A Lucky Break
While everyone else had already met their end, the decapitated corpse of Leader Sa lay on the ground, his limbs still twitching sporadically.
"He’s dead, right?"
Bukjin approached the body, sword in hand, and drove the blade straight through the man's heart. It was a confirmation kill. Only then did the corpse finally go still, surrendering to the finality of death.
Bukjin let out a long sigh of relief. Turning away, he moved among the fallen disciples, stabbing each one in the heart to ensure no one was faking their demise. It was then that he discovered one last disciple—a young man who looked barely out of his teens—who was still clinging to life, though he had lost consciousness.
In truth, Bukjin had intentionally spared one person during his initial assault. He clamped a hand over the young disciple’s mouth and drew his Sword of Justice, driving it deep into the boy's thigh.
"Mmph! Mmmgh!"
The young swordsman bolted awake, his eyes wide with agony. Cold sweat poured down his face as his limbs thrashed. He tried to scream, but Bukjin’s iron grip muffled the sound into a low, desperate grunt.
Leaning down, Bukjin tapped the boy’s cheek with the blood-stained flat of his blade, his voice dropping to a chilling whisper.
"Don't make a sound. Just answer my questions. If you try to call for help, I’ll send you to join your master."
The wretched disciple nodded frantically, struggling to endure the pain. Bukjin slowly removed his hand but kept the edge of the sword pressed against the boy's throat.
"Where is the academy teacher you captured? Is he still alive?" Bukjin asked in a low, dangerous tone.
"I... I..." The young disciple gasped, sucking in air through the pain. Meeting Bukjin’s predatory gaze, he forced out an answer. "I know who you mean... When he was brought here, both his arms had already been severed, and his Mystic Energy was completely destroyed... My master used him as an experimental subject... but it failed... I don't know if he's still alive... He should be in one of the rooms inside that house."
With a trembling hand, he pointed toward a room in the center of the nearby building.
"What kind of traps or mechanisms are inside?" Bukjin demanded.
"There... there are none," the disciple stammered. "That house is where the Master manufactures his poisons. No one is allowed inside except for us disciples, so he never saw the need for traps. The defenses are all concentrated in the cave at the entrance. Please, Great Hero! I’ve told you everything. Please, spare my life..."
Bukjin shook his head slowly.
"I think it’s better if you follow your master. A sect is like a family, after all. It’s only right that you all end up in the same place."
With a swift motion, Bukjin took the boy's head.
It wasn't that Bukjin enjoyed the slaughter. It was simply that his current situation was far too precarious to afford even a sliver of mercy. The members of the Vile Adventurer Alliance were villains of the worst sort, and this Cave of Ten Thousand Poisons was a factory of horrors where living humans were used as ingredients. Every person here deserved to die. In a place like this, killing was a necessity for survival.
Sword in hand, Bukjin headed toward the house. He pushed open the door and stepped inside. The interior was shrouded in darkness, revealing a surprisingly vast space. The walls were lined with dense rows of shelves, packed with glass jars containing substances of unknown purpose. Some jars were filled with clear liquids, while others held various human organs preserved in brine.
The sight sent a chill down Bukjin's spine. In the center of the room sat a large ceramic vat, identical to the ones he had seen in the corners of the garden. A strange, fermented smell, like sour wine, wafted from it.
Peering into the vat, Bukjin found a man submerged in the liquid. His body was floating, with only his face breaking the surface. Bukjin reached in and hauled him out.
"Dean Cho...!" Bukjin cried out, his voice thick with grief.
The man in the vat was indeed Cho Heun. He had been subjected to tortures beyond imagination. His arms were gone, his Mystic Energy was shattered, and his body was riddled with countless holes where the flesh had begun to rot. Some of the wounds were so deep that the bone was visible. It was a truly horrific sight.
After pulling Cho Heun onto the floor, Bukjin reached out to check his pulse. It was faint—barely a flutter—but it was there.
He’s still alive!
A wave of relief washed over Bukjin.
"Dean Cho, hang on. I’m going to save you."
Bukjin raised his hand and activated his skill.
Restoration Circle (Suhwan)
Targeting: Cho Heun
A ring of blue light enveloped Cho Heun’s body. The wounds began to twitch and knit together, albeit very slowly. However, there was no reaction at the stumps where his arms had been. Cho Heun’s pulse grew slightly stronger. Bukjin cast the skill again and again.
Finally...
"Ugh..."
Cho Heun coughed up a mouthful of blood and his body gave a weak tremor. About a third of his wounds had closed. Despite the repeated use of the skill, Bukjin couldn't fully heal the damage. It was a testament to how severe the injuries were.
