I Became the Successor of the Martial God
Chapter 96.
Clink!
The sound of shattering glass rang out in the hospital room.
Yoon Song-ha had dropped the glass in surprise upon seeing Song Dae-san open his eyes.
“U-uncle?”
“Uh, ugh, uuh…”
Song Dae-san was staring blankly at the ceiling.
His mind was still hazy. He blinked several times, trying to gather his senses.
Slowly, he turned his head.
“Wa… water…”
“Ah, yes, yes!”
Yoon Song-ha hurriedly brought water. Song Dae-san didn’t drink it but held it in his mouth.
“Hoo, huu…”
Song Dae-san exhaled heavily.
But gradually, his breathing began to stabilize, and the dullness in his eyes was replaced by clarity.
“How long… was I unconscious?”
“About three months.”
“I see, it’s been that long.”
Song Dae-san groaned as he raised his upper body. Yoon Song-ha hastily supported him.
“Whew, even moving like this is difficult. They say health is the most important thing for a person.”
“You’ll get better, uncle.”
“Do you really think so?”
“Yes.”
Yoo Baek-jun looked into Yoon Song-ha’s eyes.
Her gaze seemed less like conviction and more like desperate hope.
An orphan.Â
Taken in and raised by Song Dae-san since childhood, he was like family to her.
It was understandable she wouldn’t want to believe otherwise.
“…”
“…”
Yoo Baek-jun and Song Dae-san’s eyes met. The latter frowned as if trying to recall something.
“You’re… the youngest son of the Sword Saint’s family, right? Your name was Yoo Baek… hmm.”
“Yoo Baek-jun.”
“Right, I remember seeing you playing with the daughter of the Magic Tower a few times.”
Song Dae-san looked at him with nostalgic eyes.
“Back then, you were small and sickly.”
“I grew quickly after taking in proper protein and exercising.”
“Hmm.”
Though, in truth, it was thanks to the Book of the Martial God.
Song Dae-san suddenly realized how much had changed while he was bedridden.
Their eyes met again, and Yoo Baek-jun subtly showed him the empty pillbox that had contained the elixir.
“…Hmm.”
With just that, Song Dae-san seemed to grasp what had happened and smiled bitterly.
Meanwhile, Yoon Song-ha, fidgeting nervously beside him, tried to go outside.
“U-uncle, I’ll go call the nurse right away.”
“No, don’t bother. Don’t call anyone.”
“Huh? Butâ”
“It’s fine.”
A doctor or nurse’s examination would be pointless. Song Dae-san instinctively knew this.
Instead, he fixed his gaze on Yoo Baek-jun.
“Song-ha, go outside for a bit… and call that useless son of mine, Tae-yeon.”
“Okay, I’ll do that. He’s somewhere else, so it might take some time.”
“Alright, understood.”
Yoon Song-ha hurriedly left the room.
Only Yoo Baek-jun and Song Dae-san remained.
“What did you give me?”
“You knew?”
“Didn’t you show me on purpose?”
“That’s right.”
Yoo Baek-jun handed Song Dae-san the empty pillbox. Though empty, the bitter scent of the elixir lingered.
“It’s an elixir. But…”
It wasn’t good medicine.
It burns life force to temporarily boost strength. For a patient like him, it doesn’t just reduce vitalityâit shortens lifespan.
“Doesn’t matter.”
Even after explaining, as expected, Song Dae-san didn’t seem to care at all.
“A dying body is a dying body. Better to die leaving some last words than to die unconscious… This is preferable.”
Yoo Baek-jun had anticipated this reaction, which is why he administered the elixir.
Countless playthroughs had taught him Song Dae-san’s character.
Without the elixir, he’d remain comatose until death. Losing lifespan to regain consciousness was the better option.
“Did you make this?”
“Yes. The ingredients were expensive, but I’ll put it on your tab.”
“On my tab… Hahaha!”
Song Dae-san burst into laughter.
“What’s the point? I won’t be around to pay it back.”
“I’ll die someday too, won’t I? You can repay me then.”
“You’ve grown up interestingly.”
Song Dae-san slowly drank some water.
“Anyway, that’s settled… Thank you for waking me, but you wouldn’t have done it without wanting something in return, right?”
“Correct.”
“What do you want?”
A brief silence followed.
“Do you know about your son?”
“That useless son of mine?”
“Yes. While you were bedridden, he essentially became the Golden Lion Guild’s leader.”
“He’s probably running it into the ground.”
Yoo Baek-jun nodded.
“The Golden Lion’s situation is dire. Song Tae-yeon is too busy pursuing personal gain to grow the guild.”
“That’s how he’s always been. Probably obsessed with nightlife, am I right?”
“Yes, I hear he parties with a different woman every night.”
“Hmph, figures.”
Song Dae-san smiled bitterly.
He’d known his son for a long time. It was obvious what he’d be doing in his absence.
“He’s neglecting gate raids too. Currently, Song Tae-yeon has abandoned most guild leader duties, leaving them to other officers and members.”
“Whew…”
Song Dae-san let out a long sigh, even massaging his temples as if in pain.
Yoo Baek-jun glanced at him before broaching the main topic.
“Song Dae-san, I’ll be blunt. Song Tae-yeon isn’t fit to inherit the Golden Lion.”
