The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Merchant Group - Chapter 81

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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 Eunhae Trading Company – Chapter 81

Chapter 81. The Shaanxi Scorpion (4)

At that moment, one Merchant Guild Leader asked cautiously.
“If we help, will we be able to recover the damages we’ve suffered?”
“How much damage are we talking about?”
“Silver… thirty taels. It’s the smallest amount, but…”
“What do you mean by that?”
I continued.
“Whether it’s thirty taels or three thousand taels of silver, it’s all money earned through hard work. We wear out our feet analyzing market territories! We bleed fighting against rival trading companies! We grovel before customers! We’ve earned this money through blood, sweat, and tears. Its value is the same.”
At my words, the three Merchant Guild Leaders’ eyes reddened with emotion.
“Our damages amount to two hundred taels of silver.”
“Ours are five hundred and fifty taels of silver.”
I promised them. “If we catch the swindler, I’ll do everything in my power to recover those damages for you.”
Whether moved by my words or by the promise of recovering their losses, the three Merchant Guild Leaders agreed to cooperate.
“But did you report this to the Government Authority?”
At my question, they nodded.
“We did report it.”
In their words, I sensed resentment, resignation, and despair at the Government Authority’s lack of active involvement.
“I see. Then could you tell me what the situation was like at the time?”
The three Merchant Guild Leaders recounted their experiences of being swindled.
I analyzed their cases alongside ours and discovered a common thread.
It was that the Shaanxi Scorpion possessed information that only an insider would know.
When I heard that Manager Eom had been swindled, I suspected as much, and my suspicions were confirmed.
But then, how had the Shaanxi Scorpion obtained this insider information?
This information was something that people in easily corruptible positions wouldn’t know—it was crucial intelligence.
Therefore, one might assume the Shaanxi Scorpion had turned someone of considerable rank, but I knew the Shaanxi Scorpion’s methods.
The Shaanxi Scorpion had no accomplices within the trading companies.
By disguising himself with a human-skin mask and acting exactly like the real person, even the victims were completely deceived.
That’s why the Shaanxi Scorpion had evaded capture for so long.
No traces were left—neither in the victim’s company nor in the company the Shaanxi Scorpion had impersonated.
To create a human-skin mask from beeswax and pig skin rather than real human flesh, one must take a mold of the face.
However, taking a facial mold and describing that face in detail both require considerable time.
Yet there is a place where the Shaanxi Scorpion would have no choice but to take a facial mold.
That was the second reason the Shaanxi Scorpion had never been caught.
I requested one piece of information from them.
“By any chance, do you have a regular Gisaeng House that you frequent?”
.
.
.
After seeing off the affected Merchant Guild Leaders, I spotted those approaching in haste.
Sang Manager and the Cart Laborers.
“Your words were correct, Guild Leader.”
“Candies have flooded the market, and upon investigation, they match exactly what we brought this time.”
“Let’s go take a look.”
I immediately headed to where the candies were being sold and discreetly inquired about their source.
Thus I arrived at a trading company.
The name of this company was the Nokgeum Merchant Group.
They said it was named so because the guild leader of the company was Nok.
I had known from the beginning that this was the Shaanxi Scorpion’s base of operations.
The guild leader here was undoubtedly the Shaanxi Scorpion.
But I couldn’t simply declare, “The culprit is here.”
“When we calculated the quantity of candies the Nokgeum Merchant Group distributed to each retailer, it nearly matched the amount we brought.”
“That place must either harbor the swindler called the Shaanxi Scorpion or be complicit with him.”
“We should go confront them immediately!”
At Eom Manager’s words, I shook my head.
“That won’t do.”
“Why not?”
“Do you have evidence?”
“Pardon?”
“Evidence that they are the Shaanxi Scorpion, and evidence that the candies they distributed are the ones we brought.”
“If we interrogate them about how they obtained the candies…”
“These are people who prepared so thoroughly for their fraud. They would surely have fabricated evidence to that degree.”
At my question, Eom Manager fell silent.
Eo Manager asked.
“Then what do you propose we do?”
“From now on, I intend to find that evidence.”
I told him.
“Ask Hwang Manager to come. And Squad Leader Yun.”
I summoned Yun Ji-shim, the squad leader of the Eunpung Corps.
“Keep them under surveillance.”
“Understood.”

