Chapter 198
Chapter 198
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 198
Chapter Title: A Perfect Tang Family Member
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Third Battle Line Leader Namgung Hyungsik thought quietly to himself as he left the Serene Advance Palace.
“The Kongtong operation is over.”
Even though it was the result of a scheme he had meticulously planned over a long time, watching the Kongtong Sect crumble so futilely only brought a hollow laugh.
“In the end, the Sect Leader will have no choice but to hand over the Radiant Star Mausoleum to our main house. He’ll have nowhere else to turn.”
The Kongtong Sect’s current situation could be summed up in one phrase.
Isolated and without aid.
It was no different from being stranded alone on a remote island.
In time, the branch families and outer sects would turn their backs one by one.
That was when the disciples connected to the Sect Leader would start defecting in droves.
And after that?
They’d have no choice but to cling to the South Palace Clan just to survive.
Excuses like excluding foreign powers would mean nothing by then.
That was also when the Third Battle Line’s activities would truly begin.
Geographically, Gansu was the perfect position to pressure Sichuan.
Taking over the Kongtong Sect not only secured a strategic high ground to weaken the Tang Clan’s power but also smoothed out communications with the Tianshan Demonic Cult far better than before.
And that was hardly the end of it.
Just possessing the Radiant Star Mausoleum gave them the upper hand in negotiations with the Demonic Cult.
‘And if the Northern Nether Sword and Hell Technique soon fall into my hands as well, it would be the icing on the cake. I’d have the entire waist of the Central Plains under our main house’s feet.’
A sly smile crept across the Third Battle Line Leader’s lips.
“How far have the Flying Fox Lake Company and the Dark Soul Unit progressed?”
Currently, the North Sea Sect Leader’s sacred relic and secret manual were being secretly transported to Kongtong Mountain. It was to prevent the Tang Clan from catching on and intervening.
It was taking quite some time to reach his hands, but the Third Battle Line Leader actually relished the wait.
He was a man who appreciated the beauty of anticipation.
Ssslrk!
At that moment, a Dark Palace squad member landed silently beside the Third Battle Line Leader and bowed his head in report.
“They just passed through the provincial border a short while ago, sir.”
“They’re practically there.”
Kongtong Mountain was near the provincial border connecting Gansu and Sichuan.
“Any unusual activity from the Tang Clan side?”
“No, sir. None detected.”
“Good. Very good.”
Everything was proceeding smoothly.
He was already well aware that the Ghost Sect Leader had arrived near Kongtong Mountain.
Full-scale negotiations would begin soon.
The treaty signed then would definitively seal the South Palace Clan’s prestige.
And at that time.
‘I could aim for the Dark Thunder Division Leader position, or even the Young Clan Leader’s seat.’
The Third Battle Line Leader’s mouth split into a wide grin.
All he could see before him was a future of unbroken triumphs.
* * *
“…I’m guessing they’re all dreaming different dreams like this.”
“Little brother.”
“Yes?”
“Can I say just one thing?”
“?”
“You are truly… a perfect Tang Family man!”
“……”
It was clearly a compliment, so why did it feel so off?
「Lion Sword King, this fool knows one thing and ignores two!!」
「A Tang Family member’s character can’t even compare to the tip of the Little Church Leader’s toe!!」
He deeply contemplated turning all the lingering spirits into Lingering Spirit Pills.
I gave the Lion Sword King a long explanation of how the Dark Thunder Division would react when we pretended we were dead and staged our appearance.
It amounted to them choking on mala tang broth after gorging themselves.
The Lion Sword King slapped his thigh repeatedly, bursting with admiration.
“If we can truly deceive the enemy’s eyes and strike their unguarded flank, nothing could be better. Imagine their shock when the supposedly annihilated Half-Evil Swarm suddenly appears in the heart of Kongtong Mountain!”
Just imagining it was so amusing that his grin stretched from ear to ear and wouldn’t come down.
To smile so happily at others’ misfortune.
This man was more than qualified to be a loyal ally of the Tang Clan.
“But striking their flank is good and all, but is there really a way to slip into Kongtong Mountain quietly like this?”
Of course, he wasn’t just blindly optimistic without a plan.
The Lion Sword King’s role was evaluator and advisor.
