The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Merchant Group - Chapter 588
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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 588
Chapter 588. Immortal Chivalry Beauty (2)
Palgap’s voice rang out quite loudly, and those who heard it burst into laughter.
I felt embarrassed and spoke to In-bong Warrior.
“I, I apologize. My attendant tends to get a bit overzealous.”
“Not at all. You have a fine attendant.”
In-bong Warrior replied with a gentle expression.
On the surface, he seemed like a good person.
“Then…”
“Yes. Let us begin again.”
In an instant, we resumed exchanging sword strikes.
This place was for martial combat, not for pleasant conversation.
We traded offense and defense multiple times.
I deliberately showed openings and conceded several rounds.
If I won overwhelmingly without losing a single match, I would expose all my cards.
To exact revenge on the Murim Alliance, I could not reveal my full martial prowess.
I felt sorry for deceiving In-bong Warrior, but I had my reasons.
Well, I could make it up to him or help him later.
I deliberately prolonged the match to make it appear our strength was evenly matched and tense.
But… why did my opponent seem exhausted?
This shouldn’t be happening yet.
“Huff, huff… Your stamina is quite impressive.”
“Pardon?”
“Truth be told, I pride myself on not lacking in stamina either, but compared to the Great Hero, I’m but a child.”
Wait? This isn’t right.
“There’s no need to continue. The outcome is clear. I concede. Honestly… I no longer have the strength to wield my sword.”
His hands trembled, and blood streamed from his palm where he gripped his blade.
He sheathed his sword and, with great effort, moved his arm to salute me.
“Thanks to you, I was able to preserve my honor. It was a fine match.”
With that, he descended from the martial arena.
“Wait, you, you’re giving up just like that…”
At that moment, Geum Yeon-hwa ascended the arena and declared my victory.
“The winner of the final match of the first round is Eun Seo-ho of the Eun Hae Trading Company!”
“Roaaaaar!”
I descended amid the crowd’s cheers with an embarrassed expression.
“I, I have returned.”
“Well done. You worked hard out there.”
Jin-ho patted my back repeatedly as he spoke.
“Just as I thought! I knew you’d win.”
“Haha. Really?”
But why did I feel like I’d just come back from the outhouse without wiping properly?
I turned my head to look at the Murim Alliance Leader.
The Alliance Leader was nodding his head with a satisfied expression.
According to my original plan, I was supposed to eliminate my opponent’s final card when I still had about two cards remaining, making it look like a dramatic victory.
But there was something I had overlooked.
It was my stamina.
Thanks to my Master pushing me so relentlessly, my physical endurance now rivaled anyone’s without falling short.
And on top of that, the increased strength and speed that came with it.
I clearly won, so why did it feel sad?
Well, the world doesn’t always go according to my wishes anyway.
And so today’s martial arts competition came to an end.
Though I was exhausted from today’s bout, I couldn’t neglect my primary duties.
Rather than return directly to the inn, I headed toward the Commercial District.
“Small Guild Master! Congratulations on your victory.”
“Thank you.”
“Your performance was truly remarkable.”
“Haha. How embarrassing.”
Merchants I had connections with approached me as I passed, offering their congratulations.
After exchanging smiles and greetings with them, I arrived at our Eun Hae Trading Company Temporary Shop before I knew it.
And I received a report on sales and the current situation.
Everything was proceeding smoothly.
After inspecting both temporary shops and heading back,
that’s when a voice caught my ear.
“I knew it! If I had competed in the martial arts tournament instead of you, that merchant bastard wouldn’t have lasted a single exchange!”
“Exactly. Why did someone like you even represent our Cheongseong Sect in the competition…”
“You’ve tarnished the honor of our Cheongseong Sect!”
“Why didn’t you just ask the ghost you command for help? ‘Ghost, please make me win.’ Something like that. Hahaha.”
“Hey, don’t tease him too much. The kid’s about to cry.”
No matter how much I think about it, it seems like they’re talking about me?
My Guard Warriors noticed it too, and displeasure crossed their faces.
“I’m fine. So please restrain yourselves.”
“Understood.”
Palgap asked carefully.
“So what will you do?”
“What do you mean ‘what will I do’? They’re talking about me, so I should listen a bit more. As you know, I tend to stick my nose in where it doesn’t belong.”
