Chapter 122
"Daddy! Grandpa! Uncle!"
As everyone who had left for the Five Great Families gathering returned, Yul-i waved her hands excitedly with an overjoyed expression.
Yul-i, held by Gu Wang-pyo—no, more precisely, sitting on Gu Wang-pyo's shoulders—wore an incredibly adorable smile.
Everyone, including Yeo Un-hwi, smiled back at Yul-i.
The members of the White Wolf Unit also grinned at the sight of Yul-i.
After seeing only rough-looking men for so long, seeing the cute Yul-i felt like paradise.
"Welcome back. It must have been a tiring journey," Dan Hee-young greeted Peng Mugang with a bright smile as she came out to meet them.
Peng Seo-yeon also smiled at Yeo Un-hwi from beside her mother.
Yul-i approached as well.
Or more accurately, Gu Wang-pyo, who was carrying Yul-i on his shoulders, approached.
"Grandpa!"
Yul-i, after making eye contact with Yeo Un-hwi and smiling happily, turned to look at Peng Mugang.
"Oh my, our granddaughter, did you behave well while we were gone?"
"Yes! I was bored, but little grandpa played with me every day, so it was fun!"
"Little... grandpa?"
"Yes!"
Soon, Yul-i looked at Gu Wang-pyo.
The two seemed to have become very close, smiling as they made eye contact.
Peng Mugang, as if unable to bear it any longer, immediately called Gu Wang-pyo aside.
"Let's have a word, shall we?"
The two men soon moved to the side and stood face to face.
Of course, they didn't forget to lower their voices so Yul-i couldn't hear.
"What's the matter, Family Head?"
What's the matter?
Though his expression and tone were the same as usual, today Peng Mugang found Gu Wang-pyo's demeanor particularly brazen.
"Elder Gu, you and I go way back, don't we?"
"That's right."
"You know, I would jump into fire for you."
"I feel the same. Haha."
"But I don't want to share my granddaughter's love. Do you understand?"
Surely he would understand after hearing this much.
But,
"I'm sorry, but that won't be possible."
"What?"
"I too would gladly give my life for you, Family Head. But unfortunately, what can I do when Yul-i loves this little grandpa so much? Haha!"
"...What dirty trick did you use?"
"What a hurtful thing to say. I merely showed her a kind and caring side. Don't children love such caring grandfathers? Ha-ha!"
Gu Wang-pyo carefully avoided mentioning that he had tempted her daily with gift bundles.
"Are you really going to be like this?"
But Gu Wang-pyo-pyo
Context: carefully avoided mentioning that he had tempted her daily with gift bundles.
Peng Mugang, who hadn't expected Gu Wang-pyo to betray him like this, growled.
"Are you really going to be like this?"
But Gu Wang-pyo-pyo's face showed that he wasn't going to back down easily either.
Just then,
"Oh ho. So you're Yeo So-yul?"
"Hm-pyo's face showed that he wasn't going to back down easily either.
Just then,
"Oh ho. So you're Yeo So-yul?"
Hwangbo Gyun, who had just stepped out of the carriage, was looking down at Yul-i.
"Hm? Who are you, grandpa?"
Yul-i looked up at Hwangbo Gyun with her big, sparkling eyes.
How adorable she looked.
Hwangbo Gyun's face instantly broke into a wide grin.
"Me? I'm your great-grandpa!"
"Great-grandpa?"
Peng Mugang's eyes widened at the sight.
*That damned old man! He's a great-grandpa!*
*What on earth were these old men doing!*
This was how difficult it was to be the grandfather of a cute granddaughter.
\*\*\*
"What... what on earth happened here?"
Tang Jinwoo was staring wide-eyed at the horrific scene of walls painted with blood.
When they returned from the Five Great Families gathering, a great calamity had befallen the Tang Clan.
Many members of the Tang Clan had been brutally killed in a gruesome manner.
It had happened during the few days when the Family Head Tang Jinwoo and Tang Mujun were away at the Five Great Families gathering with the Red Moon Unit.
In just those few short days.
And the perpetrator of this horrific act was...
"It was Young Master Guhwi!"
"Suddenly, the Young Master came out of his room and started using his killing techniques indiscriminately!"
The Tang Clan members who had barely survived the chaos reported to Tang Jinwoo, their bodies trembling.
Somehow, Tang Guhwi, who had been unable to move on his own, suddenly came out of his room and began killing everyone in sight in the Tang Clan.
And then, covered in blood, he disappeared with an eerie laugh, saying he would personally destroy this cursed Tang Clan in the most horrific way possible.
"Do you think that makes any sense?! How could someone who couldn't even move suddenly come out and use killing techniques!"
"We don't know...! But it's the truth!"
The one reporting fell flat on the ground, trembling.
Tang Jinwoo's aura had suddenly erupted fiercely, filling the area with terror.
His eyes were red with fury.
"Father."
Though Tang Mujun was equally confused, he tried to maintain his composure and calm his father.
Under Tang Mujun's restraint, Tang Jinwoo suppressed his anger as much as possible and asked the elders.
"What's the extent of the damage?"
Soon, he received news that over fifty warriors of the Tang Clan had been killed.
"That bastard has gone completely mad. There's no other explanation!"
Tang Jinwoo's entire body was trembling.
This was anger that went beyond disappointment in his son.
