Chapter 175: Cormorant Fishing (4)
Chapter 174 – Cormorant Fishing (4)
Swish! Thack! Splat!
“Ugh! Do not retreat, block them to the end!”
Standing in front of the giant stone gate, Yo Chung yelled at the top of his lungs while fighting off the clay soldiers that rushed in tirelessly.
Already, half of his elite subordinates had died.
He turned around and shouted.
“I told you to open the door quickly!”
“Damn it! The chain broke, so what do you want me to do!”
Heuk Seon-ja shouted back angrily.
As the situation became urgent, respect for each other had vanished long ago.
“Damn it, we are all going to die at this rate!”
“We have no choice but to pool our strength and push the door.”
“Then who is going to block these guys?”
At Jade Flute Young Master’s suggestion, the Red Crone replied in annoyance.
Indeed, if things continued like this, it would not be surprising if they were crushed to death by the clay soldiers.
They had barely reached the stone gate while dealing with the clay soldiers by forming a battle array, but when they pulled the iron chain, it had snapped.
Without even time to be discouraged, hundreds of clay soldiers rushed in without rest.
Yo Chung, the elite martial artists, Jade Flute Young Master, and the Red Crone blocked the clay soldiers. Meanwhile, Heuk Seon-ja channeled his internal energy to push the stone gate, but it still did not budge.
Thud!
“Damn it! It’s no use! We have to do something…”
Heuk Seon-ja struck the stone gate with his fist and muttered in discouragement.
Slash!
Yo Chung swung his sword, sending a clay soldier’s head flying, and quickly looked back.
“How about we block these guys first, and then strike the door at the same time when I count to three?”
“Mmh. That could work.”
“I agree.”
“Let’s try it.”
As the unorthodox martial artists nodded their heads in agreement, Yo Chung slashed a clay soldier’s chest and shouted.
“One! Two…!”
Thwack! Bam!
Each of them swung their weapons widely, pushing back the clay soldiers.
And the next moment,
“Three!”
Swish!
Boom! Clang! Bang!
Running to the stone gate at the same time, the unorthodox martial artists poured out their internal energy all at once.
Rumble…!
An immense vibration occurred as if heaven and earth were shaking, and dust fell from the ceiling of the cavern.
The clay soldiers hesitated for a moment at the sudden situation, but soon began to charge as if nothing had happened.
“Again!”
This time, Heuk Seon-ja shouted.
“One, two! Three!”
Swish!
Boom! Bam! Crash!
The giant stone gate trembled violently, letting out a groaning sound.
Rumble…!
Finally, the stone gate opened slightly, creating a tiny crevice.
“It, it is working!”
Yo Chung clenched his fist and cheered inwardly.
“Now, one last time! Let’s pour everything into this single blow! Since we are all going to die anyway if we can’t escape from here!”
“Fine!”
“Then… One, two, three!”
Swish!
Crash! Boom!
As palm force exploded against the stone gate, a loud sound rang out as if their eardrums would burst. And finally, perhaps because the bolt broke, the stone gate swung wide open.
Bang!
It opened so hard that the stone gate hit the wall and closed again under the recoil before opening once more.
“It, it worked! Inside!”
“Hurry! Make haste!”
The unorthodox martial artists rushed inside.
However, a few elite martial artists of the Red Merchant Association still remained behind, busy blocking the incoming clay soldiers.
Yo Chung quickly stepped inside and shouted.
“Close the door!”
“Leader, those who haven’t entered yet…”
“It cannot be helped! Close the door!”
“By your command!”
As the subordinates quickly tried to close the door, the elites who were blocking the rushing clay soldiers shouted.
“Uh! Please wait!”
“I will not forget your sacrifice.”
“Leader! No…!”
But Yo Chung closed the stone gate ruthlessly.
At that moment, Heuk Seon-ja grabbed the broken bolt and leapt up.
Flutter!
Clatter!
Having slipped the broken bolt back into place, Heuk Seon-ja landed lightly on the floor.
