Chapter 71: True Meaning (3)
The giant monster wolf, frozen in a posture as if about to leap at Mo Ha-rang of the Demon Fire Hall.
Everyone's eyes widened at this bizarre sight.
Then, a voice was heard from within the bushes.
"Ahhh. What a relief. To think everything I need is gathered here."
'!?'
Everyone's gaze turned in that direction.
'That guy?'
The person emerging from the bushes was none other than Mok Gyeong-un.
Because he had left such a strong impression with his brutal tactics in the steel bead competition, everyone recognized him at a glance.
And…
'...As I thought, he was alive.'
Mok Yu-cheon looked at Mok Gyeong-un and let out a sigh of relief without realizing it.
Although he disliked the guy, he didn't wish for him to die in a place like this deep down.
So he felt relieved, but the timing of his appearance was bad.
'You idiot! What happened to your teammates and why did you show up alone?'
They were supposed to find the flag and have all eight members waiting until sunrise.
But of all times, he showed up alone leisurely when that monster wolf was rampaging here. His luck was truly rotten.
However, now was not the time to worry about that guy.
-Tap tap tap tap!
Mok Yu-cheon ran towards Mo Ha-rang.
He didn't know why that monster wolf was acting like this, but now was the chance to save her.
At that moment, Yeom Ga of the Vermillion Slaughter Cave shouted,
"Hey! You crazy monster wolf. What are you doing right now?"
Yeom Ga didn't care whether Mok Gyeong-un appeared or not.
He didn't know why the monster wolf that had been moving well according to their strategy suddenly couldn't move in that posture, but he hoped it would hurry up and kill them.
That's why he was shouting.
-Kwueeeeeeeek!
However, contrary to his wishes, the monster wolf howled but couldn't budge an inch.
Its fur that had been standing up as if restrained by something was pressed down.
'What the …. is it doing?'
As he was getting frustrated…
-Swoosh!
Mok Yu-cheon slid and pushed Mo Ha-rang, who was right in front of the monster wolf, out of the way.
And he caught her shoulders as she fell forward.
"Get a grip."
Mok Yu-cheon urged Mo Ha-rang, who had a blank expression.
Then she spoke.
"Do you see this?"
"See what?"
She was gesturing towards the monster wolf with her eyes.
Of course he could see it.
He didn't know why it was acting like this, but it couldn't move at all.
But then, incomprehensible words came out of her mouth.
"It's bound by chains."
'!?'
Mok Yu-cheon furrowed his brows.
What is happened was she talking about?
What chains? Why was she saying such nonsense?
'Ah!'
Mok Yu-cheon bit his lip as he felt the wetness on her back.
It seemed she was seeing things due to excessive blood loss and faintness.
"Mo Ha-rang! Get a grip. We've endured until now, but if you collapse here, it's death."
"I'm…still…conscious."
"Then walk."
Mok Yu-cheon hoisted her shoulders and urged her on.
Then she looked in Mok Gyeong-un's direction with an expression that said she couldn't understand at all.
Was she really seeing things because of severe blood loss?
But something felt off.
Who was that half-white haired girl with a blurry form next to him that didn't seem human?
As she was wondering this, she saw the half-white haired girl moving her lips.
'!?'
Seeing this, her pupils trembled.
As someone from the Demon Fire Hall, once known as the Four Great Assassins, she had learned lip-reading.
Lip-reading was a technique to read the other person's conversation through the movements of the lips, face, and tongue.
She could see it.
'That…person seems to be able to see me?'
At those words, a chill ran down Mo Ha-rang's spine for a moment.
Then she saw Mok Gyeong-un also muttering while looking at her with an intrigued expression.
'Ohhh is that so?'
Mo Ha-rang became confused.
Was she really seeing things due to blood loss?
But why were that blurry existence and Mok Gyeong-un conversing?
Right then…
-Kwueeeeeeeeek!
At the tremendous howl that spread like a shockwave, Mo Ha-rang, Mok Yu-cheon, no, all the boys covered their ears in pain.
"Urk!"
"W-What is that sound?"
It was a howl no different from a lion's roar imbued with inner force.
And with the howl, the ground the monster wolf was standing on shook nearly five jang and sank in.
-Rumble rumble!
At that moment, the frozen monster wolf moved.
'Yes! That's how it should be!'
Yeom Ga of the Vermillion Slaughter Cave, covering his ears, inwardly cheered.
In any case, since they were within the protection range of this flag, it didn't matter to them, but the other guys didn't have that advantage.
So they had to die here.
"shit!"
A rough sound escaped from Mok Yu-cheon, who was supporting her shoulders.
He thought now was the chance, but it seemed he was wrong.
Right at that moment…
-Clang clang clang clang!
Dozens of chains burst out not from right below but from around five zhang away, once again restraining the body of the monster wolf, no, the demon wolf.
-Kwueeeeeeek!
This time, perhaps because the restraining force was too strong…
-Thud!
The chains tangled and pulled, smashing the demon wolf's head into the ground.
"Huh?"
To the baffled Mok Yu-cheon, Mo Ha-rang said,
"You really…can't…see it?"
"What are you talking about? At a time like this…"
Before he could even finish his words…
Mok Gyeong-un had already approached the demon wolf pressed against the ground, unable to move its chin, no, its entire body.
Then…
"I should repay you for targeting what's mine, right?"
With those words, he grabbed the demon wolf's upper teeth with both hands, pressed the inside of its mouth with his foot, and…
-Riiiiiip!
He tore its palate.
The demon wolf, whose mouth was forcibly opened, thrashed its body and tried to twist its head as if in pain, but the chains' restraining force was too strong for it to move.
Thanks to that…
-Rip rip rip!
-Kwueeeeeeeek!
Its mouth was completely torn off.
The demon wolf's wailing as it shed bloody tears also stopped as if nothing had happened once the upper part of its head was completely ripped off.
'!!!!!!!!'
Mok Yu-cheon, who was closest to this scene, and everyone else were at a loss for words.
Who could have imagined that the monster wolf that had devoured so many boys would end up like this in an instant?
'T-This bastard, what the ….?'
Mok Yu-cheon was the most shocked.
Was this really the same cowardly guy he knew?
Mok Gyeong-un tossed aside the torn upper snout and head of the demon wolf.
-Thud!
There was a thud sound, perhaps due to the weight of the bones.
"Whew."
The surroundings fell into silence at the sight of Mok Gyeong-un drenched in the demon wolf's blood that spurted out as its snout was torn in two.
what the …. was with this guy?
Why did this monster wolf become unable to move and die like this as soon as this bastard appeared?
Moreover, what was that strength to tear its mouth off when inner force was sealed and unusable?
Everyone couldn't hide their confusion.
However, there was one person who quickly snapped out of it.
'shit.'
It was Yeom Ga of the Vermillion Slaughter Cave.
He too was equally shocked by this unbelievable outcome.
But how this situation came to be wasn't important.
The sun would rise soon.
They had to defend the flag no matter what, so they needed to retreat right now.
Yeom Ga whispered to his teammates.
"We have to fall back."
His teammates understood this too, so they carefully tried to lift the iron lump of the flag.
But right at that moment…
"Bind them all."
As soon as Mok Gyeong-un muttered softly…
-Clang clang clang clang!
Chains rose from the ground, instantly restraining the bodies of everyone present.
-Clink!
"W-What is this?"
"Something is restraining my body?"
The restrained boys couldn't hide their consternation.
Although invisible, everyone could feel something like a rope, no, cold chains binding them.
They had no idea what was going on.
"Aaaaargh!"
Yeom Ga of the Vermillion Slaughter Cave tried to break free with all his might.
However, with his inner force sealed in the first place, and no matter how much he had trained his outer force, his strength couldn't surpass that of the monstrous demon wolf.
Naturally, this attempt was nothing more than a waste of energy.
-Thud!
Trying to force it, his body tilted forward and his knees sank to the ground.
Yeom Ga's face flushed with humiliation.
'You son of a bitch, what the …. did you do?'
As this was happening, Mok Gyeong-un approached the flag right in front of the mountain wall.
The eyes of the boys who had been defending it but fled trembled.
Could it be that he was targeting their flag?
As they were thinking this, Mok Gyeong-un examined the flagpole and then…
"Ahhh. This one too?"
He muttered and then broke the flagpole without any hesitation.
-Snap!
"Nooooooo!"
"Y-You bastard!"
The boys screamed as if wailing.
