Chapter: 886
The first thing I felt after reading the content was that I simply didn’t understand it.
From beginning to end, I was left wondering what in the world this meant. It took me quite a while to grasp it since my mind couldn’t wrap around it at all.
As time passed, I barely managed to piece together the letter.
‘What the hell is this crazy nonsense?’
The second thought that crossed my mind was that even if I understood it, I couldn’t believe it.
‘What has my father done?’
Locked away for committing a crime in a temple? It was absurd. If it weren’t for the gravity of the situation, I would have surely dismissed it as nonsense and torn up the letter.
There has never been a piece of nonsense quite like this. Naturally, I should have treated it as such.
The real issue was…
‘This was sent by Mrs. Mi.’
The owner of this letter is none other than Mrs. Mi.
The White Flower Merchant Association. And the letter even bore the official seal of the association with Mrs. Mi’s own handwriting.
All of these conclusions pointed to the letter being genuine.
“Your Highness…?”
Wi Seol-ah approached me, noticing my stern expression. I raised my hand momentarily to stop her.
“Wait a sec.”
“…”
Wi Seol-ah shouldn’t come near me right now.
I needed to swiftly try to make sense of the icy thoughts circling in my head, but if she approached now, it would complicate things.
‘What on earth is going on?’
What’s happening? I had to sort this out.
The first thing I needed to examine was…
‘Is this letter even real?’
Was this letter truly sent by Mrs. Mi? It certainly looked authentic, but it was hard to trust completely.
‘Someone could have impersonated Mrs. Mi.’
From the letter to the messenger, there was even a chance that the handwriting had been forged. However…
‘The chance of that is slim.’
It’s not a possibility worth lingering on, so I decided to move on for now.
‘Then.’
If it really was Mrs. Mi who wrote and sent this letter to me, what could her intention have been?
‘…My father has committed a crime and is now imprisoned.’
That’s the conclusion I was presented with.
But Mrs. Mi’s intentions weren’t spelled out.
Was she saying, “Don’t worry; it’s nothing serious?” That didn’t seem right to me.
‘If that were the case, it would surely be in the content.’
Moreover, if it truly were nothing out of the ordinary… There was no way Mrs. Mi would have written me a letter like this.
Also…
‘It seems Mrs. Mi knows about my father too. That only adds to the weight.’
My father got caught and put behind bars? I couldn’t wrap my head around it.
It wasn’t that he was captured; he was caught and imprisoned.
What in the world…
‘Who in the blazes would do that to my father?’
I know my father is strong. He’s probably even stronger than I am now.
That means…
‘Is there really anyone in the martial world who can capture my father right now?’
Among the three Lords, the Heavenly Lord is not involved, the whereabouts of the Sword Lord are unknown, and the Defeated Lord is out of the question.
So, essentially, none of the three Lords are involved.
Who else could it be?
‘The Sword Master?’
The Sword Master, one of the top ten martial artists in the world? If it were him, there would be a plausible chance.
After all, he is stronger than I am.
But…
‘Is he still as strong now?’
That’s something I would need to consider. This was before I came to Sacheon. Given how much my own abilities have soared, I figured I could probably hold my ground against the Sword Master now.
‘Did they perhaps carry out a joint attack?’
Even then, it didn’t seem likely. If it really were…
‘…What was the justification?’
What could possibly justify such an act? The letter only stated that he’d committed a crime.
It didn’t specify what crime he had committed or how he ended up imprisoned.
This implies…
‘Was it that there was no need to write it down?’
Or perhaps…
‘Did he lack the time to properly explain?’
The more I thought about it, the colder I felt inside.
The heart that had been racing like it was going to burst just a moment ago had calmed down. The tension that had been taut as a spring was now eerily calm.
The calm before the storm.
My current state was precisely that.
“What should I do…?”
“Huh?”
“…How should I handle this?”
I muttered while stroking my chin. My gaze was fixed on the floor.
The ruckus of hauling baggage was no longer audible.
Woom…
The energy that began to flow through my body made the air quiver.
This wasn’t good. It was becoming increasingly hard to suppress.
‘Think rationally.’
If I let my emotions get the better of me now, things would get messy.
I needed to find a way to suppress my emotions.
So my father got locked up; what could possibly happen to him?
‘That’s impossible.’
What kind of person is my father that he could really be in this mess?
There had to be some explanation. Yes, instead of worrying, I just need to stick to what I was doing.
If it were my father, he’d surely be okay…
—Live.
“…”
Crinkle—!
My grip tightened on the letter, crumpling it in my hand.
“Crown….”
“Seol-ah.”
“…!”
When I called her name in a low voice, Wi Seol-ah flinched.
“Yes…? What? Yes… Yes?”
