Chapter 452: Chapter 452

“Hah… hah…”

Jang Sam-tae breathed roughly and looked around.

The number of sprawled men was about ten.

As if every single one of them was first-rate, their blades were precise and their movements were also considerable.

Jang Sam-tae, who suppressed such ones, kept looking at those sprawled even while collecting his breath, whether he could not think of it as work he committed.

‘I’ve become strong… really.’

Jang Sam-tae indeed wore an expression of disbelief.

With skill not even reaching third-rate, he had always lived running away.

Such a man had now suppressed ten men, who could easily be first-rate experts, without suffering a single wound.

No matter how much he thought of it, was it not a funny story?

That things learned from Dan Woo-hyun and those five old men were not in vain at all was proven.

Jang Sam-tae clenched his fist tightly.

Meanwhile, Hong Won-chang spoke.

“Tre… Tremendous indeed… you…”

“Hmph! This degree is simple! Isn’t that right?”

“Haha, truly amazing. Now it seems one like me won’t even reach your toes.”

What Hong Won-chang said was the truth.

Even at one time, the skills of the two were equal.

Except for performing lightfoot art, it could be said to be a difference of a single sheet of paper.

However, Jang Sam-tae, who grew rapidly while experiencing countless things by Dan Woo-hyun’s side, was now to the extent that it would not be strange to call him a decent martial artist.

“Ahem! That is so, but what are these fellows? Why are you being attacked in the middle of the street in broad daylight?”

“Hmm… First, since the location is what it is, let us go elsewhere. It seems not good to talk in this kind of place.”

Hong Won-chang looked around.

Many people whispered and watched the current situation. Since figures of the government office were attacked like this, how great would their surprise be?

Moreover, since the martial arts Jang Sam-tae showed was also uncommon, it was extremely natural that their gazes did not fall away.

Even more, a situation where he did not know where another attack squad might be.

From Hong Won-chang’s standpoint, he wanted to escape here even slightly faster.

“Where do you intend to go?”

“That is naturally… where the Master is, is it not?”

“…….”

Jang Sam-tae pressed his glabella.

Since the monster matter was not solved even without this, if Hong Won-chang brought another matter again, he thought Dan Woo-hyun’s mood would be highly uncomfortable.

And that was…

The correct answer.

* * *

“…….”

“…….”

“…….”

The three people were looking at each other.

Dan Woo-hyun, who was looking at Hong Won-chang and Jang Sam-tae alternately with a stiff expression, wore a dumbfounded expression, and Jang Sam-tae trembled his body while bowing his head as if he did not know what to do with himself.

“I sent you to look into the monster, yet you picked up something amusing.”

“Ma… Master, picked up indeed!”

Hong Won-chang broke into a cold sweat.

Although he knew to some extent that he did not welcome him well normally, today he particularly seemed to dislike it. Even more, what was a monster again?

There was no way such a story in legend could exist in reality.

“Can you not welcome me a bit?”

“Because every time you come, you bring annoying matters.”

“…That is unmistakable, but.”

Hong Won-chang broke into a cold sweat drop by drop.

Because today too he was trying to bring work without fail. However, without grabbing a clue on how to speak, he collected his breath while trembling in fear.

Eventually unable to bear that silence, Dan Woo-hyun spoke.

“Yes, what was it that happened?”

“He suffered an attack in the middle of the street in broad daylight. Had this Jang Sam-tae not gone and saved him, he would have already become a corpse.”

Jang Sam-tae proudly squared his shoulders.

Whether he evaluated his own capability highly to that extent, strength was put into his tone and actions.

Dan Woo-hyun smirked, looking at that.

“For what reason?”

“Th… That is… do you know a person called the Plague Demon?”

“It is my first time hearing it.”

“He is a killer demon about whom only rumors were thick since very long ago. But such a person was witnessed in Beijing, and also murder took place. That too, in the middle of the Imperial Castle.”

“Huh… he is a crazy bastard, that one.”

