Daldal: Main story

Chapter 127

Dark clouds gather, veiling the sun, while the wind rustles the grass in the field.

"Kkaak, kkaak"

The shrill cries of crows near the pit of corpses heighten, hinting at an impending conclusion or eagerly anticipating new prey. The dead corpses in the pit are too burnt and decomposed, prompting the crows to await something more appetizing.

With one broken leg, Kang-hee sits on a bed, gently caressing the hairpin which was his mother's only remains. He vowed to cling to this shroud until his last breath.

It was an emotional trace of his pitiful mother, devoid of a grave or memorial tablet. Hence, Kang-hee wanted to take this away too, believing that his older brother, who killed their mother, didn't deserve to have it.

The bed was marked with dried, blackened stains - remnants of spilled blood. This scene wasn't exclusive to the bed; traces of the massacre were evident throughout the village.

It lingered on the damp ground, haunted the abandoned thatched huts, and existed even in the vibrating air. The ruined hometown seemed fitting as a tomb.

Everything would come to an end here - the deceptive veil, futile revenge, and even this transient life.

Thud, Thud, Thud.

The heavy footsteps reached Kang-hee's ears. He tucked the hairpin in his pocket, and slowly rose to stand on the barren ground. Armed with no weapon, for it would prove useless, what Kang-hee prepared was only the truth and mockery. He hoped that his words, spat out with this tongue, would provoke even the slightest tremor in his opponent's heart.

Soon, a figure emerged in the distance, pushing aside the hazy mist to enter the ruins neither swiftly nor slowly.

When Chae Yoon-sa fully revealed himself, Kang-hee greeted him with a wry smile.

"Long time no see, Young Master Yoon-sa."

In Chae Yoon-sa's grasp, the very blade forged by melting down Kang-hee's mother resonated with its presence.

Kang-hee couldn't help but wonder how many lives that blade, forged from melting his mother, had claimed until now. Perhaps hundreds, or maybe even thousands. As Chae Yoon-sa leisurely watched Kang-hee and the village, a sneer gradually etched on his lips.

"The place looks familiar."

"Well, you visited not too long ago. Aren't you curious why I'm here?"

"Hmm. I am not interest in that, especially considering the circumstances."

It seems that Chae Yoon-sa was implying that his story didn't matter since he'll die anyway.

"Haha... You're indifferent even in this situation."

Kang-hee couldn't hide his disappointment.

"I thought you'd be curious. Why I did such things, my purpose here, what this place means to me. Aren't you curious at all?"

"What matters to me is my purpose."

His purpose was clear: get Eun-oh back and deal with Kang-hee. The former was a task at hand, and the latter was a predetermined fate. Everything else was neither important nor necessary.

"So unnecessary exploration ends here. Either give back what you took, tell me where he is, or choose."

Chae Yoon-sa aimed the sword towards Kang-hee. The iron screamed as the sharp edge produced a metallic sound. Although he hadn't taken any steps yet, the threat was more than evident.

Even in the face of tension, Kang-hee remained calm.

"What exactly are you looking for, Young Master"