Chapter 528
“How did you know?”
At the Dark King’s words, Gu Cheol-woon stared back into his dark, bottomless eyes, devoid of any light or shadow.
He quietly observed those eyes and then spoke.
“It’s something that’s impossible to overlook.”
The letter from the Poison King, which contained news about my child. How could I not know that the Dark King had intervened before it reached the Gu Clan?
If you think about it, it should have been simple. The distance from Sichuan to Shanxi is by no means short.
With Gu Cheol-woon’s power, he might have arrived in a short time. But that’s not normally the case.
However…
“It arrived just a few days after the incident.”
The speed at which the letter arrived was indeed strange.
No matter how quickly the letter was sent, it was time-wise impossible.
So, I had to suspect someone’s intervention, and I just concluded it was the Dark King.
But there was just one problem here.
“I don’t understand.”
The Dark King looked at Gu Cheol-woon and asked,
“While it’s understandable to have doubts, I have no evidence to confirm that I did it.”
That doesn’t imply that the Dark King intervened.
The letter arrived so early—sure, someone could have meddled and manipulated things.
But that alone couldn’t be enough to convince Gu Cheol-woon that it was the Dark King.
When I asked about it, Gu Cheol-woon replied in a calm tone,
“Isn’t the old man here?”
The Dark King’s eyebrows slightly twitched upon hearing that.
“That alone was reason enough for me to be convinced.”
“Hmm.”
Is that so?
Only then did the Dark King understand why Gu Cheol-woon had such thoughts.
‘Did he catch on?’
When departing from Hanam to Sacheon, the Dark King had blended into the group while using disguise techniques.
Did Gu Cheol-woon realize this back then?
Does that mean he just didn’t show it?
He looked at Gu Cheol-woon with newfound eyes,
“Then why didn’t you give it away at that time?”
“It simply wasn’t necessary.”
The Dark King had infiltrated the company of my child. That alone could lead to many issues.
Not necessary, huh.
Hearing this, the Dark King couldn’t help but raise the corners of his lips slightly.
“What if I were to harm your child?”
“Are you planning on doing that?”
At Gu Cheol-woon’s question, the Dark King chuckled.
He had already done something quite similar.
Using his powers, he’d inflicted death hundreds of times over.
But if you asked whether he intended to repeat that…
“It depends on your child’s actions.”
He had no intention of making the first move.
He couldn’t promise to never do it, but at the moment, he had no plans to.
“If that’s the case, then fine.”
“Why do you think the kid wouldn’t act against me?”
Is this faith in your child?
“That’s not it. He is my child, but certainly, there are some prickly thorns in that kid.”
Those sharp thorns—there were definitely aspects like that with Gu Yangcheon.
Moreover, Gu Cheol-woon understood that he, too, had impacted that thorniness.
“So?”
“Even if he has those aspects, if that child acts in such a way, I believe there must be a reason.”
He doesn’t think he wouldn’t act. But should he act, there will surely be a reason behind it.
That was the kind of trust Gu Cheol-woon had in Gu Yangcheon.
The Dark King found it incomprehensible.
“What’s that different from having faith in your child?”
“If I were to call it faith, it’s more like atonement.”
Not believing just because it’s necessary, but believing because you have to believe.
In terms of needing a reason for doing so, Gu Cheol-woon would frame that as atonement.
Atonement for having shaped his child into such a way.
Hearing that, the Dark King asked,
“And what if I were to kill that kid?”
Even if Gu Yangcheon had that will,
there was no reason for the Dark King to recognize that.
Nor was there a reason to see such courage in a favorable light.
Gu Cheol-woon knew this better than anyone else.
“Why are you saying this?”
Responding to the question, Gu Cheol-woon looked at the Dark King and said,
“I sincerely hope that you do not.”
Gu Cheol-woon hoped that the Dark King would refrain from such actions.
This was partially for his child, but put differently…
“For your sake as well.”
Thud—
At Gu Cheol-woon’s words, the Dark King’s body trembled faintly.
Refined malice—not the coarse, blunt malice of a brute, but that of a delicately trained shadowy figure.
It was quiet and still.
Yet, because it was compressed, the closer you got, the more overwhelming the thought seemed to feel, bursting forth from the Dark King’s form.
“You’ve really matured. To the point of threatening me.”
Doing this for the sake of the Dark King, no less.
The meaning behind that was sharp.
It was a concrete warning: if you were to touch my child, I would not take it lightly.
The malice grew thicker with time.
The atmosphere crackles.
In a tense moment.
Even though the Dark King’s aura intensified by the second, Gu Cheol-woon simply maintained his calm, observing the Dark King.
At that moment…
“Hm.”
The Dark King released some energy and retracted his malice.
“Don’t worry; I have something I want of that child too.”
Even with a slight relaxing of tension, Gu Cheol-woon remained completely still.
He likely recognized it was just a test of resolve.
Since the Dark King also had something he desired from Gu Yangcheon, he had no plans to make any moves at that moment.
In fact, it was vital to keep alive, as Gu Cheol-woon spoke—not for Gu Yangcheon, but for himself.
‘The key to lifting this curse.’
A curse cast upon the Dark King.
More accurately, the key to breaking the curse tied to his bloodline.
Gu Yangcheon must have that answer.
