Chapter 44
Dok Go-ryong looked like he was planning to keep torturing the man until he got the answer he wanted.
‘Is… is that really… my uncle?’
Eun Sowol had only seen the cruel scene for a moment, but the shock was huge.
The Dok Go-ryong she knew was always so strong and dependable. When he was around, she felt safe.
Sometimes he said annoying things, sure—but overall, he was a good person.
But the man standing before her now… was a madman. A total monster.
“That crazy bastard…”
It wasn’t just Sowol who felt that way. Dang Jinak also stepped back in fear, and Wonho’s legs had already given out.
Just then—
“Wonho!”
A rough voice—Go Taehung’s—called out.
They turned toward the sound and saw Go Taehung emerge from the bushes, carrying a small Dang Jinmyeong in his huge arms.
Jinak’s eyes widened. He gently set Sowol down and ran toward Jinmyeong.
“Jinmyeong!”
“Big bro!”
The two brothers hugged each other tightly.
“I’m so glad… you’re safe.”
“Sniff I was so scared, hyung…!”
They cried as they made sure the other was okay.
Seeing that, Sowol came to her senses and looked back at Dok Go-ryong.
“I need to tell uncle I’m alive!”
He had to know. If he knew she was okay, he’d return to normal.
“No. If you go near him now, you’ll get caught in his madness too.”
Go Taehung held her shoulder and stopped her.
“But… he’s looking for me! If he knows I’m alive, he’ll snap out of it!”
“That’s not it. He can’t hear anything right now.”
“Huh?”
Sowol didn’t understand. Go Taehung frowned and muttered,
“As soon as he heard you died, he lost control… and cornered that guy like a wild beast.”
Even though the enemy’s weapon broke and the fight was already won, Dok Go-ryong didn’t finish him. Instead, he kept torturing him.
“We tried lying—saying you were alive. But he didn’t listen.”
That’s when Sowol realized why her uncle hadn’t even looked their way.
‘It’s not that he’s ignoring us—he literally can’t see or hear us.’
What was he seeing? Why did he look like a demon?
Sowol stared hard at him.
‘Why? Why else? He thinks I’m dead. That’s why he’s like this!’
She broke free from Go Taehung’s grasp and ran toward Dok Go-ryong.
“No!”
“Kid! It’s dangerous!”
Go Taehung and Jinak shouted too late.
Anyone trained in martial arts would’ve known how dangerous it was to go near Dok Go-ryong right now.
He had lost his mind—completely consumed by rage. His sword, unstoppable.
If anyone entered his range, they’d end up just like that poor guy—bloody and broken.
But Sowol, who hadn’t trained in martial arts, didn’t know that.
She just wanted to reach her uncle.
“…Just kill me already…”
The dying man, his face stained with blood he coughed up himself, begged in a weak voice.
But Dok Go-ryong didn’t hear him.
All he saw was red—his vision blurred, his senses drowning.
Then, a sinister voice whispered in his ear.
‘Kill him. Make everything bow at your feet. Rule with fear.’
All he wanted was destruction.
But somewhere deep inside, Dok Go-ryong fought to stay sane.
‘Why am I doing this again? What was I trying to find out?’
He stared into the disfigured face of his enemy.
‘Kill him! That’s why you exist!’
But no matter how hard he tried to think, the voice telling him to kill just grew louder.
‘Yeah… I have to kill him. No—kill all the scum in this world. Only then…’
Maybe then the suffocating pressure in his chest would disappear.
He tightened his grip on the man’s throat.
The man’s eyes rolled back as his mouth gurgled like boiling water.
At that moment—
Thud
Something hit Dok Go-ryong’s leg. No… it clung to him.
“…Stop…”
‘Stop what?’
A trembling voice broke through the chaos in his mind.
The voice whispering to kill was still there, looping endlessly.
“…I’m here…”
The voice—soft, scared—seeped into the cracks of his rage.
‘Ah… are you urging me to kill faster? Just wait. Once I kill this one… you’ll be—’
“Uncle!”
That word stabbed through the red fog in his ears.
Uncle?
Dok Go-ryong slowly looked down.
In his bloody vision, a round face blurred into view.
“Uncle… I’m here! I’m right here—it’s me, Sowol!”
As the voice became clearer, the light returned to his eyes.
“…Sowol…”
“Do you recognize me?!”
And just like that, the red mist faded.
His vision cleared, and he saw his little niece—tear-streaked and puffy-eyed.
Thud
He dropped the unconscious enemy and turned toward her.
He reached out—but then froze.
His own hand, soaked in blood, entered his line of sight.
And with that, he finally saw—himself, the bodies, the destruction all around him.
“Ugh! Cough…!”
The man on the ground gasped for breath.
Dead enemies littered the area—some killed by Dok Go-ryong, some killed by others.
A torch had fallen and spread fire to a broken wagon and corpses, sending black smoke into the air.
And far off, Dang Jinak and Go Taehung were watching with wide, fearful eyes.
“…Ha…”
A soft sigh escaped Dok Go-ryong’s lips.
‘After all that effort to stay in control… this is how it ends.’
He scoffed at himself for being so foolish.
“Uncle! Are you still out of it? Don’t you know who I am?!”
Dok Go-ryong, still stunned, looked at her again. He wiped the blood from his hand onto his clothes and shook his head.
“…How could I not recognize my ugly niece’s face?”
Usually, Sowol would’ve gotten mad at that joke.
But right now, she just held back more tears.
“Uncle…”
She raised her arms up toward the sky—like asking for a hug.
Dok Go-ryong hesitated.
“…My hands are too dirty.”
Sowol looked at the blood, paused, then grabbed his hand with a brave face.
“It’s okay. Hug me.”
He paused—but finally gave in and hugged her.
She’d been hugged by him before, but this time, his arms were extra gentle.
Sowol didn’t mind. She wrapped her arms around his neck tightly.
“I was so scared…”
Dok Go-ryong flinched. The memory of what he’d done hit him.
“I thought I’d never see you again…”
That made his eyes tremble.
“…Thanks for coming to save me, Uncle.”
His lips quivered. But he said nothing—just hugged her tightly.
“…I’m glad you’re safe.”
As she felt his warmth, she smiled.
He gently touched his forehead to hers.
“You feel a bit warm. Are you okay?”
“Yeah! It hurt a lot earlier, but then the mister did something and I felt better!”
“Mister?”
She pointed behind her.
Dang Jinak and Go Taehung were walking over, faces tense.
Dok Go-ryong braced himself—they would want answers.
But before he could say anything—
“Thank you for saving my brother from those evil men! I, Dang Jinak of the Sacheondang Clan, will never forget this favor!”
Dang Jinak bowed deeply with a formal salute.
There was no fear in his eyes anymore—no anger or doubt.
Only deep admiration toward Dok Go-ryong.
