WeTried Translations

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◈ Damned Transmigration ◈

Chapter 99: Dang Family 2

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Aunt.

Her father's sister.

Tang Seo-woo's father was the current leader of the Salmun and head of the Dang Family, the Poison King Tang Ji-hoo.

Tang Yu-ryeon.

None of the Dang Family members who had introduced themselves earlier were named Tang Yu-ryeon.

Tang Seo-woo was looking this way. More precisely, she was looking at Haryeong, who stood behind Yuri. Tang Seo-woo hadn't called her Haryeong. Instead, staring directly at her, she said,

"It has been a long time, Aunt Tang Yu-ryeon."

If Yuri understood correctly, Tang Yu-ryeon was Haryeong's real name, and Haryeong was senior enough in the family for Tang Seo-woo to call her aunt.

In other words, Haryeong was the younger sister of the Dark King Tang Yu-shin.

"..."

Yuri realized that he had been under a huge misconception this whole time. Haryeong wasn't the Dark King's illegitimate daughter. That also meant the circumstances linking Haryeong to the Dang Family were far, far more complicated than Yuri had imagined.

Being the younger sister of the current head, the Dark King, meant she was the daughter of the retired Grand Head, the Poison King.

Yuri could understand why the Dang Family had cast Haryeong aside. Her existence alone could overturn the lines of succession for both the Dang Family and the Salmun.

The Poison King, the retired Grand Head, had gone into seclusion around twenty years ago. Yuri didn't know Haryeong's exact age, but she had to be older than twenty. That meant she must have been in the Dang Family before then.

How had the current head, the Dark King, taken the existence of a half-sister young enough to be his child? She was too young to overturn the line of succession, but what about the next generation? What if his much younger sister proved more capable than his children?

"Aunt?"

The smile never left Tang Seo-woo's face. Her eyes curved sweetly as she stared at Haryeong behind Yuri.

"Don't tell me you don't remember my face? Then again, it's been twelve years since you left the Dang Family. I suppose it makes sense that you wouldn't remember me."

Her older brother and a collateral relative stood right beside her, but Tang Seo-woo continued speaking. She chuckled and stroked her cheek.

"We were both young back then, Aunt, so of course our faces would have changed. Still, I don't think someone as clever as you would forget my name."

The faint trembling stopped. Haryeong had steadied herself. She silently clenched her teeth once, then stepped forward.

"How could I have forgotten? I was only a little surprised because it had been so long since I heard the name Tang Yu-ryeon."

Standing beside Yuri, Haryeong looked at the three Dang Family members facing them and continued.

"It has been a long time. Young Master Tang Seo-jin, Miss Tang Seo-woo, Uncle Tang Mu-seok. Time truly flies. Twelve years have already passed. Seeing the two of you makes me realize just how astonishing the changes brought by time can be."

The corners of her otherwise expressionless lips twitched.

"You have both grown into such fine adults."

She restrained her emotions and spoke only what was necessary. It was also the way of dealing with people that Haryeong had been forced to learn long ago in the Dang Family.

"You've changed a lot too, Aunt."

Tang Seo-woo knew those words were mocking her. Her smile deepened while Tang Seo-jin's eyebrows twitched. Tang Mu-seok, a collateral relative, showed no change in expression, perhaps because he had no desire to get involved.

"Why are you here?"

"Can't you tell? We came to welcome you and your companions."

"Since when have you cared enough about me to come all the way here from the distant Dang Family?"

"A member of our family earned such a splendid title as Dark Blossom while making a name for herself on a continent across the sea. Of course we had to come welcome you."

Despite Haryeong's sharp reply, Tang Seo-woo's sweet smile never faded.

"Besides, Aunt, you didn't come alone. Young Hero Cloud Dragon and Young Hero Sword Dragon. Our grandfather, the retired Grand Head of the Dang Family, is also acquainted with the Sword Emperor, isn't he?"

Her curved eyes turned toward Yuri and Estor.

"It was a long time ago, but it left such an impression that I remember it clearly. Twenty years ago, the Sword Emperor personally visited the Dang Family."

"I couldn't even walk properly then, but I have heard about it."

"It was an unavoidable misunderstanding, and one that was resolved cleanly. So..."

"You want to invite us?"

Yuri spoke.

The Dang Family members turned their attention to him. Tang Seo-jin and Tang Seo-woo, in particular, openly looked Yuri over without even trying to hide their deep curiosity and interest.

‘So that was Cloud Dragon.’

The rumors had come from the western continent across the sea, but Cloud Dragon was the one gaining the most attention and fame among the younger generation.

Cloud Dragon Yuri. Only a few months ago, he had been nobody. He had apparently been called Thunder Cloud, but it wasn't a title known in the open. Nor was he famous in the underworld.

The names of the Dang Family and Salmun were regarded like grim reapers in the underworld. Of all the assassin sects, the Salmun stood at the top.

