Chapter 112 The Value of Real Estate

Chapter 112: The Value of Real Estate

Back in my past life, around the time I was in elementary school, whenever my father drank, he’d grab me and say things like this.

‘Hiccup, once that land in Gangwon-do gets developed, our hardships will be over!’

That’s right.

My father in my past life had been tricked by a friend into buying a plot of land in a remote mountainous area of Gangwon-do—a piece of land so undeveloped it didn’t even have a road.

As a child who knew nothing, I vaguely believed my father’s words.

It wasn’t until I became an adult and could properly discern things that I realized.

Far from being developed, it was worthless land where even farming was difficult, forcing us to pay property taxes year after year.

Needless to say, the hope circuit I’d diligently kept running since childhood was shut off.

Why am I suddenly bringing this up?

“Once you actually go see it, it might turn out to be land that can’t be sold for a decent price.”

My anxiety grew as I listened to Myohyang’s explanation.

“Surely not. Master Mun Sang said it was worth a hundred thousand nyang…”

“Well, that’s only what the documents say, so it’s understandable to think that way.”

Myohyang chuckled softly and continued.

“They say for land meant for trade, people must gather; for farming, water must pool; and for raising livestock, choose a place where the wind gathers. We’ll need to go and see what the land Master Jo received is suited for, but if the surrounding environment doesn’t cooperate, its value could plummet.”

“……”

“Of course, we’ll need to go and check the details, right?”

‘Wow, did I just get scammed?’

Just like my father in my past life.

Thinking about it now, there were more than a few strange points.

First off, it was odd that Jik Hwa-ran specifically told me to pick the land.

Also, Mun Sang flatly refused my request for twenty thousand nyang. Even though paying twenty thousand nyang in cash would have been cheaper in every way than giving me land worth a hundred thousand nyang.

Finally, it was strange that a candidate site popped up the moment I asked for land.

Exactly.

‘It’s like a well-orchestrated scheme.’

No choice.

I’ll have to go see for myself.

* * *

The distance from Guryongseong to Hanjung is a little over a thousand li.

Had I set out alone as originally planned, I’d have ridden swiftly on horseback, sleeping outdoors to make quick progress. But taking women who know nothing of martial arts along that way would surely lead to trouble.

Naturally, I prepared a carriage and planned to stay at inns along the route each night.

The problem was.

“So, do you know what I said?”

“What did you say?”

“I said you’re already taken. Then she turned bright red and ran off, right?”

“What?! Giggle.”

“Giggle.”

‘Ha, ha, ha.’

The auntie… no, the young lady’s chatter was actually quite entertaining.

Of course, maintaining the dignity befitting a middle-class martial artist, I pretended not to care and drove the carriage.

All the while, I used my inner energy to sharpen my hearing and continued listening to the conversation between the two inside.

“Yesterday, some guy approached me in the marketplace and said, ‘Miss, if you have time, would you care for a cup of tea?’”

“Oh my, oh my, was he handsome?”

“He was handsome enough, but not my type, so I just turned him down.”

“Really? What a waste. You should’ve at least had a cup of tea.”

“Nah, forget it. Even if he’s handsome, it’s just a fleeting thing when he gets old. It’s not like you’re gonna spend your whole life just ogling his face. The most important thing when looking at a man isn’t his face.”

“Then what is it?”

“Strength.”

“Hee, strength?”

“Hehehe, our little Soso, you’re still so young? Why strength is important is…”

“Hmm…”

Listening to the two women’s conversation, bordering on R-rated, only piqued his interest further.

‘Spicy.’

Stimulating talk is always entertaining, after all.

But strength, huh…

‘If that’s what they want, I’m pretty decent myself.’

He couldn’t show it off, though. How frustrating.

Besides, he maintained his body in pristine condition, not just in his past life, but in this one too.

‘New is always better than used.’

Lost in such thoughts as I rode on, I spotted the village in the distance.

