Bloodline is Everything - Chapter 121

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

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【Bloodline is a Thug Chapter 121】

121. The Blaga Family (1)

A month later, Kwon Han-ul boarded a private jet departing for the Pacific Ocean to participate in the Heavenly Arena.
Though there was still time before the Heavenly Arena opened, arriving at the venue early to prepare seemed like a prudent decision.
“Wow… I can’t believe I’m actually going to see the Heavenly Arena with my own eyes.”
Inside the flying private jet, Kwon Hu-don spoke as though lost in a dream.
“But you’re not even participating, Hu-don. Why are you so nervous?”
“W-well…”
Stung by Mei Hong’s rebuke, Kwon Hu-don replied in a disgruntled tone.
“It’s the Heavenly Arena, though. Just being able to see it in person is already something extraordinary…”
The Heavenly Arena could certainly be called the largest and most renowned competition held on Earth.
The mere fact that it was a mysteriously appearing dungeon that manifested periodically was enough to capture attention.
Hunters belonging to famous guilds and families gathered in one place to compete against one another.
Moreover, since the dungeon could be observed from the outside, one could witness the spectacle firsthand.
It was a venue that inevitably drew the world’s attention.
“And Han-ul is representing the family at such a place…”
Kwon Hu-don gazed at Kwon Han-ul with eyes full of reverence.
Finding it far too burdensome, I averted my gaze slightly.
“Captain.”
Then Gael Garsian, seated across from me, spoke up.
But something seemed odd about his expression.
His face remained as stone-like as usual, yet his eyes gleamed with brightness and his cheeks were faintly flushed.
“To think I can finally see the Heavenly Arena with my own eyes, something I’ve only heard about on the island. It’s truly moving.”
“Ah, that’s right—you were confined on the island, weren’t you?”
Gael Garsian nodded slightly.
“Over twenty families and guilds have declared their participation! Especially the Babel Family—I’m really looking forward to it!”
His usual taciturn demeanor had vanished entirely. Gael Garsian chattered incessantly.
Since I couldn’t very well tell him to stop, I simply listened with a wry smile.
Though I didn’t show it, I too was looking forward to this Heavenly Arena.
Or rather, nervous would be the better word.
It was because of something Kwon Myung-woo had said when transmitting the Silent Flame to me.
-I suspect the Chairman sent you to the Heavenly Arena so you could completely shed the label of traitor’s child in this opportunity.
After completing the transmission of the Silent Flame, Kwon Myung-woo spoke in a serious voice.
-The Chairman didn’t say it outright, but the Heukcheon Bloodline suffered considerable damage to its reputation from the Mei Xiao assassination incident.
The bloodline of the Heukcheon was slaughtered by the relatives of an exterminated family—it was inevitable.
-But if you win the Heavenly Arena, you can reclaim the lost prestige. No, your standing will become even higher than before.
In that case, Kwon Han-ul would transform from the child of a traitor into a hero who brought glory to the family.
What I couldn’t understand was why Kwon Seon-woo cared so much about me.
When we first met, he was so cold to me. No, it wasn’t just at first. Kwon Seon-woo always acted that way.
But I couldn’t get a straightforward explanation either.
-Brother, about what happened with Cheon-i… No, I don’t have the right to speak of this.
I leaned back against the chair.
To be honest, I’ve never cared about the accusations of being a traitor’s son.
My goal wasn’t to wash away my father’s disgrace—it was to reach the pinnacle of Heukcheon.
“What are you thinking about so intently?”
Joo Ha-yeon set down a teacup and spoke. I accepted it gratefully and took a sip.
“I was thinking about the Heavenly Arena.”
“At your level, Kwon Han-ul, you shouldn’t have any concerns.”
“Still, there’s always the possibility of something unexpected.”
I held the tea in my mouth for a moment. A refreshing aroma spread throughout my palate.
“The tea Ha-yeon makes is always…”
I wanted to say it was the best. But my mouth stiffened, and I couldn’t finish the sentence.
It wasn’t just my mouth. My entire body was paralyzed—I couldn’t move a single finger.
The only thing I could move were my eyes. I looked down to examine my body.
That’s when I saw rings made of gathered light particles coiling around my limbs and torso.
‘What in the world is this…?’
I waited for Joo Ha-yeon to help me. But something felt wrong.
“I reviewed the information on participants that Heukcheon’s intelligence division gathered, and there isn’t a single person who could match you, Kwon Han-ul.”
Despite being right in front of me, Joo Ha-yeon didn’t notice my condition and continued speaking about something else.
It wasn’t just Joo Ha-yeon. No one on the plane noticed what was happening to me.
“There is one person, however—a dangerous participant. A direct disciple of the Dragonslayer is apparently participating. You’ve probably heard of them before, Kwon Han-ul…”
A blinding flash erupted before my eyes. The light was so intense I couldn’t see anything.
