Unmasking Souls

After The Banquet

Author's Note:

Warning: Still heavy angst. But if you could survive the previous chapter, you can also survive this one.

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Min Ho didn't even know Jung Il Woo would come.

The scholars were effective. They shot arrows to all Hae Soo's men, soon they mostly died with more than five arrows on their chest and back.

The situation turned.

They were saved.

With new vigor, the guards protecting the emperor and the Grand Prince killed all Hae Soo's men who approached.

They were winning.

The scholars were shouting "Protect the Emperor!", "Protect the nation!" while at least one hundred of them surrounded the emperor, becoming a human barricade.

The other three hundred attacked the members of Left ministry and what was left of Hae Soo's men.

Hae Soo soon found himself held tight by the scholars, with Jung Il Woo in front of him.

"How does it feel to lose, Park Hae Soo-ssi? Do you remember my brother? He was on top of you in class and was the candidate for the Left Ministry, but you killed him. No more of this, you hear me? We have compiled evidence of all your crime. There would be no more Park Clan!"

Hae Soo was outraged, trying to get free of the hands that were holding him still.

"I wish I could kill you here and now," Il Woo continued, "You're too filthy to live another day. But no, we won't give you the pleasure of an easy death!"

"Even if you kill me, my friends would continue my fight!"

Il Woo sneered, "Friends? Which friends? You don't have any, Park Hae Soo-ssi. They would all beg for forgiveness and spill your secrets, you'll see. You know, the truth was, you have lost since you believed the Grand Prince is your crony. Unlike your dirty mind, not everyone would betray those who trust them. Not all Grand Prince would want to be the Emperor. There are more important things than power, which you'll never understand!"

Hae Soo spat on Il Woo's face.

Chuckling, Il Woo calmly cleaned his face with his handkerchief.

"Spat me all you want. You have lost anyway, Evil!"

Hae Soo tried to get free, wanting to hit Il Woo into oblivion. But he couldn't, all the scholars were holding him tight.

"Bind him," Il Woo said, "You don't have to be very gentle, my friends."

Ten scholars readily binded Hae Soo tight with ropes, as he screamed to just kill him right then. To make him quiet, they kicked and slapped him.

"NOONA!!! NOONA!!!"

"GO EUN-AH!"

Hearing of what was going on in the palace, for Il Woo had gone to the Head of Sungkyunkwan university for help, Go Eun's father and brother joined the force who went to save the royal family that night.

When they arrived and after fighting their way, they found Sung Kyung with four long spears on her back, and Go Eun was underneath.

Jo Yeong had pulled off the spears from Sung Kyung's back, each spear off opened a hole in her, gushing out blood.

As the last spear pulled away, Jo Yeong separated Sung Kyung's body with Go Eun's.

That was when they found out one spear had managed to get through her, despite being blocked by Sung Kyung's body. It penetrated the center of her belly, making it bled profusely.