Chapter 73
Chapter 73
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 73
Chapter Title: Evil Deeds
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- Office of the Great Moon Faction Leader
“Who in the world are these guys, running rampant like this?”
“No one knows. They’re all new faces.”
“Have you determined their numbers?”
“So far, we’ve identified two of them.”
“Two? You’re telling me all this is because of just two men?”
“Could they also be responsible for the man we sent to the Songrim Inn not returning?”
“Isn’t that why we’re all gathered here, to figure that out and solve it?!”
“……”
The executives, who had been arguing back and forth, fell silent at the Faction Leader’s roar.
“How skilled are they in martial arts?”
“Dozens of our members have already been taken down. Seeing as even a first-rate executive was defeated without being able to lay a finger on them, they must be at least at the peak level.”
“Is it possible they were hired by the other four organizations?”
“Their actions seem to be helping the residents of Gocha County, as if they were some kind of heroes of justice. Considering they’re killing indiscriminately, regardless of the organization, that possibility is nonexistent.”
“It’s highly likely they’re from the Orthodox Sects.”
“Indeed.”
“First, send men to the Two-Headed Sect and the Black Mountain Bandits to deliver my message.”
“Should we not send anyone to the Black Obsidian Sect and the Fire Iron League?”
“That’s right. Those bastards from the Black Obsidian Sect and the Fire Iron League will never cooperate. Still, they won’t just stand by while these intruders run wild in Gocha County, so they’ll make a move to deal with them.”
“In that case… what message should we send to the Two-Headed Sect and the Black Mountain Bandits?”
“From the looks of it, the two men running rampant in Gocha County are no ordinary martial artists. This is a critical time. We must minimize our own losses.”
“Then…”
“Yes, we must ensure that the forces of the Black Obsidian Sect and the Fire Iron League are depleted as much as possible. In the meantime, we will ally with the Black Mountain Bandits and the Two-Headed Sect to eliminate them.”
“Ah…! I understand. I will carry out your orders!”
“Yes, hehehehe! This turned out perfectly. We must use them. In the end, we will be the ones to devour Gocha County.”
As the Great Moon Faction Leader plotted to turn his enemies against each other, the Black Obsidian Sect and the Fire Iron League were already tasting hell.
***
- Before the gates of the Fire Iron League
Mu-heun had already decided to show no mercy.
The formation created using the Myriad Fragrance converted the energy surging from his dantian into atmospheric electricity.
‘Mad Heavenly Demon's Explosive Thunder.’
Dozens of black lightning bolts struck from the sky, charring the Fire Iron League warriors guarding the entrance.
‘Eight Demons Explosive Heat Art.’
With a powerful explosion, the main gate of the Fire Iron League was blown to smithereens. Mu-heun walked majestically through the shattered debris.
“Who… Who are you!”
‘Heavenly Demon Stealth Art.’
In an instant, the heads of the warrior who had shouted and two others flew off. What followed was a scene from hell. A battlefield of carnage where no one could tell what was happening. The Fire Iron League Leader and his executives were thrown into a panic by the incomprehensible attack.
“Gaaah!”
The enemy was nowhere to be seen, yet his subordinates’ heads kept flying off. The severed heads would hang in the air for a moment before plummeting to the ground.
Blood splattered everywhere, and the number of corpses grew, yet the enemy remained invisible. It was enough to drive one mad.
“What… What is happening!”
“I-I don’t know. No, that’s not what’s important. We must flee at once!”
Only one executive beside the Fire Iron League Leader was urging him to escape. The rest were already running for their lives.
“You… You bastards!”
The Fire Iron League Leader was furious, but this was no time for anger. Right before his eyes, his men were being split in half without even a scream. Some were decapitated, while others had holes punched through their bodies.
“You…! You buy me time!”
The Fire Iron League Leader forcefully shoved away the subordinate who had stayed for him until the very end. Then, he too fled to save his own skin.
“That… that son of a bitch…”
The man who had remained loyal to his leader to the last was pushed away by that very leader’s hand. The moment he opened his mouth in betrayal, he was split in two from head to toe.
*Sshhhhaaa!*
Blood stained all the iron ore that the Fire Iron League had been refining.
It was as if the iron itself was ablaze.
The remaining warriors could only tremble in unseen terror and flee. However, the residents of Gocha County who had been unjustly captured, the bound women, and those who had not learned martial arts were left completely unharmed.
Meanwhile, the escapees who made it outside the Fire Iron League’s base despaired. They tried to flee from the murderer, only to find the entire area enveloped in a purple poisonous mist.
“What… What is this.”
