Chapter 244: An Unprecedented Threat
Chapter 244: An Unprecedented Threat
'The Hainan Sect's warriors were completely wiped out!'
This latest shocking news set the rumor-mongers of the southern martial world ablaze once more.
It was about Inparang again.
In fact, anyone could have easily predicted that the Hainan Sect would go after Inparang, who had publicly declared revenge against the sect and even announced he would go to the Southern Sea Demon Sovereign Man Hak-sung.
But even those who had expected this never predicted that even the Black Dragon Ship warriors would be mobilized.
Taking as many as two hundred elite warriors from the Black Dragon Ships, the Hainan Sect's finest, could only be described as an overt declaration of intent to eliminate Inparang.
Yet, absurdly, they were all annihilated.
And even along with the three family heads who had gone to meet Inparang: Myo Cheong-ju, Ja Gae-chu, and Sul Mo-saeng.
The gossipers could only grow more excited.
Inparang's revenge drama was hurtling toward its climax.
Moreover, as it became known that those who helped Inparang and killed them were the remnants of the Haenam In family warriors who had been in hiding, the situation had become utterly chaotic, with no one knowing where things would go next.
It was a chaotic situation where the Haenam In family, once synonymous with the Hainan Sect itself, and its successor were now opposing the sect together.
For the Hainan Sect, it could only be described as a tragic situation.
But not for those watching.
For them, there could be no more interesting situation.
Not even a story written by the most entertaining writer could be this gripping.
They had no choice but to pay increasing attention to this fascinating revenge drama.
'Hainan Sword Dragon'
That was the new nickname the gossipers had bestowed upon Inparang this time.
To him, who had declared revenge against the Hainan Sect and that he would borrow the strength of the Southern Sea Demon Mirror, the people had still attached the title of 'Hainan.'
It actually meant that everyone knew.
That his path was not just a fight against the Hainan Sect, but would become the way to determine the true master of the Hainan Sect.
That the true master of the Hainan Sect would emerge between the two: the Hainan Demon Sword and the Hainan Sword Dragon.
All martial artists of the south were now eagerly awaiting the conclusion of this revenge drama.
***
The conference hall of the Hainan Sect on Hainan Island, Guangdong Province.
The Hainan Demon Sword Jin Tae-do, sect leader of the Hainan Sect, was roaring ferociously.
"Look at what that bastard did! Do you truly believe this is something the successor of the Haenam In family would do?! Are you still thinking that bastard is really Inparang?!"
No one could answer his furious voice.
Even Oh Ik-deok, head of the Hainan Oh family, the One Blade Killing Edge, who would normally frown at his claims, and Yu Hae-eung of the Dragon King's Palace, who would raise counterarguments with an icy expression, were the same.
They merely let out groans with heavy expressions.
"Hmm."
"Hrmm."
When no one could refute his words, Jin Tae-do spat out with burning eyes.
"I should have gone. I should have gone and stopped that bastard's rampage! Look at the price we paid for trying to verify those absurd rumors! Head Ja! Head Myo! Head Sul! Even when fighting the Demon Mirror, we have never lost three family heads at once! This is an unprecedented catastrophe in the history of the Hainan Sect! What kind of nonsensical situation is this?!"
Of course, while Jin Tae-do hadn't gone himself, he had secretly sent Black Dragon Ship warriors along.
Those points were sufficiently suspicious in intent, and criticisms could definitely have been raised.
But neither Yu Hae-eung nor Oh Ik-deok could offer any criticism.
Because, as Jin Tae-do said, losing three family heads at once was an unparalleled catastrophe in the Hainan Sect's history.
Thanks to this, Jin Tae-do could yell freely without any opposition from the family heads for the first time since becoming sect leader.
"Myo A-ran sojeo, the daughter of the late Head Myo, came to me in tears and pleaded! To please kill that bastard! To avenge her unjustly killed father! So this time, I will go. I will go and grind that bastard to dust! And then I will imprint upon everyone what kind of place the Hainan Sect is!"
Then he shouted at Yu Hae-eung and Oh Ik-deok, his eyes flashing with murderous intent.
"I do not think there will be anyone who will still oppose. But even if you do, I do not care. For this time, I will accept no one's opposition! Even if Head Yu, Head Oh, and Head Shin oppose, I will do as I wish this time! Those three family heads, know that!"
At his declaration, Yu Hae-eung, Oh Ik-deok, and Shin Doo-wol, who had always stood on his opposing side, merely avoided his gaze with grim expressions.
They, who had initially insisted on verifying Inparang, were in a position to take responsibility for this situation; there was no way they had anything else to say.
Jin Tae-do, while outwardly roaring as if more furious than anyone, could feel inside a refreshing sensation as if the pent-up frustrations he had held were finally being released.
Although losing the warriors of three Black Dragon Ships was infuriating, thanks to this he was able to taste the feeling of becoming the true supreme ruler of the Hainan Sect.
