The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Merchant Group - Chapter 35

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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 35

Chapter 35. The Small Merchant Guild Leader’s Public Announcement (6)

The largest merchant guild in Chongyang County, Hubei Province, was the Eunhae Trading Company.
However, the Eunhae Trading Company did not monopolize everything in Chongyang County, so there were several other merchant guilds.
One of them was the Black Wine Gang.
True to its name, it was a place where martial artists from the Black Path supplied liquor to small taverns.
Though it was called “supply,” it was essentially forced sales.
The owners of small taverns with limited power had no choice but to accept their coercive dealings.
This situation changed three years ago.
The Eunhae Trading Company began a liquor supply business.
Since they delivered quality spirits at reasonable prices, the tavern owners wanted to receive their liquor.
But the Black Wine Gang, the existing supplier, was hardly pleased about this.
When the tavern owners began deferring to them, the Eunhae Trading Company made a proposal.
They would commission the Changin Escort Agency to prevent the Black Wine Gang from causing trouble.
Though the Eunhae Trading Company’s martial strength was already considerable, with the Changin Escort Agency joining forces, the tavern owners’ allegiance shifted.
Eventually, all the taverns in Chongyang County began receiving liquor from the Eunhae Trading Company.
As a result, the Black Wine Gang found itself in dire straits.
.
.
.
Crash!
O Dae-deuk, the leader of the Black Wine Gang, slammed his fist hard against the wooden table.
“Damn it all!”
He turned to Bang Do, who trembled before him.
“So, he was caught?”
“Yes, that… that’s what happened.”
“He swallowed a hundred taels of my hard-earned money and got himself caught?”
“….”
“Don’t just stand there silent, you bastard!”
O Dae-deuk grabbed a liquor bottle and hurled it.
Crash!
Bang Do’s forehead split open where the bottle struck, and he collapsed to the ground.
“Please, spare me, Bangjoo!”
“Get up! Who said you could die?”
As Bang Do rose to his feet, trembling violently, O Dae-deuk issued him a command.
“Explain in detail.”
“Yes, well, you see….”
“Skip the elaboration. Keep it as concise as possible.”
“Understood!”
Bang Do explained to Bangjoo O Dae-deuk what had transpired at the Small Merchant Guild Leader’s public announcement banquet held by Eun Jung-ho, the eldest son of the Eunhae Trading Company Master.
Upon hearing this account, O Dae-deuk ground his teeth.
“What kind of fool! What assassin carries out an assassination in broad daylight where warriors are crawling all over the place?”
Though it was an injustice from the perspective of the Faceless Guest, O Dae-deuk, ignorant of the full circumstances, could only burst forth in rage.
“Um, Bangjoo.”
Another Bang Do standing nearby asked cautiously.
“What if that fool confesses that we commissioned this deed?”
“We simply deny it! We’ve been doing this all along—why are you suddenly getting squeamish?”
“But… I’m worried we may have overstepped our bounds.”
“How many places were we supplying liquor to?”
“If I recall correctly, one hundred sixty-eight establishments.”
“How many have we supplied to in the past month?”
“…Not a single one.”
“They’ve seized every single distribution point! There ought to be honor among merchants! While we starve and suck our fingers, they throw banquets—and you’re not even seething with rage?”
“….”
O Dae-deuk continued, breathing heavily.
“That’s why I sent a warning! If they provoke us, the eldest son of the Eunhae Trading Company ends up like that. So they should accept our liquor again.”
“What I mean is, how do you intend to handle the consequences of such an act….”
“Damn it! Didn’t I tell you? We deny everything! Do you want to die? Is that what you want?”
“I-I’m sorry! Please spare me! Bangjoo! I spoke out of turn!”
Thud-thud-thud-thud!
Just then, someone came running and shouted.
“D-Disaster, Bangjoo!”
“What is it?”
“Government forces! Government forces are approaching!”
“Government forces? Not constables—actual government forces?”
“Yes!”
“How many?”
“It looks like several hundred at least.”
Should a major incident occur, the Magistrate of Chongyang County could request government forces.
But the arrival of several hundred soldiers meant that someone higher up the chain had intervened.
At those words, one of the Bang Do cried out.
“This is bad! Then the Inspector must be involved!”
“Could it be that everything we’ve done has been discovered?”
O Dae-deuk rose from his seat and shouted.
“Tell them to fight back!”
“Sir?”
“Government Forces! Do you understand what will happen if we’re captured? Would it be better to die in battle? Or would it be preferable to endure endless torture before being dismembered alive?”
At those words, Bang Do, who had brought the news, bit his lip.
“I will die fighting.”
That Bang Do left.
The moment the other Bang Dos in that place let their guard down watching his departing figure.
Scrape!
Thud!
Squelch!
O Dae-deuk drew his blade and cut down and pierced the Bang Dos who stood with him in that place.
“Why, why…?”
He laughed bitterly at their anguished questions.
“Because you all know of the Secret Passage’s existence.”
Scrape—!
Having slaughtered everyone, O Dae-deuk hastily gathered his belongings.
In the life of a Black Path martial artist, one never knows when calamity might strike.
Thus, I always kept the necessities for escape prepared and ready.
From far away came the sounds of the Black Wine Gang’s Bang Dos clashing with the Government Forces.
“Foolish bastards. Fight to your hearts’ content. I’m leaving.”
He then opened the Secret Passage hidden beneath the Wooden Table and threw himself inside.
He crawled through the narrow passage for some distance.
How far had he gone?
Soon light appeared, and he carefully peered outside.
No one was there.
‘Of course! How could anyone know of this place? Hehehehe.’
He quickly emerged from the Secret Passage and began walking along the route he had previously scouted.
But he was forced to stop almost immediately.
A voice came from beside him.
“As expected, there was a rat hole after all.”

