Chapter 14

Chapter 14
Gotta Control My Anger (1)

Deep into the nighttime hours, a lone carriage stood parked among the trees adjacent to the Murim Alliance’s Mun-seong Branch.

Presently, Cheon Yang-ho, known throughout the lands as the Heavenly Venom Snake, crept into the clearing. He paused to scrutinize his surroundings with painstaking care, ensuring that no eyes followed him before slipping inside the vehicle.

Seated within the dim interior was Wang U, the scion of Wang Gon. Having received word concerning his father’s sudden plight while traveling abroad, he had rushed back as fast as his feet could carry him.

“Branch Leader Cheon.”

“Young Master Wang, a good deal of time has passed since our last meeting.”

“What kind of backing does that wretch Im Choong possess to dare lay hands on my father? Has Heuk Su turned against our family?”

“Heuk Su was apprehended right alongside him. From what I witnessed, the man was battered quite brutally.”

Disbelief gripped Wang U. Within his worldview, Heuk Su had always stood as an unmatched, unbeatable warrior.

“Who under the heavens could possibly overcome Heuk Su?”

“A newcomer to our ranks, an operative named Baek So-cheon, recently stationed here at the Mun-seong Branch.”

“What manner of upstart possesses the skill to best a man like Heuk Su?”

“The man previously served as a squad commander within the elite Iron Sword Unit. Unaware of his past, Heuk Su grew careless in his approach, leaving an opening that led straight to his defeat.”

“Baek So-cheon! That vile cur—I will rip his throat out with my bare hands this very instant!”

Wang U ground his teeth in pure fury. Throughout Mun-seong, his father had reigned supreme, wielding undisputed authority akin to a monarch. Basking beneath that towering influence, Wang U had conducted himself like an untouchable prince. During this single month alone, he had pummeled three individuals within an inch of their lives and seized another man’s beloved companion without remorse. Yet not a single soul had dared to seek retribution or bring him to account.

All of that had been afforded by his father’s supreme standing. How could a lowly, bottom-tier subordinate of the Murim Alliance presume to haul his lordly progenitor away in shackles?

“We are going to butcher him.”

“Restrain yourself for now. Striking him at this juncture will only complicate matters, making your father’s release far more troublesome to secure. Ensure your father walks free first, and only then should you turn your vengeance upon the boy.”

“When can we expect Father’s release?”

“I have already pulled the necessary strings and set the wheels in motion. It ought to take place shortly.”

“You have my deepest gratitude.”

Reaching into his robe, Wang U presented Cheon Yang-ho with an ornate pouch he had readied beforehand.

“A small token I obtained along the road during my return.”

Resting within the silk pouch were miniature statuettes sculpted in pure gold, shaped like diverse beasts and barely exceeding the size of a fingernail. Collected together, their sheer weight amounted to a fortune.

“Hahaha, truly, you should not have troubled yourself with such generosity.”

Without so much as offering a polite token refusal, Cheon Yang-ho casually slid the weighted pouch deep into his garments.

“Go on and return to your quarters for now. Be patient.”

As Cheon Yang-ho climbed down from the conveyance, he paused at the doorway and glanced over his shoulder with an idle, trailing question.

“Though, there is one thing…”

“Go on, speak your mind.”

“Regarding the tragedy that befell the family of Yang Chu… ah, pay it no mind. Forget I even brought it up.”

The calculated inquiry hung between them, loaded with an unspoken accusation: you people carried that out, did you not? He was intimately acquainted with the ways of Shin-hwa Bang; butchering entire bloodlines aligned precisely with their brand of ruthlessness.

Wang U snapped with sharp exasperation.

“What sort of vermin do you take us for, spouting such nonsense? We had nothing to do with that matter.”

“Naturally, naturally. Just an old fool letting his idle worries wander—think nothing of it. Until our paths cross again.”

Cheon Yang-ho withdrew, his figure melting effortlessly back into the enveloping shadows of the night.

‘It was undoubtedly their handiwork!’

Shrewd and calculating, Cheon Yang-ho had read the boy like an open scroll. Wang U’s overly dramatic, defensive reaction made Shin-hwa Bang’s direct involvement in the slaughter of Yang Chu’s kin glaringly obvious.

