The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Merchant Group - Chapter 559

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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 559

Chapter 559. The Golden Buddha Statue (1)

The boat we were aboard began to slow gradually.
At that moment, the Ship Captain approached and spoke.
“We’ll arrive at Luoyang in half a shichen from now.”
The advance notice also served as a reminder to prepare our belongings early.
If we scrambled to gather our things only when it was time to disembark, we’d either get off late or leave something behind.
“Thanks to you, the journey has been quite comfortable.”
“Haha, you’re too kind. How could mere words express our gratitude for saving our Young Master?”
I laughed awkwardly.
“And our Young Master has sent a message for you.”
He handed me a letter.
I accepted it and unfolded it, breaking into a smile.
It was a letter filled with worried admonitions to be careful, and instructions to contact the Baek Yeom Merchant Guild branch in Luoyang should I ever need his assistance.
He truly was a good person.

Our boat soon arrived at the Luoyang Dock.
“Thank you for your service.”
“Travel safely.”
Since only our party had been aboard, we could travel with peace of mind.
But from now on, I needed to stay vigilant.
“We’ll rest here for a day before returning to the Alliance.”
At Won Chief’s words, I nodded.
“Understood.”
Though I wanted to hurry to the Murim Alliance, it was already late, and we needed to check on the condition of the horses.
Of course, my companions and I had Ju Gang Ma, so we could depart immediately if needed.
As I pondered which inn to stay at, a sudden thought made me decide right away.
Since we were working under the League Master’s orders anyway, it didn’t matter if his eyes and ears were watching.
In fact, I intended to use that to my advantage.
“Everyone must be tired. Let’s stay there.”
Won Chief flinched when he saw where my hand was pointing. It was the most expensive inn at this Luoyang Dock.
He spoke to me in a low voice.
“Ahem, ahem. It does look appealing, but… wouldn’t another place be suitable?”
I understood what he was concerned about.
“Don’t worry about the inn fees. I’ll pay for it.”
“B-but…”
“Please don’t worry about it. We’re only staying for one night anyway. Surely the Murim Alliance doesn’t provide such generous activity funds, does it?”
“Ahem, well, that’s true.”
No matter how wealthy the Murim Alliance was, there were equally many places where money needed to flow.
They would provide activity funds generously enough, but not enough to stay at such a luxurious inn like this.
“What do you all think?”
At my question, the Squad Members swallowed hard and only watched Won Chief’s expression.
The inn I had chosen was one that only important figures from wealthy merchant guilds or prominent families would use.
They would want to accept my offer, but they couldn’t help but be mindful of their superior’s reaction.
Watching them, I let out a quiet chuckle internally.
“You’ve all worked hard, so staying in a place like this for one night should help you recover from your fatigue, shouldn’t it? And when else would be the right time to treat the Great Heroes who have looked after me all this time?”
In the end, Won Chief succumbed to my persuasion.
“Ahem, well then. I’ll gratefully accept.”
At those words, the Squad Members let out cheers.
Won Chief wanted to refuse out of pride, but if he refused in a situation like this, he would lose even more of the Squad Members’ trust.
He had no choice but to accept my offer.
He probably wanted to stay in an inn like this for a night too.
And so we entered the Golden Guest Inn, the most expensive luxury inn near the Luoyang Dock.
“Welcome.”
“We’d like to stay for one night.”
I didn’t choose this inn simply because I wanted to rest in a nice place.
There were several reasons.
One of them was that, being the highest-class inn, the martial artists guarding it were of high caliber, and most of the guests staying here had verified identities.
I couldn’t relax until I delivered the golden Buddha statue to the League Master.
The real one was in my secret vault, but since the fake was with Won Chief, I needed to keep it safe.
The fake golden Buddha statue was also part of my plan.
If I lost it, I could acquire another, but that would be troublesome.
This place likely had the eyes and ears of the Murim Alliance, so news of our arrival would have reached the League Master’s ears.
Still, even here, he wouldn’t attempt any schemes.
If a theft occurred at an inn like this and the culprit wasn’t caught, the inn’s reputation and credibility would plummet.
Then they could no longer gather information about influential figures here.
Before entering the tiger’s den, I needed to rest comfortably.
I wondered what expression the League Master would have when he heard we were staying here.

