The young man covered his cheek with his hand and spoke.
“I’m sorry. I was speaking nonsense.”
“Well, it can happen. But why were you being attacked by a tiger here?”
At my question, the young man’s face turned pale.
“Oh! Did you save me?”
I nodded lightly.
Immediately, the young man fell to his knees before me.
“Thank you for saving my life.”
“It’s nothing, I just happened to pass by.”
“I truly appreciate it. I want to repay your kindness, but this is all I have.”
He rummaged through his pocket and pulled out a small pouch filled with money.
However, I hadn’t saved him to receive money, and taking it from someone who’d clearly suffered so much didn’t feel right.
“No, please put it away.”
“Huh? But…”
“I didn’t help expecting a reward. Use that money for your travel expenses.”
At that moment, Escort Guard Lee Pil asked,
“But why did you venture into this dangerous area?”
“Well…”
He hesitated for a moment, then sighed deeply and began to speak.
“There’s something I need to find.”
“…?”
“The Five-Colored Ice Crystal Flower (五色氷晶花). I have to find it.”
At his words, the two escort guards and I couldn’t help but flinch.
It was an Elixir too.
Though the precise goal was different, his purpose was quite similar to ours.
“Why are you looking for that? Honestly, though people say Mount Zhongnan has the Five-Colored Ice Crystal Flower, there’s no solid proof it’s really here.”
“Someone saw it.”
“…?”
“A merchant saw it here several years ago. That’s why I came.”
I stood up from my seat.
“You should turn back. Mount Zhongnan is far more dangerous than you think. Especially for an ordinary person like you, searching for an Elixir here greatly risks your life.”
“I can’t! Even if I die here, I can’t go back.”
“…Why?”
Why was the young man in front of me so desperately determined?
I was curious.
“Actually, I’m from the Fortune Merchant Group.”
What?
“And there’s a peculiar rule within our Fortune Merchant Group. The child blessed with the greatest luck becomes the Merchant Lord’s successor.”
Right, that was it.
Fortune Merchant Group.
Literally meaning a merchant group that obtains fortune.
Their belief was that luck was the most important factor in commerce.
Thus, they chose their successor by a unique method.
They made the luckiest child the successor, believing this luck would influence the entire merchant group, ensuring its prosperity.
Perhaps that was why?
At this year’s Winter Solstice announcement from the Imperial Court, their merchant group ranked fifty-sixth among the Hundred Great Merchant Groups Under Heaven.
Generation after generation, the Merchant Lords of the Fortune Merchant Group had numerous children.
Meaning they had many wives as well.
Did the current Merchant Lord have six wives? Or was it ten?
They believed that having many children would increase the chances of one child being born incredibly lucky.
In any case, from the moment pregnancy was confirmed, they meticulously recorded every fortunate occurrence.
Then they scored those occurrences.
Early on, it might be disadvantageous due to lack of luck.
But accomplishing something thought impossible could reverse the situation.
The young man before me sought the Five-Colored Ice Crystal Flower precisely for that purpose.
“I have thirty-two siblings in total, older and younger.”
Wow, that’s a lot.
“And my father passes the merchant group to the child with the best luck. The rest choose according to their luck rank. They can either work within the merchant group or leave with a modest sum of money.”
He continued with a bitter expression.
“I’ve had terrible luck. Everything I do fails miserably. Honestly, my luck is simply wretched.”
“But…”
I interrupted him.
“You almost died to a tiger, yet survived. Shouldn’t that alone mean you have luck?”
“You’re right, Benefactor. But I can’t prove that.”
“…”
“My mother is the fifth wife. And I’m her only child. Because of my bad luck, she suffers greatly. When I’m driven out, she’ll be thrown out with me… ugh.”
He wiped his tears with his sleeve.
“I want to become the successor and allow my mother to live comfortably.”
This young man was enduring all this hardship not only for himself but also for his mother’s sake.
“I fully understand your situation. But if something terrible happened here, think of how worried your mother would be.”
“Perhaps it’d be better without me. If I die here, at least they’d pity her and provide for her livelihood.”
