Chapter 76
Chapter 76
Jin Geumbo earned his living as a travelling merchant operating chiefly throughout Muju in Jiangxi Province.
He had not yet founded a commercial guild in his own right, but he was a tireless peddler pouring all his effort toward that ultimate goal.
On this particular day, he quickened his pace while the sun was barely peeking over the horizon.
Given the pressing deadline, the shipment had to be surrendered to an escort agency before dusk.
For any merchant, choosing the proper escort firm was a cardinal virtue. A tradesman had little hope of surviving in business without steadfast guards capable of protecting his wares over arduous journeys.
To that end, Jin Geumbo aimed to take a decisive stride forward in his career this very morning.
Namely, establishing a working partnership with a brand-new escort bureau.
He let out a quiet sigh. Could a small-time trader like himself truly secure the services of Gaecheon Escort Service?
Gaecheon Escort Service served as the primary enterprise of the Baek Estate, and its reputation had recently begun echoing across every corner of Muju.
Favorable rumors regarding their punctuality and unwavering reliability had circulated steadily, winning them ever-deepening confidence among local tradesmen.
To engage their protection, Jin Geumbo directed his steps toward Ak’an County, the home base of the Baek Estate.
He chuckled inwardly. Who could have envisioned that a decrepit, third-rate clan like the Baek house would rise to such prominence? Had he possessed the foresight, he would have cultivated a rapport with them years ago.
Jin Geumbo had spent well over a decade tramping the roads as a peddler. As a matter of course, he had crossed through Ak’an County numerous times and remembered precisely what the Baek Estate used to be. While their ancestral name was recognizable from decades past, the lineage had decayed into a pathetic, bottom-tier martial house. In those days, the residence had appeared utterly destitute.
Yet presently, the estate had grown so colossal that the warriors in their service comfortably numbered well beyond a hundred.
Supporting a force of one hundred fighters was no modest undertaking; outfitting, feeding, and sheltering a single grown man demanded twenty silver coins each month. In essence, the clan’s treasury had flourished to such an extent that parting with upwards of two thousand silver nyang every month hardly caused them any strain.
One only had to look at the compounds—each hall and pavilion looked pristine, having been raised only recently.
Furthermore, a ceaseless flow of visitors traversed the grounds. This bustling traffic provided undeniable proof that the Baek Estate’s current authority stood worlds apart from its former obscurity.
Jin Geumbo pressed a calming hand against his chest, muttering under his breath as he went through the intake procedure to register an escort contract with Gaecheon Escort Service.
“What manner of cargo are you consigning?” the clerk inquired.
“A single piece of correspondence.”
“A dispatch? Registering individual letters demands a considerable tariff. Are you prepared to bear the expense?”
“I am entirely aware. In fact, I intend to provide compensation far beyond standard rates—roughly tenfold the typical sum.”
“Ten times the rate! In that case, you must have an exacting stipulation.”
“Quite so. It is my wish… that Young Lord Sword Dwarf accompany the convoy as our protector.”
The attendant’s expression instantly froze. He cast several anxious glances around the hall, seemingly wary of being overheard.
Just as Jin Geumbo began to puzzle over the strange tension, a voice called out behind him.
“Now that is an exceptionally unusual demand.”
Turning, Jin Geumbo beheld a youth standing nearby. The boy’s stature bore the unmistakable hallmarks of intense martial training, complemented by handsome, well-defined features.
Could this youth be the renowned Young Lord Sword Dwarf himself?
“To whom do I have the honor of speaking, young master?”
“Chudal… Ah, wait.”
Jin Geumbo wondered if his ears were playing tricks on him.
“Curse it all. It comes out by reflex now.”
A youth who carried the distinguished air of an orthodox sect’s direct disciple had just grumbled like an uncouth scoundrel from the underworld.
“Pardon, what did you say?”
“Ah, nothing of note, haha.”
Jin Geumbo assumed he had simply misunderstood the mumble. The youth continued seamlessly.
“You may call me Ihu. It appears your requested assignment warrants a private discussion, so please step this way.”
Evidently, this was not the Sword Dwarf in person. Jin Geumbo followed in the wake of the tall, broad-shouldered youth.
“How may I address you, merchant?”
“Jin, of the given name Geumbo.”
“And on what grounds do you require the Sword Dwarf…”
The boy suddenly cut himself off, letting out a stifled snort.
“Is something amusing?”
“Ah, forgive my discourtesy. May I ask what compels you to insist on having the young master join your escort?”
Jin Geumbo held his tongue for a brief moment of reflection.
Sword Dwarf (劍矮). Two characters signifying a diminutive warrior wielding a blade.
The current Baek Estate stood as one of the three dominant powers wrestling for supremacy across Muju. Ascending to such heights had demanded weathering countless brutal conflicts against dark-path factions, and the Sword Dwarf was the moniker belonging to the very individual who had rendered the greatest achievements in lifting the clan’s prestige to this pinnacle.
Gossip maintained that an adolescent approaching the age of fifteen had already attained the realm of a first-rate martial master. Furthermore, he was regarded as an extraordinary talent who grasped an entire lesson from merely hearing a single word.
