Chapter 790: This Would Only Be the Beginning
Lee Ahn was walking along the lakeside together with Ji Han.
Despite the late hour, there were many people around the lakeside.
People who had come out for a stroll around the lake were walking slowly along the shore, and peddlers who had come out to sell their goods were lined up in rows. Merchants selling alcohol, merchants selling snacks, merchants selling fireworks—merchants of every kind were settled there.
Because it was such a peaceful sight, Lee Ahn instead felt even more uneasy.
At that moment, Ji Han spoke to her cautiously.
“It may sound strange, but there’s an ominous smell.”
Ji Han drew in the air deeply through his nose, as if taking a deep breath. He had been focusing on the scent for a while now. His nose was more accurate than his eyes.
“There’s a smell I can’t really explain. There’s also a lot of metallic scent mixed in.”
Lee Ahn looked around. However, there were no strange changes at all in their surroundings.
If danger could not be detected visually, that in itself could mean it was even more dangerous.
“It might just be a feeling.”
“That feeling, I trust it.”
Lee Ahn let out a long whistle. In response, another Tenebrous Ghosts Corps martial artist nearby made a birdcall, which then passed through a song-like sound before turning back into a whistle. It was a prearranged warning to prepare for danger.
From far away, Cha Iran could be seen looking in this direction together with the Third Squad members.
In addition to them, the Tenebrous Ghosts Corps martial artists positioned throughout the area grew tense inwardly at Lee Ahn’s warning.
Then, far out in the middle of the lake, a bright light spread outward.
Golden radiance.
Lee Ahn could tell.
“It’s the Demonic Buddha!”
The light that had been spreading in all directions could be seen converging into a single point. It was the moment when the Demonic Buddha and the Drunken Demon were breaking through the barrier.
However, it was too far from here to see exactly what they were doing.
She could clearly feel that something was happening.
Lee Ahn looked beyond the shining light toward the Ship of Wealth and Honor.
‘Young Cult Leader!’
If the Demonic Buddha had to make his body shine like that, then something must surely have happened inside the Ship of Wealth and Honor.
‘You mustn’t even get a single finger cut!’
She sincerely hoped that Geom Mugeuk would come out safely.
At that very moment.
Her danger instinct stirred.
Without hesitation, Lee Ahn threw herself toward Ji Han.
The two of them rolled across the ground.
Shik shik!
Steel needles flew rapidly through the spot where Lee Ahn and Ji Han had been standing. Judging by their speed and power, they were not hidden weapons thrown by a person.
Piiik.
Lee Ahn sprang to her feet, a whistle already clenched between her lips.
At the moment the sound signaling an emergency rang out.
Their full-scale attack began.
Before she could even confirm who was attacking.
Whoosh.
A bead flew in and burst in front of her.
Bang!
A smokescreen billowed out from the bead.
At the moment, her vision was blocked; an intense killing intent could be felt coming from beyond the smokescreen.
Shikshikshikshikshikshikshikshikshikshik!
From beyond the smokescreen, hidden weapons were fired indiscriminately in this direction.
Clangclangclangclangclangclangclangclang!
Lee Ahn drew her sword and knocked away the incoming hidden weapons. They were already so fast that blocking them was difficult, and now her vision was obscured as well. Normally, she would have had to throw herself aside to evade them.
Or she could have simply leapt up and blocked them from outside the smokescreen.
But if she did that, all the Tenebrous Ghosts Corps martial artists and ordinary civilians behind her would die. The enemy did not care in the least about other people’s lives. No—perhaps they were even exploiting that fact.
When the rising smokescreen settled, a man and a woman who had been strolling behind Lee Ahn were sitting flat on the ground, staring this way with shocked expressions.
They had no idea what had happened and looked completely stunned.
Lee Ahn was no longer where she had been.
“Guhk.”
A sword was embedded in the chest of a man who had been beyond the smokescreen.
Lee Ahn’s wrist, which had struck away the hidden weapons, was still throbbing. And now she understood why the attacks had been so powerful.
Attached to the right arm of the man whose chest had been pierced was a cylindrical steel hidden-weapon launcher. At a glance, it was a hidden weapon with terrifying power.
