“Any last words?”The one-armed swordsman asked, raising his blade above the head of a weak and frail-looking boy—now blindfolded.The boy felt the urge to laugh. He didn’t know why he was being executed, but he had never wanted more than this. Still, he had to ask.“Why exactly am I being beheaded? Because I survived—alone?”The one-armed man frowned at the question, though he had no answer for it either.“Because the strongest weapon of this society lies in slumber while I remain awake? And you all consider it an embarrassment—that I might tell people I was the only one to survive the Veyne?” the boy added, scoffing.“No one even knows my name. No one cares. Killing me for this so-called embarrassment won’t wake your General from his slumber.”Two other men nearby—one with a mustache and the other wearing an eye patch—exchanged glances, silently acknowledging the truth.The eye-patch man barked, “Prepare to die now, boy!”Did I say I wasn’t prepared? the boy thought.The mustached m

Won couldn't help but doubt the people he was walking with. The handsome man seemed to be the only gentle one among them, while the others made him carry their burdens. They were heading toward an endless hilly expanse. All Won could smell was blood. Scattered animal and human bones littered the path. The air was foul—he had wrapped a cloth around his mouth and nose, but it was still hard to breathe.Can I really waste my time here? With them? They're all illusions, right? Won thought, shaking his head.The stench of blood clung to them. He hadn’t yet grown used to the scent of monster blood, but he could no longer tell the difference. The handsome man asked, “Are you okay?”Won shrugged, choosing not to answer. Why am I even stuck here? I'm not even sure this has anything to do with cleaning the Veyne. Does cleaning the veyne include them too?As if to interrupt his thoughts, the sky suddenly roared, making everyone shiver—everyone except Won. He still didn’t know much about the wor

Won slammed against a stone outcrop, his back and head smacking hard as he crumpled to the ground. Blood instantly ran down to his temple. The air reeked of rot, the stench clinging to his skin like oil. Even his sensari senses burned from the rancid stink of the thrips. It was becoming impossible to breathe as seconds passed by.Screams tore through the air. Three men. Won turned his head, spotting them thrashing as the thrips devoured them alive, their flesh torn apart by relentless, gnashing mandibles. The men’s cries turned to wet gurgles as one thrip’s jaws sheared clean through a throat.You wanted to make me your snack, Won thought grimly, pushing himself to his feet, but fate had other plans.I shouldn't bother myself thinking about you now. This is my test. I have to survive.He caught the faint echo of footsteps retreating into a cave, the last three men including the master, scrambling to hide themselves. His sensari sharpened, catching the ragged breaths of the men cower

The night felt endless to Won as he dragged his wounded body higher up the slope. The path stretched on with no end in sight. He was alone in this world, utterly so—but perhaps that was for the best.Better than staying with those cannibals. He had kept his promise. He'd killed them—well, not all of them. That was good enough. He decided to take the credit anyway.He found himself grateful for his perpetual solitude. If he'd grown up in a mansion, surrounded by wealth and family and friends, he doubted he'd have survived this place alone. In a twisted way, he was glad that the harsh lessons of the real world had served him well in this hell.His body begged for rest, but he couldn't stop now. He needed to find shelter. There was no telling where a higher-ranked monster might be lurking, just beyond his line of sight.From the corner of his vision, he suddenly spotted a faint light in the distance. Squinting, he tried to sharpen his gaze. It resembled a palace, perched on a distant hil

When Won woke, he found himself in a bedroom—lavish, almost royal in design. He squinted.Am I still in the Veyne? he thought, sitting up."Finally, someone's decided to wake up," came a voice.The General…He was lounging across the room on a couch, reading a magazine."Where am I?" Won asked."My house. You've been out for a week."<