Chapter 334
Chapter 334
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 334
Chapter Title: Father-Daughter Playtime
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Dang Mujin knew exactly how to act in a situation like this with Dang Young.
Whether right or wrong, the first rule was to act like he knew for sure. Hesitating before nailing the correct answer was no different from getting it wrong.
Dang Mujin spoke with a confident expression.
"I'm no irresponsible father who can't even tell his own kids apart. The one on the left is Yi-ryeong, and the one on the right is Hae-won, right?"
The moment he finished speaking, Dang Mujin scanned the atmosphere around him and the expressions on everyone's faces.
Dang Jesun and Dan Seol-yeong, Mok Wan-a, Jang Il-nam, and even Chu Sam. Their reactions were all lukewarm.
'It was wrong!'
If he were the young, naive physician from back in the day, Dang Mujin might have just accepted defeat gracefully.
But the Dang Mujin now was a seasoned warrior. A warrior who had saved his own life multiple times through quick thinking in dire moments.
On top of that, having spent so much time with Hyeon-gong, Dang Mujin could predict Hyeon-gong's actions with over eighty percent accuracy in his mind.
Dang Mujin asked the faint image of Hyeon-gong in his inner vision.
'Hyeon-gong. What would you do?'
The Hyeon-gong in his mind replied.
- Hesitating to pick an answer is amateurish. Giving an immediate answer and leaving it to fate is intermediate. But a master looks for a chance to turn the tables even after making their move.
'How am I supposed to find an opportunity here? I've already given the wrong answer!'
- Just like this.
The Hyeon-gong in his mind showed Dang Mujin an utterly brilliant solution. It was something that could almost be called an enlightenment.
Without a moment's hesitation, Dang Mujin followed the solution shown by the Hyeon-gong in his mind and improvised on the spot.
". . .Of course, that was based on Elder Jang and the rest of you. The left one's Yi-ryeong, and the right one's Hae-won. Don't get confused."
Dang Mujin smoothly added to his words, twisting the answer he'd already given.
In martial terms, it was like extending a sword in a perfect thrust to turn an offense into a defense.
But contrary to Dang Mujin's expectations, people's reactions remained subtly off.
'What is it?'
As Dang Mujin puzzled over the reason and grew flustered, Dang Jesun spoke up.
"Mujin, ah. Your first answer was correct. To go out of your way to change it to the wrong one. Looks like you really can't tell the kids apart after all. What a lamentable thing. . ."
A heavy silence fell. Only the twins' incomprehensible babbling filled the air.
Out of the corner of his eye, Dang Mujin caught Chu Sam faintly smiling.
That lukewarm reaction when he'd first given his answer—it must have been Chu Sam's scheme.
'Damn it.'
Dang Mujin sighed inwardly without a sound. While he was away, Chu Sam had cozied up to the new powers in the Dang family manor.
The Hyeon-gong in his mind whispered again.
- In times like this, brazenly double down. A father decides his children's names, so from now on, say the left one's Yi-ryeong and the right one's Hae-won. If you got it wrong, just rename them.
But Dang Mujin couldn't so easily voice something like that. Spouting such nonsense would mean he wouldn't even be treated as a human, let alone a father.
Opting to preserve his humanity by keeping his mouth shut, Dang Mujin gauged people's reactions.
Surprisingly, Dan Seol-yeong and Mok Wan-a had that "just as we thought" look, but Jang Il-nam appeared deeply shocked. He'd naturally assumed Dang Mujin could tell the two kids apart.
"H-How could you not tell them apart? The two are so different. . ."
Dang Mujin deliberately turned his head away from Jang Il-nam and the twins as he forced a smile, but Dang Jesun spoke again.
"Mujin."
"Yes, Father."
"A man must strive for great deeds, but he must never neglect his family."
". . .I think so too."
"For the time being, spend some time playing with the kids. Yi-ryeong and Hae-won are so young they might not have felt your absence, but Young-i forgetting you is definitely a big problem."
". . .Young-i forgot me?"
"Yes. The other day, I told Young-i that you have a daddy too, but she wouldn't believe it at all. Since everyone has two parents and she has two mommies, she thinks it's natural not to have a daddy."
". . ."
Mok Wan-a looking after Dang Young like her own mother had come back as an unexpected side effect. But since it was his own karma, he had nothing to say about it.
For the first time in a while, Dang Jesun made a request as a father to his son.
"I know how busy you are, so I won't ask for much. But it'd be better if you spent some time with her for now, so Young-i can remember you again."
". . .Understood."
Dang Mujin picked up Dang Young and left the treatment room.
Dang Young seemed a bit tense, as if Dang Mujin felt unfamiliar to her.
*
Dang Mujin's three friends burst into laughter upon hearing his story.
Namgung Myeong followed up with a jab.
"Can't tell your own kids apart? I've never had that problem once."
It was only natural. He didn't have kids in the first place, so what was there to mix up?
This time, Hong Geolgae spoke.
"You have to take Young-i around with you for a while?"
