Chapter 187
Chapter 187
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 187
Chapter Title: The Tiger Bares Its Claws
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"……."
The warriors fell silent at Hyeok Mulin's murmured words.
He was the Cult Leader who had always shown only the positive side during the envoy's visit to the Southern Wilds.
Yet here he was, issuing a warning.
'He's pondering whether to wipe out the Southern Wild Beast Palace or not.'
They couldn't tell how much truth there was in the Heavenly Demon's words.
But what they felt was this: even faced with such a situation, the Heavenly Demon remained utterly calm, observing the flow like a river without a flicker of emotion.
And perhaps because of the overwhelming pressure Man Ho and Ji Wolhon had displayed moments ago.
The Southern Wild Beast Palace warriors didn't find Hyeok Mulin's words like exaggeration or bravado.
As everyone stiffened in place.
The only one maintaining composure in his eyes, Suma Geon, stared straight at Hyeok Mulin before speaking.
"That means, if the Cult Leader willed it, you could erase the entire Southern Wilds?"
"No reason I couldn't."
"You're overconfident."
"It's not overconfidence. It's certainty."
"Can you prove that certainty?"
"You're misunderstanding something."
Hyeok Mulin seized the point that had veered off track.
"The Heavenly Demon needs no proof. My existence is proof enough."
The two, exchanging words like snatching them from each other, locked eyes.
Soon, Suma Geon spoke first.
"Advance Ape Corps, Bind Snake Corps."
"Yes!"
"Yes!"
"Take the Cult Leader."
He ordered the two combat units to handle Hyeok Mulin, then quietly added in a low voice.
"No need to rush in. Avoid direct confrontation until the Palace Lord is dealt with—buy time."
Suma Geon had sorted his thoughts in the meantime.
Dispersing forces to attack both the Palace Lord and Cult Leader at once was inefficient.
So he assigned warriors to the Cult Leader's side but instructed them to avoid aggressive attacks and just stall.
First eliminate Suri Tae, then focus everything on Hyeok Mulin.
'I see. So that's the plan.'
Hyeok Mulin shook his head as he watched Suma Geon.
Then, leaving them behind, he stepped forward.
Suma Geon watched Hyeok Mulin head somewhere, then shifted his gaze back to Suri Tae below the arena.
No matter if he moved, there was nowhere to run here anyway.
The Southern Wilds were firmly in his grasp.
For now, priority was sticking to the original plan and removing the Palace Lord.
"Prepare the Tiger Imprisoning Thirty-Six Elite Formation."
No sooner had his command fallen than thirty-six warriors dropped into the arena.
It was a joint formation long devised solely to capture the Palace Lord, Suri Tae.
But Suri Tae sneered mockingly as he surveyed them.
"You lot who begged me to teach you martial arts have grown some balls. Think ganging up changes anything?"
"Who knows? We'll find out when we try."
Suma Geon curled his lips into a grin.
Suri Tae glared up at that infuriating face with a voice laced with killing intent.
"Stay put. Once I finish these fools, I'll come twist your neck next."
Yet despite his rage, Suma Geon only returned a smile.
Hyeok Mulin walked along the spectator stands.
Warriors who had received Suma Geon's orders hovered around him incessantly, but they showed no intent to actually attack.
Their orders were merely to annoy him and buy time.
But instinctively, they sensed it.
Even if the order to attack came.
'We wouldn't even touch a fingertip to the Heavenly Demon.'
The auras of Man Ho and Ji Wolhon guarding him from either side felt like massive walls, so they couldn't even entertain the thought of breaking through with their own power.
Thus, following him in relief, at one point Hyeok Mulin spoke.
"Guard Captain Ji. Protector Man."
"Yes, Cult Leader."
"Deal with them."
No sooner had Hyeok Mulin's command fallen than two figures streaked across the sky.
They had thought they were safely keeping their distance.
But in an instant, Man Ho and Ji Wolhon closed in and began unilaterally crushing them.
"W-Wait…!"
The panicked warriors hurriedly assumed defensive stances, but it was pointless.
Whether they were off-guard or fully defended, Man Ho and Ji Wolhon swatted them away like flies without change.
Thus, a few survivors, feeling the vast power gap, belatedly tried to flee.
But.
Thud!
It was futile.
Before three steps, Ji Wolhon's fist shattered their bodies, or Man Ho's saber mercilessly severed their necks.
Krunch!
Then one warrior tripped and coincidentally dodged an attack.
Barely surviving, he scrambled to flee beyond the spectator stands.
"……Ah."
His steps soon halted.
What appeared before him was not hope, but despair.
Slash.
Danri Hyang sliced him horizontally.
The Divine Demon Blood Death Squad had joined the arena.
Already terrified facing just Man Ho and Ji Wolhon, with the Heavenly Demon's elite guard adding force, the outcome was immediate.
It took less than a moment for the dozens of warriors' breaths to cease.
Having mercilessly eliminated them, they silently followed behind Hyeok Mulin without a word.
