Chapter 334

Chapter 334
Chapter 334. Division (1)

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Following the looming certainty of collapse in the Great War of Justice and Evil, the leadership of the Murim Alliance debated relocating their headquarters from Wuhan toward the North Sea, hoping to evade the relentless advance of the Demonic Cult.

Precisely during that period, the Beggars’ Union dropped a bombshell: the Demonic Cult had been operating covertly across the Central Plains long before the conflict erupted, securing their path to triumph through numerous pre-war stratagems.

This terrifying revelation plunged the heads of the Murim Alliance into deeper dread, even as certain factions dismissed reality altogether, branding the news as absurd fabrications. Naturally, none dared point out the sheer irony that this truth only came to light when the war was practically lost. They refused to suffer the humiliation of being mocked by their peers—particularly those they held in contempt—for trailing behind the adversary.

Thousands of pages containing highly sensitive data were completely reduced to ashes, bypassing the authorization of both the Hall of Profound Wisdom and the Bureau of Universal Knowledge. Consequently, I was barred from uncovering these details during my former life. Every single thing regarding their actions and the schemes they had set in motion remained hidden.

At the very least, I can deduce their underlying motives by recognizing that incidents originally dismissed as mere mishaps in my past life were actually deliberate. Their plot to assassinate Moyong-sang-won, their meddling in the Grand Examination to slaughter academy students and execute ‘murder with a borrowed sword,’ their subversion of the Black Lotus Union to manipulate factions as they pleased, and so on.

When evaluating this string of occurrences, it becomes clear they desire the Central Plains to be consumed by turmoil until they choose to step into the light. They would hardly want the glare of public scrutiny fixed upon them the moment they emerge, which would instantly brand them as a common foe.

‘But why choose this moment?’

Nevertheless, the developments unfolding within the Muk-rim diverge from their previous patterns. Though they disguised themselves beneath the semblance of the Spirit, they made no genuine effort to conceal their true identity. They resembled a tiger donning a rabbit disguise. Without bothering to hide its distinct stripes or its colossal, mountain-like frame, it boldly claimed to be a mere rabbit.

‘Those bastards… they ought to at least tuck away their claws.’

The unmistakable weapon marks left upon the corpses spoke volumes. Previously, they had at least gone through the motions of leaving ragged, chaotic wounds, but now even that pretense was abandoned. As if intentionally leaving a signature of their handiwork, they pierced vital centers and severed lethal points with single, precise strikes.

“I—it’s the wrath of the Spirit…”

“This is happening because we dared to pursue the Spirit…”

“No, I refuse to perish in a place like this!”

Could it be because they were witnessing mass slaughter for the very first time? Or was it the realization of their own impending, unnatural demises? Despite having encountered dead bodies before, they remained trapped in a state of severe psychological shock.

I scanned our companions. Our allies were likewise struggling desperately to master their overflowing panic. We could not permit this paralysis to persist. The moment green warriors face their initial deployment is precisely when casualties peak. And the bulk of these losses stem not from a massive disparity in martial prowess, but from fatal lapses in vigilance triggered by mental shock.

As a result,

‘Confound it…’

If this paralyzing dread remains unbroken, not a soul will leave this place alive.

“Everyone, snap out of it!!!”

I unleashed a deafening roar charged with internal energy. The surrounding martial artists turned toward me with hollow, unseeing stares. They remained completely unmoored. I drew in another deep breath.

“Everyone, snap out of it!!!”

“……”

“Regain your senses, you fools!!!”

As my commands echoed repeatedly, a spark of awareness gradually returned to their eyes. Seconds later, their complexions drained of color upon realizing the volume of the noise.

“Qu—quiet! What if the Spirit is drawn to us!”

“You madman…! Are you trying to broadcast our whereabouts to the whole area!”

To think that individuals who ordinarily conducted themselves as the ultimate masters under the heavens were trembling before a spiritual beast; they had truly surrendered their faculties to fear. The more they panicked, the harder I roared.

“Everyone, snap out of it!!!”

“Damn it, pull yourselves together!!!”

By the time I bellowed the phrase for the fifth time, the daze had completely vanished from the crowd. Out of sheer agitation, several of them charged forward in an attempt to muzzle me, but—

*Thud, thud, thud!*

As if I would let them.

“Tha—that lunatic!”

