Chapter 1158: Scorched World.

“…….”

Gulp.

I swallowed nervously. Seeing my father appear, I couldn’t help it.

Even.

‘Why did he bring that thing?’

The human who ran away earlier was held in Father’s hand. It looked truly strange, seeing Gu Seon, who was apparently this household’s daughter, dangling there.

Dangling precariously, she struggled to break free, but Father’s grip didn’t loosen.

“Hey! Let go!”

Gu Seon kept shouting, but Father remained unchanged. He just kept looking back and forth between me and Gu Seongyeol, his eyes wide.

He didn’t seem to care at all about whatever Gu Seon was saying.

More accurately, perhaps he was in a state where it was difficult to focus on anything else.

“What did you just say?”

Gu Cheolun spoke with blazing eyes. At his words, neither Gu Seongyeol nor I could speak.

“……Cheolun-a.”

Jin Yeonryeong met Father’s gaze, her eyes wide with surprise.

“……Mother.”

Meeting her gaze, Father offered a respectful greeting to Jin Yeonryeong.

“I couldn’t visit right away due to circumstances, but upon hearing you had collapsed, I hurried to see you…….”

Jin Yeonryeong’s eyes sharpened as she looked at Gu Seongyeol.

“I don’t quite understand what I just heard. Family Head.”

A sharp edge was slightly visible in Father’s voice. Just then.

“What’s not to understand? What don’t you understand?”

Gu Seon, still held in Father’s hand, spoke.

“You heard it all, you human. They said another spot opened up for our siblings. You heard everything, so why ask again-. Kyaaak!”

Gu Seon shrieked.

“It hurts! It hurrts!! I’m sorryyyy!!”

It seemed Father was tightening his grip on Gu Seon’s neck. As she sputtered apologies, the screams gradually subsided.

“Grrr…….”

“Family Head.”

Ignoring Gu Seon’s screams as if they were nothing, Father asked Gu Seongyeol.

“Is what I just heard the truth?”

“……”

Gu Seongyeol couldn’t answer Father’s question. He could have just denied it. Perhaps the reason he couldn’t was.

‘The fact that he knows my situation…….’

And the fact that I am his son’s child.

‘……Is it because of Grandmother’s stare?’

It must be because Jin Yeonryeong was glaring at him, ready to make him pay if he didn’t answer properly.

It was truly a dilemma. Gu Seongyeol was in a situation where he couldn’t answer properly, even if he felt wronged.

And naturally, I was in just as much trouble.

‘Damn old geezer…….’

I resented Gu Ryun. Why couldn’t he have just stayed put and not messed things up to this point?

As I endured the stifling atmosphere, Gu Seongyeol spoke, letting out a sigh.

“……It’s true.”

He finally admitted it. It seemed he couldn’t find any other way to put it.

“That brat is my son…….”

Gu Seongyeol said, closing his eyes. He looked undeniably wronged, but it seemed unavoidable.

“……”

At his words, Father stared intently at me. I couldn’t fathom what he was thinking with his blazing eyes.

“No wonder.”

Meanwhile, now that Gu Seongyeol had admitted it, Gu Seon, still being held, looked at me and spoke.

“I thought those unpromising eyes seemed like they belonged to our family. I knew something was off from the start? Those sharp, piercing eyes looked just like our Family Head’s. Aaaargh-!”

After rambling on, she screamed again.

This is driving me insane.

“Baek Yangcheon.”

Father, who was still tormenting Gu Seon, called me.

“Yes. Second Commander-nim.”

“Did you know?”

“Yes…… well…….”

Since Gu Seongyeol had already admitted it, I had nothing left to say, so I decided to just confirm it.

“Then, was this also the reason you insisted on coming to Shanxi?”

“That too…… yes.”

It was true I had business with the Gu family. Just not this kind of business.

“……”

While Gu Cheolun listened quietly to my answer,

Tuk-!

“Ugh…!”

