The door closes, and the inside of the fence is cut off from the world.

The world inside was quite different from the Central Plains.

Several houses made by weaving only vines, wood, and leaves.

Campfires lit here and there, and people around them.

Both women and men were dressed as if they were naked, covering only their private parts, and their exposed skin was covered with strange patterns he had never seen before.

As Cheonyeong and his party entered, they focused their gazes with a heavy silence.

It was a gaze full of caution.

Cheonyeong looked at the straight path that had been opened through the crowd of strangers.

A young man sitting in a place that looked like the head seat in the distance.

He was occupying a wide chair that could seat three or four people, leaning back and drinking wine with a relaxed expression.

"It seems that man is the young chief of the Black Scorpion Clan."

Cheonyeong takes a step with a determined expression at Baekta's whisper.

The warriors of the Black Scorpion Clan who were around reacted, revealing their fighting spirit, but Cheonyeong walked, looking only at the young man who seemed to be the young chief.

Finally, Cheonyeong, who had stopped at a certain distance in front of him, lightly bows his head and announces his identity.

"I am Tang Cheonyeong, the family head of the Tang Family's estate."

"..."

The man just glanced at him and showed no particular reaction.

"I heard that my family members were captured and brought here."

Tak.

The man finally puts down his wine cup at Cheonyeong's words.

And he leans his head back and looks at him with a languid gaze.

"Baihe."

"..."

"That's my name."

Cheonyeong nods his head at the words of the young man, Baihe.

But the atmosphere around him was unusual.

They glared at Cheonyeong as if he were a criminal who had committed a mortal sin, and revealed a killing intent as if they would swing the weapons in their hands at any moment.

"You punk! This is the land of the Black Scorpion! If the young chief has revealed his identity, you should naturally show respect!"

A giant holding a large iron mace shouts.

What a loud voice.

Isn't it okay not to speak so loudly at this close distance?

His ears were ringing.

And show respect?

Just by hearing his name?

"Uta."

"Yes!"

"Isn't he a man from the Central Plains? He might not know the etiquette here, so stop."

"But..."

The giant called Uta wears a blunt expression, but he soon flinches at Baihe's gaze and steps back.

"Tang family head from the Central Plains, please understand. Uta's personality is originally like that."

"..."

Baihe said as if to appease Cheonyeong.

But... this punk is speaking informally.

Honorifics should naturally be returned with honorifics.

How old are you, you punk!

From the looks of it, you're still a young punk with soft downy hair!

No, never mind his age, isn't he one step below him in status?

If he's a young chief, his status in the Central Plains is that of a young family head of a sect.

He's speaking informally out of the blue?

If he had his way, he wanted to slap him in the ear right now.

But since Yongcheon and Sanghui were captured, he couldn't get angry.

Dammit, the Lee family, who had been treated like this by him, must have felt this way.

Even if he was angry, he couldn't act on his temper because of the hostages, so his anger was piling up and he felt like he was going to explode.

"I understand. Since our cultures are different, it could be like that."

He stealthily dropped the honorifics out of pride.

I'm the family head...

"That punk!"

Uta's eyes shoot up and he raises his voice, as if he were displeased with that.

"Uta!"

"...I'm sorry."

Uta, who had been scolded, steps back again.

He gets angry so easily, but he also shrinks back just as quickly.

"Tsk tsk."

Baihe, who had clicked his tongue, shakes his head and looks intently at Cheonyeong and says.

"You've changed your tone."

"Since you were speaking informally, I thought that was the culture here. I'm the type to respect other people's cultures."

"Keuk keuk, you're an interesting punk. Well, it doesn't matter. There's no reason to speak formally between people with different bloodlines and affiliations."

Baihe, who had nodded in agreement, asks again.

"You said you came to find your family members?"

"Yes."

"I refuse."

"...Huh? So suddenly?"

"They injured the warriors. Since they committed a crime, they should naturally be dealt with according to the laws of the Black Scorpion Clan."

"..."

"If you understand, go back now."

Baihe waves his hand with a calm expression.

This punk, the more I see him.

Am I a fly?

But since Baekta had made a heartfelt request, Cheonyeong forcibly maintained his smile and suppressed his anger.

