I Lost (1)
In her childhood,
Baek Su-ah had believed her Dragon Eyes were an ability to peer into the hearts of others.
But as she lived through the Great War between Orthodox and Unorthodox factions, she realized the true nature of her power.
What the Dragon Eyes saw was not the human heart, but truth itself.
If she willed it, no illusion in the world could deceive her. Which meant...
An illusionary killing array like this is completely useless against me.
With a calm expression, Baek Su-ah walked slowly into the roaring flames.
The moment they stepped through the entrance of the hidden cavern, a hellish inferno had surged toward them, threatening to incinerate everything in its path.
Yet, Baek Su-ah simply ignored the fire and kept moving forward.
Han Cheong-un, holding her hand, and Tang Jin, holding Han Cheong-un's, followed close behind with their eyes shut and senses suppressed.
They're keeping up well.
Han Cheong-un was one thing, but she had been slightly worried about Tang Jin, who possessed no memories of their past life.
Fortunately, he seemed to trust her enough to follow without hesitation.
After checking on the two men behind her, Baek Su-ah pressed onward.
Once they passed through the scorching hellfire, they were greeted by a frozen wasteland where the biting cold cut to the bone.
Even though the wind howled fiercely enough to slice open skin, Baek Su-ah held her head high and walked on.
The freezing blizzard and the razor-sharp winds were nothing but illusions in her eyes.
Next came a scorching desert.
Then, a swamp teeming with venomous insects.
Harsh environments that would strike terror into the hearts of ordinary men unfolded one after another, but her steps never faltered.
To me, they are all just illusions.
What power did a fantasy hold over someone who did not believe in it?
Her Dragon Eyes were practically a master key against these kinds of formations.
Even if the head of the Zhuge Clan were to stand here, he could not navigate this illusionary killing array any faster than she could.
And so, once all the illusions faded...
Upon arriving inside the actual cavern, Baek Su-ah spoke.
"You can open your eyes now."
"Thank you for your hard work," Han Cheong-un said.
"Whew... I feel like I can finally breathe again," Tang Jin sighed.
The two opened their eyes and let out sighs of relief.
Han Cheong-un turned to Baek Su-ah.
"You really are amazing."
"It was simple enough for me."
"Hahaha, that's exactly why it's amazing. Normally, even the experts sent by the Zhuge Clan would have wasted months trying to unravel this formation."
Hearing this, Tang Jin looked startled.
"The trap we just walked through was that dangerous?"
"When this cavern was first discovered, hundreds died trying to enter. Most of them perished right at the entrance due to that formation."
"..."
"In the end, everyone targeting this cavern had to agree to a truce until the Zhuge Clan could dismantle the formation."
Tang Jin stared at Baek Su-ah with newfound respect.
If what Han Cheong-un said was true, the entrance to this cavern was a literal zone of death.
Yet he had just walked right through it with his eyes closed, completely unscathed.
Dragon Eyes... That ability might be far more incredible than I thought.
As Tang Jin was lost in thought, Han Cheong-un spoke to him.
"Ah, from here on, our Vice Sect Leader will take the lead."
"Me?"
"The entrance trap was an illusionary formation, but what lies ahead is a series of mechanical traps."
"There are more traps?"
Han Cheong-un nodded at Tang Jin's question.
"The Shadowless Divine Thief didn't build this cavern hoping a worthy successor would inherit his legacy."
"Then what was his goal?"
"To use his treasure as bait and drag as many martial artists as possible down to hell with him."
"..."
"That was his true purpose."
"What kind of lunatic was he?"
"You'll find out once we reach the end of the cavern."
Tang Jin let out a soft sigh at Han Cheong-un's words and stepped forward.
"Isn't the Zhuge Clan also the authority on mechanical traps?"
"Doesn't the Sichuan Tang Family have quite a bit of expertise in them as well?"
"Well, yes, but..."
Of course they did.
While not on the level of the Zhuge Clan, the Sichuan Tang Family was highly skilled in mechanical traps. However...
