Chapter 51: Woobin and Woojin

Taehoo’s words made Jiho’s eyes flicker.

But the bewildered feeling vanished in an instant, replaced by anger.

“What kind of trickery is this? Are you saying Seongcheol hyung and Jiuk hyung put this person on me?”

He seemed ready to grab Taehoo by the collar right then and there.

Jiho’s words carried a deep trust in Seongcheol.

Tension hung thickly atop the watchtower.

“I asked what kind of trickery this is.”

Jiho forcibly suppressed the urge to slam his fist into Taehoo’s face.

His fist trembled as he glared fiercely at Taehoo.

If not for the earlier mistake, his punch would have already flown.

And the thought that Taehoo had no reason to lie to him was what held Jiho back.

“You said you were sorry. I guess that wasn’t a lie after all.”

Taehoo added this comment, watching Jiho simmer down from his anger.

“You…!”

Just as Jiho lost his composure and reached out,

“See for yourself.”

Taehoo showed Jiho information saved on his phone—intel Muncheol had brought.

Jiho couldn’t ignore the screen displaying a photo of Seongcheol.

“You… investigated hyung’s background…”

“Just look.”

Faced with Taehoo’s firm attitude, Jiho accepted the phone for now.

He recalled how Taehoo had effortlessly repelled the wave with overwhelming power.

He also realized Taehoo was an opponent he couldn’t defeat.

And then there was the dog meat Taehoo mentioned earlier.

The others buried alongside it.

That day had left a strong impression of Taehoo in Jiho’s memory, and the Taehoo he felt then was not the kind to sow discord and cause trouble like this.

Jiho read the information Taehoo handed over.

It contained Seongcheol’s hidden circumstances, his connection with Jiuk, and Taehoo’s predictions—each detail without omission.

Jiho wasn’t stupid; he just acted impulsively.

He hadn’t shed his childishness yet.

So he quickly grasped what the words on the screen implied.

“Is this really true? Even if it is, there’s no proof that hyung betrayed me.”

His voice was softer than before.

He sensed the information Taehoo gave wasn’t merely baseless speculation.

“It’s enough to be suspicious. Hyung can’t deny it either, right?”

Jiho bit his lip.

His broad shoulders shook with intense emotion.

The desire to deny this situation, the wish to leave immediately—all jumbled confusingly in his mind.

In that moment, Jiho found dealing with his younger brother as difficult as facing his grandfather.

Though they were merely talking, the weight between them was palpable.

Taehoo sensed that.

He quietly observed Jiho, then placed a hand on his shoulder.

“It must be confusing. I understand how hard it is to accept. If you can’t believe it yet, then watch. Move only when you’re sure. When that time comes, I won’t stop you.”

Jiho couldn’t add a word in response.

Being told to watch meant that Taehoo would act in the meantime—moving on suspicious clues until certainty was reached.

Jiho interpreted Taehoo’s words that way, but the reality was different.

Taehoo judged it better not to act without certainty than to move and leave an opening.

“Alright. For now, I’ll believe you. But if this isn’t true, I won’t let it go quietly.”

Taehoo seemed satisfied with that answer and descended from the watchtower.

Leaving the watchtower, Taehoo walked slowly.

He had already familiarized himself with the village layout during the day.

His steps were comfortable, as if wandering through his own bedroom.

The place he reached was on the opposite side of the watchtower.

A remote area surrounded by partially destroyed stone buildings.

“This should do.”

Taehoo entered a building whose exterior was still mostly intact.

Inside was an even greater mess than outside.

Most furniture was broken, and dry dust mingled with the scent of blood filled the air.

The house’s owner had apparently left in a hurry, as abandoned clothes were scattered about.

Taehoo set up the only chair that was still sit-able and picked up a piece of clothing, brushing off the dust that covered it.

As the dust flew off, foreign particles clung to the clothes scattered into the air.

Using Mana, Taehoo wrapped a thin layer over his body to protect his respiratory system.

It might have seemed trivial at a glance, but this was possible thanks to the training with the clan, which had improved his Mana control.

