The Demonic Supreme Sword Novel - Chapter 81

Chapter 81
## Chapter 81: Chongmyeong Island (2)

“Soju is just ahead.”

Man Chu came to a dead stop, gesturing toward the metropolitan skyline that sat nestled in the dawn mist like a classic ink wash painting. Without warning, his legs gave out, and he hit the ground hard.

His chest labored with heavy, uneven breaths, his complexion was a deep crimson, and sweat rolled off him in waves—plain evidence of his total physical collapse.

“What’s wrong with you? We can’t stop here,” Cheol Woo said, reaching down to hoist Man Chu up as the man began to gag and retch.

“Please… just a brief reprieve?” Man Chu begged, his eyes wide with desperation.

“You pathetic drunk. I knew that stench of rice wine would catch up to you. We haven’t even been running that long.”

“Not long? We’ve been at a full sprint for two hours straight!”

“You call that a sprint? A toddler crawls faster. You have no idea how much we had to suppress our speed just to keep you in sight.”

“I don’t care about your pace. If I take another step, my heart is going to explode,” Man Chu groaned, shaking his head and splaying himself out on the dirt. As Cheol Woo’s face darkened with impending fury, Sima Geon held up a hand to calm him.

“I sympathize, but our schedule is tight. We don’t have the luxury of sitting down.”

Man Chu bolted upright, looking frantic. “Just the time it takes for a single stick of incense to burn—no, half that! I’m not being lazy; I’m truly at my limit.”

“Fine. We will rest, but we will do it while moving. Cheol Woo.”

At Sima Geon’s command, Cheol Woo’s expression soured. With a heavy sigh of annoyance, he grabbed Man Chu and tossed him over his shoulder like a sack of grain.

“If you slip off, I’m leaving you behind. Grip tight.”

A look of pure relief washed over Man Chu as he clung to Cheol Woo’s neck, adjusting himself onto the man’s back.

“Perfectly comfortable,” Man Chu chirped happily. Seeing him perched there like a giant toad, Thunderclap couldn’t suppress a quiet laugh.

“You find this amusing? If you’ve got the energy to giggle, use it to track the targets. If we lose their scent, we’re finished,” Cheol Woo snapped with a murderous glare. Thunderclap simply pointed toward the obvious path carved out by the Hongik Group.

“Lose a trail this blatant? I’d have to be a blind fool. Stop worrying about me and keep your legs moving.”

With a boastful smirk, Thunderclap accelerated, following the tracks with confidence.

However, exactly thirty minutes later, the party found themselves standing in the exact same spot where Cheol Woo had first picked up Man Chu.

“Moron,” Ha Hu Yeon hissed, her brow furrowing with irritation at the wasted effort during such a critical pursuit.

—

Along the southern coastline of Chongmyeong Island, a massive vessel loomed out of the horizon, framed by the rising sun.

The ship was titanic—stretching over sixty feet in length and nearly fifteen feet across. Every inch of it—the hull, the forty rhythmic oars slicing the water, and the towering sail—was stained a deep, visceral crimson, radiating an aura of dread.

“Release the anchor.”

As the heavy iron bit into the seabed and the ship groaned to a halt, Na Ham, who had been directing the crew with a fierce, predatory gaze, turned with sudden deference.

“We have reached the destination, Young Master.”

Gu Cheon Myeong, a young man languidly waving a feather fan, surveyed the coastline and gave a mocking snort.

“I had my reservations when the Blood Unit Leader mentioned this, but seeing them gathered here like starving strays proves he was right.”

“Indeed. The commodity is of such high quality that not a single player has stayed home.”

“Are they all operating under the same assumptions we are?”

“I would prefer otherwise, but in this business, interests usually overlap perfectly.”

“Then the struggle will be intense.”

“It is a rare find, Young Master. That is precisely why the Hongik Group ensured the rumors traveled far and wide.”

“It matters not. We will be the victors,” Gu Cheon Myeong stated, his fingers tightening until the feather fan began to buckle. “Even if we have to soak the soil of Chongmyeong Island in gore, that prize belongs to us.”

“As you command,” Na Ham answered, though a shadow of concern crossed his features.

The Crimson Dragon Gang, a dominant power within the Heavenly Demon Cult, had deployed its primary strength—an unstoppable force. They were more than capable of reducing Chongmyeong Island to a wasteland many times over.

However, their current presence on the island consisted of only fifty members of the Blood Unit. While they were elite warriors he was proud to lead, they were few.

The real issue lay with the surrounding slave merchants. To survive in the cutthroat world of human trafficking, one had to be exceptionally dangerous.

*‘Still, with the Inspection Division Leader present, we hold the advantage. The Young Master’s personal guard are also terrifyingly skilled. My concern is that my men will be the first to bleed. What a time for the Young Master to decide to tag along.’*

Serving as an escort for the heir of the Crimson Dragon Gang was a prestigious opportunity for the Blood Unit—one of the sect’s main financial engines.

The last three months had been prosperous. They had conducted several high-profit raids and solidified lucrative partnerships with the pirates of the Zhu Shan Archipelago.

But just as they were preparing for a quiet journey home, this opportunity presented itself. While docked at the Zhu Shan Archipelago, pirate contacts revealed that the Hongik Group had captured a girl afflicted with the Nine Yin Severed Meridians and planned to auction her off.

Upon hearing this, Gu Cheon Myeong—who had previously been a passive observer—took total control and ordered the ship toward Chongmyeong Island. Na Ham had no choice but to comply.

“The pirates mentioned the girl’s condition was supposedly resolved. Does that change our plans?” Na Ham asked.

Gu Jong, the Inspection Division Leader who stood like a silent sentinel behind Gu Cheon Myeong, finally spoke.

