Emperor’s Sword [EN]: Chapter 77

Pa Cheon, seated in the grand master’s chair, turned his gaze upon the people before him. A chilling realization washed over him: had he been just a fraction slower, or had the Heavenly Demon not intervened, he and everyone present would have perished. How arrogant he had been until now! He had deluded himself into believing he was invincible, that he possessed everything he needed, and that he was even lacking in some way.

He had acted as if he were a god, convinced that no task was beyond his reach and that he could accomplish anything.

But that version of himself was now dead. He considered himself as good as dead. Having been saved by the Heavenly Demon, he had nothing to boast about unless he had conquered death itself. The despair, the sorrow, the regret for life, and the repeated sense of deprivation he had felt as he anticipated his demise…

‘Yes, all these moments are the last of my life. My life is no longer my own. It is a life granted as a favor, a debt owed to those who died in my place. I had forgotten. Those faces! They are what I must protect now. I cannot afford to fall.’

Pa Cheon! You are not alone anymore. Do not let death defeat you. Make fate yield.

You must regain your senses. You cannot afford to lose again. I will conquer the world with what I have. I will shatter fate and forge a new world. A world where they no longer suffer or feel anger, a world free from fear. I… I don’t care what becomes of me. If I can achieve that, I would become a demon. Even if I suffer in the fires of hell for eternity… I would be content.’

He clenched his fists. He felt as though this was merely the beginning. He would never repeat such a mistake. His gaze settled upon the two kneeling figures. Je Gal Cho-hong had her head bowed, but the Great Lord’s eyes were still filled with arrogance and murderous intent. He was not someone who would break easily. Looking at him, Pa Cheon felt a strange sense of pity. This was the first time he had truly seen him.

Great Lord of the Demonic Path, Hyuk Woo-jong! The one hailed as the sky of the Demonic Path! One of the Five Great Warriors of the Martial World, and the one who had sustained the Demonic Alliance amidst the rise of the righteous path! A legend stood before him. But why did he appear so pathetic? At the very least, the Great Lord Hyuk Woo-jong he had imagined should have been a more imposing figure. Even the most insignificant person possesses an aura, a unique energy. While it may not be an absolute measure, someone who has achieved mastery in a field should possess something that sets them apart from ordinary people. But Hyuk Woo-jong before him had none of that. Pa Cheon tilted his head, puzzled. Then, his gaze shifted back to the military strategist, Je Gal Cho-hong.

“Strategist!”

The title still escaped his lips. Her face, lifted with difficulty, was filled with self-reproach and shame. But more than that, her face was dominated by the calmness of someone who had relinquished everything. With no desires, there were no expectations, and thus no despair. She was ready to accept anything, and therefore, she had no fear.

“Do you have anything to say?”

Je Gal Cho-hong’s eyes remained silent. Her lips moved as if to speak, but then stopped.

“If you have any last words, you may speak them.”

Why did the word ‘last’ make his heart race? It seemed he had already decided to kill them both. It was a given, so she wasn’t particularly resentful, but she was still young, and it was true that she felt a sense of regret.

“When I first saw you, Great Lord, my honest feeling was… a premonition that something was going wrong. The person I saw was not someone who could remain second-in-command. It was like facing a hidden dragon… I might have foreseen today back then. Now… I may feel regret, but I don’t want to have any regrets.”

“Is that so? What was your position in the Blood Demon Heaven?”

It was a question he had heard before. When he mentioned the Blood Demon Heaven, she tried to conceal her surprise and feigned composure. When the Mad Demon Lord had mentioned the Blood Demon Heaven, she had been startled. How could he know of the Blood Demon Heaven’s existence? Even though she was only confirming it again now, she was inwardly surprised.

“As expected, you know a lot, Great Lord. We… or rather, I, didn’t know much about you, and even now, I don’t understand you. Where did things go wrong… Perhaps that’s why we had to lose? I am… a disciple of the Great Chief.”

Her words were unexpected for Pa Cheon. The implication of Je Gal Cho-hong’s words was that the Great Chief was not Hyuk Woo-jong beside her.

“Really? Then this man is not the Great Chief? Who is the Great Chief then? I thought the Great Lord of the Demonic Path was the Great Chief…”

“This person is…”

“Cho-hong! Can’t you stop? Are you going to reveal everything to the enemy?”