Although they had abandoned the flag and fled to escape the monster wolf, if that was gone, they would be eliminated from this gate.
But they didn't expect Mok Gyeong-un to damage it like that.
-Grit!
"You son of a bitch!"
Mok Yu-cheon also couldn't contain his anger and called out to Mok Gyeong-un.
He wanted to run over and punch him in the face right away.
But his body was restrained by something invisible and he couldn't move an inch.
"This won't do either."
Mok Gyeong-un clicked his tongue and this time approached where Yeom Ga was.
At this, Yeom Ga shouted with bulging veins in his neck.
"Are you going to break this one too?"
In response to that question, Mok Gyeong-un chuckled and shook his head.
Then he examined the flagpole and frowned.
[Don't tell me this one too?]
Although the people around couldn't hear it, Mok Gyeong-un could hear Cheong-ryeong's voice in his ears.
As she suspected, the characters were identical this time as well.
Mok Gyeong-un licked his lips as if troubled.
'What a coincidence.'
He didn't expect all three flags he found to have the same characters he had memorized.
Now the sun was truly about to rise at any moment.
Even if he hurried, there wasn't enough time to secure a flag.
[What will you do? Command that Soha girl to search for flags nearby right now.]
At those words, Mok Gyeong-un was about to nod, but then thought of another method.
Come to think of it, wouldn't it be better to confirm this first?
Mok Gyeong-un was about to ask Yeom Ga and his teammates, who were bound by Soha's chains and unable to move.
"By any chance…"
Before he could even start his question…
Someone shouted at that moment.
"I'll…tell you…the remaining…characters…so let's make a deal."
At those words, Mok Gyeong-un turned his head towards the one who shouted.
The one who shouted was none other than Mo Ha-rang of the Demon Fire Hall.
Although her face was so pale, she was somehow still breathing and mustering her remaining strength.
Mok Gyeong-un looked at her with intrigue.
"It seems you figured it out."
"I checked…it…twice…"
Even she had thought Mok Gyeong-un breaking their flag they were defending was simply to forcefully eliminate them from the gate.
However, seeing him frown while examining the flag of Yeom Ga's team, she realized it.
Mok Gyeong-un was searching for a different type of flag.
'Characters?'
Yeom Ga also belatedly realized this fact at her words.
So he hurriedly shouted at Mok Gyeong-un.
"L-Let's make a deal!"
"A deal?"
"Yeah. I also know the other characters, and we even have an intact flag and teammates here. It looks like you don't have teammates, but if you join us, you can pass too."
Yeom Ga thought this was fortunate.
At first, he was angry because his strategy was ruined because of this guy.
But in the end, this bastard played the role of that monster wolf for them.
He broke their flag for them, so if they just accepted this guy, the Demon Fire Hall bunch would naturally be eliminated.
At that moment, one of the boys said in a fluster,
"W-Wait a minute. We're all fine. If we accept that guy…"
"Shut up."
Yeom Ga reprimanded the boy.
Then he said to Mok Gyeong-un,
"I'll take care of one guy myself, so will you make the deal or not? You need teammates, flag, and characters anyway, don't you?"
He probably wouldn't be able to refuse anyway.
It was more rational for them to make such a clear proposal.
But then, Mok Gyeong-un reached for the waist of one of the boys.
-Grab!
It was the broken flagpole.
"The characters are here."
'!?'
At this, Yeom Ga was momentarily taken aback.
Carrying around the pole with the other set of characters written on it had backfired.
A few of them hadn't memorized it all, so he didn't dispose of it, but who knew it would turn out like this?
Yeom Ga hurriedly said,
"T-That's ours too. So you'll make a deal with us, right?"
"Huh?"
"Huuuh?"
"This is mine."
Mok Gyeong-un nonchalantly said while waving the flag he had taken.
Seeing this, veins bulged on Yeom Ga's forehead.
"You!"
"And this flag here is also mine."
Mok Gyeong-un lifted the flag with one hand.
At this, the boys' eyes widened.
Even with their inner force sealed, it took two of them to barely lift it, but he lifted it so easily?
Mok Gyeong-un moved away from them, holding the flag with a satisfied expression.
"S-Stop!"
"I said it's mine."
At Mok Gyeong-un's mockery, Yeom Ga got angry but barely suppressed it and said,
"Y-You still need teammates!"
"Ahh. That's right."
Mok Gyeong-un nodded as if convinced.
Then this time, Mok Yu-cheon, who was supporting Mo Ha-rang of the Demon Fire Hall, shouted,
"Mok Gyeong-un, don't trust that cowardly and weak bastard! They'll stab you in the back. If that's the case, accept us as teammates instead!"
He shouted on her behalf as Mo Ha-rang's condition worsened.
In fact, he didn't want to ask Mok Gyeong-un due to his pride, but there was no other way.
Once the sun rose, everything would be over.
To survive, he had to abandon his pride.
At that moment, Yeom Ga also shouted,
"What bullshit are you spouting? Everything this guy collected was what we defended. What have you bastards done to demand to be accepted?"
"You have the nerve to run your mouth after doing such cowardly things, even using a monster like that without any skill? Mok Gyeong-un! Ignore what that guy says and…"
"Hey. No, did you say Mok Gyeong-un? If you help me this time, I will definitely repay the favor. There are still gates left, so being indebted to me, someone from Vermillion Slaughter Cave, shouldn't be bad…"
"Don't listen to him! Although we may be half-brothers…"
"Shut up, you bastard!"
Then at some point, everyone started shouting at Mok Gyeong-un, who was holding the flag, pleading to be accepted as his teammates. Their voices mixed together, making it confusing to tell who was who.
Right at that moment…
-Clap clap!
Mok Gyeong-un clapped his hands.
At this, everyone's gaze turned to Mok Gyeong-un. Since he was the one holding their lifeline here, they had no choice but to focus on him.
As they looked at him, Mok Gyeong-un opened his mouth.
"This is quite a dilemma. With everyone wanting to join me like this, I'd like to accept all of you as teammates if I could, but rules are rules."
-Gulp!
The boys swallowed dryly. It seemed he had made a decision on who to accept as teammates.
Mok Yu-cheon stared intently at Mok Gyeong-un. No matter how much they disliked each other, brothers were still brothers. He inwardly hoped that in the end, he would accept him as a teammate. But then…
"In a situation like this, it seems unfair to prioritize and look after certain individuals… So let's do this instead."
Mok Gyeong-un glanced to the side and nodded his head.
Then…
"Huh?"
"My body?"
The bodies of the restrained boys moved.
Mok Gyeong-un smiled brightly at them and said,
"Kill each other."
"What?"
"I'll accept the seven of you who survive as my teammates."
'!!!!!!'
In an instant, everyone's expressions stiffened.
73: Chapter 72: True Meaning (4)
"I'll accept the seven of you who survive as my teammates."
'!?'
The boys, who had been tensely waiting to see who Mok Gyeong-un would choose as his teammates, were dumbfounded for a moment by the words that came out of his mouth.
He was telling them to kill each other when the sun was about to rise?
'T-This bastard?'
'Seriously!'
From their perspective, they couldn't help but be furious.
In the first place, they had stayed up all night until now to defend the flag.
But he suddenly appeared and was toying with the situation as if pulling out an embedded stone.
No, it was even worse than that.
"Are you seriously…"
Mok Yu-cheon, who had momentarily flared up like the others and tried to express his anger to Mok Gyeong-un.
However, the moment he saw Mok Gyeong-un's face, he became speechless.
'Ha...'
That face with the corners of his mouth raised up to his ears was enjoying this situation.
It was far from the feeling of a joke.
It was a face that seemed to genuinely wish for them to kill each other.
-Shudder!
With that realization, goosebumps spread from Mok Yu-cheon's spine to his entire body.
Rather than questioning whether this guy was really that Mok Gyeong-un, it felt like he was looking at an existence filled with genuine evil.
At that moment, Mok Gyeong-un opened his mouth.
"You have too much leisure. The sun seems like it will rise soon."
The horizon in the eastern sky that Mok Gyeong-un was pointing at with his hand was dyed in crimson.
Everyone's expressions turned grave.
It really seemed like the sun would rise soon.
'Damn it.'
'Do we really have to do as that bastard says?'
Right at that moment…
One boy couldn't contain his anger and finally charged at Mok Gyeong-un, shouting.
"You son of a biiiiitch!"
