Chapter 28
"What did you say?"
The Heavenly Tiger Unit Commander's eyebrows twitched. His gaze slowly turned to Cheon Woojin.
At that, everyone looked at Cheon Woojin.
Cheon Woojin scratched his head as the attention was suddenly focused on him. He didn't think it was a big deal, so the situation was a bit burdensome.
However, the Heavenly Tiger Unit Commander's expression was more serious than ever.
"Report in detail."
The Heavenly Tiger Unit Commander had many things he wanted to ask, but he thought it wouldn't be too late to ask after hearing the report.
Soon, Cheon Woojin began his report.
"Unit Commander."
Of course, not to the Heavenly Tiger Unit Commander, but to the Black Tortoise Unit Commander.
For some reason, the Heavenly Tiger Unit Commander flinched, and Cheol Jiak also had a strange expression, as if this situation was awkward.
Because he had never imagined a situation where the Heavenly Tiger Unit and the Black Tortoise Unit were conducting a joint mission, and a Black Tortoise Unit member solved everything and he was receiving the report.
Cheon Woojin's report was calm. He just told the facts as they were, without any additions or subtractions.
However, as the report progressed, not only the Heavenly Tiger Unit Commander and Cheol Jiak, but also everyone except Song Yiyeon's eyes widened.
Soon, after the report was over, Cheol Jiak took a deep breath and said.
"So, to summarize..."
"Yes."
"You didn't know who it was, but you smashed his head because he attacked?"
Cheon Woojin calmly nodded his head.
At that, the Heavenly Tiger Unit Commander, who was listening to the report next to him, stepped forward.
"That guy is the third-class public enemy of the martial world, the Black Wolf Hand."
The Heavenly Tiger Unit members' eyes widened as if they would pop out.
Third-class public enemy of the martial world. The Martial Alliance called those who were judged to be dangerous enough to have a negative impact on this vast world single-handedly, public enemies.
The lowest grade was third-class, and above that were second-class and first-class, and at the very top was the special-class public enemy of the martial world.
Although it was the lowest grade, the public enemies certified by the Martial Alliance were all beings who could be called a disaster just by their existence.
In particular, the Black Wolf Hand was on the rather dangerous side among the third-class public enemies of the martial world because his methods were bizarre and vile.
The Asura Demon Lord, a disciple of the Dark Heavenly Son whose head Cheon Woojin had smashed before, was called a second-class public enemy of the martial world in his prime.
Considering that he had easily controlled the rather large black path, the West Heaven Society, even while suffering from Severed Pulse Syndrome, which made it difficult to even use a tenth of his original skill, the weight of the name 'public enemy' was by no means light.
Nangong Jin looked at Cheon Woojin with a dejected look.
"A public enemy of the martial world, alone..."
He muttered to himself without realizing it. That's how much of a shock it was to Nangong Jin. He had lived his whole life thinking he was the best among his peers, but he had faced a monster that didn't even make him feel competitive.
According to his father, there were countless prodigies in the martial world.
Nangong Jin could only be confused, wondering if his thoughts had truly been arrogant.
'Did my father also face countless walls like this in his youth to reach that position?'
Of course not. From the time his father was called the number one rising talent in the world until he obtained the nickname 'Sword King'. In that series of processes, there was no out-of-spec existence like Cheon Woojin.
While Nangong Jin's mind was turning black with an unknown sense of despair.
"Heavenly Tiger Unit Commander, I think it's about time you told us the mission."
The Black Tortoise Unit Commander, Cheol Jiak's voice was low. The newcomers who had just joined the Black Tortoise Unit had almost been harmed. As a unit commander, he needed to grasp what was going on.
"If you can't tell me, the Black Tortoise Unit will withdraw from the mission."
He had confirmed the intervention of none other than the Black Wolf Hand. He was a disciple of the Dark Heavenly Son and a subordinate of the second-class public enemy of the martial world, the Sex Demon. He felt that it was not a mission to be taken lightly.
Soon, the Heavenly Tiger Unit Commander let out a deep sigh and said to Cheon Woojin.
"The mission has been changed."
"Is that so?"
Cheon Woojin didn't know why the Heavenly Tiger Unit Commander was talking to him, but he answered anyway.
The Heavenly Tiger Unit Commander's words continued.
"Our original mission was to search the tomb of the Giant Stone Monster. And to recover his body, depending on the situation."
