Chapter 39

From behind, an intense, nauseating demonic energy suffocates me.

‘You’ve chased me this far. If you don’t want to get caught, run harder,’ it seems to say, not hiding its presence. Like a runaway train, it blares its horn loudly and chases fiercely.

Of course, I expected pursuers, but it seems a madman has latched on.

“Brother, I can’t be of help right now. So hurry…”

Yeonghwa’s beautiful red eyes shimmer with a faint light, shaking. She doesn’t outright say to abandon her and run, perhaps out of consideration for my feelings.

Really, for a brat, she’s unnecessarily perceptive. It’s annoying.

Are we strangers? We’re family. Just be a nuisance.

Out of nowhere, during the Chu-Han contention when Liu Bang and Xiang Yu fought for supremacy.

While everyone else was swinging spears and swords, Xiang Yu, who was filming a martial arts movie alone, led a special unit and crushed Liu Bang’s allied forces at Pengcheng.

A battle boasting an unprecedented miracle exchange rate of 30,000 to 500,000. The Battle of Pengcheng.

The important thing is that Liu Bang, whose soul was thoroughly plundered by Xiang Yu, fled in a carriage without proper escort.

With Xiang Yu’s soldiers chasing, filled with the intent to tear Liu Bang apart, it was a life-and-death moment.

An ordinary person would have their legs give out, sitting down, pissing themselves in fear.

But Liu Bang, who pacified the chaotic times and ascended to the highest position, did something no ordinary person could do calmly.

“You can always have more children!!”

To increase the carriage’s speed, he threw his children out.

“Come on, get out! You too!!”

“Ugh~ Has Papa gone mad?!”

“Mama! Where are you?!”

Truly, only a winner of chaotic times like Liu Bang could devise such a ruthless strategy. Such character is necessary to stand against a slaughter machine like Xiang Yu.

But Liu Bang’s ingenious booster tactic of abandoning his children to increase the carriage’s speed failed.

The carriage driver, Xiahou Ying, ranked 8th among the founding heroes of Han, stopped the carriage.

“Enough!!!!!!!!!!”

Witnessing the horrific scene of parents discarding their flesh and blood to survive, Xiahou Ying erupted in anger like an ape.

“Since ancient times, abandoning ‘flesh and blood’ means being worse than a beast…!!”

He speaks his mind regardless of rank. Xiahou Ying’s sharp rebuke mended Liu Bang’s cracked head from Xiang Yu’s oppressive aura, and he stopped throwing his children out.

A heartwarming true story recorded in the annals of Han, Xiahou Ying’s biography.

The important point is that even in chaotic times, abandoning flesh and blood was considered worse than a beast. And I am not a beast. I am human.

Though a stepchild, the option to abandon family does not exist within me.

Moreover, abandoning Yeonghwa here is the worst of the worst plans. I have a strategy prepared in case of pursuers, and I need Yeonghwa for it.

“Shh- No more talking. Cute little kitten.”

“…Huh?!”

I whisper playfully in a tender voice to ease Yeonghwa’s tension, and her face instantly reddens with embarrassment.

“I have a plan. I need you to execute it.”

I intended to emphasize her necessity to prevent her from suggesting abandonment, but instead, Yeonghwa avoids my gaze and lowers her eyes.

“…So you were telling me to stay. I can’t use fire in my current state.”

‘…Can’t control fire?’

My pupils dilate at the unexpected situation, and Yeonghwa’s eyes fill with bitterness seeing this.

“I’m sorry. I’m still inexperienced, and once a month, my body worsens, and I can’t control fire.”

I examine Yeonghwa’s complexion. Now that I look, she seems oddly tired and her complexion is dark. Is she sick? That would be serious.

“…Is it a chronic illness? Is it bad? Can you endure? Do you have medicine?”

For some reason, my barrage of questions makes Yeonghwa’s face turn as red as a beet. She closes her eyes tightly, then opens them, moving her lips to whisper quietly in my ear.

“It’s… not a chronic illness… it’s my period.”

“Ah-.”

An awkward atmosphere, out of place in this serious situation, swirls. Shame causes small tears to form in Yeonghwa’s beautiful red eyes.

Well… it’s a physiological phenomenon, so it can’t be helped. Hmm- this is an unavoidable issue. No- it’s not even an issue. It’s a very natural phenomenon. A sign of health.

