Ice Dragon of Namgung - Chapter 16

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 16
Namgung Geom recalled his knowledge of the Lee Family Estate in Hwangsan.
Between martial training sessions, he had made it a point to study the power structure of the Namgung Clan.
This included information about the Lee Family Estate in Hwangsan.
Namgung Geom remembered that the Lee Family Estate’s primary business was the tea trade.
“Has something gone wrong with the Lee Family Estate’s tea business?”
The moment Namgung Geom heard only “Lee Family Estate in Hwangsan” and immediately pinpointed the problem, Namgung Pae’s eyes brightened with interest.
It was information one could not have known without a precise grasp of the Namgung Clan’s sphere of influence.
Namgung Pae could now see that Namgung Geom was not merely strong in martial arts—he had also studied the Namgung Clan’s power structure.
“Indeed. It seems the Lee Family Estate has been robbed during tea transport operations.”
“Not just once, surely.”
The Namgung Clan would never seek assistance over a single robbery.
“They’ve been robbed four times now, or so I hear.”
“Do you have no leads on the identity of the robbers?”
Namgung Pae nodded slowly.
“Your task is to identify these thieves and eliminate them.”
“Are there no clues that might reveal the robbers’ identities?”
“The Lee Family Estate stationed martial artists as guards, yet they were unable to stop them.”
Namgung Geom’s eyes flashed with sudden understanding.
“Then these are men trained in the martial arts.”
That meant the Murim underworld was involved in this matter.
‘If they are stronger than the Lee Family Estate’s martial artists, then they represent a force more powerful than the Estate itself.’
Who could it be?
Namgung Geom recalled the power dynamics of Hwangsan.
Two forces competed for dominance in Hwangsan.
One was the Lee Family Estate.
And the other was…
the Heugoong Bang.
The Heugoong Bang was a faction belonging to the Sapaeyeon, an alliance of heterodox sects, and operated gambling dens and brothels as its enterprises.
Originally, the Lee Family Estate had held superiority over the Heugoong Bang, but as the Bang’s martial power grew, the Estate now found itself deferring to them.
Had the Lee Family Estate not stood in the shadow of the Namgung Clan, it would have fallen to the Heugoong Bang long ago.
‘I should investigate the Heugoong Bang first, at least.’
Namgung Geom suspected the Heugoong Bang of robbing the Lee Family Estate’s tea shipments.
“Has there been any other conflict between the Lee Family Estate and the Heugoong Bang recently?”
Namgung Geom asked.
“You think the Heugoong Bang is responsible for the robberies?”
“At present, it seems the most likely possibility, does it not?”
Namgung Pae nodded and spoke.
“Now that you mention it, the Heugoong Bang Master approached the Lee Family Estate with a marriage proposal not long ago, and was rejected.”
The picture became clear.
The Heugoong Bang Master had likely made the marriage proposal with designs on the Lee Family Estate’s wealth and business.
Once he became the son-in-law of the Estate’s master, he would have grounds to inherit the Estate’s property and operations.
He could have seized them by force, but there were too many eyes watching.
He could not ignore the Namgung Clan’s presence, in particular.
So it made more sense that he would approach by becoming the Estate master’s son-in-law, thus naturally acquiring the property and business.
Moreover, the Estate master’s daughter was said to be a rare beauty.
The Heugoong Bang Master was a lecher who indulged his desires for women.
“So the Heugoong Bang Master hoped to gain both a beautiful wife and the Lee Family Estate’s wealth and business through marriage.”
It was truly a scheme to kill two birds with one stone.
“But now that the Estate master has rejected his proposal, that scheme has come to nothing.”
Namgung Geom shook his head.
“Even if his marriage proposal was rejected, the Heugoong Bang Master will not abandon his ambitions so easily.”
“So he decided to seize the Lee Family Estate’s wealth and business by force instead?”
“The Heugoong Bang must also be mindful of their parent organization and cannot openly resort to violence. Concealing their identity and committing these robberies would serve that purpose.”
This was all speculation, of course, premised on the assumption that the Heugoong Bang was responsible.
