A man long past forty, and the Clan Head of the Bang Clan of Liaoning.
His epithet is disgusting, but even so, as the head of a martial clan, he’s still a martial artist in na.
His realm isn’t very high. At most, second-rate? Around that, probably.
It was an absurdly low number for soone who’d lived his whole life as a martial artist.
And it wasn’t even a matter of talent. He’d just held a sword, that was all. It ant he’d lived without doing anything you could call effort.
A life far from training. And even as Clan Head, he didn’t exactly work hard either.
He’s not a good father, and he’s not a good husband.
If you evaluate Bang Cheonho as a human being, a hundred out of a hundred people will look at him and say—
—the scum of the earth.
There isn’t a better way to describe him.
Even among the Bang Clan of Liaoning—where the evaluations of past Clan Heads are so harsh they’re practically cruel—
Bang Cheonho is treated as close to the best butcher of them all.
The reason even the heir apparent—his eldest son—doesn’t get much attention no matter how badly he fucks up is also because of Bang Cheonho.
Because the heir apparent’s youthful disasters weren’t even as bad as Bang Cheonho’s.
With a man like that becoming Clan Head, it was only the natural course that the family would get wrecked.
But heaven, with its absurd depth of “consideration,” gave even a man like that one insane gift.
Not just a gift.
A gift close to the very peak.
That gift was—
‘A face.’
Bang Cheonho’s face.
Tragically, the only reason the Bang Clan hasn’t collapsed outright...
And the reason a scum like him can run around with that kind of personality and behavior and still keep his life...
Is because of that.
So superior.
So overwhelming.
A face that’s absurdly, oppressively handso.
As if proving that one good-looking face is enough to live an easy life—
Bang Cheonho has lived his entire life off that face.
Soone once said this.
That Bang Cheonho’s face shines.
That when he smiles, the sky splits open.
That when he says a single word, every woman in the world walks toward him.
That if there were such a thing as “the most beautiful under heaven,” not “the strongest under heaven”—
Then not so woman, but Bang Cheonho would’ve taken that epithet.
It’s the kind of shaless, insane ass-kissing you can barely stand hearing.
But—
‘...It’s not wrong.’
Even from , his son, trying to judge objectively, it wasn’t completely wrong.
Because Bang Cheonho really is that handso.
That was also why his face stayed intact even though he kept causing accidents with won.
There was a ti when sothing exploded badly and he got beaten half to death.
And even then, they said his face was too precious to hit, so they left his face alone and beat him until he was bruised all over his body.
That’s the kind of man he is.
A man who trusted one face and lived his whole life off it, and will keep living his whole life off it.
Bang Cheonho really is that man, but—
The problem was—
‘...Why is this guy here?’
Why that Bang Cheonho was standing in front of .
A man who should’ve stayed inside the Bang Clan of Liaoning and only done his stupid bullshit in there.
“...Why are you here?”
Why in Henan.
And why in Jegal Jin’s quarters.
While I was scowling at that damn handso face—
[...Ha.]
Yoo Cheongil let out a sound of admiration while looking at Bang Cheonho.
[Yeah... he really is freakishly handso.]
It’s not the sa as when he occasionally called “a good-looking bastard” or whatever.
This was admiration.
The kind that spills out when you see sothing overwhelmingly beyond you.
Everyone reacted like that when they saw Bang Cheonho for the first ti.
Humans don’t even feel envy in front of an overwhelming gap.
Bang Cheonho had that kind of face.
“Oh, son.”
He smiled at .
His bright smile made him look just past twenty, like his age ant nothing.
Given his realm, it would be accurate to call it impossible baby-face.
“...What. What is this?”
Is this a dream? I’d rather it be a dream.
...My father is here?
I couldn’t imagine a worse nightmare.
“Co in and sit.”
Jegal Jin spoke to . I looked at him and flinched.
‘That expression...’
Like he was about to kill soone on the spot.
It wasn’t even in the sa category as the malice he’d shown .
This was the real thing.
There was real resentnt sitting in his face.
“...Uh.”
“Sit down.”
“Yes. Excuse .”
