Chapter 88
Chapter 88
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 88
Chapter Title: The Beggars (3)
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“Th-that Diamond Yaksha!”
The three men who had chased after Manchu spotted Cheol Woo and cried out in shock.
“Well, look at that. Some guys who know me.”
Cheol Woo strode toward the men, who were exchanging uneasy glances, unsure what to do.
“Fall back.”
The men, who knew Cheol Woo's ferocity all too well, turned tail without hesitation.
It wasn't fear. They had joined this expedition for revenge in the first place. It was just that clashing head-on with him as three against one was too dangerous, so they were pulling back for now. They wanted vengeance, not a dog's death.
“Who said you could? You came on your own whim, but you're not leaving on it.”
With no intention of letting them go easily, Cheol Woo charged like a fierce tiger.
“Scatter!”
Once the Diamond Yaksha was set on them, none of the three would escape unscathed. But even he couldn't chase down all three fleeing in different directions, or so they figured.
“What bullshit.”
Cheol Woo sneered coldly and thrust his fists toward the men scattering left and right.
A gust of wind rose.
The wind from his fists swelled into a storm, pursuing the fleeing men.
“Krahk!”
One man caught in the storm screamed in agony.
Damn it all!
Gwak Woo's face twisted in despair. He had joined the expedition for the revival and revenge of the Jek Yeom Clan.
Even twisting his body to defend as best he could, it was hard to endure. He'd saved his life, fortunately, but his left shoulder, grazed by the storm, was completely crushed.
A death rattle echoed from the left as well.
Gwak Woo laboriously turned his head. He saw Mun Hwang, who had fled opposite him, slammed into the ground. His state looked even worse than Gwak Woo's mangled shoulder.
What about Dong Gyo?
Gwak Woo's gaze searched for Dong Gyo.
Far off, Dong Gyo had shrunk to a mere dot, vanishing into the distance. He had taken a hit too, his movements nothing like his usual grace, but it seemed he would escape the Diamond Yaksha's grasp alive.
Right then, a single streak of light sliced through the air, shattering that notion as mere delusion.
The beam, reflecting moonlight as it flew, pierced Dong Gyo's body. Gwak Woo involuntarily squeezed his eyes shut. Then, spotting the man who had unleashed the light, he glared with venomous fury and bellowed.
“Divine Demon Division Leader! Diamond Yaksha! Soon, not just you bastards, but everyone here will die in excruciating agony!”
“Ha! Loose lips. Let's see if you can keep yapping after I rip that mouth open.”
As Cheol Woo approached like he meant to devour him, Gwak Woo slowly raised his hand.
“Kuhahaha! I won't entrust my life to you. Wait for me in hell!”
Gwak Woo spat his curse and brought his Thousand Spirit Claw down on himself, ending his life.
“What an idiot, bullshitting to the end.”
Cheol Woo irritably kicked Gwak Woo's corpse.
“This one's dead too.”
Noe Jeon flipped Mun Hwang's body over and grimaced.
“Yeah? He wasn't that far gone.”
“This one took his own life too. Tough bastards. No need to check the one the Division Leader got.”
Noe Jeon glanced briefly at Dong Gyo's corpse sprawled far away, then turned to Manchu, slumped in Sima Geon's arms.
“Guess we'll have to ask that guy what these punks were about.”
As if on cue, Manchu, who had been unconscious, stirred back to awareness.
“You with us?”
Sima Geon asked worriedly.
“B-brother...”
Manchu, recognizing Sima Geon, blinked laboriously.
“What happened? How'd you end up like this?”
“Hea... Heavenly Demon... Cult... ambushed... hostages... the Supreme... Elder... to them...”
“What? Supreme Elder—you mean that Joo Yu Geol freak got taken by them?”
Ha Hu Gok rushed over shouting, but Manchu couldn't continue and passed out again.
“Chief, if I heard right, he definitely said Heavenly Demon Cult.”
“Yeah.”
