The Myeongmyeong Merchant Group (1)
We arrived at the Eunhae Merchant Group's Sichuan branch.
“Gasp! S-Small Branch Leader?”
A warrior standing at the main gate of the Sichuan branch spotted me and rushed over in surprise.
“I heard the first small branch leader was missing. Aigoo, what are we to do……”
Jeong Ho emerged from behind me and spoke.
“I'm right here. Thanks to Seo-ho, I'm safe and sound. Thank you for your concern.”
“Gasp! You're alive! Thank goodness. No, this isn't the time! Please, come in.”
He hurriedly rang the bell at the gate.
The signal indicated the arrival of someone of utmost importance.
It made sense—not only had I come, but Jeong Ho, who had been missing, had returned alive. That warranted the signal.
Soon, Uncle and a group of others came rushing out from inside.
“What is it?”
“The first small branch leader has returned! He's alive!”
“What?”
Uncle spotted us entering the courtyard, his eyes welling with tears as he ran over.
“Jeong Ho!”
“Uncle. I'm sorry for causing you worry.”
“You're alive! You rascal! You're alive!”
“Seo-ho saved me.”
“Seo-ho did?”
“Yes.”
I offered a clasped-fist salute to Uncle and said,
“Father heard the news and insisted on coming to Sichuan himself, but I persuaded him otherwise and came in his place. I searched the areas where I thought Brother might be and found him.”
“I see! What a relief, what a relief…… Come in and rest easy.”
“Thank you.”
“And that child beside you……”
Uncle soon realized who he was and asked in astonishment.
“Isn't that Seong Yujin, the young master of the Myeongmyeong Merchant Group who went missing with him?”
At Uncle's words, the boy offered a clasped-fist salute.
“Yes, that's me. Seong Yujin. My respects to the branch leader.”
I sought Uncle's permission.
“It seems the young master will need to stay here for a while. His mind and body haven't stabilized yet—he won't leave Brother's side.”
“Well…… yes, that could be. Make it so.”
Uncle addressed Young Master Yujin.
“You've been through a lot. Rest easy before you go.”
“Thank you.”
“Then I must send word to the Myeongmyeong Merchant Group!”
“Please do.”
“Ah, have you informed your father? He's probably waiting anxiously for news.”
“Yes. I sent word the moment I found Brother.”
I had immediately dispatched a golden falcon with the message, and a reply had already arrived.
The response brimmed with Father's relief.
We arrived at our assigned quarters, washed up, and changed clothes.
I had worried about finding clothes for Young Master Yujin to wear, but……
“These were mine from when I was little—they fit perfectly.”
Chung-seok, Uncle's second son and my older brother, still had clothes from his childhood, so I had Yujin wear those.
As we rested after eating and sipping tea, Palgap brought news.
“The Myeongmyeong Merchant Group's leader has come in person. Our Eunhae Merchant Group's staff who were there have come with him too.”
Huh? The leader himself?
We hurried out to greet them.
“My respects to the leader of the Myeongmyeong Merchant Group.”
“Yujin!”
But the leader ignored us entirely, his eyes fixed only on Yujin, who clung tightly to Jeong Ho's robe.
His face was one of overwhelming emotion.
“Gr-Grandfather……”
“Yujin…… You're alive! Truly alive! Do you know how worried we've been?”
“I'm sorry for causing you worry.”
“It's alright. Seeing you alive will bring joy to your father and mother, and to everyone.”
Everyone?
No, Leader. Not everyone will be pleased.
He continued.
“Don't feel slighted that your father and mother didn't come. They're downriver searching for you. Now that the news has reached them, they'll return soon.”
At that moment, I recalled what the escort leader had told us on the way to the capital.
“Young Master Yujin is the small branch leader's only son.”
“I see. Small Branch Leader Seong Junmin must have been heartbroken.”
“What are you saying? Seong Junmin is not the small branch leader. The small branch leader's name is Seong Cheongmin.”