“Phew, that was a close call.”
“Those dreadful bastards of the Demonic Cult. To think they trapped hundreds of souls to make those clay soldiers into weapons!”
“In any case, I am glad we survived. Let’s keep going.”
As Jade Flute Young Master replied calmly, the Red Crone snorted.
“We are alive for now, but there is no telling what will happen in the future. How do we know what will pop out next?”
She stared at the dark hallway stretched out before them.
It was certainly a hallway filled with an ominous aura.
It would not be surprising if spears flew from somewhere or they were suddenly engulfed in flames at any moment.
Come to think of it…
“Why does it feel like it is getting hotter?”
“It’s only natural to feel hot after suddenly pouring out internal energy.”
Heuk Seon-ja muttered while fanning himself with his hand.
However, Jade Flute Young Master narrowed his eyes, touched the wall, and shook his head.
“It seems we have fallen into another test.”
“A test?”
“I do not think it is hot simply due to the consumption of internal energy. The floor and walls are definitely getting hotter.”
“What?”
Yo Chung quickly ran over and touched the side wall.
Hot to the touch.
The temperature was definitely higher than body temperature.
“Damn it! Do they intend to roast us to death now!”
Yo Chung wiped the sweat trickling down his forehead, panting continuously.
“I think we might have taken the wrong path.”
“How could we take the wrong path when the gates of the king and queen connect into one anyway?”
“It could be further down.”
“If it’s further down…!”
Heuk Seon-ja flinched and looked back at Jade Flute Young Master. Jade Flute Young Master nodded with a calm expression.
“Yes, perhaps those cadets entered through the real entrance. Well, it is merely a guess, though.”
At that, Yo Chung shouted angrily.
“Then we cannot allow that! If those guys reach Demonic Pill Valley first, wouldn’t we just be left staring blankly like a dog chasing a chicken!”
“It is not certain yet…”
“Even a one-in-a-million chance must not happen! Let’s go quickly! Before it gets hotter!”
“Wait…!”
But Yo Chung’s subordinates had already rushed ahead.
Because they had seen their comrades get buried by the clay soldiers due to hesitating earlier, they were even more reckless.
But at that moment, a sharp metallic sound rang out.
Screeech!
It sounded like a noise echoing from both side walls, and the elite martial artists who were running carelessly came to a sudden halt.
Right after,
Swish!
Slice! Slice! Slice…!
The elites collapsed as their necks, bellies, and knees were sliced into three parts!
They were cut into pieces by something invisible, as if a beam of light had sliced through them.
Thud, splash!
The elites, who had turned into mere lumps of meat, rolled randomly in the hallway.
Yo Chung, who stopped in his tracks, could only blink his eyes.
“W-what? What on earth did they get hit by?”
“It seems to be Silver Silkworm Silk.”
Kneeling on one knee and staring blankly down the hallway, Jade Flute Young Master said as if murmuring.
Yo Chung raised his eyebrows sharply.
“Silver Silkworm Silk?”
“It seems the Silver Silkworm Silk crossing the hallway is connected to both side walls. When a person passes, the mechanism is triggered, and the tautly stretched Silver Silkworm Silk moves rapidly. Then it slices them like meat. It is as thin as a spiderweb, so it is barely visible to the eye. Moreover, in this darkness.”
“Arrgh! Those Demonic Cultist bastards! I really want to crush their heads!”
How many subordinates had he lost already?
Only two elite subordinates were left now.
Jade Flute Young Master stood up with a bitter smile.
“This has become quite troublesome. Since there is no telling where and how the Silver Silkworm Silk will pass and slice us. Perhaps there is even Silver Silkworm Silk that moves up and down…”
“Still, we cannot stay here forever. Silver Silkworm Silk can be severed or blocked with internal energy, but in this searing heat hell, internal energy is useless too. Now the soles of my feet are getting hot.”
The Red Crone muttered sharply and took a giant step forward.
The others also nodded with firm expressions as if they had steeled their resolve.
