The Great Heavenly Demon Sovereign - Chapter 279

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 279.
“It’s a fake spider web?”
Jong Jeong Yak rose onto her tiptoes and ran her fingers across the spider web clinging to the wall.
What appeared to be a spider web was actually an intricately crafted fake one made of cotton.
“Would a manor like this really need such an elaborate trap?”
A sense of foreboding swept through my mind.
Secret passages were one thing, but an ordinary manor wouldn’t have invested such effort in camouflage.
Jong Jeong Yak hesitated before stepping inside.
“What are you doing? Come on.”
Yet Neung Jo Woon, utterly unconcerned, wiped his nose and slipped into the corridor without hesitation.
‘After what happened at the Woo Gang Pyo Bureau, and he still lacks caution.’
Exhaling deeply, I had no choice but to follow Neung Jo Woon inside.
Thud, thud.
With each step deeper into the passage, mechanisms beneath my feet released soft pinging sounds, and torches embedded in the walls ignited on their own.
Upon entering the Stone Chamber at the end of the corridor, the sight of a storage vault filled with various treasures revealed itself.
The wooden box containing the Purple Essence Pellets rested upon a smoothly carved rectangular stone.
And above it lay a transparent glass cover.
“Found it.”
Neung Jo Woon approached the location of the Purple Essence Pellets and carefully surveyed the surroundings.
After placing his ear to the floor and then examining the glass cover, his expression turned dismayed.
“Ah, there’s a mechanism in place.”
He pointed to the flat stone upon which the wooden box rested and clicked his tongue.
“It appears they’ve set up a device that triggers an alarm the moment the box is moved.”
“Can you disarm it?”
“I’ll try.”
Click.
Neung Jo Woon withdrew a small wooden case from his robes.
Inside were various tools used for disarming mechanisms.
“There may be no need to disarm the mechanism.”
At that moment, Bu Eunseol, who had been gazing into empty space, shook her head.
She then removed the glass cover and immediately snatched up the wooden box.
“Wait! What are you doing!”
Neung Jo Woon jumped back, yet strangely, the mechanism did not activate.
Click.
When he opened the case, it was empty.
“How is this possible?” Jong Jeong Yak asked, and Bu Eunseol gazed upward at the ceiling.
“It was a trap after all.”
“A trap?”
“They seem to know you’ve been pursuing the Purple Essence Pellets relentlessly. So they’ve lured you to this manor once more.”
Bu Eunseol’s voice carried a note of certainty as she lowered her gaze back to the empty box.
“How did you know that?”
Bu Eunseol pointed toward the empty air as she spoke.
“There’s a battle raging above us.”
Jong Jeong Yak and Neung Jo Woon exchanged glances filled with disbelief.
―Could this woman truly hear sounds from above in this deep Underground Storage Chamber?
Tap-tap-tap-tap.
Jong Jeong Yak and Neung Jo Woon unleashed their movement techniques and rushed swiftly toward the exit.
And the moment they burst free from the chamber, they witnessed Murim Alliance warriors locked in a desperate struggle against mysterious assassins.
No—it could not be called a battle.
Nearly two hundred assassins encircled the warriors in a perfect ring, unleashing throwing blades and poison with relentless precision.
They were slaughtering the warriors like one would exterminate vermin.
“These bastards!”
Enraged, Jong Jeong Yak and Neung Jo Woon drew their blades in an instant.
They unleashed their sword techniques against the assassins closing in around them.
Clang!
But something astonishing occurred.
The assassins moved with perfect synchronization, effortlessly parrying the sword techniques of Jong Jeong Yak and Neung Jo Woon.
‘These assassins are different from the ones I faced before.’
Jong Jeong Yak’s complexion turned ashen.
The assassins concealed within Song Family Estate were incomparably stronger than those she had encountered at the Woo Gang Pyo Bureau.
And their numbers were far greater as well…
At this rate, they would have no choice but to surrender their lives.
“Retreat! Everyone retreat!”
Jong Jeong Yak unleashed her sword techniques with desperate ferocity, fighting against the assassins to buy time for the warriors to escape.
She was willing to sacrifice herself to save these inexperienced warriors who had only recently completed their training.
But it was merely a vain hope.
Despite her pouring every ounce of strength into her sword techniques, the warriors surrounded by assassins fell with heartbreaking ease.
‘Is this where it ends?’
Jong Jeong Yak’s eyes filled with despair.
In truth, this incident involving the Inspection Unit was no simple theft.
She had detected evidence that someone within the Murim Alliance had been embezzling elixirs for a long time.
And the culprit was likely someone from the upper echelons of the Murim Alliance.
She had requested authorization to investigate the elixir theft, yet pressure had been applied multiple times.
