Chapter 360
Chapter 360
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 360
>Chapter Title: Intelligence (5)
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A few days ago.
The Lord of the Shadow Pavilion, who had been monitoring the Martial Alliance, felt a sense of doubt.
Even though the shadow that had slipped out of the Alliance had returned, the Deputy Lord had not.
‘Could it be….’
Feeling an ominous premonition that perhaps the Deputy Lord had been caught, the Shadow Pavilion Lord began tracking Seo Wan-pyeong's traces.
In accordance with the Shadow Pavilion's rules, Seo Wan-pyeong had left special marks that only the Pavilion's warriors could recognize as he moved.
Thanks to that, the Shadow Pavilion Lord was able to reach the shrine where Seo Wan-pyeong had arrived.
Through the traces left there, the Shadow Pavilion Lord was able to grasp the general situation.
Some kind of transaction had taken place here, and Deputy Lord Seo Wan-pyeong had pursued another figure.
After that, the Shadow Pavilion Lord repeatedly followed the traces Seo Wan-pyeong had left.
And at this very moment, he arrived at the scene just in time.
As the Shadow Pavilion Lord threw a hidden weapon to rescue Seo Wan-pyeong from danger and hurriedly sent a transmission.
- Deputy Lord. Leave this one to me, and gather what you need in the meantime.
Surprisingly, the eunuch who had cornered Seo Wan-pyeong greeted the Shadow Pavilion Lord familiarly.
“Hoh. So you're that rat I let slip away last time. To think you'd come back on your own two feet to die. Heh heh heh.”
The Shadow Pavilion Lord drew his dagger silently, without any particular response to the eunuch's words.
The Shadow Pavilion Lord also knew this eunuch.
They had crossed paths once in the past, and just as the man said, he had barely managed to escape with his life.
‘It will be different this time.’
While the Shadow Pavilion Lord steeled himself inwardly.
“Grand Eunuch, I will handle this one.”
The eunuch who had taken the letter said this to the old eunuch.
“Do so.”
As the two eunuchs conversed leisurely.
The clouds drifting across the sky blocked the moonlight, plunging the forest into momentary darkness.
Pat!
Seizing that instant, the Shadow Pavilion Lord hurled hidden weapons in a surprise attack, and at the same time, Seo Wan-pyeong charged at the eunuch he had originally been pursuing.
Chaeng!
The sound of metal clashing rang out from both sides simultaneously, and the battle began between the two Shadow Pavilion warriors and the two palace eunuchs.
Seo Wan-pyeong pressed the eunuch carrying the letter with a sudden assault.
Pababak.
The Shadow Pavilion Lord, who had thrown the hidden weapons in a surprise attack, swiftly closed in on his opponent during the moment the weapons were deflected and thrust his dagger.
“Hmph.”
The eunuch called Grand Eunuch snorted and swung his sword to meet the Shadow Pavilion Lord's dagger.
Chaeng!
Right after exchanging one blow, the Grand Eunuch's expression changed.
The dagger had flown at a speed completely different from what he had seen last time, and the power behind it was unlike before.
Knowing that the opponent's realm hadn't improved much, the Grand Eunuch quickly grasped the situation.
“You filthy worm, do you think using innate qi changes anything?!”
Chaeng!
As the Grand Eunuch predicted, the Shadow Pavilion Lord was drawing on his innate qi indiscriminately.
The resolve that it would be different this time wasn't based on his own improved skills.
Chaeng!
The Shadow Pavilion Lord knew it. That he was several levels below this man.
From the start, he had planned for mutual destruction.
‘It’s different this time. As long as I can save the Deputy Lord and send him back, that’s enough!’
He had to deliver the hard-won information to headquarters, so last time, he had to survive ignobly.
But not this time.
For the revenge of his subordinates who had sacrificed to save him, and to eliminate this high expert who might threaten the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult in the future.
The Shadow Pavilion Lord willingly burned his own life force.
However.
“Hmph. A worm is still a worm, no matter how it writhes.”
His dagger, infused with life force, was repeatedly blocked by the Grand Eunuch's sword.
Having noticed the opponent was drawing on innate qi, the Grand Eunuch didn't press with reckless offense.
He focused solely on evasion and defense, watching the Shadow Pavilion Lord age before his eyes.
A sneer played on his lips.
He knew that if he just dragged it out a little longer, the innate qi would run out, and the man would collapse dead on his own.
