The Martial Genius Who Remembers Everything Novel - Chapter 83

Chapter 83
## Chapter 83. Those Who Chase the Dragon (4)

I inhaled deeply and let loose a roaring battle cry.

“Haat!”

With a resounding pop like bursting air, the oppressive murderous aura suffocating my companions was instantly blown away.

Jong Seo-gang’s brow twisted into a deep grimace, replacing the smug grin he had been using to intimidate us.

“You expect everything? Absolutely not. By what right does a robber act as though he is merely reclaiming his own property? Do you have a death wish?”

The scowling Jong Seo-gang suddenly roared with laughter.

“Hah!”

Then, as if caught off guard by his own outburst, he clamped a hand over his mouth.

“Forgive me. I simply have never heard anything so preposterous.”

Jong Seo-gang grinned craftily.

“It matters little to me if you choose to throw your own life away, but how do you intend to answer if your martial juniors are placed in mortal peril due to your arrogance?”

“They are far too resilient for you to waste your concern on.”

Jong Seo-gang tilted his head slightly.

“Word was that a dragon had ascended from a minor stream in Anhui Province, but it appears he was nothing more than a reckless Lesser Dragon.”

“The reason a man is recognized as a dragon is because he perceives what common men remain blind to.”

“……”

For the very first time, the smug confidence drained from Jong Seo-gang’s face, leaving it rigid. The same shift occurred among the men flanking him like personal guards.

“Hoo……. Truly, nothing ever proceeds smoothly.”

Jong Seo-gang gave a slow shake of his head, his gaze locking onto mine with sudden, venomous intensity.

“Consider this your final notice. Hand over the tokens, or embrace your demise. Select one.”

“……”

While listening to Jong Seo-gang’s drivel, my Sensory Perception was operating at full capacity, mapping out the immediate terrain.

‘One hundred and fifty? Or perhaps two hundred?’

The headcount of individuals forming a distant perimeter through the woods was, by my current estimation, somewhere between one hundred and fifty and two hundred.

Extrapolating from historical precedents, the actual number enclosing this zone was likely closer to five hundred.

‘The Young Gang Chief of the Blue Saber Gang hasn’t even shown his face yet.’

Furthermore, throughout our dialogue, my attention kept drifting back to the prominent scar slicing across the eyes of the warrior stationed to Jong Seo-gang’s right.

‘Merciless Yellow Sword Gam Cheol-jin.’

A formidable expert who, in days to come, would gain notoriety as a mercenary drifter after the Yellow Sword Sect faced annihilation and left him to navigate the murim alone.

‘Have they actually deployed hidden operatives?’

As the old murim adage goes, those who understand the necessity of concealing thirty percent of their true capability maintain clandestine units hidden from the Murim Alliance.

The Shadow Palace Unit of Namgung Clan operated on this principle, and the Iron Sword Sect’s Black Sword Unit possessed an identical function.

These covert martial artists, raised in total isolation and shielded from public view within the murim, were deployed like secret trump cards in events precisely like this cursed Hell Regular Exam.

To a degree, I grasped their reasoning.

Failing to secure enrollment in the Murim Academy meant a martial artist could never rise above the rank of Deputy Pavilion Master within the Murim Alliance.

A warrior’s entire destiny was decided at the Murim Academy.

‘If I commanded hidden operatives, I would certainly deploy them too.’

Regardless, few things are more exasperating than being forced to play fair while your adversary utilizes covert reserves.

“What is your decision?”

Naturally, that didn’t mean I intended to capitulate.

“I am not in the habit of repeating myself. My answer is no.”

Jong Seo-gang chuckled softly, completely assured of his inevitable triumph.

“You have invited your own doom.”

Shrrrng.

Prompted by Jong Seo-gang’s declaration, Gam Cheol-jin and the surrounding guards bared their blades.

I shifted into an offensive stance, projecting an unmistakable intent to decapitate Jong Seo-gang in a single motion.

In response, Gam Cheol-jin directed his hostile focus toward Dong-ryong instead.

‘Does he possess absolute faith in Jong Seo-gang’s personal combat skills? Or is another undercover master concealed among these guards?’

An immediate clash would yield casualties on both sides, but the losses on our end would be devastatingly severe.

The Geum, Eun, and Dong brothers had already assumed their Sword Formation and stood prepared for violence, but their experience was vastly inadequate for confronting an expert of Gam Cheol-jin’s caliber.

Right then, Jong Seo-gang held back his men.

“Easy now, easy. Lower your tempers. Did I not specify that I wished to negotiate?”

As though anticipating that I would strike him directly, Jong Seo-gang demonstrated no desire to initiate an immediate bloodbath.

“Sheathe your weapons.”

Obeying Jong Seo-gang’s command, Gam Cheol-jin and the remaining sentries returned their swords to their scabbards.

“A cornered predator is inherently more volatile.”

Uttering words that suggested he held all the cards, Jong Seo-gang pivoted away.

“Haa.”

