The Youngest Son of the Nanyang Jin Family - Chapter 58

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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 58

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A little over two weeks remained until Father’s birthday celebration.
The Sega household was already bustling with activity because of it.
With hundreds of guests expected to arrive, everyone moved about busily, beginning preparations for the occasion.
Carts laden with food enough to feed hundreds rolled through the gates, and servants hurried to prepare rooms for the arriving visitors.
Not only the powerful and influential would attend, but also renowned merchants from the Merchant District, members of the Escort House, and other luminaries whose names alone commanded respect—there was barely enough time to prepare even now.
I observed all this activity.
As the day drew nearer, my heart raced with increasing intensity. Though I would do everything in my power to prevent it, there was no guarantee that a single small mistake wouldn’t result in the tragedy of old repeating itself.
I could not afford to relax my vigilance for even a moment.
In such circumstances, I now found myself in Father’s office. I was certain we had met just yesterday, yet for some reason, I had been summoned again.
This was a change from the past.
Though I had entered, Father continued staring at his papers and holding his brush for quite some time before finally looking up at me—it took a full half hour.
“Your complexion is better than yesterday. Has something good happened?”
“No, sir. So-ha prepared a medicinal decoction for me, and it appears to have been effective.”
“I see. I should ask her to prepare something for me as well.”
Father’s trust in Chaeseoha was unwavering. Recently, he had begun seeking only her counsel, completely disregarding all the physicians he had previously consulted.
It was a testament to how much he valued her medical skill.
“In any case, the reason I called you here is simple. I have something to give you.”
“Something to give me?”
Father nodded and carefully placed a small wooden box on the table.
In that moment, I smiled as I gazed upon it.
Though different from the past, it was coming into my hands in this way.
“It is a family heirloom of the Jin Family, passed down through generations. Open it.”
At Father’s words, I carefully reached out and grasped the wooden box.
Click!
With a crisp sound, the tightly sealed box opened, and its contents came into view.
Inside lay a jade orb.
A green-hued jade orb—the sort one could find anywhere.
The auspicious radiance I had felt upon first seeing it was absent, as was any spiritual energy, and it possessed none of the enchanting aura it once held.
And well it should.
I had purchased the closest replica I could find at the marketplace.
“It was an object possessed by the first Family Head. From that time onward, it has been passed down through the generations from Family Head to Young Master. Now it appears somewhat faded, but… it is a precious thing.”
Father gazed at the jade orb, then his expression grew slightly puzzled. It looked quite different from when he had first seen it, but to acknowledge that would mean admitting it had been stolen or lost.
An object that had been in the Ancestral Hall, of all places.
He seemed to consider such a thing impossible.
I naturally closed my hand around the jade orb.
“Thank you. I’ll keep it safe.”
“Ha, good. Since it’s a family heirloom, you mustn’t lose or damage it. You’ll need to pass it down to your own children someday.”
“I’ll remember that.”
Even though I’d already swallowed it whole.
I wore a bitter smile at such thoughts.
Since there seemed to be no other business besides handing over the jade orb, I noticed him subtly dismissing me and bowed before slipping out of the office.
Walking toward the annex, I gazed at the Gok Ok in my hand.
In the sunlight, it was unmistakably just an ordinary jade orb.
I let out a quiet laugh and hung it around my neck.
When I entered the annex and opened the door, I found unexpected visitors had arrived.
Not only Chaeseoha, but Gu Gunbaek and Chu Hyeongi as well.
These people who treated my room like their own home had gathered together for a little refreshment gathering.
Sigh—
A hollow laugh escaped me at this sight I’d never imagined.
“What in the world is this….”
“Ah, we’ve been waiting for you, Young Master. Please sit. The snacks today are quite good.”
“Where did you go? We’ve been waiting so long I thought my neck would break.”
Despite saying such things, there wasn’t much of the snacks remaining. From the traces, it seemed they’d continued eating while chatting.
As I frowned and turned to the side, Chu Hyeongi grinned and immediately noticed the Gok Ok around my neck.
“What’s that? You never wear accessories, yet…a jade orb?”
“A family heirloom. Father gave it to me.”
Though strictly speaking, I’d bought it myself and was receiving it back.
I deliberately erased that fact from my mind.
“The Family Head of such a wealthy household gives his son something so ordinary?”
“It appears so. He said it was something the first Family Head possessed.”
“You’re joking. If you went outside right now, you’d find them everywhere.”
That would be true.
Since I’d bought one of them.
Though he seemed far removed from someone who’d concern himself with jewels or ornaments, the fact that he was the head of an organization remained unchanged—he’d seen through the true nature of the Gok Ok.
But not to these fools.
Even with Gu Gunbaek’s level of discernment, without close examination, it would be practically impossible to distinguish the genuine from the counterfeit.
Therefore, it would work on them.
Their attention would turn toward me.
Thinking thus, I smiled.
“This bastard’s thinking something strange again. What scheme are you cooking up now?”
“I’m not thinking of anything. Why do you look at me that way?”
“Every time you smile like that, interesting things happen here and there. I’ve figured it out. Hehehehe.”
At those words, I shrugged.
While it had happened a few times, I wished he’d stop connecting the incidents and accidents of the Central Plains to me.
“If you ask me, if you hadn’t been born into this household, you’d have become some mastermind pulling strings from the shadows. Trouble follows you wherever you go.”
“You’re mistaken.”
“Anyway, you’re an interesting fellow, truly. Of all places, that Moyong Family’s dragon had to crash right where you were. Isn’t that strange?”
“Don’t you know the martial world better than I do? Such things happen, and so do others. It’s the way of things.”
Gu Gunbaek stared at me intently as I parried his words with calm composure. Then he popped a snack into his mouth and let out a derisive chuckle.
His gaze seemed to ask: how much longer will you keep dodging?
“Hehehehe, tell me honestly now. You crushed Moyong Hyeok or whoever it was… it was you, wasn’t it?”
Whoosh—
At Gu Gunbaek’s words, Chaeseoha and Chu Hyeongi’s gazes snapped toward me.
Moreover, Gu Gunbaek’s smile—inexplicably amused—remained fixed on me, his mouth hanging open in anticipation.
But the voice that answered came from somewhere else first.
“That can’t be. Our Young Master was resting, after all.”
“Which is precisely why it’s suspicious. How would you know whether he was resting or doing something else?”
“Our Young Master isn’t that kind of person! Besides, he has no connection to Moyong Hyeok. And how could our Young Master possibly defeat him!”
Chu Hyeongi had witnessed Paeng Dohan and Eon Garyeo’s strength firsthand. Knowing that even they were powerless against Moyong Hyeok, he seemed convinced I couldn’t possibly have won.
Thanks to this, Gu Gunbaek’s gaze shifted away from me.
“What? From where I’m sitting, he looks like easy prey.”
“What nonsense are you spouting? Moyong Hyeok is someone even Paeng Dohan couldn’t defeat. Isn’t that right, Young Master?”
“I don’t know.”
“Master, if you’d seen Paeng Dohan’s strength with your own eyes, you’d never say such a thing. It’s our Young Master who’d be easy prey.”
Chu Hyeongi launched into an impassioned defense, his eyes wide.
Gu Gunbaek, watching him intently, seemed exasperated. He snorted and suddenly reached out, seizing Chu Hyeongi by the back of the neck.
Crunch—
“Disciple, if you keep contradicting your master, you’ll die. Understand?”
“Aaaaagh—!”
A wail pierced the air.
Watching him crumple with shoulders hunched, crying out in pain, I felt a twinge of pity. But this too was for his growth, so I deliberately turned away from his suffering.
“There was no such incident as you imagine. If there truly had been, the Moyong Family would have no reason not to discover it.”
“Kehehehe—! Suit yourself then. I’m leaving! I need to straighten out this brat’s head.”
“Aagh! Please, save me!”
Finding no further interest in the matter of Moyong Hyeok after my continued denials, Gu Gunbaek rose abruptly and moved. Chu Hyeongi, still gripped by the neck, was dragged away while casting desperate glances toward me, but I casually ignored his plea.
I then turned my attention to Chaeseoha, who remained.
“I’m not thinking anything.”
“I didn’t ask. As for the medicinal ingredients you need, I’ve already informed the Chief Administrator. You’ll have them in hand before long, so rest assured.”
“Thank you. But Young Master.”
“What is it?”
“Did you use the poison I made well?”
“…”
“I heard the Changryongdan members were poisoned, and the effects were identical to what I created.”
I regarded Chaeseoha in silence.
Did she feel the weight of my steady gaze?
She grabbed a handful of the remaining snacks and rose from her seat.
“It’s nothing special.”
She spoke casually before hurrying out of the room.
I watched her departure and let out a sigh.
It seemed Chaeseoha had indeed reached the truth.
I scratched my head and stood up.
There was no need to dwell on other matters now.
Someone I hadn’t seen in a while would be waiting, so I needed to hurry.

