Chapter 140
Translator: uly
Chapter: 140
Chapter Title: The Reason is Simple
The reason is simple.
[The Life-Death Society has been wiped out.
Red Kill Squad Leader Cheol Mok-haram, Black God Squad Leader Jin Chu-nam, and hundreds of Life-Death Society disciples are dead. The Non-Moon Unit has surrendered unconditionally.]
“No way!”
The bandits shouted at first. But as time passed, the downfall of the Life-Death Society gradually became accepted as fact. The bandits were dumbfounded.
The Life-Death Society, of all places, was one of the top two powers in the Demon Realm's hierarchy.
Who could have taken down a force like that...?
But with all the survivors and the perpetrators keeping their mouths shut, no one knew yet who had struck the Life-Death Society.
Only one group, the Western Xia Alliance, had figured out the identity of the attackers.
Early in the morning.
Western Xia Alliance Leader Yi Yang sat across from Yi Mu-gwang with a grave expression.
“How many survivors are there?”
Yi Yang asked.
“The Black God Squad has three hundred fifty, the Red Kill Squad has around six hundred, and the entire Non-Moon Unit survived.”
Yi Mu-gwang reported.
“What does it mean that the entire Non-Moon Unit survived?”
“Song Won-do betrayed them.”
“I see...”
Yi Yang nodded. He concluded that the Red Kill Squad's downfall was due to Song Won-do's betrayal. After a moment's thought, he continued.
“What's the current situation with the Life-Death Society?”
“Nothing has been revealed yet.”
“Then what will they do next?”
“They probably won't make any more moves.”
“Why?”
“Because they're not the type who came here to settle down.”
“You mean they're just passing through?”
“Yes.”
“Then, with the Red Kill Squad destroyed, we're the biggest beneficiaries?”
Yi Yang smiled faintly.
“Yes.”
Knock knock knock!
At that moment, urgent knocking came from the door.
“Hm?”
Yi Yang's face stiffened.
He sensed something ominous from the knocking, as if trouble had arisen.
“Go check it out.”
He sprang to his feet and said.
“Yes.”
Yi Mu-gwang rose and opened the door. Outside stood intelligence chief Bo Jeong-un, his face rigid.
“What's going on?”
Yi Mu-gwang asked.
“Well... the Blood Drop Squad and Iron Bow Squad have been annihilated.”
“What...!”
Yi Mu-gwang couldn't comprehend what Bo Jeong-un was saying.
“The Blood Drop Squad and Iron Bow Squad have been wiped out?”
Yi Yang, inside the room, heard it clearly.
“Yes.”
Bo Jeong-un nodded.
“......”
Yi Yang was speechless. He stood there blankly for a long while.
“Who attacked them?”
Yi Mu-gwang recovered first and asked.
“The Forward Scouts Squad.”
“The Forward Scouts Squad? With only a hundred left, you think that makes sense?”
Yi Yang bellowed.
“I don't know either...”
Bo Jeong-un looked as if he had personally wiped them out and didn't know where to stand.
“Leave us.”
Yi Yang waved him off.
“Yes.”
Bo Jeong-un bowed and departed.
Yi Yang sat back down.
Yi Mu-gwang brought tea.
“Cold water.”
“Yes.”
Yi Mu-gwang dumped the hot water and poured cold instead. Yi Yang gulped down the cold tea.
Thud!
He set the cup down and fell silent again.
“Do you think the Forward Scouts Squad could annihilate both the Iron Bow Squad and Blood Drop Squad?”
Yi Yang asked after sitting blankly for a while.
“Impossible.”
“Then?”
“It seems those guys went with them.”
“Those guys—you mean Black Wind and his crew?”
“They're the only ones in the Demon Realm who would attack us right now.”
“Why would they attack us?”
“They must have allied with the Forward Scouts Squad.”
“Didn't you just say they were just passing through?”
“I think I was wrong. It looks like they're here to do something.”
“Like what?”
“We need to find out from here on.”
Knock knock knock!
Knocking came again.
“What is it!”
Yi Yang snapped irritably.
“A guest has arrived.”
“A guest?”
“The second son of the Myriad Demons Poison Clan, Dok Gun-ha.”
“Why him...? Bring him to the guest hall first.”
Yi Yang said, tilting his head.
A short while later, Yi Yang met Dok Gun-ha in the guest hall.
“First time meeting. Dok Gun-ha of the Myriad Demons Poison Clan.”
Dok Gun-ha greeted with a cupped-fist salute.
“I'm Yi Yang. Have a seat.”
Yi Yang returned the salute and gestured to a seat.
Tea was served as they sat facing each other.
“What brings you here?”
“First, this...”
Dok Gun-ha placed a stack of bills on the table.
“What's this?”
“Five hundred thousand nyang.”
Yi Yang looked at Dok Gun-ha puzzled.
“Help us with one thing, and this is yours, great hero.”
“What job is worth five hundred thousand nyang?”
“The ones we're after have entered here.”
“Are they after Wind Squadron by any chance?”
“Correct. But what do you mean by Wind Squadron?”
“Black Wind isn't alone.”
“Then?”
“His gang numbers three hundred.”
Yi Yang subtly pushed the money back toward Dok Gun-ha, signaling that five hundred thousand wasn't nearly enough.
“Three hundred?”
Dok Gun-ha's eyes widened.
“Yes.”
“How...”
