Chapter 39
Translator: penny
Chapter: 39
Chapter Title: Chuwonrak's Arrival
"Grit... You filthy vermin...!"
Im Jungdo gnashed his teeth at letting Eun Garyeon slip away.
But he didn't even have the luxury to vent his anger idly.
Chaaeng-!
It was because Jang Yunho's sword kept targeting him relentlessly.
'Urk, if only I weren't internally injured.'
Why had he taken Eun Garyeon hostage in the first place?
It was all because of this guy.
This guard with skill far beyond his years.
The problem was that he had no idea why a guy like this was still sticking around the Eun Merchant Group.
'If I just deal with him, I can sweep away the rest.'
And Jang Yunho was thinking the exact same thing.
'Just take out the deputy manager.'
The remaining Red Serpent Sect stragglers would be handled by the escorts.
All he had to do was subdue Im Jungdo.
However, it wasn't easy.
"Deputy Manager, you've been hiding your martial prowess!"
"Damn it. If not for my injuries, a punk like you..."
In truth, Im Jungdo had never intended to reveal his true identity like this.
It had already been four years since he infiltrated the Eun Merchant Group.
He was just days away from claiming his target, Eun Garyeon, and making a clean escape.
But then,
'Master is coming soon.'
He'd received word that Chuwonrak, tired of waiting, was taking matters into his own hands.
That was why Im Jungdo had moved so hastily.
Chaeng!
The two swords clashed once more.
This should have been a clash where Im Jungdo held the advantage, but the internal injuries from Mok Jimyeong kept holding him back.
Neither gained the upper hand, and the fight dragged on.
A young escort standing beside Eun Garyeon cautiously spoke to his senior.
"If Master Jang loses like this, what happens to us...?"
"Didn't you hear? He'll kill us all!"
"Then shouldn't we help Master Jang instead of just standing here?"
"You wanna jump into that? Are you insane? Just protect the Leader!"
Jang Yunho and Im Jungdo were on a completely different level.
Even if they tried to help, they'd only get in the way.
The Red Serpent Sect remnants thought the same, so they all just watched the duel.
Thus, a moment that felt like an eternity passed.
"Hoo, Deputy Manager. Give it up already."
"Urk... Shut your mouth!"
The tide was gradually turning in Jang Yunho's favor.
It was only natural.
The longer the fight went on, the worse his internal injuries became.
That said, Jang Yunho wasn't unscathed either.
His body, which had emerged without a scratch against the Red Serpent Sect members, was now covered in sword wounds.
Having barely seized the momentum, Jang Yunho hurled a question at Im Jungdo.
"Why the hell did you do this?"
His tone was far more relaxed than before.
In response, Im Jungdo cackled as if he'd given up on everything.
"The Eun Merchant Group is done for anyway. You idiots ruined it when you could've just handed over Eun Garyeon nicely..."
"Cut the bullshit and give me a reason!"
"That lord... He's coming now."
Jang Yunho frowned at Im Jungdo's incessant nonsense.
"Who the hell is 'that lord'? Speak properly..."
That was when it happened.
The air suddenly grew heavy.
"He's talking about me, Chuwonrak, little one."
A small voice boomed like thunder across the sky.
At the same time, Jang Yunho's body began trembling uncontrollably, as if defying his will.
'What in the...!'
A presence that crushed everything with mere words.
The monster bearing that horrifying aura slowly crossed the gate and approached.
"Out of my way, you vermin."
The Red Serpent Sect disciples at the gate scattered as chunks of flesh.
Simply because they'd obstructed his path.
Yet no one screamed.
No, no one could even scream.
The space was already dominated by one man.
Thud... Thud...
An unnatural, eerie silence.
Even as its source approached slowly, Jang Yunho couldn't twitch a finger.
Unless the absolute being known as Chuwonrak permitted it, no one in this space could move.
"M-Master!"
Im Jungdo, belatedly regaining his freedom, prostrated himself flat.
But Chuwonrak looked down at him with indifferent eyes.
"Useless wretch. You begged me to trust you..."
"F-Forgive me! If I'd had just a few more days..."
"I've waited four years already."
Chuwonrak slowly lifted his foot.
And crushed the head of his trembling disciple, who lay prostrated beneath him.
Splaaat!
Blood and brains splattered.
Im Jungdo, who had been holding his own against Jang Yunho just moments ago, lost his life without so much as resisting.
'This... There's no way to beat this...'
Witnessing it from up close, Jang Yunho's resolve began to crumble.
This was like a natural disaster.
Not something to fight, but to pray you'd survive.
Fortunately, Chuwonrak merely glanced at him before turning away.
