Chapter 53
Chapter 53
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 53
Chapter Title: Destroy the Great Bow Sect (2)
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“The Ghost Bow Unit first?”
Jo Baekho's pupils dilated sharply at the proposal to strike the Ghost Bow Unit first.
“That's right.”
“But...”
Jo Baekho hesitated, lost in thought for a moment.
He had invested so much effort in recruiting the Ghost Bow Unit that he felt conflicted, wondering if it was right to wipe them out—whether by his own will or necessity.
“What's there to hesitate about? The Ghost Bow Unit already betrayed the Great Bow Sect and attacked your disciples.”
Upon hearing Gyuho's words, Jo Baekho suddenly realized something.
Ah, the Hang Mountain Sect still has no idea what happened between the Ghost Bow Unit and the main Great Bow Sect.
The Ghost Bow Unit's attack on the Great Bow Sect wasn't mere betrayal—it was survival against a Great Bow Sect ambush. But Gyuho and the Hang Mountain Sect believed it was treachery.
Thus, Jo Baekho sorted out his confused thoughts like this:
Division Leader Go Inpyo and our disciples tried to deal with the Ghost Bow Unit but got caught in their guerrilla tactics instead. The Hang Mountain Sect witnessed it and now wants to side with us again to save themselves.
With his reasoning neatly organized, Jo Baekho thought.
He'd come too far to claim the Ghost Bow Unit now.
He resolved to join forces with the Hang Mountain Sect and eliminate them.
And one more thing.
“No matter how fierce the Ghost Bow Unit is, we know the terrain of Hang Mountain well. We'll lure them to our sect's Outer Hall building, so do whatever you want with them—roast or boil.”
“Then... what does the Hang Mountain Sect gain? Don't you get nothing out of it?”
Jo Baekho, ever suspicious as befitted his shady nature, habitually doubted others.
He assumed everyone was as duplicitous as he was.
“Good question. In exchange for helping eliminate the Ghost Bow Unit, we propose a temporary halt to hostilities between our sect and the Great Bow Sect.”
“Halt hostilities?”
“Yes. If you agree, we'll send letters throughout the Central Plains acknowledging the Great Bow Sect as Shanxi's premier sect. We'll even declare our gates sealed during the truce.”
Siiiik!
At the condition he'd longed for, Jo Baekho turned away with a beaming smile.
Surpassing the Hang Mountain Sect to become Shanxi's top sect was the long-cherished dream of his predecessors, wasn't it?
And with the Hang Mountain Sect sealing their gates, the terms were more than satisfactory.
Their submissive stance left no room for doubt.
Well, with the Hang Mountain Sect on the brink of collapse, what's a gate-sealing to them?
Greedy as he was, Jo Baekho felt a pang at the thought of the soon-to-fall Hang Mountain Sect, but he shook it off.
Now was the time to focus on the Ghost Bow Unit—their superior techniques and forces—not the Hang Mountain Sect.
Once the Ghost Bow Unit is dealt with, next is the Hang Mountain Sect. Your turn.
Only after harboring such sinister plans did he magnanimously reply.
“Even as neighbors in Shanxi Province, how could we ignore your plight? We gladly accept your proposal.”
Hang Mountain Sect Leader Gyuho bristled inwardly at the obvious hypocrisy.
Wasn't the Great Bow Sect—and the Ghost Bow Unit—the cause of their troubles?
It was absurd that they knew yet postured like that for face.
Just you wait.
Gyuho forced a smile, biding his time.
“Good. If we don't hurry, Division Leader Go Inpyo's forces will be wiped out. Let's move.”
With Gyuho and the Hang Mountain Sect, the treacherous Hang Mountain terrain was as good as mapped.
Thus, Jo Baekho brought the Great Bow Sect's strongest forces and followed Gyuho and the Hang Mountain Sect leaders up the mountain.
It couldn't be a trap, could it?
In the dead of night, as they began the arduous climb through the pitch-black path, such doubts arose—but they faded quickly.
No matter how he calculated, his forces with Jo Baekho outnumbered Gyuho and the Hang Mountain Sect elites by at least twofold.
Besides, Go Inpyo and over a hundred archers were still on Hang Mountain, so reinforcements were no worry.
His concerns were unfounded.
“This is our sect's Outer Hall. We don't usually let outsiders in, but we trust the Great Bow Sect and its leader, so we'll escort you inside.”
Suspicious Jo Baekho inwardly questioned their motives, but the Hang Mountain Sect trusted the Great Bow Sect so thoroughly that his doubts felt shameful.
For instance, they handed over the entire Outer Hall building.
“If doubts linger, my men and our forces will drive every last Ghost Bow Unit member this way. There might be Great Bow Sect survivors mixed in front, so identify friend from foe before unleashing your attacks.”
Even the perilous task of luring the Ghost Bow Unit—they volunteered for it. His suspicions shattered completely.
“Oh, perfect. Then we'll leave it to you.”
Jo Baekho, triumphant, already treated the Hang Mountain Sect as subordinates, acting from the superior position.
Gyuho trembled inwardly at the sight but showed no sign.
Let's see if you can make that face later.
Seething silently, he led his men and hurried off.
The 'real plan' was about to unfold anyway, and this was his last test of patience.
“Let's go!”
Gyuho signaled his men, then vanished back into Hang Mountain's darkness.
