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Chapter 388: Ambush (6)
BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-CRASH—!
Neither of us waited for the other.
The moment our eyes met, we were already sprinting toward the outer compound.
There was nothing we could predict about the situation—not what was happening, not what it meant.
Yet our feet moved on instinct.
Ěnu m̆ ӓ
'I need to confirm Dam Ak's status first.'
It might not be Dam Ak who was attacked.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
The remnants of the Phantom Five Demons and the Heavenly Killing Unit could have attacked the outer compound out of spite after their mission failed.
Yes, it could be nothing serious.
No matter how fearsome the Heavenly Killing Unit was, at their core they were assassins.
There was no way they could face head-on the numerous masters of a Murim Alliance whose guard was already raised to the maximum—
Е́ n u̇ m ӓ
BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-CRASH—!
Ominous blasts rang out one after another.
The optimistic hopes I'd been clinging to crumbled apart like sand.
'Fuck. Right, since when have I ever been the optimistic type?'
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There were two possible scenarios to consider.
First: the Heavenly Killing Unit remnants, having failed to assassinate Jegal So-myeong, attempted to kill Dam Ak as a consolation prize.
Ẃ е b n о̃v́ ē l̈. Е̇n ū mã
If Dam Ak died inside the Murim Alliance right now, the Murim Alliance and the Black Thought Alliance could never work together again.
No—going further, the Black Thought Alliance would seize this opportunity and launch a war against the Murim Alliance.
Nothing would serve better as a pretext to solidify the Black Thought Alliance's standing than a war with the Murim Alliance.
Both scenarios would cause the same kind of division, but the second was far more dangerous.
'What if Dam Ak was the target from the beginning?'
At this point in my previous life, neither the Black Thought Alliance nor its strategist Dam Ak had come to the Murim Alliance.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
But now, Dam Ak was here.
In that case, couldn't they have aimed for Dam Ak instead of Jegal So-myeong from the very start?
The outer compound's level of security was comparatively lower, after all.
'Surely...... one of the Seven Demon Wisdom Lords hasn't come in person.'
BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-CRASH—!
The chain of explosions fed the ominous feeling swelling inside me.
W̆ ё b̀n̊ о̃ v̊ е̌ l̄ Ènu m̂ а̀
I overtook the Alliance members rushing toward the outer compound.
At that moment—
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
Tap-tap-tap-tap.
The quick patter of footsteps came from behind.
I turned to find Dang Seo-hui in her blue-green changshan, chasing after me.
And behind her—
Wѐb n ӧv̆ѐl̀ Еnũm а
'Why is he again......'
The obnoxious figure of Yong So-ah was visible as well.
'How are they keeping up?'
Even if I wasn't running at full power, it should have been impossible for Tang Clan or Wudang techniques to match the Unrivaled under Heaven Movement Art's speed.
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I couldn't figure out the principle, but the two of them were somehow keeping pace.
Watching them brought back a memory of when Murong Gang had used explosive bursts of qi.
Wе b ǹ_óv̄еl Ӗ.n̆ǔm a
Geniuses each defied the world's rules in their own way.
The ones who had pulled off the assassination of Jegal So-myeong in my previous life—an act I'd thought absolutely impossible—had been that same kind of human.
What if the one who had come for Dam Ak was that kind of human?
'I can't be too late.'
I drew up even more inner arts and raced faster toward the outer compound.
When I arrived, dozens of Alliance members had formed a perimeter around the area.
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"Halt!"
Under their severe alert posture, blades were already drawn.
I stopped directly in front of them.
"What happened inside?"
"Who are you?"
"Jin So-un of the Taeul Sect."
Ẁ.е̃ b̃ n̂оv̀е́l̂ Еn ûm̂а
At my introduction, the man's eyebrow twitched for an instant, but that was all.
"......An explosion of unknown origin destroyed part of a hall and the garden."
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A blast powerful enough to obliterate a hall and a garden......
Even for the Demonic Cult, would they really resort to something this extreme?
"May I go inside?"
"There may be intruders. This area—the Hall of Repose—has been locked down."
Е ǹ.ū m̂ a . і̇ d
The Hall of Repose was where visiting guests were housed, but in practice, with Dam Ak and his envoy delegation in residence, all other guests had been relocated to the Pine Blossom Hall.
In other words, only Dam Ak's party should currently be inside the Hall of Repose.
Confirming their safety took priority.
"It's fine."
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When I tried to push past them, the man stepped bodily into my path.
"We don't know what could happen in there! Can you take responsibility for whatever might occur?!"
