The White Tiger Clan’s Baby Cotton Ball - Chapter 248

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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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Part 2, Chapter 40

A black-haired man was half-submerged in the black marsh.

How much time had passed since that day?

His severed neck had almost completely healed.

‘…So I’ve finally met her again.’

The daughter of a celestial deity, the phoenix of the Heavenly Realm who guarded the Sacred Tree. A sanctuary for young souls.

Evil had coveted her love.

But she would not accept his heart, and his love became corrupted into the most terrible curse.

After such a long time, opening his eyes to meet her like this might be a revelation that this time he would finally obtain her.

But of all things, she had to be born with the power of a Divine Beast that could destroy him.

“How troublesome.”

Evil slowly rose to his feet, recalling the four Divine Beasts that had tormented him so terribly.

Black water dripped down from his body.

He had always despised those things.

After her death, hadn’t he ultimately been sealed away by them?

Evil walked across the desolate Black Earth, lost in thought.

This time, he wouldn’t be defeated so easily.

First, he needed pawns to serve him.

A suitable person who could lure her to him in his stead…

Kiiiiiiiiik—!

Kiiiiiik—!

The agonized screams of Demon Beasts interrupted his contemplation.

Glancing over, he saw a man wrapped in crow-black cloth cutting down the Demon Beasts.

‘A descendant of the Divine Beasts?’

As Evil frowned and stared at the man, a look of surprise suddenly appeared on his face.

‘Wait. That’s…’

[You will be abandoned by the one you love most.]

Long ago, the mark of the curse he had left on her was carved into that man’s soul.

“Oh my.”

An intrigued smile suddenly appeared on his face.

“A being who received her love?”

Evil approached the man, feeling intense hatred and jealousy rising within him.

Jeok Ayun, who had just cut down the last remaining Demon Beast, slowly turned his head, sensing the presence approaching him.

“Hello, descendant of Suzaku.”

A chilling sensation pierced through his entire body at that cold voice.

Jeok Ayun instinctively knew what that being was.

Swish—!

Jeok Ayun immediately swung his sword.

“My, my. Actions before words, I see.”

Evil lightly dodged him with a snickering laugh.

“I can see the desire within you, descendant of Suzaku.”

“…”

Jeok Ayun pointed his sword tip straight at the sneering Evil.

“If you accept my power, I’ll grant what you desire most. For instance…”

Thunk—!

Jeok Ayun’s sword pierced through Evil’s chest.

“Those two eyes of yours.”

Black blood flowed from the pierced chest, but Evil showed no sign of pain as he grinned and whispered.

“…!”

Jeok Ayun’s face, which had remained expressionless throughout, suddenly stiffened.

“You want to open those eyes, don’t you?”

“…”

“There’s something you want to see with those eyes, isn’t there?”

“…”

Jeok Ayun’s fingertips trembled.

He was a foolish and ignorant sinner who had failed to recognize what was most precious to him.

However, if there was one thing he dared to desire despite that…

[Papa, Soya wants to grow up quickly!]

[Hehe. That’s because Soya loves Papa!]

Soya.

It was to see how that child had grown.

Recently, he had encountered Soya in the Northern Lands.

His two eyes, which could no longer fulfill their role, couldn’t see the child.

However, just from the child’s voice and presence heard from afar, he could feel that the child had grown much more than he remembered.

The moment the child looked back at him, he had no choice but to turn away first due to the overwhelming emotions.

Otherwise, he felt he would shamefully wet his eyes in front of the child.

He could feel the child’s gaze following him from behind.

But he had no right to call out to the child, no right to stand before the child.

Wasn’t he hiding like this because he thought even showing his face in front of the child would be a terrible sin?

If only he could see, just once.

Just once, only once.

If he could see how Soya, that child, had grown…

“What will you do, descendant of Suzaku?”

Evil asked with a cunning smile.

“Will you accept my power?”

“…”

“If you accept my power and are reborn, you will gain your two eyes.”

“…”

Jeok Ayun bit his lower lip hard with a pale, haggard face.

He should refuse, but a trace of hesitation bloomed within him.

He shouldn’t.

He should refuse.

But… he missed her so much.

Just once…

Only once…

“My, you’re hesitating.”

Evil clicked his tongue as he looked at him.

“You cast away your own child with your own hands, yet remain a heartless father to the end. Don’t you want to see how well the child has grown?”

“…”

“How pitiful. That child has grown up so beautifully.”

“…”

Thud.

His hand fell limply from the sword hilt he had been gripping.

He staggered backward.

“I…”

“It’s alright, descendant of the divine beast. You’re simply being a little more honest with your desires.”

“My desires… what I want is…”

What he truly desired was to see that child just once, even if it meant giving up everything he had.

“Soya…”

For her sake, he could even sell his soul.

And the moment he harbored such feelings.

Thump…!

His heart constricted violently.

“Graaah…”

Thud.

His body collapsed to the ground.

Thump, thump, thump, thump!

The sound of his heartbeat racing as if it would burst at any moment rang loudly in his head.

“Grah, urgh, ugh…”

Jeok Ayun crawled on all fours, supporting himself with both hands on the ground.

Cough. Cough.

Hot blood flowed down from the corners of his mouth.

From deep within his body, bones twisted, organs burst and regenerated anew as his body underwent transformation.

How much time had passed like this?

“Huff. Gasp…”

Jeok Ayun exhaled painful breaths as he slowly lifted his eyelids.

The landscape of the desolate northern land filled his vision.

Blink, blink.

After blinking a few more times, he spotted a man looking down at him arrogantly with his head tilted back.

Jeok Ayun slowly approached him.

Then he knelt at the man’s feet in submission.

“…My lord.”

A rough, metallic voice flowed from between his lips.

“Hahahaha! A descendant of divine beasts turned into a malicious beast. What a beautiful combination this is.”

Evil burst into satisfied laughter as he looked down at Jeok Ayun’s bowed head.

“I give you your first command, my loyal subordinate. Lure the Dragon Emperor’s Bride.”

“Yes, my lord.”

* * *

After Evil fled, Soya’s group escaped the Dark Earth Underground Palace and set up camp above ground to reorganize.

During this time, someone arrived from the Suzaku Family.

Saeon looked at the letter with a serious expression.

“What’s wrong, Saeon?”

“A request for support has come from the Suzaku Family.”

Saeon answered, turning to look at Irim.

That day, Irim’s body had been considerably injured in the process of escaping from the swamp demon beast.

The ancient demon beast that awakened along with Evil’s revival was quite difficult to deal with, unlike ordinary demon beasts.

Saeon was able to dive into the center of the swamp and destroy the demon beast’s main body while it was distracted by Irim.

Using the Emperor as bait to defeat a demon beast—there could be no greater disloyalty than this.

What was even more absurd was that Irim’s actions that day were never meant to serve as bait.

To be honest, seeing Irim rush toward Soya while his entire body was torn and covered in blood left Saeon somewhat appalled.

Now he even felt frightened when he recalled that face that didn’t frown once despite the pain of his body being torn apart.

[You nearly had your ankle severed.]

[Just an ankle. What’s so important about that.]

Irim muttered in a languid voice, then glanced at Saeon and said:

[Just in case, Saeon.]

[Please speak, Your Majesty.]

[Watch your words. Don’t let this reach Soya’s ears.]

[Pardon…?]

[If that kind-hearted child learns that I was so badly injured trying to reach her, wouldn’t she be upset?]

[…You knew this would happen, yet you still acted that way?]

Saeon was dumbfounded watching him worry about keeping his own mouth shut in the midst of all this.

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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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