"I don't know if you realize this, but I'm not exactly an expert in mechanical traps."
"Still, you're better than us, right?"
"Well, that's true..."
"Then lead the way."
"Ugh. Don't blame me if something goes wrong."
Han Cheong-un laughed heartily at Tang Jin's lack of confidence.
"Hahaha! Don't worry. Why would I ever blame you?"
A short while later.
"Hey! You useless Vice Sect Leader! If I die here, I'm going to become a vengeful ghost and haunt you forever!"
"Aaargh! Shut up for a second! I'm trying to disarm it right now!"
To rewind a bit...
At first, things had gone smoothly.
Despite claiming he wasn't an expert, Tang Jin disarmed the traps with relative ease as they advanced.
"Hold on. Let me disarm this one first."
Spotting the traps with his sharp eyes, he calmly dismantled them one by one.
Watching him, Han Cheong-un and Baek Su-ah nodded in approval.
"Our Vice Captain is as competent as ever," Baek Su-ah noted.
"He really is a reliable guy," Han Cheong-un agreed.
"Is that why you went to find him first?"
"I can't get anything done without him, after all."
"Well, that's partially true."
Overhearing their conversation, Tang Jin's shoulders squared with pride. Sometimes, because Han Cheong-un was so overwhelmingly strong, a sense of self-doubt would creep in, making him wonder if he was actually of any help.
But now that he had a chance to show off his skills, his self-esteem surged.
Yes. This is what I'm talking about.
After dismantling the traps one by one, the group finally arrived at a large stone chamber that led to the next section.
"Is this the end?"
"No, I don't think so. Look, there's a passageway over there."
Indeed, this stone chamber was not the final destination.
A massive stone door stood on the opposite side of where they had entered.
In the center of the empty chamber stood a stone tablet as tall as a man, embedded with several night-glowing pearls.
"Hmm... Let's see."
Tang Jin, now acting like a seasoned trap expert, stared intently at the stone tablet.
"Well?" Han Cheong-un asked.
"It seems that if we arrange these night-glowing pearls in the correct order, the door on the other side will open."
"..."
Anyone could see that.
What Han Cheong-un wanted to know was whether he could actually solve it.
"Ahem... Let me examine it first. Don't distract me; I need to concentrate."
"Right. Sure..."
To avoid distracting Tang Jin, Han Cheong-un stepped back with Baek Su-ah.
They spoke in hushed tones.
"Do you think the Vice Captain can solve that?"
"Who knows. From what I remember, even an elder of the Zhuge Clan struggled for days to decipher that tablet in the past."
"Then isn't it impossible for him?"
"Perhaps. But as you know, our Vice Sect Leader isn't one to make empty boasts."
"That's... true. He has always been very serious."
"Yes. So let's trust him."
"Alright."
Han Cheong-un and Baek Su-ah.
In the memories of the two regressors, Tang Jin, the Vice Captain of the Annihilation Squad, was a grave, cautious, and thoroughly reliable comrade.
Yes, the Tang Jin in his late forties whom they remembered was certainly like that. However...
I'm screwed. I have absolutely no idea.
The current Tang Jin was merely a hot-blooded youth who hadn't even reached his thirties.
Frankly, he didn't have the slightest clue how the pearls on the tablet were supposed to be arranged. But...
It'd be way too embarrassing to admit I don't know after coming all this way.
Youth often breeds foolish pride.
Blind to the trouble it might cause others.
After agonizing over the problem, Tang Jin reached a dangerous conclusion.
Whatever. If I just start moving them around, won't they eventually fall into place by chance?
That was the reckless decision he made.
With bold movements, he began shifting the night-glowing pearls on the tablet.
He pulled the pearls from their slots and slid them into empty spaces, his hands moving with an air of absolute confidence.
Rumble... Grrrr...
"Oh, it's moving."
"I knew you could do it," Han Cheong-un said.
Hearing the mechanical gears grinding within the stone chamber, Han Cheong-un and Baek Su-ah assumed Tang Jin had solved the puzzle. But...
