Chapter 1288: It's A Sight You'll Get Sick of Seeing (Part 2)

"Damn it. They broke through the Little Ghost Gate (小鬼門)!" [no relation to our...mailmen]

"The Little Ghost Gate? There must be over a hundred people there. Can't they handle a small corner?"

"A small corner? It's not a small corner! They couldn't even handle a half angle!"

"Damn it! So, where are they now?"

"They're nearby! They've come this close!"

The face of Leader Jang Cheongi of the Yacha Sect turned pale.

"What on earth is this situation?"

It was an abomination. There hadn't even been a peep out of the enemy yet, and already there was an uproar as if an army had swept through.

That was inevitable. The basis of a siege was a perfect arrangement to prevent the enemy from escaping. For this, communication between the areas was essential.

But now, messages are constantly being transmitted through the contact network prepared for that communication. This meant that the previously established siege was being broken at an absurd speed.

So wouldn't it be stranger if there wasn't an uproar?

"They're, they're arriving soon, Leader!"

"Already here? What happened to the ones in front?"

"Well, it's obvious, isn't it..."

"This, this is..."

Jang Cheongi looked at the front blankly without even thinking about wiping off the cold sweat flowing down his chin.

'How did it come to this?'

Certainly, until they arrived here, the situation was calm. There was enough leisure to exchange greetings with the leaders of other Evil Sects whom he was acquainted with.

Was it complacency? Not at all.

Actually, the Yacha Sect was a well-known Evil Sect in Guangdong. And even in Guangdong dominated by the Myriad Man Manor, they had preserved their lineage.

But that didn't mean the Yacha Sect was a sect with real skills.

The reason they survived was simple. When the Myriad Man Manor began to tidy up the surroundings, they quickly surrendered without weak resistance, so they survived.

Paradoxically, they survived because they were nothing more than a third-rate sect. If they were a sect with real skills, they would have been absorbed or eliminated by the Myriad Man Manor. So, they just had to act like obedient dogs, fulfilling the role of listening well to orders.

Do such people get proper missions?

Ho Gakmyung knew this fact very well, and the orders he gave to them were nothing more than filling their heads to the extend of the number of people.

So, their job was always like that. They would just go to the location indicated by Ho Gakmyung, exert their strength on the bandwagon, and enjoy the joy of victory that the Myriad Man Manor achieved. If there was a chance to cut off the breath of the remnants of the fleeing enemy, it would be even better.

Until now, wasn't the mission given to the Yacha Sect supposed to be like that?

But the current situation was completely different from what Jang Cheongi had expected.

"Are these guys from the Southern Island Sect really this strong? Even if they're one of the Ten Great Sects, how can they be that much stronger than us!"

"How, how would I know that? I haven't fought against the Southern Island guys."

Honestly, it wasn't just that they hadn't fought against Southern Island. In their entire lives, they hadn't ever mixed with famous righteous sects like the Ten Great Sects. If they had, they would no longer be part of this world.

"Damn it... If they're this strong, why have those Southern Island Sect guys just been holding on in that corner of the island until now? That's insane! Does this situation make any sense?"

"Leader."

The deputy leader restrained the agitated Jang Cheongi and quickly looked around. Then, lowering his voice, he asked,

"W-what are you going to do?"

"What am I going to do?"

"If we just stay like this, we'll just die a dog's death. Even the Little Ghost Gate fell."

"What...?"

"I'd rather just..."

Jang Cheongi tightly licked his parched lips with his tongue. Although the words were vaguely mumbled, he knew exactly what the deputy leader intended to say.

Although he hesitated, in reality, his decision had already been made.

"No, I can't."

"Leader!"

"I'd rather die gracefully."

Jang Cheongi raised his head vigorously. What awaited him if he disobeyed Ho Gakmyung's orders and left the front line was too obvious, wasn't it? 

Of course, the issue of extending one's life even for a day was of utmost importance. Jang Cheongi, too, had the confidence that if there was any way to live even one more day, he wouldn't care what it took.

But that was only something to consider when facing the same 'death' that must be faced. Anyone foolish enough to equate the death of being hit by an enemy's sword with the retaliation of that crazy Ho Gakmyung was already dead and gone from Guangdong. Everyone still alive had realized how terrible that retaliation was.

For Jang Cheongi, who had seen such scenes so often that they became tiresome, there was no other choice. If he didn't have the courage to bite off his tongue, he could only defend this place.

"Ho Gakmyung might have given the wrong order!"

"You crazy fool! Are you calling that a reason? How can you say that person made a mistake in giving orders!"

"But this is just a command to die...."

"That's right."

"What?"

"That's right! Are your ears blocked?"

Jang Cheongi raised his voice abruptly.

