Episode 81

“There’s a separate place prepared for the performers after the show. Wait for your husband there.”

The warrior spoke to Cheon Sohee, who had been waiting endlessly near the entrance.

“Yes.”

Cheon Sohee obediently turned her body, heeding the warrior’s advice not to loiter.

‘It’ll be okay.’

Cheon Sohee thought to herself as she walked to the banquet hall prepared for the performers.

All he had to do was perform and come out. Yunho had promised to protect her from the clients.

Even if a problem arose, it would be between the Sung Family head and the clients, not Yunho.

As long as he successfully completed his performance and she successfully carried out the assassination, their business here was finished.

If the urge to kill decreased after the assassination, she could simply move on to the next target. Even if it didn’t decrease, it’s fine.

— Will you promise me, brother? Not to give up. To look for the answer together.

As long as she found the answer with Yunho.

‘Yunho.’

Thinking back to the events of the night a few days ago, Sohee quietly placed her hands over her heart, feeling overwhelmed.

His broad embrace. The warmth of each other’s bodies on a cold night. His breath against my ear. And his sincerity.

Just like she needed Yunho, he needed her too.

Knowing this gave Sohee the courage to move forward.

Even if it’s a path to disaster, she wouldn’t be afraid as long as she was with him.

With that thought, she took a step forward.

[Kill.]

“Uh!”

The Heavenly Death Star quickly stepped back, startled by the sudden surge of killing intent.

[Let’s kill.]

The Heavenly Death Star stepped back again.

[Kill them all.]

Cheon Sohee quickly channeled her inner energy to the Yongchun point on her feet to rapidly retreat.

‘What’s happening?’

The range of the diminishing killing intent was rapidly shrinking. Each step back was met with an equal reduction in range. It had never decreased this rapidly before.

“A fight has broken out in the courtyard!”

“There’s a sword fight!”

Noise came from afar.

The rapidly shrinking range. The commotion. Swords.

There was only one thing it could mean.

“Yunho!”

The Heavenly Death Star turned and started running towards the banquet hall.

The range of the disappearing killing intent continued to shrink.

[Let’s kill.]

Shut up.

Cheon Sohee controlled the killing intent within her and hurried towards the banquet hall.

“Crazy people! Everyone’s running away!”

“Hurry, grab your swords and go in!”

There were too many people going in and out of the door. Cheon Sohee jumped over the wall in a single bound and entered the feast.

“For the sake of Master Seong Sehwi!”

“How dare you betray the Sung Family head!”

Despite the ongoing swordfight among them, Sohee paid no attention to it.

‘Where is Yunho?’

Yunho’s scent. Where was it? Sohee turned her head to look at the place where the scent of the Thousand Mile Pursuit fragrance, applied to Yunho, was strongest.

There was—

Lying on the ground, drenched in blood, there he was, clutching his chest, fallen.

“Yunho!”

No, this couldn’t be happening. The stage was covered in blood. Sohee tried to rush to Yunho’s side.

[Let’s kill.]

No, she couldn’t let the urge to kill take over.

There’s no time for this. She needed to treat Yunho. Right now.

Cheon Sohee desperately tried to reach Yunho, but getting closer to him didn’t diminish her urge to kill anymore.

Why was that?

She knew. She was desperately trying to control her urge to kill.

It’s too late. It was her fault.

‘Why did I think it would be okay?’

Sohee stopped in her tracks. She said she wouldn’t make the same mistake again. Why did she even think that?

Because of her greed.

She thought if she just completed this mission, she could return to my everyday life with Yunho.

She wanted to go back to the days where she could watch him shine brighter than anyone else on stage, and after the performance, she could tell him ‘well done’ and see him smile back at her.

That greed, everything,

[Let’s kill.]

Who?

[The one who killed him.]

How could she possibly know who?

[Just kill them all.]

Right.

[Let’s kill.]

Let’s kill.

[We’re going to kill them all.]

Let’s kill them all.

And then,

‘I’ll die too.’

Screams were heard.

“Save me!”

“What is she?!”

The sound of people dying. Desperation. Honestly, I can hear countless screams.

It sounded like I’d be in trouble if I stayed here.

“Ugh!”

The pain in my chest jolted my entire body awake. It seemed that I didn’t die. Lying down, I carefully touched my chest. There’s no bleeding.

Perhaps the bleeding stopped because of the Jade Face Self-Protection Technique. Sohee once mentioned it was the best self-defense technique among the external techniques she knew, and it seems she was right.

While lying down, I carefully turned my head towards the front of the stage.

What’s happening now? Was Seong Sehwi winning? Was Sungjiru winning?

It would be great if our side is winning, but if Sungjiru was winning, I’d have to crawl away if necessary.

“Aaaaah!”

