Chapter 202
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 41
Chapter Title: The Dead (2)
"How... how are you?!"
Jaja was the first to be shocked by the fact that Four Thousand Four was alive.
She was more startled by the sight of him moving around unscathed than by the realization that she herself was alive.
Four Thousand Four spoke calmly.
"Surprised that I'm alive?"
"Y... yeah. I thought you were dead."
"Looks like Old Bones showed some mercy."
"No way."
"You're right. He showed no mercy. I was completely defeated and died. But here I am, alive."
Four Thousand Four shrugged his shoulders.
"Got nothing to say to that. I really thought you were dead."
Jaja kept repeating the same words.
"As the rumors in the martial world say, I was definitely killed. Old Bones struck without holding back—no one could survive that. And yet, here I am, perfectly fine."
"How did you come back to life? Did the Zhuge family have some rare medicine?"
Jaja spoke with a gloomy expression.
For assassins of the Heavenly Annihilation Division's Killer Division, death was a form of rest. There were times when staying alive was worse than dying, and that applied entirely to Killer Division assassins.
Jaja wasn't glad to be alive.
Looking at Four Thousand Four, she could roughly guess why she had been revived. With Zhuge Soso by his side... she assumed the Zhuge family had secretly brought him back.
She didn't know what purpose Zhuge Soso had for saving Four Thousand Four—or her, for that matter—but it didn't sit well with her.
Jaja collected her thoughts.
Four Thousand Four continued calmly.
"The same goes for you, senior. The Patriarch of Bihyang House wouldn't have held back, and no one survives having all three blood points crushed. Even he would be shocked to learn you're alive after he struck you."
"Why did you save me?"
Jaja asked coldly.
"What should I say? I just couldn't go down without a fight?"
"You've got plenty to be resentful about. Isn't that a bit too half-hearted for a reason to survive certain death?"
"Do you need a reason to have survived?"
"......"
"If you don't die, you're alive. If you can't live, you die. Who decides life and death on a whim?"
"What about my people?"
"All marked as deceased."
"Why not save them too?"
"I could have saved anyone. Astonishingly, the Heavenly Annihilation Division assassins all carry a treasure that lets them cross back from hell once... just like me and you. But I could only save one person."
He had barely managed to save Jaja.
Reviving her, who was half-dead, had taken more effort than channeling true energy ever had.
By the time Jaja's White Deity Charm awakened, Four Thousand Four didn't even have the strength to lift a finger.
If he could have saved everyone, he would have.
But if the Heavenly Annihilation Division found out they had been revived, it would defeat the purpose. They had to pursue resurrections without the Division noticing.
Saving Jaja alone was already a miracle.
"Did the White Deity Charm save me?"
"Rest easy."
Four Thousand Four stood up.
"Vanguard is on the move,"
Zhuge Soso said.
"Who's the target?"
"Huh! You're not even surprised that Vanguard is moving?"
Four Thousand Four let out a wry chuckle.
It wasn't coincidence that Jaja had led her Killer Division squad to attack the Bihyang House Patriarch.
Jaja couldn't kill him. So, they had to feed her the information to make the ambush possible and supply the necessary tools.
To send them on a kill mission, they had to create conditions for success.
But the Heavenly Annihilation Division hadn't. They had essentially cut off all support and just ordered the attack.
It was a death sentence.
He had no intention of killing the Bihyang House Patriarch anyway. The attack was just to let them know Bihyang House was no longer a secret.
Squad Ninety-Seven had been discarded as expendables.
That raised the question: why had Squad Ninety-Seven specifically been chosen as expendables?
Coincidence? No, inevitable.
Jaja had already been slated for disposal as an expendable.
To determine if her selection was coincidence or inevitability, watch the next one: Vanguard. If he was discarded too, it was definite.
The Heavenly Annihilation Division was purging everyone connected to Four Thousand Four.
His thoughts connected seamlessly up to that point.
Now, the key was whether they would truly drive Vanguard into a corner.
"The target's someone Vanguard can't handle."
"Sorry-to-Kill."
"Heh!"
Four Thousand Four wasn't surprised this time either.
But one thing puzzled him: why was the Heavenly Annihilation Division targeting Sorry-to-Kill?
"My head's not working right."
Four Thousand Four pointed to his head.
"There's something I can't figure out. I don't think I'm that important, so why eliminate everyone connected to me? Or am I off base?"
"No, you're right."
Zhuge Soso replied immediately.
"Four Thousand Four, you're more important than you think. Not certain, but..."
Zhuge Soso hesitated for a moment, as if debating whether to speak.
Four Thousand Four waited without pressing. If she could tell him, she would.
Finally, she seemed resolved and spoke.
"We suspect the Heavenly Annihilation Division has three roots. Martial arts based on Tan (彈), the root of Blood Moon. Martial arts based on Cheok (剔), the root of Heavenly Commander. And martial arts based on Um (陰), the root of Four Thousand Four."
"That's ridiculous!"
