The Demonic Supreme Sword Novel - Chapter 72

Chapter 72
## Chapter 72: Ominous Rumors (2)

Sima Geon dashed forward in a state of shock, the residence suddenly appearing before his eyes. His chest tightened painfully as he took in the devastation: the front entrance had been ripped away, the perimeter wall lay in ruins, and the peach tree stood mangled, its limbs snapped like dry twigs.

As he crossed the threshold, a figure blocked his path. Sima Geon’s hand lashed out instantly, having already detected the intruder’s presence. The man attempted a desperate evasion, but his efforts were in vain. Whether due to existing wounds or a lack of skill, his movements were sluggish—nowhere near fast enough to escape Sima Geon’s lightning-quick reach.

“Identify yourself,” Sima Geon growled, pinning the man by the throat. His grip made it clear that a single lie or a moment’s hesitation would result in a snapped neck. Before the stranger could even gasp for air, Sima Geon’s gaze turned icy. “You… you were one of the assassins from that previous encounter.”

A suffocating aura of murder radiated from Sima Geon. Gwa Yu—a successor of the Blood Forest—turned ghostly pale under the weight of that killing intent.

“We spared your life, and you repay us with this?” Each word felt like a physical blow. Gwa Yu struggled to move his jaw, but the pressure was so immense he couldn’t utter a sound.

“What is this piece of trash doing here?” Cheol Woo shouted as he arrived, seeing Gwa Yu dangling helplessly in Sima Geon’s grasp. His thunderous voice echoed throughout the courtyard, causing a nearby door to fly open.

“Brother, stop!” Sima Hyeon yelled, rushing out of the room. Seeing Gwa Yu on the verge of death, Sima Hyeon’s face twisted in panic. “Let him go! He isn’t the enemy!” He grabbed Sima Geon’s arm, shaking his head urgently. “He’s the reason I’m still standing.”

Sima Geon loosened his fingers, and Gwa Yu tumbled to the dirt, coughing and gasping for oxygen.

“Wait, isn’t that the brat from before?” Cheol Woo asked, looking between the brothers. “Why is he hanging around here?”

“I want that answer too,” Sima Geon said, his voice strained. “But first, tell me what happened. Where is Ho…?” He looked past the open door and ground his teeth. Inside, Sima Ho lay deathly still on a pallet while Hwang Jeong meticulously worked on him with acupuncture needles.

“I don’t even know,” Sima Hyeon sobbed, his face wet with tears. “Last night, a group of monsters raided us without warning. Ho was injured trying to fight them off…” He broke down, unable to finish.

Sima Geon forced out the question he was terrified to ask. “And the little one? Where is Jina?”

“They… they took her,” Sima Hyeon whispered, dropping his head in shame.

Sima Geon closed his eyes as a wave of cold fury washed over him.

“What kind of madness is this?” Cheol Woo roared, grabbing Sima Hyeon by the shirt. “They took the kid? Who did it?”

“I have no idea. I don’t know who they were or what they wanted,” Sima Hyeon replied blankly. Frustrated, Cheol Woo turned back to Gwa Yu and hauled him up.

“You. Start talking. Why is a professional killer lurking in our backyard?”

Gwa Yu, fearing for his life, spoke as fast as he could. “I lived because of you two. I spent weeks hiding from those hunting me, which delayed my healing, but I finally recovered. I only came back to this area a few days ago for a new mission.”

“A contract? You were sent to kill someone?”

“Yes,” Gwa Yu admitted, glancing around nervously. “The Blood Forest accepted a contract to eliminate the butcher in Soheung…”

“You bastard!” Cheol Woo’s hand tightened around Gwa Yu’s head like a vice. “So you did come here to finish us off.”

“Let him finish,” Sima Hyeon interjected, pulling Cheol Woo back.

Gwa Yu took a shaky breath. “When I started scouting the shop, I realized I couldn’t do it. First, the owner wasn’t there. Second, I realized the target was the man who saved my life.”

“Hah! You mean you were scared of that old monster, don’t you?” Cheol Woo mocked.

“To be honest, I was stunned to find the Sword Fiend cutting meat in a shop. The elder with me was just as shocked. But we don’t just quit because a target is strong; we find a way. However, we don’t betray those we owe a debt to. I informed the grove we were dropping the contract and paid the penalty fee.”

“Then why are you still here?” Sima Geon asked coldly.

“The withdrawal was only finalized last night. I came by to say thank you before leaving for good.”

“He’s telling the truth,” Sima Hyeon added. “He arrived with expensive gifts to show his thanks. I tried to turn him away, but he was so persistent I eventually let him stay the night. That’s why we’re still alive. But Jina…” He started weeping again.

“Tell me exactly what happened during the raid,” Sima Geon requested, his voice softening slightly.

“It happened after midnight,” Gwa Yu explained. “About thirty high-level martial artists attacked. Their leader was a middle-aged man who was incredibly powerful. Even our grove’s elder couldn’t stop him.”

“Assassins aren’t meant for open warfare,” Cheol Woo muttered, a flicker of understanding in his eyes.

“The elder from my grove was killed by that man,” Gwa Yu said quietly.

“The old man you were carrying before?” Sima Geon asked.

“Yes. He died saying he had finally settled his debt.” Gwa Yu’s voice was steady, but the grief was plain to see. “While the elder distracted their leader, I tried to get the family out. There were too many of them, but we were aided by smoke bombs. Someone else was there—a hidden ally who threw the bombs and told us to run.”

Sima Geon frowned. The situation was becoming more tangled: unknown attackers, loyal assassins, and a mysterious benefactor. “Do you know who helped you?”

