Chapter 219

Chapter 219: An Unexpected Grudge (4)

Prior to the arrival of dawn.

Dong Bongsu opened his eyes.

This did not mean he had just awoken from slumber.

In truth, he had not slept at all.

Instead, he had spent the entire night with his System Window displayed, carefully analyzing every altered statistic.

Click.

▣ Hero Rank: ★★ First-Rate

◆ All Stats +5

◆ Trait 『Faith Weight』

This was a confirmation he had already performed dozens of times.

The increase in his attributes was not particularly massive, yet its true value stemmed from the fact that he was building it up as part of the Dual Karma Root.

Furthermore, in countless instances, it was precisely these minuscule variances that determined victory or defeat in actual combat.

He softly closed and opened his hand.

Having repeated this action throughout the evening, his physical form had finally acclimated to the subtle alteration.

Because of this, he felt entirely assured that he could execute actions precisely as intended once an actual clash commenced.

≪Unlockable Skills≫

• Faith Judgment Lv.1 『Y/N』

• Hero’s Blessing Lv.1 『Y/N』

His digit paused in midair for a brief moment before lowering.

It would be wiser to delay this for now.

There was no immediate rush.

Click.

Shutting the System Window, he accessed his Inventory instead.

He retrieved the severed and shattered remnants of a certain object, spreading them across the center of the chamber floor.

Upper limbs, lower limbs, a torso.

Along with a shattered skull.

It was the lifeless body of Cheol So-ah.

He set about reassembling the fragments as close to their original configuration as possible.

Though her visage was partially obliterated, the general facial structure was still discernible.

It proved sufficient for recognition.

A subtle sensation of Cold Qi pervaded the room.

While refrigeration devices did not exist within this world, the passage of time remained frozen inside the Inventory.

The moment he brought it out, a soft chill emerged, leaving the flesh cold to the touch but entirely free from decay.

The chore felt no different from organizing cuts of meat in a butcher’s shop.

The identity of this mass of flesh and her past deeds carried no more significance to Dong Bongsu than the source of commercial livestock.

He meticulously shrouded the remains in cloth and transported them to an unoccupied outer building on the premises.

Upon returning to his personal quarters, he expanded the awareness of his Super True Qi Field.

Woooong-.

Bing Ye along with nine Sect Members.

Positioned outside the estate boundaries.

Though the Cold Qi had faded, their vigilance remained absolute.

He detected indications that they had rotated guards overnight, which served as a reminder of how exceptionally disciplined their group truly was.

From the quarters housing Jeon Rahwa and the youngsters, he perceived steady, peaceful respirations.

‘As for the location of Yan Bilyeong—.’

She had already roused.

It appeared she had likewise spent the night without rest.

The area surrounding Myo Jinheo remained utterly silent.

The identical stillness that had persisted the previous evening.

When dealing with an individual like him, trying to discern whether such unvarying stillness indicated genuine sleep or a mere act was completely futile.

He would either need to comprehend him more deeply or adjust his approach depending on how events unfolded.

Retracting his Super True Qi Field, he mapped out the itinerary for the day.

First, deliver the remains and the token to Bing Ye, then see her off.

Second, speak with Jeon Rahwa prior to reclaiming the token.

Third, conduct the evaluations.

Two hundred and fifteen candidates.

He shut his eyes, then parted them once more.

Whether the consciousness behind those closed eyelids and the opened ones belonged to the identical individual was something no one within the room could possibly verify.

Shortly thereafter.

The entryway to the room of Dong Bongsu—or rather, Kim Rae-won—swung open. ● ● ● It occurred prior to the youngsters gathering for their dawn exercises on the Training Ground.

Kim Rae-won went to visit Jeon Rahwa before doing anything else.

“You have risen quite early.”

“As have you.”

Jeon Rahwa was already occupied with sorting through the records.

A dense ledger containing the names, backgrounds, and concise profiles of all 215 applicants.

Right next to it, she had even sketched a diagram of the Training Ground layout.

She possessed remarkable efficiency.

A female colleague who consistently completed arrangements a step ahead of any directive.

“I require a small favor from you.”

“Name it.”

“That particular token. I must give it back.”

Dong Bongsu offered a succinct summary of the events that had transpired during the twilight hours.

Though initially startled, she offered a breath of relief after verifying that no catastrophic harm had occurred.

Even so, Jeon Rahwa’s fingers instinctively moved to brush against her collarbone.

The unique token belonging to the Maiden of the Heavenly Yin Sect.

It was a device capable of amplifying the productivity of the Twin Snow Yin Cold Art.

