Chapter 62 : The Chicken that Lays Golden Eggs
Only then did Su Majin notice that Jong Seo-eon was in the reception room.
'Who on earth is that brat?'
Judging by his appearance, he didn't seem any different from the other beggars rolling around on the street... Su Majin couldn't understand why such a brat was here now.
Just then, Namgung Il placed his hand on Jong Seo-eon's shoulder and said to Su Majin.
"This brat will be my witness."
"Witness?"
"Yes, he was with me when the assassin attacked."
This would be enough evidence to satisfy Su Majin's demand.
This was the reason why Namgung Il had brought Jong Seo-eon here.
"Jong Seo-eon, an assassin appeared, aiming for me during the entrance exam, right?"
"Th-that's right."
"At that time, I surely asked those brats this. Did Su Majin send you?"
"..."
"So what did those brats answer?"
Su Majin was quietly watching Namgung Il's words.
At that moment, as if he had realized something, Jong Seo-eon's two eyes widened slightly.
"Jong Seo-eon, when we enter the World Escort Agency, just say yes to whatever I say."
At that time, he couldn't properly understand the meaning of Namgung Il's words.
But now, Jong Seo-eon seemed to have realized how he should act with a bit of sense.
"Th-they said yes!"
"..."
"They even tried to kill me when I resisted!"
When Jong Seo-eon said that, a curve appeared on Namgung Il's lips.
Well done, Jong Seo-eon.
Namgung Il muttered to himself and turned his head back to Su Majin.
"So they say."
"..."
"For reference, this brat is also a new student at the Flying Dragon Academy this year. Wouldn't this be enough evidence?"
A breathtaking silence followed.
That silence seemed to be a checkmate thrown at Su Majin, and if Su Majin didn't pull out something else here, it seemed it would end with Namgung Il's victory.
"...Yes, as you say, it would be evidence."
"..."
"But that's only when that brat didn't lie."
At the end of the silence, Su Majin said.
Glare—
Su Majin glared at Jong Seo-eon with a sharp momentum.
As such a gaze poured on him, cold sweat began to flow down Jong Seo-eon's back.
"Testimony is something that can be changed like flipping a palm."
"..."
"The testimony that that brat is giving must have been something you cooked up behind the scenes."
The reality of a witness was that if one just gave a little bribe, one would make up even non-existent facts and testify.
Especially, didn't that brat look like a penniless beggar at a glance?
He didn't know what Namgung Il was thinking when he brought that beggar here, but he was not one to be fooled by such a shabby trick.
'If that's all you've prepared, you shouldn't have picked a fight with me from the beginning.'
He would never be able to defeat him with that testimony.
Su Majin was so sure and continued to speak to Namgung Il.
"For testimony to become evidence, the witness must have that much credibility."
"..."
"It seems you still don't know that."
At that moment, Namgung Il's lips curled up.
A smile as if he were sure of victory.
Although Su Majin belatedly discovered that, by that time, he had already said everything.
"You just said it with your own mouth."
"What...?"
"If a witness has credibility, then it becomes evidence. Isn't that the meaning of what you just said?"
"..."
He had surely said so.
But what about it?
There was no way that beggar had the credibility he was talking about...
'...Don't tell me!'
At that moment, Su Majin seemed to have realized something.
"Jong Seo-eon, introduce yourself properly to the agency head."
"..."
Jong Seo-eon could immediately understand the meaning of what Namgung Il had said.
Thud—
Jong Seo-eon, who got up from his seat. And he made a fist-and-palm salute to Su Majin and greeted him.
"I will formally introduce myself."
"..."
"I am Jong Seo-eon, a Hougai of the Beggars' Sect."
At that moment, the part of Jong Seo-eon's waist that had been hidden by the table until now was revealed.
The eight knots on his belt.
As the agency head of the World Escort Agency, Su Majin knew well what the knots on that belt meant.
'A... Hougai of the Beggars' Sect, you say.'
The Beggars' Sect. The fact that that place was a sect that valued righteousness since ancient times was something that anyone who had been in the martial world for a little while knew.
Moreover, not just an ordinary member, but the testimony of a Hougai there.
No matter how much it was Su Majin, he could not continue to insist that the testimony of a Hougai of the Beggars' Sect was a lie.
'Did I still think of this brat as just some kid?'
So wasn't it because he hadn't thought from the beginning that Jong Seo-eon could be a Hougai of the Beggars' Sect?
If it had been the usual Su Majin, he should have been suspicious from the time Namgung Il had brought him as a witness that he might not be just some beggar.
"..."
It was his defeat.
Su Majin intuitively felt that he was truly in checkmate.
"A Hougai of the Beggars' Sect. Wouldn't this be enough credibility?"
"..."
"Then, as you said earlier, Jong Seo-eon's testimony will be enough evidence, and then it's true that you sent an assassin to me, Agency Head?"
"..."
"I think we need to have a serious talk now."
Su Majin still maintained his silence.
The agency head of the World Escort Agency, who didn't want to lose a bet, had used a dark scheme on a child who was not even of age, and even a direct descendant of the Namgung Clan.
