Chapter 358: The Start of the Cleanup (8)
Muk Bi’s timing of participation was truly exquisite.
Thwack! Thwack thwack thwack! Thwack thwack!
Every time she pulled the string of the Red Lotus Bow, the Divine Cult soldiers fell without even a scream.
It was one shot, one kill. Every time the iron arrow split the air, the life of a Divine Cult soldier inevitably flew away.
It had to be. Since she pierced the middle of the forehead exactly rather than the chest or abdomen, no matter how strong their life force was, recovery was impossible once the brain was destroyed.
Seok Gyeong was extremely flustered.
‘An archer?!’
Before facing the enemies, he had been uncertain whether there were two or three presences of the enemies.
However, after the fight broke out, he could not pay attention to that part. The energy wave Yeon Ho-jeong emitted seemed to pierce the sky, and the energy wave Tang Kwan produced was as insidious and deep as the smoke of hell.
Due to the overwhelming energy waves storming in conflict and the frantically occurring battle, he could not recall the presence of the hidden archer.
Only then did Seok Gyeong realize.
‘These guys are not simply aiming at us.’
Perfectly matched coordination, and efficient attack.
The prudence of not revealing such an archer until the decisive moment even while blocking and risking their lives with just the two of them.
‘You’re saying Gyu Jeok blabbed about us? Even if that’s true, proceeding with the battle so boldly yet prudently means…’
Seok Gyeong’s eyes flashed.
‘These guys, they don’t just know about the main cult. It’s certain they even know about the existence of the remaining Two Cults.’
If so?
‘The headquarters is in danger!’
He deduced that far with the appearance of the archer. Certainly, Seok Gyeong’s mind was not ordinary either.
Seok Gyeong shouted.
“Everyone fall back to the rear! We will return to the headquarters right now!”
Hearing those words, Yeon Ho-jeong frowned.
Tang Kwan asked.
“Return to the headquarters? Suddenly?”
“He realized it.”
“What?”
“He realized that we are aiming at all of them. He realized that the other force, namely my father and Murong Jun, are aiming at the headquarters.”
Tang Kwan’s eyes turned gloomy.
“We absolutely cannot let them go.”
“Of course.”
Pa-ah-ah-ak!
The two rushed at Seok Gyeong and the remaining sixty or so Divine Cult soldiers with all their strength.
However, their retreating speed was incredibly fast.
A temporary retreat and a movement returning to the headquarters were on different levels. Although Tang Kwan and Muk Bi endlessly fired hidden weapons and arrows, Seok Gyeong’s defense, hitting away their attacks from the rear, was incomparably solid, minimizing the damage.
“It can’t be helped.”
The light of determination flowed in Tang Kwan’s eyes.
Due to severe internal energy consumption, he might fall into an incapable state for a moment.
However, there was no other way. If they let them go to the headquarters, things would go awry. Tang Kwan was a person who valued the complete annihilation of the enemies beyond his arrogance.
‘It’s a bit uncomfortable to show it to this guy.’
It couldn’t be helped. With this single blow, there was no choice but to completely block their escape.
It was then.
“It is fine.”
“…?!”
“You do not have to overdo it.”
Tang Kwan’s eyes wavered.
‘Does this guy perhaps?’
Could he possibly know? What kind of martial arts he was going to thrust?
Of course, Yeon Ho-jeong knew. However, he pretended not to know the details for Tang Kwan’s sake.
“It seems you are thinking of pulling out a secret technique you haven’t shown publicly, but you do not need to do that.”
“…Why?”
“Can you not hear it?”
“What?”
Yeon Ho-jeong smiled. Although his complexion was pale due to extreme internal energy consumption, his eyes were shining brilliantly.
“They arrived right on time. Our allies.”
At that moment, Tang Kwan’s ears perked up.
Dudududu.
The sound of horse hooves echoing from afar.
The number was not large, but it seemed each and every one was a famous horse under heaven. The speed at which they pounded the earth and charged in was truly surprising.
Yeon Ho-jeong muttered lowly.
“Damn bastards. They should have come earlier, they always make my heart shrink.”
Pa-ah-ah-ak!
Muk Bi, who had been climbing the cliff and shooting arrows, approached Yeon Ho-jeong’s side.
“They came.”
