Chapter 124
Chapter 124
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 124
Chapter Title: Quiet Wind Pavilion
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The "Quiet Wind" of Quiet Wind Pavilion meant a "silent breeze."
In other words, it signified the Fierce Wind Corps that had been forcibly halted against its will.
Because of that, the operatives of Quiet Wind Pavilion harbored a deep pride in their hearts as members of the Fierce Wind Corps, even if they never showed it outwardly.
A wind blowing quietly now, but one day, when the time came, it would rage as a fierce gale once more and sweep across the world. That was their vow.
And now.
『The time has come, my friends.』
Dang Gon sent a telepathic message to all his old comrades.
His official rank was merely that of an operative in Quiet Wind Pavilion, but no one truly regarded him as just any ordinary agent.
Former vice commander.
In Dang Ho-san's absence, Dang Gon had been their leader.
『Let's show them clearly that we're still alive.』
Strength infused Dang Gon's voice.
Thud!
That strength hammered fiercely at the operatives' hearts.
『Those are the ones who abandoned us long ago. But from this moment on, we're going to save them.』
Dang Gon had never been one for eloquent words.
But precisely because of that, his sincerity struck home with the operatives all the more. There was a profound resonance in his voice.
『We'll prove it. Unlike those selfish bastards, we live and die solely for righteousness.』
Thud thud thud!
Their hearts pounded wildly.
『And we'll shame them. Make it so they can never properly lift their heads again.』
Thud thud thud thud thud...!
『And.』
Flames blazed in Dang Gon's eyes.
『We'll fill this entire world with fierce wind!!』
『Understood!』
『Understood!』
『Understood!!』
Led by the Quiet Wind Pavilion Master, every operative responded in unison.
Screeeeech—
As Quiet Wind Pavilion surged forward en masse, they pulled their triggers without respite.
The dark fire arrows loaded in the soul-slaying crossbows detonated against the oncoming horde of demon ghosts, followed immediately by chain explosions.
Then, thick billowing smoke spread rapidly.
The demon ghosts tried to charge through the smoke to clash with Quiet Wind Pavilion, but soon they were clutching their throats, foaming at the mouth or shrieking as their skin melted away.
"Grraaagh!"
"Uwaaak!"
"Th-this is—"
Sizzle—
The explosives in this batch of dark fire arrows contained massive quantities of acidic poison that only activated upon contact with fire.
Exposed directly to it on bare skin with no protection—and even inhaling it straight into their lungs—they had no choice but to endure the horrific agony of their bodies burning from the inside out.
Of course, the Tang Clan was fully prepared against poison and explosives when facing the demon ghosts.
Each operative had an anti-poison pearl in their mouth to filter out most toxins, and they circulated their yin-attuned energy to prevent the poison from spreading too widely in the air.
But North Sea Sect wasn't the only one who had come fully prepared for this battle.
The Tang Clan and Nine Dragons Branch Family were equally ready.
Especially Quiet Wind Pavilion, which had spent the last two decades developing all manner of weapons alongside Wind Flower Pavilion and Old Halfmoon Workshop.
The resulting dark fire poison smoke, enhanced with phosphorus bomb effects, boasted tremendous lethality—incinerating flesh and searing lungs in an instant.
Lesser demon ghosts?
No matter that they were jiangshi impervious to pain; before such overwhelming firepower and poison, they crumbled all the same.
'No matter how inhuman or jiangshi-like they are, they can still die!'
A sneer curled at Dang Gon's lips.
They had successfully halted the enemy's advance.
Now it was time for the next phase of the plan.
『All operatives, don your Ghost Iron Masks.』
The operatives pulled plain iron masks from their back pouches and fitted them over their faces.
Clank!
Clack—
A type of gas mask with anti-poison effects, it allowed the operatives to rampage even in the death traps they themselves had created.
And then.
『Prepare.』
The operatives charging forward slung their soul-slaying crossbows onto their backs and drew their personal signature weapons.
『Melee combat.』
Flash!
Those wielding hidden weapons, daggers, or steel chains took the vanguard, scattering in all directions.
They then plunged deep into the demon ghosts' ranks.
To the eye, it looked as if their previously solid formation had collapsed.
But a hidden order known only to Quiet Wind Pavilion lay within.
The second line consisted of swordsmen and saber users, while the third wielded heavy weapons like spears and axes, shoring up the invisible front.
『Strike and kill!』
At that moment, operatives already embedded in the gaps among the demon ghosts unleashed a barrage of hidden weapons in unison.
Some hurled thunderbolt orbs at those who appeared to be elites.
The massive explosions rocked the battlefield.
Boom boom boom!
Rumble rumble—
"Urk!"
"I can't see! Secure visibility first!"
"Freeze them! Scatter the frost!!"
Already blinded by the dark fire smoke, the demon ghosts were dying inside as blind projectiles kept flying at them.
With no telling when or where a hidden weapon might target their necks, their senses scattered constantly. They couldn't regroup no matter how they tried, as the operatives clung tenaciously, disrupting them.
Even when they managed to cluster around their officers, thunderbolt orbs rained down precisely there, scattering them anew.
Strategic retreat was no easier.
Quiet Wind Pavilion's second line had already advanced to block the rear, while the third line cut down any attempting to flee the battlefield.
As a result, the lesser demon ghosts couldn't even display their true strength before falling one after another.
'Yes. This is it.'
