Chapter 172: Kidnapping
Chapter 172: Kidnapping
"Sword Saint Elder!"
White Tiger Squad Commander Dong Bang Mu-geuk screamed as if his throat would burst, rushing toward the Sword Saint.
The other White Tiger squad members did the same.
"Elder!"
"You mustn't, Elder!"
Even though his heart had been pierced, the Sword Saint still stood upright, his sword planted in the ground.
It seemed as though, if they approached him, he would greet them with his usual booming laugh of 'Heoheo!'.
"Elder!"
But when Dong Bang Mu-geuk ran with all his might and placed his hand on his body, he was forced to witness the Sword Saint's body slowly falling backward.
"Elder!"
"Sword Saint Elder!"
"You can't leave us, Elder!"
All the White Tiger squad members rushed over and wept, but that did nothing to make the Sword Saint, whose heart had already stopped, open his eyes again.
"Noooo!"
They all wailed together.
They simply could not believe that their idol and hero had met such an unjust and futile end.
But then, when the entire place had become a sea of tears as they cried out the Sword Saint's name,
suddenly someone spoke to them in a cold voice.
"Commander Dong Bang, a message from the alliance."
It was a cold voice, utterly devoid of any feeling, even though the Sword Saint, the idol of all martial artists, had died.
At that terrible sense of dissonance, Dong Bang Mu-geuk, tears streaming down his face, had no choice but to lift his head and look at the speaker.
Then his eyes fell upon a warrior wearing a uniform similar to the White Tiger Squad, but with a Black Tiger emblem stitched on instead of a White Tiger one.
Dong Bang Mu-geuk, who had never seen his face before, stopped his tears with effort and asked with a sharp glare.
"I've never seen your face before. Who are you?"
Then the man answered with a sneer.
"Is a first meeting not the same for both of us? I am Won Dang, Commander of the Black Tiger Unit."
"...The Black Tiger Unit?"
It was the name of an armed force he had never heard before.
But it was clear from his attire that he was a warrior of the Murim Alliance.
The man continued speaking.
"I will say it again, a message from the alliance. Orders have come from above to classify everything that happened here, as well as all events that occurred on the frontline, as confidential."
"Everything?"
"That is correct. Everything."
Dong Bang Mu-geuk glared at him with a face that had regained its composure and slowly asked again.
"Does 'everything' include the fact that the Sword Saint was ambushed by the Blood Demon and other demon heads while en route to his duel here?"
Then the man called Black Tiger Commander Won Dang replied with an expression of disbelief.
"Would that not be obvious? A conflict with the Blood Cult is, of course, a top-level secret. The alliance has issued orders for everyone in the White Tiger Squad to sign a confidentiality oath regarding that incident, as well as all events that occurred on the frontline. And there is also an order for your immediate return."
Dong Bang Mu-geuk suddenly and slowly looked around him.
He then realized that Black Tiger Commander Won Dang and his surrounding Black Tiger unit members, along with several hundred armed force members bearing similar black insignias, had already completely surrounded them.
Dong Bang Mu-geuk realized that these were the troops the Sword Saint had spoken of earlier, the ones who had encircled the area.
And with a sharp glare, he asked Won Dang.
"You, you are from the Shadow Unit."
Then Won Dang sneered and retorted.
"Shadow Unit? What is that? I don't know what you're talking about. More importantly... shouldn't you be giving your answer to the order?"
Dong Bang Mu-geuk understood as well.
That if they refused to comply, the intention was to silence the entire White Tiger Squad by eliminating every last one of them.
Dong Bang Mu-geuk closed his eyes tightly.
Then, after a moment, he opened them with a weary expression and asked.
"I wish to escort the Sword Saint Elder to his home personally. Would that be possible?"
Then Won Dang, who had worn a slightly regretful expression, glanced at the Sword Saint's corpse, its heart pierced, and nodded as if there was nothing to be done.
"That much is acceptable."
Dong Bang Mu-geuk suppressed his fury.
The Sword Saint had not said it directly, but he knew well why the old man had come to conclude his duel even in such a physical state.
Therefore, he could not let the squad members whose lives the Sword Saint had traded his own to save die by his hand.
He gave the order to the White Tiger squad members.
"From this moment on, we must escort the Sword Saint Elder home! Everyone...!"
His voice choked up.
He simply could not believe this situation was real.
But he was the Commander of the White Tiger Squad.
He had to hold the center and take responsibility for his squad members.
"Everyone, prepare to escort the Elder comfortably, all of you!"
