The Youngest Son of the Nanyang Jin Family - Chapter 30

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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 30

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Words without feet travel a thousand leagues.
Just as the proverb suggests, rumors spread swiftly throughout the Central Plains.
Nowhere more so than in the Martial Arts World.
Even ordinary folk lend their ears to tales of the martial sects, and gossips, ever hungry for profitable stories, cannot help but peddle sensational accounts of the Martial Arts World.
Thus, even the smallest rumor spreads like wildfire through society.
“Have you heard? Heuk-don-chae was utterly demolished, they say?”
“That’s not all! Just from what I know, there are already three or four other places.”
“Could it be the work of a major sect’s martial artists? No, but these aren’t just bandits under the Green Forest—especially Heuk-don-chae, which is one of the Chilsipichae!”
“That’s precisely why it’s causing such an uproar.”
People whispered among themselves, expressing bewilderment at the unfolding situation. Someone was hunting down bandits and crushing them, yet no one could discern who this person was.
And no one understood why they were doing it.
“Is it true that the bandits are all trembling in fear?”
“From what I’ve heard, some of them have abandoned banditry and fled the mountains altogether. They don’t want to be demolished, after all.”
“Ha! Either way, it’s good news for us, isn’t it?”
“Absolutely! I’ve also heard that this person fights with uncanny skill. They demolish their opponents with fists and kicks alone.”
“A ghost fighter, a ghost fighter!”
“Yes, that’s right. A ghost fighter indeed. Hahahaha!”
None of them had witnessed anything with their own eyes.
They merely repeated the rumors that drifted to their ears, yet because this mysterious figure was crushing bandits who disrupted the peace, it was only natural that the common folk—the weak and vulnerable—should regard them as a hero.
Everyone raised their thumbs in praise, speaking the name of the ghost fighter.
The one most sensitive to such talk was none other than the Green Forest itself.
“That damned bastard!”
“Two of the Chilsipichae have fallen. Not to mention the bandits under our command!”
“Is this madman seriously trying to pick a fight with us!?”
In the main stronghold where the Nok-rim King resided, the bandits gnashed their teeth in fury. While the public remained ignorant of the culprit’s identity, the Green Forest, receiving intelligence through the Hao Gate, knew exactly who it was.
Jin Cheon-u and his Imperial Guards.
They showed no mercy regardless of a stronghold’s size.
They simply demolished any bandits they encountered on the road.
More than ten strongholds had already been destroyed in this manner.
As a result, the Green Forest had suffered catastrophic financial losses.
With two of the Chilsipichae eliminated, the Green Forest’s reputation lay trampled in the dust.
In every village one visited, people spoke in unison, mocking the Green Forest while elevating their vanquisher as a hero, their thumbs raised high.
“Ahahaha! What kind of madman does such things!?”
At that moment, the sudden sound of laughter made everyone freeze. The one who should have been taking this situation most seriously was none other than Gu Gunbaek.
For he was the king who led the Green Forest.
Yet he showed no concern whatsoever.
Rather, he seemed to be enjoying himself, laughing heartily and savoring the situation.
This only left his subordinates in an awkward predicament.
In times like these, a true king should inspire his men with confidence and lift their morale, yet he displayed none of that.
Sigh—
As those who had sighed looked toward Gu Gunbaek, he finally seemed to have finished laughing, wiping the corners of his eyes as he gazed at the man before him.
“So he’s coming here? While destroying everything in his path?”
“Yes, it appears his purpose is to meet with you, my lord.”
“Kahahaha! So there really are madmen like this in the world. Coming to me while sweeping away bandits. Pufufufu!”
Another burst of laughter erupted.
His face had turned completely crimson from laughing so much.
Then, as if to soothe his excitement, he gulped down the liquor from a gourd bottle and shifted his gaze.
Countless Green Forest bandits were sending urgent glances, as if waiting for orders, seemingly determined to restore the prestige of the Green Forest that had fallen to the ground.
Gu Gunbaek let out a smirk.
What was so important about a name like Green Forest?
They were nothing but bandits after all.
Gu Gunbaek brought the bottle to his lips and shook it.
