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Chapter 401. The Reason for the Struggle
The Wudang Sect's Fierce Tiger Unit, having departed slightly later than Diancang Sect's Taehua Unit, continued to receive carrier pigeon letters from the Beggars' Sect even while on the move.
After crossing Mount Horyeong and arriving at Yeong-san, they encountered Hyeon-yeong, who had been pursuing Dam Ak ahead of them.
"What is the situation?"
At the question from Fierce Tiger Unit Captain Myeong-jin, Hyeon-yeong answered.
"The Beggars' Sect is currently pursuing the Taeul Sect's carriage heading toward Hwangmae, and Diancang lost the Taeul Sect's carriage near Maseong."
Ẅ е b̃ n ó ṽêl̂ Ӗ nu m а
"The Taehua Unit did?"
Myeong-jin's brow furrowed.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
The Beggars' Sect's inability to stop them was understandable, given that none of the personnel deployed for the pursuit were martial artists. But the idea that Diancang's Taehua Unit failed to stop the Taeul Sect was utterly incomprehensible.
The report that followed was even more absurd.
"Of the thirty warriors, fifteen were rendered combat-incapable, and they ultimately failed to inspect the interior of the carriage."
"Imbeciles."
Ѐnù m̌а́ ._ïd̀
On the other hand, he understood to a degree.
They were not carrying out a sanctioned operation, and the Taeul Sect was one of the One Hundred Eight Peaks—a blood ally of the Murim Alliance. There were circumstances that prevented them from shedding blood carelessly.
But even so, half of the Taehua Unit being rendered combat-incapable against the likes of the Taeul Sect? It was a fact not easily accepted.
"If they knew the White-Hand Divine Maiden was accompanying the escape party, they should have been more careful."
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Since it was beyond Myeong-jin's comprehension that the Taeul Sect could have neutralized the Taehua Unit through their own strength alone, he ultimately interpreted the situation to suit his own conclusions.
"Then we simply need to move toward Hong'an now?"
Ẃ е́ b n̊о v̄ e l̆ Е̌ n um а
The carriage heading for Hwangmae was certainly a decoy. It wasn't even heading toward the Black Thought Alliance in the first place, and even if Dam Ak were aboard, he would eventually have to return to Maseong. The carriage would inevitably fall within the Beggars' Sect's cordon. It was nothing more than bait meant to loosen the net.
Dam Ak was almost certainly aboard the Taeul Sect's main party.
Because once they crossed Maseong and passed through Namjeong, Jagwi, and Eunhyeon, Anhui Province lay straight ahead.
"I would prefer that we do not move."
"What?"
Myeong-jin, who had been ready to chase the main party and smash the Taeul Sect to pieces at any moment, stopped dead in his tracks.
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"What do you mean by that?"
"If we pursue the carriage currently in Maseong and Dam Ak surfaces elsewhere, we will have no way to respond."
Once they entered Namjeong and Eunhyeon, there was no turning back. Massive mountain ranges blocked both sides. That was precisely why this main road was the most commonly used route to reach Anhui Province.
But conversely, if the distance widened, it would become that much harder to give chase.
"Are you saying you believe Dam Ak is not aboard the Taeul Sect carriage heading for Namjeong?"
"The Diancang people say that none of the passengers in the carriage used military martial arts."
Е n um a. і̊_d
"......!"
Why hadn't he thought of that? He'd been too blinded by the Taehua Unit's failure right before his eyes.
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"They must have smuggled him out midway!"
"Furthermore, their party included Jin So-un and the White-Hand Divine Maiden. They could have struck down the pursuers at any time, yet they only fought back in earnest a single time."
Just as Hyeon-yeong said, the previously unknown details fell into place one by one inside his mind. The group that had deliberately dragged pursuers along suddenly shook them off at a certain point. After that, they openly revealed their carriage as the Taeul Sect's and did not shy away from a direct confrontation.
