Chapter 152 : Hostages and Ransom
Chapter 152: Hostages and Ransom
“Do you think lying there like that will produce a cup of wine or a cup of tea? Move it already!”
Startled by the Cult Leader’s shout, Mad Bear jumped to his feet and ran.
He ran to bring wine and tea.
When even the unit commander himself was running around like that, the other horse bandits needed no further prompting.
Watching the busy bandits, the Cult Leader asked Yul Han.
“You didn’t call them to help carry luggage, so judging by the fact that you even summoned me here, something’s going on. What is it?”
Yul Han answered the Cult Leader’s question.
“Manifestation Realm and Transcendent Realm masters from the Hundred Paths will be coming.”
“I did wonder if something had happened since they didn’t show up for morning training. So you went to confirm it?”
“I received an official letter from the Martial Alliance’s strategist and went to verify it.”
“It sounds like you even went all the way to the Martial Alliance.”
“I wanted to be certain.”
The Cult Leader stared at him for a moment with a face full of things he wanted to say, then shook his head.
He was worried that Yul Han might have gone alone to the Martial Alliance and fallen into a trap, but he didn’t bother voicing it.
It wasn’t like the boy would listen anyway, and honestly he doubted things would become dangerous.
Unaware—or perhaps aware—of the Cult Leader’s thoughts, Yul Han continued calmly.
“I also encountered some of them on the way here. I told them to go back, but judging by the aura they were giving off, I doubt they’ll listen.”
“Still, you didn’t call me because you can’t handle them alone.”
“Yes. If they come, it will be because they wish to die gloriously.”
“Gloriously, huh… They probably think their deaths will awaken the Hundred Paths. Something like that.”
“Yes. That seems to be the case.”
“So you want to kill them in the least glorious way possible?”
Yul Han smiled bitterly at the question.
“No. I plan to capture them alive.”
“What’s the point of keeping alive people who came prepared to die—”
“I’m going to sell them. I’ll send letters to each of their sects saying we’ve captured them and they can come retrieve them.”
The Cult Leader’s eyes widened at the unexpected words.
“Sell them? Those bastards?”
“Yes. Among them are not only Transcendent Realm masters but even Manifestation Realm ones. What do you think their value is? I’ll tell them to pay their proper price. Aren’t you curious what they’ll bring to take them back, Senior Brother?”
“Do you think those bastards will comply?”
“They might ignore it if they were dead. But if they’re captured, it’ll be difficult to turn their backs on them.”
“In that case, those fools will end up causing complete trouble for their sects. Is that what you’re aiming for?”
“I have no intention of turning anyone into someone who deserves death. I simply don’t want to let those who insist on spilling unnecessary blood do as they please.”
“Same difference. Either way, not bad. We get to make those arrogant Hundred Paths bastards eat dirt and gain wealth too. Good. I approve.”
Though the meaning behind it differed slightly from the Cult Leader’s thinking, Yul Han smiled faintly, satisfied that he had received permission.
---
Unaware of who was waiting for them or with what intentions, the participants of the Kongtong Successor Cultivation Plan, led by the Heavenly Flower Sword King, reached the border between Gansu and the Qinghai Region.
They took one last rest while circulating their energy, storing both stamina and internal energy.
Once they crossed into Qinghai, they would no longer be allowed to rest comfortably like this until the moment they died.
The solemn mood silenced all conversation.
Then Unyeon Dharma King stood up.
“The sun is beginning to set. Let us go.”
At his words, everyone stood.
Those with swords drew their swords.
Those with blades drew their blades.
And without anyone saying a word, they all discarded their scabbards.
It meant they had no intention of living to sheath their weapons again.
Then they crossed the Qinghai border together.
“Where is the first target?”
“The Fierce Camel Alliance. It’s the outermost group among the Nine Demonic Sects of Qinghai, and they’re bandits who only harm the people. There’s no reason to hesitate in punishing them.”
Hearing the Heavenly Flower Sword King’s answer, the Azure Dragon Sword King shouted.
