Chapter 245 : Jaseung, Meets Him
Chapter 245: Jaseung, Meets
“Something terrible has happened.”
At the urgent cry of his subordinate, Gong Byeol, the branch leader of the Jiangxi branch, jumped to his feet.
He hadn't been able to sleep properly since the emergency was declared.
He had just fallen into a light doze while sitting in his chair, and with his nerves on edge, he had been dreaming of fighting enemies.
“What is it?”
“A group of people is racing toward this branch.”
“What?”
Gong Byeol ran outside following his subordinate.
He threw himself toward the watchtower, the highest point of the branch.
Sure enough, clouds of dust were rising in the distance. Hundreds of horses were charging toward them.
“It's truly the Rapid Unit.”
A large battle had broken out near Guizhou. While everyone's eyes were fixed there, the Rapid Unit had taken that opportunity to invade Jiangxi.
Fortunately, he had received a transmission from the main headquarters a day earlier. It was a message telling them to be on full alert as there might be a surprise attack from the Demonic Cult's Rapid Unit.
If he hadn't received word in advance, they would've been caught without any defense, but the Jiangxi branch was now fully prepared.
“Come on, you bastards!”
However, his anxiety was also great. First of all, his forces were relatively lacking. Most of the Murim Alliance's elites had been dispatched to Guizhou and Hunan. Until yesterday, the general opinion was that there was almost no possibility of Jiangxi being attacked.
But they had become the first branch to suffer a surprise attack.
“What about reinforcements?”
“There's no word of reinforcements. Even if neighboring branches sent help... since the enemy arrived this quickly, it'll be hard to expect their assistance.”
Gong Byeol's face darkened.
Could the branch's forces alone really block five hundred elite Demonic Humans?
Although the number of martial artists here at the Jiangxi branch reached two thousand, many of them were Second-rate martial artists who hadn't even experienced real combat yet.
There were fewer than a hundred First-rate martial artists, and there were only about ten Peak Realm martial artists, including himself.
However, all five hundred of the enemies were First-rate or higher. If even one in ten of them was a Peak Realm master, that alone made fifty.
Even if heaven's luck followed them and they blocked the attack, they wouldn't be able to avoid being annihilated.
“You've evacuated everyone who doesn't know martial arts, right?”
“Yes. Of course.”
Gong Byeol spoke in a booming voice.
“We must protect the branch! If we fall, our families in Jiangxi die!”
“We'll give our lives!”
The martial artists shouted loudly.
Meanwhile, the Demonic Humans of the Rapid Unit were racing at a terrifying speed.
They ran like madmen to avoid other Murim Alliance martial artists.
They took the fastest route, racing only toward the Jiangxi branch.
When the Jiangxi branch buildings appeared in the distance, the leader of the Rapid Unit, who was leading the charge, shouted.
“Don't leave even a dog alive.”
A literal annihilation order had been given.
Killing intent flowed from the eyes of the Rapid Unit martial artists.
Emitting an enormous aura, they spurred their horses to run even faster.
Watching that sight, the hearts of the Murim Alliance martial artists sank.
‘We're all dead!’
The skill of the Rapid Unit looked much stronger than the rumors.
“We can do this!”
“We can stop them!”
“If we die, our children die!”
The martial artists shouted while gripping their swords tighter. They were all prepared for death.
“Even if we die, let's not die without doing anything!”
“We can win!”
“Waaaaaaaah!”
The Jiangxi branch martial artists let out a battle cry.
It was an incredible momentum, but the Rapid Unit wasn't intimidated. Instead, they spurred their horses harder.
The leader of the Rapid Unit at the front shouted.
“Cut down all those idiots and take their wives and children for yourselves!”
The Demonic Humans following behind gave despicable laughs. At those words, their morale reached the heavens.
Rumbleeeeee!
The Demonic Humans who had been riding on horseback jumped off their horses all at once and leaped over the walls.
The moment they flew over the walls, everyone could see it.
A man was flying toward the leader of the Rapid Unit as fast as light.
The startled Rapid Unit leader thrust his sword toward him, and the man lightly dodged the blade.
The Rapid Unit leader thrust his sword repeatedly.
But the man lightly dodged every attack.
The Rapid Unit leader, having failed several attacks, could no longer remain in the air.
