Chapter 182
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 182
Chapter Title: Manhunt Across a Thousand Miles (4)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"...Sihyeon? He's gone into seclusion all of a sudden?"
"Chwee-it!"
"He grasped a clue to the next realm and said he's sorry...?"
"Chwee-it!"
Myo Narang received a near-perfect summary of the current situation from Darami, the clone of Myohwaso, without any time lag, and her head spun for a moment.
But only for a moment.
"Something's off..."
No matter how she thought about it, it didn't sit right.
Of course, for martial artists, it was commonplace to suddenly enter seclusion for months upon receiving a bolt-of-lightning enlightenment and hone themselves.
Myo Narang had seen it with her own eyes.
Just a few months ago, Geum Sihyeon had reached the lofty realm of Super Peak.
Could he really reach the Flower Realm this quickly?
Of course, she thought it wasn't impossible for Geum Sihyeon, the most perfect man among those she'd seen, but the timing was too coincidental.
And moreover.
[Me: Sihyeon-ah] [1]
[Me: Sect Leader-nim?] [1]
[Me: Want a hug?] [1]
No matter how sudden the enlightenment, Geum Sihyeon, who always replied to messages within a minute, had gone completely silent on MurimTalk.
And the most decisive clue.
The earth-shattering roar that exploded from Mount Hua's dawn sky, as if the heavens and earth were splitting apart.
If that was related to Sihyeon...
"...But how do you know all this and tell me, Darami?"
"Chwee, chwee-it?"
Darami soon chattered about Eunrang.
But if it was worth the hassle of relaying through beast connection, the Geum Sihyeon she knew would have come explain in person.
Something felt ominous.
"Come on, guests! This way! Come up here!"
As vice president filling in for the suddenly absent student council president, Myo Narang's mind was spinning.
Though her short-term memory was a bit lacking, her ability to see the big picture was no slouch.
In fact, her skill in Go rivaled even the Divine Hand, hailed as the top in the Go world.
One by one, the pieces filled in her mind, gradually piecing together the truth of the incident.
Decisively.
"Luri── Hmm..."
The living Geum Sihyeon tracker, Cheon Luri, had also vanished.
Judging from the Heavenly Demon Cult Leader's recent frequent visits to Geumhyeon Gate, it couldn't be unrelated.
For Geum Sihyeon, who had a stronger sense of responsibility than anyone she'd observed, to shirk his student council duties and abruptly disappear...
"It's the Azure Heaven Society. And Mount Hua has close ties with them."
Soon enough.
She arrived at reasoning close to the truth.
Still, Luri and Eunrang disappearing together meant they could get help from the cult...
Myo Narang bit her lip, unable to shake the rising regret.
Geum Sihyeon probably vanished like this so no one around him would get involved.
But.
There was no reason for anyone to antagonize Geum Sihyeon, so he must have been caught in some massive conspiracy.
In that case.
As the first disciple of Geumhyeon Gate.
And as vice president of the Hundred Flowers Academy.
She had to help Geum Sihyeon.
She had to save him.
Just as he had done for her.
She couldn't do it alone.
But when Geum Sihyeon returned.
To have as many people standing by his side as possible.
"Narang!"
Unlike Myo Narang at the rear, Moyong Seol, who had successfully guided the guests to the summit of Lianhua Peak from the front, came rushing over.
"Where's Sihyeon? Why are you handling his duties, and ugh, nothing bad happened, right?"
Looking at Moyong Seol's drooping eyes, like an abandoned puppy, so different from the cool expression she'd worn in front of the guests.
"Unnie Seol."
"Yeah? Do you know something?"
"I have something to discuss."
Little by little, from those around her.
It was time to unite wills and strength.
Former assassin.
Now self-proclaimed innkeeper, the Salt Food Ghost U Gwang, was quite pleased with his new territory.
For his named Murder Inn to succeed, several tricky conditions had to be met.
