Chapter 134
Chapter 134
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 134
Chapter Title: Making Subordinates
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Martial God (134)
“Got hit.”
“What nonsense is this?”
A man with gray hair that looked faded like washed-out light, dressed in gray robes, bellowed. This was Cheol Mok Haram, the leader of the Crimson Death Squad and the Falling Sun Demon Emperor.
“The squad dispatched to Horim has been completely wiped out, according to the report.”
The one reporting was Young Dae Woo-jak, the chief steward of the Crimson Death Squad.
“...You’re saying those bastards were that strong?”
Cheol Mok Haram asked with a face that said it couldn’t be true. Whenever new people entered the Demon Realm, rough estimates came in about how strong they were and what position they held in the Central Plains or Border Wastelands martial world.
The man in charge of that was the all-knowing Im Chung-i.
He’d heard from Im Chung-i that their leader was Black Wind, the head of the Wind Squad. If the leader was a soldier, his subordinates would be soldiers too, and soldiers’ skills were predictable. It didn’t make sense that two hundred demon troops had fallen to such people.
“Did you find out how they got wiped out?”
“Because of the total annihilation...”
Young Dae Woo-jak trailed off.
With not a single survivor, they couldn’t grasp how the situation had unfolded or what the battle had been like.
“Call all the squad members right now... No.”
Cheol Mok Haram, who had shot to his feet, sat back down. Including the vice leader, two hundred had fallen—they weren’t the type to be taken lightly.
Of course, if they went to full-scale war, they could wipe them out. But their own side would suffer heavy losses too.
In this Demon Realm, the number of squad members signified a faction’s strength. With two hundred gone, the Crimson Death Squad now had eleven hundred, fewer than the White Five Squad.
That meant they’d dropped from second place to tied for third with the Wind Storm Force.
If they clashed head-on with those guys now, their ranking would fall further, making them prey for the lower factions circling like vultures.
Even if they cut off Black Wind’s head and earned five hundred thousand nyang, it’d be meaningless if the Crimson Death Squad’s numbers plummeted.
“First, gather intel on them. Figure out exactly who they are and the level of their martial arts. And convene a meeting.”
“Yes.”
Young Dae Woo-jak bowed his head.
“But do the other organizations know that guy is Black Wind?”
A sudden thought prompted the question.
“Im Chung-i took a hundred nyang on the condition he wouldn’t tell other factions.”
“Eliminate Im Chung-i.”
“Im Chung-i...”
“I know. He handles some pretty important business in our Demon Realm. But if he goes around blabbing that the new guy who came today is Black Wind, things will blow up. He won’t say it himself with his own mouth. If we just shut Im Chung-i up, for the time being, we’ll be the only ones who know he’s the five-hundred-thousand-nyang bounty target. Do it now.”
“Yes.”
Young Dae Woo-jak bowed and left the room.
News of the Crimson Death Squad’s failed attack spread quickly to various factions. The first to hear was the Western Xia Alliance.
“What do you think will happen next?”
I Yang asked his strategist, I Mu-gwang.
“No faction will dare attack them recklessly now.”
“You’re saying defeat leads straight to weakened forces?”
“That’s right.”
I Mu-gwang nodded. In the Demon Realm, a faction’s strength was determined by skill and numbers.
Fewer numbers meant immediate drop in ranking and disruption to business. That’s why factions allied to hold their positions. But as competitors, the bonds of alliance were thin and loose.
“What’s our response?”
“Watching and waiting seems best for now.”
“You think the Red Society and White Five Union will step up?”
There were fifty-two demon army squads in the Demon Realm, but they weren’t all independent. They formed alliances based on interests and beliefs: the Western Xia Union, White Five Union, and Red Society.
The Western Xia Union included the Western Xia Alliance, Iron Bow Squad, Blood Wave Squad, and fourteen other organizations. The White Five Union had the White Five Squad, Wind Storm Force, Mad Demon Squad, and thirteen others. The Red Society included the Crimson Death Squad, Non-Moon Squad, Dark God Squad, and ten more.
The rest, like the Black Death Alliance, were neutral factions walking independent paths.
