It was my first time running away from home after always telling my grandfather before leaving.
And it was a large-scale escape, taking the guests of the Nam Gung family with me.
‘The three families will probably be in an uproar by tomorrow.’
Yak Ran might be the first to discover my absence and scream.
‘I’m sorry, Yak Ran.’
I apologized in my heart and looked at Ji Cheon Wu and his group.
‘I can’t stay with these guys.’
Let’s say Ji Cheon Wu got permission from the Heavenly Demon, but who knows how long Dang Hwa Ryeong plans to stay away from the Dang family.
At this point, it would be more accurate to say that Dang Hwa Ryeong ran away from the Dang family rather than me.
As for Shin So Gyeong, we already became like family from the beginning, so it didn’t matter.
Anyway, we had to travel a long way by carriage to reach Jewun Mountain.
With nothing much to do, I took the opportunity to have a conversation with the group for the first time in a while.
I asked Dang Hwa Ryeong.
“When are you planning to return to the Dang family?”
“Well…”
“……”
“Maybe I don’t have to go back forever.”
I didn’t understand what he meant.
I frowned and looked at him.
“Where will you live if you don’t go back?”
“Maybe I’ll ask the Nam Gung family leader to hire me as a bodyguard.”
“Why would you stay at someone else’s house instead of going home?”
At my words, Dang Hwa Ryeong shrugged and said.
“I’m a tremendously talented person, you know? Besides, Lady So So seemed to like me too.”
That was because of his face.
‘Aunt So So likes handsome faces.’
Ji Cheon Wu glared at Dang Hwa Ryeong as if he wouldn’t back down and said.
“Lady So So likes me more.”
That was also because Ji Cheon Wu had a handsome face.
Shin So Gyeong looked at Ji Cheon Wu and Dang Hwa Ryeong pathetically, linked arms with me and whispered.
“Those two are so immature, Miss Nam Gung.”
Dagger Ajussi also chimed in as if he couldn’t lose.
[Hmph, when I had a body, I was even more outstanding than those guys.]Only I could hear the words of Dagger Ajussi, who had no physical body.
Shin So Gyeong shook her head looking at Ji Cheon Wu and Dang Hwa Ryeong.
It was definitely a childish conversation, but I couldn’t help laughing.
I knew their conversation was meant to comfort me.
‘I guess I looked like I was in a bad state.’
[You couldn’t help it. Anyone in your situation would have been the same.]I was just grateful that they cared about me. But I felt sorry for them as I never intended to go together with them from the beginning.
‘I plan to part ways with them before entering Jewun Mountain.’
[Yes, I think that would be best.]I gave a bitter smile looking at the group. Not knowing that Ji Cheon Wu was watching me.
[This is the timeline separator]Before entering Jewun Mountain, we decided to stay at an inn one last time.
Shin So Gyeong said she was going to the market for a while with a somewhat excited face.
“I heard there’s a night market here.”
“We’ll be staying here tonight, so you can go to the night market and come back.”
Shin So Gyeong seemed to be gauging my mood. She probably noticed my mood wasn’t good and was worried, even though she didn’t know the details.
I patted Shin So Gyeong’s shoulder and said.
“Go with Hwa Ryeong. Just in case. It’s better to take the porter too, right?”
Shin So Gyeong seemed to hesitate several times but eventually nodded.
After Shin So Gyeong left, I closed my eyes and sat cross-legged in the room alone.
‘A minimal number of people is best. Especially since Shin So Gyeong has the lowest martial arts skills among our group.’
In fact, the only one I could take with me from the group was Ji Cheon Wu.
Dang Hwa Ryeong was skilled in poisons and hidden weapons. But it was still ambiguous to say his movement techniques were fully mastered.
I recalled the conversation I had with Je Gal Yu Ryong before leaving the Nam Gung family.
“The Blood Cult will probably target you, Miss Nam Gung. The reason he’s in Jewun Mountain is to wait for the moment you leave the family again.”
“I’m the target, I see.”
“We can’t tell the Nam Gung family leader. The moment he makes a move, the Blood Cult will flee.”
“That’s true. There will be many eyes watching grandfather.”
“We need to move with as few people as possible.”
