I Don't Know Them
A short distance from the winner's podium, beneath the divine statue of the Sword Lord, Jin Ju-je kept her gaze fixed on Im Bukjin. Her eyes were as clear as water bubbling from a pristine spring, devoid of even a speck of distraction. She watched him silently, a warmth of compassion shimmering in her gaze.
Time ticked by. The crowd gathered in the square grew denser, and a restless murmur rippled through the masses as they exchanged frantic theories.
"Was there really a demonic altar hidden inside the Jeon-cheon-hu Manor?"
"I can't be sure..."
"Could someone have set him up?"
"The 7th Prince, Lord Dam, and City Lord Im went to investigate personally. The truth will come out soon."
"But honestly, looking at the insane strength Im Bukjin has shown lately, it is suspicious! That brat's skills improved way too fast!"
"There are definitely a lot of strange things about his power..."
"You don't think he actually fell into Demonic Possession and became a Demon Worshiper, do you?"
Opinions clashed and swirled. Baek Hae-geum listened to the citizens' whispers, a cold sneer deepening on his face.
"M-Master... Please, save me... It hurts so much! Please, help me!"
Jo Pacheon, lying on a stretcher, suddenly let out a wretched cry. His body, wrapped tightly in bandages, twitched with fine tremors. Baek Hae-geum stepped closer and looked down at him, shaking his head slowly.
"My disciple. Demonic energy has already saturated your body to the point where even I cannot save you. Bear with it for now. I will kill that Im Bukjin shortly and grant you your revenge."
"N-No, Master. Please..." Jo Pacheon pleaded. "Master... just kill me. Let me be free of this agony... I-I can't take it anymore..."
Baek Hae-geum shook his head again, his voice reaching Jo Pacheon only through a private telepathic transmission.
Jo Pacheon froze. He didn't know why, but a sudden, icy chill gripped his heart. A bizarre and terrifying realization began to dawn on him.
Just then, a commotion erupted in the distance. The officials who had headed to the Jeon-cheon-hu Manor were finally returning to the temple square, accompanied by Im Gun-hyeon.
Bukjin looked up to meet them. Dam Gogeum was trying to maintain a neutral expression, but a dark, gloating smirk tugged at the corners of his mouth. Seeing that, Bukjin's heart sank.
I'm screwed! I can't believe my old man, who I don't even know is alive or dead, would shove me into a trap this big!
Under the watchful eyes of countless people, City Lord Im Gun-hyeon was the first to ascend the podium. He glanced at Bukjin and let out a soft sigh before turning to face the crowd.
"His Highness the 7th Prince and I have completed our on-site investigation. We have confirmed that the underground palace discovered within the Jeon-cheon-hu Manor is real, and that it was constructed approximately ten years ago. Furthermore... within that underground palace..."
Im Gun-hyeon paused. Every person listening felt as if their heart was about to leap out of their throat. He continued.
"...an altar to the Sama of the Void Realm was indeed present. Given the age of the structure, we have determined that it was not built recently for some temporary purpose. It is our judgment that the former War God Im Geun-nam was undeniably involved with the Demon Worshippers."
Boom—!
His words hit the crowd like a massive explosion. The citizens were swept up in a wave of shock. Cho Heun, Ryu Gye-hae, and Ban Oe-min stood frozen with blank expressions. Every student from the 3rd Academy looked horrified. The students on the podium were no different. Even Bukjin himself looked genuinely stunned.
"That's impossible!" Bukjin shouted.
But in a moment like this, no one was willing to believe him. The eyes that had just been cheering his name and clapping for him were now filled with suspicion and hatred. It was the exact same look people had given him when he first arrived in this world—the look reserved for Im Bukjin the street trash, the bully who only did bad things and was loathed by everyone.
"Hahaha! Im Bukjin! Do you still have something to say for yourself?" Baek Hae-geum burst into loud laughter.
Bukjin shouted back his defense. "Whatever my father did has absolutely nothing to do with me! I'm just a young boy, and besides, I'm a person with a mental illness...!"
"The entire city of Unmong knows how much Im Geun-nam doted on you! You're telling us you had no idea what he was up to?" Baek Hae-geum asked sharply. "Furthermore, how many of the recent demonic incidents in this city have not involved you? The Sim Bi possession incident during the preliminaries! Lord Bang Jin-yu was murdered by a demon right after having an argument with you! You were there the day the possessed Dan assassins were wiped out! And finally, you were right there when my disciple, Jo Pacheon, was poisoned by demonic energy! Are you telling us all these incidents surrounding you are just coincidences?"
