Chapter 17 : Father and Son

Chapter 17: Father and Son

“Hopefully, Vice Chief Bu won't be offended.”

“Heh heh, of course not. Don’t worry at all. The client’s opinion is always absolute.”

“As expected of Vice Chief Bu. Hmm, well, we'll take our leave here. If you come to a decision regarding our proposal, please send us a message. We’ll return immediately.”

“...Yes, I will.”

Soon after, the client exited the head escort room of Ten Thousand Seas Escort Agency with a bow.

And the moment the door closed—

“Damn it!”

Tang Hoyeol's face, which had been forced into a smile until now, twisted in an instant.

The escorts who had been sitting with him kept glancing at his expression.

Tang Hoyeol ground his teeth, unable to let go of his anger.

“They all say they won’t make a request unless that bastard Sewoon is involved! These damn bugs aren’t even joking anymore!”

That’s right. The reason the request had fallen through earlier was because the client required the inclusion of Tang Sewoon, the young master, in the escort team.

And such inquiries had continued ever since the Lee Hoseong incident.

As Tang Hoyeol fumed, one of the escorts cautiously spoke up.

“Phew, I agree. This time, thanks to sheer dumb luck, he even took out an assassin…”

“Idiot!”

Tang Hoyeol snapped, and the escort turned pale and clammed up.

“That wretch born with that dreadful Heavenly Punishment managed to take down a Peak Master Level martial artist? Do you really believe that?”

“T-Then how…?”

“Clicking his tongue. You really can’t think, can you.”

“It’s obvious. There must’ve been a bodyguard secretly assigned by the Alliance Leader in case something like this happened.”

“Ah.”

“And that bodyguard must’ve taken care of everything, while the brat claimed the credit.”

Tang Hoyeol’s reasoning certainly had merit.

It was more plausible that the Alliance Leader, having anticipated such a situation, made arrangements in advance and struck a deal to resolve the situation through Sewoon’s actions—rather than Sewoon having overcome his Heavenly Punishment and shown godlike martial prowess.

“Indeed…!”

“To think the young master had such cunning in him.”

“As expected of the Head Escort!”

The escorts flattered him with all kinds of praise, but Tang Hoyeol only frowned at the sight of them.

‘Tsk, not one of these fools is worth anything.’

Knock knock.

Just then, someone knocked on the door.

He’s finally here.

Tang Hoyeol’s expression changed at once.

“Everyone, leave.”

“Y-Yes, sir!”

The escorts, sensing their chance, hurried out like an ebbing tide.

A middle-aged man in his forties entered through the now-open door.

“Heh heh, you’ve come.”

Gone was the earlier anger, replaced by the demeanor of a virtuous sage as the Head Escort greeted him.

“Vice Hall Leader Jang Dal of the Inner and Outer Affairs Hall greets the Head Escort.”

Surprisingly, it was Vice Hall Leader Jang Dal of the Inner and Outer Affairs Hall.

He served under Tang Muyeol, managing the clan’s finances.

‘...This guy has to switch sides.’

Staring at Jang Dal with eyes akin to a predator’s, Tang Hoyeol quietly spoke.

“So. Have you made your decision?”

Jang Dal fell silent, deep in thought.

With dark circles under his eyes and a pale complexion, he clearly hadn’t slept well.

“...If we really only bring in a Supreme Peak wanderer, are you sure there won’t be any danger?”

At Jang Dal’s question, a wicked smile spread across Tang Hoyeol’s face.

“Ah, of course. Even if it's a request from the Murim Alliance, with a Supreme Peak master, it’ll be easier than eating rice cake lying down.”

Here was their situation.

After the Lee Hoseong incident, the Murim Alliance struggled with how to compensate the Tang Clan.

Paying for Tang Sewoon and the servant girl’s medical expenses was a given, but all other compensation was delayed.

Because official compensation from the Alliance required documented justification, the Qingcheng Sect strongly opposed it.

And the Elders’ faction feared that the Tang Clan—now seen as part of the rising Alliance Leader faction due to Sewoon’s Wave Moon reward—might rebuild itself using the compensation and thus empower the Alliance Leader’s side.

So after much compromise, the agreed solution was—

‘To give Ten Thousand Seas Escort Agency the exclusive right to Murim Alliance requests.’

The Murim Alliance, with branches across most of the Central Plains, always had excessive missions to handle.

So from time to time, for various reasons, they outsourced difficult tasks to external forces.

And competition between those external forces for the Alliance’s requests was fierce.

Because the Alliance was the greatest power in Murim, the rewards for completing their missions were enormous.

‘And being able to claim that you fulfilled a Murim Alliance request perfectly would greatly boost your faction’s influence.’

Just that title alone could elevate one to the status of Sichuan’s foremost escort agency.

Anyway, the offer from the Alliance had two options.

Either one mid-tier request with a single payment, or exclusive rights to ten low-tier requests over three years.

They could only choose one, and the total reward for each path was equal.

The only difference was how long it would take, depending on the difficulty.

For Tang Hoyeol, who planned to split from the main clan before the year was out, there was only one choice.

‘Three years is too long.’

He wanted the mid-tier Murim Alliance request.

Because once he got the reward and the honor, he could embezzle it right away.

But—

There was a big problem to solve first.

To take on a mid-tier request, there was a requirement.

There had to be at least one Supreme Peak level martial artist in the escort team.

But as everyone knew, there were no such martial artists in the Tang Clan.

So he had to bring in a Supreme Peak level wanderer.

But because their fees were sky-high, funding from the main clan was necessary.

However, due to the inherent risks and instability of mid-tier requests, Clan Head Tang Muyeol would never approve.

‘Tsk, Tang Muyeol. That fool. It’s not just any client—it’s the Murim Alliance. No matter how arrogant he is, would he dare to oppose them?’

