Chapter 488
The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Trading Company Chapter 488
Chapter 488. Naming Ceremony (5)
Hwang Min looked confused at Sung Joon-min's cold voice.
“Why are you acting like that? You're scaring me.”
She cautiously reached out her hand, but Sung Joon-min pushed it away.
“Tell me the truth! Who are you? Why did you make me do those things?”
Hwang Min tilted her head at his accusation.
“This can't be happening. Why did my soul-binding spell break?”
Soul-binding spell.
At those words, Sung Joon-min's face contorted.
This was because soul-stealing was an evil form of sorcery that controlled a person's mind.
“Did you use soul-stealing on me?”
Hwang Min sighed at his question.
“I had no choice. Once soul-stealing is broken, it won't work again...”
She nodded with an emotionless expression.
“Yes. That's right. I used soul-stealing magic on you.”
Shocked by her words, Sung Joon-min staggered and then exploded with rage.
“How! How could you do that to me?”
“What? I only granted your wish. You wanted to become the captain, didn't you?”
“I... I...”
Bang!
A sharp sword blade protruded from her sleeve.
“It's a pity I couldn't use it a little longer. I wanted to find out how you broke my soul-binding spell, but I don't have time...”
Hwang Min smiled slyly and lunged toward him, swinging the sword blade hidden in his sleeve.
Whoosh!
The sword flew straight toward his neck.
Tak!
However, the sword was blocked by someone.
“Who... Who...!”
When he saw the person who saved his life, he couldn't help but be surprised.
That person was none other than his father's bodyguard.
Sung Joon-min turned his head.
His father was glaring at Hwang Min with a furious look on his face.
Even though that anger was not directed at him, his whole body trembled.
“How dare you treat my son like a puppet! Find out who is behind this and capture them alive!”
“Yes, sir.”
Clang! Clang!
Ka-ga-gang!
As the battle between the bodyguard and Hwang Min continued, Hwang Min's expression grew increasingly grim.
That was to be expected, given the considerable difference in their skill levels.
Finally, the bodyguard's sword reached Hwang Min's neck. However, Hwang Min smiled slyly.
The bodyguard desperately tried to grab her by the throat, but...
Thud.
Hwang-min's body collapsed as if it had been torn apart, and flames immediately rose from her body.
They hurriedly put out the fire on her body, but she had already stopped breathing.
“I'm sorry. She's already dead.”
“How cruel!”
The head of the trading company glared at her and then turned his head away.
“Thank you, Captain.”
***
I went out into the courtyard at the words of the Trading Company head.
The sun had risen before I knew it.
The body of a maid named Hwang Min lay on the ground, and Mister Sung Joon-min stood beside her in a daze.
I recalled what had happened earlier.
After using my movement arts to the fullest to reach the Mingming Trading Company, I headed for Seong Joon-min's quarters.
I was able to find the location thanks to the cooperation of the Dao leader.
I could sense the energy of the Black Dao coming from him as he slept in his bed.
But there was something strange.
It was slightly different from the energy of the Black Dao I had felt before.
How should I describe it?
It was as if it had no substance.
The black energy I had felt until now had its own will.
However, the black energy I felt from Mister Sung Joon-min now had no will.
No will... Ah!
I remembered where I had felt this energy before.
It was the gang of zombies led by the group that had used zombies to plot a rebellion some time ago.
Those were the same black spirits.
If so, it was highly likely that he was being manipulated. And the one manipulating him must be the maid that Mister Yoo Jin mentioned.
At that moment, the door opened and a group of warriors rushed in and dragged Mister Sung Joon-min away.
I immediately went to look for the head of the Trading Company. However, if I entered his room without permission, it would cause a commotion.
So I approached the bodyguard who was standing close to the head of the Trading Company.
“Excuse me... I have something to tell you.”
“Who are you? How did you get in here?”
“I am Eun Seo-ho, the deputy head of the Eunhae Trading Company. I am protecting Mister Yoo Jin.”
“Ah! I see. I apologize.”
As we had met before, he recognized me immediately.
“What is the matter?”
“Young Master Yoo Jin told me something important. That is why I took the liberty of coming here. It seems that the fourth prince is being manipulated by a soul-stealing technique. His life is in danger.”
“What?”
