Chapter 145
Chapter 145
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 145
Chapter Title: I Wish They'd All Come at Once
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"Uh… Young Master. I’m just saying this in case you misunderstand, but I could have caught that guy. I expected him to run the moment he broke his sword and was ready."
Yuk Taegu spoke with a cautious yet anxious expression.
Byeok Taesan glanced at him.
But he didn't say anything. Byeok Taesan turned his gaze back to the fallen men.
Members of the Underworld Sect were swarming in to clean up.
They slung the High Heaven Sect warriors over their shoulders and quickly carried them away.
Yuk Taegu and Jang Gagu stood nervously before Byeok Taesan. The other rogue warriors and martial artists of the underworld had already dispersed.
They had gone to deal with the yet-uncaught warriors of the Azure Martial House, using information from the Underworld Sect.
Byeok Taesan glanced at the two and said.
"Well… you seem to have put in some effort."
With those words, he turned sharply and left.
The corners of Jang Gagu's and Yuk Taegu's mouths stretched into wide grins.
* * *
A slender young man was just leaving Wuhan.
He was the young man who had visited the Golden Jade Manor with Jang Jungsan as part of the Golden Moon Trading Company's group.
While the High Heaven Sect warriors were searching for the Golden Jade at the manor, he had moved separately.
And when things went south, he immediately left Wuhan.
Honestly, he hadn't expected things to escalate so suddenly, nor had he anticipated so many martial artists would be scouring Wuhan.
"If I'd moved with those idiots, I would've been in real trouble."
Having left Wuhan, he felt a sense of relief and muttered to himself.
He could have easily evaded any Martial Alliance or Black Alliance warriors he encountered, but doing so would likely have attracted unwanted tails.
He would have eventually shaken them all off and escaped, but he wouldn't have been able to avoid the danger and hassle in the process.
If he were unlucky, he might even have been caught.
Still, it wasn't a complete failure.
For one, he had confirmed that the Golden Jade Trading Company no longer possessed the Golden Jade.
Just thinking about it made his blood boil.
What kind of treasure was that for them to break it apart and sell it off just because their company fell on slightly hard times?
"There's a limit to stupidity. Tsk."
The young man shook his head and quickened his pace.
How many steps had he taken?
The young man suddenly stopped. He stared silently at the sky for a moment, then let out a deep sigh and bowed his head.
"Now what is this?"
The young man lifted his head and looked to one side. His eyes glinted with sharp killing intent.
There was a large boulder in that direction, and from behind it, several people slowly revealed themselves.
It was Cheon Gyeongwan, Yu Seoyeon, and Yeon Harin.
The young man frowned upon seeing them, then his eyes widened.
"Hoh. This is unexpected. To think such a beauty would be hiding in a place like this."
The young man's gaze was fixed on Yeon Harin, showing no sign of wavering.
But that was only for a moment. As the three moved to surround and block him, he snapped back to his senses.
"It seems you knew I'd come this way… I doubt there's a traitor among my people, so were you watching me from the start? You're from the Golden Jade Trading Company, right?"
Yeon Harin nodded in response to the young man's question.
"That's right. We've been watching you since you secretly left the Golden Jade Manor."
The young man looked at Yeon Harin with admiration.
"To think you've been watching me all this time without me noticing. I might have to re-evaluate the Golden Jade Trading Company."
"That's because we focused our surveillance on you. The Young Master said you were the strongest."
"He even figured that out? But by 'Young Master'... are you perhaps talking about Byeok Taesan?"
Yeon Harin smiled brightly and nodded.
"That's right."
The young man stared blankly at her for a moment. Her bright smile seemed to make her several times more beautiful than before.
"This is… making me jealous."
The young man muttered this, then looked back at Yeon Harin and smiled slyly.
"But seeing as you've appeared before me like this… don't tell me you intend to fight me? The three of you are quite skilled, but… you'll regret it."
As he spoke, the young man carefully sized up the three of them once more.
Their level of skill was clear to see. Honestly, they were quite good. They weren't opponents he could crush in a single breath.
But he was certain he could overwhelm them.
The young man put his hands into his sleeves. From within, he pulled out a short baton in each hand.
Gripping the batons tightly in both hands, the young man grinned.
"First… I'll kill you two, and I'll take the pretty one with me. I'll make sure you live in luxury, so it wouldn't be a bad idea to just surrender and come along. Ah, and you two over there, why don't you follow me instead of dying a dog's death? Honestly, there's no future for you in a place like the Golden Jade Trading Company, is there?"
The young man twirled his batons and continued speaking.
"I'm a man who always keeps his promises. I swear on my name, So Maryuk."
The three mulled over the name So Maryuk in their minds, but no information came to them.
"No need to rack your brains. It's not a famous name yet."
So Maryuk looked straight at Yeon Harin and asked again.