* * *

That night.
The League Master was receiving a report.
“So Won Chief and Eun Seo-ho, the Small Guild Master, have arrived in Luoyang?”
“Yes, that is correct.”
“Given the late hour and the need for the horses to rest, they’re likely staying at an inn near the dock. Which inn are they at?”
“The Golden Guest Inn.”
“…What?”
“The Golden Guest Inn. That extraordinarily expensive establishment.”
He furrowed his brow as he asked.
“Did you provide Won Chief’s group with enough travel funds to afford that inn?”
“No. I provided funds according to the standard mission allocation.”
“Then how are they staying at that inn?”
“According to the Shop Attendant at the Golden Guest Inn, Small Guild Master Eun Seo-ho paid the full lodging fee himself.”
“…I see.”
Then they would arrive tomorrow or the day after.
“I had an external engagement scheduled for tomorrow, didn’t I?”
That was not a distance one could return from quickly.
“Let’s postpone that for a few days.”
“Understood.”
The League Master’s Deputy Officer departed, and he rose from his seat to gaze beyond the window.
Moisture mingled with the wind flowing through the open window.
The rainy season would begin soon.
‘I wonder what answer he will give to the question I posed.’
His decision regarding him would depend entirely on that response.
If he were a fraud, he would simply dispose of him as such; but if he truly brought the Golden Buddha Statue, then a warm welcome would be in order.
That statue was an object capable of resolving the problem he currently faced.
Pleased with how smoothly matters were unfolding, the League Master smiled contentedly.
‘Just as the report indicated. So he does have quite a fondness for upscale establishments…’

* * *

Dawn broke.
I descended to the first floor to have breakfast.
As I came down with my companions, the Shop Attendant greeted me respectfully.
“Did you have a pleasant night?”
“Yes. Thanks to you, I had a wonderful night.”
“Allow me to show you to your table.”
Following the Shop Attendant’s guidance, we took our seats at the dining table.
Won Chief and several Squad Members were already eating breakfast at a nearby table.
I exchanged brief greetings with them.
“What would you like for breakfast?”
The Shop Attendant handed me a crisp sheet of paper listing the breakfast options.
My companions and I each selected what we wanted.
“I’ll have rice porridge, please.”
“I’ll have noodles….”
This inn included meals in the lodging fee. As the Shop Attendant took our orders and headed to the kitchen, Won Chief spoke.
“A high-class inn certainly has its merits.”
“Indeed. That’s why I prefer high-class inns.”
“We can depart after breakfast. Though we may have to wait once we arrive. The League Master is a busy man, after all.”
“That’s likely.”
I said this, but my thoughts were entirely different.
Once we arrive at the Alliance, the League Master will probably summon us immediately.
That’s precisely why we’re staying at this inn.
This inn is one that the Murim Alliance takes considerable care with.
Our stay here will have already been reported to the League Master.
Which means he already knows when we’ll arrive at the Murim Alliance.
The League Master still doesn’t know whether I’m bringing the genuine Golden Buddha or a fake.
If what I’m bringing is the genuine Golden Buddha, it’s something he’s been eagerly anticipating.
Given that, there’s no reason for him to delay.
“Chief.”
“Yes. Speak.”
“I believe someone might attempt to ambush us on the way to the Murim Alliance, targeting the Golden Buddha. Of course, with such valiant Great Heroes among us, we won’t fall to them. But I’m concerned about the Golden Buddha. So what if we did this?”
“Go ahead.”
“We prepare a fake that looks identical. And I’ll carry the fake and move about with it.”
“A diversion tactic?”
“Precisely.”
Won Chief, who had been thinking for a moment, answered.
“That’s a good idea. But can you obtain one right now?”
“Of course. It’s not difficult at all.”
“Then let’s do it that way.”
Thanks to Won Chief’s ready agreement, I had obtained the justification to reveal the genuine Golden Buddha.
“Then I shall retrieve it at once.”
The Squad Members responded to my words.
“If you require an escort, we shall accompany you.”
“We know our way around Luoyang thoroughly.”
Perhaps because I had arranged for them to stay at a premier Inn, they showed me increasingly greater goodwill.
But it would be troublesome to go out with them.
“That won’t be necessary. Great Heroes, please enjoy the Inn a while longer.”
Thus I departed the Inn with my entourage, and when I returned shortly after, a golden Buddha statue was bound to my back.
This was the genuine article I had retrieved from the Secret Vault.
“Is that the newly acquired one?”
“Indeed. Would this not suffice?”
“It certainly appears so. Might I examine it briefly?”
“Of course.”
I unwrapped the cloth concealing the genuine golden Buddha statue I had taken from the Secret Vault and displayed it. Won Chief gazed upon it with admiration.
“Remarkable. To procure such a golden Buddha statue in so short a time—this seems far more authentic.”
In truth, Won Chief had already recognized the counterfeit golden Buddha statue as genuine.
He had not yet reached the level of cultivation to distinguish between them.
Yet upon seeing this, he spoke thus—perhaps his intuition was simply keen.
“Then shall we depart now?”
“Of course.”
Thus we left the Golden Guest Inn and set out toward the Murim Alliance.
Riding beneath the banner signifying the Martial Force Division of the Murim Alliance, we encountered no obstruction and arrived at the Murim Alliance swiftly.

