Chapter 110
Though the members themselves were unaware, there was another place in an uproar because of the White Wolf Unit.
“I just don’t get it.”
Gu Wang-pyo spoke as if he couldn't comprehend it at all.
And for good reason, given the demands of the men standing right before him.
“We want to undergo hell training like the White Wolf Unit, too!”
“And I’m asking, why?”
“No matter how we think about it, that has to be the secret to the White Wolf Unit's recent success!”
“What?”
“Isn’t it obvious! Of course, we know their commander is a good person, but the White Wolf Unit’s recent fame is definitely not because of him, since he doesn’t know much about martial arts. If anything has changed, it’s that they’re doing that ridiculous training, isn’t it? Every single day!”
“So, you do know that the training is ridiculous?”
“We still want to do it!”
“Haha!”
Gu Wang-pyo let out a hollow laugh as he looked at the members of the White Martial Squad, who had recently started showing up out of the blue to pester him like this.
“You lot! Are you going to be this stubborn when your commander is trying to stop you!”
“But...!”
“These bastards, really!”
In place of the flustered Gu Wang-pyo, Vice-Commander Nak Seok-do tried to give them a stern scolding.
But Gu Wang-pyo stopped him.
“Commander.”
“Hmm...”
After being lost in thought for a moment, Gu Wang-pyo finally shouted in a hearty voice.
“All right. Very well!”
“Oh! Commander! Thank you!”
“However,”
Gu Wang-pyo said as he scanned the members who had come to him.
“Just one more time. Let’s watch the White Wolf Unit's training properly and then decide.”
There was a world of difference between watching them as he passed by and watching with the thought that he would actually have to do it himself, so it was possible they would change their minds.
But the members nodded their heads with excited faces, as if that would never happen.
“Yes! Sounds good.”
“Then, Vice-Commander, give the White Wolf Unit’s commander a heads-up.”
“Yes. Understood.”
Nak Seok-do answered with a deep sigh.
And so, the White Martial Squad soon headed for the White Wolf Unit’s training ground.
Their hearts swelled with the dream and hope of becoming stronger.
However,
*Kuaaaaaaaak!*
*Uwaaaaaaaaak!*
*Uraaaagh... B-Bleeeech!*
The White Wolf Unit’s training ground was very different from what they had imagined.
The training ground was filled with horrific screams and wails that were incomparable to before.
*Huh? This... wasn’t the atmosphere we saw before?*
The members of the White Martial Squad all wore blank expressions.
They had occasionally sneaked a peek at the White Wolf Unit’s training.
It was certain that the White Wolf Unithad been handling its training with great ease lately.
That was what had made them even more anxious.
Seeing them adapt to such difficult training and perform it smoothly made them feel like the gap between them was only growing wider.
Of course, an individual’s martial skill was important, but in group combat, stamina was just as crucial.
Only then could they move quickly according to the commander’s orders in a chaotic battle, form joint attack formations, and execute hit-and-run tactics.
In that sense, the White Wolf Unit had shed the atmosphere of the old vagrant unit and was now shaping up to be a truly excellent martial force.
That was why they had pestered their commander to let them do the hell training, so they wouldn’t fall any further behind.
And yet...
*Kuaaaaaaaak!*
*Bleeeech!*
The screams were ceaseless, and they threw themselves back into training without a care, even as they took turns vomiting.
It wasn’t hell training; it was just plain hell.
Their once-firm resolve was now crumbling to dust.
*Hmm. This was definitely a mistake...*
“Hmm. Excellent.”
For a moment, they thought they had misheard.
The heads of the White Martial Squad members whipped around toward Gu Wang-pyo.
Gu Wang-pyo was nodding his head as he watched the White Wolf Unit train.
“So that’s what you want to do. You all have great courage.”
“Pardon?”
“To repay your courage, I’ll make sure to steel my heart.”
“No, that is, Commander. We think we made a mistake...”,
But it was already too late, and Gu Wang-pyo’s eyes were crinkled in a sly grin.
The color drained from the faces of the White Martial Squad members.
Watching them, Vice-Commander Nak Seok-do just shook his head.
“So you pestered me so relentlessly because you wanted to do that training.”
“No, that is...”
“I never thought that all of you were that passionate. Such passionate youth! Now, now. Thinking of my younger days makes my blood boil. I was foolish. Let’s return at once and train so we don’t fall behind. Hahaha!”
“C-Commander! Please wait a moment!”
The White Martial Squad members hastily tried to grab Gu Wang-pyo.
But as if he had used the Shrinking Ground Technique, Gu Wang-pyo was already far in the distance.
A hearty, relieved laugh echoed loudly.
*Ah, ah! This, this isn’t right!*
In that moment, the members of the White Martial Squad thought.
Something had gone wrong, terribly wrong.
And from that day on, another location was added to the list of places from which screams and wails could be heard.
It was a moment when the future of the Peng Family became unintentionally even brighter.
***
The sky slowly began to turn crimson.
Today, Yeo Un-hwi ended the White Wolf Unit’s training early.
Doing hellish training every day wasn’t the answer to everything.
Proper rest was also necessary for skills to improve more quickly.
And so, after sending away the White Wolf Unit members—who were pestering him for more training despite their dizzy eyes—with a mixture of smiles and earnest threats, Yeo Un-hwi was also heading home early for a change.
When he finally reached his room and gently opened the door, Peng Seo-yeon greeted him with a smile.
“Oh? You’re early today? It’s so hard to see your face, my dear husband!”
Though he was early today, Yeo Un-hwi was aware that he usually returned late after finishing his work.
