The World’s Greatest Martial Arts Instructor - Chapter 495

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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 495. My Head Has Cooled Down Too

 

 

Thud.

The Death Jiangshi fell, split in half.

Maengryong Corps 7th Group surrounded it.

“This was the last one, right?”

At Dang Jin-san’s question, Ha Seol-ran nodded.

“The last one.”

“Then there are no more jiangshi in Sanwol Demon Forest now?”

Yeon Ha-min asked Ha Seol-ran.

“Yeah. There are none left.”

Ha Seol-ran’s senses detected no jiangshi whatsoever anymore.

“Then this place is no longer Sanwol Demon Forest either.”

Baek Ri-pyeong said, looking around.

It was called a demon forest because of the Blood Cult and jiangshi.

But now that they were all gone.

“Right. So what should we call it?”

Dang Jin-san tilted his head.

“Sanwol Forest. That’s what it was called long ago, before the Blood Cult settled here.”

Dan Mok Un-rae mentioned the name he’d heard from an herb gatherer he met while exterminating the remaining Death Jiangshi.

“Well, that’s the proper name.”

Dang Jin-san said, scratching his head.

“So what happens to us now?”

Nak U-jin asked curiously.

“The Corps Leader and Vice Commander will know. It seems a messenger hawk came yesterday.”

At Baek Ri-pyeong’s words, Dang Jin-san looked up at the sky.

“Right. I wonder what our Corps Leader is doing and where.”

After their conversation, they returned to the former Bongma Corps headquarters.

It was now Maengryong Corps’ temporary headquarters.

With Maengryong Corps 7th Group as the last, all Maengryong Corps members had returned.

Confirming this, Han Seol-bing stepped forward.

“Orders have come from the Alliance regarding our future assignments.”

Though brief, the impact was significant.

All corps members immediately focused on Han Seol-bing’s words.

“As you all know, all jiangshi in Sanwol Demon Forest disappeared today. Our work here is done.”

Several nodded.

“The orders from Cheonmok Pavilion regarding future assignments arrived yesterday. Since Maengryong Corps belongs to Cheonmok Pavilion, we follow the Cheonmokgak Leader’s commands.”

Han Seol-bing continued methodically.

Meanwhile, some corps members fidgeted restlessly.

They couldn’t contain their curiosity about what would happen to them.

“First, the service period.”

As if to ease their frustration, Han Seol-bing spoke.

The most important part among them all.

The corps members’ eyes sparkled like stars.

“With the jiangshi of Sanwol Demon Forest gone and new missions assigned, adjustments have been made to existing service periods. Based on current first-year members, it’s three years.”

At Han Seol-bing’s words, the Maengryong Members looked at each other.

They didn’t understand the meaning of those words.

No, they understood but couldn’t believe it.

If first-years served three years, and this applied retroactively to all Maengryong Corps members.

“So fourth and fifth-year members are now finished with Maengryong Corps service. You may all return to your hometowns.”

“Huh?”

“What?”

Here and there, heads tilted and small exclamations escaped.

“Waaaaaaah!!!!”

Cheers erupted.

“You’ll receive half the monthly pay for the remaining service period from the reduced term. Take that and return home safely.”

“Waaaaaaaaaah!!!!”

Even louder cheers.

“It’ll be paid in Cheonha Exchange notes. Don’t lose them.”

Cheonha Exchange was under Cheonha Trading Company, the world’s greatest merchant guild.

Though called notes, they were as good as cash.

Since transporting gold and silver here would take time, they decided to pay with notes.

Of course, signing and issuing the notes was Han Seol-bing’s responsibility.

Han Seol-bing sent her signature to Cheonmok Pavilion through Baek-a, and it would be forwarded to all Cheonha Exchange branches.

Only after that complex process would the notes take effect.

Notes with only Jeongcheon Alliance’s seal were useless.

Several messenger hawks had flown in to deliver those notes.

“And the remaining members’ service location is the border between Jiangxi and Hunan provinces.”

At those words, Maengryong Corps members looked at each other.

They didn’t understand what that meant.

Suddenly from Sanwol Demon Forest to the border of Jiangxi and Hunan provinces.

“Where exactly is the location?”

Yeon Ha-min asked.

“Near Mount Heng.”

At Han Seol-bing’s answer, several members’ faces hardened.

