Chapter 1280: Scorched World

The fight with the Iron Blood Ship. I treated the wounds I received there.

Actually, it wasn’t much of a treatment. I just used energy to boost my regeneration.

At least, since it wasn’t a human body, even larger wounds healed quickly.

‘…Sigh, what a waste of energy.’

Still, it required energy, just the same. A considerable amount of energy was depleted again.

‘This means I’ll probably have to hunt more Apostles.’

Eating two or three wasn’t enough. As long as I wasn’t regenerating, I always had to keep my energy levels topped up somehow.

‘…In the first place, how the heck am I supposed to return to my original body?’

The fact that I couldn’t regenerate was the problem itself, so I had to solve that first.

‘How do I do it….’

If I knew how, would I be in this situation?

The only information I managed to get was from Mother, though.

‘She told me to find a snake, didn’t she.’

It was a nonsensical request, asking me to find some snake out of the blue. What is a snake? What could a snake possibly be?

‘…Tsk.’

If I were to think about it, a few things come to mind. But which one it is, I couldn’t say.

What’s more.

‘These are things that probably don’t exist in the original world.’

The first is that snake I saw in Sichuan. The Gilded Heaven Family’s records. Going to find that snake again. If I had to think of a snake right now, that’s the only thing that came to mind.

If not that.

‘Finding a snake-shaped monster among the Red or White-grade monsters.’

Blue-grade monsters wouldn’t be it, obviously. Maybe among the higher-ranked ones? Such a thought crossed my mind.

‘That’s also just a guess.’

It’s not a guess that fits. This was based on mere suspicion, too.

‘It would be nice if obtaining something like that solved everything.’

If not, that would be a problem in itself.

‘Tsk.’

I couldn’t keep going without energy. I really had to solve this quickly somehow.

‘And for that.’

Escaping this damned world was the top priority.

I know all that.

‘Nothing works out, no matter what.’

My life, as always, never went the way I wanted.

“So, does that mean you have absolutely no memory of acting as an Apostle?”

“…That’s correct.”

I was now facing Namgung Jin, who had woken up.

Namgung Jin had regained consciousness about half an hour ago.

Led by Tae Ho-an and Mi Hyoran, they were trying to extract information from Namgung Jin.

One.

“…Hmph. If you have no memory at all, then there’s nothing to gain.”

Namgung Jin said he had no memory of his time as an Apostle, so there was nothing to gain from him.

“…Do you really not remember anything at all?”

In response to Mi Hyoran’s question, Namgung Jin nodded.

“…I’m sorry.”

“…Ah.”

Mi Hyoran rubbed her forehead. I watched her intently.

‘Hmm.’

It wasn’t really torture. It was just a situation where they were asking questions. Moreover.

‘The reactions behind me aren’t too good either.’

I could see a few people glaring this way. I also saw some men who had shouted at Namgung Jin. They were likely people who had lost comrades to Namgung Jin when he was an Apostle.

Would those people just stand by?

I figured I wouldn’t, and sure enough.

“…It doesn’t make sense that there’s no information.”

“That’s right. Shouldn’t we extract it through torture or something?”

Those who thought Namgung Jin was lying demanded torture, but.

“Calm down, everyone. It’s not entirely off the table, it’s just not the time to use it yet.”

Tae Ho-an didn’t really pay much heed to their words. Was he saying they wouldn’t torture someone who was no longer an Apostle?

‘No.’

It didn’t seem like it was just for that reason. He didn’t seem like the type to pursue such empty justice.

“Young Master Namgung.”

Just then, Mi Hyoran stepped forward.

“Do you really not remember anything at all?”

“…That’s correct.”

“Even back when you saved me?”

“…….”

At Mi Hyoran’s words, Namgung Jin faltered.

“…I remember that. Because it was before I became an Apostle.”

It seemed he was referring to when Namgung Jin saved Mi Hyoran. Around the time the Apostles came, he became an Apostle himself to save Mi Hyoran.

“But. I don’t remember anything after becoming an Apostle.”

“That’s correct…”

“I understand.”

Mi Hyoran stood up after saying that.

“…Just a moment…”

She turned her back and walked towards the entrance. I thought she might be tired of questioning, but Mi Hyoran spoke as she passed me.

“Could you spare me a moment?”

“…….”

Hearing that, I glanced at her.

‘Hmm.’

It seemed she had also noticed something.

---

I followed Mi Hyoran towards a corner of the cave. I saw Mi Hyoran stop a short distance away, and as soon as I saw her, I deployed the barrier.

Woowoong-!

Mi Hyoran looked at me as the small barrier unfolded.

“Thank you for coming.”

“Don’t mention it. You just called, so I came.”

“Young Master Baek.”

“Yes.”

“Young Master Namgung is hiding something.”

Mi Hyoran said bluntly. To that, I nodded calmly.

“Yes, it seems that way to me too.”

“…….”

At my words, Mi Hyoran looked at me with slightly widened eyes.

“Since when did you know…?”

“Well. Probably around the time Namgung Jin woke up and I knocked him out again?”

