“That bastard died without pain.”

“…”

“I’m going to ask you questions.”

The tip of the sword pointed at Jin Muhyeong’s neck.

“The one who answers properly will die comfortably like that.”

The tip of the sword shifted between Bang Seokyun and Seo Hojun.

“The other one will be tortured, and tortured again, then die after answering my questions.”

“…Th-that…”

“Of course, I won’t be the one doing the torture.”

The moment he finished speaking, a man took his place between the two.

It was Chief Seong.

“First question. Who is your superior?”

Chief Seong naturally drew a dagger.

Shrring.

The sound rang out.

He had clearly done it on purpose, and it worked perfectly.

The weak-willed Bang Seokyun cried out.

“I-I’ll talk!!”

“Who is it?”

“The Return-of-Life Envoy! I know the name of the Return-of-Life Envoy!”

According to what Seol Unhwi had investigated in his previous life, the structure of the Return-of-Life Society consisted of the Society Leader at the top, then the direct executive officers called Return Decrees who served that leader, and then the Return-of-Life Envoys who handled practical affairs in each region.

“A Return-of-Life Envoy… What’s his name?”

“Hyeolmu! The Return-of-Life Envoy Hyeolmu!!”

Bang Seokyun shouted tearfully.

“H-he recruited us! He said precious members of the Return-of-Life Society had died and that revenge had to be taken, that Yangnyeong City would only suffer a very small amount of damage…”

“A very small amount of damage?”

“…He… told us to scatter Powder-Dispersion Poison in the Divine Triple Ring.”

“Only you?”

“…No. I was to guard the storehouse and spread the Powder-Dispersion Poison, and Jin Muhyeong, the one lying dead over there, was also ordered to spread it.”

“Then what about Seo Hojun here?”

“…I don’t know.”

Seol Unhwi looked at Seo Hojun.

Each of you had an assigned task, so what task were you given? He was about to ask exactly that when—

“My… role was to open the back gate.”

“The back gate?”

“…Yes. At the designated time, when everyone had fallen asleep, my role was to open the back gate.”

“And you intended to do it?”

“…”

“So every member of the Yangun Corps who couldn’t raise their inner energy because of the Powder-Dispersion Poison, and even Ju Soa and Namgung Wonyang over there, could have died.”

“…B-but how could that Powder-Dispersion Poison have that much effect? At most, it would only be temporary…”

“Do you think it would be nothing more than ordinary temporary Powder-Dispersion Poison?”

“…”

“It seems that even after hearing their slogan, you still don’t understand. No matter what they’ve done, if one of their own dies, the Return-of-Life Society always retaliates somehow. One life for one life, a blood debt for blood. And if additional casualties arise in the process of repaying that blood debt, they’re willing to bear it.”

“…”

“It seems you’re underestimating the resolve of fanatics who will even throw away their own lives to see that will carried out.”

After saying that much, Seol Unhwi looked at Ju Soa.

“Go check the storehouse immediately.”

“…Yes.”

Seol Unhwi turned his head back and looked at Bang Seokyun.

“Hyeolmu. I’ll remember that name.”

“Th-then what about me…?”

“I keep my promises.”

As soon as Seol Unhwi’s gaze shifted to Chief Seong, Chief Seong, as if he had been waiting, drove the dagger he was holding into the side of Bang Seokyun’s head.

Thunk.

The moment he pulled it back out, Bang Seokyun’s body collapsed.

There had been no pain.

Now only Seo Hojun remained.

Their eyes met.

In Seol Unhwi’s sunken eyes, Seo Hojun read the truth.

There was—

no way out alive.

“There’s… one more thing I know.”

“Speak.”

“…I know the place and the date where I was supposed to make contact with the Return-of-Life Envoy Hyeolmu.”

Seol Unhwi narrowed his eyes.

“You had arranged to meet him.”

“…Yes.”

“Explain in detail.”

“T-today, at the abandoned house on the northern outskirts of Yangnyeong City, at the beginning of Tiger Hour!”

“An abandoned house…”

Seol Unhwi thought for a moment.

The northern outskirts of Yangnyeong City.

There was an abandoned village there.

It had burned down during the war.

“What’s the exact location?”

“Thirty ri from the north gate, one hundred steps east from the entrance to the abandoned village, the abandoned house beside the large tree!!”

Seol Unhwi nodded.

“Well said.”

“Th-then…!!”

Hope rose on Seo Hojun’s face.

“You’ll spare—!”

“I never promised that.”

Seol Unhwi sheathed the Trueflame Heavenly-Spirit Sword into the dusk pouch.

At the same moment, Chief Seong’s dagger plunged into the crown of Seo Hojun’s head.

Thunk!

Soon after, Seo Hojun’s corpse also collapsed.

Three corpses remained in the training grounds.

Seol Unhwi opened his mouth.

“Han Seokhyeon.”

Han Seokhyeon, who had been waiting nearby, hurried over to Seol Unhwi’s side.

“You heard everything, so you know what to do.”

“…Of course.”

“Dispose of the corpses cleanly.”

“Yes.”

“And Namgung Wonyang.”

“…Yes, my lord.”

“It seems what we spoke of earlier will have to be postponed.”

“…That’s fine.”

“No one who was present here today is to leave. Until at least Tiger Hour, make sure not a single one of them slips out.”

Namgung Wonyang clasped her fist with a resolute expression.

“As you command.”

***

Tiger Hour.

The abandoned village on the northern outskirts of Yangnyeong City.

Only moonlight illuminated the deserted village.

Beside a dilapidated building leaning crookedly next to a large tree, a man was standing.

He had an average build, and his face was ordinary.

Seo Hojun.

No, it was Seol Unhwi wearing Seo Hojun’s appearance.

Seol Unhwi surveyed the surroundings.

The abandoned house was quiet.

He was just starting to think it was about time for the other party to arrive.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep