Volume 2 Chapter 5 – Skirmish

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Translated by Rain

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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“Phew, finished.”

Having finished cooking, Jeong-ah raised the apron she was wearing and wiped her forehead.

To prevent dust from settling on the food, she covered the lids well and completed the preparations so that the meal could be ready at any time by just warming it up.

Taking off her apron, she stood still for a moment to organize her thoughts.

Soon, Jeong-ah left the kitchen holding the luggage she had prepared in advance.

Inside the closed hearth, the dying embers glowed red.

* * *

The point when the short winter sun was starting to set.

On the roof of a tall building near the main base of the Black Bone Gang.

An agent, having confirmed the hand signal sent from afar, sent a standby signal.

The high-quality black night clothes were worn out here and there, indicating the agent’s experience.

The armaments firmly secured on the back and the side arms like daggers and flying needles at various places on the body stood out.

An messenger, having confirmed the signal sent by the agent on the roof, reported to the field commander.

“They say Squad Fifteen has positioned itself.”

“Squad Fifteen in position, confirmed.”

Similarly dressed in night clothes, the field commander received the report and summarized the situation.

Having confirmed the entire situation, the commander sent a signal to the messenger waiting by his side.

The messenger leaped across several roofs with light movements and landed on a balcony protruding from a building.

On the balcony where he landed, a group of people dressed in night clothes had taken position.

He knelt on one knee toward a woman who was similarly dressed in night clothes.

The woman wore an eyepatch engraved with a crescent moon pattern over one eye.

“Pavilion Master . We have completed the evacuation of local civilians. And all agents and collaborators have secured their positions and are in a standby state.”

The woman who was closing her eyes with her arms crossed was none other than the Crescent Moon Pavilion Master, Se-ah.

She slowly opened her eyes and pulled down the cloth that had been covering her mouth.

“Everyone maintain vigilance at current positions. Once the situation starts, move according to the rules of engagement. All responses to unexpected situations are to be reported afterward. Henceforth, the command authority is delegated to the field commander.”

The messenger repeated the instructions in a low but clear voice, then leaped back onto the roof.

It was a field that was so organized that it was hard to believe it belonged to a mere information organization.

And that was also the secret that allowed Crescent Moon Pavilion to grow in a short period in Luoyang, one of the largest cities in the Central Plains.

After a while, only Se-ah and her guard remained in the place where the personnel had left one by one for their missions.

Leaning against the wall, the guard spoke to Se-ah who was facing the cold wind.

“Are you anxious?”

Se-ah was reflexively about to answer, but realizing who the opponent was, she decided to answer honestly.

“……Rather than anxious, it is complicated.”

“Is that so.”

And the guard said no more.

Se-ah sighed and opened her mouth again.

“Earlier, you heard all of the conversation with the Eldest Young Master, right?”

The guard shook her head.

“I did not hear anything. Particularly, I did not hear any word like ‘rev’ or whatever. Please do not drag me into terrible things anymore. I will quit immediately.”

Ignoring her, Se-ah brought out what she wanted to say.

“How did he look to you? The Eldest Young Master, I mean.”

The guard shrugged.

“As I told you before, I think he is a good person.”

Se-ah said, shooting back slightly.

“Even after hearing that conversation? Even knowing he is the Dark Venerable?”

“First of all, I do not know what conversation you are talking about.”

“Do not change the subject.”

The guard scratched her cheek, which was wrapped in black cloth.

“He is a scary person. How can he not be scary? Even so……”

The guard replied in a calm tone.

“For some reason, I like that Eldest Young Master.”

Se-ah sighed.

“What a hateful answer.”

The conversation paused for a moment.

This time, the guard opened her mouth first.

“……I follow what the young lady decides. I only go together wherever you go.”

Se-ah smiled gently.

“Even if it is the demonic path of the underworld where the mountain of corpses and sea of blood of the inhuman demonic realm unfold?”

“……I will have to think about that again, though.”

The guard looked back at Se-ah.

“You only need to decide as your heart goes.”

“Yeah.”

Se-ah, who tapped the guard’s shoulder, approached the railing.

Beyond the railing, which was thoroughly camouflaged, the main base of the Black Bone Gang situated on the hill far away was visible.

Those holding torches to prepare for the darkness were running here and there.

‘To kill and kill the wicked until the world changes?’

She also saw those who looked to be ten times the usual number patrolling while heavily armed.

‘I will confirm with my own eyes whether you are truly a great person who can say such crazy things so calmly.’

Just then, the messenger appeared again.

“Pavilion Master. Currently, skirmishes have begun sporadically in multiple alleys.”

“Is it a skirmish ?”

“Yes. The field commander analyzed it as a movement to secure an escape route in advance.”

Se-ah took a deep breath.

“……It has begun.”

* * *

A narrow alley.

“You son of a bitch! Just because we look a bit easy, every dog and cow is acting up!”

A man with a face packed with black skull tattoos shouted at his hesitating subordinates.

“What are you doing, you bastards?! Attack immediately!”

As he ordered while brandishing his sword from behind, those holding various weapons rushed at those in night clothes with screams.

“Aaaaah!”

Among the three in night clothes, the one standing at the very front crouched and took a drawing stance .

“Die!”

The axe swung by the brute at the very front sliced empty air in vain.

At the same time, the brute’s stomach skin was sliced long, spraying blood and intestines.

As the long saber drawn before anyone knew it flashed, the necks of those who rushed in were cut, arms dangled, and chests were opened.

