Chapter 3

“You bastard!”

Wei Do-heon stormed off the duel stage and charged at Yeon Mujin.

His martial art was the Red Crow Fist, the Red Crow clan’s secret style said to have no equal in combat.

When an unarmed close combat warrior faces a swordsman, the most important things are initiative and distance!

Knowing that, Wei Do-heon intended to end the duel in a single move before Yeon Mujin could react.

‘Got you!’

Even when the distance that had been about three feet dropped to half a foot, Yeon Mujin made no move.

Wei Do-heon was sure of victory. At this distance, his Red Crow Fist could not fail!

…Or so Wei Do-heon thought.

Thak!

Wei Do-heon’s deadly punch, charged with full force, was weakly caught by Yeon Mujin’s hand.

It wasn’t dodged or parried. Yeon Mujin hadn’t even drawn his sword.

‘What the…?’

Flustered, Wei Do-heon tried to withdraw his fist, but it was useless. No matter how he struggled, he couldn’t pull his hand free.

Yeon Mujin’s face, now inches away, was clearly visible.

‘He’s smiling?’

Amazingly, he was smiling.

Yeon Mujin spoke.

“So slow.”

Yeon Mujin tightened his grip on Wei Do-heon’s clenched fist.

Kkudeuk!

A bone cracking sound came from Wei Do-heon’s fist.

“Aaargh!” Wei Do-heon screamed.

“So predictable.”

Yeon Mujin released Wei Do-heon’s hand and took another step forward.

The distance closed until even a whisper could be heard and breaths were audible.

At this range, you couldn’t extend a sword.

That was precisely what Yeon Mujin wanted.

“Same as always. Why have you not improved at all?”

‘What on earth is he talking about…’

Wei Do-heon couldn’t understand. Hadn’t he met this man earlier today?

But Wei Do-heon would never get to ask that.

From outside his vision’s blind spot, Yeon Mujin’s fist snapped up under his chin.

“Puk!”

He was fortunate not to have bitten his tongue. Had he opened his mouth, he’d have died on the spot.

Unconscious, Wei Do-heon lifted and then dropped slowly like a cut kite.

All of this happened in a single exchange, in the blink of an eye.

Kudangtang!

Wei Do-heon collapsed and writhed on the duel stage. Silence fell over the audience.

Blood-clad Wei Do-heon was not an easy opponent. Even without the Outer Affairs Leader’s influence, he had been considered the likeliest winner of this Bukgung Guard Tournament.

That much was certain…

Yet a nameless swordsman, without even drawing his blade, had subdued Wei Do-heon in a single move.

The most startled was Yeom Sugon, the Outer Affairs Leader.

“H-How on earth…”

“Hahahahaha!”

At that moment, Bukgung Cheon burst into a loud laugh, boisterous and unlike his usual solemn tone.

After laughing for a long while, Bukgung Cheon suddenly began to clap.

Clap! Clap! Clap!

When Bukgung Cheon clapped, the hesitant Yeom Sugon sprang up and joined in, and the Outer Hall retainers followed suit.

Thunderous applause rained down on Yeon Mujin.

The announcer, eyes darting and trying to gauge the room, called out.

“T-The victor is the honorable Yeon Mujin!”

Receiving the thunderous applause, Yeon Mujin stood straight and stared unblinkingly at a single spot.

At this moment Yeon Mujin and Bukgung Cheon were looking at each other.

This was the family lord Bukgung Cheon from a time when he was much younger and full of dignity, as Yeon Mujin remembered.

Yeon Mujin smiled faintly and moved his lips toward Bukgung Cheon.

Bukgung Cheon tilted his head and read Yeon Mujin’s lip movements.

‘I… did… you… see… that… eh…?’

“…?”

The announcer, watching the Outer Affairs Leader, spoke.

“W-Well, but originally the Bukgung Guard Tournament selects the personal guards from the Bukgung family’s direct descendants…”

The Bukgung Guard Tournament was a duel to select a personal guard from among the Family’s direct bloodline.

Becoming a Bukgung Guard, the family’s personal protector, was a major success for any warrior.

