Chapter 129
Chapter 129
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 129
Chapter Title: Daeha Guest Inn
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“Alliance Leader.”
The bald man urgently knocked on Yi Yang’s office door. With his short beard on his chin oddly suiting his bald head, this was Yi Mu-gwang, the strategist of the Western Xia Alliance.
“Come in.”
Yi Yang was having tea with Hwe Ong.
The door opened, and Yi Mu-gwang entered.
“What is it?”
Yi Yang asked, looking at Yi Mu-gwang.
“They’ve come to the Demon Realm.”
“Who?”
“The ones who smashed the Fifth Squad.”
“Is that true?”
Yi Yang’s eyes turned icy. Of the four hundred who had gone out, only fifty had returned alive.
“Yes.”
“You think they don’t know the Fifth Squad belongs to the Western Xia Alliance?”
“They know.”
Yi Mu-gwang answered.
When attacked, identifying the enemy is basic. At first, there might not be time amid the chaos of battle, but later they learn from captives or the wounded. So the enemy would know the Fifth Squad came from the Western Xia Alliance.
“And they still came here...”
Yi Yang glanced at Hwe Ong.
“What did the survivors say?”
Hwe Ong asked.
“They said they were ambushed and couldn’t even see properly.”
“They were the ones ambushing, or they got ambushed?”
“They got caught in a trap the enemy set.”
“The key is figuring out who they are.”
“Either way, coming here knowing the Fifth Squad is ours means they’re confident.”
Yi Yang looked at Yi Mu-gwang and asked.
“They might even know our situation here.”
Yi Mu-gwang replied.
“They think we have no spare forces because the Absolute Five Thousand warriors are here?”
“That’s my take.”
Regardless of anything else, the presence of the Absolute Six Thousand forces had the Western Xia Alliance and all the Demon Realm’s demon legions on high alert. Right now, the area held the Great Ten Righteous Assembly’s Ten Thousand from the Absolute Five Thousand, two hundred warriors from the Latent Dragon Ascension Society, two hundred from the Yellow Dragon Heaven’s Cloud Nine Dragons Squad, and two hundred from the Silver Shade Heaven’s Great Secret Pavilion. They were so focused on watching them that even the wars between the demon legions had halted.
“So where did they go?”
“To the Forward Forest Unit.”
“The Forward Forest Unit?”
Yi Yang’s eyes widened.
Of all places, the Forward Forest Unit.
It didn’t feel good.
“They were looking for a place to rest, and the Forward Forest Unit offered them rooms at a very cheap rate. During the haggling, the youngest son of the enemy squad leader, Cheol Mok Dae-gil, got beaten half to death.”
“They hit a child?”
“Cheol Mok Dae-gil started with the insults, but they went too far. His nasal bone collapsed, and the bone under his eye shattered.”
“A child born in his old age, one he’d sing wouldn’t hurt even if he put him in his eyes. Cheol Mok Ha-ram must be furious.”
“He will be.”
“We can watch a bit longer.”
Yi Yang turned to Hwe Ong and said.
“Where is the Forward Forest Unit?”
“Go north, and there’s a grove of poplar trees—that’s their territory.”
“Got it.”
Hwe Ong stood up.
“You’re going to check?”
“Those most active during war are assassins. War favors us more.”
“Still, be careful.”
“I will.”
Hwe Ong went outside to where the Life-Death Society assassins were.
As he entered, Chief Officer Mu Hyang approached.
“They went to the northern grove.”
“We need scouting?”
“Right.”
“Assign ranks three to ten to scout the grove. It’s Forward Forest Unit territory and wartime, so be cautious.”
“Understood.”
An emotionless reply came from somewhere in the air.
“There’s an inn called Daeha Guest Inn in front of the grove.”
Mu Hyang said, looking at Hwe Ong.
“Planning to check it out?”
“I’ll take a look.”
“Do that.”
* * *
The grove was so beautiful it was hard to believe there was a desert to the north. Usually, nothing grew under poplar trees, but here lush grass carpeted the ground. Delicate trees of unknown names radiated green vibrancy. There was a small lake and springs gushing water.
Pung Dae and the Hundred Radiant Demons took fifty houses.
Ak Muyoo and Ara got rooms at the inn.
He chose the inn for two reasons. One, it’d be hard to respond to assassins with Pung Dae’s men around. Two, for easy meetings if someone from Hidden Net came.
Perhaps due to the war, the inn was quiet.
Ak Muyoo drank tea with Forward Demon Baekjan, White Demon Ta Bul Yeo, Black Demon Gonok, Fire Demon Jeok Un, and Wood Demon Cho Sa.
Nearby, Gun Seol played pranks on Zabujong.
“Not going?”
Ak Muyoo asked Wood Demon. He asked because the Hundred Radiant Demons had no reason to stay.
“Why aren’t you going?”
Wood Demon countered.
“I have business.”
“What kind?”
“A guest is coming.”
“A guest?”
“The ones coming to kill me.”
“Who?”
“Five Life-Death Society assassins came before, so nine hundred ninety-five left. Warrior Vanguard of the Former Warrior Hwang Bo-sega got wiped out, so others will come. Isn’t the Ten Thousand Demon Poison Clan in Yun Nam Province?”
“You think their warriors will come?”
“We die or they die to end it.”
“Isn’t running cleaner?”