This wasn’t a mood where I had any right to refuse, so I went in and sat carefully.
The mont I sat, my father put a hand on my shoulder.
“Aahaha. Well, well. Long ti no see. Has it been one or two years? You’ve grown a lot while I wasn’t looking, huh? Looks like you got taller.”
“...I didn’t grow at all.”
“...Oh. Did you not?”
My father laughed awkwardly.
In reality, I hadn’t grown even a little since before I left the Bang Clan.
That part pissed off. If I was going to take after him, I should’ve taken his height too.
‘This bastard is tall too.’
It really was a cursed thing.
“...Seriously, why are you here?”
“Why am I here? I ca to see my son, what else would it be?”
“Don’t make laugh.”
Bullshit. Even for bullshit, that’s bullshit.
“If you ca to see , you should’ve gone sowhere else. Why did you co all the way to Henan?”
There was definitely a distance from Liaoning. He ca all the way to Henan to see ?
Then the timing didn’t fit.
Especially—
‘If he ca after hearing I’d be attending the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering, even more.’
Then the timing fit even less. Which ant “I ca to see you” was a blatant lie.
When I pointed that out—
“Well, now...”
My father smacked his lips lightly and said,
“You’re still smart. See? I told you—you’re the Bang Clan’s future. Hahahaha.”
“Please stop saying weird shit...”
When I spoke while holding back irritation, my father patted my back a few tis and continued.
“I was already on my way to Henan for sothing. But then I heard a rumor.”
“A rumor?”
“That you’re attending the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering. Ah, as your father, how could I endure that?”
“....”
“My son is attending the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering! How could I hold myself back? Of course I had to co. So I worked hard to track you down. Well? Feel good?”
Must be nice.
‘Ah... for fuck’s sake.’
So he happened to be traveling here anyway, then heard rumors on the way and ca?
“Father-in-law, look at this. My son is this smart. I raised your grandson beautifully, didn’t I?”
Oh. My god.
Before I could even string my thoughts together, the nonsense my father spat out made my head go dizzy.
The title he used for Jegal Jin, and the words that followed—everything.
“...Father-in-law?”
Just like I expected, Jegal Jin’s eyebrow shot up sharply.
“When did I ever permit you to use that disgusting title?”
“Ah, so it’s not that. Understood... then... Father...?”
“You rotten bastard...”
“Strategist, please calm down...!”
I cut in urgently before more nonsense could spill out, but—
My father didn’t stop.
“Co on, why are you like this? If my son earns Father’s approval, then we’re family anyway. That isn’t exactly wrong—”
“HA!!”
KWAANG—!!
At my father’s words, Jegal Jin slamd his dry, small fist down on the desk.
“After I bothered to look at that damned face, wondering what kind of garbage you’d spew—this is what you say?”
“Garbage? I think this is good news for you too. Our second is truly a genius. He’ll clearly be useful even if he goes to the Jegal Clan—”
“Get out.”
Jegal Jin roared.
“I wanted to see whether you could spew garbage in front of your own son too, and you really are the sa.”
“Ehem.”
“...You should be grateful I didn’t cut your throat, and you’re saying what?”
‘Shit.’
I’m fucked.
“I don’t need to hear any more. Get out.”
“...Ah, well, that’s unfortunate...”
My father smacked his lips at Jegal Jin’s voice and stood.
“Is it because you’re getting old? You’ve gotten angrier since I last saw you. I’ll bring you so herbal dicine tomorrow—”
“Do I need to kill ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ you for that worthless tongue to stop?”
“I’m leaving. Son, let’s go.”
“......”
Why the hell is he still alive?
There’s only one thought in my head as I look at my father.
I’m impressed by Jegal Jin’s patience—while also carefully standing to follow him—
“Oh, but still.”
Bang Cheonho smiled and said to Jegal Jin,
“I trust you won’t forget what I told you.”
“......”
“I’ll be going. I’ll co greet you properly again later.”
“...If you co again, I really will kill you.”
At Jegal Jin’s thorny words, my father flinched and hurried out of the room.