We came to a halt before the Murim Alliance gates, and a Guard Official emerged to greet us.
“Hold a moment. I must verify your identities.”
“Ah, Won Eop, Sixth Squad Leader of the Yong-a Division.”
He withdrew an identification tablet from his robes and presented it.
“All ten of you, including myself, have returned safely!”
“Understood. Your credentials are confirmed.”
The Guard Official returned the tablet and clasped his fist in salute as he spoke.
“Congratulations on your safe return.”
“Much obliged.”
“And the companions beside you?”
At this, Won Chief spoke.
“These are the entourage of Seonhyeop Mirang Great Swordmaster Eun Seo-ho. They accompanied me under the League Master’s orders.”
“Understood. Then please, proceed inside.”
And so we entered the Murim Alliance grounds.
I tightened my grip on the horse’s reins. To be honest, this wasn’t my first time visiting the Murim Alliance.
I had come during the Yongbong Martial Arts Tournament.
But this time, the circumstances were quite different. Because now I had to betray the League Master.
If the heavens themselves were watching over me, then perhaps everything would proceed without complication.
We arrived before a building and dismounted.
One couldn’t ride horses deep into the interior, after all.
“Welcome.”
The moment we dismounted, a voice called out from behind us.
Turning around, a Young Man came to greet us. Won Chief then offered a subtle hint.
“He is the League Master’s Attendant.”
“I see.”
He approached us and clasped his fist in salute.
“You have all labored greatly. The League Master has instructed me to escort the two of you immediately.”
“The League Master already knew of our arrival?”
“Yes. The League Master has been awaiting you.”
At those words, I nearly laughed.
Everything was proceeding as I had anticipated.
“The rest of you, please wait here for now.”
And so we followed the Attendant inside.
Phew, the tension grows thicker.
Soon we arrived before the Alliance Leader’s Hall.
“League Master, I have brought Won Chief and Seonhyeop Mirang Great Swordmaster.”
“Let them in.”
The Attendant turned his head and spoke.
“Please enter.”
Then he opened the door himself, and we stepped inside.
The League Master was waiting for us with a benevolent expression.
He looked much the same as when I’d seen him at the Yongbong Martial Arts Tournament.
We bowed respectfully before him.
“Won Eop, commander of the Yong-a Division’s Sixth Squad, pays respects to the League Master. I have returned after completing your orders.”
“Eun Seo-ho of the Eun Hae Trading Company pays respects to the League Master. It was an honor to carry out your command.”
“You’ve worked hard. Please, be seated.”
“Thank you.”
We took our seats across from the League Master.
The large table and numerous chairs suggested he held council meetings with senior members here.
“Were there any difficulties during your journey?”
Won Chief spoke in response.
“We nearly faced serious trouble when we accidentally consumed a poisonous herb midway, but thanks to Seonhyeop Mirang Great Swordmaster here, we avoided any real calamity.”
“Is that so? Thank you.”
“Not at all. I’m simply grateful that my humble skills could be of service.”
“Were there any other difficulties?”
“No, there were none.”
“Fortunate indeed. Then present the golden Buddha statue.”
At those words, Won Chief retrieved the golden Buddha statue and placed it on the table.
At the same moment, I too retrieved a golden Buddha statue and placed it down.
“Here it is.”
The genuine golden Buddha statue and the counterfeit.
The League Master couldn’t hide his bewildered expression as I produced both simultaneously.
“Why are there two golden Buddha statues?”
I answered him.
“In case someone might be after it, I prepared an additional one.”
“You mean to say one is genuine and one is counterfeit?”
“That is correct.”
So then—did I bring back the genuine golden Buddha statue, or the counterfeit?

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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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