Chapter 334: Chasing the Evil Demon-2
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 334: Chasing the Evil Demon-2
"Where are you going in such a hurry?"
Kang-pae spoke as he stared at the Evil Demon, who was carrying Seol-hyang over his shoulder.
"..........Kang-pae."
The Evil Demon turned back to look at him, his voice laced with tension.
His heart began to sink the moment he faced him. Of all people, the man he least wanted to encounter right now had appeared.
"I asked you a question. Where are you going in such a hurry?" Kang-pae continued in a calm, steady tone.
"......I... I thought I’d only be in the way if I stayed there..."
"How could you be in the way when you’ve successfully recaptured the hostage?"
".......I... I was afraid of getting caught in the crossfire..." the Evil Demon stammered, making excuses.
"Shouldn't you have just shoved the hostage forward before you got caught in it?"
Kang-pae thoroughly dismantled the Evil Demon's excuses.
"............"
The Evil Demon clamped his mouth shut. He realized his true intentions had been completely laid bare.
"Why so quiet? Keep talking."
When the Evil Demon remained silent, Kang-pae continued in a mocking tone.
"Dammit, fine! I was trying to bolt! So what!"
Stung by the mockery, the Evil Demon snapped and raised his voice, shouting.
"I believe General Lee Yeon made himself clear. He said he would kill you the moment you tried to desert."
Kang-pae spoke in a dry, monotonous voice, pressing him further.
"That 'great' Lee Yeon is currently getting thrashed by a bunch of women! Why the hell would I stay there and trust a guy like that?"
"Watch your mouth."
Kang-pae’s brow furrowed deeply. He was a man as silent and unchanging as a rock, but there was one thing he could not tolerate: an insult to the man he respected, Grand General Lee Yeon.
"Am I wrong? Didn't he get sent flying after being pummeled by some naked lunatic? What kind of Grand General or First Sword of the Imperial Palace is that!"
Perhaps finding the reaction refreshing, the Evil Demon spoke even more harshly, deliberately provoking Kang-pae.
"Watch your tongue, Evil Demon."
Wuuuuuuuuuung—
Angered by the provocation, Kang-pae began to exert pressure, drawing his internal energy to its peak.
"It’s not like I’m lying!"
Not to be outdone, the Evil Demon also surged his internal energy to meet him.
Wuuuuuuuuuung—
As the energies of the two absolute masters clashed, heaven and earth began to tremble. Caught between their overwhelming auras, Seol-hyang’s face turned deathly pale.
"Evil Demon, do you wish to die?"
"Try it if you can!"
Kang-pae glared at the Evil Demon with eyes full of murderous aura, and the Evil Demon glared back just as fiercely.
It was in that moment of intense psychological warfare.
Flash!
Kang-pae, his energy fully flared, lunged straight at the Evil Demon.
Whoosh!
He immediately swung a punch packed with his Giant Fist strength.
Boom!
The Evil Demon quickly opened his palm to parry the strike. Fist and palm collided, and a thunderous explosion erupted.
Skid—
Unable to withstand the impact, Kang-pae was pushed back, his feet sliding across the ground.
Step, step, step—
The Evil Demon also staggered back, unable to fully absorb the shock.
"You’ve got some skill!" the Evil Demon spat out, looking at Kang-pae, who had forced him back.
"Hmph. Your reputation isn't just for show," Kang-pae replied coldly, staring back.
They locked eyes, their gazes filled with tension. Through that single exchange, they both realized that the person in front of them was by no means their inferior. They became more cautious, more deliberate.
"Kang-pae, why don't you just run away with me? Lee Yeon has no chance of winning."
The Evil Demon tried to win him over.
"Hmph. Don't talk nonsense. I will stay with the General until the moment I die."
"Stubborn bastard."
The Evil Demon frowned. How could someone be so foolish? If they just escaped through the secret passage now, surviving would be easy.
"I have no choice, then. I'll just have to kill you."
