Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 240

‘Senior.’

‘What happened?’

Ga Deuk-Sang sighed.

‘All the remaining Shadow Warriors, along with explosives, completely destroyed the entrance of the Mukryong Clan and died in the blast. I just confirmed it.’

‘Is that so?’

Paeyul, who was looking southwest, nodded.

‘Understood.’

‘Senior.’

‘……?’

‘I’m sorry.’

‘For what?’

‘For arguing with you before with unnecessary words.’

‘When did you ever argue with me? If you had really done that, I would have cut your head off.’

It was an unlike him joke. That’s why Ga Deuk-Sang felt even more sorry for him.

‘Senior is also suffering enough.’

The Shadow Warriors of the Moyong Clan, who had disguised themselves as merchants of the Guiju Merchant Guild, were not all dead.

Yeon Ho-Jeong tried to persuade them somehow, and eventually, when the remaining number reached fifty, they stopped attacking.

After that, Yeon Ho-Jeong was said to have earnestly coaxed them. He constantly appealed to them, saying that there was no need to die like this, and that it would be better to strike a blow against Moyong Gun.

However, they couldn’t do that. All the Shadow Warriors were chronically poisoned.

In the end, they were destined to die if they didn’t take the antidote in time. Naturally, Moyong Gun had no intention of giving them the antidote.

They would die either way.

Moreover, if they didn’t die, the lives of their families held captive by Moyong Gun would become miserable. That was the reason why they had desperately attacked.

Those people, persuaded by Yeon Ho-Jeong, changed their minds and risked their lives to strike a blow against Moyong Gun.

‘I will never forget your names.’

Seeing Ga Deuk-Sang sigh again, Paeyul said in a nonchalant tone.

‘Why is a beggar sighing so much?’

‘Can’t a beggar sigh?’

‘Aren’t you a beggar with no luck anyway? You’ll lose even the little luck you have.’

‘Hehe, are you worried about me?’

Srrrk.

‘……I’m sorry.’

Paeyul snorted and sheathed his sword.

‘Let’s get going.’

‘Yes, sir.’

‘By the way, where was the place again?’

‘……’

‘Why?’

‘Sometimes you seem so wise, but at times like this, you’re really ignorant.’

Chaaang!

‘Ack! I’m just kidding! It’s really a joke!’

‘That’s a cheap joke. You only have to risk your own life.’

‘I, I said I’m sorry.’

‘Hmph.’

Ga Deuk-Sang clicked his tongue.

‘Head northwest to Ikyang, north of Changsha. You need to go to the outer streets of Changsha first.’

‘Understood.’

At that moment, Jeagal Ayeon, who had been quiet until then, opened her mouth.

‘Um……’

‘What are you doing? Hurry up and prepare. Dang Sang-A, you too.’

‘Um, um, Senior?’

‘What is it?’

‘That……’

Paeyul frowned.

‘Are you becoming like that beggar? Don’t drag it out, just speak.’

Jeagal Ayeon swallowed hard.

‘I think we overlooked something.’

‘What?’

‘The Mukryong Clan’s reaction.’

‘What?’

‘I thought this distance would be enough… but it seems it wasn’t?’

Paeyul, who turned his head wondering what she was talking about, instantly hardened his face.

Ga Deuk-Sang’s face was also filled with shock.

‘Th, that……?!’

Krrrrrr.

Around Mt. Akrok, where the Mukryong Clan was located.

There was a group of people scattering in all directions, raising clouds of dust.

No, the expression ‘a group of people’ was not appropriate. The number of warriors who appeared was well over a hundred.

‘……At a glance, it looks like there are over a thousand?’

‘Damn it.’

Paeyul shouted roughly.

‘Move!’

Fwaaaak!

The four quickly jumped into the bushes.

‘Shhh!’

Even though the distance was quite far, you never know. This place was near Changsha, the area with the highest concentration of Black Moon’s informants in Hunan.

Unfortunately, Paeyul was the only one who could properly discern the presence of these informants. Even Paeyul could only see properly when he was calm, and in an urgent situation like now, his senses were bound to be shaken.