"Y-you mean the Giant Stone Monster is dead!"
One of the Heavenly Tiger Unit members' eyes widened.
The Giant Stone Monster was one of the many disciples of the Dark Heavenly Son, and along with the Sword Demon and the Iron-Blooded Sorrowful Demon, he was a great demon corresponding to a first-class public enemy of the martial world.
"But the situation has changed. It seems that evidence of information leaking from the alliance has been found."
In fact, he had also confirmed that the Sex Demon was aiming for the Giant Stone Monster's tomb. The Heavenly Tiger Unit Commander let out a long sigh.
"The search mission has been suspended, and an order has been issued to grasp and maintain the surroundings of the tomb until the alliance's support arrives. Conflict is absolutely forbidden."
The Sex Demon was a second-class public enemy of the martial world. He couldn't be sure what other guys would be involved in this incident. The Giant Stone Monster's tomb was worth that much.
'Perhaps the Demonic Cult or first-class public enemies could intervene.'
Their goal was obvious. Like the Martial Alliance, it was to recover the body of the Giant Stone Monster. The skin of him who had trained his external skill to the extreme boasted an efficacy like the iron armor of a spiritual beast.
A decent sword could not even leave a scratch, and poison and internal energy could not dare to penetrate.
It was truly worthy of being called a treasure.
'Who on earth killed such a monster...'
While the Heavenly Tiger Unit Commander was lost in thought, Cheon Woojin was also recalling a distant past. At his question of who was the strongest person in the world, a common name came out of his two masters' mouths.
- It would probably be the Dark Heavenly Son.
- If the Dark Heavenly Son is human, then yes.
Soon, the two masters came to the conclusion that the Dark Heavenly Son was beyond the category of a human. After that, when they were discussing who was the strongest among those who could be called human, the name of the Giant Stone Monster was also mentioned.
- We'll have to fight to know who is the strongest. However, from the perspective of survival of the fittest, that Giant Stone Monster could be said to be the strongest.
At his Black Master's words, his White Master also nodded his head without refuting for once.
The Giant Stone Monster's body had become too hard, with his innate unique constitution and the external skill he had learned added. He was said to be a man that even the Black Master, the White Master, or even the leader of the Heavenly Demon Cult could not easily cut.
- Of course, there is one more guy who can cut him, but that guy is weaker than the Giant Stone Monster in the first place, so let's set him aside.
However, he had heard that his personality was not ferocious for a disciple of the Dark Heavenly Son, and that he maintained a not-so-bad relationship with his Black Master.
Of course, for the Black Master, 'not bad' meant that he wouldn't smash his head just by making eye contact.
Then who on earth killed the Giant Stone Monster? Or he could have died from a chronic illness like the Asura Demon Lord. Anyway, it was a matter that could only be confirmed by checking the body directly.
"Conflict is absolutely forbidden. Do you understand?"
Cheon Woojin woke up from his thoughts. Because the Heavenly Tiger Unit Commander was looking straight at him and emphasizing it again.
The Heavenly Tiger Unit Commander considered the biggest variable in this mission to be not the leakage of information or the intervention of the disciples of the Dark Heavenly Son, but Cheon Woojin.
His martial might was beyond common sense. He had known he was strong, but it far exceeded his expectations.
'He has no injuries even after killing the Black Wolf Hand.'
In other words, it meant that he was at a level far above him. He had never heard or seen anything like this. The achievements this newcomer of the Black Tortoise Unit had accumulated were already on par with those of decent old masters.
He had killed the Asura Demon Lord, a disciple of the Dark Heavenly Son, and had annihilated the West Heaven Society, one of the pillars of the western black path. The eldest son of the Gu family, who had been keeping Cheon Woojin in check, had become a cripple, and on his first mission, he had killed the third-class public enemy of the martial world, the Black Wolf Hand.
All of this was done in a moment by a newcomer who had just joined the Martial Alliance. With the alliance leader's insight, he must have grasped Cheon Woojin's martial might during the interview process.
'What on earth was the alliance leader thinking, letting a guy like this in as a newcomer?'
An out-of-spec existence always causes a storm. If a man with a martial might that even decent unit commanders could not hope to match was left as a mere newcomer of an armed force, a great confusion would arise.
Of course, with his head, he could not grasp the alliance leader's intentions.
