The God of Death and the God of War - Chapter 93

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Evil Hegemon Martial God

Chapter 93

The maw of a giant beast.

This was the thought that occasionally crossed Oh Chu-baek’s mind when he descended into the underground passage.

Thud thud-

This underground space that existed beneath the floor of the main hall was originally an emergency facility built for evacuation purposes when enemies launched sudden attacks.

Therefore, it was normally not accessed, but now that its purpose had completely changed.

Oh Chu-baek found himself entering this shelter several times a day.

“Tsk, you’re late.”

Upon reaching his destination, he heard a clicking sound followed by a reprimand.

Oh Chu-baek bowed his head deeply to someone much younger than his youngest son, showing utmost respect.

“I apologize.”

Then he continued in an almost groveling tone.

“As Your Grace knows, communications keep coming about the merchant fleet that went on the trading expedition…”

“Hmph, spare me your pathetic excuses. If you’re late again next time, I’ll pluck out one of your eyeballs.”

“…Yes. I’ll engrave it in my bones.”

Even at the chilling threat, Oh Chu-baek showed no expression of humiliation.

One might wonder who would dare utter such insolence to Jin-jun, but considering the opponent’s identity, it was unavoidable.

The man before him.

No, Ho Baek-seon, the messenger of the Demonic Cult, was an absolute demon with terrifying power.

Moreover, what threatened his life wasn’t just him alone.

Grrr.

A terrible energy was surging like poison from his heart.

‘…Damn, this is unbelievable. There was something even worse than the Solitary Poison.’

Ho Baek-seon had forcibly injected an unidentified power into Oh Chu-baek during their first meeting.

Ho Baek-seon and other Demonic Cult members called this power ‘grace.’

‘In reality, it’s closer to a curse.’

A power originating from the supreme existence that the Demonic Cult members call Cheonma.

Those who received the seed of demonic energy he distributed gained new power in exchange, but were also branded with an inescapable mark.

Like the Solitary Poison, if they didn’t receive demonic energy injections at regular intervals, they would face inevitable death.

Since all beings belonging to the Demonic Cult were connected by such shackles, one could imagine what a mad group they were.

However, Oh Chu-baek had no regrets or desire to escape.

‘The Demonic Cult’s power is mighty. Now that we’ve left the Martial Arts Alliance’s protection, they’re the only way for Geumhwang Sangga and me to survive.’

Knowing Ho Baek-seon’s identity and glimpsing part of the truth the Demonic Cult had hidden.

That alone allowed Oh Chu-baek to immediately gauge the extent of the Demonic Cult’s influence and power rooted in the shadows of Gangho.

‘They consider not only the Martial Arts Alliance, but even Sadocheon and Heukpaesong as insignificant.’

Oh Chu-baek’s gaze turned to the floor.

Fragments of the monsters and curses they harbored were spread out there.

A complete map of the Central Plains laid on the floor.

Candlesticks were placed at every major city and capital throughout the Central Plains’ Gangho, and dozens of candles were burning on the candlesticks.

“No matter how many times I see it, Singyeo’s power seems amazing. Such intelligence capability to monitor all three major forces in ‘real-time’…”

At Oh Chu-baek’s heartfelt admiration, Ho Baek-seon chuckled and replied.

“Keheheh, this is an intelligence network our Singyeo has built over thousands of years. It’s naturally hundreds of times better than your pathetic tricks with pigeons.”

“I am simply ashamed.”

In short, the map drawn on the floor now represented the current status of the forces the Demonic Cult was observing.

‘All of this is linked to reports from spies who have infiltrated the three major forces.’

The candles weren’t simply placed there.

It was an information system completed using sorcery and great methods by the Demonic Cult, allowing them to observe the movements of the three major forces almost in real-time through the state of the candles.

To use an analogy, it served the same role as signal fires.

Even without knowing specific and detailed information, just recognizing in real-time that an anomaly had occurred could bring tremendous advantages in response.

“I express my gratitude to Your Grace once again. I have truly received immeasurable kindness…”

Ho Baek-seon offered sincere thanks.

This wasn’t just because of the grace Ho Baek-seon had forcibly injected.

It was because his situation and Geumhwang Sangga’s situation had completely changed with Ho Baek-seon’s help.

Geumhwang Sangga, which had been in a precarious situation like a candle before the wind after making enemies with the Martial Arts Alliance and being abandoned by Doyecheon, had their situation completely reversed when Ho Baek-seon secretly integrated the forces of the Gwirryeongdae he had brought.

The warriors of Gwirryeongdae disguised themselves as Geumhwang Sangga’s escort warriors and accompanied all major trading expeditions.

Then they overwhelmed with crushing martial power all the prominent figures from Jeongpa who openly picked fights, and the masters from Sapa who tried to prey on Geumhwang Sangga.

If such actions had happened once or twice, they could be dismissed as coincidence, but since they had been repeated several times already, Gangho people and gossips were amazed, saying ‘Geumhwang Sangga had been hiding such power?’

Naturally, rumors spread like this.

That the military force Geumhwang Sangga had hidden in preparation for contingencies was surprisingly fierce and sharp.

This rumor blazed fiercely like fire on dry fields.

And for good reason, since everyone had said Geumhwang Sangga was doomed beyond salvation, yet they had succeeded in a miraculous recovery.

