Book 22 Chapter 10

The Path of Money

―Where People Gather, Money Gathers―

The land of Gangho was divided into four regions: East, West, South, and North, each called Donggu, Seogu, Namgu, and Bugu. The port where the group from the Cheonmu Academy arrived by ship was located in Namgu. According to Baekgyeol's indifferent guidance—he considered even conversing with others to be distasteful—heading east from Namgu, where the port was situated, led to Donggu, a concentration of entertainment and gambling establishments. Upon hearing that the red-light district was also located there, some male disciples, their eyes gleaming, had to endure the sharp glares of the female disciples. It was said to be a city that never slept, where the lights never went out at night. It seemed to be a place where diligent and honest people worked tirelessly day and night.

Accommodation was located in Bugu. This meant that customers arriving at the port had to pass through the densely packed entertainment and gambling district to reach their lodgings. This arrangement was, of course, calculated. As for what was in Seogu, it was left as a surprise, so they were told to find out for themselves if they were bored. Though it seemed the bigger reason was simply that he didn't want to talk any longer rather than leaving it as a surprise.

Small waterways separated each of the East, West, South, and North regions, and one had to cross cloud-shaped bridges to move between them. The first bridge they crossed was called ‘Namdeungun Bridge,’ which, put simply, meant a cloud bridge connecting the south and north. Thanks to these waterways, the division between regions was quite clear.

“What you have been gifted can be freely used at any gambling establishment located in Donggu,” Baekgyeol said, using the minimum number of words. He seemed to not want to speak unnecessarily long with these filthy humans. He was the kind of person whose mere presence made one feel suffocated.

“If it’s a gift, you mean ‘that’ thing?” Namgungsang whispered to Yongcheonmyeong, Maharyeong, and Biyeontae.

“I believe it was called gambling money, wasn't it? Something that can only be used for gambling? Let’s follow him for now. I don’t know what his intentions are yet, but it doesn’t seem like he’ll pose any particular danger.” He keenly opened up his senses and surveyed his surroundings, but he felt no sign of any special pursuit or ambush.

“Maybe it’s just them showing off their wealth. Perhaps they intend to boast to us about how much money they have?” Biyeontae offered his opinion.

“I don’t think that’s likely,” Yongcheonmyeong expressed his skepticism about that opinion.

“Then how should we proceed?”

“Is there no evidence at all that this isn't a trap yet?” Namgungsang asked.

“That’s true.”

“Indeed.” Yongcheonmyeong and Maharyeong nodded in unison.

“We cannot completely rule out the possibility of an attack. Let’s go with this friend Baekgyeol to the place he’s guiding us to, and after that, since we don't know what will happen, it would be best to split into groups.” This way, the damage from an attack could be minimized, and if an emergency signal was given, they could quickly come to each other’s aid. If necessary, a counterattack would also be possible. However, close communication was essential, as they might be picked off one by one.

“That’s a good idea.”

“I agree.”

“I don’t mind.” All three agreed. They decided to distribute emergency flares, brought in case of an emergency, to each group. However, the leadership decided to stay together in case of an emergency. The four of them felt confident they could react promptly to any situation.

“Then we’ll proceed with that understanding, Captain.”

“For now, I’ll form a group with Miss Ma. Is that alright?”

“No problem.”

“Then I’ll ask for your help.” Namgungsang thanked him with a slight bow. Yongcheonmyeong and Maharyeong put their heads together to brainstorm group formations. About three or four groups seemed appropriate.

Just then, a woman’s voice called him from behind. “Um… Captain Namgung?” Namgungsang looked at the person who had called him. Namgungsang flinched for a moment (though he didn't know why he had to). It was Yeonbi, and she looked very pale and weak.

“Ah, Miss Yeonbi! Wh-what is it?” Namgungsang asked timidly. For some reason, he found this person difficult to deal with. It wasn't just because he had been knocked out in a single blow. However, his instincts warned him that it was better not to know any more, and not to find out.

“Ah, I’m not feeling well, perhaps due to seasickness. I’d like to go to the inn and rest first. Would that be alright?” Yeonbi said weakly, touching her pale forehead.

“Oh, really? That’s certainly the case. In that case, please do so. There’s no need to push yourself when you’re not feeling well.” Although he didn’t think the person who had knocked him out with a single blow would suffer from mere seasickness… everyone had their weak points. And it was just that this was coincidental seasickness. Namgungsang refused to probe further. While Yeonbi was undeniably a striking beauty, his instincts kept warning him to stay away from her. This feeling was new, except for his eldest martial brother.

“But will you be alright alone? This place cannot be considered safe yet.”

“Oh my, thank you for your deep concern, Captain Namgung!” Yeonbi said with emotion, and Namgungsang felt a little puffed up. Receiving praise from a beauty was always an honor for a man.

“Ah, no. I was just doing my duty.” And by declining so humbly, he became an even more dashing man. However, when he met Jinling’s eyes, who was nearby, he quickly abandoned his daydream and cleared his throat. “Ahem. Shall I assign separate guards for you?” If the person to be guarded were such a beauty, there would be no shortage of volunteers. However, the difficulty was that one couldn’t guarantee the safety of such a guard.

