Clang, clang, clang—!

The battle was fierce.

Though they had come in hiding as mere servants, maids, or bodyguards, those who had worked behind the scenes possessed considerable skill.

It also couldn’t be denied that they were fighting with nothing to lose.

The sound of swords clashing and screams echoed from all directions.

I stood at the very back, quietly observing the scene.

Not a single one would escape me.

Didn’t we promise to take this fight to the very end, even in hell?

This fight would not end until we killed each other.

And this… wasn’t even the real beginning.

Through my half-lidded eyes, I saw someone running toward me.

It was Gam Cheong-un.

His face, revealed through his torn mask, confirmed it once again.

“Die, you bastard—!”

Sword in hand, he charged at me like a madman.

His guards were chasing closely behind him, but it didn’t look like they would make it in time.

Even as I saw it happen, I didn’t move.

As if I knew that blade could never reach me.

“You maggot bastard—!”

WHAM—!

Just before the sword could reach me, a fist struck.

It was the brutally strong fist of Jang Chu-hyung that slammed into Gam Cheong-un’s face.

He was born with the strength of a child warlord.

Though this body hadn’t learned martial arts like in my previous life, that punch was powerful enough to shatter Gam Cheong-un’s basic body-protecting technique.

Gam Cheong-un’s body flew and crashed into a wall.

Thud—

His face, smashed beyond recognition, slid down the wall grotesquely.

But it didn’t end there.

As he groaned and writhed, Jang Chu-hyung rushed him.

WHAM—!

“You bastard! You son of a bitch! Elder Hong and I treated you so well! And this dog-ass bastard dares raise a blade?!”

WHAM—WHAM! SMASH!

Punches flew like a storm.

This wasn’t just a beating—it was a brutal dismantling.

Bones shattered, his face was smashed to pieces.

Seeing him now unable to move, I couldn’t help but smile with my eyes.

Yes, this was just like before.

He’d risk his life to protect me.

It wasn’t because he trusted his fists or his strength.

It was loyalty. Pure, blind loyalty to me.

No matter the opponent, he’d charge forward just like that.

The most reliable man in the world.

With a faint smirk, I picked up a fallen sword and turned my back.

The fight was still raging, but I couldn’t stay here.

Now that Jang Chu-hyung had joined, I was certain—they didn’t have a sliver of a chance.

“Hey—where are you going?!”

“Home. Once it’s over, follow me.”

“What? Young master?! Argh, these bastards—!”

I moved forward slowly, letting the sounds of battle echo behind me.

Meanwhile…

The Luoyang Jin Family was in chaos.

Dozens of guards moved swiftly. They barged into the maid’s quarters and grabbed a woman by the hair.

“Kyaaah!”

“It’s her!”

“Search everything! Bring out anything she’s touched!”

Everyone was in shock.

Terrified at the guards suddenly raiding the maids’ residence, they trembled as the woman was dragged out.

And she wasn’t the only one.

Elsewhere, another maid was dragged out. One resisted with a dagger and was killed in the scuffle.

It wasn’t just the maids.

Servants, too, drew knives and tried to resist, but were easily cut down by the skilled warriors.

Yet, some put up a fierce fight.

“You damned traitor! Betraying the Jin family?!”

“Betrayal? Shut the hell up. I never thought of you bastards as comrades.”

“We worked together for five years…!”

“Five, ten, a hundred years—what do I care?”

The guard barracks were in full-scale battle.

More than ten traitors were fiercely resisting with swords, clearly trying to escape.

The fight intensified.

Although the Jin family guards had numbers, many weren’t elite fighters.

And without their commanding officer present, it looked like a chaotic mess.

The difference between places with Jin Cheon-woo and without him was striking.

“They tried to assassinate the young master! Arrest all the traitors! Great rewards await those who capture them!”

The one who rallied the troops was Chief Yoo Hyeon. His voice rang with fury as he stared down the enemy.

They had poisoned and tried to assassinate Jin Cheon-woo when the patriarch was away.

That alone was reason enough to burn with rage.

And these were people who had served in the Jin family for years—maids, servants, guards alike.

