Bloodline is Everything - Chapter 221

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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 221】

221. Epilogue

News of Kwon Hyuk’s rebellion spread across the globe in an instant.
With leadership decimated and factions tearing each other apart, the situation was chaos incarnate.
For those who harbored grudges against Heukcheon, no better opportunity to draw their blades of vengeance had ever presented itself.
Yet surprisingly, few external forces actually attacked Heukcheon.
The first reason was that despite Heukcheon’s significantly weakened state, it remained Heukcheon.
Its fundamental military strength was so formidable that even ordinary guilds—let alone world-ranked hunters in the triple digits—dared not rashly challenge it.
The second reason was that the rebellion was suppressed with unexpected speed.
Kwon Hyuk’s uprising lasted merely two days before its leader fell and his forces were annihilated. The Main House of Heukcheon remained secure.
As for the third reason….
“These bastards dare raise weapons against Heukcheon?”
“It seems the world needs a reminder of what Heukcheon truly is.”
Kwon Myung-woo and Kwon Mi, having recovered from their wounds, systematically hunted down every faction that showed even the slightest uncooperativeness or suspicious intent toward Heukcheon.
Thus, the incident that might have altered Heukcheon’s fate quietly came to a close.
But a month later, the world received news so momentous that people erased all memory of the rebellion from their minds.
The retirement ceremony of Family Head Kwon Seon-woo had been scheduled.