“Yeah, they came.”
Yeon Ho-jeong looked beyond the retreating Divine Cult soldiers.
At the end of the small path blocked by cliffs on the left and right, a dense dust cloud rose.
“Now, let’s squeeze out our last strength!”
Pa-ah-ah-ak!
The three charged with a fearsome momentum.
‘What is it?’
Seok Gyeong, who was wondering why no attacks were flying from the rear, looked forward in surprise at the sensation of the earth shaking for a moment.
“Ahhh!”
About fifty cavalrymen charging while shouting.
They charged while forming an encirclement as if they knew it was this kind of situation all along, and their momentum was like an angry wave.
“What are those guys again!!”
“What do you mean what.”
Bwoooong!
The Vermilion Bird Qi lingered on the Crazy Dragon Axe that flew at an immense speed.
Jje-e-e-e-e-eong!
Seok Gyeong’s face distorted. His two arms were almost broken by the power of the Crazy Dragon Axe that flew in while raising a wheel of fire.
Pa-ah-ah-ak!
Yeon Ho-jeong, who soared into the empty air and grasped the Crazy Dragon Axe again, raised the axe high above his head.
“They are my subordinates.”
Yeon Ho-jeong struck the Crazy Dragon Axe down toward the earth with all his might.
Boom!
The crust of the land in the area shattered and bounced up from the slashing strike that created fire whirlwinds of red and white, Vermilion Bird and White Tiger.
The cracking reached past Seok Gyeong to the feet of the Divine Cult soldiers.
When the sixty or so Divine Cult soldiers momentarily lost their balance and faltered.
Right then, the Evil-Annihilating Army stormed in.
“Kill them all!”
“Uwaaaaah!”
Rumble!
The advance of the Evil-Annihilating Army, blocking the entrance and pushing in, was accompanied by immense destructive power.
A sense of futility arose on Seok Gyeong’s face.
Flash! Thwack!
A flying dagger embedded itself into his shoulder. It was a flying dagger thrown by Tang Kwan.
Chi-i-i-ik!
He evaporated the Bone Transforming Powder that penetrated his skin. However, due to that momentary operation of internal energy, his footwork wavered.
Muk Bi coolly pulled the bowstring.
Pipipipiping! Thwack!
Four arrows pierced the bodies of two Divine Cult soldiers, and one arrow pierced Seok Gyeong’s thigh.
Tang Kwan quickly ran out and passed by Muk Bi just like that.
With a short word.
“Not bad.”
Flash!
Tang Kwan, who approached while bending like chasing lightning, poured twin palms at Seok Gyeong’s chest.
Popopong!
“Keuheok!”
Seok Gyeong, who retreated while vomiting blood, tumbled down among the Divine Cult soldiers.
Peo-eong! Boom!
In the front, the Evil-Annihilating Army pushed in while unfolding the Three Kills Formation, and in the rear, Tang Kwan and Muk Bi fired hidden weapons and arrows like crazy.
Seok Gyeong, who collapsed and was trampled by the feet of the Divine Cult soldiers, barely regained his senses and stood up.
‘…!!’
Feeling an illusion as if the world darkened for a moment, he looked up at the empty air.
There, the murderer of dark darkness holding a giant axe was storming in.
“Playing with fire is over, sons of bitches.”
The Crazy Dragon Axe struck down toward Seok Gyeong’s head.
Kwa-ang!
* * *
“The one hour you mentioned is almost up.”
“Please wait a little longer.”
Murong Jun was calm.
Time was on their side. Even at this moment, Yeo Sang-do’s intelligence organization was deceiving the eyes and ears of the experts on the Divine Cult’s side.
However, wasting more time wouldn’t do any good. In other words, launching a surprise attack as soon as possible was advantageous for them as well.
‘Is it still far?’
Impatience momentarily appeared on Murong Jun’s face.
‘They must arrive at least before dawn breaks. No matter how much they open their vision with internal energy, the difference in sight between night and day is clear. We unconditionally have to end the fight before the sun rises, but…’
It was then.
Dudududu.
The energetic sound of horse hooves could be heard from afar.
Surprise spread across Yeon Wi’s face, and gladness momentarily arose on Murong Yu’s face.
Murong Jun let out a low sigh of relief.
“They arrived right on time.”
