Bloodhound’s Regression Instinct

Chapter 85

As the Chief Instructor and his following instructors made their entrance, the group of knights, including Count Jeren, widened their eyes in shock.

“Who… who are you?” Count Jeren asked with a trembling voice.

The Chief Instructor simply watched Count Jeren for a moment before letting out a sly chuckle. Then, pointing his index finger, he singled out Yan.

“This guy’s boss, the Chief Instructor of the Special Task Force Dragon Soldier Project.”

At the Chief Instructor’s self-introduction, Count Jeren’s eyes flickered wildly, realizing that things were taking a turn for the worst.

He shouted at the knights, “Kill them… now! They’re only four!”

The knights, seemingly agreeing, had a murderous glint in their eyes. At that moment, one knight succeeded in breaking free from the shadow’s bind.

“Mana, it’s mana! The shadows dissolve with mana!”

As one knight shouted, the others began to conjure mana without hesitation. The shadows that had bound them dissipated powerlessly.

“Kill, kill them!”

The knights charged at the Chief Instructor. But even as they exuded killing intent, the Chief Instructor was not intimidated. Instead, he smiled gleefully.

‘…It wasn’t the knights who broke free; the Chief Instructor let them.’

Yan realized instantly that it wasn’t the knights’ doing but the Chief Instructor’s. There was no way those barely at the 7th-grade realm could have broken the Chief Instructor’s shadow bind.

The Chief Instructor curled his lips into a smile and put strength into his toes.

Thud.

Suddenly, the once limp shadow writhed. Then, with a terrifying force, it burst from the ground and spread towards the knights like a giant snake opening its maw to swallow its prey.

Splat. Splat!

In an instant, the lord’s bedroom was drenched in red. Pools of blood formed on the floor, and severed arms and legs were strewn about.

The Chief Instructor licked the blood from his lips.

“It feels like all the pent-up things are coming down at once.”

He chuckled with satisfaction as silence fell over the room. The instructors stood quietly behind the Chief Instructor, while Count Jeren’s face turned pale in his pitiful state.

And Yan, witnessing the Chief Instructor’s feat, gauged his power.

‘He’s at least 4th-grade. But the knights were too weak for an accurate assessment.’

The Chief Instructor turned his head, meeting Yan’s gaze.

“Why?”

“No, I was just in awe of your strength.”

“Hmm, didn’t seem like that kind of look.”

The Chief Instructor shrugged and walked towards Count Jeren.

“Gulp!”

Count Jeren choked, blood dripping as the Chief Instructor approached, looking like he was about to have a seizure.

The Chief Instructor crouched in front of him and began to speak calmly.

“Trying to kill the Special Task Force’s chief investigator, you’ve got some nerve, huh?”

“Wait, just a moment.”

“Insulting the royal family, dereliction of duty, embezzlement, violation of national security laws, incitement to murder, obstruction of official duties, and… ah, there’s too many to count, it’s tiresome.”

Count Jeren trembled violently.

The Chief Instructor looked at him and smirked.

“Well, anyway, the death sentence is confirmed, so there’s no need to explain, right?”

Just as the Chief Instructor was about to call the instructors.

“It wasn’t me! I was just following orders!”

Count Jeren screamed desperately.

The Chief Instructor turned to him with interest.

Count Jeren steadied himself and continued.

“Do you know Count Zion? He recommended me as the commander of the eastern front, and all the things you mentioned… he ordered them. I had no choice!”

Count Jeren scrambled to his feet and started to stagger towards a room next to the bedroom.

The instructors moved to restrain him, but the Chief Instructor gestured for them to leave him be and quietly followed Count Jeren.

Count Jeren headed to a room that seemed to have been Count Geva’s office before it was taken from him.

In a frantic motion, Count Jeren grabbed the communication orb on the desk and began to operate it.

Crackle.

Noise interfered with the orb before finally revealing the other party.

Yan and the Chief Instructor’s eyes sparkled with recognition.

‘Count Zion?’

And Count Zion seemed to recognize them as well.

Count Jeren, connecting with Count Zion, let out a sigh of relief.

“Count Zion, it’s me, Count Jeren.”

-Count Jeren?

Count Zion in the orb tilted his head, then frowned.

-Do I know you?