The man died with eyes full of disbelief. At such close range, he had thought it would be impossible to block them even without the smokescreen, yet Lee Ahn had deflected every single hidden weapon even within the smokescreen.
‘To block Death-Striking Pellets inside a smokescreen?’
Though he did not know it, Lee Ahn had not only deflected the hidden weapons flying toward her but also all those headed elsewhere.
This was the level of skill she possessed—someone who had already perfected the Soaring Sword Art yet continued to train relentlessly.
“Be careful!”
As Ji Han shouted, another man from the opposite side was aiming a hidden weapon at Lee Ahn.
Just before the Death-Striking Pellet he was about to fire was released.
Shiiiik.
Slash.
The man’s neck was cut first, and he collapsed while spraying blood. Cha Iran was standing behind him.
At Lee Ahn’s grateful glance, Cha Iran nodded.
Cha Iran recognized what this hidden weapon was at a single glance.
“They’re Death-Striking Pellets. Despite being easy to carry and use, they’re hidden weapons with dreadful power.”
As an assassin, she possessed extensive knowledge when it came to hidden weapons.
“They’re hidden weapons of the Divine Mechanism Iron Gate.”
The Divine Mechanism Iron Gate.
More than fifty years ago, there had been a sect famous for mechanical devices and hidden weapons.
The hidden weapons and mechanisms they created were so outstanding that there was no one in the martial world who did not know of them. The Martial Alliance had even purchased the mechanisms they made and installed them within the Martial Alliance.
Then one day, an incident occurred in which they were suddenly exterminated to the last.
The Martial Alliance launched a large-scale investigation, but in the end, they could not find out for what reason, or by whose hand it had happened.
“So the forces behind this wiped out the Divine Mechanism Iron Gate and stole their technology.”
At Lee Ahn’s words, Cha Iran nodded.
“That seems to be the case.”
Worry flickered across Cha Iran’s face.
“If they’re really making use of the Divine Mechanism Iron Gate, then the Death-Striking Pellets are only the beginning.”
* * *
The Demonic Army was waiting with their carriages hidden in a nearby forest.
Jangho had carried out countless operations until now, but he had never been as tense as he was today.
That was likely because the Young Cult Leader was with them, and because Lee Ahn and several Demon Supremes were also participating in the operation.
At that moment, the sound of a whistle came from outside the forest.
Piiik.
At the whistle signaling an emergency, the Demonic Army reacted immediately.
“Move out at once.”
At Jangho’s order, the Demonic Army members who had been waiting dashed forward all at once.
The one at the head was Jangho.
Just as he was about to exit the forest, Jangho felt an inexplicable sense of unease.
“Stop!”
When Jangho stopped, the Demonic Army members following him all halted at once.
Soon, Jangho realized the source of that unpleasant sense of unease.
The peddlers’ carts that had been selling goods at the entrance had turned to face them. If they were selling, it would be natural for them to face toward the lake, where there were more people.
In the instant when tension and silence flowed.
Something rose up from the carts. It rose so naturally and without a sound that no sense of incongruity could be felt at all.
What thrust up into the center was a steel pillar. Atop it, a large iron cylinder was aimed in their direction. Dozens of holes pierced into that cylinder!
The other carts beside it were the same.
From all four carriages, launcher-type hidden weapons revealed themselves at once.
“Evade!”
The moment Jangho’s shout rang out!
Shukshukshukshukshukshukshukshukshukshukshukshukshukshuk!
Hidden weapons were fired simultaneously from every cart.
Those who fired the hidden weapons were not martial artists. To avoid exposing their disguise, they had used subordinates of the Dark Palace who possessed not even a shred of internal energy, and those men had trained their cover by acting as real peddlers for quite a long time.
Compared to the portable Death-Striking Pellets used earlier, the speed and power were on an entirely different level.
Clangclangclangclangclangclangclangclang!
Jangho retreated while knocking away the hidden weapons with his sword. Even though he had poured internal energy fully into the blade, his wrist felt as if it were about to snap.
