Chapter 305

With his teeth clenched, Geum Do-mujeok Cho Ha-gon charged toward Dongjeong Lake.

In his mind, the idea that his son, Cho Sang-hyun—who was at the peak of his abilities—could be captured by mere Sujok operatives was absurd.

There was no way someone capable of capturing a martial artist at the height of their power would be just a Sujok agent.

And if they weren’t Sujok, then there was only one other possibility that came to mind.

“The Hyeongsan Sect…”

The name gnawed at Cho Ha-gon’s teeth.

No matter how bad their reputation, they were still a righteous sect, part of the Nine Great Gate Sects. Surely they wouldn’t stoop to such acts…

But then, memories of the heretical groups he’d fought in Ak-yang over twenty years ago flashed through his mind.

Back then, those heretics had spared no means or methods to take him down.

Every day was a battle for survival, and after countless fierce struggles, he had finally defeated them.

At least then, he was alone, with nothing to protect, which made it possible.

Cho Ha-gon sighed deeply.

“I was careless. Even after all I’ve been through, I overlooked how cruel and cowardly humans can be, just because they claim to be righteous.”

And that complacency had come from too many years of peace.

Kind neighbors, precious family.

He had become too soft, too comfortable in that happiness.

Realizing his mistake, Cho Ha-gon suddenly stopped and squeezed his eyes shut.

He took a deep breath.

“Whoo…”

When he opened his eyes moments later, his gaze was completely different.

The kind, gentle eyes of the Geum Do Sect’s master were gone, replaced by the steely glare of a battle-hardened veteran who had fought countless heretics.

Leaping forward again, he thought:

Crack!

“If they really are the Hyeongsan Sect and took Sang-hyun to threaten me, then they probably haven’t killed him yet.”

That was Cho Ha-gon’s cold, calculated judgment.

And if he was right, he might soon face a grave decision.

The choice to give up on his son.

Over twenty years ago, with no family to protect, he had nothing to lose and could fight without hesitation.

But now, things were different.

There were too many people around him who depended on him.

And Cho Ha-gon remembered all too well the fates of those who tried to protect too much.

“Sang-hyun…”

His eyes, filled with deep hesitation and turmoil, pushed his body forward with all his might.

---

After arriving at Dongjeong Lake, Cho Ha-gon quickly found a boat and headed out onto the water.

He had no idea where the kidnappers might be in the vast lake, but if his guess was right, they would come to him.

And his intuition proved correct.

Not long after venturing into the middle of the lake, he spotted a Sujok boat, motionless as if waiting for him.

His eyes flashing, Cho Ha-gon ordered the boatman:

“Chase that boat! Follow it!”

As Cho Ha-gon’s boat approached, the Sujok vessel began moving again.

But rather than fleeing, it seemed to be guiding him, maintaining a certain distance as it moved.

Time passed, and just as Cho Ha-gon’s heart burned with worry for his eldest son, the Sujok boat headed toward a small uninhabited island in the middle of the lake.

Four other Sujok boats were already anchored around the rocky islet.

The boatman, tense, asked:

“The Sujok are gathered there, waiting. Are you sure you want to go?”

Cho Ha-gon nodded firmly, his eyes blazing.

“Just get me close enough. After that, I’ll handle it.”

Shortly after, the boat approached near the island’s shore, close to the Sujok captain.

Cho Ha-gon gave the boatman a final instruction.

“You should leave now. If I don’t return, tell Seorin to find Bok Geon-yong.”

Then, pushing off, he leapt lightly from the boat.

Thwack!

After flying about three meters, his body began to fall, but despite his sturdy build, he kicked off the water like a swallow and soared upward again.

Splash!

Twice more, he struck the water’s surface, finally reaching the rocky shoreline of the island.

The shore was covered with small pebbles.

Cho Ha-gon scanned the island and muttered:

“The place for this meeting is quite shabby. Maybe the hosts are just as shabby?”

From a rock opposite him, Ja Jong-jin of the Hyeongsan Sect slowly rose and replied:

“Perhaps it’s more about matching the level of the guest. Of course, depending on your choice, the next meeting place could be much nicer.”

Cho Ha-gon looked toward his son, Cho Sang-hyun, who was held by about twenty warriors beside Ja Jong-jin, and asked:

“A choice?”

As expected, his son was unharmed.

Though seemingly immobilized by pressure points, his eyes burned with frustration.

They had deliberately left him in good condition to coax Cho Ha-gon.

Ja Jong-jin smiled coldly and, still looking at Sang-hyun, answered:

“A very simple choice. Whether the Great Hero Cho and his family quietly disappear beneath the waters of Dongjeong Lake… or…”

His eyes gleamed with malice as he turned to Cho Ha-gon.

“…whether you choose to become a dog of the Hyeongsan Sect.”

Cho Ha-gon’s eyes twitched.

The wording was far too blunt.

They had clearly already decided how they intended to treat him.

Cho Ha-gon met Ja Jong-jin’s gaze with a stern expression.

“For an attempt at persuasion, that’s extremely rude. Do you really think that will work?”