It couldn’t be otherwise.
Even now, glancing at Gu Yangcheon, the Dark King could feel his heart racing.
Thud-thud!
‘It has definitely intensified compared to the first time I saw it.’
Resonance.
The scent of the curse he detected the moment he glimpsed Gu Yangcheon.
Then, it felt so shallow, but now for some reason, it felt all too vividly clear.
What might have changed?
‘A transformation in physicality. Is that the focus?’
At first glance, it didn’t seem that different, yet Gu Yangcheon had undergone some sort of change.
The Dark King could see it.
His eyes were different from others’.
Thud.
His heart beats wildly. Merely gazing at it causes such uproar.
Initially, he thought it was murderous intent, but the Dark King recently came to realize it wasn’t that either.
Indeed, this wasn’t mere malice.
‘This is…’
“I truly appreciate your kind words.”
Amidst all his pondering, the Dark King shook his head at Gu Cheol-woon’s statement.
It was probably not the right moment to be introspective regarding such compliments.
“I’ve never seen anything good about it.”
That’s true; he had never positively perceived it.
Yet, with such a response, Gu Cheol-woon merely nodded, as if that was sufficient.
Furthermore, he needed to get back to the core topic.
“Now, I would like for you to respond to my question.”
How did the Dark King intervene?
That was the question.
As Gu Cheol-woon stated, it was correct that the Dark King had a hand in those events.
He hadn’t directly moved the messenger; he simply utilized the nighttime assassins to send the letter more quickly.
For the department handling such matters, the nighttime assassination squad could undoubtedly pride themselves on being quicker than anyone else.
If he were to ask Gu Cheol-woon why the Dark King did that,
“I only did it because he asked me to.”
The Dark King answered while nodding.
Following that, Gu Cheol-woon shifted his gaze.
There, he saw his son getting thoroughly beaten up and an oddly ecstatic figure, seemingly enjoying the scenario.
–AAAH…! Damn it…! I hit a bone…!
–Hey, I told you to step back a bit! Why are you being so ignorant and rushing in like that?
–… Didn’t you just say not to dodge earlier!
–What’s up with you? Are you talking back?
–Should I speak reverently to my younger brother? I’m still the elder…! Sir, I’m only joking. Just a lighthearted joke…!
–That’s alright. Usually, a bit of beating improves character. It’s all part of the process. Come here! If you don’t pay attention, you’ll get hurt.
–… This is ridiculous…
“…”
Seeing the chaotic scene, Gu Cheol-woon nearly turned away but forced himself to endure.
“… Are you referring to the Supreme Being?”
“Yes.”
As soon as Pajeon heard the news about the emergence of Gu Yangcheon, he asked the Dark King to handle the matter.
To relay this to Gu Cheol-woon as quickly as possible.
At that moment, the Poison King happened to be sending a letter to Guga.
As the Dark King’s eyes were set on the entire Tang family, it was something he couldn’t have missed.
He merely utilized that opportunity.
‘I thought you didn’t seem overly interested.’
Pajeon had much more interest in Gu Yangcheon than anticipated.
Perhaps because he sought a disciple for so long.
Or maybe there was something else at play; who could say for certain?
‘Is he trying to fulfill something like a teacher’s role?’
Having watched Biju from the sidelines for an extended period,
it seemed unusual for a madman who was solely obsessed with martial arts to act like that.
Especially coming to ask a favor for something.
‘He has changed.’
Biju was undeniably changing.
Whether that change was for the good or not, even the Dark King couldn’t determine.
He also found himself disinterested.
In sight, he saw Pajeon plopping down on the fallen Gu Yangcheon’s side.
In a state where the half-unconscious Gu Yangcheon breathed heavily.
Observing that, he caught sight of Pajeon’s hand smiling.
It was trembling lightly.
That was evidence that even the Emperor was fatigued. Gu Cheol-woon turned around upon noticing that.
“Thank you for your advice. I have something to attend to, so I’ll be going first.”
“Hmm.”
After confirming that Gu Yangcheon’s training had finished, Gu Cheol-woon walked away without hesitation.
As he regarded Gu Cheol-woon’s departing figure, the Dark King suddenly spoke,
“Gu Cheol-woon.”
Thump!
Hearing his name after such a long time felt odd.
In the Central Plains, there were likely only a handful who could call Gu Cheol-woon that now.
Among them stood the Dark King.
“I will come and visit you soon. Please convey this to Gu-ryun.”
“…”
Communicating through the household to relay the elder’s message.
Although it felt like a bizarre situation, Gu Cheol-woon nodded, unfazed.
“I will pass it along when I return.”
With those final words, Gu Cheol-woon vanished like a spark.
Left alone, the Dark King turned his gaze back to Gu Yangcheon.
The aura was thickening.
Just observing it stirred up emotions.
Initially, he mistaken it for malice, and then thought it was anger,
but as of now, it grew into an even stronger feeling.
–…I’m gonna die…! Please lower it a bit… Am I seriously going to die like this? Aaaah! My head…!
–Seeing how lively your mouth is, I guess you can handle more. Get up!
“…”
Reluctantly acknowledging it, he could now distinctly feel the emotions rising within him as he looked at Gu Yangcheon…
This was undeniably awe.
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