Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 1162

“Hurry! Hurry!”

“What is it?”

Ga Deuk-Sang’s body was emaciated, a testament to how busy he had been. He hated being disturbed during his short rest periods, but the urgency in Cheol Gon-Gae’s voice made his face harden.

“It’s urgent! Look at this!”

Ga Deuk-Sang quickly read the letter Cheol Gon-Gae handed him, his eyes blazing with fury.

“What the hell is this all of a sudden?!”

After confirming the letter’s contents several times, Ga Deuk-Sang looked up.

“When did this information come in?”

“Exactly twenty hours ago! It’s predicted they’ve reached the western part of Sichuan by now!”

“This is insane!”

Ga Deuk-Sang shoved an entire chicken leg into his mouth, stripping the meat off the bone before tossing it away.

“Share this information with the Martial Alliance, the Black Imperial Castle, and the Imperial Palace! Immediately!”

“I’ve already ordered it to be delivered!”

Given the situation, they were handling things with a report-after-action approach.

It hadn’t been long since the war that nearly collapsed the entire northern part of the Central Plains. As a result, all the informants in the Central Plains were working much faster.

And the Beggars’ Union was no exception.

Furthermore, the Beggars’ Union had something that set it apart from other information organizations in the martial world.

“What about the Sichuan Three Rivers?!”

“Given the region, they were naturally faster than us. They plan to gather their experts at Mount Qingcheng and Mount Emei as their front lines!”

It was fortunate that the Qingcheng and Emei sects were well-versed in the western Sichuan area. Moreover, both places were as beautiful as they were treacherous, so the swordsmen familiar with the terrain would be much faster than the enemy.

“Has there been any contact from the Tang family?”

“There hasn’t been any separate contact, but it’s likely they’ll deploy a small elite force to Qingcheng and Emei. It seems they plan to focus solely on support in the first battle.”

It was a wise decision.

The Tang family’s poisons and hidden weapons were dangerous to anyone. Even a child who hadn’t learned any martial arts could kill hundreds with a single dose of poison. Sending a small elite force and focusing on support was a decision to protect the heart of Sichuan while slowing down the enemy’s advance, in case of unforeseen circumstances.

‘But will that be enough?’

It might, or it might not.

The number of troops listed in the letter was just an estimate. If there were experts beyond common sense among them, and they managed to break through Qingcheng and Emei, then the Dark King Tang Hyeong might have to step in himself.

However, he was someone who had to hold out until the very end.

Ga Deuk-Sang finally realized that it was time for the Beggars’ Union to act.

“Send the active members of the Dog Beating Hall to set up positions in eastern and southern Sichuan!”

“Do you mean, all of them?”

“Send all of them, leaving only the minimum number behind!”

Cheol Gon-Gae swallowed hard.

To those unfamiliar, the term ‘Hall’ might sound like a small organization, but the Dog Beating Hall was the largest in the Beggars’ Union. Excluding the reserves, the number of active members alone was a massive force of ten thousand.

To send all but the minimum number meant moving at least seven or eight thousand troops to Sichuan. In the history of the Beggars’ Union, the entire Dog Beating Hall had never been mobilized more than five times.

But Ga Deuk-Sang didn’t stop there.

“We need to prepare the old-timers too.”

“Pardon?”

“I’m talking about the old-timers of the Dog Beating Hall.”

Cheol Gon-Gae’s face turned pale.

The old-timers of the Dog Beating Hall referred to the previous generation of experts in the Beggars’ Union. The saying ‘Ten Thousand Beggars’ wasn’t for nothing; the number of retired experts in the Beggars’ Union far surpassed that of the Nine Great Sects. [Nine Great Sects: The most powerful martial arts schools in the Central Plains.]

Even if their individual martial prowess was a step or two below, gathering all those former experts would create a force capable of collapsing a major sect overnight.

Of course, many had washed their hands of the martial world and completely retired. They had left the secular world to live in the mountains or had gone to new lands across the sea, completely severing their ties with the martial world to pursue their own lives.

