Chapter 21: Successful Cooperation
Everyone in the room became more cautious toward Dusk, but none of them showed fear.
They were mafia—hardened criminals with countless sins to their names. How could they possibly be afraid of anyone?
"The ones I killed were already gravely injured. Even if they had received treatment, they would’ve lived the rest of their lives disabled. In such a chaotic era to come, they would have had no chance of survival. Letting them go peacefully was, in a way, mercy. Their strength, left behind in this world, now fuels me—so I can grow stronger, destroy the demons, and create a peaceful world."
Dusk spoke with a voice full of emotion. It carried both the determination to save humanity and the inner torment over his own actions.
He paused for a few seconds, then looked around at everyone in the room and smiled—a smile so pure it seemed almost saintly.
"Even if the world one day condemns my sins, I will not resent it. I don’t need people to see me as a hero. I only wish for them to live the best lives they possibly can."
Those words, spoken from the depths of his heart, were enough to stir even the most cold-hearted men in the room.
"You... I never expected you to be such a noble man," Silas muttered, astonished. It had been so long since he had felt such powerful emotions.
The five young men behind him nodded repeatedly, their wariness toward this so-called mass murderer fading away almost entirely.
Seeing their attitudes shift, Dusk felt a sense of satisfaction rise in his heart.
’Good. Six out of seven now show some level of approval. Only one remains—and she’s the most dangerous of them all.’
He thought to himself, his eyes quietly fixed on her, as though waiting for a signal.