Monochrome Sovereign (Novel) - Chapter 147 - An Invisible Fight is Scarier (2)
Chapter 147 – An Invisible Fight is Scarier (2)
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Translated by Heavenly Cat
Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net
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The Evil-Annihilating Army, which experienced its first real combat in the Dabie Mountains, headed to Mount Tianzhong in southern Henan Province under Yeon Ho-jeong’s guidance.
Yeon Ho-jeong did not go down to a county even once the entire way to Mount Tianzhong. He thoroughly stuck to mountain paths, and deployed movement techniques until someone was too exhausted to move.
On the third day running on mountain paths like that, Muk Bi asked.
“Is there a reason to deliberately only take winding mountain paths? It feels like we’re taking an unnecessary detour.”
“There is.”
“What is it?”
“Because we need to exclude contact with anyone other than ourselves.”
There were still many people who had not recovered from the shock of their first real combat.
To stabilize their minds and get closer to each other faster, there was nothing better than spending time together.
Yeon Ho-jeong did not stop there.
When taking a rest, he shared various conversations with the people in the unit.
Everyone pretended not to be, but there were many people who secretly found him difficult to approach due to his appearance crushing the enemy followers.
He clearly distinguished between himself during battle and himself in daily life. And to naturally let them accept that appearance of his, he induced many conversations and empathy.
Yeon Ho-jeong’s efforts shone faster than expected.
After about five days passed, there was not a single person left among the warriors of the Evil-Annihilating Army who feared or ignored Yeon Ho-jeong.
Yeon Ho-jeong was strong. But he was also that playful, and yet strangely mature.
Yeon Ho-jeong’s unique innate nature that he could not show during his days as the Dark Emperor.
Conversations with his family, life in the Yeon Clan, and faith in himself had changed Yeon Ho-jeong himself at some point.
The Dark Emperor Yeon Ho-jeong, who only lived fiercely, had only now returned as the true eldest son of the Yeon Clan.
Like that, another few days passed, and it was when the Evil-Annihilating Army entered the eastern edge of Mount Tianzhong.
“Captain.”
“What is it?”
Dong-ho hesitated.
It hadn’t been long since he escaped the shock of his first murder, so he hadn’t fully regained his liveliness from the past yet. Still, his innate nature couldn’t be helped, so he made sure to ask what he was curious about.
“By the way, who is our next enemy?”
“I don’t know right now.”
“Yes?”
“The Successor will contact us separately. Until then, we will not engage in combat.”
“T-Then where are we heading?”
“I told you, Mount Tianzhong. We’re almost there now.”
“We thought there were enemies in Mount Tianzhong, but that wasn’t it?”
“Of course.”
“Then what are we doing, us?”
Dong-ho’s question was everyone’s question. All members of the Evil-Annihilating Army looked at Yeon Ho-jeong with eyes full of puzzlement.
Yeon Ho-jeong unfolded three fingers and showed them.
“Three months.”
“Yes?”
“For three months, I will raise your real combat senses to the maximum.”
“…!”
“The Evil-Annihilating Army moving as one is the next problem. If you moved comfortably until now, from now on I have to cultivate you so you can become a useful combat power.”
Yeon Ho-jeong smiled confidently.
“How about it? Are you all ready to become real Jianghu people?”
There was no answer. However, their two eyes were burning like flames.
The environments they lived in, their skills, and their dreams were all different, but they had one common goal.
Namely, to train so that the martial arts they learned could work in the Jianghu Murim.
“If you are ready, let’s slowly begin. I’m telling you beforehand, but it will be extremely difficult for three months.”
* * *
The profusely pouring snow and the wind as fierce as a blade were also slowly disappearing without a trace at some point.
One month, two months passed and it became three months.
The wind that chilled to the bone became a warm spring breeze, and what touched the atmosphere riding that spring breeze was not fierce snow flurries but flower petals.
“Wow.”
Zhuge Ah-yeon could not suppress her admiration looking at the beautifully colored mountains far away.
“It’s beautiful, beautiful. Isn’t it?”
“Indeed.”
“How is the spring in Hebei?”
“It’s not this refreshing. How should I say it, it’s weather that strangely makes you want to cough.”
“Really?”
“Yes. Well, still it’s better than winter. Because winter is really cold.”
“I’ve never been to Hebei even once yet. I should definitely visit sometime later. If I go, you have to buy me something delicious, got it?”
“Let’s do that. Please take good care of us when my brother and I drop by Hubei later.”