Hearing his command, the White Tiger squad members began preparing to transport the Sword Saint's body, even as tears streamed down their faces.
They were surrounded by countless warriors of the Murim Alliance.
***
Meanwhile, just as the Sword Saint had departed from the Flying Dragon Thirteen Squads, Hae Cheong-yeon was clasping her hands tightly together, watching her father's retreating figure.
She was so terribly anxious.
She knew how strong her father was, and even though many people were accompanying him, that anxiety did not disappear.
Hae Cheong-yeon had coldly believed that as long as one of the Fifteen Absolute Masters did not come, no one could harm her father.
No, she believed that even among the Fifteen Absolute Masters, unless it was a top-tier expert like the Sword Emperor or the Four Kings, no one could ever harm her father.
'Father has always hidden his true strength. So even if Gwon-seong or the Saintess, who are known to be at his level, came, they would not be able to defeat him.'
Therefore, no matter what trap Jegal Ji-gang, who did not know her father's true power, dug, it was bound to end in martial futility.
But it was strange.
Even as she coldly reasoned that it had to be true, she simply could not shake off this sense of dread.
It was something utterly incomprehensible for her, someone who valued cold reason and judgment above all.
So Hae Cheong-yeon remained standing there alone long after the Sword Saint had left, even after all the other Flying Dragon Thirteen squad members had returned.
How much time passed? She had been standing there in a daze for a long while when it happened.
Suddenly, her former colleagues from Squad Seven, Na Seo-yu and Cheon Ju-eun, approached her.
"Cheong-yeon, don't worry too much. The Sword Saint Elder will return safely."
"That's right, unni. Don't worry too much. Absolutely nothing will happen."
She had thought she was definitely alone....
When she abruptly looked around, she saw that not only Je Won-yeong, the Jeomchang Sword Tiger who was fervently courting her, but also Seol Pung, Bi Sa-yeong, and Bae Jong-gwan were hovering nearby, unable to bring themselves to approach her directly.
It seemed they had been worried about her and had waited, unable to leave.
Hae Cheong-yeon suddenly felt her heart grow warm, and at the same time, her eyes stung.
It was strange.
People waiting for her was normally just a nuisance, and those words of comfort were clearly meaningless and useless, yet strangely, her heart felt choked up.
She felt she could suddenly understand a little why he had treasured these people so much.
And....
She missed him.
If only, in this moment, the person comforting her by her side could be him....
That was when it happened.
Seol Pung suddenly launched himself forward with a desperate expression and shouted.
"Dodge!"
It was when everyone was staring at his sudden charge with surprised eyes.
"Commander?!"
"Why?!"
They immediately understood the reason for his action.
This was because the moment Seol Pung, who had charged like a wild beast, slammed into the space behind Hae Cheong-yeon, a massive explosion erupted.
Kwaaaaaang!
"Keuheuk!"
Seol Pung, who had collided with something, was sent flying backward.
Only then could the others see it.
A shadowy figure in black, who had bounced Seol Pung away and was stepping back slightly, murmured as if impressed.
"Hoh, at that age, already at the transcendent peak? And you even saw through my stealth?"
Only then, everyone who had spotted the black-robed figure was startled and quickly retreated, shouting.
"Who are you?!"
"It's an enemy!"
"Evade!"
Then the ghost-like black-robed figure, deeply shrouded in a blood wind robe, suddenly looked at Hae Cheong-yeon and asked.
"Are you Hae Cheong-yeon?"
In that instant, Hae Cheong-yeon felt goosebumps erupt all over her body.
It was because she felt she could immediately understand who he was and what this situation meant.
At that moment, Seol Pung charged fiercely once more.
"Step back, demon head!"
The Fierce Tiger Claw, enveloped in red energetic force and transformed into massive crimson talons, was swung as if to tear the ghost-like man to shreds.
The others did the same.
Je Won-yeong was leaping in behind Seol Pung, and Bi Sa-yeong also turned into a gale and moved to flank the demon head.
But it was useless.
"Impressive. If left alive, you'll become a nuisance."
From the quietly muttering man's body, several strands of light shot out.
Pyusyusyuk!
Three strands of light curved as if alive and struck at Seol Pung's vital points.
The speed was overwhelming.
"Keuk?!"
Seol Pung had no choice but to halt his offensive and whirl his body fiercely to defend himself.
Titing!
Seol Pung's body was sent flying backward again.
But he was the only one who could manage even that defense.
Another strand of light had pierced the abdomen of Je Won-yeong, who was charging in while spewing sword qi.
