Chapter 1804. If It Must Be Carried (4)

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"Cough!"

Black, clotted blood endlessly flowed from Tang Gunak's mouth. There was no need to confirm what those clumps mixed in the blood were.

"…Dam Yeohae."

Even his voice, filled with hatred, emerged distorted and unclear.

"Tsk, tsk. What bad luck, Tang Gunak."

Thousand Faced Manipulator chuckled mockingly at the pitiful sight of Tang Gunak.

"If you had died in a single strike, your suffering would've been lessened. Now, you'll have to endure unnecessary pain. What can I do? Blame your unnecessarily resilient body."

Grrrt.

Tang Gunak gritted his teeth.

"You… scum…"

The fury blazing in his eyes only seemed to amuse Thousand Faced Manipulator even more.

"You must have thought you knew what to expect, since you've faced me once before."

"….."

"But circumstances can change at any time. You should have considered that."

Tang Gunak, on the verge of retorting, clamped his mouth shut. Instead, he vomited another mouthful of black blood.

'Damn it.'

Dam Yeohae was right.

Under normal circumstances, there was no way Dam Yeohae could have approached Tang Gunak. No matter how skilled Thousand Faced Manipulator was, no matter how flawlessly he disguised himself as Tang Pae, Tang Gunak wasn't someone who would fail to notice the incongruity.

But this time was different. His every sense had been focused entirely on Jeok Ho. Even a slight lapse in concentration would've risked decapitation. Battling such an opponent, it had been impossible—even for Tang Gunak—to detect Thousand Faced Manipulator's faint presence.

"Cough!"

Tang Gunak wiped the corners of his mouth with his sleeve and managed to get to his feet.

"Oh, you still have some strength left?"

Thousand Faced Manipulator remarked with intrigue. Tang Gunak's gaze turned icy.

"…That poisonous iron caltrops?"

"I picked it up."

"Picked it up?"

"I'm referring to the ones your son threw countless times. They were scattered across Gangnam."

"….."

"Our people had to put in some effort, but gathering such items is one of Hao Sect's specialties. If we set our minds to it, we could even collect strands of hair you shed in Sichuan."

A hollow laugh escaped Tang Gunak's lips.

This was why the Tang Family's rule was absolute recovery of all hidden weapons. But recovering everything used in Gangnam, which was practically a den of the Evil Tyrant Alliance, had been impossible.

Yet, to think they had searched every inch of that vast escape route and collected these tiny poisoned caltrops?

"….How relentless."

"I'll take that as a compliment. It's been a while since I heard something like that, so it's not unpleasant."

Still disguised as Tang Pae, Thousand Faced Manipulator beamed brightly.

Tang Gunak was struck by a realization—one he had occasionally forgotten because of Jang Ilso's overwhelming presence.

The monsters surrounding Jang Ilso were no less terrifying, and they ruled the world of evil sects.

Neglecting this reality had been Tang Gunak's mistake—a mistake born of complacency.

"Since we've exchanged blows, I suppose it's only fair for me to…"

Just as Thousand Faced Manipulator lifted his foot to approach, a thick, scarred hand blocked his way. Narrowing his eyes, Thousand Faced Manipulator looked at Jeok Ho, who stood in his path.

"What is this?"

"This is where you stop."

"…Stop?"

"It's only right to preserve a modicum of honor for him. He deserves at least that much."

Thousand Faced Manipulator chuckled dryly.

"What do you mean by that?"

"You didn't need to intervene. It was an honorable duel."

"Honor?"

"Yes."

For a fleeting moment, a murderous glint flashed in Thousand Faced Manipulator's eyes.

Though Jeok Ho was one of Jang Ilso's cherished subordinates, Thousand Faced Manipulator was the Hao Sect's leader. His status in both the martial world and the Evil Sects was far beyond Jeok Ho's. For someone like Jeok Ho to block his way was unthinkable.

However, Thousand Faced Manipulator soon dismissed his killing intent.

"The dogs of Ryeonju seem to lack self-awareness." [ETA leader aka Jang Ilso]

"…."

"And you… It seems you've chosen the wrong path. To think I'd hear a word like 'honor' come out of the mouth of an evil sect bastard."

Despite the blatant mockery, Jeok Ho remained stoic. After glaring at him for a long moment, Thousand Faced Manipulator finally shrugged.

"Do whatever you want."

As much as he wanted to rip Jeok Ho apart, now was not the time for internal conflict. Killing him could wait.

No, he would definitely kill him.

As Thousand Faced Manipulator turned away without hesitation-

Thunk.

A dagger had embedded itself in the ground at his feet.

"...."

Thousand Faced Manipulator silently stared at the shaking dagger embedded in the ground before slowly turning his gaze. Tang Gunak, gasping for breath, was reaching out with his hand. His appearance was already half that of a corpse.

"...What do you think you're doing?"

Thousand Faced Manipulator genuinely asked, perplexed. He couldn't comprehend the reason for such a seemingly pointless act.

Then, words trickled from Tang Gunak's cracked lips.

"I won't let you go."

"...What?"

Tang Gunak steadied his breathing.

He hadn't realized Thousand Faced Manipulator's ability to blend and manipulate situations to his advantage. If he hadn't noticed it, others wouldn't easily perceive it either.

In other words, this same thing could happen again elsewhere.

Thus, Thousand Faced Manipulator couldn't be treated as just another fighter. Especially in chaotic battles, there was perhaps no one more dangerous than him.

Even at the cost of his life, he had to stop him. He couldn't let him leave.

"You... can't go, Thousand Faced Manipulator."

Before Thousand Faced Manipulator could change his guise again, Tang Gunak needed to bind him here—even for a moment longer.

Even if it meant hastening his own death.

