Schemes Met with Schemes (6)
Moyong Hwa-jeong's jaw dropped in shock.
"You're going to blow up the fortress with Thunderbolt Bombs?"
"That's right."
Namgung Jin's tone shifted to one of utter leisure. Seeing the astonishment on Moyong Hwa-jeong's face had reignited his innate arrogance.
"I've already had my warriors plant Thunderbolt Bombs across the entire fortress. The fuses connected to them run underground all the way to this warehouse. We just light them, and that's it."
"Even so, destroying a fortress we built with such effort..."
"Why did we build the fortress in the first place?"
"Why?"
"Exactly."
Namgung Jin raised his index finger—a habit he often fell into when lecturing or scolding others.
"We built it to bring down Shaolin Temple."
"I know that, but..."
"If these cliffs collapse, the path to Shaolin vanishes forever."
"..."
"A handful of peak experts might punch through revenant-infested territory, but for large forces to move? They'd have to loop around for over a month."
"You're saying you'll seal the path completely?"
"Of course. As long as the revenant outbreak continues, Shaolin will be cut off from the Central Plains martial world. Isn't that our original goal?"
"..."
Moyong Hwa-jeong, Ak Gwanbi, Paeng Jagol, and Eon Ja-seong exchanged glances.
Namgung Jin's words made a certain twisted sense at first listen. The fortress was meant to undermine Shaolin's prestige and force them to yield the Murim Alliance leadership.
But demolishing it with Thunderbolt Bombs? That was unexpected.
From what he'd said, it seemed he'd planned this long ago.
Planting bombs everywhere and running fuses underground was proof enough.
Moyong Hwa-jeong and the other experts fell silent, unable to refute him.
To destroy with their own hands a fortress built through grueling labor, all to seize control of the Central Plains martial world.
Meticulous? Or utterly mad...?
Either way, Namgung Jin's temperament was hard to fathom.
And if the fortress fell, wouldn't it block the other families' paths too?
This gorge wasn't just a route to Shaolin anymore.
It led to ancient capitals like Luoyang, Kaifeng, Chang'an.
Destroy the fortress, and you'd choke off access to all of them...
No wonder Moyong Hwa-jeong and the experts were stunned into silence.
"What about the Thunderbolt Bomb production facility if the warehouse blows? We poured a fortune into it."
"Money's rotting away since the revenant outbreak. A massive blow to Shaolin makes the construction costs a bargain. Heh heh heh."
Namgung Jin chuckled, lost in self-admiration.
"Then shouldn't we warn everyone to evacuate?"
"Not a chance. The rats who've infiltrated the fortress would catch on."
"You don't mean..."
"Exactly. We five just slip out, and we're done."
"What about the warriors?"
"Look at yourselves. Worrying about your underlings now?"
"..."
Namgung Jin scowled in reproach, but Moyong Hwa-jeong and the others held their silence.
"This will lay the foundation for the Five Families Alliance to dominate the Central Plains martial world. Sacrificing the small for the greater good."
At that, the silent Eon Ja-seong clutched his chest and forced out words.
"Then... we won't be able to use Thunderbolt Bombs anymore..."
"Don't worry about that."
As Eon Ja-seong struggled even to speak, Namgung Jin waved dismissively, as if to say hold it in.
"I've documented the formula separately. I keep it on me even when I sleep."
"..."
"With the formula, remaking them is just a matter of time. Focus on treating your wounds first. What's the point of ruling the Central Plains if you're dead? Hahaha!"
Namgung Jin burst into boisterous laughter.
A ruthless scheme, brutally effective despite the regret.
A deal with no real loss.
Business had its ups and downs, didn't it?
Namgung Jin brushed off responsibility for the fortress's destruction just like that.
"Follow carefully so your wounds don't reopen."
He led the experts into the warehouse.
Two warriors remained inside, guarding Wang Il and Wang Yi.
"Hmm. What about these two?"
Namgung Jin muttered as if pondering.
His tactic for dumping tough choices on others.
Sure enough, the hot-tempered Eon Ja-seong spoke up.
"What's to think about? Kill them."
"You think so?"
"Obviously. What's the gain in leaving loose ends?"
Namgung Jin nodded as if agreeing, then Moyong Hwa-jeong cut in.
"We can't kill them. Take them alive."
"Why?"
"If Shaolin pursuers come, we can use them as hostages."
"Hmm."
Namgung Jin tilted his head, feigning thought.
In truth, taking Wang Il and Wang Yi as hostages was his plan all along. He dragged it out to make it seem like he'd weighed their suggestions.
"Fine. We'll take them as hostages. Then..."
In that instant, a vile glint flashed in Namgung Jin's eyes.