Puuuuk!
"Heo-eok!"
As Je Won-yeong crumpled forward, Bi Sa-yeong barely managed to evade the strand of light aimed at him by accelerating suddenly with his Explosive Advance Step.
Pah-ang!
But despite that, it could not prevent the thing from strongly grazing his arm as it passed.
Chiiiik!
"Ugh!"
And through the beam of light embedded in Je Won-yeong's body, the people were barely able to grasp what that beam of light was.
They were flying daggers attached to silver threads.
The flying daggers moving at terrifying speed were being controlled by the silver threads, moving as if alive and attacking them.
When Seol Pung was deflected away and Je Won-yeong and Bi Sa-yeong were both repelled, the black-clothed man approached Hae Cheong-yeon once more.
But there were still more who wished to protect Hae Cheong-yeon.
Sak Mu-heun, who had been concealed within Hae Cheong-yeon's shadow, lunged out like lightning and thrust his sword.
Syuhak!
Na Seo-yu, who had synchronized her timing with Sak Mu-heun through telepathic transmission, did the same.
Simultaneously, she leaped at the man from the side.
On her sword, having only recently finally reached the peak realm, a pale yellow sword qi shimmered faintly.
"Hap!"
Shiiiik!
But none of it worked on the man.
He simply raised both hands and struck away the two swords thrusting at him.
Jjeojeong!
"!"
"Ugh?!"
The two were horrified.
It was because their swords, which had even been imbued with sword qi, had been destroyed so utterly absurdly.
And the necks of Sak Mu-heun and Na Seo-yu, who had been shocked for a moment, were instantly seized by the man's hands.
Tteodeok!
"Heok!"
"Kkeuk!"
Having suppressed the lifeblood of both, the man spoke mockingly.
"To think you could conceal yourselves before me. How adorable."
And it was just as he was about to put strength into his hands and snap their necks.
"Stop!"
Hae Cheong-yeon shouted.
And the black-clothed man, who had glanced at her, was truly forced to stop his hands.
Because she was holding her sword to her own neck, as if about to commit suicide.
"Hmm?"
And Hae Cheong-yeon, seeing him genuinely hesitate, was able to confirm that her hypothesis was correct.
She spoke in a calm and resolute voice.
"If even one person here dies, you will be looking at my corpse."
The man, who had been watching her for a moment, then asked.
"Why do you think I would care about you dying?"
Hae Cheong-yeon smiled faintly and asked back.
"Do you not?"
Simultaneously, the blade of her sword lightly cut into her own neck without hesitation.
Red blood streamed down from her neck.
Then the man urgently cried out.
"Enough!"
Then he spoke in a dismayed voice.
"Understood. If you will only follow quietly, I will kill no one."
These were words Hae Cheong-yeon had been waiting for.
Upon hearing them, Hae Cheong-yeon immediately shouted toward the comrades around her who were preparing to charge.
"Everyone stop your attacks!"
Then Seol Pung and Bi Sa-yeong, who had been watching for an opening in the man, looked at Hae Cheong-yeon with questioning eyes.
Without ever taking her eyes off the man, Hae Cheong-yeon slowly explained the reason.
"This man is Guyueumma Jigieum! He is not someone we can handle in any case!"
"...Ji Gi-eum?!"
"You say Guyueumma Jigieum?!"
Her words could not help but be shocking.
That ghostly figure was one of the Blood Cult's Five Demons and a transcendent master belonging to the Thirty-Six Stars of the World.
Seol Pung and the others stared at him with horrified eyes.
Then he merely sneered, as if finding it bothersome.
"Hmph!"
With that, everyone could know.
That he was truly Guyueumma Jigieum.
Hae Cheong-yeon continued speaking.
"This man came right after my father left. Which means he knew that I am my father's daughter and am still alive. The relationship between Jegal Ji-gang and the Blood Cult seems to be even closer than I thought. And it seems that the trap waiting for my father this time also includes members of the Blood Cult."
At her words, everyone looked at her with surprised eyes.
Even Ji Gi-eum himself appeared to be surprised.
"I thought, no matter how wise, she would still be a mere child... You are remarkable."
Hae Cheong-yeon suddenly asked him.
"Did the Blood Demon go to my father?"
Ji Gi-eum did not answer immediately.
But Hae Cheong-yeon was already able to gain certainty from that reaction.
And she decided on the action she had to take.
"I see. From now on, I will follow you willingly. In return, if you approach within a certain distance, I will immediately take my own life."
