“He’s digging a canal?” asked Gi-Gyu.

Old Man Hwang seemed amused as he explained, “That’s right. And the building connecting the sky islands to the prison is almost completed too. I haven’t named it yet, though.”

The blacksmith giggled as he continued, “By the way… Don’t you think the place still looks a little bare?”

The elderly man was acting like a child now. Gi-Gyu found the change odd, but…

‘Maybe he has always been like this?’ Gi-Gyu was surprised to see Old Man Hwang like this, but he didn’t dislike it.

‘It might be because he has already experienced death.’ A behavioral change in people who had a near-death experience wasn’t unheard-of. It looked like Old Man Hwang was trying to lead a happier life after his first death.

‘Also, I think his ability to feel guilt has diminished,’ Gi-Gyu thought. Old Man Hwang had explained that he was forcing a starving Go Hyung-Chul to dig an entire canal. Yet the blacksmith didn’t feel guilty about any part of it. This made Gi-Gyu a little awkward, but he shrugged it off.

After all…

‘He isn’t human anymore anyway.’ Gi-Gyu decided not to worry about it.

Old Man Hwang chatted, “I thought it would be a great idea to get another canal on top of what we already have. And it will make the inside of the gate...