Chapter 420

Chapter 420 – Receiving Guests with Utmost Sincerity (2)

"Hmm!"

Cho Yeon-woon casually glanced at the pavilion.

It was the pavilion where the suicide squad's leadership, including Jang Jin-myeong, had gathered. Everyone was assembled there except for Snow Mountain Blade Guest Lee Seol-hwi.

Cho Yeon-woon deployed the Thousand Li Ground Listening Technique, trying to eavesdrop on the conversation inside. However, an energy barrier had been spread around the pavilion, blocking sound waves from escaping. Because of this, he couldn't learn anything about what conversation was taking place inside.

'Is there a secret so important they need to deploy an energy barrier?'

Everyone gathered at Silver Treasure Escort Agency had volunteered for the suicide squad anyway. He couldn't help but wonder what secret needed to be kept even from martial artists recruited for the same purpose.

That's when it happened.

"What are you doing here?"

A clear, melodious voice reached him.

When Cho Yeon-woon turned his head, he saw a woman wearing purple cotton clothes. The woman with hair elegantly arranged in three tiers and crescent-shaped eyebrows that were particularly beautiful was precisely Hae So-wol.

Cho Yeon-woon smiled awkwardly.

"Just…"

"It's blocked by an energy barrier, so it won't work."

"……"

"I tried too."

"Damn it!"

At Hae So-wol's words, Cho Yeon-woon couldn't help but blurt out his inner thoughts. Hae So-wol muttered while looking at the pavilion.

"I don't know what secrets they have so many of."

The distance from Shaolin Temple to this place was over a thousand li. Normally, riding horses, it would be sufficient to arrive in about ten days, but because they moved secretly, it inevitably took twice that time.

No matter how unfamiliar they were with each other, if they moved together for over twenty days, they couldn't help but grow attached and open up to conversation.

Indeed, Hae So-wol had grown quite close to So Bo-won. She was able to hear in detail about how So Bo-won participated in the suicide squad during the first Righteous-Demon War and what fierce battles she fought.

Her conversations were greatly helpful to Hae So-wol. So Bo-won particularly cherished Hae So-wol as a fellow woman and gave her many teachings. But the more she conversed with her, the more Hae So-wol felt an unknowable wall.

Invisible but definitely existing, that wall higher and more treacherous than Mount Tai.

So Bo-won was definitely hiding something. The problem was that she couldn't even guess what it was. Therefore, she too, like Cho Yeon-woon, had tried to secretly eavesdrop on the conversation inside the pavilion. Of course, her attempt was blocked by the energy barrier and came to nothing.

"What on earth are they hiding? Hero Cho, don't you have some idea?"

"I'm not certain yet."

When Cho Yeon-woon hesitated, Hae So-wol stepped closer.

"Hero Cho!"

"……"

"I think we're trustworthy companions. Don't you think so, Hero Cho? Please tell me the secret. We're in the same boat."

"Sigh!"

At Hae So-wol's words, Cho Yeon-woon quietly let out a sigh. Then Hae So-wol took another step closer.

"I already suspected that Great Hero Dam and Hero Cho know secrets you can't tell others. And that they're very dangerous. So I've been pretending not to know, but I think it's time we should know too. What do you think?"

Hae So-wol's eyes were clear and deep. The moment he saw such eyes, Cho Yeon-woon realized he could no longer hide about the Heavenly Evil Cult.

"Sigh!"

"I'll definitely keep the secret."

"Actually…"

Finally, Cho Yeon-woon told her the truth he knew. That besides the Demon Cult, the Heavenly Evil Cult existed, and that their true purpose was unknowable.

Hae So-wol calmly listened to all that story. Even until Cho Yeon-woon's story was completely finished, she didn't blink once.

"Heavenly Evil Cult…"

Truth was like an awl hidden behind thin cloth. Though thoroughly concealed, with just a little force it would pierce the cloth and reveal its substance.

Hae So-wol recalled memories from three years ago. When she came into the martial world to meet Eun So-cheong, she had been attacked by unidentified assassins.

That incident became the catalyst for the Martial Alliance's creation. At the time, she simply thought she had been ambushed by the Demon Cult, but looking back now, there were many strange things.

