#183. <Rewriting the Sichuan Blood History (3)>
The Murim Academy students absorbed by Gu Jeongryong grumbled incessantly throughout the march. From their perspective, what had started as an official excuse to skip classes and enjoy a leisurely trip had suddenly turned into a grueling forced march—it was only natural they'd react that way. And it didn't matter if they were kids or adults; even in the face of dire circumstances, Elder Su Heo and Elder Sang Won vented their complaints about seven times a day.
These are supposed to be Murim Alliance elders?
It must be false information.
How could there be Sado in this day and age?
Jin Sowoon must be up to some scheme.
Watching them engage in extreme escapism, Gu Jeongryong couldn't stop cursing inwardly.
"Th-this can't be..."
But their complaints vanished the moment they encountered the academy students from Cheongsung and Ami.
The Jeongdohoe members, escorted like royalty by the 12 Bongseong, looked like utter defeated soldiers. Hardly anyone could walk straight, and some were even carried in on stretchers.
After assigning some personnel to protect them, Gu Jeongryong picked up the pace.
If it had been before, Su Heo and Sang Won would have whined about moving so hastily, but now they clamped their mouths shut and matched Gu Jeongryong and the Seung Ho Dang's speed.
By the time they met the groups from Hwasan and Gongdong, they couldn't hide their shock.
"Wh-what in the world is this?"
"Elder So? You bastards! Where is Elder So...?"
In their frantic flight, so many academy students had lost their swords—their lifelines as martial artists—that it was beyond counting. The damage was at least twice that of the third wave from Cheongsung and Ami.
"According to the reports we received via messenger bird... it definitely wasn't this bad."
The damage was far greater than expected. Especially for Gongdong, where most of the lay disciple academy students were crippled or mute, with only a handful of inner sect disciples barely clinging to life.
"...Af-after we, we evacuated, there was ano-another, ano-another attack... we, we got hit... again."
No one—Gu Jeongryong, Su Heo, or Sang Won—could relax their stiff expressions as they listened to the academy student's stammering, unable to even meet their eyes properly.
"If the second wave is like this... the first wave's losses must be even worse."
"......"
Gu Jeongryong clicked his tongue at the elders, who had no response.
"Let's move first."
"Right now?"
"We need to hurry as much as possible. Who knows what'll happen if we dawdle?"
Su Heo rolled his eyes at Gu Jeongryong's words.
"If it's like this here, then up ahead..."
Su Heo trailed off, unable to finish. Gu Jeongryong's face twisted in every possible way.
"What are you trying to say?"
"...Ahem!"
"Can you say it clearly?"
"...No."
Gu Jeongryong detached some members from Seung Ho Dang and the academy students, ordering them to escort the Hwasan and Gongdong students to where the Cheongsung group was. Then he turned his horse toward the first wave's position.
At that moment—
Ziiing—
A bizarre voice pierced the mind of Gu Jeongryong, who had heightened his senses to the max while riding.
"Stop!"
Gu Jeongryong abruptly halted the march and fell back. Gam Cheonak approached.
"I-is that sorcery?"
"Can you feel it?"
"My heart's pounding a bit."
"Can you break through that?"
Gam Cheonak eyed Gu Jeongryong with a skeptical look.
"What bullshit are you spouting?"
"Did you just say 'bullshit'?"
"When did I?"
"...So, can you or can't you?"
Gam Cheonak let out a long sigh.
"To be honest, even if we break through, do you think there'll be anyone alive up ahead?"
If the third and second waves were in this state, the first wave must have suffered even greater losses. Even for the world's Shaolin and Jeomcheong, academy students without proper training couldn't have endured that hell.
Gu Jeongryong nodded but didn't back down.
"I know that. But didn't Jin Sowoon go?"
"......"
"If that guy passed through, we at least have to make the effort."
Gam Cheonak muttered to himself.
"Fuck... that damn bastard. He just gives orders and spews all sorts of weird shit."
