“Sister!”

From a distance, Hwarin spotted Seolhwa and dashed toward her, throwing herself into Seolhwa’s embrace.

A rabbit-shaped hair ornament dangled from Hwarin’s head as she ran.

Seolhwa, staring blankly at the ornament, let out a soft laugh and gently patted Hwarin’s head.

A short distance away, Cheongsan and Moyong Yeonhwa watched the two with warm expressions.

Seeing Soyak and Yugang approaching, Cheongun spoke to Seolhwa.

“I will go explain the situation to your uncle.”

“Yes, Father.”

Due to having rushed off after Ma Jong-ui, she hadn’t had a chance to say anything to Cheongsan and his wife.

Cheongun went to them to explain, and Soyak and Yugang drew closer.

“Is it over?”

“Probably.”

It wasn’t entirely over yet—they were still within the bounds of the Suro Stronghold.

“Well, at least it’s resolved,” Yugang said, flashing a gentle smile.

Seolhwa, gazing at that kind smile, spoke.

“Thank you. For protecting Hwarin until the end.”

The truth was, Yugang could have escaped at any time.

The bandits of Suro Stronghold had been after Namgoong’s child. If Yugang had been alone, he could have easily evaded their eyes and escaped.

But he had stayed behind to protect Hwarin, ensuring her safety. And...

“Thank you for protecting us.”

What Yugang had safeguarded wasn’t just Hwarin.

“When we return to the clan, I’ll be sure to reward you.”

“Hmm...”

Yugang scratched his chin.

“Well... I didn’t really do anything special. You don’t need to reward me. But... there is something I want.”

“Something you want?”

A mischievous grin spread across Yugang’s face. It was a smile that somehow felt unsettling.

After a moment of deliberation, Seolhwa asked, her tone stiff, barely concealing her displeasure.

“What is it?”

“Call me ‘big brother.’”

Seolhwa’s expression hardened.

Seeing her expression, Yugang’s once-confident demeanor immediately wilted.

“...Just once.”

“....”

“B-Be honest. I am technically your older brother, right?”

“....”

“You’re two years younger than me! Isn’t that right?”

Seolhwa stared at him with that same frozen expression.

‘....’

He has no idea.

That we once tried to kill each other. That the only words we ever exchanged were threats of death. That, in fact, I drove him to the brink of death.

‘Big brother... how absurd.’

At the very least, it was something she didn’t even want to imagine saying to him.

“....”

“W-Wait! Where are you going? Hey, hey!”

Without responding, Seolhwa lifted Hwarin into her arms. Then, she walked past him, heading toward where Cheongun was.

“You said thank you! You said thank you!!”

Soyak, standing beside Yugang, had no idea what was going on but patted Yugang’s back sympathetically.

****

Meng Deungho returned, his face devoid of any particular expression.

Judging by the fact that he had even changed his clothes in such a short amount of time, he must have killed Ma Jong-ui quickly.

Inside the tent, Seolhwa, Cheongun, Cheongsan, and Yeonhwa were waiting for him.

The moment Meng Deungho stepped inside, he immediately bowed toward Namgoong’s group.

“I deeply apologize. Guiyeong Stronghold will sincerely compensate Namgoong.”

It was a clean apology.

Cheongsan and Moyong Yeonhwa’s expressions stiffened.

Before Meng Deungho had returned, they had been informed of the reason he had kidnapped Hwarin.

But just because they knew didn’t mean they could forgive easily. They had been prepared to unleash their fury, but Meng Deungho had made the first move.

Cheongsan slammed the table with his fist, the sound echoing through the tent.

“Compensation? Compensation?! If you value your own child, you should understand how precious someone else’s child is! If it weren’t for Seolhwa, you would have sold my daughter off without a second thought! And you think a mere apology and compensation will settle this?!”

Meng Deungho couldn’t deny it.

If it hadn’t been for Seolhwa, °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° he truly would have handed Hwarin over to Ma Jong-ui.

And Seolhwa had no intention of defending him on that point.

“What’s done is done. All I can offer now is compensation.”

“Oh, so that’s for your own peace of mind, then! What if she had been traumatized? What then, huh?”

“Then what do you want? Is there something specific you’re after?”

Meng Deungho’s curt response and expression of disinterest made Cheongsan’s blood boil.

Cheongsan’s fist struck the table again as he stood up.

“You lowly bandit...!”

“Cheongsan!”

Their gazes clashed, an intense, almost palpable tension hanging in the air.

It felt as though their auras were clashing, striking each other in the empty space between them.

“Sit down, dear,” Moyong Yeonhwa said, placing a hand on Cheongsan’s arm.

It was only after Moyong Yeonhwa calmed Cheongsan down that the tension between the two men finally dissipated.