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I left the Nakhyang Jin Family compound and made my way toward the marketplace. The streets seemed unusually crowded—people were arriving early to both sightsee in Nakhyang and prepare for the upcoming celebration that would take place soon.
I walked leisurely, observing the throng of visitors.
My destination was none other than the Hwaseon Guesthouse.
Not that I had business with Baek Jin-hwa.
It was simply that the person I intended to meet preferred Hwaseon over Yun Ryong.
Thanks to that, Hwaseon would profit handsomely today.
I smiled bitterly as I pushed open the door to the Hwaseon Guesthouse.
The server noticed me and began to guide me, but I waved him off and headed elsewhere.
To the most secluded corner of the first floor.
Among the bustling crowd of diners, one figure stood out distinctly.
Apparently fond of drink, he had grown impatient waiting and was already enjoying wine and appetizers.
I found myself smiling as I approached him.
Sensing my presence, the man turned around.
“About time you showed up. I thought my neck would snap off from waiting.”
“My apologies for the delay. The streets were unusually crowded today, and traffic was backed up.”
“Ha ha ha, did you come by carriage? You’re full of it, boy. Come on, sit down. Since you said you’d treat, I ordered only the finest dishes.”
The man filled an empty cup and placed it before me, his eyes urging me to drink. I drained it in one gulp and set it down, prompting him to grin widely.
“That’s right. So, what’s the reason you called me out here, promising to buy me drinks?”
“Is it strange for me to share a drink with my uncle?”
“No, no, it’s not. But given your nature, you’d drink at home if you wanted to. You wouldn’t go out of your way to humor me like this. You must have something you want to discuss?”
At his words, I nodded and regarded the man before me.
A man with sharp features.
The considerable spiritual energy he subtly emanated marked him as the Nakhyang Jin Family’s foremost expert.
Baek Ja-hyeon, the Guard Commander.
I refilled my empty cup and slowly opened my mouth.
“There’s something I need you to do for me.”

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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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