Episode 17 – Everyone, Stop
Twilight had begun to descend.
“Hurry.”
At Tak Horak’s words, the members of the Black Shadow Corps nodded. Before anyone noticed, they had already finished changing and were clad in the pitch-black uniforms that symbolized the Corps.
“Tak Horak.”
Someone was watching him with worried eyes.
It was Saweol. She too was in her black uniform, mask pulled up over her face.
“Yes, Vice-Captain.”
“Are you sure this is really the Young Hero’s will?”
“I’m sure of it. No, it is.”
Tak Horak plucked his spear to check its flexibility as he answered.
“The Young Hero clearly told me, to eliminate those unrighteous bastards.”
“Did the Young Hero send you a secret message or something?”
“No.”
Tak Horak answered confidently.
“He spoke to me with his eyes.”
“His... eyes??”
“Yes. Didn’t you see them too, Vice-Captain? That intense gaze. I’m certain he told me with his eyes to annihilate the families of those hypocritical Martial World scum.”
“Isn’t that too much of a leap?”
“If you’re a true believer of the Demon Cult, it’s only right to repay insults with retribution. And if our Young Hero was insulted, how could we, his subordinates, just stand by and do nothing? That’s something you should do even if it’s not spoken.”
“That’s... true.”
Saweol nodded. She, too, was a Demon Cultist to her very core, and thus sympathized with Tak Horak’s logic.
Had Kim Dong-yun seen this scene, he would’ve clutched his forehead and said he was getting dizzy. That’s how impossible it was to judge Demon Cultists by ordinary standards.
As she watched the Black Shadow Corps preparing as if it were the most natural thing in the world, Saweol fell into thought.
‘Sado Hwan… He really has changed.’
Their Young Hero, Sado Hwan, had changed ever since escaping the collapsed cave. Before that, he’d been arrogant and self-centered. Saweol, who had known that he was weak and only pretending to be strong under the shadow of his family’s power, had always found him repulsive to the point of nausea.
But now? He seemed like a completely different person.
As if he had been hiding his strength all along, he had displayed sword flight, and endured the Black Shadow Corps’ mass poisoning with ease, as if casually walking through a garden filled with mountain-decay and paralysis poisons. He had even completely fooled the eyes of Yun Yeopja, a master who had reached Peak.
“It’s strange…”
He had revealed himself as a Transcendent Peak expert, yet he still refused to use lightness skill or secret voice transmission like before. Perhaps it was simply habit.
But setting that aside—
‘He’s more of a true Demon Cultist than anyone.’
Sado Hwan, who always relied on lies within the Demon Cult, had become a role model for Demon Cultists ever since entering the Martial World. Reverent toward the strong yet respectful toward subordinates, he had become the very image of a leader.
Had this been before, Saweol would have scoffed at the idea of fighting back in revenge for Sado Hwan’s humiliation. But now, amidst this confusion, she was getting swept up in Tak Horak’s logic.
“Still, shouldn’t we double-check his intention one more time?”
Saweol tried to remain rational, but Tak Horak shook his head.
“Now that the Young Hero is holding Yun Yeopja’s attention, this is the perfect moment.”
Tak Horak’s argument, grounded in Demon Cultist logic, finally convinced Saweol completely, and she nodded.
“We’ll finish preparations within half a shichen (one hour) and launch the attack.”
“Where are you planning to strike first?”
“Well…?”
***
“They’ll head for the Baek Family Manor.”
“How would you, no—how do you know that?”
Tang Siyuk was about to speak disrespectfully but shrank back under Yun Yeopja’s cold gaze and corrected himself.
If the real Black Shadow Corps was moving under Tak Horak, then the Baek Family Manor would be the first target. After all, the Qinghai Three Heroes who had directly threatened me with their swords were there.
‘If they hit the Seo Family first, they might hear the commotion and flee…’
Of course, it’s not as if the Black Shadow Corps couldn’t track them, but once they revealed themselves, a Demon Cult Annihilation Squad would form. They’d want to avoid dragging this out and finish it swiftly.
