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[Translator - Helga ]
[Proofreader - Starfall ]
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Chapter 59: Iron
Footsteps echoed nearby. Gu Eon turned toward the camp entrance.
The sound was singular, yet two people were approaching.
Kwon Hanul was carrying No Ho Min over his shoulder, walking toward them.
“I’ve captured him.”
Kwon Hanul threw No Ho Min down at Gu Eon’s feet. For a moment, Gu Eon wondered if he was seeing things.
“How did you manage to catch No Ho Min?”
“I ran like hell and caught him,” Kwon Hanul replied, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
Gu Eon was at a loss for words, stunned by the sheer absurdity.
—Has Kwon Hanul really returned? What happened?
“What do you mean what happened? I caught him.”
—Judging by that arrogant tone, it must be true.
The Chairman burst out laughing again.
Gu Eon couldn’t help but be surprised. As far as he knew, the Chairman was not someone who laughed often.
—So Kwon Hanul, that guy won the wager?
“There’s still something to confirm.”
—Confirm?
“My condition wasn’t just to catch No Ho Min, but to make him surrender. Just bringing him here isn’t enough.”
At those words, Kwon Hanul let out a sigh, visibly annoyed.
“You really hate admitting defeat, don’t you?”
“You don’t understand. People like him carry poison in their hearts. To control them, they must be utterly broken. Just defeating them in a fight isn’t enough.”
Kwon Hanul studied Gu Eon’s face and realized something.
Gu Eon wasn’t being petty because he couldn’t admit defeat.
He genuinely believed what he was saying.
“Get up.”
Kwon Hanul nudged No Ho Min with his foot. No Ho Min startled awake.
“W-where am I... W-what the—my jaw... my jaw’s fine?!”
“I had it treated, just in case.”
No Ho Min slowly looked up at Kwon Hanul. His face turned pale in an instant.
“Aaaaaargh!”
“Quiet.”
“Mmph! Mmmph!”
No Ho Min hurriedly covered his mouth with his palms, his eyes darting wildly, watching Kwon Hanul’s every move.
“Kneel.”
No Ho Min immediately shifted his posture, kneeling like a servile slave.
“Enough?”
Kwon Hanul turned to Gu Eon. Gu Eon’s face was filled with shock.
“…You didn’t just make him surrender. You completely broke him. How did you do it?”
There was a reason Gu Eon had chosen No Ho Min. He was an exceptionally vicious and unyielding criminal—so much so that even Gu Eon had planned to personally train him.
Yet Kwon Hanul had subdued him in mere minutes. Even Gu Eon would’ve struggled with that.
“I hit him a few times, and he listened.”
“You think that makes sense?”
“Anyway, it’s time for you to keep your end of the bargain.”
At Kwon Hanul’s words, Gu Eon hesitated. Then, with a long sigh, he spoke.
“Fine, I admit it. You have the right to take Mei Hong under your wing. Neither I nor the Iron Corps will interfere with Mei Hong anymore.”
Gu Eon had acknowledged defeat. At that moment, a shrill scream erupted.
“Kyaaah!”
Mei Hong leapt forward and clung tightly to Kwon Hanul’s neck, cheering.
“I knew I was right about you! Following you was the best decision I ever made!”
Overcome with joy, she shook Kwon Hanul enthusiastically. His neck ached from the force.
“Please calm down.”
Perhaps realizing this, Joo Hayun gently pulled Mei Hong back by her shoulders. Yet Mei Hong’s excitement didn’t fade.
“Unni! Did you see that?”
“Yes, I did.”
“You’re so calm for someone who just witnessed that!”
“When you serve someone like Kwon Hanul, this kind of thing stops surprising you.”
At those words, Mei Hong made a playful face.
“Wow, that’s subtle bragging. How’s a newbie like me supposed to survive?”
As Mei Hong pouted, Gu Eon addressed her.
“Don’t get too comfortable, Mei Hong. The Iron Corps is always watching you.”
His voice was cold as ever.
“If you do anything to harm the clan, we’ll come for you immediately.”
—Gu Eon, can we have a word?
Gu Eon’s demeanor suddenly shifted. He politely pressed his comm device.
“Right now, sir?”
—Yes. Somewhere private, if possible. I don’t want anyone overhearing this conversation.