“Everyone, attack together!”

“Save meeeee!”

What I saw was an unexpected scene.

“……. Sohee is winning.”

I once went on a field trip to a slaughterhouse during my school days.

I saw butchers disassembling beef, but Sohee was butchering people with even more skill than that.

“Save me!”

‘Has she awakened as the Heavenly Death Star?’

Sohee was slicing through people. Literally disassembling them.

It’s clear she was not in her right mind. I didn’t know the details, but it’s probably because of me.

‘What should I do.’

— Yunho. If in front of you is not Cheon Sohee but the Heavenly Death Star, then Cheon Sohee is dead. You can’t revive a dead person. So, Yunho, run away.

Two days ago, Sohee earnestly asked me not to take any unnecessary risks and to run away.

“Ugh!”

First, I gathered all my strength to stand up. My chest still stings even though the bleeding has stopped. I’m dizzy from the loss of blood.

‘Should I run away.’

This time, there’s no need for a fake corpse. If I ran to the back of the stage, escaping should be easy.

The situation after escaping was better than before. I had learned martial arts and could accumulate internal energy in my body. Working as a bodyguard would ensure I didn’t starve.

‘I wanted to run away.’

The Heavenly Death Star could kill me. Even if she doesn’t, who knows when she might snap. Living in fear was my daily routine when I first met her.

All I needed to do now was take a step back.

It’s regrettable that history hasn’t changed, but moving now could save my life.

‘Sohee could be the true heroine.’

A girl destined to become a mad murderer and die.

If her destiny could be changed because of me, there’s a high chance she’s the true heroine.

‘If I can’t turn Sohee back now, I might miss out on the true heroine ending.’

The Heavenly Death Star I knew and the Cheon Sohee I had experienced were different people.

If she was the true heroine, I needed to turn her back now.

‘It’s a choice between two options.’

My life and the true heroine.

Which one should I choose?

“I want to save her because I want to. Why am I looking for some grand reason?”

I dusted myself off, mocking myself.

I wanted to save Sohee.

That’s enough.

‘Just save her without dying. That’s all.’

Why think of it as a choice between two options?

There was a way.

As I walked a few steps towards the Heavenly Death Star, stirring up the banquet hall, I saw her momentarily stagger and then hastily step back.

Was this really happening?

The startled Heavenly Death Star looked at me, highly alert.

“Die!”

The Heavenly Death Star continued to watch me while dealing with the warriors beside her.

The Heavenly Death Star looked at me with the eyes of an eagle targeting its prey’s breath.

‘She probably wants to kill me now.’

I might be the Heavenly Death Star’s greatest enemy. Was she trying to kill me in my weakened state?

If that’s really the case, I needed a safety measure.

“Benefactor! Are you alive? Your wife is indiscriminately slaughtering people!”

Seong Sehwi spoke to me with a shocked face, standing up on the stage.

“She’s doing that because she thinks I’m dead! Please bring me some black rope from my lodging!”

“Why black rope?”

“To bring her back to her senses, we need to tie her up with it!”

“Understood! I’ll bring it right away!”

Seong Sehwi looked around cautiously at my words and then vanished from the spot. Couldn’t you just keep watch and send someone else?

“I’ll take the lead! Launch a joint attack!”

Unable to watch any longer, the head of the Sung Family began to advance with his warriors.

Was this a one versus many raid? I was not sure if I should be rooting for Sohee or the Sung Family head.

At the very least, I hope they managed to drain some of Sohee’s stamina.

“Argh!”

The fight lasted longer than with the other warriors, but the outcome was the same.

The fight ended with the head of the Sung Family’s head rolling on the ground.

The only things left around the Heavenly Death Star now were corpses and me.

She quietly looked at me, clutching her sword.

She was like a beast on the prowl.

The Heavenly Death Star began circling me from a distance that was neither too far nor too close.

‘She’s wary of the range where the urge to kill disappears.’

I had only taken a few steps towards her, and the Heavenly Death Star momentarily lost her balance.

Just approaching me must be like a debuff effect for her.

“Sohee! Come to your senses!”

I shouted loudly, but she didn’t respond. She just roamed around me like a predator eyeing its prey.

‘I have to keep her within the range where the urge to kill disappears.’

The Heavenly Death Star wanted to kill me, her only weakness. However, the Heavenly Death Star was afraid of me.

If I could keep her from moving away from me, Sohee might come back to her senses.

The Heavenly Death Star’s red eyes looked at me.

‘Can I handle this?’

An absurd laugh escaped me. Numerous warriors had fallen, unable to withstand even a second against Sohee’s onslaught.

My chest stung. I braced myself.

‘Just once is enough.’

If the Heavenly Death Star wanted to swing her sword at me, she had to risk entering my range.