“I’m not sure about the White Five Union, but the Red Society will move again. We got word that Cheol Mok Haram convened a meeting.”
“Good. We’ll observe for now.”
I Yang nodded.
“We’ll keep gathering information.”
I Mu-gwang bowed and left.
A blood-soaked man staggered into the Great River Inn.
Ak Muyoo, who’d been eating, turned his head. The newcomer was Im Chung-i, holder of the odd moniker All-Directions Omniscience.
“Save me.”
“White-Hair Elder, step out.”
At Ak Muyoo’s words, the white-haired old man promptly went outside. He returned shortly.
“No one.”
“Hey! What’s your name, Elder?”
“Gwang Sap.”
Ak Muyoo’s gaze shifted to the old man with white pupils.
“Sa Up.”
The old man with eerie white pupils answered.
“I’m Hwan Sap.”
Ak Muyoo looked at Hwan Sap. His most striking feature was a face utterly devoid of memorable traits. He was the epitome of forgettability.
“I’m Feng Do.”
The old man, exuding a feral aura like a gale about to erupt, introduced himself.
“I’m Yu Un.”
No presence whatsoever—colorless and odorless.
“And you, young Elder?”
“I’m the Giant Strength Demon Blade Yuk Gu-man.”
“Don’t you hear ‘matches your build and name’ a lot?”
“Often.”
“I’m Ak Muyoo. Let’s get along.”
Ak Muyoo grinned and turned to Im Chung-i. He’d lost a lot of blood but had no major injuries.
“What happened?”
“I nearly got wiped out.”
“Why?”
“I know one of your secrets, Young Master.”
“What secret?”
“This.”
Im Chung-i pulled a wanted poster from his bosom.
“Oh! Up to five hundred thousand nyang?”
“I don’t think it’s something to laugh about.”
Sa Up, with his white pupils, spoke up.
“No, it’s good news.”
“...”
“I need to get famous. That way, the Central Plains and the imperial court will notice me, and they’ll start questioning the deaths of Gun Cheok-jeon the general and the other four. That increases my chances of clearing my name.”
“You’re underestimating the folks in the capital too much, aren’t you?”
Miao Yao said.
“It’s not underestimating—it’s the best option among what I can do.”
“What if there’s no reaction?”
“We’re already in this mess. If it gets bigger, there’s no way they won’t react. Right?”
“That’s why I said ‘what if.’”
“Then I’ll really have to flee to the deep mountains.”
“Pfft!”
“Anyway, you only told Cheol Mok Haram about the five-hundred-thousand-nyang bounty on my head, right?”
Ak Muyoo asked Im Chung-i.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Info’s more valuable when sold to one buyer.”
“That bastard sent two hundred troops under the pretext of finding his son, just greedy for the five hundred thousand nyang?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Now spill.”
“Spill what?”
“We fought the Crimson Death Squad today. Their two hundred are gone, but they’ve still got eleven hundred left. What’ll they do?”
“There’s over ninety percent chance the Dark God Squad attacks.”
“Why the Dark God Squad?”
“The Crimson Death Squad, Non-Moon Squad, Dark God Squad, and a dozen others form an alliance called the Red Society.”
“So now it’s not just the Crimson Death Squad—the whole Red Society comes after us?”
“Yes.”
“Then the Iron Bow Squad and Blood Wave Squad east of Horim—which alliance are they with?”
“They’ve allied with the Western Xia Alliance, called the Western Xia Union.”
“Any others besides those two?”
“The White Five Union.”
“The rest of the top ten demon squads are in the White Five Union?”
“Not all, but the White Five Squad, Wind Storm Force, Mad Demon Squad, and a dozen others.”
“Black Death Alliance didn’t join?”
“They and a few others operate independently.”
“Which of the three alliances is weakest?”
“The White Five Union.”
“So we leave them alone?”
“What do you mean by leave alone?”
“You still haven’t grasped the situation?”
“What situation?”
“I started a war.”
“You, Young Master?”
“You think I beat up that Cheol Mok Dae-gil guy for no reason?”
“So...”
