Chapter 1245: Scorched World

One year.

As soon as I heard that, a sigh escaped me.

‘No wonder.’

It had felt strange from the start. Ever since the moment I met Poison Phoenix. The way I moved as if this place seemed familiar, and all that.

The state of the cave and the appearance of the hideout were like that too. These weren’t things that could be made in just a day or two.

Still.

‘Still, one year is a bit much, isn’t it?’

Even so, one year?

That’s an unreasonable amount of time. If it were a difference of a few days, I could somehow understand it.

‘One year.’

A whole year.

“Are the other people the same?”

“…Why are you asking that?”

“Just answer first.”

“It’s probably been about that long. Since falling into this hell, you know.”

The others are the same. Meaning it wasn’t just Poison Phoenix.

‘…One year.’

How could there be a difference of a whole year? I couldn’t understand.

‘Is this the Blood Demon bastard’s doing?’

Was even this the Blood Demon’s doing? Was even that possible? This is a situation I never experienced in my previous life.

‘Back then.’

Everyone was transferred at once. Though the locations where we landed were different, the time was not.

We landed at the same time and lived through the same time. That was the situation back then, and yet…

‘…That there could be such a difference.’

What was one year supposed to mean?

As I scrunched up my face in incomprehension.

“Young Master Baek-nim.”

Poison Phoenix called me.

“Yes…”

“Perhaps… you haven’t been here long?”

“…”

Seeing my reaction, she seemed to have figured something out. She cautiously asked.

“That’s correct.”

I answered honestly.

“I just woke up here.”

“Oh my…?”

“…That’s impossible-!”

Tang Cheon-gi shouted at me.

“Are you telling me to believe that?”

“Believe it or not, it’s the truth, so what can I do?”

“It’s a trick. After all, what couldn’t they do if they’ve already infiltrated?”

“Talk about infiltration. I told you earlier. Your sister guided me here herself, didn’t she?”

“That… it’s because my sister is naive…”

“Cheon-gi-ya, shut up for a moment.”

“Sister…?”

A chilling voice reached Tang Cheon-gi for a moment. Did I mishear? The voice and tone seemed completely different.

“You’re saying you woke up here just now, and met me at that moment?”

“Yes.”

“Without seeing anyone else first, me?”

“…Yes. That’s right, isn’t it?”

“Ah!”

Poison Phoenix clapped her hands as if she’d realized something. Her bright face looked quite happy.

If you excluded the fact that she was covered in blood, making her look grotesque.

“We must really be fated…!”

“…Yes?”

“How else could it be that after that time difference, the first person I woke up to see was me! This makes no sense if it isn’t fate…”

“…Miss Dang, is that something you should be saying in this situation?”

I cut her off. I wish she’d notice the gazes of those around her. Couldn’t she see the other warriors looking disgusted?

“Oh my. I’m sorry. I got carried away because I was so happy…”

“…Anyway. What I’m saying is, I didn’t come here to do anything in particular.”

“How are we supposed to believe that?”

One of the warriors asked. My answer was the same this time too.

“Believe it or not… As I said earlier, that’s all there is. Why are you being so wary?”

Calling me an intruder or whatnot. It was strange that they were wary to this extent. Even if I had spent a year here. Was there a reason to be wary of me to that extent?

‘In my previous life, they didn’t act hostile like this, at least.’

When a newcomer appeared, they tried to save them. Each person was precious back then, and living humans were judged as comrades. This side is somehow strange.

“Why are you all acting like this?”

When I asked, unable to understand, the warriors remained silent. They seemed to be contemplating whether they should speak or not. Just when I thought no one would tell me.

“It’s because we can’t trust others right now.”

“…Poison Phoenix!”

“Sister…!”

At Poison Phoenix’s words, everyone flinched and tried to stop her. It seemed they thought they shouldn’t carelessly give out information, but…

“Anyway, everyone already knows this much, so it doesn’t matter.”

“But…!”

“And honestly, if anyone knows Young Master Baek-nim, don’t they already know?”

Poison Phoenix said, her eyes having turned ice-cold.

“If Young Master Baek comes here and says he’ll do something, there’s no one among us who can stop him.”

“…”

Everyone fell silent. It was tantamount to agreement.

“Even if he came here with negative intentions, there’s no one who can stop him, nor is there any reason to. So wouldn’t it be better to just trust him? Especially in the current situation.”

“…”

“…That’s…”

“There’s no time to hear denials. I’ll just push forward based on my judgment.”

She was resolute. Resolute and strong. I had thought she was a slightly clueless person, but the Poison Phoenix of now possessed a considerable presence.

‘She really resembles him.’

Tang Soyeol came to mind. Even if she seemed gentle only to me, to others she was of a noble bloodline. I remembered that time when she showed that presence.

“Young Master Baek-nim. Right now, here… the warriors are living scattered about.”

“Scattered…? Do you know their locations?”

“Some have stated them, while others have hidden them.”

“Hid them?”

