Whispers in His Heart

Wherever there were people, there would be conflict and bullying. Though there were many good people in this world like the bearded innkeeper, there were also plenty of scum and trash who relied on their strength to throw their weight around and bully others.

The strong devoured the weak. That was the ironclad rule.

Whether pirates, bandits, or local gangsters, those scum who had abandoned all bottom lines and principles were always bullying and exploiting ordinary people who only wanted to live decent lives.

And in the end, those who suffered the most were always the harmless, cowardly common folk.

The flames of Mosmar Village blazed fiercely in Long Yi's eyes. He would never forget the pirates' wild laughter or the villagers' cries and pleas for mercy.

He was furious at everything before him.

"Y-you... do you know who we are?!"

Meeting Long Yi's icy gaze, the trembling thugs finally came to their senses. They wanted to throw out some threats, but could not control the quaver in their voices.

"I don't want to know who you are, and I don't care."

Long Yi's expressionless answer sent the thugs' hearts plummeting. Looking at them huddled tightly together in terror, he slowly drew the katana at his waist.

"Eek! Don't—"

"Please!"

"W-wait—"

The moment Long Yi gripped the katana, the killing intent around him surged threefold.

How could these thugs, who usually did nothing but terrorize the local people, have ever witnessed such an aura? Pleas for mercy and indescribably strange noises spilled from their throats. Drenched in sweat, they watched Long Yi slowly approach, their bodies shaking like sieves.

"Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump."

The sound of a beating heart was especially clear at that moment, a steady and rhythmic sound.

Long Yi remained expressionless as he stepped closer and closer to the scum awaiting slaughter. Watching the thugs tremble beneath his blade, he felt not the slightest ripple in his heart.

Perhaps the mental discipline from his usual training had made him ignore the tension before killing. Or perhaps the fusion with the power of the ghost god had changed his human will. In any case, he was incomparably calm—so calm that even he found it surprising. Deep inside, there was even a trace of fear.

Long Yi was merely a marine recruit, not a butcher who killed without batting an eye. Yet at that very moment, his killing intent had become stronger than ever before. He longed to see blood splatter across his blade.

Good and evil? Right and wrong? Long Yi did not want to think about them. Or perhaps some force was deliberately preventing him from thinking.

"Power should not be restrained. Kill them, and you can be reborn."

A seductive whisper sounded by his ear as faint ghostly energy automatically rose from his body.

Without Long Yi summoning him, the phantom of Blade Soul Kazan appeared behind him. The ghost god phantom that Long Yi had once controlled now seemed to possess a will of its own. Its eyes overflowing with dense blood-red light and its silent mad laughter were the best proof.

"S-stop! Long Yi!"

Suddenly, an urgent cry tinged with fear entered Long Yi's mind, instantly dispelling the whisper at his ear.

He stopped instinctively. When Long Yi came back to his senses, the edge of his katana was less than an inch from the thugs' heads.

Looking at the thugs who had already fainted from fear, then sweeping his eyes over the terrified drinkers around him, Long Yi staggered back three steps and barely kept himself from collapsing to the floor.

"Kazan's... ghost god curse..."

He muttered it repeatedly under his breath, an expression of intense lingering fear flashing across his face.

He had thought the system had completely removed Kazan's influence. He had never expected the ghost god's whispers to have been lurking in his mind all along, waiting for a crack in his mental defenses.

When he saw the thug leader bullying the bearded innkeeper, Long Yi could not help recalling his unbearable past. Mosmar Village was a wound in his heart that would never heal, and Kazan had seized that opportunity to try to guide him into killing those thugs, causing him to fall completely into the ghost god's curse.

His hands trembled slightly as Long Yi gave a bitter smile at the hilt in his grasp.

"If I had really killed them just now, how would I have been any different from them? We would both be executioners with blades in our hands."

Long Yi sank into deep fear and thought, and the tavern fell deathly silent.

The intimidation of the ghost god's power had not fully dissipated. No matter how hard the drinkers tried, they could not connect the ruthless figure before them—cold-eyed and ready to take a life at the slightest disagreement—with the boy who had worn such a brilliant smile just days ago.

