Hm?

Wondong, captain of the Fire Ape Unit, tilted his head.

What is it? Did something happen?

For no reason, he felt strangely unsettled.

Wondong let out a light sigh.

One of the Fire Ape Unit members asked,

“What is it, Captain?”

“It’s nothing. Maybe I’ve just had too much on my mind lately.”

“Pardon?”

Wondong smacked his lips.

“It’s just that our lord seems to be moving way too violently these days.”

“C-Captain.”

“I’m just saying. Hey. And let’s be honest here, didn’t both you and I come under our lord because we wanted status and success?”

“......That’s true.”

“But the reputation of the very lord we serve is awful. Hell, he’s even getting pushed down the pecking order by some brat barely out of his youth. What the hell is this?”

The unit member clicked his tongue.

“Even so, it’s not like we can switch sides now.”

“That’s exactly my point.”

Wondong let out a long sigh.

“Forget it. What’s the point of saying any of this? We just have to keep living the way we’ve been living.”

“Tch.”

“Tighten up again. It probably won’t happen, but who knows if something might break out.”

“No way.”

“Hey, what if something really does happen?”

“Since you mention it, sure, the new Director of the Intelligence Division is a real pain in the ass, but he’s still a master who’s broken through the wall of martial arts, isn’t he? And our lord’s martial arts are incredible too.”

“That’s true, but.”

“And most importantly, the Director came as the Lord of Ink Dragon Manor’s proxy. If the Director dies, then from that moment on, Clan Lord Mo Yong will have made an enemy of one of the strongest men alive, a true contender for the title of strongest under heaven. Unless we strike first, it won’t be easy for Clan Lord Mo Yong to make the first move.”

“......Well, what you’re saying is right.”

Wondong looked at the unit member with impressed eyes.

“You’re smarter than you look.”

“Hehe, I’m just the type who runs little calculations in my head. I hear Clan Lord Mo Yong is supposed to be that clever too, right?”

“That’s what they say.”

“Even I can think that far, so I just can’t see someone like Clan Lord Mo Yong making a mistake.” 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

“Mm, but listen.”

“Yes, Captain.”

“What if Clan Lord Mo Yong happens to be in a particularly bad mood today...... or whatever, if he really does cause trouble, then what happens?”

“What happens? Then it turns into a real......”

At that moment—

KRAAASH!

With one thunderous blast, a massive door went flying through the air.

The unit member’s eyes went wide.

“......war.”

Wondong whistled.

A sharp sound stabbed into their ears the very next instant, and the entire Fire Ape Unit charged toward the source of the explosion.

Wondong shouted,

“Surround the pavilion— Hhk!”

FLASH!

A streak of lightning-like radiance painted his vision white.

And that was the end.

THUD.

Wondong collapsed where he stood, his head severed.

It was a mercilessly fast sword. Though he could not compare to Fire Ape, Wondong had reached a level similar to that of the dead Wongaek, yet he lost his life to a single strike.

And that was not all.

FLASH! FLASH!

Each time the blue sword light flashed, four or five members of the Fire Ape Unit were sliced apart across the waist.

“Wh-what is this?!”

“What’s happening?!”

“This is bad! Contact the other Zodiac Gods at on— Kuhk!”

That sword light was as fast and violent as lightning, and it turned an area more than ten paces wide into nothingness.

It was truly a monstrous Sword Aura Art. Beneath an invincible sword art that flashed without even a sound, the Fire Ape Unit was reduced to ruins in an instant.

And that was not all.

“Hey! Run!”

“......”

“Hey, damn it! Hhk!”

SLLLLL.

The descent of death itself, delivering death without the slightest sign.

Like invisible smoke slipping everywhere at once, there was a terrifying assassin driving daggers into the death points of the Fire Ape Unit.

The last surviving member of the Fire Ape Unit, Fourth Ape, muttered in terror,

“Wh-what the hell is happening?!”

KRAAASH!

A fierce explosion rang out.

In Fourth Ape’s eyes, a man came flying through the air.

“Director!”

THOOM.

Yeon Hojeong crashed straight onto the bare ground and vomited a mouthful of blood.

Fourth Ape hurried over to him.

“Ar-are you all right?!”