It was Hyuk Woo-jong’s rebuke. She looked at him with pity.

“What are you still clinging to? Give up everything, Senior Brother!”

“You, you!”

Pa Cheon’s eyes gleamed with intrigue as he rose from the grand master’s chair and approached Hyuk Woo-jong with an intrigued expression. Then, he reached out and grabbed Hyuk Woo-jong’s hair. A wounded beast’s cry escaped from Hyuk Woo-jong’s tightly closed lips.

He seemed to examine his face carefully, then suddenly grabbed his neck. And then, he peeled something off his face. It was a human skin mask. It was so meticulously crafted that no one had noticed it until now.

Gasp of surprise escaped from those who were watching.

“Who are you?”

As expected, Hyuk Woo-jong remained silent. The face revealed beneath the mask was that of a surprisingly young man in his mid-thirties. He had strong, well-defined features, but his thin lips suggested a narrow-minded personality.

Pa Cheon released his grip on his hair and turned back to sit on the grand master’s chair. He rested his chin on his hand, lost in thought. After a while,

“Je Gal Cho-hong, do you have any intention of answering my questions?”

She trembled slightly. She remembered that the Great Lord had rarely called her by name, and what he was asking felt like a sweet temptation. If she answered his questions truthfully, she might survive. She knew it.

Pa Cheon’s eyes were also confirming it. But more than that, what drew her in was a subtle emotion she couldn’t identify.

“Blind loyalty is not the greatest virtue. Sometimes, you must be able to let go if you believe it is not the right path. You are a wise woman. More than anyone… Do you have any intention of answering my questions? I will not force you. Choose for yourself.”

“You damned bastard! Just kill us already. Don’t shame a defeated warrior.”

“When did I ever shame you? You are a cowardly bunch. You are not warriors. Isn’t that right? Using the Poison of the Unending Void, and even after the failure of the assassins who ambushed me, the Second Commander who ran away hasn’t reported the failure to avoid responsibility. You have no honor. But that made things easier for me.”

It was Pa Cheon’s deduction based on the circumstances. And it seemed almost certain to be true. Only after hearing his words did Je Gal Cho-hong realize what had happened, and she looked dumbfounded. The Great Lord’s appearance here was something that should never have happened from their perspective, and even if things had gone wrong, they should have known about it. If they had, they could have avoided this situation.

“So that’s how it was… Alright. I will answer.”

“Cho-hong, you can’t be…”

“Yes. There seems to be no hope left. If we cannot trust each other and give each other faith, the organization will collapse. Especially if that person is our senior brother.”

Pa Cheon was indirectly grasping the situation through her words. If what Je Gal Cho-hong said was true, then that man was definitely her senior brother.

Je Gal Cho-hong continued in a clear tone.

“I am the third disciple of the Great Chief. And the person next to me is the eldest disciple. The person who died in the martial arts competition of the Namdo Alliance [Southern Alliance] in Mu Chang… was my senior brother right above me. The Great Lord of the Demonic Alliance had already been killed long ago by our master, the Great Chief of the Blood Demon Heaven. Our master is the junior brother of the Blood Demon Heaven Lord. For a while, our master and senior brother had been acting as the Great Lord. But since our master had been away from the Demonic Alliance for a long time, the eldest senior brother had been taking on that role.”

Once she started, the words poured out like a torrent. The man who was Je Gal Cho-hong’s senior brother stared at her, dumbfounded. She was close to the top secret information of the Blood Demon Heaven. If she decided to speak, the damage to the Blood Demon Heaven would be as severe as losing ten thousand subordinates.

“You, you betrayed us?”

Je Gal Cho-hong looked at him and sneered.

“Betrayed? I already know a lot. I know that the massacre of my family in the past was not committed by the North Sword Alliance Lord, but by that Second Commander. You cleverly deceived me and used me. You thought I would never know? I have been waiting for the day I gained power. I am not so foolish as to offer my life in vain.”

“How, how did you know that? Who is it? Who told you that?”

Pa Cheon only needed to keep his ears open to listen to their conversation. Even without him asking, a lot of information was pouring in. When he first met her, he had sensed her excessive hostility towards the Unending Divine Sword, but he had no idea about this story. So, that was why a descendant of the righteous Je Gal family had stepped into the Demonic Path. It was a bitter thing to think about.

