Kwang! Kwa-ang!

Although Baihe had already lost consciousness, Cheonyeong's punches continued with a steady rhythm.

"Y-young Chief... sir."

Uta couldn't believe it.

Baihe was the future of the Black Scorpion Clan, and he was the pride of the tribe, praised for his outstanding talent, enough to make a name for himself in the Five Poisons Gate to which they belonged.

Everyone had said in unison that in ten years, he would represent the Black Scorpion Clan.

Such a person was completely defeated in front of everyone by a man from the Central Plains whose name he had never even heard.

Kwang! Kwang!

Uta snaps to his senses at the sound of a heavy hammer striking down.

Since the young chief had declared it a fight between warriors, according to the law of the Black Scorpion, he had to watch even if someone died.

But.

"Stop! Stop it! We've lost!"

Even if he knew it in his head, how could his heart be the same?

Uta was already running towards Cheonyeong.

All the warriors of the Black Scorpion Clan's eyes widened in surprise at his action of breaking the law, but for Uta now, saving Baihe was more important than following the law.

He was a master he had served since he was a baby.

He still remembered that bright smile, and the sturdy back of him who had grown up reliably and saved him in times of crisis was clear in his eyes.

Uta could not abandon him.

Even if he were to be punished for breaking the tribe's law, he had to save Baihe.

And at that shout, Cheonyeong's fist stops in mid-air.

"You want me to stop?"

"...!"

At that moment, Uta's expression hardens.

Because the gaze of Cheonyeong, who had turned his head to look at him, looked like that of a predator. 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

The unlit pupils pressed down on Uta's mind, and with just one word, his heart was constricted.

This punk... was he like this?

He had a playful expression, but.

The Cheonyeong that Uta saw was a completely different person from the beginning.

His spine was drenched in sweat at the coolness conveyed by the smile that tore one corner of his mouth.

"Please stop."

"Why?"

"Th-that's..."

"Would you have spared me?"

"Pardon?"

"If the situation were reversed, if it were me instead of him, and if my family members had begged you to spare me... would you have spared me?"

A voice without a single emotion, without any highs or lows.

He was like a god of death who had no hesitation in taking a life.

"You would have taken it for granted."

"..."

"But why are you asking me for such a favor?"

"I, I..."

Uta, who had been stuttering with a clumsy pronunciation, finally kneels in front of Cheonyeong.

"Please spare him!"

Cheonyeong looks intently at Uta, who even bows his head and prostrates himself.

He had no intention of killing him from the beginning.

Even if the fight between warriors they had talked about was a life-and-death struggle that no one could interfere with.

Whether it was a warrior's fight or whatever, the law would not precede a parent's heart.

Even if the culture and region were different, a parent who had lost a child would suffer the pain of a broken heart.

And if it was a son with such talent...

There was no way the chief would stay still.

If those punks held a grudge and tried to sneak into the Tang family, he might have to taste the drinking water, wine, and food every time.

Then?

It would be annoying. Incredibly.

And what if the Black Scorpion Clan, full of sorrow, earnestly appealed to the Five Poisons Gate?

No matter how fair the fight was, a shrimp sides with a shrimp, and an arm bends inward.

The Five Poisons Gate would side with the Black Scorpion Clan.

And isn't the justification good?

Invasion of the Central Plains.

The entire Yunnan becomes an enemy of the Tang family.

The Central Plains would be the same.

If they had to fight a war with Yunnan because of the Tang family, they would choose to tie up the Tang family with a rope and hand them over to Yunnan.

Because that would be much more profitable.

Cheonyeong, who had been lost in thought, calls Sanghui.

He had no intention of killing him, but the person involved should make the decision.

"Sanghui, Yongcheon."

"Yes, Family Head!"

Yongcheon and Sanghui rush over at Cheonyeong's call.

"What do you want to do?"

"Pardon?"

"It all started with a friction with you guys, didn't it?"

"Ah, well..."

"You guys decide."

"W-we do?"

"Yes."

"How can we..."

"If you'll only be satisfied if I kill him, I'll kill him."

"But, he's..."

"Why? Are you worried that the Tang family will have an enemy called the Black Scorpion?"

