The Youngest Son of the Nanyang Jin Family - Chapter 69

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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 69

I gazed at Sa Gong-chun’s head rolling aimlessly across the ground. His unclosed eyes still bore the imprint of shock and terror.
Blood pooled across the earth, and Sa Gong-chun’s head gradually submerged into the crimson tide.
Sa Gong-chun, Leader of the Shadow Assassins.
The architect of the assault on the Nakhyang Jin Family, and the relentless pursuer who had dogged my steps and Jang Chuchyeong’s without mercy.
A grudge so bitter it gnashed teeth, one of the most terrifying enemies I had ever faced.
“Hah—”
How many years had we fought?
Considering the time it had taken to kill Sa Gong-chun in my past life, his death at this moment felt almost unreal.
I steadied my breathing and wiped the blood from my blade.
As the tension drained away, pain flooded in to replace it.
The wounds inflicted during my combined assault with Hu Yeom were considerable.
“I am still inexperienced.”
From the moment I decided to spare Hu Yeom, I should have anticipated a combined attack.
But the reason I had not was simple: the Sa Gong-chun I had known had never once employed a combined technique with anyone.
Yet circumstances reshape people.
The instant Sa Gong-chun confirmed my strength surpassed his own, he had no choice but to do whatever it took to survive.
A variable.
A variable that should have been firmly fixed in my mind.
Those I had once faced at death’s door, coughing blood, were without exception the strong who had endured this Sword Forest.
Such variables should have been accounted for.
As I gathered my thoughts.
Whoosh—
The sound of wind came from somewhere.
I glanced to the side and saw Yang Jachun, masked, approaching.
“Is it finished?”
“Yes, we have eliminated all remaining forces.”
“Search once more to be certain. Not a single rat must escape.”
“Yes, but… who is this?”
“The leader who commanded them.”
“…!”
At the word “leader,” Yang Jachun’s eyes widened in surprise.
He must have believed that with Gu Gunbaek deployed as our trump card, he would simply wait for the situation to resolve itself.
But to have captured their commander unexpectedly was indeed remarkable.
Only then did Yang Jachun utter a small exclamation of realization and nod as if understanding something.
“What is it?”
“Nothing, sir. I merely recalled something you once said…”
“What did I say?”
“…Leave the tedious work to me, and I’ll handle only the essentials for you, Young Master.”
Ha—
I couldn’t help but laugh at those words.
It was certainly I who gave Gu Gunbaek the mask and summoned him here. I thought he would find the Shadow Assassins’ martial techniques intriguing, given their unique nature.
But it seemed that wasn’t the case from Gu Gunbaek’s perspective.
“I should buy him a bottle of fine wine.”
“Haha, that seems necessary. He appears quite offended.”
“Aside from that, how severe are our losses?”
“Worse than expected. Seven dead, thirteen seriously wounded. Fortunately, Master Gu arrived early, or it would have been far worse.”
I nodded in acknowledgment.
Worse than expected?
While I regret the fallen, I should consider it fortunate that we managed to face the Shadow Assassins with only this level of sacrifice.
It would not have been strange if half had perished, yet we concluded this so smoothly because I had brutally hammered their martial techniques into my men over a short period.
Yang Jachun seemed to understand this as well, offering a bitter smile.
“And… among the seriously wounded is Chu Hyeongi.”
“How severe?”
“Quite deep wounds. He succeeded in defeating one of the squad leaders, but was struck by another.”
“Master Gu won’t be pleased.”
“He was very angry.”
None other than Gu Gunbaek himself.
A man of such pride that he cannot bear his disciple being struck by another, regardless of the opponent’s strength.
Once his body heals, what awaits Chu Hyeongi will likely be training more hellish than hell itself.
Well, thanks to that, he’ll grow even stronger.
I nodded and looked toward Yang Jachun.
He bowed his head once more.
“We received great help because of you. Without your training, Young Master, I would surely be dead.”
“I’m glad it proved useful. But you mustn’t be satisfied with your current level. The trials ahead will only grow more arduous.”
“…I will remember this well.”
Yang Jachun’s eyes gleamed with firm resolve as he bowed. His gaze reflected a determination that should this happen again, he would never be overwhelmed so miserably.
Then, after a moment, Yang Jachun’s rigid expression softened into a faint smile.
Seeing this, I released my tension and steadied my mind.
I felt my sharp senses gradually dull, and I regulated my breathing before gently relaxing my expression into a smile.
“Then please handle the cleanup. Ah, leave the bodies as they are.”
“Leave the bodies… as they are? Without removing them?”
“Yes, it will serve as a warning.”
Mm—
At my words spoken with a slight smile, a short groan escaped Yang Jachun’s lips. Soon his gaze turned toward me, and a small laugh crossed his face.
“Why is that, sir?”
“Ah, it’s just that now you finally look like the Young Master. To be honest… it felt strange these past few days.”
“Haha, is that so? Which version do you prefer?”
“Now is the time.”
I nodded at Yang Jachun’s words.
I thought everyone would feel the same way.
That personality and manner of speech visible these past few days—it was undoubtedly the Jin Cheon-u of old.
The killing intent and the poisoned heart of survival.
A monster driven solely by the will to exact revenge.
Compared to now, he was an entirely different person.
With such thoughts, I turned my back.
Before dawn arrived, there was more work to be done.
“Then I entrust this to you.”
“Yes.”

