The Demonic Supreme Sword Novel - Chapter 93

Chapter 93
Sima Geon returned to the residence. He was carrying more than just the rescued Hahu Gok; a second man, a motionless operative from the Dark Shadow named Piao Ying, hung from his grip.

Inside, Cheol Woo finished a cycle of internal energy cultivation and slowly opened his eyes.

“Are you holding up?” Sima Geon inquired, his voice laced with concern.

Cheol Woo looked slightly improved compared to the desperate moment they had departed to save Hahu Gok, though his face remained dangerously pale.

“Not really. This toxin is more virulent than I anticipated. It’s going to be a long struggle. I’m not going to drop dead this second, though, so don’t fret. Who’s the tag-along?”

Sima Geon dropped the captive on the floor.

“Caught him lurking in the shadows, so I snatched him up. We need to figure out who he belongs to.”

“He has the look of a scavenger. More importantly, how’s the old man? He looks like he’s at death’s door.”

“It’s a grim situation.”

“If he’s that far gone, why bring him here instead of the Clear Heart Clinic?”

“Too many enemies might still be out there,” Sima Geon answered shortly. He shifted his attention to Hahu Yeon, who approached them with a strained expression after tending to the unconscious Noe Jeon.

“Can you still move?”

“I’m getting by, one way or another.”

“What about Noe Jeon?”

“He’s in a bad state, but he’s stable.”

“That is some good news. Where is Gwa Yu?”

“In his quarters. Yong Jung has been wounded.”

“Yong Jung as well?”

“Yes. But my Grandfather…” Hahu Yeon’s eyes had been glued to Hahu Gok in Sima Geon’s arms since they arrived. “The flesh wounds are one thing, but his internal meridians are wrecked. He needs medicine to stabilize his qi. We have raw materials here, but they aren’t ready for use. Do you have any elixirs on hand?”

“I’ll get them immediately.”

Hahu Yeon suppressed her own pain and sprinted into the building. Her own injuries were significant, but they paled in comparison to the precarious state of her grandfather’s life.

“Are you certain you’re alright? You look like a ghost,” Sima Geon said, frowning down at Noe Jeon, who was splayed out like a corpse.

“He’s just taking a forced nap. He’ll pull through,” Cheol Woo replied with a dry rasp, looking over at Hahu Gok. “So he really held his own against those two relics, Face Killer and One Sword Transcends Life?”

“He did. He fought until he had nothing left. If we had arrived a moment later, we’d be mourning him.”

“His growth is startling. I wouldn’t be confident facing those two as a duo myself. If the elder hadn’t blocked them, we’d all be finished.”

“True enough. Now, let’s see to our own—”

Sima Geon’s words were cut short by a panicked shout from within the house.

“Yong Jung!”

“Stay with us!”

Sima Geon sprinted toward the voices of his siblings and kicked the door wide. Inside, Sima Hyeon was cradling a blood-drenched Yong Jung, while Gwa Yu stood nearby, looking lost.

“What’s the status?” Sima Geon demanded, looking at Gwa Yu.

Hahu Yeon had mentioned an injury, but he hadn’t expected a slaughterhouse scene.

“He took a hit meant for us. An assassin tried to force his way in, and Yong Jung stood in the gap,” Sima Hyeon explained, his voice breaking.

Sima Geon noticed the enemy’s body slumped near the entrance.

“Yong Jung kept him occupied long enough for me to slit the wretch’s throat. But the blade… it went through his heart and his lung…” Gwa Yu trailed off, his voice heavy with the failure of his medical skills.

Sima Geon set Hahu Gok down gently and placed a hand on Gwa Yu’s head. He then moved to Yong Jung, whose breathing was coming in shallow, ragged hitches.

“B-Brother…” Yong Jung managed a pained, thin smile upon seeing Sima Geon.

“Is the pain bad?”

“I think… I’m done for.”

With every gasp, blood welled up from his chest, bypassing Sima Hyeon’s attempts to stop the flow. Sima Geon took the dying man’s hand; the pulse was a mere flutter.

“Thank you. And I am truly sorry,” Sima Geon said, his voice trembling.

