Chapter 487
Chapter 487
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 487
Chapter Title: The Grand Commander's Stratagem
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Bu Eun-seol and Gongson Dan-gyeong cautiously stepped into the formation.
*Shaaaaa.*
The interior of the Reverse Heaven's Cloud Mist Labyrinth Formation was filled with a gray fog so thick one couldn't see an inch ahead.
The fog had the ability to erase not only one's sight but also one's internal senses.
Even those with outstanding martial arts could not display their full strength, and it was difficult to detect an enemy even if they brushed past you.
*Shing! Whoosh!*
Yet, amidst the dreadful darkness and sensory confusion, Bu Eun-seol and Gongson Dan-gyeong found the correct direction.
They were eliminating the assassins they encountered, one by one.
Because the Reverse Heaven's Cloud Mist Labyrinth Formation had been laid in overlapping layers, they had to unravel over six hundred variations.
Only then could they escape completely or reach their desired location.
Gongson Dan-gyeong had memorized the first three hundred or so variations, so she took the lead.
But once they navigated through the parts she knew, she could no longer discern the changes in direction.
From then on, she moved forward cautiously, staying close to Bu Eun-seol.
"Hoo, hoo."
The two of them gasped for breath.
They had already unraveled over four hundred variations and killed more than three hundred assassins.
Gongson Dan-gyeong was a woman of exceptional intellect, but her martial prowess fell short.
As a strategist who calculated everything in her head, she had no experience in life-or-death battles like this.
"…This is exhausting."
In the end, Gongson Dan-gyeong threw off her veil.
She had sustained numerous wounds, large and small, while dealing with the assassins trapped in the formation alongside Bu Eun-seol.
Fortunately, she carried fine medicines worthy of being called elixirs, allowing her to endure.
The problem was the mental fatigue.
Having never experienced a proper battle, she was now trapped in a formation, endlessly cutting down assassins.
It was a harsh situation even for a warrior seasoned in real combat.
As a result, her body remained in a state of constant tension, while her fighting spirit gradually weakened.
Cutting a person is different from carving meat.
In her entire life, Gongson Dan-gyeong had never plunged a sharp weapon into another's body, severing muscles and cutting through organs or bones.
For someone like her to be engaged in a battle bordering on mass slaughter using the formation… her killing intent was gradually diminishing, and even her will to fight was fading.
With her mind exhausted first, her body also lost its vitality and refused to move as she willed.
"Commander Sunwu, you are incredible."
Gongson Dan-gyeong shook her head, a weary expression on her face.
"Even if you're accustomed to battle, anyone would be exhausted in a situation like this."
Despite having cut down more than twice as many assassins as she had, Bu Eun-seol showed no signs of fatigue, nor had his killing intent diminished.
It was as if he wouldn't even blink if he were to cut down a thousand, or even ten thousand men.
"Commander Sunwu, you seem to have a wealth of combat experience despite your youth."
"It's probably because I've mostly dealt with hordes of bandits."
Bu Eun-seol replied calmly.
"Bandit hordes have at least three hundred fighters. If you include their families, the number easily exceeds five hundred."
"Families? Does that mean you eliminated entire bandit clans?"
"That is correct. I did so for a time."
The identity of Sunwu Jin was constructed with plausible reasons for any outstanding abilities he might display.
This was because he was a fictional character meticulously crafted over twenty years by the brilliant master known as the Divine Calculator, using immense wealth and manpower.
"Bandit hordes are like weeds that grow back no matter how many times you pull them."
Bu Eun-seol said in a resolute voice.
"If you don't eradicate them completely when you deal with them, they grow back in no time."
It was as if even his voice carried the stench of blood.
Gongson Dan-gyeong felt dizzy and shook her head.
"The work of a merchant caravan is not easy, I see."
After resting for a while, the two began to move again.
She reached out and felt a wall. Then, she leaned against it, panting heavily.
"Let's rest a little longer."
"Understood."
Nodding, Bu Eun-seol moved closer to her and stood guard.
"I simply cannot fathom which faction would orchestrate such an attack."