They made their living by killing people, yet not only had they maintained their sect, a single family had ruled it as its master.

The Dang Family claimed they distinguished between those they could kill and those they could not.

Their standard for making that distinction was chivalry.

They did not accept requests to kill martial heroes.

That was what they proclaimed publicly, yet not many people believed it. The same went for the Dang Family's declaration that it would step away from the killing trade and be reborn as an orthodox martial family.

The fact that they had not been wiped out despite being mistrusted, feared, and surrounded by enemies was proof of the Dang Family's strength.

A man who had once been nobody, unnoticed even in the underworld, now had the attention of the Dang Family, a force regarded as a major power in that world. Tang Seo-jin and Tang Seo-woo were already past the age to be grouped among the younger generation, but they had no choice but to take notice of Yuri, who belonged to the generation after theirs.

‘I thought Sword Dragon was the best of the younger generation.’

Yet even Sword Dragon had supposedly lost in a spar. Tang Seo-jin, who had once been called a dragon, felt his competitive spirit stir toward Yuri, who was called a dragon in the current generation.

‘Why is he traveling with that lowly bitch?’

Tang Seo-woo had a different curiosity. Before that bitch had earned the presumptuous title of Dark Blossom, she had served as Mad Thunder's escort. Dark Blossom was a title she had earned by trailing after Mad Thunder.

Tang Seo-woo knew that. So why hadn't that bitch returned to the Salhomun? Why was she traveling with Cloud Dragon? Why had she returned to the East with Cloud Dragon?

"Yes."

Tang Seo-woo smiled prettily and nodded.

"You two are accompanying a member of our family, so you are guests of the Dang Family. We came personally to..."

"No."

Yuri answered before she could even finish. Tang Seo-woo's eyes widened, as if she had never expected such an immediate refusal.

"...What?"

"I said no. I have no intention of going to the Dang Family right now."

"Wait... I don't understand why Young Hero Cloud Dragon would answer that way. Why do you refuse?"

Tang Seo-woo's lips curved to hide their twitch.

"And we didn't come here only to receive Young Hero Cloud Dragon and Young Hero Sword Dragon as guests. We came for our family member, Aunt Tang Yu-ryeon..."

"Haryeong."

Yuri cut Tang Seo-woo off again. Haryeong blinked in surprise and looked at him.

"Yes?"

"I'm not going to the Dang Family."

It didn't matter if they thought he was being unreasonable. Yuri was being unreasonable right now.

"So don't go either, Haryeong. If you really want to go, go after we're done with our business."

The Tang siblings' gazes rested on Haryeong. Tang Mu-seok kept his distance.

Haryeong had said she wanted the Dang Family to one day look back at her and regret what they had done. Yet when faced with them, she was badly shaken.

That was still true now. Even a fool could tell they had an uncomfortable, tangled history.

Why had the Dang Family called back Haryeong, whom they had once thrown away? Because of the fame she had recently gained? Even so, wasn't Haryeong merely an excuse to invite Yuri and Estor?

There might have been another reason. But the Dang Family had not said it openly. Yuri had no desire to guess at reasons he hadn't even heard directly.

[Why are you doing this?]

[Pathetic Haryeong, do you want to go to the Dang Family?]

[...]

[Then stay still.]

It wasn't that Yuri was making Haryeong the sole reason he refused to go to the Dang Family.

If Haryeong didn't want to go, Yuri didn't want to go either.

That was all.

"That is very rude."

Tang Seo-jin frowned.

"Young Hero Cloud Dragon. We came all this way to welcome you. We waited for you for quite some time under this blazing sun, enduring the heat."

Even if his fame was on the rise, he was insignificant before the names of the Salmun and Dang Family. The Orsia Family, which had the Sword Emperor, might be the leading martial family among the Pride, but the Dang Family was not one that had to bow its head unconditionally.

Besides, this was the East, not the West.

"We have gone this far for you, yet your attitude is..."

"Did anyone ask you to come welcome us? You set up camp here without being asked, creating the impression that we had to follow you. I think that is extremely rude."

Dozens of people lay sprawled around them, foaming blood at the mouth. The Dang Family party showed no concern despite being surrounded by hundreds. It was all a display of how powerful they were.

"The weather is hot, but you're hot because you're wearing black clothes under this blazing sun. And weren't the ones who suffered through the heat your subordinates behind you?"

"Your answer is very rude."

Tang Seo-jin's lips curled upward. A green glint flashed in the center of his dark eyes.

"I understand that the cultures of the West and East are different, but when someone shows this much sincerity..."

"It's difficult when you do whatever you want without being asked, then speak of sincerity."

Yuri answered with the same smile. In truth, this wasn't something he needed to answer so sharply. He could have been kind and polite, promising another opportunity.

