Chapter 473: I've Come to Collect a Debt

TL: FoodieMonster007

Geum Arin had never experienced it before. Such a calm killing intent could not possibly exist.

"You're planning to kill them all, aren't you?"

Now she understood. She understood why Geom Mugeuk had accepted her father's request for half the money. She also understood why he told her to inform the other Trading Companies and sects that he would collect their money for them.

"There's no way you don't know they won't just hand over that much money. It's not like it's pocket change."

Geom Mugeuk then replied.

"The problem with this job isn't collecting the money. It's what happens after we've collected it."

"What do you mean?"

"Didn't you say it yourself? That they're the type to take revenge by killing entire families. How do you think they'll react when such a large sum is taken from them?"

"They'll definitely seek revenge."

Geom Mugeuk calmly nodded.

"I'm not the one killing them. The way they've lived their lives is what's killing them."

She could tell her premonition was correct. Now, this was what she was curious about.

How?

Could it be? Was this man truly strong enough to annihilate the Hundred Immortals Sect all by himself?

Geom Mugeuk said to her, "Now, go and get as much as you can. Persuading them is up to you. Think of it as part of the process of becoming the successor."

He handed Geum Arin a piece of paper with the names of the Trading Companies and sects written on it and ushered her out.

"Leave right now. Go to the ones with the largest amounts first."

"Hey, don't push. Let's talk a little more."

"I have a lot to do. I'm a busy man at night."

And just like that, she was pushed out of the room. From outside the closed door, she raised her voice.

"I'm your chief. I'm the one who gives the orders."

Have you ever been kicked out by a subordinate worth a whopping two million taels?

Then, Geom Mugeuk's reply came from inside.

"A chief who just sits around and gives orders has no charm. Now, Chief, please be on your way."

For several days, Geum Arin diligently went back and forth between the various Trading Companies and sects. Just as Geom Mugeuk had instructed, she secretly visited them and secured their permission.

"I'm planning to collect the money you lost to the Hundred Immortals Sect. I'll collect it for you then, so please give us half of it as a service fee."

If she had needed a written contract, they would not have agreed. They would have had to worry about retaliation from the Hundred Immortals Sect. However, she did not ask for a contract. She only confirmed how much they had lent with the loan certificates.

A verbal promise was easy. They could just deny it later. They could insist that the Golden Dragon Clan was dragging them in to create a pretext.

If someone else had come and said this, they would never have made even a verbal promise. But what if it was the Golden Dragon Clan? What if the promise was made by a blood relative of the wealthiest clan in Shaanxi, one of the top three in the Central Plains? Everyone had high hopes. They would only step forward if it was feasible.

And so, Geum Arin received permission from the places that had been extorted for large sums. Among them were some whose fortunes had declined from being continuously extorted by those bastards. They placed their hopes in her promise.

When Geum Arin returned, she handed him a paper with the amounts lent by each Trading Company and sect written on it.

"So, what's your plan now?"

Geom Mugeuk rose from his seat.

"I'll be back."

Geum Arin blocked his path.

This man was really going to face a hundred masters all by himself, and into a den full of villains at that.

"You'll go even if I try to stop you, won't you?"

She wanted to go with him too. But she knew she would only be a burden if she went along.

"Making money is this hard."

Leaving those words behind, Geom Mugeuk swiftly departed.

She couldn't say anything to him. Normally, she should have said 'Be careful', but she couldn't. These other words kept coming to mind instead.

Just run away.

Surprisingly, she wanted to say this to him. If that happened, she would never become the successor, and the label of being scammed out of two million taels would stick with her for life.

But why did she want to say such a thing?

Right, this man. It was because she felt he was someone who, at the very least, shouldn't die at the hands of the villains of the Hundred Immortals Sect. She thought that bright, leisurely smiling face shouldn't be torn to shreds by those damn villains.

Geum Arin sighed and looked out the window. She had a feeling that the wait for his return would feel incredibly long. She should have at least said this.

You don't have to get the money, just come back safely.

"Someone from the Golden Dragon Clan has come to see you."

At his subordinate's report, Chief Yeom Je of the Hundred Immortals Sect looked up. With his long beard and white robes, he truly looked like an immortal. However, not even his solemn beard and pristine clothes could hide the cold, cunning nature in his eyes.

If he truly had the heart of an immortal, he would not have been able to keep the villains in this great hall as his subordinates. Moreover, he would have been struck down by one of their swords and died several times over by now. This place was hell, a place where no one but a demon could survive.

"Who is it?"

"A young punk I've never seen before."

Yeom Je tilted his head slightly. The Golden Dragon Clan sent someone he'd never seen before?

"What does he say he's here for?"

"He said he would tell you in person."

"Make up a suitable excuse and send him away."

"Yes."

