Chapter 131
Chapter 131
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 131
Chapter Title: A Bit Rough
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The 7th Squad Leader of the Heavenly Sword Group was meeting with Jin Sahong.
Jin Sahong had been spending his days in a frantic rush lately, dealing with the issue of the Martial Alliance's new branch.
But the sudden arrival and involvement of a Heavenly Sword Group squad leader was weighing heavily on his mind.
The Heavenly Sword Group wasn't an organization that engaged in external activities so carelessly.
They were a fighting force, not one that focused on gathering intelligence or handling external affairs.
When conflict arose, the Heavenly Sword Group became the sword of the Martial Alliance.
He had let it slide for now under the pretext of helping the Heavenly Medicine Hall relocate, but it had the potential to become a noisy affair.
Perhaps discussions were already taking place within the Martial Alliance over this very issue.
He had considered contacting the Martial Alliance to confirm, but doing so would imply he didn't trust the 7th Squad Leader, which made him reluctant.
It was then that the 7th Squad Leader requested a private meeting.
"How have you been finding things lately?"
Jin Sahong asked casually, and the 7th Squad Leader replied calmly.
"Thanks to your consideration, Vanguard Brigade Leader, I have been living very comfortably."
Jin Sahong was the leader of the Martial Alliance's Vanguard Sword Brigade.
The Vanguard Sword Brigade was an organization created by the Martial Alliance to handle external matters.
That was why the Heavenly Sword Group squad leader's presence in Wuhan was so concerning.
This kind of work was meant for the Vanguard Sword Brigade, yet the Heavenly Sword Group had inserted itself into the situation.
A few more pleasantries were exchanged. Then, a brief silence hung in the air.
It was Jin Sahong who broke it first.
"So, what did you wish to see me about?"
"I wished to ask for your opinion on a matter."
"My opinion? What about?"
"I've been looking around the area recently."
Jin Sahong nodded.
"So I've heard."
He had already received reports that the entire 7th Squad of the Heavenly Sword Group was combing through Wuhan.
The squad leader had no intention of hiding this fact, so they had been moving openly.
It would also make it easier for the Golden Moon Trading Company to approach them.
"But there are more underworld factions in Wuhan than I expected."
"Well… I've heard it's something like that."
"Could it be... that these are thugs managed by the Black Alliance? If so, shouldn't we be reinforcing our numbers?"
Jin Sahong shook his head.
"They aren't from the Black Alliance. Just local thugs. In fact, you could say they're closer to back-alley ruffians."
The 7th Squad Leader tilted his head.
"Is that so?"
"Why do you ask? Did you notice something strange?"
"No, it's just... they seemed a bit rough."
"It's nothing new for thugs to be rough."
The 7th Squad Leader shook his head.
"It wasn't just that they were rough; their aura was formidable. From what I saw, they looked like they'd spent at least five years in a fairly well-known underworld sect."
"That can't be."
Jin Sahong said, but a sudden anxiety crept in.
The thought occurred to him that he might have underestimated Jeok Gyeolmyeong.
If the thugs in Wuhan were indeed sent by the Black Alliance, they would eventually lose the power struggle.
There was no telling how the situation would unfold, but if it came to a head and he was the only one to suffer, what a disgrace that would be. No, disgrace aside, he could even die.
"That's why I'm suggesting this..."
Jin Sahong focused on the squad leader's words. It seemed the "opinion" he mentioned was related to the Black Alliance.
"What if I were to step in and subjugate these thugs?"
"You mean to bring the thugs to our side?"
"Not so much bring them to our side as subjugate and use them. It would also serve as a way to confirm things."
"Confirmation... You're right, that is necessary."
Now that the seed of suspicion—that the Black Alliance might have its hands on Wuhan's underworld—had been planted in his mind, he could no longer leave it alone.
"Thugs have a tendency to submit to the strong. If we handle it well, we could end up with some useful men under our command."
"What do you plan to do with a group of thugs?"
The 7th Squad Leader smiled faintly.
"Naturally, we'd have them do the things we can't. They're thugs, after all. There are certain things thugs do, aren't there?"
Watching the squad leader smile like that, Jin Sahong felt a sense of unease in the corner of his heart.
But he couldn't refuse.
"Go ahead and try. But make sure no problems arise later."
"Of course. I will ensure no problems arise. To be honest, this kind of work is not uncommon for us."
Was it because he was too confident? For some reason, Jin Sahong had an ominous feeling.
