WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR

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Episode 24: The Trap (1)

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Everyone was puzzled when I gestured for them to turn around and retreat.

I sent sound telepathy to the high-rank warriors at the front, informing them that an ambush lay ahead.

After they passed the message along, everyone quickly began turning around one by one.

Then two people came to me, passing through the others.

They were Baek Ryeon Ha and Escort Brigade Leader Jang MunWoong.

“Young master.”

As she began to whisper something, I gestured for her to lower her voice and sent sound telepathy.

[There is an ambush ahead.]

I sent the same message to Jang MunWoong.

Jang MunWoong looked ahead and tilted their head.

- They don't seem to know.

Jang MunWoong was a formidable expert of Brigade Leader rank, but unless they had reached Evil Heaven's realm, their Ki sense seemed likely to be relatively weaker.

Of course, I would have been no different if I could not hear the swords' voices.

[An ambush? How could the enemies know we were... Ah!]

Baek Ryeon Ha discovered something and frowned.

It was the corpse of the dead Squad Leader Yang GangIl.

Thanks to her reaction, Jang MunWoong noticed it as well and looked at me as though demanding an explanation.

[Squad Leader Yang was a Spy.]

I sent sound telepathy to them in turn.

Their reactions differed.

[A Spy? How do you know that?]

[...Squad Leader Yang was a Spy?]

Jang MunWoong was asking how I knew Yang GangIl was a Spy, while Baek Ryeon Ha sounded as though she could not believe Yang GangIl would be one.

I told her what had happened.

[Squad Leader Yang smeared Thousand-Li Tracking Fragrance on my sword sheath.]

I had not brushed it off yet because I intended to show them.

Baek Ryeon Ha saw the Thousand-Li Tracking Fragrance on my back, then leaned in and smelled it.

[The scent is slightly different.]

She recognized it at once.

I could distinguish it because I had been trained as a Spy, but was it because she was a woman? She was more sensitive to scents than I had expected.

[Squad Leader Yang put this on you, young master?]

She sounded puzzled.

I had not expected anyone to do something so brazen right behind me either.

“This is frustrating. Even if enemies are lying in ambush ahead, if they are far enough away for me not to sense them, they would have difficulty hearing whispers.”

Perhaps frustrated by the three of us speaking through sound telepathy, Jang MunWoong spoke quietly.

They had a point.

I had only used sound telepathy to be more cautious.

“Did you see it?”

“You believe Squad Leader Yang was a Spy because of the Thousand-Li Tracking Fragrance on the sword sheath.”

“There was no room for doubt.”

Now that I had shown them, the sword sheath had served its purpose.

I threw it down the cliff.

- Ah...

The Southern Heavenly Steel Sword sounded regretful as the sheath, which had been with it for so long, fell away.

There was no helping it.

If I carried it with me, our location would be exposed.

In any case, anyone tracking the Thousand-Li Tracking Fragrance would have to descend into the rushing waters far below the cliff.

Yet Baek Ryeon Ha and Jang MunWoong exchanged glances.

Why were they doing that?

“We do not have time for this. We need to retreat quickly.”

I could not judge the ambushers' strength merely by hearing the swords' voices.

Rather than confronting them on this narrow cliff path, it would be better to help Evil Heaven deal with the pursuers and join up with them.

Then Baek Ryeon Ha sent me sound telepathy.

[Young master. Squad Leader Yang was not a Spy. Ah... Squad Leader Yang was a Spy.]

[What?]

What was that supposed to mean?

He was not a Spy, but he was?

[I explained that poorly. Yang Squad Leader is my older sister's...]

‘Older sister?’

- ...

‘!!!’

Before her message could finish, I urgently turned around.

[Why are you doing that?]

The swords' voices were growing louder.

- They are coming this way, Un Hwi.

The Southern Heavenly Steel Sword warned me gravely.

I had expected them to remain in ambush, but they appeared to be coming toward us.

They were moving incredibly fast.

“They are coming!”

“Ah!”

As the enemies drew near, Jang MunWoong seemed to sense them as well and shouted urgently.

“Everyone, retreat at once!”

At their cry, the procession, which had been moving quietly, sped up.

Led by Song JwaBaek and Song WooHyun, who had been at the rear but were now at the front, they began to run.

If we were caught on this ravine path, we would be in grave danger.

“Young lady, move to the center.”

