CFZ

Whooooooong—!!

The barrier I had set up trembled violently.
It was partly because I hadn’t properly controlled my energy, but the old man’s words were so shocking that they left a far greater impact.
“…What do you mean by that?”

I narrowed my eyes and stared at the old man.
Did you turn back time?
That’s what the old man had asked me.

‘What the hell…’
My mind, which had gone ice cold, began spinning rapidly.
How did he know to ask me that?

Could it be—
‘…Is this old man a regressor too?’
I was already aware that there were others besides me who had returned.

Whether it was by rewinding time or crossing over from another world, I wasn’t certain.
But it wouldn’t be strange if someone else had come before me.
And so, I regarded the old man with heightened wariness.

Could it be that the first master of the Baekhwa Trading Company was a regressor?
While I was drowning in those thoughts and staring at him—
Clack.

The old man set down his teacup and spoke again.
“I merely said it as a passing remark. The achievements of the First Young Master were so immense for someone of your age that I wondered if that might be the case.”
“…”
“Judging by your reaction, however, it seems my joke was a bit excessive. I apologize.”

“…A joke…you say.”
“Hmm?”
The old man tilted his head with an odd glint in his eyes.

“So then, you really haven’t turned back time?”
“Of course not. How could such a thing be possible? Absolutely not.”
I forced out a laugh and even waved my hands as if to dismiss the idea.

“It was just so absurd that I was momentarily caught off guard. Turning back time… That’s completely ridiculous, isn’t it?”
I tried to hide my unease as I spoke, but the old man simply stared at me in silence.
‘Is he suspicious?’

This was a real headache.
Was he testing me because he already knew something, or did my reaction make him suspicious? I couldn’t tell.
‘Damn it.’

This reminded me of all the times people, including Muk Yeon, had said I was a terrible liar.
If I had been prepared for this, it might have been different, but his sudden question about regression had left my mind blank.
No matter how hard I tried to keep a straight face, I felt like it was too late.

While I was struggling with those thoughts—
“I don’t think it’s an impossible concept,” the old man said.
“…What?”

He looked at me calmly as he continued.
“Young Master, as a merchant, I’ve met all sorts of people in my time.”
I pretended to listen attentively while my mind kept racing.

“Some claimed to have come from other worlds. Others said their bodies weren’t their own and that they had once been the greatest martial artists in the world. I’ve encountered every kind of character imaginable.”
“Those people were just lunatics, weren’t they?”
What nonsense—other worlds, other bodies?

‘They sound like total nutjobs.’
It was absurd.
“You actually believe them?” I asked.

“No, I don’t.”
“Then?”
“But I don’t think it’s all lies either.”

“…Excuse me?”
“There are plenty of things in this world that are far more absurd. And since I am not omniscient, I can’t dismiss their claims outright.”
“…”

His calm words carried an unspoken weight that I couldn’t quite decipher.
“Young Master.”
“…Yes?”

“I started this conversation as a joke, but your circumstances aren’t that important to me.”
“…”
Cold sweat trickled down my back.

How should I describe this feeling?
I wasn’t cold, yet I felt as if a chilling wind was slicing through me.
It was like being surrounded by thousands of invisible daggers, all aimed at me.

He knows.
This old man knows everything about me.
That sensation pierced through my skull.

‘Tsk…’
I had felt something similar when I faced Muk Yeon before, but this was far worse.
What should I do?

I quickly considered my options, but there weren’t many to begin with.
“I’m not sure what you mean by my circumstances, but… may I ask why you called me here in the first place?”
I didn’t care about anything else right now—just the reason why he had summoned me.

When things got out of hand like this, the best approach was to go on the offensive.
I wasn’t confident I could keep up this facade, and it wasn’t as if his suspicions were entirely unfounded.
So I narrowed my eyes slightly and asked.

The old man, who had been watching me, finally reacted.
“Ah, right. The reason. That’s right… the reason.”
He nodded a few times as if he had momentarily forgotten.

“My apologies. It seems old age has made me forgetful.”
“…”
“Yes, I did call you here, didn’t I?”

