Thud—!
As the Third Guest, whose vital points had been subdued, collapsed, Jin Sohyun let out the breath he had been holding.
“Phew— phew—!!”
“Little brother!”
Before the fight could even end, Beomgang came running as if flying.
His breathing, covered in blood, was also irregular.
“Can you move?”
At Jin Sohyun’s question, Beomgang stretched out his hand.
“Of course.”
“Then take this person and go back to Seol.”
“What about you?”
“I have to… make a path.”
Beomgang could feel it.
That the strong Jin Sohyun was now so weak that he didn't even have a handful of internal energy left.
“I’d rather make a path…”
“No, I’m more effective now. Since I’ve caught the enemy’s leader.”
In fact, the one who was moving the wanderers was the Third Guest, one of the Four Guests.
In fact, as the Third Guest was defeated by Jin Sohyun and collapsed with his arm cut off, the wanderers seemed to be in shock and didn't move.
“If more time passes like this… they will also notice.”
“Keuk! I understand. Don’t collapse.”
“Don’t worry. I won’t die here.”
Jin Sohyun squeezed out his remaining strength and barely got up.
His joints ached, and there was no part that didn't hurt.
His muscles were also screaming silently as if to say, ‘let’s rest now,’ but the more that happened, the more confidently Jin Sohyun walked.
“My target was this person. I won’t stop you if you want to fight… but only those who have no lingering attachment to life should fight. I’m not merciful enough to save you now.”
The wanderers did not dare to approach Jin Sohyun.
Rather, a path was made every time Jin Sohyun moved forward.
And so, for a long time, the wanderers made a path for Jin Sohyun.
And along that path, Beomgang, who was carrying the Third Guest, moved forward.
And so, they walked for a full hour.
“Isn’t it strange?”
“What is?”
“He’s a guy who killed the wanderers like catching a dog as soon as he met them. But now he’s telling us to back off if we want to live.”
“Hmm… he’s bluffing?”
“Yes. The rest of the guys are too scared to fight, but the movements of the Dokranghoe guys are unusual.”
As the Geumranghoe wanderer had said, the wanderers of the Dokranghoe were looking around and fidgeting with their hands.
As if they were ready to draw their swords at any time.
The Geumranghoe wanderer who had discovered this lowered his voice.
“That means… that monster-like guy’s condition is not normal, right?”
“Look at this.”
The wanderer pointed to the path that Jin Sohyun had passed.
A clear footprint was left there.
“There’s no way a master of that level would leave such a deep footprint. Besides, his stride is not even.”
Only then did the Geumranghoe wanderers seem to know what their comrade was trying to say.
“We have to strike first. He’s the one who defeated a traveler of the Hao Sect. If we just take that bastard’s head… our lives will also bloom.”
The life of a wanderer was like that of a mayfly.
Just as those who lived by the sword, the wanderers were also those who lived on the line of death, not knowing when they would die, so there were not many who retired alive.
So, the dream of all wanderers was to become a rich man, retire from being a wanderer, and live a comfortable life.
For that.
A big hit was needed.
The Geumranghoe wanderer gathered the wanderers of the same association.
“Listen to me carefully from now on. There’s only one chance.”
***
Thud— thud—!
Jin Sohyun’s eyes, who was moving along the path, looked from side to side.
It was too quiet.
The wanderers were still following the two, keeping a certain distance.
As if waiting for the bleeding prey to get tired and collapse.
But at some point, the surroundings became quiet.
‘The most dangerous thing on the battlefield is the silence where you can’t even hear the sound of a grasshopper.’
Jin Sohyun, who felt that something was approaching, lightly tapped Beomgang’s back.
“Beomgang.”
“Hmm?”
“When I give the signal, run to the right.”
Beomgang, who felt that something unusual was about to happen, nodded his head very slightly.
And then, breaking the quiet silence, the sound of a group of footsteps was heard loudly.
They were, as expected, wanderers.
“I am the wanderer Geomchu of the Geumranghoe. I have something to ask.”
“Speak.”
Jin Sohyun said without stopping his steps.
“Where are you taking that person now?”
“Why should I tell you that? You’re not curious about that anyway.”
At Jin Sohyun’s attitude as if he knew everything, Geomchu showed his yellow teeth.
“That’s right. And I also know that your body is not in a normal state. Isn’t that right?”
Jin Sohyun was silent, and Geomchu, as if he had known it would happen, drew his sword.
“If I just take your head, I can become a rich man! This damn wanderer’s life is over now!”