The flashing continued for a long time. When the light finally faded, I found myself not on the plane, but in an entirely different place.
A room decorated entirely in crimson silk and ornaments.
I was sitting there.
“How in the world did this…?”
My mouth moved. My body moved. I was in shock.
“Oh my.”
A familiar, yet unwelcome voice reached my ears.
I shifted my gaze to the side. A woman lay languidly on an elongated sofa.
“It’s really nice to see you again.”
Catalina Blaga.
The moment I saw her face, all my senses sharpened to a razor’s edge.
I instinctively summoned my dragon energy and tried to leave my seat.
Then, someone from behind grabbed and pressed down on my shoulder.
An enormous magical force crushed down on my body. I was forcibly pushed back into the chair.
When I lifted my gaze, I saw a man whose face was covered in scars.
“You stand before Catalina Blaga. Mind your manners.”
The man’s aura enveloped Kwon Han-ul in its grip.
It resembled the presence I’d felt when facing Kwon Myung-woo. This man, too, had reached the realm of mastery.
“Troy, don’t be so rough. This is a very distinguished guest.”
At her words, the man immediately released Kwon Han-ul’s shoulder. He bowed deeply, his forearms crossed.
Kwon Han-ul rubbed his shoulder. Even from that brief grip, my bones ached.
“Catalina Blaga, what is the meaning of this?”
“Must we speak so stiffly with each other?”
Catalina Blaga spoke as though disappointed.
“You can call me Cassie. Everyone close to me does. Isn’t that right, Troy?”
Troy bowed again. At the sight, Catalina Blaga’s eyes crinkled with amusement.
“Stop this nonsense.”
The curse escaped my lips unbidden. In that instant, Troy behind me unleashed his killing intent.
The killing intent of one who had reached mastery was itself a weapon. A sensation like my skin being flayed alive crashed over Kwon Han-ul.
Kwon Han-ul gritted his teeth and endured the killing intent. It was fortunate I’d experienced Kwon Myung-woo’s killing intent beforehand. Compared to that, this still fell short.
“Tell me how you abducted me. Why you did it. Where this place is.”
“My, it feels like I’m being interrogated.”
Catalina Blaga laughed as though the situation delighted her.
“Shall I explain how we abducted you? If I went into detail, a full day wouldn’t suffice, so I’ll give you the abbreviated version.”
Catalina Blaga began her explanation with an expression of pure joy.
“First, I scattered the bloodline members of the Blaga Family throughout the surroundings of the Hukcheon Estate. While controlling those within the Hukcheon Estate itself is impossible, controlling those connected to them is entirely feasible.”
Throughout her explanation, Catalina Blaga remained restless—like watching an excited child.
“You might wonder what controlling those connected people accomplishes. Certainly, the information obtained through peripheral contacts is minimal. But when you scrape together such fragments, a clear picture emerges.”
The Blaga Family possessed exceptional skill in handling information.
Collecting and consolidating intelligence was something they could accomplish with ease.
“Thanks to that, I was able to pinpoint the date and flight path when Little Dragon left the Hukcheon Estate. Based on that intelligence, we initiated the operation.”
A deep smile spread across Catalina Blaga’s lips.
“We waited at the location the aircraft would pass through and prepared the artifacts. Do you know which artifacts were used? One to pinpoint the target’s location, one to render them incapacitated, one to create hallucinations for those nearby, and finally, one to transport the target.”
As she spoke, Catalina Blaga folded down her fingers one by one.
“All were single-use, installation-type artifacts, so they were extremely difficult to operate. But it posed no real problem. We had sufficient time to prepare.”
The more she spoke, the more flushed Catalina Blaga’s face became.
“All of them are high-value artifacts. Combined, they’d be enough to purchase an entire city. I’m not exaggerating—I mean it literally.”
Only then did Kwon Han-ul understand why she’d explained everything so meticulously.
She wanted to boast.
That she had gone to such lengths because of me.
“What was the reason for going that far?”
I couldn’t comprehend it.
No matter how much Catalina Blaga was called a human collector, investing such enormous resources for a single person like Kwon Han-ul made no sense.
“Because you’re a true bloodline.”
The moment Kwon Han-ul heard Catalina Blaga’s answer, his mind went blank for an instant.
“How could you possibly…”
“Your vice-chairman told me.”
“This is insane.”
Even though Kwon Hyuk had been mentioned, Kwon Han-ul cursed before he could feel surprise.
No matter how much he disliked me, revealing such a secret to another family was utterly mad.
“If I can obtain someone who possesses the true Black Dragon Bloodline, isn’t that worth the price?”
Catalina Blaga rose from the sofa.
With just that slight movement, a sweet fragrance wafted through the air. The closer she drew, the more cloying the scent became.
“You may despise me now, but that won’t last long. Everyone starts out hating me like you do, but once they become my thralls, they become the happiest people in the world.”
“That sounds absolutely horrifying.”
Catalina Blaga burst into delighted laughter. Then she suddenly stopped and fixed her gaze upon Kwon Han-ul.
