Chapter 100
Chapter 100
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 12
Chapter Title: Mission, Investigation (7)
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Dragon-Phoenix Squad and Seo Ye wasted no more time.
It was because of Seo Ye's early warning.
“You entered Guiju without hiding your identities. The demons must know you've arrived. If they're not fools, they'll anticipate that I requested your help. So we can't give them time to prepare by delaying any longer.”
It was a valid point.
They made minimal preparations and launched the operation late at night.
Out of the holy capital, to the nearest mountain, and between certain rocks there.
“Is this the entrance to the secret passage?”
When Dang Hwa-seo asked, Seo Ye nodded.
“Yes, it's an emergency exit known only to the sect leaders and successors through the generations. They probably don't know about access from this side.”
A drop of sweat trickled from Seo Ye's chin.
Unlike Dragon-Phoenix Squad, she was feeling the strain of this nonstop schedule from the manor.
But there was no time to delay.
Thud!
When Seo Ye threw a stone between the rocks, a small clanging sound rang out, and a space appeared between them.
Jegal San's eyes gleamed.
“Ho, a formation. Quite an advanced one.”
Even Jegal San hadn't noticed its presence until Seo Ye activated it—a cleverly concealed formation.
“Let's go.”
Seo Ye entered the passage.
“This place is…”
Mok Ri-won looked around.
It was an unmanaged passage.
A long, pitch-black cave with no light sources anywhere to illuminate the way.
When Seo Ye spoke, her voice echoed through the passage.
“You need to feel your way along the walls.”
“Is there a reason there's no light?”
“So the passage doesn't get exposed. I cleared them all out when I escaped.”
Thorough.
Dang Hwa-seo let out a small sigh of admiration as she followed behind.
After walking about an hourglass worth of time.
Seo Ye halted the squad with an even quieter voice than before.
“Beyond here is the Hao Sect's lair.”
Tension rose on the squad members' faces.
“Where does it lead?”
“Straight to the entrance of the inner sanctum.”
“Entrance? Not the center?”
“The inner sanctum can't have any back doors.”
In truth, there had been one originally.
Opening the back of the sect leader's chair in the inner sanctum room led to a different secret passage, but the previous sect leader had sealed it off, making it unusable now.
Seo Ye saw no need to mention such details and continued.
“Anyway, even if most forces are guarding the outskirts, time is tight. The secret vault is behind the bookshelf in the sect leader's room at the deepest part. We need to reach it within two hours.”
Tight didn't even begin to cover it.
Just navigating the building would take at least that long, given its size, and with combat along the way, they couldn't afford even a moment's hesitation.
Dang Hwa-seo spoke to Jegal San.
“…Jegal San, can you disrupt the reinforcements coming from the entrance?”
It was a suggestion born from the thought that blocking external forces might be easier, and after some deliberation, Jegal San replied.
“An hourglass… I think I can manage.”
An hourglass.
That would give them much more breathing room.
“Then you handle that side. Il-un Monk, please escort Jegal San with White Phoenix.”
“Understood.”
“The inner sanctum will be me, Young Hero Mok, and Sword Dragon.”
The split was 3 and 3.
No, the inner sanctum side with Seo Ye made it 4.
It pained her to divide their already small numbers further, but there was no choice.
‘Even demons won't have many at Pinnacle Realm or above. The Lust Demon in the inner sanctum—we, Young Hero Mok, and Sword Dragon can draw its attention if we charge together.’
Their goal was for Seo Ye to activate the formation.
She said that once the formation was properly triggered, there'd be no need to worry about the aftermath.
‘Just buy time.’
With that in mind, they proceeded.
“Then that's the personnel split. Let's move out.”
“Alright, opening it.”
Seo Ye placed her hand on the wall at the end of the cave.
The wall opened with a grinding 'creeeak'.
What was revealed was a sheer rock face.
This was the narrow gap between the cave and the building's rear.
*
Jegal San led Il-un and Hye-un toward the outer lair.
To set up a formation in the passage connecting the inner and outer sections.
He already knew the passage's location from Seo Ye.
Moving stealthily with lightness skill, Jegal San soon raised a hand to halt the two behind him.
“…Halt. Enemies ahead.”
Il-un and Hye-un held their breaths.
Jegal San peeked around the corner to gauge the enemies' numbers.
‘Five.’
One second-rate, four first-rate.
These were just the ones stationed directly at the gate.
Even for demons, having four first-rates guard a single gate was excessive.
As Seo Ye predicted, they were preparing for intruders.
‘But it'll all be for naught.’
They were already inside the inner sanctum.
Jegal San grinned.
“Monks.”
Calling them as such since they were both monks, the two focused on him.
“Could I ask one favor?”
“What is it?”
“Please go straight along this path to the outer section and cause a commotion there.”
Hye-un's brows furrowed.
“We came for that, but… are you sure you'll be alright?”
Jegal San was clever.
His knowledge of formations was exceptional too, so he wasn't lacking as a person.
But what worried her was still his martial prowess.
He had reached the Pinnacle Realm, but among Dragon-Phoenix Squad, his strength was the lowest.
“Five of them—you can handle it, Jegal layman, but… what if the inner sanctum hears the noise and comes out?”
Jegal San blinked at her concerned words, then chuckled and waved it off.
“What a worrywart. Mok brother and sis will handle that side.”
Doubt thickened on Il-un and Hye-un's faces.
But Jegal San stubbornly insisted.
“Don't worry about me. If it gets dangerous, I'll ditch everything and run to you two.”
“…”
Only then did the doubt fade from their faces.
Replaced by annoyance.
Jegal San's weasel-like smile deepened.
“Please?”
The two sighed and agreed.
