The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Merchant Group - Chapter 578

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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 578

Chapter 578. The Art of Feeding Bitterness (3)

I approached the Two Warriors who were training in the backyard of the inn.
Thanks to the physiques I had cultivated by feeding them Huoxiong Yuantitang for four consecutive days, they now radiated the aura of a tiger and a bear.
The two of them were performing hanging sit-ups on an iron structure I had constructed.
“One hundred twenty-four! One hundred twenty-five!”
“One hundred twenty-six!”
They were now handling a hundred repetitions with ease.
I rubbed my nose contentedly.
“Why are you doing that, sir?”
“Just… seeing them like that makes me feel proud.”
At my words, Palgap’s expression suggested he had something to say but chose not to voice it.
“What’s with that disrespectful look?”
“A misunderstanding, sir. I am currently gazing upon you with the utmost admiration.”
“…I see.”
Why did my mood suddenly dampen?
After the Two Warriors completed their two hundredth hanging sit-up, I approached them.
“The main tournament begins tomorrow.”
“Ah, so it finally starts.”
“Yes. How are you feeling?”
At my question, they exchanged glances and spoke.
“We can finally take our revenge and bring honor to our sect.”
“We are very much looking forward to it.”
The light in the Two Warriors’ eyes was no longer that gentle, docile gleam from before.
It was the gaze of those who had rolled through battlefields where life and death hung in the balance for decades.
Had I done something wrong?

I left the inn.
As I sat perched on a rock in a nearby open ground, someone carrying a wooden board on their shoulder approached me.
“Moon cakes for sale! Moon cakes! Delicious moon cakes!”
A moon cake vendor, then.
Moon cakes were typically made and eaten during the Mid-Autumn Festival.
With the festival drawing near, they were already selling them?
I was about to dismiss it as unremarkable when I stiffened.
A familiar aura emanated from the moon cake vendor.
Chun-il.
The central figure of our Eun Hae Trading Company Intelligence Network.
“I’ll take one moon cake!”
“Ah, yes!”
I questioned him as he hurried over.
“Business going well?”
“The Martial Arts Grand Conference, isn’t it? Haha!”
I lowered my voice and asked him.
“So, is Namgung On still going around claiming that Dae-nok Warrior used cowardly tactics and that he lost because of that?”
“Yes.”
Namgung On’s house arrest was lifted after merely two days, and from that very night he began indulging in pleasure houses, summoning courtesans and spreading such words among the people.
“Good. Have you followed my instructions?”
“Of course.”
What I had instructed Chun-il to do was to have our intelligence operatives spread rumors.
That they had heard Namgung On saying he lost not due to insufficient skill, but because he fell victim to cowardly tactics.
It was hardly difficult work.
We weren’t changing what Namgung On said—merely spreading his own words.
“Thank you for your efforts.”
I provided him with generous compensation.
“Use the remaining funds for operational expenses.”
“Much obliged, sir.”
Chun-il handed me a moon cake as if still selling, and we each held one in our hands.
Then Chun-il departed, and we gazed at the moon in the sky while eating our moon cakes.
The moon shines so brightly.
.
.
.
The next day.
I headed to the Martial Arts Arena with my family.
Among those moving with us were Dae-nok Warrior and Su-am Warrior.
We arrived at the Martial Arts Arena and took our respective seats.
Soon Geum Yeon-hwa ascended the ceremonial platform and announced the beginning of the main tournament.
“We shall now commence the preliminary round of the main tournament. The first match will be between Dae-nok Warrior of the Yeon Gyeol Sect and Dan Mok-il of the Danmok Family!”
The Danmok Family was a clan located in Zhejiang Province, renowned for their Falling Star Sword Technique.
And from what I had witnessed of Dan Mok-il during the preliminaries, his skill was quite respectable.
As Dae-nok Warrior rose from his seat, I offered him a quiet word of caution.
“You remember what I told you, don’t you?”
“Yes. I remember it well.”
“That will suffice then. I wish you victory.”
Dae-nok Warrior nodded and ascended onto the martial arts arena.
“Boo! Coward!”
“Using underhanded tricks to defeat Namgung On—how does that feel!”
Just as I had anticipated, the crowd began hurling accusations at Dae-nok Warrior.
They had heard that Namgung On claimed he had fallen victim to underhanded tactics, and now they were swept up in that narrative.
Yet those who had witnessed the match from up close found such reactions absurd.
“What? No matter how much I think about it, I didn’t see any underhanded tricks back then…”
“If there had been underhanded tactics, wouldn’t the judges and the masters of the Murim Alliance have said something?”
“It seems like Namgung On was simply toying with Dae-nok Warrior, let his guard down, and lost because of it.”
I let out a quiet chuckle as I observed these conflicting reactions.
Then I looked at Dae-nok Warrior standing upon the arena.
Despite the crowd’s jeers, he stood firm, his gaze unwavering as he faced his opponent.
I recalled the words I had spoken to him the night before.

