Chapter 44
Chapter 44
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 44
Chapter Title: The Truth
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I killed the Sword Sovereign.
These words from Cheolwoo implied several things.
It confirmed the rumors circulating covertly in Hefei that the Sword Sovereign of Tyrant Heaven Fortress had been assassinated—and that the culprit was none other than Chilji.
That was right.
A young woman who couldn't be older than thirty at most had sent one of the ten strongest under heaven to the grave.
Anyone unaware of the details would shake their head and dismiss it as an absurd joke.
But Cheolwoo was one of the few who knew the full story, which was exactly why he was wary of Chilji.
"If someone with such incredible abilities has no known past or name, wouldn't it be natural to be on guard first? What do you think?"
"Anyone else, maybe, but there's no reason for you to be wary of me. Vice Commander of the Heavenly Light Corps."
Even as Chilji indirectly conveyed that she was his ally, Cheolwoo snorted derisively.
"Hmph. Who knows? I just can't trust anyone who won't even reveal their real name."
"You're not satisfied knowing my affiliation?"
Chilji's affiliation.
She was a member of another combat unit in Tyrant Heaven Fortress, separate from the Heavenly Light Corps.
The Divine Wood Corps.
It was one of the three new combat units established after Lord Ju Do-hwan of the previous generation became the fortress lord.
The other two, the Dark Heaven Corps and the Blood Light Corps, had clear purposes and characteristics, but the Divine Wood Corps was shrouded in secrecy from top to bottom.
'Even the name is weird. Divine Wood Corps? Like sacred trees or something? What kind of combat unit is named like that?'
Cheolwoo's instincts told him everything about the woman sitting before him was suspicious.
And his instincts were usually spot on.
...At least, that's what he claimed.
"...Sigh."
Now Cheolwoo was openly displaying his deep distrust.
Chilji let out a rare sigh, revealing her fatigue.
Then she deployed her trump card to drive him out of her room.
"Keep this up, and I'll have no choice but to report to the Commander of the Heavenly Light Corps."
"......"
"You know better than anyone that he values unity in the corps, right?"
As Chilji said, showing hostility and baring teeth at a comrade they were on a mission with was one of the things Sagong Chan hated most.
With Chilji bringing it up directly, Cheolwoo had no choice but to back down.
"Tch."
-Clunk!
With a click of his tongue, he rose roughly from his seat.
Even as he left the room, he didn't forget to warn Chilji.
"Watch your step. I'll be keeping an eye on you. Especially that 'strange power' you used to kill the Sword Sovereign. If you dare use it on our corps members..."
"...Why would I do that? Stop talking nonsense and get out, please."
Even Chilji couldn't hide her irritation at his paranoid attitude.
As the two glared at each other in a tense standoff, the door suddenly burst open.
"Vice Commander, there you are...!"
"Huh? What is it?"
Cheolwoo looked puzzled at the corps member's face as he flung open the door.
The member's face was a storm of confusion, anger, despair, fear—all emotions swirling wildly.
'What's wrong with this guy?'
His question flew away with the member's next words.
"Vice Commander... The Commander, the Commander...!"
*
"......"
"......"
Cheolwoo and Chilji, followed by Heavenly Light Corps members and low-ranking Tyrant Heaven Fortress warriors.
Despite hundreds gathered, the government office was wrapped in dead silence.
The cause of their silence lay right before them: six corpses.
To be precise, the corpses of Heavenly Light Corps Commander Sagong Chan and five corps members, transported from Jo Woon-chil's gambling den.
"...Commander."
Cheolwoo trudged forward to Sagong Chan's body and collapsed to his knees as if his legs had given out.
With trembling hands, he touched the corpse here and there.
After examining it closely for a long time, traces proving it was Sagong Chan emerged.
Not just the scar on the back of his hand from a minor cut during sword practice, but also the mark from the arrow he took saving Cheolwoo during a past mission—it was all there.
No matter how much he wanted to deny it, he couldn't.
The body before him was undoubtedly Sagong Chan.
"Uwaaaaaah—!!"
Realizing this, Cheolwoo threw his head back and roared toward the sky.
His surging emotions unleashed his qi as intense waves radiating outward.
