The Youngest Son of the Nanyang Jin Family - Chapter 26

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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 26

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A lengthy procession began filing through the Luoyang City Gate.
Those who witnessed the endless column of people could not shake the thought of grandeur each time they beheld it.
Such an extraordinary procession it was.
Consequently, the torrent of gazes from the crowd was far more intense than usual.
As if observing the Emperor’s royal progress, pedestrians throughout the streets halted their steps and gazed intently upon the spectacle.
“It is the Jin Family Head.”
“And there is Yang Jachun as well.”
“I heard this expedition was massive? They say nearly all of the Jin Family’s warriors departed for it.”
The people murmured ceaselessly as they watched the procession enter, for every affair of the Jin Family served as excellent gossip for those dwelling in Nakhyang.
Yet the expression of Jin Ga-muk, the Family Head leading this procession, remained unchanged. He paid no heed to the cascading stares or whatever words spilled from their lips.
He simply advanced with unwavering confidence.
“It has been quite some time since we returned home.”
At that moment, the voice of a woman speaking beside him drew Jin Ga-muk’s gaze.
The first wife of the Nakhyang Jin Family and mother of the youngest son, Jin Cheon-u.
Chu Yak-ran.
At the sight of her approaching on horseback, Jin Ga-muk nodded with a taciturn expression.
“We are somewhat delayed. Let us hasten. There is something peculiar about the atmosphere of Sega.”
“Did the Chief Administrator not say there was nothing to worry about?”
“That is precisely why I am concerned.”
Jin Ga-muk narrowed his keen eyes as he recalled the letter from Chief Administrator Yu Hyeon. That man, who reported even trivial matters with meticulous care, had now gone a full fortnight without transmitting any information about Sega, insisting repeatedly that nothing was amiss.
What that silence signified was simple: something had occurred.
Jin Ga-muk urged his horse forward at an accelerating pace.
Consequently, the lengthy procession’s movement quickened with measured caution.
Upon arriving at the Jin Family compound, the gates swung wide open.
The endless procession began filing inward.
As the carts and baggage came to rest in the vast clearing and were being unloaded, the Gatekeeper, realizing that all had entered, exchanged meaningful glances with his companions and nodded.
Boom—!
The gates slammed shut.
Those present, bewildered by the unusual circumstances, glanced about in confusion.
At that very moment, warriors emerged from every corner of Sega, drawing their swords.
Even Jin Ga-muk could not conceal his shock at the sight.
“What is the meaning of this—!”
Clang—!
A thunderous sound reverberated wildly through the air.
Despite the command carrying no inner force, the sheer power behind those words caused all who heard it to instinctively shrink back.
Even the warriors who had leveled their blades held their breath.
In that moment.
“I gave the order.”
All eyes turned toward the unexpected voice.
Soon, the mass of warriors parted, and a single man emerged from their midst.
The pallid complexion that had marked him was nowhere to be seen, and the shoulders that had hung limp with exhaustion now stood squared with renewed strength.
The figure standing motionless commanded the entire assembly.
An air of absolute confidence.
Eyes that seemed to bow to nothing—and there stood the man.
Jin Cheon-u, the youngest son, stood before them.
A mysterious smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

