Chapter 501: The Bait May Be Nibbled On

TL: FoodieMonster007

Ju Gwol hurriedly arrived at the back gate of the Chongqing Branch. Just as the report had stated, carriages were entering the premises.

The Branch martial artists guarding the back gate were merely watching. They had opened the gate because of the Demon Slaying Brigade martial artist, Jeong Hyeok. The other Demon Slaying Brigade martial artists had left with Jin Hagun to rescue the master of the Anonymous Manor, leaving Jeong Hyeok alone to let the carriages into the Branch.

"What is all this?" Ju Gwol demanded.

Jeong Hyeok replied. "They're external forces requested as support by the main unit."

Jeong Hyeok answered just as Jin Hagun had ordered.

"Reinforcements were brought in without my knowledge?"

Ju Gwol couldn't understand. Not only the Branch's forces but also external support martial artists were steadily gathering. And now they had requested even more support?

Are they planning to start a war or something?

The thought occurred to Ju Gwol automatically.

"You may be the Demon Slaying Brigade, but I'm unequivocally the head of this place. How dare you bring in support troops without my permission?"

Jeong Hyeok replied politely. "This is an independent operation of the Demon Slaying Brigade. In the current state of emergency, you're aware that the Demon Slaying Brigade's decisions take precedence over the Branch's, aren't you?"

It was true, so Ju Gwol couldn't refute it, but he couldn't help feeling resentful toward Jin Hagun.

Fine, resentment is resentment. But who in the world did they call?

Ju Gwol's gaze turned back to the carriages.

"It looks like they're carrying cargo, not troops." They were too large to be carriages for transporting people.

Ju Gwol walked over and flung open the rear door of a transport carriage.

For a moment, Ju Gwol was startled. A dozen martial artists were inside, and he had never seen so many large-bodied men gathered in one place. They were all staring at him, the one who had opened the door.

Of course, the Murim Alliance Branch Manager Ju Gwol wasn't the type to be intimidated just because his opponents were large… but this time, he was. Normally, he would have shouted for them to get out of the carriage and state their affiliation immediately. However, he was now so overwhelmed by the aura of those staring at him that he couldn't say a word.

In particular, after making eye contact with one of them, he felt his heart shrink.

In all his life as a Branch Manager, he had met all sorts of martial artists, but this was the first time he had received such a strong impression. The scar that cut across the man's face made him feel as if he had walked the path of a war god.

He was none other than the Demonic Army General, Jang Ho.

Jang Ho disembarked from the carriage first, followed by the other members of the Demonic Army. From the other carriages, more of the Demonic Army disembarked in unison.

They weren't just an intimidating group of large men. Already an elite force, they had become the most elite organization after Jang Ho became the Demonic Army General.

Furthermore, since the entire Demonic Army of over two hundred members couldn't come, they had selected the most experienced and highly skilled in martial arts. The best of the best had arrived.

Jeong Hyeok of the Demon Slaying Brigade, who had already been briefed, could tell that the Demonic Army was a far more powerful organization than he had known.

And they were currently concealing their demonic qi. If they released it, their aura and presence would be even more powerful.

Ju Gwol asked, trying his best to hide his surprise. "Who are you people?"

Jang Ho answered Ju Gwol's question in a deep voice. "We're the people who have come to support the Demon Slaying Brigade."

Jang Ho was not in a good mood, having to utter the words 'Demon Slaying' with his own mouth. However, in the current situation, such things were trivial.

"Your affiliation?"

"We have none."

Since he never would have imagined that the Demon Slaying Brigade would call upon demonic practitioners, Ju Gwol could not figure out the identity of the Demonic Army.

Commander Jin, do you really think they will come to attack us?

It was at that moment. One of the Demonic Army members standing near the building suddenly leaped up to the roof. His large frame landed lightly on the roof. After surveying the surroundings from his perch, he swiftly descended.

"A fast one."

Upon the report that someone had been there and fled, Jang Ho checked with Ju Gwol. "Did you have a subordinate lying in ambush over there?"

Ju Gwol wondered, 'What kind of trick is this?' but he answered truthfully for the time being.

