The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Merchant Group - Chapter 321

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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 321

Chapter 321. What Must Be Done (2)

In my past life, I had always found it regrettable that Kang Yong’s Tribe was such a closed-off place.
This region was where hongram, the primary ingredient for rouge, grew exceptionally well.
I had hoped to request they cultivate hongram, but each time I was flatly refused.
The reason was simple: they would not associate with outsiders.
The Tribal Chief’s son had gone missing after an outsider visited.
But now that his missing son had returned, perhaps that exclusionary attitude would soften somewhat.
The Tribal Chief and I exchanged names and greetings with one another.
“The day grows late, so you’ll stay the night before departing.”
“Then I won’t refuse your kindness.”
We couldn’t have traveled further anyway in the darkness.
And I needed rest.
Even traveling by carriage takes a physical toll on the body.
At that moment, the Tribal Chief glanced at the carriage and asked.
“Are there perhaps other children as well?”
“Yes. I rescued five children, and I’ve already returned one. Kang Yong is the second.”
“I see. Would it be alright if I met them briefly?”
“I’ll ask the children first.”
There was a chance they might be frightened.
The children agreed, and they followed me to the Tribe Chief’s House.
“This is my father.”
At Kang Yong’s introduction, the children greeted him hesitantly.
“Ah, hello.”
“It’s good to meet you. I’m relieved you’re all safe.”
As the Tribal Chief spoke, his eyes studied the children carefully. From his gaze, it seemed he was trying to discern which tribes they belonged to.
After a moment,
the Tribal Chief gestured with his hand for me to step outside with him.
I followed the Tribal Chief outside.
“First, let me express my gratitude again. Thank you for rescuing my son and bringing him back like this.”
“I only did what needed to be done. Isn’t it the duty of adults to protect children who will become the pillars of our future?”
“Yet those very adults kidnapped the children.”
“….”
“What I mean is, some adults deserve death, while those who understand their duty deserve gratitude.”
The Tribal Chief continued speaking.
“Those children—they’re from tribes I know. I’ll send word for them to come here.”
“I apologize for the trouble this causes you. Are you certain it’s no inconvenience?”
“Of course. I too have been a father who lost a child, so how could I not understand their anguish?”
He continued.
“Fortunately, all the tribes these children belong to are friendly with us, so they will come when we call. I shall send messengers from our side.”
“Thank you so much.”
In truth, after returning the children, I had matters to attend to in Gansu.
That was partly why I hurried, so I was grateful for this assistance.
The Tribal Chief immediately summoned someone and sent word to the tribes of the three children.
I mentioned that since night had fallen, it might be better to send them tomorrow, but they said they were accustomed to such journeys and assured me it was fine, so I nodded in agreement.
That night, I rested with an easy heart.

* * *

The next day.
As morning broke, the messenger who had departed the previous evening returned.
He came with a couple from another tribe.
They had barely dismounted from their horses before calling out a child’s name.
“Eung-man! Eung-man! Where are you?”
At that voice, the child named Eung-man, who had been sleeping in the Tribal Chief’s house, jolted awake.
“Huh? That’s Mother’s voice, isn’t it?”
At that moment, his eyes met those of a Young Nobleman sitting before him.
It was the kind elder brother who had saved them. That brother smiled and pointed outside.
“What are you doing? Your mother is calling—hurry and go out.”
“Y-yes!”
At those words, Eung-man nodded and quickly rose from the bed, rushing outside.
“Mother! Father!”
“Oh my! It really is our Eung-man!”
“You rascal, where on earth did you go… *sob*…”
The couple could not forget the events of the previous night.
One day their child had suddenly vanished. In truth, children from the tribe had disappeared before.
Given the harsh environment, they had assumed the child had fallen prey to wild beasts, and they had been consumed with grief.
But last night, a messenger from a neighboring tribe had brought them news that seemed impossible to believe.

“Is there a child named Eung-man in your tribe?”
“Ah, yes. That’s right.”
“He is currently with our tribe. The Tribal Chief has sent word for you to come and retrieve him.”

