Chapter 234
An Eye for an Eye
A few seconds later, Jang Mok-hwa asked with a puzzled expression,
“But Butler Ulrich said that Lars is already missing. Take another look at the photo. Are you sure this is the right person?”
As she spoke, she stood up, placed the photo given by Liemann on the tea table, and pushed it toward DiMarco. Normally, such an action might be considered rude, but in the Redstone Market, it was a gesture of respect toward others.
Here, one could never be too cautious.
DiMarco uncrossed his right leg, leaned slightly forward, and took the photo.
“Is it possible I’m mistaken? That’s definitely Lars. Ulrich knows nothing about this matter. There are a few long-term servants who wear masks around me—they are all under my management.”
He glanced at the photo briefly before sliding it into his coat pocket.
Jang Mok-hwa didn’t press further on the topic; after all, it was ultimately Liemann who had to verify it.
“Understood. One last question.”
She raised her index finger as if to show that she would stick to what she said.
DiMarco nodded slightly.
“Go ahead.”
Jang Mok-hwa hesitated for a moment, then spoke.
“Did you, by any chance, leak to the merfolk or the mountain spirits that Bishop Renato had hurriedly gone to the Headquarters of the Cautionary Sect?”
Her question was direct but not framed like an interrogation.
DiMarco laughed, his hands clasped together.
“We’ll discuss that with the new bishop when he arrives.”
His refusal to confirm or deny felt like a definitive answer to the rescue team. Moreover, DiMarco didn’t seem worried that this information might spread to others; he appeared confident in his position.
‘But if that’s true, why did he kill Karl? Could there have been another reason? Was Karl actually that child’s biological father?’
Jang Mok-hwa’s imagination ran wild for a moment before she reined it in. Unconsciously, she glanced at Sung Geon-woo and noticed that he was leaning forward slightly, as if ready to spring.
At that moment, DiMarco straightened his posture and said,
“Let’s leave it here for today.”
With such resoluteness from the other side, how could they continue to sit there? The rescue team all stood up simultaneously and politely took their leave.
As they reached the door, Jang Mok-hwa suddenly seemed to remember something and turned to ask DiMarco,
“Mr. DiMarco, were the people who ambushed us with the bazooka and forced us to continue investigating weapons incidents working for you?”
DiMarco, still seated on the sofa wearing his black mask with white patterns, nodded.
“That was Karl’s order. I had no intention of harming you—just wanted to provoke you a little. People on the surface become greedy as they gain more, so sometimes they need to be taught a lesson.”
Jang Mok-hwa turned her head slightly to glance at Sung Geon-woo, then shifted the topic.
“So, the one who killed Helvik—was that also your person?”
DiMarco chuckled lowly.
“I had considered it, but before I could make a decision, he was already dead. I have no reason to lie about such a small matter. Even if I admit it, no one would be harmed.”
Jang Mok-hwa pressed further.
“What if the Ashlanders and Red River clans in Redstone Market unite to attack the underground ark? Doesn’t that worry you?”
DiMarco slowly scanned the four of them and replied matter-of-factly,
“If it weren’t for the church, I could make anyone I wanted the master of Redstone Market. The merfolk and mountain spirits are no exception.”
At that moment, the rescue team felt DiMarco’s immense confidence. He seemed to think the underground ark could easily handle the Ashlanders and Red River clans within the ruined city.
‘So the church’s military might isn’t all that strong…’
Jang Mok-hwa muttered quietly, deliberately omitting mention of the awakened individuals in the Cautionary Sect—bishops and watchers—whose powers were critical within Redstone Market. She intended to use this opportunity to learn about the awakened from DiMarco.
DiMarco laughed softly at her comment, the sound audible even through the mask.
“Not all wardens enjoy monitoring their churches like Aedorn does.”
‘Huh, he just mentioned the wardens directly…’
Jang Mok-hwa was surprised. Though the answer was different from what she expected, it struck her more powerfully.
Had she not personally experienced the surveillance beyond the door, she might have thought DiMarco’s extraordinary caution was a joke. But she was certain that he, too, had encountered Aedorn’s watch firsthand.
“Why do you say that?”
Sung Geon-woo was the first to speak, clearly intrigued.
DiMarco laughed.
“You can see it from the church’s awakened. They are overly sensitive, easily angered, filled with extreme inferiority, or excessively cautious. They react violently to even the smallest provocation. Humans behave that way—how could a warden, responsible for monitoring others, act differently? They must watch over their churches and prepare for latent threats. Isn’t that natural?”
“I see…”
Jang Mok-hwa gained a new understanding of the costs borne by awakened individuals in the Aedorn domain. She even considered that the involuntary “infection” formed when a corresponding warden grants power might be the true essence of this cost. Of course, this was only speculation and didn’t explain everything.
