Ji Cheon Wu often reminisced about the past in Cheonma Jijeon.

The arrogant Cheonma Ji Cheon Wu always used to say:

“Don’t listen to the careless words of people who speak recklessly.”

I recited those words exactly as he did.

“Ignore all the words of people who try to set limits for you.”

When I was reading Cheonma Jijeon, I was quite exhausted. Nothing was going my way.

Part-time jobs I had to do without rest. My body grew more tired and weary.

I had to count every penny even for a single meal. In other words, it was a life where I couldn’t think about the future.

While feeling hopeless about my future, I came across Cheonma Jijeon.

I couldn’t forget the words of the free-spirited protagonist Ji Cheon Wu, who spouted refreshing lines. It felt as if he was speaking directly to me.

Back then, Ji Cheon Wu was a small hope for me.

And now.

I was saying to Ji Cheon Wu the words he used to say most often.

“Don’t let others determine your future.”

After hesitating for a moment, Ji Cheon Wu then grabbed my hand.

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Ji Cheon Wu.

The boy always thought his fate was predetermined. He would live a life barely hanging on, only to eventually meet his death from blood vessel atrophy.

A life destined for death before reaching 20. No one placed any value on his life.

Even that.

That’s why Ji Cheon Wu didn’t mind when the boys beat him.

Violence was familiar to him. Even being hit while begging to survive.

The beggars on the street would kick him whenever they felt like it.

“You’re going to die anyway, why are you taking up begging space!”

So he was used to being unfairly beaten. Even Nam Gung Hwa Su’s verbal abuse didn’t hurt him at all.

Because all their words were true.

Ji Cheon Wu often wondered:

‘Why am I alive?’

It was a life without meaning even to himself. Time would pass like this and he would end his life with blood vessel atrophy.

But why on earth…

Ji Cheon Wu looked down at his hands. They were dirty and grimy. Those hands spoke of his circumstances.

He didn’t match the elegantly dressed girl in front of him. The girl started carefully applying medicine to his face.

Having grown up on the streets, he usually reacted sensitively to other people’s touch. But strangely, the girl’s touch didn’t feel unpleasant.

‘Strange.’

Ji Cheon Wu knew what had happened with the girl’s hands.

The sight of the boys who had been beating him mercilessly crumbling at the girl’s small hands.

The boys had fled in a worse state than his own battered appearance. Ji Cheon Wu tilted his head. His chest hurt.

He couldn’t understand the emotion he was feeling.

The words the girl had said as she reached out her hand seemed to keep echoing in his ears.

He couldn’t understand the girl.

‘Why is she helping me?’

People always used to tell Ji Cheon Wu. That kindness shown to him was meaningless.

The girl’s kindness would also become meaningless. After all, he only had a few years of life left anyway.

Receiving kindness for the first time in his life, Ji Cheon Wu fidgeted with his hands.

Perhaps sensing his movement, the girl looked up.

“Does it hurt? Did I press too hard?”

“No, it’s fine.”

Ji Cheon Wu hurriedly shook his head.

“That’s a relief. For Nam Gung Hwa Su to try to ruin this beauty…”

Nam Gung Lin nodded as if relieved.

“My name is Nam Gung Lin.”

Ji Cheon Wu could tell at a glance that the girl, Nam Gung Lin, was from no ordinary family.

The room she had brought him to was filled with luxurious furniture.

And the fur scarf wrapped around his neck was also incredibly luxurious.

Now he could understand the reason.

‘She was one of the Nam Gung family.’

She was someone who would never be connected to him again. Ji Cheon Wu touched his neck.

He felt the scarf Nam Gung Lin had wrapped around his neck.

Ji Cheon Wu looked up. He saw Nam Gung Lin staring intently at him.

Ji Cheon Wu furrowed his brow.

Again.

For reasons he couldn’t understand, his heart ached. At the same time, his face began to feel hot.

He placed his hand over his heart and thought.

‘Is this also an aftereffect of blood vessel atrophy?’

For an aftereffect of blood vessel atrophy, it was a symptom he had never experienced before.

His heart racing and feeling feverish. Perhaps his death was drawing even closer.

‘But before, I was able to go about daily life.’

If his heart kept pounding like this, it might become impossible to even carry out daily activities.

As Nam Gung Lin applied medicine to Ji Cheon Wu’s face, she asked:

“What’s your name?”

Ji Cheon Wu’s hand, which had been touching the scarf, stiffened.

Nam Gung Lin was the first person to ask his name.

Most people would call him ‘hey’, ‘you’, ‘beggar bastard’ instead of his name.

Ji Cheon Wu looked up and met Nam Gung Lin’s eyes. He saw clear and beautiful brown eyes. Ji Cheon Wu stared at them as if entranced.

Ji Cheon Wu took a deep breath.

He spoke his own name for the first time in a long while.

