episode_0207

“I would like to hear a detailed explanation.”

Surprisingly, his voice was very calm. In fact, it gave the impression that he was comfortable.

“… Jaehyuk asked me to investigate your personal life before. From your personal details to the details of the attack that happened. ”

Mok Jin-woo, who saw this, continued speaking in a cautious voice.

“After retracing the path of the Demon’s attack at the time, I found some parts that felt a little unnatural.”

“… What if there is an unnatural part?”

“The raiders at that time were a large force that had broken through the barrier. And as you know, your village is a remote settlement built quite far from the northernmost barrier. It would take two full days for an average person to walk to get there. ”

“That’s right. Thanks to that, I’ve lived without knowing much about the outside world. I was able to learn even the simplest common sense things only after meeting my sisters… ”

Lee Hyeon nodded.

“But why is that…?”

“There are at least a few dozen settlements between the wall and your village. And considering the nature of the demons, not only your village, but every settlement along the way should have been burned down. You see? Just as we detest them, those beasts detest our very existence. ”

But after a moment’s pause, he opened his mouth again.

“… But the other settlements weren’t plundered at all. In fact, they said they didn’t see even a single hair on their heads… ”

“… ”

“There were pioneer villages in the middle of nowhere that were barely equipped with facilities. Why would you leave those places alone and raid the most remote and deep-seated residences that even had guard posts and barriers? That’s just absurd.”

“That means… ”

Mok Jin-woo slowly nodded his head at Lee Hyeon’s words.

“Someone within us ordered them to raid your residence.”

***

A heavy silence descended on the surroundings. It was quite some time before Lee Hyun spoke again.

“… They were just country people.”

“… ”

“Of course there were some people I didn’t like seeing… but that doesn’t mean there wasn’t a single person who committed a crime worthy of death.”

“… ”

“But why on earth… Who… For what reason… ”

“I’m sorry. I haven’t gotten that far yet… ”

Mok Jin-woo shook his head.

“We also confirmed the unnaturalness and immediately started investigating. However, there were no clues left that could lead to a conclusion.”

“… ”

“But in some cases, such a perfect disguise can actually be a clue.”

“If you have a clue… ”

“A force that can easily manipulate military records and even has its own execution unit that can completely escape the surveillance network of the Information Bureau. There are only about ten families in this country with such power.”

A twitch. A feeling like bugs were crawling through my blood vessels. Something I had forgotten about for a while was raising its head again.

“Oh, just in case, isn’t it Black Lotus? Even though wizards are good at trickery and conspiracy, they’ve long since stopped doing that. I’m sure your landlady’s old nickname was ‘Vampire’… ”

“… ”

Even though he threw in a joke mixed with sincerity, the atmosphere was still quiet. Mok Jin-woo clicked his tongue.

“Ahem. Anyway… After narrowing down the suspects, we have been conducting the investigation carefully. If we mess with them wrong, we might end up in a beehive. They are not all easy families… ”

Then he cleared his throat and changed the subject again.

“And… I finally caught the decisive tail.”

“… ”

“I’ll probably be able to pinpoint the mastermind behind that soon. That’s why I’m telling you this. If Jaehyuk isn’t sure, he told me to listen to your opinion first.”

He glanced at the boy in front of him. Then he asked cautiously.

“So, what to do… ”

“I’ll kill you.”

But the answer came before he could finish his words. The boy’s calm voice was now slightly trembling. It was evidence that he was no longer in control of his emotions.

“… How?”

“I need to make my mom and friends feel the same pain I felt.”

The boy was scratching the area under his left eye with his finger, as if he had a terrible fever there.

“No matter what the reason, they will pay for their crimes. Whether they were the instigators or just a little bit involved.”

“… ”

The boy’s torture skills were rumored even when he was in the 66th Regiment undercover.

If Sa Jae-hyeok hadn’t cut him off in the middle, he would have been disciplined by his superiors long ago for his excessive cruelty.

He showed no sympathy or mercy to demons and black magicians. And Mok Jin-woo was one of the few people who knew why.

Moreover, if there is a being behind all the tragedies, there is no need to even talk about how to deal with them.

Mok Jin-woo closed his eyes tightly and opened them. Then he looked at the boy scratching his scar and spoke calmly.

“… Is that so.”

***

After the boy returned.

In the silence that had descended, Mok Jin-woo finally let out a heavy sigh.