The most puzzling thing was that the Demon Cult had no reason to specifically target Hae So-wol. Though Hae So-wol was one of the Nine Martial Dragons, she wasn't someone with enough presence to influence the martial world's general situation.

There was no reason for the Demon Cult to specifically target such a Hae So-wol and make the martial world alert.

'So the Heavenly Evil Cult used me to cause the Martial Alliance's creation?'

Finally all doubts were resolved. But her expression wasn't very comfortable.

'A third force instigating conflict between the Martial Alliance and Demon Cult from the shadows. Who would believe such a fact if told?'

Finally Hae So-wol quietly let out a sigh.

Only then could she understand how much Cho Yeon-woon must have worried.

"Thank you. For telling me the truth."

"Rather, I'm sorry for telling you late. As you know, it's not something I can discuss carelessly."

"I understand."

Hae So-wol nodded while looking at the pavilion.

"So some of them might be people related to the Heavenly Evil Cult."

"Maybe all of them."

"Sigh!"

Hae So-wol finally let out a frightening sigh.

The truth was so heavy and scary it was hard to breathe.

"Does Great Hero Dam also know this fact?"

"Of course. He's the one who told me this fact."

"Mm!"

"He's been fighting them for a long time already."

"Great Hero Dam was carrying too big a burden alone. Then Hero Cho's change of heart and joining must also be because of the Heavenly Evil Cult."

"Well, something like that."

"Thank you. That's all I can say."

At Hae So-wol's words, Cho Yeon-woon showed an embarrassed expression. But that was only momentary, as he soon looked at the pavilion. The tightly closed door was opening and they were coming out.

Led by Jang Jin-myeong, So Bo-won, Gu Ui-jin and others came out in a line. Their complexions were somehow stiff. But seeing Cho Yeon-woon and Hae So-wol, they showed natural expressions as if nothing had happened.

"What conversation were you having here?"

"Just discussing various things."

"Is that so?"

At Cho Yeon-woon's calm answer, Jang Jin-myeong quietly nodded. But Jang Jin-myeong's eyes were gleaming sharper than ever.

Despite the blade-like gaze that seemed to see through one's inner thoughts, Cho Yeon-woon's expression didn't change at all. The same was true for Hae So-wol.

After briefly examining them, Jang Jin-myeong soon smiled.

"Seeing you get along well makes me feel good too. You are the hope and last bastion of the martial world, aren't you?"

"Your words alone are gratifying enough."

"Not just words. I really think so."

Jang Jin-myeong said this without blinking an eye.

Cho Yeon-woon couldn't help but inwardly admire such behavior from Jang Jin-myeong. Throughout the journey here, Jang Jin-myeong had never shown Cho Yeon-woon any weakness.

The opponent was a seasoned fox. Nothing was more dangerous than carelessly revealing emotions before a veteran who had experienced everything. Therefore, Cho Yeon-woon also had to constantly strive not to reveal his inner thoughts.

While such an untimely war of nerves was taking place:

"Brother."

Eun So-cheong suddenly called Cho Yeon-woon while running toward the guest reception hall.

Everyone's gazes naturally turned toward Eun So-cheong.

Eun So-cheong looked very urgent.

"What's wrong?"

"From Divine Flower Merchant Group…"

"Divine Flower Merchant Group?"

"Yes! A delivery request came from Miss Won Seol-hwa of Divine Flower Merchant Group."

"What does that mean?"

"They're asking us to deliver the rock salt we brought this time to the Demon Cult on their behalf."

At Eun So-cheong's words, Jang Jin-myeong, So Bo-won and others looked at each other's faces. The rock salt that Silver Treasure Escort Agency's merchant group had brought was entirely a camouflage item to hide the existence of Jang Jin-myeong and others. Therefore, they hadn't thought about having to deliver it somewhere.

When they met Won Seol-hwa last time, rock salt came up in passing conversation, but they never expected Won Seol-hwa to ask them to deliver it to the Demon Cult on behalf.

"Is that kind of thing common normally?"

"Absolutely not. A massive merchant group like Divine Flower Merchant Group would never ask a lesser merchant group to make deliveries on their behalf. Of course, the current situation is particularly exceptional."

