“Damn it—!”

Bang! Crash!

Objects flew across the pristine white room.

A porcelain vase struck the wall, shattering into countless shards with a sharp sound.

Fragments scattered across the floor, and one piece struck a woman’s cheek, drawing blood.

“Kyah...!”

Startled, the woman let out a scream, but the young man, Cheong Seon, scowled in response.

“Be quiet!”

“S-sorry....”

Despite the blood trickling down her face, the woman stiffened, trembling with fear.

Cheong Seon’s presence was that intimidating.

“Y-young master! Please calm down...! You’ll aggravate your injury!”

A man nearby tried to intervene, but Cheong Seon paid no attention, furiously grabbing anything within reach and hurling it.

Bang! Crash!

One by one, every object in the room met its demise.

“Damn it!”

Even after throwing things for a while, his anger didn’t subside. He huffed and puffed, his temper flaring.

His head was wrapped in bandages, evidence of the injury he’d sustained earlier.

“Ugh!”

As he moved violently, Cheong Seon stumbled, swaying on his feet.

Dizziness struck him, and he winced in pain, grimacing as he muttered:

“...What are those wretched scum doing right now?”

The ones who had humiliated him and left him in this state.

At his words, the man next to him hurriedly responded.

“...They’ve been shackled and locked in the prison.”

“...Is that so?”

Grind.

Cheong Seon clenched his teeth.

“I will never forgive them.”

Humiliating him wasn’t enough—they dared to leave him in this miserable state?

He swore he wouldn’t let those two escape his wrath.

Especially—

‘That ugly, brutish bastard.’

The one who interfered in his business and obstructed him.

‘Those eyes.’

The way that bastard looked at him.

Just recalling it made his anger flare.

Even though they had only exchanged glances, Cheong Seon was certain.

‘He looked down on me.’

The way he carried himself, his expression, and his gaze. 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

That wretched man had clearly mocked him.

Even if the man’s words had been superficially polite, Cheong Seon couldn’t miss the sneering undertone.

He hadn’t even tried to hide it.

‘In Yahwol, an outsider dared to disrespect a noble like me?’

And not even a fellow noble, but some foreigner?

Crack!

Cheong Seon’s fists tightened.

‘Those despicable Mount Hua scum.’

It had to be them. Once again, it was Mount Hua.

The same sect that had humiliated him in the past.

‘Unbelievable.’

A twisted smile formed on his face as anger filled him. Could it really be a coincidence?

‘Even that wretched woman was from Mount Hua.’

The woman who had once humiliated him had also been from that accursed sect.

The memory made his brow furrow. Mount Hua was nothing but trouble.

The only thing he could acknowledge—

‘At least their women are beautiful.’

Cheong Seon thought of the nameless woman who had struck him. His lips twisted into a smirk.

‘She’s strong, I’ll give her that.’

Strong enough to leave him in this state with a single blow.

‘But it doesn’t matter. She’s captured now.’

With her shackled by the special restraints, she was powerless.

And so—

‘I’ll kill that detestable bastard.’

And take the beautiful woman for himself.

Cheong Seon’s eyes gleamed with a twisted fervor as his anger reignited.

‘Moreover.’

Perhaps he could use this opportunity to ask his father to deal with Mount Hua entirely.

Thinking this, Cheong Seon chuckled softly.

“Heh heh heh....”

Yes, that would work.

He now had the perfect excuse.

As these thoughts consumed him, Cheong Seon began to leave ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) the wrecked room.

Knock, knock.

A sound came from the door.

“Who is it?”

-“Excuse me, young master. The leader is summoning you.”

“...”

His father was calling for him. How convenient.

“I was about to go anyway.”

The timing couldn’t have been better. Cheong Seon grabbed the door handle and spoke.

“Clean this room before I return.”

“...Y-yes, sir.”

The frightened maid responded, her voice trembling.

Cheong Seon paused, glancing at her.

The blood running down her cheek and her trembling form were pitiful.

Yet, she was beautiful—he had personally chosen her for that reason.

Not bad. Realizing this, Cheong Seon spoke.

“And you will serve me tonight. Don’t leave, and wait here.”

“...!”

At his words, the maid’s body shook violently.

Her already pale face seemed to turn even bluer.

Seeing her reaction, Cheong Seon smirked and began opening the door.

But the moment he did—

Flinch!

Cheong Seon froze.

A face was right in front of him, startling him.

It seemed to belong to the messenger.

“...What are you doing, sneaking around like that!”

He barked at the man in frustration, but the messenger didn’t respond.

“...What’s wrong with you? Why are you just—”

Thud!

“...!!”

Suddenly, the man collapsed.

Cheong Seon’s eyes widened in shock. What was this? Why did he fall like that?

As confusion set in—

[Well, this isn’t the place either.]

A deep, low voice pierced Cheong Seon’s ears.

The sound alone made his heart pound erratically.

He turned toward the source of the voice—the area beyond the collapsed man.

“Who’s the—?!”

Before he could finish, a rough hand clamped over his mouth.

Crack.

“Mmmpf! Mmmph...!!”

The grip was painfully strong, forcing muffled groans from Cheong Seon.

The servants nearby tried to react but—

[Shh.]

The quiet command froze everyone in place.

