I'm dropping this at chapter 68. Idk if it's the translation, but the story makes little sense to me. At first it was fine, it was the typical revenge and hurting of the uke for what happened in the past, but then story beats started repeating of the Male Interest (MI) begging and forcing ML to stay while ML trying to get away. The amnesia part is so meaningless and short that it adds absolutely nothing, then the turn around of the ML getting back with the MI after a quick misunderstanding explanation. Then their safety is at risk but their plot armor is so strong, it summons other characters to help in the nick of time. Little is built up on the relationship and dynamic between them that it's not even emotionally triumphant, more characters are added that had no prior build up like ML's cousin and childhood friend relationship. Things are happening for the sake of happening, it's repetitive and there's no build up
Waiting for more chapters to drop, but man, both stories are just painfully mirroring each other. The way both father and son finally realized their mistakes and hurt their most beloved so deeply to the point of death. History truly repeats itself and screws over the one who doesn't deserve it the most. Both Shen Yu and Li Qing, just because they're beautiful, others kill to covet them while they got thrashed around from one hardship to another with no freedom or autonomy, having no choice in their situations and yet having to carry unimaginable pain. It's already a miracle in itself that Xuan Xian managed to win Shen Yu's heart again, but the other couple will have an even harder time getting past past transgressions.
I'm a little miffed that we were just dropped with the Hong Lian and Song Qing mini arc with little to no backbone, then suddenly Li Qing is their adopted son. I kind of wish we get to see this part so it hits much harder knowing the truth earlier about Li Qing's past
Sorry, I accidentally downvoted
Honestly I did not expect this when I started reading, I didn't even see the tags. But man when everything started going to shit I was legit flabbergasted and thought Mujin was just another yandere (technically yes but that's besides the point). I feel extremely bad for ChoAh, all he wanted was to help people and the one person he helped to save the life of TWICE, just so happens to be the one that cost him everything - his father, his home, his friends, his future and lastly his freedom.
He is way too naive and trusting which makes sense honestly considering where and how he grew up, he had no reason to doubt. However, the fact that he would trust blindly and yet never asked anything until it mattered, was one of the reasons why his fate was sealed. But most of what had happened in the story was not his fault, he didn't do any other wrong. It was other people that wanted to use him, covet him and possess him.
Mujin is also a tragic character. His family is insane, he had no love nor support from anyone, he was forced into situations where he could never truly escape from. The first time he went to the village, they betrayed him. The other villages sold him out after saying they would accept him. Literally the only person that would care for him unconditionally was ChoAh, with the amount of love and care he gave, no wonder he clung onto him so desperately. He tried so very hard to change and find a place he could call home, but everywhere he turned to, people would hurt and betray him. The way he snapped at the end is completely understandable, but with the number of people he killed, with or without justifiability, is just unforgivable.
Yusaran is both a sad and an extremely fucking hateable character. The fact that he loved and supported Mujin does not make him owe him any amount of love back. True love is not conditional, but his obsession and possessiveness towards someone who does not reciprocate is his downfall. It is sad that he also never received any love, but his misplaced anger and hatred then rape and harassment of ChoAh makes him a major fucking asshole.
Jisung is just, sadly, tragic. He was truly the one good character that had ChoAh's wellbeing in mind with no conditions attached. He left in order to keep ChoAh safe from being whored around, then repeatedly warned and took care of him. While he did go too far in some scenes that he nearly went further with ChoAh (who still cheated and that's a no-no), and did wish and hope for them to get back together, he did genuinely help despite the rejection out of pure worry and care for him. The ending for him is just a tragedy and undeserved...
Lastly, Baekrang is a twist I half didn't see coming. I was genuinely hoping that he was truly a good guy because I read too many series that they would be the twist villain, but alas. He hated Mujin that he said that he shouldn't have been born and that kind of pissed me off, because who the fuck asked to be born? Especially Mujin who questioned that repeatedly and was suicidal, it just triggered me, it was completely unwarranted blame on Mujin. Then the first intimate scene with ChoAh, I thought it was weird why he would do it but maybe he was also into him. But when the truth came out, and especially the rape scene after, it just becomes so disturbing and the flag is redder then Mujin's eyeliner. While I thought his death was somewhat warranted at the end, as brutal as it was, I just thought it was a little rushed.
All in all, a good read if you want angst and tragedy and a whole lot of violence. Though some scenes were hard to swallow, it was mostly enjoyable. Wouldn't recommend to read enthusiastically though.
I see a lot of people getting hung up on the extra chapter, when I feel like it's kind of not really something to be upset over? Because yes, some people see it as weird and creepy or something, but everyone has their kinks and preferences. As long as it's consensual on both sides and it doesn't affect anyone negatively, is there a problem? If you don't like it, skip it.
For Nagizuka, it is an incredibly self-destructive thing to do and he fucked up by tricking his crush into admitting he's gay, but then he also doesn't deserve to be knocked around. He's a bad friend, not a bad person, he made a mistake that majorly breached Makoto's trust, and it's up to Makoto whether he wants to forgive, keep him around and learn to trust him again. Makoto doesn't owe Nagizuka anything, but then Shiro is technically also taking Makoto away from having time with outside relationships, AKA his friends like Nagizuka.
Like everyone else in the comments, the ending is bad. The pacing of the story got extremely off from season 2 onwards, it was rushed and the dynamics of the characters felt forced which is such a shame because the beginning was great. I still don't understand why the ml fell in love with the fl that he would literally kill to help and have her, there was little to no build up in that relationship.
The fl's "sister" is also extremely annoying, I get that she's spoilt rotten and didn't learn to do anything herself, but still so damn annoying. We never learnt what happened to her at the end, just like the white haired rival ml and the blonde female, just completely forgotten at the end. They barely played a role even though they're clearly supposed to be important.
And don't get me started with the art. I understand there's a change in artists, for a variety of reasons like personal, medical etc. But the anatomy is just SO off in many panels. The characters' heights change so often, the limbs of the ml in a few panels might as well have made him into Slenderman, there was a panel that he was just huge compared to fl. The artist could've simply sized him down via transform tool but somehow this was fine to them?
Anyways, 3/5. Would've given a 2 or 2.5 honestly if the beginning wasn't good, a huge shame.
I'm no stranger to manhwas with r*pe to redemption arcs, but this is just so underdeveloped. We don't really see why the master is so loyal to the former king until near the end and even with the flashback, we still don't know why he's always looking back at him. The deal was that he would get answers for his father's death (which was never answered and barely brought up) and we still don't get anything for learning this.
Also why did the master fall in love with the new king?? Yes they're the end goal but could we at least have a viable reason why and how?? It just feels like he got r*ped, then fell in love with his r*pist/student and f*ck u to those who care about proper pacing.
The new king then somehow bagged him by what? Essentially testing him, r*ping him, not taking in consent and appropriate timing (he kept trying to start a round when the master tried to talk about something serious), whine and take out his anger at him by banging him. Also also, the ankle chain (which I keep forgetting it's there) has been on him since the very start of the manhwa, there are times when it didn't appear but honestly it's quite forgettable, then he still has it on until the very end?? Wow, such love. Wow, such healthy relationship. Wow, the new king really took accountability for his mistreatment and actions towards the master especially literally the first few chapters with implied r*pe