
“Instead of staying like this, how about we go down and have a meal together?”
“great. “I just happened to be hungry.”
I nodded with a smile on my face.
Hwayang Sangdanju was a person who knew the moral principles.
* * *
“I heard a rough exnation from Hao Mun-do, but I want to confirm it properly now. The reason why my son fell into Simma is…”
“I think it would be better to get rid of Howie first. “I don’t think it’s something to talk about in front of other people.”
“Right. “I was too hasty.”
The owner of Hwayang Sangdan waved the guards away.
There was a brief disturbance as the guards protested, but it was quickly resolved.
I wrapped a curtain around the table.
‘It can’t be maintained for that long, but…’
This level would have been enough to maintain security.
Cheon Ji-ryeong looked around with a slightly surprised expression.
He seemed to have realized that a miracle had been unfolded.
The owner of the video store offered me a drink and said.
“I hope you will tell me soon.”
“If you are asking whether the master of the Demon Cult is really the culprit who put your son in the dark, I will answer yes.”
“Why would such a tycoon hire the son of just a merchant…”
“I think the scale of the business he leads is toorge to be described as just a merchant.”
“So, isn’t it just a small and medium-sized business that doesn’t even make it into the top ten? “There are plenty of merchants that can rece Hwayang Merchants.”
“Rather, I think that’s why they were targeting Hwayang Sangdan. “The deeper and longer the history of a group, the more likely it is to prioritize the interests of themunity over those of the individual.”
“Are you saying that even if a key figure in the Ten Masters were to fall into a demon, someone else would just take his ce and the Demon Cult would not be able to expect much benefit?”
“That’s right.”
“…That’s a usible assumption.”
“The size of the Shinheung Sangsan Sanghoe is not small, and the owner of the Sangang Sanghae happens to have a son whom he loves very much. It would have been difficult for the Demonic Lord to find better conditions than these.
“We will have to conduct an internal audit soon. “We need to thoroughly investigate how my son obtained the military officialdom.”
“That’s a good idea.”
“So, how long do you think it will take for your son to get out of bed and wake up?”
“About 15 days will be enough. Of course, rehabilitation training will have to continue continuously thereafter.”
Hwayang Sangdanju, who had been quietly watching me y with my chopsticks non-stop and answer questions regrly, suddenly lowered his head.
I quietly put my chopsticks down on the table.
Anyway, I wasn’t so tactless as to prioritize eating in this situation.
“Thank you. “Thanks to you, my son’s life was saved.”
“I just did what I had to do.”
I said things I had no intention of saying and politely bowed.
The owner of Hwayang Sangdan raised his head as if he liked the sight of me and offered me a drink again.
“Is there anything you want from me? “If there’s anything you want, I’ll give it to you.”
“Actually, there’s something I’d like to ask the owner of the top.”
I took out a bundle of vouchers from my pocket and ced them on the table.
Cheon Ga-ryeong opened her eyes wide and looked alternately at my face and the bundle of slips.
“I want to make some investments.”
“invest?”
“yes.”
“It’s hard to say it’s a good idea. Hwayang Sangdan is not recruiting separate investors. Because there is no shortage of funds. Even if you invest, the expected profit will probably be small.”
“You misunderstood what I said. “I do not intend to invest in Hwayang Sangdan.”
“then?”
“I would like to hire a purchasing agent.”
An interesting expression appeared on the face of Hwayang Sangdanju.
I continued talking while fiddling with the ss filled with alcohol.
“I want you to buy some spices. as many as possible. “Please scrape together and secure inventory, even if it means paying more.”
“Why are you asking for that?”
“Didn’t I tell you? “It’s an investment.”
Spices are goods imported through trade.
Although it maye in through trade with the West, it usuallyes in through sea routes.
It had a high price rangemensurate with its ptability and had a longer shelf lifepared to food, making it easy to distribute and sell.
And Zhejiang Province, where the headquarters of Huayang Merchants Co. was located, was a key point for maritime trade.
‘I think it was around fall next year.’
In the not-too-distant future, Japanese pirates begin to run rampant in the waters around Zhejiang and Fujian.
Due to the increase in pirates, trade shrinks and the value of traded goods skyrockets like crazy.
This was the reason why I wanted to buy and collect spices.
At this point, there is no better way to increase funds in a short period of time.
‘Even when I, in my previous life, left Jamma-dong and started working as a strongman, the Japanese pirates had not beenpletely subdued.’
The group that benefited the most from the long-standing fight against Japanese pirates was none other than the Hwayang Merchant Marine Company.
The enormous amount of wealth earned through transactions with the military served as the foundation for Hwayang Sangdan to grow into a teenage business.
“It’s not that difficult…”
“Then please ask.”
“You are a very unique friend.”
“……?”
