[Episode 109, Final Chapter (1)]
It is the fifth day since the incident occurred.
An evening around drinking time.
In the northeast of Anhui Province, in the direction of Wuhu (蕪湖), the border bordering Jiangsu Province, as many as 4,000 first-class martial arts league masters were marching in rapid succession in unison.
They were the elite of the elite within the Wulin Federation.
Because the situation that occurred in Jiangsu Province required quick mobility, outstanding elites were selected from each party unit.
Some young later leaders, such as Lee Jeong-gyeom, the head of the Blue Dragon Party, and Pang Woo-jin, the head of the Nokhyeon Party, were also included.
Leading them was Baek Hyang-muk, the Infinite First Sword, the prewar martial leader who held the newly created position of commander in the martial arts league.
While the vice-major oversees internal affairs, the governor oversees external affairs.
Baek Hyang-mook, who was leading them from the front, glanced behind them.
‘You were nervous.’
The worst thing that happened in Jiangsu Province was told to everyone.
Tens of thousands of people met a cruel death.
And those who survived said that those who committed it were monsters, an alien being.
‘It’s a monster…’
Baek Hyang-muk also saw a monster like the human face when he was young.
But it only happened once in my life.
It was thought that such extraterrestrial beings were afraid of humans and lived in hiding deep in the mountains, but this incident was so bizarre that it was hard to understand.
A huge number of monsters, numbering in the thousands, are gathered together.
This was the same, but the bigger problem is,
‘The path they are heading towards is definitely the Wulin Federation.’
Each mun sect or sect village that was destroyed was heading to the southwest.
If we continue like this, we will pass through Anhui Province and reach the Wulin Federation.
‘We must stop it before that happens.’
The Anhui Province Wulin League branch even mobilized disciples from each faction and faction and decided to gather in Goshun, the southwesternmost part of Jiangsu Province, with a force of over 10,000 people.
The government forces of Anhui Province have also decided to help, so this will be the last line of defense against monsters.
If that area is breached, the damage will grow uncontrollably.
‘We have to hurry…’
Numerous energies that stimulate the spirit of Baekhyangmuk.
-Pot!
Baek Hyang-muk suddenly rushed forward quickly.
“Musketeer?”
Everyone was puzzled and followed him.
However, Baekhyangmuk’s speed was so fast that it was not easy to catch up with it.
The place where Baekhyangmuk was heading was a high hill.
Baek Hyang-muk, who climbed up to the hill with a view, could not help but be embarrassed by the scene happening right in front of him.
“……..Unbelievable.”
Hundreds of people were running here from afar.
It seemed like he was running away.
They looked as if they had just fought a full-blown war, and I could see countless dark eyes shining behind them.
It was difficult to fathom how many there were.
‘This is thousands?’
It was much more than I heard.
At first glance, it was close to tens of thousands.
That meant that it had increased significantly compared to when I received the report two days ago.
-Pot!
Someone arrived next to Baek Hyang-muk, who was astonished.
It was his student Lee Jeong-gyeom.
Lee Jeong-gyeom was also embarrassed by the pitch-black alien beings seen from afar.
“Master…that’s enough for 30,000…”
It was close.
Maybe it was more than that.
Lee Jeong-gyeom is mesmerized by the sight that makes him swallow his saliva.
Baek Hyang-muk spoke to him in a serious voice.
“You go this way to the Wulin Federation and inform them that their numbers are increasing exponentially.”
“yes? “Master…”
“I have to save them.”
The people Baek Hyang-muk pointed to were the ones running away from those pitch-black monsters.
Looking at their clothes, it could be seen that they were a mix of people from the government military and the Murim League branch.
After seeing that, Baek Hyang-mook was convinced.
This means that the power sent from the Anhui Province branch has already suffered.
“I will join you too. “The messenger is to others…”
Baek Hyang-mook urged Lee Jeong-gyeom, who refused.
“This is not the time to get angry!”
“Master!”
“Among these, you are the one who is faster than anyone else.”
It was true.
Excluding Baekhyangmuk, it has the fastest mobility.
Lee Jeong-gyeom said this.
“It would be better to retreat and reorganize…..”
“What are they going to do? Are you saying I should just leave it alone?”
“……..”
“Judge the situation calmly. “In addition to saving the lives of those who are running away, I and the elite team’s full force must be able to delay them even if only a little.”
Lee Jeong-gyeom bit his lip at Baek Hyang-muk’s words.
As a teacher, the fact that he spoke like this meant that he risked his life.
However, his teacher was the best expert of the political faction.
Since he had surpassed the barrier of being a superhuman, he could handle thousands of top-class experts on his own, so he was definitely not someone who would be easily defeated.
“…….All right.”
“Tell the vice leader to gather all the strength of all branches and find the current leader. Do you understand what this teacher is talking about?”
“All right.”
The leader, Sounhwi, is truly the martial arts alliance’s best force.
I was convinced that this situation could only be prevented if he inherited the progress of the world’s greatest sword, Geomseon, a legendary being known to have defeated numerous monsters in the past.
