Bachelor Swordsmanship Remastered [EN]: Chapter 251

251. Escape

“Good heavens.”

“How can such a monster exist!”

The cries of the Je Gal Clan Lord and the lament of the Ami Sect Leader erupted simultaneously.

The Shaolin Abbot Taeheo unknowingly chanted a Buddhist prayer, and the seated Clan Lords and Family Heads jumped to their feet.

“What on earth is that?”

The Danmok Family Head asked as if shouting, but no one answered.

No one knew the identity of that bizarre group.

“How can such heinous sorcery exist…?”

The Wudang Sect Leader groaned.

The grotesque figures rushed in, completely disregarding defense, as if willing to die alongside their enemies.

Even with arms cut off and swords piercing their chests, they would not stop.

Even at this moment, disciples of Wudang, Hwasan, and prestigious families were falling, bleeding.

Cut down by greatswords or crushed by iron maces.

“What are those things…?”

“This is no time to stand around.”

Flap.

The Je Gal Clan Lord, the Gentleman Sword Je Gal-myung, looked around at the leaders and shouted.

“We must withdraw our disciples at once!”

No one objected.

They might have watched a little longer, but with their own disciples dying helplessly, no one dared to voice such thoughts.

And their judgment was correct.

Those monsters were opponents against whom common sense was utterly useless.

“Raise the signal!”

Flap.

At the cry of the Gentleman Sword Je Gal-myung, a new flag soared high above the pavilion.

It was a signal to retreat unconditionally.

“The signal is up!”

At his disciple’s urgent voice, Je Gal-yeon quickly turned his head.

‘Unconditional retreat!’

“Senior Brother, it’s a retreat!”

Hearing his disciple’s voice, Je Gal-yeon gritted his teeth.

“Sound the drums!”

Je Gal-yeon shouted urgently.

Thump, thump, thump, thump.

A fast and fierce drumbeat began to sound.

It was a signal to retreat.

At the same time, Je Gal-yeon spoke to Jin-myung, the representative of Shaolin, and Hyuk-ryun-pil, the representative of the Hyuk-ryun Family.

“Let’s go!”

Both of them nodded, as if they had already expected it.

Thud.

The three immediately leaped into the air.

Not towards the Murim Alliance side, but towards the front lines where the fierce battle was taking place.

Because the moment of retreat is the most dangerous time.

Clang, whoosh.

Je Gal-yeon landed in front of a grotesque figure and shouted, unleashing his twin palms.

“Retreat!”

Bang.

The grotesque figure, which had been rushing towards a Je Gal Family disciple, was pushed back.

The disciple who had been fighting the grotesque figure stared at Je Gal-yeon with a bewildered expression.

“G, Great Senior Brother!”

“Didn’t you hear? I said retreat!”

Je Gal-yeon shouted sharply.

Thump, thump, thump, thump.

Only then did the disciple realize that the drums were sounding.

He had not heard it properly in the midst of the battle.

“Retreat now!”

Thud.

Je Gal-yeon leaped towards the other disciples.

The iron staffs they boasted were disadvantageous against the grotesque figures.

Je Gal-yeon pushed back the grotesque figures, throwing his fists and palms here and there, and retreated his disciples.

Jin-myung of Shaolin, Hyuk-ryun-pil of the Hyuk-ryun Family, and the other representatives were also doing their best to rescue their own disciples.

The New Great Five Families, forming the left flank, were also doing the same, with the activities of Mo-yong-jin and Mo-yong-mi of the Mo-yong Family, as well as Hwangbo Seon-hye of the Namhae Sword Sect, standing out.

However, their hearts were not at ease.

‘As expected.’

Mo-yong-mi bit her lip.

‘The Murim Alliance has been defeated.’

Even before the Blood Iron Four Kings or the Three Supremes appeared.

“Mi-ah!”

Mo-yong-jin flew through the air and landed in front of Mo-yong-mi.

“Brother!”

“Haaah!”

Mo-yong-jin raised his inner energy, letting out a great shout.

Whoo-oong.

A blue aura formed on his sword, and soon that aura extended beyond the tip of the sword.

“Take this!”

Whoosh.

The trajectory of the blue sword energy swept around like a storm.

The grotesque figures caught in it had their arms and legs blown away, and their heads soared into the air.

But those who fell were only those whose legs and necks were cut off.

Even with their arms cut off, the grotesque figures did not stop charging.

“Like these monsters…”

Mo-yong-jin muttered as if he was fed up.

“Brother! Let’s go!”