Hiding their own location. I focused on those words. Because there must be a reason to hide. The problem was.

“And.”

It didn’t just stop at hiding.

“There are also those who hunt others.”

“…Hunting? Hunting?”

Warriors hunt each other? Why indeed?

“Why are they doing such things?”

They should be busy enough just dealing with monsters in this world. I was taken aback by the fact that they were fighting each other. What kind of crazy talk is this, when they should be trying desperately just to survive?

Poison Phoenix continued speaking with a somewhat upset face at my bewilderment.

“Those people can no longer be seen as human, nor can they be considered comrades. That’s why everyone was wary of you, Young Master Baek.”

“…Can’t be seen as human?”

The ones hunting warriors aren’t human?

“Yes. They call themselves ‘Apostles’.”

“!”

Apostles. My eyes widened at that word. Because I hadn’t expected the word ‘Apostle’ to come up here.

“…Apostles? What are Apostles?”

I asked, pretending ignorance. Because they seemed different from the Apostles I knew. When asked about it.

“They are humans who have become monsters.”

“…”

Humans who are also monsters?

“…How is that possible?”

“It’s possible if you sell off your human dignity fueled by the obsession to live.”

Tang Cheon-gi said with a tone of utter disgust.

“Scum.”

“…”

Judging by how much he’d been hurt, his grudge was immense.

“Apostles became monsters while retaining their human appearance… which makes them hard to recognize.”

“Those things hunt warriors?”

“Yes.”

“…”

This.

‘I’ve heard of this before.’

I’d already heard this. No, it wasn’t just something I’d heard of.

‘…Wasn’t that what I did?’

What I did during the transfer incident in my previous life. It bore a striking resemblance to the act of killing all the Latecomers to liberate them. It was like that back then too.

‘Because I was called an Apostle.’

I had a record of actions, being called the Apostle of Nothingness. Recalling that, I frowned. Was this the same situation?

“Starting with the first one to become an Apostle, those who fled to survive split into groups. Each made hideouts to live while avoiding the Apostles.”

“Was the number of people that large?”

“There were many at first.”

“How does one become an Apostle, exactly?”

What was the method for a human to become a monster? Poison Phoenix replied to that question.

“You just need to be chosen.”

“Chosen…?”

“Yes. They said you just need to be chosen by the first one who became an Apostle and fall.”

“…The first… Apostle?”

“…”

Poison Phoenix swallowed her words. Her expression suggested she couldn’t answer, and just when I thought I might have to wait a moment.

“Sword Matriarch.”

Tang Cheon-gi spoke for her.

“She is the first Apostle.”

“!”

Eul-ryeong Sword Matriarch became an Apostle? I narrowed my eyes.

“Damn it.”

Tang Cheon-gi spat out curses filled with resentment. Something must have happened.

“…That’s how it became, and we’re now living like this, as if fleeing.”

“That means there are others besides those here.”

“Yes. Though I don’t know where.”

“…”

“Young Master Baek-nim.”

“Yes.”

Before I could even organize my thoughts, Poison Phoenix called me and asked.

“Is everything you said true, Young Master Baek-nim?”

“…Yes. It’s true.”

“Can I trust you…?”

“Yes.”

Her expression, asking one last time, was desperately earnest. Fortunately, there was no lie in my words.

‘Apostles.’

Things that were human yet not human. It was a strange way to put it. It had changed considerably from the place I knew.

‘…Sword Matriarch became an Apostle…’

Everyone has ended up in a state of fleeing from the Apostles.

‘What a mess.’

How did the world become like this? Perhaps.

‘Was even this the bastard’s intention?’

If it was the Blood Demon’s intention, it made sense. I just didn’t know how that bastard had prepared for such things.

‘What should I do first?’

While I was contemplating that.

“I can’t just take your word for it.”

Tang Cheon-gi approached me. Holding something in his hand.

“…Cheon-gi-ya!

Poison Phoenix exclaimed in surprise upon seeing it, but…

“…We must confirm it for sure. Isn’t that right?”

Tang Cheon-gi offered the item to me, as if he couldn’t compromise on this matter.

“What is this?”

It looks like an iron chain?

“It’s an item to confirm whether someone is an Apostle or not.”

“…This?”

“Young Master Dang…! You can only use that once…!”

“Right, Miss Dang’s words have merit too, you should save it.”

“How many people have we lost due to such trust? I can’t overlook this. Wear it.”

“…”

Determining whether someone is an Apostle or not with this chain. Was it a magical item?

“Sure.”

So I put it on without much thought. Because I wasn’t an Apostle.

But then.

Clank!

Screeeech-!

“Huh?”

The chain started to glow.

“Oh. This thing is glowing?”

Doesn’t that mean I’m not one? I said, meaning that.

“!”

“This is…!”

Clank-!! Shiiing-!!

“Eh?”

They all drew their swords towards me at once. The atmosphere was much more wary and menacing than before.

“Hmm!”

Seeing that, I nodded.

‘I’m screwed.’

Something seemed to have gone seriously wrong.