“Don’t be… Is Lady Sima… alright?”

“Yes. She is unharmed.”

“That’s… a relief.” Yong Jung’s smile grew peaceful.

Cheol Woo stumbled into the room, leaning against the frame. Seeing Yong Jung’s state, his mouth twisted.

“You moron! You think this is funny? This is why you shouldn’t have gotten involved with people like us.”

“Heh… heh… I guess so.”

Cheol Woo sat heavily on the floor next to him.

“You look… like hell… yourself, big brother.”

“I’m not dying, which is more than I can say for you.”

A lump formed in Cheol Woo’s throat. He swallowed hard to keep his composure and squeezed Yong Jung’s hand.

“Is there anything you want? A final request? I’ll make it happen.”

“Hah… nothing… hah!”

Yong Jung’s eyes were starting to drift. Communication was becoming an immense labor.

“Speak to me! Anything!” Cheol Woo shouted, desperate to keep him present.

“Then… just once… look out… for me.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I have a feeling… regardless of what happens… you brothers… will eventually fight… the Silver Fox Clan.”

It was Sima Geon who spoke up, answering for them both. “Understood. No matter the circumstances, I will show them mercy once, for your sake.”

“I appreciate that… and that man… Zuo Gong… he owes us… from that time… in the outskirts…”

“I know. I won’t forget about Zuo Gong.”

A ghostly smile touched Yong Jung’s mouth as his eyelids fluttered shut.

“Tha… nk… you…”

The final words were so quiet they were almost lost to the air. Then, he went still.

Sima Hyeon and Sima Ho, realizing the end had come, broke into open weeping. Gwa Yu slumped to the floor, silent tears tracking through the dust on his face.

“Dammit!”

Cheol Woo struck the floor with his fist and stood up abruptly. He swayed, his balance failing, but Sima Geon caught his arm.

“Take it easy. You’re too weak for this.”

“I’m fine.”

Cheol Woo took one final look at Yong Jung’s peaceful face before walking out into the yard. Noe Jeon was still out cold in the corner, and Hahu Yeon was running back toward them with the medical supplies.

Cheol Woo gazed up at the stars and let out a long, heavy breath.

“Damn! Why is the sky so disgustingly bright tonight?”

—

The Dominion Hall served as the heart of the Heavenly Demon Cult, the place where every major decree was issued.

Following Gwan Woong’s safe return from his campaign in the South, the highest-ranking officials had convened for the first time.

*Thump!*

Gwan Woong slammed a mangled report onto the table with violence. The leaders in the hall immediately sensed his murderous irritation and went silent. At a sharp look from Gwan Woong, Strategist Hyeong Mu Gang stood up, his face etched with gravity.

“News has reached us from the So Heung outpost.”

The mention of that location caused a ripple of tension. Everyone present knew exactly how much was riding on that mission.

“What is the status?” the North Heaven Sword Demon asked. He kept his tone measured, wary of Gwan Woong’s obvious rage.

“To be blunt: the mission was a catastrophe.”

Murmurs of shock and frustration filled the hall.

“Everyone was lost?” asked a red-haired veteran, Supreme Elder Blood Light Martial Emperor. His hair seemed to glow with a literal heat, and his presence felt like an encroaching fire.

“Yes. Aside from a single agent from the Dark Shadow who managed to dispatch a messenger bird, there were no survivors.”

“Incredible! We know the Divine Demon Division Leader and Diamond Yaksha are skilled, but to lose everyone…” Blood Light Martial Emperor shook his head, baffled.

“The numbers were lower than the initial draft, but with the support of the Red Dragon Merchant House, the odds were in our favor. That wasn’t just my opinion; the strategist agreed. How did it fail so spectacularly?” the North Heaven Sword Demon demanded of Hyeong Mu Gang.

“There were three primary failures.”

“Three?”

“Indeed.”

“Explain them.”

“First, the element of surprise was lost. They were spotted before they could launch the strike. It appears the Supreme Elder of the Beggar Clan was in the area.”

“A Beggar Clan Supreme Elder? Are you referring to that lunatic, Mad Beggar Zhu Yu Geol Goe?”

