Chapter 477: You Should Know the Ingredients Before You Cook

TL: FoodieMonster007

My confidence wasn't directed at our enemies. These words were for my father, to show him just how much I trusted him.

I don't know how much strength this would give my father's heart. He had never heard such words from his son before. Would he ever have the chance to hear them in this life?

"Trusting you, Father, I will handle things as I see fit."

This was the core of the Shaanxi operation. However, that was my thought. Father's was different.

"Go and clean up the mess."

"I understand."

Hwi's expression brightened upon receiving the order. The order to clean up meant to completely erase any traces left at the Hundred Immortals Sect. It was an order to make it seem as if they had simply emptied the sect and left.

Hwi's mission, above all, was to ensure my father's safe return to the sect. He would have wanted to do things quietly and discreetly, so this was an order he likely would have wanted to request himself.

I wanted to make a joke.

Seriously, why is someone who wants to fight the entire murim being so cautious!

My mouth was itching to say it, but I held back. It was probably best to avoid talking about unifying the murim as much as possible.

Instead, I spoke to my father about the current matter.

"The outcome of this incident will draw out the mastermind. They'll make their move soon. They can't afford to give up a source of funds like the Golden Dragon Clan."

They might attack me or my father, or they could use an unexpected tactic. There was no telling how they would react.

"Move with caution."

"Yes!"

He is the one with the greatest power in this murim.

"Are you being so cautious because of me, by any chance? Worried about your son."

And then I saw it. The sneer forming on my father's lips.

The atmosphere had been good since we left the sect together, so I hadn't seen it often. I had forgotten. I'd forgotten how good it felt to see that sneer.

"That's too harsh! You should worry about your son a little!"

Father walked silently to the window and gazed at the sky outside.

I looked at my father's back and the cloudless blue sky stretching out above him. It was an ordinary scene, but the two solitudes resembled each other.

I know very well that you're doing this for me.

Father wasn't the type to clean up a mess because he was conscious of someone else. In the first place, he was the type who wouldn't even draw his sword if the situation called for such caution.

So I will be careful. Please don't worry.

Geum Cheonbang silently stared down at the promissory note for one and a half million taels. This wasn't just money. It was a signal that everyone's fate was beginning to change.

"Did he really get this money from the Hundred Immortals Sect?"

In response to her shocked father's question, Geum Arin calmly asked back.

"Why are you so surprised? You entrusted this to him because you expected him to succeed, didn't you?"

She felt sorry for saying this to her father. She herself had been several times more surprised.

"What about the Hundred Immortals Sect?"

An astonishing answer came in response to his look of disbelief.

"He said it has disappeared from this world."

Geum Cheonbang couldn't believe it. He had entrusted the task to him because he held a sliver of hope that he might succeed, just as his daughter had said. The benefits of success were also too great to not take the chance.

But he really wiped them out and brought back the money?

"That can't be right."

He must have pulled some kind of trick.

"What about him? Why didn't he come?"

He wanted to see the man and ask him directly.

"He is my subordinate. This matter is entirely my responsibility. If you have questions, ask me."

Geum Arin had come alone on purpose. The battle with her father over the succession had now begun.

"Have you checked on the Hundred Immortals Sect?"

For a moment, Geum Arin flinched.

"You haven't."

"I trust my subordinate."

That wasn't the reason. She hadn't even thought to check.

Because she trusted Geom Mugeuk? No. This wasn't a matter of trust.

She was so stunned by the outcome, so preoccupied with the man named Geom Mugeuk who had accomplished it, that she had neglected to send someone to the Hundred Immortals Sect to confirm what had happened.

Since he said it had disappeared, she had complacently assumed he had killed them all. What if that was a lie? What if this whole thing was a scheme concocted by the Hundred Immortals Sect and Geom Yeon?

It was unlikely, but not checking was a clear mistake.

I can't be like this from now on.

The reason she was reflecting on this so seriously was the thought that she had been bewitched by the man named Geom Mugeuk. She had thought of nothing but him the entire way to see her father.

"I have something else to tell you."

Geum Arin told her father about the task Geom Mugeuk had undertaken. He had recovered the money extorted by the Hundred Immortals Sect for the Trading Company and taken half. She had already spent yesterday and today visiting every Trading Company to return the money.

Geum Cheonbang wasn't surprised at all. From his reaction, she could tell her father already knew. Among the Trading Company heads who had asked for their money back, there must have been some who confirmed it with her father separately.

"Why didn't you mention that sooner?"

"I was going to tell you once the results were in. I was prepared to take the fall if any problems arose later."

She said it grimly, but the truth was she hadn't said anything because she was afraid her father would stop her. If this succeeded, she would be the one to gain the most. She wanted to achieve results first and then show her father.

