My confidence was not directed at my enemies.
These words were meant 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 child before.
Will I ever have the chance to hear such words from my own child in this life?
"Trusting you, Father, I will handle matters as I see fit."
This was the core of the Shaanxi operation.
But that was my thought; my father's was different.
"Go and clean up the mess."
"Understood."
Hwi's expression brightened upon receiving the order.
Cleaning up the mess meant completely erasing all traces left at the Hundred Immortals Gang.
An order to make it seem as if they had simply emptied the place and left.
Hwi's mission, above all, was to ensure my father's safe return to the sect.
To do so quietly, with as little notice as possible, was what he would have wanted.
This order was likely something he would have requested himself.
I wanted to make this joke.
'My, for someone who wants to fight the entire Martial World, why are you being so cautious!'
My mouth itched to say it, but I held back.
It was probably best to avoid saying anything related to the Unification of the Martial World.
Instead, I spoke to my father about the current matter.
"The outcome of this will draw out the hidden forces. They'll make a 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 might use some unexpected tactic.
There was no telling how they would act.
"Move with caution."
"Yes!"
He's the one with the greatest power in this martial world.
"Could it be that you're being so cautious... because of me? Because you're worried about your son?"
And then I saw it.
The smirk forming on my father's lips.
Since we left the sect together, the mood had been good, so I hadn't seen it often.
So I had forgotten.
How good it feels to see that smirk.
"That's too much! You should worry about your son a little!"
My father walked silently to the window and gazed at the sky outside.
I looked at his back and the cloudless blue sky stretching 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.'
My father wasn't the type to clean up a mess out of concern for what others might think.
In the first place, if the situation called for that, he wouldn't have drawn his sword at all.
So I will be careful.
Please don't worry.
Geum Cheonbang stared down silently at the one and a half million Nyang promissory note.
This wasn't just money.
It was a signal that everyone's fate had begun to change.
"Did he really get this money from the Hundred Immortals Gang?"
To her surprised father's question, Geum Ah-rin calmly replied.
"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 Gang?"
An unbelievable answer came in response to his disbelieving gaze.
"He said they vanished from this world."
Geum Cheonbang couldn't believe it.
He had assigned the task because, as his daughter said, he had a sliver of hope that it might be accomplished.
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."
He must have pulled some kind of trick.
"What about that man? Why didn't he come?"
He wanted to see the man and ask him directly.
"He is my subordinate. This matter is entirely my own. If you have questions, ask me."
Geum Ah-rin had come alone on purpose.
From now on, the battle with her father for the position of Successor had begun.
"Have you confirmed the status of the Hundred Immortals Gang?"
For a moment, Geum Ah-rin flinched.
"You haven't."
"I trust my subordinate."
That wasn't it.
She hadn't even thought to check.
Because she trusted Geom Mugeuk?
No. This wasn't a matter of trust.
Surprised by the outcome of the event, and preoccupied with the man named Geom Mugeuk who had accomplished it, she had neglected to send someone to the Hundred Immortals Gang to confirm what had happened.
Since he said they had vanished from the world, she had complacently thought he must have killed them all.
What if that was a lie? What if this whole affair was something the Hundred Immortals Gang and Geom Yeon had concocted together?
It was unlikely, but not checking was definitely a mistake.
'I can't be like this from now on.'
The reason she was reflecting so seriously was the feeling that she had been captivated by the man named Geom Mugeuk.
On her way to see her father, she had thought of nothing but him.
"I have something else to tell you."
Geum Ah-rin told her father about the task Geom Mugeuk had undertaken.
The fact that he had recovered the money for the merchant groups extorted by the Hundred Immortals Gang and taken half for himself.
Yesterday and today, she had already gone to all the merchant groups and returned the money.
Geum Cheonbang was not surprised at all.
From his reaction, she could tell that her father had known about this beforehand.
After all, among the merchant lords who had asked for the money to be recovered, some would have checked with her father separately.
"Why didn't you mention this earlier?"