“He just needs to tell me one thing. In the Red Society, which to hit first?”
“...The Dark God Squad leads the Red Society. If war’s coming, take them first.”
“Did you just say ‘take’?”
“Total wipeout takes time and heavy sacrifices. Taking control is best.”
“To take control, you need a new leader. Anyone suitable?”
“Muk Ja-woong, the squad leader of the prison squad under Jo O.”
“Who’s that?”
“The previous leader’s son.”
“Don’t demon squads pass to sons?”
“Muk Ja-woong was supposed to be leader, but Vice Leader Jin Chu-nam stole it.”
“If stolen, don’t they eliminate the previous leader’s son?”
“If they did, over half would leave. Can’t afford that.”
“So Muk Ja-woong stays because it’s his father’s organization?”
“Yes.”
“Attachment and lingering regrets rot the flesh... Though not my place to say. Fine, we hit the Dark God Squad. You draft the hit list, Im Chung-i.”
“Me?”
Im Chung-i’s eyes widened as he pointed at himself.
“Hit lists are for strategists.”
“Have I become Zhang Liang?”
“I can feed you three meals, but no salary.”
“Hahaha! Don’t need salary. A hat’s enough.”
Im Chung-i beamed.
“You... weren’t a broker due to lack of talent—you just lacked a boss?”
“Thank you, my lord. I’ll do my best.”
Im Chung-i stood and bowed.
“Good. Strategist, devise a plan to hit the Dark God Squad and Non-Moon Squad.”
“Non-Moon Squad too?”
Im Chung-i’s eyes bulged.
“When striking enemies, become a storm. Lukewarm gets you nowhere.”
“Understood.”
Im Chung-i borrowed brush, ink, and paper from Na Yun-bong and started drawing. Meanwhile, Ak Muyoo assembled the Wind Squad.
An incense stick’s time later, Im Chung-i finished.
“Ten Commanders, come in.”
Ak Muyoo summoned the ten commanders.
“This map shows the Dark God Squad and Non-Moon Squad building layouts—we hit them tonight.”
The ten commanders studied the map.
The Dark God Squad centered on a large building, with twenty others radiating outward.
“When do we attack?”
Jung Pung Cheon Bo-san asked.
With Dong Pung Jung-gwang having spoken up, he had no choice.
“If we go full speed now, we arrive at xu hour. Attack on arrival and finish in one shichen. Then run to the Non-Moon Squad.”
“Wipe them all, or just leadership?”
“Only those in the marked buildings.”
The ten commanders memorized the targets from the map.
“Go wait outside.”
They glanced at the map once more and left.
“Bi-ma Elder.”
Ak Muyoo said, gazing outside.
“How’d you know I was here?”
“I said my ears are as sharp as any warrior’s.”
“Sharp ears don’t guess identities.”
“My intuition’s sharp too.”
“Seems so. Why call me?”
“Pay for your meal.”
“Meal?”
“Everything you elders ate—I bought.”
“So do a job for it?”
“Yeah.”
“What job?”
“Go with the bandit over there and smash the Blood Wave Squad and Iron Bow Squad.”
“Two factions gone?”
“Yeah. Completely smash them.”
“I’ll follow since I decided to, but the others... not sure.”
“Follow?”
“Owner of the Mad Demon, so ‘Master.’ My call, of course.”
“Title’s up to you. Tell them I’ll do two things.”
“What?”
“Ever tell them I was an embalmer’s assistant for years?”
“No.”
“I’m good. I fixed up all the dead generals too.”
“Fixed...”
“Suturing torn parts—pro term for repair.”
“You’ll repair us?”
“If you die from wounds, yeah. And bury you in a good spot. Not great with feng shui, but I know dry graves.”
“What’s the second?”
“I’ll teach any martial art you want. If interested.”
“What kind?”
“Any supreme art: Secret Heaven, Solar Heaven, Calamity Heaven. Or Border Wastelands Thirty-Six Nations or Eight Desolation Heaven Storm supreme arts. Formulas only, of course.”
“...”
Bi-ma Ryu-su stared at Ak Muyoo in disbelief.