That was why she had come to her father last, after returning all the money to each Trading Company.

Until she had entered this place, she had felt like a triumphant general. She hadn't expected to be interrogated like this, even if she wasn't expecting a 'Well done, my daughter'.

"Because of this, the many Trading Companies and sects that suffered under the Hundred Immortals Sect will feel great goodwill toward our family. If you use that well, you'll see enormous profits. I didn't waste money, did I?"

Her father's reaction was still cold.

"What did I do wrong?"

She thought he was angry because she hadn't told him beforehand, but that wasn't it.

"Do you want to be the successor?"

Geum Cheonbang saw right through why she hadn't told him sooner.

She answered honestly.

"Yes, I want to be."

Then, a thunderous statement fell from her father's lips.

"Give up on being the successor." ! She had never imagined her father would say such a thing himself.

"Why?"

Geum Cheonbang didn't give her a reason.

"You may leave now."

"Father!"

Geum Cheonbang stared coldly at his daughter. Normally, she would have retreated quietly, frightened when he got angry like this. But not today.

"Are you angry that I didn't tell you beforehand? Or are you angry that I'm greedy for the successor position?"

Geum Cheonbang gave no answer.

"Did you never consider me the successor in the first place?"

She raised her voice, but Geum Cheonbang remained silent. To her, it sounded like a silence of affirmation. A sense of disappointment naturally washed over her.

Is it because I'm a daughter? Or because I'm not capable enough? Or because you like Orabeoni more?

The disappointment made it impossible for her to think rationally.

"I will become the successor, no matter what."

She spoke as if declaring war and left the room.

The look in Geum Cheonbang's eyes deepened as he stood with his back to her. It was a look that, had she seen it, would have surely made her think, 'Ah, there's a reason he's acting this way'.

After leaving her father's residence, Geum Arin stood for a moment in the middle of the courtyard, trying to compose herself. She was so disappointed and angry.

Then, a person came to mind. She didn't know why she thought of him at a time like this, but her feet naturally moved toward his residence.

When Geum Arin arrived, Geom Mugeuk was in his room.

"Do you have a moment?"

"Of course. When the chief calls, one must make time even if there is none."

Geom Mugeuk's martial arts uniform was soaked with sweat.

"Please wait a moment. I'll wash up, change, and be right out."

Geum Arin was inwardly puzzled.

What was he doing in his room to sweat that much?

Then she flinched in surprise.

Could it be?

Standing in the courtyard, she couldn't contain her curiosity and entered the building.

She walked down the hallway without a sound and reached Geom Mugeuk's room. She peered inside through a crack in the window. There was no one in the room. She felt an unwarranted sense of relief at the sight of the empty, neatly made bed.

As she was about to turn away, she was startled.

Someone was standing behind her, though she didn't know when he had arrived.

It was Geom Woojin.

She was so surprised by him staring at her that she almost screamed.

"Ah, I wasn't peeking. I came to see Young Master Geom. Ah, he went to wash up. No, that's not it…"

Flustered, she rambled incoherently.

"Go inside and wait."

"No, I can wait outside. I'll see you next time, then."

She gave a quick bow and ran outside as if fleeing.

Out in the courtyard, she let out a sigh. She didn't know why Geom Woojin was so difficult to deal with. Anyway, she'd been caught peeking into the room.

A short while later, Geom Mugeuk returned. The image of him in a clean martial arts uniform overlapped with the memory of him returning in blood-soaked clothes.

Which one is the real you?

She didn't know what kind of person he was, yet when her heart was confused and angry, she found herself seeking out Geom Mugeuk.

"You were sweating a lot."

"I was doing some martial arts training."

"In your room?"

"Training in a confined space is actually more difficult and consumes more mental energy. You should try it sometime, Young Lady."

Of course, that wasn't the reason. He had been training in his room, using the Spacetime Manipulation Technique and then the Heavenly Space Secret Art. He saved even the spare moments. To Geom Mugeuk, it wasn't spare time at all.

"You look down. Is something wrong?"

She was grateful to Geom Mugeuk for accurately reading her mood. It allowed her to state the reason for her visit so easily, without having to worry about how to bring it up.

"Our efforts were in vain. Father has no intention of making me the successor."

Geom Mugeuk showed no particular reaction to her words.

"Why aren't you surprised? Don't tell me you also thought I wouldn't become the successor?"

After snapping at him, Geum Arin realized her mistake. She recognized that she had reacted irritably out of a needless sense of inferiority. Geom Mugeuk, on the other hand, was calm.

"If it were something that could be achieved easily, would you have hired me for such a high price?"

Hearing Geom Mugeuk's reply, Geum Arin's heart calmed down. Yes, he was right. It wasn't an easy task to begin with. She had been acting as if she had already become the successor.