The stone ax that Yeom Ga of the Vermillion Slaughter Cave had thrown was gripped in the boy's hand.
The boy, whose eyes had gone wild, didn't care about the sun rising or not.
It was an impulsive action, feeling like he had to smash Mok Gyeong-un's head with this stone ax to vent his anger.
However…
-Clang!
"Huh?"
The boy's body froze, restrained by chains just three steps away from Mok Gyeong-un.
"T-This is…"
An alien sensation as if his whole body was bound.
Although nothing was visible, it was incomprehensible.
At that moment, the Green Soul Gyu Soha, who was reaching out her hand towards the boy, spoke in a chilling voice.
-Master. Shall I kill him?
Mok Gyeong-un shook his head at this.
It wouldn't be bad for Gyu Soha to kill him, but there was no need to reveal that the Spirit Devourer had reached a level capable of killing someone yet.
Therefore…
-Thud thud thud!
"L-Let me go. T-This isn't right."
The boy restrained by Gyu Soha's chains seemed to have regained his senses, trembling with a pale face.
At this, Mok Gyeong-un snatched the stone ax the boy was holding and raised it as if he would strike him down at any moment.
The boy pleaded in terror.
"Eek! I-I was wrong. I'll do as you say."
"You heated up like an iron pot and cooled down quickly."
"Please spare me."
"Then you should have targeted someone other than me."
With those words, Mok Gyeong-un brought the stone ax down on the boy's head.
-Splat!
"Urk!"
A grotesque scream flowed from the mouth of the boy whose head was crushed.
The expressions of the other boys watching this scene were a sight to behold.
They too had killed other boys to survive from the first gate until now, but that was ultimately murder for a purpose.
However, Mok Gyeong-un's actions had a different nature.
'C-Crazy bastard.'
It seemed like he was enjoying the act of killing itself.
A prime example was smiling so brightly while looking at the boy dying brutally with his head crushed, which was completely out of the ordinary.
"....."
Overwhelmed by the pressure, the boys no longer had any thoughts of trying to do something to Mok Gyeong-un.
That was completely out of their league.
With the situation turning out like this, the first one to move was…
-Smack!
-Crack!
"Urk!"
Yeom Ga of the Vermillion Slaughter Cave snapped the neck of a boy right next to him.
"You!"
The boys who followed Yeom Ga couldn't hide their consternation at the betrayal.
Then Yeom Ga spoke in an irritated tone.
"Fuck. Are you going to play friendship games after coming this far? If you bastards want to live too, it's best to do as that guy says."
"Urk!"
There was no other way to deny it.
Charging at that bastard Mok Gyeong-un would be of no use, so to survive now, they had to kill each other until only seven remained, as he said.
-Swoosh swoosh!
"Sorry!"
"Gasp! Y-You!"
The other boys also strangled and ambushed the boys next to them.
The boys who were even a little slow became prey.
This wasn't just limited to Yeom Ga's side.
"Aaaargh!"
The boys who had been scattered and defending the flag in a semicircular formation also pounced on the boys next to them, throwing caution to the wind.
-Swoosh!
"Die!"
"Y-You too?"
"Shut up! Is this the time to argue about that?"
It was hard to admit, but Yeom Ga was right.
'We entered this competition killing each other anyway, so what friendship at this point.'
They had to survive.
If they died, cooperation or friendship was of no use.
They had to make it into the seven before the sun rose.
"...…"
Mok Yu-cheon, who was supporting Mo Ha-rang's shoulders, bit his lip at this sight.
In an instant, everything felt futile.
Although they weren't righteous individuals, the teammates he had shared life and death with for three hours to survive together had suddenly turned on each other to kill.
They were the ones who had said they would stick together until the end just two hours ago.
That's why Mok Yu-cheon, who had thought that people were people no matter where they were, felt that way.
However…
"Die! Die!"
"Aaaaahhhh!"
"P-Please spare me. I-I helped you too."
"So what!"
They were killing each other as if nothing had happened.
Everyone's eyes had changed.
-Grip!
Mok Yu-cheon's tattered nails from the steel bead competition dug into his palm.
All of this was because of that guy.
Because of that bastard, the place where they had competed by joining forces had suddenly turned into a bloody pandemonium.
He had turned everyone into beasts with only the instincts of the strong preying on the weak, not humans.
He wanted to knock that guy down if he could.
However…
'.....Energy points.'
His energy points were sealed, and it seemed like Mok Gyeong-un was using some strange technique.
Recalling what happened at Yeon Mok Sword Manor, it was probably some kind of illusion technique.
'Damn it.'
He didn't want to be dragged around by that guy, but there was no other way.
For a moment, Mok Yu-cheon unconsciously glanced at Mo Ha-rang, whose shoulders he was supporting.
Then, as if realizing his mistake, he shook his head.
'No.'
For a fleeting moment, he had unconsciously thought about killing her.
What had become of him?
As he was thinking this, he saw a boy approaching with murderous eyes.
"Huff…..Huff….."
"Ma-sang."
Mok Yu-cheon called his name.
He was one of the three who had survived with him from the beginning.
At some point, Ma-sang's hand gripped one of the two stone daggers that Mo Ha-rang had.
-Grit!
Mok Yu-cheon clenched his teeth.
Having already stained his hands with a lot of blood on the way here, he knew well that there was no way to persuade Ma-sang in this situation.
That's why he was so furious at this situation.
At that moment, Ma-sang swept his surroundings while exhaling rough breaths.
Then he opened his mouth.
".....Yu-cheon. Cut off Ha-rang's breath."
"What?"
Mok Yu-cheon's voice rose.
Thanks to Mo Ha-rang, they had escaped several crises, so he didn't expect Ma-sang to tell him to kill her without any hesitation.
Moreover, didn't she get injured while trying to help her teammates?
"No. Let's leave Ha-rang and fight each other instead."
"Huff….Huff….Stop talking nonsense and kill her."
"I said no."
At Mok Yu-cheon's words, Ma-sang shouted,
"You son of a bitch! She won't survive with her injuries anyway. In that case, even if we have to kill her, you and I should survive!"
With a scream close to wailing, Mok Yu-cheon muttered with difficulty.
"I know. Damn it, I know."
But he couldn't do it.
He could understand fighting each other and killing someone, but he couldn't cut off the breath of this girl who was in a dazed state.
Then…
"Then I'll kill her."
With those words, Ma-sang charged forward.
At this, Mok Yu-cheon hurriedly put down Mo Ha-rang and blocked Ma-sang.
The guy had already killed another boy, so he had no hesitation in killing the injured Mo Ha-rang to survive.
-Swoosh swoosh!
Although his energy points were sealed, Mok Yu-cheon was called a genius.
He threw his body towards the charging Ma-sang, grabbed his wrist with the Seizing Hand technique, and twisted it back.
-Crack!
"Let go of that!"
Mok Yu-cheon urged Ma-sang to let go of the dagger gripped in his hand.
"If you don't let go, your arm will break."
"Aaaargh."
"Ma-sang. Calm down. Let's join forces and deal with the guys from the other team instead…"
Before he could finish his words, Ma-sang said with a sneer,
"Aaaargh. What are you going to do when the sun is rising? And even if it's not me, it's already too late."
At those words, Mok Yu-cheon raised his head.
And there, he saw a boy charging towards Mo Ha-rang, who was lying face down.
It was also a boy who had been on the same team.
The boy charging with an apologetic expression had a rock in his hand, as if he was going to shatter Mo Ha-rang's head.
"Stop!"
Mok Yu-cheon shouted urgently.
But it was already too late.
'Nooooooo!'
The boy's crude stone was just a step away from crushing Mo Ha-rang's head.
Right at that moment…
-Clang!
'!?'
The moment the stone was about to touch, the boy's body froze in that state.
"T-This is..."
The alien sensation of something restraining his body.
It was that same thing as before.
-Thud!
"Ha…..Haa….."
With the crisis averted at the last second, Mok Yu-cheon sat on the ground and exhaled rough breaths as if hyperventilating.
After being extremely tense, his breathing became uncontrollable as the tension suddenly dissipated.
If he had been just a little late, Mo Ha-rang would have died.
At that moment, the boy whose movements were restrained shouted as if possessed.
"What are you doing? Didn't you say you'd give us a chance by fighting each other?"
He wasn't spouting nonsense about sparing the injured or women, right?
As he was thinking this, a sound was heard.
-Clap clap clap!
He could move his head, so when he looked in that direction, he saw Mok Gyeong-un clapping his hands.
