Emperor Namgung Mu of the Thousand Years - Chapter 11

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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#011

-Bang!

“He absolutely must not be allowed to pass!”

Sword Master Lee of the Namgung Family shouted.

“That bastard… that bastard dares to challenge me, one of the Five Great Patriarchs who received the honor of an external surname directly from the Family Head himself – me, Sword Master Lee Eul-seong!”

Unable to contain his rage, Sword Master Lee Eul-seong smashed an expensive porcelain piece that was placed on the floor.

“That bastard must have gained some fortune somewhere – not only did he prevent Namgung Cheon, who was under my influence, from participating in the Entrance Competition, but overnight his very eyes changed as if he ate something wrong…!”

“Wh-what’s happening!”

Startled by the sound of breaking porcelain, servants came running.

“Calm yourself, Sword Master. It’s nothing, servants withdraw.”

Vice Family Head Namgung Seong-tae, who was sitting in front of him, gestured to the surprised servants who had come running and dismissed them.

The Sword Master, who had been smashing furniture, spoke while breathing heavily.

“Aren’t you angry, Vice Family Head?”

“Angry? More than anyone else. Hehe. But the more angry one gets, the more composure one must maintain. I’ve learned this through age and various experiences.”

With a relaxed smile, Namgung Seong-tae brought a teacup and ceramic teapot with a calm voice.

He slowly poured tea amidst the fragrant aroma.

“Sword Master, like me, unlike the other patriarchs, you may lack martial arts somewhat, but didn’t you climb to that position with your mind alone? You should cool your head and think of a way to crush that arrogant fool.”

“I’ve already thought of a method!”

Sword Master Lee Eul-seong shouted while gritting his teeth.

“I’m planning to send all of the Five Masters as candidates for this Entrance Competition, combining my share with Namgung Cheon’s vacant spot.”

“The Five Masters? Those from the Green Forest background…?”

“That’s right. They have skill and I think they’re the most suitable.”

At the mention of the Five Masters, Vice Family Head Namgung Seong-tae unconsciously twitched his eye corners.

‘Even though the Family Head accepts anyone into the Namgung Family’s embrace regardless of their past… even so, having the Five Masters from Green Forest and back-alley backgrounds participate is…’

Regardless, the Sword Master shouted in fury.

“Moreover, I’ve arranged for a strong guard at Gyeongmun Hall where the Entrance Competition will be held. I told him to exhaust Namgung Hwi with all sorts of troublesome tasks when he comes.”

Sword Master Lee Eul-seong picked up the ceramic teapot in front of him and poured tea.

“Some poor bastard with dirty blood who runs wild recklessly will become permanently half-crippled during the Entrance Competition due to an ‘unintended accident’!”

“Even so, to make someone half-crippled in an official competition… I’m also concerned about those Five Masters.”

Eul-seong frowned.

“Vice Family Head, what’s wrong with you? Have you grown weak-hearted even now? And what do you mean about the Five Masters?”

Eul-seong tapped the table with his palm.

“Family Head Namgung Cheonhyeok, who raised the declining Namgung Family heading toward destruction back to unprecedented heights in such a short time, personally declared! Including the Five Great Patriarchs! That anyone who wishes to join Namgung’s great cause will not be questioned about their origins or past. And now you’re feeling uneasy because the Five Masters are involved? And didn’t the Family Head personally say that anyone can challenge the position of Fourth Prince, a candidate for Young Master?”

“That’s not what I’m talking about.”

Namgung Seong-tae clicked his tongue.

“Haven’t you heard the recent rumors? There are rumors that Namgung Hwi seems to have gained some favor from the Family Head recently, so we should be as careful as possible-.”

“That’s also a false rumor. The Mad Dragon of Anhui showing favor to someone?”

Eul-seong snorted.

“Ha, what nonsense…!”

“…True.”

Namgung Seong-tae maintained a moment of silence.

Then he spoke in a calm voice.

“Understood. Then I’ll also follow the Sword Master and make additional moves of my own.”

Eul-seong showed an interested look.

“Oh, the Vice Family Head as well?”

“Just as the Sword Master has his own domain, I, Vice Family Head Namgung Seong-tae, also have things that only a Vice Family Head can do.”

Namgung Seong-tae held up five fingers.

Then he folded three of them.