At the Heavenly Tiger Unit Commander's warning, Cheon Woojin nodded his head and then asked.
"What if they attack first?"
"That won't happen. We will not approach the tomb and will just grasp the surroundings. Our mission is to lay the groundwork so that the masters from the alliance can approach the place more easily."
"If there is a considerable master among those who are aiming for the tomb, they will be discovered no matter how far away they are."
The Heavenly Tiger Unit Commander nodded his head. It was a valid point. Although the possibility was slim, if a master of the level of a first-class public enemy of the martial world appeared, they would not be able to hide their energy no matter how far away they were.
However, the answer was set.
"We flee."
"Yes."
Cheon Woojin also just nodded.
In fact, it didn't really matter.
* * *
After a commotion passed, all the members of the two armed forces gathered.
Everyone's expression was not good.
Three members were missing from the Heavenly Tiger Unit. The body of one of them was found naked in a dark back alley of the marketplace.
He had been done in by a subordinate of the Sex Demon. The two whose whereabouts were unknown must have become hostages or guides and were with the Sex Demon.
The Heavenly Tiger Unit Commander's heart became anxious, but the more so, the more he judged the situation coolly. If he had been a man who acted on his emotions in the first place, he would not have risen to that position.
"Everyone, you have properly understood the mission, right?"
At the simultaneous answer, the Heavenly Tiger Unit Commander gave a short nod.
"We will head straight to Jian, Jiangxi Province. We will occupy the key point, grasp the nearby situation, and when the alliance's support arrives, we will report the situation and withdraw. It's a simple mission."
The words were simple. But the fact that the masters who would gather there were at least the Sex Demon was not simple.
Everyone knew this, so they had tense expressions.
Suddenly, Cheon Woojin, who tilted his head, raised his hand. At that, everyone's gaze was focused at the same time.
"What is it?"
The Heavenly Tiger Unit Commander's eyebrows twitched. In his mind, Cheon Woojin was already a person of interest.
Cheon Woojin said.
"You mean the tomb of the Giant Stone Monster is in Jian?"
"To be precise, it's Jinggangshan in Jian. It's said that the Giant Stone Monster's secluded home was originally there. According to the Martial Alliance's information, that is."
"Hmm."
Cheon Woojin kept tilting his head.
Jinggangshan was a mountain located not far from Baiyunshan, where he had been with his two masters.
The disciples of the Dark Heavenly Son were all afraid of his Black Master. Furthermore, he had built a secluded home in Jiangxi Province where his White Master was also present?
It was a situation that was hard to understand.
"What's wrong?"
"Is there no possibility that the alliance's information is wrong?"
"What did you say?"
The Heavenly Tiger Unit Commander's brow narrowed. No matter how high his martial might was, it was disrespectful for a mere unit member to doubt the alliance's intelligence.
The Heavenly Tiger Unit Commander firmly shook his head.
"That won't happen. If there are no more questions, let's depart."
The Heavenly Tiger Unit Commander, who said so, turned his body and moved forward. Cheon Woojin just looked at his back and thought about the unresolved doubt for a moment.
* * *
Jiangxi Province, Jinggangshan.
In that place, which even renowned herbalists avoided because of its steep terrain and many cliffs, two men and one woman were standing side by side as if they had come for a walk.
A large burial mound had been dug up, and gold and silver treasures and martial arts manuals with traces of time were scattered carelessly on the floor.
However, they were just looking at the coffin at their feet, as if they had no interest in such things.
In the open coffin, the body of a large man was lying neatly, and his chest was wide open as if he had been attacked by a beast.
The woman, whose eyes were reddish and exuded a captivating atmosphere, pressed her temples as if she had a headache.
"Who on earth killed senior brother Giant Stone Monster?"
"Senior brother Black Master is dead, and even junior brothers Asura Demon Lord and Giant Stone Monster..."
The old man with a rather benevolent face let out a deep sigh with a worried face.
The young man, who was watching the expressions of the two, said.
"Sex Demon. I heard that the Giant Stone Monster's skin was harder than ten-thousand-year-old iron, but was it all a false rumor?"
A faint demonic energy was gathered in his entire body. He, who was about to return to the Heavenly Demon Cult, had rushed over as soon as he heard the rumor that the Giant Stone Monster's tomb had been discovered.
He had not expected to meet two disciples of the Dark Heavenly Son, but fortunately, they were not ferocious people.
The woman turned around and said.
