Guards Of The Hahu Family (1)

Creek!

It was the sound of the main gate being opened.

Dong-gu’s mouth hung open at the sight that met his eyes.

“J-just what happened…?”

The first thing he noticed were the bloodstains sprinkled all over the front yard.

Had someone been killed in the house?

The family members handling the situation all looked as though they were on the verge of death.

How could he have known that today, after returning after ten years, the family would be in mourning for a funeral?

While he stood there, flustered and hesitant, a familiar man approached him with purposeful strides.

“Third brother is back, but you aren’t qualified to come in, so go back.”

It was Dong-seok, the youngest of the seven brothers.

He was grateful to be remembered, but with a long-waiting guest by his side, he couldn’t simply turn back.

“Seok…”

“Just where have you been and what have you been doing while the family was in this situation?”

“There have been some complications. Let’s talk about what’s happening…”

“GET OUT!”

“……”

How could they be so cold-hearted when they hadn’t seen each other in so long?

He never imagined he would be kicked out immediately.

Seeing tears of sadness welling up in the corners of the youngest brother’s eyes, it seemed there was more going on.

It wasn’t just the youngest. The life had drained from everyone’s eyes. The other family members didn’t look much different.

Dong-gu lowered his head with a heavy heart. Having come from such a long distance, how could he just leave? It felt as though the sky were crashing down on him.

Just as he wavered, indecisive.

“Uhh…”

A girl moaned, drawing Dong-seok’s attention.

The two children were clinging to Dong-gu’s waist.

Among them was Yu Seol, clutching her stomach as though she were hungry.

Perhaps moved by the child’s pitiful state, Dong-seok’s voice softened slightly as he asked,

“Who are those kids?”

“Th-that…”

Dong-gu hesitated, unable to answer right away. He knew that no matter what answer he gave, he would be kicked out.

At that moment, Yu Seol slumped her shoulders with a pained expression.

“I am hungry….”

They had been in such a hurry to come here that they hadn’t fed her.

However, only she knew whether she was truly hungry or was just trying to help Dong-gu.

In any case, it was impossible to be cruel to children.

Dong-seok, looking at the child with a sorrowful gaze, sighed.

“The reason I’m opening the gate is because of the kids, so have them eat something and leave.”

“Thank you, Seok.”

He wrapped his arms around Yu Jinsan and Yu Seol without even glancing at Dong-gu.

“Let’s head in, kids.”

Yu Jinsan’s eyes darkened at the sight of the manor. The sight of someone’s body covered in a white cloth, seated with a forlorn look as if they had lost their entire world, touched him deeply.

The manor, shrouded in somber clouds and looks, seemed to mirror the state of the Yu family.

“Go inside and rest for a while now.”

“Thank you.”

Yu Jinsan and his granddaughter quietly entered the small room, exchanged glances, and held their breath.

From outside, the voices of the two brothers could be heard.

“Seok-ah. Tell me what’s happening.”

“You know about the hyungs. Everyone except for me has died. Moreover, father is sick, and mother died of shock.”

“Wh-what do you mean by this?”

“Whose body do you think that is? It’s the sixth Hyung, Cheol. Now, I’m next in line.”

“…What?”

Dong-gu was shocked.

He was so overwhelmed that a sob escaped him before he could even respond.

The youngest waited until Dong-gu had calmed down.

How long was it? When Dong-gu finally spoke again, his voice was laced with anger.

“Who did this?”

“Even if you know, there’s nothing you can do, so just head back. If you stay here, we’ll all end up dying together.”

It was then that the hidden reason why the youngest had tried to send Dong-gu away became apparent.

The atmosphere of the conversation felt odd.

She had overheard a story from the room that left her grandpa with a sad look on his face.

“Oh my….”

“Hmm. Let us listen a bit more first.”

The conversation between the two hyungs was much more serious. From what had been said so far, it seemed the siblings had been murdered one by one in order. Even in their own home.

It was something she couldn’t understand at all.

“Not long ago, there was an incident where the fourth hyung accidentally killed the youngest child of the Hahu family during a spar.”

The Hahu family.

Yu Jinsan had heard about them. They were a clan with the largest power in Hunan, a prestigious family incomparable to the Dong family.

“Fourth? How can such an accident happen during a spar?”

Normally, a spar involved the use of wooden swords, and it was common to fight with basic weapons, not internal qi. Such incidents were rare.

“That bastard from the Hahu family demanded to use a real sword during the spar.”

“Real sword…?”

“He was coveting the lady whom the fourth hyung was seeing. He kept trying to court her, and when things didn’t go his way, he resorted to such tricks. As the fight intensified, the accident happened.”

“Then it isn’t our fault, right?”

“Justice follows power. In that context, the Hahu family came to our village head once every four days and coerced us into action. And today was that day.”

“Those people who…”

From Dong-gu’s voice, it was clear he was struggling to contain his emotions.

It made sense, considering the state of his family upon his return after ten years.

“It’s my turn in four days. I said I wouldn’t quit until we had someone running the family. Now we have you, so take the kids and run. Don’t get killed. They’re just kids, but they won’t be treated as such.”

Because they were a large family that had settled here for a hundred years, escaping together was impossible. Even if they tried, the Hahu family would surely notice.

He couldn’t fathom the extent of harassment he would endure in such a trying situation.

Dong-gu was determined not to back down.

“Now that Hyung is here, don’t worry anymore. With the martial arts that I’ve honed for 10 years…”

“This isn’t a problem that can be solved with third-rate skills!”