They had ridden their horses urgently to this place, and now they could be reunited with their child.
“What in the world happened? You disappeared so suddenly that I thought you’d been harmed by wild beasts.”
Eung-man explained everything to his father from beginning to end.
He had eaten dumplings given to him by some merchant passing by and lost consciousness, only to awaken as he was being forcibly dragged somewhere.
He told them how he had been imprisoned in the Cave Dungeon and how a handsome older brother had rescued him and the others.
Eung-man’s parents were shocked by his account.
It was a story they could never have imagined.
‘Now that I think about it, I did find it strange that so many children have been disappearing from the tribe lately.’
At that moment, Eung-man broke into a wide smile and spoke.
“That’s the older brother who saved me! And he’s called Seon Hyeop Mi-rang, a Great Hero of the Martial Arts World!”

* * *

Starting with Eung-man’s parents, the parents of the other children began arriving one by one.
The last to arrive was the father of a child named Gil Seong.
I heard he had come from the most distant tribe, so it seemed he had come alone.
“Even if he arrived tomorrow, we’d call that fast enough… But then again, having experienced the loss of a child myself, such things seem meaningless.”
“Still, I’m grateful for your help.”
“Don’t mention it. But I’m at a loss as to how to repay this debt of gratitude.”
He continued speaking.
“Actually, when my daughter-in-law was pregnant with Kang Yong, my father had a prophetic dream.”
It was unusual for a father-in-law to have a dream about his daughter-in-law’s pregnancy, but such things do happen.
“At that time, someone told him that if Kang Yong reached adulthood safely within our tribe, our tribe would prosper greatly. But if Kang Yong did not reach adulthood within our tribe, our tribe would fall into hardship.”
“….”
“Of course, it was only my father’s dream, but still, Kang Yong was the future and hope of our tribe.”
Having already lived one life, I could not take the Tribal Chief’s words lightly.
“So, I truly wish to repay you.”
“It wasn’t something I did alone—there were others involved….”
“But you were the one who directly rescued my child, weren’t you? And I heard you faced the Bandit Leader alone.”
So Kang Yong had witnessed everything.
“So please, don’t refuse my request.”
I hesitated for a moment at his words, then nodded.
“Understood. Then may I ask for one favor?”
“Speak freely.”
“Do you happen to know of a plant called hongram?”
“Of course I do. Isn’t it the plant used to make rouge?”
“I have a request related to it.”
I entrusted the cultivation of hongram to the Tribal Chief. I would process and sell the hongram to earn money, while the tribe would supply me with hongram and earn money as well.
It was a win-win arrangement.