* * *
Cho Seoran paced anxiously before the main gate.
Just then, she saw two doctors approaching in the distance.
The doctors were startled to see Cho Seoran and hurried over.
"Hall Master, were you waiting for us?"
"I was a little worried. Nothing... happened, did it?"
The doctors replied with a bright smile.
"Nothing at all. Well... I was a bit surprised to wake up lying on the floor... but despite that, my body feels incredibly refreshed and my mind is clear. I feel great."
"Really?"
Cho Seoran studied the two doctors with slightly surprised eyes.
Outwardly, they looked perfectly fine.
"To be honest, I don't remember. It seems we talked for a bit and then fell asleep."
It was a bit embarrassing.
When they woke up in the morning, Byeok Taesan was gone, and they were just lying side by side on the floor.
"You don't remember anything? And you don't feel anything strange?"
The doctors stroked their chins.
"Come to think of it, I did feel something strange. It's a bit hard to explain, but..."
Cho Seoran's eyes lit up as she said.
"Like the sense of accomplishment you get after achieving something through long patience and effort?"
The two doctors clapped their hands together.
"That's it! That's exactly it! Ah, so that's why I feel so good!"
Cho Seoran nodded. As she thought, they had felt something similar to her.
"Was that all?"
"What else could there be?"
Seeing their reaction, she realized it wasn't exactly the same. After all, she had also felt pain and hardship.
Cho Seoran's face flushed slightly.
"It's nothing. In any case, you've been through a lot. Please go inside and get some rest."
The doctors grinned.
"We can't do that. Our bodies feel so energized and full of motivation. I think we can get a lot done today."
The two doctors gave Cho Seoran a slight bow and entered the manor.
Cho Seoran watched them with a peculiar gaze before turning her head to look in the direction of the Golden Jade Pavilion.
Then, with a soft sigh, she went inside.
* * *
In the training grounds, Byeok Taesan calmly refined the spiritual energy he had acquired today.
The spiritual energy gained from extracting and burning the two doctors' souls was, as expected, similar to an elixir.
However, its quality and quantity were far inferior to what he had obtained from Cho Seoran.
"This is a bit disappointing."
He would have to burn about twenty of the doctors who came yesterday to get an amount similar to what he got from Cho Seoran.
And if he factored in the quality of the energy, would it take thirty?
"Well... this is still good enough."
There were still numerous doctors left in the Heavenly Medicine Hall.
Just absorbing their souls once after burning them clean would be more than enough to justify the cost of bringing the Heavenly Medicine Hall here.
And over time, their souls would become tainted again. Since they all diligently crafted medicine, they were practically elixirs themselves.
The effect would be less than the first time, but it was better than nothing.
It would be tens, even hundreds of times more efficient than just burning any random soul.
And after a long time, he could do it to Cho Seoran again.
So, this was enough.
Byeok Taesan closed his eyes again, immersing himself in the Soul-Devouring Demonic Arts.
Lately, his training was becoming more and more enjoyable.
* * *
The Heavenly Sword Group's 7th Squad consisted of thirteen members, including the squad leader.
The Heavenly Sword Group was divided into dozens of squads, each with a different number of members and varying levels of skill.
However, they were generally organized in groups of ten squads, with their overall strength equalized.
In other words, while the 1st and 7th Squads might differ in composition, their overall strength was similar.
Simply put, the 7th Squad was composed of some of the most skilled members in the entire Heavenly Sword Group.
There were various factors used to evaluate skill.
Within the Heavenly Sword Group, the scales were tipped heavily toward combat experience.
Of course, basics like internal energy, understanding of techniques, and physical stamina were also part of the criteria, but nothing was valued more highly than real-world combat experience.
As an organization that fought on the front lines, this was only natural.
For that reason, the members of the 7th Squad had a keen eye.
They were currently wandering the back alleys of Wuhan.
The thirteen of them were not together; they moved in groups of three. Only the squad leader was alone.
The squad leader was, of course, far stronger and more experienced than his squad members. Thus, he could easily handle the work of three men on his own.
Without that level of skill, he would never have even been a candidate for squad leader.
In any case, as he wandered the back alleys alone, the 7th Squad Leader searched for men who looked like thugs.
They had been so easy to spot before, but now that he was actively looking, they were nowhere to be found.
Then, a peculiar group caught his eye.
*'Those guys look like thugs, too.'*
Five men exuding the unique aura of the underworld were walking together, glaring and scanning their surroundings.
