Chapter 50: Let the Exchange Begin
The distinguished guests cheered and applauded enthusiastically as Patriarch Baek officially opened the friendly exchange.
Despite how outdated and backward traditional martial arts might seem in the modern era, it was still a refreshing change of pace for high-society elites looking for a break.
Down below, tension among the twelve third-generation Baek descendants flared as the low-ranked fighters prepared to pick their opponents from the top six.
Meanwhile, Ji-Hong took the opportunity to approach his father, who was still standing near the three Elders.
"Father, please allow me to enter as a candidate. Or at least let me challenge them, since I naturally rank at the bottom having never participated," Ji-Hong requested, bowing slightly.
Ji-Gal frowned, deeply questioning whether his ears were deceiving him tonight.
"What did you say?" Ji-Gal asked under his breath, his low voice heavy with shock and concern, yet kept quiet enough to avoid drawing a scene.
Unsurprisingly, Ji-Hong’s bold words immediately triggered a harsh reaction from the three Elders standing nearby.
"Know your place, brat," Su-Su barked in a sharp, abrasive tone, not giving an ounce of consideration to Ji-Gal’s presence. "Don’t cause trouble. There are too many eyes on us tonight. If you collapse out there, you’ll bring shame upon the entire family."
"Your little joke has gone far enough," Li-Si added, aiming a subtle but stinging jab. "Stop this childish nonsense and sit quietly next to your mother."
Meanwhile, Si-Jin simply crossed his arms, offering Ji-Hong a look of utter, silent contempt.
Ji-Gal issued a final reprimand. "Listen to your elders. Return to your seat beside your mother." He then glanced at Jo-Hyun, signaling her to guide their son away.
Flustered, Jo-Hyun hurriedly stood up to pull Ji-Hong back, eager to prevent him from digging a deeper hole.
Before she could reach him, however, an unexpected turn of events unfolded: Butler Lee stepped forward to back Ji-Hong’s request.
"Master Baek, please grant the Young Master’s request!" Butler Lee pleaded, dropping to his knees and pressing his hands together respectfully. "I swear on my very life—if anything happens to the Young Master, I am prepared to accept any punishment!"
Joining him, A-Ji and Ji-Ga immediately fell to their knees as well, begging Ji-Gal to reconsider.
"Master Baek, please consider the Young Master’s request!"
Unsurprisingly, the three Elders didn’t take kindly to their pleas.
"Hah! Servants with zero manners," Su-Su snorted in disgust. "How dare you open your mouths in our presence? Do you honestly think the well-being of a Baek descendant can be guaranteed by worthless scum like you?!"
"You’ve all taken this childish game entirely too far," Li-Si added loudly. "Instead of teaching Baek Ji-Hong to know his place, you’re indulging his delusions. What useless, low-quality servants."
Even Elder Si-Jin dropped his calm facade and stood up, his face dark with fury. "This insolence cannot be tolerated. You have forgotten your place."
At Si-Jin’s silent command, four elite family guards stepped forward, intending to forcibly drag Ji-Hong and his three loyal subordinates out of the hall.
Suddenly—
"All of you are far too tense. Calm down."
A quiet, commanding voice echoed across the head table as Patriarch Baek walked over, instantly diffusing the explosive atmosphere. "This is a night of celebration, not an occasion to mobilize elite guards over a petty argument."
Su-Su could only click her tongue in frustration, forced to swallow her rage. Though she was his elder sister, she possessed neither the authority nor the audacity to act out in front of Ji-Sung.
The same applied to Li-Si and Si-Jin.
Among the four first-generation siblings, Ji-Sung had been chosen as Patriarch precisely because his wisdom, composure, and martial strength far surpassed those of the rest.
Consequently, his leadership was absolute, subject to challenge only if conflicting family interests arose or deviated from the predecessor’s assignment.
However, just because the three Elders fell silent didn’t mean Ji-Hong’s impudence went unnoticed.
Su-Su and Li-Si continued to glare with solemn expressions, while Si-Jin remained standing firmly in his spot.
The four elite guards also stood their ground, refusing to take even a single step back.
Seeing this, Patriarch Baek simply offered a subtle, knowing smile as he took his seat, effortlessly taking control of the situation.
"What is it you wish to say? If this old man heard correctly, you wish to participate in the friendly exchange, correct?" he asked.
"Correct, Patriarch," Ji-Hong replied. This time, he made a genuine effort to project dignity and proper etiquette, bowing sixty degrees forward—even if his stiff posture made the gesture look a little unnatural.
Patriarch Baek was mildly impressed before turning his gaze toward Butler Lee and the two guards.
"And the three of you wish to step forward as collateral? Hehe. Amusing. Knowing your young master’s condition as well as you do?" he asked playfully, yet his tone resonated with overwhelming authority.