Baek Ryeon Ha nodded at Jang MunWoong's words.

She was the king of this procession.

The moment the king was captured, everything would be for nothing.

“High-rank warriors, fall back. Young master, please guard the rear with me.”

“Understood.”

Jang MunWoong and I were the strongest fighters here.

The situation had become extremely urgent.

The Song JwaBaek and Song WooHyun twins now had to lead from the front while I protected the rear.

[Jo SeongWon!]

[My lord?]

Among the candidates for mid and high rank running ahead of the high-rank warriors, I called Jo SeongWon through sound telepathy. I asked Jo SeongWon to guard the center in case anything happened.

Having learned the Beggars' Sect Leader's Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms, Jo SeongWon was among the strongest Advanced masters and could be trusted.

“Hurry!”

At Jang MunWoong's shout, the retreating procession accelerated.

But at this speed, we could not shake off the enemies pursuing us.

We at least had to get out of the ravine path.

- We're too late.

The SoDam Sword spoke to me in a bleak voice.

I knew.

- ...

The murmur of the swords had become far too close.

When I glanced back, a group of masked people dressed in black were racing toward us with movement skills.

There were around forty of them.

‘Masks?’

Something was strange.

Why were they wearing masks?

We wore masks because our identity as Blood Cult members could not yet be exposed.

But they had no reason to hide their faces.

Even the scouts we had subdued earlier had shown their faces.

“Urgh.”

A groan escaped Jang MunWoong as they watched them approach.

There were fewer enemies than us, but every one of them appeared to be a formidable master.

The two at the very front were especially intimidating.

One carried a vicious-looking great axe over their shoulder, while the other appeared to be a fist practitioner with an enormous build.

They seemed smaller than Evil Heaven, but were still far larger than an ordinary person.

‘What should I do?’

It seemed the high-rank warriors and I would have to stay behind and stop them.

At this distance, they would catch up to us soon.

‘What?’

“Brigade Leader!”

Jang MunWoong looked back at my call.

“Damn it! High-rank warriors, stop at once and block them!”

The masked people were preparing to throw what appeared to be throwing spears.

They seemed to believe they were close enough to inflict damage.

The massive fist practitioner also held a throwing spear, and even from a distance, its momentum was threatening.

The throwing spears hurled by the masked people tore through the air.

I could not stop all of them alone.

At least two or three.

I gripped my sword with both hands and focused on the incoming throwing spears.

The instant they arrived, I swung swiftly and cut them down.

I achieved my goal.

I cut down two throwing spears and barely deflected another.

I heard the high-rank warriors beside me blocking the throwing spears.

Because the spears were also charged with internal energy, not everyone managed to stop them.

“Ghk!”

“Argh!”

Two high-rank warriors were hit.

One was pierced through the abdomen and skewered outright. The other was struck in the thigh. They would live, but had lost their mobility.

But that was not the real problem.

The throwing spear launched by the massive fist practitioner was on an entirely different level from the others.

Even the sound of it cutting through the air was different.

Even if I opened my Central Dantian, I could not be sure I could stop it.

“Everyone, move!”

Jang MunWoong stepped forward.

They were the only one here who could possibly block it.

Jang MunWoong moved in front of the throwing spear flying toward the center with terrifying force.

As it came within reach, they swiftly caught it.

For a moment, it seemed they had succeeded in stopping it.

Then it happened.

“Urgh.”

Though Jang MunWoong caught the throwing spear, it drove into their right shoulder near the chest.

Their body was then lifted into the air and flung backward.

“Argh!”

“Ugh!”

The high-rank warriors behind them tried to catch Jang MunWoong, but they fell and were thrown back together.

It was Force-Transmitting Through Objects, and its power was absurd.

A single throwing spear had knocked down an Expert master and several Advanced masters.

As a result, the retreating procession came to a halt.

“Huff... Huff...”

Jang MunWoong pulled the throwing spear from their shoulder.

Then they stopped the bleeding with an acupoint technique.

- That's a monster.

I had already seen it with my own eyes without needing the SoDam Sword to tell me.

This was the worst possible situation.

If that massive fist practitioner could display such power with only a throwing spear, they had to be a supreme master at least at the level of a Blood Star or Venerable One.

In the meantime, they reached us.

I looked toward the cliff beside us.

‘...Do I risk my life?’

The only way to survive this situation was the ravine cliff.

