Chapter 281: Shadow War (1)
Whiiiing! Kaaang!
The iron ball of the cannon, which flew in drawing a parabola, smashed directly into the ground.
It was a misfire. The group was able to avoid the cannon’s bombardment by a hair’s breadth.
Gang Ryang spat out a stream of curses.
“Fuck this! Where on earth did that cannon pop out from?!”
At that moment, Murong Yu shouted.
“Do not worry about the cannon and run for now!”
“What? How can we not worry about that! If we get hit wrong by that, even the Saintly Heaven Thirteen Seats would die instantly!”
“Commander Yeon will handle it!”
“Eh?”
At that moment, a red light that pierced straight through the empty air rushed toward the massive cannon.
Boooom!
The crushed cannon flew through the sky.
It was a strike containing a martial art of monstrous strength and extreme destructive power. When he swung the massive Crazy Dragon Axe imbued with White Tiger Qi, the chunk of iron weighing over a thousand jin became a rag and flew away.
Gang Ryang’s mouth fell wide open.
‘Is that a human?!’
At that time, Yeon Ho-jeong shouted.
“Run faster! Many cannons are left!”
Paaaaak!
Murong Yu and Gang Ryang increased their speed.
Gang Ryang shouted.
“Damn it! Can we run in a straight line?”
“Just run! If Commander Yeon said that, there must be a reason!”
“D, damn it!”
At that time, Gi Wu-hui opened her mouth.
“You can run.”
“Yes?”
“I am not anxious. It should be fine to run.”
What on earth did this mean? She was not anxious?
Pipipiping!-
Muk Bi, who had been continuously shooting arrows, shouted at Yeon Ho-jeong.
“Young Master Yeon! It would be better to change direction……!”
Kwaaaaang!
The moment a deafening roar rang out, massive flames soared from the snow-covered forest far away.
Muk Bi’s eyes opened so wide they seemed to tear.
“Young Master Yeon!!”
Chwarurururuk!
At that time, the Flood Dragon Chain, which soared up piercing through the flames, wriggled and moved as it pleased.
Peueok! Thwack!
“Keuaaaak!”
“Aaaak!”
With a horrifying scream, red blood drops fell thick and fast onto the pure white snow.
Kwang! Kwaaang!
In the exact direction the group was running, explosions continuously erupted from the forest.
Gang Ryang’s eyes shook.
‘What?’
Kwaaang! Kwaaaaang! Peoeoong!
Crushed and dented cannons tumbled in all directions with an explosion that seemed to split heaven and earth.
That was not all. Misfired gunpowder turned the area into a wasteland, and shattered corpses flew high into the sky, scattering a rain of blood.
‘What on earth is happening!’
It was as if a massive siege weapon was indiscriminately smashing the cannons laid out in the direction the group was running.
In reality, Yeon Ho-jeong’s martial arts were like that. Giving up the Blood Wing Sweeping Heavens that burned with extreme murderous intent, he used the White Tiger’s Sovereign Step, which boasted extreme forward power, and the Black Tortoise Art to smash the cannons with reckless strength.
“Wh-what?!”
“Kill him!”
Those who were hiding in the snowfield wearing pure white clothes each turned their cannons.
Murderous intent spewed from Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes.
He swung the Crazy Dragon Axe toward a rock embedded in the ground.
Kwaaaaang!
It was not human strength.
The fairly large rock shattered into thumb-sized pieces and was fired indiscriminately toward the cannons and those hiding.
Thwack! Ttadadadang! Kwaaang!
There were no screams. The hiders who could not avoid the barrage of stones fired at high speed died instantly on the spot, the cannons were deeply dented, and the gunpowder exploded, causing a massive explosion.
‘Huuup.’
Yeon Ho-jeong inhaled deeply.
Wiiiiiing!
The Four Divine Energies, receiving the power of the Jade Gauze True Formula, each burned their power and breathed strong strength into Yeon Ho-jeong’s muscles and bones.
‘Cannons, I could not have even imagined, but.’
The cannons he smashed with a madness-tinged advance already numbered over seven.
Now roughly five cannons remained. If he destroyed all of those, from then on there would only be running left.
‘Pondering why cannons are laid out here, and what their true identity is, comes later.’
A light of resolve gathered in Yeon Ho-jeong’s two eyes.
‘And, also regarding the Divine Maiden of the Western Regions.’
