Heaven-Defying Hero - Chapter 32

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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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#032

Hangagaekjan.

It was the oldest and largest inn in the port.

It was a place where ship owners and captains of trading vessels stayed, quite expensive for ordinary sailors.

A quiet afternoon with still a long time before evening.

Ja-gang-cheon sat facing a middle-aged woman.

“Thank you for coming to see me personally.”

It was Song Ja-in.

Next to the table where they faced each other, her son sat in a wheelchair.

“I’m the person who made the three types of Deungmyeong pills. I heard you were looking for me.”

“Yes. I came here knowing it might be rude. I encountered Deungmyeong pills through a sailor in Fujian Province, Fuzhou. Among them, the Deungmyeong Pain Relief Pills and Deungmyeong Energy Pills were effective for my son, so I came here.”

She spoke her purpose and circumstances precisely without hiding anything.

To this extent, she felt there was no need to have gone to Hao-mun.

“I’ll be honest with you. I’m not a physician. I made the medicine only because I discovered the formulation methods, but I know nothing about medical arts.”

“Ah…”

Disappointment appeared on Song Ja-in’s expression. That look was unmistakably that of a mother worried about her son. Her plump features gave her the feeling of a kind-hearted restaurant auntie. When worry clouded such a face, it looked even more pitiful.

“Then, could I possibly obtain large quantities of Deungmyeong Energy Pills and Pain Relief Pills? I’ll pay any amount of money.”

“If it’s not an unreasonable amount, I’ll do my best to accommodate you.”

“Ah! Thank you! Thank you so much!”

How many among the martial arts masters would bow their heads so deeply?

Despite being the greatest poison master in the martial arts world, for her child’s sake, she became the most humble person in the world.

Ja-gang-cheon somehow thought of his mother at her sincerity.

“But could I get permission for one more thing?”

“Please tell me.”

“Could we research the pills separately? We absolutely won’t reveal it to the outside and will only use it for my son’s treatment.”

“Wouldn’t that be more dangerous? There are set dosages and formulation methods.”

“Ah. My son and I have studied medical texts since childhood, so we have that level of skill. Actually, we were very surprised by the effects of the Deungmyeong pills. The effects far exceeded our research. That’s why we’re taking the liberty of wanting to research them.”

“Please do so by all means.”

“Ah. I didn’t expect you to give permission so easily.”

“I hope you’ll definitely achieve results.”

Having finished the conversation, Ja-gang-cheon turned his gaze to her son who had been quietly listening.

The young man with clear signs of illness bowed his head with difficulty when their eyes met.

“Thank you for helping us.”

“I’m selling them for proper payment, so there’s no need to thank me. Even with the pill research, if you don’t tell me, I wouldn’t know about it. Since you still showed courtesy, you don’t need to worry about this either.”

Ja-gang-cheon then asked just one thing.

“How old are you, hyung?”

“I’m twenty-eight this year.”

“I’m sixteen, so you’re much older. Though I’m young to give advice, I think I can say one thing.”

Ja-gang-cheon said with a smile.

“I’m starting to miss my mother too.”

The young man smiled at the unadorned sincerity.

He was so gaunt that his skin seemed stuck to his bones, making even that pitiful, but Ja-gang-cheon didn’t show it.

“See you again.”

Ja-gang-cheon said goodbye and left the inn.

Coming outside, Ja-gang-cheon gave instructions to Seok-ho from the East Sea Merchant Guild who was waiting in front of the inn.

“Give them as much medicine as they want.”

“Yes, Lord. Are there any other instructions?”

Ja-gang-cheon was about to say something but stopped.

“Let’s observe a bit more for now. It doesn’t seem like something to judge hastily.”

“Yes, Lord.”

Ja-gang-cheon returned to the manor, soothing his restless heart.

***

Early winter.

The demand for pills sold by the East Sea Merchant Guild exploded.