Of course, having heard them criticize me, I couldn’t simply dismiss it as meddling.
“Gwak Vice-Manager, you should….”
At my words, she shook her head.
“I’ll just stay here. It looks like I might get to see something interesting.”
On her face bloomed a smile tinged with mischief.
Certainly, she seemed quite reserved before, but her personality appeared to have changed somewhat recently.
Slightly more proactive.
Of course, that wasn’t a bad thing.
Compared to how she used to struggle through each day with her frail body, this version of her was far better.
And honestly… I didn’t dislike this change in her.
Hmm.
As I recalled Seo Hyang, my face flushed, and feeling embarrassed, I turned my head and spoke.
“Then, shall we go?”
As we approached the source of the voices, five or six people had gathered in a secluded place.
They all wore the robes of the Cheongseong Sect and surrounded a single person.
As expected, the one in the center was the In-bong Warrior who had sparred with me.
Piecing together what I heard as we walked, he was being subjected to one-sided criticism because of his defeat against me in the martial match.
And the intensity of that criticism grew stronger the closer I approached.
“It was a mistake to take in such a bastard with no roots from the beginning.”
“Right. A gloomy and unlucky wretch!”
“Stop! You can insult me if you want, but don’t insult my Teacher!”
“What? This bastard?”
“I see, so birds of a feather flock together, covering for each other.”
“Puhahahaha!”
“Don’t insult my Teacher!”
“How dare this unlucky wretch raise his voice!”
One disciple, displeased with the sight, drew his sword still sheathed and swung it.
That was when it happened.
Whoosh!
The scabbard slipped from his sword and flew toward us.
Palgap threw himself toward the incoming scabbard as if dodging it.
Thwack!
“Ow! I’m done for! Ow!”
Palgap wailed dramatically as though he were dying.
But I could see clearly.
The scabbard had lost its momentum and fell harmlessly—there was barely any impact.
Yet Palgap had deliberately taken the hit for me, and now he was making a spectacle of it.
He was giving me a legitimate reason to intervene in this situation.
Palgap was truly reliable.
Startled by Palgap’s cries, the Cheongseong Sect disciples rushed over, their expressions turning to panic.
To any observer, they had just assaulted a passerby.
“We apologize.”
“We’re truly sorry.”
As they all offered their apologies, one disciple stiffened his neck and spoke curtly.
“Then who told you to pass through here in the first place?”
What? This insolent bastard?
The other disciples were startled and quickly tried to stop him.
“Hey! What are you saying?”
“We were in the wrong! Apologize quickly!”
“Honestly, it wasn’t my fault, was it?”
“Hey! Golden Phoenix! It was your scabbard!”
I smiled and spoke.
“It’s difficult to judge whether our passing through here by chance was wrong, or whether it was the fault of the Cheongseong Sect disciples for drawing weapons and causing a disturbance in an unauthorized location. What if we summon the Murim Alliance Patrol Unit to determine who is at fault?”
Their faces went pale at my words.
During the Martial Arts Grand Conference in Luoyang, drawing weapons without permission and causing a disturbance would result in imprisonment in the Prison.
Even with the scabbard on, since a passerby was struck, they couldn’t escape charges of assault or disturbing the peace.
“That… that is…”
“Please, anything but that…”
Knowing what would follow, they apologized while dropping to their knees.
The one called Golden Phoenix was forced down by the other disciples, but his neck remained stiff and defiant.
How predictable.
In cases like this, there’s usually someone backing them up.
Trusting in that backing, he acts so arrogantly.
“Please, all of you stand. Would I report such a trivial quarrel between fellow sect members?”
At my words, the Cheongseong Sect disciples’ expressions brightened.
“You… you’re really letting this slide?”
“Yes. As it happens, I know someone in the Patrol Guard, so they’d come quickly if I called. But I’ll let this matter slide this time.”
“Thank you!”
“We’re truly grateful.”
“However, you must apologize properly to my attendant.”
At my words, they apologized to Palgap, and he graciously accepted their apology.
Well, he wasn’t even injured in the first place.
“By the way, as I was passing through here, I overheard something rather significant.”
I continued.
