Chapter 135
Chapter 135
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 135
Chapter Title: Home for Christmas
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Vrooom!
An American mid-size sedan was speeding across the roads of Pyongyang.
It was such an unfamiliar sight that anyone would want to gawk.
“Talk about having every experience under the sun.”
The roads were under strict control, filled only with soldiers and Players turning back.
“I mean, sneaking into Pyongyang without permission…”
Go Yunsu said, having boarded the eight-seater van with the sleeping Rachel beside him.
“And now we’re heading back under escort? Right now?”
Vrooom!
He seemed utterly baffled by the current situation.
“Isn’t that right?”
Go Yohan’s nonchalant response only made Go Yunsu chuckle in disbelief.
“Impressive. Our little brother.”
North Korea was no different from a fortress.
With the gates, Players, and upheavals of the world, they had devoted everything to barrier research, just as they once had to nuclear missiles.
Their desire to build their own kingdom while locking themselves away had finally borne fruit.
No one in the world could set foot in North Korea carelessly, nor leave without their permission.
And moreover.
“China?”
They were under the protection of neighboring China.
A nation that rivaled the United States, having built its own world as a state.
“The talks are over.”
It was Lee Jaekyung.
“Slowly but surely, China will withdraw all its hands from North Korea.”
How, and with what? Questions swirled endlessly, but he didn’t ask.
It couldn’t possibly be ordinary.
“…….”
At the same time, Go Yunsu could guess at the power Go Yohan wielded.
‘China, which doesn’t even listen to the United States.’
China had broken away from the World Association, trapping Players in its own self-made martial world.
Yet Go Yohan, as an individual—no, as a single faction—had negotiated with such a China and found common ground.
“So, what happens to North Korea now…”
“Hyung.”
Then Go Yohan cut off Go Yunsu’s words.
“It’s Christmas today. Let’s talk business later.”
Only then.
Heh.
Go Yunsu smiled.
“A guy who’s not even Christian.”
A scene from childhood, still etched in his memory like a brand.
‘O Goddess.’
The sight of him praying alone before the table had shocked the entire family.
They might have had words if he’d flipped the table.
‘Let us eat.’
The youngest, speaking so solemnly, had left the whole family speechless.
“What does that matter?”
Go Yohan said.
“What matters is that it’s a holiday.”
“Right.”
A holiday.
Go Yunsu gazed out the window.
The days he’d run nonstop without rest.
Lately, rest hadn’t felt like rest at all.
And yet.
“It’s a holiday.”
Crossing right through the heart of Pyongyang, and calling it a holiday.
And not just in words.
He leaned back.
It really felt like a holiday, so Go Yunsu reclined.
‘Why?’
He thought he knew the reason.
Because this place felt safer than anywhere else in the world right now.
“…….”
Because being by Go Yohan’s side gave him the security that he could truly sleep.
“He’s asleep.”
For the first time in ages, Go Yunsu could fall asleep.
By now, the vehicles had passed Panmunjom and entered South Korea.
“…What happened?”
Only then did Lee Jaekyung ask Go Yohan.
Having watched him the longest, Lee Jaekyung alone could see it.
He had noticed that Go Yohan now had something weighing on his mind.
“Just…”
Go Yohan said.
“Let’s rest today.”
He could learn about the World Association from now on.
*
*
*
“Mom! You’re too much!”
Go Minji shouted that, even as she got cream on her nose.
“Ma’am, is this ready to take out?”
Go Woojin was helping Shin Sookyung in the kitchen too.
Quietly.
Go Jaehan picked up a plate wordlessly and headed to the living room.
She had given all the mansion’s staff the day off.
Most refused, saying they didn’t need a break, but Shin Sookyung was firm.
‘It’s not like you’re getting fired. Rest when it’s time to rest.’
As if they were worried about getting fired.
‘Go home and spend time with your families.’
Under Shin Sookyung’s not-quite-forceful insistence, they had no choice but to leave.
“This is ridiculous.”
Go Minji suddenly laughed in disbelief.
“Right now, North Korea must be in an uproar.”
Go Yohan heading to North Korea had been top secret.
But the major powers already knew, and the divine bloodline had sensed the change in the barrier enveloping North Korea.
And also.
“One son vanishes with a whole plane, and the youngest goes to rescue him.”
While they were here baking cakes.
But.
Heh.
Even Go Minji, saying that, found it funny that she wasn’t worried.
‘That guy.’
He’d bring Go Yunsu back without a hitch.
Even if it meant raising him from the dead.
“The cake’s done, Mom.”
So all they had to do was wait.
“Good job. Go rest now, you busy child.”
Go Minji wiped her nose.
“What’s busy about me? You’re busier, Mom. Anything else?”
“Nope.”
That was when it happened.
Vrrr.
The faint change made the entire divine bloodline freeze.
“I’m going first!”
Go Minji moved quickest.
“Don’t run! You’ll fall!”
