Published at 26th of January 2026 9:36 am

Chapter 353

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There are two famous good-for-nothings in the Bang family.

There used to be three, but the previous family head passed away and departed this world.

So now, it was only right to say there were two left.

The first scoundrel was, of course, the current family head, Bang Chunho.

My father.

He's already infamous in Liaodong, making use of his handsome face to wander around, flirting and playing with women.

There's nothing left to say about him. He's a father I'm ashamed to present anywhere.

And the second is

'... My brother.'

The Bang family's first young master and young family head in Liaodong.

From my point of view

'He's even worse than Father.'

If you graded levels of good-for-nothings, you could say he was a far crazier man than Father by several times over.

A top-class scoundrel and punk.

No matter how many descriptors you attached, none could capture his overwhelming presence.

'If Father's weakness is women,'

This man's true vice is gambling.

It was all thanks to this rotten bastard, who constantly sucked the strength from the family and devoured the pillars that supported us.

'... The reason I used to gorge myself on noodles like a madman was also because of him.'

The reason this once-renowned family became so poor.

Partially due to Father's mishaps, but ultimately

'It's largely my brother's fault.'

Liaodong Bang family's young family head.

It was the gambling debts that man accrued.

Someone who lived for gambling, who could only live and die by gambling.

Not a single thing he did ever helped anyone.

He was the main reason I desperately wanted to run away from the family no matter what.

That was my brother.

'Why?'

Seriously.

'Why is this man here?'

Why the hell would that useless bastard suddenly pop up in this letter?

I was flustered. Of all the bizarre things I had experienced lately, this was the most unsettling.

Not the appearance of the Demonic Cult.

Not the arrival of the Broken Heaven Palace.

Not even the emergence of those fanatic bastards.

Even if you included the Heavenly Demon, Ghost Demon, Great Demon, and Shadow Sovereign.

For all the other absurd things I'd witnessed, this topped them all.

'... How?'

To our youngest.

It was something my brother always said. For a good-for-nothing, he always acted oddly affectionate.

Surprised? I figured you would be.

The writing on the letter was in a familiar handwriting. It was definitely my brother's.

I couldn't come in person because of some business, so I'm sending this letter instead. You seem to be up to a lot these days. Be careful.

"..."

He talked as if having the Shadow Sovereign deliver the letter was like asking some delivery man.

Is he really insane?

'How does he even know the Shadow Sovereign?'

He used the Shadow Sovereignwhose identity no one knowsas a courier.

And it was my brother who commissioned the killing of the Plum Blossom Division Leader?

'... What? What's going on?'

I had no idea what kind of ridiculous situation I'd landed in. Even the brain that occasionally worked had gone blank.

There must be a lot that doesn't make sense.

Don't worry. Who am I? I'm Bang Yu-seong, the famous one in the world.

Even this nonsensical pride pissed me off. His face and tone flashed right before my eyes.

I'll come find you soon. Wait for me.

After reading those closing words, I folded the letter.

'... He's coming?'

Come find me, he said? The idea of my brother coming was terrifying.

'Don't come.'

Please, don't come.

Nothing ever got better when my brother came around. He only made things worse.

It brought back memories of hellish days. I didn't care about the Shadow Sovereign or whatever. I just hoped he wouldn't show up.

'Just stay holed up in that house of yours.'

In truth, he wasn't even home much, so as long as he didn't up and appear before me, I'd be happy.

"... Ugh..."

This gives me a headache. Father, brother, and even my sister.

'This goddamned family...'

Not a single normal person among us. Why do they all make my life so hard?

Rustle.

I folded the letter.

"Hoo..."

I'd already memorized its contents, so that was enough...

'The important thing is'

In the end, my brother didn't mention why he got involved in this matter.

He left out all the crucial things.

How could he even call this a letter?

I forced myself to steady my breathing.

At that moment.

Just like last time.

Yu Chun-gil spoke to me.

What kind of insane family are you from, exactly?

"..."

His tone was genuinely curious. I let out a sigh in response.

"... Truly, I have nothing more to say to that."

Even I was on the verge of going mad from how weird it all was.

But

Even though all this was so outrageous I could hardly stand it,

A bigger problem erupted the very next day.

***

I hardly slept at all that night.

After the Shadow Sovereign left like that, I couldn't easily fall asleep. My heart was pounding and my mind was occupied with thoughts about the letter.

So despite forcing my eyes open all night

"... The elders are dead?"

An even bigger incident erupted overnight.

It was a storm that brought even greater turmoil to the already chaotic Mount Hua Sect.

As if the death of the Plum Blossom Division Leader wasn't enough, several elders had also died.

This was unthinkable within the Mount Hua Sect.

When I hurried out, I quickly grasped the situation.

'This is'

The moment I saw it, my eyes narrowed.

In one place, two elders lay dead. And

'... It's the same as before.'

The death of the Plum Blossom Division Leader. The same pattern.

Which meant

'This is also the Shadow Sovereign's doing, isn't it.'

Whether it happened before or after he visited my place, these elders' deaths were also at the hands of the Shadow Sovereign.

Which meant

'This too was my brother's...'

