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Chapter 175: The Last (1)

“I’ll be taking the girl with me, as promised.”

The mage from Aeon approached Lee Da-hae. Despair welled up in her eyes as she looked at him.

She wanted to resist, but her body wouldn’t move. The deep-rooted fear had paralyzed her.

“Let’s go home.”

The mage bent down to hoist her up. Just then, Kwon Hyuk spoke.

“Stop.”

The mage turned around, startled.

“Lord Kwon Hyuk, what are you saying all of a sudden?”

“She’s bait to catch Cheon. We can’t just hand her over.”

“This is a breach of contract! You gave your word! You promised me—if we helped attack Chairman Kwon Seonwoo, you’d give us the girl!”

The mage exploded with rage.

Targeting the Chairman of Hyukcheon was not only a high-risk move—it required immense manpower and preparation.

To pull off the attack, Aeon had committed all of its resources.

“We’ve done as planned and made Kwon Cheon the prime suspect. We held up our end. Now it’s your turn…”

Before he could finish, the mage was hurled backward and crashed into the wall. The impact shattered it with a deafening crash.

“Don’t you dare talk back to me, you worm.”

Kwon Hyuk had already risen from his seat, one leg still outstretched.

“I let you live—for now. But there won’t be a second time. Shut up and get lost. When this is over, you’ll get what you want.”

The mage staggered to his feet, his body trembling with pain and fury.

He grit his teeth hard. The sound was audible. He glared at Kwon Hyuk, but Hyuk dismissed him coldly.

“I told you to leave. Or do you want to die right now?”

Silently, the mage chanted a spell. Darkness enveloped him—and then he vanished.

“His combat skills are trash, but at least his tricks are decent.”

Kwon Hyuk muttered as he looked at the spot where the mage had disappeared.

Just then, the interrogation room door slammed open.

“Da-hae!”

The person who burst in was Kwon Cheon.

His body was covered in wounds. His fists were soaked in blood—evidence of countless battles to get here.

“You really came…”

Kwon Hyuk greeted him with genuine delight.

“Cheon, I never knew you were such a passionate guy. To make this kind of choice—for a woman.”

He sneered, but Kwon Cheon just stared at him, face grim and unflinching.

“Take her.”

Kwon Hyuk handed over Lee Da-hae without resistance. Cheon rushed over and supported her.

“Are you okay? Are you hurt?”

“Why… why did you come?”

Da-hae clung to his arm, her face pale.

“You shouldn’t be here! The Chairman will be furious. If he finds out, you’ll be—”

Cheon gently placed a hand over her lips, smiling faintly.

“How could I not come? You’re here.”

With those words, Da-hae broke into tears. A mix of joy and guilt overwhelmed her. She couldn’t contain her emotions.

Cheon lifted her in both arms. As he turned to leave, Kwon Hyuk called out behind him.

“Don’t you have anything to say to your brother?”

Cheon paused and looked back blankly.

“You know I orchestrated all of this. I framed you. I took your woman. It was all me.”

The sneer on Kwon Hyuk’s face deepened.

“Go ahead. Curse me. Blame me. Say whatever you want—I’ll listen.”

His face looked almost saintly, as if he were offering some great mercy.

“Why so quiet? Say something!”

There was a strange light in Hyuk’s eyes. He was reveling in this moment.

“Hyung,” Cheon finally said. “Please take care of Father… and the family.”

A crack formed in Kwon Hyuk’s expression.

“…What did you say?”

But by then, Kwon Cheon had already run out of the room. Left alone, Hyuk stood frozen, staring at the open door.

“Don’t give me that sanctimonious crap!”

His face twisted in rage.

“Don’t pretend to be the noble one until the end!”

He screamed. But there was no one left to answer.

* * *

Outside

“What the hell took you so long?!”

As they emerged from the building, Bae Cheol-su scolded Cheon.

“We need to move! The trackers will be on us any second now!”

The breakout had caused a massive commotion. There was no way Hyukcheon’s bloodhounds hadn’t picked up their trail.

The three fled into the night, away from the Hyukcheon clan. The rugged mountain path didn’t slow them down much.

But before long—

“There they are!”

A voice rang out in the distance. The pursuers had found them.

“Traitor Kwon Cheon! And defector Bae Cheol-su! Capture them alive!”

A terrifying killing intent surged from behind. Cheon instinctively bit his lip.

If they were at full strength, it might be different. But after the prison break, they were exhausted. There was no way they could outrun the clan’s elite hunters like this.

Cheon’s face darkened.

Suddenly, Bae Cheol-su stopped running. He shouted at Cheon, who turned in shock.

“You two go on ahead!”

“Cheol-su-hyung?! What are you talking about?!”

“You want all three of us to get caught by sticking together?”

Cheol-su looked annoyed.

“Don’t worry about me. I’ll catch up soon.”

“Hyung!”

“Damn it, just go already! Don’t get all clingy on me!”

“But—”

“You’re really wasting time worrying about me? You know my family’s bloodline, right? If nothing else, we’ve got stamina.”