Cheongsan grumbled as he sat back down, and Meng Deungho, watching him, spoke.

“I swear, I did not harm Namgoong’s daughter in any way.”

Cheongsan glared at Meng Deungho.

Just as it seemed that the second round of their confrontation was about to begin—

“I can vouch for that.”

Seolhwa, who had been silently observing, stepped forward.

‘Bringing the standards of the righteous path to the demonic one... that’s not going to work.’

She knew exactly what Cheongsan wanted. He was likely hoping to see Meng Deungho on his knees, begging for forgiveness with genuine remorse.

However, bandits were, by nature, creatures of the dark path.

Men who lived off the blood of merchants traversing the waterways weren’t going to sincerely repent for taking what they wanted from others.

‘They were raised with completely different values.’

A life where taking and being taken from was the norm. The common decency of the righteous path meant nothing to these people.

“The Chief of Guiyeong Stronghold did not harm Hwarin in any way. In fact, he made sure she was well-fed and had a place to sleep.”

“Hmph.”

“I also hope the Chief can understand my uncle’s feelings. Imagine how you would feel if the Blood Serpent Stronghold had kidnapped Soyak instead.”

Meng Deungho’s brow furrowed.

He had killed Ma Jong-ui on the spot for attempting to deceive him about his son’s cure. Understanding the emotions of Cheongsan and Moyong Yeonhwa wasn’t that difficult.

Meng Deungho bowed once more, clasping his hands respectfully toward Cheongsan and Moyong Yeonhwa.

“I sincerely apologize. From now on, Guiyeong Stronghold will not collect tolls from any ship flying Namgoong’s flag.”

For bandits who survived by collecting tolls, forgoing tolls was no small concession.

Moreover, Guiyeong Stronghold was located in Muho, the gateway to the Yangtze River leading to Hefei.

Meng Deungho’s declaration was a tremendous benefit to Namgoong but a considerable loss for Guiyeong Stronghold.

Cheongsan still looked dissatisfied, but he finally relented and backed down.

“...Be more careful from now on.”

As the situation reached a somewhat peaceful resolution, Seolhwa allowed herself a small, gentle smile.

Meng Deungho, who had been staring at her, suddenly met Cheongun’s eyes.

“You have a remarkable daughter.”

“My daughter is exceptional,” Cheongun said plainly.

Meng Deungho nodded briefly, genuinely acknowledging the statement. Then, his expression grew serious.

“Thanks to Miss Namgoong, the situation ended without major casualties, but as long as the Blood Serpent Stronghold’s leader is nearby, this place isn’t safe.”

The signal Ma Jong-ui had used, the incense flare, had a range of forty kilometers.

If the Blood Serpent Stronghold decided to attack, they could be here in less than half an hour.

The enemy was still dangerously close.

“They won’t attack immediately since they don’t know Ma Jong-ui is dead. What do you plan to do?”

The Blood Serpent Stronghold’s leader was likely still waiting for Ma Jong-ui’s signal.

It would take them a few more days to realize that no signal was coming.

But that didn’t mean they could afford to stay in Guiyeong Stronghold with enemies so close.

“Namgoong will depart immediately,” Cheongun declared.

Darkness was already falling outside, but there was no time to waste.

Cheongun’s internal injuries were severe, and Cheongsan and Yeonhwa were not in perfect condition either.

To avoid getting caught in the crossfire between the two strongholds and to ensure the safety of the children, leaving immediately was the only viable option.

Meng Deungho nodded.

“I will provide you with a ship. Nighttime navigation can be tricky, so I’ll assign a few of my men to guide you.”

“Are you sure about that?” Cheongun asked with concern.

Even though the battle had been brief, Guiyeong Stronghold’s forces were still not in optimal condition.

It was clear he was worried about a potential confrontation with the Blood Serpent Stronghold.

“The Yangtze River is home to eighteen strongholds, but we are not allies. If anything, we’re competitors fighting over territory and power.”

While they might sometimes operate under the unified banner of the Yangtze River Strongholds, bandits were, by nature, thieves and robbers.

“Our relationship with the Blood Serpent Stronghold was never good to begin with. I’ve never been fond of how they’ve been eyeing Guiyeong’s territory. If they’re foolish enough to step into our den, it would be the perfect opportunity for us.”

“Still, your forces have been weakened,” Cheongun said, unconvinced.

“True, but the Blood Serpent Stronghold is still no match for us.”

Blood Serpent Stronghold might have amassed wealth by controlling the coastal routes, but they were no match for Guiyeong Stronghold, which had built its power on raw military strength.

Meng Deungho, well aware of the Blood Serpent Stronghold’s capabilities, spoke with absolute confidence.