Chapter 13
Before revealing the plan to Gu-Ak, Yang-hwi went over the conditions he had to fulfill.
‘I need to make Rang-rang’s father hostile toward the Honggyo Sect, and instead, make him an ally of the Baek family.’
The former was to block the Dark Path Faction from gaining power, while the latter was a crucial step toward elevating the Baek family to one of the top clans in the land.
‘So first… keep things vague. There’s no need to spill everything just yet.’
Yang-hwi opened his mouth with a sly smile.
“Gu-Hyung, the real issue here is that Sister Rang is nothing more than a courtesan without backing. So… let’s give her one.”
“What?”
“Does Sister Rang have any family?”
“No. She’s a true orphan,” Gu-Ak replied firmly.
“As I thought. She herself believes she has no family, and so does everyone around her.”
“Then let’s create one. For example, what if it turns out she actually had a father all along?”
“...Is that the method you mentioned earlier, Junior Brother?” Gu-Ak’s expression turned noticeably cold.
It was more than just deflating—there was clear disappointment, no, even anger on his face.
“Say it. Your great master plan is to fake Rang-rang’s father? That’s your brilliant solution?!”
He hadn’t even asked because he expected an answer. He kept shouting:
“You think I haven’t considered that? The reason my father is trying to get rid of Rang-rang is because she holds no value to him! Do you think anyone with enough status to be useful to the Honggyo Sect would willingly pretend to be her father? And even if we did manage to fool him temporarily, without continued support, my father would throw her away again!”
As Gu-Ak’s face turned beet red with rage, Yang-hwi kept smiling cheerfully.
“You’re smiling?! You little brat, do you want me to make sure you never smile again?!”
The moment Gu-Ak reached for his collar, Yang-hwi calmly spoke:
“What if I told you… I had the perfect way to solve everything?”
Gu-Ak froze mid-motion, his hand stopping just short of grabbing him.
“You… have a way? What is it?”
Instead of answering, Yang-hwi leaned his neck into Gu-Ak’s hand and grabbed it with both of his.
“Gu-Hyung! A man who draws his sword must at least cut a radish! You were already reaching for my neck, don’t stop now!”
“...”
This time, Gu-Ak felt like he was going to explode for a completely different reason.
This brat had an uncanny ability to know exactly when the odds were in his favor—and when he could get away with it.
“Ahem… Junior Brother. I got a bit carried away. My feelings for Rang-rang run deep… but you’re a man too, so I’m sure you understand.”
“Of course! Totally understand!” Yang-hwi nodded while still hanging from Gu-Ak’s arm with both hands.
“...”
“Junior Brother.”
“Yes, Gu-Hyung!”
“As you know, I’m part of the Dark Path Faction. I tend to have a foul mouth.”
It wasn’t exactly satisfying, but by Gu-Ak’s standards, this was a form of apology. Yang-hwi finally let go of his collar.
But of course, he added:
“As the heir of the Baek family, I’ll graciously accept your apology!”
“...Ugh. So, what’s this plan of yours?”
“Simple. Sister Rang puts out notices all over, saying she’s searching for her long-lost father.”
“And then you bring in someone who can persuade my father?”
“Something like that.”
“And if it doesn’t work?”
“Well, same as before. I’ll bet my neck again.”
Does this brat think his neck is just some silver coin he picked up off the street? thought Gu-Ak, staring at Yang-hwi grinning smugly.
“Even if it fails, nothing really happens. Are there a lot of people who know Sister Rang is your lover?”
“At the very least, my father knows.”
“Well, since he already hates you, one more disappointment won’t exactly be a scandal.”
With a thud, Gu-Ak collapsed into a seat and began downing his liquor straight from the bottle.
“Ha… Junior Brother. Rang-rang is… someone truly precious to me.”
“Well, for someone as rough and hot-tempered as you to actually listen to a cheeky brat like me—that’s gotta mean serious feelings.”
“So you do know you’re cheeky?”
“The foundation of a martial artist is self-awareness, is it not?”
“For someone who says that, you have no grasp of your place.”
“If I really didn’t, I wouldn’t be sitting here alone with you right now!”
“...”
Even after he let a bit of his vulnerable side show, this brat didn’t back down for a second.
At this point, Gu-Ak realized something—he no longer even felt the urge to snap back at this brat. It wasn’t an adaptation. It was a surrender.
“So, let’s hear something a little more concrete.”
“Gladly. But to avoid any hassle, how about we bring Sister Rang into the conversation?”
“Hmm, so you want to meet Rang-rang, huh?”
“I mean, I am curious. What kind of woman managed to capture the heart of someone as wild and unruly as you?”
