A game for someone's amusement.

The first thing Chung Myung noticed was the smell.

It was faint, almost imperceptible, but familiar.

Sleeping poison.

He remained motionless on the bed, his breathing slow and even.

'Again?'

He almost sighed.

It had been three or four hours since they had released the poison into his cell.

Judging by the footsteps approaching from outside, someone had finally decided to check on their prisoner.

The lock turned.

The door opened.

Several people entered.

"Is he still asleep?"

"Of course, Young Master. We've been releasing the sleeping poison periodically. There's no way he could have woken up."

Chung Myung listened.

'Periodically? How much money are these people spending on sleeping poison?'

"Good. Bring him down."

Someone approached.

A hand grabbed his shoulder.

Another checked his breathing.

"He's completely unconscious."

'Obviously.'

He was beginning to feel insulted by how easily they were convinced.

"Bring the chains."

At that, Chung Myung's interest returned.

'Chains?'

He felt several people lift him from the bed.

Something cold wrapped around his wrists and ankles.

Then came the sound of metal locking into place.

He discreetly examined the restraints through his eyelashes.

'Oh?'

These were different from the previous ones.

They were considerably heavier, with an unusual inner structure designed to prevent the prisoner from struggling.

'So they weld iron spikes and connected them inside the part that wraps around wrist and ankle to prevent the prisoner struggling too much, huh?'

Their length could also be adjusted.

'Not bad.'

For the first time since his kidnapping, he felt that someone had put a little thought into their preparations.

They attached the chains to the wall, suspending him in a position where he couldn't comfortably rest.

Then someone approached and began removing his outer garments.

Chung Myung's expression remained unchanged.

'...What?'

He briefly wondered whether they had some peculiar interest in Mount Hua's clothing.

But before he could consider it further, he heard a familiar voice.

"Prepare the energy-dispersing poison."

'Ah. Finally.'

Someone brought a porcelain bottle.

"Pour it into his mouth."

The liquid was bitter.

Chung Myung swallowed it.

At least they remembered this time.

"Now give him the antidote."

A different liquid followed.

His eyelids fluttered.

He slowly opened his eyes.

The first thing he saw was a middle-aged man standing directly in front of him.

The man smiled.

"Ah. You're awake."

Chung Myung blinked.

Then he looked around.

The unfamiliar chains.

The people surrounding him.

The instruments laid out on a nearby table.

Finally, his eyes returned to the middle-aged man.

"..."

He tilted his head.

"Who are you?"

He didn't remember seeing this man. Considering his treatment so far, it was obvious that he had grudge against him but wanted something from him too.

That's why it was a kidnapping.

The man laughed.

"You're quite calm for someone in your position."

Chung Myung looked down at himself.

Then at the chains.

Then back at the man.

"...Did you bring me here just to ask that?"

The man's smile disappeared momentarily.

Then he laughed again.

"Interesting. Very interesting."

He gestured towards his subordinates.

"Let's see how long that attitude lasts."

Then he grabbed his waist and brought him closer.

His breath touched Chungyung's ear, sending shivers down his spine.

"I'm gonna break you so throughly that you can't think about anything else."

He then proceeded to touching and examining every nuke and cranny of his body.

It was so disgusting that Chung Myung had to held the urge to resist and beat the man about a hundred times.

He was proud of himself for holding back.

'Not yet. I need more information.'

The following hours passed slowly.

The man had prepared an elaborate collection of instruments, and his subordinates followed his instructions without hesitation.

There were heated irons.

They marked his chest, abdomen, his waist and side, his legs, his neck, his back, his cheek.

Iron Whips.

They focused on the burned marks and whiped his injuries.

Iron spikes.

They plunged and pierced his body with iron spikes and moved them around his body.

The spikes were considerably small. The size of a brush. A big brush.

But the number was the problem.

They had prepared 50 iron spikes and after plunging them in his body, they moved and spun them in his body.

