Chapter 944: Do you know who my mom is?

“….”

“….”

A moment of silence passed. Under the gradually setting sunset, I exchanged glances with Mongmong.

Kkadeuk.

The pressure gripping my neck seemed to intensify, but hesitation was visible somewhere.

[You’re saying no…? Really saying no?]

Mongmong asked again. It was the same sensation as before.

A ticklish feeling in my heart.

Hearing that, I said.

“Yes. I am not.”

The answer was the same this time too.

It was uttered without any hesitation.

What is this?

Isn’t it a power like a divine word?

The feeling resembled the power Blood Demon used on me. But the result was different.

It just brushed against me lightly. There was nothing else I felt.

“You’re really not?”

At this, the creature asked once more.

What do you want me to do about it?

“I told you, no!”

As I spat it out with annoyance, its eyes turned strange.

The look of bewilderment was evident.

Like it felt that couldn’t be possible?

And so, silence passed once more.

Seriously, what are we supposed to do? The pressure on my neck remained.

Should I just shove it aside and charge? It was a difficult decision.

I flicked my gaze towards Cheonma.

I could see a slight intensity in Cheonma’s eyes.

If things continued like this, it felt like she would do something too.

If it came to that, everything would be ruined no matter what.

Woong.

I focused strength into my heart. Just as I was about to shove Mongmong’s arm away.

Seureuk-!

The hand gripping my neck let go. The massive arm shrank back into the thin, pale arm from before.

Pasaseus.

Fragments of the wall scattered as my feet landed back on the ground.

I rubbed my throbbing neck, patting down my clothes with my other hand.

“That’s strange… Why isn’t it?”

I frowned at Mongmong’s casually spoken words.

“…What isn’t?”

“…No…well.”

“You said you’d guide me. Was this your intention?”

“It’s not like that….”

Mongmong waved his hands dismissively. Then he covered his chin.

“What is it? What really is it? This shouldn’t be happening…”

“Ha.”

I let out a breath of disbelief.

“What on earth do you expect from me…”

“…”

Mongmong glanced over me from head to toe.

I felt his light green gaze quickly sweep over me.

As if clueless, he wrapped his arms around his neck. Then.

“…Well…. Uh. Sorry… I’m sorry.”

Mongmong smiled as if genuinely apologetic and patted my shoulder.

It was irritating that he’d casually dropped the honorifics, but I didn’t pick a fight.

‘This guy’s got something.’

It was clear. I didn’t know what this guy was, but he definitely had something.

“I guess I made a mistake. Hahaha.”

“You made a mistake, so you suddenly grabbed my neck….”

Just as I was about to ask, slightly accusatory.

Hooook-!

A gust of wind blew.

Kkwadeudeudeuk—!!!

A rough explosion sound came from the left.

Shifting my gaze, I saw a large circular hole had been blown through everything.

“…”

It was the aftermath of Mongmong throwing a punch.

‘This bastard.’

I narrowed my eyes. His presence was different from how insignificant it had seemed earlier.

‘Unstable.’

His body, forcibly compressed, was shaking unstably.

As he slightly released the power he was hiding, his presence surged.

‘…Strong.’

I was certain.

I had thought earlier that he resembled that leader fellow, or something like that.

That wasn’t just a guess; I must have seen correctly.

‘What level is he at?’

At the very least, he’d be among the top ten martial artists in the Central Plains.

Specifically, on the level of facing the Sword Emperor.

‘Can I win?’

I quickly assessed the situation.

This was always my move when facing an ambiguous opponent or a strong foe.

What would my chances be if I fought this guy right now?

Ggook.

I clenched my fist slightly and circulated my energy for a moment.

I checked my physical condition.

‘Hmm.’

I wasn’t at full strength. For one, my left palm was shattered.

And then there was the aftereffect from using Cheonma Divine Art last time, which had violently shaken my insides.

What would happen in my current state?