“So the kid can flatter.”
“Oh, if I really wanted to, I could flatter until my tongue’s worn smooth.”
Gu-Ak let out a short laugh before casually tossing Yang-hwi over his shoulder and leaping out the window.
“Aren’t you even gonna pretend to be surprised when we take off flying like this? You’re no fun to tease at all.”
“Then make it more surprising next time.”
“Tch. You’re a real piece of work.”
Stepping lightly across a dozen rooftops, Gu-Ak finally landed in front of a small but beautifully maintained tile-roofed house.
“Rang-rang. I’m here.”
A moment later, the door creaked open—and out stepped a woman so stunning, she seemed to outshine the sun.
“My Dear!”
With a smile as radiant as a blooming flower, she flung herself into Gu-Ak’s arms and looked up at him lovingly.
There was no need to ask—anyone could see it. The affection in their gaze was overflowing. These two were deeply in love.
‘It’s my first time seeing her in person, but yeah… I get why Gu-Ak fell for her.’
She wasn’t just beautiful. Her love for Gu-Ak was so obvious that even the dullest man couldn’t miss it.
Rang-rang was the kind of woman no man could help but fall for.
“Oh my, and who might this young gentleman be?”
“Hmm. Just a kid I happen to know…”
Yang-hwi jumped in quickly.
“I’m Gu-hyung’s Junior Brother! I’m Yang-hwi of the Baek family. It’s an honor to meet you, Sister-in-law!”
Gu-Ak fell silent, while Rang-rang let out a soft giggle.
“You’re telling me My Dear is doing brotherly bonding with someone so young? Oh my, how adorable!”
Anyone could tell—the word “adorable” wasn’t aimed at Yang-hwi but at Gu-Ak.
“She really called that scary-looking guy ‘adorable.’ She’s totally smitten.”
“Hehe, our Gu-hyung is pretty cute. Gu-hyung, are you aware of your own cuteness?”
Unable to lash out in front of his beloved, Gu-Ak could only lower his flushed face and tremble with embarrassment.
“Even the way you get flustered is adorable, Gu-hyung!”
“So the young master recognizes My Dear’s charms too?”
“Of course, of course. How could I not?”
“It’s strange, though. Everyone else finds My Dear scary.”
“They just don’t have the eyes to see the soft, fluffy heart hidden under that tough exterior!”
Yang-hwi meant to tease, but Rang-rang genuinely believed what she said.
“This is fun, but Gu-hyung looks ready to explode. I should probably wrap it up.”
“Sister Rang, if it’s not too much trouble, may I have a cup of tea?”
“Of course not! I can’t let my dear’s Junior Brother leave empty-handed. Please, come in, young master. My Dear, you too.”
Looping her arm around Gu-Ak’s, Rang-rang led the way.
Gu-Ak, who had planned to scold Yang-hwi after this, ended up being dragged inside by the dainty woman—despite his bulky frame.
“Please enjoy some tea. Though, My Dear, I know you came to see me… but what brings the young master here today?”
Instead of answering, Yang-hwi glanced at Gu-Ak—a silent request to set the boundaries of what should or shouldn’t be shared.
Thankfully, Gu-Ak picked up on it and answered in his place.
“Well… We’re trying to come up with a plan to support our marriage.”
“So the young master is My Dear’s strategist, is that it?”
“Ahem. Not quite. He’s just a clever kid I ask for advice from time to time.”
At that point, Yang-hwi chimed in.
“And now, Sister Rang, we need your help. We’re putting up posters to help you ‘search’ for your father, and we need something convincing to write on them.”
“But… I lost my father long ago. I don’t even know what kind of things we should write.”
“Is that so?”
Yang-hwi took a sip of tea—then paused.
“Hmm? This taste… and this energy…”
So that’s how it is. Gu-Ak, Rang-rang, and the Honggyo Sect.
‘What I knew in my past life wasn’t the whole story after all.’
Silently circulating his internal energy through the Hwacheon Dual Essence Technique, Yang-hwi reviewed both the memories from his previous life and the new pieces of the puzzle.
First, no matter what happens in the future, the Lord of the Honggyo Sect will kill Rang-rang.
Second, the Honggyo Sect Lord and Rang-rang’s father will end up in mutual destruction.
And third…
Rang-rang’s father cannot publicly reveal his identity. But if I can make use of his talents, I might just be able to solve some very tricky issues.
If I can play all these cards right…
A clever plan began forming in Yang-hwi’s mind—one that would allow Gu-Ak and Rang-rang to be together and bring Rang-rang’s father over to the Baek family as an ally.
Without delay, Yang-hwi spoke.
