Chapter 51
A saying goes that there are exactly three times in life when one must make an important choice.
Perhaps today was one of those three times.
No one could know what future this choice would bring him.
Peng Do-hwan closed his eyes briefly to steel his resolve, took a deep breath, and opened his eyes again.
And then,
Quietly,
Soon Peng Do-hwan took a step back and respectfully knelt down.
"Hmm? What's this about?"
At that, Yeo Un-hwi tilted his head quizzically.
"I, Peng Do-hwan, have decided to follow the Commander from today onwards. Please accept me as a member of the White Wolf Unit, Commander."
"You want to join the White Wolf Unit? Are you serious? Won't you regret it?"
At Yeo Un-hwi's words, Peng Do-hwan shook his head and said:
"Even if such a day comes, I'll do my best to endure it."
"Haha. Aren't you being too honest? You should say, 'Such a day will never come,' you know?"
"Is that so? Haha. I'm the type whose lies are too obvious."
"You seem like you'd be quite skilled at slander though."
"Come now. How could that be?"
At Yeo Un-hwi's words, Peng Do-hwan waved his hands in denial.
Seeing this, Yeo Un-hwi laughed heartily once again.
"Commander. So then..."
"Yes?"
"Are you accepting me?"
"Well, I suppose I have to. Everyone's already welcoming you like that."
"Pardon? What do you mean?"
As Peng Do-hwan tilted his head in confusion, Yeo Un-hwi smirked and pointed somewhere with his finger.
Naturally, Peng Do-hwan's gaze followed.
"Oh!"
There stood the White Wolf Unit members, including O Chae-mu and Gu Tae-san.
"...How long have you all been there?"
The White Wolf Unit members rushed towards Peng Do-hwan, who wore a surprised expression.
"Well, we knew this day would come eventually, but you're really rejoining as a member? Let's see. Does this make you the youngest now?"
"Oh, does this mean I finally get a junior?"
"Ah, no. You joined long before him, so you're still the youngest."
"No way..."
Everyone burst into laughter as Lee Jae-woo, the White Wolf Unit's youngest member, looked disappointed after briefly showing an expectant face.
"Anyway, welcome! Haha!"
"Welcome!"
"I look forward to working with you all again."
A pleasant smile had spread across Peng Do-hwan's face without him realizing it.
Everyone nodded.
And so, those who had roamed the Central Plains under the name of the Red Wolf Unit, punishing evil before the regression, were all gathered together.
Yeo Un-hwi's heart felt strange as he looked at them.
He hoped that in this life, neither they nor he would meet the miserable end they had in the previous one.
'No, I will make sure of it.'
Yeo Un-hwi made that firm resolution.
A new wind was blowing within the Peng Family.
At the center of that wind was none other than the White Wolf Unit.
When they returned after beheading the Extreme Evil Laughing Demon and had their probation lifted, people expected that while their accomplishment was impressive, they would soon cause trouble again.
That had always been the White Wolf Unit's pattern.
So they thought this time would be no different.
No, some even worried they might cause even bigger problems than before.
Though their actions stemmed from an inability to ignore injustice, people wondered how much more reckless the White Wolf Unit, who always charged in without thinking, would become now.
It was a somewhat reasonable concern.
But even after several days passed, nothing of the sort happened.
Instead, they focused solely on training every day.
As they returned to their rooms each day, exhausted from training, everyone just found it strange and puzzling.
Had they changed?
Most thought it impossible, that they would soon revert to their old ways, but regardless of how others reacted, the White Wolf Unit just kept training and training.
Gradually, people began to accept that the White Wolf Unit really had changed somehow.
Along with this, another unbelievable thing happened.
"Well, well. This is something..."
Peng Mugang let out a dry laugh, as if he couldn't believe it.
What nonsense was this?
"Are you perhaps doing this because you're dissatisfied with my previous decision and want to protest?"
"Not at all. How could that be?"
"Then why on earth did you come up with such an idea?"
"I sincerely just want to be with the White Wolf Unit, even if only as a regular member. I truly mean it, Family Head."
Peng Mugang shook his head as he quietly observed Peng Do-hwan's utterly serious face.
No matter how he thought about it, Peng Mugang simply couldn't understand Peng Do-hwan's decision.
"You're expected to become the commander of one of the Three Great Martial Forces in the future. That's why I offered you the White Wolf Unit commander position early, even though they were problematic. Yet now you're saying you want to join as a mere member? Do you think that makes any sense?"
It wasn't as if he, the Family Head, had maliciously given such an order to greatly insult Peng Do-hwan. For him to voluntarily propose this himself...
This was truly nonsensical no matter who heard it.
"Of course, I know it doesn't make sense. But I've realized I'm not yet ready for such a position. So I want to start over as an ordinary member. Please allow me to do so."
"But why the White Wolf Unit of all places? Aren't there other options?"
"It has to be the White Wolf Unit. Nowhere else has meaning for me. Family Head, please grant me permission."
"My, my. This kid..."
Though not quite as much as his son Peng Seo-jin, Peng Do-hwan was also one of the Peng Family's prized talents. Naturally, Peng Mugang cherished him.
