The Night of Murders Without a Culprit
The elders of the Huanxi Palace who had barged in for no good reason ended up witnessing a sight they would rather forget. Worse, two of them were left crippled. The Law Enforcement Elder’s dantian was destroyed, turning her into a frail old woman, and the internal energy she had built through the methods of the Four Paths began leaking out at an alarming rate, as such power always did. The Training Elder, meanwhile, became handless. They had retrieved the severed hands, but because they had been torn off by being squeezed until they snapped, reattachment was impossible.
One of the palace’s first-generation disciples came to check on her master’s bedside and, upon seeing the gruesome state, was so shocked that she overpowered her master and absorbed every last bit of her true origin. The disciple reasoned that since she had eliminated the Training Elder, revealing it might allow her to become the next one. But she was still young and inexperienced; taking an elder’s seat now would only make her someone else’s stepping stone. It was better to hide her newly gained power for the time being.
For the same reason, the ninth-ranked enforcer of the Law Enforcement Hall luckily discovered her own master in a crippled state and forcibly received her true energy. The position of Law Enforcement Elder belonged to the strongest expert, far too much for a mere ninth-ranked enforcer. So she too decided to simply conceal her new strength.
Because of these circumstances, two more bodies without culprits were born that night.
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The life of Gyeon Po-hui, the youngest of the third-generation disciples, was exhausting. She was pushed around, used as an outlet for others’ anger, and even the men she managed to lure in were promptly stolen away. She could barely remember the last time she had tasted a man. Thanks to all that, after entering the palace she had only grown exceptionally skilled at miscellaneous chores and had barely learned any proper martial arts.
Then good news reached Gyeon Po-hui. A new youngest disciple had arrived. She would finally be free of the chores!
Her joy lasted only a moment. The newcomer apparently had crippled legs.
Gyeon Po-hui steeled her heart. The youngest she had waited so long for had bad legs? Hah. Don’t think I’ll go easy on her. As her senior sister, I will finally show my dignity!
Gyeon Po-hui kicked open the door to Cheong’s room and stormed in. Having been on the receiving end of such treatment from her own seniors many times, her form was surprisingly natural despite it being her first time doing it.
“Hey! You! The sun’s already high in the sky and you’re still doing what?!”
Cheong squinted toward the window. “Huh… the sun hasn’t even risen yet…”
“What? You’re not getting up!? What kind of slacker are you?!”
Gyeon Po-hui shrieked at the top of her lungs. The extremely high pitch made it impossible for Cheong to pretend she hadn’t heard. She groggily sat up.
“Who are you?”
“What the—where are your clothes!? Why are you completely naked?!”
Cheong quickly pulled the blanket over herself. “It’s more comfortable this way…”
“Get dressed and get up right now!? Are you planning to be lazy from your very first day?!”
“Ah. Then could you step outside for a moment? It’s a bit uncomfortable with someone watching…”
“Did you not hear me!? I said it’s late! Do you want to skip breakfast?!”
“Oh. It’s already breakfast time? Does this neighborhood eat this early? Could you hand me the clothes next to you?”
“Do you not have hands or feet?!”
“If we’re being precise… feet?”
Gyeon Po-hui froze for a second. “Ahem. Ahem. Just this once. The senior sisters won’t go easy on you just because your legs are inconvenient.”
Cheong grumbled as she watched the girl hurriedly pick up the scattered clothes lying everywhere.
-151. Is there no normal person in this neighborhood? Even the servants are villains.
Still, breakfast was a serious matter. It was a shame to see blood first thing in the morning, but it couldn’t be helped.
Cheong wriggled into her clothes under the blanket, then confidently raised both arms.
“Alright. Let’s go. Time to eat.”
“What? Why are you suddenly throwing your hands up?”
“Because you have to carry me, obviously?”
It was a request to be held. She had become so immersed in her crippled-leg act that she had fallen completely into the role. In modern terms, the method had consumed her. The technique that had fooled two masters in the Harmonious Realm, countless Super Peak experts, and innumerable Peak masters had originated from exactly this.
Cheong categorized people into three genders: men, women, and villains. Once someone’s evil deeds reached the triple digits, gender no longer applied.
Originally, Cheong avoided direct physical contact unless it was hostile. Skin-to-skin contact with a man was a warrior’s shame. Contact with a woman brought a small amount of joy, but it felt like using this appearance for cheap, dirty tricks, so she disliked it. Therefore, after confirming Gyeon Po-hui’s evil deeds, she was no longer a woman in Cheong’s eyes, allowing her to be carried without any hesitation.
“Ha, this kid is a rock— I mean, mentally unstable— ah, sorry. I keep saying terrible things. Must be because I’ve been hearing nothing but awful stuff lately. Hey, do you have a headache or something? What kind of treatment did you receive to end up like this?”
“Why do you ask?”
Cheong tilted her head with an expression that clearly said I don’t know anything.
“Ugh, forget it! We’re out of time! We need to hurry!”
Gyeon Po-hui lifted Cheong into her arms. She was tall and large in certain other areas, making her heavier than the other senior sisters. Still, perhaps because she was used to being held, Cheong nestled right in, making the task much easier than when she had to act as a human chair for the seniors.
As Cheong was being obediently carried toward the dining hall, Gyeon Po-hui ran into Yu Nang-rang in the corridor. She was the fourth-ranked among the third-generation disciples and served as the action leader for one of the four factions of the second-generation disciples.