After clearing the dust, Taehoo sat on the chair, staring toward the door.

Like someone waiting for a certain presence.

After a short while, Taehoo’s senses detected footsteps.

Two sets of footsteps matching each other.

The twins.

They must have sensed Taehoo’s presence because they soon entered the building.

The door creaked open, revealing two familiar faces.

Woobin and Woojin.

Twin brothers.

But unlike before, they no longer wore innocent, carefree smiles.

Seeing their expressions, Taehoo was certain the twins were hiding something.

His mind recalled a peculiar detail from the information Muncheol had brought about the twins.

‘No recent activity records or past history.’

Something unthinkable in the Nam Clan.

The clan wouldn’t accept anyone with unclear origins.

‘If that’s possible, there’s only one way.’

Someone with the authority to override the clan’s rules had turned a blind eye to their entry.

This was Taehoo’s deduction based on trusting Juhyeok’s information, and having witnessed the twins’ level earlier that day.

‘There’s no way the clan would let such capable individuals sit idle. It’s even stranger that the brothers haven’t taken an interest in them.’

Adding to that was the aura the twins had used during the daytime battle.

It was a mimicry of aura.

The others with lower skill levels hadn’t noticed, but Taehoo’s eyes, trained since his return, could not be fooled.

‘These guys definitely came from another clan. And fairly recently.’

Only then did it make sense that they had no recent activity records and that the brothers were unaware of them.

‘And the person who overlooked their induction must be Grandfather.’

Then, who were these two really? If they were from another clan, which one?

Taehoo had a partial answer to this question.

[Will they rise as Holy Ones alongside the Twin Stars of the Joo Family?]

He recalled a headline from an article he had seen on the way back to the main house.

The two stars mentioned in the article were undoubtedly twins, the same age as him.

Though their appearances differed from what was described in the article,

‘The Joo Family can change a person’s face.’

This was high-level information that even Taehoo wouldn’t know without memories from his previous life.

If his speculation was correct, the twins were the Twin Stars of the Joo Family’s Holy Ones.

Considering their strength earlier in the day, they were more than worthy of the title.

They imitated the unfamiliar aura of the Nam Clan and displayed such harmony.

The twins’ exposure was only due to Taehoo’s unexpected training method since returning, not because their abilities were lacking.

‘They’re audacious enough to infiltrate another clan despite being Holy Ones. And backed up by real power. Nothing lacking about them. But why did they hide their traces so well in their previous lives?’

Taehoo thought while observing the twins cautiously.

But it wasn’t yet time to delve deeper into that curiosity.

[Wow, is it really that easy to deduce all that from such small clues? Maybe you should quit being a Hunter and become a detective.]

In truth, Taehoo’s situational awareness was beyond ordinary.

Gathering small fragments and forming a complete conclusion.

That was one of Taehoo’s specialties from his stray dog days.

Though his strength had grown and somewhat overshadowed it, his mind hadn’t deteriorated.

And now,

Unlike in his previous life, Taehoo stood in a position where he could directly move the pieces he had read.

‘It did feel odd that they sent me to the dungeon so nonchalantly.’

Namjin had noticed Jiuk sharpening his sword but still sent Taehoo to the dungeon without concern.

Taehoo had thought it was because Namjin trusted the training he’d done for three months.

Of course, that was part of the reason, but there was another.

Namjin had already prepared a card he could use if he noticed the situation.

‘Now then, let’s see if my guess is right.’

Taehoo smiled pleasantly as he looked at the twins.

“Which clan are you from?”

The twins’ expressions instantly drained to an ashen hue.

Though the cool night air circulated through the building, sweat broke out on their foreheads.

“No need to ask, right? The two stars of the Joo Family. The rising Holy Ones. Isn’t that right?”

Taehoo drove the point home.

On the rooftop garden of the skyscraper.

A place Joo Hyemin often visited to gaze at the sky.

Tonight, a special guest was present.

To welcome the guest, a makeshift restaurant had been set up in the garden.