I had never called her name before. It might have been harsh to call her in this situation, but I had no choice.
“I’m sorry, but can I ask you for a little favor?”
“… Uh… yes…? Yes, yes. Of course. As much as you need.”
The flustered Wi Seol-ah stumbled over her words. Surprisingly, I didn’t even notice her awkwardness.
“When you meet Dang So-yeol later, tell her to stick to the plan and be flexible if any issues arise.”
“Uh… yes.”
“If you see Dang So-yeol, make sure she brings the kids back safely, and tell her I’m sorry.”
“Uh… okay.”
As I continued my instructions, Wi Seol-ah looked at me with a peculiar expression. It seemed like she had caught on to something.
“Your Highness… are you perhaps going somewhere?”
“…”
I gazed into the air above.
“Well, something urgent has come up, so I’ll be leaving first.”
“Huh? What do you mean by that…?”
“Come back safely. I’ll try to pick you up if I can.”
“Crown-!”
Whoosh whoosh—!!!
My body ignited, bursting into flames as I leaped upward.
In an instant, the presence I had on the ground vanished. It was an unfamiliar feeling, having my entire body transformed into flames, but I wasn’t overly concerned about that.
Despite my entire body being in flames, I still felt an odd chill inside.
No, was it more that I thought I was feeling cold? Maybe the heat was overwhelming me too much to even notice.
At this moment, nothing was coming to mind.
If there was one thought tethering to the surface, it was this…
‘How long did it take?’
When my father made the journey from Shanxi to Sichuan, how long did it take him?
Was it three days? Or four days?
I couldn’t remember properly. But it didn’t matter.
‘Faster than that.’
Two days.
Even if it meant exhausting every ounce of my energy, I would arrive in that time frame.
With only that thought, I filled my heart with strength.
Whoosh—!!!
The flames tore through the air swiftly.
Creek.
The basement feels particularly chilly on autumn days.
As the iron door creaks open, someone steps inside. The figure walks down the hall, their feet crunching against the cold stone floor.
Beyond the slow steps lies a weak demeanor.
The old man’s breath, tinged with irritation, and his furrowed brow hinted at his state of mind.
Drip. Drip.
Somewhere, a droplet of water trickles down, soaking the man’s shoulder.
Though damp, the old man seems indifferent. He simply continues walking toward his destination.
Eventually, he stops before an iron cage.
Inside, a figure sits quietly. Even seated, he exudes an imposing presence.
The man, with his large frame, opens his eyes at the sound of footsteps.
In front of him stands an old man of equal stature.
Two red lights flicker to life from within the dark confines of the cage.
The old man observes the lights and remarks,
“What a sight to behold. Lord Gu.”
“….”
“Why are you doing things now that you never did when you were younger? Tsk tsk…”
“Elder.”
At Gu Cheol-woon’s words, the old man, Iljang-ro, clicks his tongue repeatedly.
“When I first heard the news, I thought it was some ridiculous nonsense. But seeing it in person is utterly absurd. What are you doing now?”
“Something happened.”
“Something happened, indeed. That’s why the head of the Gu family is acting like that.”
Despite the Elder’s comments, Gu Cheol-woon maintains a stoic expression.
“Let me ask you a question, Mukyeon. They say you persecuted that old man and raided him. Is that true?”
“Yes.”
“This is driving me insane.”
At the firm affirmation, the Elder smooths out his wrinkled forehead.
“Why? Just kill him! Why beat around the bush like this?”
“That’s what I tried to do.”
“Hahaha. What madness is this?”
With a sigh that deepens in frustration, he had teased Gu Cheol-woon, but he hadn’t expected such a serious response.
“I don’t understand how you can be so composed while preparing to kill someone.”
Even the idea of attempting to kill the strategist of the alliance and then ending up imprisoned was outrageous. But the most absurd aspect was…
“If that was your intention, you could have gone through with it. What on earth is this situation?”
Iljang-ro was baffled.
“Why did you allow yourself to be captured?”
Gu Cheol-woon’s imprisonment within the iron bars left him perplexed.
Moreover, the way he was merely seated inside without any proper restraints made it all the more confusing.
This implied that if Gu Cheol-woon truly desired it, he could escape at any moment.
No, from the start.
“If you wished, erasing the Blind Sect from existence could’ve been done that day. What on earth are you thinking, behaving like this?”
“It was necessary.”
“Necessary?”
Iljang-ro frowned at Gu Cheol-woon’s response.
“The other Elders will be moved by recent events. Although your position as the head of the family won’t be shaken, there might be some bothersome issues. You already knew that, didn’t you?”
“Yes.”
“And knowing that, was it really necessary?”
“Yes.”
It was a resolute response. Only after hearing that did the Elder inquire further.
