Cleansing Week
The official notice, written on parchment, was prominently displayed on the bulletin board along the people's gathering street on the 1st floor of the Tower of Trials.
People stirred at the sight of it, while the guards watched the 1st floor residents with visibly tense expressions.
The notice read:
"Due to a recent unfortunate incident, this training week has been changed to a cleansing week."
Jin Hong tilted her head as she read the words. Yeon Cheong took her hand and pulled her away from the crowd.
"Cleansing week? I know what training week is, but what's this?"
"Exactly what it says. They're purging the criminals on the 1st floor."
"I've never seen it happen before."
Yeon Cheong nodded at her words. It had been a long time since a cleansing week notice had been posted.
After Judge Gu Jeong-gi's death, the higher-ups were trying to restore order, even if only for show.
The guards shouted threateningly at the residents.
"No one is allowed outside after sunset! If you're caught out there, you'll be treated as a criminal and arrested on the spot!"
The crowd stirred again at the warning.
During cleansing week, the guards themselves moved to wipe out criminal organizations. Crime dropped sharply for those seven days. Even minor offenses led to arrests, and the executed criminals' heads were hung at the main gate.
'With this, the Red Guardians will vanish completely.'
Yeon Cheong glanced around as he spoke. The terrified remnants of the Red Guardians stared at one another. Their red uniforms stood out too clearly; if they didn't change quickly, the guards would drag them straight to trial.
The short-lived violent group had been completely destroyed.
"Let's get out of here. If we stay any longer, we'll draw attention."
"Yeah, everyone's eyes look terrifying."
Jin Hong watched the guards' expressions. They scanned the residents like predators, ready to pounce at the slightest excuse.
'Best to lie low during cleansing week.'
As Yeon Cheong and Jin Hong left the street, he kept his ears open, gathering more information from the residents' conversations, the guards' talk, and exchanges between deliverymen.
"What the hell is going on? Cleansing week?"
"I heard a judge who came down to the 1st floor got assassinated."
"Assassinated? In broad daylight?"
"If even the nearby guards didn't notice, it wasn't some ordinary thug. Probably the Black Wolf Group."
The Black Wolf Group was a small criminal organization on the 1st floor. They operated mainly at night with very few members. What made them truly dangerous was that they hid their identity. They lived as ordinary residents by day and only revealed their true nature after dark.
Since most assassinations on the 1st floor were their work, the higher-ups had naturally blamed them. But the Black Wolf Group had nothing to do with this incident, and there was no evidence of their involvement. Yeon Cheong's assassination, carried out through Yeongdeung, had left no trace—no witnesses, no bloodstains, nothing.
'Several janitors came down as well.'
He wasn't certain, but he had sensed several strange presences descending from the upper floors. The unprecedented assassination of a judge on the 1st floor had clearly prompted the higher-ups to send janitors in a hurry.
"After this, the big shots from upstairs won't be coming down for a while."
A guard smirked as he spoke. His colleague grinned and added,
"Right. Keeping track of their every little schedule was such a pain."
Whenever upper-floor residents visited, the 1st floor guards became twice as busy. In addition to regular patrols, they had to secure the distribution center and main gate. A judge's arrival only made things worse.
'If the guards are saying it, it's probably reliable.'
From the information he'd gathered, Yeon Cheong reached one conclusion: the higher-ups' influence over the 1st floor had weakened. With the judge dead, they would be occupied with the aftermath and pay little attention to the lower floors for now.
'If they're not watching, this is an opportunity.'
Now was the perfect time to act on the 1st floor. He could use the chaos to secure something valuable before things settled.
*
Third day of Cleansing Week.
What should have been the third day of Training Week had instead become the third day of Cleansing Week. As Yeon Cheong predicted, the Red Guardians had collapsed completely. Their heads now hung at the main gate.
"Today's the day."
Yeon Cheong fiddled with the knife tucked in his clothes. It had grown dull from overuse, but it still had enough durability for a few more uses. He wasn't worried about that.
What mattered more was something else.
"I heard the black market opens today."
The black market was a secret trading ground run by criminal organizations on specific days. Through corrupt deliverymen, they exchanged goods from the tower.
"Since they're forcing it open, everyone involved is taking a huge risk."
Even during cleansing week, criminal groups refused to miss a major event like the black market, so they were pushing ahead anyway. Yeon Cheong planned to use the opportunity to acquire useful items.
"And this."
He took out the time artifact he had been keeping. No matter how he examined it, he couldn't figure out how to activate it. The clock-like device showed fixed time that never advanced, and even forcing the hands did nothing.
"I'm carrying it just in case, but it's completely useless right now."
Text had once appeared before his eyes, but now even that was gone. There had to be activation conditions, and discovering them wouldn't be easy.
"I never used artifacts back when I was a janitor either."
If he had experience, it might have been simpler. Still, possessing the artifact meant he could use it someday. That was enough for now.
"Better to get other equipment instead."
From his memories before returning to the past, he recalled some of the items traded at the black market. He didn't remember everything, but he clearly remembered the equipment held by criminal organizations. Since 1st floor groups were considered potential rebels, the janitors kept detailed records on them, including their gear. Yeon Cheong had memorized those lists.
"Today's main items are a rare-grade dagger, a pendant of preservation, and a talisman of concentration."
The item he wanted was the talisman of concentration. The rare dagger was a weapon he didn't need immediately, and too many organizations were eyeing it. The pendant of preservation was just a luxury item with no real effect.
But the talisman of concentration carried the effect he needed most.
Thought acceleration.
For someone whose every choice and action could determine the outcome, it was essential. It also reduced the mental strain of Yeongdeung, which was a huge advantage. Yeongdeung demanded intense focus and drained mental energy quickly; the talisman would let him use it more freely.
"Even if I just use it to strengthen Yeongdeung, it wouldn't be bad."
For now, the talisman was the only worthwhile target. He could always change plans if something better appeared.
Knock, knock.
A knock came from the door. Yeon Cheong quickly opened it.
Uncle Ben brushed dust from his mouth and frowned.
"What are you doing alone? Where's Jin Hong?"
"She's at Chunja Halmae's house. With cleansing week going on, Halmae is keeping a close eye on her."
"Makes sense. That girl runs off the moment you look away. Better she's at Halmae's than catching the guards' attention."
Uncle Ben's expression softened. As a distributor, he had no reason to fear arrest. Guards and distributors answered to the same superiors, so they rarely bothered him unless he caused real trouble.
"So, is it true? The black market's opening today?"
"Yes. I only overheard it, though..."
"Black market during cleansing week? Do these idiots have two livers or something?"
Uncle Ben sighed. Even when they wanted to stay quiet, the 1st floor never let things pass peacefully.
"They said it'll be in the 071 residential area. Please tip off the guards."
"Haa... Fine. I'll mention it. Whether they'll actually move is another story."
"Would they ignore a trusted distributor's word?"
Yeon Cheong grinned. Uncle Ben scratched his cheek.
"I don't know if I'm that trusted."
"That's more than enough. Everyone values you, Uncle Ben."
"What kind of creepy thing is that to say?"
Uncle Ben shook his head and stepped outside.
"You're absolutely sure the black market is opening?"
"Of course."
"If you're wrong, my head's going up on that gate."
He pointed toward the main gate. Yeon Cheong reassured him.
"It's certain. It's my information."
"...Alright, fine."
Uncle Ben rubbed the back of his head and closed the door.
Once he was gone, Yeon Cheong pulled the mask out from under the blanket. Chunja Halmae had made it for him.
"Preparations are done. Now I just wait."
The black market opened the moment the sun set.
That moment was coming.