“Are you saying you won’t be collecting debts anymore?”
“The Three-Eyed Sword, Inspector, and even the Head of Guards are here. I don’t think there’s a need to waste time on debt collection.”
Since we’ve already taken down the final boss known as the Head of Guards, it’s time to skip the side quests and go for the ending!
After I collected all the money from the Head of Guards, I put aside debt collection and focused on other tasks.
“Club Leader! I’ve liquidated some of the land documents you entrusted to me.”
The first order of business was to quickly sell off the rights certificates handed over by the Head of Guards.
“It’s Master Kang! You’ll sell it all within ten days, won’t you?”
“Didn’t Man Geum Battlefield say they’d buy the rights certificates at 80% of the market price? If I manage to sell them for a higher price by the end of the exam, then all the profit is mine, so I’ll do everything I can.”
It’s a bargain! Shout “For sale!” then sell for more than 80%—it’s a guaranteed profit! And there’s more profit to aim for after that.
“I’ve prepared the documents stating that the prime inn was sold to Club Leader Kang at 80%, and another inn has been switched to the name of the Gye Mohim.”
“Good job. If this goes well, everyone will get plenty of reward money. So work hard.”
“Wasn’t it all over at the paper mill? What’s going on now?”
Jeon Gil-san glanced at the rights certificates given to him by my secretary.
“The best inn among those handed over by the Head of Guards was bought cheaply by me, and the second best inn will be listed by the Joseon Person’s Gye Mohim next.”
This is a rare opportunity to accumulate wealth. I can’t miss it!
I buy the inn at 80% of the price, dress up the documents, and have the secretary sell other properties to fill in any remaining profits. Then, a new franchise of Yungi Inn will be born!
“Wow….”
“I thought it was strange when you said you’d only collect debts till here.”
As I explained, both of them couldn’t shut their mouths.
“I didn’t stop debt collection just for sales.”
“Are you taking care of the paper mill during the remaining period?”
Truly, Miss Zhuge is sharp.
“Yes. First, I think I need to stabilize things. Most of it will be entrusted to the manager, but the clients need to be checked out.”
There are over 100 people working under the paper mill. It’s like swallowing a solid small business whole, so I had to pay attention in the beginning.
“Ugh. It’ll be boring for a while. I’m outta here.”
Jeon Gil-san turned away, like someone leaving a sports event feeling disappointed.
“Where do you think you’re going? You have to help too.”
“What can I help with? You said you wouldn’t do this anymore. I’ll come on exam day.”
That guy, Jeon Gil-san. He’s trying to back out since it seems boring.
“Your parents run the Man Geum Bookstore, don’t they?”
Not a chance. This time, you have to help me out.
“Why’s that?”
Feeling some ominous energy, Jeon Gil-san stepped back a bit.
“Don’t you think you should change the trading firms for the sake of your child’s future?”
“…….”
“Brother, what’s good is good, right? Please do me a favor.”
Why the sour face?
You’ve been enjoying the view next to me all this while. Pay the entrance fee a bit.
“Ha… A tough one.”
With a deep sigh from Jeon Gil-san, I was able to acquire a new trading partner.
————
“Master Kang, someone has come from Man Geum Battlefield.”
“Could you ask them to wait for a moment? No, I’ll go speak.”
After rapidly liquidating the certificates handed over by the Head of Guards and working on restoring the paper mill, I even enjoyed a brief break with Miss Zhuge, and before I knew it, the exam day had arrived.
“What are you doing? Aren’t you getting ready to go?”
Jeon Gil-san, who had somehow arrived at the mansion, was already preparing to leave, as if it were natural.
“There’s someone waiting for me.”
I can’t just leave all at once.
“Don’t tell me you asked them to cash out again today? I know the date is today, but that’s too much effort.”
“No, it’s for something else.”
I shook my head.
“Waiting for something else?”
“Just wait a moment.”
Why aren’t they coming? I sat at the inner courtyard, looking towards the door to the outer courtyard.
“It’s the scent. What’s that guy waiting for?”
“You didn’t tell me, so I…I don’t know either.”
The two looked at me with bewildered expressions.