I was stunned for a moment.
What? The small branch leader of the Myeongmyeong Merchant Group I knew was Seong Junmin?
Wait.
Come to think of it, in my memories of my past life, the Myeongmyeong Merchant Group's eldest son had died in an unfortunate accident less than three months after becoming small branch leader.
That's why Jeong Ho, who had attended the Hundred Great Merchant Group gathering at the time, had remarked, “The Myeongmyeong Merchant Group's small branch leader has changed.”
And the small branch leader I met in my past life was Seong Junmin.
“My apologies. Anyway, it seems you've been small branch leader for just a short time.”
“Yes. Two months now.”
A thought flashed through my mind.
No way?
Was that the reason someone tried to kill Young Master Yujin?
I asked urgently,
“Where is the small branch leader now?”
“Hm? Probably at the foothills southwest of Mount Ami by now? Oh dear! I've lost my wits. Truly sorry. I should have asked after Eunhae Merchant Group's first small branch leader first. Are you alright? Any injuries?”
“I'm fine.”
Young Master Yujin stepped forward and added,
“I survived thanks to Uncle Jeong Ho.”
“I see. How shall I ever repay this grace?”
This conversation wasn't important right now.
“Leader, forgive my rudeness in excusing myself first.”
If my guess was right, Small Branch Leader Seong's life was in danger this very moment.
“Seo-u Warrior, Jin Yu Warrior—follow me. Everyone else…… protect Brother and Young Master Yujin.”
“Yes!”
We mounted our swift stallions.
Using Small Branch Leader Seong Cheongmin's belongings to have the golden falcon find him would be fastest.
But explaining that would be tricky, and we had no time to wait for the falcon's return.
We urged the swift stallions to full speed.
“Hiiing!”
The stallion neighed loudly and accelerated.
It was the twelfth month, yet sweat beaded on Seong Cheongmin's forehead.
Right before his eyes, his only son had fallen into the river, swept away by the rapids.
“Father!”
His son had called out to him desperately, but there was nothing he could do.
Even now, closing his eyes brought back the sight of his son being carried off by the torrent.
Yujin……
Honestly, the chances of his son or Small Branch Leader Eun Jeong-ho surviving were slim to none.
But he needed to find the bodies at least, to soothe his aching heart.
How could he bury his son without even a corpse?
His wife was at a nearby inn.
She refused to leave until they found their son.
“Nothing there. Let's search that side.”
“Yes.”
Many of those helping with the search were escorts and Eunhae Merchant Group staff who had come with Eun Jeong-ho.
Eun Jeong-ho had been swept away trying to save his son, so he felt indebted.
“I'm truly sorry. I don't know how to apologize.”
One warrior shook his head. It was Jeon Woo-jin, Eun Jeong-ho's escort.
“Don't say that. My lord isn't one to hold grudges over such things. Besides, your son went missing with him, didn't he? We should save our breath for the search.”
“You're right.”
They continued searching, but found nothing.
They did discover some bodies.
But they weren't the ones they sought, turning hope to despair, only for despair to fuel new hope.
How many days had they searched?
Nearly a fortnight.
Thud.
“Small branch leader! Small branch leader!”
“Pull yourself together!”
He finally collapsed.
He hadn't eaten or rested properly, pushing himself too hard in the search.
He wasn't a martial artist like the others, and his spirit was utterly drained.
When he opened his eyes, he realized he lay on a bed.
“Yujin……”
In truth, he was a cool-headed and meticulous man.
That was how he had outshone his siblings to become small branch leader, achieving notable successes.
But even he had a human side: his love for his son.
He finally understood what it meant to love a child more than his own eyes when Yujin was born.
With such a son missing, how could he stay sane?
Creeeak.
The door opened, and someone entered.
A chill prickled his skin, his senses on edge.
“Who are you?”
“Oh? You're awake?”