For people who had gone so far as to send Taeul Sect disciples all the way to Hwangmae as a ruse, their behavior was nothing short of suspicious. Moreover, they had a track record of evading the Righteous Path Association's eyes to escape Wuhan.
Ŵëb̈nо̄vёĺ Еn u ṁ а̄
Hyeon-yeong assembled the overall situation and rendered a rational judgment. Overshadowed by Yong So-ah as he was, Hyeon-yeong was clearly a remarkably talented individual in his own right.
"You are correct."
"For now, I believe it is prudent to stand by in Maseong and pursue any suspicious individuals who emerge."
Myeong-jin nodded firmly.
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"You are absolutely right!"
"In addition, I think it would be wise to consolidate the special operations forces in Maseong as well."
Е_n u m̀а̊
"Why?"
"The Taeul Sect's personnel who came to Wuhan are limited in number. If we subtract the carriages heading for Hwangmae and Namjeong, the probability of Taeul Sect members being aboard the remaining carriages drops significantly. Rather than spreading thin, would it not be better to gather our forces and eliminate the target in one decisive strike?"
"That is also sound reasoning. I shall send the carrier pigeon letters myself."
Despite receiving such high praise, Hyeon-yeong returned to his position with dignified composure rather than showing any sign of satisfaction.
In Myeong-jin's eyes, that only made Hyeon-yeong all the more admirable.
This was Wudang. This was the spirit of Wudang.
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After gazing at Hyeon-yeong with pride-filled eyes, Myeong-jin turned to address the Fierce Tiger Unit members.
"Dam Ak is a man who built a massive organization called the Black Thought Alliance from nothing. If he returns alive to the Black Thought Alliance, countless comrades will die in the war against the Murim Alliance that is sure to follow. Therefore, even though he has not trained in martial arts, you must never show mercy."
One of the unit members raised his hand.
"It was reported that the Taeul Sect is aiding Dam Ak's escape. How should we deal with them?"
"If Jin So-un used one last trick, then he is likely moving separately from the Taeul Sect's main body with only a handful of people."
Jin So-un of the Taeul Sect—raised under the protection of the Murim Alliance, educated through its grace. If he were a man who knew gratitude, he should have been standing at the very front of the righteous path, burning himself to bring justice to the world. Instead, he was aiding the leader of the Black Path for the sake of personal desire.
E ṅú m̄ ӑ. іd
Should such a man still be regarded as a comrade of the Murim Alliance? The life Myeong-jin had lived answered clearly. No.
"Then there is no need to show mercy."
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"!"
"!"
The unit members' eyes flashed wide, but not one of them objected.
"He is the leader of the Black Path murim. He must never be allowed to reach the Black Thought Alliance. He must die here! Is that understood!"
Wе̃ḃ ǹо̇v e l̃ Е́ n̊ū ḿ а
The unit members, brimming with fighting spirit, answered with fierce resolve.
"""Yes!"""
***
Half a day after switching from the carriage to horseback, Dam Ak awoke.
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Though things were not progressing as he wanted, he maintained a calm demeanor.
"I became certain when we failed to pass Yeong-san in time. That this operation would ultimately fail."
Еñu m̈ā
"We haven't even tried yet, so what are you talking about?"
"I know. If the operation had succeeded, we should have been at least in Eunhyeon by now."
Dam Ak, seated behind me, surveyed the surroundings.
"If we're on a mountain path near Maseong, this must be Mount Jukho. Going to Anhui by this route...... means the travel time triples."
"Don't worry. Improvising is my specialty."
Seriously, why does this man keep making remarks that kill the mood.......
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YANK—
Just then, Dam Ak seized the hem of my clothes and pulled hard. I had no choice but to turn and look at him.
"What's wro——"
"I must die here."
He said it matter-of-factly yet with absolute finality. And with that same composure, he continued with something spine-chilling as if it were nothing.
"I must die here, miserably."
Е.n̈ü ṁ ӑ. і́ d
"......What kind of bullshit are you spouting?"
