Chapter 66: Vip (2)
Chapter 65 – Vip (2)
Clatter.
“Did you say the Namgung Clan?”
Gold King Jin Deuk-rang set down his teacup and raised one eyebrow high.
He had never dreamed that the name of the Namgung Clan would come out of his daughter’s mouth after meeting her for the first time in a while.
His daughter had been a clever child since she was young.
His daughter, So-hong, was a child who understood ten things when taught one.
Of course, every parent showered their child with blind love, but So-hong was objectively very smart.
Therefore, even when his daughter insisted on going to the Dragon Heaven Academy, he did not try hard to stop her.
Because he also knew well that to find a pearl, one had to go into the mud. No, rather, it was he himself who had taught her such things.
Was it when So-hong was four years old?
His merchant group had to pass through a very dangerous area, so they had to urgently hire escort warriors.
Seeing more applicants than usual at that time, his daughter had asked him this.
“Daddy, why are those uncles trying to do scary work? If something bad happens, they might go to heaven.”
“Hong-ah, the more dangerous a job is, the greater the reward. In this world, you cannot enjoy only good things while staying safe. In short, it means there is no free lunch. They know that well.”
“Then So-hong will go to the mountains to catch tigers starting today!”
“What? Hahaha!”
The Gold King, suddenly recalling the past, smiled warmly before turning serious again.
Now was not the time to reminisce about the past.
At any rate, since that day, his daughter had surely learned the concept of high risk, high return.
However, he had also educated her well that one must have extensive knowledge about dangerous things to match that.
As part of that, she had not hesitated to go to the Dragon Heaven Academy, but of all places, the Namgung Clan…
‘This is too muddy…’
It would be fortunate if it were just mud.
At this rate, it could become a swamp.
While one might find a pearl in the mud, in a swamp, there was nothing to do but sink and die.
Yet, So-hong’s eyes were resolute.
It was clearly visible that she had already made up her mind.
“Did you find a pearl there?”
“As for a pearl, well, I don’t know. A coiled-up hidden dragon was there.”
“A hidden dragon…!”
The Gold King’s eyebrows twitched.
The impact of the word “hidden dragon” was immense.
Therefore, one must not lightly utter that word.
Particularly, the hidden dragon the Gold King thought of had to be someone worth risking one’s fate for.
But the illegitimate child of the Great Killing Star is a hidden dragon?
How should this be interpreted?
Whether it was true or not, the impact would transcend imagination.
If it were true, the Jianghu would be shaken by itself, and if it were not, his daughter would pay a heavy price.
‘Dangerous. It is dangerous.’
It was the first time he had such a thought while raising his daughter.
He had thought she possessed a decent amount of judgment, yet…
‘Did I foster her spirit of challenge too excessively?’
The Gold King let out a thin sigh and spoke.
“Hong-ah…”
“I know, Father.”
“Hmm? What do you know?”
“What you are thinking.”
“Knowing that, yet you say such things to this father…”
“Because I decided to believe in myself. It is not that I believe in Namgung Cheon. I believe in myself, just as you taught me.”
“However, even if you overtrust yourself, a problem will…”
“Arise. But you do not know whether I am overestimating myself or not, do you?”
“Well, that is because I haven’t…”
“Seen Namgung Cheon yet. And even if you see him, you will not know anything just by looking.”
“You rascal, did you only learn to interrupt your father after attending the academy?”
“I am sorry.”
So-hong stuck out her tongue slightly and giggled.
Since it was her natural face with the human-skin mask removed, the Gold King found her appearance incredibly adorable.
‘I really am a fool for my daughter.’
This Gold King really seemed to become a fool whenever he was in front of his daughter.
Indeed, if someone acted cute with such a pretty face, who wouldn’t fall for it?
The Gold King praised himself, thinking that making her wear a human-skin mask early on had been a truly great decision.
“Yes, go on.”
“I will not persuade you, Father. So please do not persuade me either before you make a definitive judgment.”
