Chapter 42
Chapter 42
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 42
Chapter Title: Upheaval
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“No matter what, if things continue like this, Hero Han will be branded as a Demonic Cult spy without a doubt. If the Murim Alliance questions you, deny it outright.”
Yi Cheon Yeong offered his opinion out of concern for Se Yeong.
“That’s right. You have to deny it no matter what, Hero Han.”
The other squad members’ views were no different.
They didn’t suspect Se Yeong.
No, they didn’t want to suspect him.
Because if Se Yeong were a Demonic Cult spy, he wouldn’t have bothered teaching them martial arts.
However, Se Yeong had no intention of hiding it.
“Do you think something like this can be covered up? It’s better if I reveal it first. Sa Sa Un, you step forward.”
Sa Sa Un, who had been lost in thought, jumped in surprise.
“M-Me, step forward?”
“Spread the rumor that I’ve been cultivating demonic arts. That way, you’ll have a reason to return to the First Squad.”
Sa Sa Un grew suspicious of Se Yeong’s intentions.
Why was he looking out for him like this?
Was it a trap, perhaps?
“If you’re suspicious, you don’t have to do it.”
Se Yeong’s words hastened Sa Sa Un’s decision.
“I-I’ll do it.”
“Good. Smart choice. Don’t say anything else—just tell them it seems like I’m cultivating demonic arts. Got it?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Squad leader. I overheard Sa Sa Un blabbing that Han Se Yeong seems to be cultivating demonic arts.”
Namgung Seok shot to his feet upon hearing the report from his squad member.
“For real?”
“I heard it clear as day with these ears.”
Namgung Seok rushed straight to the Iron Wire Fairy.
She sat in the shade of a tree with her eyes closed, surrounded by Emei Sect disciples like a folding screen.
“Senior Sister. I have urgent news to report.”
The Iron Wire Fairy slowly opened her eyes and asked,
“What is it?”
“A member of the Tenth Squad said that Han Se Yeong is cultivating demonic arts.”
Her eyes flashed with murderous intent at the words.
“So my suspicions were right after all. That bastard is definitely a Demonic Cult spy.”
She sprang up and hurried off somewhere.
“Where are you going, Senior Sister?”
As Namgung Seok called after her, the Iron Wire Fairy raised her voice while walking.
“To catch him for sure, we’ll need help from Zhongnan and the Moyong Family, won’t we?”
“I’ll prepare the First Squad as well.”
“I need to meet the Strategist too, so take your time preparing.”
“Understood, Senior Sister.”
Namgung Seok couldn’t hide his excitement.
Who would’ve thought Senior Sister’s hunch was right... That’s why Han Se Yeong was so strong—he was using demonic arts.
The Patrol Squad warriors frantically searched for the Strategist.
“Urgent report, Strategist!”
“Come in.”
The warrior entered the room and bowed deeply.
The Strategist read the urgency on his face.
Something big has happened.
No matter the crisis, the Strategist had to remain composed.
“What’s going on?”
“I overheard Sa Sa Un from the Tenth Squad saying Han Se Yeong is cultivating demonic arts.”
Hmm...
A groan escaped the Strategist’s lips.
Why did these rumors keep cropping up?
“You heard it clearly?”
“Yes. I distinctly heard him say it seems like Han Se Yeong is cultivating demonic arts.”
There was a world of difference between “cultivating demonic arts” and “seems like.”
“Understood. You may go.”
“Yes, sir.”
After dismissing the warrior, the Strategist let out a deep sigh.
Haa.
“In the end, things are unfolding just as the Alliance Leader intended.”
Sa Sa Un’s cunning nature made his words unreliable.
That guy had been waiting for any chance to return to the First Squad.
The Golden Flower Incident will come soon enough. Will the elders from Zhongnan and Moyong show up too?
Imagining what was to come made his vision darken.
Zhongnan, Moyong, and Emei would try to kill Han Se Yeong, while the Alliance Leader would turn a blind eye.
“What a shame to lose such talent like this.”
As the Strategist lamented, a warrior’s voice came from outside.
“Strategist. The Golden Flower Fairy has arrived.”
Heh heh...
Fast, aren’t they.
With a wry chuckle, he straightened his robes.
“Show her in.”
The door opened, and the Iron Wire Fairy entered with two elderly elders.
“Welcome.”
The Strategist rose to greet them.
“We came for urgent discussion.”
“Please, sit.”
He offered them seats first, hoping to calm their urgency with composed talk.
But it didn’t work on the Iron Wire Fairy.
“No time for tea. A Tenth Squad member said Han Se Yeong is cultivating demonic arts. You should send warriors to capture him at once.”
“There’s no solid proof yet. Better to investigate more.”
As the Strategist hesitated, she raised her voice.
“Investigate what? If you won’t act, I will.”
“What do you plan to do?”
She replied matter-of-factly.
“Cut off Han Se Yeong’s head, of course.”
“We can’t have bloodshed inside the Murim Alliance over unproven claims.”
Hmph.
“Is that so? Then I’ll do it outside the Alliance.”
With a snort, she turned and stormed out.
The Zhongnan elder who had entered with her warned,
“Stay out of it, Strategist.”
Sss...
Sssk...
Paeng Se Gi, practicing his staff techniques, kept tilting his head.
Something felt off, but he couldn’t pinpoint why.
Finally, he set aside his iron staff and approached Se Yeong.
“Brother. I’ve got this eerie feeling.”
Ha ha...!
Se Yeong shook his head with a hearty laugh.
This guy truly was a prodigy among prodigies.
