Chapter 89

“Ugh… what the hell?”

*Clang.*

“…What?”

*Clang. Clang.*

“What, what is this…?”

Joo Seung-hwan couldn’t understand what was going on. He had suddenly woken up in an unfamiliar place, and his wrists were bound with restraints.

“What… what the… damn it, what the hell is going on…?”

All sorts of thoughts flooded Seung-hwan’s mind in an instant.

With the restraints on, there were plenty of possibilities to consider.

Like being sold into slavery, for example.

“…Is, is anyone there? Why, why are you doing this to me?!”

He mustered the courage to speak, but the space was eerily silent.

Not even the sound of a bug crawling could be heard, sending chills down his spine.

“Is anyone there! Why, why are you doing this?! Why are you doing this to me?! Damn it…! Do you even know who I am?!”

Even though shouting didn’t elicit any response, he couldn’t bear the situation without saying something.

Because he was scared.

“I was a high-ranking member of the Hwashin Clan! How dare… how dare anyone do this to me…!”

*Click. Click.*

Just as Seung-hwan was drowning in fear from the inexplicable situation, the sound of footsteps reached his ears.

Seung-hwan held his breath, focusing on the footsteps. After a moment, a woman came into view.

At first, he didn’t recognize her, but upon closer inspection, he realized who she was.

“…You, you’re… Seo Yoo-ju?”

“…You remember me, huh?”

Seung-hwan couldn’t comprehend the situation.

Not only was he restrained in an unknown place, but he also couldn’t fathom why Yoo-ju was here.

“What, what is this… why are you…”

“Ha… yeah… why am I here?”

“What…”

*Slap!*

Seung-hwan couldn’t immediately grasp what had just happened. Why did his cheek sting, and why was his face turned to the side?

It took him about five seconds to process the situation.

“You, you crazy bitch…!”

“Seems like you still don’t get your position. Do you still not know who knocked you out and dragged you here?”

“…Huh?”

Seung-hwan’s confused mind snapped back to attention at Yoo-ju’s icy words.

“What… you… you did this to me…?”

“…Why did you do it back then?”

“Do… do what…?”

“……..Because of you…”

Just thinking about that time made Yoo-ju’s heart sink.

She couldn’t contain her anger. The fact that her second chance could have been ruined because of one guy’s actions drove her insane.

She hadn’t told the clan members, but after that incident, she couldn’t sleep properly for a while.

Because every time she closed her eyes, the hellish scene from that day vividly replayed in her mind.

The sight of Yoon Seong, with one arm blown off, bleeding and collapsing.

“So, so why are you doing this? Is it because I tried to kill you?”

“…What?”

“Back then… I had no choice. I never intended to kill you! It was all because of that bastard…!”

“Shut up…! Shut up…! Who are you calling a bastard, you son of a bitch!”

Seung-hwan felt a chill run down his spine at the sight of Yoo-ju’s bloodshot eyes. She didn’t look sane.

“W-wait…! Gah…!”

“I’ll… never forgive you. Do you know how much it hurt… how scared I was…”

Yoo-ju muttered to herself, her hands tightening around Seung-hwan’s neck, filling him with pure terror.

“P-please… I can’t… breathe… Gah…”

Just as Seung-hwan was about to pass out, Yoo-ju released her grip and spoke.

“…Don’t get it wrong. You won’t die even if you want to. Did you think I’d give you such a peaceful death?”

“Gah… cough…! Huff…!”

No, she could never give him a peaceful death.

Thinking about the pain Yoon Seong endured, this couldn’t be the end.

“I, I was wrong… please…”

Seung-hwan begged Yoo-ju, but her heart didn’t soften in the slightest.

Only the sound of his agonized screams would bring her any semblance of comfort.

“…You didn’t even know what you did wrong, and now you’re pretending to apologize?”

“No, no… I really, really regret it. So please…”

“You… dared to touch someone you should never have touched.”

Seung-hwan couldn’t understand.

How could Yoo-ju, who had only recently entered this world, exude such an aura?

It felt like the entire atmosphere had turned cold.

The unsettling vibe made every hair on his body stand on end.

“How… how should I deal with you to ease Yoon Seong’s anger? What should I do to you…”

Seung-hwan couldn’t stay sane listening to her words.

Yoo-ju’s eyes were bloodshot, and her gaze was anything but normal.

“Dog food… should I feed you to the dogs? Hmm… no. Something more painful…”

“W-wait! Let’s, let’s talk! Okay? Just with words…”

Yoo-ju continued muttering to herself, her demeanor clearly unhinged.

“Water torture… or… burning with fire… that’s not bad either… Good idea!”

Her eerie words and the lightbulb moment in her eyes made Seung-hwan feel like he was in a horror movie.

