Chapter 684
Chapter 684
Chapter 684. The Forged Draft Incident (2)
I nodded at Money House Master Hwang San's words.
"If that is your will, Money House Master, I understand. Please take a seat." (MC)
"Thank you." (Hwang San)
As I sat down, I examined his attire.
He looked extremely neat.
He was wearing the navy clothes worn by the Geumsan Money House employees, and on the left side of his chest was embroidered [Money House Master Hwang San].
If not for that embroidery, I would have believed it even if someone said he was an ordinary employee of the money house.
On the surface, he was very kind and had the attitude of someone who served customers, but if you touched him the wrong way, then you would be fucked.
He brought up the main point first.
"First, as you must have heard from Vice Head Bo here beside me, the forged draft problem is in a very serious state." (Hwang San)
"It is truly lamentable." (MC)
"With that said……." (Hwang San)
He took several drafts from his robe and spread them out on the table.
"Could you perhaps pick out the fakes among these?" (Hwang San)
"Pardon?" (MC)
"I heard you picked out the fake draft among the drafts Vice Head Bo showed you before." (Hwang San)
"Ah…… I merely thought it was fake because I felt my mood become foul, and happened to guess correctly." (MC)
"A person's intuition is often more accurate than expected. I too am in my current position thanks to intuition." (Hwang San)
Mm, so that is what he thinks?
In fact, I also had something I was thinking about.
For this, I needed to accurately find the fakes among the drafts he had brought.
I reached out and picked out the ones from which I could feel the energy of the Sura Blood Cult.
The Money House Master watched me do so with an expression that made it impossible to know what he was thinking.
"I think these are fake." (MC)
"Is that so?" (Hwang San)
The Money House Master nodded, then closely examined the backs of the drafts I had chosen one by one.
"Hoo, your intuition truly is good. To match them this accurately! I am impressed." (Hwang San)
"I really got them all right? Wow! I am more surprised myself." (MC)
I continued speaking.
"But how did you know those were fake? I am certain Vice Head Bo said yesterday that no method of distinguishing the fakes had been discovered." (MC)
"Ah…… publicly, that is so." (Hwang San)
Publicly?
"There is one more anti-forgery method we have not disclosed publicly. Thanks to that, we were able to reveal that these were fake." (Hwang San)
"I see. That is fortunate." (MC)
"I apologize that I cannot tell you the detailed method." (Hwang San)
"I understand. Such methods are treated as top secret, after all." (MC)
I nodded and carefully asked,
"But why have you come to find me? If such a method exists, would it not be enough to use that method to determine whether they are forged?" (MC)
"There is a problem. That method is one only I can use, and it also takes some time. But tens of thousands of drafts are requested for payment in a single day." (Hwang San)
He let out a sigh.
"As you know, Young Captain, one of the greatest reasons for our Geumsan Money House's success lies in fast cash payments." (Hwang San)
He was right.
Because the anti-forgery measures were thorough, they paid out the money immediately.
It was because of that convenience that they had become the unrivaled number one money house.
"But if we change that method now, what will our customers think?" (Hwang San)
"You are caught between a rock and a hard place." (MC)
"That is so." (Hwang San)
He continued speaking with a frustrated expression.
"The solution is to catch the culprit even one day sooner, but……." (Hwang San)
He trailed off and looked at me.
Was that a look asking me for help?
If so, there was no reason to hesitate.
"How about this method?" (MC)
"What method do you mean?" (Hwang San)
"As soon as we find out a draft is false, we track the person who used that forged draft and find out their base." (MC)
"If we could do that, I would ask for nothing more. But since there is no way to discover forged drafts immediately……." (Hwang San)
At that, I pointed at myself with my finger.
"You have me, do you not?" (MC)
"Pardon?" (Hwang San)
"Me. If my intuition is one even you have acknowledged, Money House Master, would I not be able to identify forged drafts immediately?" (MC)
"That is true, but…… They may notice." (Hwang San)
"Please do not worry. I can disguise myself as an employee of the money house." (MC)
"No matter how you disguise yourself, your face stands out too much. Moreover, are you not quite famous?" (Hwang San)
"In that case……." (MC)
I changed my face with the Divine Alteration Art.
"Will this do?" (MC)
"What was that just now……." (Hwang San)
"It is an alteration art I learned from my Master. Since it is a kind of secret technique, it is difficult to tell you the details." (MC)
"Of course. As someone who also practices martial arts, I should understand that much." (Hwang San)
The reason I showed the Divine Alteration Art right in front of him was to give him trust.
He was not someone who would wag his tongue lightly.
Vice Head Bo was the same.
"Good. With that much, no one will recognize you." (Hwang San)
.
.
.
Two days later.
I officially said I would be going on a business trip, and headed to the promised place accompanied by Warrior Seo U and Warrior Jin Yu.