What the hell?
Had he gone senile?
It felt like the conversation kept veering off track.

“…Why did I call you again?”
“…”
No, seriously—was he losing his mind?

The old man stared blankly at nothing for a moment, then his eyes suddenly widened.
“Ah! I remember now.”
“…I’m relieved.”

“Yes. I wanted to ask you something.”
“…I’m listening.”
What was he going to ask now?

Unlike earlier, I braced myself this time, tension building as I waited.
Then—
“It’s nothing complicated, Young Master.”

“Yes, Elder?”
“Do you intend to become the next head of your family?”
“…”

The old man once again threw an unexpected question my way.
“…Out of nowhere?”
“Yes.”

“That’s… rather sudden.”
The head of the family?
I tilted my head without meaning to.

“And why are you curious about that?”
My tone had become noticeably sharp. My discomfort was obvious.
He had called me all the way here and even asked me to set up a barrier, only to ask me something like that?

As the absurdity piled up, my irritation started to show.
“Why does it matter to you, Elder?”
Especially after going through the trouble of requesting a barrier—was this all he had to ask?

“The head of the family? Hmm.”
Becoming the head of the Gu family?
I had never seriously considered it.

For one, it wasn’t something I could decide on my own.
“That’s not my decision to make. The head of the family decides that.”
To be more precise, it was up to my father and the elders.

Even if I didn’t want it, and even if one of my sisters did, the choice ultimately lay with my father.
‘The only thing I could do is run away.’
If I really didn’t want it, I could just leave the family.

That was what I had done in my past life, after all.
But—
“I’m not sure why this is of interest to you, Elder.”

Why was ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) this old man so curious about it?
And why was someone I had never even met in my past life asking such questions?
‘Could this really be about his granddaughters?’

The position of the next head of the family was all but confirmed.
And now that I was starting to gain influence as well, perhaps that was what brought him here—out of sheer displeasure.
It seemed like the most plausible reason.

Of course, he wouldn’t like it.
A child born of a concubine, not even his own bloodline, surpassing the legitimate children and rising to become the head of the family?
If that was truly why he had come, then there wasn’t much I could say about it.

“What difference would it make to you if I were to become the head of the family?”
“Difference…? It wouldn’t be insignificant. After all, my daughter is involved.”
I knew it.

So this really was about Mi Horan and Gu Heebi, or Gu Yeonseo.
“If that’s the issue, then I have nothing to say. As I mentioned earlier—”
“Then, if you were appointed as the head, would you accept it?”

“…”
Would I accept becoming the head?
The question made my brow furrow.

“…I don’t know.”
It was inevitable that I would inherit the position of the heir, but becoming the head of the family…
“That’s not something I can decide, is it? It’s not a position one can claim just because they want it, nor is it something one can refuse simply because they don’t want it.”

“…”
Was that enough of an answer for him?
I tried to keep my thoughts hidden as I spoke, but the old man’s gaze didn’t waver.

It wasn’t the answer he wanted.
“Young Master.”
“Yes, Elder?”

“Do you know what it means to be the head of the Gu family?”
“…What?”
“Before that, let me ask—do you even know what the Gu family’s name truly means?”

“Isn’t it just some fancy name that means something like ‘a family that sticks together’?”
Just like any other household.
Whether it was the Namgung clan, the Moyong family, or any other prominent family, they didn’t seem particularly fixated on the meaning of their names.

“Is that supposed to be important?”
“Judging by your response, it seems you don’t know.”
“You’re saying I don’t know?”

The meaning of the Gu family’s name.
And the role of the head of the family.
He was implying that I didn’t understand those things?

‘Unbelievable.’
I nearly scoffed out loud.
What could he possibly know?

What could this old man, who had never experienced what I had, possibly understand?
“Then do you, Elder? Do you know what my family’s name means?”
“I know more than you, at the very least.”

“Then go ahead. Tell me—what exactly do you claim to know?”
What could he possibly know that gave him the right to act so high and mighty?
I was genuinely dumbfounded.

So fine—let him say his piece.
I was giving him the stage.
“Hmm. The Gu family means—”

Bang!
Just as the old man was about to speak, the door burst open.
With a loud noise, Mi Horan entered the room.

