Chapter 80: Tragedy |
The Black Dragon building was one of the highest-grossing subsidiaries of the Black Dragon Clan. Their reputation meant that just being employed by them was considered as having led a successful life in the clan.
However, that just changed. It was hard, after all, to be envious of the dead—even more so if the deaths were gruesome.
“Whoa… They turned into sludge.”
“…How can you say that looking at this?!”
“Someone’s gotta say it,” Limon answered nonchalantly. “The worse a corpse looks, the more stringent its autopsy must be.”
The body’s neck has been twisted a full 360 degrees, resembling a pretzel. Pens stuck out of each eyeball, and intestines spilled out onto the floor. Whoever the murderer was, their malice was laid out clearly.
Not even the cold Wei-ling could maintain her usual emotionless demeanor, furrowing her brows. Unlike her, however, Limon was his usual self.
“Hm… Was the abdomen cut first? They were paralyzed before getting to their eyes, followed by the neck.”
Was it the insight of a Swordmaster, or the mountains of corpses he’s seen over the years? Figuring out how the person died with a glance, Limon slowly nodded and turned his back to the corpse.
“Do you really need an answer for that?”
“Suppose I don’t.”
Following a trail of blood into a restroom, a chopped-up corpse was found shoved into one of the toilets. Another trail led to another corpse, this time with its neck jammed between the hinges of a door. One had its face torn clean off. Another had been skewered onto a statue.
There were countless corpses littered throughout the building, all of them in multiple bits and pieces. The worst of them all was the elevator.
Just how many were in there?
“Hmm.”
Amidst all this, Limon did not even bat an eyelid. He only carefully and calmly examined each of the corpses’ wounds, comparing them to one another and gathering evidence on the culprits. His demeanor was so unbothered, in fact, the Black Dragon Clan martial artists accompanying him looked offended.
***
Time passed.
Limon had examined hundreds of corpses from each floor. Now, he stood in front of a particular door. What was once an extravagant room where he was served by Wang Ki-neung had become broken and grotesque.
In the middle of the room stood a man in front of a corpse that was unrecognizable.
“Branch Manager Wang.”
Startled, the middle-aged man with a pointy mustache turned around. He looked surprised to see the Swordmaster.
“Master of Swords? What brought you here?”
“Don’t be so shocked. I’m not here to beat you up like before.”
“…Are you joining the investigation?”
“Guardian is in charge of the clan’s security. I can’t just sit around when a subsidiary just dissolves by way of massacre.”
“Not everyone is gone. Some were on break, on business trips, or working remotely. They are all safe…” Wang Ki-neung pointed a finger at himself. “Including myself, who was on sick leave.”
“How fortunate.”
“Indeed. Who knew getting punished by the Master of Swords would be a blessing?” Wang Ki-neung laughed heartily, turning his finger around to the corpse in the room. “Though, this is what has become of my cousin.”
Limon stared at the man’s smile standing in front of his relative’s dead body and bowed.
“…I send my condolences.”
“Oh, my. There is no need, sir. My substitute failed to protect even his employees. I should be grateful that you are not punishing him.”
“I can’t do that. Your cousin gave his all to win.”
Unlike the rest of the building which was only covered in blood and guts, the office around them was utterly destroyed. From the furniture to the walls and the ceiling, it was clear that Wang Ki-song gave everything he had until his final moment.
However, Wang Ki-neung still shook his head in disagreement.
“What’s important is the result.”
“Are you saying that his efforts to fight were meaningless because he couldn’t protect anyone?”
“I feel hopeless just thinking about how much our stock prices will drop. How can I let that go with just a few words of acknowledgment?” Wang Ki-neung replied with a smile that said ‘effort can’t buy money’.
“Well, that’s true,” Limon chuckled.
Back in his prime in the Heroes’ Age, many prioritized results over process, with effort and honor without success bound to be buried. And in the Iron Age, money and power was all there was. Forget acknowledgment for fighting until the end, it would be fortunate if one didn’t become a subject of ridicule.
“So Master of Swords. May I please ask for a small favor?”
