Chapter 211
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 211
Chapter Title: Witness
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Three hours earlier.
Christine had come to Korea simply to hear the Prophet's prophecy for the next round.
She also planned to ask about the Black Scythe.
‘But then…….’
The moment she arrived at the airport, she ran into someone she never expected.
“How did Butler Jeffrey end up here……?”
Bad feelings welled up, sharpening Christine's gaze.
“Did you tail me? On my father's orders?”
“No. I came here on the Black Scythe's instructions.”
“The Black Scythe?”
Hearing that name instantly cooled Christine's anger.
She never imagined it would come from Jeffrey's mouth.
And so?
Suspicion quickly filled her eyes.
“How does the butler know the Black Scythe? What's your connection?”
“We partied together in Round 12. When he found out we both knew you, he asked for your phone number.”
“Huh?”
They'd exchanged numbers without her knowing?
Jealousy surged ahead of suspicion for a moment, but she quickly regained her composure.
“Don't lie. From what I know, the Black Scythe avoids meeting people in real life…….”
That's when Jeffrey suddenly held out his phone.
“I just called the Black Scythe on video. Talk to him.”
“Huh?”
She took it in surprise, and a man in a white mask appeared on the screen.
-Is that Kris?
“Bl-Black Scythe?”
On the screen, the Black Scythe stood in the familiar outfit she'd seen in the other world.
The scythe was identical to the one from before.
“You're really the Black Scythe?”
-Yeah. Your face looks the same in the other world and here.
‘I've tweaked my face shape and skin a bit…….’
She felt a bit hurt that he didn't notice the difference, but that wasn't important right now.
This was a call with the lifesaver she'd longed to speak to.
“I never dreamed I'd get to talk to the Black Scythe in real life.”
-Me neither. I didn't know you and Jeff were connected.
“You exchanged numbers after hearing about me from him? Did you have some business with me……?”
Christine asked with a subtle hint of expectation, but the response dashed her hopes.
-I have something I want to show you. I'll tell you the location, so come there. Jeff will guide you.
“Ok, got it.”
After the call ended, Christine gave an awkward smile.
“Sorry for doubting you, butler. You really are in contact with the Black Scythe?”
“Yes. Quite the fateful connection, isn't it?”
“It is. How did you end up partying with the Black Scythe?”
“I'll tell you on the way. Let's head out for now.”
Christine got into the car Jeffrey had prepared and headed somewhere.
‘What could it be that he wants to show me? Will the Black Scythe be there too?’
Suppressing her curiosity, the car sped along the road before turning onto a secluded mountain path.
“We're here.”
“Here?”
“Yes. Let's get out.”
Soon, she climbed the mountain path with Jeffrey.
If it had been a stranger, she'd have been suspicious, but Christine trusted him.
She'd even spoken to the Black Scythe, and the one leading the way was none other than Jeffrey.
‘Butler Jeffrey isn't the type to harm me.’
She was certain, having known him since childhood.
He was someone who would protect her more than anyone.
That was why Christine followed without worry.
“Hm? There are people over there?”
She spotted a man and woman standing behind a tree.
Especially the woman—Christine knew her well.
“Seo Ah-rin?”
“Kris?”
The two, spotting each other, called out each other's nicknames at the same time.
They'd partied together in Round 12 just a few days ago, so there was no forgetting.
“I never thought I'd run into you here, Seo Ah-rin…….”
“Same here, Kris. They said one more person was coming, but I didn't know it was you.”
Christine's eyes widened at Seo Ah-rin's fluent English pronunciation.
“Your English is great.”
“I picked it up bit by bit during acting lessons. If there's English in the lines and your pronunciation's off, it just sounds weird.”
Christine already knew Seo Ah-rin was an actress.
They'd exchanged names and chatted about all sorts of things while partying.
That's when she'd learned she was an entertainer from Ma Kyung-rok's company.
“Your real-life face matches perfectly.”
“Yours too, Kris.”
“I've had a little work done…….”
“Oh? Really? I didn't notice. You're so pretty in both worlds…….”
Was it because they were former party members?
Or maybe the common link of the Black Scythe?
Though they'd only met recently, they didn't feel awkward.
If anything, they complimented each other like long-lost friends.
“And who's this next to you?”
“Ah, someone the Black Scythe introduced me to…….”
“The name's Joo Seong-tak. I partied with the Black Scythe in Round 12.”
Joo Seong-tak quickly introduced himself as Christine looked his way.
Language was no barrier with Seo Ah-rin there to translate.
“Ah, this is Jeff. Say hi…….”
Jeffrey and Joo Seong-tak merely glanced at each other, exchanging no words.
They couldn't communicate anyway—and they knew each other without greetings.
Both were slaves of the Black Scythe.
“The reason you're both here is simple. The Black Scythe said he had something to show you.”
“What did he want to show us?”
Joo Seong-tak pointed beyond the trees.
Down the slope sat a dilapidated warehouse, and in front of it stood a familiar man.
“Th-that guy…….”
It was none other than Ma Kyung-rok.
“Why is Ma Kyung-rok down there?”
Seo Ah-rin answered Christine's question.
“The Black Scythe said the person he wanted to show us was Representative Ma. Something about revealing his true nature…….”
“True nature?”
Christine looked at Ma Kyung-rok again.
He stood in front of the warehouse, waiting for someone.
“What exactly is the Black Scythe trying to show us…….”
“He said we'd know if we watched. That's why I'm waiting here too.”
With even Seo Ah-rin waiting, Christine had no choice but to observe quietly.
