Chapter 71
"Y-Young Master?"
Caught off guard by Peng Seo-jin's unexpected appearance, Jegal Gil looked back and forth between Yeo Un-hwi and Peng Seo-jin.
What in the world was going on?
Even for someone who prided himself on his quick grasp of situations, the current scenario was difficult to process.
Perhaps it was because he was still reeling from witnessing the incredible battle between Yeo Un-hwi and the Black Demon just moments ago.
His heart was still pounding.
"You must be very confused and surprised. I understand."
Peng Seo-jin tried to calm Jegal Gil as he continued speaking.
"What I'm about to tell you is the truth, which is quite different from what the world knows."
With those words, Peng Seo-jin began to reveal everything that had happened here to Jegal Gil.
As he listened to the story, Jegal Gil's expression changed constantly.
What shocked—no, enraged him the most was learning that the Scholar Forest Group, which the Murim Alliance had painstakingly nurtured, had volunteered to become spies for the Demonic Cult just to save their own lives.
No matter how arrogant and self-centered they were, did they truly have no sense of loyalty or shame?
It was nothing short of disappointing.
No, at this point, it was downright disgusting.
The story continued.
As a result of their eagerness to become spies, Jo Min, the leader of the Scholar Forest Group, was chosen for the task.
But what was even more appalling was that his first request to the Black Kill Squad was none other than to kill all the members of the Scholar Forest Group.
*Grind*
Jegal Gil unconsciously gritted his teeth.
"They're worse than beasts."
How could humans do such a thing?
No matter how important one's life was, this was unacceptable.
Those who should have valued righteousness and chivalry above all else had instead acted more viciously and despicably than even the worst of villains.
Jegal Gil felt utterly ashamed to have been associated with the same Murim Alliance as them.
However, the most shocking part of the story he had just heard was that after dealing with the Black Kill Squad, Yeo Un-hwi had mercilessly cut down all the Scholar Forest Group members who had betrayed the Orthodox Martial World.
So that's what happened!
Jegal Gil finally understood.
That's why the wounds on the corpses were...
It was a moment of revelation for one of his biggest questions. But,
Jegal Gil's gaze turned to Yeo Un-hwi.
"Don't you think that was too cruel?"
Clearly, the Scholar Forest Group had committed a grave sin.
But he thought that cutting them all down on the spot along with the Black Kill Squad was excessive.
However, Yeo Un-hwi shook his head firmly without a moment's hesitation.
"No. If anything, it was too merciful."
"How can a person do such a thing?"
"Yes. Exactly. How can people betray those who have taken them in, raised them, and given them everything for their entire lives?"
It wasn't because of Yeo Un-hwi's words.
Jegal Gil was momentarily struck speechless by the look in his eyes.
It was truly the gaze of someone enraged by injustice. That was the look Yeo Un-hwi had.
Not the eyes of a murderer who enjoyed taking lives.
"And how could they abandon their comrades who grew up together and vowed to fight side by side for life? They were unworthy of the name 'Orthodox' and couldn't even be called human. Don't you agree?"
"But still, there are laws and procedures. If you handle things on your own like that..."
"Laws? Procedures. Right. So tell me, what would happen if we followed the law as you say?"
"Well, of course, we would escort them to the Murim Alliance and..."
"And then?"
"Their crimes would be judged and punished according to proper procedures."
It was such an obvious answer.
But for some reason, Jegal Gil's voice grew quieter. It lacked confidence.
"Who? The Murim Alliance? Them?"
Sure enough, Yeo Un-hwi let out a hollow laugh as he asked.
"Do you really think that's possible? Surely you don't think the Murim Alliance Elders would stand by and let that happen? And how do you think that indecisive Murim Alliance Leader, who only looks out for his own people, would react?"
"How do you..."
Jegal Gil was at a loss for words.
Yeo Un-hwi knew far more than he had thought.
"Listen. You already know, don't you? That the Scholar Forest Group will never be properly punished."
Yeo Un-hwi spoke firmly.
The current Murim Alliance Leader, Meteor Sword Emperor Song Ildo, was strong but too soft-hearted and had many problems as a ruler.
Even if they reported everything that happened here to the Murim Alliance exactly as it occurred, the Scholar Forest Group would surely deny it vehemently.
Instead, they were more likely to fabricate an absurd story and pin the blame on the Hebei Peng Family or those who had escorted him.
"Moreover, above all, the Murim Alliance Leader doesn't want to fall out with the Alliance Elders. That's precisely why the Murim Alliance continues to rot despite having an excellent Chief Strategist."
"So naturally, the Scholar Forest Group will be protected by the Elders, spend a few days in jail for show, and then be released."
And afterward, those rotten bastards would surely rack their brains trying to figure out how to deal with those who knew their ugly truth.
"In the end, more innocent people will suffer. If they're unlucky, they might even die. Well? Do you still think my actions were wrong?"
Jegal Gil wanted to say several times that this line of thinking was too extreme, too much. But he couldn't.