But nothing came out except a few drops.
Frowning, he reached out to grab a fresh bottle, but found nothing—it had already run dry.
Gu Gunbaek let out a long sigh and rose from his seat.
“I’ll head down and buy some more liquor, so handle things yourselves.”
“Pardon?! You mean us, my lord?”
“Notify each mountain stronghold to locate their positions, then swarm them and crush them. It’s simple.”
“Ah—.”
“It’s only two men anyway. If you can’t even catch them, then there’s a problem.”
Gu Gunbaek stretched languidly and smacked his lips.
Gathering the bandits from each stronghold and overwhelming them in a swarm was all that was needed.
It was the most straightforward and crude method, but honestly, that was all one could expect from these bandit wretches.
However, if they somehow managed to escape even this and stand before him, then things would become interesting.
Gu Gunbaek licked his lips with a grin.
Let’s see if they’re the type to pique my interest to that degree.

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“Ugh— how many bandits are there in these mountains? I feel like we’ve already destroyed over ten strongholds.”
Chu Hyeongi let out an exhausted sigh, his shoulders sagging as he shook his head.
From Nakhyang to Shanxi, the number of bandit strongholds we’d demolished while riding had exceeded all imagination. Whether small or large, we’d obliterated them indiscriminately, so anyone would have been worn out.
Moreover, Chu Hyeongi had to handle nearly every situation alone. Except for a few instances, I merely watched from across the river, so to speak.
The clothes he wore were already stained a deep crimson with blood.
Even after washing repeatedly, the stench no longer faded—a testament to just how grueling his battles had been.
“Seventeen strongholds. And the reason there are so many bandits is obvious—the common people are struggling to survive.”
“Really?”
“You’ve been cooped up in Sega your whole life, so you don’t even know whether life is easy or hard.”
“Ahem!”
Chu Hyeongi fell silent, at a loss for words.
He’d served as my attendant since childhood.
He would never have experienced what hardship truly meant.
Moreover, since Sega managed his monthly wages, he’d likely accumulated enough money to live quite comfortably wherever he went.
“Cough! Well, regardless, that’s how it is. I thought I’d die from exhaustion, honestly.”
“Still, things have been quiet for a few days now. Thanks to you smashing those bandits to pieces, it seems everyone’s dropped their swords and picked up farming tools instead.”
“Hehe. Call me the great hero Chu Hyeongi!”
As he puffed out his chest with confidence, I stared at him with an incredulous expression and shook my head.
But he had every right to be confident.
From Nakhyang all the way to Shanxi, I’d subjugated quite a number of bandit strongholds. Handling nearly everything alone except in rare circumstances, I’d changed dramatically compared to when I first left Nakhyang.
My martial techniques had become more refined, and the movements to execute them had grown fluid.
More than that, the awkwardness I once possessed had vanished entirely—it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say I’d been reborn as a true martial artist.
I’d grown at an astonishing pace.
While my natural talent was considerable, the crucial factor was the intense experience I’d accumulated in such a short span of time.
Chu Hyeongi and I urged our horses forward at a faster pace.
We weren’t far from where the Nok-rim King held his territory.
Moreover, if I recalled correctly, there was a slash-and-burn village nearby.
It was fairly large in scale, and unlike typical slash-and-burn settlements, it had quite a population.
Since the marketplace was thriving there as well, I hurried the horses along, eager to rest comfortably as soon as possible.
A little over half an hour must have passed.
Fortunately, we entered the village while the sun was still in the sky.
“There really is a village here.”
“Did you think there wouldn’t be?”
“No, I thought you were lying when you said there was a young master who’d never left Nakhyang… and yet here we are.”
Chu Hyeongi gazed around in astonishment.
It was understandable to be surprised—I’d confidently found my way to this village in Shanxi, a place neither of us knew, and yet the village had actually appeared. More than that, it was real.
“But… you said it was a slash-and-burn village… why is it so large?”
As Chu Hyeongi entered the village and looked around, he couldn’t hide his amazement at the countless buildings and the throngs of people visible everywhere.
It was clearly different from the slash-and-burn villages he knew.
At the sight of him looking around bewilderedly, I couldn’t help but smile.