It was so high that the chance of survival was extremely low, but there was at least a sliver of hope.

Or should we risk our lives and fight?

We greatly outnumbered them, so we might at least buy Baek Ryeon Ha time to escape.

- How about you just run away? Why worry about these people too?

Ah...

The SoDam Sword's words suddenly made me realize something.

I had been thinking as though I were some loyal retainer of the Blood Cult.

When the time came, I should have prioritized myself.

Then someone among the masked people, the one carrying the vicious axe, shouted at us.

“Is there a wench named Baek Ryeon Ha among you?”

‘Baek Ryeon Ha?’

Surprisingly, they were after Baek Ryeon Ha.

As if cold water had been poured over us, silence instantly fell over the procession.

The masked axe wielder continued.

“If Baek Ryeon Ha is not here, I will kill all of you. If she is, hand over that wench. Then I will spare your lives.”

The high-rank warriors' expressions changed at those words.

Who would not be furious when someone was targeting the next Blood Cult lord?

But that had become poison instead.

“Oh? That bastard's prediction came true. She really is here.”

The masked axe wielder became certain that Baek Ryeon Ha was here.

Judging from their reaction, they had also been after her but had not been certain she would appear here.

“If that wench is here, hand her over at once!”

The massive fist practitioner beside the axe wielder pressed us.

Even from the force carried in their voice, they were clearly an extraordinary master.

Their intimidation was enough to make even the high-rank warriors shrink back.

But no one would surrender her simply because they were overwhelmed by the enemy's pressure.

The high-rank warriors tightened their grips on their Weapons.

‘...’

Judging by their determination, they seemed ready to risk their lives here to protect her. Running from such masters was meaningless anyway, but their loyalty was remarkable.

Perhaps this was why the martial artists' alliance wanted to wipe them out to the last seed.

I looked at Jang MunWoong, who was holding their wound.

They too seemed ready to fight to the death.

‘...’

After considering it for a moment, I sent Jang MunWoong sound telepathy.

[Brigade Leader.]

They looked at me in puzzlement.

[...If I stall them, take the young lady and run.]

[Young master!]

Jang MunWoong looked at me with widened eyes and sent sound telepathy.

- Why would you do that?

The SoDam Sword rebuked me.

‘Enough. If it comes to it, I'll jump off the cliff.’

Either way, I was trapped between two terrible choices.

If I could only complete the task Evil Heaven entrusted to me, I would stake my life on that slim chance.

Was it not still more likely than fighting them?

Then one of the masked people spoke.

“Manor Lord, there is no time. We were told that if it does not work, we may kill them all, so let us slaughter everyone in our way...”

I stepped forward.

Every gaze from both the enemy and our side focused on me.

Our side looked bewildered, while the masked enemies looked as if they thought I had finally taken the bait.

I offered them a fist-and-palm salute and spoke.

“You seniors do not appear to be from the martial artists' alliance. Why are you persecuting us?”

Murmurs arose from behind me.

Naturally, they must have thought these people were from the martial artists' alliance or the force of justice.

But I thought differently.

Then the masked person carrying the axe said,

“Hmph. What are you talking about? We are from the martial artists' alliance.”

They denied my claim.

“Then why do you say you will spare us if we hand over Baek Ryeon Ha?”

It made no sense to begin with.

The martial artists' alliance sought the annihilation of the Blood Cult.

Their goal was to eradicate us without leaving even a seed behind, yet they targeted only the person qualified to become the Blood Cult lord? That was absurd.

“This fool is spewing nonsense!”

The masked fist practitioner roared at me.

Fortunately, I had grown accustomed to this sort of intimidation by being around Evil Heaven.

“There are alliance people throughout these mountains. You do not seem to value your life.”

The masked fist practitioner reminded me of our situation.

Without wavering, I continued.

“Then, as members of the same alliance, what did you mean when you said there was no time?”

“...”

At my question, the masked person who had mentioned time frowned.

They apparently had not expected me to remember even that.

The killing intent in their eyes made it clear that the situation was growing dangerous.

Provoking them all was risky, but I had no choice if I wanted to buy time and draw their attention to myself.

“One of our people scattered Thousand-Li Tracking Fragrance. Yet its scent seemed subtly different from what the armed forces searching this mountain range use.”

The masked people's eyes flickered at those words.