“I am.”

“What a stroke of misfortune. To run into him of all people…” The North Heaven Sword Demon clicked his teeth in annoyance.

“Second, the Divine Demon Division Leader and Diamond Yaksha were not alone.”

“There were others? Our reconnaissance mentioned no one else. Who were they? How many did it take to tip the scales?”

“The numbers were small. However, one of them was the legendary Sword Ghost.”

“The Sword Ghost? You mean the one from the Hahu Clan?”

“The very same.”

“Ridiculous! One old man from the Hahu Clan couldn’t possibly—”

Hyeong Mu Gang interrupted him. “He successfully held off a simultaneous attack from Elder One Sword Transcends Life and Protector Face Killer by himself.”

“That’s impossible!” The North Heaven Sword Demon sat back, stunned. The rest of the room shared his shock. Face Killer was dangerous, but One Sword Transcends Life was a pillar of the Cult’s strength. Aside from Gwan Woong and the two Supreme Elders present, few could claim to survive an encounter with both at once.

“And they couldn’t kill him?”

“They did, eventually. The Sword Ghost is likely dead. Or he would be, if the Divine Demon Division Leader hadn’t interfered.”

“I see.” A cold, vengeful light sparked in the North Heaven Sword Demon’s eyes, fueled by the memory of his own loss to Sima Geon.

“The third reason is that we miscalculated the strength of our targets—specifically the Division Leader.”

Blood Light Martial Emperor glanced at the North Heaven Sword Demon and gave a taunting smirk. “I think we are all well aware of his strength by now.”

“No. According to the report, the Division Leader engaged the Red Dragon specialists by himself. He slaughtered them all and didn’t take a single wound.”

“Those men were led by Gu Seong Ryang, weren’t they? I could have done the same,” Blood Light Martial Emperor boasted. No one disputed him; his reputation was ironclad.

“In the process of saving the Sword Ghost, the Division Leader killed Protector Face Killer in a single move. Elder One Sword Transcends Life lasted only two.”

The room went deathly quiet. Shock was visible even in Blood Light Martial Emperor’s eyes. Even if they were tired from fighting the Sword Ghost, such a feat was beyond belief.

“Even without the interference of the Sword Ghost, the mission was doomed,” Gwan Woong spoke for the first time, his voice cutting through the silence.

“It’s hard to say for certain. If the Flying Sky Light Demon had been able to pivot from the Diamond Yaksha to help the others against the Division Leader, the outcome might have changed,” Hyeong Mu Gang mused.

“Your expression tells a different story. You think it would have ended the same way,” Gwan Woong noted.

Hyeong Mu Gang hesitated, looking at the faces of the leaders before speaking. “Honestly, yes. Our data on the Diamond Yaksha is sufficient, but we have failed to grasp the true ceiling of the Division Leader. I suspect even all three of them together would have failed.”

“I concur.” Gwan Woong smiled thinly, looking at the bruised egos of the North Heaven Sword Demon and Blood Light Martial Emperor. The failed expedition was a setback, but seeing his generals humbled was a useful side effect. “For the time being, we should distance ourselves.”

Blood Light Martial Emperor shook his head. “We can’t. The Heavenly Demon Pill is the priority. We have to get it back.”

“I agree. Retrieve the pill. I’ll take the lead myself,” the North Heaven Sword Demon added, his voice rising.

“Send me.”

“They are a cancer to the Cult. Cut them out now.”

The room erupted in a chorus of aggressive suggestions. Gwan Woong raised a hand, and the room went silent instantly.

“I am well aware of the value of the Heavenly Demon Pill. No one wants it back more than I do. However, after this disaster and the loss of so many experts, a second immediate strike is reckless. We aren’t abandoning the goal, merely putting it on hold. We must focus our resources on the Great Plan that is approaching.”

The mention of the “Great Plan” chilled the air in the room. Gwan Woong looked satisfied. He turned to Hyeong Mu Gang.

“The Hahu Clan has crossed us once too often. We now have every reason to strike them openly. To begin…”

Hyeong Mu Gang stood to present the strategy, a confident, knowing smile on his face.