Je Gal Cho-hong ignored her senior brother and looked at Pa Cheon.

“The forces of the Blood Demon Heaven had infiltrated the North Sword Alliance, the Namdo Alliance, and the Demonic Alliance, but that was only the leadership, and they were also recently stripped of their positions and fled.”

“Is that so?”

Even though he already knew, Pa Cheon nodded.

“And…”

“And?”

“Not only the Nine Great Sects and the righteous factions, but almost all the major sects in the Central Plains have spies hidden within them.”

“Really? Do you know their identities?”

She revealed everything without hesitation. Je Gal Cho-hong’s senior brother could only stare at her, dumbfounded.

“Yes.”

“Really? That’s good. Hmm… So the Blood Demon Heaven has infiltrated so deeply into the Central Plains? Good. Mad Demon!”

“Yes.”

“Lock this man in the prison.”

“Understood!”

Following the Mad Demon Lord’s orders, the Thousand Man Commander Lee Si-myung and his subordinates dragged the man who had been acting as the Great Lord of the Demonic Path out of the hall.

Before long, the Demon Venerable Hall was cleaned up, and the former executives of the Demonic Alliance were sitting on cushions below. Pa Cheon was on the grand master’s chair in the center, and next to him was another grand master’s chair where the Heavenly Demon sat.

“The effects of the Poison of the Unending Void they used last for a day. During that time, they cannot use their internal energy, so you must be especially careful. For the time being, the Demonic Alliance will be divided and stationed in three locations: this underground headquarters, Mu Chang, and Ak Yang. And the leadership will remain here underground… Until further notice, refrain from external activities and focus on reorganizing the forces.”

“Understood.”

“The person in charge of this will be the Mad Demon, and Mu Young, Han Dang, and Hwang Bo-yeom will assist him.”

“Understood.”

The response was resounding.

“Let Do Mu-bang, the Great Master’s third disciple, take the vacant position of the Maan Commander.”

“Understood.”

Do Mu-bang bowed his head from his seat. Pa Cheon suddenly felt a wave of fatigue. It was the phenomenon of all the tension releasing at once. He raised his head, looked at the front, and quietly spoke.

“Let’s call it a day. Everyone, return to your quarters and rest.”

“Understood!”

“Great Lord!”

It was the military strategist, Je Gal-cho Hong. At her call, Pa Cheon looked at her, puzzled.

“What is it?”

“Shouldn’t we deal with the spies hidden within the Demonic Alliance first? If the people here return to their quarters, there might be enemy ambushes.”

“Are there still people from the Blood Demon Heaven here besides the ones who died?”

“Yes! There aren’t many, but among them is a top-tier assassin. One of those who killed Jang Woong in the past. He is among the top five assassins raised by the Blood Demon Heaven.”

“Is that so? Then, that matter will be handled by the strategist and this person here…”

He hesitated, unsure how to introduce the Heavenly Demon.

“I am Ma Cheon. I am a friend of Pa Cheon’s.”

The Heavenly Demon took the initiative. Ma Cheon and Pa Cheon… Now that Dokgo Mu was dead, he was no longer bothered to bow his head before him. The name Ma Cheon was simply the reverse of Heavenly Demon. The people present had been constantly bothered by the figure next to the Great Lord. It was because they had never encountered someone with such a terrifying appearance, and his formidable martial arts in handling the Great Master also piqued their curiosity. Seeing him sitting next to the Great Lord in a grand master’s chair, they knew he was not a subordinate, but the word ‘friend’ felt out of place. A peerless beauty and a beast-like figure being friends seemed awkward.

“Hmm… Alright, Ma Cheon here and the strategist will take responsibility for handling everything. Everyone else can return to your quarters and rest.”

“Understood.”

The Thousand-Man Unit and the Maan Unit, along with the person called Ma Cheon and the strategist, began to eliminate the enemy spies within the Demonic Alliance. Their movements were so silent that most of the Demonic Alliance’s experts did not notice. They were unaware of what had even happened in the Venerable Demon Hall, so what more could be said?