“You bastard! How dare you turn your weapons on us!”

The figures thrown to the dirt ground bared their teeth in fury. Only then did I drop my tone, addressing them coldly.

“Have you finally reconnected with reality?”

“What?”

“Cease laying the blame on that wretched Spirit.”

cruel reality.

I gestured toward the slaughtered forms.

“Does that honestly still resemble the work of a beast’s talons and fangs to your eyes?”

Only then did the students from the academy survey the remains with blank expressions. There was simply no way that people who had trained with blades since the moment they learned to walk could fail to recognize the difference between animal mauling and weapon strikes.

“……”

A deep crimson flush crept up their faces as shame took hold.

“As we stand here, our greatest peril is neither the corrupted creatures nor the climate.”

“局势……”

“Were you never taught that discarding your logical mind is the absolute gravest danger?”

They had undoubtedly received that lesson. Maintaining a cold, unwavering intellect is the most elementary and vital tenet instilled from the very first moment one grips a hilt or circulates internal energy through the dantian. Yet, precisely because it is such a basic truth, individuals routinely discard it during a crisis, yielding their logic to raw hysteria. It was likely stressed so heavily across their lives precisely because falling apart is the natural flaw of mankind.

The priority now was not contemplation, but execution. Assessment could wait until after we achieved stability.

“We are resuming the march.”

Though the movements of the academy students before the deceased were heavy and reluctant, they eventually fell into line behind me. They, too, understood the stark realities of survival.

We pressed past the remains of our fallen peers and advanced into the terrain once more. We maintained a grueling pace without pausing for breath, yet no one voiced a grievance. Everyone understood perfectly well that keeping one’s mouth shut was paramount.

“Huff, huff, huff.”

“Dig deep, just a little further!”

Endless travel without a moment’s respite, coupled with the ceaseless ambushes of corrupted beasts, took its toll. Beyond the casualties, even those who had escaped harm began succumbing to sheer fatigue one after another.

The most pressing hazard was the onset of venomous reactions. While we had taken ample precautions against the toxic secretions of massive beasts, we lacked the means to counter the poisons delivered by tiny, venomous insects. Toxins that their bodies would have easily neutralized under ordinary circumstances proved devastating in their current weakened state. Though the manifestations appeared minor—such as localized numbness, nausea, and mild shivering—it sufficed to drag down the collective speed of our entire contingent.

“Representative Jin, moving blindly like this is unsustainable. If we persist in this march, the entire group will collapse from exhaustion.”

I observed my immediate comrades. Among my own circle, not a single person showed signs of distress from the toxins. They were reaping the rewards of the rigorous poison-conditioning regimens we had undergone prior to venturing into the Muk-rim.

‘If our fighting strength dwindles, casualties will inevitably mount.’

In a dire predicament, those who remain capable have no alternative but to bear the brunt of the burden. Ultimately, this meant my own companions would be forced to shoulder far greater peril.

“I grant everyone thirty minutes. Ensure they stabilize their conditions within that window.”

The moment the order left my mouth, the academy students dropped to the earth simultaneously, entering deep meditation to regulate their breathing. As I monitored the perimeter—

“Jin Gong-ja-nim.”

Nam-gung-seon-hwa approached, offering a container of water. Feeling the chilled mist rising from it, it was obvious she had enlisted the aid of Eun-seol-ran.

“……”

“Seol-ran chose this specifically for you, Gong-ja-nim. Please drink.”

As the icy liquid slid down my throat, a surge of vitality rippled through my system, akin to a sudden downpour quenching a barren wasteland. I had assumed the Wind Spirit kept me perfectly insulated, but perhaps I was more drained than I realized.

“Is Seol-ran holding up?”

“Yes. She is well-versed in internal energy maintenance.”

If one were to identify the single most exhausted individual among our non-combatant ranks, it was undeniably Eun-seol-ran. Ever since the wounded had integrated into our group, she had worked herself to the bone, tending to them without pause. Her unique ability to lower bodily temperatures made her indispensable for cooling the scorched blood of those racked with fever.

“Even so, remind her to preserve her strength. She must remember her own life carries the utmost importance.”

I harbored no intention of sacrificing my inner circle. Though the academy students walked alongside us now, I refused to view their lives as equal to those of my trusted companions. Joining forces with them was merely a strategic necessity born from safeguarding my own people.

