Chapter 397

Chapter 397 – The Age of Blood Chaos Begins (1)

Thud thud!

Cho Yeon-woon tapped his prosthetic leg with the back of his hand. A clear metallic sound rang out.

At first he couldn't get used to it at all due to the foreign sensation, but now he had grown so attached to it that he could tell its condition just by the sound.

Cho Yeon-woon moved his prosthetic leg this way and that, checking its condition until the very end.

"It's fine!"

He stood up. Then his pant leg that had been rolled up to his calf naturally fell down and covered the prosthetic leg.

Until Cho Yeon-woon revealed it himself, no one would notice that he was wearing a prosthetic leg.

He suddenly looked around.

The spacious guest hall was completely empty. Ever since Dam Ho had left, the guest hall had always been empty like this. The only one who resided here was Cho Yeon-woon alone.

Only So-cheon, Cheong-un, Hae So-wol and others occasionally visited, and no one from outside came to this place. Thanks to this, Cho Yeon-woon was spending days that were more than peaceful, almost boring. But he never showed impatience and treasured this current moment.

"'If you can enter its fence, wander within it, but do not be moved by fame.' I guess I fit that description perfectly."

It was a famous saying from Zhuangzi's Inner Chapters.

Though he always kept it in his heart, it was difficult to actually practice.

Martial artists were instinctively destined to pursue strength. After spending a lifetime of effort to gain the strength they desired, the next thing they turned their eyes to was fame.

Epithets like Nine Martial Dragons or Four Death Stars also arose from this desire for fame.

Cho Yeon-woon had once been obsessed with such things too. Though he wandered the world as if satisfied with the epithet Drunken Cloud Dragon, or as if detached, jealousy toward the Nine Martial Dragons had always been hidden in his heart.

The knot in his heart was somewhat resolved after defeating Nam Hak, the Thunder Martial Guest who was one of the Nine Martial Dragons.

When he surpassed Nam Hak, Cho Yeon-woon was finally able to escape somewhat from the desire for fame that had bound him so tediously, and during the three years spent at Lesser Mount Hua, he cast it off completely.

He only cared about bringing down the Demon Cult and no longer obsessed over his own reputation. That's why he stayed in the guest hall cultivating only his martial arts without deeply associating with other martial artists.

If it were before, such behavior would have seemed stifling, but now he rather felt free.

Cho Yeon-woon scratched his head vigorously and muttered.

"Goodness! Worldly affairs are truly unknowable. To think I'd become like this."

He suddenly looked up at the sky.

With Dam Ho and Bang Jin-bo not by his side, loneliness suddenly washed over him.

'Master!'

So he missed his master Jang Il-san. And the fellow disciples who had followed him like an enemy too.

Cho Yeon-woon was blankly looking up at the sky for a while when it happened.

"Amitabha!"

So-cheon entered the guest hall.

Cho Yeon-woon awakened from his reverie and looked at him.

"So-cheon!"

"What thoughts are you thinking so deeply about?"

"It's nothing."

Cho Yeon-woon smiled.

The two had become quite close over the past few days. Thanks to that, they now spoke casually.

"More importantly, what's the matter?"

"A mobilization order has been issued to the Suicide Squad."

At So-cheon's words, Cho Yeon-woon's expression hardened.

"Really?"

"That's right! The others have already gathered. Hurry and go."

Cho Yeon-woon took a deep breath.

'Is it finally beginning?'

He followed So-cheon toward the training ground in front of the Great Buddha Hall.

The training ground was cut off from the outside by high walls. Young martial artists had gathered there.

The gazes of the young martial artists, all with hardened expressions, were completely focused on the platform. Because of this, no one paid attention to So-cheon and Cho Yeon-woon.

On the platform stood previous generation martial artists including Yu Seong-wol and Jang Jin-myeong. They were exchanging whispered words with serious expressions.

Through their expressions, one could guess that the situation was not ordinary. Perhaps because of this, though countless people had gathered, not one person spoke carelessly.

"Great Hero Cho!"

"Have you come?"

Hae So-wol, Cheong-un and others gathered around Cho Yeon-woon. Their expressions were equally serious as the others.