* * *

“The spring breeze is warm.”
At the sudden remark, Kwon Han-ul paused his hands pushing the wheelchair. He glanced down and asked.
“Should we rest for a moment?”
“No need. I prefer moving to standing still.”
“But you’re just sitting in that wheelchair all day—how can you say that?”
“Do you have complaints? Then shall we switch places?”
“I’ll pass. If I did that, the whole world would curse me.”
Kwon Han-ul resumed pushing the wheelchair. Its wheels rolled along the brick path winding through the garden.
“Do you really have to step down as Family Head?”
Kwon Han-ul suddenly asked Kwon Seon-woo. Kwon Seon-woo smiled bitterly and replied.
“What choice do I have? The position of Family Head is far too demanding for someone in this condition.”
Kwon Seon-woo had survived the rebellion Kwon Hyuk sparked. Yet the grievous wounds he sustained left his body permanently disabled.
He could no longer use one arm and leg properly, and his mana flow remained disrupted.
Since this condition stemmed from losing the Orb of Benevolence, even Kwon Han-ul had no way to restore him.
“Besides, I was planning to step down eventually anyway. I’ve grown weary of sitting in this position for so long.”
Kwon Seon-woo sighed deeply as he spoke.
“Just recently, that fool Kwon Myung-woo bought a new yacht and keeps pestering me to go out. He was talking about taking a case of liquor and going deep-sea fishing.”
“So that was the real reason?”
Instead of answering, Kwon Seon-woo cleared his throat awkwardly.
“But what about you? Will you be alright?”
“What do you mean?”
“If things continue like this, you’ll become bound to Heukcheon. Isn’t it a waste of your youth and talent to be shackled to this clan?”
Kwon Han-ul burst into laughter. Sensing mockery, Kwon Seon-woo’s expression twisted.
“What are you saying? Didn’t you once ask me to take care of Heukcheon?”
“That was then. But thinking about it again, I’ve come to believe that Heukcheon is simply too small for you.”
The bloodlines Kwon Han-ul possessed were not limited to the Black Dragon Bloodline. He carried the true blood of countless other lineages.
Kwon Han-ul possessed the qualifications to reach the pinnacle in any family he chose to join.
“Hmm.”
“What is it?”
“Seeing the Family Head being so gentle like this… I just can’t get used to it.”
Kwon Seon-woo’s expression twisted once more.
“You don’t need to worry about me. I still have unfinished business here at Heukcheon.”
“Unfinished business?”
“Restoring the honor of my father and mother.”
At Kwon Han-ul’s words, Kwon Seon-woo’s expression darkened. The mistakes he had committed seemed to resurface in his mind.
“If that’s the case, I’ll issue a separate statement clarifying everything. Beyond that, I’ll do my utmost to ensure your parents are exonerated.”
“No, I must do this myself.”
Kwon Han-ul spoke with unwavering resolve.
“Such a statement alone won’t suffice. Only when I, as my father’s son, remain in Heukcheon and elevate the clan’s honor while living as one of its people—only then will perceptions truly change.”
When everyone finally acknowledged Kwon Han-ul’s place, his parents’ honor would be genuinely restored. He believed this with absolute conviction.
“So please don’t worry about me. I’ve already made my decision.”
“I see….”
“And if Heukcheon doesn’t suit me, I’ll simply develop Heukcheon to that level with my own strength, won’t I?”
Kwon Han-ul added playfully. At his words, Kwon Seon-woo couldn’t help but laugh.
“We’ve arrived.”
Kwon Han-ul’s footsteps came to a halt after their long walk. The wheelchair stopped as well.
The building where the two stood was one used only during major events within the Hukcheon Estate.
“Brother, have you finished your walk?”
Kwon Myung-woo was waiting by the door for the two of them.
“Yes, let’s go in.”
“Understood.”
At Kwon Seon-woo’s words, Kwon Myung-woo pushed the massive doors open with both hands. The enormous doors began to slowly swing inward.
A tremendous wave of heat poured from inside the building. The Grand Hall was packed with people.
None of them were ordinary individuals. Politicians connected to Heukcheon, high-ranking Hunters, businessmen, and more—only those wielding considerable influence across all levels of society had earned the qualification to attend this gathering.
“Let’s go in.”
Kwon Han-ul pushed the wheelchair forward, moving along the corridor lined with a long carpet.
All eyes converged on the two of them. Though it might have been burdensome, neither Kwon Han-ul nor Kwon Seon-woo showed any particular reaction.
At the end of the carpet stood a high platform. With the help of his attendants, Kwon Seon-woo ascended onto the stage.
Once Kwon Seon-woo took his place on the platform, Kwon Han-ul headed toward the seating area for guests.
“Kwon Han-ul, this way please.”
Joo Ha-yeon and the Heukam Corps, already seated, waved toward Kwon Han-ul. He approached their section and took his seat.
“Thank you all for attending this old man’s humble retirement ceremony.”
Unusually, Kwon Seon-woo was speaking in formal language. Moreover, he had set aside his usual imposing demeanor, at least for today.
“In recent times, Heukcheon has faced grave troubles. These were not sudden accidents, nor were they unforeseen calamities. They were festering wounds that Heukcheon had carried for so long, finally bursting open.”
There was a time when Kwon Seon-woo had spoken like this.
Heukcheon’s methods had played a crucial role in developing Heukcheon, but simultaneously left behind countless irreparable wounds. One of those wounds was Kwon Hyuk.
“All of these matters originated from this old man. Bearing this responsibility, I hereby step down from my position as Family Head effective today.”
The people in the hall began to murmur. In truth, until the retirement ceremony actually began, many had harbored doubts.
“And today, in this place, I wish to announce a new Family Head.”
Kwon Seon-woo extended his hand, pointing to Kwon Han-ul below.
“I hereby proclaim my grandson, Kwon Han-ul, as the new Family Head.”
At this shocking declaration, all the guests were left in bewilderment. This announcement had come without any prior warning.
“Kwon Han-ul, come forward.”
Kwon Han-ul ascended the platform. Then he knelt before Kwon Seon-woo.
Kwon Seon-woo extended the ring symbolizing the Family Head to Kwon Han-ul. Kwon Han-ul reached out with both hands to receive it.
In that moment, thunderous applause filled the hall.
“Hahahaha! Han-ul, you rascal! You’ve made it!”
Among them, Kwon Myung-woo’s voice rang out the loudest. His presence was so striking that both Kwon Seon-woo and Kwon Han-ul felt embarrassed listening to him.
Kwon Seon-woo helped Kwon Han-ul to his feet. After positioning him before the guests, he spoke.
“Thus, the twelfth Family Head has been born anew.”

