8 – The Price of Life is Steep.

Thud.

As the head fell to the ground, a silence filled the surroundings.

A man referred to as Black Sa, with eyes that seemed to witness the impossible, gazed at Nokgwi’s head.

“Master…”

“Yeah.”

With a futile expression, he walked towards Black Sa, step by step.

“Ugh, ughhhhh… H-how could you, Hyungnim, so easily.”

“Because you guys are trash.”

For a moment, he glared at me with burning eyes before turning his gaze back to Nokgwi. And once again, he trembled in fear.

Kid, handle it on your own.

“Be careful of the Dark Sorrow! The Dark Sorrow can hide in the shadows!”

“In the shadows?”

“Damn it!”

The Dark Sorrow swiftly assumed a diving posture, attempting to leap into the shadows. Is this guy insane?

Swish!

I kicked the Dark Sorrow’s face with all my might. And as a result, his face sank in.

Hmm.

His face looked even uglier after sinking.

I snatched the dagger he was holding.

Gripping the dagger in reverse, I stabbed it into his thigh.

Thud!

“aaargh!”

“Your ear-piercing screams. Lower your voice a bit.”

“Y-yes. Ugh.”

I stuffed something into the Dark Sorrow’s mouth.

I grinned as I looked at his distorted face.

Nicely, going nicely makes it good, right? It’s pointless to mess with innocent people.

I passed by him and approached the woman.

A woman with a scarlet glow of twilight.

She looked at me with a blank expression.

“Nokgui… in one blow?”

“I, I’m sorry! I was a bit presumptuous earlier! You can ignore it as much as you want! I won’t be upset if you shake it off on your own.”

…”

What’s with this guy?

Could it be that he was glaring at me like that because the previous owner of my body held hands with him?

Ridiculous.

But seeing him apologize like this right away, it seems like he just has no immunity against men.

“Hey, what’s your name?”

“Y- Yoo Eun Chae.”

Surprising, but looking at how quickly he responded to my answer, he seems to be quick in understanding the situation.

Or maybe he lacks a sense of reality.

“Do you have time?”

“After this, the app… ointment appointment got canceled! Yes, yes, should we go to a cafe or somewhere and talk?”

He raised his hand, looking pitiful, but he’s already said everything.

“And one more question.”

“What is it?”

“Will they increase the bounty if we catch that guy?”

“Yes, after causing chaos all over, being broadcasted, then we kill him?”

Broadcasting chaos?

This world is harsher than the one I lived in.

“Well, although the Black Death is inferior to the Ghost of the Green, he’s committed quite a few sins.”

“What kind?”

“He’s a rapist.”

“Ah, a cheap scumbag even in death.”

I approached the Black Death. As I did, he seemed to snap out of it, gritting his teeth and looking around.

“Someday, I will take revenge for Green Ghost… Graaah!”

It sounded like gibberish, so I kicked his knee first, rendering him useless.

He won’t be able to run now.

“My, my leg!!”

“Let’s talk about something more important.”

“Ughhh!”

Why are these guys so mentally weak?

Back in my time, even if they lost a limb, they’d grit their teeth and fight back.

Some disregarded their own lives. There were those who’d rather die than be captured by me.

Well, they were all chasing after the afterlife in their own way.

“Maybe it’s because of this era, the modern age.”

Or maybe it’s just some bastard.

His mental state is fragile.

I grasped the prick’s collar with my hand. He struggled and writhed, but I ignored him, looking at Yoo Eun-chae.

“How should we handle this?”

“The most basic thing would be to report it to the police. It doesn’t matter.”

“It doesn’t matter?”

“Because they’ll be here soon.”

Yoo Eun-chae looked to the west.

But this guy keeps getting shorter with his words.

I gathered my fingers and smacked her forehead.

Thwack!

“Ack! Why did you hit me?”

“Speak politely.”

“…But we’re in the same grade?”

“I’m much older than you.”

“……………………..Yes.”

She nodded with a displeased expression.

I looked in the direction Yoo Eun-chae was staring at.

There was one presence approaching us at a remarkably fast pace.

