I am going to save them. (5)

Near midnight, with no moonlight to illuminate the darkness, the Hundred Thousand Mountains were shrouded in obscurity, making it nearly impossible to distinguish anything within their treacherous peaks.

In the midst of these rugged mountain ranges, eyes glowed eerily like goblin fires, piercing through the darkness.

Alert and vigilant, the martial artists of Maninbang, scanned their surroundings with sharp, wary eyes.

Crackle.

“Who goes there?”

A faint voice from the side sent a shiver down the spine, prompting the swift and decisive strike of Maninbang’s sword without a moment’s hesitation. The blade, guided by the sound, lunged forward, ready to confront the source.

Thunk!

The assailant who had hurled the blade dashed forward, only to find, in the dim light, a solitary rabbit convulsing on the ground, its neck severed. His expression twisted in dismay.

“Shit…”

“Tsk tsk. You’ve proven yourself quite the formidable hunter.”

From behind, a mocking voice made the man react fiercely.

“Watch your mouth!”

“Don’t let your guard down for no reason. Look around carefully.”

In a fit of anger, he kicked away the still-warm rabbit carcass, then sheathed his sword at his waist. With a scrutinizing gaze, he surveyed the mountain that loomed like a blade in the darkness. The imposing silhouette, piercing the sky, truly embodied the notion of a land defying the natural order.

‘Ominous.’

With uneasy eyes, the man scanned his surroundings. The thick darkness descended, rendering the silence oppressive. While it might appear tranquil to some, for those present here, it felt only ominous.

It was uncomfortable to make any sound, especially for those who knew the dark history of this land.

When the man with an annoyed look on his face set his foot down, a sudden dull pain shot through it. Looking down, he saw a rusty spear blade protruding from beneath his foot. It had corroded so much that it was nearly falling apart.

If he were to dig around the blade, he might find its owner buried there, reduced to bones long ago.

“Damn it.”

The shape of the blade resembled those used by the Evil Sects rather than the Just Sects.

The man frowned slightly. He couldn’t help but feel sorry for the Sapa who died a hundred years ago, even though their faces were unknown. But the feeling of disgust was unavoidable.

“Are you hurt?”

“No. You think I’d get hurt by a rusty old blade like this?”

Thunk.

The man, having shattered the protruding blade underfoot, kicked it aside to bushes nearby. Sure enough, scattered around were also the swords typically used by Just Sects.

If this were an ordinary battlefield, the locals would have already scavenged everything long ago. They would have sold them off or melted the swords down to make farming tools.

But this were Hundred Thousand Mountains, the land of death avoided even by commoners with no ties to Gangho. Consequently, traces of past wars inevitably remained intact.

“This place disgusts me.”

“Don’t waste your thoughts on that. Keep an eye on your surroundings. If we miss them, our heads will roll.”

After giving the one who spoke with such rigidity a piercing glare, the man spat on the ground and resumed walking.

“Damn it, can’t even rest for a moment.”

“Don’t even say such things. Can’t you feel the mood?”

“Shit.”

Once again, the man cursed, unable to find fault with the words.

“How many died in total?”

“Damn it, how could I count… The Blood Sword Squad was wiped out, and countless others not affiliated with them died as well. If you include the riffraff blocking the way, you could pile up mountains of corpses.”

“…It’s a mess.”

It’s undoubtedly a first in Maninbang’s history to have so many casualties just to capture a mere two hundred people and one man. It’s understandable that even the calmest commander Ho Gamyeong would be shaken by such massive sacrifices, especially when the enemy couldn’t be completely annihilated.

In a situation like this, letting them slip away would likely result in more than just one or two lives being lost. So, no matter what it took, they had to track down the trail of these bastards.

“Maybe they’ve already escaped the Hundred Thousand Mountains?”

“Don’t spout nonsense. At most, they might be hiding in a cave somewhere. I’ve never heard of caves stretching hundreds of li.”

“Right.”

That means somewhere around here, they could be crouching and hiding. They might even be right under his feet, the fearsome Hwasan Geomhyeop who wiped out both Goe Ryang and Blood Sword Squad.

“…So, does that mean Hwasan Geomhyeop could come out from here?”

“Hey, damn it! Stop saying ominous things!”

The eyes of his companion, who had been calmly listening to him, suddenly twisted horribly. The one who had been momentarily silenced by the force of his momentum closed his mouth.

It’s funny when you think about it. Right now, they’re doing everything in their power to track down Hwasan Geomhyeop, but at the same time, they’re desperately hoping they never encounter him.

Because they’re afraid.

Everyone has witnessed his ferocity in battle. So, no one wants to face off against this demon who is even more monstrous than the Sapa.

“…And Maehwa Geomgwi [Plum Blossom Sword Demon] is human too. With injuries like that, how could he have already gotten up and left?”

“Th-that’s true?”

“He might as well be dead. No, he is dead, definitely.”

His voice lacked both strength and conviction.

While they desperately wished for the demise of Hwasan Geomhyeop, a strange conviction crept in, suggesting that he might never die, which in turn sparked fear.

“But what’s this Plum Blossom Sword Demon? What does that even mean?”

“I don’t know? They’ve been calling Hwasan Geomhyeop that.”

“…What…”

“I mean, seriously, does the title like ‘Geomhyeop’ suit that lunatic? It’s already spreading throughout Maninbang.”