“…”
Now that I thought about it, something felt odd.
Even if he was neglected, he was still a son of the Fortune Merchant Lord.
Shouldn’t he have at least one guard with him?
“Are you really alone?”
“…Yes.”
“What happened to your escort guard?”
“My father recalled him.”
Now I finally understood his feelings.
This young man had been pushed to the edge. And from this precarious position, he was desperately trying to survive.
Speaking of which, wasn’t the heir of the Fortune Merchant Group the one who took out the Fruit of Renewal?
Could it be?
I spoke to the young man.
“By the way, we haven’t properly introduced ourselves yet. I’m Eun Seo-ho from Eunhae Merchant Group.”
“Oh! Benefactor, I also didn’t tell you my name. My name is Mun Ju-seong, the seventeenth son of the Fortune Merchant Lord.”
Wait.
What? Mun Ju-seong?
I vividly remembered the name of the one who brought out the Fruit of Renewal from my past life.
His name was Mun Ju-seong.
Which meant the person I had just saved was the cause of the bloody catastrophe due to the Fruit of Renewal.
In my memories, the person who had secured the Fruit of Renewal was definitely the Fortune Merchant Group’s successor.
Yet the young man before me, Young Master Mun Ju-seong, was currently far down in the succession rankings.
Meaning, he brought back the Fruit of Renewal, turning his unfavorable situation around and becoming the successor.
From my perspective, Young Master Mun was the greatest beneficiary of luck.
His fortune was merely concentrated in his later years.
By obtaining the Fruit of Renewal, he became the successor.
And surviving as the sole heir after the Fortune Merchant Group was nearly destroyed due to the Fruit of Renewal—that too was luck.
Wait.
Young Master Mun was fated to wander here and find the Fruit of Renewal. Then, by accompanying him, I could easily obtain it.
Though I knew it was nearby, I didn’t know its exact location.
Therefore, I’d originally braced myself to wander quite a bit.
If I offered Young Master Mun adequate compensation for the Fruit of Renewal, wouldn’t it benefit both sides?
Having finished thinking, I spoke to Young Master Mun.
“It can’t be helped. If we part ways now, you’ll surely get into trouble again, so let’s stick together.”
“Huh?”
“Actually, I’m looking for something too. Since I’m already searching, I’ll help you find your Five-Colored Ice Crystal Flower along the way.”
“Oh! Thank you! Truly, thank you!”
We set off again.
Following Young Master Mun, we climbed rocks and crossed ravines.
A short while later, a faint smile appeared on my face.
Before me lay a cave from which fierce winds blew. It was precisely where Young Master Mun had acquired the Fruit of Renewal.
‘After wandering for several hours, I heard a strange sound. It was the wind. I went toward it and saw a cave roaring with fierce gusts. Inside that cave was the Elixir. The Elixir that took my family away…’
In other words, Young Master Mun was destined to step into this place.
However, he must not take the Fruit of Renewal from inside here.
“I’ll go check that cave myself.”
“No, my lord. Allow me—”
I shook my head.
“You two are quite exhausted, aren’t you? And I’m still full of energy.”
At my words, Escort Guards Yeo Eung-am and Lee Pil replied.
“I didn’t expect your stamina to be so good, my lord.”
“I also hadn’t anticipated it.”
My stamina surpassing the two escort guards was all thanks to Master.
Since every day was physical training day.
Whenever I felt slightly more durable, Master would uncannily increase the intensity, causing my stamina to improve dramatically.
By now, I’d mentally shouted “I hate you, Master!” over ten thousand times.
The two escort guards now acknowledged my stamina.
“Then, I’ll be off.”
“Please be caref—”
I stepped forward, the wind scattering their words behind me.
I concentrated my internal Qi into my legs.
Using the principle of Thousand Catty Weight, I advanced step by step.
‘How did Young Master Mun pass through here?’
At a certain point, the fierce wind ceased.
A tree appeared before me, bearing fruit.
A cherry-like red fruit.
The Fruit of Renewal.
Yet there wasn’t only one fruit.