* * *

Even after descending the mountain, the surroundings remained silent.
The reason for this deathly quiet was that this place lay at considerable distance from the nearest inhabited dwelling, and thus even if the dying screamed in agony, there were none with the nerve to investigate such sounds.
Therefore, no one could know of the current situation.
There might be those harboring suspicions, but there was no need to resolve such questions on a night like this.
Walking such a path, I entered Luoyang City.
The interior of the city was little different from without.
As I walked the empty streets toward the marketplace, my feet naturally turned toward the Hwaseon Guesthouse, the first place to catch my eye.
Following the server’s naturally deep bow, I entered Baek Jin-hwa’s quarters.
The moment the door opened, I saw her with a hardened expression.
“Did you witness something you shouldn’t have?”
“They say there’s been some commotion outside. Do you happen to know anything about it?”
“I couldn’t say.”
I shrugged my shoulders and took a seat before her.
I felt her gaze fixed intently upon me.
She seemed to want to say something, yet the words wouldn’t come easily to her lips.
Her eyes swept rapidly across my entire form, then widened as if discovering something.
“You’re injured.”
“Ah, I was too preoccupied to notice.”
There was pain, but I paid it little mind.
A blade had pierced my abdomen, yet it troubled me not.
Precisely because in the past, one could only survive by enduring such things.
In merely a few days of training Yang Jachun and the others, I realized I too had changed somewhat.
“Shall I call for a physician?”
“No need. Our family has a capable physician. I’ll go there instead. More importantly, I have a task I’d like to entrust to you.”
“Is it related to the commotion outside?”
“Has word already spread?”
“There is nothing that happens in Nakhyang that escapes my knowledge.”
“That’s not entirely true, though.”
“…Except for matters concerning the Young Master, of course.”
Baek Jin-hwa clutched her head as if seized by a sudden headache and sighed.
No matter how formidable the intelligence network of Hao Gate might be, they could not possibly know every move I or the Jin Family made, yet troubles continued to arise precisely in those blind spots.
It was impossible to know what they could not observe, yet those seeking information were many—a predicament indeed.
I smiled and withdrew several silver coins, placing them upon the table.
“It’s a simple matter, so this should suffice.”
“This time it seems to be an easy task?”
“I would like you to spread a rumor.”
“A rumor?”
“Yes—that those wearing Demon King masks clashed with unidentified individuals in combat, and as a result, corpses now litter the mountains outside Luoyang City.”
“…!”
Baek Jin-hwa’s expression grew increasingly rigid at those words.
Demon King masks, corpses, mountains outside Luoyang City.
Synthesizing such information led to but one conclusion.
I had orchestrated a bloodbath in the mountains outside Luoyang City on the Sega Head’s birthday.
While wearing a Demon King mask, no less.
The moment the rumor spread, Geum Chabek, who had crafted the mask, would know whose handiwork this was—but he had already been taken care of and would hold his tongue.
It was no coincidence that I had visited him that late night bearing provisions.
As Baek Jin-hwa’s thoughts reached this point, the furrow between her brows deepened.
When one speaks of masks, there is another name that comes to mind, is there not?
“Surely… Pyo Hyeong-geom….”
“Since a mask was involved, it’s possible they were connected to those who clashed in the mountains.”
“….”
Baek Jin-hwa exhaled sharply and fixed me with her gaze.
My words were sufficient to plant the suspicion that Pyo Hyeong-geom might be among those who had engaged in that bloodbath in the mountains.
With this, she would become certain.