“I believe I heard you say, ‘If I had fought the martial match instead of you, that merchant’s son wouldn’t have lasted even a single exchange!'”
At my words, they avoided my gaze with embarrassed expressions.
Then the one called Golden Phoenix spoke.
“Yes, I said that.”
Wow, quite bold.
“I see. However, I felt compelled to correct that statement.”
“Yes?”
“Golden Phoenix, was it? You wouldn’t last three seconds crossing blades with me.”
At my words, his face contorted.
“How dare you speak such rudeness?”
“And what basis does Golden Phoenix have for making such a claim?”
“I’m stronger than In-bong! So naturally it stands to reason!”
“You’re laboring under a grave misunderstanding.”
“What did you say?”
I smiled and continued.
“The elders of the Cheongseong Sect sent In-bong Warrior to the martial match because he possessed the qualifications to do so. To criticize that decision is to criticize the judgment of those elders themselves.”
“….”
At my words, they lowered their heads.
There was no fault in what I said.
But Golden Phoenix still resisted with a disgruntled expression.
“Even so, I cannot accept this. If it had been me, I wouldn’t have forfeited like that and would have fought to the end! That way, I would have seized victory and elevated the honor of the Cheongseong Sect!”
At those words, I stifled an inward laugh.
He truly understands nothing.
“Then the answer is simple. Draw that sword and attack me.”
“What?”
“Show me your strongest attack.”
“You’ll regret it?”
I smiled.
“So, if you back down now, will you be able to sleep tonight?”
At my words, he gripped his sword hilt.
“No, sleep won’t come.”
And he laughed bitterly.
“You proposed this match first, so if you’re injured and can’t participate in the next tournament, that’s hardly my fault.”
“There’s no need to concern yourself with such matters.”
“Heh heh. I see.”
He raised his sword and assumed a ready stance.
The killing intent emanating from his blade was quite sharp, though it hardly made me tense.
The Golden Phoenix Warrior I’d observed had only recently reached the pinnacle of martial mastery.
Moreover, it seemed he’d been forced to that peak artificially, rather than ascending through natural understanding and effort.
In-bong Warrior, however, had reached the pinnacle naturally.
There’s always a difference between those who climb step by step and those who don’t.
One such difference manifests in the density of sword energy.
The faint sword aura coating his blade now proved this point.
“Haaaagh!”
Golden Phoenix unleashed a battle cry and charged toward me.
Screeeech!
The Saeyu Sword Technique.
But having already witnessed a superior version of this technique, I felt little excitement.
I casually extended my hand and flicked my middle finger against his forehead.
Thwack!
“Ugh!”
He brought his sword down with all the force he could muster, yet it didn’t even graze my collar.
His forehead simply met my fingertip and sent him tumbling backward.
Thud-thud-thud.
Ah, he rolled quite impressively.
Like a puppet with its strings cut, he rolled across the ground with a dazed expression.
He couldn’t comprehend what had just happened to him.
I approached him.
“Unfortunate. I didn’t finish it in one blow.”
“….”
“Don’t speak recklessly without basis. I’m not certain why you all treat In-bong Warrior as you do, but he is a disciple of the Cheongseong Sect just like you. And he is the strongest warrior among you.”
“….”
“In my assessment, there isn’t a single person here who could fight In-bong Warrior for more than five seconds.”
“….”
“Don’t insult In-bong Warrior’s decision to forfeit. His withdrawal was an expression of respect toward me. If you continue to mock and disparage him for this, I will consider it an insult and disparagement toward myself, and I will lodge a formal protest with the Cheongseong Sect.”
Understanding my warning, their expressions hardened.
I turned my head and spoke to In-bong Warrior.
“Endurance alone isn’t the answer. If you wish, you could formally request a martial match and put them in their place.”
“But….”
I sent him a telepathic message.
– These are not people who will listen to words alone. Honestly, if people reflected so easily, would there be so many villains in this world? So stop wasting your energy and properly put them in their place.
“…!”
“The Cheongseong Sect, being a martial arts faction, values strength above all else. Regardless of what backing the Merchant may have.”
This counsel also served as an apology for deceiving the In-bong Warrior during the earlier martial competition.
A wise person would have grasped the deeper meaning woven into my advice.
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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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