Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 1590

Tan Yeohae, the Thousand-Faced Investigator, raced through the darkness. His eyes gleamed with an eerie blue light.

He licked his dry, dark lips again and again, like he was very thirsty or hungry.

Some might think Tan Yeohae was just playing around.

But now, with this perfect chance, anyone would feel this great hunger.

‘Lian Zhu.’

Did Lian Zhu really know? Did he know exactly when the Four Factions Alliance reinforcements would arrive and from which direction?

Impossible.

And yet, the impossible was happening. Jang Il-so had created the perfect situation for the Hao Moon group to attack, as if he were giving them orders directly.

The enemy, huge and hurt, twisted in pain. Tan Yeohae felt like he could rip them open and devour their steaming insides right now.

“Advance!”

“Yes!”

Powerful energy pulsed around Tan Yeohae’s hand.

‘Since when?’

When did this man, once seen as a madman, start planning this grand scheme? A man Tan Yeohae didn’t even dare call that anymore.

‘How long has he waited?’

For this moment, to stab the ‘Solar Palace’ fighters into the backs of enemies charging without any suspicion!

Taking Yunnan and Sichuan was all for this. It was to hide their real plan until the very last moment. They wanted to surprise Hubei.

Could the enemy even imagine this huge, evil plan?

“Crush them all! Show those arrogant northerners the true might of the Southern Seas!”

The roar was deafening.

Tan Yeohae didn’t really like the insult ‘Central Plains dogs,’ but it didn’t matter. The important thing was the power in that voice.

And, honestly, one part of that statement pleased him a lot.

Whoosh!

The energy around Tan Yeohae’s hand surged like a storm.

The power surging through him almost broke his disguise. Tan Yeohae roared with all his might.

“The time has come to seize the Central Plains!”

Hao Moon and the Solar Palace.

Jang Il-so’s two sharp knives were aimed at their trapped prey.

“It’s, it’s Hao Moon! Hao Moon has appeared!”

“And another group! We don’t know who they are!”

“Sect Leader, the situation has changed! Tell us what to do! Sect Leader!”

Cries of panic came from everywhere, but Jongri Hyung just stared blankly at the people coming closer, completely shocked.

‘…The Solar Palace?’

He had expected Hao Moon. It would have been strange if they hadn’t shown up. As an important part of the Four Factions Alliance, it would have been weird if they weren’t there when the Lian Zhu was in danger.

Even so, Jongri Hyung had led everyone here believing that, even with Hao Moon, they would still be stronger.

“Why… why are they helping the Four Factions Alliance?”

But that belief broke into a million pieces when the Solar Palace appeared.

The Outer Five Palaces were not close to the good groups, and even further from the bad groups. Why would they suddenly help the Four Factions Alliance? Why!

“Sect Leader!”

Another scream hit his ears, pulling Jongri Hyung back to reality.

‘I must escape…’

He had to run.

Even fighting them in formation would be hard.

But fighting them in this chaos? The result was obvious.

He couldn’t even think about dealing with it.

But escape seemed impossible.

The Myriad Formation Hall and the Black Demon Fortress were still chasing them like hungry wolves. To make things worse, the chain of command had fallen apart, making a retreat impossible. Jongri Hyung’s orders weren’t even reaching his followers.

How could they escape in this situation?

“T, this isn’t my fault… it’s not my fault! I didn’t do anything wrong…”

“Sect Leader!”

Someone grabbed his shoulders and shook him hard.

“Pull yourself together, Sect Leader! If you don’t give orders now, we’re all going to die!”

At that moment, Jongri Hyung saw it.

Hao Moon and the Solar Palace, having crossed the battlefield in a single rush, crashed into the swarm of fighters with unstoppable force.

“Aaaargh!”

“Aaaargh!”

Many heads and bodies flew into the air.

They didn’t care who was friend or foe. Instead of slowing down to tell the difference, they just killed everyone they saw.

It was a very cruel strategy, but it worked.

The followers of the Nine Great Sects were shocked and terrified. Jongri Hyung was no different.

“R, run.”

“Sect Leader!”

“Run! Get out of here! Now! We have to escape!”

“S, Sect Leader, calm down! First…”

“You fool! Can’t you see the enemies behind us? What are you talking about, ‘calm down’!”

Jongri Hyung screamed, putting energy into his sword.

They were going to die.

It wasn’t the attackers he feared.

What Jongri Hyung really feared was the force behind them, slowly tightening the trap.

Once surrounded, there would be no escape. They wouldn’t let anyone go. The good groups here would be destroyed, down to the last person.

“Elders, clear a path! We have to escape at all costs. Cut down anyone in your way and make an escape route!”

Jongri Hyung’s eyes gleamed. It was fear disguised as anger.

Faced with the fear of death, something they had never really felt, even their carefully trained fighting skills were useless.

These men, who had been proud fighters before, had become animals fighting for survival. With Jongri Hyung joining their desperate fight, the barely hidden fear finally exploded.

“L, let’s run!”

“We’re going to die! We’ll all die if we stay here!”