An awkward smile appeared on Yeo Un-hwi’s face.
“Haha. Have I been that busy?”
“What keeps you from me?”
“It just turned out that way. I’m sorry.”
“It’s alright. Just seeing you adapt so well to the Peng Family makes me happy.”
A bright smile soon appeared on Peng Seo-yeon’s face, which had been pretending to be sulky.
After taking off his outer robe, Yeo Un-hwi sat down next to Peng Seo-yeon on the bed.
“Is the work with the White Wolf Unit already done for today?”
“Yes. Training every day is good, but sometimes, a good rest is the way to improve skills more quickly.”
“Oh my, how did you know that? Usually, those who have just started learning martial arts are too impatient to understand such things.”
“...is what O Chae-mu tipped me off about. So I’m conducting the training that way.”
“Ah, I see.”
That sounded like something O Chae-mu would do.
After all, he had been leading the White Wolf Unit before Yeo Un-hwi took over as commander.
Peng Seo-yeon, who had been nodding with her round eyes, suddenly looked at Yeo Un-hwi with a mischievous expression.
“By the way, have you learned a lot of martial arts? Shall I take a look?”
Peng Seo-yeon had found her confidence after her duel with Danmok Hwaryeon.
Moreover, her skills had been advancing by leaps and bounds since then, to a degree she herself couldn't believe, so she felt she could at least check on Yeo Un-hwi, who had just begun to learn.
However,
“No, it’s alright. I might drop my saber on the floor out of embarrassment in front of you, so please spare me.”
“Hmph. Fine.”
She hadn’t expected him to readily agree, but Peng Seo-yeon still felt a bit disappointed at being rejected and pouted her lips.
Of course, it didn’t last long.
Yeo Un-hwi, who was watching Peng Seo-yeon with an affectionate gaze, lowered his eyes to her lap.
There, Yul-i was sleeping soundly, using Peng Seo-yeon’s lap as a pillow.
“By the way, Yul-i is sleeping so soundly for this early hour. She might wake up in the middle of the night.”
It was the time of day when the sun just began to set.
At Yeo Un-hwi’s words, Peng Seo-yeon also nodded and gave a troubled smile.
“I think her class at Sowol Academy went on an outing today. It seems she had a lot of fun.”
“Ah, an outing.”
“She was dozing off even while eating dinner, so I couldn’t bring myself to wake her. Hehe.”
Lately, the Peng Family’s warriors had been taking turns secretly guarding Sowol Academy, so there was no need to worry.
Besides, Yul-i had the man her father-in-law had assigned as a guard, as well as the Guardian Mirror Yeo Un-hwi had given her, so she could go on an outing quite safely.
There was truly nothing to worry about.
Yeo Un-hwi smiled gently and stroked Yul-i’s forehead.
“It can’t be helped. If she wakes up in the middle of the night, I’ll try to put her back to sleep.”
“Really? Then I’ll just cover my ears and sleep soundly.”
“Haha.”
As Yeo Un-hwi burst into laughter at Peng Seo-yeon’s gesture of covering her ears, Peng Seo-yeon laughed along with him.
Then, as Yul-i stirred, they both jumped in surprise and raised a finger to their lips.
Soon, another small laugh escaped between them.
“Uuumm...”
Yul-i grumbled slightly before falling back into a deep sleep.
Looking down at Yul-i affectionately, Peng Seo-yeon spoke softly.
“It’s already been quite some time since we came here, hasn’t it?”
“It has.”
“When you suggested we return to the Peng Family, I was filled with nothing but worry, but thinking about it now, I think it was a really good decision.”
“Yes.”
“I might have cut ties with my parents for the rest of my life. Thank you so much.”
“There’s no need for thanks.”
Sometimes, Peng Seo-yeon still felt as if returning to the Peng Family was a dream.
No, sometimes her life in Sodam Village felt like a dream.
“Still, I miss Sodam Village sometimes. It was so nice there.”
Peng Seo-yeon murmured with a wistful look in her eyes.
An expression that looked as if she were about to laugh and cry at the same time.
And Yeo Un-hwi understood her feelings a hundred times over.
So, Yeo Un-hwi deliberately spoke in a light tone, smiling gently.
“Then let’s not just miss it; let’s go sometime to see everyone’s faces after so long.”
“Really?”
“Of course. It’s not that difficult. And everyone will be happy to see us when we go.”
“Okay. But not right now. Let’s definitely go sometime when we have the time.”
“Let’s do that.”
Quickly cheered up by the talk of Sodam Village, Peng Seo-yeon smiled brightly and gently leaned her head on Yeo Un-hwi’s shoulder.
Yeo Un-hwi also rested his head against Peng Seo-yeon’s.
“Mmm... mmm... Candy... one more...”
In the meantime, Yul-i, who was sleeping soundly on Peng Seo-yeon’s lap, mumbled in her sleep.
At the sight, both Yeo Un-hwi and Peng Seo-yeon couldn’t help but let out a small laugh.
And so, another day came to a close for the family.
Before they knew it, time flowed by, and several months had passed.
While the White Wolf Unit devoted all its energy to training in the new martial arts it had learned from Yeo Un-hwi, time flew by like an arrow.
And one day, a letter arrived for the Peng Family.
“I see. So it’s already that time.”
Peng Mugang nodded after he finished reading the letter.
“Is it Anhui Province this time? It’s been a while since everyone gathered. I wonder how they’re all doing. Haha!”
Peng Mugang grinned.
A spirited glint flashed in his eyes.