Bu Eun-seol spoke in a voice feigning complete bewilderment.
"No matter how much money the assassins were paid, it makes no sense for them to target the leadership of our Alliance."
Gongson Dan-gyeong shook her head.
"There are many assassin groups in the martial world that keep their identities hidden. If they were confident they would never be discovered, they might accept such a contract."
*‘She's pretending not to know.’*
Bu Eun-seol gave a bitter smile.
A person of her stature, the Grand Commander of the Martial Alliance, could not possibly be unaware of the existence of the Three Realms.
She was likely giving a vague answer, thinking Bu Eun-seol was just a low-ranking member.
"In any case, once we get out of here safely, I will make them pay the price they deserve."
*Fwoosh!*
Just then, an assassin's sword lunged out from nowhere, aiming for her throat.
"Watch out!"
*Shing!*
Bu Eun-seol instantly drew his sword and blocked the attack.
He then swiftly executed a sword technique and cut the assassin's throat.
*Slice!*
The moment Bu Eun-seol beheaded the assassin,
*Thrust!*
a sharp sword suddenly emerged from behind Gongson Dan-gyeong, who had stepped back.
"Ah."
She moved like lightning to dodge the attack and swung her sword.
*Pshuk!*
Fortunately, she subdued the assassin, but not before receiving a sword wound on her shoulder.
"This is not good. I don't have any more special medicines."
Bu Eun-seol quickly pressed her acupoints to stop the bleeding, then tore a piece of his sleeve to bandage the wound.
"From now on, please stay right next to me as we move."
At Bu Eun-seol's words, Gongson Dan-gyeong nodded and pressed close against him.
Seeing her face, smeared with blood and sweat, Bu Eun-seol felt a pang of guilt.
Sunwu Jin was not a master of the Pinnacle Heaven Realm, so he couldn't extend a single moment in time.
Therefore, even though he knew that ambush was coming, he couldn't stop it for her.
"Let's rest a little longer."
She murmured in a low voice, closing her eyes as if overcome by fatigue.
"I can't walk anymore. I'm just going to close my eyes for a quarter of an hour."
"Understood."
As soon as he replied, she fell into a deep sleep.
Staring at her sleeping face, Bu Eun-seol pondered for a moment.
*‘Should I just kill them all?’*
With Bu Eun-seol's abilities, it wouldn't be difficult to kill all the assassins gathered here in an instant.
*‘I wouldn't even need to use the As-You-Will True Arts. If I use the Glacier River Arts, there will be no trace left behind.’*
After a moment of consideration, he shook his head.
*‘No, the trace isn't the problem.’*
Gongson Dan-gyeong wasn't just a talented woman; she was the Grand Commander of the Martial Alliance.
If something incomprehensible were to happen, like the assassins suddenly dropping dead?
She would undoubtedly investigate until she had a satisfactory explanation.
*‘Besides…’*
Bu Eun-seol shook his head as something came to mind.
In any case, in the current situation.
The best course of action was to descend to the underground passage with Gongson Dan-gyeong, using only Sunwu Jin's abilities.
*‘Hmm.’*
Bu Eun-seol looked at Gongson Dan-gyeong, who had her eyes closed, her long eyelashes lowered.
Looking at her now, he saw that her face was slender, but her cheeks were slightly full. It made her look much younger than her actual age.
*‘The sisters have completely different auras.’*
If Gongson Dan-a was a peony, then Gongson Dan-gyeong was like a magnolia, carrying a subtle fragrance.
Unlike her younger sister, she wasn't flashy, but her calm and elegant aura created a strange and unique beauty.
"Looking at you, Commander Sunwu, reminds me of my younger sister."
Just then, Gongson Dan-gyeong, her eyes still closed, murmured in a low voice.
"From a young age, that child showed a genius-like talent for everything. Whatever she did, she was faster than me, and her looks were incomparably beautiful."
Gongson Dan-gyeong was not the type of person to reveal her innermost thoughts to others.