“……”

Dong-seok knew Dong-gu’s abilities well.

In the Hahu family, there were not only master-level warriors but also super master-level warriors. Even with a decent level of skill, it was impossible.

At that time, the voice of an old woman rang out.

“Oh my, Dong-gu! And this boy! Seok! What kind of habit is this—not letting me see your Hyung, who I haven’t seen for such a long time?”

“Aunty, it’s not that…”

After the reprimand, Dong-seok stepped aside.

She exchanged a few pleasant words with Dong-gu and then opened the door where Yu Jinsan and his granddaughter were waiting.

“Oh my, such beautiful children. It must have been so hard for you to come all this way. Come on, you kids, come here. Shall we go and pay our respects to Grandpa?”

They had planned to stay for a short while and then leave at an opportune moment, but things had escalated.

Yu Jinsan suddenly walked out the door with Yu Seol.

The old woman patted their heads and then pointed to a nearby pavilion, instructing Dong-gu.

“I’ll prepare some food for you, so take the kids and greet everyone.”

It was a hectic day with a funeral taking place, and she wanted to offer some sustenance to her nephew, who had traveled a long distance with his children.

“Yes, Aunt.”

“And just in case, don’t mention the Hahu family in front of your father. He becomes enraged at the mention of them.”

“I’ll remember that.”

Dong-gu walked awkwardly, holding the hands of Yu Jinsan and Yu Seol.

As the surroundings fell silent, he bent down slightly and whispered,

“Kids, I am sorry. Given this situation, can you think of me as your father, just for today? I will make an excuse to send you away swiftly….”

Yu Jinsan hesitated for a moment, wondering how he could call someone younger than himself ‘father.’

Perhaps she read his thoughts? Yu Seol looked into her grandpa’s face and said,

-Grandpa, I feel sorry for Mister Dong-gu….

Now that his granddaughter had spoken, he felt he couldn’t pretend to be unwilling to help.

He thought for a moment and then nodded.

After all, he was also planning to take advantage of the poor man. Since it seemed like paying the price in advance for using him, there was nothing to lose.

“Yes.”

“Thank you. I will definitely repay you later.”

Dong-gu took a deep breath and carefully opened the gate.

“Father, Dong-gu is here!”

An elderly man lay on the bed.

His complexion had lost its color, and his eyes lacked focus.

Yu Jinsan saw his former self in this man—that moment when life became too difficult and he almost gave up.

If he had given up, he wouldn’t have been able to do anything.

“……”

The man didn’t move, as if his soul had been dragged out.

He looked as though he had given up on life.

How could any man stay sane after his sons were murdered one after another before his eyes, and he lost his only wife?

“Father…”

“……”

Dong-gu kneeled before him and begged with tears in his eyes, but there was no response.

“Kuaak. This worthless son has made a huge blunder. I’m sorry. Sorry… father.”

Did he feel sorry? Yu Seol also wore a gloomy expression. Shortly after, she gripped her grandpa’s hand.

-Grandpa, what can we do to help Mister Dong-gu… can we not do something?

Yu Jinsan recalled the moment when he rose after having given up on dying.

The day he lost everything and was ready to die, surprisingly, he found a way to live again.

-I’m not sure, but it’s worth a try. That is, if Seol helps.

-Yes, I will help.

Yu Jinsan whispered a few words to her.

And Yu Seol, quick-witted, slightly nodded her head once. Then, she naturally walked up to Dong-gu and took his father’s hand.

“Grandpa, your granddaughter is here~”

Dong-gu, a third-rate warrior, didn’t notice, but Yu Seol’s hand was grasping the old man, and she infusing her qi into his body.

Her qi began to circulate through his blood. This was a technique to calm and comfort both the body and mind.

As time passed, his pale face turned red, and Dong-gu, noticing this change, said,

“F-father? You’re okay?”

But there was no reaction.

There was nothing to be seen or heard from his father.

It was as if he had blocked his eyes and ears to avoid any information from this world, as if that was the only way he could be at ease.

And this meant his soul needed to be stimulated.

Yu Jinsan sent a message.

-I know it all. That you listen to it all. But if you stay like this, you’ll remain a loser to the end.

“……”

As expected, there was no response.

Since it wasn’t possible to drag it out for long, Yu Jinsan decided to get to the point.

-Your descendants have reached enlightenment and are back as warriors with skills. So get up now. You have to see those Hahu guys beaten to death.

Didn’t they say that this man lost his sanity at the mention of them?

But there was no other way to get this man to rise without using them.

At that moment, something shocking happened.

Weren’t his unfocused eyes beginning to shake?

Eventually, his mouth opened.

“Hahu Family… those evil men who killed my sons… you have to sweep them all away….”

Dong-gu looked at him with blank eyes.

“F-father?”

His eyes were slowly becoming focused. And after a while, his appearance had completely changed.

Wasn’t he suddenly raising his upper body as if he had been in pain for too long?

“Dong-gu! Dong-gu, you are Dong-gu!”

“Yes, Father. It’s me. Euk! I was so worried about you.”

“You brat, you’ve come back better than I thought.”

Both of them hugged each other with happy expressions.

After a while, his gaze shifted to those behind Dong-gu.

“My grandkids?”

“… Uh? How do you know?”

It was as though he had become an entirely different person.

The family head’s eyes overflowed with vitality.

“You pretty kids, come closer and let me take a look.”