Those Sunk in Darkness (1)
The moment the overwhelming wave of energy erupted, Dang Ho’s face froze solid.
He was so startled that he shot up from his seat without realizing it. It was an instinctive reaction. ‘This aura…?’
It was an immense power.
From the direction of the outer court where the intruder had appeared, a chilling wave of energy had surged like wildfire. Though it had flashed for only an instant before vanishing, the sheer pressure he felt in that brief moment was enough to make his legs go weak. In all his life, Dang Ho had never encountered an aura so intense and destructive.
“Just what in the world is…?”
At that moment, the door to the office burst open and Dang Yang-seon rushed inside.
“Father!”
Dang Ho frowned deeply.
“This is not the time for formalities, Yang-seon.”
Dang Yang-seon flinched, quickly lowering his head.
“My apologies, Patriarch. Did you… feel it as well?”
“Yes. I felt it.”
It was unlikely that only Dang Ho had sensed it. The aura had been so overwhelming that any peak expert—or even someone who had trained their internal energy for several years—would have noticed it.
“It came from the direction the intruder broke in! Something is definitely happening there!”
As if he didn’t already know that!
Dang Ho nearly shouted the words out loud. For a fleeting second, the sight of his son stating the obvious made him sick to his stomach.
He spoke in a calm tone.
“Dispatch the Black Wind Unit and the Green Robe Unit.”
“U-understood!”
The Black Wind Unit and Green Robe Unit were elite forces belonging to the Tang Family’s inner court.
Being elites of the inner court meant they were the very best the Tang Family had to offer. They were on the same level as the Crimson Scorpion Corps and the City Guardian Squad that had been sent after Dang Gwan.
These units had been granted permission to wield some of the family’s ultimate secrets—the Five Great Deadly Poisons and the Ten Great Hidden Weapons. Their individual martial prowess was top-tier, and the poisons and hidden weapons they wielded were of the highest grade.
Dang Yang-seon left the office once more.
Dang Ho’s face twisted in displeasure.
“What the hell is going on?”
He turned his gaze toward the window.
“Dang Gwan, you bastard… just who did you call here?!”
A leader must never move recklessly. If the head’s seat is too light, the entire organization becomes unstable.
Yet a true leader also needed the courage to charge forward without hesitation when the time called for it. Knowing exactly when that moment arrived was the most basic virtue of any patriarch.
Unfortunately, Dang Ho lacked that quality.
Even if he didn’t go himself, he should have sent an absolute peak expert rather than a combat unit. For reconnaissance and resolution, a small elite team was far more effective than a large force.
This was Dang Ho’s limit. Having spent over a decade watching, listening to, and experiencing everything through the hands of others, this had become his natural way of thinking.
After sinking deep into thought, Dang Ho called for one of his subordinates.
“Bring the former Elder House Master here immediately.”
“As you command.”
A short while later, an old man entered the office.
Most of the elders, including Dang Muk, appeared to be in their fifties or sixties. This elder, however, was different. He looked well over seventy, with heavy, drooping eyelids that made it difficult to read his eyes.
Judging by age alone, it would not be an exaggeration to call him a figure from the previous generation.
In fact, he truly was a master from the prior era. The current Elder House Master appointed by Dang Gwan was locked away in the underground prison.
“You called for me, Patriarch.”
There was no perfect deference in his tone.
In the old Tang Family, such a thing would have been unimaginable. From the moment one became patriarch, even the former patriarch would show respect in official settings. That was the culture of the Tang Clan.
Dang Ho spoke quickly.
“Did you feel it as well, House Master?”
“I did. Who could fail to notice? Though it lasted only a moment, that aura was truly extraordinary.”
“There is a high chance it belongs to a master Dang Gwan brought with him.”
A murderous glint flashed in the aged eyes of Dang Hyang-mun, the former Elder House Master.
“Dang Gwan…”
“Exactly.”
“I heard you sent the elders under your command.”
Dang Ho frowned.
“Only the Fourth Elder returned alive. He insisted he needed to see the enemy with his own eyes.”
“So he tucked his tail and ran.”
“His ability cannot be denied. However, the Third and Fifth Elders would not have fallen so easily. By now, Dang Gwan should be far from his usual condition.”
Dang Hyang-mun shook his head.
“That possibility is not very high.”
“Why do you think so?”
“Though Dang Gwan has a temperament unsuited to ruling over others, his ability is unquestionably the greatest among the current generation of the Tang Clan.”
“I acknowledge that as well. But his limits are clear. Three elders and the City Guardian Squad were sent, so how could he possibly be unscathed…”
“Didn’t the Fourth Elder say he felt the need to go himself?”
“……”
“If Dang Gwan had been injured, that cunning bastard would not have spoken so lightly. He would have demanded we concentrate all our forces and attack at once.”
Even poor-quality ginger becomes fiercely spicy once it ages thoroughly. Dang Hyang-mun was seeing the situation more deeply and broadly than Dang Ho.
“Also, Patriarch, you must not forget one thing. The fact that he was taught by the Dark King.”
“……!”
“Though their relationship is currently poor, the fact that he received the Dark King’s teachings, passed all sorts of tests, and rose to the position of patriarch means Dang Gwan’s capabilities are among the greatest in the family’s history.”
A faint look of displeasure crossed Dang Ho’s face.
He acknowledged the man’s ability, but hearing praise for Dang Gwan still left a bitter taste in his mouth. To him, Dang Gwan was nothing more than an arrogant fool whom he could overtake with just a little effort.
“Then what do you suggest we do?”
Irritation that could not be hidden leaked into Dang Ho’s voice.
Dang Hyang-mun replied.
“If you want this matter settled quickly, it would be best to use that item.”