Grinding his teeth, Yeon Hojeong shouted,

“It’s an enemy attack! Summon all the remaining Zodiac Gods!”

“I obey!”

Fourth Ape turned and shouted,

“Enemy attack!”

The voice rang out like thunder, carrying more than a hundred paces.

At that moment, Yeon Hojeong’s hand chopped through the air.

Slice.

Fourth Ape’s head flew off.

“You.”

Mo Yonggun, who had appeared before the annihilated Fire Ape Unit before anyone noticed, had a face twisted like crumpled paper.

“What exactly are you doing?”

“Khyaak! Ptui!”

“Why did you not kill that one before he shouted?”

“Would it have changed anything?”

“What?”

PAPAPAPAPANG!

From the empty air in all directions, four masters rushed in at terrifying speed. Behind them came no fewer than three hundred warriors.

“Director!”

“Are you all right?!”

Staring at Mo Yonggun, Yeon Hojeong shouted,

“Kill Clan Lord Mo Yong! He launched a surprise attack!”

Mo Yonggun’s face warped violently.

This bastard!

Things were supposed to unfold like this anyway. He had to kill Yeon Hojeong, then call in the entire operational team as well and fake their deaths to get out safely.

But even when the flow was the same, a small difference in response could make matters easier or harder.

Why do you keep blowing this up for no reason?!

At that moment, Phantom Snake approached Yeon Hojeong.

“Are you all right?”

“I’m fine, so hurry and kill him! He’s far stronger than expected!”

The Fire Ape Unit had already been wiped out, and even the Director was coughing blood. This was no time to question circumstances.

Phantom Snake roared,

“Everyone, kill Mo Yonggun! I’ll escort the Director!”

WHAM!

Blue Tiger, Water Dragon, and Mad Dog all released Killing Intent at once.

Mo Yonggun, who had been about to swing ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) his sword immediately, flinched for a moment.

These bastards.

The Killing Intent pouring from them was not ordinary.

Each one was certainly weaker than him, but with the pressure of all three crashing down on him at once, he could not simply ignore it.

KRAAASH!

With a powerful Stamping Step, Blue Tiger pushed his Inner Qi to its absolute limit.

CRACK. CRACK-CRACK!

Grotesque sounds rang out from joints all across his body.

Blue Tiger threw his mouth wide open.

KHUUUUURRRR!!

It was a roar so huge and violent it made the skin crawl. It was twice as loud as the roar of a real great tiger, and ten times more oppressive, a true sound art.

WHAM!

And that was not all. Water Dragon and Mad Dog as well were releasing far more powerful auras than usual, to the point that it would not have been strange if someone said this was the power of Transcendent Peak masters who had broken through the wall of martial arts.

Mo Yonggun’s face stiffened.

What the hell are these bastards?!

Until the moment they appeared, they had only seemed like the sort of pests who would be annoying to deal with. In an instant, they had become opponents genuinely difficult to face.

A change so unbelievable he could scarcely trust his own eyes. This was the greatest hidden card possessed by the chosen few even among the Twelve Zodiac Gods.

Yeon Hojeong shouted once more,

“There are Mo Yong Clan troops hiding by the western riverbank! The remaining forces, deal with them!”

Mo Yonggun was genuinely rattled.

“You!”

Yeon Hojeong gave him no time to speak.

“What are you all waiting for?! Attack now!”

“Yes, sir!”

Blue Tiger, Water Dragon, and Mad Dog all charged Mo Yonggun at once.

And that was not all. The forces under the four men moved west exactly as Yeon Hojeong had ordered.

Countless masters tangled together. It would not be an exaggeration to call it utter chaos.

“Ggh.”

Yeon Hojeong gritted his teeth and clutched his side.

Phantom Snake asked urgently,

“Director! Are you all right?”

“Senior, take me out of the combat zone for a moment. I was hit by penetrating force.”

“Hhk!”

If one took penetrating force head-on, damaged organs were the least of it. In severe cases, one could die from a single blow.

Phantom Snake quickly lifted Yeon Hojeong onto his back. Though Yeon was still newly appointed, Phantom Snake had seen his excellence with his own eyes. He could not let a man like this die.

Just then—

FLASH! KRAAASH!