As if Jang Yunho wasn't worth his attention.
Chuwonrak resumed walking.
His destination: where the Eun Merchant Group staff were gathered.
Thud... Thud...
The result was the same.
The escorts blocking his path became scattered flesh without a chance to resist.
"So you're the girl Eun Garyeon."
The monster finally arrived before Eun Garyeon.
'No... Not the Leader!'
Even if he died, he had to protect Eun Garyeon.
With that single thought, Jang Yunho finally shook off his terror.
He circulated his inner energy to dispel the formless pressure pinning him down.
He'd barely regained control of his body, but...
"Ho, a guy who escaped my Formless Pressure?"
That was all.
Regaining freedom didn't mean a human could stand against a natural disaster.
There was nothing he could do.
'Remember, Jang Yunho. What you can do...!'
In that moment, Mok Jimyeong's words resurfaced.
-You protect the warehouse as usual. And when danger comes, when there's truly no other way, just fire this.
He hurriedly slipped his hand into his bosom and grasped a long cylindrical object.
The signal flare he'd kept there ever since that day.
'Will firing this really change anything?'
Even as he pulled it out, Jang Yunho was skeptical.
But... against a natural disaster, this was the only thing he could do.
-Remember. Only when it feels like the heavens themselves are collapsing. That's when you fire this signal flare.
Wasn't this the heaven-collapsing moment he described?
So, with the freedom he'd barely seized, he prayed for a miracle.
Piiiing-
Boom-!
A beautiful yellow firework bloomed in the sky.
It vanished without a trace in an instant, but...
Nothing changed.
"If you escaped the Formless Pressure, you should've run. What do you think you're doing?"
No, it had drawn Chuwonrak's attention.
Chuwonrak, standing before Eun Garyeon, slowly turned and walked toward Jang Yunho.
"You think reinforcements will stop me, Chuwonrak?"
Honestly, Jang Yunho was doubtful too.
Would anything really change?
However,
"Shouldn't I at least struggle with everything I've got?"
Knowing it was futile, he aimed his sword at Chuwonrak.
Perhaps amused by the defiance, Chuwonrak burst into booming laughter.
"Kahaha! Quite the likable fellow. How about becoming my disciple?"
"Disciple...? Like that guy who obeyed your orders and got his skull crushed?"
Jang Yunho's gaze dropped to Im Jungdo's corpse.
To the man who'd died with his head smashed by his own master.
Seeing it, Chuwonrak laughed again.
"Yes, just like him. But I'll teach you proper martial arts."
Martial arts taught by a supreme expert like Chuwonrak.
It'd be a lie to say it didn't tempt him at all.
But Jang Yunho had something more important.
"How about letting the Leader go instead?"
"You've crossed a line I can't tolerate."
No sooner had the words left his mouth than Chuwonrak's figure vanished.
'Danger...!'
Before he could even perceive it, Chuwonrak's kick flew at him.
Already on guard, Jang Yunho barely managed to react.
But it was pointless.
Jang Yunho's sword met Chuwonrak's leg,
Kwaaaang!
With a massive explosion, Jang Yunho's body was hurled backward.
"Kuuhk..."
In a single clash, his mind went hazy.
"Jang Sohyeop!"
As Chuwonrak moved, the Formless Pressure lifted, and Eun Garyeon's worried voice rang out.
Gripping onto his consciousness, Jang Yunho forced himself back up.
"With everything I've got... struggle...! Cough!"
His internal injuries severe, Jang Yunho vomited blood.
But that was his limit; his body collapsed, slamming into the ground.
"Heh heh, a likable one indeed. I'll take you as a disciple too."
Chuwonrak hoisted the unconscious Jang Yunho over one shoulder and approached Eun Garyeon again.
Watching it all, Eun Garyeon finally shed tears.
"Why... why this..."
Jin Pyosa who saved her, Shim Pyosa who said to call if short on hands, even Gwak Manager who said he'd persuade the deputy again...
So many had lost their lives to that monster.
Was struggling the mistake?
Should she have let herself be taken quietly by the Red Serpent Sect?
"Was I... in the wrong...?"
She wasn't the only one freed from the Formless Pressure.
But no one answered her.
"Like they said... should I have gone quietly...?"
Those who moments ago vowed to save her now averted their eyes.
No, they even inched away from the approaching Chuwonrak.
"I've waited long enough. Let's go."
With Jang Yunho slung over one shoulder, Chuwonrak extended his other hand to her.
The moment Eun Garyeon gave up and reached to accept—
"Hey, hold it right there."
The signal flare Jang Yunho had fired returned, under the name of salvation.