novelraw Chapter 190 : Annihilation Squad (2)
Chapter 190 : Annihilation Squad (2)
Chapter 190: Annihilation Squad (2)
Annihilation Squad.
A bizarre group that had suddenly appeared in the Central Heavens Martial Realm.
Its members were unusual, and the power they possessed was even more so.
Vanguard.
Great Monster of the Demonic Spirit Realm. Wind-Passing Great Sage, Miho Wang.
Right Wing.
Baekmu Society's Fighting Ghost Unit Leader, Thousand Chains Pye An, Mak Ya-wol.
Azure Crimson Sword Ghost, Jin Ha-un.
Left Wing.
Baekmu Society's Fighting Ghost Unit, First Blade of the Three-Armed Phantom Beast Sword, Seo Ryeom.
Beast King Sect’s Fierce-Fisted Heroine, Maeng Ye-ju.
Main Force.
Annihilation Squad Leader, Cheonrin Sword Alliance's Jang Woo-hyun.
Thirty-two members of Baekmu Society's Fighting Ghost Unit.
Rear Support.
Ten Elders of the Radiant Light Sect, Antlered White Mask.
Mechanical Marvels Being, Cho-su.
And an unidentified Floating Stronghold.
These seemingly mismatched individuals had gathered to form a single force, and the martial power they possessed surpassed that of most mid-tier sects.
They clashed with the Demon Gathering Hall upon their debut.
The Demon Gathering Hall was an alliance of those who walked the demonic path and was known as the homeland of all demonic practitioners. Their power rivaled even that of the Samcheong Tai Chi Sect, reputed to be the strongest in the Central Heavens Martial Realm.
Yet despite clashing with such a fearsome force, it was the Annihilation Squad that overwhelmed them.
Killed by the Sixth Heaven Demon, Cheonrin Sword Alliance’s Jang Woo-hyun.
Killed by the Ninth Heaven Demon, Thousand Chains Pye An, Mak Ya-wol.
Both arms torn off and forced to flee by the Eighth Heaven Demon, Wind-Passing Great Sage.
Of the nine Heaven Demons boasted by the Demon Gathering Hall, two were dead and one rendered incapable of battle.
Though they were considered lower-ranking Heaven Demons, the Demon Gathering Hall had still lost three of their prized warriors. And all of it was at the hands of a group whose name had never even been heard before.
The name of the Annihilation Squad, which had slain three Heaven Demons, spread like wildfire.
Before his ascension, just as he had shaken the Martial Realm of the Central Plains, Jang Woo-hyun was now shaking the Central Heavens Martial Realm.
After three battles with the Demon Gathering Hall...
The Annihilation Squad took a moment to rest and reorganize.
While tending to those wounded in battle, Cho-su was busy remodeling the Floating Stronghold using a massive quantity of Moon Spirit Trees purchased in bulk from Cheongwol City.
“Now all I have to do is connect this?”
“Yeah. I don’t know for sure if it’ll work, though.”
Having bought a tremendous amount of Moon Spirit Trees, Cho-su placed the dry-wood body of a giant at the center and began connecting it to the Moon Spirit Trees. It felt like he was creating the framework of the Floating Stronghold out of Moon Spirit Trees.
While the others watched, Cho-su inserted two cores of the Mokryeong Tribe into a device he had crafted and linked the dry-wood ship with the Moon Spirit Trees.
Crack—Rumble!
The core of the Mokryeong Tribe had the power to revive or grow dead wood. With this power, Cho-su was attempting to merge the dry-wood ship and the Moon Spirit Trees into one. Put simply, it was similar to grafting.
Whether it would work or not, even Cho-su didn’t know. He was merely trying his best with what he had.
Branches began sprouting from the giant’s body, intertwining with the surrounding Moon Spirit Trees. Since he had already formed the framework connecting the entire Floating Stronghold with the Moon Spirit Trees, the entire structure trembled violently.
“Isn’t this going to collapse at this rate?”
Seo Ryeom asked nervously amidst the intense shaking. However, Jang Woo-hyun didn’t seem particularly concerned. He had faith that anything Cho-su worked on would naturally succeed.
The Floating Stronghold continued to tremble for a long while. Then, suddenly, a scream rang out.
【Kyaaaaaa!】
A twig sprouted from the core of the Mokryeong Tribe that Cho Ryeong had given them and morphed into a small human figure. Soon after, a small tree-person with a flower on its head suddenly appeared.
【Which crazy bastard is using a core on dry wood!】
The little tree-person unleashed a barrage of curses. Despite its shrunken size, Jang Woo-hyun instantly recognized who it was.
Still cursing, the small tree-person looked around and spotted Jang Woo-hyun’s bewildered face.
