novelraw Chapter 110 : Predator and Prey
Chapter 110 : Predator and Prey
“Damn it all! Hongjung Sect, follow me!”
At Ju Giltae’s sudden outburst, Ju Hyeol and Ju Gilseok had no choice but to lead their warriors and charge forward.
His actions had already provoked the warriors of the Saseong Sect.
The third son of the Hongjung Sect’s leader had cried out for the glory of the righteous factions, leaving nothing but war as the only option.
“Uwaaaaaah!”
Instead of a battle cry, the warriors of the Hongjung Sect let out scream-like shouts as they ran.
At their head were Ju Hyeol and Ju Gilseok.
The two of them drew their swords and charged, all for the sake of their foolish son and brother.
“Face them.”
At the Sect Leader’s command, the warriors of the Saseong Sect prepared for battle.
Soon after, the warriors of the Saseong Sect and the Hongjung Sect clashed.
“What should we do?”
At Sangsuk’s question, Un Bang bit his lip with a conflicted expression.
Just then, Yu Oseon spoke.
“…Isn’t something strange?”
“What is?”
“The Saseong Sect Leader definitely said that Ju Giltae betrayed his sect and sided with them. He said that because of his betrayal, Team Leader Jin was put in danger. But… for Ju Giltae to side with the righteous factions now, isn't that strange?”
Un Bang and Sangsuk blinked at Yu Oseon’s explanation.
Then, Peng Ogyeong raised his saber high and said.
“Then there’s only one answer! Let’s help the Hongjung Sect and fight!”
Before anyone could say a word, Peng Ogyeong charged out, and Un Bang, Sangsuk, and Yu Oseon followed close behind him.
A strong sense of confidence could be felt on their faces.
Go Palsak was also someone who felt a sense of doubt at Ju Giltae’s sudden action.
‘Why is Ju Giltae siding with the Hongjung Sect now?’
Ju Giltae, who had already been promised a high position in the Saseong Sect, was fighting with all his might.
Had he suddenly realized the importance of family?
No.
Go Palsak knew men like Ju Giltae well.
‘He’s not fighting for something like loyalty or affection. He’s being forced to fight!’
Go Palsak noticed that Ju Giltae was fighting as if a knife was at his back.
He had no path of retreat.
And there was only one person who could put him in such a position.
“Jin Sohyun…!”
But he couldn’t understand.
The master from the Heretic’s Path Alliance, the Cold-Blooded Grim Reapers, and his subordinates had surely gone after him.
Jin Sohyun must have lost his life in that fight, so why was Ju Giltae now siding with the Hongjung Sect and the Martial Alliance?
“It can’t be…”
He wanted to deny it, but the situation wouldn’t let him.
“Does this mean the Cold-Blooded Grim Reapers was defeated by Jin Sohyun!?”
Right now, that was the most plausible assumption.
If that was true, Go Palsak was out of time.
‘The fact that Jin Sohyun hasn’t shown himself must mean he was also heavily injured in the fight with the Cold-Blooded Grim Reapers. In that case, we have to find and kill Jin Sohyun!’
The Heretic’s Path Alliance, having lost one of its masters, would surely retaliate.
And if they were to find out that the Saseong Sect was involved in the Cold-Blooded Grim Reapers’s death…
“Saseong Sect, listen! From this moment on, we will use our full strength to wipe out the Hongjung Sect! As quickly as possible!”
At Go Palsak’s shout, which was imbued with internal energy, the full might of the Saseong Sect began to move.
Unlike the Hongjung Sect, which had carefully selected its warriors, the Saseong Sect poured out all its martial artists, regardless of whether they were second or third-generation disciples.
Now that it was known they were connected to the Heretic’s Path Alliance, they had to kill everyone anyway.
“Go! Show no mercy! Kill them all!”
At their leader’s repeated commands, the warriors of the Saseong Sect swung their swords, their eyes glinting with bloodlust.
As their assault intensified, Ju Hyeol swung his sword and took a step back.
‘Their attack is too fierce! At this rate, we won’t be able to hold on!’
The warriors of the Hongjung Sect were already being injured and forced to retreat from the battlefield.
In contrast, the warriors of the Saseong Sect were unharmed.
The difference in their levels was starkly clear.
At this rate, all the warriors of the Hongjung Sect would be dead within an hour.
