Almighty God of War - Chapter 13

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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013

Left alone, Guyang Cheongang fell into deep thought.

In his mind, the stories he had heard from Elder Hwang and the information about Golden Tower Manor that Akasha had analyzed rapidly intersected, painting one enormous picture.

‘Heavenly Martial Emperor… Imperial Great Scripture… and the treasure map. A forgotten legend… If this is true, and Golden Tower Manor’s Dong Hyeondo has even a fragment of this secret in his hands…’

His expression hardened as he sensed the enormous weight of the secret.

‘Then the real reason Dong Hyeondo married off Dong Yeonhwa to Guyang Baek is most likely this. In this declining family, there doesn’t seem to be anything else that someone who is one of the Five Great Tycoons Under Heaven would covet, other than the legendary “Heavenly Martial Emperor’s Treasure Map.”‘

The puzzle pieces that had been vague like fog began finding their places one by one, revealing the outline of a massive conspiracy.

‘A thirteen-year operation to obtain the treasure map… Golden Tower Manor’s lord Dong Hyeondo, that gentleman could be called a treasure map enthusiast without exaggeration. It’s almost an obsessive level of fixation.’

Guyang Cheongang clicked his tongue briefly, then quietly practiced the Transcendent Impermanence Divine Art to restore his mind and body that had been exhausted from using the nanobots.

Before falling asleep, he made one request to Akasha.

‘Akasha, I have a favor to ask. Unless I specifically request it or it’s an emergency situation, I’d appreciate it if you could avoid reading my private thoughts as much as possible. I need at least a minimum of privacy too. Please don’t feel too hurt about it.’

Akasha answered after a very slight time delay.

[Yes, respecting your request, Doctor, I will minimize access to private thoughts except for direct calls or when detecting danger through biological signals.]

The next morning, Guyang Cheongang headed to the Main Building to pay his morning respects to Guyang Baek.

[Doctor, your heart rate is somewhat higher than usual. You seem nervous.]

Guyang Cheongang chuckled at Akasha’s words.

‘Considering the bombshell statement I’m about to make today, this is pretty mild.’

[A bombshell statement? Doctor, do you have a plan I’m not aware of?]

‘I’m planning to make a very important announcement.’

Before Akasha could ask another question, he entered the Main Hall of the Main Building.

Guyang Cheongcheong, who spotted him, let out a short scream and ran over to hug his waist tightly.

“Big brother!”

Guyang Cheongang also smiled brightly and pulled at the child’s plump cheeks.

‘Like rice cake.’

Meanwhile, Guyang Cheongi still tried to maintain a cold expression, but when Dong Yeonhwa wasn’t looking his way, he secretly gave Guyang Cheongang an eye-smile.

After Guyang Cheongang politely gave his morning greetings to Guyang Baek and Dong Yeonhwa, he spoke in a resolute tone.

“Father, I have something to tell you. I would like you to also call Brother Hajin and Sister Seola from Golden Tower Manor who came yesterday to this place.”

Puzzlement crossed Guyang Baek’s brow.

“Why do you want to call those children from this morning? If you have something to say, it should be sufficient to tell only me.”

“No, Father. This is something I must say in their presence as well.”

At Guyang Cheongang’s unusual attitude, Guyang Baek fell silent for a moment, then ordered a servant to bring the Dong siblings.

Shortly after, the Dong siblings, still in their splendid attire, entered the Main Hall with puzzled expressions.

As everyone’s attention focused on Guyang Cheongang, he slowly opened his mouth.

His voice was clear and resolute enough that no weakness could be felt.

“Father, Mother, and Brother, Sister. I, Guyang Cheongang, wish to completely renounce my right to succeed as the young master of the Guyang Family Estate from today!”

Instantly, the air in the Main Hall froze.

What broke the silence was Guyang Baek’s roar of anger.

“You rascal! Are you saying this in your right mind! What kind of absurd nonsense is this from the morning!”

Guyang Baek’s face flushed red with anger, and even Dong Yeonhwa sitting beside him couldn’t hide her bewilderment.

The Dong siblings showed momentary surprise along with undeniable joy, but soon exchanged glances and hurriedly composed their expressions.

Guyang Cheongi, wide-eyed, looked at his brother with a pale face, and only young Guyang Cheongcheong looked bewildered by this sudden commotion.

Guyang Cheongang continued calmly without backing down at all.

“This is not nonsense, Father. This is a conclusion I reached after long and careful consideration. Don’t you know my physical condition better than anyone, Father? Rather than me, who might die young at any time, succeeding to the young master position, it would be a hundred times more appropriate for the healthy and intelligent Cheongi to take that position for the future of the Guyang Family Estate.”

He looked around at everyone present and continued.

“Isn’t this a fact everyone already knows? If I were formally appointed as young master, the already difficult future of our family estate would become even more precarious. Outsiders would look down on a sickly young master, and internally, only anxiety would grow.”

“Sophistry!”

“No, Father. A few days ago, an assassin came to kill me.”

At his words, the Main Hall was engulfed in shock.

Guyang Baek shouted.

“An assassin! Who on earth would try to kill you?”

“I will arrange a separate occasion to tell you about that.”

“Good heavens…”

Guyang Cheongang continued with a voice filled with strength.

“Father, if I step down from the young master position and live quietly as an ordinary member of the family, there will no longer be incidents where someone sends assassins to kill me. My decision is a path for both myself and our entire family.”

As his attitude was so resolute, Guyang Baek’s momentum seemed to deflate somewhat.

He looked at his son with a complicated expression.

“…Is there truly no room for reconsideration?”

“There is not, Father. Please accept my will and appoint Cheongi as the young master.”

