Chapter 30
Chapter 30
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 30
Chapter Title: Part 5: Prelude Battle
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“Phew, it’s done.”
Having finished cooking, Jeong-a lifted her apron to wipe her forehead.
She carefully covered all the lids to keep dust from the food and made sure everything was ready to simply reheat for mealtime.
She took off her apron, paused for a moment, and gathered her thoughts.
Finally, Jeong-a picked up the luggage she had prepared in advance and left the kitchen.
Inside the closed hearth, the dying charcoal embers glowed red.
* * *
The point when winter’s brief sun began to wane in the late afternoon.
Atop a tall building near the Black Bone Gang’s main headquarters.
An agent who had spotted a signal from afar sent a standby signal.
His high-quality black night suit was worn in spots, a sign of his experience.
Strapped firmly to his back was his main weapon, along with auxiliary arms like short swords and flying needles tucked into various places on his body.
The agent on the rooftop confirmed the signal and reported to the field commander.
“Fifteenth squad is in position.”
“Fifteenth squad confirmed in position.”
The field commander, also clad in night clothes, noted the report and assessed the overall situation.
Having checked everything, the commander signaled to the messenger waiting at his side.
The messenger leaped lightly over several rooftops and landed on a balcony protruding from one building.
A group dressed in night clothes had taken position on the balcony where he landed.
He dropped to one knee before a woman also in night clothes.
The woman wore an eyepatch emblazoned with a crescent moon pattern over one eye.
“Pavilion Lord. Evacuation of local civilians complete. All agents and collaborators are in position and standing by.”
The woman, arms crossed and eyes closed, was none other than Crescent Moon Pavilion’s Pavilion Lord, Se-ah.
She slowly opened her eyes and pulled down the cloth covering her mouth.
“Everyone maintain vigilance in current positions. When the action starts, move according to engagement protocols. All responses to contingencies are at the field commander’s discretion. Command authority transfers to the field commander afterward.”
The messenger crisply repeated the orders in a small but clear voice, then leaped back onto the rooftops.
The scene was far too organized for a mere intelligence outfit.
And that was the secret to why Crescent Moon Pavilion had grown so rapidly in Luoyang, one of the Central Plains’ premier metropolises.
A short while later, with personnel departing one by one for their assignments, only Se-ah and her bodyguard remained.
Her bodyguard spoke to Se-ah as she leaned against the wall, letting the cold wind wash over her.
“Are you worried?”
Se-ah nearly answered reflexively but checked herself upon seeing who it was and decided to be honest.
“...Not worried, exactly. More... complicated.”
“I see.”
And the bodyguard said no more.
Se-ah let out a sigh and spoke again.
“You heard my whole conversation with the Eldest Young Master earlier, didn’t you?”
The bodyguard shook his head.
“I didn’t hear a thing. Especially not any words about ‘Hyuk’ or whatever. Please don’t drag me into any more terrifying stuff. I quit, effective immediately.”
Se-ah ignored him and said what she wanted.
“What did you think of him? The Eldest Young Master, I mean.”
The bodyguard shrugged.
“As I said before, I think he’s a good man.”
Se-ah shot back a little sharply.
“Even after hearing that? Even knowing he’s the Dark Heaven Venerable?”
“For starters, I don’t know what conversation you’re talking about.”
“Don’t change the subject.”
The bodyguard scratched his cheek, wrapped in black cloth.
“He’s scary, no doubt. How could he not be? But still...”
He answered in a calm tone.
“For some reason, I like that Eldest Young Master.”
Se-ah sighed.
“What an infuriating answer.”
Their conversation paused.
This time, the bodyguard spoke first.
“...I’ll follow whatever the young lady decides. I’ll just go wherever you go.”
Se-ah gave a small smile.
“Even if it’s a demonic path through a bloodsea hell like the outskirts of the Alien Demon Realm?”
“...I’d have to think that one over again.”
The bodyguard met Se-ah’s gaze.
“Do what your heart tells you.”
“Yeah.”
Se-ah patted her bodyguard’s shoulder and walked to the railing.
Beyond the thoroughly disguised railing, she could see the Black Bone Gang’s headquarters atop a distant hill.
People carrying torches were scurrying about in preparation for the coming darkness.
‘Killing villains over and over until the world changes?’
She could see more than ten times the usual number patrolling, armed to the teeth.
‘I’ll see with my own eyes if he’s really that extraordinary, to say such mad things so calmly.’
Just then, the messenger reappeared.
“Pavilion Lord. Scattered engagements are breaking out in multiple alleys.”
“The prelude battle?”
“Yes. The field commander assesses it as a move to secure escape routes.”
Se-ah drew a deep breath.
“...It’s starting.”
* * *
A narrow alley.
“You fucking bastards! We let up a little, and now every dog and pig thinks they can strut around!”
A man whose face was densely covered in black skull tattoos bellowed at his cowering underlings.
“What are you waiting for, you shits?! Attack now!”
At his command, swung from behind with a sword, those clutching various weapons let out beastly roars and charged the night-clad figures.
“Arrrgh!”
The lead of the three night-clad figures crouched into a drawing stance.
“Die!”