The Evil Demon’s face contorted. Honestly, he didn't want to expend his strength here. He had a long way to go; why waste energy in a place like this? But no matter how he looked at it, the rock-like man before him wasn't going to let him pass.
He had to make a decision. He would kill him.
The Evil Demon slowly extended his claws. An ominous energy began to frost over each nail, eventually manifesting into Astral Qi.
"You're the one who's going to die."
Kang-pae also balled his massive hand into a fist. Astral Qi coated his knuckles, emitting a brilliant, blinding light.
The two men, both wielding Astral Qi, locked eyes and charged at each other.
K-Boom!
The sound of their collision began to echo through the outskirts of the village.
*
The Evil Demon’s claws lunged toward Kang-pae’s throat.
Clang!
But he was sent flying by a counter-punch from Kang-pae.
Whoosh!
This time, Kang-pae’s fist drove toward the Evil Demon’s chest, clearly aiming to pierce his heart.
Thwack!
However, that plan was thwarted as the Evil Demon’s claws dug into the incoming fist.
Boom!
Boom!
After that, the two continued their relentless battle, claws and fists clashing repeatedly, each strike intended to kill. But because their skills were so evenly matched, a victor did not easily emerge.
K-Boom!
A tedious stalemate ensued.
This lingering deadlock made the Evil Demon uneasy. He needed to get out of the Ice Palace immediately. With Kang-pae clinging to him so tenaciously, anxiety began to creep in.
Dragging this out served him no purpose. If, by some chance, Lee Yeon emerged victorious and found him still stuck here, he would surely be killed for attempting to desert. The same would go for Bukgung Yeon.
He decided he couldn't be held up here any longer.
Swish!
The Evil Demon’s arm lunged toward Kang-pae’s heart.
Bang!
Once again, it was deflected by that iron-like fist.
'Tch!'
The Evil Demon concentrated his internal energy into his Yongcheon point. He detonated it all at once, propelling himself backward to create distance from Kang-pae.
"Huff... huff... huff..."
Having gained some space, the Evil Demon began to catch his breath, panting heavily.
'This won't do. I have to end this in one blow.'
He slowly began to gather internal energy into his right claws. A sticky, foul energy started to coalesce around his fingertips.
'He's preparing something unusual.'
Seeing this, Kang-pae watched the Evil Demon with a tense expression and tightened his right fist even further. Since the situation was unpredictable, he planned to counter with the best attack he had.
He gripped his Giant Fist and gathered his internal energy.
Wuuuuuuuuuung—
An immense, crushing force gathered in his fist, causing the very air to vibrate.
Shaaaaaa—
A whirlwind began to gather over his fist, rotating at a ferocious speed.
Whirrrrrrrrr—
The rotation was so fast that the sound vibrated through the surroundings.
'Damn it.'
The Evil Demon cursed under his breath. It seemed his opponent had also prepared a formidable trump card.
'This is troublesome,' the Evil Demon thought.
He wasn't the type of fool to bet his life on a gamble. He only staked his life on a sure thing. To him, Kang-pae’s secret technique was a massive variable. Since he didn't know its nature or power, he was hesitant to step forward.
'What should I do?'
He fell into deep thought. He needed to create a variable that would give him even a slight advantage—something that would work against Kang-pae.
While keeping his claws shrouded in energy, the Evil Demon glanced around, looking for anything he could use. Before long, something caught his eye.
It was Seol-hyang, lying not far away.
'......Hmm.'
A rather clever plan began to form in his mind—a variable that would work in his favor.
But then, he hesitated. While it might be a variable that could land a decisive blow on Kang-pae, he couldn't guarantee Seol-hyang’s life. No, she would definitely die.
He couldn't help but deliberate. It had been a long time since he’d seen a hymen on a girl in her early twenties. He wondered if it was right to use such a virgin just to overcome a crisis.
'Whatever, fuck it. Is she the only virgin in the world? Once I get back to the Central Plains, I can taste as many as I want.'