Thousand Faced Manipulator stared blankly at Tang Gunak before rubbing his face lightly—a gesture rare for someone so sensitive to hidden motives. It was a sign of how truly bewildered he was.

"So... you're saying you want to die by my hand?"

"....."

"Is that it?"

Thousand Faced Manipulator glanced at Jeok Ho. While Jeok Ho remained expressionless, faint traces of bewilderment lingered in his eyes.

In his current state, Tang Gunak couldn't possibly contend with Thousand Faced Manipulator, let alone Jeok Ho. Yet, here he was, intent on hindering both of them—a move that defied logic.

"What on earth...?"

At that moment— 

Clink.

A sharp sound rang out as something shattered in Tang Gunak's hand.

'A bottle?'

It was a small white porcelain bottle, just large enough to fit in his palm. As it broke, a purple mist began to rise from his hand.

Jeok Ho and Thousand Faced Manipulator both instinctively held their breath.

'Poison?'

But poison, now?

If poison had been enough to restrain them, he would've used it already. It seemed like nothing more than futile resistance.

While the two were contemplating this, Tang Gunak slowly rubbed the poison powder onto the wound on his side.

'Is it paralyzing powder?' [mabisan, 마비산(麻痺散)]

It was indeed poison, but it wasn't meant for his enemies.

Tang Gunak was applying the powder to his wound to numb the pain.

"Pointless..."

Clink! Clink!

Two more porcelain bottles shattered in quick succession.

Drip.

The liquid poison dripped onto Tang Gunak's dagger. As the different poisons mixed, a thick white smoke rose from the blade.

"What's that supposed to be?"

"I... don't particularly like poison."

It wasn't something a leader of the Tang Family should admit, but Tang Gunak truly disliked poison. More than that, he believed poison should eventually vanish from the Tang Family's teachings.

The more the Tang Family relied on poison, the darker and more uncertain its future would become.

Yet, Tang Gunak also acknowledged one truth: poison was precisely that sort of tool. Unnecessary, yet essential at certain moments.

This was one of those moments.

"Foolish, Tang Gunak. Do you think poison will work on us?"

"Don't underestimate the Tang Family."

Tang Gunak, his breathing steadied thanks to the paralyzing powder, gripped the dagger firmly.

"The Tang Family knows its limits better than anyone. That's why we've worked tirelessly to overcome those limitations."

"....."

"Now, I'll show you."

Thousand Faced Manipulator was about to retort when—

"It's acid. An exceptionally strong one." [san, 산(酸)]

"...Acid?"

Jeok Ho's murmured observation prompted Thousand Faced Manipulator to scrutinize Tang Gunak's dagger again.

Indeed, the white smoke wasn't the scent of poison. Instead, it was the result of the blood and debris on the dagger burning away. Even the blade itself seemed to be slowly corroding.

Such a powerful acid. It was clear that mere contact would cause flesh to dissolve into a viscous mess.

'It's true...'

Poison can be suppressed with internal energy, but acid cannot. While it wouldn't dissolve someone as quickly as an ordinary person, there was still a limit to what internal energy could resist.

In that sense, Tang Gunak's method posed a genuine threat.

'But if he had this trick, why wait until now...?'

The fleeting question was quickly answered.

Drip.

A drop of liquid from the dagger landed on the back of Tang Gunak's hand.

Sizzle!

As soon as it touched, the area began to emit white smoke, the flesh corroding rapidly.

"...I see."

He couldn't control it. The inability to block the acid with internal energy applied to Tang Gunak as well.

The Tang Family cultivated resistance to poisons through endurance training and internal energy. However, the powerful acid was impartial, harming allies, enemies, and even the user. Thus, the practitioner exposed to the acid inevitably suffered.

"A desperate move, indeed."

It was a strategy that couldn't be used without accepting injury and death.

"Truly desperate, Tang Gunak."

Tang Gunak exhaled deeply.

'Desperate...'

Did Thousand Faced Manipulator truly understand the weight of that word? Tang Gunak turned the dagger, gripping the blade instead of the hilt.

Sizzle!

A horrific pain surged as the blade's acid began to dissolve his skin from the fingertips. Such wounds couldn't be fully healed, even with the Tang Family's medical expertise.

Losing sensation in his fingers was unthinkable for someone who wielded daggers. Yet, gripping only the hilt wouldn't unleash the dagger art's full potential.

Covering the dagger with acid ultimately means not thinking about the aftermath.

Damaged body.

But the risks didn't end there. The internal damage inflicted by Thousand Faced Manipulator's earlier attack was still worsening. Even if Tang Gunak refrained from exerting himself further, his body was already deteriorating with each passing moment.

Yet, he felt no urgency.

'So this is what it means.'

It seemed that he finally understood what the 'resolve' he had been saying so easily meant. Tang Gunak's lips curled into a faint, bitter smile.

"Let me say it again..."

He had abandoned pride and vengeance. Even with his back against the wall, he knew it was impossible to face both opponents alone, especially in his current state.

But it didn't matter.

"...You will not leave, Thousand Faced Manipulator."

If holding him here, even for a moment longer, required burning his own life as the price, Tang Gunak would not hesitate.

Thousand Faced Manipulator's eyes twitched. His clenched fist emitted an audible crack.

"It seems you're one of those who won't cry until the coffin is sealed."

Jeok Ho gripped his sword tightly as well.

"Hah..."

Tang Gunak tightened his hold on the dagger, his gaze fixed on the two adversaries.

'It's heavy.'

The weight of the twelve daggers he carried now felt palpable. Tang Gunak wondered if he was truly worthy of bearing that weight.

'I suppose I'll find out now.'

In that moment, Tang Gunak's dagger cleaved through the air. Like the dagger that had once split the world in the past. Incomparably brilliant.