The Youngest Son of the Nanyang Jin Family - Chapter 124

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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 124

I hurried back home and sat upon my bed, lost in contemplation.
The being I had encountered a day before the incident at Taeaksan.
If I considered the information Hao Gate had brought, then the old man who had spoken to me was none other than Geomcheon Muheo himself—the Imperial Regent.
I furrowed my brow as I dredged up memories I had deliberately buried.
That day.
Everything had begun to unravel strangely from the moment I met him.
A location that should have remained hidden was exposed; despite my ability to break through, I could not; and ultimately, I met my end.
“What in the world…”
Could that man truly be the Imperial Regent?
If so, why had the Imperial Regent approached me?
And why had he spoken such words?
I vividly recalled his expression and the light in his eyes at that moment.
A pallid complexion devoid of blood, as though death could claim him at any moment.
His frame trembled so violently that even movement seemed to demand tremendous effort.
Not a trace of inner power could be sensed from him—so little that the title “Geomcheon” seemed unbelievable—and his abundant white hair and skeletal frame marked him unmistakably as one whose days were numbered.
Yet the light in his eyes and his expression were different.
The elation and anticipation of having found a final lifeline.
That emotion, so distinctly felt, was something I had not considered at the time, but now, upon reflection, I could be certain of one thing.
“He knew I would return.”
Yes, there was no other way he could have worn such an expression.
Connected naturally to this thought was the realization that by my return, the Imperial Regent too had become his past self.
What if the Imperial Regent possessed knowledge of a method by which he, like me, could return with memories of the future?
Though his body was gravely wounded and damaged, there was a possibility he had already conceived a way to remedy it.
For I had done the same.
Possessing knowledge of the future granted such advantages.
“How unsettling.”
My discomfort was undeniable, yet I could not accept such speculation as truth.
After all, until now, I had never encountered anyone else who possessed memories of the future.
If such a thing were possible, then those of the Singyeo or the one called the Divine should also be capable of it, in which case all my actions thus far would have been instantly perceived and I would already be dead.
Therefore, I set this matter aside for now.
But I did not let my guard down; I etched it into my mind.
I calmed myself and reviewed the information once more.
What needed to be committed to memory was not merely what I had just contemplated.
The Imperial Regent’s nature, his manner of speech, his typical expressions—all of it.
Though not exhaustive, I committed to memory everything I could recall, and then burned the useless correspondence to ash.
Only then did I steady my breathing and lean back against my chair.
“Nothing is easy, yet everything is simple.”
Since returning to the past and opening my eyes, I’ve been running without pause.
Though this should be a time to finally find some peace, everything around me continues to shake and torment me from all directions.
At this point, I’m beginning to wonder if I’ve been cursed.
I clicked my tongue lightly and rose from my seat.
Nothing is easy, and there’s no time to rest.
Leaving the room, I made my way to none other than Father’s office.
“Father, it’s Cheon-u. May I come in?”
“Yes, come in.”
The door creaked open.
The moment I heard Father’s voice, I pushed the door open without hesitation and stepped inside.
As always, Father sat at his desk attending to administrative matters, but unlike before, he showed almost no signs of strain.
Even the stack of documents that had been piled high was now nearly gone.
I laughed at the sight of it.
“Have you delegated your work to Elder Brother and Elder Sister?”
“Delegated? That’s a rather harsh way to put it. I took on the work they should have been doing, so I simply distributed more of my own duties to them.”
Father smiled contentedly, and I imagined that once he finished the remaining work, he would spend his days leisurely strolling and enjoying wine.
It seemed he had recently made that his greatest pleasure.
“So, what brings you here? Are you planning to go somewhere again?”
“I’m thinking of going to Namman.”
“What?!”
His bewilderment at my sudden statement was evident.
Namman was located beyond Xinjiang, of all places.
Going to such a distant land beyond the edge of the Central Plains, a journey that would take considerable time—Father had every reason to be shocked.
His gaze, which had been fixed on me, soon furrowed.
But after a moment of contemplation, he let out a soft sound and gently nodded his head.
What surprised me was his acceptance.
I hadn’t expected him to agree so readily.
“You’re not going to stop me?”
“You’re forging your own path, so why would I stop you? There must be a reason you need to go there, yes?”
“There is.”
“Then go and return safely. I have no intention of questioning your decisions.”
Father smiled faintly and seemed unbothered. He then pulled a money pouch from his desk and tossed it to me. The moment I caught it, its weight was remarkable.
For a moment, I looked at Father with a peculiar expression.
“Why are you looking at me like that? It’s a long journey, so you’ll need plenty of money. If it’s not enough, stop by the Money Exchange and replenish it.”
“Thank you. But aren’t you worried? It’s quite far, after all.”
“You’re right. I’ve spent my life worrying about my youngest, whom I’ve raised with such care, but I won’t worry about you anymore.”
“Pardon?”
“How could I worry about someone who beats the strongest masters of the Sega without a single scratch?”
At those words, I let out an embarrassed laugh.
Now I finally understood why Father had worn such an astonished expression when he visited the Training Hall that day.
I bowed my head lightly.
“Yes, there is no need for concern.”
“Haha, good. I believe you will grow far greater for the sake of our family and the Sega.”
“I will do my best.”
I bowed respectfully and turned to leave.
Now that I had received permission, it was time to begin earnest preparations for my journey to Namman.
Yet suddenly, Father’s voice reached me.
“Ah, and one more thing.”
“Is there something else you wish to tell me?”
“There is quite a significant escort mission coming up.”
“I see. I’m confident it will be handled well.”
I nodded, offering silent wishes for its success.
If Father spoke of a significant escort mission, it surely meant that Yang Jachun, our renowned escort master, would take the lead.
He was seasoned and experienced, and with Eldest Brother and Elder Sister currently managing the Sega, I was confident the mission would proceed without incident.
“However, Eldest Brother is occupied with pressing matters, and Third Sibling needs mental rest at present.”
“Surely Pyo Du will handle it competently.”
“Haha, indeed. But here’s the thing—that escort mission happens to be heading to Gansu.”
“….”
“To reach Namman, one must pass through Gansu, yes?”
I stared at Father without speaking.
I had sensed this ominous turn from the moment he first broached the subject. Had it been otherwise, he would not have mentioned the escort mission to me at all.
My eyes closed involuntarily.
This was unavoidable.
“Lead the escort mission. Since you’re heading that way, I trust you won’t refuse.”

