The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Merchant Group - Chapter 385

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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 385

Chapter 385. The Ghost Marketplace (4)

At my question, a woman emerged from the darkness.
She appeared with the scent of orchids—it was Bing Haerin, Young Palace Master.
“As I suspected, you were planning to go alone.”
“….”
She continued speaking.
“This is a matter concerning the Northern Sea Ice Palace. I cannot simply abandon it after entrusting it to the Eun Small Merchant Leader.”
“So you’re saying you’ll come with me?”
“Yes.”
But I had my reasons for not bringing Bing Haerin along.
“That place is rife with illegal dealings. If you cannot pretend not to see such things, it’s better you don’t go.”
That’s why I left Jin-ho behind as well.
Jin-ho is far too righteous a person—he would surely lose his composure upon witnessing it.
At my words, Bing Haerin let out a soft laugh.
“You seem to think of me as quite the upright person, Small Merchant Leader.”
“What?”
“Very well. I’ll be honest with you. Do you remember the Masked Intruder you saw at Yeonhwa House before? That was actually me.”
I already knew that.
Though she denied it, I had sensed the orchid fragrance.
“Secretly searching through buildings hardly seems like righteous conduct, does it?”
At that, I couldn’t help but laugh.
“Why are you laughing?”
“It’s just… you remind me of a young adult who drinks a bit of wine and insists they’re grown up.”
“What?”
My words may have been rather blunt.
But there was no other way to explain it.
“Regardless, do you truly insist on coming with me?”
“Yes.”
She nodded firmly. Seeing the resolute gleam in her eyes, she seemed unlikely to be persuaded easily.
There was no helping it.
“Very well. But I have one condition.”
“What is it?”
“Inside the Ghost Marketplace, you must follow my instructions without question.”
“I promise.”
“No. That won’t suffice.”
I shook my head and spoke.
“Swear by the Northern Sea Ice Palace.”
“Do you… understand what that means when you ask it of me?”
“Of course.”
To ask someone from the Northern Sea Ice Palace to swear by the Northern Sea Ice Palace meant they would renounce all martial prowess if they broke their oath.
“That is precisely why the Ghost Market is a place where one cannot afford recklessness. Will you do it?”
Bing Haerin, Young Palace Master, who had been considering my words for a moment, nodded.
“Very well. I swear.”
“Then let us go. But first, change your clothes.”

A short while later.
Bing Haerin, Young Palace Master, had also changed into black robes.
Since we had taken slightly longer than anticipated, we moved with urgency.
And we arrived before a great gate.
Standing before that gate erected at the forest’s entrance were figures wearing goblin masks and dressed in crimson robes, positioned like gatekeepers.
They spoke to us with an oppressive tone.
“This is no place for humans.”
When warriors of such imposing stature—over eight feet tall—spoke thus, even the faint-hearted would retreat in fear.
Beyond wearing black robes to enter the Ghost Market, two additional conditions were required.
One was a secret password.
“We are not human either, so it should not matter, should it?”
“Hmm, is that so?”
“Then have that human cover their face.”
The second condition was masks.
One had to wear a goblin mask without fail to enter the Ghost Market.
It was a mask that covered even the head completely, provided by the Ghost Market itself.
Of course, it had to be returned upon departure.
We received our masks and passed through the gate, entering the forest.
As we walked toward the true entrance of the Ghost Market, I reminded Bing Haerin, Young Palace Master, once more.
“You must never remove this mask inside. If you do, those who maintain order there will expel you.”
“I will remember.”
Seo-woo Warrior and Jin Yu Warrior also nodded.
Soon, brilliant lights came into view.
That was the Ghost Market.
Thousands upon thousands of crimson lanterns created an ethereal, dreamlike atmosphere as if we were walking through a reverie.
It had been a long time.
This place had not changed from my previous life to now.
Patrons wearing goblin masks and black robes, and the Blood Sea Dark King’s soldiers dressed in crimson.
And merchants clad in blue robes.
To conduct business in the Ghost Market, one had to receive permission from the Blood Sea Dark King.
If you conduct business without permission, you’ll be executed if caught.
I’m not speaking metaphorically—you actually die.
That “permission” is essentially a promissory note agreeing to remit half of your sales revenue. In exchange, they don’t care what you sell.
I was walking down the path, observing the merchant tents stretching out on both sides.
“Is that… real?”
At Bing Haerin, Young Palace Master’s question, I turned my head to look at what she was pointing toward.
[Various poisons sold at affordable prices]
In front of the sign were bottles displayed that I presumed contained poison.
“Yes, it’s likely genuine.”
“They’re allowed to sell poison so openly?”
“Here at the Ghost Marketplace, you can sell anything. The only rule is that counterfeits are forbidden. If you’re caught selling fakes, you die.”
“….”
“Are you already shocked?”
She’s surprised too early.
We resumed walking, though Bing Haerin, Young Palace Master occasionally paused in her steps.

