Hubei Province. Yangyang County. In the midst of it lies a prestigious family renowned for its history and traditions, as well as being a significant force in the Martial Arts World.
Zhuge Family.
The Prime Minister of Shu Han, the Crouching Dragon. With exceptional abilities and loyalty, he led the country through troubled times, earning admiration even thousands of years later. His descendants trace back to Zhuge Liang.
Now, before me, I could see the Zhuge Family from a distance.
“Oh… we have arrived.”
Unbeknownst to me, I nodded in response to Miss Zhuge’s sigh. We finally made it.
“Why is the Zhuge Family so hard to reach? It’s just nearby.”
Gilsan seemed tired from the continuous uphill trek, mumbling in complaint.
“It’s the famous Yungjung Mountain.”
“When did Yungjung Mountain become famous?”
Gilsan grumbled brusquely, and I bitterly laughed.
Compared to the famous mountains of the Five Great Peaks, Yungjung Mountain was merely a low hill with a not-so-tough topography. With exaggeration, it looked like the backyard hill of a local spring.
However, even an ordinary mountain changes the narrative if it hosts a historical event remembered for thousands of years.
“Are you unaware of the Three Kingdoms? This is the land where Liu Bei invited Zhuge Liang three times!”
The beginning of the middle section of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms was the event of the Three Visits, which occurred right behind the Zhuge Family and on Yungjung Mountain.
“Three Kingdoms? How come a Joseon person knows more history than me?”
“Typically, a Joseon person might not know Wuhan, but they would know places like Chang’an, Luoyang, Xuchang, and Jingzhou.”
I even knew about Zhuge Liang very well.
Who is Zhuge Liang? A startup. An iconic figure in the good corporate world.
Even though he was qualified to enter a large corporation, he ended up making the irreversible choice of joining a startup after several rejections.
I understand. If a job search period stretches too long, one eventually thinks about just getting a job and then looking for a better position. Especially when someone offers to help you, it does sound like a tempting offer.
Entering my first job with excitement. When unreasonable tasks come, I should say what I can’t do, but somehow I end up handling them all.
People around praise the new employee, and I feel good about it, but nothing returns apart from the praise.
Time flows, and at some point, I find myself doing the work meant for two people, while prices go up but my salary remains the same. By the time I realize it and consider switching jobs, it’s already too late.
My career is already damaged, and there’s no place to go.
Of course, Zhuge Liang rarely climbed up to an executive position, but most executives are related to the boss, and my future is limited to a department head idly surfing the internet while dumping work on me.
Thinking back, Zhuge Liang became an executive only to support the owner’s son and wore himself out to death under the burden.
“Tears…”
It’s terrifying. Good. I had been thinking about a job switch, but who would have thought I would end up in another world.
“Excuse me, Master Kang, are you okay?”
“I’m just moved to see Yungjung Mountain, which I only saw in novels.”
I hurriedly changed the subject.
“Oh really! Master Kang, you said you liked the Three Kingdoms, right?”
Miss Zhuge nodded, seeming to accept my excuse with a smile.
“Not really. I’m worried now that all that awaits on a rainy day is a pounding.”
Though it wasn’t Gilsan.
“…”
“Oh…”
That rascal. Barely recalling what I wanted to forget.
“I heard the Zhuge Family is a kind of clan village, but it looks like a planned city from afar.”
What I saw from a distance of the Zhuge Family looked intricately woven like a web, irregular yet somehow orderly.
“Can you see it?”
Miss Zhuge asked curiously.
“It seems like it was built following some rule, but I can’t tell what that rule is.”
“To my eyes, it looks like there’s fog over the buildings.”
Gilsan glanced my way, then muttered as if unsure, “It just looks faintly like that. The central part looks like it has white dust.”
That’s strange. It shouldn’t be foggy weather. Even if I strained my brow, it seemed the central part was indeed shrouded in thick fog.
“It’s the center of the Eight Gates of Concealment.”
Miss Zhuge carefully replied, as if others would hear.
“You mean Zhuge Liang’s Eight Gates of Metal and Stone?”