Her eyes shimmered with a rosy hue.
It meant she was wielding the power of thrall blood, yet nothing changed.
“So my dominion doesn’t work on you after all. Is it because you possess true bloodline?”
Catalina Blaga extended her fingers and caressed the hem of Kwon Han-ul’s garment. He wore an expression of displeasure.
“Don’t even think of escaping. We’re on a ship, and my thralls, including Troy, will be watching you.”
“Where are you taking me?”
“To the Blaga Family. There, I’ll gradually make you submit to me.”
Catalina Blaga gestured to Troy. He fastened heavy shackles around Kwon Han-ul’s wrists.
“These are mana-restricting restraints. You absolutely cannot break them, so don’t waste your effort struggling.”
Catalina Blaga left the room with Troy.
Left alone, Kwon Han-ul stood and gazed out the window.
True to her word about being on a ship, nothing but sea stretched before my eyes.
Then the door suddenly burst open again. A man I’d never seen before entered.
The moment he saw Kwon Han-ul, the man’s expression darkened.
“I’m Ben Blaga. I’ve been assigned to watch over you and attend to your needs until we reach the family estate.”
For someone meant to serve, his manner was remarkably disrespectful.
“I am a pure-blooded member of the Blaga Family and hold the rank of knight.”
Hearing the man’s status, Kwon Han-ul found it strange. He was hardly in a position to serve anyone.
“Do you know why I explained my name, my position, and my rank? It’s to tell you that without Catalina Blaga’s orders alone, you wouldn’t even be worthy of looking up at me—so get a sense of your place.”
This man certainly had a lot to say for someone venting his frustrations.
“I am Kwon Han-ul. I’m a direct bloodline member of the Hukcheon Estate and serve as commander of the Heukam Corps.”
“So what?”
“You’re not in a position to speak carelessly, so watch your tongue.”
At those words, Ben Blaga let out an incredulous laugh.
“Now I see you’re an idiot who doesn’t even understand your own situation. You are now Catalina Blaga’s thrall.”
“Not yet.”
“But you will be, eventually.”
Ben Blaga spoke as he moved across the room.
“The Blaga Family has one rule. You could call it the most important rule of all. Every retainer must obey the bloodline. Even mixed-bloods.”
Ben Blaga seized Kwon Han-ul by the head and shook him violently.
“In other words, all retainers rank below the bloodline. Even if you become a retainer of Catalina Blaga. Do you understand your place now?”
Ben Blaga shoved Kwon Han-ul’s head away and collapsed into a chair.
“If you want to live comfortably in the Blaga Family, you’d better start following my orders without question.”
Ben Blaga rummaged through his pocket and produced a metal cigarette case. He placed a cigarette between his lips and commanded Kwon Han-ul.
“Since you understand, go fetch me an ashtray.”
Kwon Han-ul didn’t obey the order. Instead, he asked Ben Blaga a question.
“Is it really that delicious?”
“This? Without question. These aren’t ordinary cigarettes—they’re a special custom blend. Made from Dungeon flora.”
Ben Blaga pulled out a lighter, about to ignite it when Kwon Han-ul spoke again.
“I’ve never smoked before, so I wouldn’t know… Give me one.”
“You’ve never tried something this good?”
Ben Blaga readily extended the cigarette case toward Kwon Han-ul.
There was considerable distance between them. Someone would have to move to retrieve a cigarette.
“What are you doing? Come get it.”
Ben Blaga shook the cigarette case as if urging him forward. Then Kwon Han-ul spoke.
“You bring it here.”
“Troublesome brat.”
Ben Blaga rose and extended the cigarette case.
But Kwon Han-ul didn’t take the cigarette this time either.
He extended two fingers and said:
“Place it there.”
Ben Blaga extracted a cigarette from the case himself and positioned it between Kwon Han-ul’s fingers.
In that moment, he suddenly came to his senses.
Why was he obeying Kwon Han-ul’s orders?
“What good is just placing a cigarette? You need to light it.”
Kwon Han-ul flicked the cigarette as he spoke.
In that instant, fury surged through Ben Blaga’s heart.
“How dare a mere retainer command the bloodline—”
Just as he was about to shout, his eyes met Kwon Han-ul’s.
The pupils that had been black were now stained crimson. The moment Ben Blaga saw this, he cried out in panic.
“Gua—Kwon Han-ul Bloodline? H-how is this possible…?”
“Light it.”
The instant those words reached his ears, Ben Blaga’s mind went blank.
A colossal wave swept through his inner being. All thought and emotion were consumed by the tide.
Ben Blaga knelt on the floor and carefully lit the cigarette.
Kwon Han-ul took a drag from the cigarette, then frowned.
“It’s just smoke flavor. Fetch me an ashtray.”
Ben Blaga scrambled to his feet. He searched for an ashtray but couldn’t find one anywhere in the room.
“I told you to bring it.”
Kwon Han-ul repeated himself. Ben Blaga extended both his hands forward. Kwon Han-ul stubbed out his cigarette against the man’s open palms.
“Clean it up.”
Ben Blaga withdrew, clutching the cigarette butt tightly in his fist. Once he disappeared from view, Kwon Han-ul rested his chin on his hand and murmured to himself.
“So then, what should we do now?”

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

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