Chapter 127
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 127
Chapter Title: A Bit Grateful, Too
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[……!]
Yuna Kyung froze solid.
Unable to comprehend those words.
At the same time, her thoughts ground to a halt.
Because she understood the words—and wasn't displeased by them.
But unlike Yuna Kyung, Bellos had no reason to be shocked. With his face frozen in place, he opened his mouth.
"I've crushed more than ten warriors here today."
"Yes, a total of sixteen, to be exact."
Li Chingwei corrected him without the slightest hesitation—pinpointing the exact number of victims that even Bellos himself, their killer, couldn't quite recall.
As Yuna Kyung shivered anew,
Bellos's eyes grew even colder.
"And you're saying they were just tailing me?"
"Something like that."
"Even though you could have ambushed me at any moment?"
"Not at any moment. I only had maybe five or six chances out of over a hundred."
She'd had more than a hundred opportunities to strike him, back when he hadn't sensed her presence at all.
As she stated this so matter-of-factly, Bellos finally spat out a curse.
"What a cunning bitch you are."
"You're too kind."
As if she'd just received a compliment.
Li Chingwei smiled faintly.
As Bellos regarded her with chilling killing intent, Yuna Kyung hesitantly spoke up.
[Um... Princess Sis? I'm a little confused here...]
"Confused about what?"
[According to what you just said, you've been secretly tailing this psycho from the start, right?]
"That's right."
[And while you did, you just watched those warrior brothers get killed...? Ahaha, no, that can't be it. I must have misunderstood something...]
"No, you understood perfectly."
[......Huh?]
She'd been fully prepared for a denial, ready to laugh it off as her own mistake.
But the response was beyond imagination. As Yuna Kyung stared in stunned silence, Li Chingwei kindly elaborated.
"It means I just watched from behind as this Liberation Brigade ghost killed thirteen warriors from our clan."
Her voice was as calm as ever.
Her eyes steady and serene.
Her beautiful face bearing a smile.
Just like the times Yuna Kyung had visited and been greeted with tea and snacks, Li Chingwei spoke those chilling facts. Yuna Kyung remained rigid for a moment.
After flapping her beak several times, she finally managed to ask.
[Why?]
Why would she do such a thing?
Li Chingwei's answer to Yuna Kyung's question was crystal clear.
"If I hadn't, we never would have figured out that the Liberation Brigade was after this violin."
[F-For something like that, you just watched those warrior brothers die?]
"It was necessary."
Li Chingwei replied calmly.
This time, the Black Dragon Clan had been played by just three people because their goal was unknown.
To prepare for any future Liberation Brigade attacks, they had to uncover that objective—no matter the cost.
Even if it meant sacrificing a few warriors' lives.
"Better to accept a small sacrifice than leave future threats for the sake of protecting a handful. It's for the good of the entire clan."
[That's...]
Yuna Kyung was at a loss for words.
Because she could understand it.
That choosing the few for the many was a leader's virtue and duty.
And that as princess ruling the Black Dragon Clan, Li Chingwei had simply made the choice benefiting the whole clan.
But understanding it was one thing.
She couldn't fully accept it. Seeing this, Li Chingwei added teasingly,
"Besides, why should I look after people who've forgotten which clan they belong to?"
[......What did you just say?]
"Didn't you find it strange? How Leviathan felt unusually empty today."
[Well, because the affiliate got attacked...]
"Yes, we sent reinforcements. More than necessary."
Yuna Kyung paused.
It was true—the security at Leviathan felt far too lax, even for an emergency.
She'd chalked it up to pulling personnel to protect the affiliate.
But if that wasn't the case?
If there was another reason for dispatching so many warriors?
If Li Chingwei, anticipating the attack on Leviathan, had actually lured the warriors away not to protect the affiliate, but to safeguard them?
What about the warriors who weren't dispatched?
Not that they weren't sent.
But that they'd been deliberately left behind for a reason...
"Except for the traitors who'd been bought off by other clans and were leaking Leviathan's intel."
[......!]
Yuna Kyung's beak dropped open.
Speaking for her, Bellos let out a hollow laugh.
"Ha, so you used me to purge your clan's traitors?"
"Not 'used'—more like killing two birds with one stone. We gained in several ways, thanks to you."
Li Chingwei smiled faintly.
In truth, a large-scale traitor purge was politically risky.
Internal chaos aside, the Black Dragon Clan had spies in other clans too.
But with Bellos getting his hands dirty on her behalf, Li Chingwei could clean house without any backlash.
Plus, it made Bellos reveal his true goal without suspicion.
A perfect two-for-one.
"It's good for the 'thirty-three' warriors who died today too. Better to die honorably in battle than be executed as clan traitors."
There were plenty of traitors, thankfully.
So she could wrap up the purge without drawing too much attention.