“Your senses picked up strangers. You’re far better at detecting hidden foes than hiding yourself.”
Paeng Se Gi understood immediately.
Turning to the forest, he spotted the watchful eyes.
“Looks like First Squad guys... What the hell are they up to?”
As he said, the lurkers in the woods were First Squad members.
Frowning, Paeng Se Gi grabbed his staff and marched toward them.
“What the hell are you idiots doing here?!”
His outburst sent the spies fleeing.
Heh heh...
“They’ve put surveillance on Young Hero Han. Even if you flee the Murim Alliance now, they’ll hunt you relentlessly.”
Instructor Kang seemed to grasp the situation perfectly.
“Probably. They’ll come for my head in a few days.”
Se Yeong’s position differed greatly from the Tenth Squad members’.
To them, he was just a nameless clan’s scion—killing him wouldn’t cause backlash.
“The Iron Wire Fairy won’t come alone. She’ll bring a horde of warriors.”
“I’ve already anticipated that.”
Mid-conversation with Instructor Kang, Se Yeong turned toward the training ground entrance.
“Looks like we have guests.”
The Strategist pitied Se Yeong.
“Why didn’t you run?”
His regret seeped into anger in his tone.
If Se Yeong kept growing, he could become a pillar of the martial world.
“Why run when there’s nothing to fear?”
Haa...
This guy really isn’t a Demonic Cult spy.
With reason failing on both sides, only a fight to the death remained.
“Why not flee now?”
Fleeing the Alliance meant a lifetime as a fugitive.
But at least he’d live.
“Strategist, I must kill those who try to kill me to satisfy my heart. If they’re coming for me, why run?”
Frustrated, the Strategist shouted,
“Think before you act for once! Sometimes you run when they charge with weapons!”
Calling Se Yeong thoughtless was just heat-of-the-moment venting.
Se Yeong caught on and smiled.
“I’ll keep living without thinking. Since you’re here, join us for a meal.”
Just then, Sa Sa Un was setting the table.
The Strategist shouldn’t fraternize with squad members.
But today, he wanted to sit with Se Yeong.
“Sa Sa Un. Set another place.”
“Yes, Hero Han.”
The Strategist glared at Sa Sa Un with displeasure.
If not for that sly tongue, Se Yeong wouldn’t be cornered like this.
Sa Sa Un averted his eyes knowingly as he prepared the food.
Heh heh...
The Strategist chuckled wryly after tasting the braised carp.
Not only did it look appetizing, but it tasted great too.
This skill was second-rate chef level, if not first.
So that’s why he pulled Sa Sa Un from the First Squad.
He’d heard rumors of Sa Sa Un cooking for the Tenth Squad.
But he hadn’t expected such talent.
The decent meal lifted his gloomy mood a bit.
Hmm.
Instructor Kang, about to speak, shut his mouth seeing the Strategist eat so heartily.
But someone utterly clueless piped up.
“Strategist. When do you think the Iron Wire Fairy will move?”
Paeng Se Gi’s question ruined the Strategist’s appetite instantly.
“She’s already requested aid from Emei, Zhongnan, and the Moyong Family. Experts will swarm here soon.”
The squad members couldn’t hide their shock.
Even gathering all Alliance warriors would yield forty or fifty.
Calling on main sects and clans? Hundreds.
“What’s so serious they’re making this big a deal?”
“To keep the Alliance out and silence those who know their secrets.”
The situation was graver than the squad imagined.
“Why’s the Alliance Leader just watching?”
The Strategist gave no answer to Dang Ok Yi’s angry question.
How could he reveal the order to abandon Se Yeong here?
In the Alliance, only the Tenth Squad, Strategist, and a few warriors backed Se Yeong.
“Warriors arrive in a few days. Leave before then.”
Se Yeong shook his head.
“This meal’s too heavy. Se Gi, must you ruin the mood?”
“Sorry, Brother.”
Paeng Se Gi bowed deeply and resumed eating.
Chomp... munch... munch...
He eats well.
The Strategist watched with a poor expression.
Zhongnan sent over fifty warriors.
Less than a day later, over fifty female experts from Emei arrived.
About a dozen were young and beautiful; the rest appeared over thirty.
“Brother. I’ll rush home and bring our clan warriors.”
Worried, Paeng Se Gi tried involving his family.
“Stop. They’re openly sending warriors—think your family doesn’t know? Misstep here, and it sparks a clan war. Emei, Zhongnan, and Moyong sent hordes banking on that.”
“Then what do we do, Brother?”
“If you’re with me, pack your things.”
Calming Paeng Se Gi, Se Yeong turned to the squad.
“If you’re leaving with me, pack up. If staying, forget everything you’ve seen or heard. You’ll be safe till the Demonic Cult attacks, and your clans won’t complain.”
Dang Ok Yi responded first.
“I’ll follow you, Hero Han. As a collateral branch, no one’ll come looking for me.”
Hahu Yeon followed.
“Me too. I’ve been a loner in my family, and my only friends here are Tenth Squad.”
“For Mount Hua, I’ll move with Hero Han.”
The only ones undecided were Yeong Gak and the absent Sa Sa Un.
Yeong Gak asked with unusually deep eyes.
“How do you see the martial world, Hero Han?”
Se Yeong smiled lightly.
“Why view the world through others’ eyes? Can it truly be your world then?”
Ah...
Words that opened even the eye of the heart.
“Om mani padme hum. A foolish small-vehicle question.”
As Yeong Gak clasped hands and bowed, Sa Sa Un came rushing back from outside.
“About a hundred Moyong Family warriors just entered the Murim Alliance!”