Episode 346

Digging an ant hole under the enemy’s nest (3)

“A monster…….”

 

An old man with a thick beard muttered in disbelief.

 

In his hand was a bow as large as an adult man—an enormous weapon known as the Heaven-Piercing Great Bow.

 

It was a legendary creation forged two hundred years earlier by a master craftsman named Magokja. It boasted a range of over five hundred jang, and its power was enough to easily penetrate an iron plate a foot thick.

 

No weapon in Jianghu could attack from such a distance, underlining the lethal potency of the Heaven-Piercing Great Bow.

 

The sole drawback was that using the Heaven-Piercing Great Bow demanded immense internal energy. Its power was so formidable that any ordinary martial artist couldn’t even pull back the bowstring.

 

The old man’s name was Chuk Il-yeop.

 

Chuk Il-yeop had devoted his entire life solely to the art of archery.

 

Although his overall martial skill could not compare to the absolute masters of the Jianghu, there was no one who could match his archery skills when wielding the Heaven-Piercing Great Bow.

 

Chuk Il-yeop pulled an arrow from his quiver.

 

It was made of millennium iron, with a spiral groove on the tip to maximize its destructive power.

 

Chuk Il-yeop placed the arrow on the string and drew it back.

 

The Heaven-Piercing Great Bow bent like a full moon.

 

Whiz!

 

The large arrow disappeared into the darkness with a sharp sound.

 

After a moment of staring into the darkness, Chuk Il-yeop slung the Heaven-Piercing Great Bow on his back and murmured, “Incredible.”

 

This attack had also failed.

 

His opponent had dodged the arrow and was rapidly approaching.

 

Were it not for the four hundred jang wide river blocking the way, his opponent would already have reached him.

 

It was now only a matter of time before the man arrived.

 

The fact that even a long-distance shot at night hadn’t worked astonished him.

 

He had heard that this opponent was a highly skilled master, but he had no idea the level would be this high.

 

“He truly deserves to be called a supreme master.”

 

Chuk Il-yeop shook his head in disbelief.

 

The old man picked up another bow he had set on the ground.

 

It was about half the size of the Heaven-Piercing Great Bow, the God-Killing Bow.

This too was a divine weapon created by Magokja.

If the Heaven-Piercing Great Bow was designed for long-range sniping, the God-Killing Bow was intended for close combat.

The God-Killing Bow’s greatest power was unleashed when fired from about thirty paces away.

Although its range was not comparable to that of the Heaven-Piercing Great Bow, its power at close range was significantly superior.

Chuk Il-yeop would have liked to stand his ground and confront the opponent with the God-Killing Bow instead of fleeing.

His boiling blood and heart urged him to do so. However, Chuk Il-yeop suppressed these desires.

If he could kill the opponent with the Heaven-Piercing Great Bow, it would have been ideal, but since that was not possible, he had already agreed to lure the opponent elsewhere.

Chuk Il-yeop, holding the God-Killing Bow, used his Qigongl and disappeared into the darkness. Shortly after he vanished, someone emerged from the shadows.

It was Lee Gwak.

Lee Gwak had followed the trajectory of the arrow and arrived in a flash. Although crossing the river had delayed him slightly, the difference was negligible.

 

Without a moment’s rest, Lee Gwak scanned the ground.

 

“Here!”

 

The grass was crushed, and there were distinct footprints left behind.

 

Lee Gwak placed his foot over one of the prints and mimicked drawing a bow. The traces on the ground confirmed that someone had fired an arrow from this spot.

 

Whoever this archer was, his skill was monstrous.

 

Lee Gwak felt a chill creep through his spine. If someone of such skill was targeting him, he could never let his guard down.

 

He had to eliminate this archer today to prevent future trouble.

 

Lee Gwak looked toward the direction Chuk Il-yeop had disappeared.

 

“Is this a trap?”

 

It was hard to believe that someone who had meticulously concealed himself while shooting an arrow from over four hundred paces away would leave such careless traces.

 

It seemed as though he had deliberately left his tracks.

 

Lee Gwak glanced at Taegang.

 

With Cheol Gwang Woo and Cheol Daesan there, he didn’t need to worry about Bang Ye-in’s safety.

 

He didn’t know what purpose the unknown enemy had in luring him away, but it couldn’t be good.

 

Even so, Lee Gwak took off in pursuit of Chuk Il-yeop’s footprints. IIn an instant, his figure disappeared into the shadows.

