The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Merchant Group - Chapter 483

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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 483

Chapter 483. The Hundred-Year Spirit Horse (2)

Eun Jung-ho tilted his head at my question.
“What did you pick up and eat?”
“Besides what I sent you, is there anything else you’ve eaten?”
Eun Jung-ho nodded.
“I’ve eaten various things. The most I consumed were mushrooms.”
“Mushrooms?”
My elder brother nodded at my response.
“The one who delivered my letter brought someone with him. Ah, there he is.”
My brother pointed to a spot, and I discovered a furry creature standing rigidly beside a tree.
What? A Spirit Raccoon?
Why is that creature here? They typically live in the Eastern Region of the Empire.
Looking more closely, unlike an ordinary raccoon, the fur on its chest was pure white.
Ah, so it’s a Spirit Creature.
But it seemed to be standing with remarkable tension.
“But why is that Spirit Raccoon here?”
“That Spirit Raccoon brought me mushrooms. It showed me itself eating them first, then offered them to me—it seemed to be urging me to eat them.”
“I see…”
“Still, I checked to make sure there was no poison before eating them.”
After all, Eun Jung-ho is also a Small Merchant Guild Leader of the Eunhae Trading Company, so he knows quite a bit about medicinal herbs.
“But honestly, would one or two mushrooms fill my stomach? So I gestured to that Spirit Raccoon that I was hungry, and it wagged its tail as if telling me to follow. When I did, there were an enormous number of mushrooms of the same variety there.”
“Where is that place?”
“Over there.”
My brother guided me to a location.
“Here it is.”
Purple mushrooms were growing there in considerable abundance.
Then I heard Geumryeong’s spiritual transmission.
– Squeak!
Ah, so you were planning to tell me later?
Well, well, how impressive.
I slipped my hand into my sleeve to pet Geumryeong while speaking to my brother.
“Brother, did you know what this was before eating it?”
“How would I know when I’d never seen it before? Besides, I looked like I was about to starve to death, so as long as there was no poison, I was grateful.”
Well, I’ve only seen this once across both my previous and current lives. And that was in my previous life.
“Brother, this is expensive.”
“What is this? Just a mushroom?”
“It is a mushroom, but not just any mushroom. A Centennial Spirit Fungus.”
A Centennial Spirit Fungus.
A mushroom that blooms once every hundred years.
“A single Centennial Spirit Fungus can build a year’s worth of inner cultivation.”
“What? So it’s a spiritual elixir?”
“Exactly.”
“It was strange—there was almost nothing else edible in this area besides grass. If that spirit raccoon hadn’t shown me this, I would have starved to death.”
Yes, that was one of the Centennial Spirit Fungus’s defining characteristics.
It monopolized the surrounding nutrients so thoroughly that when a Centennial Spirit Fungus colony existed, no fruit-bearing plants could grow nearby.
Seeing the Centennial Spirit Fungus now made sense of why Eun Jung-ho, knowledgeable in various medicinal materials, had fallen into severe dehydration.
There was almost nothing else to eat.
The fact that he showed little surprise at having consumed a spiritual elixir suggested he had already suspected as much.
“So how many did you actually eat?”
“A tremendous amount. About fifty? Strangely, eating just a few would leave me completely full.”
“….”
I was left speechless.
Fifty meant nearly fifty years’ worth of cultivation had been newly accumulated.
Which meant Eun Jung-ho’s inner power, previously stuck at the third-rate level, had now reached the first-rate warrior standard.
In truth, consuming spiritual elixirs was dangerous and required caution.
What fortunate timing for Eun Jung-ho was that each fungus contained only about a year’s worth of cultivation power.
Most spiritual elixirs grant decades of cultivation in a single consumption.
The Blue Ice Snow Plum Chamber I consumed upon my return granted a full sixty years of cultivation.
But the Centennial Spirit Fungus granted only a year, so his body suffered no severe strain.
Moreover, his body had been in such critical exhaustion that life itself hung by a thread, so it absorbed the Centennial Spirit Fungus’s essence completely without any rejection.
“Wait, then this child also consumed the mushrooms?”
“Yes. A bit less than me, but still dozens of them.”
I quickly bent down and spoke to the child.
“Excuse me, would it be alright if I held your wrist for a moment?”
At my question, the child looked at Eun Jung-ho, and when he nodded, the child nodded as well.
I grasped the child’s wrist and measured their inner power.