The intruder wore black robes and a mask.
Who is that? Where is everyone……
But his thoughts didn't continue.
“I didn't expect you to break down this much. Thanks to that, opportunity knocked easily.”
“You…… intend to kill me? Who sent you?”
“You're usually so sharp, but your son's death turned your brain to mush? Who benefits if you die now?”
Seong Cheongmin bit his lip.
More people stood to gain from his death than he cared to count. But the one who gained most was his fourth brother, who had placed second in the small branch leader selection.
“Junmin?”
The masked man didn't answer, but the slight twitch of his mask confirmed it.
A realization dawned.
“Don't tell me…… Yujin's accident wasn't an accident?”
“Just gave him a little nudge, and he fell right in. Rope was already loosened. Didn't expect the Eunhae small branch leader to jump in after.”
“You bastard!”
Thwack!
But he toppled at the masked man's gesture.
“Someone! Help! There's an intruder!”
“Scream all you want—it's futile. Everyone in this inn is asleep.”
Seong Cheongmin clenched his fists.
His escorts and attendants, who hadn't joined the search, must have been subdued.
The masked man gazed at him calmly and declared,
“Sleep one night, and it will all be over.”
Sleeping incense wafted through the open door, and Seong Cheongmin felt his eyes grow heavy.
The intruder tore the bedding into a long rope and looped it around his neck.
“The world will know you took your own life in grief over your son.”
He tried to resist, but his body, succumbing to slumber, wouldn't obey even a finger.
A fleeting thought crossed his mind.
If I die like this, maybe I'll meet Yujin in the afterlife.
Then—
Crash!
Someone burst through the window.
The red-clad youth charged the intruder and unleashed a punch.
Thud!
“Guh!”
The force spun the masked man three times before slamming him into the wall.
“Huff, huff, huff…… Damn! Almost too late.”
I caught my breath.
Heading to the location the Myeongmyeong Merchant Group leader mentioned, we encountered the Eunhae group still searching.
“Isn't that the third small branch leader?”
“We're truly sorry. We failed to protect the first small branch leader properly.”
I didn't accept their apologies. They had no reason to apologize.
And there was a more pressing matter.
“Where is the Myeongmyeong Merchant Group's small branch leader now?”
“At the inn over there.”
“He's exhausted and resting in bed.”
Damn!
I rushed to the inn.
As I approached, I sensed black道 energy.
It wasn't overwhelmingly strong, but it permeated widely.
Whatever it was, the situation was dire.
I headed to where the energy was thickest. No time to open the door—I shattered the window and leaped inside.
I threw a punch straight at the masked figure.
Jin Yu Warrior, following me in, pinched his nose urgently.
“Sleeping incense!”
I nodded and circulated the Taiyin Ice Sea Divine Art.
Its clarifying effect on the mind allowed resistance to the incense.
Steadying my breath and energy, I asked Small Branch Leader Seong Cheongmin, still dazed,
“Are you Young Master Yujin's father?”
“Pardon? Y-Yes, but?”
“I've come to inform you that we've rescued Yujin.”
His eyes flew wide.
“What? Then…… does that mean Yujin is alive?”
“Yes.”
I emphasized,
“My brother saved Young Master Yujin. And Yujin misses his parents dearly right now.”
The masked man, rising from the wall, stammered in denial.
“Th-That's impossible! Swept into those rapids? No one survives that—the most dangerous stretch!”
Oh, right……
I hadn't asked Jeong Ho how we'd escaped those rapids and climbed ashore.
That could wait. First, deal with this guy.
I approached the masked man, infused my fist with inner energy, and struck his abdomen again.
“Kuhuk!”
As he choked and writhed, I ripped off his mask.
Seong Cheongmin closed his eyes and sighed at the revealed face.
When he opened them again.
“……!”
A chill ran down my spine.
Young Master Seong Junmin.
You've touched someone you shouldn't have.