Chapter 68
Chapter 68
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 68
Chapter Title: Sword Demon and Sword King
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Hyeong Pyo had never laid eyes on the Sword King. Before the escort mission even set out, the Sword King had already been inside the carriage, leaving no chance to see him.
But he couldn't for the life of him figure out why the Sword King was with Jong Chil. Naturally, Dan Hyeong-u hadn't explained a single detail of the situation.
"How long do we have to stand around here?"
Hyeong Pyo jumped at the Sword King's words. Jong Chil hurriedly spoke up.
"The elder has come to meet Great Hero Dan."
There was only one person called Great Hero Dan at the Henan Escort Bureau.
"P-Please, come this way."
Hyeong Pyo forgot all about training the escorts and personally led the Sword King inside.
And that day, the Sword King joined the Henan Escort Bureau as well. It went without saying that he nearly came to blows with the Sword Demon.
With that, the Henan Escort Bureau began its meteoric rise.
Chapter 7
Sword Demon and Sword King
The Henan Escort Bureau soared at a frightening pace. Like a frog coiled tight before leaping, its growth was tremendous.
Behind that growth lay the enthusiastic support of the sects in Henan. They made sure most escort requests went to the Henan Escort Bureau, allowing it to expand bit by bit.
"Miss, you should rest now. I'm worried you'll ruin your health."
Jo Seol-yeon gave a gentle smile at Hyeong Pyo's words.
"Shouldn't you be the one resting, Escort Leader Hyeong? You've been training your martial arts late into the night lately."
"Haha, I enjoy it, so what's there to be tired about?"
"This is work I enjoy too."
Hyeong Pyo shook his head with a laugh at Jo Seol-yeon's smiling reply.
"Haha, I can't win against you."
Lately, Jo Seol-yeon and Hyeong Pyo had been so swamped with work they barely got any sleep. But even that hardship felt joyful amid the bureau's dazzling growth.
Having fallen twice before, both poured their all into this opportunity.
The night deepened. Yet the pile of tasks showed no sign of shrinking.
"Whew, we should call it a day."
Hyeong Pyo nodded at Jo Seol-yeon's words. Dawn was nearing. Without even a little rest, tomorrow would be unbearable.
"Alright, then..."
Hyeong Pyo stopped mid-reply. He heard someone rushing over.
"Bureau Chief! Big trouble!"
The bureau chief's office at the Henan Escort Bureau was always open. An escort burst in, shouting.
"What happened?"
The escort hurriedly reported in response to Hyeong Pyo's question.
"We were ambushed and our cargo stolen!"
Jo Seol-yeon and Hyeong Pyo's eyes widened at the report.
"By who?!"
"Greenwoods bandits appeared at Cheonjung Mountain. There were too many to even put up a proper fight."
"What about our escorts and porters?"
Jo Seol-yeon asked calmly.
"Half the escorts are dead, the rest badly wounded. The porters are unharmed."
"Escort Leader Hyeong."
Hyeong Pyo bowed his head in understanding at her call.
"I'll handle the compensation."
Jo Seol-yeon gave a slight nod and stepped out of the office. It was finally time to unleash the bureau's dormant power.
Ten men were climbing a misty mountain.
"Hmph, this fog is vicious."
It had been bearable at the base, but halfway up, the fog thickened to the point where they couldn't see an inch ahead.
"It's been like this ever since the Heavenly Qi Master's secret abode collapsed last time."
Ha Won-hu answered as politely as possible. The one complaining about the fog was the Sword King.
The ten climbing the mountain were the team dispatched from the Henan Escort Bureau to reclaim the stolen cargo.
Surprisingly, Jo Seol-yeon had mobilized both the Sword King and Sword Demon. Since both were now part of the bureau, they had no choice but to obey her.
They had promised as much when first joining the bureau, after all.
Initially, it was just the Sword King and Sword Demon. With a few surviving escorts from the ambush, dealing with the Greenwoods bandits hiding in Cheonjung Mountain would be easy.
But with the Sword Demon moving, Ha Won-hu couldn't sit idle. In the end, he and five Victory Dragon Unit members joined, making ten in total.
The Sword King shot the Sword Demon repeated displeased glances.
They had drawn swords the moment they met, clashing fiercely. And both were shocked by the other.
The Sword Demon had honed his swordsmanship through gritted teeth, reaching a whole new realm.
He believed he'd surely defeat the Sword King upon meeting him again. But when they actually crossed blades, it wasn't so. The Sword King had advanced too.
The Sword King was equally stunned. Thanks to Dan Hyeong-u, he had gained new enlightenment.
He'd charged at the Sword Demon full of confidence. Yet the result proved otherwise.
They fought for three hours straight. It only ended when Dan Hyeong-u, at Jo Seol-yeon's request, intervened.
The Sword King and Sword Demon promised Jo Seol-yeon they would never fight again before they could stay at the bureau. They had reason to remain—and that reason was Dan Hyeong-u.
For those reasons, they moved together now, growling at each other but never actually fighting.
The Sword Demon actually kept a bit apart from the group. This place was nothing like the demon-infested Xinjiang or Qinghai.
"Grumbling about a little fog... You're still far from true mastery."
The Sword Demon's mutter reached the Sword King's ears. He scowled.
"You picking a fight?"
"Hmph!"
The Sword Demon just snorted. The Sword King's blood boiled, but he couldn't lunge. A promise was a promise.
"Fine. Let's see how great you are. How about a wager?"
The Sword Demon's eyes gleamed at the Sword King's words.
"Just what I wanted."