Rumble... Rumble...
"Huh? Why is the ceiling coming down?"
"Vice Captain... what is this?"
The two stared at Tang Jin's back.
In their past life, it had been a broad, reassuring back. So why did it look like it was currently drenched in cold sweat?
Tang Jin slowly turned around and spoke.
"Oops! I think I made a mistake."
"You crazy bastard!"
"Are you out of your mind?!"
And that was how they had ended up in this dire situation.
The ceiling was descending lower by the second.
Heavy iron bars had already slammed down over the entrance they had come through.
Crash!
"Damn it, this isn't working!"
Han Cheong-un struck the bars, but he only managed to leave a faint scratch.
They were clearly made of no ordinary metal.
"How is it on your end?"
Boom!
Han Cheong-un called out to Baek Su-ah, who had just unleashed her Plum Blossom Sword Qi at the exit.
She had struck the door with all her might, but...
"It's no use."
"Damn it..."
It seemed that path couldn't be breached by brute force either.
While the two tried to break their way out,
Tang Jin, looking utterly panicked, kept frantically plugging the night-glowing pearls in and out.
"Is it here? Or here?"
"Do you even know what you're doing?!"
"No! I'm just guessing!"
"You crazy lunatic! Stop!"
Han Cheong-un kicked Tang Jin square in the back.
"Ugh! We're already doomed anyway, how much worse can it get?!"
Seeing Tang Jin argue back so shamelessly, Han Cheong-un clutched his head in frustration.
"How did he turn out like this? He wasn't like this before!"
In truth, they were both different from their past selves.
Amidst the chaos of the two bickering men, a loud shout rang out.
"Here! We have to break this spot!"
It was Baek Su-ah.
She was pointing at the exit door she had tried to breach earlier.
"Do you think we can break it?"
"It's slightly thinner than the other walls. Besides, if we want to live, we have to try something."
"Fair point."
Annihilation Squad Code, Rule Three:
The moment you give up is the moment you lose.
Baek Su-ah, Han Cheong-un, and Tang Jin.
The three of them stood before the stone door.
"Don't hold back. Give it everything you've got!"
"I know."
"Understood."
The three of them channeled their inner energy to the absolute limit.
Han Cheong-un gripped his spear and took his stance.
Baek Su-ah prepared to unleash her Plum Blossom Sword Qi.
Tang Jin recalled his Silver Flowing Flying Daggers into his sleeves and assumed a throwing posture.
Even with their lives hanging in the balance, they maintained their composure, preparing their most destructive techniques. Finally...
"Go!"
At Han Cheong-un's command, the three unleashed their techniques simultaneously.
Twenty-Four Movement Plum Blossom Sword Art
Plum Blossom Blast
Tang Family Dagger Art
Swirling Heaven Wave
Celestial Eight Trigrams Spear
Wave Shock Annihilation Strike
The techniques they chose were ones designed solely to maximize destructive power.
The moment these forces collided and exploded at a single point...
Rumble! Crash! Boom!
A succession of violent impacts triggered a chain reaction of pure destruction. As a result...
Crack... Craaaack...
Faint cracks began to spiderweb across the stone door.
But it had not completely collapsed yet.
"Tsk, one more time..."
"No, that's enough!"
Tang Jin tried to gather his energy again, but Han Cheong-un shouted and dashed forward. With a powerful kick to the door...
SMASH!
The cracked stone door shattered completely.
"H-how?"
As Tang Jin stood dazed, Han Cheong-un yelled.
"Hurry!"
"What? Right!"
At his shout, Tang Jin and Baek Su-ah scrambled through the opening. The moment Han Cheong-un dove in last...
RUUUUUMBLE!
The ceiling of the chamber they had just escaped slammed completely flat against the floor.
"Whew... That was way too close."
Tang Jin let out a sigh of relief, glad to be alive.
His two companions turned to him with warm, gentle smiles...
"You absolute bastard!"
"We almost died because of you!"
And proceeded to chew him out mercilessly.