I Became the Successor of the Martial God Chapter 90

I Became the Successor of the Martial God

Chapter 90.

Yoo Jung-yeon returned to her mansion.

Her room was decorated in a Western style, unlike the Eastern appearance of the mansion.

She perched on the edge of her bed.

“Phew.”

Her mind was a mess.

As if sensing her turbulent emotions, a woman entered with tea.

“Young Lady, your tea.”

“Thank you.”

Yoon Ye-bin.

A woman who had been with Yoo Jung-yeon since childhood and trained alongside her. 

Generally recognized as Yoo Jung-yeon’s closest confidante.

“I heard you went out alone without even a servant. Did you go for a walk?”

“Ah…….”

Yoo Jung-yeon hesitated before answering.

Until now, she had shared all her secrets with Yoon Ye-bin. Because she believed she could trust her.

But could she really be trusted?

“…….”

Was she just convincing herself because she wanted to believe?

Yoo Jung-yeon recalled Yoon Ye-bin’s actions one by one and clicked her tongue inwardly.

“Just… I suddenly thought of Jong-min. I walked around his mansion for a bit before coming back.”

“I see.”

Since it was a common occurrence, Yoon Ye-bin didn’t find it particularly strange and left.

Yoo Jung-yeon stared at the closed door.

‘I don’t fully believe what Yoo Baek-jun said. But there are suspicious parts.’

Every time Yoo Jung-yeon went somewhere, Yoon Ye-bin always asked about her destination.

As her closest confidante, she knew everything about Yoo Jung-yeon. If she betrayed her, it would be fatal.

‘Maybe I should watch her a little longer.’

Yoo Jung-yeon poured out the water from her teacup and recalled her earlier conversation with Yoo Baek-jun.

Could she trust him? No.

But at the very least, it was worth investigating over time.

And, if it was really true.

‘If Yoo Tae-rang killed Jong-min…….’

Yoo Jung-yeon gritted her teeth so hard they creaked.

‘I don’t even know what I’d do.’

That was likely what Yoo Baek-jun was aiming for.

An enraged Yoo Jung-yeon leading her fraction into a life-or-death clash with Yoo Tae-rang.

Meanwhile, he would grow stronger.

‘He plans to use me as his personal weapon?’

Yoo Jung-yeon smiled bitterly.

It was blatant poison.

Drinking it would harm her greatly.

But,

“Even knowing that, I can’t refuse.”

* * *

“Explain yourself.”

A room that looked like a spacious audience chamber.

Late at night, Yoo Moo-hak summoned Yoo Baek-jun to his room, and those were his first words upon seeing him.

No one else was present.

Yoo Baek-jun sat across from him.

‘Busy, so busy.’

After meeting Yoo Jung-yeon, he had no time to rest before coming to see Yoo Moo-hak.

Yoo Baek-jun bowed his head.

“Why did you kill Shin Woo-hyun?”

“Should I have spared him?”

“There’s a process. You should have thoroughly interrogated him before killing him.”

“Who can guarantee that interrogation would be fair? Can you, Father?”

Yoo Moo-hak frowned.

“What are you talking about?”

“I’m saying someone’s influence could interfere with the family’s interrogation process. It might produce the result they desire.”

“You…….”

Yoo Moo-hak recalled the incident in the grand conference room.

“Are you certain about what you said? That someone is trying to shake the Sword Saint family.”

Yoo Baek-jun smiled faintly.

“Yes, I’m certain.”

“Earlier, you said you hadn’t figured it out yet. From what I see, it seems you already know.”

“That’s also correct. I already know.”

“Speak.”

The smile deepened.

Yoo Baek-jun stood up and walked to the window overlooking the Sword Saint family’s estate.

“Why don’t you stop pretending you don’t know?”

“What?”

“You already know. Who it is that’s trying to shake the Sword Saint family.”

Outside, a blizzard was raging.

Seoraksan Mountain weather was always this capricious. Yoo Baek-jun wiped the window with his hand.