Hearing his words, I couldn’t help but laugh.
“It will be difficult to return alive.”
“That’s why I hope you don’t go, Miss Nam Gung.”
Je Gal Yu Ryong’s words were cold.
He was telling me to give up on my father. But at the same time, it was a reasonable thought.
“You have exceptional talent, Miss Nam Gung. Talent worthy of winning the World’s Best Competition. Being called the hope of the righteous faction says it all.”
“……”
“This may sound heartless, but we don’t know the Lonely Destruction Method. If we knew that method, so many martial artists wouldn’t have suffered.”
Je Gal Yu Ryong hesitated for a moment before continuing.
“My father wanted me to keep this a secret from you, Miss Nam Gung. Because going to meet the Blood Cult is extremely dangerous.”
Je Gal Yu Ryong said that with a bitter smile.
“But would you have wanted me to keep this a secret? Upon reflection, it doesn’t seem like you would.”
“Sir Je Gal……”
“I once owed you my life, Miss Nam Gung. This is my way of repaying that favor.”
Saying that, Je Gal Yu Ryong bowed his head to me.
“I hope you achieve what you desire, Miss Nam Gung.”
I opened my closed eyes.
It was as he said.
It was a dangerous path, but I couldn’t turn my back on my father.
The Blood Cult is targeting me.
And I was much stronger than they thought.
They may know my name as the Demon Sword, but they won’t know the extent of my skills.
‘To be exact, they may have noticed my skills. But no one knows about the existence of Dagger Ajussi.’
Even my grandfather was unaware of Dagger Ajussi’s existence.
‘Even so, they won’t think my martial power is weak.’
I am the winner of the World’s Best Competition.
And there were a few times I showed outstanding abilities.
‘And they will be suspicious.’
The Demon Sword who appeared at some point, that person being me. Of course, they won’t be certain yet.
The black-clothed person I met a while ago calling me the Demon Sword was probably just to test me.
‘The Blood Cult has no intention of leaving the Nam Gung family alone.’
[It’s a fight that won’t end unless one of the two dies.]I placed the dagger on the bed.
‘Extraordinarily superior late-awakened powers.’
Since I recently defeated Paeng Su Hyeon, they might think my level is similar to his.
[But they will be on guard.]‘That’s right. Because they tried to kill me so far, but I didn’t die.’
The people of the Blood Cult must have thought about that fact.
That’s probably why the Blood Cult is also preparing thoroughly.
[If you get caught by the Blood Cult, it won’t be easy. But you will certainly be able to see your father up close if he is the one who created the Lonely Destruction Method.]‘I appreciate you coming with me, but it’s best to part ways with the others here.’
I asked Dagger Ajussi.
‘Is the Blood Cult the one who afflicted you, Ajussi?’
[The Blood Cult has been passed down for generations. It was probably his disciple.]Dagger Ajussi looked somewhat solemn.
[It’s as Je Gal Yu Ryong said. It’s a trap we know, but we have no choice but to fall into it. That’s why they are more vicious.]If Dagger Ajussi had a body right now, wouldn’t he have an angry expression?
[The most vicious ones are those who take family as hostages. They play with and shake people’s hearts.]And that was also what Dagger Ajussi experienced.
[The Blood Cult has been conducting various experiments on people for generations.]I quietly listened to Dagger Ajussi’s words.
[We can’t leave those bastards alone like this. It’s time to settle the score.]‘If we get caught by them, they will take the dagger.’
[It’s okay. You know from trying it a few times, right? I’m in the dagger for convenience, but I’m essentially a soul. It means I can move around fundamentally.]It was as Dagger Ajussi said.
Even when moving some distance away from the dagger, there was no problem with communication between me and Dagger Ajussi.
Still, the feeling of emptiness was inevitable. Thinking that, I hugged the dagger in my bosom tightly.
[This is the timeline separator]And that night, when Shin So Gyeong was in a deep sleep.
I carefully got up from the bed.
“Mmm, Miss Nam Gung… These dumplings are delicious. Have a lot.”
[Looks like she’s having a funny dream.]I carefully went out of the inn.
‘Shin So Gyeong might get angry when she wakes up.’
But it couldn’t be helped.