“The Black Hand Demon Physician was clear: the only absolute remedy for the Youngest Miss’s Heavenly Punishment Nine Yang Severed Meridians is the extraction and absorption of the cold energy from the Nine Yin Severed Meridians. Other treatments might prolong her life, but they won’t cure the root. If the girl is still afflicted, it is a perfect match. If she is cured, it may be less efficient, but it will still serve as the necessary catalyst.”

Na Ham understood the cold subtext; the girl was a disposable sacrifice either way.

“This is destiny, Uncle. If we had departed even a day earlier, we would have missed this news entirely,” Gu Cheon Myeong said, his voice rising with excitement.

Gu Jong nodded solemnly. “The timing is too perfect to be mere chance. You are right. This is clearly a sign that the ancestors are favoring the Crimson Dragon Gang!”

“The moment my sister is freed from her Heavenly Punishment and claims her full power, our Gang will reign supreme.”

Gu Cheon Myeong looked toward the heavens, his eyes shimmering with ambition. In his mind’s eye, he already saw the Crimson Dragon Gang crushing the Heavenly Demon Cult from within and eventually bringing the entire world to its knees.

—

Yu Wol’s contingent arrived at Chongmyeong Island after taking a circuitous route around Soju. Jin U Gi, who had successfully led their pursuers on a wild goose chase through the city, arrived shortly after without any complications.

“Look at all those masts.”

Jin U Gi counted the various vessels anchored in the bay, a wry grin on his face. There were more than twenty distinct groups present.

“High demand means high profit, but it also means a higher chance of a blade in the back. Keep your eyes open,” Yu Wol warned sharply.

“Message received.”

“The Haha Clan might still be sniffing around. Keep the rear scouts active and alert.”

“I doubt their information is that accurate, but I’ve put our quickest scouts on the perimeter just in case.”

Yu Wol nodded, satisfied with the preparations. “Good. Let’s find our main force and consolidate.”

“Follow me,” Gwan Seung said, stepping forward. Having traversed the routes of Chongmyeong Island many times, he moved with confidence.

He led them toward a sandy stretch of beach on the northern shore along the lower Yangtze. As they approached, a group of men emerged from a thicket of tall reeds.

“Deputy Leader!”

A middle-aged man broke from the group, bowing with an enthusiastic smile. Yu Wol raised an eyebrow in surprise.

“Chief Steward Lee Ja Gon? I didn’t expect you to be here in person.”

“Hahaha! For a transaction of this magnitude, I couldn’t simply stay in the office!”

The Hongik Group’s financial mastermind cast a greedy, lingering look toward the central palanquin. “I heard the asset was secured. Is everything intact?”

Yu Wol confirmed with a nod, prompting a wide beam from Lee Ja Gon. “I’ve scanned the crowd—everyone is salivating. We are looking at a record-breaking payday.”

“I am concerned, however. We have one item and a hundred hungry wolves.”

“Let them hunger. There is massive profit to be had with very little actual risk.”

Yu Wol caught the hidden meaning in the Steward’s tone. “You’ve already narrowed down the buyers.”

“I have.”

“Who is the frontrunner?”

“The Blood Unit.”

Yu Wol’s expression shifted instantly at the mention of the name. “They are here?”

“They are.”

“That is unexpected. They’ve been dormant for quite some time.”

“They were finishing business with the Zhu Shan pirates. They heard the rumors of our ‘merchandise’ and changed course immediately.”

“Then they are either very lucky or very desperate.”

“We shall see which it is,” Lee Ja Gon said with a knowing look.

“Stop being cryptic. Tell me what you’ve found out.”

“Heh heh. There was a whisper years ago that a direct descendant of the Blood Unit Leader suffered from the Heavenly Punishment. They’ve been scouring the land for rare medicines—and specifically, girls with unique meridian structures.”

“I remember those rumors.”

“It’s confirmed. And here is the interesting part: while they buy up every herb they can find, they are specifically looking for a counter-balance to a yang-based affliction. Our girl has the Nine Yin Severed Meridians. It’s a literal life-saver for them.”

Yu Wol saw the full picture. “To neutralize the heat of a Nine Yang affliction, they need her cold yin energy.”

“The symptoms line up perfectly.”

“Then the Blood Unit is our best bet. No minor gang will dare to interfere with them.”

“The goal now is to see just how much they are willing to pay to save their lineage. We hold all the cards.”

Yu Wol couldn’t help but smile at the man’s naked avarice. He was glad Lee Ja Gon was on his side; as an enemy, his greed would be a nightmare to manage.

—

While many arrived with grand ambitions, the reality of the situation was cold and unforgiving.

Most of the independent slave traders who had flocked to the island quickly realized they were outclassed. Even the heavy hitters—the Blue Gate, the South Snake Gang, and Black Bone Castle—found their confidence shaken when the Blood Unit appeared.

Black Bone Castle, who had a long-standing relationship with the Crimson Dragon Gang through their pirate affiliates, withdrew their bid immediately. They knew better than to compete with their own patrons.

The Blood Unit sent word to the Blue Gate and South Snake Gang, suggesting they depart peacefully. However, these veterans of the slave trade refused to be bullied. They formed a temporary coalition, gathering nearly 150 men between them.

The alliance lasted exactly thirty minutes.

Despite having three times the numbers, they were utterly dismantled. The Blood Unit’s elite guards, who protected Gu Cheon Myeong, didn’t even need the help of their commanders. Each guard was a master in their own right, a walking catastrophe for their opponents.

Once the Blue Gate and South Snake Gang were driven off, the Blood Unit showed a calculated mercy to the remaining minor traders. They offered them compensation to leave quietly, effectively clearing the field.

With the competition cleared and the island under their thumb, Lee Ja Gon officially led the Hongik Group onto the shore to begin the final negotiations.