Chapter 63: Giant Strength Demon-1
Chapter 63: Giant Strength Demon-1
Mosigal hid in the shadows beneath the wall and sent a telepathic message to his subordinates.
[Everyone get ready. The moment the men move forward, we strike.]
[Yes! Understood!]
It was only yesterday that Mosigal had arrived at the Sangeommun branch hall in Gwiju Castle.
It was because, after hearing the rumors about Cheonsang Mihui Yeon Hae, he simply could not contain himself any longer.
So he obtained permission from Georyeokma Jeo Woong-won to kidnap her, and then came to the Sangeommun branch hall in Gwiju Castle with Gwijando So Yu-reung, a peak-level master with over seventy years of internal energy like himself, and four upper-tier first-rate subordinates, waiting for an opportunity.
But the rumored Cheonsang Mihui Yeon Hae seemed to have holed up inside Sangeommun with absolutely no intention of coming out.
So Mosigal had been on the verge of waiting only until tomorrow, and if she still didn't come out, planning to storm into Sangeommun itself.
But as it happened, she had conveniently come outside on her own like this—from Mosigal's standpoint, it was something he could only be grateful for.
He licked his lips with his tongue and smiled a lecherous grin.
'Uheuheuheu! She's pretty. Really pretty. If she hadn't come out, what would I have done.'
Just then, his subordinates' telepathic messages came through.
[What should we do about the rabble nearby, hyungnim?]
At that question, Mosigal scowled fiercely and answered.
[Have you already forgotten the Demon Commander's words telling us not to do anything conspicuous? There's no time to kill rabble. The moment we grab the one called Yeon Hae, we bolt.]
[Well... but the two women nearby are also quite pretty.]
Only at his subordinates' words did Mosigal finally check the faces of Cheon Ju-eun and Na Seo-yu.
And indeed, though they had been overshadowed by Hae Cheong-yeon, they were clearly beauties of a sort not easily seen.
It seemed his subordinates were saying it would be a waste to just leave them behind.
[Handle it as you see fit. But wasting time will not be tolerated.]
The moment his permission dropped, his subordinates answered with excited voices.
[Yes! Understood, hyungnim!]
Both Mosigal and Gwijando So Yu-reung were peak-level masters with over seventy years of internal energy, experts whose skills did not fall short even compared to Heo Gyeong, the sect leader of Sangeommun.
Therefore, they had never once worried about the kidnapping of Cheonsang Mihui itself.
However, if only because of the Small-faced Demon Lord Sa Won-yang's past warning, they wanted to avoid catching people's eyes.
So Mosigal had first sent one subordinate into the tavern, devising a plan to have him cause a ruckus upon receiving the signal.
The plan was that when the men moved forward to stop the subordinate's rampage, they would swiftly strike from behind and kidnap Yeon Hae.
It was a simple-looking plan, but one formulated through considerable experience in its own way.
'Men always become the most reckless when they're next to a pretty woman. So even if it's a guy who normally wouldn't pay the slightest attention when alone, right now, with beauties beside him, he'll have no choice but to step forward. Because that's what men are. Keuheuheuheu.'
And the situation before his eyes was unfolding exactly as Mosigal had predicted.
While the women remained behind, the men had begun moving toward the tavern.
So when, in the end, only the three women were conveniently clustered together for an ambush, Mosigal immediately fired off a telepathic message.
[On one, two, three we strike. Ready, one, two, three!]
Pabak!
Led by Mosigal and So Yu-reung, the five Blood Cultists shot forward like arrows to ambush Hae Cheong-yeon from behind.
They were swift and ferocious, like a pack of wolves pouncing on prey.
At that moment, Hae Cheong-yeon abruptly turned to look back.
And then, Mosigal, who had been savagely rushing at her, could not help but feel a sense of bewilderment at her gaze.
He could not feel a single trace of panic or fear in her eyes.
'What is this? Is she just too panicked?'
But he was able to realize immediately that this was not the case.
In that instant, a figure that had leaped out from behind her like a fierce tiger was charging straight at him.
It was none other than the second of the Five Siblings of Doksu, the one called Chang-hyeok.
Mosigal cried out in astonishment.
"How?!"
His plan, his ambush—everything should have been perfect, so how were they countering as if they'd known all along?
Mosigal simply could not comprehend this situation.
He had no way of knowing that this outing had been meant to see through them from the very beginning, or that Seol Pung had noticed their ambush much earlier.
And there was no time to ponder such things either.
Whirling his body like a vortex in midair, Seol Pung's kick was ferociously hammering down upon him.
It came with the speed and force of a lightning strike.
Kwaaaaang!
"Kugh!"
Even though he crossed both arms to block, a numbingly tingling shock coursed through his entire body, and at the same time, his body was sent hurtling backward.
