Novelink Chapter 242 : Border Region
Chapter 242 : Border Region
Chapter 242: Border Region
The forest of the Ten-Thousand Great Mountains was endlessly dense.
Pushing through undergrowth that reached up to our waists and rugged rocky paths, we advanced toward the heart of the Demonic Cult.
After walking like that for a week, it was enough time to get a rough grasp of a person.
And this woman, Namgung Sohye, seemed to be the type who talked a bit more when she was nervous.
As we headed toward what could very well be our deaths, she kept chatting about this and that, and whenever her elder brother Namgung Jin came up in conversation, her eyes sparkled like stars.
“Isn’t my elder brother amazing the more you look at him? He already comprehended the Boundless Sky Sword Technique at ten, and reached the Peak Master Level at nineteen. There’s probably no one like him, right?”
Calling him an unparalleled genius with unmatched talent, the shining star of Anhui Province—her gaze demanded our agreement.
Her praise showed no signs of drying up, so as we walked, we exchanged awkward glances.
“On top of that, his character devoted to the Orthodox Murim, his mature personality, his path as a chivalrous hero, and even his reputation as someone considered the future Murim Alliance Leader by the martial world… Ah, isn’t he just perfect?”
I had only casually mentioned Namgung Jin being in enemy territory, but the Vice Captain of the Chivalrous Unit looked like he’d stepped into a trap.
And when it started sounding like she was slightly looking down on other martial artists, Jo Harang couldn’t take it anymore and spoke up.
“Our Mujin is also incredible.”
Why are you dragging me into this?
I had been staying quiet, but now I turned toward them with a struck-by-lightning expression.
“He’s walked the path of a chivalrous hero since he was young, has outstanding talent, and he’s saved my life multiple times.”
As if unwilling to lose, Jo Harang pushed me forward and countered her.
At that, Namgung Sohye—who had been endlessly praising her brother—slowly scanned me from head to toe.
“Hmm, not bad… but overall, he feels about one level below my elder brother? Especially the face—two levels below.”
So even at best, I was a downgraded version. Especially in terms of looks, since that guy was ridiculously handsome, I had nothing to say.
“Mujin, sorry. I can’t think of a rebuttal for the face part.”
“…Why are you apologizing to me?”
That just made it feel even weirder.
Anyway, Namgung Jin—this era’s perfect man with no flaws. But even he couldn’t escape family issues.
With such a reliable and admirable role model so close, his younger sister had reached the point of borderline worship.
“And do you know how kind he is to me? He grants every request I make. Truly a wonderful elder brother. Hehe.”
She puffed out her chest proudly as she spoke.
Seriously, Namgung Jin—this is what happens when you spoil your only younger sister like that.
Though thanks to her, the anxiety of heading toward a deadly situation was somewhat eased.
“If you search all across the Central Plains, there wouldn’t be a man like him. The more I think about it, he’s the best husband material in the Central Plains.”
Then, the Vice Captain of the Chivalrous Unit suddenly struck where it hurt.
“What’s the use of being the best husband material? He’s blood-related to you—you can’t be with him.”
“…….”
At that blunt question, Namgung Sohye lowered her head.
At that moment, as if even her fear of the Demonic Cult vanished, she spoke with a chilling aura.
“My elder brother will never marry in his life.”
She insisted there would never be some sly vixen who would come and take her brother away.
Good grief, Namgung Jin. You’re in trouble, you bastard.
Whoever ends up with him is going to have a difficult sister-in-law.
Namgung Sohye walked with her head hanging low in despair.
“Ha… why did the heavens make him my elder brother… and me his younger sister?”
She even began lamenting her fate to the heavens.
As someone born carrying the fate of the Heaven-Slaying Star and abandoned by my family, it was an absurd thing to hear.
“Mujin, it’s a fork in the road?”
At that moment, Jo Harang pointed to two diverging paths.
One looked relatively flat, but the other was clearly a steep, overgrown rough path at a glance.
In other words, a path that screamed suffering.
“The Demonic Cult are still people. They’d take the easier road.”
The Vice Captain muttered, and after the fatigue of both body and mind from the journey, everyone unconsciously agreed.
This was Demonic Cult territory. The Murim Alliance’s intelligence only gave rough directions and large-scale information, so for details like this, we had to rely on improvisation.
But then—
The Salseongi suddenly rose up, wiggling its finger left and right.
‘This path… lures outsiders… trap…’
This border-like region still bore traces of the Great War Between Orthodox and Demonic Factions, so stepping carelessly could be fatal.
That was why, according to the former Demonic Cult member, the Salseongi, we had to take the rugged paths commonly used by the Demonic Cult and the Dark Command Unit.
“Nothing ever comes easy.”
Still, in enemy territory where information was scarce, having a guide was something to be grateful for.
Perhaps because it didn’t want to die at the hands of the Demonic Cult alongside me, the Salseongi obediently pointed out paths that would avoid them.
“This is a border region where the Great War Between Orthodox and Demonic Factions once took place. Even if it’s harder, let’s take the rugged path.”
At my muttering, everyone looked at me.
“Mujin’s instincts are incredible.”
Jo Harang backed up my opinion, saying I’d used those sharp instincts to catch murderers and villains before.
“Hm, so there’s a reason the easy path is easy? That makes sense.”
The Vice Captain nodded, while Namgung Sohye still looked shaken from earlier.
And so, under the guidance of the Demonic Cult Divine Maiden, we began climbing the rugged mountain range toward the Demonic Cult.
