My Father Is the Number One Under Heaven - Chapter 4

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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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Chapter 4. Nightmare Descends on Sodam Village
Whoooosh!
Yeo Un-hui was heading home.
And he was moving at an extraordinary speed using the Light Movement Technique.
A journey that had taken him nearly half a fortnight of walking without rest now required less than an hour to reverse; arrival was imminent.
Yet despite this tremendous velocity, Yeo Un-hui’s heart raced with urgency.
It was because of the fortnight he had promised to Peng Seo-yeon.
Fresh from the Cave of the Martial God, Yeo Un-hui had stopped at a nearby village and sought out an inn to settle his ravenous hunger.
While savoring a steaming bowl of noodles, he overheard merchants at the adjacent table and learned something troubling.
Two days had passed beyond his calculations.
‘How could that be?’
His calculations had been flawless.
In his previous life, the time Yeo Un-hui had spent absorbing the Golden Sphere in the Cave of the Martial God before losing consciousness had been far less than a fortnight.
So he had set a full fortnight as a safety margin before seeking out the cave.
Yet the fortnight had passed, and now two additional days had slipped away?
‘It doesn’t make sense.’
Startled, Yeo Un-hui hastily shoved the remaining noodles into his mouth and hurried out the door.
One or two days’ delay might seem trivial, but his wife had trusted him without question and kept to the agreed fortnight.
He had no wish to burden her with needless worry on top of that.
Though it was already too late for that.
In any case,
‘I need to push harder.’
Whoooosh!
Yeo Un-hui’s silhouette shot forward with even greater speed.
***
“Say, my wife’s prepared a mountain of chicken today—you’ll come eat, won’t you?”
“Oh, wonderful. I’ll bring some newly fermented salted fish. Should I grab some wine too?”
“Hey, now. Wine in broad daylight? You’ll catch it from the missus.”
“Ah, true enough. Shame. Tsk.”
“But we have the evening, don’t we?”
“Eh? No trouble from the missus then?”
“I can make my case at least. I held out until nightfall, I’ll say.”
“What? You’re worse than I am. Ha-ha-ha.”
Crack!
“Ow! Who struck my back— Oh, dear.”
“You’ve been looking peaked lately, so I stewed up this chicken, and here you are plotting to drink with your friends?”
“My dear, no—this fellow suggested it, and I told him it was too early for wine, that’s all.”
“And you’ll eat at night?”
“…Ah? You heard that? Heh-heh.”
The woman, eyes flashing, turned on her heel and walked away as she spoke.
“Come now. The chicken will get cold.”
“Yes, yes. I understand. Go fetch that salted fish from home, will you?”
“Ha-ha, right then. Off I go. Won’t be long.”
Sodam Village.
Nestled at the foot of an unnamed hill, this quiet hamlet remained peaceful as always.
Though the banter might seem contentious at first glance, few places in the world showed such genuine care and tenderness for one another.
It was a village overflowing with warmth and human kindness.
“Hello there!”
“Oh, little Yul-i! Back from the market with Mother?”
“Yes!”
“Such a pretty thing. What shall I give you? Let’s see… oh yes. Does our little Yul-i like rice cakes?”
“Yes! I love rice cakes.”
“Do you now? Here then. Chew it well before you swallow.”
“Thank you for the food!”
Peng Seo-yeon, holding Yul-i’s hand, smiled gratefully in acknowledgment and walked on slowly.
The villagers watched as the two figures receded into the distance, exchanging words among themselves.
“She’s lovely, isn’t she?”
“You mean Yul-i? Or Yul-i’s mother?”
“Both, naturally.”
“Indeed. Seems like the more time passes, the more beautiful she becomes.”
“It must be because you’re so loved, isn’t it? By such a fine husband?”
“And me?”
“Hmm?”
“I’m well-loved by my husband too, you know?”
“Ugh, well then. I suppose I should go finish the rest of the chores.”
“Wait, are you really going to leave it at that?”
When that family first came to Sodam Village, everyone wondered whether they could truly settle there.
Peng Seo-yeon carried an unmistakable air of nobility about her.
No matter how carefully one tried to conceal such a thing, it wasn’t the sort of quality that could be easily hidden.
Her husband, too, was plainly a scholar devoted to his studies.
Lean and graceful, he wore a perpetual gentle smile.
Neither of them seemed suited to life in so small a village.
That said, from the villagers’ perspective, the arrival of a teacher was certainly welcome.
Still, most had harbored quiet doubts about whether the couple would last long.
Yet time had passed, and they had not left.
Yul-i had been born in the interim, and the family had woven themselves seamlessly into the fabric of village life.
Everyone in Sodam Village had come to cherish them.
“Come to think of it, I haven’t seen Yul-i’s father in ages.”
“He’s probably teaching in the neighboring village again. He does that sometimes, doesn’t he?”
“I suppose.”
A scholar was a rarity in so small a place, and much sought after.
Still, it did seem like rather a long time since anyone had seen him.
“…….”
She had heard everything.
Peng Seo-yeon’s senses were far sharper than those of ordinary people.
Her face grew clouded with worry.
‘What could have happened?’
He was not a man to break his word.
That he would leave for a fortnight without explanation was unlike him, yet she had sent him off without objection because she trusted him.
‘Has something gone wrong……?’
Peng Seo-yeon shook her head.
There was no use entertaining dark thoughts now.
‘Don’t think such things. He’ll be back soon.’
She steadied her resolve.
It was then.
A low murmur.
The village entrance grew unnaturally turbulent.
Three armed strangers stood there, their smiles sharp and menacing.
