Chapter 285
Chapter 285
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 285
Chapter Title: Sichuan Turmoil (2)
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At that moment, as the Eon juniors bellowed "Poison Technique!" in booming voices.
The Grand Strategist spoke to the Escort Leader standing a short distance away.
"Escort Leader, pursue the assailant."
"Understood!"
At the Grand Strategist's words, the Escort Leader sprang to his feet.
He led some of his men and dashed out of the inn.
At the same time, chaos erupted inside the inn.
Some people hurriedly covered their mouths and noses upon hearing the Eon juniors' shouts.
"P-Poison Technique?!"
"Quick, cover your nose and mouth!"
"Gasp."
Others followed the Escort Leader out of the inn.
"They seem like experts—take us with you!"
Far more collapsed, foaming at the mouth after shrieking hysterically.
"Help! Save... Ack."
"My shop! My shop!"
Even amid the pandemonium, the Eon juniors moved with calm precision, just as they'd trained.
Crash!
Without any orders, they rushed to topple furniture around them, forming barricades.
"Hae-su sis! So-ryeong dongsaeng!"
"Yes, senior!"
"Got it, Brother Eun!"
Eun Ha-seong, Ye Hae-su, and Woo So-ryeong.
The three from the Public Relations Team swiftly dragged the furniture into a wall.
"Yong-i, stay by Hae-su sis."
Gulp!
After ordering Yong-i, I stepped a few paces from the barricade they'd built and wrapped my hands in Heaven-Splitting internal energy.
Bzzz—
I began dispersing the encroaching poison mist and called out to Jeong-hyeon.
"Jeong-hyeon!"
At my call, Jeong-hyeon took position nearby.
"Yes!"
Jeong-hyeon enveloped his hands in blue energy and executed Taiji Fist, scattering the poison.
His movements looked slow at first glance.
Swoosh—
Swoosh— Sweep—
But the Taiji pattern he traced with his whole body swept the poison away like a broom around him.
"I'll guard you both."
Namgung Yun drew his sword and protected Jeong-hyeon and me.
This created a zone safe enough to call secure.
I immediately called out to Tang Ok-gi.
"Tang Ok-gi!"
"I was gonna go anyway, oppa!"
At my words, the Tang siblings shot forward like arrows.
"Ok-gi, you analyze it!"
"Got it!"
Among them, Tang Jun-gi kicked three of the four poison orbs spewing mist outside.
Thud! Thud!
Splat!!!
Tang Ok-gi clung to the remaining orb and quickly probed its nature.
A moment later, having identified the poison, she urgently spoke up.
"Gudongji Poison! Don't plug your nose with wet cloth—it spreads faster with moisture!"
I asked her.
"Can it be antidoted?"
"Yeah!"
Then we could save the other guests in the inn too.
But it would be best to keep her within quick reach.
The problem was the prior guests in the inn.
'How to get panicked civilians to follow orders...'
Some were chattering about me as the topic.
But among them were surely travelers with little interest in the jianghu.
'In times like this, this is the surefire way.'
After a brief moment's thought, I pulled the command plaque from my bosom.
"I am an agent of the Northern Inspectorate, patrolling the land under His Majesty's strict orders! The situation is urgent—follow my commands from now on!"
"C-Command plaque?!"
"Don't gape—hold your breath and come here! I can't guarantee the lives of those who don't obey properly!"
At my shout, those clinging to sanity rushed toward our barricade.
"Don't disrupt order in your haste!"
Meanwhile, Woo So-ryeong and Eun Ha-seong busily dragged the collapsed and unconscious to near the Tang siblings.
All this happened in the blink of an eye, smoothly executed.
The Grand Strategist unfolded his folding fan, positioned himself between Jeong-hyeon and me, and said.
"I watched a bit since you all moved like you were under a group spell. Impressive."
He ordered the remaining escorts still in the inn.
"This should be fine now. Go aid the Leader who went ahead and pursue the attackers."
"Understood!"
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Afterward, we continued countering the poison technique with perfect coordination.