Cheol-su grinned.

“Besides, when else am I gonna look cool?”

Cheon hesitated—but finally made up his mind.

“…You’d better come back safe.”

“Relax. Oh, and Da-hae.”

Surprised, Da-hae looked up from Cheon’s arms. Cheol-su grinned.

“Congratulations in advance. Take good care of the kid.”

Before she could even say thank you, Cheon took off running again.

* * *

Cheol-su watched them go, a somber look on his face.

“…Maybe I laid it on too thick.”

He scratched his head and turned around.

The underbrush parted—and dozens of hunters emerged.

“Come on, you bastards! Let’s go! I’ll take you all on!”

Cheol-su shouted boldly. But the hunters didn’t attack.

Instead, they formed two lines and knelt.

Someone walked between them.

Cheol-su’s face went rigid as he saw who it was.

“…Chairman?”

The one leading the trackers was Kwon Seonwoo, Chairman of Hyukcheon.

“How dare you…”

Kwon Seonwoo glared at Cheol-su, fury etched on his face.

“After everything the Hyukcheon family did for yours—you repay us like this?!”

The Chairman’s rage flared, unleashing his aura. The entire forest shook.

Blood trickled from Cheol-su’s lips—just receiving that aura had injured him internally.

“I swear on my name—you and the entire Bae family will regret this day from the depths of hell!”

No excuses would be accepted. Cheol-su gave up trying.

“…Chairman.”

Regret surged within him. Why had he helped Kwon Cheon? He knew this would endanger not only himself, but his whole family.

But then—he remembered.

“Allow me to say one thing.”

Words and actions cannot be taken back.

He did it because Cheon, that kindhearted idiot, didn’t deserve what was happening.

“So please… think carefully, so you don’t end up regretting it later.”

The Chairman’s eyes turned bloodshot.

“Kill that worthless dog right now!”

He shouted to the hunters.

* * *

The two fled far, evading their pursuers.

In his heart, Kwon Cheon wanted to wait for Bae Cheol-su—but they had no time to spare.

Though no words were exchanged, both he and Lee Da-hae already had a grim understanding: the chances of Bae Cheol-su making it back alive were close to none.

Fortunately, they managed to shake off their pursuers and escape safely to a southern city on the Korean Peninsula.

They had survived—but survival was only the beginning of their troubles.

South Korea was blanketed with the eyes and ears of Hyukcheon. This meant the couple had to live in constant fear of their identities being discovered.

Because they had to stay hidden, finding decent work was nearly impossible. Kwon Cheon scraped by doing odd jobs in place of Da-hae, who was pregnant.

Each day was a struggle just to survive.

But Da-hae had no complaints. As long as she was by Kwon Cheon’s side, she was happy.

Still, anxiety consumed her daily—because of Kwon Cheon.

He had once lived a life of luxury as a direct heir of Hyukcheon. Now he had fallen to the bottom. There was no way his heart could be unscathed.

“Isn’t this hard for you?”

One day, Da-hae voiced the question.

She regretted it immediately. Why would she say something like that? She already knew what the answer would be.

“It is hard,” Kwon Cheon replied, smiling faintly as usual.

“Then do you regret it?”

Da-hae’s stomach twisted. If he said yes—if he said he regretted it...

“I don’t regret anything.”

But Kwon Cheon’s answer was nothing like what she expected.

“I know what you’re thinking. You probably believe I sacrificed too much because of you.”

She did.

Da-hae constantly questioned whether she deserved this undeserved happiness.

“Da-hae, saving you was also a choice I made for myself.”

“What do you mean?”

“Who do you think is truly to blame for all of this?”

The answer was obvious: Kwon Hyuk. But Da-hae didn’t say it aloud.

Even after fleeing the family, Kwon Cheon had never once voiced resentment toward his older brother.

“It’s me.”

But upon hearing that, Da-hae couldn’t help but fiercely deny it.

How could Kwon Cheon be the culprit? He was the victim.

“If it weren’t for me, Father would have named my brother as the heir. And he would’ve fulfilled that role with honor.”

When Kwon Hyuk framed him, Kwon Cheon had felt more sorrow than anger.

He believed his brother had reached such a desperate state because of him.

“If I just disappeared, wouldn’t things return to how they were? Wouldn’t my brother come back to himself, and the family find peace again?”

While thoughts like that consumed him, Da-hae was taken by Kwon Hyuk.

That was when Kwon Cheon made up his mind.

“Maybe... maybe I used you as an excuse to run away.”

Da-hae shook her head. She had no way to comfort him, and the pain of that was unbearable.

“Thank you.”

Kwon Cheon smiled brightly. Even in hardship, his smile was just as it had always been.

* * *

Several months passed.

The due date was near.

Though life had been nothing but hardship since leaving the Hyukcheon family, childbirth was the one exception.

“We’ll help you deliver,” said a local OB-GYN who had gotten to know the couple.

