A Daughter's Ruthless Ambition
"Phew… I was starting to think I'd have to inherit the family head position if push came to shove, but it looks like that's off the table."
…Soso? What on earth were you thinking?
I wasn't the only one dumbfounded by Paeng Soso's utterly unforeseen declaration of filial piety laced with fire.
"H-Huh…?"
"Y-You… you…?"
Hong Yeonhwa let out a deflating gasp in shock, while Paeng Ojin stammered repeatedly, as if questioning if he'd heard right.
"Were you… planning to kill your old man…?"
Finally noticing the stares around her, Paeng Soso bounced up and down, throwing our very doubts right back at us.
"What?! No! That's not it at all! What were you all even thinking?! I truly cherish Father and Oppa as family!"
"Then what were you planning to do?"
"First, I'd have to knock Oppa flat."
You cherish him, huh…? As I pondered if "cherish" took on a slightly different meaning between siblings, Paeng Soso added in a confident tone, as if to reassure us.
"It's fine. We were evenly matched before I left home, so I'm stronger now."
This isn't about whether you can win or not!
Paeng Soso calmly laid out her plan. First, she'd publicly defeat me in a spar, then leverage the elders who'd always favored her since childhood to seize the heir position. Once heir, under the guise of heir training, she'd gradually strip Paeng Ojin of real power, building enough influence to force his retirement.
"If everything goes according to plan, I can take over as family head in three years! By then, no one will oppose—hell, they won't be able to—when I reveal Jin family and Big Sis Hong's existence!"
"……."
"……."
"……."
Even after Paeng Soso finished, none of us could speak. Of course, her plan wasn't all that realistic. She was the type sorely lacking in such scheming, after all. Which made it all the more shocking.
This was the same Paeng Soso who'd initially thought there must be some misunderstanding even with Eon Ju-won, who tried to turn her into a jiangshi. And in this short time, she'd plotted to potentially sideline her brother and pressure her father if needed.
There wasn't even an option to give me up, and her mindset of doing whatever it took peeked through—leaving me thrilled yet a bit conflicted.
Paeng Ojin caught on too and let out a hearty laugh. After a long while, he suddenly grabbed my shoulder and stared me straight in the eye.
"Take good care of her from now on, son-in-law."
His face showed he'd laid everything down.
Despite all the drama, Paeng Ojin had no choice but to acknowledge my relationship with Paeng Soso.
There were several reasons. I'd saved her life three times, taken her first, learned the Paeng family's martial arts counters, and so on. But I suspected what truly solidified his resolve was realizing just how genuine her feelings for me were.
"For now, we'll announce to the public that you and Soso are engaged. Of course, I'll tell the family elders the truth…."
"I understand."
News of Hebei Paeng family's daughter becoming a concubine would stir up all sorts of issues. As I nodded, I felt a tug from the side.
"You there, you there."
Turning, I saw Hong Yeonhwa lightly pulling my finger.
"It's… just an engagement, right? The formal wedding comes after this one's, ni-ra?"
"Of course. We promised."
If we ever returned to her world, it would be there. If Mosanpa and the imperial family couldn't find a way, then here. That was the promise.
"Hehe… Then let's include Soso too. Better to do it grandly once than split it up multiple times, no?"
"Jin family in the center, with me and Big Sis Hong on either side… Wow…."
Though it was far off, just imagining it had Hong Yeonhwa and Paeng Soso grinning ear to ear. Seeing that, Paeng Ojin gruffly snapped at me.
"What're you dawdling for? Pack your things and come down!"
"Pardon? Our luggage?"
"No need to stay in this cramped inn until the Yongbong Branch Meet ends. …The Paeng family estate is near the Murim Alliance, so you can stay there."
"Father-in-law…!"
It hit me that I'd truly been accepted as family—quite touching. After that, I hurriedly packed with the excited Hong Yeonhwa and Paeng Soso in tow. It didn't take long since we didn't have much.
Heading to the estate with Paeng Ojin, we chatted about future plans—what to watch out for, stopping by the main house in Hebei after the Yongbong Branch Meet ended, and so on. After laying plenty of groundwork, Paeng Ojin cleared his throat a couple times and asked casually,
"So? When do you plan to hold the wedding? How many kids?"
"Uh… well, you see…."
Explaining this meant revealing Hong Yeonhwa's situation too…. As I hemmed and hawed, Paeng Ojin's gaze sharpened—until Paeng Soso answered for me.
"It'll be a bit later. I entered the Yongbong Branch Meet to earn Father's recognition, but Jin-gaga and Big Sis Hong's goals are…."
She didn't spill everything, glossing over it with the version she'd first heard, hiding what needed hiding.
"Hah… So that's why I couldn't even guess your identities. Masters from the outer martial world, huh."
