The Youngest Son of the Nanyang Jin Family - Chapter 219

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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 219

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The merchant caravan was progressing far more smoothly than I had anticipated.
Contrary to my expectations of interference, nothing had occurred thus far. As a result, the Imperial Guards and warriors moved northward with ease, passing through Taiyuan, the capital where Sa Do-cheon resided.
Our pace was faster than expected.
I had judged that such a large-scale caravan would move slower than during the Gansu expedition, yet the seasoned veterans made not a single careless mistake.
Moreover, Namgung Baek was proving invaluable in this situation.
“The path lies in that direction.”
Having done countless tasks of this nature, he navigated the routes with practiced ease.
While his map-reading was exceptional, what truly impressed was his ability to select paths that were fastest, safest, and most suitable for large caravans to traverse.
There was good reason Yang Jachun had given him a thumbs up.
“If we continue just a bit further, we should see Mount O-tae and Mount Hang. From there, if we take the main road, we can exit Shanxi without difficulty.”
I nodded at Namgung Baek’s words and surveyed the surroundings.
Not only the Imperial Guards listening to his explanation, but the warriors nearby as well.
Seeing everyone nod in agreement and smile brightly at his words made it clear that he had become indispensable to this caravan at some point.
As we continued along the path for some time, something peculiar came into view.
Was it from the heavy rain last time?
The road was completely destroyed.
Boulders and fallen trees blocked the path, and even if we cleared them, the damage appeared so severe that we could not proceed far.
It was clear to anyone that such a large procession could not pass through here.
I raised my hand to halt the caravan, dismounted, examined the fallen debris, and turned my head.
These appeared to have fallen from the small hill nearby.
Looking at them, I furrowed my brow.
“Young Master, it seems we must turn back.”
“Are there other routes?”
“There are, but it would be impossible for so many people and supply carts to pass through.”
Namgung Baek shook his head and sighed.
This current path was the safest route.
With heavy foot traffic and few places suitable for ambush, no better location existed for a large caravan to traverse.
Yet in this state, I had no choice but to follow Namgung Baek’s suggestion and abandon this path.
I nodded.
“We turn back. Do we follow the ridge of Mount O-tae?”
“Yes, though it is dangerous, having come this far, we cannot afford to retreat.”
Namgung Baek spoke with a somewhat reluctant expression.
Then, glancing at the fallen debris, he examined it more closely, and his brow furrowed as if something seemed suspicious to him as well.
“This might be….”
“Once you’ve finished thinking, we move. If we hesitate, we’ll end up sleeping in the mountains.”
“Ah… Yes!”
I cut off Namgung Baek’s attempt to speak and mounted my horse once more. We altered our course slightly, moving along the ridge that led toward Mount Otae.
Though the narrow path presented considerable difficulty, the seasoned warriors and bodyguards pressed forward through the treacherous terrain with practiced determination.
I observed their progress, then turned my gaze elsewhere.
All around us lay nothing but trees, boulders, and dense undergrowth.
The sloped hillside appeared too steep for easy passage, yet the thick vegetation covering it would make an ideal vantage point for an ambush if one could reach the summit.
Namgung Baek seemed acutely aware of this danger, his eyes darting nervously in all directions with an ominous expression. I addressed him directly.
“Do not be so anxious. We have capable individuals here who can handle whatever may arise.”
“Ah, haha… Yes, that’s true, isn’t it?”
Namgung Baek swallowed hard and nodded awkwardly.
Until now, he had remained at Yang Jachun’s side, learning the trade. But this time, separated from his mentor, he bore sole responsibility for the safety of this entire group.
Moreover, this was a large-scale merchant caravan, and I—the Young Master So—was traveling with them.
And Namgung Yeon as well.
His desire to execute everything flawlessly must be considerable, yet life itself rarely flows so smoothly.
I smiled faintly and turned my gaze toward the hillside above.
Rustle—
The sound of undergrowth from somewhere above.
Namgung Yeon and Jang Chuchyeong immediately looked in that direction.
In that instant—
“Ahahaha! You bastards! I’ve been waiting for you!”
A man’s booming voice rang out.
A figure appeared, slamming an enormous axe into the ground.
There was no mistaking him for anything other than a bandit.
Simultaneously, a considerable number of bandits came into view—so many that it seemed he had summoned every available member of his band.
I regarded him and posed a question.
“Who are you?”
“I am the King of Bandits, inheritor of the great bandit lineage! Geuk Tae-cheon! You worms! Did you truly think you could lay hands on my bandits and walk away unscathed?”
Clang—
His powerful voice echoed and reverberated across the landscape without restraint.
At the unrestrained force of his voice, as if he had achieved enlightenment through sound, I found myself turning my gaze toward Cheon Yul.
I saw him shrug his shoulders.
It meant he had no idea who this man was.
Yet there was amusement in this situation—his mouth was full of laughter.
I kept my eyes fixed on the one called Geuk Tae-cheon and sent a transmission to Namgung Baek.
-I will buy you time. When I signal, lead the caravan and escape. Remember that the caravan is more important than I am right now.
“Hiek?!”
Startled by the sudden transmission, he widened his eyes in surprise and began looking around frantically, as if searching for the source of the voice.
Soon his gaze met mine.
Gulp—
With the sound of him swallowing hard, he seemed to steel himself and gave a slight nod.
As I sent voice transmissions in all directions simultaneously, Chu Hyeongi positioned himself before me, while Namgung Yeon quietly moved to stand beside Namgung Baek.
Following this, Cheon Yul shifted toward the warriors, and I became certain that no matter how numerous the enemy forces were, they could not break through our formation.
Then.
A man appeared beside Geuk Tae-cheon.
Dressed in the robes of a scholar, he gazed at me with a smile, then lowered his head respectfully as if offering a greeting.
In that moment, an expression of bewilderment crossed my face without my realizing it.
The man’s face suddenly twisted into a vicious grimace as he unleashed a sharp cry.
“Kill them all!”
Whoooosh—!
Countless arrows descended in a torrential downpour.

