Chapter 1600
I can’t even laugh. (5)
The Blood Cult Leader’s red eyes glowed fiercely.
However, contrary to his initial aggressive stance, his gaze had become more cautious.
The blood cultists also reverted to their corpse-like state, having subdued their menacing aura due to the absence of the Blood Cult Leader’s command.
“This, this place.. how did you…”
Thanks to this, Hye Bang had a brief moment to ask them about their presence.
“Don’t worry about it.”
Baek Cheon replied, keeping his eyes on the Blood Cult Leader.
“Helping each other in times of crisis is natural. Moreover, hasn’t Shaolin already aided us once?”
At Baek Cheon’s words, Jo Geol and Yoon Jong, standing behind him, whispered to each other.
“If the Abbot was here, things would be different, right?”
“Do you think so? He would have come to help.”
“Do you really think so?”
“He must be exhausted and worn out, so he probably couldn’t make it here in time. Maybe in half a day or so…”
“Well, everything would be over by then.”
Baek Cheon, embarrassed, cleared his throat as he overheard Jo Geol mutter.
‘The temple would be burned down, like Hwasan back in the day.’
Those guys always have to say something right at the crucial moment…
Hye Bang, flustered and at a loss for words, finally managed to speak again.
“Then.. did Cheonumaeng predict that they would target Shaolin?”
“…”
“…Dojang?”
Instead of answering, Baek Cheon subtly glanced behind him. Not at Hye Bang, but a bit further back. Specifically, at Yoon Jong’s neck.
“Sahyeong, it’s slipping.”
“Hmm. It’s sliding down more than I thought. Does anyone have a string?”
Yoon Jong grabbed Baek Ah, who was dangling precariously, and secured him around his neck. Baek Ah, exhausted to the point of being limp with his mouth agape, was so tired that he slept like a corpse, not moving even while being adjusted.
Normally, Baek Ah would never wrap around anyone’s neck except Chung Myung’s. Seeing him like this indicated he was extremely worn out.
Even Jo Geol, whom Baek Ah despised the most, poked him repeatedly without eliciting any response, making it seem as if he were truly dead.
“…It’s half true, you could say.”
“What?”
Hye Bang asked, confused, but Baek Cheon merely chuckled.
When the remnants of Surochae were being driven away from approaching the commoners, Baek Ah came running in tears, which startled Baek Cheon more than he could express.
“He told us to go to Shaolin.”
A deeper look of confusion crossed Hye Bang’s face.
“That’s all there is to it.”
The situation was dire, yet oddly absurd. Hye Bang’s inner turmoil mirrored this perfectly.
In summary, this strange conversation suggested that the creature had brought a directive to go to Shaolin, and these people had rushed here like the wind, without fully understanding why.
‘Is that even possible?’
At Shaolin, which had been split in half and could no longer strictly follow the commands of the Abbot, such a scenario was unimaginable.
“Did the Alliance Leader command this?”
Baek Cheon sighed deeply, as if the ground would collapse beneath him.
“Then I wouldn’t be so annoyed.”
With that response, Hye Bang naturally conjured up the image of one person in his mind.
‘Hwasan Geomhyeop.’
So, he had predicted this situation.
‘How on earth?’
No one in the world knew. Not even the Beggars Sect, which claimed to know all the world’s information, or even Shaolin, which was under attack, had foreseen this until the last moment.
How could Hwasan Geomhyeop have known? His eyes weren’t hanging in the sky.
“That…”
Just as the confused Hye Bang was about to say more, Baek Cheon raised his hand slightly to stop him.
Of course, Baek Cheon fully understood Hye Bang’s bewilderment. Even the people of Hwasan, who were used to Chung Myung, often found him incomprehensible. It would be even harder for Hye Bang, who was practically experiencing him for the first time.
However.
“I understand you have many questions, but this isn’t the appropriate time for a conversation.”
With Baek Cheon’s sudden shift in demeanor, Hye Bang collected himself and hardened his expression. He then sharply glared at the intruder, the Blood Cult Leader.
Baek Cheon spoke.
“We can discuss the details… after we deal with these guys.”
Hye Bang nodded in agreement.
While the two exchanged brief words, the Blood Cult Leader remained silent, quietly observing Baek Cheon and his group.
Finally, he spoke again.
“It seems you haven’t brought as many as I thought…”
From his assessment, the forces of Hwasan and Namgung were much stronger than this. Only a few had made it here, just a small portion.
“Ah.”
Baek Cheon chuckled at his words.
“We prioritize efficiency. I brought only as many as needed.”
In truth, they couldn’t bring everyone because they were spread out dealing with the remnants of Surochae. But there was no need to tell the enemy that.
The Blood Cult Leader stared silently at Baek Cheon.
Baek Cheon began to feel a creeping sense of tension.
As the Blood Cult Leader said, the number of people Baek Cheon had brought was not large. Moreover, they were exhausted from the battle and the rush to get here.
If they clashed as they were, even with Shaolin’s help, the outcome was uncertain.
Even if they won… the cost would be high.
‘If only I were in better condition…’
Baek Cheon suppressed his weakening resolve. As he composed himself, the Blood Cult Leader muttered quietly.
“Hwasan at Shaolin… and Namgung too.”
Red light flickered ominously.
“If I sweep them all away here… perhaps our Cult will achieve more than just victory over Hubei.”
The Blood Cult Leader’s mouth, covered in bandages, twitched. Baek Cheon gripped his sword tightly.
But at that moment,
“But this is a different story.”