Though his father tended to be overly meddlesome, he had grown up well without becoming twisted.
So even though his father, Peng Gyeong-ho, had stepped forward to refuse before, Peng Mugang had been planning to entrust him with a commander position in the not-too-distant future.
Yet now he suddenly came asking permission to become a mere member of the White Wolf Unit. Peng Mugang couldn't help but laugh dryly at the absurdity.
It seemed clear that no amount of dissuasion would change his mind.
Glancing at his face once more, Peng Mugang saw no wavering in Peng Do-hwan's expression.
Well then...
Having dealt with countless people over the years while cultivating martial arts, Peng Mugang could tell for certain.
This was hopeless. That expression made it clear he would absolutely not change his mind.
So trying to argue further would just be a waste of time.
Soon, Peng Mugang let out a deep sigh and nodded.
"Fine. I understand. But you handle talking to your father about this. I don't know about anything else, but there's nothing more exhausting than discussing issues related to his son with your father."
"Haha. I understand."
"Don't laugh. I'm quite displeased with you right now."
"I'm sorry, Family Head."
"But you still won't change your mind, will you?"
"No."
"Well, well. Get out of my sight. You're annoying me."
Peng Do-hwan quickly bowed and left the room.
He didn't want to risk hearing any more scolding.
"How did the talk go?"
O Chae-mu and Gu Tae-san were waiting for him outside.
Peng Do-hwan shrugged his shoulders at them.
"Don't even ask. You all know the Family Head's personality."
"So he said no? Don't tell me you couldn't get permission?"
"What are you talking about? I managed to get permission somehow."
"Oh!"
"Well done. Haha."
"But don't you still have a bigger mountain to climb?"
Gu Tae-san said, still looking worried.
Peng Do-hwan asked in response:
"A bigger mountain?"
"Elder Peng Gyeong-ho, I mean."
"Ah. My father."
"There's no way he'll easily allow this... How are you so confident?"
"I'm not confident at all."
"Huh?"
O Chae-mu and Gu Tae-san looked puzzled as Peng Do-hwan shook his head as if it were obvious.
What did he mean he wasn't confident?
"Then... what do you plan to do?"
"What else can I do? I'll have to deceive him."
"Hm? Deceive? The Elder?"
"What else?"
O Chae-mu and Gu Tae-san looked shocked, and Peng Do-hwan tilted his head.
Then, with a face that said they knew nothing, he continued:
"If I tell him straightforwardly, do you think my father will say, 'Oh my! Well done, son. You rejected the commander offer but now want to start over as a White Wolf Unit member? How admirable. Go ahead. I'll support you wholeheartedly.' Does that seem likely?"
"Definitely not."
"Mm. He might actually be even scarier than the Family Head in that regard."
"If you're both that scared, how do you think I feel as his son? Do you think I'd consider confronting him directly? Of course I have to deceive him, thoroughly."
Is this guy serious?
O Chae-mu and Gu Tae-san could only laugh dryly at Peng Do-hwan's brazen declaration that he would deceive his own father.
Whenever he acted like this, it reminded them of how Peng Gyeong-ho would always come complaining that his son had only learned bad things from the White Wolf Unit as a child.
But they always felt wronged by those accusations.
Peng Do-hwan was just naturally inclined that way.
If anything, they might have learned from him, but no one ever believed that he absolutely didn't learn such things from them.
It was probably because of his appearance. That tall, handsome, manly look.
Damn this world. It was frustrating how even such things were judged based on looks, determining what to believe or not.
Ahem. Anyway.
"So how do you plan to deceive him? Do you think he'll fall for it easily? Him?"
"I'll tell him I'm joining the White Wolf Unit to pressure the Commander and make him realize who's better suited for the commander position. That I'll make him hand over the position on his own."
"Huh? You're not actually planning to do that, right?"
"Do you think that's even possible?"
"No?"
"Absolutely not."
"I think so too. And don't even joke about such things. I'm scared the Commander might hear."
All three of them had seen glimpses of Yeo Un-hwi's true power.
So their reaction was only natural.
"Anyway, what about later?"
"Hm? Later?"
"Yes. Won't he eventually realize you can't take the commander position?"
"Ah. I suppose he would."
It was clear.
This guy hadn't thought about the future at all.
O Chae-mu and Gu Tae-san were certain of it.
"Well, we can think about that when the time comes, can't we? And later, once my father sees the Commander's true abilities, he won't be able to say anything to me, I'm sure! Haha."
That was clearly an answer he just came up with on the spot.
Now O Chae-mu and Gu Tae-san looked at Peng Do-hwan with utterly disbelieving expressions.
"Ahem. Anyway, I should get going now. I need to hurry and dec... I mean, talk to my father. I'll see you later."
"Alright."
As they watched Peng Do-hwan's retreating back as he hurried off somewhere, the two thought to themselves.
How foolish they had been to firmly believe that only that man was suited to be the White Wolf Unit's commander. To think he lived so recklessly, focused only on the present...
Or had something changed? Well, whatever.
"Well then, shall we get going too?"
"Yes, Brother!"
Soon, the two headed to the training ground for today's training.
Today would be another day of hellish training.