Chapter 195
For a moment, Baek Jeon-cheon doubted his own ears.
"Did you say it won't be difficult?"
"That's correct. Then, I shall take my leave immediately."
"W-wait a moment. Young Hero Bu."
"It's fine."
Bu Eun-seol smiled faintly.
Having served in the Kill-Seeking Unit himself, he was intimately familiar with the affairs of every sect in the martial world.
Even without Baek Jeon-cheon's explanation, he understood perfectly how absurd this mission was. Yet he didn't voice a single complaint.
"Had it not been a sect from Shaanxi, I might have given up."
"Pardon?"
"Please summon all members of the Rootless Squad to the training grounds."
When Baek Jeon-cheon's expression showed utter incomprehension, Bu Eun-seol answered only with a smile curling at his lips.
It was merely a simple smile.
Yet it inspired greater confidence than any solemn vow declaring, "I'll complete this mission even if it costs my life!"
'Just how does he plan to do this?'
As the leader of the Myriad Learning Society, he was a strategist who could see several moves ahead of others.
But Bu Eun-seol's thoughts remained utterly inscrutable to him.
'I can't remember the last time I felt this way.'
The Demon Hall had countless martial artists of exceptional skill, but rarely did one possess multiple talents simultaneously.
Moreover, Bu Eun-seol wasn't the type to deliver results slowly.
Perhaps from the moment he called for the Rootless Squad, every stratagem had already been prepared.
'I look forward to this. I wonder how he'll unravel this situation.'
He was intensely curious about how Bu Eun-seol would approach the mission.
"Very well. I'll have the Rootless Squad assembled at the training grounds immediately."
Baek Jeon-cheon smiled broadly.
Already sensing how the martial world would soon be turned upside down once again.
Every sect has its misfits. Naturally, the Demon Hall was no exception.
Rebellious brats who disobeyed the chain of command.
Eccentrics whose peculiar mental worlds made them unable to blend with others.
The cynical or timid who avoided human interaction altogether.
Those whose personalities and behavior had deteriorated beyond the point of socializing, and so on...
Young martial artists of the Demon Hall who'd been ostracized from their factions for various reasons were all assigned to one place—the Rootless Squad.
And they weren't given missions. If one was assigned, it meant only one thing.
Disposable deployment.
After all, useless cards are always discarded without hesitation when the time comes.
"Commander of the Rootless Squad? This is ridiculous."
Hyeok So-jin, walking shoulder-to-shoulder with Bu Eun-seol toward the training grounds, couldn't hide his incredulous expression.
"They're giving us a brigade full of good-for-nothing brats and telling us to drive the Demon Rebel Gate out of Shaanxi? Even the Mount Hua Sect thinks twice before touching that place!"
"..."
"And on top of that, we're supposed to kill their sect leader who's holed up in their inner sanctum? Haven't you heard the Demon Rebel Gate has over three thousand members?"
Though Hyeok So-jin vented his frustration loudly, Bu Eun-seol kept walking as if he hadn't heard a word.
Truthfully, he'd anticipated a trial of this magnitude.
In fact, he was almost grateful to be given even a single armed brigade.
He'd even prepared to go alone with just Hyeok So-jin.
Murmur murmur.
As they neared the training grounds, the sounds of idle chatter grew louder. About thirty martial artists were sprawled about haphazardly.
They ranged from youths who'd barely passed their capping ceremony to men nearing their thirties.
Some even had bloodshot eyes, as if still drunk from the night before.
"Damn it. Of all people, we get stuck taking orders from some inheritor of Langya Pavilion."
A man squatting on the ground spat out the words irritably.
"And not even a proper successor at that? Rumor has it he's just one of those Ten Demonic Heirs recruits."
At this, the other martial artists nearby sighed and muttered among themselves.
"Either the Demonic Path Ten Gates have it out for him, or they've straight up given him a suicide mission."
"Goddammit, we've been scraping by eating scraps of respect. And now they're throwing us away in one fell swoop."
Thud thud.
Hearing approaching footsteps, the murmuring Rootless Squad members turned to look.
Spotting Bu Eun-seol and Hyeok So-jin, they reluctantly rose to their feet with sour expressions.
The oldest-looking among them—a man with hollow, sunken eyes—stepped forward and spoke.
"Young Hero Bu of Langya Pavilion?"
"That's correct."
When Bu Eun-seol nodded, Jo Nam-cheon's eyebrows twitched.
Even if this was a successor candidate of the Demon Hall, being addressed so curtly by someone younger rubbed him the wrong way.
"Interim Commander of the Rootless Squad, Jo Nam-cheon, at your service."
Though he clasped his hands in greeting, his posture was sloppy, and his expression was twisted as if he'd eaten something rotten.
