Tales Of The Nine Dragons [EN]: Chapter 70

Nine Dragons Chronicle (70)

The Great Massacre of Guju

After nearly a month of rain, the sun finally shone brightly, and people emerged from their homes to clean their houses and streets.

Epidemics often follow the rainy season, a lesson learned from years of experience.

People started their day by cleaning around their homes and drying their damp belongings in the sun.

Hwa-rin walked through the streets of Chengdu in Sichuan early in the morning, observing the bright faces of the people.

“They say the weather affects people’s emotions, and it seems to be true. Their expressions are much brighter.”

Hwa-rin obtained various information from Lee Seong-eon, the Sichuan branch leader of the Hao Mun [a secret society], and then used a disguise to change his appearance before heading to the Sichuan branch of the Beggars’ Union.

Just because the Beggars’ Union is a gathering of beggars doesn’t mean that everyone in it is a beggar. Many serve as informants and messengers.

The Sichuan branch of the Beggars’ Union was a small outdoor restaurant. Although it was called a branch, there were no beggars around the restaurant.

From the outside, it looked like any other ordinary outdoor restaurant.

“Welcome.”

As Hwa-rin took a seat, a person who appeared to be a server approached and greeted him.

“Our restaurant serves dumplings, stir-fried pork with vermicelli, and fresh noodle soup.”

“Then, for breakfast, I’ll have dumplings and noodles.”

“Understood. Please wait a moment.”

“Oh, by the way, who is the owner?”

“The owner is the head chef and is currently preparing food in the kitchen.”

“Then tell him that a guest from Shanxi Province has arrived.”

“Understood. I will let him know.”

After Hwa-rin ordered his food and sat down for a moment, people who appeared to be merchants came in to have breakfast.

Looking at the exterior alone, it was hard to believe that this was the Sichuan branch of the Beggars’ Union.

After waiting for a while, dumplings and noodles were brought out by someone other than the server.

He looked too clean to be a member of the Beggars’ Union. However, he had knots on his waist that indicated his rank in the Beggars’ Union, and there were five of them.

‘A Five-Knot Disciple? I heard that ordinary branch leaders are Four-Knot Disciples, so this person must be of higher status.’

A Five-Knot Disciple represents a rank equivalent to an elder in the Beggars’ Union. Six knots represent an honorary elder who has greatly helped the Beggars’ Union, seven knots represent a sub-chief, eight knots represent the chief, and nine knots represent the grand elder.

“Enjoy your meal.”

He placed the food on the table and quickly slipped a note under the bowl before leaving.

Hwa-rin took the note from under the bowl and read it while eating.

[Mt. Hyeonjeong in Bukcheon County.]

The information was too simple.

“How unfriendly. There will be people following me when I leave the inn.”

After talking with Lee Seong-eon of the Hao Mun, Hwa-rin realized one thing: he had become a stray hunting dog thrown into the hunting grounds.

Since he had no owner, it was only natural that he would be disposed of by the hunters after the hunt!

“They underestimated me too much. No, their mistake was not knowing what kind of person I am.”

Hwa-rin ate his food slowly; the head chef’s cooking skills were quite good.

“Delicious.”

* * *

The righteous martial artists of Sichuan who had gathered to investigate the Great Massacre of Guju were assembled at an inn in Sipbang County, numbering a little over a hundred.

The number of members in the Great Massacre of Guju was also around a hundred, so they were evenly matched in numbers. However, the martial artists were confident that their superior strength would allow them to push the advantage, even if outnumbered, into a defensive position.

They were led by the Tang Clan, Qingcheng Sect, and Emei Sect, with the heads of these three sects forming the leadership.

“According to the information from the Beggars’ Union, they are currently in the middle of Mt. Hyeonjeong in Bukcheon County. They will probably move today, passing through Pyeongmu and Cheongcheon County before entering Shanxi Province.”

