“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.

When is that bastard coming?

At the sudden mind-voice that reached him, he almost laughed inwardly.

He should be here soon.

Really? Fine, leave that aside. You brat, if you came back, you should have shown your face first. What kind of life is this, where trouble breaks out every other day?

You’re right.

For a while, the two fell silent.

I never thought you were the type to die some pointless death, but there was no helping the worry.

...

You came back safely, you brat.

Seol Unhwi smiled.

It’s been a while, Senior No.

What do you mean senior? I heard you made some thing called the Three-Manifest Realm?

That’s how it turned out.

You little bastard... there’s just no explaining you.

I’ll take that as praise.

Nocheonmyeong was clearly still up in the sky.

Just in case, please hide your presence as much as possible.

I’m not some Energy-Thread Sight Realm fool wandering the streets. Do you think I’d make that kind of mistake?

Even monkeys fall from trees.

Anyway, you said Return-of-Life Society? What kind of bastards are they?

A gathering of people filled with malice.

What kind of malice?

Malice toward the world.

Malice... Isn’t the world a place where everyone lives while carrying at least one piece of that?

I won’t deny that, but once that malice passes through me, it becomes a problem.

So they’re not the kind you can settle things with words?

Collective malice is different from an individual’s malice.

An individual’s malice can gather other kinds of malice too.

Then all the more reason I can’t leave them alone. We’re already entangled now.

Tsk tsk... You really do live a difficult life.

Nocheonmyeong’s mind-voice was heard no longer.

Seol Unhwi did not send any mind-voice either.

The reason was simple.

The wind had changed.

Someone was approaching.

A figure abruptly emerged from the darkness.

His face was covered with black cloth, and he wore a red robe.

The aura he gave off was at least at the Heaven-and-Earth Fourfold Realm.

He had concealed himself well, so it was impossible to tell for certain, but he seemed to be around the Divine-Mystery Realm or perhaps the Heavenly-Man Realm.

It had to be the Return-of-Life Envoy Hyeolmu.

“You’re not late.”

Hyeolmu muttered as he approached Seol Unhwi.

“Seo Hojun.”

At those words, Seol Unhwi cupped his fist.

“Yes.”

The voice was perfectly Seo Hojun’s, but Hyeolmu’s brow twitched slightly.

Something felt off.

He spread his perception. It was definitely Seo Hojun’s, yet subtly different.

“...Seo Hojun?”

“Yes.”

“...Did something happen?”

“Commander Seol Unhwi has returned.”

“...Hm...”

“It seems the plan will be disrupted.”

“Since this morning, not a single person has come out of headquarters. How did you get out?”

“I made an excuse to Namgung Wonyang. I said there was somewhere I had to stop by.”

“Somewhere to stop by... It seems you managed to smooth it over somehow.”

“Yes.”

Hyeolmu took one step closer.

“Unfortunately, the plan will be called off.”

“Pardon?”

“You, too, have become useless.”

“...”

“The hundred nyang of gold I gave you before. Where did you put it?”

“...You mean to take it back...”

“There’s no helping it. To carry out a plan that has already run into complications means taking on the risk of a high chance of failure, and the Society has no desire to do that.”

“...”

“If you hand it over quietly, you’ll die without pain. If not, you’ll die under every kind of torture.”

As he stared at Hyeolmu, Seo Hojun—no, Seol Unhwi—let out a dry laugh.

“...You’re laughing?”

Seo Hojun, no, Seol Unhwi, tapped his own face.

Tap, tap.

With a regular sound, Seo Hojun’s face collapsed away and another face was revealed.

A face that went beyond merely handsome and into the extraordinary.

Eyes shining coldly.

Greatly startled, Hyeolmu stepped back.

This was his first time seeing him in person, but—

he was so famous that Hyeolmu had seen a portrait of his appearance before.

“...Seol... Unhwi...? That Chief Justice of the Heavenly Alliance...?”

Seol Unhwi nodded and slowly walked forward.

“Seo Hojun is dead. Jin Muhyeong too. Bang Seokyun as well.”

“...!”

“I heard about you from them. Return-of-Life °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° Envoy Hyeolmu.”

Hyeolmu’s face stiffened.

“...How?”

“How did I find out?”

Seol Unhwi smiled.

“Do I really need to explain?”

“...”

“It must be hard to believe. But look at the result. Aren’t you and I standing face to face like this right now?”

Seol Unhwi came to a stop.

The distance between him and Hyeolmu was about three zhang.

“Return-of-Life Society.”

Seol Unhwi spoke quietly.

“It’s an interesting organization.”

“...What could you possibly know?”

“I know a great deal. A gathering of those who lost everything. Descendants of fallen families, survivors of ruined sects, incarnations of resentment who lost even the targets they meant to avenge.”

Hyeolmu’s eyes widened.

Even though his face was covered with cloth, it was obvious.

“You gathered only those with nothing left to lose. That’s why they can throw away their lives so easily.”

“...”

“Revenge against the world. Isn’t that the reason your group exists?”

Hyeolmu fell silent. It was not a silence he chose on purpose. He had no choice but to be silent. It was too accurate.

“...Who are you?”

“What do you mean?”

“No matter how ordinary the members may be, they could never know that much. For you to speak of things that even someone like me, a Return-of-Life Envoy, would at minimum need to know? That means there’s a traitor.”

“Unfortunately, there is no traitor.”

“Don’t lie.”

“If you want to think that, I won’t stop you.”

Grinding his teeth as he glared at Seol Unhwi, Hyeolmu slowly began to speak.

“...Fine. If there’s no traitor, and if you really are simply enough of a genius to understand the purpose of the Return-of-Life Society, then you’ll know this too. Why we exist.”

“I do.”

“We were abandoned by the world.”

Hyeolmu’s voice sank low.

“Our families fell. Our sects were destroyed. What did we do wrong? Nothing. We did nothing wrong. We were only weak.”