“That’s not necessary. Because I will go with her.” It was Nayerin who stepped forward, saying she couldn't send the sick Yeonbi alone.

“Ah, then that would be fine. That's a good idea. I would feel at ease if someone with your renowned swordsmanship, Miss Na, were to accompany her.” Namgungsang readily agreed.

“Hmph, 언니, are you going in? I wanted to play with you…” Yijinseo whined with great regret.

“Why don’t you play with Prince Hyoryong over there?” Nayerin pointed to Hyoryong, who was standing a short distance away with Jang Hong and Yun Junho.

“Me, you mean?” Hyoryong, surprised by the unexpected ambush, retorted. He had never dreamed that Nayerin would point at him directly and say something like that.

“Ah! Now that I think about it, there was that method too.” With Yijinseo’s tone as if she had completely forgotten, Hyoryong was hurt. ‘Sob, they completely forgot about me…’ His slumped shoulders seemed to say so.

“Now, now, don’t be so dejected. In the first place, there's no room for a man in the friendship between women. That's on a different level than love.” Jang Hong, standing beside him, patted Hyoryong’s shoulder as if in pity, but it offered no comfort at all.

“Then have fun.” Nayerin and Yeonbi remained, and the rest of the group continued on their way, following Baekgyeol. Even at the moment of parting, Yijinseo expressed her regret, but there was no alternative. Now, they were alone.

“Are they all gone?” Yeonbi, sitting weakly at an angle on a chair with a pale complexion, asked, peeking her eyes open.

“Yes, they’ve all gone, Yeonbi.”

“Great!” As if suddenly energized, Yeonbi jumped up from her seat. Her formerly pale face was now full of vitality.

“Well then, shall we go?” Yeonbi exclaimed cheerfully, quickly wrapping her arm around Nayerin’s.

“Go where? Where? Are you feeling alright, Yeonbi?”

“I’m all better now that it’s just you and me, ho ho ho!” Yeonbi burst into laughter. Nayerin couldn't help but smile along.

“In other words, it was a fake illness?”

“That’s right.” Yeonbi playfully stuck out her tongue.

“Oh dear. I’ve been fooled. But where are we going?”

“Anywhere. I just wanted to spend some intimate time alone with you, Rin.” Of course, she knew Yeonbi had other intentions as well. She wanted less restriction on her actions. Yeonbi somehow seemed cornered, and she felt her help was needed.

“So, what do we do first?”

“Hmm… Shall we start with Yangrouchuan (lamb skewers)?” Among the street food stalls, this particular dish had a uniquely superior taste. And so, the two of them began their journey of tasting street food. Yeonbi and Nayerin visited various street stalls, buying and eating all sorts of strangely shaped foods with their thorough experimental and challenging spirit, enjoying various games. The serious and contemplative demeanor from earlier was nowhere to be found. As Yeonbi continued to stay there and just play, it was Nayerin who became anxious.

“Are you really sure it’s alright?”

“Of course, of course. Easy win! Easy win! Relax. When you have leisure, you can see things you normally don't. Ah! That looks delicious. Let’s go eat that this time.” And then, she pulled Nayerin along and sprinted towards a stall selling bread. Nearby, there was a ring toss game where you could win prizes. Yeonbi grabbed a ring and threw it, hitting the bullseye every time. Nothing she threw failed to go in. The owner looked crestfallen as she won so much, so she returned the rest and took only one doll she liked. Then, walking with Nayerin’s hand in hers, she said without looking back, “I’ve always wanted to do this with you like this, Rin.” Yeonbi’s steps didn’t falter. “Since ten years ago. But the opportunity never arose.”

“Yeonbi……” Nayerin couldn't help but be moved by her sincere words. Thinking back to ten years ago, boundless emotions welled up. “Regret, once left, seems difficult to erase, doesn’t it? Today’s events can be considered a form of revenge.” Yeonbi said with a bright smile.

“Revenge?” Expressing playing as revenge… it felt like Yeonbi.

“Of course, it's revenge. Something I’ve been planning for ten years. Revenge combined with market research. Shall we start moving soon?”

“Where to?” Then Yeonbi replied, “Sometimes, you have to stop to grasp the flow. Now, shall we go?” And without waiting for Nayerin to respond, she began to walk quickly, holding Nayerin’s hand. Nayerin had no idea where she was being dragged.

“Where are we going?” Then Yeonbi replied, “In search of the flow of money!” Unfortunately, money wasn’t something that fell from the sky. Even though Nayerin had grown up without financial difficulties, she knew that much as common sense. They said that to make big money, you have to make money work for you, but that also implied the necessity of significant initial capital. Could she really earn such an astonishing sum of 300,000 nyang suddenly in this remote place with no connections? She couldn't even guess the process by which she would earn that money. However, Yeonbi had already finished all her calculations and was about to take action.

“Come on, we have to hurry.” Yeonbi seemed truly urgent. Nayerin had no choice but to follow her, unable to raise any objections or counterarguments to her serious demeanor. Yeonbi’s face was set with determination, like a warrior going into battle.