“Someone who claims to be the fourth prince's maid said that they used soul manipulation on Prince Sung-joon and that if things go wrong, they will have no choice but to kill him.”
Of course, Prince Yoo Jin never said anything like that to me.
I only mentioned that her eyes were red.
However, I felt that I should not reveal this to anyone, so I did not mention it and changed the subject.
Still, it was close to the truth.
“It seems you lost your memory due to the shock of falling into the water, but you have now remembered.”
“I see!”
“Where is the fourth Mister's residence?”
“Ah, the fourth Mister is currently in prison.”
“Which prison?”
He pointed to a certain place in response to my question.
“Over there.”
“I'll go first and report to the Trading Company captain. Please come to the prison immediately. Young Master's life is in danger.”
I used my movement arts again and headed for the prison.
Fortunately, as soon as I arrived, I saw Young Master Sung Joon-min following a woman.
I could sense the black energy mixed with the smell of blood coming from her.
The smell of blood was much stronger than before.
And...
I could feel her energy enveloping Mister Sung Joon-min.
I wondered what to do, and then I remembered the Tae-eum Byeonghae Shin Gong technique I had learned.
This should work on soul manipulation.
I had easily defeated Shaanxi Gal when he used it to control the courtesans before.
I sent the energy of Tae-eum Byeonghae Shin Gong to Mister Sung Joon-min, and it worked immediately.
He regained his senses and questioned her about her identity.
The result was as you can see.
I shook my head in gratitude to the Trading Company.
“No, it was thanks to Young Master Yoo Jin regaining his memory in time.”
“Still, you rushed here in the middle of the night to deliver the news and save my grandson.”
“I only did what was necessary.”
“Thank you. But... how did you break my son's soul-capturing spell?”
Seong Joon-min nodded in response to the question.
“Come to think of it, I suddenly felt as if I had just woken up from a dream.”
“It is thanks to this artifact.”
“Artifact?”
“Yes. It is an artifact that I happened to obtain, but it has the power to break evil arts such as soul-stealing.”
With that, he handed over a small ornament. The gemstone part had been broken off beforehand.
“Unfortunately, it's disposable, so it can't be used again. Hahaha.”
“So you used that precious artifact for this?”
“It was to save a person. Why would I hesitate?”
The fact that I had mastered the Taeum Byeonghae technique was a closely guarded secret.
I couldn't say that I had used that power to break the soul-capturing spell, so I made up that excuse.
“May I take a look?”
I nodded readily and handed the toy to the bodyguard.
He examined the toy and nodded.
“It contains the energy of the Ice Element. That energy must have broken the soul-capturing spell.”
Mister Sung Joon-min nodded.
“Ah! That's why it was so cold earlier. I've never experienced such cold weather in Sichuan, so I was confused.”
The bodyguard handed me the broken noritake, and the Trading Company representative said with an apologetic look.
“Because of us, you lost something so precious...”
“I didn't want to put Mister Yoo Jin, whom my brother saved, in danger. And I guess I've grown quite fond of him. Hahaha.”
I said, scratching my cheek, and everyone looked at me with impressed expressions.
“Now I understand why people call you a gentleman.”
That title is really embarrassing.
At that moment, Captain Sung Cheong-min rushed over, having heard the news. He looked shocked at the situation unfolding before him.
“You're here.”
“Father. What on earth is going on?”
The head of the Myeongmyung Trading Company explained everything that had happened to him.
“Huh! So Jun-min has been under a spell all this time…”
When he closed his eyes with a grim expression, Young Master Sung Joon-min knelt before him and apologized.
“Hyung-nim, I'm so sorry. I deserve to die. Even though it was a spell, it doesn't mean I didn't do anything. Whatever punishment you give me, I will accept it willingly.”
“No. I didn't trust you. If I had trusted you, my younger brother, and noticed something suspicious, this wouldn't have happened.”
He patted Sung Joon-min on the shoulder and said.
“Get up. It's not me you should be kneeling to, it's this man.”
“What?”
“You saved my life when I was about to die, and you also saved my son who had been missing. Today, you saved my life as well.”
Sung Joon-min knelt down in front of me and bowed.
“No, why are you doing this?”
“This is the proper way to treat someone who saved my life.”
