Chapter 43 - If We Go Back Like This, We'll Be Beaten to Death
It wasn't some profound connection. They hadn't built any deep friendship either. If anything, he was the bodyguard who had eyed her suspiciously, watching as the suddenly appeared Songyeong received excessive affection from Song Gyeom.
Minor scuffles had broken out a few times because of it.
But at the sight of him charging toward death, Songyeong couldn't hold back her surge of emotion.
Along with it, the martial soul she had desperately suppressed ignited fiercely from the depths of her being.
Whoooong.
Songyeong's hands glowed with a blue light. They turned so transparent that her veins stood out clearly.
That was when it happened.
Crack!
Baek Mu Yeong struck the back of Songyeong's head hard.
"Cool your temper."
"……."
"You planning to reveal your power in a situation like this? Don't forget what our lord expects from us."
Shweeeek! Clang clang clang!
Hidden weapons flew endlessly. But the defensive barrier created by Baek Mu Yeong's spear was an iron wall.
In the midst of it, Song Gyeom was breaking through an escape route.
Thud!
"Argh!"
"Ugh!"
Song Gyeom was strong. Though outnumbered relatively, most of those who had stood alone to block the western path fell to his sword without lasting.
Two masked assailants lunging for Songyeong lost their heads to her palm strike and crumpled.
Splat!
"The escape route's open—get out!"
Boom!
Song Gyeom shot forward like an arrow loosed from a bowstring.
Songyeong and Baek Mu Yeong unleashed powerful attacks on the masked foes who had chased them right up close, then hurled themselves after Song Gyeom.
With no obstacles in the way, their lightness skills were far too swift for the masked assailants to match.
The distance opened in an instant, and the three soon vanished completely from the masked men's sight.
Piiiik!
A sharp whistle pierced the air, and the masked assailants halted their pursuit in unison.
Figures then descended into the clearing. They were the Blood Wave Man and his close aides, who had been so confident about capturing Song Gyeom.
The Blood Wave Man removed his mask.
"Hmph……."
He merely exhaled softly, yet a thick killing intent spread around him.
His aides dared not lift their heads. Even the masked fighters who had clashed kept their heads bowed, standing like wooden posts.
A suffocating silence descended for a moment.
But it didn't last long.
Fuf.
"My oversight—not anticipating that unexpected variable or that they'd head west. All of you, raise your heads."
Was it an illusion? Everyone's eyes seemed to fill with relief.
That alone was enough to gauge what kind of existence the Blood Wave Man was.
Narrowing his brow, the Blood Wave Man muttered.
"Yi Yeon-hoo looks like he'll slink back without even trying. This puts us in a real bind……."
"It's too early to give up. They went west, so we still have plenty of chances, don't we? And if we retreat like this, even paying the breach penalty won't salvage our relations with Northwest Murim—they'll be utterly ruined."
At his aide's words, the Blood Wave Man silently stared west, where Songyeong's group had vanished.
Another suffocating silence fell.
Everyone waited for what the Blood Wave Man would say.
After a few breaths, he spoke.
"We're heading back."
"Captain!"
"One more failure could deal a blow near impossible to recover from. Better to swallow this momentary humiliation and bide our time for later."
"……."
"But going back empty-handed will erode trust. Find some spot on the way back—anywhere. A place where we can inflict at least minimal damage on Northern Murim."
"Understood."
The Blood Wave Man stared west again. He acted nonchalant, but his eyes still brimmed with killing intent.
'There aren't many spear masters in the jianghu…….'
He recalled Baek Mu Yeong from moments ago.
It was a crude spear, just a long pole with a blade jammed on the end.
Yet its power had been astonishingly fierce. Even his subordinates, whom Song Gyeom couldn't fell in one blow, had scattered like autumn leaves before that spear.
The Blood Wave Man's narrowing gaze refilled with killing intent.
'As of today, old man, you're at the top of the Blood Demon Corps' hit list. We're pulling back this time because of those unexpected bastards, but let's see if you escape next time we meet.'
* * *
Whoooosh!
On a cliff battered by fierce winds, Songyeong, Baek Mu Yeong, and Song Gyeom caught their breath after shaking off the pursuit.
Hearing belatedly of the bodyguard captain's death, Song Gyeom was steeped in grief.
Songyeong had calmed somewhat, but her emotions sat heavier than usual.
After watching Songyeong for a bit, Baek Mu Yeong turned to Song Gyeom, his eyes sharpening.
"Are you injured?"
He had spotted the red stain on Song Gyeom's side.
"Just a graze. No need to worry."
Songyeong sprang up and pulled a small jar from her bosom.
"If you leave it, it'll fester. We need to apply the golden sore salve first."
"I said it's fine."
"For the sake of the dead bodyguards, at least take off your clothes quickly."
"……."
Song Gyeom closed his eyes tightly. Then he slowly removed his upper garment.