Piles of rotting corpses were strewn everywhere. It was a gruesome sight of peeled skin, melted flesh, and spilled entrails. No one could speak. Just as they began to feel that being split in two would be a less painful death, they lost all sensation in their legs.
“Why don’t you at least try to resist, you pieces of trash.”
Mu-heun had appeared and severed the legs of the Fire Iron League Leader and all the others who were trying to escape.
“Gyaaaaaaaah.”
They tore at their clothes, frantically trying to tie them around their ankles to stop the gushing blood. To the Fire Iron League Leader and his executives, Mu-heun, walking toward them step by step, looked like the grim reaper himself.
The Fire Iron League Leader was the first to slam his head on the ground multiple times and shout.
“I-I’m sorry! I’ll do anything you want. I will pledge my life and loyalty to you. Please! Spare me.”
His forehead was shattered and bleeding. The Fire Iron League Leader’s face was smeared with blood, and his clothes were stained red.
Seeing this, the other executives of the Fire Iron League also began to bow their heads to the ground, begging.
“Me… me too! Please. If you tell me to be a dog, I’ll be a dog. If you tell me to bark, I’ll bark! Please spare my life. P-Please, show mercy!”
As the Fire Iron League executives begged, slamming their heads on the ground until it trembled, Mu-heun narrowed his eyes and spoke.
“Mercy?”
He raised his sword.
“Disgusting.”
A menacing and chilling killing intent radiated from Mu-heun’s body, and the Fire Iron League Leader and his executives froze as if their entire bodies had turned to ice.
“The eastern warehouse here was filled with the bodies of women you raped and murdered. Don’t you think they wanted to live too? You worthless scum.”
“Th-That is…”
“You’re nothing but a menace to the world. Why would I let you live?”
“Ah…!”
The Fire Iron League Leader and his executives realized it. There was no escape. They couldn't run. Their legs were severed, and they couldn't even lift a finger, crushed by Mu-heun's killing intent.
Mu-heun split the Fire Iron League Leader and all his executives in two. Then, he spoke to the Heavenly Fragrance Owl circling in the sky.
“Cheon-hyang.”
[Yes!]
“Tell Hyeok to disperse the poisonous mist and release the residents tied up inside.”
[Yes!]
At that same moment.
Seol Ha-ryeong arrived at the main gate of the Black Obsidian Sect.
There, snowflakes, out of season, began to fall one by one.
***
- Songrim Inn, before the fall of the Fire Iron League
Mu-heun gave instructions to his subordinates before they set out.
“Pa-sun and Un-pyo, go to Gocha County and wipe out any organization you find, regardless of which one it is. Since they’re all keeping each other in check, they’re more likely to hole up to minimize their losses rather than rashly sending out forces.”
“Yes, sir!”
“We must strike while they’re moving cautiously, wary of the other factions. If we consider rescuing the hostages, a reckless assault could harm the residents, so we must launch a surprise attack as quickly as possible.”
After assigning the mission to Pa-sun and Un-pyo, Mu-heun looked at Seol Ha-ryeong and Gu Yang-baek and spoke.
“I will annihilate the Fire Iron League, so I ask you, Lady Ha-ryeong and Sir Yang-baek, to take care of the Black Obsidian Sect.”
“Yes.”
“I understand.”
“Pa-sun and Un-pyo, when Sir Yang-baek gives the signal, move conspicuously from north to south. We need to make the Two-Headed Sect and the Great Moon Faction in the north misunderstand the situation.”
“So they’ll think that Un-pyo and I are clashing with the Black Obsidian Sect and the Fire Iron League.”
“Exactly. And…”
Mu-heun looked at Lee Hwa-sol, the owner of the Songrim Inn, and said.
“Bring the Gocha County residents whose families have been captured by the Black Obsidian Sect and the Fire Iron League here. Once things are settled, Sir Yang-baek will call for you, so go and find your younger sibling then.”
Hearing Mu-heun say she could find her sibling, Lee Hwa-sol burst into tears.
“Yes!”
***
- Black Obsidian Sect
The Black Obsidian Sect, too, had recalled all its forces upon seeing the movements of Pa-sun and Un-pyo, seeking to prevent any loss of strength.
Black masks were for ordinary members, red masks for executives, and a blue mask for the Sect Leader. The masks were divided based on one’s level of martial arts.
Third-rate to second-rate wore black masks, second-rate to first-rate wore red masks, and the Sect Leader, a peak master, wore a blue mask.
“The ones running rampant in Gocha County are not our enemies alone. Avoid engaging them as much as possible and induce the other factions to move first.”