“I’m not just saying this. If this trading expedition succeeds, Geumhwang Sangga’s reputation will soar throughout the Central Plains again, and we’ll easily get our hands on vast wealth.”

“Hmm, and so?”

When Ho Baek-seon nodded as if telling him to continue, Oh Chu-baek raised his voice even more passionately.

“Wouldn’t all that money be due to the grace the supreme Shin-ma bestowed upon me? Naturally, as a servant, I must repay the kindness I received, so I wish to take this and ascend to the Ten Thousand Great Mountains with Your Grace to pay respects to Shin-ma.”

“Keke, very well. You’re quite admirable after all.”

“How could I not, when the kindness I received pierces my bones.”

Oh Chu-baek wagged his tongue like a born sycophant.

‘If only the trading expedition currently proceeding through the Janggang succeeds, breaking away from the Martial Arts Alliance will instead return as tremendous fortune from misfortune…!’

It was when Oh Chu-baek was letting his imagination soar.

Whoooosh-!!!

Suddenly, tremendous heat scorched his face.

“-!!”

‘What?!’

Not only Oh Chu-baek but even Ho Baek-seon looked down in surprise to see an anomaly had occurred in the Central Plains map on the floor.

Whoooosh!!

One of the candles placed on the candlesticks was burning madly, spitting out strangely large flames.

‘…He definitely said the candles would flicker when communications came from regions where anomalies occurred, but-.’

Whoooosh!

That was clearly not normal at first glance.

Oh Chu-baek carefully asked while hiding his ominous feelings.

“Y-Your Grace… what on earth is that?”

“…”

However, Ho Baek-seon couldn’t give any answer.

‘…What is that?’

He was even more flustered than Oh Chu-baek.

Since completing this information system, this was the first time Ho Baek-seon had experienced such a situation.

Hisss!

Finally, the abnormally burning candle completely melted down and the flames died out.

The name of the region where the candle wax had melted and stuck was visible.

Jigang County.

It was where Geumhwang Sangga’s great fleet was traveling.

* * *

The vast waterway of the Janggang passing through Jigang County.

Whoooosh.

Dozens of ships in a great fleet were moving in orderly formation along the vast river that could rival the sea.

It was a magnificent sight that would overwhelm any observer.

Long ago, were Cao Cao’s warships like this when they went to wage a fateful battle at Jeokbyeok?

However, because it was so large-scale as to drop jaws, there were problems that arose as well.

“Hahaha, hurry up and pour me another drink!”

“Drinking on a boat is the best!”

The crew aboard couldn’t help but become completely relaxed.

It was inevitable.

Though water bandits lived on rivers and lakes, they needed considerable scale to even compete – a fleet of this size was beyond their ability to challenge.

So with thoughts of safety, discipline naturally became lax.

Moreover, those guarding the boats weren’t thoroughly trained soldiers, but mainly ronin hired en masse with money by Geumhwang Sangga to suppress public suspicion.

Therefore, the crew aboard this advance ship leading the great fleet were all thoroughly drunk.

“Hic, excellent! Day drinking is the best after all…”

A ronin with a flushed face from alcohol staggered across the deck.

Unable to focus and swaying, the ronin kept muttering.

“It’s only natural that this Jin-rang Hyeol-do should be in charge of the advance guard. Ugh…”

There was a reason for the ronin’s grumbling.

He had quite a reputation among the ronin circles.

Most ronin died before they could even earn a nickname.

So he was confident in his fame and skills, naturally expecting to be appointed as the expedition leader for this trading journey.

But Geumhwang Sangga had entrusted the leadership to someone completely unknown.

Some expert from a secret military force that Geumhwang Sangga had prepared, or something like that.

“Hehe, go eat shit!”

Just as the ronin was loosening his pants to relieve himself toward the main fleet’s ships.

“Huh…?”

Over there, in the river water where his gaze fell, he saw something.

A person was standing on the water’s surface.

‘Did I drink too much…?’

The ronin roughly rubbed his eyes clean.

When he returned, he should drink more moderately.

He was seeing phantoms now.

The ronin thought this as he opened his eyes.

And then.

“Hiiiik…!”

Crash.

He collapsed right there.

Unable to pull up his pants, his unsightly parts dangled exposed.

‘Gh, ghost…!’

He hadn’t seen wrong.

The white-haired ghost he had seen moments before, white as snow.

The ghost stood towering before his eyes.

Yes, standing.

On the rippling river water.

‘Im, impossible…’

Impossible. Absolutely impossible.

Even the water-walking technique of legendary masters was merely using internal energy to kick off the water’s surface while running – they couldn’t stand still like that.

To stand on the Janggang where the depth was unknown would be impossible even for someone beyond Hyeon-gyeong, at the life-and-death level.

“Uh, uhhh.”

The ronin wanted to scream to call his companions.

Was it because he was too shocked?

His voice wouldn’t come out.

Just as he was trying to clear his throat and shout at the top of his lungs.

Whoosh.

A chilling cold rode the river wind and flowed down his throat.

‘Wh, what?!’

At the same time, the white-haired ghost began to move.

Like a crane, it raised one foot high.

Kwaaaaang!!

And struck down at the Janggang.

A single stomp.

And the massive, insane wave created by that stomp.

Kururururur!

Kwagagaga!

Struck the advance ship of the great fleet like a disaster.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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