Chapter 502: Is it Really a Rescue Operation?
Chapter 502: Is it Really a Rescue Operation?
Seo Dae-ryong would have been moved even if Jang Ho had simply called him a drinking buddy, but the addition of the word "precious" struck a deeper chord.
He was touched. Unexpected warmth from a stoic man always carried far more emotional weight.
It was a sentiment that felt entirely out of place given the current situation—with blood from the fallen masked men pooling and flowing toward their feet.
"I’ll buy the drinks when we return."
He wanted nothing more than to spend the whole night drinking with Jang Ho at the Pungryu Tavern.
Seo Dae-ryong had liked Jang Ho for a long time. Watching him sit in silence, stoically nursing his drink, gave him an air of quiet dignity. Even the scars on his face only added to his rugged charm.
Looking back, Jang Ho had been a sort of milestone for him—an investigator who yearned to become a true martial artist.
I want to be a martial artist like him.
In this regard, the Young Cult Leader was not a suitable role model.
Geom Mu-geuk was accomplishing things that Seo Dae-ryong couldn't even dare to imitate. The path he walked was one an ordinary person could never hope to follow.
Thus, Jang Ho served as a more realistic goal for Seo Dae-ryong.
"It would be nice if that martial artist were here with us as well."
When Jang Ho mentioned Lee An, Seo Dae-ryong felt a pang of longing for her too.
"Indeed. I wonder where she is and what she’s up to."
One thing was certain, though: she was likely growing stronger with every passing day.
"When she eventually returns, there will be much to discuss throughout the night. For us, and for her."
Their brief flight of fancy was cut short as reality pulled them back.
The clashing of weapons and a succession of screams echoed from the distance.
Startled, Seo Dae-ryong shouted, "Shouldn't we get there quickly?"
"Yes, let’s go."
"I’m worried your subordinates might be injured."
Unlike Seo Dae-ryong, who was anxious to sprint toward the noise, Jang Ho remained composed. He did not rush. Today, the Demon Army’s primary objective was to protect Seo Dae-ryong.
Furthermore, Jang Ho had faith.
He believed that every scream they heard belonged to their enemies.
Their massive frames weren't built simply from eating a lot of food. They were forged through bone-shaving effort, blood-soaked training, and the practical experience gained from surviving countless battlefields.
"It will be fine. We are the Demon Army, after all."
It was pride in the Demon Army and absolute trust in his subordinates.
Seo Dae-ryong was witnessing firsthand what the final resolve of an investigator or an enforcement martial artist of the Huangquan Pavilion should look like.
Those scrawny fellows back at the Pavilion... once we return, they’re all going straight into Hell Training.
Of course, he would be the first to lead that training.
He had learned a great lesson while fighting the masked men today. Using the Extermination Blade Blood Wind, which consumed a massive amount of internal energy, had been effective, but he had nearly died in the final struggle because his reserves ran dry. He had experienced firsthand how a failure to regulate internal energy could lead directly to death.
I’m going to train so hard I might actually die! I’ll sleep when I’m dead!
As they walked out, the warriors of the Demon Army surrounded Seo Dae-ryong. Standing amidst the towering figures, Seo Dae-ryong stood on his tiptoes and spoke to Jang Ho.
"Yesterday I was surrounded by the Demon Extermination Squad, and today it’s the Demon Army. Have you ever seen a life like mine?"
*
Ju Gwol held nothing back.
He fought at the front against the masked men. Although he had grievances with Jin Ha-gun and had made poor judgments in the past, his loyalty to the Alliance and his care for his subordinates were second to none.
Squelch!
Ju Gwol’s sword pierced a masked man’s throat. Without even a moment to wipe the blood splattered on his face, he swatted away incoming hidden weapons with his blade.
He was not a man who had obtained the position of a Murim Alliance Branch Leader through bribes or flattery.
"Watch your back! Block the left!"
He shouted commands to his subordinates while leading the charge.
Ju Gwol couldn't believe it. How could they attack when there were so many martial artists guarding this place?
Those crazy Demonic Cult bastards!
Ju Gwol was certain the enemies were cultists. No one else would dare commit such an atrocity besides the Demonic Cult. Moreover, the Cult attacking a Murim Alliance branch was tantamount to a declaration of war.
Ju Gwol shouted to a branch warrior fighting a masked man up ahead.
"Look out!"
Someone was lunging at the warrior from behind. Shockingly, it wasn't a masked man, but a martial artist wearing the uniform of the Murim Alliance.
It was too late to dodge.
Whoosh! CRACK!
The ribs of the traitorous attacker shattered as he was sent tumbling across the ground. A massive warrior had charged in an instant, using his hulking body to slam the man away.