Jang Sam-tae shined a hollow laugh with a dumbfounded expression.

That he committed murder in the middle of the Imperial Castle was an act equated with insulting the Son of Heaven. If captured, it would be difficult to even imagine how many generations of necks would be hung.

It was also the reason why Hong Won-chang, who should be in Hunan, was called to Beijing.

However, the problem lay in another thing.

“The dead person was a high official of the senior second rank. He was one who had obtained His Majesty’s trust since long ago.”

“And so?”

“But in the midst of investigating that corpse, a bizarre thing happened. The corpse vanished without a trace in front of our eyes.”

“…….”

The moment he heard that story, Dan Woo-hyun’s eyes changed.

As if he knew the reason why such a thing happened. However, without saying even any word, keeping his mouth closed, he put Hong Won-chang’s words in his ears.

“In that situation, a report came in. We found the Plague Demon’s whereabouts. I came to chase his back all the way to this place, yet… from some moment, bizarre figures began to attack.”

“You survived miraculously…”

“I was lucky. Many subordinates died, and innocent people died while shielding me.”

Hong Won-chang trembled his body.

Just what kind of person the Plague Demon was, he also did not know in detail. Because actually only rumors were thick and those who saw him in reality were extremely few, and he did not even know the fact that he had subordinates.

Had he known he was holding experts of this degree, they would have sent the Eastern Depot or the Brocade Clad Guard instead of Hong Won-chang.

“My word… one side is a monster and the other side is a ghost? What kind of nonsense…”

Jang Sam-tae, who heard all the stories, clicked his tongue in amazement.

That he committed murder in the middle of the Imperial Castle was also funny, and that the corpse vanished completely was also absurd. Even more, that he came down all the way here to chase it also felt foolish.

Had it been Jang Sam-tae, if he felt even slightly in danger, he would have sent another person instead of moving directly.

At that moment, Dan Woo-hyun nodded his head and looked at Hong Won-chang.

Hesitating for a moment as if thinking of something, smirking, he spoke.

“You experienced many interesting things.”

“I thought I was dying, truly…”

Hong Won-chang wiped away cold sweat and let out a sigh.

Chased and breaking through, exerting countless efforts to somehow continue his life which hung in the balance, he came to this place. When he thought he could do nothing more and gave up his life, Jang Sam-tae appeared and saved him.

For Hong Won-chang, there was no day as lucky as today.

He approached Dan Woo-hyun while sobbing.

It seemed to be to receive comfort as pent-up emotions welled in his eyes.

At that moment when Jang Sam-tae, who was watching from the side, wore a dumbfounded expression.

Swish!

“…….”

Jang Sam-tae could not know what happened.

Hong Won-chang extended a blade.

Even that was not a long sword but a dagger hidden on his wrist. The swung blade brushed past Dan Woo-hyun, and Dan Woo-hyun stared intently only at Hong Won-chang with an unfazed expression.

“It is a pity. Though your acting was quite something…”

“Keuh!”

Dan Woo-hyun snatched Hong Won-chang’s dagger in reverse and slashed it just like that. Along with a ‘Splat!’ sound, blood splattered, but the afterimage of Hong Won-chang, who was in front of his eyes, vanished as-is and was not seen.

“…….”

Jang Sam-tae merely watched that absurd situation.

Without understanding in his head what happened, he merely captured Dan Woo-hyun’s movement in his eyes.

Simultaneously, along with a ‘Boom!’ sound, the entire inn shook violently.

Rumble!

It felt as if an earthquake occurred.

The wall shattered majorly and the two were not seen.

It was fast to the extent that even seeing with eyes was impossible.

“What is it?”

Jang Sam-tae tilted his head, still unable to understand.

Before long, the figures of Dan Woo-hyun and Hong Won-chang were not seen in the room.

“What is the matter?”

At that moment, throwing the door open, Tang Mun-hye stepped inside.

Soon, looking around the room, her face turned stark white.

It was a mess.

