Chapter 35
Chapter 35
『 Translator – Divinity 』
Cheok Gyo-woon explained that he had intended to chase him to the end, but had no choice but to stop because something like a poison-filled smoke bomb had exploded in front of him, and he also said that the man's name was So Yeop-cheon.
Saying that much wasn't difficult. The important part was what came next.
“Head Instructor, those bastards will likely try to use Gi Mun-yong to threaten you. In any case, Gi Mun-yong is from a common follower background and probably not a very important person to you, is he? So I am telling you not to be shaken even if the So Clan sends word.”
“Where can I find So Yeop-cheon? Are you certain that man is So Yeop-cheon?”
“That is correct…”
Cheok Gyo-woon realized that Cheon Ha-seong hadn't been listening to him at all. He had thought that Cheon Ha-seong would be like that.
Cheok Gyo-woon sighed and spoke with a sense of resignation.
“If you are thinking of saving Gi Mun-yong, you will have to hurry. If the man who took him is indeed So Yeop-cheon, he might send Gi Mun-yong's right hand along with the threatening letter to you. Then it will be difficult for him to hold a sword again.”
When Cheon Ha-seong suddenly raised his hand, Cheok Gyo-woon thought he was about to hit him. Having seen several people who couldn't control their anger and suddenly lash out, it was a reaction that came out without him thinking.
However, Cheon Ha-seong just patted Cheok Gyo-woon's shoulder.
“Thank you for telling me. I will be sure to remember this and repay you. It is fortunate that you came when I happened to be training alone.”
Hearing him speak like that, it seemed he was planning to invade the So Demonic Clan's residence by himself. He must have said it thinking that if the Cult Leader had been there, he would not have permitted it.
“Head Instructor, are you planning to go alone?”
“Isn't that how it should be? There's no one else I can trust, and there's no time.”
Then he began to perform his lightness skill.
Cheok Gyo-woon, wondering what to do about this, stomped his feet on the spot, but as if deciding there was no other way, he sighed and chased after Cheon Ha-seong. He only glanced at Cheok Gyo-woon once and did not slow down. Then, as if thinking that if Cheok Gyo-woon's mind was truly made up, it would be better for him to help, he grabbed Cheok Gyo-woon's arm.
From then on, Cheok Gyo-woon was moving as if he were flying through the air, with almost no time for his feet to touch the ground.
Cheok Gyo-woon thought that something similar had happened before. There had been an incident where Cheon Ha-seong, as if not satisfied with his lightness skill, had grabbed him and performed his own. But it felt as if not much time had passed since that incident, yet his lightness skill had completely changed.
It had changed so much that it felt like it didn't make sense to call it by the same name.
Cheok Gyo-woon was at a complete loss for words. He too had been training to death at the Martial Arts Academy in order to pass through it. The training he had done before entering the Academy had also been considerable. That was why he could guarantee that he had never remained complacent in the same spot, but what was this?
“Head Instructor, aren't you going to save Gi Mun-yong? If so, wouldn't it be better to conserve your internal energy and exert your full power when the time comes?”
It felt like something that had to be told in advance, but Cheon Ha-seong didn't even seem to have heard him.
“Head Instructor, this is an important matter.”
At that, Cheon Ha-seong turned to look at Cheok Gyo-woon and nodded. It was as if he was saying, 'I heard you, so stop shouting so close to me.'
Seeing that face, he felt he knew just how loud he was being.
Cheok Gyo-woon decided that as long as Cheon Ha-seong knew the situation accurately, he could leave the worrying to him as well, and thought about what to do next.
***
At a certain location within the So Demonic Clan's residence, where several huge halls were majestically situated.
Cheon Ha-seong, dragging Cheok Gyo-woon along, ran across walls and trees and landed on the roof of a certain location.
Until they arrived in the heart of the So Demonic Clan's residence, Cheok Gyo-woon had thought that Cheon Ha-seong would stop at least once to tell him the plan. He had never imagined he would only stop once they got here.
At first, he was dumbfounded, but watching Cheon Ha-seong, who wasn't tense at all even after entering the heart of the enemy's camp, he thought that he had been nervous for no reason.
Wondering if this kind of attitude was also contagious, Cheok Gyo-woon diligently took in that attitude with his eyes. Although he had followed along in a daze, it also seemed he might be able to broaden his horizons here today.
Now that he had come this far, Cheok Gyo-woon decided to clearly prove his own worth.
“That building over there is the Family Head's Hall, that one over there is the Elders' Hall, and that one is the Young Family Head's Hall. Since So Yeop-cheon is the Young Family Head's man, he will be in the Young Family Head's Hall. I've never seen that man leave So Jeon's side.”
“So Jeon is the Young Family Head? I know that So Jeon is the Family Head's grandson.”
“That's right. That's how the So family is. They immediately endorsed So Jeon as the Young Family Head. So they are a bit different from other families. It's said that there's no special reason, just that there are no notable figures in the generation above So Jeon, and the So family's Head doesn't want to step down from his position.”
Cheon Ha-seong gave a light nod. Then he grabbed Cheok Gyo-woon's arm again, ran across the roofs using his lightness skill, and arrived on the roof of the Young Family Head's Hall.
Cheok Gyo-woon, thinking he couldn't just keep being dragged around like a piece of luggage, sharply stated his thoughts.
“Head Instructor! Please tell me the plan as well! I do not wish to be carried around like luggage without even knowing where we are going!”