Before long, various parts of the Ten-Thousand Great Mountains were stained with blood and blades.
Clang!
Sparks flew as swords collided violently. The Demon-Slaying Unit and Namgung Jin desperately tried to break through the encirclement of the Demonic Cult’s Dark Command Unit.
The moment their steps slowed even slightly, the Demonic Cult’s noose would tighten further around them.
From between trees and within the bushes, ominous figures in black kept springing out and launching attacks, leaving Murong Cheonghye’s group no time to rest.
“Revenge for the Ming Cult…!”
Dark Command Unit members, their blades heavily coated with poison, charged with murderous intent.
Slash!
Murong Cheonghye’s Sword Qi flashed, and several heads of the distrust-filled Dark Command Unit members flew into the air.
But even after cutting down one group, another surged in endlessly.
“At this rate, we’re going to die!”
Tang Yeo-hye, who had just torn out a Demonic Cultist’s throat with her claw technique, shouted as if there was no answer to the overwhelming numbers.
It was like poking a hornet’s nest—the enemies kept increasing from all directions.
They had even disguised themselves as a family to move secretly until reaching the border region to avoid this situation, but—
Whoosh!
Namgung Jin’s Boundless Sky Sword Technique painted the air in blue.
He deflected incoming blades as if brushing them aside, harvesting flesh and blood with slicing sounds.
“Graaah!”
His eyes gleamed amidst the bloodshed, and several Demonic Cultists suddenly collapsed among their ranks.
As a brief opening formed, Namgung Jin shouted to Tang Yeo-hye.
“If you have time to talk, cut down one more! Like that Evil-Slaying Demoness over there!”
He pointed to Murong Cheonghye, the woman at the forefront sweeping enemies like a broom.
She displayed martial prowess earned from countless beheadings of villains—enough to be mistaken for the Heaven-Slaying Star itself.
That was the Murong Clan’s Sword Flash of Heaven and Earth, said to split even lightning.
From the Vice Captain’s fingertips surged a storm of blood and killing intent, cutting through flesh and cloth alike. Wherever she moved, lives and screams were harvested, carving a path through the battlefield.
“Wow… seriously, you can mess around with anyone, but not with her.”
Even Tang Yeo-hye—called crazy in the Central Plains—held back before the Evil-Slaying Demoness.
Bodies piled up wherever she passed.
“How ridiculous. You were so cheeky to me, yet now—!”
Jeok Unyeop, the Vice Captain, shouted in disbelief as he split a charging Demonic Cultist in half.
But even he couldn’t deny that Murong Cheonghye, from a prestigious clan with superior martial arts, was someone he couldn’t oppose.
“Die, you dogs of the Murim Alliance…!”
“Your corpses will be displayed across the villages, just like those beggars!”
But the Demon-Slaying Unit had little time to talk—the encirclement was tightening, and the enemy numbers kept increasing.
“Break through following the Vice Captain!”
They charged through the blood path Murong Cheonghye carved. Her sword flashed like lightning, harvesting heads like a scythe cutting crops.
But their progress slowed as they repeatedly clashed with enemies.
Their escape was grinding to a halt.
At that moment, a martial artist exuding an extraordinary aura suddenly rose from the center of the Demonic Cult forces.
“You rats of the Murim Alliance… you’ve run quite far.”
He was Jeokgwang, the Dark Command Unit Leader, who had lost many subordinates that day.
After briefly glancing at the corpses scattered everywhere with sorrowful eyes, he removed his black hood and glared murderously at the Demon-Slaying Unit.
“But your struggle ends here. You four… I’ll tear you apart until you beg for death, then scatter your mutilated corpses across the Murim Alliance.”
He even planned to send their body parts back to their respective sects in gruesome condition.
Perhaps as a spark for another Great War Between Orthodox and Demonic Factions.
“You vile Demonic Cult bastard—your actions are as filthy as ever!”
Jeok Unyeop shouted through gritted teeth at the mention of desecrating corpses.
The Dark Command Unit Leader scoffed.
“Says the ones who slaughtered over a hundred innocent Ming Cult members…!”
The two sides glared at each other with no room for negotiation.
The desperate chase seemed to be over.
Outnumbered and outmatched, it seemed likely this place would become their grave.
Tang Yeo-hye muttered quietly.
“If we fight them fiercely and die bravely… will the Tang Clan of Sichuan and the entire Central Plains remember our deeds?”
At her question about dying honorably, Namgung Jin—never one to empathize much—answered bluntly.
“Unfortunately, this mission itself is a secret. No one will know of our achievements.”
Even in such a moment, he refused to lie.
“Damn it! Then it’s just a dog’s death!”
“It’s not a dog’s death. We’ve taken down quite a few of the Demonic Cult’s lackeys.”
“That’s the same thing! Damn it! I can’t die like this!”
“…Saying you don’t want to die doesn’t change anything.”
But Tang Yeo-hye wasn’t listening anymore.
“Damn it! Telling a young maiden in her prime to die like a dog? No way! I’m getting out of here alive and living happily with Mujin!”
At that, Murong Cheonghye suddenly turned her head.
“Who said you could get married? I haven’t permitted it.”
“…What are you even talking about, Vice Captain?!”
As this internal chaos unfolded, the Dark Command Unit Leader raised his hand.
“Enough of this nonsense. Tear them apart!”
Just as hundreds of Demonic Cultists were about to descend upon the four—
“Noonaaa—!”
A familiar voice echoed from afar.
Two women who considered themselves the addressed “Noona” flinched.
“M-Mujin?”
“Why are you here?!”