"I understand that your laws are like that. But, shouldn't we at least know what caused the fight?"

"What kind of incident?"

"Yes. Shouldn't we know why the fight started, whether to compensate or punish?"

Baihe smirks at Cheonyeong's words.

It was a smile full of ridicule and scorn.

"Compensation..."

"..."

"Hey, man from the Central Plains."

"Why?"

"Do you have a compensation more valuable than a life?"

"What?"

"They injured our warriors in the territory of our Black Scorpion Clan. Naturally, they should pay with their lives."

"Wh-what did you say?!"

Hey, you punk!

Why are you so extreme?

You're going to kill someone just because they were injured?

That's...!

...It could be.

If it were him, he might have done that... no!

I can do it, but you can't!

An injury for an injury! A life for a life! That's fair!

But for some reason, Cheonyeong was bothered by Baihe's smile.

Something was meaningful...

"D-don't tell me, already?"

"Not yet."

Baihe answered as he asked in surprise, and Cheonyeong stroked his chest.

That's a relief.

If he had said he had killed them, never mind Baekta's request, he would have lost his temper and turned the Black Scorpion Clan's branch into a sea of blood.

He would cut off the young chief's head, chop up his intestines and pickle them, and then go to his father...

Let's skip the rest.

For now, since they were alive, shouldn't negotiation be first?

"Hoo..."

Cheonyeong, who had taken a deep breath and calmed his agitated heart, said in a softened voice.

"Young Chief."

"Speak. Man from the Central Plains."

"I don't know what your laws are. But, since our cultures are different, couldn't we have made a mistake? If there was a problem, wouldn't it be better to solve it amicably through mutual consultation?"

"Impossible."

"..."

He's a really consistent punk.

How can he refuse so quickly?

He's a punk who wouldn't bleed a drop even if you pricked him with a needle.

It seemed he had to change his method.

He couldn't give up just because he was refused.

A person's life was at stake.

Just in case, it was first to confirm the safety of his family members.

Because at least they had to be in the same space so that if something happened, he could rescue the kids, turn the Black Scorpion Clan's branch into a mess, and escape.

"Hoo, alright. If that's your will, I can't help it. But, even if they have to die, as a family head, can't I at least see my family members?"

"You want to see them?"

"If, and only if, my family members have to die according to the laws of the Black Scorpion Clan, as a family head, I should at least watch their last moments. You can grant me that much generosity, right?"

Cheonyeong said, glancing around to find a place to escape, and at the same time secretly preparing to take out a flying needle.

"Alright, I'll grant you generosity. It's the duty of a superior to watch over the death of a warrior."

Baihe, who had been thinking for a moment, nodded his head and said.

That's a relief.

That there is such a strange principle.

But the words that followed were absurd.

"How much are you going to pay?"

"What?"

"If you want me to grant your request, there should naturally be a suitable price. Isn't that the principle?"

"..."

Cheonyeong, who had been looking around, stares at Baihe with a blank expression at those words.

This damn punk...

What? A price?

Don't you even know the meaning of generosity?

Generosity, a deep and generous heart.

It basically has the meaning of forgiveness.

But it's not a condition to spare their lives, and you want a price just for showing their faces before they die?

But Cheonyeong, while his lips twitched, forced a smile again.

Let's not cause trouble.

Since it's to save the kids' lives, how can money be a waste?

If he escapes, it won't be too late to retrieve it then.

"...How much will it be?"

"Let's see how much your sincerity is."

A deep furrow forms on Cheonyeong's brow as Baihe says that and smiles.

Just you wait, you damn young chief punk.

Cheonyeong rummages through his pocket and takes out all the money pouches he has.

How much on earth...

Although there were a lot of gold and silver coins.

He thought for a moment. A very short moment.

But as Baihe said, what is more precious than a life?

Let's be generous!

Jeol-geo-reok.

"This is all I have."

"All?"

"There's quite a bit of gold in it."

Cheonyeong opens the money pouch, shows its contents, and puts it on the floor. Baihe, who had glanced at it, nods his head with a smile.

"That much sincerity should be enough as a price for granting generosity. Uta."