* * *

After the retirement and inauguration ceremony concluded, Han-ul found himself overwhelmed by the flood of guests paying their respects.
“I’m Monaka Drong, Guildmaster of the Ballon Guild! To witness the inauguration of our new Family Head! There could be no greater honor than this day!”
“I’m Hwang Soon-chul, running a modest enterprise. Yes, that’s right—I’m the owner of Sungwang Corporation, ranked second in Korea’s business hierarchy.”
Every person who came to offer their greetings was someone of prominence. Because of this, I couldn’t afford to show even a hint of annoyance.
Not all the visitors were strangers.
“Han-ul, my booooy!”
“Uncle… please, compose yourself.”
“How can I compose myself on such a joyous day!”
Familiar faces like Kwon Myung-woo and Kwon Mi were present as well.
“I knew from our first meeting that you’d go far! But I never imagined you’d reach such heights!”
Kwon Myung-woo beamed with delight, patting my back enthusiastically.
In the old days, such gestures would have felt burdensome. Now, I could bear them.
“Ahem, Han-ul, my congratulations.”
Kwon Mi cleared her throat and approached me quietly.
“You… understand, don’t you? Please look after our Hu-don.”
“Of course, that goes without saying.”
“Th-thank you.”
A radiant smile bloomed across Kwon Mi’s face. As she turned to leave, she murmured to herself, “My eye for talent has never failed me.”
After that, the Lightning Sage and Park Tae-sik also came to pay their respects. But soon, the stream of familiar faces dried up, replaced once more by strangers.
“Ugh… Han-ul, how much longer do we have to stand here?”
“Maintaining my blade would be far more productive….”
“I’m not comfortable with these kinds of gatherings either….”
With the commander suffering, the corps members couldn’t very well enjoy themselves.
The Heukam Corps, bearing the title of Han-ul’s direct unit, had no choice but to greet the guests as well.
“Everyone, events like this will happen frequently from now on. You need to get used to it starting now.”
Of course, Joo Ha-yeon was here too, present under the guise of being my secretary.
“Ugghhh….”
“Ughhhh….”
“Grrrrr….”
Seeing the three of them struggling so much, I opened my mouth to offer some encouragement.
“Just bear with it a little longer, everyone. It looks like the line won’t last much longer.”
“Does that look like ‘not much longer’ to you…?”
“Commander, surely your eyesight hasn’t deteriorated in the meantime, has it?”
Kwon Hu-don and Mei Hong grumbled. I offered them a wry smile.
“But isn’t this moment a happy one for all three of you? You said that once the ceremony is completely over, you’ll have to go back to training, didn’t you?”
At those words, the three of them went rigid.
Though I had reached the pinnacle of Heukcheon in both strength and position, the Heukam Corps still had far too many shortcomings to address.
Unable to stand by and watch, Kwon Myung-woo and Byeok Ryok-gwon had been putting the three of them through hellish training day after day.
“Now that I think about it, this place suddenly feels wonderful.”
“Me, me too. I suddenly feel so happy.”
“Guest. Good. More. Want. Meet.”
Kwon Han-ul suppressed his laughter and greeted the next guest.
Just then, Joo Ha-yeon tugged at the hem of Kwon Han-ul’s sleeve. He turned to look at her, wondering what was wrong.
“Kwon Han-ul, look over there.”
A group of people stood in the direction Joo Ha-yeon pointed.
They were visibly intimidated, constantly glancing at the other guests. Their demeanor suggested they felt they shouldn’t be here at all.
“They are the ones you invited.”
“…I see.”
Kwon Han-ul excused himself from the other guests and walked toward them.
“Hello.”
At Kwon Han-ul’s greeting, the group was visibly flustered. The eldest among them, an old man, stepped forward and bowed deeply.
“We, we humble ones greet the new Family Head of Heukcheon.”
“Thank you for coming.”
“How could we refuse an invitation from you?”
Their politeness had crossed into obsequiousness. Kwon Han-ul pressed his lips together firmly.
“Please, speak freely.”
“H-how could we presume to do such a thing?”
“No, you have every right to.”
This old man before him was none other than the Family Head of the Cheongsung Bae Family and the father of Bae Chul-soo, who had saved his mother’s life.
“I am grateful for the help the Bae Family has given my parents.”
At those words, the old man’s eyes widened. The same was true for the other members of the Bae Family.
“And I apologize. Because I was lacking, I failed to recognize your help until now. I am only now offering my gratitude.”
“No, no. We should be thanking you. Thanks to you, our entire family was pardoned. Moreover, you didn’t even inquire about the matter concerning the traitor…”
At Bae Hong-myung’s words, Kwon Han-ul felt his chest tighten.
These people were innocent. They had simply been wrongfully treated as criminals until now.
What I had done was not bestowing favor—it was merely restoring them to the place where they rightfully belonged.
“From now on, I will take responsibility for the Cheongsung Bae Family.”
Kwon Han-ul grasped Bae Hong-myung’s hand firmly as he spoke. Bae Hong-myung looked bewildered, unsure how to respond.
“Living long enough, even days like this arrive. It truly seems heaven’s blessing exists.”
“No, this is not heaven’s blessing.”
Kwon Han-ul shook his head.
“It is simply restoring what you rightfully deserve.”

