The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Merchant Group - Chapter 472

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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 472

Chapter 472. There Are Quite a Few (3)

What Geum Ryung-i brought as my birthday gift was a spiritual herb called Heavenly Spirit Root.
As the name suggests, it was a spiritual herb imbued with a thousand years of earth’s vitality.
Finding any spiritual herb was no easy task, but this one ranked among the most difficult to locate.
Because it lay buried deep within the earth, it could only be found if the ground cracked open or if long weathering exposed what had been hidden.
Naturally, its effects were extraordinary.
A single root of this could make even the most gravely ill person spring to their feet.
It was truly a panacea with recovery abilities maximized to their fullest.
“So you got all covered in dirt searching for this. Thank you.”
At my gratitude, Geum Ryung-i seemed embarrassed and let out a small whimper. I discovered today for the first time that when Geum Ryung-i felt shy, his tail would curl up tightly.
“I’ll make sure to use this very well.”
“Squeak.”
“Now, let’s clean you up before Palgap starts lecturing us.”
I pulled out a handkerchief, dampened it with water from my flask, and wiped Geum Ryung-i clean.
.
.
.
That night.
I awoke from sleep, sensing a faint killing intent.
As I rose from my bedding, Chang-un Warrior, who had been standing night watch, asked me.
“Are you going out on an errand?”
“No.”
At the sight of me drawing my sword, Chang-un Warrior’s expression hardened.
“There are those targeting this place. Please wake the others.”
At my command, Chang-un Warrior immediately began rousing our companions.
The killing intent directed at us was faint.
That was why even the Peak Martial Masters among our guards had failed to detect it.
It meant they were still at a distance, giving us ample time to prepare.
As we moved busily about, gathering our weapons, a guard from another merchant company approached us and asked.
We had become acquainted during our journey together.
“Is something the matter?”
“It seems there are those targeting the provisions we’re transporting.”
“Ha! They dare breach the Imperial Guard? They must have lost their minds.”
“Indeed.”
Those among our party who had reached the Peak realm now gripped their blades tighter, having only just sensed the killing intent.
There was only one reason they would target us: the food supplies currently being transported.
But they would know that elite Imperial Guards are protecting the grain, so they must have something they’re counting on.
Whether it’s manpower, weapons, or tactics.
In my assessment, tactics seemed most likely.
Tactics, then….
If that’s the case, I’ll counter their tactics with tactics of my own.

* * *

The night was dark.
A group moved through the Deep Forest, pushing forward.
They came to a halt at one point.
In the distance, they could see firelight from campfires and numerous carts lined up nearby.
“That’s all grain, isn’t it? Just one cartload would let us feed our families a warm bowl of rice porridge.”
“It will be ours soon. Won’t it?”
“Yes, Stronghold Master.”
The one who answered appeared to be in his late thirties.
Unlike the others from the Mountain Stronghold, he wore a jade crown and his eyes gleamed with intelligence.
“If everyone follows my instructions precisely, we can seize all that grain without any losses.”
At that moment, a flicker of displeasure crossed the Stronghold Master’s eyes, but it was so brief that no one noticed.
“I will divide our forces into four groups. First, an advance unit will approach, strike swiftly, and withdraw to lure out the Imperial Guards. Then another unit will attack from the opposite direction to draw out more guards.”
He continued speaking.
“While they’re occupied, one of the remaining units will set fire to some of the grain and their barracks to draw out the rest, and the final unit will seize the grain and escape.”
Someone raised an objection.
“But won’t we be in trouble if other Imperial Guards come to reinforce them?”
“True. However, the Imperial Guards transporting this grain are camped at a distance from each other.”
When large numbers gather in one place, there are many practical problems.
Finding water, dealing with natural needs, and such.
Through long observation, I confirmed this, which is how I could devise this operation.
“So we must complete the job before they notice and rush to help from elsewhere.”
“Ah… indeed!”
“Truly, he is our strategist.”
“If this operation succeeds, we’ll have a full belly through the winter.”
The Mountain Stronghold men began praising the Strategist in Silk Hat, and seeing this, the Stronghold Master bit his lip slightly.
“Then let us prepare.”
“Very well.”
“But what if we fail?”
“There is no possibility of failure.”
The Strategist spoke with absolute confidence, and soon the Stronghold Master divided the forces according to the plan. Then, heading toward his assigned position, he muttered to himself.
‘Getting cocky just because he’s clever… I can’t even tell who the Stronghold Master is anymore.’
He even felt a creeping anxiety that he might be stripped of his position as Stronghold Master.
In any case, securing provisions was the pressing matter now.
If he failed to secure food, the discontent would pour down upon him.
So for now, he still needed the Strategist.
Wheee!
At the sound of the whistle, they charged toward the Imperial Guards as planned.
“Attack!”
“Yes!”
Soon they collided with the Imperial Guards.
Clang!
Clang!
The clash of cold steel rang out as battle erupted.
Yet the commander of that unit did not forget the Strategist’s warning.