“But don't run too soon.”
Hye-un said as she drew her sword.
Il-un did the same.
“See you shortly.”
Whoosh!
The two leaped over the wall toward the outer section.
Only then did Jegal San exhale heavily.
“Finally alone.”
He stood up.
*
“Gahk!”
“Urk!”
Thud!
The five warriors guarding the entrance collapsed simultaneously.
Jegal San wiped the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve, smiling proudly.
‘That takes care of the small fry.’
Now, to set up the formation.
But Jegal San didn't.
“How long are you gonna lurk like a pervert eavesdropping?”
He said it loud enough not to be a mutter.
Then, a man slithered out from the darkness.
A fully cloaked masked figure.
Yang Don, vice officer to the Lust Demon Yang Go-hye.
“…Sharp senses.”
“Gotta eat eye-food every day to survive.”
“You got time to act cocky?”
“Nothing says I don't.”
Jegal San grinned at the man.
“I sent my comrades away just to play with you, my 'hyungjang', so don't be so cold-hearted.”
“…”
Yang Don assessed Jegal San's demeanor.
‘Martial arts at early Pinnacle.’
Judging by the weasel-like features and smug attitude, this must be the Freak Dragon Jegal San.
Yang Don couldn't understand.
‘Deliberately staying alone…’
Even among Pinnacle experts, there were levels.
Yang Don was at mid Pinnacle, fully mature, and unlike Jegal San, he practiced demonic arts focused on destructive power over tricks.
In a head-on one-on-one, Jegal San had no chance.
‘…Overconfidence.’
Yang Don concluded.
He drew the spear strapped to his back.
Shing—
The sharp metal rang out.
“I'll end it painlessly.”
“Thanks a bunch.”
“You won't be lonely. White Phoenix and Fist Dragon outside will join you soon.”
Jegal San just kept smirking.
Yang Don scowled deeply.
“What's so funny?”
“Feels like you're overestimating yourself, hyungjang.”
“That's you.”
In that instant.
“Does it?”
A voice came from behind.
Yang Don whipped around in shock, swinging his spear.
Slash!
But he cleaved only air.
“Where you looking?”
Another voice from behind—he swung again, cleaving air once more.
“Wh-what…!”
Yang Don's face filled with bewilderment.
Jegal San stood in the same spot, yet his voice echoed from elsewhere, stirring shock.
Yang Don felt a chill.
‘Dangerous.’
No time to hesitate.
He had some hidden trick.
Boom!
He erupted his demonic qi.
Jegal San said with a smirk.
“Wanna hear an old story of mine? Nah, it's short. I can sum it up quick.”
Yang Don charged, swinging his spear.
But Jegal San's form dispersed like a mirage the moment he struck.
He reappeared behind Yang Don.
“A star's tale. The one our Namgung hyung has.”
Yang Don blasted demonic qi again, swinging.
Over and over, dozens of times, chasing Jegal San's fading form desperately.
But he couldn't catch him.
Slash!
Jegal San kept dispersing.
As if he hadn't been there to begin with.
‘What the hell!’
What technique was this?
‘Formation?’
Had he set one up already?
No, no time for that.
Yang Don had been watching him since he appeared alone.
‘Footwork?’
Jegal footwork was said to be profound.
Using that?
‘…No.’
No footwork could evade like this, no matter how superior.
His own martial arts were far stronger.
Confusion mounted.
An inexplicable unease crept in.
Amid it, Jegal San's words continued.
“A lonely star. One that must be lonely.”
Slash!
Yang Don swung wildly.
“A child born under that star. Loved his mother dearly.”
Chasing the mirage would reach the real body eventually.
That's what he thought as he swung.
“The child was happy. Before knowing the star dwelled in him. Warm mother's embrace, wealthy home, sharp mind—every day joyful.”
But he couldn't reach.
Yang Don chased only illusions.
“Happiness didn't last. The star's fault.”
Yang Don stopped.
In that instant.
Stab—!
Three long blades pierced through his chest.
“Cough…!”
Blood poured from Yang Don's mouth.
He turned his head.
Behind him, Jegal San smirked, whispering.
“You'll be eternally lonely.”
Jegal San's right hand bore a strange weapon.
Arm guards wrapping forearm and hand.
Three thin blades like claws on the back.
Claw Gauntlet.
Yang Don glared into Jegal San's eyes, jaw clenched against the trembling.
‘Black.’
Human pupils are black.
But these were too black.
No light from the world could shine within.
Yang Don knew such eyes.
“…Isolation Star.”
The star that leads its bearer to solitude.
The cursed star that dooms all the bearer loves.
This man was its owner.
Jegal San smiled faintly.
“You know it?”
Shunk—!
Jegal San withdrew the Claw Gauntlet, and Yang Don collapsed.
Now he could finally see Jegal San clearly.
‘…Pinnacle's edge.’
He stood at Pinnacle's precipice.
One more step to Peak Realm.
Yang Don realized.
‘Careless.’
He judged hastily due to inferior inner energy.
He lacked only in inner energy.
As Jegal San said, overconfidence.
“Originally, two knew this tale.”
Jegal San leaned down, looking at Yang Don.
He recalled.
His mother's words in childhood.
-Don't tell a soul, son.
“…One, then two again today.”
-Smile. You take after this mother—your smile is so pretty.
Jegal San smiled bitterly.
“But now just one again.”
Yang Don's vision blurred.
In it, he thought.
‘…Dangerous.’
This man was too dangerous.
With that thought, Yang Don's life faded.
At the spot where Yang Don lay as a corpse.
Jegal San gazed at him and murmured.
“Sorry. Been feeling stuffy lately—wanted to vent somewhere.”