Chapter 324 – Responding from Within and Shaking from Without (3)

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Even at dawn, the lights in the Martial Alliance’s Military Advisory Bureau didn’t go out. The Military Advisory Bureau was the only place in the Martial Alliance where the lights never went out for all twelve hours.

If the Alliance Leader’s Quarters were the heart of the Martial Alliance, the Military Advisory Bureau was its brain. People thought the moment the lights went out there would be the Martial Alliance’s final day. That’s how much trust people placed in the Military Advisory Bureau and Namgung Chang.

After meeting with Lim Oh-yeon and Won Seol-hwa, Namgung Chang immediately entered the Military Advisory Bureau. Though it was late, many people were gathered in the Military Advisory Bureau.

Among them, the most noticeable was a middle-aged man who appeared to be in his late thirties. The man with notably sharp eyes and thin lips was Gu Yeo-san, the head of Dark Cloud, the intelligence organization directly under the Martial Alliance.

Those around Gu Yeo-san were also people in charge of the Martial Alliance’s major organizations.

“Military Advisor.”

“Welcome.”

They greeted Namgung Chang with respectful attitudes.

“Everyone is working hard late into the night.”

“Not at all.”

“The Military Advisor works hardest of all.”

They smiled and sat down. But the moment they sat, the atmosphere changed completely.

The first to speak was Namgung Chang.

“How is the Alliance Leader’s Quarters?”

“Since Senior Heavenly Sword King joined, there’s been vitality.”

“Is that the natural progression then?”

“It seems even more so since more seniors from the previous generation are expected to join.”

“The Alliance Leader’s prestige must be piercing the heavens.”

An uncomfortable expression appeared on Namgung Chang’s face. It was the same for the other leaders. All the leaders present were martial artists dispatched from prestigious martial families.

They didn’t want the Alliance Leader to have more than a certain amount of power. The Alliance Leader having power meant their power would weaken.

Heavenly Sword King Jeok Gyeong-cheon’s joining dealt them a great blow. Especially Nam Cheon-san, backed by Jeok Gyeong-cheon, didn’t miss this opportunity and expanded his influence frighteningly.

Neutral martial artists who hadn’t taken either side until now began to side with the Alliance Leader starting with Jeok Gyeong-cheon’s joining. The more Nam Cheon-san’s prestige grew, the more uncomfortable Namgung Chang and the prestigious martial artists became.

A deep furrow formed between Namgung Chang’s brows.

“Of all times, the Heavenly Sword King joins now. Can such a coincidence even be this coincidental?”

“That’s what I’m saying. No one could have predicted this situation.”

“We must establish countermeasures as soon as possible. If things continue this way, our side will inevitably be disadvantaged.”

The venue instantly became noisy.

They were feeling such a great sense of crisis.

They had put Nam Cheon-san forward as Alliance Leader expecting only a hunting dog’s role. Such a person gained sharp teeth and claws by recruiting Jeok Gyeong-cheon. The hunting dog had become a wolf.

An untamable wolf naturally becomes a threat to its master.

That was their current situation.

That’s why they were gathering every night and holding repeated meetings.

When no answer emerged no matter how much they deliberated, Namgung Chang changed the subject.

“The Fist Demon?”

“No news has arrived yet. Since Sichuan Province is too far away, news is delayed.”

The one who answered was Gu Yeo-san, head of Dark Cloud.

Namgung Chang’s expression hardened further.

“The Fist Demon is our greatest enemy. Strengthen surveillance on him even more.”

“Understood.”

Gu Yeo-san answered with a stern expression.

He too held a great grudge against Dam-ho. It was because Dark Cloud’s Second Squad under his command had been annihilated by Dam-ho.

It wasn’t only Namgung Chang and Gu Yeo-san who held grudges against Dam-ho. Not a single person present had good feelings toward Dam-ho.

To them, Dam-ho was a great threat, not a reliable ally. More than the Demon Cult, Dam-ho was the existence posing the greatest threat to their stronghold.

‘If only he didn’t have that extreme temperament, we could have used him well.’

This was the thought that commonly arose in their minds at this moment.

They knew. That Dam-ho was an uncontrollable existence. If he were someone controllable, they would have already recruited him into the Martial Alliance, praised him, and used him.

“Mount Hua Sect’s movements?”

“They’re still maintaining closure.”

“Is there a way to know the internal situation?”

“We’re devising various methods, but it’s not easy.”

“Find a way quickly. Now that the Fist Demon is away in Sichuan Province is the perfect opportunity.”

“Understood.”

It was when Gu Yeo-san was bowing his head and answering.

CRASH!

Suddenly, a massive roar that shook heaven and earth echoed throughout the Martial Alliance’s interior.

“Wh-what?”

“What is it?”

Those gathered in the room rushed outside. Then they saw large flames shooting up from the middle of the Martial Alliance.