Dok Gun-ha was momentarily stunned. He hadn't imagined Ak Mu-yu's group was that large.
“So that's it.”
Now he understood why the Warrior Emperor Protection Clan had fallen.
“Is that true?”
Dok Gun-ha asked for confirmation.
“Yes.”
Yi Yang nodded.
“Please help us take them down. We'll pay the price.”
“Do you know the bounty on Black Wind's head?”
“I believe it's five hundred thousand nyang.”
“Hm? It's gone up already.”
A faint smile played on Yi Yang's lips.
“I brought five hundred thousand because we only need confirmation of Black Wind and the woman beside him dead. That means the bounty on his head is yours too, Alliance Leader.”
“Even so, this is nowhere near enough. You may know, great hero of poisons, but Black Wind attacked the Red Kill Squad—one of the Demon Realm's top two powers last night and utterly destroyed it. Sure, it fell due to a subordinate's betrayal, but that doesn't mean they're to be taken lightly, in my judgment.”
“......How much do you want?”
Dok Gun-ha asked after a moment's thought.
“My demand is five times that.”
“Five million nyang?”
“If he dies, the Myriad Demons Poison Clan will earn ten, a hundred times that in profits. Compared to what you'll make, it's pocket change.”
“That's not for me to decide.”
“Then discuss it and come back. Same time tomorrow.”
“Understood.”
Dok Gun-ha nodded.
“By the way! How many from the Myriad Demons Poison Clan?”
“Eight hundred.”
“I see.”
“Then, until tomorrow.”
Dok Gun-ha saluted and left.
Once Dok Gun-ha was gone, Yi Yang returned to his office. Elder Hwe Ong was there.
“Something wrong?”
He asked, seeing Hwe Ong's stiff expression.
“No.”
Hwe Ong shook his head.
He said no, but inwardly, Hwe Ong seethed. The assassin and strategist Mu Hyang he'd sent to Horim hadn't returned. He'd sent two more to check, but they hadn't come back either. Horim had become a dragon's lair and tiger's den.
“Tell me.”
Yi Yang sat across from Hwe Ong.
“It's nothing. I heard someone from the Myriad Demons Poison Clan came...”
No need to reveal his weakness. Hwe Ong changed the subject.
“They're here for Black Wind and that woman Ara.”
“Then the Warrior Emperor Protection Clan fell to them?”
“They might have come through the desert avoiding them, so who knows.”
“No. They got hit. If not, the Myriad Demons Poison Clan wouldn't mobilize.”
Hwe Ong shook his head.
“Anyway, we agreed to meet again tomorrow.”
“If they ask for help, will you?”
“We have to avenge the Iron Bow Squad and Blood Drop Squad.”
“So they've agreed to pay?”
“Revenge and profit—why not.”
“True. How many did the Myriad Demons Poison Clan bring?”
“Eight hundred.”
“So that's their full force.”
“Anyway, this time we'll wipe them out.”
A cold smile crept across Yi Yang's lips.
Around lunchtime.
Black Sand Alliance Leader Tak Tan-ya arrived at the Great River Inn with his guards. Tak Tan-ya looked as sturdy as a bronze giant from legend.
“I'm Black Wind.”
Ak Mu-yu saluted first with cupped fists.
“I'm Tak Tan-ya. You're the one who wanted to see me?”
Tak Tan-ya eyed Ak Mu-yu and asked.
As warriors do upon first meeting, Tak Tan-ya gauged Ak Mu-yu's martial prowess first. His eyes widened gradually as he looked.
“Hm!”
He let out a low groan.
He couldn't gauge the level. A warrior unable to read another's skill meant either overwhelmingly strong or no internal energy at all. Tak Tan-ya assumed the former. It made no sense for the leader who took the Life-Death Society to lack martial arts.
“You seem surprised because I appear too strong.”
Ak Mu-yu said with a smile.
“Why would a powerhouse like you come to the Demon Realm...”
“You're mistaken. I'm not a powerhouse.”
“......”
“It's not that I've reached a realm where my energy can't be measured. I literally have not a shred of internal energy, so it can't be gauged.”
“Th-that...”
“It's true. I have no internal energy. But that doesn't mean I'm weak. Anyway, sit.”
“Yes.”
Tak Tan-ya sat.
Na Yun-bong brought tea as he did.
“Thank you.”
“No trouble. Talk.”
Na Yun-bong bowed slightly and returned to her seat.
“Last night, I took the head of Life-Death Society Leader Cheol Mok-haram.”
“I heard.”
“I'll be direct. My ultimate goal is the Western Xia Alliance. No—their leader Yi Yang. Once he's gone, I'll leave the Demon Realm.”
“Why tell me this?”
“I have one request.”
“Speak.”
“My request to you, Alliance Leader, is to either help me or stay strictly neutral if you won't.”
“As you said earlier, you'll leave once done. But the Western Xia Alliance Leader will stay and live with us. He's also a comrade who'll fight with us if the Demon Realm is attacked. So tell me—who benefits me more, you or him?”
“Me.”
Ak Mu-yu pointed to himself.
“......”
Tak Tan-ya stared at Ak Mu-yu in bewilderment.
“The reason is simple.”
“What's the simple reason?”
“If you don't help me or stay strictly neutral, not just you, but even your wife Im Nan-hyang will join Cheol Mok-haram.”
Whoosh!
Tak Tan-ya shot to his feet.