440 - The Outcast Writer of a Martial Arts Visual Novel

EP.440 Declaration - Part 4 Mang Geum Jeon Ju. He was the founder of Mang Geum Financial, the largest banking institution in Hubei Province. As the father-in-law of Jegal's household head, he wielded immense influence there. Even high-ranking officials had to tread carefully around Mang Geum Jeon Ju, and arrogant martial artists had to bow before the financial might of Mang Geum. And he was suggesting a successor for such a man? "Surely, there will be opposition," he said. "My daughters, who wanted to place their own children in the role of successor, will be persistent. So your task will be to convince them. With your capabilities, I'm confident you can make them realize their position." "Mang Geum Jeon Ju, a successor, you say?" I merely came to have my debts forgiven. It feels like going to the bank to pay off a loan and being congratulated, as if you've just been designated as the successor to the bank's chairman. It's perplexing. "Did you think I attached my granddaughter to you for no reason?" "I assumed you esteemed me highly." To be honest, I thought Jang Noya was bringing me into the family just to keep me under his thumb. Back in the day, even in South Korea, if there was a man you'd like to see become a permanent employee, introducing a marriage partner was commonplace. "Beauty, capability, she lacks nothing. Furthermore, being from the famous Jegal family, she would provide a dependable backing for someone like you who has none. Did you think I would attach a daughter of Jegal's family to you for a mere simple reason?" While Jegalyang may seem just like a casual acquaintance, she is the youngest daughter of Jegal's family head. Sure, she's often compared in beauty to Ha Yeon So Jeo, but she possesses a look unmatched anywhere in Hubei. And her exceptional abilities served the role of Je Gal-yang despite his absence. Right. She wasn't someone you'd casually attach just because you thought highly of someone. Solving numerous problems over the past few months, I'd forgotten this. "Sir, as a successor to Mang Geum Financial, that's not a role fit for me." "Not fit? Where in this land of Infinite do you find anyone more suited than you?" Mang Geum Jeon Ju furrowed his brows in disbelief and raised his voice. "Mang Geum Jeon Ju, I'm merely a Korean with meager skills." Mang Geum Jeon Ju. I'm Korean. A mere outsider with black hair. Bringing in a foreign worker who was selling food at a guesthouse to suddenly become the bank's CEO would surely spark massive opposition, I subtly implied to Mang Geum Jeon Ju. "Hehe, is that so? Let me ask, how many out of ten can succeed solely with money and no connections or backing in an unknown land?" "Two, three might succeed." Why such a question suddenly? I answered without much thought. "Not even one can succeed." Mang Geum Jeon Ju shook his head. "What?" "Without anyone to protect your money, you're bound to meet bandits, and with no one to trust, you'll constantly be scammed. Even if by some chance you manage to start a business, most will fail, and at best, you’re far from acquiring substantial success. Starting a business in a land with no connections – that’s the reality. Two or three out of ten? Perhaps it’s closer to two or three out of a hundred." "Two or three out of a hundred…." When I think about it, he’s right. Had it not been for the network of Baek Ga Jang Ju Nim, Hwa Rin's grandfather, Da Seo Gak would have swiftly crumbled when I first started out in Yichang. "Hehe. Did you only lack connections and backing? You were Korean, too. I observed you with interest, but never anticipated great success. Yet what were the results afterwards? In a land without connections, you somehow managed to unite people of the same hair color as you and became their leader in no time. Then, you embarked on an unforeseen business venture that even I didn’t anticipate." "I merely utilized the opportunities granted to me to their fullest." "There are countless who fail to appreciate the opportunities granted by their grandfathers." Mang Geum Jeon Ju’s barely suppressed frustration seemed to direct somewhere. "……." "What transpired after, then? Were you simply content with a single success? Even establishing a delivery service in Infinite was astounding, but you forged franchise agreements to create something akin to tenant farmers beneath your venture. One among them happened to be my grandson." "I provide substantial services they require, hence the earnings are adequate. I don't strictly exploit the franchise owners." Referring to them as tenant farmers makes it sound as if I'm a ruthless landlord squeezing them to starvation, keeping them just alive. I did press them, but I allowed them breathing room. Your grandson, Jeon Gil San, is satisfied enough with the earnings that he plans to open a third branch. My business mantra is to value people, and it shouldn't be shattered. I cautiously amended Jang Noya’s statement. "I'm not claiming anything incriminating because you made my grandson a tenant farmer. Merely stating the fact." "As long as there's no misunderstanding, it's all right." "Hehe, I found it intriguing enough to permit the unleashing of banned literary skills, and to my surprise, even Confucian scholars, who once refused to consider unorthodox writings as books, were clamoring for a release date for your next work. Everywhere I went, your book was the talk. Not only that, but you somehow became an enforcer solving numerous cases and are now known as a renowned detective." "Sir…." "Kang Hoeju, the leader of those employed by contract, the journalist, the renowned detective. These are feats you’ve achieved in just half a year in Infinite. Was there another who raffled as much acclaim as you over the past half a year in Infinite?" Mang Geum Jeon Ju questioned me, chasing the thought of whether he had misjudged my character. ‘Come to think of it, whoever that was, they sure lived passionately.’ Since arriving in Infinite, confronted with Mang Geum Jeon Ju's tests and solving Ha Yeon So Jeo's issues, I certainly lived an intense life. To the extent that when I witnessed Do Mun Hyang Ju's death right before my eyes, it felt like now I could finally take a breather. Though I eventually collapsed afterward, when I awoke, I felt as if I had genuinely rested for the first time in a long while. "Compared to the lifelong reputation Mang Geum Jeon Ju amassed, I merely struggled to live earnestly. No successor, you say. Such high regard is overwhelming." "I have spent a lifetime evaluating people to decide whether they're worthy of a loan. Now I see in you an uncut gem just beginning to shine. I'm confident this investment won't fail." Even with all this praise, I'm not about to start flying. His continuous high regard was overwhelming. It seemed he genuinely believed in what he was saying. ‘In a situation where his only son has passed away, the choice between having a grandson or a grandson-in-law as a successor doesn’t seem to matter much to him,’ I mused. I understood why he was making this proposal, but it wasn't a simple matter. There was one issue I could not ignore. "Sir, I am betrothed to Hwa Rin and am the grandson-in-law of the late Baek Ga Jang Ju." Looking back on all that’s happened, it already feels daunting to explain everything to Hwa Rin. Marriage, you say? A man must have a conscience. How could he consider taking the grandson-in-law of a deceased friend? Even for Mang Geum Jeon Ju, one of the world's wealthiest, it was a difficult justification. How would he respond? Mang Geum Jeon Ju raised one corner of his mouth, chuckling softly as he spoke to me. “Did the man who claims to be an engaged fiancé really turn the whole land of Infinite upside down just to protect a runaway courtesan?” “How did you know?” He knew about Ha Yeon So Jeo and the incident with Hao Mun. I was momentarily taken aback as I looked at Mang Geum Jeon Ju. “Who do you think tidied up the mess you made while trying to save a single courtesan?” “Are you saying that you reconciled it, Mang Geum Jeon Ju?” I suspected something. Despite Hao Mun causing havoc in Infinite, other sects remained surprisingly indifferent. Why? Why go to such lengths? When I couldn't hide my confused expression, Mang Geum Jeon Ju replied with a satisfied expression. “Seeing how you caused such a commotion for the sake of a single courtesan, I reckoned you'd do even more for my granddaughter.” What? A man must have some decency. How could I have caused such chaos for another woman so soon after parting with my fiancée? Wow. That’s a valid point. No counterargument here. ‘So the wait had been to pair me with Jegal So Jeo all along?’ When one's rationale falls short, they seek it from their opponent. He wasn't called the great Mang Geum Jeon Ju for nothing. “Sir, I've promised to await Hwa Rin’s recovery.” I might have been caught off guard, but let’s not be mistaken. Two wrongs don’t make a right. Any fault of mine towards Hwa Rin needs to be resolved by me, but that doesn’t erase Mang Geum Jeon Ju's fault. “Who said to betray that girl, Hwa Rin?” Mang Geum Jeon Ju scoffed, as if he anticipated my response. “What?” “Once Hwa Rin is cured, take her as your wife. Love and cherish her forever, treat her with no want. But surely a man handling great endeavors cannot live ten years without support. First, marry my granddaughter.” “Sir…” “Love my granddaughter as much as you love Hwa Rin. Later, if Hwa Rin shows jealousy, protect my granddaughter and live happily.” “I have already pledged marriage. It’s not a simple matter.” “No need to overthink it. Why should it be criticized if a man has multiple wives? As long as the man maintains balance, that's all that matters.” “….” “Demonstrate your capabilities in front of my daughters and grandchildren. Then I shall declare you, Kang Yun Ho, as my successor to Mang Geum Financial.” He wants me to take Jegal So Jeo as my primary wife and in return, he'll give me the position of heir to Mang Geum Financial. Indeed, it's an enticing offer. Becoming the heir could allow me to establish Da Seo Gak across the central continent. If Ho Pil's books become famous, my reputational issues would surely be resolved. But there is a major problem. ‘It's not my first, but my second marriage.’ He wants her as the primary wife. This has the potential to complicate familial ties significantly. Mang Geum Jeon Ju, potentially mistaking my silence for agreement, spoke yet again with unexpected demands. “But if you become my successor, you must lay down your pen. There is much to learn and experience to inherit Mang Geum Financial. Dedicate yourself earnestly to the duties of a successor.” Such words couldn’t be left unchallenged. I had to respond.