“Yes. The Zhuge Family was built according to the principles of the Eight Gates of Concealment to fend off invaders. There are artifacts maintaining the formation at the center, so even the elders of the family can’t easily go there.”
That’s why I couldn’t see a huge wall like that of the Sichuan Tang Family. It was a place where enemies would intuitively retreat after sensing a barrier.
“Surely, no matter what enemy comes, the Six Gates would smash them.”
Indeed, the Eight Gates of Concealment are impressive.
“Wait? What does that mean…?”
“That rascal. The closer we get to the Zhuge Family, the worse I feel…”
“Actually, I’ve been so tense since earlier that I’m trying to distract myself.”
I thought I wasn’t tense, but the closer we got to the Zhuge Family, the more I felt like I was walking toward hell.
“What do you have to worry about when you’ve returned alive from the Tang Family? By the way, do the Zhuge Family and the Tang Family look similar?”
“Completely different vibes. The Sichuan Tang Family felt like a giant castle.”
“A castle?”
“The Sichuan Tang Family specializes in poison.”
I nodded to Miss Zhuge’s words.
“Yes. There was a strong atmosphere to block anything coming from outside or going inside.”
The Sichuan Tang Family specializes in poison, so the ambiance is mostly closed off.
Right, I returned alive from the Tang Family, so what could possibly happen? As I steeled myself, Miss Zhuge looked up at me with a worried expression.
“Ma-Master Kang, are you very nervous?”
“To say I’m not nervous would be a lie. How about you, Miss Zhuge?”
“A little. Ah?!”
Immediately, I grabbed Miss Zhuge’s hand with both of mine, wearing a playful expression.
“Let’s tackle this together, shall we? Surely you won’t try to kill me.”
“Uh, um… yes!”
Miss Zhuge. That strange hesitation is quite unsettling. I have no choice; I must prepare myself.
“Don’t show such a sight. The Zhuge Family is watching us.”
Gilsan sighed deeply as if having seen something unpleasant, gesturing behind him.
“Let them look. They’ll find out about it anyway, so what does it matter?”
“Hehe.”
“Right. You all are amazing. Do your best.”
I just exchanged glances with Miss Zhuge and laughed at Gilsan’s exasperated tone.
Yeah, I have to do well after all.
———
“Ahem! As we will arrive soon, refrain from drawing too much attention.”
Is it true that human body heat has a calming effect?
As I held hands with Miss Zhuge and walked playfully, I felt no significant tremors upon reaching the Zhuge Family’s main gate.
Right, I’ll just give it a try.
“Please present the representative of your group.”
After a brief wait at the main gate, a martial artist from the Zhuge Family approached us.
“That would be me, Hyun-won Dae, Zhuge Jak.”
“Zhuge Jak? The one from Man Geum Battlefield, right? Hold on, so!”
The eyes of those near the main gate wandered as if searching for someone. There was no need to ask who they were looking for.
Their gazes directed at me were fixed and not moving anymore.
“No way!”
“That guy?!”
“Let the family head know!”
And boldly pushing through the crowd, I walked toward the main gate.
“Master Kang?!”
All the heads turned slightly with my movements.
The black-haired figure of the Zhuge Family was now familiar. Had the rumors already spread? Did they know my identity? Their eyes were filled with surprise, curiosity, and rage.
I didn’t care.
Using the Small Wheel Mental Image Technique, I confidently shouted toward the main gate.
“I, Kang Yoon-ho, heir of the Man Geum Battlefield, have come to see my father-in-law!”
The bustling front of the Zhuge Family’s main gate fell silent in an instant.
Cr…ack!
With a confident and bold stance like this, isn’t this expected of a son-in-law for the Zhuge Family?
Now, led by the Zhuge Family’s martial artists, I would pay my respects to my future father-in-law and mother-in-law…
“Why are you all dawdling! Hurry, take this brat away!”
“…What?”
Things flowed quite differently than expected.
“Catch him!”
Numerous burly martial artists’ hands abruptly covered me.
And then…
“Wait! Save me! Aahhh!”
I was instantly dragged away.
