Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 1568

“T-that…”

“Jang Il-so! It’s Jang Il-so!”

The Beggars’ Union disciples, who had been watching the Wicked Faction Alliance camped in Zhangjiajie, widened their eyes. They could hardly believe what they were seeing.

“What on earth is that…”

A man in a very showy crimson robe. It was Jang Il-so, the Alliance Lord of the Wicked Faction Alliance. (In this world, there are two main groups: the Orthodox Sect, who are seen as good, and the Wicked Faction, who are seen as evil.) He was walking at the front, followed by the full force of Myriad Manor and Black Fortress.

They were very disciplined. It was hard to believe rumors that the Wicked Faction was messy and weak.

But the discipline wasn’t what shocked them most.

“Why is Jang Il-so at the head?”

“Has he lost his mind?”

Confused voices came from the Beggars’ Union members.

Jang Il-so was the Alliance Lord, the heart of the Wicked Faction Alliance.

It was very strange for such an important leader to be at the front of the army.

Of course, it would boost morale. In very bad situations, even an Emperor might lead the army himself, and that was the reason.

However, neither an Emperor nor a leader would stand at the very front. If he fell, everything would end, so there was no reason to on purpose do such a dangerous thing.

“…Could it be a fake?”

“A fake?”

“Hasn’t Jang Il-so already tricked us once? Maybe this Jang Il-so is also a fake…”

“Y-yes. That could be it!”

“Then let’s report it…”

Just as the beggar was about to nod…

Thwack!

The beggar’s head burst like a melon.

Hot blood splattered all over the face of the beggar who had been nodding.

“Uh… Uh-oh?”

Faced with the horrible sight, the beggar could only make a blank sound.

Crack!

Something pierced both of his knees.

“Ugh…”

His pupils widened in terror, then shrunk to tiny dots as he lost his balance and fell. He was so shocked that he couldn’t even feel the pain.

What was happening?

Before him, unable to lift himself, he saw something fall.

‘…A ring?’

A ring with detailed carvings, so fancy. It seemed out of place in this empty land.

The beggar knew who had done this and why he had fallen.

Clatter.

A creepy sound came from behind him.

The ring floated into the air and flew over his head, heading towards the rear.

“Hee-eum.”

At the same time, a strange voice was heard.

His mind told him to turn around and see who was there, but his gut feeling screamed at him not to look.

The battle between these two feelings twisted his face, already twisted with pain.

But he couldn’t decide what would happen.

“Have you confirmed it now?”

At the friendly voice, the beggar froze, holding his breath.

His head turned back. It was as if he was being controlled.

He saw someone both unfamiliar and familiar. Jang Il-so, in his crimson robe, was smiling brightly.

“You were curious, weren’t you? Whether I am Jang Il-so or not.”

“Uh…”

Jang Il-so’s smile grew brighter.

“Is this enough of an answer?”

The beggar’s body, soaked in blood, trembled.

He knew he might die. He had accepted that risk when he took this job.

Then why was he trembling so much? It was just death.

Jang Il-so’s red silk shoes glided closer, silent and deadly.

Thud.

The sound of his feet rang in the beggar’s ears like thunder.

“Or do you need something more? To convince you that I am Jang Il-so?”

“Ugh… Ugh…”

His face turned as white as bone.

Jang Il-so laughed.

“Haha! Your face is so comical! Hahaha! Like a clown in a play!”

He laughed loudly, as if he had seen something truly amusing.

If there wasn’t a headless corpse lying there, it would have been a cheerful scene. But the corpse was still warm and spewing blood. It was insane.

Jang Il-so stopped laughing and grabbed the beggar by the neck, pulling him up.

He looked strange from far away, but up close, Jang Il-so was even more unsettling.

Skin so white, lips as red as blood, long eyelashes, and…

The beggar trembled.

His eyes were captivating, like those of a beast, a woman, or a child. They seemed to pierce his body like blades.

“Tell me.”

“Hee…”

“Do you still need something more?”

The beggar shook his head. He was desperate.

“Right?”

Jang Il-so smiled.

“I know everything. You doubted me because of me, right? I have done things. But… being doubted can’t feel good, can it?”

The beggar nodded, agreeing in haste.

“Such a good boy.”

Jang Il-so seemed pleased.