BOOM!

At that moment, with another explosion, tremendous flames shot up here and there.

“What?”

Namgung Chang and the leaders showed dumbfounded expressions for a moment. It was because the too-unrealistic sight caused cognitive dissonance.

“Good.”

Lim Oh-yeon muttered while lightly swinging the longsword in his hand.

Lim Oh-yeon had handed over his sword when entering the Martial Alliance. For him to be holding a sword was impossible. In a normal situation, that is.

But now wasn’t a normal situation. The large warehouse door before him being open proved that.

It was the very warehouse where the weapons delivered by the Chenghuo Merchant Group had been stored. The door of that warehouse managed by the Finance Hall was wide open. And the Chenghuo Merchant Group had plundered the weapons stored in the warehouse and killed the martial artists guarding it.

“Kreuk! Why is the Chenghuo Merchant Group?”

A Martial Alliance martial artist whose breath hadn’t yet been cut off struggled to raise his head to look at Lim Oh-yeon. His face was full of doubt.

The Chenghuo Merchant Group was not only the Martial Alliance’s biggest trading partner but also a long-time supporter. Therefore, the Martial Alliance treated them specially and didn’t conduct much surveillance. They trusted them that much.

Such a Chenghuo Merchant Group had suddenly changed face and plundered the warehouse where weapons were stored. And they scattered throughout the Martial Alliance setting fires. Especially setting fire to the place where thunderbolt bombs were stored caused great damage.

Due to the sudden situation, the Martial Alliance’s interior fell into great chaos.

The martial artist cried out while vomiting blood. Because he wanted to know the reason before dying.

“Why?”

“Because the Martial Alliance is our enemy.”

Thud!

Along with his answer, Lim Oh-yeon stabbed the sword straight into the martial artist’s chest. The martial artist who had been asking the reason died just like that.

Won Seol-hwa approached Lim Oh-yeon.

“Uncle!”

“The weapons?”

“We’ve retrieved them all.”

“Good work.”

“It wasn’t hard work. The security inside the Martial Alliance was more lax than expected, so it wasn’t very difficult.”

A cold smile appeared on Won Seol-hwa’s lips. It was clearly mockery.

The Martial Alliance was where the martial world’s forces were concentrated. Therefore, people thought the Martial Alliance was an iron fortress. That was the view from outside. In reality, it looked that way outwardly too. But the internal security was more lax than expected. So much so that it didn’t match the Martial Alliance’s reputation.

Thanks to that, the Chenghuo Merchant Group’s martial artists scattered throughout the Martial Alliance could easily carry out their assigned duties. The chaos in the Martial Alliance reached its peak due to the commotion occurring inside.

That’s when it happened.

A group of martial artists rushed toward the warehouse.

It was Finance Hall Master Go Seung-cheon and his subordinate martial artists.

They hardened their expressions seeing the wide-open warehouse and Lim Oh-yeon and Won Seol-hwa standing before it.

“Hero Lim, what is the meaning of this? Why is the Chenghuo Merchant Group?”

Go Seung-cheon’s eyes were burning with anger.

The merchant group he dealt with had plundered the warehouse he managed, so he couldn’t help it.

Lim Oh-yeon looked at such Go Seung-cheon and chuckled.

“Kuk! This became unfortunate. I didn’t want to do this either.”

“Then why?”

“I wanted to continue living as the Chenghuo Merchant Group’s vice leader, but that person told me to return to my original status now.”

“What does that mean?”

“When the Cult Leader orders it, what power does a mere follower like me have? I just have to obey.”

“Cult Leader? Then the Demon Cult?”

“That’s right! Let me formally introduce myself again. I am Lim Oh-yeon, Vice Leader of the Divine Cult’s Outer Garden.”

“Ou-Outer Garden?”

“That’s right! The Chenghuo Merchant Group is the Divine Cult’s Outer Garden. When the Divine Cult was driven into a corner, the previous Cult Leader organized all the main cult’s assets. And entrusted them to me and Brother Won.”

Go Seung-cheon’s eyes widened.

It was a secret history that not just the Martial Alliance but no one in the world could dare imagine. That the world’s number one merchant group, the Chenghuo Merchant Group, was the Demon Cult’s Outer Garden.

“H-how could the Chenghuo Merchant Group…”

“It was a time of endurance. The heavy responsibility of somehow growing the main cult’s precious seed money fell on us. So I gritted my teeth and organized and operated the merchant group. I reduced sleep and even saved eating time. Working desperately like that for decades, the merchant group’s scale grew to what it is today. But the human heart is truly deceitful. Once I was well-fed and warmly clothed, I wanted to just settle for this. If the main cult’s reemergence had been delayed a little longer, we would have remained as the Chenghuo Merchant Group forever.”

Lim Oh-yeon smiled bitterly.

