The man couldn’t even defend himself, let alone counterattack. In two swift strikes, Ilrey had incapacitated Taeui and moved on to his prey. Even if Taeui tried to rise, there was nothing he could do.“Taeui, get up and stop him! If you two weren’t in on it…! Come protect me!”Hogan’s anguished cry rang out. Immediately after, Ilrey snorted softly. Then he said,“Was in on it.”Behind them, a horrifying scream pierced the air—Hogan’s scream. Ilrey muttered something under his breath, but the words were drowned by Hogan’s shriek. Yet even through the chaos, the sickening snap of thin bones breaking was unmistakable. Hogan’s muffled groan, as if something were stuffed in his mouth, came out garbled.—Pretend you didn’t hear it. There’s no point in you going there.That tempting voice in Taeui’s head sounded eerily like Ilrey’s—but Taeui knew it was his own voice.“…—.”A metallic taste flooded his mouth. He’d bitten the inside of his cheek. The pain from the torn flesh snapped him back to clarity.Damn it.Uncle, why did you assign me this task?Brother, you should’ve just burned all that dangerous formulaic data.Ilrey, if you wanted him unconscious, at least knock him out properly.Hogan, the moment training ended, I was going to beat you senseless.With each bite of his cheek—once, twice, three times—Taeui thought of each of them in turn and cursed. One cheek for his brother, the other for his uncle… Hogan, Ilrey, these foreign men’s names… and finally, as he bit down hardest to clear his mind, a single thought: himself.The one he should have blamed all along was himself—his own inconveniently difficult personality.“Don’t come any closer, Taeui.”Ilrey’s calm voice cut through Taeui’s thoughts. Even as his legs trembled, just managing to stay upright, Taeui couldn’t look away from the man who spoke as though Taeui didn’t exist.“Stop it.”Taeui turned his gaze to Hogan, sprawled helplessly before Ilrey. A sudden gulp rose in his throat.In agonizing distortion, Hogan’s face stared into empty space—his eyes, burning with hatred, flicked toward Taeui before rolling back. A spine-chilling sense of revulsion washed over Taeui.Ilrey’s foot remained pressed on Hogan’s hand. Hogan’s fingers were bent unnaturally. Blood pooled beneath them. Hogan seemed semi-conscious, making dying dog noises through a makeshift gag, his body twitching.“Ilrey.”Taeui spoke again, but Ilrey didn’t look back. As if Taeui weren’t there, he lifted his foot slightly—brushing past Hogan’s mangled hand and wrist before settling back on it.Taeui clicked his tongue. He had to give up that hand—perhaps even that arm. He knew the odds were overwhelmingly against him.Crack.At that moment Ilrey’s foot pressed down on Hogan’s wrist, Taeui sprang forward—just as Ilrey had anticipated. Ilrey half-turned his body; Taeui expected it.It was his one chance—just one moment to seize. Enough time for Hogan to crawl out of the room.Taeui lunged, grabbing Ilrey’s attacking arm and spinning behind him, intending to wrench it and draw his knife if necessary—just for seconds, until Hogan could escape.But then—A chill ran down his spine. Before he could finish his move, Ilrey had brought his other elbow slamming down on Taeui’s back, striking exactly at a vital point.“…—!”Elbow, not fist. A single blow could be lethal—or at least send him to the infirmary.Instinctively, Taeui lifted his head. For a split second, he thought he saw a flicker of surprise on Ilrey’s face. Then he realized: Ilrey hadn’t meant to strike that spot at all. After hitting Taeui’s solar plexus, he’d deliberately missed the vital zone to avoid a fatal blow—keeping him alive but helpless.He’d never counted on Taeui dodging so skillfully. And with that momentum, Ilrey couldn’t stop his elbow in time.Damn it. He should’ve taken the hit straight on—he might’ve just passed out, rather than risking severe injury. Now he’d be lucky to make it out of here at all.Taeui clenched his teeth and hunched over in pain—when suddenly, with a low click of his tongue, Ilrey’s other arm twisted free from Taeui’s grasp.By a hair’s breadth, the elbow that was meant to smash into Taeui’s vital rear spot landed on his shoulder instead.“…!!”Taeui inhaled sharply. The pain was excruciating—his shoulder felt shattered.But his heightened senses numbed the pain, and he recognized his opportunity. Ilrey’s side was undefended, right in front of him.“Ilrey!!”Taeui roared, slipping out from under Ilrey’s arm and darting behind him—his body folding beneath Ilrey’s raised arm.In an instant, he was behind him. With one hand he twisted Ilrey’s arm, locking it behind his back; with the other, he slammed his knife’s blade against Ilrey’s throat.“…—.”Taeui found himself gasping for breath. Whether it was from recovering his senses or the adrenaline, he couldn’t tell.But in that moment, a thought rippled through his mind. Ilrey had moved Taeui out of the way with his own attack—even knowing it would expose his flank, even knowing Taeui could seize this moment.Yet he’d chosen not to finish the job.Taeui’s ragged breathing did not relent as he held the knife at Ilrey’s throat. His entire body thrummed with tension. Perhaps it was the tension making him feel slightly unhinged—his mind buzzing hot, his ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) rational control fraying. Otherwise, he never would have dared come so close behind Ilrey.“—Enough, Ilrey. That’s far enough.”Beneath Ilrey’s foot, Hogan’s wrist was completely crushed—a bloody pulp. Ilrey’s foot still pressed down, ready to continue. Were he to let go, Ilrey would crush Hogan bit by bit. Hogan’s mouth was gagged, preventing any plea.“…If you won’t stop, will you cut me instead?”Ilrey’s voice was even. The blade was pressed to his throat, yet he sounded as if holding a toy. A faint, amused smile curled his lips.“…—.”Taeui could not cut him. Neither Ilrey nor he believed he would. The knife at Ilrey’s throat was no real threat.Taeui’s hesitation answered Ilrey’s unspoken question.Ilrey lifted his foot from Hogan’s wrist despite the knife at his throat—and drove it down onto Hogan’s elbow.Crack.A sickening crunch of bone echoed underfoot. Hogan’s muffled groan rose again.“Ilrey, stop! If you don’t—”“If I don’t?”Ilrey asked softly, the tone laced with menace. He repeated the question: Would you harm me? Could you? As Hogan died beneath us, watching him crushed like meat, could you bring yourself to cut me?Cold sweat trickled down Taeui’s cheek and forehead. This was a choice—he couldn’t name it, but he knew its weight.“…—.”His lips twitched but no words came. He could not say, I will kill you to stop you. Nor could he say, I yield.Ilrey waited only a few seconds, then lifted his foot once more—this time toward Hogan’s shoulder, the path to his life.And Taeui had to choose.A groan escaped through his teeth. His vision blurred with heat—but then—Crack.A short, heavy sound came from Ilrey’s shoulder.Taeui’s hand gripped the arm he’d been wrenching behind Ilrey’s back. Ilrey’s shoulder joint gave way, dislocating with a snap.The knife clattered to the floor.“….”Taeui slowly released Ilrey’s arm. He stared, expressionless, at the limb that hung helplessly. Then he took a step back, pale and motionless.Ilrey eased his foot back to the floor and turned, looking down at Taeui with that inscrutable expression. For a moment it looked like a smile—amusement, disbelief, bitterness, or pleasure. But it faded, and he simply stared at his injured shoulder without a word.Finally, Ilrey touched the joint gently, then glanced at Taeui. His eyes were narrow, impossible to read. Whatever he felt, Taeui met his gaze in silence.“Instead of pressing this knife to my throat,” Ilrey said, glancing at the blade on the floor, “you should’ve aimed at your own neck. I’d have died rather than relent.”His voice was as calm and low as ever.And with that, Ilrey turned and walked away.Taeui stood still, breathless, as the knife lay between them—his final choice made.

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