His age-defyingly solid frame bore countless scars.
Baek Mu Yeong watched the two briefly, then walked to the cliff's edge and gazed north.
Whoooosh!
A fierce wind surged up from below, clawing savagely at his body. His hair lifted slightly, revealing a long sword scar from cheek to jawline.
Moments later, Songyeong approached.
"What are you staring at so intently?"
"Has your heart settled a bit?"
"……Yes. Earlier, I lost it a little."
"Always remember that excitement can lead you to death."
"……Yes."
"Anyway, I've been thinking we can't just head back like this."
"You smacked the back of my head earlier telling me to go, and now suddenly you're thinking that?"
"A lot of people died. If we consider them our lord's subordinates too…… shouldn't we at least uncover those bastards' identities?"
"Of course. How else can we get revenge later? If we just flee back like this, my brother or I—we'll get beaten to death by the lord. You forget? A few years back, he massacred a hundred black path demons just for killing one of our comrades."
At Songyeong's words, Baek Mu Yeong nodded silently and shook his head slowly.
"That time was really……."
"Even thinking about it now gives me chills. Recalling the lord's terrifying figure back then…… whew."
"Head to the main camp first with the old man."
"What are you talking about? I'm going too!"
"I'll join you as well."
Song Gyeom approached.
"I'm enough on my own. You two head back first."
"My bodyguards who were with me are dead. Especially the captain—he was like a son to me."
Baek Mu Yeong subtly furrowed his brow. It wasn't the look of someone who would back down if told no. Moreover, no one burned with more thirst for vengeance than him.
"Understood. Then we'll go together. But you have to do as I say."
"Agreed."
"Those sons of bitches, they're all dead meat."
Crack!
Baek Mu Yeong smacked the back of Songyeong's head.
"Listen for once."
"Urgh……."
* * *
Baek Mu Yeong bore the terrifying moniker of Dark Demon God.
The existence everyone feared next to Yeon-hoo—only Yeon-hoo knew the true extent of his personal martial prowess.
He enjoyed the hunt. Of course, the prey was human, and his merciless, demonic brutality earned him the name Dark Demon God.
Whoooosh!
The wind shook the mountains. The rustling of the forest swept by the gale was nature's gift to the hunter.
It allowed him to conceal his presence perfectly.
Shaaa…….
Geonjung, leader of the Blood Demon Corps, had eyes shaking as fiercely as the wind-tossed woods.
Reflected in his trembling pupils were the corpses of his subordinates, their heads silently severed by something that flew in without a sound.
Thud!
"Gah!"
Another subordinate crumpled with a strangled gasp. He had been moving just five zhang away.
The sixth already. But the enemy hadn't shown themselves, and neither Geonjung nor the Blood Demon Corps had sensed even a hint of their presence.
'Any attack should reveal energy at the moment of strike…….'
The vice leader approached, pointing west.
"Captain, a bit further down and we'll hit a narrow, steep gorge. We can defend there, no matter how strong they are."
Geonjung looked up and stared west. Sure enough, a narrow, steep gorge lay there.
Geonjung's pride smarted. He had never even considered fleeing from mere assassins with so many men.
But now he had to. He didn't know who the enemy was or how many. And they were so powerful that no presence was felt until struck.
Squeeze.
"Everyone to that spot. Vice leader, you take the rear."
"Understood."
Whoosh!
Geonjung leaped first, followed by the Blood Demon Corps elites in unison. Maintaining a five-man-one-bird defensive formation even then showed their rigorous training.
That was when it happened.
Weeeeng!
"……!"
A eerie hum came from ahead, along with a blue light shaped like a horizontal full moon flying in.
"Hmph!"
Geonjung swung his sword to smack the blue light away.
Boom!
With the explosion, sparks erupted across his robe. But Geonjung ignored it and charged toward the light's origin.
A shadow fleeing hastily appeared beyond the brush.
Killing light burst from Geonjung's eyes.
"Once you're in my sights, you have nowhere to go."
Whoosh!
Geonjung's lightness skill was astonishingly fast, closing to five zhang in an instant.
Whoooong.
His sword emitted sword energy. Five zhang was a blink away.
Geonjung smirked confidently at the flying energy.
But the smile vanished.
Splat splat thud!
The energy failed to pierce the dense brush and merely struck a tree.
Boom!
Geonjung kicked off the ground to accelerate. The gap narrowed to three zhang.
Another energy blast. But the thick forest again blocked it futilely.
This time, the foe counterattacked.
Shweeeek!
Now Geonjung benefited from the woods.
The chase lasted a quarter hour. Burning with determination to catch them no matter what, Geonjung failed to notice the growing distance from his men.
Another quarter hour passed. The forest ended, opening to a wide meadow, and the fleeing figure suddenly turned to face Geonjung.
Sneer.
"Thanks. For chasing me like a mad dog, regardless of water or fire."