Still, I couldn’t explain all that. I’d already learned that boldness works better in this world.
With a serious expression, I said, “A hunch.”
“A hunch?”
Tang Siyuk looked at me like I was insane.
“You expect us to head to the Baek Family Manor based on your hunch? In matters of the Demon Cult?”
“We’ll go.”
But Yun Yeopja nodded.
“You’re going to trust this guy?”
“I do. He’s a Saint from the East.”
Yun Yeopja himself was a man of unspeakable abilities. To him, even a vague term like ‘hunch’ might ring true.
This is exactly why I worked so hard to win him over to my side.
“From this moment forward, I’ll form a Demon Cult Annihilation Squad in accordance with the Murim Alliance charter. As per assignment, I will take command on-site. Young Master Tang, any objections?”
“None.”
Though they were strangers and even rivals until now, they united instantly under the banner of eradicating the Demon Cult. That shows how deeply the martial artists of Martial World loathed the Demon Cult.
“Young Hero Kim, do you have any thoughts?”
I nodded.
“Since the Tang Clan has the most numbers, I’d like you to send messengers to the sects in Taeryeong Prefecture to inform them the Demon Cult Annihilation Squad has formed. Also, send word to the Beggars’ Union.”
My safety came first. To ensure that, I needed the Tang Clan out of the way.
The Tang Clan may be part of the Murim Alliance, but they’ve been known to deal with the Demon Cult if it benefits them.
Knowing Yun Yeopja’s personality, he’d absolutely shout “I’ll go first!” and leap out the window, leaving me to face the enemy alone. Then he’d focus on finding out if my black parasol was genuine.
“A good idea. Young Master Tang, dispatch your warriors to inform the others and send your elites to the Baek Family Manor.”
“Understood.”
Tang Siyuk still stared at me suspiciously, but I pretended not to notice. Soon, he and the Tang Clan warriors exited.
“Then, let’s meet at the Baek Family Manor.”
Yun Yeopja was already stepping onto the window frame as he spoke. I nodded, and he flew off like a bird using Kunlun’s Eight Forms of the Cloud Dragon.
That’s exactly why I had the Tang Clan go first. He always uses the window, even when there’s a perfectly good door.
[What are you planning?]
Skybreaker Sword, who had been silent, suddenly spoke.
“I’m going to stop them.”
[They disobeyed orders. You should eliminate them all.]
“What orders? I never gave any. I’m just going to scold them and maybe throw them in the disciplinary cave for a few days.”
[…The disciplinary cave?]
“Hm? Why?”
[I take back what I said about you being soft. Just kill them.]
“Come on, the disciplinary cave isn’t that bad.”
In Return of the Murim, the disciplinary cave was a massive, complex dungeon where punished members were confined. It even had hidden treasures, and the protagonist once entered it voluntarily.
‘It’s probably nothing serious.’
[…No. That place is hell.]
He’s never even been there—why the drama?
“Anyway, time is short. I have to go before blood is spilled.”
Since I couldn’t use lightness skill, I had to ride a horse, unlike martial artists who could outpace a galloping steed in short bursts.
***
“Is, is that true?”
The head of the Baek Family turned pale. Yun Yeopja, who had arrived in an instant, had told him of the Black Shadow Corps’ movements.
“Then we must flee at once…”
“Get a hold of yourself!”
Startled by Yun Yeopja’s roar, the Baek family head snapped to attention.
“The Black Shadow Corps is known for their expertise in assassination and pursuit. If you run, you’ll just be picked off one by one. It’s better to stay here and set a trap. Quietly evacuate the women and children, and gather all able-bodied fighters.”
“C-can we really stop them?”
“Their leader is known as Sado Hwan. He’s said to be a Peak expert from the Sado Clan, one of the Six Demonic Clans.”
Yun Yeopja removed the two metal bracelets on his wrists. With twin thunks, they sank into the ground.