“When you ascend the martial arts arena, the crowd will shower you with ridicule.”
“What? Why would they do that to me…?”
“Haven’t I told you? Namgung On goes around claiming that his defeat came because you employed underhanded tactics.”
“…”
“However, that will become Namgung On’s own trap. So embrace that ridicule.”
“What? Embrace the ridicule?”
“If you emerge victorious, that ridicule will transform into astonishment.”

Before long, the task of marking seven symbols on both warriors’ bodies was complete.
Boom—!
The martial bout commenced with the sound of the drum.
Dan Mok-il spoke first.
“I watched the preliminaries carefully as well. I’m afraid there won’t be any such fortunate coincidences this time.”
“Do you believe my advancement to the main rounds was merely luck, Young Master?”
“If not luck, then how could a first-rate warrior defeat a Peak Martial Master?”
“….”
The Dae-nok Warrior assumed a martial stance instead of answering, and Dan Mok-il likewise took his stance, each searching for an opening.
The first strike belonged to Dan Mok-il.
Whoosh—!
In the blink of an eye, he closed the distance and shattered the Dae-nok Warrior’s left flank marker.
Crack!
A cautious move that showed no contempt for his opponent.
Though he had spoken of the Dae-nok Warrior’s luck, he must have sensed it instinctively.
That one careless move could spell defeat.
And then came the relentless assault.
It was indeed the Falling Star Sword Technique.
The speed with which he drove the Dae-nok Warrior back was extraordinary.
Crack—!
Bang!
Two more markers shattered in quick succession, leaving four remaining.
As the Dae-nok Warrior’s three markers were destroyed without resistance, confidence began to bloom across Dan Mok-il’s face.
I understood what he was thinking.
He had felt an unsettling premonition, but now that victory was slipping so easily into his grasp, he likely dismissed it as mere intuition.
Yet intuition is not something to be ignored.
I myself have escaped danger more than once thanks to such instincts.

* * *

Dae-nok counted the remaining markers on his body.
One on his left shoulder, one on his right flank, one on his chest, and one on his right leg.
‘Four remain.’
He recalled Eun Seo-ho’s words.

“When about four markers remain, your opponent will likely lower his guard. Or perhaps wear an expression of contempt.”
“….”
“That is when you seize victory.”

It was time to demonstrate the fruits of my training thus far.
“There’s no need to be so tense. If it ends too quickly, it’ll be rather dull, so I’ll take my time with you.”
Dan Mok-il spoke, and Dae Nok responded.
“That won’t be necessary.”
“Ho. So you lack skill but possess pride?”
“You’ll have to verify that for yourself.”
With those words, Dae-nok Warrior resumed his stance.
And he recalled his thoughts of Namgung On.
How he had been toyed with in the Martial Arts Arena.
And how, bearing a grudge over his elimination, Namgung On had sent Black Path Assassins to harm both him and his Senior Brother.
And then spread false rumors claiming that he himself had resorted to cowardly tactics.
Thinking of it all, fury surged through me.
I channeled that rage into my sword strike.
In an instant, my blade severed the patch on Dan Mok-il’s left shoulder.
Shwing!
Dan Mok-il was startled.
Just moments before, he couldn’t even properly counter my attacks… what was this speed?
Clang! Clang!
Dae Nok’s sword swept forth relentlessly, and Dan Mok-il found himself desperately defending against the onslaught.
The speed of the blade had increased dramatically compared to before, and its power was incomparable.
Crack!
Boom!
In moments, two more patches shattered, leaving him with only four remaining.
Dan Mok-il broke into a cold sweat, struggling to parry the attacks.
Ting!
Ting! Ting! Ting! Ting! Ting!
The exchanges happened so rapidly that an ordinary person’s eyes couldn’t follow them.
Thus the match continued with Dae Nok maintaining the advantage.
Before long, Dan Mok-il had only two patches left, while Dae Nok still had four remaining.
Yet Dae Nok couldn’t help but bite his lip.
Channeling fury to draw out hidden strength lasted only about an hour.
And somehow, that hour had already passed.
I felt my strength rapidly draining away.
‘Just two more! If I can destroy just two more patches, victory is mine! Damn it!’
Dan Mok-il was the first to notice Dae Nok’s change.
Dan Mok-il sensed the opportunity and launched an aggressive counteroffensive.
Clang! Bang!
Dae Nok counterattacked, but couldn’t prevent the patch on his left shoulder from shattering.
Three patches remained.
Crack!
Even the tiles on his right leg shattered, leaving only two tiles remaining.
This won’t do! This won’t do! Damn it!
At that moment, Eun Seo-ho appeared in his vision.
Memories flooded back to his mind in an instant.

