Chapter 582: Side Story 82

Chapter side_82

Those guarding the cave were the direct subordinates of Hyeong Un-gak. Being directly under an elder of the Heaven and Earth Sect, every single one of them was outstanding.

However, since most of them spent their time within the sect and did not have many places to gain proper experience, they had a strong tendency to be lax.

“Ugh, I’m bored to death. When is this going to end?”

“Indeed. Shouldn’t we just kill them quickly and go back?”

“Geez, killing the Holy Maiden… I wonder if we’ll be struck by divine punishment.”

“Puhaha! The only ones who accept her as the Holy Maiden are fools infatuated with that wench’s beauty. Everyone knows, right? That ridiculous White Tiger incident.”

The men gathered with bored expressions began to chatter to overcome their tedium. Despite speaking of the Holy Maiden, who held absolute power that divided the Heaven and Earth Sect, they did not fear her in the slightest because they did not recognize Geum Ji-ran as the Holy Maiden.

They merely perceived her as a doll selected and set up by the Cult Leader due to her exceptional beauty.

Had there been anyone who disputed that, a sword fight might have broken out, but since those present were direct subordinates of the elder and thus belonged to the Cult Leader’s faction, none of them looked favorably upon the Holy Maiden.

“Still, isn’t her beauty top-notch? It’s almost a waste to just kill her, hehe…”

Several men smirked, their eyes narrowing as they indulged in whatever thoughts they were having. Since they had to kill her anyway, they thought it would be nice to have a good experience if she were left to them.

Just as they were wearing pleased expressions with such thoughts,

the bushes not too far away rustled.

“Who is it?!”

Unlike their laughing faces moments ago, the men held their swords with sharp expressions. Murderous intent rippled out, as if they were ready to draw their weapons at any second.

“Ah?!”

And in that instant, someone peeked out, her eyes widening. She had the look of someone who had seen something she shouldn’t have.

“I-I’m sorry!”

Hurriedly bowing her head, she quickly ran away.

Seeing her act as if fleeing from them, the men exchanged glances, unsure of what to do, when the man at the very back shouted roughly.

“Catch her! If she says anything weird, things will get troublesome!”

“Y-Yes, if this reaches the elder’s ears, we’ll be in big trouble too!”

At his shout, the men snapped to their senses and hurriedly threw themselves forward. It was not just one or two, but more than half of them rushed out, driven by the fear of being reprimanded by the elder if a troublesome situation arose.

Furthermore, whether the girl was lost in the mountains or had followed them, they had to prevent any rumors from spreading about a strange group being here.

Because if they were unfortunate enough to be exposed as the Heaven and Earth Sect, it would not end with just being simple trouble.

“Damn it… What kind of girl is she to come to a place like this…!”

The moment he frowned while thinking that,

a shadow suddenly loomed before his eyes.

“Wh- Ugh?!”

“Argh!”

The movement of the shadow that appeared was extremely fast. In an instant, a hand reached out and accurately targeted the opponent’s vital points. Those collapsing probably did not even know what had happened.

“Sigh… Will she be alright?”

Namgung So-hye, who soon appeared among the fallen men, let out a sigh with a worried expression. She considered following after Dan So-mi, but soon shook her head and looked inside the cave.

There were presences felt inside.

Since their numbers were substantial, she had no room to worry about anything else.

“Muhaha! Just wait a bit, you guys! This Jang Sam-tae has come to rescue you!”

At the boisterous voice that rang out next, Namgung So-hye pinched the bridge of her nose. Since he was shouting when they needed to be quiet, why on earth did they even need a plan?

“What is it?! What’s going on?!”

A commotion had already broken out inside.

It was impossible not to hear such a loud voice in the first place. Startled, Jang Sam-tae widened his eyes and covered his mouth only then, but there was no denying it was already far too late.

“Ah… What a wonderful plan. Truly. Just the kind to come out of your head.”

Namgung So-hye let out a long sigh and gripped her sword anew.

* * *

-Muhaha! Just wait a bit, you guys! This Jang Sam-tae has come to rescue you!

At the echoing voice, Geum Ji-ran slowly opened her eyes. Wrecked by Hyeong Un-gak’s torture, she did not even have the strength to raise her body, but she summoned every ounce of her strength to painfully push herself up.

“Sigh… Tae-gong…! Tae-gong! Are you okay?”

“Aaaargh… H-Holy Maiden… I am… fine.”

At Geum Ji-ran’s voice, Jin Tae-gong barely managed to open his eyes.

Seeing the interior of the cave and Geum Ji-ran’s worried face upon opening his eyes, he smiled bitterly, feeling that he was still alive.

“We managed… to survive…”

“I think the same. More than that, it seems… someone has come to greet us outside.”

“Pardon?”

Looking at Jin Tae-gong’s surprised face, Geum Ji-ran smiled softly.

Indeed, who could have expected help in such a situation?

Since she too had thought she would be killed by Hyeong Un-gak without finding any way out. However, that voice was unmistakable.

“I don’t like it… but it seems that fool has come to rescue us.”

“T-The fool…?”