At her words, everyone shouted in shock.
"Eonni?!"
"Lady Hae!"
"Sojeo, you must not!"
Then she spoke in a cold voice.
"In any case, since this man has come in person, there is no option where I do not follow him. The worst case is all of you dying and me being captured by this man. The second worst is all of us dying here. So there is no better option than me following this man without being subdued. What you must do is return immediately and inform them of this matter. Do you understand?"
Speaking thus, Hae Cheong-yeon suddenly thought.
If he had been here, perhaps he might have thought of a better option than this.
But what could be done.
The one who decided to leave his side was none other than herself.
It was then.
Seol Pung, his eyes beginning to gradually take on a red hue, looked at her and spoke.
"No, Sojeo. There is definitely another option. Trust me."
Hae Cheong-yeon looked at him for a moment.
Hae Cheong-yeon knew well how terrifyingly powerful Seol Pung became when he used that red-eyed martial art.
Moreover, she did not know the results of his recent training with her father the Sword Saint, so perhaps he truly could match Guyueumma in a direct confrontation.
But despite that, Hae Cheong-yeon shook her head.
"No, Squad Leader. Even if you can match that man, Na Eonni and Sak Orabeoni will surely die in the process."
At her words, Seol Pung could only grit his teeth.
Hae Cheong-yeon was right.
Because as long as Na Seo-yu was captured, Seol Pung absolutely could not move recklessly.
The current situation was that Ji Gi-eum held Na Seo-yu and Sak Mu-heun as hostages, while Hae Cheong-yeon held herself as a hostage.
'The only reason that's even possible is because that man is trying to take me alive. Desperately enough to even leave the witnesses alive so that I won't die.'
Hae Cheong-yeon thought that perhaps the reason was related to her father.
That he needed a hostage to threaten her father.
Of course, there were a few strange points about thinking that way.
Because with the Blood Cult's secret arts, it seemed they could use her as a hostage without her necessarily being alive.
In any case, Hae Cheong-yeon's choice in this situation was to follow Ji Gi-eum obediently but stall for as much time as possible.
She had to follow him obediently to prevent him from killing the others, and she had to stall for time until the confrontation was over so that she would not become a hostage who hindered her father.
So, the most important thing for that was to not be subdued by that man until the very end.
Before Ji Gi-eum could think of something else, Hae Cheong-yeon struck first and made a demand.
"Now, would you please create some distance? Then I shall follow."
But even while speaking calmly on the surface, Hae Cheong-yeon was extremely tense.
Because if she was needed as a hostage, he might not tolerate her stalling for time.
But contrary to her worries, Ji Gi-eum obediently created distance from her.
Seuseuseuk!
"Is this much sufficient?"
Hae Cheong-yeon suddenly thought that perhaps the reason she was needed might not be as a hostage.
But outwardly, she simply gave a cold nod.
"Yes, that much is sufficient. Now let's go."
Then the comrades around her, who had been at a loss as to what to do, cried out.
"Eonni!"
"Lady Hae!"
Especially Je Won-yeong, whose stomach had been pierced by Ji Gi-eum's flying daggers, was collapsed and bleeding profusely yet still desperately calling out to her.
"Sojeo! You must not! You must not go!"
Hae Cheong-yeon looked at him for a moment.
He was a person she was sorry toward.
Someone who had approached her more passionately and intensely than anyone she had ever seen.
But someone whose feelings she could never return.
She had even thought this once.
If she had met him before Seonwoo Jin, she would very naturally have accepted his heart.
But she had met Seonwoo Jin first, and she simply could not bring herself to accept his feelings.
The thought occurred to her that perhaps this was fate.
Something that reason alone could never understand, nor rebel against...
Perhaps Seonwoo Jin, he had been the same?
Had that fate drawn his heart to Na Seo-yu, and to Dang Yeo-eun?
With such thoughts, Hae Cheong-yeon left her final words to her comrades.
"I will somehow send Na Eonni and Sak Orabeoni back safely. Do not worry too much. And seeing that he intends to take me alive, he does not seem to have the intention of killing me on the spot. So... let us make a promise for our future. Everyone, stay healthy. And...."
Having spoken up to that point, Hae Cheong-yeon ultimately could not finish her final words regarding Seonwoo Jin.
Then she turned her head and followed Ji Gi-eum.
Behind her, as she walked lightly away as if merely stepping out for a moment, only Je Won-yeong's heart-wrenching cries continued to echo.
"Sojeo! Sojeo! You must not! Sojeo!"