Thanks to this, they officially opened pharmacies in Jiao-nan and Nambang Port.

Word of mouth among overseas merchants caused demand to explode, reaching the point where they couldn’t sell due to lack of products.

This was because the medicinal effects were so outstanding.

Thanks to this, the East Sea Merchant Guild achieved the feat of establishing themselves in the southern port even before officially operating trading ships.

Moreover, they were able to use the winter crisis of plummeting ice sales as an opportunity instead.

Furthermore, Ja-gang-cheon proceeded with the negotiation he had so desired.

“Now is the time.”

The person Ja-gang-cheon visited was shipbuilding technician Manpilwoong.

“I clearly said there was a fifty percent chance. And that was under the condition of unlimited money and sailors willing to risk their lives.”

“I’ll take responsibility for the other conditions. Please build the ship.”

“Even if everything is prepared, I never promised to build the ship.”

Originally, he had only asked about the possibility, and he was already a retired craftsman. At this, Ja-gang-cheon began persuading.

“Martial artists risk their lives for names and reputations that will be passed down through generations. What do shipbuilders risk their lives for?”

“Well.”

He seemed to want to avoid this conversation itself. Though it would have been easy to provoke him into focusing, Ja-gang-cheon used a different method.

“What about the largest and sturdiest ship in the world?”

For a moment, strength entered Manpilwoong’s eyes. That light disappeared as quickly as it appeared, but Ja-gang-cheon didn’t miss it.

“I’m thinking of building a ship that can go to Gwigokdo.”

“Did you say Gwigokdo?”

As expected, Manpilwoong showed a surprised expression. A shipbuilder couldn’t not know about those waters.

“The ships that those waters have swallowed are countless…”

“So if we succeed, it would become a ship that goes down in history.”

Manpilwoong, who had been refusing immediately, had no answer this time. Even he, who had lived as a shipbuilding technician, had one thing he couldn’t achieve.

‘The first and greatest ship.’

Everyone dreams of it, but few reach it.

‘If we could go to Gwigokdo and return?’

That alone would be proof of the greatest ship.

When new desire stirred in his mind, Ja-gang-cheon’s voice penetrated.

“I’ll promise you one thing. You can name the ship as you wish.”

This was a condition Cheon-gu had advised. It wasn’t a practical proposal, but it was the most honorable condition.

“I’ll, I’ll think about it. Actually, it’s just a vague estimate; I haven’t examined whether it’s actually possible.”

“Yes. I’ll wait for your answer. Don’t make me wait too long. If you say you won’t do it, I’ll have to find another craftsman.”

It wasn’t provocation but sincerity.

“I absolutely cannot stop.”

Manpilwoong sensed he would become busy again.

They met again after two weeks.

“If the conditions are right, I’ll do it.”

“Please tell me.”

“For such a ship, we need to build new construction facilities as well as design. The initial investment cost is thirty thousand taels of silver, and an additional three thousand taels will be needed monthly. Completion will take at least five years, possibly up to ten years.”

Even with optimistic calculations, it was a plan reaching two hundred thousand taels of silver. No one would believe this was for just one ship.

Considering that the cost of the largest warship was usually thirty thousand taels of silver, one could imagine the scale. Of course, seventy percent of the two hundred thousand taels would be invested in building the shipyard, not the ship.

“If the conditions are met, can we succeed?”

“I will abandon all other purposes and focus solely on breaking through the rough seas. Is this the kind of ship you want, Lord?”

This meant it would be completely useless for other purposes like trade ships or warships.

“Yes. That’s right.”

“Then I am confident of success. If I fail, I will share the same fate as that ship.”

“You mean you’ll board the ship yourself?”

“Of course. Since I know that ship best, I naturally must go together.”

With this level of determination, Ja-gang-cheon had no reason to hesitate.

“Good. I’m counting on you.”

Manpilwoong grasped the hand Ja-gang-cheon extended.

“Thank you for trusting me with this.”

