Absolute Regression

Chapter 468: Told You to Clean It Up Thoroughly

“Will you be all right?”

Lim Hyuk asked with concern.

After returning from meeting Geom Mugeuk, Geum Arin immediately began drafting the contract. A clean document with no hidden agendas—just the promise to pay two million nyang and join forces with them.

“Am I sure about this? Well, it’s insane.”

Lim Hyuk felt a strange relief at Geum Arin’s answer. At the very least, she understood the gravity of the situation.

“Why do you trust him this much?”

Her answer was a single word.

“Gut.”

Her hand paused over the paper.

“I didn’t know either. That I’d end up deciding my fate based on a gut feeling.”

Despite her words, she resumed finishing the contract with eyes full of certainty.

The moment Geom Mugeuk signed the contract, two million nyang had to be paid.

In the world of trade, credit was life. Even if it was a secret organization, since its leader was the daughter of the Golden Dragon Family head, it was the same as signing a deal with the Golden Dragon Family.

“To pay two million nyang, we’d need not just this year’s operating funds but the total of all our earnings. Even then, it might not be enough.”

“We’ll borrow from the exchange if we have to.”

Lim Hyuk said with unease.

“The second young master won’t just sit still.”

“Of course.”

From an objective standpoint, not only her second elder brother but anyone would see this decision as reckless.

She looked up and asked Lim Hyuk.

“Do you think so too?”

They had yet to witness even a sliver of the group’s martial arts, but Lim Hyuk thought of Hui. That gaze he gave him, that calm advice—it wasn’t something you could easily put a price on. 𝐑ἁ𐌽ȪВĘś

“No, I don’t.”

And so, Lim Hyuk chose to respect her gut. The feeling Geom Mugeuk gave her must have been the same.

“Right, me neither.”

Geum Arin revealed that this choice was aimed at a far greater goal.

“I decided when he told me he would definitely be on my side. I’ll use them to become the successor.”

Lim Hyuk felt like the inevitable had finally arrived. Until now, she had taken a step back from the Golden Dragon Family’s succession war. She’d only been watching her two elder brothers’ fight from across the river. But now, she was throwing herself into the heart of it.

She may have called it a gut feeling, but this was surely fate’s guidance.

“Take this, get his signature, and pay the money.”

She held out the completed contract as she spoke.

“What I bought for two million nyang wasn’t our lives, and it wasn’t Seodo Sect either. It was the successor’s seat.”

999

“We made some money!”

Geom Mugeuk placed three envelopes on the table.

“We took the two million nyang and split it into three. That’s six hundred sixty-six thousand nyang each.”

Geom Woojin proudly took the envelope containing the promissory note first.

“Well done.”

At that, Hui released his concealment and revealed himself.

As someone who couldn’t possibly tolerate being paid the same amount as the Cult Leader, he still placed greater weight on the Cult Leader’s command to accept the money.

“Here, this is your share, Uncle.”

“Thank you, Young Cult Leader.”

Hui carefully tucked the envelope into his chest.

“Father, let’s come out more often, at least for Hui’s sake. What good is money if you have no time to spend it?”

At Geom Mugeuk’s remark, Hui let out an awkward laugh. Even without this money, he had amassed plenty throughout his life in the Divine Cult. But just as Geom Mugeuk said, he had no time to spend it.

Geom Mugeuk turned to Yong Jamyeong beside him.

“Could you share a word or two about how to spend money?”

Caught off guard by the sudden question, Yong Jamyeong held back his response for a moment. He could have gone on for three days and nights nonstop when it came to money, but since the Cult Leader was present, he replied modestly.

“There are many in the world who are good at earning money, but few who are good at spending it. I’m among those who earn well, not those who spend well.”

Then he turned the question back to Geom Mugeuk.

“Does the Young Cult Leader have any particular thoughts on the matter?”

“What could I say? I suppose I should find someone who’s good at spending money and make them my subordinate. And I’ll treat that subordinate better than anyone. That’s about the extent of my plan.”

“So the answer to wise spending was already with you.”

The two of them exchanged smiles.

Geom Mugeuk expressed his thanks to Yong Jamyeong.

“This time, things were easy thanks to you, Company Leader.”

Everything had gone smoothly precisely because the Head of the Galaxy Trading Company had come in person.

But the fact that things had gone smoothly also meant that it was time to leave. Now that they had received payment from the other side, it was their turn to depart.

A few more days had passed since the original three-day plan. Since Geom Woojin asked him to stay a little longer, he had spent the extra days in good spirits.

It was a time that truly felt like a dream.

Thanks to Geom Woojin making time, he had many conversations with him.

The time they shared was genuinely enjoyable.

“It was a moment I’ll never forget in my life. If you ever need me again, please call on me anytime.”

“Let’s do that.”

Geom Woojin’s parting words to him.

“If you need us, don’t hesitate to reach out.”

What words could be more reassuring than that?

Yong Jamyeong, moved to the core, bid farewell with his whole face expressing his gratitude.