Soon after, Hyeok Mulin approached someone and spoke.
"You're still alive."
"Cult Leader!"
The one he addressed was Sua Rang.
In the chaos, she had climbed the spectator stands with Geum Pyo, heading outward.
But spotting the Palace Lord drop into the arena right then, she hesitated on what to do—and ran into Hyeok Mulin.
'Huh?'
It was utter pandemonium.
Inside, the Vice Palace Lord's scheme to usurp the jade throne unfolded, while outside the arena, the eerie roars of countless beasts echoed.
Yet seeing Hyeok Mulin's face amid it all strangely calmed her heart completely.
No idea why, but she felt that as long as she was by his side, whatever happened, she'd be safe.
Thus, as Sua Rang stared at him blankly for a moment.
Hyeok Mulin suddenly approached her.
"W-Wait, in this situation, what are you…!"
As the man closed in abruptly, she squeezed her eyes shut and thrust both hands forward defensively.
But soon she realized nothing touched her hands.
Slowly opening her eyes, they widened in surprise.
Hyeok Mulin had bent down and was petting Geum Pyo's head.
"Good work."
The current uproar was one thing; the tournament was another.
Praising Geum Pyo for winning the Fierce Beast Contest, the creature grinned broadly.
Straightening up, Hyeok Mulin finally looked back at her and asked.
"What did you say?"
"…Nothing."
Sua Rang shook her head quickly, her face flushing peach-red.
"Hmm…."
Hyeok Mulin stared at her intently, then turned to the Divine Demon Blood Death Squad.
Addressing them who had come seeking him amid the chaos, he spoke.
"Where are the rest?"
The envoy included not just warriors but plenty of ordinary cultists.
Needed for hauling luggage or pulling carts.
At Hyeok Mulin's question since they were missing, Han Baek replied firmly.
"Focused on headquarters duties."
The meaning was simple.
The Divine Demon Blood Death Squad protects the Heavenly Demon.
That was the absolute first principle; everything else was utterly insignificant by comparison.
Thus, even now, they had cast aside all else to guard Hyeok Mulin in the arena.
Hyeok Mulin shook his head at them.
'Sometimes flexibility wouldn't hurt.'
With or without them, Man Ho and Ji Wolhon were plenty.
But their loyal mindset reached him fully, so confirming it, Hyeok Mulin faintly lifted a corner of his mouth.
"Squad Leader Han. Lead the Divine Demon Blood Death Squad, gather and protect our cultists."
"Understood."
He accepted the order without a hint of hesitation.
As he turned to leave promptly, Sua Rang spoke up.
"Wait!"
But the Divine Demon Blood Death Squad didn't halt at her words.
"Stop."
Only after Hyeok Mulin spoke did they finally stand still.
As Sua Rang marveled at their loyalty, Hyeok Mulin asked.
"Something to say?"
"I don't know what's happening outside, but it's the Vice Palace Lord's doing, right?"
"Yes. Chaos has likely spread across the entire Southern Wilds."
"Then…."
Bowing deeply, she pleaded with Hyeok Mulin.
"I earnestly beg the merciful Cult Leader to take pity on my palace's people and help them."
Setting aside all face, she bowed her head to Hyeok Mulin and continued.
"Those like me who didn't side with the Vice Palace Lord, or the palace's low-rank warriors, won't survive alone in this chaos. Please, Cult Leader, save them."
"Why should I? These palace folk aren't our cultists."
Hyeok Mulin's words were reasonable.
No reason to shed blood for strangers.
But she didn't falter and replied.
"Who knows? Someday, these palace folk might become cultists, right?"
Hyeok Mulin gazed steadily at Sua Rang's bold words.
A moment later.
"Heh."
Chuckling softly, he parted his lips.
"That's a fair point."
Her face lit up brightly at his words.
Hyeok Mulin soon added to the Divine Demon Blood Death Squad.
"Gather the Southern Wild Beast Palace warriors not aligned with the Vice Palace Lord too."
No need to even protect them closely.
Just forming a group around a focal point would sharply boost their survival odds.
"Yes!"
Just before the ordered Divine Demon Blood Death Squad departed, the Ten Thousand Demon Slaughter Legion appeared next.
Hyeok Mulin pointed at the incoming group and commanded Han Baek.
"Take them too."
They tilted their heads at entering only to leave immediately, but confirmed Man Ho safe and promptly obeyed.
After they left, only Hyeok Mulin, Sua Rang, Man Ho, and Ji Wolhon remained.
Afterward, Hyeok Mulin settled lazily into a nearby spectator seat.
A bit flustered by his utterly relaxed demeanor, Sua Rang asked.
"What now?"
"We wait."
"Waiting for what…."
Sua Rang's gaze followed Hyeok Mulin's down to the arena below.
His focus had settled on Suri Tae.
"Whether the tiger bares its intact claws. Or if its fangs are finally pulled."
Hyeok Mulin's cold eyes, chin casually propped, turned toward the tiger.
"The result will show soon enough."