There was a hole in the wall, and all sorts of utensils were swept and rolled on the floor.

The moment she looked at that, she was so surprised that even words did not come out. Because she could not believe that such a situation broke out suddenly.

As she looked at Jang Sam-tae with a gaze demanding explanation, he shrugged his shoulders.

“I do not know either… what is this?”

Jang Sam-tae blinked his two eyes and shrugged his shoulders.

* * *

“Tch…”

“The idea was good… actually, because I almost got fooled indeed.”

Standing on a roof somewhere, the two people were looking at each other.

Whether impact due to the blow just earlier remained, most of the clothes Hong Won-chang wore were torn away, and he held blood in his mouth.

But he did not look like he suffered heavy injuries.

In that he ended up with light injuries even at the blow swung by Dan Woo-hyun under heaven, it would not be an exaggeration to say Hong Won-chang’s ability transcended imagination.

“How did you know?”

“The wind told me.”

“Haha…”

Hong Won-chang laughed, making a dumbfounded sound.

Did it make sense that the wind told something?

No matter how great a Martial God he was, it was an impossible thing.

Did not even Cheon Mu-je fail to do so.

Crack!

At that moment, Hong Won-chang’s face began to twist in an instant. Surging here and there as if bones would pop out, it found its original shape once again.

Before long, the figure of Hong Won-chang vanished from that place and was not seen, and a hunchback man of pale impression stood.

“You are one of the Ghost-Faced Twin Killers…”

“…Hehe, nice to meet you. I am called the Ghost-Faced Demon, one of the Ghost-Faced Twin Killers. Since I face you like this, it seems there would be no greater honor than this, though.”

“Thank you for thinking so.”

Dan Woo-hyun was staring quietly at the Ghost-Faced Demon.

Even if he fled, he did not seem to intend to lose him.

The sharpness reflected in his eyes added intensity. The moment their gazes met, no matter how much it was the Ghost-Faced Demon, he was in a state where he could not look properly.

He trembled his body.

“Facing each other, you seem even more tremendous. It seems this single Ghost-Faced Demon won’t be an opponent, though…”

The Ghost-Faced Demon wore a perplexed expression while saying such words.

His pale complexion, and even lifting the corners of his mouth slightly every time he spat out words with red lips; if only darkness thickened, he looked like he would truly be seen as a monster or ghost.

However, Dan Woo-hyun asked with an expression not surprised at all.

“Where is the other guy?”

“Well… since I am alone here… I do not know well, though?”

“Hmm…”

Dan Woo-hyun let out a groan.

He had heard that originally they were two, but it was not an exaggeration to say they were one body. If so, it was the same as saying there was another one, yet the presence of such a person was not felt anywhere.

Eventually…

“You are a fellow who will open his mouth only when I twist your legs.”

“Hahaha!”

The Ghost-Faced Demon shined a laugh.

Although he thought he could deal with him if he was off guard no matter how much he was a Martial God, that plan was crushed all too simply.

Still, he had no thoughts of clashing with the fellow right now.

Twisting his bright red lips even more to laugh, he opened his mouth.

“It does not matter either way… but will you be fine?”

“What do you mean?”

“That person called Hong Won-chang… might die, though?”

The Ghost-Faced Demon saw Dan Woo-hyun flinch momentarily while trying to take a step. Realizing that, the Ghost-Faced Demon backed away quickly and threw his body.

Simultaneously, bizarre figures revealed their appearances from all directions.

Did they intend to help the Ghost-Faced Demon’s escape?

They were people possessing considerable power.

The moment they rushed toward Dan Woo-hyun.

Slash, slash!

Blood was splattered in all directions, and their bodies vanished perfectly to the extent that not even a piece of them remained. What fell from the sky was solely the blood of those who had been human.

However, despite his subordinates being killed in front of his eyes, the Ghost-Faced Demon did not care in the slightest. Rather, moving even further away, he echoed loudly a voice containing strong inner power.

“If you do not find him quickly, he will die! Hahahaha!”

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