Surprisingly, Butler Lee, A-Ji, and Ji-Ga weren’t crushed or made nervous by the immense pressure. Instead, they offered calm, resolute nods—showing that their decision to act so brazenly was born of pure conviction.
"Young Master has recovered, and he hopes to share the good news through this friendly exchange," Butler Lee added, seemingly unafraid of the consequences.
This had been Butler Lee’s plan all along to plead their case, knowing that Ji-Hong’s words alone wouldn’t sway anyone.
Truthfully, all three of them felt a bit exasperated at how absurd it was for them to speak up regarding Ji-Hong’s participation.
But deep down in their hearts, they desperately wanted this real transformation to be witnessed by everyone who had always looked down on Ji-Hong as a wastrel.
To them, even if Ji-Hong was a foolish and far from brilliant master to serve, his genuine kindness was still the best they had ever known in the Baek Family.
Sometimes, to repay such kindness from such a strange master, even a foolish gamble was a measure worth taking.
Naturally, Butler Lee’s declaration triggered an immediate, explosive reaction from everyone who knew the true nature of Ji-Hong’s condition.
"Fools! Ji-Hong’s weak constitution is permanent—no technology in existence can heal it! Stop this nonsense at once and return to your seats." Li-Si snapped at Ji-Hong and his entourage before turning his gaze toward the head of the table. "Patriarch, please resolve this absurdity."
"Tch! A bunch of idiots spouting bullshits," Su-Su spat harshly. "You ought to be fired on the spot for spreading such blatant lies!"
Si-Jin was about to step in as well, ready to call the claims impossible and downright excessive. But as his eyes swept over the quiet, unshakeable demeanor of Ji-Hong and his three servants, the memory of that strange shop—Origins VR Cafe—suddenly flashed through his mind completely unbidden.
’Don’t tell me... No, that’s impossible. That... that can’t be true, right?!’ Si-Jin thought frantically, utterly refusing to accept the wild realization creeping into his head.
Meanwhile, Ji-Gal and Jo-Hyun reacted with the grief and frustration expected of parents who had lived with their child’s fragile health from the day he was born.
"Butler Lee, you’ve crossed the line this time!" Ji-Gal exclaimed in a hushed, strained voice. "You know Ji-Hong’s body better than anyone after us! How could you bring yourself to say something so reckless?!"
"Ji-Hong~ah, please, let’s stop this now," Jo-Hyun pleaded, her voice trembling with affection and sheer terror. "Don’t cause trouble here. Your body is not a plaything. If you take a hit out there, you’ll collapse... you could die!"
"Master Baek, actually, the Young Master has fully recovered. He was even examined by—"
"Stop."
Ji-Hong cut Butler Lee off before he could finish. Ignoring his parents’ desperate pleas and the Elders’ bitter mockery, he looked directly at Patriarch Baek.
"Patriarch, will you grant me permission or not?"
Ji-Gal and Jo-Hyun opened their mouths to object and put an end to this madness, but Patriarch Baek raised a single hand, silencing the entire table.
"Now, now. Everyone, calm down. Let’s not turn a celebration into chaos," Patriarch Baek said easily.
His voice was casual, yet the underlying command left zero room for argument. Absolute silence fell over the VIP section.
As the room went quiet, the Patriarch’s gaze on Ji-Hong intensified.
Ji-Hong didn’t flinch. He didn’t look timid or agitated. He stared back with a calm, eager smile, unable to hide his excitement for what was about to happen once he stepped onto that elevated stage.
Patriarch Baek chuckled, waving his hand permissively. "Go on then. You have my permission."
He then shifted a stern glare toward Butler Lee and the two guards. "Take good care of him. You three are personally responsible for whatever happens out there. Do you understand?!"
"Yes, Patriarch!"
As Ji-Hong and his three loyal subordinates turned to walk toward the central arena, Ji-Gal and Jo-Hyun rushed up to Patriarch Baek, completely discarding formal etiquette in their panic.
"Father—"
"Father-in-law—"
"Shh!" Patriarch Baek placed a finger over his lips.
Before soothing his distressed son and daughter-in-law, he cast a subtle glance at his three siblings.
’Those three would be thrilled if something terrible happened to Ji-Hong—no wonder they aren’t trying so hard to oppose it. Meanwhile, these two are panicking purely out of parental love. Ah, what a mess.’
Looking back at Ji-Gal and Jo-Hyun, Patriarch Baek offered a warm, reassuring smile. "There is no need to worry. I have a feeling the ’impossible’ is no longer impossible."
"Recovered or not, we should take him straight to the hospital for a proper checkup then!" Ji-Gal insisted, his brow furrowed with anxiety.
Patriarch Baek could only offer a helpless smile.
With all his decades of wisdom and leadership experience, he could see right through Ji-Hong’s scheme. The boy was putting on a show, and he refused to let anyone ruin his grand entrance.
And truth be told? The old Patriarch was far too curious to stop Ji-Hong now.