“The Sword Saint family has always had few relatives.”

“What are you trying to say?”

“Didn’t it happen in your generation too? Siblings who disappeared under suspicious circumstances. The sole survivor who became the family head.”

Yoo Moo-hak’s reflection appeared in the window.

“You did the same, Father.”

“…….”

The Sword Saint family’s history was stained with blood.

Externally, it had the image of a family protecting South Korea, but internally, it was different.

Fraternal strife was commonplace, occurring in every generation to the point where the stench of blood was ever-present.

Naturally, Yoo Moo-hak was no exception.

“Do you think I don’t know? That Yoo Tae-rang… eliminated his rival successors to rise to his position.”

“…….”

Yoo Moo-hak remained silent.

But his silence was tantamount to affirmation. 

If it were the first time he’d heard this, there would have been at least a slight change in his expression.

His face was perfectly blank.

“You knew and let it happen. Why? Because the Sword Saint family’s head must be the strongest of all.”

And because he had done the same.

He agreed with the sentiment and acted accordingly, so how could he stop his son from doing the same?

He likely welcomed it.

“Survival of the fittest! Even if all the children die, as long as the strongest survives, that’s enough. Isn’t that your philosophy?”

Yoo Moo-hak’s gaze pierced through Yoo Baek-jun.

Too emotionless for a father looking at his son.

“Are you criticizing me now?”

“Of course not.”

Yoo Baek-jun shrugged.

“Yoo Tae-rang acted according to your beliefs, killing the other successors. Trying to kill me was just eliminating a future threat.”

“Do you have the worth for that?”

“Then, am I worthless?”

Ironically, Yoo Baek-jun’s existence proved Yoo Tae-rang’s fears correct.

A future threat. Yoo Baek-jun had become the very threat Yoo Tae-rang wanted to eliminate.

“But I survived…….”

Yoo Baek-jun’s eyes gleamed coldly.

“And now, he must pay the price.”

Yoo Moo-hak leaned back deeply into his chair. For a while, he stared at the ceiling, lost in thought.

Yoo Baek-jun didn’t know what he was thinking. Perhaps reminiscing about the past.

“Anyway, I know you won’t intervene. All I ask is that you continue to stay out of it.”

“Continue to stay out of it?”

For the first time, emotion flickered across Yoo Moo-hak’s face. Surprise, then confusion.

He might have expected Yoo Baek-jun to ask him to stop Yoo Tae-rang. Had he done so, Yoo Moo-hak would have been deeply disappointed and given up on him.

“Now that I’ve gained power, shouldn’t I test it? Between Yoo Tae-rang and me, the weaker will die… and the stronger will survive.”

Yoo Moo-hak stared at Yoo Baek-jun.

Was this really the same Yoo Baek-jun he knew? That weak, constantly hiding boy.

Now, he seemed like a completely different person.

“Hmm…….”

And that wasn’t bad.

Yoo Moo-hak exhaled in satisfaction.

“Interesting. I thought all my children were disappointments except one, but it seems there’s someone like you among them.”

Harsh words for a father to say to his children, but it suited Yoo Moo-hak’s character.

Yoo Baek-jun bowed his head.

“Do as you wish. I’ll be watching closely to see how you fare.”

“Yes, Father.”

Yoo Baek-jun turned to leave.

But before he could, Yoo Moo-hak stopped him.

“One last question. What happened two months ago on that snowy mountain?”

Yoo Moo-hak and the other grandmasters had found Yoo Baek-jun’s changes strange and tried to uncover what had happened.

All attempts failed.

They couldn’t find the reason for his transformation.

“I encountered a rare opportunity.”

“What kind of opportunity?”

Creak— 

Yoo Baek-jun opened the door.

“An opportunity left behind by our ancestor.”

Thud! 

The door closed.

The room fell silent after Yoo Baek-jun left. 

Alone, Yoo Moo-hak stared at the door with an uncharacteristically shocked expression.