Warnings naturally followed.
“Even if it’s a remote western border region far from Anhui, we can’t underestimate the Dark Thunder Division’s surveillance network. Even if they’ve let their guard down, completely hiding our movements won’t be easy.”
“Yes. I’m aware of that too.”
“So there’s a way to enter Gansu quietly?”
The Lion Sword King pressed for the plan, and I grinned slyly like a fortune-teller divulging heavenly secrets.
* * *
The next day, at dawn.
After fully exiting Songban County, we encountered a massive merchant caravan in the midst of setting up camp.
The flag announcing them bore just two characters.
Heavenly Grace.
It was the Heavenly Grace Merchant Group’s caravan.
“It’s an honor to meet the famed Lion Sword King and the Half-Evil Swarm in person. I am Geum Sihun, chief steward of Heavenly Grace.”
Geum Sihun was a middle-aged man with a dignified presence.
The scholar’s robe draped over his upper body suited him so well that if he hadn’t been introduced as a merchant, one might have mistaken him for a scholar-official.
“The Lion Sword King returns your wise courtesy. Pleased to meet you.”
“I’m the Tang Clan’s Yunhwi. The Merchant Clan Leader boldly assured me he’d introduce someone reliable, but I never dreamed the Merchant Duke himself would step forward.”
Merchant Duke Geum Sihun.
No one in the merchant world was unaware of his name.
He was the primary contributor to Heavenly Grace Merchant Group’s place among the Ten Great Merchant Groups of the world.
The right-hand man of the previous group leader and the Merchant Clan Leader’s chief advisor.
Before leaving the Tang Family stronghold, I had made one specific request to the Merchant Clan Leader.
Whether I could receive some assistance upon arriving in Gansu.
I had no intention whatsoever of entering Gansu while being tailed by the South Palace Clan or Kongtong.
Gansu was already deep in enemy territory.
Did they think I was insane enough to step in without any precautions?
Naturally, I had prepared several means to blind their eyes, and one of them was the Heavenly Grace Merchant Group.
The world was still unaware of my amicable ties with Heavenly Grace.
That meant we could use it cleverly at least once.
‘And if needed, we could procure weapons or supplies.’
Of course, we could rely on the Tang Clan branch, but that would only deduct points from the bald elder.
There might even be Dark Thunder Division spies lurking in the branch.
That was why we planned to use Heavenly Grace as a smokescreen to infiltrate Gansu quietly, then launch a blitzkrieg on the Kongtong Sect before they caught on.
Perhaps because of that, the Lion Sword King was staring at me intently from behind.
His gaze seemed to ask when I had forged such good relations with Heavenly Grace.
Even this man, my closest confidant, was reacting this way—what faces would the South Palace Clan or Ghost Sect make?
They’d probably die of delight.
「Heh heh heh! Just thinking of them recoiling in horror makes my heart pound already!」
「Please give those scoundrels a proper lesson in character!!」
Merchant Duke Geum Sihun smiled as he spoke.
“Merchant Duke? It’s just a hollow title slapped on a petty man chasing small profits before his eyes.”
“If Chief Steward Geum were truly just a petty man, the rogues of the martial world wouldn’t have bestowed and offered the title of Duke on their own.”
“Haha. Well now. You keep gilding my face like this—it’s hard to know what to say.”
Geum Sihun scratched his cheek with an awkward expression, but he didn’t look offended in the slightest.
Having dealt with arrogant martial artists who thought highly of themselves until now, meeting such a polite warrior must have been refreshing.
It seemed to leave a good impression.
That was fortunate for me.
His goodwill and cooperation were absolutely essential for this mission.
“What the Half-Evil Swarm needs to do is very simple. First, change into the clothes we’ve prepared—”
From then on, the Half-Evil Swarm moved busily at Geum Sihun’s command.
This caravan was a “real” one that had just returned to the Central Plains after trading in the distant Western Regions.
With over five hundred members, swapping out around a hundred wouldn’t raise any flags.
In other words, we were now porters or escorts returning to the Lanzhou branch in Gansu.
「To reach Lanzhou, we have no choice but to pass through the official road cutting Kongtong Mountain, so even the South Palace Clan won’t suspect much.」
「A truly ingenious plan.」
Fortunately, the swarm members all looked thrilled.
