Chapter 242
At the easternmost edge of the Demon Hall lay the living quarters of the Death Shadow Squad.
Before the training grounds paved with blue stone slabs, over twenty martial artists lay sprawled on their backs.
They were members of the First and Third Squads.
Rustle.
Just then, Wi Cheon-gyeong and the members of the Second Squad returned to the quarters, drenched in sweat after honing their martial arts in the Bamboo Forest.
"What are you all doing here?" Wi Cheon-gyeong asked.
Won Se-mun, lying on his side, waved his hand dismissively.
"Just pass by. We're tired."
"What does being tired have to do with martial arts training?"
"What's the point of training anyway?"
Won Se-mun sighed and lowered his head.
"We don't have our commander."
For a moment, Wi Cheon-gyeong's pupils trembled like rippling water.
Until now, the squad members had been silently waiting for Bu Eun-seol, whose whereabouts remained unknown. But the impatient members of the First and Third Squads had all reached their limits.
"Rumors say the search parties tracking the commander's trail were all recalled."
"That's just a rumor. Nothing's been confirmed."
"There's no hope left anyway."
"Won Se-mun!"
"Don't shout."
Won Se-mun groaned as he pushed himself up, his voice drained of energy.
"Without our commander, we're nothing but empty shells without souls."
Wi Cheon-gyeong couldn't muster a reply.
The Death Shadow Squad members were originally reckless ruffians who feared neither heaven nor earth.
But after meeting Bu Eun-seol—their unshakable pillar—they had regained their senses and fully awakened their latent talents.
Just as they were striving tirelessly to achieve even greater things, this had happened.
Thudding footsteps.
At that moment, dozens of martial artists appeared before the Death Shadow Squad's quarters, their footsteps heavy.
At the front stood a smug-looking middle-aged man grinning from ear to ear.
It was Gok Jin-dong, commander of the Life Ending Squad—the same man who had once mocked them as the "Rootless Squad" and been humiliated by Won Se-mun.
"Hahaha. Having fun, are we?"
He craned his neck, eyeing Won Se-mun and the sprawled-out members of the First Squad with a sneer.
"My, my, everyone's resting so comfortably."
The squad members' eyes turned sharp as axes.
His words and demeanor made his intentions obvious even without asking.
"Commander Gok."
Wi Cheon-gyeong frowned as he spoke.
"What business do you have here?"
"Business? I just dropped by while passing through."
Gok Jin-dong chuckled insincerely.
"Your commander still hasn't shown up, I see."
"That's none of your concern."
"Oh, but I'm worried, you see."
"What do you mean?"
"Ah, haven't you heard? Well... I suppose without your commander, you wouldn't have heard the meeting's outcome."
Gok Jin-dong bared his teeth in a wide grin.
"An order came down a few days ago. All search parties are to stand down."
"Is that true?"
Even the usually composed Wi Cheon-gyeong's eyes flared with fury.
No matter how much Gok Jin-dong despised the Death Shadow Squad, this was no joking matter.
Recalling the search parties meant the Demon Hall had given up on Bu Eun-seol.
'Did the main hall truly abandon the search for our commander?'
Just then, twenty squad members came rushing down from the Bamboo Forest toward the training grounds.
They were Myo Cheon-u, Yu Un-ryong, and the members of the Fourth and Fifth Squads under their command.
Myo Cheon-u, descending from the Bamboo Forest, furrowed his brow at the sight of Gok Jin-dong and the Life Ending Squad members.
Sensing the unusual tension, he turned to Wi Cheon-gyeong.
"What's going on?"
"It seems the main hall has given up on our commander."
"Given up?"
"They said the search parties were recalled."
"Hehehe."
Gok Jin-dong laughed.
"What a pity. To have this happen right after becoming a squad leader..."
His words trailed off.
A terrifying energy erupted from Myo Cheon-u and Yu Un-ryong's bodies.
'Ah, right. These two are Ten Demonic Heirs.'
The martial prowess of Myo Cheon-u and Yu Un-ryong wasn't merely that of squad members—they were Second-grade Commanders of the Demon Hall, if not higher.
Suddenly reminded of this, Gok Jin-dong coughed awkwardly and quickly turned away.
"Well then, I'll take my leave. Ahem."
The Life Ending Squad members scrambled after him as if fleeing.
"So this is how it ends."
Won Se-mun exhaled deeply.
The light had dimmed in the eyes of most Death Shadow Squad members.
Without Bu Eun-seol, the Death Shadow Squad could not exist. Now, they would once again become Rootless Squad members, wandering aimlessly through the Demon Hall.
"How laughable."
Yu Un-ryong gazed down at the squad members with a cold smile.
"Always going on about the commander, and this is all you amount to?"
Myo Cheon-u waved his hand dismissively.
"Leave them be. They still don't truly understand that guy."
The squad members wore bewildered expressions at their exchange.
"Then... does that mean the Great Leader is still alive?"
At Wi Cheon-gyeong's question, Yu Un-ryong let out a sinister chuckle.
"Alive? Hehehe."