"No."

Jang Ho's expression turned serious. That meant someone was watching this place.

Just then, other members of the Demonic Army moved. Three members of the Demonic Army who were near the wall rushed toward it in unison.

PAK! PAK! PAAAK!

The swords they thrust pierced through the wall. The sword of the third Demonic Army member was stained with blood.

The one who had previously climbed the roof was now on top of the wall, looking over the other side. There were traces of blood on the ground, but no body.

He reported to Jang Ho. "We lost another one."

People with this level of skill are watching the perimeter?

Jang Ho said urgently. "The enemy is already inside."

As Ju Gwol was about to say something, Jang Ho gestured for him to be quiet with a 'shh'. Sensing danger, Jang Ho raised his qi and scanned the surroundings.

The silence that had fallen for a moment was broken by the sharp sound of wind cutting through the air.

CHWAAAAAAANG!

A black rain of hidden weapons poured down on them.

"Iron wall!"

At Jang Ho's shout, the Demonic Army members instantly formed a formation, shoulder to shoulder and back to back, and drew their weapons. Just as the hidden weapons rained down on them, they rotated their swords in unison.

PAPAPAPAPAPAK!

The Demonic Army deflected all of the incoming hidden weapons.

Ju Gwol and Jeong Hyeok deflected the hidden weapons along with the Branch martial artists. However, the Branch martial artists, whose martial arts were relatively weaker, could not deflect all of them.

PAPAPAPAPAPAK!

The one who threw himself at them and deflected the hidden weapons in their stead was Jang Ho.

"Thank you." Ju Gwol expressed his gratitude.

However, there was no time for leisurely exchanging pleasantries. Starting with that hidden weapons attack, screams were heard from all directions, and the clash of weapons erupted. The surprise attack had begun in earnest.

Jang Ho hurriedly asked Jeong Hyeok of the Demon Slaying Brigade. "Which way is the prison?"

"That way."

Jang Ho ran in the direction Jeong Hyeok pointed and gave an order. "Half of you, follow me! The rest, help the Murim Alliance martial artists!"

Since the enemy also wanted the Murim Alliance martial artists to be sacrificed, Geom Mugeuk had ordered them to protect them as much as possible.

As per Jang Ho's command, the Demonic Army split into two groups. Half followed Jang Ho, and the rest ran with Ju Gwol and Jeong Hyeok toward the Headquarters building.

Jang Ho ran at the head of the group. He had already received word through the All-Knowing Hall about what was happening here. That was why this operation was more special than any other mission. In truth, Jang Ho didn't care about the Murim Alliance martial artists or the orthodox sects murim. There was only one person he cared about.

Seo Daeryong. He had to protect Seo Daeryong, who stood at the center of this conspiracy.

In the distance, he could see masked martial artists standing at the building's entrance. The martial artists who had been guarding the front of the prison were all already down.

Sensing that some masked men had already gone inside, Jang Ho's heart raced.

SHIIIIIIK.

The large bodies began to accelerate.

Moonlight filtered faintly through the window in the corridor. Seo Daeryong sat perched on the old, hard bed, gazing beyond the prison bars. Come to think of it, this was his first time being locked in a prison. He had always been the one looking in from the outside. He thought he should tell everyone about this experience when their drinking gatherings resumed. He would have to brag about it for ages. Just thinking about the thrilling, endless bluff he could spin made him look forward to it.

'Let me tell you, when I was locked up in the Murim Alliance prison, do you know who was in the cell next to me?'

TOK.

Just then, he heard the sound of a drop of water from somewhere.

Is that sound coming from outside?

However, in that moment, the scent of blood assaulted Seo Daeryong's nose. The very instant he realized it wasn't the sound of a water drop, but a drop of blood!

SHUUUUU.

In the next moment, a masked man slid into view in front of the bars.

SHWEE! SHWEE! SHWEE!

As if an order to kill had been given, he threw hidden weapons into the prison without a single word.

PAK! PAK! PAK!

The hidden weapons that flew through the bars embedded themselves in the bedstead. Seo Daeryong had already flipped the bedstead to block the front of the bars.