“...I’ll take my leave.”
I bowed the mont I arrived, and had to walk back out again.
*****
I ca to Jegal Jin’s quarters and ca right back out.
If you asure it by ti, it wasn’t even long enough to drink a sip of tea.
And my mind was a ss.
Seeing my father at this hour was one thing.
This whole situation was another.
“...What the hell was that?”
When I asked with exactly how I felt—
Bang Cheonho, walking ahead, looked back at .
“Hm? What’s what?”
“What the hell did you just do?”
“What did I do? I ca out after having a pleasant chat with Father-in-law.”
“......”
Pleasant? Where?
As I stared, mouth open, Bang Cheonho laughed.
“Well? Your grandpa is pretty healthy for his age, isn’t he?”
That made my face twist. Right. I had to ask that too.
“...Why didn’t you tell my maternal grandfather is Strategist Jegal?”
I found out late, and I almost lost my mind when I did.
When I pressed him about it, my father tilted his head and said,
“You didn’t ask. If you were curious, you should’ve asked.”
“What the hell am I supposed to do with this insane bastard?”
It was an answer that made you want to die.
“...No—ah. Hah.”
I started to say sothing and stopped, letting out a sigh instead. Maybe it was because it’d been a while since I’d seen him, but I rembered sothing I’d forgotten.
You can’t have a long conversation with my father.
It makes explode.
“...Why are you really in Henan?”
“I told you. I’ve got sothing going on.”
“So what. What does my father have going on in Henan?”
When I asked again, my father frowned.
“Hey, I said I’ve got sothing going on. Why are you prying? If you’re curious, beco the heir apparent—”
“I won’t ask.”
“...Fast bastard.”
Clicking his tongue like it was a sha, my father kept walking.
“I really did co because of sothing. I’m a Clan Head too, son. I can have business.”
“A man who thinks about won’s nas all day has business? Isn’t it just another woman problem?”
“...Ahem.”
So it is. This bastard ca because of another woman.
‘For fuck’s sake.’
Maybe because I didn’t expect anything, it almost felt like a relief.
If it had been sothing else, I might’ve actually worried.
‘...Wait.’
Thinking that made rember the letter I’d gotten from my older brother earlier.
That last line—be careful.
Was he talking about this?
‘Be careful because you might run into Father?’
Honestly, that was enough justification.
Not that it mattered now—it was already too late to “be careful.”
“...Anyway. That’s how it is.”
“How is that ‘anyway’—”
“Seeing your face is enough. The important thing is, let’s talk tomorrow when I see you again. Your father’s busy at night, you know. I’m going first, yeah?”
“What? No—”
Maybe he didn’t want to hear nagging, because my father suddenly threw out a few lines and took off running.
He’s just leaving?
“No—!”
Before I could grab him, he was already far away.
“God, I’m going to lose it. Hah.”
Just running into that damned man flipped my insides over.
It felt like only cursed, rotten shit happened after I ca to Henan.
*****
As the moon was moving toward the center of the sky.
On a night so clear it felt unusually bright, an old man sat slumped against a tree under the forest.
A dry, small old man missing one arm.
So still he didn’t even seem to breathe—if you glanced wrong, you’d think he was dead.
A frail old man no one would ever guess to be strong.
And yet—
Ssssk.
When the old man opened his eyes, he gave off a presence completely different from before.
A man who had reached the end as a sword.
Sword Emperor Ui Yangyeon.
That was the old man’s identity.
An old man wrapped in murderous aura.
The Sword Emperor sat there, unmoving, staring sowhere as he breathed out a cold breath.
From that direction, soone was walking slowly toward him.
“Ah, dear. I’m not late, am I?”
A handso man with an especially bright, cheerful smile.
The Sword Emperor didn’t say a word as he looked at him.
He just stared at the man’s face, sending a sharpened gaze.
As if that kind of stare wasn’t frightening at all, the man approached and looked down at the Sword Emperor.
Their eyes t.
And with the moonlight shifting, the man’s handso face ca into view.
“It’s been a long ti, Sword Emperor.”
That man was Bang Cheonho.
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