But exhausted in both mind and body, and having been trapped in a deadly formation for so long, her heart seemed to have suddenly grown weak.
"The only things I could pride myself on were my composure and memory. So I memorized every book in our family's library, over and over. Since I couldn't match her in martial arts or looks, I had to win with my mind."
A hollow smile touched her lips.
"When I was appointed Grand Commander, I felt proud for a while, thinking I had finally beaten her. But looking at myself now, I'm still in this state."
The Reverse Heaven's Cloud Mist Labyrinth Formation not only diminished the senses but also had the ability to induce hallucinations and amplify emotions.
After being trapped for more than four hours, she suddenly seemed unable to control her emotions.
"Looking back, I've never truly won against her, not even once."
Her voice and gaze were not those of the Grand Commander who commanded the Martial Alliance, but simply those of a beautiful woman.
She was beautiful enough to be dazzling even in the dark, but Bu Eun-seol's expression remained impassive.
"Are you saying that the Grand Commander feels inadequate?"
"Of course. My sister is not only talented in martial arts, but she's also incredibly beautiful. Whenever she was around, I was often treated as if I didn't even exist."
"I see."
"You don't believe me?"
"No, that's not it."
He now saw that she seemed to feel a great sense of inferiority towards her younger sister, Gongson Dan-a.
Bu Eun-seol offered words of comfort to lift her spirits.
"Beauty is a matter of individual taste and perspective, is it not? There must be people who would rate the Grand Commander more highly."
"If you had met my sister, you would never say such a thing."
Gongson Dan-gyeong said in a self-deprecating tone.
"Commander Sunwu, you've been busy running your caravan back and forth beyond the pass, so you probably haven't met many beautiful women. Am I right?"
Bu Eun-seol remained silent.
In truth, he was the man with the most romantic fortunes in the entire martial world.
He had stared at Gongson Dan-a's face until he was sick of it, from a distance where their noses could touch, while resting his head on her lap.
He had spent a great deal of time with Yeon So-ha, said to be her rival in beauty, in both the Divine Maiden's Palace and the Demonic Sanctum.
He had also seen Ah-yeon, Dan So-ok, and Jin-seol, known as the Flower of the Demonic Sanctum, countless times in the Sanctum, all of whom possessed comparable beauty.
In the underground passages of Shaolin, he had been with Dang Cheong, called the First Beauty of Sichuan.
Furthermore, So-yo, a beauty with an exotic and mysterious allure, was always by his side.
He had also seen Jeok Mu-mi, the Lady of the Raging Flames Sacred Palace, who possessed the unique beauty of a southern barbarian woman.
They each exuded different charms, and it was difficult to say who was more beautiful.
And in Bu Eun-seol's eyes, Gongson Dan-gyeong didn't seem much different either.
That might have been due to his personality, which paid little attention to a woman's beauty or lack thereof.
"Is it not common for people to overlook the magnolia, dazzled by the peony?"
Bu Eun-seol offered a calm but sincere consolation.
"To be honest, I am not good at distinguishing between beautiful and plain women. However, everyone in the Alliance praises the Grand Commander's outstanding beauty."
Bu Eun-seol's clear eyes were not lying.
For a moment, surprise and bewilderment flashed in Gongson Dan-gyeong's eyes.
But it was only for an instant. Her expression soon returned to its usual composure.
"Thank you."
As if reinvigorated, she stood up and spoke again.
"Then, let's get going."
Having risen again, she stood shoulder to shoulder with Bu Eun-seol.
"I can still swing my sword. Let's fight together."
"Grand Commander."
"It's alright. You're badly injured too, Commander Sunwu."
Indeed, Bu Eun-seol had been forced to take several hits from the assassins' swords.
He had no choice but to act entirely as Sunwu Jin.
Gongson Dan-gyeong, knowing his injuries were serious, wanted to fight alongside him.
She was a proactive woman who didn't just wait for others to help her.
It might have been because she had always accomplished everything on her own.
But in the end, disaster struck.
The moment she stood beside him, a flood of assassins who had grasped some of the formation's patterns poured in.