“Don’t worry, you bear.”
“…”
“What is it?”
“Can you not call me a bear.”
“Anyone can see you’re a bear.”
“Then can I call you a fox, Sister?”
“Why wouldn’t it be?”
When she confidently said it was fine, he rather had nothing to say on this side.
Peng Man-ho snorted.
“Well, that’s good. Fox and bear? For some reason, doesn’t it feel like it would appear in a folktale my grandfather used to tell me when I was young?”
“I wouldn’t know.”
“No, you know that one. A fox full of petty tricks deceives a bear and…”
“I remember we weren’t a family with enough leisure to sit on our grandfather’s lap and intimately listen to old stories.”
“That’s rare. They didn’t even tell you such things in the Zhuge Clan, which is said to be a treasure trove of knowledge?”
“At age five I finished the Thousand Character Classic and immediately entered the Four Books and Three Classics. I didn’t have time to be fascinated by old stories.”
“Gives me goosebumps. Aren’t you too cold?”
“It was like that back then. Not anymore, though.”
Certainly, Zhuge Ah-yeon’s expression was refreshing itself.
Peng Man-ho shook his head.
“Jun must be dying right about now.”
“He’s probably in the midst of receiving Young Clan Leader education. Serves him right, that damn bastard.”
She should be envious of him receiving Young Clan Leader education, so he didn’t know why she was saying ‘serves him right’.
Certainly, there was a unique corner to Zhuge Ah-yeon. As expected of a child of the Zhuge Clan, she was ghost-like fast at reading the room and knew a lot, but she didn’t seem to have power or grand dreams.
‘Come to think of it, am I similar?’
His twin brother Peng Dae-ho was the typical face of a hero. On the other hand, he was closer to a maverick who disliked annoying things and just wanted to live freely.
Peng Man-ho suddenly recalled Yeon Ho-jeong.
‘It would be nice if it’s fun.’
The existence called Yeon Ho-jeong whom he met at the Gathering of the Rising Stars gave him an unforgettable impression.
He didn’t know about anything else, and there was only one thing he hoped for from Yeon Ho-jeong.
Pleasantness.
That pleasantness could be an aspect of heroism, or an aspect of creepiness. However, for some reason, he felt that wandering the Jianghu with him wouldn’t be boring.
“By the way, Sister, I think we need to slowly speed up.”
“Huh?”
“It’s already past noon.”
“Cough! Run, you bear!”
“I told you not to call me a bear!”
Paaaaak!
The movement techniques of the two man and woman were quite fast.
Passing the entrance of the village in a single breath and entering Mount Tianzhong, the two people entered near the promised spot.
However, it was difficult to grasp the exact location. Because thick trees and blooming flowers blocked their view.
Peng Man-ho smacked his lips.
“Good grief. Why out of all places did he set the meeting place in such a…”
“It’s over there.”
“Yes?”
“Over there, you bear. Can’t you tell just by looking?”
“A Sister who knows just by looking is more fascinating to me. But over there is all blocked off. Anyone can see it’s not.”
“You frustrating guy. Follow me, you punk. Sister will teach you a move.”
“Huh? Huh? Are we really going? It doesn’t seem like it’s there? Are we really going?”
While following behind Zhuge Ah-yeon in bewilderment, Peng Man-ho’s eyes widened instantly.
‘W-What is this?’
Air was faintly passing through the randomly tangled trees.
Zhuge Ah-yeon pointed at a tree trunk with her index finger.
“If we came up from below, we would have discovered it faster, what a pity. Bear, let’s cut all that down.”
“Yes? Ah! Yes!”
Hwoong.
Taking out a heavy great broadsword from his back, Peng Man-ho swung a powerful strike.
Pa-ba-ba-bak!
As a powerful blade wind arose, the tough tree trunks were torn and blown away just like that.
Zhuge Ah-yeon whistled.
“A strongman, a strongman. Your strength is quite useful?”
Peng Man-ho rolled up his sleeves without a word and revealed his biceps. The muscles bulging out like mountain peaks shone brilliantly under the sunlight.
Zhuge Ah-yeon’s evaluation was harsh.
“Dirty.”
“…”
“Let’s go in.”
“Yes, Fox.”
“Calling me Fox is fine, but I’d like it if you regularly called me Sister.”
“Yes, Fox.”
“Later I should lock you in a formation for three days…”
“Please go in, Sister.”
“Okay.”