 

“Phew!”

 

Seok Yi Cheon wiped the sweat from his forehead and looked around.

 

Dawn was breaking.

 

Having walked all night, there wasn’t a part of his body that wasn’t aching.

 

His muscles screamed, and his body was drenched in sweat.

 

He wanted to sit down and rest right there, but he knew he couldn’t.

 

The time to deliver the carriage as promised was approaching. He had to arrive on time, even if it meant forcing himself.

 

 

Seok Yi Cheon looked around at his exhausted companions.

 

The members of the 15th, 17th, and 19th squads were all on the brink of collapse, worn out from the relentless march.

 

“Phew! Brother, can we please take a short break?”

 

The leader of the seventeenth squad, Go Cheong Gwang, looked at Seok Yi Cheon with pleading eyes. The other squad members felt the same, but Seok Yi Cheon shook his head, dismissing their wishes.

 

“Just hang on a bit longer. We’re not far from our destination.”

 

“Phew! I’m really dying here. What on earth is in this cargo that makes us suffer so much?”

 

Go Cheong Gwang shook his head as he looked at the large cargo loaded on the carriage.

 

The cargo was so heavy that the horses were foaming at the mouth. Because of this, the martial artists escorting the carriage had also exhausted themselves.

 

Moreover, they had marched all night to meet the scheduled time.

 

Although they hadn’t said it, they were on the verge of collapsing.

 

Seok Yi Cheon told them,

 

“Just hang in there a bit longer. We’re not far from the meeting place. Once we deliver the goods, you can rest all you want. Let’s muster our strength.”

 

“Yes!”

 

“Understood.”

 

The team members responded weakly.

 

They trudged toward their destination.

 

“Phew!”

 

Seok Yi Cheon secretly sighed.

 

‘Why did I end up staying in the outer hall…’

 

He shook his head weakly.

 

If it weren’t for the friends he had in the outer hall, he would have quit his role as a squad leader long ago.

 

He couldn’t help but feel frustrated by his current situation, unable to leave or stay.

 

Seok Yi Cheon walked for a long time, encouraging the worn-out outer hall squad member. After a while, their destination finally came into view.

 

It was a vast plain where golden rice stalks swayed like waves.

 

“Hwangwon Plains!”

 

Seok Yi Cheon mumbled under his breath.

 

The final destination for the cargo they had been transporting was the Hwangwon Plains.

 

While Seok Yi Cheon and the outside forces guided the carriage onto the Hwangwon Plain—

 

Ssssh!

 

Suddenly, dozens of blades sprang from the billowing rice, all aimed at Seok Yi Cheon and the outer hall martial artists.

 

“Ugh!”

 

“What in the—?”

 

Shocked by the unexpected ambush, the outer hall martial artists had no idea how to respond.

 

Only Seok Yi Cheon kept his wits about him and spoke calmly.

 

“W-we are the outer hall squad, dispatched by the Leader of the Demon Squad, tasked with delivering this cargo.”

 

“You made it on time after all. Everyone, lower your swords.”

 

A middle-aged man emerged from the rice fields and gave the order. Immediately, the dozens of swords were sheathed.

 

The middle-aged man had deep scars running across his neck and cheek. The moment Seok Yi Cheon saw the scar on the man’s cheek, he realized who he was.

 

‘Sword Heaven Squad Leader, Baek Seo-mun.’

 

Among the many martial artists in Jade Heaven Alliance, only Baek Seo-mun, the leader of the Sword Heaven Squad, had such deep scars on his neck and cheek.

 

The Sword Heaven Squad was one of the main forces of the headquarters, deployed only on extremely dangerous missions. Their involvement alone indicated that a risky operation was underway here.

 

Baek Seo-mun addressed Seok Yi Cheon.

 

“Have you looked inside the cargo on the cart?”

 

“Not at all.”

 

“Really?”

 

“Absolutely. We never once opened the tarp. If you doubt us, please check for yourself.”

 

“I’ll see for myself.”

 

Baek Seo-mun gave a cold smile as he examined the waterproof tarp covering the carriage. The tarp and carriage were sealed with wax, bearing an official stamp. If anyone had tampered with the tarp, the seal and stamp would have been broken.

 

After inspecting the carriage, Baek Seo-mun nodded.

 

“Good.”

 

“Then, may we return now?”

