[fixed]
Exhaustion is not merely a physical matter.
Tang Gunak's current state made that quite evident.
One who has mastered martial arts often does not tire easily and always feels vitalized. However, the face of Tang Gunak, seated in his study, was shrouded in dark shadows.
'It doesn't seem like I've read anything.'
Tang Gunak finally placed the document he was holding on the desk. He had read it thrice in a row, but the content didn't seem to register in his mind. It wasn't necessarily conveying bad news.
He silently massaged his eyelids.
'I'm tired.'
It felt like he hadn't properly rested in the past three years. Managing the turmoil in the Yangtze River and dealing with affairs in the distant Sichuan were leaving him with insufficient time.
Even though he made efforts to cut down on sleep and reduce training, it seemed like even that had its limits now.
"Are you alright?"
Tang Zhan asked, to which Tang Gunak slowly nodded.
"I'm just a bit tired."
"...Gaju-nim."
Tang Zhan heaved a sigh in response.
It was only natural. It would be strange if Tang Gunak didn't get tired. If he considered the hardships Tang Gunak had undergone in the past three years, it made perfect sense.
"You should take some rest."
"I'm fine for now."
"Of course, you're fine. Gaju-nim has always been fine. You always have the strength to spare."
"Hmm?"
Tang Gunak lifted his head and looked at Tang Zhan.
"Then you can't rest until the very end. You'll regret not resting when you could at the end."
Tang Gunak, who had been listening silently, responded with a wry smile.
"That's a painful remark."
"Father."
It was 'Father' and not 'Gaju.' Tang Zhan spoke earnestly, heaving a deep sigh.
"Please, take some rest. You're exhausted. It's a shame sister isn't in the family right now. If she saw you like this, Father might not have been safe."
"...That's quite a terrifying statement."
Contrary to his words, a gentle smile played at the corners of Tang Gunak's lips. Remembering his daughter Tang Soso made him feel good.
"And before Father gets into trouble, I'd probably be the first to meet my end."
Tang Gunak didn't specifically deny Tang Zhan's words. The fact that Tang Soso had a strong grip on Tang Zhan was something Tang Gunak was well aware of.
Of course, back when Tang Soso was in the Tang family, Tang Zhan's martial arts skills were higher, but weren't relationships more than just a matter of power?
If Tang Soso had witnessed Tang Zhan's actions, she would have immediately rushed to confront Tang Gunak and thrust a giant needle into Tang Gunak's forehead.
"Are you still afraid of your sister at this age?"
"At this age, it's even scarier. When you're young, you can endure a beating or two, but at my age, getting hit by my sister would be a big problem."
"...I see.
"In the past, I could run away if you wanted to. That won't work anymore."
"No?
Tang Zhan sighed deeply.
"With that personally, there's no way she would've neglected her training, would she? I'm sure she's been training with her teeth clenched for the past three years, following the regimen prescribed by Mount Hua's Divine Dragon. How could I possibly defeat her?"
"This son of mine..."
"But, isn't my sister also Father's daughter? It's just the same, isn't it?"
Tang Gunak responded with a quiet chuckle.
"I see, it's true."
It was nothing more than a trivial conversation, but it lifted his spirits somewhat. Perhaps Tang Zhan had brought it up with such thoughts in mind.
"I know I should take a break. Let's just finish this task and then rest, okay?"
"I've heard that same thing at least ten times already."
Tang Zhan, who seemed like he was about to say more, eventually sighed.
What could be done?
Taking a break wouldn't make the work disappear. If today's tasks were postponed, it only meant that there would be more to do tomorrow. There was no shortcut.
However, he couldn't wish for Tang Gunak to do his work haphazardly. That wasn't something that could ever happen with the leader of the Tang family.
'Somehow, I have to come up with a solution...'
Just as a hint of resentment began to creep back into Tang Zhan's mind, that's when it happened.
"Father! No, Gaju-nim!"
Thud!
Tang Pae burst into the room.
Seeing the contemplative expression on his face, Tang Gunak had a hunch that something had happened, and he quickly rose from his seat. The brief calm in his eyes was swiftly replaced by a steely resolve.
"What's going on?"
The way Tang Pae responded to Tang Gunak's reaction was as if to say it was not that. However, he struggled to articulate what he wanted to say, repeatedly pursing his lips.
"...Speak slowly. What's happened?"
Even in the midst of this, Tang Gunak's composure remained, and he truly could be considered the guiding figure of the entire family. At least, that was the case until the next words were uttered.
"We've received a message from Mount Hua!"
"What?"
Tang Gunak, in a split second, leaped over his desk and grabbed Tang Pae by the collar.
"Where is it?"
Tang Zhang's mouth fell open in shock.
Of course, it was quite a shock that Tang Gunak had grabbed Tang Pae by the collar, but even more shocking was what had happened just before that.
'He... he jumped over the desk?'
That Tang Gunak? The one who always stressed the importance of maintaining a noble posture and decorum?
"Kuh! Keek! Gaju-nim, please let go of me..."
"Oh! Sorry about that."
Tang Gunak was startled and released his grip on Tang Pae's collar.
"Where did you say?"
"It's... it's Mount Hua. Through Beggar's Union, Mount Hua sent a message. Right here, right here, the message..."
Tang Pae, as if he was frightened to pull the message out of his bosom, was swiftly snatched away by Tang Gunak, much like a hawk capturing a rabbit.
Tear, tear!
And without any hesitation, he ripped open the envelope and pulled out the paper inside.
"...?"
A hard-to-describe expression crossed Tang Gunak's face as he silently reviewed the contents of the message. It seemed both bewildering and perhaps filled with astonishment. But that strange expression soon softened into a gentle smile.
"What, what does it say?"