The bodies of Phantom Snake and Yeon Hojeong flew upward.

Damn it!

When Phantom Snake looked back, the ground had caved in deeply. Judging by the position, it seemed an explosion had gone off from a sword strike launched by Mo Yonggun.

That bastard.

Unlike Phantom Snake, who hurriedly regained his stance, Yeon Hojeong fell helplessly to the ground.

THOOM.

Phantom Snake’s face went pale.

No matter how great a master one was, falling from a height of three jang without any preparation would damage the bones. And the Director was already suffering internal injuries.

“Director!”

Phantom Snake rushed over to Yeon Hojeong.

At that moment—

“Cough! You, come here!”

Spitting blood again, Yeon Hojeong called over one of the masters who had been heading west.

Phantom Snake hurriedly asked,

“Director! Are you all right?”

With a pale face, Yeon Hojeong said,

“At least one person must survive to report this situation back to the Manor!”

“Yes!”

“But that person cannot be you or me.”

“What?”

In that instant, Yeon Hojeong’s hand curved like a snake.

Thunk!

Hhk!

Phantom Snake’s mouth fell open.

As consciousness slowly faded, Yeon Hojeong’s gentle voice rang beside his ear.

“Thank you for everything.”

A surge of emotion rose in Phantom Snake.

Director! No......!

SLLLLL.

Phantom Snake collapsed.

“Carry Senior Phantom Snake back to the Manor! Hurry!”

“Y-yes!”

Just like that, the warrior slung Phantom Snake across his back and sped away.

The instant he was gone, color returned to Yeon Hojeong’s face.

He looked around.

Good.

Mo Yonggun’s life-and-death struggle against the three Zodiac Gods.

And the three hundred masters heading far west.

What about that one who was working under Mo Yonggun?

Yeon Hojeong was certain of Muyeon’s presence.

WOOOOONG.

Black Tortoise Qi rose, increasing the moisture in the surrounding air.

......!

His luck was remarkably good. One wavering presence was caught within the Black Tortoise Qi.

Muyeon, moving two jang to Yeon Hojeong’s right, was racing west in a single line, trying to support the Mo Yong Clan troops.

WOOOOONG.

Azure Dragon Qi surged from Yeon Hojeong’s body.

WHAM.

The power of his liver activated, and the internal injuries he had forced onto himself rapidly began to recover.

Now, there are no eyes on me.

SHRAAAAK!

The moment it looked as though a streak of flame had flashed, Yeon Hojeong’s body shot forward like a ray of light.

It was movement that broke away from the combat zone in a single bound. The exploding Vermilion Bird Qi was heating his heart like madness.

Mo Yonggun.

Yeon Hojeong tore through the air with speed greater than anyone else.

The mission succeeded. All that remains is to get out cleanly.

Yeon Hojeong smiled.

But I can’t let a golden chance like this slip away. You’re one thing, but Ink Dragon Manor’s momentum also needs to be broken once.

And so Yeon Hojeong vanished like a streak of light. The place he was headed was one of Changsha’s streets, where the operational team should already be moving.

KRAAASH!

With one heavy sword strike, Blue Tiger, Water Dragon, and Mad Dog were all thrown backward.

This bastard.

Mo Yonggun could not focus on the fight.

What the hell are you plotting?!

Yeon Hojeong had clearly done something. He wanted to figure it out immediately, but the situation was moving far too fast.

His rage had reached its limit, but that did not mean he could simply cut Yeon Hojeong down. No matter what, Yeon Hojeong was still the commander of this mission. His duty was to return the entire operational team safely.

Then why?!

If he had simply stayed still, he could have returned safely to the Alliance. So why had he stirred up a mess like this?

At that moment, Blue Tiger’s complexion turned pale.

“Hhk!”

THUNK!

Knocked backward once more by Mo Yonggun’s sword strike, Mad Dog spat blood and shouted,

“Damn it! What’s wrong with you?!”

Blue Tiger’s eyes were bloodshot.

“Mo Yonggun, you son of a bitch!”

Grinding his teeth, he shouted,

“It’s urgent! Headquarters was ambushed by the Mo Yong Clan forces!”

“......!!”

Mo Yonggun’s face turned pale.