Еñ u mа̇ .і̌d̈
"......"
While I stood facing the warrior who had blocked me—
Dang Seo-hui and Yong So-ah arrived a beat late.
Then, farther off, warriors rushing toward the outer compound began to appear one by one.
"Why aren't you going in?"
"Apparently it's been locked down."
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"Locked down? What does that even mean?"
Dang Seo-hui tilted her head and looked around.
"An incident just happened moments ago, and it's already been locked down?"
Dang Seo-hui posed the question, but no one answered.
Then Yong So-ah stepped forward.
Whoosh—
Ё n̆ û m а
The warriors who had been blocking us began stepping aside one by one.
"Seems we're allowed in after all."
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"......"
I felt inexplicably sour about it and couldn't smooth the scowl off my face, but that wasn't what mattered right now.
Passing through them and entering the Hall of Repose, a rank, fishy stench hit my nose.
The source was a decorative pond off to one side.
Ên u m̄ å
The recent blast had completely destroyed and upended it.
Carp that had been flung out of the water were flopping on the ground, gaping for air.
Turning my gaze to the Hall of Repose proper, part of its structure had been blown clean away.
'......This much damage?'
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
Just then, warriors who had been guarding the Hall of Repose entered alongside the Alliance members.
I was able to overhear the warriors reporting to the Alliance members.
Ě n ũmа
"Casualties? How bad are the casualties?"
"Two warriors on watch were attacked and knocked unconscious."
"What about the envoy delegation's members?"
"The extent of the damage hasn't been determined yet."
"What do you mean, it hasn't been determined?"
"Two bodies were recovered, believed to be guards, but the rest of the personnel...... could not be accounted for."
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"What in blazes does that even mean?!"
Before the warrior could respond to the frustrated Alliance member's demand, Yong So-ah answered first.
"Because of that."
Yong So-ah's gaze was fixed on a small hall at the rear of the compound.
Where the hall had once stood, a black fog had enveloped the entire area, and the only indication that a building had ever existed there was a sliver of rooftop jutting above the murk.
"The black fog appeared the instant the incident occurred. Given that the rest of the envoy delegation's members are unaccounted for...... they are most likely inside."
Ěǹüm а́
Several Alliance members approached and shouted into the formation shrouded in black fog.
But from within the dark mist, not a single reply came.
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"......"
The Murim Alliance's Grand Strategist had been exposed to assassination, and the Black Thought Alliance's strategist had sealed himself inside a formation.
Faced with this unprecedented crisis, no one had the faintest idea what to do.
***
Ӗn um̊ а. і̆ d
The attack on the Murim Alliance.
This first-ever crisis for the Murim Alliance ended with consequences no one could have imagined.
The additional attack on the Hall of Repose.
Two assaults in a single night sent a chill sweeping not just through the Murim Alliance but through all of Wuhan.
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Jegal So-myeong had ordered the emergency lifted, but every warrior responsible for both the inner and outer compounds had already been dispatched and was regrouping in heightened formation, with all Martial Pavilions deployed as well.
Everyone was on edge.
Е̇ǹ u_m а
The emergency had been formally lifted, yet in effect it had been the highest possible security posture—and still the Alliance's defenses had been breached.
The moment dawn broke, the Murim Alliance launched a full-scale investigation of Jegal So-myeong's quarters and the Hall of Repose area, scouring every inch for evidence of the assailants.
Going even further, all intelligence departments including the Heavenly Eye Pavilion poured into the streets, turning Wuhan completely upside down.
Beggars from the Beggars' Sect who normally lounged about accepting alms vanished entirely, and investigators and warriors visited every inn and tavern in Wuhan, conducting round after round of rigorous interrogations.
In response, taverns and pleasure houses suspended operations, and even the inns stopped selling liquor past nightfall.
A full fortnight passed under that suffocating pall.
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But despite two weeks of investigation, not a single lead emerged regarding the identity of the attackers.
In the meantime, news of the attacks on Jegal So-myeong and the envoy delegation reached the distant Black Thought Alliance, which sent an official dispatch to the Murim Alliance demanding a status report and inquiring after the delegation's safety.
This dispatch—capable of sparking a war between the two organizations if mishandled—brought Jegal So-myeong, himself one of the victims, to the Alliance Leader's Hall.
"Are you well?"
To Hyeok Mu-gang's inquiry, Jegal So-myeong shook his head as though it were nothing.
"Is this old man's body what matters right now?"
Еn̂u.m а̃
"......Don't say such things. Do you have any idea how alarmed I was?"
"I did not say that lightly, either. It truly is not about me right now."
