Chapter 151
Translator: uly
Chapter: 151
Chapter Title: Water is Nearby
Water was close by.
Puk!
“Gah!”
The Blue Dragon recoiled in horror. Blood Wind’s interior was empty.
“G-Golden Cicada Shell Shedding!”
The Blue Dragon cried out in shock.
Golden Cicada Shell Shedding.
A term meaning to escape danger by leaving one’s outer shell behind, like a cicada shedding its skin. It was the twenty-first of the Thirty-Six Stratagems.
“That’s not it.”
The reply came from below.
The Blue Dragon looked down.
Puk!
In that instant, a demon hook sliced horizontally across his legs.
“Gaaak!”
Unlike the other assassins, the Blue Dragon screamed.
“You’re no assassin.”
Ak Muyoo smirked and rolled his body.
Thud!
The Blue Dragon crashed down onto the spot where Ak Muyoo had just been.
Blood poured out in torrents from the severed stumps.
“For a worm like you...”
The Blue Dragon couldn’t believe it. He had never once imagined losing to Ak Muyoo.
Yet he and all his team had fallen to the man.
“Hweong must be hiding somewhere over there, right?”
Ak Muyoo pointed into the darkness ahead.
“He’s the god of assassins.”
“You must’ve been pretty good back in the day too.”
“He’s on another level from me.”
“I’m talking about the present, not the past. You know you screamed when your legs got cut off just now?”
“Screamed?”
“Yeah. Real loud. Funny thing is, you’re the first one to scream after I’ve taken out dozens.”
“I-I...”
“Get too comfortable with a full belly, and you dull. It’s as natural as aging—no need to beat yourself up. More importantly, know anything about Cheon?”
“Cheon?”
“You don’t.”
If he had known, he would’ve been shocked. But the Blue Dragon just looked puzzled. That meant he knew nothing. Ak Muyoo casually swung his right arm.
Puk!
The demon hook severed the Blue Dragon’s head.
“Kraaak!”
Once again, the Blue Dragon screamed.
Ak Muyoo immediately dropped into a low stance.
That was when three women approached.
“What’s the situation?”
He asked as he looked at them.
“All cleared.”
Yo Pung replied.
“You took out everyone while I handled three?”
“Do you know who those three you got were?”
Mu Hyang asked.
“Who?”
“That one’s the ungraded assassin Blue Dragon, and those two are special-grade assassins Bear Guest and Leopard Guest. Those three were stronger than everyone we took out combined.”
“No. You’ve got it wrong.”
“Why?”
“Blue Dragon screamed when he died.”
“He did?”
“Yeah. He wasn’t a real assassin.”
“Even so, they were strong.”
“Anyway, let’s move. You three, scout that way.”
Ak Muyoo pointed north.
The three women unleashed their stealth techniques and dashed northward. Ak Muyoo followed with his lightness skill.
That area had already been cleared too.
The ones who eliminated the assassins were the Hundred Radiant Demons and the Wind Squadron members.
“Where’s Hweong?”
Ak Muyoo asked Jung Gwang.
“I figured the boss would want to meet him, so I held back.”
Jung Gwang pointed north.
“Alone?”
“Three of them.”
“It’s cleared now.”
Ak Muyoo said curtly and kicked off the ground. His form shot forward. In an instant, Ak Muyoo vanished into the mist.
“Yo Pung, you follow.”
So Pung said to Yo Pung.
“Three against Yo Pung alone?”
Jung Gwang asked.
“More than enough.”
Yo Pung replied.
“Then go.”
Jung Gwang nodded.
“See you after.”
Yo Pung immediately leaped away.
Moments later, she caught up to Ak Muyoo.
“Coming along?”
Ak Muyoo asked.
“How could I let a guy without lightness skill go alone?”
“Fair point.”
Shiiiik! Shiiiik! Shiiiik!
Winds whistled from spots throughout the forest. The mist filling the area slowly dissipated.
“Guess it’s cleared.”
Yo Pung said.
“Yeah.”
“Those guys have it good.”
“Who?”
“The ones you’re chasing.”
“Keuk!”
Ak Muyoo chuckled.
She was right.
As the formation cleared, Hweong and the other two leaped with joy. Being able to see dozens of yards ahead felt amazing.
But the joy was short-lived. Hweong’s face twisted as he scanned around. When they entered the grove, there had been over two hundred Life-Death Society assassins. Precisely, one hundred sixty-five. All dead now, leaving only him, Zhuque, and Xuanwu.
“I’ll pay them back. Definitely.”
Hweong ground his teeth.
“We can start over, Pavilion Lord.”
Zhuque said.
“Right. Start over... What’s that?”
Hweong’s eyes widened.
A lake shimmered ahead.
“Water!”
“Water.”
“Water!”
The three poured all their energy into dashing forward.
Splash! Splash! Splash!
Upon reaching the lake, they dove in and gulped down the water greedily. Only after quenching their thirst did they have the leisure to look around.
Hweong gazed at the sky.
“North.”
He immediately realized they were heading north. He already knew north led to the desert.
“They’ll be guarding the south.”
Zhuque said.