However, the former experts Ga Deuk-Sang was talking about belonged to an organization with the bizarre name of the Old Dog Hall. They usually lived without any connection to the Beggars’ Union, but when the organization was in danger, they would come out into the world and show their strength.

The number of those currently identified was over five hundred. They were all experts, but beyond their martial arts skills, their vast experience in the martial world made them unmatched in group battles.

Ga Deuk-Sang’s words meant he was going to deploy all of them.

“But, Deputy Chief.”

Cheol Gon-Gae said cautiously.

“They are under the direct command of the Chief, and they won’t move unless they receive an order from the Jade Bamboo Staff….”

“Here.”

Ga Deuk-Sang threw the Jade Bamboo Staff, which had been lying in a corner, to Cheol Gon-Gae.

“Take this and deliver the order. I may not have officially taken the position of Chief, but as the acting Chief, I am the de facto Dragon Head Chief.”

“Y-yes, but…”

“There’s no time! Move quickly!”

“Understood!”

Cheol Gon-Gae tucked the Jade Bamboo Staff into his belt and rushed out.

“Damn it.”

Ga Deuk-Sang scanned the letter again.

“Were these bastards just testing the waters?”

The Three Teachings [Three Teachings: A collective term for the three major religious and philosophical schools of thought in China: Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism.] had formed a massive front line stretching from Gansu and Shaanxi to Hebei and Liaoning. And all the troops they had sent were crushed.

Of course, many had died in the Central Plains as well, but the result was an undeniable victory for the martial world of the Central Plains.

Therefore, the Three Teachings would have to move cautiously.

Of course, the Central Plains was also exhausted from the initial battles, so they might have sent additional troops with the intention of capturing a region by force, even if it meant overexerting themselves.

The problem was that the region was Sichuan, not Gansu, Shaanxi, or Hebei.

‘Sichuan has the Dark King and the Tang family head. There are two masters of the Supreme Poison Art in the Tang family alone. Both are skilled in poison and hidden weapons and have extensive experience in group battles, so they won’t be easily defeated.’

The problem was.

‘There’s no way they wouldn’t know that.’

Whether they sent a small elite force or a large army, the target should have been a region where the initial battles had taken place.

The most likely region was Shaanxi. Gansu had also suffered tremendous damage, but Mount Zhongnan and Mount Hua had suffered as much damage as the Common Faction. Therefore, it would be ideal to attack two of the Nine Great Sects that were not functioning properly, push them back, and then move south or occupy Shaanxi itself.

‘Why the hell?!’

He couldn’t fathom the enemy’s intentions. Surely they wouldn’t be foolish enough to think that since they had touched Gansu, Shaanxi, and Hebei, they would try to touch Shanxi and Sichuan as well.

‘If it were Shanxi, I might understand.’

No matter how he thought about it, he couldn’t find an answer.

Ga Deuk-Sang’s eyes flashed.

“It’s one of three things. Either they’re confident they can really push through Sichuan, it’s a feint, or… it’s both.”

***

Woo-oo-oo-oong!

A terrifying resonance emanated from Ha Eun-Gyo’s body.

The Yin Flower Demonic Divine Art was being pushed to its limits. Even though her mind and body were extremely exhausted, she was pushing herself due to the urgency of the situation.

After a moment.

“It’s not working.”

Blood trickled from Ha Eun-Gyo’s nose.

“My upper dantian [dantian: A key energy center in the body according to traditional Chinese medicine.] is in such a state that the Yin Flower Demonic Art can’t exert its full power.”

By now, Gang Ryang, Jin Yang, Heo Baek, and the Black Blood Demon had gathered around the two of them. The Guardian Corps were hidden out of sight.

“Did you call for Miss Ji?”

“Yes, I remember.”

Ha Eun-Gyo’s face was pale. It wasn’t just from exhaustion.

“I called So-Hyeon. The reason why I and Baek Eum-Gwi stopped at this distance was because it was the limit of the distance I could barely call her.”

Considering the distance from here to Mount Zhongnan, it must have consumed an enormous amount of spiritual energy.

‘So that’s what it was.’

Yeon Ho-Jeong realized that Ha Eun-Gyo’s upper dantian was not just exhausted from loneliness and poison.

