Chapter 1316
Have you ever seen hell? (1)
“They’re coming!”
“It’s Maninbang!”
The momentum of Haenam soared to the skys. From leaving Hainan island to reaching this gorge, all they had done was fight, die, and flee.
Though they engaged in skirmishes along the way to pick off their opponents, those battles were not to dominate the enemy but merely to survive.
In the midst of it all, as they finally reached a point where they could attack without worrying about defense, how powerful had their momentum become?
But the moment they spotted Maninbang at the end of the gorge, their unstoppable momentum, burning endlessly, suddenly cooled as if doused with icy water.
And in the place where that fervent momentum vanished, fear took its hold. It was an uncontrollable fear.
Maninbang.
Were there any who knew the power behind that name as well as Haenam?
The fact that they had been caught up by the relentless pursuers plunged Haenam’s disciples into an unbearable despair.
“T-The cliffs!”
The warriors of Maninbang climbed the cliffs of the narrow gorge and charged towards them.
Objectively speaking, it wasn’t particularly remarkable skill. Even an average disciple of Haenam could climb the cliffs, and running along a cliff face a few jang high was something anyone could do.
But everything changes depending on the circumstances.
The fear of being caught by them at last. And the momentum of Maninbang’s warriors charging down the cliffs was enough to momentarily break Haenam’s resistance.
“W-We have to run!”
“You idiot! Where will you run to? We’re in the gorge!”
They were trapped from all sides.
Even on those cliffs, they didn’t know how many more enemies might be lurking.
And hadn’t they already seen with their own eyes how those clinging to the cliffs were ruthlessly dealt with?
There was nowhere to escape to. All that was left was to stand and fight.
But how?
How could they possibly stand against Maninbang? If that were possible, they wouldn’t have fled this far.
“W-We’re all going to die! We’re all going to die!”
An uncontrollable fear spread rapidly.
Even if you lack power and have great skill, you can still fight.
But those who had lost their morale didn’t even try to fight back and were swept away.
In the narrow gorge where there was no escape route, some even began to retreat.
But then, at that moment.
“Get a hold of yourselves, you cowards!”
Someone’s angry voice thundered out.
The startled gazes turned towards Gwak Hwanso, who was glaring at them with bloodshot eyes.
“We’re already dead in Hainan!”
“S… sahyeong?”
Gwak Hwanso shouted hoarsely.
“Even if we die, we won’t die like cowards! We’ve come this far for that! Have you forgotten?”
Haenam’s disciples gritted their teeth.
Gwak Hwanso’s words were undeniably true. How many believed that they would live and escape from Gangnam anyway?
“If we’re going to die anyway, don’t die like cowards. Die as disciples of Haenam!”
As soon as those words ended, Gwak Hwanso slammed the ground. Then, he began to move over the heads of Haenam’s disciples towards the rear.
Actions spoke louder than words. The determination to be the first to die if they were to die.
In such intense situations, it’s always actions, not words, that move people.
The eyes of Haenam’s disciples sharpened as they watched his back.
And then, without missing a beat, Geum Yangbaek’s shout erupted.
“Elders, move to the rear and block Maninbang!”
An aura akin to a painting of a tiger.
As if refusing to be overwhelmed by the charging force of Maninbang, Geum Yangbaek exuded his energy with his whole body.
“Even if our lives are at stake, their blades must not reach our disciples! Bury every last one of them here!”
“Yes, Sect Leader!”
The elders responded as if they were casting a curse.
They had lived enough. Yet, they had come to Gangnam for one reason alone.
To send even a single disciple alive to Gangbuk.
“Let’s go!”
The elders rushed to the rear in one breath.
“Disciples, intercept those falling from above! Hold your ground until the upper area is completely secured!”
“Yes, Sect Leader!”
Geum Yangbaek was also the Sect Leader of prestigious Haenam sect. While he may not have stood out when he stepped back, it was in moments of crisis that he truly demonstrated why he was Haenam’s Sect Leader.
‘They must be afraid.’
Geum Yangbaek clenched his fist until his bones creaked. If even he felt such fear, how much more terrifying must it be for those young disciples?
But fear was something no one could resolve for them. They had to overcome it themselves.
“Kwaaaaaah!”
With a roar, Geum Yangbaek immediately slammed the ground and leaped towards the rear.
Right now, the only thing he could offer was not to encourage them but to shield them.
‘I’ll block them.’
At least one person must survive to escape this gorge . Even if that price is Geum Yangbaek’s life.
And!
“Hwanso! Fall back!”
“Sect Leader?”
In an instant, Geum Yangbaek caught up with Gwak Hwanso and grabbed his shoulder, pulling him back.
“Command the disciples!”
“Sect Leader, I’ll take care of thi…”
“Can’t you hear me?”
A tremendous roar, full of internal strength, hit Gwak Hwanso.
Gwak Hwanso looked at Geum Yangbaek with a pale face.
“Fall back! Right now, you’re the one who should be leading the disciples, not me!”
“….”
“Hurry!”
“I-I will heed your command.”
“And!”
“Yes?”
“You must survive no matter what! Do you understand?”
“S-Sect Leader?”
“Go!”
Geum Yangbaek pushed Gwak Hwanso away as if tossing him aside.
And then, he accelerated past him towards the rear.
“I won’t let you lay a finger on my disciples! You filthy dogs of Sapaeryeon!”
