Chapter 150
Translator: uly
Chapter: 150
Chapter Title: Battle of Wits
“Kill him!”
A bloodthirsty shout echoed from the darkness.
The one who bellowed was Azure Dragon. At his command, the assassins charged toward Ak Muyoo in unison.
“Thanks, you bastards.”
Ak Muyoo grinned widely as he rushed toward the assassins. Though they were cloaked in stealth techniques, he paid it no mind. His eyes turned translucent, and the enemies’ movements appeared clearly in his mind.
Tang! Tang tang tang! Tang tang!
The Heavenly God Solar Bow began unleashing Dark Current Arrows.
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
The assassins struck by the Dark Current Arrows flew backward. As soon as a few comrades were hit, the rest flattened themselves to the ground.
Splat!
Ak Muyoo, who had been charging forward, flattened himself too.
Silence soon fell.
Though six had been slain, the assassins showed no agitation. They fixed their gazes on the direction from which the arrows had come.
—Report!
Azure Dragon sent a transmission to his subordinates.
He had divided his forces into four squads. Each squad leader was a first-rate assassin. First Squad Leader was Ilgang, Second Squad Leader Jauk, Third Squad Leader Yeongmyo, and Fourth Squad Leader Jeongju. He kept two elite-grade and two first-rate assassins as his personal guards.
—Fired from about twenty jang away.
First Squad Leader Ilgang reported.
—Two o’clock direction.
Following Ilgang, Second Squad Leader Jauk spoke.
Azure Dragon turned his gaze to the two o’clock direction. But nothing was visible.
—Ilgang!
—Yes.
—Two o’clock, twenty jang. Advance straight ahead.
—Understood.
Ilgang bowed his head. First Squad had eight members. They crawled forward slowly, bellies to the ground. They couldn’t stand due to the arrows.
—Jauk!
This time, he called Second Squad Leader.
—Yes.
—Head to the four o’clock direction, thirty jang out, and lie in ambush. If the bastard comes that way, attack and eliminate him immediately.
—Understood.
—Third and Fourth Squads, hold position here. Do not take your eyes off him for a second. Pin down his exact location!
—Yes!
—Yes!
The assassins stared straight ahead, holding their breath.
First Squad, which had set out first, had passed the fifteen-jang mark.
—Halt.
Ilgang sent a quiet transmission. It reached each assassin, and they stopped in place.
—Confirm the bastard’s position!
—Understood.
With the response, one second-rate and three fourth-rate assassins advanced.
—We’ll follow slowly.
Ilgang and the other two third-rates trailed a jang behind. Moments later, the advance group reached the target point.
—Nothing here.
First Squad sent the transmission.
—Nothing?
—Yes.
Puke!
“......”
The assassin’s eyes widened. A dagger gleaming with eerie light was embedded in his throat. His attacker was Hami.
The dagger slipped out silently.
Blood sprayed like a fountain from the wound.
Thud!
Shwaaak!
Shririririr!
The sound of grass being sliced rang out.
“Killing intent?”
One assassin turned his head to the right.
Thud!
In that instant, a Dark Current Arrow burrowed into his forehead.
His head snapped back.
At that moment, the assassin beside him leaped up. He thought their position was exposed.
Slash!
The sound of air being cut echoed, and the assassin’s head floated lightly into the air. The one who severed it was Mu Hyang. Her gaze shifted right. Blood flowed from the ground, revealing another assassin. The one who eliminated the hidden foe was Yopung.
Yet her movements mirrored those of the assassins.
—Could it be you’ve learned assassination arts?
He sent a transmission to Yopung.
—Do you know Muyeom Mayo Yohwan?
—I know her as Western Xia’s greatest assassin.
—She’s my ancestor.
—Ah! But...
—You’re saying the heir of Western Xia’s top assassin, who even killed Seonggilsahan, has terrible skills?
—Not exactly, but...
—Ancestor Yohwan’s martial arts are lost.
—I see. But she assassinated Seonggilsahan?
—Yuan’s strategist nearly wiped out Western Xia’s line because of it. My family fell too.
—I see.
—But I’ve mastered Chaos Net, so it’s not all bad.
—True enough.
—I’ll reveal myself in front of them. You attack from behind.
—Chilnyeo.
—......
—That’s your name. Sounds rustic, right?
—It’s got heart, I like it. I’m Yora.
—Pretty name.
—Pfft! Thanks.
Yopung ran out into the open.
As soon as she appeared, nearby hidden assassins moved in unison.
‘Got you.’
A translucent gaze fixed on the ground. What he focused on was the grass. Stealth could hide a body, but not the grass bending underfoot.
Tang! Tang tang! Tang! Tang!
Thud! Thump! Thump thump! Thump!
The assassins charging at Yopung collapsed one by one.
—Can you see the assassins?
Hami asked.
“Just look at the grass. The weak ones trample it every time they move, leaving traces.”
—Got it.
Hami immediately transmitted to Mu Hyang.
—Understood.
Mu Hyang scanned the ground while pursuing Yopung.
