My Younger Siblings Are the Greatest Masters in the World - Chapter 99

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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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99.

Living under tyrannical officials, one had no choice but to become a master of survival tactics.

“Summon Military Officer Jo Cheongkwan to the Magistrate’s Office.”

As Seol Mujin crossed the Government Office, people collapsed with thuds around him.

“We greet the Inspector!”

He had heard so many booming shouts that his ears were about to develop calluses.

Seol Mantong burst into laughter.

“Kekeke… This is pretty fun, isn’t it?”

“There’s plenty to find amusing. Brother, let’s wrap this up quickly and go. This chaos is driving me crazy.”

“Alright.”

Seol Mujin also wanted to leave Wuhan as soon as possible.

After walking for a while to reach the building with the office, Seol Mujin was startled.

Roughly thirty women were prostrated on both sides of the stairs.

Jo Cheongkwan came running frantically from over there and knelt on one knee.

“I greet the Inspector!”

“What are those women?”

“They are the courtesans who served the Magistrate.”

Seol Mantong said “Oh! Being a magistrate seems nice?” and got smacked on the back by Seol Ryeoseon.

“Tell them all to go wherever they want. If you want to embrace women, go to a pleasure house.”

“But they say they want to serve the Inspector…”

Seol Mujin jumped up.

“Tell them no!”

When Seol Mujin shouted, the prostrated courtesans trembled.

“No, it’s not that you’ve done anything wrong… Let’s go inside quickly.”

Seol Mujin fled into the office.

“I’ve roughly selected people, so you just need to inform the parties involved.”

“Selection, you say?”

“You’re the senior investigator.”

“What?”

“Acting Magistrate will be Chief Clerk Han Seongtaek, and tell him to appoint the Six Departments as he sees fit. And also…”

Seol Mujin quickly read the paper spread on the desk.

Since there were so few people, the organization was sparsely filled, but that was for the remaining people to handle.

After hearing everything, Jo Cheongkwan carefully asked.

“Um… no matter how I look at it, this seems rather hasty… No, that’s not what I meant… I’m sorry!”

“You’re right, it is hasty. But my hasty work will still be better than having that pig as magistrate.”

“Then what should we do with that pig, I mean, the former magistrate?”

“Kill him.”

“What?”

“From what I saw, both the magistrate and the heads of the Six Departments committed capital crimes, didn’t they?”

“That, that’s true, but without a trial…”

“I’m a Geumeuiwi Deputy Commander.”

“What? You’re not just an inspector but a Deputy Commander?”

A Deputy Commander of the third rank was such a high-ranking official that a military officer like Jo Cheongkwan couldn’t even dare to look directly at him.

“I will immediately carry out the judgment!”

“Kick out anyone who seems beyond redemption. Imprison the really bad ones. You’ll get the hang of it after a day or two.”

Seol Mujin had experienced this himself.

Though not to this extreme.

“When will the official magistrate arrive?”

He hadn’t thought that far ahead.

Usually the provincial governor would make the appointment, but Seol Mujin couldn’t concern himself with that.

Empty ponds naturally fill when it rains.

“He’ll come eventually.”

“What?”

Was it okay to be this haphazard?

Seol Mujin patted Jo Cheongkwan’s shoulder and said.

“Do your best. It’s your county.”

“This is the answer?”

“Yeah. That’s all there is.”

Seol Mujin left the Government Office, leaving behind the dejected Jo Cheongkwan.

Since he used Light Body Technique, no one saw Seol Mujin leave.

***

It was a high-quality mirror.

The rarely fine mirror clearly showed Namgung Hyemin’s face.

Her cheeks, forehead, under her eyes, and chin.

Scars still tinged with red covered her entire face.

Her hand, which was about to throw the mirror out of habit, stopped.

—I’ll bill the Namgung Family for the mirror costs, so feel free to break them.

The cost of mirrors Namgung Hyemin had broken so far would easily exceed five taels of silver.

Since breaking five hundred taels worth of mirrors wouldn’t bring back her old face, Namgung Hyemin decided to stop breaking mirrors.

She had thought about ‘Should I just die?’ as many times as she had broken mirrors.

She considered several methods and even visited cliffs to jump from.

