Chapter 186
Chapter 186
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 186
Chapter Title: Why Is There So Much? (2)
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Most of the demonic cultists we encountered met their ends at the hands of Chancellor Kyung Hye.
Slash!!
Slaaash!!!!
As a result, the only one here still in the black uniform of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult was Namgung Yun, dressed in the garb of Radiant Prosperity Hall.
Confirming this fact, Chancellor Kyung Hye—drenched in blood—turned toward us and smiled faintly.
"Professor Jeong, and the cadets of the Defense Research Institute. You all worked hard rushing here..."
At the sight of the chancellor, flinching students emerged here and there.
Glancing down at her own clothes, Chancellor Kyung Hye spoke.
"...Ah. I must look an utter mess right now, don't I?"
In truth, it was less the blood splattered over her and more the savage display of martial prowess she'd shown earlier—the strikes utterly devoid of mercy—that had affected them most.
'Now that I think about it, smiling amiably while soaked in blood must look pretty grotesque to the others.'
With that, I pulled out the handkerchief I always carried and offered it to her.
"Chancellor, here."
"Ah, thank you."
I inquired about the situation here.
"What about Professor No Sam?"
"He's over yonder. It looked like things were wrapping up when these bastards tried to flee, so he gave chase. That side should be sorted by now."
Chancellor Kyung Hye and Professor No Sam were supreme experts tantamount to the present heads of the Emei Sect and Beggars' Sect.
Even so, the time it had taken to exterminate the demonic cultists entrenched here was far too short.
"...Hmm. Fewer demonic cultists garrisoned here than anticipated, I suppose?"
"Yes. As Student Eon Yong-un and I initially discussed, we figured a Demon Lord-level officer was commanding, and based on the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult hierarchy the Defense Research Institute has studied, at least two or more strike teams would be deployed."
"Yes."
"...Let's see—even including this lot, it was only about seven squads."
"Short of a single combat unit."
At our exchange,
Professor Jeong Geuk-kyeong—whose moniker was the Wind-Frost Swordsman, thoroughly inured to the ways of the jianghu—spoke up.
"Then that means the Demonic Cult might send reinforcements? ...The usual protocol is to abandon an exposed safehouse, but just in case, we should bolster our vigilance and defenses, then contact the nearest Beggars' Sect and Murim Alliance branches."
"Yes, that's precisely what I planned to do per Professor Jeong's advice. Let's proceed."
Following that counsel, we split the cadets.
"Eon Family senior research cadets, follow me. The rest, obey Professor Jeong."
To ensure smooth vigilance and defenses, we left most cadets midway up the terraced tea fields with Professor Jeong Geuk-kyeong.
Chancellor Kyung Hye took a few along as we crossed the hill she'd come from.
Just then, Professor No Sam—who was wringing the last black-clad thug's neck—spotted us and spoke.
"You all made it? Ah! Chancellor!"
"Yes, Professor No."
"What of the runners? One of those bastards looked at me and blabbered that no one looking like this could be Eon Yong-un. What's wrong with my face? Ain't much difference between me and that Eon Family punk!"
At Professor No Sam's grumbling, Master led the Eon Family siblings in muttering their pieces.
- That beggar scum's got no shame. Ah, so that's why he's a beggar?
"Professor No must've had a rough day today."
"Right, sis? Yong-un hyung's got a warped heart, but his looks ain't for the professor to chase. Ain't that right, Woo dongsaeng?"
"He must not check mirrors."
"He does check mirrors, doesn't he?"
"Jeong-hyun! So-neung means it figuratively, figuratively!"
"...Ah. But Dang Sojeo. Why so much anger lately? Bad for your health. Ease up. As you saw today, Eon Soheop always has his reasons..."
"Kyaaak!!! It's you, you!"
Finally, Chancellor Kyung Hye shook her head with a sigh.
"...Two eyes, one nose, one mouth—no real difference. Anyway, I've sent those fools to Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva's side."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Heavenly Demon Divine Cult strike teams or combat units typically ran eight squads as standard.
Having wiped out seven squads, we'd effectively eradicated an entire unit.
'A major accomplishment.'
The Demonic Cult was currently probing gingerly to gauge the orthodox martial world's mettle, seeding bases across regions.
At this juncture, exposing a safehouse tailored for the Righteous Martial Academy and annihilating a full strike team was no trivial victory.
'I hoped luck might let us nab one of those Heavenly Demon Divine Cult Demon Lords like Sa Hong-i...'
Sa Hong-i had been so cocksure—thinking it a done deal—that he'd let his guard down.
'Not easy to lure out top brass like that at this stage.'
But satisfaction ended here.
'Something more's definitely here.'
The one who'd slipped the drug to Sim Yul at the start seemed to be the disciple of the Demonic Cult's mastermind—the so-called Chamber Demon Lord.
Either way, that figure had mobilized, planting a safehouse near the orthodox martial world's cradle.
No lone strike team could pull that off.
'Even assuming just one unit, that's eighty to ninety headcount.'
Mere exposed personnel, plus mobilizing minions?
'Breathing alone burns coin, so some honey pot or ledgers for reports must be stashed somewhere.'
Harboring that thought, I began autopsies on the cultists' corpses alongside the Eon Family siblings and scoured the surroundings.
"Hmm?"
Skipping those shredded by Chancellor Kyung Hye, I piled Professor No Sam's kills before Dang Ok-gi as she began examinations.