The man nodded in agreement.

Indeed, the title Plum Blossom Sword Demon suited him far better than the dignified title of Hwasan Geomhyeop. Actually, even the title Plum Blossom Sword Demon seemed insufficient.

“To hell with Plum Blossom Sword Demon. Blood Blossom Demonic Blade would be more fitting.”

“…But he’s still from the Just Sect.”

“The Just Sect is a lost cause. Why would he care about being from the Just Sect? Even Demonic Cult’s bastards aren’t that ruthless.”

“That’s true.”

“No, Demonic Cult is much more ruthless.”

“What are you talking about? Even Demonic…”

The one who was about to immediately retort suddenly closed his mouth. He realized that the voice came from behind him.

Thud. Thud.

His whole body froze as he heard the sound of a viscous liquid dripping onto his ears. At the same time, a smell, all too familiar yet utterly unwanted at that moment, invaded his nostrils.

The smell of blood.

His shoulders began to twitch involuntarily. He wanted to turn away, didn’t want to look. He didn’t want to confirm that the horrifying scenario playing out in his mind was indeed real.

But in urgent situations, humans often ignore the commands of their minds and follow their instincts. His body was already turning to confirm the presence of the figure behind him.

The opponent clad in black seemed to blend into the night like ink melting away. The only distinct features were a sword, shedding a crimson hue tainted with someone’s blood, and flashing eyes gleaming with blue.

Yet, even so, the man could discern all too well the identity of the sudden visitor.

“Hwa-Hwasan Geom…”

Swish.

Before the words could even finish, a searing pain erupted in his throat. In an instant, the icy sensation of his throat being severed, from bone to vocal cords, vanished.

Gasping.

The sound of air escaping his throat flowed out. The man, unable to even scream, toppled backward. Before his breath could fade, the sight of his comrade’s head soaring into the air flashed before his eyes.

The crimson blood soaring into the air resembled blooming red flowers. As he looked into the cold glare between them, the man had one thought.

‘Indeed… the nickname was not wrong..’

Before he could finish the thought, a chilling numbness enveloped his body.

Swish.

Clear and precise, Chung Myung plunged his sword into the man’s chest.

Thud!

Piercing through the heart, the blood stained the sword crimson. Concealing the blade’s light with blood instead of ash, Chung Myung, once again melded into the darkness. A silent, swift movement, without even the slightest sound.

Swooosh.

Like black water in the darkness, Chung Myung moved behind the backs of Maninbang’s warriors, cautiously navigating through their ranks.

“What…”

Blood gushed from the half-severed throat in spurts. There was no time even to scream.

Convulsing, he collapsed forward.

“Grrrk…”

Perhaps they wouldn’t even know how they died until their last breath.

Chung Myung’s gaze was as cold as ice.

‘Not yet.’

It was not the time to be discovered…

“Who, who’s there!”

At the voice that suddenly echoed, the corners of Chung Myung’s mouth curled up. Far away, the members of Maninbang looked at him with startled faces.

With a swift movement, Chung Myung closed the distance in an instant. And with one strike, he decapitated the one standing at the forefront.

Thud!

With a bone-crushing sound, Maninbang warrior’s head soared into the air. The face of the one who hadn’t had time to close his eyes was briefly illuminated by the faint, pallid moonlight before it fell to the ground.

“Gasp!”

Swish!

Chung Myung’s sword, having already slashed the throats of multiple enemies in succession, reached the last remaining one.

Thunk!

The signal whistle, poised at the lips, froze in place. Eyes filled with fear trembled as if in an earthquake. If he were to muster the courage to blow the whistle now, that sharp blade would undoubtedly cleave his throat without hesitation.

In the darkness, sharp glowing eyes seemed to watch his every move.

The man’s entire body was drenched in sweat pouring out in torrents. Then, Hwasan Geomhyeop spoke briefly.

“Blow.”

It was a command he couldn’t comprehend.

But there was no need to ponder. As he hesitated, Chung Myung’s sword began to pierce his skin.

“Can’t you hear?”

Slish.

As the blade sliced through his thin skin, the sensation of horror crept up his spine, and his legs gave up beneath him.

“Blow.”

He couldn’t think anymore. There was no time for it. Trembling, he exerted all his strength into the hand holding the signal whistle and blew with all his might.

Biiip!

The high-pitched and sharp sound of the signal whistle reverberated through the dark night sky. In that moment, one corner of Chung Myung’s mouth curled up.

“That’s it.”

Swish!

The man’s body collapsed. But the sound of the whistle clearly indicated the presence of someone here to everyone.

“It’s over here!”

Amidst the chaos, shouts filled the air. A sinister grin twisted Chung Myung’s lips.

❀ ❀ ❀

“The signal whistle was blown!”

“Run! It’s that way!”

“Yes!”

Maninbang responded to the sound and ran with all their might.

“Hurry!”

The trampled bushes, left behind by the rushing attackers, slowly began to rise again. As the noisy commotion passed, silence returned to the surroundings.

Underneath a towering tree that stood alone, a group cautiously emerged.

Baek Cheon, the first to show up, looked around with tense eyes and nodded, signaling to the others.

“Let’s go.”

The group, numbering around a hundred, moved as one entity, silently making their way northward, the place that Maninbang had left empty.