Chapter 10 – A Sudden Invitation
Cheon Woo-jin tilted his head after hearing what Chief Kim said.
‘Someone’s looking for me early in the morning?’
Chief Kim was a careful man. He wouldn’t accept a visitor without a good reason, especially this early.
Cheon Woo-jin looked him in the eye and asked,
“Is it someone from the family?”
Chief Kim nodded.
“Yes. Miss Cheon Eunha asked if she could have breakfast with you.”
It was unexpected. Cheon Eunha, one of the direct bloodline and Woo-jin ’s half-sister, suddenly wanted to meet.
‘Cheon Eunha approached me?’
Cheon Woo-jin’s main concern was Cheon Ohyuk, but the other heirs Cheon ji-hoo and Cheon Eunha were also powerful rivals. And now Eunha was reaching out? Something felt strange.
‘She’s suddenly interested in me. Something's going on.’
Since the news about his recovery from Cheon-hyun (his deadly condition) wasn’t public yet, his going out shouldn’t have caused a stir.
Yet Eunha wanted to meet him right away. That meant someone might’ve leaked information.
‘It could’ve been Cheon Ohyuk or Cheon ji-hoo, who’s good at reading people. They probably used Eunha to test the waters.’
Eunha wasn’t one for mind games. She was more of a straight-shooter, someone who liked things clear and simple. She would rather fight head-on than play tricks. But that didn’t mean she was dumb or unstrategic.
To understand her intentions, Woo-jin decided it was best to meet her directly.
“Tell her I’ll be down soon,” he said.
Chief Kim raised his eyebrows slightly in surprise. He had thought Woo-jin would refuse.
He looked like he wanted to say something but just bowed and left the room.
Left alone, Woo-jin stretched and checked his condition. He had stayed up all night, yet he felt even better than before.
Looking at himself in the mirror, he smirked.
“Let’s see what she’s up to.”
Meanwhile, in the hotel restaurant...
The place was busy, even though it was early in the morning.
The reason?
A VVIP guest had ordered a huge amount of steak.
Staff hurried to bring fresh-cooked steak into a private dining room.
The large round table was covered with expensive, high-grade steak.
At the head of the table sat a slim woman with a beautiful and innocent look. As soon as the steak was served, she stabbed it with her fork and shoved it into her mouth.
Chomp! Chomp! Chomp!
She ate quickly, barely chewing, like she was starving.
The steak disappeared in seconds.
Wiping her mouth casually, she turned to the young man next to her and yelled in a rough voice:
“Hey! Myungho, I told you to bring it rare! This is too cooked, it's tough!”
Across from her, a middle-aged foreign man who had been eating his salad quietly shook his head.
“Master, blood-dripping steak in the morning? Even in America, we don’t eat like this. Right, Mr. Han?”
His Korean was smooth and perfect.
The young man, Myungho, frowned as he forced himself to chew his steak.
“Master, didn’t you hear what Michael said? Nobody eats like this in the morning.”
But the woman didn’t care and kept stuffing the nearly raw steak into her mouth.
Myungho shook his head.
“Why waste premium steak on someone who doesn’t even appreciate it?”
Michael just laughed warmly.
“Hahaha! As long as the Master eats well and stays healthy, who cares? Mr. Han, you’re always too strict with her.”
These three laughing and eating noisily—were none other than the leaders of a clan under the Shin Sword Family: the clan called Yacha.
The beautiful yet rough-eating woman was none other than Cheon Eunha, Master of Yacha, and a powerful A-rank Hunter known as “Flaming Demoness.”
As the Yacha core members were finishing their loud breakfast, someone entered the VIP room.
“It’s been a while, Miss.”
It was Chief Kim, still wearing sunglasses indoors, bowing politely.
Cheon Eunha swallowed a big bite and waved.
“Chief Kim! Long time no see. You should just join our clan. You know Yacha has the highest average salary among all family clans, right?”
She had already eaten over 5 kilograms of steak this morning.
Despite her delicate looks, Cheon Eunha had a very bold and fast-paced personality.
Just then, someone walked in behind Chief Kim.
“You’re trying to steal our stuff this early in the morning?”
It was Cheon Woo-jin, wearing a formal suit with the Shin Sword Family crest.
Cheon Eunha stood up, her eyes wide.
“Woo-jin ! Are you... allowed to walk around now?”
