345. Revenge
Cheol Sunjik, his entire body soaked in blood, couldn't control the trembling that overtook him.
He really broke through.
They had entered the Magyeong, the death zone of Mukrim, yet instead of tension, his body relaxed, and a sigh of relief escaped his lips. Just as Jin Sowoon had said, the moment they stepped into the Magyeong, the enemies' attacks stopped dead.
Countless people had fallen along the way here, unable to rejoin them. Yet not one uttered a word of resentment or vented their anger. The man leading them had taken the forefront, shouldering the greatest danger to bring them this far.
Those who grumbled about him playing captain even in such a situation fell silent at the sight of the blood dripping from him. Those who complained that he didn't consider their own plight bowed their heads at his desperate figure.
He had done everything to struggle as he promised, giving his all.
He really made good on his words.
It was undoubtedly the worst situation. No one could easily hold onto hope. Fallen into a pit of despair, they could only reflect on their past lives and flail in foolish regrets... And for those who couldn't even do that, it was the worst of all—clinging to vain hopes.
In such a scenario, Jin Sowoon had pulled off the absurd, leading the people forward. Without demanding any price or reward.
What he wanted was just one thing: authority. The authority that should have been his from the start.
In the end, he shouldered far more responsibility than the authority he claimed. He staked his own life to keep his promise.
Cheol Sunjik saw it for the first time. A human bearing such immense weight.
He had never seen it in the Jeongdo Council, nor in Jongnam, nowhere.
Even staggering as he walked, his back looked impossibly vast. The eye level of this man, whom he'd thought was no different from his own, now seemed toweringly high.
It was strange. He hadn't felt dwarfed even by Nam Hwaseong, who was two heads taller. Yet looking at Jin Sowoon, his neck ached from the sheer height.
This guy is really...
"Eh? Ehhh?!"
At that moment, Ilhwi from the Third Squad leaped forward upon seeing Jin Sowoon about to collapse.
Thud.
Ilhwi barely caught Jin Sowoon, who crumpled like a puppet with its strings cut.
And then...
"Huh?"
Around Ilhwi, people from the Jeongdo Council, Baekdo Council, and the Twelve Peaks rushed over without hesitation.
"......"
"......"
An awkward silence hung over them. None here had a friendly relationship or exchange with Jin Sowoon.
On the contrary, they were all filled with those who had envied and checked him.
"......Uh, you know. You okay? Not hurt, right?"
"Huh? Seems fine? Ilhwi, you okay?"
"Ah...... Ahem. Pulse is a bit slow, but he'll be alright. Looks like exhaustion."
Now, they poured out genuine concern.
"Really? Man, if the Captain collapses, what are we supposed to do......"
"Captain's stamina is seriously lacking...... We have some spirit pills from our sect—mind if we give him one?"
Then they all started rummaging in their pockets for something.
It was a bizarre sight even to Cheol Sunjik. Warriors didn't easily share their spirit pills or emergency meds, even with fellow sect members, let alone from the same group.
"......"
Cheol Sunjik had grasped the ways of Murim early on. As long as the colossal power structure called the Murim Alliance dominated the Central Plains, the fights between sects would never end. Even after it fell, the Jeongdo Council, Baekdo Council, and Twelve Peaks would check each other, wanting to kill their own more than the real enemy.
What the hell is this situation...
Without anyone asking, they were digging into their pouches on their own. And it wasn't just for Jin Sowoon. Jeongdo Council members treated Baekdo Council wounded, Baekdo treated Twelve Peaks members. Transcending sects and status, they acted like they were truly one unit.
Cheol Sunjik stared at the man who had orchestrated all this.
A true dragon after all...
A third-rate sect disciple never got the character for dragon. Dragon and phoenix held special symbolism. Who could lightly bear characters meaning one appearance changes the world?
Thus, he'd dismissed Jin Sowoon's moniker as mere mockery and ridicule. Especially since it came from Chaseokdu of the Four Emperors Phoenix.
We were the fools...
Perhaps the black path's hero had recognized it first. The true dragon that should have crouched in the shadows of the Baekdo path.
Today, Cheol Sunjik couldn't shake the feeling that he had become a very small man.
# I realized I'd passed out when I came to. I was being carried on Geum Pyo's back from the Fifth Squad.
His back's this wide? Kids grow fast.
"How long was I out?"
Geum Pyo answered without turning.
"Not long. Rest a bit more."
His voice was oddly subdued. Something must have happened.
"The others......"
"Everyone else is fine. So just stay put."
"Gotta get down......"
Then someone jabbed my pressure point from the side, amateurishly. Rolling my eyes, I saw it was Eunho.
"You can stay like that, Big Brother."
Does he think I can't undo this point?
"......Sahwal-dan is still moving, and aside from the spirit beasts, those damn bastards haven't shown up."
Eunho's voice was off too. But why won't they show their faces? Did something really happen?
"Who? Who died?"
"......No one died."
"Then why hide your faces."
Only then did Eunho whip his head around. His fierce face contrasted with his teary eyes. I couldn't tell if he was about to rage or sob as he stared at me.
"Big Brother... you almost died!"
His words made me swallow what I was about to say.
"Right now, First Captain and Second Captain are clearing the path ahead. So... please rest a little more, Big Brother!"
I forced open the point Eunho hit and wriggled to get off Geum Pyo's back, only for another jab. This one was stronger.
"Who else......"