Once the Heavenly Death Star was inside the range where the urge to kill disappeared, she would be greatly weakened.

That’s when I would strike.

— You might not be able to react to the opponent’s speed. In that case, quickly determine where they’re aiming.

‘Here she comes.’

The moment I thought that, she was right in front of me.

— I tend to aim for the opponent’s neck first.

Neck. Sohee’s sword aims for my neck. Half a step. I stepped back. Twist my ankle. Twist my body. Her sword grazed the skin of my neck.

I saw her red eyes pass by me.

‘I can’t let her escape.’

I barely managed to keep her within the range where the urge to kill disappears.

“Choke!”

She twisted her body and swung her sword at my forearm. The Jade Face Self-Protection Technique held up once. But if she puts more strength into it, my arm will be cut off.

However, I have a secret weapon.

“Now!”

“Understood!”

Seong Sehwi, who had been secretly waiting for an opportunity, rushed in. Seong Sehwi put a noose made of black rope around her neck.

She staggered momentarily.

“Sohee!!! Snap out of it!!!”

I grabbed the Qiyasheng. Her body trembled uncontrollably. It seemed to be working.

Cheon Sohee tried to cut the Qiyasheng around her neck, but it didn’t sever. Indeed, a tool was still a tool.

“Growl!”

Sohee made a strange beastly sound and rushed at me with her sword.

“It’s dangerous!”

Seong Sehwi blocked Sohee’s sword for me.

Thank you! You protected me for once!

I thought he was a bad guy, but he’s just a friend who’s slightly less competent than the head of the Sung Family!

I pulled on the Qiyasheng around her neck. Her red eyes shook a bit.

‘I need to hug her!’

I hugged her while holding onto the Qiyasheng. Sohee, please, come to your senses.

“Ugh!”

A hot fireball enters my lower abdomen. Did she stab me?

‘I’m really going to die.’

One hit to the chest. One to the abdomen. It’s a miracle I was still conscious.

‘Then I should at least save Sohee.’

The months I had spent with Sohee.

Did I only feel threatened for my life during the past few months with her?

No.

She was different from the Heavenly Death Star I knew. She was a girl who, though clumsy at expressing it, had more emotions than anyone else.

The months spent with her.

I thought I had no one to rely on when I fell into this world. But now, there’s her, who always rushed to my crisis.

It was fun being together.

What started as a false relationship had now become precious to both of us.

“Sohee! Are you going to lose another precious person right before your eyes!”

I screamed until my throat was torn.

Her body trembled. It’s a negligible force compared to her power, but she couldn’t resist.

“Yo, Yun…”

Her gaze shifted rapidly. She’s fighting within herself.

“Sohee!”

Wasn’t there a way to bring Sohee back?

A shock therapy to calm the Heavenly Death Star’s urge to kill!

A way to wake up the sleeping Sohee!

wAs she asleep?

For a moment, I saw Sohee’s face.

Screw it.

“Ugh!”

I boldly kissed Sohee.

Our eyelashes brushed against each other. The eyes of the Heavenly Death Star widened for a moment.

In those eyes, I briefly saw Cheon Sohee, not the Heavenly Death Star.

The look of the Heavenly Death Star fadeD away.

While I was wondering whether to insert my tongue might get it cut, the red eyes of the murderous Heavenly Death Star had already changed to the bewildered gaze of Cheon Sohee.

Did it work?

“Yo, Yunho…”

As the resistance of the Heavenly Death Star ended, I quietly separated our lips.

Sohee’s voice trembled. Was she back?

“You’re back.”

She was back. Welcome back. It’s not the situation to say this, but I smiled at her anyway.

“I told you to run away.”

Even after being saved, she still finds something to complain about.

My consciousness started to blur.

I should end this on something impressive.

I gently stroked her cheek, devoid of any strength.

“Sohee. Didn’t I tell you? You’re the last sibling I have in this world.”

If the only person who remembered Kang Yunho was at risk of disappearing, saving her was worth it.

I gave her a tender smile, as if doing what a brother naturally should.

“Yunho.”

“Ugh!”

“Yunho!”

It seemed that this was the end.

I lost consciousness with a sense of satisfaction, having done something worthwhile.

A month passed.

Cheon Sohee took the unconscious Kang Yunho to a secluded house in Daehung County and devoted herself to his care.

‘The medicine has run out.’

Cheon Sohee, disguised with the Human Face Mask, stopped by the pharmacy.

As she was buying medicine and leaving, a familiar face recognized her.

“Hmm. As expected. They said I would meet a noble person if I went here. This time, I met you quickly.”

“Cheon Gija?”

The man in front of her was Cheon Gija, who had read her fortune in Chilgok County.

Why has he appeared here?

“It’s been a while. Could you spare me a moment?”