The Heavenly Demon Cult’s Strongest Maid - Chapter 87

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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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Chapter 87

“Everyone, attention!”

As Dang Yeong-ryeong, the leader of the Martial Arts Alliance Dark Affairs Unit, rose from her seat, the boisterous sounds of drinking and revelry instantly quieted.

“First, let’s fill our cups.”

At Dang Yeong-ryeong’s command, the empty wine cups were swiftly filled.

“First, for our comrades who have left our side, one cup!”

The atmosphere became solemn. They emptied their first cups while remembering the colleagues who had been with them until now.

“For not yielding to injustice, a second cup!”

As the second cup was emptied, their bond felt even stronger.

“For us who have safely completed our mission, a third cup!”

By the time the final third cup was emptied, the members looked at each other with satisfied smiles.

Once again, they had safely finished their work.

“Everyone worked hard and did well!”

Bang bang bang bang bang!

At Dang Yeong-ryeong’s praise, the members cheered and noisily pounded the table with their empty cups. It was their own way of applauding each other.

“Starting tomorrow, you have two weeks of leave. Whether you hole up in taverns, visit your hometowns, or woo women to start a household…”

“Shouldn’t men come before women?”

“Leader, you should get married too!”

Someone among the members playfully shouted at Dang Yeong-ryeong.

“Who’s worrying about whom?”

Dang Yeong-ryeong proudly lifted her head, showing off her beauty. The members’ jeers poured out in response.

“Wooooooo!”

“One of the Three Beauties of Jungwon, right?”

“That’s right! What are you going to do about it?”

Laughter erupted here and there at Dang Yeong-ryeong’s boasting.

“That’s enough! The leader is speaking, so let’s be quiet!”

When the teasing seemed to be getting out of hand, Deputy Leader Hwangbo Un stepped forward to calm the members.

“Anyway, we’ll reassemble in two weeks. Got it?”

“Yes!”

“Yes!”

“Well then, those who want to leave first can go, and those who want to drink themselves to death, let’s drink!”

“Wooooooo!”

Crazy cheers filled the inn. They began to enjoy themselves to their heart’s content, relieving their bodies and minds exhausted from the mission with alcohol.

“You worked hard.”

Hwangbo Un approached and poured alcohol into Dang Yeong-ryeong’s cup.

“The deputy leader also worked hard.”

Though she was the leader of the Dark Four, the Martial Arts Alliance’s strongest military unit, Dang Yeong-ryeong was the youngest among the members.

While on missions or addressing the group, she had no choice but to speak informally, but in one-on-one conversations like this, respecting the other person was her principle.

“What will you do during your leave?”

“It’s my turn to guard this place.”

Hwangbo Un answered while looking around the inn. Several guys were already completely drunk.

“What about you, Leader?”

“Hmm, well. Since the deputy leader will take care of this place… and it’s conveniently close. I should visit my family home for a while.”

It had been quite a long time since she left home. Her father and mother, her brother who was three years older, and the household members – various faces flickered before her eyes.

Dang Yeong-ryeong’s heart fluttered at the thought of visiting her hometown after so long.

Whoosh— Whoosh—

Dang Yeong-ryeong’s movements as she ran like the wind along the mountain path were light yet agile.

It was her beloved family home that she was visiting for the first time in nearly a year.

Internal energy flowed into Dang Yeong-ryeong’s legs, increasing her speed.

Then she came to a fork in the road.

The right path was a well-maintained main road, while the left was a treacherous mountain path but a shortcut.

Her deliberation wasn’t long.

Even if her body got tired, she wanted to meet her family even a little sooner.

Clang! Clang clang clang!

Just as she entered the dense forest path.

The sharp noise of metal clashing against metal rang in her eardrums.

‘Who is it?’

It wasn’t far away. Dang Yeong-ryeong instantly concealed her presence and climbed to the top of the nearest tall tree.

When she enhanced her vision, she saw a scholar being chased by a group.

“…!”

Dang Yeong-ryeong immediately recognized the swordsmanship of the pursuers.

‘Salmak?’

When she expanded her ki sense, she detected the unique killing intent characteristic of Salmak.

She had encountered Salmak’s martial arts before. Their swordsmanship was distinctive and very cruel. Once they caught someone, their tenacity in never letting go was Salmak’s characteristic.

Dang Yeong-ryeong’s eyes became endlessly cold.

‘How dare they pull this kind of stunt in Sichuan!’

The very fact that Salmak had appeared in Sichuan territory was unacceptable.

Rage surged up.

Because of this, she missed something very important.

That was the cruel demonic energy flowing from the body of the scholar being chased, Gong Pae-cheon.

“How nice.”

Gong Pae-cheon, walking alone on the forest path, was delighted by the tranquility provided by the blue-green trees and green thickets draped all around.

Rustle—

He took out a folding fan from his waist and elegantly unfolded it. Then he recited poetry in his familiar, clear voice.

