The New Rabbit
The muffled sound of footsteps echoed down the narrow passage.
Tang Myung glanced upward to check the ceiling.
The underground passage lay roughly three zhang below the surface.
“Young Family Head, or rather Family Head, we must hurry!”
At Tang Hong’s words, Tang Myung briefly looked down the tunnel, then nodded and quickened his pace.
The passage was narrow—barely wide enough for two people to walk side by side.
Everyone pressed close to the walls as they moved forward.
Small luminous pearls embedded in the stone walls cast a faint glow, illuminating the path.
Tang Myung adjusted his stride, moving a little faster.
The space was too cramped to unfold his lightness skill, so he settled for speed.
After walking a long time, he suddenly felt startled.
The tunnel showed no sign of ending.
“Family Head, this passage is incredibly long,”
“Based on the direction and distance we’ve traveled… it seems we’ve already left the Tang Clan territory,”
Tang Myung murmured while lightly brushing his hand against the wall.
“Exactly how far does this tunnel extend?”
“I don’t know,”
Tang Hong replied, and Tang Myung nodded, continuing to walk.
After some distance, the passage widened slightly.
On the opposite side, another tunnel entrance appeared.
Four tunnels in total branched off, and a master from the Visa Unit waited at the junction.
“Young Family Head.”
He bowed deeply. Tang Myung glanced at the tunnels and spoke.
“Are three of them death traps?”
One tunnel remained intact, while the other three were riddled with poisons and throwing-weapon mechanisms.
“Correct.”
Tang Jang confirmed, and Tang Myung nodded.
“How did you know which one was the living path?”
“The Unit Leader already knew,”
Tang Jang answered.
“I understand.”
Tang Myung nodded, then spotted the Visa Unit member standing guard and gave instructions.
“No traces of our passage may remain.”
“Already handled,”
Tang Myung hurried out of the tunnel and soon reached another junction.
Another Visa Unit master stood ahead.
Tang Myung and the Bicheon Unit passed by without stopping.
After nearly a shichen, the passage finally opened into a vast chamber.
A small stream flowed through the center, and sealed jars lined one wall.
The space could easily hold hundreds of people.
It looked like a naturally formed cave that had been carefully expanded by human hands.
Tang Myung scanned the surroundings, then turned back to the gathered Visa and Pyeonbok Unit members who greeted him with respectful bows.
“Young Family Head.”
“Young Family Head.”
Despite their hushed voices, Tang Myung replied quietly.
“Where are the Unit Leaders?”
“They are scouting the outside.”
Tang Myung nodded and waited.
Soon, one by one, the garrisons began to gather.
The soldiers entered with tense, fearful eyes.
Tang Myung offered a small smile and waited for Tang Jang and Tang Mi-ryeong.
After sufficient numbers had arrived, the two leaders appeared.
“How is it?”
“It’s Chogu Mountain.”
Chogu Mountain…
Tang Myung’s eyes widened slightly.
He had expected the distance, but Chogu Mountain lay very far from the Tang Clan estate.
“No Demonic Cult experts are visible nearby.”
“The main family didn’t dispatch experts from Cheongseong or Ami, so they’re probably staying put.”
Tang Myung spoke softly, then continued.
“But time is the only thing they lack. Once they arrive, the Demonic Cult experts will….”
Tang Myung bit his lip.
It was difficult to say they would attack the main family.
Tang Jang stepped forward and said,
“We must decide whether to stay or leave this place.”
Before Tang Myung could answer, Tang Hong spoke up.
“Family Head has passed the Bicheon Ring to the Young Family Head.”
Tang Jang and Tang Mi-ryeong froze, then bowed deeply.
“We greet the Family Head.”
“We greet the Family Head.”
Even in a small voice, their respect was absolute.
Tang Myung nodded and continued.
“If the Demonic Cult experts attack the main family, we will leave.”
“Where will you head?”
“To Cheongseong.”
—!
Tang Jang stared in surprise.
“Cheongseong…?”
“I know what you’re thinking. You assume we won’t help them?”
“That’s not it… We never helped Cheongseong, yet you’re saying we’ll go there….”
Tang Myung looked at him calmly.
‘That’s right. We never sent reinforcements to Cheongseong from here.’
He shook his head.
“We must head to Cheongseong.”
“What do you mean?”
Tang Myung turned to face the gathered soldiers behind him.
“The Demonic Cult wants to exterminate our main family. Taking all these soldiers out of here is impossible.”
Tang Jang nodded at the troops.
“Then I will move the Visa and Pyeonbok Units to Cheongseong when the Demonic Cult attacks. Our expert will inform them that experts from the Tang Clan are there.”
“Does that mean you want to draw the Demonic Cult’s attention to Cheongseong?”
Tang Mi-ryeong understood at once.
“And the remaining soldiers will hide here?”
“Yes. At the very least, we need to survive here for a month.”
“A month… It will be time for wandering warriors to enter Sichuan from the Central Plains.”
“The real problem is whether this place remains safe for a month.”
Tang Myung answered.
“We can collapse the entrance and buy time. It will be inconvenient, but….”
BOOM! RUMBLE! RUMBLE!
A sudden explosion rang out.
Tang Myung turned sharply.
Heavy collapsing sounds echoed from afar.
He prepared to rush back the way he had come when a black-clothed figure in a mask approached.
“I greet the Family Head.”