"Ok-gi and we'll handle the civilians. Senior Tang, please detoxify the building and surroundings."
"Will do."
Tang Jun-gi focused on clearing the lingering poison smoke from the building.
I and the Eon juniors assisted Tang Ok-gi in antidoting the other people inside the inn.
"Eon Yong-un, the guy next to you is about to vomit. Turn his head aside."
"Got it."
As we took these measures one by one.
The civilians who'd followed our orders quickly regained their color.
"Th-Thank you! I thought Yama had me for sure— you benefactors saved my life!"
Those coming to their senses bowed in gratitude toward us.
"Tell us your honorable names—we'll repay you generation after generation!"
The Grand Strategist addressed them.
"No need. If anything, you've been dragged into our affairs. No thanks required."
"But..."
"Shh. You noticed when that tall fellow flashed the plaque—this is Northern Inspectorate business."
"!"
"You've seen it today, but prying too much gets you hurt. As far as you're concerned, you saw and experienced nothing here."
With that, he handed out silver taels, and they gulped, accepted, and left the inn.
This handled both compensation for their involvement and sealing their lips for security.
'Hmm.'
The handling was clean, but a late doubt arose if it was right.
I immediately sent a transmission to the Grand Strategist.
[...Is this okay?]
[What? Oh, because I mentioned the Inspectorate?]
[Yes.]
[It's your plaque, but let's share it this time. For civilians, imperial decree trumps Murim Alliance Grand Strategist. You thought the same when you pulled it out, right?]
[Not borrowing the plaque's authority—I'm asking if we can invoke the Emperor's name. I mentioned it first in the chaos, but using it to silence them...]
At my words.
The Grand Strategist chuckled softly in response.
[We're stopping harm to the realm and saving lives— isn't it the Inspectorate's duty?]
[In principle, yes, but...]
[The chance of this reaching the court is slim, and even if it does, the Zhuge clan's influence makes it a non-issue.]
Then he promptly changed the subject aloud.
"By the way, your poison response was flawless—no gaps. Truly impressive."
"You're too kind."
"No exaggeration. My escorts focus solely on my protection, so they're amateurs at this. Even a strike team here couldn't match you. Any secret?"
"Not a secret— just the power of chemical defense training."
"Chemical defense?"
"Yes. We've trained cadets against poison techniques. Started with Azure Bamboo Hall, but as Student Council President, expanded to other dorms. So... they've trained three to five times each— seasoned soldiers, basically."
"Chemical defense... Ah! That unfamiliar term felt familiar—it's the poison training Nam Tae-seong's district proposed."
"You saw it when Chae Jak-jin came to inform you."
"Other alliance members opposed it, saying why train like that. I thought it was just poison acclimation... We'll implement it alliance-wide now."
At the Grand Strategist's resolve, my master clicked his tongue.
- Yong-un's unleashing something the jianghu shouldn't have...
Pretending not to hear my master.
"Grand Strategist."
The five escorts who'd chased the assailant returned, each dragging a corpse.
The Grand Strategist asked them.
"Couldn't capture alive?"
"Apologies. They foamed and died the moment we grabbed them—failed to take prisoners."
"No signs of further attacks?"
"None within thirty li for now. Told the absent subordinates to scout more."
"Understood. Hm. We'll need to examine these bodies. Jun-gi, Ok-gi, lend a hand?"
How long had the Grand Strategist and Tang siblings been inspecting the corpses?
Tang Jun-gi straightened first and spoke.
"Not habitual poison handlers. Hands and nails would show it—no signs. They're mildly poisoned by Gudongji themselves."
Then Tang Ok-gi added.
"No proper martial arts training either. Gudongji isn't easily obtained... How'd they get it?"
At their words, I voiced what I'd been thinking.
"They just transported it. If Gudongji's rare... this is Heavenly Poison Valley's doing too."
The Grand Strategist, wearing the same expression, said.
"Hmmm. But our route was reviewed repeatedly and kept top secret. Where'd the leak come from? Rat in the fleet...?"
I spoke to him.
"Maybe no leak."
