HDCLSSRS Ch 177
by berryChapter 177 Encounter (1)
Late into the night, loud drums warning of an enemy attack thundered throughout the campsite.
Torches burst to life one after another.
“I should’ve killed him when I had the chance.”
Clicking his tongue, Baek Ryeoil swept his gaze over the grim-faced Demonic Cultists surrounding them.
“…Heh.”
Paeng Dohwan could only let out a hollow laugh.
“You’re right.”
“I’ve been fooled by tricks like this before, yet I still fall for them every time.”
The Demonic Cultist who had promised to lead them in secretly changed his attitude the instant they entered the range of his comrades.
Screaming at the top of his lungs, he sprinted straight into the center of the camp.
“Mount Hua has arrived!”
“The Paeng Clan of Hebei is here!”
His desperate cries shattered the silence of the night, awakening everyone in the camp.
“Well… it doesn’t matter.”
Paeng Dohwan casually gripped his sword.
“As we agreed earlier, I’ll take seven, and Emotionless Sword can handle eig—”
He stopped mid-sentence.
The number of enemies gathering far exceeded their expectations.
Paeng Dohwan counted them again.
“I-I’ll take twelve… and Emotionless Sword can take thirt—”
More Demonic Cultists continued pouring out from every direction.
Once their numbers exceeded thirty, the smile on Paeng Dohwan’s face began to fade.
When they passed fifty…
It vanished entirely.
“…You said there were only fifteen.”
“You idiots actually believed me?”
The escaped Demonic Cultist laughed triumphantly from within the ranks of his companions.
“My brothers will turn this place into your graves!”
“Just wait.”
Paeng Dohwan ground his teeth.
“Once we’ve wiped them all out…”
“You’re next.”
“You think just the two of you can take all of us?”
Meanwhile…
Baek Ryeoil rapidly surveyed the camp.
Neither Yakseon…
Nor the captured villagers…
Were anywhere in sight.
“Attack!”
“Kill them!”
Without waiting for anyone else, the Demonic Cultists drew their weapons and charged.
Meanwhile…
Far away from the battlefield…
Seong Muyon watched the flames in the campsite burn ever brighter, anxiety knotting his chest.
“There are more enemies than expected.”
Kang Ung had quietly approached his side.
Narrowing his eyes, he stared intently toward the camp.
Seong Muyon naturally assumed Kang Ung would immediately rush off to reinforce the other two.
Instead…
To his astonishment…
Kang Ung simply turned around and calmly returned to his seat on the rock.
“How many are there…?”
The Owl asked.
“It’s difficult to tell exactly.”
Kang Ung casually took a strip of dried jerky from the pouch beside him.
“But I’d estimate around sixty… perhaps seventy.”
His complete composure left Seong Muyon speechless.
“You seem worried.”
Kang Ung smiled faintly.
“There’s no need.”
“With that many enemies, one or two might break away and come this direction.”
“That’s exactly why I stayed behind.”
“You two will be safe.”
“So please don’t worry.”
That’s not the problem!
Seong Muyon knew full well that neither Baek Ryeoil nor Paeng Dohwan would die easily.
But…
What if one careless mistake left them gravely injured?
Do something!
Unable to speak himself, Seong Muyon desperately looked toward the Owl, hoping he would persuade Kang Ung to join the battle.
Instead…
The Owl ignored his pleading gaze.
Apparently…
He agreed with Kang Ung.
His stern look clearly warned Seong Muyon not to create unnecessary trouble.
But Seong Muyon couldn’t remain nearly as calm as they were.
Simply imagining Baek Ryeoil fighting such a dangerous battle not far away…
Filled his mind with images of him being struck by a stray blade…
Or poisoned.
He refused to give up.
Using frantic gestures and exaggerated body language, he repeatedly tried to explain himself.
Both men ignored him completely.
Then I’ll go by myself!
He had absolutely no intention of joining the battle.
Doing so would only increase the risk of exposing his identity.
Besides…
Until he reunited with Yakseon, he knew perfectly well he needed to lie low.
He merely wanted to witness the battle with his own eyes.
If something unexpected happened…
Perhaps he could still do something.
The instant Seong Muyon turned around—
Kang Ung’s eyes flashed.
In the blink of an eye, he caught Seong Muyon’s arm.
“No.”
He forced Seong Muyon back down onto the ground.
A firm hand pressed heavily upon his shoulder.
“There will be no acting independently.”
“My master ordered me to protect the two of you.”
“I intend to fulfill that order.”
“If you interfere…”
“I won’t hesitate to use force.”
“So please…”
“Don’t test me.”
His warning came in a remarkably cold voice.