They're just going to kill me without any warning?

Seo Daeryong was dumbfounded. If you're going to kill someone, shouldn't you at least look them in the face and tell them why they're dying? Shouldn't you say a word or two before killing them?

Sword qi flew toward the bedstead that was blocking the hidden weapons.

SHWIIIIK!

The bedstead, along with the iron bars, was split in half.

And from between the falling pieces of the bedstead.

SHWAAAAEK!

A stream of dao energy whipped out.

The man, having assumed Seo Daeryong's inner arts were suppressed and that he was unarmed, was caught off guard and could not avoid the attack.

PUAAAK!

The masked man's body was split by the dao energy and collapsed.

Seo Daeryong swung his dao once more, completely cutting through the bars. The moment he stepped out of the prison.

SHWAAAAE! SHWAAAAEK!

Streams of sword qi filled the corridor, whipping toward him.

PAJIK.

His great dao embedded itself in the ground.

KWAKWAKWANG!

Some of the sword qi collided with the great dao, while the rest grazed past it.

Seo Daeryong had used his qi-infused dao as a shield to block the sword qi. It was a defensive technique primarily used by his master, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon.

These crazy bastards!

Until the moment his suppressed inner arts were released and his weapon was returned, he had thought, 'Surely they won't attack the Murim Alliance Branch,' but they really did. This enemy was beyond common sense.

The masked men who had launched the sword qi charged toward Seo Daeryong. The force of their charge as they thrust their swords was tremendous.

Seo Daeryong threw himself back into the prison. It looked as if he was scared, but that wasn't why he retreated.

He had judged that it would be more advantageous to fight inside the prison rather than in the narrow corridor. A dao was at a disadvantage compared to a sword in a confined space.

The three masked men who rushed in were skilled in coordinated attacks.

CHAENG! CHAENG! CHAENG! CHAENG!

Seo Daeryong deflected their sharp, stabbing attacks by swinging his dao. The men pressed him without giving him an opening to counterattack, but Seo Daeryong defended well against the barrage of attacks.

Compared to the most elite martial artists, he couldn't be said to have much practical experience, but Seo Daeryong had one thing to make up for it. Bloody, painstaking effort.

While training, Seo Daeryong would often make a pledge to himself. Any regret before death was fine, but he vowed never to have this one.

Ah, I should have trained harder.

The results of that effort were now unfolding. His body moved before his mind could think. The movements he had trained and trained again came out on their own.

The moment Seo Daeryong staggered from a fierce attack, the masked man on his left seized the opportunity and charged forward, thrusting his sword.

Seo Daeryong displayed agile movement arts to regain his balance, and then.

SHIIIIK!

PAAAK!

Seo Daeryong's dao struck the masked man's neck. It had been a feint from Seo Daeryong to draw his opponent in.

Seo Daeryong did not miss this opportunity now that their coordinated attack was broken. He pressed forward fiercely and cut down the second masked man.

Blood spurted from his arm in the process, but it was a move calculated from the start to trade flesh for bone. Once their coordinated attack fell apart, the fight proceeded as Seo Daeryong intended.

PAAAK!

Seo Daeryong slashed through the third masked man's torso.

In this moment, Seo Daeryong was not the timid and cautious investigator. He was the smart and bold martial artist, Seo Daeryong.

After dealing with the three men, Seo Daeryong stepped out of the prison. Instantly, Seo Daeryong's expression hardened. From the far end of the corridor, a crowd of masked men was rushing toward him. There were many of them.

If the prison here was breached so defenselessly? He figured a huge fight must have broken out outside as well.

The masked men charged with an air of defying death.

Seo Daeryong did not retreat. He channeled the qi he had raised into his dao.

Seo Daeryong's dao vibrated greatly once, and then the unique martial arts of the Blood Heaven Blade Demon unfolded. the Heaven Destroying Demonic Blade Technique, the Third Technique. the Bloody Annihilation Blade Wind. The dao energy extending from his blade flew out, swirling like a vortex. The masked men saw it. Multiple, separate streams of dao energy were rotating as they flew toward them.