Fortunately, with her position as Inspection Commander and the assistance of Hwa Mil Won Ju, she had barely secured approval—though only a half-strength investigation unit composed of inexperienced warriors had been assembled.
‘From the start, this was a trap designed to eliminate me.’
Only now did she truly understand.
All of this had been a snare to end her life.
‘I only wanted to resolve this case.’
Her obsession with this case stemmed not from any sense of justice, but solely from ambition.
As someone from a powerless minor family, she had endured countless injustices and contempt throughout her life. Even after obtaining the position of Inspection Commander, nothing had changed.
But what if she exposed the corruption of the Murim Alliance’s upper echelons? What if she could obtain that evidence?
She would be able to achieve another rapid promotion, and never again would anyone dare to disrespect her.
But in the end, the investigation had failed, and now she found herself facing death at the hands of these nameless assassins.
Whoooosh!
Black mist suddenly spread in all directions.
The assassins had unleashed a poisonous fog to suppress Jong Jeong Yak and Neung Jo Woon, who were resisting fiercely.
Gasp.
Holding her breath, she unsheathed her blade and attempted to break through the encirclement.
But the assassins effortlessly parried her attacks, clinging to her like vengeful spirits.
Gradually, her breath grew shallow, and darkness crept into her vision.
‘It’s all over.’
Just as her grip on the sword hilt began to weaken,
Boom!
A violent whirlwind erupted, sweeping the poisonous fog skyward and clearing the air.
Simultaneously, a strange force rippled outward, hurling the attacking assassins back more than a dozen paces.
“Hold on tight.”
And a firm hand seized her.
Whoosh!
For a moment, she thought her lips would split open.
The sudden rush of air through the corridor had forced wind into her mouth with such violence that her gums were exposed.
Gasp.
When she opened her tightly shut eyes, she found herself already in a quiet Forest, far from the Song Family Estate.
And there stood Bu Eunseol, her sword wrapped tightly in bandages, holding her arm and regarding her calmly.
“What happened?”
At Jong Jeong Yak’s question, Bu Eunseol replied matter-of-factly.
“The assassins kept spreading poison. It seemed there was no way to handle it, so I made an immediate escape.”
Her mind reeled.
So it was this woman who had swept the poisonous fog into the sky in one fell swoop?
And that lightness of movement to escape the Song Family Estate… wasn’t that completely beyond ordinary comprehension?
“How could a superior vagrant achieve such a feat…?”
“My specialty is divine movement techniques.”
Jong Jeong Yak, still dazed, asked with a bewildered expression.
“What about Deputy Commander Neung?”
“He’s putting up a fight, but it won’t be easy. There are simply too many assassins.”
“What did you say!”
She couldn’t contain her shock and jumped to her feet.
Why had she been the only one rescued?
“We have to save him!”
“I told you. The person I’m tasked to protect is you alone.”
“So you’re saying your protection is limited to me… you only saved me?”
“That’s right.”
In truth, if it were Bu Eunseol, she could have saved not just Jong Jeong Yak, but every martial artist present.
However, to suppress a hundred assassins in a single stroke would require revealing all of her martial prowess.
And if she fought using only the techniques of an upper-tier wanderer, Jong Jeong Yak would inevitably be overwhelmed. She would have to abandon her plan to use her as a means to infiltrate the Murim Alliance.
After careful deliberation, Bu Eunseol had feigned exceptional mastery of movement techniques and rescued only her.
“We have to save Deputy Chief Neung!”
“He’s already lost.”
Jong Jeong Yak’s complexion turned ashen.
Neung Jo Woon was her deputy chief, a colleague and friend she had known since joining the Murim Alliance.
“I can’t leave him behind.”
Biting her lip, Jong Jeong Yak spoke while gazing toward the direction of the Song Family Estate.
“Even if it costs me my life, I will save him.”
“You’re saying you’d throw your life away?”
“Even if I die, I have to try!”
Bu Eunseol’s expression shifted to one of surprise.
Those with such fierce ambition for advancement typically clung desperately to their lives and lacked loyalty.
Yet she possessed one quality that set her apart—her loyalty to her comrades ran remarkably deep.
‘I should get a clearer measure of what kind of person she truly is.’
Having finished her thoughts, Bu Eunseol decided to test Jong Jeong Yak once more.
“Very well. Then I shall retrieve Neung Jo Woon for you.”
“How?”
“You said you were confident in your movement techniques, didn’t you? In this chaos, I could slip into the Song Family Estate and quietly steal him away.”
“What about Deputy Chief Neung?”
He paused for a moment, his expression turning cautious.
“I’d rather not risk my neck unnecessarily to save him. Simply wait here for a while, and I’ll discreetly secure Neung Jo Woon.”
And she added coldly:
“If you insist on risking your life to save him, then save him yourself. I’m withdrawing from this matter.”
“What did you just say?”