"See for yourself."
Tang Zhan accepted the message handed to him by Tang Gunak. The words written on the large paper barely amounted to a single line.
Why are you struggling in vain? Wipe it all clean and come to Mount Hua immediately.
"Haaa..."
A sound like a sigh of disbelief escaped Tang Zhang's lips.
"Haha..."
He wondered for a moment if he had seen it wrong, but the more he thought about it, the less likely it seemed.
Who in the world would dare to send such a report to the head of the Sichuan Tang Family? Even if it were the leader of Shaolin, they wouldn't dare to send a mere message to the head of the Sichuan Tang Family, telling them to come.
Only one person in the world could do this, Chung Myung.
"...What would you like to do?"
"Well..."
As a smile deepened at the corner of Tang Gunak's mouth, Tang Zhan found himself smiling in return without even realizing it. It seemed like the first time in a few years that he had seen Tang Gunak make such a face.
It was not a smile that indicated relief from the suffocating situation, now that Mount Hua had returned. Tang Gunak wasn't the type of person who would smile so brightly just because he could let go of his responsibilities.
The smile he had on his face was the smile of someone who had confirmed the well-being of an old friend with whom he had lost contact for a long time.
"Anyways, I can't stop you."
Tang Gunak shook his head.
That's when another loud voice came from outside.
"Are you here, Gaju!"
The owner of that voice was someone Tang Gunak could easily guess. He turned his head.
"Come in."
Without hesitation, the door opened, and a person rushed in.
"Have you received the report?"
Nokrim King Im Sobyeong asked abruptly, setting aside formal greetings. Tang Gunak wordlessly handed him the report he had received.
"As you can see."
"...Hmm."
Im Sobyeong made a groaning sound as he checked the contents.
"Have you received one?"
"Check for yourself."
Im Sobyeong also handed the report he was holding to Tang Gunak.
Take all your ledges and come to Mount Hua.
"...Haha."
Im Sobyeong's message was even more concise than his report.
"It seems Mount Hua has finally exited Bongmun."
Upon Tang Gunak's mumbled words, everyone exchanged glances, looking at each other with a new sense of understanding.
"Hmm."
However, Im Sobyeong still had a stern expression.
"It seems that King Nokrim is not pleased."
"It's not that I'm not pleased..."
When Tang Gunak subtly inquired, Im Sobyeong clenched his head.
"I don't know if he thinks about how much accounting has piled up over the past three years and asks us to bring it all. I've been sending copies to Eunha Guild just in case I end up like this!"
"..."
"There will be at least five carriages! Five carriages!"
"Calm down."
"Oh my. What..."
Im Sobyeong made a groaning sound.
"Making people suffer like this as soon as they return, I'm worried about what will happen in the future. As soon as we meet face to face, he'd probably start screaming at me for no reason."
Im Sobyeong trembled, as if he were about to break into a shiver.
However, Tang Gunak, watching his reaction, just chuckled.
"You seem to be enjoying yourself for someone who claims to be worried."
At that remark, Im Sobyeong touched his face. The corners of his mouth were noticeably curling up.
"...Still, you're not one to talk." [not sure]
Tang Gunak covered his mouth with his fist and let out a light cough. He realized belatedly that he was feeling unusually excited.
Until now, they had perfectly fulfilled their responsibilities. However, even when things went well, they couldn't shake the feeling of being stifled for the past three years.
Receiving Chung Myung's report had allowed them to clearly understand the nature of the suffocation that had been bothering them all this time.
"What will you do?"
"Do I have a choice?"
Tang Gunak chuckled.
"Well, if they call us, we have to go. Do you think I have the power to refuse the words of the Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword?"
"...If Gaju says so, I have no choice but to follow obediently. Hmm."
Tang Gunak turned his head and looked at Tang Pae .
"I need to visit Mount Hua."
"Yes, Gaju. But... what should the Tang Family do while you are away?"
"Hmm."
Tang Gunak recalled the words written in the report, 'Wipe it all clean.'
"Tell the disciples not to take action unless it's truly urgent, and they should move aside."
"There could be problems."
"I understand."
Tang Gunak nodded.
"But the Mount Hua's Chivalrous Sword won't tolerate the inconvenience of writing down things that are not urgent."
"...That's true."
Im Sobyeong nodded in complete agreement with that statement.
"Since he seems to have a plan, do as he commands."
"Yes, Gaju. I will."
"I must go."
"Al-Already? Is it necessary to leave so urgently, no matter what?"
Tang Gunak muttered with an expressionless face.
"I need to see it with my own eyes."
"...If you mean confirmation."
Tang Gunak turned his head. Through the door that Im Sobyeong had opened wide when he came in, the clear blue sky was visible. He muttered in a low voice.
"How much they've changed over these three years."
There was an unmistakable sense of anticipation in his eyes.
"Did that bad-tempered Imoogi really come back as a dragon?" [Imoogi = pre-dragon snake]
No one spoke in response to his words.
Im Sobyeong was the only one who sighed and smacked his head with a fan.
"Even if he's become a dragon, he's still a bad-tempered dragon..."
"That can't be helped."
Tang Gunak said to Tang Pae as he looked at him.
"Then I'm off."
"Yes? Father? What?"
Tang Pae still looked bewildered, but Tang Gunak left the room without waiting for a response. He disappeared in an instant, leaving Tang Pae with a deeply puzzled expression.
Im Sobyeong lowered his head and patted Tang Pae shoulder.
"...You must be having a tough time."
"He's not usually like this..."
In a place where unusual events were unfolding, the Sogaju of the Tang Family was being comforted by the Nokrim King. [Sogaju = 'little Gaju' = young lord = heir, successor to clan]
This was the Yangtze River.