“I thought that at first. But it’s too unfair. Ten years without a single pay, driven mad, now labeled a traitor. If you were me, you’d shrug it off saying life’s like that, but not me.”
“That’s... tough.”
“Then you’d lose out if I die.”
Black Demon Gonok said.
“That’s the issue. Us broke types have one trait: pride sky-high, piercing the heavens.”
“So you’ll keep going?”
“No money, I could scrape by, but as a traitor? No way to live.”
“......”
Black Demon had nothing to say.
“You know those people over there have been staring at you?”
Forward Demon Baekjan asked.
“Did I mention I cultivated the Beast Blood Demon Art?”
“No.”
“I completed the Beast Blood Demon Art. Benefit? Even without internal energy, senses sharpen like a warrior using Heaven-Hearing Earth-Listening Skill, instincts terrifyingly keen. They’re not staring at me—they’re staring at this.”
Ak Muyoo pointed to the ring on his finger. Of the two, he indicated the North Forest Ring.
“What’s that, making them stare?”
The five elders tensed instantly.
“That’s...”
Then the door burst open, and five people entered. Three women, two elders.
These five were Tongchang’s First Concubine Leader Myo Yo, who left Beijing, her maid Ha Mi, and the three beauties leading the Great Bandit Trio.
—That guy looks like Black Wind.
Ha Mi spotted Ak Muyoo instantly.
—Not just that.
Myo Yo said.
—What else?
—Those four next to Black Wind are from the Hundred Radiant Demons: Forward Demon, White Demon, Black Demon, Fire Demon, Wood Demon.
—Really?
—I’ve seen them before. Definitely them.
—Why are the Hundred Radiant Demons with Black Wind?
—Can you ask for me?
—Sure.
Ha Mi jumped up and went to Ak Muyoo’s table.
—Hey!
Myo Yo called Ha Mi.
But Ha Mi ignored her and sat at Ak Muyoo’s table, staring at him.
“......”
Ak Muyoo silently met her gaze.
“Is that face real?”
Ha Mi asked bluntly.
“Feel it.”
Ak Muyoo leaned forward.
“Then excuse me.”
Ha Mi pinched his cheek.
“No face mask?”
“Feel yours.”
“Why?”
“You did mine, so I do yours.”
“I...”
“You have no choice.”
Ak Muyoo reached out.
Ha Mi immediately extended her right hand to block.
Swish!
Ak Muyoo’s hand twisted and pinched her cheek.
“Ow!”
A soft cry escaped Ha Mi.
‘Huh?’
Myo Yo, watching, was startled. Ha Mi had just used martial arts. No internal energy, but highly refined defense.
Yet Ak Muyoo pierced it lightly and pinched.
“Yours is real too.”
“Why would I fake mine?”
“So you think I would?”
“Someone I know looks just like you.”
“Boyfriend?”
“Not my type.”
“Then why check?”
“Curious.”
“What’s your name?”
“Ha Mi.”
“Tea?”
“If you pour.”
Ak Muyoo fetched a teacup from the next table, set it before Ha Mi, and poured.
Ha Mi lifted the cup and drank.
“Where from?”
Ak Muyoo asked.
“Beijing.”
“Impressions?”
“Who?”
“You came for Black Wind, right?”
“......”
Ha Mi’s eyes widened slightly at Ak Muyoo.
“Or give the tea back.”
Ak Muyoo extended his hand.
Ha Mi quickly moved it aside so he couldn’t take it.
“You just confirmed you can’t.”
Ak Muyoo’s hand moved again.
“Life-Death Bind!”
Myo Yo shouted unwittingly. Ak Muyoo’s hand technique was the pinnacle, Life-Death Bind. In that instant, he snatched the teacup from Ha Mi’s hand.
“Cheating guy.”
Ha Mi pouted.
“Got confidence taking me and Ara to Beijing safe from them?”
Ak Muyoo set down the stolen cup and asked.
“Why would we take you to Beijing?”
“Then why are you here?”
“Well...”
“You’re a grunt?”
“Yeah.”
“Then she’s the boss?”
Ak Muyoo pointed at Myo Yo.
“Pfft!”
Lion Iron Queen Death Shadow, beside Myo Yo, couldn’t help laughing. Who calls Tongchang’s First Concubine Leader “she”?
“She’s not ‘she’—she’s Tongchang’s First Concubine Leader.”
“That admiral has high standards.”
“Why?”
“Enough to put a beauty like that as first concubine.”
“You think I used honey traps?”
Myo Yo spoke this time.
“Great commanders don’t put the pretty and curvy in key spots if they can’t do the job.”
“Smooth talker.”
“Been hustling for cash since kid days. I’m great at saying what’s not in my heart. Now...”
Then the inn door opened.
This time, a woman entered. Her utterly ordinary face belonged to Life-Death Society strategist Mu Hyang. Entering, she was shocked at the crowd.
‘That woman?’
Even more shocking was Tongchang’s First Concubine Leader Myo Yo. Normally, she should leave immediately. But she couldn’t. She needed to know why the Concubine Leader was here. Scanning around, she sat near Gun Seol.
“Food available?”
She asked toward the kitchen.
“One question for the Concubine Leader—will you answer?”
Ak Muyoo said.
“Depends on the question.”
“I’ll repeat what I asked Ha Mi, but specific this time. Can you protect me and Ara from them and get us safely to Beijing?”
Ak Muyoo pointed at Mu Hyang.