The elegant table was adorned with food that made one’s mouth water just by looking.

A rare steak, still tinged with blood, slid between red lips.

The image of licking the blood droplets off her lips was somehow chilling.

Savoring her meal,

Joo Hyemin looked at the man sitting before her.

“I didn’t expect you to come in person like this…”

Her voice carried a hint of excitement.

The man seated across from her was none other than Namjin.

“Heh heh. Sending such a grand invitation but acting like you didn’t?”

Though this was a greeting exchanged among the core of the Joo Family, Hyemin used honorifics, and Namjin spoke casually.

“I heard you had a grandchild you liked. I just wanted to check him out.”

“Without my permission, too. And you paired up my two most precious little ones.”

Hyemin’s smile stiffened momentarily.

‘That sharp old man… Tried to hide it, but he already figured it out. I wanted to tease him a bit more.’

She quickly resolved the thought and resumed a radiant smile.

“Hmph. Is there anything the First Generation Hunter Namjin doesn’t know? If I hadn’t approved, they wouldn’t even be nearby.”

Hyemin brushed her hair back and smiled seductively as she spoke.

“And since the old man with heavy steps came all this way, it’s an even better choice for me.”

“Isn’t a seventy-year-old ogre no joke?”

A tiny vein twitched on Hyemin’s temple.

Namjin didn’t miss it and smiled inwardly.

“I don’t think it’s right to just let the youngest grandchild be the target of the eldest. Am I wrong?”

“The eldest took out insurance, so I just planted cards he can use.”

“Don’t tell me… you told the kid the twins’ true identities?”

“No. Finding that out is the kid’s skill. It’s not my part to help.”

Namjin’s firm answer made Hyemin narrow her brows.

“You really think the youngest grandchild can figure out the twins’ identities? Our little ones aren’t opponents to be underestimated. It’s only because it’s you that you caught on so easily.”

Hyemin dismissed the idea as impossible.

Namjin found this amusing and laughed boldly.

“Ha! Well, maybe my grandson already noticed. He might even be using it already.”

Namjin bragged proudly.

“Hmph. Our kids are probably better than your grandson.”

“That’ll be clear once the Coming-of-Age Ceremony ends.”

Namjin fired back without yielding.

Hyemin shook her head in disbelief at Namjin’s reaction.

“Ugh, enough. Seeing us brag about grandchildren makes me feel like an old lady. Let’s stop.”

For her, Namjin’s change was astonishing.

Since reaching demi-god status, he rarely showed emotion.

Besides, he was the grumpy old man who always frowned when the clan was mentioned.

Now, seeing him chuckle right before her eyes was bewildering.

Namjin popped another piece of steak into his mouth.

“We really are old. You seem to be struggling to avoid it, but your Constellation probably didn’t give you power for that.”

Her temple vein twitched again.

“Don’t you prefer this side? It must remind you of your youth… right? Hmm? Or are you too weak now that you’re old?”

That was a clear provocation.

Even dragging youth into it.

If someone overheard, they wouldn’t believe this was a conversation between the top elites of Korea.

Namjin looked at her and chuckled.

“You used to follow me happily, now your tongue’s gotten sharper.”

“That’s…!”

Hyemin snapped back, but Namjin cut her off.

“Enough with the nonsense. Tell me about the Gate you discovered.”

After bragging about their grandchildren and reminiscing about youth, the conversation finally turned serious.

“Alright then. Let’s talk business.”

Namjin sighed deeply.

“Old lady, your seductive act is having the opposite effect. Can you stop it?”

Hohoho…

Along with Hyemin’s laughter,

Under the table, an innocent fork was crumpled by her hand.

Few could draw such emotion out of her nowadays.

This meeting was tiring for many reasons.

“Ha, I wanted to tease you a bit… and now I’m the only one suffering.”

Hyemin resigned herself and continued speaking.

Namjin’s eyes gleamed as he listened intently.

Namjin’s early descent.

The meeting.

A new alliance was about to be forged here and now.