* * *

“Are you serious? Really?”
“Yes, that’s how it’s been decided.”
“Ugh, even traveling by horse takes forever, and now you’re telling me to lead an escort service all the way to Gansu? That’s going to take twice as long!”
“Then go complain about it.”
Jang Chuchyeong, who was gathering his belongings in my room, let out a gasp at the mention of the escort service and clicked his tongue in dismay.
Even a journey of merely a day or two would take four times longer if one had to lead an escort service.
Moreover, since we had to lead a large escort service to Gansu and would need to stop at villages along the way to receive shipments—a characteristic of such operations—the journey could easily take three or four times longer, if not more.
“You’re really going to do that?”
At that moment, Gu Gunbaek, who had been sitting askew on my bedchamber watching the scene, furrowed his brow and straightened his upper body.
From the dissatisfied glint in his eyes alone, it was clear he had no desire for any delay in our departure.
“There’s no helping it. We’re heading that way regardless.”
“Hmph! Well, there’s nothing to be done about it then. I’m going first. Follow behind me.”
In an instant, Gu Gunbaek sprang to his feet.
Just as I was about to say something in surprise at his apparent eagerness to depart without further hesitation, his extended hand seized Jang Chuchyeong by the scruff of his neck.
“He’s coming with me.”
“You mean Chu Hyeongi, sir?”
“He’s my disciple, so he comes along. I plan to turn him into a beast during the journey, so keep that in mind.”
“Wha—?! M-Master! W-Wait!”
“Come on, you fool!”
Jang Chuchyeong flailed his hands and cried out as he was dragged away, but Gu Gunbaek showed no sign of listening and hauled him out of the room without hesitation.
Left alone, I couldn’t help but let out a bewildered laugh.
Losing Jang Chuchyeong meant enduring considerable inconvenience.
He took care of so many things without being asked.
Yet, during the journey from Hannam to Namman, if I could receive intensive training from Gu Gunbaek, I couldn’t help but anticipate that my growth might exceed my wildest expectations.
“I suppose there’s no choice in the matter.”
I smiled wryly and began reorganizing the bundle of belongings that Jang Chuchyeong had left unfinished.
As I was putting things together for a moment, a voice came from outside.
“Young Master, it’s Yang Jachun.”
“Come in.”
The moment I answered, the door opened naturally, and Yang Jachun and Namgung Baek entered.
From the training they had received recently, the lazy demeanor of their past had vanished without a trace, and they now bore the unmistakable bearing of an escort service member.
I smiled wryly and asked.
“How are things progressing?”
“Excellently! I’m learning diligently, Young Master!”
Clang—!
Namgung Baek’s voice rang out loudly.
The sound reverberated throughout the entire room, loud enough to make one’s ears ache.
Without thinking, I furrowed my brow, and Pyo Du pressed his forehead in response, while Namgung Baek, finally understanding the situation, hastily covered his own mouth.
“My apologies.”
“I’m sorry, Young Master. My training is still incomplete, you see.”
“I don’t mind at all. But what brings you here? Is it about the Gansu escort service?”
“Yes, I just heard from the Family Head and came straight away. We’ve begun preparations, and it looks like we can depart in four days.”
“How many people?”
“Including Young Master and myself, we have fifty people total, and twelve cargo carriages.”
I nodded thoughtfully, considering the numbers.
For a large-scale escort operation, typically at least twenty or more cargo carriages would be in motion.
Naturally, the personnel would be arranged accordingly, and the accompanying forces alone would number over a hundred. Yet looking at this, the numbers seemed smaller than expected.
Twelve carriages with fifty people.
“Father has been clever about this.”
“Haha, it seems he trusts in Young Master and the others.”
The insufficient military force to protect twelve carriages led to the conclusion that the strength of myself and those at my side would overwhelm any shortfall in numbers.
Moreover, this arrangement meant fifty fewer people would accompany us, allowing us to save that much in expenses.
Then let me consider something else.
Twelve cargo carriages.
For an operation involving the renowned Yang Jachun, the scale seemed modest.
Though it was called a large operation, the fact that there were only twelve carriages meant all those cargo wagons were heading to a single destination.
A thought suddenly occurred to me.
“Could this be heading to the Allied Faction?”
“Ah— you already knew? Haha, I was just about to tell you that.”
Watching Yang Jachun nod, I found myself understanding completely.
Yes, this was indeed the time.
The vacant position of Master at the Allied Faction had recently been filled with a new appointment.
At that time, many came to offer their congratulations, and a small Martial Arts Tournament was held.
Of course, the Changryongdan was present there as well.
I let out a quiet laugh.
“A perfect moment to make a name for ourselves.”

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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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