Chapter 18

The air shimmered, and soon, a man revealed himself. It was Jeok Seong. Fully aware of why he had been summoned, Jeok Seong asked again. "Do you want me to locate the house of this boy named Jang Woon?" "Yes, please. I’d greatly appreciate it." "Young Master, please. Words like ‘I’d appreciate it’ between us? Such things are unnecessary. Of course, I’ll take care of it." Jeok Seong then turned his head, speaking to another unseen presence in the void. "You heard that? The Young Master wants to know the location of the house where a boy named Jang Woon lives." At that, Yeon Woo-jin spoke up. "Wait, isn’t he your subordinate, Uncle Jeok Seong?"@@@@ "What?" "I just assumed he was since he’s always following you around." "You knew about his presence?" "Yes, and I was quite surprised. He’s remarkably handsome." "Ah..." As Yeon Woo-jin spoke, the air rippled once more, and a man with the appearance of a noble emerged, bowing deeply. "It is an honor to meet you for the first time. My name is Ma Ryang, leader of the Hellshadow Division." "Hellshadow Division?" "The division that serves as the shadow of our Lord, the Martial God." "Oh, so you’re one of my grandfather’s subordinates." "You already knew of my existence?" "Yes." "How?" That was what Ma Ryang was most curious about. How could this boy have known of his existence? Ma Ryang glanced at Jeok Seong, who grinned. "It’s the Young Master’s ability. Haven’t I told you? Our Young Master is someone beyond the comprehension of ordinary mortals like us." At Jeok Seong’s words, Ma Ryang tilted his head, puzzled. He had been told to guard this fragile boy with his life. Yet, Jeok Seong spoke as though he were addressing a genuine powerhouse, not someone to merely protect. "You must be overwhelmed with thoughts. Verify them yourself later. For now, let’s handle the Young Master’s request, shall we?" Jeok Seong said. Ma Ryang turned back to Yeon Woo-jin and asked again. "So, you want me to find the house of this boy named Jang Woon?" "Yes, I’m worried about him. I want to check on him myself." "Understood." Ma Ryang vanished without a trace. A moment later, he reappeared, holding a hand-drawn map. "This is the location of the boy named Jang Woon’s house." "Thank you. I’ll head there right away." With that, Yeon Woo-jin studied the map and hurriedly set off. Yeon Woo-jin paced in front of a modest, ordinary house. "This should be the place." He couldn’t sense anyone inside. "Hello? Is anyone home?" No response. At that moment, a neighbor emerged from the house next door. "Looks like Jang Woon has been quite popular today. Some friends of his came by earlier." "Friends? Besides me, who else visited?" "Yeah, he went off with them. They headed toward the mountain. You might want to check there." "Thank you!" Friends visiting Jang Woon? As far as Yeon Woo-jin knew, he was Jang Woon’s only friend. ‘Something feels off.’ An uneasy feeling gnawed at him, as though something bad was about to happen. Yeon Woo-jin quickly ran in the direction the neighbor had pointed out. *** Baekyaksa , The crumbling plaque at the entrance bore the name, hinting that this place had once been a temple. Thud. Thud. Inside, where no one seemed to have been for years, came the heavy sound of blows and the laughter of men. "Hahaha! Come on, kid. You’re not done yet. Stand up, or I’m going after your little sister!" "Look at him. He really dotes on his sister. See how he keeps holding on?" "Heh, attack his legs. That’ll make him fall." A shadow moved cautiously toward the sound of voices. “Arrrrgh!” As the boy’s scream echoed, the blackness in Yeon Woo-jin’s eyes spread, staining them completely. “I’ll make you one promise. Whatever you did to Woon, I’ll repay you tenfold.” The group flinched instinctively, a rising dread warning them that they shouldn’t provoke him any further. Hidden in the shadows, Ma Ryang observed the scene, his eyes wide with astonishment. ‘That aura! That expression! Those eyes! It’s exactly like the Lord when he’s enraged. He really is the Martial God’s bloodline!’ Ma Ryang’s lingering doubts about Yeon Woo-jin’s lineage vanished. Until now, he had been skeptical. He knew Yeon Cheon-baek as a man without family, a solitary figure with no ties to women or offspring. When Yeon Woo-jin had first been introduced, Ma Ryang had assumed he was merely a favored disciple. But now, seeing the unrelenting cruelty and those unmistakable black eyes—a trait that appeared when Yeon Cheon-baek was in a rage—he was convinced. It wasn’t just a shift in personality. It was as though a demon had surfaced. The kids facing Yeon Woo-jin had no idea what they were dealing with. Refusing to acknowledge their fear, they tried to suppress it by shouting. “W-what the hell? This bastard thinks he’s tough now?” “Everyone, get him!” “Take him down!” They charged at Yeon Woo-jin all at once. Yeon Woo-jin’s body blurred, leaving afterimages as he moved. Crack. Snap. Crunch. The sound of bones breaking and shattering echoed from every direction. The screams of those who had charged him filled the air as they fell one by one. Yeon Woo-jin’s eyes had now turned completely black. “Arrghhh!” “My leg! My leg!” “Please! Stop! I’m begging you!” Their desperate cries, like something from the depths of hell, reverberated around them. But Yeon Woo-jin’s expression remained indifferent as he methodically crushed their bodies. Crunch. A shin snapped and bent unnaturally as its owner clutched it in agony. Yeon Woo-jin didn’t even flinch as he moved to his next target. “What’s wrong?” he asked, his tone eerily calm. “You said it yourselves, didn’t you? The strong have every right to toy with the weak. Since I’m stronger than you, isn’t it only natural that I do the same?” Crack. “Guhhh!” A bone pierced through flesh with a sickening sound as another boy collapsed, foaming at the mouth before losing consciousness. Yeon Woo-jin calmly turned to find his next prey. The remaining boys finally realized the truth. Yeon Woo-jin was far stronger than anyone here—a monster they couldn’t possibly defeat. Desperate to escape, they began crawling away, their legs broken. But Yeon Woo-jin didn’t allow them the chance. Whether by design or coincidence, he had already shattered their legs, rendering them unable to stand. One by one, he approached them, methodically breaking their arms so they couldn’t even crawl. Crunch. “Arrrghhh!” “Where do you think you’re going? I haven’t even started yet.” “S-sorry! I’m sorry! P-please, stop....” Jang Woon had begged them for mercy too, but they hadn’t listened. “Did you spare Jang Woon when he pleaded for forgiveness?” “T-that was....” “Don’t worry. I won’t kill you. But...” Yeon Woo-jin’s voice dropped to a chilling whisper. “You’ll experience every kind of pain a human can endure. I promise.” “N-no! I’ll apologize to Jang Woon! I’ll beg for his forgiveness until he accepts! Just please, please stop!” “If Jang Woon wakes up to stop me, I might consider it. But what should I do? You lot went so far that he won’t be waking up today.” “W-wait! I have a Healing Pill in my pocket! You know what that is, right? It’s priceless and rare! If you give it to Jang Woon, he’ll wake up!” “You’re noisy.” Crack. Yeon Woo-jin smashed the mouth of the boy offering the Healing Pill. After subduing everyone around him, Yeon Woo-jin turned his gaze to Seon Woo-baek, the ringleader. Seon Woo-baek stood frozen, unable to comprehend what had just happened. Yeon Woo-jin smiled at him. “You’ve been waiting, haven’t you? Let’s play.” As Yeon Woo-jin began walking toward him, Seon Woo-baek screamed, his face twisted with terror. “S-stay back! Don’t come near me!” He hastily gathered his internal energy and launched a Twin Tiger Palm at Yeon Woo-jin. Boom. The attack struck Yeon Woo-jin squarely in the chest. Yet he continued walking, completely unfazed. “Th-this can’t be happening....”