* * *

It was when the Baecheon Bae Family delegation withdrew.
“Kwon Han-ul~!”
A voice with a distinctly different tone rang out.
A woman dressed in flamboyant attire suddenly embraced Kwon Han-ul around the neck.
“Why did you only call for me now? I would rush to your side whenever you summoned me.”
Kwon Han-ul grabbed the woman’s arm and pushed her away. At that, the woman—Catalina Blaga—hardened her expression as if offended.
“Am I a burden to you? If you treat me so coldly, I might cry from sadness.”
As Catalina Blaga’s eyes glistened with tears, the guests around her transformed into expressions of anguish.
In that moment, they had fallen captive to the power of the Bloodline ability Catalina Blaga had manifested.
Kwon Han-ul sighed and snapped his fingers. The power of the Bloodline ability he manifested completely nullified Catalina’s power.
Thanks to that, the people regained their senses.
“Catalina. I told you not to abuse Bloodline abilities recklessly.”
“Oh my, you say you won’t, but you keep doing it anyway.”
“And to be honest, you’re a burden, so leave quickly. I’ll call for you again later.”
Catalina Blaga protested against Kwon Han-ul’s cold attitude. But when he issued another command, she had no choice but to leave her seat.
“She’s an exhausting person, that’s for sure.”
Still, there was a reason he had summoned Catalina Blaga.
Though it began as a hostile relationship, Catalina Blaga and all the blood relatives of the Blaga Family now pledged their loyalty to me.
Since they had become my people, I couldn’t simply ignore them. That’s why I called Catalina Blaga separately to arrange a reconciliation with Heukcheon.
Heukcheon excels in combat power while the Blaga Family excels in information gathering, so if the two allied, they could accomplish much.
“….”
The next guest stood before Kwon Han-ul. But unlike the others, she didn’t even greet him—only glared at him with a rigid expression.
Kwon Han-ul paid no mind and extended his hand to the woman, speaking.
“Thank you for accepting my invitation. Maria Sanchez.”
“…How could someone of pure blood like me refuse the words of a True Blood?”
Maria Sanchez.
She was a woman of considerable standing within the Sanchez Family, which possessed superhuman bloodlines.
Long ago, she had clashed with Kwon Han-ul in the maritime city of Mystery and was forced into submission by the hierarchy of superhuman bloodlines.
“After that, did you succeed in dominating the family as I commanded?”
“…I’ve nearly succeeded. So why did you call me?”
“I wanted to make you a proposal.”
Kwon Han-ul spread his magical power, creating an invisible barrier around them. It was to prevent sound from leaking outside.
“Bring the Sanchez Family to Heukcheon. You can’t keep living under the stigma of being a criminal family under Pandemonium’s banner forever, can you?”
“…Are you in your right mind?”
Maria Sanchez showed a reaction of disbelief.
“You’ll accept the Sanchez Family? Do you understand what that means? It means you’re willing to bear all the sins of our Sanchez Family.”
The Sanchez Family is a clan where the entire bloodline has devoted itself to Pandemonium.
The atrocities committed under Pandemonium’s banner are countless beyond measure.
“As I’ve lived in this world, I’ve learned one thing.”
“Suddenly spouting such vague nonsense.”
“If you have power, no one can say a word against you.”
Maria Sanchez’s mouth fell open at those words. Kwon Han-ul shrugged and added,
“Of course, any grievances that can be compensated or resolved should be handled by Heukcheon.”
“…You’re really a strange person.”
“I won’t force anything on you, so think it over carefully.”
With that, Kwon Han-ul sent Maria Sanchez on her way.
The next person to stand before Kwon Han-ul was also a woman.
“Family Head Dalia Babel. Thank you for coming.”
Kwon Han-ul bowed respectfully. It was because of her position as Family Head.
“You’ve changed remarkably in the time we haven’t seen each other. Both your abilities and your standing.”
“‘Haven’t seen each other’? That’s quite the joke.”
Kwon Han-ul spoke with a smile.
“Didn’t you station watchers around me?”
“So you knew all along.”
Dalia Babel showed no particular alarm. After all, she knew well that there wasn’t a single hunter in this world capable of deceiving someone of Kwon Han-ul’s caliber.
“I was just interested in you, so don’t take it the wrong way.”
Dalia Babel whispered softly to Kwon Han-ul.
“You possess a bloodline other than the Black Dragon Bloodline, don’t you?”
Even though his secret had been exposed, Kwon Han-ul’s expression remained unchanged.
“If you’re thinking of using this as leverage, it won’t work. I don’t care if it comes to light now.”
He’d kept it secret only because revealing it would inevitably cause troublesome complications. There was no real value in using it as blackmail.
“Oh my, don’t misunderstand. I have no intention of doing anything with this information. It’s just that since we’re sharing secrets, shouldn’t we become closer allies?”
Dalia Babel pulled a business card from her pocket and handed it over.
“It’s my direct phone number. Contact me if you need anything.”
After leaving those words, Dalia Babel also took her leave.
It was as I was putting Dalia Babel’s business card into my pocket.
“You seem to be quite popular with women.”
Joo Ha-yeon, standing behind me, spoke in a sinister tone. I spun around in surprise.
“Ha-yeon, this isn’t so much about being popular with women as….”
“Did I say something wrong? Everyone who came by was a woman.”
“Well, that’s….”
Joo Ha-yeon said nothing more and sealed her lips shut. I could only stammer in embarrassment.
Mei Hong and Kwon Hu-don whispered to each other while stealing glances at the two of us.
“Why are those two suddenly like that? Are they dating?”
“What? You didn’t know? Those two come out of the same room every morning.”
“…What?”
Kwon Hu-don let out a startled cry. He quickly covered his own mouth and asked again.
“I-is that really true? When did that even start?”
“Quite a while ago. When they’re alone together, they even drop formalities with each other.”
Kwon Hu-don looked back at the two of us again.
“Good heavens… they say a docile cat climbs onto the stove first.”
When two docile cats tangled together, they weren’t on the stove at all—they were perched atop the chimney.
And no one had noticed a thing.
“Ha-yeon, please listen to what I’m saying.”
“Even if I listen, nothing will change.”
Now that I understood the truth, their quarrel took on an entirely different meaning.
“They were deceiving us the whole time!”
Kwon Hu-don burst out in anger, his voice sharp and accusatory.

