The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Merchant Group - Chapter 458

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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 Eun Hae Trading Company Chapter 458

Chapter 458. So This Was the Real Reason (2)

At that sound, everyone tensed and reached for their swords, but I calmly continued sipping my tea.
Mmm, this tea is delicious.
There’s something truly refined about drinking tea while listening to the rain.
“I say, can’t you hear that sound from Liaoning?”
“I can hear it. And there’s no need to worry. A Moshan Sect Taoist is guiding the unfortunate guests who have passed away at the inn.”
And there’s another reason I remain so composed.
I don’t sense any aura from the Black Path.
Though with all the various missions I undertake, I should encounter Moshan Sect Taoists from time to time.
Yet they’re reacting as if this were their first time.
I decided to ask just to be sure.
“Have you perhaps never witnessed a Moshan Sect Taoist guiding unfortunate guests before?”
Kwon Jik Grand Hero answered my question.
“That’s right. We’re not dispatched outside all that often, and even when we receive missions, we avoid people as much as possible.”
Ah, so that was it.
In truth, encountering Moshan Sect Taoists isn’t particularly common.
So even if we’ve heard about it, actually meeting one leaves no choice but to feel tense.
If they move in absolute secrecy, they’d have even less reason to encounter the Taoists.
“I see.”
“You seem quite accustomed to this.”
“Yes. When traveling the merchant routes, I encounter them once every few years.”
“I see.”
“And we have no reason to deliberately avoid people either.”
But then, an awkward situation arose.
The aura of the Moshan Sect Taoist suddenly shifted direction and began drawing closer to where we were.
I set down my teacup and sought their permission.
“And when one encounters a Moshan Sect Taoist guiding the departed, it’s an unwritten rule to offer them hospitality. So, would it be alright if I offered hospitality to the Moshan Sect Taoist for a moment?”
My words made them wear troubled expressions.
“Hmm….”
“I understand your situation. But if we don’t reveal who we are, the Taoist won’t know either.”
I continued speaking.
“And when one offers hospitality to a Moshan Sect Taoist, whether heaven bestows blessings or not, unexpected fortune often comes calling.”
At my persuasion, Kwon Jik Grand Hero consented on behalf of the group.
“Very well. Let us proceed as you suggest.”
Ding, ding.
The sound of the bell rang loudly, then ceased abruptly.
A bearded middle-aged man entered the cave where we were sheltering.
A Taoist from the Moshan Sect.
“Forgive my intrusion. I am Hae-eul, a member of the Moshan Sect. Might I take shelter here from the rain for a moment?”
“Ah, Hae-eul Taoist, I presume.”
I rose from my seat and offered a respectful bow.
“Please, sit. Have you eaten?”
“Unfortunately, circumstances prevented me from doing so.”
At his words, I glanced at Palgap, who immediately rose and set about preparing something.
“We haven’t had dinner yet either. Please, join us.”
“Thank you.”
Soon Palgap had prepared a steaming broth, and we gathered around to share it.
With dried flatbread added to it, the dish was fragrant and delicious.
Even the Gold-Clad Guard Masters marveled at how quickly such a fine meal had been prepared.
I found myself swelling with pride without meaning to.
Palgap’s culinary skill truly was exceptional.
After we finished eating and settled in with tea, I asked Hae-eul Taoist a question.
“Taoist, where do you hail from?”
“I come from the regions below.”
“Then you’re coming from the direction of Guizhou?”
“Precisely. To be more exact, from the direction of Yunnan Province.”
Excellent.
The dye stains on Hae-eul Taoist’s robes could only come from plants that grew near Yunnan.
So my suspicion had been correct.
“How are conditions in that region at present?”
At my question, Hae-eul Taoist shook his head gravely.
“I cannot say things are well. Other regions are fine, but the city of Chungyeongseong to the west is strictly controlling the entry of outsiders.”
“That’s strange. Even though Yunnan Province is remote, it’s still Imperial territory. Are they truly preventing outsiders from entering?”
“I don’t know all the details, but I’ve heard that the lord of Chungyeongseong hasn’t been seen in some time.”
“Is that so?”
“And his son has begun ruling the tribal settlement in his stead. From what I can tell, this seems to be the son’s doing rather than the lord’s intention.”
“That’s certainly possible.”
Thus we were able to gather information about Yunnan Province from Hae-eul Taoist.
We would need to obtain more detailed information upon arriving in Yunnan Province, but it was valuable to have this advance knowledge.
“However…”
He spoke while looking at the Gold-Clad Guard Masters behind me.
“The aura of the corpses I’m transporting and that of your companions seems quite similar.”
At those words, the Gold-Clad Guard Masters’ eyes flashed with an expression that seemed to say, “What nonsense is this?”
Though they had managed their expressions well enough, my eyes were not so easily deceived.
But this was not a matter to be dismissed so lightly.
Upon hearing those words, I immediately asked with a grave expression.
“You mentioned a similar aura?”
“Indeed.”
Hae-eul Taoist had reached the pinnacle of cultivation.
Moreover, the Moshan Sect’s exceptional ability to sense auras stemmed from their mastery of handling corpse demons.
The Taoist’s words likely meant that the deceased’s aura bore the distinctive characteristics of Imperial Palace martial arts.
“Some time ago, I recovered a corpse that was floating in the river. However, the depth of their resentment and lingering attachments is so great that they have not clearly revealed their hometown. They desperately wish to reach the Imperial Palace and are heading there, but I find myself uncertain whether this is the right course of action….”
“The Imperial Palace, you say?”
“Indeed. That is why I wished to ask, if it is not too presumptuous, whether you might know who this person is.”
Ah….
I began to understand why the Moshan Sect Taoist had altered his direction to come to our cave.
We were his objective from the start.
If the Taoist speaks with such gravity, it seems I must verify this matter.
With that in mind, I glanced at Kwon Jik Grand Hero, and he nodded solemnly.
“Of course.”
He too seemed to recognize the necessity of confirmation.

