Chapter 319
Chapter 319
-----------------------------------------------------------------
>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 86
>Chapter Title: Half-Human Half-Monster (5)
>-----------------------------------------------------------------
“Do you think we wouldn’t have found that Protector Jang—no, that old hag Mun-no?”
‘!?’
At Yi Gwang’s words, the face of the Sacred Flame Pavilion Lord, who had been keeping her mouth tightly shut, darkened.
Seeing her reaction, Yi Gwang’s eyes gleamed.
‘Just as I thought.’
“You’re finally showing some response.”
“.......That’s a lie. Do you think I wouldn’t know you’re just trying to probe me on purpose?”
The Sacred Flame Pavilion Lord didn’t meet his gaze but opened her mouth.
Yi Gwang snorted in response.
“A scheme? What could we possibly gain from scheming over something like that?”
“Protector Jang is even beyond the Sacred Flame’s......”
She didn’t finish her sentence.
At her words, Yi Gwang let out a hollow laugh.
“So it’s true. Even with that mighty power of the Sacred Flame, you couldn’t find that old woman. Or have you truly lost the power of prophecy?”
“........”
Her cheeks trembled at his words, but the Sacred Flame Pavilion Lord gave no reply.
Seeing her reaction, Yi Gwang furrowed his brow with intrigued eyes.
“No way......that rumor was actually true?”
Yi Gwang said in astonishment.
Most of the subordinates didn’t know, but he had been involved in the Blaze Fire Cult’s affairs before, so he knew well the source of her power.
‘The Sacred Flame.’
It was a treasure orb called the Sacred Flame.
It seemed she received prophecies or revelations through that orb.
That’s why he knew she couldn’t receive prophecies or revelations once it left her hand.
But this was unexpected news.
[.......It might not be a problem with the orb.]
‘So His prediction was correct?’
If that were the case, this old woman had no value whatsoever.
Of course, as the spiritual pillar of the Blaze Fire Cult and a leader alongside the cult leader, she could be used in other ways, but there was no need for them to make such sacrifices.
“Good grief. You’re impressive in your own way. To have hidden the loss of that power until now.”
“Foolish talk! The power of the Sacred Flame isn’t as simple as you fools think.”
“Stop beating around the bush. Then prove you haven’t lost your power. Lucky for you, no need to report to Him—just tell me. Where is the orb?”
“.........”
“With the orb, we can find what that old hag Mun-no smuggled out. Even without us, the Blaze Fire Cult would want to retrieve it.”
“.........”
“You’ll keep your mouth shut to the end? Ha! Fine.”
-Pak!
As soon as he finished speaking, Yi Gwang thrust both palms toward the floor.
His body floated up and flew toward the Sacred Flame Pavilion Lord.
Even though his lower body’s meridians hadn’t fully recovered, he was a Fire Realm expert who had surpassed the Wall, and thanks to the Cult Dragon’s demonic energy, he had free movement at close range.
“Huh!”
The Sacred Flame Pavilion Lord startled and tried to dodge him.
His skin, transformed like a snake’s scales over his entire body, was closer to a monster than a human, impossible not to fear.
-Papapapak!
But Yi Gwang struck the floor with his palms several times and seized her in an instant.
-Kwangdang! Splash!
“Aaack!”
Yi Gwang, mounted on the fallen Sacred Flame Pavilion Lord’s back, grabbed her nape and said.
-Grip!
“Before going to Him, I’ll make you confess right here.”
“Let, let go.”
“If I were going to let you go easily, why bother with all this? Now, I’ll start by breaking your fingers one by one. Of course, that’s just the beginning. Once all fingers are broken, I’ll pull out your nails one by one. And if you still keep your mouth shut, I’ll cut off your fingers one by one.”
-Grind!
At Yi Gwang’s threat, the Sacred Flame Pavilion Lord gritted her teeth.
She was terrified and scared, but even under torture and threats in the imperial palace, she hadn’t opened her mouth.
No matter how harsh Yi Gwang’s torture was compared to that, she had no intention of yielding.
‘What the hell?’
Seo Chun couldn’t comprehend the situation at all.
Their identities were unknown, so why was his lord suddenly cooperating with them?
The Sacred Flame Pavilion Lord was an important figure the Vice Leader had ordered him to bring.
He couldn’t let her get hurt.
Seo Chun moved to intervene.
“Sto.....”
-Leave it for now.
But he had to stop because of Mok Kyung-un’s transmission.
Seo Chun turned his head to Mok Kyung-un in confusion, asking why.
-Flinch!
The moment he saw Mok Kyung-un’s face, he couldn’t say a word.
It was the first time he’d seen such a cold, emotionless expression.
Then,
-Crack!
“Aaack!”
With the sound of a finger breaking, a scream burst from the Sacred Flame Pavilion Lord’s mouth.
“Talk.”
“Ughhh.”
“Where’s the orb?”
“Ugh......”
The Sacred Flame Pavilion Lord groaned but soon bit her lips tightly.
Yi Gwang snorted at the sight, then bent her middle finger backward.
-Crack!
The finger bent fully backward and snapped.
Yi Gwang grinned wickedly and asked again.
“Where’s the orb?”
“........”
-Crack!
“Keuk.”
Another of her fingers broke.
Unlike before, the Sacred Flame Pavilion Lord endured it by biting her lips until blood flowed.
Yi Gwang stuck out his tongue in admiration at the old woman’s remarkable endurance.
“Impressive, but do you think you can keep holding out? Fine. Let’s see who wins. This time, I’ll break two fingers at.....”
Before he could finish.
“Kyung-un! Kyung-un!”
The Sacred Flame Pavilion Lord, enduring the pain, called out to Mok Kyung-un.
