Chapter 34
A tall young man with strikingly handsome features was calmly heading somewhere.
Everywhere he passed, people turned to look at him, creating quite a spectacle.
This was none other than Yeo Un-hwi.
After his bone and marrow cleansing, the already slim and handsome Yeo Un-hwi had gained toned muscles and a fit body, giving him a different kind of charm than before.
Those seeing him for the first time found their gazes drawn to his aura and appearance.
Where could he be heading now, one might wonder.
'Hmm. Is this the place?'
After walking for quite some time, he stopped somewhere.
An old, dilapidated mansion on the outskirts, far removed from the Peng Family estate.
This was the place Peng Mugang had told Yeo Un-hwi to visit.
Just then,
"Who goes there?"
A gruff male voice came from behind Yeo Un-hwi.
Along with it, a sharp killing intent could be felt.
Yeo Un-hwi turned his head slightly to look in that direction.
There, two men were glaring at Yeo Un-hwi with fierce expressions.
"Who are you to be loitering around here? Looks suspicious."
"Yeah, that's right. I don't like the look of you, all tall and handsome. What's your deal?"
It was as if he had stumbled upon some stray dogs while walking down the street.
The two men looked very similar in appearance and demeanor.
They were likely twins.
"Ah. I'm..."
Yeo Un-hwi was about to open his mouth to address the men who were acting so aggressively.
But then,
Smack! Whack!
"Ow!"
"Hey, Gi-su, Gi-sang. Didn't I tell you not to show such blatant killing intent to strangers? Didn't I?"
"Ow, Big Sis. That hurts!"
The two men clutched their heads and grumbled at the woman who had just hit them.
The woman was a beauty with tanned skin and large eyes.
"Hurts, my foot! I barely tapped you. Want another? What were you thinking!"
"But we saw an unfamiliar guy hanging around the entrance, so..."
"And what if he turns out to be someone from the main family? What then, huh?"
"Well that'd be even better. They treat us like dirt anyway!"
"Yeah!"
"You know this latest probation is because of you two, right?"
"But come on, how could a scrawny guy like that be from the main family?"
"So you were bullying someone you thought looked weak? You little punks!"
"No, that's not what we meant!"
"Oh really! Come here!"
"We're sorry, okay?"
"Yeah, we apologize. Happy now?"
"Sigh... is that how you apologize? Come here and take your punishment!"
"We said we're sorry!"
The men who had been so fierce just moments ago were now cowering before this woman.
Watching the scene unfold before him, Yeo Un-hwi could only laugh inwardly.
This was quite the first impression, though he couldn't exactly laugh out loud.
"I'm terribly sorry about this. My idiot brothers have been on edge lately."
"It's fine. And you're correct, I am from the main family."
"Pardon?"
"Huh?"
The twin brothers and the woman all widened their eyes in unison.
"But I don't recall anyone like you in our Peng Family?"
"We've been on probation here for nearly half a year now."
"I joined the Peng Family around that time."
Yeo Un-hwi then pulled out a token from his chest and showed it to them.
After examining the token, the woman nodded.
"Ah, I see. Please, come inside."
A middle-aged man opened the door and guided Yeo Un-hwi inside.
Meanwhile, sharp gazes could be felt from various corners of the building.
To an outsider, it might seem more like he had stumbled upon some renowned group of rogue warriors rather than members of the Peng Family.
To think these were the people who couldn't stand injustice and caused trouble. Haha.
Yeo Un-hwi, who already knew exactly who these people were, couldn't help but smile inwardly.
Upon reaching the reception room, the woman said to Yeo Un-hwi:
"The Deputy Commander is away at the moment. I'll go fetch the eldest brother first. Please wait here for a moment."
Yeo Un-hwi nodded at her words.
Soon, Yeo Un-hwi was left alone in the room.
He slowly looked around.
The interior was just as run-down and old as the exterior.
But it was kept reasonably tidy.
This was true of the entire mansion he had seen on the way in.
It seemed they were making an effort to keep things clean and orderly.
Yeo Un-hwi found himself smiling at how incongruous this was with the rough aura he had felt from the occupants.
Just then,
"What do you find so amusing?"
Someone entered the room and asked Yeo Un-hwi.
It was a man who gave off the impression of a large bear.
With his huge build, beard, and piercing eyes, he could easily be mistaken for the leader of some mountain bandit lair if one wasn't careful.
"I am Gu Tae-san."
"Yeo Un-hwi. Pleased to meet you."
Gu Tae-san tilted his head.
He had never seen or heard of the man standing before him.
Even though the White Wolf Unit had been stuck here on probation for half a year, it seemed odd that he wouldn't have heard about someone like this joining the Peng Family in that time.
He had been keeping up with news from the main family through various channels, but he had never heard mention of such a man among the new warriors who had joined.
"So you say the Family Head sent you?"
"That's correct."
"What business brings you here?"
Gu Tae-san asked, and Yeo Un-hwi answered without hesitation:
"He told me to take charge of the White Wolf Unit from now on."