“The bloodline of the Sado Clan—I’ll deal with it.”
At his grim aura, the Baek family head swallowed nervously and nodded.
“I’ll prepare the defenses.”
Noise began to stir in the darkness around the Baek Family Manor.
“Get ready! Don’t let a single rat in!”
“Hey! Stop whining and move faster!”
And not just that—
“The Tang Clan’s warriors are here!”
“Support from Tiger Mist Hall has arrived!”
“Reinforcements from the Beggars’ Union!”
The Tang Clan’s warriors arrived slightly late, followed by reinforcements from various sects who’d heard of the Demon Cult’s appearance. In less than a quarter-hour, over 200 martial artists had gathered at the manor. Most were second- or third-rate, of course.
“Can we hold out, big brother?”
The youngest of the Qinghai Three Heroes asked nervously, gripping his spear. The second chimed in.
“They say the Demon Cultists use the blood of virgins in their dark rituals…”
“And they eat raw human flesh like ghouls to master their demonic arts.”
The eldest shook his head.
“They’re not monsters, just people. Besides, we’ve got Yun Yeopja and the warriors of the Tang Clan. We can win.”
Yun Yeopja sat in the middle of the courtyard, legs crossed and eyes closed. A chilling pressure radiated from him.
Only their breaths echoed in the silence.
Srng-!
Yun Yeopja rose and drew his sword.
“Light the torches!”
Flames sprang to life across the manor. As the darkness faded, hidden shapes became visible.
“Gasp!”
Martial artists sucked in their breath in shock.
Atop the Baek Family Manor’s walls stood dozens of figures.
It was the Black Shadow Corps.
They were just as startled.
– What’s going on?
Saweol sent a secret transmission to Tak Horak upon spotting Yun Yeopja’s sudden appearance.
– I’m not sure. Seems we’ve been exposed.
Tak Horak, scanning the crowd, noticed some in Tang Clan robes.
– Could the Tang Clan have tracked us?
– Possibly.
– What now?
Saweol fell into thought. Aside from Yun Yeopja, the rest were average. Even with the Tang Clan, it had only been a short while since they’d been nearly wiped out by Dok So-gong. The Black Shadow Corps, still seething over poison and hidden weapons, wasn’t too worried.
‘The problem is Yun Yeopja.’
Saweol’s sharp eyes had noticed he had removed his heavy, sealed bracelets. Though she was also a Peak expert, she instinctively knew she was outclassed.
While she hesitated—
“Where is your leader?”
Yun Yeopja’s cold voice rang out.
“Black Shadow Corps. Where is your Young Hero, Sado Hwan?”
“Hiding like a coward, just as expected from the Sado Clan’s blood.”
Voom!
A clear, milky-white aura began to gather around Yun Yeopja’s sword, like clouds taking form. It flowed along the blade—
The manifestation of sword energy, a symbol of Peak-level masters.
“If he won’t come out…”
Yun Yeopja stepped back with his right foot and lowered his stance, preparing a sword technique.
“I will slaughter you all.”
– What should we do, Vice-Captain?
Tak Horak asked. Saweol was still undecided.
At that moment—
“What are you all waiting for? Attack!”
Tang Siyuk, impatient, shouted. Martial artists drew weapons and charged forward.
– Vice-Captain! Your orders!
Saweol still hesitated.
But now there was no turning back.
Better to strike first than be struck.
– All units…
But her transmission never finished.
The charging martial artists froze, stunned by an overwhelming presence.
Sswaeeek—!
With a deafening roar—
Kkwaang—!
Something smashed through the Baek Family Manor’s gates and embedded into the ground.
It was a jet-black sword, from blade to hilt. Half of its blade had pierced into the stone floor.
A stunned silence fell over the scene.
Then—
Step—
Step—
Step—
From beyond the shattered gate, a man walked in.
Sado Hwan spoke.
“Everyone,”
“Stop.”