"Ah, my mistake. Now that Young Hero Bu has taken command of the Rootless Squad, I suppose I'm just an ordinary member again."
He grumbled under his breath before glancing at Hyeok So-jin and speaking.
"And the person beside you is..."
"Hyeok So-jin."
When Hyeok So-jin replied in informal speech just like Bu Eun-seol, Jo Nam-cheon smirked and said,
"Are you a personage of the Demon Hall?"
"No."
"What a shame."
Jo Nam-cheon grinned crookedly.
"If you were also affiliated with the Demon Hall, you would've undoubtedly become a figure of the main unit."
"Ridiculous. As the successor of the Heaven-Severing, Earth-Destroying, why would I ever belong to the Demon Hall?"
"Oh-ho, so you're the successor of Heaven-Severing, Earth-Destroying?"
Jo Nam-cheon clasped his hands together again toward Hyeok So-jin, as if noticing him for the first time.
"It's an honor to meet you."
Though his tone was polite, his expression was bored, and a yawn slipped through. The intention to deliberately slight him was obvious.
"Why are you yawning in my face?"
"I didn't sleep well last night, so I'm tired."
"I can wake you up real quick."
"Now that's something to look forward to."
As Hyeok So-jin and Jo Nam-cheon glared at each other, their eyes blazing, Bu Eun-seol stepped forward and spoke.
"Is this the entire Rootless Squad?"
"That's correct."
Bu Eun-seol scrutinized the faces of the Rootless Squad members one by one, all of them slouched in their seats.
It was like looking at a pile of miscellaneous goods strewn across a marketplace.
Some glared at him with hostility, while others couldn't even lift their gaze, heads bowed.
Some carried weapons, while others wore hidden weapon devices, protective garments like the Bronze Shell Armor, or even Shape-Condensing Hidden Weapons concealed within their bodies.
"Good."
When Bu Eun-seol nodded in satisfaction, Hyeok So-jin beside him opened his mouth.
"Good, you say?"
"Each of them has strong individuality."
Bu Eun-seol replied flatly.
"Individuality can be a weapon. In the martial world."
"It could also be the trigger for self-destruction. Especially in group operations."
Ignoring Hyeok So-jin's criticism, Bu Eun-seol stood before the Rootless Squad members.
Noticing this, Jo Nam-cheon, who had been eyeing him warily, gestured subtly to a few of the unit members and murmured,
"Stand up and form ranks."
But Bu Eun-seol waved his hand dismissively and spoke calmly.
"No need to force them up."
Baring his white teeth in a smile, he added,
"Whether lying down or standing, their ears are still open."
Hearing this, the unit members' eyes gleamed as they looked at Bu Eun-seol.
They realized he wasn't someone who thought in ordinary terms either.
"I am Bu Eun-seol, now the commander of the Rootless Squad."
Sweeping his solemn gaze over the members, he spoke in a low voice.
"You will leave the Demon Hall with me and head to Yulin."
—Yulin? The Yulin in Shaanxi?
As the members exchanged glances and frowned, Bu Eun-seol continued.
"It is the order of the Demonic Heavenly Emperor—to drive the Demon Rebel Gate out of Shaanxi, kill its leader, and spread the majesty of the Demon Hall far and wide."
At his words, the faces of the Rootless Squad members twisted mercilessly.
"With just this many people, you expect us to drive out the Demon Rebel Gate, which has over three thousand members, from Shaanxi?"
"Damn it, they're just telling us to die."
"How about this, Commander? Why don't you give up being a successor candidate? Then we can go back to handling normal missions."
At the blunt remarks from some of the members, Bu Eun-seol only grinned wider, flashing his white teeth.
"Exactly the kind of reactions I expected. Must be that rotten way of thinking of yours."
A heavy silence instantly swept through the training grounds.
Bu Eun-seol swept his gaze over them once more and spoke in a low voice.
"Don't worry. I've seen plenty of idiots like you—who think they're special—since I was a child. More than enough to last a lifetime."
In an instant, killing intent surged from the eyes of the Rootless Squad members.
They had simply been unable to blend in with others due to various circumstances.
They were far from being weak in martial arts or lacking in intelligence.
Some among them even had high-status backgrounds that made it impossible for them to integrate with the rest.
And yet, this Bu Eun-seol—barely older than them—had just outright denied their very existence?
"Commander."
Unable to stand by, Jo Nam-cheon spoke in a low voice, advising him.
"You can do whatever else, but it's best not to trample on the unit members' pride."
"Pride?"
"I know you're a prodigy of Langya Pavilion, but... the Rootless Squad also has members with special backgrounds."
Jo Nam-cheon, still grinning, pointed at a young man who had been keeping his head bowed the entire time.