 

“It seems you haven’t received your orders yet.”

 

“What?”

 

“From now on, you’ll be moving with us.”

 

“Huh?”

 

Seok Yi Cheon blinked in confusion, not quite grasping Baek Seo-mun’s words at first.

 

It was only a moment later that he regained his senses.

 

“So… we’re to move with the Sword Heaven Squad?”

 

“That’s right.”

 

“But we’ll only get in your way.”

 

“We’re already aware of that.”

 

“Then why?”

 

“Even trash can be useful. Do you think we can’t make use of the outer faction? Just shut up and follow my orders.”

 

A flicker of anger flashed across Seok Yi Cheon’s face at Baek Seo-mun’s harsh words. He had compared the outer hall martial artists to trash, showing just how little he thought of them.

 

Seok Yi Cheon suppressed his anger. The Sword Heaven Squad was an elite force that the outer faction couldn’t even compare to, and Baek Seo-mun was a master far beyond Seok Yi Cheon’s level. No matter how much rage boiled inside him, he couldn’t afford to show it.

 

Seok Yi Cheon forced a hollow laugh.

 

“Hehe! Understood. We’ll stay here and do as you command.”

 

Baek Seo-mun gazed with disinterest at Seok Yi Cheon’s humiliating smile, as though his anger had never even mattered.

 

Seok Yi Cheon bowed his head more deeply.

He could endure any level of humiliation if it meant protecting the outer hall martial artists.

 

Baek Seo-mun waved his hand dismissively, signaling for them to leave. Seok Yi Cheon bowed deeply once more before leading the outer hall martial artists away.

 

“Follow me. I’ll show you to your quarters.”

 

A member of the Sword Heaven Squad took the lead. As they followed, Seok Yi Cheon’s face showed a hint of confusion. The place they were being led to was a vast plain with no buildings in sight.

 

The plain was covered in rice fields, and there didn’t seem to be any place for people to stay. As if to answer Seok Yi Cheon’s doubts, the Sword Heaven Squad member suddenly stopped and knelt on one knee.

 

Seok Yi Cheon and the outer hall martial artists watched in bewilderment.

 

Thud! Thud!

 

The Sword Heaven Squad member knocked on the ground. Moments later, an astonishing sight unfolded. With a heavy sound, the ground shifted, revealing an opening just large enough for a person to enter.

 

The Sword Heaven Squad member spoke.

 

“Go inside.”

 

“Yes, sir!”

 

Seok Yi Cheon and the outer hall martial artists, still stunned, stepped into the space that had appeared in the ground.

 

As they descended the stairs, they found themselves in an unbelievably spacious underground chamber.

 

“Good heavens!”

 

Seok Yi Cheon’s eyes widened in shock. The underground space was nothing short of astonishing.

 

The vast chamber was filled with hundreds of martial artists inspecting their weapons. Along the walls were numerous rooms, resembling an ant’s nest. It was easy to guess that more martial artists were stationed in those rooms.

 

“They built… a fortress underground?”

 

Who could have imagined that such a fortress existed beneath Hwangwon Plain? Seok Yi Cheon felt chills run down his spine.

 

Judging by the texture and condition of the walls, the underground fortress had clearly been constructed recently.

 

Not far from here was the Hundred-Eye Fortress, the Dragon Heaven Valley’s stronghold in Hwangwon Plains. Hundred-Eye Fortress was built purely for defense, with warehouses stocked with enough food, water, and weapons to last at least a month. In case of emergencies, dozens of messenger birds were always on standby to relay information to Dragon Heaven Valley.

 

The fact that the Jade Heaven Alliance had built an underground fortress right under Hundred-Eye Fortress’s nose spoke volumes about their terrifying capabilities.

 

The recent looting of supplies headed to Dragon Heaven Valley’s outposts, including the Hundred-Eye fortres had been a strategy to conceal the construction of this underground fortress.

 

Recently, there had been a string of raids on cargo heading towards the Hundred-Eye Fortress and other Dragon Heaven Valley outposts.

 

Through a series of operations, the Jade Heaven Alliance had established the perfect base to cut off their enemies’ lifelines, right under their noses.

 

Just then, a loud voice echoed through the underground fortress.

 

“The goods we’ve been waiting for have arrived. Let’s begin the operation.”

 

Seok Yi Cheon muttered blankly.

 

“Operation? What on earth is happening here?”