Wondering why he was doing that, Mok Gyeong-un said with a bright smile,
"Congratulations."
"What?"
"The spots are all filled."
At those words, the boy swallowed and looked around.
Mok Yu-cheon and Ma-sang, Mo Ha-rang and himself who tried to kill her, and Yeom Ga of the Vermillion Slaughter Cave and two of his cronies had survived.
'Ah!'
Forgetting how many of them had survived while trying to kill each other to reduce their numbers, they finally realized that only seven remained.
Human hearts were truly cunning.
"Haa….."
"We survived."
All of them who had been trying to kill each other until now had brightened expressions along with sighs of relief.
They were engulfed in the exhilaration that came from surviving the competition.
That exhilaration was so great that they completely forgot the fact that they had engaged in a massacre orchestrated by Mok Gyeong-un.
'Interesting.'
The corners of Mok Gyeong-un's mouth twitched upwards.
He felt a small amusement at the sight of them.
At that moment, the sun was rising.
The mountains of Corpse Blood Valley, which had been shaded in darkness, slowly brightened under the crimson sunlight slowly poking its head out.
And with that…
-Swish swish swish swish!
Before long, as if they had been waiting, warriors wearing red belts appeared, displaying their lightfoot skills.
The warriors who appeared looked around, checking the flags and the survivors.
Then, their expressions stiffened as they discovered something.
'!!!!!'
It was because of the giant monster wolf, no, the monstrous beast demon wolf, lying dead with its snout torn off.
'.....Who on earth?'
This monstrous beast wasn't released to be killed.
It was released for them to survive against.
74: Chapter 73: True Meaning (5)
The monster wolf, no, the monstrous beast demon wolf, lying dead with its snout torn off.
It wasn't released to be killed.
It was released for them to survive against it.
But to think it was dead…
'Ha...'
It was truly unbelievable.
For a moment, everyone was at a loss for words at this sight.
Then, a red-belted warrior asked the exhausted boys,
"Who did it?"
At his question, the boys' gazes naturally turned towards a certain someone.
Although they all looked similar, there was one exceptionally handsome boy who was drenched in blood from head to toe.
It was Mok Gyeong-un.
'.....Is it that guy again?'
The eyes of the red-belted warriors flickered with interest.
Although they were already interested in him due to his performance in the steel bead competition, they couldn't help but be surprised by this.
"Senior… does this make sense?"
One warrior muttered as if he couldn't understand.
That was understandable. Even without the energy points being sealed, it seemed difficult for a decent warrior to handle a monstrous beast of that size.
But to think he did this to it in a state where his energy points were blocked?
'No matter how much one trains their outer force, this is…'
Impossible.
It was questionable whether one could face it even with proper gear.
The most senior warrior among the red-belted warriors looked Mok Gyeong-un up and down.
While the other boys looked haggard and exhausted, he alone had lively eyes.
No, he didn't even look tired.
'Could it be?'
The senior warrior's eyes narrowed with suspicion.
He then spoke.
"You. Come here."
"Is there a problem?"
"Who said you could talk back?"
"....."
Mok Gyeong-un shrugged and approached the senior warrior.
Then the senior warrior roughly grabbed Mok Gyeong-un's wrist and checked the state of his body.
It was to confirm whether his energy points were blocked or not.
However…
'....They're blocked.'
He wondered if the guy had somehow unblocked his energy points, but that wasn't the case.
They were still blocked.
Confirming this made it even more unbelievable.
'They raised such a guy in a mere place like Yeon Mok Sword Manor?'
No matter how famous the martial arts family was, it wasn't a major faction like the Nine Paths or the likes.
This was going to be quite controversial.
It was the first time since the operation of Corpse Blood Valley.
...
The robe-wearing diviner looked dumbfounded at the corpse of the monstrous beast demon wolf with its snout and head torn off, completely separated from its lower jaw.
To make matters worse, right when the sun rose, he had used a technique to signal the demon wolf to return.
But when it didn't return, the diviner, sensing something was off, had climbed up here.
Then someone spoke to him.
"Is this possible?"
"Pardon?"
"I asked if it's possible."
The one asking the question was none other than the Lord of Corpse Blood Valley wearing the demon mask.
Arriving late and climbing the mountain, he had received a report from the red-belted warriors and arrived here to check the demon wolf's corpse.
He, too, couldn't help but be inwardly surprised.
In the first place, the role of the monstrous beast demon wolf was to be an ordeal for the boys.
It was to push them to an even more extreme situation and maximize their will to survive.
But to think they killed it…
"This… Ha…"
The robe-wearing diviner couldn't give any answer.
If a warrior who had mastered martial arts had done this, he would have at least responded, "It seems he possesses quite an extraordinary martial prowess."
But this was truly unexpected.
'Should I even mention this?'
What was even more troublesome was the state of the demon wolf.
'....It had already achieved maturity.'
He already thought it was getting close to a mature state anyway.
But he believed it wasn't ready yet and it would take a couple more months, so he had deployed this beast.
However, in that short time, it had become a fully mature body.
It had turned from a fierce beast into a monstrous beast.
'This is crazy. How did they do this?'
Even trained diviners and third-rate or second-rate warriors had a hard time dealing with ferocious beasts.
But if it became a monstrous beast-level, even first-rate masters would have a hard time catching it unless they joined forces.
He couldn't believe that one of the boys whose energy points were sealed had caught it.
He had to report this, but the diviner couldn't bring himself to do it.
That's because even ferocious beasts alone could be considered an extreme ordeal, but a monstrous beast-level would be close to a massacre, even with the protective space of the flag.
'Should I consider it lucky?'
It was fortunate that this beast was killed before it could cause more harm.
However, it was difficult to fully report this fact.
So he excluded this and said,
"To be honest, even I don't understand how they caught it."
"You don't understand?"
"In your opinion, which part of the human body possesses the greatest strength?"
"....Are you trying to say it's the mouth?"
"That's right. The biting force is the strongest. Let alone beasts or such beasts, do you think it would be any different? Those called beasts have lived wild lives unlike humans, and accordingly, they are equipped with jaws capable of chewing through even bones."
Humans cut hard bones and eat them.
However, many of the creatures called beasts eat bones whole.
In that case, naturally, the shape of their teeth and their biting force had to develop accordingly.
"If they were lucky and pierced its core, which could be called its heart, with something sharp, I could understand. But this is impossible with just a bit of strength."
To tear it apart, one needed a force that surpassed the biting power of the monstrous beast demon wolf.
The demon mask nodded at this.
"I see."
"Who did it? Please tell me…"
"That's enough."
"Pardon?"
"Didn't you hear me? I said that's enough. Take that corpse with you."
He had heard what he wanted.
So there was no need to mention it further.
".....I understand. Then I'll borrow a few men."
"Do as you please."
As the diviner took the corpse with the help of a few warriors, the senior warrior who served as his assistant approached him with a frown and said,
"I checked."
"Are the Golden Gate Lock still in place?"
"Yes. With the energy points blocked, the true energy couldn't circulate through his body."
"But he did that."
"Calling him strong is an understatement. He might be even stronger than that child of the Esoteric Realm Gate."
"Hmm."
Was this something that could be explained by him being strong?
The demon mask had experience fighting against what was called a fierce beast in his younger days.
If he referred to those memories, it was still questionable.
To think he did this without inner energy.
'I'll have to keep an eye on him.'
He thought he was no ordinary fellow, but this made him even more interested.
There seemed to be something about him that couldn't be explained just by his background from a famous martial arts family.
The demon mask changed the subject.
"Have the rest all gathered?"
"Yes."
"What's the total number?"
"The total number of survivors is 259."
Out of the total of 468, about half had died.
Upon receiving this report from the senior warrior, the demon mask nodded and moved his feet.
Climbing to the top of the mountain ridge, there was a large clearing where the boys were sitting in rows and columns.
But this was just the number of survivors; they were divided into two groups here as well.
Out of the 259, 200 were on the right side, and the remaining 59 were on the left side. The majority of 200 had relaxed faces, while the remaining 59 were pale and trembling.
The reason was that they were the ones who failed to find a flag until sunrise.
'Damn it.'
'Is this how we die?'
That's why they were afraid.
The result had already been foretold.
It was death.
The demon mask, standing in front of them, opened his mouth.
"I congratulate you on successfully defending the flags. The fifty-nine pieces of trash on the left side have also worked hard to survive the night without being able to do anything."