‘I don’t know.’

I wouldn’t know even if I were at full strength, and in this condition, it was quite uncertain.

Especially.

‘That last punch.’

I barely saw the punch. Even without enhancing my senses, it was definitely not weak.

‘This won’t do.’

With Cheonma here, my chances wouldn’t be low, but…

‘It’s strange to factor Cheonma into the calculation.’

She is undeniably an enemy.

Even though I was on an uncomfortable journey with her for some reason, I had to keep reminding myself that she was the enemy.

Therefore.

‘I shouldn’t fight.’

I absolutely shouldn’t fight this.

Just then.

“If you keep going straight this way, you’ll reach the Black Family.”

Mongmong chuckled sheepishly and pointed with his hand towards the other side of the hole he’d made.

Indeed, the Black Family’s mansion was visible there.

‘No way.’

Did he just blast a path so I could go faster?

Demolishing every wall in sight…?

‘What a violent guy.’

I frowned.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know. Haha. My bad.”

Whether he understood my thoughts or not, Mongmong just kept wearing that awkward expression.

“I guess I misunderstood? Can you forgive me?”

“…What exactly are you?”

I asked, filled with questions.

To my question, Mongmong widened his eyes for a moment.

“Well. It’s probably not good for you to know, but are you okay with that?”

“Then I’ll just pretend I didn’t ask.”

“You make decisions quickly?”

“I make it a point not to get involved in troublesome affairs.”

Of course, saying that while being tangled up in all the world’s troublesome affairs was another story.

“Hmm, yes.”

Mongmong nodded repeatedly at my words.

“That’s good too.”

Then, wearing the same smile as before, he added.

“If you’re really curious, go over there and ask the Black Child.”

“…”

The Black Child.

I immediately knew who he meant. The problem was.

‘…Calling the leader a child.’

I don’t know much about this place yet, but I know nobles hold quite significant positions.

And among them, a leader is like an administrator in charge of a region.

Mongmong referred to the leader as a child.

As I focused on that point.

“It was fun. I’m really, really sorry.”

Mongmong clasped his hands together as if begging and said to me.

“I’ll treat you better next time we meet. Go well.”

He waved his hand as if urging me to leave.

He had been doing everything himself just moments ago, and now he was even sending me off by himself.

It was absurd, and yet…

‘Is he just letting me go?’

I figured it was fortunate that we weren’t fighting right now.

As I started to walk away, keeping a frown on my face.

“Ah. So…”

Mongmong added one more thing.

“You said you were Cheol Ji-seon of the Hwasan Sect, right?”

“…Ah. Yes.”

Hwasan Sect.

He probably recognized me from my clothes.

After all, I was wearing the martial uniform they provided.

“Right. I’ll remember. See you next time?”

“…”

If possible, I didn’t want to see him again.

I wanted to say that, but…

‘…This doesn’t feel right.’

I had a feeling I’d run into this guy again soon.

My instincts were telling me so.

---

I headed towards the Black Family mansion, cutting through the destroyed street.

This wasn’t my original destination, but somehow, I ended up here.

“Who….”

The gatekeeper standing before the mansion aggressively aimed his weapon at me like he would at a castle gate, but…

Upon seeing the pass in my hand, he froze.

After that, it was simple as expected.

Just showing one pass allowed me to bypass all procedures and enter.

I received it because it was offered, but I was certainly glad I took it.

Thus, I entered the mansion and stood before a massive door.

Just as the person guiding me was about to knock on the door with trembling hands.

[Enter.]

A voice came from inside the door.

Kkiiik.

The door opened on its own. I naturally stepped inside.

The interior was no different from when I visited last time.

Pitch-black darkness where not a single light entered.

In the midst of it, there was a desk and a man with black hair sitting there.

“We meet again.”

“It’s nice to see you.”

“The one accompanying you seems different this time?”

The Black leader said, looking at Cheonma.

