The group picked up Ji-hoon and rushed toward a building. The one dressed entirely in black, distinguished by a unique marking on his mask, appeared to be their leader.
They stopped near a wall overgrown with roots and leaves, glancing around cautiously before pressing a hidden brick. A faint click echoed as a concealed mechanism activated, revealing a secret door.
The stale underground air reeked of mold and blood, the faint flickering of torches casting eerie shadows against the cavernous stone walls.
As they marched through narrow passages, Shin's barely conscious mind caught glimpses of strange symbols etched into the walls, their eerie glow sending chills down his spine. His was thrown down like a sack of grain, his breath ragged as his battered frame trembled against the cold, damp floor
Moving swiftly and precisely through a narrow passage, they emerged into a grand underground hall. An aged man stood waiting for them. "Master, we've brought him," one of them reported. "And this is the golden ring he had."
The old man, clad in a flowing blue-and-white cultivator's robe, bore deep wrinkles on his face, his long black hair streaked with silver. He was Go Sang-Won, the True Grand Master and vice lord of the Heavenly Sword Sect.
Examining the ring, his gaze darkened as he spoke—
"Hmm, this sculpture is truly different... and it's pure gold. This kind of artistry was famous during the era of the Golden Merchant. Now, it's certain—he spent his final days here in Yunnan." Then he take a look at the shin's face, "The Rumors about his tomb being in the Yunnan is spreading around and These day countless martial artists are swarming the area, searching for his tomb and the vast wealth buried within."
A sinister, wicked smile crept across his face. "We must seize the treasure before anyone else does. It only belong to the Heavenly Sword Sect. "
"Tie him up. He must know the location of the treasure."
The guards wasted no time. Heavy iron chains wrapped around Shin's wrists and ankles, binding him tightly to a thick wooden trunk. The cold metal bit into his skin, his body too weak to resist. Then a sudden splash of freezing water shocked him awake.
"Gah—! Did a tsunami hit?! Don't worry, this Super Shin will save—"
Before he could finish his nonsense, his bleary vision cleared, and the grim reality of his situation settled in. "Wait... What? Where am I?! Who the hell are you guys?!"
A dark chuckle echoed through the hall. Sang Won's expression remained impassive, but his eyes glowed with malicious amusement. He gave a subtle nod to the masked man. The leader in Black stepped forward.
Then, without hesitation—
BANG!
A brutal punch slammed into Shin's stomach with the force of a hammer. His entire body jerked violently, blood spurting from his mouth as a choked gasp escaped his lips. His ribs groaned under the pressure, his vision blurring as waves of agony crashed through him. His hands clenched into fists, nails digging into his palms as his body struggled to register the sheer pain.
The leader's cold voice followed- "Where is the location of treasure?"
Shin barely managed to lift his head. His lips trembled as he wheezed, "W-What location… and What Treasure?"
"The longer you deny, the more painful it gets." The leader's tone was flat, void of emotion. "Tell us where the Golden Merchant's treasure is."
Shin swallowed hard, his throat dry, his mind spinning. "I-I don't know… who that is—"
BANG!
Another hit. This time, sharper, crueler. His ribs screamed in protest, his breath hitching as he coughed more blood.
Go Sang Won watched in amusement. He knew how this worked—fear was a blade sharper than any sword, and pain a fire that melted even the strongest will.
After watching Shin writhe for a while, he scoffed. "He's stubborn, but not for long. Break him apart until he talks."
With that, he turned and walked out of the hall. Here shin barely noticed when he left. His mind reeled, heart hammering against his ribs. He wasn't some hero who could endure endless torture! If this kept up, he'd die before sunrise.
No. He had to say something. Anything.
His lips parted, barely able to form the words, "T-The shrine… in the forest… That's where… I found the ring." The words hung in the air, each breath labored, each heartbeat a reminder of his fleeting strength.
Go Sang Won stopped mid-step, "…The shrine?,... huh"
Excitement flickered in his cruel eyes. His mind spun with the possibilities—if this bagger had truly found the ring there, then the tomb was within reach. His sect would rise to unimaginable heights.