The fierce wind that seemed ready to tear her clothes and the desolate mist-filled valley made her turn back.

The thought that no one would find her if she jumped from that cliff was more frightening than death itself.

Seeing that she feared such things even when facing death, she clearly didn’t want to die.

But just when she was about to collapse at the thought of living with such a hideous face, Hwangbo Cheonag’s voice came from outside.

“Sister! What are you doing! Come out quickly!”

They were staying at Seol Mujin’s house.

When she slightly opened the window, she could see Hwangbo Cheonag holding a wooden sword in the courtyard.

Shortly after, Hwangbo Ryeoseon and Sang Chiyeon came out.

“You got beaten up so badly yesterday and you’re here again?”

“Beaten up? I just lost by a narrow margin!”

“You don’t seem to understand the meaning of ‘narrow margin,’ so I’ll press you down properly so you can never challenge me again.”

The two soon began their sparring match.

Before long, Namgung Hyemin was resting her chin on her hands, absorbed in watching their bout.

‘She’s strong.’

She had only heard rumors about Hwangbo Ryeoseon’s martial arts.

That a genius had appeared in the Hwangbo Family.

A genius who might be born once in a hundred years.

But it was a pity she was a woman.

Hwangbo Ryeoseon displayed skills worthy of the title of genius.

What was surprising was Hwangbo Cheonag.

She had also heard rumors about Hwangbo Cheonag.

That a scoundrel had appeared in the Hwangbo Family.

No one knew how such a scoundrel could be born in the Hwangbo Family.

Since he was the eldest son, the Hwangbo Family was in big trouble.

But that scoundrel was holding his own against the genius Hwangbo Ryeoseon.

Though he was gradually being pushed back, even that much was impressive.

I heard he killed four Oryongbang leaders, and it seems that was true.

Still, in the end, the genius defeated the scoundrel.

After a fierce battle lasting half a hour, Hwangbo Cheonak was struck on the shoulder by Hwangbo Ryeoseon’s wooden sword and collapsed.

“Ugh! So close!”

His twisted face expressed frustration rather than pain.

“You need to train for ten more years to beat me.”

“One year! I’ll definitely defeat you within that time, sister!”

Hwangbo Cheonak’s confident gaze met directly with Namgung Hyemin’s watching eyes.

Hwangbo Cheonak’s twisted face brightened as he waved his hand.

“Namgung Sojo!”

Startled, Namgung Hyemin crouched down and hid herself.

She wasn’t ready to show this face to others yet.

As she thought ‘Should I just live alone in the mountains?’, Hwangbo Cheonak’s voice came from near the window.

“Come out. Let’s have a match.”

Huh? What is he talking about?

She tried to ignore him, but Hwangbo Cheonak repeated the same words.

Namgung Hyemin asked while still crouched down.

“What do you want from me?”

“What else? Sparring.”

“I’m not as strong in martial arts as you.”

“If you’re not strong, that’s why you cultivate to become stronger. Come out already.”

It was annoying.

This was the same Hwangbo Cheonak who previously couldn’t even speak when enchanted by her beauty.

Namgung Hyemin bit her lower lip and stood up abruptly.

Less than a zhang away, Hwangbo Cheonak looked up at her.

“Do you really want to face me?”

Every time she spoke, her facial scars would writhe hideously.

Hwangbo Cheonak held out a wooden sword.

When she reflexively grabbed the wooden sword, Hwangbo Cheonak turned around and said.

“Let’s cultivate. That’s how you get revenge.”

Namgung Hyemin felt a chilling coldness as if her blood was freezing.

Revenge.

Why hadn’t she thought of that?

She had felt anger, despair, and resignation, but never once considered revenge.

That was because she wasn’t strong enough in martial arts to dream of revenge.

For someone like her, revenge was presumptuous.

Namgung Hyemin spoke with difficulty to the departing Hwangbo Cheonak.

“I can’t do it.”

Puzzlement appeared on Hwangbo Cheonak’s face as he turned his head.

“What can’t you do?”

“No matter how much I cultivate, it won’t work.”

“If it doesn’t work, you keep doing it until it does. The important thing is not giving up.”

“I’ve already lost everything, so there’s nothing left to give up!”

She didn’t know why she suddenly got angry.