Because they knew what Mount Heng signified.

“Four Seas Alliance…”

Someone muttered with a dazed expression.

Han Seol-bing nodded slightly.

“Rest today, then move to the new service location tomorrow. That’s all.”

Having finished her briefing, Han Seol-bing turned and headed to her quarters.

‘After the Blood Cult, it’s Four Seas Alliance. Tsk.’

Still, it was better than Sanwol Demon Forest.

 

***

 

“Yungjoong Mountain… The Zhuge family?”

Gongsun Dan-gyeong muttered.

Ha Mu-baek nodded.

“Hmm.”

Gongsun Dan-gyeong let out a contemplative sound.

“The Zhuge family joined hands with the Demon Cult to proceed with this… and did it so sloppily? What do you think?”

At Gongsun Dan-gyeong’s question, Ha Mu-baek shrugged.

“Isn’t that your job, old man? I’m not the thinking type.”

At Ha Mu-baek’s response, Gongsun Dan-gyeong chuckled.

He recalled the recent push and pull they had over the Maengryong Corps’ mission change.

“Still, you’re not lacking in brains, are you?”

“Not all of Yungjoong Mountain belongs to the Zhuge family, so there might or might not be a connection.”

It was a theoretical answer.

“So you want Cheonmok Pavilion to look into that?”

Ha Mu-baek smiled slightly.

“Thanks to you, old man, my head has cooled down too.”

When he first came to this place.

Ha Mu-baek was more than seventy percent inclined to dump these guys here and go check out Yungjoong Mountain himself.

The Demon Cult.

He thought those bastards were scheming something there.

And in league with a traitor from the Zhuge family at that.

But.

Gongsun Dan-gyeong’s single question had cooled Ha Mu-baek’s heated head.

 

“Isn’t it too obvious?”

 

That one question.

Ha Mu-baek’s mind, which had been filled with hatred for the Demon Cult after finding Seok Won-cho’s face in the wooden statue, was completely cleared.

Once that happened, suspicious points emerged one after another.

If the Demon Cult bastards were secretly building their power, what were they trying to do by recruiting common people?

If they were trying to secretly build power, why did they bother putting Seok Won-cho’s face in the wooden statue?

Why couldn’t any traces of demonic energy be felt from those who seemed to be under some spell?

Several questionable aspects kept coming to mind one after another.

And the conclusion he reached.

It was the Zhuge family.

“Whether it’s the Righteous Path Alliance or the New Eight Gates, I have no reason to get involved in such power struggles.”

At Ha Mu-baek’s words, Gongsun Dan-gyeong leaned back against his chair.

He pressed his eyes firmly shut, then looked at Ha Mu-baek.

“For someone who said he’s not the type to use his brain, isn’t that too quick a conclusion? How about just joining Cheonmok Pavilion instead of the Maengryong Corps?”

Gongsun Dan-gyeong had reached a similar conclusion.

This was a scheme by the Zhuge family using borrowed knife tactics while also aiming for the fisherman’s profit.

“Seeing how they specifically disguised themselves as the Demon Cult, it seems like you were their target too?”

Gongsun Dan-gyeong subtly probed Ha Mu-baek.

The Ha Mu-baek he knew was someone who wouldn’t tolerate such things.

“Aren’t you targeting me right now too, old man?”

At Ha Mu-baek’s question, Gongsun Dan-gyeong shrugged his shoulders.

“As expected, it doesn’t work on you.”

“Don’t try to drag me into your affairs. I might miss the real Demon Cult bastards if I get caught up in useless business.”

Ha Mu-baek remembered clearly.

That day.

The Demon Cult bastard who had conversed with him using Gwang Hoe-cheon’s body while spreading the Soul Sleep Poison.

‘Seok Mu-won, wasn’t it?’

Those guys were definitely still building their strength somewhere.

Recalling that fact made irritation rise slightly.

At the Zhuge family trying to play games using such a Demon Cult.

Though some of their members might be involved in this matter.

“So you’re just going to leave like this?”

“I thought they were Demon Cult bastards, but since it’s likely your people’s business, I should go do my job. Let me know if the Demon Cult guys happen to be involved too.”

Leaving those words behind, Ha Mu-baek launched his body.

By now, the cleanup of Sanwol Demon Forest would be finished, so he headed toward the border between Hunan Province and Jiangxi Province.