If such a rumor were to spread in the world, not only would Su Majin's reputation worsen, but it would also lead to the reputation of the World Escort Agency.
Since he wanted to prevent that at all costs, Su Majin suppressed the emotions rising in his heart as much as possible and barely opened his mouth.
"...What do you want?"
"Don't you already know?"
"..."
"The one you're good at, Agency Head. I'll think about it depending on how much sincerity you show me."
In other words, he was asking for hush money.
After thinking for a moment, Su Majin presented a price to Namgung Il.
"Three hundred thousand gold."
It was an enormous amount.
When Su Majin presented an amount greater than what he had received from the bet, Jong Seo-eon couldn't help but be surprised.
However.
Hearing Namgung Il's subsequent answer, Jong Seo-eon was even more surprised.
"You lack sincerity."
"...?"
Don't tell me... did he just refuse three hundred thousand gold as being too little?
If it had been him, he would have accepted it without a second thought.
When he was worried that he might lose the three hundred thousand gold at this rate, Su Majin opened his mouth again.
"Four hundred thousand."
"Hmm... I wonder?"
"...Five hundred thousand."
"Hah... something's missing. Continue."
Jong Seo-eon realized that he had been worrying for nothing.
For what was initially three hundred thousand to now go up to five hundred thousand.
As an amount that he could not even imagine continued to pop out, Jong Seo-eon now felt as if he were losing his mind.
Twitch—
At that moment, Su Majin's impression crumpled.
"How much on earth do you want?"
"That's what I'm saying, the threat to my life and the resulting mental damage, and my trouble and time compensation for coming all the way here..."
"...Tell me the amount you want."
Su Majin hated this feeling of being dragged around by Namgung Il.
When Su Majin said that, Namgung Il revealed his inner thoughts as if he had been waiting.
"Actually, what I want is not money."
"...?"
"As far as I know, the World Escort Agency is also involved in other businesses, and I would like you to give me the operating rights to one of them."
Namgung Il... as expected, he was not a brat to be taken lightly just because he was young.
To think that he would ask for operating rights instead of money.
As he had said, the World Escort Agency was operating by extending its reach to other businesses nationwide.
"...Which operating rights are you asking for?"
"A tavern."
"..."
"As for the location, I think the Luoyang area would be good."
A tavern in Luoyang. That was a place where he had recently expanded his business.
Although it had not yet brought in as much profit as other places, it was a region that could be said to be a real gem considering its future growth potential.
So he had already invested a considerable amount of money... for Namgung Il to now tell him to just hand it over, Su Majin's insides couldn't help but boil.
"I'll give you one million gold."
Su Majin suddenly said to Namgung Il.
One million gold. Although it could be said to be a really precious sum of money, considering the investment he had made so far and the money that would come in in the future, it was better to just give one million gold.
"Why are you doing this?"
"..."
"When you say that, don't you want the tavern more and more?"
Hearing those words, Su Majin knew that Namgung Il would never change his mind.
'This sly snake-like brat...'
Namgung Il now seemed to know well the value of the tavern's operating rights.
Although it might be worth less than one million gold right now, if one looked at the distant future, it was a gold mine with a value far beyond that.
Especially since the operating rights of the tavern in Luoyang was a place that Su Majin had been eyeing for a long time, he felt his insides twist at the thought of handing it over to Namgung Il.
'What should I do?'
Now he had to make a choice.
Whether to hand over the tavern's operating rights to Namgung Il as it is, or to just ignore whatever that brat does and kick him out of here.
After much deliberation, Su Majin was barely able to make a decision.
"...I'll hand over the operating rights."
"..."
"Instead..."
"I know well. I'll make it as if the matter of sending an assassin to me never happened."
Namgung Il answered with a smile.
In fact, even before hearing that answer, Namgung Il had been almost sure that Su Majin would make such a choice.
'For the World Escort Agency, trust is more important than anything else.'
An escort agency usually takes on the business of taking charge of goods and delivering them to another place.
What would be the most important thing in such a business? That was trust.
Especially for valuable goods, if trust was not supported, who would want to entrust their goods?
Although it was really difficult to build trust, it was really easy for that trust to crumble in an instant.
'And from Su Majin's point of view, he would want this matter not to reach Namgung Cheong's ears.'
In any case, Su Majin had tried to kill Namgung Il, a member of the Namgung Clan.
If this fact were to be made public, from the Namgung Clan's point of view, it would be the same as having a sword that could be pointed at Su Majin at any time.
Especially, there was an unseen, subtle tug-of-war between Namgung Cheong and Su Majin.
Since Namgung Il had noticed that early on, he had boldly demanded the operating rights of the tavern in Luoyang.
'A chicken that lays golden eggs is dozens of times more valuable than a golden egg.'
He had now obtained that chicken.
With this, the financial difficulties of the current Beggars' Sect would also be resolved to some extent.
Namgung Il said to Su Majin with a meaningful smile.
"Come and visit Luoyang later."
"..."
"At that time, I will treat you as a distinguished guest in my tavern."
My tavern.
Hearing those words from Namgung Il's mouth, Su Majin felt as if his lifespan had been shortened by ten years.
(End of Chapter)