A moment later.
I discussed the matter with Hwang Manager, who had come to the inn where I was staying.
“If there’s anything I can help with, I will. You’ve been trading with us for a long time, so of course I should assist.”
I did not refuse his offer.
“Do you happen to know of any Gisaeng Houses that you frequent regularly, or any you’ve visited recently?”
.
.
.
I was in my room.
On the table lay a list of the Merchant Guild Leaders from the three trading companies that had suffered losses, along with the names of Gisaeng Houses that Hwang Manager frequented.
The reason I considered the Shaanxi Scorpion to be despicable was also why he had remained elusive for so long.
He manipulated helpless courtesans.
When the investigation net tightened around the Shaanxi Scorpion, the courtesans lied, and through their deception, he managed to evade the authorities several times.
When questioned about this, the courtesans took their own lives.
Why had they done so?
It was because of a mystical artifact the Shaanxi Scorpion possessed.
It was an artifact that controlled those with whom one had shared intimacy, and he used it to manipulate the courtesans into helping him.
I examined the list of Gisaeng Houses and found the name of the most likely establishment that had aided the Shaanxi Scorpion.
Suok-ru.
Should I pay it a visit?
.
.
.
Shortly after, I entered Suok-ru.
Behind me followed Palgap and two Guard Warriors.
“Welcome, my lord!”
I was wearing a bamboo hat.
A bamboo hat is typically worn by those wishing to conceal their identity. However, the ornaments on my hat prevented me from being turned away at this establishment.
“Bring us a table of drinks.”
I spoke with deliberate arrogance, and the Shop Attendant of the Gisaeng House bowed respectfully at my words.
“As you wish. Allow me to show you to your seat first.”
I sat at the place the Shop Attendant indicated.
“Is there a courtesan here named Ju-wol?”
“Yes, she is one of our Suok-ru’s treasures. However, it would be difficult to call upon her right now….”
At those words, I took a silver coin from my pocket and tossed it to him.
The Shop Attendant broke into a bright smile and bowed deeply.
“I shall do my best to arrange it.”
After the Shop Attendant left, I let out a sigh.
Ah, I really can’t stand doing this.
The music is loud, the laughter grates on my ears.
In my work with the Merchant Guild, I’ve occasionally visited Gisaeng Houses, but I despise them.
In such an environment, it would be easy to drug someone’s drink, render them unconscious, and even steal their face—no one would ever know.
And when men drink, they inevitably let slip one or two company secrets.
With a beautiful woman clinging to your side and flattering you, refusing to speak would hardly mark you as a real man.
This was a Gisaeng House that Hwang Manager frequented often.
And Ju-wol, one of the courtesans, had once entertained Hwang Manager—or so the story went, when he dozed off and awoke to find his head resting on her lap.
“You seem uncomfortable, sir?”
Palgap, standing beside me, asked quietly, and I nodded.
“Yes, this is unbearable.”
“But how do you plan to persuade the courtesans? You said they’re being manipulated by some artifact?”
“I have a way.”
Soon the door opened and a courtesan entered.
“Were you looking for me?”
“Are you Ju-wol?”
“Yes, I am.”
I studied her quietly. The moment she entered the room, my stomach churned.
‘Why is that…? Ah!’
I realized this sensation was similar to what I’d felt when confronting the Black Path.
She tilted her head curiously and spoke.
“Let me pour you a drink.”
She approached me and poured the wine. I lifted the cup and asked her.
“Do you happen to know the leader of the Nokgeum Merchant Group?”
“….”
In that brief moment, I read her expression.
She knew.
So the courtesan before me was indeed an accomplice of the Shaanxi Scorpion.
But she shook her head.
“I don’t know.”
A lie.
Her body was trembling. It wasn’t the tremor of fear.
That unnatural quivering meant her body was being controlled by something.
My churning stomach was proof that she was under a curse.
That control through the artifact was a form of sorcery, after all.
If that’s the case, I should free her from it.
I drew upon my inner energy.