"What was that, you punk?"
Gam Cheonak shrugged shamelessly.
"Didn't say anything."
"......"
Gam Cheonak eyed the rippling red energy barrier ahead.
"Doesn't that barrier look a bit unstable?"
"The top isn't sealed properly."
"That's a relief, at least."
"Think you can do it?"
Gam Cheonak's dry gaze turned to Gu Jeongryong's face.
"You're telling me to, so I have to."
Gam Cheonak glanced back.
"Hey! Four of you, come here!"
No sooner had he spoken than four Seung Ho Dang members stepped forward.
"We gotta pass through here. You guys okay with that?"
"...You're saying we go through this creepy-ass thing right now?"
The Seung Ho Dang members' expressions weren't much different from Gam Cheonak's.
As if he'd expected it, Gam Cheonak nodded and pointed at Gu Jeongryong.
"Yeah. That damn... I mean, the Dangju wants to go through."
"What a crazy fucker..."
"Isn't he nuts?"
Gu Jeongryong, overhearing from the side, lowered his voice.
"I'm right here, you bastards."
"...Jeez, why eavesdrop on your subordinates and make a fuss."
Gam Cheonak clapped to draw attention amid the murmuring Seung Ho Dang members.
"Anyway, we gotta go through. Got it?"
"What do we get if we do?"
Gam Cheonak glanced at Gu Jeongryong, scratched his cheek, and said,
"If we go through and rescue Jin Sowoon, that guy'll buy us Pasajeoryeong, a Sichuan specialty."
"Ooh!!"
The mood flipped in an instant.
"Pasajeoryeong!! Just the name sounds delicious!"
"First time hearing of Pasajeoryeong food! Gotta hang with rich folks, huh!"
Gam Cheonak grinned at the excited Seung Ho Dang members.
"You idiots, seriously..."
Even Gu Jeongryong, agreeing with Gam Cheonak, looked at them pitifully as they buzzed with excitement. Gam Cheonak struck the four men's acupoints.
"I'm numbing your sight and touch from now on. You might hear hallucinations—ignore them and follow my transmission only."
"Got it!"
Gam Cheonak looked at Gu Jeongryong.
"Let's start."
"...Be careful."
"If you're that worried, maybe the Dangju should..."
"I trust you!"
Gu Jeongryong swiftly numbed Gam Cheonak's sight and touch.
Tap, tap-tap, tatatap.
Gam Cheonak waved his hand in front of his face, then punched Gu Jeongryong playfully.
"Dangju, what am I doing right now?"
"Blatant insubordination."
"Oh yeah? Can't see, so I didn't know."
Gam Cheonak, having "punched" Gu Jeongryong, drew his sword. Gu Jeongryong quickly climbed a tree, eyed the barrier, and issued orders.
-Keep going! It veered right now. Turn left and head forward!
The Seung Ho Dang members moved in unison at his transmission.
The blood people appeared inside the barrier as expected.
Gu Jeongryong shouted urgently.
-Enemies!
Then Gam Cheonak's transmission came.
-Don't just say 'enemies'! Tell me positions! You think I wanna run ops blind like this?!
Gu Jeongryong cursed inwardly, realizing his mistake.
That bastard...
The Seung Ho Dang members wielded their swords precisely per Gu Jeongryong's guidance.
Cha-cha-chang-chang!
Academy students and even the elders watched, dumbfounded by their bizarre formation.
Krek! Aaaak! Kugh!
Fortunately, the blood people weren't numerous, and all were in poor condition. They couldn't dodge the lightning-fast blades of Seung Ho Dang.
After the last ambushing blood person met its end by Gam Cheonak's hand, no more attacks came.
The Seung Ho Dang members, who had passed the barrier under Gu Jeongryong's orders, restored their senses starting with Gam Cheonak. They then raced full speed toward the sorcerers.
After taking down even the blood people guarding the sorcerers, they eliminated them all. Smashing the tools they'd set up caused the ominous barrier blocking the path to vanish cleanly.