One.
Not many passing experts.
Especially in areas firmly controlled by righteous, evil, or demonic factions, there was no fun to be had.
Fear of repercussions, and the passing martial artists being too intimidating.
Two.
Sparse traffic.
Of course, total isolation in deep mountains meant poor turnover, so just the right amount—one or two overnight guests—was ideal.
Exactly.
Like now.
"Heh heh."
As he meticulously crafted dumplings from fresh meat caught yesterday, U Gwang imagined the future unfolding before him.
A sleazy-faced pervert who looked like a lecher, yet had the grotesque taste for underdeveloped girls.
Of course, his own refined hobby might seem equally heinous to others, but U Gwang felt a strange moral superiority.
Yes.
Tonight, he was a righteous martial artist.
He would dismantle that vile pedophile, grind the meat finely, and feed it to the girl.
What face would she make?
"Innkeeper! The liquor here tastes weird."
Of course it does.
It's strong enough to drop an elephant.
"Coming right up──"
Shouting from the kitchen, U Gwang focused back on prepping ingredients.
If he'd noticed the odd taste, it wouldn't be long.
Soon, the table crashed over.
Thud──
"Heh heh."
As the anticipated sound echoed through the inn, U Gwang grinned in satisfaction.
Definitely that pervert collapsing──
"Gasp."
Still, U Gwang was a former assassin over forty who'd reached the exalted Peak realm.
Sensing faint killing intent, he rolled across the floor.
If anyone saw, they'd laugh at the pathetic tumble.
And.
The wall by his neck was sliced cleanly.
As if...
"Sword... Gang?"
"Yeah, you bastard. You with it now?"
Survival instinct screaming.
He had to escape now or he'd be as good as dead.
"Guh── Mmph, mmph──"
His ankle severed cleanly, and a pouch reeking of blood and human flesh shoved into his mouth.
"Don't make a sound. You'll wake Luri."
Forced to roll once more and laid flat, what U Gwang saw was.
A bizarrely gentle expression unfit for the situation, paired with a man's face whose eyes burned demon-red.
I killed a man today.
The reason is ridiculous.
Because I killed my imaginary friend from my delusions, the thirteenth swordsman, Geun Seup-pyeong, who might not even exist.
...Maybe he got 'hyungga'd because of his name.
In that case, I just buried my own hyungga with my hands.
After cleanly finishing the digging.
"Mmm..."
Woken by the commotion, Luri rubbed her eyes and toddled out of the inn.
"You could sleep more."
"No..."
I couldn't do a proper gold powder wash at the well, just roughly rinsed with a brass basin to cleanse my sins.
"Bring the wolf pup. Let's go."
"Okay."
Though she might ask what happened, Luri moved obediently without a hint of suspicion, and I quietly watched her back.
Strangely.
The rage boiling to the top of my head subsided gradually, my mind clearing.
Dogs really are good for mental health.
Leaving the blazing inn behind, ignoring the wolf pup's complaints, we galloped through the night.
Gansu had less population than Shaanxi, and the areas felt desolate, so the wolf pup dashed full speed, hunting along the way for protein.
Finally, Lanzhou.
"We're here."
"Yeah."
"Kyau──!"
Taking in the exhausted beasts' grumbles.
With Luri on my back, hooded in a makeshift cloth from torn fabric, and a temporary leash on the wolf pup.
"A major city, yet so empty..."
I walked the desolate streets of Lanzhou, which felt strangely barren.
Even Lanzhou, Gansu's main city, lacked crowds.
The moment I stood before the massive hall bearing the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult Lanzhou Branch plaque.
I immediately felt the reason.
Lanzhou was a key hub linking the Central Plains to the Silk Road.
"Whine...?"
Luri's dumb sound effect echoed, as she'd been here before.
I let out a deep sigh.
"We're screwed."
The Heavenly Demon Divine Cult Lanzhou Branch.
Was out of service.