[I dislike noise. So stay silent.]

An overwhelming pressure swept through the room, silencing every sound.

Thud! Thud!

In seconds, all the servants collapsed.

The only one left conscious was Cheong Seon, dangling in the air, held by the mysterious figure.

His body trembled violently. The oppressive energy he’d felt made it clear—

This was someone he could never hope to defeat.

As fear overtook him, Cheong Seon’s eyes welled with terror.

The figure slowly turned their gaze to him.

Eyes of deep, glowing violet locked onto his.

Cheong Seon’s body stopped trembling—not out of relief, but from sheer, paralyzing fear.

The figure finally spoke.

[Now, I’m going to let you speak.]

Cheong Seon’s heart pounded uncontrollably at the sound of the voice.

[Do you remember what I said just now?]

“...”

The words replayed in his mind:

[I dislike noise.]

Cheong Seon nodded rapidly.

[Good. You’re smarter than I thought.]

The figure loosened their grip slightly, freeing Cheong Seon’s mouth.

But he couldn’t muster any words, his trembling eyes fixed on the figure.

That was all he could do.

The figure studied him in silence before speaking again.

[Heir of the Cheong family, there is only one thing you must do now.]

Their voice carried an unsettling mix of amusement and cold finality. It gnawed at Cheong Seon’s very core.

Who was this person? Why were they doing this to him? They clearly knew who he was.

Before Cheong Seon could piece it together, the figure delivered their demand:

[Take me to your father’s location. If you don’t, I will tear your limbs apart.]

The chilling words obliterated all other thoughts from Cheong Seon’s mind.

**************

The heart of the Cheong family estate.

The largest and most lavish structure among all the buildings.

Every material used in its construction was of the finest quality.

The craftsmen involved were top-tier artisans, and the result was a mansion worthy of the ruling lineage of the Cheong family.

Moreover, with each successive leader, the estate underwent constant renovations and expansions, growing even grander and more magnificent over time.

And the interior?

It wasn’t just beautiful on the outside—the inside was meticulously designed, boasting a level of refinement that exuded prestige.

In the grandest room of this estate stood a massive chair.

Ordinarily, the family leader would occupy this seat.

But now, the one seated there was a young man with light green hair.

Kneeling on the floor before him was Cheong Iryang, the current family leader.

Cheong Iryang kept his head bowed as he addressed the young man.

“...I greet the great General.”

The young man—Yusa—smirked at the words.

“How have you been?”

“...Thanks to your grace, I have been living in peace.”

“Looks like it. This chair wasn’t here last time, was it? Did you change it again?”

“...That is....”

“Never mind. It’s good to change things. This chair is nice and cushy—makes it more fun.”

Yusa wiggled slightly in the chair, as if genuinely enjoying himself, before turning his gaze back to Cheong Iryang and getting to the point.

“Ah, the reason I’m here isn’t a big deal. Cheongseok, you’re coming with me somewhere.”

“...Pardon?”

Cheong Iryang’s expression showed his confusion.

Go with him? Where?

“...What do you mean by that, General?”

“What do you think I mean? Someone’s looking for you. Come with me.”

“...”

Someone was looking for him?

Cheong Iryang’s mind raced to make sense of Yusa’s words.

Was the General here to take him somewhere?

And who could give such an order to someone like Yusa?

It had to be someone of equal rank—a fellow General, at least.

‘Why would they want to see me?’

The Generals had no reason to concern themselves with matters outside their lands.

And yet, someone had sent Yusa to fetch him?

“May I ask what this is about, General?”

Cheong Iryang carefully posed the question, and Yusa tilted his head, considering how to answer.

“It’s nothing major, really. It’s just—”

Ssssss...

“...Huh?”

Yusa suddenly stopped speaking.

“General...?”

Cheong Iryang began to ask what was wrong but froze mid-sentence.

“...Hah...?”

Both Yusa and Cheong Iryang turned toward the door.

Something was approaching from the other side.

It grew closer with each passing moment.

“What’s this?”

Noticing it, Yusa’s lips curved into a smile.

“Looks like we have a guest.”

A guest neither of them had expected had arrived.

Creak.

Before long, the door opened.

“Guh...!”

The first figure to appear was a young man with blue hair—Cheong Seon.

He tumbled across the floor, having been thrown with great force.

Cheong Iryang’s eyes widened in shock at the sight of his son rolling on the ground.

But Yusa didn’t spare him a glance.

Yusa’s interest lay solely with the figure now stepping through the doorway.

“This is unexpected.”

Hands clasped behind his back, a tall figure walked in.

Yusa let out a dry laugh at the sight.

He hadn’t anticipated this.

“I was planning to come find you, but you came here yourself?”

The figure wore pitch-black robes and stood nearly eight feet tall, with a mask concealing their face.

Their appearance matched the description of the one who had crushed Baek Wol.

And now, here they were, in person.

“Well, this is a pleasant surprise.”

Yusa smiled genuinely.

At the same time—

“And who might you be?”

Curiosity lit up Yusa’s face as he spoke to the masked figure.

But the figure merely glanced at Yusa and replied curtly:

[Silence, you wretched thing.]

“...”

Yusa’s expression twisted into something unrecognizable.