*Slash! Slash!*
In an instant, several new cuts appeared on her body.
Nevertheless, Gongson Dan-gyeong fought the assassins with all her might, unfazed.
"I will handle this."
Seeing Gongson Dan-gyeong in danger, Bu Eun-seol swiftly threw his daggers.
But among the assassins, there was one who was exceptionally fast.
Using the bodies of his comrades as shields, he swiftly dodged the attacks and persistently targeted Gongson Dan-gyeong.
*‘He must be a squad leader.’*
If a thousand assassins had been deployed, there would surely be squad leaders commanding certain units.
That skilled assassin undoubtedly held the rank of a leader.
*Fwoosh.*
With the appearance of just one skilled leader, the assassins' movements became completely different from before.
Bu Eun-seol bit his lip.
*‘Is there no other way?’*
If they couldn't overcome this crisis, it would be meaningless even if he survived alone.
Bu Eun-seol had no choice but to double his internal energy and unleash the true ultimate art of the Unhindered One: the Iron Sword Thirteen Forms.
*Shwaaak! Ch-chik!*
The assassins' poisoned swords rained down on Bu Eun-seol's body.
But the sword forms they unleashed began to spin fiercely before raining back down upon their own bodies.
*‘Disperse the strong force, gather the weak force, and rotate it.’*
It was the first move of the ultimate technique of the Iron Sword Thirteen Forms, the Art of Profound Redirection.
"Aargh!"
The assassins who had launched a simultaneous attack were all struck by their own redirected force and collapsed to the ground.
*‘The formation has mostly collapsed.’*
The dissipating fog and returning senses clearly indicated that a part of the formation had been destroyed.
In that case, they had to get to the underground passage as quickly as possible.
"Grand Commander, this way!"
As Bu Eun-seol charged forward and broke through the encirclement, she followed close behind.
Bracing for injury, he pushed through the assassins with all his might.
The assassins unleashed a barrage of attacks, but he endured most of them with his body, and what he couldn't avoid, he deflected back with the Iron Sword Thirteen Forms.
*‘Over there.’*
When he finally spotted the mechanism leading underground, Bu Eun-seol pushed Gongson Dan-gyeong in first and immediately followed.
*Kooong! Clank.*
When the door finally closed, Bu Eun-seol and Gongson Dan-gyeong gasped for breath.
"Hoo. Hoo."
Gongson Dan-gyeong looked completely drained.
Although she had experienced many things, this was the first time she had faced a crisis where her life hung by such a thin thread.
"Truly incredible."
Even in such a state, Gongson Dan-gyeong praised Bu Eun-seol's swordsmanship.
"Was that the Unhindered One's Iron Sword Thirteen Forms you used earlier?"
"That is correct."
"The forms seemed to have been modified."
When Bu Eun-seol looked surprised, Gongson Dan-gyeong chuckled.
"Do you think a Grand Commander would employ a subordinate without even assessing them?"
Then she said in a soft voice.
"I didn't choose you, Commander Sunwu, just because you could develop the Illustration Emporium and identify forgeries."
"What do you mean?"
"This matter had to be kept top secret. Therefore, I had to grasp everything about you beforehand—your martial skill, your personality, everything."
Gongson Dan-gyeong continued her explanation with a faint smile.
Listening to her story in silence, Bu Eun-seol couldn't hide his astonishment.
If he could identify a forgery of the *Painting of Pine Splendor Under the Moon* that even experts found difficult to distinguish,
then it would take him roughly a day to identify all the forgeries in the Illustration Emporium.
Furthermore, Bu Eun-seol was the type of person who could be trusted to keep a secret, and his hidden martial skill was also formidable.
He was capable of protecting himself even in a crisis.
And that if an attack were to happen, it would begin here, at this warehouse in Little Lake… she had predicted it all.
*‘So this is the Grand Commander.’*
Hearing the full explanation, Bu Eun-seol's mind snapped to attention.
What if he had underestimated Gongson Dan-gyeong earlier and altered the formation or secretly disposed of the assassins?
