Chapter 8 The Ruthless World of M&A

Chapter 8: The Ruthless World of M&A

“Ugh, I’m dead.”

Freelancing really isn’t for just anyone.

I won fair and square, but if there had been just one more expert like that old man, I would’ve definitely died today.

Brrrr.

The thought of ending my second life as a bachelor too is chilling.

‘Come to think of it, it’s been a while since I’ve been here.’

A safe house I’d prepared long ago, anticipating the day I’d leave Nine Dragons City.

I planned to wait here until the Red Dragon Sect masters secured safety and gave the signal before moving.

“Where is it again···.”

I pulled out the first-aid kit stashed in the safe house and fed the strange medicine to Lu Zhu.

After a little while, Lu Zhu groaned, seemingly coming to his senses.

“Ugh…”

“Are you awake?”

“Gah!”

Thud!

The revived Lu Zhu suddenly swung a fist, snapping my jaw.

The vicious punch landed pinpoint on my jaw tip, nearly knocking me unconscious instantly.

“You… you kidnapper, how dare you! After doing this, you still dare hope to live?! I’ll tell my Golden Family…”

Thud. Thud.

I swiftly pressed her acupoints to seal her mouth and immobilize her.

Deprived of speech and movement, she glared at me with bloodshot eyes.

Her gaze was like that of someone staring at a pervert.

Completely oblivious to the fact that just moments ago, she’d been playing queen.

“Huh, women are truly incomprehensible.”

This really seems like a difficult problem.

***

“Good work.”

At dawn, Jihwa-ran, who had been waiting for me without sleeping, smiled brightly and said.

“But, can kidnapping one person from Geumhwaru really bring down the entire Geumhwaru?”

“Just watch, senior. This junior will handle the rest.” “

No, it’s just that I don’t trust it.

”…Well, if you say so, then I guess it is.“

Anyway, if any problems arise, the Red Dragon Sect Leader will step in, so it probably won’t be a big deal.

But, Jihwaran seemed to think differently.

”This is an opportunity. To make a deep impression on Grandfather and the Elders. You can do it.”

“……”

I should just take the reward money and cut my losses.

“What about the money?”

“…That way… Like this… Huh?”

“I’m asking for the money. I did what you asked.”

“Ah! That?!”

As if just remembering, Jik Hwaran pulled a small wooden box from the desk.

Her smug expression made me want to punch her right then and there.

“Hehehe. Open it.”

Inside the box were two small pills.

One emitted a blue, clear fragrance, the other a red, pungent scent.

“What is this?”

“The Blue-Red Twin Pills.”

“I mean, what exactly are they?”

“What else could it be but an elixir? Do you realize how much you owe this brilliant junior? Where else would you find a junior who hands out elixirs like this, things you couldn’t easily get even with money?”

Staring blankly for a moment, Jik Hwaran chuckled with her characteristic unlucky expression.

“Are you so moved you’ve fallen for me? Huh, that would be troublesome… Well, maybe it wouldn’t hurt to meet you once, since you’re my senior?”

“…Mumble mumble.”

“What did you say? If you don’t speak up, this junior might not hear you.”

“…You bitch.”

“Aww, I told you to speak up!”

“Hand over the money, you bitch!”

***

Yuk Jin-hwa, who had brought me to Geumhwaru, restrained my fury.

Fortunately, the moment her ample something touched my elbow, my excitement instantly subsided.

Jik Hwaran sniffled.

“Shut up! What are you crying about?!”

“Sniff! Okay, I’m sorry…”

As voices rose, Yook Jin-hwa stepped between me and Jik Hwa-ran.

Her ample something swayed, catching my gaze.

“Captain Jin, please calm down. After all, this item was obtained with great difficulty by the Princess, thinking of you, wasn’t it?”

“…Hmph, is that so?”

“Moreover, the Blue-Red Twin Threads are a rare treasure that money alone cannot buy without the right connections. I don’t know how much Team Leader Jin intended to pay as a token of appreciation, but its value certainly exceeds that.”