There were 50 holes in his body, bleeding as the wound would just get bigger and bigger thanks to spinning the spikes around his wounds.

The spikes in the chains around his wrist and ankle had started to sink into his muscles.

'Is it getting smaller and smaller around my wrists and ankles the more time passes? But how? They aren't touching them and I haven't resisted.'

He sank deep in his thoughts, waiting for the torture to end and the middle-aged man to lower his guard against his prisoner.

'Was not just for preventing resistance?'

And there was other implements intended to make their prisoner surrender.

But Chung Myung didn't give them what they wanted.

He didn't beg.

He didn't plead.

And, most importantly, he didn't ask them to stop.

Occasionally, he would look at the man and ask an entirely unrelated question.

"Hey."

The man stopped.

"What?"

"How much did all this cost?"

"...What?"

"The equipment. The chains. The poison. Everything."

The man stared at him.

Chung Myung frowned.

"You're spending quite a bit of money. I'm curious."

The man let out a disbelieving laugh.

"You're worried about the expense?"

"Well, someone has to be."

One of the subordinates lowered his head, desperately trying not to react.

The man's expression darkened.

"You're still trying to act clever?"

Chung Myung said nothing.

He simply watched him.

Come on.

Talk.

You're spending all this money and effort. Surely there's a reason.

He could have broken free.

Even with his qi suppressed, the chains weren't something he couldn't overcome.

But he wanted to know.

Who had arranged this?

Who had provided the money?

And why had they gone to such lengths to capture him?

The man eventually grew tired of waiting for a reaction.

There wasn't a single place they left untouched and there wasn't any method they hadn't used.

Chung Myung was covered in blood and sweet started pouring out, no matter how small.

He was a wounded beast.

Yes, a chained and wounded beast who couldn't do anything.

He dismissed the subordinates and pulled a chair closer.

"Do you know why you're here, mount hua's chivalrous sword?"

Chung Myung raised his eyes.

"No."

"Then let me tell you."

The man leaned back.

The man crossed his legs, studying him with an expression of amusement.

"Do you know how many people you've offended over the years? How many powerful families you've humiliated? How many people have lost their positions, fortunes, and reputations because of you?"

Chung Myung blinked.

"...A lot?"

The man's expression twitched.

"You're not even denying it?"

"Should I?"

For a moment, silence filled the room.

Then the man laughed.

"You're unbelievable."

He leaned forward.

"There's someone who wants you. Someone who has been watching you for quite some time. Someone who is willing to pay an extraordinary amount of money to have you delivered into his hands."

Chung Myung's eyes narrowed slightly.

There it was.

Finally, something useful.

"Who?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

"Not particularly. I'm just asking."

The man ignored his response.

"Your sect believes you're untouchable. Your disciples worship the ground you walk on. Your reputation precedes you wherever you go."

His smile widened.

"Let's see how they feel when they receive you back."

Chung Myung stared at him.

Then, despite everything, he smiled.

"...So are you just a lap dog following orders?"

The man narrowed his eyes at him.

"My older brother."

Chung Myung blinked.

"Your older brother?"

"You killed him."

There was a brief silence.

Chung Myung searched his memories.

He then stared at the man's face intently.

Then his expression changed slightly.

'Ah.'

The Mount Hua imposter incident.

That troublesome evil sect.

He remembered destroying the organization and killing its leader.

"Was he the leader of that sect?"

The man's expression twisted.

"So you remember."

"Vaguely."

"Vaguely?"

The man slammed his hand against the table.

"Do you have any idea how much I suffered because of you?!"

Chung Myung looked at him.

"...No?"

The man's face reddened.

He began recounting everything.

His brother's position.

His family's downfall.

The humiliation of losing their influence.

And how he had spent years searching for an opportunity to avenge himself.

Chung Myung listened.

At first, he was mildly interested.

Then he became bored.

Finally, he interrupted.

"Wait."