He set his direction toward the Maengryong Corps’ new duty station.

 

***

 

“Keuuk. Just… kill me…”

The middle-aged man, covered in blood, glared at his torturer as he spoke.

However.

The man in black hat and black clothes looked at him indifferently.

“If you want to die, speak.”

“Hmph. No matter what methods you use, it’s useless.”

The middle-aged man was stubborn.

The man in black hat and black clothes smiled coldly.

It was a smile as if he was pleased, as if he found it amusing.

“Never let that resolve change.”

The man moved his steps.

The two people who had been torturing the middle-aged man quickly stepped back.

The man in black hat and black clothes raised his hand.

“Aaaahhh!!!”

The middle-aged man’s screams became even more wretched.

How much time had passed like that?

The man, now turned into a lump of meat, was constantly groaning.

“Uuuh… ki, kill me… please kill me…”

“Speak.”

The man in black hat and black clothes, the Black Wind Lord, still spoke in a cold voice.

“Yu, Yu, Yungjoong Mountain…”

“And?”

“I, I don’t know. Kill me. Plea… se…”

The Black Wind Lord looked down at the lump of meat indifferently.

“Dispose of it.”

Leaving those words, he left the room.

There was no expression on his face.

‘I caught five guys from five places. Two of them knew nothing, and three mentioned Yungjoong Mountain…’

The Black Wind Lord immediately went to find Seok Mu-won.

“Young Sect Leader. This is Heuk-pung.”

“Come in.”

Seok Mu-won sat in his chair with a languid expression.

Though he didn’t feel that way inside, he always maintained this languid expression in front of his subordinates.

It was intended to show that he was always at ease.

“It’s Yungjoong Mountain.”

The Black Wind Lord briefly reported what he had discovered.

“The Zhuge family…”

He habitually tapped the armrest of his chair.

“Borrowed knife tactics, you mean?”

The Demon Cult and Jeongcheon Alliance.

They were trying to make the two fight.

Were they trying to use Jeongcheon Alliance to strike the Demon Cult, or use the Demon Cult to strike Jeongcheon Alliance?

“For the renowned Zhuge family of All Under Heaven, what they’re doing is too clumsy, isn’t it? That’s why they lost the Cheonmokgak Leader position to Gongsun Dan-gyeong. Tsk.”

The Black Wind Lord just remained quietly.

It had been difficult to make each of them confess about Yungjoong Mountain.

They used the worst torture methods and he only spoke a little later.

If it’s outside the Zhuge Family’s calculations, it would probably be those Sect Messengers they raised who mentioned Yungjoong Mountain.

“What should I do?”

Seok Mu-won fell into thought for a moment.

The first thought that came to his mind.

It was the Ten Thousand Demons Soul Devouring Transformation Great Method.

Though the backlash pain wasn’t insignificant, if he chose someone from the Zhuge Family and performed soul devouring in this situation, he could probably use them quite convincingly.

Nevertheless, he didn’t rashly choose that option.

Because of an uneasiness in one corner of his heart.

The source of that uneasiness was.

‘It’s too easy. This is a scheme by the Zhuge Family, yet it’s this simple?’

It was due to his suspicion of the Zhuge Family.

Though he had mocked Gongsun Dan-gyeong for losing Cheonmok Pavilion, in reality the Zhuge Family wasn’t such an easy opponent.

Divine Mountain Zhuge.

They possessed abilities befitting that epithet.

“So they’re calling me to Yungjoong Mountain.”

Seok Mu-won came to that conclusion.

All he had learned from the captured men were those three characters: Yungjoong Mountain.

They hadn’t even mentioned the character for Zhuge Family.

He naturally thought of the Zhuge Family simply because they mentioned Yungjoong Mountain.

Because Yungjoong Mountain was the Zhuge Family’s territory.

Since it was a large mountain, not every part of it belonged to the Zhuge Family, but still, Yungjoong Mountain meant the Zhuge Family.

But if they were intentionally leaking this information.

‘What are they scheming in that place?’

He could only think they had set up a scheme to lure those who discovered Yungjoong Mountain to come there.

There was one thing to decide.

Would he respond to their lure and go there to confirm the scheme the Zhuge Family had set up in Yungzhong?

Or would he fear the Zhuge Family’s stratagem and not go there?

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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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