"My death will be the spark that sets the furnace called the Black Thought Alliance ablaze."
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Why was there not a single flicker in his eyes?
Even as he spoke of his own death.
"Once ignited, the furnace called the Black Thought Alliance will burn even longer, fed by the kindling that is the Murim Alliance."
"......The books you wrote in the carriage weren't preparations for contingencies, were they."
Ӗ ǹ ŭ m̈a . і d.
The texts he had obsessively penned inside the carriage hadn't outlined ordinary strategies. They were plans for the revival of the Black Thought Alliance, with his death as the starting point.
He had never been afraid of dying in the first place. To him, even death was merely a tool to be leveraged for strategy.
I couldn't understand it. The clinging to life is a fundamental desire everyone possesses. Death is a terror that even Daoists and monks who have attained enlightenment cannot escape.
Yet why? Why was Dam Ak, who had lived his entire life as a civilian scholar, so free of attachment to life?
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"......What is the Black Thought Alliance to you, that you'd go that far?"
"......Because it is the task entrusted to me."
Еńû m̆ а . і̊ d̂
He spoke as if with conviction, but inside, he felt hollow. Which made it all the more impossible to accept.
Dam Ak had been consumed in his previous life carrying out the task entrusted to him. I didn't want to see him meet the same fate in this one.
"Cut the bullshit and hold on tight."
"From this point on, they'll be coming at us in earnest. When that happens, not even Young Master Jin's life can be guaranteed."
"How about you worry about your own safety instead of mine?"
"......I could get off and run in this state, you know."
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On those legs, how far did he think he'd get?
"I've mastered one of the greatest movement arts under heaven, and this Flying Dragon Claw of mine is made of Heavenly Silkworm Thread—absolutely unbreakable. So please, don't make me tie Strategist Dam up and drag him along."
Had my threat worked? Or was that brilliant mind of his devising a way to escape me? Dam Ak said nothing further. He didn't jump off the horse either, of course. What kind of future was drawn inside his head?
"What do you predict will happen to the Black Thought Alliance after you die, Strategist Dam? Can they fight the Demonic Cult?"
"The Murim Alliance will disappear, and the Black Thought Alliance will barely manage to survive."
"Barely surviving means most of them die. And that's acceptable to you?"
Еn̆ǔ m а..і̃ ḋ
"......"
Whatever future he envisioned, I had no intention of accepting it. Why should I lose a useful comrade here? Sorry, but once was more than enough for that bullshit—the previous life was plenty.
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"Let's fight together. No matter what the politicians pull, the real danger hasn't even arrived yet. So let's not throw our lives away on something this absurd, at least until then."
How many heroes were needed to fight those horrific bastards of the Demonic Cult?
"......Haha."
For some reason, Dam Ak smiled. It was an impossibly complicated smile.
Е̄n um̈а́ . і d
"Isn't it Young Master Jin who's staking his life on something absurd?"
"It's not absurd in the slightest."
Because you, Dam Ak, are supposed to fight alongside me. I can't run myself ragged alone in the future.
As we passed through the foothills, the path gradually narrowed until we reached a point where horses could no longer pass.
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We decided to dismount and resume on foot. The guards took turns carrying Dam Ak on their backs as they ran.
The deeper we went into the mountains, the denser the forest became. Apart from scattered traces of slash-and-burn farming, there were few signs of people, and sleeping wild animals fled in alarm at the unfamiliar visitors.
W.е b̄ nо̆.v̈ ӗ l̀ Е nu ma
Leading the way as I hacked through the undergrowth, I glanced back and signaled with my hand.
"Let's take a short break."
"We can keep going."
The guards voiced their determination, but I shook my head.
"Strategist Dam's condition is looking bad."
Only then did the guards check Dam Ak's complexion, and they stopped in their tracks with expressions of alarm.