At first, they hesitated to accept such a generous offer. But they had no other choice—otherwise, Da-hae would be giving birth on the street.

She was admitted to the clinic, ate nutritious meals, and prepared for the delivery.

A month later, she gave birth.

It was a healthy baby boy, the spitting image of Kwon Cheon.

“…Ah.”

Kwon Cheon held the baby in his arms and was speechless for a long time. He gazed at the infant’s face until tears streamed down his cheeks.

“Thank you. Thank you… so much.”

Eventually coming to his senses, he embraced Da-hae, thanking her over and over. But she shook her head. She was the one who should be grateful.

“Is there anything you want to eat? I got paid today—I’ll buy you whatever you want.”

“I’d love some tangerines.”

As soon as she said it, Kwon Cheon rushed out the door.

Da-hae remained on the bed, holding their baby in her arms. She was basking in his warmth when—

The door creaked open again. She turned, thinking Kwon Cheon had returned.

“Welcome ba—”

Her body froze. A long-forgotten fear swept over her.

“…It’s been a while.”

Kwon Seonwoo.

The Hyukcheon patriarch spoke.

Without thinking, Da-hae shifted her baby behind her.

Her eyes darted to the window. If need be, she would throw herself out to protect the child.

“Don’t be afraid. I’m not here to harm you.”

Kwon Seonwoo slowly approached and looked down at the baby in her arms.

“Is it a boy or a girl?”

“A… a boy.”

“He looks just like Cheon.”

He sat in the chair beside the bed and reached out to gently touch the baby’s cheek.

Da-hae’s expression hardened. She feared the patriarch might harm the child.

“I told you—I have no intention of hurting either of you. Don’t you believe me?”

“…I’m sorry.”

She apologized, but her guarded posture remained. It was understandable—ten months ago, he’d tried to kill Kwon Cheon.

“I found you both long ago,” Kwon Seonwoo said, eyeing her steadily. “You were foolish. Did you really think you could hide from Hyukcheon in Korea, of all places? This country is our domain.”

He scoffed.

“At first, I intended to drag you both back to Hyukcheon immediately. To punish you accordingly.”

But neither Da-hae nor Kwon Cheon had encountered Hyukcheon agents since arriving in the city.

“That was the plan,” Kwon Seonwoo admitted, his eyes darkening.

“…Until the investigative report reached me.”

His voice lacked its usual strength.

Da-hae was stunned. Kwon Seonwoo had always been arrogant and unshakably confident. This was the first time she saw him like this.

“The report said the terrorists left behind too many suspicious clues. That their claims about Cheon’s involvement didn’t add up.”

The implication was clear:

Kwon Cheon might not have been involved in the terror attack.

“I didn’t want to believe it at first. Because if that were true… then I made a grave mistake.”

He leaned back in the chair and sighed deeply.

“Doubt cooled my head. That’s when I realized—I had lost control.”

Blinded by rage, he hadn’t examined the facts.

Though he’d ordered the terrorists thoroughly investigated, he hadn’t reviewed their findings himself. Instead, he had lashed out, ready to kill Kwon Cheon.

“…Tell me, girl. Did I make the wrong choice?”

Da-hae paused to breathe. A thousand answers swirled in her head—but she could choose none.

“Do I even need to say it?”

Kwon Seonwoo’s face stiffened. He gave a bitter smile.

“…No. You don’t.”

He stood to leave. Da-hae started to rise as well, but he stopped her.

“Kwon Cheon has already abandoned the family. That alone violates our laws.”

His voice regained its edge, the tone sharp.

“Even if he’s innocent, what’s done is done. Hyukcheon will never take him back.”

The sliver of hope Da-hae had held was shattered.

She’d dared to dream that Kwon Cheon might one day reclaim his rightful place.

“But I give you my word: Hyukcheon will no longer pursue you.”

Though he would not accept them, he would leave them in peace.

At that, Da-hae’s expression brightened.

Kwon Cheon had been forced to suppress his abilities, living in hardship only to stay hidden from Hyukcheon.

“Be happy.”

With that awkward farewell, Kwon Seonwoo left the hospital room.

About an hour later, the door opened again.

Da-hae beamed, expecting Kwon Cheon.

“Kwon Cheon, do you know who just visited?”

She could hardly wait to share the news.

But it wasn’t Kwon Cheon standing at the door.

It was a stranger in a black amhaengbok—the traditional garb of secret agents.

“Who… are you?”

The man gave no answer. Instead, he drew a dagger.

Da-hae screamed and clutched her baby.

Then—

Kwon Cheon burst in from behind the man. In one swift move, he snapped the intruder’s neck.

“Da-hae!”

He hurled the body aside and rushed to her.

“Are you hurt?”

“N-no, I’m okay. Who… who was that?”

“No time to think. We need to run. It’s not safe here!”

He supported her and turned toward the exit.

But someone blocked the way.

“…Hyung?”

Kwon Hyuk stood in front of them.

[Translator - Helga ]

[Proofreader - Starfall ]