"I'm issuing a warrant. From now on, Tang Guhwi is an enemy of the Tang Clan."
His voice was ice cold.
"If the situation is unfavorable, you don't need to capture him alive. Kill him on sight, by any means necessary. And inform the other families of this matter!"
"Fa-Family Head! Informing other families will tarnish the name of our Tang Clan!"
"What foolish words are you spouting now!"
When one of the elders tried to stop him, he fell silent at Tang Jinwoo's furious glare.
Tang Jinwoo shouted once more at those who were hesitating.
"What are you waiting for! Go now!"
"Ye-yes!"
Soon, Tang Jinwoo's gaze turned to Tang Mujun.
Meeting that gaze, Tang Mujun couldn't fathom the extent of his father's anger.
Then Tang Jinwoo spoke to Tang Mujun, as if for everyone to hear.
"Mujun. That bastard has committed an unforgivable sin. From now on, think of your brother as dead. I will do the same."
And with that, Tang Jinwoo disappeared into his room.
Tang Mujun let out a deep sigh.
What on earth... had happened while they were away?
It was the day before Tang Jinwoo and Tang Mujun returned to the Tang Clan.
Keh-ek. Keh-ek.
A strange sound, like air escaping from lungs, repeatedly echoed in the room.
Tang Guhwi lay in the room, unable to move, breathing heavily.
As always.
Breathing was all he could manage.
“How did I end up like this? How?”
Tang Guhwi lay in the dark, unvisited room, ceaselessly cursing and resenting the world.
Tang Guhwi, too, never looked to himself for the reason he had ended up this way.
He was that kind of person as well.
But that didn't mean there was anything he could do.
Tang Guhwi was in such a miserable state that all he could do was lie there waiting for the day he would die.
Then, at that moment,
\[Are you resentful? Do you hate the world?\]
He heard a voice.
In that instant, Tang Guhwi's pupils dilated.
'Wh-who's there!'
He, who couldn't move his body or mouth, cried out inwardly.
It was a cry that no one could hear.
\[Does it matter who I am?\]
But the voice answered as if it had heard Tang Guhwi's inner cry.
It was a voice that resonated in his head rather than his ears.
It was a strangely eerie and chilling sensation.
But oddly, Tang Guhwi found himself wanting to keep hearing that voice.
The voice continued to echo in his head.
\[Do you want power?
Then recall the one target of your curse.
That will give you endless darkness and power.\]
The target... of his curse?
Tang Guhwi rolled his eyes and soon recalled several faces.
The first one he thought of was that masked man, the one who had claimed to be Peng Seo-yeon's husband.
The one responsible for reducing him to this state.
Grrrr.
He could never forgive that bastard, never!
But,
“No. That”s not it.'
There were an even deeper resentment, curse, and hatred within him.
Soon, the thought of Yeo Un-hwi was completely erased from his mind.
And two faces emerged.
At first, his father came to mind.
The man who had looked at him as if he were pathetic when he ended up in this state and who had left without even seeking revenge never returned.
“How could you do this to me—how!”
And then.
The last face that came to mind.
It was the one existence that had turned his life, which should have been brilliant, into one of inferiority.
It was Tang Mujun.
“Yes. It”s because of you. This is all because of you!'
He had thought about it countless times.
That day.
This was the moment he was attacked by the masked man and ended up in this state.
His brother had appeared at that exact moment, as if perfectly timed, to save him.
But was that really a coincidence?
No, it wasn't.
It seemed too well-scripted.
Yes. Now he understood.
The masked man must have been prepared by that guy.
The claim that he had come for revenge after learning about Peng Seo-yeon's situation was all a lie.
The more he thought about it, the less sense it made.
How could that woman's ordinary husband be such a master?
The meaning of that implausible situation could only be one thing.
“Kuk. Yes. It was all. That was all your plan.”
He didn't know how, but it must have been Tang Mujun who had conspired with such an incredible master to reduce him to this invalid state, unable to speak or move.
And then he reports all the things I've done to my father.
The plan was to make my father abandon me and make himself the heir.
Because of that plan, I ended up being abandoned by the Tang Clan like this.
And Tang Mujun became a hero who saved his brother by facing that master.
“I was completely played.”
Perfectly. He had been perfectly deceived.
Kuk.
Behind that innocently smiling face, he had hidden such a vicious true nature.
You. I will never forgive you.
Tang Mujun, my brother who is nothing but a curse to me.
\[Kukukuk... Another seed of ruin has been completed. Kekek.\]
As the target for the one massive anger and hatred he was allowed to direct was decided, his body began to be enveloped in a black energy.
\[Yes, that's it.
Pour out that hatred of yours.
And bestow the flames of ruin upon your family, and the Central Plains Murim.\]
Kuguugugung.
Before long, Tang Guhwi's body slowly began to float in the air, and then a black energy burst forth from his body.
At first, Tang Guhwi's voice let out painful groans but gradually subsided.
"Kuaaaaaaah... Kuuuuuu..."
Soon, Tang Guhwi, who had slowly risen to his feet, opened his eyes.
His two eyes had turned completely black.
'I'll give you the most horrific hell, little brother.'
And that day.
Tang Guhwi disappeared from the Tang Clan.
It was killing everyone in sight.
Thus, the worst traitor in the history of the Tang Clan was born.