Chapter 136
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 136
Chapter Title: Trampling (1)
“Good work.”
A cold voice sounded from behind him. No, the moment he heard the voice, a wave of crisis crashed over him.
‘Attack!’
Four Thousand Four twisted his body instantly. But,
Shukak!
A gruesome tearing sound rang out. A searing pain, like being scorched by fire, flared up from his right side.
“Impressive. To still have the strength to dodge in that state.”
“So the esteemed Do-seon resorts to sneak attacks too?”
“Does a fancy title help in a fight? Calling you Four Thousand Four turns you into a survivor, and calling you Shadowless Ghost makes you a master? Hahaha! What should I call you this time to give you an edge?”
“Call me whatever you like. I’ll fight accordingly.”
Four Thousand Four shot back at Do-seon’s words.
In truth, trading words like this with a stranger didn’t suit his nature. But he engaged anyway. While talking, he scanned the states of the other convicts.
He had zero interest in Sword Sage or Do-seon. Whether they were masters or not didn’t matter to him.
His sole focus was killing the convicts.
This fight had started to save Zhuge Soso. But somewhere along the way, it had become his own battle.
So there was no turning back.
It would be ideal to send all twenty remaining convicts to the afterlife, but crumbling midway was fine too.
“Hup! Huuup! Hup! Huuup!”
Four Thousand Four began regulating his breathing again. He did it openly, as if it didn’t matter if they saw him adjusting his breath.
“Hahaha! Think that’ll bring back your dispersed qi? Too bad.”
Do-seon smirked as he spoke.
A master like Do-seon could tell just from watching someone breathe whether they were circulating qi or not.
Four Thousand Four wasn’t. Breathing like that wouldn’t gather qi at all. His ragged gasps were mere desperate flailing to squeeze out whatever stamina he had left.
This fight was already over. He was certain Four Thousand Four wouldn’t last even a single exchange.
Yet he didn’t rush.
His lord was already enacting a second plan to capture Zhuge Soso. To make that work, he needed to keep the cornered Four Thousand Four pinned down as long as possible.
Would Zhuge Soso abandon Four Thousand Four and flee? Possibly. But Vanguard’s group couldn’t leave him behind. Their escape hinged on the bluff that Four Thousand Four held their lifeline.
If Four Thousand Four died, that bluff collapsed.
In other words, the moment Four Thousand Four fell, Vanguard’s crew would be forced to accept little Baldy’s death sweetly—if they wanted to avoid betraying the Heavenly Annihilation Division.
They’d followed Zhuge Soso on impulse, but by now they’d realized their predicament.
First, peel them away.
Second, peel away Mi An Sos Al. That operation was likely underway too.
Then, the only one left would be the Zhuge girl.
How laughable to think she could slip away when his lord had moved personally.
Do-seon let Four Thousand Four regulate his breathing freely.
“Looks like it’s over?”
Vanguard narrowed his eyes as he spoke.
“If Bukmyeong made a move... it was never going to be easy to escape without sacrifices from the start.”
Jaja’s face hardened coldly.
“That guy always gives us some glimmer of hope. So I had a bit of expectation this time too... damn it! Acts all high and mighty, but can’t even dodge something that basic...”
Hanbi trailed off.
If Four Thousand Four died, they’d have no justification to flee.
“If everyone’s ready, let’s go.”
Vanguard glanced at his crew.
Zhuge Soso, Zhuge Myeong, Mi An Sos Al... They stayed silent on Vanguard’s decision. They weren’t in a position to dictate terms.
“Let’s move!”
Shiiit!
Fox was the first to launch his body. He moved the instant Vanguard spoke.
“That guy... seems like he really likes Four Thousand Four, huh? Is he into guys?”
“It’s just bromance.”
Jaja denied it. But her brow furrowed deeply. Anyone could see Fox liked Four Thousand Four. With Fox failing to hide his feelings so blatantly, how could she not notice?
Shiiit! Shiiit!
Led by Vanguard, Hanbi and Jaja shot back toward Four Thousand Four as well.
Hup! Huuup! Hup! Huuup!
He drew in ragged breaths. But his inner world was calm. Though the world’s air rushed in fiercely, the moment it passed his nose, it turned into a gentle breeze seeping into his lungs.
Four Thousand Four felt the energy flowing within him.
It had started as faint as could be, but now it surged strong enough to sense clearly.
His qi was returning.
Normally, qi recovery required proper meditation circulation, which demanded focused execution for one or two hours once begun.
But this new technique he’d grasped allowed for standing circulation—or rather, mobile circulation, since it worked while moving.
It let his body find its own rhythm.
His mind didn’t force any state. He didn’t strain to gather qi.
He didn’t futilely push water from upstream into a dried-up pond. He waited for the upstream flow to naturally refill it.
The body handled such things on its own.
A wound could be treated with medicine, but even without, time would heal it. Food and drink killed the germs causing inflammation and grew new flesh.
Now, he breathed in air.
Inhaling qi’s fodder urgently to aid its recovery.
‘I can fight three or four more rounds.’
