***
"What on earth happened? Where have you been all this time?"
Sima Hyeon asked, his face puffy after bursting into tears.
"I'll explain slowly. It's a long story."
Sima Geon gave a faint smile, set up a table with drinks alongside Sima Ho, and beckoned to Sima Jin, who was busily rolling her eyes.
"Ho still looks just like he did as a kid. Our little sister too."
Sima Jin blushed and lowered her head. Seeing this, Sima Hyeon grinned brightly and said,
"You've grown a lot, haven't you?"
"Yeah. You were only four when I left home."
"That young?"
Sima Hyeon asked in surprise, then nodded with a somber expression.
"Right. It was twelve years ago when you went missing. I was just ten."
"I was eight."
Sima Ho stuck in his tongue and chimed in.
"Do you remember me, Ho?"
At Sima Geon's question, Sima Ho thumped his chest with an incredulous look.
"Of course. You used to take us to play by the Guardian Spirit every day."
"That's right."
Sima Geon smiled happily.
"I wonder how the Guardian Spirit's doing. Hope it didn't get struck by lightning or something."
Sima Ho giggled and raised his cup. Sima Hyeon frowned.
"Don't jinx it."
"Don't worry. It's growing even better than before."
At Sima Geon's words, Sima Hyeon and Sima Ho asked in unison,
"You went back to the hometown?"
"Yeah. I met the villagers too. Heard about you from Village Head Jang. That's how I found you so easily."
"I see. That explains it."
"What about... Mother?"
Sima Hyeon asked cautiously.
"I heard."
In that instant, the room's atmosphere grew heavy.
"She waited a long time. Everyone else said you were dead, but she never believed it. She was certain you'd come back someday."
"Yeah."
"If only you'd come a little sooner..."
Sima Hyeon fought back the tears welling up.
"Tell me about it. I hurried as fast as I could, but I was still too late."
Sima Geon's sad smile only deepened the gloom in the room.
"Oh, that Jang Seong guy's here in Soheung too, right?"
"Yeah. He works with me. At the escort agency."
Sima Hyeon wiped his tears and nodded.
"Escort agency?"
Sima Geon's face hardened at the word. Knowing full well why, Sima Hyeon gave an awkward smile.
"Looks like you didn't hear in the hometown. I'm working as a porter at Zhu Hai Escort Agency. He started as a porter too, but complained it was too tough traveling long distances, so now he's learning under the chief steward. He's quick with numbers, gets a lot of praise."
"Him? Hard to picture."
Sima Geon widened his eyes.
In his faint memories, Jang Seong was a chubby kid who moved and talked sluggishly, far from anything scholarly or numerical.
"Me too. Still can't believe it."
"But was it okay? Mother must've opposed it fiercely if it's an escort agency."
"She did. Way more than I expected."
Recalling those days, Sima Hyeon let out a sigh.
"Obviously. Big brother vanished while working as a porter. You were wrong to take it up in the first place."
Sima Ho sipped his drink and scolded.
"Not like you, who just dives into back alleys."
"Back alleys? Hmph! Still, I earn more money."
"By fleecing the weak? We don't need that kind of money."
"Who're we fleecing? How many times do I have to say we don't do that!"
"Ask anyone on the street about the Same Heart Society..."
"Enough."
As the argument between Sima Hyeon and Sima Ho heated up, Sima Geon stepped in to stop them.
"I'm not trying to play big brother now, but let's not hurt each other. Especially today, of all days—Mother's death anniversary."
"Ah! Sorry, brother."
Sima Hyeon apologized with a startled look.
"It's fine. Not like it's the first time or anything. I'm not the type to get hurt by this, big brother."
Cheol U burst into laughter at Sima Ho's words.
"I like your spirit. We had guys like you under us too. Right, Captain?"
"Shut up and drink."
Sima Geon cut him off quickly, not wanting to talk about the past in front of his siblings.
"I've been wondering—why do you call big brother 'Captain,' Cheol U?"
Sima Ho asked while pouring drinks.
Cheol U downed his cup in one go, glanced at Sima Geon, and said,
"I picked a fight with the Captain as a kid and got crushed. Owe him my life a few times too."
"Really?"
Not just Sima Ho, but Sima Hyeon and Sima Jin stared back and forth between them in disbelief.
Cheol U's build was gigantic enough to call him a giant. His fierce features alone could make enemies kneel without a fight. It was hard to accept that such a man had lost to their seemingly frail big brother.
"He's lying. Just doesn't want to call me brother."
Sima Geon shot Cheol U a look, then turned to Sima Jin, who kept stealing glances at him.
"What? Something to say?"
"N-no."
Sima Jin shook her head.
"Do you remember me, little sister?"
"No. Not really..."
Sima Jin trailed off and bowed her head.
"I see. You were too young."
Sima Geon gently stroked her hair. He felt it was natural, yet a bit disappointed.
"But I do remember one thing. Faintly."
"What?"
Anticipation flickered in Sima Geon's eyes.
"Someone gave me a piggyback ride when I was little. Walking through fields at sunset on their back. My brothers said it was you."
"That's right. Piggybacks were your favorite. You remembered."
Sima Geon beamed. He looked overjoyed that Sima Jin remembered him. Embarrassed by his reaction, she stood up abruptly.
"Oh gosh, look at me. So much to prepare..."
Sima Jin swayed before finishing. Startled, Sima Geon caught her quickly.
"You okay?"
"I'm fine. Just dizzy for a second. It'll pass."