The axe swung by the burly frontrunner sliced futilely through empty air.
At the same instant, his belly split open long, spraying blood and entrails.
A long sword flashed out in that blink, severing necks, lopping arms, and splitting chests of the charging foes.
The vanguard’s momentum shattered in a breath.
“You shits! Push harder!”
Spurred by the terrifying roar from behind, more Black Bone Gang members rushed in.
But the combat agent who had broken their impetus fell back, killing their charge.
The two waiting agents smoothly advanced, cutting down the onrushing foes.
It was one-sided.
The difference was so vast, it was hard to believe they lacked internal energy.
Most Black Bone Gang members had no expertise in this kind of open combat to begin with.
They were mostly just thugs and hoodlums, no match for Crescent Moon Pavilion’s elite combat agents, honed by brutal training and real battles.
“Hey, fuck. This ain’t working.”
The Black Bone Gang action captain yelled toward his rear.
“Hey! Everyone hug the walls! Clear a path for the reserves waiting behind!”
At his words, the Black Bone Gang crowded against the alley walls.
“Damn it...”
The Crescent Moon Pavilion agent gritted his teeth at the sight of fresh reinforcements slipping through the parted ranks.
“Spears.”
Dozens of spearheads glinted, reflecting the sunset.
* * *
“Commander! Spears! They’ve brought out spears!”
The staff officer shouted.
“It’s too many for just securing a retreat. And the numbers are growing. Even the forces needed to defend the headquarters seem to be pouring out.”
The Crescent Moon Pavilion field commander stroked his beard.
“...Commit all reserves!”
“Yes!”
The field commander looked down at the alleys where fierce clashes raged everywhere.
“They’re prioritizing momentum even if it leaves the headquarters exposed.”
* * *
“Push harder! You shits, since it’s come to this, shove ’em back hard!”
More poured toward the alley at the Black Bone Gang executive’s shout.
“Even the guys guarding headquarters—is this okay?”
Another executive voiced unease beside him.
It had started as just probing for escape routes.
But that deployment was misinterpreted as a chance to flee, sparking the problem.
One by one started bolting, and soon everyone was abandoning the headquarters.
“Retreat now, and it’ll just cause panic! Better to seize the momentum, fuck it!”
It was the judgment of an ex-military officer.
“Besides, the real fight’s gonna be those guys anyway, right?”
His gaze turned rearward.
The wall hid them from view.
But he could picture the black道 martial artists sitting heavy-assed, unmoving inside.
“Hey! Shit. At least grab your weapons! No, that bastard’s actually running! Kill him!”
What had been localized, sporadic skirmishes was spiraling uncontrollably.
* * *
“Don’t worry about manpower shortages.”
Se-ah told the messenger.
“Soon, those I contacted will start arriving.”
The messenger left to relay to the field commander.
“How many do you think will come?”
At the bodyguard’s question, Se-ah flashed a wry smile.
“A ton.”
She placed both hands on the railing and continued.
“The Black Bone Gang has racked up too many grudges.”
No sooner had she spoken than people in all manner of garb began joining the fray one after another.
With their arrival, the tide began turning once more.
“They’ve got some nerve, all of them. Geumju has the Sword Clan Bronze Token. They’re not afraid of the Luoyang Sword Clan?”
Se-ah faltered at his words.
“Young lady?”
Se-ah gave a bitter smile.
“...Truth is, I kinda boasted I’d take full responsibility.”
“.......”
The bodyguard stared at her in disbelief, speechless.
“Don’t look at me like that. If the Dark Heaven Venerable’s as amazing as the rumors say, we can totally ride his coattails...”
In that instant, Se-ah felt her body lift off the ground.
A roar slammed her ears, stunning her; her vision shook violently, disorienting up from down.
“...Damn it! Young lady!”
When she came to, her bodyguard was shaking her fiercely in her sight.
“What the...!”
Behind him loomed the half-collapsed upper section of their building.
Then came a laugh that tore at the eardrums.
The laughter, laced with immense internal energy, halted the alley fights for a moment.
“Young lady, look there!”
At the bodyguard’s shout, Se-ah’s eyes turned to the ruined building’s top.
As dust cleared, a woman plastered head to toe in red appeared—Geumju.
For some reason, bulging red veins stood out on her exposed skin, and visible streams of energy aura poured from her in all directions.
Her clothes fluttered as if possessed, following the aura.
“......!”
Gooseflesh rose all over Se-ah.
Though devoid of internal energy, Se-ah felt Geumju’s gaze lock onto her.
The bodyguard stepped in front, blocking Se-ah.
“Young lady. I don’t know what happened, but she’s not the Geumju we knew.”
As Se-ah opened her mouth to speak, Geumju’s tinkling voice rang out.
“Crescent Moon Pavilion Lord!”
It dripped with killing intent.
“I’ll kill you before that bastard arrives!”
The bodyguard shoved the unsteady Se-ah.
“Run!”
Se-ah bolted without looking back.
“Gyu! You have to survive!”
Gyu, her bodyguard, drew his sword and yelled.
“You too, young lady!”
Se-ah ground her teeth.
‘Eldest Young Master! Dark Heaven Venerable! Where the hell are you, and what are you doing?!’