Though the sun wouldn’t set for another two hours, we wouldn’t reach the next village in time, so we had to find lodging here.

Heeeen!

“Whoa, whoa.”

As the carriage pulled up in front of the inn, the innkeeper’s daughter quickly came out.

“Welcome!”

The innkeeper greeted us with a booming welcome.

Creak.

As the carriage door opened and Qingxiao and Miaoxiang stepped down, every passerby’s gaze locked onto them.

Miaoxiang, once the finest martial artist in Nine Dragons City, and Qingxiao, nicknamed the Divine Maiden for her beauty and exceptional medical skills.

In a village like this, they were beauties who could make eyes pop out.

“Whew! Getting out feels like coming back to life. I thought my butt was going to die.”

“Me too.”

The innkeeper, who had stood there blankly for a moment, snapped into professional mode and hurried over.

“Oh my! For such peerless beauties to grace our inn! It is the honor of three lifetimes!”

Ho ho ho ho.

The two women laughed brightly at the words “peerless beauties.”

Indeed, compliments about beauty transcended time and place.

Tying the carriage to the post in front of the inn, we entered to find the two women already seated at a table right in the middle of the room.

The other seats were packed with guests, making it seem as if that particular spot had been left empty just for them.

“Hmm…”

I scanned the other guests inside the inn, wary of any suspicious characters.

Caution was warranted. In the martial arts world, inns were like a collection of clichés.

If I’d come alone, it wouldn’t matter, but with pretty women in tow, the chances of encountering villains increased—from the local nobleman type who’d approach saying, “Young lady, care to join us?” to the thug type who’d bellow, “Hahahaha, come here and pour us some liquor!”

Sure enough.

“Young lady, our master over there…”

Already, a pest was appearing.

Having seen this cliché many times, I began to picture what would unfold next.

First, Cheongso and Myohyang would refuse.

“We don’t seem to have any reason to meet your master.”

The servant, likely about to get scolded by his master, would cling on persistently.

“Please don’t…”

But if the two still refused, the so-called young master would step in.

“Hahaha! Please don’t refuse. Why not join us for a meal? I’ll treat you.”

I couldn’t help but marvel at how the story unfolded like clockwork.

‘Wow, it’s not like some fictional world.’

So this is how it really plays out.

“We don’t need it.”

Now it was this guy’s turn to stir up trouble with me to create a sense of unease.

Thump.

My prediction didn’t miss by an inch.

That guy Kongzi tapped my shoulder, flashed a sly grin, and started picking a fight.

“Excuse me for a moment? I have something to discuss with the young ladies in front of me.”

” ……Now it’s downright fascinating.”

At this point, it felt like watching a well-rehearsed play.

Glancing at Myohyang and Cheongso, both shook their heads.

It seemed they were warning me not to spill unnecessary blood.

My thoughts were the same.

Even if I beat this guy senseless here, he’d obviously just bring his minions in droves.

So.

Smack! Smack.

Just one blow.

“Gah!”

The sound of a broken nose bone echoed as blood spurted like a fountain.

“Get out.”

“What?”

“Get out. You bastard.”

Thud.

He placed the Nine Dragons Badge on the table. Within Sichuan Province, the territory of the Nine Dragons Fortress, it was practically equivalent to an imperial inspector’s badge.

“Gah!”

The man buried his blood-soaked face in the ground and bowed his head.

“I, I didn’t recognize you and was rude! Please forgive me.”

“I get it. Now get lost.”

“Yes, sir!”

“Ah, wait.”

Something suddenly occurred to him, and he called the man back.

“Yes?”

“Buy them dinner before you go.”

“What do you mean…”

“You said you wanted to treat the lovely young ladies sitting here to a meal? I’ll give you the chance. Go pay the bill first.”

He immediately called out loudly to the waiter.

“Waiter! Bring everything you have ready to eat. And a couple bottles of white liquor.”

