459 Chapter 1347: He Has Decided to Claim His Life (Part 2)

"There! I heard screams from over there!"

"Hurry!"

The members of Myriad Man Manor rushed with all their might.

"Captain! It's over here! I heard screams from this side!"

"Darn it! What the heck is going on? Let's go this way!"

The Myriad Man Manor members who were running towards the front suddenly changed direction and shot forward vigorously. Soon, some groups followed in the path they had just passed.

And so, when the world was once again filled with deep silence.

"Let's go."

A group hiding in the dense bushes emerged outside the bushes.

"This way."

"Yes!"

Led by Baek Cheon and Im Sobyeong, the survivors of Heavenly Comrade Alliance and Southern Island began to sprint through the land where the enemies had disappeared.

"Soso."

"Don't worry, Sasuk! I won't lose you even if I die."

Tang Soso, who had Yoo Iseol in her arms, replied confidently. Baek Cheon nodded at her. Yoon Jong, following Jo Gol, also stuck close agilely.

"What about the front?"

"I'm checking."

Baek Cheon gathered his energy as he spread his senses forward. What they needed to do now was not to fight the enemy, but to safely escape the Hundred Thousand Mountains while Chung Myung drew attention.

"This way, hurry!"

With a momentary gleam in his eyes, Baek Cheon quickly gave directions. After a group of Myriad Man Manor members passed through the corner of the high mountain, some others followed suit as they ran back along the path they had taken just a while ago.

After they moved away, Baek Cheon led everyone again.

"Nokrim King, how far is the distance?"

"The Hundred Thousand Mountains stretch for thousands of miles horizontally, but vertically, it's not that long. It won't take more than an hour!"

"Then let's hurry!"

At that moment, Kim Yang Baek from Southern Island ran up from behind.

"Deputy Sect Leader."

"Yes, Sect Leader."

"The number of those heading towards Mount Hua's Chivalrous Sword is not small! Is this okay?"

There was a deep concern in his eyes.

If this continued, they might be able to escape the Hundred Thousand Mountains without a major confrontation.

But didn't that mean that Mount Hua's Chivalrous Sword, left behind, must face all the Myriad Man Manor members alone?

It may have been presumptuous to speak up, since most of the survivors of Southern Island had suffered various injuries, whether large or small, but Kim Yang Baek couldn't just ignore it. The favor Southern Island owed to Mount Hua's Chivalrous Sword was beyond words now.

"Mount Hua's Chivalrous Sword is not in good shape either, right? Anyone should help..."

"No, please don't say such things."

It was not Baek Cheon, but Im Sobyeong, who cut in with a cold tone. Running alongside Baek Cheon, he was glaring at Kim Yang Baek with a distorted face.

"Who's going to help whom! Who!"

"Oh, no... But the injuries of Mount Hua's Chivalrous Sword..."

"Why do you think that guy got injured? Because he was carrying loads of baggage, wasn't he? If that guy had been alone, would he have been injured like that?"

Kim Yang Baek bit his lips. He understood what Nokrim King was trying to say.

It wasn't a wrong statement. The road from Southern Island to these mountains was extremely tough, but even such a road wouldn't have been so difficult if Chung Myung had tried to break through alone.

It was difficult for a few strong ones to fight perfectly against many weak ones, but tossing around a large number of weak ones is not that difficult.

The strong minority have the advantage of mobility, able to seize the timing and place to fight as they please. So, as long as they swing their swords until they're exhausted before withdrawing, that's it.

But in this battle, Chung Myung faced the enemies with his mobility blocked. He couldn't retreat just because he was tired or escape just because he was injured.

It was no different from fighting with chains wrapped around his body.

In other words, thanks to everyone creating distance, Chung Myung was now free from those chains for the first time.

"People need to understand the situation, the situation! How can we help? Helping is not holding back ankles!"

Kim Yang Baek's face involuntarily distorted at the blatant disregard and criticism. But he also knew that the words weren't entirely wrong.