‘Completely unhinged lunatics!’

A cold tremor of apprehension over Shin-hwa Bang’s terrifying, heedless cruelty mingled with raw calculation within him. If his instincts proved accurate, he would squeeze this revelation until he extracted an exorbitant sum.

The moment Cheon Yang-ho’s silhouette vanished, Wang U spat onto the ground with searing contempt.

“Who the hell does that dog think he is, trying to play clever with me? Disgusting lackeys of the Murim Alliance!”

He remained completely oblivious to the reality that the cunning snake had seen right through his facade from the very start. Then again, such boundless arrogance was the exact reason he was so easily dissected.

Early the following morning, Im Choong summoned Beon Saeng to his private quarters.

“What has happened, Branch Leader?”

“I am issuing the order to let Wang Gon and Heuk Su walk free.”

It was a grim conclusion reached after tossing and turning in agonizing contemplation through the dark hours.

“I am informing you beforehand because this decision directly jeopardizes your own well-being.”

“Does this mean our lives are in mortal peril?”

“Most certainly. However, maintaining their custody will yield the exact same hazard in the end.”

“Understood.”

Bitterly enough, bringing the full weight of justice down upon them was practically an impossibility under their present circumstances.

The bribery allegation relied entirely on hearsay and personal testimony—his own words weighed against those of his spouse. What of the violent assault? They possessed not a scratch upon their skin, whereas their captors bore brutal injuries. The allegation of attempted homicide suffered from the exact same dilemma.

Even if they took the risk of transferring the prisoners to the Jeol-gang Branch, Cheon Yang-ho held the real reins of authority within that territory and would simply orchestrate their immediate discharge. Furthermore, numerous other influential factions stood prepared to exert pressure on behalf of Shin-hwa Bang.

Even if fortune favored them and Wang Gon was sentenced to rot away in a subterranean cell, the underlying threat remained entirely unresolved. Consumed by burning resentment, Wang Gon could effortlessly hire shadowy killers from external territories to slit their throats while they slept.

Far wiser to release the beast now, soothing his ruffled pride. Not in the interest of forming an alliance—merely to lull his immediate fury and instill a false sense of security while they dug up incontrovertible evidence tying him to the massacre of Yang Chu’s kin. That alone would drive a permanent stake through his heart.

“I truly never fathomed just how grueling and precarious the life of a martial warrior could be.”

Im Choong merely inclined his head in silent resonance with Beon Saeng’s heavy realization.

‘Perhaps, up until this very moment, I have never genuinely lived as a martial artist at all.’

When the sun reached its zenith, Im Choong formally granted Wang Gon and Heuk Su their liberty.

Wang Gon and Cheon Yang-ho brushed past one another just beyond the threshold of the iron detention cell, yet neither offered the slightest acknowledgment, acting as utter strangers.

Instead, Wang Gon turned his attention entirely upon Im Choong, fixing him with a gaze saturated with raw murderous desire. He felt no urge to trade dramatic parting words or launch into an immediate bloodbath—there was only cold, concentrated hatred behind his eyes.

“Mark my words, I will remember this grievance.”

With that chilling, unequivocal promise hanging in the air, Wang Gon took his leave. It was hardly necessary to mention the suffocating bloodlust radiating from Heuk Su behind him.

Once the pair had departed, Cheon Yang-ho strolled up to Im Choong, offering empty platitudes.

“Do not torment yourself with unnecessary worry. He merely talks a grand game—he will not dare make an unruly move.”

Though presented as words of reassurance, Im Choong met them with an icy, direct demeanor.

“Are you not planning to pursue the investigation?”

“Pardon?”

“Are you abandoning the inquest into Yang Chu? You traveled down to these lands under the pretext of resolving that very matter, yet all your energies seem directed entirely at Shin-hwa Bang.”

“I will tend to it. I have matters well in hand, so keep your nose out of my affairs.”

With a dismissive sneer, Cheon Yang-ho strode away.

Beon Saeng stepped into the empty space left behind.

“Did you catch that look? Grinning ear to ear as though he just struck a vein of gold.”

“The rat believes he orchestrated their salvation and is eager to collect his generous bounty.”

