Bachelor Swordsmanship Remastered [EN]: Chapter 233

233. Murim Alliance of Dark Clouds

“Hmm.”

Leaning back under the shade of a large parasol, Moon King watched the battlefield.

The Black Demon Squad was charging towards the Black Spear Cavalry.

“Foolish. They’ve already been outmaneuvered, yet they charge so stubbornly.”

*Tak.*

He closed his fan.

“Well, coming out without properly assessing the enemy was foolish in itself.”

Moon King extended a slender, white finger and picked up a grape from a golden tray beside him.

*Pick.*

Red juice smeared around his mouth.

“Where are the Short Bow Unit?”

A subordinate immediately answered him.

“As you instructed, they have moved to the right flank and are prepared for a second volley.”

The Short Bow Unit were the ones who had been firing black arrows from within the green forest.

Moon King spoke calmly.

“Once both cavalry units have passed each other, they will inevitably change direction. Tell them to shoot at that moment.”

The subordinate bowed his head to receive the order.

“And after that……”

*Kwa kwa kwa gwak.*

At that moment, the two cavalry units collided.

Horses and men flew into the air as if in a lie, and screams and groans filled the plains.

“Tsk.”

*Chwarak.*

Moon King glanced at the scene and unfolded his fan to cover his face.

“After that, send in the Soul Reaping Squad. By then, probably only Jin Mu-ryang will be left.”

“Heh heh.”

A low chuckle made Moon King’s brow furrow.

“I have no intention of spoiling the fun, but aren’t you putting too much effort into dealing with someone like Jin Mu-ryang?”

Moon King turned his head.

A middle-aged man with neatly combed black hair and luxurious silk clothes stood with his hands behind his back.

He looked like a high-ranking official, but his eyes were as cold and sharp as a snake’s.

“……Would you like to step forward?”

Moon King said casually.

The middle-aged man in silk clothes smiled and bowed his head slightly.

“If you wish.”

Moon King’s red lips formed a smile behind his fan.

“Really? Then……”

In a rather intrigued tone, Moon King said,

“Shall we see the skills of the Iron-Blooded Death King?”

The Iron-Blooded Death King made an exaggerated gesture of respect.

And the next moment, he was already gone.

*Hwirik.*

With a gust of wind, the Iron-Blooded Death King disappeared.

Moon King reached out and picked up a grape.

“Hmph. Iron-Blooded Death King, is it?”

*Pick.*

The grape was crushed in his mouth.

“I wonder if he’s worth his name.”

Moon King’s eyes were cold as he spoke.

“Heh heh heh, what does it matter if that child isn’t worth his name?”

A short old man with bulging cheeks stroked his white beard as he said,

“He’s so attentive to you, young master; just look at him fondly.”

“I told you not to call me that, Old Man In.”

Moon King’s tone was rude.

The other party was an elderly man and one of the Three Supreme Beings of Heaven, Earth, and Man, In Tae-sang.

But in a way, it was like a young grandson’s grumbling to his grandfather.

“Oh dear, this old body is getting senile. I’ll be careful next time. Heh heh heh.”

In Tae-sang said with a smile.

But Moon King already knew that he would still call him ‘Young Master’ next time.

“But if it’s this easy, isn’t it just that the Murim Alliance is being played in your palm, young master?”

“No.”

Moon King’s answer was short and firm.

“It won’t be that simple.”

In Tae-sang looked at Moon King as if asking what he meant.

Moon King reached into his inner pocket.

*Basrak.*

A thin letter was in his hand.

“There was someone who already anticipated my plan.”

“Oh ho, your plan, young master?”

In Tae-sang asked with interest.

“Yes. It’s as if he looked into my mind. I really want to see his face.”

Moon King said with a bitter smile.

The contents of the letter were enough to surprise Moon King.

Although it didn’t contain specific details, it accurately pointed out the core of the plan Moon King had set up.

Even the connection between the government, the Upper Realm, and the Northern Sea, which he thought no one knew.

“That’s amazing. Who is the owner of that letter?”

