The Youngest Son of the Nanyang Jin Family - Chapter 14

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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 75

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A black carriage, as if cloaked in deep darkness, moved along the road.
Without the sound of wheels turning, one might not even notice the carriage passing by.
Even that sound was barely audible.
Whether it was the coachman’s skill or the quality of the horses, I couldn’t say, but unlike an ordinary carriage, there was virtually no noise at all.
But sound wasn’t what mattered.
Inside the pitch-black carriage.
With no windows, not even moonlight seeped into the carriage’s interior. The inside and outside were perfectly sealed off, leaving nothing but darkness visible.
Gu Gunbaek, unbothered by the darkness, said nothing, and I, having grown somewhat accustomed to the gloom, paid it little mind.
But Jang Chuchyeong was different.
He fumbled about in the darkness he couldn’t see through, found me, and then gripped my collar tightly, growing increasingly anxious.
No one could endure being in such complete darkness for long.
Because of this, Jang Chuchyeong kept trying to start conversations.
“Master, are we being sold off?”
“You’re my disciple yet you’re terrified of everything. Just wait. We’ll arrive on our own.”
“Well… I’ve never experienced anything like this in my life. Aren’t you anxious, Master?”
“Anxious about what? If it comes to it, I’ll just smash everything to pieces. You’re strong too—why can’t you think like that? Are you saving your strength just to waste it?”
“Ah…”
“Ah? What does ‘ah’ even mean… How did I end up taking on a disciple like this?”
Listening to the two of them chatting away, I let out a quiet chuckle.
There was only one reason the carriage had no windows.
To prevent us from knowing where we were going.
It was a kind of device designed to make it impossible to reach the destination without the carriage.
The coachman’s job was to take passengers and, by circling this way and that without letting them notice the route, slowly proceed toward the destination.
“Whoever thought of this is an idiot. Do they think I wouldn’t know?”
“Do you know where we’re going?”
“Of course! What do you take me for? I have the senses of a beast. We’ve circled the same spot three times now, twisted back and forth through it, and we’re gradually heading north.”
The claim about having bestial senses wasn’t a lie.
I too had been constantly sharpening my senses, but I couldn’t perceive things in such detail.
“That’s correct.”
The moment I nodded, the carriage’s direction changed.
It twisted about again to disorient us, but this time it seemed to have found its proper heading and began moving straight ahead.
“This time it’s westward? What’s in the west?”
“The Imperial Palace.”
“What? You mean where those eunuchs live?”
“Where the Emperor resides. The eunuchs are merely attendants.”
“That’s all the same thing, you fool.”
Gu Gunbaek waved his hand dismissively, his brow furrowed as he looked at me. Seeing the glint in his eyes warning me not to nitpick needlessly, I gave a light shrug and leaned back against the carriage wall.
Even so, I maintained my senses at their peak sensitivity.
I knew where we were headed, after all, and this was decent training.
We continued moving for another half hour.
Then the sound of a horse’s neigh reached my ears, and the carriage we’d been riding in gradually came to a halt.
That was when the door opened.
Eager to finally step outside, Jang Chuchyeong descended first, with Gu Gunbaek and I following behind.
The moment I stepped down, what caught my eye was an enormous estate.
The plaque hanging on the main gate seemed unusually prominent.

Dowon Village.

