After all the commotion in the black market was subdued,
Lee Jae-hak continued organizing things for post-incident processing while receiving reports from his subordinates.
"The Baekgolpa bastards are mostly wanderers. Don't bother considering their treatment. If they start babbling about excessive force, break an arm or a leg. If they resist too much, you may kill them."
"Yes, sir! But what should we do with the attendees of the black market? They're making a fuss, demanding to know who we are and asking for lawyers."
The Gold Sword Corps leader, who was listening in, burst into hearty laughter.
"Haha! Even after hearing the name of the Sungmuiga, they're acting like that? Young Master, it seems those fools still don't understand the situation! Hmph!"
Sungmuiga had been granted authority by the state to eliminate wanderers and major criminals.
Though that authority was restricted to those possessing "special combat abilities," such as mages or warriors.
And in these situations, the government consistently sided with Sungmuiga.
"They don't seem to realize that standing in court would put their necks in even greater danger. Fools."
Even if only Lee Jae-hak's personal legal team were mobilized, the outcome of any legal battle was obvious.
Lee Jae-hak glanced over the subdued civilians.
His cold gaze made them swallow hard and lower their heads.
"We've also captured the Baekgolpa members who escaped."
"The evidence?"
"This is everything we found here."
Lee Jae-hak skimmed through the evidence and frowned.
"There aren't any solid records like ledgers or entry logs. As expected, they must have kept them at their nest."
He clicked his tongue in annoyance.
It would be ideal to wipe out their entire base, but doing so would scatter the wanderers like cockroaches.
At that moment, the Gold Sword Corps leader spoke up.
"Ah, about that… As we were finishing up the operation, one of my men captured someone."
"Someone?"
"He handled administrative work here. But he insisted that only you should see this."
The Gold Sword Corps leader handed a briefcase to Lee Jae-hak.
Inside, it was packed with files.
As Lee Jae-hak examined them one by one, his eyes gleamed.
Records of financial transactions, the names of those involved, numerous slush fund accounts—information on the black market's visitors, smuggling routes, and the origins of illicit goods.
It was meticulously and thoroughly documented.
"Bring him in."
"Yes, sir. You there!"
At the Gold Sword Corps leader's order, a well-dressed man in a suit appeared.
'He looks far too competent to be handling logistics for mere Baekgolpa scum.'
Clear eyes, an upright posture.
He had no trace of magical power, but his aura was disciplined.
"It is an honor to meet the scion of a great family. My name is Jung Jin-su."
The Gold Sword Corps leader's eyes flared.
"You insolent—! How dare you stand so straight—!"
"Enough. Let's hear what he has to say first."
Lee Jae-hak stopped him.
"I am Lee Jae-hak, the seventh son of Sungmuiga. I have a few questions."
"I will answer truthfully."
"Why did you keep these records instead of destroying them? Don't you realize that bringing them to me now looks like nothing more than a desperate attempt to save yourself?"
"There should be a letter in the front pocket of the briefcase. That person said it would explain everything."
"That person? A letter?"
Lee Jae-hak opened the pocket and pulled out a single sheet of paper.
The text was printed to obscure the writer's handwriting.
"Hmm…"
As he read the letter, he let out a dry chuckle.
The message was brief.
[These documents should be more than enough compensation for this incident—excessive, even. So return some spare change. Just take care of the man in front of you for a while. He has a daughter, and she needs medical attention. Thank you.]
'How audacious…'
Even as he thought that, a smirk crossed his lips.
'So you're using my brother like that? Bold bastard.'
Bold, yes.
But the documents left behind were undeniably valuable.
With this thoroughly compiled evidence, not only could they recover funds linked to Baek Cheol-su, but they could also leverage the weaknesses of the wealthy individuals who played with fire in the black market.
And the family would gain credit for dismantling the black market.
However, the problem is:
"You just set the stage, but I was the one who handled the aftermath, and now you want to make a deal with this?"
Moreover, wasn't the cunning guy who left this letter supposed to avoid contacting me?
At that moment, Jung Jin-su spoke in a low voice.
"There's something on the back as well."
At his words, Lee Jae-hak flipped the letter over.
[Just in case, I'm adding a postscript. Surely, the great Golden Sword wouldn't just ride the coattails of success and have other thoughts, right? And since you've already secured all the important benefits, you probably don't care who I am. Unless you're extremely narrow-minded, that is. I assume you'll quietly cover up this incident as well? It's just an assumption.]
"..."
Does this guy even understand what a postscript is? His so-called postscript is longer than the main content? And the content itself is ridiculous.
"Haha!"
For the first time in a while, Lee Jae-hak let out a hearty laugh.
Has there ever been someone who kicked off their journey in the martial world like this—shoving the work onto someone else in such a blatant manner?
'So, because you didn't contact me directly but got tangled up with some unknown figure, you think you didn't break the rules?'
What an audacious guy.
But fine.
If this is the kind of deal being offered, then he welcomed it.
'Taking down the sixth and now pulling something like this… As expected, the youngest. I feel like you and I are going to get along.'
Choosing the youngest over the sixth, establishing a cooperative relationship just before the Tianwei Mountain March—it all seemed like a wise decision.
"Captain, let's wrap this up here. Hand things over to the relevant department when their representatives arrive. Be careful when handling the hazardous materials. With this documentation, the follow-up process shouldn't be difficult."
"Huh? Oh, y-yes?"