“It must be returned to its rightful owners. It belonged to them from the start.”

“…Very well.”

Offering no opposition, she unfastened the item from her neck and passed it across.

Except for one minor detail.

“The air will feel somewhat chilly without its presence.”

Jeon Rahwa offered a striking grin.

Kim Rae-won returned the gesture as he took possession of the token.

“Have no fear. You possess my presence, after all.”

“Hmph-. Do you consider yourself some sort of heating stove?”

“Whenever I am near, affection seems to radiate naturally, does it not? People generally appear to adore it completely.”

“Haha. Was that meant to pass for a jest?”

“Not at all. My words are entirely genuine.”

“…”

“If you prefer, I could always embrace you. This physical form of mine does generate a rather comforting warmth.”

Jeon Rahwa, who had let out a brief snicker, redirected her attention back down to the ledger and narrowed her lips.

Nevertheless, she proved incapable of preventing the edges of her lips from curving upward.

Though she attempted to conceal it, she was undoubtedly aware that her efforts had fallen short.

“…Kindly cease uttering such absurdities. I beg of you.”

“Absurdities? That is rather unkind.”

“Of course, of course. I grasp your meaning, Sect Leader.”

‘This woman is rapidly approaching the absolute peak of utility.’

This constituted an objective assessment rather than an emotional response.

And that sentiment represented the highest degree of human regard Dong Bongsu was capable of offering to anyone.

“How stand the arrangements for the evaluations?”

“Everything is prepared. You need only take your seat and review the candidates.”

Kim Rae-won gave a nod of assent and gestured toward the outer building.

“Let us settle matters with Bing Ye first, and then we shall commence.”

“Understood.”

● ● ●

He requested the presence of Bing Ye and escorted her toward the outer building.

The remaining nine Sect Members were ordered to remain stationed outside the entrance.

Only Bing Ye crossed the threshold.

Upon opening the entrance, a shape blanketed in fabric became visible.

Kim Rae-won pulled the cloth aside.

A sudden halt.

Bing Ye’s forward motion ceased entirely.

Cheol So-ah.

It was a lifeless body with its disparate fragments reassembled.

The upper limbs, lower limbs, and midsection were aligned in their proper zones, yet it remained visibly fractured.

Her face was utterly ruined, though the general bone structure persisted.

Freezing, unblemished tissue.

It had clearly undergone a process of preservation through cold.

Bing Ye manifested no visible sentiment.

As a operative of the Heavenly Yin Sect, she was highly practiced in suppressing any fluctuations of sentiment.

Nevertheless, her internal Cold Qi experienced a minor tremor.

The temperature within the chamber instantly dropped by a noticeable degree.

That represented the absolute limit of the sentiment this female allowed herself to project.

Bing Ye dropped to her knees.

Positioned before the remains, she extended a lone hand and softly brushed against the brow line.

A ceremonial act.

The traditional custom observed by the Heavenly Yin Sect for those who passed away.

The ensuing stillness stretched on.

She envisioned the memory of Cheol So-ah back at their headquarters.

A vibrant and chilly practitioner.

A prodigy whose potential had caught the attention of the Sect Leader himself.

Furthermore, the details she had gathered during the preceding night now layered over that image.

A carnivorous glutton.

A captive.

A penalty exacted upon an entire lineage.

The atrocious acts committed by that once-promising youngster.

The physical remains were far from the only matter she would have to report to the Sect Leader.

“Take this as well.”

Kim Rae-won extended the token toward her.

Bing Ye took it without any displays of hesitation.

A faint, lingering impression was conveyed through the physical contact.

The distinct trace of the individual who had most recently possessed this object.

While it belonged to the internal power of the Heavenly Yin Sect, it did not match the refined pattern of a Dharma Maiden; instead, it felt like an energy that had been forcefully forced into a fractured vessel.

She refrained from posing inquiries.

For the moment…

“I shall transport the remains.”

Utilizing an unhurried tone, Bing Ye rose to her feet.

“There are matters I must relay to the Sect Leader.”

Following a brief pause.

“I shall return.”

It amounted to a mere pair of statements.

Yet Dong Bongsu recognized that this was far from a simple departure.

It signified that she would return in person to deliver whatever verdict the Sect Leader decided upon.

Furthermore, the certainty of her personal return, regardless of the final decision, also indicated that this particular bond had not yet been severed.

He displayed a grin.

“I shall await your arrival.”

Bing Ye exited the chamber.

He caught the sound of a brief command directing her Sect Members to gather up the remains, and shortly thereafter, ten distinct life signatures departed from the grounds of the Hero’s Sect.