As he flipped his body to descend, the man's attack finally began.
Whish whish whish whish whish!
Thud thud thud thud thud!
The things that flew in while sparkling in the sunlight were daggers.
The daggers struck the Rapid Unit leader's neck, heart, and chest in succession. It was so fast that the leader couldn't block it. He helplessly allowed the attacks like a practice scarecrow.
Thud thud thud thud thud!
The man kept stabbing as if to show everyone.
The Murim Alliance martial artists and the Demonic Humans all watched the sight in shock. It was such a sudden and overwhelming scene that the Demonic Humans didn't even think to rescue him. Of course, the Rapid Unit leader was already dead.
Thud thud thud thud thud!
Stabbed dozens of times in succession, the Rapid Unit leader was truly left in tatters. Blood poured from his body as it hung in the air.
The man who stabbed him was still floating in mid-air.
Everyone watched the sight with expressions of disbelief. No one they knew could stay in the air for that long.
Floating in the air like that is many times harder than simply jumping up. Furthermore, he had kept the Rapid Unit leader in the air with him while turning him into a rag.
Thud.
The Rapid Unit leader fell to the ground. His corpse was in a state where his form was hard to recognize.
The man floating in the air spoke softly. His words, laden with pure inner Qi, were heard clearly by everyone.
“Cut down all those fools and take the horses they rode for yourselves.”
The man returned the words the Rapid Unit leader had said earlier exactly as they were.
The man turned his head back while still floating in the air.
Someone recognized him.
“It's the Alliance Leader!”
The man in the air was none other than Lee Jaseung. Having raced day and night, he had arrived just in time.
He had been so angry at the Rapid Unit leader's order to kill everyone and take the women that he had pulverized him. He was already in a state of rage toward Yao Hong for taking a family hostage.
“The Alliance Leader has come!”
“Waaaaaaaah!”
When Lee Jaseung arrived and displayed such incredible divine power, the Jiangxi branch martial artists let out cheers.
Furthermore, to see that gratifying sight of him crushing the leader of the enemies who intended to disgrace their wives, sisters, and daughters!
“Kill those bastards!”
Hope flashed in the eyes of those who had been prepared for death. Their morale, which had hit rock bottom, soared to the sky.
“Go!”
“Follow the Alliance Leader!”
Lee Jaseung leaped over the wall and charged toward them while throwing the daggers he usually carried.
Whish whish whish whish whish whish whish whish!
The enemies rolled on the ground in exactly the same number as the daggers he threw.
“Kill that man first!”
They thought Lee Jaseung, who was fighting at the front, was the leader of the Jiangxi branch. They heard the shouts that the Alliance Leader had come, but they took it to mean their branch leader had arrived.
Given the distance, there was no way the Murim Alliance Leader could have arrived here now. Furthermore, there was no way he would have come alone.
Whish!
Asura sliced through the air. Asura, which cut the neck of a man who rushed from the front, then stabbed the heart of a Demonic Human who charged from the side in succession.
Thud thud!
Lee Jaseung leaped up by stepping on the falling man.
Whish whish whish whish whish whish!
Daggers flew from Lee Jaseung's hand again.
Once again, Demonic Humans fell in droves. Lee Jaseung used his throwing daggers without hesitation. There was nothing to regret. One man fell for every single blade, without fail.
Whoosh!
A powerful Qi was released from Asura. Dozens of Demonic Humans were swept away by the enormous powerful Qi. Considering the opponent's skill, it was truly a divine power that couldn't be believed even after seeing it.
Lee Jaseung displayed his skill without reservation to minimize the damage to the Murim Alliance martial artists.
He released powerful Qi three times before the Murim Alliance martial artists could become entangled with them. A powerful Qi of truly immense power swept the area.
The Jiangxi branch martial artists also fought while risking their lives. The martial artist leading them was Gong Byeol, the Jiangxi branch leader. With the Alliance Leader and the branch leader fighting at the front, no one tried to save themselves.
Lee Jaseung showed no mercy toward the Demonic Humans. They were people who came here to annihilate the Jiangxi branch. It wasn't a time for mercy, but a time for the courage and determination to save comrades.
Crunch.
He twisted an opponent's neck with his arm and crushed an opponent's ribs with his fist.
