Sword God Reborn

Chapter 299 : The Most Needed Person

War cannot be separated from information warfare.

As it was a Righteous-Demonic War that was taking place against the backdrop of the entire Central Plains, at least in the information battle, the orthodox path was overwhelmingly advantageous.

The dense information network of the Beggars' Sect was spread throughout the Central Plains, and a new ally that could rival it had emerged.

It was Haomun.

"It's certain, isn't it?"

Zhuge Yeogang's voice, who had always shown a cool-headedness, trembled slightly.

It was because of the information that the man sitting opposite him had delivered.

If it were simple information, the great Zhuge Yeogang would not have been shaken.

Rather, even if it contained absurd and surprising content, wasn't Zhuge Yeogang the person who would maintain his cool-headedness even more to grasp the authenticity of that information?

"It is the content that Haomun has poured its full strength into. Not only its authenticity, but it is also reliable content. I, Gok Ji-heum, the leader of Haomun, will guarantee it."

He knew. It was information that none other than the leader of Haomun had personally come to the Righteous Alliance and had handed over.

He had heard it from the Demon Repelling Squad, who had returned after going to strike the Wolya Faction with Cheon Mubaeck.

That Gok Ji-heum had a deep connection with Cheon Mubaeck.

He knew well that Haomun, which had maintained neutrality in the last Righteous-Demonic War, saying it was a sect between the righteous and the evil, was now on the side of the orthodox path solely thanks to Cheon Mubaeck.

Even if the Beggars' Sect held the information power of the Central Plains, Haomun was also a second-in-command with a considerable power.

'No. Recently, there's even a story that it's swallowing up the Black Society.'

The Beggars' Sect was wary of Haomun, and the reason was simple.

They had learned that Haomun was the force that was secretly eroding the Black Society, which was engaged in a desperate power struggle, divided into the black path, the green forest, and the water bandits.

So now, the information power of Haomun was what was being transmitted from the mouths of the water bandits who controlled the Central Plains, the eyes of the green forest who controlled all the mountains, and the black paths who dominated the back alleys.

'In a word, the reliability of this information is very high. Moreover...'

Of course, it wasn't that he didn't doubt it.

What if the Black Society had joined hands with the demonic path?

So what if this was a counter-operation through Haomun?

But that doubt did not last long.

'He is a great man who has not only rebuilt the collapsed Haomun, but has also raised it into a force that threatens the Beggars' Sect. He doesn't look stupid. Rather, he's a scary guy. It's unlikely that such a person would go so far as to betray Cheon Mubaeck and side with the demonic path.'

Just thinking about it was terrible. What if I betrayed Cheon Mubaeck?

He didn't even want to imagine it. He would probably follow him to the afterlife and cut him down again even after he had killed him.

In any case, there was one more reason why Zhuge Yeogang was sure of the reliability of the information.

'Most of it matches when I cross-verify it with the information gathered through the Beggars' Sect.'

The slightly different point was that, rather, the information power of Haomun was sharper and more intuitive.

So there was no need to say anything about the authenticity and reliability of the information. But the reason why Zhuge Yeogang could not easily accept it was clear.

If you looked at the information of Haomun and the information of the Beggars' Sect as a whole...

"To think they are retreating, even giving up the areas that the demonic path has occupied..."

"I think the influence of the Heavenly Dragon Sword Hero catching Cheongwangma is also great."

"I thought it was strange. No matter what, to think they would give up all the bases they had worked so hard to occupy and retreat. But looking at the content you have delivered, I can see something."

Gok Ji-heum nodded heavily.

He was also a great man who oversaw Haomun. His eyes for seeing the world were deep and wide.

He was one of the top in the martial world in processing and analyzing information to draw a conclusion.

So there was no way it would not be visible to Gok Ji-heum's eyes.

"They are preparing. They are reorganizing all their forces for a single battle."

"..."

"The death of Cheongwangma must have given them a sense of alarm. And would it be just Cheongwangma? The Blood Buddha, the Ghost Demon, the Poison Demon, Cheongwangma... The veterans who had survived even in the Righteous-Demonic War forty years ago, which they had boasted of, had fought separately and had been defeated one by one."

"So you're saying the demonic path is preparing for a decisive battle of life and death?

"Doesn't it look that way to the Commander-in-Chief's eyes?"

"..."

Zhuge Yeogang was silent. He could see it. No matter how he looked at it, it looked that way.

The detailed movements of the demonic path, the reports and the news that were being transmitted from various places.

