The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Merchant Group - Chapter 178

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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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The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Trading Company Chapter 178

Chapter 178. The Road Back (1)

At my words, she bit her lip.
“How cold-hearted.”
“Yes, I suppose I am rather like that.”
Whoosh!
In an instant, a poisoned needle flew toward me.
I deflected it with my blade, and in the same motion, struck the back of her neck with my scabbard.
Crack!
“Ugh—!”
Watching her collapse unconscious, I couldn’t help but smirk. I knew she would try something like that.
That was when it happened.
Hm?
A fragrance of orchids suddenly filled the air.
This scent… I’ve definitely smelled it before.
Then, from behind, a group mounted on gray horses came galloping toward us. There appeared to be roughly fifty of them.
“Who are they?”
The Northern Sea Ice Palace Disciple answered my question.
“They are the Snow Eagle Squad, our palace’s elite rapid response unit.”
The name—Snow Eagle—seemed to capture the very essence of that unit’s nature.
As the Snow Eagle Squad drew closer, the orchid fragrance grew increasingly potent.
The Northern Sea Ice Palace Disciple beside me caught sight of the figure riding the white horse at the front and, startled, rushed forward to prostrate herself.
“I pay my respects to the Lesser Palace Mistress!”
The Lesser Palace Mistress?
So she was to be the next master of the Northern Sea Ice Palace?
She appeared to be not yet twenty, her expression serene but undeniably beautiful.
She dismounted from her horse and spoke.
“I came at once upon receiving the emergency signal.”
“Yes, Lesser Palace Mistress. Allow me to report the situation.”
The Northern Sea Ice Palace Disciple reported the circumstances to her with measured composure.
“…And so, we have now subdued the culprit.”
“I see.”
The Lesser Palace Mistress nodded and turned to approach me.
Her cultivation was evidently profound—even her footsteps made no sound.
As she drew near, the orchid fragrance intensified with each step.
This scent… it was unmistakably the same fragrance I had detected years ago from the Masked Intruder I encountered at Yeonhwa House.
She bowed respectfully and introduced herself.
“I am Young Palace Master Bing Haerin of the Northern Sea Ice Palace.”
Since she had revealed her name, I too had to disclose mine.
“I am Eun Seo-ho of the Eunhae Trading Company.”
“Thank you for aiding our palace.”
“I merely did what was necessary.”
“But… are you male?”
At her question, I nodded. It was true, after all—I was male.
“Yes.”
The surrounding disciples gasped in astonishment at my answer.
“Impossible!”
“No man can enter this place!”
“Actually, there is an exception.”
The Young Palace Master cut off their protests.
“The Palace Master once mentioned that a man with sufficiently potent yin energy could enter these halls.”
Yet her gaze was not fixed on me, but rather on the sword at my side.
Could she have recognized the blade’s true nature?
The Silver Sword appeared refined, certainly, but it hardly seemed extraordinarily distinctive… at least not at first glance.
Besides, it transformed its shape to suit its wielder.
If she truly knew this was the Silver Sword, that would be deeply troublesome.
She appeared to have connections to the Murim Alliance, after all.
The fact that someone connected to the Murim Alliance existed within the Northern Sea Ice Palace—which I, as a disciple of Snowwind Palace, was meant to protect—felt distinctly uncomfortable.
I did not wish for information about me to reach their ears.
She met my gaze once more, then offered a slight bow.
“It would be proper to receive you with great honor for rescuing our disciples, but given the circumstances, I fear such formalities must be postponed. I hope you understand.”
With that, she withdrew three small boxes from a pouch at her waist and offered them to me.
“These are called Silver Snow Pills. While not quite spirit-grade elixirs, they are comparable in quality. They should aid your martial cultivation considerably.”
Though the person offering them seemed suspicious, she would hardly present something questionable in front of so many witnesses.
And I could hardly refuse a gift from the Young Palace Master in this setting.
“I accept gratefully.”
“Should there be anything else you desire, please speak freely. If it lies within my power, I shall grant it.”
I paused to consider.
It would be ideal to enter the Northern Sea Ice Palace itself, but she had said that was difficult, so I should request something else.
Perhaps there was something she could not reveal to outsiders, which was why she refused to bring me inside.
“If you wish to visit our palace, you are welcome to do so. Though it is ordinarily forbidden to men, I can make an exception for our benefactor.”
“Pardon?”
Surprised by her unexpected words, I blinked and asked for clarification.
“Did you not just say it would be difficult for me to accompany you?”
“To receive you with proper honor, our entire palace must participate. However, dealing with that threat makes such arrangements impossible at present, so I explained it that way.”
So accompanying her to the Northern Sea Ice Palace was acceptable—only the grand reception would have to wait.
What on earth could warrant such lavish treatment?
“That is precisely why I have postponed offering you such hospitality for now.”
“Ah, I see. Ahem.”
I cleared my throat to mask my embarrassment.
In that case, there was no need to rush into going now.
Since she had spoken thus, she would surely invite me to the Northern Sea Ice Palace someday. There was no reason to press the matter.
“What I desire is for others to remain unaware of my involvement in today’s affair. Can you promise me this?”
At my words, she fell silent for a moment before nodding.
“Understood. It shall be so.”
Though uneasy, this was the best I could manage for now.
She would not break a promise made at the request of her benefactor.
It was then that one of the Snow Eagle Squad Members spoke from behind.
“Hyung-su has awakened.”
Faster than I expected.
At those words, Young Palace Master Bing Haerin approached Hyung-su.
Hyung-su, who had appeared to be merely thirteen or fourteen years old during our confrontation, had shed that guise entirely.
Now Hyung-su bore the appearance of a middle-aged woman.
Truly a formidable disguise technique. Or should I call it bone-reshaping art rather than mere disguise?
“So, why did you do such a thing?”
“….”
“Assassination? Chaos? Ah, you meant to sow chaos.”
“!”
Hyung-su flinched at those words.
“So what is your true purpose? By creating chaos… a spy? Secrets? Spirit creatures? Elixirs? Yes, elixirs.”
“Gasp!”
Hyung-su’s eyes widened in shock.
I could not help but admire inwardly.
A suspicious person is suspicious, and something remarkable is remarkable.
“Damn it! You’re right! I wanted to steal the elixirs that fill the Northern Sea Ice Palace! With elixirs, I could elevate my realm! Then I would gain absolute power… Ugh!”
Young Palace Master Bing Haerin drove her fist toward Hyung-su.
Wow, more direct than I expected.
“To harm the people of this palace for such filthy desires—it’s absurd.”
“Kugh, I have my reasons for seeking absolute power. Revenge against this irritating and filthy world… Hack!”
Bing Haerin’s fist struck her face once more.
“Why should I listen to your sob story? And is this world not irritating and filthy to everyone? Yet others do not harm people as you do. They simply live for a better future.”
“….”
“Do you know? It is selfish creatures like you that make this world even more irritating and filthy.”
She spoke coldly to the Snow Eagle Squad Members.
“Lock her in the Prison. I will deal with her personally.”
“Yes!”
She struggled and resisted, but with her acupoints already sealed, she had no choice but to be dragged away helplessly.
Young Palace Master Bing Haerin spoke to me.
“Thank you for not killing Hyung-su.”
“It seemed necessary to keep her alive to determine if any remaining threats exist.”
“That’s precisely why I’m grateful.”
In truth, I hadn’t killed Hyung-su outright not out of mercy, but out of something far colder.
If she was going to die anyway, she might as well confess everything she knew first.
Well, it’s her own doing.
Young Palace Master Bing Haerin cupped her fist toward me in salute.
“Then, shall we depart? I’ll escort you to the inn.”
She exited the Gate of Mist alongside me.
Before stepping through the gate, her earlier words echoed in my mind.
Regardless of her suspicious identity, they were words that had struck a chord with me.
So without thinking, I let the question slip out.
“Haven’t we perhaps met before?”
“…!”
In that instant, she flinched.
What was that?
“N-no, this is our first meeting.”
“I see.”
But I was certain.
The masked intruder I’d encountered at Yeonhwa House—it was her.

