Turbulent Times Bring People Together (1)

The first thing Lee Gwak did after becoming the Alliance Leader was to appoint Lim So-bo as the Chief Strategist.

 

Before becoming the strategist for the Mad Martial Sect, Lim So-bo had been the strategist for the Thousand Kingdom School and the Sky High Castle. Therefore, she knew the internal affairs of the Thousand Kingdom School better than anyone.

 

The same was true for the Dragon Heaven Valley.

 

Until just a short while ago, they had been sheltering under the Mad Martial Sect, building their strength. So, she had a good grasp of their internal situations as well.

 

The Martial Sword Troupe wasn’t a problem thanks to Sa Yeon-hee’s full cooperation.

 

She quickly grasped the strengths and weaknesses of each sect, and by using Hao Clan’s intelligence network, she learned the tendencies and goals of their leaders. Based on that knowledge, she executed personnel appointments.

 

Loyal Martial Corps, serving as the central army.

 

Heaven’s Punishment Corps, on the left wing.

 

Hell King Corps, on the right wing.

 

Each unit was led respectively by Namgung In, Mok Seon-wol, and Sa Yeon-hee.

 

Martial artists and sects who joined the Heavenly Justice Alliance were assigned to the Loyal Martial Corps, the Heaven’s Punishment Corps, or the Hell King Corps based on their preferences.

 

Of course, each unit also carried out detailed personnel assignments without fail.

 

What Lim So-bo paid particular attention to was efficiency.

 

It didn’t matter if they had been on good terms before or were mortal enemies. Personnel were placed strictly to maximize efficiency when working together.

 

At first, many small conflicts arose. Having strangers work side by side inevitably led to friction.

 

Whenever that happened, Lim So-bo would mobilize the Mad Martial Sect to mete out punishment.

 

She believed that one troublemaker on the inside was more dangerous than ten external enemies.

 

Because she was so strict, the disorder gradually disappeared, and the system became firmly established.

 

A few days later, joyful news arrived.

 

Sky High Castle had joined the Heavenly Justice Alliance.

 

After the death of its former lord, Po Cheon-wol, Sky High Castle had shut itself off to recover.

Now, it was finally beginning to act again.

 

The new lord was So Gun-myeong, the White-Eyed Blood Hand.

 

So Gun-myeong was exceedingly arrogant, always looking down on others.

 

It was by no means easy for someone like him to recognize Lee Gwak as leader. But he did.

 

Regardless of Lee Gwak’s background, he had once fought and lost to him. Because of that incident, he lost Lim So-bo to the Gangmu Gate and the Sky High Castle lost its strategist.

 

The resentment in his heart still remained, but given the situation, he forced himself to endure it.

 

So Gun-myeong was arrogant, but he wasn’t a fool.

 

He knew that if the Heavenly Justice Alliance collapsed, the Sky High Castle would fall too. He set aside personal grudges; now was the time to oppose the common enemy.

 

With the addition of the Sky High Castle, the Heavenly Justice Alliance’s organization became even more robust, giving Lim Sobo more strategic room.

 

Meanwhile, the Celestial Demon Troupe regrouped and launched a full-scale assault. However, the Heavenly Justice Alliance, with its established structure, repelled their concentrated attack through efficient tactics.

 

Eventually, the Celestial Demon Troupe had to retreat to their main base, and the standoff showed signs of becoming prolonged.

 

The Thousand Kingdom School became the temporary headquarters of the Heavenly Justice Alliance.

 

As time passed, the number of martial artists wanting to join the Heavenly Justice Alliance grew.

 

Lim So-bo created several more units besides the Hell King Corps, Heaven’s Punishment Corps, and Loyal Martial Corps. One of them, the Justice Corps, was assigned to the Sky High Castle.

 

Even though four of the Seven Great Sects had joined forces, the Celestial Demon Troupe was not being pushed back. In fact, the Celestial Demon Troupe held the military advantage.

 

The Celestial Demon Troupe received massive support in supplies and funds from the Myriad Merchant Troupe. Therefore, even though isolated in the heart of the martial world, the Celestial Demon Troupe experienced no shortages.

 

Because of this, the Myriad Merchant Troupe was criticized by many.

 

In reality, many merchants belonging to the Myriad Merchant Troupe withdrew, causing its influence to shrink rapidly. However, the wealth it had accumulated over time was so immense that it didn’t suffer immediate major damage.

 

As the fight between the Celestial Demon Troupe and the Heavenly Justice Alliance dragged on, the ones who suffered the most were the ordinary people.

 

Lee Gwak tried his best to prevent harm from coming to them, but the course of a war isn’t changed by one person’s will alone.