Woo-jin smiled and sat next to Michael.
“I wouldn’t be out if I wasn’t fine. Can I have one of these?”
He casually grabbed a steak and cut into it with a knife.
Seeing him eat so naturally shocked both Myungho and Michael.
Until now, Woo-jin hadn’t even left the annex due to his condition. But here he was calmly eating steak.
After a few bites, Woo-jin nodded.
“Expensive food does taste good.”
Eunha leaned forward, staring at him.
“Are you pretending to be fine?” she asked suspiciously.
Woo-jin shrugged, chewing another bite.
“Why would I?”
Eunha frowned in confusion and sat back down, resting her chin on her hand.
“Wow Don’t tell me that bastard Cheon ji-hoo was right. Did you beat the HMC Syndrome?”
Woo-jin didn’t answer directly but thought to himself.
‘So Cheon ji-hoo leaked the info.’
It was clear that Jihoo, after hearing Woo-jin was leaving the house, fed false information to Eunha about a treatment and an auction in Jeongseon.
‘He probably wasn’t targeting Eunha, but Cheon Ohyuk. By letting the info pass through Eunha, it would look more believable.’
Woo-jin smirked. Jihoo was smart but always played sneaky games.
Eunha, being straightforward, had likely rushed to confirm it herself.
But the funny thing was what was meant to be false info turned out to be true.
Eunha, now finished with her steak, looked at Woo-jin with a spark in her eyes.
“Wait... If you’re cured, then your powers and your awakened abilities are back too, right?”
She was blunt as always.
Among the powerful bloodlines, Woo-jin was the one with the greatest potential. If he was healed, he would rise fast.
Eunha, who loved gathering talented people, saw him as a highly desirable recruit.
But Woo-jin just replied,
“Hmm, maybe.”
Eunha narrowed her eyes.
“That’s a lame answer. Yes or no—did you get your powers back?”
She hated vague replies.
Woo-jin looked at her, then suddenly drew energy from deep within.
Whoosh!
A huge wave of energy burst from him.
Michael instantly cast a magic barrier. Myungho jumped up and aimed a gun.
But Eunha just stared.
Woo-jin spoke calmly.
“Have you heard of the phrase ‘Last Flash of Light’?”
Eunha’s eyes widened.
“You don’t mean…”
“Last Flash of Light” meant a person briefly regaining strength right before death.
As someone with great insight, Eunha immediately understood.
Woo-jin nodded.
“Three months. Maybe six, if I’m lucky.”
He said it like he’d already accepted his fate.
The high-density magical conflict syndrome his condition was slowly killing him. He had held on until now, but the limit was near.
Knowing all this, Eunha couldn't believe he was lying. Her lips tightened.
“Is that why you went to the auction? To get dragon blood... to extend your life?”
Her voice softened. Even if they were half-siblings, they were still family.
Woo-jin was surprised.
‘She’s sincere?’
Thanks to his heightened senses, Woo-jin could usually tell when someone was faking. But Eunha was truly worried.
He hadn’t expected that. They had barely interacted growing up. But now he recalled—she had been kind to him when he was younger. Maybe they had shared monthly meals back then.
Suddenly, he noticed something strange.
‘Wait I can’t remember my parents?’
No matter how hard he tried, the memory of his mother and father was blurry.
Was it a side effect of regaining memories from his past life? Or something else?
‘I need to look into this later.’
For now, he focused on Eunha.
He decided to take a step forward in his plan.
“Eunha noona.”
Eunha’s eyes widened. Even Michael and Myungho were surprised.
Woo-jin continued,
“I have a favor to ask.”
Eunha paused, then nodded.
“What is it? If it’s materials or potions, our clan can handle it.”
“It’s not that.”
Woo-jin looked at her and said quietly,
“I’ve received permission from the clan leader. I’m going into the Trial Dungeon.”
Eunha jumped to her feet.
“What?! Are you crazy?! The Trial Dungeon?!”
Over the past twenty years, hundreds had tried, but fewer than ten came back alive.
Woo-jin calmly replied,
“It’s the only way I can survive. If I clear it and earn the reward, I might live.”
“You… don’t mean—”
She knew. Completing the Trial Dungeon could upgrade one’s constitution. But it was nearly suicide.
She bit her lip, unable to say more.
Then Woo-jin looked her in the eye.
“Until I enter the dungeon I want Clan Yacha to protect me.”