“…”
“You are not that kind of person, are you? You are different from ordinary parents who try to block the path their child wants to take, putting vain worries and anxieties first without any clear basis just because it is dangerous.”
“Does the academy teach you how to speak so well, too?”
“It is because I take after you, Father.”
“I’ll admit that.”
Jin So-hong smiled pleasantly and continued speaking.
“Please watch him during the martial competition. And you make the judgment, Father. Just as I trusted myself and made a decision, if you trust yourself and make a judgment… then…”
“…Will you follow my words then?”
“Yes.”
“Oh?”
“Even so, I will have to trust your experience at that time.”
Looking at So-hong, who was staring at him with unwavering eyes, the Gold King felt his heart swell with emotion for some reason.
‘When did she grow up so much?’
It felt like just yesterday when she giggled while playing a tower-stacking game with gold coins…
Finally, the Gold King smiled warmly.
“Alright, I will not say a single word to you during the competition. And this father will observe that child without any prejudice.”
“As expected of Father.”
Jin So-hong smiled brightly, but the Gold King straightened his expression and continued.
“You must understand my words clearly. I will not hold the prejudice that the child is the offspring of the Great Killing Star, but I also mean that I will not hold the prejudice that my daughter calls him a ‘hidden dragon.'”
“Hmph. You don’t believe me, do you?”
“This father only wants to believe in himself.”
Only then could he protect her, his daughter.
Jin So-hong nodded with a bright expression.
“Yes, that is enough.”
* * *
Namgung Geom narrowed his brows and stared blankly at the Gold King.
He seemed to harbor doubts about this sudden situation of yielding the seat.
Realizing his mistake late, the Gold King clasped his hands and spoke.
“Ah, I was flustered, so my greeting is late. I am Jin, the leader of the Myriad Gold Merchant Association. I have long heard of Namgung Great Hero’s esteemed name and admired you.”
“Gold King…?”
At the words Namgung Geom murmured while narrowing his eyes, the Gold King bowed his head.
“It is an undeserved nickname that people of the world bestowed upon me, looking only at my trivial talent.”
Although it did not show in the slightest on his expression, Namgung Geom felt surprised deep down.
Why would the Gold King yield his seat to him?
Rather, judging solely by their positions, it was Namgung Geom, whose circumstances were impoverished, who should have sought out the Gold King first to greet him.
Such a thought was shared not only by Namgung Geom but also by all the martial artists in the VIP seats.
They could not understand why the Gold King lowered himself so much to Namgung Geom.
Yun Cheom-san, who was watching this quietly, suddenly cut in without even reading the room.
“Hahaha! It seems Immortal of Myriad Gold has not heard of the Namgung Clan’s recent situation. Actually, the Namgung Clan is a bit… these days… yes, it’s a bit like that.”
At Yun Cheom-san’s words, several VIPs snickered and sneered. Although most of them did not step forward to save face, they felt refreshed inside by Yun Cheom-san’s words.
Alliance Leader Mok Cheon-ak also looked at Yun Cheom-san with a quite pleased expression.
However, the Gold King’s reaction was unexpected this time as well.
“Is Patriarch Yun scolding this Jin now, claiming that I am ignorant of the affairs of the world?”
When he questioned him with a deliberately sharp look in his eyes, Yun Cheom-san hiccuped and faltered.
Had not the expression of the Gold King, who had been smiling like a good-natured man until now, turned cold like a completely different person?
A flustered Yun Cheom-san waved his hands.
“No, uh… that, that is not it… what I mean is…”
“Why are the circumstances of the Namgung Clan being brought up here? I merely spoke of Great Hero Namgung Geom’s esteemed name. Although I am only a trivial commoner who admires the Martial World, I know well that Great Hero Namgung Geom is someone who has reached a splendid realm as a martial artist.”
