Chapter 147
Chapter 147
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 147
Chapter Title: The Path We Must Take (1)
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“Haa!”
A sigh slipped from Gwa Yu's lips as he perched on a rock. Whether from his unhealed wounds or the half-clouded moonlight's pallid glow, a heavy shadow draped his face.
His unfocused eyes stared blankly at the sky when a bottle of liquor suddenly appeared before him.
“Said you were going for some air, but here you are moping all alone?”
Man Chu chuckled, shaking the bottle.
“Just...”
Man Chu sat beside Gwa Yu and offered the bottle.
“I'm fine.”
Gwa Yu refused, so Man Chu shrugged, took a few swigs, then followed Gwa Yu's gaze to the moon for a long moment before asking casually,
“Still troubled?”
“Not exactly troubled, but... yeah.”
“That's troubled enough. Because of your uncle?”
“Yes.”
Gwa Yu let out a faint sigh, recalling his uncle's face from their final encounter, just before his last breath.
Bound hand and foot to a chair—perhaps under torture—his uncle had screamed like a beast, enduring inhuman agony. The moment Heo Ok, clutching Mogo, drew her final breath, the parasite implanted in his uncle's body had gone berserk.
Yet his uncle begged no mercy to the end. Amid the excruciating torment, he insisted the Grove Lord's seat of the Four Blood Grove had been his from the start, unjustly stolen by his younger brother, defending his rebellion's legitimacy.
Still, he bitterly regretted failing to resolve it himself and borrowing the Blood Fiend Cult's power instead. And for saving the Four Blood Grove from becoming the Blood Fiend Cult's puppets, he was truly grateful.
“Uncle begged for the pain to stop. Asked for the victor's mercy.”
Man Chu nodded silently. He too had heard the man's screams and wails.
“But I couldn't. I wouldn't. He's the enemy who killed my father and brothers. I thought he didn't deserve an easy death.”
“I'd have done the same. Anyone in the world would. 'No sky shared with the foe' isn't just an empty phrase.”
“But now... I don't know. I got my revenge, yet my heart feels strangely unsettled.”
Unable to bear the frustration, Gwa Yu sighed deeply. Then he snatched the bottle from Man Chu's hand and drained it in one go.
“I once heard that revenge is like this. You crave it desperately, but once achieved, the emptiness hurts more than anything. Some even lose their reason to live. They say it's because you yearn for a past that can never return.”
“...”
Gwa Yu fell silent, his expression tangled in thought.
Man Chu waited patiently without a word until Gwa Yu could compose himself, then patted his back and stood.
“Enough brooding for now. No time for it. Trouble's brewing inside.”
“What? Why all of a sudden?”
Gwa Yu's eyes widened in surprise at the abrupt news.
“Well, here's the thing.”
Man Chu quickly and vividly explained how the Biheaven Fortress Lord had dropped a bombshell declaration and how furious Dang Cheon-hwa had become upon hearing it.
“The Poison Freak elder's words ring true. With enemies breathing down our necks, isn't that pure madness?”
Gwa Yu asked, looking utterly baffled.
Having witnessed firsthand how formidable Sima Geon and Cheol Woo were, he couldn't fathom rejecting their aid over the absurd reason of them being from the Heavenly Demon Cult.
“Sounds insane to anyone. But not quite. Some—no, honestly, quite a few—are praising the Fortress Lord's resolve. Protecting the righteous faction's pride, they say.”
“They're all mad.”
“Mad indeed. Even after the Golden Sword Sect fiasco, they don't grasp how terrifying the Heavenly Demon Cult's warriors are. No need to overthink. It's the place that birthed those monster brothers of ours.”
Before Man Chu finished, a gruff voice cut in.
“Who's calling monsters?”
Noe Jeon approached with Black Fang at his side.
“Who else? The brothers in the room.”
“Me?”
“You're at least human, brother.”
“Heh heh heh! True enough. The Division Leader and Deputy are a bit much for 'human.'”
Noe Jeon, Man Chu, and Gwa Yu faced each other and burst into laughter.
“So why'd you come out?”
“Why else? The guy who went for air ages ago shows no sign of returning, and the one who fetched him vanishes into the dark. Had to come myself.”
Noe Jeon's swift hand ruffled Man Chu and Gwa Yu's heads like lightning.
“Let's head in. The Division Leader wants your thoughts. By the way, Man Chu—given it any thought?”
Man Chu rubbed his mussed hair with a scowl but replied without hesitation.
“Yeah. I'll follow the brothers.”
Noe Jeon widened his eyes at the unexpected answer.
“Why?”
“Plenty left to squeeze out of them. Biheaven Fortress matters, but for me, upholding the Supreme Elder's will comes first. Following the brothers lets me avenge him too—one stone, two birds.”
“What about the higher-ups?”
“It's fine. The Supreme Elder bequeathed me his lifelong martial arts, and with the Sword Freak senior's advice, I'm overqualified but free to decide for myself.”
From Man Chu's words, Noe Jeon and Gwa Yu inferred he had essentially been tapped as the Beggars' Sect successor.
“Man Chu's set, fine.”
Noe Jeon turned to Gwa Yu.
“What about you?”
Gwa Yu merely bowed his head slightly, saying nothing.
“The Ha Hu Clan's reinforcements have crossed Yun Pass. At their pace, they're likely through the Haeseong region by now.”