The promised place was where the Provincial Administration Commissioner of Guizhou Province met Miss Seohyang whenever he came to Beijing.
There was indeed no place around Beijing with better security than this.
"You arrived early." (Hwang San)
When I turned around, the Money House Master was getting down from the carriage that had just arrived and speaking to me.
"You have arrived?" (MC)
"Please get into the carriage." (Hwang San)
"Yes." (MC)
My party and I boarded the carriage.
It was a rather large carriage, so even though four people, including the Money House Master and the three of us, boarded it, there was ample space.
In fact, Palgap had also wanted to follow me, but an ordinary employee of a money house having an attendant would stand out no matter what.
"The place we are heading to now is the training institute. It is where employees receive training before being assigned to the money house. You will be introduced to people as a new employee." (Hwang San)
"Understood." (MC)
"But will you truly be all right? Honestly, working as a new employee is not easy." (Hwang San)
"I know. Because of the rules of our Trading Company, I also began working at the Trading Company as a new employee. Even so, my resolve is firm." (MC)
"If that is your will, I understand." (Hwang San)
"It seems you are curious as to why I am voluntarily going through this hardship." (MC)
"I will not deny it." (Hwang San)
Thinking about it, this matter happened because I cut off the Sura Blood Cult's funding.
That was why I was stepping forward to resolve it.
But I could not tell the truth.
In a situation where the Sura Blood Cult was still unknown, mentioning them was something that could only be understood if I explained what I had done until now.
If that happened, there was a chance I would carelessly end up being targeted by them, so it was still a secret.
So I gave the excuse I had prepared.
"Not only our Eunha Merchant Guild, but I personally also have quite a lot of money entrusted to the Geumsan Money House, do I not? But if that money is withdrawn through forged drafts, I think my stomach would hurt so much I would not be able to sleep." (MC)
I clenched my fist and said,
"Do you know how I earned that money! To think they dare touch my money!" (MC)
"Ah…… I understand." (Hwang San)
"Hoo, I lost my composure without realizing it and showed you an ugly sight." (MC)
"Not at all. I feel the same way." (Hwang San)
He gave a bitter smile and explained the training institute to me.
"The training institute is in Hebei Province. Once your training there is over, you will be assigned to the main branch in Hebei Province." (Hwang San)
"Understood." (MC)
"Please take good care of this matter." (Hwang San)
We traveled while discussing in detail what would happen from now on, and arrived at an inn somewhere in Hebei Province.
There, a middle-aged man was waiting for me.
"He is the Vice Head of the Personnel and Training Department. If you have anything to ask, ask Vice Head Gu." (Hwang San)
"It is our first meeting. I am called Vice Head Gu Seonmo." (Gu Seonmo)
"I am Eun Seoho." (MC)
"I have heard about you. I look forward to working with you." (Gu Seonmo)
"I look forward to working with you as well." (MC)
"The training period is fifteen days. The two warriors who came with you will also receive training regarding security for fifteen days. However, since the schedule has been delayed by about three days, you will have to spur your learning on even more." (Gu Seonmo)
"Understood. I will do my utmost." (MC)
"Ah! Have you thought of an excuse for being late to the schedule?" (Gu Seonmo)
At those words, I glanced at the Money House Master behind me and answered.
"Of course. I will tell you later." (MC)
"Yes. Then, please follow me." (Gu Seonmo)
At that moment, the Money House Master called me and gave me a whistle.
"If you have reason to call me, use that." (Hwang San)
"Understood." (MC)
I hung the whistle around my neck and followed Vice Head Gu Seonmo toward the training institute.
"At the training institute, two people share one room." (Gu Seonmo)
"I see." (MC)
"And classes run from the si hour in the morning until the shen hour in the afternoon. Also, while receiving training, going outside is forbidden." (Gu Seonmo)
On the way there, I heard various precautions from Vice Head Gu Seonmo and entered the training institute.
The room assigned to me was Room Eight, and there was already someone using that room.
"Good to meet you. I am Gang Il." (Gang Il)
"I am Eun Seoho." (MC)
Since I had changed my face with the Divine Alteration Art, I decided to use my name as it was.
As expected, he did not seem to think of me as Eun Seoho of the Eunha Merchant Guild either.
"Where did you come from?" (Gang Il)
"I came from Hubei Province." (MC)
"I see. I came from Anhui Province." (Gang Il)
"Anhui Province, then…… Ah! That is where the Namgung Clan is." (MC)
"Yes. That is correct." (Gang Il)
He nodded, and I subtly probed him.
"The Namgung Clan is truly an impressive place." (MC)
"That is true, but……." (Gang Il)
"Pardon?" (MC)
"It is nothing." (Gang Il)
For some reason, he seemed to want to avoid mentioning them.