“…Our current predicament is exceptionally dire, isn’t it?”

Nam-gung-seon-hwa, who had been studying my features intently, murmured her question with immense caution. I did my best to smooth over my expression.

“No. Once we reach the staging ground, the masters will be waiting, and…”

“Could this be… connected to ‘them,’ the ones we crossed paths with back then?”

Though the name went unspoken, both of us understood perfectly who she meant. As I wavered, debating how to respond, she pressed on.

“Jin Gong-ja-nim’s countenance… it bears the exact same look you wore at the Bogyang Plain.”

Had my inner anxiety manifested on my face despite my efforts? Should I confide in her? …Or would it be wiser to leave her in ignorance alongside the rest of the academy students?

My hesitation lasted only a moment. Even if catastrophe loomed, she possessed the resolve required to endure and escape this place alive.

“I lack absolute proof… but I believe the danger matches that prior crisis.”

For Nam-gung-seon-hwa, who had previously faced the horrors of the Dark Soul-Severing Group, this revelation represented the grimmest possible forecast. Even during the previous Great War of Justice and Evil, countless seasoned martial artists had been driven mad or left entirely catatonic after encountering the Dark Soul-Severing Group.

Yet, her response defied my grim expectations.

“I understand.”

Her expression was that of a warrior hardening an ironclad vow within her soul.

“…Does fear not grip you?”

“It terrifies me. However.”

She locked her gaze with mine, her eyes entirely devoid of doubt.

“There is a leader here who commands the path forward.”

Beholding her radiant confidence, a brief laugh escaped my lips before I could check it.

“Are you not placing far too much faith in my capabilities?”

“I will give everything I have. I refuse to stand by and be broken without a fight like last time.”

A cold, murderous intent flickered across her gaze. At her core, she remained a true practitioner of the martial path. Beyond that, she carried the bloodline of Nam-gung-tae-ha.

‘An apex predator does not rear a common beast.’

Observing her resolve, the heavy pressure weighing down on my spirit seemed to dissipate slightly. Sensing that my disposition had relaxed, Nam-gung-seon-hwa enquired with a tone of visible relief.

“But where could the instructors possibly have gone?”

Just as she noted, that remained an absolute enigma to me as well. To begin with, what purpose did they have in abducting No-jin-ha rather than slaughtering him outright? And why had the masters who reportedly relocated to the staging ground failed to issue an emergency mobilization decree?

I pushed myself to my feet.

“We will find our answers once we arrive at the base.”

The allotted thirty minutes had expired. It was time to push onward.

“Mmh… they claimed he held the rank of Pavilion Master within the White Tiger Pavilion, yet his flavor is quite disappointing. The martial artists from Jong-nam we harvested previously were far superior.”

*Thud.*

A mangled object resembling a severed melon, bearing unmistakable teeth indentations, dropped heavily onto the soil. It was the severed head of a man whose unseeing eyes remained wide with terror. The rolling head eventually came to a halt against the boots of a figure shrouded in a sweeping cloak.

“He clearly squandered his days pursuing trivial comforts while neglecting his martial foundation; a thoroughly bland specimen. I harbored grand expectations given his status as a Daoist, what a pity.”

“局势……”

Though articulate speech emerged from the beast-like, elongated snout, the cloaked figure offered no verbal reply.

“On another note, have the reports reached you regarding Jin-so-un’s arrival?”

“……”

The figure who had remained entirely indifferent to the creature’s banter finally raised his gaze.

“That—individual—belongs—to—me. Should—you—interfere, I—will—end—your—life—as—well.”

A harsh, grating mechanical rasp tore from the hidden man’s throat, but the beast merely let out a mocking chuckle.

“That simply will not do. Should that brat manage to strike you down, the burden of rectifying that failure falls squarely upon my shoulders.”

*Grinding teeth.* “…Do—you—honestly—believe—the—Strange—Demonic—Art—can—shield—you—from—me?”

Shards of pure frost began condensing around the shrouded man. The severed, bleeding head resting by his boots was gripped by the sudden drop in temperature, turning rigid as layer upon layer of rime coated the flesh.

“Observe how swiftly he turns on his allies the moment he assimilates the Ice Essence (*Bing-jeong*). This perfectly illustrates why one must never harbor an ungrateful dog, what a pity.”

