Chapter 390
Chapter 390
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 390
Chapter Title: True Blood Pill (7)
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"Division Leader! About a thousand paces from where we were standing guard on the outskirts, we've spotted what looks like intruders moving in!"
Song Ho-gyeom, who had been assigned to the outer perimeter, came rushing in and shouted this just as Master spoke up.
- That ghostly bastard. He predicted movement from the Blood Heaven Asura Palace side, and sure enough, those fools have come crawling right to us on their own.
I nodded in agreement at his words.
Then I turned toward the outside and opened my mouth.
"All you've confirmed is some suspicious movement? What about Sa-gyeom and Son Cheong-jeong?"
"The Grand Bishop said it looks like the Blood Wind Brigade's movements. The two of them stayed behind to block the intruders' path."
After hearing the report, I spoke to Dokgo Cheol, who was guarding the entrance to the tent.
"Cheol-ah."
"Yes, Division Leader."
"You, go right now and inform the cultists of this branch that the Blood Wind Brigade's main force has appeared. Relay the order to move to the assembly point I've designated. Then head to the assembly point first."
"...Yes?"
"Didn't you hear what this old man said?"
"It's not that... No, sir. Understood. I'll carry out the orders."
"Chief Steward Song, assist Cheol."
"Yes!"
With that, Dokgo Cheol and Song Ho-gyeom left the tent.
The moment they did, Dang Ok-gi jumped up and opened her mouth.
"Hey! Why send all the cultists ahead first?"
"The cultists aren't combat forces right now. Didn't you all complain as a group that you couldn't trust turning your backs to them?"
"...We did say that, but you said they were necessary, didn't you? If we're not fighting together anyway, why bother spending all that time and effort fixing them up?"
"I said they're not useful right now. The fight with the Blood Cult isn't just some turf grab. It's the process of shifting the cultists' loyalty from the Blood Heaven Asura Palace to the True Blood Pill."
As I answered Dang Ok-gi's question, Jeong-hyeon nodded.
"Primordial Heavenly Venerable. We need to earn more than just ordinary loyalty—true trust."
I nodded back at him.
"Exactly. Think about it. We couldn't even heal their bodies by force. Do you think they'd step up if we told them to die for us?"
It was at that moment that Jang Seon pounded his chest and chimed in.
"If it's Brother Yong-un's word, I could step up! I could even jump into a pit of fire!"
At his fellow disciple's sudden outburst,
Namgung Yeong let out a sigh and pinched Jang Seon's side.
"Seon-ah. This isn't about us right now."
"Ah? S-Sorry."
Not bad at all.
Jang Seon's resolve was commendable,
and thanks to it, a chuckle spread among the Eon family juniors, easing the tension from the intruder alert a bit.
I waved it off toward the two of them and continued.
"Anyway, the cultists aren't immediate combat assets, and with them around, we can't fight freely. Aside from me and So-neung, all our martial arts are from the orthodox sects. We'll have to reveal our identities someday, but now's not the time."
As those words ended,
the Eon family juniors nodded one by one.
Among them, Eun Ha-seong asked a question.
"Brother, so we're clearing out the cultists and facing the Blood Wind Brigade here?"
"As I emphasized before, if it's the main Blood Wind Brigade force, it'll be different from No Byung-o's group. Better to change locations."
"Where to?"
The question came back.
I briefly recalled Song Ho-gyeom's report.
"Movement a thousand paces out, he said. By now, Sa-gyeom's probably clashed with the Blood Wind Brigade..."
Finishing my thoughts, I spoke.
"To keep Sa-gyeom alive and plant even a shred of complacency in the Blood Wind Brigade's minds... we should set fire to this mountain lodge."
Eun Ha-yeon nodded and spoke.
"To give the impression we're fleeing?"
"Precisely."
"Good idea. From the Blood Wind Brigade's perspective, Sa-gyeom's someone who straight-up confessed the bishopric meeting's events to the Blood Heaven Asura Palace anyway—or rather, they'd see Guimyeon Ong as the real target. If we set a fire and make it look like we're running, they'll naturally head our way."
"And chasing panicked fugitives breeds underestimation, so we can hope for that too."
Responding to Eun Ha-yeon's words, I pointed to the map on the table and spoke again.
"So, any suggestions on a final destination?"
The one who answered was Woo So-neung.
"While running errands for Brother Eon, I scoured every nook and cranny to avoid tails. How about circling down this ridgeline like this and entering that valley?"