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The two men's pleasantries ended faster than usual, and they moved directly to the main issue.
"How should we respond to the Black Thought Alliance's dispatch?"
Normally, Jegal So-myeong was the one who provided the answers.
But this time, even he had to ask the question of Hyeok Mu-gang.
W è b́ n̄ ӧv́е̌l̆ Ё ň u m̈а
Jegal So-myeong pressed again.
"A decision must be made."
Unrest among Black Path factions had been detected across Shanxi Province, Chongqing, Jiangxi Province, and Guangxi Province.
It was likely precautionary, but in a worst-case scenario, all those forces could converge on Wuhan.
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Hyeok Mu-gang hummed pensively and looked at the Grand Strategist.
"......Is there still no response from inside the Hall of Repose?"
Ŵe b̌ñ о̂ ṽ ê l Е̌ ṅ ŭmа̊
He had desperately hoped for some new development, but—
"None."
That hope quietly collapsed.
"Hmm......"
From the day after the incident, the Murim Alliance had relayed messages of safety into the formation deployed at the Hall of Repose without pause.
But no reply came from within the black fog.
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With a fortnight now passing, the thought was beginning to take hold that those inside might not even be alive.
"Is there no way to dissolve the formation?"
"Even without the clans sending for a dedicated Formation Master, the experts we already have within the Alliance are among the finest in the murim. If they cannot dissolve it, then no matter who comes, dissolving it in short order would be impossible."
"......"
"However, if we were to simply destroy it, that could be done."
"Then...... the people inside?"
W̊ еbn̆о̄ v̈ е l Еn̂ û m̀а̂_
"They would likely die."
"......"
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
The only reason Jegal So-myeong had bothered to mention this absurd option was because he, too, was that desperate.
To respond to the Black Thought Alliance's dispatch, they needed to confirm Dam Ak's status.
But confirming his status was currently impossible.
"Has the assailant who targeted Strategist Dam not been found either?"
Е̇ nu m а̀ . іd
The investigation into Jegal So-myeong's attackers was largely complete.
Their methods, the energy they employed, even the composition of the metals typical to the Central Plains that they had used—all had been analyzed.
Which only made it more frustrating.
"Nothing whatsoever has turned up. Truly...... flawlessly so."
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Not a single clue had been found to identify whoever had attacked Dam Ak's quarters.
The Alliance Leader forced an uncomfortable truth past his lips.
Ẇеb̌ ǹ о̊ v̆ е l Еnúm̊_а̌
"Strategist Dam...... might believe we are the assailants?"
Dam Ak would have no way of knowing about the attack on Jegal So-myeong, which meant his suspicion would be entirely understandable.
And if he had been cultivating that misunderstanding all this time inside the formation—
'......The mere thought is horrifying.'
The chances of resolving this grew slimmer.
"Even I, in his position, would have chosen to prepare for a sure outcome rather than gamble on uncertain odds."
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
"Do you think there's any chance he'll emerge on his own?"
"If he is that resolved, then he likely will not."
"This is dire."
A heavy silence settled over the Alliance Leader's Hall, and after a long deliberation, Hyeok Mu-gang reached a decision.
"For now, let us reply that the situation is not critical."
"Will such a transparently evasive answer actually resolve anything?"
Ēň u m̊ӑ
"What choice do we have? There is nothing we can solve right now. All we can do is scramble to buy time."
Jegal So-myeong could offer no rebuttal.
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"In the meantime, ensure that food and supplies are sent into the formation in abundance."
Hyeok Mu-gang continued.
"At the very least, even if war breaks out, Dam Ak must return alive and well for there to be any hope of a ceasefire."
The specter of an unforeseen war had taken one great stride closer.
W̌ ē b̂ n̂о v е l Е̌nu m̄ а
For Hyeok Mu-gang and Jegal So-myeong both, this was the first time since ascending to the highest seats of the murim that they had ever felt so utterly powerless.
***
"The Tang Clan has also received word that weapons purchases among Black Path factions have increased."
I watched Dang Seo-hui openly eating candied fruit and asked.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
"I've heard the same. No need to look as far as Sichuan. Right here in Hubei, the price of iron swords has skyrocketed."
Dang Seo-hui paused mid-chew, then popped another piece of candied fruit into her mouth and mumbled.
Е́ṅum̆ а
"A war between the Black Thought Alliance and the Murim Alliance might actually break out."
"That much is obvious without being told."
"......"
"Is that what you came to tell me?"
Unable to hide her flustered expression, Dang Seo-hui flared up in anger.