"And… Jung Jin-su, was it? I'll take custody of you for now. You should be grateful to the one who entrusted you with this letter."
Jung Jin-su gave a slight nod of acknowledgment.
Lee Jae-hak turned and walked away.
***
Several days passed after the incident at the black market.
Right after leaving the black market, I rented a room to recover from the injuries I sustained during my fight with Baek Cheol-su.
Normally, as a minor, I wouldn't have been able to rent a room, but the identification my family issued for outings came in handy.
While recuperating at the hotel, I kept my ears open for any news related to the incident.
But nothing came.
Despite the commotion during the takedown, Baekgolpa and the black market were cleaned up quietly, without a trace.
'That's so like Seventh Brother.'
The fact that everything remained silent despite involving several wealthy figures indicated just how thorough the cleanup had been.
'It looks like Seventh Brother accepted the deal. No one seems to be tailing me, after all.'
Twinge!
As I activated my healing arts, the wounds from my battle with Baek Cheol-su throbbed.
The injuries, now reduced to scars, could have been much worse.
'That fight was a valuable experience.'
Even as I recovered, I repeatedly replayed the battle in my mind.
It had been a unique fight.
I had possessed Mujin for quite some time, but this was the first time I had used it against a person rather than a monster.
'Well, aside from using it in front of Father and once against a trainer in Jeokcheongdo…'
Father's case was more like a guided sparring session, and my fight with the trainer had been more of a one-sided chase than a proper battle.
This, however, was my first unrestricted battle against a warrior—someone even stronger than me.
'Physically and in terms of magic power, Baek Cheol-su was definitely superior to me. But he was easier to deal with than I expected.'
Although the battle was decided by Baek Cheol-su's arrogance and mistakes, I was certain I would have won even without them.
Even someone as experienced as Baek Cheol-su, who had wandered the world, couldn't keep up with my combat style—honed through the memories of Heukgi and Mujin.
'This warrior's journey will be full of such battles. Until now, every fight within the family came with restrictions.'
I had experienced many real battles within the family, but due to political or environmental reasons, they all had certain limitations.
These constraints had contributed to my growth, but they left uncertainties about their practicality in true combat.
Buzz—!
At that moment, I felt the sharp pain in my wounds subside noticeably.
Crack!
Shaking off my thoughts, I stretched deeply and stood up.
With my injuries healed and my body in good condition, it was time to move.
'Time to call out Jung Jin-su.'
***
After checking out of the hotel, I headed straight for Seoul.
My destination was a quiet hanok near Seoul Station.
At the counter, I inquired about my appointment, and a staff member led me to the innermost room.
"You've arrived."
Inside, Jung Jin-su was waiting.
He stood and gave a slight nod.
"I never knew a place like this existed."
Before entering, I didn't even realize it was a restaurant.
That was because, from the outside, it looked like an ordinary hanok, with no signboard to indicate otherwise.
"This is a space for those who wish to have quiet conversations. The room is designed with various measures to prevent conversations from being easily overheard from the outside."
Jung Jin-su replied as such and then sat back down.
After watching me for a moment, he gave an awkward smile.
"Why are you smiling?"
"I just now realized that Young Master Lee Cheol is only fifteen years old."
Back in the warehouse, emotions had been running high, and in the black market, the situation had been too urgent to think about such things.
But now that he could take a proper look, it hit him.
Fifteen years old—still an age considered young.
Perhaps because of the background of the Soongmuiga, he appeared a few years more mature than his actual age, but looking at him like this, he was still a boy with traces of baby fat on his face.
'A boy… He is indeed a boy, but…'
It didn't feel like he was facing a mere boy.
His gaze, his very presence—
His speech and manners were fitting for someone from a prestigious family, but his overall aura was far beyond his years.
'A mere fifteen-year-old managed to recruit Soongmuiga's Golden Sword, Lee Jae-hak, capture Baek Cheol-soo, and bring down the black market.'
Jung Jin-su decided to erase the person's age from his mind.
"First, I would like to express my gratitude. Truly, thank you."
Jung Jin-su chose to say what needed to be said first.
"Both my daughter and I have received a debt of gratitude we can never repay to Young Master Lee Cheol."
"You don't need to be too grateful. It was just a transaction."
"The very fact that you proposed that transaction was a great favor to me. Without you, I would still be trapped under Baek Cheol-soo's influence."
"How is your daughter?"
At my question, Jung Jin-su smiled faintly.
"She hasn't fully recovered, but she is much better. Soongmuiga's medical center is just as remarkable as I had heard."
Jung Jin-su's daughter had been suffering from a condition related to magical energy.
Such illnesses typically require specialized treatments known as mana therapy rather than conventional medical care.
And Soongmuiga's medical center was world-renowned in that field.
With internal injury patients pouring in constantly, the number of cases handled by the family's doctors was astronomical.
It was an environment where their skills could only improve.
"I'm glad to hear that."
"Yes…"
Jung Jin-su took a deep breath before continuing in a steady tone.
"In the end, you have kept every promise you made to me, Young Master. Now, I believe it is time for me to fulfill my end of the bargain. I will do anything. What do you need me to do?"
His eyes gleamed with firm resolve.
His tone suggested he was prepared to do anything—no matter how dirty.
I smirked.
"You make it sound like I'm about to order something shady."
"…That wasn't my intention."
"There are a few things I need your help with first."
I handed him the items I had brought.
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