He continued.
“I almost killed Hyung-nim and my nephew with my own hands. Even though I was being manipulated, it still happened. I am truly grateful that you stopped me from doing something wrong.”
I scratched my cheek.
What I did was right, but I felt embarrassed to receive such extreme gratitude.
“It's okay, please get up. Don't you think we should quickly resolve this before it becomes a bigger issue?”
“Yes, you're right.”
The captain of the Trading Company ordered the warriors to collect Hwang Min's body.
As I watched, I suddenly felt something strange.
Even when he was alive, there was a strong smell of blood mixed with the aura of a black sword, but now it had completely disappeared.
In my experience, the aura of a black sword does not disappear immediately after death.
However, I didn't have time to think about it, so I had no choice but to put it off for later.
The Trading Company quickly cleaned up the scene.
First, they tried to dismiss Seong Joon-min as the head of the Trading Company and the deputy head, but he refused.
He insisted on working as a low-ranking clerk. He even said that if they didn't accept his request, he would cut off his own arm...
They had no choice but to accept Seong Joon-min's request.
Thus, Seong Joon-min's future became completely different from his previous life as the head of the Trading Company.
I don't know how this will affect my future, but it can't be bad for Eunhae Trading Company.
Come to think of it, in my previous life, when Seong Joon-min became the head of the Trading Company, Myeongmyung Trading Company openly tried to control Eunhae Trading Company.
Because of that, the growth of Eunhae Trading Company was hindered.
I wanted to check Myeongmyeong Trading Company and teach them a lesson, but I couldn't do it because of the kindness my grandfather and father had received from them.
I only realized it now, but at that time, he was being manipulated by black magic, not of his own free will.
However, regardless of that, he was a very capable person.
That was one of the reasons why Eunhae Trading Company was struggling.
Those who had infiltrated the Ming Trading Company to kill Mister Yoo Jin were all arrested by the assassin who was defeated by me and Mister Sung Joon-min.
With everything settled, Mister Yoo Jin was finally able to return home.
“Congratulations, young master.”
Mister Yoo Jin smiled shyly in response to my greeting.
“It's all thanks to you, Captain.”
Then I turned my head and looked at Hyung-nim.
“Uncle, I'll definitely visit Hubei Province next time.”
“Sure, I'll introduce you to my son and daughter.”
“Yes.”
They're only four years apart, so they'll be good friends.
“And thank you so much. Uncle. Thanks to you, I was able to return home safely.”
Hearing that, Jung-ho shook his head.
“What did I do? You should thank that handsome uncle over there.”
“I thanked him first. He said to thank you, Uncle Jung-ho. He said he only did it because you wanted him to.”
Hearing that, Jung-ho looked at me.
“You…”
I deliberately turned my head away and said,
“Ah, you're here.”
Just then, Captain Sung Cheong-min approached the annex where we were standing.
Mister Yoo Jin ran toward him happily.
“Father!”
“Yes. You must have had a hard time. Let's go home now.”
“Yes!”
Then he looked up at me and Jung-ho and said,
“I would like to formally invite you both to join our trading company.”
A moment later
we boarded a carriage and headed for the trading company.
As it had never fallen out of the top ranks of trading companies for decades, it was quite large.
And it looked much the same as it had in his previous life.
“Yoo-jin!”
“Mother!”
Mister Yoo-jin greeted his family and servants who had come to welcome him.
“I'm glad you're safe.”
“Grandfather.”
Then, a man approached him and knelt down.
Thud.
“Yoo-jin. I was wrong.”
It was Young Master Sung Joon-min.
It must have been difficult to do that in front of everyone, but on the other hand, I thought it was admirable.
“Uncle Soo, why are you doing this?”
Yoo-jin was taken aback by his actions.
At that moment, Jung-ho approached Yoo-jin and gently placed his hand on his shoulder and said,
“He's apologizing to you. What do you want to say to him?”
“What?”
“Say whatever you want to say.”
“Um…”
After thinking for a moment, Yoo-jin said,
“To be honest, I hated you. But Uncle Seo Ho told me that you didn't do it because you wanted to. He said that a bad woman manipulated you.”
Young Master Yoo Jin smiled and said,
“Then I forgive you. You didn't really hate my father or me.”