‘Damn it.’
I had set up a barrier, but I hadn’t sealed the door.
It seemed that had been a mistake.

Mi Horan stepped inside, her expression tense and heated.
“Mi Ho..—?”
“What do you think you’re doing right now?”

Before I could even ask what was going on, Mi Horan turned to the old man and spoke in a cold, cutting voice.
The old man shifted his gaze toward her as well.
“Madam, what is the meaning of this? Interrupting our conversation like this—isn’t that crossing the line?”

“Wait a minute—”
“The one crossing the line here is you.”
“…”

I shut my mouth.
I had never heard such anger in Mi Horan’s voice before.
This was probably the first time.

“Do you not realize how inappropriate this is?”
“Is it wrong to enlighten him about what he should know?”
“It’s wrong to tell him things he doesn’t need to know right now.”

“No, it’s not. The real wrong here is keeping him ignorant of things he should already know—and those responsible for that are the true culprits.”
“You’re not the one who gets to decide that. You’re just meddling where you shouldn’t.”
The argument escalated in an instant, neither side yielding even an inch.

It hardly seemed like a conversation between family members—it was far too intense for that.
After several more sharp exchanges—
“I’ll say it again, Madam. I am still speaking with the Young Master. So please, step outside.”

The old man addressed Mi Horan directly, but she immediately turned to look at me.
“Young Master.”
“Yes? Uh… yes.”

“I’m sorry about this. Thank you for coming today, but I think we’ll have to continue this another time. It seems this conversation is going to take a while.”
“Wait a second. I think I should also—”
“Please, I’m asking you.”

“…Understood.”
Without another word, I turned and left.
Not because she asked politely.

The look in Mi Horan’s eyes, despite her composed demeanor, was terrifying.
Even if I wanted to stay and listen, it was clear that wasn’t going to happen.
‘…Damn it.’

What did the Gu family’s name really mean?
And what did it truly mean to be the head of the family?
Did that old man really know the answers?

It seemed I wouldn’t be finding out today.
‘Tsk.’
I briefly considered staying put and forcing the issue, but—

Whoosh—!
I withdrew my energy from the barrier and left, leaving Mi Horan behind.
“…I’ll take my leave, then.”

No response.
Suppressing my frustration, I grabbed the door.
Creak. Click.

The door shut behind me.
As soon as I stepped out—
“Old man.”

Mi Horan called out softly.
In that moment, energy began to spread outward from the center of the room.
Whoosh—!

The barrier was deployed once again.
A gust of energy brushed past Mi Horan, causing her neatly styled hair to sway. Beneath that, her icy eyes locked onto the old man.
“What do you think you’re doing?”

“Do you want me to repeat what I just said?”
The old man responded while scanning the surroundings.
“You’ve installed a Eavesdrop Stone, haven’t you?”

Eavesdrop Stone.
A mystical artifact that, when placed inside a room, allowed one to eavesdrop on conversations within.
Its range was short, and the limited distance made it impractical for serious surveillance. It also wasn’t difficult to detect, which was why it was rarely used.

“Yes. Because I don’t know what nonsense you might spout.”
“It seems you’ve picked up quite a few tricks since we last met, Madam. Or…”
The old man’s pale eyes focused on Mi Horan.

“…has that child become so precious to you?”
“…”
His tone shifted, and Mi Horan’s brows furrowed.

“So precious that you treat your father so harshly after all these years?”
The word “father” twisted Mi Horan’s expression further.
“Are you thinking of acting like a father now? You’re far too late for that.”

The anger on her face was unmistakable.
The old man, however, only smiled faintly.
“It’s been a while since I’ve seen you angry.”

“Don’t change the subject.”
“Are you so afraid of letting him know the truth? You know as well as I do that he’ll find out eventually.”
The old man’s gaze turned distant as he recalled the young man he had met moments ago—the heir of the Gu family, its only son, and the one causing a stir across Zhongyuan: Gu Yangcheon.

