Tales Of The Nine Dragons [EN]: Chapter 119

구룡전기 (119)

“Won’t the Lord be in danger from the Blood Oath Alliance? Shouldn’t we step in and help?”

As the tense situation between the Blood Oath Alliance and the Nine Dragons Stronghold approached, movements were also seen in the assassin world.

“According to intelligence, the Lord has rejected the Righteous Heaven Alliance’s proposal.”

The leaders of the assassin clans representing each province gathered to discuss how to help the Nine Dragons Stronghold.

“Since the Lord has not requested it, it might not be bad to watch as things stand. If we intervene unnecessarily, things could escalate, or it could become more difficult if it becomes known that the Lord is associated with us.”

Sa Gun-sung, the lord of Cheonsagok, active in Hubei Province, said.

“How can you say that? What will you do if the Lord is harmed by the Blood Oath Alliance?”

Bae Gu-hwan, the leader of Heukmakgyo, active in Henan Province, said with a worried voice.

“You don’t have to worry about that.”

Mun-so, the leader of Sadang, active in Shanxi Province, said.

“The Lord survived even the Sword Demon of Massacre, one of the Ten Great Masters. Unless the Four Emperors move directly, there will be no great threat to the Lord.”

“Can a small number of people really stand against a large number?”

“That’s true. But the Lord is an assassin. He won’t try to fight head-on. If the Lord decides to kill someone, who wouldn’t he be able to kill?”

Those who heard Mun-so’s words nodded involuntarily.

“Still, there’s always a chance of something unexpected, isn’t there?”

Song Cheon-woo, the lord of Eunmilmun, active in Shandong Province, expressed his opinion.

“Two clans were destroyed simultaneously. Wouldn’t the Blood Oath Alliance take this into account and send troops accordingly?”

“That’s right. They might send both the Hongnyeong Myeolsadae [Crimson Shadow Extermination Unit] and Daeryeong Myeolmadae [Great Shadow Extermination Unit], which can be considered their main forces.”

Of the Blood Oath Alliance’s five combat units, the Saryeong Hyulmadae [Death Shadow Blood Unit], Jeokryeong Hyulsadae [Red Shadow Blood Unit], and Gujusa Manghyulludae [Nine Deaths Cursed Blood Corps] were annihilated in Sichuan and Chongqing. Only the Hongnyeong Myeolsadae and Daeryeong Myeolmadae remained.

Even if they were to reorganize the Saryeong Hyulmadae, Jeokryeong Hyulsadae, and Gujusa Manghyulludae by summoning martial artists from the Demonic Faction, it would be difficult to deploy them in this battle, so the two mentioned units were likely to step forward.

“And if even one of the Twelve Death Guards moves, it will be difficult even for the Lord. Moreover, isn’t the White Horse Temple of Shandong sharpening its knives?”

“It’s true that I’m worried, but I still think it’s better to watch.”

Jin Woo-seol, the lord of Hyulmun, active in Sichuan Province, said, and everyone’s eyes turned to him.

“I was actually very excited about the Lord’s appearance. And in the duel with the Sword Demon of Massacre, that excitement took root in my heart as conviction. Everyone knows and is keeping it quiet, but if the Sword Demon of Massacre had won the duel with the Lord, would the Lord still be alive?”

Everyone nodded. Burying the result of the two people’s duel was like an unwritten rule for the Sword Demon of Massacre.

“His martial arts are beyond compare, so now we must watch how he overcomes difficult situations. He is the Lord who will represent ten thousand assassins. So, perhaps overcoming the current difficulties is the last test we ask of the Lord.”

“A test…….”

At the word ‘test,’ the leaders of each clan were silent and pondered its meaning.

* * *

“Why did I come? I came because I was worried. How could you do such a reckless thing?”

The people who came to find Hwa-rin were not only Sa Do-jun. Nangong Jin, who had befriended him, and his younger sister, Nangong Yeon-ah, also came with him.

“Then should I just stand by and do nothing? When they’re trying to take what’s mine?”

“That’s not it, you should ask for help. I heard you refused to join the Righteous Heaven Alliance?”

