Chapter 81
Chapter 81
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 81
Chapter Title: One Clause of the Death Pact (1)
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"Huff! Hoo huff!"
The old man was breathing raggedly.
The old man had already burned through all his flames. There were no more fires left to fuel. His life was over.
Yet the old man refused to let go of his breath.
They say that those who took too many tonics in their youth suffer greatly at death.
The flames were spent, the oil completely gone, yet the tonic's lingering energy kept him from releasing his breath.
But was it truly just the tonic's power?
Four Thousand Four didn't think so. It wasn't the tonic holding onto his breath—it was attachment to life, an instinctive clinging to existence.
The old man had already lost consciousness. Yet if someone by his side murmured, "It's time to go now," his hand would flail weakly. He didn't want to leave; he hated the one saying it; he desperately wanted to hold on somehow.
The dying man, the watcher... both were in agony.
Four Thousand Four gently placed his hand on the old man's heart and stroked softly.
"Your life... what a thing. How exactly did you live it?"
The dying old man couldn't answer. He only heaved rough breaths now and then.
"Even if you're leaving this world now, shouldn't there be someone here watching over you? What kind of life did you lead to end up alone even in your final moments?"
"Hoo! Hooo huff!"
"Breathe easy. Live as long as you can. I'll stay and watch."
Drip!
As soon as Four Thousand Four finished speaking, he acted.
His right hand, gripping the old man's nape, flexed its thumb and middle finger. It clamped the neck with iron strength—in an instant too swift for even an "Ah!" to escape—then released.
The old man went limp.
His face looked utterly serene.
Four Thousand Four felt serene as well. No guilt rose for taking a life. He didn't think it wrong. More than anything, a sense of relief washed over him for guiding the departed soul properly.
Yet this was undeniably murder.
A killing no reason could justify, one no one would understand.
Those who broke the Prohibition met unhappy ends. Obvious for murderers, but... even so, no one wants their family slaughtered too. Yet it happened. Everyone around them suffered.
That was why Four Thousand Four took no family.
True adherence to the Prohibition began with having no one to tell. No one to speak to meant no chance to break it.
No family. No siblings. No loved ones.
There never would be.
Four Thousand Four gently laid the old man's body to rest and stood.
"Again!"
"Ugh! This bastard, really!"
The old man lay as if asleep. Utterly at peace.
It was the hallmark of those Four Thousand Four killed. They all looked serene, as if they'd died in bliss.
Tales of joy, smiles on their lips, then a single swift cut to end it.
One could only think that way. How else could the dead look so content?
"How far ahead is he?"
"About half a sichen."
"Let's go!"
Vanguard launched his form first.
Half a sichen? No. Half a sichen was generous. Four Thousand Four's scent hung thick, as if he were right beside them. This strength meant within a single tea's brewing—one sichen at most.
'Why are you doing this, really! Do you want to die by my hand? I'll catch you for sure! You think I'm like this because I can't grab you?'
Fox was depressed. No, furious.
Already two on the road. He'd doubted the rumors at first, but seeing with their own eyes left no room for doubt.
Four Thousand Four was now openly killing in his true colors.
Fox glanced at the dead old man, then shot off toward the source of Four Thousand Four's scent.
A visitor came to Zhuge Soso.
Per orders to rush immediately upon witnessing Four Thousand Four's killing or receiving credible reports.
The subordinate facing Zhuge Soso described the murder in vivid detail, as if seen firsthand.
"A dying old man..."
Zhuge Soso narrowed her eyes.
"Yes."
"Did he enjoy the kill?"
"Doesn't seem so. The time between Four Thousand Four's kill in the thatched hut and Vanguard bursting in was barely one sichen. He finished it quickly."
"Really? That's odd."
"..."
"Don't typical murderers savor it?"
"They're hardly sane, so..."
"Finishing so fast means killing was the goal, not enjoyment."
Zhuge Soso had just received piping-hot intel.
Truly by chance, stumbled upon like picking it up off the ground... but such info burned hottest.
They'd caught Four Thousand Four mid-murder.
"Who was the old man?"
"A slash-and-burn farmer."
"Slash-and-burn? He killed one before too, right?"
"Yes."
"Slash-and-burn folk... Only targeting the powerless. He passed lumberjacks and hunters on his escape without touching them. Hid to avoid them. But every old slash-and-burn farmer he spots, he kills without fail. Is killing old men a hobby?"
"But..."