“You all heard him! The moment we enter, cut down every living thing without mercy!”
“Yes!”
Feeling the firm resolve in their unified reply, the Azure Dragon Sword King dashed forward.
After running for a while, a small city appeared in the distance.
“That place is Akdeok. The bandits called the Mighty Fire Unit—the core of the Fierce Camel Alliance—are there. We begin there.”
Following the Heavenly Flower Sword King, who seemed to know the way and had moved ahead, the Azure Dragon Sword King shouted.
“Let’s go!”
Waah!
Leaping over Akdeok’s low walls amid the cheers of the martial artists under his command, the Azure Dragon Sword King soon reached a large complex of pavilion residences together with the Heavenly Flower Sword King.
Seeing the signboard reading Mighty Fire Unit, the Azure Dragon Sword King shouted.
“Attack!”
With that shout he split the signboard in half with a single strike and jumped over the wall—
Then froze.
The same happened to those who jumped over after him.
Because the Vice Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult stood there firmly blocking their path.
And that wasn’t all.
“C-Cult Leader!”
“Hey, Azure Dragon Sword King. Long time no see.”
The Cult Leader even waved his hand as though greeting an old friend.
The Azure Dragon Sword King could not hide his bewilderment.
And behind the Vice Cult Leader stood four figures clearly radiating demonic energy—as if their foreheads bore the words Manifestation Realm.
That still wasn’t the end.
Around fifty Master Level experts stood with spears and blades drawn.
Even if the Younger Generation Talents were surrounded only by them, they would be finished in an instant.
Realizing they had walked into a perfect death trap, the expressions of the Hundred Paths masters hardened.
Yul Han gave them no time.
“Attack.”
Before the word even finished—
Yul Han’s figure had already vanished.
SHEEEEK!
After a terrifying sound of air being torn—
THUD!
“Cough!”
With a loud crash, the Azure Dragon Sword King, who had been standing at the front, was blasted away.
Whether dead or unconscious, his body hung limp and his closed eyes did not open.
The shock didn’t end there.
THUD!
“Cough!”
This time the Heavenly Flower Sword King was sent flying.
The Cult Leader appeared where the Heavenly Flower Sword King had been standing just moments earlier and grinned at Yul Han—
as if proudly showing off his strength.
Yul Han chuckled back faintly.
Then his figure disappeared.
CRASH!
Without even letting out a groan, Unyeon Dharma King collapsed.
At that moment, Yul Han and the Cult Leader appeared simultaneously on his left and right.
He had received attacks from two people standing at the extreme peak of the Manifestation Realm.
Only then did it become clear why the Dharma King had fallen without even screaming.
The masters of the Hundred Paths stared in shock as three Manifestation Realm masters they had trusted completely were neutralized in less time than it took to draw a single breath.
Then their bodies froze at what happened next.
Ghost Immortal and the three Transcendent Realm masters were completely beaten down.
Well, four Manifestation Realm masters of the Bright Cult had rushed them.
Especially the Taiqing Pavilion Lord, who had been attacked simultaneously by Pageuk and Ghost Immortal, was in terrible condition.
Both his arms had twisted in directions they should never bend.
After all, they had been grabbed and brutally twisted from both sides.
Watching that, the Cult Leader clicked his tongue.
“Tsk. Handle them carefully! If the merchandise gets damaged and we can’t get a good price, I’ll skin you bastards and sell that to make up the difference!”
At the Cult Leader’s shout, the bandits of the Mighty Fire Unit—who had been rushing forward with loud battle cries—suddenly froze.
If they rushed in and beat them senseless like stray dogs the way the Bright Cult’s Manifestation Realm masters had, it wouldn’t end well.
Seeing them hesitate, the Cult Leader’s irritation exploded.
“You bastards! Are you working or not?!”
“Waaah!”
The bandits roared again and charged forward, clashing with the Martial Alliance’s masters.