“Fall back! Retreat at once!”
Unable to bear losing all his sect’s warriors here, Ju Hyeol stepped back and ordered a retreat.
As soon as the order was given, the terrified Hongjung Sect warriors scrambled to escape.
“Don’t let a single one live! Make them pay dearly for messing with the Saseong Sect!”
Go Palsak showed no mercy.
He had to kill everyone here to prevent future trouble.
His eyes, in particular, were fixed on the four warriors who were helping the Hongjung Sect fight against his school.
‘Those guys from the Alliance… they must be killed!’
Having made up his mind, Go Palsak summoned the elders.
A total of eight elders gathered at the School Leader’s call.
“Elders, listen. We cannot let those young warriors from the Alliance live.”
“Tsk. Are you saying all the elders must step up just to kill four late-stage prospects?”
“If we make a mistake and let even one of them escape, the Saseong Sect is finished. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
At Go Palsak’s cold voice, the elders nodded and launched themselves forward like leopards.
As the eight elders of the Saseong Sect rushed in at high speed, Peng Ogyeong was the first to react.
“Something’s coming!”
“Don’t scatter, stick together!”
With Un Bang and Peng Ogyeong at the center, the four warriors stood shoulder to shoulder.
A moment later, the eight elders landed in front of the four of them.
“I am So Yeojang, an elder of the Saseong Sect. It is embarrassing for us elders to step forward against young warriors, but please understand. We are in a state of war.”
“Elders…!”
Even if it was a minor sect, elders were a different story.
They were martial artists who were at least at the first-rate level, or even at the cusp of the peak level.
They were overwhelming opponents for the four late-stage prospects, who were still at an ambiguous level to be called first-rate.
‘Even one elder would be tough, but eight of them!’
Un Bang felt a chill run down his spine.
This was the first time since leaving his sect and entering the martial world.
He was feeling the real fear of death.
“Let’s end this quickly.”
The other elders nodded in agreement at So Yeojang’s words.
Just as the eight elders were about to unleash the sword energy from their blades and launch themselves forward.
A thunderous shout was heard from somewhere.
“You baaastards!!”
A shout that echoed through the heavens and the earth.
The massive roar, reminiscent of the Shaolin’s Lion’s Roar, surprisingly brought the warriors on the battlefield to a halt.
The warriors, frozen with their swords in hand, all turned their heads at once.
Where their gazes landed, a man was standing.
A middle-aged man with a tall stature and a magnificent build.
He stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his turquoise robes fluttering.
And behind the middle-aged man, warriors wearing turquoise uniforms with sabers at their waists appeared.
Their numbers seemed to be at least fifty.
“Turquoise uniforms and sabers… don’t tell me…!”
“Hebei… It’s the Hebei Peng Clan.”
“The Peng Clan is here!”
The hegemon of Hebei.
The Fierce Tiger of Hebei.
One of the five pillars of the Five Great Clans.
The Hebei Peng Clan had appeared on the battlefield.
Moreover, standing next to the middle-aged man leading the Hebei Peng Clan was a familiar face.
“The Saseong Sect was a pawn of the Heretic’s Path Alliance?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“In that case, our Peng Clan cannot simply stand by and watch.”
Thud— Thud—!
The ground rumbled even though he was just walking.
The middle-aged man placed his hand on his saber and spoke.
“I am Peng Ohyun of the Hebei Peng Clan!”
“Peng Ohyun!?”
“The Fierce Tiger Iron Greatsaber has come.”
The warriors of the Fierce Tiger Iron Greatsaber, one of the three elite units representing the Hebei Peng Clan, radiated their aura.
As the aura they created enveloped the battlefield, warriors of a mediocre level couldn’t even dare to breathe comfortably.
“Keuk!”
“For the Fierce Tiger Iron Greatsaber… to come…!”
“The Hebei Peng Clan…!”
With the appearance of the Hebei Peng Clan, the Hongjung Sect succeeded in retreating without much damage.
And now.
The Saseong Sect faced the warriors of the Hebei Peng Clan.
As Peng Ohyun stood at the forefront and leisurely walked toward the Saseong Sect, Go Palsak said in a flustered tone.
“Why would a great person from the esteemed Peng Clan… involve himself in a trivial dispute between minor sects…”
Go Palsak then spotted Jin Sohyun, who was sticking to Peng Ohyun’s side like a cicada on an old tree.
