Chapter 120
“A short while ago, the White Wolf Unit headed for the Namgung Family Head's Hall.”
Peng Seo-jin reported to Peng Mugang, who was resting quietly in his room.
“Hmm, is that so.”
“I wonder what he’s thinking about calling them separately like that”
Peng Seo-jin found it a bit strange.
If he wanted to thank them or praise their achievement, it would be better to do so in front of everyone.
Why would he call them separately to talk?
“He must have something to say to them in private.”
Peng Mugang gave a small, strange smile.
It was a smile that seemed somewhat bittersweet and sorrowful.
Before long, Yeo Un-hwi and the White Wolf Unit arrived at the Family Head's Hall, located in the deepest part of the Namgung estate.
The atmosphere on the way there had been extremely solemn.
The Namgung warriors, who had been drinking with them in a festive mood just yesterday, now stood guard with incredibly serious faces, a stark contrast to before.
“Well, something about this atmosphere feels off.”
The members of the White Wolf Unit felt their mouths go dry without even realizing it.
Even though Yeo Un-hwi had reassured them once, the atmosphere was even heavier upon entering than they had imagined, and the White Wolf Unit grew tense again.
Perhaps, as Peng Do-hwan had said, they really were going to be reprimanded for taking away the target of a long-awaited revenge.
*Screeech.*
Soon, the doors to the Family Head's Hall opened, and the entire White Wolf Unit stepped inside.
The Namgung Family Head's Hall is engraved with a Heavenly Dragon soaring across the sky.
The place was already filled with numerous people.
Every one of them possessed an extraordinary aura.
The gazes of all of them turned to the White Wolf Unit, which had just entered the hall.
Under their stares, the White Wolf Unit was unknowingly overwhelmed.
It was only natural. How could they not be?
Just then,
“I am Yeo Un-hwi, Commander of the White Wolf Unit, under the Peng Family of Hebei. It is an honor to meet the heroes of Namgung.”
As Yeo Un-hwi-hwi stepped forward confidently, introduced himself, and bowed, the entire White Wolf Unit felt the tension drain away as if by magic.
That’s right.
They had forgotten for a moment.
Who was their commander?
With that man by their side, what in the world was there to fear?
Oho.
The eyebrows of a few onlookers rose slightly.
They had noticed the change in the White Wolf Unit in that short time.
Meanwhile, Peng Do-hwan, who had also relaxed thanks to Yeo Un-hwi, was quite surprised.
*“Incredible.”*
With a trembling gaze, Peng Do-hwan scanned the members of the Namgung Family gathered in the hall one by one.
The Great Young Master of the Namgung Family, the Heavenly Dragon, Namgung Sanghyeok, and his younger siblings were present. All the elders of the Namgung Family, the commanders and vice-commanders of each martial force, and even the matriarch of the Namgung Family, Jang Hyerin, were also present.
Every figure representing the Namgung Family was gathered here in the Family Head's Hall.
What on earth could be the reason?
*Gulp.*
His skin tingling from their gazes, which never left him for a single moment, Peng Do-hwan quickly turned his eyes to Yeo Un-hwi, who stood before him.
He had instinctively found the only way to find stability in this heavy, tense atmosphere.
And Yeo Un-hwi-hwi’s gaze was already fixed on the man with a stoic face, seated at the head of the hall.
Sword Emperor Namgung Hwan.
He was the current master of the Namgung Family and a powerhouse whose name was listed among the formidable Ten Great Masters.
However, not a few in the world evaluated that he and Peng Mugang had already surpassed the level of the Ten Great Masters.
Above all, Namgung Hwan was a man whose martial skill was matched by his qualities as a Family Head, which had been recognized early on.
Decades ago, the Namgung Family fell into great difficulty when the Family Head of the time collapsed due to a certain incident.
At that time, Namgung Hwan, who had taken over as Family Head at a young age, stabilized the Namgung Family with a speed that defied the world’s concerns.
It was the moment his outstanding skill as a Family Head first shone.
And now, the Namgung Family’s name resounds throughout the Murim as one of the most prominent families among the Five Great Families.
Yeo Un-hwi, too, was well aware of the reputation of the Namgung Family, including Namgung Hwan.
A family of the most upright is like a sword.
But he also knew that they were said to be strong-willed and uncompromising behind that.
*“Hmm. The Sword Emperor and the Namgung Family.”*
And so, even Yeo Un-hwi could not easily guess what the Namgung Family and the Sword Emperor were thinking, having summoned the White Wolf Unit today.
Just then,
“Welcome.”
Namgung Hwan, who had kept his mouth shut, finally spoke.
But contrary to his welcoming words, his face was still incredibly stoic.
Soon, he rose from his seat, walked slowly, and stood facing the White Wolf Unit, no, facing Yeo Un-hwi.
Yeo Un-hwi offered a small smile to the stoic Namgung Hwan.
A smile.
Among the younger generation, Yeo Un-hwi was likely the only one who would not be nervous when facing the Sword Emperor of the great Namgung Family.
Namgung Hwan’s gaze moved from Yeo Un-hwi to the White Wolf Unit.
And soon, he opened his mouth again.
Everyone tensed, wondering what Namgung Hwan would say.
But what flowed from his mouth was a story that was completely unexpected.
“That child, Arin, was a child loved by all.”
Namgung Arin.
It was the name of the youngest daughter of the Namgung Family, who had lost her life at a young age to the Extreme Evil Laughing Demon.
The face of Namgung Hwan, who had begun to speak, was no longer stoic.
A face boiling over with a tangled mess of sorrow, longing, anger, anguish, sadness, and grief. And with guilt and the love he could no longer give.
It was the face of a parent who had lost a child to a monster.
