The Youngest Son of the Nanyang Jin Family - Chapter 182

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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 Jin Family of Luoyang – Chapter 243

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“Still refusing to engage in other activities?”
“Yes, he remains secluded within the Jin Family compound and does not venture outside. We attempted to approach the servants to gather internal information, but… not a single one would speak, regardless of how much silver we offered.”
Mo Yong-cheon fell into contemplation, turning the words over in his mind.
The man who once wandered the streets without hesitation had suddenly confined himself to his residence. What troubled him most was that Jin Cheon-u had not even stepped foot outside Luoyang’s streets.
If he could extract internal information, it would be ideal, but for reasons unknown, not a single piece of intelligence emerged from those employed by the Jin Family.
Certainly, as a clan that had controlled the financial arteries of the Central Plains for centuries, the Jin Family’s internal cohesion felt distinctly different from other great houses.
He had heard that even the Namgung Family’s subordinates, blinded by greed, had sold information without hesitation.
That was how they had brought it down so effortlessly.
Yet this was not merely a problem unique to the Namgung Family.
If the Moyong Family set their mind to it, they could infiltrate not only the Eight Great Houses but even the Nine Sects and One Faction.
Even martial clans renowned for their solidarity showed such vulnerabilities, yet information could not be extracted from a mere merchant house?
Mo Yong-cheon let out a hollow laugh and shook his head.
“Have you attempted to contact the Hao Gate? That avenue should prove more reliable for such matters.”
“It is impossible. Even the Hao Gate cannot penetrate the Jin Family’s internal affairs, or so I have heard.”
“Ha ha ha— this is absurd.”
Laughter escaped him at those words.
It seemed as though everyone was conspiring to protect Jin Cheon-u or the Jin Family itself, did it not?
Mo Yong-cheon found this deeply unsatisfying, yet considering that Luoyang was where the Jin Family’s influence reigned supreme, he recognized it as inevitable.
He briefly entertained the notion of eliminating the Jin Family’s blood relatives who remained outside first, thinking it might naturally force the target to emerge. But he quickly dismissed the idea.
Such an approach would consume too much time.
Moreover, the surging desire for vengeance, the humiliation he had endured, and the death of that man would shake the Jin Family profoundly, yielding considerable advantages.
Furthermore, through this, Mo Yong-cheon could regain the trust of the new Snake Clan’s corner lord.
Thus, the primary objective could not be altered.
“We have ample time yet. Observe patiently.”
“Understood.”
As the man bowed and turned to leave, Mo Yong-cheon’s brow furrowed as if something had occurred to him.
“And to prepare for any unforeseen circumstances, I shall also take residence at my estate in Luoyang. This place has been unbearably noisy of late, so the timing is fortuitous.”
“I shall make the arrangements.”
That man always exceeded expectations.
To prevent matters from unfolding contrary to his calculations, I must prepare myself thoroughly as well.

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Crack—!
The moment my sword cut through the air, a biting chill shot forth, freezing the wooden dummy solid.
Stronger than last time, yet still pale compared to the Junior Prince of Binggung.
But I was growing accustomed to it, and confidence bloomed within me that I would soon master it completely.
I continued to wield the frost-laden blade, my mind fixed upon a single figure.

Mu Heo.