“Yes, Sect Leader!”
“Has the messenger sent to the Fire Iron League still not returned?”
“That is correct. He should have been back by now. The lack of contact suggests something has happened.”
“Send another messenger. An alliance with the Fire Iron League is of the utmost importance. If those bastards come here, we must lure them to the north.”
“Yes, Sect Leader!”
Just then, snowflakes began to fall from the sky.
“But why is it snowing…”
Seol Ha-ryeong, having conquered the transcendent-peak level, absorbed the ambient temperature and cloaked her body in it. It was to protect herself from the powerful yin energy. She then spread a yin art filled with chilling cold, broadly enveloping the Black Obsidian Sect.
“Crystal Vast Cold Art.”
However, the chilling energy never crossed the walls of the sect, a consideration for the safety of the Gocha County residents who might be held captive inside.
“Realm of Ten Thousand Icy Snow Clouds.”
The yin energy emanating from Seol Ha-ryeong froze the ground as it spread, instantly enveloping the entire Black Obsidian Sect. Behind the sect’s walls, a field of razor-sharp thorns made of ice crystals formed.
Snowflakes fell from the sky, and the temperature in the vicinity dropped. The Black Obsidian Sect members at the main gate were already frozen solid.
Seol Ha-ryeong extended her hand toward the main gate and spoke.
“Thousand-Mile Flowing Snow.”
The main gate of the Black Obsidian Sect was shattered by an oncoming avalanche, and the black-masked members guarding it from inside were buried and killed.
“What is going on?”
A red-masked member shouted in confusion, but the other masked members had no way of knowing.
“Is it the ones who were rampaging in Gocha County?”
“N-No, sir. They weren't this powerful.”
“Then who in the world is that?!”
“Th-That is… Eek!!”
The black-masked member screamed and fell backward mid-sentence. The red-masked member who had been questioning him had just been split in half and died. He was killed by Gu Yang-baek’s unseen shadow sword.
At that moment, Seol Ha-ryeong unleashed her immortal art and cried out.
“Snow Cloud Sword. Strike!”
The snowflakes falling from the sky clumped together, forming the shape of swords. The Snow Cloud Swords thus created pursued the masked members, piercing not only their arms and legs but also their stomachs and necks.
“Who is that person? What is their purpose for coming here? What did they demand from our sect?”
“Well… they haven’t made any demands. They’re just carrying out a massacre.”
“Is there any way to negotiate!?”
“The ones who were rampaging in Gocha County seemed to be protecting the residents. So, for a possible negotiation, we gathered the women and tied them up in one place. Perhaps you could use them…”
“Does that look like someone who came to protect the residents? Besides, those two were men, but this is a woman! Find out immediately!”
“Yes, Sect Leader!”
“Snow is falling from the sky, and she’s turning it into swords to kill our members. We can’t handle her! We must negotiate to survive. If you want to live, go and ask!”
“Sir!”
The blue-masked leader spoke urgently, and a red-masked member sprang into action.
The black-masked members fell helplessly to the Snow Cloud Swords, but the red-masked ones put up some resistance, and a few managed to survive. One of them approached Seol Ha-ryeong, who was walking from the main gate with her face hidden by a fan, and asked.
“Why are you doing this? If you tell us the reason, we will give you whatever you desire. Please, stop the killing.”
Seol Ha-ryeong, slaughtering the members with a blank expression as she walked, her white clothes fluttering, looked like a murderous demon from a snow-covered mountain.
“Huhu, what I desire? What else could there be but your lives?”
“Gah!”
The heads of the red-masked members fell one by one. What beheaded them was not the Snow Cloud Sword. It was the invisible swords from the Killing Palace, slaughtering countless masked members.
Seol Ha-ryeong signaled to Yang-baek and then said.
“Now then, please die.”
‘Ice Crystal Sword.’
The Snow Cloud Swords, formed from clumps of snowflakes, merged once more to become Ice Crystal Swords. The crystal swords, reflecting a spectrum of colors, were breathtakingly beautiful.
“Strike.”
The red-masked members, who had dealt with the Snow Cloud Swords relatively well, were now utterly helpless.
“Sect Leader! She’s completely unreasonable! You must escape!”
“Hiek! Release the tied-up women in front of that murderer to use as shields. We must escape in the confusion! Red masks, follow me! Black masks, go and release the hostages in front of that bitch!”
“Yes!”
The blue-masked leader fled with the red-masked members, while the black-masked members headed for the place where the women were bound. And following them from behind was Gu Yang-baek, who had completely erased his presence through stealth.