How can someone that big be so fast?
The Demon Army warriors were displaying movements that completely shattered the stereotype that only lean people were quick.
In the distance, another member of the Demon Army leaped nimbly into the air, swinging his sword. A masked man who had been raining down hidden weapons from a tree plummeted to the ground along with a severed branch.
There were two types of attackers striking the Chongqing Branch today: those wearing masks and those disguised in Murim Alliance uniforms.
Cowardly bastards!
They had been killing Alliance martial artists by ambushing them from behind while wearing their own colors. Such a disguise was possible because warriors from various branches and offices had gathered here for support, making it difficult to identify everyone accurately.
Initially, they had suffered under these cowardly attacks, but the situation shifted once the Demon Army joined the fray.
The Demon Army began by rapidly eliminating the masked warriors. They didn't even bother trying to root out the disguised traitors first; they simply hunted down and killed the masked men.
The martial arts prowess of the Demon Army was on an entirely different level compared to the average branch warrior.
Jeong Hyeok of the Demon Extermination Squad, who was fighting alongside them, confirmed that their skills were in no way inferior to the elite warriors of his own squad. In fact, many of them displayed movements that were a step above.
This was only natural, as the members of the Demon Army sent here were among the most skilled of their unit.
Just as Ju Gwol was momentarily distracted by the Demon Army’s combat prowess—
Sssst.
He twisted his body as an attack flew in from behind. He felt a surge of despair.
Too late!
Thwack!
The tip of a sword held by an enemy in Alliance robes stopped right in front of his face. As the attacker collapsed, Jang Ho was revealed standing behind him.
"My thanks."
Jang Ho had saved his subordinates earlier when the rain of hidden weapons fell, and now he had saved Ju Gwol himself.
In response to the grateful greeting, Jang Ho merely gave a single nod.
The Demon Army warriors who had arrived with Jang Ho leaped into action simultaneously. With their involvement, the area was cleared even faster.
Once the masked men rampaging throughout the grounds were eliminated, rooting out the remaining hidden enemies was no longer difficult.
"Gather by branch! Gather by office!"
As the Murim Alliance warriors grouped up, the disguised infiltrators were exposed.
The Alliance warriors and the Demon Army joined forces to eliminate them quickly. Capturing them alive proved difficult. Those who failed to escape took their own lives by slitting their own throats. Seeing them do so without a hint of hesitation, it was clear they were highly trained.
Eventually, every enemy was either dead or had fled the area.
The Murim Alliance warriors began to clear the grounds. The wounded were taken to physicians, and the dead were gathered in one place.
Ju Gwol let out a long sigh. If not for these massive warriors, the casualties would have been catastrophic. Instead, they had managed to repel the attack with minimal losses.
Ju Gwol expressed his gratitude to Jang Ho.
"Thanks to you, we repelled the Demonic Cult's attack."
At that, Seo Dae-ryong stepped forward.
"The ones who raided us today weren't cultists. Can't you tell by the fact that they tried to kill me?"
Ju Gwol looked at Jang Ho. Seeing the questioning look, Jang Ho nodded and answered.
"They truly intended to kill this man."
Could it be a self-staged act? Ju Gwol swallowed the words that rose to his throat. He still believed it was the Demonic Cult's doing. The attack was too underhanded and bold to be anyone else.
If not the Demonic Cult, who else in the world would dare attack a branch packed with Murim Alliance warriors?
"Then who on earth are these people?"
To Ju Gwol’s question, Seo Dae-ryong answered calmly.
"Likely those who wish to drive a wedge between your side and ours."
Ju Gwol let out a light sigh and commanded his subordinates.
"Thoroughly identify the dead at once."
"Understood!"
Ju Gwol then spoke to Seo Dae-ryong.
"Until the mastermind behind today's events is revealed, you cannot leave."
"I have no intention of leaving even if you told me to."
He had to stay here until Geom Mu-geuk returned anyway.
Jang Ho spoke to him.
"We will remain to guard this place until the Demon Extermination Squad Leader returns."
"I would appreciate that."
Having owed them his life, Ju Gwol’s gaze toward Jang Ho had softened.
Ju Gwol spoke worriedly to Jeong Hyeok of the Demon Extermination Squad.
"I am concerned for the Squad Leader's safety."
Since the enemies were bold enough to attack a Murim Alliance branch, he was worried about Jin Ha-gun.
Seo Dae-ryong spoke with a mysterious smile—words that Ju Gwol could not possibly understand.
"He will be fine, as he is accompanied by someone who even threw away his right hand to follow him."
*
"That’s the place."
