Chapter 75.1

Chapter 75 – Rule 24. The Leader Pursues to the End (12)

Staggering, Woo-jin pressed on. He opened a door and entered the adjacent room, steadying his breath as he continued. Eventually, he saw an unfamiliar machine.

The display read ‘98%’.

The machine was partially made up of human flesh and skin, and it restrained a woman.

The woman’s complexion was deathly pale, her skin marred by strange patterns and bulging veins.

The machine seemed to be siphoning her life force, turning her once elegant appearance into that of someone on the brink of death.

It was Oh Baek-seo, the Vice Leader of the disciplinary committee.

Something stirred in Woo-jin’s chest.

He had thought he’d be overjoyed to find Baek-seo, but instead, a suffocating emotion welled up within him.

His eyes hardened, and his teeth ground together.

The tragic fate of a child, raised as a Spartoi and trained in countless killing techniques, was right in front of him.

It was a scene he knew he would never forget.

Why did Baek-seo have to end up so miserably?

He couldn’t understand, nor did he want to.

So he decided to reject it.

The wretched underbelly of this damned Academy City that had done this to Baek-seo.

“Baek-seo.”

With the last of his strength, he raised the Iron Dragon Staff.

“Let’s go home.”

He swung the staff with all his might.

* * *

Woo-jin, with the broken machine behind him, carried the limp form of Oh Baek-seo on his back as he walked.

His magic was depleted, and his physical strength had reached its limit. He stumbled with each step, but the compulsion not to let Baek-seo fall kept him going, forcing him to steady himself.

He walked along the path he could see.

It was a one-way path.

As he walked, he realized that the underground facility was quite elaborately decorated. It seemed only the area where he fought Chae-won was drab.

Woo-jin unintentionally let out a small chuckle, thinking that even Chae-won had some sense of aesthetics.

At some point, Baek-seo’s breathing became more regular. Woo-jin realized she had regained consciousness.

“…You’re awake?”

Woo-jin spoke first.

Baek-seo’s head moved slightly.

“Woo-jin…?”

Her voice was faint.

She seemed confused about being carried on Woo-jin’s back.

Seeing Woo-jin in such a battered state, Baek-seo could only guess that he had been through a fierce battle.

Woo-jin took a moment to choose his words.

“Sorry I’m late.”

Baek-seo took a deep breath.

“And don’t even think about submitting a resignation letter. It won’t be accepted.”

“…You saw it.”

“I found it while looking for you.”

“Yeah, I figured.”

Baek-seo understood the situation fully from Woo-jin’s answer.

It must have been a grueling journey. Just by looking at Woo-jin’s injuries, she could tell how much he had endured.

They were walking through a garden-like area by then.

Baek-seo closed her eyes and spoke.

“Woo-jin…”

“Yeah?”

“You asked me where I learned those skills, right…?”

Baek-seo spoke softly.

“I actually killed a lot of people…”

“……”

“I was a Spartoi… Assassination was my main duty… I was trained extensively in those skills. I received orders from the Head Principal to eliminate many criminals… That’s how I lived…”

Baek-seo decided to be honest.

Woo-jin’s mention of the resignation letter was a roundabout way of saying he knew about her plans to target the Head Principal. Thus, Baek-seo had nothing left to hide.

Furthermore, there were no surveillance drones from the Head Principal in the underground facility.

So Baek-seo could speak openly about the Head Principal.

“Even if I get out of here, who knows what will happen… I was planning to take down the Head Principal… If you stay with me, you’ll get caught up in it too…”

“Probably.”

“So…”

Baek-seo forced a gentle smile.

“I think it would be better if you didn’t get involved with someone like me anymore…”

After carrying out her plan to kill the Head Principal, Baek-seo had thought a lot.

In the end, she was a murderer with a lot of blood on her hands.

She had even targeted the Head Principal.

She thought someone as dirty and dangerous as herself shouldn’t be around Woo-jin.

“That’s… probably for the best…”

“Were you always this foolish?”

“Huh…?”

Baek-seo was taken aback by Woo-jin’s calm and unexpected question.

“But it’s better than always seeming perfect. Now you seem more human.”

Woo-jin chuckled weakly, his voice mixed with bloody coughs.

“Did I seem like someone who would care about that? You’re treating me like someone with no loyalty.”

“No, that’s not what I meant…”

“Shut up.”