“I’ll give a ‘small hint’ to the judges who make the final decisions in this competition. At least three out of the five judges are certain, and the other two are just a matter of time. Can’t I do such a thing with my wealth?”

“…”

“As the Sword Master knows. Although I’m the Vice Family Head of the martial Namgung Family, when it comes to financial sense, I’m confident I could compete with and beat anyone, even more than the Family Head himself.”

Namgung Seong-tae straightened his shoulders.

“Among the five major businesses that bring the most money to the Namgung Family, I firmly control the liquor and salt businesses. When someone like me goes all out, those mere judges are nothing.”

A smile bloomed on the Sword Master’s face.

‘…That Vice Family Head who’s famously rumored to pathologically hate spending money is even offering to spend money first and willingly…?’

“I.”

Namgung Seong-tae said curtly.

“Hate most when my money is wasted carelessly and when others spend my money. Namgung Cheon is my card. Harming Namgung Cheon, though indirectly, clearly damaged my assets. I have enough reason to be angry.”

“Heh, hehehe… If that’s the case.”

Sword Master Lee Eul-seong smiled coldly.

“Namgung Hwi, that bastard, is really unlucky. He doesn’t know who he’s made an enemy of.”

“First, there’s no way that bastard could beat the Sword Master’s Five Masters, but even if by chance he might be selected as the fourth entrant, there’s absolutely no possibility of that.”

“Indeed. Really indeed.”

Namgung Seong-tae laughed pleasantly.

“So what did I tell you? There’s no need to get excited.”

“Haha. It seems so.”

“I was also supporting Namgung Cheon together with the Sword Master, and though the situation got a bit twisted, there’s no need to curse vulgarly, get angry, or shout.”

He leisurely poured tea.

“We think of strategies slowly.”

“Ah, the Vice Family Head is truly amazing. Your attitude of being cautious about spending, your usual thorough and calm demeanor – there’s so much to learn.”

“Hehe, we’re the ones on the board, aren’t we? What can a tiny mouse do in this tightly woven game? We just need to leisurely worry about how to squeeze that bastard mercilessly as the price for his ridiculous antics-.”

“Vice Family Head.”

A servant’s voice was heard from afar.

“An urgent messenger has come from Geumga Family, the pawn shop.”

“A messenger…?”

Namgung Seong-tae tilted his head.

“There shouldn’t be anything there where I’ve pawned items for money or have overdue payments…”

“Shall I let them in?”

“…Yes, tell them to come in first.”

“Yes.”

The Geumga Family messenger entered.

“What’s the matter? A messenger from Geumga Family?”

“Well… first, this.”

Hesitating, the messenger handed over an incredibly thick scroll from his chest.

“This… our Geumga Family head asked me to request settlement by today without fail. He said that no matter how much we rely on credit, this is too much, and at this rate we’ll go bankrupt.”

“…What? Bankruptcy? No, what are you talking about?”

Namgung Seong-tae grabbed the scroll in surprise and unrolled it.

And-.

-Unroll, unroll, unroll, unroll, unroll…

The endlessly unrolling scroll spread out beneath his feet.

Namgung Seong-tae’s eyes, wide as lanterns, read down the contents of the scroll.

“Twenty-five pounds of beef, twenty pounds of pork, what kind of fish, plums, five iron ingots, rice, sugarcane juice, medicinal herbs, twenty pairs of leather shoes, iron chains, and even undergarments… What is this… What… is this. What is this, did a person eat this or did a pig eat- Messenger, what is this bill?!”

The messenger bowed his head.

“It’s a bill paid in advance on credit, backed by the silver guarantee token.”

“Silver guarantee token? The one I gave to Namgung Cheon telling him not to worry about money and focus only on training?”

“Yes. The credit token you said to pay for anything without question when Namgung’s credentials are presented.”

Namgung Seong-tae blinked his eyes.

“What kind of nonsensical talk is that?”

Namgung Seong-tae looked at the scroll in disbelief.

“Namgung Cheon is lying in the infirmary right now. There’s no way such a bill that even ten cows, not pigs, could eat would come flying in.”

“However, it has been clearly confirmed through the merchant’s seal that the purchased goods were delivered to the Namgung Annex. Since Namgung’s identity was also verified, everything meets the pre-contract conditions we agreed upon. Oh, right.”

The messenger cautiously held up three fingers.