"Dean Cho, can you hear me? It’s me! Im Bukjin..." Bukjin said, his voice bright with hope.
Cho Heun didn't answer immediately, but Bukjin could feel the warmth returning to the man's chest. He continued to cast Restoration Circle, but he soon noticed that the rate of recovery was plateauing despite the blue light still surrounding the Dean.
Is he... becoming immune to the skill? Bukjin’s heart sank.
"Cough! Hack!"
Cho Heun coughed again and finally opened his mouth. His voice was a mere thread of sound.
"I-Im Bukjin... you foolish boy... Why... why are you here?"
"Dean Cho! You’re finally awake! You almost gave me a heart attack!" Bukjin let out a long breath and knelt beside him. "We’re in the Cave of Ten Thousand Poisons, inside the headquarters of the Vile Adventurer Alliance."
"The... Cave of Ten Thousand... Poisons?" Cho Heun trembled, his eyes widening. "Were you captured too? What happened to Ak Hong-hyang?"
Bukjin quickly explained the situation. "Don't worry. She’s fine. I sent her back to the city to get help. I heard you were captured and snuck in here to find you..."
He gave a brief summary of everything that had transpired.
"You idiot, do you have any idea where you are? You were stabbed through the heart and you’re still alive..." Cho Heun gasped for air. "You... you shouldn't have come here. The leaders of this alliance are incredibly powerful. Especially the master of this cave, Leader Sa, the Ancestor of Ten Thousand Poisons. His poison techniques are unstoppable... Run, now. Don't let him—"
Seeing Cho Heun getting agitated, Bukjin cast another Restoration Circle on him.
"Relax. I’ve already taken care of him."
He briefly described how he had infiltrated the fortress and reached this point. Cho Heun fell silent for a moment. Then, he began to scold Bukjin again.
"Y-You moron! If you’re that capable, why didn't you get here sooner!"
"..."
"Fine. I really got done in this time. To think I’ve lost both my arms..." Cho Heun’s energy was slowly stabilizing. "It’s a miracle Ban Oe-min taught you that restoration technique. If not for that, even a Great Immortal couldn't... cough! Hack! ...couldn't have saved this old man."
"Dean Cho, just rest and recover your strength for now. We’ll figure out a plan once you’re stable," Bukjin said.
Having finally rescued Cho Heun, Bukjin felt a small measure of peace. Fatigue began to show on Cho Heun’s face as his energy levels dipped again.
"You brat... I appreciate the sentiment... To think you killed that old poison master... You’ve avenged me... Now leave. Don't worry about me anymore... I don't know how much longer I have in this world anyway."
"If you’re going to talk like that, just shut up and rest! I’m going to keep using the healing arts on you," Bukjin interrupted. "Do you have any idea how hard I worked to snatch you back from the jaws of death? I even broke my rule against killing for the first time just for you! Wait, no—this conversation sounds like the dialogue right before a bad ending. Ugh, I just got goosebumps... Stop talking nonsense and sleep! I’m going to find a way to get us out of this."
Exhausted to his limit, Cho Heun couldn't help but crack a weak smile at Bukjin’s words.
"You foolish boy. Don't do anything reckless... What are you planning now?"
"Revenge, obviously! I’ve never been a patient man. I don't like letting a grudge last through the night. I won't be satisfied until I’ve settled the score right here, right now."
Bukjin cast a few more Restoration Circles on Cho Heun, then lifted him up and placed him on a bed inside the house, covering him with a blanket. Cho Heun wanted to stop him from seeking more trouble, but his fatigue was overwhelming. His vision blurred, and his eyes slowly drifted shut.
Bukjin patted his back like he was soothing a child to sleep. Soon, Cho Heun drifted off. Bukjin continued to cast the healing skill several more times until the man’s entire body was bathed in a steady blue glow. Once he was certain Cho Heun was in a deep sleep, Bukjin finally stepped out of the house.
The corpses of the Ancestor of Ten Thousand Poisons and his disciples had long since grown cold in the garden. Bukjin moved to search the old man’s body but hesitated. The man had spent his life handling toxins; who knew what kind of lethal poisons might be hidden on his person? He needed protection before he touched anything.
Bukjin began searching the other buildings in the compound. In a room that appeared to be a warehouse, he found various tools used for alchemy and poison refinement. Among them was a pair of protective gloves made from the hide of a magical beast.
"Lucky break."
Bukjin grinned. He pulled on the gloves and turned back toward the corpse of the Ancestor of Ten Thousand Poisons to begin his looting.