Then, as if his laughter had never existed, his expression frosted over with icy detachment.
"You truly know nothing."
Deeming them unworthy of further words, Yu Un-ryong turned to the members of the Fifth Squad.
"Today's training ends here."
Without so much as a backward glance, he strode back to his quarters.
The remaining squad members could only gape in stunned silence.
"What the hell? If he's going to say something, he should finish it."
Unable to hold back, Won Se-mun grumbled under his breath before sidling up to Myo Cheon-u.
"What in the world is Squad Leader Yu talking about?"
Myo Cheon-u chuckled dryly in response.
"He's mocking you."
"Mocking what?"
"For chanting 'Great Leader, Great Leader' every day, yet knowing nothing about him."
Watching Won Se-mun's pained expression, Myo Cheon-u continued flatly,
"He came to Hell Island without having properly mastered a single martial art."
His gaze grew distant, as if recalling those days.
"And yet, in just two months, he surpassed prodigies who had trained systematically since childhood."
As the squad's attention sharpened, Myo Cheon-u raised his voice.
"And even after turning every last one of those prodigies into his enemies, he survived and became one of the Ten Demonic Heirs. Do you understand what that means?"
"So... you're saying the Great Leader became a Ten Demonic Heir without even having learned martial arts?"
Won Se-mun's question earned a slow nod from Myo Cheon-u.
"Exactly."
"What kind of joke is that...?"
But Myo Cheon-u's eyes remained unwavering.
Only then did the squad realize—there wasn't a shred of falsehood in his words.
"What kind of man did you think the Great Leader was?"
At Myo Cheon-u's question, the Death Shadow Squad members finally understood.
Just what kind of person Bu Eun-seol had been.
How he had commanded them, how he had survived impossible missions.
"Right. That's the kind of man Bu Eun-seol is."
As Myo Cheon-u spoke with conviction, Won Se-mun, who had been silent, muttered weakly,
"But... it's the Bullet King we're talking about. Not just anyone—the man who foams at the mouth and flies into a rage at the mere sight of a Demonic Path figure."
"Even if it weren't the Bullet King—even if he'd run into the Three Honored Ones—he'd still return alive."
Myo Cheon-u's voice carried a trust harder than steel.
At that moment, a glimmer of light reignited in the eyes of the Death Shadow Squad.
They, too, held absolute faith in Bu Eun-seol.
They just hadn't realized it.
That faith wasn't confined to Myo Cheon-u's heart—it existed in every single one of them.
"Come to think of it, we've skipped three days of joint training."
Jo Nam-cheon, who had been hunched in a corner, suddenly sprang to his feet.
Clearing his throat, he addressed the Third Squad members.
"We've rested too long. Let's start immediately."
At that, the other squad members quietly rose as well.
"True. I can't even remember the last time we slacked off like this."
"Let's give the Great Leader a proper shock when he returns."
But something was odd.
Won Se-mun was the only one still crouched in place, unmoving.
"Won Se-mun. Still not up?"
When Jo Nam-cheon nudged him with his foot,
"Actually... I had a dream a few days ago."
Won Se-mun spoke with a gloomy expression.
"A dream about the Great Leader."
Instantly, the squad's expressions hardened.
Won Se-mun possessed a unique ability—occasionally, he dreamed prophetic visions of the future.
At first, some had doubted or mocked him, but his foresight had proven eerily accurate time and time again.
"A dream about the Great Leader? So what happened?"
Jo Nam-cheon pressed urgently. Won Se-mun sniffled before answering in a low voice,
"The Great Leader was trapped in some enormous hall... The walls were collapsing, and boulders as big as mountains were falling."
"Boulders? And then?"
"I woke up from the shock, so I don't know what happened after. But..."
He didn't need to finish.
Won Se-mun was implying that Bu Eun-seol had been crushed beneath those boulders—that he was dead.
Thud. Thud.
Just then, the sound of multiple footsteps echoed from the gate as a dozen attendants entered.
"What's the meaning of this?"
Wi Cheon-gyeong demanded. One of the attendants bowed and replied,
"The Master of the Cleansing Institute has decreed that, starting today, these quarters are to be used by the warriors of the Spirit Shadow Corps. You are to vacate immediately."
"What? The Spirit Shadow Corps?"
Jo Nam-cheon's face stiffened.
Handing over the perfectly intact Death Shadow Squad's quarters to the Spirit Shadow Corps?
It was no different from admitting the rumors—that Bu Eun-seol was dead.
"Damn it!"
Upon hearing those words, Won Se-mun slammed his fist against the floor and collapsed forward.
"Without the Unit Leader, the Grand Hall has no intention of even letting our unit survive!"
"Don't jump to conclusions. No one knows the exact details yet."
"I saw it in a dream! The Unit Leader struggling in the middle of a collapsing Great Hall!"
Then, with his face buried in the floor, he began to sob.
"It's useless anyway. Without the Unit Leader, it's all pointless..."
As Won Se-mun wept quietly, Jo Nam-cheon's tears also spilled over in a sudden flood.
