Chapter 978
Chapter 978
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 978
Chapter Title: Radiant Ascension Path
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I asked him for more details about the faction known as the Ink Ground Alliance.
The Ink Ground Alliance was a group operating in this area. In modern terms, they were like gangsters. No, more like a mafia-style criminal organization.
They dealt in everything illegal: black markets, human trafficking, gambling, contract killings, you name it.
Even as he spoke about them, his body trembled uncontrollably. His fear of the Ink Ground Alliance was etched deep into his bones.
"I-if you're thinking of fighting the Ink... Ink Ground Alliance, you should give up. Even a great hero like you couldn't handle them..."
"Who asked for your nosy advice?"
Smack!
Hit once more by me, he clamped his lips shut and bowed his head.
"Hey, Sung Ji-gon! You heard all that, right?"
I turned around and called out to Sung Ji-gon. He had the old hag bent over on all fours and was pounding her from behind.
"Y-yeah, yeah, I heard. Yu-jin."
"Some folks from the Ink Ground Alliance are coming this evening. What do you think?"
"I'll... go with whatever you decide, Yu-jin. Old hag! How's my cock?"
"It's good...! So good...!"
"Urgh, Mother...!"
The situation was more or less sorted out, but somehow it still felt like a total mess.
"When will the squad members knocked out by the sleeping pills wake up?"
I didn't want the hassle of burning away the drug's effects in their brains one by one, like Sung Ji-gon was doing.
"In about two shichen from now."
"Two shichen? Shorter than I thought."
"It's short, but they sleep deeply. So deep they wouldn't even notice if they died..."
"Yeah, it felt that way."
Two shichen—that was four hours in real time. It varied by person, but it wasn't exactly brief. And apparently, you could dose them again when they woke up to put them right back under.
'They'll wake up around evening anyway, so no need to rouse them early.'
As dusk fell, the Iron Raven Squad members stirred from their deep slumber induced by the knockout drug. I gave them a rough rundown of what had happened. Their faces twisted in shock and fury.
"Son of a bitch!"
"We got done in by sleeping pills?!"
"If Sung Yu-jin hadn't been here, we might've really died."
If Sung Ji-gon and I hadn't insisted on coming to this inn to rest, none of this would've happened—but they were sharp enough not to voice that.
The squad members fumed, but they all shook their heads at the sight before them.
"Gah! Ack! Die...! I'm dying...!!"
The old hag was getting railed by Sung Ji-gon. He was drenched in sweat from head to toe. His stamina was impressive, but not infinite like mine. He made up for his limits with experience and technique.
"S-Sung Ji-gon is that kind of guy...?"
"Fucking an old hag like that for real..."
"Wh-why's it kinda hot? The way she's shaking her hips... maybe that hag pussy's top-tier."
All eyes turned in shock to one man. He grinned awkwardly and scratched his head.
"...Just kidding, obviously."
The tension broke, and the mood lightened. Still, the way they looked at Sung Ji-gon carried a hint of fear—like staring at something unnatural, an instinctive dread.
"Hah! Here it comes...!"
"Oooohhh...!"
Sung Ji-gon's final thrust began. He even locked lips with the hag as he pumped hot, fresh cum into her withered old cunt. Their tangled bodies writhed like maggots. The hag went limp and passed out, while Sung Ji-gon rose with a refreshed expression.
"Whew. That was one tasty old hag. Almost too good to just hit once. Yu-jin, mind if I take her along?"
"Do whatever. She's your responsibility."
"Don't worry. Woo Young-tae'll help manage her."
Woo Young-tae wasn't the only one whose face turned ashen at that. It was the hag's son.
"N-no, please! Not my mother! Spare her! At her age, turning her into a sex slave... she'll die!"
The squad members' faces darkened menacingly. The guy who'd tried to kill them was throwing a fit, and it pissed them off. Without me there, the ronin would've beaten him to death.
"Woo Young-tae."
"Yes, Sung Yu-jin."
"This punk's your buddy now. Handle him."
"Understood."
Woo Young-tae bowed. A smile tugged at his lips. The guy who'd always taken shit his whole life now had a stress-relief punching bag.
"Yu-jin. We crashing here tonight?"
Sung Ji-gon asked, freshly changed into clean clothes with a bright look on his face. I glanced around. Everyone was watching me.
"Some Ink Ground Alliance guys are coming soon. They're here to deal with this idiot. We're gonna rob 'em blind."
"Sung Yu-jin! Did you say Ink Ground Alliance?!"
Jin Gu-eon, leader of the Iron Raven Squad, stepped forward with a grave expression.
"What, you know 'em?"
"No ronin around here hasn't heard of them. The Ink Ground Alliance... they're too much for a single squad like ours. They popped up about five years ago and took over all the shady business in the area overnight."
I scanned the others. They all looked fearful, just like Jin Gu-eon.
"Jin Gu-eon, I'm not saying we fight the whole Alliance. Just fleece the pockets of the ones coming here."
"You have to think about the fallout."
"Fallout? Hey, what's our goal? The Ten Thousand Illusion Tower, right? We go in, grab martial arts manuals and elixirs, get stronger. Then we set up base somewhere else. What, you wanna come back here?"
"B-but... our families..."
"Over half of you don't even have families. And once you're powered up from the tower, the Ink Ground Alliance or whoever won't touch you. Plus, I'll split today's take fair and square. Equal shares. Word is, those guys are bringing at least 200 gold taels."
"200 gold taels... for real?"
"They're here to buy people. Obviously."
Gulp.
Swallows echoed here and there.