“No wonder they recognized us.”
Cheol Woo furrowed his brow.
“They here for that item?”
Noe Jeon asked, thinking of the Heavenly Demon Pill.
“Probably. Or maybe because of the Red Dragon Gang.”
Cheol Woo snorted at Sima Geon's words.
“Move for just the Red Dragon Gang? Nah, no way. They're scheming to reclaim the Heavenly Demon Pill for sure.”
“We'll see soon enough. Anyway, this guy's wounds look bad.”
Noe Jeon examined Manchu's injuries as he spoke.
Lifting the blood-soaked clothes slightly revealed a deep gash.
The diagonal slash from his right shoulder across his back to the left waist was chilling to behold. Blood poured endlessly from the gape over half an inch wide.
“Ran pretty good lugging this around.”
Cheol Woo yanked out the dagger deeply embedded in Manchu's thigh.
“No! Don't just pull it out like...”
Ha Hu Yeon watching on yelped in alarm, but in a blink, Cheol Woo had removed the dagger, torn cloth to bind the wound, and somehow stanched the bleeding instantly.
“Don't just what?”
Cheol Woo turned to ask, and Ha Hu Yeon gave an awkward smile, shaking his head.
“Nothing. You're amazing.”
“Get lost. Chief, to treat him proper, we should head to Clear Heart Clinic. Since they're probably coming here, better send him ahead.”
“Yeah.”
“Who should go? He's out cold—he'll be heavy.”
Saying so, his eyes were already fixed on Yong Jung.
As Cheol Woo opened his mouth toward Yong Jung, Gwa Yu shouted with a stiff face.
“Brothers! This isn't the time. We need to hurry—now!”
“Eh, wounds are bad, but not that dire. Even if they hit us right away, no big deal.”
Cheol Woo waved dismissively, acting casual, but Gwa Yu's expression grew graver.
“That's not it!”
Gwa Yu bellowed, looking ready to grab Cheol Woo by the collar.
“Think about what Manchu said earlier. Heavenly Demon Cult, ambush, hostages.”
“Hostages?”
“He said they were after hostages. Think—who here could be a hostage?”
Before Gwa Yu finished, Sima Geon scooped up Manchu and bolted upright.
A chilling aura swept the surroundings. The pressure was so intense no one could even breathe.
“I'll go.”
“Chief! Why all of a sudden...”
Cheol Woo tilted his head, not grasping the situation as he watched Sima Geon dash off like the wind. Then his eyes sharpened.
“Those crazy bastards! They're after Jina!”
Only then did Cheol Woo grasp Gwa Yu's meaning and roar. But Sima Geon was already gone.
“Shouldn't we go too?”
Noe Jeon asked worriedly.
“Us? Why?”
Cheol Woo shot back.
“Enemies' numbers unknown, and little bro might be in danger, so obviously...”
“Idiot! Been off the battlefield so long you've lost your edge?”
“Huh?”
“Forgot who the Division Leader is?”
“No, but...”
“Saw it just now, right? Haven't seen the Chief that murderous in ages. Whoa, gives me chills.”
“Heh heh, yeah.”
Noe Jeon rubbed his goosebumped arms unconsciously.
“Hostages? Tsk tsk, of all people, they go after that kid. Idiots! They're begging to die. If it were me, I'd off myself early like them.”
Cheol Woo muttered a prayer for the souls(?) of those who dared kidnap Sima Jin, then approached the Sima brothers, Sima Hyeon and Sima Ho.
“You get the gist? Looks like some lunatics are coming. Might get dangerous, so best hide out for a bit.”
“No. If we split up and get caught, what then? Better to stay here.”
Cheol Woo nodded, seeing sense in Ha Hu Gok's words.
“Elder's right. If they're dead set on this, they'll be watching every inch around. Get nabbed for nothing, and it's a headache. Brave brothers, better stay put.”
Unlike Cheol Woo's joking tone, the two brothers huddled in fear and worry for Sima Jin, faces pale and unyielding.