DiMarco then added with a smile, as if recalling something,
“If you can’t find the culprit among Helvik’s enemies, consider this: perhaps he was killed simply because he got into an argument or even made a joke at someone’s expense, provoking their wrath at the perfect moment.”
Jang Mok-hwa seemed to understand and asked,
“Like someone filled with rage, like Brand?”
“Yes, exactly. I think you’ve asked enough questions.”
DiMarco once again dismissed the guests.
Jang Mok-hwa opened the red wooden door and stepped into the carpeted hallway.
The rescue team followed Butler Ulrich straight to the elevator. Sung Geon-woo fell back to the end of the line.
Glancing at him, Jang Mok-hwa met his eyes briefly and let out an exasperated sigh.
When they reached the elevator lobby, everyone boarded.
DiMarco, wearing his black mask with white patterns, finally left the room and joined them with two guards in military exoskeleton suits.
At that moment, Sung Geon-woo suddenly whipped around, pulled a grenade from his belt, and leaped forward shouting,
“For the residents of Redstone Market!”
He threw the grenade at DiMarco with all his strength, his right arm taut.
The guards reacted instantly. Some attempted to detonate the grenade in mid-air with auxiliary systems, some instinctively raised guns toward the elevator, and some tried to push their master into the room.
Yet all seemed paralyzed, unable to move their hands properly. Only two managed to push DiMarco into the room. Staggering from the force, he nearly fell.
The grenade landed on the carpet but did not explode—it hadn’t had its pin pulled.
Sung Geon-woo stepped back into the elevator, raised both hands to cover his eyes, and bowed politely to DiMarco and the others.
The elevator doors closed slowly before him.
The guards watched in stunned silence.
Inside the ascending elevator, Butler Ulrich was shaken and angry.
“You…?”
Sung Geon-woo, wearing a monkey mask, smiled.
“I just wanted to surprise them a little. It won’t explode.”
Once calm, Ulrich noticed Jang Mok-hwa’s gun pointed at him and asked suspiciously,
“Why are you doing this? Is this justice for the Redstone Market residents? They haven’t even decided what to do yet.”
Sung Geon-woo laughed.
“This is my own action. Their decision has nothing to do with me. But our team leader told us to find the person who surprised us with a bazooka and repay them in kind. Since we didn’t bring a bazooka and the space was too tight, we used a grenade instead.”
The elevator reached the first basement floor.
“Don’t use my name—just say you wanted to do it.”
Jang Mok-hwa muttered as she stepped out but discreetly gave Sung Geon-woo a thumbs-up.
‘Our rescue team always repays a grudge—neither too much nor too little!’
Ulrich, unable to comprehend this reasoning, thought they were all crazy.
He hastily pressed the button to descend further, wanting to get away from these ruins-hunting people as quickly as possible.
At the same time, Yong Yeohong expressed his admiration to Sung Geon-woo:
“That was amazing!”
Even a small act of revenge felt exhilarating.
Baek Saebyeok said nothing, but her vigilant stance revealed her thoughts clearly.
As the elevator doors closed, Jang Mok-hwa glanced at the approaching watcher, Song Ha-kyun, and asked curiously,
“Why did you bow in the Half-Ignorant Sect style at the end? To trick them?”
Sung Geon-woo answered honestly,
“I thought it would look the most mocking.”
“…Why isn’t your awakened ability just provocation?”
Jang Mok-hwa shook her head in disbelief.
Back in the reception room, DiMarco, wearing his black mask with white patterns, steadied his staggering body.
“Master, are you alright?”
A guard rushed over anxiously. They had confirmed the grenade’s pin was not pulled.
DiMarco glanced at the elevator, shaking his head.
“I’m fine.”
A short while later, he returned to his room deep underground.
He was alone. Wearing black priestly robes, he took out Lars’ photo given by Liemann and stared at it.
Lars had short linen-colored hair, pale blue eyes, a high nose bridge, a short beard around his mouth, and a small blue birthmark at the edge of his forehead.
“Ha.”
DiMarco chuckled lowly and tossed the photo into the trash. Then he approached a full-length mirror, preparing to change into comfortable clothes.
At that moment, a guard reported from outside:
“Master, the person sent to the lakeshore has returned. Observation from a distance shows nothing unusual on the island.”
“Understood.”
DiMarco nodded slightly, then removed his mask with his right hand.
His real face appeared in the mirror: linen-colored hair, pale blue eyes, high nose bridge, blue birthmark on the forehead, and a smile mixing amusement and mockery.
Simultaneously, a name slipped from his lips.
“Yeomho…”
