Chapter 287: Messed Up Fate (3)

Kwang!

The door slammed open, and three men burst into the room.

“What? Why is there no one in here?”

And when there was no sound, they spoke,

“Who the hell even locked the door?”

“I asked them to take a break, but where did they all go?”

Everyone who came in looked confused.

In the meantime, a warrior carefully looked down at the spot on the floor.

What?

Drip

Something like water drops were falling. Wanting to find out what it was, they approached closer to take a look, and there was this red sticky thing.

“Blood...?”

His eyes widened as he turned to the ceiling, and at that very moment, something dropped down.

Swish!

As soon as the sharp object passed through his throat, he lost his life. Seol-Hwi’s curved blade cut his throat.

“What!”

“Uh!?”

Two warriors reacted to his sudden appearance.

“Euk!”

With an assassin needle stuck in his head, he slowly fell to the ground. The last warrior still alive exclaimed,

“Eup!”

In the blink of an eye, he went silent as Seol-Hwi covered the remaining warrior’s mouth with his blade aimed at their neck.

“I am going to ask a few questions... blink if you want to live.”

“...”

The eyes of the warriors held various emotions. He realized that his opponent was a great warrior and there was no point in resisting any longer.

Blink

“Fine. If you yell or do anything... you know what happens?”

Blink

Caught, he violently closed his eyes and opened them. Seol-Hwi stopped covering the man’s mouth. But by the looks of it, he had already completely lost his will to fight.

“Fine. Where is this?”

“...”

Was it a strange question? The guy seemed a little taken aback at this and slowly said,

“T-this is the place where the Soulless are made.”

“Soulless... are you talking about the ones who make them?’

“...Yes. Right.”

“But why did they get put into prison?”

“No, because the outsiders need to be deceived...”

“Hmm.”

Seol-Hwi nodded.

When he heard it, it felt right. The new Soulless appeared that this time could be considered as a secret weapon. It would be useful to keep the exact number of them and their skills hidden. That was why they were put into prison.

“Where are the new Soulless?”

“T-t-that I don’t know. This place is so diverse that there are too many rooms here...”

“You don’t know where they usually gather?”

“T-this for now, most of this place is underground. And the people to handle them are separately selected... a low rank member like me wouldn’t know many details.”

“Is that so...?”

After thinking for a moment, Seol-Hwi changed the subject.

“Fine. Then the makers lead me to those who personally direct and manage them.”

“Ah. Then, go straight past this place and take the stairs to the meeting room in the middle of the third floor... Uh?”

“...?”

Suddenly, he had a strange look.

Crack

Then a strange change took place as his face began to swell up.

“...!”

Seol-Hwi stepped back in a hesitant manner, and the man’s face swelled up as it exploded with a popping sound.

“This...”

His head exploded and splattered the area. Seol-Hwi frowned as he brushed the stains off his clothes.

Under a spell condition.

The reason the man died was clear. If they mentioned the location, then the seal that had been placed on them caused his head to explode. Probably everyone here had it.

“Still, he roughly knew the location.”

Seol-Hwi looked at the time.

3080... 3079....

He still had time. Would it not be better to look around a little more like this and then make his move?

Then, suddenly, another thought popped into his head.

Maybe the time in front of me isn’t just a limit.

There was a timer displayed. If he hid well, the timer would finish, and he would be able to regain his original state.

But if it was similar to the other ones he had been through...

The system would not let it be so easy.

Half an hour to roughly an hour.

There was no danger now. No, to be precise there is no danger to himself.

Then who was this timer for?

Songhwa?

That was the answer. Perhaps as time passed the life of Songhwa would be at stake.

If nothing is done at this rate, the young boy will be consumed by making Soulless.

What can I do? Should I act now?

It was when Seol-Hwi was thinking about the reason—

Bang! Thud!

“Leader! Leader!”

Came the urgent voice from outside the door, and Yeorin raised her eyes and then asked,

“What is happening?”

“L-looks like there is an intruder on the first floor. I am letting you know.”

“Intruder?”

They all looked expressionless as they turned to one another. The elders came out first and the leaders walked out in turn.

As a result, only the old man was left in the place.

“...”

The old man who was alone looked at the door slowly and had an odd expression as he said,

“You people don’t know what terrible monsters will be born.”

Mumbling to himself, it seemed like he was lost in thought.

“No, what... maybe that is right. If you are going to die, make sure to take it all down... akuk!”

And his eyes stopped as Seol-Hwi dropped down.

“Shhh!”

Seol-Hwi hurriedly covered his mouth ,and the old man did not even try to shout.

“I am here to help.”

“...?”

“These people want to make Soulless Demons... well, fine.”

Seol-Hwi closed the door, and catching his breath, he asked the old man,

“Songhwa, where is Songhwa?”

“...That child?”

“At this rate, they will make a monster at the cost of that child’s life. Of course, it has to be stopped.”

Seol-Hwi’s face held fear.

“...”

The expression on the old man’s face changed oddly.

“Songhwa... how do you know?”

“There is no time to explain. Just know that this is the end. Dong Ryong.”

“...?!!!”

When his name was said, the old man looked surprised. He was the one who raised Songhwa from a young age.

He previously came to know about the fate the Fangshi could read.

“Reverse Heaven. It is said that there is a price to break the laws of heaven, reviving the dead and breaking the will of the living. But I don’t think it is just today’s one. Songhwa is not the one who has to pay the price.”

“H-how can you know...?”

“That is what you said before. You said it was rather natural for Songhwa to follow me since I am one who defies fate. You might not remember it, but we spoke several times.”

Seol-Hwi explained everything in a short time. He could not tell them to simply trust him.

To do that, he would have to explain everything, but he did not know if this would make sense, and he did not have time.

“Now you have one of two choices. Either let Songhwa die to these people or bet on the chance of him being saved with me, whom he would see for the first time.”

“...”

“I know it is difficult to understand. However, decide now. If you want to save Songhwa, the longer you take to decide, the more time is wasted.”

“...”

The old man looked down, and then said looking at Seol-Hwi,

“...Please follow me. It will be safer to get to your destination if you come with me.”

He bit his lip as he made his decision and turned around.