Mosigal barely managed to regain his balance in midair and shouted.
"A master! Take him down first!"
But having shouted first and scanned his surroundings, Mosigal could only be flustered for a moment.
Gwijando So Yu-reung, a master of a level similar to his own, was already clashing blades with a swordsman of robust build.
Chaechaechaeng!
The young swordsman who was locked in a closely matched battle with So Yu-reung—at a glance, he did not seem to be inferior to themselves.
"Where did these people come from...?"
And the moment he realized that the swordsman's sword art was the Sahil Sword Technique of the Jeomchang Sect, the throat of one of the subordinates who had ambushed from directly behind him was half-severed, spraying blood.
Puhak!
"!"
Mosigal was utterly shocked.
Astonishingly, the one who had slaughtered his subordinate was Cheonsang Mihui Yeon Hae herself.
The sky-blue sword qi radiating from her blade was emitting a brilliant light.
"Cheonsang Mihui... was a peak-level master?"
But he could not afford to fixate on that.
Because Seol Pung was still charging at him with the ferocity of a fierce tiger.
Syuhak!
"Ugh?!"
The moment he belatedly snapped back to his senses, Seol Pung's form had already closed in to point-blank range.
He hastily raised his arm to block Seol Pung's swing, which came at him like a pouncing tiger.
But then Seol Pung's hand, which had seemed to be swinging, suddenly grabbed his arm with a clamp.
Teok!
"Kut?!"
Then, as if tracing a small circle, he pulled Mosigal's arm downward, and toward the now-exposed face, he once again shot out a lightning-like straight punch.
Puhwak!
"Kugh!"
But this time too, Mosigal barely managed to avoid it by slightly tilting his head.
It was a straight punch so powerful that merely grazing it tore off his earlobe.
The sensation of a violent storm passing right beside his face—it sent chills down his spine.
And that was the last sensation he would ever feel.
Because Seol Pung's opposite fist, extended in a rapid combination, exploded against Mosigal's chin with zero time delay.
Peoseok!
His head burst open like a watermelon.
Gwijando So Yu-reung, who had been locked in combat with the Jeomchang Sword Tiger Je Won-yeong, nearly had his heart drop out of sheer shock at the sight of Mosigal's head vanishing from a single straight punch.
From where his head had been, only blood gushed out like a fountain.
He had no idea what the hell had just happened, but one thing was certain.
If he kept fighting here, he would end up the exact same way.
"Euhaaap!"
Chaechaechaechaeng!
After extending his ultimate technique with every ounce of his strength, So Yu-reung immediately turned his body to flee and shouted.
"Retreat! Everyone run for it!"
But there was no longer anyone left to hear those words.
Of the three upper-tier first-rate subordinates he had brought, one had already been killed by Hae Cheong-yeon earlier, and of the remaining two, one had fallen to the combined attack of Na Seo-yu and Cheon Ju-eun, while the very last one had just been killed by Bae Jong-gwan's guandao.
So Yu-reung fled in utter panic and disarray.
It was to the point where he wondered if he had ever run so mindlessly in his entire life.
Fortunately, those monstrous individuals did not seem to be following him, but even so, he kept running until his breath reached his chin.
Only after running for a long while and becoming certain that they were not pursuing him did he stop and compose his breathing.
"What in the world...."
So Yu-reung could not collect his wits.
He had thought that with two peak-level masters of over seventy years of internal energy and three upper-tier first-rate experts, even storming the main headquarters of Sangeommun would not be unreasonable—so what in the world was this, against a handful of mere ronin?
To lose Mosigal and three subordinates in an instant—the one who had been causing a ruckus at the tavern would probably return soon since he hadn't been caught up in the fight, but even so, it was too great a blow.
Among Georyeokma Jeo Woong-won's subordinates, all that now remained were himself, one peak-level entry-level expert at the hideout, and three upper-tier first-rate warriors.
Of course, even that was contingent on the one at the tavern returning safely.
"What do I do now?"
So Yu-reung muttered with a fearful expression.
He was terrified of having to go back and report this fact to Jeo Ung-won.
No, to be precise, what terrified him was the possibility that this news might reach the ears of the Small-faced Demon Lord Sa Won-yang.
If this incident were to cause even the slightest disruption to the plan....
"Uuuu, absolutely not before then."
He shuddered as if the mere thought of it was horrifying.
After all, receiving Sa Won-yang's wrath would be better met with suicide.
So Yu-reung, who had been standing blankly in that spot for a while, barely managed to move his body only after much time had passed.
Because whatever happened, he still had to report to Jeo Ung-won.
He lifted his heavy feet and launched his body into flight again.
But he did not know.