When Nangong Jin asked, Hwa-rin made an annoyed expression.

“Those guys are all the same. If I join the Righteous Heaven Alliance, they’ll want something from me in return. So, what would they want?”

“Of course, it’s money.”

When Sa Do-jun said that, Hwa-rin pretended to guess correctly.

“Where do you think the money I’d give to the Righteous Heaven Alliance would come from? In the end, they’d be asking for the Nine Dragons Inn.”

“Still, isn’t it better to live and plan other things than to die?”

“You can think that way. But I’m confident that I can survive without having my things taken away. So, don’t just stand here, go back. Or hang out at the Nine Dragons Inn.”

Looking at Hwa-rin’s confident appearance, they couldn’t decide whether to believe it or not.

—Are you really okay?

Sa Do-jun sent a telepathic message to Hwa-rin.

—Even if you can live, many of your people will die.

—Don’t worry. Not a single one of my people will die. Don’t get caught up in the fight and worry my father; just go back.

—Who will help a friend in times like these if I don’t?

“But Hwa-rin, where did your sister go?”

“Su-yeon? She’s probably training right now. It’s almost over, so if you wait a little, she’ll come out of the training hall.”

“My sister is training martial arts here?”

“Yeah. She’s trying to beat me, but so far, her skills can’t keep up with her ambition.”

“I see. The reason I waited for my sister to teach me martial arts and she didn’t come was because of you, Hwa-rin.”

“She’ll be here soon, so wait and ask Su-yeon to teach you martial arts.”

“Hwa-rin, are you really not worried about fighting the Blood Oath Alliance?”

“Why would I worry about that? Don’t make me repeat myself; just go back.”

Nangong Jin shook his head at Hwa-rin’s words.

—Shouldn’t we stop him?

—How can we stop him?

Nangong Jin asked Sa Do-jun for help in changing Hwa-rin’s mind, but Sa Do-jun knew how great Hwa-rin’s power was, so he couldn’t say anything.

As an awkward moment passed, a woman’s voice was heard from behind.

“What brings you here?”

It was Nangong Su-yeon.

“Sister!”

Nangong Yeon-ah was happy to see Nangong Su-yeon and ran to her.

“What business brings you to the Nine Dragons Stronghold? Don’t tell me you came to pick me up?”

“No. I was worried about Hwa-rin. You’re Jin’s friend.”

“Worried? Who’s worried about whom?”

“Hwa-rin.”

“Everyone else can worry, but you don’t have to worry about him. Fighting the Blood Oath Alliance—what’s there to worry about…….”

Nangong Su-yeon looked at Hwa-rin casually and said.

“I’ll go ahead, so send people when you’re done.”

“Where are you going to be?”

“There’s a lake called Daming Lake in Jinan, Shandong Province. There are several brothels and inns there; I’ll be at a brothel called Myeonghwaru [Bright Flower Pavilion], so send people there.”

“Myeonghwaru? Do you know the place?”

“I’ve been there a few times in my younger days.”

“Why are you going to Shandong Province, sister?”

Nangong Yeon-ah asked.

“Why am I going? I’m going to fight because there’s a fight.”

“So why are you fighting, sister?”

“Then who’s going to fight if I don’t? Are you going to fight? It’s dangerous; why did you bring Yeon-ah?”

Nangong Su-yeon spoke comfortably to her brother Nangong Jin, but Nangong Jin didn’t say anything about it, perhaps because he had been through it for a long time.

“You said you wanted to see me and followed me. But are you really going to Shandong Province?”

Nangong Jin asked, knowing that she wasn’t the type to stop if he tried to stop her.

“Then an opportunity has come for me to test the martial arts I learned from you; would I just pass up this opportunity?”

“You learned martial arts from Hwa-rin?”

“There’s that. Don’t ask; don’t try to know. I’m leaving, so send people around the right time.”

“What’s there to send? Let’s just leave together.”

“Would that be okay?”

“Since we’ve decided to empty it anyway, let’s just go together. Just don’t get caught during the move.”

Nangong Su-yeon nodded and left immediately.