She had no idea what aspect of Ma Kyung-rok this was about.
That's when Ma Kyung-rok took a call from someone and went inside.
They were over 30 meters away to avoid detection, so they couldn't hear the conversation.
“Hm? Someone's coming.”
A van pulled up on the mountain road, and people got out.
It was Ahn Sang-chul, Ma Kyung-rok's right-hand man, whom Christine recognized.
He opened the back door and hauled out two unidentified men.
Whether unconscious or dead, they didn't stir as he dragged them into the warehouse. Christine and Seo Ah-rin watched in shock.
“Wh-what is that? A kidnapping?”
“N-no way. It can't be.”
Moments later, Ahn Sang-chul emerged, armed, and stood guard at the entrance.
Then it happened.
Muffled voices sounded, followed by screams bursting from the warehouse.
The agonized howls carried all the way to their spot dozens of meters away.
“Th-that sounds like those guys from earlier…….”
“What the hell is going on in there…….”
Despite the screams, Ahn Sang-chul outside stood like a guard dog, unmoving.
As if he knew exactly what was happening inside.
Unable to peer into the warehouse, Christine and Seo Ah-rin could only fret behind the tree.
“Seo Ah-rin, can't you use that fairy to sneak a peek?”
“No use. I don't communicate with the fairy…….”
The screams soon stopped, and shortly after, Ma Kyung-rok and one of the kidnapped men emerged.
“Manager Ahn.”
“Yes, Representative.”
“Keep that bastard from escaping. I'll kill him with my own hands.”
Ahn Sang-chul blocked the man's escape with his shield.
Ma Kyung-rok chased him down and sliced off his knee.
“Gaaahhhhh!”
“Can't run now, can you?”
“P-please! Bro!”
Seo Ah-rin, overhearing the begging man and realizing who he was, translated in shock for Christine.
“That guy…… he says he's Representative Ma's own brother.”
“Brother? Family?”
“Looks like trouble over the successor issue.”
“Even so, family…….”
Christine felt chills as Ma Kyung-rok severed the man's remaining leg.
Was he really that cruel?
The Ma Kyung-rok she saw now was not the fiancé she'd known.
He was merely a psychopath reveling in human suffering.
“Devour him.”
“N-no! Gaaahhhhh!”
As the man was eaten alive, Christine stepped forward.
“Stop it!”
“Christine?”
Ma Kyung-rok panicked at his fiancée's sudden appearance.
Seeing Seo Ah-rin beside her only heightened it.
“Actress Seo too?”
He was surprised, but he didn't retract his order to the dark aura.
“Guh-huh-huh…….”
“Ma Kyung-rok! Stop! I don't know the circumstances, but that's enough!”
Christine tried to intervene, but it was too late.
Ma Kyung-soo ultimately died after the dark aura devoured every scrap of his flesh.
“What have you done…….”
“Representative…….”
As the two stared in disbelief, Ma Kyung-rok abandoned his question of how they'd gotten there.
He didn't know why they were here, but convincing them took priority.
“I know what you're thinking, Christine. But it's a misunderstanding.”
“A misunderstanding?”
“As you saw, I did kill him. But it wasn't an innocent man.”
“The guy you killed was your brother.”
“Correct. My brother. But that scum tried to kill me. He'd already killed his own brother inside there.”
He had evidence, so no need to worry.
But contempt lingered on Christine's face.
“Do you even realize what you're saying? You killed your own brother and claim you're not at fault!”
“Because it's the truth. I did nothing wrong.”
“Even so, you should've talked it out. How could you do that to family…….”
“That bastard tried to kill me first.”
“We saw you bring him here kidnapped.”
“I brought him because he tried to assassinate me. I wanted to ask why. Then he came at me first with a knife, and as you saw, it turned into an unfortunate accident.”
“An accident? Not premeditated murder?”
“Of course. I had no choice but to kill him.”
“No choice? We saw you grinning like a psychopathic killer.”
“No way. You must've seen wrong.”
Christine was stunned as he lied brazenly despite everything they'd witnessed.
“The clear fact is, he tried to kill me first. Please acknowledge that much.”
“That doesn't justify murder.”
“Even though I nearly died?”
“You had other options.”
“No. I didn't.”
“So you could proudly tell the world, ‘I killed my brother, but it was self-defense’?”
Ma Kyung-rok's expression instantly turned icy.
He could never say that publicly.
It would destroy his successor status and all his past achievements.
Killing family wouldn't win public favor.
‘Worst case, my past murders here could all come to light.’
He'd disposed of evidence, but a police investigation was unpredictable.
‘The cleanest solution now is to leave no witnesses…….’
Murderous intent flickered in Ma Kyung-rok's eyes as he steeled himself.
“Whew. I didn't want it to come to this.”
His sword turned toward Christine.
“If you insist on painting me as the villain, I have no choice. I'll play the part.”
Ahn Sang-chul astutely blocked the two women's rear.
Christine and Seo Ah-rin tensed.
No fools, they knew.
These men planned to silence them as murder witnesses right here.
“Before I kill you, one question. How did you know to come here? Were you tailing me?”
“…….”
“No need to answer now. I'll make you talk soon enough.”
Ma Kyung-rok was dead serious about killing them.
He'd never had personal feelings for Christine anyway.
‘She was perfect for business. No choice now.’
With things as they were, he'd kill her and find another fiancée.
Protecting his secrets was the priority.
But Ma Kyung-rok didn't know.
Clang-!
Only after deflecting a sudden flying dagger did he realize.
“You had more allies.”
Jeffrey and Joo Seong-tak were there.