“Please, just listen to me…!”

“Be quiet.”

*Crunch!*

“AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH



“Drink up.”

Yoo Ju pulled the dagger out of Joo Seung-hwan’s mouth and began pouring a potion into it.

Drip, drip—

Whether it was because the potion Yoo Ju brought was of high quality, Seung-hwan’s wounds healed in an instant.

However, Seung-hwan himself only felt more intense terror as his wounds healed.

After all, he had realized it too. That this pain wouldn’t end with just one round.

“P-please, spare me! Spare me! I was wrong! Please, I beg you, spare me!”

“……”

Thud—!

“AAAAAH!”

Seung-hwan screamed again as a spear pierced through his thigh.

Thud!

“How much!”

Thud!

“Does it hurt!”

Thud!

“How much!”

Thud!

“Are you scared!”

“AAAAAH! PLEASE! AAAAAH!”

Seung-hwan wailed from the pain in his leg.

“…. Scared?”

“Ugh… Ugh…”

“Just… this much and you’re scared? Compared to the pain Yoon Seong felt… this isn’t enough. It needs to be… worse…”

“I-I was wrong… I was really…”

“Liar.”

“Really… really…”

Squelch—

“AAAAAH!”

“Since you don’t need fingers to stay alive anyway.”

“You crazy b*tch!”

In the end, Seung-hwan had to vividly feel the pain of having all his fingers cut off without anesthesia.

Death wasn’t allowed.

The potions Yoo Ju brought didn’t allow Seung-hwan to die.

All that was allowed was screaming in pain.

“Kill me… kill me… kill me…”

It didn’t take long for the words “spare me” to turn into “kill me.”

“No. I’ve told you, this isn’t enough.”

“Ugh… kill me… kill me! Damn it, just kill me instead of doing this!”

“………”

“Kill me, I said! Stop this madness and kill me! You crazy b*tch…!”

“……. Hah…!”

Seung-hwan stopped screaming as Yoo Ju suddenly burst into laughter.

“Ahaha!”

“You crazy… crazy b*tch…!”

“Who drove me crazy? You tried to take something precious from me.”

“You’re insane…! You’re not normal… not normal at all…!”

Seung-hwan vaguely began to understand the emotions Yoo Ju was holding.

Whatever feelings she had for that guy, Lee Yun-seong, they weren’t normal anymore.

“You… what you feel for that bastard isn’t normal… you’re…”

“….. That bastard?”

Thud—

“Ugh…!”

“Still can’t fix your mouth, huh? How dare you call Yoon Seong that?!”

“Ugh…”

“… Why am I still so anxious even after starting over! I almost died so many times! I almost failed to protect him again!”

Seung-hwan couldn’t understand a word Yoo Ju was saying.

Starting over? Failing to protect? It made no sense.

It just sounded like the ramblings of a madwoman. At this point, he almost felt sorry for that chick who was the object of her obsession.

‘Damn it… damn it!’

Seung-hwan now realized he shouldn’t have messed with Lee Yun-seong at the training facility.

Not out of remorse, but because he shouldn’t have gotten involved with those lunatics.

“No, no… I can’t lose it. I don’t want to go through that pain again!”

‘Crazy, crazy b*tch!’

“… You, and Ha Yu-ri too… you’re all the same. You all hurt Yoon Seong…”

“Ugh…”

While Seung-hwan groaned in pain, Yoo Ju poured another potion on his wounds. Then she uncorked a sinister-looking bottle.

“W-what are you…?”

“Still… I have to kill you, right? That way, there won’t be any traces… If they investigate, Yoon Seong might run into you…”

“W-wait…!”

Though he had begged to be killed, when death was right in front of him, Seung-hwan couldn’t suppress his instinctive fear of dying.

If it were a painless death, maybe. But the liquid in the bottle Yoo Ju was holding looked ominous, so he had to speak up.

“W-what are you planning to do! Put that down! Don’t do it! I said don’t do it!”

“……”

Fortunately, Yoo Ju stopped at his plea.

But the words that came out of her mouth were like a death sentence to Seung-hwan.

“… Did you stop just because Yoon Seong told you to?”

“T-that’s… wait! I have money! I have savings, I’ll do anything you say! Just…!”

Ignoring Seung-hwan’s pleas, Yoo Ju uncorked the bottle and poured its contents all over his body.

“AAAAAH! AAAAAAH—!”

The sight of a human body melting away was truly horrifying.

Especially when it was your own body melting.

“… You’ll die experiencing the most excruciating pain. A fitting end for someone like you. Right?”

Seung-hwan couldn’t answer Yoo Ju.

He just melted away, screaming louder than anyone thought possible, until he died.

And just like that, one person’s traces disappeared from the city.