“Damn. I feel like I’ve just stirred up a hornet’s nest… ”

No matter who the opponent was, there was no way to escape his wrath. No wizard breathing on this earth could dare stand against him.

But he soon shook his head as he scratched his head.

“… Is it inevitable?”

Revenge was a boy’s right. The favor Mok Jin-woo received from his old friend was to help him faithfully, and he had no intention of disobeying him now.

He prided himself on being a rational thinker, and he was certain of only one thing.

Of course, it would be better for a family with a long history to disappear than to incur the wrath of a boy.

The latter was chaos, but the former was the destruction of all.

The witches returned. And under the grand proposition of the Republic’s survival, the boy was practically indispensable.

Of course, the best way is to let the tragedy of his passing fade away.

Ruminations of sorrow and resentment only eat away at a person’s spirit. Sa Jae-hyeok knew this better than anyone else, and that’s why he sent the boy to the cradle.

And in fact, the boy who was close to being a social misfit was adapting to the environment faster than expected.

A brilliant mind that never missed the top spot. Even though the ratio of women was a bit high, his interpersonal relationships were also reaching a stable stage.

It was during this time that such rapid and positive changes were taking place.

Since I had promised something, I couldn’t just not let you know how things were going, so I gave it a little nudge.

Who would have guessed that fiery anger was still burning inside that pretty girl.

“Oh, it’s the same thing… ”

Whether a teacher or a student, they are the same in that they cannot forget something that has passed.

Mok Jin-woo thought about it and shook his head.

“Well, I guess I should do my own thing too… ”

***

She returned to the dormitory with her head tied back in a pitying manner.

She was busy cooking something, her apron tightly tied around her.

Because it was the day I promised him that I would definitely wash away the humiliation of the last Nakseongil festival.

But even in the midst of all this, she was recalling the contents of the diary she had seen earlier.

“Sigh… ”

It was such a shocking story.

Even though I regret it now, it turned out to be something that couldn’t be helped.

Who knew? She immediately burned the diary, completely obliterating it without a trace, but the letters written there were still stuck in her head, as if they were embedded in her mind.

‘Why on earth… Father… ‘

Of course, it was something the Reds had no choice about.

It was a long time ago that they fought against each other. The recent communists were having a hard time keeping up with their continuous, destructive attacks.

By bribing these men’s likely successors and helping them eliminate other competitors, they create a foothold for their future control.

In some ways, this could be considered the best method, but the problem is that the people mobilized for it are the Demons.

It may have been to prevent his tail from being stepped on, but the collusion between the Demon Clan and the Reds had already been revealed to the world. As a result, he was attacked by Seongsan and Paechon’s private soldiers, and his family’s estate was completely destroyed.

If it weren’t for the boy and the black lotus’ help, she too would have been summarily executed for treason.

‘No matter how much I was driven into a corner by mental contamination… why…’

It was immediately clear why the pitying demons, who already knew of the relationship between the man and Baek Seo-yeon, had attacked his village. After all, that was the place where Baek Seo-yeon had stayed all her life when she was young.

And the residents there were sacrificed as a bonus to keep their mouths shut.

‘…I will never betray you.’

I remember the words I had blurted out during the social gathering. The boy’s scars, engraved with deep trauma, flashed before my eyes.

Of course, it was a very unfair thing for Yeonmin-ha herself.

These are parents who didn’t even give me proper affection for my blood relatives. I never dreamed that my compassionate father would do such a thing.

So to speak, it’s as if she unintentionally stopped it.

Separate from the love and hate, I still missed my father who had left, but now I hated and loathed him so much.

Of course, she now knows very well that, despite his blunt speech, the boy is a very considerate and caring person.

If you confess everything and take the lead in asking for forgiveness from your family, they might hug you and offer comfort instead.

‘but…’

But regardless of that belief, I couldn’t accept even the slightest possibility of compassion at this point.

If the boy’s wounds still haven’t healed properly.

Yeon Min-ha, a member of the communist family that contributed to the tragedy.

What if the pain that still remains is so excruciating and painful that you can’t accept her?

We have already heard of his deep longing for his family and friends.

The affection was so great that I felt envious at first glance, and that made me feel even more sorry.

So, didn’t he promise to heal the wounds that Baek Seo-yeon left behind?

“Sigh… ”

Yeonmin-ha, whose legs had lost their strength, staggered for a moment.

Her body now cannot live without Lee Hyun.