But Yuri didn't want to. It wasn't difficult to find the reason. At the exposition in Alderan, Haryeong had been excessively sharp and sarcastic toward Lacey.

Yuri was no different from Haryeong back then.

Tang Seo-jin and Yuri did not look away from each other. Both wore smiles, but no one there thought either of them was sincerely smiling.

The air smelled and tasted like iron. It was the scent of blood. The killing intent slowly rising from the Salmun assassins pressed down on Yuri.

Tang Mu-seok was the oldest and highest-tier person there, but he had no authority to make decisions. The ones who could decide anything were the Tang siblings, and of the two, Tang Seo-woo held greater influence.

‘They've gone too far.’

Tang Mu-seok swallowed a sigh as he looked at the siblings. The Dang Family was one of the most prestigious martial families in the East. The Salmun assassins ruled by the Dang Family obeyed the commands of the direct line without question.

Growing up in that environment made people authoritarian and self-righteous.

Tang Seo-jin, who had earned the title of dragon at a young age, had more than enough confidence in his abilities. There had been few times in his life when he had failed to get what he wanted. Like most Black Path martial artists, when things didn't go his way, he tried to solve them with force.

His younger sister, Tang Seo-woo, was the family's beloved jewel. Her insistence on doing whatever she wanted was even more extreme than Tang Seo-jin's, and once something interested her, she became excessively obsessed with it.

"You intend to refuse the Dang Family's invitation?"

Tang Seo-woo's smile twisted. That refusal gave her a strange new feeling. The direct descendants of the Dang Family had personally come to invite him, and he dared refuse?

"Does an invitation from the Dang Family mean I should say it's an honor and follow without question?"

Of course it did.

That was what she thought, but she didn't say it aloud.

"This is troublesome. We came all this way determined to bring you with us, and we even caused this... unwanted commotion."

Tang Seo-jin spoke as he spread both arms wide.

"Now that so much attention has been drawn, what would happen to the Dang Family's reputation if we failed to bring you back with us?"

"Ha."

It was absurd that they caused trouble on their own and then talked about reputation. Yuri became certain that Eastern martial artists were no different from thugs carrying swords.

"Since we both have our positions to consider, how about this?"

Tang Seo-jin spoke as if he were granting some tremendous favor.

"We spar to decide whether you go to the Dang Family or not."

"A spar?"

Estor's eyebrows twitched as fury boiled inside him. He had endured enough and tried to push past Yuri and step forward.

"We clearly refused, so what kind of damn spar..."

"Fine."

Yuri pushed Estor back behind him and answered.

"Out of respect and consideration for Tang Seo-jin's position, I will spar with you. But you will accept the result, no matter what it is."

"Accept it? Hahaha, of course. So, will you step forward?"

Tang Seo-jin gave Estor a cold smile.

"I don't mind if Young Hero Sword Dragon is my opponent. Or how about this? I can fight consecutive bouts by myself."

"Hahaha."

Yuri couldn't hold back a hollow laugh this time either. Tang Seo-jin's confidence was understandable. It had already been five years since he reached the fifth tier and earned the title Poison Dragon. Tang Seo-jin, who had passed thirty several years ago, had already reached the sixth tier.

He spoke of a spar, but the result was already decided.

"There's no need for consecutive bouts. Let us decide this with a single spar between you and me."

"Good. Let me tell you in advance, don't worry too much."

Tang Seo-jin said as he pulled a Folding Fan from his waist.

"I obviously won't use lethal techniques. I won't use poison either. Ah, of course, it's fine if you fight at full strength."

Swoosh!

The black Folding Fan opened wide. Yuri didn't know its exact material, but it didn't seem to be made of paper. He stared at the black fan and Tang Seo-jin beyond it, wearing a chilling smile.

"And... even if I lose, I won't hold any ill will toward you. I hope you'll do the same."

"Of course."

"Haha, I like that direct answer. In the East, a spar like this is also an exchange that builds camaraderie between martial artists. Even if you lose, you should think, ‘I learned something valuable,’ and laugh it off."

‘Should I break an arm or a leg?’

‘Or crush his nose?’

Tang Seo-jin considered what kind of defeat to give that arrogant bastard. He had to bring Yuri back as a guest, so he couldn't cripple him or hand him too crushing a defeat.

He had to stay within limits he could dismiss as unavoidable...

"When camaraderie is built through this kind of exchange, people eventually become elder brother and younger brother. Cloud Dragon, I hope you learn something valuable."

Subtly.

No, openly, he acted as though his victory was assured.

"I will gladly learn from you."

Yuri smiled and nodded.

The sixth-tier Dark Soul Poison Dragon.

He wouldn't use lethal techniques or poison. Even taking that into account, he was no easy opponent, and not someone Yuri would normally choose to fight.

So why?

Yuri felt like he had a chance.

Footnotes:

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