"Why is the list of assets suddenly…?"
"…"
"Ah, of course. Since the young lord is now the head of the family, you have the right to inspect the family's assets. But why now…?"
Namgung Myung looked at Namgung Do-Wei with suspicion. Namgung Do-Wei mumbled with a hollow expression.
"Just…"
"Uh?"
"Don't ask… just answer. Just…"
"…"
What on earth had happened to the man who left the house this morning full of confidence, only to return with eyes like someone who had lost everything gambling?
Namgung Myung, who had been eyeing Namgung Do-Wei warily, said nervously,
"Then I will hand you the organized ledger."
"Uncle."
"…Why do you keep doing that?"
"Our Namgung family is surely rich, right?"
"Hehe."
Namgung Myung laughed as if it were absurd.
"What are you talking about? They say there are many merchants in the world, and many people so wealthy they don't need to work. But no matter how great the wealth, it can't compare to the Namgung family's fortune."
His statement was full of pride.
Of course, as far as Namgung Myung knew, the only sect that could rival the Namgung family's wealth was Shaolin. Even Shaolin or the Peng family were, in reality, inferior to the Namgung family.
However, upon hearing this, Namgung Do-Wei didn't look pleased; instead, he began biting his nails nervously.
"We are rich… we are rich… rich, huh."
"Y-young lord?"
"So we… are rich…"
Was this guy insane?
Clench.
Namgung Do-Wei, who had been biting his fingernails, finally opened his trembling lips.
"Where can I get the ledger?"
"If it's a copy, the finance leader should have it."
"…Right."
Watching Namgung Do-Wei walk away, Namgung Myung was overcome with an inexplicable sense of anxiety.
He could vaguely hear Namgung Do-Wei mumbling, "We're doing well, we're doing well. We have to do well, please let us do well."
"What the hell…"
Namgung Myung still didn't know the exact nature of the disaster approaching the Namgung family.
Chung Myung's eyes grew as wide as lanterns.
His mouth fell open involuntarily, and his hands holding the ledger trembled as if chilled.
"…T-this is…"
"…"
"Is this all?"
Namgung Do-Wei nodded his head, trembling.
"This is the list of assets of the Namgung family."
"…O-oh my god."
Chung Myung's head creaked as he turned on its own. Even if the Heavenly Demon appeared before him, he wouldn't have been so shocked.
He kept looking back and forth between Namgung Do-Wei and the ledger, speaking his thoughts without holding back.
"I wondered why people starve despite working hard, but you guys had all the money. You thieves."
"…"
"Uh… what is this… hehehe."
Chung Myung looked at the ledger again with a face that said he was fed up.
To be clear, Mount Hua was no longer a sect without money. It might not have been so a few years ago, but now it could be called one of the richest sects in the world.
Their accumulated wealth might not rival the richest in the Central Plains, but considering their income, they could now outmatch most sects.
In terms of income alone, they could boast of surpassing Mount Hua's past poverty. But…
"This… damn. They say those who really have money have more than we."
Baek Cheon slowly approached, curious about Chung Myung's intense reaction.
"How much money do they even have?"
"See."
Chung Myung handed the ledger to Baek Cheon without explanation.
Baek Cheon flipped through a few pages and casually said,
"No, it's possible to have lots of money. It's the Namgung family's world. But it's a bit much to say to the young lord…"
At that moment, Yoon Jong witnessed a sight he had never seen before.
Baek Cheon's eyes slowly widened until they nearly popped.
"T-this…"
Flutter flutter!
Baek Cheon's hands, turning over the ledger, began moving violently.
He had been roughly flipping through the pages with an expression that didn't match his neat face, but suddenly stopped. Then he raised his head and blankly looked at Namgung Do-Wei.
But that was only for a moment, as his blank expression quickly shifted into one of resentment. Namgung Do-Wei mumbled.
"W-what is it?"
"You rich brat…"
"Uh?"
Namgung Do-Wei was so shocked he doubted his ears. Did those words really come from Baek Cheon?
At that moment, Chung Myung shouted,
"You have so much money, why bother wielding a sword, you insane bastard!"
"W-what is that even supposed to mean…"
"The rich get richer! They're really getting richer!"
A voice full of resentment flowed from Chung Myung's mouth.
"Damn it. There's a limit to how unfair the world can be! Some people are born orphans and barely survive in Mount Hua, which is worse than a beggar's den! Some are born as sons of the Namgung family!"
"I know!"
"Sasuk is from Southern Edge!"
"Compared to Namgung, Southern Edge is also a beggar's den!"
"Ah, that's right."
"Filthy rich bastards."
"Damned landowners."
Jo Gul rubbed his eyes as he watched the scene. Somehow, it seemed like a red aura was surging behind Chung Myung and Baek Cheon. He thought he could see a sickle and hammer…
"Oh my… I thought I had a lot of money until now."
Chung Myung mumbled with a blank expression.
Now he could see clearly. That damned Chung Mun sahyung's brainwashing was narrowing his world. No matter how much Chung Myung boasted about making a lot of money, in the end, he was just a Taoist fool, happy with food and drink.
"Wait. So the Shaolin and Wudang brats have about the same amount of money, then?"