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ When Sa-gyeom spotted movement a thousand paces out and shouted that the Blood Wind Brigade had appeared,
Son Cheong-jeong, whose senses weren't sharp due to his low attainment, couldn't be certain it was them.
He just thought it was intruders slicing through the brush in a wedge formation.
Thwack! Thwack!
Thwack-thwack!!
As the wedge cutting through the underbrush drew closer, Son Cheong-jeong realized they were indeed the Blood Wind Brigade.
'...That vicious blood scent.'
The moment he realized it,
the Blood Wind Brigade—the shadow of the Blood Demon, another name for death within the Blood Cult—revealed themselves.
Step. Step. Step. Step. Step.
A group clad in bright red bloodwind robes appeared,
and a cold sweat trickled down Son Cheong-jeong's back.
It was unavoidable.
'They only show up to execute those who've sinned against the cult.'
As Son Cheong-jeong thought this,
the Blood Wind Brigade, charging at full speed, halted abruptly like iron scraps meeting a lodestone.
'Stopping properly is harder than running fast...'
Coming to a dead stop from that speed proved the individual inner energy of every brigade member was formidable.
'...And not a single misalignment or deviation.'
It meant their coordination was flawless.
One glimpse tells all.
If their movement was this lethal, the rest went without saying.
As Son Cheong-jeong secretly swallowed dryly,
'Each one is stronger than me.'
the wedge formation split left and right, and a figure emerged who made skin prickle with just a glance.
The figure who stepped forward scanned Sa-gyeom and Son Cheong-jeong before speaking.
"Southern Sea Grand Bishop Sa-gyeom. And you're Ordinary Bishop Son Cheong-jeong, right? I'm Blood Wind Brigade Leader Jin Dong-cheol."
Thus opening, Jin Dong-cheol bluntly stated the order from the Blood Heaven Asura Palace.
"There's a man called Guimyeon Ong up in that mountain lodge, isn't there?"
"......"
"......"
"The Lord's command is to bring every soul involved in this matter back to headquarters. The two of you, come quietly."
It was then that Sa-gyeom, who had kept his mouth shut tight, finally spoke.
"Since you've come all this way, you've heard about what Squad Leader No Byung-o pulled, right? I understand you can't take the Brigade Leader's words at face value."
"What exactly am I supposed to understand?"
"As you can see, my legs are fine. I don't need the Blood Wind Brigade's help to get to the Blood Heaven Asura Palace. I'll go on my own two feet, so head back and report that."
At Sa-gyeom's words, Jin Dong-cheol furrowed his brow.
"Sa-gyeom. This isn't a request—it's an order."
Immediately, the Blood Wind Brigade members behind Jin Dong-cheol drew their swords in perfect unison.
Ching! Ching! Ching-ching!!
"Last chance. Obey the Lord's command."
Instead of answering Jin Dong-cheol's follow-up, Sa-gyeom gripped his signature greatsword.
Watching this, Son Cheong-jeong urgently sent a sound transmission to Sa-gyeom.
[Grand Bishop. What do you plan to do? You think the two of us can handle the Blood Wind Brigade?] [You're speaking under the premise of standing aside? Even alone, I'll block them.] Even at Son Cheong-jeong's words, Sa-gyeom stood firm.
Flames erupted from the mountain lodge where Guimyeon Ong had been staying.
Whoosh—
Roooar—
The Blood Wind Brigade's gazes simultaneously shifted toward the rising flames.
"!"
Soon, Jin Dong-cheol's order came down.
"Trying to set a fire and flee? All members, head that way!"
Like a single organism, the Blood Wind Brigade bolted toward the lodge.
As Sa-gyeom turned to pursue them,
Son Cheong-jeong grabbed his sleeve and spoke.
"Didn't you hear the Brigade Leader? Setting a fire in this situation is a textbook retreat. The branch's other cultists seem scattered too."
"What's your point?"
"I thought Guimyeon Ong was a true seeker of Bloody Heaven's Dominion, but seeing that fire raises doubts."
"And?"
"In times like this, isn't watching and waiting the proper course? Let's see if Guimyeon Ong has some other plan or if he's just a con artist. If the latter, accepting the Blood Wind Brigade's proposal wouldn't be bad. The bishopric mess has made purging you harder anyway."
At Son Cheong-jeong's words, Sa-gyeom snorted.
"Scholar... you're just spouting bookish nonsense. There's no place in the current Blood Cult for people like you or me."
Son Cheong-jeong bristled immediately.
"I went out of my way to speak my mind since we've met face-to-face—it's fate, after all—and this is the thanks I get."
