Chapter 581

Chapter 581 - Side Story 15

Jin Heon was so shocked that he sat down for a while, unable to get up, with a blank expression on his face. This was Jin Heon who hadn't shown emotions even after being beaten like that. It showed just how shocking Tang Yu-jeong's one statement was.

"Jin Heon?"

"..."

"Jin~ Heon?"

"..."

"Jin In-heon?"

Tang Yu-jeong cheerfully called Jin Heon's name.

"Wow, the name really sticks. Jin Heon."

Jin Heon came to his senses and got angry.

"Stop calling someone else's name carelessly!"

"What does it matter?"

Tang Yu-jeong pressed down on Jin Heon's head firmly.

"Stop, stop it!"

Jin Heon got fiercely angry and swatted away Tang Yu-jeong's hand on his head.

"Why not? I'm your older sister."

Jin Heon glared at Tang Yu-jeong with intensity in his eyes.

"Who says you're my sister? I've never had a sister."

"Does it become not true just because you don't like it?"

"What?"

Killing intent rose in Jin Heon's eyes.

His gaze was terrifying because of his characteristic coldness. An ordinary person would have shrunk away.

"I've never had a sister like you, or a dad. Understand?"

But Tang Yu-jeong was naturally not ordinary. She stared down at Jin Heon emitting killing intent, then interlaced her fingers.

Flinch.

Jin Heon realized he had unconsciously shrunk back and his face twisted. So he glared even more fiercely than before and bared his teeth.

Tang Yu-jeong, who had been watching Jin Heon, suddenly started laughing. At first she laughed awkwardly, then soon burst into laughter as if she couldn't hold it in.

"Man, this is really driving me crazy."

At those words, Jin Heon was somewhat flustered, then soon ground his teeth.

"You think this is funny? Funny?!"

Tang Yu-jeong said.

"You know you're identical?"

"What? I'm identical to who..."

Jin Heon stopped mid-sentence and closed his mouth. Because he realized in that moment what Tang Yu-jeong was trying to say. He clenched his teeth. He hated being told he resembled someone he couldn't accept, it gave him chills.

Tang Yu-jeong looked at Jin Heon and said.

"Just as it's hard for you to accept, it was hard for me to accept you too. Until just a moment ago, I was also wondering, like you, how to think about this suddenly appearing family."

"And?"

"But when you have a face exactly like Dad's, how can I not accept it? Now it's no longer a matter of whether to accept it or not."

Jin Heon shouted, anger surging to the top of his head.

"That's just your thinking!"

"That's right, it's my thinking. But I hope you think the same way. What are you going to do if you don't accept it?"

Jin Heon's face twisted.

"You're just doing as you please... You've lived comfortably as the legitimate wife's child, but you don't even think about how hard others have had it? Does other people's lives look like a joke to you?"

Jin Heon shouted in frustration.

"Don't play with people!"

Tang Yu-jeong said quietly while listening to Jin Heon's words.

"I understand it's sudden. I felt that way too when I heard about Father's other child. And unlike you, I at least had time to think about it."

Tang Yu-jeong nodded.

"So I'll give you time too."

Tang Yu-jeong extended her hand while looking at Jin Heon who was still indignant.

"During that time, what you mentioned. The things you should have rightfully had. The things I've been enjoying all this time, I'll share them with you."

For a moment, Jin Heon almost threw a punch at Tang Yu-jeong. Words telling her not to give him pathetic pity rose to his throat. Trembling. His fist shook. His eyeballs felt hot as if they would burst from the heat gathering in his eyes.

But...

Strangely, a corner of his chest ached as if tearing apart. And at the same time, he felt something warm and melting. He felt the gaping hole being filled as it melted.

Jin Heon was startled to find his eyes getting moist.

His eyes weren't hot from anger. Tears were welling up. Jin Heon lowered his head and knocked away Tang Yu-jeong's hand.

"Get that away."

Tang Yu-jeong smiled brightly.

"Then get up."

"What?"

Tang Yu-jeong said with a bright face.

"Let's go eat. There was a delicious place at that ferry last time."

Jin Heon found himself staring blankly at Tang Yu-jeong without realizing it. Could he someday smile so innocently and brightly like that...? As if without any worries?

Could he freely call out the name Jin Heon in broad daylight without being cautious?

"Not coming? If you don't come, should I go first?"

Tang Yu-jeong led the way and gestured for him to follow.

Jin Heon looked at Tang Yu-jeong for a moment, then turned and went in the opposite direction from Tang Yu-jeong. It was his determination to never return toward Hainan Island.

"Ah, damn... that cursed stubbornness. I'm telling you, it's exactly the same."

***

Tang Gyeong left Hainan Island and waited at the ferry where he had been with Tang Yu-jeong. He saw the marker Tang Yu-jeong left, but he couldn't leave right away.

He waited restlessly for a reply to his letter. He didn't know when Dad would leave Hainan Island. Tang Yu-jeong, who had chased after Jin Heon, hadn't returned either, so Tang Gyeong kept his nerves on edge and continued waiting.

A reply came in one day. Even using carrier pigeons, it was an extremely fast reply. That was also proof of how serious this matter was.

To my dear friend, Supreme Asura.

Upon receiving your urgent letter, I hastily mobilized all available information networks and connections. Do you know what happened?

Hehehe, don't worry. In the end, I found out the information my friend requested.

Your suspicion was accurate. The child named Heon is indeed the Poison Dragon's illegitimate son.

My friend.

I should have congratulated you first on breaking your long seclusion and coming outside, but my congratulations are late. Now that one righteous hero has appeared in the jianghu, villains can no longer run rampant.

Don't forget. I, the Dragon Captor Great Hero, am ready to meet you anytime.