Guyang Baek let out a deep sigh.

“…This is a major matter for the family. I also need time to think.”

At that moment, Guyang Cheongang didn’t miss how Dong Yeonhwa’s eyes, sitting beside him, trembled.

She was watching this entire situation with a pale face.

In her eyes, complex emotions like deep sadness, relief, and indescribable regret swirled like a storm.

But it quickly disappeared behind her mask-like hardened expression.

The only person who noticed this was Guyang Cheongang, who had been watching her from the beginning.

The morning greeting ended in such a heavy atmosphere.

The Dong siblings exchanged knowing smiles and returned to their quarters, and Guyang Cheongi and Guyang Cheongcheong also left the Main Hall, led by servants.

But Guyang Cheongang remained in his seat.

Guyang Baek looked at him and asked.

“Kang-ah, do you still have more to say to me?”

“Yes, Father. And I also have something to say to Mother.”

He turned his gaze toward Dong Yeonhwa and continued.

“We need a space where no one from outside can hear, where only the three of us can talk.”

Guyang Baek stared at his son for a moment, then as if he had made up his mind, led Dong Yeonhwa and Guyang Cheongang to his training room.

The training room located underground was a perfect sealed chamber where no sound could leak out, with walls and doors on all four sides blocked by iron plates one foot thick.

The space of about fifty pyeong was divided into a living area with a simple bed and a training area displaying various eighteen types of weapons.

What was unusual was that a large painting hung on the wall of the training room’s living area.

The training room and painting were an incongruous combination.

Sitting in a chair, Guyang Cheongang looked at Guyang Baek in front of him and his stepmother Dong Yeonhwa beside him in turn, then opened his mouth.

“Are you two not hiding something from me?”

Guyang Baek and Dong Yeonhwa both showed signs of confusion simultaneously.

“What do you mean by that, Kang-ah?”

“The night before last, an assassin sent by the Dong siblings tried to kill me.”

“What?”

Guyang Baek, who had heard about the assassin in the Main Hall but never imagined the Dong siblings might have been behind it, was greatly shocked.

Dong Yeonhwa also couldn’t hide her surprised expression at how Guyang Cheongang knew this fact.

Guyang Cheongang continued calmly.

“I thought carefully about why they tried to kill me. No matter how much I racked my brain, I could only find one reason.”

Guyang Baek asked with a hardened face.

“What is that?”

“If I die, my younger brother Cheongi becomes the young master of the Guyang Family Estate. Someone desperately wanted that, and the Dong siblings acted to fulfill that wish.”

Guyang Baek’s face hardened further.

“That means… you are… trying to say that your mother is behind the Dong siblings?”

His voice was mixed with disappointment and anger.

“No.”

Guyang Cheongang shook his head firmly.

Several thick wrinkles formed on Guyang Baek’s forehead.

“No?”

“Yes. I am certain that Mother has nothing to do with this incident.”

Dong Yeonhwa’s shoulders trembled faintly.

She looked at Guyang Cheongang with disbelief and asked in a trembling voice.

“How… how can you be so certain of that?”

Guyang Cheongang looked straight at her and answered without the slightest hesitation.

“Because Mother truly cares for me.”

“Ah…”

Perhaps she never imagined she would hear such an answer.

Hot tears welled up in Dong Yeonhwa’s eyes.

She hurriedly turned her head to hide them, but it was already too late.

Guyang Baek asked.

“If your mother isn’t the one behind this, then who do you suspect?”

“Golden Tower Manor.”

“Your grandfather-in-law?”

“Yes.”

Guyang Baek’s expression grew heavy.

“Why would he target your life?”

“Because there’s something he wants badly enough to make Cheongi the young family head.”

Guyang Baek’s face turned pale.

Guyang Cheongang continued.

“I was curious about what he was trying to obtain by making Cheongi the young family head. But as you know, the Main Family Estate has no significant wealth, and most of our secret martial arts were lost during the war between orthodox and demonic sects.”

As Guyang Baek remained silent, Guyang Cheongang continued speaking.

“Then recently, I accidentally discovered records of the First Family Head in the library and read some unofficial histories, which allowed me to form a hypothesis.”

Guyang Baek’s face hardened like stone.

“Father would know this better than I do, but that legend mentions the story of the ‘Heavenly Martial Emperor’s Treasure Map.'”

Guyang Baek glared at his son with sharp eyes.

“Do you think it’s in the Main Family Estate?”

“More important than that is the fact that Grandfather is after it.”

A low groan escaped from Guyang Baek’s lips.

“Hmm…”

Guyang Cheongang asked directly.

“I believe Grandfather sent Mother to marry Father in order to obtain the secret of that treasure map. Is my assumption wrong?”

Instead of answering, Guyang Baek let out a deep sigh and gestured with his chin as if telling him to continue.

Guyang Cheongang nodded and continued.

“I’m confident my assumption is correct. But there was one thing I couldn’t understand.”

“What was that?”

“Why Mother left me alone. Mother has never been affectionate toward me over the past ten-odd years, but she has never tried to prevent me from becoming the young family head or attempted to kill me either.”

Dong Yeonhwa spoke in a trembling voice.

“Why would I try to harm you…”

“As a child, I didn’t understand Mother’s heart, so I always found it strange. Then I came to realize that Mother truly cares for me. And that you’ve been delaying your father-in-law’s orders by making all sorts of excuses.”

Heavy groans escaped simultaneously from both Guyang Baek and Dong Yeonhwa’s lips.

Guyang Cheongang’s eyes gleamed as he asked.

“Father, does the Main Family Estate really possess the ‘Heavenly Martial Emperor’s Treasure Map’?”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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