Chung Myung clenched his teeth.
"But these brats still want funds to raise their sects? I should chase these guys and dig up their bloody graves, too."
"…What are you talking about? Since when?"
"Kuak."
Chung Myung scratched his neck as if he had swallowed hot charcoal.
Yu Yiseol, curious about their foaming-at-the-mouth reaction, quietly approached Chung Myung and snatched the ledger.
Then.
Thud.
"Kuak! Sago! Why are you collapsing?"
Tang Soso ran to Yu Yiseol, who had fallen back in shock.
Chung Myung clicked his tongue as he watched.
"Right, right. It's normal for someone from the streets to faint when they see this much money."
"Sago is no orphan!"
"Something similar."
"No, how much money does he have to make such a mess of us?"
Tang Soso picked up the ledger and looked at it.
"Hmm."
Then, with a slightly indifferent expression, she handed it over to Jo Gul. Jo Gul also read it briefly and said,
"…It's just an ordinary ledger, right?"
"If it's the Namgung family, shouldn't this much be basic?"
Baek Cheon and Chung Myung's eyes turned red at their reactions. Yu Yiseol, lying on the ground, raised her head and grabbed the sword at her waist.
"Dirty lords of the land."
"Children of the rich!"
"They need to die!"
The trio of orphans, runaways, and street children glared at the three born with silver spoons in their mouths.
"Now, wait a minute! I don't know about others, but Sasuk is a bit different!"
"Right! Sasuk is from a good family too! Those people are like that because they came from poverty!"
Jo Gul was confident this attack would work. However, the moment Baek Cheon answered, Jo Gul gave up on his counterattack.
"When I was born, my brother was Jin Geum-Ryong."
"Woah…"
"This is the truth."
"Stay there, Sasuk. Excuse me for this."
In an atmosphere where the flames of revolution seemed about to flare up, Yoon Jong stepped in swiftly to mediate.
"T-this isn't the time to fight among ourselves, Chung Myung."
"Kuaak."
Chung Myung twisted his neck.
"Euk. Euk."
His stomach churned, but didn't this ledger fall into their hands anyway?
"That…"
Chung Myung looked back and forth between the ledger and Namgung Do-Wei, then moved his lips with difficulty.
"…I can do it."
"Uh?"
"…I-I… can… ah, no. This…"
At that moment, Chung Myung realized something.
Deep inside him, there clearly existed a conscience he hadn't even known.
Tears flowed down Chung Myung's cheeks.
'I cannot ask for more…'
Of course, his labor was so valuable that it couldn't be exchanged for gold. The problem was that the Namgung family's wealth was so vast that gold was like a foot rag to them.
No matter how highly Chung Myung thought of himself, he couldn't ask for too much money in exchange for teaching a few swordsmen.
'Sahyung! Chung Mun sahyung! Today, I finally realized what conscience is, sahyung!'
–Is that conscience? You insane bastard!
Ah, just stay quiet for now!
Chung Myung took a deep breath and opened his mouth.
"If… you… Give me the ledger, how can…"
"Uh? This ledger?"
When Namgung Do-Wei asked in a puzzled tone, Chung Myung shrugged and spoke in a hesitant voice.
"T-then I will…"
Later, Jo Gul recalled this scene as:
It was like the sun in the middle of the sky shrinking and the water in Dongting Lake drying up—the Chung Myung of this world being oppressed by nothing but money.
At that moment, Namgung Do-Wei shook his head.
"It isn't that, Taoist. The money is too little."
"…Uh?"
"Namgung's life was saved. And now we are part of the Heavenly Friends Alliance, right?"
"R-right…?"
"I will give you five tenths of the property. Please use it as training funds for the Heavenly Friends Alliance."
Thud.
The ledger fell from Chung Myung's hand.
With a face like he had seen a ghost, Chung Myung's chin trembled.
"F-five… five? F-five…?"
"Yes!"
Namgung Do-Wei nodded firmly.
"I think it would be fine if they divided it appropriately: Taoists' share, Mount Hua's share, and the Heavenly Friends Alliance's share."
"Are you really giving me five tenths…? Of this?"
"Of course."
Namgung Do-Wei lightly patted his chest.
"No matter how important that property is, it cannot compare to the grace of having our lives saved. Please understand that we can only repay the favor like this."
Chung Myung suddenly ran to him and grabbed his hand.
"T-thank you! Thank you!"
"T-taoist! Why are you doing this? It's nothing."
Tears streamed down Chung Myung's cheeks.
'It's nothing to you.'
Thank goodness.
It was truly fortunate that the guy was a moron.
Uh? This wasn't being a moron, but being kind? That's also being a moron.
"I…"
"Uh?"
"I will give it my all! I will do whatever it takes to make the Namgung family act like a real sect! I will do my best!"
"…."
"Absolutely!"
"Thank you."
At that moment, Jo Gul, who was watching quietly, whispered to Yoon Jong.
"Sahyung. The situation is a bit odd, but if you think about it, isn't this like getting hit for money?"
"Shh. Be quiet now."
"…"
That day, the Namgung family became Mount Hua's friends.
A true friend whose friendship came from the heart…