Chapter 6
'What in the world...'
The sole surviving warrior trembled uncontrollably.
He had thought it was just some insignificant scholar, blinded by rage and unable to think straight, who had recklessly charged at them.
According to the original plan, the scholar should have been beaten senseless by his brothers, only then coming to his senses and begging for his life.
Then they would have killed him anyway, dragged his body back to Sodam Village, and hung it at the entrance as a warning to ensure no one else ever dared to defy them like this again.
Meanwhile, they had planned to spend the night drinking heavily at the gisaeng house, in stark contrast to the villagers who would be trembling in fear for a long time to come.
But now,
'What the hell is that!'
The look in that scholar's eyes.
That gaze had frozen the warrior in place.
He too was a martial artist of the Evil Faction who had committed countless murders.
He had also survived numerous battles and wars.
So he normally wouldn't even flinch at ordinary killing intent.
But this was different.
This wasn't the gaze of a mere murderer.
It was the eyes of someone who had taken countless lives beyond measure.
How could a mere rural scholar have such eyes?
It was utterly unbelievable.
But that wasn't the only unbelievable thing.
The warrior swallowed hard as he looked at the horribly mutilated corpses of his two brothers.
He could be next at any moment.
Amidst the overwhelming killing intent, the warrior barely managed to open his mouth.
"What..."
He looked at Yeo Un-hwi with the most pitiful expression.
"What do you want me to do?"
He had to survive somehow.
That was the warrior's only thought.
The village chief of Sodam Village wore a dazed expression.
"Why on earth..."
He couldn't believe the current situation at all.
Just moments ago, the chief had stepped out of his house to clear his troubled mind by taking a walk around the village.
And as he was passing by the village entrance, he had run into them.
The very people he never wanted to see again.
He was filled with fear, wondering why they had returned to the village and what new demands they would make.
"As you've heard."
A heavy money pouch had somehow appeared in the chief's palm.
Moreover, one of the warriors who had terrorized and extorted money from Sodam Village just half a day ago was now bowing his head to him.
The situation felt utterly surreal.
The chief wondered if he might be dreaming.
"I apologize once again. I'm, I'm truly sorry."
The warrior bowed his head once more.
His actions left the chief at a complete loss.
Wasn't this the same man who had threatened to kill anyone who displeased him just half a day ago?
And now that same man was apologizing with all his might.
"I'll return all the money we took earlier, so please forgive us. And as a gesture of apology, I've added extra for the medical treatment of that fellow we beat—I mean, injured earlier. I know it's not enough, but please accept it."
"What? I really don't understand why you're doing this."
The warrior's attitude had completely changed, as if he were a different person.
But even so, the chief couldn't simply believe his words at face value.
"If you're testing us somehow..."
The warrior shook his head vigorously.
"No, absolutely not. I'm being completely sincere. I know it's hard to believe, but I am. What do I need to do to make you believe me? Should I get on my knees? I'll do it if that's what it takes."
"Oh no! Please don't do that."
Somehow, the more apologies he received, the more uneasy the chief felt.
"So you've received the money back and accepted my apology, right?"
"Yes, of course."
"Anyway, this will never happen again. And you won't see us around here anymore either. We're planning to leave for somewhere far away. Well then, I'll be going now."
With that, the warrior hurriedly left.
"Chief!"
He turned to see the villagers running towards him from a distance.
They all looked alarmed, wondering if these warriors had returned to commit some new atrocity.
"Well, you see..."
The chief watched the retreating back of the warrior with a still-dazed expression.
What on earth was going on?
Where had the warrior's brothers gone, and why was that man sweating profusely and trembling as he left? The chief could only wonder in bewilderment.
As he recalled... the warrior's face had looked as if he had seen a ghost he should never have laid eyes upon.
"...I did everything you told me to."
The warrior who had returned from Sodam Village spoke with a face full of fear.
Yeo Un-hwi, who had been quietly observing the mountain scenery, nodded slightly without even looking at him.
"Then, can I go now?"
"Where do you intend to go?"
"I plan to leave for somewhere as far away from here as possible and live quietly."
"Live quietly... you?"
"Of course."
Yeo Un-hwi chuckled at his words.
"Do you think people can change?"
"What? What do you mean?"
"Do you think you can survive without extorting money from innocent civilians who haven't learned martial arts? You, a fugitive from the Dark Path who abandoned your sect to save your own skin?"