In a world where info traveled slowly, a Five Great Families' head still heard most things. He'd been quietly curious about Hong Yeonhwa's background.
Paeng Ojin nodded calmly, but Paeng Soso was the flustered one.
"Uh… that's it? I might end up going far away, you know?"
"You chose this path knowing full well. That's enough. Besides, it's not like you must leave, and even if you do, it's not vanishing without a word—so choose whatever makes you happy, Soso."
"Father…."
Hearing her own prior words from her father's mouth brought a slight mist to Paeng Soso's eyes. She'd run away thinking he didn't understand her, but seeing him grasp the most important part must've touched her.
Embarrassed by his daughter's gaze, Paeng Ojin growled threateningly at me instead.
"Make sure no tears fall from my daughter's eyes. If they do, I'll chase you to the ends of the earth and make ten times the blood flow from your body…."
Smack!
Paeng Ojin, mid-cliché father-in-law threat, got smacked on the back by Paeng Soso.
"Father! Again!"
"Oof! Now my daughter's hitting her old man!"
Unlike his earlier menace, Paeng Ojin now brimmed with playfulness. I cupped my fists in respect.
"Don't worry, Father-in-law. I'll never let Soso shed a tear."
He suddenly turned serious, staring me down.
"Good. That's how it should be."
What's with the temperature swing…?
Life at the estate was a whole new world for me. No fancy decorations, but the rooms rivaled the priciest inns in Luoyang. Maids handled chores, making daily life far easier. Plus, balanced meals on schedule and a proper training ground instead of a dusty yard.
Just months ago, I'd fetched water every morning and swung my sword in a dirt courtyard. Every day felt fresh. Especially being waited on— a first in both my past and current lives.
Hong Yeonhwa and Paeng Soso, used to this, took it in stride. Anyway, our living and training conditions had improved dramatically, but… our expressions grew darker by the day.
How bad? Hong Yeonhwa, who'd whistled through three plates of gourmet food on day one, barely touched one today.
The reason was clear.
"This one cannot live like this, ni-ra!"
"I agree with Big Sis Hong! There's a limit to handling it alone, you know!"
We simply hadn't been able to properly share a bed lately.
"I'm in the same boat… but what can we do?"
For starters, we each had separate rooms. Unavoidable. If the maids caught us threesome-ing every night, there'd be no reason to keep up the public engagement facade with Paeng Soso.
Of course, sneaking into one room past the clueless maids wasn't hard. The real issue was elsewhere.
"Isn't Father doing this on purpose, knowing everything?!"
"Nah, no way. He seems genuinely thrilled lately."
Paeng Ojin's morning visits.
When he first heard about Hong Yeonhwa entering the Yongbong Branch Meet, he'd looked like an overgrown kid at a playground—bewildered but accepting the necessity. Regardless, since she was participating, he guided our training properly several times.
Naturally, my lacking talent came out, and reaching the same conclusion as Hong Yeonhwa, he sparred with us intensely multiple times…. Whether thrilled at legally beating me or happy about his new son-in-law, he now waited at the training ground every morning like clockwork.
If we went all out like usual, we'd definitely get caught the next day. That'd be awkward as hell…. So we could only steal quick moments on the sly. But that just built up the frustration more.
I could manage solo and release a bit, but Hong Yeonhwa and Paeng Soso couldn't. Hong Yeonhwa was great at squeezing my dick but clueless on self-pleasure, and Paeng Soso's body now only responded to me. It was hitting them hard—their conditions visibly worsening.
Maybe snag a night for an inn stay? As I thought that, Hong Yeonhwa's eyes widened, and she gasped.
"Gasp!"
"Hit on a good idea?"
Hong Yeonhwa grinned and nodded.
"You said you can handle it alone, right?"
"Yeah?"
"Then from today, fill a canteen full of your essence and bring it."
"…What?"
Stunned, I asked again, but Paeng Soso finally got it and clapped, shouting,
"Ah! There's that method! Big Sis Hong, you're amazing!"
"Ahem ahem. This one is somewhat impressive, ni-ra."
Even watching Hong Yeonhwa shrug didn't help me understand, so I asked again.
"No, seriously… what for?"
"Plenty of uses, ni-ra. Let's see…."
Hong Yeonhwa folded her fingers one by one.
"First, I can sniff the scent. For something stronger, hold it in my mouth. Or slather it thick on that tail toy from before and stir my pussy. And more besides… Ah, finally, shove it all inside and sleep. No worries."
I'd never worried about where my cum went…. Hong Yeonhwa thrust out her ample chest with a How 'bout that? Good job, right? look, while Paeng Soso nodded vigorously in agreement. I had only one thing to say.
"…So, just fill the canteen to the brim?"