Song Dae-san listened in silence.
“He’ll tear down everything you built without a second thought. He’ll purge the veterans who helped you build the guild.”
At the mention of veterans, Song Dae-san’s eyebrow twitched.
He’d built the Golden Lion from nothing, relying heavily on his loyal followers.
Fully aware of this, Song Dae-san had always treated them with utmost respect and generosity.
Song Tae-yeon was the polar opposite.
“Yoon Song-ha will be among those purged.”
Unlike Song Dae-san, who saw the Golden Lion as a fortress built through collective effort,
Song Tae-yeon viewed it as his personal property, his own castle.
The difference was staggering.
“…What are you suggesting?”
“Will you entrust the guild to Yoon Song-ha?”
“…”
Song Dae-san remained silent.
He cherished Yoon Song-ha, but Song Tae-yeon was his flesh and blood, and he carried immense guilt toward him.
It was impossible.
“Since she’ll be purged anyway, entrust Yoon Song-ha to me. I’ll take care of her.”
“You?”
Yoo Baek-jun nodded.
“Yes. Just tell her one thingâto live her own life now.”
“…”
The sole reason Yoon Song-ha endured Song Tae-yeon’s abuses and stayed with the Golden Lion was her debt to Song Dae-san.
She believed she had to repay his kindness, sacrificing herself in the process.
‘In reality, Yoon Song-ha struggles desperately to save the guild until its collapse.’
Even after being driven out by Song Tae-yeon, she persists.
Thus, recruiting her is normally impossible until the Golden Lion completely falls.
But this event changes that.
“Whew…”
Song Dae-san leaned back against the headboard and exhaled a sigh closer to lamentation.
He was reflecting on his life.
Particularly memories involving his son.
“I raised him wrong.”
That was his conclusion.
“My only son, born after so much struggle… I spoiled him rotten. Even when I saw him going astray, I didn’t stop himâdidn’t even try.”
“It happens.”
“No, when I came to my senses, my only son had become a depraved brute. It might be understandable, but it shouldn’t have happened.”
Regret was palpable in Song Dae-san’s voice.
“Maybe that’s why I cherished Song-ha more. Unlike my son, she grew up right. It was comforting to see someone who treated me like a parent.”
“Song Tae-yeon must not have liked that.”
“He probably saw her as an intruder. Unconsciously, I compared my son to her too. Song-ha even tried to befriend him.”
It didn’t work.
Instead, the gap between them only widened.
Now, Song Tae-yeon essentially views Yoon Song-ha as an enemy. Once he becomes guild leader, he’ll undoubtedly expel her immediately.
“…”
Song Dae-san looked up at the ceiling.
He closed his eyes tightly, lost in thought for a long, long time.
“You’re right. If my son becomes guild leader, Song-ha won’t find happiness.”
This was his answer after prolonged anguish.
“Take her with you. I’ll tell her myself.”
“Thank you.”
“Consider it prepayment for the elixir.”
“This much more than covers it.”
“Seems like there’s extra. Isn’t there?”
Song Dae-san smiled ambiguously.
“Is there something else you want?”
“Act as my proxy for a while.”
“Your proxy?”
Song Dae-san nodded.
“I’ve amassed considerable assets. No point dragging unnecessary baggage to the grave, don’t you think?”
“How can I assist?”
“Liquidate and distribute them. To Song-ha and the veterans who’ve supported me all this time.”
“Song Tae-yeon won’t stand idly by.”
“Thatâs why it should be done in secret.”
Yoo Baek-jun was perfect for this.
Golden Lion members would be under Song Tae-yeon’s watch. Yoo Baek-jun could operate covertly without detection.
“Not too difficult. I’ll handle it.”
“Thank you. Keep a share for yourself too.”
“No need, but if you insist…”
No reason to refuse.
Yoo Baek-jun stood up.
“Leaving already?”
“No point staying after our talk.”
“Before you go, one question. How long does that elixir last?”
“Minimum a day and a half, maximum three days.”
Yoo Baek-jun looked at Song Dae-san’s emaciated form.
“You’ll pass within a week.”
“Short.”
What does it feel like to hear your life will end within a week?
Yoo Baek-jun couldn’t fathom it.
Yet Song Dae-san’s expression was serene.
“I’m no expertâcould be wrong.”
“No, I believe you.”
“We’ve just met. Trust me that easily?”
“No reason not to.”
No rebuttal to that.
Yoo Baek-jun nodded.
“A day and a half. Enough time to put my affairs in order.”
“Glad to hear it.”
Yoo Baek-jun scratched the back of his head.
“I’ll visit again.”
“Do come for some spicy beef soup next time.”
“Ah, sure…”
Joking about his own death left Yoo Baek-jun at a loss for words.
He bowed and exited the room.
Alone again, Song Dae-san lay back down.
âCan’t even muster the strength to move.â
His arms and legs were skeletal.
Any attempt to move was futile.
He would’ve died like this originally.Â
The day and a half felt like a blessing.
‘No idea how he made that elixir.’
Though curious about Yoo Baek-jun, with little time left, it didn’t matter.
Instead, he focused on what needed doing.
“Even dying isn’t easy.”
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