Even the words that were supposed to be respectful were different.
In fact, these words didn't register with the 59 boys.
They just wanted to live.
As they were doing so, the demon mask turned his head towards them.
-Thump! Thump! Thump!
Their hearts pounded loudly.
The moment the demon mask gave the order, it seemed like the red-belted warriors would immediately behead them.
However…
"The fifty-nine pieces of trash, follow that diviner down the mountain."
'!?'
At this order from him, the eyes of the 59 boys widened.
They naturally thought they would be killed on the spot, but being told to follow that robe-wearing diviner down the mountain made them puzzled.
Could it be that they were being spared?
-Murmur murmur!
The faces of these boys began to light up.
Seeing this, the red-belted warriors shook their heads.
Being told to follow the diviner was by no means a good thing.
They didn't want to tell them what was to come, as they were so happy about briefly extending their lives.
"Shut up and get lost."
At the demon mask's scolding, the rejoicing boys shut their mouths.
Of course, they were still smirking.
And so, the 59 boys followed the procession collecting the corpse of the demon wolf and the bodies of the dead, pulling a cart down the mountain.
'Why are they making those expressions?'
'There must be something.'
Although those who went down wouldn't know, the 200 boys who roughly grasped the situation by looking at the expressions of the red-belted warriors felt fortunate.
That they weren't included in that group.
As they were doing so, the demon mask spoke again.
"Now. It's time for another selection."
'Selection?'
The faces of the boys, who had been relieved at the word 'selection,' became puzzled.
Of course, not all of them were like that.
Some teams were inwardly cheering as if they had guessed the situation.
As they were doing so, the demon mask pointed to the left side and said,
"Those who have grasped the true meaning of the flags, move to the left side."
"True meaning?"
"What is he talking about?"
-Murmur murmur!
The boys stirred.
Then some of them got up from their seats.
And with a triumphant expression, they moved to the left side.
Of course, Mok Gyeong-un's team was no exception.
Seeing the boys who had moved, a few teams tried to follow suit to the left side without knowing the reason, thinking, "Oh well, I don't know."
However…
"If you follow without knowing the true meaning and get caught, you'll be executed on the spot."
-Flinch!
They had no choice but to stop at this warning.
And so, the boys were divided into left and right sides once again.
Out of the 200, 80 boys were on the left side, and 120 boys were on the right side.
'What the hell is this true meaning?'
'Does this mean we didn't pass?'
The 120 boys on the right side couldn't hide their anxiety.
It was due to the fear that if they didn't pass here, they might die, as the term 'selection' was used.
As they were doing so, the demon mask looked at the boys remaining on the right side and said,
"This is the limit for you lot."
"...…"
"But be grateful. You lot have now become low-ranking warriors of the Heaven and Earth Society."
'!?'
At this declaration from the demon mask, the boys' eyes widened.
They were the ones who had been afraid that they would die for failing to pass the gate.
But it was a completely unexpected result.
However, relieved that they wouldn't die but had survived, some of the boys sat down on the ground as if their legs had given out.
"Haa..."
"W-We survived."
Corpse Blood Valley, where most of those who entered were known to leave as corpses.
The exhilaration of surviving here was too great.
On the other hand, about half of them didn't seem to be in a good mood, their expressions souring.
That was because…
'Damn it!'
'A low-ranking warrior.'
The goal of most of those entering Corpse Blood Valley was never to become a mere low-ranking warrior.
The purpose of risking their lives to pass the gates was to be chosen.
But they had failed at this.
'Stupid things.'
'You took the test too simplistically.'
Seeing them, the 80 who had grasped the true meaning of the gates looked at them with mocking expressions.
They had gained the qualifications to go to a higher place.
As they were doing so, the demon mask took something out of his bosom.
It was a silver tablet with the character "Two" written on it.
'Ah!'
The eyes of a few, including Yeom Ga of the Vermillion Slaughter Cave, sparkled upon recognizing this.
It was a badge given to the one who passed the gate at the top of the class.
'Is he going to determine the top scorer?'
If that was the case, they couldn't help but be interested.
They had prior information that having that badge would be quite advantageous in the end.
But unlike the steel bead competition, there was nothing particularly superior about this one.
The only thing was the fact that they had discovered there were two types of flags, but even this was too many with 80 people.
'What will he do?'
As they were wondering about this, the demon mask muttered,
"How should I determine the top scorer? Should it be the one who memorized the verse?"
At these words, a few, including Yeom Ga, perked up their shoulders.
That was because they were the ones who had succeeded in memorizing the verses in advance, having secured the two types of flags with verses early on.
If it was like that, they were confident.
"Or should it be the one who can best demonstrate the verse?"
With the following muttering, some of the perked-up shoulders sank.
Although they had barely memorized the verses while defending and seizing the flags all night, they didn't have time to practice.
This was the same for Yeom Ga of the Vermillion Slaughter Cave and Yeon Moo-woong of the Esoteric Realm Gate.
They could immediately demonstrate the stances according to the memorized verses, but they weren't confident in demonstrating them perfectly, as it would be their first time.
In fact, it would be the same for anyone.
'Still, the conditions are the same.'
If they were told to demonstrate the stances, they were going to try it no matter what.
As they were doing so, the demon mask said,
"Good. Let's do it this way. Is there anyone among you who can properly explain what kind of verse is on the flag?"
At that question, someone raised their hand and stood up first, as if they had been waiting.
-Swoosh!
"It's a sword technique!"
At this shout, snickers burst out from here and there.
That was because anyone who had memorized or at least seen the verse would know that it was a sword technique.
"Is that even worth mentioning?"
Just by looking at the demon mask's cold gaze, the boy realized he had made a mistake and quietly sat down.
Then Yeom Ga of the Vermillion Slaughter Cave raised his hand and stood up.
"It's a swift sword art where offense and defense are integrated, targeting three acupoints on the centerline and six major acupoints, and the variation of stances is diverse depending on its use."
'Ah...'
At Yeom Ga's explanation, Yeon Woo-woong of the Esoteric Realm Gate smacked his lips regretfully.
The others felt the same way.
He had concisely and accurately explained the characteristics of the sword technique.
No further explanation was necessary.
'How about that?'
Yeom Ga of the Vermillion Slaughter Cave looked at Mok Gyeong-un and Yeon Woo-woong of the Esoteric Realm Gate in turn with a triumphant expression.
There was no need to even look at Mo Ha-rang of the Demon Fire Hall, as she was lying down receiving treatment.
He was confident that this badge would be his.
The demon mask opened his mouth.
"To think you figured it out to that extent in the midst of all this, not bad."
'Got it.'
Yeom Ga of the Vermillion Slaughter Cave inwardly cheered.
Judging by the demon mask's reaction, what he had figured out seemed to be correct to some degree.
Mok Yu-cheon's eyes flickered with interest.
He didn't speak up first because he had no particular desire for the top spot.
However, more than that…
'He has a keen eye for reading the verses.'
It was almost identical to what he had grasped.
Although the guy was cunning, his talent in martial arts definitely didn't fall behind his own when compared.
He became curious about what level he would be at once the Golden Gate Lock were removed.
"Hmm."
As they were doing so, the demon mask glanced at the senior warrior of the captain rank.
Then the senior warrior also nodded his head.
In any case, these were people who had fought in the flag defense battle for nearly three hours without resting or sleeping, engaged in a fight to the death.
It was plenty impressive that they had figured it out to this extent.
The demon mask held out the silver tablet and said, "Good. This gate…"
Before he could even finish his words…
"Isn't it a sword formation rather than just a sword technique?"
'!?'
The demon mask frowned and turned his head.
Who just said that?
As he was wondering, the one who said those words was none other than Mok Gyeong-un.
'Ha!'
At this, the demon mask clicked his tongue as if dumbfounded.
That was because this sword technique had simple stances, so it was impossible to distinguish whether it could be demonstrated as a sword formation or not just by looking at the verses.
At the very least, it was difficult to notice unless one was a swordsman who had reached a high level with the sword.
But a greenhorn brat distinguished this just with the verses?
'W-What?'
Yeom Ga, who had inwardly sneered at the abrupt mention of sword formation from Mok Gyeong-un's mouth, was taken aback.
But what the hell was this reaction from the demon mask?
75: Chapter 74: Team Leader (1)
'Could it be?'
Yeom Ga of the Vermillion Slaughter Cave frowned, feeling uneasy inside.
