“Do you have anything you’d like to say?”

“There were no casualties. Was that your doing, Inspector Seong?”

“…Yes. I stopped it with everything I had. It was truly fortunate.”

“With everything you had?”

Seol Unwi let out a quiet laugh as he repeated the word.

“Everything you had… Sure, let’s go with that.”

Inspector Seong’s expression turned peculiar.

“…You’re really strange today, Young Master.”

“In a good way? Or a bad one?”

“I’m not sure. I don’t think I’m in a position to judge.”

“And why not?”

“…Pardon?”

“As a person, it’s only natural to make judgments in all things. That’s what the word ‘subjective’ usually refers to.”

Seol Unwi reached out and grabbed Inspector Seong by the shoulder.

“Even tools are capable of making judgments.”

“…”

“I asked a question. Is it in a good way, or a bad one?”

“…I think it’s in a good way.”

At that, Seol Unwi smiled. But Seong continued speaking.

“Still, I’m concerned.”

“Concerned about what?”

“…You don’t seem to look back very often.”

“Then I suppose you’ll have to stand behind me.”

Inspector Seong didn’t respond right away, and Seol Unwi didn’t bother pressing him any further.

“You went after the Beggar’s Union too, didn’t you?”

“I did.”

“How many did you kill?”

“Hard to say. I usually don’t keep count. But this time… two, I think.”

“…Did you kill the branch leader as well?”

“I did.”

“What exactly are you planning to do?”

He smiled faintly.

“Is this Snow Compression Branch the Beggar’s Union’s land?”

“…No, it’s not.”

“They’re parasites, plain and simple. What do you think happens when beggars who live off scraps start acting like they own the place?”

“…What does happen?”

“You beat them to death.”

“…”

“That staff they carry—the Dog-Beating Staff—was originally used to strike dogs that harassed beggars. But if the beggar holding it starts acting more like a dog than a man, what then? You help them come to their senses.”

“By killing them?”

“If they’ve done something worth dying for, then they die. This is the martial world, isn’t it?”

Just as he finished speaking, Seol Unwi rose from his seat.

“Do you intend to kill all the branch members too?”

Seol Unwi slowly ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) turned his head.

“Forget the Beggar’s Union. Among the men currently out pursuing the deserters, the highest level martial artist is at the Realm of Heaven and Earth. Same goes for the deserters. There’s no one above that. We’re outnumbered. Do you really believe the branch members will manage to retrieve the supplies and kill all the deserters?”

The meaning behind Inspector Seong’s question was clear.

Why did you force them into a death trap instead of giving them a chance?

From the very start, Seol Unwi had anticipated everything.

The value of the supplies? The spiritual pills? The cultivation resources? Money?

Bluntly put—he didn’t give a damn about any of it.

Even if he lost it all, it wouldn’t matter.

What he valued even less than all of that… was other people’s lives.

“Do you think I made the wrong decision?”

“…”

“Let me ask you something. When I was treated like a scarecrow, what did they do?”

“…That’s…”

“I remember it being about six years. In that entire time, they stood by and watched.”

“…”

“Sure, the branch members changed a few times. But whether it was many times or few, and whether it was many men or not, the fact remains—they turned a blind eye. I’m sure they each had their reasons. But that doesn’t mean they deserve to be embraced. Why the hell should I take in people like that?”

“…But I believe true rule comes with acceptance. True acceptance means understanding their past mistakes, forgiving them, and giving them another chance. Don’t you think that’s what true leadership is?”

Seol Unwi paused, considering Seong’s words.

His eyes turned serious.

“It sounds like your idea of acceptance is to embrace everyone regardless of their past. You’re chasing an ideal.”

“…Young Master…”

“The acceptance I know is different from yours. Acceptance isn’t about protecting the weak. It’s judgment passed down by the strong. It’s the power to decide whether they deserve to live… or to die. That is true acceptance. So you’d best abandon that sweet fantasy of yours.”

“…”

“At the very least, I didn’t kill them outright. I gave them a chance. I need them. I need hands and feet that will obey my every word.”

“…”

“Even if they were comrades who shared meals with you just yesterday—if they turn traitor, and I give the order to kill, then I need a blade that will strike them down without the slightest hesitation.”

At Seol Unwi’s words, Inspector Seong fell silent, a troubled expression crossing his face. Seol Unwi continued.

“You asked if they’d be able to kill every last one of the deserters. I don’t know. I don’t know whether they’ll return after killing them all… or if they’ll be the ones who end up dead instead.”

“…”

“But this is the martial world. And the martial world is a stage where only those who prove themselves survive. If they all die, then that’s all they amounted to—not even worth remembering. But if they manage to come back alive… I might consider giving them a chance.”

“…And if they’re the ones who die, what will you do about the deserters?”

“They’ll all be dead before long.”

“…How can you be so certain?”

“I plan to hire assassins.”

“…”

“There are about two assassin organizations near Snow Compression. I’ll put out a contract with both of them.”

“Young Master…”

“And I’m thinking of offering them a little incentive. The deserters stole a great deal from this place. But I’m not planning to claim any of it.”

“…”

“Whether they torture them or whatever else—it doesn’t matter. So long as they recover the stolen items, it’ll count as a bonus reward on top of the original fee. In other words… the deserters won’t even have the luxury of a quick death.”

He rose from his seat.

“I’ll be training. Don’t let anyone inside.”

“…Understood.”

“Someone from the Beggar’s Union or the Cheongwoon Trading Company will probably show up today. You’ll meet with them. If their proposals or information check out, go ahead and proceed. As for the branch members, I doubt they’ll be back by the end of the day—but just in case, stay on alert.”

“…Yes, sir.”

Seol Unwi turned to head inside, when—

“Young Master, may I ask… how you came to know Han Cheol’s martial art?”

“So many questions today.”

“…I apologize.”

“You’re curious about the source?”

“Yes.”

Seol Unwi answered without the slightest hesitation.

“I found it in the mountains.”

“…I’m sorry?”

“More precisely, at the base of a cliff on Mount Hwaseong. There was a skeleton there, and carved into the stone wall before it… was the Heaven-Slaying Wolf Star Technique.”

He tilted his head slightly.

“Does that answer your question?”

“…Yes.”

With that, Seol Unwi stepped inside, and Inspector Seong silently watched his back as he disappeared from view.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep