Chapter 97: Aftermath-1
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 97: Aftermath-1
"Scour every inch of the Tang Clan estate! Eliminate all remaining remnants!"
Sun-woo issued the command to the Tang warriors who were busy celebrating their victory.
"We obey your command!"
"By your command!"
Every warrior in the great hall followed his orders without hesitation. They gripped their swords and began filing out of the hall one by one, intent on hunting down any stragglers who might be in hiding.
Once the warriors had departed, only Sun-woo and Tang Seo-yoon remained in the hall.
Tang Seo-yoon approached Sun-woo slowly.
Sshhh.
She slipped off the Black Dragon Robe she had been wearing and draped it over Sun-woo’s shoulders.
"Cherish your treasures. Don't just hand them out to others so easily."
She didn't miss the chance to add a pointed remark.
"It’s not like we’re strangers, right?" Sun-woo replied slyly.
"If we aren't strangers, then what are we?"
"Hmm, friends?"
"Friends are still strangers."
"So you're admitting we're friends?"
"Crazy bastard."
She let out a hollow laugh. He was a man who had displayed god-like power, reaching a realm beyond imagination. He had clearly attained a profound level of enlightenment, yet he remained as flippant as ever.
But she didn't find that side of him particularly unpleasant.
She bowed her head.
"Thank you."
"For what?"
"For saving me."
Tang Seo-yoon continued in a calm voice after straightening her back. He was, in truth, a killer who had murdered Tang Se-gi and infiltrated the Tang Clan to steal the Poison Essence. Yet, paradoxically, he was also the savior who had prevented the clan's total annihilation.
Could the Tang Clan have survived without him?
Could she have survived without him?
It would have been impossible.
Born as the daughter of a prestigious family, she had grown up never needing to beg for anything. After reaching the Super-Peak Realm, she was always in a position to receive bows, not give them. Yet, she did not hesitate to bow deeply to Sun-woo in sincere gratitude.
"……"
As she bowed, Sun-woo looked away, feeling awkward. It felt strange to see the usually fierce woman expressing her thanks so quietly.
"Alright, that's enough. Stand up. This is getting awkward."
Sun-woo made a show of scratching his arm as he urged her to stand.
"If that is the savior's wish."
She stood up, a deep smile playing on her lips. It was a noble and beautiful smile, like a magnolia in full bloom. Sun-woo could only stare at her, dazed.
"You're damn beautiful."
Sun-woo blurted out exactly what was on his mind. There was no other way to describe it. Her smile was so radiant that no other words felt adequate.
"I know."
She replied with an even brighter smile. Her demeanor was worlds apart from the cold, stiff attitude she had shown before.
Thump.
Sun-woo felt a soft fluttering in his chest. However, he immediately shook his head violently. Ok-ryeong is hovering between life and death, and I'm having these idle thoughts?
He began to curse his own foolish heart. What the hell is wrong with you at a time like this?
"Why did you do it?"
As Sun-woo struggled with his complicated feelings, Tang Seo-yoon spoke up.
"Huh?"
"Why did you save the Tang Clan while disguised as the Clan Head?"
She was curious about his motives. From Sun-woo's perspective, if his goal was only the Poison Essence, it would have been easier to steal it amidst the chaos. Instead, he had gone through the trouble of assuming the Clan Head's identity to slaughter the Blood Bow Unit and save her and the clan.
To her, it made no sense. It was far too much trouble. If the Poison Essence was his only goal, wouldn't it have been better to let the Demonic Cult and the Tang Clan destroy each other? With his level of martial arts, he could have easily cleaned up the survivors and searched the estate afterward.
Why choose such a convoluted path?
"It wasn't the Tang Clan I was saving."
Sun-woo answered her question with a serious gaze.
"Then what?"
"It was you I saved. Not some clan."
Sun-woo spoke plainly as he looked at her. He already considered her a friend. If a friend was in danger, wasn't it natural to run to their aid? If it hadn't been for her, he wouldn't have cared if the Tang Clan burned to the ground.
"……"
Tang Seo-yoon was momentarily speechless. The realization that he had gone through such trouble just to save her left her with a whirlwind of emotions—surprise, gratitude, and something more complex.
"Heh."
But it wasn't a bad feeling. Soon, she broke into a wide grin again.
"Thank you."
She offered her thanks once more.
"Don't mention it."
Sun-woo responded with a smile of his own. A beautiful woman's smile was always a pleasant sight.
*
Sun-woo began to briefly explain what had happened in the Godok Hall. As the only remaining direct bloodline of the Tang Clan, she needed to know.
"……So, my brother is dead."
Tears welled up in Tang Seo-yoon's eyes. Though they had lived their lives almost like strangers, they were still bound by blood. Unlike the human scum that was Tang Se-gi, she had felt a shred of affection for Tang Jin-cheol, and she eventually let the tears fall.
"I am in your debt."
Tang Seo-yoon expressed her gratitude to Sun-woo once more. This time, it was for avenging her brother.
"I told you, it's fine."
Sun-woo replied, feeling a bit flustered. Even if he was her savior, hearing her thank him over and over was becoming embarrassing.
"Then, since I'm already in your debt, may I ask one more favor?"
Suddenly, she made an unexpected request.
"Huh?"
Sun-woo asked, puzzled. What did she mean by being in his debt further?
"Continue acting as the Clan Head and protect the Tang Clan."
"What!?"
Sun-woo blurted out in shock. Act as the Clan Head? What kind of nonsense was that?
"If the news of the Clan Head's death gets out now, the Tang Clan is finished."
Despite Sun-woo's shocked reaction, Tang Seo-yoon continued calmly. Her words were the truth. The pillars that supported the Tang Clan had been massacred by the Demonic Cult. If the Clan Head were also revealed to be gone, the clan would descend into absolute chaos.
"If people find out the Clan Head is missing, countless sects will swarm in to seize control of Sichuan's interests. The Qingcheng and Emei sects, in particular, will do everything in their power to move in."
The Sichuan Tang Clan was the most influential family in Sichuan, and one of the most powerful in the entire Central Plains. If it became known that they had suffered a near-extinction level blow from the Demonic Cult, many would rush to devour what was left. Some would try to swallow the clan whole under the guise of 'protection,' while others would simply use force to occupy their territories.
In the Murim, being weak meant you could trust no one.
That was why they needed a Clan Head—a powerful, absolute master who had single-handedly annihilated the Black Armored Cavalry and the Blood Bow Unit. As long as the Poison King appeared to be alive and well, no one would dare treat the Tang Clan lightly. Such was the weight of an absolute master in the Murim.
Of course, with so many of the clan's experts dead, a decline in power was inevitable. It would be foolish to try and maintain the same level of influence without the strength to back it up. But there was a difference between voluntarily ceding rights and having them stolen by force. The Tang Clan needed to give up some interests in exchange for the chance to rebuild for the future.
To do that, they needed the Poison King. They needed Sun-woo.
"Right now, the Tang Clan needs the protection of an absolute master."
"So you're telling me to be a puppet?"
"No, I'm asking you to be the Regent."
"Regent!?"
He thought she just wanted him to be a figurehead, but it seemed that wasn't the case. A regency meant he would be entrusted with total authority over the clan. Entrusting such power to an outsider like him… it was madness.
"I'm an outsider."
"But right now, you have the face of the Clan Head."
As long as he kept his mouth shut, no one would know.
"That's not what I meant. I'm asking if you can really trust an outsider with total authority."
"There is no other way. Without you, the Tang Clan will be torn apart. I'd rather entrust it to you."
She continued matter-of-factly. Just as she said, if the Clan Head were absent, the in-law factions would be the first to rise up and tear the clan apart. She decided it was better to leave the clan's fate to Sun-woo than to those vultures.
"And besides, this is the only reward I can offer you."
This was also true. She had chosen to hand over total control of the clan in exchange for the protection of an absolute master like Sun-woo. It was a way of thinking that was both logical and baffling. To hand over one's family to an outsider…
Sun-woo fell into deep thought at her sudden proposal.
Wait, this isn't bad at all.
Actually, it was more than just 'not bad.' This was a massive opportunity—a chance to easily take control of a titan like the Tang Clan.
Sun-woo needed power. He needed a force to oppose Lee Jae-won. He had already crossed a point of no return with Lee Jae-won; eventually, they would have to face each other. To do that, he needed a faction capable of standing against the Cheonmu Alliance, where Lee Jae-won served as the Alliance Leader.
The Tang Clan was the perfect choice.
Although the clan's main fighting force had been decimated and the candidates for the next Clan Head were all dead, this was actually an advantage. Since the high-ranking elders and successors had all gone to their graves, he could run the clan exactly as he pleased. And since the Poison King was dead, there was no master stronger than himself to oppose him.
Furthermore, the Tang Clan had lost its manpower, but it hadn't lost its wealth or its secret manuals. As long as the center—the Poison King—was firmly established, the clan had the potential to grow back into a massive power.
He had to accept.
"For how long?" Sun-woo asked, seeking a timeframe.
"Until I reach the Transcendent Realm," she replied nonchalantly.
To possess enough martial power to not be swayed by others, she would need to reach at least the Transcendent Realm. But even as she said it, she realized how unreasonable the request was. No one knew if or when someone would reach that stage. If enlightenment came, it could happen today; if not, one might chase it for a lifetime and never reach it. It was essentially an indefinite request.
"……"
Sun-woo remained silent for a moment. In truth, his mind was already made up. With one word, the Tang Clan would fall into his hands. But he figured it would look suspicious if he agreed too readily, so he pretended to deliberate.
"I'm sorry for asking such a difficult favor. You have your own life, and forcing someone else's life upon you is asking too much."
When Sun-woo didn't answer, she spoke in a bitter tone. She had pleaded because Sun-woo was the only person she could lean on, but upon reflection, it felt like a cruel demand. To ask someone who had lived their own life to suddenly live as someone else…
"Forget I said anything," she added, her face falling. She was likely despairing on the inside.
"I'll do it."
"Huh?"
"The Clan Head act. I'll do it."
Sun-woo flashed her a wide grin. A golden opportunity had just rolled right into his lap.
*
Sun-woo was currently taking deep breaths.
"Just do it like I taught you."
Beside him, Tang Seo-yoon began to encourage him.
"Can't I just keep pretending to be Tang Jin-cheol?"
"No. No matter how distant their relationship was, they were still husband and wife. It's on a completely different level than pretending to be that scoundrel Tang Se-gi. To perfectly imitate Tang Jin-cheol, you need their help."
Hearing her words, Sun-woo felt a headache coming on.
"Sigh."
He let out a long breath. How did things end up like this?
As soon as he agreed to impersonate the Clan Head, Tang Seo-yoon had dragged him to Tang Se-gi's residence. That was where the Primary Wife, Madam Un Ga-ryeo, and the Third Madam, Geum Jeok-hwa, were staying.
Tang Seo-yoon explained that they were the only wives of Tang Jin-cheol currently in the estate. After killing Go Wol, they had checked the residences of the Second, Fourth, and Fifth Madams just in case. However, their quarters were empty; they were nowhere to be found. Furthermore, the warriors from their respective families who had been stationed within the Tang Clan were also gone.
It was clear what had happened. As soon as they heard the news of the Demonic Cult's attack, they had fled to save their own skins.
Tang Seo-yoon had been furious at first, but in the current situation, it felt like a blessing. Sun-woo had to act as the Clan Head, which meant he would inevitably have to deceive the wives. Deceiving a spouse one had lived with for a lifetime was incredibly difficult—especially for a man in his twenties trying to imitate a man in his fifties.
In that regard, the flight of the Second, Fourth, and Fifth Madams was a welcome development. It gave them a perfect excuse to cast them out.
However, a problem remained: the presence of the Primary Wife, Un Ga-ryeo, and the Third Madam, Geum Jeok-hwa.
Sun-woo and Tang Seo-yoon had to choose: tell them the truth and ask for their help, or try to deceive them as well. Tang Seo-yoon favored the former, while Sun-woo favored the latter. In the end, they decided to seek their cooperation. They concluded that an imitation of Tang Jin-cheol would be exposed far too quickly otherwise.
And so, they had arrived at Tang Se-gi's quarters where the women were staying.
"Do you really think we can persuade them?" Sun-woo asked Tang Seo-yoon, sounding worried.
"Who knows?" she replied flatly. One can never truly know what people will do.
"Shouldn't you at least give me some empty words of encouragement at a time like this?"
"Why bother with empty words? It's pointless."
Sun-woo let out a short laugh at her blunt response. Hearing such a characteristically rigid answer actually helped ease his tension.
"I didn't expect much anyway."
Sun-woo chuckled and walked slowly toward the door. If he couldn't persuade them here, the entire plan would go up in smoke. To gain the power of the Tang Clan, he had to convince them, no matter what.
Steeling his resolve once more, Sun-woo slowly opened the door.