The two people entered through the tree trunks.
They bickered like a joke, but Peng Man-ho was inwardly admiring Zhuge Ah-yeon’s discerning eye.
‘How did she know?’
After passing through the space that looked like a narrow cave, a large clearing appeared three zhang ahead.
It was a clearing with outstanding scenery, but a place where wind could hardly dwell.
Since it doesn’t catch the wind, the flow of air is extremely small. Naturally, the flow of Qi moving riding that flow is also difficult to detect.
‘Her eye for seeing the world itself is different. She couldn’t do this without looking at objects with an extremely three-dimensional perspective.’
That trained discerning eye would not only be useful for finding paths quickly.
It would also be a great help in strategic tactics using the geographical features, and furthermore in predicting the enemy’s movements or forming formations.
Another world that Peng Man-ho didn’t know, the world seen by a military strategist was that mysterious.
“By the way, it seems he hasn’t arrived yet.”
“He’ll come soon.”
“Probably. Since it’s roughly about time…”
“That’s not why.”
Zhuge Ah-yeon looked at the eastern peak.
A small smile lingered on her lips.
“He arrived exactly on time.”
“Yes?”
It was then.
‘…!?’
Peng Man-ho’s face stiffened.
‘W-What is that?’
Thick dust billowed up from the edge of the eastern peak far away.
And the moment that dust visibly grew larger.
Pa-ba-ba-bak! Crackle! Puh-eok!
From the edge of the peak downwards, the lined-up trees began to collapse one after another.
It was because they were looking from afar, in reality, it would be collapsing at a terrifying speed. Whenever a roar that shook the ground burst out, three or four trees would break or shatter.
And after a while.
“…Hmm.”
Woo-woo-woong!
The closer the distance to the dust cloud became.
The air of the clearing, which had only been quiet, began to fluctuate terrifyingly.
The strength of the wind changed. Due to someone approaching explosively, the atmosphere of the clearing was heating up hotly.
Finally, the figure of a person running at the forefront was captured in the eyes of the two people.
Zhuge Ah-yeon smiled, and Peng Man-ho’s eyes widened like lanterns.
“Quite noisy.”
Paaaaang!
Now, they could even hear the sound of air bursting every time he kicked the ground with his toes.
The person approaching at tremendous speed was a scholar-like young man wearing clothes that were as worn out as could be. Even though he was running carrying an axe of tremendous size on his shoulder, his speed was as fast as the wind.
Puh-eong!
Yeon Ho-jeong, who kicked the ground for the last time, stopped three zhang away from the two people.
Zhuge Ah-yeon raised her hand.
“Would anyone curse if you came quietly? What are you in such a hur…”
Sa-ra-rak.
At that time, there was a woman descending from high in the sky.
It wasn’t to the extent of Yeon Ho-jeong, but her clothes were also quite dirty. However, her unique movement, both strong and soft, created a surprisingly mysterious atmosphere.
Sa-bak!
Muk Bi, who descended leisurely, landed two steps in front of Yeon Ho-jeong.
“You’ve gotten faster?”
“Are you one to talk? Starting much later and taking second place? You’re crazy.”
“I’ll take it as a compliment.”
Yeon Ho-jeong raised his hand toward Zhuge Ah-yeon.
“Yo, it’s been a while?”
“…Huh? U-uh, it’s been a while!”
“Look at your skin tone. Do you wear powder now?”
Zhuge Ah-yeon chuckled.
“My skin was originally like porcelain, you know?”
“You’re making me laugh.”
Toward Zhuge Ah-yeon, who was about to continue speaking again, Yeon Ho-jeong waved his hand.
“Wait a minute. The kids are slowly arriving.”
As soon as Yeon Ho-jeong’s words ended, fifty or so men and women revealed their appearances.
The faces of Zhuge Ah-yeon and Peng Man-ho, who looked at them with puzzled eyes, soon became stained with bewilderment.
“Uwaaaaah!”
“F-Fifth place! I’m fifth place!”
“Keu-heok! Heok heok!”
“N-Now stop… I want to stop living, no, I want to stop doing this.”
“Keu-reu-reuk…”
The men and women who staggered and arrived at the clearing all collapsed on the spot without exception. It seemed they didn’t even have the strength to lift a single finger.
Zhuge Ah-yeon felt dumbfounded.
Peng Man-ho carefully whispered.
“By any chance, were all the warriors of the Evil-Annihilating Army drafted from the Beggars’ Gang?”