The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Merchant Group - Chapter 251

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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 251

Chapter 251. Rebellion (3)

To capture Yang Eun-jik, I first needed to find him before he could escape.
But how could I locate him?
Ah, that’s right—the underground tunnel I’d mentioned was actually discovered, and he was supposedly hiding there.
If that were the case, there might be personal belongings of Yang Eun-jik left behind in that place.
“Seo-woo Warrior.”
“Yes.”
“Please convey to Jin-yeong Great Swordmaster that I wish to examine the underground tunnel. Tell him I will provide my full ‘cooperation.'”
“Understood.”

A short while later.
Jin-yeong Great Swordmaster arrived at the Physician’s Residence again, just as I’d anticipated.
Seeing his face flushed with excitement, it seemed my proposal had pleased him considerably.
“Your Guard Warrior conveyed your message to me.”
“Upon reflection, I realized that capturing this man is essential for Beijing’s peace and stability.”
I continued.
“Even if our Eunhae Trading Company’s branch office is completed, how could we focus on commerce with such a threat lurking about?”
“You speak wisely.”
Jin-yeong Great Swordmaster nodded in agreement.
“Follow me. I’ll show you the way to the underground tunnel.”
“Thank you.”
We followed Jin-yeong Great Swordmaster, and soon arrived at a shop on Commercial Street.
Imperial Guards stood watch there with stern expressions.
“It’s this way.”
Upon seeing Jin-yeong Great Swordmaster, the Imperial Guards bowed respectfully. I was reminded anew of just how significant his position truly was.
“We discovered it quite by accident, actually. I was carefully examining the floor when I noticed something odd about those bookshelves—specifically, that only one book among them was free of dust.”
“To notice such a detail! Remarkable.”
As I offered my praise, he waved his hand with an embarrassed expression.
“When you pull this book like so…”
Click.
“The entire bookshelf rotates, revealing a passage.”
Just as Jin-yeong Great Swordmaster described, one of the bookshelves spun like a rotating door.
Beyond it lay what was unmistakably an underground passage.
“Let’s go in.”
“Yes.”
Jin-yeong Great Swordmaster ordered the Golden Army soldier beside him to bring torches, and soon the soldier returned with them.
The Great Swordmaster lit the torches and handed a couple to us.
He entered first, and we followed behind him into the passage, holding our torches aloft.
The gently sloping passage was just wide and tall enough for a single person to squeeze through while holding a torch.
I wondered why we needed torches until I realized not a sliver of light penetrated this place.
An underground tunnel like this beneath Beijing itself—they certainly put in the effort.
After walking for perhaps half an hour, a vast open ground appeared before us.
Jin-yeong Great Swordmaster hung a torch on one of the walls.
Immediately, the open ground brightened.
Ah, they’d positioned mirrors to maximize the light’s efficiency.
They’d used their heads well.
The space was enclosed by earthen brick walls on all sides, constructed in a rectangular shape to maximize utility.
“This is where they gathered, and it appears they even took care of their meals and lodging here.”
Indeed, traces of this were visible everywhere.
Bowls, utensils, and cooking pots remained scattered about—evidence that Yang Eun-jik’s belongings were likely still here.
I’d heard that masters of the highest caliber could track a person’s aura and locate their possessions… but I hadn’t reached that level yet.
I would have to rely on deduction instead.
Let me think…
Yang Eun-jik had been hiding here when the Geumui Guard Warriors suddenly raided, forcing him to flee in panic.
Would he have had time to gather his belongings?
No.
Which meant his personal items would be scattered about haphazardly.
The fact that he’d even left behind a money pouch spoke to how desperate his escape had been.
And…
The Yang Eun-jik I’d seen today wasn’t wearing a topknot.
“…!”
I smiled.
There, beside the simple bed in what could be called the place of honor, lay a topknot—dropped on the ground.
The very one he’d worn at Seon-mi’s wedding ceremony.
I glanced at Palgap while subtly gesturing toward Jin-yeong Great Swordmaster.