In any case, I was relieved that all five children I had rescued were able to reunite with their parents.
That evening.
The Tribal Chief held a banquet.
It was an especially joyous occasion for the parents who had found their lost children.
It was then that Eung-man’s Father approached me.
“Sir, Great Hero.”
“The title of Great Hero is still too much for me.”
“Not at all. Where else would you find someone more deserving of the title Great Hero than you? Isn’t that right? Seon Hyeop Mi-rang, Great Hero.”
Ugh!
My reputation had spread all the way here!
Passed along through Palgap to the children, and then to their parents as well….
At this rate, wouldn’t my reputation spread throughout all the tribes in Northern Gansu?
I spoke with an embarrassed expression.
“I understand. But please, drop the “Seon Hyeop Mi-rang” part. It’s mortifying.”
He chuckled and nodded.
“Very well. Actually, do you happen to know anything about the other kidnapped children? In truth, there are a couple more children who have gone missing from our tribe recently.”
The others present also agreed with his words.
“We have the same situation.”
“Two children have disappeared from our tribe as well.”
As I suspected….
I had anticipated this, but they certainly kidnapped quite evenly from each tribe.
I set down my teacup and spoke.
“In fact, this matter….”
I explained how the Imperial Officials had already reported to the Emperor that children were disappearing, and how the Emperor had ordered people to investigate the matter.
Of course, I omitted the sensitive details.
“The Emperor will interrogate them, find the children who were taken, and do his utmost to return them to their homes.”
“Ah, we are grateful for such benevolence!”
“Truly, the prosperity of this Empire is assured!”
“So please, wait a little longer. The Emperor is doing his very best.”
Your Majesty, are you listening?
I am such a loyal subject, spreading word of the Emperor’s virtuous rule far and wide.
So surely, you won’t overlook the money I’ve spent, yes?
.
.
.
The day after the banquet ended.
Those who had come to the tribe to search for the children prepared to depart.
It was then that Gil Seong approached me.
“Great Hero.”
“You too? Just call me Elder Brother, you bastard.”
I reached out and gently stroked the boy’s head. A child barely ten years old calling me a Great Hero—
that was hardly endearing.
Of course, he was the oldest among the five children. Fourteen years old, if I recalled correctly?
“Ah, Elder Brother!”
“Yes, now you’re finally worth listening to? Why?”
“I will repay this debt of gratitude, no matter what.”
“Don’t think like that. First, focus on growing strong and healthy.”
“Ugh! Can’t you take me seriously for once? I’m being quite earnest and sincere right now.”
“I know.”
“What?”
“I can tell at a glance whether you’re being serious or joking. I know full well that you’re speaking sincerely.”
….
“Yes, I understand your resolve. But here’s the thing—what you need right now isn’t that kind of determination. What you need is to think about how to live well and eat well, don’t you think?”
Gil Sung tilted his head at my words.
“What?”
“To be honest, you’ll only be useful to me once you have the ability to repay that debt.”
Gil Sung’s expression grew serious.
Had my words sounded that grave?
I reached out again to ruffle his hair, tousling it as I spoke.
“So, think about that later and just live healthily. Little one.”
“Ugh! Elder Brother!”
“Go on now.”
I gave Gil Sang a gentle push forward, and he walked away before hesitating and turning back to look at me.
“Elder Brother!”
“Hmm?”
“Just wait! I’ll become someone truly useful to you!”
And with that, he dashed off toward his father and said something to those gathered there.
What? What was he saying?
Just as I was about to focus my inner energy on my hearing, Seo-woo Warrior spoke.
“That boy Gil Sang—he will grow into something great.”
“What?”
“That’s what I felt.”
And so the children returned to their respective homes, and I parted ways with Eung-man’s tribe as well.
“Then, until we meet again.”
“Travel safely.”
“Yes. Take care of yourselves. And Eung-man, you take care too.”
“Yes!”
And so our party departed from the tribe.
“Young Master, where are we headed now?”
“Gongtong Mountain.”
“Pardon?”
Palgap blinked and asked.
“You don’t mean Gongtong Mountain—the one where the Gongtong Sect is based, do you?”
“That’s right.”
I continued.
“I’m thinking of lying low there for a while. Since the Gongtong Sect, the hegemon of Gansu Province, is established there, it should be safe, shouldn’t it?”
Seo-woo Warrior nodded at my words.
“A perfectly sound strategy, sir.”
“By now, if they’ve realized they’ve been deceived and are tracking us properly, they should be approaching Gansu Province.”
Of course, it won’t matter much.
The work is already done, and Bang Nosa and the others are likely following the Yellow River northward toward Beijing by now.
Still, just in case, I plan to buy them time until they arrive—a game of cat and mouse, so to speak.
And there are other matters I need to attend to as well.

* * *

At that very moment.
The pursuit party, composed of members from the Black Path, set foot on Gansu soil.
“We’ve finally reached Gansu!”
“Damn it!”
“They must be here, right?”
They ground their teeth.
Following the rumor that the target had gone to Guangdong, they had pursued southward, but midway through, they felt something was amiss and made inquiries again.
The Gaebang and Hao Organization in that region said the target seemed to have gone to Gansu.
Having wasted both money and time, and endured considerable hardship, they returned to Kaifeng and confronted the Hao Organization and Gaebang about it.

“According to the intelligence at that time, they were definitely heading to Guangdong. Later, we heard they changed course and went to Gansu instead.”

Upon reporting this to headquarters, they were told that they absolutely must discover what kind of letter Eun Seo-ho possessed.
Thus, they set out once more and arrived in Gansu.
They clenched their fists tightly.
“There will be no failure this time! We will crush that bastard Eun Seo-ho without question!”
Soon they began searching throughout Gansu Province for any trace of Eun Seo-ho.
Following the clues and information, they arrived at a ruined Mountain Stronghold.
However, a group of Black Robed Persons were investigating the place.
“Who are you?”
“And who are you?”
“I don’t know what business you have here, but why don’t you withdraw? We were here first….”
“That’s impossible!”
“Well, then there’s no helping it.”
Shing,
“Hah! That’s our line!”
Shing,
They drew their weapons against each other, and two mysterious groups of Black Robed Persons collided.

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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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