Was it because of Hwangbo Cheonak acting nonchalantly in front of her?

Was it because his obvious advice that nothing was impossible with willpower seemed pathetic?

Anyway, anger suddenly surged and she shouted.

“It seems like there’s still something you haven’t lost.”

“You seem to be trying to remind me of what I have…”

“Anger.”

“What?”

“You don’t need much for revenge. Anger toward the bastard who made me like this. That alone is enough. Namgung Sojo has that, so you can succeed in revenge.”

***

Though he had only been away for a few days, seeing Jinan’s familiar scenery brought a rush of joy.

The Triplets seemed to feel the same as Seol Mujin.

“Home really is the best.”

“Now Jinan feels like home.”

“Where was your original hometown anyway?”

“I don’t know. Do you?”

“How would I know something like that?”

“Then let’s make it Jinan.”

The Triplets, who had been chattering while pushing through pedestrians in the market, stopped walking.

Seol Mujin was also surprised to see what the Triplets saw.

“Third Prince… sir?”

Though he thought the prince would have left, the Third Prince was still in Jinan.

If that was all, it would just be unexpected, not surprising.

“Why is that guy with Hwanggeum-i?”

That was right.

Hwanggeum-i was beside the Third Prince, sucking on sweets.

They were even holding hands affectionately.

Seol Ryeoseon spoke worriedly.

“That’s not good.”

Seol Mantong nodded.

“Do you think he noticed?”

Seol Changho thought the same.

“Otherwise, why would the Third Prince be holding hands with Hwanggeum-i?”

The Triplets asked Seol Mujin simultaneously.

“What should we do?”

He had only thought about hiding it thoroughly, never imagining such a scene.

The Third Prince, who had been looking at women’s accessories at a street stall, turned and spotted Seol Mujin.

He smiled brightly and waved, seeming quite pleased.

“Seol Podoo!”

Hwanggeum-i saw the Triplets and came running over.

“Sister―!”

“Who’s your sister!”

“Eat this!”

“Why would I eat what you were eating!”

The Third Prince laughed heartily.

“You two seem close.”

“We’re not close!”

Seol Mujin said to the Triplets.

“Go ahead with Hwanggeum-i first.”

One of the Third Prince’s two bodyguards followed behind them as they headed to Yeonji-ru.

Seol Mujin asked the Third Prince, who was watching Hwanggeum-i with his eyes.

“Why were you with Hwanggeum-i?”

“That kid is my spitting image, isn’t he? Even down to the mole behind the ear. Here, this one.”

The Third Prince continued speaking to Seol Mujin, who let out a long sigh.

“Why did you hide the fact that Hwanggeum-i is my son?”

“I think you can guess why?”

“Because you thought Hwanggeum-i would be in danger?”

“Jang’s Wife too. Your Highness has many enemies, and there are countless enemies whose identities are unknown. To them, Your Highness’s child would be excellent prey.”

The response to Seol Mujin’s words came after a moment of silence.

“There’s a saying that sneezes and poverty cannot be hidden. But I think we need to add children to that list. This might sound foolish, but I couldn’t focus on work because Ilheon-i kept weighing on my mind. I never knew I was this kind of person. You probably can’t understand.”

“I can understand.”

Because he had the triplets who were so precious they wouldn’t hurt even if placed in his eyes.

“But Ilheon-i?”

“The name Hwanggeum-i is a bit… you know. So I decided to change it to Ilheon-i.”

“That means Jang’s Wife knows about this too.”

“That’s right.”

“Does Jang’s Wife also know Your Highness’s true identity?”

“No, I didn’t tell her that. I just said I was some rich family’s young master.”

Ju Cheonmyeong wasn’t completely thoughtless either.

“Still, you need to be careful.”

“Don’t worry too much. I’m keeping it thoroughly guarded. My bodyguards are quite capable.”

“Let’s go somewhere quiet.”

“The quietest place at this hour would be Yeonji-ru.”

Seol Mujin headed toward Yeonji-ru and asked.

“Are you still staying in Jinan because of Ilheon-i?”

“You promised to attend my daughter’s wedding. It’s fortunate you’re not late. The bride and groom were even planning to postpone the wedding, saying they couldn’t hold it without you.”

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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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