It was unimaginable that Ho Gakmyung misunderstood the situation and made a mistake. No, even if such a thing happened, there was no one to forgive the one who ignored the orders without reason.

"Damn it... I don't want to die... I don't want to die either. But if I run away, I'll die more miserably. What should I do..."

Jang Cheongi muttered like a madman without even caring about the people listening around him.

"If I knew it would be like this, I should have crossed to the north three years ago, what am I doing staying here..."

"Leader."

Originally, the following words would have been 'since there are ears listening, lower your voice.' However, those words never came out. Before he could spit out those words, faint screams were heard from a distance.

For a moment, the eyes of Jang Cheongi, who was in the lead, along with some others, intensely focused on the front.

Everyone's faces turned pale.

Before doubting whether they had heard it wrong, the scream was heard again. This time, a little clearer.

"Oh, they're coming..."

Someone said in a whimpering voice.

Desperate, some sect leaders shouted to boost the fallen morale.

"Don't be afraid! Even if they are the Southern Island Sect, this is Guangdong. The Commander must have prepared for this."

"That's right! The Southern Island Sect can't even reach the toenails of the Myriad Man Manor!"

Of course, not everyone accepted those words as they were. If Ho Gakmyung really prepared to catch them, why did the sects in the front fall so quickly? And how did the Southern Island Sect, which couldn't even reach the toes of the Myriad Man Manor, appear in Guangdong? Above all, why were the voices of the sect leaders getting quieter, as if afraid of revealing their positions?

But such questionable things had no meaning here. Even if they were said aloud, there would be no one to answer.

Everyone simply kept an eye on the front with trembling gazes, suppressing the rising anxiety.

However, a moment later, what they encountered was not the appearance of the enemy filled with vitality. What emerged from the shaking bushes was the people from the Evil Sects, running towards them in fear as if fleeing from an impending catastrophe.

"Ah, aaah!"

"Save meeee!"

"Go away! Go away!"

For the first time, facing such a sight, his body froze momentarily.

They were from the Evil Sect. The Evil Sects of Guangdong. No matter how they were not first-rate, anyone in the Evil Sects of Guangdong had experienced various battlefields several times and seen people dying enough to be sick of it.

However, Jang Cheongi had never seen a person so terrified.

It was the first time he realized that the eyes of a person so fully filled with blood could tremble so much.

A face without a hint of color, bloodshot eyes, an expression devoid of soul, and even saliva dripping from the mouth.

What on earth could make a person like that? Not an ordinary person, but someone skilled in martial arts?

Fortunately or unfortunately, that question was soon answered.

"Sa, save me...."

Swoosh!

Suddenly, something sharp protruded from the throat of the person running at the back.

"Kkuuk... Kkuk..."

The one whose throat was pierced raised a trembling hand as if trying to grasp what had come out of his throat. Countless people just stared blankly at this unnatural and eerie movement.

But...

Squelch!

The moment the throat was pierced, the blade twisted without hesitation.

Those who witnessed that scene involuntarily shrunk their bodies.

It was an instinctive reaction that anyone would have, a primitive response that a person should possess.

"Kkuk..."

As the blade twisted, bright red blood gushed out from the hole in the sword. The eyes of the person, who had been convulsing as if possessed by a demon, gradually lost their light.

Eventually, the man's body collapsed forward powerlessly.

And everyone there saw it.

The one revealed behind the fallen man.

A young swordsman in a deep black robe, holding a dazzlingly white sword in contrast.

Jang Cheongi opened his eyes.

"That..."

The shock that seized his mind overwhelmed the fear. He was so surprised that he didn't even notice those that passed by him, screaming.

His gaze was fixed on the chest of the young swordsman. On the black robe stained even darker blood, a vivid plum blossom pattern was vividly embroidered.

A black robe with a plum blossom pattern engraved, and a snowy white sword.

Tightly tied hair and frighteningly cold eyes.

It all spoke of one name.

"Mount, Mount Hua's...Sword."

Paaat!

In front of Jang Cheongi, a flash of light suddenly exploded.

He saw something hazy, and what Jang Cheongi felt was the sensation of someone's clothes brushing against him.

A terrible burning sensation followed.

"Kkyuk..."

A pain akin to being burned alive engulfed his throat. That pain spread to his shoulders in an instant.

Jang Cheongi understood the nature of this heat. Even without looking around, he could tell. The hot thing was blood. Red blood pouring out from his throat.

'Well, that makes sense....'

Jang Cheongi's world distorted. The screams that seemed to tear his eardrums were quickly blurred.

He felt the chilling blue sky pouring down on him.

'Yeah, there's no way the Southern Island Sect could do that.'

Since it was Mount Hua's Chivalrous Sword, he could easily break through the defense line like a joke.

'Well....'

Only God knows whether what Jang Cheongi felt at his last moment was relief or consolation.