Chapter 384

by Heavenly Cat

Chapter 384 – The Earth Burns and People Shed Tears (3)

The atmosphere had changed.

The mood at Shaolin Temple and the Martial Alliance had urgently changed to a degree that even those who didn't know could feel it. The leadership gathered in the great hall daily for meetings, and the intelligence organization Dark Cloud moved busily.

The instincts of martial artists were truly frightening, as they sensed from minor changes alone that something big was about to happen.

From then on, martial artists shut themselves in training grounds to check their martial arts. Those who became less talkative or extremely devoted only to martial arts gradually increased.

The heated atmosphere due to the suicide squad had cooled. That didn't mean the suicide squad wasn't being organized. The work of organizing the suicide squad below the surface was proceeding.

Though countless people volunteered, who among them had entered the suicide squad was not revealed. Because it was kept thoroughly secret.

Even those who entered the suicide squad never showed it. Information security was vital. Entering the suicide squad was infinite glory, but it was also an important matter that couldn't be openly revealed.

"Whew! It's very tense outside."

Bang Jin-bo shook his head as he entered the guest quarters. His appearance with a kitchen apron around his waist was unmistakably that of a chef.

He was actually on his way out of the kitchen.

Since the day he gained the alias Mount Hua Grand Chef, he had begun frequenting Shaolin Temple's kitchen. Because Shaolin Temple's chefs had requested it.

Buddhist cuisine was new to him, so Bang Jin-bo gladly agreed. He stayed in Shaolin Temple's kitchen cooking with the chefs and sharing knowledge. Thanks to this, the quality of cuisine from Shaolin Temple greatly improved, earning praise from martial artists.

Being in the kitchen, many stories naturally flowed in. Thanks to this, Bang Jin-bo could naturally grasp the currents flowing through Shaolin Temple and the Martial Alliance overall.

Inside the guest quarters, Dam Ho sat alone.

Bang Jin-bo handed something to Dam Ho.

"Hehe! Please eat this."

"What is it?"

"It's xiao long bao. I made it with Shaolin Temple's secret recipe and it's very delicious. It's a flaw that it doesn't contain meat, but it still tastes similar."

"Thank you."

"Hehe!"

Dam Ho received the xiao long bao that Bang Jin-bo offered. The freshly steamed xiao long bao radiated hot steam. Dam Ho bit into the xiao long bao. Then savory broth flowed into his mouth.

As Bang Jin-bo said, even without meat, it tasted like meat.

"It's delicious, right? If I adapt this well, I could serve it for lunch at Mount Hua Sect too."

Seeing Dam Ho eat with relish, Bang Jin-bo chattered excitedly.

Bang Jin-bo was more excited and happy that Dam Ho enjoyed eating his food than being called by the alias Mount Hua Grand Chef.

That's when it happened.

"What's so fun? Mount Hua Grand Chef."

At the suddenly heard voice, Bang Jin-bo scowled deeply.

Because there was only one person who teased him like this.

"Brother Yeon-woon!"

It was precisely Cho Yeon-woon.

He was entering the guest quarters with So-cheon, Hae So-wol, and Cheong-un.

"The smell seems good, don't we get any?"

"No."

"Hey! Don't be like that. Grand Chef, please…"

"Ah, really!"

Bang Jin-bo's eyebrows shot up.

He truly hadn't known that the words he carelessly uttered that day would return as such a disaster. If he had known, he never would have said them. But regret was too late, and Cho Yeon-woon would never stop teasing.

Ignoring Bang Jin-bo's reaction, Cho Yeon-woon said.

"Xiao long bao!"

"Fine. I'll make them for you. Really annoying… tch!"

Bang Jin-bo grumbled as he went outside.

Cho Yeon-woon chuckled and sat in front of Dam Ho. So-cheon, Hae So-wol, Cheong-un and others followed suit.

"The atmosphere isn't good. Traces of the Demon Cult are being discovered throughout Anhui Province."

At Cho Yeon-woon's words, Dam Ho raised his head to look at him.

So-cheon provided supplementary explanation.

"Amitabha! The Namgung Family is clearly the target."