“To think…”

“He had such a telling expression, so there was no need to confirm further.”

“…….”

“I thought you, Miss Mi, would figure it out too.”

I scratched my cheek slightly and asked her.

“What’s the reason you’re telling me this?”

It was good that Mi Hyoran noticed. I had expected Mi Hyoran to notice anyway.

But why did she specifically tell me?

I asked, thinking there must be a reason.

“…Because I thought Young Master Baek might know some method.”

“Method?”

“Yes.”

“What method? Ah.”

Could it be.

“You mean a method to make Namgung Jin confess?”

“…….”

Mi Hyoran didn’t deny it. Seeing that, I chuckled.

“Oh, come on. I don’t have anything like that.”

“You really don’t?”

“Hmm.”

I pondered. Not whether I had a method or not.

“It’s not that I don’t have one.”

I was contemplating whether to say this as a lie or the truth.

It was brief, though, and my choice was the truth.

“Then…”

However.

“I don’t intend to use it on Namgung Jin, though.”

“Why…?”

Mi Hyoran looked flustered at my answer. I found Mi Hyoran quite intriguing.

“The methods I know involve breaking something to get it, or damaging it to obtain it. Do you think it’s okay to use that on Namgung Jin?”

It wasn’t a simple matter of torture. Mere torture would seem like child’s play compared to it.

My life had been like that.

“…What do you mean.”

Mi Hyoran showed a flustered reaction to my explanation, but.

“You couldn’t have done it without knowing. Why are you so impatient?”

I couldn’t understand Mi Hyoran. While thinking I had a method was a good judgment, she couldn’t possibly have believed that method would have a positive effect on Namgung Jin.

Yet, her asking me to do it if I had a method felt strange.

“What are you hoping for?”

“I don’t hope for anything. I just wish for Young Master Namgung to spill what he knows.”

“Even if that happens, you wouldn’t be indifferent to what becomes of Namgung Jin, would you?”

“…….”

“Indifferent? A person might be like that, but the Miss Mi I see isn’t that much of a steel-hearted person.”

If it were Moyong Hi-ah, maybe.

She probably wouldn’t have believed someone who had already become an Apostle. If they became human like this, she would have relentlessly tried to extract information or confirm if they truly became human.

To the point of seeming cruel and ruthless.

However, if it was the path for her comrades, she was a great person who would have walked it regardless.

‘Mi Hyoran isn’t in that situation.’

A group divided by the existence of Apostles. They had to fight not only monsters but also those who were once comrades.

It’s understandable that she’s unstable like this, given how much she has to think about, but.

“I’m asking just in case.”

I noticed something strange about her.

“The fact that you emphasize that I can turn Apostles back into humans, and that there’s something to be gained from Namgung Jin’s mouth. The reason for that.”

I asked, glaring at Mi Hyoran.

“Is it because of the Blue Dragon Brigade Leader?”

“…….”

Mi Hyoran’s body stiffened. Mentioning her father elicited that reaction.

‘Well, this is…’

Seeing her honest reaction, I scratched the back of my head.

‘Could the information Namgung Jin might know be about Father?’

That’s what Mi Hyoran seemed to think. Furthermore.

‘Seeing as how I mentioned Father regarding my ability to turn Apostles back into humans last time.’

It seemed Mi Hyoran’s mind was currently filled with talk about her father.

Suddenly, I felt sorry for Namgung Jin.

It’s not that Mi Hyoran doesn’t feel guilty towards Namgung Jin, but it seemed her father’s matter took priority right now.

Even so.

“I think it’s a bit much.”

Mi Hyoran, being so shaken and unstable, didn’t look too good.

“…….”

“I’m not trying to defend Namgung Jin. I don’t exactly have good feelings towards him either. Still… it seems like the priorities have shifted a bit.”

At first glance, Namgung Jin overlapped with my past self.

That’s why I briefly resented Mi Hyoran.

“Never mind.”

“Young Master Baek…”

I said, passing her by. Mi Hyoran tried to stop me, but.

“I have business with him anyway. I have to do what needs to be done.”

I put distance between us with a blank expression. Although the request became somewhat subtle.

It was something I had to do anyway.

I returned straight to the space where Namgung Jin was.

I saw Tae Ho-an was still with him, but.

“Hey.”

I approached Namgung Jin, ignoring him.

“……?”

The moment Namgung Jin looked at me approaching.

Grab-!

“Gah?!”

I grabbed him by the neck and lifted him up.

“Nngh!”

“I’m generally nice, so I’ll ask three things. You only need to answer one of these three.”

I asked, looking at the struggling Namgung Jin.

“First.”

“Nngh…”

“Where is Miss Hyun?”

Namgung Jin struggled instead of answering.

“Second.”

Seeing his reaction, I asked something else.

“Are there any other Apostles who will come here?”

“Gah… This… I…”

As expected, there was no answer.

Then the last, third question.

“If you don’t answer, I’ll break your neck.”

I warned him and asked.

“The ‘Noea’ you possess. Is it related to Miss Hyun?”

“…!!”

Namgung Jin’s eyes widened.

It was the correct answer.