"It's true. The Death Command was always a core martial art of the Heavenly Annihilation Division. Blind Death was the First Seat among the Ten Seats. His arts were shrouded in secrecy, but now the Death Command is revealed. We don't know when Green Death inherited it or why it was rejected, but it's definitely a root of the Division."
"Hm!"
"Heavenly Commander is cutting out the Death Command completely this time. Everyone connected to Four Thousand Four is a purge target."
Clang!
Four Thousand Four suddenly recalled the kindly old woman.
It was supposedly by rank, but Iron Ball Granny had provided everything he needed without asking for anything in return. The steel needles he was using now were from her.
All connections were being severed.
Iron Ball Granny was included. But as she wasn't a Killer Division member, she didn't have a White Deity Charm.
There was no way to save her secretly.
If she had a Division taboo like the Killer Division members, there'd be no way to extract her.
Helpless.
As he thought regretfully of Iron Ball Granny, Zhuge Soso continued.
"Sorry-to-Kill is a disciple of Mount Hua Sect."
"What?!"
Four Thousand Four stared at Zhuge Soso in shock.
Mount Hua Sect was one of the Nine Great Sects, a righteous faction. Helping the Heavenly Annihilation Division attack Old Bones made no sense. How could a disciple of a prestigious righteous sect...
"Why? Does it seem weird that Sorry-to-Kill helped me one minute and the Division the next, flitting around like a bat?"
"......"
Four Thousand Four had no reply this time either. He couldn't respond. Zhuge Soso had hit the nail on the head. Yes, Sorry-to-Kill's actions seemed capricious. Unthinkable for a disciple of a righteous sect. It would tarnish his school beyond measure.
Zhuge Soso chuckled wryly.
"Sorry-to-Kill's master is one of Mount Hua's Three Immortals. He's their joint disciple—young in age but equal in seniority to the sect leader."
"Hm. A true prodigy."
Four Thousand Four nodded.
Mount Hua's Three Immortals were legendary masters who had trained the sect's arts most broadly and deeply. All from previous generations, now in seclusion, nearing ninety years old.
Becoming their joint disciple was like plucking stars from the sky. It also spoke to Sorry-to-Kill's extraordinary genius.
"But the Three Immortals were murdered."
"......!"
Four Thousand Four's eyes widened as he stared at Zhuge Soso.
Together, the Three Immortals rivaled Old Bones.
They favored Plum Blossom Thirty-Six Divine Sword Forms among Mount Hua arts, urging disciples to practice it in spare moments.
Mount Hua's representative sword arts were Six Harmonies Sword and Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword. The Thirty-Six Forms were seen as a variation.
But the Three Immortals' version was on another level.
Perfection!
Few in the martial world could withstand more than ten exchanges against it.
Such masters had been killed?
Seeing Four Thousand Four's shock, Zhuge Soso smiled amusedly and continued.
"From then on, Sorry-to-Kill set out to hunt the culprit."
"I see."
"First, he requested expulsion from Mount Hua Sect. He asked to be cast out since he didn't know what he'd do in the Central Plains. The sect obliged. He's been tracking the killer ever since—righteous or evil, doesn't matter. He follows any lead that could catch them. He'd gladly attack Old Bones if it meant nabbing the culprit."
"Then the conditions from the Heavenly Annihilation Division?"
"Probably the same for their offer and my father's. Of course, since Sorry-to-Kill's a lecher, I and Blood Moon were likely the bait."
Zhuge Soso gave a wry, bitter smile.
"So Vanguard targeting Sorry-to-Kill this time is a warning. Telling him to cut ties with us."
"If he steps out of line, they'll sever the connection."
"Could've just said it..."
Four Thousand Four smiled bitterly too.
Instead of words, they used death to send the message. Truly clearing out expendables.
"What will you do?"
Four Thousand Four couldn't answer.
Helping Vanguard attack Sorry-to-Kill wouldn't help. It wouldn't fake their deaths or let them escape the Division.
He had to kill them.
But he could only save one. It was too late for others. After one revival, his energy depleted, requiring at least a day of rest to recover.
By then, the White Deity Charm would fully expire.
Who to save?
He couldn't beg Sorry-to-Kill for one kill per day.
"Keep an eye on Vanguard. Save him if possible. Oh, one thing. Has Vanguard visited the Nineteen Hells?"
"No. Only three are chasing Sorry-to-Kill."
"Got it. No reinforcements means nothing more to say. Vanguard's as good as dead."
"Hanbi and Fox too."
"......"
"Pretend you don't know? Knowing you, you won't... Who will you save?"
"......"
"Think about who. I'll keep tracking Vanguard for now."
"Hey... thanks."
Four Thousand Four was genuinely grateful to Zhuge Soso.
She had a purpose in keeping him alive: to find her father, and perhaps use him as an assassin. He didn't agree now, but she'd maneuver his heart cleverly. Maybe she already was.
Still, he was thankful.
"Find my father. That'll do."
Zhuge Soso beamed.
Her smile was refreshing. Beautiful. It pulled at his Death Command fiercely.
"Hah!"
Four Thousand Four let out a sigh all his own.