When in their lives had they ever worn such disguises?
On the other hand, they were buzzing with excitement at the idea of sneaking into the heart of enemy territory incognito.
I cautioned those showing particularly strong signs of it.
Once in Gansu, there’d be plenty of surveillance—we couldn’t afford any flashy actions that might draw suspicion.
Fortunately, the swarm had shed some of their greenhorn tendencies after the recent fierce battle. It didn’t seem like it would cause major issues.
And sure enough.
The caravan safely crossed the Gansu border and reached the outskirts of Kongtong Mountain without incident.
* * *
“As rumored, the terrain is truly rugged.”
I nodded gravely at the Lion Sword King’s words.
「Kongtong Mountain is the most treacherous of treacherous lands, where the Jinling, Liuban, Qilian, and Western Ridge ranges converge.」
「It’s no wonder the Beast Sect Leader charged in boldly just over a decade ago only to tuck tail and flee.」
「Even attempting a siege is difficult with deserts all around—」
The lingering spirits were daunted by the sight of Kongtong Mountain’s peaks after so long.
“Can we really take that place?”
“If the South Palace Clan or Demonic Cult dig in and wage guerrilla warfare from the terrain, it’d be a headache like no other.”
At first glance, the Lion Sword King’s tone sounded concerned for me, but his eyes sparkled with mischief.
Eyes rebuking me to spill whatever I was hiding quickly.
Eyes saying it wasn’t fun if only he knew the secret.
Did he think I was a magic pouch that spat out stratagems with a poke to the ribs?
「But you’ve already prepared the full plan, haven’t you?」
That was the problem.
I really had the whole operation mapped out.
This was why life with smart people was such a hassle.
Everyone had no choice but to rely on me.
“That’s why we aim for total annihilation in one strike.”
“Total annihilation? How? Elaborate, little brother. Can’t you see Old Wu twisting in curiosity here?”
Pfft.
I couldn’t help but chuckle.
Then I laughed until my fangs gleamed.
“We’ve already spread fake news through Flying Fox Lake that the Dark Soul Unit has arrived near Kongtong Mountain.”
The Lion Sword King knew Flying Fox Lake’s true identity.
His eyes widened slightly.
“Then…?”
“Yes. We pretend to offer the Northern Nether Sword and Hell Technique, and meet the Dark Palace Commander. The Third Battle Line Leader too, if possible.”
“You’re aiming to assassinate them!”
“I wonder if they’ll have the leisure to act smug after we smash all their heads in.”
I chuckled sharply, but the Lion Sword King’s face hardened.
“Out of the question. The plan’s solid, sure, but Iron Sleeve Flying Sword—that viper of a man! You think you lot can handle him alone? And with the Sword Elders of the Hundred Thunder Sword Division there too? I know you took down the Nostalgic Sword Emperor and Yin Thunder Divine Sword, but Iron Sleeve Flying Sword is active top-tier, unlike those retirees! Plus, every elite of the Third Battle Line will be there—how do you plan to deal with them all—”
I stared blankly at the Lion Sword King as he rattled off his scolding like a machine gun.
“…What’s with that look?”
“Why would we face Iron Sleeve Flying Sword or the Sword Elders?”
“What? Didn’t you say you’d crack their skulls? If not you, who will?”
“……”
“No way?”
“……”
“No! I’m the evaluator! For fairness, I can’t intervene unless it’s an emergency! The Clan Leader will beat me to death!”
The Lion Sword King jumped in place.
But I just smiled.
“That’s why you don’t want to join this fun show?”
“Th-that’s—”
“I hear Iron Sleeve Flying Sword ranks among the South Palace Clan’s top swordsmen in pure swordsmanship. Don’t you want a match?”
“N-no. There’s the te, te, test—”
“So you won’t?”
“……”
“Really?”
“……”
I kept staring at him for a good while.
“Ahem! If my little brother needs Old Wu this badly, how could I, as his big brother, refuse to help?”
The Lion Sword King turned his head aside and cleared his throat lightly.
My smile widened.
As expected.
This born fighter had clearly been itching for action all this time.
And I was certain the bald elder had assigned the Lion Sword King to me precisely for this reason.