Meanwhile.
Chaeng!
A similar flow was unfolding on the other side.
‘I need to kill this bastard quickly and help the Lord!!’
Having noticed the Shadow Pavilion Lord drawing on innate qi, Seo Wan-pyeong poured his attacks onto the eunuch.
But for those versed in assassination techniques, impatience was poison.
The eunuch, who had been calmly observing while purely defending, suddenly thrust a sword in a counterattack, slicing a long gash across Seo Wan-pyeong's forearm.
Seogeok.
Pain traveling up his arm twisted Seo Wan-pyeong's face.
More than the physical pain, the pain in his heart tormented him.
‘Why am I so incompetent….’
If it were his ascended master here right now.
No, even the genius youngest disciple would not have let things come to this.
Suddenly surging heart demons caused Seo Wan-pyeong's sword to waver greatly.
Seogeok.
The eunuch exploited the opening, carving a wound into Seo Wan-pyeong's shoulder.
As Seo Wan-pyeong began sinking into deep self-loathing at his pathetic self.
Pat!!
A hidden weapon flew in from the side, blocking the eunuch who was about to attack Seo Wan-pyeong.
Chaeng!
- Focus only on the mission!!
Seogeok.
Immediately after the Shadow Pavilion Lord's transmission, the sound of something being sliced rang out.
It was the noise of the Grand Eunuch slashing the Shadow Pavilion Lord's forearm while he had thrown the weapon to aid Seo Wan-pyeong.
The Shadow Pavilion Lord barely leaped away to avoid having his arm severed at once, but he still suffered a deep wound.
- Cast aside stray thoughts and think only of the greater cause for the Divine Cult! If I can die for the Divine Cult, my life is not a waste!
Even with a deep gash on his arm, the Shadow Pavilion Lord gazed steadily at Seo Wan-pyeong and sent the transmission.
“…….”
In less than a quarter of an hour, the Shadow Pavilion Lord looked at least ten years older. Seo Wan-pyeong nodded at the transmission.
But even after that, Seo Wan-pyeong continued his aggressive movements.
For several exchanges, he swung his sword almost recklessly, as if seized by impatience.
Wounds gradually accumulated on Seo Wan-pyeong's body.
Seogeok.
The eunuch thrust his sword at yet another opening on Seo Wan-pyeong's body, but then realized too late.
Unlike before, the enemy's eyes were utterly calm.
Seo Wan-pyeong twisted his body with minimal movement.
Kwajik.
The sound of the eunuch's sword piercing Seo Wan-pyeong's body rang out, but it wasn't a vital spot.
Seo Wan-pyeong's extended left hand clamped onto the eunuch's sword that had dug into his muscles.
With his right hand, he unleashed Shadowless Fourteen Hands toward the eunuch's head.
Seogeok!
Seo Wan-pyeong had deliberately exposed openings to lure the opponent's carelessness.
Thanks to that, wounds piled up on his body, but it was the most rational choice to end the fight quickly.
As Seo Wan-pyeong swiftly decapitated the eunuch and hurriedly searched his body for the letter.
“You filthy Demonic Cult bastards!!”
The momentum of the Grand Eunuch, who had been handling the Shadow Pavilion Lord leisurely, changed.
As if he could not allow Seo Wan-pyeong and the Shadow Pavilion Lord to escape alive, he swung his sword ferociously.
Unlike the quiet battle until now, sword qi endlessly erupted along the Grand Eunuch's blade.
To protect Seo Wan-pyeong, the Shadow Pavilion Lord blocked his path and swung his sword madly.
Kwang!!
Amid the continuous explosions.
“Keok….”
The Shadow Pavilion Lord, who blocked the Grand Eunuch's assault, vomited blood violently.
His hair had turned completely white, with clumps falling out, and his skin was wrinkled and sprouting age spots.
The Grand Eunuch thrust his sword at the Shadow Pavilion Lord, whose innate qi was nearly depleted.
Kwajik!
“Guk….”
As the Shadow Pavilion Lord, pierced through the heart, collapsed with a choked groan. Seo Wan-pyeong grabbed the letter and fled into the darkness.
“You bastard!!”
The Grand Eunuch, having killed the Shadow Pavilion Lord, hurriedly leaped after Seo Wan-pyeong.
Deobseok.
Something grabbed his body.
“Heavenly Demon… descends.”