“Ah… yes…”
“Did Patriarch Yun perhaps view this Jin as a snob who only cares about money, just like the rumors circulating in the world?”
“No… I didn’t mean that at all…”
“Yes, I hope not.”
When the Gold King stiffly cut him off and turned around, Yun Cheom-san’s face looked as if he were about to cry.
Now, the atmosphere of the VIP seats was turning strange.
Since the Gold King, whom even the Alliance Leader could not treat lightly, acted so sharply, no one dared to step forward easily.
Except for just one person.
“You are said to handle money well, and it seems you are also good at putting a gold leaf on my face as well.”
It was a voice that was nothing short of icy.
At Namgung Geom’s cold voice, the Gold King widened his eyes in surprise for a moment, then soon smiled softly.
‘He is certainly an extraordinary person.’
He had actually heard a lot about Namgung Geom’s reputation.
A personality that was not just like bamboo, but as if that bamboo had frozen solid as it was.
Seeing him in person, it was exactly so.
It was an atmosphere where, if one uttered any word carelessly, it felt as though the words would turn into ice and drip down.
The Gold King spoke, smiling brightly as if he would melt even the ice.
“Thanks to your grandson, Great Hero, my daughter was able to rise to the martial competition. I heard that she received a lot of help during the competition. Thus, I stepped forward with a grateful heart. If you felt unpleasant, please clear up any misunderstanding.”
As the Gold King bowed politely once again, Namgung Geom knitted his brows slightly. Standing beside him, Namgung Hwa could not hold back, stepping forward and asking.
“Our Cheon-ie helped your daughter?”
“That is correct. She praised him so much that my ears were worn out. Haha. As a father, how could I not express my gratitude? You see, I am a doting father to my daughter.”
‘My goodness… Cheon-ie did…!’
Namgung Hwa slightly looked back at Namgung Geom with a highly encouraged expression.
She could tell.
That Namgung Geom was inwardly surprised, even though he did not show it on the outside.
To others, he would still look like he had an icy expression, but a warm breeze was definitely blowing in Namgung Geom’s eyes right now.
However, accepting the yielded seat was a different matter.
Namgung Geom turned around without any lingering attachment.
“Even so, I have no intention of taking another’s seat. Let us go, Hwa-ya.”
“Ah, yes… Father.”
Namgung Hwa quickly followed behind Namgung Geom.
Only then did the other VIPs breathe a sigh of relief.
The Alliance Leader, who had been wearing a somewhat uncomfortable expression, also reacted as if a load had been taken off his mind.
However, the twist did not end there.
“Then let us go together. I will try to arrange a good seat. Please do not reject my goodwill, Great Hero.”
“Why go to such lengths?”
“As I said, I only wish to repay the favor my daughter received as a father should.”
Namgung Geom knitted his brow quietly.
What on earth is his scheme?
Yet, it wasn’t as if there was any particular scheme he could have, was there?
Rather, it seemed the Gold King’s daughter was close to Namgung Cheon, so…
At this moment, Namgung Geom and the Gold King looked at each other and had the same thought.
‘Watching him from up close would not be a bad idea.’
Namgung Geom said as he turned around coldly.
“Do as you please.”
“Thank you, Great Hero.”
As the Gold King left his seat and walked, the surrounding VIPs fell into a stir.
“Look at that…! Just leaving like that…!”
“Sigh… Why would the Gold King…?”
The VIPs, who were trying to form a connection with the Gold King somehow, stamped their feet in frustration and sighed.
Meanwhile, the Alliance Leader, who watched this entire situation, wore an expression as if he had chewed on dirt. Of course, it was only for a split second, so brief that no one noticed.
Had he not ended up attaching an important figure closely to them, when he had intended to completely isolate the Namgung Clan!
And of all people, the Gold King!
While he gritted his teeth, the sound of drums suddenly rang out loudly.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
“Waaaaah!”
An ear-splitting roar rose like thunder from the spectator stands.
Finally, the first martial duel was beginning.