“But robbery alone would not allow the Heugoong Bang to seize the Lee Family Estate’s wealth and business, would it?”
Namgung Pae voiced his doubt.
“The merchandise they steal is one thing, but if the Lee Family Estate fails to meet its delivery deadline, they must pay a substantial penalty fine.”
At Namgung Geom’s words, the situation crystallized in Namgung Pae’s mind.
The Lee Family Estate not only produced and processed tea but also handled distribution themselves.
A contract had been drawn up with the buyer, and the finished tea had to be delivered by the agreed date.
If the delivery deadline were missed, a penalty fine would accumulate for each day of delay.
For a few days they could absorb such losses, but if the delay stretched on, the amount would grow so large that the Lee Family Estate itself might collapse.
“Facing such ruinous losses, the Heugoong Bang Master would have no choice but to accept his outstretched hand.”
“And when he does, even if the Heugoong Bang Master demands a marriage proposal as the price, the Estate Master would have no choice but to agree.”
“But surely the Heugoong Bang Master knows that the main house will move to act. Why provoke such a confrontation?”
Namgung Pae raised another doubt.
“The Lee Family Estate produces only a limited quantity of tea each year.”
Namgung Pae, who had been lost in thought at Namgung Geom’s words, nodded in understanding.
“So the Heugoong Bang’s robbery has left them short of the goods they need to send to their buyers.”
“Exactly. Unless the main house recovers the stolen goods through force, the Estate Master cannot refuse the Heugoong Bang Master’s offer.”
“But if the Heugoong Bang returns the stolen tea, wouldn’t that itself be proof they committed the robbery?”
Namgung Pae posed yet another question.
“The ones who actually stole the tea are different men. The Heugoong Bang need only claim they recovered the stolen goods—nothing more.”
Namgung Pae grasped the logic immediately.
“Without evidence that the Heugoong Bang themselves are the thieves, there is nothing to charge them with.”
“Which is why finding proof that the Heugoong Bang are the robbers becomes crucial.”
“And do you have a way?”
Namgung Geom considered for a moment before speaking.
“The simplest and most certain method is to find the stolen tea.”
“But the Heugoong Bang would never stash it somewhere easy to discover.”
That was something Namgung Geom had already anticipated.
“So I plan to bait them into moving.”
“You mean to lure out the Heugoong Bang?”
At Namgung Pae’s question, Namgung Geom smiled and laid out his scheme.
After hearing his explanation, Namgung Pae spoke with interest.
“I wonder if the Heugoong Bang Master will move exactly as you predict.”
“I’ll make sure he does, no matter what it takes.”
Namgung Geom’s expression brimmed with confidence.
* * *
That day.
Namgung Geom and his classmates from Changryong Academy slipped quietly away from the Namgung Clan Residence.
The core of this plan was to keep the main house from learning that they had mobilized its full strength.
To hide their identities, Namgung Geom and his companions dressed as wanderers and made for Hwangsan.
They pressed forward with minimal sleep, driving their pace hard.
As a result, they reached Hwangsan three days after leaving the Namgung Clan Residence.
Considering that the journey from the Namgung Clan Residence to Hwangsan normally took five days, one could gauge just how swiftly they had traveled.
Upon arriving at Hwangsan, Namgung Geom left his companions behind and proceeded alone to the Lee Family Estate.
Once he arrived, Namgung Geom slipped secretly into the manor grounds.
Then he made his way toward the Estate Master’s quarters.
Guards and patrols moved throughout the Lee Family Estate, yet none detected Namgung Geom’s presence.
Though this was Namgung Geom’s first time at the Lee Family Estate, finding the Master’s quarters proved easy.
The place with the heaviest guard within the manor—that had to be where the Estate Master dwelled.
Namgung Geom crept silently into the Master’s quarters.
He had never received formal training in concealment techniques.
But he could deploy the basic methods well enough to elude the estate’s guards.
Once inside the Master’s quarters, Namgung Geom moved directly toward the aura he sensed emanating from the Estate Master.
Two guards stood watch outside the Master’s chamber.
Namgung Geom subdued them in a flash and knocked on the door.