“Who—are—you—to—label—me—a—beast.”

The creature with the monstrous muzzle offered a disdainful snort.

“Regardless, never forget that you answer to my directives, Je-geum-hak.”

“In—that—case, execute—your—objectives—without—error. Where—did—you—squander—the—Fire—Essence (*Hwa-jeong*)?”

The smirking monster instantly choked back its amusement.

“I am actively pursuing the remaining instructors as we speak. Discard your anxieties.”

“I—cannot—fathom—why—they—assigned—such—pivotal—matters—to—a—worthless—creature.”

“…Shall I slice away whatever remains of that shredded visage of yours?”

“The—Fire—Essence—is—the—key—intended—to—catalyze—the—Ultimate—Demonic—State—for—the—Little—Demon—Lord (*So-ma-nim*). Bear—in—mind—that—our—purpose—here—extends—far—beyond—mere—butchery.”

“Hmph. I shall see this task finished a hundred times more flawlessly than a creature of your caliber ever could.”

*Swish.*

The instant the words left its maw, the beastly entity vanished into thin air.

“……”

Enveloped by the returning stillness of the woods, Je-geum-hak nudged the severed head with his boot to inspect the features. Had they referred to him as No-jin-ha? A pathetic coward who ultimately perished after weeping grovelingly for his life until his final breath.

*Crackle.*

No-jin-ha’s features froze solid under the intense cold. The prey he truly desired to plunge into this abyss of helplessness and horror was far from No-jin-ha. Je-geum-hak brought his boot down firmly upon the frozen skull. And then.

*Crunch.*

The skull of No-jin-ha shattered into a cloud of icy fragments, scattering across the forest floor.

“Jin—so—un.”

Accompanying the unnatural, metallic rasp, a thin line of crimson seeped from Je-geum-hak’s lips.

“I—shall—drag—you—into—the—depths—of—purgatory.”

Three days had elapsed since our departure from the blighted territory. The physical stamina of our companions had plummeted to its absolute nadir. Greater than half the group could no longer advance under their own power, and concurrently, our viable defenders had been severely depleted as injuries accumulated from the ceaseless assaults of the corrupted beasts trailing our steps.

Even so, we refused to halt our advance until the final twilight of the final day. For the sanctuary of the base loomed directly ahead. At the very least, the organized ambush by demonic thralls that I had constantly anticipated failed to materialize. That stroke of fortune alone allowed this massive crowd to crawl this far.

“Endure just a fraction longer!”

“……”

Among the vanguard leading the procession, barely a handful managed to keep their footing.

“Madness… you are an absolute madman. Jin-so-un, you truly are.”

“Representative-nim.”

“Huff, huff…”

Jong-chu-ak shook his head, looking entirely overwhelmed by the sheer absurdity of our survival. He then shifted his gaze toward our destination.

“And yet… we genuinely reached the destination precisely as you claimed we would.”

It appeared Jong-chu-ak had likewise picked up the unmistakable sensations of numerous human presences through his martial senses. A faint, genuine smirk crossed his lips. I found myself chuckling alongside him.

“Naturally. I gave my word.”

“…Might I impose upon you for a final request?”

“Speak.”

“The moment we cross paths with those instructors at the base, could you deliver a solid strike to their faces on my behalf?”

“Excuse me?”

Jong-chu-ak’s grin broadened significantly.

“If I were to strike them myself, it would be branded as the treasonous act of defying one’s superiors, you see.”

Hmph, he possessed a far more commendable spirit than I had initially credited him for. I offered a ready nod of agreement.

“Very well. You have my word.”

“Excellent. I feel a sudden surge of vitality returning to my limbs.”

Forcing our leaden feet forward against their own protests, we finally breached the perimeter of the base. However,

“Waaaaah!”

*Clang, clang, clang!*

The spectacle greeting our eyes struck us completely dumbfounded.

“It’s the Orthodox Society! They are the architect behind this entire catastrophe!”

“The White Road Society along with the 12 Peaks Stars have launched a treacherous assault! Cut them down!”

“Do you truly expect to pin your crimes on us? Ha, what utter delusion!”

The academy students assembled within the staging ground were locked in a savage, fratricidal conflict, tearing into one another as if born of rival bloodlines. A literal manifestation of purgatory was unfolding before us with no end in sight.