The World’s Greatest is Dead - Chapter 249

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

The Heavenly Supreme Has Died – Episode 249
“…You.”
Cheon Rijin-an furrowed his brow at the sudden appearance of the Sword Empress.
And to think she dared call Cheon Rijin-an, the strategist of the Martial Arts Alliance, by such a familiar term.
Everyone was bewildered by that absurd form of address. Moreover.
‘…She entered without any hesitation.’
The way she appeared so effortlessly among so many people.
The other martial artists took note of this and began to exercise caution.
Yet the woman seemed unconcerned by their vigilance, walking gracefully forward. Her softly smiling face carried a considerable allure.
As she slowly closed the distance between us.
The martial artists immediately tried to draw their swords against the Sword Empress at the narrowing gap.
“Stop.”
Cheon Rijin-an held back the martial artists as he regarded the Sword Empress.
“…Quite a refreshing sight indeed. I thought you’d vanished without a trace, but what is this appearance?”
“There were many circumstances involved. After all, aren’t secrets all the more captivating when a woman keeps them?”
“Remarkably convenient words. Do you know what Shin Chang has been up to since you disappeared?”
“….”
At the mention of Shin Chang, the Sword Empress hesitated for a moment. It was brief, but I clearly saw it.
“At the very least, you should have left some hint. That would have been the right thing to do, wouldn’t it?”
“…I’ll explain that part to him separately later. But this isn’t the time to concern ourselves with that, is it?”
Her words were an attempt to change the subject. Hearing this, Cheon Rijin-an frowned, but as if acknowledging her point, he didn’t press further.
“So. What exactly do you intend to do about that child?”
“I’ll take responsibility in her stead.”
“…You will?”
“Yes. That’s right.”
At those words, I was startled. Take responsibility? The Sword Empress would take responsibility instead of me?
‘What does that mean.’
Why would she suddenly appear and say such a thing? I couldn’t understand. And it seemed Cheon Rijin-an felt the same way.
“This is absurd.”
His expression hardened completely.
“I agreed to hear you out when you said you’d send your disciple to serve as an escort. But what? You’ll take responsibility instead? Do you even know what you’re saying?”
‘Huh.’
At Cheon Rijin-an’s words, I caught my breath. Send a disciple as an escort?
‘Ah. So that’s why.’
The Sword Empress’s disciple is none other than my sister, Bang Seo-jin. I’d wondered how that mad sister of mine became Cheon Rijin-an’s escort.
‘It was the Sword Empress’s doing.’
So the reason lay with her. Yes, there must have been some reason why Cheon Rijin-an employed Bang Seo-jin as an escort.
“Take responsibility? You understand what that means better than anyone, don’t you?”
“I do. I understand perfectly. That’s precisely why I’m saying this.”
With a gentle motion, the Sword Empress walked over and stood beside me.
“I will take responsibility for the words this child has spoken.”
“In what manner?”
“You suggested something to me before. Do you remember?”
“…Before?”
-!
Cheon Rijin-an’s eyes widened. He seemed to recall something.
“That matter. Whether problems arise from this affair or not, I will take it upon myself.”
“…Ha.”
Cheon Rijin-an exhaled sharply.
“You said you would never do it, and now you will?”
“Yes. I have determined it is worth doing.”
“…How amusing this is.”
“Beyond that, I will do whatever I can to bear responsibility.”
“Even matters concerning Shin Chang?”
“….”
I hesitate again. The Sword Empress’s eyes flutter slightly, but like before, it is only a fleeting moment.
“Yes. Whatever it may be.”
“….”
At my resolute words, Cheon Rijin-an’s expression gradually settles. I remained still, yet something was unfolding.
‘…This. Judging by the reaction.’
I quietly slipped back what I had been holding in my grasp. Seeing Cheon Rijin-an’s state, I felt there was no need to take it out.
And, as expected, Cheon Rijin-an looked at me and asked.
“What is this help you mentioned earlier?”
He seemed to have been persuaded. At the Sword Empress’s words that she would do anything, Cheon Rijin-an’s heart had moved.