Paaaaang!
From the White Tiger’s Sovereign Step, to the Heaven-Sent Moving Flight.
Yeon Ho-jeong, who approached the faraway cannon with a movement technique that was even refreshing, stepped one step of the White Tiger Reigning again.
Kwang! Kwaaaaang!
In an instant, two cannons were crushed.
‘Damn it.’
No matter how strong Yeon Ho-jeong was, it was a difficult task to destroy this many cannons with just an axe and a chain.
Furthermore, martial arts that pushed forward with strength exerted powerful might but were based on extreme physical and internal energy consumption.
That natural logic applied exactly the same to Yeon Ho-jeong. If it were not for his cardiovascular system and muscles that he had thoroughly trained until now, and the stable Jade Gauze True Formula, his breathing would have been completely ruined by now and he would not have been able to move properly.
Jjeoeeoeeoeeoeng!
At the struck blow, the cannon split at a slant.
‘Four cannons.’
Kwaaang!
The cannon, flipped over along with the surface of the earth, flew to the side, smashed a rock, and lodged into it.
‘Three cannons.’
It was then.
Kureurureung!
Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes shook.
The remaining three cannons all turned toward Yeon Ho-jeong. They intended to kill Yeon Ho-jeong first, not the Divine Maiden of the Western Regions.
Chiiiiik!
Fire ignited on the short fuse.
Uuuuuung!
The White Tiger Qi that surrounded Yeon Ho-jeong’s entire body disappeared, and at the same time, an auspicious blue-green light lingered.
It was the Azure Dragon Qi.
Kwang! Kwaang! Kwaaang!
Three consecutive artillery shells poured down directly onto Yeon Ho-jeong.
Rumble!
The forest became scorched earth in an instant. Unmelted snow and tangled mounds of dirt splattered in all directions, and a few trees were uprooted and fell over.
“Is he dead?!”
“He must be dead! Turn the cannons again! Reload! The target has already approached the Fifth Line!”
“Good!”
Kkigigigik!
The muzzles of the cannons were shifted at a fast speed.
Since they were made of steel, it was natural that their weight was immense. However, the speed and movement of the turning muzzles were exceedingly flexible. It seemed they were objects structurally made to be flexible.
‘Items like that are…’
Yeon Ho-jeong, who had flown to the top of a tree before he knew it, looked down and furrowed his brow.
‘Unless they are items of the government, and specifically the military, they cannot be like that.’
The corners of Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes trembled slightly.
‘These guys, I knew they were connected to the government, but was the relationship this deep?’
The military’s cannons could absolutely not be smuggled out privately. Without the official order of the military’s top person in power, no high-ranking official could take out the cannons.
Of course, there were not no officials who secretly smuggled out cannons. However, they all only smuggled them out just in case, and there was no way they would have taken them out just to catch one person like now.
‘Things are turning out splendidly.’
Yeon Ho-jeong inhaled again.
Uuuuuuung.
The cold air entered his lungs through his nose and gently relaxed his tense five viscera and six bowels.
Flash!
The light in Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes shone brilliantly.
Teoeeoeeoeng!
Shot in a straight line toward the ground, he raised the Black Tortoise Qi to the extreme.
It was not for defense. He intended to utilize the absolute defensive art utilizing extreme repulsive force as an attack.
Black Tortoise Art, the ultimate technique of the Northern Heaven Twelve Walls.
True Martial Great Emperor’s Heavy Wall, receiving the power of the Jade Gauze True Qi, was materialized with the Black Tortoise Qi manifested to the maximum.
Yeon Ho-jeong swung the Crazy Dragon Axe toward the center point of the three cannons.
Peoeoeeok!
One bizarrely curved wooden arrow pierced through an assassin’s thigh.
With a staggering body, Muk Bi immediately fired a formless bullet to blow away the assassin’s head.
Thwack!
Like that, all the assassins lost their lives.
Gang Ryang shouted.
“Elder Sister! Are you okay?!”
“I’m okay.”
Her words said she was okay, but she was absolutely not in an okay state. Due to suffering considerable internal injuries from unreasonable internal energy operation, she was at the point where it was difficult to even stand on Gang Ryang’s shoulders anymore.
At that time, a massive shockwave swept through the surroundings.
Rumble!
“Heok!”
“Ca, careful!”