They had hidden in plain sight, and they had been completely unaware.

Because of that, the youngest son was poisoned and nearly died.

There had been tragedies in the Jin family over its hundreds of years, but nothing like this.

This was the greatest mistake.

And it had to be corrected.

“Don’t let them escape! Not a single one!”

Yoo Hyeon’s shout rang loud. Even though he lacked martial strength, his conviction carried his voice far.

The guards responded.

They all owed their lives to the Jin family, and this was their role—to protect it.

Their swords became heavier with determination. Their resolve burned hotter.

The tide of battle began to shift.

From a distance, someone was watching.

He swallowed hard, trying to make sense of what he saw.

‘How could this happen?’

He hadn’t given any orders.

Yet somehow, things were already in motion.

It was a trap, clearly set by someone who knew everything.

But who?

He couldn’t think of anyone.

Could someone really know all their secrets?

Even that, he wasn’t sure of anymore.

But he had to move.

He had to inform the others.

That was his role.

Luckily, no one was pursuing him—yet.

Others had been caught, but not him—the leader.

That was enough.

He carefully hid in the shadows, blending into the fleeing crowd, and slipped outside the Jin estate.

Countless people were gathering outside to observe the chaos inside, so one more disappearing wouldn’t raise suspicion.

The man moved silently.

Though his martial skills had dulled, his stealth was enough to stay hidden from ordinary eyes.

He left the Jin estate and headed toward the slums.

A place known in Luoyang for its lawlessness.

No one came here—too dangerous.

It was the perfect place to hide a secret base.

Moving through the maze of alleys, passing ruined houses, he reached a rundown building.

He brushed the ground, revealing a hidden entrance.

No signs of disturbance. Just as he’d left it days ago.

He lit a lamp and began writing urgently.

He retrieved a carrier pigeon and placed the message inside the tube.

“Fly fast,” he whispered.

The bird cooed in understanding.

As he carried it outside and released it—

THWACK—!

A stone struck the pigeon mid-air. It dropped, flapping helplessly.

Cough.

A familiar cough followed.

The man froze.

He knew that voice.

Trembling, he looked ahead.

Step. Step.

Footsteps drew closer.

And then—an unmistakably familiar voice.

“I was curious. Where the leaks were coming from. So this is the place.”

The man who spoke sounded completely at ease.

Looking around calmly, he finally locked eyes with the hidden man and shrugged.

“I hope all this effort wasn’t wasted. I bet there’s something important in there.”

“……”

The man couldn’t respond.

He couldn’t tell if this was a dream or reality.

Why was Jin Cheon-woo here?

How was he standing there so casually?

He looked around. No one else.

Just Cheon-woo?

He nearly laughed in disbelief.

But Cheon-woo spoke again first.

“You’re probably wondering how this happened. Why your men moved when you didn’t order them.”

“……”

“It was me. I used your signal. The one you use to reference me.”

“……!”

Cheon-woo drew symbols in the air—secret signals only their faction used.

Yet he knew them.

“Don’t know how I know, right? I’d wonder, too. But I’ve seen them. Hundreds of times. I know what you write and what they mean.”

Impossible.

No one outside their group should know this.

But Cheon-woo’s calmness said otherwise.

“Don’t think too hard. You won’t find the answer. Just know this…”

Cheon-woo drew his sword.

Pointing it at the man, he smirked.

At that moment, the clouds parted.

Moonlight poured down on Cheon-woo, illuminating him.

And revealed the man’s face as well.

Cheon-woo’s smirk deepened.

“I’ve thought about it. Hundreds, thousands of times. If I ever returned to the past, the first thing I’d do—rip your throat out.”

“You’re insane.”

Cough. “The face of the one dying before me. My mother’s eyes, pierced by your blade. My father’s shout telling me to run. The cries, the tears…”

“What nonsense…”

Cheon-woo exhaled deeply, as if steadying himself.

Then his voice hardened.

“That’s why, from the moment I opened my eyes—I swore I’d kill you.”

“……!”

“Hong Gu-hyeon. Today, you die by my hand.”

In the moonlight, Hong Gu-hyeon’s eyes trembled violently.