Chapter 930: So in the end.

Tududuk.

The shattered pieces fall to the floor.

The pieces that fell to the floor vanished into dust in an instant, as if they had been a mirage.

Whether they were large or small, the outcome was the same.

“…This…”

Gu Bong, faced with the situation, wore a dumbfounded expression as he watched.

The barrier made of darkness had shattered.

It felt like it would never break, only gradually encroach, yet the absolute terror Gu Bong felt shattered without a second thought.

And it did so far too easily.

Kkadeudeuk-!

Gu Yangcheon, as if bothered, reached out and brushed away the rough parts of the barrier.

His nonchalant actions were utterly absurd.

“What the hell is this annoying thing?”

Tsk.

He clicked his tongue briefly and threw what he was holding onto the floor.

It was a person.

Tung-!

A person with black hair fell to the floor like an object.

Gu Bong swallowed a gasp as he saw it.

Though he hadn’t seen him for decades, Gu Bong knew this person.

It was his older brother.

He was unconscious and his face was swollen from how many blows it had taken, but Gu Bong could tell for sure.

“Kkeu…heu…kkeu…”

He let out groans of pain. Blood was also flowing profusely from his mouth.

What in the world had happened?

Gu Bong was curious, but couldn’t bring himself to ask.

“Why are you acting like that again?”

A voice was heard. As Gu Bong slightly raised his gaze, clear, shining blue eyes looked back at him.

“I’ve felt this since last time. Do you perhaps have a hobby of kneeling?”

He said it with a smirk.

Just as he said, Gu Bong was currently kneeling.

“…”

As Gu Bong remained silent, unable to answer, Gu Yangcheon reached out to him.

His hand touched the handcuffs Gu Bong was wearing.

Kkirik.

“…!”

Gu Bong’s eyes widened like saucers at the sight of him casually gripping the handcuffs.

These weren’t just any handcuffs; they were made of precious stones.

Gu Bong had broken them with his hands, but he had only managed to snap the connection, not completely remove them.

Gu Yangcheon grabbed them with his hand and then…

Kwajik-!

He crushed them completely.

“It’s not like you’re wearing accessories. Why are you wearing this crap?”

“…Huh…?”

Looking at the broken handcuffs, Gu Bong wore a vacant expression.

His mind went blank for a moment.

He couldn’t properly grasp what had happened.

It was that unbelievable.

“Ah…!”

Then, Gu Bong quickly shifted his gaze.

Putting aside the fact that Gu Yangcheon had just broken the barrier.

He remembered how Gu Yangcheon had slammed his own father into the wall.

Remembering that, he looked at the wall.

‘Huh?’

There wasn’t the slightest trace there. How could that be? He had clearly seen it with his own two eyes.

Just as Gu Bong was pondering this strangeness, filled with questions.

Ppeojeojeok—!!!

Cracks suddenly began to spread across the surrounding barrier.

The cracks spread instantly to the end, then shattered the entire barrier.

Kwadeudeuk—!!

The constructed night collapsed.

The fragments crumbled and scattered across the floor.

Gu Bong stared blankly at the sight.

“Curious.”

A voice came from far away.

It was the voice of the leader, from the darkness.

Gu Bong frowned as he looked in that direction.

It was different from before. Unlike before, when his features were barely visible, shrouded in energy.

This time, his eyes, nose, and mouth were clearly visible.

A middle-aged man with black hair and a somewhat gruff expression.

He was the master of this place.

He sat casually with his legs crossed on a chair, looking this way.

Gu Bong couldn’t bear to meet those eyes and had to turn his head away.

“How did you know?”

To the man’s question, Gu Yangcheon’s voice was heard.

If it wasn’t a mistake, it was definitely a sneer.

“How did I know? I saw you.”

“You saw me?”

“Yes.”

What could he have seen? Gu Bong couldn’t understand.

And perhaps the man felt the same, as he asked Gu Yangcheon again, his voice laced with doubt.

“That’s impossible, isn’t it?”

There was no way he could have been seen. The man exuded such certainty.

Hearing this, Gu Yangcheon laughed again.

This time, it was louder than before.

“Well, if you don’t believe me, there’s nothing I can do. You’re not expecting an explanation, are you? Even if you were, I wouldn’t give one.”

“…”

A brazen and somewhat sharp tone.

It was a tone Gu Bong had always felt since meeting the man, but today, those words felt different.

Because he knew his characteristic.

‘He acts like this towards everyone.’

His attitude doesn’t change, no matter who the other person is.

Even if there was a difference between using informal and formal speech, the meaning behind his words remained the same.

“Interesting.”

The man’s gaze sparked with interest.

It was an emotion that had already vanished from his own eyes when looking at himself.

“Are you also from Mount Hua?”

“Can’t you tell just by looking?”

Gu Yangcheon said, pointing to his chest.

There, a plum blossom emblem, the symbol of Mount Hua, was drawn.

The man examined the emblem, then looked at Gu Yangcheon’s hair.