 

Some people were accidentally caught up in the events, and others suffered unintended blows one after another.

 

“Phew!”

 

Lim So-bo let out a deep sigh.

 

She was the one who had to work the hardest in the Heavenly Justice Alliance.

 

She constantly strained her mind to find talent, place them properly, and devise strategies against the Celestial Demon Troupe.

 

The only consolation was that the martial artists of the Thousand Kingdom School, Dragon Heaven Valley, Martial Sword Troupe, and Sky High Castle faithfully carried out her commands.

 

The most dramatic change occurred in the Sky High Castle.

 

When she had been there, everyone dismissed her as too young. But after she left with Lee Gwak, they realized just how critical she had been.

 

Without a strategist to calmly judge and coordinate in a crisis, Sky High Castle had fallen into chaos, delaying recovery after Po Cheon-wol’s death.

 

Only then did So Gun-myeong regret losing her, but time could not be turned back.

 

After joining the Heavenly Justice Alliance late, he saw Lim Sobo display her brilliance as strategist, and his bitterness only grew.

 

Lim Sobo gave everything she had, beyond her limits, to stabilize the massive organization that was the Heavenly Justice Alliance.

 

As a result, she was nearly exhausted. But she endured, driven by her sense of duty to end the war.

 

Lately, she had been closely watching the Celestial Demon Troupe’s movements.

 

Something felt wrong.

 

No movements had surfaced yet. But Lim So-bo could feel it.

 

That they were busy moving beneath the surface.

 

So she mobilized the full intelligence power of Hao Clan and the Mad Martial Sect to monitor them.

 

Lim So-bo rubbed her throbbing temples as she walked. Cheon-wol was by her side.

 

Since joining the Thousand Kingdom School, Cheon-wol had not left her for even a moment.

 

The most important person in theHeavenly Justice Alliance was undoubtedly Lee Gwak. He was the central pillar. The next most important person was Lim So-bo.

 

It was because of Lim So-bo that the massive force of theHeavenly Justice Alliance could operate without discord. If she were to be ambushed, theHeavenly Justice Alliance would lose its brain.

 

Thus Cheon-wol stuck even closer to protect her.

 

There was no one within the Heavenly Justice Alliance who could harm her, but Cheon-wol never let his guard down for a moment.

 

Lim So-bo was grateful to Cheon-wol, but also sorry. Because he was protecting her, Cheon-wol had no time for a personal life.

 

Lim So-bo suddenly called out to Cheon-wol.

 

“Oppa.”

 

“What is it?”

 

“Should we follow Brother Gwak into seclusion later too?”

 

“Because we can’t live like this forever.”

“No matter what choice you make, no matter where you go, I will always be by your side. So don’t think about me, choose as you wish.”

 

At Cheon-wol’s answer, Lim So-bo smiled slightly.

 

She linked arms with Cheon-wol. He blushed and tried to pull away.

“Just stay like this for a moment.”

 

Lim So-bo didn’t let him go.

 

Eventually, with a red face, Cheon-wol had to walk side by side with Lim So-bo.

 

Several martial artists saw them and greeted them. Cheon-wol tried to quickly pull away, but again, Lim So-bo didn’t let go.

 

In the end, Cheon-wol had to walk arm-in-arm with Lim So-bo all the way to her destination. Although his face was flushed with embarrassment, a smile lingered at the corners of his mouth.

 

Just then.

 

BOOM!

 

A loud noise suddenly came from the main gate.

 

Instantly, the expressions of Lim So-bo and Cheon-wol changed.

 

“It’s an attack.”

 

“The Celestial Demon Troupe has invaded.”

 

Urgent voices could be heard from the direction of the main gate.

 

“Brother!”

 

Lim So-bo called out to Cheon-wol.

 

Cheon-wol nodded, picked Lim So-bo up, and used his full qigong to dash towards the watchtower near the main gate.

 

From the tower, the battlefield was clear.

 

Lim So-bo’s face hardened.

 

Celestial Demon Troupe martial artists were swarming in like a tidal wave. The sight of so many martial artists rushing in, blackening the ground, was terrifying.

 

“How?”

 

Lim So-bo’s pupils shook.

 

Clearly, the martial artists of the Hao Clan and the Mad Martial Sect had been monitoring the Celestial Demon Troupe’s movements. Yet, no one had noticed their approach until they were right at their doorstep. This fact shocked her. But her bewilderment was brief; she soon began to command coolly.

 

“Deploy the Hell King Corps and the Heaven’s Punishment Corps.”

 

“As you command!”

 

Her orders were promptly relayed to the Hell King Corps and the Heaven’s Punishment Corps.

 

The two groups immediately moved.