"What's the countermeasure?"

At Dam Ho's question, So-cheon made a troubled expression and looked at Hae So-wol.

"Currently there's no choice…."

"……"

"It's not easy to organize forces immediately, and above all, we can't guarantee being able to send support forces in time."

At Hae So-wol's answer, Dam Ho's eyes sank even deeper.

The Martial Alliance had already lost their headquarters to the Demon Cult and was living off Shaolin Temple. Everything was scattered and not even properly organized. It was natural that such a Martial Alliance couldn't easily send support forces to the Namgung Family. But the Martial Alliance had a trump card.

"What about the suicide squad?"

"That's…"

"Speak!"

"The Martial Alliance's official position is that the suicide squad cannot be dispatched to Anhui Province."

"Then what was the point of recruiting a suicide squad?"

"They seem to be drawing a bigger picture."

Instantly everyone's attention focused on Hae So-wol. Though it could be burdensome, Hae So-wol calmly spoke her thoughts.

"If you think about the first Righteous-Demon Great War, you can guess enough."

"Don't tell me?"

"That's right. The Alliance Leader is definitely planning to use the suicide squad to strike the Demon Cult's headquarters, just like during the first Righteous-Demon Great War."

"Mmm!"

"Amitabha!"

Cheong-un and So-cheon let out groans.

They had already thought it would be so, but hearing it through someone else's mouth gave another shock.

"The Demon Cult's headquarters would be Yueyang?"

"Since the Cult Leader joined, that place can be called the headquarters."

"Mmm!"

"The problem is that the Demon Cult's forces aren't all gathered at headquarters. The Demon Cult's forces are still scattered throughout the world. Just striking headquarters won't solve it."

The Demon Cult forces revealed so far were only the tip of the iceberg. The power of the Demon Cult that had been passed down for hundreds of years was truly frightening.

Hae So-wol took the opportunity to say everything she had been thinking. Having clashed with the Demon Cult multiple times, her thoughts were quite reasonable.

Cho Yeon-woon glanced at Dam Ho.

"So I'm saying…"

"Speak!"

"I'll also participate in the suicide squad. I think I should."

"……"

"Ordinarily I wouldn't want to play along with the games of old men who just use their heads, but too many people have volunteered for the suicide squad."

The playfulness completely disappeared from Cho Yeon-woon's face. He looked at Dam Ho with a serious expression. His eyes shone colder and sharper than ever.

"The matter has become too big to just let pass."

"You don't need to explain to me."

"Huh?"

"Do as your heart tells you."

At Dam Ho's words, not only Cho Yeon-woon but So-cheon and others' pupils shook.

"Is it really okay?"

"It doesn't matter."

"I understand!"

Cho Yeon-woon smiled. He was grateful for Dam Ho who always understood him.

Dam Ho's gaze turned toward Hae So-wol.

"Will you also participate in the suicide squad?"

"I think I should. Heavenly Thunder Martial Guest Nam Hak and Shadowless Divine Dragon Eom Tae-cheon have already decided to participate. Since two of the Nine Martial Dragons are participating, there's no excuse to refuse."

"Amitabha! That's right. In my case, the Abbot commanded me to join."

"I've also decided to participate representing Qingcheng Sect. Since the main sect is sending more people, I think I'll have to wait for them here."

Hae So-wol was participating by her own will, but So-cheon and Cheong-un were cases of having no choice but to participate due to their sects' orders. From the beginning, they hadn't been given a choice.

Whether voluntary or forced, they had decided to participate in the suicide squad. Therefore, they had to remain at Shaolin Temple and the Martial Alliance waiting for orders.

Dam Ho looked at them silently.

He said nothing in particular. They were already nearly complete young martial artists. Giving them presumptuous advice would be tantamount to insult.

That's when it happened.

"Xiao long bao is here."

Bang Jin-bo entered the guest quarters with a loud voice. In his hands was a large tray. The tray was piled high with freshly made xiao long bao.

Delight appeared on Cho Yeon-woon and others' faces.

"As expected of Mount Hua Grand Chef. To make so many in such a short time."