“Despicable wretch. What path do we take from here, then?”

“What choice do we have? We must uncover ironclad proof that Wang Gon is nothing more than a rabid monster.”

“You are truly going through with this. Branch Leader, whenever your brow furrows like that, you are entirely dead set.”

“Seeing that young martial artist utterly crush Wang Gon the other day… it stirred up ancient memories of the day I first resolved to step foot into the jianghu. Defending the defenseless, executing justice upon the wicked—that was the kind of swordsman I yearned to become.”

“Are you aiming to transform into that hero after all this time?”

“It is far too late for a man like me—someone like you would scarcely understand. Just a fleeting brush of sentimentality. Water that has spilled over the soil cannot be recovered, but one can still scrub the floor clean. If we fail to secure indisputable evidence, he will inevitably return to reap our lives.”

“You speak the truth. Let us hunt the bastard down once and for all!”

A calm voice chimed in from the shadows behind them.

“Before you begin, relocate your household into the perimeter of this branch.”

Baek So-cheon stood there watching them.

Beon Saeng shuddered, his eyes widening.

“Do you truly suspect he would stoop so low as to strike at the Branch Leader’s kin?”

Im Choong’s mind immediately flashed back to the day Wang Gon had brought a century-old wild ginseng straight to his family home—an unmistakable, thinly veiled threat demonstrating he held their lives in his grasp.

“Indeed. He is precisely that breed of scum.”

“The danger multiplies when factoring in Heuk Su. That man nurses a monstrous, unyielding pride.”

“When did you find the time to uncover such details?”

Hearing Beon Saeng’s bewildered question, Baek So-cheon gave a measured reply.

“It is an old, ingrained practice. Either disregard an issue with absolute indifference, or eliminate it with absolute finality. The overwhelming majority of men invite a blade in the spine precisely because they cut corners on that elementary rule.”

Beon Saeng gazed at him with profound admiration, but a wave of sheer panic seized Im Choong’s chest.

“I must transport them here immediately.”

Without another word, Im Choong bolted from the room.

Beon Saeng let out a heavy sigh and rolled his shoulders.

“There are times when traveling without a family feels like a blessing. Say, brother—do you happen to have any kin of your own?”

Baek So-cheon gave a razor-thin response.

“None.”

Before long, Im Choong escorted his wife Ju-ssi and their young boy Chan through the gates of the alliance branch.

“You must remain here for the foreseeable future.”

He guided them into an unoccupied residence situated close to the quarters assigned to Baek So-cheon.

“Husband, are you truly certain this is wise?”

Ju-ssi’s countenance was laced with dread. First came that ominous gift chest delivered directly to their doorstep, and now they were suddenly forced to abandon their hearth and live inside the fortress of the branch—something entirely unheard of in their married life.

Deep down, she already grasped the underlying reality.

News of Wang Gon’s violent detention within the branch walls had already swept through every alley of the city. Commoners and merchants spoke of little else.

While the rumors twisted and evolved with every telling, every version arrived at the exact same conclusion: Im Choong had invited utter doom upon his head.

Knowing this, her husband had rushed them here to shield them from the gathering storm.

“Cast your worries aside.”

“Yes… I will place my trust in you.”

Im Choong desperately wished he could send them far away to her maternal relatives resting in Seom-seo, but daring to undertake such an arduous journey unescorted was an unthinkable gamble. Nor could he abandon his sworn post to personally escort them into hiding.

“Rest peacefully within these walls for now.”

Just as he turned to depart, Ju-ssi’s voice called out softly from behind.

“Husband.”

“Yes?”

“To live as one, to perish as one. From the very hour we shared our wedding vows until this present moment, that is the singular conviction by which I have lived. Do not compromise your principles or cower on our behalf. Act as your conscience dictates. Even should the worst transpire, we will simply cross into the beyond by each other’s side.”

“I swear, that day will never come.”

A powerful warmth swelled within Im Choong’s chest as he stepped beyond the threshold. His heart overflowed with boundless gratitude toward this woman who, despite trembling with dread, voiced such unwavering resolve solely to grant him strength.

‘Yes, it will never happen.’

