Chapter 614
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 614
Chapter Title: I've Already Pulled It In Once
"Wh-what is this...?"
The Black Mist Squad member cautiously entered the cave and reached its end, only to freeze in shock.
It was because of the sight unfolding before his eyes.
A woman who appeared to have severed her own right arm—Gong Ya Ha-rang, the youngest sister of Four Seas Alliance Leader Gong Ya Jang-cheon— and her condition.
Fresh blood was spilling from the arm lying on the ground, suggesting she had just cut it off.
His first thought was Why?, and he should have rushed over to staunch the bleeding from her arm.
But he couldn't move, rooted to the spot in a daze.
He had no choice.
Her body was engulfed in black energy, with only the whites of her eyes visible amid the darkness.
No blood flowed from the severed arm.
Instead, only the black energy writhed and churned.
"Th-this, this is..."
The moment he saw it, realization dawned.
Gong Ya Ha-rang had succumbed to the curse of the Extermination Arts.
"Damn it."
It was a mistake.
He absolutely should not have come in.
He had let his guard down because she had spoken in her usual voice, inviting him inside.
Her voice had always been the same, so he assumed she was in her usual state.
Over the years, he had come and gone from this place countless times.
He unleashed his lightness skill at full speed.
The mechanism capable of collapsing this cave.
There were two: one where Gong Ya Ha-rang was sitting, and one at the entrance.
In case she couldn't pull the cord herself when the curse took hold, they had prepared one at the entrance as well.
Even so, if she failed to pull it herself, the chances of the entrance cord being useless were nine out of ten.
Mun In Baek-song had installed one there anyway, banking on that one-in-ten possibility.
The Black Mist Squad member desperately raced toward that cord to pull it.
"Hm. So there's another one at the entrance."
Gong Ya Ha-rang's voice was the same as always.
Exactly like when she had fooled the squad member moments ago.
But the aura it carried was different.
A thick, viscous killing intent slashed through the air like a blade.
Shing.
A sword flew lightly from her hand, streaking like a beam of light.
Pfuk.
It pierced straight through the squad member's back.
'D-damn it...'
The squad member flailed, unable to pull the cord now within reach, before collapsing lifelessly.
"I nearly died the moment I was reborn. Cunning bitch."
She was speaking to herself.
Because she hadn't fully seized control of the memories in her battle with this woman, she had only known about the one trigger right in front of her—the one to collapse the cave.
Gong Ya Ha-rang had focused solely on that cord.
She had consciously avoided thinking about the one at the entrance.
"Sharp-eyed bitch."
Another curse slipped out.
Thanks to the dark energy transmitted from afar, the Extermination Arts curse had grown one step stronger and gained a will of its own.
Gong Ya Ha-rang hadn't missed that tiny change.
So when a voice emerged from her own mouth—her own voice, independent of her will—she sensed it immediately.
She realized then that succumbing to the curse wouldn't end with her simply becoming a mindless Dark Blood Jiangshi.
With a premonition that she might become something entirely different from a Dark Blood Jiangshi, she consciously manipulated her memories.
Even if the curse consumed her, she figured it wouldn't fully dominate her dantian, will, and memories.
Her goal was singular.
To forget the existence of the trigger at the entrance.
In the hope that when the Black Mist Squad member entered, saw her state, and rushed to the entrance to activate the mechanism.
She believed that even if the curse overtook her, it would take an instant to fully dominate her—and she had bet on that instant.
But the curse was the victor.
It had read the memory of the entrance device by the slimmest margin and hurled the sword.
Her voice was calm, but inwardly, it was not.
If this cave collapsed, not even a Dark Blood Jiangshi could survive.
No—if it did survive, an even greater hell would unfold.
Crushed under an immense weight, unable to twitch a single finger, it would endure an eternity-like torment.
A mindless Dark Blood Jiangshi might not care, but to suffer that fate with stolen memories and a budding will... there would be no hell worse.
"First things first, let's clean up properly."
Gong Ya Ha-rang rose to her feet.
She slowly stepped out of the cave.
And headed toward a secluded spot.
She didn't need to search.
The dark energy in the earth guided her to her destination.
To the vein where a massive amount of dark energy pooled.
"Any news?"
"Not yet."
Gong Ya Jang-cheon's eyebrow twitched at Mun In Baek-song's reply.
Seated on his grand throne, he gazed up at the ceiling and closed his eyes.
Lost in thought.
"Hoo."
A deep sigh escaped him in that position.
"I'll send someone else."
Mun In Baek-song said cautiously.
But Gong Ya Jang-cheon shook his head.
"I may have to go myself."
Mun In Baek-song was startled by those words.
Until now, Gong Ya Jang-cheon had never budged from that massive throne symbolizing the leader's authority, deciding all matters of the Four Seas Alliance great and small.
His presence was the Four Seas Alliance itself, and since the war ended, he had never left the alliance's heart.
"I-I'm worried about the lady too, but I'm sure it's nothing. She might just be recovering her consciousness, so perhaps send someone else..."
Mun In Baek-song spoke carefully.
Gong Ya Jang-cheon chuckled softly at the sight.
"Baek-song."
"Yes, Leader."
"The fact that the Four Seas Scholar's head is turned by that child... It's amusing, yet grateful. To think she occupies his thoughts so much."
It was a kindly voice unlike that of the Four Seas Alliance Leader.
Then.
"Baek-song."
This time, he called Mun In Baek-song in a voice thick with killing intent, viscous and terrifying, as if it might explode at any moment.
As if this were the true face of the Four Seas Alliance Leader.