"I was going to tell you once the results were in. I was prepared to take the blame if any problems arose later."
She spoke grimly, but the truth was, she hadn't said anything because she was afraid her father would stop her.
If this venture succeeded, the person who stood to gain the most was herself.
She wanted to achieve results first and then show her father.
That's why she had returned the money to all the merchant groups before coming to her father last.
Until she entered this place, she had arrived 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 merchant groups and sects that suffered at the hands of the Hundred Immortals Gang will look upon our clan with great favor. If you use that well, you will see immense profits. I didn't waste my money, did I?"
Her father's reaction remained 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 her reasons for not telling him.
She answered honestly.
"Yes, I do."
Then, words like a bolt from the blue fell from her father's lips.
"Give up on being the Successor."
"What!"
She had never imagined her father would say such a thing himself.
"Why?"
Geum Cheonbang did not give a reason.
"You may leave now."
"Father!"
Geum Cheonbang looked coldly at his daughter.
Normally, when he got angry like this, she would be frightened and quietly retreat.
But not today.
"Are you angry because I didn't tell you beforehand? Or are you angry because I covet the position of Successor?"
Geum Cheonbang gave no reply.
"Did you never consider me as the Successor in the first place?"
She raised her voice, but Geum Cheonbang said nothing.
To her, it sounded like a silent affirmation.
Resentment naturally washed over her.
'Is it because I'm a daughter? Or because I'm not capable enough? Because you like my older brother more?'
Because of her resentment, she couldn't think rationally.
"I will definitely become the Successor."
She spoke as if declaring war and left the room.
Geum Cheonbang stood with his back turned, his gaze deepening.
It was a gaze that, had she seen it, would have surely made her think, 'There must be a reason for this.'
After leaving her father's residence, Geum Ah-rin stood for a moment in the middle of the courtyard, trying to compose herself.
She was so resentful and angry.
Just 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 Ah-rin arrived, Geom Mugeuk was in his room.
"Do you have a moment?"
"Of course. When my leader calls, I must make time even if I have none."
Geom Mugeuk's martial robe was drenched in sweat.
"Please wait a moment. I will wash up, change, and come out."
Geum Ah-rin was inwardly puzzled.
'What was he doing in his room to sweat so much?'
Then she startled.
'Could it be?'
Standing in the courtyard, she couldn't resist her curiosity and entered the building.
She walked down the hallway without making a sound and arrived at Geom Mugeuk's room.
She peered inside through a crack in the window.
There was no one in the room.
She felt an unnecessary sense of relief at the sight of the neatly made, empty bed.
As she turned to leave, she was startled.
Someone was standing behind her.
It was Geom Woojin.
She was so shocked by him staring at her that she almost screamed.
"Ah, I wasn't spying. I came to see Young Swordsman Geom. Oh, he went to wash up just now, no, that's not it..."
Flustered, she rambled.
"Go inside and wait."
"No, I can wait outside. Then, I will see you next time."
She bowed her head 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 moment later, Geom Mugeuk returned.
The image of Geom Mugeuk in a clean martial robe overlapped with the image of him returning in blood-soaked clothes that day.
'Which one is your real self?'
Without knowing what kind of person he was, when her heart was in turmoil and she felt 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, Miss."
Of course, that wasn't the reason.
He had been training in his room using the Space-Time Displacement Art and then the Heavenly Time Secret Art.
He saved even the spare moments.
To Geom Mugeuk, it wasn't spare time.
"You look down. Did something happen?"
She was grateful to Geom Mugeuk for accurately reading her mood.
Because he made it easy for her to state her reason for coming, without her having to worry about how to bring it up.
"Our efforts were in vain. My 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 Ah-rin realized her mistake.
She understood that she had reacted irritably out of a needless sense of insecurity.
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 Ah-rin's heart calmed.
Yes, he was right.
It wasn't an easy task to begin with, but 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 had been like, she would realize her own fight didn't even qualify as a sparring match.
"Did he tell you why you couldn't be the Successor?"
