C 475
"It's been a long time."
Hong Yushin greeted Pyo Wol with a smile.
As he had expected, Pyo Wol appeared.
The people of the slums had been keeping an eye on the stranger who had trespassed on their territory, and the news had reached his ears.
Pyo Wol quickly figured out the identity of the stranger. That's why he showed up in person.
"Long time no see. Are you here because of the Soyang branch?"
"Did you know that it was destroyed?"
Pyo Wol nodded his head and said.
"I saw ManSlaughter."
"Was it the ManSlaughter who annihilated the Soyang branch?"
"Yes!"
"Why did he? Could he be related to the Guryongsalmak?"
"Perhaps……."
"It seems the situation is bigger than I thought."
ManSlaughter was one of the most formidable martial artists in the Kangho.
The infamous ManSlaughter, known for nothing more than his terrifying reputation, was a source of great shock to Hong Yushin when he found out that he was a member of the Guryongsalmak.
It was proof that the power of the Guryongsalmak was more vast than he had vaguely thought.
Pyo Wol said,
"No matter what you think, something bigger is going to happen."
"I'm prepared."
The two walked side by side to the Gi Family Clinic.
As Hong Yushin looked around the inside of the Gi Family Clinic, he said,
As Hong Yushin surveyed the interior of the clinic, he said,
"What a wonderful place. A clinic like this in a slum... When we rebuild the Soyang branch, I'll make sure they support this clinic."
"How is the situation at Poyang Lake?"
"It's serious."
"How much?"
"It's already spreading into a Great War."
"Is that true?"
"The backers of the Golden Heavenly Hall and the Silver Lotus Hall are so powerful, aren't they? Until now, it was a proxy war, but now they are sending their own elites to clash.Information has come in that Dokgo Hwang is personally leading the power from Martial Sword Alliance and heading to the Poyang Lake."
"Dokgo Hwang is moving personally?"
"Yes."
The situation was far more serious than Pyo Wol had vaguely thought.
Without reaching the level of the Eight Constellations or the Three Saints, it was difficult to make a name for oneself even after a lifetime of cultivation, so most martial artists would fade into obscurity without leaving their mark on Kangho.
Whether strong or weak, the desire to gain fame was the same. So they headed for Poyang Lake.
People joined the Golden Heavenly Hall or the Silver Lotus Hall, or they tried to gain power while watching the situation between them, and even bandits were rampant. Poyang Lake and its surroundings had long turned into a hellish landscape.
The fight that started at Poyang Lake had taken the form of a civil war and was spreading throughout the martial world.
Because of this, the Hao Clan was also on high alert.
The Hao Clan calculated how far it would spread, and studied how to stop it. Of course, that didn't stop the uprising, but it was the least they could do.
"That's why the Hao Clan cannot invest its forces in Soyang."
Hong Yushin bit his lip slightly.
The Hao Clan had a severe shortage of martial artists compared to its vast scale.
This was something they had always regretted.
Hao Clan had also tried to train martial artists, but the results were not satisfactory compared to the efforts put in. Still, they took small solace in the fact that they had far more masters than before.
It was already a stretch for the Hao Clan to gather the Black Tiger Squad in Soyang. Still, if there was one consolation, it was that Pyo Wol was here.
Hong Yushin knew more than anyone else about the relationship between Pyo Wol and the Guryongsalmak.
"It's the War of Heaven and Earth......."
"Chaos is inevitable. The martial artists have already been blinded by their desires. No one wants to stop this war. Rather, they are impatient because they cannot make it bigger".
"It's inevitable!"
"Yes! Those with power don't want to see trouble, and Kangho is the world with the most of them. If we don't use their power in this war, we'll end up in even more chaos."
People remember only major wars like the Great Heavenly Blood War and the Great War of Heaven and Earth, but even before those two wars, there were countless other wars that shaped Kangho's fate.
When a power builds up to a certain degree, it clashes, and after a period of decline, the weakened Kangho enters a period of peace. In the process, new factions rise to the forefront of Kangho and clash again, forgetting the past.
This will continue to happen as long as there is a world called Kangho.
Now was the time for the power that had been accumulating for decades to explode.
No one could artificially stop the explosion.
The key was to minimize the damage.
If Guryongsalmak was left alone, they would undoubtedly participate in this war and cause chaos. In that case, the situation would deteriorate uncontrollably.
They had to deal with the Guryongsalmak before that.
That was the reason Hong Yushin came here.
For some reason, he believed that Pyo Wol could handle it.
"Whew!"
Hong Yushin let out a sigh and pulled out a bottle of alcohol from his waistband.
His mouth felt dry, so he needed a drink.
He offered the bottle to Pyo Wol.
"Would you like a sip?"
"No, thanks!"
"Then I'll drink alone."
As Pyo Wol nodded, Hong Yushin put the bottle to his lips and drank it down.
Seeing Hong Yushin wipe the liquor flowing down his mouth with his sleeve, Pyo Wol asked.
"Did you say you gathered your forces?"
"The Black Tiger Squad consists of martial artists who are considered top-notch even among our faction."
'How many in total?'
"One hundred."
"That's not a small number."
'It's not large either. But they boast of being worth a hundred each.'
"Hmm!"
Pyo Wol rubbed his chin with his fingers and fell into thought.
Hong Yushin quietly watched Pyo Wol's face.
Pyo Wol's face, lost in thought, felt somewhat intimidating.
After a while, Pyo Wol opened his mouth.
