Chapter 92: Cut-off Section (3)
Chapter 91 – Cut-off Section (3)
The Vice Leader of the Blue Wave Corps was certain that Namgung Cheon’s corpse would be sprawling on the floor by now.
Although he was bothered by the sound he had heard a moment ago, he did not think it was anything to worry about.
In short, wasn’t the mere fact that Namgung Cheon had not returned until now proof that something had happened to him?
‘Tsk… His talent was outstanding in its own way, but it is a pity.’
Indeed, Namgung Cheon was far too ignorant of the ways of the world.
He should have accepted his born destiny.
Since he was branded as the illegitimate child of the Great Killing Star, he should have lived quietly, staying out of the public eye as much as possible.
Wasn’t it the notoriety of the Great Killing Star that had ruined even the great Namgung Clan in just a few years?
It was a natural truth of the world that the protruding stone gets hit by the chisel. Instead of curling up and hiding, which would still not be enough, he had instead become a more protruding stone.
‘Do not resent us too much. For everyone has their own circumstances and their own justice.’
After all, wasn’t it true that this world could not be fair to everyone?
The sacrifice of the few was inevitable to protect the justice of the many.
The reason he followed the Blue Wave Corps Leader was because he agreed with such a philosophy. Furthermore, the reason the current Martial Alliance Leader and the Blue Wave Corps Leader could wield such powerful authority was also because they were supported by that philosophy.
‘A correct philosophy is accompanied by corresponding power.’
And relying on that correct philosophy, he would pass through the Blue Wave Corps Leader and, if lucky, might even rise to the position of the Martial Alliance Leader in the future.
In a way, Namgung Cheon’s sacrifice was ultimately an inevitable process to achieve such a result.
‘If only this matter is resolved well, the Alliance will catch two rabbits.’
For they would completely eliminate the future trouble regarding the Great Killing Star, and they would have the strong support of the Myriad Gold Merchant Association behind them.
*Whoosh.*
The Vice Leader, who flew through the waterfall, entered the entrance of the cave on the side.
Entering through the entrance that felt like a natural cave and walking a little along the uneven passage, he saw light leaking out from some distance ahead.
When he finally entered the cavern, six martial artists standing at appropriate intervals welcomed him.
“Welcome.”
The one-eyed man spoke, curling up one corner of his mouth.
The Vice Leader swept his cold gaze over the martial artists in black.
‘Scum-like bastards.’
Although they had joined hands due to a necessary evil, they were certainly not people he could face and laugh with.
The Vice Leader asked in a chilly voice.
“What about Cadet Jin So-hong?”
“She is safe.”
“What about Namgung Cheon?”
Even as he asked the question, the Vice Leader was roughly expecting the answer.
For thick blood was stained on the martial robes of some of the martial artists in black. Furthermore, some blood was also pooled on the floor.
It must be the bloodstains left by Namgung Cheon as he died.
“We handled him as requested.”
The Vice Leader nodded.
“Good work.”
“How are we going to proceed now?”
“The Gale Squad went toward the emergency exit. The Captain will make a suitable excuse to withdraw them, so when a signal is sent, escape using the emergency exit.”
“As expected of the Gale Squad, finding even the emergency exit. Or… did someone tell them?”
“What?”
When Gong I-geol raised his eyebrows, the one-eyed man waved his hand with a smile.
“It’s nothing. Then let’s get down to the details.”
“Before that, I must check Cadet Jin So-hong. And Namgung Cheon’s corpse as well.”
At that, one of the martial artists in black stepped forward with a deep frown.
“Do you not trust us?”
“What?”
As the Vice Leader turned back with an absurd look on his face, the one-eyed man raised his hand to restrain his subordinate and spoke.
“Ah, since the situation is what it is, my subordinates are a bit sensitive. Let’s go. I will guide you.”
The Vice Leader stared blankly at the one-eyed man before glaring at the subordinate who had stepped forward earlier.
“Do I not trust you? You are stating the obvious. You wouldn’t fully trust the Alliance either, would you? Isn’t it just that we are using each other out of necessity? In the first place, if there is no benefit, there is no trust in this relationship.”