“No, it was too dark and chaotic.”

Sima Geon looked at Sima Hyeon. “And Ho? How was he hurt?”

“He wouldn’t let them take Jina,” Sima Hyeon replied.

“They wanted her from the start,” Gwa Yu added. “No matter how we tried to distract them, they only cared about the girl. We tried to hold them back, but that leader…”

Sima Geon looked at Gwa Yu’s own hidden injuries and realized the assassin had truly risked his life for them. “Thank you for standing by them. I apologize for my suspicion.” Sima Geon bowed his head deeply.

“No… I failed to keep her safe,” Gwa Yu stammered.

“No. Without you, this house would be a tomb. My brothers would be dead. I owe you more than I can say.” Sima Geon turned his attention to the bed where Sima Ho lay. Just then, Hwang Jeong emerged, looking exhausted.

“Physician, you’re alive,” Sima Geon said with relief.

“By pure luck. I was away on business and returned to find the Clear Heart Clinic in ashes. I nearly collapsed when I saw it this afternoon.” Hwang Jeong’s voice trembled. “Nobody survived. Those monsters killed everyone—the healers, the sick—and then burned it all. It was a massacre.” The physician sank to the ground, sobbing into his hands. No one knew what to say to comfort him.

After a few minutes, Hwang Jeong wiped his eyes. “I’m sorry. That was unprofessional of me.”

“Don’t apologize. Your loss is great,” Sima Geon said. “And I suspect they were looking for my sister there.”

“It isn’t your fault. It’s the fault of those demons,” Hwang Jeong insisted.

Cheol Woo stepped forward. “The boy inside… how is he?”

Hwang Jeong regained his composure. “It’s grim. He has a deep slash from his shoulder across his torso. I’ve closed the wounds, but the infection is aggressive. He has a high fever. I’ve done what I can with medicine and needles, but he isn’t responding well.”

“Will he live?” Sima Geon’s voice cracked.

Hwang Jeong sighed. “I won’t lie to you. It’s a toss-up. We will know if he has the strength to survive in a few days.”

Sima Geon clenched his fist so hard that his skin split, and blood dripped from his knuckles.

“Leader,” Thunderbolt called out, returning from a scouting run. Cheol Woo walked over to him.

“Did you find a trail?”

Thunderbolt looked grim. “I found where they went, but it’s bad news.”

“How so?”

“They went straight into the heart of Soheung. It’s been a full day. Their tracks will be buried under thousands of other footprints by now.”

“We’ll find them anyway,” Thunderbolt growled. “I’ll tear the city apart if I have to.”

Sima Geon’s attention shifted to the gate. A man was stumbling toward them, covered in grime and dried blood. It was Yong Jung. He looked at Sima Geon and Cheol Woo with weary recognition.

“I am Yong Jung. I’ve been trailing you for a long time.” He didn’t bother lying; the Left Elder’s letter had already warned them of his presence.

“Names don’t matter,” Cheol Woo snapped. “What do you want?”

Yong Jung smiled despite the tension. He was now certain the Left Elder was right about these men. “I thought so.”

“Thought what?”

“Do you recall the Black Ox Squad?”

Cheol Woo gave a dark laugh. “Those losers? So you’ve been following us because of them?”

“You’re sharper than you look,” Yong Jung noted. “I didn’t come here to fight. I came to give you information. I was hoping for the Ha Hu Clan elder, but you two will have to do.”

Sima Geon stepped forward. “What is your message?” His presence alone made Yong Jung’s heart race.

“I followed the group that took the girl.”

“The helper!” Gwa Yu exclaimed. Yong Jung nodded.

“They moved through Soheung and turned north. I tried to stay on them, but they caught me.” He gestured to his severe wounds. “I barely escaped and lost consciousness. They must have thought I was dead.”

“We already know they went to the city,” Cheol Woo said dismissively.

“Listen to me,” Yong Jung countered. “I realized something while I was recovering. If the elder from the Ha Hu Clan had been here, would they have succeeded?”

“Never,” Cheol Woo answered.

“Exactly. Even if they won, they would have made a mortal enemy of the Ha Hu Clan. But the elder was gone because of those ‘ominous rumors’ that called him back home.”

“A coincidence?”

“What if it wasn’t?” Yong Jung asked.

Sima Geon narrowed his eyes. “The rumors?”

“Yes. A few days ago, people started whispering that the head of the Ha Hu Clan had passed away. I didn’t think much of it then, but someone was working very hard to make sure those stories reached the elder’s ears.”

“Who was spreading them?” Sima Geon asked.

“You know them well. The Blood Blade Faction.”

“Those rats!” Cheol Woo snarled.

“Are you certain?” Sima Geon pressed.

“Positive.”

Sima Geon took a deep, steadying breath. Even if they were just tools for a higher power, it was a start. “Thank you. Go inside and rest.” He placed a hand on Yong Jung’s shoulder, and the man finally collapsed into the arms of Sima Hyeon and Hwang Jeong.

“Thunderbolt,” Sima Geon called out.

“I’m ready, Division Leader.”

“We don’t have much time.”

“Give me half a shichen. My wounds are mostly closed; I just need to recover my breath.” Thunderbolt sat down immediately to meditate.

“And you?” Sima Geon looked at Cheol Woo.

“I’m good to go, but a quick rest won’t hurt.” Cheol Woo sat down across from Thunderbolt to circulate his qi.

Gwa Yu quietly stepped away to give them space. Sima Geon closed his eyes, bracing himself for the agonizing wait. It would be the longest hour of his life.