The Five Families Alliance's top experts fleeing bloodied, grabbing hostages out of fear?
That tale could never leak out.
Shing.Slash.
Without warning, Namgung Jin drew his sword and severed the throats of the two guarding warriors. They died without knowing why.
"This is one step back for ten steps forward. But no one can know we fled. Another small sacrifice for the greater good."
"..."
The other experts said nothing, silenced by his ruthlessness. When his own safety was at stake, Namgung Jin moved like a ghost.
"Wait here."
He left them and circled behind the warehouse.
He entered a corner tangled with complex mechanisms—where his preparation awaited.
The fuses linking to the fortress-wide Thunderbolt Bombs!
Namgung Jin pulled a fire starter from his bosom and lit the fuse end.
Whoosh. Sizzle.
Sparks flew, and the fuse began burning instantly.
By the time they'd finish a meal, the bombs would detonate simultaneously, leaving no trace of the fortress.
"I'm burying you with a fortune spent—don't hate me for it. Heh heh heh."
Preparation complete, Namgung Jin returned leading six horses.
He personally bound Wang Il and Wang Yi—the others were too wounded to manage even themselves.
They dragged their captives to the rear gate.
Guards stood watch there.
Namgung Jin bellowed at them to go quench the fires.
"But who'll guard the rear gate...?"
"We'll handle it. Don't leave a single ember, or it'll spread. Put everything into firefighting!"
"Understood!"
Seeing Namgung Jin and the experts together, the warriors rushed off without suspicion.
Another of his schemes, of course.
He'd already killed the two guarding the captives. Spare these warriors, and word might leak later.
Plus, it gave an excuse: the fortress burned because other families' men moved too slowly. Two birds, one stone.
With the warriors gone, Namgung Jin approached the rear gate.
Sheer cliffs flanked it, stabbing toward the clouds.
Even a lightness skill master would plummet nine times out of ten trying to scale them.
Leaping the gate? Worse awaited.
Its fence bristled with blades, and poison-coated arrows would turn escapees into pincushions.
A natural fortress.
Namgung Jin drew a key from his bosom—palm-sized and oddly shaped.
He inserted it into the gate's lock and turned. Mechanisms whirred, and the barred gate creaked open.
Clunk. Creak.
"No time—hurry."
He opened it just wide enough for men and horses, urging the others.
Moyong Hwa-jeong and the experts, faces drained of color, weakly led their mounts through. Wang Il and Wang Yi rode one horse, bound.
Namgung Jin passed last, then shut and locked the gate.
Clunk. Creak... thud.
When the bombs blew after mealtime, no one inside would survive. Infiltrators, family warriors—all gone.
Namgung Jin and the experts mounted and rode on.
"Your wounds are bad—endure it."
"Got it..."
Moyong Hwa-jeong groaned in reply.
"Hyah!"
Namgung Jin spurred his horse hard.
Better to get far from the cliffs before the blast.
Riding jostled wounds open, but he ignored the injured. If any fell and died from pain? All the better—fewer rivals for Five Families Alliance leadership.
Fortunately—or not—the four clung close behind.
How long had they galloped through the woods when a roar erupted behind them?
BOOM.
A fierce wind whipped past.
Whoosh.
Then the ground shook like an earthquake. Horses reared in panic.
The Five Families Alliance fortress had exploded.
Hundreds of stockpiled Thunderbolt Bombs igniting at once unleashed more power than expected. The group watched in silence as a massive smoke pillar rose skyward.
Namgung Jin broke the quiet.
"It's done. Unless those rats dig themselves out and turn ghost, they won't reach Shaolin. Heh heh heh."
"..."
But as he laughed confidently, something made him frown.
Bundles strapped to the others' saddles were dripping dark red blood.
"What the hell is that?"
"What?"
"Those bundles you're carrying."
Namgung Jin pointed, then smirked as realization dawned.
"Ah, even in the rush, you grabbed your valuables."
Eon Ja-seong's reply felt off.
"Yes. Precious to some, once upon a time."
"Once? Not anymore?"
"Now? Utterly useless."
"Strange talk. Once precious, always precious. What do you mean?"
"Curious? See for yourself."
Eon Ja-seong untied his bundle.
A round, heavy object thudded to the ground and rolled.
Thump. Roll roll.
Namgung Jin turned and froze.
It was Eon Ja-seong's severed head!
"Th-that's... your head..."
"It's Eon Ja-seong's head. Not mine."
Seo Baek peeled the talisman from his chest. His form shimmered, Eon Ja-seong's features vanishing to reveal his own face.
"Pleased to meet you. I'm Seo Baek of Shika Manor in Sichuan. I've been disguised as him using a talisman spell."