248. The Black Flame Dragon Claims the Pot
“Uwaaaack!”
Jegumhak pounded his chest like a madman. The Formless Demon Horse Squad members, who had been guarding him, frantically tried to extinguish the sacred flames clinging to their heads. The acrid smell of burning hair and skin spread everywhere, but it wasn’t all that painful. The blood gushing from my nose overwhelmed their stench anyway.
Damn, this inner energy consumption is insane. I only used it once, and my dantian is already empty. It’s incomparable to the first time I unleashed the Radiant Heaven Divine Palm. How the hell did that old coot Moyong Gang handle this monstrous technique?
Anyway, with the chains finally released from my hands and feet, I tried to move, but my body wouldn’t obey my will. Fuck, it’s the backlash.
“Hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo.”
Jegumhak, spewing white steam from his face and chest, glared at me with a look of utter disgust.
“You bastard……”
He chewed on his blackened lips as if deciding how to deal with me.
“To leave no future threats, I can’t let you live.”
But he was in no better shape. He was on his knees, throat torn open as he bellowed.
“That bastard is the greatest obstacle to our cult!”
The Formless Demon Horse Squad members, who had been desperately putting out the sacred flames, began to rise one by one. But none moved forward easily.
Was my hope actually coming true?
“……”
“……”
Jegumhak forced his trembling legs to stand and approached me.
“Kill him right now!”
But the squad only supported the faltering Jegumhak, rooted in place. And in that sight, I sensed something off.
Doesn’t that bastard realize?
Jegumhak was panicking at the squad’s inaction.
“What are you doing? I said kill him now!!”
The squad glanced at me from the shadows where their faces should be, exchanged looks among themselves, then began hoisting Jegumhak up. He thrashed futilely, body restrained.
“Not me! Him! Kill him!”
Swoosh—
The squad merely lifted and wrapped him in their arms. And so it came to this.
Having grasped the situation, I mocked him freely.
“Just gonna leave like that?”
“You stupid puppet fucks! Let go! I’ll rip that bastard’s throat out right……”
The squad’s top priority was the protectee’s safety. If that safety was threatened, they sometimes prioritized it over the protectee’s orders. They must have assessed the mutual destruction fist’s threat, deciding that killing me might kill Jegumhak too, so protection came first.
Clueless to this, Jegumhak flailed to shake them off, but they wouldn’t release him.
“Let go! I said let go……! That’s an order!”
As they dragged him away, I forced my arm up. No sensation returned, so I bit the inside of my cheek and willed it, forced it to move.
“……”
“……”
“……”
Seeing my suspicious movement, the squad raised their guards, swords at the ready. Watching them, I poured all my remaining strength into a potato punch straight at Jegumhak.
“I win, you fucker!”
The reaction was fierce, as expected.
“……Kraaack! Let go, let go! I said let go, you bastards!”
I launched the Flying Dragon Claw at the thrashing, dragged-away Jegumhak.
Ping—
The squad stepped into the Geomunjinbeop. You damn bastards.
……Daring to just walk away against me, the ultimate opportunist? I stirred my dantian again. It felt like claws raking my lower abdomen, but I gritted my teeth to endure.
“If you lose the bet…… you leave the stakes behind!!”
Wooong…….
The space around the escaping squad and Jegumhak warped. Seeing it, the squad hurriedly dove deeper into the formation, but……
I was one step faster again. Thwack— With a small sound, the Socheon Sword Technique manifested, severing Jegumhak’s arm. A groan of agony burst from him.
“Keurk!”
“……!”
Confirming it wasn’t a decapitation, the squad dragged the bleeding Jegumhak into the formation.
I couldn’t let Jegumhak escape.
He knows about me now.
But killing him would turn the enraged squad’s blades on my neck. This hard-won chance at survival. I had to live somehow.
Then……
Even if not dead, make him a vegetable. I waited until the very last moment.
And the instant the entire squad stepped into the formation, I rallied my qi and unleashed the mutual destruction fist again.
Wooong.
The warping space made the chained ones in the formation flinch and extend their chains. But the time to act had passed.
Thud.
A single, precise Cartoon Invincible Fist strike to Jegumhak’s Baihui acupoint.
“Kkuk!”
Jegumhak, writhing in pain, rolled back his eyes, vomited blood, and slumped forward into the formation.
“Haa, did it. Haa, haa, urk……”
I spewed a torrent of blood rising in my throat as my internals twisted, but no relief came. Instead, my gut bubbled like it was on fire. I barely lifted my head to check where they’d vanished.
“Damn…… damn…… damn……”
The Flying Dragon Claw’s end held Jegumhak’s arm, but I couldn’t operate qi to pull it or move my legs to fetch it.
Thud thud thud.
I slapped my thighs forcibly, but my legs remained still. Using my arms instead of the unresponsive dantian and legs, I crawled on my belly to the severed arm.
With effort, I stripped the Predatory Armor from his arm……
Click—
And equipped it on mine. At least this way, no one would fight over who gets it.