Even if he possessed a hundred fleeting lives, he would gladly burn every single one to ash if it meant preserving his wife and child. His true, agonizing terror was the thought that even laying down his own soul might prove insufficient to deliver them from harm.

Perish together? Absolutely not. He would ensure their survival through whatever means necessary, even if he were ripped apart in the process.

That cold reality was what terrified him the most.

If Wang Gon truly shed all inhibitions and threw caution to the wind, he was fully capable of staging an outright assault upon the branch itself.

Should that nightmare manifest… every soul within these walls would face utter annihilation.

Having settled his family, he stepped into the courtyard, only to discover Baek So-cheon engaged in quiet conversation with Chan just outside the entrance.

Im Choong froze in place, quietly listening from the shadows.

“My father… he will be all right, won’t he?”

“Your father is far from safe.”

Chan flinched visibly. Though merely thirteen years of age, the boy possessed a thoughtful and upright heart.

“Is the situation truly that perilous?”

“Indeed. Your father eradicated the Black Society.”

Listening from behind the wooden barrier, Im Choong’s brow knitted in dismay. Why was this warrior laying such heavy, terrifying truths upon a mere child?

Chan spoke once more, his young voice trembling slightly.

“I caught wind of the rumors passing through town. Did Father truly crush the Tae-jeong-pa?”

“He did. He refused to let their depraved deeds go unchecked any longer.”

“It might sound strange for me to speak like this when Father’s life is on the line… but I genuinely believe he did the honorable thing.”

“Do you truly hold that conviction?”

“I do. The families of several friends of mine were constantly tormented and extorted by those Black Society thugs. Watching my friends suffer like that always broke my heart.”

The chaotic turbulence in Im Choong’s chest surged once more.

He had never once imagined that his own flesh and blood had witnessed such ugliness, let alone harbored such deep, mature sentiments within his heart.

Baek So-cheon’s even voice drifted through the air.

“You may not yet comprehend this, but an immensely powerful faction served as the shadow backing that Black Society. Even with full knowledge of that towering power, your father stepped forward and crushed them without hesitation. That is precisely why grave peril now stalks him.”

“I am not afraid. I carry nothing but pride for my father. When I grow up, I wish to become a man just like him.”

“Then temper your flesh and bone through rigorous training. You must cultivate towering strength akin to his if you ever hope to shield others from wickedness.”

“I will. I promise you I will.”

“Hold your head high and be proud. The man has earned every measure of your respect.”

A storm of conflicting emotions washed over Im Choong behind the screen. When had his little boy blossomed into such a mature soul? Simultaneously, a profound debt of gratitude toward Baek So-cheon rooted deeply in his heart.

Clearing his throat loudly to announce his presence, Im Choong stepped out into the open.

The gaze Chan turned toward him blazed with unadulterated reverence. A sudden pang of inner shame struck Im Choong, knowing full well that this path had not entirely been of his own noble design.

“Run along inside to your mother.”

“Yes, Father.”

Chan obediently hurried indoors.

Now alone, Im Choong and Baek So-cheon stood shoulder to shoulder beneath the vast sky.

“I caught the words you shared with Chan.”

“If I overstepped my bounds, I offer my apologies.”

“Do not speak of apologies. On the contrary, I am immensely thankful. I remained blind to how much my own son had matured.”

Im Choong let out a low, reflective sigh: parents often believe they know their offspring better than anyone else in the world… yet simultaneously understand them the least.

“I have a humble request to ask of you.”

“Say what you must.”

“Please keep watch over my family for a short while. In the meantime, I intend to unravel this twisted conspiracy. I will unearth the decisive evidence proving Wang Gon slaughtered the family of Yang Chu.”

“Consider it done.”

Im Choong was completely taken aback by the casual, immediate acceptance.

“Are you truly willing to shoulder this burden?”

“I am not doing this on your account. The boy possesses an admirable character.”

“I thank you… from the bottom of my soul.”

Amidst this suffocating, treacherous quagmire, Baek So-cheon stood as the solitary soul he could trust without reservation. With someone capable of putting down Shin-hwa Bang guarding his rear, Im Choong could pour his absolute focus into the coming investigation.

Bringing an end to Wang Gon was no longer a mere duty—it was now inextricably tied to the very survival of himself and the family he cherished above all else.