The masked man was the leader of the Milyeong Unit.
“What did you hear?”
“The sound of the underground entrance being collapsed.”
“Already?”
“It was the late Family Head’s order.”
“Have all the soldiers entered?”
“I was the last one.”
The Milyeong Unit leader continued.
“Family Head said it would be difficult to lead the soldiers out. He ordered us to hold out here for a month.”
“A month… Is there enough time?”
Tang Myung asked, and the Milyeong Unit leader thought briefly.
“It is possible.”
He added,
“This place has been prepared for the Tang Clan.”
“What do you mean?”
“The escape route has collapsed. The underground tunnels no longer have living paths.”
Activating mechanisms on living paths as well…
Tang Myung fell silent for a moment.
‘So I won’t have to go to Cheongseong after all?’
Cheongseong… he had no desire to go there.
The sense of betrayal from his first death was far too heavy.
Even if Cheongseong had dispatched experts, they might not have been able to prevent the destruction of the Tang Clan.
“And Family Head left one more order,”
The Milyeong Unit leader stared at Tang Myung and said,
“Never waste a single breath.”
Tang Myung paused, then sighed and nodded.
“The order has been heard clearly.”
Tang Cheon-deuk had worried that he might abandon his life during any future regressions.
Tang Myung nodded again.
“We will not go to Cheongseong. We will survive here for a month.”
“Understood.”
Tang Jang and Tang Mi-ryeong bowed deeply.
“However, do you have any food?”
“The Bicheon Cave contains sealed jars with Wall Grain Pills. The flowing water in the cave is safe to drink.”
Tang Jang nodded, and Tang Myung turned to Tang Mi-ryeong.
“Please prepare a place for the soldiers to rest.”
“Understood.”
Tang Mi-ryeong led the soldiers back into Bicheon Cave.
Once she was gone, Tang Myung looked at Tang Jang and the Milyeong Unit leader.
“Uncle Tang Jang and the Milyeong Unit leader, please guide me.”
“Of course.”
After a brief conversation, Tang Myung let out a long sigh and rubbed his face with his hand.
“Huuu!”
The Milyeong Unit leader watched him quietly and spoke.
“We have captured Demonic Cult members.”
—!
Tang Myung turned to him.
“Where?”
“They were disguised as soldiers on the Chengdu city walls.”
Tang Jang added,
“The city walls are within sight of the main family.”
“So that’s where it was.”
“Following Family Head’s orders, we set the search range at two shichen and found them.”
Tang Myung nodded.
“Understood. Then, Uncle Tang Jang, arrange experts at the tunnels. Milyeong Unit leader, inform me of the hidden secrets of the main family.”
“Understood.”
Tang Jang led his troops into the tunnels.
The Milyeong Unit leader turned to Tang Myung.
“Then I will tell you the secrets of the main family.”
The Milyeong Unit leader began recounting the hidden secrets that only the Family Head of the Sichuan Tang Clan should know.
Flames roared from every building of the Sichuan Tang Clan.
Thick black smoke and pink smoke billowed into the sky.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Explosions erupted from the location where the family’s poisons were stored.
In front of the Bicheon Pavilion, Tang Cheon-deuk stood alone.
“Haa! Haa!”
His chest heaved with each ragged breath.
Surrounding him were the white-haired elders of the Tang Clan, also breathing heavily.
They were the family’s clan elders.
Every elder’s body was covered in wounds.
Even the Great Elder, Tang Pung, could barely stand—his left arm missing, he braced himself against the ground with his sword.
Tang Cheon-deuk wiped a light sheen of sweat from his brow.
“Sss!”
He let out a small sigh.
To prepare for fighting the Demonic Cult masters, he had removed the bulky dart from his body and left only the tiny needle-like throwing weapon.
Yet far fewer throwing weapons remained than he expected.
He glanced around.
Several Demonic Cult members in green-stained robes had surrounded his group.
“Impressive. Truly impressive.”
One of the Demonic Cultists stepped forward.
He wore the same black robes as the others.
“Are you Guangming Usa?”
“You know me…?”
Guangming Usa looked shocked that a man whose skin was completely covered had recognized him.
Tang Cheon-deuk replied calmly, “Roughly.”
“This… The Tang Clan’s intelligence network is even more terrifying.”
Guangming Usa stared at Tang Cheon-deuk, then at the elders behind him.
“Terrifying. With just these few people, the Demonic Cult’s three elite combat units have been wiped out. The Tang Clan’s poisons, throwing weapons, and mechanisms are truly unparalleled.”
Guangming Usa spoke to the Tang Clan experts.
“The other soldiers appear to have already escaped. Why are you still here?”
“When a nation falls, the people survive and the king dies. The same applies to a family, does it not?”
“The Sichuan Tang Clan has a history of several hundred years. If no one is willing to shed blood alongside us as our house crumbles, how much more unbearable would our clan be!”
Tang Cheon-deuk and Tang Pung’s words caused Guangming Usa to clap lightly.
“Clap, clap, clap!”
“Magnificent. The Tang Clan is indeed magnificent….”
Guangming Usa looked at Tang Cheon-deuk and the elders.
“Then… let us die together.”
The Demonic Cult masters charged forward.
Tang Cheon-deuk and the elders formed a tight circle and hurled every remaining throwing weapon with desperate force.
One by one, the elders collapsed.