Gradually at first, then vanishing entirely.

Dong Bongsu monitored their departure from the outermost periphery of his Super True Qi Field until they were entirely gone.

‘The connection remains intact.’

The thread is still sustained, and her promised return proves that it remains taut.

This suffices perfectly.

● ● ●

The morning arrived.

Within the open Training Ground, 215 individuals stood in formation.

Some bore blades, some carried staves, while others relied solely on their hands.

Their respective generations and physical statures varied wildly.

Yet, the collective focus directed toward the solitary figure positioned in front of them pointed entirely toward a single spot.

Kim Rae-won.

He assumed a seated position before the entire assembly.

Jeon Rahwa remained positioned at his flank, grasping the ledger.

In addition.

In a distant sector of the Training Ground, sheltered beneath the overhang of the roof, Yan Bilyeong stood propped against the structure with her limbs folded.

On the alternate side, Myo Jinheo remained seated without a sound, his hand fan unfolded.

Kim Rae-won observed the entire gathering in absolute silence for a prolonged duration, until a precise second arrived.

He rose from his seated position.

The 215 pairs of eyes, which had remained fixed on his every motion, flickered with intense apprehension at his abrupt shift, rolling through their gaze like a swelling wave.

“The Hero’s Sect exists as an institution dedicated to the preservation of Righteousness.”

His introductory remark.

“This does not constitute an organization you may join simply because your physical power is great.”

With that singular pronouncement, the atmosphere within the Training Ground shifted completely.

A profound heaviness emerged that had not been present previously.

『Faith Weight』.

The very instant Kim Rae-won’s pronouncement drifted through the space, the postures of a massive portion of the 215 applicants instantly straightened.

Their slumped postures corrected themselves, and their unfocused eyes grew intensely sharp.

It felt as though an unseen force had manually aligned their vertebrae.

“…”

Dong Bongsu’s internal consciousness noted this minor transition.

The attribute was executing its function flawlessly.

Precisely at this juncture.

“Advance forward, one individual at a time.”

The evaluation process commenced.

The inquiries posed by Kim Rae-won were basic in nature.

“For what purpose do you wish to align with the Hero’s Sect?”

“What meaning does Righteousness hold for you?”

“Have you ever placed your existence in peril to shield another?”

It amounted to an assessment that merely probed their alignment with heroic principles on a surface level.

Yet beneath that surface, Dong Bongsu’s perceptions were deciphering a completely separate set of data.

The fluctuations in their cardiac rhythms, the gaps between their breaths, and the composition of the musculature that constricted instinctively as they provided answers.

The data provided by the mechanism offered little beyond their basic monikers, yet that proved entirely sufficient.

In truth, numerical figures merely convey status.

The actual substance must be interpreted firsthand.

The benchmarks for his verdicts remained unmistakable.

Individuals possessing advanced martial prowess could always be acquired at a later date.

What was desperately required at this moment were devoted followers.

Those who maintained a fundamental belief in Righteousness.

Those within whose very marrow core principles were etched.

Those whose dedication to justice was not mere rhetorical performance, but originated from their absolute center—their core, and further still, their authentic sentiments—assuming such things existed.

Such individuals would place their deepest reliance upon Kim Rae-won.

Profound reliance translated directly into raw capability for Dong Bongsu.

He proceeded to weed out the candidates utilizing that exact benchmark.

The initial candidate.

His combat proficiency appeared thoroughly mediocre.

His physical frame was slight, and the skin build on his weapon hand was remarkably thin.

Nonetheless, his response to ‘For what purpose did you arrive?’ was entirely direct and unembellished.

“I observed the manner in which the River Capital has shifted. I witnessed firsthand how vastly circumstances differ depending on the presence or absence of the Iron God Gang and the Seven Star Immortal Society. I desire to study beneath the individual who brought this to fruition.”

Cardiac rhythm remained steady.

Respiration was unhurried.

Entirely devoid of deception.

‘The exact category of person who accepts belief with the greatest ease and is the quickest to be carried away by a movement.’

The precise variety of candidate a deceptive cult would covet above all else.

Kim Rae-won offered a benevolent grin.

“Excellent. You have passed. Next individual.”

The subsequent applicant.

He possessed a massive frame and radiated an immense amount of self-assurance.

Furthermore, he came equipped with an exceptional piece of weaponry.

“I arrived because I wish to attain greater strength.”

It was a perfectly candid declaration, completely free of falsehoods.

Yet it fell short of his requirements.

It felt as though 『Faith Weight』 exerted no influence whatsoever upon this individual.