Baek Cheon briefly opened his mouth to mediate the situation.

"For now, focus on getting out of the mountains. He'll come on his own."

"...Understood, Deputy Sect Leader."

When Kim Yang Baek withdrew with a stiff face, Baek Cheon let out a deep sigh.

Now, it was clear that Nokrim King was being too excessive. But he didn't want to blame Nokrim King either. Nokrim King's face, stiff in a way that wasn't like a person who had been stuck, told him that.

That, too, hurt his pride.

It was understandable; Im Sobyeong was the leader of Nokrim. It must be difficult for someone who used to be a highly regarded strategist to accept his current state as a mere burden.

As a result, he probably harbored anger towards Kim Yang Baek, who insisted on making him explain the situation with his own mouth. Baek Cheon took a long breath.

'Now is not the time to think about such things.'

Everyone had their roles at different times. Right now, what Baek Cheon needed to do was not to unnecessarily uphold his pride but to lead these injured individuals and quickly escape the mountains.

"This way!"

"Yes!"

Sensing movement from the front, Baek Cheon quickly changed direction. However, this time the reaction seemed a bit delayed, and those coming towards them discovered their presence before they could hide.

"It's the enemy!"

"Kill them!"

"Ugh."

Baek Cheon and a few others bit their lips and rushed towards the enemy. A few Myriad Man Manor members were quickly eliminated.

"Ugh!"

Confirming the fallen individuals with a sigh, Baek Cheon turned his head and gave instructions.

"If everyone moves together, it's too conspicuous. Let's disperse as we planned."

"Yes!"

Namgung Dowi, Tang Pae, and Hye Yeon nodded firmly. Those who weren't heavily injured had recovered enough with a short two-day rest. So, leading the disciples of Southern Island wouldn't be a big problem.

"The rendezvous point is as planned!"

"Understood, Deputy Sect Leader."

"May luck be with us!"

"Yes!"

As discussed earlier, the members who set out together scattered in all directions. Watching their backs, Baek Cheon gave a glance to Yoon Jong and Tang Soso, who were guarding behind him, and quietly said:

"Let's go too."

"Yes, Sasuk."

Leading the disciples of Southern Island, Baek Cheon ran forward. Then, he glanced back at the Hundred Thousand Mountains shrouded in darkness.

'Don't be late, you damn bastard.'

❀ ❀ ❀

"The Seventh (乙七) Unit has suffered casualties!"

"Where is their location?"

"W-Well, um, their current location is not known!"

"What the hell are you babbling about! Didn't you say they were attacked?"

"Th-They are currently moving rapidly in the areas they are responsible for. It's not clear exactly where they were attacked..."

"Is that what you call a report!"

Ho Gakmyung's lieutenant radiated a vicious and murderous attitude towards the person reporting Despite the subordinate flattening himself in fear, there was no answer that could be given.

The subsequent news that came in was equally chaotic.

"The Fifth (丁五) Unit also suffered casualties!"

"We got triple hit!" [idk]

"Currently, the enemy's exact location is not accurately determined! There is a shortage of intelligence!"

Even after combining the incessant reports and shouting, there was no clear conclusion.

The only thing that could be grasped from these reports was that the individuals hastily organized and scattered throughout the Hundred Thousand Mountains were being slaughtered here and there.

"Co... Commander."

The lieutenant stammered, calling out to the commander.

But the commander, Ho Gakmyung, who had heard all the reports, didn't even react. He just continued to gaze at the darkened Hundred Thousand Mountains.

The lieutenant, who swallowed hard, considered calling the commander again but eventually closed his mouth and gave up. Ho Gakmyung wasn't unaware of the current situation. He wasn't not reacting because he didn't know what was happening. He wasn't reacting because even if he did, it would be useless.

Ho Gakmyung's eyes were dim. With cracked lips parting, his hoarse voice flowed out.

"...It feels like pushing my head into a hornet's nest."