【Bloodline is a Thug – Complete】

* * *

【Author’s Afterword】

Hello. I’m Orange Mango, the author of Bloodline is a Thug. Today, I’m here to share this afterword as the series concludes.
During serialization, I thought I’d have plenty to write in this afterword. But now that I’m actually writing it, my mind feels strangely blank.
First and foremost, I want to express my sincere gratitude to all the readers who stayed with me until the very end. It was only because of your support that I was able to complete Bloodline is a Thug.
It’s common to compare the process of completing a novel to running a marathon.
A marathon isn’t a sport run by a single athlete alone. Without the encouragement and support of spectators, and without the guides and helpers prepared by the organizers, athletes could never cross the finish line.
I believe the relationship between author and reader is similar. There are hardly any writers who focus solely on themselves when writing.
Most authors gain strength from reading comments and recommendations from readers, contemplate the direction of their work, and continue serializing through such processes.
Therefore, I offer my heartfelt gratitude to all the readers who have been with me.
And I must also offer my apologies.
As you all know, I’m not an author who could be called good even charitably.
Extended hiatuses, frequent breaks—the list goes on.
I’ve committed far too many mistakes as a writer. I continued to betray your trust, yet I never managed to change my ways. Even at the point of completion, I took another long hiatus. I’m ashamed and deeply sorry.
I have no excuse. I’m truly sorry.
I’m also sorry for not being able to show you a more tightly woven story.
In truth, there were many more stories I wanted to share. But my own limitations as a writer caused me to stop here. There were many times when I developed the narrative only to find it wasn’t unfolding as intended, so I ended up wrapping things up hastily.
I’m sorry and regretful that I couldn’t provide you with consistent satisfaction from beginning to end.
There’s so much more I wish to say, but I’ll end here.
Finally, I offer my deepest thanks once more to every reader who gave my novel a chance, and I take my leave.
Thank you.

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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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