“….”
Approximately second-rate warrior level cultivation.
I stood up with a bitter smile.
“Being swept away by the rapids turned into a blessing in disguise.”
Still, having discovered such treasure, I couldn’t simply leave it be.
First, I needed to ask permission.
– Geum-ryeong.
– Chirp?
– Do these mushrooms have an owner or anything like that?
– What’s that sound?
– I was just wondering if it might be food for that Spirit Raccoon subordinate of yours.
– Squeak! Squeak!
The moment Geum-ryeong said something to the Spirit Raccoon, it frantically raised both paws and shook its head.
– Squeak! Squeak!
– Ah, so I can pick them all?
The Spirit Raccoon’s reaction somehow seemed to suggest: please, take them all, just don’t come back here again.
– Well, it doesn’t matter. I have permission, after all.
“Let’s start harvesting!”
“Yes!”
If Elder Brother Eun Jung-ho and the child had been in poor condition, moving them would have been the priority, but thanks to the spiritual medicine they’d consumed, both were doing fine.
So I could spare about half an hour for this.
These mushrooms were quite rare, and beyond their role in enhancing martial power, they had rather useful applications.
That’s why they were so expensive.
We harvested a considerable amount of mushrooms.
“Aren’t you picking those mushrooms over there?”
At Palgap’s question, I nodded.
“Right, it’s repayment for protecting Elder Brother and the child. In good conscience, I should leave half so that Spirit Raccoon can eat and survive too.”
Then I smiled lightly at the Spirit Raccoon.
It was probably just my imagination that it seemed moved.
“Well then, let’s go.”
I looked at Do Squad Leader. Right now, he wore an expression of joy at the fact that the young master was alive.
“Everyone will be overjoyed to learn that the young master is alive. Thank you so very much.”
And he repeatedly bowed to me with clasped fists.
“Are there perhaps any people from the Ming Ming Trading Company searching in this area?”
At my question, he shook his head.
“We didn’t think they would have drifted this far downstream, so there shouldn’t be any.”
“I see. Then let’s find a suitable campsite nearby, build a fire, warm ourselves, and rest.”
“Yes.”
Since there were no inns in this area, we had no choice but to camp out.
As we moved to find an appropriate campsite, Eun Jung-ho gently tugged at my sleeve.
He must have something he wanted to say discreetly.
I sent the others ahead and fell back, whispering to Eun Jung-ho.
“What is it?”
“Can that Do Squad Leader be trusted?”
“Why are you asking?”
“About Sung Yu-jin and me falling into the river. How do you know about that?”
Sung Yu-jin? Ah, so that Merchant Guild Leader’s grandson is Sung Yu-jin.
“Ah… Seong Merchant Leader sent me a letter.”
I told him what I knew. But after hearing my explanation, Elder Brother shook his head.
“No.”
“Huh? You’re saying no?”
“I did fall into the river while trying to save Young Master Yu Jin, but he didn’t fall because he was playing around.”
“What? It wasn’t an accident?”
“That’s right. Someone pushed Young Master Yu Jin off the boat.”
Someone pushed him?
“I’m not saying I don’t believe what the child told me, but…”
“I saw it myself.”
“…”
Elder Brother saw someone push the child overboard?
“And the rope I tied around Young Master Yu Jin for safety in the rapids—it had come undone at some point.”
.
.
.
Crackle, snap, crackle-crackle.
The campfire blazed, and the sound of wood popping filled the air.
Thanks to Palgap preparing a warm broth, I was able to satisfy my hunger comfortably with emergency rations and grain cakes.
Eun Jung-ho and Young Master Yu Jin, having gone so long without proper meals, made do with rice porridge instead.
I’d brought porridge ingredients with me in case I found Eun Jung-ho, so I could feed him.
The tension had eased, and both Elder Brother and Young Master Yu Jin had fallen asleep.
Young Master Yu Jin was nestled snugly in Elder Brother’s arms.
In this place where one couldn’t afford a moment’s carelessness, Eun Jung-ho must have been the only person Young Master Yu Jin could rely on.
Though he might feel sorry for falling into the river while trying to save the child, that shared ordeal would have only deepened the boy’s dependence on him.
But someone had tried to drown Young Master Yu Jin in the river…
As the Merchant Guild Leader’s grandson, he would have been tied securely with rope.
Yet not only had that rope come loose, but someone had pushed him into the river…
Who on earth could the culprit be?
No, more than that—wasn’t this going too far? What crime could a child possibly have committed to deserve being drowned?
Whoever it was, they wouldn’t die peacefully.