I couldn’t take them to a place that was no different from a deathtrap.
‘I’m grateful you followed me, but I’m sorry. But I couldn’t go together.’
I apologized, knowing Shin So Gyeong couldn’t hear it. Just as I was about to leave the inn.
I felt a familiar gaze.
I slowly turned around.
“Ji Cheon Wu, why don’t you come out now?”
At my words, Ji Cheon Wu appeared. I sighed.
This guy’s instincts were too sharp, just like when we left the Nam Gung family.
“You don’t follow me either. I’ll go alone. I never intended to go together with you from the beginning at the Nam Gung family.”
When male lead is the homewrecker
“I know she doesn’t love him.”
I’ve read the novel below twice already. Girls, I’m highly recommending it to you!
The female lead? Not a good person.
The second male lead? Not a good person.
The male lead? Willingly plays the third party, breaking up the female and second male lead’s relationship despite all the warnings from his friends—so yeah, he’s definitely not a good person either.
Basically, nobody in this novel is simple-minded or without scheming.
The female lead starts off as the male lead’s secretary, but don’t worry—later on, she takes over the company while the male lead steps back to support her. He won’t steal her spotlight, overshadow her, or dull her shine.
I love novels where men are out here snatching wigs, tearing each other down, and going to war just to win the female lead’s affection. And this is exactly that kind of novel. Most of Hai Dai Ran’s works have this dynamic. You’ll see the male characters’ emotions being pushed to the absolute extreme.
There’s even a scene where the second male lead exposes the male lead online for being a homewrecker. The brotherhood immediately gangs up on him, dragging him through the mud. I find it compelling —it completely flips reality on its head, where usually, women are the ones fighting over a man and getting torn apart by the sisterhood.
For me, female leads in the novels I read should only struggle in their careers, not in love. But if the brainless romantics in the story are all men? I have zero complaints.
I’ve pretty much read all of Hai Dai Ran’s novels and even translated all of them—her works are just my thing. I’ll slowly upload everything here. One day, when my website is official, I hope I can invite her to join as one of the star authors.
Here’s the story synopsis:
One-line summary: She is his lifelong obsession, to the point where he was willing to be a third wheel, scorned by society, just to wedge his way into her relationship with her fiancé.
Cold-hearted and indifferent female lead + Scheming and subservient CEO male lead
Intro 1:
“I know she doesn’t love him.”
With blood trickling from his clenched fist, Rong Xiu gazed at the woman before him, his eyes clouded with anguish. Hidden in the wardrobe, he had witnessed Fan Xia – the woman he desperately loved – in an intimate embrace with her fiancé. Yet his heart still yearned for her, defying all reason.
Fan Xia, the elegant and composed assistant, carried something mysterious in her eyes whenever she looked at her fiancé, Wen Lan Sheng. Strange occurrences began to surface – secret meetings with the young Gu Jin Yi, an unexplained withdrawal of 5,000 yuan… Then suddenly, her fiancé’s sister, Wen Jing, violently attacked her.
In this matriarchal society, Rong Xiu had risen to become the chairman of a powerful healthcare conglomerate, breaking through gender prejudices. But for the first time, he willingly stepped into the shadows as the other man, disregarding his friends’ warnings to become her secret lover.
Because he had discovered the truth – Fan Xia wasn’t the pure angel everyone believed her to be. And perhaps, he was the only one capable of helping her execute her mysterious plan…
Intro 2:
Rong Xiu’s biggest regret in life was missing out on Fan Xia.
He secretly loved Fan Xia for 7 years.
Watched her go public with her boyfriend.
Watched her kiss her boyfriend at their wedding.
Until that man blissfully nestled in Fan Xia’s arms, obtaining everything he could only dream of.
The crazy jealousy stripped away his hidden secret love, layer by layer, burning like wildfire.
Fan Xia, how can I have you!
【Reading and Trigger Warning Guide】
1. Female dominant, male submissive, male pregnancy
2. Male lead schemes his way to the top, male competition
_____
Please help me, I want to bring you the best possible things.
If you find any chapter or novel with poor translation and editing quality, let me know by commenting directly under that novel or chapter. I will retranslate it as soon as possible.
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