Kururururung!

The sound of thunder echoed.

From atop the building, a flash of yellow light was coming this way.

“A person?”

The light was moving in the form of a person.

“What’s this? It’s already cleaned up, isn’t it?”

Her smiling face was impressive.

With blonde hair tied in a ponytail, wearing a white coat over a black uniform, the woman revealed herself.

“Did you guys take care of these guys? Admirable… Wait, Nokgwi and Heuksa aren’t usually ordinary, right?”

The woman closed her mouth.

Her eyes met mine and Yoo Eun-chae’s.

“You two killed these guys?”

“No, she handled it on her own.”

Her blue eyes were fixed on me.

There was a question in her eyes.

“You did it? Alone? Without any of the Black Suits around?”

“Is there a problem?”

“…No, none. In fact, we should be grateful. Lately, there are so many villains that it’s hard to get a good night’s sleep. What was your name?”

“Han Seojin.”

“Han Seojin.”

The woman gathered her thoughts, her face reflecting contemplation.

“If you receive a commendation, the government will provide financial support.”

“It’s bothersome.”

“If it’s bothersome, you don’t have to accept it. It’s just a formality anyway.”

“When should I go?”

“……?”

She looked at me with strange eyes.

“The eldest son of the Cheolhyeol Sword Clan wouldn’t need to worry about money, right? It’s not a huge amount, but it’s enough to raise suspicions if it’s suddenly revealed. Well, there are already many eyes watching us.”

What nonsense is this woman talking about?

“Oh, I apologize. I didn’t consider your situation.”

Clap.

The woman lightly clapped her hands.

Then, a faint yellow lightning began to surround us.

Judging by the structure, it seemed to be a barrier blocking sound and appearance.

“Anyway, I can’t meddle in your affairs. I can only advise.”

“Well, then just tell me the location for now, and I’ll contact you.”

Yoo Eunchae stepped forward and handed her the phone.

“Alright. Your name is Yoo Geumchae, right?”

“…. It’s Yoo Eunchae.”

“….”

The woman awkwardly smiled.

“That, I’m sorry. I couldn’t remember your name well. Still, I remember your face. You were considered the most promising person at this academy.”

The woman said so and looked at me.

“And Han Seojin.”

“The one who achieved the rank in the Hero Association, Gwanglei, Ms. He Yoonji!”

“What, introducing myself to someone I’m meeting for the first time.”

The person called He Yoonji chuckled as if carefree and looked at me.

“Anyway, Han Seojin. If you want to make a mark in the association, you’re welcome to join. Of course, you must already know, but your Blood Iron Swordsmen often clash with us, so don’t expect any warm welcome.”

So, does she know that and still said that to me?

“…What, really didn’t know?”

He Yoonji looked at me with a gaze as if witnessing something very strange.

“You don’t have to look at me like that. I prioritize citizens over anything else.”

“…Impressive.”

“Well, not as impressive as you.”

As I nodded positively, He Yoonji grinned and laughed.

“In the common talk, they say the eldest son of the Blood Iron Swordsmen hasn’t received the system’s selection or the blessing of mana, but rumors in the common talk are hardly trustworthy.”

He Yoonji looked at me as if finding something amusing, then casually crushed her hat.

“Then, I’ll take my leave.”

Kururuk!

A yellow lightning surrounded her. And as her whole body shone with lightning, she flew off in the other direction.

‘Interesting.’

That skill.

Not something made.

No magical structure. Not alchemy or anything else.

It felt like a power that distorted the rules and transcended with its own strength.

Perhaps it was the unique characteristic of the one known as Heo Yoonji.

Different qualitatively from those called Nakgyui or Heksar, it seemed to have a distinct and usable trait.

“Guanglei. It suits as a nickname.”

“Not the thunder of light photons, but the thunder of crazy photons. Sometimes, you ascend to the realm of divinity forcefully, and occasionally your mind gets a bit hazy. They say it’s due to the occasional mania where you can’t even remember your name.”

“…”

Dare I retort when the elder is speaking?

In that sense, Yoo Eunchae seemed to be daydreaming as I squinted at her.