The startled Grand Eunuch turned to see the Shadow Pavilion Lord, heart pierced and collapsed, reaching out to clutch his leg.
“Ten Thousand Demons… rise in vengeance.”
With his last ounce of strength, the Shadow Pavilion Lord's single sword thrust pierced the Grand Eunuch's right thigh.
Kwajik.
Burning agony like being seared by fire turned the Grand Eunuch's eyes bloodshot red.
“You filthy vermin dare!!!"
* * *
Having heard the full story, Il-mok could hardly bring himself to speak.
“…….”
Seo Wan-pyeong, who had been gazing at Il-mok for a moment, gave a feeble smile.
“Don't worry. Thanks to the Lord, I made it here safely, didn't I? So let's check this letter quickly. We can't let the Lord's sacrifice be in vain.”
With that, Seo Wan-pyeong unfolded the letter and read it together with Il-mok.
The letter contained utterly bizarre contents.
“It's written in the code the eunuchs use.”
Fortunately, Seo Wan-pyeong, who had been tracking the eunuchs' traces for some time, deciphered the letter without difficulty.
The contents were shocking.
It instructed sending people north to drive out nomads and bandits and search for traces of the Miroku Divine Cult.
“The Alliance Leader is definitely in league with the eunuchs.”
“Indeed. To think not only Deung-bi, but even the Alliance Leader was a dog of the imperial family.”
At Seo Wan-pyeong's words, Il-mok felt a question arise.
“What do you mean, senior brother? You say the former Elder Council Leader was a dog of the imperial family?”
At Il-mok's question, Seo Wan-pyeong momentarily looked troubled.
‘…To think even Master and senior brother kept this a secret from the youngest.’
There had been an order to the Shadow Pavilion to keep quiet about Deung-bi's ties to the imperial family, but Seo Wan-pyeong had assumed it had naturally been revealed to the youngest.
Both of them were people who trusted the youngest without question.
After a moment's hesitation, Seo Wan-pyeong realized the water had already been spilled and spoke up.
During the investigation into the now-deceased Deung-bi, they had discovered his involvement with the imperial family.
“This senior brother of yours is too dull to know why Master and big senior brother kept this from you, but they must have had their reasons.”
To prevent misunderstanding, Seo Wan-pyeong added this, but Il-mok didn't feel particularly slighted.
‘Master and big senior brother knew it wasn't the right time yet.’
He immediately understood why they had kept it secret.
The imperial family had sent spies into the Divine Cult and plotted various schemes.
The moment this fact was announced, most of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult's fanatics would demand war with the imperial family.
Even the Heavenly Demon or Cult Leader couldn't easily ignore the fanatics' demands.
Avoiding war after such events would be conduct unworthy of the Divine Cult's doctrines.
While Il-mok grasped his master and big senior brother's intentions. Seo Wan-pyeong, worried the youngest might feel slighted, hurriedly spoke up.
“But it's truly strange.”
“What do you mean?”
“I can't fathom what the imperial family was thinking, scheming against both the Martial Alliance and our Divine Cult at the same time.”
“Obviously, they aimed to control both our Divine Cult and the Martial Alliance simultaneously, right?”
“That's why I'm saying it. Even if things went according to their plan and Deung-bi became Cult Leader, what would change? No matter if that guy became Cult Leader, there's no way we'd submit to the Martial Alliance or the imperial family.”
“…Even if that guy became the Heavenly Demon instead of Cult Leader, it probably wouldn't be easy.”
The Demonic Cultists' rage toward the imperial family and Central Plains orthodox sects, who had branded them traitors and driven them out with divine steel, was immense.
If Deung-bi, as Cult Leader, tried to move that way, he would have faced endless life-or-death battles with rebels.
The same went for the Central Plains orthodox forces.
They had always treated the Martial Alliance as mere mediators anyway.
No matter what nonsense the Alliance Leader spouted about all becoming the imperial family's lackeys, they wouldn't listen.
‘Even if imperial spies rose to become the Martial Alliance Leader and Heavenly Demon Divine Cult's Cult Leader, the chances of those two forces becoming the imperial family's dogs are low. Then why do something like this?’
After much contemplation, Il-mok reversed his thinking.
‘What if, from the start, they never intended to gain the loyalty of the Alliance or the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult?’
Considering the opposite scenario, Il-mok soon had a horrifying possibility flash in his mind.
“…The Martial World Extermination Scheme.”