Oh, crap...
Bukjin tried to formulate a rebuttal, but as Baek Hae-geum said, the circumstances were incredibly damning. He couldn't think of a single way to explain it away.
"Guards! Bind Im Bukjin and take him to the dungeon! The awards ceremony is suspended! We will resume once a thorough investigation is complete and the truth is revealed!" Im Gun-hyeon commanded.
"Wait."
Suddenly, Dam Gogeum spoke up. He slowly climbed onto the podium and addressed the crowd in a booming voice.
"I believe this case needs to be laid bare before all the citizens of Unmong. Conducting the investigation and judgment right here, where everyone is gathered, is the only way to ensure it is fair and just. If we delay, who knows what schemes might be brewed to muddy the waters or protect a demon worshiper? Haha, in truth, I have been conducting a secret investigation and have already discovered several clues. Every single one of them points directly to Im Bukjin. At first, even I couldn't believe the descendant of the War God would do such a thing. But now..."
Dam Gogeum clapped his hands.
"Guards! Bring out the witnesses!"
Witnesses? Curiosity flared on the faces of the surrounding citizens. They were all eager to see what Dam Gogeum had uncovered.
The crowd parted. About a dozen experts from the investigation team led a group of people toward the podium. Every eye in the square turned toward the witnesses.
"The witnesses... are them?"
Seeing the people who had been brought out, Bukjin finally understood everything. Gwan Bi-do, Mok Simwol, Oh Sobang, Jo Muyang... most were students from the 3rd Academy, and there were even a few teachers among them. There were also several older individuals whose names he couldn't quite recall, though their faces looked vaguely familiar.
"Im Bukjin. Do you recognize these people?" Dam Gogeum demanded, glaring at him.
All eyes turned to Bukjin's face. Without a moment's hesitation, he answered.
"I don't know them."
Pfft!
Cho Heun and the others, who had been sick with worry for Bukjin, nearly spat out their drinks upon hearing his answer.
How is that any different from closing your eyes and saying you can't see!
The sheer audacity of this kid...
Even Dam Gogeum was momentarily flustered. He clearly hadn't expected Bukjin to be this thick-skinned. After a moment, he let out a cold laugh.
"You don't know them? They are your fellow students. And these others are the servants who used to serve you at the Jeon-cheon-hu Manor. Im Bukjin, everything you say now is being recorded as evidence. Every statement will be verified. I suggest you stop playing petty games before you dig yourself into a deeper hole."
Bukjin didn't seem burdened at all as he confidently continued his nonsense.
"There are thousands of students at our academy. How could I possibly know all of them? As for the servants of the manor, there were nearly a thousand of them. I didn't even know who four hundred of them were back then. It's only natural that I don't recognize them. Do you have any idea how big the Jeon-cheon-hu Manor is? Do you expect me to remember every single servant?"
"You're spewing sophistry without even blinking!" Baek Hae-geum sneered. "Im Bukjin, it's useless to talk nonsense here. Just listen to what they have to say!"
Dam Gogeum nodded. Oh Sang-eon, the second-in-command of the investigation team, waved his hand, and several people Bukjin claimed not to know were pushed forward.
"I was the servant who walked Young Master Bukjin's dog. I testify that the detached villa connected to Unmong City is where the Young Master used to reside, and that he lived there ever since he was born..."
"My name is Wang Buer. I was the servant who raised the Young Master's birds. I testify that everything the old man Im just said is the truth."
"I am the gardener of the Jeon-cheon-hu Manor. After the detached villa was built, the War God instructed me to manage the plants there. At the time, he told me the villa was built specifically for Young Master Bukjin..."
"I was Young Master Bukjin's wet nurse. His mother passed away when he was born. Because of that, people around the War God said the Young Master was an ill-omened child born with ominous energy, which was why his mind was unstable. The War God was furious and personally punished the servants who spread those rumors. Later, he brought in a mysterious Taoist to read the feng shui, and only then did he build the Jeon-cheon-hu Manor. That Taoist personally supervised the entire construction, which, looking back, was very strange. Once the manor was finished and the Young Master began living in the detached villa, his mental illness episodes decreased significantly, and he gradually became normal..."
"My name is Chu Wei. I participated in the construction of the manor. However, I never heard anything about an underground palace beneath the detached villa. In fact, that villa was built by a different crew, not the regular architects. I heard rumors that those people were likely from the military."
Listening to the testimonies, Im Bukjin found it increasingly difficult to maintain his poker face.