Yeom Je was displeased. He might or might not meet the Patriarch himself if he came in person, yet they sent some young punk whose face he didn't even know? Regardless of the reason for the visit, he was offended.

"It seems I'll have to discipline the Golden Dragon Clan."

The First Immortal, who was below the grand chair, responded to his words.

"I will tell the Patriarch to come and see you soon."

Nine other immortals were lined up next to the First Immortal. They were the Ten Immortals who always guarded Yeom Je's side, the ones ranked from one to ten in the Hundred Immortals Sect.

They were not the only ones here today. The wide hall was filled with the immortals of the Hundred Immortals Sect.

"The Seventeenth Immortal has finished his accounting!"

Today was the end-of-the-month accounting day. It was a day for everyone to report the money they had earned and offer it to Yeom Je. After the accounting, they would all drink and hold a banquet together. Yeom Je deliberately created such occasions to make them compete with each other.

The Hundred Immortals Sect was an organization built on a strict hierarchy. Below the Chief were the Ten Immortals, and below them were the established ranks from the Eleventh to the Ninety-Ninth Immortal.

Yeom Je had firmly established this ranking system. This hierarchy was the greatest strength protecting the Hundred Immortals Sect and the source of its increased profits.

The desire to climb higher was a powerful motivator. The higher the rank, the more profit they took, so they desperately tried to achieve merits to move up. Therefore, the ranks changed once a year.

It was at that moment. The first words that would change the fate of everyone there rang out.

"You have a lot of money."

At the unfamiliar voice echoing through the great hall, everyone's gaze turned in that direction. A young man had said it while looking at the pile of promissory notes stacked up at the accounting area.

"With so much money, why don't you pay your debts?"

A nearby immortal asked in surprise, "Who are you?"

No one had noticed the stranger until he was standing right beside them. Of course, it was a hectic accounting day, but considering their martial arts skills, it was an impossible event. Even so, at least one of the hundred should have seen him.

The young man walked to the center, receiving everyone's attention. Then, he looked at Yeom Je, who was seated on the grand chair, and bowed politely.

"Greetings, Chief. I am Geom Yeon, from the Golden Dragon Clan."

At the mention of the Golden Dragon Clan, everyone relaxed. Murmurs of 'Phew, you scared me!' came from here and there. The opponent was confirmed not as an unknown mysterious master, but as a mere martial artist sent by the Golden Dragon Clan.

However, Chief Yeom Je did not relax.

The fact that even he hadn't noticed him bothered him.

What if that punk was an assassin?

No matter how bustling the atmosphere was, didn't it mean he could have been ambushed before that punk even entered?

After stopping the First Immortal from stepping forward with a hand gesture, Yeom Je questioned Geom Mugeuk directly. The Golden Dragon Clan was worthy of being dealt with personally.

"I haven't seen your face before."

"I recently formed a connection with the Golden Dragon Clan."

Yeom Je was inwardly puzzled. They sent someone who had just recently joined to see him? This was unprecedented.

"What business brings you here?"

All eyes focused on Geom Mugeuk. The words that came from his mouth were something none of them had expected.

"I've come to collect a debt."

A heavy silence fell.

Is he crazy? Did I hear him wrong?

In that place filled with these two thoughts, someone burst out laughing. The laughter was contagious, and soon, others were laughing here and there. It had been a long time since someone had come to them directly to collect money. Could someone really be this unlucky? To come on the accounting day of all days, when they were all gathered.

"The unpaid debt amounts to three million taels. I should be collecting interest as well, but I'll make a special exception and only take the principal."

Laughter erupted from all sides again.

It even made Yeom Je wonder.

Did they send him here to be killed?

Could it be that the Golden Dragon Clan Patriarch sent him because he didn't want to get his own hands bloody? Otherwise, there was no way the man would do something so reckless. Just who was this guy?

"Who are you?"

"I am Geom Yeon. Not the 'Yeon' for fate, but the 'Yeon' for smoke. When a fate ends, one should disappear like smoke, but sometimes, lingering attachments remain. Like the intoxication of that person who loves alcohol, there are times one wants to linger. However, today, I think I will disappear quickly without any lingering feelings."

What the hell is this nonsense?

Everyone turned their heads and exchanged glances. Their eyes held various emotions, but the most common one was this.

A madman has arrived!

And so, their eyes were filled with interest. How should they play with this guy?

Although it seemed like nothing special, Yeom Je felt a strange sense of unease. It was because it was unfamiliar. Of all days, for something like this to happen on the accounting day when everyone was gathered?

"Do you know where you are?"

"Isn't this the place where a hundred immortals frolic?"

Geom Mugeuk lowered his voice slightly.

"But just between us, isn't it a bit much to call yourselves immortals when you're not? I heard you've done a lot of bad things."

Seeing him say such detestable things, it seemed he really was sent here to be killed.