Was there some circumstance?
I did not mention the Namgung Clan any further.
For now, simply learning this much of his reaction was already a sufficiently great gain.
"Was this recruitment exam not truly difficult? I thought I would fail this time." (Gang Il)
"I felt the same." (MC)
By chance, the Geumsan Money House had held a recruitment exam this April.
Because it was one of the most prominent money houses in the empire, many people applied for the recruitment exam.
The monthly salary was high, and the welfare was quite excellent as well.
"But training started three days ago, so why did you come so late?" (Gang Il)
"Ah…… there is a story behind that." (MC)
I deliberately let out a sigh and continued speaking.
"On the way here, I unfortunately encountered the Green Forest Bandits." (MC)
"Oh no!" (Gang Il)
"Because of that, I had everything I possessed taken from me, and I was dragged to the Green Forest Bandits' mountain keep, where I was in a position to be sold as a slave. But when I did not arrive, the Money House Master personally searched around and saved me." (MC)
"Good heavens! Such a thing happened?" (Gang Il)
"Yes. Truly, I will never forget this grace." (MC)
Trainee Gang Il seemed to believe the story I had made up exactly as it was.
He pitied me and said he would help.
"You truly went through much hardship. Then I will teach you what you failed to learn over the past three days." (Gang Il)
"Thank you." (MC)
Thanks to that, I was able to learn from him, if only roughly, what had been taught over the past three days.
Boom, boom, boom!
At that moment, three drumbeats rang out.
"Ah! It is time for dinner. Please follow me." (Gang Il)
"Yes." (MC)
I followed him to the dining hall.
"Here, you just take a tray and spoon, and the cooks who distribute the meals will place the bowls on your tray." (Gang Il)
"I see." (MC)
"Tonight's dinner is a chicken dish." (Gang Il)
In that way, I received my dinner as Trainee Gang Il instructed, and sat in the seat he recommended.
"Everyone, greet him. This is the trainee who will be sharing a room with me." (Gang Il)
They seemed to be the trainees who had become close to Trainee Gang Il.
"I see." (Trainee)
"But what circumstance caused you to come so late?" (Trainee)
"It seems he had a rather unfortunate circumstance." (Gang Il)
I nodded and told them the circumstances I had told Trainee Gang Il.
"I see. Since you overcame such a great crisis, only a smooth path ahead will continue from now on." (Trainee)
"That is right." (Trainee)
Fortunately, they seemed to be good people.
Then again, I had heard that when the Geumsan Money House hired employees, they placed considerable importance on character as well.
Day broke.
Classes began from the si hour, but the start of the daily routine was waking at the mao hour and running around the training ground.
How fortunate.
If I could not train, my body would feel stiff, but like this, I could loosen my body by running around the training ground.
· · ·
Vice Head Gu Seonmo let out a sigh.
That was because of the forged drafts currently threatening the Geumsan Money House.
The work he was in charge of was training and personnel, so it did not directly concern him, but in any case, it was a major matter shaking his workplace.
'I hope that matter is resolved quickly.'
At that moment, an employee approached.
"This is the document that just came up from the training institute." (Employee)
"Ah, was today the day the training is completed?" (Gu Seonmo)
"That is correct." (Employee)
"Let me see……." (Gu Seonmo)
He opened the document.
It was the report cards of the trainees who had received training during that time.
"Ho?" (Gu Seonmo)
His eyes shone when he saw one person's grades.
"What is it?" (Employee)
"This trainee named Eun Seoho received special distinction in every field." (Gu Seonmo)
"Yes. That is correct." (Employee)
He nodded.
"From what I was told, all the teachers at the training institute said with one voice that he is a promising talent." (Employee)
"I see." (Gu Seonmo)
For some reason, Gu Seonmo's chest ached.
Because it was regrettable that such an outstanding talent could not bury his bones in the Geumsan Money House.
'But if this person can resolve the forged draft incident, I should be satisfied with that alone……. Hoo, the more I think about it, the more truly wasteful it is.'
· · ·
At last, life at the training institute was over.
I had now become a perfect money house employee.
After the completion ceremony ended, we were waiting for a short while.
"Where do you think Trainee Eun Seoho will be assigned?" (Gang Il)
"Who knows? Honestly, is that not random?" (MC)
"That is true." (Gang Il)
At Trainee Gang Il's words, I laughed.
Honestly, I knew where I would be assigned, but that was a secret.
A short while later, someone went up onto the platform.
"Then from now on, I will announce the assignments. First, the top trainee. Eun Seoho." (Instructor)
"Yes!" (MC)
"Hebei Province main branch." (Instructor)
"Yes!" (MC)
It was as the Money House Master had told me.
I grinned.
Now all that was left was to catch and beat down the bastards who made forged drafts and pissed me off.