Chapter 74
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 74
Chapter Title: Scheme (4)
Mi An So-sal furrowed his brow slightly.
Wild Boar stood tall like a stone statue, drawing his iron club and facing toward the Zhuge household.
Wild Boar's intent was clear. Just like the usual tactics of the Heavenly Annihilation Division's strike teams, he planned to block the pursuers who would follow behind.
Among the Heavenly Annihilation Division's strike teams, the Six Fangs were consumables on par with the Four Kills.
Depending on the strike team's nature, they might use the Four Kills as fodder, or discard the Six Fangs instead—but Vanguard was infamous for abandoning both the Four Kills and Six Fangs at the same time.
Vanguard even discarded his lead scout.
Discarding the guide meant Vanguard could find his own way. That's why he so often used guides as bait to shake off pursuers.
Has Vanguard discarded the Six Fangs this time too?
It changed nothing either way. No matter where they hid in the world now, they couldn't escape the Zhuge clan's watchful eyes.
If they returned to the Heavenly Annihilation Division... the Zhuge clan would track them down.
They could see exactly who Vanguard made contact with and what moves he made.
There was no escape, even if they sacrificed the Six Fangs.
"Vanguard should have the sense to know when a fight's over. Does he not realize it's futile and just keep struggling?"
Mi An So-sal walked toward Wild Boar.
If Vanguard had discarded the Six Fangs, he'd gladly accept them. It wouldn't hurt to take out one or two of their number.
"Whether you go this way or that..."
Wild Boar scowled deeply as he eyed the slowly approaching beauty.
Mi An So-sal was so strikingly handsome that he could pass for a stunning woman with just a change of clothes.
He made a perfect pair with Zhuge Soso.
'Damn it! The haves get everything, the have-nots get nothing. What a shitty world!'
Wild Boar chuckled bitterly.
Suddenly, linking Zhuge Soso and Mi An So-sal together made the world feel profoundly unfair.
Beauty and handsome man, clever woman and peerless warrior... a truly fantastical combination. Meanwhile, he himself... hadn't even held a single pockmarked ugly woman.
'Dying to a guy like this would be so unfair.'
Wild Boar gripped his iron club tightly.
Everyone thought he was done for, but he planned to live spectacularly. How? By killing Mi An So-sal, of course. And there was no way out without killing him anyway.
It was kill or be killed. So he'd try killing once. It probably wouldn't work.
He pondered what final technique to use.
But... Mi An So-sal, who had been approaching him, suddenly halted. Then he slowly crossed his arms. About twenty paces away. No, he spoke in a grave tone.
"Vanguard, this is a terribly foolish approach, isn't it?"
Mi An So-sal was addressing Vanguard.
Vanguard wasn't there. They'd parted ways with him long ago. Four Thousand Four had confronted Mi An So-sal on orders from Four Thousand Four himself. Yet Mi An So-sal thought Vanguard had given the order.
'This could be my chance. He thinks Vanguard's nearby. That means he won't focus fully. Definitely an opportunity.'
Wild Boar gripped his iron club tight and inched forward bit by bit.
Mi An So-sal wasn't coming closer, so he'd take the offensive first. And that was precisely the stance Mi An So-sal hated most.
Anyone who attacked him... died!
But Mi An So-sal took two steps back and said,
"We haven't encountered Fox yet, so let's hold off on the pursuit for now..."
At that moment, a sharp voice rang out from behind Wild Boar.
"You're desperately searching for me. What business do you have?"
'Fox!'
Wild Boar whipped around in shock.
It was indeed Fox. Fox had revealed himself. And from this instant, the pursuit officially began. Even if Mi An So-sal swung his killing sword now, they had no grounds to complain.
'Why the hell did he show himself...'
Wild Boar glared wide-eyed, then a realization struck him.
Fox revealing himself wasn't his own decision. Four Thousand Four had orchestrated it from the shadows.
It wasn't Vanguard gambling—it was Four Thousand Four placing his bet.
Four Thousand Four hadn't thrown away the Six Fangs as consumables. Before Mi An So-sal could charge at him, Four Thousand Four would strike first.
'You bastard! I knew it!'
Wild Boar grinned at Fox.
Fox grinned back at him.
Fox looked utterly unconcerned. Even facing the mighty foe Mi An So-sal. Not a speck of worry. That meant he trusted Four Thousand Four completely.
"Heh heh heh!"
Wild Boar regained his composure and aimed his iron club at Mi An So-sal.
"Alright, let's go all out then."
But Mi An So-sal didn't spare him a glance and kept muttering nonsense.
"Vanguard, are you really going to do this?"
There was no reply, of course.
"Fox has shown up anyway, so the pursuit begins now. Looks like I'll have to put down three or four of you here."
No sooner had Mi An So-sal finished speaking than his figure shot forward. But he wasn't charging at Wild Boar. Not toward Wild Boar's position—unexpectedly, he veered right.
'Has that guy lost his mind...'
As Wild Boar frowned, someone yanked at his clothes from behind.
"What are you doing! You'll really die!"
It was Fox. Fox had rushed over and grabbed him.
"I can handle that guy..."
"Shut up and fall back now."
Fox turned and retreated immediately after speaking.
Shiiit! Shiiiiiit!
Mi An So-sal moved like a madman. Like a fox hunting a mole, he leaped high then pounced down viciously.
And it didn't stop there. He repeated it two, three times in succession.
Shwarararak!
