Vol 1 Chapter 1 – Heukcheon Pt 7

Whether it was because they had eaten their fill, or because they were threatened by watching their packmates struck down, the other two wolves moved in slowly, forming a loose circle around him. The first wolf he had knocked aside had also returned.

Woo gripped the burning log with both hands and swung it hard. His eyes were wide, teeth clenched tight.

He couldn’t die here. Not here.

The third attack came. This time coordinated. One wolf struck, and the next followed instantly. Woo managed to block the first with the burning log and graze the belly of the second. He nearly collapsed but held his balance.

Damn this useless leg.

Sensing that Woo was no true threat, the four wolves began closing in. He swung the log to keep them back, planting himself with the fire at his back and guarding his open side as best he could. Even if he couldn’t kill them all, he meant to burn at least one to death.

The wolves seemed to sense that their prey was now cornered and alert. They didn’t attack immediately, but their howls grew deeper, more drawn out.

The stench of blood must have spread wide. Not only would these wolves be drawn in, but others might follow. It was danger layered upon danger.

Cold sweat streamed down his face. He refused to let it cloud his vision and forced his eyes wide open.

A low growl sounded, and two more wolves stepped out from the dark.

Six. Six wolves.

If he still had inner energy, maybe he could have handled them, but now it was impossible. As their numbers grew, four of them leapt at him together.

So this was how Dan Woo Hyo, former Lord of Baekragung, would die. Torn apart by wolves in the mountains…

It was absurd. Only in the face of death did he finally realize that the name and status he cast aside a decade ago had always been the very core of who he was.

A sharp clang rang out, followed by a high-pitched yelp.

“You mangy beasts. Got a taste of meat and now think you can come for a man?”

Yae Kang Oh, Third Disciple of Heukcheon, stood beneath the cold moonlight with Dan-sa in hand.

He let out a quiet breath of relief. He had made it in time. Though he had left Honamdan to keep watch, he hadn’t expected the wolves he had driven off earlier to come back.

Over the past few days, Kang Oh had traveled deep into Heukcheon to meet with his master.

Even as he left Woo behind, unease churned in his chest. He pushed his gyeonggong to the limit, arriving at Heukcheon in the shortest time possible. The moment he revealed himself at the gates, Seo Mun Geumryeong, the chief overseer, came out to greet him.

“Third Disciple.”

At the sight of the elegant elderly woman, Kang Oh gave a slight nod. She was one of Jinrang’s closest confidantes. Her presence alone confirmed that she already knew what he had done through the upper steward. Kang Oh remained calm and spoke evenly.

“Please take me to Master.”

Seo Mun Geumryeong led him the rest of the way. Jinrang was, as always, in his quarters. It seemed the surroundings had been cleared in advance. There was barely a trace of anyone nearby.

“You’ve come.”

Yae Jinrang greeted him warmly. Seo Mun Geumryeong bowed and quietly took her leave. Kang Oh hesitated, uncertain how to begin. Just as he gathered his thoughts, his eyes met Yae Jinrang’s.

Was it just his imagination? For some reason, Yae Jinrang seemed tense, his gaze lingering on Kang Oh, as if trying to read his thoughts.

“I heard the story from the Third Overseer.”

In the end, it was Yae Jinrang who spoke first. Kang Oh chose his words carefully and answered slowly.

“This disciple, as permitted by Master, proceeded with the investigation. During that process, a fact too difficult to accept came to light.”

“Go on.”

Jinrang appeared calm on the surface, but that composure didn’t run deep. Beneath it, his thoughts churned.

“It was confirmed that a servant stationed in the inner quarters of Heukcheon had been repeatedly abused by one of the overseers.”

It was certainly not a matter the Third Overseer could easily brush aside. Jinrang clenched his lips and ground his teeth but said nothing. Kang Oh continued.

“This has been going on for years. This disciple secured testimony from the other servants who shared quarters with him and formally requested that the Third Overseer be investigated.”

“You never do things halfway.”

Even as Jinrang admired his disciple’s thoroughness, he could not shake a sense of unease. Kang Oh’s investigation would inevitably lead to him. Disposing of Woo had merely delayed the issue. Kang Oh had found him, and now Jinrang had been caught.

“He claimed he had Master’s implicit permission to act. This disciple wishes to confirm the truth directly with you.”