The tavern was packed again today. Not many noticed that Old Man Jang’s movements seemed strange today. He often seemed dazed, not hearing orders for drinks or side dishes. Po Kyung-ho tilted his head, looking at Old Man Jang as if he were strange. Since joining the Demonic Alliance, he had only worked at this tavern. He had once joined with dreams of a bright future, but after the senior from his hometown who had introduced him died in an accident while working in a secret unit, he had given up on those dreams. He was now content with just doing odd jobs at the tavern day by day.

His only complaint was that this place was cut off from the outside world, making it difficult to get close to women. There were female experts here, but it was not his turn to be with them, and the only ones he could try to flirt with were the maids working in the quarters of the leaders or branch leaders. Other than that, his life was relatively comfortable, and he was satisfied with it.

Also, he was happy just to join in or watch the occasional gambling games.

The person who cherished and cared for him the most was none other than Old Man Jang, the manager of the tavern. In fact, being a manager was just a title in a tavern with only two people, but since it was a place frequently visited by lower-ranking warriors, he treated everyone equally, sometimes like a father, sometimes like an older brother. Po Kyung-ho couldn’t help but feel respect for him.

“So, I heard that Ah-young from the Outer Hall’s Shim Branch Leader’s quarters got caught two-timing and got a beating? Hehe, that girl’s face was all bruised… She’s a funny one. She thought she could get away with anything just because she had a pretty face… I knew she’d get caught eventually.”

Po Kyung-ho quickly washed the dishes. When the tavern was full, his only job was washing dishes. Since there weren’t many dishes, he had to quickly prepare them. People ordered drinks, took them, and put them back themselves, so not much help was needed. Old Man Jang seemed to be listening to Po Kyung-ho while stir-frying shrimp and pork. Usually, he would chime in or agree, but today, there was no reaction from Old Man Jang.

‘He’s really strange today. What’s wrong? It’s not like he’s having his period like a woman… Ah, whatever. Let’s not worry about it. In this complicated world, I can’t worry about other people’s problems. Ugh… It keeps bothering me. If he keeps acting like this when there are only two of us working at the tavern, it’s going to be a serious problem.’

Po Kyung-ho wiped the washed dishes and placed them on the shelf. He glanced at Old Man Jang, but he still had a serious expression. Just then, the outside suddenly became noisy. What’s going on? Is someone fighting again? Po Kyung-ho stopped what he was doing and looked outside.

“Wait, those people?”

Po Kyung-ho’s eyes widened. The woman leading the way was definitely the strategist of the Demonic Alliance, though he had only seen her a few times. It was rare for such a high-ranking expert to visit the tavern… Well, the Great Lord had come before… Po Kyung-ho still couldn’t forget that day. He had seen the Demonic Great Lord, whom he had only heard rumors about, up close and had even prepared his side dishes. It was an unforgettable day for him.

As Je Gal-cho Hong’s group entered the tavern, everyone inside stood up and bowed their heads in respect.

“We greet the strategist.”

The people behind the strategist were clearly members of the Thousand-Man Unit and the Maan Unit. Their aura was immense. What was going on? And what was their business here? They were all uneasy, wondering if something was wrong, even though it had nothing to do with them. Everyone’s gaze naturally focused on the strange figure standing right behind the strategist and couldn’t look away. They felt a strange fear, as if they would die if they looked away even for a moment.

Even though they were lower-ranking warriors, they had spent their lives on the battlefield and instinctively knew how to recognize experts. They could tell that he was an expert beyond their comprehension, and they had never heard of such an expert within the Demonic Alliance. They easily assumed he was a newly recruited expert. Just then, words from the strategist shocked them even more.

“Let’s go in. He’s inside.”

“Is that so?”

When the strategist bowed respectfully, the people inside naturally bowed even lower.

“Send everyone out.”

“Understood! Everyone in the tavern, return to your quarters. I repeat…”

There was no need to say more. With a loud commotion, they all rushed out at once, and their movements were so swift that they could be called first-class experts. The Heavenly Demon went to a seat in the tavern and sat down. The strategist looked towards the kitchen.

Po Kyung-ho was flustered, unsure whether to run outside or stay still. The atmosphere made him feel like he shouldn’t be here. Old Man Jang, who had been serious and brooding all day, looked at him and said with a grave expression.

“You stay here. And… thank you for everything.”