“Okay.”

He had achieved his purpose by saving Mo-yong-mi.

Thud.

Mo-yong-jin and Mo-yong-mi immediately kicked off the ground and leaped into the air.

The grotesque figures, writhing with their arms cut off, stopped moving after a while and collapsed.

“Kkeueok.”

Thud.

Another grotesque figure trampled over the fallen ones.

The battlefield was literally a scene of hell.

“The enemy is retreating.”

At his subordinate’s report, Moon Lord said in an indifferent tone.

“As expected, there were no unexpected variables until the end.”

Waving his peacock feather fan lightly, Moon Lord wore a sneer.

“Was this all you had? Azure Dragon Sword Lord.”

Moon Lord looked down at the battlefield with a rather satisfied expression.

The Murim Alliance main camp was now mostly retreating inside the north gate.

However, the Black Spear Cavalry and the Short Bow Unit, which should have been pursuing the enemy to the end, were waiting, keeping their distance from the Lost Souls Unit.

Because Moon Lord’s order had not yet been issued.

“What shall we do now?”

The subordinate asked quietly.

“As planned.”

Moon Lord’s white fingers drew a circle in the air.

“Surround the Murim Alliance.”

“Yes.”

The subordinate bowed his head and received the order.

Flap.

The signal was raised, and the Short Bow Unit and the Black Spear Cavalry split to both sides of the Murim Alliance.

The Green Forest, which had been standing still all along, finally began to move slowly towards the Murim Alliance.

“If there is any hidden card left.”

Moon Lord said, looking down at the Murim Alliance with arrogant eyes.

“You better use it quickly. Azure Dragon Sword Lord.”

Click.

Moon Lord rose from his seat.

“Because fire arrows will soon visit you.”

The sun was already past its zenith and leaning towards the west.

Flap.

The peacock feather fan covered Moon Lord’s face.

Moon Lord returned to his camp as he was.

He had just defeated the Murim Alliance, the pinnacle of the Kangho Murim [martial arts world] and the strongest coalition, but there was not a single smile or joy on Moon Lord’s face.

***

The high pavilion of the Murim Alliance.

The leaders and family heads of the great sects watched the retreat with complicated expressions.

Thanks to the Je Gal Clan Lord, Gentleman Sword Je Gal-myung’s bold and quick decision, the damage was not that great.

But the fact that the Murim Alliance had retreated was very significant.

Even those who had experienced the Righteous-Demonic War were silent for a while.

“…What should we do now?”

The Danmok Family Head asked.

“What else can we do?”

The Hyuk-ryun Family Head, Tyrant Sword Hyuk-ryun Cheol-hoo, said as if throwing the words out.

“We have no choice but to escape from this place immediately.”

“Escape?”

The Danmok Family Head could not hide his bewilderment.

“No, but this place is…”

Isn’t this the Murim Alliance, the pride of the martial world?

But the Danmok Family Head’s words could not continue.

“Look over there, Benefactor Danmok.”

The Shaolin Abbot Taeheo said quietly.

The place his gaze was directed at was the enemy’s forces approaching the Murim Alliance.

The Black Spear Cavalry and the Short Bow Unit slowly spreading to the left and right, and the Green Forest approaching from the front, clearly showed their intentions.

“They are trying to trap us. This place was not originally built with a siege in mind, so if we are surrounded, we will not be able to hold out for even a few days.”

“It won’t even last a few days.”

Gentleman Sword Je Gal-myung said.

“If they shoot fire arrows, this place will immediately turn into a sea of fire.”

The Danmok Family Head said with a flustered expression.

“But how can we escape from this place? We haven’t even recovered the bodies of the dead disciples yet, and there are quite a few injured disciples!”

The Shaolin’s Taeheo quietly chanted a Buddhist prayer.

“We can’t just burn to death, can we?”

The Danmok Family Head was dumbfounded.

What he said was all right.

But what is this atmosphere of speaking as if it were someone else’s business?

“Divide the surviving disciples into two groups.”

The Mo-yong Family Head, Gwanil Sword Mo-yong Dan-cheon, opened his mouth quietly.

Of course, it was a word directed at the Danmok Family Head.

“Have the carefully selected elites charge out first to divert the enemy’s attention, and use that gap to allow the injured to escape.”

Mo-yong Dan-cheon continued without hesitation.

“Their encirclement is not yet complete, so if you just get out of the Hangzhou area, you will be safe. Head towards the large towns around, but it is best to avoid the Yangtze River area. I heard that place is already in the hands of the Surochae [a powerful group of bandits or mercenaries].”

