The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Merchant Group - Chapter 560

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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 560

Chapter 560. The Golden Buddha Statue (2)

The League Master gazed at the golden Buddha statue, a low hum escaping his lips.
“Hmm… so you’ve brought two Buddha statues.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Then who prepared the counterfeit statue?”
I raised my hand and spoke.
“I prepared it. I commissioned the Baek Yeom Merchant Guild to create it.”
“Remarkably exquisite craftsmanship.”
“They’re quite skilled, after all.”
Of course, I had requested this from Ho Gyeong Prince as well, and I’d already fabricated all the evidence that I had commissioned it myself.
“But why did you bring out both statues? Wouldn’t it have sufficed to present only the genuine one?”
“The reason I brought out the counterfeit statue as well is because I thought there might be times when you would need it, sir.”
The League Master nodded, understanding my meaning.
“Indeed, if we utilize the counterfeit statue, we can protect it from those who covet the artifact.”
“Precisely.”
“To think ahead to such contingencies! I’m grateful.”
“You’re too kind.”
“But did the Sect Leader of the Guam Sect willingly hand over this statue?”
Won Chief answered in my stead.
“Yes, he did.”
“I see. You’ve worked hard. You must be exhausted from the journey. Go and rest.”
At those words, I smiled.
It wasn’t yet time to leave.
“League Master, I understand this matter was for the Martial Arts Grand Conference.”
“That’s correct.”
“However, I am not affiliated with the Murim Alliance. Yet I have worked for the sake of the martial world. Moreover, Won Chief here received operational funds to complete his mission, but I performed mine at my own expense.”
“What are you trying to say?”
“League Master, I am not a martial artist but a merchant. I wish to receive compensation befitting the work I have done.”
“Compensation, you say?”
“Yes.”
I nodded.
“Not honor or prestige, but tangible compensation—something visible and tangible.”
The League Master, who had been thinking for a moment, looked at me.
“In truth, I was planning to teach you a martial technique, but if you insist on walking the merchant’s path, I suppose there’s nothing to be done.”
League Master, where did you learn such tactics?
“Martial prowess! Those are kind words indeed, but I must respectfully decline. As I mentioned, for a merchant, the greatest value lies in what can be seen and touched. I harbor no desire for anything beyond that.”
“I see. Then how much should I give you?”
“It would be beneath your station as League Master to discuss specific monetary amounts.”
“Beneath my station?”
“Yes.”
Why are you acting this way? It’s not as though you’ll simply hand over whatever sum I name.
I laid bare what I truly desired.
“What I want is the authority to choose any location I wish in the Merchant District during the Martial Arts Grand Conference.”
“Is that truly all you require?”
“It is.”
At this, Won Chief spoke.
“Great Swordmaster, after all the hardship you’ve endured this time, surely that alone cannot be sufficient?”
“It is more than enough. A prime location yields substantial profits.”
“But didn’t you just say moments ago that you wanted something tangible—something you could see and touch?”
“That’s correct.”
I continued, my smile unwavering.
“Then a document bearing the League Master’s official seal and certification will suffice.”
“Must you insist on a document?”
“We merchants prefer certainty. A document bearing your official seal is absolutely necessary.”