“Hmph, I suppose I got a bit carried away. I’ll apologize to Hwamei too.”

A man should always listen to a woman.

Following my future wife’s advice, I apologized to Jie Huaran.

“Well then, I’ll take my leave. Let’s have tea sometime and discuss how things concluded.”

“Understood.”

Damn, she’s got charisma.

***

After the radio operator left, Liu Zhenhua immediately reported the dawn incident to Jie Huaran.

Somehow, she detailed every single action Wu Tian had taken.

“…That concludes the process of Squad Leader Jin bringing in Jin Hualu.”

“Did Jin Hualu talk?”

“Since we called in Shuo Nu, it shouldn’t take long.”

Hearing the name of Shuo Nu, the top interrogator of the Red Dragon Sect, Zhi Huaran gave a cold laugh.

“Then I can trust it.”

“And…”

“Hmm?”

“It seems Squad Leader Jin captured the Golden Dragon Sect’s Yao Yao Jin Jian (Golden Swaying Sword).”

“Really?”

“Intelligence indicates that last night, Young Master Jin left the Golden Dragon Sect with the Yao Yao Jin Jian. He returned alone. He must have suffered severe injury or died.”

“I couldn’t believe it…”

“Yes, Your Highness’s judgment was spot on. He was the most promising among the promising.”

Yuk Jin-hwa was genuinely impressed.

Truthfully, within the Nine Dragons City, the Golden Dragon Sword wasn’t particularly formidable.

Even within the Red Dragon Sect alone, there were over thirty masters stronger than him, and across the entire Nine Dragons City, there were likely over three hundred.

What was remarkable was that Jin Muzhen, barely twenty years old, had single-handedly captured Yoyojin Sword, a veteran master at the peak of his powers.

To be this formidable at just twenty… it was impossible to even imagine how he would grow in the future.

“Heh, that’s why I presented the Blue-Red Twin Pills.”

“It seems Captain Jin didn’t recognize its value and was disrespectful to the Princess. Once she consumes the Twin Dan and her internal energy deepens, she will be profoundly grateful.”

“I suppose that’s how it will be?”

“Without a doubt.”

“Speaking of which… how disappointed I felt earlier… So… He was impressive… Me… Even his angry expression…”

The night at Honghwa Pavilion passed.

***

Ten days later, while on duty at the North Gate, a startling rumor reached his ears.

“They say Geumhwa Pavilion is closing?”

“Not closing—merging with Honghwa Pavilion.”

“Isn’t that the same thing?”

See? They’re swallowing Geumhwaru whole?

While inwardly marveling, the two men’s conversation continued.

“But do you know how it came to this?”

“Apparently, Geumhwaru had been supplying courtesans through human trafficking all this time. The Red Dragon Sect uncovered it and arrested the owner.”

“So that’s why they took down the sign?”

“Exactly. They couldn’t keep running the business after pulling that stunt. Rumor has it that as soon as the brothel owner was thrown in jail, the Golden Dragon Gang handed over Golden Flower Pavilion to Red Flower Pavilion.”

“So now the owner of the Golden Flower Pavilion is a widow?”

“Likely so. Becoming the top establishment in the entire Nine Dragons Fortress within a month of opening? I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s just raking in the money from now on.”

The merchants chatting passed through the outer city gate.

‘Not bad at all.’

To handle things so cleanly just by taking down one Golden Flower Pavilion owner.

It seemed they’d settled the matter on the condition of burying the truth about the Golden Sect’s misdeeds.

Come to think of it, if I’d known it would turn out like this, I should’ve squeezed them for more.

Why did I have to accept useless elixirs like that?

Truthfully, I know what the Blue-Red Twin Dan is and its value.

It’s a mass-produced elixir developed by the Tang Family, the era’s premier chemical pharmaceutical company. A single dose grants ten years’ worth of cultivation.