And Wei Do-heon had already been privately assigned to be the fourth young master’s guard even before the final match.

The announcer knew of the behind-the-scenes deal between the Outer Affairs leader and Wei Do-heon.

“Th-Then…”

The announcer, at a loss, glanced at the Outer Affairs Leader for guidance.

But before Yeom Sugon could say anything, a man stood up.

Bukgung Family Lord, Bukgung Cheon.

All the family’s retainers turned their gaze to Bukgung Cheon as he rose.

“They said your name is Yeon Mujin?”

“Yes.”

“You know the reward given to the Bukgung Guard Tournament winner, don’t you?”

Everyone was taken aback.

Although the tournament was held every year, this was the first time the Family Lord had personally addressed the winner.

Did that mean Bukgung Cheon highly valued Yeon Mujin’s skills?

The atmosphere in the hall shifted dramatically at the family lord’s words.

Some cast cold looks at Yeon Mujin.

Some looked on with curiosity.

And others watched with greed.

“Of course I know.”

“State your intention, guest.”

The tournament winner is given the choice of which of Bukgung Cheon’s children to serve as personal guard.

Thus most contenders had already met with the young masters before the final.

But Yeon Mujin was different.

He hadn’t affiliated with any faction; he belonged to no one.

So everyone focused on what he would say.

“The person I’d like to guard is…”

Yeon Mujin looked one by one at the factions of the six young masters seated in the audience.

Some were loathsome, some monstrous, and some made him want to beat them senseless.

He knew exactly what kind of bastards each of the six young masters were.

Therefore, he had but one choice.

“The youngest child of the Bukgung Family.”

“Hahahahaha!”

At Yeon Mujin’s answer, loud laughter erupted from one corner of the audience.

It came from the seat where the sixth young master of the Bukgung family sat.

To think a protégé favored by the family lord would choose that!

The sixth young master, Bukgung Bi-beom, laughed heartily, applauded, and congratulated Yeon Mujin.

“Good choice! I’ll take you under my wing!”

Yeon Mujin scoffed at the sixth young master’s words.

The lunatic corpse-lover. Who’s going to be mentoring whom?

“Who said you’d be the one I’m guarding? Not you.”

“What?”

Bukgung Bi-beom glared at Yeon Mujin with a stunned, offended look.

“I will serve as the personal guard for the Bukgung Family’s seventh and youngest child.”

“…!”

A different wave of shock spread; people in the audience murmured in astonishment.

Does he even know what he had just said?

Bukgung Cheon stared at Yeon Mujin without speaking.

Under the heavy gaze of the Family Lord, Yeon Mujin showed no sign of shrinking and met his eyes steadily.

Finally, Bukgung Cheon’s mouth opened.

“I only have six sons.”

“I know.”

“And yet you want the youngest? The seventh?”

“Yes, that’s what I’m saying, how many times must I repeat it? Family lord, are your ears getting old?”

Yeom Sugon snapped and stood up.

“You brat!”

“Let him.”

Bukgung Cheon answered with an indifferent expression.

“Fine! Th-… no, yes? Family Lord!”

Ignoring the flustered Yeom Sugon, Bukgung Cheon shouted in a loud voice.

“From this moment, I hereby declare Yeon Mujin, winner of the Bukgung Guard Tournament, to be the personal guard of Bukgung Yoon.”

At his words, a ripple of chatter swept through the audience.

It was rare for the Family Lord to publicly mention Bukgung Yoon’s name.

Moreover, becoming the youngest’s personal guard? Nobody would willingly enter such a dead-end post.

“Outer Affairs leader, escort Yeon Mujin to Flying Swallow Manor. Retainers, attend to him with utmost care!”

It was a solemn decree from the Family Lord.

Yeom Sugon and the retainers bowed their heads and echoed the command in unison.

“Understood!”

The Bukgung family’s greatest strength, above all, was its wealth.

Money. Lots of money. So much it seemed to rot from abundance. The Bukgung family possessed vast financial power.

There’s a saying among people.

