Chapter 2: A Business Proposal

Namgoong Mir has such a grand vision in mind. However, before he could even take the first step to make that happen, his father shut it down firmly.

"No! Absolutely not! I will never permit such a thing to happen!" Namgoong Yoon said, his face as red as a ripe pomegranate.

The other elders of the Namgoong Clan are either red-faced like him or pale as if they had seen a ghost.

What caused such a reaction from these seasoned martial artists?

"What? Why? It was a good idea, Father!" Namgoong Mir complained, feeling severely wronged. "Starting up a newspaper company will undoubtedly greatly impact this world. It will not only make the spread of information easier, but it will also help us shape the society in which we live the way we want! We, the righteous faction, have been in constant war with unorthodox factions and demon cults for years to no end because of what? We didn't properly uproot them!"

"Killing hundreds or thousands of evil martial artists in a war is useless! Why? Because at the end of the day, they will silently swindle or force unsuspecting people into joining them!" Namgoong Mir spoke with great passion. "But if we start up a newspaper company, one that is influential enough to make common people buy regularly, we can publish the details of these disgusting schemes to raise awareness and save the common people from falling into the traps of unorthodox and demon cults."

"Plus, with a cheap means to access information, don't you think that illiterate people would want to learn to read and write? Can't you imagine that? We will give birth to an enlightened society! And in the middle of that is our Namgoong Clan family!"

He added with great enthusiasm.

Above all, these elders love anything that will raise the family's prestige. Thus, he started thinking about what his clan would want to hear.

Advantages and benefits: Namgoong Mir bullied his brain into developing something.

Namgoong Mir then put on a sly smile and leaned towards the elders at the round table. "I don't want to suggest something unethical, but once the newspaper becomes successful, we can use it to stir public opinion. We're like brandishing an invisible sword. We can sentence our enemies to social death using our media empire."

Coming from the 21st century, Namgoong Mir is not a stranger to these maneuvers of famous news companies. Suggesting doing it the same in this backward world of Murim doesn't mean that he will use it to do selfish and nefarious acts, though. He just said it to increase his bargaining chips to gain his father's go signal.

What's wrong with launching a newspaper anyway? It's a good business as long as they are spreading the truth!

Despite his youngest's enthusiastic speech, Namgoong Yoon remained with a sour expression. "You're spitting the good sides of your proposed business. But what about the bad sides? Did you ever stop to consider the negative effects of your newspaper?"

"Actually," Namgoong Mir brightly raised his index finger and beamed. "I have solutions and plans for every contingency that I may face in the future. For example, the Hao Clan. Since dealing with information may directly affect their business, I asked them to join my operation. They will be my beggar correspondents, and they will love me for it because of…" He clapped and then flashed a money sign using his hands.

Namgoong Yoon saw this weird antic of his youngest child, and his facial muscles twitched. Oh, how he wants to issue an order of disownment.

"Money! I swear they will no longer be beggars once they do business with me."

Namgoong Yoon is obviously not concerned about the living conditions of the Hao Clan. Since his son seemed keen on avoiding the reason why, he vehemently turned it down.

"And what did you say about the method you'll be using to guarantee the success of your newspaper business?"

Seeming to get caught off guard by that question, Namgoong Mir cleared his throat. "Well, it seems the concept of newspapers is foreign to everyone. We must launch it with sensational news. It is a weekly newspaper; hence, the kind that will make the public buzz for days is ideal. Something like the confirmed secrets of top martial artists in Murim."

The cheeky youngster even winked at his father to express his meaning. Sex scandal, cheating scandal, all unspoken cultivation secrets— this is what he meant.

And that meaning made the colors of the elder's faces flared.

"You!" Namgoong Yoon's forehead is full of angry veins. "What will you do if the masters you accidentally offended come to hunt you down?!"

Namgoong Mir tilted his head, confused. Accident? He will inevitably offend them! This is why he must have the entire Murim Alliance to shelter him.

This carefree reaction made Namgoong Yoon erupt like a volcano. "I swear! Stop this rubbish business and focus on cultivating!"

And just like that, his dear father threw him out of the meeting hall, slamming the door in his face.

Namgoong Mir nonchalantly stood up and brushed off the dust on his clothes. This rejection will only mean nothing once his business is up and running.

He marched with his head held high to his room, where his attendant, Namgoong Jo-hwi, was waiting for him.

"Young Master," The twenty-year-old man worriedly approached his side, holding a fresh set of clothes. "I thought I told you to wait a moment as I prepared for your bath. Where did you go?"

"I talked to my father and the clan elders about my new venture," Namgoong Mir cooly explained.

"In that state, Young Master?" Jo-hwi exclaimed, both concerned and incredulous, as he scanned the clothes of his master.

The current style of the Third Young Master was unbecoming for someone from a great family. And he appeared in such fashion in front of the clan elders!

Namgoong Jo-hwi felt like heaven threw its weight on him. As the personal attendant, he will indeed receive an earful after this.

"Yeah?" Namgoong Mir replied; his tone and expression looked like he was asking if there was any problem.