Cho Yeon-woon asked.

"What's the matter?"

"We don't know either. There's been no particular word yet."

At Cheong-un's answer, Cho Yeon-woon frowned. It was the same for others too.

Then people began to stir.

"It's the Abbot."

"The Alliance Leader is coming out too."

As they said, Gwang-cheon, the Abbot of Shaolin, and Nam Cheon-san, the Leader of the Martial Alliance, were entering the training ground shoulder to shoulder. They hurriedly climbed onto the platform.

Nam Cheon-san, having asked permission from Gwang-cheon, drew up his internal power and spoke.

"The reason we've gathered all of you here today is because the situation is developing more urgently than expected. The Demon Cult is staining Anhui Province with blood. Already countless sects are said to have suffered sect annihilation at the hands of the Demon Cult."

"How can this be!"

"What was the Namgung Family doing while things reached such a state?"

The young martial artists who had been maintaining silence until now cried out in shock and denounced the Namgung Family.

"The Namgung Family probably doesn't have the capacity to care for them either."

"Hmm!"

"That's true…"

At Nam Cheon-san's continued explanation, many heroes agreed.

"In any case, a clash between the Demon Cult and Namgung Family is unavoidable. Then we must make the most of this opportunity. Just as happened during the First Righteous-Demon Great War, this time too the Suicide Squad must save the martial world. Only you can end the crisis of the martial world."

The young martial artists clenched their fists. Because they instinctively sensed what Nam Cheon-san would say next.

Nam Cheon-san paused for a moment and looked around at the young martial artists. Making eye contact with each one, he stopped at Cho Yeon-woon. Then he spoke.

"Since much of their power has gone to Anhui Province, their main base of Yueyang must have weakened defenses now. We must never miss this opportunity. The martial world desperately needs your help."

"……"

"Suicide Squad… advance. The seniors will lead you. Break the Demon Cult's spirit and let all under heaven know that the martial world's righteousness is not yet dead. You are the martial world's last hope."

"WAAHHH!"

The moment Nam Cheon-san finished speaking, thunder-like cheers erupted.

"Let's defeat the Demon Cult."

"Let's show the Suicide Squad's might."

"Send the Demon Cult members to hell…"

Cho Yeon-woon intuitively realized that collective madness had manifested. Nam Cheon-san's speech had stirred the heroic spirit latent in the young martial artists' hearts.

Cho Yeon-woon listened to Nam Cheon-san's words to the end with a frown. To summarize his words, while the Suicide Squad launched a surprise attack on the Demon Cult's main base to deal damage, the Martial Alliance would thoroughly reorganize and launch a major counterattack.

Nam Cheon-san used every flowery phrase to completely captivate the young martial artists' souls. And the young martial artists were cheering just for the reason that they could stand at the forefront of the glorious position of implementing martial world justice.

"Whew!"

In the midst of collective madness, Cho Yeon-woon quietly sighed.

He suddenly missed Dam Ho and Bang Jin-bo.

***

Mount Huang was wrapped in silence.

There were more dead than survivors, and the beautiful spots of Mount Huang everywhere were dyed red with blood.

The Green Forest martial artists wept endlessly at the deaths of comrades who had been like blood brothers. What saddened them most was the death of Hwang Gyeong-mun, the Grand Leader of Green Forest.

Hwang Gyeong-mun had been the spiritual pillar and refuge for tens of thousands of Green Forest bandits. It was because of him that Green Forest had been able to endure until now. His death brought a sense of loss beyond imagination.

"Sob! Grand Leader."

"Waaaah!"

The Green Forest bandits stopped collecting their comrades' corpses and sat down in place, wailing loudly. The crying spread like a plague to all the Green Forest bandits in an instant and echoed throughout Mount Huang.

Hwang Hye-ryeong too, Muk Il-gwang too, Bang Jin-bo too.

Everyone except Dam Ho was crying.

Thus sorrow was consuming Mount Huang.

Then Dam Ho moved.

He first collected Hwang Gyeong-mun's corpse. He moved Hwang Gyeong-mun's body to the top of a large peak overlooking all of Mount Huang. Then he shouldered the corpse of a nearby Green Forest martial artist and moved to Hwang Gyeong-mun's side. He laid the corpse beside Hwang Gyeong-mun.

