Cheon Gi-ja guided the Heavenly Killing Star to a teahouse in Daeheung County.
There weren’t many people in the teahouse, but those sitting around were all talking about one particular family.
“Hey, have you heard about the Head of the Seong Family?”
“The Head? You mean the one who’s going under because of that incident a month ago?”
“Yeah, that one. Apparently, the eldest son who survived is planning to become the head.”
“You mean Seong Se-hwi? So, that’s how it turned out. Given the mess caused by Seong Ji-ru, the head is practically doomed, yet he wants to take on that role.”
“Right? Who would’ve thought that when Seong Ji-ru’s secrets got exposed, he’d kill all the guests?”
“Seong Se-hwi and his subordinates tried to stop it, but it turns out he was the only one left alive on that catastrophic scene.”
“Family members and their warriors are dead, and even the guests are gone. With everyone gone, the people’s fury aimed at the head means it’s essentially over for him.”
“What a delusional young master. Yet, he still claimed he wants to be the head.”
“What’s going to happen to the Head now?”
“Why worry about that? Let’s just talk about the tea and enjoy it.”
“Yeah, let’s do that.”
The massacre of the Seong Family was concluded to be the work of Seong Ji-ru, the former head.
This was because the few witnesses had escaped when the duel between Seong Ji-ru and Seong Se-hwi first began, and afterwards, when the Heavenly Killing Star went berserk, there were no witnesses left except for Seong Se-hwi.
Of course, if Seong Se-hwi gave testimony, it could lead to significant problems.
“Which fact are you talking about? Every incident that day was plotted by Seong Ji-ru. I was supposed to lose, but out of luck, a benefactor helped me, allowing me to dismantle Seong Ji-ru’s schemes. Thank you.”
On the night when the Heavenly Killing Star secretly visited Seong Se-hwi, he expressed his gratitude to her.
Now, nothing was left but ash for the Head. However, there are some who wish to grasp even the ash that no one else wants with both hands.
Seong Se-hwi’s life, which would be more arduous and challenging than before becoming the head, would still see him walking the thorny path with a smile while holding that ash.
“What brings you here?”
Cheon Gi-ja asked the Heavenly Killing Star, who was engrossed in the matter regarding the Head.
Thanks to Cheon Gi-ja, she had learned of Yoon Ho’s existence. Though she didn’t know the purpose of the visit, she could express her gratitude after hearing the story.
“Let’s cut to the chase.”
Cheon Gi-ja took a sip of tea to gather his thoughts before opening his mouth with a serious expression.
“What is it?”
“Leave the benefactor.”
—————————-
What kind of nonsense is this?
The Heavenly Killing Star struggled to comprehend what Cheon Gi-ja suddenly stated.
It felt as though she had been struck hard on the back of her head by an unexpected blow.
“Think of the Heavenly Killing Star as a large ship flowing along the Yangtze River.”
Undeterred by her reaction, Cheon Gi-ja picked up an empty teacup in front of him and began explaining why she needed to leave.
“Originally, this ship should have flowed along the river as it was. Even if the end were to be its sinking, it couldn’t go against the current of the Yangtze. But quite by chance, the ship called Heavenly Killing Star discovered a tiny ferry that was going upstream.”
As Cheon Gi-ja moved a teacup aside, he halted the one in front of the small cup.
“The large ship is unable to move because of the small ferry, and the small ferry is unable to proceed because of the large ship. That’s your current situation.”
Cheon Gi-ja placed the two cups in the center of the table and glanced at the Heavenly Killing Star.
“And why does that mean I should leave?”
Cheon So-hee understood his analogy.
The Yangtze symbolizes destiny. The large ship represents herself. The ferry represents Kang Yoon-ho. The Heavenly Killing Star, which was heading toward doom, could meet Kang Yoon-ho—someone who could change that destiny and halt it.
But why that meant she had to leave was utterly confusing.
Whether Yoon Ho was a small ferry or a teacup, he had stopped her fate. He had let her escape her own destiny. So why should she leave?
“These ships may look like they’re at a standstill, but the water of the Yangtze is constantly flowing behind them. The destiny possessed by the Heavenly Killing Star holds great weight. It’s nice that it briefly stopped thanks to the small ferry, but what happens if it moves toward the ferry?”
Cheon Gi-ja intentionally moved the large cup to collide with the small one.
From the large cup’s perspective, it was merely a gentle bump, but the small cup lost balance and toppled over.
The Heavenly Killing Star grasped the meaning instantly.
“Are you saying Yoon Ho is in danger?”
“Twice already. Didn’t he almost die because of you?”
“How?”
“Twice. I’ve seen how the light of the Heavenly Killing Star obscursed the light of the Reverse Heaven’s Decree. In a normal scenario, something like that would lead to death for an outsider, but, as expected, the Reverse Heaven’s Decree is unique. He somehow survived.”
Cheon Gi-ja elaborated, stating that the term “Reverse Heaven’s Decree” is used when referring to the benefactor of the Heavenly Killing Star.
“……. He nearly died twice.”
Once in Chilgok County and once in Daeheung County. Cheon So-hee realized just how dangerous those situations had been.
“Do you think he’ll survive a third time?”
That pointed inquiry struck the Heavenly Killing Star’s heart sharper than any blade.