"What did you say?"
At Yeo Un-hwi's words, a fierce aura suddenly emanated from Gu Tae-san's body.
"Are you saying you've been put in charge of our White Wolf Unit?"
"That's correct."
"Who are you that the Family Head would give such an order? Though we may be on probation in this sorry state, we are still the martial force representing the Peng Family. And I've never once heard of you before. Yet you expect me to believe this?"
At that, Yeo Un-hwi pulled out a token from his chest and held it out.
In truth, if Peng Mugang had come to explain this order in person or at least written something down, things would have been much simpler.
But Peng Mugang had done no such thing.
He had simply given Yeo Un-hwi the token symbolizing the Family Head's authority and told him to go.
At this point, it was hard to tell if this was a test or just harassment.
Even Yeo Un-hwi hadn't expected his father-in-law, who he had seen weeping and sincerely apologizing before his wife's death in his past life, to be this difficult.
But in any case, it didn't matter.
As long as it wasn't something terribly wrong, he was willing to do whatever his father-in-law asked.
That's why he had come here with just this token as proof.
"Well, well."
Gu Tae-san was equally troubled and bewildered by the current situation.
He was actually the second strongest member of the White Wolf Unit and the right-hand man to the current Deputy Commander.
The original Deputy Commander of the White Wolf Unit, their eldest brother, was away at the moment.
He was a master whose skill and character even Family Head Peng Mugang readily respected.
And of all times, this had to happen while he was away.
"I understand this is the Family Head's order. But may I ask you one thing?"
"Go ahead."
Yeo Un-hwi nodded.
Gu Tae-san stroked his chin and asked:
"Just who are you that the Family Head would entrust our White Wolf Unit to you? I simply cannot fathom it."
At those words, Yeo Un-hwi smiled gently.
"You may have heard, but I'm the person most talked about in the Peng Family these days."
"Oh?"
"If you mention 'that scholar', everyone seems to know."
"Ah! You're Young Lady Seo-yeon's husband? The one they call the Jogging Ghost?"
Yeo Un-hwi nodded.
But Gu Tae-san still looked perplexed.
"But from what I know, you're a scholar who has never learned martial arts. Yet such a person is going to lead our White Wolf Unit?"
"Well, it's the Family Head's order, so what choice do I have but to follow?"
"Our thoughts differ. We don't follow such nonsensical orders."
"Oh? Is that so?"
"It is."
Gu Tae-san spoke very firmly.
His face clearly said to stop this nonsense and go home.
Yeo Un-hwi calmly observed Gu Tae-san's expression for a moment, then spoke again with a slight smirk.
Gu Tae-san failed to notice how Yeo Un-hwi's eyes and tone had begun to change.
"Is the Peng Family Head not your master? Have I misunderstood something?"
"Of course that's correct. Certainly. But we have always..."
"Is that something to be proud of?"
"Pardon?"
"I asked if you're proud of always having been that way."
"By your logic, the Peng Family Head is indeed our master, but we decide for ourselves whether to follow his orders based on our whims. Is that what you're saying?"
"It seems... you're mocking us."
"I'm not mocking, just stating the facts. Does even that offend you?"
"Now see here."
Gu Tae-san's face twisted at Yeo Un-hwi's words.
A fierce aura was now emanating from his body.
"Haha. I heard rumors and thought you were upright wolves, but it turns out you're just rabid dogs who can't control yourselves?"
The room was instantly filled with Gu Tae-san's killing intent at Yeo Un-hwi's words.
"What did you just say? Rabid dogs?"
"Is that not the case?"
However, Yeo Un-hwi showed no sign of intimidation in the face of Gu Tae-san's killing intent.
It was strange, given that he supposedly had never learned martial arts.
Or was he acting so boldly simply because he was the Peng Family's son-in-law?
For a moment, all sorts of thoughts ran through Gu Tae-san's mind.
Meanwhile, Yeo Un-hwi continued speaking in a resolute voice.
"A martial force should be like the Family Head's sword. But if that sword doesn't follow its master's will, what reason is there for it to exist?"
"Such a sword would be useless and unnecessary. I see now why the Family Head doesn't value you. Tsk tsk."
"Why you insolent bastard!"
As Yeo Un-hwi clicked his tongue, Gu Tae-san could no longer contain his anger.
Though everything Yeo Un-hwi said was correct, Gu Tae-san thought he was just spouting nonsense without knowing the full situation.
His face now flushed red with anger, Gu Tae-san could no longer hold back and slammed his fist into the wall.
With a loud crash, the wall instantly crumbled.
"You must have a death wish! Fine then! If that's what you want...!"
"That's enough."
Just then.
The door suddenly burst open and someone entered the room.
Unlike the volcanic Gu Tae-san, this man had a calm and serene impression.
He was none other than...
"B-Brother!"
O Chae-mu, the current Deputy Commander and de facto leader of the White Wolf Unit.
In that moment, Yeo Un-hwi's eyes narrowed.