So Tang Hoyeol secretly tempted Jang Dal to steal a payment slip.

-Wh-What? Steal a payment slip? That’s... that’s embezzlement...

-Oh, you frustrating man. The Clan Head won’t even notice, so how can it be embezzlement?

-...Huh?

-The escort will depart in secret, and the recruitment will be completely hidden. When the escort is complete, we’ll earn many times that amount in rewards. We just sneak the money back in afterward.

-B-But still...

-How long do you plan to remain a Vice Hall Leader?

-If you were born a man, shouldn’t you at least aim for the position of Chief?

-Chief? Me?

-Heh heh, once I split from the clan, I’ll become head of the New Tang Clan. Then the Ten Thousand Seas Escort Chief position will be vacant. Who do you think I’ll give it to?

After that secret conversation.

Jang Dal asked Tang Hoyeol for just one day to think it over.

And now.

Rustle.

“...I will dedicate my life to you.”

The traitor knelt down and bowed his head, pledging loyalty to his new master.

Tang Hoyeol looked down at him with a sneering smile.

‘Just wait a little longer, nephew.’

With these two hands,

I’ll take away everything that should’ve been mine to begin with.

At the same time.

Inside the Clan Head's chamber of the Sichuan Tang Clan.

There was only a heavy silence in the room, where even the bodyguards had been dismissed.

‘Phew. This is nerve-racking.’

Sewoon swallowed dryly.

After sending his sister away to Heaven’s Medicine Hall despite her offer to accompany him, Sewoon had left his room and headed straight for the Clan Head's chamber.

He subtly raised his head and looked forward.

Tang Muyeol sat across from him, drinking tea with his usual unreadable expression.

The same expressionless face as his sister just moments ago.

But unlike her, whose thoughts he could easily read, Tang Muyeol revealed not even a shred of emotion.

‘Well, he’s the man who kept calm even in front of the Alliance Leader.’

When Sword Emperor Yoo Jinhak had appeared and the whole clan was thrown into chaos,

Tang Muyeol alone remained completely unshaken.

Though his martial level was far inferior in comparison,

his natural presence as the head of a household was not lacking in the slightest.

As Sewoon looked at Tang Muyeol, his thoughts were the most complicated they had been since his regression.

‘...What will he ask first? Probably how I defeated the assassin?’

The person Sewoon had to be most cautious around in the Tang Clan was not the traitor Tang Hoyeol.

It was his own father, Tang Muyeol.

Because everything he was about to do would undoubtedly stand in direct opposition to his father's beliefs.

Sewoon slowly recalled the excuse he had prepared.

He had told the Alliance Leader that he’d recreated the Tang Clan’s secret technique, but that wouldn’t work on Tang Muyeol.

He couldn’t say he’d used Innate True Qi again, so he’d say the Alliance Leader helped him find a way to partially overcome the Heavenly Punishment.

And that the miraculous Divine Weapon he had forged had shown incredible power.

Trickle.

Suddenly, a clear sound interrupted his thoughts.

At some point, Tang Muyeol had lifted the teapot and was pouring tea into Sewoon’s cup.

“Drink.”

“...Thank you, Father.”

Since no retainers were present, Sewoon used “Father” instead of the formal “Clan Head.”

As Sewoon nervously sipped his tea, Tang Muyeol calmly looked at him and spoke in a low voice.

“You’ve lost quite a bit of weight.”

“Eh? Ah, yes.”

“I made sure you were properly fed, but you must have lost your appetite from being unwell.”

“That’s not it. I actually kept missing meals because I was so focused on training.”

“Maintaining a healthy body is the foundation and basis of cultivation. Make sure you eat well.”

“Yes, Father. I will remember that.”

Contrary to expectations, Tang Muyeol continued the conversation with ordinary words.

It was so hard to read any intent that it actually left Sewoon feeling more bewildered.

“Do you know why I haven’t called for you until now?”

“...Isn’t it because of the sin I committed?”

“No.”

Sewoon, who had been bracing for this moment, was taken aback by Tang Muyeol’s sharp denial.

But his father’s next words were even more surprising.

“It was because of me.”

“...What?”

What did that mean?

Because of him?

Sewoon’s pupils trembled wildly at the completely unexpected confession.

“I wasn’t ready to see you. That’s why I stayed away.”

“...Father, what do you mean?”

“When I saw you, I felt like my heart would collapse.”

Without waiting for Sewoon’s response, Tang Muyeol continued speaking.

“I spent my life believing in the Alliance and following the path of chivalry they preached.”

“Because of that, I constantly suffered losses, the clan’s fortunes declined, and I always felt sorry to the family.”

“But I can honestly say I never regretted sticking to my beliefs.”

For a moment, Tang Muyeol paused.

His hand holding the teacup was trembling slightly.

Then his gaze turned toward his son.

‘Ah...’

For the first time, the emotionless mask on Tang Muyeol’s face peeled away, layer by layer.

“I regretted it for the first time.”

That feeling was—

Guilt. Apology. Shame.

“I realized far too late that I had willfully blinded myself to the fact that the Alliance had rotted from the roots.”

And then, came a fury too overwhelming to describe.

But that fury soon turned inward—at himself.

“What kind of chivalrous man was I, really.”

A bitter smile appeared on Tang Muyeol’s face.

In that moment, Sewoon felt a sharp pain tear through his chest.

“A man who couldn’t even protect his only son.”

At this moment, Tang Muyeol was not standing before Sewoon as the Clan Head of the Tang Clan.

But as a father, filled with sorrow and regret for his son.

“I’m sorry, my son.”

In that instant, Tang Muyeol bowed his head and asked Sewoon for forgiveness.