Would I tell you to wait for no reason? Just wait a bit.
The promised meeting place was on the outskirts of Wuhan; if I was too late, it would be bad. I waited patiently for news from beyond the door, but the door didn’t open.
“……It’s late.”
At this rate, I’ll be late to the meeting.
“Master Kang! The person you mentioned has arrived!”
Thankfully, they arrived just in time.
“Great. Let’s move.”
I was all set.
*
“Sir, the grandchildren are coming.”
At the mansion on the outskirts of Wuhan, in a garden filled with the autumn scenery.
Some were holding hands with their lovers, feeling the fullness of autumn, while others were preparing for the upcoming winter of their lives.
Man Geum-jeon hoped they wouldn’t be too late, turning towards the Head of Guards.
“What about that kid?”
The Head of Guards had to know who the child Man Geum-jeon was referring to.
“At the request of Master Kang, my son, along with several servants, went to the mansion. They should be a bit late.”
“You requested for the servants? Didn’t the Inspector’s debt calculations not finish yet?”
“Those were completed several days ago.”
“Then?”
Calling the servants meant there were certificates that needed evaluation. Kang Yoon-ho, who had already resolved debts for two people, wouldn’t bother calling for people again.
If there was a reason, it could only be one.
“Master Kang must’ve succeeded in collecting someone else’s debt…”
The Head of Guards spoke carefully, still bowing his head.
“And one more… It’s said that the impossible ledger was completed in a month… Do you think that’s possible?”
The servants of Man Geum Battlefield did not make the impossible ledger lightly.
If the candidates for the heirs of Man Geum Battlefield put all their efforts and even had some luck, they might barely succeed once. That was the extent of the impossible ledger.
And yet, Kang Yoon-ho had somehow succeeded with the Three-Eyed Sword and the Inspector. And there’s one more to that.
No one at Man Geum Battlefield would dare joke about it.
“It’s impossible. But…”
“But?”
The Head of Guards pondered for a long time before finally making a decision to speak.
“If there’s a man to open a new future for Man Geum Battlefield, it might just be possible.”
Hehe.
A pleasant smile brushed across Man Geum-jeon’s lips.
“Master Kang has arrived.”
The Head of Guards’ son, Jeon Woon-yeop, entered, out of breath.
“Did you come? So, whose money did you collect?”
Could he really have succeeded in the third one? The Head of Guards couldn’t contain his curiosity and asked his son.
“Uh….”
Jeon Woon-yeop’s eyes trembled.
“What’s that?”
“Master Kang requested to speak before everyone.”
“In front of everyone?”
Hehe. “That boy, did he really say that?”
Man Geum-jeon asked with a scoff at Kang Yoon-ho’s bold declaration.
“Yes, he said he would show it to everyone.”
Show it. Man Geum-jeon scrutinized Jeon Woon-yeop.
Jeon Woon-yeop’s eyes resembled those who witnessed something unbelievable. His mouth was tightly closed as if he would have to spill it if ordered but wanted to say as little as possible.
Jang Noya saw his own youthful self, who had loyally followed the Head of Guards, reflected in Jeon Woon-yeop’s face.
What on earth happened that made the Head of Guards’ son so moved?
“Alright. Let’s go to the seats.”
Man Geum-jeon hurried his steps as if going to unbox a present.
————
“Grandfather! I brought back more debt than anyone here!”
Stepping into the promised place, Man Geum-jeon’s expression hardened coldly in a matter of moments.
“What ledger did you bring back?”
“The, the risky ledger.”
The ledger brought back by the grandchild was the lowest difficulty class ledger.
“They are the clients of Man Geum Battlefield! If we just coax them and intimidate them moderately, it would work! But you destroyed their shops! Created cripples! If their grudge reaches the heavens, who will come to borrow money from Man Geum Battlefield next time?”
As Man Geum-jeon shouted indignantly, everyone’s shoulders in the room shrank.
“Th-that’s!”
Puhah!
With a laugh echoing from somewhere, Man Geum-jeon’s expression twisted in an instant.
“You’re laughing? Do you think you’re in a position to laugh right now?”