【Huh? Huhh? The yellow fox who left riding the dragon sister’s back, and the flower brother?】
The tree-person blurted out more bizarre nonsense. It was none other than Cho Ryeong of the Mokryeong Tribe, whom Jang Woo-hyun had rescued from the demon spirit Yang Jeon-gun.
With her sudden comment, all eyes turned to Jang Woo-hyun.
“Left riding what?”
“Brother?”
“What?”
“What flower?”
“Hyung... nim…”
Faced with the appearance of the person he least wanted to see, Jang Woo-hyun’s expression twisted.
* * *
Because of Cho Ryeong’s strange words upon her appearance, Jang Woo-hyun had to briefly explain to his group who she was and why she spoke that way.
“Ehehe.”
“You sure get around, don’t you? Being Ice Palace’s Young Palace Master wasn’t enough?”
“It’s not like that. Ha-un, if you don’t wipe that smirk off your face, we’re sparring all day.”
“Mm!”
After being hit several times by Jin Ha-un’s sly smile and Maeng Ye-ju’s elbow jabs, Jang Woo-hyun was finally able to talk to Cho Ryeong.
【So you’re binding Dry Wood with Moon Spirit Trees to form this entire massive stronghold into one? Who’s the lunatic who came up with that idea?】
At Cho Ryeong’s question, Jang Woo-hyun looked at Cho-su.
【Ah, of course, a Mechanical Marvels Being. Those guys are always doing crazy stuff like this. But will it really work?】
“Are you saying it’s impossible?”
【Well, Moon Spirit Trees may be known as good wood for magical devices, but they don’t compare to Dry Wood. Dry Wood is the kind of material said to have been used by gods.】
“If you supply power through a Dharma Treasure into the Dry Wood itself, wouldn’t that work?”
At Cho-su’s question, the shrunken Cho Ryeong shook her head.
【Nope, that won’t work. First of all, they won’t connect properly. Even if you have the Mokryeong Tribe’s core, it’s not enough. Just crafting something out of Dry Wood itself is already difficult. If it were that easy, wouldn’t the Giant Tribe be sailing around in Dry Wood ships all the time? Everyone would be building homes and ships from Dry Wood if it were that simple. You’re a Mechanical Marvels Being, but you seem kinda dumb. Anyway, Oppa, whose core is that?】
Cho Ryeong casually called Cho-su dumb, then asked about another core she hadn’t given when she spotted it.
“It’s a cultivator’s core. I obtained it after killing him.”
【Really? Hmm.】
“What is it?”
【It’s not supposed to work, but… maybe with that, it could. Must’ve been quite a powerful guy, huh? But Oppa, that’s kinda messed up. You’re using something you got from killing one of my kin alongside the one I gave you.】
“Uh… it just kind of happened that way. Sorry.”
【See, you’re doing it again. I know you’re not a bad guy. If you killed him, you probably had good reason. Can’t even joke around with you.】
Apparently enjoying teasing Jang Woo-hyun, Cho Ryeong chuckled to herself and continued.
【I owe you one anyway, so I’ll do my best. Mechanical Marvels Mister, all I have to do is connect the Dry Wood and Moon Spirit Trees, right?】
“In simple terms, yes.”
【Alright, leave it to me. I said I’d repay the favor, so I’ll do whatever I can. But it won’t be easy. There’s a chance it might fail. There’s also a lot to prepare. What I’ll need is...】
Without stopping, Cho Ryeong began chattering away, and perhaps irritated by the noise, the Wind-Passing Great Sage—who normally didn’t show much interest—approached leisurely.
“Hey, tree. Shut it already. Can you do it or not?”
The little tree-person turned its head and looked at the White Monkey Monster. Then, it opened its mouth and screamed.
【Kyaaaaaa! Crazy! A crazy monkey monster!】
Because Jang Woo-hyun always treated him like an ordinary monkey Beastkin, the others had also thought of him as such. But this reaction was the usual response from anyone who actually encountered the Wind-Passing Great Sage in person.
With his appearance, Cho Ryeong shut her mouth and frantically got to work.
Two days later.
With Cho Ryeong’s help, they managed to merge the Floating Stronghold into one using the Giant Tribe’s ship.
【I’m out. And don’t call me when that monster’s around.】
Apparently terrified of the Wind-Passing Great Sage, Cho Ryeong disappeared quickly after finishing her work.
Thanks to her help, the Floating Stronghold that had become Jang Woo-hyun’s base was now capable of crossing space on its own without using either Dry Wood or a spatial teleportation array. The distance it could travel was short, but still.
Once everything was wrapped up, the group resumed their journey.
Their destination: a location within the territory of the Five Wheel Five Elements Cult, as informed by Kim Min-soo.
While traveling, the group came to understand why they had clashed with the Demon Gathering Hall.