Tang Gyeong's face brightened.

"Wow, in one day! As expected of the Dragon Captor Great Hero. People really are all about connections. I should have asked earlier. I wonder what this person doesn't know."

Now it was time to hurry and chase after his sister.

Tang Gyeong bought jerky and some snacks from a stall, wrapped them in a bundle, and was about to follow Tang Yu-jeong.

"Hm?"

Tang Gyeong was putting a snack in his mouth when he suddenly felt a strange sensation and looked around.

He saw a woman heading toward a boat at the ferry. She had her hair twisted up with a hairpin stuck in it, and it was completely white. However, her face looked only middle-aged.

A martial artist. And a considerable master at that.

She wore a thin cloth shoulder wrap called a pijian, but the right sleeve was empty and fluttered.

'Huh? Could it be?'

At that moment, the white-haired female master's eyes met Tang Gyeong's.

Tang Gyeong immediately realized. A master with this appearance who was missing her right arm going to Hainan Island where Dad was, this was no coincidence!

'Wowww! That's her! The one whose hair turned completely white after suffering so much emotional distress after everything ended!'

Someone who occupied a considerable portion of Dad's legendary stories.

To meet such a person here! If he could, he wanted to go and greet her, but he wasn't in a position to do so. Tang Gyeong expressed his utmost respect and reverence by slightly nodding as if their eyes had met by chance and he felt awkward.

The white-haired female master smiled slightly as if Tang Gyeong was cute, then turned her head. Tang Gyeong couldn't take his eyes off her for quite a while until she boarded the boat.

"She wouldn't have recognized me anyway, right?"

No matter how much she was Dad's acquaintance, there was no way she could recognize his face. Tang Gyeong had never once left the Tang Family Estate since he was born.

Tang Gyeong took out another snack, put it in his mouth, then left in the direction Tang Yu-jeong had gone.

***

"Great Hero Jin, your son was at the ferry entering Hainan Island, wasn't he? Was it Gyeong?"

At Dan Ryeong-gyeong 's words, Jin Ja-gang, Son-bi, and An Ryeong looked at Dan Ryeong-gyeong. They made expressions asking how she knew.

"He looked so similar that I couldn't help but recognize him. Come to think of it, when I first met you, you were probably around the same age as that child."

An Ryeong laughed heartily, and Jin Ja-gang sighed.

"That kid is here..."

"I didn't see the other two."

Son Bi held Jin Ja-gang's hand and comforted him. Then she looked at Dan Ryeong-gyeong and wrote on the table to ask.

'What was he doing?'

"He greeted me when he saw me. Ah, he was buying and eating a bunch of snacks."

Dan Ryeong-gyeong smiled with clear eyes.

"He's grown up bright. Without a single care."

An Ryeong said.

"Unfortunately, this child has quite a few troubles. That one ran away once, but this one has been doing it every year since he came of age. The turbulent period has been going on for quite a while."

At An Ryeong's words, Son-bi made an apologetic face. Dan Ryeong-gyeong laughed.

"At that age, it can't be helped. Ah, and the reason I came to visit. Not only did I just see that child, but I heard strange rumors while passing through the area."

Dan Ryeong-gyeong spoke somewhat seriously, propping her chin with one hand.

"All three of the Poison Dragon's children have come out into the jianghu. Such rumors are spreading. There are also rumors that those calling themselves the Hungry Ghost King's descendants are targeting them."

"So you've heard too, Fairy Maiden."

An Ryeong chimed in.

"This guy doesn't worry at all. He says he suffered more. He must have the wicked heart that the kids need to suffer too."

"That can't be."

"At least he won't intervene in the kids' matters himself."

"I hope so. But there's a more serious rumor than the children's issue, so listen carefully."

The three people focused on Dan Ryeong-gyeong.

"Great Hero Jin, people are blaming everything on you. The difficult economic situation, the bandits running rampant, the chaos in the jianghu. Words are starting to spread that it's all the Poison Dragon's fault. It's at the point where people are even saying the martial world will collapse before long."

An Ryeong was dumbfounded.

"Now of all times?"

"That's why I'm saying this. Someone is deliberately dragging Great Hero Jin into it."

"Could it be related to the children?"

"They'll use the children as hostages or justification to corner Great Hero Jin."

An Ryeong chuckled and raised his wine cup.

"To think such a thing could corner the Poison Dragon. These so-called Hungry Ghost King's descendants, aren't they too optimistic?"

"Are you forgetting? That the masters of the great sects are dissatisfied. If someone just throws them justification, they're ready to bite at any time."

"The Poison Dragon?"

Son-bi wrote at length.

'The shackles on him are rules he established and created himself. Absurdly, those who oppose use the rules he created to try to bind him.'

Son-bi coughed while writing.

Dan Ryeong-gyeong looked at Son-bi with pitying eyes for a moment, then said.

"They'll act soon. There's no way they'll miss this opportunity when all three of Great Hero Jin's children are out."

"The Hungry Ghost King's descendants, or those dissatisfied masters?"

"Both, I'd say."

An Ryeong leaned back and lamented.

"Tch, ridiculous bastards. Ridiculous world. After all, drinking and quietly passing away is the best."

Dan Ryeong-gyeong looked at Jin Ja-gang.

"Are you really okay with this? Not intervening?"

Jin Ja-gang nodded without a moment's hesitation.

"I thought so."

Dan Ryeong-gyeong stood up.

"Oh, leaving already?"

"I came to check whether Great Hero Jin would move or not. Now that I know Great Hero Jin's resolve, I should let them know."

Dan Ryeong-gyeong answered with a smile and emphasis.

"That the Poison Dragon has friends."