Clang!
Yopung blocked a weapon that lunged from thin air. Mu Hyang thrust her sword through the gap at Yopung’s side.
Puke!
Her sword pierced the void, and an assassin revealed himself. Yopung grabbed his collar and yanked him left.
Puke!
Another assassin’s weapon plunged into the body Yopung had pulled.
Slash!
Mu Hyang’s weapon followed, slicing the assassin open.
The two women’s coordination was seamless, like well-rehearsed partners.
—Nice.
—Our combo works well.
The two women exchanged glances and smiled.
Thud! Thud!
Two dull thuds rang out as a pair of fourth-rate assassins near Azure Dragon went flying.
They had charged forward on his orders, only to be felled by incoming arrows. Azure Dragon had used the two fourth-rates to pinpoint Ak Muyoo’s exact position.
—Don’t move!
Azure Dragon shouted via transmission.
Crouched at his flanks were Woonggaek and Pyogaek, ready to spring. Both were elite-grade assassins.
They looked at Azure Dragon.
Thanks to the sacrifice of those two, they had located Ak Muyoo. Now they just needed to attack, but Azure Dragon held them back.
—The wind is blowing toward him. Any movement will give us away. We move when the wind shifts against us.
Woonggaek and Pyogaek glanced at the grass. Just as Azure Dragon said, the wind blew toward Ak Muyoo. The pair slowly flattened themselves. Lying prone, they waited for the wind to change. Soon, all three presences vanished completely.
Ak Muyoo lay in the grass, staring ahead. Instinct told him someone was there, but his eyes saw nothing.
The faint scent carried on the wind wasn’t enough to pinpoint them.
‘Have to wait for them to move.’
He buried his face and exhaled slowly. The tense standoff dragged on in silence.
After about half a shichen, the wind shifted.
‘Damn.’
Ak Muyoo grimaced slightly.
His Bloodwind Robe was heavily stained with blood. They’d smell it for sure.
‘Guess I’ll have to lure them with raw blood scent.’
Ak Muyoo nocked a Dark Current Arrow on the Heavenly God Solar Bow.
—Blood scent from that direction. Twenty jang out.
Woonggaek pointed to the eleven o’clock direction.
—Move.
Azure Dragon said. He, Woonggaek, and Pyogaek shifted quickly. Their movement art was the peerless Grass Phantom Step—no footprints, not even bent blades of grass. They left no trace.
The trio soon reached the area of the blood scent.
—It’s a Bloodwind Robe.
Woonggaek pointed ahead and said.
—Likely a trap.
—No. There’s someone under the Bloodwind Robe. They’re using Ear-Feast Great Law, but it’s definitely him.
Woonggaek was certain of Ak Muyoo because of the undetectable heartbeat and breathing. That was the telltale sign of Ear-Feast Great Law.
—They’ve silenced their breathing and heartbeat with Ear-Feast Great Law, but it’s him for sure.
—Is that so?
Azure Dragon eyed the Bloodwind Robe.
Just as Woonggaek said, someone lay beneath it. No breath, no heartbeat—but definitely a person.
—Both of you go.
—Yes.
Woonggaek and Pyogaek launched simultaneously.
Woonggaek was a fraction faster. He dropped onto the Bloodwind Robe and stabbed downward.
Puke!
He felt the clear sensation of piercing flesh.
“Got him!”
This time, he didn’t stay silent. Certain it was over, he shouted loudly. Woonggaek flung the Bloodwind Robe aside.
“Gasp!”
His eyes widened. It wasn’t Ak Muyoo—he had stabbed a Life-Death Society assassin.
Puke!
A gruesome sound leaked from Woonggaek’s throat.
‘Damn.’
Woonggaek’s mind grew hazy.
The weapon that pierced his throat emerged from beneath the corpse. Astonishingly, the enemy had used the dead body to lure them. A corpse doesn’t breathe or have a heartbeat. Yet he mistook it for Ear-Feast Great Law and was convinced it was the target.
‘A trap...’
Woonggaek struck the assassin’s torso he had stabbed and leaped back. As he rose three chi, the corpse rolled sideways.
That was when Pyogaek, following behind, launched himself. He took the rolling corpse for Ak Muyoo trying to escape and attacked. With a clear target, there was no need to hide.
He revealed himself and thrust his weapon.
“No, don’t...”
Woonggaek, airborne, reached out. But no voice came. The sword through his throat had shredded his vocal cords.
Tang!
Thud!
A Dark Current Arrow pierced the back of Pyogaek’s neck.
“Got him!”
In that instant, Azure Dragon launched toward Ak Muyoo.
His target was Ak Muyoo, hidden beneath the Bloodwind Robe. Channeling his full inner power, Azure Dragon’s speed was terrifying.
He still cloaked himself in stealth. Even when he shouted “Got him!” moments ago, he had used Diffraction Presence to conceal his position.
Thud!
That was when Ak Muyoo shot into the air. He was still draped in the Bloodwind Robe.
“Go!”
Azure Dragon thrust his weapon straight in.