HWAAAAAANG!

It was a raging attack, impossible to avoid in the narrow corridor.

PAPAPAPAPAPAK!

The bodies of the charging men were shredded and scattered.

Even Seo Daeryong, who had unleashed the martial art, was surprised by its power. The Bloody Annihilation Blade Wind, unleashed in a real battle for the first time, was truly tremendous. However, as great as its power was, the consumption of inner arts was also severe. He had already used a great deal of inner arts to block the sword qi, and after unleashing the Bloody Annihilation Blade Wind on top of that, he felt the strength drain from his entire body.

"Hoo."

Seo Daeryong let out a sigh and examined a nearby corpse.

Who in the world are you?

The reason he had allowed himself to be captured as bait was to find a clue through them. Were they assassins? Hired mercenaries? Or…?

It was at that moment.

SHWAAAAEK!

A single throwing knife flew swiftly, aimed at Seo Daeryong.

CHAAAENG!

Seo Daeryong's dao, which had deflected the throwing knife, trembled. The inner arts imbued in the hidden weapon were immense.

Seeing the leisurely gaze of the masked man walking toward him, Seo Daeryong knew.

This man is the leader.

His hand gripping the dao tightened.

This masked man, who appeared to be the leader, also didn't say a word. As if he were simply carrying out his duty, he rushed toward Seo Daeryong.

CHAAAENG!

A heavy impact was transmitted to Seo Daeryong's arm. His opponent's inner arts were overwhelming his own.

CHAENG CHAENG CHAENG CHAENG!

The only reason Seo Daeryong could hold on was because of his martial arts. The Heaven Destroying Demonic Blade Technique, more refined and powerful than his opponent's, was compensating for his lack of inner arts. However, his opponent wasn't just overwhelming in inner arts. His swordsmanship was exquisite, and his fighting experience was so vast that he didn't easily reveal any openings. Furthermore, the narrow corridor was more disadvantageous for Seo Daeryong, who wielded a dao.

PAPAK!

Blood spurted from Seo Daeryong's arm. However, he had no time to tend to the wound.

The masked man relentlessly thrust his sword, aiming for Seo Daeryong's vital points.

However, Seo Daeryong wasn't just taking the hits.

PAAAAK!

Blood also spurted from the opposing masked man's body, struck by Seo Daeryong's dao.

You bastard! The bait may be nibbled on, but it won't die so easily!

Even as he fought, Seo Daeryong was afraid, but on the other hand, he felt a strange pleasure. 'So this is why martial artists want to die fighting,' he thought.

Seo Daeryong was being pushed back, little by little. He was pushed all the way to a dead-end wall. Blood spurted from his other arm and his side as well.

Even if I die, I have to see my Master before I go.

And the person who came to mind in his final moment was Geom Mugeuk.

Thanks to you, Young Cult Leader, I've lived a great life!

SHIIIIIIK!

The moment the incoming sword was about to pierce Seo Daeryong's neck.

KWAAAAAANG!

One of the walls exploded, and the masked man was slammed into the opposite wall.

Seo Daeryong saw it. Someone had broken through the wall and sent the masked man flying. For a split second, the masked man tried to twist his body to block the attack, but the person who broke through the wall was much stronger and faster than him. The person who had thus embedded a sword in the masked man's heart was twice the size of an ordinary man.

A person Seo Daeryong could never mistake.

"General!"

The one who saved him was none other than Jang Ho.

"Fortunately, I wasn't too late."

The two men's gazes met in midair. Seo Daeryong was so surprised and moved that he didn't know what to say.

He had never dreamed that the person who was coming would be Jang Ho. Behind the broken wall, giant figures stood lined up like a folding screen. They looked gallant and reliable.

Who knew these huge bodies could be such a welcome sight!

Seo Daeryong said to Jang Ho, his eyes trembling. "You just missed your chance to become the Young Cult Leader's right-hand man."

At that, Jang Ho grinned. To Seo Daeryong, that smile and that scar had never looked so cool as they did today.

"Being a right-hand man sounds nice, but I can't lose my precious drinking buddy for it."