Screeeeech!
Dang Gon wrapped his Fierce Wind Whip around two demon ghosts' necks, snapping them as he laughed.
'This is exactly it!!'
Ecstasy filled his face.
It felt as if the brain chemicals released in moments of extreme joy dominated his entire body.
They had repelled Gu Min-chae's raid well enough back then, but the joy from that paled in comparison to what he savored now.
That had been a mere ambush; now they were holding off the Demonic Cult's all-out assault.
And with only Quiet Wind Pavilion's strength!
Right here, the Fierce Wind was awakening.
For the first time in over two decades.
'Little bro, I've finally kept my promise. Sorry it took so long. You watching from up there, right?'
Dang Gon glanced skyward for a moment.
Over twenty years ago, on that day when Fierce Wind Corps was annihilated. A rookie who had enlisted just two months prior closed his eyes in Dang Gon's arms.
The rookie had been beloved by every member.
Cheerful personality, exceptional talent—Dang Ho-san had even been preparing to recommend him directly to the clan head as a disciple.
The death of such a promising young man had shocked countless members.
Dang Gon had been among them.
'Vice commander, can I ask just one thing of you?'
'What is it?'
'Become... an even madder fierce wind. Make it visible all the way up to the heavens.'
'...Yeah. Got it.'
'You have to. It won't show if it's small. Big. As big as possible. Huge. Or I'll hate you. Heh heh!'
Even to the end, the kid had smiled.
As if he would never die.
Indeed, even after exhaling his final breath, that smiling face remained unchanged.
And today, he had met someone who reminded him of that fallen youngest member.
It was Un Hui.
Cheerful, unflappable, mischievous, yet profoundly insightful.
Thanks to him, Fierce Wind Corps could spread its wings so wide once more. Dang Gon had more than once wondered if the kid had whispered something to Un Hui from beyond.
『Having fun?』
Just then, Gwi Jegal's voice rang in his ear.
Dang Gon turned his gaze rearward.
Atop the roof of a distant pavilion.
Gwi Jegal was leisurely fanning himself with a white feather fan.
Though his mask hid his expression, Dang Gon was certain he wore the same grin.
Dang Gon nodded.
『Good.』
Gwi Jegal chuckled.
『Still, keep your wits about you. Don't go grinning like an idiot and get skewered by some stray blade. I'd treat you like a joke then.』
『Got it. I will.』
Gwi Jegal oversaw the entire battlefield at a glance, directing the operatives via telepathy.
All tactics born from consultations with Un Hui.
Best to heed them closely.
『Check the left flank. It's looking shaky—if it breaks, we're in trouble.』
『Left? Understood.』
『On the right rear, some North White Demon Ghost is probing for blind spots—stay alert.』
『Right.』
『And the whip's range—』
『Enough already—』
『No. Not done yet. Their movements—』
『……』
『Among the elites, some are breaking off—』
『……』
But... quite the laundry list?
『Over here too—』
『There—』
『On that part—』
『No! Damn it! There you do it like this!!』
『Aaaah! So frustrating!』
Pop!
A vein bulged on Dang Gon's forehead.
『……If you're gonna yap on like that, get down here and fight alongside us!!』
『Heh heh heh! I'd love to, but sadly I've got too much to handle from up here.』
『Then shut the hell up!!』
Caught up in the heat of emotion, he'd momentarily forgotten.
Once this chatty masked bastard started talking, blood would pour from his ears.
『Watch out!!』
But he wasn't one to spout nonsense.
A chilling sensation.
Dang Gon gathered his nine-segmented Fierce Wind Whip and slashed downward.
Just then, a colossal figure—like a battering ram piercing the gates—was charging straight at Quiet Wind Pavilion's front.
Booooom!
Three or four operatives were flung back, spraying blood.
Limbs shattered in a single blow; they seemed done for.
Dang Gon didn't even have time to call their names.
"Everyone, fall back! Switch to wheel formation!!"
The arrival of a transcendent expert—no, a mid-tier one at that.
The operatives swiftly created distance, encircling it while drawing their divine machine guns and aiming.
Heavy firearms mainly used by Fierce Wind Corps to handle absolute experts they couldn't take easily.
"Haa...! Haa...! Kill... all...! Haa...! Haa...!"
The monster's appearance was utterly bizarre.
Towering at least eight chi—around 240 centimeters—with a sturdy build, its hands and feet were shackled in prisoner-like iron restraints dangling heavily.
Especially eerie: every exhalation produced white frost breath, showering the ground below with ice shards.
"...No way, that guy's?"
The freak was someone Dang Gon knew all too well.
No former Fierce Wind Corps member could forget.
The problem was that he absolutely shouldn't be alive.
The operatives glanced at Dang Gon, faces etched with alarm—clearly thinking the same.
『Gwi Jegal!』
『...I'm looking into it. But does that even make sense? It feels alive, not like a jiangshi. Even with Demonic North Sea Sect sorcery—』
For the first time, Gwi Jegal—who never flinched at anything—sounded flustered.
The freak's identity was that shocking.
He was the Pagoda Demon King.
A moniker evoking the legendary Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King, former vice sect master of Demonic North Sea Sect, a scourge of the martial world who had slain countless righteous sect members.
And... someone Dang Ho-san and Fierce Wind Corps had hunted down and executed after a three-day-and-night pursuit.
『How can a dead man come back to life?』