The man stopped.

"What?"

"Is this all about revenge?"

The man's expression stiffened.

"Of course!"

"Then why didn't you just come after me?"

"...What?"

"If you wanted revenge, you could have tried to kill me."

The man stared at him.

Chung Myung tilted his head.

"Why go through all this trouble?"

The man laughed.

"Because killing you would be a waste!"

Now Chung Myung was interested again.

The man leaned forward.

"Do you understand what you represent?"

"No."

"Mount Hua's future! The Heavenly Comrade Alliance! The relationships you've built with the other sects!"

He smiled.

"Do you think I haven't heard the rumors?"

Chung Myung remained silent.

"The heads of those factions are strangely attached to you. The Tang Family Head, the palaces people, the Beggars' Union, the leaders of the other sects..."

The man's smile widened.

"They would do practically anything for you."

Chung Myung's eyes narrowed.

"Would they?"

"Of course! And that gave me an idea."

He spread his arms.

"Why should I settle for revenge when I can obtain revenge and power simultaneously?"

He began explaining his plan.

He would keep Chung Myung hostage.

Then he would demand money, resources, and manpower from Mount Hua and the Heavenly Comrade Alliance.

If they refused, he would threaten their precious chivalrous sword of mount hua.

He believed the alliance would eventually surrender.

After all, what was the point of having powerful allies if they wouldn't sacrifice anything for someone they cared about?

The man finished speaking with a satisfied expression.

"There. Now you understand."

Silence.

Chung Myung looked at him.

Then he laughed.

"...Hahahaha."

The man frowned.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing."

Chung Myung lowered his head.

His shoulders trembled.

Then he slowly raised his face.

"You're quite something."

The man smiled.

"Finally understanding your situation?"

"No."

Chung Myung looked directly into his eyes.

"I'm wondering how someone can be this stupid."

The man's expression froze.

"What?"

"Let's see."

Chung Myung began counting on his fingers.

"You kidnapped the mount hua's chivalrous sword."

Another finger.

"You've been torturing him."

Another.

"And your brilliant plan is to demand resources from an alliance whose members are all considerably stronger and more experienced than you."

He tilted his head.

"...Did you even think about what happens after they agree?"

The man stood up.

"Shut your mouth!"

"Or what?"

Chung Myung smiled.

"You're going to torture me some more?"

For the first time, the man seemed genuinely uncertain.

Then Chung Myung's smile disappeared.

"Well, I've heard enough."

The man barely had time to react.

A sharp metallic sound rang through the chamber.

The chains fell.

One after another.

The man stared.

His eyes widened.

"W-What?"

Chung Myung rolled his wrists.

Then he stretched his shoulders.

"Ah. That was uncomfortable."

"Impossible!"

The man stumbled backwards.

"Your qi! We gave you the energy-dispersing poison!"

Chung Myung glanced at him.

"Yeah. About that."

He raised one hand.

A faint smile appeared on his face.

"Do you really think that little thing can keep me restrained?"

The man's face went white.

Chung Myung stepped forward.

"Now."

His voice became considerably colder.

"Let's have another conversation."

The man turned to run.

He didn't get far.

A moment later, the chamber fell silent.

The subordinates who had been standing outside heard a commotion.

Then several crashes.

Then silence again.

Nobody dared enter.

Eventually, Chung Myung walked out.

He was wearing his outer robe again, although it was somewhat disheveled.

Blood was dripping from him like water.

It was like he was bathed in blood.

That made him even creepier and more terrifying.

The subordinates ran in every direction, not daring to even look back, leaving their master alone.

Chung Myung walked toward a chair.

Behind him, the man who had been so confident only moments earlier was sitting on the floor, looking thoroughly miserable.

Chung Myung crouched in front of him.

"All right. Let's start again."

The man swallowed.

Chung Myung then sat on the chair and pressed his pressure points to stop the bleeding.

Now it was question(interogation) time.