“Yes, that idiot.”

Even though she did not mention his name, Jin Tae-gong seemed to understand who she was referring to and smiled faintly. Words like fool or idiot were mostly used to refer to Jang Sam-tae.

“How did he… find us…?”

“I don’t know either. But… it seems we might survive after all.”

“…The elder is strong.”

“Yes, but they are also strong.”

As if she believed the whole situation was already over, Geum Ji-ran slumped back against the wall. As she let out a sigh, she began to feel things she hadn’t noticed due to the tension.

“Sigh… I’m hungry, thirsty… and sleepy.”

Jin Tae-gong forced a smile as he looked at her.

Since he had been unconscious, he did not know what she had gone through, but he could vaguely sense that she had suffered no less than he had.

At the same time, Jin Tae-gong also sighed.

“I am… the same… but now that the tension is gone, more than anything, I need to urinate.”

“…Me too.”

“…Pardon?”

“No… It’s nothing.”

Geum Ji-ran blushed and lowered her head.

* * *

Namgung So-hye showed no mercy to those in her sight. Knowing that it was a dark cave, the enemies were numerous, and each was highly skilled, she instinctively realized that holding back would mean death.

Slash!

“Ugh?!”

“S-So fast!”

“F-Form the formation! She is a master we cannot handle alone!”

“Formation, my foot! What formation in this cave?!”

However,

although it remained true that they were skilled, perhaps due to their lack of experience, they were thrown into confusion and unable to adapt to the sudden ambush.

Even,

Crack!

whenever Jang Sam-tae, who was fast with lightness art, saw someone who looked like a leader, he would be the first to rush over and snap their neck, leaving no one to give orders.

If that happened, what could they do?

No matter how outstanding they were, if they could not unite, they were nothing but a disorganized rabble.

Thud! Thud!

“You bastards! Where are my successors?!”

Jang Sam-tae gritted his teeth and swung his fists. The reason he did not push back despite being at the forefront against overwhelming numbers seemed to be his determination to rescue the two of them.

‘Does he want to escape that badly…?’

Namgung So-hye sighed as she watched him. He had designated those two as his successors. It made her think it was a desperate struggle to escape the very bottom.

Indeed, it would have been the same had the positions been reversed.

For no matter who entered the Hunan Dan Family until now, there had not been a single person lower than Jang Sam-tae.

Just then, Namgung So-hye felt a chilly energy and shouted.

“Watch out in front!”

“Huh?”

The moment Jang Sam-tae looked ahead, Namgung So-hye dashed forward. Executing her fastest lightness art, she closed the distance in the blink of an eye and swung her sword fiercely.

Clang!

Sparks flew along with a violent clashing sound.

Someone was pushed back, and Namgung So-hye also spun once in the air before landing.

“Not bad. I was going to kill you without anyone knowing…”

Hyeong Un-gak, who revealed himself, twitched his eyebrows and gritted his teeth. He had intended to kill the guy running rampant at the front first, but something else had unexpectedly intervened and interfered.

Even the sword technique was quite sharp.

The trembling of his right hand holding the sword would not stop.

“What’s with this old man?”

“Can’t you tell? He’s probably the leader guiding them.”

“Then is that the culprit who kidnapped my juniors?”

“Probably.”

“What a son of a bitch!”

Jang Sam-tae gritted his teeth and glared at Hyeong Un-gak.

Black energy began to seep from his body as he clenched his fists, causing Hyeong Un-gak to recoil in horror at the sight.

“D-Demonic energy?! Were you a member of the Demonic Cult!”

“What bullshit are you talking about! You dog bone-like bastard?!”

A strange power began to swirl in Jang Sam-tae’s hands. It was small at first but gradually built up strength, soon condensing a force that could pressure even Namgung So-hye.

“T-That is?!”

Hyeong Un-gak took a step back in shock at the sight.

Rather than wondering why a member of the Demonic Cult was in such a place, he was astonished by the black energy gathering in his hands.

The Heavenly Demon Return to Heaven Art?!

Was it not the technique that even the current Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult could not use?

How could someone who used that appear in a place like this?

“Go die, you bastard!”

And in that moment,

Jang Sam-tae charged.

He closed the distance in an instant, moving at a speed that made escape impossible. With a simple sprint, he ignored everyone else and arrived in front of Hyeong Un-gak.

“Urgh?! Did you think it would go as you wish!”

However, Hyeong Un-gak was a master.

His skills were recognized enough to hold the position of an elder in the Heaven and Earth Sect, and unlike the other inexperienced cultists, he was an experienced and seasoned figure.

Before the rapidly approaching Jang Sam-tae could swing his hand, Hyeong Un-gak thrust his sword toward his chest. The swordplay targeting the gap was perfect, and it was not even a distance where one could dodge or deflect it.

Soon, at the moment the blade was about to pierce squarely into his chest,

“Is your head just for decoration, you bastard?”

Clang!

The blade was deflected by a force that suddenly flew in.

As Hyeong Un-gak widened his eyes and turned his gaze, he saw Namgung So-hye smiling broadly with a few pebbles in her hand.

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