Chapter 867
Hong Dae-gwang sighed deeply.
It was a huge mistake to think that life might become a little easier now that Mount Hua Divine Dragon, who caused trouble like breathing, had gone into Bongmun.
As the huge storm in the center disappears, small gusts of wind keep blowing here and there. Each one was insignificant, but dealing with all of them felt overwhelming as if ten bodies wouldn’t be enough.
Hong Dae-gwang glanced around.
‘Nobody here?’
Of course, there is no one else here now. The place was falling apart, but it was still Buntaju’s office.
Nevertheless, he kept looking left and right as if something was pricking him and took out a gourd from under a desk that was about to collapse.
Ppok.
He popped the cap and sniffed deeply from the bottle.
“Keuu… It’s worth killing.”
He’d been too busy to leisurely enjoy a drink lately.
‘When was the last time I even smelled liquor?’
It felt like at least a month had passed. As all the beggars underneath had their eyes wide open, he was sensible enough to spare the time to drink. But he couldn’t drink while working either.
So, at times like this…….
It was just as Hong Dae-gwang was drooling and was just about to lift the bottle to his mouth.
Kwang!
“Euaaaakk!”
Startled by the sound of the door opening violently as if to break it, Hong Dae-gwang flung the liquor bottle overhead.
“Buntaju-nim!”
The beggar who ran inside frantically opened his mouth blankly, looking at the alcohol flowing down Hong Dae-gwang’s head.
“No, what…….”
“…Thi- This….”
The beggar, who was looking at Hong Dae-gwang with blurry eyes as if he knew what he was doing, immediately flinched and approached him.
“That’s not the point right now!”
“Aren’t you mad?”
Hong Dae-gwang thought he would overturn his eyes and go on a rampage, accusing him of trying to drink while working.
“Red envelope flew from the headquarters!”
“What? At the headquarters?”
Hong Dae-gwang’s minor concerns were quickly dispelled.
If it is a red envelope, this is an emergency communication sent by the headquarters through a special dispatch. Although many things have happened in Henan, Hubei, and Shaanxi in recent years, they have never had a red envelope fly to them.
“Now? Has it just arrived?!”
“Yes, Buntaju-nim! Just now!”
Realizing that something big had happened, Hong Dae-gwang threw himself onto the desk and snatched the red envelope from the beggar
He tore it open to read the contents.
“… Thi… This?”
Hong Dae-gwang even stuttered and opened his eyes wide.
“Iron Ghost? Revolving Spear Ghost? Sorrowless Sect and Assassin Manor (???(刺殺房))? Nine…. Nine Nether Association? Wa- Wait? Who? Soul-Severing Blood Hand? Da- Damn it! Soul-Severing Blood Hand!”
Even that wasn’t all.
“Ga- Ga- Ga……Gangseo Seven Murderer?!”
Hong Dae-gwang’s face was completely drained of blood.
Each and every name on the list was not just notable but downright terrifying. And all of these people are moving together to one place?
“Where? Where the hell are they going?”
There was no information on their direction of movement in the envelope.
Just as Hong Dae-gwang, who had become contemplative, was about to yell something, another beggar stormed inside.
“Bu- Buntaju! It’s a red envelope! Red envelope has arrived again!”
“Bring it here, now!”
Hong Dae-gwang snatched the new red envelope and tore it open as if ripping it apart.
“Uh…”
The moment he saw the brief message written inside, he forgot to breathe.
– Heading to Shaanxi.
“….Sha- Shaanxi?”
“They- They’re heading to Shaanxi?”
“What?”
The complexions of the younger beggars also began to turn pale.
“This… This is insane…”
Hong Dae-gwang’s fingertips trembled as he held the red envelope.
He has heard every single one of those names. As someone who dealt with information, it was impossible not to know that they had migrated to Gangbuk to escape their notorious and violent Evil Tyrant Alliance.
However, as soon as they gathered and saw their name listed, Hong Dae-gwang felt a painful realization of how lightly he’d taken them.
If they are scattered across the vast area of Gangbuk, there are only a small number. No matter how strong each of them is, it is difficult to exert great power.
But if they were all gathering in one place?
‘One sect could be destroyed instantly with power to spare.’
Taking into account the inherently violent tendencies of these Evil Sects, the damage might be even greater.
“W- Why are these damned crazy people coming to Shaanxi?”
Hong Dae-gwang, who shouted as if he were furious, jumped up from his seat.
Their intentions are not yet known, but given the situation, even a three-year-old child would be able to understand their purpose.
“Support? What about the support? Request support from the headquarters now!”
“Bu- Buntaju, the headquarters doesn’t have such leeway…”
“What the f*ck are you talking about! Does this seem like a normal situation to you? Don’t you think you should put aside everything else and run here?! Request support now! Right now!”
“Yes!”
When Hong Dae-gwang shouted, one of the beggars rushed outside.
Even then, Hong Dae-gwang’s mind was spinning furiously.
‘Where? What are they targeting? It can’t be the whole Shaanxi!’
Hong Dae-gwang’s blunt fingertips wandered across his desk without knowing where to go.
“Damn it, what can I even know…”
At that time, the beggar, who ran outside, came back in with a face whiter than when he went out.
“Bu- Buntaju! Here comes another red envelope.”
“What?”
Hong Dae-gwang’s eyes trembled. Hearing about receiving three red envelopes in a day was unheard of.
“Bri- Bring it over!”
Hong Dae-gwang hurriedly opened the red envelope he had received.
“….”
This time, it was not like the previous red envelope.
A map.
