Chapter 357
Chapter 357
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 357
Chapter Title: School Trip (3)
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Song Gil-jun interrogation? When I showed confidence at the question,
the Grand Strategist immediately fired back.
"Then... want to meet him right now? Shall I let you into the mind prison where he's locked up?"
I shook my head.
"No. Not right now."
"Then when? You know you shouldn't waste too much time on something that's all or nothing, right?"
She asked again.
"Do I look like I wouldn't know that?"
"Hmm. You seem to think there's some chance... Even assuming Song Gil-jun spills everything, verifying if it's bullshit he's spouting to toy with us or actually useful intel will take time. And don't forget the travel to the South Coast, kid?"
"I'm factoring that in too."
As I answered right away, the Grand Strategist cocked her head.
"So, you're saying you need some prep?"
"Gil-jun might've ended up in our hands, but he's a guy who was getting successor training to inherit the Demon Brain seat in the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult."
"Yeah, that's true. And?"
"Even I can't just pry open a guy's mouth like that. You've tried everything yourself, right, Grand Strategist?"
"Everything, yeah. Persuasion, threats, soul-binding arts, even some light torture. No dice, so I quit... That's why I'm saying it's a hail mary."
"Yes, you did."
"Right. But his obsession with you seems downright manic, so I figured maybe you'd have a shot... Hold on, the way you're talking, it sounds like you can make him crack if the conditions are right?"
I nodded at her comeback question.
Her eyes went wide—bigger than I'd ever seen.
"How?! What's the play?"
I grinned and spoke up.
"First off. Bring Dang Ok-gi and Zhuge Seol-ji here on the down-low."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The outskirts of the Wuchang naval camp, on a small hill.
This hill was a famous scenic spot near Wuchang where people often picnicked to enjoy the scenery.
But cross the cleverly arranged thickets—using array principles—and you'd find the earthen cave Zhuge Hye had dug.
This maze-like cave was a secret mind prison, undisclosed to the world, for holding top-tier prisoners.
And that's where Song Gil-jun was locked up.
"...Eon Yong-un."
No sunrises or sunsets visible in the cave.
And Zhuge Hye's underlings who occasionally visited wouldn't spill outside news.
All Song Gil-jun could do was endlessly mull over the past.
"When His Holiness perfects the Heavenly Demon Divine Art and returns to this land as the Heavenly Demon. I'll pay back this humiliation a hundredfold."
As he muttered the same hollow words for the umpteenth time.
Roll roll roll!
A fist-sized orb tumbled through a crack in his mind prison cell.
It began spewing pale smoke.
Hiss—
Song Gil-jun let out a hollow chuckle.
"Zhuge Hye, that woman's persistent as hell. I told her petty tricks don't work on me, and she's trying some useless stunt again?"
He figured she was attempting soul-binding arts again with something like dreamweed powder.
"The Grand Strategist of the righteous martial world looks awfully bored! Got nothing better to do?!"
But no response to his shout.
Not just no response—the interrogator who should've appeared didn't.
That thought had barely crossed his mind when.
Two black-clad figures, wrapped head to toe in dark cloth, dropped into the prison.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
One stuck to the wall as lookout.
The other unlocked Song Gil-jun's cell.
Clank—
The linked mechanisms blared alarms.
Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!
Song Gil-jun tried to shout something.
"Nngh...?"
The inhaled smoke made his vision swim and tongue twist—speech was tough.
Meanwhile, the intruder unlocked the shackles on his limbs wordlessly.
Bowed deeply in salute and spoke.
"No time for details. Forgive the rudeness—I'm getting you out."
Then hoisted Song Gil-jun and bolted.
The lookout joined up.
The pair cut down prison guards popping out from the maze-like tunnels everywhere.
Splatter!
Splaaatter!!
Blood spraying as they raced through the maze for a while.
The view suddenly opened up, fresh air flooding Song Gil-jun's lungs.
"...Ugh."
But the air reeked of acrid smoke.
"Fire!"
"Enemy raid! Enemy raid!!!!"
"All units hold position! Garrison to the east gate! Sailors, launch the ships before the fire spreads to the front!"
Pure chaos.
His drug-addled mind partially cleared then.
"...A sea of flames."
Now cognizant of the scene, he rapid-fired questions.
"...The righteous fools' naval camp's burning? Red, black, yellow, blue. Those four-color uniforms are what the Righteous Martial Academy brats wear, right? Who the hell are you two?"
The one carrying him answered.
"Back with us, Young Master?"
"Yeah. Who are you?"
"After you got nabbed by the righteous scum, the Demon Brain Lord stepped back to the forefront. He divined your location and ordered the rescue. That's why their precious naval camp's going up in flames."
"With me in this state, Master had no choice but to act. Burning up Gongson Mu-gyeol and Zhuge Hye's baby naval camp... Classic Master. But why are the Academy cadets here?"
"...That's."
Then.
The thickets they'd passed rustled open with a shout.
"Little Brother Eon! Over there! He's over there!"
Song Gil-jun turned.
"Song Gil-jun!!!"
Eon Yong-un and his siblings, faces twisted like demons.
"...Eon Yong-un?"
But on closer look, no Regret—that signature blade—at his waist.
Song Gil-jun shook his head to clear the fog further.
Realizing the guy's face was a bit off.
"His little brother?"