———
Following the principles of the Eight Gates of Concealment that unfolded at the Zhuge Family, I was led into a place along a neatly arranged yet complex path.
Inside the giant mansion.
In a room where the air seemed stagnant, three imposing martial artists knelt on one knee, gazing up at a middle-aged man.
Who could it be?
The man they were looking up to appeared more like a scholar than a martial artist.
Despite his middle age, he exuded an intelligent aura and had distinct features. It was apparent he was once revered as a handsome nobleman. The martial artists stared at him with sincere faces.
“Father.”
The man’s name was Zhuge Geuk.
A figure of great renown in the Martial Arts World, a blend of martial prowess and scholarship, he was the head of the Zhuge Family, respected by his family’s martial artists, and even the Elders’ Council would never challenge his words.
As the head of the Zhuge Family, he was excellently leading the clan, yet for the past few days, he had been preoccupied with a singular concern.
“When on earth will he arrive?”
None of the martial artists needed to ask who the head was waiting for.
The head had been waiting for a person for several days.
“Hyun-won Dae is said to be on his way.”
“On his way? That damned bastard. Is he really coming?”
A voice that seemed ready to devour someone caused several martial artists in the room to flinch.
“…It seems he’s coming with someone.”
Zhuge Geuk momentarily closed his eyes to calm his mind at the news he had been waiting for, then slammed his fists on the desk.
“Hyung disappeared on his own! That bastard is with my Hyung!”
Even while trying to calm down, he couldn’t hide his anger.
“Head, please keep your composure.”
“Composure? Am I in a situation to maintain composure? That black-haired brat has charmed my daughter and set up housekeeping with her!”
Had he ever been this angry in his life?
Zhuge Geuk’s fist trembled. The martial artists present couldn’t help but be shocked. How could the normally unflappable head be so furious?
“Didn’t you say there were circumstances?”
“Are you siding with the head?!”
The head’s fury was so intense that his icy gaze pierced through his subordinate.
“Of course not. I merely suggest calming down…”
“If it were your daughter, would you calm down? What kind of circumstances could allow a marriage to progress while disregarding the groom? Was I supposed to just up and die?”
The usually sheltered daughter of his would be at her in-laws today. That set him off. Let’s assume he hadn’t realized it was an engagement.
Yet hearing of her establishing a household without his permission was turning his world upside down.
“Just since I heard of a group coming from afar, it seems they are likely to arrive before lunch.”
Of course, he had considered his daughter’s marriage. However, his beloved youngest daughter—who was Zhuge Family’s direct descendant.
He had intended to spend more time with her before eventually sending her off.
Naturally, her partner had to be someone from a prestigious family—considerate, capable of loving her for life, understanding her slightly quirky personality, and engaging in her interests, without any shortcomings or bad habits.
‘My daughter is living together! My sweet daughter is setting up a household!’
He simply couldn’t comprehend it. Who is his daughter? She was known for fleeing from every matchmaker, with even his subordinates amazed by her escape skills.
Then how had she ended up living with that black-haired man?
“That brat must have taken advantage of my daughter’s inability to refuse and blackmailed her!”
That black-haired scoundrel must have cornered her with devious tactics, and his soft-hearted daughter, unable to decline, would have succumbed.
“Ugh!”
“Head?!”
From Zhuge Geuk’s mouth escaped a stifling groan saturated with anguish. The father closed his eyes once more to calm his mind.
He must stay calm. Soon, he would face that scoundrel.
Suddenly, his daughter, who had turned rebellious, would appear with someone he didn’t even know and stand before him.
“Hey dad, I’m going to marry this guy. I’m not here to ask for your blessing. It’s just an announcement.”
“Yes! To promote goodwill between Joseon and the Central Plains. Hahaha!”
That scoundrel.
That scoundrel!
If he dares to grasp his daughter’s delicate frame in his filthy hands!
Crack!
The armrest of the chair the head had been sitting on shattered in an instant.
“Grrr!”
The head of the Zhuge Family, respected by all, yet…
“Sir! You’re radiating such murderous intent!!!”
“Bring that brat here immediately! That scoundrel, hurry!!!”
He was a severe case of a doting father.
