“This, sir?”
Giwon tapped Dohyuk with the tip of his shoe.
“Yeah, that. He doesn’t look too strong.”
Dohyuk could feel that two men had stopped right by his head.
“Hm, but actually. Hwang Kangmin and Jang Byungil… they weren’t strong. Weren’t you the strongest out of the three?”
“Byungil was strongest, and then it was me, and Kangmin was the last, sir.”
“But it was you who survived.”
The man let out a breath of smoke.
“The one who survives is the strongest, is it not?”
“Yes, sir.”
And-
“So, why are you talking back?”
It seemed like he wasn’t too happy with Giwon at all.
“Are you complaining? That I ruined you? That I took your chances away?”
“No, sir.”
It was a terrifying voice, but Giwon answered calmly.
“I’m sorry sir, for making you uncomfortable.”
“…”
Dohyuk learned two things. This man was the Tyrant, and the reason why he had fallen silent was because he was pondering.
“I smell coffee.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Can you get me one? Hot coffee.”
Giwon quickly moved. The Tyrant then sat on the chair Dohyuk had been sitting on and spoke again.
“Hmm? There’s one more cup here.”
“…”
Dohyuk felt his heart sink.
“It’s hot, and still quite full. So the visitor left in a hurry?”
Giwon did not hesitate.
“It was for him, sir.”
“This one?”
“Yes, sir. I tried to persuade him but he didn’t listen, so…”
Dohyuk felt the eyes on him.
“So you knocked him out.”
“Yes.”
“That’s curious.”
The Tyrant continued to add on, “What did he do to make you the most reasonable man in our organization knock him out cold?”
Dohyuk thought. Could he win with a surprise attack? There were a lot of ways to attack, but what he needed to think about was the backlash he’d receive if he failed.
“He was foolish and thought he could win. He pretended to be a dead corpse and jumped at me.”
“Oh?”
“Yes, sir. I thought he had a way to fight back, but…”
“He picked the wrong guy.”
“Yes, sir.”
It was clearly a word for Dohyuk. He was telling Dohyuk to not engage and to stay still. Before Dohyuk could think, he felt something forcefully grabbing his head. The Tyrant held him up with such ease.
“He’s all beaten up.”
Dohyuk’s face was crushed and covered in blood.
“Wow, you know how to fight? I thought you don’t like doing this kind of stuff?”
“…People change, sir.”
“Heh, that change should’ve come earlier.”
He cackled and dived into his purpose.
“I need the bracelet at the canyon.”
“…”
There were no details, but Giwon knew what it meant.
<<Bracelt of Yabadob – S+>>
It was the final piece that would complete Jung Ilgyu’s ‘Full Set’ item. Items were better if they ranked higher, but the options it contained were also very vital. That’s why many strong ones in the previous life collected various items to mix and match them to find the best combination possible.
The bracelet was critical to Ilgyu, but-
“Do you need a full set at this stage…”
“It’s not necessary, but still.”
Of course, it wasn’t easy to get. Hence, he was ordering Giwon to go fetch it for him.
“You know what you have to say.”
“…Yes, sir.”
“Well, I have a reason for it too actually. I’m going out to sea next week.”
“Next week? The ship…”
“It’s not ready, but there’s a better way.” He spoke excitedly, “I met a follower of Degova, the God of the Sea. He offered a trade.”
“…He asked for an offering.”
“Yeah. Thirty thousand people.”
Giwon fell silent. He couldn’t find the words to even respond to that.
“It’s it nice? It doesn’t need to be pretty, or young, or strong, or anything else. Just some thirty thousand humans, thrown at the sea.”
He then turned to Dohyuk.
“Although…”
He paused for a moment.
“This one looks familiar.”
Dohyuk loosened himself. He was ready to kick at any time.
“He’s still alive.”
Before Ilgyu’s other hand reached Dohyuk’s cheek-
“I have to ask you to think again, sir.”
Ilgyu stopped.
“Didn’t I just tell you? All you have to say is ‘yes’.”
“Sir, I must say this. Thirty thousand slaves are vital resources that we have to conserve. If offer that much..”
“Then?”
“…We might face the same situation we were put in during our previous life.”
The grasp that held Dohyuk’s head was loosened and he was dropped. As Dohyuk fell, he opened his eyes a crack to check on the Tyrant. He was a bit scrawny.
“Talk.”
“We are very different this time around, sir. We have been successfully getting supplies through our slaves. Our profit will only grow if we keep this up for as long as we can.”
“And?”
“…But if we waste our resources for one trip… and there is a chance for the ‘north’ to come while you are away-”
Dohyuk was watching, but even then, he couldn’t see Ilgyu’s kick, especially the sheer speed of it. Giwon was thrown at the wall like a sack of rags.
“Oh… Giwon.”
Ilgyu walked up with the boiling pot in his hand and poured it over Giwon’s body.
“…!!”
“Oh, I like you trying hard not to scream. You were always ready to get beaten up when you did something that deserved a beating. I like that.”
“S-sir…”
“I’m not going there for a trip. I’m going to finish my business with her. Whatever the outcome, I’m not coming back to this rathole. Of course, the outcome is only simple.”
Ilgyu then grabbed Giwon with one arm.
“I’ll take her as mine. I won’t lose, and if I do, the entire Chinese continent will be MINE! The north? Who gives a f*ck about that place? Don’t even mention them to my face again. You hear?”
“…”
“You HEAR? YOU F*CKING BASTARD?!”
With the shout, Ilgyu flung Giwon’s body. In the next moment, GIwon’s body was thrown at the wall in the opposite direction. He was stuck in the wall, but his arm wasn’t there.
“Oops. You left your arm.”
Ilgyu was still holding onto the arm.
“Don’t do something that will make you lose anything else.”
“…”
“I want to tear your other limbs off too, but you’re useful.”
Giwon couldn’t answer. All of his bones had been crushed.
“Are you okay? I mean I’m sure you still have some potions that you kept for yourself, right? I’m not sure if you can get your arm back.. but I think you were a lefty.”
“…ah..”
“I can’t hear you.”
Ilgyu stepped on Giwon’s neck.
“UGGH-”
“You have one thing to do. I will give you one day. Go get the bracelet. Then…” Ilgyu added, “I will let your mother and sister live.”
“…!”
“You didn’t expect that? Did you really believe I killed them when you weren’t watching?”
Giwon’s eyes shook. The Tyrant smiled satisfyingly.
“No. Oh, no way. I was going to kill them in front of your eyes when you were no longer useful, but I think there’s a better way to use them!”
“…”
“I’ll give you the mercy that you like so much. Bring me the bracelet in time and they won’t be thrown out into the sea.”
But even if he did successfully bring that, they would meet the same fate. That was what Jung Ilgyu did most of the time. Giwon had no choice. His eyes turned into that of a man who had given up hope.
“Good.”
He smiled, but he was too late to realize it.
“This is the best face I’ve seen from you…”
The face and the eyes weren’t like that because of him. The Tyrant looked back. Dohyuk was already on him with the kick that had sliced off many heads.