” (Hyeonggye-baekseokchul) White stones emerge in the clear stream of Hyeonggye, (Cheonhan-hongyeophi) The sky is cold and red leaves grow sparse, (Sanro-wonmuu) Originally there was no rain on the mountain path, (Gongchwi-seubin-ui) Yet the deep green mountain light vainly dampens one’s clothes…”

Snap!

Gong Pae-cheon, who had been singing elegantly with rhythm, folded his fan and looked around.

When he first entered the forest, he had been uncertain.

But not now.

He could clearly feel the changed atmosphere.

Cold and damp energy seeped into his skin.

Killing intent had risen to his chin, yet no one was visible.

‘Salmak Assassins.’

Gong Pae-cheon’s eyes narrowed.

‘So it’s Salmak.’

Are you going to strike the back of my head so directly?

Gong Pae-cheon swallowed a sigh and looked up at the sky.

‘How clear.’

Swish.

At that moment, he thought he heard a very faint sound of something cutting through the air.

It was an extremely weak sound, too faint to be certain, but Gong Pae-cheon immediately threw himself into the forest.

Even though it was midday, the forest was shrouded in deep darkness due to the dense trees.

Gong Pae-cheon was gasping for breath while clutching his waist with one hand.

“Huff huff, huff huff huff!”

He didn’t know how long he had been running. He had drawn up all his internal energy and moved his feet, but failed to shake off the Salmak Assassins.

‘There’s no answer to a numbers attack.’

Gong Pae-cheon’s movements, as he gasped for the long breath he had held back along with the poison, began to falter.

The assassins didn’t miss that opening.

Swoosh!

Sunlight flashed between the green leaves as a sword gleam shot out.

Gong Pae-cheon instinctively twisted his body and swung his folding fan.

Clang!

Sparks flew as the folding fan collided with the sword blade.

The problem was that there wasn’t just one sword gleam.

Swoosh!

Another sword shot out from the thicket like an arrow. Sharply honed blades came rushing in succession like waves.

Gong Pae-cheon gritted his teeth and focused on defending against the relentlessly pouring swords.

‘Wheel Formation!’

Grind, his teeth clenched involuntarily.

The bastards took turns endlessly targeting Gong Pae-cheon’s life.

Clang clang clang!

He blocked well the first few times, but eventually couldn’t keep up with their speed.

Slash!

A sharp blade filled with killing intent cut across Gong Pae-cheon’s side.

“Gah!”

It wasn’t an ordinary sword.

A serrated sword. A blade with a saw-like structure.

Gong Pae-cheon’s blood and flesh scattered in all directions along the jagged edge.

Salmak’s attack was vicious.

They had no concept of rest.

Like parts of a mechanical formation, they endlessly targeted Gong Pae-cheon’s body.

Slash, slash!

Gong Pae-cheon’s neat scholar’s robes were cut and torn into bloody rags, and red blood flowed down the tattered hem.

His consciousness gradually blurred and his vision grew dim.

“Huff, huff huff!”

One sword, recognizing that his body had reached its limit, flew toward his left waist.

He swung his folding fan with all his might, but the sword deflected the fan and pierced straight through his waist.

“Urgh!”

Even in extreme pain, Gong Pae-cheon grabbed the sword that had stabbed his waist with his left hand and swung his folding fan once more.

Slash!

The assassin clutched his throat and fell backward.

Gong Pae-cheon pulled out the sword embedded in his waist and threw it to the ground, but it became increasingly difficult to maintain his balance.

The pain had long surpassed sensation, and his consciousness occasionally drifted between conscious and unconscious.

At some point, he fought moving his body purely on instinct.

‘Is this how it ends?’

His vision was red, perhaps from blood getting in his eyes.

Each time he blinked his reddened eyes, assassins appeared one by one and surrounded him.

“You brought quite a lot just to kill me.”

Looking at the Salmak assassins densely filling the surroundings, Gong Pae-cheon smirked.

“Go ahead and try to kill me.”

He gathered his last strength and spread his folding fan wide.

Simultaneously, fierce energy waves that choked the breath rose from all directions, and dozens of swords struck down at Gong Pae-cheon.

Just as he sensed it was his final moment and was about to leap among them.

Whoooosh—

A stream of cool wind brushed past Gong Pae-cheon’s exhausted body.

The wind was fragrant like spring flowers.

If the last wind of life was like this, it wouldn’t be so bad, he thought.

Boom boom boom boom boom boom!

It was then that dozens of ear-splitting explosions suddenly erupted.

“…?”

His bewilderment was brief, as a woman descended before Gong Pae-cheon’s eyes.

“Are you alright?”

The woman who had been showing her back turned toward him.

“…!”

Gong Pae-cheon would never forget that moment when their eyes met.

The last thing he saw before losing consciousness was a pair of eyes shining like obsidian.

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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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