“Let’s do this then. Sister Rang, could you tell me a few stories from your childhood? I’ll turn them into something we can use for the posters.”
Gu-Ak gave him a skeptical look.
“You’re going to write them yourself? Aren’t you at an age where you haven’t even finished learning the Thousand-Character Classic?”
“And how far have you studied, Gu-Hyung?”
“Ahem. Well, as a martial man, getting through the Thousand Characters is good enough. But I have read the Four Books too.”
Which probably meant he had only barely scraped through the Thousand-Character Classic.
Still, a man should always help his fellow man save face in front of his lover—even if he has to exaggerate a little.
“Wow! You’ve even read the Four Books? That’s incredible, Gu-Hyung! I’ve barely managed to memorize the Thousand Characters, so I was going to come up with the content and ask you to write it out for me!”
“Ahem… I see.”
Trying to hide it, but Gu-Ak’s shoulders visibly rose a little with pride.
Even for a Dark Path thug, he really is kinda cute sometimes.
“Sister Rang, do you happen to have any keepsakes from your childhood? Something we could include to make the poster more convincing?”
Even as he asked, Yang-hwi already had a good idea what would happen next.
After all, the whole reason he asked to meet her in person was for this exact moment.
“I don’t think I—Oh!”
Rang-rang suddenly dashed off and returned holding a small jade pendant.
“Back when I was first taken in at a brothel, one of the guests gave this to me. He said it was something that would one day connect me with someone precious. That I must never sell it, no matter what. So even during my hardest times, I always wore it around my neck.”
The pendant glowed with a subtle blue sheen, and a single Chinese character was engraved into it.
The calligraphy was so unique and distorted it was hard to make out, but it was undoubtedly the character “Jin (眞)”—True.
A personal token, given to her by her father. No doubt about it.
This was the final piece he needed to lure out Rang-rang’s father. With this, he could fabricate the rest freely.
“This is perfect, Sister Rang. Would it be alright if I borrow it for a few days?”
“Please do, young master. After all, that pendant already fulfilled its role the moment it brought me to my My Dear.”
No, that man likely meant himself when he said ‘someone precious.’
Smiling softly, Yang-hwi turned to Gu-Ak.
“By the way, Gu-Hyung. Don’t you think it would be safer to move Sister Rang’s residence to the Baek household for now?”
“Hmm? And why’s that?”
“Whichever way this goes, it’s going to stir trouble. If the Honggyo Sect Lord flies into a rage, he might do something terrible. In that case, what’s the safest place you know of? Where can she be protected by someone you trust absolutely? Nowhere but the Baek household, right?”
Gu-Ak didn’t respond right away. But he couldn’t deny a single word of it.
Most of the people he knew were part of the Dark Path. And while loyalty wasn’t unheard of in those circles, the moment his father stepped in—none of them could be trusted.
In that case... it’s a hundred times better to place her under the care of the “Righteous Chivalry.” Even Father would hesitate before touching the Baek family.
In fact, to the various Dark Path factions around Akan-hyeon, the Baek family was a constant thorn in their side.
They were a small force—nothing the Dark Path couldn’t crush in a day.
But due to the Baek family head’s sworn brotherhood with one of the greatest heroes in the martial world, they were untouchable.
Which is why, when Baek Mu-ryang finally gave the Dark Path a reason to act, they jumped at the chance and attacked.
…Though they ended up offering up their coin pouches and retreating, thanks to Yang-hwi’s sharp tongue.
“Alright. Rang-rang, stay with my Junior Brother’s family for a few days.”
“I don’t quite understand the reason, but if My Dear says it’s best, I trust him completely.”
With that, the matter was settled.
Gu-Ak personally escorted Yang-hwi and Rang-rang to the Baek household before taking his leave.
“Sister Rang, please treat this place as your home. I’m sorry in advance if things are a bit uncomfortable.”
“Hohoho. You’re such a sweet young master. Thank you for your kindness.”
And thus, Rang-rang’s stay as a guest of the Baek family began.
****
The very next day, the posters went up.
Not just in Akan-hyeon, but in Muju, Namchang, the entire Gangseo Province, and even into the neighboring province of Hunan.
[The Azure Beauty— Rang-rang Searches for Her Father!]
[To the man who lost a 25-year-old daughter long ago…]
[She has treasured the jade pendant you gave her all this time — a token said to connect her with someone precious.]
[If you wish to reclaim lost heavenly ties, come to Baek House Manor in Akan-hyeon, Gangseo Muju.]
And then—
Exactly three days later, under a sky lit by a bright full moon,
A mysterious visitor arrived at the Baek family estate.
---The End Of The Chapter---
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