After saying that, he turned and tore off a part of the ceiling. A long sword popped out from there. He gripped the hilt tightly and went outside. Po Kyung-ho, seeing this, was speechless and bewildered, tearing at his hair. Everything had suddenly become chaotic.

“What brings the strategist here?”

His words were not respectful at all.

“It’s all over. Your role too…”

The words ‘is over’ lingered in her mouth. Not many people from the Blood Demon Heaven were not afraid of him. Except for those who were confident that they were stronger than him, everyone feared his sword. She was also afraid of him. The five Blood Assassins! They were called the Five Demon Blood Hands in the Blood Demon Heaven. They were assassins who only acted on the orders of the Heavenly Lord or the Commander! One of them was the old man in front of her. He calmly looked at the strategist and the Heavenly Demon.

“It seems… there was an unexpected variable. And it seems you have betrayed us…”

He could guess the situation. What had been making him uneasy all day had finally revealed itself. He looked at the Heavenly Demon and closed his eyes. Was he anticipating death?

‘There’s no way I can handle him. Is my tedious life finally ending here?’

When his eyes opened again, they were filled with determination. The Heavenly Demon quietly stood up.

“There’s no need for words. I’ll give you a painless death.”

“May I ask one question?”

“What is it?”

“Who are you? If I had known there was someone like you under the heavens… I wouldn’t have taken up the killing sword.”

“Heh, I don’t think I need to answer. Go to hell and solve your questions there…”

As if understanding its master’s heart, Old Man Jang’s sword struggled to come out of its sheath. It was an ordinary, unremarkable steel sword.

Old Man Jang stepped back, creating distance. A single second of combat would be enough. He had no attachment to life. His life as an assassin was not something he had chosen. From the time he began to understand the world, he was already an assassin. It was his destiny, and he only had to choose whether to reject it or accept it silently. And he had accepted it.

‘Great Lord! I miss you. I thought your courage was foolish back then, but now, facing death… why does your courage seem so great? Heh, if only I could see your refreshing smile one more time…’

“Haa!”

Old Man Jang’s steel sword ignored all forms and thrust straight forward. At first glance, it seemed he was aiming for the middle acupoint of the upper body, but it showed severe up and down tremors, as if aiming for the Juque, Yutang, and Zigong acupoints [acupuncture points on the chest], above, and the Yin Jiao and Qihai acupoints [acupuncture points on the lower abdomen], below, all at once. It was a powerful sword technique that could leave even a skilled expert flustered and unable to react, as it was fast enough to cut in an instant. Moreover, a sharp sword energy was extending from the tip of his sword… The Heavenly Demon, instead of avoiding it, stepped into his sword strike and reached out his hand.

In an instant, a look of disbelief quickly appeared and disappeared on Old Man Jang’s face. It was an action that defied common sense, and even Je Gal-cho Hong and the others seemed surprised. Unless something unexpected happened, Old Man Jang’s sword would tear through the Heavenly Demon’s hand and deeply pierce his upper body. The Heavenly Demon’s hand moved in a strange arc, as if drawing a picture in the air, and then pressed down along the blade of Old Man Jang’s sword, moving up the sword’s body. In an instant, a blinding light, impossible to discern, burst from the Heavenly Demon’s hand, causing those around to close their eyes.

“Guh…”

“Farewell. Death will bring you peace.”

Exclamations of admiration escaped from the mouths of the Thousand-Man Unit and Maan Unit members.

“Oh, how is that possible?”

“How could he do that…”

The Heavenly Demon’s hand was deeply embedded in Old Man Jang’s heart. Old Man Jang’s trembling eyes met the Heavenly Demon’s, then fell to his shoulder, then to his arm, and finally to the hand hidden inside his body. Forcing his slowly closing eyes open, he barely managed to utter these words.

“My death… is so… magnificent. Thank you… sincerely…”

As the Heavenly Demon’s hand was pulled out, Old Man Jang’s body, having nothing to support it, collapsed instantly. He was dead.

“Let’s go.”

The Heavenly Demon, as if having finished his task, swaggered out. The strategist did not forget to look at Old Man Jang one last time. The Thousand-Man Unit members were seen collecting his body.

Po Kyung-ho shed a single tear. He thought that was enough for him. After being completely deceived by him, who could he trust in the future? He thought his life might be more difficult than before.