Chapter 187
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 187
Chapter Title: Chapter 10 - Green Forest
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After the war with the undead ended, analysts—including the wizards of the Magic Tower—began dissecting the causes while choking down bitter bile at the disastrous result, which could hardly be called a victory. The factor most pointed to by the masses was the initial bungled response.
Long ago, when the king of the undead was born and invaded the world of the living alongside his army of the dead, the living failed to unite with any ease.
Even in the face of the embodied wave of death surging forth to devour every living thing, nations locked in enmity with one another refused to reconcile.
The elves would not abandon their forests.
Goblins and orcs fixated more on hunting a single wild boar.
Dragons remained silent until the enemy reached their lairs.
Especially disastrous was the pope of that era, who failed to distinguish the undead horde from the demonkin, branded them allies, and shunned the demons outright. It was the worst blunder in human history.
In the end, only after the demons found themselves surrounded on all sides and swallowed by the deathly tide did people realize the undead king had no ties to black magic whatsoever. He existed solely to consume all "living beings," demons included. In this incident at least, the demonkin were innocent victims.
The problem was, they only grasped this after beheading over 95% of the continent's black magicians—squandering what could have been a potent strategic asset by their own hands.
Only after Saintess Erdel Bright personally oversaw the public execution of that era's pope—who, for all his worship of the goddess of life, spewed endless discrimination against other races alongside his demon purges—could the allied forces finally form.
This came after over 70% of the continent's living population had already perished.
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"These fucking bastards, seriously..."
-Throb throb.
For two straight weeks now, waiting in front of Sintu Bi's hidden tomb for the Blood Cult to show.
Yeo Socheon rubbed her temples hard as she watched the murim fighters brawl day in and day out.
She'd deliberately concealed the entrance to keep them from fighting, but they were already squabbling over the treasures supposedly inside—before the damn thing had even been found.
It wasn't just clashes between orthodox and unorthodox sects. Orthodox factions at odds with each other snarled and scrapped, or personal grudges between individuals escalated into full-blown faction wars.
'Am I seriously putting up with all this bullshit just to protect these idiots?'
Days like that gave her splitting headaches and dark thoughts.
And no matter how much of a top-tier orthodox master she was, that didn't mean she held sway over every single orthodox martial artist.
She might command Kunlun's fighters, but those from other sects had no obligation to obey her. She could only hope they'd follow out of courtesy—or lean on her authority to pressure them.
In the end, she had to admit this was her misjudgment.
She'd trusted her juniors too much.
Never imagined they'd be this hot-blooded and uncontrollable.
'Maybe I should just come out and say we're waiting for the Blood Cult...'
She'd ordered them not to waste energy on pointless fights since a clash with the unorthodox or the still-absent Demonic Cult was inevitable, but against the Blood Cult? Even the most fiery juniors should recognize the gravity.
Unless they were total greenhorns, anyone here knew that terror well enough.
The elders might have even faced it firsthand.
'But then they might just hole up and hide...'
Caught between options, agonizing, someone pounded urgently on her tent.
"S-Sword Thunder Blade, ma'am! Big trouble!!"
"What now!!!"
"Th-the Green Forest Bandit Chief!!"
"...Huh?"
.
.
.
"Whoa! I've heard so much about you all, but this is my first time greeting you in person! Nice to meet you, seniors!"
A beauty with bronzed skin and a robust, healthy build boomed her greeting toward the Sword Empress and Yeo Socheon.
Green Forest.
As commonly known, it referred to the bandit gangs operating across the Central Plains. Dozens of independent groups had banded together over time, evolving into the organized force known today as Green Forest.
Bandits through and through, but as one of the major unorthodox powers, their top leader wielded influence across the Central Plains that couldn't be ignored.
No matter how much weaker the unorthodox were compared to the orthodox in raw might, storming their mountain strongholds was no small risk.
Even if you crushed Green Forest, bandits would spring up again, coalescing under that banner once more—a cycle proven over long centuries.