As I took a step forward while confirming the plaque written in grand calligraphy, the tightly closed main gate swung wide open, revealing the interior landscape.
A sight that truly captivated the eyes.
The estate appeared like a painting come to life.
Even Gu Gunbaek was startled enough to widen his eyes.
“This way, please.”
Then, someone other than the carriage driver appeared from within. Following his guiding gesture, I naturally stepped forward after him.
Soon we entered the estate.
The place we arrived at was a large chamber, and as the man manipulated something, a peculiar event unfolded.
Rumble—
The floor that had seemed solid opened up, revealing a staircase descending underground.
With luminous stones embedded all around, the path was brightly illuminated, so darkness was no longer a concern.
As I naturally descended the staircase, the man bowed respectfully and spoke.
“Please enjoy yourselves.”
Hearing those words, I nodded in acknowledgment.
I descended the stairs without hesitation.
Jang Chuchyeong, seeing the luminous stones for the first time, was looking around curiously here and there.
“What exactly… is this place? It’s fascinating. The stones are glowing!”
“They’re called luminous stones. They’re rare items.”
“But they’re everywhere like this, and you say they’re rare?”
Jang Chuchyeong was right—luminous stones covered every surface.
If I were to sell all of them, it would be enough wealth to live comfortably for generations, not just a lifetime.
So it was understandable that someone seeing them for the first time wouldn’t realize their value.
But the situation changed once you tried to obtain them from outside.
A single stone’s price could reach that of silver ingots.
Naturally, acquiring such a vast quantity of luminous stones was impossible without both power and wealth.
Even the great martial sects couldn’t manage it.
There were only two places where it was possible.
One was the Imperial Court, and the other was the Nakhyang Jin Family.
I gazed ahead while contemplating such matters.
The staircase came to an end, and finally the exit revealed itself.
The moment I took a step toward it.
Exclamations burst from the lips of two people.
“…Wow— what is this?!”
“…I’ve lived long enough to see all manner of strange things.”
It was certainly underground.
Yet the sight that unfolded before my eyes could not be called underground.
It would not be an exaggeration to say an entire village had been transplanted here, such was the vastness of the space that revealed itself.
Moreover, countless luminous pearls adorned the ceiling, casting brilliant light across this place.
Magnificent and ornate pavilions stood scattered throughout the surroundings, and those who appeared to be residents wore pristine silk garments and ornaments while donning peculiar masks.
What was interesting was that the women or men beside those wearing masks had bare faces without masks.
Gu Gunbaek, who had been surveying his surroundings with an astonished expression, let out a hollow laugh as if bewildered, and looked toward me.
“Young Master. What exactly is this place?”
“It is Dowon Village.”
“…Dowon Village? Like that Peach Blossom Spring or something?”
“Yes, that is correct.”
I nodded.
Dowon Village.
A place where those with power, authority, and wealth come to indulge their desires.
Those without masks are Residents, and those wearing masks are Honored Guests.
Most who become Residents are either those sold here for their exceptional beauty, or criminals or martial world fugitives who paid the Hao Gate to hide their bodies for certain reasons.
Beyond that, there are death row inmates released by the Imperial Court for their pleasure.
This place, created for certain reasons long ago, was named Dowon Village by the Emperor and established thus, with the Hao Gate managing it.
That so many luminous pearls could be embedded here was possible only through the Imperial Court’s wealth, and my grandfather lent his strength to this endeavor.
Therefore, Dowon Village was a joint creation of the Imperial Court and the Nakhyang Jin Family.
Of course, my father seemed unaware of this matter, but conversely, my uncle appeared to know it well.
Waaaaaah—!
Then, a tremendous roar erupted from somewhere.
As I approached toward that thunderous sound, an arena came into view, constructed at the center of this vast underground city.
The cheers seemed to be flowing from there.
“Ugh?! What is that?”
In the next moment, upon witnessing it, Jang Chuchyeong’s expression darkened.
A person lay sprawled out, grotesquely torn to pieces.
Blood poured forth, and flesh scattered in all directions.
The one who appeared to be responsible for creating such a scene was waving his hand as if to take credit, basking in the torrential cheers.
Toward such a person, the masked Honored Guests threw down money.
The more provocatively one killed their opponent, the greater the amount of money that would pour down.
“What is this? They’re cheering even though someone was killed like that? Does this make sense?”
“Here, money is power and a lifeline. Do you know how much a single dumpling costs at that inn over there?”
“Surely just a dumpling would be what, two copper coins?”
“Twenty copper coins. A bowl of thin noodles would run about fifty.”
“What?!”
The underground city boasted prices that would drive anyone mad.
Whether to hide one’s identity or for any other reason, countless were those who brought money from the surface only to find themselves unable to survive even ten days under such murderous inflation.
Money was needed to eat, money was needed to live. And there were only a few ways to earn money in this place.
One could gamble with the money they brought, stake their life in the Arena, or as a last resort, sell their body.
Either way, all paths led to ruin.
Gambling could never beat the Hao Gate’s professionals, and fighting for one’s life in the Arena only meant death at someone’s hands eventually.
Selling one’s body was no different.
One never knew what might happen, and unless one possessed an official token, even Honored Guests could not take Residents out of the city. Those who tried would often return them broken and damaged.
Perhaps becoming a bodyguard was the best option? But catching the eye of an Honored Guest was not easy.
Most brought their own guards from the surface.
“A mad place indeed.”
I let out a hollow laugh.
Money and power divided people into ranks.
The district where Honored Guests resided was illuminated so brightly by night pearls that not even a shadow was permitted, and the buildings were so magnificent and grand that words could scarcely describe them.
But as one ventured deeper, everything changed.
The central areas still had some light and decent structures, but the innermost sections where most people dwelt had no light permitted at all—nothing but makeshift tents, not even proper buildings.
For most, rough stone floors served as beds and cold air as blankets.
I recalled the past and smiled bitterly.
It had been hard.
“What’s that?”
Just then, Gu Gunbaek looked toward the front of the Arena with a somewhat crooked expression.
Following his gaze, I saw a group of people gathered at the highest point of the Arena.
At that place, looked down upon even by Honored Guests, stood the Masked Martial Artist in a haughty posture, gazing downward.
That gaze was nothing short of arrogant.
The eyes of one who had placed the entire world beneath their feet.
Undoubtedly the Emperor.
I confirmed this and turned my gaze to the side.
Beside him stood the Masked Fox, speaking respectfully about something, yet there was something oddly familiar about her eyes.
Chief Eunuch Ga Inhoo.
And standing behind the Masked Fox was another figure.
“Wearing a mask that suits them perfectly.”
My eyes caught sight of someone wearing a serpent’s mask—cunning beyond measure.
In that instant, my eyes narrowed.
Though the mask obscured the face, the eyes and build were far too familiar.
Undoubtedly Jin Baek-ryong.
Recalling my uncle’s past actions and manner of speech, I could instantly discern what he desired.
Is the snake trying to ride upon the dragon’s back and become an imoogi?
Merely by thinking that he could achieve whatever he desired if he obtained the dragon’s power, I could discern just how foolish my uncle’s mind truly was.
Before I could stop myself, a soft chuckle escaped my lips.
I then examined other areas, but the one I sought was nowhere to be found.
Had they not brought her?
As I was about to withdraw my gaze with such thoughts, that very moment arrived.
A man wearing a rat mask forcibly dragged someone forward and compelled them to kneel before where the Emperor sat.
A woman in a plain white mask with no distinguishing features.
The instant I beheld her, my lips curved upward.
“Found her.”
My treasure.

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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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