Try Living Well Without Me

Before the trial began.

Woo-yong Jin, having changed into a white outfit, approached me and spoke.

“Hey, son-in-law.”

‘…I’m in a bad mood right now, and I would appreciate it if you refrained from making meaningless comments.’

“Because of your wife?”

‘…’

“Damn it, just having a bloodthirsty woman around is already enough to interfere with our granddaughter, and now the former wife shows up as well. This is why we should’ve made it clear between the two of you when you were alone.”

For a brief moment, he muttered about Soeun Yu, then quickly erased his smile and continued.

“The Lord can help you.”

‘How can you, who have nothing but a soul left, help?’

“The meaning is that I can reveal Heavenly Qi.”

‘…Reveal Heavenly Qi?’

“You and I both have the ‘qualifications,’ so why shouldn’t it be possible? I’ll let you know how the trial will proceed and what the future will bring, so just sit back and wait without jumping in unnecessarily.”

After that, Woo-yong Jin truly whispered the future to me. How the trial would progress, which witnesses would appear, and what would happen at the end.

When I asked how he knew the future, Woo-yong Jin avoided answering by saying, “You’ll never know.”

The trial went exactly as Woo-yong Jin had said, and I didn’t interfere unnecessarily. I simply made appropriate rebuttals to the witnesses’ statements and watched with a sense of relief as Namgung Bin and the respected elders collapsed under their own weight.

And now, the result is right before me.

“…Hmph hmpf, it’s been a long time, Brother.”

“Yes, it’s been a while.”

“How have you been all this time? I’ve worried a lot.”

“It wasn’t bad. In fact, it felt more comfortable leaving the Namgung family….”

“Hahaha, congratulations.”

My younger brother, Namgung Bin. Or rather, the Namgung Bin who has possessed my younger brother’s body.

One of the few individuals who never betrayed me during my long cycle of reincarnations.

Therefore, once the person I trusted the most, now the one I utterly hate.

And now, that person is kneeling before me, bound by ropes on both hands and knees.

“Bin.”

“Why do you ask?”

“Why do you address me as Brother? Didn’t you say on that day that I was no longer your brother?”

“Ho ho ho, the world is unpredictable and that’s what makes it fun.”

“…Looking at how we’ve ended up again, seems like your words were correct.”

I collapsed in front of Namgung Bin.

The murderous intent buried deep. First, I had questions to resolve. I could kill him later.

“I have many questions.”

“So do I.”

“Shall I go first?”

“…Hmph, is this the generosity of the victor?”

“Because of you, I lost everything. How can someone like me call myself the victor?”

“True, the world isn’t simply divided into winners and losers.”

Sweating profusely, Namgung Bin smirked.

What a formidable individual. Even knowing that his death is imminent, there’s no sign of his trembling.

Unlike the respected elders.

Unlike my own brother.

“I can sense the bloodthirst.”

“Ah.”

“Did you practice the Blood Arts?”

“I had my reasons.”

“Given the intensity of the bloodthirst, it wasn’t something you picked up in just a few years, yet… I’m a bit curious why I didn’t notice it back then when we were together.”

Likely because, as Woo-yong Jin mentioned, it was my “dull period.” The reason for that is still unclear.

“Hah… That bastard watching from heaven would probably burst out laughing at me now.”

“That bastard?”

“Personal matters. Though, if you insist on knowing on the eve of my death, I wouldn’t withhold it.”

“…!”

The one who severed me from my family and caused a rift. Even if the relationship between me, my wife, and my daughter had been somewhat strained, ultimately, without this person, things wouldn’t have turned out this way.

That’s not all. All the achievements and righteousness I had built were shattered because of this individual. Even though the trial has proven that the charges against me were false and I can return to my former life, the connection with the world has already been severed.

“I despise you to no end, Bin.”

“I understand, Brother. I was wrong. A hundred times, a thousand times wrong.”

“Do you beg for your life?”

“No, I’m dying anyway. I just want to properly apologize before I go. You might not understand, but the truth is, I truly liked you, Brother.”

Driving someone you like into a corner and thoroughly isolating them doesn’t make any sense. Even Namgung Bin himself probably didn’t understand this, which is why he mentioned it beforehand.

“Did we not have a deep bond once?”

“We did.”

“Having relied on each other while growing up under that beastly father, fitting together perfectly even during the ten years of war. All based on trust.”

“I betrayed that trust you placed in me.”

“Yes, you did….”

I nodded bitterly when suddenly,

BOOM!

“Namgung Bin! General Namgung Bin! Are you here?”

The commotion broke through the courtroom door with force as someone barged in. Immediately, I sensed they possessed fairly strong martial arts skills.

Moreover, it was someone I knew well. One of the Twelve Elders, there was no way I could fail to recognize them.

“Namgung Bin, all of your misdeeds have been exposed… Hm? What’s this situation?”

The intruder’s eyes widened upon seeing Namgung Bin bound and kneeling at the center of the courtroom and me standing before him.

The audience exclaimed as they recognized him.

“Grandmaster Thunder, why are you here?”

“Grand… Elder! But the person you’re holding…?”

“You don’t understand? Elder of the Qingcheng Sect, why are you here? In any case, this is perfect timing! There is something everyone needs to hear!”