The wager was simple: who would take down more bandits on this mission. The Sword Demon nodded readily. No reason to refuse.
"But no killing. Kill one, and you lose outright. No dismembering either. I'll seal the Heavenly Cauldron Acupoint, you seal the Heavenly Pillar Acupoint."
Both acupoints were on the neck. The Sword Demon nodded lightly. Checking the sealed points would reveal who did what.
The Sword Demon and Sword King nodded simultaneously. Then they leaped forward almost in unison.
Finding the bandits first gave the edge. They stuck close, combing Cheonjung Mountain like hounds.
Ha Won-hu, the Victory Dragon Unit, and the escorts didn't bother following. They searched their own way. It would end faster that way.
"Division Leader, this fog feels off."
Ha Won-hu nodded at the Victory Dragon member's words.
"Obviously. It's from the Heavenly Qi Master's formation. That's why it's so thick."
Ha Won-hu sharpened his senses as he spoke. An ominous feeling prickled the back of his neck.
"Something's wrong."
Ha Won-hu halted and scanned around. In the dense fog, someone was definitely hiding.
Shiiik!
Something shot through the fog. Ha Won-hu, already on edge, dodged easily.
"Who goes there?!"
Ha Won-hu's sword sliced the fog sharply.
Chwaaak!
Sword qi flashed, and fresh blood sprayed into the mist.
Ha Won-hu's blade swept everywhere nimbly. The Victory Dragon Unit sprang into action.
Chaeng! Chaeng!
Rough-looking men wielding massive sabers charged suddenly. They were stronger and more numerous than expected, but they couldn't easily overwhelm Ha Won-hu and the Victory Dragon Unit.
"What are you fools doing?! Kill them!"
A harsh shout rang out, and the men grew even more ferocious. But Ha Won-hu and the unit fought brilliantly, covering even the escorts' gaps.
Half an hour later, a sharp aura swept the field.
Shii shii shik!
"There you are, you bastards!"
Swords blanketed everything. The bandits couldn't block the Sword King's blade. The field cleared in an instant.
All bandits lay collapsed. Only one, felled by Ha Won-hu's initial strike, was dead.
The Sword King glared at the Sword Demon with blazing eyes. The Sword Demon had leaped in almost simultaneously, subduing his share. Roughly equal numbers.
Now, whoever found the bandits' lair first had the advantage.
The Sword Demon approached one bandit. Fear flickered in the man's eyes. The demonic qi naturally emanating from the Sword Demon instilled terror.
The Sword Demon lifted the bandit by the throat.
"Where are the rest?"
"Ugh..."
As the bandit froze in fear, the Sword Demon tightened his grip.
"Where are the rest?"
"Gah! I-I'll tell you. N-No, I'll guide you!"
No sooner had the bandit spoken than the Sword Demon tossed him aside. The sealed acupoint was already released.
"You're free to go."
Tears welling, the bandit bowed deeply and bolted like the wind. The Sword Demon and Sword King followed.
"They're truly incredible."
A Victory Dragon member muttered unconsciously. Ha Won-hu frowned slightly.
No need to praise the Sword Demon. He was still the enemy. To be eliminated someday.
"Let's move."
At Ha Won-hu's command, they leaped after them.
"Well, well, look at this."
The Sword King eyed the men surrounding them with an odd expression. They radiated formidable auras. Definitely bandits.
"You lot really bandits?"
"That's right. We've heard the rumors—you joined the Henan Escort Bureau."
"So you've been waiting for me?"
The men didn't deny it.
"You've caused us heavy losses. Today, we return the favor."
The words came from behind them. The Sword King's gaze shifted. A man in his mid-fifties stood there, exuding calm presence.
"You're the bandit chief."
As the Sword King said, the man was Gwak Pae, known as the King of the Greenwoods.
"I'm Gwak Pae."
The Sword King sensed the man's aura was no joke. He'd win one-on-one, but with this many experts attacking together, it might get tricky.
"So all the Greenwoods scum are here?"
Gwak Pae nodded.
"Yes. Today, the Sword King gets buried on Cheonjung Mountain."
No sooner had Gwak Pae spoken than the surrounding Greenwoods bandits charged.
They were the elite of the Greenwoods. The Sword King had dealt them a massive blow via the Golden Lotus. Not as bad as the Demonic Alliance, but their forces and momentum had waned greatly.
Normally, they'd hunker down and rebuild. But Gwak Pae wasn't that type. He'd decided to kill the Sword King and rally morale.
Hearing the Sword King was at the bureau, he'd targeted their cargo. And as expected, the Sword King moved.
Cclang! Cclang!
The Sword King's blade danced brilliantly, parrying the bandits' attacks. His expression was utterly relaxed.
"Impressive, Sword King. But you won't stay relaxed long."
Gwak Pae leaped forward. A massive cleaver was suddenly in his hand.
Hwooo!
Wind from the cleaver surged at the Sword King. He scowled and swung his sword to disperse it. The bandits' coordinated assault was refined from rigorous training.
"Can't kill them... troublesome."
The Sword King muttered, channeling qi into his blade.
Kwaaaa!
Fierce sword qi erupted from his sword.
Pababang!
Several men blocked it but were flung back. The Sword King exploited the gap.
Chwaaak!
His sword moved sharply. With fluid footwork, he broke the encirclement in one breath.
Gwak Pae hesitated briefly but quickly issued calm orders. They'd prepared for this. The Greenwoods' only advantage was numbers.
Even escaping, the Sword King couldn't relax.
More men had appeared, reforming the circle. The same scenario repeated.
"Endless... What now..."