Finishing the ordeal with my near-dead body, I collapsed spread-eagled from massive exhaustion.
“Haa, haa, haa.”
Even breathing was agonizing. But a sly smile crept onto my lips.
“Fuck…… I won……”
Jegumhak might forget, but the squad would toss and turn nightly thinking of me. Just like our Small Justice Squad facing the Demonic Cult in my past life. Rage, vengeance, helplessness—they’d writhe daily, spewing curses in futile emotion.
“Heh.”
Disrupting their sweet dreams? The squad would love that.
“I…… I won! You bastards!”
Completely surrendering to the floor, my eyes grew heavy. Internals a mess, near death, but my mind was at ease. Because of the sturdy wristguard? Nah……
The biggest stake I won in this gamble.
……The squad’s vengeance.
Their creepy grinning faces seemed to flicker before my eyes.
#
“What the hell is……”
Muyoung, infiltrating as a grain merchant supplying Sahyeokryeon, couldn’t close his gaping mouth.
“Assassin! It’s an assassin!”
“The fiend’s still around!”
“Call Jin Sowoon! He needs to deploy the barrier technique!”
“Don’t move! The moving ones are fiends! Check if everyone’s wearing the human-skin masks!”
The Sahyeokryeon, which should’ve been bustling with its founding ceremony, was chaos and frenzy. He tried ignoring it, but it wasn’t isolated. Shouts of deaths echoed from halls everywhere. And those who saw corpses suspected everyone around them. Their disguises as merchants were about to be exposed.
“Muyoung, what do we do?”
Muyoung coldly suppressed his emotions at Muil’s question, who’d infiltrated similarly.
“Abort infiltration. Prioritize securing the targets.”
“Yes.”
No sooner said, they erased their casual steps and unleashed lightness skills, leaping to rooftops away from eyes. It was unprecedented for the Lord’s Guard to leave Murim Alliance grounds. Muyoung had opposed Jeon Somyeong’s initial order most vehemently. But even Alliance Leader Hyeok Mu-gang expressed concern over Sahyeokryeon, forcing their dispatch. The incident tied to Sichuan’s crisis. Without grasping it, the warriors sent there might face disaster.
“Hmm……”
Muyoung thought coming directly was a godsend. Nothing had gone as planned since entering Shanxi Province. Even this reconnaissance infiltration had failed instantly.
Anyway, first secure the targets. Uncover Sahyeokryeon’s events later. They moved for their prime mission.
Then.
Swoosh—
“Hup!”
Sudden swift qi waves flew at them; the guards kicked off simultaneously.
Soon.
Kaboom!
Their spot exploded, cratered. Powerful, precise qi control— a fearsome foe. Muyoung prepared for unexpected battle.
But.
“What? It’s a Baekdo guy?”
The voice came from behind. Turning, a massive armored brute loomed to his forehead. Muyoung recognized him instantly.
Sahwangbong’s brute, Hwang Busik!
Speed unfit for that bulk. A famed name in the Black Path for reason.
“Hey.”
Hwang Busik eyed Muyoung’s sword at his throat.
“We’re not targets for each other, so lower weapons? Or am I?”
“……We’re not assassins.”
Muyoung withdrew his blade. Hwang Busik retracted his mace, grumbling.
“Why sneak in disguised as merchants? Suspicious.”
Muyoung shot back.
“Why swing without checking? Brainless.”
“What? Brainless??”
“Wanna refute?”
“Tch.”
Conceding the verbal spat, Hwang Busik nodded downward.
“You say that seeing Sahyeokryeon like this?”
His reaction was novel to Muyoung. Knowing he was Alliance, yet no hostility.
Muyoung pressed cautiously.
“What happened?”
“What else? Jin Sowoon’s words came true.”
“What?”
Hwang Busik replied amiably.
“Dunno details. He warned of possible raids, prepare. But is this a raid? It’s war.”
Muyoung couldn’t follow. Why spill to an Alliance warrior?
“Seems like pro killers prowling halls. I’m hunting them.”
“……Jin Sowoon said?”
“Yeah. Anyway, you’re here for them too, right?”
“……”
Muyoung gauged how much to reveal. Organizing thoughts, he spoke.
“Contact lost with the Alliance delegation inside Sahyeokryeon. Know anything?”
“……That so. Blocked as expected?”
Muyoung’s brow furrowed at the cryptic words.
“What’s that mean?”
“Things happened. If Alliance, check that building.”
Finishing, Hwang Busik vaulted off the roof. His subordinate asked Muyoung, staring after.
“Muyoung, what now?”
“……”
Muyoung nodded toward the direction.
“Let’s check.”
Couldn’t fully trust a Black Path man, but his attitude wasn’t pure enmity.
#
“Haa, haa, haa.”