The Grand Elder Thunder was one of the Twelve Elders who dominate the Central Plains of the martial world and effectively held the greatest power in the martial community.

Though he is a senior figure of the righteous sects, I do not like him. With his cunning and underhanded nature, he always reminds me of a vicious snake every time I see him.

But why would such a Grand Elder appear dragging a completely battered man?

“…! Iron Tiger Wanderer…?”

The sudden appearance of the Grand Elder caused Namgung Bin to react. Iron Tiger Wanderer? An unfamiliar name. Likely referring to the battered individual the Grand Elder carries if not him.

Do they know each other? The Grand Elder had also called Namgung Bin by name when he first entered.

“No, what’s important now is not any of you. This Elder has uncovered something very serious.”

“Grand Elder, you must calm down first. You’re too agitated. Who… is that man?”

Striding confidently, the Grand Elder dropped the battered man next to Namgung Bin.

Iron Tiger Wanderer and Namgung Bin exchanged glances for a moment. As if asking each other, “What are you doing here?”

“Tsk tsk tsk, causing so much havoc and expecting to just walk away?”

“L, Lord…”

“…Grand Elder, what is the meaning of this?”

This is a courtroom. It’s a place that members of the martial world, fundamentally adhering to non-interference, shouldn’t enter.

Thus, the Grand Elder came for something urgent that necessitated breaking this fundamental rule.

With his wrinkled eyebrows lifted slightly, the Grand Elder pointed at the battered figure lying before Namgung Bin.

“This man is Namgung Bin’s right-hand, Iron Tiger Wanderer, a martial artist…”

“…?”

“Who not long ago assassinated the head of the Alliance, a public enemy of the martial world. After attacking, leaving critically injured, the chief disappeared and hasn’t been found since. The pursuit team traced him as far as Shaolin, where they discovered evidence of the chief’s death.”

“…!”

“And our Alliance tracked this Iron Tiger Wanderer, uncovering that you, Namgung Bin, were behind him. Iron Tiger Wanderer, is the Elder’s account false?”

With an overwhelming air of menace, the Grand Elder questioned Iron Tiger Wanderer.

Was the battered form of Iron Tiger Wanderer a result of enduring countless tortures to extract his confession?

“Th, that…”

Enduring countless tortures no doubt at the hands of the Grand Elder.

“Speak! Repeat in front of these people what you confessed to Elder.”

“T, t, L, Lord…”

Iron Tiger Wanderer shrank like a mouse before a cat, trembling. Clearly torn between his fear of the Grand Elder and loyalty to Namgung Bin.

“Kkheh heh. Iron Tiger Wanderer, stay silent. I’ll confess myself.”

“Lord…?”

“Exactly! I personally ordered Iron Tiger Wanderer to do it all! Though I never instructed him to kill the chief! It happened unexpectedly!”

Namgung Bin wrapped his arms protectively around Iron Tiger Wanderer as he boldly announced it. Clearly, this wasn’t expected, as Grand Elder Thunder appeared quite shocked.

And so was I.

“Namgung Bin, you killed the head of the Alliance?”

“It wasn’t intentional. It wasn’t me.”

“…What’s your reason? Did you not want to oust me and gain power?”

“If that were the case, I would’ve simply taken advantage of what Brother provided. Don’t you know that already?”

True enough. Which is why I can’t understand.

What is this creature’s objective?

The Blood Demon wanted to corrupt the world. He desired a wild, beast-filled world under his heel.

The Heavenly Demon wanted her dead husband resurrected. Her simple desire to live with him tormented me severely.

However, this Namgung Bin, or rather, the ‘unknown entity’ within Namgung Bin—

What is its true nature? What is its ultimate goal? It didn’t even hate me.

“I am lost.”

“What do you mean?”

“Interrogating you detail by detail will take far too long. Hence, I will take the simpler path.”

“…”

“Even Lady Yu suffered due to you. In such circumstances, I believe I don’t need to consider your private rights.”

I placed both hands atop Namgung Bin’s head.

Woo-yong Jin, catching my intention, spoke.

“Until recently, you frowned upon using ‘that technique’ as it’s forbidden to intrude on privacy, yet it seems you’re using it more frequently.”

“Apologies.”

“Tsk, as long as you can control it, do as you wish. As I’ve said before, as long as it doesn’t turn into a spirit returning from death, it’s alright…”

Woo-yong Jin seems displeased with my action but has no choice. I need to know what exactly this ‘creature’ Namgung Bin’s purpose is.

I must know why our family had to break apart and why my wife had to suffer.

I have the obligation to know.

“Your head might feel a little dizzy. Accept it calmly. Resistance is futile.”

“I guess you should know by now, but I’ll give you a warning—don’t.”

“And what do you mean?”

“You’re about to experience great shock. You’ll see a new world. It won’t benefit you. If anything, you might end up harboring greater hatred—not just toward me but toward the world.”

“You… You know about my reincarnation?”

Truly, his true identity stirs deep curiosity within me. I have no idea what he’s talking about.

“Don’t pretend to care now. Haven’t you already driven me to the brink in countless ways? Your advice holds no value.”

“…Then, let’s see where this goes.”

Namgung Bin closed his eyes with resignation.

Focusing my consciousness toward him,

I began to unfold the chapters of his memory.

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