“Black hair, I see.”

Dark, scorched black hair.

And ears and a tail.

It’s an uncommon color around here.

The man tilted his head while observing Gu Yangcheon’s hair.

Gu Bong grasped the meaning behind that gaze.

‘No way.’

Is he suspecting Gu Yangcheon as the main culprit of the attack?

‘No.’

Gu Bong started to get up.

He tried to quickly block Gu Yangcheon, but…

Kkwak-!!

“…!”

Gu Yangcheon’s hand pressed down on Gu Bong’s shoulder, subduing him.

He felt a gaze.

Gu Yangcheon was warning Gu Bong with his blue eyes.

-Stay still.

“…”

Gu Bong immediately sat back down.

“It’s not completely black hair… it looks like color is infused into it?”

“Yes. Well, something like that.”

“I’ve never heard of a powerhouse like you at Mount Hua.”

“I appreciate the compliment. That’s usually how it is.”

“Hmph.”

The man let out a hollow laugh at Gu Yangcheon’s words.

However.

“How did you escape from underground?”

As the words were spoken, the atmosphere changed drastically.

Swaaaaaa—!!

Gu Bong’s shoulders trembled greatly from the immense energy.

Black energy began to emanate from the man.

It seemed the same as before, but much denser and more intense.

“How did I escape?

Despite such energy, Gu Yangcheon didn’t lose his smile.

“Since you treated guests like dog shit, I broke out.”

Gugugugu—!!

Blue energy erupted intensely from Gu Yangcheon’s body.

Gu Bong frowned as the energy brushed past him.

It was because the room’s temperature had drastically increased.

“I went through the trouble of trying to let you meet your son. You shouldn’t treat people like criminals.”

“…”

“Making people feel like shit.”

As he spoke, Gu Yangcheon also wiped the smile off his face.

Geugeugeugeuk—!!!

The energies clashed, and as a result, cracks began to appear throughout the room.

It felt like it would collapse if this continued.

“Hmm.”

At that moment.

The man uttered a short sound, and the energy he was emitting subsided.

“I am Heukryeong, the leader. What is your name?”

“I am Gu Yangcheon of Sanseo… no, Mount Hua.”

“Gu Yangcheon. Come into Heuksaek. I will give you the position of the next leader.”

“…!”

Gu Bong reacted with shock to Heukryeong’s words.

The next leader? When he has two sons vying for that position?

Of course, one was beaten unconscious.

And the other had run away from home.

Even so, offering the leader position to someone he just met?

Gu Bong found the statement absurd.

“Leader?”

Gu Yangcheon nodded upon hearing this.

“I’m not one of your children?”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“Don’t you need to be pure-blooded or something to receive it?”

“Aren’t you pure-blooded?”

“…Hmm.”

Gu Yangcheon answered after a moment of thought.

“That’s roughly correct.”

Gu Bong frowned at his words.

He wondered if it was a lie.

“Then come over here. I’ll give you the leader position.”

It was the same offer as before.

The offer to give away the position of the master of the nobles.

It was a word that had never come to Gu Bong before.

“Hmm.”

Gu Yangcheon rested his chin on his hand, seemingly contemplating.

He’s considering this?

Gu Bong’s eyes widened seeing this, but…

“I’m not really interested.”

Fortunately, Gu Yangcheon refused the offer.

‘…Thank goodness?’

What was fortunate?

Gu Bong swallowed a gasp at the thought that surfaced unconsciously.

“Why is that? Have you grown deeply attached to Mount Hua?”

“Not really.”

Gu Yangcheon shook his head without hesitation.

“…”

He was brazen. To openly state he had no affection for his affiliation.

Then again, he had told Gu Bong himself that he didn’t care much about Mount Hua’s fate.

He just hadn’t expected him to say the same thing in front of his own father.

‘Not much affection.’ Hearing the answer, Heukryeong asked Gu Yangcheon again.

“Then what?”

“I don’t exactly feel a sense of belonging…. You know, that kind of thing.”

“That kind of thing?”

“Like wanting to be somewhere with a stronger leader, if possible. That kind of thing.”

“…”

Ppeojeok.

With Gu Yangcheon’s words, Heukryeong’s brow furrowed deeply.

Wanting to be somewhere with a stronger leader.

What that meant was…

“Are you saying the master of Mount Hua is stronger than me?”

“Oh, come on…. What are you talking about?”

Gu Yangcheon waved his hand dismissively, as if saying it was absurd.

And then…

“Of course, there’s no comparison.”

He said it, removing the playfulness from his expression.

Kugeugeugeu-!

Perhaps quite displeased, Heukryeong’s energy fluctuated wildly.

It was a hair-trigger situation.

Gu Bong judged it to be so.

If his father exploded right now, something tremendous would happen.

Should I stop this? While Gu Bong hesitated.

Saaaaa….

Contrary to expectations, Heukryeong’s energy gradually subsided.