Manpilwoong bowed deeply, unlike before.

An opportunity that came at the end of his life.

‘I will carve my name in history.’

The passion that had disappeared ignited again, setting fire to his heart.

***

Ja-gang-cheon, who had asked for the ship to be built without any hesitation, asked Cheon-gu upon arriving at the manor.

“Do we have to eat only thin noodles now?”

“Even thin noodles are a luxury.”

“Ah…”

Ja-gang-cheon, who had been disappointed, spoke as if he had suddenly made up his mind.

“The time has finally come to sell the treasure.”

“What are you talking about? Don’t tell me you’re going to sell the martial arts manual?”

“I originally planned to sell it if needed for building the ship. What’s precious to me are my parents, not mere objects.”

What could be more precious in this world compared to one’s parents?

“If we can just manage three thousand nyang per month, you won’t need to sell it.”

“I know three thousand nyang is difficult too.”

The initial investment of thirty thousand nyang could be handled with the money they had saved so far.

The problem was needing a steady three thousand nyang every month.

With winter reducing ice sales, it was by no means an easy task.

“We have the pills. They’ll probably make more money than ice.”

At those words, Ja-gang-cheon’s eyes sparkled.

“About three thousand nyang per month?”

“After just one year, not three thousand but even five thousand nyang will be possible.”

“Huh?”

“Let’s just endure for about six months. By then, ice will sell well again, so three thousand nyang won’t be a problem.”

Ja-gang-cheon realized something.

“Do we earn that much?”

“The response to the pills is extraordinary. So borrowing money from the merchant guild temporarily won’t be a problem.”

“Then we don’t have to eat only thin noodles?”

“Just do as you’ve been doing. I’ll discuss the money issue with the Merchant Guild Leader and make sure there are no problems.”

This was exactly the part Cheon-gu considered most important.

“You just do well and do what you want to do.”

“But that means you’ll suffer more.”

“It’s not about who suffers. We need to know what’s more important.”

“What do you mean?”

“What you do best is martial arts. Right now, this manor needs a lord with powerful martial arts. As the general manager of Deungmyeong Manor, I’m giving the most necessary advice for our manor.”

Ja-gang-cheon understood what Cheon-gu was saying.

“It’s become a time when responsibility is needed.”

“Right. We’re not boys anymore either.”

Growing up together had this advantage.

Though Ja-gang-cheon’s body matured first, Cheon-gu’s mind became adult first. So they could have a mutually complementary relationship.

“Alright. I understand.”

“Just keep doing as you are. You’re a more excellent lord than anyone.”

Cheon-gu seemed to be saying this:

-Keep playing more joyfully.

Ja-gang-cheon repeatedly thought that the best thing he had done since coming to the mainland was becoming friends with Cheon-gu.

“I hope the ship gets completed quickly.”

Now it felt like something was truly beginning in earnest.

He was feeling a strange emotion mixed with excitement and anxiety, impatience and anticipation.

“Lord!”

It was Seok-ho from the East Sea Merchant Guild.

“Hyung. What’s the matter?”

“Hwangbo Sega Samgongja is looking for you, Lord.”

A person he had never met suddenly appeared. Though unexpected, he wasn’t as surprised as Seok-ho who delivered the news.

“Tell him to come to the manor.”

“That’s not it, he’s waiting at the Shandong Outpost…”

The other party was telling him to come to their own territory.

“I barely stopped Inryeok Sojangnin from going to confront him instead. This guy who appeared is the Third Son of Lord of the Hwangbo Clan, and he’s notorious for being trash.”

If it were So Yeon-dok, he would surely say the same thing as Ja-gang-cheon.

-If you have business, come directly to the manor.

Even that tone of voice was so vivid that Ja-gang-cheon couldn’t just stay still.

“I’ll go, so don’t let anyone go ahead of me.”

“Yes. Understood.”

Ja-gang-cheon immediately ran toward the port.

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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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