He studied Ja Jong-jin’s demeanor and the level of the warriors holding his son.

Ja Jong-jin replied:

“Half-hearted submission is no longer needed. You should have listened to me earlier. Then you wouldn’t be in this mess.”

It was clear now: unless Cho Ha-gon fully surrendered, they would rather kill him.

Disappointment filled Cho Ha-gon’s heart.

But not because of Ja Jong-jin’s words.

He simply didn’t believe he could save his son.

Ja Jong-jin was an ultra-peak master even Cho Ha-gon found hard to predict.

And the twenty warriors holding Sang-hyun looked like elite fighters rarely seen even in Ak-yang.

Most seemed top-tier, some even at the peak.

No matter how he thought about it, defeating them all and rescuing his son by force alone was impossible.

It was time to make a real choice.

Closing his eyes tightly, Cho Ha-gon appeared to be deep in thought.

Ja Jong-jin saw it as hesitation.

But Cho Ha-gon had already made up his mind.

And without letting Ja Jong-jin notice, he sent a secret message to his son.

— Sang-hyun, listen carefully. There’s a lesson I learned fighting villains in the past. Once they find a weakness and you start conceding one thing, you’ll have to keep conceding until you lose everything.

Sang-hyun’s face hardened.

He had heard his father say this before.

Back then, his father had told him: if the enemy ever finds a weakness, you must eliminate it at all costs.

As Sang-hyun recalled that memory and swallowed hard, Cho Ha-gon’s message continued.

— They’re holding you hostage to force me to obey. But I don’t think they’ll ever release you, even if I submit. After showing this much, how could they trust me? They’ll only use you to make me do things I can’t bear. So…

Cho Ha-gon couldn’t finish the message.

His heart was breaking, despite his efforts to stay calm.

He wanted to see his son again.

His son, born after he married in his forties.

A treasure beyond anything else, every moment together precious and unforgettable.

He opened his eyes and looked at his son.

Sang-hyun met his gaze with resolute eyes.

His look said: Do as you think is right, Father.

I am not afraid to die.

Cho Ha-gon’s son was just like him.

Seeing that, Cho Ha-gon clenched his teeth as if they might shatter.

His chest ached.

Then, Ja Jong-jin, looking slightly annoyed, said:

“Great Hero Cho, we cannot wait much longer. Isn’t it time to make your decision?”

Cho Ha-gon, pained, replied:

“Let me speak with my son.”

Ja Jong-jin frowned and answered firmly:

“No.”

But Cho Ha-gon, as if abandoning his pride, pleaded earnestly:

“Please. Just once, let me hear his voice.”

Ja Jong-jin frowned, thinking for a moment.

If he allowed just a brief voice exchange and then re-applied the pressure points, there would be no tricks.

He looked at his warriors and said:

“Apply the pressure points…!”

At that moment, as Ja Jong-jin’s gaze briefly shifted away, Cho Ha-gon dashed forward like lightning.

Crack!

“What?!”

Sensing the movement instantly, Ja Jong-jin hurriedly turned and struck out.

Cheng!

But by the time he turned his gaze, Chohagon’s golden blade was already coming down, poised to split his head in two.

The sword he hastily drew clashed directly against Chohagon’s gleaming blade.

Clang!

“Ugh!”

The impact alone sent tremors through his entire arm.

He was already losing ground in the initial momentum.

Moreover, Chohagon’s golden blade radiated a dazzling light as it relentlessly struck down at him.

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!

Chohagon’s relentless assault forced Jajongjinin to stagger backward, barely managing to defend himself.

Because Chohagon’s sword style focused on powerful strikes, and having lost the initiative, Jajongjinin was at a severe disadvantage.

He struggled to find any opening for a counterattack.

His own swordsmanship, swift and agile, required him to strike first against a foe who relied on brute force.

But he had already lost the initiative and allowed the distance between them to close dangerously.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Fierce, powerful blows crashed down like a storm.

At this rate, he might lose his life to Chohagon’s sword without even getting a chance to fight back.

Clenching his teeth in frustration, Jajongjinin gritted his teeth.

‘Damn it!’

Meanwhile, a glimmer of hope stirred in Chohagon’s heart.

He had risked everything—even his son’s life—to launch this surprise attack, yet the enemy hadn’t ordered his son’s death.

If he could just kill this man quickly, maybe, just maybe, he could still save his son unharmed.

Focusing all his strength and spirit, Chohagon struck at Jajongjinin with a decisive blow.

“Hah!”

Swish!

“Ugh!”

Jajongjinin’s sword narrowly slipped aside from Chohagon’s all-out strike.

He hadn’t dropped his sword, but he lost control, unable to fully counter the force.

‘Got him!’

Eyes flashing, Chohagon seized the opening and brought his blade down.

The strike seemed poised to cleave his opponent in two.

Then—

Shuhaaak!

A sky-blue orb flew straight at Chohagon.

A spirit orb.

“!”

Chohagon’s eyes widened in shock.

If he followed through with his strike, he would surely kill Jajongjinin—but he’d also be hit head-on by that orb.