The next day.
We tidied up our camp.
“Sigh, my guards and the company staff must be terribly worried.”
Eun Jung-ho spoke with a concerned expression.
After all, that boat carried not only his guards but also several employees of the Eunhae Trading Company.
“That’s why we need to return quickly.”
But before that, there was something I needed to do.
Eun Jung-ho was fundamentally a compassionate and benevolent man. That’s why he would have thrown himself into danger to save the child.
But at the same time, he was someone so prudent and trustworthy that I had willingly ceded the position of Merchant Guild Leader to him.
And this man had spoken.
Someone had tried to kill Young Master Yu Jin.
Under such circumstances, returning Young Master Yu Jin to the Ming Ming Trading Company was dangerous.
The boy could fall into danger again.
Yet we couldn’t simply keep Young Master Yu Jin with us as we pleased.
Only Do Squad Leader could resolve this situation.
I quietly summoned him.
“May I have a word with you?”
“Ah, yes.”
“This way.”
I led Do Squad Leader into the forest some distance away. Behind me, Seo-woo Warrior, Jin Yu Warrior, and Lee Pil Warrior—who had been given advance notice—followed.
“What is this about?”
“How much should we demand as ransom for Young Master Yu Jin?”
“What do you mean?”
I deliberately flashed a contemptible smile.
“Come now, why play ignorant? It seems the Merchant Guild Leader holds Young Master Yu Jin in quite high regard. Shall we make a tidy profit? Surely five thousand taels isn’t unreasonable?”
At my words, Do Squad Leader bristled.
“How dare you harbor such vile thoughts! You’ve misjudged me!”
“You still don’t seem to understand. Does this look like I’m asking for your cooperation?”
Shing.
My guards behind me drew their blades and pointed them at him.
Do Squad Leader hesitated for a moment, but then drew his sword and swung it toward us.
Clang!
Clang! Clang!
We exchanged a few blows, but with merely first-rate martial skill, he couldn’t stand against us.
“Ugh!”
In an instant, his weapon was stripped from his hands and he was subdued, forced to kneel on the ground.
“Now then, what will you do? If you cooperate willingly, I can reduce the amount by half.”
“Silence! I am an honorable warrior protecting the family of the Ming Ming Trading Company’s leader! I would sooner die than bring harm to the young master!”
With that, he drew a dagger and attempted to thrust it toward his own chest.
Tap!
However, his short sword never reached my chest. I had caught his blade.
“…?”
I changed my expression at the bewildered look in Do Squad Leader’s eyes.
“I apologize for testing you, Do Squad Leader.”
“Testing? What do you mean by that?”
His response was still filled with distrust.
I took the short sword and handed it to Seo-woo Warrior, then bowed respectfully to Do Squad Leader.
“I sincerely apologize. I had to test your loyalty to Young Master Yu Jin, which is why I committed such rudeness.”
“But what was the purpose of all this…?”
“Now that it’s proven you won’t betray Young Master Yu Jin, I’ll explain.”
I continued speaking.
“This incident was no accident. Someone pushed Young Master Yu Jin off the boat, or so I’ve been told.”
“…!”
He looked at me with an expression of shock.
“Is that… is that really true? Truly?”
“Yes. Young Master Yu Jin said so himself. And my elder brother witnessed the scene. Additionally, the rope that had been tied to secure Young Master Yu Jin’s safety was apparently loosened.”
“….”
“Returning Young Master Yu Jin directly to Ming Ming Trading Company seems dangerous. Whoever is behind this culprit will target Young Master Yu Jin again.”
“I see.”
“And I cannot allow Young Master Yu Jin, whom my brother saved at the cost of nearly his own life, to die in vain. If my brother saved him, he must live to the end—that’s how we repay my brother’s efforts, isn’t it?”
I continued.
“So for now, we plan to take Young Master Yu Jin to the Eunhae Merchant Guild Sichuan Branch.”
“So you needed my cooperation for this process.”
“That’s correct.”
“I follow only the young master’s will.”
It was the answer I had anticipated.
“That’s sufficient.”
With that settled, I returned to where the others were waiting.
“I heard the sound of swords earlier—did something happen?”
At Eun Jung-ho’s question, I smiled and nodded.
“Yes, I just loosened up a bit since my body felt stiff.”
“Then that’s good.”
I spoke to Eun Jung-ho and Young Master Yu Jin.
“From now on, we’re heading to the Provincial Capital. And first, we need to take Young Master Yu Jin to Ming Ming Trading Company.”
At my words, Young Master Yu Jin’s expression changed as he gripped Eun Jung-ho tightly.
“But it seems Young Master Yu Jin needs rest….”
I met his eyes and asked gently.
“Young Master Yu Jin. What would you like to do?”
“Um….”
“You said Young Master Yu Jin is ten years old, correct? Then you’re now at an age where you can express your own will. Whatever choice you make, I will respect it. What would you like to do?”
“I miss my family. However, that place is not safe right now.”
He spoke with considerable composure.
“I wish to remain with Uncle Eun Jung-ho for now. His side is the safest place for me at this moment.”
“I understand.”
I rose to my feet and spoke to Do Squad Leader.
“Let us proceed to the Eunhae Merchant Guild Sichuan Branch.”

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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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