However, its whereabouts are now unknown.
In order to prevent Geumsangje, we had to find him while he was away.
-chuck!
Lee Jeong-gyeom took the gun and spoke in a voice full of determination.
“Master, please make sure to come back alive.”
“……Don’t worry. Nobu is not fighting to die. ruler! There is no time to stay like this. “Hurry up.”
“Good luck!”
“Good luck to you too.”
-Pot!
With those words, Lee Jeong-gyeom launched the new model in the opposite direction.
After he disappeared, Baek Hyang-muk looked at the elites coming up the hill behind him and pulled out his treasured sword, Muk-seon.
-Sreung!
Baek Hyang-muk, holding the sword, also strengthened his resolve.
At the very least, it should give the Wulin Federation time to gather all its forces.
He raised his sword and looked at the elites and shouted loudly.
“Ready for battle!”
* * *
A plain filled with countless corpses.
“Haa…haa…”
Baek Hyang-muk was barely able to stand, staggering while holding the broken ink line.
He fell into despair as he looked at the black-clothed, snake-eyed being standing in front of him with his back to him.
Even when he competed with So Unhwi, a descendant of Geomseon, it wasn’t like this.
Now he was feeling not only despair, but even fear.
‘How on earth could such a monster…’
Not a single word worked.
Even though he drew out all his vitality and even unleashed the Blood Heavenly Attack.
Baek Hyang-muk looked around.
-Kwaaaaaah!
-Kaak. Kaak.
Strange sounds are forming a feast.
All that can be seen is the eye lights filling the darkness and the thick smell of blood.
It seems like he is the only one who survived.
I couldn’t last even a few hours.
No, if that monstrous being hadn’t appeared, I might have lasted at least half a day.
But what can we do when this has already happened?
‘Should I leave the rest to him?’
There was only one person who had the only hope.
If even that couldn’t be prevented, the midfield was hopeless.
Baek Hyang-muk held on tightly to the broken sword of Muk-seon and lashed out at the being wearing black robes who was looking at him.
“Do you really want to die quietly like this?”
-Park!
“Oops!”
His last courage was in vain.
The black-clad man, who was holding Baek Hyang-muk’s neck after he had launched the new weapon, spoke with an expressionless face.
“It’s okay, but that’s what makes you human.”
There was no emotion in the eyes looking at him.
It didn’t seem much different from a human seeing an insect.
That was the moment when the black-clad man tightened his grip and tried to kill Baek Hyang-mook.
“Master.”
At that time, someone crept up to me.
It was a half-human, half-human monster with four yellow eye lights.
“Why are you doing that?”
“This guy was once the leader of the Wulin Federation.”
“Lord?”
Baek Hyang-mook, whose neck was being held, frowned.
Unlike other monsters, not only were they able to speak human language, but they were even fully aware of their own identity.
What exactly are these people?
The puzzled half-human being looked at him and said.
“He was said to be the center of the political faction, so it seems a waste to just kill him.”
“What do you want to do?”
“Nothing is more vulnerable to fear than human beings. “Use him to bring even more despair to the bastards of the Wulin Federation.”
At those words, the black-clothed man stopped applying force.
And then he let go of the cedar ink.
“I think it will be a fun entertainment. “Do whatever you want.”
“Thank you for the opportunity.”
A half-human, half-human being who received permission from the teacher approached and dropped something in front of Baek Hyang-muk.
-Changerang!
“Cough…cough…what is this?”
It was a sword hilt with its body broken, leaving only the sword handle.
In fact, it was hard to even see it as a sword.
“Do you know what it is?”
“What do you mean by this?”
It’s like a swordsman you’ve seen somewhere, but how can you recognize it right away just by looking at it?
“I am a swordsman of Namcheon Iron Sword.”
“what?”
Baek Hyang-mook’s eyes widened at those words.
I felt like I had seen it somewhere, but I had no idea it was the Namcheon Iron Sword.
Isn’t the owner of the Namcheon Iron Sword none other than So Un-hwi, a descendant of Geomseon?
‘What is this?’
I couldn’t figure out why his sword, which I thought was my only hope of dealing with that monster, was broken like that.
The half-human, half-evil being raised the corners of its mouth and spoke to him.
“So Unhwi, a descendant of Geomseon and the leader of the current martial arts league, was punished by death by my teacher and ruler of all the demons, Maseon.”
‘!!!’
Baek Hyang-mook was shocked.
The news that the only person who could stand against that monstrous being had already died was no different from shattering hope.
‘How could this happen…’
It was a moment when I was so perplexed.
-Poof!
“Ugh!”
The long nails of the half-human, half-dead being dug into his abdomen.
It pierced right through the dantian.
The pain of having the Danjeon, the heart of a warrior, destroyed cannot be described in words.
“Off.”
Even so, he had suffered severe internal injuries.
I was gradually losing my mind.
-widely!
The half-human, half-human creature chuckled as he placed his hand on Baek Hyang-muk’s shoulder.
“Go back and tell everyone about this.”
“…What?”
And tremble in fear.
-Ugh!