"If you don't stay still......"
A voice chillier than frost pierced my ear.
"Next time, we'll tie you up tight with rope."
Saryeon's voice dripped with cold fury. When did these kids grow up?
Her acupoint skill was better than Eunho's, but still lacking in Taeul Divine Canon knowledge. I undid it quickly and finally slid off Geum Pyo's back.
Wobble.
"Big Brother......!"
The ground felt odd underfoot. A slight dizziness hit, but two breaths later, I was fine.
"I'm good."
"Your body's not even healed yet......"
As I stepped forward again, Saryeon grabbed my shoulder.
"Why... go this far."
Why go this far...
I gazed into the void for a moment. Seeing someone die gets old. That scene sticks in my head forever.
I turned and met my juniors' eyes one by one.
"I want to stop adding bad memories."
Probably no academy student has more internal energy than me. And aside from Tae-eul Gate allies, no one else knows energy circulation techniques. In this moment with no time for brief qi gathering, me taking the front is the best way to prevent deaths.
I asked Yang Japyeong, who stared at me oddly.
"Brother Yang, how long have we been in here?"
"Wouldn't rest be better?"
"Brother Yang."
Yang Japyeong scratched his head and sighed deeply.
"......About three shichen."
That long?
"No enemies?"
"None. Plus, the academy students are getting better at hunting spirit beasts, so sacrifices are down. ...So, rest a bit more?"
Strange. No enemies for three shichen? Even if spirit beasts prioritize the demon cultivators, they'd sacrifice to hit us—that's more their style. Crazy bastards who don't even see sacrifice as a thing.
"Brother Yang, if we skirt the Magyeong and head to the west exit, how much longer?"
"Hard to say exactly... never measured, and depends who."
"Assuming first-rate warriors, running at a sustainable pace."
"......About a day."
"Risk of encirclement."
"......"
We'd moved opposite their expectations. They must be unprepared too. Who charges into the jaws of death avoiding enemies?
Even defying expectations cost many lives to shake them. Can't let guard down. No clue how many forces they've deployed in Mukrim.
Stop even briefly, and encirclement looms. Getting surrounded in the Magyeong would be worse than in Mukrim.
Best is crossing before they arrive and exiting Mukrim.
"Who's scouting the path?"
"Our sect members are rotating guide duty, so no worries......"
"How many died?"
Yang Japyeong's eyes wavered, lips pressing tight.
"Not time to rest, then."
"This is our sect's decision too."
"Dying is a decision?"
After a silence, Yang Japyeong met my gaze squarely.
"If the Captain dies... no one gets out alive."
Captain... He wasn't even ordered to command.
"And no one will let you take the front."
No permission?
Ignoring his cryptic words and my juniors' worries, I moved to the vanguard.
"Huh? Already up?"
"Told ya, Kunlun's spirit pills are the best for weird stuff."
I left behind the weirdos with fatherly pride in their eyes for feeding a kid.
As I walked, incomprehensible conversations buzzed around me.
But the formation was different. Faces who had no need to be up front were here.
"Aren't you Eighth Squad? Why up here?"
"Understand. Captain's orders are absolute, but front's too thin."
First and Second Squads took heavy losses, so Third and Fourth filled in. Then rear filled the gaps on flanks. All voluntary while I was out. Pure choice to sacrifice.
"I see. Good work."
"Aw, praise is embarrassing......"
"Keep it up."
As I finished and moved ahead, those up front turned to me.
"No way, when'd you wake up."
"Said to hit pressure points if he did! Who was it? Can't even do acupoints right......"
"Acupoints? It's his internal energy. How do you knock out someone who crushes instructors with qi."
What the hell are they on about?
"Should I just poison him unconscious?"
Dang Ki-han's Seventh Captain words left me dumbfounded. What nonsense.
"Captain. Rest more. You've pushed too hard getting here."
"Yeah, you're not made of dragon bone—treat those wounds."
"Don't know commander virtues? Leaders hang back."
Hearing them talk like one body transcending factions, I wondered if I was dreaming. They sync so well. But calling me Captain... casually? Whatever, ignore for now.
Debating if to celebrate this unity I'd never seen in my past life or rage at insubordination, the column slowed sharply.
"Wh-what?"
"Hold! Stop!"
Commotion from ahead. We'd never halted before?
"Out of the way."
I pushed through academy students. They sensed the oddity too—no blockers.
At the vanguard, Ilgak and Nam Hwaseong stood rigid, staring ahead.
No way, Demonic Cult?
If demon cultivators appeared now, we'd charge, not stop. Best to clash where most spirit beasts are.
"What's going on."
I gripped Nam Hwaseong's shoulder, but he didn't turn. Ilgak was frozen too.
Shiver.
Ilgak, whose composure never broke before demon cultivators, trembled.
"J-Jin Captain......"
"What?"
"The 'that' situation you mentioned happened."
"What?"
Ilgak's lips quivered as he added,
"Th-that... 'mad dog' situation."
What? Why's this baldhead using old slang...
"That."
Following Ilgak's finger,
"Grrrrr......"
In the woods, a house-sized furball bared teeth, growling. Fishy eyes radiated hostility.
"Fuck......"
No need to sense spirit veins. Even for a spirit beast, this size crossed the line.
The existence I'd vowed never to meet again after catching Taeyanghu.
"That's why those bastards haven't shown their faces."
One of Mukrim's Four Great Spirits had planted itself right there.