“Cross the desert, head west to the Haran Mountains, follow the Yellow River into Gansu Province.”
“Can we make it without water?”
Xuanwu asked worriedly. The thought of going without water was terrifying.
“Two days short, three long. Just endure.”
“Not sure we can.”
“Do you know who we fought?”
Hweong asked Xuanwu.
“Who?”
“The Hundred Radiant Demons.”
“Really?”
“Why do you think I escaped? Because of those old monsters.”
“Why were they...”
“No idea. But with those old monsters around, we can’t break south in our condition. Hate to say it, but we flee while we can.”
“Understood.”
Zhuque and Xuanwu nodded.
The three drank more and left the lake. Then they shot north.
Ak Muyoo and Yo Pung arrived at the lake an hour later. Ak Muyoo examined the shore. Traces of the three remained.
“Looks like they drank here.”
Yo Pung said.
“Yeah.”
Ak Muyoo nodded.
“We should grab some water too.”
Yo Pung said.
“Camels and water at the grove’s north end.”
“When’d you prep that?”
“Only one way out of the formation—north. Told them to prepare in case anyone fled that way.”
“Thorough.”
“Desert’s no place to survive without prep.”
“True.”
The two ran on.
After half an hour, they reached the border between grove and desert. There stood Na Yun Bong, Gun Seol, Yuk Gu-man, Forward Forest Squad warriors, Black Snake Alliance’s Black Sand Night and his men.
Behind them, two camels loaded with water and food chewed their cud.
Ak Muyoo looked at Yuk Gu-man.
“They entered the desert half an hour ago.”
“Heading west?”
“Yes.”
“Clear the bodies in the grove and rest. Grab some of these arrows too.”
Ak Muyoo tossed Yuk Gu-man a dark current arrow.
“Got it.”
Yuk Gu-man caught it and replied.
“Oh yeah... What’s your rank?”
“Forward Forest Squad...”
“I mean back in North Forest Great Heaven Clan.”
“North Forest Escort Captain.”
“Tough choice. Anyway, good work.”
“You too.”
Yuk Gu-man bowed and led his men inside. Ak Muyoo felt a gaze and turned.
Gun Seol stared openly.
“What?”
“It’s over?”
Gun Seol asked.
“Just catch the escapees.”
“Then what?”
“Decide after we nab them. See you later.”
Ak Muyoo looked at Na Yun Bong.
“Safe travels.”
Na Yun Bong bowed lightly.
“Yeah. Hup!”
Ak Muyoo whipped the camel’s reins.
Grunt!
The camel lowed softly and charged.
“Hah!”
Yo Pung chased after Ak Muyoo.
Soon, Yo Pung and Ak Muyoo rode side by side.
“Gonna live together?”
Yo Pung asked.
“With what?”
“That girl looked just like a wife seeing her husband off.”
“Dunno. Even if we do, it’d just be for show.”
“For show?”
“Acts like clan head wife in public only.”
“Lovey-dovey in front of others, separate beds at home?”
“Exactly.”
“You gonna do it?”
“Need backing to fight Joo Jang-cheol.”
“So you are.”
“It’s what they want. Doesn’t happen just ’cause I do.”
“What if they don’t want it?”
“Fight solo then.”
“Know who the enemy is?”
“Not yet. But Hweong might.”
“Gotta catch him.”
“We will.”
“Let’s hurry.”
“Hup!”
“Hah!”
The two whipped their reins. The sand flew rapidly behind.
Paat! Paat! Paat!
Hweong, Zhuque, and Xuanwu glanced back as they fled.
“What’s that?”
He halted. His gaze turned skyward. A dust cloud billowed.
“Someone’s chasing.”
Zhuque said.
“It’s him.”
“Yes.”
Zhuque nodded.
“Let’s go.”
Hweong turned and ran again.
“Hah! Hah!”
The three soon gasped for breath.
Suddenly, they regretted underestimating the desert. Still a day to go, but scorching thirst already assailed them. They might die here.
“There’s water somewhere.”
Hweong scanned around and kept running.
Once thirst set in, thoughts fixated on it, worsening. His mouth dried, no saliva left.
“Damn.”
Hweong cursed as he ran.
They ran an hour like that. As darkness fell, it eased slightly.
‘Don’t think water. Something else, anything.’
Hweong recalled the money hidden in his quarters. Lifetime savings. Planned to retire as pavilion lord soon.
But the Life-Death Society collapsed before retirement.
‘If I just had that money...!’
“Water!”
Zhuque shouted.
“Water?”
Hweong’s eyes widened.
A small lake lay not far off. No trees around, but definitely a lake. Spotting it intensified their thirst. They raced toward it.
Ten yards out, they kicked off and leaped.
Splash! Splash! Splash!
Heads plunged in, they gulped frantically.
“Gack!”
The three screamed mid-drink. The water wasn’t fresh—it was salt.
“How...”
They looked around dazed. Deep in the desert, thousands of li from sea. Yet...
“We go. To fresh water. Hurry or we die. No...”
Hweong, about to leap, froze.
“What is it?”
Zhuque looked at Hweong.
“Water’s behind us.”
Hweong turned. His gaze fixed on the dust cloud rising in the sky.