Reluctantly, Chohagon shifted the path of his blade, striking down at the orb instead.

Choohaaak!

Crackle, crackle.

The sky-blue orb shattered and vanished beneath his sword.

At that moment, Jajongjinin finally found a chance to retreat, leaping back hastily.

Chohagon had missed his chance to kill him.

Grinding his teeth in frustration, Chohagon heard a voice.

“Tsk, tsk. Didn’t I tell you to be careful? For someone of your caliber to let your guard down—how will you face your young disciples now?”

“Hmm.”

Jajongjinin grimaced at the voice, clearly displeased.

Chohagon turned to look toward the source.

He had been focusing on that direction ever since the orb flew in, so it didn’t surprise him.

There stood a tall, lean middle-aged Taoist, apparently having emerged from behind a rock.

He wore the white martial robe and blue hero’s sash—the unmistakable symbol of the Hyeongsan Sect.

Chohagon glared fiercely at him.

The newcomer smiled calmly, like a true master, and introduced himself.

“I am Jagyeong of Hyeongsan. It is an honor to meet the invincible Golden Blade, the great hero.”

But Chohagon neither smiled nor responded.

He simply stared back with a fierce glare.

Though he hid it outwardly, inside he felt utterly devastated.

Not only had he missed the perfect chance to kill Jajongjinin, but now there was another enemy.

Judging by his aura, this newcomer was undoubtedly a supreme master.

‘Deploying two top-tier experts… so this is the Hyeongsan Sect’s true strength.’

He had no choice but to acknowledge their power.

And with that, his hope of saving his son faded once more.

The newcomer, Jagyeong, looked at Chohagon’s expression and said,

“Hmm, a look that says you’ll fight to the end even if it costs your son’s life. Truly worthy of the great hero who single-handedly wiped out five heretical sects and saved Akyang.”

Chohagon scoffed at the praise.

At this point, he no longer cared what happened.

If he died fighting, so be it.

Just as he was gathering his fighting spirit to charge again, Jagyeong smiled gently and asked,

“But tell me—if there was one more person you had to give up on, would you still be willing to sacrifice everything?”

Chohagon’s eyes flickered at the question.

Jagyeong then turned and raised his voice.

“Great hero, behold your daughter!”

Chohagon’s eyes snapped wide open in horror.

Behind Jagyeong, two men emerged from behind a rock.

And the woman they held was unmistakably someone Chohagon knew.

His daughter—the most beautiful woman in Akyang, known as Chosorin, the Golden Blade’s chosen.

Without thinking, Chohagon shouted her name.

“Seorin! How could you—!”

Jagyeong smiled with satisfaction.

“So! The great hero’s love for his daughter is truly exceptional. See how your expression changes now!”

Clenching his teeth, Chohagon glared at Jagyeong.

The man, still calm and composed like a sage, began to explain slowly.

“Listen carefully. From now on, I will order these men to violate your daughter. So while you fight us, you will be forced to watch her suffer. Ah, and we’ll release the bloodlust, so you’ll even hear her screams. Quite the thrilling battle, isn’t it? Fighting while hearing your daughter’s cries.”

Chohagon’s face grew paler by the second.

At that moment, the daughter’s voice rang out.

“Father!”

Jagyeong smiled even wider and said to his men,

“Now, begin.”

As soon as he finished, the two men eagerly tore at Chosorin’s robe.

Rip!

“Ahhh!”

Chohagon’s pupils trembled uncontrollably.

His daughter’s robe was torn, exposing her bare chest.

An unbearable rage surged within him.

“Stop, you bastards!”

Jagyeong smiled kindly.

“Yes, hold on a moment. The great hero deserves a chance, doesn’t he? What will you do, great hero? Will you kneel before us now, or…”

He glanced sideways and continued,

“Will you watch your daughter be violated while fighting three supreme warriors?”

Chohagon’s eyes nearly popped out of his head.

Three?

He followed Jagyeong’s gaze and saw another man approaching.

A Taoist of similar age to Jajongjinin and Jagyeong.

‘No… this can’t be…’

Despair washed over Chohagon.

There had never been any chance of victory.

To send three supreme masters at once—this was beyond anything he could handle.

Then Jagyeong smiled gently and spread his palm.

He spoke again.

“Now, let’s count to five. When we reach five, these men will begin violating your daughter. One…”

Chohagon frantically looked toward his daughter.

The two men holding her wore greedy smiles, their eyes fixed on her as if ready to pounce.

“Four.”

His heart felt like it was boiling, about to evaporate.

He thought it might be easier to just stop breathing.

“Three.”

He thought he could give up everything.

But that was a lie.

He could never bear to watch such a horrific scene unfold before his eyes.

“Two.”

He couldn’t stand it any longer and squeezed his eyes shut.

There was nothing he could do now.

“One!”

Finally, Chohagon weakly opened his mouth.

“Sto—”

Then—

Someone shouted loudly.

“Sto—p!”

A sudden female voice.

Everyone turned in surprise.

And there, approaching the island in a small boat, was a woman.