The unfamiliar side of Kang Ung completely stunned Seong Muyon.
“Hic.”
Seong Muyon suddenly began hiccuping.
Only then did Kang Ung finally loosen his grip.
“I trust you understand.”
“He understands….”
Even the Owl shot him a chilly glance.
“…Hic.”
Aside from the distant sounds of battle…
And Seong Muyon’s occasional hiccups…
Silence settled over them.
After calming down somewhat…
Seong Muyon couldn’t help feeling wronged.
Did they really think he was insane enough to charge straight into the battlefield?
Unfortunately…
Unable to speak…
He had no way to explain himself.
Kang Ung continued watching him carefully, clearly expecting him to attempt something reckless.
Then—
Just as Kang Ung had predicted…
A Demonic Cultist fleeing the battlefield came racing toward them.
“Shh.”
Kang Ung pressed a finger to his lips before casually leaning against a tree.
Apparently believing no one would be waiting here…
The Demonic Cultist sprinted forward while repeatedly looking back over his shoulder.
As he drew near…
Kang Ung casually extended one foot.
“Urgh—?!”
The Demonic Cultist stumbled.
The instant he opened his mouth to cry out—
Kang Ung moved.
With smooth, economical precision…
He struck the man’s throat, crushing his voice before it could escape.
In the same motion…
He slipped behind him and wrapped an arm around his neck.
The Demonic Cultist kicked desperately.
Kang Ung remained unmoving.
As immovable as Mount Tai.
Before long…
The struggling ceased.
Kang Ung quietly laid the unconscious man to one side before thoroughly searching his body.
A moment later…
He pulled a crumpled letter from the man’s tightly clenched fist.
“It’s written in code.”
He frowned as he tried to decipher the contents.
“I believe this man was attempting to alert their forces outside the camp.”
“If we’re lucky, deciphering this code may reveal their base of operations….”
Then Kang Ung suddenly looked up.
“Where’s Young Hero Badger?”
Only then did he realize…
One person had disappeared.
Seong Muyon was already running toward the camp.
“Haa… haa…”
Using the faint glow spilling from the campsite as his guide…
He raced through the forest.
The closer he drew…
The louder the clash of steel…
And the cries of battle became.
Finally…
The forest opened.
Bright firelight flooded his vision.
The battlefield lay before him.
Seong Muyon’s eyes widened.
Barely ten zhang away—
Roughly thirty meters—
Baek Ryeoil was fighting.
“Gah!”
His sword mercilessly pierced an enemy.
As blood sprayed into the air, he withdrew the blade—
Only to slash through the chest of another attacker charging from behind.
For a brief instant…
The inscription carved into the blade caught Seong Muyon’s eye.
The Life-Binding Sword…
Thump.
His heart skipped.
Baek Ryeoil…
And the Life-Binding Sword…
Together embodied the legendary Plum Blossom Sword Emperor himself.
For the first time…
Seong Muyon was witnessing Baek Ryeoil in his complete form.
With every swing…
Two…
Three…
Demonic Cultists fell.
Blood splattered across his cheek.
He paid it no attention.
Sometimes his sword was swift as lightning.
Sometimes it struck with crushing weight.
Every slash scattered more enemies.
Stepping atop the bodies of the fallen…
He seemed to fly across the battlefield.
Only now did Seong Muyon understand why Kang Ung had remained so unconcerned.
Baek Ryeoil had already been formidable before.
Now…
He had become even stronger.
No matter how desperately the Demonic Cultists charged…
No matter how fiercely they tried to land even a single wound…
Not one of them could so much as brush the hem of his robes before dying.
Seong Muyon couldn’t tear his eyes away.
There was something almost beautiful…
About that dance of the sword.
“Badger.”
He flinched.
The cold voice instantly dragged him back to reality.
Kang Ung and the Owl had already caught up.
Though the Owl’s face remained hidden beneath his mask…
Seong Muyon instinctively knew he was furious.
“I thought I had warned you sufficiently.”
His voice was calm.
“Apparently I was mistaken.”
“I never imagined you’d be this reckless.”
Kang Ung looked no less angry.
Wearing an expression Seong Muyon had never seen before, he said,
“I’ll make sure you remember this from now on.”
“……”
Like master…
Like disciple.
In that moment…
Seong Muyon saw Baek Ryeoil reflected in Kang Ung.
Without ever baring his claws outright…
He forced the other person’s imagination to fill in the worst possibilities.
And through that…
Magnified their fear.
He truly was…
Baek Ryeoil’s disciple.
Footnotes
- Zhang (장) — A traditional unit of distance. In martial arts novels, 10 zhang is commonly treated as roughly 30 meters (about 100 feet).