“Not just the people of Namgung, but everyone who saw her smile cherished and loved that child. And she was a child who knew how to return the love she received. She was a child who knew how to give people happiness. We believed those days would last forever.”
But their farewell had come all too soon.
The Extreme Evil Laughing Demon...
“After that day, Arin appeared every night in my dreams, crying sorrowfully.”
For years, there had not been a single night he had not dreamed of Arin.
He wanted to stop her from crying, even if only in his dreams.
He wanted to protect her, even if only in his dreams.
But when he reached out to comfort her, Arin would move just as far away.
And when he shouted that he would surely take revenge on the one who had tormented her, his beloved youngest daughter would wail even more painfully.
Every single day, Namgung Hwan’s heart was torn to pieces.
He, too, cried and cried every day, where no one could see.
“...*Sob*.”
A small sob was heard in the Family Head's Hall.
It was the matriarch, Jang Hyerin.
She wasn’t the only one.
Namgung Arin’s older brother, Namgung Sanghyeok, was also clenching his fists, his eyes red, and an old elder who had cherished the little girl like his own granddaughter was also quietly shedding tears from his wrinkled eyes.
“Then one day.”
Namgung Hwan paused for a moment.
His eyes, too, had turned red.
Arin was no longer crying. And she gave me a bright smile. That was the last time she appeared in my dreams. She never appeared again.
After that day, he could no longer see his beloved youngest daughter.
But he was neither sad nor resentful.
His heart felt light.
He himself did not know why.
“Before long, I learned the reason. The Extreme Evil Laughing Demon was beheaded by you on the day Arin stopped crying and smiled at me.”
Namgung Hwan’s voice was low, but it reached everyone’s ears clearly.
He looked at Yeo Un-hwi and each and every member of the White Wolf Unit with an impossibly deep gaze and spoke.
“You cannot know how grateful the Namgung, and I, are to you. And so, though we have of course prepared other material rewards, I wanted to convey my thanks to you in person first. Truly... thank you.”
Soon, Namgung Hwan bowed his head respectfully to the White Wolf Unit.
In that moment, the eyes of every member of the White Wolf Unit widened beyond measure.
The Family Head of one of the Five Great Families, the head of the Namgung Family renowned for its pride, was bowing his head to them. It was unbelievable.
And at the same time,
All the people of Namgung who filled the hall followed their Family Head and bowed to the White Wolf Unit.
Namgung Hwan, not as the Family Head of the Namgung Family, but as a father.
And the other people of Namgung were the dead child’s grandfather, brother, and uncle.
As people who had been members of that child’s family, everyone expressed his or her sincere gratitude to the White Wolf Unit.
For some reason, the sight made the White Wolf Unit feel a surge of emotion in their chests.
Faced with a situation it had never imagined, the White Wolf Unit didn’t know what to do.
In truth, it had been a complete coincidence.
Moreover, they had all nearly died at the hands of that Extreme Evil Laughing Demon.
If one person had not been there, that would surely have been what would have happened.
Soon, the gazes of all the White Wolf Unit members turned to Yeo Un-hwi.
The face of Yeo Un-hwi, who had received Namgung’s gratitude, had grown impossibly deep.
He, too, felt the same surge of emotion as the White Wolf Unit.
Above all, Yeo Un-hwi couldn’t help but feel that way.
He knew better than anyone in this world what it felt like to lose a beloved daughter.
Had he not lived for long years as the Blood Demon, driven mad by revenge for that very reason?
And so, Yeo Un-hwi could understand Namgung Hwan’s feelings all too well.
“We were simply lucky.”
Yeo Un-hwi said to them.
“But if we were able to help in this way, that is enough for us. Thank you for telling us this.”
Soon, Yeo Un-hwi also bowed his head respectfully to the people of Namgung.
Following him, the White Wolf Unit also bowed its heads.
It was a moment when sincere hearts connected, without regard for status or position.
“I still can’t believe it. To think that the Sword Emperor would bow his head to us.”
Before long, Peng Do-hwan spoke with a dazed expression after leaving the Family Head's Hall and returning to his quarters.
“I suppose I had a great deal of prejudice.”
Though he was the same, he had thought that the people of prestigious families, especially those who had lived with and enjoyed so much, would not know how to properly express gratitude.
But he was wrong.
The Sword Emperor and the Namgung Family were different.
“That must be the reason the Namgung Family’s name resounds throughout the Murim.”
They were people who knew how to truly acknowledge what should be acknowledged and express thanks for what deserved thanks.
Such people are stronger in the face of hardship and adversity, and they unite as one.
Rather, the White Wolf Unit felt that it had seen a glimpse of the true strength of the Namgung Family through today’s events.
However,
“Doesn’t our Peng Family have plenty of that side to it as well?”
Yeo Un-hwi said with a grin.
But the White Wolf Unit, who should have been nodding in agreement, instead tilted their heads.
“Us? Well, our Family Head is... hmm.”
“He’s a good person, for sure, but...”
It was just... a different feeling, I guess.
The White Wolf Unit found itself hesitating to readily agree with Yeo Un-hwi’s words.
“Ho... Is that so? I didn’t know you all thought that way. Then I should report this fact to the Family Head...
“Pardon? N-no, why would you do that! That’s not what we meant; we just meant he’s good, but a bit different from the Namgung Family Head!”
At Yeo Un-hwi-hwi’s words, the members of the White Wolf Unit were startled and waved their hands in denial.
But Yeo Un-hwi-hwi, having started his joke, playfully threatened to report their words to the Family Head exactly as they were said.
As they were laughing for a while,
“So you were here.”
Someone came looking for Yeo Un-hwi.
“Do you have a moment?”
A man with a friendly but strangely sharp aura.
It was none other than the genius the Tang Clan prided itself on, the Poison Dragon, Tang Mujun.