“This is pointless.”
“So this is why you’ve come here after all these years? Is this really what you wanted to do?”
“It served a dual purpose. You wouldn’t have spoken to me otherwise.”

“Don’t make excuses. I wasn’t the one who abandoned the conversation and left.”
Mi Horan’s voice grew louder as she replied.
“You’re as selfish as ever. How dare you—someone who isn’t even the head of the family—talk about such things?”

Bang!
Mi Horan slammed her slender hand against the wooden table.
Drip.

The teacup tipped over, and the tea spilled onto the floor, soaking the cloth beneath it.
Even as he watched this unfold, the old man’s demeanor remained unchanged.
“Selfishness is in my nature. What can I do about that?”

“How dare you…!”
“And yet, didn’t you do the same? Ignoring your father and choosing to side with that stone-hearted man from the Gu family.”
“…”

Stone-hearted man.
At those words, Mi Horan’s lips fell silent.
“I warned you back then, didn’t I? That man was a storm—one that no one could tame. I told you he would eventually abandon you to pursue his purpose. Even the monster wearing a woman’s face at his side should’ve made that clear.”

Mi Horan’s arm, which rested on the table, trembled briefly.
“My brilliant daughter—you told me back then that he would overcome everything in the end.”
“…That…”

“So? What do you think now? Did he truly overcome everything, as you hoped?”
“…”
“It’s laughable. That man overcame nothing. Instead, he created a vessel to contain a storm just like himself. How impressive. Was it to ensure that someone could continue his legacy? If that’s the case…”

“Watch your mouth.”
Mi Horan’s voice, sharp and suppressed, made the old man’s eyebrows twitch.
“No one in this world has the right to insult him or my child in front of me.”

Drip.
Mi Horan’s hand fell from the table.
A droplet fell onto the cloth soaked with tea—blood.

She had struck the table hard enough to injure herself, but—
“That includes you.”
Her voice, laced with venom, showed no sign of pain.

“…Ha.”
The old man let out a faint laugh.
But—

“You’re still clinging to foolish hopes.”
His smile vanished in an instant.
“You still believe you could’ve stayed by his side. That hope—you’ve never let it go.”

“…”
“Why don’t you understand yet, my daughter? That’s something people like us can never have.”
Clench.

Mi Horan tightly clenched her wounded hand, causing the blood to flow even more.
“I told you—if you were going to leave, at least abandon that hope. But even now, you still refuse to let it go.”
“I’ve never once thought it was impossible. And that won’t change, no matter how much time passes—”

“How much time do you think you have left?”
“…”
Mi Horan’s voice caught in her throat.

“Do you really think time is on your side?”
“…You.”
“I saw it for myself in that boy.”

The old man’s eyes darkened.
That boy, who resembled his father, had already grown too large to hide his presence.
Many people saw it as unnatural.

How could someone so young possess such power?
How could he have reached such heights already?
While countless people might wonder, the old man had no questions about it.

It was obvious.
“There isn’t much time left.”
To inherit the legacy, the boy had to be born as something inherently unnatural.

“You know this better than anyone, don’t you?”
Such had always been the nature of the Gu family.
“To become a vessel and bear the sins of the family. To cast aside human emotions and be left only with the belief in preserving order.”

And once that happened—
“My daughter, do you really think he’ll still be the same person you once wanted to stay beside?”
“…”

Mi Horan had no response to the old man’s words.
“Abandon your hopes. Once the time comes, he won’t be the person you knew. No—he won’t even be human anymore.”
A vessel would remain.

But what would be contained inside it?
“And the more prepared that child becomes, the sooner it will happen. Or perhaps…”
The old man’s gaze shifted toward the door Gu Yangcheon had left through.

“…It may have already begun.”
For the first time, guilt flickered in the old man’s eyes as he spoke.

   *****************
   

Sssssss…
The wind seeped through the heart of the cavern.
The silent space was shrouded in darkness—utterly void of any light or sound.

Nothing could be seen.
And yet—
Clank.

Clank.
A faint noise broke through the stillness.
From deep within the cavern, the sound echoed.

