After a short time had passed since that day,
in one of the cities of western Murim,
Jin was walking through the streets, watching the people and trying to understand the way humans think.
As he walked, he reached a simple area.
There, he found an argument. It was nothing major.
Some people were trying to collect a debt from a poor family.
Many people were watching.
Jin did not intervene and did the same.
He stopped beside a middle-aged man.
As for Yun-Hai, he was standing farther away.
They shouted loudly.
Then one of those people slapped the man from that family.
It was not something worth caring about for Jin.
But what angered him was that the man's children and wife were watching.
To Jin, this was unacceptable.
To humiliate a man in front of his family was disgraceful.
The situation continued for several minutes.
Those people were holding weapons, but they did not draw them.
Jin watched for a while, then leaned toward the man beside him.
Jin: Why doesn't anyone intervene?
Man: Why would anyone intervene in the first place?
Jin: What do you mean?
Man: Those people are looking for their money.
That man and his family chose to borrow, knowing this could happen.
Jin: Aren't these the lands of the Justice Alliance?
So where is justice among the citizens?
Man: Justice?
Justice belongs to those who possess power.
If the Justice Alliance wants justice, then let them deploy inspectors in every street of the province.
Jin did not respond.
He was thinking in his mind.
What is this?
Why do people think like this?
Is it fear… or indifference?
Jin looked back at the situation.
He saw that one of the men had drawn his sword and was about to attack the man and his family.
Jin did not think much.
He slightly raised his hand and moved it.
Before the man could swing his sword,
his neck snapped.
It twisted grotesquely, blood flowing from his mouth as he collapsed to the ground.
The people panicked.
They did not see anyone or understand what had happened.
Jin sent a telepathic message to several people.
Jin: This is the price of crossing the line.
Anyone who crosses it again will meet the same fate.
Then he left and went to Yun-Hai.
Yun-Hai: Why did you do that?
He was only threatening him.
Jin remained silent for a moment, then spoke:
… Sometimes, one must commit evil acts to prevent a greater evil.
Yun-Hai fell silent, thinking about Jin's words.
Yun-Hai: Then why did you send a telepathic message?
What did you tell them that made them scream like that?
Jin: I told them that anyone who does this again will die like that.
Yun-Hai: And why?
Jin: Humans fear what they are certain of the consequences of.
Perhaps this way, this nonsense will stop for a while.
By the way, why is the Patriarch of the Tang Sichuan Sect wandering around with me aimlessly and neglecting his sect's affairs?
Yun-Hai: For the same reason as you.
I'm trying to understand the world better.
Jin: Hmm…
Then what do you think of the law in this land,
and what do you think of the internal behavior of the sects?
Yun-Hai: Law?
That's nonsense.
There is no law, not even within the Justice Alliance.
Jin: Has it always been like this?
Yun-Hai: No, it wasn't always like this.
But it became what you see now…
As for the sects, I don't know what to say.
Sometimes a person is executed simply for insulting someone from the sect leader's family.
Sometimes for learning a technique reserved for the elders of a sect.
Jin: Does this happen in your sect?
Yun-Hai: I cannot prevent everything,
but at least I can prevent unjust killings.
The two did not speak again as they walked.
Jin was thinking.
Where is justice in all of this?
Why is human nature so unstable and flawed?
What is the right thing to do?
Is this even my responsibility in the first place?
Many questions flooded the young man's mind,
without answers that could satisfy him.
End of Chapter.