That evening—
"You're finally ho."
Jang Gong was waiting for Jang Un outside the door.
"Father? What are you doing out here? You must be tired."
"I just wanted to see my son coming ho."
"Let’s go inside."
"My son... Have you ever had a drink before?"
Jang Un hesitated.
"Hahaha! You have, haven't you?"
"Yes."
"Good. Tonight, would you have a drink with your father?"
"...Sir?"
"I’ll teach you the proper way to drink tonight."
"Yes, sir."
"To think the years have passed so quickly... The day has co where I can sit and share a drink with my son. Hahaha."
Though Jang Gong wore a bright smile, to Jang Un, his father sohow looked somber tonight.
Worry shadowed his face.
It felt like sothing heavy had happened, and he was using this small drinking table as an excuse to soothe himself.
Without saying a word, Jang Un quietly followed him inside.
A modest drinking table was set up in the room.
"Sit down, son."
"Yes, sir."
"Allow to pour the first cup."
"I should pour for you first—"
"Enough! Pick up your glass."
"Yes."
Trickle—
Jang Gong filled the cup and offered his own.
Jang Un quietly lifted the bottle and filled his father’s glass in return.
"Drink it down in one go."
"Yes, sir!"
Gulp—
They drank, filled the cups again, and drank once more.
After a few rounds, as the alcohol ward his blood, Jang Gong finally spoke.
"My son... Have you fallen in love recently?"
Flinch—
The slight twitch in Jang Un’s expression made Jang Gong chuckle.
"I see. You have."
"Yes..."
"How much do you care for her?"
"...I can't even imagine a world without her."
"..."
Hearing his son's confession, Jang Gong felt as if his chest had been crushed.
His son loved her that deeply.
And yet, he was supposed to tell him to give her up?
It was enough to suffocate him.
"Father... Is sothing wrong?"
"Hmm?"
"You don’t look well."
Jang Gong stared at Jang Un in silence for a mont.
Then slowly shook his head.
"It’s nothing. I was just... feeling a little sentintal, realizing my son has grown enough to love soone."
"I don't think that's all. Please, tell . I'm old enough now. I can help you too."
At his son's earnest plea, sothing welled up inside Jang Gong.
He’s truly grown up.
That thought made his heart ache even more.
"No... Let's just have another drink."
Jang Un accepted the next cup silently, his face full of concern.
Watching his son, Jang Gong wrestled internally.
What am I supposed to do...?
There was no good solution.
If he stood by his son's heart, the entire family would be crushed.
Staring at his cup for a long ti, Jang Gong suddenly downed the liquor in one gulp, then, voice trembling, said—
"My son... Forgive ! Forgive your useless father!"
He had made his decision: he would protect the family.
"Father? What are you saying?"
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry, my son! Huuuhuhuh!"
"Father?"
"Because of my incompetence... we’ll have to move far away.
You... you’ll have to part from her."
"What...?"
"I think... I think we’re about to be reassigned, the whole family."
"To where?"
Jang Gong closed his eyes and shook his head.
He didn't even know.
To Jang Un, it felt like a bolt of lightning out of a clear sky.
What the hell is happening?
And in that mont, one face rose in his mind.
Woo Jin!
The one person who might be able to save them.
Jang Un stood up sharply.
"Father! Please don’t worry. I’ll figure sothing out."
Jang Gong looked at him in confusion.
"I’ll show you that your son is old enough to be of real help to our family now."
Leaving those words behind, Jang Un bolted out the door.
"Un! Un—!"
But he had already vanished.
Jang Gong stared sorrowfully in the direction his son had gone.
It seed Jang Un knew soone high up.
But unless they were very, very powerful... it wouldn't matter.
The one they were up against was the Vice Master of the Inner Cabinet Hall.
Jang Gong muttered bitterly,
"I didn’t want him to see how cruel the world can be... not yet."
He could already picture it: his son returning, crushed by helplessness.
****
"Woo Jin!"
At the desperate cry, Yeon Woo Jin appeared.
"What’s all this? It’s late."
"Please... Please help !"
"Huh? What’s wrong?"
"T-they're going to send our whole family away!"
"Who?"