The quick-witted Palgap naturally positioned himself between me and the Great Swordmaster.
In that moment, I withdrew Geumryeong from my sleeve.
“Remember this scent.”
“Kuu…”
I quickly covered its mouth with my hand.
“Be quiet.”
After letting Geumryeong catch the scent, I stood up as though nothing had happened.
Was there anything else worth examining?
I glanced around the space, then shook my head.
After looking around, he soon shook his head.
The Geumui Guard would have already searched this place thoroughly, so there’s no need to linger any longer.
That was when it happened.
“Master, please take a look at this.”
At Jin Yu Warrior’s words, we approached him, and he pointed to a smooth section of wall.
Where the bricks had been laid.
“What is it?”
In response to my question, he glanced at Jin-yeong Great Swordmaster behind me, then continued.
“While examining this wall, I inadvertently placed my hand against it. In doing so, I discovered this. If you press this brick like this with your hand….”
Jin Yu Warrior pressed one of the bricks with his hand.
Click.
One brick slid backward, and simultaneously, the brick below it popped outward.
But what popped out was not a brick.
It was a drawer shaped like a brick.
Inside were papers, and I picked them up and unfolded them.
“….”
I handed them to Jin-yeong Great Swordmaster, and he read the documents.
“…!”
His eyes widened.
“It appears we have found something crucial.”
“Y-yes, indeed.”
It was a covenant document—a list of names signed by those who had resolved to commit treason.
The roster was far more illustrious than I had anticipated.
The names and seals of the Former Minister of Household and the Minister of Works, who had been dismissed not long ago, were also present.
Moreover, there was an unexpected name.
Chung Jin King.
The current Emperor’s cousin.
He had been the most promising candidate for the throne, but the previous Emperor designated the current Emperor as his successor, dashing those hopes entirely.
In any case, this document was important enough to warrant being hidden here.
The other documents were equally critical.
For instance, future plans, detailed instructions, and the like.
“I must seek out Commander Elder immediately.”
“Yes, do so.”
“Thank you for all your work today.”
With that, we emerged from the underground tunnel, and I stopped by the Physician’s Residence to collect Yeo Eung-am Warrior before returning to my Quarters.
“Jin Yu Warrior.”
“Yes.”
“Your discovery of that brick mechanism—it wasn’t mere chance, was it?”
At my question, he nodded.
“No, I didn’t know the exact location, but I was familiar with the method. It’s one of the ways they hide important documents.”
“I see. How fortunate that you were with us.”
“….”
But Jin Yu Warrior said nothing in response to my words. He simply stared at me with a blank expression.
“Did I perhaps make some mistake?”
“No, sir. It’s just… I’ve never heard such words before….”
Never heard such words before…
I began to understand just how arduous a life Jin Yu Warrior had endured.
I would need to say such things to him more often from now on.
“I look forward to working with you in the future as well.”
“Those are words I should be saying to you, sir.”
I found myself curious about what the Murim Alliance Leader’s reaction would be if he ever discovered that the Assassin he had raised was playing a part in obstructing his own plans.
“By the way, does this Yang Eun-jik fellow not know Jin Yu Warrior’s face?”
At my question, he nodded.
“During my time of service, I always wore a mask. Because of this, few know my face. And he is not among them.”
“I see.”
Relieved by this, I instructed Jin Yu Warrior to bring everyone here.
Then I retrieved Geumryeong and held out a silver coin.
“Chirp?”
“Here, eat this and find the master of Yu Geon like I told you earlier.”
Geumryeong’s eyes sparkled at the sight of the silver coin I offered.
With a leap, Geumryeong swallowed the silver coin from my hand, sniffed the air, and darted out through the window.
In the meantime, Jin Yu Warrior returned with the others.
And approximately one hour later.
Geumryeong returned through the window, whimpering softly. I quickly caught Geumryeong with both hands.
This distance…
Not extraordinarily far, but not particularly close either.
He had fled farther than I expected.
“Shall we go then?”

