Chapter 145
Translator: uly
Chapter: 145
Chapter Title: Consequences of Greed
The situation at the Myriad Demon Poison Clan was no different from that of the Western Xia Alliance. No, it was even more dire for them. When Dok Gunpae was promoted to general in the empire, the Myriad Demon Poison Clan warriors became the vanguard.
With over four hundred of them charging in, enemies would often surrender out of sheer terror without a fight. They had never properly waged war even when mobilized. To them, deployments were no different from casual strolls to enjoy the breeze.
That was why they would even fight among themselves over who got to go when an expedition was announced. Having never experienced a real battle or gone hungry, it was impossible for them to endure the current circumstances.
The thick fog and pitch-black darkness, combined with fear and hunger, had driven most of the Myriad Demon Poison Clan warriors into a state of panic. Having lost all judgment and reason, they swung their weapons reflexively at anyone who charged without checking their identity.
It didn't matter if the one they killed turned out to be a comrade. Some among them realized that the enemies fighting them were not the Forest Guard Unit but disciples of the Western Xia Alliance.
Dok Gunpae was one such person.
“Father!”
Dok Gunpae called out to Dok Go Yong.
He wanted to inform him that the opponents were Western Xia Alliance disciples. But there was no response.
In the frenzy of battle, he seemed to have lost track of not only his father but also his younger brother Dok Gun Ha. They weren't the only ones. Until just moments ago, his aides had been by his side, but even they were nowhere to be seen.
“Father!”
He shouted again.
Even infusing his voice with internal energy yielded no reply from Dok Go Yong.
“I am Dok Gunpae. Those fighting us are not the enemy. They are Western Xia Alliance disciples!”
This time, he yelled toward his troops.
“Western Xia Alliance disciples. Cease your attacks!”
“Myriad Demon Poison Clan warriors, cease your attacks!”
A few caught his words and echoed them.
“Kraaak!”
“Aaak!”
“Euaak!”
But the outcome was tragic. The Myriad Demon Poison Clan warriors stopped attacking, but the Western Xia Alliance warriors pressed on, killing dozens in the process.
“Those guys aren't Western Xia Alliance. Myriad Demon Poison Clan warriors, attack!”
“They're disguised as Western Xia Alliance. Attack!”
The Myriad Demon Poison Clan warriors once more swung their weapons at the foe.
“Die!”
“Die!”
With murderous shouts, three men leaped toward Dok Gunpae. They had been nearby and rushed over upon hearing his cries.
“I am Dok Gunpae!”
Dok Gunpae flung himself to the left while shouting.
“If you're Dok Gunpae, then I'm the alliance leader, you bastard.”
The Western Xia Alliance warriors charged ferociously.
Expecting rational judgment from men who had already tasted blood was unreasonable. Moreover, they were convinced Dok Gunpae was using a trick to create an opening for a sneak attack.
“Don't blame me.”
Dok Gunpae began eliminating the charging foes just like that.
“Kraaak!”
“Aaak!”
“Keuk!”
The three perished in moments.
“Manjeok, Ilsu, Geoyun!”
He needed to find at least the aides he had parted with earlier.
He unleashed the Celestial Hearing Technique.
“G-General!”
Not far away, an aide's voice rang out. It was Manjeok.
“Manjeok!”
Dok Gunpae launched himself toward the sound. Along the way, he took out five Western Xia Alliance warriors. Moments later, he arrived where the aide was.
Two aides lay dead, and though Manjeok still breathed, he looked in bad shape, slumped against a tree.
“We got done in by that Black Wind bastard. We made a mistake. We didn't underestimate them.”
Manjeok gasped out the words.
“…….”
Dok Gunpae stared at him with a hardened expression.
Manjeok was right.
Those foes were the tough survivors of a decade-long war. Yet they had dismissed them for their small numbers and poor martial arts. Even though the Huangbo family had fallen, their overconfidence led them to overlook it.
They had even mocked Huangbo Seung for his incompetence. In truth, even in the desert, Huangbo Seung preferred physical labor over strategy. Deep down, he had hoped for the warrior Huangbo family's defeat. Huangbo Seung's failure meant opportunity for him.
When the Huangbo family truly fell, he had inwardly cheered. That was how he had seized the chance to make merits and rise this far.
But...
“Dodge, General. If you stay here, we're all dead.”
Manjeok's head drooped. He had stopped breathing.
“Damn it!”
Dok Gunpae stood and scanned the surroundings. Corpses littered the area.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Sudden intruders leaped in from the clock hands—wait, no—from all sides. Dok Gunpae's sword sliced through the air. His blade moved without hesitation.
With one stroke, he felled the charging foes.
“Kraaak!”
A agonized scream echoed from nearby.
“Huh! G-Gun Ha!”
Dok Gunpae immediately hurtled toward the cry. The scream just now had been from his younger brother Dok Gun Ha.
Whoosh!
One foe sprang from the left, swinging a saber.
Clang!
As he blocked the weapon, another emerged from the right.
Slash!
“Aaak!”
Slash!
“Keuk!”
A chilling sensation shot through his thigh. Dok Gunpae slammed his sword down.
“Kraaak!”
Without time to confirm the kill, he leaped onward. He couldn't even staunch the bleeding.
“Gun Ha, where are you? Gun Ha!”
He called his brother's name as he raced forward.