"Yeah. But even without Father's words, that's what I would've done. You guys might not understand a parent's tender feelings toward their child, but I've never forgotten Young-i for even a moment."
Dang Mujin tried to sound dignified, but his friends showed no sign of believing him.
"Sure, sure. What about the second and third?"
"Elder Jang will look after them. He loves kids so much. Of course, I'll spend time with them often too."
"Heh heh. Good luck."
His friends snickered at Dang Mujin a bit before vanishing off somewhere together.
An old story he'd heard once came to mind. That you inevitably grow apart from friends after marriage. It left a bitter taste in his mouth.
But Dang Young, unable to understand Dang Mujin's thoughts, simply stared at him intently while clutching his finger.
Dang Mujin asked her.
"Young-i. Want to do something?"
There was no reply.
Dang Mujin gave a wry smile and wandered the Dang family manor with Dang Young in his arms, racking his brains. Dang Young stayed quiet without a peep. The father-daughter duo felt a bit awkward.
'Is there no way?'
As Dang Mujin pondered a breakthrough to dramatically improve his relationship with Dang Young, a brilliant idea flashed in his mind.
Before getting swept up in the Righteous-Supremacy War and heading north, hadn't he seen Dang Young having fun with something?
And nothing showed a parent's presence better than playing with their child.
Dang Mujin headed straight to Dan Seol-yeong's personal workshop and found a wooden block. There was a light, soft fig tree block handy.
Using a knife nearby, Dang Mujin whittled the block into a small, flat disc.
All children in the world are drawn to flying things. Dang Young was no exception.
Though she didn't remember Dang Mujin well, she must have retained the memory of throwing the disc and playing, because her eyes sparkled as she took it.
Dang Mujin stood a short distance away and called out.
"Young-i. Throw it to Daddy!"
Dang Young swung her little arm and tossed the disc. It flew in a somewhat slow, gentle arc, landing quite far from Dang Mujin.
Dang Mujin leaped nimbly and snatched it mid-air. Dang Young's face visibly brightened.
"How's that? Like it?"
Dang Young nodded readily. Instead of walking over to hand it back, Dang Mujin tossed the disc with clever fingerwork.
The disc he threw soared much higher than the one Dang Young had launched, traced a bizarre path through the air, and landed lightly in her tiny hands like a butterfly. Dang Young's eyes sparkled.
"Wow!"
"Want to throw it again?"
Dang Young threw it back to Dang Mujin, who caught it again and said.
"Starting to remember Daddy now?"
"Ung. . .!"
It still looked like she remembered the disc more than Dang Mujin, but he didn't mind much. He hadn't expected her to remember him after just one or two throws.
They'd been apart so long—slow and steady would bring them closer.
Dang Young's laughter grew louder and louder.
Even the Demon Cult warriors training in martial arts, along with the blacksmiths and physicians, watched Dang Mujin and Dang Young at play.
In the Dang family manor full of burly men, a child's laughter rang out especially clearly.
In the midst of it, Dang Mujin noticed something curious.
While he could land the disc perfectly in Dang Young's hands with his amazing skill, her throws were inevitably clumsy. She lacked strength, precise body control, and internal energy.
Yet as time passed, the trajectory of Dang Young's throws became noticeably more refined.
At first, he had to use lightness skill to catch it, but soon he could snag it while walking. Eventually, he could catch it standing still in place.
And that trajectory was still improving.
'This. . . isn't ordinary talent.'
The physicians and blacksmiths watching the father-daughter play didn't notice, but the eyes of the Demon Cult warriors grew as serious as Dang Mujin's. They too had discerned Dang Young's clear talent.
When the disc Dang Young finally threw floated lightly right into Dang Mujin's palm, he swallowed hard.
'. . .Not coincidence. She's got potential.'
Dang Mujin casually said to Dang Young.
"Young-i. Like the disc?"
"Ung."
"Want to throw an even cooler one?"
"What disc?"
"A tougher one, thinner, flies even better."
Dang Mujin pulled a palm-sized metal ring from his bosom. A flying ring.
He put on that smug expression unique to fathers showing off in front of their kids.
"Watch closely while I demonstrate. Unlike the wooden one, this moves exactly how I want."
"Really?"
"Of course."
Dang Mujin looked around, spotted a suitable target, and hurled the flying ring.
Most people in the Dang family manor knew little of flying rings, so everyone's eyes locked onto Dang Mujin's. The movement was fascinating even if you knew what to expect.
The flying ring skimmed low over the manor rooftops before abruptly changing direction and shooting upward. A bird passing overhead had its wing sliced and plummeted.
The ring, which had soared high into the sky, changed course again and returned to Dang Mujin's hand.
As if to prove the spectacle wasn't an illusion, the ring in his hand was smeared with the bird's blood.
The onlookers gaped in near-shock at the bizarre trajectory.
". . .Did you see that just now?"
"It didn't curve gradually—it jerked suddenly. How the hell. . .?"
Even non-martial artists had no trouble grasping the flying ring's power. Anyone would struggle to block such a sharp metal ring flying in an erratic path.