 

Shortly after, Lee Gwak, Namgung-in, So Gun-myeong, and others arrived at the watchtower.

 

They looked at the Celestial Demon Troupe martial artists swarming over the land like black ants and let out low groans.

 

“Hmm!”

 

“It’s going to be a long night.”

 

They sensed that the Sinmaryeon had decided to make a decisive move.

 

They could feel the will to fight to the death on the faces of the martial artists charging towards them.

 

Im Sobo turned to Namgung In.

 

“Brother Namgung, please lead the Hell King Corps to the west gate.”

 

“Understood.”

 

He obeyed without complaint.

 

So Gun-myeong then asked,

 

“What about me?”

 

“You and the Justice Corps must serve as the reserve force. Stay here and support whichever front falters.”

 

“Very well.”

 

He nodded.

 

In the past, he would have dismissed her words, but he wasn’t foolish enough to play contrarian in the face of crisis.

 

He glanced at Lee Gwak.

 

For a moment, jealousy flickered in his eyes before vanishing.

 

He had resolved to acknowledge Lee Gwak, yet seeing him now stirred jealousy deep within his chest.  Still, he forced himself to hide his true feelings.

 

Envy was a luxury reserved for those who survived.

 

To survive and repay the humiliation he suffered from Lee Gwak, overcoming the current crisis took priority.

 

Lee Gwak was already aware of So Gun-myeong’s feelings.

 

So Gun-myeong was a martial artist who lived and died by his pride. For such a person to endure the shame of defeat and carry out tasks under him was truly remarkable.

 

Just then, a section of the front line suddenly collapsed.

 

Sinmaryeon martial artists had broken through the gap between the Hell King Corps and the Loyal Martial Corps.

 

“It seems they have a remarkable strategist. To find and exploit such a small gap. Brother So.”

 

“Speak.”

 

“Please block that area.”

 

“Understood.”

 

Without another word, So Gun-myeong leaped down from the watchtower. The martial artists of the Justice Corps, waiting below, followed him.

 

“Kill them all!”

 

“Charge!”

 

Powerful shouts and battle cries reverberated across the battlefield.

 

Countless martial artists became entangled to the point where distinguishing friend from foe was impossible. Yet, the martial artists from both sides somehow recognized each other and swung their weapons.

 

At first, it was mainly the weaker martial artists who died. But that was only temporary. Soon, martial artists from both sides, as if by agreement, found opponents of their own level and fought fiercely.

 

It wasn’t just one or two, but thousands, tens of thousands of martial artists fighting together. The scene was less majestic and more desperate.

 

Blood splattered, flesh was torn, and screams filled the air.

 

It was as if hell had unfolded on earth.

 

Lim So-bo gritted her teeth and commanded the troops.

 

She employed the troops according to the plans discussed with the strategists of the Intelligence Pavilion, blocking the Celestial Demon Troupe’s invasion.

 

The number of dead kept increasing, and the ground was dyed with blood.

 

The casualties were growing.

 

Yet she did not send Lee Gwak into battle.

 

If he moved, many lives could be saved—but then they would have no trump card left.

 

On the Celestial Demon Troupe’s side, Go Geom-wol had yet to act. Until he did, Lee Gwak could not be risked.

 

Lee Gwak, too, merely watched the battlefield with regret, holding himself back.

 

From afar, he could feel Go Geom-wol’s gaze.

 

Even at such a distance, invisible to the naked eye, Go Geom-wol was watching, keeping Lee Gwak in check.

 

Lee Gwak could feel it.

 

Soon, Go Geom-wol would move.

 

He had no proof, no intelligence. But he was certain.

 

The one who knew Go Geom-wol better than anyone else under heaven was himself.

 

Go Geom-wol was a tiger.

 

And a tiger never sits still to be fed.

 

To be satisfied, it must move of its own accord, strike down its prey with savage claws, and end its life with razor-sharp fangs.

 

Go Geom-wol was the same.

 

He did not consider victories won by his subordinates as his own.

 

Only by personally subduing his opponent and seizing victory himself did he consider it truly his.

 

Such a man would not simply sit back and wait for his subordinates to win the day.

 

Even now, Go Geom-wol’s eyes must be gleaming like a tiger’s, waiting for the chance to strike.

 

Lee Gwak had to keep him in check.

 

It was a battle that would not be easy.

 

All his nerves were stretched taut, like a bowstring.

 

Even at that moment, the martial artists of the Celestial Demon Troupe and the Heavenly Justice Alliance were locked in fierce combat.

 

Without taking his eyes off the front for a single second, Lee Gwak thought of Han So-cheon.

 

‘Move quickly, So-cheon!’