Even though the difference in skill and numbers was obvious, the bandits couldn’t easily subdue them.
The Martial Alliance masters were resisting fiercely because they had already resolved to die, and the bandits were holding back so as not to inflict serious wounds.
Watching for a moment, the Cult Leader snapped again.
“What is this, a friendship-building sports day? Hurry up and finish it!”
At the furious shout, the four Manifestation Realm masters of the Bright Cult finally stepped in.
The resisting Martial Alliance masters and Younger Generation Talents were subdued in an instant.
Looking at the captives now forced to kneel, the Cult Leader grinned widely.
“All that’s going to turn into money. Hehehe.”
“Senior Brother, do you need money these days?”
“Of course I do. Recently the Strategist cut my allowance down to a quarter. That bastard who’s supposed to be my only friend is stingier than a beggar. I begged him so much, but he wouldn’t budge.”
As the Bright Cult continued taking in more people, frugality was being emphasized everywhere.
With limited resources, more people had to share.
Knowing that the root of all this ultimately came from him, Yul Han spoke apologetically.
“I’m sorry, Senior Brother.”
“Huh? Why are you sorry? The one who reduced the money was the Strategist.”
“It all happened because of me…”
“What are you talking about? That’s exactly why he’s the Strategist. If he couldn’t handle it, he should’ve opposed it with his life. If he didn’t, then he takes responsibility.”
At the Cult Leader’s scolding, Yul Han simply smiled faintly.
Then Iron Demon approached and asked.
“The pressure point seals and bindings are finished. How should we move them to the Main Fortress?”
“No need. Let’s send them from here. Wake them up, confirm their sect affiliations, and send dispatches to those sects. Tell them to come retrieve them with ransom.”
“Yes, Vice Cult Leader!”
Iron Demon’s lips curled into a smile as he answered.
That was because Yul Han had promised to go to Suzhou again and buy them drinks with the ransom money.
Perhaps because of that, the other three Manifestation Realm masters moved quite lightly as well.
In the case of Pageuk, who had seen beauties from the Central Plains far more beautiful than expected in the Flower Pavilion, he even hummed.
“Beauty, beauty. Pretty beauty. Your ransom will be my joy. Hmm-hmm.”
No one could tell what melody it was or what the words even meant.
Yul Han simply laughed.
Soon the dispatches written by the four excited men were attached to the Message Hawks prepared by the Mighty Fire Unit and sent flying in different directions.
---
The first common reaction of those who received the message hawks was shock.
They all unfolded the letters and stared blankly for a long time without saying a word.
After that, their emotions differed.
Some like Mount Hua Sect and the Namgung Clan exploded in anger, while others like Wudang and the Mount Dian Sect could not hide their devastation.
Some, like Kunlun Sect and Shaolin, regretted not stopping them.
But most sects were simply bewildered.
Even if they weren’t Manifestation or Transcendent Realm masters, the experts sent to the Kongtong Successor Cultivation Plan were the strongest fighters of each sect.
They carried weight that could not simply be ignored.
If they went out ready to die, they should have died.
Instead they had been captured, making things even more complicated.
But they still had to be retrieved.
The real problem was the ransom.
Even calculating the value of the person they needed to retrieve wasn’t simple.
And the people holding them were an even bigger problem.
Emperor Salyejin, the Human Butcher—and that damned Cult Leader.
They had to calculate the cost of appeasing those two as well.
The sects of the Hundred Paths could hardly even imagine what they should bring.
Then rumors reached their ears.
People from the Kunlun Sect had already departed.
Some argued they should wait and see the result first, but once that rumor spread, even more sects began departing immediately.
Given the widely known temper of the Cult Leader, many feared that arriving late would simply give him an excuse to cause trouble.
Even the sects that had been delaying, saying they would wait for Kunlun’s result, hurriedly set off after hearing that.
From all over, rumors spread that the pillars of the Nine Sects and Six Great Clans had been uprooted.
Which meant only one thing—
They had prepared treasures of tremendous value before setting out.