The Blood Cult Leader turned away without a trace of hesitation.
“We’re leaving.”
As soon as the metallic-sounding words left his mouth, all the blood cultists immediately turned around.
“…What?”
It was Baek Cheon who was now bewildered by the unexpected sight.
“What the…”
“Will you try to stop us?”
The Blood Cult Leader glanced at Baek Cheon and asked.
“…”
Baek Cheon’s answer was obviously ‘no.’ It was best not to fight them now. As time passed, more members of the Evil Sects would join, making the enemy much stronger.
“…Very well.”
The Blood Cult Leader sneered.
“It’s basic to renegotiate when conditions change. We’ll just say we retreated. We’re used to the disgrace.”
Just as the Blood Cult Leader was about to turn away again, Baek Cheon called out in a chilling voice.
“However.”
“…Hm?”
“If you’re going to retreat, do so cleanly. If you harm any civilians, I will hunt you to the ends of hell and sever your head.”
The Blood Cult Leader gazed at Baek Cheon with emotionless eyes, devoid of any feeling. A deep silence settled between them.
“Keep it in mind.”
The Blood Cult Leader said abruptly before turning around.
“Did you say your name was Baek Cheon? See you next time, young swordsman of Hwasan. That is, if you’re still alive by then.”
The Blood Cult Leader left through the northern gate of Shaolin, followed by his subordinates, who trailed behind like living corpses.
Cold sweat belatedly trickled down Baek Cheon’s forehead.
‘The Blood Cult…’
Although young, Baek Cheon had no shortage of experience. Yet these Blood Cult members, especially the Blood Cult Leader, felt vastly different from any other Evil Sect he had faced before.
‘They’re different from the Demonic Cult… I don’t know how to describe this feeling.’
While the Demonic Cult repelled people with their blind fanaticism, the Blood Cult exuded a cold, chilling aura.
“Are we just going to let them go like this, Sasuk?”
“Yes,”
Baek Cheon nodded heavily, adding one more word.
“For now.”
“After coming all this way?”
Jo Geol tilted his head slightly, wearing a somewhat puzzled expression. Before Baek Cheon could respond, Yoon Jong snapped.
“We are guardians, Geol. If we can protect without fighting, that’s something to be pleased about.”
“Of course, I understand that, but…”
Jo Geol watched the Blood Cult leave Shaolin with a discontented expression.
“…It’s because I don’t want to face them under different circumstances. It would be even worse then.”
This time, Yoon Jong didn’t snap back. He shared the sentiment. Just a brief encounter with them was enough to evoke an indescribable discomfort. It wasn’t just their appearance but the aura they exuded.
‘Blood Cult…’
Yoon Jong’s heart sank heavily.
Thud. Thud.
The Blood Cult Leader, descending slowly down Mount Song, turned his head to look back at Shaolin.
“…Leader, the head of Sapaeryeon won’t let this matter slide.”
“Indeed…”
Jang Ilso. A man whose thoughts were inscrutable, but it wasn’t hard to guess what he wanted. For him, the best outcome would be for the Blood Cult and Shaolin to destroy each other here.
“But that’s all. He can’t oppose us right now either.”
“Do you trust him?”
The Blood Cult Leader’s eyes grew even colder.
“The word ‘trust’ doesn’t suit those from the Central Plains without any trust in the first place.”
With those words, he resumed his descent. The journey from Zhangjiajie to here had been in vain, but ultimately, it wasn’t entirely bad for either them or Sapaeryeon.
Because, from the beginning, they were…
❀ ❀ ❀
“No?”
At the incredulous question, Chung Myung bit his lip.
“What do you mean, Chung Myung? Are you saying that the target isn’t Shaolin?”
Chung Myung’s gaze turned to the devastated battlefield.
Yu Iseol’s words were accurate. The enemy’s losses were greater than anticipated. Bait? Defeat? The scattered corpses hinted at Jang Ilso’s strategy here, but that alone didn’t explain everything.
Even if we consider Jang Ilso’s intentions, would the warriors of Maninbang or Black Ghost so readily sacrifice themselves to complete a strategy?
In other words…
“The forces gathered here were not the entirety of Maninbang’s strength.”
“…What?”
It’s not difficult to understand. They’ve been stationed in Zhangjiajie, out of Beggars Sect’s sight, for a long time. Yes, far longer than necessary.
Extracting a large force at once would undoubtedly attract attention. But gradually siphoning off troops over time isn’t as challenging, especially considering the mobility of martial artists.
“Why would they take such a risk?”
“…That’s not the point, Sect Lead… Retired Sect Leader.”
“Hmm?”
“The important thing isn’t why they withdrew their forces, but where those forces are headed.”
Tang Gunak clenched his fist tightly as he immediately grasped the meaning of Chung Myung’s words.
‘Any forces they could have spared would not exceed a half.’
So, they would have selected elite forces. A small, elite group that was sent off. What could they possibly be planning to do?
Let’s think. If Jang Ilso had predicted everything that would happen here from start to finish? If he had surplus forces even after achieving his plan, where would he send them?
“Hwa…!”
Boom!
Chung Myung stamped the ground.
“Chung Myung! Chung Myung!”
Hyun Jong called out desperately, but Chung Myung started running northward without a word.
‘No!’
Chung Myung bit his lips until they bled.
From far behind, he could hear Tang Gunak shouting that they had to go to Hwaeum.
‘Please!’
Chung Myung’s body, now a streak of light, cut through the world as he sped forward.
Towards the place he had left behind, Hwasan.
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