Chapter 363: Chapter 363

“Why are we going first?”

“I do not know.”

Running stealthily along the mountain path, Jang Sam-tae voiced his complaints and frowned.

There were three people who could end the situation if they just went, so he could not understand the reason for sending this group to Mount Hyeongmun.

“You fools, think a little. It was a decision made because it is a hundred, a thousand times better for those seniors to remain by So-mi’s side than us.”

Gwon Mu-jin clicked his tongue and frowned.

Of course, that was not the only reason.

The county magistrate was someone who had accepted bribes from the Blood Heaven. Although he probably did not know the relationship between the Blood Heaven and the Hunan Dan Family, there were no better candidates than those three to monitor the magistrate in preparation for any potential incident.

This was because their abilities, referred to as the Five Emperors, were never to be taken lightly.

“But how are we supposed to find them when we do not even know where they are hiding…”

At that moment, Ma Jang-gang shook his head and let out a sigh as if changing the subject. Since they could not search this vast Mount Hyeongmun in its entirety, finding them also seemed quite difficult.

“Hide.”

Gwon Mu-jin, who had the best night vision, spoke.

Simultaneously, the three moved as if they had prearranged it and hid themselves in the bushes. They suppressed their presence as much as possible, breathing so faintly that even their breath could not be heard.

Soon after, the sound of people’s footsteps was heard.

“Not this way…”

“Are they really here?”

“They say the traces of flight were definitely toward Mount Hyeongmun. Even if we are dissatisfied, we have no choice but to follow on our end.”

“Tch… What is that Blood Heaven to make the Sect Leader act like this.”

“Watch your mouth. If it enters the Sect Leader’s ears, your neck will not remain intact.”

“Uh… Yeah…”

Jang Sam-tae cast a tense gaze at the murmuring sounds. Glancing at the view visible through the bushes, he saw four or five men searching the surroundings and approaching the spot where he was.

Seeing them part the bushes as they went, it seemed Jang Sam-tae would also not be safe.

‘I knew it would be like this. Where would my luck go?’

Jang Sam-tae frowned with an absurd expression. The places where the other fellows hid were not targeted. However, the place where Jang Sam-tae hid was definitely within their path.

Since it was clear he would be discovered at this rate, Jang Sam-tae eventually had to use a tactic.

He picked up a small pebble that had fallen on the ground. Though small, if thrown, it could surely seriously injure someone.

Swoosh!

Jang Sam-tae reached out his hand and threw the stone.

It was not to hit anyone.

The thrown pebble hit something and made a thudding sound.

“What is that!”

“Is someone there!”

“Stay alert!”

In an instant.

Gwon Mu-jin gasped in surprise.

The flying pebble had struck the large rock located where Gwon Mu-jin was hiding. Naturally, the men’s gazes turned toward where he was.

One by one, they drew their swords and stood alert.

They looked as if they would never let it go if they discovered any trace of a person.

‘You… bastard…!’

Gwon Mu-jin ground his teeth hard.

Through the bushes, he saw a smile painted on Jang Sam-tae’s face. It was clear that the fellow had surely done this on purpose.

Gwon Mu-jin held his breath and reached his hand to his waist. Since drawing his saber in this situation was impossible, he intended to draw a dagger to suppress the opponents.

At that moment, the bushes suddenly rustled and something revealed itself.

The moment they saw it, the men wore absurd expressions.

“What is it? A wild cat?”

“Meow!”

What slowly revealed itself was none other than a snow-white cat. It held what appeared to be a bird in its mouth, and when the people’s gazes locked onto it, it let out a cry as if burdened and leaped nimbly.

Once the cat disappeared, the rustling sound of the bushes was heard again.

“Damn, our nerves are way too on edge…”

“Even more so because the ones we are searching for are the Murim Alliance and the Heavenly Dao Association. Honestly, if we meet them, we are destined to flee.”

“Hahaha, if you flee, Senior Brother, what about us?”

“We die, what else.”

Laughter was heard from all around.

The disciples of the Hyeongmun Sect were those who knew their place. They knew they could do nothing even if they met the people of the Murim Alliance and the Heavenly Dao Association.

At best, would they just set off a signal flare and die?

However, it was the same that no one wanted to die.

The men left the place with boisterous laughter.

“Phew… I almost died.”

Once their presence could no longer be felt, Jang Sam-tae, who was the first to show himself, wiped away his cold sweat and slumped to the ground.

At the same time, Gwon Mu-jin flew in like an arrow and grabbed him by the collar.

“Do you want to die?!”

“Ah, why are you doing this? Seriously.”

“Why am I doing this? Are those words that should come out of your mouth now?”

“Hey, as one lives, a person can be like that. Right? There are even fellows who sell off their own children to save themselves, so if it is a stranger, that says it all.”

“…You selfish bastard.”

“Ha… really.”

Gwon Mu-jin and Ma Jang-gang looked at Jang Sam-tae with absurd expressions.

They shook their heads at his boldness to say such things without any hesitation and his appearance of not feeling a single shred of guilt.

The two were certain that if a traitor ever emerged from the Hunan Dan Family, it would surely be Jang Sam-tae.

“Anyway, we survived thanks to that guy.”

Jang Sam-tae glanced to the side and looked at a certain spot. The snow-white cat that had disappeared earlier showed itself again and let out a soft cry.

The corners of the White Cat’s mouth were dyed bright red.

It had probably eaten the bird from earlier.

Jang Sam-tae let out a sigh and wiped its mouth with his sleeve.

