Chapter 1830. No Matter How Insignificant the Fertilizer (6)

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"Kill him! I will definitely kill him!"

"Huft! Huft!"

The air was filled with the sound of ragged breathing, gasps reaching their limits, and the chaotic clamor of voices. Those chasing after Jang Ilso's crimson-clad back were all being dyed in the same bloody hue.

"Aaaaaah!"

A disciple of the Wudang Sect drove his pine patterned sword violently into the back of a fleeing Evil Tyrant Alliance soldier, trampling over the man's still-standing body without hesitation.

"Jang Ilsoooooooo!"

An unprecedented thrill wrapped around his entire body. But he was so consumed by it that he didn't even realize he was excited.

That's how it works. Those who are excessively agitated believe they are, in fact, calm. Their reasoning is so paralyzed that they can't even gauge their own state.

The disciples of Wudang had spent their entire lives honing the virtue of moderation. But in this moment, a lifetime of teachings could no longer guide them.

"Graaaaaaah!"

If only there had been more Evil Tyrant Alliance soldiers standing between them and Jang Ilso, forming a wall of resistance, they might have had time to cool their overheated minds. In the midst of battle, their lost rationality might have returned.

But the Evil Tyrant Alliance soldiers were crumbling too easily, too shamefully, to even be compared to a pile of rotting straw.

And so, a singular thought consumed them all.

'We can do it!'

They could reach him. They could get there. As long as they didn't collapse from exhaustion, they could tear that detestable man's flesh and drink his blood.

"Kill himmmmmm!"

How could they possibly stop now? This might be the perfect opportunity—one that would never come again.

They were getting closer. The distance was narrowing. Slowly but surely, they were closing in on Jang Ilso. Their breaths became rapid, their vision narrowing to a tunnel focused solely on their prey. And just then, a thunderous voice rang out in their ears.

"There! Jang Ilso is over there! On the opposite side!" 

'What?'

At first, it didn't make sense.

They had all been watching Jang Ilso. No one had dared to blink, afraid they might lose sight of him. They had practically locked eyes on him, holding him in their gaze.

And yet, someone was saying he was on the opposite side?

"What the hell…?"

Bloodshot eyes turned toward the source of the voice—

And at that moment, they saw it.

"What…?"

In the distance, a man was rising to his feet. Dressed in a crimson robe, with pale white skin, and a crown on his head.

"Jang Ilso…."

The name slipped out in a breathless whisper, barely audible, like a groan.

From head to toe, there was no doubt. It was Jang Ilso.

A roar of confusion erupted.

"What the fuck! Why is Jang Ilso over there…?!"

"Is that the real one?"

"This one is real! You idiots!"

Chaos surged. Even Mu Jin, his remaining eye trembling, darted his gaze between the two figures. 

'A fake?'

There couldn't be two Jang Ilso. One of them had to be an imposter. But which one?

In a situation like this, they needed to stop and think. That would be the rational and logical response.

But their burning momentum could not be cooled. They had already lost control of themselves. Even if they understood the need to pause, it was too late to restrain their actions.

"Get out of the way!"

Some continued chasing the Jang Ilso they had originally pursued. Others, without a moment's hesitation, turned and charged toward the newly appeared Jang Ilso.

For those who didn't have the strength to take both down, a choice had to be made. But for this enraged force, two Jang Ilso simply meant twice the prey. The remnants of the fleeing Evil Tyrant Alliance soldiers were no longer obstacles.

So why hesitate?

"Wait! Stop! Damn it!"

Some, like Mu Jin, voiced their concerns.

Two identical Jang Ilso appearing at the same time—this meant their enemies had prepared a double in advance. The implications of that had to be considered.

But their warnings were drowned out by the cries of those too lost in fury to listen.

The newly emerged Jang Ilso let out a scoffing laugh as he watched the warriors change direction toward him. Then, without hesitation, he turned and sprinted away.

"There! He's running! Chase him!"

Like branches sprouting from a tree, the forces of the Heavenly Comrade Alliance split in two as they charged through the crumbling ranks of the Evil Tyrant Alliance forces.

But this, they believed, was not a cause for concern.

The warriors of the Heavenly Comrade Alliance were not fools. The disciples of great sects had undergone rigorous trials just to be admitted. They were the best of the best, carefully chosen and trained.

And they knew this could not be a trap.

The enemy ranks had already collapsed completely. Even if they turned around now to counterattack, they would not be a match for the Heavenly Comrade Alliance.

Regrouping the shattered Evil Tyrant Alliance forces and mounting a counteroffensive? Not even Zhuge Liang or the god of war himself could pull off such an impossible feat.

So they didn't hesitate. They didn't doubt.

They unleashed the fury they had held back for so long and pursued their enemy with unrelenting ferocity.

But then—

"There! Jang Ilso is over there too! Damn, another one!"

"This way! This one's the real Jang Ilso!"

"Fuck, there's another one over thereeeee!"

Jang Ilso appeared again.

Then another Jang Ilso grinned at them mockingly.

Yet another Jang Ilso swept a hand over his face, cracking his neck to the side.

Everywhere they looked, Jang Ilso was there. He looked exactly the same as the Jang Ilso they knew.

Jang Ilso had left such a deep impression on them that every warrior in the Heavenly Comrade Alliance could sketch his face with their eyes closed.

And yet, even to them, there was no difference between these Jang Ilsos. Each one was perfect. What on earth were they supposed to do?

"Th-, this…"

At this point, they all realized something was terribly wrong.