Four Thousand Four slipped his hand into his satchel to check how many stones remained.
Almost none left.
Even with Shadowless Ghost, he’d need other objects.
Then, something utterly unexpected happened.
Shiiit! Shiiit! Shiiiit!
Vanguard’s group, whom he’d thought had fled, was coming back. With Do-seon right in front of them, they charged undaunted.
‘Ah!’
Four Thousand Four sighed inwardly.
Their return changed the fight’s purpose.
Killing convicts was still key, but saving them became even more crucial.
Why! Why come back!
“Acting all tough, but this is it?”
Fox, first to reach Four Thousand Four, glared as he spoke.
“Why’d you come back?”
“Why...? You just asked why we came back? To help a guy on the verge of keeling over, and you ask why?”
“Leave him be. That’s just how he talks.”
Vanguard, arriving a beat later, aimed his sword at Do-seon.
Do-seon parted the way for Vanguard’s group to cluster around Four Thousand Four. He even stepped back, letting them enter without a fight, a smile playing on his lips.
By the time Hanbi and Jaja reached Four Thousand Four’s side... they realized they’d been surrounded.
Do-seon wasn’t the only master. Sword Sage was there too, though hanging back. The ones encircling Vanguard’s group were the convicts.
Vanguard pointed his sword at them and said,
“You have to sever their heads to kill them.”
“Ripping out their hearts works too, but that’s a hassle. Can’t just stab—you have to twist.”
Jaja ground her teeth.
Four Thousand Four thought differently.
‘No chance of winning this fight. It never had one from the start!’
If it were just convicts, maybe. But with Sword Sage and Do-seon, and holding the center...
As if reading his curiosity, Fox, right beside him, said,
“The one who hasn’t shown yet. Sima Hong the Poisoner. One of murim’s Five Great Masters, infamous for his vicious hands. No one survives catching his eye.”
‘Sima Hong the Poisoner! Then victory’s even more impossible.’
Four Thousand Four knew of Sima Hong the Poisoner. Anyone in the martial world who didn’t know poison arts was a fool.
“We go by boat.”
Four Thousand Four said abruptly.
“What? Even now, you wanna escape? The lake path’s blocked too.”
“I’ll clear the way. Fox, take the oars.”
“Got it.”
“Vanguard, please open the path.”
“You?”
“I’ll cover the rear.”
“Again?”
“Don’t worry. This time, I’ll definitely catch up.”
Four Thousand Four declared firmly.
Now he understood. If he died, they’d have no choice but to follow.
“Go!”
Vanguard glanced at Four Thousand Four and bellowed. The group shot toward the boat they’d arrived in. At the same time,
Tsaeaeaeek! Pararararak!
Stones poured toward the convicts in a barrage. Not soundless like Shadowless Ghost, not invisible, but too fast for the convicts to block.
“Haha! Fleeing, are we!”
Sword Sage shot forward swiftly. But stones flew at him too, without fail.
“This much won’t—!”
Tsaeek! Taang!
Sword Sage swung his sword to deflect the stones. Simultaneously, he unleashed a sword strike at Jaja heading for the boat. But,
Tsaeaeek!
More stones flew at Sword Sage.
He’d just deflected some, and Four Thousand Four had only used Shadowless Ghost once... yet another attack came.
“Tch!”
Sword Sage faltered at the unexpected assault.
In that gap, Four Thousand Four chased after Vanguard’s group, sprinting full tilt toward the boat.
“Haha! As if there’s an escape that way. Tsk!”
Do-seon just clicked his tongue, not bothering to pursue.
Sword Sage felt the same. Though his strike had fizzled, he didn’t draw his sword again.
“Huhu! They’re slipping away nicely. Now we just need to—...”
Zhuge Myeong cut himself off.
Zhuge Soso sat cross-legged, deep in thought.
This was rare. She habitually sat that way when pondering deeply... but this was enemy territory. They hadn’t broken the encirclement yet.
“Soso, we need to escape now...”
“Our opponent is Bukmyeong.”
Zhuge Soso murmured softly, eyes closed.
“From here on, it’s our fight. Bukmyeong versus me, the South Little. Young master, how much can you help?”
Zhuge Soso’s question was aimed at Mi An Sos Al.
Mi An Sos Al looked at the closed-eyed Zhuge Soso and replied,
“Well? If you were truly my woman, I’d throw my life for you. But if it’s just using and discarding... haha! I’m not that oblivious.”
“Didn’t your father promise our marriage?”
“Well, that was the missing patriarch’s promise. Announce it to the world. Say we’re engaged.”
“......”
Zhuge Soso fell silent.
Mi An Sos Al and Zhuge Myeong expected an immediate reply. But the silence dragged on unexpectedly. And when she finally spoke, it was truly out of left field.
“Young master, we’ll confirm that promise once we find my father. If he made it, I’ll honor it as his daughter. But if not, then you’re...”
“A con artist?”
“......”
“Things are getting really awkward...”
“Young master, you should go now. Looks like we’ll have to fight this without your help.”
Zhuge Soso kept her eyes shut.