Chapter 44

It was a good farewell, a clean farewell.


Mukgang thought so.


If only the wolf with quiet footsteps hadn’t walked out of the darkness and spoken.


“Long time no see, Brother Muk.”


“There’s no reason for you to call me brother. Don’t call me brother.”


The tone was firm, but Sima Bu didn’t mind and smiled warmly, bowing to Mukgang.


“If I can’t call someone like Brother Muk ‘brother,’ then who can I call ‘brother’? This time, my younger brother Sima owes you a great debt.”


A dog father and a tiger son.


In an instant, Mukgang sighed wearily as a greedy tiger niece, filled with thoughts of stealing martial arts secrets, appeared in his mind, compared to the unpredictable younger brother who might stab him in the back at any moment.


“…So, what do you need from me?”


“If I owe a debt, it’s only natural to repay it.”


Sima Bu clapped lightly, and a servant who had been waiting behind him carefully opened the lid of an elegant wooden box.


Inside was a plaque engraved with ‘Sima.’


“This is the gratitude plaque of the Sima Family, one of the Four Pillars of the Evil Faction, Mang, Zhuo, Cao, and Yi.”


Gratitude is repaid with gold, enmity with the sword. It’s an unspoken rule that anyone in the martial world must follow, regardless of faction.


“Showing this plaque will ensure that the Evil Faction organizations under the Sima Family, like the Iron Wolf Sect and the Blue Sand Sect, will not treat you as an enemy and will offer help if needed. Also…”


“Enough. That’s enough.”


Mukgang cut off Sima Bu’s words, pulling out a cloth bundle of jerky from his pocket.


“I’ve already received my repayment from your son. So, put that useless plaque back.”


Sima Bu smiled meaningfully at the jerky peeking out from the cloth and bowed even more respectfully to Mukgang.


It was the kind of respect a parent shows to their child’s teacher.


“Thank you for accepting my unworthy son as your disciple.”


Mukgang sighed heavily, seeing in Sima Bu the image of Yeonghwa, who had once brought him a lunchbox to ask him to teach martial arts to Mantian.


Like father, like daughter. The black-hearted nature had been passed down to the child without needing to be taught.


It seemed the shamelessness went to Mantian, and the cunning to Yeonghwa. A shameless and cunning wolf family.


“…So, is that all you wanted to say?”


At Mukgang’s calm interrogation, Sima Bu wiped the smile from his face and got to the real point.


“What do you think about the recent movements of the Heavenly Demon God Sect?”


Though he had no obligation to answer, Mukgang reluctantly opened his heavy mouth, remembering the lunchbox he had received from Yeonghwa.


If you receive alms, it’s only right to chant sutras.


“When the inside is chaotic, they turn their eyes outward.”


With those words, Mukgang turned and walked away silently. Sima Bu called out from behind, but he didn’t stop.


“I’ve told you enough. Think about the rest yourself.”


He took a piece of jerky from the bundle and bit into it. It tasted good.


The Heavenly Demon God Sect had invaded the Baehwa Church, seeking sacrificial offerings for the Heavenly Demon, and had mobilized troops to conquer the Sima Family.


On the surface, it seemed like the Heavenly Demon God Sect was preparing for full-scale activity, but to Mukgang, it was nothing more than diverting attention from internal chaos.


Honestly, it was more surprising that they had been quiet until now. After all, the spiritual leader and symbol of the Heavenly Demon God Sect, the First Demon of All Ages, the Heavenly Demon—


He looked up at the sky. The night sky was covered by dark clouds, obscuring the moon.


—had disappeared seventeen years ago on a day when the sky was covered.


***


“…Should we follow him?”


Jang Sam-i, who had been hiding with shadow techniques, revealed himself and waited for orders. Sima Bu shook his head.


“It’s not right to tail your child’s teacher.”


Since when did you care about what’s right? It’s ridiculous. Family really softens people.


“…If you want him to learn more, why not teach him yourself?”


Jang Sam-i couldn’t understand why Sima Bu didn’t pass on the family’s secret martial arts to Mantian, the rightful heir. Sima Bu smiled bitterly and replied.


“He’s already learned excellent Righteous Faction martial arts. What’s the point of teaching him dirty Evil Faction techniques? I don’t want to ruin his life.”


They might boast about being one of the Four Pillars of the Evil Faction, but in reality, they’re just leaders of a gang.


How could he reveal to his family that he was the leader of a gang that would bury anyone, young or old, in the mountains or sea if they got in the way? It was impossible.


He wanted to be seen as a good husband and father to his beloved wife and children. That’s why he even spent money to frame the recent Demon Sect invasion as the work of bandits.


He wanted to report it to the government or the Righteous Faction, but if he did, his dealings with the Demon Sect would be investigated, and the true nature of the Sima Family would be exposed.


Finally, the plan to bring the Sima Family into the light was on track. Finally, he could bid farewell to the detestable underworld.


Sima Bu turned his head and looked in the direction of Mantian’s room. He looked not as the leader of the Evil Faction but as a father worried for his son.


“…I will never let Tian bear the burden of the Evil Faction. I will only pass on bright and good things.”