“Yes, it’s better than being roasted to death. Let’s face it!”
* * *
“Wow. Incredible. How much is all of this?”
Paeng Su-hyeok looked around the king’s chamber, admiring it with pure amazement.
Baek Mu-geuk and Yu Hyeon also stared blankly, taking in the unfamiliar sight that they could hardly see once in a lifetime.
It was resplendent, as if they were in a completely different world.
Paeng Su-hyeok approached the golden coffin standing against the side wall and gently pushed the lid aside.
“Is the treasure in here… Ugh!”
Startled, Paeng Su-hyeok stumbled backward and fell on his buttocks.
Contrary to his expectations, what lay inside the golden coffin was not treasure, but a decaying mummy.
However, perhaps due to how it was chemically treated, there was no rotting smell. Rather, it even seemed to emit a faint, pleasant fragrance.
Just then, Cheol Un shouted in a sharp voice.
“Hey, do not touch just anything! Did you forget that this is Demonic Pill Valley? Who knows where and how the traps will trigger!”
“Ahem. I will be careful. But why are you throwing a fit and throwing tantrums? You’re just a hostage!”
“Hmph! My life is forfeit anyway, so what’s wrong with throwing a fit!”
Cheol Un avoided Paeng Su-hyeok’s gaze and approached the coffin on the platform.
He swept his eyes over the coffin lid once, then thrust his finger into the hole below the lid and released internal energy.
Thrum!
The sound of something taut snapping.
The cadets flinched and looked around for no reason.
It was because they suspected that a trap might trigger from somewhere again.
Just then, loud impact sounds and vibrations were heard in succession from somewhere.
Boom! Rumble…!
“W-what?”
“What is happening?”
At that, Cheol Un replied with a cold sneer.
“There is no need to be scared. It is just the sound of those who took the wrong path dying anyway.”
“Those who took the wrong path? Could it be…”
“It seems someone has entered through another path up there. It will be hard for them to make it here alive.”
“Ah…”
Only then did the cadets recall the unorthodox martial artists they had met along the way.
At any rate, having taken a few measures like that, Cheol Un finally opened the lid.
Creaaak!
As the heavy lid slid open, boxes of spiritual pills packed tightly inside were revealed.
Even though he had only opened the lid, a pure fragrance seemed to fill the king’s chamber.
Indeed, just smelling it made one’s mind clear.
“Oh, finally!”
“Amazing. Are these the spiritual pills stored in Demonic Pill Valley?”
“To think I am seeing such a thing.”
The cadets gathered around and burst into admiration.
As Cheol Un fiddled with the coffin here and there, the entire coffin soon slid aside with a creaking sound.
Then, a large space also appeared below the platform.
Inside, even more boxes than those in the coffin were placed.
“Is this enough now?”
When Cheol Un spoke with deep regret, Namgung Cheon twisted the corners of his mouth and nodded.
“Good, well done. Guys, pack them up!”
“Alright! Leave it to me!”
Paeng Su-hyeok rolled up his sleeves and was about to take a stride forward, but Namgung Cheon grabbed his shoulder.
Grab!
“Huh? Why?”
“What tricks are you trying to play?”
“You told us to pack them up?”
“Not you. How dare a stray who rolled in from nowhere covet my things?”
“Then who are you telling to pack them up?”
At that moment, black shadows dropped down from the ceiling in rapid succession, did they not?
Not only the cadets but also Cheol Un was startled and retreated quickly.
“W-who are you…?”
They were none other than the Azure Eagle Squad.
Son U-gon, the Captain of the Azure Eagle Squad, knelt on one knee toward Namgung Cheon and said.
“We will secure the items, My Lord!”
“Yes, shoulder them one by one.”
“By your command!”
As the Azure Eagle Squad members began to shoulder the boxes one by one, the cadets and Cheol Un could only watch with blank expressions.
However, Cheol Un stared at them with a sharp gaze inwardly, murmuring to himself.
‘Hmph! I will absolutely not die quietly!’