He turned sharply. "We move now. Gather the disciples, prepare tools—we'll excavate immediately and make sure this must remain a secret. Keep the movement conceal on the way."
Shin barely registered what was happening as they yanked him to his feet. His entire body screamed in protest as the chains dug deeper into his bruised skin. A cloth wrapped around his face, muffling his protests as he was dragged forward.
The journey blurred into pain. The motion of being carried sent jolts of agony through his battered form. He could hear murmurs, footsteps, the rustling of robes. His sealed acupuncture points prevented him from even groaning.
When they finally removed the cloth, he found himself deep in the wilderness, surrounded by armed martial artists. His mouth was dry, his head light. The moment they unsealed his Acupuncture points, Sang Won stepped forward.
"Now," his voice was sharp, expectant. "Show us where the shrine is."
Shin's heart pounded.
This was the moment he realize how much his lie could backlash to him. If they found nothing… if they realized he had lied…
He shuddered. That punishment would be far worse than anything he had suffered so far. But the pain in his gut was unbearable. Even standing felt like an impossible task.
Sweat dripped from his brow. His fingers curled into fists. With the last ounce of strength left in his trembling body…
He took a shaky step forward. As more pressure was applied, Shin growled through gritted teeth, "Th... That way... after passing..." His breath came in ragged gasps, the searing pain threatening to break him. "Huff... Huff... after passing the river, you can find the shrine."
Sang Won's expression darkened with satisfaction. "All of you, listen well. Follow his direction. Leave no tail. If anyone dares to follow, kill them on the spot."
Shin's blood ran cold. His delusions of being a protagonist in a grand tale started to shatter. He was nothing but a weak, helpless captive in a cruel world. Kill them on the spot? His mind reeled. This wasn't some fantasy adventure—this was real.
The large force of martial artists moved like a storm, dragging Shin along. What had taken him two days was covered in mere hours. When they arrived, the disciples spread out, scanning the area for hidden threats.
"Master, there is no one around. We can start the search."
"Good," Sang Won commanded. "Search the entire vicinity. If there's treasure, I want it found."
As they scoured the shrine, Shin, wracked with pain, watched helplessly. The weight of his fate pressed down on him like an iron chain. Then, his eyes widened in disbelief—among the searching martial artists was the very man he had first encountered in this world. - Dok Sa Hyun.
Dok Sa's gaze landed on Shin, surprise flashing across his face. Just hours ago, he had warned the boy to be careful. And yet, here he was—captured by his own master. His fingers twitched slightly, but he said nothing. Because he can't do anything for him in presence of his master.
Sang Won strode up to Shin, his twisted grin making Shin's stomach lurch. "Brat, you better pray to the heavens that you're right. If not..." He chuckled darkly. "Hahaha… you know I will crush your skull."
Shin trembled. The fantasy world he had dreamt of—the one where he was a protagonist destined for greatness—was crumbling before his very eyes. Fear of death started taking place in his mind. This was no storybook. He was weak. Helpless. Alone. And he was going to die.
But then—
"Master! We found something!"
A disciple uncovered a wooden box buried beneath the earth. As he pried it open, his breath hitched in disbelief. Inside lay a fortune—gold ingots, coins, priceless jewelry, and ancient manuals. Then, more shouts erupted as other disciples unearthed even more treasures, their hands trembling at the sheer wealth before them.
Sang Won's laughter rang out like a thunderclap. "Hahahaha! Now, no one can stop my Heavenly Sword Sect!" His eyes glowed with greed as he turned back to Shin. "And now... only you remain."
He walked up to Shin, inspecting his battered body with cold amusement. Then, with a wave of his hand, he issued his verdict. "kill the boy. He's no longer needed."
Dok Sa stiffened. His hand hovered over his weapon, but his heart wavered. This was the same foolish, idiotic boy he had met earlier—the one whose clueless antics had amused him. He had thought Shin was nothing more than an innocent, funny kid. And yet, here he was, condemned to die like a disposable pawn.
He clenched his jaw. He knew what kind of man his master was. To Sang Won, anyone who became a liability was erased. That was the way of the Heavenly Sword Sect.
And now, He had to make a choice so, He stepped forward, his voice filled with urgency. "Master, please reconsider that decision of yours. He's just a young and innocent kid—killing him would be too much."