Tang Pae’s face contorted with rage.
‘Damn it!’
His trembling hand, pushed into his sleeve, was unacceptable for someone who practiced hidden weapons and used poison.
But this wasn’t something to blame Tang Pae for.
Anyone standing on the front lines, facing Maninbang’s warriors charging with all their might, would feel the same fear as him.
‘The poison?’
It was still there. But it wasn’t enough.
Everything in the world is relative.
When facing off against those encamped here and the pursuing forces of Haomun, the poisons that once seemed the most reliable felt woefully inadequate the moment Ho Gamyeong appeared.
But there was no time for calculations. Maninbang, who had surpassed the hesitant Haomun’s bloody warriors, were now charging at him like a pack of wild beasts drawn to the scent of blood.
“Yaaaaah!”
As he shattered the vial of poison in his hand and exerted all his strength, the poison was released.
The poison manipulation technique of the Tang clan should be handled with the utmost delicacy to not diminish the potency of the poison.
However, the poison technique unleashed by Tang Pae now was rougher than usual, bearing the mark of his desperation.
“Raaaaaah!”
The surging poisonous energy pushed forward. Even seeing the thick, swirling black venom, the charging Maninbang’s warriors showed no sign of slowing down.
‘What?’
Tang Pae’s shoulders stiffened at the thought that there might be some way to deal with them.
But what Tang Pae witnessed next completely shattered his understanding of conventional thinking.
Without a moment of hesitation, the leading Maninbang’s warriors leaped directly into the swirling venom with the same speed they had been charging.
Tang Pae’s eyes widened in disbelief.
Cancellation?
No, that couldn’t be possible.
What did it mean that they were somehow preemptively ingesting an antidote that not even Tangga could produce?
And then, it happened.
“Aaaaaaaaagh!”
Amidst the swirling, thick venom, a hellish concoction that could annihilate anything alive, Maninbang’s warriors all leaped out simultaneously.
“Kaaaaaah!”
One of the blood-eyed enemies charged straight at Tang Pae and swung his sword down.
Shocked to the point where his heart felt like it would burst out of his throat, Tang Pae couldn’t properly execute any of his martial arts techniques and stumbled backwards.
“Kwaaaaah!”
As the sword struck the ground where he stood, a loud thud echoed.
‘The poison didn’t work?’
No!
“Guh….”
The attacker’s body, was completely drenched in black.
It was a symptom of poisoning much faster than Tang Pae had anticipated.
Maninbang’s warrior, staggering as if dizzy, collapsed on the spot. Soon, black blood began to gush from his mouth.
“Ah….”
And at that moment, Tang Pae realized.
They didn’t have a countermeasure against poisoning, nor did they have a way to avoid the venom.
The only thought in Tang Pae’s mind was that even if they were poisoned, they could still run towards him and stab him before their lives ended.
It was an absurd strategy. No, it was the madness of a lunatic, not even worthy of being called a strategy.
Yet, it had undoubtedly been effective.
Tang Pae couldn’t be sure about the pursuit forces of Haomun, but these warriors, even after directly facing his poison, still had enough strength to swing a sword at least once.
And in that moment of proof, the absolute defense Tang Pae had erected collapsed rapidly.
“You rats!”
One after another, those who had passed through the venom lunged at him, swinging their swords.
The poisoned warriors, their bodies turning deathly black and with barely a few breaths left, rushed at Tang Pae, determined to drag him to hell with them.
“Guk!”
Tang Pae avoided their frenzied attacks by rolling on the ground with a lazy donkey’s tumble.
As he desperately raised his head, all he saw were three swords flying at him with even greater force than before.
In that moment, Tang Pae’s eyes widened in terror.
Thunk! Thunk! Thunk!
Spraying black blood, the members of Maninbang, who had rushed at Tang Pae like demons, were thrown back as if hit by cannonballs.
“Young Lord!”
“M-Monk Hye Yeon!”
“Get up! Quickly!”
“Yes!”
Hye Yeon immediately reacted to save Tang Pae, but the danger was far from over.
“Kraaaaagh!”
“Die, you rats!”
As he retreated and rolled again, only two breaths were spent.
Yet, in those two breaths, the tide of the battle shifted drastically.
Through the weakened poisonous haze, the members of Maninbang rushed like a pack of wolves.
‘Is this… Maninbang?’
Indescribable despair filled Tang Pae’s eyes.
Poison, no matter how potent, requires time to poison the opponent.
It meant that even those poisoned by a lethal venom would need time before their breaths were extinguished.
If the opponent’s resilience was weak, this time could be drastically shortened. However, if the opponent’s resilience was strong, even more time would be required.
And these people had no hesitation in using that time, the last fleeting moments of life, to swing their swords against Tang Pae.
Tang Pae faced the daunting task of stopping these bastards, but what means did he have at his disposal?
“Young Lord!”
In response to Hye Yeon’s call, Tang Pae hurled his flying dagger in a frenzy.
The momentary feeling of desperation against the enemy not fazed by his poison may have led to this choice.
Thunk! Thunk!
Tang Pae’s flying dagger aimed for the opponent’s forehead, embedded itself into the enemy’s forearm. Though the dagger carried lethal force, it failed to halt their advance.
“Kahaah!”
It was insanity unique to the battlefield.
With eyes filled with madness, Maninbang’s warriors swarmed Tang Pae and Hye Yeon in an instant.
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