Chapter 443

Chapter 443 – The Land and Rivers Are Stained with Blood (3)

"Huu!" ​

Bang Jin-bo let out a sigh. ​

Before him stood a pyre built from an enormous quantity of branches, atop which lay the villagers' corpses. Bang Jin-bo and the Namgung brothers had done this. ​

On one side, weeping village women and children gathered. Their faces, having lost all family and relatives overnight, were filled with sorrow. Still, they could take comfort in the fact that the bandits who raided the village were all dead. ​

Dam Ho had been death itself. ​

He'd mercilessly killed even bandits kneeling and begging forgiveness. ​

No mercy, no compassion. ​

Though too cruel a sight, the villagers rather found solace in it. They'd lost everything to the bandits, loved ones and the homes they'd struggled to build. ​

Though Dam Ho was frightening, their gratitude was greater. Without Dam Ho, the women would have been brutally violated then killed. ​

Whoosh! ​

Fierce flames rose from the pyre. ​

The fire consumed not only wood but also the villagers' corpses. Seeing this, women and children collapsed wailing. ​

Bang Jin-bo watching this bowed his head. ​

Somehow he felt unbearably sorry toward them, as if he'd committed a sin. ​

In this chaotic age, even humanity's minimum decency wasn't upheld. In such troubled times, those who learned martial arts should remain vigilant protecting the weak, people like Bang Jin-bo. ​

Bang Jin-bo's gaze suddenly turned toward Dam Ho standing aside. ​

Deep shadows fell on Dam Ho's face watching the flame-engulfed pyre. Especially deep shadows descended on his eyes, making his thoughts unreadable. ​

Today Dam Ho had stained himself with many times more blood than Bang Jin-bo. Bang Jin-bo knew all this was to dilute his guilt. ​

Dam Ho said Bang Jin-bo did nothing wrong. ​

What he did was what any human should do. ​

In such chaos, if the strong don't protect the weak, the world becomes hell. ​

"Huu!" ​

Bang Jin-bo sighed again, but this sigh had different meaning. ​

It was the moment when one walking the martial artist's path as a cook decided by his own will the path forward. ​

The Namgung brothers watching Bang Jin-bo couldn't say anything. ​

Those most shocked by Bang Jin-bo's martial prowess were the Namgung brothers. They never knew such decisive action was hidden in always-kind Bang Jin-bo. ​

Most shocking was Bang Jin-bo's martial prowess. ​

They never knew he could display such prowess with a cooking knife. Though rage had consumed reason, Bang Jin-bo's displayed prowess greatly shocked them. ​

They found reasons to necessarily grow stronger from Bang Jin-bo, and therefore came to like and respect him more. ​

Dam Ho said to Bang Jin-bo. ​

"Let's go." ​

"Yes!" ​

Bang Jin-bo answered without hesitation. ​

Before, he'd have watched the cremation to the end helping with conclusion, but now he couldn't. ​

He couldn't share the sorrow of those left behind. Enduring sorrow was their burden, and Bang Jin-bo had other things to do. ​

That was the fate of those who learned martial arts. ​

Bang Jin-bo finally deeply felt and accepted a martial artist's fate. ​

Dam Ho calmly watched such Bang Jin-bo. He felt Bang Jin-bo's eyes had changed. ​

A cook's purity and a martial artist's resoluteness coexisted in his eyes. Before, quite a gap existed between the two, but now it had narrowed considerably. ​

Dam Ho thought that alone was sufficient. ​

Bang Jin-bo was steadily growing, faster than expected, and in the right direction. ​

Unlike himself who lacked something. ​

Dam Ho mounted Black Ghost and looked at the sky. ​

Clouds flowed rapidly like the era's currents. A chaotic age where one couldn't see even an inch ahead. ​

In such times, there must be a reason why a demon like himself was born. ​

Or he hoped there was. ​

Because then reasons to live would become clearer. ​

***

Runan was a fairly large county located at the border of Henan and Anhui provinces. With nearby Mount Tianzhong and passing official roads, it was a transportation hub where many gathered even normally. ​

Dam Ho's destination was precisely Runan. From Runan taking the official road, Dengfeng County where Shaolin Temple was located was only five days away. But to enter Runan, they had to pass Mount Tianzhong. ​

Mount Tianzhong was called a famous mountain even in Henan Province. Ancient academies existed there, and historic sites were scattered throughout the mountain. ​

Dam Ho, Bang Jin-bo and others were crossing Mount Tianzhong. Though ancient academies and historic sites appeared everywhere, neither gave them a glance. Only the accompanying Namgung brothers occasionally exclaimed admiration. ​

Dam Ho suddenly turned his head to look at Bang Jin-bo riding beside him. Though his youthful face remained, somehow a mature feeling strongly emanated. ​

It felt like he'd become an adult overnight. Dam Ho thought Bang Jin-bo's change was natural. ​

No one remains a youth forever. Whether they like it or not, people become adults through numerous experiences, and once adult, hardened perspectives don't easily change. ​

While still young, experiencing much and establishing proper values was important. Though Dam Ho couldn't know what values Bang Jin-bo would have, he was certainly experiencing growing pains of becoming an adult. ​

Dam Ho turned his gaze from Bang Jin-bo to look ahead. ​

From now on, it was Bang Jin-bo's burden. No room for Dam Ho's involvement existed there, and he didn't think it proper either. ​

Just as Dam Ho had his own path, Bang Jin-bo had his. Further involvement would only harm Bang Jin-bo. ​

Snort! ​

Then suddenly Black Ghost snorted roughly and stopped. Continuously scratching the ground with his forelegs as if sensing strange presence looked unusual. ​