“You must not engage in prolonged combat. Though they say these men have not cultivated their martial arts deeply, they are elite soldiers nonetheless. So when the signal comes, you must withdraw immediately.”

Because they were facing the Imperial Guard rather than the Geumui Guard or Dongchang, even the Green Forest Bandits could manage to hold their own for a brief moment.

Wheee!
The signal came again.
At this, they retreated, and the Imperial Guards began to pursue them.
Meanwhile, from the opposite direction, another gang attacked the location where provisions were stockpiled.
Thus they drew out the remaining Imperial Guards as well.
Now only those tasked with setting fires and those responsible for seizing the grain remained.
The Strategist was among them.
Precise commands had to be issued at the exact moment.
But then a problem arose.
“S-Strategist!”
“T-This is terrible!”
They were startled. Imperial Guards were encircling them in moments.
At this, the Strategist bit his lip.
‘What is this? Have reinforcements already arrived? But the nearest unit was more than five li away, and it’s the middle of the night?’
It was too soon for them to have noticed the commotion here and come running.
Yet being surrounded by Imperial Guards was an undeniable reality.
To those trembling with fear, a soft, gentle voice reached their ears.
“If you surrender, I will spare your lives.”

* * *

I let out a soft chuckle upon seeing their flustered expressions.
I approached them and asked.
“By the way, you certainly have audacity. What exactly were you thinking when you attempted to seize these provisions?”
“….”
“Your deception-laced diversionary tactic was quite a respectable strategy. You simply chose the wrong opponent.”
“How on earth did you see through our tactics?”
The one asking was a Young Man in Jade Crown.
His face seemed strangely familiar, yet I couldn’t quite place it immediately.
In any case, I owed him an answer to his question.
At his words, I smiled faintly.
“It was simply obvious to me.”
“…Do not mock us.”
“I am not mocking you.”
The moment I noticed them taking their positions, I dispatched my Guard Warriors to conduct reconnaissance.
The first step in formulating a strategy is to accurately assess the current situation, and the second is to understand your enemies.
Since I already knew the scale and positions of the Imperial Guards well, I only needed to gather intelligence on the enemy.
Particularly, I had those specialized in reconnaissance operations on my side.
A Peak Martial Master would never be detected by them, and Palgap possessed Sal Wang’s talent as well.
They infiltrated the enemy camp, listened to their strategy, and reported their movements to me.
So my claim that it was simply obvious to me was no lie.
“You lured the Imperial Guards, but we merely pretended to fall for the bait. Then we immediately changed direction and came here.”
I continued speaking.
“And we had the Imperial Guards stationed elsewhere deal with those who touched us and fled.”
As I gave the signal, the Imperial Guards approached.
They had bound a considerable number of Green Forest Bandits.
“You have worked hard.”
“What are you saying? We should be the grateful ones. Hahahaha!”
The Imperial Guard Commander laughed heartily and waved his hand, though relief was evident on his face.
Indeed, had they lost the grain, they would have faced severe punishment from the Emperor.
When I discovered they were targeting this place, I conducted reconnaissance to understand their tactics, then immediately went to the Commander.
Honestly, had the Commander not heeded my words, I was prepared to reveal my identity as an Inspector Censor granted by the Emperor.
I could not allow the provisions our Eun Hae Trading Company members had worked so hard to obtain to be stolen.
But.
“Is that truly so?”
He trusted my words to a surprising degree.
“His Majesty the Emperor instructed me not to overlook even the smallest matter if it comes from you.”
As expected.
The Emperor’s reach extended here as well.
“And seeing how you give your all in your duties, you did not seem the type to speak carelessly.”
Now that I thought about it, when I said, “A merchant never strays far from his goods during transport,” the way he looked at me then was quite unusual.
In any case, with the Commander’s cooperation secured so smoothly, matters proceeded with remarkable speed, and we were able to repel the assault with minimal casualties.
At my explanation, the Man in Fur Hat collapsed onto the ground.
“Damn it!”
“So you’re the one. The architect of this tactic.”
At those words, a hoarse voice called out from behind.