The reaction to Mok Gyeong-un's words about it being a sword formation was unusual.
If it wasn't the case, there would have been no reason to react like that in the first place.
'That can't be.'
Yeom Ga denied it inwardly.
A sword formation, as the name suggests, is a formation deployed using swords.
Formations typically have fixed rules and precise variations in stances to interlock with each other, which was difficult to achieve with just the sword technique verses.
That meant the verses' stances had to be adapted, but this was impossible to envision in one's head just by looking at the verses unless one was at a considerable level.
'Is that guy such a master of the sword?'
To be able to notice this just from the verses, one had to be a sword master of the caliber of the Vermillion Slaughter Cave's Valley Master, Yeom Ga's father.
That's why Yeom Ga hoped it wasn't the case.
However, contrary to his wish…
"Why do you think it's a sword formation?"
The demon mask asked Mok Gyeong-un in a serious tone.
Mok Gyeong-un then nonchalantly said,
"Judging by how the stances of the sword technique adhere to the basics and each one is arranged so that the movement paths don't overlap, I thought it could be demonstrated as a sword formation."
"The movement paths don't overlap...."
The demon mask's eyes narrowed.
Even if one could physically demonstrate the sword technique multiple times or visualize the sword in one's mind, it was quite difficult to trace the movement paths to the point of combining them into a sword formation.
It was more than observing one's own movements.
"Hmm."
The demon mask stroked his chin.
To be honest, it was hard to believe.
A guy who was merely 17 or 18 years old had insight on par with someone who had reached the pinnacle of swordsmanship?
Of course, if he possessed innate talent, it could be possible.
However…
'Those hands....'
The palms of Mok Gyeong-un's hands that the demon mask was looking at were not like that at all.
Those were not the hands of an exceptional swordsman.
The shape of a swordsman's thumb, index finger, and pinky naturally changed after gripping a sword for a long time.
But looking at Mok Gyeong-un's hands, there weren't even any calluses on his thumbs.
'Those aren't the hands of someone who has mastered the sword.'
Yet such insight emerged from him.
If a sword master had given him pointers, it would be understandable.
But there was no way such a person existed here in Corpse Blood Valley.
That's why it was even more puzzling.
Was this guy's discernment really on par with someone who had reached the pinnacle of swordsmanship?
The demon mask, who had been staring intently at Mok Gyeong-un, said,
"If a sword formation were to be deployed with this verse, how many people do you think would be most efficient?"
It was already impressive that he had guessed it was a sword formation.
But could he really figure this out as well?
If he got this right too, one could truly say his insight regarding the sword was on par with a master.
At this question, Mok Gyeong-un remained still for a moment and then answered,
"Eight."
The demon mask's eyes flickered with interest at those words.
He had accurately stated the minimum number required to deploy a sword formation.
Then Mok Gyeong-un continued,
"Sixteen or thirty-two should also be possible."
"...…"
At those words, a small gasp escaped the demon mask's mouth.
It would have been impressive if he had only said eight, but he even accurately guessed the numbers that could form the sword formation.
"Do you think it would be difficult to go beyond that?"
"If they were to combine, the formation would start to overlap from that point on."
At Mok Gyeong-un's words, the demon mask sincerely clicked his tongue.
The Heaven and Earth Eight Resonance Formation.
That was the name of this formation.
It was an absolute formation based on the variations of the Eight Trigrams, developed by the previous Society Leader of the Heaven and Earth Society, allowing sixteen to thirty-two swordsmen to launch a combined attack.
'Look at this guy.'
He even got this right.
Did he really possess the eyes and insight of a swordsman who had reached the pinnacle?
If that was the case, he was genuinely intrigued.
'.....'
He didn't care at all that Mok Gyeong-un was from an upright martial arts family.
The demon mask, who had been staring intently at Mok Gyeong-un, licked his lips.
He wanted to satisfy that greed right away, but now, during the ongoing examination, was not the time.
-Smack!
The demon mask threw something at Mok Gyeong-un.
Mok Gyeong-un caught it and opened his palm to find a silver tablet with the character "Two" engraved on it.
The demon mask said,
"You are also the second-place scorer."
-Murmur murmur!
At those words, the boys watching this stirred.
With Mok Gyeong-un claiming the second-place position following the first, it naturally became a topic of discussion.
Just who was this guy?
What was his background that he had already taken the second-place position?
-Grit!
Yeom Ga of the Vermillion Slaughter Cave gnashed his teeth.
He had naturally thought the second place would be his, but he didn't expect it to be snatched away like this.
He was one of the three most promising disciples from the major factions in this Corpse Blood Valley.
But now he looked pathetic.
'.....Mok Gyeong-un.'
That guy's name was completely etched into his mind.
It seemed like he would only feel better if he could somehow get back at him for this humiliation.
'Just wait and see.'
Once the Golden Gate Lock sealing his energy points were removed, that guy better be prepared.
As they were doing so, the demon mask spoke,
"I sincerely congratulate the eighty of you who have passed the second gate. You have gained the qualifications to become middle-rank warriors of our Heaven and Earth Society."
'Middle-rank warriors!'
At his words, exhilaration filled the eyes of some boys.
That was because starting from middle-rank warriors, the treatment within the Heaven and Earth Society changed.
Among the middle-rank warriors, those with exceptional skills could gain the qualification to lead a unit of low-rank warriors as a unit leader.
The demon mask continued speaking to them, whose eyes had come alive despite their exhaustion.
"To be a middle-rank warrior, one must have the ability to lead a unit and be able to execute a sword formation. As you just heard, the verse on the flag is the verse of a sword technique that requires at least eight people to deploy as a sword formation."
At those words, everyone's eyes flickered with interest.
The examination wasn't simply composed of extreme trials.
From the beginning, there was a reason why they had to be divided into teams of eight.
"Now, if you have a keen eye, you should be able to guess what the third gate is."
"...…"
"You there."
At the demon mask's nod, a boy abruptly stood up from his seat.
"Yes!"
"What do you think the third gate is?"
"That's..."
"Speak properly."
"It's for the eight members who passed to deploy a sword formation and eliminate the target!"
At the boy's words, most of them nodded slightly, thinking the same thing.
That was the only thing they could guess at this point.
As they were doing so, the demon mask gestured for him to sit down and opened his mouth.
"Correct. The third gate is for a team of eight to perfectly deploy a sword formation and eliminate the target."
At his words, the boys inwardly felt relieved.
The first and second gates had made them harm each other and exhausted them mentally and physically.
If they were told to do it twice, it would be an experience they never wanted to go through again.
"However, there are conditions and restrictions here as well."
'Conditions and restrictions?'
"First, you will be given a day of rest, so decide on a team leader during that time. Of course, you must also form a team of eight, including the team leader."
'Huh?'
At the demon mask's words, the boys furrowed their brows.
This meant that the eight who had defended the flag didn't necessarily have to be on the same team.
In this case, they could reorganize the teams.
'Great!'
At this, a few openly cheered.
Among them were Yeom Ga of the Vermillion Slaughter Cave and Mok Yu-cheon.
In fact, most of them who had been inwardly dreading being on the same team as Mok Gyeong-un again showed similar reactions.
"By the way, the one who becomes the team leader naturally passes the third gate regardless of the sword formation test, and…"
-Swoosh!
The demon mask took out a square wooden tablet that looked like an identity plate from his bosom and showed it.
The words "Unit Leader" were engraved on it.
'Oh? Could it be?'
'Unit Leader's plate?'
The boys' eyes focused on the wooden tablet.
Then the demon mask chuckled and continued,
"They will also be given the qualification of a unit leader."
'!!!!!!'
At the demon mask's words, the boys couldn't hide their excitement even though their mouths were closed.
Only a select few among the middle-rank warriors who had the qualifications of a senior could become unit leaders.
But were they deciding the unit leaders here?
However, a question arose in everyone's mind as they were getting excited.
'Then won't everyone want to be the team leader?'
Who among those who had come this far wouldn't want to be the team leader?
Realizing this, sighs of distress naturally mixed into the boys' breaths.
They thought this gate might be a bit better, but in the end, it seemed like they would have to fight again.
'Damn it.'
'There are eighty people, so only eight will qualify.'
'Even that's uncertain.'
'If someone dies while fighting for the team leader position, that team will be eliminated.'
If even one person met with an accident, seven others would be eliminated together.
It couldn't be considered easier than the second gate by any means.
As they were doing so, the demon mask spoke,
"Now I will state the restriction."