At those words, the martial artists in black turned to one another and exchanged glances.
Sensing an ominous energy, the Vice Leader narrowed his eyes.
“What is it?”
“It’s nothing. That green brat had more tricks up his sleeve than expected, so we treated him a bit roughly. Thus, the corpse is not a very pleasant sight.”
“I don’t care.”
“Then let’s go.”
As the one-eyed man gestured with his chin toward the inside of the passage, the Vice Leader was the first to start moving his steps.
The passage, which had felt like a natural cave, gradually became artificial until it completely changed into a hallway touched by human hands.
After walking a bit further like that, he saw the ceiling collapsed and blocked off in the distance.
A single corpse lay sprawling in front of it.
‘Is that Namgung Cheon…?’
The Vice Leader, with his eyes narrowed, strode toward the place where the body lay.
‘This… isn’t Namgung Cheon, is it?’
The body was bald, and even the physique was different.
The Vice Leader, who failed to grasp the situation, turned back to the one-eyed man.
“Were there casualties? Why is the passage blocked? Can we even go to the emergency exit like this? Before that, where are Jin So-hong and Namgung Cheon?”
“Let us ask one question at a time.”
“Jin So-hong and Namgung Cheon!”
The Vice Leader demanded to know the urgent matter first.
The one-eyed man pointed with his chin toward the iron door next to them.
“Inside there.”
The Vice Leader hurriedly threw open the iron door.
*Creeeeak!*
Following the unpleasant friction sound, the inside of the iron door was fully revealed.
However, the only thing sprawling there was another martial artist in black.
“What! Jin So-hong and Namgung…!”
The Vice Leader shouted in irritation and spun around, but a sudden kick flew toward him.
*Thud!*
*Crash!*
The moment Gong I-geol, who was blown back, crashed against the wall and spat out a mouthful of blood,
*Swish!*
The one-eyed man flew in like a ghost and slashed his sword vertically upward.
*Slash!*
“Aaargh!”
At the same time a streak of light burst, a scream surged up. And Gong I-geol’s right arm also soared into the air.
Rotating his body as he was, the one-eyed man slammed his elbow into the back of the Vice Leader’s neck.
*Thud!*
*Crash!*
With a rough sound, the Vice Leader fell flat on the spot.
“Always speaking informally. Doesn’t the Martial Alliance teach any etiquette of the Jianghu?”
Following the one-eyed man’s indifferent muttering, a subordinate approached.
“It seems they really wanted Cadet Namgung Cheon dead. This situation doesn’t seem to be what they intended.”
“My thoughts are the same. Taking Jin So-hong away seems to be the independent action of that fellow Namgung Cheon… It certainly seems the Blue Wave Corps Leader did not betray us.”
The one-eyed man’s eyes turned freezing cold.
“One way or another, the result is the same. We lost Jin So-hong, and we failed to kill Namgung Cheon. Although they did not betray us first, they will try to betray us from now on. The Blue Wave Corps Leader will surely attempt to silence us by killing everyone.”
“Tsk, those dog-like bastards! We can’t just take this lying down, can we?”
“How about we take that Vice Leader bastard hostage and get out of here?”
The one-eyed man smirked.
“The six of us break through the Blue Wave Corps with just one Vice Leader as a hostage? Shaking off the pursuit of the Gale Squad and even breaking through the inescapable net?”
“…I am sorry.”
The subordinate hung his head low, as if he also realized that it made no sense.
The situation was grim.
The one-eyed man’s eyes sank deeply into the darkness. He looked around at his subordinates one by one.
“Choose. Do you want to live, or do you want to die? In the case of the former, if you are very lucky, there might be hope for about one of us.”
The subordinates’ expressions also sank into darkness.
It was called a hope for one, but it was practically a hundred percent chance of death.
In a word, it was close to a futile hope.
Just then, one subordinate beat his own chest with his fist and spoke solemnly.
“I have no desire to live alone!”
“Me too!”
“The same goes for me!”