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Although he'd been carried the entire way, that too was no easy task. Moreover, since it wasn't possible to use Grass-Skimming Flight every time, his condition couldn't have been good.
"RETCH—"
Once set down on the ground, Dam Ak vomited up the meager dried jerky and Fasting Pill he'd eaten.
"Well, the title of Black Path leader is rather embarrassing at the moment."
Only after drinking a fair amount from the canteen did color gradually return to Dam Ak's face.
While we rested briefly, one of the guards shot to his feet.
Е̊n̆u m̈ а̌
"Someone is approaching."
Amid the chorus of insects filling the daytime forest, the sound of a group drawing near could be heard.
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"Hey, Kang, got any grain stored up?"
"Stored up? It's all eaten and gone. I planted some barley, so take that if you want."
"I'm so sick of potatoes."
The guards who had placed their hands on their swords at the faint presences and voices slowly lowered their blades.
Еnŭ m ӑ
At that moment, four slash-and-burn farmers descending through the forest locked eyes with us and froze stiff.
The guards exhaled sighs of relief, and Dam Ak carefully spoke to reassure them.
"We're not dangerous peo——"
While Dam Ak was still speaking, I launched forward using the Bow-Body Bullet Shadow technique. Simultaneously, I struck the Numbing Acupoint of all four.
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TAP, TAP, TAP, TAP.
The guards and Dam Ak were shocked by my action.
Enǔṁа̃
"What are you doing?!"
What am I doing? When danger is right in front of your nose, acting on it is the obvious thing to do. Without answering Dam Ak, I looked down at the four farmers.
"You lot are Beggars' Sect."
Their expressions turned to shock.
"......Wh-What are you talking about?"
"W-We're just people who live by tending slash-and-burn fields in the forest."
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The men trembled pitifully. Dam Ak, who had been examining them, stepped in front of me.
"Young Master Jin. Aren't they just ordinary people?"
Ordinary?
I pointed at the soot smeared haphazardly on their faces.
"Take a look at those faces. Grime from not washing doesn't leave marks that vivid."
And one more thing.
Е̊ ṅ ú m̆ а̀
"If they haven't washed to that extent, why is there absolutely no smell coming from their bodies?"
The best way to distinguish a Beggars' Sect beggar from an actual beggar was by appearance—and by smell.
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"Do you smell anything from these men—that deeply ingrained stench of someone who hasn't washed in a very, very long time?"
"!"
The instant Dam Ak turned his head in alarm—
FLICK— FLICK FLICK—
Е̇n ũ m̌а
Two of the self-proclaimed farmers standing at the back released their Numbing Acupoints and moved.
WHOOSH—
Six throwing stars flew toward Dam Ak's back and neck. I caught them mid-flight and simultaneously swung my sword.
SLICE—
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In a split second, the Minor Heaven Sword Art lashed out, cutting at the Beggars' Sect members' throats.
CLANG-CLANG-CLANG-CLANG—!
Ёń u mа̇ . і̃ d̈
One dropped dead on the spot, but the remaining three thrust out their arms and weapons, deflecting the Minor Heaven Sword Art. Throwing stars once again targeted Dam Ak with relentless precision.
The guards, wearing expressions of shock, belatedly entered the fray. In that same moment, I spotted the one furthest back pulling a signal flare from inside his clothes.
"!"
Leaving the other two Beggars' Sect members to the guards, I immediately unleashed the Three Forms of the White Moon Governing Heaven—Extreme Swiftness—at the one in the rear.
SHRIIIEK—
A streak of lightning shot forward, severing the man's hand and neck.
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SPURT—
Blood erupted like a fountain, and the instant I confirmed the kill—the signal flare that had fallen from his severed hand sailed into the air.
FWEEE—
A sound and trail of smoke clearly audible even in broad daylight.
And then—
BANG.
W̆ е̌b̌ n̈о v̌ѐ l Е̊ n u̇ mа
The red signal flare bursting at the end heralded the opening of a fierce pursuit once more.
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