“But why did this one follow us?”

“He must have thought that using the White Cat would be faster than us searching.”

Jang Sam-tae nodded at Ma Jang-gang’s words.

There is a limit to human senses. But the White Cat was different. Since it possessed senses several times better than a human’s, there was no beast more suitable than this to find the safehouse.

“Then they could have just sent the White Tiger and the White Cat, right? Was there a need for us to go?”

“Tell that to Elder Namgung himself.”

“Do you want to see me die?”

“We are strangers anyway, are we not? Since there are fellows who even sell their own children… someone like you is nothing…”

“…….”

Jang Sam-tae let out a small gasp.

Then, as if thinking of something, his face flushed red. As if he felt wronged, or as if he had not worked so hard for the Hunan Dan Family just to hear such words.

Anger was contained in his shout.

“Hey, are you going to be like this? We are more than family, yet you call us strangers?!”

“This vulgar bastard…”

Ma Jang-gang turned red and tried to raise his saber. The moment he saw that, Jang Sam-tae moved back and was already out of his reach.

“Seriously, let’s not be like this. Is it right for the world to be this harsh? How long have we spent together? If I am about to die, we are all family, so you should naturally save me.”

“Haa…”

“You are truly full of nonsense.”

At Jang Sam-tae’s unfiltered words, sighs leaked from the mouths of Ma Jang-gang and Gwon Mu-jin.

Who was it that said that fellow is a corpse if you take away his mouth? Those words seemed to fit perfectly.

“It is fine. We have no time, so let’s move quickly. Let the White Cat lead the way, and we will follow behind.”

Gwon Mu-jin nodded.

As if understanding all of this talk, the White Cat sniffed around to check the surrounding scents and then leaped swiftly. Simultaneously, Ma Jang-gang and Gwon Mu-jin followed behind.

“Aigoo, let’s go together.”

Jang Sam-tae moved behind them in a leisurely manner.

It was a pitch-black night.

Since it was to the extent that looking ahead was impossible unless one was a beast, following the one in front seemed safest. However, he glanced back, but it too was filled with darkness, making it feel as if one would not know even if someone were there.

Jang Sam-tae quickly sped up and squeezed between Ma Jang-gang and Gwon Mu-jin.

Before he knew it, Gwon Mu-jin, whose lightness art was the slowest, fell behind.

“Rotten fellow…”

Gwon Mu-jin frowned as he watched that sight.

* * *

Namgung Yong was looking around with a perplexed expression. He felt that the encirclement of the Blood Heaven was gradually narrowing. No matter how they hid the safehouse with formations, it would soon be discovered.

“Are you alright?”

Hwangbo Won, who had approached before he knew it, asked. Watching Namgung Yong filled with a worried expression, he too felt a surge of anxiety for some reason.

“It is not good. They are gradually narrowing the encirclement. To break through this in a situation where there is not even support…”

“…….”

They might somehow break out of this Mount Hyeongmun. However, it was uncertain whether they could leave the mountain and return to their own territory.

Most of the Central Plains had already fallen into the grasp of the Blood Heaven.

If they pulled out the others who were defending the noble families to receive support, the families would no longer be able to hold out and would collapse.

This was the same for other Sects and Families.

Being merely trapped in Mount Hyeongmun under such circumstances, he too could not help but feel frustrated.

“Do not worry. They will come to help soon.”

“…That does not matter, but I worry if we are relying too much on them.”

“Haha, you are not wrong.”

Hwangbo Won also let out a bitter laugh. Staying quiet while hiding one’s name and face meant, in the end, that they had decided to retire from this Central Plains Murim.

Relying on such people was disrespectful and miserable.

“If only we were a little stronger…”

“There is a situation that cannot be overcome no matter how strong one is. Now is exactly that time.”

Namgung Yong nodded.

No matter how strong the Namgung Family’s power was, they could not face all of the countless small and medium sects that had gathered.

Even more, since an enormous monster called the Blood Heaven stood tall at the center, it was hard to even get through unless they united firmly.

‘Under such circumstances, Tang Jung-ak…’

Namgung Yong frowned.

Tang Jung-ak was still moving solely for his own family or to keep his family alive.

Since he exuded the feeling of not caring in the slightest whether other places collapsed or not, it was the reason why they simply could not unite when they needed to.

Hwangbo Won also knew that all too well.

“Ah, dammit! They are hiding in a filthy place like rats! Seriously!”

At that moment, a voice was heard.

At the sudden sound, the two were startled.

Gazing straight ahead with sharp eyes, they gripped their hilts. They looked ready to slice off his neck the moment he showed himself if need be.

A tight tension hung, and the others who heard the sound also showed themselves in a crowd and watched the spot.

A battle might break out in this place at any moment.

Meanwhile, the sound gradually drew closer, and soon three men revealed themselves.

One of them muttered as he looked at the crowd.

“Here they are! The rats…”

“Cut it out.”

“…….”

Jang Sam-tae, whose one eye was swollen shut, lowered his tail and quickly shut his mouth.

An anxiety arose that Ma Jang-gang’s fist might fly again if he uttered one more word.

At that moment, Ma Jang-gang stepped forward.

And quietly looking at the alert people, he clasped his hands.

“I came after seeing the letter. I am Ma Jang-gang of the Hunan Dan Family, so please lower your swords.”

At the single word Ma Jang-gang, everyone watched him.

Finally, the Hunan Dan Family, who could be called their hope, had arrived.

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