"Have you decided? What do you say? Will you come with me?"
Yeon Harin shook her head gently.
"I don't think so."
So Maryuk scoffed.
"This is going to hurt a little. I'm a bit rougher than I look. Kehehe."
Before his words had even finished, So Maryuk's figure shot forward.
*Whoosh! Whoosh!*
The batons cut through the air, flying towards Cheon Gyeongwan's and Yu Seoyeon's shoulders.
Having mentally prepared themselves, the two swung their swords in fluid motions to block the attack.
*Clang! Clang!*
A powerful shockwave of energy spread out from the impact.
Yeon Harin cut through the shockwave and thrust her sword at So Maryuk's side.
*Thwack!*
So Maryuk brought a baton down to block it.
Yu Seoyeon and Cheon Gyeongwan seized the opening and thrust their swords.
*Clack!*
So Maryuk casually deflected both swords at once with a single baton.
The energy imbued in So Maryuk's baton traveled up their swords.
Startled, Cheon Gyeongwan and Yu Seoyeon circulated their internal energy to disperse it.
From that point on, So Maryuk's batons began to dance wildly.
*Clang-clang-clang-clang-clang!*
The three were hard-pressed just to defend against it.
He was truly a formidable master.
The energy dwelling in So Maryuk's batons gradually grew stronger.
At first, he was just striking with energy-infused batons, but as time passed, energy occasionally erupted outward from them.
It was lightning energy.
*Crackle!*
Lightning energy shot out from a baton toward Cheon Gyeongwan.
Cheon Gyeongwan ignored it and thrust his sword into So Maryuk's chest.
Yu Seoyeon dealt with the lightning.
Yu Seoyeon's sword absorbed the lightning energy and then sent it back to So Maryuk.
*Rumble!*
So Maryuk's baton and the returned lightning energy collided, causing an explosion.
The lightning connected the earth and sky, as if a thunderbolt had struck.
The three quickly retreated to create distance.
"Huuuuu."
So Maryuk exhaled a long breath. Faint crackles of lightning energy mixed with his breath.
"Incredible. The coordination between you three is truly amazing. I see why you were so confident. That said…"
Dense lightning energy gathered on So Maryuk's batons.
*Crackle-crackle-crackle!*
It was as if the batons had turned pure white.
"It seems taking you without hurting you will be difficult."
So Maryuk swung his batons lightly.
*Rumble! Rumble!*
Two bolts of lightning shot toward Cheon Gyeongwan and Yu Seoyeon respectively.
They were so fast that the two could only barely react just before being struck.
*Boom!*
They blocked with their swords, but it wasn't a simple attack that could be nullified so easily.
The two coughed up blood and were sent flying backward.
The blood droplets scattering in the air evaporated from the lightning energy the moment they appeared.
*Crash!*
The two collapsed wretchedly to the ground.
And in that instant, Yeon Harin was already swinging her sword at So Maryuk.
The moment So Maryuk had unleashed the lightning, she had already charged toward him.
*Clang-clang-clang!*
So Maryuk easily blocked Yeon Harin's sword strikes with his batons.
Yeon Harin alone could not match So Maryuk, who had been unfazed even by their combined assault.
So Maryuk's eyes flickered with a sinister light.
"Now, how should I cook you up?"
Yeon Harin's sword strikes grew faster and stronger, but So Maryuk remained completely unshaken.
There was no need to even use his lightning energy.
So Maryuk skillfully maneuvered his batons, trying to tear Yeon Harin's clothes a little.
But at that moment, he felt sharp points digging into both of his sides.
So Maryuk frowned and swung his batons even faster.
*Clang!*
"What? You're fine?"
So Maryuk scowled and glared at Cheon Gyeongwan and Yu Seoyeon, who were stumbling backward.
The blow the two had just taken was by no means light.
An attack of that magnitude should have killed them, or at the very least, left them with such severe internal injuries that they wouldn't be able to get back up.
Yet they hadn't lost consciousness, and what's more, their recent attack had been incredibly sharp and powerful.
Of course, they must have sustained considerable internal damage.
"Well, I'll just have to hit them with another one."
If they took another lightning strike in their condition, they would surely die this time.
"I'll give you credit for your mental fortitude."
Saying so, So Maryuk once again coated his batons with lightning energy.
*Crackle-crackle-crackle!*
Before So Maryuk could swing his batons, Yeon Harin charged.
She, too, had realized that Cheon Gyeongwan and Yu Seoyeon could not take that hit.
Yeon Harin's sword flew straight toward So Maryuk's neck.
And upon her, two bolts of lightning descended.
*RUUUUUUUMBLE!*
Yeon Harin didn't close her eyes, not even for a second. And she focused everything she had into her sword.
Her entire being became one with the sword, which then pierced straight through So Maryuk's neck.
So Maryuk's eyes widened like saucers.