“Good. Now you believe that I am Jang Il-so.”

Jang Il-so released the beggar. Then, smiling, he said,

“Then go.”

The beggar stared blankly.

“Why?”

“Are you really going to let me go…?”

Jang Il-so shook his head.

“I have no interest in beggars.”

That made no sense. Jang Il-so added,

“Why touch someone who has nothing? I’ll only dirty my hands.”

He brushed off his hand as if grabbing the beggar was unpleasant.

“So go.”

“…”

“Hmm. Perhaps you don’t want to go?”

“N-no… No! Thank…”

The beggar stopped, speechless.

He was a member of the Orthodox Sect, and it was strange to thank the leader of the Wicked Faction.

He turned like he was empty inside and lost his balance.

“Ack!”

He had forgotten that his knees were pierced.

“Oh dear, oh dear. So careless. Tsk tsk.”

Jang Il-so glanced back.

“You must be careful. It will be hard to beg for food if you can’t walk. Well… since you’re a member of the Beggars’ Union, maybe you can crawl well?”

The terrified beggar stretched out his arms to grab the ground…

“Come to think of it…”

The beggar’s blood ran cold.

Jang Il-so’s voice had changed.

The beggar looked back at Jang Il-so, who was glancing back.

His gaze was chilling.

“You still had something left.”

Wham!

Something pierced the beggar.

“Gu… Ack. Ugh…”

Blood poured from the beggar’s mouth.

Jang Il-so’s ring pierced his core (a point in the body important for martial arts power).

He could no longer use martial arts. What do you call someone who has lost their martial arts and both legs?

“A beggar should be like a beggar. Don’t you think?”

Jang Il-so smiled and turned.

“I wasted time. I must hurry, as someone is waiting.”

“Yes!”

Jang Il-so took another step.

There was now a headless corpse and a person who had lost everything but their life.

“…Military Advisor. Will this be alright?”

“What are you talking about?”

The assistant spoke to Ho Ga-myeong in a worried tone.

“I mean the Alliance Lord standing at the head.”

Ho Ga-myeong looked at him with a blank face, and the assistant spoke again.

“The Alliance Lord is strong, but I don’t think it’s good to let them know he is the real one. It would be better to confuse the enemy…”

Ho Ga-myeong’s eyes darkened. The assistant continued.

“Or, wouldn’t it be better to kill that beggar? It’s obvious where his words will end up, so I think we should kill him and stop the information.”

“He was spared on purpose.”

“Yes? Wh-why…?”

“He was spared to tell them, as you said. To tell them that the Alliance Lord is here. That he is not a fake.”

“Wh-why would you do that…?”

Ho Ga-myeong turned to face the assistant.

“Do you know why people die?”

“…?”

“It’s because they do things they shouldn’t. Thinking they are clever.”

The assistant’s face turned pale.

“I-I’m sorry, Military Advisor.”

“The Alliance Lord saved you. If he hadn’t cared about showing blood before him, I would have killed you.”

His voice was completely calm. It made the assistant’s heart shrink.

Ho Ga-myeong lost interest and stared at Jang Il-so.

“Do you know why the Alliance Lord wears red when going into battle?”

“…I don’t know…”

Ho Ga-myeong looked at Jang Il-so’s robe.

‘You wouldn’t know.’

– Alliance Lord! They are targeting you! You must take cover!

– Haha! Is that so? They’re targeting me? That’s great.

He had been in many battles.

Sometimes he won, sometimes he lost.

But Ho Ga-myeong remembered.

– Alliance Lord! Why…!

– This way, they will know where I am, won’t they? Let them come. When the goal is clear, people become blind.

Jang Il-so laughed wildly, wearing a red robe. Ho Ga-myeong remembered the madness in his eyes.

That day, the two men barely survived.

Since then, Jang Il-so had always worn a red robe.

So that enemies could see him.

“They will see it too.”

The red robe makes it impossible for enemies to ignore him.

Now, the world will be forced to realize that Jang Il-so is here, that he is coming to burn their world.

Will they still be able to pretend that nothing is happening?

Ho Ga-myeong’s eyes shone coldly.

‘He is right here. The one you want to capture. The one who will burn your world.’

Jang Il-so’s red robe fluttered in the wind. It seemed to show the blue sky that would soon be covered in blood.