“There are members of the Bae Clan present. Leaving without cause would be…”
—That’s fine. In fact, I’d like Hayun to come along too.
A flicker of surprise crossed Joo Hayun’s face. It wasn’t common for both of them to be summoned together.
“Understood. You, restrain the criminal and prepare to leave.”
The Iron Corps members bowed slightly.
“Lord Kwon Hanul, I’ll be back shortly.”
Joo Hayun followed Gu Eon as he left.
“Hmm… So, what should we do in the meantime?”
At Mei Hong’s question, Kwon Hanul shrugged.
“Let’s discuss our plans. We’ll be taking on a mission soon.”
“What kind of mission?”
“A guard mission…”
Just as they started talking, someone approached.
A male member of the Iron Corps stepped forward.
“Lord Kwon Hanul, it’s an honor to meet you.”
His tone was polite, with no sign of hostility.
“I’ve been meaning to speak with you. Didn’t expect the chance to come this soon. Looks like today’s my lucky day.”
Even so, Kwon Hanul’s senses flared. Instinctively, he felt the need to be cautious around this man.
The man gave a faint smile.
“No need to be on guard. Captain Gu Eon and the Witch of Hyukcheon are right nearby. What could I possibly do? Not that I’d try anything.”
Even so, Kwon Hanul couldn’t relax.
The man radiated an overwhelming presence.
Slightly below average height. Messy, unkempt hair. A scrawny, unimpressive frame.
And yet, it felt as if a massive mountain had been compacted into that frame—a suffocating pressure.
How had he not noticed before? How was this man so powerful?
“Who are you?”
“You heard my name earlier, didn’t you? Bae Cheol-min. Bae Cheol-min.”
Kwon Hanul tried to recall.
This was the man who had retrieved No Ho Min from the iron prison on Gu Eon’s orders.
“I’ve wanted to meet you since I first heard about you. I’m sure you feel the same.”
“Me? With you?”
Bae Cheol-min looked slightly hurt by Kwon Hanul’s reaction.
“Playing dumb, are we? Now that the Chairman recognizes you, does that mean our clan means nothing to you?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“…You do know who I am, right?”
“Nope.”
Bae Cheol-min, usually so talkative, suddenly fell silent in shock.
“This doesn’t make sense… If you don’t know me, that means you don’t know the Cheongsong Bae Clan or Healthy Bloodline either?”
“Never heard of either…”
Suddenly, Kwon Hanul’s eyes sharpened.
“What did you just say? Healthy Bloodline?”
Bae Cheol-min smirked at Kwon Hanul’s reaction.
“Ha… This is unbelievable. The Head of Hyukcheon’s family has really gone too far. Of all people, you should know about us.”
Frustrated, Bae Cheol-min ruffled his hair violently.
A nearby comrade shouted at him.
“Hey, Bae Cheol-min! Don’t mess around! Captain Gu Eon gave us orders—”
“Shut up.”
Bae Cheol-min snapped, glaring at the Iron Corps member. The man immediately went silent.
No, it wasn’t just that. His body had stiffened, paralyzed—unable to speak even if he wanted to.
“I’m busy. Don’t get in my way.”
Despite speaking only a few words, the air was thick with deadly intent.
“Ah, excuse me. That was rude.”
Bae Cheol-min turned back to Kwon Hanul, who stared at him with a steely expression.
“Our Cheongsong Bae Clan has served the House of Black Dragon for generations. Thanks to the Healthy Bloodline.”
Kwon Hanul hadn’t misheard. It was the Healthy Bloodline.
“But decades ago, our entire clan was ruined. Now we’re little more than slaves. All at the hands of the House of Black Dragon.”
“What does that have to do with me?” Kwon Hanul asked, his tone cold. Bae Cheol-min only smiled in response.
“Lord Kwon Hanul, how much do you really know about your father?”
“I don’t know much.”
That was because every time he tried to learn about his father, Kwon Seonwoo and Joo Hayun remained silent.
“All I’ve ever been told is that he fled the clan, mixed his blood with an outsider—my mother—and was branded a traitor because of it.”
“That’s not entirely false, but it’s not the whole truth either. Your father didn’t exactly flee the clan on his own accord. It would be more accurate to say he was exiled.”
“Exiled?”
“Yes. Had he stayed, he would have faced execution.”
It felt like he’d been struck in the head with a solid hammer.
“...Execution? Why?”