* * *

After Eun Seo-ho and his entourage departed, the League Master gazed at the seat where Eun Seo-ho had been sitting, lost in contemplation.
What he had demanded from me was the authority to choose a prime location in the Merchant District during the Martial Arts Grand Conference.
Moreover, he had even requested a notarized document, forcing me to personally write out the deed.
With that single document, Eun Seo-ho’s face brightened as though all his hardships had been washed away.
‘Does he want to gain my backing? Or is profit his primary concern?’
I understood well enough.
The difference in revenue between a prime location and a poor one in the Merchant District was quite substantial.
If he conducted business from a prime location, he would not only recoup the expenses from this Mount Tai expedition but come out ahead.
Truly, he possessed remarkable business acumen.
‘But then again….’
I turned my gaze toward the two Buddha statues.
‘He actually handed over the genuine one!’
I had assumed that the Sect Master of the Guam Sect had detected something suspicious about me.
Therefore, I had expected him to provide a counterfeit.
And Eun Seo-ho would have noticed it was fake, pressed the Sect Master for answers, and made his choice based on what he learned.
But it had unfolded differently than I anticipated.
‘In any case, I need not concern myself greatly with the Sect Master of the Guam Sect.’
What remained was my assessment of Eun Seo-ho and my conclusion regarding him.
Though his actions had deviated from my expectations and left me somewhat perplexed, one thing became certain today.
All that Eun Seo-ho had discovered and obstructed regarding my schemes had been coincidence.
Had it not been coincidence but rather him perceiving my true intentions and moving with deliberate purpose, he would not have presented the genuine Buddha statue so readily, even if the Sect Master had given it to him.
If that were the case, the best course would be to manipulate him into becoming my ally, but it seemed far from simple.
First and foremost, his ambitions were excessive.
He possessed a keen intellect, but my assessment was that he wielded it solely for the pursuit of wealth.
One might argue that since he loves money, one could simply use it as bait to sway him. But that is not so.
‘He is a merchant through and through. Using money as bait with such a man proves far more complicated than one might think.’
In other words, he viewed everything as a transaction, and should that transaction fall through, he could turn his back at any moment.
‘Moreover, someone so clever would not go down alone.’
This was a time for caution and care.
Recklessly drawing him in could create problems if something went awry.
I clicked my tongue and shook my head.
“A man who has mastered the Heavenly Stream Technique possesses such greed! Truly, a paradox.”
I had reached a decision.
As long as he did not perceive my true intentions and obstruct me, there was no need to risk eliminating him.
Nor was there any need to actively draw him to my side.
He seemed to regard me purely as a transaction partner.
I made my decision and reached toward the Buddha statue, then stopped.
‘No, not yet.’
I could not use it here, within the Murim Alliance.
I had external matters to attend to in a few days; I could use it then.
Even if I wanted to take the Golden Buddha Statue right now and leave, I couldn’t use it immediately.
“Sigh….”
There were stacks of documents waiting for me to process.
I still had to maintain this position, so I had no choice but to handle the paperwork.
‘Being Alliance Leader isn’t a position where you can coast by… Damn it.’

* * *

After leaving the Alliance Leader’s Hall, I exchanged farewells with Won Chief and his group.
“You’ve worked hard.”
“Please, think nothing of it. Thanks to the Seonhyeop Mirang Great Swordmaster, we were able to complete our mission safely.”
“You’re making me blush. I hope we’ll meet again next time.”
“Are you leaving right away?”
“Yes. I have much to attend to, so I can’t delay any longer. You and your companions must be exhausted—you should rest well.”
“Thank you for your consideration. We will never forget the kindness you’ve shown us.”
To be honest, the hardships they endured during the journey were because of me, so I felt a bit awkward about it.
But they were the ones who caused the problem in the first place. Well.
If they had shown me respect from the beginning, I wouldn’t have acted that way.
I bowed politely and turned to leave.
“Then I’ll take my leave.”
“Safe travels.”
And so my group and I departed from the Murim Alliance.
“Are you heading straight to Beijing then?”
At Seo-woo Warrior’s words, I shook my head.
“No. I plan to stay a while longer.”
For the plan I had prepared, I couldn’t leave Luoyang just yet.
As I headed toward the inn I had in mind, I smiled inwardly.
My display of excessive obsession with money to the Alliance Leader was deliberately performed.
Right now, the Alliance Leader must be in a state of slight confusion about how to judge me.
After all, I brought both the fake and the real.
But since I willingly handed over the real one as well, he must have concluded that I’m not a threat.
If that’s the case, his best course of action would be to recruit me.
That was dangerous.
If I didn’t get recruited, the Alliance Leader wouldn’t leave me alone once he knew I understood his true intentions.
So I made the first move.
By deliberately displaying the greed of a merchant, I made the Alliance Leader abandon any thoughts of recruiting me.
The Alliance Leader is intelligent.
So he must have noticed that I view him as a transaction partner.
It’s harder to recruit someone you view as a transaction partner than to recruit someone with blind faith.
I chuckled softly, recalling the notarized document the Alliance Leader had written for me, which I kept in my possession.
This document is proof of how the League Master judged me.
Though I endured considerable hardship because of the League Master’s test, I was satisfied.
The value of this document varies infinitely depending on how one uses it.
Still, he hasn’t asked a single word about the people I rescued from the Black Cat Sect Prison.
Perhaps he deliberately wants to avoid any mention of it.