Dang Sang-A sent a telepathic message to Jeagal Ayeon.

[Their reaction is incredibly fast, sis?]

[When you think about it, it’s inevitable. The entire entrance was destroyed. However, I never expected that there would be so many masters stationed around there.]

Jeagal Ayeon gritted her teeth.

[It’s because of me. The Vice-Chief fell, so that level of security is natural.]

[It’s not your fault, sis. Don’t worry too much. By the way, where did they come from? If they had been stationed there all along, the Shadow Warriors should have been caught too……]

[They were wearing the clothes of the merchant group. Besides, we didn’t know what their purpose was, so we couldn’t just kill them.]

[I, is that so?]

[Yes. If we killed everyone who came near, it would only reveal to the world that there was a suspicious group here.]

[Hmm, that’s true.]

Dang Sang-A, who was nodding, scratched her head.

[But do we really need to move like this? They don’t know us anyway, right?]

[Ugh.]

Jeagal Ayeon almost tripped.

[Sis! The Black Moon’s informants already know our faces! We faked our deaths by blowing up the manor, if we get caught, it’s a big problem!]

[Ah…… So, we’re in a pretty serious situation right now?]

[Extremely!]

[Anyway, we won’t see those people again, right?]

[If we escape safely.]

[Okay, good.]

Dang Sang-A took out a small pouch from her bosom.

Before anyone could stop her, she threw the pouch far into the bushes to the northeast.

Poof!

The pouch burst, scattering purple powder.

Jeagal Ayeon’s eyes widened.

[Sis? Wh, what did you just do?]

[It’s the ‘Gut-Severing Powder’. A secret poison of our family.]

[No, I mean, why did you do that……?]

[They’re moving in all directions. We have to deceive them.]

[If that’s the case, we should have scattered it behind us!]

[That won’t do.]

[Huh?]

[If we scatter it here, it would be like advertising that we’re moving into these bushes, right?]

[……Ah!]

Jeagal Ayeon pounded her head. She had just said that the Mukryong Clan’s warriors couldn’t kill just anyone, as it would reveal their location.

In the end, the trap set by Dang Sang-A was nothing more than an application of Jeagal Ayeon’s words. To show such quick wit in an instant, she was impressed anew.

[You’re amazing, sis!]

Dang Sang-A blushed.

[I didn’t do anything……]

At that moment, Paeyul openly grumbled.

‘You guys are having fun. Did you come here to play?’

‘……Your voice is loud, Senior.’

‘The sound of those guys running around is shaking the earth, and you say my voice is loud.’

‘Ah?’

Jeagal Ayeon and Dang Sang-A lowered their heads. They had been unnecessarily tense and had been exchanging telepathic messages.

‘But you did a good job with the poison pouch. It will be effective in temporarily shaking off the pursuit.’

‘Th, thank you.’

‘Now, stop chattering unnecessarily and run.’

‘Yes, sir!’

Thus, the four of them secretly, and as quickly as possible, left the bushes.

‘Whew, will it be okay now?’

Ga Deuk-Sang wiped his forehead. He was sweating from the tension.

Paeyul nodded.

‘If we’ve created this much distance, it should be safe. From now on, we just need to be wary of the Black Moon’s informants. Everyone, put on your cloaks.’

‘Yes!’

The group covered their faces with cloaks.

How long had they walked like that?

Kugugugung.

Paeyul’s eyes flashed.

‘They’re fast.’

A significant number of the thousand-plus masters were moving north. It seemed that several had already been affected by the poison that Dang Sang-A had scattered.

‘Everyone, walk without showing any signs. There’s another bush two hundred steps ahead. Blend in with the crowd.’

‘Understood.’

At that moment.

Kwarururung!

With a loud explosion, an entire building collapsed.

‘Aaaah!’

‘S, save me!’

‘Run away! Run…… Uwaaak!’

The four stopped walking.

Explosions erupted and screams filled the air. They hurriedly turned their heads to find the source of the sound.