"That member over there, the one covering his eyes with his bangs—Wi Cheon-gyeong—is the half-brother of the Heavenly Slaughter Unit Commander. And that one over there, carrying twin swords—Won Se-mun—is the grandson of the Three Secrets Pavilion Master, who oversees the mechanisms of the Main Hall. Do you understand what I'm saying?"
"You're being ridiculous."
Bu Eun-seol let out a cold laugh as he spoke in a low voice.
"What possible status could lumps of flesh who merely carry out my orders have?"
At those words, flames seemed to ignite in the eyes of the twin-sworded youth, Won Se-mun.
"What did you just say?"
"You heard me."
"Hmph, is this how you plan to control us from the start? How childish."
As Won Se-mun scoffed with regained composure, Bu Eun-seol replied impassively,
"Listen well. The only reason I've been appointed temporary commander is by order of the Demonic Heavenly Emperor. In other words, I have absolutely no expectations of you."
In that instant, an icy chill seemed to sweep across the training grounds.
"Then why bother taking soldiers you don't even expect anything from?"
To this question from Han So-ung—a unit member wearing bronze plate armor at the rear—Bu Eun-seol answered,
"I told you. To take along lumps of flesh who will obey the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's decree and execute my orders. And..."
His eyes, radiating cold energy, now gleamed with a sinister blood light.
"Don't make me repeat myself."
Witnessing Bu Eun-seol's terrifying aura, the Rootless Squad members displayed three distinct reactions:
Some looked surprised, as if caught off guard. Others nodded as if acknowledging his point.
And some glared back with hostile eyes.
'As I thought...'
Bu Eun-seol meticulously memorized each face among these three groups.
After a moment of deep contemplation, he nodded to himself.
'There aren't many who can be subdued by force alone.'
The Demon Hall teemed with masters of extraordinary skill.
If these men were the type who could be won over by displays of martial prowess—
They would never have been dragged into the Rootless Squad in the first place.
—"People each have words they long to hear."
A phrase spoken by Sim Wol, a disciple of the Myriad Erudition Hall whom Bu Eun-seol had encountered in the Demon Hall.
—"And when you give them those words... they'll always remember you as a good person."
All humans possess a powerful desire for recognition from others.
Especially those with violent, rebellious temperaments.
"You."
Bu Eun-seol's finger pointed directly at Won Se-mun, who had challenged him earlier.
When Bu Eun-seol's gaze met his squarely, the young man actually smirked.
His posture suggested he wouldn't hesitate to turn everything upside down if force were used.
"Got something to say?"
"You carry twin swords, so from now on you'll be called Twin Swords."
"What?"
"And you're now First Squad's group leader."
"G-group leader?"
Without pausing, Bu Eun-seol's finger moved to indicate the nine unit members who had been glaring at him most defiantly.
"You nine are now First Squad members. Fall in behind Twin Swords."
The selected members' expressions grew even more hostile.
Yet when Bu Eun-seol's demeanor remained unchanged, they reluctantly lined up behind Won Se-mun.
But something was odd. Won Se-mun's eyes had subtly changed after receiving the title of group leader.
Instead of rebelliousness, they now held bewilderment and confusion.
"Why make me group leader?"
"Among the foul-tempered bastards, you're the strongest."
For a moment, Won Se-mun seemed at a loss for words, his mouth hanging open.
"Hmph, whatever then."
Clearing his throat, he turned away with a scoff.
"But remember this well! I'm following the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's orders, not yours!"
Despite his words, a faint glimmer of pleasure shone in his eyes.
Those with violent dispositions and pride in their martial arts crave a position superior to others.
And when Bu Eun-seol acknowledged his martial prowess by giving him authority, he couldn't help but feel pleased.
'The violent and simple-minded are easier to handle.'
Bu Eun-seol understood human nature as deeply as an eighty-year-old sage.
By giving authority to the most hot-tempered and skilled fighter—and tasking him with managing the rebellious members—he'd naturally take responsibility for keeping them in line.
"Bangs."
Bu Eun-seol pointed at Wi Cheon-gyeong, who stood staring at the ground with his long bangs covering his eyes.
"From now on, you'll be called Bangs. And you're Second Squad's group leader."
Yet the young man remained motionless, head bowed as if hearing nothing.
"Understood?"
"Can't do it. A squad leader or anything."
Wi Cheon-gyeong shook his head.
"I'm not as strong as Won Se-mun."
"I didn't choose you for strength. Shut up and accept it."
Then Bu Eun-seol began pointing at unit members one by one.
"And you nine belong to Second Squad too. Line up behind him."
Those selected all shared slender builds and long legs.
For an instant, Wi Cheon-gyeong's eyes flickered with realization.
'This man...'
Every member Bu Eun-seol had chosen not only resembled Wi Cheon-gyeong physically—they shared his specialty.
All possessed movement arts far surpassing their peers.
'Can he really discern someone's cultivated internal power just by looking?'