"H-How did you know that..."
How indeed.
These men had already raided Sodam Village in his past life.
For several months afterward, they had terrorized the villagers, extorting protection money, until they were finally apprehended by a Murim Alliance master who happened to be passing through and handed over to the authorities.
That's when he had heard the story.
That these men were fugitives who had fled after losing a war between Evil Faction sects.
Moreover, it was said that before and after coming to Sodam Village, they had committed countless unspeakable atrocities.
They often killed indiscriminately, not sparing even the elderly or children if the numbers didn't add up, and frequently raped and murdered women who caught their eye.
That's why Yeo Un-hwi showed not an ounce of mercy.
He had long known these men were worthless trash undeserving of life.
Of course, even without going this far, these men were destined to be arrested by a Murim Alliance master and imprisoned in a few months' time. But so what?
Yeo Un-hwi had no intention of waiting patiently for those few months to pass.
These men had threatened the peace of Sodam Village where he lived, oppressed and tried to kill innocent civilians who knew no martial arts, and even coveted his wife.
Considering the atrocities they had committed before that, Yeo Un-hwi believed that even a lifetime in prison was insufficient punishment.
These men,
'They must pay a more terrible price.'
Yeo Un-hwi slowly turned his head to look at the warrior.
In that moment, the warrior felt his heart sink.
"Ah, I see. So you..."
He finally understood.
This man had never intended to spare his life from the very beginning.
He should have known.
That someone with eyes like that would never let him live.
"Aaaagh!"
The warrior turned and tried to flee desperately.
But,
"A futile effort."
The warrior's body tilted and collapsed forward.
For some reason, he suddenly lost control of his body.
It felt as if something had terribly vanished from his body.
As a burning sensation spread below, the warrior's gaze turned downward.
But one of his legs that should have been there was gone.
Blood gushed out.
"Aaaaargh!"
Soon, Yeo Un-hwi approached the warrior writhing in agony.
Shing.
"N-No, stay away!"
The man hurriedly drew his sword and swung it.
But,
Thud.
His arm was also severed.
Still gripping the sword.
Splatter.
Seeing the massive amount of blood spurting from his arm and shoulder, he desperately tried to staunch the bleeding.
But he could do nothing to stop the excruciating pain.
"Urrrgh."
Unable to bear the pain any longer, the warrior finally lost consciousness.
But that wouldn't stop Yeo Un-hwi.
Step, step.
Yeo Un-hwi grabbed the unconscious warrior by the hair.
Then he began dragging him somewhere.
"Ugh, uh... urrrgh..."
The warrior who had lost consciousness earlier groaned.
"Where... where are you taking me..."
He mustered his strength to ask, but no answer came.
Yeo Un-hwi just kept walking, gripping the warrior's hair.
How much time passed?
His footsteps finally stopped.
And then,
Whoosh, thud!
"Urrrgh... Th-This place."
It was a fairly deep pit.
Looking down at the warrior who had fallen into the cave, Yeo Un-hwi spoke.
"It's an old mine shaft used by prospectors long ago. I believe they've all left now."
"...What? Prospectors?"
At the same time, from nearby,
Hiss, hiss. Shaaaaa.
Terrible sounds began to echo continuously.
This was,
"N-No, it can't be..."
Suddenly, the warrior's entire body broke out in goosebumps.
Despite his already grievous injuries, he had not yet given up on survival.
So he had to escape somehow.
The warrior frantically looked around, struggling.
Then he saw it.
Hundreds of yellow eyes staring at him from the surrounding darkness.
"Ah, aah..."
"You said you wanted to live."
The warrior looked up at Yeo Un-hwi.
"Then try to survive down there. If you do, I'll acknowledge it. Though it's probably impossible."
"You, you... you demon!"
The warrior screamed at the top of his lungs in a voice choked with rage, but Yeo Un-hwi had already vanished.
Hiss, hiss. Slither.
"Urrrgh... N-No."
Shaaaaa!
Hissssss!
"Aaaaargh!"
Soon, hundreds of snakes lunged at him.
Slither, slither.
Shaaaaa.
His hand, protruding from among the hundreds of snakes, gradually turned black.
Before long, his form had vanished without a trace into the darkness.
It was one of the most horrific ends imaginable.