‘……!!’

Shock appeared on the faces of the four.

Puhwaaaak!

‘Kuaaak!’

‘Mom! M, mom! Cough!’

‘Save me! Please! I have a child…… Cough.’

It was a horrific massacre.

About thirty of the masters who had rushed from the vicinity of Mt. Akrok were indiscriminately cutting down people. Without saying anything, they were just glaring with murderous eyes and cutting down civilians, it was nothing short of indiscriminate slaughter.

Brrrrr.

Ga Deuk-Sang’s fist trembled.

Jeagal Ayeon quickly grabbed his arm. But her eyes were also bloodshot.

At that moment, one of the warriors shouted.

‘There must be someone who colluded with the culprit! Find them even if it means killing everyone in Changsha!’

It was an absurd reason.

Of course, it was unlikely that only the low-ranking warriors would carry out a suicide attack, so the prediction that there would be a commander nearby was valid.

Even though they had correctly identified the cause of the incident, their method was excessively twisted. No organization in the world would commit such madness just to find someone who had colluded with the enemy.

In fact, they were the ‘Soul-Reaping Corps’ [a vicious group in the Mukryong Clan], the most vicious group in the Mukryong Clan. They were a unit that was not used unless it was absolutely necessary, and each of them was a notorious devil in the Black Moon.

‘Kuaaaak!’

‘Dad! A……’

‘Uwaaak! Save me!’

Terrible screams, merciless terror, and insane slaughter.

Crack!

The dagger that Dang Sang-A was holding was crushed. It was shattered by her extremely angry grip.

However, neither she nor Jeagal Ayeon could easily step forward. Both of them were furious to the point of losing their minds, but they knew that if they revealed themselves here, the situation would become incredibly complicated.

At that moment.

Fwaaaaaak!

Ga Deuk-Sang’s body shot out like a gust of wind.

‘You crazy bastards!!’

Kwaaang!

With a brilliant explosion, two Soul-Reaping Corps warriors were sent flying, spitting blood.

It was a heavy force, a powerful force. His force, which he had gathered from his entire body, created an impact as if a thousand-pound rock had fallen.

Hwaaaak!

A terrifying murderous aura rose from Ga Deuk-Sang’s body.

‘You sons of bitches that aren’t even worth chewing!’

One of the warriors shouted in a murderous voice.

‘That’s a suspicious person! Capture……!’

In an instant, Ga Deuk-Sang’s leg moved like a whip.

Puhuhuhuk!

The warrior’s head was shattered to pieces.

It was a ruthless killing move, unlike Ga Deuk-Sang. It was clear how angry he was.

‘You bastards! Come here! Come here, you crazy bastards! Try killing me too!’

One of the warriors took out a small flute from his bosom.

Bbeeeek! Thud!

The sound of the flute was cut off in the middle. A metal dart was already embedded in the warrior’s forehead.

Parararak.

Dang Sang-A stood next to Ga Deuk-Sang, holding her dagger. She, too, could no longer stand it.

The warriors shouted from all directions.

‘It’s the enemy!’

‘It’s them!’

‘No! There might be others! Call the entire unit!’

At that moment.

‘I’m sorry, but we’re all of them. Don’t bother and call them all at once.’

Kwaaang!

A single, devastating flash of light, as if it could pierce through a mountain, tore huge holes in the bodies of five warriors.

Paeyul, who had already entered the full-power state, spoke in a chillingly cold voice.

‘Beggar.’

Ga Deuk-Sang shouted in an angry voice.

‘Don’t stop me!’

‘You did well.’

‘……!’

‘Thanks to you stepping up, I barely managed to save face. I was actually hesitating a lot.’

Crack!

Jeagal Ayeon, who had flown down like a fairy, broke the neck of one of the Soul-Reaping Corps members.

Thus, the four members of the task force stood back-to-back, glaring in all directions.

A terrifying murderous aura swirled in Paeyul’s eyes.

‘Forget the mission, we need to save people first.’