Sanghui hesitates, unable to answer Cheonyeong's words.

"It doesn't matter."

"Pardon?"

"It doesn't matter if the Black Scorpion or the Five Poisons Gate becomes our enemy."

"..."

"I am the family head."

"..."

"If someone harms my family member, I will fight even if it means turning everyone into an enemy until the moment I die. You can make any decision. I'll take responsibility for the rest."

Yongcheon frowns as if he were in deep thought at Cheonyeong's words.

Uta, who had been listening with his head bowed, realizes that Baihe's life had been passed on to them and quickly turns his head and bows.

"Please spare him! I will never forget your grace for the rest of my life! Please!"

It was a voice that seemed to echo all around.

But unlike Yongcheon, who was lost in thought, Sanghui soon smiles brightly and approaches to help Uta up.

"Please get up."

"...But."

"From the moment the Family Head entrusted the decision to me, the fate of your master was already decided. To live."

"Pardon?"

Uta blinks his eyes and looks bewildered at Sanghui's words.

"Right? Family Head?"

"Hmm, that's..."

As Sanghui glares at him, Cheonyeong awkwardly turns his head and scratches his head.

"You're so mischievous. You knew we couldn't make any other choice."

"If you had told me to kill him, I would have. Seriously."

"You would have. You're more than capable of it. And even if anyone becomes our enemy, you would fight, Family Head. With all your might. But, there's no way we would want that."

"..."

"That's why you asked us. Right?"

"Keu-heum!"

Cheonyeong turns his head, pretending not to have heard.

She's so quick-witted. On the other hand, there's a punk who only just noticed.

"Ah! So that's what it was?"

Yongcheon claps his hands and exclaims as if he had a sudden realization.

"What?"

"No, I was really thinking about it... whether to kill him or not."

"What?"

"No, that's right. Isn't it the law of our Tang family to repay a grudge ten times over?"

"..."

"And those damn punks tried to disgrace you, Sanghui. I get so angry just thinking about that time."

Sanghui smiles, her cheeks slightly flushed, as Yongcheon seems to recall the past memory and pants.

"Aigoo, you fool. That's why you should think a little. And read people's minds a little."

"Ouch!"

Yongcheon feigns pain as Sanghui jabs him in the side with her elbow.

"This son of a bitch! Why did you hit me! What did I do! I'm just being faithful to the Family Head's command!"

"Hah, what am I even talking to you about? Don't you know that the Family Head's command comes before the law?"

"Huh? Isn't the law the highest?"

"You idiot, who made the law?"

"Well, the Family Head?"

"So since he made it, he can also revise it."

"He... ah! I see! So that's what it was?"

Yongcheon's face brightens as if he finally understands at Sanghui's explanation.

"Anyway, you're still slow-witted even after learning to read. You're still the same."

"Tch!"

Yongcheon pouts and looks displeased at Sanghui's nagging.

But Sanghui, who was looking at him, suddenly smiles brightly.

"But... were you really that angry?"

"About what?"

"That the young chief of the Black Scorpion Clan was hitting on me?"

"Wh-who said that? I was just... as the Deputy Family Head of the Tang family... the Tang family being disgraced..."

As Yongcheon stutters and makes excuses, Sanghui's smile becomes brighter.

Cheonyeong, who was looking at the two, thought.

Really... they're being ridiculous.

These guys are flirting at such an important moment.

"Ah! My goodness. Shouldn't we move the patient first?"

"Pardon?"

"He's a mess."

"Ah."

Perhaps because she was in a very good mood because of Yongcheon, Sanghui smiles brightly and examines Baihe, who is lying on the floor, unconscious.

"My... you really beat him up good."

"..."

"Over there, you said your name was Uta, right?"

"Pardon? Yes."

"What are you doing? After kneeling and saving him?"

"Pardon?"

"You should call a doctor. He might really die at this rate."

"Ah! I see. I'll call a doctor right away."

Uta, who had snapped to his senses at Sanghui's words, hurriedly gives orders to the warriors of the Black Scorpion Clan.

"Everyone, hurry! Take the young chief to his room and call a doctor! Hurry!"