“Ji Cheon Wu.”

Nam Gung Lin’s eyes curved beautifully upon hearing his name.

Ji Cheon Wu blinked blankly. He couldn’t quite grasp what that feeling just now had been.

He touched his heart again.

‘There really is something wrong.’

His rapidly beating heart was abnormal.

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Nam Gung Hwa Su held his breath.

In front of him, Nam Gung Jin Cheon was looking at him with an expressionless face.

Nam Gung Hwa Su gulped down dry saliva. Nam Gung Hwa Su couldn’t understand why he was in front of Nam Gung Jin Cheon.

‘Why did grandfather call for me?’

It was only possible to see grandfather on special occasions. One of the top ten martial artists in the world and the head of the Nam Gung family.

The Lightning Sword Nam Gung Jin Cheon.

Even as his grandson, it wasn’t easy to see Nam Gung Jin Cheon. Especially since Nam Gung Hwa Su didn’t know much about Nam Gung Jin Cheon.

Nam Gung Jin Cheon had been away at the Martial Alliance for 8 years.

He did remember seeing Nam Gung Jin Cheon a few times when he visited the family, but they had never had a separate conversation.

Nam Gung Hwa Su touched his face. He could see Nam Gung Jin Cheon’s gaze on his battered face.

‘This is actually a good thing.’

He snickered.

It was clear that news of his face being in a mess had reached his grandfather’s ears. If that was the case, it made sense why he was here.

“Do you know why you’re here?”

As expected, his thoughts were correct.

Nam Gung Hwa Su nodded with a bright face.

‘Grandfather must have noticed Nam Gung Lin’s evil techniques.’

According to his thinking, Nam Gung Jin Cheon was surely going to punish Nam Gung Lin.

Although Nam Gung Lin had used the Changgung Sword technique, he hadn’t thought much of it. And right after being hit by Nam Gung Lin, he couldn’t think straight.

When he returned to the family and came to his senses, he realized how nonsensical it was that Nam Gung Lin had beaten him.

Nam Gung Lin was a child who always stayed cooped up in her room.

Because his father Nam Gung Hyun Jong had neglected Nam Gung Lin. Nam Gung Lin who hadn’t properly trained versus himself who had trained in martial arts for years.

It was a fight that Nam Gung Lin couldn’t possibly have won from the start.

“I’ve been wronged, grandfather. Lin must have used evil techniques.”

Nam Gung Hwa Su said this with shining eyes.

Nam Gung Jin Cheon was someone who despised the use of underhanded methods the most.

“It doesn’t make sense. Even when I tried to dodge the fists, I couldn’t avoid them. Though they were clearly extremely slow punches…”

“…”

“If it wasn’t evil techniques, it would be absolutely impossible!”

Nam Gung Hwa Su felt something was off.

Despite his words, Nam Gung Jin Cheon showed no particular reaction. Rather, his expressionless face only hardened further.

After a moment passed, Nam Gung Jin Cheon extended his fist.

It was just a slow punch. He could clearly see it with his eyes.

The fist approaching.

But Nam Gung Hwa Su simply couldn’t avoid it.

If he got hit by that fist, he would die.

Such thoughts consumed his mind.

“Pathetic thing.”

Nam Gung Jin Cheon’s fist stopped right in front of his eyes.

Only then did Nam Gung Hwa Su realize he had been holding his breath.

“Huff, huff!”

Nam Gung Hwa Su exhaled roughly.

“Do you think I used evil techniques too?”

Nam Gung Hwa Su’s face turned pale. He shook his head repeatedly.

“There are several things you did wrong. I’ll tell you the two most important ones.”

Nam Gung Hwa Su couldn’t say anything as he met Nam Gung Jin Cheon’s cold gaze.

“First, failing to recognize someone stronger than you.”

“…”

“Second, failing to accept defeat gracefully.”

Nam Gung Hwa Su lowered his head.

The tips of his ears reddened with humiliation. Nam Gung Jin Cheon spoke in a flat tone.

“With that kind of mindset, you won’t survive in the martial arts world.”

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Nam Gung Jin Cheon lifted the teacup placed in front of him.

A woman could be seen walking out from behind him. Despite the sudden appearance of someone from the darkness, Nam Gung Jin Cheon didn’t show any sign of surprise.

“So what do you think?”

“She appears to be an ordinary child most of the time. There’s no particular sign that she’s learned martial arts either.”

“…”

“Ah, there is one peculiar thing though.”

The woman in front of Nam Gung Jin Cheon, Yak Ran, blushed.

“She’s too adorable.”

Nam Gung Jin Cheon sighed.

Yak Ran liked cute children. Nam Gung Jin Cheon knew how lovable Nam Gung Lin must look in Yak Ran’s eyes.

“The more I see her, the cuter she is. So lovable… You should have seen her wearing a fur scarf today. She looked like an adorable dumpling.”