“Then until we meet again, take care.”

Geom Mugeuk came out all the way to the front gate to see Yong Jamyeong off.

“Thanks to you, I’ve achieved a long-held dream. I’m truly grateful.”

“It’s your fortune, Company Leader. You’re the one who remembered my father, after all.”

He had always wanted to fulfill that long-cherished wish of his, and fortunately, things had gone well. That wasn’t to say he only received without giving in return.

“Thank you truly for the guidance you gave.”

At Geom Mugeuk’s request, Yong Jamyeong gave a thorough lecture on matters related to the world of trade. Since their future opponent was a family from that world, he believed the more one knew, the more advantageous the fight would be.

Thanks to that, Geom Mugeuk learned a lot while listening to his stories and lectures.

Give and take. Now it was time to give once more.

“Please reach out to my father often.”

“To the Cult Leader?”

“He seemed to truly enjoy being with you, Company Leader.”

“Then that’s a real relief.”

“For your information, Father enjoys the game of Go. If you bring a nice Go board and stones next time, he’ll be very pleased.”

“Thanks for letting me know.”

Yong Jamyeong looked at Geom Mugeuk for a moment.

He had now seen the Young Cult Leader from the rumors—and could finally speak of those rumors. The rumors had downplayed him. The Young Cult Leader had been underestimated.

As he boarded the carriage, Yong Jamyeong offered his final farewell.

“Take care.”

The Young Cult Leader, who had always greeted him with a relaxed smile, was no exception even at the very end.

“No final words of wisdom?”

It may have been said in jest, but Yong Jamyeong left behind something he truly wanted to say.

“Even until the moment you die, money will try its best to reveal your true nature. Don’t let it.”

And with that, the carriage started moving.

Baek Chong, who had been riding with him, saw for the first time Yong Jamyeong leaning out from the carriage to say goodbye. He was someone who always sat with a dignified posture once on board.

“It’s a relief that it ended safely.”

Truly, when they first came here, they had prepared for death with grim resolve.

But in reality, the meeting with the Cult Leader was a rare moment of peace. It was so for Yong Jamyeong, and the same for Baek Chong.

“When we return, I should see the boys.”

It had been so long since he last had a real conversation with his sons that he couldn’t even remember. The work of the trading company kept him busy, and it always felt awkward when they did meet. So he had kept delaying, and even seeing their faces had become a chore.

But after meeting this Heavenly Demon father and son, he found himself missing his children.

Yong Jamyeong suddenly had this thought:

Perhaps, this time, he had reunited with an old benefactor and gained a new one at the same time.

999

“Prepare to return to the family estate.”

At Geum Arin’s command, Lim Hyuk felt his heart begin to race. They had carried out the plan with great confidence, but her father’s wrath was a foregone conclusion.

She had even lost sleep, tormented by nightmares.

A dream where they disappeared after taking the money. Another nightmare where they displayed their skills in front of her father—only to fail miserably.

“I’ll go meet him and set a departure time.”

Just then, someone stepped into the room and spoke.

“There’s no need for that.”

Startled, she turned around to see a man entering the room.

The moment she saw him, Geum Arin’s expression stiffened.

It was Geum Ajong, her second elder brother.

He was the one she had been most concerned about when executing this plan, and yet he had shown up here first.

He resembled Geum Arin and was fairly handsome, but his personality didn’t match his looks.

Selfish, greedy, and filled with an intense desire for success.

“What are you doing here?”

“What else? I came to stop the Golden Dragon Family’s money from leaking like a sieve.”

The fact that he arrived this quickly meant he had been monitoring her every move.

“My dear brother is always just waiting for me to make a mistake.”

Among his two siblings, Geum Ajong was especially wary of her.

He suspected that their father might one day hand the family over to his daughter.

“Two million nyang? Are you out of your mind?!”

Sure enough, her brother had an accurate grasp of the situation.

“I’ll take care of my own business. You should just mind your own, Brother.”

“You don’t even realize you’ve been played by a con artist.”

At the word “con artist,” Geum Arin flinched. That was not a word she had expected to hear.

“A con artist?”

“You spent that kind of money without even checking who the other side really was?”

There was nothing she could say to that. This decision had been purely instinctual, made entirely based on gut feeling.

“Did you know that Seodo Sect produced the winner of the Soaring Dragon Tournament held by the Alliance?”

She flinched again—this was news to her. Until now, they had been an enigmatic sect, but they were now becoming a publicly active one, proven by participating in the Soaring Dragon Tournament.

It was a tournament for selecting successors, so of course she assumed they must have won. But then—

“They barely won after a fierce battle with the Alliance Leader’s granddaughter.”

Her chest tightened at those words.

‘They barely beat the Alliance Leader’s granddaughter?’

Even if she was the granddaughter of the Alliance Leader, she was still just a successor candidate.

A sliver of doubt crept into her heart.

‘What if all their talk is flashy, but their skills don’t back it up?’