"Before I am the head of the Gong Ya Clan, I am the Leader of the Four Seas Alliance. Leaving her there was already a grave overstep. Thus, I must manage it with even greater coldness and thoroughness. I understand you're thinking of me and her, but that is not the demeanor of the Alliance's Strategist. It is merely that of the Gong Ya Clan Head's retainer."
A frost-like pressure bore down on Mun In Baek-song.
Gong Ya Clan.
One of the Eight Great Sects supporting the Four Seas Alliance, holding the seat of honor.
It had produced the most Four Seas Alliance Leaders across generations.
"I-I'm sorry."
Mun In Baek-song bowed his head.
He was the Strategist of the Four Seas Alliance, but first and foremost, the Strategist of the Gong Ya Clan.
Gong Ya Jang-cheon himself had appointed his closest clan aide as the Alliance's Strategist.
And Mun In Baek-song had proven his worth with flawless handling of duties, rivaling the greatest Strategists in history.
"Hoo."
Gong Ya Jang-cheon sighed and returned to his usual self.
"It's because of this letter, isn't it?"
The letter on Gong Ya Jang-cheon's desk.
It was intelligence secretly sent by Gong Son Dan-gyeong.
About the new demonic beast that had appeared in the Beggars' Sect.
A monster that had cultivated the Extermination Arts but hadn't become a mere Dark Blood Jiangshi.
Details on the tragedy of the Beggars' Sect's young dragon, Bang Sa-uk, who had fallen into the Dragonfall Gorge.
Given its grave connection to the Blood Cult, the Righteous Heaven Alliance had relayed the news discreetly.
Or perhaps they knew and were warning them to be cautious.
It might even be a warning not to mishandle it here and bring disaster to the Alliance's territory.
Mun In Baek-song kept his head bowed.
"The moment they obtained such top-secret information, they informed us—doesn't that mean they know? About that child?"
Mun In Baek-song could say nothing.
But who was Gong Son Dan-gyeong? Even without exact knowledge, he would have guessed.
That they had someone here in a situation similar to Bang Sa-uk's.
"That's why I'm going myself. She might have become the monster described in this letter."
"L-Leader."
Mun In Baek-song panicked.
Anyone but Gong Ya Jang-cheon—he hoped he wouldn't go.
"The Leader of the Four Seas Alliance has always been the strongest of the unorthodox. And to avoid being usurped, one must remain the strongest."
Gong Ya Jang-cheon told Mun In Baek-song.
"That means I am still the greatest in the unorthodox world. As Gong Son Dan-gyeong advises, sending some half-baked fool would only amplify the damage. Better for me to step in from the start and clean it up thoroughly."
"B-but..."
Mun In Baek-song couldn't continue.
"Yes, Ha-rang, that child. My youngest sister. Though from a different mother, as the youngest, she is the one I cherished most."
He spoke calmly, but Mun In Baek-song knew otherwise.
Was he not a retainer of the Gong Ya Clan?
She was called his most beloved youngest sister, but what he had witnessed in the clan was different.
He had doted on her not as a sister, but like a daughter.
Despite the large age gap and different mothers, he treated Lady Gong Ya Ha-rang like his own child.
And if she had indeed fallen to the Extermination Arts curse and become a new demonic beast as he suspected...
Gong Ya Jang-cheon would have to erase her with his own hands.
No matter how much their unorthodox ways revered strength alone.
This was not right.
This was unacceptable.
Mun In Baek-song bit his lip hard.
"But as Leader of the Four Seas Alliance, I cannot let personal sentiments interfere with the greater cause. No—I already pulled them in once."
He referred to learning of Gong Ya Ha-rang's Extermination Arts cultivation yet not executing her immediately, instead hiding her secretly in Mount Heng.
Of course, it was because even after the curse manifested, she resisted without succumbing.
Still, the Leader had broken the alliance's laws.
"But there will be no second time. Just because the first was easy doesn't mean I can do it twice and still call myself the Leader. Baek-song."
"Yes."
"Prepare."
"As you command."
As Mun In Baek-song withdrew from the hall, his mind raced.
If Gong Ya Jang-cheon was this resolute, he couldn't stop him.
But Mun In Baek-song hoped his lord would not violate the natural order.
He racked his brain for a way, but found none.
Based on Gong Son Dan-gyeong's information, the new demonic beast could disperse its form.
Ordinary attacks likely wouldn't work.
Gong Ya Jang-cheon was right.
Given how tricky the foe was, he had to step up.
If only it weren't Gong Ya Ha-rang.
No one came to mind who could face that demonic beast in Gong Ya Jang-cheon's stead.
In the Four Seas Alliance, only Gong Ya Jang-cheon seemed capable.
He wasn't confident about the other Evil Ten Masters.
Expanding his search, one more person surfaced.
'So Hwi-woong.'
But he couldn't ask for that man's help.
The place she was hidden was Mount Heng.
The heart of the unorthodox territory, where the Four Seas Alliance's main base lay.
The Righteous Heaven Alliance Leader wouldn't come there.
Then.
'Ha Mu-baek.'
Another one.
Apparently, he had resolved this recent Beggars' Sect incident.
Mun In Baek-song bit his lip again.
'That damned mad monster...'
He recoiled, but had no choice.
To protect his lord, he had to summon that madman to Mount Heng.
For himself, at least.
Though only once, he had a way to request Ha Mu-baek's aid.
But he couldn't mention it to Gong Ya Jang-cheon.
Given his temperament and pride, he would want to handle his sister's problem himself.
'Forgive me, Leader. Just this once, I'll act on my own without permission.'
Mun In Baek-song, heading to the Black Mist Squad, briefly squeezed his eyes shut.