“Those who have mastered the Taiyin Ice-Sea Divine Art possess such pure and cold energy that they cannot fall under curses or be deceived.”

As my Master said, I have never once fallen victim to sorcery or been beguiled. Thanks to this, I’ve navigated through numerous difficulties.
There were several trading partners who resorted to such crude methods as lacing tea with aphrodisiacs.

“The same applies to those affected by such energy.”

I drew upon the Taiyin Ice-Sea Divine Art and spread its energy widely throughout the chamber.

The method I intended to use was inspired by the time at the Jegal Family Estate when I used the Lion’s Roar to awaken those affected by the formation’s influence.
Back then, the area was so vast that I had to use the Lion’s Roar, but this time there was no such necessity.
Simply spreading the energy broadly throughout the room would break the Gisaeng’s control.
Or so I thought….
Whoooosh—!
There was one thing I had forgotten.
My inner power had grown considerably stronger.
As a result, the energy spread far beyond the room and permeated most of the Gisaeng House.

“Ah, suddenly I’m sobering up?”
“Is it the cold?”
Hearing voices from the adjacent room, I scratched my cheek. Then I looked at the Gisaeng before me—Ju-wol.
I no longer sensed any undulation from her.
The control had been severed.
“Gasp!”
She drew a sharp breath and lifted her hands to examine them.
“Huh?”
There was no longer any need to play the role of an arrogant, wealthy wastrel, so there was no need for formal speech.
I asked respectfully.
“Can you now tell me about the Nokgeum Merchant Group leader?”
“The Nokgeum Merchant Group leader is a bastard.”
She then startled in surprise.
“Oh my! I can speak freely!”
“I severed the energy that was controlling you.”
“I see….”
Tears streamed from her eyes.
“Thank you… truly, thank you so much.”
“Well then.”
I removed my bamboo hat and set it aside as I spoke.
“Tell me about the Nokgeum Merchant Group leader.”
“…!”
Yet something seemed odd about the way Ju-wol was looking at me.
Why had her expression suddenly turned so blissful?
“How can someone be so handsome? Ah….”
“…”
I continued the conversation.
“The leader of the Nokgeum Merchant Group….”
“Ah! That wretched man you speak of….”
She told me about the Nokgeum Merchant Group’s leader. The information proved quite useful.
“Are there perhaps other courtesans who know anything about him?”
“Just a moment!”
She left the room and soon returned with several other courtesans.
They shared everything they knew about him.
Thanks to my Taiyin Ice-Sea Divine Art’s aura enveloping this entire inn, the mental manipulation I had placed upon them dissolved instantly.
“By the way, would it be alright if I bought you a drink?”
“Well, I’m free this evening….”
“Tonight, this girl shall entertain you with her own money!”
I laughed awkwardly at their proposals and declined.
“I have pressing matters to attend to today….”
I felt a chilling presence and turned around. Palgap, sitting behind me, had a look in his eyes that suggested he had much to say.
“What is it? It seems you just cursed me with your eyes.”
“I was cursing this filthy world that judges only by appearance.”

* * *

Nokgeum Merchant Group.
Nok Il, the leader of the Nokgeum Merchant Group, realized from childhood that he possessed an extraordinary talent.
It was the gift of deception.
It began when he tricked a friend out of sweets. From there, his audacity only grew.
It was exhilarating.
He found joy in watching those he deceived, and even greater pleasure in what he gained from the process.
Whether others shed tears of blood or found themselves in dire straits meant nothing to him.
‘Why not simply enjoy life to the fullest?’
That was his philosophy.
Several years ago, he began committing fraud in earnest.
His targets were merchants.
The rewards were substantial.
The thrill matched the danger.
Now, ordinary stimulation no longer satisfied him.
So he decided to attempt something grander.
His target: the Eunhae Trading Company.
The reason he had escaped capture despite perpetrating four frauds against the company was a mysterious artifact he had obtained by chance.
The straw doll in his hand—Je-ung—was that very artifact.
Dozens of strands of hair were bound within Je-ung.
By binding the hair of someone with whom he had intimate relations into Je-ung, he could control that person.
Using this method, he had manipulated the courtesans and obtained their cooperation.
But then, something strange occurred.

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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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