[Fresh corpses for sale]
[Blood cores for sale]
[Fire bone powder, Immortal Sage lungs, blood sight pills for sale]
[Assassination contracts accepted]

All of it was illegal.
I was genuinely grateful I hadn’t brought Jin-ho along. He would have been horrified.
As we ventured deeper, I spotted what appeared to be Courtesans soliciting customers.
Their attire was rather embarrassing to witness, though fortunately they wore masks.
And alcohol at a time like this…
Well, if they sell poison here, there’s nothing they wouldn’t sell.
Despite all these illegal dealings flourishing, order was maintained in a peculiar way…

“This is pure robbery! You’re charging five silver coins for this?”
“Customer, you seem unfamiliar with this place. Here, we accept the exact price marked.”
“What kind of nonsense is that? I’ll give you three silver coins.”
“That’s not acceptable.”
“What do you mean it’s not acceptable? Here!”
“Sigh. We have someone here who doesn’t understand the rules!”

At his shout, those dressed in red rushed over, and the man was beaten soundly before being dragged away.
This is precisely why order is maintained so well in this place.
“There’s no haggling here, then?”
At Seo-woo Warrior’s question, I nodded.
“Correct. It’s the law of this place. Only the price written on the tag is accepted. That said, they cannot gouge customers either. If the price is absurd, the proprietor will beat them before they can even post the tag.”
“I see.”
A bitter taste filled my mouth.
Here I was, holding the position of Imperial Inspector from the Emperor himself, yet I had to turn a blind eye to such illegal dealings.
But stepping in now would be foolish on my part.
No matter how hard one tries to eradicate illegal activity, it always finds a way to survive.
And it would only drive it deeper underground. So this level is actually ideal.
Just then, a drum sounded.
Boom, boom, boom!
And someone shouted loudly.
“The auction will begin in one hour! Those wishing to participate should come to the Central Courtyard!”
I spoke to my companions.
“Let’s go.”
Soon we arrived at the Central Courtyard. A man who appeared to be a soldier distributed numbered flags to each of us.
The number on my flag was sixty.
Looking around, quite a few people had gathered in the Central Courtyard.
“Thank you for your patience!”
Then a man wearing a goblin mask stepped onto the platform.
“Today we’ve prepared some truly excellent items. Without further delay, let’s begin.”
At his gesture, a man pulled forward a cart with small wheels.
“This item is made from heavenly silkworm thread….”
“Oh! Heavenly silkworm thread!”
The surroundings buzzed with excitement.
I was tempted for a moment, but since I already possessed heavenly silkworm thread given by the Emperor, I refrained from bidding.
“Starting bid is one hundred silver taels.”
“Five! One hundred thirty silver taels!”
“Seventy! One hundred fifty silver taels!”
In the end, the heavenly silkworm thread sold for two hundred silver taels.
Several more items passed by….
“Next is an elixir that can only be obtained from the Northern Sea—Bing Lian Silk. Those who know of it understand it’s the finest remedy for wounds from heat-based martial arts. Furthermore, it can increase the internal energy of those who practice yin-based martial arts by a full decade!”
At that moment, Bing Haerin, Young Palace Master’s body trembled.
“What’s wrong?”
“That…must be an item we sent out this time.”
“Do you have proof that it’s the elixir?”
“The color of that Bing Lian Silk hasn’t become completely transparent yet. That means it was harvested less than a month ago.”
I too knew this fact.
I had only asked out of caution, but I had already noticed that the Bing Lian Silk originated from the Northern Sea Ice Palace.
“We’ll start the bidding at five hundred silver taels.”
People were eagerly calling out prices to claim the Bing Lian Silk.
I too needed to obtain it for my own purposes.
“Three thousand silver taels! Three thousand silver taels! Going once?”
I raised my flag and called out.
“Sixty-two! Three thousand five hundred silver taels.”
“Yes, three thousand five hundred silver taels!”
Then the one who had bid three thousand silver taels called out loudly.
“Four thousand silver taels!”
I raised my flag again and called out.
“Sixty-two! Five thousand silver taels!”
“Yes, five thousand silver taels! Five thousand silver taels! Going once?”