“I thought you were definitely going to ask for financialpensation, but you asked for a purchasing agent. “I was a little surprised because it was an unexpected request.”
“There was financialpensation.”
I had no intention of receivingpensation for treating the son of the owner of Hwayang Merchant in money.
I wanted to continue my rtionship with Hwayang Sangdan.
In order to do that, we had to create an opportunity tomunicate regrly.
‘The religious leader and I have different positions.’
Even though I treated the son of the head of Hwayang Sangdan, the head and I had different backgrounds.
The reason the religious leader was able to attract the support of the Hwayang Sangdan in his past life was because he was the leader of arge power.
Me on the other hand?
He was merely a disciple of a military officer.
If I asked here to ‘support the funds and materials needed to wage war,’ would the merchant owner nod obediently?
I can assure you that it would not be so.
‘In that case, we have no choice but to build up the rtionship step by step.’
I drew a line around my mouth and spoke to the owner of Hwayang Sangdan.
“Please take care of me in the future.”
The owner of Hwayang Sangdan nodded his head in response with a mysterious smile.
“I will ask you to take care of me from now on.”
* * *
On the way back to Hwangryongmugwan after leaving Cheongwoon Gaekjan.
Cheon Ga-ryeong, who was sitting on the opposite side of the carriage, tilted her head in and asked.
“What are you thinking?”
“Please talk from a distance for now. “Don’t be too clingy.”
“Why did you make such a request to the owner of Hwayang Merchant?”
“I just wanted to try investing.”
“For something like that, the investment amount was extraordinary. “Where did you get the investment money from in the first ce?”
“I have no reason to tell you.”
“There must be a reason why you brought this up in front of me.”
“There is nothing like that.”
“What kind of guy has so many secrets?”
Cheon Ji-ryeong was furious.
I listened to herints with one ear and muttered them out of the other.
‘For now, the goal wasrgely achieved.’
He bestowed benevolence on the owner of the Hwayang Sangdan and created a bond for continuous exchange with the Hwayang Sangdan.
I was curious inside.
What will Hao Wenju think after hearing about this incident?
“By the way, I didn’t expect Hwayang Sangdanju to move this fast.”
“I was surprised too. “It seems like you care about your son more than you think.”
“Didn’t the demonic cultists attack you on the way?”
“huh. “They say it was an easy journey other than a few encounters with bandits.”
“Hmm…”
“Oh, and I have one thing to convey to you.”
“Delivery?”
“Cheonnyeo has been appointed as the branch leader of the Saints. “If you ever need to ask Hao Wen while I’m away, you can go see her.”
“All right.”
Cheon Ji-ryeong sighed softly and leaned against the backrest.
I quietly looked at her with her arms crossed and her eyes closed, lost in thought for a while.
Perhaps because of her beautiful appearance, she became a painting no matter what posture she took.
‘It would have been great if I didn’t have the habit of asking questions every time something happens.’
I shook my head once, closed my eyes, and fell into meditation.
Recently, the knowledge of dealing with white lightning has been increasing.
It seemed that soon I would be able to achieve what Dok Go Woo-jin mentioned, the brain spirit.
As I drew out the thunder energy contained in the Danjeon, a tingling sensation came to my fingertips.
Now I have be ustomed to this strange sensation.
‘by the way.’
Soon the carriage arrived at Hwangryongmugwan.
After a short meditation, I opened my eyes, narrowed my eyebrows, and muttered.
‘I think I’m forgetting something…’
* * *
Exactly seven days and nights have passed since then.
“……done.”
I stared at the white electric current flowing along the surface of the sword and muttered as if fascinated.
Finally, it was possible to express white lightning with a sword.
Like Dokgo Woojin, it was not possible to maintain it for a long time or form a film of current that surrounds the entire body.
But for now, this was good enough.
‘ats!’
An overwhelming feeling came over me.
How much effort have I put in to make White Lightning my own?
Puzzle! Pajik!
When the sword was swung, a weak electric current remained in the air along its trajectory.
I was so excited that I performed a sword dance on the spot for a while.
Then, suddenly, the conversation I had with Dokgo Woo-jin when I first learned the White Thunder Godkong passed through my mind.
[Afterpleting the foundation and fully absorbing the energy of the summoning group,e to the temple with me.]
[Yes? Why is the party…]
[The summoning group alone will not be enough. I n to ask the head of the party to support Cheondogdan.]
The moment I remembered something I hadpletely forgotten, an unprecedented sense of crisis struck me.
Cold sweat broke out on my forehead.
As I quickly looked around, I found Dokgo Woojin watching silently in the corner of the training hall and froze like a stone statue.
‘ruined.’
The sword fell from my hand and rolled helplessly on the floor.
I ended up being dragged to a party house and forced to eat poison.