The Youngest Son of the Nanyang Jin Family - Chapter 9

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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 70

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Father’s birthday celebration concluded in grand fashion.
Those who had been drinking until dawn departed one by one, while the thoroughly intoxicated sprawled across the courtyard in slumber.
Even Jin Ga-muk, whose composure rarely wavered, succumbed to the effects of alcohol and slept so deeply that when he finally opened his eyes, noon had already passed.
Yet Nakhyang’s morning had arrived with remarkable swiftness.
From the crack of dawn, constables came pouring out of the magistrate’s office in waves.
The sudden commotion left people unable to conceal their astonishment.
When a procession of carts began carrying corpses toward the magistrate’s office, whispers erupted throughout the streets.
“People have died, I tell you!”
“But… where?”
“In the mountains outside the city walls. It seems martial artists clashed with one another?”
“For so many bodies to appear?”
Each cart did not carry merely a single corpse.
Multiple bodies were loaded onto each cart, and by rough count, over a hundred casualties had occurred.
It would not have been strange to call it a war.
“I saw it myself. Ghosts, they were ghosts.”
“What? What are you talking about?”
“I’m telling you the truth! I passed through the mountains yesterday and… I saw ghosts there. Ghosts swarming everywhere!”
“Ghosts? Are you still dreaming?”
“You fool! Do you think I’m lying? They were real ghosts, I tell you. Not just one or two.”
A man with the bearing of a bandit leader seized the doubter by the collar and raised his fist.
It seemed he would pummel him if he didn’t believe.
Those nearby lowered their heads nervously.
“I’m telling you it’s true, you bastards! If they weren’t ghosts, then…”
“Then what?”
“A person wearing a ghost’s mask.”
At those words, people swallowed hard throughout the crowd.
No one had truly believed in ghosts from the start.
Since martial artists had died, their opponent was certainly a martial artist. Yet the fact that they wore a ghost’s mask instilled an inexplicable sense of dread and terror.
As a result, such rumors spread with astonishing speed.
Within half a day, there was hardly anyone in Nakhyang who didn’t know of the Masked Martial Artists.
And questions multiplied.
Over a hundred martial artists had been killed by those wearing ghost masks.
Who were they?
What purpose brought them to gather near Luoyang City?
These cascading questions showed no sign of being answered.
And that rumor reached the ears of others as well.

The Throne—a seat so elevated that one must crane their neck skyward just to glimpse it.
From that lofty perch, a man with a twisted expression gazed downward, his eyes taking in the countless figures trembling before him.
As he swept his gaze across them—all with heads bowed, all quivering—one man rose from his seat, offered a respectful greeting, and spoke.
“We have confirmed the deaths of all Shadow Assassins personnel, with the exception of Deputy Leader Hu Yeom.”
“….”
The Divine remained silent even at these words.
He merely answered with his gaze, urging the man to continue.
“We cannot identify the opponent, but it is said they wore a mask. Furthermore, their target was undoubtedly the Dao and the Shadow Assassins.”
At those words, killing intent erupted from every corner of the chamber.
An unknown enemy had clearly orchestrated a plan against them.
And because of that entanglement, the Shadow Assassins had been annihilated.
Daring to obstruct their path and ruin their plans.
If only permission were granted, anyone would leap forward to capture them and execute their entire bloodline.
“There is one more matter. This is merely speculation, but… the one who vanished with the Curved Jade of the Eastern Sega—given that no trace of them has been found to this day, it seems reasonable to conclude they either joined forces with these enemies or were killed by them.”
Even at these words, the Divine’s eyes merely gleamed without response.
At that chilling gaze, everyone in the chamber shuddered, pressing their foreheads even harder against the floor.
His eyes turned once more toward the speaker.
Understanding the unspoken command, the man swallowed hard and continued with utmost caution.
“According to Hu Yeom’s account… it seemed as though they possessed complete knowledge of all Shadow Assassin techniques. Therefore… we believe this was orchestrated by someone intimately familiar with us and the Curved Jade.”
A sharp silence fell over the chamber.
“Anyone could speak such obvious conclusions.”
At the Divine’s single remark, the speaker bowed his head and retreated.
Just as those words suggested, it was a conclusion that naturally arose when one considered the circumstances.
Suddenly, the Divine let out a soft, derisive chuckle.
“I sensed something was amiss… so this was the reason.”
The feeling of déjà vu had faded, but it had certainly existed before. I had merely felt that something was wrong, but now it became unmistakably clear.
Someone who knew me well was interfering.
I closed my eyes slowly, conjuring countless faces in my mind.
Then, one by one, I erased them from my thoughts until finally, the face of the last remaining person materialized before me as vividly as if they stood here now.
“Were you alive all along? Elder Brother?”
Someone who knew well the Sect’s affairs, martial techniques, and the Curved Jade—a Powerful Expert who had risen to a level capable of effectively obstructing these plans.
Only one person came to mind.
The one whose life I had ended with my own hands long ago.
Though I never found the body, the sensation I felt in my hands at that moment was unmistakably that of severing a life meridian.
Yet it would not be strange if he had survived.
He was a man as tenacious as a cockroach.
If it were him, he would know the Sect and the Curved Jade better than anyone, and with his ability to cultivate talent, he could certainly create someone formidable enough to oppose me.
Enough time had passed for that as well.
Those wearing masks are likely responsible for this.
Considering it from that angle, what happened to the Family Head of the Mouyong Clan backing them also made sense.
Knowing he was our connection, they undoubtedly used the name Pyo Hyeong-geom to reduce the Family Head to that state.
Such crude tactics were exactly the sort of thing my older brother would do.
The Divine recalled his older brother’s past appearance and let out a bitter laugh.
“Find him. The Administrator lives.”
[Obey my command—!]
The butterfly’s new wings were about to become a typhoon.