"I—I don't even know!
Father said it’s been decided!
I don’t want to leave! I don’t want to leave you or her!
Please, I’m begging you!"
At Jang Un’s pleading cry, Yeon Woo Jin simply smiled and reassured him.
"What nonsense are you talking about?
You're not going anywhere.
You’re staying with . Forever."
"W-what?"
"Don’t worry. Just go ho.
You’re not leaving my side — ever."
Sothing about those words sent a shiver down Jang Un’s spine.
He wasn’t sure whether he should feel comforted or terrified.
"C-Can I really trust you?"
"You can."
And if Yeon Woo Jin said it, then it would happen.
Relieved, Jang Un hurried ho.
As he left, Yeon Woo Jin called out to Ma Rang.
"Uncle Ma, find out what’s going on."
"Understood!"
****
The next morning—
Jang Gong couldn’t bring himself to sit and do nothing.
He agonized all night before finally rembering one person.
The head of the Guardian Corps: Gu Yanghyeon.
Still, he hesitated.
If he said the wrong thing, it could backfire terribly.
But for the sake of his son, he decided to try.
Either way, whether he stayed silent or not, the result might be the sa.
So, as soon as the sun rose, Jang Gong went to seek out Gu Yanghyeon.
Unexpectedly, Gu Yanghyeon greeted him warmly.
"Hahaha!
What brings you here so early in the morning?"
Jang Gong imdiately dropped to his knees before him.
"Please help !"
"Huh? What’s all this about?"
"I’m facing a situation where I might no longer be able to serve under you. Please, I beg you!"
No longer able to serve...?
Gu Yanghyeon's brow twitched.
"Explain clearly."
"The Vice Master of the Inner Cabinet Hall ordered ... ordered to leave."
"What?"
"And the Vice Master of the Guardian Corps has already given the official command."
"What in the world are you talking about!"
"Please help ! I don’t want to leave! I love this place!"
At Jang Gong’s desperate plea, Gu Yanghyeon roared in anger.
"Call Um Hyeon here at once!"
Um Hyeon — the na of the Guardian Corps’ Vice Master.
Gu Yanghyeon pulled Jang Gong to his feet and scolded him.
"A man shouldn't cry like that, especially not out in the open."
"Yes, sir..."
Jang Gong wiped his tears, trembling.
But inside, a fragile hope had begun to flicker to life.
"Don't worry," Gu Yanghyeon said.
"Didn't I tell you? You are one of my own.
And I protect what's mine.
Besides, you're about to beco the Captain of the newly established Guardian Eighth Division.
Where do you think you're going?
You have a corps to lead."
"Thank you, sir!"
Gu Yanghyeon had always liked Jang Gong.
Ever since the day Jang Gong had chosen him over Cheon Ho-seong.
And now—he was furious.
That anyone would dare pull a stunt like this made his blood boil.
As his anger was reaching its peak, Vice Master Um Hyeon of the Guardian Corps finally arrived.
"You summoned , sir?"
Sensing Gu Yanghyeon's foul mood, Um Hyeon treaded as carefully as he could.
"You," Gu Yanghyeon barked, pointing at Jang Gong, "do you know this man?"
Um Hyeon shook his head.
"Then why the hell were you trying to send him away?"
"...Sir?"
He looked confused, completely lost.
"The Vice Master of the Inner Cabinet Hall requested it, didn't he?"
Only then did realization dawn on Um Hyeon’s face, and he stiffened.
"Th-that’s... it’s because... a re squad leader in the Public Security Patrol apparently offended the Vice Master.
It was ant to be a minor punishnt, just a temporary reassignnt.
We were planning to call him back later, truly!"
"You. Are you even managing the establishnt of the Guardian Eighth Division properly?"
"Yes! We've already completed recruiting the martial artists."
"Then you don't know yet who the Captain is supposed to be, do you?"
"No, sir. You haven’t appointed anyone yet."
"It’s him."
"...Sir?"
"The man you were about to exile — he’s the Captain of the Guardian Eighth Division."
Um Hyeon couldn't even process what he was hearing.
"And you, you damned bastard!
When one of our own gets threatened, you're supposed to stand up for them!