“Since the payment is a bit late this time, please settle this case with an additional 30% interest rate… Especially since you ordered so much expensive sugarcane juice, the additional amount is no joke.”

Treasure payments are customarily consolidated at the Provincial Finance Office.

So the messenger coming to find the deputy lord was not procedurally wrong.

“That’s impossible. Setting aside the bill, there’s no way. Namgung Cheon, the owner of this treasure, is definitely lying down…”

Namgung Seong-tae hesitated.

“Wait… the annex where the goods went now… has… Then…”

Namgung Seong-tae’s eyes blinked.

After three breaths.

Namgung Seong-tae’s roar erupted.

“Namgung Hwi, that fucking bastard…!!”

***

-Murmur murmur…

Gyeongmun Hall, where the Entrance Competition was being held, was bustling with people flocking from all over for the first time in three years.

“…Those participating in the competition… please come quickly…”

In the distance, servants were busily running around, taking charge of guidance among the countless people.

“Really. When that mule bastard comes, I’m going to completely crush him. Setting aside the Sword Master’s orders.”

“Hahaha, hey, someone might hear you. You’re always so full of hot air.”

“Hot air?”

And two guards protecting the main gate were chatting and joking around.

“Even so, he’s of the Namgung Family head’s bloodline, but you’ve completely lost your fear. Even if the Mad Dragon of Anhui doesn’t care about such things, and even if his mother was a servant.”

“Hey, I used to be called the Mad Dog of Anhui back in the day. You think I’d care about such background? If things go wrong, I’ll just beat him up. I even have the authority to inspect here, you know?”

“…Sigh.”

“The Sword Master even promised several times to actively protect whatever happens after this process. I even received this high-quality black cloak, you know?”

The guard proudly showed off his black cloak.

“Even though I’m just third-rate trash who used to patrol the Namgung outer perimeter, it wouldn’t be bad to catch the Sword Master’s eye this time and put an end to this damn life-“

The other guard listening to the story wasn’t looking at him.

He was staring blankly ahead.

The talking guard got annoyed.

“Not even paying attention to what I’m saying. Anyway, that arrogant mule bastard who doesn’t know his place, I’m going to smash him. Hey, what are you staring at so blankly-“

“…What is that?”

“…?”

He turned his head to look.

And there was someone approaching without hesitation.

His clothes were in tatters.

Most notably, between the torn clothes, small but blood-streaked muscles were positioned on his back. Between them, faint lines swirled and disappeared.

“…Hey, who are you? This is a place only for those participating in the Entrance Competition. Get lost right…”

“…”

He approaches.

Certainly the man’s build was small.

But the intimidating presence from the fierce muscle definition visible through his torn clothes was different.

A feeling as if he had grown rapidly and was just resting temporarily due to time constraints.

His frame was expanding, rapid growth was in progress, an atmosphere that seemed ready to explode at any moment.

Both hands were cracked and split. The skin exposed between his clothes was unmarked nowhere.

Red light faintly spreading beyond his pitch-black pupils, and cheeks just beginning to fill out with flesh.

And those pupils met the guard’s eyes.

“…Y-you. Just anyone can’t come here…”

The guard holding the black cloak, who had been shouting energetically, rapidly trailed off.

“…sir.”

The guard’s eyes couldn’t meet his for even a moment and unknowingly turned aside.

‘What kind of… person has this atmosphere.’

Even so, the guard spoke with his last bit of pride.

“A-anyway, whoever you are, if your identity isn’t clear, we can’t let you in…”

“…”

Still, the man continues to approach.

The guard who felt something strange looked at his opponent.

And after three breaths, his breathing stopped.

His eyes widened.

“Wait. …Mule… no, Young Master Hwi?”

Namgung Hwi stopped in front of him.

He looked at the black cloak in the guard’s hand.

-Swish.

He snatched the cloak in one motion. He discarded the worn-out clothes he was wearing and wrapped the cloak around his body.

He tightly tied the waist cord and spat out as he passed by.

“Put the bill under Namgung Cheon’s name.”

“Ah.”

Even after Namgung Hwi passed by, the guards stood there dazed for a long time.

Toward the guard who had his cloak stolen, the guard next to him casually said.

“Hey, weren’t you the Mad Dog of Anhui earlier?”

The guard who had his cloak stolen startled and spoke seriously.

“What blasphemous words! I’m merely a loyal hound of Namgung!”

“…Crazy bastard.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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