Bellos's expression grew even more frigid as she said this with a beaming smile.
To him, who always toyed with and exploited others, having his scheme seen through, being used, and even framed was utter humiliation.
But he didn't lash out rashly.
Instead, he pointed out sharply.
"You'd better not think only thirty-three 'honorable' deaths will be the end of it. My comrades may be idiots, but they're not pushovers."
Pulling warriors to the affiliate wasn't wise.
With Ryu Gangcheol and Yu Jin rampaging, no precautions would prevent bloodshed.
Bellos sneered coldly.
"That's why I'm grateful."
But Li Chingwei didn't deny his point, get indignant, or show anxiety.
She simply nodded readily, then added with a bright smile,
"Honestly, a little grateful, even."
"......You're saying you're grateful that I massacred your clan?"
"Yes."
"......"
Bellos fell silent.
Even he, the Liberation Brigade ghost accustomed to all sorts of lunatics, hadn't expected thanks in this situation.
[Why would you be grateful for that?]
Unable to hold back her confusion.
Still gaping, Yuna Kyung blankly asked.
Li Chingwei smiled at her.
"Because their rampage gave Sword Duke the chance to save our clan."
[......Our team leader?]
"Yes, my fiancé."
As if correcting an important detail.
But Yuna Kyung, still dazed, didn't register it and hesitantly asked,
[Uh... Is that really something to be grateful for?]
"Of course."
Li Chingwei answered without hesitation.
Then continued in her calm voice.
"Sword Duke scoffs at achievements and shuns fame. That's why he hates showing off and only draws his sword when necessary."
[Hates showing off? Team leader's great at causing a scene!]
"That's because there hasn't been anything worth his effort until now."
Li Chingwei explained.
A giant causes earthquakes with every step.
People call such giants violent because they don't realize he's walking as carefully as possible.
But those who've seen a giant rage in earnest offer awe and fear—they can never mock him again.
"Thanks to them, I got the chance to show our clan Sword Duke's power without him needing to flaunt it. How could I not be grateful?"
[......Even if it risks mass casualties?]
"That will only make his grace in protecting the clan hit harder."
Affiliates in the Guardian system were protected up to Infinity Guild level.
Meaning any damage would be limited to anti-Guardian affiliates—ones resented by both Rimon and Li Chingwei.
If stopped, Rimon's credit grows.
If not, opposition weakens.
Either way, win-win for her and Rimon.
Chuckling as she explained, Li Chingwei finally turned her gaze to Bellos, staring straight at him to conclude.
"Of course, that includes the credit for capturing the Liberation Brigade ghost who started this mess."
[......]
Yuna Kyung was speechless.
Not just because of Li Chingwei's cunning in toying with the infamous Liberation Brigade ghost like a toy.
But her boldness in turning the entire incident into a chance to purge spies and consolidate power.
Her attitude treating lives as mere tools.
And above all, that bewitching smile.
Along with a chill down her spine, it made Yuna Kyung realize one fact.
'......This is the Seven Dragon Society's princess.'
The clan that became the massive Seven Dragon Group yet still dominated global crime.
With a thousand-year history of upending the world countless times, once called the Demonic Cult for their might and ruthlessness.
One of those seven heads was Li Chingwei.
'Team leader... what gave you the guts to get engaged to this woman...?'
As Yuna Kyung shuddered,
A burst of applause rang out.
Clap, clap, clap.
"Impressive. I admit it."
"Admit what?"
"That I underestimated the Seven Dragons. And that I wasn't just outplayed—I was completely toyed with by you."
As if his earlier cold, killing aura was a lie.
Bellos, relaxed once more, continued softly.
"But, you vixen of the Seven Dragons, aren't you forgetting something crucial?"
"The reward for you all?"
"Of course not."
If they wanted, he could promise a painless death.
Not his original intent, but the best recompense for letting themselves be used so thoroughly.
Bellos flatly rejected Li Chingwei's smiling offer.
Instead, in a voice cold as ice, he continued.
"That there's no one here to protect a sly vixen like you."
Her plan only succeeded if she could escape.
Capture and kill her, reclaim the case, escape—and he'd be the ultimate winner.
As Bellos radiated killing intent,
Li Chingwei blinked at him.
"And what's that a problem?"
"If you think you can escape my grasp without protection, I'll teach you that's arrogance."
Liberation Brigade ghost.
The most horrific mass murderer and criminal.
One who'd slain the Archduke of Justice and wielded the cheat skill Rule of Law as a level 97 player.
Even after his bloodthirsty explanation, Li Chingwei showed no fear.
She merely tilted her head.
"Hmm... I don't get what you mean. Why would I need to run from you?"
As if she'd heard something absurd.
With an puzzled look at Bellos, she continued in her usual calm voice.
"Because you're going to die by my hand."