* * *

I leveled my sword at O Dae-deuk Bangjoo.
As expected, he had escaped through the rat hole and was attempting to flee.
Though he had been slightly delayed by getting caught and struggling with Palgap along the way.
In any case, Palgap was well hidden within the thicket….
Wait?
Why couldn’t I sense Palgap’s presence at all?
In any case, had I been even a moment slower, I would have missed capturing him.
“Who are you?”
At that question, I let out a soft laugh.
“That hardly matters, does it?”
In that instant, O Dae-deuk Bangjoo lunged at me.
His blade cut sharply through the air, aiming for my shoulder.
Clang!
But I had no intention of yielding my shoulder to such a meager attack. I swiftly swung my sword to deflect his blade upward.
Clang-clang-clang!
O Dae-deuk retreated, spittle dripping from his lips.
“You’re no ordinary opponent!”
He adjusted his grip on his sword.
It seemed he intended to fight in earnest.
Then it was only proper that I do the same.
I recalled the first form of the Jinseol Twelve-Form Swordplay that I had learned in my previous life—or rather, learned recently.
Descending Snow.
The coming of snow marks the beginning of winter.
The entire landscape turns white, and all things shrivel beneath the biting winter wind.
Similarly, the first form, Descending Snow, is both the beginning and the most crucial foundation of the Jinseol Twelve-Form Swordplay.
Clang!
Clang-clang!
O Dae-deuk Bangjoo’s blade met mine.
My hands tingled from the impact, but we were far from finished.
I methodically advanced using the Muheun Footwork while unfolding the Descending Snow form.
“Ugh….”
The strength began draining from O Dae-deuk Bangjoo’s sword, and the advantage gradually tilted toward me.
Had he been a vastly superior master, he would have recognized the true intent of this form and chosen to break the momentum rather than continue clashing blades with me.
For the purpose of Descending Snow was to draw the opponent’s advantage toward myself.
Of course, had I not possessed memories from my previous life, I could not have led this battle in such a manner.
Having learned only the first form of the Jinseol Twelve-Form Swordplay, I could not have fully grasped its true essence.
But having trained in this swordplay for over a decade in my previous life, I understood well the true intent of Descending Snow.
That it was the most tyrannical technique among the twelve forms of this swordplay.
Clang-crash!
O Dae-deuk Bangjoo’s sword slipped from his grasp and flew through the air.
Slash!
My blade pressed against his throat.
“Will you surrender?”
“Y-yes, I surrender.”
O Dae-deuk Bangjoo said this while reaching into his robes.
But I wasn’t about to let that happen.
How many Black Path members had I encountered by now?
I swiftly knocked whatever he was holding from his hand, drove my knee into his abdomen, and brought the flat of my blade down against his neck.
“Ugh!”
He let out a final cry and collapsed face-first to the ground.
I bound him while he lay unconscious.
I wasn’t killing him here because dying like this would be far too merciful.
He needed to suffer every pain he could endure before death.
I called out toward the thicket.
“It’s done. You can come out now.”
At my words, the bushes rustled and Palgap emerged.
I hadn’t sensed his presence at all….
What was that about?
Whether Palgap knew what I was thinking or not, he spoke with an astonished expression.
“Young Master? Are you really the Young Master?”
“Who else would I be? A ghost?”
“Ah, no, that’s not what I meant….”
Palgap scratched his head. Then he glanced at the unconscious O Dae-deuk Bangjoo and asked.
“You’re far stronger than I expected, Young Master… Were you hiding your true abilities?”
“That’s right. If others knew I possessed this level of strength, they’d be wary of me.”
More precisely, I wanted to avoid drawing the attention of the Murim Alliance and Baekcheon Trading Company.
“I suppose so, but… when exactly did you become this strong?”
“After I consumed the elixir.”
“Ah….”
Since Palgap was aware of the miraculous phenomenon that had occurred then, he readily accepted this explanation.
“So I’d appreciate it if you kept this secret as well.”
“Of course. I understand.”
Palgap nodded and asked.
“But what should we do with this bundle?”
The bundle that O Dae-deuk Bangjoo had been carrying.
It seemed like something important was inside.
“Let’s open it.”
At my words, Palgap untied it, and we both gasped in surprise.
“Gasp!”
“My goodness!”
The chamber overflowed with an enormous quantity of gold, silver, and precious treasures.
If this were to fall into the hands of the authorities, would it be returned to those who had suffered at the hands of O Dae-deuk Bangjoo?
No.
Assets confiscated from criminals are typically absorbed into the state treasury.
Therefore, it was only right that this be returned to those who had been wronged by O Dae-deuk Bangjoo.
I wrapped it up again and lifted the bundle.
“Palgap.”
“Yes, sir.”
“We have some urgent matters to attend to.”