He dropped Gu Seon, whom he was holding. Gu Seon, having barely regained her freedom, clutched her neck and groaned.

“Agh…… you’re really damn strong…….”

Just as she was about to say it with annoyance, Father shifted slightly.

“Ack! Sorry!”

Gu Seon reacted with a start to the slight movement, but Father merely turned his back.

“I believe I need time to think. I will return later to pay my respects.”

Fwoosh-!!

Father, wreathed in flames, leaped away and vanished.

Gu Seongyeol didn’t try to stop Father.

“Cheolun-a……”

Only Jin Yeonryeong looked at her son with pity. Afterward, she turned her sharp gaze towards Gu Seongyeol.

“……You, look at me.”

“……”

At the chilling voice, Gu Seongyeol clutched his forehead.

“Young Master Baek…… I apologize, but could you rest well today and we can talk again tomorrow? For now, I think I have things to discuss with that person.”

“……Ah, understood.”

I was glad. Standing around in this atmosphere felt difficult, and even though the issue wasn’t resolved, the situation had progressed, so I judged it best to make a strategic retreat for now.

“It would be best to move your quarters from where you are now. I’ll assign someone to guide you.”

“Ah, no. Where I am now is perfectly comfortable…….”

“Then I can guide you. I’ll do it, Mother!”

Gu Seon beamed and raised her hand enthusiastically.

Seeing that, Jin Yeonryeong wore a doubtful expression, but.

“……Alright, Seon-a. Could you handle it?”

“Of course. I’m great at things like this, you know?”

“……”

The decision was made without my input.

“Let’s go, my sibling-nim.”

Gu Seon suddenly grabbed my wrist and started dragging me out.

I could have resisted if I wanted, but for now, I chose to let her drag me along.

“Come on in.”

“……Fine.”

It was because I couldn’t bear the atmosphere that would ensue between Gu Seongyeol and Jin Yeonryeong.

---

Leaving the infirmary, I walked along the path. It led towards a slightly elevated hill, and I knew exactly where the place above was.

‘……It looks like the residence Mother used to live in.’

The residence Mother and I briefly lived in during my previous life. It seemed we were heading there.

After walking silently like that for some time.

“Sorry.”

“……?”

Gu Seon suddenly apologized to me.

“What?”

“For picking a fight out of nowhere. I apologize.”

“Suddenly?”

It was baffling that someone who seemed like they’d never apologize was actually apologizing. Ah, so this person can apologize? That was somewhat surprising.

“Thinking you were an intruder was a lie. Actually, I thought Mother had brought another man home.”

“……What’s that supposed to mean?”

Jin Yeonryeong bringing a man home? What a chilling thing to say.

“Lately, she’s been looking at men everywhere to get me married off. I thought you were one of those too.”

“……Ah.”

Fortunately, it didn’t seem like the dysfunctional mess I had imagined.

‘Wait…….’

A thought occurred to me.

It was about the time I first met Jin Yeonryeong.

‘……The questions she asked back then were a bit…….’

She confirmed family relationships and things. When I asked why she was asking, she seemed about to suggest something.

‘Huh, no way.’

Could that have been it? If so, that’s a little creepy.

“I’m sick and tired of it, really. It’s easier to just ruin things before they even start than deal with all that.”

“So that’s why you did that to me……? What if you had gotten hurt?”

“I didn’t think I’d get hurt? And I didn’t, actually.”

“……”

Should I call it good intuition or sheer recklessness?

What good intuition? There was no need to even think about it.

“I thought you were one of those guys. What is this? You were my sibling. It’s truly amazing.”

“……Why am I your sibling?”

“How old are you?”

“……I’m old enough.”

“You’re kidding. I heard from my brother that you’re about twenty. Then I’m the older sister.”

“……”

When did he ask that again? Damn it.

“I thought it would be nice to have a sibling…… but now that I have one, it’s a bit disappointing. You resemble Father too much. You’re just like our Father.”

“……Do I resemble him that much?”

