Chapter 635
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 635
Chapter Title: Killing Two Birds with One Stone, or Whatever
Ha Seol-ran didn't head to her own room after leaving the annex.
It was Yeon Ha-min's room, right next door to hers.
"Ha-min. You asleep?"
It was a voice neither too loud nor too soft.
If she was asleep, she wouldn't hear it, but if awake, she would—just the right volume.
The door opened almost immediately.
"What's up?"
She looked ready for bed.
Fatigue was etched on her face.
Today's training had been that grueling.
They'd returned to the Fierce Dragon Corps barracks to rest, but the training had been brutally tough.
Sure, the holiday atmosphere made things a bit lax, but Master Instructor's sessions were still way too intense.
"Sorry to bother you while you're resting. Mind if we talk for a bit?"
"Come in."
The two sat facing each other at the small table provided in every room.
"You said you weren't going anywhere this holiday, right?"
Yeon Ha-min nodded at Ha Seol-ran's question.
Ha Seol-ran swallowed dryly, pondering how to broach the subject.
In truth, she'd gotten her brother's permission on a whim and come straight here.
But now, sitting face-to-face, she realized her actions might come off as incredibly rude.
"Yeah. Like I said, nowhere in particular to go. I figured I'd just stay at the Fierce Dragon Corps barracks."
Ha Seol-ran gazed quietly at Yeon Ha-min in response.
She needed to speak, but the words wouldn't come easily.
"Why's that?"
Finally, Yeon Ha-min asked.
After much hesitation, Ha Seol-ran averted her eyes slightly and ventured carefully,
"W-well... your mother's there, right...?"
Yeon Ha-min froze at Ha Seol-ran's hesitant words.
The face she'd tried to forget—no, thought of every single day—sprang vividly to mind at those words.
"...Yeah. She's at the Yeon Clan."
Her reply came a beat late.
"I hate to bring this up... "
Ha Seol-ran glanced at Yeon Ha-min's expression, truly treading lightly as she continued.
"Wouldn't it be good to go see her? I think things might be okay now... "
Yeon Ha-min let out a wry chuckle at Ha Seol-ran's cautious demeanor.
She could feel how much the girl was watching her reaction, trying not to upset her.
"I don't want to go back to that damned clan."
Uncle Yeon Baek-jin and her brother Yeon Gong-hu, who cherished her more than his own blood sibling despite no shared blood.
Those two were the only decent ones bearing the Yeon name.
The rest were barely human.
Uncle Baek-jin had passed on word from the Dragon Training Pavilion that her mother was doing well.
"You can be honest."
Ha Seol-ran noticed the faint tremor deep in Yeon Ha-min's eyes and spoke softly but warmly.
Yeon Ha-min hesitated again.
"She's your mother."
Ha Seol-ran added one more line.
Yeon Ha-min said nothing.
"Might be overstepping, but I've never even met my own mother."
Ha Seol-ran laid bare her honest feelings.
"Sometimes I wonder what she was like. Can't bring myself to ask my brother, though."
A question flickered in Yeon Ha-min's eyes.
"Feels like it'd hurt him too much."
Ha Seol-ran's gentle smile carried a hint of sadness.
"So I hope you get to see your mom, Ha-min. Even if it's that damned clan, she's there. Life's unpredictable, you know? I'm no expert on the world. But I worry you might regret it someday. That's why I couldn't help butting in, even if it's rude."
Ha Seol-ran poured out her heart in one breath.
Yeon Ha-min was speechless.
She wanted to see her.
That was her true feeling.
But the Hubei Yeon Clan.
Yeon Baek-ryang was gone, but the clan head was still Yeon Ja-kyeong.
Her vile, demon-like uncle by marriage.
Uncle said her mother was fine, but who knew the truth?
He might act nice to her face but do unspeakable things behind her back.
And.
Uncle Yeon Ja-kyeong hadn't given up on her yet.
In truth, Yeon Baek-ryang's depraved desires hadn't been part of Yeon Ja-kyeong's calculations.
Yeon Ha-min had already sensed his inner intentions to some degree.
His plan to use her as a political marriage pawn.
Her sudden rise as one of the Five Flowers of the Martial World while quietly staying at the clan had been his scheme too.
That's why she didn't want to go back.
Returning might mean getting trapped there again.
She was stronger now, but not enough to escape the clan with her mother alone.
Any single elder could overpower her.
That's why she couldn't go.
Even with her mother there.
Ha Seol-ran read the turmoil on Yeon Ha-min's face.
So she spoke carefully once more.
"Th-this might make you mad... "
Yeon Ha-min paused her brooding and turned to her.
"I talked to my brother first. Asked if he could help you see your mom."
Ha Seol-ran didn't give exact details.
Just that when her brother asked where she wanted to go for holiday, she'd said she wanted Yeon Ha-min to meet her mother.
"He... "
Yeon Ha-min couldn't continue.
Her eyes trembled fiercely.
The strongest reaction since Ha Seol-ran arrived.
"He said he'd help. My brother. So go, Ha-min. Take the holiday and see your mom."
Ha Seol-ran stood from her chair after saying that.
"Sorry if I overstepped... Good night."
As she turned to leave after the farewell,
Yeon Ha-min's lips moved.
"Seol-ran. Th-thank you... "
Ha Seol-ran's lips curved into a warm smile at the soft but clear gratitude as she stepped out.