“Two fruits? I’m certain there was only supposed to be one here… Ah!”
I chuckled softly.
In my previous life, how did Young Master Mun recognize this fruit as the Fruit of Renewal?
He would have researched it beforehand, so it wasn’t completely unknown, but given it looked just like an ordinary cherry, identifying it immediately would have been challenging.
Then there was only one answer.
He’d eaten it.
In burning thirst and hunger, after eating this fruit, he must have realized.
That this was the Fruit of Renewal.
Then, he brought the remaining fruit back to his merchant group.
I took a box from my red pouch.
I picked the two fruits and carefully placed them inside the box, then stored the box back into my red pouch.
Now, both Fruits of Renewal were securely in my possession.
I exited the wind-filled cave.
“How did it go?”
At Young Master Mun’s question, I shook my head.
“There was nothing inside.”
“Ah…”
Seeing his deeply disappointed face, I felt a pang of sympathy.
Thanks to him, I achieved my objective here at Mount Zhongnan, but Young Master Mun hadn’t.
How would Young Master Mun’s future change if he returned empty-handed?
Young Master Mun was a fortunate man.
Therefore, even if he went back without the Elixir, his luck wouldn’t vanish.
It would manifest differently.
Could it be?
I decided to test something.
“Young Master Mun.”
“Yes?”
“Why are you disappointed? Didn’t I promise to help you?”
“But I’ve troubled you enough already…”
“Don’t say that.”
I told him clearly.
“Then, let’s look somewhere else.”
“Yes.”
Palgap might worry due to the delay, but leaving him behind was indeed the right decision.
Thus, night fell, and after camping overnight, we resumed our journey.
The two escort guards quietly asked me.
“Did you find everything you were looking for?”
“Yes.”
“Then why…?”
“I have something to test.”
Thus, we wandered Mount Zhongnan until sunset when we arrived at another cave.
Though it was summer, the cave emitted a chill.
Instinctively, I knew.
This place had what Young Master Mun sought.
The Five-Colored Ice Crystal Flower was literally an Elixir of coldness. Therefore, it bloomed only in perpetually chilly areas.
“Let’s go inside.”
“Yes.”
Young Master Mun nodded nervously at my words, then slowly advanced.
Ice covered the cave’s interior.
Feeling the sharp chill, we continued further inward.
Tap.
I halted my steps.
“What’s wrong?”
When I pointed forward, Young Master Mun followed my gaze.
“…!”
His eyes widened dramatically.
Transparent petals shimmering brilliantly in five colors, like crystal glass.
The Five-Colored Ice Crystal Flower.
“Ah! Ahh! Finally! Finally!”
He sank to his knees. Tears of emotion streamed from his eyes.
I completely understood his heart.
I approached the flower carefully and picked it.
Truthfully, I was astonished.
It proved Young Master Mun really was incredibly fortunate.
‘I wondered, but it was true after all?’
If in his previous life Young Master Mun hadn’t found the Fruit of Renewal, he would’ve found this flower instead and returned triumphantly.
Either way, he was destined to become the Merchant Lord of the Fortune Merchant Group.
‘How enviable.’
I handed the Five-Colored Ice Crystal Flower to Young Master Mun.
“You’ve found it. Congratulations.”
“Th-thank you! Thank you so much!”
He repeatedly bowed deeply to me.
“Now you can return home.”
“Yes.”
I smiled lightly.
“But, Young Master Mun, are you confident you can protect that flower from those who covet it?”
“Our merchant group has escorts…”
“If word spreads about the flower, your merchant group will be destroyed. The Five-Colored Ice Crystal Flower can eliminate evil Qi of the Demonic Cults.”
“Ah…”
Young Master Mun wasn’t foolish; he grasped my meaning quickly.
“So, how about selling me the Five-Colored Ice Crystal Flower?”
–TL Notes–
Tired of seeing Ads? Then please support me on Patreon! Any tier of subscription will make it so you won’t get any ads!
If you want to support me or give me feedback, you can do it at patreon.com/InsanityTheGame
Join my Discord! https://discord.gg/BWaP3AHHpt