Geum-pyo exhaled a heavy breath, letting his posture relax. Eun-ho inquired with evident anxiety,

“Senior Brother, do you think they are truly retreating?”

“No. The individuals concealed within the timber have not abandoned their marks.”

“Do not fret. We have stood against nearly a thousand foes before, have we not?”

Hearing Geum-pyo’s remark, Eun-ho could only look at him with a mix of pity and exasperation.

“……”

“What is it?”

While the Twin Curtain Stronghold had boasted overwhelming numbers, it was impossible to equate undisciplined bandits lacking any cohesive martial system to the prestigious organizations that formed the One Hundred Eight Peaks.

Furthermore, with the locations of their hidden experts completely unknown, a direct confrontation carried an immense risk of getting my martial juniors killed.

“First, we alter our position—”

Just as I prepared to lead the way out, I caught Dong-ryong’s expression and paused.

“Are you struggling?”

“……What do you mean?”

Dong-ryong’s eyes had flushed a vivid crimson. He seemed entirely oblivious to his own condition, offering his brothers a bewildered look when they stared.

The direct exposure to Gam Cheol-jin’s murderous intent had inadvertently triggered his latent Killing Star Nature once more.

“Of all the moments for this to happen…….”

“N-no! I can handle it!”

I retrieved the Demon-Purging Spirit Beads from my pack and draped them over his neck.

“Senior Brother…… I am fine…… wait.”

Almost instantly, the unnatural red hue faded from his eyes, returning to normal.

“Senior Brother, what is this item…….?”

“Do not slacken your dedication to the Taeul True Scripture. Relying on sacred artifacts always carries a hidden price.”

“Understood.”

“Let us move.”

The moment we abandoned our ground, the surrounding woodland began to rustle violently.

The air was completely still, yet the branches clashed against each other with distinct force.

“……Senior Brother, what are we up against in terms of numbers?”

“Is it not preferable to remain in ignorance?”

“……Ugh. I suppose you are right. But why did they refrain from striking us immediately?”

“They either wish to minimize their own casualties, or they are keeping tabs on one another to ensure someone else takes the initial risk. It is one of those two options.”

“What?”

“They comprise a coalition of seven distinct sects.”

“……Senior Brother.”

Eun-ho suddenly called out to me, his tone incredibly grave.

“Speak.”

“If a situation arises where our survival demands that you leave me behind, please do so without a second thought.”

“……”

Before I could formulate a response to such an absurd statement, Eun-ho pressed on.

“Give me your word. Swear that you will not compromise your entry into the Murim Academy for my sake.”

He had clearly been deeply affected by the mocking words Jong Seo-gang had leveled at us earlier.

Before I could tell him to dismiss those thoughts, Geum-pyo chimed in.

“Senior Brother, my sentiments mirror his. If a moment arrives where I become a liability, abandon me instantly.”

Then Dong-ryong, whose senses had fully cleared, joined the chorus.

“Senior Brother, count me in as well!”

“What foolishness are you spouting, Lee Dong-ryong! As the youngest, your absolute priority is making it back alive!”

“You are the firstborn son of our lineage, Brother! If anyone needs to survive to manage the mill, it is you!”

The trio argued fiercely, each vehemently claiming the right to act as the sacrificial lamb.

“What do you think you are doing?”

“……Well.”

“Who taught you boys to disregard your own lives so cheaply? Even if I managed to enter the Murim Academy by stepping over your corpses, do you truly believe I could study there with a clear conscience?”

My greatest, most agonizing regret from my previous existence was being the sole survivor, leaving behind my senior brothers, junior brothers, and martial uncles.

In this life, I was sprinting forward with a willingness to face death precisely to ensure that history would never repeat itself.

“B-but, protecting one’s brothers at the cost of one’s life is only natural…… Eldest Senior Brother, you were the one who told us…….”

Why did these boys consistently attribute philosophies to me that I had absolutely no recollection of uttering?

“Hear me well. Do not die. Do not even contemplate it. If any of you attempts to play the martyr or throw his life away for my sake, I will personally escort that individual back to our domain and demand that the Sect Leader cast him out!”

“……!”

“Why is there silence?”

“Y-your orders are received!”

“Your orders are received!”

“Your orders are received!”

“……”

Where had this sudden, overly formal obedience come from?

Watching these kids grow stranger by the day left me entirely at a loss for words.

Given that our pursuers were tracking our every move, attempting to lose them on obscure mountain trails was entirely futile.

We redirected our course, descending straight onto the primary thoroughfare, and accelerated our pace.

“Senior Brother, shouldn’t we increase our speed?”

When maintaining the Moving Circulation, one’s maximum velocity during Movement Art is naturally curtailed.

Likely rattled by the looming presence of unseen adversaries, Geum-pyo and Eun-ho seemed desperate to put immediate distance between us and our trackers.

“Regardless of how fast we run, we cannot outrun this perimeter.”

Once an encirclement is established, the moment we attempt a violent breakthrough, the surrounding forces will converge upon us simultaneously.