In the end, the so-called Zeke Family still had their lives spared by Long Yi. The unconscious thugs, along with the thug leader who had been kicked away earlier, were ruthlessly tossed by Long Yi into an alley piled with trash.

And through the drinkers' mouths, word of Long Yi gradually spread throughout Crocker Town.

That night, inside the tavern.

The ghost god power Long Yi had displayed had made the townspeople too afraid to return to the bearded innkeeper's tavern for drinks. The tavern, usually so lively, had become deserted.

Long Yi sat across from the bearded innkeeper in silence.

The two remained silent for a long time, staring at the flickering lamplight. In the end, Long Yi was the first to speak.

"Innkeeper, I know I've caused you a great deal of trouble this time. I'm sorry. You're a good man, and I won't let this affect the tavern's business. Don't worry, I'll leave tomorrow."

Shame and self-reproach brewed in Long Yi's heart. He had stayed to help repay the innkeeper's kindness, yet something like this had happened instead. He had affected the tavern's business and dragged down the kind bearded innkeeper.

"Long Yi..."

Seeing the unconcealed self-blame on Long Yi's face, the bearded innkeeper hesitated. After weighing his words several times, he sighed and spoke firmly.

"Long Yi, this isn't your fault."

Seeing Long Yi's surprised look, the bearded innkeeper paused before continuing.

"Don't blame yourself. What happened in the tavern has nothing to do with you. Besides, I should be thanking you for venting my anger."

The bearded innkeeper smiled easily. Looking into Long Yi's eyes, he stood up and bowed deeply to him.

"Thank you, Long Yi."

"Huh? You can't do that! I don't deserve it!"

How could Long Yi accept thanks from his benefactor? He hurriedly stepped aside and stopped the bearded innkeeper, who was still bowing, his face faintly flushed.

"Haha, you've earned my gratitude. You helped me and protected the tavern, though you can't exactly escape responsibility for the broken door either. Anyway, thank you, Long Yi."

The bearded innkeeper laughed heartily. Only then did he completely put aside his wariness and reservations. After all, it would have been far too rude to remain wary of Long Yi after he had become something like the tavern's hero.

"But..."

Hearing the bearded innkeeper's heartfelt thanks eased some of Long Yi's guilt. But when he thought of the drinkers frightened away by his ghost god power, his expression darkened again uncontrollably.

For the first time, he felt fear and confusion toward his own power.

Noticing the change in Long Yi's expression, the bearded innkeeper understood. He moved closer, patted Long Yi on the shoulder, and spoke softly.

"Long Yi, to tell the truth, we fear you even more than those thugs. But that isn't your fault. It's simply our nature. Or perhaps we fear anything with great power, because we are too weak."

As he spoke, the bearded innkeeper smiled self-mockingly. Looking at Long Yi's youthful face, he continued.

"Whether it's you or those thugs, either of you could hurt us, so we're afraid. It isn't aimed at you personally, but at your power. We're weak, so we're afraid."

After saying that, the bearded innkeeper wore a sincere smile as he quietly watched the dejected Long Yi.

"I know you acted that way to protect me. But a child like you shouldn't have to bear these things. I apologize to you for my cowardice."

"No, please don't!"

Long Yi waved his hands repeatedly. The bearded innkeeper's words embarrassed him somewhat. It was true that he had wanted to protect the bearded innkeeper, but it was also true that he had nearly been enslaved by the ghost god's power. He could not accept the man's apology.

"Long Yi, do you know? We fear that those with great power will persecute us and leave us unable to resist. But we also sincerely hope that those with great power will protect us and let us feel safe. I know whether you wanted to persecute me or protect me, so—"

The bearded innkeeper was smiling, but before he could say, "You can stay," cries and wails suddenly erupted outside the tavern.

Long Yi and the bearded innkeeper froze. After exchanging a glance, they hurried outside, only to see a red glow rising into the sky from the town and thick smoke billowing everywhere.

"Fire..."

He murmured softly. The scene from his memories gradually overlapped with the present, and Long Yi's mind went blank for an instant. Then his eyes turned blood-red.

Madness surged, and his blood boiled. The ghost god from another world was gradually awakening.

The bandits attacking the town would never have imagined what kind of trouble this seemingly retaliatory act would bring upon them.