“Master of the Estate! Namgung Geom of the Namgung Clan requests a moment of your time.”
Lee Geom Baek, the Estate Master inside, was startled by the voice from beyond the door.
“Namgung Geom of the Namgung Clan?”
It struck Lee Geom Baek as strange that Namgung Geom would seek him out in secret like this.
More troubling still, he had no way of knowing whether the man outside was truly Namgung Geom of the Namgung Clan.
“Yes. I came upon receiving your request for aid, to help the Lee Family Estate.”
Lee Geom Baek hesitated briefly, then decided to let Namgung Geom inside.
“Come in.”
As Namgung Geom opened the door and stepped through, Lee Geom Baek sat on the bed.
“I am Namgung Geom of the Namgung Clan. Forgive the late hour.”
“If memory serves, the eldest grandson of the Namgung house was also called Namgung Geom, was he not?”
Lee Geom Baek studied Namgung Geom’s face carefully before asking.
“That’s correct. I am indeed the eldest grandson of the Namgung Clan.”
Lee Geom Baek no longer doubted Namgung Geom’s identity.
Lee Geom Baek had seen Namgung Il, Namgung Geom’s father, before.
Namgung Geom’s face was the spitting image of Namgung Il’s.
Anyone could tell at a glance that Namgung Geom was Namgung Il’s son.
“I never expected the eldest grandson of the Namgung Clan to move personally.”
“This concerns the Lee Family Estate, of all places. I couldn’t treat it lightly.”
Pleased by Namgung Geom’s diplomatic words, Lee Geom Baek smiled and asked.
“But what brings you here in secret in the middle of the night?”
“There’s a reason the main clan’s involvement must remain hidden.”
“And what reason is that?”
Lee Geom Baek asked, his expression puzzled.
“I suspect Heugoong Bang is behind the theft of the tea from the Lee Family Estate.”
Lee Geom Baek nodded.
He too had suspected Heugoong Bang.
“The problem is, I can’t find evidence that Heugoong Bang did it.”
Lee Geom Baek had conducted his own investigation but found no proof that Heugoong Bang had stolen the tea.
“That’s why I intend to force Heugoong Bang to act directly.”
“How would you do that?”
“It’s simple. We transport more tea from the Lee Family Estate.”
Lee Geom Baek grasped Namgung Geom’s meaning at once.
“You mean to provoke another robbery attempt from Heugoong Bang and catch them in the act.”
“Precisely. It’s the simplest and most reliable method.”
“If Heugoong Bang learns the Namgung Clan is involved, they’ll go to ground. So you’ve kept it secret—is that it?”
Lee Geom Baek, grasping Namgung Geom’s intention for coming in secret, posed the question.
“That’s right.”
“But wouldn’t Heugoong Bang grow suspicious if we transport the tea without any precautions in a situation like this?”
When Lee Geom Baek raised this concern, Namgung Geom answered as if there were no problem.
“We can say the Namgung Clan’s support fell through, so we hastily hired wanderers to do the job.”
At the sudden mention of wanderers, Lee Geom Baek tilted his head in confusion.
“Wanderers?”
“The men who came with me will pose as wanderers.”
Namgung Geom planned to disguise his classmates from Changryong Academy as wanderers to deceive Heugoong Bang’s eyes.
“How many men are we talking about?”
“Just under thirty.”
Finding the number smaller than expected, Lee Geom Baek’s brow furrowed.
“Could they be from the Samjae Sword Unit?”
If they were from the Samjae Sword Unit, the Namgung Clan’s elite, such a small number would still be trustworthy.
But Namgung Geom’s answer contradicted Lee Geom Baek’s expectations.
“No. They’re my classmates from Changryong Academy, about to complete their graduation.”
Not from the Samjae Sword Unit—merely students graduating from Changryong Academy.
Lee Geom Baek asked doubtfully.
“Will they be sufficient?”
Lee Geom Baek’s reaction was entirely understandable.
Namgung Geom smiled and spoke.
“Would it reassure you to know they defeated the Cheonpung Sword Unit’s Three Swords Team in a match?”
Namgung Bing-yong
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Baek Wol Geom
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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