Our party secured rooms at an inn near the Murim Alliance.
It was a rather fine establishment this time—the same place where we stayed during the Yongbong Martial Arts Tournament.
“It’s been a long time. Thank you for gracing our humble inn once more.”
The Inn Owner welcomed me warmly.
“Haha, there’s something comforting about this place.”
“I shall do my utmost to serve you this time as well.”
We unpacked our belongings in the guest rooms and gathered in my chamber.
“You’ve arrived.”
“Yes.”
I wove my energy around us to prevent our voices from leaking outside.
“Tonight, I intend to steal the Golden Buddha Statue.”
“What should we do then?”
Seo-woo Warrior asked.
Normally, hearing of stealing a Golden Buddha Statue would startle someone or prompt expressions of concern.
But without any such reaction, he calmly asked what needed to be done.
It meant he trusted me that much.
“I thought you might at least ask the reason.”
“I believe whatever my lord does has a necessary reason behind it.”
“I appreciate that.”
I answered with a gentle smile.
Their trust was appreciated, but I owed them an explanation.
Unless something truly needed to be hidden, that was the courtesy I owed those who believed in me.
“In truth, that Golden Buddha Statue has the ability to amplify all forms of energy.”
“All forms of energy, you say….”
“Yes. All forms of energy. And from what I can tell, that Golden Buddha Statue is needed for a reason other than the Martial Arts Grand Conference.”
“What other reason?”
“I don’t know exactly. But it won’t be used with good intentions in the League Master’s hands.”
“I see.”
“That’s why I need your help.”
“Just say the word.”
“We shall follow.”
The Yeo Eung-am Warrior and Lee Pil Warrior clasped their fists and bowed, while Palgap grinned and spoke.
“You can rest easy about this!”
“Right, I understand.”
I let out a quiet chuckle.
The Yeo Eung-am Warrior asked with concern.
“But if it’s something that important, wouldn’t they hide it carefully?”
“Of course. However, I’ve already made preparations. I applied the tracking scent that Lee Pil Warrior created for me onto the real golden Buddha statue.”
“Then I just need to find that.”
“Exactly.”
At this, Palgap asked.
“Isn’t that tracking scent from the Dang Clan? Then wouldn’t someone from the Dang Clan here in the Murim Alliance notice the scent?”
“You don’t need to worry about that, Palgap.”
Lee Pil Warrior continued.
“The tracking scent I created for my lord is an improved version that only I can detect.”
Seo-woo Warrior raised his hand and spoke.
“But even if we know the location, there’s no way it would be unguarded.”
“That’s true. But you don’t need to worry about that either. From now on, Geum Ryung-i will take care of it.”
“Squeak?”
Geum Ryung-i tilted its head and squeaked at the mention of itself.
Though I’d have to pay Geum Ryung-i handsomely for this errand, it was the most convenient and safest approach.
“And I will claim that I fell asleep from the exhaustion of travel.”
“But to make them believe that….”
At Palgap’s words, I handed him the Phantom Mirror and spoke.
“We’ll solve it with this.”
The Phantom Mirror was an artifact that created illusions.
“Ah! With this, there’s no problem!”
.
.
.
As the sun set and night fell in darkness.
Lee Pil Warrior and I slipped out of the inn.
Our destination was where the real golden Buddha statue was located.
“I’m counting on you.”
At my words, Lee Pil Warrior nodded. He closed his eyes and concentrated for a moment, then pointed ahead with his hand.
“It’s this direction.”
“Yes. Let’s go ahead.”
I followed Lee Pil Warrior, and soon we arrived at the Murim Alliance.
“It’s inside there.”
So they hadn’t moved it outside yet.
That would certainly be the safest place.
Lee Pil Warrior surveyed the Murim Alliance and spoke quietly.
“The guards are quite strict. It will be difficult to enter discreetly.”
“Come this way.”
This time, I guided Lee Pil Warrior myself.
Every place has its secret passages, and I know the Murim Alliance’s dog hole.
In truth, I learned of this location in my previous life through the Eunhae Trading Company’s Information Bureau—it’s a place primarily used by Murim Alliance warriors.
Hidden within the thicket, it’s not easily visible from the outside.
“How did you know of this place?”
“There are ways to find these things.”
I deflected casually and led the way inside.
Lee Pil Warrior then tracked the scent trail ahead.
“There it is.”
The place Lee Pil Warrior pointed to appeared to be the Alliance Leader’s Sleeping Quarters.
Now it was time for Geumryeong to shine.
– Go, Geumryeong!
– Chirp!
– Three gold coins for you!
– Chirp, chirp!
Sigh… she’s far too eager, isn’t she?

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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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