“Isn’t it enough if they don’t cause problems in Sichuan? Then let’s just watch and withdraw when they leave Sichuan.”

“That’s right. There’s no need for us to stir up trouble, so it would be better to observe from a distance.”

The Righteous Heavenly Alliance had also instructed them to only engage if attacked first, so they decided to maintain a watchful stance.

“I’m a little worried about the younger generation who went to the Mount Hua Sect. If they go to Shanxi Province, the Mount Hua Sect and Jongnam [another prominent sect] will likely get involved. I’m worried they will act rashly due to their youthful impetuousness and cause a major incident.”

“That won’t happen. No matter how vigorous their blood is, they aren’t children who can’t tell the difference between heaven and earth.”

“I’m still worried.”

“First, let’s settle our own problems and then contact Shanxi. It’s not too late. It would be better to move based on what the scouts find while remaining vigilant.”

“Let’s do that.”

The martial artists spent their time waiting for the scouts to return from their reconnaissance mission. They talked in groups of three or five, boasting about how they would play a significant role in the battle against the Great Massacre of Guju and make a name for themselves. However, a long time passed, and the scouts did not return.

“Could something be wrong?”

“Surely not.”

“It’s been a long time since they were supposed to return, so something must have happened.”

“Hmm…….”

“It would be better to send a few more people to find out what’s happened to them.”

“Let’s do that for now.”

They selected twenty nimble individuals and sent them to Mt. Hyeonjeong in Bukcheon County, where the first group of scouts had gone.

As the waiting time continued, complaints began to surface among the remaining martial artists.

“How long do we have to stay like this? Are we not planning to fight?”

“I know. Why did they summon us if they didn’t plan to fight? Is the Tang Clan calling all the shots?”

As complaints arose from martial artists from other sects, the Tang Clan, Qingcheng, and Emei also felt embarrassed.

However, they couldn’t act without definite information.

As time passed, night fell, but the twenty people who had been sent to Mt. Hyeonjeong during the day also failed to return.

“They should have returned by now… I think something is wrong.”

Only then did they realize that something had gone wrong, and they hurriedly left the inn.

“Hurry!”

Those who had been idle until now were dissatisfied with the leaders’ decision to move at night, and they grumbled throughout the journey.

“Why are we leaving now when we were doing nothing all day?”

“I know.”

“Can’t you be quiet? Don’t you know how serious the situation is?”

“It’s not that…….”

“If not, then take good care of your lives. I’ll put you at the forefront of the battle with those guys so you can show us how great your martial arts are, just like you boasted in the inn.”

Those who expressed dissatisfaction closed their mouths at the words of their senior.

“Remember. I can’t take care of you when the battle starts. Survive on your own.”

They hurried to Mt. Hyeonjeong in Bukcheon County, but it was dark night when they arrived at the entrance.

“What time is it now?”

Looking up at the sky and checking the constellations, he could tell that it was late in the evening.

“Even if we climb the mountain now, it will be difficult to find them. So, how about we rest here now and look for traces on the mountain as soon as it gets light tomorrow?”

“I think it would be better to do that too.”

When the Tang Clan’s elder, Tang Gi, said this, the elders of the Emei Sect and Qingcheng Sect also agreed.

“Then, rather than scattering widely, I suggest we maintain a certain distance and camp together. Our Tang Clan will take the first watch, then Qingcheng after an hour, and then various sects will take turns standing guard after another hour.”

“I understand.”

When the word rest was given, the martial artists hurriedly prepared for camping, first lighting fires around the area.

There was nothing special to prepare for camping, but they still needed to choose a place to rest and make it flat.

Depending on their personal preferences, some people took up a slightly larger space and lay down to rest, while others leaned against trees or rocks.

The Tang Clan’s martial artists stood guard in preparation for any possible danger.

Sarasak!

An hour after the camping began, a black figure moved in the darkness.

No one could detect the black figure moving in the shadows, avoiding the lit areas.

