His Despair (1)
I stared at Yang Eun-jik, who had his eyes wide open in shock.
His face was filled with both astonishment and utter despair.
It was exactly as we'd planned.
Just moments ago, as we tracked his position and closed in, we'd discussed what to do with him.
"I..."
Surprisingly, it was Jin Yu Warrior who spoke up first.
"The despair felt by the innocent lives lost because of him... I want him to feel that too."
He gave a bitter smile.
"Of course, I know I have no right to say such things. But keeping him alive is dangerous. And simply letting him die cleanly... it weighs on me, thinking of all those innocents who lost their lives because of him."
I comforted Jin Yu Warrior.
"It wasn't your fault, was it? But this Yang Eun-jik did it all on purpose—that's the problem."
He nodded at my words.
Ah, come to think of it, Seo-u Warrior and I-pil Warrior didn't know the details Jin Yu had shared about Yang Eun-jik.
I explained it briefly.
Naturally, they were furious.
"In the world! A scum like that!"
"He deserves to die a hundred deaths."
The group was especially shocked by the inn fire in Gangseo Province five years ago.
Bandits from a nearby mountain stronghold had set the inn ablaze, burning alive countless guests inside—and that had been Yang Eun-jik's first major assignment.
"I heard about it from a former colleague. He incited the nearby bandits to take out one target staying at the inn."
To kill just one person, he'd sacrificed all those lives?
It was beyond comprehension.
"That's why I want him to feel the despair those innocents felt."
"Sounds good."
"I want that too."
Seo-u Warrior and I-pil Warrior agreed as well.
So, what would be the best way to plunge him into the deepest despair?
I recalled my previous life, when I'd met Yang Eun-jik.
"Great hero, how did you reach the Super First-rate realm? Any secrets?"
"Hahaha, secrets..."
"Sorry. I'm just too curious..."
"That's not a bad thing. Well, the Alliance Leader passed down some techniques to me, but... I had my own issues too. I'd never truly faced life-and-death desperation, and that's what was holding me back. Thanks to the Leader, I broke through that wall."
"I see."
"Becoming Super First-rate was only natural for me. After all the years of endurance I put in for this realm..."
From that conversation, I inferred his greatest desire was the Super First-rate realm.
And to achieve it, what he needed was a brush with death.
From what I'd heard, the Alliance Leader was a Transcendent Realm master.
He surely would have noticed Yang Eun-jik's state.
With the Leader's help, he'd endured a harrowing life-or-death trial and broken through to Super First-rate.
I shared this reasoning with the group, and they all agreed.
That's why we'd overwhelmed him while making it feel like a brutal, desperate fight.
To give him that life-or-death experience.
As expected, he broke through to Super First-rate.
But before he could even cheer, Seo-u Warrior's sword pierced him.
Right through his dantian.
"Kuh! Th-this can't..."
His teeth clenched in agony as his dantian shattered. But the pain of despair must have been greater.
The brilliant light of his sword was fading.
"I... I achieved this... with my own hands!"
To the hollow man, I said coldly,
"You'll feel utter despair."
"Kuh!"
"That despair—it's what the innocents you killed felt too."
"So what? They should... feel honored... useless trash... sacrificing for me..."
What?
Honored?
That useless people could sacrifice themselves for him?
His very thoughts were rotten to the core.
"Here's the important part. You're going to die here. And no one—not a soul—will know or remember that you were a Super First-rate warrior."
I continued.
"Because you're dying less than half an incense stick's time after reaching it."
Of course, we'd forget he ever was one.
Enraged by my words, he wailed.
"Nooooo!"
He swung his sword in a final frenzy.
But that sword would never swing again.
Puk!
Jin Yu Warrior's blade plunged into his heart.
Cough!
"Atone to those you killed in your next life."
Thud.
And so, unlike in my previous life, Yang Eun-jik met his end years earlier.
Considering the innocents he'd have killed in the future, it was a good thing.
We burned his corpse.
Not completely—just enough around the sword wounds.
We'd considered capturing him alive and handing him to the palace, but abandoned the idea.
Even the palace couldn't fully control someone from the Martial Alliance.
They might force a suicide or sneak him out to avoid repercussions.
It could make things harder than in my previous life.
So this was the cleanest way.
But if we burned or buried him entirely, the Gold Guard—who'd lost his trail—might face blame. That's why we left it like this.
"Jin Yu Warrior."
"Yes."
"Ask Jin Yeong Daehyeop to come here."
"Understood."
Before Jin Yeong Daehyeop arrived, we deliberately left traces scattered around.
"Huff! Huff huff!"
Soon after, Jin Yeong Daehyeop arrived, panting.
"You found Yang Eun-jik's body?"
"Yes."
I nodded.
"My guards and I were tracking him independently."
"Tracking him?"
"Yes. As I said earlier, we need to find him quickly for Beijing to be safe, right?"
"You... meant it."
"Of course. I can't tolerate unrest in Beijing, where the Eunhae Merchant Group's new branch will open. While searching this likely hideout..."
I sighed.
"We found the burning corpse."
"Ugh!"