“That’s right! The bastard who devised this operation! You wretch! We trusted your words and nearly got ourselves killed! What do you have to say for yourself?”
Hmm? The face of that reproaching Merchant also seemed somehow familiar.
At that rebuke, the Man in Fur Hat bit his lips, his hands trembling violently.
I couldn’t discern what he was feeling.
Was it frustration that his tactic had been seen through? Or perhaps fear of what was to come?
Or perhaps something else entirely…
“Devising a tactic means bearing responsibility for countless lives. Therefore, a superior strategist must also consider contingencies for failure.”
Jin Yu Warrior had reported to me.
That he had boasted there was no possibility of failure.
“It seems you were unaware of the weight of responsibility that comes with devising a tactic.”
His eyes turned toward me.
“Devising and executing a tactic is not merely a game of strategy. If one does not understand the gravity of the lives of those who carry out one’s tactic, one has no right to call oneself a military strategist.”
At my words, his head drooped helplessly.
I spoke to the Imperial Guard Commander.
“What will you do with these men? The one responsible here is Dae-in.”
“To be honest, it would be easier to just kill them all…”
At this, their faces went pale.
“P-please, spare us!”
“I beg you, show us mercy!”
“We’ve already lost what little land we had and wander as refugees.”
Indeed, most of the Green Forest Bandits these days are displaced persons.
Unable to endure repeated famines, they abandoned their hometowns and joined the bandit gangs.
Then that hoarse voice rang out again.
“He ordered us to do this—why should we die? Kill only him!”
Thwack!
“Silence!”
He was kicked in the belly by another Imperial Guard’s foot and coughed violently.
I observed the man with his head bowed, offering no response.
To be honest, the tactic he had devised was quite ingenious.
The problem was his arrogance, but that was nearly a mistake born of youth and inexperience.
It’s a shame to waste such talent.
I approached him and asked quietly.
“What is your name?”
“Pardon?”
“Your name, I mean.”
“My name is… Gal Hyun.”
“…!”
The moment I heard that name, my eyes widened involuntarily.
I had wondered why this Strategist and that Stronghold Master’s faces seemed so familiar….
He was someone I had met in my previous life.
When traveling across the realm for Sang-haeng, it was an unwritten rule to pay a small toll to the mountain strongholds and cross the mountains.
And I owed a considerable debt to one mountain stronghold that operated in the forests between Shanxi and Hebei Province.
There was once a time when a sudden storm caused the mountain to collapse, leaving me completely stranded.
At the suggestion of that stronghold’s strategist, I stayed there for a while, and that strategist was none other than this man.
We spent nights talking without sleep, and I was quite impressed by his insight and strategic acumen.
I have always been greedy for talent.
So I subtly suggested he join me, but he refused.
Even when I left that stronghold later, I was concerned about him.
The Stronghold Master I had seen was a narrow-minded man, after all.
When I met him again next time, I suggested his recruitment once more, but he refused again.
That was the last opportunity to make him mine.
Because the petty Stronghold Master eventually had Gal Hyun eliminated.
Not long after he was eliminated, that stronghold was absorbed and overwhelmed by another stronghold.
It had prospered by relying on Gal Hyun’s abilities, so without him, the outcome was inevitable.
Because of the future I changed, I had met him in a place where I would never have thought of our past connection.
In my previous life, his fate was tragic because he chose the wrong master.
But that was not his choice.
He became a refugee wandering with his family, and his life was saved by this man, so he came to rely on him.
In other words, he remained to repay the debt of his life being saved.
I spoke to him.
“That man over there shouting his head off is the Stronghold Master, isn’t he?”
“….”
“You had no choice, so you picked such a master.”
He simply listened to my words in silence.
Seeing him bite his lip, he too was frustrated with this situation.
Is there anything more frustrating for a subordinate than having a master with a small capacity?
“And this time, you have no choice either. Will you work under me? Or would you rather die?”

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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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