He couldn’t hide his bewilderment at her cry.
Kyung-un—did she mean the Sickle Murder Ghost?
“Kyung-un! Help me!”
The Sacred Flame Pavilion Lord turned her eyes and pleaded for help from Mok Kyung-un, who was just watching.
He was a disciple of the Night Line Cult Instructor of the Blaze Fire Cult, thus a cult member.
Naturally, he had a duty to protect her, the Sacred Flame Pavilion Lord.
‘!?’
But why no response to her call?
It was already strange.
Why was Mok Kyung-un, who should protect her, just standing by while this man threatened her? She couldn’t understand.
Was there some plan? But now it didn’t seem so.
She shouted.
“Cultist Kyung-un!”
She had hidden it for his sake and theirs, as the Heavenly Alliance group with him didn’t seem to know his identity.
But if he was betraying her for some unknown reason, there was no reason to.
“Cultist Kyung-un?”
At her words, Yi Gwang, who was on her back pressing her neck, furrowed his brow, then turned to look at Mok Kyung-un.
“What’s that supposed to mean? Cultist Kyung-un?”
Mok Kyung-un shrugged at the question.
Then he said nonchalantly.
“When I was getting her out of the Underground Golden Prison, I told a little white lie to make her come quietly, so she’s been treating me as a fellow Blaze Fire Cult member this whole time.”
“Oh ho. I see. No wonder this stubborn old lady followed you nicely without being restrained.”
‘What the hell......’
The Sacred Flame Pavilion Lord was dumbfounded.
If she died here or was captured by their group, the Blaze Fire Cult’s revival would be even more impossible.
Was Mok Kyung-un really lying, just watching like that?
But how did he know about the Night Line Cult Instructor?
Did the Night Line Cult Instructor betray her too?
Her mind grew chaotic with all sorts of thoughts.
Then,
-Grip! Thud! Splash!
Yi Gwang twisted her raised face sideways and slammed it into the floor.
He whispered in her ear.
“Too bad, old timer. You must have held onto some hope.”
“Ughhh.”
“Why not give up now? At your age, why go through this suffering? Don’t you want to spend your remaining days in peace?”
“.........”
“You’re stubborn. According to the prophecy, you’re the root of evil that must be eliminated for the Blaze Fire Cult as well, aren’t you? So why did that old hag Mun-no hide it without telling you? It makes no sense no matter how I think about it.”
-Grip!
Yi Gwang pressed the Sacred Flame Pavilion Lord’s face harder.
She cried out in an enraged voice.
“I don’t know! I know nothing!”
“Denying it to the end. Either you told that old hag to hide it, or she betrayed you and the Blaze Fire Cult to hide it— one of the two. Why hide the truth?”
-Grip!
-Tremble!
As Yi Gwang pressed her face even harder, the Sacred Flame Pavilion Lord trembled and barely opened her mouth.
“You...... fools......why......are you......so obsessed......with the......prophecy’s......that?”
“.........”
“Your......leader......is......so......omniscient......omnipotent......why......fear......the......prophecy’s......that......”
-Crack!
“Aaack!”
Before she could finish, Yi Gwang snapped all her remaining fingers.
Then, with an angry face, Yi Gwang spoke.
“He is not someone a wretch like you can judge. He fears nothing.”
“Ahhhh.... Heh... heh heh... kiki kekeke.”
Suddenly, she burst into mad laughter.
Yi Gwang frowned at her sudden crazed laugh laced with madness.
Regardless, she kept laughing and soon opened her mouth.
“Do you......really......think your......leader......obsesses over......that because......he has......no fear?”
“What? You bitch, really.....”
“No matter......how great......your leader......is, he’s still......just a parasite......in a mere human......”
-Bam!
Before she could finish, Yi Gwang slammed her face into the floor.
He slammed so hard that the pooled rainwater on the ground gradually turned red with blood.
Her eyes were unfocused, half out of her mind from the pain.
To her, Yi Gwang whispered in a voice filled with rage.
“If you don’t want to follow that old hag Mun-no......”
-Shwaaaaa!
‘Wh......what?......’
Yi Gwang’s expression hardened rigidly.
An immense killing intent, enough to cloud the mind, was permeating the surroundings.
-Thud! Thud!
The masked men nearby convulsed and collapsed to the ground.
It was no different for allies.
“Huh.... Huh.... L...... Lord....”
Even Seo Chun staggered back, gasping under the unimaginable killing intent.
Killing intent is said to be the tangible form of murderous will.
This killing intent permeating the area made everyone feel both alive and on the verge of death.
‘Earlier......that......wasn’t......it?’
Yi Gwang’s eyes shook wildly.
If there were a god of death, could it emit such killing intent?
It was then.
-Goooong!
Yi Gwang’s body, mounted on the Sacred Flame Pavilion Lord’s back, slowly floated into the air.
Yi Gwang tried to resist by drawing up his inner demonic energy, but it was futile from the start.
His body was being pulled toward the center where the storm of killing intent raged.
It was right in front of Mok Kyung-un.
In Yi Gwang’s wildly trembling pupils, Mok Kyung-un was no longer the being he had seen moments ago.
-Chill!
Covered in black demonic energy and killing intent, that figure was the incarnation of terror, fear, and death itself.
For the first time in his life, gripped by fear, Yi Gwang stammered.
“Wh-what......why......”
“You were......right there......all along.”
“S-Sickle Murder Ghost, I don’t know why you’re doing this, but......calm down first. If there’s a misunderstanding......”
“The one who killed Mun-no.”
“What?”
“That’s the person I’ve been looking for.”
‘!!!!!!!!!’