"You sound like someone who's been through a fierce succession battle. Even though you haven't."

Geom Mugeuk smiled. If she knew what his battle with his brother was like, she would realize her fight didn't even qualify as a practice duel.

"Did he tell you why you can't be the successor?"

Geum Arin shook her head.

Entrusting her with a secret organization clearly showed he had faith in her. But she couldn't be the successor?

Geom Mugeuk thought that perhaps the reason was related to the masterminds. He could tell after meeting Geum Arin. She didn't know where the money she had earned was going. Her second brother, Geum Ajong, also seemed to be completely absorbed in the succession fight.

In that case, the mastermind was likely somewhere around the Patriarch of the Golden Dragon Clan or the big brother, Geum Ahyuk.

Where are you hiding?

Just then, a new visitor arrived. It was her second brother, Geum Ajong.

"Orabeoni, what are you doing here?"

Geum Arin showed her wariness when he came to Geom Mugeuk's residence.

"There's a promise between men that you wouldn't know about."

Geum Ajong said, looking at Geom Mugeuk.

"You haven't forgotten we promised to have a drink, have you?"

Geum Ajong was only thinking about how to introduce this swindler to his older brother. If he could ruin his younger sister and then his older brother, he would carry him on his back for a lap around Shaanxi.

However, before proceeding with his plan, there was one question he needed to answer. He had come today determined to solve that mystery.

"How about today? Let's have a drink."

"Sounds good. Let's go."

Geom Mugeuk readily accepted his offer.

"I'm going with you."

She didn't want to leave Geom Mugeuk alone with her Orabeoni. She couldn't know what tricks her Orabeoni might pull.

However, Geum Ajong wouldn't let her join.

"This was arranged in advance."

She pleaded for help with her eyes, but Geom Mugeuk pretended not to notice. It was easier to handle Geum Ajong when they were alone.

A drinking session for just the two of them began. Since both men had clear objectives, the atmosphere of the drinking session was excellent.

Geom Mugeuk was well aware that Geum Ajong considered him a swindler. Previously, his subordinate Lim Chu had come to inspect the carriage and was caught. Geom Mugeuk had used him to make Geum Ajong believe he was a con man.

At that time, Lim Chu had reported to Geum Ajong that he had overheard Geom Mugeuk talking about going to the family and making a big score. So, he completely regarded him as a swindler.

Conversely, Lim Chu had relayed Geum Ajong's scheme to Geom Mugeuk.

[He plans to introduce you to the First Young Lord to ruin him.]

Geum Ajong raised his cup and said, "If you have any lingering feelings toward me, forget them."

In response to Geum Ajong's concern, Geom Mugeuk spoke as if he didn't mind at all.

"If there are old feelings, let's build new ones to bury them."

"Well said!"

"Come, let's drink!"

And so, the two men drank merrily.

Geom Mugeuk boasted of his tolerance and drank cup after cup. He knew his opponent was trying to get him drunk to find something out, so he played along.

After drinking so much, when Geom Mugeuk started slurring his words drunkenly, Geum Ajong casually asked, "How did you handle those money-grubbers back then?"

This was the very mystery he needed to solve. There had to be a reason why those fierce men had become so polite and cleaned up.

He couldn't find out from the money-grubbers themselves. Their pride was so wounded that they were the type to draw their swords if the topic was brought up. They might answer his father, but they wouldn't meekly tell him.

Were they really such skilled swindlers, or did they use some other trick?

Geum Ajong was determined to find out the truth. After all, you should know the ingredients before you cook.

"You're curious about that?"

"Of course I'm curious, wouldn't you be? It's all in the past, so you can tell me, can't you?"

His face flushed from the alcohol, Geom Mugeuk raised a fist.

"This is it. What other reason could there be?"

If that was the case, there was one problem. What if he didn't leave after scoring big off his brother? What if he tried to swallow the entire family whole? What if they were swindlers who really had that kind of skill?

It was at that very moment. Lim Chu's voice transmission came through. He had gone to search Geom Mugeuk's residence while he was away.

[I found empty medicine vials in his residence. I checked the residue, and it was a poison I know.]

[What kind of poison?]

[Have you ever heard of Black Rain?]

Geum Ajong had heard of it. There was an incredible Qi Dispersing Poison made by the Evil Alliance, and its name was Black Rain.

That's right. Their inner qi must have vanished, which is why the money-grubbers couldn't do a thing.

Now the secret was revealed!

Things were falling into place smoothly. As if fate itself was pushing him to become the successor, Geom Mugeuk casually asked, "What kind of person is the First Young Lord?"

Relieved that he could proceed with the next phase of his plan, Geum Ajong broke into a wide grin.

You adorable little swindler!