‘That bastard dragged the Hebei Peng Clan into this!’
To think he would drag the hegemon of Hebei, the Peng Clan, into a war.
Go Palsak even felt a sense of despair.
The gap between a minor sect and one of the Five Great Clans was, to put it simply, the difference between a rabbit and a tiger.
They were fierce tigers, and the Saseong Sect was a rabbit.
The relationship between a predator and its prey.
Go Palsak’s eyes trembled nonstop.
“I hear that the Saseong Sect is a pawn of the Heretic's Path Alliance is that true?”
“Th-that’s absurd!”
“Hmm? If what you say is true, then would you care to explain why the Cold-Blooded Grim Reapers was at the Saseong Sect?”
“That is…”
Go Palsak’s mind raced.
The very survival of the Saseong Sect depended on this answer.
He quickly dropped to one knee and said.
“We were also threatened by the Cold-Blooded Grim Reapers! I had no choice in order to protect my sect…”
“Is that the truth?”
“It is!”
Ju Giltae and Ju Hyeol, who had been listening quietly, tried to say something, but Jin Sohyun raised his hand to stop them.
In the meantime, Peng Ohyun laughed heartily.
“I shall believe you.”
Surprisingly, Peng Ohyun very easily believed Go Palsak’s words.
Go Palsak’s face, having unexpectedly found a glimmer of hope, brightened.
However, his smile did not last long.
“Of course, there is something the Saseong Sect must do to prove my trust.”
“What… might that be?”
Go Palsak was anxious, but he couldn’t refuse his proposal now.
‘If it’s money, I must give as much as they want. Even if I have to pull out the pillars of the sect!’
He was prepared to give up all the wealth the Saseong Sect possessed.
After all, their businesses were still intact, so it wasn’t impossible to recover their fortune if they took the time.
However, Peng Ohyun’s proposal was unexpected.
“The Cold-Blooded Grim Reapers and his subordinates are all dead. Announce publicly that it was the Saseong Sect that killed them.”
“Ex…cuse me?”
When Go Palsak replied with a blank face, unable to understand, a meaningful smile spread across Peng Ohyun’s lips.
“Why? You can’t do it?”
“But… we weren’t the ones who killed the Cold-Blooded Grim Reapers, were we?”
“That’s right. But to prove that you are not pawns of the Heretic's Path Alliance, you must at least do that much, no? Please, show your faith in the righteous martial world.”
‘I’m doomed!’
Go Palsak realized that Peng Ohyun and Jin Sohyun had no intention of forgiving him or the Saseong Sect.
If he accepted their proposal and announced that they had killed the Cold-Blooded Grim Reapers, they would surely be retaliated against by the Heretic's Path Alliance.
If he refused their proposal, the Saseong Sect would be annihilated on the spot for not showing their faith.
“We cannot handle the wrath of the Heretic's Path Alliance! We would rather offer our wealth…”
“What I need is not money, but faith.”
At Peng Ohyun’s firm reply, Go Palsak gritted his teeth and said.
“I will… I will make the announcement.”
“Then I’ll take your word for it, and the Hebei Peng Clan will also help spread the word of the Saseong Sect’s great achievement. Hahaha!!”
“…”
Go Palsak could feel it.
The Saseong Sect was finished now.
And all of this…
‘Jin Sohyun! That bastard planned all of this.’
He was afraid.
He was afraid of his strength, which had turned the tables and killed the Cold-Blooded Grim Reapers, and he was afraid of his cruel scheme, which had completely buried the Saseong Sect.
‘Now we will have to live our lives being chased by the Heretic’s Path Alliance.’
Until the moment they died, every warrior belonging to the Saseong Sect would tremble in fear of the Heretic’s Path Alliance’s reach.
“Well then, since things seem to be mostly wrapped up here…”
Peng Ohyun looked down at Jin Sohyun and said.
“Shall we settle our accounts as well?”
“Ah, there’s something I need to do before that.”
“Don’t tell me you’re trying to run away?”
Jin Sohyun flinched and laughed awkwardly.
“Haha… I left something behind. I’ll be right back.”
Watching Jin Sohyun fly toward the Saseong Sect’s manor at the speed of wind, Peng Ohyun laughed heartily.
“Hahaha! The more I see him, the more I covet that fellow.”
(End of Chapter)