Chapter 1765. That's Why I'm Here (5)

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"S-Save me..."

Thrust.

An unrelenting sword pierced through the woman's chest. Her eyes widened as she feebly grasped the blade embedded in her body.

Slick.

It was a pitiful resistance. The woman soon stopped breathing and collapsed to the ground, never to rise again.

Ho Gamyeong's eyes were somber as he watched the scene unfold.

It was certainly not a pleasant sight. However, the unease he felt wasn't simply because of the forced ending of a life that couldn't resist.

It was because, even in her final moments, the woman who lost her life for no reason did not harbor any resentment in her eyes.

'Resentment...'

She probably didn't dare to harbor it. That's what helplessness does.

Ho Gamyeong stared blankly ahead.

The village was burning, emitting thick black smoke. There were no survivors. Although it was a small village, nearly a few hundred people had lost their lives in less than half an hour.

He silently faced the result he had created with just a gesture and a few words.

After some time passed, Ho Gamyeong slowly nodded.

"Stoke the fire a little stronger."

"Yes!"

"Where is the next village?"

"About five Li from here."

How many villages had turned to ashes by now?

Even under his direct command, two villages had been burned down. By now, more than ten villages would have vanished, along with the lives of those who lived there.

Ho Gamyeong exhaled deeply through his nose.

'It's almost absurd.'

Despite all this chaos, the enemy hadn't come. It's possible they might not even reach the village five li away from here.

They might have been scared off by the Blood Merit Assault, but their response was laughably slow.

Did they really believe that Evil Tyrant Alliance warriors wouldn't attack civilians? On what grounds?

"This is going to take us deep into enemy territory."

Ho Gamyeong's eyes narrowed slightly. If they didn't pull back after a show of force, they would have to advance closer to the enemy lines as the delay continued.

He weighed the options in his mind. The risk would increase, but so would the opportunity to shake the enemy more deeply.

"Once the fires are set, we move immediately."

"Yes, strategist."

"Advance swiftly and destroy more villages. Send messengers to those attacking from other directions. But make sure to avoid direct combat."

"Yes!"

Ho Gamyeong's eyes were drawn to the flames engulfing the village.

'There's no need to draw swords.'

Just showing them this scene is enough. Those bastards won't be able to stay holed up in the mountains anymore. The burning villages and the piling corpses will become the hellscape their negligence has created.

Ho Gamyeong didn't doubt that they had good intentions. But he didn't believe they possessed justice.

Justice only holds value when it exists where it's needed. Justice that isn't present when and where it's needed is more cruel than the vilest evil.

Indeed, when it's needed...

Ho Gamyeong suddenly wondered.

If, during that time of desperate need, even the faintest and most insignificant justice had existed by his side... would the choices he made and the life that followed have been different?

"Strategist, preparations are complete."

A voice from beside him brought Ho Gamyeong's gaze back to the direction of Mount Wudang.

"Meaningless thoughts."

"Pardon?"

"Never mind. Let's move."

Somehow, a hollow laugh escaped him.

'I don't think I can blame Ryeonju-nim.'

He might be just as shaken. Considering he's having such thoughts, after all.

"Strategist, over there...!"

"Hm?"

Suddenly, Ho Gamyeong's eyes gleamed.

Far off in the distance, on one side of Mount Wudang, there was some movement. Even with his sharp vision, it was merely a faint flicker, but with the mountain's barren, burnt terrain, he could be certain.

Something was indeed moving there.

"They're coming quickly."

"What should we do, sir?"

"We won't change our plans."

Ho Gamyeong coldly declared.

"The more sins are committed, the stronger the momentum. Stoke their guilt with even more corpses."

"Yes!"

A cold sneer appeared on Ho Gamyeong's face.

'Weak justice....'

There's no such thing. Justice without power is no longer justice.

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Clang!

Swords clashed against each other.

Soon, one sword was feebly knocked away. The person holding the sword was thrown to the ground.

"You filthy rat!"

But even after sending the opponent flying, the murderous intent didn't cease.

A sword, charged with powerful inner energy, descended towards the dust-covered body.

Swoosh!

Then, the person rolling on the ground suddenly drew his sword.

Clang!

As the two swords entangled in mid-air once again, the attacking sword's trajectory twisted, striking the ground instead.

"Damn it!"

Thud!

Enraged by the missed strike by Baek Cheon, the scarred man from the Evil Tyrant Alliance kicked his opponent in the stomach. Unable to react, Baek Cheon was sent flying into the air, only to crash down helplessly.

Thud!

"Cough!"

His breath was momentarily knocked out, forcing a strained groan from his lips.

"Die, you bastard!"

A long spear from another Evil Tyrant Alliance warrior made a terrifying whistle as it flew straight towards Baek Cheon's chest.

Suppressing the blood welling up in his throat, Baek Cheon gritted his teeth and lunged towards the incoming spear.

Swoosh.

Twisting his body, Baek Cheon threw his left shoulder, the one resembling a warrior's mark, towards the spearhead. His shoulder barely missed the sharp point of the spear and skillfully deflected the short blade to the side.

Thunk!

Simultaneously, Baek Cheon spun his body and lunged towards the Evil Tyrant Alliance warrior's chest.

"You sly bastard!"

Anticipating this, the Evil Tyrant Alliance warrior quickly retracted the spear and used the shaft to defend his chest. But Baek Cheon spun his body once more, and a sword, gleaming with blue energy, sliced in a semicircle towards the warrior's neck.

"Gah!"

The spear-wielder gasped, swallowing air in shock, and hastily raised the spear shaft.

Clang!

He barely blocked the attack in time. Though the sword's trajectory was threatening, its actual power was weak, so it wasn't dangerous as long as it could be blocked.