Having scattered individuals deal with Mount Hua's Chivalrous Sword... No, the Plum Blossom Sword Demon wouldn't be easy. He knew that much. However, the reports coming in now surpassed his expectations cleanly.

It felt as if they were not chasing him, but rather, he was luring everyone to where he wanted and was hunting them one by one. Perhaps by now, the main force of Southern Island was escaping the Hundred Thousand Mountains. Ho Gakmyung had expected that.

However, there was no way to capture them at the moment. The reports were in disarray, and there was no way to summon those rushing towards Mount Hua's Chivalrous Sword back, as the means of giving new orders were gone. All that remained was the inevitable result of being thoroughly plundered by Mount Hua's Chivalrous Sword and losing the main force.

In the first place, since Mount Hua's Chivalrous Sword had recovered and appeared faster than he expected, the outcome was already predetermined.

'Where did it go wrong?'

Should he have been more thorough? Maybe if he patiently waited instead of hastily spreading the troops when he lost track of their whereabouts, the situation might have improved.

No, rather, even if he did that, there might have been another way. But Ho Gakmyung considered such thoughts meaningless.

The more precise the meticulously planned operation, the more useless it became due to minor deviations. No matter how perfectly he crafted the plan, that Plum Blossom Sword Demon could forcibly distort it.

All of this was the price paid for targeting an opponent beyond his control.

"...Withdraw the troops."

"Commander!"

"We must reduce any further unnecessary sacrifices."

The lieutenant bit their lips until blood appeared. Although he knew it was the right command, he couldn't bring themselves to deliver it directly. The moment they retreated from here, all plans would end in failure. And ultimately, that would signify Ho Gakmyung's perfect defeat.

Everyone knew what consequences this failure would bring about.

"Commander! We can still..."

"Don't force me to commit sins against Ryeonju again."

The lieutenant eventually lowered his heads without saying a word.

Too many of his subordinates' lives were sacrficied to bring down a few Southern Island disciples. Since the operation was carried out without permission and ended in failure, responsibility could not be avoided, even for the renowned Ho Gakmyung.

It was the moment when Ho Gakmyung was about to close his eyes tightly and let go of everything.

Creeeeee!

An eerie sound echoed. At that moment, his eyes widened. The sound of a horn? No, this wasn't a horn sound. It was the cry of a beast, a sound familiar to him.

'Could it be?'

He quickly raised his head. The moon had set, and even the starlight was invisible in the night sky, but there was a faint reddish glow amidst it all. Ho Gakmyung instinctively reached out his arm, and the light that roamed through the air settled on top of it.

Puduk.

A crimson-colored hawk. It flapped its wings once loudly, and as Ho Gakmyung looked at the small hawk perched on his arm, his eyes trembled.

"Le...Ryeonju..."

The subordinates who recognized the identity of the hawk had a ghastly complexion. Everyone knew that this small hawk with red and black feathers was none other than Jang Ilso's messenger. Ho Gakmyung carefully opened the pouch attached to the hawk's foot and pulled out a report. As he unfolded it, his hands were faintly trembling.

As he read, everyone held their breath, waiting for his reaction. However, after Ho Gakmyung finished reading the reconnaissance, he closed his eyes for a moment without showing any reaction. Finally, after a breathless wait, Ho Gakmyung opened his eyes again. Folding the reconnaissance, he spoke.

"Leave those dealing with him to this line."

"Commander, then..."

"The pursuit continues."

"...Yes?"

Ho Gakmyung's eyes were full of the chilling light of the dark, reddish glow of the mountain range.

"Ryeonju has decided to claim his life."

A peculiar sense of elation emerged on his face.

Ho Gakmyung couldn't contain it. Mount Hua's Chivalrous Sword... No, now it was more appropriate to call him Plum Blossom Sword Demon. But...

'If Ryeonju steps forward, everything changes.'

No matter how much he's called Plum Blossom Sword Demon, he must now accept the end of his fate.

From now on, the one he has to face is none other than Paegun Jang Ilso.