“Grandfather…?”
“Did you not go to collect debts with martial artists and ended up getting kidnapped? Did you not try to sell the wife of a prestigious family? What on earth were you thinking that makes you laugh in such a situation?”
“……”
The grandkids’ mischief knew no bounds.
Jang Noya took a deep sigh inwardly as he looked at his grandchildren who couldn’t even hold their heads up. He truly wished to turn everything upside down and pretend the exam never happened.
“Now there’s one person left. Alright, you want to speak and tell us who you collected from?”
Unless there was a black-haired youth present.
“Yes. Thank you for granting my request.”
Kang Yoon-ho approached Man Geum-jeon with confident steps, sitting in the prepared seat and speaking.
“Whose debt did you collect?”
The grandchildren could hardly comprehend the words they were hearing in front of them.
The ledger Kang Yoon-ho brought back was the impossible ledger. A ledger that no one would choose. Yet he says he collected from it.
The grandchildren of Man Geum-jeon, as well as their accompanying family, widened their eyes.
“Is that the end?”
“No, it’s not.”
Could he really have brought back money from a third person? The eyebrows of Man Geum-jeon, who had maintained his composure, slightly trembled.
“Then who did you collect from?”
“I brought the indication of what was given.”
Who could it possibly be? The answer lay within the booklet Kang Yoon-ho was holding out.
“This isn’t the impossible ledger, is it?”
Handing over the ledger for the exam was unusual. What on earth is happening here? Man Geum-jeon received the booklet Kang Yoon-ho presented.
“Please open the first page.”
“The first page?”
“Yes, the first page.”
Kang Yoon-ho nodded as if to confirm a solid fact.
The first page of the impossible ledger.
“Wait!”
“Surely the first page….”
Both Man Geum-jeon and the grandchildren selected as candidates for heirs all remembered what was written on the first page of the impossible ledger.
“No way, you brought it back…?”
No way.
Really?
The grandmaster Man Geum-jeon also opened the first page of the impossible ledger, trembling.
“Yes. I collected the debt from the Head of Guards, Gu Jook.”
“……!”
On the first page of the impossible ledger, there was a stamp confirming repayment from Man Geum Battlefield.
“Impossible!”
“Th-this can’t be…!”
“This is a document stamped to confirm that the Head of Guards completed the repayment to Man Geum Battlefield.”
Kang Yoon-ho pulled out a document from his belongings and presented it to Man Geum-jeon.
A document with the fresh stamp stating repayment completed. Next to it was the seal of the Head of Guards, along with a familiar stamp.
“Truly… did you manage to collect even the Head of Guards’ debt?”
That was a name placed on the first page to give up in fear. To think he actually collected it. Even Man Geum-jeon couldn’t believe it as he asked Kang Yoon-ho.
“It’s not just the Head of Guards’ debt.”
Kang Yoon-ho chuckled softly at Man Geum-jeon’s question.
“What do you mean by that?”
“It’s also the debt of the Head of Guards.”
“Debt?”
“Please turn to the next page of the impossible ledger.”
“Don’t tell me…!”
That kind of thing can’t possibly happen.
Jang Noya’s hands trembled as if they were a child opening a box containing their most cherished gift.
“Judge, Wang Hyun-seung.”
Repayment completed.
As Man Geum-jeon turned a page, a pleasant voice echoed in the room. Jang Noya met a gaze that seemed to say the box was far from finished.
No way.
“Dongji, Seo Il, Yeosang-dak.”
Repayment completed.
“Hyunryeong, Yoo Cheon-baek, Myoji-hak, Bang Woong, Bae Mok-seung.”
Repayment completed.
“Hyunseung, Gal Hwi-jin, Du Song, Sim Nan-cheon, Gok Dan-yong, Un Sang-dak.”
Repayment completed.
Inside that box of gifts was endless treasure.
“Wh-what on earth…?”
In the end, Man Geum-jeon could only gaze at the contents of the gift box, unable to look fully at what might be the greatest gift of his life.
The young man who promised himself, smiling.
“What did I say I would prove? That I am worthy of being your successor.”