Sima Jin smiled as if it were nothing. But Sima Hyeon and Sima Ho watching didn't look pleased.
Sima Geon, knowing the family left the hometown because of Sima Jin's illness, had a face already stiff with tension.
"Still, be careful. Take it easy."
Sima Geon patted her back with a forced smile.
"Got it."
Sima Jin replied brightly and left the room. Sima Geon turned to Sima Hyeon, his smile gone.
"Looks like we have a lot to talk about."
After the tear-streaked memorial rite ended and everyone slept, only the two brothers lingered over drinks.
"Here, have a cup."
Sima Geon studied Sima Hyeon's face as he took it.
Aged beyond his years, skin rough, forehead lined with deep wrinkles.
Seeing the traces of a harsh life on Sima Hyeon hurt Sima Geon's heart.
"You've really been through it."
"What do you mean? With you gone, it's only natural I'd step up. Honestly, can't compare to you, who struggled since Dad died early. I only started as a porter at seventeen. Three years later than you."
"Yeah. Good job."
Sima Geon admired how Sima Hyeon spoke proudly without complaint despite his tough role as family head, and raised his cup.
The brothers exchanged cups in silence for a long while.
As the drinks dwindled, Sima Geon quietly set his down.
"What's the illness?"
Sima Hyeon froze mid-sip.
"You knew?"
"Village Head Jang said you left the hometown because of little sister's illness. Even without that, one look at her face tells it all. Pale and sickly. Body looks frail too."
"Would be weird if you didn't notice."
Sima Hyeon drained his cup roughly and continued, face flushed with anger.
"Not sure exactly. We saw every skilled physician nearby, but they just speculated vaguely—no clear diagnosis. The most plausible one is here, though. Settled in Soheung three years ago. Different approach from others. His prescriptions seem to work decently."
"What'd he say?"
Sima Geon swallowed hard.
"Too much yin energy in her body. That's why her hands and feet are cold, face pale. Prescribed meds to supplement yang energy. Seems like that's keeping her going. She was so weak past ten she could barely walk."
"Any cure?"
"He doesn't know for sure either. Said he could ease it more, but..."
Sima Hyeon trailed off sharply.
"If there's a way, why not?"
"Costs a fortune. Even now it's not cheap. Can't afford it on my pay alone. Without Ho's earnings, no chance. I yelled we don't need money from fleecing others, but truth is, I have no right to judge him."
As Sima Hyeon shed self-mocking tears, Sima Geon placed a hand on his shoulder.
"No. You do. No brother stands by while his sibling goes astray."
"Excuses. I couldn't stop him in the end. Needed his money too. I really..."
Sima Geon gripped Sima Hyeon's hand as he agonized.
"I'm here now. No more worries. Put down that burden you've carried. I'll take it."
"Brother..."
Sima Hyeon broke down sobbing. Sima Geon hugged him tight.
"Don't worry about little sister's illness either. I'll fix it, no matter what."
His quiet murmur was a vow to himself, not Sima Hyeon.
Sima Geon laid the exhausted, weeping Sima Hyeon in bed and stepped into the courtyard. A peach tree from the hometown stood there, laden with ripe fruit.
As Sima Geon gazed at it absently,
The door creaked open. Cheol U emerged yawning.
"Captain."
"Not sleeping?"
"Couldn't sleep from the start."
"Heard everything?"
"Didn't mean to, but it carries."
Cheol U plucked a peach, rubbed it on his clothes, and bit in deep. Juice dribbled down his chin.
"Man, these peaches are killer."
"From the hometown."
Sima Geon picked one too. Cheol U smacked his lips beside him.
"Should've grabbed some ourselves."
"What? Oh, Gold Tiger Stronghold?"
"Yeah. They had a heap of loot. You told us to leave it."
As Cheol U expressed regret, Sima Geon shook his head.
"That goes to the ones who earned it. Send some to families of the fallen escorts and merchants too. Honestly, didn't even want to touch their filthy money."
Cheol U slyly reached for another peach.
"Usually people want compensation, right? Rip 'em off big after what they did."
"True. But I didn't."
Sima Geon chuckled idly.
"Well, your call, Captain. Anyway, big trouble. Little miss's treatment costs a ton."
"How much of our take is left? Should be plenty."
"Not really, when you think about it. For your feats, billions wouldn't be enough. Should grab what you can. Unified Heaven Demon Cult, Gold Tiger Stronghold—you're too soft on that stuff."
"Call it magnanimity."
"Yeah, right!"
Cheol U scoffed incredulously, glanced at Sima Jin's room, and asked,
"Still, no need to worry. Remember that thing from Demon Buddha Temple? Even pricey treatment, one of those covers it. What do you think of the little miss's condition? You just checked her."
"Not sure. I'm no physician."
"No guesses?"
"Doesn't seem like a simple illness, like the doc said. Her inner energy's completely imbalanced. Way too much yin."
"Then just infuse some yang, right? Too much yin means not enough yang. Piece of cake with your internal power."
Cheol U said it like curing her was trivial.
"Doesn't feel that simple. Tried injecting some yang like you said—no effect. Or rather, no pathway for it to enter."
"What does that mean?"
Cheol U furrowed his brow.
"Dunno. Just is."
"If even you can't, guess it's down to that physician."
"For now. Though it'll cost."
"Money's no issue. Saving the girl is."
"Lost Mother—can't lose a sister too. If that doc can't, I'll scour the world for one who can."
Sima Geon declared firmly. His clenched fist drew blood, mirroring his resolve.