Whoooosh.
The rain continued to fall heavily.
I followed Hae-eul Taoist out of the cave alongside Kwon Jik Grand Hero and Han Seok.
Beneath the rocks beside the cave, two corpse demons stood motionless.
A boulder above them sheltered them from the rain.
The pallid faces of the corpse demons glistened with moisture.
Had Palgap seen these, he would have shrieked and made a tremendous fuss.
Yet upon seeing the corpse demons, Kwon Jik Grand Hero’s face hardened. Han Seok’s expression darkened as well.
“How… how… how could this….”
They could say nothing more and collapsed to the ground.
“Do you know them?”
Kwon Jik Grand Hero answered my question with difficulty.
“My… comrades.”
As I suspected… these corpse demons were Gold-Clad Guard Masters.
Hae-eul Taoist’s intuition had been precise.
Kwon Jik Grand Hero clenched his fists and asked Hae-eul Taoist.
“You said you found them in the river?”
“Indeed.”
“Please… tell me the detailed circumstances.”
“I discovered them discarded in the river, clothed in burial garments.”
Burial garments? Yet I could see no such thing….
Noticing my confusion, Hae-eul Taoist offered further explanation.
“At the time, all their clothes had been stripped away, so I procured garments and dressed them. Surely, even the deceased would not wish to return to their homeland completely naked, would they?”
“Thank you. Truly, thank you.”
“Then, would you not tell us where these departed souls should be guided?”
At those words, Kwon Jik Grand Hero hesitated.
In his heart, he wanted to ask for them to be taken directly to the Imperial Palace. But that was impossible.
There would be no shortage of those who would faint in shock at the sight of corpses walking about with heavy thuds.
It was then that I conceived of a good idea.
“There is an inn called Sefung Inn in Hebei. If you explain the situation to its owner, he will take in these departed souls.”
At my words, Kwon Jik Grand Hero started in surprise and turned to look at me.
His expression asked how I knew of such a place.
“Ah, I heard of it from Jin-yeong Great Swordmaster.”
“I see.”
“But were these departed Grand Heroes in the midst of a mission?”
“They were sent ahead to the place we intend to go.”
“….”
After pondering for a moment, I asked Kwon Jik Grand Hero.
“It would seem improper to these departed souls who fell while serving the Imperial Court, but might I examine their bodies for a moment?”
“Is it truly necessary?”
“Your grief at losing two comrades must be profound. But I believe our best course now is to prevent further losses.”
“You are cold.”
At those words, I offered a bitter smile.
“One must become cold for the sake of vengeance.”
“Vengeance… Yes, that is right.”
Kwon Jik Grand Hero nodded. In his eyes, the flames of fury ignited.
“I grant permission.”
“Thank you.”
As I grasped his collar, Han Seok spoke.
“I shall… assist you.”
Kwon Jik Grand Hero nodded.
“I will inform the others and return.”
“Understood.”
Kwon Jik Grand Hero returned to the cave, and Han Seok and I began to examine the bodies of the departed.
Though the corpses stood upright like jiangshi, I could not ask for the jiangshi technique to be dispelled.
If the technique were dispelled, they would simply crumble to dust.
As I examined their bodies, I discovered something strange. These were marks where skin had been carved away.
I examined the other corpse as well, just to be certain.
That corpse too bore similar carved marks.
The locations differed, but their sizes were comparable.
Could it be?
I asked Han Seok.
“Grand Hero. Do you perhaps have a tattoo on your body?”
“A tattoo? What tattoo are you referring to?”
I glanced subtly at Hae-eul Taoist and sent a transmission.
– The tattoo that marks one’s status as a Geumui Guard.
“…!”
His pupils dilated visibly.
That alone was answer enough—I had already heard what I needed to hear.
.
.
.
The rain ceased as suddenly as it had poured, as though it had never fallen so heavily in the first place.
Stars scattered across the heavens like diamonds.
“Now that the rain has stopped, we shall take our leave.”
The Moshan Sect Taoists moved primarily under cover of darkness, and since dawn had not yet broken, they were preparing to depart.
I withdrew a pouch from my robes and offered it forward.
“It is not much, but I hope it aids the departed on their journey home.”
“Thank you.”
Kwon Jik Grand Hero also handed over a money pouch to him.
The Gold-Clad Guard Masters had pooled their funds together.
“Please, we entrust our comrade to your care.”
“I shall fulfill my duty.”
Hae-eul Taoist spoke thus and began shaking his spirit bell.
Ding. Ding.
Chanting what sounded like a dirge, Hae-eul Taoist moved forward, and the corpses of the two Gold-Clad Guard Masters followed in his wake.
The Moshan Sect’s sorcery ensured that the corpse would return to the embrace of family.
Truthfully, I do not understand the principle behind it. If I did, I would become a Moshan Sect Taoist myself.
These fallen Geumui Guards surely had families as well. They should have journeyed to where their families dwelt.
Yet they were said to have headed toward the Imperial Palace instead.
That spoke to how desperately they wished to return there.
Whether that desire stemmed from loyalty to the Emperor or from bonds with their fellow Geumui Guards, I could not say.
But one thing was certain—they had been genuinely devoted to their station as Geumui Guards.

