The Youngest Son of the Nanyang Jin Family - Chapter 11

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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 Nakhyang Jin Family — Chapter 11

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In the early morning, I opened my eyes after completing my cultivation breathing exercises.
I rose from my seat, gazing at the pale moonlight filtering softly through the room. Fortunately, dawn had not yet broken, so I could move about without drawing the attention of others.
I quietly opened the door and stepped outside.
“Creak—”
In the corridor, I could see Chu Hyeongi lying on a bedroll. He had insisted on sleeping outside the door, and for several days now he had faithfully kept his vigil.
Whether the rigors of martial training had exhausted him, he slept soundly, snoring with earnest dedication.
He did not wake even as I opened the door, stepped out, and closed it behind me.
I shook my head slowly as I observed this fellow.
Moving at a leisurely pace, I slipped out of the Annex and departed the Sega compound.
Though the Imperial Guards stationed there made as if to follow me at this early hour, they halted at a single word from me.
The memories of mere days past would still linger with them, making it difficult for them to regard me as the youngest young master of old.
My destination was already determined.
The Central Plains held many places that did not reveal themselves openly.
Among all the martial sects, the Hao Gate operated the greatest number of such establishments.
This jade token was the means by which I could enter such a place.
I walked through the quiet dawn streets toward the location I had chosen.
A shabby blacksmith’s forge set slightly apart from the marketplace—I came to a halt before it.
Despite the absence of any passersby, the interior of the forge burned brightly. In its center, a man of sturdy build sat in a chair, gulping down wine with abandon.
It was amusing enough that he was awake at such an hour rather than sleeping, but no matter how I looked at it, his demeanor suggested this was not a place conducting legitimate business.
As I entered, the man glanced at me sideways.
“What brings you here? We’re not open for business.”
In response to his words, I withdrew the jade token from my robes and showed it to him. Confusion flickered across the face of the man who had been drinking, and then he scrambled hastily to his feet.
“…Please wait a moment.”
The man who had risen stepped out into the street to check the surroundings, then closed the door.
After confirming that no one was passing by, he returned and ran his hands along the wall.
Crunch—
With a peculiar sound, the wall swung open, revealing a passage.
The man bowed his head and gestured toward the opening, and I naturally stepped inside.
It was a dark space.
But as I ventured deeper, it gradually grew brighter.
As though something awaited at the end of the path.
Soon I could make out countless torches illuminating the surroundings, and a vast chamber revealed itself along with the figures of many people.
The Hao Sect Black Market, hidden in the deepest shadows, lay bare before my eyes.
I walked through the passage, observing my surroundings.
Most of what was sold here were things not easily obtained elsewhere.
Items that cannot be openly sold outside—stolen goods, or things taken by killing their owners.
All manner of items obtained through disreputable means, unable to see the light of day in legitimate markets, were being hawked here in the shadows.
One careless purchase could see you implicated as a criminal, or in the worst case, forfeit your life entirely.
Thus, a discerning eye was essential when selecting merchandise.
I surveyed my surroundings before coming to a halt at one particular stall.
An Old Woman watching me stop laughed with a sly grin.
“You’ve got a keen eye, friend. Ignoring everything else to stop right before my wares.”
I examined the items spread across her mat as she spoke.
Quite an array of peculiar objects.
Things resembling hidden projectiles, armor, and various weapons besides.
Some clearly designed for assassination, others for different purposes.
Judging by their unfamiliar designs—shapes rarely seen in the Central Plains—I was certain these could not be obtained elsewhere so easily.
As I surveyed them, one item caught my attention.
It appeared to be a device worn on the wrist.
A contraption once carried by that fellow Hori Dokjo—far superior in performance to the hidden projectiles crafted by the Sichuan Tang Family.
It could be concealed conveniently on the wrist and fire five projectiles in rapid succession. The projectiles themselves were so small that targets often died without even realizing they’d been struck.
In my current state, unable to master martial techniques perfectly, it was a device that could protect me when needed.
“How much?”
“Hmm… that one? Forty-five silver taels.”
Quite expensive for mere hidden projectiles, but worth the price.
I unhesitatingly drew out silver notes and tossed them over.
The Old Woman accepted them, her grotesque smile widening as she fingered the notes.
As if reluctant to give change.
“Hehehehe, nothing else you fancy? I’ll give you a good price.”
I couldn’t help but chuckle at her words.
Was there anything else worth having?
As I continued examining the items on the street stall one by one, I grasped something that caught my eye.
Made by the Sichuan Tang Family, it was an item that occasionally appeared in black markets.
Unless one possessed poison immunity, this was the most excellent choice available now.
“One silver note. Hehehehe.”
“You certainly know how to fleece a customer.”
“I set the prices, so it’s not fleecing—it’s fair dealing.”
The Old Woman cackled with laughter.
I frowned despite myself, but decided not to dwell on it. After all, I had obtained what I wanted.
My original goal had been spirit pills or spirit herbs.
If fortune smiled, poison antidote wine.
Cultivating inner power was important, but being able to counter poisons would be invaluable too. I hadn’t found any in my search so far.
Still, I had acquired a reasonably useful hidden projectile device.
I had once recovered this from a corpse and used it—before it broke, it had served me well in dispatching my enemies.
As I left without browsing further, I noticed the sun beginning to rise.
I needed to hurry back home.