“Seems like the situation isn’t great.”
Due to the betrayal of the Left Guardian, the Five Elements Cult had suffered considerable damage and was struggling to defend its own territory. It appeared the Demon Gathering Hall had taken immediate advantage of the situation and invaded.
“What were those guys trying to build?”
The Demon Gathering Hall had targeted cities and large villages that produced Moon Spirit Trees and other magical device materials. All three Heaven Demons seemed to be after similar places, as if they were trying to construct something.
“Senior Mak, do you think the Demon Gathering Hall will pursue us?”
“That, I don’t know. Each of the Heaven Demons in the Demon Gathering Hall tends to operate independently with their own forces, so I doubt they’d come after us for revenge. Then again, we don’t know their exact interests or plans. Still, considering we crushed three Heaven Demons and haven’t heard a peep from them, I doubt we need to worry much.”
“Captain, are we up against the Five Elements Cult next?”
Seo Ryeom, who hadn’t been able to fight a Heaven Demon alone, seemed eager to battle someone and kept pestering Jang Woo-hyun about their next opponent.
“We’re not fighting this time. There’s no reason to fight, so why would we?”
“Huh? But why? This time it’s supposed to be my turn!”
While Seo Ryeom threw a fit beside him, Jang Woo-hyun ignored him and continued talking to the others.
“I thought the Left Guardian ambushed the Cult Leader and ran away, but seems like he’s still attacking the Five Elements Cult.”
Maeng Ye-ju had been exchanging information with the Beast King Sect via a communication artifact. In the process, she had quietly gathered some intel about the Five Elements Cult’s situation.
The Left Guardian of the Five Elements Cult continued harassing the cult from within its own territory. Though the cult wanted desperately to eliminate the traitor, the situation made it difficult.
Recently, the Heaven Demons of the Demon Gathering Hall had infiltrated their domain, and the surrounding mega-sects—Solar Palace of Flame and Northern Heavens Ice Palace—were constantly at each other’s throats. The Five Elements Cult had to either protect those within their territory or mediate between the two sects to avoid getting dragged into the conflict.
And there was yet another problem.
“The Left Guardian and his followers don’t seem to stay in one place. Are they using a Floating Stronghold like us?”
They weren’t sure of the exact details, but it was certain that the traitors were moving around constantly.
While gathering various pieces of intel and reorganizing, the Annihilation Squad began heading deeper into the Five Elements Cult’s territory.
The people they met within the territory of the Five Elements Cult were not friendly.
“We didn’t come to fight.”
Even when they tried to explain, the locals attacked first, likely due to all they had suffered. Understanding their situation, Jang Woo-hyun refrained from killing them. After all, it was they who had entered someone else’s land without permission.
The ones who stepped forward to handle the Five Elements Cult’s warriors were mainly Maeng Ye-ju and Jin Ha-un. If anyone else had taken action, things could’ve escalated into an all-out war. Thankfully, these two still had level heads and managed to resolve things calmly.
Only after two skirmishes did Jang Woo-hyun finally reach his target location.
—There’s a place called Gyeonyangdo or Gyeonyang Continent. Nearby, there’s an uninhabited Floating Island called Gwansudo. That’s where the original body likely created another projection. That projection should be able to communicate with the main body, so go there.
One of the two locations Kim Min-soo had mentioned back on the Dawn Continent.
Landing the Floating Stronghold at the edge of Gyeonyang Continent within the Five Elements Cult’s territory, Jang Woo-hyun gathered the group.
“Ha-un, Senior Maeng, and I will take the lead on this one. And everyone—absolutely no fighting. Anyone who fights will never be allowed back aboard the stronghold.”
Jang Woo-hyun had somehow mastered the way to command the Fighting Ghost Unit.
The unit was thoroughly satisfied with traveling alongside Jang Woo-hyun. They had crushed the Twin-Winged Lotus, clashed with the power of True Immortals, and recently fought against the Demon Gathering Hall. For battle-lovers like them, this was the ultimate thrill.
Thus, being told to get off the Floating Stronghold was their greatest fear. Not being able to follow Jang Woo-hyun meant losing their greatest joy.
“You two stay and watch the house.”
“Huh? Why?”
“Captain, that’s not fair.”
When Jang Woo-hyun excluded Mak Ya-wol and Seo Ryeom from the outside mission, the two naturally protested. The Wind-Passing Great Sage had no intention of going out in the first place.
“Because you two would cause trouble. If you don’t like it, get off the ship entirely.”
“Man, that’s just low.”
“I’ll stay here, Captain. Don’t worry. I’ll protect the leader of this ancient Fighting Ghost Unit with my life.”
After firmly instructing Mak Ya-wol and Seo Ryeom, Jang Woo-hyun led the others to move out and gather information.