“……!”
Dang Ho’s face hardened.
“If you send more experts simply to capture Dang Gwan alive, the damage will only grow. Furthermore, the fact that he sent the Fourth Elder back means Dang Gwan is already fully aware of the current situation, doesn’t it?”
“……Hmm.”
“Acting rashly could lead to humiliation. In that case, it would be better to use that item and kill him outright.”
Dang Ho knew very well how much Dang Hyang-mun hated Dang Gwan.
Yet the words he spoke now were not born purely from hatred. Although he had trained powerful martial arts, the old man did not have much time left to enjoy a comfortable retirement. At most, twenty or thirty years.
He was not suggesting this out of hatred for his opponent, but because he believed bold action was necessary for his own future.
Dang Ho did not think poorly of Dang Hyang-mun’s resolve.
“For now.”
Dang Ho shook his head.
“Before dealing with Dang Gwan, we must first handle the intruder.”
“That is true as well.”
“Unless you intend to step forward yourself, House Master, I ask that you order the elders under your command to capture the intruder.”
Dang Hyang-mun’s heavy eyelids twitched.
Dang Ho continued.
“I have already sent the units. But I cannot shake this uneasy feeling.”
“Hmm.”
Dang Hyang-mun stared at him for a moment before nodding.
“Very well. The Elder House will handle this intruder matter.”
“Thank you.”
“And Patriarch.”
“Speak.”
“I once told you that a man must know the right time. I do not know how persuasive an old man’s advice may be, but I believe using that item to kill Dang Gwan is the best course of action.”
“I understand.”
He understood, yet it seemed he had no intention of actually using the item.
Dang Hyang-mun found such hesitation in Dang Ho frustrating.
Still, that personality wasn’t entirely bad. Although Dang Ho had seized the patriarch position in one swift move, it had not been accomplished solely through his own ability.
Dang Ho was more indecisive than he appeared and enjoyed being supported by others. With that kind of temperament, he could be manipulated comfortably until the old man’s golden retirement years came to an end.
“Understood. Then this old man shall take his leave.”
“Go ahead.”
With that, Dang Hyang-mun left the office.
Bang!
The desk Dang Ho struck split cleanly in two.
“How dare he…”
Dang Ho’s face, as he chewed furiously on his lip, was dyed with madness.
“I showed consideration to an old man who was supposed to rot away waiting for death in the underground prison, yet he dares to toy with the head of the patriarch.”
There was nothing he could do about it for now, but the old bastard truly was detestable.
Dang Ho once again realized the truth of the saying that new wine must be put into new wineskins. Although he had reached out to solidify his power for the time being, the number of people who would eventually need to be sent to the grave had just increased by one.
‘But the old man’s words aren’t wrong.’
Dang Ho stroked his lips.
‘If I use that item, I can secure an overwhelming victory against not only Dang Gwan, but even if the opponent were my father. The problem is that too many eyes would be watching.’
‘That item’ was a weapon of destruction that only the rightful patriarch could activate.
Dang Ho had revealed its existence to a few select individuals. He knew all too well that his own power alone would not be enough to completely seize the Tang Family.
Even so, the one who decided whether or not to use it had to be him. No matter how much wisdom others gathered, the item could never be used without the decision-maker’s permission.
‘What should I do?’
Dang Ho bit his lip again.
‘The longer this drags on, the more we lose.’
The Tang Family’s elite units were currently stationed near Noksu Jurui. No matter how little interest they had in the family’s internal strife, an incident of this scale would inevitably fill even the outsiders with unease.
No—if it ended with mere unease, that would be fortunate. If Dang Gwan were to publicly announce this fact and begin attacking Dang Ho’s legitimacy, the situation would become incredibly complicated.
‘What should I do? What am I supposed to do?’
How long had he been pacing like that?
“Patriarch!”
An urgent voice came from outside the office.
Startled, Dang Ho shouted in a hoarse voice.
“What is it?!”
“It’s terrible! The City Guardian Squad and Crimson Scorpion Corps dispatched to Noksu Jurui have been annihilated!”
“……!!”
The time to make a decision had come.
Srrrk.
The old man who had been sitting on a rock in meditation slowly opened his eyes.
“How noisy.”
The aura he sensed belonged to someone who was not of the Tang Family, along with clear killing intent.
The urgently released poisons and hidden weapons, as well as the frantic, shrieking voices of those rushing about.
The old man’s eyes deepened.
“Truly noisy. Has the main house ever seen such commotion before?”
He was neither a monk nor a Taoist. Naturally, he possessed no divine powers and could not see a thousand li while seated.
Yet he could feel it.
His senses, once evaluated as belonging to the most dangerous martial artist on this vast continent where no end could be seen, reached every corner of the Tang Family’s territory.
That was how he knew. Someone was coming here.
A young, vibrant genius warrior on the verge of the Limitless realm, and an experienced master who had grown under strict discipline.
The old man pondered for a moment. Should he block their infiltration, or should he let them pass?
‘…It’s pointless.’
He was a man forgotten by the family anyway. Whoever came or went, if he didn’t like them, he could simply send them back.
The old man closed his eyes once more.
How much time had passed?
“It’s quite peaceful here.”
Ching.
The clear sound of clashing iron chains rang pleasantly.
“The world outside the cave is pure pandemonium, yet this place is so quiet. It looks like an excellent spot to live in peace and solitude.”
The old man opened his eyes and turned his head.
There stood two men.
“Who are you?”
The young man, Yeon Hojeong, offered a polite fist salute.
“Yeon Hojeong, Left Leader of the Martial Alliance’s Yugun Unit, greets the former Patriarch of the Tang Family.”