“Why do you think? Because the head of Hyukcheon Clan gave the order.”
“And on what charges?”
“I don’t know.”
Kwon Hanul frowned. Bae Cheol-min, however, still wore a smile.
“The head of Hyukcheon never disclosed the charges. He simply sentenced your father to death. Some tried to uncover the reason, but the clan head never said a word.”
Bae Cheol-min chuckled as he continued.
“No one knew the reason. Not even your father. One day, he was suddenly bound and imprisoned.”
“He was sentenced to death without even being told why?”
“Haha, Lord Hanul.”
Bae Cheol-min burst out laughing, with a gaze like he was looking at a pitiable child.
“That’s just the kind of man the head of Hyukcheon is. Did you really not know that?”
Kwon Hanul was speechless.
“The head of the Cheongsong Bae Clan couldn’t bear to watch any longer. He saved your father and helped him escape. In return... well, there’s no need for me to say what came next.”
Bae Cheol-min looked at Kwon Hanul steadily.
“Now you understand why I wanted to meet you.”
It made sense now.
From birth, Kwon Hanul had been entangled with this man and the Cheongsong Bae Clan.
“What do you want from me?”
“Want? Nothing of the sort. I just want you to know something.”
Bae Cheol-min’s voice lowered slightly, almost intimate.
“That our Cheongsong Bae Clan did everything it could for your father.”
Unconsciously, Kwon Hanul clenched his fists tightly.
“Is it because of the clan’s sins that you ended up in the Iron Corps?”
“Hyukcheon is a hellish place, but it doesn’t send people to the Iron Corps over old grudges.”
“Then what crime put me in the Iron Corps?”
“Attempted assassination of the clan head.”
Kwon Hanul stared at Bae Cheol-min, stunned. Bae Cheol-min spoke with a smile.
“I’ve said too much already.”
By now, the Iron Corps soldiers had long since bound Noh Ho Min’s limbs and locked him in a cell.
Bae Cheol-min began walking toward them.
“There’s one more thing I’m curious about.”
Kwon Hanul stopped him. Bae Cheol-min turned back with a puzzled look.
“How did you become so strong?”
It was hard to believe he came from a fallen clan—Bae Cheol-min was that powerful.
Even most of Hyukcheon’s pure-bloods wouldn’t be able to match him.
“It’s nothing special. I simply focused on my bloodline.”
“You reached that level through the Health Bloodline?”
It didn’t make sense. Though the Health Bloodline was impressive, it wasn’t meant for combat.
“The Healthy Bloodline strengthens its bearer under extreme conditions.”
He knew that.
When the bearer of the Health Bloodline experiences pain, they grow stronger to overcome it.
But even so, how could that alone elevate him to this level?
“So that’s how you became strong?”
“Of course, that alone wouldn’t be enough.”
Bae Cheol-min’s smile remained unchanged.
“You just have to live in hell every day.”
* * *
Elsewhere
“Chairman, is it wise to let him speak freely like that?”
Gu Eon asked, clearly unable to understand.
—It’s fine. It’s not something we could hide forever anyway.
“But Bae Cheol-min still harbors hatred for Hyukcheon. Someone like that wouldn’t tell the truth.”
—What does truth matter? Knowing it changes nothing. Isn’t that right, Hayun?
Joo Hayun lowered her head in silence.
Gu Eon still looked displeased.
“I just can’t help but worry. To reveal this in such a manner—surely there’s a better way.”
—That child is no longer a child. I won’t coddle him and explain everything step by step.
Kwon Seonwoo spoke firmly.
—You misunderstand something, Gu Eon. I’m not revealing the truth for his sake. I want to see how he reacts—how he acts once he knows about his father.
Kwon Seonwoo’s interest, now as always, was singular.
To determine Kwon Hanul’s worth—how valuable he was, and how best to evaluate that worth.
Even the story of Hanul’s father was just another tool.
“Lord Hanul doesn’t seem that curious about his parents.”
At that moment, Joo Hayun spoke up.
—Is that so? Then there won’t be much to gain from this.
“But I don’t believe this is the right way.”
—Are you reproaching me?
“I wouldn’t dare.”
Joo Hayun’s voice remained calm.
“I simply said it because I’m concerned.”
Still, she didn’t stop speaking.
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[Translator - Helga ]
[Proofreader - Starfall ]
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