It was exactly the same as before.
Nothing had changed from when I first laid eyes on this place.
I smiled naturally and stepped into the inn.
Though it was a shabby establishment, it was the only inn in this village, so there were no other options to speak of.
As we entered, the villagers glanced at us with sidelong looks.
Being nestled deep in the countryside, outsiders rarely ventured here. Men, women, young and old alike cast eyes tinged with wariness or curiosity.
“Let’s go in.”
I tied the horse to the stable and entered the inn.
The interior was just as shabby and decrepit as its exterior suggested.
Whether they simply weren’t cleaning properly or the villagers were ignorant of hygiene, dust swirled through the air, yet somehow they managed to eat their meals within it.
“Welcome! Hehehehe! Will it be the two of you?”
“Yes, do you have a room?”
“Ah! You’re looking to rest? Of course we do. However… we only have one large room left…”
“That’s fine.”
“Understood! This way, please!”
The energetic server moved ahead to guide us to the room. In the meantime, Chu Hyeongi, who had been quietly surveying the inn, seemed displeased about something and whispered softly as he approached my side.
“Young Master, shouldn’t we eat the provisions we brought from our room? If we eat here, I fear we’ll be spending all of tomorrow on the privy.”
“I was thinking the same thing.”
I nodded at Chu Hyeongi’s words and stepped into the room.
As expected, it hadn’t been properly cleaned and was quite filthy.
Chu Hyeongi, his expression soured, moved quickly.
He opened the window, went downstairs to fetch a broom, and swept the room.
After shaking the dust from the bedding and airing it in the sunlight, he looked every bit the servant he was.
Who would believe this man had beaten bandits into submission?
It had been a while since I’d seen him in his proper servant’s role, and I found it quite satisfying.
Thus, Chu Hyeongi and I ate some dried meat and managed to rest for a time.
Though somewhat uncomfortable, having lain on a bed for the first time in ages, I soon fell into a deep sleep.
When I opened my eyes, the sun had already set.
I glanced casually out the window.
The street that had been bustling with passersby was gradually becoming quiet. Yet strangely, the inn should have been growing louder, but instead it was oddly silent.
Rather, through the window, I could see people hurriedly slipping out of the inn.
Soon a booming voice rang out.
“A true man speaks with his fists and settles things with his fists! Woohoo!”
Clang, clang—
The echoing voice carried tremendous force.
Though he was singing something whose melody I couldn’t even discern, the heavy voice reverberated through my ears with piercing clarity.
Perhaps because of this, Chu Hyeongi, who had been sleeping, stirred.
“Smash the enemy’s skull with your fists! Feed the enemy’s corpse to the beasts!”
A ridiculous song indeed.
And a rough voice that sounded like metal being scraped.
I had memories of hearing it before.
In the past, while fleeing from those wretches, I had been fortunate enough to discover this place and was sleeping soundly when a booming voice suddenly erupted through the entire village late at night, jolting us awake.
And.
Chu Hyeongi could not tolerate it.
Just as before, his expression twisted into a scowl.
“Ah… ah, you bastard… what kind of lunatic sings in the dead of night, spouting nonsense, absolute nonsense.”
Chu Hyeongi stirred, his eyes opening as he grimaced. Unable to endure it any longer, he propped up his upper body and gazed out the window.
Perhaps failing to properly recognize the figure visible outside the window, he hastily threw open the door and bellowed.
“Hey, you madman! Stop making that dog-like racket!”
The sound rang out sharply.
Chu Hyeongi’s voice reverberated with piercing clarity.
No one could have failed to hear it.
Because of this, the man walking along the street stopped and turned to look toward us.
The figure standing motionless and Chu Hyeongi locked eyes.
At that same moment, a dark shadow swept across the window.
In a fluid motion.
The man from the street then grasped the window frame, thrust his head inside to peer in.
An overwhelming physique and musculature.
Fists like iron and eyes like a wild beast.
The man, radiating the ferocity of a savage creature as he peered inside, soon confirmed our presence and broke into a sinister grin.
“My singing was dog-like?”
A crude, distorted voice erupted savagely.

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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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