Signs of Turmoil
“Grraaaah!”
“S-Senior Brother! Gah...!”
A man on death row appeared to execute a martial artist whose eyes had rolled back, lunging wildly in all directions. Gritting his teeth, the blade's edge sliced across the frenzied martial artist's neck, sending blood and head soaring into the air.
“Kaaaaah!!!”
“Ngh...!”
“Everyone, form up! Keep your distance from anyone wounded or showing symptoms—sever their necks swiftly!!!”
““Y-Yes, sir!!!””
In the midst of this hellish tableau where executioners beheaded priests, priests beheaded executioners, and masters slew disciples, the leadership of each Murim Alliance sect— their faces twisted with demonic fury—calmed the disorganized martial artists and took command. Unable to believe the horror unfolding before them, the men dry-heaved even as they gripped their weapons tightly, staring straight ahead either to protect their own lives or to avoid striking down brothers as close as family.
They had been waiting for Gu Yang-so and the others— the Beggar's Sect elders, the Tang Family patriarch Tang Ho-yeol—when the bizarre incident erupted from the rear of the Murim Alliance forces. People devouring people, the devoured rising as ghoulish cannibals craving human flesh, turning the formation into utter chaos. It was only moments ago that the leadership had managed to soothe and restore order.
The Murim Alliance Leader ground his teeth, his face etched with uncharacteristic killing intent amid the feast of flesh-eaters crashing against the inspection and defense lines of each sect— a sight ill-suited to a monk.
“Amitabha... How can they don the robes of humanity and commit such atrocities?!”
His low, rumbling voice gave way to a fierce roar, and the sect leaders nodded in agreement, clenching their fists. And who could blame them? The cannibal outbreak had already inflicted devastating losses on every sect—some halved, others not far behind—forcing them to gnash their teeth and stoke their rage toward the Demonic Cult, their original target.
“Even in this mess, with Cooperation Dog and the Beggar's Sect and Tang Family patriarchs nowhere in sight... they must be locked in their own desperate fights against a surprise attack...”
“Hmph...!”
“Mm...”
The Namgung Family patriarch, coolly directing the defense line, brought up the unspoken elephant in the room, drawing grim frowns and furrowed brows from the rest.
“And of all times, with the Tang Family patriarch breaking from the ranks—it's a real headache.”
As the chaos from the cannibals began to subside somewhat, with leaders grasping their traits and weaknesses, the sect heads tilted their heads at his words, wondering what fresh calamity this was.
“Whatever the case, isn't the patriarch missing? You all might not think your own family heads have fallen, but how long can that illusion hold?”
With that, the Namgung patriarch nodded toward the Tang Family martial artists hurling poison and daggers at the cannibals, gesturing with his chin.
“Look at them. Before the battle even starts properly, that killing aura is gone— they're all hesitating, eyes darting around. If this continues, they'll break ranks for sure.”
His words, laced with deep meaning, weighed heavily on the group.
What was the Sacheon Tang Family? Feared even as a potential unorthodox sect for their poisons and hidden blades, they wielded unchallenged power in Sacheon, a pillar supporting not just their region but all orthodox Murim. Their advanced medical arts from poison research only amplified their influence.
For the Tang Family to defect before the main clash with the Demonic Cult? From kidnappings to this cannibal plague... facing the Demonic Cult's filthy tactics, nothing could be more awkward. The leaders mumbled, trapped in indecision.
“...Can't be helped...”
“Hm... Unlike regular sects, they're a family... With the patriarch's fate unknown, forcing them to march is...”
As the discussion dragged on amid the unrest, like a tiger appearing when spoken of, Tang Family elders and key figures approached just as the Namgung patriarch predicted, glaring with fiery eyes. The hardliners from Mudang Sect and Mount Hua, who had been pushing to drag them along by force, fell silent.