“I’m a wanderer who works for coin. I have no intention of throwing away my life for the sake of loyalty.”
Someone blinded by ambition would give no thought to a comrade’s life.
Much less would they recklessly attempt a rescue that was certain to fail, even at the cost of their own existence.
“Of course, Neung Jo Woon is important too.”
Yet from Jong Jeong Yak’s lips came a voice both desperate and resolute.
“But his life matters more to me than anything else.”
She was saying that her comrade’s life was more precious to her than her own advancement.
“There is nothing more important than your own life.”
“Despite possessing considerable martial skill, I now understand why you work as a wanderer.”
Jong Jeong Yak fixed Bu Eunseol with a contemptuous gaze before turning away.
“Live your whole life cowering like a turtle, withdrawing into your shell!”
“Are you truly willing to throw your life away?”
“If you live as cowardly as you do, you might survive until you’re sixty. But those remaining years will be nothing but torment and regret!”
Jong Jeong Yak’s piercing cry echoed as she bolted toward the Manor without hesitation.
“Hmm.”
Bu Eunseol, watching her departure, allowed a subtle smile to cross her lips.
I had assumed she was the type to trample over anything for advancement, yet she possessed an unexpected loyalty.
Snap!
Bu Eunseol flicked her finger lightly.
Whoosh!
A soft, viscous wind force grazed Jong Jeong Yak’s Feng Fu acupoint as she fled, and her body became paralyzed from the neck down, rendering her immobile.
“What are you doing?”
Rigid as a statue, she rolled her eyes toward the approaching Bu Eunseol.
“Why did you seal my Hyeol Do?”
“Stay here. I will bring him back.”
“What?”
“Wait here while I rescue him. Your presence would only hinder matters further.”
“What nonsense is this? Release my Hyeol Do at once!”
As Jong Jeong Yak cried out, Bu Eunseol sighed and spoke.
“Since you’ve abandoned the Ja So Dan, I have no choice but to save him myself.”
“….”
“As I said, my divine movement technique is quite swift. But if you come along, I cannot save him.”
In that instant, Jong Jeong Yak recalled how Bu Eunseol had transported her from the Manor to the Forest in a single breath.
With such divine movement technique, it truly seemed possible that she could rescue Neung Jo Woon.
“Can you truly save Vice Commander Neung if you go alone?”
Her eyes were desperate, yet Bu Eunseol’s pupils held no emotion whatsoever.
“I can.”
Those eyes were cold and callous in appearance, yet simultaneously conveyed trustworthiness and reassurance.
‘If it’s this person….’
In truth, even with superior divine movement technique, breaking through the encirclement of so many assassins to rescue Neung Jo Woon should be impossible.
Yet trust kindled in Jong Jeong Yak’s eyes.
If this wanderer said it could be done, it truly seemed as though such a feat were possible.
After all, hadn’t she just been saved by extraordinary divine movement technique moments ago?
“I understand. Then I’ll wait here quietly—release my Hyeol Do.”
As Jong Jeong Yak’s eyes grew calm and composed, Bu Eunseol nodded.
“Very well.”
Thwack.
A light wind force dispersed, and the paralysis that had gripped her body below the neck dissipated.
In that moment, the figure of Bu Eunseol standing before her vanished without a trace.
* * *
Within the Song Family Estate.
The corpses of Murim Alliance warriors lay scattered throughout.
The assassins had subdued Neung Jo Woon, the sole survivor, by pressing down on his Hyeol Do and forcing him to his knees.
“How infuriating. I explicitly ordered you to capture her.”
The Assassin Leader, who stood out among the group, spoke in a tone of bitter frustration.
They had clearly surrounded her completely, trapping her within a toxic miasma with no gaps.
Yet suddenly, a man in gray robes who had been beside Jong Jeong Yak unleashed a tremendous palm wind, and with an extraordinary divine technique, he had escaped—hadn’t he?
“Where did that woman go?”
The Assassin Leader held his blade to the throat of the kneeling Neung Jo Woon as he spoke.
“Speak, or die.”
“You’ve tracked my movements so carefully until now—why ask me?”
The eyes of the kneeling Neung Jo Woon gleamed with insight.
“Ah, so your trap was planned only up to this point. Beyond this, you had no strategy.”
“If you understand the situation, speak quickly.”
The Assassin Leader drove his foot hard into Neung Jo Woon’s face.
Neung Jo Woon’s body, now covered in dust, bled from multiple wounds. The scabs that had begun to form were torn open again by the impact.
“Kill me.”
Neung Jo Woon raised his head again, his expression fearless and composed.
“You’re all dead men anyway.”
“What did you say?”
“You dared to slaughter the martial artists of the Murim Alliance so brutally. Do you truly believe you can continue to walk the Murim with your feet?”
“Hehehehe. You’re just a foolish boy who knows nothing.”