It’s not something Yeonghwa should be ashamed of. But being human, it’s unavoidably embarrassing. A delicate matter.

I need to act composed here. Yeonghwa is particularly sensitive. If I’m not careful, she might bite her tongue.

Suppressing rough breaths, I strive to speak in a tender, composed voice.

“It’s okay. Even if you can’t control fire, you’re a precious little sister. I’ll never give up on you.”

“…But you said you needed my abilities earlier.”

Instead of using her uncomfortable legs, she uses a staff to perform qinggong, supported by one hand under her buttocks, an inefficient posture straining her running body.

Yeonghwa, sweating profusely, shows no sign of hardship, looking at Mantian’s face as he carries her, fleeing.

Her red eyes, filled only with Mantian, shake. Contrary to telling her to flee, she tightens her arms around Mantian’s neck.

Of course, she doesn’t want to be abandoned by her brother. But out of anxiety, wanting to confirm his love, she blurts out words she doesn’t mean.

Despite being of no help, she wants to be needed. A monster craving unconditional love.

…Truly a vulgar and shallow act.

“That’s a minor issue. We can slightly adjust the plan, and there’ll be no problem.”

And Mantian did not betray his sister’s expectations. He doesn’t stop thinking.

If Yeonghwa can’t control fire, we’ll just adjust the plan accordingly. Defeat the pursuers and save my sister.

Hiding my trembling body with rough breaths, I grit my teeth, suppressing fear. I chant a magical spell to fill myself with confidence.

“I’m a genius. I’ll handle this- and that- somehow. So don’t worry.”

Pausing briefly to catch my breath, I look at Yeonghwa. I say the words the lonely girl craving affection wants to hear.

“I’ll protect you.”

***

The eyeballs of Ying Dao, a first-class assassin of the Heavenly Demon God Sect’s Black Killing Squad, roll around. He looks at the food storage ahead.

Mantian’s trail ends here. The storage’s lock is broken. Disappointment fills Ying Dao’s eyes.

Surely, he doesn’t think hiding in the storage will make me unable to find him, right?

Perhaps fear has taken over, making him seek a hiding place without thinking. But either way, it’s disappointing.

I expected more from the wolf’s son. After all, he’s just a spoiled young master.

Truly, a case of ‘a tiger father begets a dog son.’ Or rather, ‘a wolf father begets a dog son’? Anyway, if I knew it would be like this, I’d have left the chase to someone else and fought the iron ball thrower.

In Ying Dao’s mind, Mantian is merely prey fleeing desperately from him, the hunter. Nothing more, nothing less.

Thus, without any suspicion, Ying Dao walks into the trap Mantian has set.

‘What’s this…?’

In the pitch-dark storage, the first thing Ying Dao sees is the storage filled with a pale powder.

Bringing his tongue close to the floating powder, he tastes a savory flavor. The powder filling the storage is soybean flour.

‘Is this a smokescreen to blind me?’

Ying Dao’s face twitches slightly. Disappointment turns into anticipation.

A pitch-dark storage with no light. Soybean flour that catches the eye upon entering. My position revealed upon opening the door.

Then, of course, comes the ambush. Ying Dao’s eyes gleam. He senses the energy.

Dog Chasing Stick Technique – A head-on strike to reprimand.

Mantian, hanging from the ceiling, targets Ying Dao’s crown with a basic form. A splendid ambush in the dark. But it’s careless.

Ying Dao is of the Black Killing Squad. He kills in the dark. The darkness of the storage is no hindrance.

Demon Subduing Hand – A Demon Sect technique to summon demons into the hand.

Bang!!

An unimaginable sound of clashing hands and staff echoes through the storage. Soybean flour swirls.

Caught off guard by the unexpected twist, Ying Dao’s scarred face contorts with joy as he punches Mantian’s exposed abdomen mid-air.

Mantian, hit squarely in the abdomen, flies and crashes into the wall. But he quickly grits his teeth and regains his stance.

Determination fills Mantian’s wolf-like amber eyes. Ying Dao’s mouth twitches in response.

“…I ask just in case. Do you think you can beat me?”

He raises his staff towards the smirking Demon Sect member. For the first time in his life, he harbors murderous intent. He steels his resolve.

“No. I intend to kill you.”

“That’s the best answer.”

Without waiting, they close the distance. A demon-empowered hand and a resolute staff clash once more.