“Sister, sister!”

Nangong Yeon-ah called her, but she left without looking back.

—It’s dangerous here, so take Yeon-ah home. Don’t become a burden to him by trying to help.

Nangong Jin was troubled after hearing Nangong Su-yeon’s telepathic message.

“Are you really sure you don’t need help?”

“I don’t need help. It’s really okay.”

“Okay. Then I’ll just rest at the Nine Dragons Inn.”

Sa Do-jun said, intending to watch the situation from the Nine Dragons Inn and intervene, and Nangong Jin also chose to stay at the Nine Dragons Inn for a while rather than returning home.

“Then go quickly. There’s no one here to cook for you, so go there and eat.”

In the end, they had no choice but to go to the Nine Dragons Inn and watch.

“Chief, preparations are complete.”

“Is that so? Then let’s go. Su-yeon will take care of Shandong, so we’re going to Henan Province.”

“I’ll lead the way.”

* * *

When Hwa-rin finally left the Nine Dragons Stronghold, it became empty.

There was a man watching Hwa-rin leaving the Nine Dragons Stronghold from the outside, and he was so surprised that his heart almost stopped.

“How is Chief Hwa-rin the leader of the Nine Dragons Stronghold?”

He was none other than Lee Seung-cheon, the third son of Lee Cheon-guk of the White Horse Temple.

Lee Seung-cheon was also a member of the Menghosa Blood Oath Battle Squad [Elite Blood Oath Battle Squad] and had served in the military with Hwa-rin for about two years. Unlike Hwa-rin, he was mainly assigned to guard the base and wait rather than being deployed in combat missions.

He had gone on missions with Hwa-rin a total of three times in those two years, and he had seen Hwa-rin’s formidable power with his own eyes in those three missions, which made his current surprise even greater.

“What should I do? Everyone will die if we fight Chief Hwa-rin. Moreover, it will be even harder to win with Senior Nangong Su-yeon and Senior Dong-chun by Hwa-rin’s side.”

Hwa-rin alone was a burden, but Nangong Su-yeon and Dong-chun were also formidable opponents. In particular, Nangong Su-yeon was a woman, but she had already achieved a family in martial arts [mastered a unique family martial art], and it was known that she had gained some enlightenment through numerous battles, which made the fear even greater.

“If we fight without thinking because of anger over the deaths of my father and sister, we will be the ones who suffer. I have to stop my brothers.”

Lee Seung-cheon was convinced that if they fought Hwa-rin and Nangong Su-yeon without any special measures, it would be the White Horse Temple, not the Nine Dragons Stronghold, that would be ruined.

Even if the revenge for his father and sister was delayed a little, he thought that there would be a chance of winning if he moved after establishing a clear plan.

“Let’s go back. Senior Nangong Su-yeon took the martial artists somewhere…… I hope she’s not going to Shandong Province.”

Lee Seung-cheon began to worry.

The Menghosa Blood Oath Battle Squad is a special unit that detects danger in advance and goes out on missions to eliminate it in order to prevent it.

Therefore, Lee Seung-cheon, who was from the same unit, wondered if Nangong Su-yeon had left with martial artists to destroy the White Horse Temple.

“My father is not here. My two brothers can’t handle Senior Nangong Su-yeon.”

As soon as he thought this far, Lee Seung-cheon became anxious. He could no longer stay in Shanxi Province and turned around to return to Shandong Province immediately.

“I hope nothing happens until I arrive.”

As Lee Seung-cheon returned, a person appeared like a ghost in the place where he had been.

“Judging from the fact that he said his father and sister died, he seems to be from the White Horse Temple, but how does he know the Lord and Nangong Su-yeon?”

The person who appeared was none other than the Protector, Lee Do-mun.

Lee Do-mun’s role in this matter was to clean up Shanxi Province. He didn’t know if another mission would be given after that, but Lee Do-mun’s job was to clean up the Demonic Faction in Shanxi Province and make it a Demonic Faction-free zone.

“And he seems to know the Lord and Nangong Su-yeon’s martial arts to some extent…… Hmm, it would be good to report to the Lord first.”