“But Yeonbi, can I ask you something for a moment?” While it was fine to follow, she wanted to resolve her doubts before that.

“Of course. Ask me anything.” Yeonbi replied with an attitude as if there was nothing to hide. She didn’t slow her pace. “But how are we going to make money here? Surely not gambling?” From what she had heard earlier, this place was a paradise of alcohol, pleasure, and gambling. Even after walking only a short distance, she could strongly feel that such decadent and hedonistic atmosphere was emanating everywhere. Then Yeonbi said with a serious expression, “No, I don't gamble. I've made many bets, but I don't gamble. And above all, I don't particularly like stepping into a game created by others.” Yeonbi stated firmly.

“Oh my, Yeonbi, you’re saying the same thing as someone right now?” Nayerin exclaimed in surprise, as if it were curious.

“Who? Oh my, that's quite an ambiguous and broad expression.” Yeonbi replied, pretending not to know. “There is such a person. I’ll definitely introduce you later.” Nayerin said with a smile. “I feel like I could communicate well with that person.” Yeonbi replied impassively.

People tend to see only what they want to see. Therefore, they sometimes miss many things. Then, what if there was a person who could freely switch their perspective as needed? Undoubtedly, they would discover much more than an ordinary person. What Yeonbi needed now was the path of money. Grasping its flow was relatively simple. She had undergone much training, so she could discover that path much more easily. That path has meaning only when it is a path one can walk. A path that others can walk held no meaning for her.

“Where are we going now?” Yeonbi’s face, as she crossed through the crowd with a serious expression, showed no hesitation. It was the expression of someone who knew their destination and had confidence in their steps.

“To make money.” Yeonbi answered without any hesitation.

“Has Yeonbi been here before?”

“No. Of course, today is my first time.”

“Then how can you walk so confidently? How can you be sure this is the way to make money?” Even Yong'an wasn't omnipotent. No matter how much she was a possessor of Yong'an, her sense of money was close to a blank slate. Up until now, money was something others earned for her, and she had no need to earn it herself.

“Lin, money, you see, is a simple tool without good or evil, or will. Ultimately, it is people who use it. Therefore, where people gather, money will gather. The flow of money and the flow of people are never separate.”

“Ah!” Only after hearing that could she finally understand Yeonbi’s actions. As expected, if one doesn't take an interest in either, one can't ask questions, and without questions, one can't find answers. According to her own words, ‘survival’ was at stake in this matter, so the degree of interest and concentration must be different from hers.

“This is where people’s footsteps are most directed, so if we go this way, something that can be called a 'money aggregation point' will emerge. It doesn't seem to be the entertainment or gambling district though…” She had no intention of earning money by selling her body, nor did she intend to rely on gambling, which was not her area of expertise. Yeonbi knew from experience that what one does best always brings the greatest profit. Even if that experience wasn't entirely pleasant.

After weaving through the waves of people for a while, Nayerin began to feel a distinct sense of strangeness as time passed. The further she walked with Yeonbi, the more the number of people around them increased.

“Did you notice?” Yeonbi asked with a smile.

“Then, indeed…”

“Was it intentional? Of course it was.”

“Why?” Even though she had grasped the phenomenon, she hadn't grasped its meaning.

“There’s a saying that you see as much as you know. It’s the same with money. If you take an interest and delve into it, you’ll see the path money takes, the flow of money. Depending on how much interest you take, you can see it more broadly or more narrowly. If you have no intention of studying, don’t even think about making money. If you keep clinging to old ways of thinking, you'll never be able to make money. Well, living a life of poverty is one’s choice, but I want to ask those people not to drag me into it.” Having said that, Yeonbi walked towards the place where the most people were gathered. Finally, they stood in front of a building that sucked people in like a gaping abyss. It was a very unique building with large stones piled in a circle. And from beyond that immense circular stone wall, sounds of cheering erupted. Nayerin, if nothing else, knew one thing: this was not a place that suited her.

As they approached the large main gate, they saw a gatekeeper stationed to maintain order. Despite his gruff appearance, Yeonbi asked without hesitation, “Where is this place?”

“You don’t even know where this place is?” The man’s face showed disbelief.

“I’m asking because I don’t know. Why would I ask if I knew?” That was true, after all.

“This is an arena,” the gatekeeper replied in a curt voice.

“The arena where people fight each other?”

“Yes, that’s right, the arena.”

“The arena where you bet on people fighting each other?”

“That’s right, that’s the arena. It’s called ‘Wontong’.” The gatekeeper's true intention was that he wouldn't have gone through such troublesome questioning if the opponent hadn't been a beauty. By the way, Wontong, it was undeniably a name that clearly showed it was made haphazardly.

“There’s a prize if you win, right?”

“Of course.”

“I see. Thank you.” Then she turned around and said to Nayerin, “Well, shall we go in, Lin?”

“Into that arena?” Yeonbi nodded.

“To watch…?”

“No, to participate.” Yeonbi replied with a bright smile.