Now, a different kind of chaos broke out.

This wasn’t a martial arts contest, or a friendly fight.

It was just war. The side that lost its nerve would fall.

But they didn’t have the experience to understand this, and they fell apart, unable to even think about calming down.

Fear rushed in like a flood. Those caught in it scattered everywhere, like sparks from a blacksmith’s fire. The formation fell apart completely, instantly.

“Nooooo!”

He screamed until his throat was sore, but Beopgye’s voice couldn’t reach them.

Without a chance to do anything, the followers of the alliance began to run in all directions.

A choice they shouldn’t have made.

Running when they were already in danger? It was like offering their necks to the enemy.

Why would those who knew this so well do such a thing?

“Senior Brother! The enemies…!”

A voice kept urging him from the side. Beopgye’s eyes darted around.

‘What should I do? What am I supposed to do?’

He had been sure that they had trapped them.

But the Southern Seas Solar Palace, which should have been far away, had appeared here. This meant that this place was a trap, carefully set by the Four Factions Alliance over a long time.

How could such a thing be possible? How could a person…

“Senior Brother!”

Finally, an angry voice broke through his thoughts. Beopgye bit his lip until it bled.

It was pointless. Such thoughts were useless now.

What he had to do was somehow fix this situation. And somehow win.

It hadn’t completely fallen apart yet, so there was still a chance to save it. Surely…!

“Elders, follow me! First…”

But at that moment…

“Where do you think you’re going?”

Scraaaape.

With a sound like something sharp scraping against the ground, a man slowly came closer to Beopgye.

Beopgye’s face became serious.

Red Tiger.

The man whose presence had been enough to keep Beopgye in place had finally moved.

“Y…you…”

“I’m not in a good mood. I may not be as good as the monks of Shaolin, but I don’t think I deserve to be ignored like this.”

Red Tiger’s blade hummed. He clearly wanted to stop them from escaping.

“If you still want to ignore me, I have no choice but to prove myself.”

Red Tiger’s fierce gaze stared at Beopgye. Soon, the Red Scorpions he had brought with him also showed their anger, putting pressure on the Shaolin elders.

‘Th…this…’

Beopgye’s face turned pale.

Even as their main force was being destroyed, they had stayed by Jang Il-so’s side.

Therefore, Beopgye thought that their goal was to rescue Jang Il-so and kill Beopjeong. What else could he think?

But their real purpose was different.

Their real goal was to stop anyone from helping the good groups who were starting to lose. That was why they had stayed quiet, even when so many were sacrificing themselves.

It was all a trick. And Beopgye was right. At that moment, Paeng Yeop was also surrounded by the Red Scorpions.

Beopgye gritted his teeth and asked.

“…Was this your plan from the beginning?”

“Of course not.”

Red Tiger chuckled, shrugging.

“No one can understand the Lian Zhu’s plans. We just trust him. We believe that the Lian Zhu has a reason for everything.”

“…Even as your men are being killed?”

“Is that supposed to be a big deal?”

Crack.

Beopgye clenched his fist.

To trick the enemy, you have to trick your own people first. Jang Il-so had done just that.

That was why they hadn’t noticed. The screams of those dying, the fear they showed, the hesitation they felt – it was all real.

“…It’s not over yet. If I kill you and Jang Il-so, the result will be the same.”

“That’s true.”

Kill Jang Il-so.

It would have been a shocking thing to say to Red Tiger, but he nodded easily. His loyalty to Jang Il-so was different from those who panicked over small things.

Red Tiger smirked and said.

“But you still don’t understand the situation.”

“…What do you mean?”

“You should have answered differently. The one you should be worried about isn’t me, or the Lian Zhu.”

Beopgye was confused. Then, he realized that this was just a way to stall him. He was about to shout, but Red Tiger spoke first.

“I may not like him, but I have to admit, he is the most dangerous man on this battlefield.”

“…What?”

At that moment…

Fwoooosh!

A huge flag was raised high in the air.

In the middle of the enemy, many colorful flags went up, and a man standing in the center came into view.

That man is…

“Ho Gamyung?”

Ho Gamyung, the Poison Heart Rakshasa.

The Four Factions Alliance’s strategist looked at the battlefield with cold eyes. He spoke without any emotion.

“Raise the red flag.”

“Yes, Strategist!”

As soon as the order was given, the red and black forces of the Four Factions Alliance, mixed with the enemy, moved perfectly together. Like a giant snake squeezing its prey, they twisted and coiled around the enemy.

Holding his breath, Ho Gamyung looked down at the battlefield. He didn’t see people, but just a giant game board. Ho Gamyung’s eyes were cold and calculating, like a gambler.

“Raise the green flag. Surround the enemy. Keep the red flag on a diagonal! Trap their feet and don’t let go.”

“Yes, Strategist!”

The five-colored flags behind Ho Gamyung fluttered in the strong wind.

It was a chance they had waited a long time for. A time spent getting ready. Ho Gamyung put everything he had into this.

“Not a single one… will escape.”