Such a powerhouse was essential if one wished to guarantee total security on the road. For that reason alone, Jin Geumbo stood ready to pay tenfold the usual fee. Nevertheless, revealing one’s cards openly defied the foundational nature of a merchant.
“I plan to travel alongside the caravan in person. I placed this condition simply out of an earnest desire to lay eyes on the famous Sword Dwarf and share a conversation with him along the way.”
The youth’s reply was immediate and sharp.
“Understood. If that is your motive, it cannot be done.”
“What? How so?”
“The Sword Dwarf… snicker… The young master is presently undergoing closed-door seclusion.”
An artist engaged in secluded cultivation shunned ordinary sustenance, surviving solely on fasting pills to dedicate every ounce of focus toward sharpening their martial arts. Embarking on an escort mission under such circumstances was utterly out of the question.
Jin Geumbo felt a wave of frustration. He had presumed that a tenfold premium would be more than enough to coax the prodigy out into the world.
Just then, a sly murmur brushed past his ear.
“There is, however, an alternative avenue…”
“What might that be?”
“Haha, goodness. You must promise never to divulge that I revealed this to you.”
Noticing the boy’s lingering hesitation, Jin Geumbo seized the opening without delay.
“Naturally. Should you aid me in securing Young Lord Sword Dwarf’s presence, I will ensure you receive a generous gratuity directly from my own pocket.”
“Truly?”
“On my word.”
The youth cracked a broad grin.
“In truth, it is nothing terribly complicated.”
Glancing over the parchment outlining the trip’s specifics, the boy remarked, “Your destination is Gyesu. The item consigned is a lone letter, and Merchant Jin will accompany the carriage.”
“Precisely. The target is the Jin Estate residing in Gyesu.”
Gyesu was a border domain lying between Anhui and Henan provinces. And within that territory, the Jin Estate was widely recognized as the preeminent martial clan.
“Would you be amenable to taking the Yangtze waterway for the escort transit?”
“Not only would I agree, I had originally hoped to suggest it myself.”
Two viable courses led from Jiangxi Province to Gyesu along the border of Anhui and Henan. The first entailed an overland trek passing through sectors of Hubei and Anhui. The second relied on navigation through the Yangtze canal network. While the overland path ran more directly, the waterway reduced travel duration considerably.
“Then I believe I have grounds to bring this matter before the young master.”
“That is most fortunate, but why does the river route make a difference?”
The boy offered a sunny, knowing beam.
“Because the voyage passes through the Yangtze waters near Yangzhou. What lies beyond that is confidential.”
“If such is the case… very well.”
“Splendid!”
Springing to his feet with an energetic shout, the youth continued, “I will go retrieve the Sword Dwarf… pfft… the young lord immediately. Ah, would you care to accompany me?”
“May I truly come along?”
“Of course. Though the instant you set eyes upon him, pray make sure to greet him by declaring how deeply honored you are to meet Young Lord Sword Dwarf.”
Delivering flattery of such caliber was simple enough. While it seemed curious that the boy kept suppressing chuckles after speaking, Jin Geumbo merely fell into step behind him.
Before long, a hefty stone portal secured with a thick locking mechanism blocked their path. By every indication, this served as the threshold to the subterranean cultivation chamber.
The youth stepped forward and tapped against the rock slab with an unusual cadence.
Thump, thump-thump-thump-thump, thump.
Jin Geumbo stood waiting with an anxious heart, eagerly anticipating the young master’s emergence.
Throughout the wider martial realm, Jiangxi was regarded as a distant backwater. And the figure lauded as the foremost rising star of that very territory was none other than this young prodigy. For a Jiangxi local like Jin Geumbo, sharing an audience with him would provide prized drinking tales to recount for years.
He would undoubtedly carry a magnificent, imposing countenance.
Jiangxi was undeniably a remote backwater. Unlike the northern martial realm, which boasted foundational giants such as Shaolin, Wudang, Namgung, and the Paeng clan, the southern scene was thick with underworld syndicates and lacked prominent orthodox sects. The finest rising talent from Jiangxi might fail to break into the top hundred fledgling masters across the Central Plains, yet…
Who could tell for certain? Reaching the first-rate tier by age fifteen was an achievement reserved exclusively for heaven-sent prodigies even among the disciples of Shaolin or Wudang.
Yet why had he not emerged? While men often forgot the passage of time inside deep meditation, he surely could not have fallen asleep, could he?
Just as skepticism began to take root in Jin Geumbo’s thoughts—
BOOOOM!
The stone gateway shattered violently, showering stone debris in every direction. Chudal’s face contorted into an immediate grimace.
“Brother! Why did you have to smash it?! Do you have any idea what it costs to carve a single stone barrier?!”
Paying no heed whatsoever to the lament, an enraged bellow roared out from the swirling screen of pulverized rock.
“AAARGH! Which dog summoned me out?! Chudal, was this your doing?!”
As the haze settled, the dark shape of a youth strode forth. Jin Geumbo could scarcely accept the evidence of his own sight.
He had emerged straight from the private training vault, which meant he was undeniably Young Lord Sword Dwarf, but how could this be?