Sang Won turned to him with a sharp glare. "Huh? What the hell are you saying? You know as well as I do how much our sect is in need of money. While the other sects in Yunnan prosper, ours suffers. This treasure is our key to the future."
"But Master, killing an innocent—"
Cutting him off, Sang Won scoffed, "If that brat tells anyone, or if others find out about the treasure through him, it could bring disaster upon us."
"But... please listen to me," Dok Sa pleaded, recounting his encounter with Shin earlier.
A few minutes passed as the other disciples dug up more treasure behind them. Meanwhile, Dok Sa desperately tried to convince his master. "Master, please think this through. He's an idiot, a mad kid—there's no need to kill him." Branding Shin as crazy and useless was the only way he could think of to save him. Better to be seen as a fool than to die.
"H-haha! What divine prayer? SYUSTUM? And D\*\*\*\*Head? So that's the god he worships? Interesting."
Hearing this, Shin felt a faint sense of hope. Maybe, just maybe, his life could be spared.
Sang Won smirked. "Fine, I'll let him go—if he can escape the arrows I shoot at him."
Shin's heart sank. "H-how can I run?" He could barely move. The pain in his stomach was unbearable, every breath felt like knives stabbing into him. And now, for the first time in his life, he felt true terror—raw, unfiltered fear that clutched his very soul. The fear of death. The kind that made him swear never to go near martial artists again.
Dok Sa clenched his fists. He knew his master had no intention of letting Shin go. Escaping from a True Grandmaster? For an ordinary boy? Impossible.
"Master, please reconsider. He can't even walk."
Sang Won chuckled darkly. "Fine, let's make it easier. Gouge his eyes out. Make him deaf and mute. That way, he'll live—as you wanted."
"But... but—"
Ignoring him, Sang Won grabbed Shin by the throat and lifted him into the air. Agony shot through Shin's body, his already battered frame now suffocating under the crushing grip. He struggled, gasping for air, his limbs flailing weakly.
Then, with a flick of his fingers, Sang Won sealed Shin's acupoints, ensuring he couldn't scream. And then—
His fingers dug into Shin's eye sockets.
The last thing Shin saw was Dok Sa—standing there, watching, his face torn between horror and helplessness. But he didn't move. He didn't stop it.
Shin's mind shattered. His voice, silent but screaming, echoed in the depths of his soul. The agony was indescribable. He couldn't cry. He couldn't even beg. He could only endure as his world turned to black, his mind sinking into a pit of endless suffering, drowning in the pain that no words could ever capture.
As his vision was ripped away, his senses heightened—he could feel every heartbeat pounding like a drum, every nerve in his body aflame with torment. The warmth of blood trickled down his face, the scent of iron thick in the air. His breath came in ragged gasps, his body trembling like a fragile leaf caught in a storm. The fear, the realization that he had no control, gripped him tighter than any chain.
His world was crumbling. His body was breaking. His mind—shattering.
Then came the sound—like wet flesh being torn apart. Then the pain—searing, unimaginable pain. And then, nothing but the cruel laughter of Sang Won reverberating through his head. A laughter that crushed every dream, every delusion, every fantasy he had held onto.
He had been nothing but a fool. A child lost in delusions of heroism and fantasy, believing this world was just another game. But reality had torn those dreams apart. He was alone. Weak. Helpless.
And no one was coming to save him.
Sang Won let go, letting his broken body collapse to the ground like a discarded rag doll. "Take him far away and leave him to rot," he ordered, his voice void of any remorse. "Whether he lives or dies after this is no concern of mine."
Dok Sa turned away, unable to bear the sight any longer. He had seen many horrors in his life, but this was different. This was cruelty on a small kid is beyond reason. But he could do nothing.
Shin lay there, drowning in agony and despair, his mind spiraling into darkness. He felt himself slipping away, his consciousness fraying at the edges, his last grip on reality shattering as he descended into an abyss where only pain and suffering awaited.
The last thing he heard before everything faded was Sang Won's laughter—cruel, triumphant, and utterly devoid of mercy.
And then, silence.
No light. No hope.
Only darkness.