The wanderers of the Geumranghoe, who were behind Geomchu, appeared suddenly, spewing a menacing ki.
At that, the wanderers of the Dokranghoe, who had been waiting for the right time, struck first.
“This bastard is my prey!!”
Led by the wanderers of the Dokranghoe, the remaining wanderers also drew their swords, not wanting to be outdone.
The sword was already drawn, and the madness that the group created swallowed their fear.
Jin Sohyun hit Beomgang’s back.
Beomgang, who had realized that this was the signal, quickly ran to the right.
But the wanderers’ target was not Beomgang or the Third Guest.
“Die!!”
“Just die!!”
As swords flew in from all directions, Jin Sohyun put both hands into his bosom.
“If you’re going to fight…”
The flying swords that had come out from Jin Sohyun’s bosom flew in all directions.
“You should have fought earlier.”
The internal energy that had been steadily accumulated over time in the dantian, which had not a single handful of internal energy left, was about two-tenths.
It was an amount that was far from enough to deal with a master of the Third Guest’s level.
But it was enough to deal with the wanderers who were blinded by greed.
“Keuak!”
“This… crazy!”
The wanderers of the Dokranghoe, who had rushed in first, were pierced by the flying swords in order and died.
At the same time, the wanderers who had rushed in hastily died or fell to the floor and crawled.
The wounded beast, which had seemed as if it would die at any moment, swung its well-honed fangs and claws.
The wanderers were terrified and rather ran away in all directions.
“I told you so, didn’t I? You stupid bastards… that’s why a person has to use their head.”
At that moment, the wanderers of the Geumranghoe, who had been encouraging the wanderers and had not moved, slowly narrowed the distance.
“You must have used up all the internal energy you had gathered this time… what a shame? Because you’re pitiful? Kikikik!”
“You’re dead now.”
Jin Sohyun looked at the ten wanderers who were closing in from all directions one by one.
Soon, Jin Sohyun, holding the sword of a dead wanderer, said.
“Five.”
“What?”
“As you said, my internal energy is almost at the bottom. So the guys I can kill are about five. And you are ten.”
Jin Sohyun aimed his sword forward and asked.
“I’ll promise you. Half of you will surely die by my hand.”
A sly smile appeared on Jin Sohyun’s lips.
“Who’s coming? Among you ten… who will sacrifice themselves.”
At the word ‘sacrifice’, the wanderers of the Geumranghoe flinched.
No one here wanted to die.
Rather, they only wanted to be one of the five who survived and live a full life with a huge reward.
“Nonsense!”
At that moment, Geomchu, who felt that the situation was flowing strangely, shouted with force.
“That bastard is at his limit now. He’s bluffing again!”
“Then you come.”
As Jin Sohyun said, aiming the tip of his sword, Geomchu flinched.
“Yes. Geomchu, you go.”
“What did you say?”
“As you said, it doesn’t matter who goes first. So you go first.”
“This… you bastards! Have you forgotten whose thanks you’ve come this far!?”
“Whose thanks is it?”
At the cold gazes of his fellow wanderers, Geomchu gritted his teeth.
‘At this rate…’
Even if he gave them time, the advantageous side was Jin Sohyun.
Knowing this, Geomchu narrowed his already small eyes and checked Jin Sohyun’s condition.
‘His center of gravity is off, and his breathing is not even. And the tip of his sword is shaking.’
Geomchu was certain.
‘That bastard is bluffing.’
There was a clear limit to Jin Sohyun’s body and internal energy.
He was bluffing to buy time for his comrade to escape.
Geomchu, who had soothed himself as if hypnotizing himself, gripped his sword tightly.
“Shit! Yes, I’ll take the lead, so join in without being late. You cowardly bastards. And I’ll take half of my share, so you know that!”
The fellow wanderers did not object much.
Anyway, it didn't matter even if Geomchu’s words were right.
‘I can just kill that bastard too.’
Because he could just kill Geomchu in this place and take his share.
Geomchu, who had no idea of this fact, stealthily approached Jin Sohyun.
Even until then, Jin Sohyun could not raise his sword again.
‘As expected! I was right!’
Geomchu was excited and raised his sword high.
“Remember my words! You idiots! Thanks to me, you’re…”
Geomchu jumped up and swung his sword at Jin Sohyun.
“going to make it big!”
The moment the sword that Geomchu had swung and Jin Sohyun’s sword met.
He realized.
“Ah… shiiit…”
The blade imbued with sword ki cut through Geomchu’s sword and neck at the same time.
Following that, Jin Sohyun kicked the tip of his foot and rushed forward.
