I can’t do it alone. (1)

“…It’s a mess, isn’t it?”

Tang Soso observed the chaotic scene with a gloomy expression.

“Why on earth is this happening, Soso?”

“Well… um.”

As if about to say something, she hesitated before lowering her head in defeat. Then, with a sigh, she spoke with a voice mixed with resignation.

“The Tang clan is much more complicated than it appears on the surface. And those who live within it are oppressed by strict laws and constraints.”

“Well, other sects…”

“The Tang clan is different. Before coming to Hwasan, my dream was to escape from the Tang clan and live freely. Isn’t that enough said?”

“…You’re right.”

“Yeah. Weren’t you planning to marry Chung Myung?”

“Are you trying to embarrass me? Why bring that up now?”

“…Sorry.”

Even with just those words, it was easy to understand. Tang Soso was someone who, if she found something unreasonable, would fight to change it, even if it meant opposing others. The fact that someone like her had to live quietly oppressed by the Tang clan’s laws showed just how strict they were.

“After being oppressed for so long, after being suppressed for centuries, it’s all come bursting out…”

Worry flickered in Tang Soso’s eyes as she looked at Tang Gunak. Even though he was Tang Gunak, she wondered if he could handle this situation smoothly.

‘Father…’

Meanwhile, Tang Gunak looked around with a frustrated expression.

“Why is this our fault in the first place?”

The one speaking with evident frustration was Tang Yeonhong, a person known for his seriousness even among the craftsmen in charge of hidden weapons.

So Tang Gunak, who wasn’t particularly talkative himself, trusted him greatly…

“You’ve been given everything you asked for, but you still can’t use it properly and come back to complain. Isn’t it because of you people?”

Tang Jaho’s eyes flashed with a deep blue glint as he heard Tang Yeonhong’s reprimand.

“Are you saying that we didn’t properly utilize the hidden weapons given to us by the workshop due to our lack of skill?”

“If that’s what you’re implying, I won’t deny it.”

“What?”

Tang Jaho stared at Tang Yeonhong as if he couldn’t believe his ears.

“I realize now that the craftsmen of the clan were truly remarkable people. They provided everything for the Tang clan, but we, the foolish ones, couldn’t even properly enjoy the feast laid out for us due to our lack of skill, isn’t that right?”

“Brother, please calm down.”

“Calm down? Do I look calm to you? Is he not disrespecting us with those words?”

At that moment, someone who had been silently listening burst into laughter.

“While the workshop’s words may be a bit harsh, it’s not entirely wrong to say that you haven’t properly utilized what was given. Every time you asked for something more potent, you were given it, but then you just haphazardly tossed it without understanding its true intricacies. Do you realize how delicate poison is?”

“What?”

“Even if you were provided with poison that could last for a month, you would use it all in one battle and then, in moments of urgency, hastily throw whatever was at hand without considering its true effects. Isn’t that a sign of lack of skill?”

“Have you finished speaking?”

Tang Jaho’s eyes were now bloodshot with anger.

“Do you think we have nothing to say? We risked our lives and earned money with those inferior things, what have you done exactly? You squandered everything under the pretext of research! All the expensive poisons and rare minerals! If you had just safeguarded that money, the Tang clan would have prospered twice as much!”

“Watch your words! Squandered? Do you even know what research entails?”

“Why should I know! Ultimately, it’s true! Look at this recent incident! If it weren’t for us, do you think you could have created those fancy poisons and weapons? Look at these guys demanding to see results!”

“Brother! Your words are too harsh!”

The temporarily subdued argument reignited, and heated exchanges erupted all around.

Seeing those exposing their fangs at each other, Tang Gunak pressed his throbbing temples.

‘Was it really this bad?’

Tang Gunak had anticipated discord. Given the vastly different roles each person held, it was natural for resentments to build up against each other.

However, he had never imagined it would be this intense.

Initially, they had been cautious around him, watching his every move. But as one by one they began to speak up, the floodgates opened, and now they were hurling fierce accusations at each other as if they had completely forgotten the existence of the Lord.

The craftsmen, who had been suppressed by the dominance of the martial artists for so long, vented their anger.

And as the men of the Tang clan bickered and argued over who was right, the women of the clan watched with cold eyes.

‘It’s been simmering beneath the surface, hasn’t it?’

A bitter laugh escaped him.

Though he never explicitly voiced it, Tang Gunak had a sense of pride in the Tang clan he had come to rule. It was a certainty about the Tang clan, which had begun to exert influence not just in Sichuan, but throughout the entire Central Plains, escaping the swamp of the Council of Elders.

However, now he had to admit that he didn’t know everything about the Tang clan. Perhaps even the Lord of the Tang clan had only seen the outer shell of it.

‘They’ve endured in this state.’

For centuries, the Tang clan had maintained the same system. Even as the times changed and the world evolved, the Tang clan remained the same.

And the side effects of that stagnation were the simmering resentments, hidden beneath the surface. Those who shared the Tang surname silently despised each other.

If it weren’t for the attack of Maninbang, Tang Gunak might have lived his whole life without realizing this truth.

Gazing at the fortress of the Tang clan, built higher and higher upon shaky foundation, Tang Gunak might have ended his life with a proud heart, oblivious to the fact that the walls, starting from the cornerstone, would one day tragically crumble without his knowledge.

Tang Gunak suddenly glanced at someone. It was Chung Myung, with a peculiar expression, peering in their direction from afar.

There are things one can only understand by losing. Tang Gunak keenly felt the significance of those words.

“There’s no need for further discussion! We must gather whatever funds remain as we head to Shaanxi and replenish our supply of poison. What use is a Tang clan without poison?”