Gyeon Po-hui immediately shouted, “Senior Sister! Did you sleep peacefully last night?!”
“I did. Did you sleep well too, junior sister?”
“Yes! Thank you!”
Cheong frowned. Why is she screaming like that from the morning? She must be a low-ranking servant. Should I replace her with this one?
Cheong glanced at another servant. This one had just over two hundred evil points. Still, one hundred fifty was better than two hundred. Cheong simply let out a deep sigh.
“Oh? Did I just hear a leaky wind sound?”
“Ah, aah…!”
“What are you doing, hugging that thing? Ah, is that the new crippled-leg girl? Wow, the world really has improved. How can she be so comfortably nestled in a senior sister’s embrace? And you, junior sister, how soft must you have looked for her to act like this?”
“Well, she said her legs were inconvenient, so…”
“Hah! What a pair of cripple bitches. In my eyes, the bigger cripple bitch is the one who failed to properly train her junior. I’ll teach you what real training looks like, so remember it well.”
Yu Nang-rang laughed viciously and raised her hand. The slap carried the momentum of the Huanming Twelve Hands technique that third-generation disciples learned, flying straight toward Gyeon Po-hui’s face.
Gyeon Po-hui buried her face between her shoulders. However, the slap never landed. A pitch-black hand had grabbed the wrist mid-air.
They were currently on their way to an urgent breakfast. Having her path obstructed put Cheong in a foul mood.
Cheong smiled whitely and spoke. The first character in Sosu Magong was “so,” and white had always been connected to evil.
“Excuse me. If you shorten ‘a person without hands’ to one character, do you know what it becomes?”
“Haa? What kind of bullsh—”
“Wrong. ‘Bullshit’ is not the correct answer. The correct answer is ‘you.’”
The same scene from yesterday repeated. The hand that lost its support fell with a thud. A loud scream burst out. And the ecstatic sensation of crushing flesh and bone—though she had tasted it yesterday, tasting it again made her think, Huh? Huh… huh…? This feeling… whoa. It’s too, too… Ah. It’s too… good…!
“Ughk.”
Cheong made a sound like her breath was caught in her throat.
Gyeon Po-hui, who was holding Cheong, snapped back to her senses. She had momentarily dissociated from what had just happened. The person in her arms suddenly trembling brought her scattered mind back into her body.
Why is she like this!? Is this a seizure!? A fit right here!? What do I do!? Should I take her to the infirmary!? But I need to bring the spoon container too!
Not knowing what to do, Gyeon Po-hui simply hugged Cheong tightly. She vaguely remembered seeing someone in her hometown do this when a person had a seizure. Whether that worked or not, the youngest’s spasms gradually subsided.
“Hey!? Are you okay!? Are you coming back to your senses?!”
“Hoo… Hooo… Hoooooo…”
Cheong continued taking deep breaths. Her body still trembled faintly, leaving her dizzy. Her heart pounded wildly. Since becoming a high-level expert, she had never experienced her heart racing this violently. Perhaps this was how an ancient soldier who had run at full speed to deliver news of victory, smiling even at his limit before drawing his last breath, had felt. The pounding of her heart threatened to shatter her entire body.
Yet, despite the tremendous sense of accomplishment and satisfaction, her mind was clearer and cleaner than ever. That was… incredible. And really, how should I put it… refreshing?
Cheong’s eyes became remarkably clear and gentle. It was the same serene gaze as a high monk who had attained enlightenment.
Let’s see. I need to finish this, but it feels somehow trivial now…
Both Cheong’s body and mind were no different from someone who had sprinted with all their might, won first place, and then collapsed. It was then that—
“Um, hey, you know…”
“Hm? What?”
“About the finishing part. Since you’re already strong, junior sister, if it’s okay with you… could I… do it?”
Cheong looked up at Gyeon Po-hui. The girl kept glancing at the servant with over two hundred evil points rolling on the floor. Cheong understood her meaning.
Oh. So you enjoy slaughter too?
“You want to have some fun?”
“Only if you’re okay with it, junior sister…”
“Well, go ahead.”
She was currently extremely satisfied, so she had no desire to see more blood right now.
“Huh? Really!? Then, how much should I leave?”
How much to leave? What kind of creative and systematic slaughter process was she planning? Was she offering to let Cheong deliver the final blow?
Now curious, Cheong answered, “Just finish it completely. But can I watch?”
“Eh? Ah! It’s a bit embarrassing… but I guess it can’t be helped.”
Gyeon Po-hui tore a strip from the hem of her senior sister’s skirt and tightly wrapped the crushed wound. Oh. Starting with hemostasis? Is she some kind of torture specialist? She’s different from the very beginning. I might learn something today.
Then she opened the door where the senior sister had been standing, shoved her inside, carried Cheong in with her, and locked the door.
Cheong’s eyes sparkled. Oh, she even secured a room? Dismemberment? Is it dismemberment? Will I get to observe a dissection?
Cheong waited in great anticipation. And then—
Ah. It wasn’t slaughter.
Cheong realized she had made a ridiculous misunderstanding. After all, a vivid scene of chaeum-boyum was unfolding right before her eyes.
But Cheong felt wronged too. No, how was I supposed to know this would— oh? Ooh… Wait, if you rub it there like that… Oh my. How embarrassing. Wow, this has way more power than videos!
With an ambiguous sidelong glance, Cheong pretended not to watch while carefully observing Gyeon Po-hui’s “finishing touches.”
It was a powerful and strong morning.