The flustered wanderers of the Geumranghoe hurriedly drew their swords and tried to resist, but their counterattack, which had already been suppressed by the momentum, was clumsy.
“N-no…!”
With a death throe, four wanderers lost their lives and collapsed in vain.
With this, Jin Sohyun, who had killed five wanderers, gripped his blood-stained sword and asked.
“Now that I think about it, I think I can kill about two more… who will sacrifice themselves?”
“Ugh… ughhh!!”
The remaining wanderers were engulfed in fear and ran away.
Jin Sohyun, who had barely succeeded in driving away the wanderers, straightened his back while gasping for breath.
“I can’t stop.”
Although he could drive away the wanderers for now, there was no guarantee that he could do so in the future.
The Third Guest, who was the center of the Wanderer Association, was gone, but the supreme command given to them was still valid.
‘I have to get away.’
Jin Sohyun walked along the path, holding the blood-stained sword.
The tip of the sword, which touched the ground, created a long line on the path that Jin Sohyun had passed.
***
“Aaargh!”
Jeokmyeon rolled his eyes, unable to understand the situation that was happening now.
The courtesans of Honggang were all tied up and placed in front of Jeokmyeon.
And Gwan O, who had always guarded his side reliably, was collapsed with one arm cut off.
“Jeokmyeon branch lord.”
“Yes…!”
“To say that you know nothing, a lot of things have happened in Honggang.”
“…”
“Especially a handsome young man with strong martial arts… doesn’t it remind you of someone?”
The Second Guest said this and dragged a group of men.
Jeokmyeon was surprised to recognize them.
The group of men was the Heungno Gang, who had been causing trouble in Honggang.
In particular, the man with a severely distorted face was the leader of the Heungno Gang, Neung Gap.
“Jin Sohyun was here.”
Jeokmyeon, who had realized that he could no longer get out of the situation with lies, fell flat on the floor.
“Y-yes, that’s right! That bastard must be the one who cut off my arm!”
“The one who cut off your arm is Jin Sohyun?”
“I didn't recognize him because he didn't use a flying sword… but it seems so.”
“Is that so? Why didn't you tell me that?”
“That’s… I didn't want to confuse you, Elder, with uncertain information…”
The Second Guest slowly stood up from his seat, took out the sword he was wearing at his waist, scabbard and all, and pressed down on Jeokmyeon’s remaining left hand.
The pain of his bones breaking made Jeokmyeon feel as if he would lose his mind.
“Keuuuugh!”
“The late-stage prospects of the righteous path came here. Is there a reason you didn't tell me that either?”
“I… I…”
“I don’t have much patience.”
How did things get to this point?
The courtesans, whom he had ordered to keep their mouths shut, had told all the truths to find their own way to live.
Yes.
This is the Hao Sect.
The place where one’s own life is the most important.
‘My life is the most important! What’s important!’
The moment Jeokmyeon struggled to raise his head, the wanderers rushed in.
“Elder! There’s a problem.”
“Report without delay.”
“There was a clash between the Third Guest Elder and a man named Jin Sohyun in the west.”
“What? Jin Sohyun is in the west?”
“That’s right. And… it is said that the Third Guest Elder was defeated and was dragged away by that person.”
As the situation reached this point, the Second Guest’s gaze became fierce.
“Where are those bastards now?”
“The wanderers lost them, so we are searching as much as possible.”
“How dare you…!”
Right at that moment, when the Second Guest was showing his anger without reservation, someone grabbed the Second Guest’s sword scabbard with his hand.
“Elder…”
The owner of that hand was Jeokmyeon.
He said, holding the Second Guest’s sword scabbard with a trembling hand.
“They have a master… of the Soul Seduction Art. If this continues… through the Third Guest Elder… they will approach the Sect Master.”
“What nonsense is that?”
“I can guarantee it… with my life. There is no time.”
Jeokmyeon struggled to get up from his seat and said with bloodshot eyes.
“Make a deal with me.”
“You crazy bastard. Do you really want to die.”
“Isn’t it the same whether I die like this or like that? So I’m going to try to live.”
“…State your will.”
“I know where they went. I will tell you the place, so please promise to spare my life.”
“…”
The Second Guest wanted to tear Jeokmyeon to shreds right now.
But more than that, retrieving the Third Guest was the priority.
“I promise.”
Jeokmyeon bowed his head deeply.
‘I have to live. I have to live, no matter what.’
Because there is nothing in this world more important than my own life.
Jeokmyeon said.
“Follow me.”
(End of Chapter)
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