And while they were bandits, heading an outfit like Green Forest wasn't child's play.
'Transcendent Realm, maybe.'
Estimated age: late twenties to early thirties.
Warriors often looked younger than their true years, so she'd factored that in.
Cooped up in Kunlun, she'd missed outside news, but she'd heard whispers once.
The Bandit Chief's prowess was no joke.
At that age, in that realm? Plenty of talent to aim for the next stage before death claimed her.
Talent-wise, on par with the Sword Empress or herself.
With reversal of age and restoration possible, she might even lead the next generation.
Green Forest rubbed her wrong, but as a warrior, she respected the effort and gift that got her there.
Realm advancement wasn't just about innate talent.
"I've heard the rumors too. Word is the Green Forest Bandit Chief made the Ten Great Masters list."
"Aw, come on. That's just bored folks ranking whoever. I'm not on that level—how could I stand shoulder-to-shoulder with seniors like you?"
...Modest words, but spot-on.
Their realms differed, sure, but the Ten Great Masters wasn't some objective measure of strength. Just popularity rankings by fans who loved lists.
Hell, even the Heavenly Demon was on there.
Anyone who'd seen her in action twenty years back knew how meaningless it was.
She paid it no mind herself.
Knew her name was listed but didn't bother memorizing the rest.
-Glance.
She flicked her eyes to the Sword Empress. She looked subtly displeased, clearly uninterested in chatting with the Bandit Chief.
Made sense, given her temperament.
Back when she was young—and this Chief was still climbing the ranks—the Sword Empress had razed countless Green Forest camps. No love lost there.
"No long talk. To business: you're here for Sintu Bi's tomb too, right?"
"Ahem... Who here isn't? Even you seniors..."
"Read the room. Entrance hasn't shown yet, so we're stalled. Experts are digging, but no news. Could be weeks more."
"Ah, is that so?"
She spoke first to spare the Sword Empress any awkward exchange.
"Fighting now's pointless. Just spills blood. We're negotiating peaceful shares."
"Oho! Peace is great. Why bleed needlessly?"
"...So, does Green Forest have any specific claims from Sintu Bi?"
"Eh, some old Chief's favorite axe got swiped way back. Don't care. That guy's been dead ages."
"Anything else you want?"
"...Gold and jewels?"
"Got it. Noted."
Surprised at her compliance, she pulled out a scroll and jotted it down.
"Glad this went smooth. Worried you might stir trouble."
"Haha. Even a poorly raised bandit girl like me knows better. Don't wanna die young."
"Keep it that way. And rein in your men."
She didn't seriously expect bandits to behave, though.
She rolled the paper, tied it with string, and handed it over. She reached out.
The moment her hand touched the paper...
She felt an odd dissonance.
-Thump thump.
"...Bandit Chief."
"...Yes, senior?"
They gripped the scroll, tension thickening the air.
And the unease Yeo Socheon sensed...
-Shing...
"You... why isn't your heart beating?"
A human—or any living being—should have had one. But nothing.
And in the Central Plains, only one kind of "life" could pull that off.
"...Hah. Told 'em I'd get sniffed out up close..."
Her black eyes, so human-like, flushed crimson in an instant, as if unveiling a veil.
And it struck faster than the Chief could move.
-KABOOM!!!!
The blast erupted outside, slamming through the tent to crush them in a heartbeat.
Mighty explosion, but everyone here was beyond human limits.
-CLANG!!
[Sword Empress?!]
[You scout the situation outside!!]
[...Leave it to me!]
-Crackle!
As Sword Empress's blade clashed with the Bandit Chief's axe, a bolt of lightning arced out of the tent.
Only then did the shockwave hit the two inside, battering their protective auras.
"Kyahahaha!! Let's play, senior!"
"I've raised no such junior as you."
"Always wondered if plum faction blood smells like plum blossoms—time to find out!"
With her true colors bared and facade shed, her laughter rang out amid screams and clashing steel from all sides.
The true war between living and dead had begun.