At that, Cheon Ha-seong slowly looked at him. Cheok Gyo-woon was a little worried, wondering why he had acted so recklessly. But Cheon Ha-seong nodded as if he really thought he had been in the wrong.
“Now you tell me, Cheok Gyo-woon. Where can we go to find So Yeop-cheon and Gi Mun-yong?”
“I don't know that well either. Wouldn't it be best to ambush one of those bastards walking alone over there and ask?”
Cheon Ha-seong nodded as if it were a good idea. Then he tapped Cheok Gyo-woon's shoulder, as if to say, 'Let's begin.'
“Wait here. If something happens, it's okay to run. If you need help, shout and call for me. I will be sure to come and save you.”
“……”
Cheok Gyo-woon thought Cheon Ha-seong's confidence pierced the heavens. How many people in the world could come into the heart of the So Demonic Clan's residence and say such things?
However, he didn't think it was reckless. He just rubbed his eyes and focused his mind, determined not to miss a single one of Cheon Ha-seong's movements from now on.
The place Cheon Ha-seong landed was the rear courtyard of the Young Family Head's Hall. The guard warrior protecting the area didn't even notice him until he had landed right behind him.
It was a landing as quiet as a single leaf falling silently.
Cheok Gyo-woon shook his head as he watched. He was simply amazed every time he saw Cheon Ha-seong do that.
Cheon Ha-seong tapped the back of the person in front of him, and when the man turned, he struck his muting point. Then he dragged him to one side and disappeared.
When Cheon Ha-seong suddenly vanished from his sight, Cheok Gyo-woon moved around on the roof, looking for a spot where he could see him. When he found Cheon Ha-seong, the guard warrior was pointing in one direction with a terrified face.
It seemed he had told him where Gi Mun-yong was being held.
Cheok Gyo-woon thought Cheon Ha-seong should kill him. Doing so would be clean and leave no loose ends, but it didn't seem like the Cheon Ha-seong he knew would be able to do that.
‘When the time comes, I'll have to tell him that he needs to clean up properly.’
Just as he was having that thought, sure enough, the moment Cheon Ha-seong left the spot, the guard warrior shouted loudly.
‘He must have underestimated that man's skill. It seems he struck his muting point, but for someone to be a guard in the So Clan, their skills can't be ordinary.’
Cheok Gyo-woon thought he had no choice but to step in. He thought that if he didn't silence the guard warrior, Cheon Ha-seong would be discovered before he could even save Gi Mun-yong. But at that moment, a massive explosion occurred on one side.
It was the direction Cheon Ha-seong had gone.
If it turned out like this, it seemed people would have flocked there even if the guard warrior had stayed quiet.
‘Huh? But why did he go that way? Did he misunderstand when the guard told him? From what I saw, it looked like he was pointing somewhere else.’
The place Cheon Ha-seong had gone to was in the complete opposite direction of the Young Family Head's Hall.
‘Is he trying to lure them over there?’
Just as he was having that thought, a fight broke out over there.
Cheok Gyo-woon suddenly felt his mind go white.
‘No way. Is he telling me to save Gi Mun-yong while he buys time like this? That can't be it, right? He just told me to watch, didn't he?’
But for some reason, it felt like that 'no way' was probably right.
‘No. It can't be.’
But for some reason, greed sprouted. More and more people were heading towards where Cheon Ha-seong was. Because of that, it seemed that saving Gi Mun-yong would be too easy.
If a gold nugget is lying on the floor, isn't it just human nature to want to pick it up?
Cheok Gyo-woon was curious about how Cheon Ha-seong fought, but he thought it would be fine to watch later, after first saving Gi Mun-yong. It seemed that if he performed a meritorious deed this time, Cheon Ha-seong might be grateful and invite him to the exclusive training ground.
Before he knew it, Cheok Gyo-woon was dreaming of such a thing as he launched his body forward.
It was just that he had had no opportunity to display his skills while being next to Cheon Ha-seong, but he too was undoubtedly one of the top talents among the Divine Cult's rising generation.
If So Yeop-cheon hadn't thrown that strange smoke bomb, he wouldn't have lost a bastard like that.
‘Come to think of it, that bastard saw my face, didn't he? It's not like he won't know, even if I back out now.’
When his thoughts reached that point, his movements became much bolder from then on. Since he was found out anyway, it seemed there was no need to pretend to be cautious as if he knew nothing.
He launched his body towards the place the guard warrior had pointed to.
At that time, the hall was completely empty, with no martial artists of the So Clan remaining. It was possible because Cheon Ha-seong had created such a large incident.
When Cheok Gyo-woon went inside, a tremendous roar was heard from afar.
‘What on earth has to happen for a sound like this to be made? Didn't an entire hall just collapse?’
He tried to think that even so, he couldn't have committed such an act, but one never knew.
He spread his Qi Sense to find out where Gi Mun-yong was. Then, as he followed the hallway, opening doors one by one, a groan was heard from a certain place.
It seemed the person inside had heard the sound in the hallway and was making a noise on purpose.
When he went there and opened the door, Gi Mun-yong was tied to a pillar with a gag in his mouth. His two hands were bound together and raised high, and his feet were dangling about two feet off the floor.
His hands were tied tightly with a coarse rope, and the skin of his wrists was peeled off and bleeding.
“Gi Mun-yong!”