Chapter 62: The Heavenly Death Star Of Chilgok County (5)

Chapter 62: The Heavenly Death Star Of Chilgok County (5)

First strike, certain victory.

In the world of the underworld, this phrase was considered an iron law of victory.

Most back alley thugs were not experts from the Nine Sects and One Union or the martial arts families but merely second or third-rate warriors who had come together, so their skills were limited.

For these thugs, when a fight broke out, the easiest way to win was to draw their sword first and incapacitate the opponent with one blow, or to ambush them unexpectedly from behind.

Of course, there were certainly those against whom drawing your sword first wouldnt work. In those cases, you had no choice but to grovel and beg for mercy in the most cowardly manner.

But what if it seemed like the expert might draw their sword even if you begged?

Charge at them!

It all came back to the principle of first strike, certain victory.

At the command of the Cheongsapa gang leader, the warriors began to rush towards the Heavenly Death Star, closing in on her from all sides.

Just one stab was enough.

She might seem strong, but after all, she was just a woman. Among the thirty or so encroaching swords, if even one pierced her body, there would be no need to watch any further. The rushing thugs all shared this thought.

The dozens of swords converging around the Heavenly Death Star resembled iron flower petals, blades ready to cut down the stamen that was the Heavenly Death Star.

Success.

As they saw the swords stabbing from all directions, the thugs sensed victory. But before the blades could reach her, she disappeared.

Where did she go?

Up?

Theres nothing there!

They were certain they were stabbing at a single person, but she had vanished. If she had jumped, she should be in the air, yet even those who looked up couldnt spot her.

Argh!

Down! Damn!

One warrior looked down. The woman, momentarily obscured by the swords, was now in plain sight.

She was lying low, barely touching the ground with one ankle, deftly dodging the swords.

She rotated her weapon around her ankle like the hands of a clock, and as she had declared, she began to reap the ankles of her foes.

Argh!

Ahhhh!

My ankle!

The Cheongsapa warriors, taken by surprise, hastily retreated to avoid having their ankles sliced, but more than half were already writhing on the ground, clutching their wounds.

For an opening assault, the number of casualties was alarmingly high.

Form the Hapgakjin! Spread out the Hapgakjin!

An officer among the Cheongsapa ranks yelled.

Hapgakjina tactic designed for a weaker majority to overcome a powerful minority.

Upon hearing the command, a handful of the Cheongsapa warriors who possessed some martial arts skills quickly gathered to arrange the Hapgakjin formation.

This will secure our victory.

Naturally, this Hapgakjin was not as formidable or mystical as those employed by the prestigious orthodox sects.

It was a Hapgakjin acquired by plying a martial arts master with costly drinks and women in a tavern.

Regardless of their struggles to coordinate and wield their swords in unison, these back-alley thugs lacked a fundamental understanding of teamwork.

Yet, it was this very formation that had once succeeded in killing a martial artist who, oblivious to their skill, had attempted to extort them and ended up in a dispute.

Oh, here they come!

Dont panic!

It felt like he could wet himself. Just meeting her gaze made his legs feel weak.

Getting close meant death.

Simply under the gaze of the Heavenly Death Star, all the still-standing Cheongsapa warriors instinctively stepped back.

They had been the predators of the shanty town moments ago, but now they felt like herbivores before a tiger.

The Heavenly Death Star slowly advanced toward them, blade in hand.

Bro, bro, I trust only in the Cheongsapa.

Just do your job.

The Cheongsapa leader spoke calmly in front of his subordinates, feigning composure.

Thats right. Dont panic. This wasnt the first time they had faced a life-or-death situation. This Cheongsapado has always saved them. The leader clutched his Cheongsapado, steeling himself for the confrontation with the Heavenly Death Star.

Lets go!

With his cry, the leader lunged forward to lead the charge. His movement served as the signal for the remaining subordinates, who surged toward the Heavenly Death Star with renewed vigor.

But the leaders charge was a ruse.

As his subordinates rushed forward, the Cheongsapa leader halted.

Damn it!

The subordinates realized they had been deceived into becoming sacrificial pawns by their leader, but it was too late to alter their path; they were now within striking distance of the Heavenly Death Star.

Oof!

Agh!

Damn you! Take this!

As one of his subordinates had his ankle severed, he threw the reserved lime powder directly into her eyes. She seemed momentarily taken aback by the unexpected attack and stepped back.

This is my chance!

He had risen from a third-rate warrior to a second-rate one, and then became the feared leader of the underworld in Chilgok County.

This ascent was all thanks to the Cheongsapa leaders secret techniques, which was now aimed at the neck of the Heavenly Death Star. Even an expert could be compromised by lime powder. He was convinced he would survive yet again.

But he was wrong.

The Heavenly Death Star wasnt truly flustered. She mechanically stepped back and twirled her body, creating a whirlwind-like motion that dispersed the lime powder, then swung her sword with the momentum of her rotation.

Huh?

Why was he lying on the ground? The leader was perplexed by his suddenly altered perspective. He attempted to grab his Cheongsapado and stand.

The Cheongsapado was nowhere to be found. In horror, the leader frantically searched for his beloved sword, which now lay in two pieces a few steps away.

It was a sword forged from expensive steel by a renowned blacksmith, his dependable companion for over a decade, now bisected.

Ha ha ha.

A bitter laugh escaped his lips.

His Cheongsapado had been cleaved without his sensing the strike, and his ankles were severed. Was such a feat even possible?

Beyond the pain, he was astounded. Just how formidable was she?

A mantis trying to halt a chariots wheel.

He had seen himself as a predator, hunting down weaklings like a mantis, but to her, was the entire Cheongsapa nothing but insects?

Damn. I wanted to live until I was decrepit with age. Seems Ill be meeting my mother soon.

The leader recalled his mother, who had tearfully warned him that a life of crime would shorten his days. He had wished to prove her wrong, especially after he had taken over a tavern in Chilgok County.

His mother had passed away after a life of hardship, and now he was about to prove her right.

He heard footsteps approaching.

Resigned to his fate, the Cheongsapa leader closed his eyes to accept what was coming.