* * *

“Where on earth have you been, Young Master!”
Cough—
“I took a walk.”
“At that hour? I’ve been searching for you since dawn, thinking something terrible had happened!”
“Do I look like a child to you? Cough, cough!”
I ate breakfast while listening to Chu Hyeongi’s loud chirping. It was truly a wonderful thing to fill my belly without worrying about poison.
As the clean, simple food went down, my mind seemed to awaken.
Even Chu Hyeongi’s voice gradually faded from my awareness.
But I did not eat much.
Once my stomach was sufficiently satisfied, I set down my chopsticks.
At this, Chu Hyeongi’s eyes filled with concern.
“Are you finished already?”
“Yes.”
“How can anyone eat so little and survive?”
“I’ve eaten enough.”
At the same moment, the worried light in Chu Hyeongi’s eyes shifted in a peculiar way.
“Then… may I eat the rest?”
“Go ahead. If you’re to learn martial arts, you’ll need to keep your body strong.”
“Hehehehe! Thank you!”
Chu Hyeongi’s face broke into a beaming smile as he pulled a pair of chopsticks from his robes. It seemed as though he carried spare chopsticks with him at all times, prepared for such occasions.
I was so dumbfounded that words escaped me.
As I shook my head in disbelief, a voice came from outside.
“Young Master, it is Yu Hyeon. Do you have a moment?”
“Please, come in.”
The door opened and Yu Hyeon entered, looking rather weary. He glanced at Chu Hyeongi, who was eating frantically, and then at me, offering a bitter smile.
Once he had taken his seat, I pulled the cord beside me.
Ding, ding—
A maid hurried in at the sound of the bell.
“Bring tea and refreshments.”
“Yes!”
The maid bowed deeply and left once more.
It was not long before tea and refreshments appeared, as though they had been prepared in advance.
As the maid placed them between Yu Hyeon and me, he began to speak.
“I have something to report.”
“What is it?”
“Regarding the captives. As you instructed, no matter how much we interrogate them, nothing comes forth. It seems further efforts would be meaningless.”
“That’s likely the case. After all, the torture wasn’t conducted to extract information. Depending on how deeply each person was involved with Hong Gu-hyeon, execute those who were deeply complicit and imprison the others until Father returns. Then release them.”
“Even if released… they won’t be able to live normally.”
“That’s precisely why I’m releasing them.”
“….”
Flinch!
The maid’s body trembled at my words.
She would understand the meaning behind what I was saying.
Perhaps among those captured, there were people she knew well.
With me deciding who would die and who would live, no one could help but feel terror.
And this message would soon spread quietly throughout the Sega.
I had summoned the maid with precisely that intention.
“This is punishment for the foolish acts committed against the Jin Family. Even if they survive, what awaits them will be hell.”
As I spoke with a faint smile, I watched the maid’s complexion grow increasingly pale.
She swallowed hard with a gulp, lowered her head, and slowly backed away from the room.
With this, the fear toward me would only deepen, and through it, information control would become far more seamless for the time being.
Yu Hyeon, as if grasping my intention, watched the maid’s retreating figure with an enigmatic gaze as she left.
“Then I shall proceed with that arrangement. Regarding Hong Gu-hyeon—we investigated his associates and interrogated those claiming to be his family….”
“They weren’t actually family, were they?”
“Correct. They were people who took payment to pose as his family. The same applies to the others who are now dead.”
I nodded while bringing the teacup to my lips.
Of course that would be the case.
Preparing for when things go wrong is always the highest priority—especially for those operating in the shadows.
“There’s no need to strain yourself with further investigation.”
“Pardon? Shouldn’t we be hunting down those responsible?”
“They will… come crawling out on their own.”
“What do you mean by——”
I raised my hand to cut off Yu Hyeon’s words, and a groan escaped his lips.
Naturally, since those targeting the Sega must be found and made to pay, his confusion at being told not to search was understandable.
“Never mind that. More importantly, *cough*! What of Father?”
“He is currently entangled with a bandit gang. However, even if we send a messenger and he departs immediately upon receiving it, it will take some time.”
“It seems it will take at least a month.”
“Yes… likely so.”
“Mere bandits, yet they’ve managed to detain him? They must be quite formidable.”
“It happens occasionally. Skilled wanderers sometimes fall into such paths.”
“I see.”
I let out a quiet laugh and sipped my tea.
It’s not impossible for skilled wanderers to become bandits. But Father has the elite warriors of the Nakhyang Jin Family with him, and Mother—who once commanded renown in the Martial Arts World—is there as well.
Considering the martial prowess of those currently with Father, they could crush a mid-tier martial sect without difficulty.
Such forces being detained by mere bandits?
It should be impossible.
“Very well. In any case, let us keep this matter confidential so as not to cause unnecessary concern. And… I shall post a notice.”
“A notice, sir?”
“Yes, a notice.”
“What sort of notice could you possibly mean?”
Yu Hyeon tilted his head in confusion, unable to grasp my meaning.
A notice was something posted to announce or publicize a matter.
So was I intending to make known what had transpired within the Nakhyang Jin Family? Such a question might naturally arise.
But that was not it at all.
In truth, when the Nakhyang Jin Family posted notices, it was almost always for a single purpose.
“We have several vacant positions to fill. We shall recruit people—maids, servants, guards, it matters not.”
“What?!”
“Surely Father’s forces have been somewhat depleted?”
“That… so I have heard.”
“When manpower runs short, schedules suffer delays. Therefore, we must gather people. Post the notice.”
“No, Young Master. What are you even… saying right now…?”
Yu Hyeon swallowed hard, his expression one of utter bewilderment.
He could not fathom the very notion of posting a notice in such circumstances.
I gazed upon his confused face and smiled.
“And as usual…”
“…?”
“Do not omit Hong Gu-hyeon’s name. Proceed as though nothing has occurred…”
“…!”
The first snare to ensnare them was beginning to tighten, ever so slowly.

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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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