Hihing!
The crying sound of the horses was truly grand.
Yeon Wi shouted with an emotion-filled voice.
“Ho-jeong!”
Yeon Ho-jeong, who was riding a horse at the lead, smiled and waved his hand.
“It was close, right?”
“How did you get here…?!”
Murong Jun said.
“I told you. Our allies would come carrying the items.”
“That was Ho-jeong and the Evil-Annihilating Army?”
“That is right. Two days ago, I received contact that they would come straight here after their fight ended. Since the quantity was large, I thought it better to leave it to those guys.”
“Heo-eo!”
Pa-ah-ak!
Tang Kwan, who kicked off his horse’s horseshoes and soared, landed in front of the two people in a single breath.
“It’s been a while.”
“Clan Head Tang.”
Tang Kwan glanced at Murong Jun and snorted. Murong Jun pretended not to see him.
Yeon Wi asked.
“How did the fight go?”
“Can you not tell by seeing us come all the way here? We wiped them out and are on our way.”
Yeon Wi’s expression brightened.
“You worked hard. You really worked hard.”
“Hmph! We didn’t suffer much.”
Tang Kwan looked back at Yeon Ho-jeong.
“Because that fox-like guy used his head so well.”
Yeon Ho-jeong smacked his lips and came down from the horse.
“Thanks to you, I almost died alone. Did you know I fainted in the middle because it was so hard?”
“Be quiet, rude brat.”
Yeon Wi approached Yeon Ho-jeong and Muk Bi.
“You all worked hard.”
Deep relief permeated Yeon Wi’s face as he held and shook the hands of the kids he considered like his son and daughter.
No grand praise or many words were needed. Just that one expression showed how anxious Yeon Wi had been all this time.
“Bi-ah? You aren’t hurt anywhere, right?”
“Yes.”
Muk Bi said as if she was shy.
“I only provided support fire from the rear. Young Master Yeon did all the hard work.”
Yeon Wi chuckled.
“Since this guy always moves so recklessly. He must have run wild at the front alone again.”
Yeon Ho-jeong scratched his head.
“How did you know? Well, I guess that was the method I always used.”
“You brat. So, can you even fight right now?”
“Of course. I raised my strength for Qi accumulation while coming. I can lend an arm.”
“Alright, do not overdo it.”
“Of course.”
Ending the conversation, Yeon Ho-jeong approached Murong Jun.
Murong Jun, who looked Yeon Ho-jeong up and down, snorted.
“Since you ended up in that state, the condition of the enemies is obvious even without looking. You must have made them into minced meat.”
“Don’t I have to do at least that much not to die, those guys.”
At that time, Tang Kwan sarcastically said.
“That guy is funny too. I wondered why he didn’t tell me in advance that those guys don’t die easily, but it turned out he didn’t know either.”
Yeon Ho-jeong made an awkward expression.
“I really didn’t know. I actually wondered why the Clan Head was killing those guys so cruelly at first.”
“You are quite a crazy bastard yourself for tearing that guy named Gyu Jeok to death without even knowing that.”
At that time, Murong Jun spoke.
“Let’s stop the conversation now. Shouldn’t we start the battle soon?”
He asked Yeon Ho-jeong.
“Did you receive all the items?”
“Of course.”
Yeon Ho-jeong looked at the Evil-Annihilating Army. The soldiers each pulled out three or four golden pouches from their waists.
A cruel smile cast over Murong Jun’s face.
“Good. Shall we get going?”
“Please do.”
After a quarter of an hour.
About sixty experts surrounding the Divine Cult’s headquarters lit the golden pouches.
Piyuuuung!
A streak of an iron arrow shot high into the sky.
That was the signal. Everyone holding the golden pouches forcefully threw the smoking pouches toward where there were signs of people.
A moment later.
Boom!
Dozens of buildings burst open like explosions along with immense explosive sounds.
“Keuaaak!”
“Aaak!”
Terrible screams echoed through the surroundings. They were all the screams of the experts and Divine Fire soldiers on the Divine Fire Cult’s side.
At that time, Murong Yu’s vigorous voice crossed the sky.
“Do not leave a single one alive!”
Kureureureung!
Five hundred elite soldiers of the Demon-Sweeping Army stormed in with a fearsome momentum.