He would have been found out immediately and fallen under suspicion.
"But you couldn't have calculated that I would be able to deploy a matching Reverse Heaven's Cloud Mist Labyrinth Formation."
What if Bu Eun-seol hadn't been able to lay an overlapping formation?
They would have been unable to fend off the flood of assassins and would have been captured immediately.
This meant she must have prepared a way to stop the assassins even if he couldn't deploy the formation.
"Of course, I had a backup plan. But since you did an excellent job of overlapping the formations, there was no need to use it."
"If you anticipated the attack, then you must have a way to wipe them out in one fell swoop."
Bu Eun-seol said with an air of relief, but Gongson Dan-gyeong's expression turned serious.
"No. There is no such thing."
"Nothing?"
"I am simply trusting that the Lord of the Sacred Guard Division will surely come."
Bu Eun-seol's mouth fell open in disbelief.
*‘She had thought that far ahead, yet she was nonchalantly pretending to know nothing?’*
As if reading his mind, she spoke calmly.
"Their power and influence are immense. If I had stationed troops near Little Lake or prepared countermeasures for a surprise attack…"
She shook her head, her expression grim.
"They would have never launched the attack."
"When you say 'they'..."
"I cannot tell you that."
When Gongson Dan-gyeong spoke firmly, Bu Eun-seol changed the subject.
"So your plan from the beginning was to rely solely on me and hold out until the Lord of the Sacred Guard Division arrived?"
"You are too modest."
She smiled and began to speak.
"Your martial skill, Commander Sunwu, is not widely known in the martial world, but I am well aware of how formidable it is. And above all…"
She sighed briefly before continuing.
"If I had been accompanied by a great master, they would never have dared to attack. But you, Commander Sunwu, possess great skill yet lack widespread fame… making you the perfect person for this plan."
"I don't understand."
Bu Eun-seol shook his head.
"Is there a reason to take such a risk and invite an attack?"
"Because I absolutely had to confirm something."
"Confirm what?"
"Three things. First, whether the enemy's intelligence network is superior to mine. Second, whether they truly intend to kill me if given the chance. And finally…"
A glint flashed in Gongson Dan-gyeong's eyes.
"Whether there really is a traitor within the Grand Commander's Hall, just as you said, Commander Sunwu."
A leaden silence filled the underground warehouse.
Staring blankly into the air, she spoke again.
"I have many things to handle from now on. That's why I had to use this opportunity to confirm these three things."
Bu Eun-seol swallowed dryly.
Only now did he understand how she had become the youngest Grand Commander.
To grasp the enemy's intentions,
to gauge the superiority of their intelligence, and to find the traitor… Gongson Dan-gyeong had gambled with her own life.
In the end, all of this was her meticulous plan, and Bu Eun-seol was merely a puppet on her board.
A useful puppet whose abilities and potential had been thoroughly calculated.
*‘What a terrifying woman.’*
Bu Eun-seol sighed inwardly.
*‘Chillingly so.’*
Everything she had shown him so far had clearly been part of her plan.
Her display of confusion in the Reverse Heaven's Cloud Mist Labyrinth Formation.
Her revealing her inferiority complex by bringing up Gongson Dan-a.
They must have been actions born of thorough calculation.
To see if Bu Eun-seol was a trustworthy person.
To personally confirm whether he was susceptible to feminine charms or had an impulsive personality.
And if he had tried any funny business or shown a disrespectful attitude…
she would have surely deployed some hidden trump card to deal with him.
*‘In that case, I suppose I need to put on a show of my own.’*
For Bu Eun-seol, who had lived in the Demonic Sanctum where all manner of conspiracies and schemes ran rampant,
Gongson Dan-gyeong's meticulously crafted plans felt, in a way, perfectly natural.
*You have to gauge the enemy's strength. You have to check for traitors. That's how you survive.*
But his current identity was Sunwu Jin, a Peak Commander of the Martial Alliance.
Now that he knew the Grand Commander of the Martial Alliance had intentionally executed such a plan, risking her own life…
he had to show a reaction befitting that knowledge.