She had called Ji So-Hyeon from this distance. How that was possible was unknown. Perhaps the unique resonance of the Seon Eum Moon martial arts had made it possible.

‘Well, it’s not incomprehensible.’

He himself had felt the presence of his master thousands of miles away and had not left Qinghae Castle.

Considering that distance, it was understandable that Ha Eun-Gyo had called Ji So-Hyeon. Considering the characteristics of the Yellow Dragon Divine King Art and the enlightenment of his master who had reached the realm of Beyond the Heavens, it was just the right distance.

Of course, that wasn’t what was important right now.

“Dark Shadow Unit Leader, contact the Shaanxi intelligence unit immediately. Find out where Ji So-Hyeon, who came down from Mount Zhongnan, has gone.”

“Understood.”

“Contact the Zhongnan Sect in my name as well. They must mobilize all their intelligence to find out where she went and whether she was intercepted along the way.”

“Yes!”

Swish.

Heo Baek disappeared like mist.

A shadow fell over Yeon Ho-Jeong’s face.

‘This isn’t good.’

He felt an ominous premonition.

It had been quite some time since Ha Eun-Gyo had arrived here. If that was the case, Ji So-Hyeon should have arrived here by now.

Then there was only one answer.

‘Kidnapping, or death.’

Yeon Ho-Jeong asked Ha Eun-Gyo.

“Senior, do you remember? How did the Evil Sound Cult Leader tell you to call Miss Ji?”

“I don’t know. I don’t know the reason. But it’s certain that the ‘order’ was given. The Evil Sound Cult wanted So-Hyeon!”

Ha Eun-Gyo sighed.

Her face was stained with indescribable sadness from the overwhelming sense of futility and self-loathing.

“I called my own disciple with my own hands.”

She had gone to pay for the sins of abandoning her child, only to be brainwashed by her enemies. And to make matters worse, she had even dragged her only disciple to a place that could become a death trap.

A disciple was like a child connected by a thousand miles. She had gone to resolve the issue with the guilt of abandoning one child, but the result was that she had put another child in danger.

The sadness was so profound that she felt like her mind was about to fly away.

Yeon Ho-Jeong, who was supporting the staggering Ha Eun-Gyo, quickly spoke.

“This is not your fault, Senior, but theirs.”

“No, it is, it is.”

“Even if that’s the case, now is not the time to waver. We need to find Miss Ji’s whereabouts as soon as possible.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes gleamed.

“The fact that they gave you such an order means they need Miss Ji. In other words, she won’t die right away.”

Ha Eun-Gyo’s eyes flashed at that moment.

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Let’s find Miss Ji first. That’s the priority.”

“You’re right.”

At that moment, the voice of the Guardian Corps Leader was heard in the air.

“Lord, it’s urgent.”

“What is it?”

“There’s a report that a group of about a thousand, presumed to be demonic, have crossed Qinghae and are entering western Sichuan.”

Jin Yang’s face twisted.

“These bastards are really going all out!”

Yeon Ho-Jeong slowly rose from his seat.

‘Now? At this time? And they’re targeting Sichuan, not Gansu, Shaanxi, or Hebei?’

Moreover, there were a thousand of them.

Even if there were top experts among them, Sichuan had the Dark King and Tang Gwan. Furthermore, Qingcheng and Emei were also strong pillars.

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s mind raced.

The eyes of a strategist who looked out over the entire Central Plains. Combined with his past experience fighting the Evil Sound Cult, he could deduce their behavior and habits.

After a moment.

“……These bastards, huh?”

Gang Ryang’s eyes flashed. He sensed a strong anger in Yeon Ho-Jeong’s voice, along with a hint of realization.

Yeon Ho-Jeong shouted quickly.

“Everyone, move towards Shanxi!”

Yeon Ho-Jeong, who had placed Ha Eun-Gyo on the Black Blood Demon, slowly moved his feet.

“It’s highly likely that Miss Ji went there. Guardian Corps Leader, contact the Shanxi Fenyang branch chief immediately, and tell the Dark Shadow Unit Leader to come there after finishing his work!”