After that torrential downpour of events had passed, our cave dwelling was saturated with sorrow and fury.
I sat before the campfire and spoke.
“Great Hero, I believe those two deceased had reason to head toward the Imperial Palace. Perhaps they wished to warn our other comrades to remain vigilant.”
“Remain vigilant? What do you mean by that?”
At Kwon Jik’s words, I continued.
“The section of the corpses bearing their tattoos had been deliberately removed.”
Han Seok received my observation.
“That mark signifies the status of a Geumui Guard. However, ordinary people know nothing of this.”
I nodded.
“Furthermore, examining the fatal wound—it was a direct thrust to the front. The Geumui Guard Masters died instantly without even reacting. What does this tell us?”
“They trusted their assailant. And that person deliberately erased their Geumui Guard markings before casting them into the river.”
“Then why remove the tattoo at all?”
“…I cannot say for certain.”
Kwon Jik shook his head, but another Great Hero beside him spoke up.
One of the Great Heroes I had met for the first time.
His name was Chung Ak, if I recalled correctly.
“I suspect it was because the killer feared others discovering the corpses belonged to the Geumui Guard.”
Chung Ak continued his reasoning.
“In my assessment, the murderer concealed their identity this way. If the dead were not revealed to be Geumui Guards, then no one could determine what mission they had been assigned to.”
“That much is true.”
Kwon Jik nodded in agreement.
“Yet questions remain. If that were the reason, it would be simpler to burn the bodies. Why go through the trouble of erasing the tattoo and throwing them into the river?”
It was Seo-woo Warrior who resolved that puzzle.
“It was likely due to the weather. During this season, that region becomes extremely humid with heavy rainfall. Without familiarity with the local climate, it would be difficult to cremate a body.”
“I see.”
Kwon Jik summarized.
“In other words, we must be wary of our own allies.”
At those words, Han Seok bit his lip.
He seemed to be recalling past events.
After all, he had nearly died because of someone named Chung Gwan from the Dongchang, whom he had believed to be an ally.
I swallowed a bitter laugh internally.
In my previous life, I too had been betrayed harshly by someone I thought was on my side.
Yet an unsettling feeling persisted.
The erased tattoo seemed to signify something more than just that…
Then I felt a bulge in my sleeve.
I excused myself briefly and left the cave, retrieving Geumryeong.
A letter was bound to its tail.
A reply had arrived from Seo Hyang.
I unfolded the letter and read it.
Huh?

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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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