Chapter 345
Chapter 345
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 345
Chapter Title: Chase (2)
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Crossing the river and reaching the other side, a forest of completely different form began.
Under towering ancient trees, shrubs grew thick up to a grown man's shoulders, making it the perfect environment to shake off pursuers.
Yi Hwan had carefully observed the surrounding terrain from the moment he sensed this reconnaissance was different from the usual, and he had memorized this place in case of the worst scenario.
The unusually tall shrubs blocked the view of the Zhao Kingdom warriors pursuing them, and Yi Hwan used that to his advantage, launching attacks from afar to fell one enemy at a time.
Already, the number of Zhao Kingdom warriors who collapsed without even swinging their swords once reached ten.
Kim Mu-gwan and Park Ji-mun were amazed.
‘When did he scout out a place like this?’
At first, they couldn’t understand why Yi Hwan wasn’t retracing his steps back the way they came but instead chose this route for retreat.
But now, they had to admit that choice was brilliant.
Park Ji-mun shouted.
“We should use qi projection attacks too!”
“Got it.”
“No.”
“……Pardon?”
“We don’t know what situation might arise, so unless it’s absolutely necessary, conserve your energy as much as possible.”
“But the Great Prince alone… isn’t the energy consumption too severe…?”
“Don’t worry about me. I still have plenty.”
“Yes.”
* * *
Kieeeek!
The azure eagle screeched loudly.
Dong Ja-ryang ordered everyone to follow only the eagle’s flight path.
‘They’ve used their heads quite a bit, but they won’t escape the eagle’s sight.’
On the ground, the thick shrubs obstructed their view, making it hard to spot the fleeing Qin Kingdom warriors, but the pursuit from the sky by the eagle was inescapable.
It was then.
Pew!
A signal flare burst in the sky ahead.
Dong Ja-ryang’s expression turned peculiar as he stared at it.
“Tch. I didn’t expect to have to call in that old man too…”
Dong Ja-ryang was confident he could handle Yi Hwan alone.
Yet, even with Do Geom and Yi Tae-ji present, things had gone awry, forcing him to summon someone he hadn’t wanted to call.
Suddenly irritated, Dong Ja-ryang snapped at his subordinates.
“Pick up the pace! Stop dawdling!”
“Our casualties are mounting from their long-range qi projection attacks.”
Dong Ja-ryang scoffed at Do Geom’s words.
“Hmph! Qi projection attacks consume a massive amount of energy. The more they use, the quicker they tire and collapse on their own.”
“So you’re willing to accept our allies’ casualties until then?”
“What matters to us is Yi Hwan’s head. If we can take it, a few losses are acceptable.”
Do Geom suppressed his rising anger at Dong Ja-ryang’s indifference to his subordinates’ sacrifices.
‘He’s always been like this…’
“You should speed up too. How long are you going to lag behind?”
Do Geom didn’t reply and surged to the front.
Watching him, Dong Ja-ryang sneered coldly.
‘With that thorn in your side, the vicious army flower, dead, you must feel relieved? But there’s nothing left for you to gain here, Do Geom.’
* * *
Yi Hwan was human, made of flesh and blood.
As time passed, the Zhao Kingdom warriors dying by his hand increased, but so did the depletion of his own energy.
The situation was unfolding exactly as Dong Ja-ryang hoped.
Thud!
“Argh!”
Another one toppled, blood pouring from his head. The others’ eyes blazed with killing intent at their comrade’s death.
A black-cloaked warrior shouted.
“The light beam reduced to one! He’s tiring—don’t fear, keep chasing!”
Thud!
“Argh!”
“You damn bastard! Let’s see how long you can keep that up!”
“Raaah!”
Despite their comrades falling one after another, the Zhao Kingdom warriors howled ferociously and pressed the chase.
“Fuck! Why are the experts hanging back? Waiting for us to all die?”
“It’s a ploy to wear them down with our deaths! Those bastards!”
Resentment toward Dong Ja-ryang and the others erupted.
Everyone knew they could run faster. Yet no one had pushed forward so far.
Yi Tae-ji was at the front, but even he never took the lead.
‘He’s tiring. A little longer, and the chance will come. This time, I’ll kill him with my own hands before that Azure Eagle Demon steps in.’
That was Yi Tae-ji’s aim.
Thus, the chase tangled with each person’s greed continued for another half shichen.
Fortunately, the Qin Kingdom warriors suffered no further losses in that time, thanks to Yi Hwan, Kim Mu-gwan, and Park Ji-mun guarding the rear.
‘Our own homeland, to which we devoted everything, treats us as sacrificial pawns, while a foreign Great Prince protects us…’
Relations between Yeon Kingdom and Qin Kingdom were decent lately, but they were still adversaries who could draw blades on each other at any moment. Yi Hwan was with them only due to temporary cooperation.
Yet Yi Hwan fought desperately at the very rear to protect them, when with his skill, he could have abandoned them and escaped anytime.
The Qin Kingdom warriors couldn’t help but feel conflicted.
Their homeland used them as expendable for the mission, while this foreign Great Prince sacrificed himself to shield them.
Crunch!
Everyone gritted their teeth and ran on. The only way they could help Yi Hwan now was to keep up without falling behind.
“Argh!”
