163 THE DEATH OF C.I.A.
A large group or armed men stormed into the jail of Sodom City's criminal court under the cover of night. The guards, however, showed no alarm. Their leader, a man with sharp, calculating eyes, stepped forward to meet the intruders.
"Master Maelad, this is a difficult request," the head guard said cautiously.
"We have orders from the noble families to do this, you do not need to worry about responsibility", Maelad replied to them before tossing him a heavy bag.
The clink of silver dinari echoed as the guard inspected its contents. Satisfied, he gave a subtle signal. Moments later, all the guards exited the prison, following their leader.
"We'll be gone for an hour," the guard warned. "Make sure you're done by then."
Maelad and his companions moved swiftly through the dim corridors until they reached the cells holding the three accused members of the Cho In Ann gang.
"What's the plan?" Malass asked, his voice low but firm.
"Brother Mendiace's orders were clear: an eye for an eye," Maelad replied coldly.
Kazan stepped forward, clutching the bars of the cell. "What are you doing? Who are you?"
"We're here for your lives, C.I.A.," Maelad replied with venom.
"We didn't kill those people in the ruins!" Toshi pleaded desperately. "We're innocent!"
Malass scoffed. "We're not here for the heads in the bloody jars. We're here for justice—for the hundreds of our brothers your gang slaughtered. That is unforgivable."
"There's been a mistake!" Li-Jung protested. "We didn't kill your brothers. You've got the wrong people!"
"There's no mistake, and no need for explanations," Maelad said, his voice void of emotion. "This is war. An eye for an eye."
Without hesitation, he thrust his spear through Li-Jung's heart.
"No!" Kazan and Toshi screamed in horror, but their protests were cut short as Maelad and his brothers silenced them too with cold efficiency.
The lifeless bodies of the three were dragged from the cell and taken to the city square. Stripped naked, they were hung in public view, their chests and limbs scarred with three crude letters: K.G.B., on each of them.
"This was how gangs take vengeance on another rival gang."
When dawn broke, the gruesome display sent shockwaves through the city. But the authorities did nothing to remove the bodies. The message was clear: those guilty of heinous crimes would face equally brutal punishment.
Days passed, and the bodies remained on display.
One day, travelers from out of town arrived in Sodom City. They froze in shock at the sight of the mutilated corpses but they recognized them immediately.
"They're our young masters from Cheju," one man murmured, his voice trembling. His gaze fixed on the letters carved into the dead bodies: K.G.B.
"Whoever this K.G.B. is," he said, his voice hardening, "they will not escape the wrath of Cho In Ann."
With that, the travelers departed, their intentions as dark as the blood-stained bodies they left behind.
-----
[In the Sodom City Academy of Magic- SCAM]
Leo returned to the academy to attend the conferment ceremony, where he was officially recognized as an honorary counselor.
After the ceremony, Dean Faschae invited him to his office.
"I've done as you instructed," Dean Faschae began, his tone hushed. "I reached out to my contacts in the city guard and arranged for them to turn a blind eye to the gangsters. The gangsters were allowed to finish off those criminals."
Leo leaned back in his chair, nodding with approval. "Good work. Now, there's no direct link tying us to the deaths of those so-called 'talented' mages. Dead people don't talk."
The dean hesitated, his brow furrowing. "But I still don't understand why you insisted the guards leave the corpses hanging on the walls. What purpose does that serve?"
Leo's lips curled into a faint smirk. "The family of the victims won't protest their display. It's a way to satisfy their thirst for vengeance. But there's another reason—it helps shift the blame. By leaving the bodies on display, we can fuel the narrative that this was part of a gang war. Once the city erupts into gang chaos, all traces of our involvement will vanish in the smoke."
Faschae's eyes widened slightly. "You're pinning the murders on gang activity?"
"Exactly," Leo replied smoothly. "No one would believe that three novice mages orchestrated the brutal killings of so many seasoned spellcasters without assistance. The brutality suggests the work of powerful rival factions."
The dean let out a low whistle, shaking his head in admiration. "Clever. You're right—no one would suspect us. It's a perfect smokescreen."
The dean's grin widened, his admiration evident. "We're fortunate you didn't attend a rival academy. With your mind, they'd have crushed us by now."
------
[In the Boss room of the dungeon- Realm of Lust]
Yun-Yun had been spending most of her time in the dungeon recently. After using the Orb of Elevation in the ruins of Sodom, her body and magic required time and the dense magic of the dungeon to recuperate.
Yet, it could become boring here. Recognizing this, Leo decided to give her a purpose.
"Take a look at this," Leo said, summoning the jade coffin of the Great Emperor of Kun before her.
Yun-Yun's eyes widened in surprise. "You took the coffin?"
"After Bael was destroyed, I escaped from the altar of resurrection in Sodom's ruins with it," Leo explained. "I figured it might come in handy."
Her gaze moved to the coffin's shattered edges. "It's damaged," she remarked.
Leo nodded. "The heavenly lightning broke it. Still, there's strong magic lingering within."
Yun-Yun studied the fragments, her expression thoughtful. "Even in this state, the jade coffin holds immense power."
"What can we use it for?" Leo asked.
"This coffin was the core of the Great Emperor's dungeon. Our dungeon doesn't have a core yet, does it?" she asked.
"What do you mean by 'core'?"
"A dungeon core is like its mind. Without one, this place is just a magic-filled maze. With it, we could transform this dungeon into a true realm of power," she explained.
Intrigued, Leo pressed further. "And how do you plan to do that?"