"Yes!"

The warriors of the Black Scorpion Clan, who had received Uta's order, begin to move busily.

And then.

"Thank you again."

Cheonyeong stares at Uta, who is bowing his head.

Why are you... thanking me, but your head is turned towards Sanghui?

"Although I will be punished for breaking the law by interfering in a warrior's fight, until then, I will serve you and your family members as distinguished guests with all my heart. If you need anything, just tell me. I will serve you myself."

Uta bowed his head even deeper and said, and although the direction was a bit ambiguous, the sincerity contained in it was fully felt.

A loyal subject. Perhaps Uta was such a person to Baihe.

Cheonyeong, who felt his heart, slowly reaches out and pats Uta's shoulder.

"Uta."

"Yes, Family Head Tang."

Uta, who had raised his head, tilts his head as if puzzled, looking at Cheonyeong's appearance.

He's smiling. Brightly.

And that hand that was lightly raised, the thumb and index finger rolled into a circle... a circle?

"You guys, I saw earlier that you really like a price."

"Pardon?"

"No, well, I'm not saying I want something. You know, right? You don't look young, so you have that much sense, right? Right?"

"...Pardon?"

"Ahem, you punk. Are you pretending not to know? Huh? Huh? You know you can't last long just by being loyal, right? You have to have sense, sense. Right?"

Cheonyeong repeatedly holds out his fingers, which he had made into a circle, to Uta and emphasizes.

"Didn't you say so earlier? That if I need anything, I should just tell you. Huh?"

"...That's."

Uta wears an embarrassed expression.

What kind of benefactor is this?

He's like a mischievous boy, but when he fights, he's like a ferocious beast, and he was about to kill like a god of death, but now he's no different from a snob.

And how could he not know that hand gesture?

It's universal.

"That part is beyond my authority, so once the young chief wakes up, I'll have a word with him..."

"Ahem! Are you going to be like this?"

"Pardon?"

"Just once? Just once!"

"Wh-what's that?"

"If you want to make it happen somehow, you have to say it twice, three times! Am I just an ordinary person to you?"

"..."

"I'm the person who saved your master's life! In this case, you've received a life-saving grace, or it's unforgettable... well, that kind of, you know?"

Uta blinks his eyes repeatedly at Cheonyeong's words.

A life-saving grace?

Unforgettable?

You're the one who beat him up, and I'm the one who saved him?

And if anyone has received a grace, it's that side more...

Uta glances at Sanghui.

"You could have just told me coolly. Tsk tsk, I can't help it. Since you guys also have a system, then let's discuss that matter once the young chief wakes up. For now, bring me some wine."

"..."

"I used too much strength, so my throat is scratchy. Ah, if you have any clothes, give me a few. The young chief's sword was so sharp that it became a complete rag. This is a really expensive piece of clothing. You see the dragon embroidered here, right?"

Uta bursts out laughing without realizing it at the sight of Cheonyeong, who was showing his torn clothes and grumbling.

"Let's go. I will escort you to the quarters where the distinguished guests will be staying. Also, if you wait, I will prepare wine, food, and clothes."

"Oh, do so."

As soon as Uta's words ended, Cheonyeong walks leisurely towards the building in front.

Yongcheon, Sanghui, and Danya, who had become a new family member, follow him.

"Heo-eo-eo-eo."

Only then does Baekta, whose tension had been released, collapses like a deflating ball.

He had been scared to death.

Not only the fight, but what if Cheonyeong had killed Baihe?

He might have had to immediately prepare for a war with the Five Poisons Gate of Yunnan, summon the leaders of the Nine Factions, and send a carrier pigeon to discuss countermeasures.

But strangely, he had become a distinguished guest.

Should he believe this?

"Really, it seems there are punks who are followed by heavenly luck."

Baekta, who was shaking his head, bursts out laughing without realizing it.

And then.

"Hey! Myeongseon! Aren't you coming?"

"Huh?"

"We're going to eat it all!"

Baekta jumps up at Cheonyeong's shout, who had already approached the building.

Perhaps because his tension had been released all at once, he felt an enormous hunger.