“You believe the overseer’s words?”

“Even if he is just a servant, it is hard to believe that Master remained unaware of the unjust treatment inflicted upon him.”

There was little that happened within Heukcheon’s inner circle that Jinrang did not know. After all, it was Yae Jinrang who had gathered the remnants of the fractured dark sects and the demonic cult to build Heukcheon. It was unthinkable that he would be ignorant of the punishments carried out under his authority. In fact, it was he who had granted Kang Oh the authority to investigate, while secretly instructing the Third Overseer to dispose of Woo.

“You would question me over the matter of a mere servant?”

Jinrang’s voice carried a veiled threat. Kang Oh bowed deeply.

“This disciple wishes to continue respecting Master as he always has. Please help make that possible.”

It was as good as a threat. Jinrang let out a low laugh. That Kang Oh would confront him over something so trivial was unexpected. The boy who had always seemed indifferent was now standing before him like a proper martial artist. It sent a chill down his spine. No doubt this was the influence of the literary official.

Eventually, he turned back and said quietly,
“There are things you don’t know.”

Jinrang closed his eyes tightly.

“Then This Disciple must know.” Kang Oh responded firmly. He still showed no sign of backing down.

Perhaps it would be better to let him think it was someone connected only to himself. No matter how thoroughly Kang Oh had investigated, he only knew that Woo had appeared in Heukcheon eight years ago. In truth, it had taken two years for Woo to return from the brink of death. Back then, Jinrang had been focused solely on keeping him alive, even for just one more day. In hindsight, it had been a blessing.

After a long silence, Jinrang finally spoke.

“He is the son of my enemy.”

Those few words dripped with bitter hatred. It was a depth of emotion Kang Oh had never seen from his master. The kind of loathing born of a grudge that had aged and fermented over many years.

Even if Woo had been the one who murdered his own parents, it still wouldn’t justify the look in Jinrang’s eyes. It wasn’t just hatred. It was revulsion. As if even the mention of the name was enough to make him sick.

“Then Master should have killed him, not let him live like this.”

Kang Oh’s response came firmly. It wasn’t because he took his master’s grudge lightly. If anything, it was because he took it seriously. If vengeance had to be done, then do it with a single, clean blow. Letting someone live only to suffer was far worse. That wasn’t justice. That was cruelty.

He was a martial artist. He understood that people, good or evil, could become enemies. He had once held personal goodwill toward Woo, but if the man had been an enemy of Heukcheon, he could have taken his life.

But this wasn’t that.

This was taking a man and subjecting him to years of abuse and doing nothing. Yae Jinrang’s silence hadn’t just allowed it. It had encouraged it. There was no way he hadn’t noticed the third overseer’s violence spiraling out of control. If Woo had truly been the son of his hated enemy, someone he couldn’t ignore, then Yae Jinrang would have kept a closer eye on him, not turned his back. He would have watched every move, every breath, just to see how miserable he could become.

And even for those born into the dark side of the martial world, this was too much. The master of Heukcheon, seated in its highest position, should have chosen a different kind of revenge.

And perhaps that was the most painful part. Kang Oh had learned this very principle from Yae Jinrang himself.

“But at the same time, he is also the son of my benefactor.”

Kang Oh fell silent. The reason he had never been able to understand why his master both hated and ignored Woo was finally revealed. Yae Jinrang couldn’t avenge his grudge, nor repay his debt. In the martial world, it was customary for one great kindness to cancel out one great hatred. But Yae Jinrang had not been able to do that.

And now, through that intense hatred, what seeped through was not anger, but helplessness. It was unfamiliar, out of place on the man Kang Oh knew. Was this really his master, the one who always lived freely, untethered, bound by no one?

This was the man known as the greatest of the demonic sect, the Lord of Heukcheon, Yae Jinrang. In his prime, he had stood shoulder to shoulder with the Lord of Baekragung, and together they had driven out the Hyeolgyo. After that, he gathered the remnants of the demonic and dark clans to form Heukcheon. They said he had transcended the realm of ordinary men. And yet now, he was shackled by emotion, frozen in place, unable to act.

“I will not ask you to understand my anger. But I am sorry that you had to see that your master is still human.”

Yae Jinrang raised a hand and rubbed his weary eyes.