“What? To catch the culprit at all cost?”
“The opposite. Please don’t get involved in this matter if it’s possible.”
***
***
It was an unexpected request—one he had never heard before from a victim’s family. But Limon was neither surprised nor flustered. Rather, he looked at Wang Ki-neung with narrowed eyes.
“Are you going to rebuild the glory you’ve lost?”
“As the Master of Swords might know, the Seven Dragons Association is a bit complicated. It will be the end of me if my honor is gone.”
The Shanghai Royal Family’s standing was already weak. But having Wang Ki-neung being bedbound by Limon and Wang Ki-song getting murdered? Their reputation will plummet even further than rock bottom. And if Limon took hold of the reigns? They would become a laughing stock not only to the Black Dragon Clan but to the entire world.
“So you’re going to be holding the reins, then?”
“Yes. If I do well enough, the stock price may go up once again.” Rubbing his hands together, he lowered his tone and continued, “Of course, I am not asking this of you for free. I know the Master of Swords also needs to have a record for himself.”
This was a massive incident where a majority of a company’s employees were killed along with the substitute for the head of a noble clan. If Llimon resolved this case, he would not only have a great accomplishment on his record. He would also gain some favor with the clan.
“If the Master of Swords allows me to take on this case, you will gain the support of our family.”
“You’re going to help me? Your family too?”
“Yes, sir. The Shanghai Royal Family is not in great standing. It won’t get any worse if we take your side.” He had a nervous smile on his face. “How does that sound? I believe it is quite a desirable deal.”
Wang Ki-neung did not speak in vain. Though they are barely a noble clan, they still are one. If Limon could get the support of a family whose history within the association went back centuries, he would have a lot less trouble moving forward.
“No. That deal’s rubbish.”
“…Are you going to get involved, then?”
“I don’t need a price like that. Do whatever you want.”
Wang Ki-neung’s expression instantly turned into one of bewilderment.
“Do you mean that?” He couldn’t fathom why Limon was refusing such an opportunity.
“Getting back for your family’s spilled blood is your right. You don’t have to force a deal to act on your deserved right.”
Blood debt was noble. Getting back blood for blood was a barbaric form of revenge. Thus, it had to be in the purest form for it to be worthwhile. Any person of the modern age would argue that that wasn’t moral, but Limon wasn’t a man of the times. He was a Swordmaster who did not hesitate to crater an entire country and go against a monarch to pay the blood debt of his subordinate.
Wang Ki-neung was stunned. He couldn’t tell if Limon was the fool of the century or a nutjob.
He bowed his head in silence.
“I, Wang Ki-neung, head of the Shanghai Royal Family, will not forget this grace the Swordmaster has given me.”
“You don’t have to call it that. I just passed off the work to you since I’m busy, so don’t worry about it,” Limon brushed Wang Ki-neung off as he turned around to leave. “Oh, and I’m just talking to myself.”
“Huh?”
“There are three culprits.”
Wang Kineung’s eyes shot open. The tracers who had investigated earlier could tell that the culprit was a small group, but were unable to provide an exact number.
“I’m going on a whim here, but they’re adept at what they do. It’s likely they’re at least a Grand Duke with a track record of mass murder.”
“A woman a little over 170cm, and two men who are just shy of 180. Judging by the pattern of how they moved, the woman is a close-quarters combatant and the men either have special skills or fight long-range. Might want to look for a madman who’s a soldier or has had military training for faster results.”
Wang Ki-neung’s sharp stare gradually turned impatient. Limon’s explanation was so crystal clear for someone who looked around at the aftermath. It sounded like he had witnessed the culprits firsthand.
“How do you know that?”
“I looked,” Limon chuckled and resumed his walk. “After all, this is all I’ve done for an eternity.”
Wang Ki-neung could only stare at where Limon had stood as he came to a realization:
That man was humanity’s last Swordmaster. While he was the hero of centuries past, he had to kill many to achieve that title. He had the highest kill count of anyone in history.
“…You have taken in a terrifying man as husband, princess.”
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