Of course, to Dang Young, the flying ring wasn't a lethal weapon but the coolest toy in the world. She raised her stubby arms excitedly.
"Me too, me too!"
She was hooked, as expected. Dang Mujin held the flying ring out to her.
"Here. The edges are sharp, so hold it carefully. Grip this inner part with your hand and. . ."
But the moment he tried to hand it over, Dang Mujin felt thick killing intent.
To think someone would bare such blatant hostility in the safest place, the Dang family manor. Startled, Dang Mujin whipped around.
Unexpectedly, Jang Il-nam stood where his gaze landed.
His eyes blazed as if facing a mortal enemy.
Dang Mujin recalled their first meeting. Something about not being able to sleep after killing.
But right now, Jang Il-nam looked ready to lose sleep for days.
He suited the nickname Blood Rain Guest more than his name.
A transmission rife with anger rang in Dang Mujin's ears.
- Hey. What are you trying to give a child right now?
Realizing how his actions must look, Dang Mujin hurriedly defended himself.
- Nothing like that. She seemed curious, so I just meant let her touch it. And after seeing Young-i throw the disc, her skill seemed extraordinary, so. . .
- A parent shouldn't even carelessly drink cold water in front of their child! How could you try to put a vicious edged weapon in a kid's hands?
Dang Mujin sheepishly pocketed the flying ring as he explained. With the ring nearly in her grasp now gone, Dang Young's face puffed up in a pout.
Dang Mujin stroked her head with his right hand while defending himself to Jang Il-nam.
- But the only things I'm good at are physician work, poison arts, metallurgy, and hidden weapons. She can't understand physician stuff, poison arts are more dangerous than hidden weapons, and metallurgy's too much for a four-year-old. So I thought the fun flying ring would be better. . .
- Better to boil water with just licorice in a decoction pot and play physician!
Jang Il-nam's tone rose. Dang Mujin realized for the first time you could shout even in transmission.
Jang Il-nam strode up to Dang Mujin, spread his arms with a gentle smile, and Dang Young ran to him without hesitation on her short legs and hugged him.
Dang Mujin felt an odd sense of defeat.
Still, he couldn't agree with Jang Il-nam. He knew all too well how boring it was sitting by a decoction pot fiddling with the fire.
'Sitting by a decoction pot playing physician? She'd get bored before half a shichen passes. That won't bring me closer to Young-i. . .'
Dang Mujin left through the main gate of the Dang family manor, circling the grounds while pondering ways to play with Dang Young.
After looping around three or four times, a friendly voice called out.
"Hey, Dang family head!"
A strangely familiar voice. Dang Mujin snapped his head up to see who it was.
Two people stood there.
First was the Yellow Spirit Master, who'd supposedly returned to the Qingcheng Sect headquarters. Behind him was Myeong-ryeon Sa-tae, the one who'd imprisoned Dang Mujin underground at the Emei Sect's Golden Court Hall.
It wasn't true enmity since it had been done with good intentions, but Dang Mujin and Myeong-ryeon Sa-tae were still a bit awkward with each other.
Fortunately, both in terms of seniority and age in the martial world, the Yellow Spirit Master outranked Myeong-ryeon Sa-tae, so Dang Mujin cupped his fists toward him instead.
"Elder, long time no see. I heard you'd gone back to Qingcheng headquarters. Long time no see, Sa-tae Myeong-ryeon."
Myeong-ryeon Sa-tae offered a modest smile and pressed her palms together. The Yellow Spirit Master laughed heartily in response.
"I did go back. Came rushing when I heard you returned. Ran into Myeong-ryeon Sa-tae on the way."
He said "rushing," but it didn't seem that urgent.
"I see. I was just thinking of visiting Qingcheng to check on you."
"No need. We have business with you, so it's only right I come."
"Business? What brings you here?"
The Yellow Spirit Master gave a wry smile.
"Can't just sit idle while Demon Cult fiends rampage through righteous martial society as they please."
"Ah. . ."
He could guess what came next.
The Yellow Spirit Master continued.
"Qingcheng plans to gather the forces of righteous martial society and take the head of that so-called Cult Leader. I know you're still recovering, but I figured it'd be best to give you advance notice, so here I am."
"You're not setting out right away, I hope?"
"We'll prepare thoroughly before departing. We'll have to send people across the Central Plains and hold another conference, so it'll take at least a few months. Might even go past the new year depending on circumstances. Can you lend your strength then? Ah, no need to answer now."
It was expected. But not entirely welcome.
Dang Mujin revealed his complicated feelings with a smile as he replied.
". . .I'll think it over."
Seeming to consider that one phrase sufficient, the Yellow Spirit Master and Myeong-ryeon Sa-tae turned and left.
Dang Mujin turned back toward the Dang family manor gate as well, where his eyes met Mok Wan-a's peeking through the gap.
Dang Mujin walked steadily to the gate and stood beside Mok Wan-a.
He didn't explain what had just happened in detail, nor did she demand one right away. The two disappeared together into the Dang family manor.
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