It was obvious they were looking for something.
*'They're not ordinary.'*
In the squad leader's eyes, the five men were quite skilled. They were no match for a Heavenly Sword Group member, of course, but if a mob of them attacked, it would be truly troublesome.
He could immediately guess their identity.
*'The Black Alliance.'*
The Black Alliance had begun to make its move. Or perhaps the local thugs were already under their control, and these men were here to keep them in line.
The squad leader followed them quietly.
After about half a quarter-hour of walking, he saw a group of thugs sitting in front of a tavern, chatting amongst themselves.
For supposed thugs, it was a bit surprising to see them talking in front of a tavern without even drinking.
In any case, the five men strode purposefully toward those thugs.
The squad leader tried to gauge the level of the thugs in front of the tavern.
*'It's hard to tell at a glance. Their faces are rough... and they seem to have a lot of scars...'*
At first glance, they looked like men who had clawed their way up from the bottom.
And their eyes were alive. Fighting spirit and killing intent flickered within them.
The squad leader hid himself slightly and watched what they would do. Or rather, he tried to.
But a group of men appeared behind him.
Startled by the sudden presence he felt behind him, the squad leader flinched and turned around.
Ten men who looked like thugs were approaching.
Their destination was clearly the tavern.
But they spotted the squad leader.
"Hey! Old man! What are you doing over there? What are you sneaking a peek at? Get over here."
Watching the thug speak so insolently, something surged within him, but the squad leader tried to hold it in for the moment.
However, the thugs seemed to have no such intention and rushed him all at once.
The squad leader was forced to engage with the thugs before he could even see what was happening at the tavern.
Until that moment, he thought he could quickly wrap things up and go back to observing the tavern.
But the situation did not unfold as easily as he had hoped.
The charging thugs were much stronger than he had anticipated.
The fight between the 7th Squad Leader and the group of thugs began.
And while that was happening, the Black Alliance warriors were meeting the thugs in front of the tavern.
"Are you guys from the Red Dragon Gang?"
A Black Alliance warrior asked, his eyes flashing.
"Nope. We're from the Black Axe Sect. The Black Axe Sect runs this area, so if you're looking for the Red Dragon Gang, try the main street."
The Black Alliance warrior snickered.
"Red Dragon Gang, Black Axe Sect, it doesn't matter. You're all coming under me."
At those words, the thug made a dumbfounded expression.
"You're telling me to serve under you? Where are you from?"
The Black Alliance warrior gave a meaningful smile and said.
"I'm from the Black Alliance. Now, what do you say? Has that cleared things up for you?"
"Crazy bastard. A guy like you, from the Black Alliance? The Black Alliance isn't some children's playground."
The Black Alliance warrior's face hardened.
"Children's playground? A guy like you? Are you talking to me right now?"
The thug shook his head.
"No, I was talking to all five of you."
"Looks like these bastards need a taste of pain to come to their senses."
The Black Alliance warrior clenched his fist. It seemed he'd have to break a few limbs before restarting the conversation.
The thug stood up and glared at the Black Alliance warriors.
"Did you think we'd bow and scrape, calling you 'big brother' just because you said you're from the Black Alliance? Get real. We're people who aren't even scared of the Martial Alliance."
The Black Alliance warriors flinched at his words. Hearing "Martial Alliance" gave them a strange feeling.
"Boys! We've got guests! Everyone, come on out!"
At his call, a crowd of thugs poured out from inside the tavern.
There were at least twenty of them.
Seeing this, the Black Alliance warriors sneered.
"All you thugs think the same way. You think fights are won with numbers."
The thug who had stepped forward spoke to the man beside him.
"You, go report to the boss. Tell him it's started. There's another group over there, so send about five to support them. They look strong."
The thugs moved with perfect coordination.
Hearing the thugs' words and seeing their actions, the Black Alliance warriors' thoughts turned to the other warriors dispatched by the Black Alliance.
They weren't the only ones from the Black Alliance here right now.
They felt that something was wrong.
Just then, the thug said.
"Now, just imagine what will happen if we lose here. I hear the person at the very top has big plans for us."
All the thugs shivered.
"We will not lose!"
"Kill them all!"
Their fighting spirit suddenly boiled over.
The Black Alliance warriors were slightly taken aback by this. They wondered why these madmen were suddenly acting this way.
But that thought didn't last long.
Because the thugs rushed them all at once.
And so, a fight began between the Black Alliance and the thugs of Wuhan.