"Hey! If you're going to keep teasing, don't eat."

"How could I not? Hurry and put it down."

"Tch!"

Cho Yeon-woon almost forcibly snatched the tray from Bang Jin-bo's hands. Bang Jin-bo pouted at having his xiao long bao plundered in an instant. But that was only for a moment, soon he took out a small note from his chest and handed it to Dam Ho.

"Oh right! This."

"What is it?"

"I met someone at the entrance who identified himself as from Hao Sect."

"Hao Sect?"

"Yes! He said to definitely deliver this to you."

At Bang Jin-bo's words, Dam Ho hurriedly unfolded and read the note. His expression hardened frighteningly as he read the note. At Dam Ho's appearance, Cho Yeon-woon and others made puzzled expressions.

Dam Ho was someone who never revealed emotions over ordinary matters. For him to reveal his inner thoughts like this was extremely rare.

'What on earth is written there?'

So-cheon was surprised in a different sense.

'Hao Sect? Has Hao Sect planted people even within the Martial Alliance?'

Those entering Shaolin Temple and the Martial Alliance undergo thorough identity verification and inspection. Those with uncertain identities can never enter. Yet Hao Sect had planted people within Shaolin Temple. It meant there were holes in Shaolin Temple's security network.

'I heard Hao Sect's intelligence network was remarkable, but I never thought it would be to this extent.'

So-cheon felt an unknown thrill.

He had spent his entire life only within Shaolin Temple. So he had sometimes thought Shaolin was everything in the world. But the world was wide, and there were many sects besides Shaolin. And among them were many young martial artists who surpassed him.

Dam Ho was a representative example.

'Someday I will surpass him.'

It was when So-cheon was making such a resolution.

Crumple!

Suddenly the note crumpled in Dam Ho's hand. Bang Jin-bo's eyes widened in surprise at Dam Ho's violent reaction.

"Brother?"

"What's wrong?"

Cho Yeon-woon also looked at Dam Ho in surprise.

Instead of answering, Dam Ho asked Bang Jin-bo.

"Where is the person who gave you this note?"

"H-he's waiting outside."

Before Bang Jin-bo could finish speaking, Dam Ho rushed outside. His steps were so fast you couldn't tell he limped with one foot.

As Bang Jin-bo said, a man dressed as a laborer was waiting outside the guest quarters.

"Great Hero Dam!"

"Did you send this note?"

"That's right. I'm Oh Sang-il of Hao Sect."

The man dressed as a laborer revealed his identity. At this, Dam Ho's expression hardened even more.

"Is the information true?"

"That's right. Your sister and her bodyguard are staying at an inn operated by our Hao Sect."

"How did you know she's my sister?"

"We're Hao Sect. We've long known such information. The Vice Leader gave strict instructions that we must not make mistakes."

"Gi Ye-hwa?"

"That's right. Thanks to the Vice Leader, all branches have been on high alert to immediately detect anything related to Great Hero Dam."

Hwang Hye-ryeong had entered the inn with the bloodied Muk Il-gwang yesterday morning. The innkeeper who recognized the two sent a messenger pigeon, and before a day passed, the news reached Oh Sang-il who had secretly infiltrated Shaolin Temple.

"So where is my sister?"

"She was injured but they said she could move to that extent. Rather, the condition of the martial artist guarding your sister is so poor he can't move. We also tried to get both of them out of Anhui Province, but as you know, all roads leading outside are blocked because of the Demon Cult."

"So there's no way?"

"I'm sorry. That's beyond our capabilities. As you know, our Hao Sect's military power is insignificant. Even doing this much was pushing our limits."

The effort Oh Sang-il made to establish a position in Shaolin Temple was beyond description. After several identity changes and disguising as a laborer, he had finally managed to establish a position, but because he delivered news to Dam Ho, he was exposed.

Oh Sang-il was planning to withdraw from Shaolin Temple now. He had paid such a great price.

Dam Ho's eyes sank infinitely deep.

The Martial Alliance had already abandoned Anhui Province.

They would never send forces to Anhui Province. Then there was only one remaining method.

"I will go."

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