“We'll be okay, right?”
Sima Hyeon hugged the trembling Sima Ho tightly, asking anxiously.
“Who? Us? Or Jina?”
“Everyone.”
“Don't worry. Whoever they are, won't lay a finger on you. And quit fretting over little bro. Your big bro here's got it.”
Cheol Woo grinned, clapping a pot-lid-sized hand on Sima Ho's still-shaking shoulder.
“He's strong—like, insanely strong.”
In that instant, Sima Ho's trembling stopped as if by magic. And right on cue, the enemies began to appear.
“Get in the room. Hey, you too.”
“I can fight.”
Unlike Yong Jung, who quietly followed Sima Hyeon and Sima Ho into the room, Gwa Yu refused.
“I know you can. But not now. Go. You'll just get in the way.”
Gwa Yu bit his lip at Cheol Woo's firm tone but turned away in the end.
“I'll stay.”
Fearing he'd be told to go too, Ha Hu Yeon quickly piped up.
“Crazy bastard. Obviously. With the elder here, how could the grandson hide comfy?”
Cheol Woo snickered and sidled up to the sullen Ha Hu Yeon.
“Watch the elder good. He's pretty riled up.”
Ha Hu Yeon startled and nodded.
“Noe Jeon.”
“Yes, Deputy Leader.”
Noe Jeon replied, face sharp and ready.
“Kid, looking more like your old self. You guard there.”
Noe Jeon nodded toward the firmly shut door.
“Got it.”
“The elder...”
Cheol Woo started toward Ha Hu Gok but shut his mouth quietly. The elder's icy glare at the stealthily approaching foes warned against needless words.
A moment that felt endlessly short yet long passed, and then nearly forty men, led by the Vagrant Heavenly Light Demon Pung Cheon Noe, surrounded them.
“Well, damn. Thought some beggars were hunting us, turns out it's the old fart whose legs the Chief snapped like twigs for showing off with his puny skills.”
Cheol Woo mocked, but Pung Cheon Noe didn't flinch. Instead, he calmly scanned the area and spoke.
“It's been a while, Diamond Yaksha.”
“What been a while? Couple years at most. Legs okay?”
“What do you think?”
Pung Cheon Noe spread his arms wide.
“Regrettably, they look fine.”
“Heaven understood this old man's thirst for revenge on you lot.”
“Bullshit! That's why I said I should've cut 'em off clean... Ah! But you had that proxy, right?”
Cheol Woo's gaze dropped to Pung Cheon Noe's crotch.
“Legs might mend, but that burst one? Tough to recover. Right?”
A crack appeared in Pung Cheon Noe's calm facade.
“Keep talking if you wanna die.”
“Idiot! You came to kill me anyway, didn't you? Heh heh! Getting pissed confirms it got wrecked good. Voice sounds thinner too.”
“You dare!”
As Pung Cheon Noe's breathing grew ragged, an old man from the rear stepped forward.
“The Diamond Yaksha, once without equal under heaven, has grown quite the silver tongue. Back then, a fist would've flown first.”
“Eh, all ancient history. Long time no see, elder.”
Cheol Woo greeted the old man with a rotten grin.
That Smiling Face Killer bastard! And even the One Sword Life-Taker old coot!
When another elder emerged behind Smiling Face Killer, even Cheol Woo tensed. Smiling Face Killer was bad enough, but One Sword Life-Taker Jong Chu was a powerhouse he acknowledged.
More than that, they're blood enemies with us.
As Cheol Woo's smile faded, Smiling Face Killer, still scanning, spoke up.
“No sign of the Divine Demon Division Leader—must've gone to that Clear Heart Clinic.”
Hearing Clear Heart Clinic from Smiling Face Killer's lips confirmed Gwa Yu's prediction, and Cheol Woo sighed in relief.
“Doesn't matter. I can handle you old farts alone.”
Cheol Woo bellowed confidently.
Chief, might need to hurry a bit.