* * *

Yang Eun-jik gazed around the deep forest and exhaled heavily.
“Now that I’ve come this far, they won’t be able to pursue me any longer.”
He settled onto a tree stump and caught his breath.
“But how did they discover that place?”
Not long ago, he had detected the presence of those following him.
They were Geumui Guard.
He had anticipated they would eventually learn of his existence, but this was far too soon.
According to his calculations, they should have discovered him only after he completed his work and covered his tracks.
But by then, the incident would have already erupted, leaving them too preoccupied with damage control.
In any case, he had hastily fled into the underground tunnel.
That meticulously concealed place, despite considerable time having passed since its construction, had never been exposed to the outside world.
So he had felt secure—until now.
Suddenly, Geumui Guard Warriors burst in, and he fled in panic.
All he possessed now was a single sword.
“Sigh… this operation has failed, truly failed. What am I to report to that person…?”
The one consolation was that there had been no mention of the documents he had hidden.
‘They must not have found them. How could they possibly know I concealed them there?’
So it could not yet be called a complete failure.
There remained an opportunity to salvage the situation.
He was a hidden agent of the Murim Alliance.
The role assigned to him this time was to forge connections between the Former Minister of Household, the Minister of Works, and Chung Jin King, the Emperor’s cousin.
Currently, Chung Jin King’s support base was weak.
The Former Minister of Household and the Minister of Works harbored resentment toward the Emperor who had removed them, yet they lacked justification.
His task was to incite them to unite their strength and launch a rebellion.
His objective was not to ensure the rebellion succeeded, but merely to initiate it.
He understood this well.
The rebellion would not succeed.
Honestly, he found it puzzling why they would incite a rebellion destined to fail.
But based on his own reasoning, it seemed the Murim Alliance Leader was displeased with the growing power of the Imperial Palace.
‘Well, if civil war erupts, the Emperor will lose something as well. And through this incident, we can gauge the true strength of the Imperial Palace.’
Many would die in the process, but he cared not.
What did it matter how many perished, so long as he could advance his own position?
His martial skill had reached the first rank.
For years now, he had hit a wall with no further progress.
It was then that the League Master had made him an offer.

“If you perform several tasks at my command, I shall teach you a martial technique.”
“Pardon? A martial technique?”
“A technique of my own creation. With this method, you could transcend the barrier and reach the pinnacle realm.”

Peak realm.
If I could surpass that wall, even the position of League Master would not be merely a dream.
After taking a brief respite and catching my breath, I rose and brushed the dust from my robes.
‘They won’t investigate that place forever anyway, so I can retrieve those documents after they withdraw….’
Besides, though the documents there were important, they weren’t urgently needed at this moment.
‘First, I should report this and settle the matter.’
That was when it happened.
A chilling presence emanated from behind me.
I instinctively drew my blade and swung it.
Clang!
The sword aimed at me was deflected. In that same instant, I caught sight of my attacker’s face.
But it was not a bare face.
‘A smiling face… a mask?’
Now that I thought about it, I had heard of smiling face masks somewhere before.
‘That’s it! Of course! The White Thunder Group disappearance incident!’
At that time, Ma Jeong, the Manor Lord of Hanan Taekyung County, had invested a substantial sum for the Murim Alliance’s Pyo Bureau business venture.
But that money was stolen midway.
Ma Jeong’s guards, who had been identified as the perpetrators at the time, testified that those wearing smiling face masks had stolen the money.
However, they had been carrying sedatives at the time, and it was concluded that they had seen illusions because of it.
And half of the White Thunder Group was dispatched, but… they disappeared.
Yang Eun-jik sensed the truth instinctively.
The testimonies of Ma Jeong’s guards were true. And the disappearance of half the White Thunder Group as well….
‘It was their doing!’
But I could not continue my thoughts any further.
The four masked figures possessed skill far beyond what I had anticipated.
I gritted my teeth.
‘These bastards… they seem to be around first-rate level. Damn it, if I had been at peak realm…! Then I could have escaped even by sacrificing an arm….’
The gap between peak realm and first-rate was that vast.
Clang!
Clang clang!
Thud!
Blades clashed fiercely against one another.
I desperately evaded and parried their attacks, but I could not prevent wounds from accumulating across my body.
‘Thank heavens they are not at peak realm. If they were, I would already be dead.’
Thinking thus, I let out a bitter laugh inwardly.
Honestly, peak realm warriors were not common, and there was no reason they would attack me here.
Still, their coordinated assault was quite formidable.
It was nearly miraculous that I had withstood their combined attack for a full moment while avoiding fatal wounds.
That miracle summoned yet another miracle.
Whoooosh!
Yang Eun-jik’s blade blazed with brilliant light—the sword force that symbolized the pinnacle of a master warrior’s realm.
He cried out in exultation.
‘The pinnacle! I’ve finally broken through the barrier! Finally reached the pinnacle….’
Thud—!
But in that same instant, what appeared before him was a blade piercing through his abdomen and erupting from the other side.

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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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