Yin Xia Lian was nowhere in sight.
"Where's Yin Sojeo?"
"Xia Lian? She figured something might be inside and headed there."
Fair enough.
Money, ledgers, daily-use goods belonged indoors.
I made for the safehouse too.
Amid the inner chaos from Chancellor Kyung Hye and Professor No Sam's clash, Yin Xia Lian was tapping walls all about.
"...Hmm. Hidden rooms usually go hereabouts? What's the opener mechanism?"
I called out to her.
"Yin Sojeo, planning to move in?"
"Pardon? No?"
"Then why tap like house-hunting? Step out."
I motioned her aside,
then unleashed a full-power kick laced with Heaven-Splitting energy at the wall she'd prodded.
Boom!!!!!!
The stone wall collapsed in a roar, thick dust billowing to reveal—per her words—a secret chamber.
"!"
"!"
One wall held a bookshelf crammed with tomes.
Opposite, beneath a rack of assorted wooden boxes, squatted a hefty jar.
I drifted mesmerized toward the boxes and jar.
Yin Xia Lian veered naturally to the bookshelf.
"Eh, this is a ledger for cash and goods flow."
Today, her words barely registered.
"Is it?"
"Yes, I'll take a look."
Couldn't be helped.
The jar beneath the rack brimmed with nigh-pristine standard silver taels.
'Why so damn much?'
Other boxes held gold bullion, silver ingots, and maps apiece.
"Young Master Eon, looks like you found something over there?"
"Oh, did I?"
"Yes. Fake names to baffle outsiders on transactions—see here, 'Fire Tiger'.... Young Master Eon?"
- Hey, Xia Lian's talking! Listen up!
'I was.'
- Wipe your spit!
Slurp.
"...Ahem. Public funds over here. So, what's this Fire Tiger about?"
"Fire Ho, not Tiger."
- You were listening?!
"Right, Fire Ho. Fire Ho, you said?"
"...Yes. Anyway, handling caravan business, I once crossed Southern Jiang's black markets—saw 'Fire Ho' then. Flip those characters and..."
"Fire Water Dragon Tiger. Water Dragon? Water Dragon Gang?"
The Water Dragon Gang: Yangtze River Pirates faction, Four Evil Alliances heavyweight in the unorthodox realm.
"Yes, spot on! Could be another Fire Ho, but too pat, no?"
"Eerily so. Demonic Cult reach extends that far?"
"If Fire Ho means Water Dragon Gang, contact happened—witting or not."
That was when.
As Yin Xia Lian and I conversed,
Chancellor Kyung Hye and the Eon Family siblings rushed in at the wall's thunderous fall.
"Heard a bang—what happened?"
"Eon hyung?!"
To Chancellor Kyung Hye, I reported our finds.
"This looks like Demonic Cult public funds and poison; that's the ledger where Yin Sojeo spotted something."
Chancellor Kyung Hye nodded sagely, remarking,
"Just a ledger in the secret room? These days, some silver would've gone to the Defense Research Institute."
"Hmm? Ah, yes."
"Safeguard that ledger. We'll hash details back at the academy."
She turned and exited.
At her words, Jeong-hyun knit his brows, cocking his head.
"Public funds plain on the shelf, no? What's the chancellor mean, bummed over just the ledger?"
Yin Xia Lian smirked.
"Means the Defense Research Institute handles it. Official channels? Pilfered en route. She figures it suits these times to funnel to us."
"Eh. Allowed?"
"Dense! That's why she feigns ignorance!!"
"Ok-gi noona, easy. So, Yong-un hyung—ledger nabbed, all done? Pack this and dormward?"
"No?"
"Huh?"
"You ditched luggage up the mountain earlier. Time to fetch it." ◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Having secured the safehouse perimeter and returned to the academy, a backlog of tasks awaited.
Copy and dissect the seized ledger at the Defense Research Institute.
Demonic Cult ties meant discreet notice to Murim Alliance brass.
Sim Yul's disposition loomed too.
"Sunbae-nim heads to the Murim Alliance."
"So be it."
"Yes. Medicine King senior'll examine you. I pitched vigilante-hero at first pitch, but no Demon Head nabbed—so that's off. Apologies."
"No matter. That initial chat? Naive fancy on my part. Witnessed your grit, saw my thoughts' folly."
"......"
"Demonic tendrils swell, kidnapping cadets underway..."
"Professors resorting to expedients."
"True. Unmasked by you? Others snatched for real."
"Fair."
"Alliance confession pending—but this, to you:"
"What?"
"Thanks for hauling me from the mire afore too late."
And so Sim Yul went to the Murim Alliance.
Shortly, the report via flying scroll fetched the Murim Alliance Lord posthaste.
"Great Dragon now, eh?"
"Yes. Empty accolade earned."
"Ha, missed the spectacle. Craved inauguration, but Shanxi cleanup, then Alliance responses, branch drills—no breather. This flare-up gives excuse at last."
"I yearned Alliance Lord audience too. Busy vibe? Beat cultists to craft your visit pretext."
"Hahaha. Silver tongue. Eases inauguration no-show guilt some."
"No guilt warranted. I'll list 'em; grant at leisure."
"Haha. Deal. Then, aside as Murim Alliance Lord and Defense Research Institute Director?"
"Safehouse ledger talk?"
"Precisely.