Then, he spat irritably at the fool standing there dumbstruck.

“What are you doing? Why haven’t you gone to pay? Are your feet glued to the floor? I could break both your legs to make you move, if that’s what it takes!”

“Ah, no! I’ll go right now!”

Thanks to this unexpected villain, they ended up enjoying a very lavish meal.

“Well then, let’s head upstairs. We need to get some sleep early if we’re leaving tomorrow.”

But the inn’s clichés weren’t over yet.

Clunk!

A rough band of bandits came crashing in.

They were clearly ronin, each carrying a huge axe and sword.

And their reactions were cliché too.

“Kekekeke, just in time—pretty girls!”

“Ugh.”

It was truly an exhausting day.

“You two go up first.”

Nod.

Cheongso and Myohyang headed for the stairs leading to the upper floor.

“Where are you going?”

“Come here.”

Several bandits hurried over.

Crack! Snap.

“Gah!”

I immediately shattered one of their knees. Considering the medical standards of the martial arts world, that bastard would probably limp for the rest of his life.

Thud.

Crunch.

“Ugh!”

I grabbed the neck of the one who seemed to be their leader with one hand and lifted him into the air.

“If any of you want to die, stay. Otherwise, hand over every last coin and get out.”

“Yes, sir!”

A moment later.

After the vagabonds fled, I stared at the table piled high with coins and thought.

‘Does this mean every time I enter an inn from now on, it’ll be like this?’

This is way too much hassle.

“I need to take some drastic measures.”

He couldn’t keep going like this.

And the solution presented itself sooner than he expected.

Clunk.

“Senior!”

The inn door swung open as Jik Hwaran entered.

Rumble.

And she wasn’t alone—she was accompanied by warriors from the Jikryongdang.

“How could you leave me behind?! You promised we’d go out together!”

Jik Hwaran answered my question, sniffling indignantly.

I was flustered by her unexpected appearance, but soon realized what was happening.

Jik Hwaran had used the Red Dragon Sect’s intelligence network to track us down.

Just as I was speechless with disbelief, a brilliant idea struck me.

‘Why not just take her with us?’

That was it.

If I brought Jik Hwaran into our group, the Jikryongdang assassins standing behind us would become part of our party too.

In other words, troublesome incidents like today’s would definitely not happen.

“I didn’t want to put our Hwaran through hardship.”

Whoosh!

“W-our Hwaran?”

Jik Hwaran blushed and bowed her head.

Then she began muttering to herself.

“…My son is Jin Baekcheon… My daughter is Jin Baekhyang… The second child is… The fourth granddaughter is… The first great-grandson is…”

I spoke to her in the gentlest voice I could manage.

“Since we’ve come this far, wanna come with us? Just for the trip.”

“Th-then what about the promise…”

“That’s separate, of course. That’s that. This is this.”

“Th-then, okay! I’ll cover all the expenses, so let’s go together.”

Life sure is easier when you’re close with a rich family’s daughter.

* * *

The journey after that was incredibly smooth.

Though flies swarmed us every time we entered an inn.

Thwack.

“Stop right there. One more step and I’ll cut your ankle off.”

Seeing the bloodthirsty warriors of the Red Dragon Sect, they were too busy fleeing.

Of course, Myohyang and Cheongso-so occasionally complained about the suffocating atmosphere, but this was still a hundred times better.

‘By the way, was public safety really this chaotic?’

Even in the martial arts world overflowing with clichés, this was too much—so many men rushing at women they’d never met before, just because they were pretty.

If Sichuan Province, supposedly the safest place, was like this, what on earth were the territories of the Ten Demon Alliance or the Lion Clan like?

Just thinking about it gave him a headache – it was hardcore hell in the martial arts world.

Anyway, five days after joining forces with the Red Dragon Sect warriors and traveling comfortably.

“It’s Hanzhong!”

He had finally arrived in Hanzhong, where he owned land.