But there was no turning back. They had already pushed too deep into enemy territory. It was impossible to regroup now.

'No… there is a way.'

Perhaps, deep down, they all knew.

They just needed to stop.

If they stopped now, whatever scheme the Evil Tyrant Alliance had planned would fail. They could redirect their attacks toward the fleeing Evil Tyrant Alliance warriors instead. That would guarantee victory.

But could they call it a true victory if Jang Ilso's head wasn't among the spoils?

Could they truly laugh in satisfaction just by cutting off the arm of the one who set fire to their lifelong home, toyed with their blood relatives, and slaughtered them mercilessly?

No one wanted such an ending. No, they couldn't even imagine it.

A person who has seen gold and jewels with their own eyes can no longer be captivated by a coin lying on the ground. When a precious artifact gleams vividly within arm's reach, there is no one in the world who would settle for picking up a dirty old coin in satisfaction.

"Kill them all! Every single one of them!"

Perhaps that was why their choice was inevitable.

It didn't matter how many Jang Ilsos appeared. There was no need to discern which among them was the real one. One of them had to be real.

And right now, they had the power to kill them all. The fragmented remnants of the Evil Tyrant Alliance weren't even worth considering.

"OOOOOOOOH!"

The warriors of the Heavenly Comrade Alliance charged at the nearest Jang Ilso like ravenous beasts.

Their chests burned with a mixture of excitement and anxiety, yet there was also a strange sense of relief tangled within.

Excitement at the possibility of killing Jang Ilso with their own hands. Anxiety that the one they were pursuing might not be the real Jang Ilso. And a faint relief—perhaps it was better that way.

After all, this was Jang Ilso. Just the fact that they were chasing him was enough to make their hearts race with both exhilaration and fear. That demon's fangs and claws would still be sharp, ready to tear through their throats at any moment.

But a fake Jang Ilso? There was nothing to fear.

Paradoxically, the very thought that they might be chasing a fake burned away the last vestiges of doubt lurking in their hearts.

The warriors of the Heavenly Comrade Alliance, having broken through the barricade into the Evil Tyrant Alliance's territory, spread rapidly, dividing into multiple branches. It was as if they were extending limbs into the enemy's stronghold like growing branches of a tree.

"Ahahahahahahahaha!"

And at the end of each branch stood Jang Ilso. Without exception.

His booming laughter sent waves of fury and murderous intent surging through the warriors' hearts.

"…What the hell is this…"

Jongli Gok murmured, momentarily dazed.

No matter how he looked at it, that was Jang Ilso. Even with his trained eyesight, he could not spot a single discrepancy. There was no way to distinguish the real from the fake.

"Could it be that what Thousand-Faced Manipulator said…"

"It seems so."

There was only one person capable of pulling this off.

Thousand-Faced Manipulator, Dm Yeohae. If it was him, this would be possible.

Even if he couldn't transform into countless people himself, changing multiple individuals to look exactly the same would not be beyond his capabilities.

But to use such a trick in this situation…

"Nokrim King!"

Im Sobyeong glared sharply ahead, his eyes burning with furious anger.

"Are we really just going to let them keep chasing? Nokrim King!"

Hearing the repeated urgings, Im Sobyeong bit his lip.

Tang Gunak was here. So was Jongli Gok. In the end, the one who would give the final order was Tang Gunak, but that only made Im Sobyeong's judgment all the more crucial.

If they hesitated any longer, the warriors would scatter into even more divisions. At that point, no command would hold any meaning. If an order was to be given, it had to be now.

But what order should he give?

'The conditions are the same. At this point, neither side can effectively command their forces.'

With chillingly cold eyes, Im Sobyeong analyzed the battlefield. Though his body screamed in protest, his mind remained as sharp as ice.

'Jang Ilso.'

Deceiving the enemy was an excellent strategy. But a truly brilliant tactic was one where the enemy saw through the deception and still fell into the trap regardless. Im Sobyeong had to acknowledge that this was precisely that kind of move.

Even knowing the path was dangerous, they had no choice but to take it. Stopping was already impossible. In that case, it would be better to….

Finally, Im Sobyeong spoke.

"Lord Tang!"

"I'm listening."

Tang Gunak responded with difficulty, but his voice was firm.

"Give the order to the entire army—"

Tang Gunak's face hardened. Im Sobyeong paused, clenching his jaw. Even in that moment, he had not yet solidified his decision.

'I am merely a strategist. And a misguided one at that.'

There is no such thing as a strategist who always makes the right decision.

'That's right. So there's no need to hesitate.'

Perfection was impossible. No single person was infallible. That was why they had this Alliance. His shortcomings would be filled by those around him.

Several faces flashed through Im Sobyeong's mind.

Im Sobyeong trusted them more than anyone else. If it was them, they would see this through.

"Issue an extermination order on Jang Ilso!"

"..."

"Do not hesitate, pursue him relentlessly. We must accept some losses. Pour all our resources into this. Every available fighter, including the Beast Palace Lord waiting at the rear. Command them all to chase down every Jang Ilso! Every last one!"

"Nokrim King! That will tear our forces apart!"

"It already has! If we hesitate now, we'll lose even this final chance!"

Tang Gunak flinched, falling silent.

"Opportunities like this don't come often. No, this is our last chance."

Im Sobyeong's eyes blazed with determination.

"Today, here and now, we will end this war. By severing Jang Ilso's head!"

At last, Tang Gunak gave a resolute nod.