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Father, having barely overcome his intoxication, listened to the events of last night and could not hide his shock.
Not only Yu Hyeon who was present, but Baek Ja-hyeon as well.
While they were indulging in their drinking gathering, I, the Family Head, had been engaged in a bloody battle, and as a result, casualties had occurred.
It was unnecessary to even consider that the damage would have been far worse had Gu Gunbaek not stepped forward.
Crash—!
Father, his anger reaching its peak, struck the table and trembled violently.
I could only imagine how he felt, knowing his son had been fighting for his life while his parents lay senseless from drink.
“Why did you not inform me!”
“There was nothing to report.”
“You fool—!”
“Moreover, this happens only once a year. I wanted you to enjoy it fully.”
At my words, Father’s eyes turned fierce.
They gleamed like those of a beast, as if he would devour me on the spot.
However, his gaze soon began to fade, for he already understood that there was no use in anger over what had already passed.
“Then, the corpses being carried into the coffins now….”
“Yes, Uncle Baek. They are the enemy.”
“Sigh… you killed quite a few.”
“It was Elder Gu’s doing.”
At the mention of Gu Gunbaek’s name, Baek Ja-hyeon fell silent, pressing his lips together. Yet now he seemed to understand why the elite forces of the Sega had been withdrawn.
“Should we not take immediate action? Recover their bodies….”
“Leave them be.”
“No, Family Head. How can we….”
“These are not foes we can currently handle with our own strength. Moreover, since we have diverted their attention, we should be safe for now.”
At my words, everyone present could not hide their confusion.
There was a suspicious force attempting to infiltrate the Sega, yet they could not understand why I would leave it unexamined.
But there was no need for concern.
By now, they would be in considerable distress.
Not knowing who was responsible, they would exhaust all their intelligence to find out.
The death of the Shadow Assassins was one thing, but they would absolutely want to recover the Curved Jade.
I will devote all my strength to finding those behind this, so any thoughts of swallowing the Nakhyang Jin Family will never cross their minds.
Beyond that, we simply need to add a few more elements.
“And if we spread word that yesterday evening, Hong Gu-hyeon and several other members of the Sega were killed in an attack by someone, that should be the finishing touch.”
“…What did you just say?”
“We’ll make everyone believe that masked martial artists returned for Father’s birthday celebration and killed Hong Gu-hyeon and his associates.”
If we do that, they won’t dare touch the Jin Family carelessly. Since all the internal operatives have been eliminated, they’d have to start from scratch to absorb us covertly.
“Prepare an empty coffin and hold a grand funeral for all to see. Let everyone know. And we shall mourn and grieve as the victims.”
“My, my… I’ve never seen such a cunning child.”
I let out a soft laugh.
With this arrangement, there’s no longer any need to conceal information about the Ten Assassins. The situation becomes so thoroughly resolved that it feels like a nagging tooth has finally fallen out—a complete relief.
Father’s expression grew hollow.
But all of this is merely damage control.
The real matter begins now.
“And it seems I must leave the Sega for a while.”
“Where are you planning to go…?”
“Beijing.”
“…Beijing? Why would you go to Beijing?”
“Chaeseoha has disappeared.”
“…!”
“From the circumstances, it appears the Grand Eunuch has made a move.”
The imperial intelligence network is formidable.
Moreover, my uncle Jin Baek-ryong can also utilize the Sega’s information network, so he must have learned through some channel that a woman presumed to be Chaeseoha is here.
That’s why a powerful figure in the position of Grand Eunuch came all the way here.
It was a mistake not to think deeply about the Grand Eunuch while dealing with the Shadow Assassins.
“You intend to… save her? If what you say is true, she’s certainly entered the imperial palace. How could you possibly…?”
“I have no intention of entering the imperial palace… but I will bring her back.”
“What?”
Everyone couldn’t help but be bewildered by such an incomprehensible statement.
Most would naturally assume that since Chaeseoha has certainly entered the imperial palace, she cannot be saved without entering it.
But she can be saved without entering at all.
I’ve already witnessed it once before.
As I paused in thought and held my tongue, Father seemed to sense something in the atmosphere and gave a small nod.
Then he exhaled slowly with a deep sigh.
“I see what you’re thinking. Then I must handle the aftermath here. Deputy Leader.”
“Yes, Family Head.”
“Prepare the funeral rites to honor the deceased. Purchase good land for their burial. Make the funeral grand and inform people, then receive those who wish to pay their respects.”
“Understood.”
“Also, post a bounty.”
“…A bounty, sir?”
At Father’s question, Yu Hyeon’s eyes filled with doubt.
I could understand the funeral arrangements, but the bounty was what I couldn’t comprehend.
As I stared with a puzzled expression, Father nodded and struck the table once more.
“Those audacious enough to sneak into the Nakhyang Jin Family on my birthday and slaughter my men—I offer a substantial reward to anyone who finds and brings them to me.”
“Eh?! Ah, yes! I understand!”
I noticed Baek Ja-hyeon, standing nearby, let out a hollow laugh.
I felt the same way.
Whether he truly believed this was reality rather than an act I’d instructed him to perform, there was no awkwardness in his delivery whatsoever.
Father’s eyes blazed with fury, flickering like dancing flames.
Of course, it seemed unlikely that the bounty I’d placed would ever be claimed by anyone.

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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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