Bu Eun-seol—who had never flaunted his authority and was the first to acknowledge their individuality.
Without him, the Death Shadow Squad could not exist.
"That's right... Without the Unit Leader, there is no Death Shadow Squad..."
Just as Jo Nam-cheon, unable to bear the anguish, closed his eyes and muttered—
Clack, clack, clack.
At that moment, a middle-aged man in civil official attire entered through the Great Gate.
"I am Heo Yu, serving as the Sweeping Officer of the Cleansing Institute."
As Heo Yu respectfully clasped his hands, Jo Nam-cheon wiped his tears and cleared his throat.
"What brings you here?"
Heo Yu swept his gaze over Jo Nam-cheon and the squad members before speaking in a loud voice.
"All members of the Death Shadow Squad are to relocate to the first-tier residence at the North Gate—the Danmi Pavilion... Ah, my apologies. The Death Shadow Pavilion—by order of the Hall Master."
At that, Won Se-mun, who had been sobbing with his face pressed to the floor, suddenly shot up, eyes wide.
"What are you saying? A first-tier residence?"
"The order has just been issued."
"The Unit Leader is gone, and yet they're sending us to a first-tier residence?"
Heo Yu blinked in confusion.
"Unit Leader...? You mean the Death Shadow Squad Leader?"
"Do we have another Unit Leader?"
"He returned to the Hall earlier today."
"What? What kind of nonsense is that?"
"It's not nonsense..."
Heo Yu spoke as if he couldn't comprehend their disbelief.
"He met with the Chief Doctrine Commander this morning and had a private audience with our Hall Master just an hour ago."
"Our Unit Leader... is alive?"
It was an unbelievable fact.
Tears and snot streaming down his face, Won Se-mun shouted again—
"The Unit Leader is alive!"
Startled, Heo Yu's eyes widened as he took a step back.
"Y-yes, that's correct."
"You bastard!"
At that moment, an enraged Jo Nam-cheon kicked Won Se-mun square in the face as he lay sprawled on the ground.
"What? The Unit Leader struggling in a collapsing Great Hall?"
Furious at having been fooled by Won Se-mun's nonsense, Jo Nam-cheon proceeded to kick him repeatedly while he was down.
"You idiotic fortune-teller!"
"It's true! I really had a vivid dream where I saw the Unit Leader!"
Despite the beating, Won Se-mun wore a dazed expression, as if he felt no pain at all.
'The Unit Leader... Our Unit Leader is alive!'
Thud, thud.
Just then, the sound of quiet footsteps echoed as a shadow passed through the Great Gate and entered the Death Shadow Squad's quarters.
Dressed in a sleek gray martial uniform, his shoulders adorned with epaulets embroidered with jeweled feathers—like the wings of a phoenix—resplendent and dazzling.
It was Bu Eun-seol.
"U-Unit Leader!"
The moment the squad members saw him, they cried out in choked voices.
Bu Eun-seol, who had been said to have been slain by the Bullet King, had returned—his aura even more transcendent than before!
"Bu Eun-seol, what in the world happened...?"
As Myo Cheon-u stepped forward to speak—
"Uniiit Leaaader!"
Won Se-mun sprinted over and clung to Bu Eun-seol's legs, wailing.
"What happened?"
As Won Se-mun sniffled like a child, Bu Eun-seol let out a sigh and replied.
"There was a matter."
"What kind of matter?!"
"There were circumstances."
In that instant, the eyes of every squad member darkened.
Bu Eun-seol was being far too reticent.
He was brushing off an entire month of radio silence with just "There were circumstances."
"Bu Eun-seol, give us a proper explanation."
Unable to stand it, Myo Cheon-u slumped his shoulders helplessly.
"Do you have any idea how worried the squad has been all this time?"
Reluctantly, Bu Eun-seol elaborated slightly.
"I was trapped in a certain place. And breaking through the trap to return took..."
"Was there by any chance a massive Great Hall where rocks and hidden weapons were falling?!"
Won Se-mun cut in, eyes gleaming. Bu Eun-seol blinked.
"How did you know?"
Thwack!
In response, Won Se-mun suddenly spun around and punched Jo Nam-cheon square in the face.
"See?! I told you!"
"You crazy bastard..."
Jo Nam-cheon, nose bleeding, clenched his fist—but then shook his head and laughed.
"Fine! Whatever! Who cares? The Unit Leader's back safe and sound—that's all that matters!"
"Trapped? What about the Bullet King?"
Just then, Myo Cheon-u approached, speaking as if he couldn't make sense of it.
"The search party tracking your movements reported signs of a fierce battle with the Bullet King."
Bu Eun-seol, recalling Bukgung Ryeong's face, shook his head.
"We didn't fight properly. No—we couldn't."
The bitter smile lingering at the corner of his lips made it clear there was some complicated story behind it.
But that was all.
Bu Eun-seol closed his mouth and slipped into his office. As always, he left without bothering to explain the details.
Bu Eun-seol—so reticent he only spoke the bare minimum. The squad members could only gape after him in stunned silence.