A manor stood where Jin Ha-gun was pointing.
Currently, Geom Mu-geuk and Jin Ha-gun were standing side by side in a forest far from the manor. The distance was so great that the characters on the plaque hanging over the main gate could only be seen by utilizing the New Eye Technique.
Hyangsu Villa.
It was a villa located in a secluded area, far from the marketplace.
"We are currently conducting a covert investigation of that villa. The results will be brought to us shortly."
Following Jin Ha-gun’s explanation, Geom Mu-geuk asked, "How did you find out that the Yumyeong Manor Lord is being held here?"
"As you know, we have been searching Chongqing thoroughly to find the missing Yumyeong Manor Lord and his family."
Since not a single corpse had been found at Yumyeong Manor, they were holding onto hope that the family might still be alive.
"There were quite a few people present that day. So, I ordered a watch on every physician in Chongqing."
He had thought that if they were injured, they might purchase a large quantity of medicine for treatment.
"During that time, we discovered that someone had purchased a large amount of herbs for treating injuries from a local physician."
It was the news the searchers had been waiting for.
"Based on the type and quantity of herbs, it was possible they were for treating the people of Yumyeong Manor. So, we scoured the surrounding area and discovered this villa. We then confirmed that a martial artist belonging to Yumyeong Manor is inside."
There was no reason to hesitate further. Regardless of the circumstances, now that a warrior from Yumyeong Manor had appeared, the place had to be investigated.
"We must hope the Manor Lord and his family are alive. Come, let us launch the rescue operation immediately."
"Is this really a rescue operation?"
Geom Mu-geuk’s reason for doubting the situation was clear.
"The Yumyeong Manor people reveal themselves at the exact same time Pavilion Master Seo was captured by your men? It's quite a coincidence."
Of course, Jin Ha-gun had his suspicions about the timing as well, but this was the only lead they had to the Yumyeong Manor Lord. Even if it was a trap, they had to enter.
Just then, a subordinate from the Demon Extermination Squad arrived and quickly reported.
"The Chongqing Branch has been attacked."
Jin Ha-gun was shocked. He had expected something, but he hadn't thought they would actually attack the branch.
"What happened?"
"It is reported that dozens on our side have been killed or injured."
Jin Ha-gun’s expression hardened. He was furious. An incident had occurred while he and the Demon Extermination Squad were away. What if this was a ruse? What if there was nothing in that villa?
"What about the person held in the dungeon?"
"He is said to be safe."
Hearing this, Geom Mu-geuk felt relieved. Although he had sent Jang Ho and the Demon Army, one never knew what variables might arise in the Murim.
"And the enemies?"
"They were all killed."
Jin Ha-gun looked at Geom Mu-geuk. Given that Seo Dae-ryong had survived the ambush and the report that all enemies were slain, he surmised that the Demon Army had played a major role.
"Your judgment was correct. Thank you."
If not for the support of the Demon Army, the damage would have been incomparable to what it was now. As always, the Young Cult Leader’s insight did not betray his trust.
"Then this place must have been meant to lure us away."
He believed they had used the surviving Yumyeong Manor warrior to lure him here.
However, Geom Mu-geuk thought differently.
"That might not be the case."
Jin Ha-gun looked at Geom Mu-geuk, his expression asking what he meant.
"What if the real plot is on this side?"
Geom Mu-geuk shared his thoughts.
"A war won't break out just because a branch was attacked. The Main Cult and the Murim Alliance aren't that fragile. But what about this? The one who was investigating the annihilation of Yumyeong Manor and the Daejeong Sect..."
Geom Mu-geuk paused for a moment before adding:
"The death of the Demon Extermination Squad Leader."
That was a problem on an entirely different level from a branch being attacked. Jin Ha-gun was the grandson of the Murim Alliance Leader and a strong candidate for the next Alliance Leader.
"What if everything that happened before was just preparation for your death?"
The disciple of the Blood Heaven Blade Demon annihilates Yumyeong Manor and the Daejeong Sect, and the Demon Extermination Squad Leader investigating the case ultimately meets his end at the hands of the Demonic Cult. What if that was the story they were crafting?
Jin Ha-gun looked at Geom Mu-geuk with a shocked face. Furthermore, the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult would also be enraged. The disciple of the Blood Heaven Blade Demon would have effectively died after being taken to a Murim Alliance branch for investigation.
The dialogue between the two sides would become razor-sharp, and if those villains pulled another stunt on top of that?
"If my guess is correct..."
Geom Mu-geuk’s deep gaze turned toward the silent manor.
"Someone capable of killing both you and the entire Demon Extermination Squad is waiting for us in there."