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Namgung Baek gasped, his gaze snapping upward to the sky.
Countless arrows rained down upon them.
Even as Namgung Yeon beside him bit his lip in hesitation, Jin Cheon-u moved first.
His gaze seemed to signal someone, as if sending a command. Immediately following, as if they had been waiting, came Sa Do-cheon’s subordinate, Soocheonchu Cheon Yul.
Yet the gaze never left Jin Cheon-u.
His movements were far too graceful and beautiful to look away from.
In the moment of shock watching Jin Cheon-u rise high into the sky.
A sword was drawn.
Whoooosh—!
A massive circular wave of light spread outward in an instant.
It appeared to have expanded at least fifteen to eighteen feet in all directions.
Thud-thud-thud—!
Following this, the countless arrows that had been positioned in the sky began to fall helplessly, yet toward the arrows that continued to descend unbroken, Cheon Yul’s blade blazed with fire.
As the blade swept forth, carrying a fierce tempest within it.
It swept away all the remaining arrows and flew toward the Masked Martial Artist.
“…!?”
In that moment of shock.
Boom—!
“Go.”
At the sound of Jin Cheon-u’s voice that followed, Namgung Baek understood precisely what he needed to do. He quickly shouted toward the bodyguards and warriors.
“Gather yourselves! We depart this place at maximum speed!”
At Namgung Baek’s commanding voice, those who had been in a daze began to comprehend the situation. The bodyguards surrounded the supply carts and warriors, moving with urgency.
Though the path was narrow and the mountain road treacherous, it would suffice.
These seasoned warriors understood their duties clearly and were able to escape the area swiftly.
Yet Namgung Baek remained uneasy.
Those who had been lying in ambush were undoubtedly bandits. It was certain they knew the geography of this place intimately, and they could be hiding anywhere without suspicion.
Namgung Baek quickly surveyed his surroundings.
The path we’re currently traveling is heavily trafficked, and the narrow side trail beside it is densely packed with trees and boulders, making it difficult for the supply wagon to pass through.
Moreover, since it remains unmanicured, the terrain is treacherous.
If we’re asking whether we can go through—the answer is no.
“Older brother?!”
“Yeon-a, we’re going this way.”
“But that path is far too narrow. The wagon cannot pass through it.”
“No, we abandon the wagon. We’ll load as much cargo as possible onto the horses and carry the rest by hand.”
At Namgung Baek’s words, everyone wore expressions of bewilderment.
Abandoning the wagon in these mountains was absurd enough, but what possessed him to think they could carry luggage on foot?
“Those men have certainly identified us, so they’ve undoubtedly set up ambushes and traps. This path is far safer.”
Namgung Baek spoke these words and quickly dismounted from his horse.
He rushed to the supply wagon, hastily transferred the cargo onto the horses, and secured the remainder on their backs, completing all preparations.
At his actions, the people moved with urgency.
In a brief span of time, the supply wagon was completely emptied, and the warriors, without exception, began moving—transferring cargo, shouldering packs, and loading the horses.
The moment the wagon sat empty, Namgung Baek finally began moving forward.
The path was truly treacherous.
Merely navigating around the densely protruding trees proved extraordinarily difficult, and we had to push through thick undergrowth while stones scattered beneath our feet with each step.
One misstep would send us tumbling down the slope, yet everyone followed Namgung Baek without complaint.
After advancing for some time, Namgung Baek suddenly stopped.
He glanced around, recalling the surrounding landscape alongside the map. He was considering which direction would lead us out of the mountains.
A moment passed in silence as everyone stared intently at Namgung Baek.
Opening his eyes, he slowly surveyed the surroundings, confirming something.
Then he turned his head toward the west.
“There are fresh deer tracks here. We’ll go this way.”
“What does that have to do with anything?”
“Such weak creatures naturally avoid places where people gather. Especially if it’s a deer.”
“Ah—so that means there are no people over there?”
“Yes, Doctor. I cannot be certain, but we should be able to avoid any ambushes.”
Speaking with conviction and nodding, he received looks of surprise from everyone. Namgung Baek’s appearance now seemed utterly different from his earlier bumbling demeanor.
“Ha, this fellow is just as capable as his younger brother? How about it—come to Sa Do-cheon and I’ll give you a position. We have an opening anyway.”
“…I apologize, Young Master Soocheonchu. Even though the Namgung clan has fallen, my roots remain with Jeongdo.”
“Ah, what a waste.”
Cheon Yul clicked his tongue and turned his gaze away.
His expression clearly showed genuine regret.
Namgung Baek, observing this, offered an awkward smile and averted his eyes.
At the same moment, his gaze met Chaeseoha’s.
His eyes then naturally drifted to Cheon Yul and Namgung Yeon.
“….”
“….”
Namgung Baek, who had been confirming the appearances of the most important people remaining by Jin Cheon-u’s side, tilted his head as if sensing something amiss.
“Where are Jang Howei and the Young Master… located?”
“Huh? Didn’t they come together with us?”
“Weren’t they with us the whole time?”
At that moment, everyone wore expressions of bewilderment, unable to comprehend the situation.
Chaeseoha’s lips trembled as she furrowed her brow.
“This bastard….”
The instant her sharp gaze turned backward.
Boom—!
A tremendous explosion erupted, sending shockwaves through the air.

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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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