Dark Fragrance agent Gang Hwang pointed at a small map. Wind Demon Division Leader Ju Seung-geun furrowed his brow.
“Faster than expected. We gonna miss them?”
“Unlikely. It looks distant on the map, but accounting for actual terrain, we're right on time.”
“Good. Then where do we intercept?”
Gang Hwang tapped a spot after a moment's thought.
“At this rate, right here—the Thousand-Li Plateau. The Thousand-Li Plateau is...”
Ju Seung-geun's expression brimmed with confidence upon hearing the description.
“Nice spot. Sweep them out, then straight to Biheaven Fortress without much delay.”
Ju Seung-geun revealed not just intercepting the Ha Hu reinforcements but ambitions to shine at Biheaven too. Hesitating at his bravado, Gang Hwang ventured cautiously,
“Their force isn't to be underestimated despite numbers. Especially Ha Hu Hyo leading them—the Ha Hu Clan's top expert now that the Sword Freak's gone.”
Ju Seung-geun's lip twisted.
“Worried we can't handle them?”
“Not that, but...”
“Don't fret. It's not just the Wind Demon Division I'm banking on.”
“I heard Ghost Path Hall's supporting. But comparing them to the Ha Hu Clan is a stretch.”
Gang Hwang glanced at the Ghost Path Hall's camp and lowered his voice.
“You think I'd rely on Ghost Path Hall trash? They're just scenery. Lucky if they don't get in the way.”
Ju Seung-geun snorted, eyes shifting to an isolated tent.
“You don't know yet? The Sword Demon Dragon Protector came to back the Wind Demon Division. Ghost Soul Fist elder's here too.”
“Ah!”
A low exclamation escaped Gang Hwang.
He instantly understood Ju Seung-geun's overflowing confidence. To Heavenly Demon Cult members, the Sword Demon Dragon's presence was monumental.
“So guide properly—no detours with the enemy.”
“No worries there. Oh, one more thing.”
“What?”
Ju Seung-geun lifted his cup nonchalantly.
“Reports say the Divine Demon Division Leader's group—thought vanished from the Ha Hu Clan—surfaced near Biheaven Fortress.”
Ju Seung-geun froze mid-sip at 'Divine Demon Division Leader.' His face hardened.
“Reliable?”
His voice trembled slightly.
“Certain.”
“Intervening in Biheaven's fight?”
“They're with Namgung Clan and Dang Family warriors. Not sure, but that's the read.”
“Hmph! Betrayed the Cult, crawled off, now dogs for the righteous. Filth!”
Ju Seung-geun openly vented his hatred for Sima Geon, tied to his brother Ju Pung-gi's death.
“Supreme Elder knows?”
“Report's up.”
“Of all people, the Divine Demon Division Leader. Must be worried sick.”
A sigh escaped Ju Seung-geun unwittingly. Regardless of grudge, facing the Divine Demon Division Leader as foe was nightmarish.
As Ju Seung-geun foresaw, Bloodlight Demon Emperor's camp erupted at confirmation of the Divine Demon Division Leader's appearance. They debated countermeasures late into the night. Yet Sima Geon and his group set off at dawn—not toward Biheaven, but wholly elsewhere.
“You good?”
Man Chu approached Gwa Yu, tapping his shoulder.
“What?”
“Your face looks better. Was dark for days, but brighter now.”
“I've found the path forward.”
“Path forward?”
“Call it a new goal.”
“What're you on about? New goal?”
“Revenge.”
As Man Chu looked puzzled, Gwa Yu smiled faintly.
“Pondered your words last night—spot on. Finishing revenge left me hollow. Wondered how to live on, all sorts of nonsense. But hearing you're heading to the Heavenly Demon Cult made it click: my revenge isn't over.”
“Four Blood Grove and uncle are...”
“The Blood Fiend Cult.”
“Ah!”
Man Chu exclaimed.
“They used uncle to enslave the Four Blood Grove. They're next—even clashing with the Heavenly Demon Cult now, the current jianghu guarantees you'll cross them.”
“So stick by the brothers, bide time for revenge?”
“Yes.”
“That explains the quick decision. Drawing the big picture, eh?”
Man Chu grinned slyly, poking Gwa Yu's side.
“Thanks to you, brother.”
“Me?”
“Plenty left to squeeze, you said. Woke me right up. Same here—gonna milk you brothers proper.”
“Heh heh! Heh heh heh!”
Man Chu laughed uncontrollably, endlessly amused.
Cheol Woo, leading ahead, overheard and snorted.
“That's the plan?”
“Then let 'em have their way.”
A smile tugged Sima Geon's lips.
“Had some fun while we were gone?”
So Su-rin glanced back at Man Chu and Gwa Yu trailing at a distance.
“They'll wise up once they taste real heat.”
Noe Jeon grumbled but petted Black Fang, a smile playing on his face.
“Why so slow? Dawdling like this, when do we arrive?”
The sudden bellow drew eyes to Dang Cheon-hwa, far ahead.
Cheol Woo sighed, shaking his head at Dang Cheon-hwa's scowl, weed stick clenched in his teeth.
“Ha! What possessed that old man to tag along?”
“Dunno. But one thing's sure.”
“What?”
“I've got someone new to milk.”
So Su-rin beamed radiantly at Dang Cheon-hwa.
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