A vivid red line is drawn on a small map that briefly sketches the shape of Jungwon.
The ominous line starting from Nakyang spread out toward the west. Hong Dae-gwang’s gaze followed the line until it abruptly stopped midway, but then moved further left, and even further left.
Finally, his eyes landed on the name of a city at the end of the line. An involuntary groan escaped from Hong Dae-gwang’s mouth.
“…Xi’an.”
Cold sweat streamed down his forehead like rain.
Perhaps this news was inevitable.
Because it’s so obvious what they’re after. A group that size wouldn’t just be out for a walk in Shaanxi without reason. Whether they were after riches or chaos, their initial target would undoubtedly be Xi’an, the largest city in Shaanxi.
“N- No.”
If Southern Edge Sect and Mount Hua were both intact, there would be no chance of these Evil Sects invading Xi’an. Xi’an was a city guarded by Southern Edge Sect to the south and Mount Hua to the east.
But now, both sects are in a state of Bongmun. In other words, the current Shaanxi is an ownerless mountain, with no proper big sect.
In the meantime, what if they invade Xi’an and commit massacres?
“Why! Why are these crazy people! Why!”
All sorts of curses burst forth from Hong Dae-gwang’s mouth.
“Bu- Buntaju-nim! What should we do?”
“….”
Hong Dae-gwang, who stared at the air with his fist clenched, gritted his teeth and said,
“Request reinforcements from the headquarters! And also ask for immediate support from Shaolin! Right now!”
“Without going through headquarters?”
“There’s no time for that! As soon as you ask the main body, send a message straight to Shaolin!”
“Yes!”
“Ah So!”
“Yes!”
“Run to Southern Edge Sect now! Tell them to come out of Bongmun! Hurry!”
“B- But they’re in Bongmun…”
“We’re not in a position to argue about that! Go knock on the door!”
“Yes!”
“Wu Myong (??(吳明))!”
“Yes!”
“Go to Huayin Sect in Xi’an right now! Inform them of the situation and tell them to unite the sects in Xi’an! These are not the same Myriad Man Manor who invaded Xi’an before! Don’t let a single one of them set foot in Xi’an!”
“Understood!”
“You, send a message to the sects around Xi’an right now! Tell them all to go to Xi’an! We need to support the sects of Xi’an!”
“Yes!”
“Move! Right now!”
“Yes!”
Hong Dae-gwang bit his lips to the point of bleeding.
If he could, he’d like to run outside right away and take action himself, but he has to contact the headquarter here. Without Mount Hua and Southern Edge Sect, the sects around Xi’an wouldn’t be enough to stop them, so support from Shaolin or Gaebang is crucial.
‘Please, please!’
The truth is, it’s already too late.
The distance from Nakyang to here is only 500 Li, and if you are a peak martial artist, a distance that a peak martial artist can cover in half a day. Even if Shaolin leaves right now, there is no way they can reach Xi’an before Evil Sects.
That means they have to buy time until Shaolin arrives, blocking them with the power they have now.
‘Please, just a bit faster!’
Hong Dae-gwang stood up and rushed out.
He flung open the door and went out, tilted his head upward, and Mt. Hua came into view. The peak was obscured by clouds.
He looked at the scene painfully for a moment, then bit his lip and busily turned around again.
* * *
Red flames are sweeping away everything around them.
It is not a common sight to see an entire village burning down. Even if the people here are indiscriminate in their actions.
The spectacle of the dark smoke spewed by the red flames rising high into the sky and spreading was like transferring the scene of hell into this world.
Black smoke, red fire.
And….
Even darker and redder than those flames, blood thoroughly soaks the ground.
“Ugh….”
Lying in a pool of blood and convulsing, one individual forcibly lifted their trembling head.
“He… Heavenly punishment… Heavenly punishment will fall upon you…”
“Tsk, tsk.”
Gal Cheonrip smirked as he stared at the old man with his eyes full of venom.
“Old man, I’ve already received divine punishment. That’s why I’m here.”
“…Mo- Mount Hua will…….”
Puuk.
Gal Cheonrip’s blade pierced through the old man’s body and stuck into the ground.
The old man, who had been trembling, gave out his last breath and slumped down. Gal Cheonrip, who retrieved his dao, murmured with an unhappy face.
“Everyone in this neighborhood keeps mumbling ‘Mount Hua.’ This one, that one, Mount Hua, Mount Hua.”
What’s strange is that the name that comes out of their mouths is not Southern Edge Sect, but Mount Hua.
‘It’s really weird.’
Mount Hua’s reputation has been elevated, but Shaanxi is almost like a land dominated by the Southern Edge Sect. But why do they all mention Mount Hua’s name, not Southern Edge Sect?
“Whatever, it doesn’t matter.”
Gal Cheonrip raised his head to look at the burning village.
He also firmly captured in his eyes the Evil Sects standing before him, emitting an intense bloodlust.
The moment he saw the blood on their hands, an uncontrollable smile brightly crossed Gal Cheonrip’s lips.
‘It’s getting dangerous.’
He slowly licked his lips with his tongue. The intense bloodlust from everyone even made him shudder.
The malicious nature that had been suppressed for a long time is gradually breaking out.
Just as a heavy drinker would get incredibly drunk on the day they finally get to drink again, no one will be able to stop these people who have refrained from slaughtering for a while and now have tasted blood.
“Daehyung.”
“I know. Let’s move.”
Gal Cheonrip’s gaze turned west.
“We’ll clear out a few more villages before we arrive in Xi’an.”
By then, an army truly filled with madness will have been formed.
The forces that will soak that big city with blood.