One after another, the subordinates resolved to die.
The one-eyed man gave a bitter smile and nodded.
“Death is a set fate anyway. The target is the Blue Wave Corps Leader, or we will decorate our end with as much blood as possible.”
“Understood!”
Hearing the replies of his subordinates, the one-eyed man wore an expression more terrifying than ever before.
* * *
*Whoosh! Swish!*
The sword blade weaved through the air.
Space split with a single strike, and the air was sliced away with another thrust.
*Clang! Crash!*
The sliced air trembled and burst into a cry.
*Whoosh! Swish, swish, shaaak!*
Martial Alliance Leader Mok Cheon-ak thus became the wind, the thunder, and the clouds, and sometimes became a rainstorm and a typhoon in the backyard of the Alliance Leader’s Palace.
Although it looked rough at a glance, there was careful calculation, and although it looked chaotic, it was precise.
A fierce and powerful energy overflowed from his entire body, to the point that one’s skin would prickle just by drawing close.
It was the characteristic of the Heaven-breaking True Art he had mastered.
Moreover, the sword stances that felt as if they would shatter and split everything in this world could not help but make any onlooker feel a sense of awe.
It was the power of the Heaven-Severing Sword Art based on the Heaven-breaking True Art.
How long did he execute the sword stances filled with profound mystery like that?
Although the Heaven-Severing Sword Art had relatively few variation stances or feint stances, it took quite a long time as he applied and executed them to suit various situations.
As the pitch-black darkness gradually receded, the eastern sky slowly brightened.
*Whoosh!*
The Alliance Leader, who flew as if stepping on clouds, suddenly stood tall on a rock in the backyard and froze like a statue.
“Phew…”
Exhaling a long breath, he sheathed his sword and slowly came down as if there were invisible stairs in the air.
“Have you come?”
At the call, not knowing whom it was directed at, a person walked out from the pavilion as if he had been waiting.
“You have been practicing since early dawn.”
It was the Martial Alliance Chief Administrator.
“As I grow older, I lose sleep.”
“You are still hale and hearty.”
“Flattery, indeed. Why didn’t you just come out?”
“I did not want to disturb you.”
“It seems it is not an urgent matter.”
The Chief Administrator smiled faintly and spoke.
“Yes, it is the news that Cadet Namgung Cheon has joined the Blue Wave Corps.”
“Namgung Cheon?”
“Yes. There are a few other cadets, but I thought you would be most curious about him.”
“So, what happened?”
“The Blue Wave Corps Leader said he will take measures so that you do not have to worry.”
The Alliance Leader smiled softly.
For Murong Sin to say that meant he had a plan in mind.
Perhaps a troubling tooth might fall out on its own. If only this matter is resolved well…
“A troubling tooth will be pulled out, and a gold tooth will be planted.”
These were things planned after learning that Jin So-hong was the daughter of the Myriad Gold Merchant Association Leader.
If resolved ideally, the Martial Alliance would be able to operate comfortably without financial worries for decades to come.
The Chief Administrator smiled warmly and continued.
“It will be resolved well. Because he is Captain Murong.”
“That is true. Since he does his work thoroughly.”
“Also, regarding the schedule of the Joint Conference…”
“Speak.”
“Tomorrow is the day the sparring tournament is held. I would like to ask how we should proceed.”
“Proceed as scheduled.”
“As scheduled… you say?”
At the Alliance Leader’s unhesitating reply, the Chief Administrator asked back as if it was unexpected.
The Alliance Leader nodded.
“There will be a need to show that our Alliance is not shaken by the tricks of the unorthodox scoundrels. Even if an eight-horse carriage catches on a stumbling stone, would it not be able to cross over? We must show that this incident is nothing more than a small stumbling stone to our Alliance.”
“Understood. Then, the cadets who fail to arrive in time…”
“Do it according to the rules.”
The Alliance Leader replied with a faint smile.
According to the rules, it was disqualification.
Even if by any chance Namgung Cheon returned alive and well, if he could not arrive by the sparring time tomorrow, his reputation would also fade away like a spark.