* * *

“Did I do something a little wicked?”

“Huh?”

Yoo Baek-jun scratched the back of his head in his room.

“What do you mean?”

“Nothing. But Han Seong-ah, Instructor, you seem to have gotten quite close to Seol-yeong.”

—Growl.

Seol-yeong was lying on its back in front of Han Seong-ah, and she was rubbing its belly.

She also fed it a piece of jerky.

“Do you know the fastest way to befriend an animal?”

“What is it?”

“Feed them. And if you take them for walks, it’s even better.”

That seemed to be how they became close.

Since Yoo Baek-jun had been moving around a lot lately, Seol-yeong probably hadn’t had much time to be with her.

“Choi Seung-min would be sad if he knew.”

“Please keep it a secret.”

Despite being the one who had spent the most time with Seol-yeong, Choi Seung-min was still awkward around it.

Even though he must have fed it a lot.

“Hmm…….”

—Purr, growl!

Yoo Baek-jun watched Han Seong-ah play with Seol-yeong.

For a moment, he wondered if he could trust this instructor.

‘Yoo Tae-rang controls the family. He enjoys using that influence to recruit and exploit the closest confidants of other successors.’

When ‘I’ played the Yoo Baek-jun route, I often recruited other instructors as subordinates.

Many of them betrayed him.

Han Seong-ah was one of the few who rarely betrayed, though it wasn’t unheard of.

‘Even when she did betray me, it was mostly because I messed up the playthrough.’

If you play normally and meet her demands, she won’t betray you.

In that sense, she’s trustworthy.

Park Chan-kyung and Cheon Min-ju are similar.

‘For now, these three.’

All three are trustworthy.

As long as he doesn’t mess up, they won’t betray him. Plus, they’re exceptionally talented and worth nurturing.

‘And Yoon Song-ha and Min Yi-jae.’

Yoon Song-ha will have a recruitment opportunity soon after the Golden Lion guild leader dies.

For the ranker Min Yi-jae, I’ll need to create an opportunity.

“Seung-min!”

“Yes, Young Master!”

Choi Seung-min, who had been tidying the house, entered.

“Look into whether there’s a student named Min Hye-yeon at Myeongseong High School. If possible, find out what situation she’s in now.”

“Min Hye-yeon? Understoo——.”

Choi Seung-min’s jaw dropped as he saw Han Seong-ah playing with Seol-yeong.

“…What, how?”

“Guess it doesn’t like you but likes Instructor Han Seong-ah.”

“Did… did I do something wrong?”

“I wouldn’t know.”

Choi Seung-min slumped his shoulders and left with a sullen expression.

Yoo Baek-jun watched him go, lost in thought.

‘Wraith, Min Yi-jae.’

The image of a gloomy man clad in a black robe came to mind. 

His appearance was eerie, and his words were even more eccentric.

But,

‘He’s tempting.’

Yoo Baek-jun’s eyes gleamed.

While most rankers belonged to guilds, this man was had none.

Many guilds had tried to recruit him with extravagant offers, but he refused them all.

‘Some say he prefers to work alone, but…’

More than that, his communication skills are catastrophically poor.

But the Wraith is incredibly useful.

His unique abilities make him unparalleled in infiltration and information gathering.

‘Recruiting him won’t be easy.’

The Wraith has a younger sister.

There’s an event related to her, and its outcome varies greatly each playthrough.

‘If I help his sister…’

Clearing that event allows recruitment, but the difficulty is extreme.

Still, Min Yi-jae is relatively easy to recruit. Yoon Song-ha isn’t too hard either.

‘I know others with great potential, but I don’t have the resources to nurture them now.’

For now, it’s crucial to recruit those who can immediately contribute to my strength.

“I’m going to be busy.”

Yoo Baek-jun sighed.

First, I need to prepare some potions.

‘Considering the upcoming events, I’ll need a lot of potions…’

Yoo Baek-jun mentally listed the events that would unfold next.