In an instant, the edge of the vanguard was broken.

“You bastards! Press more!”

At the terrifying shout coming from behind, the Black Bone Gang members continued to rush in.

However, the combat agent who had broken the spearhead pulled back, killing their momentum.

Then, two waiting agents naturally stepped forward, cutting down those who rushed in.

It was one-sided.

It was a difference that made one wonder if they were indeed people without internal energy.

In the first place, the majority of the Black Bone Gang members had no knowledge at all of this kind of frontal battle.

The majority of them were merely at the level of gangsters or thugs, and it was a distant hope for such people to subdue the elite combat agents of Crescent Moon Pavilion who had undergone harsh training and real battles.

“Hey, fuck. This will not do.”

The Black Bone Gang action leader shouted toward his back.

“Hey! Everyone line up against the sides! Open the way so the boys waiting in the back can come out first!”

According to his words, the Black Bone Gang members lined up against the sides of the alley.

“Damn it……”

Seeing those newly deployed between the split members, the Crescent Moon Pavilion agent gritted his teeth.

“It is spears.”

Dozens of spearheads flashed, reflecting the sunset light.

* * *

“Commander! It is spears! The bastards came out with spears!”

The command staff shouted.

“To say it is just a battle to secure an escape route, their numbers are too many. And they are gradually increasing. It seems even the troops that should defend the main base are all coming out.”

The field commander of Crescent Moon Pavilion’s side stroked his beard.

“……Deploy all the reserves!”

“Yes!”

The field commander looked down at the alleys where fierce battles were breaking out everywhere.

“They value momentum more even if the main base becomes weak.”

* * *

“Press more! You bastards, since it has come to this, press them hard!”

At the shout of the Black Bone Gang executive, those heading to the alley increased even more.

“Is it alright for even the guys defending the main base to leave like this?”

Another executive expressed anxiety from the side.

At first, it was merely deploying personnel to secure an escape route.

However, the trouble started when that deployment was recognized by many as an opportunity to escape.

As they began to jump in one by one, everyone started to escape from the main base without exception.

“Even if we make them retreat at this point, it will only encourage chaos! It is better to save the momentum, fuck!”

It was the judgment of an executive who was from the military .

“Besides, those guys in the back are going to do the real fighting anyway, right?”

His gaze directed behind him.

It was hidden by the wall and not visible.

However, the sight of the underworld martial artists sitting on their heavy buttocks inside and not budging was clear to his eyes.

“Hey! Fuck. Still, you should take your weapons! No, that bastard is really escaping! Kill him!”

The battle, which was merely a local and sporadic skirmish, was expanding uncontrollably.

* * *

“Do not worry about the lack of personnel.”

Se-ah spoke to the messenger.

“Soon, those who received my contact will begin to arrive.”

The messenger left to deliver the words to the field commander.

“How many do you think will come?”

At the guard’s question, Se-ah wore a bitter smile.

“An immense number will come.”

She placed both hands on the railing and continued.

“The Black Bone Gang has bought too much resentment.”

No sooner had she finished her words than she caught sight of people in various attires joining one by one.

As they joined, the battle situation began to reverse again.

“They seem to have great guts. Golden Spider has the Sword Family Bronze Plaque. Are they not afraid of the Luoyang Sword Family?”

At those words, Se-ah hesitated.

“Young lady?”

Se-ah wore a bitter smile.

“……Actually, I talked a bit big saying I would take all the responsibility.”

“……”

The guard, who lost her words, looked at Se-ah with an absurd expression.

“D-Do not look at me like that. Anyway, if the Dark Venerable is as great as the rumors say, we can easily ride on his coattails……”

Just then, Se-ah felt her body momentarily float.

A roar surged in her ears, making her ears go numb, and her vision shook violently, making it impossible to distinguish up from down.

“……Young lady! Young lady!”

As she regained consciousness, the sight of her guard shaking her hard came into her view.

“What is that……?!”

And behind her, she caught sight of the upper floor of the building they had been in, which was half-destroyed .

Just then, an ear-splitting laughter was heard.

That laughter, containing immense internal energy, was to the extent where the clashes in each alley momentarily stopped.

“Young lady, look over there!”

At the guard’s shout, Se-ah’s vision went toward the top of the half-destroyed building.

As the dust cleared, what was revealed was a woman practically plastered in red—Golden Spider.

Whether something had happened, thick veins stood out everywhere on her exposed skin, and she was releasing tangible waves of qi in all directions to the point where they were visible to the eye.

And following those waves of qi, her hem shook as if it had its own will.

“……!”

Goosebumps broke out over Se-ah’s entire body.

Even though Se-ah had no internal energy at all, she could feel Golden Spider’s gaze looking at her.

At that moment, the guard blocked the front of Se-ah and spoke.

“Young lady. I do not know what happened, but she is not the Golden Spider we knew.”

The moment Se-ah was about to say something, Golden Spider’s sharp voice was heard.

“Crescent Moon Pavilion Master!”

It was a voice dripping with bloodlust.

“Before that guy comes, I will kill you first!”

The guard pushed Se-ah, who had half-stood up.

“Run!”

Se-ah ran with all her might without looking back.

“Gyu ! You must survive!”

Se-ah’s guard, called Gyu, drew her sword and shouted.

“You too, young lady!”

Se-ah gritted her teeth.

‘Eldest Young Master! Dark Venerable! Where are you, and what are you doing?!’