His sword swept the ground.
Weeds were sliced away, trees felled. Dust clouds billowed thickly.
"Ha ha ha ha!"
Mi An So-sal burst into wild laughter.
It looked like Four Thousand Four was in a bind. Why else would Mi An So-sal be laughing?
"This isn't going well, is it? If you're not confident, fall back."
Wild Boar said anxiously. But then,
"What stealth technique did Jaja train in?"
A low voice came from somewhere.
Wild Boar startled and turned to the side. The voice had come from right beside him, but when he looked, no one was there. He immediately circulated his qi to scan the surroundings... but couldn't find Four Thousand Four.
Four Thousand Four was perfectly hidden.
Then the one rampaging there wasn't Four Thousand Four... Ah, right—Jaja.
Wild Boar recalled what Four Thousand Four had just asked.
"Martial Camp has no stealth techniques."
As he tilted his head, a voice replied.
"Even assassins don't learn stealth?"
Fox countered as if it were absurd.
"Martial Camp warriors don't learn assassination. They want to kill with martial arts. Fair fights of martial prowess against martial prowess—not sneaky kills."
"A surprise attack is still assassination, though."
"Urgh!"
Wild Boar shut his mouth.
He watched the forest intently. Mi An So-sal kept hunting the mole hidden underground. But it wasn't catching easily. Darting here, lunging there...
"Ha ha ha ha!"
Mi An So-sal laughed again.
Not a laugh of panic. Not anger. A leisurely laugh, laced with playfulness.
Jaja's in danger!
"Jaja's not gonna hold! She seems to be taking hits right now."
At that moment, the situation shifted slightly.
Tsaeaeak! Tsot!
A ripping sound tore through the air, and from somewhere in the forest, gleaming hidden weapons rained down in a sparkle.
The target was, of course, Mi An So-sal.
"Hm! That's Chaotic Flying Wind Hand..."
Wild Boar recognized the technique.
"Chaotic Flying Wind Hand? Famous?"
"One of Martial Camp's Ten Supreme Arts. So tricky to master that no one's practiced it in fifty years."
"Ho ho ho! Good thing we ditched Martial Camp and bolted."
"What?"
"If we'd stuck it out, Hanbi would've beaten us?"
Fox said coolly.
Wild Boar fell silent.
Yes. While he'd been locked in Thunder Prison, the world had changed a lot. Hanbi, once his equal, had mastered Chaotic Flying Wind Hand. And here it was in action.
If that had been unleashed at him... he couldn't have blocked it.
Even Mi An So-sal lost his leisure before Chaotic Flying Wind Hand.
"Ha ha ha! As expected!"
He leaped back. No—before his foot even touched ground, he sprang forward again.
Papapapapop! Kangkangkangkangkang!
With each swing of his sword, the hidden weapons scattered away.
"Vanguard! What are you doing!"
Mi An So-sal shouted.
Mi An So-sal could clearly see all three. Jaja hidden in the earth, Hanbi in the forest, and Vanguard somewhere... He saw them all and handled them with ease.
Wild Boar shook his head side to side.
It wasn't just that Vanguard had driven One-Four-Six to their deaths in his strike team. Everyone thought so, but they were wrong. Hanbi and Jaja were strong.
Gurururung!
Thunder rumbled from the forest.
The sword sang. Sword hum echoed through the woods.
Mi An So-sal regripped his sword. Infused it with qi. If what came before was play, now he'd unleash his true killing arts.
"One!"
Mi An So-sal bellowed thunderously. And then,
"Kuh!"
A short, stifled sound rang out. Jaja.
"Two!"
Mi An So-sal shot toward the forest.
He shot forward, but... his form didn't seem to move. Like teleportation or spatial leap... He was here, then suddenly deep in the woods.
Parararak!
The sword swung, trees toppled.
"Kuhk!"
Another stifled groan. From Hanbi.
"He's insanely strong."
Wild Boar swallowed hard.
Just watching made his breath catch. He felt ridiculous for thinking he'd fight such a man. How the hell do you block a sword like that? Where do you even attack?
You couldn't fight that guy.
"Vanguard must've known he was this strong. Right?"
He was asking Four Thousand Four.
Wild Boar's words carried a subtext: 'What about you?' Can you handle a guy like that?
No answer came. Wild Boar hadn't expected one from the start.
"Three!"
Mi An So-sal roared again and changed direction.
Toward Vanguard's position. Even Vanguard was to be cut down. The direction was left from the forest... Mi An So-sal charged that way.
Just then, Vanguard revealed himself.
He could've hidden and attacked like Wild Boar or Hanbi, but judged there was no chance of victory that way. Indeed, Jaja and Hanbi had held out only to crumble.
Mi An So-sal had shattered Jaja's stealth.
He'd swatted away Chaotic Flying Wind Hand, one of Martial Camp's Ten Supreme Arts.
No matter what supreme art Vanguard possessed, it'd be useless against Mi An So-sal. But,
"Uhk!"
Mi An So-sal, charging at Vanguard, stopped dead.
Mi An So-sal laughed no more. He didn't move. Not even a fingertip.
Sseut!
Four Thousand Four rose silently behind Mi An So-sal.
"Huh! When did that guy..."
Wild Boar gaped.
He'd been right beside him moments ago, exchanging words... They'd watched Hanbi and Jaja fall together.
Four Thousand Four spoke.
"Shall we stop... or shall I kill you?"