“I won’t make excuses for my pettiness. But I swear, I won’t lay another finger on that man.”

“Have I disappointed you that much?”

He asked the question carefully, seeing that Kang Oh had remained silent.

Kang Oh could feel the hesitation in his master’s voice. He didn’t understand why Yae Jinrang seemed to be seeking his approval. To speak up about a master’s personal grudge or debt was something a disciple should never do. It was not his place. And yet, here he was, prepared to risk everything to speak the truth today. He had come to this room fully ready to stake his life if it meant confronting his master.

But what he saw instead was his master watching his face, reading his reaction like it was the most important thing in the world.

The surge of emotion caught him off guard. He bit down on his lip, overwhelmed. That the man who had shown him such warmth could be so unbearably cruel to someone else left a dull ache in his chest.

“The servant named Woo… this disciple will take him with me.”

“Kang Oh!”

Yae Jinrang shouted in panic. But Kang Oh did not back down. He lowered his head.

“Master will not be able to sever it on your own.”

Eight years. It had been eight years of festering hatred. If even a man as resolute as Yae Jinrang, a martial artist of such great accomplishment, could not let go of his grudge, then the depth of that resentment must have been beyond comprehension. That was why Woo had to be removed from his master’s authority.

No matter how conflicted he felt, Yae Jinrang was still the one who had taught him everything. The man who had raised him from nothing. Because of that, because of the grace that had shaped him, Kang Oh could not help but lean toward his master more than Woo.

Taking Woo away was not out of some noble righteousness. It was a small, personal act of responsibility and guilt.

“I do not allow it.”

Kang Oh raised his head at the rejection. What he saw on Yae Jinrang’s face was something he had never seen before. Fierce, almost feral anger.

“You don’t understand. That man’s mother stole something from me. Thief’s blood runs through his veins. Don’t be fooled by him, Kang Oh. He hides beneath that frail body and lowered head. I’m afraid you’ll be taken from me.”

His voice trembled with something close to desperation. Jinrang reached for Kang Oh’s hand and held it tightly, as if afraid it might slip away.

That man, Woo, was none other than Dan Woo Hyo, the missing current Lord of Baekragung. His very existence had stolen everything Jinrang had once held dear. Because of Dan Woo Hyo and his mother, Seol Buyeong, Jinrang’s world had fallen into unending darkness.

Yae Jinrang had nothing. His life had been one of continuous poverty, and the only joy he had ever known had shattered before he could even hold it properly. If not for Dan Woo Hyo, if not for the son of that cruel imperial princess, his beloved would still be alive. He would still be at his side.

That made his hatred feel justified. Entirely so.

“This disciple will remember Master’s words.”

Kang Oh answered slowly.

Yae Jinrang pulled him into a tight embrace. The last family he had left in this world.

After leaving his master’s residence, Kang Oh headed straight for the mountain. He called in a member of the soul-tracing squad he had stationed nearby, just in case something happened while he was away. From what he heard, Woo was doing well. He applied his medicine diligently each morning and night, took his meals properly, and most of all, had been chopping firewood using the axe.

Despite the complicated thoughts crowding his mind, a small sense of relief stirred in Kang Oh’s chest.

What troubled him, though, was that every item Woo had relied on had come through the Third overseer. Still, looking at the result, that had been the right decision.

As he climbed the slope, Kang Oh suddenly halted. The scent of blood lingered faintly in the air. His sharp instincts told him that a battle had broken out somewhere nearby. On any other day, he might have thought it was a skirmish between wild beasts. But today, his mind leapt to only one conclusion.

How many people in this secluded mountain could possibly shed blood?

He had let himself relax, thinking nothing would happen during his brief absence. He had been foolish to only rely on a report.

Tension tightened his entire body. His fist clenched on instinct.

Was he still alive? Or..

Kang Oh activated his gyeonggong and sped up. His heart pounded with urgency as he weaved through the trees, heading toward the hut. His mind raced with every possible outcome, but he forced down the growing dread.

When he finally arrived, he saw Woo, gripping a burning log in both hands, baring his teeth as he stood against a wolf.

The heart that had sunk to the depths of his stomach suddenly found its way back into place.

Woo regretted that with his current eyesight, he couldn’t fully follow Kang Oh’s movements. Instead, he focused on the one remaining wolf still circling him. Swinging the flaming log, he scorched the creature’s pelt, and the fire licked its flesh with a sizzle.