Gam Cheonak returned to the group, tilting his head.
"The kids' conditions seem off."
"How so?"
"Like they've been hit hard somewhere, or haven't slept in days. Internal energy aside, their killing intent is dulled for guys who've been launching assassinations."
Gu Jeongryong frowned unconsciously.
"Come to think of it, the numbers don't match what the survivors said about the attackers."
"What happened before we got here?"
"...We'll know when we see."
Seung Ho Dang and the academy students sped up again.
The sight that greeted them was a brutal battlefield.
"My god..."
"What the..."
"Did a real war break out?"
Even the Seung Ho Dang members were shocked by the sheer number of corpses.
Blood flowed like streams after a summer rain, and bodies littered the ground like scattered stones.
"Don't drop your guard!"
At Gam Cheonak's command, the Seung Ho Dang members spread out in disciplined formation.
Gu Jeongryong approached the gruesome battle site.
Hm?
But the corpses were odd. The blood people made sense as the academy attackers, but the others' attire didn't look like Jeongdohoe elites, no matter how generously you viewed it.
Bandits...?
Clothes were mismatched as expected, some wearing animal hides, and the worst had bare torsos.
"Seems like nearby bandit stronghold guys."
Gu Jeongryong's face paled at Gam Cheonak's words.
"Why would bandits...?"
"...Who knows."
"What the hell is going on?"
If the enemies weren't limited to mysterious blood people, the situation was graver.
"You still going?"
Sorcery-wielding foes plus overwhelming bandit forces—who knew what could happen.
No matter how valiant Seung Ho Dang was, there were limits.
Gam Cheonak's cold voice echoed.
"If we keep going, we'll be in danger too."
"......"
He spoke again to the speechless Gu Jeongryong.
"Regrettable, but even Jin Sowoon..."
Then a scouting Seung Ho Dang member bellowed.
"Unknown personnel approaching!"
Gu Jeongryong's head snapped up from his deliberations.
If these were the blood people who'd wiped the first wave coming here? Or inexplicable bandits?
"Everyone, battle ready!!!"
At Gu Jeongryong's shout, Seung Ho Dang members converged, drawing swords.
Cha-cha-chang-chang!
Without orders, they formed the Azure Dragon Half-Moon Formation, intimidating the academy students into gulping and cautiously drawing their own blades.
"Hoo..."
The silence was so thick that a single sigh rang loudly in their ears.
Then the unknowns began appearing one by one.
What kind of lineup is that?
The front-runners were an odd mix. One held a bow, another had a massive build, one was a woman. And the man in the center carried a bundle the size of a watermelon.
Gu Jeongryong, straining his eyes to identify them, let out an incredulous gasp.
"Jin Sowoon?"
Gam Cheonak peeked forward.
"Huh? It's really him. Looks like Shaolin and Jeomcheong folks behind."
"......"
Jin Sowoon, spotting them, waved leisurely.
Even the famously expressionless Gam Cheonak chuckled dryly.
"What a monster. In this hell..."
His gaze stuck to Jin Sowoon.
"He actually saved them."
As Gam Cheonak sheathed his sword in admiration, Gu Jeongryong whispered slyly.
"Hey, the guy who just said 'unknown personnel'."
"Yes."
"Beat his ass."
"...Got it."
Gu Jeongryong exhaled deeply, releasing the tension.
He gazed at Jin Sowoon with newfound curiosity.
The second and third waves had massive losses, yet the first wave's didn't seem so bad. Judging by the battlefield, they'd broken through blood people and bandits.
The guy had done exactly as he said: rescued his people and returned.
Unbelievable.
This from a single academy student?
Even as one of Murim's rising stars, the Black Flame Dragon, this was beyond what a prodigy could achieve.
What the hell is he?
Though he'd agreed to help Jin Sowoon at Maeng Ju-won's request, Gu Jeongryong's curiosity about him only grew.