Earlier, during the collective address, when the postures of the 215 had corrected themselves, this particular man’s posture had already been upright.

He had not altered his stance in reaction to Kim Rae-won’s pronouncement; he had simply been upright from the very start.

‘The category of person who places faith exclusively in himself.’

Devotion fails to accumulate with such individuals.

They depart once they attain power and turn traitor when their fortunes wane.

Their behavior would remain identical regardless of who they chose to follow, not merely Kim Rae-won.

“Should our paths cross under favorable stars, we may cross paths once more.”

He offered a polite dismissal.

Benevolent on the exterior.

Yet executing a definitive verdict internally.

The man appeared profoundly let down and offered several objections as if unable to reconcile the decision, yet he refrained from creating a scene.

This was due to the fact that the standing of Kim Rae-won and the Hero’s Sect within this River Capital had already become entirely indisputable.

The authority represented by Kim Rae-won had already rendered its verdict.

To oppose it would merely result in his own ruin.

The evaluations pressed onward.

Extending for a duration exceeding two hours.

The vast majority fell squarely into either the initial category or the subsequent one.

On rare occasions, uncertain individuals would appear who did not cleanly align with either camp.

Such candidates could simply be placed on a waiting list for the time being.

‘The foundational sorting has concluded.’

The varieties of human character are ultimately restricted in number.

The true difficulty lies in the reality… that anomalies invariably manifest.

The two hundred and fifteenth applicant.

The final candidate was an uncommunicative male in his early twenties.

He stood at an unexceptional height, yet his upper frame was expansive, his hands substantial, and his eyes carried a remarkable depth.

Despite that depth, his gaze remained perfectly clear.

“What definition do you give to Righteousness?”

The ensuing pause was substantial.

Within an evaluation setting, lingering silence typically serves as a negative indicator.

However, Dong Bongsu discerned that this hesitation did not stem from a lack of understanding.

His cardiac rhythm was accelerating rapidly.

There exist distinct patterns to a racing heart.

Naturally, Dong Bongsu recognized instantly that this was born not of hostility, but of something entirely different.

He maintained his patience.

“I am ignorant of its meaning,”

The youth finally spoke, offering his words in an unhurried yet resolute manner.

“Yet I am fully aware that remaining passive while my younger sibling was taken away by the Iron God Gang did not constitute Righteousness.”

Kim Rae-won’s gaze locked onto him for a brief period.

“And that sibling?”

“She perished.”

What his Super True Qi Field managed to decipher.

An accelerating cardiac rhythm.

Yet it was entirely free of hostility.

It was an expression of profound regret.

A deep self-directed loathing for his past inability to act.

This constituted an authentic, pulsing sentiment.

He possesses genuine sentiment, and the trajectory of that sentiment is directed squarely at his own person.

An individual of this nature will exert himself to the brink of insanity to validate his worth.

And throughout that journey, he is destined to search for a guiding beacon.

“Your moniker.”

“It is Seok Gyeong.”

“No, the moniker of your sibling.”

“It is Seok… Ran.”

Kim Rae-won offered a nod.

“I shall retain it in my thoughts.”

Nothing more was spoken.

● ● ●

Ultimate roster: 20 individuals.

The precise moment Dong Bongsu prepared to transfer the ledger over to Jeon Rahwa.

‘As anticipated.’

The outcome aligned precisely with his projections.

Tiring-.

[Guild Member limit exceeded. Current 12/30. Additional members that can join: 18.]

30 represents the absolute cap.

The boundary that had expanded during the recent Facility Expansion had reached its bottleneck at this exact juncture.

He had selected 20 candidates, meaning he stood 2 individuals past the allowed ceiling.

He had previously verified that the maximum capacity for guild members stood at 30.

From the very second he resolved to select 20 individuals, his intent had merely been to observe the manner in which the mechanism would respond.

It served as a controlled test.

And that test yielded a definitive finding.

WOO-.

[Guild]: The Threshold of Growth

Your organization is undergoing expansion.

In order to accommodate a greater number of individuals, you require a receptacle commensurate with their presence.

Kindly fulfill one of the subsequent conditions.

․ Solidify the Guild’s Foundation: Elevate the mean combat proficiency of your organizational members past a specified benchmark.

├─ Progress: 0%

└─ Reward: Guild Member Limit +10, Guild EXP +100

․ First Resonance of Martial Fame: Resolve a critical situation beyond the borders of the River Capital under the banner of the Hero’s Sect.

├─ Progress: 0%

└─ Reward: Guild Member Limit +15, Fame +10, Guild EXP +200