‘Heartless bastard.’


Jang Sam-i barely managed to keep the harsh words from spilling out.


If you hate the Demon Sect and the Evil Faction so much, you shouldn’t take their money. It’s downright thief-like to suck up all the money from the underworld and then try to move into the light.


…But then again, the Evil Faction itself is a den of thieves, and Sima Bu is one of its leaders.


It’s hard for a thief to scold another thief for being heartless.


Jang Sam-i cursed to himself, then nodded in understanding.


***


It was summer, and the peach blossoms were in full bloom. Beautiful pink petals fluttered in the air, covering the sky.


And as promised, Mantian and Yeonghwa exchanged vows under the peach tree.


“I swear to the heavens. I, Sima Mantian, will never betray Yeonghwa and will stay with her until the day I die.”


It was a typical vow to the heavens, but to Yeonghwa, it felt a bit lacking. So, she modified the latter part to her liking.


“I, Sima Yeonghwa, also swear never to betray my brother and to love him, staying with him even after death.”


They made their vows to the heavens and shared a cup of wine.


The vow in the peach garden, intertwined with a red thread, bound their fates even more tightly.


Yeonghwa shyly took her lips off the cup and, embarrassed, glanced at Mantian’s face.


Thick eyebrows, a sharp jawline, a well-defined nose, and amber eyes reminiscent of a wolf. He was as handsome as ever.


…Yes, my handsome brother.


She gently placed her hand over her chest. The joy of being connected to her beloved brother made her heart race even through her clothes.


“We’ve made our vows. Shall we go see the market?”


At the gentle and warm hand extended to her, Yeonghwa’s face turned as pink as the fluttering peach blossoms.


Holding hands in public is truly vulgar and low-class behavior.


…But her body moved on its own. Her reason was paralyzed by her brother’s sweet whispers.


She carefully placed her delicate fingers on his palm. Hand in hand.


The two, having finished their vows, walked side by side down the street filled with falling peach blossoms.


*


*


*


A cheerful hum escaped her lips.


She combed her beautiful black hair with the comb her brother had bought her at the market.


Just because it looked a little pretty, he bought it for her without hesitation.


It wasn’t just the gift that made her happy. It was the fact that her brother paid attention to her and looked at her.


I feel loved by this person. It’s a happy feeling.


She looked at the hand that had held her brother’s.


Her brother’s warmth came to mind. His hand, his voice, his face.


This is bad. It hasn’t been long since we parted, and I already miss him.


…But Yeonghwa no longer thought of herself as vulgar or low-class.


Because it’s ‘common sense’ for a married couple to miss each other. It’s as ‘common sense’ as a brother and sister getting married.


So, without hesitation, she left her room.


She wanted to run to him faster than the wind, but she couldn’t. She moved gracefully, paying attention to every movement.


As the wife of her beloved brother and the future mistress of the Sima Family, she had to show a dignified and elegant demeanor.


She straightened her back and took measured steps—one step, two steps—toward her brother’s room. Just as she was about to knock, a passing maid spoke to her.


“Miss, the second young master has gone to deliver a letter to Miss Guhae and isn’t in his room.”


It felt like being hit on the back of the head with a hammer. Of course, it wasn’t the shock of her brother not being in his room. Her head slowly turned.


“…Miss Guhae?”


“Ah~ Miss Guhae~ You don’t know her? The second young master went to study at the Jiegal Family for about a year. They became close friends then. They still exchange letters. From what I’ve seen, there’s something special between them.”


Information she wanted to know but didn’t want to hear poured out of the chatty maid’s mouth, striking Yeonghwa’s body and mind.


How long did she chatter? When another servant called for the maid, she bowed to Yeonghwa and walked away.


“……”


An eerie silence filled the hallway after the chatty maid left. Yeonghwa opened Mantian’s door with a dazed expression.


She knew she shouldn’t, but she couldn’t help herself and rummaged through her brother’s desk. Opening a drawer, she found dozens of letters carefully stored.


All of them were from Guhae.


Why… why would you keep letters from just a friend so carefully? This is strange… Brother.


She trembled as she put the letters back in the drawer.


She wanted to check the contents of the letters immediately, but that would be truly vulgar behavior, so she bit her lip and quickly left the room.


More accurately, she fled. She couldn’t accept that the affection that should only be directed at her was also being directed elsewhere.


Yeonghwa’s legs quickly carried her down the hallway. There was no sign of dignity.


She saw traces of another woman in her beloved brother. Her breath quickened, and her body heated up.


Anger toward the one who dared to covet what was hers and anxiety that her precious person might be taken away made her body tremble.


Tears welled up in her burning red eyes.


With rough movements that showed no elegance, she opened the door to Sima Bu’s private study.


“What is this—”


“Teach me… martial arts.”


He’s my only brother. My only Xiaoxiantu. No matter who it is, I won’t let anyone take him away.


If he’s taken, I’ll use force to get him back.


A greedy flame flickered in Yeonghwa’s red eyes. The wolf hidden behind elegance revealed its face.


The wolf’s blood is inherited.