What was the greatest justification for the orthodox sects' march to subjugate the Demonic Cult? Rescuing the hostages. The Tang Family's daughter was kidnapped too— but how was that different from their own patriarch? Moreover, arbitrarily commanding another sect or family's forces clashed with the Murim Alliance's emphasis on righteous cause. Seeing the leaders hesitate and mumble, the Alliance Leader sighed and nodded.
“Elder Tang Ho-won, once you've confirmed the patriarch's status, will you follow with your forces?”
At the Leader's words, Tang Ho-won—Tang elder—reluctantly nodded, recognizing the gravity and the unprecedented concession from the Murim Alliance Leader himself.
“If that's the Leader's will, how could we refuse? Our own daughter was taken hostage too— abandoning the march entirely would be absurd. We'll rejoin right after retrieving the patriarch.”
The Leader nodded, clapping Tang Ho-won's shoulder. The elder promptly rallied the Tang martial artists, leaving a portion behind before leading the rest in lightfoot technique toward the direction their patriarch vanished.
His departure felt almost rehearsed. As the Alliance Leader watched the Tang Family's retreating backs, Zhuge Family patriarch Zhuge Gong-hyu approached.
He glanced around cautiously before speaking softly.
“Leader... best not count on them returning...”
“...What makes you say that, Zhuge patriarch?”
“Hmph! Didn't you see Elder Tang Ho-won's eyes as he left?”
“...”
“With things this dire, you think the Tang patriarch's alive? Obviously, that Fire Realm expert leading the vanguard and the zombified daughter ambushed him—he's surely dead. Tang Ho-won will pretend to search, then slink back to Sacheon and eye the patriarch's seat.”
“Th-That's not certain...?”
Zhuge Gong-hyu snorted and shook his head at the Leader's words.
“Don't underestimate family clans. They're dens of schemes where branch houses constantly scheme for the main seat.”
“...”
“Anyway, Leader, you shouldn't have let them go—even by force.”
“Are you saying this monk's judgment was wrong?”
Staring at the astonished Leader, Zhuge Gong-hyu chuckled softly, clasping his hands in mock prayer.
“...Reprimand? Just giving advance notice that my family avoids unwinnable fights. No need to worry. We're still ahead... so take it as timid counsel from your strategist. Amitabha...”
With a playful incantation and prayer stance, Zhuge Gong-hyu departed. The Alliance Leader let out a deep sigh of frustration, pondering the Murim Alliance's precarious future—lacking an absolute powerhouse, fractured by discord at every crisis.
They'd sorted things somewhat, but quelling the remaining cannibals took priority.
BOOM!!!
“Block them! Those bastards first...!!!”
“Cannibals by the neck! For the bastards, watch their dangly bits!!!”
BOOM!!!
“Kaaaaah!”
“M-My arm...!!!”
Facing their endless malice, the Leader wondered if striking the Demonic Cult was truly right—perhaps now was the fork where reevaluation was needed.
+++
“Hm... They're holding better than expected...?”
Amid the chaotic bazaar-like clamor of shouts, through my scope I watched their interlocking defense lines send zombie heads flying like confetti, anti-tank mines shredding flesh the moment the undead leaped airborne.
No matter how much they used magic power, zombies from an apocalypse world of ordinary folk couldn't easily catch martial artists zipping through the sky. A bitter taste lingered, but eyeing the three heads in my grasp, I deemed the results meaningful enough—regretting only that I couldn't shine more.
“Beggar's Sect elder, Tang elder and patriarch's heads... Split 'em with Sima, and we're set to coast for a while, huh?”
Stunned by the aftermath—Tang martial artists who'd split off post-Gu Yang-so infiltration, all minced by my Sahonroeju trap—I bowed gratefully to the ever-generous Tang Family, then thrust my hips up.
Splat!
The tight, relentless squeeze of her lower half drew a hot sigh from me.
“But... do jiangshi count as corpses too...?”
I cared far more about this prime love doll than the orthodox rabble's fate.