* * *

“This… this is madness…!”
Crash!
Father stormed into the office and struck the desk with a violent blow, the sound so thunderous it seemed the wood might splinter. My ears rang from the impact.
His clenched fist had flushed crimson, yet even that was not enough to quell the fury burning within him—it trembled with barely contained rage.
Anyone would have felt the same.
For among the elite warriors of Sega who had traveled with us, Hong Gu-hyeon’s agents were mixed in.
Though few in number, some had died in rough resistance, while others had wept and pleaded, falling to their knees.
How devastating it must have been to witness such scenes.
These were men who had shared the hardship of the journey with us until moments before.
The shock was beyond words.
I regarded my father quietly.
There was joy in seeing him, yet something strange stirred within me.
Though tears seemed ready to spill, my heart remained oddly serene, and this moment of facing him felt strangely inevitable.
As if the past had never existed at all.
As I held a bitter smile, I watched my father’s fierce gaze settle and grow calm.
He was no ordinary man—he was the master of the Nakhyang Jin Family.
Jin Ga-muk was the pillar that could never be shaken.
For a single decision made in anger could shake the very foundations of the Central Plains.
My father, understanding this better than anyone, contained his roiling emotions within, and cooled the blazing fury and rising heat of his gaze with deliberate restraint.
Now he had become the father I knew.
“An absurd situation has unfolded. Within the Nakhyang Jin Family itself.”
“I handled it as discreetly as possible.”
At those words, Father fixed his gaze upon me.
I had resolved the matter with such secrecy that even I myself scarcely comprehended the extent of it.
Despite having entered Nakhyang, not a whisper of what had transpired within the Nakhyang Jin Family escaped the lips of the marketplace crowds or the countless people who had witnessed it.
I had maintained absolute control over the information.
Huff—
My father, who could not possibly be unaware of this, exhaled a small sigh to calm himself before speaking again.
“You did well. But you discovered nothing of value?”
“They are cunning to the point of being meticulous and methodical. They would not hesitate to bite their own tongues rather than be captured, so it is not easy.”
“I see…”
My father nodded and fell into thought for a moment.
He seemed to be pondering who among those so thorough and systematic could be responsible. He appeared to be convinced it must be one of the forces in opposition to the Nakhyang Jin Family.
Yet nothing came to mind immediately, and his gaze turned toward me once more.
“We are the Nakhyang Jin Family. For centuries, we have held and wielded the purse strings of the Central Plains, and such incidents have occurred countless times. Yet none have succeeded, and it is precisely because of this that I stand here now. Do you understand what this means?”
“The Nakhyang Jin Family may be shaken, but it will never fall.”
“Yes, that is exactly right.”
The moment I spoke the correct answer, my father nodded.
Nations crumble and collapse without warning, dynasties change. Yet we have steadfastly protected Nakhyang and guarded Sega through all such upheaval. To lack pride in such a legacy would be laughable.
Of course, in the past, even such conviction had been shattered.
Those enemies were that flawless.
But things will be different now.
I intended to demonstrate once more that the Nakhyang Jin Family could never be brought to ruin.
As I organized my thoughts, my father’s voice reached my ears.
“If they have planned with such precision, they surely do not limit themselves to operations within Sega alone.”
“Indeed. The Chief Administrator, who now bears the name Yun Ryong, is currently investigating all our business establishments. We should be able to identify suspicious individuals soon.”
“Those are pleasant words to hear.”
My father grasped my intent immediately.
Rather than capturing and eliminating them all at once, we would resolve this as quietly as possible. We would keep it contained, lull those targeting the Nakhyang Jin Family into complacency.
He seemed greatly satisfied with my choice, seeing in it the possibility of delivering a decisive blow if fortune favored us.
“Good. You have managed things well in my absence. I will handle the rest, so do not concern yourself further.”
At those words, I nodded.
Within the bounds of preventing information from leaking, I would exert every effort to uncover the masterminds using the power of the Nakhyang Jin Family.
We might not be able to find them completely, but if fortune smiled upon us, we could perhaps discover their connections.
Above all, this would make my father more vigilant.
Whatever he did or whoever he met, he would now doubt and remain cautious, no longer falling so easily into their schemes as before.
For now, I had to be satisfied with that.
Well then, now comes the main matter.
“One more thing—I had a conflict with Hochi.”
“Hochi? You mean the Green Forest bandits who have established themselves near Nakhyang? What happened?”
“It occurred while I was rescuing someone.”
“Someone? You rescued someone?”
“Yes, a physician. An exceptionally skilled one.”
At my words, my father examined my complexion intently.
Only then did he seem to realize that my condition, which had been poor before leaving Sanghang, had improved completely.
“I was not paying attention. So, your body is well now?”
“Your condition is more perfect than ever. The poison has been completely purged from your system.”
“Poison? You mean you were poisoned?”
Before Father departed from Sanghang, he had summoned numerous physicians to examine me, yet none of them had dared speak the word “poison.” They simply assumed my body was in poor condition.
Thus, my revelation now struck him with considerable shock.
Without needing to say more, he seemed to grasp who the culprit was, his eyes squeezing shut with realization.
“As I mentioned, I am perfectly fine now. This is all thanks to the physician I rescued from the hands of the Green Forest Bandits.”
“…Yes, I see. If you are well, then bring her here sometime. I wish to offer my personal gratitude.”
That was already my intention.
Having created a situation where Chaeseoha could naturally enter Sega’s inner circles, my plan to bring her under my control was proceeding smoothly.
“It seems you had a confrontation with Hochi Fortress in the process of rescuing this physician.”
“Indeed. Given the circumstances, I may have applied more force than strictly necessary.”
“Ha, and the Sega warriors—they were unharmed?”
“I acted alone.”
“…What?”
Naturally, he had not expected me to face Hochi Fortress by myself. Father’s expression betrayed genuine astonishment at this revelation.
But he would learn the truth soon enough.
Though I had glossed over the encounters with Hong Gu-hyeon and Sip Jo-jang, once Father spoke with the Chief Administrator, he would hear the precise details.
My martial level would inevitably be exposed.
There was no need to conceal it further.
“Wait… I know you learned martial arts, but wasn’t that only briefly in your childhood?”
“I have been cultivating my skills in the intervals between other matters. You simply did not witness it directly.”
“…And what became of Hochi Fortress?”
“I crushed him. He will find it difficult to engage in banditry for some time.”
“…!”
At this unexpected statement, Father stared at me with widened eyes. Understanding the full weight of my words, his pupils trembled with disbelief.
“This is… utterly astounding—beyond even my capacity to comprehend.”
Father’s tone carried a mixture of emotions.
The Jin Family had long been a merchant house, producing many distinguished traders, yet they had never cultivated talent in the martial arts. Thus, they had chosen instead to purchase warriors with gold.
And now I had defeated Hochi Fortress.
Not with the aid of others, but entirely alone.
His conflicted feelings were entirely justified.
“In any case, the Green Forest Bandits will attempt something. Please allow me to handle this matter entirely.”
“You? Surely you do not intend to confront Cha Hak-sang directly?”
I shook my head at his words.
Cha Hak-sang is the master of Hochi Fortress.
Father, being sensitive to the shifting currents of power, naturally thought of him.
But I held no interest in Cha Hak-sang whatsoever.
I had merely exploited the Green Forest Bandits’ interaction with Chaeseoha to win her heart.
Every situation I had orchestrated was calculated to achieve two victories with a single move.
The man who had come to mind must be quite pleased with himself by now.
Because something interesting is about to unfold.
“What on earth are you planning to do…?”
As Father’s voice reached my ears, I cast aside my wandering thoughts and turned my gaze toward him. His eyes were resolute and unwavering, his expression unyielding, radiating an unmistakable determination never to retreat—yet despite this steely demeanor, his pupils trembled with evident shock.
At the sight of him, I smiled.
Then, as if answering his question, I opened my mouth.
“I intend to settle matters directly with the Nok-rim King.”
“…!”
It was the moment Father’s complexion transformed.

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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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