This is working.
As I observed this with curiosity, I recalled that his gaze had fixed upon me.
“Ah.”
Responding belatedly, I spoke to Cheon Rijin-an.
“…The help I can provide is simple. After all, I trust that you will do better at other matters, strategist. As for me.”
I covered my eyes with my hand.
“I will lend you my eyes.”
“Your eyes.”
“Yes.”
From the start, what I could help with was obvious. I had already told Cheon Rijin-an what I was capable of doing when we first met.
“Do what you can with my eyes. I will see what needs to be seen.”
“I thought you would offer considerable help. So that is all?”
“Yes.”
I answered brazenly. But honestly, this much is substantial help.
Cheon Rijin-an would not be unaware of this.
He is simply feigning disappointment.
In this situation, the ability to distinguish the traitor was nothing short of a powerful asset.
“Let me be clear beforehand.”
Cheon Rijin-an spoke to the Sword Empress.
“You said you would take responsibility. Don’t forget that.”
“Of course. I won’t forget it, absolutely.”
The Sword Empress nodded and began to move again.
“Where are you going?”
“I’ve said what needed to be said. Now I must move as well.”
“…Right now?”
“Yes. It’s unexpected, but…I have business with these incompetent wretches as well.”
“You said you’d take responsibility. What if you run away?”
“Well, if I merely say I won’t run, you likely won’t believe me anyway…”
The Sword Empress turned her head slightly to look at Cheon Rijin-an as she spoke.
“I’ll stake the faint honor I left behind in Shingang and return.”
“…”
The honor left behind in Shingang.
At her cryptic words, Cheon Rijin-an said nothing.
Nor did he try to stop her.
Seeing that, the Sword Empress leaped lightly and vanished beyond the chamber.
“…A troublesome one indeed.”
Only after the Sword Empress disappeared did Cheon Rijin-an whisper quietly.
“Tsk.”
He clicked his tongue briefly, then rose to his feet.
“Move. Have the stationed forces advance according to the orders I’ve already set.”
“Yes, strategist. However, the situation is still too dangerous to move.”
“Enough. Sitting idle will bring us nothing but trouble.”
Cheon Rijin-an fixed me with a piercing gaze.
“We’ve already obtained eyes to guide our path forward.”
“…”
“Ignorant wretches from Hanan have come uninvited. We cannot simply wait.”
Creak.
Cheon Rijin-an rose completely to his feet.
His lean but imposing frame straightened fully.
“Follow me.”
Cheon Rijin-an advanced without hesitation, despite being no martial artist.
The numerous martial artists surrounding him followed in unison.
“We shall now begin the purge within the Alliance.”
A sinister atmosphere emanated smoothly. A suffocating pressure bore down like the weight of the atmosphere itself.
Feeling this, I let out a quiet laugh internally.
Someone who had taught me in my past life came to mind.

* * *
-Mincheol. You know what that is?
I ignored my Superior’s words as I swept away the debris.
There was no point in listening anyway—it would just be nonsense.
-Seeing things you shouldn’t see is truly miserable in every way. Life becomes utterly wretched because of it.
The same lament he always uttered. The same drivel as always.
This man was always like this.
-Especially since I do this work too, but from what I can tell, you’re the most pitiful of all.
-…What do you mean by that?
I opened my lips that had been sealed shut and answered.
I had intended to stay silent, but his irritating words had provoked me.
My life was the most pitiful? It was an infuriating thing to say.
-No, that’s not it. Others are like that too. But your eyes are particularly severe, you see.
-…
The problem was that even though it was aggravating, I couldn’t refute it. That my eyes were the most serious.
My life had been far from smooth to deny those words.
-Witnessing higher deities constantly is hell. I’m amazed your mind hasn’t collapsed yet. That’s impressive, I’m telling you.
-Is that praise or an insult?
-It’s concern, you bastard.
Ptui.
Baek Manager spat on the ground as he spoke.