“Yes. That person’s son is a bit busy.”

Although he’s likely not busy at all, there was no need to bring him.

Nor did the other party seem particularly disappointed.

Anyway, the family situation is quite something. This place seemed like just as much of a mess as my own family.

“Right, so the reason you’ve come again is….”

Seeing he was about to get straight to the point, I raised my hand to stop him.

“Ah, I have a question first.”

This was more urgent for me.

“…?”

The leader wore a puzzled expression.

Seeing that, I said.

“I just met someone.”

I explained to the leader about Mongmong, whom I’d encountered right after arriving.

As I continued, the leader’s expression crumpled.

Judging by his reaction, he seemed to know who I was talking about.

Besides, honestly, I had a hunch too.

After I finished explaining how he’d blasted a hole and I walked through it.

“…Oh dear.”

The Black leader said in a tone of mild distress.

“The General was looking for you.”

Hearing that, I narrowed my eyes too.

It was as expected.

‘It really was him.’

A being who treated the leader like a child and could do as he pleased within the castle, as if it were his own living room.

The four rulers my mother kept.

That guy Mongmong…

He was the de facto ruler of this Ya-wol.

---

Above the street, filled with all sorts of noises.

On the roof of a building that was ambiguously tall.

There, a young man with green hair tilted his head, looking puzzled.

He was called a young man, but his appearance was closer to that of a boy.

“Ummmm….”

He rolled his eyes continuously, as if pondering something.

“This is strange.”

No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn’t understand.

The young man recalled the person he had just met.

A sharply dressed young man with black hair wearing white clothes, and the beautiful woman beside him.

Those two. Specifically, I thought about the man.

“What is it?”

What could it be?

“It was definitely strange…?”

It felt strange even recalling it now. My intuition had never been wrong, so I thought it wouldn’t be this time either.

The moment I looked down at Ya-wol and saw that child.

I felt an unknown vibration run down my spine.

Go right now. Go immediately and capture that guy to confirm.

Such a sensation surged wildly.

So I immediately approached him to check.

But.

“You’re saying no?”

He said he wasn’t.

“Ummmm…?”

I couldn’t understand that at all.

“You’re really not…?”

It was just saying no with words, and while you might think ‘how can I believe that?’,

“I used my Command (Myung), and he still said no.”

The question he uttered wasn’t just a simple inquiry.

The inscription that every being in Man-gye should possess.

The Master of Man-gye.

The General directly below him.

They could imbue their souls with power and make absolute declarations to beings below them.

If told to bow, they had to bow. If told to die, they had to die.

That was the absolute, inscribed law of Man-gye.

‘He really said no, didn’t he?’

When the young man asked with power, the answer he received was a denial.

“…Strange…”

How could that be possible?

My intuition said it was them, yet the answer was no.

This was the first time he had experienced this since becoming a General.

It’s impossible.

For my intuition to be wrong… this is directly related to my abilities, you know.

“Ummmm….”

Could I really be wrong?

I couldn’t believe it, but that was the reality.

There was no other explanation.

If a Command is given, one cannot utter a falsehood.

It was an absolute law inscribed upon the world, unchangeable.

However.

‘There’s just one.’

There was one scenario where someone could lie even after receiving a General’s Command.

That was…

‘If he were a being superior to a General.’

A being of a higher rank than a General, who stands just below the Master of Man-gye.

In that case, the Command naturally wouldn’t apply, but…

“Hahaha! That’s ridiculous.”

The young man thought of it and immediately dismissed the idea.

After all, the Master exists solely above me.

There’s no way that child could be higher than me.

“Intuition can sometimes be wrong.”

The young man nodded, convincing himself.

It was something that absolutely could not happen, no matter what.

He was certain of it.

“If need be, I can just check again next time.”

After all, I figured I’d see him again soon anyway.

That’s what the young man’s intuition told him,

And he was confident this intuition wouldn’t be wrong.