His left leg was shorter than the other, making it hard to keep balance. But he used that to his advantage. Pretending to stumble, he lured the wolf into lowering its guard. Then, he brought the burning wood down hard onto the beast’s exposed belly.

Though Woo looked rather frail, he still had the strength of a grown man. The wolf, struck squarely in a vital spot, collapsed with a snarl and struggled to rise. He gripped the log more tightly and stepped forward, finishing it off without hesitation. It had come to kill him. There was no room for mercy.

All six wolves had been taken down. Kang Oh had handled five on his own, so Woo was able to deal with one alone.

“You’re unharmed…”

Kang Oh finally spoke, lips parting after a long pause. He had not expected Woo to fight so fiercely.

Caught off guard by his concern, Woo flinched awkwardly.

“Th-thank you… I owe you my life.”

“You fought well.”

It was true. If he hadn’t swung that burning log and held his ground by the fire, Woo would have become the wolves’ prey long before Kang Oh arrived. Woo lowered his head deeply.

“If you hadn’t come, I would have… I would have died.”

“I was the one who entered this mountain claiming I would take care of the man-eating wolves, then abandoned the task. There’s no need to thank me for fixing my own mistake.”

Kang Oh muttered under his breath. If he had truly intended to handle it, he should have done so properly. Driving the wolves away from the hut instead of killing them outright had been enough to trigger this whole mess. The thought irritated him as he absentmindedly brushed his fingers along the hilt of his sword.

“N-no, I’m truly grateful. Thank you.”

Woo bowed his head again and again. This time, it did not seem like the bow of a subservient man trying to survive. It looked sincere, heartfelt.

Kang Oh’s gaze grew complicated as he looked down at the servant who bowed so earnestly. He had heard the story from his master. That was what made this moment harder to face.

“Pack your things.”

“M-my things?”

Woo’s eyes widened at the unexpected words from Kang Oh.

“I have to stay here. If I leave, there will be consequences. The Third overseer will…”

He used the third overseer as an excuse, retreating with unease. Kang Oh responded calmly, as if he had anticipated this reaction all along.

“From today onward, you no longer serve my master. You belong to me.”

“W-what?”

Woo snapped his head up and blinked. His mouth hung open so wide that a fly could have flown in. He looked completely stunned. But Kang Oh didn’t flinch.

“I told you to pack. But it seems you have no intention of doing so. If you won’t do it yourself, I will.”

Striding past him, Kang Oh stepped into the hut and began quietly gathering Woo’s belongings one by one. Stumbling as he tried to keep up, Woo followed him inside, doing his best to stop him. But in both strength and speed, he had no chance of matching a trained martial artist.

“Wait, please. Let me… I’ll do it.”

“It’s too late.”

Kang Oh’s voice was blunt. He had never been the gentle type to begin with, and he knew that if he gave Woo room to hesitate, the man would only keep refusing.

By now, anyone else would have given up trying to follow. But Woo showed no sign of stopping. Seeing that, Kang Oh deliberately slowed his pace. If he walked as he normally did, it was obvious Woo’s legs wouldn’t be able to keep up.

“Please, this… this is something I should do.”

Woo stomped his foot in frustration. Kang Oh let the words pass in one ear and out the other.

After finishing packing the few belongings, he wrapped them in a blanket and slung the bundle under one arm. Then he turned and gestured.

“We’re heading down the mountain now. Come here.”

“W-we’re not walking?”

Woo’s eyes flicked toward Kang Oh’s clothes uneasily. Something felt off.

“I’m going to use gyeonggong. Hold on tight.”

Woo bit his lip. No matter how much he resisted, he knew that if Kang Oh decided to grab him by the waist, there would be nothing he could do. Someone without martial skill trying to escape from a trained fighter was no different from a rabbit trying to flee a tiger. Trying to hide his reluctance, he clung tightly to Kang Oh’s robes.

“Please take care of me…”

Kang Oh gave no reply. He stepped forward, and with barely a sound, his gyeonggong lifted them off the ground. Woo squeezed his eyes shut. The sensation reminded him of the fall from ten years ago, yet it carried a completely different weight.

Somehow, he knew. From this moment on, everything in his life would begin to change.