-If your mind breaks and you retire, then I’d have to do all the work alone, wouldn’t I? Those higher deities must be seriously twisted. There’s no one but you to deal with all their pathetic grievances. So please, don’t break down and come with me to the end, alright?
-…You’re really a wicked man, aren’t you?
-I can hear your true thoughts.
-That’s what I intended.
Even shamelessness has its limits, but this was shameless beyond measure.
I let out a short laugh at the absurdity.
Still, despite what he says, from what I know, Baek Manager—there’s no one as capable as that man.
He had reached the pinnacle in this line of work.
Even though he always made me handle the difficult tasks, when it truly mattered, he was the one who stepped forward.
It was the same at the very end.
-Hey. Mincheol.
The sky that had turned pitch black.
When the screaming Demon swarmed like dark clouds and obscured the heavens.
Baek Manager faced those dark clouds and spoke to me.
Calmly picking his nose even as he witnessed calamity.
-I’ve told you everything there is to tell. You understand? Do it right.
Smiling faintly as I screamed in despair.
-Live, you fool. No matter how wretched the world is, live.
Leaving behind the blunt Yoo Yeon, Baek Manager walked straight into the gaps between the Demons.
That was the final sight of my benefactor and first master.
And then.
“Send three units of troops to the left flank. Daeju-level fighters hold your positions—use two upper-tier Martial Artists for containment. Have Changseng Daeju lead personnel to the northern perimeter.”
“Understood.”
Looking at an Old Man, I recalled Baek Manager from that time.
“Where is the heaviest fighting occurring?”
“At the main entrance of the western headquarters, sir.”
“Have the personnel stationed there retreat and pull back.”
“…How so?”
“We haven’t finished identifying the traitors yet. I’ll draw them deeper into our territory and establish a formation there, so prepare countermeasures in advance.”
“I shall obey your command.”
Rapid orders flew back and forth without pause. Even while commanding countless personnel, there was no hesitation.
The crowds moved without question at the swiftly issued commands.
I could glimpse the power of the man once called the God of War.
And what I could do at that moment was nothing else.
“None detected.”
I spoke, sensing whether any malice emanated from the approaching personnel.
But if I detected even the slightest trace.
“Second column on the left. The man with a scar on his cheek. He’s a traitor.”
I whispered quietly, and Cheon Rijin-an immediately acted upon it.
“Designate those individuals and assemble troops to the east.”
Those identified as traitors were being separated and gathered in one location.
Swift and decisive. When Cheon Rijin-an gave an order, no one resisted—all obeyed.
The men of Patcheon Gung were no different.
They still didn’t know that I could identify them.
The problem was.
‘If we gather them all in one place like this’
They might not know each other, but if they were clustered together, they could sense something was amiss.
In other words, this wasn’t a method that could be used for long.
‘What is he trying to do?’
I was trying to discern Cheon Rijin-an’s intentions when.
Boom–!! Boom boom–!!! Rumble–…
At that moment, the tremors that had been spreading gradually began to fade.
This was.
‘From the martial arena.’
The location where Shin Chang and Gungju were fighting. The vibrations emanating from there had ceased.
Which meant.
‘…It’s over?’
The battle between Shin Chang and Gungju had ended.
not.
‘Who won?’
Who could have emerged victorious? As that question formed in my mind.
쿠아아아아아—!!!
“…!!”
My body staggered under the overwhelming aura that crashed down upon me.
“Bang Disciple…!”
As I stumbled, Cheon Euijin beside me steadied my arm.
“What’s wrong…!”
Cheon Euijin stared at me with startled eyes. Seeing that, I glanced around at the surroundings.
No one else had staggered, and they didn’t seem to sense anything at all.
‘…Damn it.’
Recalling that, I turned my gaze toward the direction from which the aura emanated.
‘They can’t sense this?’
A tremendous aura was surging skyward from the martial arena.
Something black and repulsive.
Malevolent Qi. And among them.
‘Hah. This is ridiculous.’
At the very least, a high-tier deity.
A Calamity-Level Aura that would make mountain gods and war gods not dare to even lift their heads was now invading the heavens.

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