Just as the spear-wielder let out a triumphant smile, the sword slid down the shaft like a raindrop.

Slice!

Fingers gripping the spear were severed and flew into the air. The unexpected attack caused the spear-wielder to scream in pain.

"Ahh!"

Baek Cheon wrapped his arm around the opponent's spear and entangled himself with the warrior.

"Let go, you bastard!"

Thwack!

With one hand, the spear-wielder struck Baek Cheon in the face with the spear shaft.

Crack!

But Baek Cheon didn't even blink. He reversed his grip on the sword and immediately plunged it into the warrior's side. The warrior, stabbed in the lungs, couldn't even scream as he convulsed and then went limp.

"Ugh...."

Blood flowed steadily from Baek Cheon's face, which had been struck by the spear shaft.

But he pushed the limp body off him and immediately stood up again. Even though he was trembling, he stubbornly raised his sword once more.

"Persistent bastard."

The man chasing after Baek Cheon looked at him with a somewhat weary expression.

He hadn't been in great shape to begin with, but now he was a complete wreck. His clothes, covered in dirt, were soaked with dark red blood. He was cut in several places during the fight, and blood continued to flow.

However, the man didn't seem to care at all.

It was understandable. Though he had only sustained injuries, four bodies already lay scattered around him.

The Evil Tyrant Alliance warrior couldn't believe what he was seeing. How could this be?

'How did four of us....?'

The man wasn't strong, far from it. In fact, he was weak. So why couldn't they kill him? Why were they the ones suffering instead?

He wasn't strong, nor was he fast, so he should have been easily cut in half if they had really tried. But strangely, they only managed to graze his flesh.

"Huff! Huff! Huff!"

Meanwhile, Baek Cheon was panting heavily, his breath ragged and labored.

'My jaw is open.'

He couldn't control his breathing anymore, a sign that his body was reaching its limit.

'Just from this much...?'

Even though he knew it, he was shocked at how pathetically weak he had become.

But he could still fight. He was still breathing, and his body could still move.

He glanced beyond those standing in front of him, towards the back. He could see the villagers fleeing.

Only a few of them. After all, Baek Cheon could only hold back fewer than ten people, so the few who managed to escape wouldn't be enough to save the entire village.

At best, it was just creating a "possibility" that a few lives might be spared.

But could that be considered worthless?

"What are you doing? Kill him already!"

"....Then why don't you do it?"

"You cowardly bastard...."

"What?"

The Evil Tyrant Alliance members started baring their teeth at each other.

Even though they knew their opponent was weak, none of them dared to charge in. The few corpses already lying on the ground and the strange swordsmanship used by that man made them uneasy.

It was different from the fear one feels when facing a stronger opponent. No one in the world prefers a pointless death. Dying to someone like him would be a worthless death, wouldn't it?

"Damn it! Just charge in all at once!"

Someone, unable to bear it any longer, shouted, causing everyone's faces to twist in frustration.

Of course, they knew how ridiculous it was to cling to their pride when their comrades had already died by this man's hand. But no matter how they rationalized it, the fact that they had to work together against an already injured opponent felt humiliating.

"Damn it!"

But after thinking it over, they realized that working together seemed the safest option. Those watching Baek Cheon adjusted their weapons and began to close in on him slowly.

A deep sigh escaped from Baek Cheon's lips.

"No support yet, huh?"

And even if it did come, it was clear their attack would be faster than any help that might arrive. It was also clear that Baek Cheon, in his current state, wouldn't be able to withstand their combined assault.

So the conclusion was obvious.

Baek Cheon erased all thoughts. Thinking wouldn't change reality. He would just fight until his strength ran out.

"Die!"

The Evil Tyrant Alliance members screamed as they charged at him.

"Use the enemy's strength..."

Clang!

He deflected the first sword that came flying at him. But before he could use that force, a heavy blow struck him in the chest.

"Ugh!"

He raised his knee to block the attack, but a sword simultaneously slashed his side. Then, before he could retrieve his own sword, another blade stabbed into him.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Crack!

The mechanism he had barely secured broke, and his sword flew into the air. At the same time, the full force of the attack struck him square in the chest.

Bruuk!

Baek Cheon's body flew through the air like a kite with its string cut, crashing helplessly to the ground.

"Ugh!"

The Evil Tyrant Alliance members sneered as they watched Baek Cheon vomit black blood.

"Damn it. It was this simple all along."

If only they had set aside their pride earlier, they wouldn't have had to drag this out. Grinding their teeth, they approached Baek Cheon.

His breathing was labored, and his expression slowly loosened.

'Is this the end...?'

Even willpower needs a minimum amount of strength to manifest. He was already injured, and had lost his sword. He had no more strength left to resist.

"....Die, you bastards."

"You wretched scum. Fine, I'll grant you your wish!"

A member of Evil Tyrant Alliance drew an axe and rushed at Baek Cheon in one swift move. Baek Cheon glared straight at the axe falling towards his head. Even in the moment of death, he refused to yield. This was his final act of pride.

Slice!

The sharp blade cut through flesh with a chilling sound. Hot blood streamed down Baek Cheon's face.

"....Ah."

But his eyes did not lose their light. Instead, they widened in shock.

Thud.

The blood on his face wasn't his own. It was from the neck of the Evil Tyrant Alliance member above him.

"What...?"

Thud. Thud.

The heads of those standing in front of Baek Cheon fell to the ground one after another. The bodies, now headless, collapsed like a rotten group of corpses. It was laughably easy.

Confused, Baek Cheon turned to see what had happened.

"You are...?"

Someone had approached him without him noticing.

A deep sense of bewilderment filled Baek Cheon's eyes.