"I need a map."
"What kind of map are you talking about?"
"A map that details the geography of the Soyang area. Can you find one?"
"Who do you think I am? Of course, I can find one."
Hong Yushin confidently replied.
"Find it as soon as possible."
"Understood."
Hong Yushin's voice trembled slightly as he responded.
Hong Yushin thought he knew more about Pyo Wol than anyone else. He didn't know what Pyo Wol was planning, but it wouldn't be ordinary.
Under normal circumstances, Hong Yushin would never agree to such a plan. It would go against his beliefs. But this time, he decided to go along with Pyo Wol.
Hong Yushin had also been a victim, trapped in the Unreturnable Prison run by the Guryongsalmak. Therefore, he could not remain completely rational.
'Let's see it through to the end. Even if that end lies within the flames of hell...'
***
ManSlaughter felt his throat.
He could feel the deeply dented skin under his fingers.
It was where Pyo Wol's noose, made from a soul reaping thread, had tightened.
If his reaction had been just a little slower, his throat would have been cut off.
Just thinking about it sent a chill down his spine.
It was the first time he had faced such danger while wandering Kangho.
'Pyo Wol!'
He already knew that Pyo Wol was not just a simple assassin, but the actual strength of Pyo Wol’s martial arts was far beyond his expectations.
"If I had known this, I would have eliminated him long ago."
ManSlaughter clicked his tongue.
There was definitely an opportunity to eliminate Pyo Wol.
Back when Pyo Wol didn't have much experience in Kangho.
If they had mobilized their forces when he first became entangled with the Guryongsalmak, they could have easily eliminated him. However, Guryongsasalmak had to keep their identity hidden, so they missed the opportunity, and Pyo Wol grew stronger and more powerful.
He was no longer an inexperienced child, nor was he a naïve man bound by a cause.
He was a viper, capable of using any despicable means to achieve his ends. And he was absolutely invincible.
Facing such an opponent was never an easy task.
"Tsk! I guess I have to bring out the God-slaying Bow."
It was then.
"Why are you grumbling to yourself?"
Suddenly, a soft voice was heard.
ManSlaughter raised his head and looked forward.
In the distance, a figure with a red glow approached.
The moment he saw the figure, he immediately recognized its identity.
"Red… King!"
"It's been a while. Eulmok."
"I told you not to call me that."
"Heh heh! Why, you want to deny your past?"
"Do I need to rip that mouth of yours right now?"
ManSlaughter's eyes were filled with killing intent.
Despite the overwhelming killing Intent that would suffocate an ordinary person, the man called the Red King didn't change his expression.
He strode forward and approached ManSlaughter.
His entire body was red as if drenched in blood.
His hair was red, his eyes were red, his lips were red, and the clothes he wore were red. Even the scabbard on his waist was blood red.
He looked to be in his early to mid-forties, but in reality, he was much older.
The man's nickname was the Red King.
Like ManSlaughter, he was a person who thoroughly concealed everything about himself.
The Red King gave a sneering smile.
"Why, want to give it a try?"
"Do you want me to kill you?"
"Go ahead! This time, it won't end with just a scar on your face."
"You?"
"Hehe! Don't you like the scar? I made it with great care, after all."
"Now I am different from then."
"Well, why don't you prove it?"
Despite the Red King's provocation, ManSlaughter could not move easily.
It wasn't that he was afraid of the Red King.
He was not the same man he once was. But even so, he was no match for the Red King.
If they fought, it would inevitably lead to mutual destruction.
That was not what ManSlaughter wanted, and the Red King didn't want it either.
Now, it was just a matter of pride.
They've been on the outs for a long time.
They often clashed due to their bad relationship, and at times, due to their differences, they pointed their swords at each other.
The scar on ManSlaughter's face was from one of those times. In return, the Red King also suffered a critical wound on his side.
Fortunately, they both survived, but the incident forced the Red King to suffer for several months.
The two slowly backed down.
“We clashed fiercely in the outside world, never did I anticipate crossing paths with you here again."
"Same here."
"Did the boss send you?"
"It's that woman."
"Woman? Are you talking about So Yeowol?"
"That's right."
"What is the boss thinking? Giving her so much authority."
"You have to admit it."
"Admit?"
"Don't you understand why the boss values her so much? Hehe!"
The Red King chuckled.
ManSlaughter frowned as he looked at the Red King.
The Red King stopped laughing and said.
"I don't know what you think, but I think she's great."
"..."
"Think about it. She was sold to die, and she came back alive. And with poison filled inside her. Isn't that impressive enough? A woman who had nothing, secured her own territory in such a short time. Such ability is not ordinary."
"So, you're supporting her?"
"I don't support anyone, because I don't want to be enemies with someone I didn't choose."
"You're like a bat..."
"Hehe! But didn't you come here because of her, too? Let's admit what we need to admit. That she's incredible. She won't end at just this level."
"..."
ManSlaughter clenched his lips tightly.
He didn't want to admit it, but he had to.
So Yeowol's ability was beyond his imagination.
Of all the people he knew, the Red King was the one who looked down on others the most.
If even the Red King held such a view, he didn’t need to hear what others thought.
ManSlaughter asked.
"What did she say?"
"She said to draw Pyo Wol out."
"Not to find him?"
"She knows that if he decides to hide, he can't be found. To catch him, you have to make him come out on his own."
"How do we draw him out?"
"She said to set a fire. A fire so hot that he cannot bear it..."