Count Jeren’s face froze.

-Whoever gave you my orb address and contacting me without notice at this hour, how rude.

“…Count Zion, it’s me, Jeren! Stop joking and please speak quickly.”

-What are you talking about?

“You appointed me here, didn’t you, Count Zion! And even told me to send part of the military funds!”

Count Zion chuckled as if amused.

-What are you saying? I appointed you as the commander of the eastern front? That position can only be appointed by the Duke of the East himself. I don’t know what dream you had, but to be so rude to me. It’s quite displeasing.

Hearing this, Count Jeren clenched his fists.

Even a fool would realize that Count Zion was trying to cut him loose.

He shouted furiously.

“You crazy old man! You said we were in this together! To contact you if there’s trouble! This damned…”

-If you have nothing more to say, I’ll hang up. Oh, and you there. You look familiar, are you the Chief Instructor of the Special Task Force?

Count Zion called out to the Chief Instructor.

The Chief Instructor, with a smile, took Count Jeren’s place.

“It’s been a while, Count.”

-Haha, indeed. I think this is the first time outside of the royal council.

The Chief Instructor replied with a friendly smile and then asked subtly.

“Count Zion, you’re quite something. Cutting off your tail like this?”

-Hahaha, why so serious, Chief Instructor. You don’t think I’d work with such a fool, do you?

“If not, then. A thorough investigation will tell, but if your name comes up.”

-Then execute me without a second word. And you’ll have a sacrifice to rise as the leader of the Special Task Force.

“Quite confident. You’ve covered your tracks well?”

-Of course, there’s confidence because it never happened. Why would I fight with the Special Task Force? And that kid, so young to be in the special investigation unit?

The Chief Instructor smirked.

“You’ve already heard he’s in the special investigation unit? That’s intriguing.

-I have sharp ears. Is there a problem?

The Chief Instructor’s smile turned fierce.

It was nonsense.

No matter how well-informed Count Zion was, he couldn’t have known about Yan being in the special investigation unit unless Count Jeren told him.

It was clearly a provocation.

Instead of exploding in anger, the Chief Instructor stood up and bowed slightly.

“No, there’s no problem. I’m busy with my duties, so I’ll take my leave here. I hope I won’t have to come looking for you.”

-No, no, bring some tasty wine when you come. I’ll be waiting.

Count Zion smiled as if remembering something.

-By the way, that Jeren fellow… seems he’s poked around quite a bit… I wonder if the Special Task Force will find it burdensome. See you next time.

Click.

The communication orb went dark, and the Chief Instructor burst into laughter.

“Truly a slippery snake.”

The room was thick with his irritation.

Yan agreed with the Chief Instructor’s thoughts.

Count Zion was a born politician.

He wouldn’t provoke the Chief Instructor without being sure of himself.

The Chief Instructor glared at the trembling Count Jeren.

“Please… spare me.”

Count Jeren crawled and clung to the Chief Instructor’s hem.

The Chief Instructor’s expression twisted.

It was rare for someone to infuriate him to this extent, but Count Jeren had managed it in a remarkable way.

“You really make me want to kill you. If you hadn’t done such needless things, I would’ve grabbed that old man Zion by the collar and dragged him to my playroom.”

Yan nodded at the Chief Instructor’s words.

Count Jeren’s needless actions were too many to count, committing numerous corruptions and spreading bribes far and wide to cover them up, including to Count Zion.

This made it easier for Count Zion to slip away.

Count Jeren did receive money, but he thought it was a donation, not a bribe.

Such claims would suffice. Why? Because many had received it.

And any traces of his involvement had likely been erased.

The Chief Instructor sighed and gestured to the instructors.

“Take this damned pig away. If I see him any longer, I might slaughter him.”

“Yes.”

“Yes.”

The instructors grabbed the screaming Count Jeren by the arms and took him outside.

A grueling interrogation followed by the execution block awaited him.

Yan, who had been quietly watching, finally spoke.

“What brings you here, anyway?”

The Chief Instructor turned sharply.

The anger and irritation in his eyes had vanished.

“I need to take you guys somewhere.”

“Us?”

“You, Lorena Beowulf, Cruel Dwight, Kasa Ephrain, and was it Roman? Anyway.”