When the price reached five thousand taels, my competitor fell silent and lowered his head.
“Sold!”
At this, Bing Haerin spoke with astonished eyes.
“But… you said it was for our sake… five thousand silver taels… you didn’t have to go this far.”
Indeed, five thousand silver taels was a considerable sum even for Bing Haerin, Young Palace Master.
I simply smiled. This wasn’t the end.
“The next item is also a spirit herb. We’ll start the bidding at fifty silver taels for this one.”
“Sixty-two! One hundred silver taels!”
“Forty-one! Two hundred silver taels!”
“Sixty-two! Three hundred silver taels!”
“…”
Thus I secured the spirit herb at three hundred silver taels, and the next item, Seol Mae Silk, I also won at three thousand silver taels.
By this point, Bing Haerin, Young Palace Master’s eyes were wide with bewilderment.
Though she wore a mask, her expression was plainly visible.
After that, I purchased Bing Ru Mae and Sang Yeop Cho as well.
The total amount I spent at this auction was nearly ten thousand silver taels.
Well, I could understand Bing Haerin, Young Palace Master’s reaction.
My Guard Warriors, on the other hand, remained composed.
After the auction ended, a person dressed in red approached me.
“Please come collect your items. And as you know, if you don’t have the funds to pay right now…”
“You needn’t worry about that. I brought plenty of promissory notes.”
“Then I shall escort you.”
We followed him into a building.
It appeared to be a building for managing the items put up for auction.
The security was extremely thorough.
As we waited in the designated room, the person in red entered carrying a box.
“I apologize for the wait.”
“No, that’s not it.”
“These are the items you won at auction today, sir.”
I opened the box.
Bing Lian Silk, Seol Sam, Seol Mae Silk, Bing Ru Mae, Sang Yeop Cho.
Five types of spirit medicines in total.
Now it was time for Geum-ryeong to shine.
I pretended to examine the spirit medicines while reaching both hands into the box.
Then I sent a telepathic message to Geum-ryeong.
– Geum-ryeong. Can you store these spirit medicines for me?
– Squeak?
A question asking if I merely wanted them stored—or if I meant to consume them. The latter was what she truly desired.
– I’ll give you a silver ingot later.
– Squeak!
Geum-ryeong appreciated spirit medicines because they were expensive, but what she loved most was money itself.
With only her head poking out from my sleeve, Geum-ryeong swallowed the spirit medicines in an instant.
This was an ability I’d discovered recently—Geum-ryeong could store money or spirit medicines within her belly.
The drawback was that she could only preserve expensive items.
Observing this, it seemed Geum-ryeong was indeed a spirit creature.
After confirming that Geum-ryeong had swallowed the spirit medicines, I retrieved the counterfeit ones I’d hidden in my other sleeve.
Then, while pretending to inspect the goods, I assumed a grave expression.
Though Seo-woo Warrior had been watching, he’d already received my signal and cautiously asked.
“What troubles you, my lord?”
“Has something gone wrong?”
Jin Yu Warrior followed with his own question.
I exhaled heavily, shook my head, and turned to the Box Deliverer.
“Can you guarantee these items are genuine, staking the name of this establishment’s owner on it?”
“Of course.”
He answered with confidence.
“These are all authentic.”
“Then why are the items I’ve received counterfeits?”
“What? Counterfeits? That’s impossible!”
“I find it difficult to believe as well. The reputation of the Guimae Antique Shop is well-known to me. It’s said you never deal in fakes. So why…sigh.”
I explained in detail why I believed these were counterfeits.
“If you doubt my words, call an appraiser and have them examined.”
He summoned an appraiser, his expression filled with disbelief.
The result was hardly surprising, was it?
The appraiser examined the spirit medicines and grew flustered.
“These were genuine when I appraised them before?”
“They switched the real ones during appraisal for counterfeits when delivering the goods.”
“Inform the owner at once!”
Listening to their conversation, I smiled with satisfaction.
Whoever handed over the Spirit Elixir would find themselves in quite a predicament.
Well then, shall we move on to the next phase?

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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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