It wasn’t that the energy naturally dissipated; it was more like it was being forcibly suppressed.

“I see.”

Heukryeong nodded.

“I respect your faith in your master.”

“No, the master isn’t-.”

“Then what is your business, Gu Yangcheon?”

“My business?”

Heukryeong looked at Gu Yangcheon with eyes devoid of the interest they held moments before.

The emotions from moments ago had completely vanished in an instant.

Heukryeong’s eyes turned towards Gu Bong.

“You must have had a reason to come see me using such methods.”

Heukryeong was convinced that Gu Yangcheon had used Gu Bong to come see him.

Furthermore.

“Ah. That.”

And indeed, that was correct.

“It’s nothing major.”

Gu Yangcheon asked, looking at Heukryeong.

“I seem to need to see those fellows called Generals due to circumstances. Do you happen to know a way?”

Gu Bong was utterly astonished by his words.

---

It was the time when the sunset was gradually beginning. Since it wasn’t night yet, the number of people was actually starting to increase.

Due to the events of the previous day, it was relatively quiet, but nevertheless, it was filled with a bustling crowd.

Amidst that crowd.

“…Are you seriously crazy?”

Gu Bong said to me.

I turned around at his words. Gu Bong was looking at me with a contorted face.

“What?”

“If you weren’t completely insane, how could you do this?”

“No, I mean, what is it? What’s the problem?”

“…It’s a problem from start to finish!”

That’s harsh. I clicked my tongue slightly. In the meantime, Gu Bong added to my words.

“The fact that you recklessly used me to get in there. The attitude you showed there. The words you uttered at the end. All of it was a problem.”

“Ahem…. Still, wouldn’t at least one thing have been the right answer?”

“…Do you genuinely think so?”

“Of course.”

Honestly, even though they say it was all wrong, I don’t know what was wrong.

That’s understandable, because…

“In the end, it turned out well.”

Considering they called it a problem, the result is fine.

“Like the fact that I came out unharmed and am walking around fine here.”

I thought I was in a bit of trouble when I was locked up.

Anyway, didn’t we get out fine together with Gu Bong?

Moreover.

“I even got this.”

I waved the pass I was holding in front of Gu Bong. It was an item received from Heukryeong.

The item’s effect probably…

“It’s so convenient not having to report to the gatekeepers individually anymore.”

Not having to state Mount Hua’s name and be interrogated about various things.

Even considering all this, only good things happened in the end, so why is this guy acting like this?

I really couldn’t understand.

At my attitude, Gu Bong said, sounding frustrated.

“…It’s because you don’t know what kind of being that person is.”

A faint trace of fear flickered in Gu Bong’s eyes.

“Whatever method you use, there will be a scheme within it. There must be a reason he let you go peacefully this time too.”

“Of course. He’s not an idiot to just let me go after giving me something like this.”

Heukryeong listened to my words, watched me silently for a moment, and then said we’d see each other next time.

And this is the pass I received.

“Knowing all that…. You did this knowing? Knowing what kind of relationship I have with that person…!”

“No, I think you’re misunderstanding something.”

I said to Gu Bong, who raised his voice with a disgusted expression.

“I’m not that interested in you. I just expected you to be the son of some family.”

“Such…!”

“Ah, but I heard you’re a bastard child?”

“…!”

“Was it said you were the son of a concubine? Something like that, I think.”

Gu Yangcheon said, laughing as he brought up his own vulnerability.

Hearing that, Gu Bong finally gritted his teeth.

This was something he couldn’t easily overlook. Whether it worked or not, he felt like attacking right away.

“I’m also a bastard child. The son of a concubine.”

Gu Bong stopped walking for a moment at Gu Yangcheon’s nonchalantly spoken words.

“Just saying.”

“…You.”

“I’m sorry for using you. I really needed it. I’ll use you again next time too, so sorry in advance for that as well.”

“…”

How can he be so shameless? Saying he’ll use me again so confidently.

What devilish words are these?

Gu Bong’s body began to tremble with rage.

“Try to understand. I have a lot to do because I need to find my mother…”

Gu Yangcheon, mid-sentence, suddenly closed his mouth.

Seeing that, Gu Bong wondered what was up and looked in the direction Gu Yangcheon was staring.

There, he saw a familiar figure.

‘That woman…?’

He didn’t know her name.

Perhaps no one knew it.

They only knew she was someone Gu Yangcheon brought along, and that she didn’t approach anyone except him.

‘I’m sure he said she wouldn’t follow.’

I thought it was because she wasn’t coming with him today, but…

Why is she there?

Moreover.

‘She looks injured?’

She looked somewhat unwell.

Seeing that, Gu Bong looked at Gu Yangcheon, but…

“Hmm…?”

Gu Yangcheon was already gone.

Where did he go?

“What the hell are you?”

Gu Bong’s eyes widened at the voice.

Gu Yangcheon had already approached the woman and grabbed her shoulder.

“What is this!”

He said it with a look of great surprise.