The Danmok Family Head could not hide his surprise.

“The plans of the others will not be much different. Isn’t that right?”

No one answered Mo-yong Dan-cheon’s words.

But the Danmok Family Head could tell. That everyone had made the same decision.

“Don’t tell me you guys from the beginning…”

“Watch your words!”

Gentleman Sword Je Gal-myung cut off his words in a stern voice.

“It is right for those who lead a sect to prepare for any situation. How can you blame others for your own fault?”

At his fierce rebuke, the Danmok Family Head bit his lip.

But at this moment, what flashed through his mind was the warning of ‘Divine Monk’s Disciple’ Woon-hyun.

‘I was foolish. I was foolish.’

Everyone seemed to not listen to that warning.

So the Danmok Family also ignored his words.

But the only sect that did not follow that warning was himself.

Gritting.

The Danmok Family Head gritted his teeth at the rising sense of betrayal.

But there was nothing more he could do.

“Everyone must have heard what Family Head Mo-yong said.”

Je Gal-myung said in a serious voice.

“We must escape before they complete the encirclement. The method is also as Family Head Mo-yong said.”

Je Gal-myung’s eyes flashed for a moment as he looked at Mo-yong Dan-cheon.

But that look soon returned to normal.

“Originally, concentrating our forces would be the right strategy, but now we have to escape before the encirclement is complete, so there is no time. Let’s leave this place as each sect is ready.”

Je Gal-myung continued without hesitation.

“Of course, it would be more effective to confuse the enemy by escaping in different directions. The only thing left is the question of which sect will go in which direction…”

Rustle.

Je Gal-myung took out a luxurious silk pouch from his chest.

He seemed confident that he had everyone’s consent, and no one raised any objections.

Clatter.

Ivory plaques poured out of the silk pouch.

Je Gal-myung picked up one of them.

“These ivory plaques have numbers written on them. Let’s decide the direction for each number and draw the plaques one by one.”

Je Gal-myung examined the enemy’s situation and determined the possible escape routes.

Since the north was blocked by the enemy, there were not many possible directions.

“Well, the directions may overlap. If that happens, let’s scatter after the escape. Do you have any objections?”

Time was urgent and there was much to do, so there was no reason to have other opinions.

Perhaps it was because they had all experienced the chaos of the Righteous-Demonic War.

Swish.

Je Gal-myung put the ivory plaques back into the silk pouch and placed it on the table.

“Then whoever wants to can draw first. I’ll do it last.”

Je Gal-myung stepped back.

Silence flowed for a moment, but soon the Hyuk-ryun Family Head Hyuk-ryun Cheol-hoo stepped forward.

“I’ll go first.”

Clatter.

Hyuk-ryun Cheol-hoo put his hand into the silk pouch and grabbed an ivory plaque.

Following him, the other family heads and leaders came out and took out the ivory plaques one by one.

“Do you all have them? Then…”

It was the moment when Gentleman Sword Je Gal-myung reached out to the silk pouch.

“Wait a moment.”

Gwanil Sword Mo-yong Dan-cheon said.

“How about giving the warriors in the guest quarters a chance since there are plaques left?”

Je Gal-myung frowned slightly.

The warriors in the guest quarters were from small and medium-sized sects and vagrants near Hangzhou.

“Their battle today was excellent. Don’t you think they deserve this much treatment?”

“I agree.”

The Hyuk-ryun Family Head Hyuk-ryun Cheol-hoo said.

“If they move as well, it will help to disrupt the encirclement.”

The Shaolin’s Taeheo also said.

“It is right to open a path for them since they worked hard today.”

Gentleman Sword Je Gal-myung nodded.

“I understand. If there are no other opinions, let’s do that.”

There were no objections or opposition.

Gentleman Sword Je Gal-myung took out one of his ivory plaques from the silk pouch and put it in his chest.

Then he called a disciple of the Je Gal Family and took out three more ivory plaques and handed them over.

As the disciple of the Je Gal Family left for the guest quarters, the Hyuk-ryun Family Head Hyuk-ryun Cheol-hoo asked.

“When would be a good time to start?”

“The sooner the better.”

Je Gal-myung said, tidying up the thinned silk pouch.

“It seems the encirclement will be complete in an hour, so we must leave this place within at least half an hour.”

“Half an hour!”

The Danmok Family Head said in a desperate voice.

Half an hour is too little time to reorganize the surviving disciples and prepare to move the injured.

But time was not something they could decide.