In the end, the Evil Demon chose to abandon Seol-hyang. He realized that while there were plenty of virgins to bed in the world, he only had one life.
Having made his decision, the Evil Demon began to edge toward where Seol-hyang lay. When his heel finally touched her body, he cheered inwardly. The first step of his plan was a success.
The Evil Demon waited patiently for Kang-pae to charge in and throw his punch.
Meanwhile, Kang-pae watched the Evil Demon as he gathered that foul energy in his claws and retreated. He frowned, thinking the man was looking for a way to escape.
'Do you think I'll let you run!'
Steeling his resolve, Kang-pae made the whirlwind around his Giant Fist rotate even faster.
Whirrrrrrrrr—
The storm completely enveloped his hand, the internal energy and the wind becoming one, harboring a devastating power.
'It's ready.'
Feeling the immense power in his fist, Kang-pae nodded in satisfaction. He pulled his fist back as far as it would go, taking a stance. Then, he slowly moved toward the Evil Demon to bring him within range.
As he approached, the Evil Demon continued to back away slowly. Undeterred, Kang-pae moved toward him even faster.
Thump.
When the Evil Demon's heel hit the body of the woman lying on the ground, Kang-pae saw his opening. It was the moment the man would have to step over her to keep retreating.
Swoosh!
Kang-pae thrust his massive Giant Fist, laden with the storm, directly at the Evil Demon. His fist tore through the air, flying forward with ferocious momentum.
Smirk.
Seeing this, the Evil Demon broke into a wicked grin. Fortunately, it seemed the brute hadn't realized his plan.
The Evil Demon kicked Seol-hyang upward with his toe. Her body flew into the air, blocking the path between Kang-pae and the Evil Demon.
Kang-pae was startled by the obstruction, but he did not pull back his punch.
'I'll just punch through her!'
He intended to pierce through her body and drive his fist into the Evil Demon.
'I'll run you both through!'
The Evil Demon seemed to have the same idea, as he thrust his blackened claws toward Seol-hyang. He intended to tear through her and sink his claws into Kang-pae’s heart. A bright smile spread across his face.
Crack!
It was then.
'Huh?!'
Suddenly, his outstretched right hand began to twist in the opposite direction, and his entire body was sent flying.
"Aaaaaaaagh!"
Boom!
The Evil Demon screamed in sudden agony before crashing into a nearby house.
The same happened to Kang-pae.
Crack!
His thrusting fist was twisted upward.
"Gwaaaaagh!"
Kang-pae cried out in sudden, excruciating pain.
Slam!
Then, his head was slammed into the ground, as if someone had stepped on it.
Whoosh—
Seol-hyang’s body, which had been tossed into the air, did not fall to the ground. Instead, it drifted through the air as if floating.
Catch.
She landed softly in someone's arms. Seol-hyang’s eyes trembled uncontrollably. She recognized the identity of the person holding her instantly.
Glisten—
Tears welled up in her eyes. Before long, a single tear rolled down her pale cheek. Being held in his warm embrace, a surge of sorrow and relief washed over her simultaneously.
Tap, tap, tap, tap.
The person holding her quickly unblocked her acupoints.
"Brother!" Seol-hyang managed to choke out.
"Heh... ugh... hwaaa..."
Seol-hyang buried her face in Sun-woo’s chest, soaking it with her tears.
Stroke, stroke.
Sun-woo slowly stroked her hair, calming her down.
"It's okay now. It's okay."
Sun-woo looked at Seol-hyang with pity as he spoke.
"I... I was so... so scared... and..."
Overwhelmed by sorrow, Seol-hyang couldn't even speak properly as she sobbed against him.
"Don't worry. No one will ever hurt you again."
Sun-woo continued, his voice reassuring her.
"Sob... hic... ugh..."
Hearing those words, Seol-hyang buried her face in his chest once more. Sun-woo watched her silently with a look of deep compassion, knowing how terrified she must have been.