Chapter 185
Chapter 185
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 185
Chapter Title: Why Are There So Many? (1)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
After seeing off the research students heading out on their mountain trek, I took Zhuge Seolji with me up to the roof of the Right Research Hall and activated my stealth technique.
"Over there, Young Master Yong-un..."
"Shh."
[Why are we doing this?]
[You'll see soon enough.]
After waiting like that for quite some time,
about ten black-clad figures emerged from the bamboo grove, crawled into the Left Research Hall, and came back out carrying two bulging sacks on their shoulders.
[...See? Still no idea?]
No wonder even Zhuge Seolji couldn't figure it out.
'Because I haven't told her.'
My younger brothers and the other protagonists of this generation were trustworthy,
but whether they could control their emotions was another matter entirely.
'To fool the enemy, you must first fool your allies—it's not just an empty saying.'
Eon Yong-myeong, who had a habit of rashly charging ahead, Ha-seong, who seemed to leave his brain at home, and So-neung.
'Unpredictable where they'll bolt off to.'
In a way, Namgung Yun was even harder to predict than Ha-seong.
'Ha-seong's default is reckless antics, so I can excuse it, but this guy's the real wildcard lately.'
Jeong Hyun had mellowed a bit in temperament, but he was still rigid and inflexible when you thought about it.
Yin Ha-yeon and Zhuge Seolji were too meticulous.
'Sometimes that meticulousness creates a sense of incongruity.'
Reverse espionage was like raising a goldfish—delicate work.
So, I'd kept my plan and the truth about Shim Ryul tightly hidden from those working directly with him in the lab.
I'd only shared the details with Elder Gyeonghye, who oversaw the barrier defenses from a step removed, and Professor No Sam, who'd merely lent his name.
Even then, Elder Gyeonghye had suggested tweaking one detail of my plan.
"If the Demonic Cultists really move like this, we can hit them hard and clean. But the part where Cadet Eon Yong-un gets kidnapped feels off."
"Hm. They don't fully trust Shim Ryul either, so the infiltration team won't be large. We have to let them capture us to draw out their main force..."
"The plan itself is solid. I'm just saying we swap the kidnapping victim."
"...Who for?"
"Only three people know: me, Professor No Sam."
"Me?"
"Both of you?"
"They'll be acting hastily without knowing our plan, so if we reverse the roles... Hm. Professor No, you'd need to lose a bit of weight. Anyway, doesn't this seem safer, Cadet Eon Yong-un?"
"Yes. The Chancellor's idea is better."
"Then shall we go with that?"
"Yes, that works."
And so, instead of me and Zhuge Seolji, Professor No Sam and Elder Gyeonghye had been kidnapped by the Demonic Cult's operatives.
'No time to explain now.'
Elder Gyeonghye and Professor No Sam were no pushovers.
No matter how things twisted, the Demonic Cult couldn't have stationed large forces in Hubei at this point.
'We have some leeway.'
But that leeway needed to support Elder Gyeonghye and Professor No Sam, who'd been taken after raising the alarm.
[No time to explain.]
[Ah, got it.]
I brushed off Zhuge Seolji's question and gauged the traces of the blood sigil technique I'd left on the captives beforehand.
"They're heading steadily west."
Shim Ryul only knew the rendezvous point with his contacts—he didn't know where the Demonic Cult had set up their operation base.
So, I'd pre-discussed contingency plans with the two professors based on which direction they took: east, west, south, or north.
I leaped down from the roof, started moving, and organized my thoughts.
"West means mobilizing the mountain trek group at full speed for support, right?"
Zhuge Seolji, overhearing, asked,
"Does mobilizing the mountain trek group mean catching up to the research students who left earlier?"
Exactly.
That's why I'd routed the trek through Juk Mountain, southwest of the academy.
"So you had them start from the Juk Mountain side? But they've probably climbed quite a bit by now?"
"Don't you know that hiking time can vary by more than tenfold depending on whether you follow the ridge or the valley?"
"Even so, tenfold is a stretch... Ah, no way, you're planning to climb Heaven's Cliff Valley, aren't you?"
"Right. That way, we'll run into them exactly. Calculate it with that good head of yours."
"Th-that makes sense, but it's called a valley in name only—it's practically a sheer cliff."
"Time for some cliff climbing."
"......"
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ I showed the guards the Chancellor's seal she'd lent me and ordered them to alter the formation in the bamboo grove.
Then I hurriedly led Zhuge Seolji up Heaven's Cliff Valley.
"I came to support on foot, but I never dreamed it'd involve this..."
"Hm? What was that?"
What was that—
What was thaaat—
"Nothing!"
No-thiiing—
No-thiiiing—
And so, we caught up to the cadets who'd started climbing the range first.
Rustle.
"Who's there?!"
Rustle.
Rustle.
"It's me."
"...Oh, it's you."
"Huh? Why are Brother Eon and Sister Zhuge coming out from there? Y-you doing another one of those surprise drills you've been running lately?"
"You scared me! What the hell are you climbing a cliff for?! I thought you were a ghost! Nearly had a heart attack."
"Yin Ha-seong, since when were you the type to get scared? Quiet down. Little Yin, where's Professor Jeong?"
"Namgung young hero suddenly picked up the pace, so we all started racing each other. The professor's a bit further down."