As she stepped forward, the inn began to be restored rapidly.
I could see that the Young Palace Master’s authority and influence were greater than I had anticipated.
“Our Young Palace Master is truly remarkable, isn’t she?”
A disciple working at the inn spoke to me with a proud expression, and I nodded with a smile.
“Yes, indeed.”
“The Young Palace Master is the pride of our Northern Sea Ice Palace.”
I could sense the pride in that Northern Sea Ice Palace Disciple’s words about her.
After finishing her work, she returned to the Northern Sea Ice Palace.
Watching her depart, I thought to myself.
Next time we meet, I must uncover her true identity.
.
.
.
After seeing her off, I returned to the inn and asked my companions sitting on the first floor.
“How are your wounds, everyone?”
“We’re fine.”
“These injuries hardly count as wounds.”
They all answered as though it was nothing serious.
The battle with the Spirit Creatures had been more intense than expected, and everyone had sustained minor injuries, but nothing that prevented them from moving about.
Except for Palgap.
He was completely unscathed.
I had instructed Palgap to hide well, and he had followed my orders faithfully.
And the Spirit Creatures never found Palgap—in fact, when I glanced over, the Spirit Creatures simply passed right by him.
Hmm…
Could Sal Wang’s concealment technique, one of his talents, deceive even the senses of Spirit Creatures?
In any case, he truly is remarkable.
Four days passed, and the Guard Warriors’ wounds had nearly healed completely.
I was once again amazed by the effectiveness of the trauma salve provided by the Ice Palace, though it turned out that the Black Flute Physician had created it.
Was there some connection between us?