Geum Ah-rin shook her head.
Seeing as he entrusted a secret organization to her, he clearly has some faith in her.
But she can't be the Successor?
Geom Mugeuk thought that perhaps the reason was related to the hidden forces.
He knew after meeting Geum Ah-rin.
She didn't know where the money she had earned was going.
The second son, Geum Ah-jong, also seemed to be focused only on the succession battle.
If so, the hidden forces must be somewhere around the Golden Dragon Clan's Leader or the first son, Geum Ah-hyuk.
'Where are you hiding?'
Just then, a new visitor arrived.
It was the second son, Geum Ah-jong.
"Brother, what are you doing here?"
When he came to Geom Mugeuk's residence, Geum Ah-rin showed her wariness.
"There are promises between men that you wouldn't know about."
Geum Ah-jong said, looking at Geom Mugeuk.
"You haven't forgotten we were supposed to have a drink, have you?"
Geum Ah-jong could only think of how to introduce this swindler to his older brother.
If you ruin my sister and then my brother, I'll carry you on my back for a lap around Shaanxi.
But before proceeding with his plan in earnest, there was one mystery he needed to solve.
He had come today determined to solve it.
"How about today? Let's have a drink."
"Fine. Let's go."
Geom Mugeuk readily accepted his offer.
"I'm going too."
She didn't want to leave Geom Mugeuk alone with her brother.
He was a brother who might pull any kind of trick.
But Geum Ah-jong 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 Ah-jong when they were alone.
A drinking session for two began.
Since both men had clear objectives, the atmosphere of the drinking party was excellent.
Geom Mugeuk was well aware that Geum Ah-jong considered him a swindler.
Previously, his subordinate Lee Chu had come to inspect the carriage and was caught.
Geom Mugeuk used him to make Geum Ah-jong think he was a con artist.
At that time, Lee Chu had reported to Geum Ah-jong that he had overheard them talking about going to the clan to pull off a big score.
So, he was completely seen as a swindler.
Conversely, Lee Chu had informed Geom Mugeuk of his scheme.
-He plans to introduce you to the First Young Master to ruin him.
Geum Ah-jong raised his cup high and said.
"If you have any lingering feelings toward me, forget them."
Geom Mugeuk responded to Geum Ah-jong's concern as if he didn't mind at all.
"If there are old feelings, let's bury them by piling on new ones."
"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, Geom Mugeuk started slurring his words.
Geum Ah-jong then casually asked.
"Back then, how did you handle those Money Bugs?"
This was the mystery he needed to solve.
There had to be a reason why those ferocious men became so polite and started cleaning.
He couldn't find out through the Money Bugs.
Their pride had been so wounded that if he brought it up, they might draw their blades.
They weren't the type to meekly tell him, though they might answer if his father asked.
Were they really such skilled swindlers, or did they use some other trick?
Geum Ah-jong was determined to find out the truth.
Even when you cook, you should know the ingredients.
"You're curious about that?"
"Of course, I'm curious. It's all in the past, so you can tell me, can't you?"
Drunk and with a flushed face, Geom Mugeuk raised a fist.
"It was this. What other reason could there be?"
If that was the case, there was one problem.
What if they pulled a score on his brother and didn't leave? What if they tried to swallow the entire clan? What if they were swindlers with that level of skill?
Just then, a telepathic message came from Lee Chu.
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 medicine I recognized.
-What kind of medicine?
-Have you ever heard of Black Fly?
Geum Ah-jong had heard of it.
There was a remarkable energy-dispersing poison made by the Unorthodox Alliance, and its name was Black Fly.
That was it.
With all their inner energy gone, the Money Bugs couldn't do a thing.
Now the secret was revealed!
Things were falling into place smoothly.
As if fate itself was pushing him to be the Successor, Geom Mugeuk casually asked.
"What kind of person is the First Young Master?"
Thinking he could now proceed with the next phase of his plan with peace of mind, Geum Ah-jong broke into a broad smile.
'You cute little swindler!'