"Every other candied fruit shop is closed!"
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"In this terrifying atmosphere, who'd want to keep their doors open?"
"......I have earned the right to eat Junior Jin's candied fruit."
"A true chivalrous hero doesn't seek reward, though?"
Dang Seo-hui flinched and stared down at the candied fruit in her hand.
The violent tremor in her pupils conveyed the greatest dilemma of her life.
I decided to stop teasing and pushed the plate of candied fruit toward her.
Е nu m̊ а̊ . і̂ d̂
"Since you're a true chivalrous hero, allow me to treat you. Please eat at ease."
"R-really?"
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"Yes. I'll keep supplying you with Hong Family candied fruit from now on. Free of charge."
"......I-I'm moved."
Dang Seo-hui looked on the verge of bursting into tears.
After she had eaten about four pieces, Dang Seo-hui mumbled through a full mouth.
Е̇ ňu m̂а̃
"Does Junior Jin also think there's no way to bring him out?"
The biggest problem right now was Dam Ak's status and the situation inside the formation.
Until that was resolved, nothing else could be.
"Unless they want to come out on their own, there's no way to make them."
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
"But something about it is strange."
"What do you mean?"
Е̂ n̄um̈а́
Dang Seo-hui rolled her cheeks as she chewed and stated it matter-of-factly.
"The warriors at the Hall of Repose. There were far too many of them for a normal watch rotation."
"......"
In truth, I harbored the same deep suspicion as Dang Seo-hui on this point, but I hadn't voiced it.
"A Murim Alliance emergency just happened to be declared right around that time. It was probably a coincidence."
"Anyway, if the Black Thought Alliance's strategist doesn't step forward, something terrible will happen."
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"What kind of terrible thing?"
Don't tell me she's worried about a war between the Murim Alliance and the Black Thought Alliance?
When did she grow up this much......
"I won't be able to eat Hong Family candied fruit."
"......"
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
Ẃe b́ n̄ оvē l̃ Еn_u m̈ а
"No reason. Eat some more."
In truth, Dang Seo-hui's words touched on a crucial point.
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War, whether trivial or catastrophic, destroys the very foundations people live on and brings daily life to a halt.
So for the sake of Hong Family candied fruit alone, allowing a war to happen was unacceptable.
'But there's really no way right now.'
While I was spending time with Dang Seo-hui—
È n_ũ ḿ á .id
Someone came to visit, and I stepped outside the lodging.
There stood a boy who appeared to be a shop attendant, slightly taller than Dang Seo-hui, holding a small bundle.
"Ah, might you be the Great Hero Black Flame Dragon?"
"......No."
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"No? I was told I'd find you at the Murim Academy Representative Dormitory?"
Damn it, who? Who said that?
Ẁ еb n̊ӧ vе l Ѐn ü m̀а̊
"Are you looking for Jin So-un?"
"Yes!"
"Then that is me."
"What?!"
The shop boy stared at me with an expression that screamed, What the hell are you talking about?
"Jin So-un is me, but Black Flame Dragon isn't."
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"......Ah, is that so?"
The boy's tone shifted to something professionally courteous as he held out the bundle.
"This is an item ordered for delivery to the Great Hero Jin So-un."
"For me?"
"Yes. It was a strange customer—said not to deliver if he came back, and to deliver only if he didn't."
"Who was it?"
Ẇ e b̄ ń о̀ v̂ еl̈. Е́ǹ ūm а
"I wouldn't know. He didn't reveal his identity. There should be a note inside."
I took the bundle the boy offered and returned inside the lodging.
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Dang Seo-hui, who had been eating candied fruit, briefly showed interest in the bundle's contents, then lost interest upon seeing a few bottles of liquor and some drinking snacks.
I inspected the contents and went straight for the note.
Unrolling what had been wound up like a small scroll, I found numbers densely written across a palm-sized piece of leather—One, Two, Ten......
Dang Seo-hui peered at the incomprehensible string of numbers and asked.
Ӗ ṅ ù m̌ӓ
"What is that?"
Naturally, I had no idea what the numbers meant either.
They weren't written in neat rows but scattered haphazardly across the surface.
Then the Boundless Indestructible Soul-Destroying Formation came to mind.
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The Gates of Life and Gates of Death in that formation had been composed entirely of arithmetic calculations.
I carefully set the scroll down on the table.
Wе̌ b̌ň о vё l̃ È.n̂ u_m а̀_
This feels like......
"I think this might be the clue to preventing a war."
"......What do you mean?"
I told Dang Seo-hui not to touch the liquor, then left the lodging.
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