*Eudeuk.*

“……Un Hyun.”

Moon King answered quietly.

In Tae-sang could clearly hear the sound of him grinding his teeth.

“Sword Master of Azure Dragon, Un Hyun, it’s him.”

What Moon King held in his hand was Un Hyun’s letter sent to the Murim Alliance.

The path to the Murim Alliance was already under Moon King’s influence.

In the meantime, the letter that Sword Master of Azure Dragon, Un Hyun, was sending to the Murim Alliance came into his hands.

“Oh ho, Sword Master of Azure Dragon, you say?”

In Tae-sang’s eyes lit up.

How could they not?

Sword Master of Azure Dragon was one of the targets that First Supreme Merchant was interested in.

“I’ll make it clear.”

Moon King said to In Tae-sang with sharp eyes.

“He’s mine. Grandpa.”

“……Heh heh heh.”

In Tae-sang bowed his head lightly.

“Of course. Young master.”

Moon King frowned slightly but didn’t say anything more.

In Tae-sang turned his head.

“Did you hear that too? That guy belongs to the young master. Do you understand? Ji Tae-sang.”

*Hu woong.*

The beard of a giant old man fluttered in the wind.

One of the Three Supreme Beings, an old man with a long black beard, Ji Tae-sang, stood silently without answering.

The desperate battle between the two cavalry units in the distant plains no longer meant anything to them.

***

The atmosphere in Hangzhou was grim.

The expressions of the people were dark because of the brutal rumors coming from all directions, and even the colorful lanterns hanging in the downtown area felt eerie.

A group of cavalry was now galloping through the center of Hangzhou.

*Tagadak, tagadak.*

“What, what is it?”

“Be careful!”

The people quickly moved out of the way.

*Tagadak, tagadak.*

The cavalry passed by people with a violent momentum.

What people saw then was the sight of people and horses soaked in blood.

“Gasp!”

“Wh, what’s going on?”

Before people could properly examine it, the cavalry ran off towards the other side of the street.

And people could clearly tell that something big had happened.

Because the direction the blood-soaked cavalry was heading was the Murim Alliance.

“Se, 설마…….”

People couldn’t bring themselves to finish their words.

However, the rumor that the Murim Alliance had been defeated by the Coalition of Water Bandits had already spread throughout Hangzhou before the next day.

*Kwadang.*

“Gwan Ji-bu!”

Jegal Yeon, the representative of the Jegal Clan, said as he roughly opened the door.

Gwan Ji-bu, who was supporting an injured warrior, quickly raised his head.

“Jegal Yeon-nim!”

Jegal Yeon frowned upon discovering the blood-soaked warrior.

He immediately reached out his hand.

*Tak, tak.*

Jegal Yeon sequentially pressed on pressure points to stop the bleeding.

And he took the warrior and slowly laid him on the floor.

Gwan Ji-bu bit his lip and said.

“……He is a warrior of the Black Demon Squad.”

“I know.”

Jegal Yeon looked at the warrior’s wound with a stern expression, or rather, the weapon that made the wound.

The weapon still embedded in the blood-soaked uniform was a short, black arrow.

“The others have already been moved to the medical center. But this person said he must see Jegal Yeon-nim……”

“Me?”

Was it because of the two people’s voices?

The warrior let out a low groan.

“Ugh.”

“Are you awake?”

Jegal Yeon said urgently.

“This is the Murim Alliance. So don’t worry anymore and……”

*Deolkeong.*

The door opened and other representatives came in.

They had gathered after receiving Gwan Ji-bu’s urgent call.

“What’s going on!”

“Oh my!”

“Amitabha.”

Jin-myeong of the Shaolin recited a Buddhist invocation [a sacred verbal repetition], and Cheong-jin of the Wudang frowned.

Moyong Mi let out a small moan but didn’t turn her head.

“We need to move him to the medical center right away. First, the wound……”

Moyong Mi, who was speaking, saw the black arrow embedded in his wound.

She flinched without realizing it, and the other representatives’ expressions also hardened.