Given that this tactic is modeled after how men hunt apex predators like tigers, it was evident that the strategy employed by the Yellow Sword Sect and the Blue Saber Gang was designed to yield maximum results with minimal exposure to danger.

“What is the plan then?”

“If we cannot outrun them, we turn them to our advantage.”

“Pardon?”

Skirting past Deqing, we neared the intersection dividing Mount Makgan and Huzhou.

“Senior Brother.”

Eun-ho glanced back over his shoulder.

At the far edge of the main road, Jong Seo-gang and his retinue from earlier were tracking us without any attempt at stealth, flanked by martial artists in matching yellow attire who had deployed in a synchronized vanguard.

“Senior Brother! Look to the treeline!”

Emerging from the elevated slopes we had just bypassed, figures clad in deep-blue martial uniforms were gradually narrowing the gap. These were members of the Southern Fragrance Sect out of Zhejiang Province.

Oddly enough, the disciples of the Blue Saber Gang remained completely absent from the field.

“Senior Brother, straight ahead.”

The mystery solved itself the instant we reached the crossroads of Mount Makgan and Huzhou.

Jang Sun-won, the Young Gang Chief of the Blue Saber Gang, stood directly across the path leading to Huzhou, flanked by his personal elite.

“They are deliberately funneling us toward the high ground.”

“Because orchestrating a cull is far simpler in dense terrain than within an urban center.”

“Their coordination is flawless.”

“……We ascend the mountain.”

“What? Are you serious? Fleeing into high ground while being hunted is an amateur mistake. Even a toddler understands that.”

“I am well aware.”

I immediately pivoted, heading away from the corridor Jang Sun-won was obstructing.

Mount Makgan was a rugged, largely unnoted peak within Zhejiang Province.

It lacked valuable forage or exotic flora, and its timber was of poor quality, causing the local populace to largely ignore it.

‘Which is precisely why they designated this territory as their killing field.’

Yet, this very mountain would capture the focus of the entire region in just a few short years due to a specific event.

My objective from the start was to trigger that event ahead of schedule.

Glancing back, I noted the martial artists of the Yellow Sword Sect executing a sweeping pincer movement around Mount Makgan.

“Accelerate.”

As we reached the midway point of the incline, a clearing emerged that allowed transit across the ridge toward the opposite face.

“Senior Brother, there are squads resembling the Blue Saber Gang blocking the reverse slope.”

The exit strategies on the far side of Mount Makgan were already compromised by the Blue Saber Gang.

“We are completely cornered.”

Geum-pyo’s tone turned hollow.

Right then, Eun-ho snapped in irritation, his voice laced with stress.

“Hold your tongue! Eldest Senior Brother obviously has a strategy, otherwise we wouldn’t be here!”

“……Hold my tongue? You arrogant brat! Is that how you address your elder brother?”

“Damn it! What do you expect me to say?!”

As Eun-ho spat out the profanity, Geum-pyo gripped his sword hilt tightly, looking as though he might strike his brother down right then and there.

Only Dong-ryong remained utterly bewildered by the sudden hostility.

“Brothers, what has gotten into you both?”

“You shut your mouth as well! This mess is entirely your fault!”

At Geum-pyo’s fierce reprimand, tears threatened to spill from Dong-ryong’s eyes.

The identical trio who, moments prior, were ready to lay down their lives for one another were now snarling like mortal enemies.

I instantly disengaged my Moving Circulation and extended my Sensory Perception outward.

‘Just as I suspected.’

An oppressive, malicious aura began pricking at every inch of my skin.

This wasn’t a focused intent projected by an individual, but rather an environmental malice that had saturated the atmosphere, assaulting the minds of anyone within it.

When subjected to this type of spiritual pressure, humans naturally succumb to terror, and to mask that terror, they project hostility onto those nearest to them.

“Silence!”

The moment I channeled the Lion’s Roar, the three brothers, who looked on the verge of drawing blood, locked up instantly.

“Re-establish your Moving Circulation.”

Because we had pushed our pace upon entering the high ground, their internal cycles had faltered, allowing the ambient hostility to corrupt their rational minds.

Case in point, Dong-ryong had maintained the same speed, but the presence of the Demon-Purging Spirit Beads had insulated him from the corrupting rage.

Even as the words left my mouth, Geum-pyo and Eun-ho, who had been wearing masks of pure vitriol, felt their expressions gradually soften back to normal.

“Huh?”

“What in the world just happened to us…….”

“Senior Brother, have we inadvertently stepped into a grand tactical Formation?”

Could this truly be classified under standard Formations? If one were to categorize it, it represented the most sadistic tactical array humans could ever deploy against their fellow men.

“It shares characteristics, but it is unique. Surely you have heard tales of it…….”

A stratagem deployed almost exclusively by the Unorthodox Path and Demonic Cult to neutralize grandmasters of the righteous order.

“It is the Heavenly Net and Earthly Snare.”