“I'm here.”
“I'm coming. Just hold on...”
“Die!”
“Die!”
Western Xia Alliance warriors attacked again.
“Out of my way!”
Dok Gunpae summoned his full internal energy and swung his sword. Sword energy surged from the tip, cleaving two disciples in half along with their weapons.
Blood gushed thickly from his thigh, but Dok Gunpae hadn't noticed yet.
He charged on.
Moments later, he reached where Dok Gun Ha had fallen. His brother was in critical condition, unable to rise.
“Wh-where are you hurt?”
“I'm done for.”
Dok Gun Ha shook his head weakly.
“Gun Ha.”
“Save Father.”
“No. You first...”
Dok Gunpae propped Dok Gun Ha upright and channeled internal energy into him.
“There's a hole in my dantian. It's no use, brother.”
“No. Treat the wounds, and you'll live. A dantian is for warriors, not common folk. For now...”
“It's dangerous!”
Dok Gun Ha shoved Dok Gunpae away mercilessly.
Slash!
A saber cleaved through Dok Gun Ha's torso. The attacker was Chak Jeokgi, leader of the Western Xia Alliance's First Platoon.
“Kraaak!”
A wretched scream burst from Dok Gun Ha's mouth.
‘Damn it!’
Chak Jeokgi cursed inwardly. He instantly recognized the man he had just killed as the second son of the Myriad Demon Poison Clan. Actually, his target had been Dok Gunpae, who had his back turned. He couldn't identify him from behind, but one thing was clear: he wasn't a Western Xia Alliance disciple.
That was enough. As always, kill first and check identity later.
He had swung at the back, but Dok Gun Ha had pushed his brother aside and taken the blow instead.
“I'll kill you!”
Dok Gunpae sprang up and shot toward Chak Jeokgi.
“I am Chak Jeokgi, leader of the Western Xia Alliance's First Platoon.”
Chak Jeokgi retreated while shouting.
“Shut your mouth, you bandit scum.”
Dok Gunpae's vision was clouded with rage. Though he had followed his father and brother's suggestions, he had never been happy about collaborating with the Western Xia Alliance. Bandit scum who gnawed at the empire deserved extermination. Forming an alliance with them had already bruised his pride, and now they had harmed his brother.
“You just called me bandit scum?”
Even Chak Jeokgi, who had been apologizing repeatedly, changed upon hearing “bandit scum.”
“So you're saying you're not bandit scum?”
“You bastard. When you were begging for help...”
“Die.”
Dok Gunpae lunged forward.
Chak Jeokgi met him head-on.
Clang! Clang clang!
Their weapons clashed in midair, sparks flying everywhere.
“Die!”
As Dok Gunpae locked blades with him, a shout full of killing intent came from behind.
“Huh!”
Chak Jeokgi's eyes widened.
Puk!
“Keuk!”
His mouth gaped open, blood spilling out.
Chak Jeokgi's body went limp as he dropped to his knees. Dok Gunpae, standing before him, raised his sword high.
“You're dead!”
He swung down.
Slash!
“Kraaak!”
Chak Jeokgi's head floated up.
“General!”
Relief was evident on the face of the warrior calling to Dok Gunpae. In truth, when he had stabbed at Chak Jeokgi's back, he hadn't confirmed if it was friend or foe. After several near-death experiences, he had learned to incapacitate first and check identity later—and that's what he had done.
Fortunately, it had been an enemy.
“Did you see the clan head?”
“Saw him a shichen ago that way.”
The man pointed to the right.
“Lead the way.”
“Huh?”
The Myriad Demon Poison Clan warrior's face twisted.
It felt like Dok Gunpae intended to use him as a shield.
“Didn't you say you know where the clan head is?”
Dok Gunpae bellowed.
“That way...”
The man trailed off.
“What are you waiting for? Go!”
“Yes. Un-understood.”
The Myriad Demon Poison Clan warrior dashed off.
Dok Gunpae followed, deploying the Celestial Hearing Technique to scan the surroundings.
“Aaak!”
But they didn't get far. He was killed by someone emerging from the fog. And the killer was not a Western Xia Alliance warrior, but a Myriad Demon Poison Clan warrior.
“Th-this can't be...”
The comrade-killer stood stunned.
“Snap out of it! It was unavoidable.”
Dok Gunpae roared.
“G-General!”
“Lead the way.”
“Huh...?”
“We head that way. That's our way out.”
“Understood.”
Emboldened by the promise of escape, the Myriad Demon Poison Clan warrior bolted ahead. The two pierced through darkness and fog.
Slash!
Thud!
“Aaak!”
The leader screamed in agony. Dok Gunpae swung his sword immediately.
“Keuk!”
Without checking his victim, he pressed on. The fallen disciple's words had been right. Keep going the way he indicated, and he would find his father Dok Go Yong. But Dok Go Yong was no longer alive.
He sat slumped against a tree, lifeless.
“Father!”
Dok Gunpae knelt before Dok Go Yong.
“We were too greedy. Too...”
Tears streamed from Dok Gunpae's eyes. They should have been content with the emperor's rewards. Reaching for higher had led to this.
“We could have just lived on. Then...”
Feeling eyes on him, Dok Gunpae turned.
“......!”
His eyes widened.
Black hat, black sand-proof mask, black robe.
Black Wind, leader of the Wind Corps, was staring their way.