Jin Yeong Daehyeop grimaced at the gruesome sight.
But his face was intact enough to identify him.
"From the battle traces, it looks like he was taken out."
"That's what it seems. Probably because they discovered that document."
He clicked his tongue.
"What a shame. Now we can't use this to press the Martial Alliance."
I smiled inwardly at his words.
Even if he'd lived, you couldn't have pressed them anyway.
They're not that sloppy.
"Still, we'll inquire with them."
I nodded.
I wondered what reaction the Martial Alliance would have now that Yang Eun-jik was gone.
Curious, indeed.
"Oh, by the way... how did it go with the Commandant?"
"The Gold Guard mobilized immediately on the Emperor's orders."
"Many more will die."
"...No helping it."
Treason cases meant hundreds dead per incident as a baseline.
"Frankly, I don't like it. Those with traitorous hearts deserve death, sure—but what sin did the ones just following orders commit?"
"Well... true."
"Why not corvée labor instead?"
Jin Yeong Daehyeop nodded after a moment's thought.
"Not a bad idea. I'll suggest it."
"Thank you."
I cupped my hands and bowed. Watching me, he said,
"Now I see why they call you Seonhyeopmirang."
"Pardon?"
"Anyway, good work."
Jin Yeong Daehyeop ordered his men to recover the body.
This should spare the Gold Guard heroes any blame.
And with the body partially burned, they wouldn't notice our involvement.
In fact, when we fought Yang Eun-jik earlier, we'd held back our full power to avoid leaving obvious traces.
.
.
.
Two weeks passed.
The Gold Guard and Gold Guard heroes, acting on the Emperor's orders, rounded up all the rebels.
With no proper defenses, they fell easily.
The Emperor sentenced Prince Chungjin to poison.
His circumstances were understandable, but no loose ends could be left.
In a relatively merciful punishment, Prince Chungjin kowtowed three times and drank the poison.
But the dismissed Minister of the Household and Minister of Works received no such mercy.
"Lingchi?"
"Yes. They say it was gruesome."
"..."
The Emperor must have been quite angry.
"And the others?"
Palgap relayed what he'd heard.
"Most ringleaders got execution, but those below them mostly got corvée labor."
"Not execution?"
"Yes. They were just following orders—not a capital crime. So their labor isn't too harsh."
Good.
The Emperor must have heeded Jin Yeong Daehyeop's words.
Anyway, the Yang Eun-jik matter was settled.
Beijing should quiet down now... or so I thought.
But no—the noisiest time in Beijing had arrived.
The civil service examinations.
Examinees from across the Central Plains flooded in, filling every inn to capacity.
Those without rooms in Beijing had to bunk at inns.
As I handled business from our temporary lodging, Palgap entered the room.
"Young master, First Young Master is here."
"Jeong Ho hyung?"
I stood and opened the door. Jeong Ho stood outside.
Jeong Ho hyung and Grandfather were still at the Yeonjun Merchant Group quarters.
This place was just temporary, with limited space.
"What's up, hyung?"
"Busy?"
"..."
I stayed silent at the ominous vibe, but he smiled.
"Busy or not, you have to come. With me—to Hyanghwa Academy."
"Hyanghwa Academy?"
"Actually, Father wrote a letter. He insisted we deliver it just before the exams..."
"To whom?"
"The examinees, obviously. We have to read it aloud."
"Ah..."
I got the picture.
Father had planned to come to Beijing himself but couldn't due to circumstances.
Wanting to encourage the examinees personally, he asked Jeong Ho hyung to read it for him.
"Grandfather?"
"He said he's too old for that and told us to go."
"Ah..."
No choice if it was Grandfather's order.
Busy or not, we'd go.
"Wait a sec."
I quickly prepared and stepped out.
Jeong Ho hyung, sipping tea, chuckled at me.
"Why dress so fancy?"
"Gotta show some sincerity. You too, hyung."
He'd dressed sharply himself.
"Same here—for sincerity."
I laughed and said,
"Let's go."
"Yeah."
We headed to Hyanghwa Academy.
Behind us, my guards and his chatted—mostly sharing info.
We soon arrived.
"Welcome."
Thanks to the advance notice, the academy head greeted us warmly.
"You've worked hard."
"Hahaha, not at all."
After light greetings, we got to business.
"Could I see the letter first?"
At the head's cautious request, Jeong Ho hyung handed it over readily.
"Hm..."
After reading carefully, the head suggested,
"In my view, we should cut this part. It might burden the examinees unnecessarily."
"Fair enough."
Sorry, Father—but with the head's help, we edited it on the spot.
"To think fourteen gieun came from this academy! Astonishing results."
"Hahaha, all thanks to the examinees' diligence."
Of course, no province could produce that many naturally.
So Hyanghwa's examinees had returned home for provincial exams.
As we chatted, a voice called from outside.
"Head, urgent matter... may I come in?"
He tilted his head, then excused himself to us.
"Come in."
"Yes."
The newcomer was one of the academy instructors.
He bowed to us, then said awkwardly,
"Mansuk left this behind and ran off."
Withdrawal Application
It was a withdrawal letter.