“Wh, what is this……”

It was when Moyong Mi was muttering.

“……Hui, we must save the Squad Leader.”

The Black Demon Squad warrior let out a faint voice.

Jegal Yeon quickly listened, and the representatives also closed their mouths.

“Squad Leader? Are you talking about Jin Mu-ryang Daehyeop [a respectful title]?”

The Squad Leader of the Black Demon Squad is Black Moon Sword Jin Mu-ryang.

“We must save the Squad Leader……”

Jegal Yeon’s eyes widened.

The Black Demon Squad warrior’s lips twitched, but his voice was very small.

Jegal Yeon quickly brought his ear closer.

The Black Demon Squad warrior said in a voice that seemed to break at any moment.

“The Green Forest……, Black Spear……, Iron-Blooded Death King……”

At that moment, Jegal Yeon stopped breathing without realizing it.

But he definitely didn’t mishear.

The other representatives’ faces changed as well.

“Iron-Blooded Death King!”

“No way!”

At that moment, the Black Demon Squad warrior spat out blood.

“Cough.”

“It’s dangerous to say more.”

At Moyong Mi’s words, Jegal Yeon nodded.

Jegal Yeon quietly said in the Black Demon Squad warrior’s ear.

“I understand. Don’t worry. Now the Murim Alliance will take care of the rest.”

A moment of relief appeared on the Black Demon Squad warrior’s face.

And he lost consciousness as it was.

Jegal Yeon, who was looking down at the warrior with a complicated expression, got up from his seat.

“Quickly move him to the medical center.”

“Yes.”

Gwan Ji-bu bowed his head.

Jegal Yeon looked back at the other representatives.

His clothes and face were covered in blood, but Jegal Yeon didn’t care.

“Please send rescue teams urgently. Many people must have been stranded. Their lives are in danger if they are not rescued as soon as possible.”

“Amitabha. I will send the disciples of Shaolin immediately.”

“Wudang will also send disciples.”

“Our Moyong Clan will also send them.”

Jegal Yeon expressed his gratitude and said.

“Thank you. And even if you encounter the enemy, never avoid fighting. In the current situation, only the number of victims will increase.”

“I understand.”

Jin-myeong of Shaolin replied.

“What about Jin Mu-ryang Daehyeop?”

Moyong Mi asked.

“I will send people to the Jin River area. But……”

Jegal Yeon bit his lip.

As of now, the possibility of the Black Demon Squad Leader being safe was infinitely low.

Jegal Yeon raised his head.

“I propose to hold an emergency representative meeting right now.”

Jegal Yeon said with a stern expression.

No one objected.

Jin-myeong of Shaolin, Cheong-jin of Wudang, and Moyong Mi of the Moyong Clan all nodded with stern expressions.

***

Late at night, the gates of the Murim Alliance opened, and warriors rode out on horses.

It was a rescue team to save the stranded Black Demon Squad.

About fifteen groups of rescue teams, each consisting of about fifteen warriors, departed from the Murim Alliance and returned throughout the night.

Each time, their horses carried injured and blood-soaked Black Demon Squad warriors.

The lights in the Murim Alliance did not go out until dawn, and the public sentiment in Hangzhou became even more grim.

“Thank you for your cooperation.”

Jegal Yeon, who had directed the rescue operation all night, expressed his gratitude to the representatives.

He organized the rescue team, assessed the situation, secured medical supplies in Hangzhou, and ordered the surrounding area to be guarded.

It was truly an impeccable response.

Even the sects and clans, who would not have followed him willingly under normal circumstances, actively cooperated with Jegal Yeon’s command.

Thanks to this, a significant number of warriors belonging to the Black Demon Squad and the Murim Alliance who had been stranded were also rescued.

“Jegal Yeon Daehyeop, you have also worked hard.”

Jin-myeong of Shaolin said, reciting a Buddhist invocation.

Jegal Yeon bowed his head with a stern expression.

“What is the situation?”

Someone among the representatives asked.

Jegal Yeon bit his lip.