"You're the one talking nonsense. Guimyeon Ong... is the one who appeared alone, risking being crushed between my fleet and the Red Dragon Palace's. For the sake of a mere connection from lending one ship. That's when you invoke 'fate'."
"......"
"He's not the type to abandon those he's taken in. He showed up in that treacherous whirlpool sea, not knowing when cannon fire or arrows might fly. He's probably using this ploy to save them instead."
"I get your bond with the Elder, but that's just ridiculous..."
"Didn't the Blood Wind Brigade head that way? Most of the scattering cultists will survive too."
"......"
"Do as you will. I'll do as I will. As Guimyeon Ong said in Namyeong, it's ultimately a choice."
Finishing, Sa-gyeom shook off Son Cheong-jeong's hand and pursued the Blood Wind Brigade.
Watching him for a moment.
"Damn it."
Son Cheong-jeong bit his lip and soon followed after.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ As the Blood Wind Brigade raced like arrows toward the burning mountain lodge,
"Brigade Leader Jin! Don't we still have business between us?!"
Sa-gyeom caught up, as if intent on halting their advance.
In Jin Dong-cheol's mind, Sa-gyeom was already a confirmed traitor siding with Guimyeon Ong.
But he couldn't devote his full force to him right now.
Unavoidable.
Among the Blood Wind Brigade's orders, capturing Guimyeon Ong had top priority.
'By any means! Bring that old man Guimyeon Ong before me!'
Dead or alive didn't matter—as long as he wasn't missed.
"Fifth Squad."
"Yes, Brigade Leader."
"Fifth Squad, break from the formation and handle Sa-gyeom from now."
"Yes."
"Kill him if possible. If Son Cheong-jeong or other small fry join and it gets messy, your mission is to drag them away so they can't interfere with our operation."
"Understood."
Shortly after detaching the Fifth Squad,
the Blood Wind Brigade main force finally reached the source of the flames: the mountain lodge.
"Search where they fled."
Shortly after the members scattered into the flame-filled surroundings per Jin Dong-cheol's order, they reported finding something.
"They seem to have stayed over here!"
"The report of him commanding thousands of members besides the bishopric attendees looks false. Doesn't seem like that many stayed here!"
Hearing this together, the deputy leader chimed in.
"Fleeing like this, and supposedly using members as test subjects for mania cure—probably Myo-wang or one of his underlings? They know pills and alchemy, but martial prowess is lacking, right?"
"We'll know once we catch him."
One member raised his hand high.
"Brigade Leader! Traces of frantic escape over here!"
Jin Dong-cheol immediately raised his palm to silence his subordinates,
then focused on the direction of the traces.
He caught the faint sound of brush being hastily trampled and issued an order.
"Pursue."
Considering the sensed brush sounds, they cut across the mountain for a while.
Tap! Tap! Tap! Tap! Tap!
They discovered a group fleeing busily, each wearing masks.
Thinking they'd nabbed them, Jin Dong-cheol shouted.
"Guimyeon Ong! Stop right there!"
Immediately, the old man at the front of the fleeing group bellowed back.
"Ordering grown men around to stop. Bah! Rude punk. Does your clan teach manners through your asses?"
"......"
Jin Dong-cheol ground his teeth unwittingly at the retort,
but
'...Unlike Sa-gyeom, better to take this old man alive if possible.'
He knew Jin's surname without introduction, among other suspicious points.
Composing himself, Jin Dong-cheol spoke politely again.
"Elder. The Lord wishes to see you. No need to waste energy—how about we talk..."
"Tuck tail the moment I call you rude? Ugh. Spineless punk. No thanks, punk!"
"......"
Jin Dong-cheol's patience ended there.
"Guess I'll have to sever his meridians to make him talk."
He gnashed his teeth and drew his sword.
Defying Jin Dong-cheol's hopes,
Guimyeon Ong's group narrowly dodged the Blood Wind Brigade's attacks and kept fleeing.
Swish! Swish! Whoosh!
"[That old man's lightness skill is exceptional. No telling when this ends. Judging by the terrain, there must be a valley beside that peak. Deputy, cut right and drive them from the flank.]" "[Understood.]" At their elusive, tantalizing near-miss,
Jin Dong-cheol promptly executed a terrain-based pincer strategy.
Thus herding them like rabbits,
they finally reached a dead-end ravine.
Screech—
Confirming Guimyeon Ong—who'd been grating on his nerves—stop with the footsteps, Jin Dong-cheol remarked.
"Dead end."
At that moment,
a clear voice, utterly different from before, leaked from Guimyeon Ong's side.
"Is it? Nice and cozy... real nice."