The military affairs department, where the brains of the orthodox path had gathered, had also presented the same opinion.

"If that's really the case..."

Zhuge Yeogang's words trailed off.

Gok Ji-heum knew what meaning was contained in the end of those words.

That was why he had come to the Righteous Alliance. Because he couldn't do anything about it. What if the orthodox path collapsed completely? Could Haomun live peacefully in the Central Plains?

It was that scary of a content.

"The Heavenly Demon. He will also come in person. The strongest person can't be left out of the final decisive battle."

"Heo..."

Zhuge Yeogang's chest felt tight.

If they were really preparing for a single decisive battle, the Heavenly Demon would naturally show himself.

"I can't even fathom it."

The talk about how much martial prowess the Heavenly Demon had was a topic that never ceased to be debated within the Righteous Alliance.

It was now widely known that the current Heavenly Demon was a new person, not Gun Cheon-ak.

'It means he's at least above Gun Cheon-ak.'

Gun Cheon-ak.

The one who had dragged the Righteous-Demonic War forty years ago into a long and long battle, a truly devilish person.

The one who had endured, had run away, and had persistently challenged even in front of the enormous divine presence of the Azure Sky Sword God.

But the common opinion was that the current Heavenly Demon was stronger.

Where else would the power to rebuild the half-collapsed demonic cult in forty years and to start the Righteous-Demonic War again come from?

"Then we must also do our best. Will Haomun also be with us?"

Gok Ji-heum smiled bitterly. Since he had already joined hands with Cheon Mubaeck, and since he had obtained the Dark True Wisdom Sword, he owed him a great debt.

Of course, Gok Ji-heum had also mobilized Haomun to help Cheon Mubaeck, but still.

'Compared to him giving me the Dark True Wisdom Sword, it's a drop in the bucket.'

Also, even if he were to back out here, it was a natural judgment that Haomun would not be safe if the demonic path won.

"Haomun will also be with the Righteous Alliance."

"Thank you. In the banner of demon subduing, all the comrades of the Central Plains will be brothers. I will guarantee this as the Commander-in-Chief of the Righteous Alliance."

It was natural that the power of Haomun was lacking compared to other sects.

Of course, Gok Ji-heum, who was equipped with the Dark True Wisdom Sword, was a person who boasted a top-level position even in the orthodox path, but the overall power was weak.

But Zhuge Yeogang was in a state where he wanted to borrow even a cat's paw.

"Although I was an outsider until just a moment ago, I will give you advice, Commander-in-Chief, so please do not take the words of this lacking person lightly and listen."

"An outsider? Where is there an outsider in front of the demonic path?"

"Immediately mobilize all the masters belonging to the Five Great Clans."

"......!"

"Not only the heads of the Five Great Clans, but all the power they have."

"..."

"Send word to the leaders and the sect leaders of the Nine Sects One Faction, and even the elders, and gather them. All the elite martial artists they have."

Zhuge Yeogang groaned. Because Gok Ji-heum, who had been an outsider of the Righteous Alliance until just a moment ago, was more cool-headed about the Righteous Alliance.

"They must all gather in one place. The time has come to concentrate all the power of the orthodox path."

Zhuge Yeogang was silent. Gok Ji-heum's hard voice was low.

"Only then, can we win."

Gok Ji-heum waited quietly.

'To ask for all the power of the Five Great Clans and the elites of the Nine Sects One Faction is accompanied by a fatal danger.'

Although they had united as one under the name of the orthodox path, they were sects that caused numerous fights with each other when the demonic path was not invading.

Weren't Huashan and Jongnam looking at each other as if they were looking at a cow and a chicken?

To gather them in one place was not an easy choice for Zhuge Yeogang.

What if they were defeated in the decisive battle?

The Nine Sects One Faction and the Five Great Clans, which had occupied the hegemony of the Central Plains for a long time, would collapse in an instant.

It was not a kind of thing that Zhuge Yeogang could take responsibility for.

He might have to take responsibility and disappear even after he died, no, perhaps the entire Zhuge Clan.

But he had to urge such a choice.

'Or we'll lose.'

Did the demonic path become weaker because Cheon Mubaeck had caught numerous masters?

No.

They were guys who had not budged even though the Sword Venerable Yoo Baek-gi had pursued and had tormented them for decades.

Above all, the demonic people of the Demon Sect who had not yet gone to war, the great elders who assisted the Heavenly Demon, and the Heavenly Demon himself.