Thanks to the Tang Family’s superior refinement techniques, its purity is unmatched by other brands’ elixirs.

Though it can only be consumed once.

The problem is.

I don’t need to get stronger.

After all, being born a man, martial arts prowess wasn’t that important.

What truly mattered was the wealth to keep three wives and four concubines.

‘Yeah, exactly.’

Still, it was a pity to hear that Golden Flower Pavilion Lady was imprisoned in the Brain Prison.

Even though she had a bit of a perverted streak, she was pretty… and had big breasts…

I should add her to my ideal type list.

Reflecting on my life goals once more as I headed home from work.

‘Huh?’

I sensed movement inside the house.

‘No way?’

Had Yook Jin-hwa come?

Well, I hadn’t shown my face at Honghwaru for the past ten days, playing hard to get. She must be missing me by now.

‘Damn this ant hell of a man.’

Once you fall in, there’s no getting out.

Having steeled myself, I stood at the door, making as much noise as possible.

“Ahem! Ahem!”

Squeak.

Knowing Yook Jin-hwa was inside, the sound of those old hinges couldn’t have been more welcome.

Just as I closed my eyes for a moment, feeling the emotion, a voice greeted me.

“You’re here?”

A clear, crisp, and refreshing voice.

Opening my eyes and looking ahead, a beauty radiating purity, cleanliness, and freshness was smiling at me.

It wasn’t Yuk Jin-hwa, but someone who made me feel even happier.

“Sister!”

It was Myo-hyang, who had taken care of me more than anyone else during my time at Deungcheongak.

A moment later.

Myohyang had prepared a table laden with food. It was a feast composed entirely of my favorite dishes.

“Seriously, when did you prepare all this? And all my favorite things too?”

“How could I forget the tastes of Master Jin? Especially since it’s you.”

“Stop calling me ‘Master’ already.”

“Should I? Then what should I call you?”

“Hmm… Call me Captain.”

“Yes, Captain Jin.”

“And lower your tone. Your sister is six years older than me, after all.”

“Later. And it’s rude to casually mention a woman’s age.”

“Is that so?”

“Indeed.”

Seeing her face after so long brought back old memories.

‘You should eat your greens too!’

‘If you don’t eat a balanced meal, I won’t serve any meat dishes for a while.’

‘Where on earth did you catch that sparrow?! What? You’re going to roast and eat this poor thing?’

‘Did I tell you to put it in the basket after taking off its clothes? Didn’t I?’

“……”

Well, memories come in all shapes and sizes.

But one thing is certain.

Back in the days of Deungcheongak, I never would have endured it without Myohyang.

And to me, she was like a real older sister.

“Have a drink.”

“I told you to drop the formalities. We’re not Deungcheongak’s servants anymore.”

“Later.”

Swish.

Myohyang poured liquor into the cup.

The floral fragrance instantly filled the air, stimulating my senses.

Taking a sip, I recognized the liquor’s identity.

“Honghwajju?”

“Princess Jeokhwaran specially prepared it for you.”

Taking the cup, Myohyang smiled, rose from her seat, and bowed respectfully.

Startled by her sudden action, I couldn’t utter a word.

“I owe a great debt of gratitude to Captain Jin.”

“No, sister!”

Miao Xiang, who had bowed her head, spoke with eyes brimming with tears.

“I heard from Princess Jie that Captain Jin risked his life to capture the Golden Flower Pavilion.”

“It wasn’t that dangerous…”

“And that was because of me. “

”They said they’d give a generous reward…“

”Thanks to you, I wasn’t sold to Baek Hajin, and my younger brother in Nanjing can continue his studies safely. So Captain Jin is my one and only benefactor.“

”No, it’s nothing.“

”I can’t even begin to imagine how I could ever repay this debt.“

”Haha, what debt between us?”

“That’s why I decided to look after Team Leader Jin.”

“Huh?”

Huh?