"Whew. Nearly missed them. Namgung Yun, what's your deal? Why do you always rush ahead on mountains? Got a grudge against them or something?"
"......"
"Anyway, everyone drop your packs and the weights on your limbs, grab only the Windbreaker Mantles from your travel pouches, and follow me."
I met up with the group leader, Professor Jeong Geuk-gyeong, showed him the Chancellor's seal and the note she'd left,
"Is this a real situation?"
"Real situation."
"Lead the way."
Authority over the group immediately transferred to me.
With command handed over, I gave them the bare minimum: the fact that Demonic Cult forces had appeared nearby.
"Demonic Cult enforcers sighted in the area. From now on, we hunt them down."
We began pursuing the blood sigil traces I'd left on Elder Gyeonghye and Professor No Sam.
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
The research students followed behind me like they were choking down mustard, grumbling all the while.
"Running full tilt through a forest where you can't even tell direction? Are we even going the right way? The Demonic Cult showing up—is that even true?"
"Eon Team Leader says go, so we go—what do I know?!"
"Isn't this just some training scenario assuming that situation? Whoa, watch the branch ahead!"
Their reactions weren't incomprehensible.
They were following blindly without context.
I hadn't shared blood sigil details with anyone but my master, so they must wonder why the rush.
'They're grumbling but keeping up—shows the training worked. Once we clash with the Demonic Cult, they won't complain...'
After this, more mental prep is needed.
'When Demonic Cult comes up.'
"Grrrrr."
'They should flip out like Yong-myeong there, eyes rolling like mad dogs charging in!'
- Calling it a 'mad' dog and then saying it's 'normal'—does that even make sense coming from you?
I ignored my master's words amid the haste.
Anyway, as we ran,
a steep ravine appeared—not as sheer as Heaven's Cliff Valley that Zhuge Seolji and I had climbed, but close.
As we faced the gorge,
Yin Ha-yeon, who'd been sticking close while running, spoke up.
"Young Master Eon? I think we took a wrong turn."
"No, we're right on track."
"Pardon?"
I shook my head firmly at Yin Ha-yeon and demonstrated how to descend the slope.
"Wrap the Windbreaker Mantles we put on earlier tightly around your bodies, circulate your internal energy throughout, and roll down the slope."
"Whaaaaat?"
Stunned exclamations erupted here and there.
Ha-seong and Dang Ok-gi poked Jeong Hyun in the side.
"Jeong Hyun swordsman, is this really the way? Talk some sense into Brother Yong-un."
"Yeah, save us. That Eon Yong-un guy's lost it."
"Demonic Cultists appeared, didn't they? It's not unprecedented. Back when General Deng Ai crossed Yinping Valley to strike Shu directly, he wrapped blankets around his men just like..."
"Ack! We'll die before our time at this rate! Not going out like this!"
As Jeong Hyun lectured them,
Namgung Yun stepped forward.
"I'll go first."
This guy really did hold a grudge against mountains.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ How long had we raced down the Wudang Range like lightning and kept going?
Just as the blood sigil traces drew near,
we slammed right into Demonic Cultists wrapped head to toe in pitch-black cloth.
"!"
"?!"
One possibility flashed through my mind.
'Did the two professors get taken?'
But I barked orders swiftly.
"Jeong Hyun, Namgung Yun, Zhuge Seolji—you three support the other cadets organically."
"Got it."
"Understood."
"Will do."
"Everyone else, five-man squads as trained."
The trailing research students drew weapons and assumed formations.
"Yes, sir!!!"
Clang clang clang!
Professor Jeong Geuk-gyeong drew his sword from his waist and advanced.
One of the lined-up black-clad figures let out a short "Ha!" and spoke.
"Perfect! We'll drag at least one to the afterlife!"
As we briefly withstood their charging assault,
Clang!
Clang clang clang!! Clang clang clang!!!
The blood sigil traces approached like arrows,
and a sharp voice rang out.
"You dare say 'perfect' while targeting my cadets?!"
I'd half-expected as much.
A blood-soaked elderly swordswoman—
Elder Gyeonghye charged toward us like a ferocious deity, flying over the terraced tea fields with a savage expression.
Screeeeech!!!
Golden sword light erupted from her blade, literally slicing through the black-clad foes before us.
Splatter!!!!!!!
"Gah!!"
Her swordplay was so brutal it made you question if this was truly the same Emei sword that Yin Ha-yeon had faced in the tournament against Hye Jeong—death strokes accompanied by dying screams slashed everywhere.
Splatter!!!!!!!
"Keurk!!"
One Cultist, thinking everything had gone wrong and spewing curses,
hawked a glob of spit at Elder Gyeonghye and sneered.
"Ptoo! Buddhist wench, you've got a vicious hand! Can you even call yourself a nun?"
"Indeed. Hurling scum like you into the wheel of reincarnation is this old nun's duty."
Slash! Splatter!!
Splatter! Splatter! Splaattter!!!
His reward: being cleaved into six pieces.
So-neung muttered,
"Th-the Chancellor might be a bit scary now?"
I smirked at her and replied,
"She always smiles as the Righteous Martial Academy Chancellor, but back in her prime roaming the jianghu, she was called the Demon-Slaying Elder."
Dang Ok-gi nearby added,
"They say not even underworld thugs could breathe easy in Sichuan back then, let alone Demonic Cultists."
Dry swallows echoed around.