If they did not gather in one place and resist, they would be defeated one by one.

Zhuge Yeogang was well aware of that fact. He also clearly understood how the aftermath of the task would unfold. As a result, his time spent in contemplation grew longer.

How much had passed?

Zhuge Yeogang said in an indifferent voice.

"It is impossible."

"......!"

Gok Ji-heum's face contorted. To think he would give such an answer.

Gok Ji-heum, who thought he had misjudged the person, could not hold back his miserable feelings.

"What do you mean, they are preparing for a decisive battle by mobilizing all their forces, and if we don't do the same...!"

"No, what I mean is that I can't be sure we can win even if we mobilize all our forces."

"..."

Gok Ji-heum flinched at the tone that seemed to have a different meaning.

"If the Heavenly Demon comes, I don't think we can win even if we gather all the masters of the orthodox path. Even in the last Righteous-Demonic War, no master was a great threat to the Heavenly Demon. It will be the same now. The leader of the Righteous Alliance, the Fighting God, the abbot of Shaolin, the sect leader of Wudang, or the sect leader of Huashan, all of them."

What on earth was he trying to say? Was he saying they should give up because they couldn't win anyway? No way, that couldn't be. But then, who was the person who could face the Heavenly Demon came to mind.

Forty years ago.

"Only the Azure Sky Sword God was the only one who could face the Heavenly Demon. No, to be precise, the reason the Heavenly Demon could be the Heavenly Demon was because he had lived under the blade of the Azure Sky Sword God."

"......!"

"Not only do we have to mobilize all the power of the orthodox path, but we must also bring a person who can face the Heavenly Demon."

The corner of Gok Ji-heum's eye trembled.

Two names came to mind.

The Sword Venerable, or...

"The Heavenly Dragon Sword Hero, Cheon Mubaeck. My intuition tells me that only he can face the Heavenly Demon."

* * *

"So the situation is going like that."

Cheon Mubaeck nodded his head.

"That's why my father begged for you to come, Young Master."

The one who had come to find Cheon Mubaeck was none other than Zhuge Seol-ah.

In fact, although Cheon Mubaeck was fighting with the Righteous Alliance, he did not follow the orders of the Righteous Alliance.

Although he was the leader of the Demon Repelling Squad, that was also a position he had taken at the request of the Righteous Alliance.

In reality, not even the leader Gwak Yong or the Commander-in-Chief Zhuge Yeogang could give orders to Cheon Mubaeck.

This was also because of the clear warning of Zhuge Seon, the Grand Head of the Zhuge Clan.

Because forty years ago, Zhuge Seon, who had been the brain of the orthodox path, had been severely scolded once for trying to move the Azure Sky Sword God as he pleased, like a stone on a Go board.

"Although he said he was scolded, my grandfather still complains that his shoulders ache whenever he thinks of that time."

"Is that so?"

"My grandfather says you are very similar to the Azure Sky Sword God, Young Master. It's probably because you have inherited the same martial arts."

In fact, Cheon Mubaeck had been moving independently until now.

But no one could say anything.

In fact, Cheon Mubaeck was the only one who was achieving great results, and there was not a single person in the current orthodox path who had inflicted as much fatal damage to the demonic path as Cheon Mubaeck.

Cheon Mubaeck had become such an existence.

So the reason why Zhuge Yeogang had sent Zhuge Seol-ah was also clear.

"Seeing that he sent you, Young Lady, he must think a fierce battle will break out."

"Yes, that's right."

"Hmm."

Cheon Mubaeck stroked his chin.

'Somehow, it was strange.'

While he was tracking the Ten Thousand Li Tracking Scent, he had discovered that their movements were strange.

There was no feeling of trying to erase their tracks, but rather, a sign of moving openly.

As if they were telling him to come in.

'Are they planning to kill me in front of everyone and to end the fight?'

Cheon Mubaeck, who had grasped the core in an instant, had his lips slowly rise.

'They've set the stage, huh?'

The stage they had created, the board they had laid out.

Cheon Mubaeck was planning to go and fight as Zhuge Seol-ah had requested. Rather, it was what Cheon Mubaeck had also wanted. Because it was simple to end it head-on, without them running around here and there.

But he had no intention of going in meekly.

In an instant, many thoughts flashed through his mind. Cheon Mubaeck's eyes flashed.

"Wouldn't it be fun to flip the board?"

A smile appeared on Cheon Mubaeck's lips as if he were amused.

(End of Chapter)