Suddenly, Jin Tae-do felt grateful to Myo A-ran, who had come to him first.
After returning to Hainan Island, she had come to him first and said this.
'Please avenge my father. And guarantee the continuance of the Myo family. If the sect leader does that for me, I will not reveal to anyone what you did ten years ago, when you killed Head In Gye-un.'
Listening to her words, Jin Tae-do had to feel both dread and relief at the same time.
As expected, that bastard must indeed be the real Inparang.
Since Myo A-ran had learned the truth of the incident from ten years ago.
So if someone like Yu Hae-eung or Oh Ik-deok had come to know this fact....
Just thinking about it was horrifying.
But at the same time, he was relieved.
Because that bastard Inparang, crazed with revenge, had killed Head Ja who could have been on his side, and the fact that Myo A-ran, the only one to survive and learn the truth, had come to him first.
If she hadn't come to him first, didn't that mean that the incident from over ten years ago would have nearly been discovered by others?
Jin Tae-do let out a sigh of relief anew.
'Heaven's luck was with me.'
Thanks to her coming to him, he had obtained justification to kill Inparang and at the same time could bury the incident from ten years ago; it could only be said that heaven had helped him.
After that, Jin Tae-do completely blocked her contact with the outside under the pretext of protecting her.
And it seemed he would probably have to keep doing so in the future.
Since he couldn't let her go free knowing such dangerous facts.
If it were up to him, he felt like just eliminating her.
But for now, the eyes currently focused on her were somewhat burdensome to do so.
He would probably have to wait until the interest in her died down a bit.
'And... that beauty of hers was a bit of a waste too. Heh heh heh.'
Anyway, it seemed he could postpone the decision about her to later.
Because the top priority right now was hunting Inparang, that baby tiger.
Jin Tae-do smiled inwardly.
'Hainan Sword Dragon? Khehehe. That was ridiculous. I would show you before you died what kind of power the true master of Hainan possessed.'
The gaze of Jin Tae-do, called the Southern Sea Net or the Hainan Demon Sword, began to turn toward Seonwoo Jin across the sea.
One of the Thirty-Six Stars of the World, the true ultimate master of the Hainan Sect, had finally moved his heavy steps.
For Seonwoo Jin, it was an incomparably powerful threat unlike anything before.
***
At the same time, the Hengshan Sect on Mount Heng in Hunan Province.
Their sect leader, Wi Jeong-guk, was in a state of terrifying rage.
He was so angry that he omitted the usual title of Outer Hall Master and simply called Jwa Ga-gyun by name.
He asked in a cold voice, as if chewing and spitting out the words.
"Say it again, Jwa Ga-gyun. What happened to Pasan Third Squad and Fourth Squad?"
Then Jwa Ga-gyun, the Outer Hall Master of the Hengshan Sect, trembling, reported once again.
"Th- the two squads that went to that bastard Inparang appear to be completely annihilated. Contact was lost after they made contact with him, and according to the reports of the investigation teams that arrived later, an enormous number of corpses were found along with the body of Fourth Squad Leader Un-dang...."
Then a cold chill like eternal snow poured from Wi Jeong-guk's eyes.
"An enormous number of corpses?"
Jwa Ga-gyun flinched at the cold force and hastily answered.
"Yes! They were corpses wearing the clothes of ordinary commoners in a regular slash-and-burn village, but according to the investigation, they were all likely martial artists, and assassins at that."
"...Assassins?"
"Yes! So the investigation team has reported a high probability that they were assassins from Hyeoluryeon!"
Upon hearing the report, Wi Jeong-guk asked again, biting off his words.
"Why, on earth, would Hyeoluryeon attack our Pasanjo?"
"Th- that far, I am not sure either...."
Jwa Ga-gyun knelt and deeply bowed his head.
Though it wasn't his fault, he knew better than anyone that this wasn't such an important fact to Wi Jeong-guk in this situation.
Then, as expected, Wi Jeong-guk, as if looking for a place to unleash his anger, exuded killing intent and said to Jwa Ga-gyun.
"Jwa Ga-gyun, you said back then that one squad of Pasanjo would be more than enough for that bastard Inparang. But even after sending two squads, this is the result. Because of you, we lost two precious squads of Pasanjo. What should I do with you now?"
Hearing those words, Jwa Ga-gyun felt a sense of injustice welling up to the top of his head.
Hadn't the decision to send two squads of Pasanjo been Wi Jeong-guk's, not his?
Why was he being held responsible for something he hadn't even sent?
But Jwa Ga-gyun couldn't bring himself to voice those words rising in his chest.
He merely prostrated himself further and begged for forgiveness.
Because he well knew that the moment he uttered those words, he would most likely die.
"I- I'm sorry, Sect Leader! If you give me just one more chance, I will definitely take care of that bastard this time! And I will live only for the Sect Leader!"
Then a deep silence flowed for a moment.
Because Jwa Ga-gyun had his head deeply bowed, he couldn't see Wi Jeong-g