As he muttered that.
The lead black-clad figure clasped hands in salute and peeled back.
"I'll cover the rear. Slip away in the meantime."
Song Gil-jun ground his teeth.
"Eon Yong-un... Should be skinned alive and chewed up, the bastard."
"......"
"That fucker's here too? Then why the Academy cadets?!"
The black-clad one answered mid-stride.
"Sky-Piercing Blood Demon's attacks turned the southern strongholds to ash. In the process, intel on the Ten Thousand Blood Cave leaked to the righteous fools."
The info matched scenarios he'd pondered alone in the Alliance mind prison perfectly.
As he chewed his lip, the black-clad one continued.
"So, the righteous martial world mobilized a massive army. The Academy's entire student body got drafted."
"...I see. But their vibe screams something happened to Eon Yong-un."
"The flames swallowed his quarters first."
Suddenly, like it was big news.
The black-clad one switched to transmission.
[More important stuff.]
[Spit it.]
[Demon Brain Lord's out front, so his Black-and-White Ghost Brothers are overseeing south ops and the cave. Black Ghost Lord's a bit shortsighted, and White Ghost Demon Lord's temper's explosive, right?]
[...And?]
[Lots of ups and downs. Demon Brain Lord wants you handling it right after rescue. Bangseong Harbor's exposed from Blood Demon's hit—heading to Naoju Peninsula base first.]
This was mid-to-high Demon Brain Division intel only.
Song Gil-jun transmitted his thoughts without suspicion.
[If Bangseong's down, Naoju's in Blood Demon's palm too. Silver River Fleet. To Dark Moon Island in the Silver River chain.]
That's when.
The one carrying him halted.
And flung him like trash.
Thud crash!
Song Gil-jun tumbled across the dirt.
Panicking, he scanned around—no pursuers yet.
He bellowed.
"No ambush shows up, so what's this shit?!"
The black-clad one ripped off the mask and veil.
The revealed face: the one Song Gil-jun hated most.
Eon Yong-un grinned.
"Gil-jun-ah. Fooled again?"
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ As I revealed myself, Song Gil-jun froze like a soul-lost zombie.
His dantian was trashed already, but I bound his limbs just in case.
While shackled, he muttered like a madman.
"...H-how? I saw you kill the guards with my own eyes? The righteous scum capable of that?!"
Guy was headed for eternal darkness if tossed back in.
No harm satisfying his curiosity.
'Telling him'll piss him off more.'
I grinned and laid out the truth.
"Oh, the guards? Released some death row inmates for that. Hit their pressure points so they'd move on cue. Heh, Tang Clan drugs are the best. Felt a tad off—kept their minds intact but dulled discernment, just as ordered."
"...Then the camp burning?! A whole inferno! And Eon Yong-myeong's face screamed something happened to you!!"
His words jogged my memory of last night's chat with Zhuge Hye.
"...What? Release Song Gil-jun? Hold up. Even if I greenlight it, what's the guarantee he heads south?"
"Not fully releasing. Fake an escape. I'll play the demon rescuer, get him to spill his guts."
"...You volunteering? Hmm. But will he talk? Won't he sniff it out?"
"When Song Gil-jun got nabbed, Heavenly Demon Divine Cult was under Blood Cult attack. Cut off from the world since, so no clue on later events. We'll exploit that."
Suspicious bastard, sure.
But zero outside intel.
Plus Blood Cult leaks gave us some of their Ten Thousand Blood Cave bases.
Prime bait.
Sprinkle in Demon Brain Division names I "knew," and it'd be perfect.
Key was making him buy me as a demon 100%.
"...I'll disguise thoroughly. Grand Strategist just fakes a demon raid on the camp. Should fool him."
"Anyone else, I'd chew out for bullshit... But you, Yong-un? Makes me wanna buy it."
"So you'll trust me?"
She pondered briefly before speaking.
"Truth is, you've thwarted so many Heavenly Demon Divine Cult plans, the Alliance has some spare cash... East pier's too cramped anyway."
Gil-jun yapping, then what outta nowhere?
Zhuge Hye held up three fingers.
"I'll torch three-tenths of the naval camp. That scream 'Demon Brain hit' enough?"
"...Yeah! Perfect. Bonus: real-combat sim training for the Academy cadets."
"Haha. Normal folks'd freak at 'torch three-tenths?' Yours is some balls, Yong-un. Just swap the prison guards too?"
Last night's memory flashing.
I smirked at Song Gil-jun.
"Right? Grand Strategist wanted to smack your skull, went big."
"...No guarantee I'd play ball, and she greenlit that?! You who begged and her who agreed—both fucking lunatics!"
Smack!!
"Guh!"
"Gil-jun-ah, you little shit. Told you last time: you're too hasty. What'd big bro say? Life's a battlefield. Did I? Didn't I?"
"Kuhk!"
"Yeah, gotta apologize to Yong-myeong and the kids. Sniff... Wait, didn't you just yap about skinning me?"
Thwack!
Smack!
"Lemme peel your skin today."
As I worked him over.
Zhuge Seol-ji—disguised as the other black-clad—led Eon Yong-myeong and the siblings in.
"......"
"......"
"......"
"......"
But their glares were ice-cold.
Master spoke up.
- ...Apology might not cut it anymore?
I grinned awkwardly.
"...Uh. We got the location at least?"