The last time he saw Baek Seo-yeon being rejected by him, what Yeon Min-ha felt was a contradictory feeling of joy and fear.

Of course, I thought it would be better to die than to end up in that situation.

But he soon shook his head in pity and calmed his mind.

“It’s okay, it’ll be okay… ”

It was already two years ago. Moreover, she was by his side now. She was the one who watched the boy’s appearance brightening day by day more closely than anyone else.

Of course, I think that too has gotten away from it to some extent now.

‘Yeah, to be honest…’

I was just about to think that.

The next moment, what suddenly came over her from behind was a man’s ominous hand.

“Senior. I’m here.”

“Hiyat.”

Yeonmin-ha shivered as she felt thick, strong arms wrapping around her shoulders and stomach.

Because the apron was already tight enough to show off her curves, a sensation that was neither suffocating nor pleasurable surged through her entire body.

She cried out, clutching her surprised chest.

“You came, if you came, you should say you came…! I was surprised…!”

“… I said. My senior didn’t hear me. ”

It seemed as if he was so absorbed in his worries that he didn’t even notice any signs of life.

Even in the midst of all this, I could feel my energy returning just by hearing his voice.

I could feel compassion once again.

He said that he had become a person who could not live a single day without him.

‘Huh? But…’

But soon, I could realize that there was something strange about compassion.

And the moment she realized that he was hugging her tightly from behind.

“… Hibap.”

She swallowed the hiccup without realizing it.

‘What, what what what… Really…?’

My face turns red and my heart pounds.

‘Hey, did the apron work? I didn’t know you’d get so horny and rush in… What did you wear today… Seriously… ‘

Except for the forced first kiss under the hundred-year-old tree, she was always the one who initiated skinship. Lee Hyun simply faithfully complied with her demands.

The events of today, which he took the lead in, were truly monumental.

But regardless of the joy, losing the initiative is a huge blow to one’s pride.

I would be willing to do that on the bed, but right now it was clearly her time as my senior.

Yeonmin-ha, who had made that resolution, was about to turn around and pretend to scold him.

“Hey, what kind of disrespectful thing is this while cooking…! Behave… Huh… ?”

Suddenly, I forgot what I was going to say after witnessing something.

Suddenly, he took off his mask. Bloodshot eyes. Red, swollen scars beneath them.

With those watery eyes, the man was looking at Yeonmin-ha.

“You, you… ”

“Sorry, senior.”

He opened his mouth again.

“Wait a minute, I’ll just stay like this for a minute… ”

After he finished speaking, he held Yeonmin-ha in his arms again. She had no choice but to give in to his demands without even being able to protest.

A body that was shaking violently, a voice that seemed to be mixed with tears at first glance. You could tell right away that something bad had happened just by looking at it.

“Hey, why is he like this… ”

“… ”

I’m sure he said he went out on military business. Did he hear some bad news?

I think that could be the case, given the recent state of affairs.

At first I thought he was a stone-faced man, but as time went by I began to see an unexpectedly soft side to him.

Is this actually his true personality? Or maybe he just pretends to be like that to hide that kind of self.

Even that thought tickled her heart.

I think it’s because you believe in yourself that much and reveal your true self without holding back.

I think it means that he relies on himself just as much as he relies on him.

After a long time had passed.

As the trembling subsided somewhat, Yeonmin-ha cautiously opened her mouth.

“… Are you feeling better now?”

And I let out a sigh of relief at his silent nod.

“Oh my… What the heck… I’m accepting this because it’s me. Do you understand?”

“… ”

“So why all of a sudden? Did something bad happen…?”

But the man shook his head.

“… No, it’s the opposite. I heard good news… ”

“Good news… ?”

“Yeah. I’m so happy to hear that news… ”

The pitying man could not understand English. After a moment of silence, the man opened his mouth again with a voice that still had moisture in it.

“Senior.”

“Yeah. I’m here.”

“My scar… How did it come about… Do you remember…? I told you about it before… ”

“Huh? Oh, yeah… Of course I remember… ”

Yeonminha listened to his words in a trembling manner. The topic that came up out of nowhere in the midst of all this made her feel a little uneasy. The fear from earlier seemed to slowly rise again on top of her melted heart.

“But, why is that…?”

“… That time.”

She asked, trying to calm her fear. Her wet voice was calm.

“Actually… it wasn’t an accident… there was someone behind it… ”

“… Huh?”

But the next moment, when I heard his words, I had to hold back my pitying, sinking heart.