Yeom Je gestured to one person with his eyes. He was the Ninety-Ninth Immortal, the last in the hierarchy. When things like this happened, Yeom Je gave orders strictly according to rank.

"Why does this guy talk so much?"

The Ninety-Ninth Immortal strode forward. It was a golden opportunity to look good in front of the Chief and a chance to escape from being the lowest-ranked.

Of course, things did not go as he intended. Geom Mugeuk asked for his name.

"And what might our dear immortal's name be?"

"Why do you ask for my name?"

"I have something to confirm."

Geom Mugeuk took a promissory note from his robes. It was a note for one hundred thousand taels.

"If you answer, I'll give you this."

He'd give him a hundred thousand taels just for saying his name? He wasn't naive enough to believe that.

"Are you trying to mock me with a fake note?"

The Ninety-Ninth Immortal's hand naturally went to the hilt of his sword.

"It's a real note. What have you got to lose? If it's real, you get a hundred thousand taels for saying your name. If it's fake, you get a reason to punish me."

The Ninety-Ninth Immortal glanced back and forth between Geom Mugeuk and the note in his hand, then finally looked back at Yeom Je. Yeom Je nodded, telling him to play along.

"I am Jo Gung."

Geom Mugeuk then took a piece of paper from his robes and checked it.

"Jo Gung, Jo Gung. Ah, here you are. Fled after killing a friend instead of repaying a debt from your hometown, wandered as a mercenary, studied under a mercenary master, later worked as Black Orb Number Three, then killed two brothers and fled. It seems our dear immortal's specialty is backstabbing those close to him."

Jo Gung's gaze turned cold. The opponent had come with accurate information about him.

"What do you think you're doing?"

Killing intent filled Jo Gung's eyes.

"Is what's written here correct? It's information I trust, but I felt I should confirm with at least one person as a representative. That way, my mind will be at ease."

Then, one of the Ten Immortals standing behind them said, "That's wrong. He didn't just kill the brothers, he killed their entire families to eliminate any future trouble."

Jo Gung was not ashamed at all. Everyone here was like that. Rather, the more evil and vile one was, the more comfortable they were.

Jo Gung drew his sword and strode toward Geom Mugeuk.

"Since you ran your mouth so carelessly, your tongue and that hundred thousand taels are mine."

He unleashed an assassin technique. As if to really cut out his tongue, he thrust his sword, aiming for Geom Mugeuk's mouth.

However, Geom Mugeuk's tongue was not something that could be cut by Jo Gung's sword. Dodging the incoming sword, Geom Mugeuk lightly counterattacked.

His heart pierced by a single sword strike, Jo Gung collapsed, dead on the spot.

The smell of blood flared up, and silence descended upon the place. The move Geom Mugeuk had just shown was extremely ordinary. He hadn't killed him by displaying any special technique, he had simply dodged the incoming attack and thrust his sword.

So, the reactions were split, depending on their own skill levels.

To be taken down by an attack like that!

To kill Jo Gung with such an ordinary attack?

Of course, that didn't mean anyone there was scared. After all, it was only the Ninety-Ninth Immortal, the bottom of the hierarchy, who had died. There were still ninety-nine of them here.

Geom Mugeuk gave Yeom Je a clasped hands greeting.

"My apologies. As you can see, I had no choice."

Yeom Je said with a sunken gaze, "It's fine. When men with swords gather, you're bound to see some blood."

"You are a man of great magnanimity. If you just give me the money you borrowed, I will leave as is."

However, Yeom Je was not the type of person to hand over a huge sum of three million taels just because one of his subordinates died.

"I was planning to repay the money. However, our sect's financial situation isn't good, so I've been delaying it. Go back and tell the Patriarch. Tell him I will repay the money soon."

Of course, he had no intention of doing so. He would kill this punk one way or another, and the Golden Dragon Clan would have to pay for today's events with money. They would have to be prepared to pay a much larger sum than they had offered so far.

It would have been nice if he had just said, "Very well," and turned to leave, but…

Geom Mugeuk turned his head and looked at the pile of promissory notes.

"There's a lot of money right there, isn't there? Let's see, if this much money has been coming in every month, the vault must be overflowing."

At the mention of the vault, Yeom Je's face twitched.

"Why don't you pay your debt?"

The command 'Tear that bastard to pieces' rose to Yeom Je's throat, but he forced it down. His instincts were telling him. Don't do it. Even if you kill him, do it later. Doesn't that guy seem strange, no matter how you look at him?

Yeom Je smiled and looked around at his subordinates.

"As you can see, I have many mouths to feed."

The immortals stared at Geom Mugeuk, their mouths filled with sneers and sly grins.

Geom Mugeuk, who was looking at them, offered a solution. He said as he slowly drew his sword, "That can be solved simply."

"Let's reduce the number of mouths."