“Oh, but it seems you even implemented the wrong name well. But why does Han Seojin remember it correctly? Is it because of appearance…?”

What is she talking about again?

Anyway, I led Yoo Eunchae to the cafe.

*

“But why did you come to the cafe? Perhaps a date invitation?”

From Noble mtl dot com

Yoo Eunchae sparkled her eyes with an expectant expression.

“Not exactly.”

“No, there’s no need to cut it so bluntly.”

“Don’t be nervous just because it’s a no.”

He knew it from Daseng’s experience.

Having a good-looking face meant being careful with one’s demeanor.

Most women tended to act as if they had never met a man, like sympathetic fools. Cutting things off cleanly like this was because confessing and all that stuff was troublesome.

Some might say it’s good to be popular, but there’s a limit to everything.

“But are you really going?”

“I have to. They’re offering 100 million.”

“But if you go, won’t something like this come up?”

“Did the eldest son of the Cheolhyeol Sword Clan catch wind of the report that came to the Association?”

“After receiving the report, he did set off immediately, but those bastards got to it first, so we have to reward them.”

“Huh, we have to give a commendation to those damn swordsmen?”

Yoo Eun-chae said.

“So, do I need to know about this?”

“…Not really. Well, those guys have complicated minds, unlike us.”

As far as the conversation went, the bell rang.

Yoo Eun-chae brought two cups of coffee.

“Here, Americano.”

Sip.

He took a sip of the cold Americano.

As expected, it tasted horribly.

“What’s this, can’t you drink Americano?”

Smirk-.

Yoo Eunchae looked at me, smirking as if she had seen a child.

Why do I feel uneasy?

I shook my head.

“No, it’s been a while.”

It seemed like more than 20 years combined from my past life, so it felt quite familiar.

“But why me?”

“I have two things to discuss.”

“Two things?”

“Think of it as the cost of your life.”

“Well, if you put it that way, it’s a cheap deal, but…”

Yoo Eunchae’s words trailed off.

I silently glared at her. Hey, she’s not skilled in negotiation.

Just saying that she got a cheap deal in exchange for saving her life is already a losing move.

“Get me weapons and various things.”

“Weapons and various things?”

“Yeah. A sword, a dagger, and iron wire.”

During the Qing Dynasty, I didn’t use a sword.

My martial arts and craftsmanship, as well as my techniques, were not only sophisticated, but my body could withstand cuts from formidable weapons and swords.

“The problem now is my frail physique.”

Although I can sharpen my craftsmanship with the grindstone and make a blade, the efficiency is not high.

If facing multiple enemies, something like a sword is necessary no matter how skilled one is.

“Anything will do, right?”

“As long as it’s of good quality. You know how to use martial arts, so you must have an eye for it, right?”

“….”

I just saw it.

Yoo Eunchae clenched her fist.

Then, after subtly checking my reaction, she loosened her grip.

“The weight of Cheolhwan.”

“Something wearable on the arms. Around 30kg each.”

“And the second one?”

“Information.”

“Information? What kind? Rumors of a black horse secretly circulating in countries around the world? Or villains founding a new religion?”

Chuckling, Yoo Eunchae put her index finger to her lips.

What’s with that?

“Besides those things, basic common knowledge.”

“…Basic common knowledge.”

As expected, was it something like that? Muttering to herself, Yoo Eunchae closed her eyes briefly and looked at me.

“I’ll tell you what I can. I tend to share a lot of personal stories, but my information has always been top-notch.”

Hoo-hoo, and Yoo Eunchae chuckled mysteriously.

“Have you heard of Red?”

“Who’s that?”

“No, you haven’t?”

“I haven’t.”

Yoo Eunchae’s eyes shook intensely.

This can’t be happening, this can’t be happening. Muttering to herself.

“Cough!”

“Why are you trying to run away?”

I turned around and grabbed her by the collar when she tried to escape.

“But! But!”

“Buts and howevers. Give me the information.”

“…Give me your number.”

“Sure.”

We exchanged phone numbers.

That’s how we parted ways.

*

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