The Assassin Leader held his poisoned blade steady against Neung Jo Woon and spoke coldly.
“Even if we cut the throats of insignificant wretches like you a hundred times over, it means nothing to us. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
In that instant, Neung Jo Woon’s eyes wavered greatly.
Judging from the confidence in his expression and gaze, he did not appear to be lying.
What kind of assassin sect could possibly disregard the Murim Alliance?
“Well, since there’s no other way, I’ll simply return to the Murim Alliance.”
At that moment, the Assassin Leader raised his blade.
“And I’ll kill her at that passage.”
And he looked down at Neung Jo Woon with murderous intent in his eyes.
“You just die here….”
Just as the raised poisoned blade was about to strike Neung Jo Woon’s throat,
Creak.
The Manor’s gate opened,
Thud, thud.
A man dressed in gray robes slowly walked through the open gate.
It was Bu Eunseol.
“So it’s that one.”
The Assassin Leader regarded him with a puzzled expression.
The one who had barely managed to escape was actually returning? And alone, no less.
“Where is the rest of your group?”
Bu Eunseol regarded Sal Soo with a bored expression, her voice low and measured.
“Bring me the Jasodан, and I’ll let you live.”
The assassins stared at Bu Eunseol in stunned silence for a long moment before
“Hahahaha!”
bursting into laughter at the sheer absurdity.
Neung Jo Woon also regarded Bu Eunseol with an expression of disbelief.
If she had escaped with Jong Jeong Yak, she should have fled this area immediately—so why had she returned alone to do something so foolish?
“Is the Inspector Commander safe?”
At Neung Jo Woon’s question, Bu Eunseol offered a faint smile.
Even facing certain death, he was concerned for Jong Jeong Yak first.
‘Both of them have integrity.’
“She is safe.”
“Then why have you returned?”
“She said that even if it meant throwing away my life, I had to save you.”
Upon hearing Bu Eunseol’s answer, Neung Jo Woon was moved, yet he shook his head.
“So you came alone? To die together?”
“My movement technique is quite swift.”
Ping.
Then something extraordinary happened.
Bu Eunseol suddenly flicked her finger, striking Neung Jo Woon’s vital acupoint in one fluid motion.
“What?”
Neung Jo Woon looked down at his chest where the finger wind had struck, his expression one of utter confusion.
Why on earth was she targeting his vital acupoint?
“Why…”
With those words, Neung Jo Woon’s eyes rolled back and he collapsed into unconsciousness.
Bu Eunseol gazed down at Neung Jo Woon, his face pressed against the ground.
Perhaps it was the result of rising to such a high position so young—he was steeped in the arrogance of authority, lacking flexibility and humility.
Yet he feared not death, and he prioritized his superior’s life above his own.
For that alone, I deemed him worthy of saving.
“I’ll give you one more chance.”
Bu Eunseol addressed the assassins.
“Surrender the Jasodан, and I will spare your lives.”
“You’re insane.”
The Assassin Leader regarded Bu Eunseol with a bitter smile, then pointed to his own chest.
“The Jasodан is here. If you’re capable, take it.”
“I see.”
The Leader’s chest was bulging noticeably. Realizing his words held truth, Bu Eunseol released a deep sigh.
“You never intended to dispose of the Jasodан at all.”
Having grasped the entire situation, Bu Eunseol nodded as she surveyed the assassins encircling her.
“The Jasodан was the contract payment that set all of you in motion, wasn’t it?”
“….”
“The theft of the Ja So Dan itself was a trap designed to kill her.”
From the Woo Gang Pyo Bureau to Mil Mil Market, and then to Song Family Estate.
Tracking the stolen Ja So Dan proved absurdly simple.
From the beginning, the theft of the Ja So Dan had been nothing more than bait to lure Jong Jeong Yak out of the Murim Alliance and kill her.
“This one cannot be allowed to live.”
The Assassin Leader nodded as he regarded his subordinates.
Tsk, tsk, tsk.
Immediately, roughly a hundred assassins formed a massive circle, encircling Bu Eunseol.
Given that her movement technique was said to be swift, they were determined to surround her with absolute precision, leaving no opening for escape, and end her life.
Yet something felt wrong.
This vagrant woman showed no intention of fleeing whatsoever—she merely gazed upon them with leisurely composure.
―Ugh, uhhh….
Moreover, the expressions of the assassins encircling her grew increasingly twisted.
Though they were the ones who had surrounded her, it felt as though the grim reaper himself had suddenly clung to their backs.
And their bodies would no longer obey them.
The terror of death.
An inexplicable dread of the unknown seized their bodies, rendering them rigid.
“Time is short….”
Bu Eunseol’s eyes, which had been gazing down at the assassins with boredom, suddenly gleamed with crimson light.
“Let us finish this quickly.”

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