“All the world’s gold flows through Taiyuan.”

It’s said of the Bukgung family, whose seat is in Taiyuan, Shanxi Province.

Now Yeon Mujin was being led by Yeom Sugon deeper into the Bukgung estate.

Each child of the Bukgung family was given a vast estate of their own.

As the lord of their estate, each child led retainers and developed their management and leadership skills.

All of it was, in effect, training for eventually becoming head of the Bukgung family.

The youngest, Bukgung Yoon, was no exception.

Bukgung Yoon resided at an estate called Flying Swallow Manor.

Clack.

Yeom Sugon’s footsteps stopped at the entrance to the estate.

It was the deepest part of the Bukgung Family and, unlike the other estates, had an antique, secluded air.

Yeon Mujin looked up at the hanging placard and muttered.

“I already knew, but this is something else…”

People called Taiyuan the place where half the world’s gold was piled up, but what they saw here contradicted that notion.

A signboard that looked ready to fall, scuffed thresholds, cracked pillars with dust and wind seeping through, a shabby sight.

It hardly looked like the power base of a Family that ruled the land’s wealth.

“I don’t know why you applied for this post, but you’ve made a grave mistake.”

Yeom Sugon said to Yeon Mujin.

“You’ve turned down your chance to grab the lifeline. The owner of Flying Swallow Manor has no opportunity left. So you…”

“Leader Yeom.”

“…?”

Yeom Sugon’s eyes widened at the sudden use of a familiar address.

Did I just mishear something?

“If the escort duty’s done, you may go.”

Yeom Sugon’s eyes nearly popped out.

“Is this bastard insane? How dare a mere guard speak like that!”

“A mere guard?”

“Yes! You’re just a guard and I’m the master! Some lowborn mongrel with no pedigree shouldn’t mouth off like that!”

Yeon Mujin snorted with a laugh.

“Whether you or I, we’re both mongrel dogs who bark or fight at the owner’s command. What, are you boasting because your leash is bigger and stronger than mine?”

“What did you say? You…”

“Did the family lord not just say to treat new guard with utmost care? Or do you want to break his decree and come out here and scuffle with me right now?”

Bukgung Cheon’s blunt words made Yeom Sugon’s face flush like a ripe persimmon.

Yeon Mujin knew Yeom Sugon was a petty man.

A small-minded fellow who frets more about a speck of dust on his superior’s face than the filth on his own.

“Your arrogance will surely be paid for one day.”

Yeom Sugon said, shooting a venomous look.

But Yeon Mujin was not one to yield a single word meekly.

“They say barking dogs don’t bite, and biting dogs don’t bark.”

Who in the world would dare call the Outer Affairs leader of the Bukgung family a mutt?

They said he was a former wanderer, truly a stray dog who didn’t understand the fear of a tiger.

Kkadeuk!

Yeom Sugon, without another word to Yeon Mujin, turned away.

After all, the man had ruined his own standing; there was no need to waste time on him.

“Well then…”

Yeon Mujin looked up at the Flying Swallow Manor plaque and slowly stepped forward.

“Let’s go meet the owner of this dog’s leash.”

Even after seven cycles of regression, he had never once taken hold of the Bukgung youngest’s string.

Not because the Bukgung youngest was a cruel fiend, nor because they lived in a manor fit for ghosts.

Nor because the youngest had a negligible standing within the family, nor because they were a timid soul who never revealed themself through the seven regressions.

Yeon Mujin crossed the estate toward where the owner of the Flying Swallow Manor resided.

From exterior to interior, it was an old house long untouched by human care.

He trudged in and headed for the master’s room.

Dreureuk!

As soon as the door opened, gazes poured in. And at the center of them all:

A girl with sharp eyes, scanning his body anxiously, lips pressed tight and fists clenched.

The person Yeon Mujin was supposed to serve in this life sat there.

“Guard Yeon has arrived.”

She was the Bukgung Family’s seventh and youngest child, forgotten and not even listed as a candidate for family lord.

She was Bukgung Cheon’s beloved daughter, Bukgung Yoon.