Time flew by.
In the interim, there was another rotation between the Fierce Dragon Corps barracks and the outpost.
The original plan was every ten days, but after Ha Mu-baek left, Han Seol-bing, who handled actual operations, changed it.
To one month.
That was the new rotation cycle.
Moving between the outpost and barracks involved more logistics than expected.
She'd learned that through trial and error.
Hence the change to a monthly cycle.
She'd also improved the outpost facilities accordingly.
To make a month stay comfortable.
Gong Hae-bin and Gong Hae-jun, the siblings relocating from the barracks to the outpost, looked around curiously with wide eyes.
Dang Jin-san walked beside them, explaining and guiding as they went.
Among the Seventh Squad members, he'd been the first to befriend Gong Hae-jun.
"Whoa, this is amazing, Brother Dang!!"
He'd even started calling him "brother."
Gong Hae-jun seemed thrilled.
The rows of tents, the Fierce Dragon Corps members heading out on patrol.
It felt like they were doing something epic, like true martial artists of the jianghu.
"What do you think, Hae-bin?"
"Thank you, Young Master Dang."
Gong Hae-bin showed a markedly different reaction from her brother.
Though friendly, unlike Gong Hae-jun who'd dropped formalities and called him brother, she maintained proper decorum.
The relationship between the Seventh Squad and the kids was a bit delicate and ambiguous.
The squad were all Ha Seol-ran's comrades.
Ha Seol-ran was the kids' aunt.
So the squad were essentially like their uncles.
Plus, the squad had all trained under Ha Mu-baek.
He'd been their instructor.
Of course, he hadn't formally taken them as disciples.
They'd just fulfilled their roles as instructor and trainees.
Still, they'd received his teachings, and the kids were his disciples too.
So they could be like senior and junior brothers.
Rankings clashed depending on perspective.
And the age gap was ambiguous too.
Too wide for brothers, too narrow for uncles.
Dang Jin-san said a ten-year gap was friend-level and to just call him brother, so Gong Hae-jun did.
Gong Hae-bin settled on "Young Master" amid the ambiguity.
A week into outpost life.
With prior barracks experience, the kids had fully adapted to Fierce Dragon Corps routine.
Sort of.
"The date's just about here."
Ha Mu-baek muttered as he headed to the barracks.
To inform Han Seol-bing about Yeon Ha-min and Ha Seol-ran's holidays.
"Going again?"
It'd been just over a month since his return.
And now leaving again.
Ha Mu-baek eyed Han Seol-bing and asked,
"How about you take over as Corps Leader?"
Honestly, though Ha Mu-baek held the title, Han Seol-bing did the actual work.
He felt guilty about his frequent absences, hence the suggestion.
"Then you'd never show your face at the barracks again."
Han Seol-bing shot back sharply.
"What's the excuse this time? You used up your holidays last time."
The trip to save Gwan Ha-kyeong had been rushed under "holiday" pretense.
Though tied to Huashan Sect matters, the short holiday was granted via Gong Son Dan-gyeong's mission approval.
"Not all used. Midway, Heavenly Eye Pavilion requested cooperation, so I performed special duties as Corps Leader."
Han Seol-bing frowned at Ha Mu-baek's reply.
"Then you need to submit a report."
Meaning his entire absence was logged as holiday due to no report on the special mission.
"I'm the Corps Leader."
Being leader, he figured he could skip formalities.
"Even the Alliance Leader has to."
Han Seol-bing was firm.
She couldn't stop him from leaving, but procedures must be followed.
"What if I just go?"
"AWOL. Though no one could touch you, Corps Leader."
"Urgh."
Ha Mu-baek grimaced.
"I told you everything last time."
He had briefed her after returning, out of courtesy since she'd managed in his stead.
"Yes. Huashan Sect, Beggars' Sect, even the Four Sea Alliance."
Han Seol-bing nodded.
"But no report."
Ha Mu-baek knew resistance was futile at her resolute tone.
Yeon Ha-min and Ha Seol-ran's holidays started tomorrow.
No issue leaving as leader with Han Seol-bing covering, but restoring used holidays required a report today.
"Sigh. Such a hassle."
As Ha Mu-baek turned with a mutter, Han Seol-bing clarified,
"Since it's a Heavenly Eye Pavilion special mission, leave classified parts blank, but submit by today for holiday approval tomorrow."
Ha Mu-baek halted at her precise words.
"Oh, right."
"Pardon?"
"Special mission."
"Yes?"
"I'm not taking holiday."
"What? But Yeon Ha-min and Ha Seol-ran are clearly... "
"Yeah, those two are. Not me."
"What do you... "
"Special mission from Elder Gong Son. Gotta check around the Hubei Yeon Clan."
Ha Mu-baek grinned.
"Confirm details with him."
He waved and left Han Seol-bing's office.
"Tch."
Han Seol-bing wore a disappointed look.
She'd tried to mess with him before he left, but failed.
At least he wasn't one to lie about missions, so it must be legit.
"Phew. Thanks to Elder Gong Son."
Gong Son Dan-gyeong's request to scout for Demonic Cult's Eternal Ghost Forest formations around sects.
That was the special mission.
This time, scouting Hubei Yeon Clan surroundings.
'Killing two birds with one stone, or whatever.'