Another Zhao Kingdom warrior collapsed with a death cry. The middle-aged leader of the Qin Kingdom warriors cried out desperately.
“Don’t stop—keep running! For Yeon’s Great Prince, who protects us despite no ties to us, don’t stop!”
“Don’t stop!”
* * *
“Hoo!”
Rough breaths escaped Yi Hwan’s lips.
Each qi projection attack heated his dantian. He was nearing his limit.
Kim Mu-gwan turned and shouted.
“We’ll take the rear now!”
“There’s something you need to do.”
“Tell us!”
“Lead them down. If the pursuit catches up by any chance, head to a place where you can buy maximum time, fire a signal flare, and hold out to the end!”
“And the Great Prince…?”
Yi Hwan smiled instead.
“Don’t worry about me. I have no intention of dying before you.”
“At least tell us your plan! How else can we prepare afterward?!”
“I’m going for the snake’s head.”
“……!”
“I leave it to you.”
Right ahead was an especially dense thicket—a blind spot invisible to the Zhao Kingdom warriors. Yi Hwan plunged in, then immediately veered right.
Kim Mu-gwan and Park Ji-mun gritted their teeth, watching Yi Hwan vanish from sight in an instant.
“Why go this far…?”
“It’s just to save who he can. Nothing more. And that’s why we follow him.”
Snikt.
Park Ji-mun grinned.
“Let’s trust the Great Prince.”
* * *
In the past, Daye Fortress had an assassin hailed as the greatest in history.
An assassin who had transcended the realm of assassins, evaluated as darkness itself—the Black Emperor.
Called the king of shadows, he commanded fame no one in the assassin world could touch, yet even his name and gender remained unknown.
Only a select few leaders in Daye Fortress, including Yi Hwan and the Three Kings, knew his face and name.
Yi Hwan sought to recreate that Black Emperor’s martial arts in this era.
‘From now on, I hunt them.’
Hiding in the dense thicket, Yi Hwan began circulating his qi to gather his breath.
Rustle rustle rustle!
The Zhao Kingdom warriors passed by his hiding spot one after another.
Moments later, Yi Tae-ji passed too.
But Yi Hwan did not emerge.
Do Geom and Dong Ja-ryang passed.
Yi Hwan remained still this time as well.
How much time passed?
Yi Hwan’s pupils flashed azure for an instant before returning to normal.
“Hoo…”
Exhaling deeply, Yi Hwan stepped out of the forest.
No Zhao Kingdom warriors pursued from behind.
Staring ahead, Yi Hwan’s gaze turned icy.
“I’ll carry on your legend, Black Emperor.”
* * *
“The rearguard has finally tired! No more losses at the front!”
At his subordinate’s report, Dong Ja-ryang smirked triumphantly.
“We might end this before the old man arrives. Everyone, full speed—catch them!”
“Yes!”
Those who had been moving at the rear with Dong Ja-ryang suddenly accelerated.
Dong Ja-ryang followed, and they quickly caught up to the front.
“Damn it! They only catch up now that we’re exhausted!”
“You fucks! We can’t go farther! If you’re chasing, you do it!”
Some black-cloaked warriors halted, panting roughly and hurling curses.
Even those who knew Dong Ja-ryang’s cruelty well were this furious, showing how much they had lost their composure.
Then, a flash streaked from behind.
Splurt!
Two black-cloaked warriors’ heads flew off.
It was Dong Ja-ryang.
“Who gave you permission to stop the chase?”
“……!”
The halted black-cloaked warriors recoiled in shock and resumed pursuit.
But already at their limits in energy and stamina, they soon stopped again.
Once more, Dong Ja-ryang’s cruel hand struck without fail.
Splurt!
“Argh!”
“Ugh!”
More black-cloaked warriors collapsed pathetically.
Then Do Geom, who had been at the front, turned back.
“What are you doing!”
“Once they’re useless, discard them.”
“……!”
“I’ll say it again—don’t forget what’s most important, Do Geom. Well, if you want to join them, I won’t stop you. Heh heh heh.”
Sneering coldly, Dong Ja-ryang shot forward.
Do Geom’s face twitched.
Twitch twitch…
“Dong Ja-ryang, you mad bastard…”
* * *
Reaching the front, Dong Ja-ryang narrowed his eyes at the Qin Kingdom’s rearguard. He saw Kim Mu-gwan and Park Ji-mun holding it.
But Yi Hwan was nowhere.
“Where’s Yi Hwan?”
“From moments ago, those guys have taken his place at the rear. Seems he dropped back due to heavy energy consumption!”
“Well, guarding the rear alone for so long—strange if he wasn’t tired.”
Shing!
Dong Ja-ryang drew his saber. Fully recovered from his clash with Yi Hwan, it gleamed with vivid blood-red qi.
“Don’t get too close alone—it’s dangerous! Those guys are no pushovers either!”
“Are you worrying about me now? Then you go ahead and tangle with them first.”
“……Pardon?”
“I mean, prove that worry is genuine. Go on.”
“……Yes!”
Five yellow-cloaked warriors shot forward like arrows, and Dong Ja-ryang followed at a safe distance.
It was then.
Slice!
The head of a yellow-cloaked warrior at the group’s rear flew off cleanly. He died without knowing why, so no scream came.
Then one more, then another.
While three died like that, the other yellow-cloaked warriors noticed nothing.