Chapter 54: Escape (3)

Tatatk.

With faces covered with masks, we were moving to the southwest. The Six Blood Valley was in a mountain range surrounded by peaks.

This meant there were many mountain paths spread out in many directions, but some of them were safe to move on. The path we were taking now was something prepared over a long period of time.

Since the path was steep and difficult to see, it could be described as the safest way out.

-But wasn’t the leader the one in the most danger?

‘It has to be dangerous.’

It had to be the most dangerous because the powder was sprayed over the body. In order to divert the attention of the enemies, Gu Sang-woong made a leader who was skilled with stealth pour the powder over him.

-A death mission.

Right.

If the person wasn’t lucky, then it would be death for him. In the end, it was a mission that required sacrifice. By now, he has to be luring the enemies into a dangerous place. And if they find out...

-He commits suicide?

Even if he doesn’t want to, he will have to do it. It would be better than torture from the enemies.

-I am afraid that this happens everywhere.

‘Well.’

Even if it wasn’t Blood Sect, any sect would sacrifice someone in this situation. Better to give one up to save many.

It might be cruel, but this was Murim.

-Well, I hope he doesn’t get caught.

Their mission should be going well since there have been no problems till now. Because Baek Ryeon-ha was moving with us, and there was no blockage on the other path. We had Gu Sang-woong with us, and he was a commander of the Six Blood Valley, so he had better knowledge of this place.

Gu Sang-woong moved ahead of us and most of the sides were being guarded by Jang Mun-wong. In the middle of the procession were two more leaders of the Six Blood Valley including Hae Ack-chun, and the twins escorting Baek Ryeon-ha.

-What was she eating again?

‘Who?’

-Baek Ryeon-ha.

As she asked, I looked toward the woman who was lifting her mask to eat beef jerky secretly.

She seemed to have lost weight, but her craving for food hadn’t died. For her to eat like this in such a situation, her condition mustn’t have been cured.

At that time, perhaps conscious of me seeing her, she lowered her mask and hid her jerky.

I already saw it. Why bother hiding it now? Wait, did you start eating again?

-She secretly munches whenever she has time.

I narrowed my eyes. How many bags of jerky did she have?

“I want to eat it too.”

“Don’t look at her idiot.”

Seems like I wasn’t the only one who noticed it. When Song Woo-hyun asked, Song Jwa-baek quietly scolded him in a whisper.

After discovering who Baek Ryeon-ha was, he was being more cautious.

“...”

Perhaps because of all this, Baek Ryeon-ha took out 3 pieces of jerky and without a word handed it to the twins and me.

Did this mean take one and shut your mouths?

‘Hmm.’

But I wasn’t really hungry. But the taste felt good against the mouth.

“Eat quietly. You people.”

Hae Ack-chun who was ahead of him looked back with an annoyed voice. And Baek Ryeon-ha apologized,

“I am sorry, Uncle Hae.”

“...”

From then on, Hae Ack-chun said nothing.

We had been going down the mountain quickly for about half an hour.

-...

Sounds rang in my ear. I frowned and looked for its origin point.

Almost the same, no, faster than me, Hae Ack-chun looked in the same direction, and he hurried to the front.

Pat!

Soon, Gu Sang-woong, who stood ahead, raised his hand to stop us.

“What...uh!”

-Please don’t kill my owner. If he dies, I will be abandoned.

That was bad. I felt bad for him.

‘Then tell me about your owner’s identity and where his colleagues are hiding.’

-Ah, no. I cannot cheat!

He refused, as if he knew where I was going with this. Even if the swords could be communicated with, I couldn’t subdue their ego. Basically, each sword serves its own owner.

-Are you from the Blood Sect?

Rather he was questioning my identity.

-He said that all the members of the Blood Sect have to be killed for the sake of peace in Kangho as they are cruel ones.

With these words, I could roughly guess their identities.

Seeing their cause, they had to be from orthodox sects.

‘Really? Then I cannot do much.’

I lifted him up and aimed at the neck of the fallen man.

-Yah, that is too cruel.

Short Sword, who didn’t speak till now, said, from their standpoint, this was like them stabbing their owner to death. I thought it would work.

-No! I will tell you! Pl-Please don’t do that!

The sword stepped back.

Seeing that he was openly ready, he must really not want to kill his owner. And he gave me all the information he knew.

-As I said it all, you will save my owner’s life, right?

He asked, and I put him down.

-Thank you. You seem to be a good person of the Blood Sect.

‘I will not touch the neck.’

-What?

Saying that I stabbed the guy in the heart with Iron Sword. The swordsman’s body was wriggling, then turned stiff.

-Yah! You fucking human trash! How...

The sword cursed at me.

‘Sorry. The only consideration I can give you is not to let us kill him.’

But the sword continued to curse. Well, it couldn’t help it.

I used it and killed its owner. After all, its owner was here to kill me, and I doubt he would have shown me mercy.

-Still, you could be considerate.

Short Sword said with a bitter voice.

I wasn’t doing this because I wanted to either. As I was feeling bad, Hae Ack-chun came over.

“I told you to end this quickly. What are you doing?”

Looking around, everyone seemed dead. All of them seemed weaker than I thought, so they were dealt with quickly.

“Seeing how you hesitate to kill, you have a long way to go,”

Ahh.

I guess talking to the sword got misunderstood like that.

“Ugh!”

I heard a small groan and looked at Gu Sang-woong bending over someone. Hae Ack-chun clicked his tongue.

“Tch. A fail?”

Gu Sang-woong nodded his head.

“He bit his tongue.”

Hearing what he said, he too aimed to know their identity, but the result was unsuccessful. Hae Ack-chun shook his head in disappointment.

“Nothing can be done. Let’s hide the bodies and cover them behind the bushes and head back”

“Alright’

It was time for everyone to dispose of these corpses. I said to Hae Ack-chun,

“I figured it out.”

“What?”

“These people are warriors of the Tianjin clan and Haeyeon Sect.”

‘...!!’

At that, everyone, including Hae Ack-chun stopped and looked at me with shocked eyes.