"Hm?"
"If they knew for sure we'd come to Sichuan..."
"Excluding the narrow mountain paths of the Great Bashan Range, land or river routes to Sichuan are fixed."
"Yes."
"Right. Exact time unknown, but destination set. But I accounted for that? Wait, after hearing of the Moyong affair, I placed spies in nearby villages earlier. Fits if they infiltrated before. I overlooked the villagers."
At the Grand Strategist's words.
Woo So-ryeong shuddered and said.
"So they hid as villagers?"
Then Tang Ok-gi spoke.
"Means Heavenly Poison Valley or Demonic Cult prepared long-term. Contact our house first."
At her words, the Grand Strategist and I shook our heads simultaneously.
"Why?!"
"What would your clan head do if we contact Tang Family Fortress now?"
"Well..."
"He'd rush here, thinking something happened to you—the man who came from the North Sea."
As I finished, the Grand Strategist nodded and summarized.
"Yong-un's right, but contacting now reveals our position to the enemy. We handle to Minganggu ourselves. With that, let's hurry, everyone."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ We stocked up thoroughly on water and provisions at the Western Mausoleum Gorge inn.
"Innkeeper, get these as fast as you can."
"Yes! Leave it to me!"
"...You're awfully pumped."
" Inns get wrecked dealing with officials or alliance folks, left bankrupt. You detoxed, gave silver—gotta help back!"
Preparations done, we swiftly traversed the Yangtze Three Gorges land route.
Over four hundred li, the enemy attacked additionally twice.
The methods extended the inn's poison technique.
"Eon Yong-un, don't drink from this spring."
"Detox?"
"Possible, but better we carry the antidotes—just mark it and skip for now. Remember the spot, send from Tang Fortress later."
"Yeah."
Some poisoned water sources or fruit on trees.
A herb gatherer approached, so I questioned.
"Why gather herbs here, past the Great Bashan?"
"Heh, unique herbs only grow nearby..."
"Name two."
"......"
"Seize him!"
"...Gurk."
We even saw one suicide before our eyes.
Such incidents dotted the journey.
The Eon juniors, excluding me, complained of mental exhaustion.
"...Eon gongzi."
"What, Jeong-hyeon."
"Seeing that child and mother pass—I instinctively reached for my sword. Am I going mad?"
"Don't overthink. Special circumstances. You know jianghu saying: beware women, children, elders? I suspect a bit even normally."
"Primal Heavenly Venerable... A bitter lesson."
"...Yeah. Hope days without this come."
Thus.
We rationed food and water; bathing was impossible.
Mental and physical fatigue piled up.
Plus past intel of Demonic Cult reaching waterways.
Even boarding ships past the gorges, we stayed vigilant.
"Keep your wits sharp. No relaxing."
"Yes, Grand Strategist."
Petty vendors in small boats even peddled provisions, approaching.
Thus, reaching Minganggu at the Yangtze upper reaches in Tang territory.
"Brother Eon, people there?"
"Center's the Tang Clan Head; other elders too."
"...Too much happened. Right, Brother Eun?"
"Yeah. Thought about it—Jeong-hyeon dojang's mouth is the issue."
"E-Eun gongzi, what? My mouth?"
"You said Sichuan turmoil, tough road to Sichuan! Words bore fruit!"
"......"
Veterans like me and the Grand Strategist aside, the other Eon juniors looked wrecked.
Among them, Tang Ok-gi—spent most energy frontline detoxing, sprawled on deck—bolted up.
"Should've contacted home no matter what! We're Tang of Sichuan! Makes no sense suffering to home!"
The boat docked; she dashed out.
"Daddyyy!"
"My Ok-gi! Any trouble on the way...?"
Tang Ok-gi's father.
Thunderclap Poison Sage Tang Ho-tae looked more haggard than North Sea—dark circles, gaunt cheeks from worries.
Confirming each other, father and daughter spoke simultaneously.
"Something happened?!"
"Dad, why's your face like that?!"
The moment both glared toward the city with Tang Fortress and the Yangtze.