"Yes."

"Bring the criminals."

"Yes."

The order was given, and Yongcheon and Sanghui were led out by the hands of the warriors.

"Oh, my..."

Baekta exclaims without realizing it at their appearance.

Cheonyeong slowly scans the appearance of the dragged-out Yongcheon and Sanghui.

How much had he been beaten, and how much had he been rolled on the ground? Yongcheon's body was covered in wounds and dirt.

And one of his eyes was so swollen that he couldn't even open it.

Sanghui was the same.

Not to mention the wounds, and she was already suffering from hair loss, but her hair was in a mess.

"...Family... Head."

Yongcheon, who had spotted Cheonyeong with his barely open eye, called out in a tired voice.

Bba-deuk.

He gritted his teeth.

Anger welled up.

Although he wanted to rescue them right away, it was almost impossible.

Because due to the distance, his movements would inevitably be slower than the movements of the Black Scorpion Clan warriors who were near the two.

Hidden weapons?

It was the same.

He had to get a little closer.

"Can I... talk... for a moment?"

"Is this your second request?"

"..."

"As I said, generosity requires a price. Man from the Central Plains."

A clear muscle forms on Cheonyeong's jaw at Baihe's words, which were full of ridicule.

There's... no money.

That was all he had just now.

If he had known this would happen, he would have given only half. He had been too hasty.

Cheonyeong looks at Danya, who was beside him, without realizing it.

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay."

Danya originally had no money.

Because he had sold his farm tools because he had no money for alcohol, and he had gone to find him.

Jeol-geo-reok.

"...?!"

But it seems Baekta was not.

He takes out a heavy money pouch from his pocket, puts it next to the money pouch that Cheonyeong had put down, and opens it.

"You..."

"Th-this is all my property. Family Head."

[It's for the mission expenses. You must repay me later. And please don't cause any trouble. Got it? Huh?]

The words that came out of his mouth and the following telepathic message.

Cheonyeong silently nodded his head.

I'll repay you.

Later, ten times, no, twenty times.

But I don't think I can keep the promise not to cause trouble.

Seeing the state of Yongcheon and Sanghui...

"Will this be enough?"

Baihe, who had glanced at Cheonyeong's words, said with a smile full of ridicule.

"It's not enough, but since the previous money was quite a lot, I'll grant you generosity one more time. Take the money!"

"Yes!"

The warrior who had received Baihe's order approached the money pouch, and Cheonyeong brushed past him and approached Yongcheon and Sanghui.

"Yongcheon, Sanghui."

"Family Head..."

"You've had a hard time."

"...!"

Yongcheon and Sanghui's eyes well up with tears as if they were touched by the words that soothed their hearts without any blame.

"What happened?"

"Well..."

"Sanghui, couldn't you hold back because Yongcheon was hurt?"

Cheonyeong, who had asked that, soon realizes that his question was foolish.

What does it matter who did what?

Since he was already by their side...

Baekta, I'm sorry.

I'll definitely repay this debt later. Both the money and the fact that I couldn't keep my promise.

If the Five Poisons Gate attacks, the Tang Family's estate will stand at the very front and block them.

Cheonyeong grips his flying needle tightly.

First, he would take care of the punks around him, and then right away...

But at that moment.

"Cheonyeong, I'm sorry. I lost my temper..."

"Huh?"

Yongcheon suddenly apologized.

"The young chief's subordinates kept harassing Sanghui, so I couldn't hold back and used my hands."

"..."

"I should have held back. But they kept trying to drag Sanghui to the young chief even though she said she didn't want to. I was just trying to stop that..."

Cheonyeong's hand stops at Yongcheon's words.

Wait a minute, Yongcheon, what did you just say?

It was you, not Sanghui?

Those punks harassed Sanghui?

So... this is what happened?

The situation at that time is drawn in his head and flashes by quickly.

Jeol-geu-reok!

"Wow, this is heavy."

"...?"

In the meantime, the sound of the warrior who had picked up the money pouch returning to the group with a broad smile is heard.

Hey, wait a minute.

Put down the money pouch. I think I need to recalculate this.

The Tang Family's Departure from the World