* * *

Several days passed after that.
“Young Master, have you heard the news?”
At Palgap’s words, I tilted my head curiously.
“Heard what?”
“They say the leader of the Black Wine Gang has been captured.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. They found him dangling from a tree, apparently.”
“Hanging him from that tree before we left was a good call.”
I had initially planned to leave him there, but upon reflection, I worried the beasts might harm him, and there was a possibility he could crawl away and escape, so I suspended him from the tree before departing.
Palgap’s account continued.
“People are now speculating that someone with a grudge against the Black Wine Gang must have done it.”
“I thought they would suspect some wandering swordsman passing through.”
“Doesn’t it seem implausible to you as well, Young Master? How would a swordsman traveling through a remote area late at night even know who he was?”
“You’re right, it doesn’t make sense.”
“In any case, they’re still investigating who might be responsible.”
Palgap and I exchanged glances and stifled our laughter.
Because it was none other than us who had done it.
“And regarding those silver coins we distributed…”
Palgap and I had distributed portions of silver coins to those who had suffered at the hands of the Black Wine Gang.
“What about them?”
“The Black Wine Gang leader testified that his bundle of gold and silver treasures had disappeared, and based on that evidence, they’re concluding that whoever did this to him distributed the silver coins among the people.”
“That would make sense.”
“The authorities initially tried to confiscate it as criminal proceeds, but…”
Something surged up inside me in that moment.
After all the trouble we went through breaking it down into silver coins and distributing it, they wanted to seize it?
“The Inspector asked whether there was evidence that these were criminal proceeds the Black Wine Gang leader had taken with him. Since what he claimed to possess were gold coins, not silver coins, there was no proof.”
“And then?”
“So they decided to leave it as is.”
“Ah, is that so?”
It was a pleasant response.
“I should visit the Miscellaneous Goods Shop later and offer my thanks.”
It was fortunate that the effort to exchange it for silver notes had borne fruit.
“Then I’m heading to work.”
“Yes.”
With that, I left Palgap behind and made my way toward the Jaegyeong Pavilion.
It seemed wise that I had revealed the extent of my martial prowess to Palgap.
Otherwise, I would have exhausted myself creating false illusions of myself with the Heo Mae technique every time I left.
And later, if Palgap discovered the deception and grew sullen, it would be terribly difficult to appease him.
So was that purchase entirely pointless?
Still, there would surely be a use for it eventually.
As I walked with such thoughts, I soon arrived at the Jaegyeong Pavilion, received greetings from the pavilion staff, and headed toward Yu Chief Manager’s office.
My shift was beginning.

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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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