“Go check yourselves at the lake. You won’t even be able to tell who’s who.”

“……”

“If it were anyone else, you know.”

Gu Seon said, looking at me.

“I wanted to believe Father wouldn’t do something like that. That he wasn’t the type to do that while having Mother. But seeing your face, I was convinced. Ah, this is it.”

“……”

Damn it. That was quite a harsh thing to say.

He resembles him that much? That guy with the bulging eyes?

‘Of course, being blood-related, I would resemble him.’

The fact that I resembled him more than my father felt incredibly strange.

“Anyway, well. Since it’s like this, let’s get along. Ah, are you perhaps interested in the position of Family Head? That would be a bit troublesome.”

“……No.”

“That’s a relief. He’s my brother, but that guy isn’t even human. He’s not someone you should compare yourself to; if you got greedy, you’d just end up exhausted.”

“……”

Listening to Gu Seon, something I was curious about by this point came to mind.

“Aren’t you bothered at all?”

“About what?”

“About an illegitimate child suddenly appearing.”

“……Should I find something strange about it then?”

“……Usually, people do.”

At my words, Gu Seon let out a small laugh.

“They’ll handle it.”

“What?”

“Seeing you, it doesn’t look like things will fall apart. Only our father is going to get wrecked. My brother seems thoughtful, though. It doesn’t really concern me. So, they’ll figure it out, I guess.”

“……”

“I don’t particularly dislike you or anything. I just thought you were a bit pitiful. But now that I think about it, you’re not that pitiful either…… it’s just whatever.”

She was incredibly carefree. She gave off the vibe of someone who just goes with the flow. In a way, it felt like she had a broad perspective.

“We’re here.”

Gu Seon stopped. The residence was visible ahead. As expected, it was the place I had thought of.

“Stay here. Whether you continue to stay or leave is up to you.”

“……”

“Ah, Mother said we’ll all eat together tomorrow morning and wants you to come too. I’ve delivered the message, so I’m leaving now?”

Gu Seon said that and then patted my back firmly.

Then she whistled and headed down the hill.

“What a truly strange person.”

She was the strangest person I had encountered recently.

They say I’m the only normal one among the Gu family bloodline. But she seemed quite strange even among them.

‘……Tsk.’

Only after Gu Seon disappeared did I run my hand through my hair.

‘What am I going to do.’

Things got twisted strangely. I had intended to just stay quiet, do what I needed to do, and leave.

Somehow, I ended up becoming my grandfather’s child.

‘This has become a real headache.’

The more time passed, the more entangled and involved I seemed to become.

‘……I need to get this done as quickly as possible.’

If I delay any longer, I can’t even guess how much more tangled things will become.

For this, I must finish the job as quickly as possible.

‘I also need to handle the matters on the front lines.’

Since the classified mission I was given is also weighing on my mind. Whatever it is, I must handle it quickly.

Thinking that, I walked towards the residence.

‘For now, I need to rest first…….’

I planned to start moving from tomorrow morning. Especially since Jin Yeonryeong mentioned it.

First, let’s get some rest.

Thinking that, as I stepped into the residence.

Stop.

‘……What is this?’

I sensed something. I turned my gaze.

“Hm?”

Inside the residence, there was an unkempt pond. Someone was standing there. When I wondered who it was…….

“Young Lady Hyeon……?”

It was Hyeon Soyeon. Why is she here? She was standing near the pond, gazing up at the sky.

I followed her gaze upwards, but all I could see was the moon.

What’s going on?

“Young Lady Hyeon. What are you doing standing there?”

As I asked again, puzzled, Hyeon Soyeon finally turned her head and looked towards me.

“Why are you even here…… huh?”

As I spoke, my eyes widened.

“……”

Hyeon Soyeon’s eyes, as she looked at me, were strange.

‘What is that……?’

They’re blue.

Hyeon Soyeon’s eyes were shining an unnaturally blue.

And within them…….

‘……Lightning Qi?’

It was definitely Lightning Qi (雷氣).