Because even he, having spent a long time in the Alliance, truly believed things would unfold exactly as Yeo Un-hwi described.
Now he felt ashamed for having said earlier that they should be taken to the Alliance to be punished according to proper procedures.
*What a wretched reality.*
Jegal Gil felt conflicted.
It was disheartening that following proper procedures would likely lead to the worst possible outcome.
This was all because the Murim Alliance was rotten from the top down.
It was suffocating.
So much so that he could barely breathe.
"Honestly, considering everything they did, even torturing them slowly to death would have been too lenient."
Yeo Un-hwi spoke again, looking at the speechless Jegal Gil.
"But I didn't do that. I took their lives, but I showed them mercy in my own way."
Jegal Gil couldn't refute anything Yeo Un-hwi was saying.
Every word rang true.
Moreover, this man was his savior who had risked his life to rescue him from that vicious Black Demon.
Well, it didn't seem like he had actually risked his life, but still.
If he couldn't trust this man, who could he trust?
But he was an investigator affiliated with the Murim Alliance.
He wasn't in a position to simply say, "I see your point. Those bastards deserved to die. Well done," and be done with it.
Yet he didn't have any other solutions either.
He despaired once again in the face of the Murim Alliance's fundamental and systemic problems.
Reality was far too cruel and filthy.
*I regret it. I should have been more flexible.*
Watching Jegal Gil, Yeo Un-hwi recalled a conversation they had in the past.
An older version of Jegal Gil had once said:
*I should have acted faster and more cunningly than the villains. Like a snake.*
He had spoken as impassively as ever, but his eyes and voice were tinged with deep regret.
Now it was time to pass those words on to the younger Jegal Gil.
"If you truly want to punish the wicked and change the current reality."
Yeo Un-hwi placed a hand on Jegal Gil's shoulder and continued.
"Start by changing yourself. You're too rigid as you are now; your limits are all too obvious."
Jegal Gil looked up at Yeo Un-hwi in response to his words.
Yeo Un-hwi stared directly into Jegal Gil's eyes.
"Become more flexible, far more than you think. You need to be more cunning than the villains and even be able to act like a villain when necessary."
During his time as the Blood Demon, he had formed an unexpected bond with this conversational partner.
In fact, they had only met and talked three times, but these were the words the last Jegal Gil he met before his regression had said to Yeo Un-hwi.
And after saying those words, he never saw him again.
And so, Yeo Un-hwi passed on the story he had briefly held onto to the Jegal Gil of the past.
Hoping that this time, the realization wouldn't come too late, and that he wouldn't have regrets.
After a moment of stunned silence at Yeo Un-hwi's unexpected words, Jegal Gil looked up at the sky and let out a deep sigh.
Too much had happened today.
More than he could handle.
"I need... time to think. I need to rest. I'll take my leave now. Thank you for everything today."
With that, Jegal Gil turned and headed back the way he came.
Perhaps due to mental overload, his gait was uncharacteristically unsteady.
"Will he be alright?"
Peng Seo-jin asked Yeo Un-hwi with a concerned expression.
In truth, Peng Seo-jin had been against revealing everything to that man.
He thought it was far too dangerous.
To Peng Seo-jin, Jegal Gil seemed like an excellent investigator, but his personality appeared too rigid and inflexible.
Peng Seo-jin didn't think it was wise to disclose everything that had happened to such a strict principled person.
But Yeo Un-hwi thought differently.
For some reason, he seemed to trust Jegal Gil.
As if they weren't meeting for the first time, but had known each other for a long time.
However, from what Peng Seo-jin could see, judging by Jegal Gil's attitude and reactions towards Yeo Un-hwi, it was clear that they had just met for the first time.
Peng Seo-jin couldn't quite understand what was going on or what Yeo Un-hwi was thinking.
Nevertheless, he followed Yeo Un-hwi's wishes simply because he trusted him.
"He'll be fine. Don't worry."
Yeo Un-hwi nodded in response to Peng Seo-jin's question.
"If you say so, Brother..."
Well, things would work out somehow.
Peng Seo-jin accepted it with uncharacteristic optimism.
But this wasn't due to carelessness or shallow thinking; it stemmed from his deep trust in Yeo Un-hwi.
"By the way."
Peng Seo-jin slowly turned his head to survey the area.
"You really... went all out."
"Haha. Well, that's how it turned out."
Well, it was a battle against one of the Ten Great Demon Stars of the Demonic Cult, after all.
But despite his words, Peng Seo-jin, who had witnessed the entire fight from start to finish, couldn't help but let out a hollow laugh at how overwhelmingly Yeo Un-hwi had dominated the Black Demon.
He had indeed told Yeo Un-hwi:
You can show your full strength.
Our Peng Family can handle that much, he had said confidently!
But,
*Honestly, I didn't expect it to be this much... Haha...*
Could the Peng Family really handle a brother like this?
Peng Seo-jin began to doubt his own words.