That I—or someone in my circle—was Pyo Hyeong-geom.
Yet if one were to ask whether this was information she could relay to the Moyong Family, I could only shake my head.
The Moyong Family’s commission certainly had to be fulfilled, but I could not carelessly sell information about myself, who had become the most valuable client to Hao Gate.
At present, I was a far greater customer to Hao Gate than the Moyong Family.
Baek Jin-hwa swallowed hard, her expression troubled.
Once more, she grasped her temples as if her head ached.
“Sigh—.”
“Is it difficult work?”
At my casual inquiry, the corners of Baek Jin-hwa’s mouth twitched. Was it mere illusion that veins seemed to stand out across her brow?
Even the light in her eyes as she regarded me had become rather venomous.
“Huff— No, no. It’s not difficult work, really. It’s just a rumor, after all. Hehe— It’s just that the aftermath is messy.”
“Messy? It seems like good news for you as well.”
“What did you say?”
“I’ve obtained information I can relay to the Moyong Family.”
“….”
At my words, Baek Jin-hwa nodded in agreement.
No matter how much I searched, I could find no trace of Pyo Hyeong-geom. But by entangling the Demon King Mask Group’s men in this affair, I would have information to offer the Moyong Family.
It was not an unfavorable situation.
“Young Master, when you think about it… you certainly do know how to manipulate people.”
“Manipulate? Aren’t we helping each other?”
“It seems only Young Master benefits from this mutual aid.”
Watching her parry my words with unrelenting spirit, I shrugged and rose from my seat.
“We should share a meal sometime when I have the opportunity.”
“I’ll be waiting for a fine establishment. I intend to extract something quite expensive from you.”
“Haha, excellent.”
I stood, listening to her caustic remarks.
I hastily departed the Hwaseon Guesthouse and made my way toward the An Family Mansion.
I moved swiftly through streets as silent as a sleeping mouse.
When I had not been aware of it, I paid no particular attention, but the moment I became conscious again that I had been struck by a blade, fever began to rise within me.
I needed to show my condition to Chaeseoha without delay.
The thought of hearing her nagging again made my ears ring.
I exhaled a sigh and stood before the An Family Mansion, which I had reached without realizing it.
Creeeeak—!
The neglected door swung open, revealing the interior.
The moment I hurried inside.
Something was amiss.
Chaeseoha, who should have been here, was nowhere to be seen.
“….”
I began to survey my surroundings.
The traces of her presence were unmistakably visible.
Yet no matter where I searched, she was not there.
I considered whether she had returned to the Nakhyang Jin Family, but I shook my head.
I had given her explicit orders to remain in this mansion.
There was a possibility that the Grand Chamberlain or Imperial Court personnel might be lurking within the Sega, so I had intended to keep her hidden here for several days even after the banquet concluded.
She would not be unaware of this.
Therefore, I was certain she would not have left.
I narrowed my eyes suspiciously and examined the traces.
There were no signs of intrusion.
Then she had left of her own accord?
I turned my gaze toward the door and checked for footprints nearby.
Certainly, what appeared to be her footprints were clearly visible, and I confirmed they led unmistakably outside the mansion.
I furrowed my brow, my expression darkening with suspicion.
“This is giving me a headache.”
She would never willingly reveal herself, so it was clear that someone had deliberately lured her out into the open.
Yes, it meant there was someone trying to steal the treasure that had fallen into my hands.

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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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