If he could, he wanted to live forever as the Chenghuo Merchant Group’s vice leader. Having grasped tremendous wealth, who would want to stain their hands with blood again? He rather prayed the Demon Cult’s contact wouldn’t come. But his sworn brother and the Chenghuo Merchant Group’s owner Won Hoe-sang was a person filled to the bone with loyalty to the Demon Cult.

He contributed wealth to the Demon Cult as soon as profits arose, and under his support, the Demon Cult quickly reorganized. In the end, the person who contributed most to the Demon Cult’s revival was Won Hoe-sang, the Chenghuo Merchant Group’s owner and Outer Garden’s leader.

“Huh! Incredible! That the Chenghuo Merchant Group is the Demon Cult’s lackey.”

Having learned all the facts, Go Seung-cheon let out a lament. The shock was tremendous, as if struck in the back of the head with a hammer. But he soon regained his senses and glared at Lim Oh-yeon.

“Demon Cult’s lackey. Even if I forgive everyone else, I cannot forgive you.”

He drew his sword.

Though he was handling the Finance Hall because he was astute with finances, he too was a martial artist who had learned martial arts. Unable to suppress his boiling anger, he charged at Lim Oh-yeon.

Swish!

His sword scattered dazzling light. Sharp sword energy burst forth.

Clang!

Lim Oh-yeon swung his sword to block Go Seung-cheon’s attack and said:

“I understand your anger. But it’s already too late.”

“Don’t make me laugh. Do you think the main alliance will collapse from just this level of surprise attack? Not a chance.”

“Do you think this is the extent of our forces?”

“Then?”

It was the moment doubt appeared on Go Seung-cheon’s face.

CRASH!

Suddenly, flames shot up from the Martial Alliance’s main gate along with a roar. And incomparably louder shouts than before echoed.

“Waaaah!”

“Sweep away the Martial Alliance.”

A tremendous number of martial artists poured in like a tidal wave through the main gate. Not just the main gate, but many martial artists infiltrated the Martial Alliance by climbing over the walls.

“H-how?”

At the too-tremendous sight, Go Seung-cheon’s face turned white, forgetting even to swing his sword.

The scene unfolding before his eyes was that shocking.

It was the Martial Alliance, center of the martial world. Naturally, a spider-web-like surveillance network was built around the Martial Alliance.

If even the slightest ominous movement showed, it would be instantly detected and transmitted to the Military Advisory Bureau. But this time, such surveillance network didn’t function at all. In a normal situation, this was impossible.

The Martial Alliance’s surveillance system had collapsed and enemies had invaded to the inner courtyard. The worst situation Go Seung-cheon couldn’t understand and didn’t want to had unfolded.

That’s when it happened.

“Curious?”

With a voice like a whisper, someone walked toward where Go Seung-cheon was.

A scholar walking confidently with hundreds of martial artists as escorts. The moment Lim Oh-yeon saw him, he withdrew his sword and cupped his fists.

“Outer Garden Vice Leader Lim Oh-yeon greets the Military Advisor.”

“Heavenly Maiden Won Seol-hwa greets the Military Advisor.”

Won Seol-hwa also showed respect.

At their attitude, Go Seung-cheon’s face was dyed with shock.

“The Demon Cult’s Military Advisor?”

“That’s right. I am Sang Han-cheon, the Divine Cult’s Military Advisor.”

The scholar, Sang Han-cheon, smiled coldly.

The lightning surprise attack carried out at dawn was all his work.

Using the Chenghuo Merchant Group to shake the Martial Alliance’s interior, and completely neutralizing Yueyang’s Martial Alliance surveillance system with the forces hidden on the World’s Number One Ship. And carrying out a lightning surprise attack with forces brought from Hangzhou.

“The crime of opposing the Divine Cult can only be repaid with death.”

The one displaying overwhelming martial prowess while slaughtering numerous forces was Ten Thousand Shadows Divine Lord Lim Hak.

Lim Hak, one of the Four Great Corps Leaders, had truly formidable martial prowess. The Martial Alliance’s numerous masters collapsed helplessly before his formidable power.

In addition, the Inner Garden’s Golden Demon Pavilion, Divine Transformation Hall, and Cloud Dragon Hall joined. Thousands of demon cult members freely vented their pent-up resentment against the Martial Alliance.

That wasn’t all. The other Four Great Corps Leaders were also leading forces toward the Martial Alliance.

“Kreut!”

Go Seung-cheon’s face contorted.

Sang Han-cheon looked around with a cold smile on his lips.

“While you lot were enjoying wine and women in this prosperous place, we were sharpening blades and poison energy. This time you will learn our position. Sweep away every last Martial Alliance lackey without leaving one.”

“Waaaah!”

The Demon Cult’s martial artists raised their momentum and attacked the Martial Alliance.