“I was almost there! Just a shred more time! Aaaargh!“
According to every tavern rumor, the Sword Dwarf was an unmatched genius among geniuses. What sort of spectacle was unfolding before him now? Setting aside his unkempt hair and foul odor—natural byproducts of prolonged seclusion—the rest of his demeanor was utterly bewildering.
“Curses! This had better be a matter of life and death! If it isn’t, neither of you will leave this room in one piece! Chudal, you scoundrel, I’m throwing you headfirst into the cesspool!”
“Hey! I haven’t done anything wrong, and you greet me with death threats before the dust even clears?!”
The youth scratched violently at his tangled hair, his voice dripping with venom.
“Shut your mouth!”
“Khehehe! Not on your life!”
Jin Geumbo could only stare in paralyzed bewilderment. The youth who had presented himself with such polished decorum merely moments before was now bickering with outrageous familiarity.
“So then, did you actually accomplish anything during your retreat?”
“Does it appear that way to you? Can’t you see with your own eyes? Have you gone blind?!”
“I knew as much, which is precisely why I’m prodding you.”
“You impudent bastard, you’ve gotten far too bold. Bah, in the past you followed every instruction without a peep.”
“Didn’t you state that you preferred having me speak naturally?”
“I never gave you leave to discard your sanity entirely, you wretched brat.”
“What a load of nonsense. In any case…”
Chudal pointed his gaze toward Jin Geumbo.
The merchant suddenly recalled his instructions. The youth had told him to offer a greeting upon their meeting.
Jin Geumbo brought his hands together into an immediate fist-and-palm salute. Though the young man before him shattered his prior expectations, ingratiating himself with the young master remained the most prudent decision.
“Young Lord Sword Dwarf! It is a profound honor to make your esteemed acquaintance!”
The very heartbeat after the words left his mouth, Jin Geumbo realized he had stepped into a deadly trap. A throbbing, crisscrossed vein bulged furiously upon the brow of the youth known as the Sword Dwarf—Yanghwi.
“Sword Dwarf? Sword Dwaaarf?”
Watching Yanghwi advance until his broad silhouette towered over him, Jin Geumbo was utterly struck dumb.
Had the rumors not claimed he was a mere fifteen years old? For an adolescent of that age, his physique was… shockingly imposing. Jin Geumbo had failed to appreciate it through the unwashed rags and childish hysterics, but the youth standing in front of him possessed the magnificent musculature of a fully matured man.
His frame resembled that of a majestic battle stallion.
Densely packed muscles covered his entire form, tapering from expansive shoulders down to a firm, powerful waistline. The mere sight naturally inspired awe. He was an undeniably striking specimen of masculine strength. Yet that very same youth was presently bearing down on Jin Geumbo, teeth bared like a predator.
“Tell me, uncle. Do I look like a dwarf (矮者) to your eyes?”
“U-Uncle…?”
“Yes, you, uncle. Reflect on it for a moment. How would it sit with you if an utter stranger strolled up and hailed you as Fatso the Pig (老肥豚)?”
Fatso the Pig (老肥豚)—a vile, humiliating insult aimed at a pot-bellied swine.
“Aaargh! I shut myself away gagging on those wretched fasting rations, and I’m already seething with rage because I couldn’t shatter the martial bottleneck! And the very first phrase out of your mouth is ‘Sword Dwarf’?!”
Regardless of how pale and shaken Jin Geumbo became, Yanghwi continued venting his mounting fury.
“I ought to have tracked down every single one of those wretches and beaten them bloody! Of course I was short back then, I was a young boy! But calling me what? Sword Dwarf? Sword Dwaaarf?!”
What galled him beyond measure was the breakneck speed at which that cursed title had caught fire. Why did the entire region obsess over ‘Sword Dwarf’ when he already possessed a majestic, poetically striking moniker like the Crouching Dragon of Baek Pond?!
“I’ve made my decree. From this second onward, whoever dares mutter ‘Sword Dwarf’ in my presence will be beaten within an inch of their life. And speaking of which…”
Yanghwi’s gaze turned freezing cold as he pinned Jin Geumbo under his glare. His eyes appeared to be coldly assessing where to strike to snap the merchant’s limbs most efficiently.
“Calm yourself, brother. Merchant Jin here happens to be an employer.”
“An employer?”
“Yes. Remember the commission you brought up before sealing yourself in the chamber? It seems he is the client in question.”
In a single fraction of a heartbeat, Yanghwi’s scowl vanished. Not simply his expression, but his entire aura and posture underwent an uncanny shift.
How could someone completely alter their physical appearance without washing in a basin or slipping into fresh attire? The explanation arrived immediately.
Fwooooosh!
Through an abrupt detonation of inner qi, every particle of dirt, grime, and grease clinging to Yanghwi was blasted into nothingness. His wind-whipped robes settled once more, looking as immaculate as pristine silk fresh off the loom. Having casually exhibited an extraordinary demonstration of martial prowess, Yanghwi rubbed his palms together, bestowing a beaming smile upon Jin Geumbo.
“What manner of remuneration were you considering, honored patron? Hehehe.”
Jin Geumbo stood frozen, robbed entirely of speech.
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