Instead, you side with outsiders and throw your own people away?
You think you still deserve to be Vice Master after that?"
"Pl-please, sir! Forgive !"
Realizing at last why his superior was furious, Um Hyeon dropped to his knees and begged.
"You are no longer Vice Master as of today.
From now on, you will be detained at ho.
And don’t worry — I’ll make sure you’re sent sowhere very far away, just like you wanted."
Startled, Um Hyeon grabbed at Gu Yanghyeon's robes.
"Please, sir! Forgive ! Please!"
"You little— let go!"
Thud—
"Ugh!"
Crash—
"A man who uses his authority to betray his own is no longer my subordinate!"
Gu Yanghyeon struck pressure points across Um Hyeon’s body, sealing off his inner energy completely.
Then, he gave orders.
"Confine /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ him in his ho until I issue further instructions."
Finally, turning to Jang Gong, Gu Yanghyeon said,
"You are the Captain of the Guardian Eighth Division.
Don't even think about going anywhere else. Understood?"
"Y-yes, sir!"
"Go ho and wait. I'll take care of the rest."
"Understood! Thank you, sir!
I swear to devote my life to you, Master!"
Hearing that, Gu Yanghyeon smiled broadly.
"That's the spirit."
****
anwhile,
The Inner Cabinet Hall was in an uproar.
"Hey! Jo Ujeong!"
It was because Gu Yanghyeon had stord in like a raging bull.
Master Jo Ujeong of the Inner Cabinet Hall pressed a hand to his forehead.
What now?
I thought we solved the budget issues with outside support?
No matter how he thought about it, he couldn’t figure out why the "wild boar" was so worked up.
"What the hell... barging into soone else's office like this."
"How the hell are you training your Vice Masters!"
"...Huh?"
Jo Ujeong blinked.
"What are you even talking about?"
"Your Vice Master tried to exile one of my own without my permission!
You think that's not an insult?
You want to really start flipping tables around here?!"
At Gu Yanghyeon’s furious roar, Jo Ujeong’s eyes widened.
If what he’s saying is true...
It made perfect sense why Gu Yanghyeon, who was infamous for his deep loyalty to his subordinates, was raging like this.
"Is that true?"
"You think I'm lying?
They tried to kick out the very man I was planning to appoint as Captain!"
That was even worse.
This wasn’t just so low-ranking martial artist.
It was soone he had specifically chosen for a leadership position.
"And not just anyone — one of my precious people!
Ah, dammit, just thinking about it pisses off again!"
The "wild boar" looked about ready to tear the place apart.
Jo Ujeong quickly realized he had to calm him down — or the entire hall might literally be flattened.
"Calm down first.
If you shout like that, I can’t even understand you properly."
"Huff— Huff—"
At Jo Ujeong’s words, Gu Yanghyeon forced himself to regulate his breathing.
anwhile, Jo Ujeong’s mind raced.
This is bad.
It wasn’t just any officer.
It was soone chosen by the Guardian Corps Master himself — and soone he personally cherished.
If the Vice Master of the Inner Cabinet Hall had really tried to banish such a person?
It was tantamount to declaring war.
The fact that Gu Yanghyeon hadn’t already smashed everything showed astonishing restraint.
"First, let investigate exactly what happened," Jo Ujeong said.
"Give a little ti."
"What, you want to just shut up and sit here?"
"N-no, no!
I just an — I need a bit of ti to understand the full situation.
Ah! I happen to have a perfectly aged bottle of Geumjoncheong in the back.
Why don’t you have a drink while you wait?"
"Geumjoncheong?
Hrmph. Fine."
Thank heaven this wild boar likes his booze.
But Jo Ujeong knew even that wouldn't buy much ti.
What the hell has that bastard Feng So-un been up to?
Ordering a table to be set with drinks, Jo Ujeong hurried out.
He wasn’t going to summon Feng So-un to the Inner Cabinet Hall — not when there was a risk he might bump into Gu Yanghyeon and trigger a disaster.
Instead, he stord straight toward the Vice Master's office.
As he walked, his anger simred higher and higher.
If this turns out to be over so petty nonsense... I’m going to tear him apart.
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