Watching Dam Ho's actions, the Green Forest bandits wiped their tears and collected their comrades' corpses to move them beside Hwang Gyeong-mun.

"Sob!"

The tears didn't stop easily. Still, they forced themselves to hold back tears and moved their comrades' bodies.

"Big brother!"

Hwang Hye-ryeong approached Dam Ho's side. Her eyes were red and swollen from crying so much.

Dam Ho said to her.

"Go gather wood."

"What? But…"

Hwang Hye-ryeong hesitated momentarily, understanding the meaning contained in Dam Ho's words. Dam Ho intended to cremate all of them.

If cremated, everything would return to ash. The traces that they had lived, what remained – everything would return to complete nothingness.

She was afraid that the traces of Hwang Gyeong-mun, who had cherished her like his own daughter, would disappear like that. While Hwang Hye-ryeong hesitated, Muk Il-gwang stepped forward.

"I'll do it."

It was something someone had to do anyway. Though emotionally difficult, they had to accept reality.

Muk Il-gwang moved his large body to go cut wood.

After hesitating briefly, Hwang Hye-ryeong looked at Hwang Gyeong-mun's corpse then hurriedly followed Muk Il-gwang.

Dam Ho silently watched Hwang Hye-ryeong's retreating figure.

He could have comforted her as much as he wanted. But doing so wouldn't make her sorrow disappear. Rather, having her focus on something else was the best way to forget the sadness, even briefly.

Now Dam Ho didn't need to transport corpses. Other people were bringing the bodies on their own.

Moving the corpse of a comrade they had been laughing and chatting with until just half a day ago left great wounds on their spirits. Still, they forced themselves to endure and continued moving the bodies.

Dam Ho sat beside Hwang Gyeong-mun.

The day was hot so decomposition had already begun and the stench was terrible. Still, Dam Ho didn't frown even once and kept vigil beside Hwang Gyeong-mun.

Suddenly Dam Ho spoke.

"Thank you!"

It was words of gratitude to Hwang Gyeong-mun who had been his sister's reliable protector throughout his life. It was the greatest tribute Dam Ho could offer.

All the corpses were collected around sunset. In the meantime, Muk Il-gwang had cut wood like a mountain.

They made a platform with the wood and laid the corpses neatly on top. Thus a huge altar was created.

Dam Ho held a torch.

The flickering firelight created deep shadows on people's faces. Everyone's gaze focused on Dam Ho. Everyone thought he would light the fire. But Dam Ho held out the torch to Hwang Hye-ryeong.

"You light it."

"What? But…"

"You are the daughter of the man who was Green Forest's sky. You're the only one who can give him the proper respect befitting his death."

"I… understand."

Hwang Hye-ryeong took the torch from Dam Ho with a hardened expression. Her face was pitifully pale and haggard. But no one offered her words of comfort.

Even Muk Il-gwang, who had always been her reliable ally, only watched her silently.

Hwang Hye-ryeong slowly approached the altar holding the torch. She took in the faces of the countless people lying on the altar one by one.

"I'll never forget. Never until I die…"

Hwang Hye-ryeong's voice scattered on the wind. She hoped her voice would reach heaven.

Finally her gaze stopped at Hwang Gyeong-mun's corpse.

She silently looked at Hwang Gyeong-mun's face.

Like a revolving lantern, countless thoughts flashed through her mind.

Why were there so many memories coming back? Why hadn't she been a little kinder then? Why were there so many regrets?

Tears flowed down like a waterfall so she couldn't see ahead. But she never let go of the torch in her hand.

"Farewell! Father."

Hwang Hye-ryeong finally said goodbye.

The torch caught fire on the altar. The fire instantly spread throughout the entire altar and soon grew tremendously large.

Whoosh!

Firelight shot up to the sky on the peak that had been shrouded in darkness, and everyone's faces were dyed red.

Hwang Hye-ryeong sincerely prayed that these flames would carry away everyone's sorrow far away.

The bright red flames engulfing Hwang Gyeong-mun filled Dam Ho's retinas.

"I won't make you wait too long."