Those in the office without resistance to such auras paled.
Just then, Hefei's Magistrate Jihyun came rushing in, panting.
"Hah, the Heavenly Light Corps Commander really...!"
Seeing Sagong Chan's corpse with his own eyes, Jihyun clutched his forehead and groaned deeply.
His eyes showed more headache over the sudden incident than sorrow.
"To think the commander of Tyrant Heaven Fortress would die so easily. What happens to our plans now...?"
Worse, he insensitively mentioned their ongoing plans in this situation.
Of course, Hefei's Magistrate was merely a cooperative partner for mutual benefit.
He had no reason to grieve Sagong Chan's death.
But humans are emotional creatures, swayed by feelings.
To Cheolwoo, half-mad with grief and rage, Jihyun's demeanor grated terribly.
"You greedy pig bastard...!"
"W-What!?"
Cheolwoo's face twisted demonically as he hurled insults without hesitation.
Jihyun's face flushed red with fury, but blanched as Cheolwoo strode toward him.
"W-What are you doing? H-How dare a mere martial brute threaten an imperial official?"
Jihyun stumbled back.
Cheolwoo closed the distance with murderous intent, as if to slay him in one blow.
"S-Stop him! Block that insolent dog now!"
Jihyun ordered his soldiers in terror.
But the soldiers, already cowed by Cheolwoo's presence, hesitated to intervene.
In that moment, Cheolwoo stood before Jihyun.
Looking up at Cheolwoo, who towered a head above him, Jihyun's face drained from pale to ashen black.
"H-Hiiik...!"
Cheolwoo's massive, pot-lid fist trembled as if ready to smash Jihyun's skull.
What blocked it was a slender, delicate hand.
"Stop it, Vice Commander."
"......"
"Are you trying to ruin the mission?"
"...Kuh."
At Chilji's icy words, Cheolwoo gritted his teeth, slapped her hand away roughly, and returned to Sagong Chan's body.
Thanks to her, Jihyun escaped Cheolwoo's pressure.
Freed from death's terror, he immediately puffed up with self-importance.
"I-I won't let that bastard get away with this. I'll report to the branch leader and make sure that insolent brute is punished..."
"Magistrate. The Vice Commander just lost his brother-in-arms superior. Please understand his grief and forgive his rudeness."
Chilji cut off Jihyun as he spat in rage.
Jihyun flinched briefly at Chilji's soft words from her stunning beauty, then hardened his face again.
"No! Absolutely not. If we set this precedent, who knows when these brutes will threaten innocent officials again...!"
"Magistrate, look into my eyes?"
At Chilji's words, Jihyun's gaze turned to her.
He saw it: Chilji's eyes shimmering with an eerie red glow.
"Uh..."
The moment he saw the red light, Jihyun's expression went blank.
Chilji whispered secretly to his dazed face.
"You are truly a merciful man, aren't you, Magistrate?"
"Uh...? Y-Yeah... I'm always merciful..."
"So you'll forgive the Vice Commander's rudeness with your merciful heart, right?"
"Of course... I'll forgive... I'm merciful..."
"How fortunate that you've forgiven him."
Chilji smiled satisfied at Jihyun's response, as if his soul had been sucked out.
With that, the red light faded from her eyes, and Jihyun blinked rapidly, regaining his senses.
"Uh, um?"
He glanced around, confused for a moment, then declared he'd overlook Cheolwoo's rudeness as if it were his own idea, and turned to leave.
Of course, not before confirming their deal.
"Our deal is still on, right?"
"Of course. The Nangong family's lands and assets you wanted—you'll have them all soon."
Jihyun nodded contentedly at Chilji's reply and departed.
Chilji watched his back coldly, then walked toward Cheolwoo.
"What did you say, you bitch? Say it again!"
"T-That is...!"
Cheolwoo was now yelling at Ojag, who had arrived and was explaining the autopsy findings.
Chilji sighed softly at the sight and intervened.
"What's the problem now?"
"Just listen to what this guy's saying!"
At Cheolwoo's incredulous reaction, Chilji turned to Ojag.
Thus began Ojag's explanation from the start once more.
Chilji's expression upon hearing it matched Cheolwoo's.
"...What did you say?"