Since it was my brother who commissioned the Shadow Sovereign, it meant he was behind this incident, too.

What's more

'It wasn't just simple killing.'

What surprised me most

'They were allspies.'

The spies from Broken Heaven Palace whom we'd been planning to weed out anyway.

These elders had received Broken Heaven Palace's influence.

I had already drawn up plans for how to deal with them, but to kill them outright like this?

'Again. There's a soul remnant between their brows.'

A single glance confirmed it.

It was the Shadow Sovereign's handiwork, and he'd specifically targeted and eliminated the spies.

Moreover

"This time, too, you're saying it was suicide...?"

"There were suicide notes. They confessed to their sins and expressed remorse..."

"... Even the elders... That's really what happened?"

It wasn't just ordinary murder; it was assassination disguised as suicide.

I don't know how the handwriting was forged, but he even left behind suicide notes.

They wrote that they repented for their crimes as spies.

'... Creepy, seriously.'

No trace remainedat least not any that ordinary people could perceive.

It was processed to look exactly like suicide.

Far too perfect. Even

'These were elders, absolute masters.'

These were Mount Hua elders, not just anyone, but experts from the Nine Great Sects, and yet he dealt with them like that and disappeared.

It made me reconsider just what kind of being the Shadow Sovereign was.

'... Also.'

If his goal had been only the Plum Blossom Division Leader, I'd suspect personal vendetta or something,

'But eliminating the elders too'

It was far more likely he was targeting the spies.

'Why?'

How did my brother know? Why?

What did he know that made him use the Shadow Sovereign?

"Moon Hero."

I turned at the voice. It was Yeo Hyuk.

"... Are you alright? You don't look well."

"... Ah, I'm fine. I just have a lot on my mind. Are you alright?"

"... I'm fine too."

Of course, his expression said otherwise. Understandable, now that it was clear even the elders had been spies.

'It's better if I don't mention the Shadow Sovereign showed up.'

If I dropped the truth about the Shadow Sovereign, not only would Mount Hua erupt,

'My own life would be in danger.'

Just as Yu Chun-gil had warned, I felt like my life might really be at risk.

'Tch.'

I suppressed a click of the tongue, swallowing dryly.

"Excuse me."

Someone appeared beside Yeo Hyuk. They looked like a disciple of Mount Hua.

"... First Elder requests your presence, Moon Hero."

I nodded upon hearing that. It was as expected.

***

After the deaths of the elders, I arrived at the largest hall at the heart of the Mount Hua Sect.

Originally, this was where the Sect Leader resided, but currently, the seat was empty.

"Please come in."

"Excuse me."

Someone was seated inside. An elderly man with an especially somber and weary impression.

"I am Sung Yun, acting for the sect leader."

He was originally the First Elder, always beside Sung Hun during important matters at Mount Hua, and known as a man of few words.

He was now filling in as acting sect leader.

"I'm sorry to call you here when you must be so busy."

"It's nothing."

At my answer, Sung Yun faintly smiled.

"... We should be holding a festival for our benefactor, but the state of Mount Hua is not good."

"I understand. A festival is out of the question."

A festival? There wasn't even room to dream of such a thing.

'After so many have died.'

The sect leader had departed, and now, two elders were dead as well.

The Plum Blossom Division Leader, who seemed to be a spy, was also dead.

Mount Hua had suffered a massive blow, enough to leave it swaying. And now a festival? It was out of the question.

"You don't need to worry about me. Stabilizing Mount Hua is far more urgent now."

"... Thank you for your understanding."

"It's nothing. But I hear you wanted to see me?"

"That's right."

Slip. Sung Yun handed something over to me.

"... I wanted to deliver what the sect leader left behind for you."

"...."

I checked the item. I glanced at the box and opened it slightly.

A snow-white robe. The legacy Yu Chun-gil left, and the very thing I came here to obtain.

"Is this it?"

"Yes. This is what I was looking for. Thank you."

As I closed the box and held onto it, Sung Yun showed me something else at the same time.

"I haven't opened this."

It was a box gently wrapped in cloth. The moment I saw it, my eyes narrowed.

A fragrant energy made me pause. I recognized it from before.

It seemed to be the spiritual pill Sung Hun had promised to give me.

'He said he hadn't opened it.'

I looked at Sung Yun.

He feigned ignorance and stared at the box, but surely he knew what was inside.

How could he not know? With such strong energy emanating, surely he realized it wasn't anything ordinary.

Yet he pretended not to know.

"Is this for me as well?"

"Yes. The sect leader left it for you."

"... Thank you."

I took the small box and tucked it away.

At that moment

Slip.

Sung Yun bowed his head.

"Once again, thank you to the benefactor of Mount Hua."

"...!"

"I wish I could offer more, but with our roots so shaken, there is little we can give you."

"Please, there's no need for that."

"Thank you."

Even as I tried to stop him, Sung Yun continued thanking me.

"... Thank you..."

"..."

The first thanks was clear.

The second held sorrow.

A vague sense of emotion washed over me.

I could understand a little why he had become acting sect leader.

'... Haaa.'

I truly felt worried for Mount Hua's future.

Whether this was what Sung Hun intended, I didn't know.

-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=

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