“……”
Cheon So-hee was left speechless, unable to counter.
“If such things happen when you’re together, they could happen again. If you cherish him, then leave.”
Cheon Gi-ja calmly proposed to the Heavenly Killing Star.
Cheon So-hee felt a surge of resistance at how lightly his suggestion felt, urging her to make a heart-wrenching decision.
“You were the one who said being by Yoon Ho’s side could change my fate, Cheon Gi-ja.”
Cheon So-hee spoke while desperately trying to reign in the anger swelling in her heart.
“You’re right.”
“And now you’re saying I should leave?”
“It doesn’t mean you have to leave his side forever.”
“What do you mean?”
“Yoon Ho isn’t ready to bear the weight of the Heavenly Killing Star’s destiny yet. Just stay away until he shines brighter.”
“Shine?”
What does that even mean?
Cheon Gi-ja, picking up the teacup again in response to Cheon So-hee’s question filled with confusion, continued.
“Right now, this ferry is too small and can only stop the large ship. If it moves just a bit toward the big ship, it could easily capsize. But what if this ferry gets bigger?”
He brought a new empty cup that was the same size as the one mentioned as the Heavenly Killing Star from the corner of the table.
“If it collides, it won’t topple over.”
“Not only that. If he grows big enough to hold stars, he can also transfer the contents of any other ship.”
Cheon Gi-ja poured the tea from the cup containing the Heavenly Killing Star into the empty cup.
The ship that bore the fate of the Heavenly Killing Star.
Transferring its contents into another ship must surely bear significance.
“Does that mean I can change my destiny?”
The tea inside the cup was not the Heavenly Killing Star but represented Cheon So-hee herself.
“No matter how big the ship named Heavenly Killing Star is, it can never escape the Yangtze’s current. But if you can transfer onto the Reverse Heaven’s Decree’s ship, then you would be able to change that destiny.”
Cheon Gi-ja began moving the teacup filled with tea on the table with ease.
Unlike her heading toward doom, this ship was free to move anywhere.
In order to escape the fate of the Heavenly Killing Star for good, she would have to transfer to that ship.
She could live as Cheon So-hee.
But to do that, she had to leave until the ship grew, just as Cheon Gi-ja said.
“Can’t I just transfer now?”
Why wait? If she continued traveling with Yoon Ho, wouldn’t they just forge ahead into their fate together?
“Didn’t he nearly die twice on that basis?”
Cheon Gi-ja said impassively, beginning to pour tea from the large cup into the small one.
The tea soon started overflowing from the small teacup.
Cheon So-hee thought that the overflowing tea resembled Yoon Ho’s blood from a month ago.
“Do I really have to leave Yoon Ho’s side?”
“Meeting him brought you possibilities, didn’t it? If you want to save him, if you want to change your fate, then it’s time to part ways.”
But there was more to gain than just possibilities from meeting him.
Thinking about Yoon Ho, who must be waiting for her at the inn, made Cheon So-hee’s heart ache.
She didn’t want to leave.
But she had to.
Could she truly part ways with him? Should she leave for his sake?
In her turmoil, Cheon So-hee could do nothing but listen to Cheon Gi-ja’s words.
A month passed.
When she opened her eyes for the first time, it was about ten days after the incident had occurred.
Had she lost too much blood? It felt like she’d fainted for a moment, but a lot of time had passed.
Fortunately, the condition of her body wasn’t terribly serious.
The doctor checked her condition and thankfully said that her insides weren’t severely hurt, allowing her to focus on recovery.
“That’s why you use cash items.”
Sure enough, thanks to the financial resources poured into training the Jade Face Protective Technique, even if scars would remain, the recovery speed was also miraculous.
Of course, there were others who weren’t so fortunate.
一 Yoon Ho. Because of me……
So-hee was practically in major guilt mode.
The child who felt guilty for not being able to protect him was now even more so because she had stabbed him directly. The sinner seemed ready to crawl on the ground with guilt without anyone needing to tell her to act like a sinner.
She had been consistently comforting him and helping him keep his mental state together, but thankfully, recent days were looking normal. Lately, when ointment needed to be applied to his wounds, he found himself feeling sad, and she had taken over those responsibilities.
“Fortunately, the violent emotions have disappeared.”
Since that day, thankfully, So-hee’s emotional outbursts had ceased. It was said that no matter where she roamed within Daeheung County, her emotions wouldn’t flare up anymore.
With all problems resolved, as long as she fully recovered, she only needed to leave Daeheung County.
“So-hee, you’re late.”
She said she’d go buy medicine, so why is she taking so long? So-hee, at this rate, I’ll become a grandpa!
“Yoon Ho. I’m back.”
Looks like So-hee isn’t as calm as I thought. She walked in right after I called for her.
“So-hee, did you get the medicine?”
“Yep.”
So-hee cautiously approached and didn’t sit down, instead staring at me lying in bed.
She started fidgeting with her lips, a clear sign she had something to say but was struggling to express it.
“So-hee, if you have something to say, just spit it out.”
Except for that part where she has to risk her life, of course.
“Yoon Ho.”
With what seemed to be a decision made, she subtly lifted her chin and spoke to me.
“Yeah?”
“I… I’m thinking of leaving.”
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