"Exceptional?"

"Yes! Since the fact that Divine Flower Merchant Group is the Demon Cult's outer court was revealed, their trade outside Demon Cult-controlled areas has been blocked. Naturally, obtaining salt has become difficult too."

"Hmm!"

Cho Yeon-woon's gaze darkened. Because he smelled something suspicious.

That's when it happened.

"Asking us to deliver rock salt? Then isn't this a golden opportunity for us to enter the Demon Cult without any inspection?"

The owner of the voice was precisely Jang Jin-myeong.

Among the previous suicide squad martial artists, he was the eldest and possessed tremendous martial power, so he was naturally playing the role of the group's leader.

The gazes of Cho Yeon-woon, Hae So-wol and others turned toward Jang Jin-myeong.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Exactly as you heard. If we disguise ourselves as Silver Treasure Escort Agency's merchant group, won't we be able to enter the Demon Cult without bloodshed? Then achieving our purpose would become much easier."

"It might be a trap."

At Eun So-cheong's words, Jang Jin-myeong glared at her.

"Why do you think so?"

A chill could be felt in his voice. For Eun So-cheong, who hadn't learned martial arts, it was hard to endure.

Naturally her face turned pale.

"Th-that's…"

At that moment, Cho Yeon-woon naturally stepped between Jang Jin-myeong and Eun So-cheong. Then the pressure and chill directed at Eun So-cheong were blocked.

Eun So-cheong slightly bowed her head to express gratitude to Cho Yeon-woon, then continued speaking.

"Miss Won of Divine Flower Merchant Group is absolutely not someone who gives her own benefits to others. No matter how urgent the situation."

"But didn't you just say with your own mouth? That trade elsewhere is blocked and they're struggling to obtain salt."

"Of course that's true, but…"

"Salt is an absolutely necessary item for daily life. If it's missing even for a day, big problems arise. What food doesn't contain salt? So for them, it's like fire falling on their feet, isn't it?"

Jang Jin-myeong's voice naturally rose.

He was called the Thousand Man Great Enemy Sword. When such a fearsome martial artist capable of facing a thousand alone raised his voice, naturally others had no choice but to hold their breath.

Even fellow previous suicide squad martial artists.

Silence came to the hall.

"Of course I don't not understand your concerns. You might worry it's the enemy's trap. But life doesn't always have flower paths spread before it. Sometimes we must choose thorny paths knowing they're dangerous. Of course, we'll pay considerable sacrifices in the process. But if it's for establishing martial world justice, where could there be more glorious sacrifice? It was the same decades ago. Everyone said it was dangerous and tried to dissuade us. But under Death God's guidance, the suicide squad ambushed the Demon Cult's main base and ultimately achieved victory."

Jang Jin-myeong's voice even contained a trace of madness.

Cho Yeon-woon's gaze slightly changed.

'Dangerous!'

That type of madness would sweep not only oneself but surrounding people into violent emotional torrents, making rational thinking impossible.

Moreover, if it was madness displayed by an absolute master like Jang Jin-myeong, it would make even martial arts masters unable to resist.

Indeed, not only Hae So-wol, evaluated as the best among rising masters, but even previous generation masters like So Bo-won and Gu Ui-jin were being influenced by Jang Jin-myeong's madness.

Only Cho Yeon-woon and Eun So-cheong under his protection were free from his madness.

"There's no glory without sacrifice. If you volunteered for the suicide squad, you'd know that fact better. You didn't come here to live anyway, right? If we can grasp a chance for reversal through the suicide squad's sacrifice, there's no greater glory. Isn't that right? This is a golden opportunity. If we miss it this time, when will such an opportunity come again?"

"……"

When Jang Jin-myeong's words ended, suffocating silence came. No one dared answer carelessly.

Even Cho Yeon-woon couldn't refute Jang Jin-myeong's words. If he argued with Jang Jin-myeong at this moment, it would be tantamount to asking for a fight.

Throughout the journey here, Jang Jin-myeong had always shown only a courteous demeanor. But that was merely a thoroughly calculated appearance.

"Assemble the suicide squad. We absolutely must not miss this opportunity."

Jang Jin-myeong drove home his point. ​