"...…."
"The restriction is no killing."
'!?'
At those words, everyone was puzzled.
Did the restriction of no killing literally mean they couldn't kill each other?
Everyone looked at the demon mask in confusion.
They thought he would clarify the reason behind it.
However…
"That is all."
'That's it?'
'So we have to decide on a team leader without killing?'
Everyone was dumbfounded by the simple yet different restriction compared to before.
On the other hand, Mok Gyeong-un smacked his lips as if he was disappointed.
He thought he could enjoy it like the second gate, but with the restriction on killing, the fun was gone.
'....This guy. Why is he disappointed?'
Seeing his reaction, the boys next to him clicked their tongues inwardly.
Shouldn't he consider it fortunate instead?
At least in this gate, there wouldn't be any loss of life.
-Clank!
At that moment, the red-belted warriors began taking out a peculiar-shaped iron object from a wooden box.
The demon mask pointed at it and said,
"Before heading to the lodgings beyond the mountain, we will collect the Golden Gate Lock."
'Ah!'
At those words, everyone's expressions brightened.
They had been wondering how long they would have to wear the Golden Gate Lock, but they were finally being freed from them.
The restriction of not being able to use inner energy made them more uncomfortable than they had thought.
'Finally.'
The lips of Yeom Ga of the Vermillion Slaughter Cave twitched.
He had waited so long, and the restriction on his inner energy was finally being lifted.
Yeom Ga glared intensely at the back of Mok Gyeong-un's head in front of him.
He couldn't respond to that strange technique due to the restriction on his inner energy, but now that the restriction was being lifted, the situation would change.
'I'll make you crawl between my legs.'
The restriction on killing was in place, but it didn't matter.
As long as he didn't kill him, it was fine.
Thinking about this, his mood became so good that the corners of his mouth curled up cruelly.
...
Beyond the mountain, there was a lodging building where they could rest.
It was structured so that two people could rest in one room, so the boys each found someone they liked and chose their rooms.
It didn't take very long.
During this one-day rest period, the behavioral tendencies of the boys were divided into two.
The boys of the first tendency ate the snacks prepared in the room to satisfy their hunger, and then, without exception, they all began circulating their energy.
They had fought a bloody battle all night, exhausting their minds and bodies, so they tried to restore their bodies to normal as much as possible through energy circulation.
The boys of the second tendency were different from them.
Although they also had a strong desire to rest, they judged that it was better to move first and secure teammates.
Therefore, they attempted to approach the boys who were originally on the same team as them or those they had in mind.
They were making a move in advance as the competition would intensify soon.
And here, a third tendency also existed.
-Crack!
Yeom Ga of the Vermillion Slaughter Cave, who had satisfied his hunger, stretched his body.
He strongly wanted to circulate his energy like that guy sitting on the bed out of fatigue, but he judged that now was the right time, so he had to hurry.
'Now is the chance.'
His target was that bastard Mok Gyeong-un.
As long as he didn't kill him, he could turn him into a cripple, and then he wouldn't have to worry starting from this gate.
The other guys couldn't match up to him anyway.
However, that guy's strange technique and his unusually annoying presence bothered him.
'So I'll strike first.'
Now that the restriction was lifted, he was confident.
Although that guy had learned a strange technique, Yeom Ga had reached the Peak Realm and had also mastered the Vermillion Slaughter Cave's secret arts.
'Then, shall we start the hunt?'
After stretching, Yeom Ga grabbed the door and opened it.
However…
'!?'
Mok Gyeong-un was standing in front of the door with a smile on his face.
"You..."
"Oh my. It seems we had the same thought."
A smile filled with malice.
For a moment, Yeom Ga, who had been confidently stepping out, felt a chill run down his spine.
Chapter 75: Team Leader (2)
Inside a red room illuminated by candlelight.
This place was a brothel located on the outskirts of the outer fortress of the Heaven and Earth Society.
On the table were red and white powder, along with brushes for applying makeup.
There was someone looking at these with a serious expression.
It was Ha Chae-rin, the prospective leader of the Flying Killing Sect, one of the three major assassin groups, or rather Go Chan who had possessed her body.
-Thud!
Go Chan, with his interlocked fingers supporting his chin.
The face reflected in the mirror was so captivating that it could be called beautiful.
However, this was not his own appearance.
'.....Do I have to go this far?'
Looking at the cosmetic tools on the table, Go Chan fell into self-loathing.
How did it come to this point?
As a servant spirit, his fate was tied to Mok Gyeong-un, so he had chased after him all the way to the Heaven and Earth Society.
In fact, if it were up to him, he wanted to run away, but since his life and death were tied to his master Mok Gyeong-un, he had no choice.
'Damn it.'
Go Chan let out a deep sigh.
Somehow he had made it all the way to the outer fortress of the Heaven and Earth Society.
But when he actually tried to infiltrate the Heaven and Earth Society, he didn't know the security would be this strict.
'It's impossible.'
Even during his assassin days, he occasionally had infiltration missions.
No, most assassinations required stealthy infiltration to be carried out.
However, the scale of the Heaven and Earth Society, which currently controlled one-third of the martial world, was beyond imagination, and it was on a completely different level from the small and medium-sized sects he had infiltrated before.
"Haa."
With trembling hands, Go Chan reached for the brush to apply the powder.
The reason he was grasping these cosmetic tools was simple.
It was to infiltrate the Heaven and Earth Society.
-Shudder!
As he gripped the brush, Go Chan felt goosebumps all over his body.
It was due to the deep-seated aversion inherent in his soul.
The thought of him, a man, coming to this brothel to disguise himself as a courtesan made him feel so strongly repulsed that he even felt nauseous.
However, there was no other way.
In order to infiltrate, Go Chan had wandered around the outer fortress of the Heaven and Earth Society, gathering information.
He had also considered the method of secretly entering the carts carrying supplies or food, but it was impossible because they thoroughly inspected them at the gates of the Heaven and Earth Society.
In the end, the best method was to make contact with an insider and enter that way.
[Oho. So you're saying the young lady has come of age and wants to meet the heroes of the Heaven and Earth Society, is that right?]
[Th-that's right.]
Even though it was to gather information, to think he had to say such things.
Even as he said those words, he felt uncomfortable.
[But it won't be easy to meet gentlemen of the rank of team leaders or division leaders, not just low-level warriors of the Heaven and Earth Society.]
[Is there no way?]
[Do you want to know? Ahem.]
Subtly extending his hand.
As expected of an information broker, he had a keen eye for money.
At this, Go Chan placed silver coins in his hand.
After receiving the silver coins, the information broker readily divulged the method.
[Do you know Crimson Orchid House?]
[Crimson Orchid House?]
[That's right. It's a brothel located on the eastern outskirts of the outer fortress, and there...]
-Bang!
[Are you telling me to become a courtesan!]
For a moment, it was so absurd that he almost snatched the money back from the information broker.
The information broker appeased Go Chan and said,
[Oh my. Listen to people until the end. Although Crimson Orchid House is a brothel, it's not an ordinary pleasure district.]
[What's the difference between a brothel and a pleasure district…]
[The courtesans there are not only outstanding in appearance but also excel in academics, arts, and skills, and possess dignity, so even high-ranking gentlemen from inside the fortress visit.]
[...Is that true?]
[After receiving the silver coins, would I lie? With the young lady's appearance, Crimson Orchid House will welcome you with open arms.]
Trusting these words, Go Chan eventually infiltrated Crimson Orchid House.
As the information broker said, he had concerns, but he succeeded in entering Crimson Orchid House.
When asked if he had any skills, he recalled the times he had disguised himself as a musician during his assassin days and played the geomungo, and they truly welcomed him enthusiastically.
[You have artistic skills! We always welcome female musicians.]
On top of that, they mentioned that a few courtesans had become concubines of the Heaven and Earth Society's division leaders, creating vacancies.
'Concubines…..Ha!'
It seems infiltration into the inner fortress is possible somehow.
Go Chan swallowed dryly.
And after hesitating several times, he finally picked up the brush and started applying powder to his face.
Before long, the voice of the head courtesan of Crimson Orchid House could be heard from outside the door.
-Are you ready?
"Uh…um, well….."
Go Chan, who was applying red powder to his lips, fumbled.
Then, as if impatient from waiting outside, the head courtesan finally opened the door and entered.
-Creak!
"What's taking you so long to do your makeup? Since you have a pretty face, you can do it roughly. Let's see. How well did you do it?"