As soon as those words were finished, the space shook and Baek Hyang-muk’s body was sucked into it.
‘What…what is this place…’
Everything around her disappeared and Baek Hyang-mook, who fell into a somewhat familiar place, stumbled and soon lost consciousness and collapsed.
When he opened his eyes again, he was inside the martial arts league’s infirmary.
The person who was by his side as he came to his senses was Lee Jeong-gyeom, his disciple whom he had sent to the Murim League.
“Master? “Are you out of your mind?”
“……Jeonggyeom.”
“Ahhh! “You’re welcome.”
Lee Jeong-gyeom was worried that Baek Hyang-mook, who was weakened both mentally and physically after the Danjeon was destroyed and suffered serious injuries, would pass away like this.
But he couldn’t hide his joy when he woke up.
Lee Jeong-gyeom asked curiously.
“How on earth is this happening? “How did you arrive at the Martial Arts League before me with these injuries?”
“Arrive at the Martial Alliance first? “What on earth does that mean?”
Even before I lost my mind, wasn’t it a plain of lake of no lake?
But I couldn’t understand the martial arts federation.
Lee Jeong-gyeom said to him.
“This is the Wulin Federation.”
“I am sure…”
Baek Hyang-mook stumbled and stood up.
“Master, you still need to calm down…”
“Let go.”
Baek Hyang-mook shook off his attempt to dissuade him and walked to the window.
Baek Hyang-muk’s eyes shook.
The scenery outside the window was truly the martial arts league.
It’s hard to believe, but he has already returned from Muho to the Wulin Federation in Wuhan.
It was such a strange thing that it was difficult to tell whether it was a dream or reality.
‘How could this happen…’
“Master?”
Lee Jeong-gyeom became restless and called out to him.
But there was no answer.
Baek Hyang-muk, who had been looking out the window for a long time with a shocked face, soon turned his head and said.
“…How long have I been asleep?”
“According to what I heard, I believe it’s been about four days.”
“Four days?”
I couldn’t wake up for a longer time than I thought.
Perhaps the aftermath of the destruction of Danjeon was significant.
Thinking about how many things had happened in the meantime made me dizzy.
Baek Hyang-mook swallowed dry saliva and asked.
“Where have they come?”
Lee Jeong-gyeom answered Baek Hyang-muk’s question with a dark face.
“We have reached Huaining in Anhui Province.”
In Hoening, just beyond Jamsan, it was the border of Hubei Province.
It has almost reached the doorstep of the Wulin Federation.
“Ahh…..”
Eventually, the situation I was worried about happened.
There was no question of how much sacrifice had been made up to that point.
I turned the question to this.
“Have the forces of all branches gathered together?”
“yes. Now, all the warriors from each province’s branches have gathered at the main branch. A force of nearly 80,000 troops, including the government forces in Hubei Province, is encamped in Maseong (麻城). Just…..”
“Just?”
“Morale is very low right now. They say that the master who led the elite came back with even his Danjeon destroyed… I may have
blurted out the backstory, but I think I understand.
He, who was one of the five absolute masters in martial arts, lost his martial arts skills and was defeated, so he returned.
It was as if his body was telling him that the enemy was dangerous.
‘…..was this the purpose?’
I think I definitely know why he sent me back alive.
Lee Jeong-gyeom, who was speechless, continued talking.
And there’s a bigger problem.
A bigger problem?
The number of monsters has increased to an unfathomable level. According to Jeon Seo-gu, the number is likely to be nearly 300,000.”
“what?”
Baek Hyang-muk could not contain his astonishment.
It was a huge number, three times the strength of our troops.
Moreover, considering that the military power of the general government was inferior to that of the martial people, it was the worst situation.
“Did you ask for help from the Imperial Capital?”
In a situation like this, it wasn’t just the government forces in the region that would move.
It was a situation that required organizing a regular army and moving from the imperial capital, the center of the country.
“The vice-lord requested a regular army early on, but it seems difficult to meet the deadline with the mobility of the regular army dispatched from the imperial capital.”
“How long do you think it will be until we arrive?”
“It will take at least 15 days.”
It was a situation worse than nothing.
There was bound to be a difference in the mobility of the martial arts warriors and the regular army.
On the other hand, the speed at which the monsters advanced towards the Murim Alliance was too fast.
If we have already reached Hoening in four days, we will reach Maseong, located just northeast of Wuhan, tomorrow night or the day after tomorrow.
“……It is truly a desperate situation.”
“Since this is the situation, Master, please lead the team together with the vice-leader. Even so, the whereabouts of Lord Sounhwi are still unknown. “I can’t afford to wait for the leader until the army of monsters arrives…”
“Ahh.”
Before Lee Jeong-gyeom could finish his words, Baek Hyang-muk let out a sigh.
Lee Jeong-gyeom, who felt something strange about this, asked.
“How can you say that?”
Baek Hyang-muk answered heavily with a despairing face.
“Don’t waste any more time looking for him.”
“Yes? Why?”
“…….Lord So Unhwi has died.”
‘!!!’
ⓒ Hanzhongwolya