With hard numbers on the table, the ronins' eyes changed. 200 gold taels meant at least 6 per head.
"You'll really split it evenly?"
"Jin Gu-eon, you haven't been hit enough lately?"
"...My apologies. I'll trust you."
"Don't underestimate them. So let's plan this out. That knockout drug we got hit with? Time to use it on them."
A group of men approached the Paulownia Inn. All wore wide-brimmed hats and black robes. The seven shady figures slipped inside under cover of darkness.
"W-welcome! From the Ink Ground Alliance, right? We've been waiting."
Shin Gu-bo, the inn's head chef, greeted them eagerly. One of the seven—a massive man—stepped forward. Shin Gu-bo recognized him; he was a regular.
"Long time no see. Where's the old lady?"
"Y-yes, long time. Lady Mo Bi-seol. Mother's passed out right now. First time we've hooked more than thirty big ones..."
"Pushed herself too hard, huh? At her age."
"Sh-she's still spry."
Shin Gu-bo felt his heart racing under Mo Bi-seol's piercing stare. He'd once been covered in bruises, but the potion from Sung Yu-jin had healed him clean.
'Please... notice something's off... I can't let Mom get dragged off as a sex slave. And then they'll use me too...'
He couldn't beg Mo Bi-seol for help outright. His mother was in the ronins' clutches. One wrong move, and she'd die.
"The food..."
Mo Bi-seol's gaze shifted sideways. On a table sat steaming dishes.
Human flesh. Cooked from actual people: hands, feet, organs, brains, all prepared appetizingly.
"Perfect. The smell alone makes my mouth water. Your skills are top-notch as always."
Th-thank you.
They sat naturally at the table.
"Where are the other slaves?"
"Stashed in the next room. Eat first."
"Mm. Fine."
Mo Bi-seol and the Ink Ground crew removed their hats. Only three looked fully human. The other four had twisted faces: four eyes, three mouths, freakish horrors. Demon cultivators and born yokai—that was their true nature.
Mo Bi-seol was a yokai. Unlike his deep voice, his face was that of a baby: bald, chubby-cheeked, big round eyes. But his gaping maw was filled with jagged fangs.
His chopsticks went first for the brain dish. He sliced into the soft-boiled human brain and popped it in his mouth. His face soured instantly.
"This... isn't up to your usual."
"Sorry. Brains are Mother's specialty, but she's out cold..."
"Can't be helped. It's edible."
The feast began in earnest.
"Grooo... eyeballs are the ultimate delicacy..."
"Humans' best cut is thigh meat. Can't see the point of organs."
"You don't eat guts? Gimme that stir-fried intestine."
"The real treat's the dick. Look at this fried one."
"Oh sis, love dick that much? Suck mine then."
"Pfft, fine. But I'll chew it off at the end."
They cackled as they devoured the human flesh.
Thud.
One man's head slammed onto the table. All eyes snapped to him in the sudden chaos.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
The rest collapsed into sleep one after another.
Mo Bi-seol alone grasped the situation and bellowed in rage.
"Shin Gu-bo!! You drugged the food, you bastard!"
"Eek! I-I had no choice! My mother's everything to me!"
"Do you even realize what you've done...?"
Thud.
Mo Bi-seol's oversized baby head hit the table.
Shin Gu-bo collapsed to the floor. He and the Ink Ground Alliance were done for good.
"Nice work, Shin Gu-bo."
Sung Yu-jin and the ronins emerged from hiding outside and entered the inn.
I patted Shin Gu-bo's shoulder as he knelt on the floor. His face was ghostly pale, head bowed low.
"Hah... They really eat human flesh."
"Demons?"
"Yokai. Yokai pretending to be human. Heard rumors, but seeing it... disgusting."
"Yu-jin! Check this out! This woman's got three mouths!"
I looked them over. The three-mouthed woman had two extra on her cheeks. Ugly bitch—I shook my head.
"What're you waiting for? Chance like this. Kill 'em all and loot everything."
"Yes, Sung Yu-jin."
"Whoa! This pouch is full of gold ingots!"
"This guy's carrying martial arts manuals?"
"Spirit pills!"
"Look at this heavy pouch! Gold ingots inside!"
The squad whooped as they rummaged. The more they dug, the pricier the haul.
A smile crept onto my face. This had gone off without a hitch.
"We'll split it all evenly, so bring everything. And finish those bastards off."
"Yes, sir!"
They drew weapons. Stab. Stab-stab-stab. Stab. Blades pierced flesh. Blood pooled on the floor. No coming back from that.
"S-Sung Yu-jin. Found a weird note."
"Note?"
Jin Gu-eon handed it over. I read it and blinked. 0-0—Earth script, impossible in this world.
'Wait... is someone using Earth letters as code?'
[Radiant Ascension Path] mixes multiple worlds. Besides me, two others could use Earth script.
One was Shin Jong-woo, protagonist of Another World's Heavenly Demon. Transmigrated, then died by my hand.
The other? Protagonist of I Woke Up as the Heavenly Demon. Possession-type Heavenly Demon. No goody-two-shoes—he exploited everything, even evil factions.
'Is that guy behind the Ink Ground Alliance?'
My interest in them piqued.
"Wh-what?!"
"Wh-what the hell is this guy?!"
"Why won't he die?!"
"S-something's wrong!"
Chaos erupted around me. The baby-faced man, stabbed repeatedly all over.
'Mo Bi-seol, the yokai, right?'
He rose with a sinister grin. Blood trickled from his mouth, three blades buried in his torso.
"Wahhh. Such cute little tricks, you ronin scum. I'll suck every last drop of your souls dry."