The moment Dam Ho frowned looking ahead. ​

"Krgh! Damn!" ​

Suddenly with rough cursing, someone burst through foliage ahead. A man covered entirely in blood. His clothes were torn like rags, and countless wounds covered his entire body. Though injured enough that ordinary people would have died, the man still moved. ​

The blood-soaked man seemed to sense Dam Ho and others' presence, raising his head while lifting his sword. ​

"Who's there?" ​

"……" ​

"You are?" ​

The man recognized Dam Ho, eyes widening. Relief appeared on his blood-stained face. He ran toward Dam Ho shouting. ​

"D-Dam brother! It's me, Nam Hak! I'm being chased now. Please help!" ​

As if proving his words, over ten martial artists emerged from the foliage he'd burst from. While rushing to chase Nam Hak, they froze upon discovering Dam Ho. ​

"The Fist Demon?" ​

"No way!" ​

Disbelief appeared on their faces. ​

In vast Central Plains, meeting Dam Ho at Mount Tianzhong of all places. Too coincidental to dismiss as mere chance. ​

Nam Hak hurriedly stood beside Dam Ho saying. ​

"They're Heavenly Evil Cult pursuers! I barely escaped while being captured. Please help!" ​

Urgency filled Nam Hak's face. ​

Nam Hak called Heavenly Thunder Martial Guest. A prodigy Kongtong Sect produced and one of the Nine Martial Dragons, requesting help so urgently was impossible. Considering his arrogant temperament. ​

Nam Hak was that seriously wounded. Blood flowing from wounds deep to bone reddened the ground beneath his feet. ​

Dam Ho dismounted from Heuk-gwi and spoke. ​

"Heavenly Evil Cult?" ​

"Right! Must inform the world of their true nature, so take me to the Martial Alliance……" ​

Nam Hak couldn't finish speaking, collapsing unconscious. From serious wounds and excessive blood loss. ​

"Ah!" ​

Bang Jin-bo hastily dismounted and stanched Nam Hak's wounds. ​

Dam Ho briefly watched such Nam Hak then looked at hesitating Heavenly Evil Cult pursuers. Clear bewilderment showed on their faces. ​

They'd pursued Nam Hak but never imagined meeting the Fist Demon here. To complete their mission, they had to overcome the wall called Dam Ho. ​

The pursuers looked at each other's faces. After briefly exchanging glances, their expressions became resolute. ​

"Attack!" ​

They all charged at Dam Ho simultaneously. ​

Swoosh! ​

Air screamed as their swung swords cut through it. ​

As if coordinating long, their combined swordplay was extremely precise. Disregarding defense, throwing whole bodies in one-hit-kill attacks poured toward Dam Ho. ​

Whoosh! ​

That moment, rough airflow swirled around Dam Ho's entire body. Violent Demon Energy activating. ​

In that state, Dam Ho charged toward pursuers. ​

Using charging steps, throwing his whole body. ​

Boom! ​

An explosion erupted. And over ten chunks of meat flew in all directions. Horribly crushed losing original form, they could no longer be called human. ​

That was the pursuers' end. ​

Dam Ho straightened while standing in place. ​

A large crater was hollowed centered on him. Spiral patterns were carved into the ground as if an artisan had carefully sculpted them. ​

The Namgung brothers looked aghast at Dam Ho who'd instantly dispatched pursuers. Though they'd traveled with Dam Ho quite long, they still weren't accustomed to such scenes. ​

Then Bang Jin-bo said to Dam Ho. ​

"The wounds are serious. Moving seems impossible. We should find nearby shelter and treat his wounds briefly." ​

Dam Ho silently nodded. Then Bang Jin-bo carefully carried Nam Hak to a suitable camping spot. ​

After lighting a fire, he removed Nam Hak's upper garment. Then terrible wounds came into view. Wounds deep enough to show bone writhed like worms, crisscrossing chaotically. ​

Bang Jin-bo first took out a Wondrous Healing Pill from his bosom, administered it, then thickly applied golden wound medicine to the wounds. ​

Both the pill and medicine were gifts from Jong Ri-yeon. Befitting the Divine Physician epithet, they demonstrated excellent efficacy. Blood immediately stopped, and color gradually returned to his face. He'd passed the crisis. ​

Bang Jin-bo wiped sweat from his forehead with his sleeve saying. ​

"Fortunately. If wounds were slightly deeper he'd have died, but fortunately all just missed vital points by a hair's breadth. Heaven surely helped." ​

Though he said that, anxiety clearly showed on Bang Jin-bo's face. ​

Nam Hak was a suicide squad member. ​

They already knew the suicide squad failed its mission and the Demon Cult's main force marched toward the Martial Alliance. ​

The suicide squad included Eun So-cheong and many others he knew. Especially Eun So-cheong's safety worried him, but he could remain composed because Cho Yeon-woon accompanied her. He believed Cho Yeon-woon would surely protect Eun So-cheong. But seeing Nam Hak, one of the Nine Martial Dragons, in such miserable state, anxiety suddenly struck. ​

"What on earth happened? Why would someone who participated in the suicide squad raiding the Demon Cult suddenly be chased by the Heavenly Evil Cult?" ​

Bang Jin-bo looked extremely confused. ​

His heart was filled with worry for Eun So-cheong. ​

He wanted to run to where Eun So-cheong was immediately. He wanted to know if she was safe, wanted to check if she was hurt. ​

Then Dam Ho placed his hand on Bang Jin-bo's shoulder. ​

"So-cheong will be safe." ​

"Brother?" ​

"Trust Yeon-woon." ​

He was the only friend Dam Ho trusted. He would protect acquaintances in any situation. Dam Ho believed so. ​