At these words, Go Chan looked at his own face in the mirror and couldn't hide his perplexity.
He had tried his best, recalling Ha Chae-rin's memories, but his hands must have shaken too much due to the instinctive aversion.
The head courtesan approached and looked at Go Chan's face.
Then she soon frowned and muttered.
"....Oh my goodness."
He had applied so much powder that his face was as white as a corpse.
He had applied the ink so sloppily with the small brush meant for darkening the eyes that black tears were running down below his eyes, and he had drawn the red powder on his lips too long, making it look like his mouth was torn up to his ears.
"You've made yourself look like a demon."
Go Chan no longer looked like a beauty but a ferocious demon.
At the sight of the head courtesan clicking her tongue, Go Chan gritted his teeth.
How did he end up doing something like this?
'Seduction my ass.'
It might have been better to risk his life and infiltrate instead.
...
Mok Gyeong-un was standing in front of the door with a smile on his face.
Seeing him like that, Yeom Ga was momentarily taken aback and at a loss for words.
A smile filled with malice.
The moment their eyes met, Yeom Ga felt a chill down his spine.
'This is....'
The restrictions were lifted, allowing him to freely use his internal energy, so why was he being overwhelmed by the ominous aura emanating from this guy?
In an instant, Yeom Ga gritted his teeth.
He had intended to step forward, vowing to make the guy a cripple, but he was suddenly taken aback and felt like his momentum was stolen because the guy had appeared out of nowhere.
As his displeasure intensified, Yeom Ga spoke with a terrifyingly distorted face.
"What do you mean by having the same thought?"
"Is there any other reason?"
"What?"
"I thought you looked useful, so I was considering taking you as a teammate."
-Grit!
Yeom Ga ground his teeth and slowly raised his internal energy.
And he spoke to Mok Gyeong-un in an agitated voice.
"You're going to take me as your teammate?"
"Yes. Actually, I've been wanting to kill you since yesterday, but since the restriction of no killing is included in this gateway, I thought it would be better to just exploit you."
Yeom Ga's eyes fiercely darted around.
What nonsense was this impudent bastard spouting?
Saying he wanted to kill him but it's better to exploit him?
-Grit!
His teeth involuntarily ground together.
Now that the internal energy restriction was lifted, how many among the boys did he think could compete with him?
Yeom Ga couldn't hold back any longer.
-Swish!
Yeom Ga, who had already completed the circulation of internal energy throughout his body, reached out his hand toward Mok Gyeong-un's neck.
He intended to grab his neck with his right hand, suppress his acupoints with his left hand in an instant, and drag him into the room.
However,
-Thwack!
"Ugh!"
Before he could do that, Mok Gyeong-un's foot struck Yeom Ga's abdomen.
It happened so fast that he couldn't even see it.
Veins bulged on Yeom Ga's face, and his skin turned red as if it would burn.
"You...you bastard..."
"Aren't legs longer than arms?"
-Smack!
Yeom Ga tightened his abdomen and kicked his toes toward Mok Gyeong-un's femoral nerve.
At this, Mok Gyeong-un bent his leg and slightly retreated backward.
Not missing that moment, Yeom Ga pushed off with his opposite foot, rotated his body, and tried to strike down on the top of Mok Gyeong-un's head.
'Whirling Kick.'
It was the third stance of the Vermillion Heaven Foot Technique, which the Vermillion Slaughter Cave prided themselves on.
It was a stance that deceived the path by raising the kick upward and then instantly rotated the body to strike downward.
It was difficult to dodge because it was extremely fast and mixed with feints.
However,
-Swish!
Mok Gyeong-un lightly moved half a step and twisted his body to avoid the Whirling Kick.
'!?'
Yeom Ga's eyes narrowed.
He never thought he would be able to dodge it so easily.
But a stance is meant to be connected, so the next one was ready.
-Whoosh!
Yeom Ga twisted his body and thrust his sword fingers toward Mok Gyeong-un's Adam's apple.
Having reached the Peak Realm, he could form sharpness with his energy, even if not as much as an actual sword.
This is called Piercing Energy.
-Swish!
However,
-Whoosh!
The Piercing Energy was about to pierce through Mok Gyeong-un's Adam's apple.
But before it could even touch,
-Thwack!
Mok Gyeong-un's foot kicked Yeom Ga's leg like lightning.
It was just a simple kick, so Yeom Ga didn't dodge it and instead sent internal energy to his leg to form a repulsive force.
Based on his senses, he was superior to this guy in terms of internal energy.
So if he protected his leg with internal energy, he thought he could sufficiently endure it…..
-Thwack!
"Ugh!"
Yeom Ga's body, whose leg was kicked, instantly half-rotated to the side and his head slammed into the floor.
For a moment, Yeom Ga was dazed.
What on earth just happened?
He couldn't understand why he couldn't dodge this guy's kick.
It was fast, but the moment they collided, the repulsive force scattered.
'What....'
While he was doing that, Mok Gyeong-un smiled and said,
"You're weaker than I thought."
"You bastard!"
Yeom Ga, whose anger had risen to the top of his head, flicked his arm and rose to his feet while simultaneously aiming his kick technique at Mok Gyeong-un's neck,
-Swoosh! Smack!
Mok Gyeong-un easily dodged it, then grabbed Yeom Ga's head and slammed it into the floor.
-Crash!
The floorboard shattered, and Yeom Ga's head dug into the floor.
It was painful, but Yeom Ga couldn't bear the humiliation, so he pulled up his internal energy to the fullest to try to raise his head again.
But strangely, the energy focused on his neck and head scattered little by little, and he felt his strength drain instead.
'What, what is this?'
It was difficult to understand what phenomenon this was.
While he was doing that, Mok Gyeong-un grabbed Yeom Ga's hair and pulled it.
-Yank!
As the embedded head was pulled out, sharp wooden splinters pierced various parts of his face, and blood flowed down.
Looking at Yeom Ga's face like this, Mok Gyeong-un smirked as if satisfied.
"Your face looks a bit better now."
"You...what did you do?"
"What do you mean what did I do?"
"Don't tell me you used something like Scattered Energy Poison?"
"Scattered Energy Poison?"
At Yeom Ga's words, Mok Gyeong-un countered with a puzzled expression.
He prided himself on knowing almost everything about poisons unless it was unusual, but it was the first time he had heard of something called Scattered Energy Poison.
Scattered Energy Poison.
It was a strange poison made through a special manufacturing method that scattered internal energy once the conditions were met.
"Don't play dumb! If it's not Scattered Energy Poison, then why is my internal energy scattering whenever I come into contact with you?"
Whenever he collided with Mok Gyeong-un, the internal energy in that area scattered.
At first, he thought it was just a coincidence, but when it happened twice, he couldn't help but think of Scattered Energy Poison.
"Hmm. Was there such an interesting poison?"
'Is this bastard toying with me now?'
Yeom Ga, whose anger had reached the top of his head, soon gritted his teeth.
Now that it had come to this, he thought he had no choice but to use the secret technique of Vermillion Slaughter Cave.
The secret technique was an assassination move that inevitably killed the opponent, so he was told not to use it unless it was an exceptional case, but he couldn't bear it any longer.
-Thump thump!
Yeom Ga concentrated his internal energy toward his chest.
Then, the strange patterns drawn on his upper body glowed red.
But at that moment,
-Thwack!
"Ugh!"
Mok Gyeong-un pulled Yeom Ga's hair back and smashed his fist down.
But that wasn't the end.
As if he was going to shatter Yeom Ga's face, Mok Gyeong-un kept striking with his fist.
-Thwack!
"Ack. St-stop….."
-Thwack!
"Sto….p…."
-Thwack! Crack!
The sound of his nose breaking and teeth shattering could be heard, but he didn't stop.
-Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!
There was no time to use the secret technique or anything.
With the continuous strikes to his face, Yeom Ga had already lost consciousness.
"Huh!"
At that moment, hearing a sound from behind, Mok Gyeong-un turned his head with his fist raised.
There was a boy who had woken up from the sound of fighting while circulating energy and refining his breath.
'What, what is going on?'
The boy couldn't hide his bewilderment when he saw Yeom Ga with his hair grabbed by Mok Gyeong-un's hand and his face turned into a bloody pulp.
Toward this boy, Mok Gyeong-un waved his blood-stained hand and said with a smile,
"Ah. Don't mind me and just continue what you were doing."