The fact that three figures were following him in concealment.
Seonwoo Jin sent a telepathic message to Sak Mu-heun and to Bi Sa-yeong, who was following from a bit further behind than himself.
[Follow. He's moving.]
[Got it. But do you think they're the right ones?]
[Well, two peak-level masters with over seventy years of internal energy came at once. Just targeting one Miss Cheong-yeon. With lunatics of that caliber, it's almost certain, isn't it?]
[Hmm, that is true.]
The direction So Yu-reung was heading was toward Sichuan Province.
Having gauged the direction, Bi Sa-yeong spoke again.
[If it's this direction, the weight is starting to lean more toward Jeonghyeopbang than the Un Clan.]
[It's still a bit early to assert that. It could be the Un Clan's forward base on the Sichuan side.]
After running for about an hour, the place So Yu-reung arrived at was an isolated estate in the forest, located near the border between Gwiju Castle and Sichuan Province.
When he entered the estate, the three of them climbed atop the wall and began observing the situation inside.
At that moment, a great roar of fury resounded from within.
"What did you say?! Mosigal! And you lost three subordinates too?!"
In the front courtyard of the estate, the man who had been pursued was kneeling.
And the figure standing before him was a bald giant with a bear-like physique and darkly tanned skin.
Bi Sa-yeong immediately sent a telepathic message.
[Found him!]
That appearance was exactly the same as the description they had heard of Georyeokma Jeo Woong-won.
Judging by this situation, further confirmation seemed unnecessary.
Sak Mu-heun said to the two of them.
[Let us return now.]
The original plan had been that once they identified Georyeokma's hideout, they would go back, gather their companions, and return to ambush them.
This was because Seol Pung was the only one capable of facing Georyeokma, who possessed over ninety years of internal energy.
But even at Sak Mu-heun's words, Seonwoo Jin and Bi Sa-yeong could not easily leave the spot.
Behind Georyeokma, three more subordinates were standing.
And one of them was holding a woman in his arms, wearing a greedy grin.
Bi Sa-yeong spoke via telepathy.
[Seems she's been acupoint-sealed. She can't move a muscle.]
[Ah, tears are just streaming endlessly down her face. Judging by her attire, it doesn't seem like she's been through anything terrible yet....]
But all three of them knew that this was only 'yet'.
Even at a glance, they could tell what the bastards had been about to do just moments ago before they were interrupted.
So if Seonwoo Jin and the others withdrew like this, what her fate would be was also clear.
Sak Mu-heun inwardly sighed and sent a telepathic message to the two.
[I understand your heavy hearts, but sometimes you must also know how to give up on the impossible. You know as well as I do that the three of us cannot handle even Georyeokma alone.]
His words were correct.
And the two of them also knew it well.
That they could not stake their lives to save a single woman they did not even know.
But knowing something and actually carrying it out were somewhat different matters.
They knew all too well, from the time at the frontlines, that the women Georyeokma had taken away had not even had their bodies discovered.
So if they turned back like this, that woman would probably suffer disgrace worse than death and die in agony.
Just then, Bi Sa-yeong signaled for them to pull back for a moment. His eyes were filled with a firm resolve, as if he had made up his mind about something.
And in the spot where they had withdrawn slightly, he spoke in a whisper so the enemies could not hear.
"I'll try to lure Georyeokma away. Then, during that time, Sak hyeongnim and Jin, you two rescue the woman."
At that, Sak Mu-heun and Seonwoo Jin, who had inwardly guessed at his resolve, sighed and objected.
"It's too dangerous. No matter how outstanding your movement technique is, the opponent is a master approaching the transcendent peak."
"He's right. I'll acknowledge your movement technique, but even so, the risk is too great."
But Bi Sa-yeong grinned and declared firmly.
"Why are you all acting like this. I am the head disciple of the Bi Sect and also the movement technique expert acknowledged by Squad Leader Seol Pung. No matter how much he's looking toward the transcendent peak, do you think a lumbering bear like that could ever catch me?"
Then, with eyes full of hardened resolve, he spoke gravely.
"And... thinking of the women of our squad, I just can't bring myself to move. If it were a situation where she'd die cleanly, I think I could go, but isn't it painfully obvious what kind of horrific things she's about to suffer? I can't go like this."
Seonwoo Jin let out a sigh.
The look in Bi Sa-yeong's eyes already seemed impossible to dissuade.
And... honestly, not being able to bring himself to move was the same for himself.
In a heavy voice, he asked.
"Are you really going to be okay?"
Bi Sa-yeong grinned and said.
"Trust me. Our combination is perfect too, right? Me, who's good at drawing them out with movement technique, and you two, who're good at direct fighting."
And so, the direction of the three people's actions was decided.