"If you don't believe me, you can check for yourself."
"Ahem, if you, Sex Demon, allow it..."
The man who approached the body of the Giant Stone Monster had a purple, menacing demonic energy instantly dye his hands.
Mara Divine Bird Art. It was one of the highest-level martial arts of the Heavenly Demon Cult, and a martial art that was only allowed to the seven great families.
Ma Cheongseok, an elder of the Ma family, immediately struck a blow at the body of the Giant Stone Monster. Soon, three streaks of demonic energy, as sharp as a bird's claws, rushed towards the body.
Boom-!
A huge explosion erupted, and the coffin was shattered into small pieces.
The thick dust settled...
Ma Cheongseok's eyes widened.
"Hah, this is..."
Although it was a blow with half of his internal energy, surprisingly, the body of the Giant Stone Monster was not damaged at all.
He was surprised that a dead body was so hard, and on the other hand, he was very curious about who the master was who had torn the Giant Stone Monster's skin like a piece of paper.
While the three were racking their brains over the body of the Giant Stone Monster.
"Aigoo, there are guests who came first."
A man with a black fox fur draped over his shoulders came up with heavy steps. He was a man who would have been considered quite handsome if it weren't for the long scar that crossed his face diagonally.
The three who saw him frowned.
In particular, the Sex Demon said with disgust.
"Ink Jackal. You came too? Who on earth is spreading the information..."
"Haha, it just happened that way."
The Ink Jackal, who had climbed the hill and placed his hands on his waist, looked at the three's menacing momentum and let out a smirk.
"It seems I've come for nothing. It will be difficult for me to take that treasure, bypassing the three of you here."
"It would be difficult even if your leader came, not you."
The elder of the Demonic Cult, Ma Cheongseok, sneered. At that sight, the smile disappeared from the Ink Jackal's face.
"If the Black Plaque Star Lord had come himself, there would have been an accident, an accident."
The Ink Jackal was the man who served the Black Plaque Star Lord, the number one of the black path, most closely. As a menacing energy like a wild dog rose from his entire body, Ma Cheongseok had a strange smile.
"The problem is that the Star Lord did not come himself."
"Aha, that's right."
The Ink Jackal, who readily nodded his head, waved his hand at the three.
"Then I will return without wasting any more time. I wish you three a smooth agreement."
The Sex Demon waved her hand as if chasing away a bug. She basically disliked the Black Plaque Star Lord. Because in the days when the Black Plaque Star Lord was unknown, she had dared to toy with him and had glimpsed the threshold of death.
The Ink Jackal, who turned around without any lingering attachment, let out a strange smile.
'Things are getting interesting.'
In the process of climbing the mountain, he had discovered the armed force of the Martial Alliance. Surprisingly, there was a familiar face, and it was none other than the disciple of the Black Master.
Since the Black Master and the Black Plaque Star Lord were on quite close terms, he remembered visiting his secluded home together in the distant past.
'To think that tiny monster has ripened so much.'
Was his name Cheon Woojin?
If that guy and the three guys above faced each other, a very interesting thing would happen.
Basically, the Black Master killed the disciples of the Dark Heavenly Son on sight, and it was a common thing for a disciple to inherit the will of his master.
Suddenly, the Ink Jackal, who had stopped walking, turned around. At that, the three looked at him with a somewhat wary look. Although the Ink Jackal looked easy on the outside, he was a man who had risen to the third-in-command of the Black Plaque Star. They also could not treat him lightly.
The Ink Jackal burst into a grin and said.
"There were Martial Alliance guys down there. It would be better to run away before it's too late."
Of course, the Ink Jackal knew. That they were not in the least afraid of the Martial Alliance.
However, he was puzzled.
Basically, information is valuable only when it is secret. He had trusted the valuable information and climbed the mountain, but there were the named disciples of the Dark Heavenly Son, an elder of the Demonic Cult, a Martial Alliance armed force, and himself, who belonged to the Black Plaque Star.
Literally, all the ones who had made a name for themselves in the martial world were gathered. The information could not be more sloppy.
The Ink Jackal came to a conclusion in an instant.
'Someone has intentionally made them gather here.'
There were few in the world who would do such a thing.
A few figures came to the Ink Jackal's mind. Soon, his steps towards the Black Plaque Star quickened a little.
'I must tell the Star Lord quickly.'
(End of Chapter)