The reporting subordinate furrowed his brow.
"What? Speak freely. I need the full picture."
"That old man... he'd been on the brink since yesterday."
"What?"
"A day or two? Looked dead in the morning, still gasping by evening. Everyone nearby expected him gone any hour."
"So he was already dying? Hm! Murderers..."
Zhuge Soso creased her brow deeply.
They hadn't sought out the scene hoping to catch him. Hadn't witnessed it. Just knew beforehand the old man was dying.
Already wandering between life and death for two days?
Why kill such an old man? In killers' terms, one on the verge offered no thrill, no satisfying snap.
The type they ignored most.
Of course, coincidence possible. Maybe someone dying happened along his path. But for sating bloodlust, woefully inadequate.
'What is it?'
Zhuge Soso tilted her head.
Easy to ignore, yet the fact Four Thousand Four killed a man hours from death stuck like a thorn in her throat.
The report calling him a murderer...
Without it, she wouldn't have let Vanguard's group go.
Four Thousand Four killed on mission lulls.
Breakthrough event.
His existence could uproot Heavenly Annihilation Division.
Couldn't kill such a pawn easily.
Plus, curious what he knew of Zhuge Clan.
His actions in Thunder Prison to draw out the clan head weren't dismissible. If he knew precisely, it warranted facing the head directly.
Weighing complexes, she released Vanguard's group—announcing even the head's death. But decisive trigger: Four Thousand Four as ultimate murderer.
Unprecedented in Central Plains martial world.
Zhuge Soso had met Four Thousand Four.
He didn't seem a murderer. Not one overcome by impulse.
Hard to believe even he was the ultimate killer.
One or the other: he wasn't, or she misjudged.
This time, misjudged him.
Releasing and tailing Vanguard's group wasn't solely to lure Heavenly Annihilation Division.
Four Thousand Four would kill endlessly.
Hidden killer instinct, sharp claws—with them, he'd reveal true nature.
Spark to topple Heavenly Annihilation Division.
Must use him well. Perfectly.
Releasing such a killer into the world wasn't righteous sect behavior. No matter the noble goal, eliminate immediately.
She bore that risk.
For minor sacrifice to crush cancer Heavenly Annihilation Division.
Tailing Vanguard's group served multiples.
Yet Vanguard sought to kill Four Thousand Four. Heavenly Annihilation Division too. They knew the murders, saw him as spreading mold at their feet.
All the more reason not to let him die.
Normal chase? Deathsorry Squad overkill. Waste, like using cattle knife for chicken.
Yet even Zhuge Myeong deployed.
Zhuge Soso valued Vanguard's group highly. Saw them as root to fell Heavenly Annihilation Division.
Told Vanguard of other stakes for that. Dozens combined couldn't match one Vanguard. Or Four Thousand Four.
Four Thousand Four couldn't die.
Now, what will you do?
Zhuge Soso imagined Vanguard's excuses to Heavenly Annihilation Division. Laughable, transparent... So how would they respond? Kill Vanguard? Watch him?
Heavenly Annihilation Division would purge the stake.
Deathsorry Squad insufficient, hence Zhuge Myeong—for this.
If Heavenly Annihilation Division struck Vanguard's group, Zhuge Clan must oppose, protect them. Vanguard must roam free. Four Thousand Four must keep killing.
Yet clever twist: Four Thousand Four flees, Vanguard pursues.
Vanguard needed no excuses.
Zhuge Clan no fight prep.
Vanguard still roams, but Four Thousand Four too busy fleeing to kill.
Chase fooling both Heavenly Annihilation Division and Zhuge Clan.
Yet by chance—pure chance—caught one murder site. Troubling Zhuge Soso.
What did Four Thousand Four kill? Why? How became killer?
Curiosity stirred. Wanted to know him.
Zhuge Soso furrowed her brow and said,
"All those Four Thousand Four's reportedly killed... investigate each one thoroughly. Need to know who."
"List them all?"
"Just what we've grasped. One leads to ten, ten to hundred. Must understand targets, selection method. Crucial—start immediately."
"Understood."
The subordinate bowed and vanished.
If only Four Thousand Four slaughtered indiscriminately, perfect tool to uproot Heavenly Annihilation Division.
Zhuge Soso rose, paced, grabbed her sword.
Seemed she must join Deathsorry Squad. Lurk in watch over Vanguard. Couldn't just sit deep in Zhuge Clan hearing reports.