Peng Seo-yeon’s eyes narrowed at once.
***
“I’m sorry, but what are you saying exactly?”
“What do you mean, what am I saying? Why can’t you understand something so simple?”
Noh Jin-mu, the village headman, looked thoroughly exasperated.
These men had simply shown up at the village, demanded to see him, and now they came out with this.
“So you’re saying we should pay you a monthly tribute in exchange for your protection from bandits, is that it?”
“Tribute? Why use such an ugly word? We prefer ‘Protection Tax’—doesn’t that sound better?”
“Look here, Headman. Isn’t it fortunate that masters like us are willing to step in and protect you? Compared to the service we provide, this tribute—or rather, this Protection Tax—is hardly burdensome. Surely we can come to an amicable arrangement…….”
“I beg your pardon.”
The headman cut him off.
“We have no need of your protection.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Until now, our village has suffered no significant losses to bandits, and on the rare occasion when trouble does arise, the men of the village have always worked together to resolve it. And so…….”
“So you don’t need us, is that what you’re saying?”
“…We can only thank you for the offer.”
“Ha, haha. Well, it seems life here in your village is remarkably pleasant, doesn’t it?”
“That it is. Eldest, what shall we do?”
“Hmm.”
The eldest of the three martial men stepped forward.
He had been standing quietly in the background until now.
“Having heard the headman’s words, I understand his position. Yes, that makes sense.”
“Thank you for understanding.”
“Well then, let’s change the terms.”
“Pardon?”
“Starting now.”
“Ugh!”
The man suddenly seized the village headman by the collar and wrenched him forward.
His eyes gleamed as he stared down at the elder.
“Think of us as bandits. Do you understand?”
With that, he shoved the headman away, sending him tumbling across the ground.
“Oh, dear Lord!”
“Elder!”
The villagers rushed to help the headman to his feet.
At the very least, the headman was old enough to be their father.
“What in heaven’s name is this?”
The villagers cried out in rage and disbelief.
But the armed men paid them no heed, laughing with savage amusement instead.
“Look, the terms have changed slightly, but it’s simple enough. From now on, bring us money around this time each month. Fail to do so, and you’ll find yourselves robbed by us.”
“But there’s no such law in the world!”
“There is now—fresh off the fire, you might say. See that you follow it well. Understood?”
Cackle, cackle.
Those who had come to protect the village had transformed in an instant into a band of outlaws.
Faced with this absurdity, the villagers found themselves helpless, unable to act or speak.
Then,
“You cursed bandits—what manner of place do you think this is?”
A man of enormous build stepped forward, his frame broad and powerful.
The moment he appeared, the villagers’ faces brightened.
He was a strongman renowned throughout the village for his natural, fearsome strength.
“It’s Lee. So he’s finally come forward.”
“We wondered where he’d gone. Well, now we’ve got something to hope for!”
The armed men’s expressions turned contemptuous.
“And who are you?”
“If you apologize now and leave peacefully, I’ll let this matter pass. Now get out.”
Lee spoke down to them, his voice steady and commanding.
Having thrashed several thugs in times past, he radiated absolute confidence.
Yet the armed men showed no fear—instead, they laughed him to scorn.
“Ha. What’s this beanpole trying to say?”
“I’m offering you a chance. Get lost, will you?”
“Oh, how terrifying.”
Snicker, snicker.
“You wretches!”
As Lee reached to grab the leader by the front of his robe, the man deftly slipped back a step.
Lee’s hand met nothing but air, and in the moment his balance wavered, the leader’s leg shot forward, his heel driving hard into Lee’s solar plexus.
“Gasp!”
One blow. Just one, and Lee collapsed where he stood, clutching his chest.
Tap.
Seizing momentum, the leader charged forward and drove his heel up into Lee’s jaw as he knelt there.
Then—
Crack.
With a sickening sound, Lee’s jawbone dislocated.
“Ahhhhgh!”
Lee writhed on the ground, consumed by terrible agony.
“There. Tall one.”
The leader stood over him, laughing.
“Say that again—about letting me leave peacefully? Go on, say it.”
Smack!
“Why don’t you repeat yourself, hmm? Well?”
Crack, smash, crack-crack-crack!
“Ahhhhh… p-please… have mercy…”
“Where’s that tough talk now? Hmm? A real man begging for his life after a few blows? Pathetic! Bah!”
As the leader spat, the two men behind him took up the assault, stamping and kicking Lee without mercy.
“Mother?”
Peng Seo-yeon’s face hardened as she quickly covered Yul-i’s eyes with her hands.
Part of her wanted to rush forward immediately, but her mind churned with doubt—was this truly the right path for the village? Would it not simply breed new problems?
And Yul-i was here with her.
Crack, crack! Crack, crack!
“Hngh—th, that m—”
The horrific beating continued unabated.
The people of Sodam Village were nothing but ordinary villagers.
Against such vicious, overwhelming violence, there was nothing they could do.
All they could manage was to tremble with fear.
‘This won’t do. He’ll be beaten to death.’
Just as Peng Seo-yeon could no longer bear it and was about to step forward, she heard it.
“How much.”
A sharp intake of breath.
The relentless beating stopped in an instant.
The village headman squeezed his eyes shut.
“How much will suffice?”
The warrior who served as leader turned his head to regard the headman.
“What did you just say, headman?”
“I’ll give you whatever you wish. Please, just stop.”
“Hm?”
A filthy smile spread across the warriors’ faces.
“Now we’re getting somewhere.”
Snicker, snicker.
It was the moment when nightmare descended upon Sodam Village, which had known only peace.

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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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