Fortunately, because Jangho had noticed quickly and responded, the Demonic Army members behind him were able to hide their bodies behind the trees.
Jangho did not simply take the beating.
Shiiiik.
While retreating, Jangho sent out a streak of fierce sword energy.
Kaaang!
However, in front of the enemy who was firing the hidden weapons, an iron plate that could not be cut by sword energy was already protecting them. Unless he sent the sword energy precisely through the small hole through which the enemy was looking outside, there was no way to kill them.
However, with hidden weapons pouring down like rain, it was impossible to send sword energy with that level of precision.
Among the Demonic Army, a subordinate well-versed in hidden weapons and mechanical formations realized what was being fired from the carts.
“It’s the Divine Mechanism Iron Gate’s Gale Wind Rapid-Fire Cannon!”
Jangho’s expression hardened. He did not know much about the Divine Mechanism Iron Gate, but there was one thing he knew for certain.
Their outstanding technology was still spoken of to this day.
Meanwhile, a new cart arrived at the scene. It was a cart twice the size of the others. It was the large cart that had been selling noodles up ahead. The old man controlling that cart was also a subordinate of the Dark Palace who had not learned martial arts.
The hidden weapon loaded onto that cart was far larger than the previous ones.
“It’s the Heavenly Bow Thunder Annihilation Cannon!”
The urgency in the subordinate’s voice made it clear.
Puaaang!
The speed was slow, but a steel bolt of incomparably greater size and destructive power than before was fired.
Boom! Kwa-jik!
Under the tremendous force that came flying in, the tree they had been hiding behind was shattered.
“Back! Fall back!”
Once again, Jangho and the Demonic Army retreated.
Puaang! Kwaaaang!
The ground flipped over and fragments flew, but they backed away steadily and calmly. From long experience, they knew that losing their composure in such a situation meant death.
When this was happening at the front, the Demonic Army members stationed at the rear mounted the carriages. It was not to move the carriages, nor was it to evade the attack.
Click.
When the Demonic Army member who boarded first operated a mechanism inside the carriage.
Clank, clank, clank, clank.
Lines formed along the carriage walls as metallic sounds rang out.
The Demonic Army members inside the carriage pulled on handles attached all over the walls.
Click, click, click, click.
The carriage walls separated into multiple sections.
Astonishingly, the separated pieces were enormous shields.
They had been designed so that they could be used as carriage walls in ordinary times, then deployed like this as shields in emergencies.
The letters and images painted on the outer walls of the carriages had likewise been drawn so that, when transformed into shields, they formed distinct shapes.
The Demonic Army’s tactical shields for use in emergency combat.
As the upright carriage walls were completely dismantled, the Demonic Army rushed out carrying the shields. Each massive shield was large enough for two big men to stand side by side behind it.
The enemy’s weapons could not fire continuously without end. They had to reload the hidden weapons in rotation.
At the moment when the Heavenly Bow Thunder Annihilation Cannon—the one exerting the most devastating power—paused briefly to reload its steel bolts.
“Now!”
At Jangho’s command, the Demonic Army from the rear charged forward with their shields held out front.
Their first target was the Heavenly Bow Thunder Annihilation Cannon, which could not be blocked even by shields.
The Gale Wind Rapid-Fire Cannons poured fire to protect it.
Bangbangbangbangbangbangbangbang!
The raining hidden weapons hammered against the shields. However, the two Demonic Army soldiers pushed forward while drawing their internal energy to the extreme. Other Demonic Army soldiers sprinted closely behind them. More than ten men clung to a single shield.
The shields were not made of ordinary metal. They were the pinnacle of Iron Workshop craftsmanship, specially produced for the Demonic Army.
The farther they pushed, the more the overwhelming power made the shield-bearing soldiers at the front stagger. Other Demonic Army soldiers behind them switched places and continued to drive forward.
The faces of those firing the hidden weapons filled with confusion—they had never imagined that the Demonic Army would use shields. Moreover, they were advancing with brute force.
“Hurry! Swap out!”
The Heavenly Bow Thunder Annihilation Cannon was reloaded.
Puuuuwoong! Kwaaang!