Shin Sookyung’s worry trailed behind, but.
“Mom! Please! Worry about the right things!”
Go Minji ignored her and ran even faster.
Ranker-level Players could sense changes kilometers away.
That sense told her.
Thud thud!
The mansion’s front gate had opened.
Then, as if remembering something, Go Minji.
“Mom! I’m taking this!”
She dashed back to the kitchen, grabbed something, and bolted out the door.
Several black vehicles were pulling in from afar.
Go Minji waited, hiding what she held.
Finally, the vehicles arrived, and the doors opened.
Thump, thump.
Go Minji felt her heart pounding.
“Don’t rush, I said.”
Shin Sookyung, Go Woojin, and Go Jaehan came out to greet them too.
“…….”
They too seemed tense—their dry lips weren’t an illusion.
“Director Lee, come on in.”
Shin Sookyung spoke first to Lee Jaekyung, who stepped out.
“Guild Vice Master, I quit that ages ago.”
And following him.
“……!”
Go Yohan got out.
“I’m back.”
“…Yeah, welcome home.”
Their faces brightened, but they all clenched their fists tight.
With North Korea involved, the divine couldn’t step in.
International disputes, tangled interests—the moment divinity intervened, all of East Asia would erupt.
That was why.
Grip.
They had trusted and waited—for those reasons too.
And finally.
“I’m…”
The handsome young man with jet-black hair.
“back.”
The moment Go Yunsu stepped out.
“Haa.”
Shin Sookyung let out a rough breath.
Go Woojin clenched his fist, and Go Jaehan nodded as if it were natural.
“…Welcome home.”
Only then could they smile.
Because Go Yunsu had returned safely.
The family slowly approached them.
That was when.
“Careful.”
Go Yunsu reached out as if escorting someone else.
And who stepped out was the golden-haired beauty, Rachel.
“H-hello?”
With awkward but precise pronunciation.
“Ma’am. Sir. I’m Rachel.”
She introduced herself.
“…Go Yunsu!”
Go Minji cried out in surprise.
“…….”
The others were stunned too.
“Yes, dear. Come in.”
But Shin Sookyung stepped forward first and hugged her.
“What? Is this what I think it is? Did you know, Mom?”
As if.
Go Yohan had kept quiet for the surprise too.
“Uh, ma’am.”
“Nice to meet you. What’s your name?”
“Rachel.”
Shin Sookyung was truly seeing her for the first time in that moment.
Of course.
Quietly.
It seemed Father knew.
But that wasn’t all.
“The kids?”
Shin Sookyung asked Go Yohan.
“They’ll be here soon.”
That was when.
“Hyah!”
Go Minji lunged, hand outstretched.
Her hand full of cream.
“…What’re you doing?”
Go Yohan casually dodged.
“…Damn it!”
Go Minji plopped down, glaring at Go Yohan regretfully.
That was their greeting.
*
*
*
The living room table, usually full of empty seats, was quite full now.
“It’s been ages since we were all together like this.”
As Shin Sookyung said, the whole family gathered in one place truly hadn’t happened in a long time.
“Thank you for the warm welcome…”
Plus Rachel, whom Go Yunsu had brought.
“Rachel Ashford. Member of Britain’s Black Rose Guild.”
“Black Rose?”
Go Minji looked shocked.
“Isn’t that one of Britain’s top guilds? How didn’t I know?”
“Because she wasn’t a Player.”
Go Yunsu said to Go Minji.
“……?”
Incomprehensible expressions all around.
Everyone at the table could sense mana from Rachel.
Deep and vast mana.
“…There was an incident.”
It was Go Yohan.
“I’ll explain that later.”
“Sounds good.”
“Ah, looks like they’re here.”
Go Yohan stood to greet someone.
Clatter clatter.
Then the fork Rachel held began to tremble.
Go Yunsu grasped her hand and asked.
“What’s wrong?”
“…….”
Her face paled to pure white.
Rachel couldn’t even speak, just trembled.
“S-sorry…”
Then, as Go Minji took her other hand, her color improved.
Extreme tension, and fear.
“Rachel.”
Lee Jaekyung, seated at one end of the table, said.
“No one will harm you. As long as the Captain is here.”
“…….”
Still, the trembling didn’t easily stop.
And.
“Everyone, let me introduce you properly.”
Go Yohan returned, stepping aside slowly.
“Starting here: Yun Seungha, Kim Sion, Lee Hayeon…”
Gluttony and Lust hadn’t come.
“You know the Owner and Sehyun, right?”
Today’s meal included the Apostles too.
“Come on in, everyone.”
Shin Sookyung stood to welcome them.
“Hic, sob.”
Even then, Rachel’s breathing grew rougher.
In her eyes.
“…Ah… Ah…”
Those standing before the living room were indescribable terror itself.
Quietly.
When Yun Seungha’s gaze, laced with deep darkness, poured out.
“Haa…”
Rachel could finally breathe.