Suppressing the rising unease, she replied,

“But they won, didn’t they? Maybe they were hiding their true abilities.”

As if waiting for this exact moment, Geum Ajong raised his voice with a triumphant expression.

“What are you talking about? This Geom Yeon, to whom you gave two million nyang, didn’t even participate in the Soaring Dragon Tournament. The one who won was someone named Seo Ryong.”

“Then who is Geom Yeon?”

What came from Geum Ajong’s mouth was like a thunderclap.

“Geom Yeon is Seo Ryong’s attendant.”

“!”

Geum Arin shot to her feet.

Her pupils trembled.

That man... an attendant?

“At the time, the Alliance Leader’s granddaughter caused a huge commotion, saying she would marry the attendant she brought along. It’s already well-known by many. Just like you, she must’ve been fooled.”

He spoke as if Geom Yeon was a con man who went around deceiving women. But if what he said was true—if Geom Yeon really was just an attendant...?

The image of Geom Mugeuk surfaced in her mind. Was his unreadable nature because he truly was a swindler? Was her nightmare becoming reality?

“I have to meet him.”

Geum Ajong stopped her as she tried to rush out immediately.

“Don’t be hasty. I already sent people to retrieve the money.”

Geum Arin was startled.

“Who?”

“The Money Bugs went.”

“No!”

The words burst out of her mouth instinctively—an immediate refusal.

They were called the Money Bugs, high-level martial artists raised in the shadows by the Golden Dragon Family and deployed for rough tasks.

They were mainly used for matters that could never see the light of day—like exterminating those who attacked the trading company, or engaging in brutal turf wars when pioneering a new market. In other words, they handled the dirty and dangerous work.

Because of this, they were arrogant even within the family. Workers and martial artists alike feared and disliked them.

What made the Money Bugs truly terrifying was their utter disregard for methods and morality in pursuit of their goals. On top of that, they didn’t even value their own lives.

That was why people hated them—and why they were essential to the Golden Dragon Family.

“They’ll all be killed.”

“By whom? A servant?”

She was shaken, but she still had a firm belief in Geom Mugeuk.

“Yes, by a servant.”

“Are you sick in the head? Then again… no one in their right mind would do what you just did.”

Geum Arin bolted out of her residence.

Geum Ajong followed with light steps, using qinggong.

“This will get you completely disowned by Father.”

His words didn’t register. Scenes flashed through her mind.

She imagined Geom Mugeuk, beaten brutally by the Money Bugs, lying dead. Then came the scene of the Money Bugs returning and reporting that he had already fled.

She also imagined the opposite—that the Money Bugs had all been killed and their corpses were strewn about.

If he killed them all, her father would never forgive Seodo Sect. That meant her plan to use them to become the successor would be ruined.

Every scenario was the worst-case.

“Sending them without even consulting me was your mistake, Brother.”

“You made the first mistake by giving away the money without a word.”

The two, flying like the wind, arrived at the manor where Geom Mugeuk resided.

It seemed like the situation was already over—everything inside was quiet.

As they cautiously approached the main gate, they heard a sound from within.

Scrape, scrape.

What was that sound?

It was like something being swept on the floor.

Swish, swish.

There were sounds of wiping, too.

Then a whisper was heard.

Don’t touch that.

Not only Geum Arin, but even the confident Geum Ajong had puzzled expressions. They both started to wonder if they had come to the wrong place.

“Is this the right place?”

“I’m sure of it.”

Geum Arin carefully opened the door.

As it slowly creaked open, a scene unfolded inside that was beyond anything they could have imagined.

The Money Bugs were sweeping the yard with brooms. Other Money Bugs were wiping down the walls with rags. Some were cleaning up broken furniture, while others were filling in holes in the ground.

Bruises darkened their faces, and one limped while carrying supplies. Another, with a bloodied forehead wrapped in bandages, was retrieving a netted hammock hanging from a tree. Yet another was hauling items out from inside the building.

Their actions all froze at once as every one of them turned their gaze toward the two people who had just entered through the door.

The Money Bugs wore awkward, sheepish expressions.

Geum Ajong felt like he was seeing a hallucination.

“What on earth are you doing?”

At his question, one of the Money Bugs near the entrance bowed and replied.

“He said they were leaving soon, so we were told to clean up thoroughly.”

It was the first time the Money Bugs had ever worn such gentle expressions.

“Who? Who told you this?!”

At that moment, Geom Mugeuk emerged from the building ahead. Seeing Geum Arin, he spoke cheerfully.

“Thanks for sending folks to clean up.”

In that instant, a surge of emotion washed over Geum Arin. Every dark scenario that had haunted her on the way here was swept away by that feeling.

She was incredibly grateful that he had only beaten the Money Bugs without killing them.

Whether he was a servant or not no longer mattered. She would not doubt him again. Yes, my choice was right.

With a bright expression, Geum Arin turned to Geum Ajong beside her and said,

“Thanks, Brother. I couldn’t bring myself to make a two-million-nyang servant do the cleaning.”