I held his incomprehensible dance in my mind’s eye, mimicking the cold movements he had performed, tracing them again and again.
The motions were simple enough to be etched clearly in my thoughts, yet achieving the exact same movements proved far from easy.
Each step, each swing of the blade.
Though I danced the same dance, the feeling was entirely different.
But I would not yield.
Only by wielding that elegant, nature-infused sword perfectly could I make it truly mine, then deconstruct and rebuild it.
The energy and momentum contained within it, the principles that embraced nature itself.
The essence of Mu Heo’s martial arts would come later.
I had concluded that attempting to understand everything about him at once would yield nothing, so I resolved to claim his techniques piece by piece in this manner.
Whoosh—! Crack!
The sword, swung horizontally, cleaved through the wooden dummy.
The wooden dummy flew upward and crashed against the wall, and as it struck, the wall crumbled with a thunderous sound.
“This is…”
“Haha— what’s this? Did you break the wall because you wanted to see me?”
Beyond the collapsed wall stood none other than Cheon Yul.
He appeared to be heading somewhere, popping a piece of candy into his mouth as he smiled toward me.
“What are you doing there?”
“Huh? I was chasing after the physician and got lost.”
“…Is there a way to get lost here?”
“Hey, my friend didn’t know. They say this place is bigger than Sa Do-cheon. It’s easy to lose your way on a first visit.”
Cheon Yul spoke with playful banter, and noticing my piercing gaze, he readily offered the fresh candy in his other hand, clearly uncomfortable.
“Want some? This one’s fresh.”
“Enjoy yourself.”
“Haha— still cold as ever. We’ve been through quite the ordeal together, you know. But… are you training?”
“Unlike some people, I do it often.”
“Hahaha—! You mean me? I train too. Over in some distant corner when no one’s around.”
A sigh escaped me unbidden at Cheon Yul’s playful expression. Yet I already knew that such light-hearted words and actions were not his true nature.
In any situation, he would jest and lower his opponent’s guard.
Whether with good intentions or otherwise, I understood such tactics could serve as contingencies.
“Seems you gained quite a lot from the Northern Sea? Working hard enough to break a sweat, I see.”
“It appears the Junior Prince gained nothing at all.”
“No, I did. That I was far too arrogant until now, or perhaps… that there are truly strange people in this world.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. I’ve learned something else about my friend. Whenever something’s about to happen, he trains incredibly hard. As if preparing for something. What’s going on? What is it? Let me in on it too.”
I gazed steadily at Cheon Yul.
Eyes gleaming with eagerness, like a child desperate to join in on whatever was happening. So innocent and pure that it was almost disarming.
I let out an involuntary hollow laugh and shook my head.
“Nothing’s going on. If you have nothing to do, go chase after So-ha or Yeon.”
“Ugh— you really don’t pay attention to me… Miss Yeon―!”
“Eek!?”
In an instant, whether Namgung Yeon had appeared or not, Cheon Yul suddenly bolted forward. At the same time, Namgung Yeon’s voice rang out sharply as if she’d seen something repulsive, followed by the sound of hurried footsteps fleeing.
I couldn’t help but let out another hollow laugh at the sight.
I truly had no idea what to do with that man.
Part of me wished Sa Do-cheon’s group would return and drag him away again, but it seemed the Martial Arts Alliance wouldn’t allow that.
It was better to leave him be for now rather than provoke unnecessary conflict.
Yet no matter how much I thought about it, the reason he wouldn’t leave didn’t seem to stem solely from his competitive spirit toward me.
Rather, it was because he was Cheon Gong-hak’s blood relative.
I narrowed my eyes slightly and watched his disappearing figure for a long moment before naturally turning my gaze toward a presence I felt elsewhere.
Jang Chuchyeong had appeared in the training grounds and was waving his hand broadly.
“Young Master!”
“What is it?”
“Ah— I’ve been searching for you for quite a while. You were still in the training grounds… Wait!? Why is that wall like that!?”
“Have someone repair it. But what’s your business?”
“Ah— right! He’s returned.”
“Already?”
“Yes! He rode so frantically that it took quite a bit of effort just to calm him down before he collapsed from exhaustion.”
At those words, I retrieved my sword and moved quickly.
Following Jang Chuchyeong into the reception hall, I could see Gu Gunbaek with a face flushed crimson red, just as he’d said.
His appearance was in terrible condition.
His entire body was drenched in sweat as if he’d been caught in a downpour, and his clothes were so tattered and worn that they looked like rags.
Had he run all the way here after I’d given him a horse?
His state suggested either the horse had been lost or he’d ridden it so hard that it had fallen behind.
I couldn’t help but let out a hollow laugh with an expression of amazement.
“Impressive. Only two days have passed…”
“You gave me the order, Young Master. I couldn’t afford to delay.”
Gu Gunbaek’s eyes shone as he revealed his resolve.
Like one who had received an imperial decree that must be obeyed, the unwavering loyalty he displayed made me understand what the Jin Family of Luoyang meant to him.
“Do you perhaps owe the Jin Family a debt? Did my father save you, or perhaps your family…?”
“Ha, no. I’m simply grateful that you recognized me and allowed me to work as a guard.”
“You’re this desperate over something so trivial?”
“Sometimes that’s all the world is for certain people. Isn’t that the case with the Namgung guards as well?”
At his resolute words, this time I found myself at a loss. His expression and eyes revealed only truth, untainted by any selfish intent.
I let out a helpless laugh.
“So what happened?”
“I completed the task as instructed. He said he would visit in two days.”
“He wouldn’t have agreed to meet so easily.”
“Haha… I used some of the money you gave me, Young Master. They say money can move even ghosts, and it seems those people are no different.”
I couldn’t help but be taken aback by what I heard next.
The money I gave was merely payment for the errand. After all, it wasn’t a matter of family business—I was handling a personal matter.
Yet he had used it for this task.
It was a considerable sum, so one might have hesitated, but judging from Gu Gunbaek’s eyes and expression, there seemed to be no internal conflict whatsoever.
I smiled bitterly and pulled out another promissory note.
It was for a larger amount than what I had given two days ago.
“Take it.”
“I… cannot accept this, Young Master. I merely did what I was supposed to do.”
“And I am doing what I am supposed to do. Loyalty always demands compensation.”
Gu Gunbaek accepted the promissory note with trembling hands.
The value of one silver yuan.
Even by the monthly wages of a lower-ranking martial artist, it would take a year of work to earn such an amount.
Naturally, it was astonishing.
I observed his expression and posed another question.
“Besides that, was there anything else unusual?”
“Anything else… Now that you mention it, the atmosphere wasn’t good. Moreover, there was someone who seemed quite displeased.”
“Displeased… About what?”
Gu Gunbaek let out a thoughtful groan.
It had been a fleeting incident, and since he had been focused on his own task, he likely hadn’t paid much attention to such trivial matters.
But soon his eyes brightened with recognition.
Had he remembered something?
As Gu Gunbaek’s mouth opened, I furrowed my brow.
“The Sword Emperor has left the Alliance again, they say. Without even offering an apology.”
The Sword Emperor was the one responsible for handling and resolving this matter.
For such a person to disappear again without presenting any countermeasures would naturally provoke anyone’s anger.
Perhaps only those dwelling in the Sword Emperor’s shadow would defend him?
Then why would the Sword Emperor, who despises his influence being shaken, suddenly vanish at such a critical moment?
I smiled with a subtle expression.
“Truly, he never deviates from my expectations.”
But with this, the complete picture has been drawn.
Now is the time to draw him out.

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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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