Ak Byeongbi, having turned the last chained puppet into a poison corpse with Dang Seo-hui’s joint attack, panted heavily. Fearsome foes. They spewed poison mist like Tang clan’s, and clashing weapons induced sorcery-like dizziness. The unknown-material chains absorbed or deflected attacks, impossible to handle. Thank the high-rankers Hyeol Tu and Yeom Gwi-bi; else, before worrying for Jin Sowoon and Ilmyeong, they’d have died first.
Turning, Hyeol Tu and Yeom Gwi-bi looked similarly spent. Even Black Path veterans paled at puppets vanishing tracelessly like doused in flamebone powder upon death.
“You alright?”
At Ak Byeongbi’s question, Hyeol Tu, one foot in rags, shook his hand disgustedly.
“Can’t move more. Save yourselves.”
Fair, handling three alone…… Impressive he was intact. Yeom Gwi-bi one, Ak Byeongbi and Dang Seo-hui two each— Hyeol Tu overdid his share.
“……”
But none could move further.
Then.
Thud thud.
Ak Byeongbi’s eyes widened at the figure landing before them.
“……Why are you here?”
A Lord’s Guard presence at Sahyeokryeon, miles away.
“Third Tang Lord. Been well?”
Incongruous greeting; Ak Byeongbi countered.
“What’s going on?”
“Came urgently after contact cut.”
Ak Byeongbi frowned.
“Contact cut……? We sent regular reports.”
“……”
Seeing Muyoung silent, Ak Byeongbi realized reports never reached the Alliance. Muyoung shook his head at the grave-faced Ak Byeongbi.
“Talk later. Where are Jin Sowoon and Ilmyeong?”
Ak Byeongbi eyed the hall rippling with red energy beyond the door.
“Inside.”
“What? Trapped in a Geomunjinbeop?”
Trapped in Sahyeokryeon’s formation— serious trouble. But Muyoung gaped at the follow-up.
“Not trapped. Went in to rescue.”
“Rescue? Who?”
“Sahyeokryeon’s chief strategist.”
“……”
Incomprehensible. Jin Sowoon and Ilmyeong voluntarily entering a formation to save Sahyeokryeon’s strategist, near-enemy?
Now noticing their dubious allies: an old man fighting only with feet, a woman wielding yang energy.
Muyoung scanned suspiciously; Ak Byeongbi approached Hyeol Tu and Yeom Gwi-bi’s side.
“Circumstances.”
“……Then we should enter?”
Ak Byeongbi thought Muyoung’s arrival could aid Jin Sowoon.
“We were just……”
But as he spoke, Dang Seo-hui pulled jeweled vials from her bosom.
“Someone’s coming out.”
Gurgle.
The red wall rippled, vomiting the chained puppets who’d entered. Center: Gun Yuhyeon, half-face melted, blood streaming from seven orifices.
“Those bastards……!”
Before Ak Byeongbi finished, sword gang shot from grumbling Hyeol Tu’s foot.
Splatter—
Yeom Gwi-bi’s flames surged; Dang Seo-hui blanketed escape with poison mist.
“Wh-what……!”
Muyoung panicked amid the fierce exchange.
Thwish—
Four wielding long chains deflected attacks effortlessly.
“Where’s Jin Sowoon?”
Dang Seo-hui’s eyes bulged incredulously. Her hands blurred like dozens.
But.
Thwishhh—
Expecting chain blocks, the puppets leaped airborne without hesitation.
Thud- Thud- Thud- Thud-
Hyeol Tu’s gangs rocketed like shells, but they fled despite hits.
“Damn, too fast.”
Puppets vanished cleanly; heavy silence fell.
Then.
The wall rippled again. Expecting more puppets, they gripped weapons not to miss.
“Ilmyeong?”
……A bald head halted their movements.
“Huff, huff, huff, take this guy. Gotta help Donor Jin.”
“What? Weren’t you together?”
Sweat-drenched, gleaming Ilmyeong panted.
“Donor Jin told me evacuate him first……”
“Jin Sowoon fought Gun Yuhyeon?”
Ak Byeongbi’s question got instant reply.
“How’d you know? Shocked me too.”
“……”
Sudden silence; Ilmyeong looked puzzled. Then Dang Seo-hui’s despair filled the space.
“Impossible…… Jin Sowoon’s Black Dragon Stronghold Chief, Sahyeokryeon Vice-Leader. Not one to die like this……!”
As she knelt defeated, Ak Byeongbi asked calmly.
“Definitely Jin Sowoon vs. Gun Yuhyeon inside?”
“Yes. He tossed this guy to me……”
Ak Byeongbi cut in.
“Gun Yuhyeon just escaped with his crew.”
“What? Then Donor Jin……”
All eyed the formation. Realizing what happened inside, none spoke.
“That guy…… in the end……”
Ak Byeongbi knelt, grimacing in pain.
Watching, Muyoung grimaced bitterly. Death came anytime in the jianghu, but Jin Sowoon’s extraordinary passing left inexplicable emptiness.
Regrettable. Wanted another talk someday…… Gone like this.
Muyoung recalled Jin Sowoon’s vile grin piercing his identity at first sight.