“Is this decision related to Yangcheon?”
Gu Cheol-woon’s expression shifted slightly at the mention of Yangcheon.
He was not the type to let such a comment slip by.
“Cheolwoon.”
The tone had changed.
For the first time in over a decade, the Elder addressed the head of the Gu family informally, something he had maintained since arriving.
“I don’t know what you’re trying to achieve, but is this really in the best interest of Yangcheon?”
“I can’t say for sure.”
“What?”
He had answered firmly up until now, but there was a hint of uncertainty in his recent response.
“I act under that impression, but I have never lived as a father, so I’m not entirely sure.”
“That sounds like a worthless answer.”
It was a sight I had never witnessed before. Gu Cheol-woon was a pillar of strength who had weathered storms without faltering.
Even if the entire world turned against him.
Even if an unbeatable adversary stood before him.
Gu Cheol-woon had never crumbled.
Rather, he would brace himself and confront the challenge head-on.
That is Gu Cheol-woon.
Yet…
“What’s troubling you so much?”
“I don’t know that either.”
Right now, Gu Cheol-woon seemed deeply troubled.
The person who used to be like a lighthouse amidst darkness now appeared remarkably human.
While it was frustrating, there was a strangely comforting humanity about him.
The head of the Gu family being locked away was hard to believe. Even I found it hard to reconcile in my mind.
“Your wife is extremely worried.”
“….”
“Soon, your daughters will probably find out too. So I’ll ask you again.”
Beyond the iron bars, Iljang-ro looked earnestly at Gu Cheol-woon, asking,
“Is it truly okay?”
“Yes.”
Gu Cheol-woon’s answer returned to its former steadiness.
In addition…
“Nothing will happen. Even if something does happen.”
Strength surged in the red eyes that glimmered.
“I will ensure that it never comes to that, as always.”
“….”
Where on earth did that assertiveness come from, even in that dire situation?
In that demeanor, it felt as though someone could overlap with him.
‘They share a striking resemblance.’
Surely, a son is indeed a son.
I had often wondered how such a fiery child emerged from someone as calm as him.
‘I almost forgot for a moment.’
Gu Cheol-woon wasn’t calm.
He just seemed that way; beneath it all, he was a person as fiery as anyone.
That being the case, just touching his son had likely provoked the whole Murim Alliance into a frenzied frenzy.
If I had any questions about this, it could only be one.
‘Why didn’t he do it?’
Despite being capable, Gu Cheol-woon ultimately refrained from making that move.
Even now, unrestrained and hardly confined, he had arrived in this state.
‘What the heck happened?’
What could have transpired for things to reach such a point?
I wanted to ask, but the look on Gu Cheol-woon’s face told me everything.
‘He’s the type who wouldn’t spill a word even if he were dying.’
With that expression, nothing I said would get through. It had always been this way.
Hadn’t he just bottled it all up until it became unbearable?
Even with age, that obstinateness seemed to endure.
And yet…
‘…He’s even passed that trait down.’
He probably didn’t even realize how his son had inherited that damned stubbornness.
The two looked alarmingly alike.
Except, of course, for their faces.
“Hyo-ran mentioned that she told Yangcheon about the situation.”
“….”
The usually placid Gu Cheol-woon visibly tensed at that. It was his most significant reaction yet.
“By now, the letter must have reached Sichuan. If it has, that child is likely feeling a bit anxious.”
Gu Cheol-woon chuckled softly at Iljang-ro’s words.
“That won’t be the case.”
“Huh?”
“If it were that child, he would harbor resentment towards me. Instead, he would probably feel at ease.”
“….”
Gu Cheol-woon’s expression was serene, as if he genuinely believed what he had just said.
In fact, it was almost as if that brought him comfort.
‘…Tsk tsk.’
Iljang-ro clucked his tongue in exasperation.
“How can you, as a father, be this oblivious?”
With a mix of sighs, the Elder spoke.
“Your son bears an uncanny resemblance to you. You don’t seem to realize that.”
The more they grew, the more alike they became. No, if we were to judge by temperament, the son had it much worse.
Although Gu Cheol-woon appeared calm, the son radiated intensity.
That was precisely why my worries escalated.
‘My father is in this situation because of my son…’
What would happen if the son, who was even more fiery, found out about this?
‘Surely he wouldn’t just ignite the alliance in a blaze.’
Ah, surely not.
Could one become the head of the alliance and really act so rashly? If that were the case, no one would be able to contain it.
I was sure Gu Yangcheon understood that much as well, so he wouldn’t go down such a path, would he?
…Right?
“…”
Suddenly, the Elder felt an unsettling wave creep over him.
Bad premonitions tend to hold a good deal of truth.
Especially in circumstances like this.
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