“Are you suggesting that poison will fly on its own to incapacitate our enemies? While a lack of poison doesn’t diminish the effectiveness of our martial arts, what can poison achieve on its own? Establishing a workshop should be our priority!”

“Whether it’s poison or a workshop, do you not realize that you are nothing without us? You foolish…!”

“What did you say?”

In the midst of another round of heated exchanges, the forceful voice of Tang Gunak penetrated their ears.

“Enough!”

Upon hearing the command, everyone fell silent. Despite the tension and agitation, the authority of the Tang clan’s Lord was still strong.

“We gathered here to discuss, not to blame one another.”

“Yes, my Lord.”

“We apologize. We got carried away…”

Watching them suppress their emotions and step back, Tang Gunak sighed.

“I know there are many pent-up emotions among us all.”

“My Lord…”

The chief administrator spoke, his face covered in cold sweat.

“I-I apologize. At a time like this… We should all show respect.”

“No,”

Tang Gunak shook his head.

“It’s precisely at times like this that we need more dialogue. Perhaps… If not now, we may never have the chance again.”

Certainly, it might not be the most suitable moment. However, Tang Gunak deemed this gathering as crucial. If they could find even a bit of respite to hide and suppress their emotions, the opportunity for such sincere conversation might vanish forever.

“So, let’s not hold back and speak openly. About what the problem is. And…”

Tang Gunak glanced at everyone.

“What needs to change for Tang clan to remain the Tang clan in the future.”

The gazes of the Tang clan members wavered slightly.

In truth, Tang Gunak hadn’t adopted a particularly authoritative stance, nor had he appealed for something different than usual. However, despite this, it was unmistakable. As the head of the family, Tang Gunak was speaking from the depths of his heart.

At that moment, Tang Gunak’s gaze shifted towards the women of the Tang clan seated on one side.

“And the same goes for all of you.”

Instead of responding, the women exchanged glances.

“I know it won’t be easy. But I am merely the one offering an opportunity. Whether or not you seize that opportunity is entirely up to you.”

Anxiety flickered in the eyes of the Tang clan women.

They had voiced their opinions countless times. Sometimes through minor grievances, and at other times through vehement resistance. Yet, their voices had always been ultimately silenced, regardless of when or how they spoke up.

Knowing this, should they continue to repeat the cycle? To try to change what hadn’t changed for centuries?

No, there’s no reason for that. Perhaps now they’ll pretend to listen for a while, but eventually, the Tang clan will revert to its old ways. And these women will have to pass on that destiny to the children they bear.

Sensing the Tang clan women’s strangely cold gaze, Tang Gunak sighed deeply before speaking.

“To be honest, reclaiming the glory of the Tang clan won’t be easy.”

It was a truly disheartening statement. Yet, the clan members waited for Tang Gunak’s next words without showing any signs of disappointment.

“No, perhaps it might be possible. If I sacrifice my life, and you sacrifice yours, and we sacrifice everything… Perhaps in the generations to come, the name of the Tang clan will resonate throughout the world once again.”

Tang Gunak suddenly looked up at the sky. A bright sky where the stars that used to gaze down at him were no longer visible.

“But… what would that be for?”

“…”

“The reason for the existence of the Tang clan is to protect its members, both present and future. So, what meaning does sacrificing your lives to preserve its glory and power really hold?”

“My Lord…”

“What I’m discussing now is not how the Tang clan can return to its former glory.”

Tang Gunak looked at everyone with a firm gaze.

“What matters is how the Tang clan can avoid repeating the mistakes of the past. How we can become the Tang clan that our ancestors envisioned, where everyone can find happiness.”

Tang Gunak paused, emphasizing his words with deliberate force.

“I can’t do it alone. No one can do it alone.”

His voice, somewhat softer than usual for Tang Gunak, still carried a profound sincerity.

“So, speak up. I implore you.”

Tang Gunak’s sincere gaze once again turned towards the women.

After a brief silence, Tang Sobo stood up from her seat. Bewildered glances were directed at her.

“Sobo?”

Tang Sobo took a few hesitant steps forward and then sat back down.

It was just a few steps, barely approaching the front and sitting back down.

But the significance of those steps was anything but small. The Tang clan’s women looked at Tang Sobo, then rose from their seats and sat beside her.

Tang Sobo hesitated before speaking.

“Well then…”

“Speak up.”

Tang Gunak nodded.

“Can we, by any chance, learn martial arts? Instead of marrying into influential families, can we go to Hwasan and become disciples there?”

The young women of the Tang clan widened their eyes at the question. Especially because they half-intuitively felt their own destinies hanging in the balance, they couldn’t help but be on edge awaiting the answer.

“…Is that what you desire?”

“No… No, my Lord. We understand what we must do for the family. We’ve known since childhood. While others from ordinary households starve and plow the fields, we’ve been aware of the privileges bestowed upon us.”

“…”

“Still… I just wanted to ask. If it’s really possible.”

Tang Gunak nodded.

“If that’s what you desire, if that’s a path that could bring you a bit more happiness, then let it be so. But my thoughts are a bit different…”

Disappointment shadowed the cautiously hopeful expression on Tang Sobo’s face. The next words would reveal Tang Gunak’s true intentions. In the end, nothing would change. It was inevitable…

“Instead of learning martial arts at Hwasan, how about learning the martial arts of our clan?”

“…Yes?”

“If you wish, I’ll allow you to remain in the clan without getting married. From this moment onward.”

It was a declaration that completely overturned the family law that Sichuan Tang Clan had upheld for hundreds of years.