What could it be?
The question lingered only briefly before the answer revealed itself.
At the very core of the darkness—

Whoosh—!!
A spark ignited.
Small but fierce, the flame burst outward, spreading light in an instant.

As the cavern lit up, its interior came into view.
And the source of the sound became clear.
On one side of the space, there stood an enormous door.

It was so massive that measuring its size seemed impossible.
Its presence within such a cavern defied reason.
Wrapped around the colossal door were chains, equally immense in proportion.

Clank—!
The noise had come from the chains.
They trembled, as if trying to resist whatever force threatened to break them apart.

The chains groaned, desperate to hold the door shut, while the door itself trembled violently, as though yearning to burst open.
Rumble—!!
And there, gripping the chains, stood a figure drenched in sweat.

The man’s massive frame rivaled a mountain.
His body rippled with muscles, and his skin was marred with countless scars.
Yet, even his imposing form looked small compared to the chains he struggled to restrain.

Sweat poured from his body.
His arms quivered, and his bloodshot eyes showed the strain of his effort, but he uttered no sound.
“…”

He simply tightened his grip on the chains, determined not to let go.
And then—
Whoosh—!!!

A column of fire erupted, lashing out and wrapping around the chains.
Clink.
The flames coiled around the trembling chains, binding them in place.

The chains constricted, sealing the door even tighter.
The trembling ceased.
The sound stopped.

“…”
Only then did the man release his grip.
His hands were soaked in blood, the skin torn raw.

Yet, despite the obvious pain, his face remained blank.
As he stood there, a voice spoke.
“Impressive.”

An old man with crimson eyes approached.
“To think you’d actually hold out.”
At the elder’s words, the man slowly turned his head.

“You’re here.”
His voice was deep and rough, heavy with exhaustion.
“How was it? Manageable?”

“…”
The man glanced back at the door he had struggled to hold shut.
Now enveloped in flames, it remained motionless.

“Don’t look so disappointed. I didn’t think you’d last this long,” the old man said.
“I’m not disappointed.”
“Well, that’s good to hear.”

The elder chuckled.
The man shifted his gaze toward the elder’s arm—or rather, the empty sleeve where his left arm should have been.
“Ah, this?”

The elder grinned, noticing the glance.
“I had some business to take care of. Curious?”
“No.”

“How cold.”
The man said nothing, extending his hand instead.
Whoosh—!

A robe lying on the floor flew into his grasp.
Without hesitation, he donned it.
It was a mechanical, emotionless act.

The elder watched with amusement.
“Your son has quite the spirit.”
His voice carried a playful edge.

The man froze.
His head turned slightly.
Surprised by the reaction, the elder’s eyes widened in amusement.

“What an interesting expression.”
“You met him?”
“Don’t look at me like that. I only wanted to see my grandson’s face.”

Rumble—!!!
The cavern quaked.
The source was the killing intent emanating from the man’s body.

“What did you do?”
“Hmm.”
The elder tilted his head, clearly enjoying the tension.

“What if I said I did something? What would you do then?”
Rumble…
The vibrations stopped abruptly.

It seemed like nothing would happen—but that stillness felt like the calm before a storm.
Chuckle.
The elder raised his hand slightly.

“You’re terrifying. Were you about to strike your own father?”
“…”
“Don’t worry. Before he’s your son, he’s my precious grandson. I didn’t do anything to him. I really only wanted to see him, so calm down.”

The man’s glare lingered, but his body finally relaxed.
If not for those words, what might have happened?
The elder briefly wondered but chose not to test it further.

There were more pressing matters at hand.
“My son.”
The elder spoke again.

“Remember this—you must make sure the boy becomes the heir before it’s too late. And more importantly… you must take this seat.”
“…I understand.”
“Good. You must understand.”

Whoosh.
Flames began to rise from the man’s body.
“That is our burden.”

“…”
He gave no response.
Instead, he let the flames consume him.

There was somewhere he needed to be.
And as Gu Cheolwoon vanished into the fire—
The cavern fell silent.

Left alone, the elder calmly approached the door.
Standing before it, he spoke.
“How pitiful.”

Yet his expression contradicted his words.
There was no trace of emotion in his eyes.