Thud thud thud thud!
Asura dug into the enemies' hearts.
Demonic humans fell.
Lee Jaseung was the wind and the reaper. The wind blew everywhere, and that wind was the wind of death.
From a breeze.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
To a typhoon.
Whoosh!
Lee Jaseung didn't hold back his skill.
He swung his daggers until the moment the last Demonic Human fell.
Thump.
The last remaining Demonic Human of the Rapid Unit fell forward.
Lee Jaseung looked around.
It was a perfect, great victory. Not a single person from the Rapid Unit returned alive from that place.
The damage to the Murim Alliance martial artists was large, but it was not comparable to the Demonic Humans of the Rapid Unit.
The martial artists of the Jiangxi branch were all looking at Lee Jaseung.
Their eyes were wavering, filled with respect, admiration, and an indescribable emotion.
Saving their lives was secondary.
Lee Jaseung's martial arts were truly fantastic. Just having seen such martial arts would be a memory they could never forget in their lives.
Everyone's heart pounded.
Many of them thought this.
I want to become strong like that.
Lee Jaseung, looking around at them, spoke softly. It was a soft voice, but it was words that everyone there could hear.
“You all fought well.”
The moment those words ended.
“Waaaaaaaah!”
Cheers of victory echoed through the place.
Gong Byeol approached Lee Jaseung with a moved expression.
“Alliance Leader!”
He couldn't continue his words for a brief moment. Everyone's lives had been saved by unexpected help.
“How did this happen? Why did you come alone?”
“The situation seemed urgent, so I rushed here first.”
Everyone was even more moved by those words. To save their lives, the Murim Alliance Leader had rushed here without even a single guard. If he hadn't arrived on time, they would've all died.
Lee Jaseung looked at everyone and spoke.
“Is everyone okay?”
Then the Jiangxi branch martial artists shouted.
“We're okay!”
Lee Jaseung smiled. Because the speed of the Rapid Unit was too fast, he had personally used Limitless Steps to rush here. Fortunately, he arrived in time to minimize their sacrifice.
They weren't subordinates of the Black Way Alliance, but he couldn't let them be sacrificed. As long as he was the Murim Alliance Leader, they were his subordinates as well.
Uniting the world isn't something achieved by killing everyone.
It's something that makes everyone become one.
“Long live the Alliance Leader!”
“Long live the Murim Alliance!”
The cheers for Lee Jaseung continued.
* * *
Despite Gong Byeol's urging to rest for at least a few days, Lee Jaseung left the Jiangxi branch immediately after recovering his inner Qi through meditation.
He had sent Baek Seolyoung and his subordinates to a place adjacent to the Guizhou branch first. He felt less worried since they were together, but given the situation, he was anxious every moment they were apart.
And crucially, Nam Seohyang might have found information. If he didn't turn the Dark Noble Clan to his side as soon as possible, he would end up in a situation where he had to face them as well.
Since the Rapid Unit had failed, Yao Hong might try to move the Dark Noble Clan immediately. No, he was certain the man would do so.
He had to rescue the Dark Noble Clan's grandson as soon as possible. If he could just make them his allies, it would be a way to minimize damage to the Murim Alliance and the Black Way Alliance, and it would be a way to land a heavy blow on the Asura Demon Sect.
Swoosh!
Lee Jaseung ran while using Limitless Steps to its limit. He was running at a speed faster than a bird.
As he was running at that crazy speed, Lee Jaseung suddenly slowed down and came to a stop.
Chhhhh!
Because he stopped suddenly, a cloud of dust rose.
Lee Jaseung slowly turned his head back. A man was standing on the road he had just passed.
Lee Jaseung walked toward him slowly with a surprised expression.
Someone was standing with his back turned, looking the other way. He had just passed the man a moment ago. While running at a very fast speed, he caught a glimpse of the man's face.
At that moment, his instinct screamed at him to stop.
“Turn around.”
At Lee Jaseung's words, the man slowly turned around.
Lee Jaseung's eyes slowly widened as he saw the man's face.
He was a person he knew. No, the phrase "person he knew" could never describe the man.
An "unforgettable person" would be a more accurate expression. It was the very man who had left a scar on his chest.
He was standing right there before his eyes.
With the same young face he had when they met long ago.