Murong Yu wrapped around Gi Wu-hui, and Gang Ryang wrapped around the falling Muk Bi as they turned their backs.
Hwiiiiiiiiing! Kugugugung!
The shockwave that erupted from the forest where the cannons were laid caused an earthquake in the area.
It was not gunpowder. The explosive strength materialized with extreme true qi had created a shockwave this large.
Muk Bi shouted.
“Young Master Yeon!”
Kugugugung! Kwang!
Along with the sound of the iron cannon bouncing off, flames soared once again. This time, the gunpowder had exploded.
Everyone turned their heads toward the forest.
Hwareureureureureuk.
The flames were burning with an immense momentum as if they would reach the sky.
Gang Ryang’s face turned pale.
“O-Older Brother!!”
It was then.
As if waiting for his voice, one young man pushed through the deep red Fire Demon and walked out.
Huuk. Huuk.
White steam was stained on the exhaled breath. That steam seemed like looking at the rough breathing of a wild beast that had fought until it was covered in blood.
Murong Yu’s face brightened.
“Commander Yeon!”
“Huu. Huu.”
Finally, Yeon Ho-jeong revealed himself.
The group, who had tried to greet him with bright faces, could not bring themselves to continue speaking.
Yeon Ho-jeong’s appearance was quite gruesome. The light armor made with the Tang Clan’s secret art was intact, but his whole body was covered in blood, parts of his clothing were torn or burst open all over, and there were also places where he had suffered burns.
They had never seen Yeon Ho-jeong hurt this severely.
At the same time, they could not help but be greatly impressed. Not only had he completely smashed over ten cannons, but he had also stubbornly survived amidst those numerous explosions, so it was truly a martial prowess that made one click their tongue.
“Commander Yeon! Are you okay?”
“I am not okay. It feels like all the joints in my whole body have dislocated.”
“You worked hard. You really worked very hard.”
“No. Everyone worked hard.”
Yeon Ho-jeong looked at Muk Bi and spoke.
“You really worked hard. If it had not been for you, it would have been exhausting in many ways.”
A confident smile lingered on Muk Bi’s face, which had been full of worry.
“See. I told you I would be needed, right?”
“From now on, I should carefully etch your words into my mind.”
“Of course.”
Yeon Ho-jeong took out and held up one small pill from his embrace.
“I packed it just in case. Eat it.”
“What is it?”
“It’s internal injury medicine.”
“No. Rather than me, Young Master Yeon should…….”
“I can recover quickly without something like that. And for the road ahead, your archery seems to be more needed than me. Treating your internal injuries first comes first.”
“But…….”
“It is an order as the Evil-Annihilating Army Commander. Take it.”
When he spoke up to this point, it could not be helped. Muk Bi directly swallowed the internal injury medicine received from Yeon Ho-jeong.
Yeon Ho-jeong smiled and looked at Gang Ryang.
“You followed closely well?”
“……Older Brother smashed them well?”
“Smashing and killing is my job. Something like this is nothing.”
Gang Ryang shivered his body.
“I will have to train desperately. To even catch up to the tips of Older Brother’s toes, ordinary training will not even be close.”
“It is enough that you realized it even now. Anyway, you worked hard.”
“Yes, Older Brother too.”
Yeon Ho-jeong looked at Murong Yu this time.
There was no conversation between the two people. They just looked at each other, smiled, and nodded their heads, and that was all.
Lastly, Yeon Ho-jeong looked at Gi Wu-hui.
Flinch!
Gi Wu-hui inhaled without realizing it herself.
Murong Yu comforted her.
“It seems you were surprised because Commander Yeon’s appearance is somewhat rough. However, do not worry. We are all the Murim Alliance’s escorts.”
“……Yes.”
Gi Wu-hui was not scared of Yeon Ho-jeong’s appearance covered in blood. Seeing blood was the fate of a physician, so she had no particular feeling about this level.
However, his gaze was scary.
That transparent and also sharp gaze, which seemed to pierce through a person’s inner thoughts in a single breath.
Yeon Ho-jeong, who was staring blankly at Gi Wu-hui, soon bowed his head.
“I will escort you safely. Let’s move for now.”
“Ah, yes, yes! B, but is your body okay?”
The eyes of the bowed Yeon Ho-jeong flashed coolly.
“I am okay. To the point where it could not be any better.”