As the Heavenly Bow Thunder Annihilation Cannon struck the leading shield, the Demonic Army soldiers could not withstand the force and were pushed backward. The two Demonic Army soldiers holding the shield vomited blood violently.
The Demonic Army soldiers behind them took over the shield, while the wounded were moved to the rear.
The Demonic Army’s shields did not break, and their fighting spirit could not be stopped.
Before the second shot could be fired, Jangho leaped over the shield and surged into the air.
The Gale Wind Rapid-Fire Cannons capable of rapid fire all turned toward Jangho and aimed at the sky, and even the Heavenly Bow Thunder Annihilation Cannon instinctively turned toward him.
Shukshukshukshukshukshukshuk!
Jangho swung his sword in midair, deflecting the incoming attacks. Blocking them in midair was twice as difficult and a life-risking act, but Jangho bravely became the bait. Fortunately, despite its power, the Heavenly Bow Thunder Annihilation Cannon was slow enough to evade.
And the Demonic Army did not miss that moment. The shields opened, and the Demonic Army soldiers charged out from within.
Swaeaeaeaeak.
Those massive bodies surged forward at a truly insane speed. By the time the stunned attackers aimed at them again, the Demonic Army had already arrived.
Kwaang!
The Demonic Army slammed their bodies straight into the carts.
Jangho also plunged straight down from midair, thrusting his sword through the hole in the iron plate.
Puuuk!
The man behind it collapsed as his face was pierced through.
A cart that had not yet been attacked turned its direction toward them.
But a shield-bearing Demonic Army soldier who arrived right after charged straight in.
Bang.
The cart shattered and flipped over. At the moment the man who had been firing hidden weapons from the cart sprang up, a massive shield smashed into him.
Pu-eok!
His entire body shattered as he rolled across the ground. The last thing he saw was the large characters ‘Demonic Army’ painted on the shield.
Like a raging storm sweeping through, the Demonic Army swept over the area. It was just as they were catching their breath.
Thung, thung, thung, thung thung.
From afar, it sounded as though something was being fired in succession.
Something flew in, tracing parabolic arcs toward where the Demonic Army stood. Dozens of iron spheres, each about the size of an adult’s fist, came flying in.
Jangho shouted.
“Deploy the Turtle Shell Iron Wall Formation!”
The next moment, the shield-bearing Demonic Army soldiers gathered at once around Jangho.
Clackclackclackclackclackclackclackclackclack!
As if forming a turtle’s shell, the shields sealed off all directions, even the ceiling.
Bang! Kwaang! Bang! Bangbangbang!
The iron spheres exploded in midair.
Pakpakpakpakpakpakpakpakpakpakpak!
What burst outward in all directions at terrifying speed were hundreds of steel pellets.
The steel pellets that flew in with tremendous force hammered against the shields. Because the pellets were so small yet flew in with such power, blocking them without shields would have been extremely difficult. Moreover, the steel pellets kept coming.
The Demonic Army poured internal energy into the shields to block them. The shields vibrated as if they were about to shatter at any moment.
Bang! Bang! Kwaang! Kwaang!
Jangho, too, was injecting internal energy into the shield forming the ceiling together with the Demonic Army.
He had truly never imagined that enemies armed with the Divine Mechanism Iron Gate’s hidden weapons and mechanisms would be waiting here.
A single thought made Jangho’s heart grow anxious.
‘What if this attack were unleashed on the Tenebrous Ghosts Corps?’
Even for the Demonic Army, who possessed tactical shields, this was not an easy attack to withstand. The Tenebrous Ghosts Corps would suffer enormous casualties.
Given Lee Ahn’s personality, she would do anything to protect her subordinates. Even Lee Ahn herself could be placed in a dangerous situation. That could not be allowed. If Lee Ahn were to die or even be injured, how could he face the Young Cult Leader in the future?
“We protect the Tenebrous Ghosts Corps. Charge as we are!”
Maintaining the Turtle Shell Iron Wall Formation, the Demonic Army endured the explosions and began to move rapidly forward.
They were the strongest and fastest turtle in the world.