How much time passed?
About the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.
Thud thud thud!
In the moonless night, where visibility was poor, urgent footsteps approached.
“Finally... they're here!”
Convinced it was the lured Ghost Bow Unit, Jo Baekho signaled his men to prepare.
Swoosh!
The Great Bow Sect elites promptly drew their massive greatbows, nocking arrows, ready to loose at any moment.
Jo Baekho planned to eradicate them without mercy if they resisted fiercely.
“Hold! Those are our Great Bow Sect disciples!”
Shockingly, those rushing in with footsteps were none other than fellow Great Bow Sect forces.
They looked ragged from hardships at Hang Mountain's foothills—hair disheveled, covered in dust and dirt.
“I am Great Bow Sect Leader, Blood Heaven Bow Fiend Jo Baekho! Disciples, over here!”
Jo Baekho guided the battered vanguard survivors one by one to his side.
Then.
Here they come at last!
He spotted a group in black uniforms with composite bows, gleefully pursuing the Great Bow Sect survivors.
Judging this the perfect chance to crush the Ghost Bow Unit, Jo Baekho began.
“Everyone, no—”
His excited voice, on the verge of ordering the arrow volley from his nocked troops.
Something Jo Baekho never expected—and Gyuho perfectly anticipated—happened.
The ragged 'survivors' suddenly turned.
Krunch!
Slash!
As if waiting, they drew blades and abruptly slashed at the Great Bow Sect elites poised with arrows.
What in the world was this?
And if not Great Bow Sect, who were they?
“Wh-what is this? Fellow disciples attacking each other?!”
Jo Baekho was so stunned he wondered if he'd ever been this shocked in his life.
Not even if his dead parents returned.
With trembling voice, he barely asked.
“Fellow disciples? We're not from the pathetic Great Bow Sect—we're Ghost Sword Manor and Hang Mountain Sect rabble.”
A playful tone mocking Jo Baekho.
It was, of course, the Heavenly Demon Gunryong and Ghost Shadow Sword Yang Hui-gun.
And the Hang Mountain Sect forces.
“Hang Mountain Sect?!”
Mention of his new allies left Jo Baekho disbelieving—until a mud-and-dust-smeared man stepped forward beside the Heavenly Demon.
Swipe swipe!
Wiping off the disguise to reveal his true face, Jo Baekho recoiled in horror.
“You're Sect Leader Gyuho? Why...”
“Why? Obviously.”
Gyuho grinned alongside the Heavenly Demon.
Undoubtedly, the most exhilarating laugh since becoming Hang Mountain Sect Leader.
“You got played, fool.”
Gyuho savored the thrill of victory rising from his dantian, recalling the moment Gunryong and Cheokcheon arrived.
Black-Clothed Bow King Cheokcheon agreed with First Heavenly Demon Gunryong's view and resolved to strike the Great Bow Sect alongside the Hang Mountain Sect.
The moment he went to persuade their leader, One Pine Hermit Gyuho.
“Wh-what happened to leave so many corpses?!”
Perfectly timed—the Hang Mountain Sect Leader Gyuho and executives were patrolling due to the Heavenly Demon's commotion.
Spotting over a hundred Great Bow Sect corpses during patrol, they couldn't believe their eyes.
Did heavenly punishment strike them with lightning or something?
Even such absurd thoughts crossed their minds.
“Are you the Hang Mountain Sect Leader?”
Meeting Gyuho sooner than expected, Cheokcheon approached, pleased.
Startled!
Unaware of others deeper in, Gyuho and the Hang Mountain warriors drew weapons in alarm.
“Who are you?”
“Great Bow Sect disciples?”
The Hang Mountain folk took the Heavenly Demon's group for Great Bow Sect come to retrieve bodies.
The darkness obscured visibility, making friend-foe distinction hard.
“We're the Ghost Bow Unit.”
“What? Ghost Bow Unit?!”
Having massacred Hang Mountain warriors that very morning, their name stirred ill will—but Cheokcheon revealed all.
“We've finally found a lord worth truly following. Our goal isn't Hang Mountain anymore; we're heading to Ghost Sword Manor's Dome Green Mountain.”
Sudden departure claims drew suspicion, but with Ghost Shadow Sword Yang Hui-gun, Ghost Sword Manor heir, and the Heavenly Demon—who produced these corpses—revealed, they had no choice but to believe.
Plus generous terms sealed the deal. Facing a Ghost Bow Unit-Great Bow Sect pincer with only a week's endurance left, Hang Mountain couldn't refuse.
The Heavenly Demon's sole aim of destroying the Great Bow Sect appealed, especially absorbing its remnants.
“All I ask of the Hang Mountain Sect Leader is one thing: lure and meet the Great Bow Sect Leader.”
“Blood Heaven Bow Fiend Jo Baekho is no pushover, and his elite archers are formidable...”
Doubting if a small group could take Jo Baekho's forces, the Heavenly Demon pointed to the hundred-odd Great Bow Sect dead.
“They were tough too. Until they all dropped dead.”
Gyuho, not witnessing it himself, remained half-doubting.
“Just trick and lure them in, Sect Leader. I'll handle the rest.”
The Heavenly Demon, Yang Hui-gun, Cheokcheon, and the entire Ghost Bow Unit laughed confidently of total victory.