“Ah, it will be terribly bitter. But as they say, bitter medicine is good for the body. So don’t even think about spitting it out—just gulp it down. Go on, gulp it down!”
“….”
“For every drop of medicinal broth you spill or leave behind, you’ll do ten sit-ups hanging from the rafters.”

And then.

“This contract you all signed—did you read it carefully?”
“Of course.”
“Then do you remember this clause?”
“…!”
“Do you have fifty Gold Coins?”
“….”
“It seems you didn’t quite grasp what I meant by ‘be prepared.’ Haha. That’s fine. You just need to do better from now on.”

Four days of retching while drinking that vile Huo Yong Won-che Tang, and four days of training so brutal he wondered why he hadn’t simply died.
And Eun Seo-ho’s words, which had slowly scraped away at his nerves.
As those memories surfaced, fury suddenly erupted within him.
Normally, drawing upon hidden potential through rage happened only once per double hour, but this rage transcended those limits and shattered the constraint entirely.
“Uuuaaahhhhh!”
He roared and swung his sword toward Dan Mok-il.
Clang! Clang!
Thwack!
Ting-ting-ting-ting-ting-ting!
Crack!
Overwhelmed by the relentless assault, Dan Mok-il could only endure helplessly, his spirit shattered.
The attacks were on an entirely different level from anything before.
In the midst of it all, the two remaining tiles shattered or were sliced away.
“S-stop! I’ve lost! My tiles are already gone!”
At Dan Mok-il’s cry, Dae-nok finally came to his senses and halted his blade.
“….”
“Your victory is assured. Your triumph was no accident. I apologize for my earlier conduct.”
“…Ah, yes.”
Then Geum Yeon-hwa ascended the ceremonial platform and declared Dae-nok’s victory.
“The first match of the preliminary round goes to Dae-nok Warrior of the Yeon Gyeol Sect!”
“Roooaaarrr!”
Cheers erupted from the crowd.

* * *

I chuckled softly as the cheers washed over me.
I had fought better than expected.
Yet when only two rounds remained, I thought I had lost.
My opponent had endured remarkably well, and the Dae-nok Warrior’s strength was visibly waning.
But remarkably, at the final moment, he unleashed his latent power once more, and that allowed him to claim victory.
From my training, I had learned that unleashing latent power could only be used once per double hour—a single interval—so how had he managed to do it again?
It was curious, but that was a question for later.
For now, I needed to congratulate the victor.
Murmurs rippled through the surrounding crowd.
“No matter how I look at it, I didn’t see any underhanded tactics.”
“He fought fairly and squarely.”
“Exactly.”
“Then what was that about Namgung On claiming he lost to underhanded methods?”
“What else? He lost and felt ashamed, so he made excuses.”
“Ah!”
I grinned wickedly.
Looking at this, Namgung On must be seething with resentment.
But would that be all?
The Namgung Family paid little mind to one of their members hiring someone for petty revenge.
However, they would never tolerate someone who publicly shamed their family name like this.
Hehehehe.
That was precisely my intention.
The Namgung Family had made this mess. So the Namgung Family would have to clean it up themselves.
I rose from my seat.
I needed to greet today’s victor.
“You’ve worked hard.”
“It is all thanks to the Great Hero. I shall dedicate today’s victory to you.”
“There is no need for that. This victory was earned through your own endurance of grueling training, so you should claim it entirely for yourself.”
“Thank you.”
At that moment, Palgap handed him some dumplings.
They had been prepared in advance, for it was certain he would be ravenously hungry after drawing upon the power of rage to fight.
“Please, eat.”
“I shall enjoy them.”
He began devouring the dumplings eagerly.
He must have been starving. After all, he had unleashed his latent power twice through rage.
“But there is something I must say.”
“Pardon?”
“When you unleashed your latent power at the end, how exactly did you manage that?”
“Hack! Cough! Cough!”
Watching Dae-nok Warrior gulp down tea after choking on a dumpling, I tilted my head in confusion.
What was that?
Why did I have the distinct feeling I’d just asked something I shouldn’t have?

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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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