The poor attendant only shook his head. Well, it's a problem that wouldn't impact the master. Thus, it would be better to not address it.

Namgoong Mir also seemed concerned about something, so Jo-hwi didn't let his master worry about another thing. The servant dutifully guided his young master to the bath and silently stood outside as Namgoong Mir soaked in the bathtub full of warm water and fragrant flower petals.

"I don't understand why my father and grandfather seemed repulsive in selling newspapers. It will raise the people's literacy rate—something they have been very supportive of for the past years. Isn't their support the reason why everyone in the Namgoong Clan is literate? They didn't mind me when I started teaching everyone working for our family many years ago. Yet now, they strongly oppose setting up the newspaper business I have in mind."

Namgoong Jo-hwi listened to his master's rumblings and he couldn't help but reminisce about the past. Before he was taken into the Namgoong Family, he was nothing but a slave sold in the market.

He was born a slave and, thus, didn't have any chance to learn about reading and writing.

People of his status could only dream about touching calligraphy brush and inkstone. However, that notion was wholly subverted once he was sold to the Namgoong Family and taken in as the third young master's attendant.

"Huh? You are this big but don't know how to read or write?" He remembered the five-year-old Namgoong Mir questioned him.

The young master back then was learning to read for quite some time, and he, as the personal attendant, stuck by the child's side to do small errands.

Namgoong Jo-hwi nodded to the question, slightly confused. Isn't that natural? Only people with enough money have the opportunity to study. Even among the servants of the Namgoong Clan, only a few can read a few characters.

"No! This isn't right. Did you know there's a place somewhere where everyone knows how to read and write?" The young master asked Jo-hwi while holding him by the collar. "This isn't right. I shouldn't be the only one who is driven insane by studying. Hurry, Jo-hwi! Call all the servants in our clan. I will start a class with them."

At that time, Jo-hwi thought it was a product of childish impulsiveness. He was wrong because Namgoong Mir pestered his father, Namgoong Yoon, and the patriarch to let him teach the servants how to read and write the entire week after that.

He boycotted his own studies until he heard the answer he wanted.

Namgoong Mir, being the youngest and the most affectionate among the three brothers, was the favorite of his mother and grandfather. They quickly asked the young servants of the Namgoong Clan to humor the youngest master and attend the so-called study class of Namgoong Mir.

But who would have thought the five-year-old was an articulate child and an effective teacher?

Namgoong Mir taught all the servants how to read and write names, construct sentences, and even do tricks on counting effectively.

No one knows how and where the young master learned about the multiplication table and fractions, but that is precious knowledge. Even the bookkeepers of the Namgoong Clan had to drop their personal training to sit in the young Namgoong Mir's lesson.

As every servant of the Namgoong Clan gains literacy, the rumors of Namgoong Mir's ingenuity start to spread. Because of that, he becomes the apple of the eye of the entire clan despite his eccentricity.

It's not hard to see why the Namgoong Clan supported the out-of-this-world projects Namgoong Mir started in the past years, and likewise, Jo-hwi could see why the Sword God and the Martial Lord are against the newspaper.

"I don't know how Master Yoon's mind works, but I am sure he is only against it because of concern for your safety. Starting up the newspaper company like you planned will put you on the map of vicious and powerful grandmasters of the evil sects. They will target you once you put them in the pages of your newspaper. And strength-wise, Young Master, your level of martial arts is not enough for you to survive their attacks."

Namgoong Mir was silent for a while, and only the sounds of moving water were heard.

"I know that risk, and that is actually the reason why I am hell-bent on gaining the support of the Murim Alliance and fathers. Tsk." He clicked his tongue. "I even swore to myself that I would be working hard on my cultivation once I successfully launched the newspaper business."

Namgoong Jo-hwi spoke from behind the door. "Young Master, I think it is a smart move if you hold that business for the meantime and work on it once you attain a higher cultivation realm. You're currently about to break through to Peak Master. Once you are in the Transcendental Realm like your father, nobody can stop you from doing whatever business you want."

Namgoong Mir remained silent, and Jo-hwi prayed that his eccentric master seriously considered his suggestion. Everyone knew that once Namgoong Mir put his mind on something, nothing and nobody could stop him.

He heard the third young master stand up from the tub, and he promptly stepped aside from the door.

"Fine. I will do just that in the meantime."

Namgoong Jo-hwi heaved a sigh of relief. Thank heavens!

"But you must run after the messenger I sent. I already gave them a copy of the first issue of the newspaper. I instructed the people of Hao Clan I hired to produce one thousand copies of that issue and sell it the following day."

Namgoong Jo-hwi choked on his own saliva.

"Huh? When did you do that?"

Namgoong Mir walked out of the bathroom with nothing but a bathrobe on. He rubbed his chin as he thought out loud. "Was it midnight last night? Or after midnight? I am not quite sure. I was groggy from preparing for the template of the next issue, so…"

He flashed an awkward smile.

Namgoong Jo-hwi was stunned and stupid. If it was midnight, the newspaper would be out in the market today! And if not, he will still have time to stop it from circulating!

But no matter the case, it won't be good for him since he must mobilize many people to deal with it.