Seo Ryung barely managed to block a sword strike, his arms shaking from the unexpected force.
These weren't the same warriors they'd been fighting moments ago.
Their speed doubled. Their precision sharpened.
But it wasn't skill.
It was something else.
Jin Mu landed a devastating punch against one of them, and the disciple didn't even flinch.
Ji Seol-Hwa slashed through another's arm. No scream. No reaction. They kept fighting.
Seo Ryung's stomach churned. "What the hell is happening?"
Heuk Cheon observed. Noticed.
Every movement was too perfect.
Too synchronized.
Then he saw it. The subtle delay. The unseen chains.
Their eyes weren't just lifeless.
They were waiting for commands.
He exhaled slowly. "Mind control."
Wu Jian smiled, tilting his head. "A crude term. I prefer mental refinement."
"Slavery," Heuk Cheon corrected.
Wu Jian shrugged. "Call it what you want. But tell me…" He gestured at the battlefield. "Can your precious orphans handle this?"