"You crazy…!"
So Maryuk stumbled backward. Yeon Harin roughly pulled out her sword.
Blood gushed from his neck like a fountain.
So Maryuk sank weakly to his knees. He lifted his head and looked at the man standing next to Yeon Harin: Byeok Taesan.
No, he looked at the mass of lightning energy Byeok Taesan was holding in his hand.
The instant Yeon Harin had thrust her sword, and the very moment So Maryuk's lightning bolts had descended upon her, Byeok Taesan had suddenly appeared and caught the two bolts in one hand.
So Maryuk had watched the entire scene unfold with his own two eyes.
"How is… that… possible?"
Those were So Maryuk's last words.
So Maryuk pitched forward and collapsed.
Byeok Taesan frowned at the sight, then squeezed the mass of lightning energy in his hand.
*Fizzle!*
The lightning dissipated all too easily.
Yeon Harin rested her forehead against Byeok Taesan's shoulder.
"I held on well, right?"
Byeok Taesan chuckled at the sight of Yeon Harin laughing softly as she said this. Her clothes were soaked with sweat, and her whole body was trembling.
It seemed she had pushed herself extremely hard.
Byeok Taesan placed a hand on Yeon Harin's head.
"You did well."
A smile formed on Yeon Harin's lips. And for some reason, her face flushed slightly.
Byeok Taesan lowered his hand and looked down at So Maryuk lying in a pool of blood.
It was a bit of a shame that So Maryuk had died, but as always, it didn't matter.
There were still plenty of people left who could talk.
* * *
Byeok Taesan entered a shabby tavern on the outskirts of Wuhan.
It was a place the Underworld Sect occasionally used.
They used it when they needed to rest during missions or have a quiet conversation.
Today, it was for a different purpose.
Jang Jungsan, Gwan Huseung, and Ja Deukcheol were being held captive here.
As Byeok Taesan entered the tavern, the Master of the Hundred Flowers Pavilion and Hwaok, who were already waiting, bowed respectfully.
Nearby, underworld martial artists, rogue warriors, and Underworld Sect members were spread out, preparing for any potential contingencies.
If the Martial Alliance or the Black Alliance caught on and came this way, they would send a signal and stall for time.
Byeok Taesan led the Master of the Hundred Flowers Pavilion and Hwaok up to the second floor.
The three captives were on the second floor of the tavern, their limbs tightly bound. With their mute and paralysis points sealed, their suffering and discomfort were immense.
Their gazes were fixed on the stairs, and their eyes widened when they saw Byeok Taesan ascending.
They wanted to scream something, but with their mute points sealed, no sound came out, and they felt like they were going mad with frustration.
Byeok Taesan paid them no mind and asked the Master of the Hundred Flowers Pavilion and Hwaok.
"Is it all over?"
The Master of the Hundred Flowers Pavilion replied.
"Yes. The situation is over, for now."
Having said that, the Master of the Hundred Flowers Pavilion continued her report.
"All those related to the High Heaven Sect have been locked away in the Underworld Sect's secret safe houses."
The Master of the Hundred Flowers Pavilion added a word out of caution.
"There's no need to worry about the Martial Alliance or the Black Alliance interfering. We are managing it thoroughly to ensure we are not discovered."
Byeok Taesan nodded.
"As for the Azure Martial House, we've captured twenty-two out of thirty members. Three went to the Martial Alliance, two to the Black Alliance, and one each to the Namgung Family, the Jegal Family, and the Hubei Martial Alliance."
"More than I expected slipped through our fingers."
"It's because they were far more proactive than we anticipated. We had difficulty intervening decisively at critical moments as we were trying to conceal the Underworld Sect's involvement as much as possible."
The Master of the Hundred Flowers Pavilion made her excuse with a tense expression.
"Interrogations are currently underway, but there have been no significant results so far."
Byeok Taesan turned his head to look at Ja Deukcheol, the young master of the Azure Martial House, among the men on the floor.
Ja Deukcheol was glaring at Byeok Taesan when he was suddenly startled by the feeling of his mute point being released.
"Do you think you'll get away with this? The Golden Moon Trading Company will not stand by idly."
Byeok Taesan scoffed at Ja Deukcheol's words.
"And if they don't?"
"Do not underestimate the power of the Golden Moon Trading Company. Not even the Ten Great Masters combined could stand against them. Do you think rabble like you can do anything?"
"Well… So Maryuk, was it? That guy was pretty good with his clubs."
Ja Deukcheol's eyes widened as if they would tear.
Byeok Taesan said nonchalantly.
"If they're coming, I wish they'd all come at once. It would be less of a hassle."
Ja Deukcheol stared blankly at Byeok Taesan.
It had to be a bluff. Yet, for some reason, it didn't feel like one, and he was confused.
His body suddenly trembled as if struck by a chill.