It was time to return.
We gathered our belongings and descended to the first floor.
“So you’re leaving now.”
“Yes, that’s right.”
I nodded in response to the disciple working at the inn.
“Please visit us again. We won’t accept payment from our benefactors of the Northern Sea Ice Palace.”
“Then I must certainly return. Farewell to you.”
“May Snowwind Palace’s grace accompany you on your journey.”
As we stepped outside the inn, Palgap shivered and grumbled.
“Brr! It’s freezing!”
“You’re even wearing a necklace, yet you complain of the cold.”
“That’s just how I feel about it.”
“Since we’re heading south now, it will gradually grow warmer.”

As we returned to Hubei, there were several tasks I needed to accomplish.
First, I needed to repay the hunters who had helped us.

We left the Northern Sea and sought out the hunters’ hut at its entrance.
Fortunately, when we arrived, they were resting at the hut.
“We meet again.”
“You’ve returned safely from your task.”
“Yes. Thanks to you, the journey went well.”
“Thanks? It was simply our fate to survive.”
Gruff on the surface, yet their hearts ran deep.
“Still, the fact that you helped us remains unchanged. So I wish to offer you compensation—”
“Compensation for what?”
“Forget it. We didn’t let you stay for such things.”
“I understand.”
Then someone spoke from behind.
“Then please buy some of the beast hides our tribe has caught.”
“Why are you butting in, you brat?”
“Ah! You’re that young boy I saw before.”
At my words, the young boy bowed his head, and one of the hunters looked embarrassed.
The boy was that hunter’s son.
“The merchant who was supposed to take our tribe’s beast hides backed out, leaving us in a difficult situation.”
“….”
Seeing the two hunters say nothing in response, it seemed to be true.
I asked them directly.
“Please explain the details.”
“Ahem, well, you see….”
That hunter’s tribe has long made their living in this region by hunting beasts and selling their byproducts.
But the merchant who normally traded in animal hides began reducing his orders, and recently he claimed all the hides were defective and refused to purchase anything, simply leaving.
“It’s an absurd excuse! Our tribe’s skill in handling hides is truly exceptional!”
“That much is evident from the clothes you’re wearing. I have some knowledge of leather myself.”
While silk is one of the Eunhae Trading Company’s flagship products, our fabric shop handles various textiles.
I could discern the quality of leather and the craftsmanship involved in its treatment.
“That’s price manipulation.”
“Pardon?”
“How many merchants would venture this far to trade in hides?”
“That’s true….”
“They’re exploiting your position. You likely sought other merchants but couldn’t find any.”
“W-well, that’s correct.”
“As I said, few merchants come this far to trade in hides. It’s a narrow market. When they conspire together like this, would anyone accept their terms?”
“Ah! So that’s why…. All the other merchants said additional trades were impossible….”
“After time passes and you can no longer endure it, the original merchant returns, claiming pity, and offers to trade at rock-bottom prices.”
“I see….”
“These rotten bastards!”
“May they be struck by lightning and perish!”
Well, these scoundrels deserve every curse hurled at them.

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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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