He moved freely in the darkness as if he were a ghost. He had been among them for quite some time, but no one among those standing guard or sitting and resting discovered the black figure.

As day dawned, one by one they woke up and loosened their stiff bodies from camping with light stretches.

However, some could not wake up from their deep sleep; they were all martial artists from the Emei Sect.

“They’re dead…….”

Their body temperatures were cold.

“Someone is dead!”

This cry threw the entrance of Mt. Hyeonjeong into chaos.

All twelve of the Emei Sect martial artists who had died last night had long pine needles deeply embedded in their foreheads.

“There are no other traces. They stabbed the pine needles deeply, like a doctor placing needles in a patient.”

After gathering the dead martial artists in one place, they examined the cause of death. They had killed the Emei Sect martial artists by using the pine needles to deliver internal energy to the brain and cause a shock, using the Internal Energy Injection Technique with pine needles in their foreheads.

“Judging by the consistent method, it seems that one person committed this act.”

“One person?”

“I wonder if someone from the Great Massacre of Guju has taken action. Their specialty is kidnapping and assassination.”

“Hmm…….”

“Qingcheng, take your martial artists and check the middle of the mountain to see if there are any scouts we sent yesterday. And Tang Jeong, take the Tang Clan’s martial artists and check the entrance of the mountain. The rest of the martial artists will strengthen the guard here.”

At the words of Tang Gi, the elder of the Tang Clan, the martial artists quickly took action.

As the martial artists dispersed, Tang Gi looked for the head of the Small Sword Sect.

“Go down the mountain now and inform the Beggars’ Union of this fact and bring back some of their people.”

“Me?”

“That’s right. You won’t have to go far. You’ll be able to find the Beggars’ Union people easily.”

The head of the Small Sword Sect nodded and went down the entrance of Mt. Hyeonjeong.

Tang Gi looked down at the dead Emei Sect martial artists. A long time ago, the Emei Sect studied martial arts and Buddhist scriptures together, but from a certain point on, as women increasingly took the position of sect leader, men left one by one.

As time passed, the current Emei Sect became a sect that only accepted women.

As they only accepted women, the martial arts of the Emei Sect also changed little by little. Overbearing martial arts were eliminated, and fluid and highly variable martial arts became the main focus, developing further and rising to the position of leading the martial arts world, proudly listing their name in the Nine Great Sects [the most prestigious martial arts sects].

In particular, the Great Sumeru Wisdom Sword was known as the best of the best.

Such masters of the Emei Sect had died last night without even knowing they were going to die, so this problem was quite serious.

‘Even if it’s one of the five major martial arts organizations of the Evil Blood Alliance [a villainous group], it’s lower in rank compared to other organizations, so how can such a master be in their group?’

Murder by Internal Energy Injection Technique is possible only when one has reached the realm of transcending the peak and reaching the realm of supreme master.

Generally, internal energy injection technique by striking is possible even for a peak master, but using one’s internal energy to inject objects silently is difficult even for a supreme master.

‘This incident seems to have more disadvantages than advantages…….’

While Tang Gi was thinking alone, the masters of the Qingcheng Sect returned carrying corpses on their backs.

“They were all dead.”

All twenty-seven of the dead were those who had been sent to scout.

They also laid them down next to the Emei Sect’s masters. They narrowed their eyes as they examined the wounds of the dead.

“Cruel bastards.”

The corpses of the dead did not have only one type of wound.

There were two or three types of wounds: sword wounds, knife wounds, and even wounds from being attacked by hidden weapons [small, easily concealed weapons].

“It seems they were caught while scouting and attacked by those guys while running away.”

“But what’s strange is that they left the bodies behind.”

“Why is that?”

“Don’t they usually remove the bodies to erase the traces?”

The moment he heard these words, a word came to Tang Gi’s mind.

“Trap!”

“Yes?”

“Those guys set a trap to lure us in.”