They seemed surprised that I could distinguish even the scent of Thousand-Li Tracking Fragrance.

It was not difficult after living as a Spy for around eight years.

“To be certain we are not from the alliance based on that alone, you are truly a fool.”

The masked axe wielder mocked me.

“At first, I thought that person might be a Spy from the armed forces as well. But after thinking about it carefully, that did not seem to be the case. Starting with how they naturally led us toward this ravine path.”

If we had not encountered these people, I would have remained mistaken until the end.

I would have assumed Squad Leader Yang GangIl was part of the same group as them.

But after thinking it over, that was not the case.

“Squad Leader Yang was indeed a Spy you seniors sent, was that not so?”

“Hmph!”

The masked people did not deny it.

They apparently saw no need to hide it.

After all, we were no different from rats trapped in a snare.

One of the masked people shouted at me.

“Now that you know there was a Spy among you, you understand that we can find Baek Ryeon Ha whenever we wish, do you not?”

They were trying to sow discord.

They wanted us to suspect one another.

“How thankful I should be.”

“What?”

“Thanks to you, I know there are no more spies among us. Thank you for your consideration, senior.”

“?”

“If there had been any, you would have found them already. They would have told you through sound telepathy.”

The masked person's eyes sharpened at my words.

The more they spoke with me, the more they seemed to realize that they were being drawn into my pace instead.

The masked axe wielder spoke with killing intent.

“This brat is trying to buy time with that glib tongue. I will kill you first.”

Before the masked axe wielder even finished speaking, one of the masked people prepared to throw a throwing spear at me. At this distance, it would be difficult to dodge.

Then I urgently shouted,

“Did Baek HyeHyang, or someone under her command, put you up to this?”

‘!!!’

The masked person preparing to throw the spear froze.

Naturally.

I was certain that Baek HyeHyang, or someone connected to her, had moved them.

Otherwise, it made no sense for a Squad leader of Blood-Nurturing Valley to be a Spy without the martial artists' alliance or force of justice discovering it.

Because their target had to be Baek Ryeon Ha alone from the beginning.

“Lady Baek HyeHyang?”

Murmurs arose behind me.

They could never have imagined that the people blocking our path had been sent by the Blood Cult side.

“Kill him!”

The masked fist practitioner shouted.

I urgently opened my Central Dantian and drew up my innate life energy.

- Whoosh! Thwack!

Then I caught the incoming throwing spear.

The masked fist practitioner's eyes widened.

They had thought I was no more than an Advanced master, so it was only natural that they were surprised to see a mere youngster catch a throwing spear at this distance.

“I will return it.”

I hurled the throwing spear at the masked fist practitioner with ten levels of Force of ki behind it.

Then I shouted,

“Everyone, run!”

Baek Ryeon Ha would have escaped as well, so the only way to survive now was for each person to save their own life.

Then the masked fist practitioner easily caught the throwing spear I had thrown.

Apparently intending to kill me, they hurled it back with all their strength.

‘Damn it!’

Should I have simply looked after my own life instead of meddling?

Then, at that exact moment...

- Thwack! Brrrrrrrr!

The tip of the throwing spear stopped right before my nose.

As its blade trembled, my heart seemed to shrivel.

Why had it suddenly stopped?

“Young master, thank you.”

‘Huh?’

That voice behind me was Baek Ryeon Ha's.

I had told her to run, so why was she here?

“For a brat, you are quite capable.”

‘That voice?’

With trembling eyes, I looked to the side.

A masked person beside me was holding the throwing spear.

If they had not caught it so precisely, I would have lost my life.

The masked person removed their mask as though it were bothersome.

To my surprise, it was Seo GalMa, the Chaotic Blade Demon Emperor and Second Venerable One.

“Elder... Why are you here?”

I had been certain that he had gone down the northeastern mountain path with the Omnipotent Godly Doctor.

Why was he here?

But that was not all.

“Thanks to the young master, we have confirmed that there are no other spies among us.”

Another person came forward beside me.

They wore a mask, but I knew who she was from her blood-red hands and her voice.

It was Han BaekHa, the Blood-Hand Witch.

I thought she had taken the fake Baek Ryeon Ha away, but she was here as well.

‘Ha!’

For a moment, I was dumbfounded.

Did that mean they had hidden themselves and deceived even their allies all this time?

With Seo GalMa and Han BaekHa appearing, the mood instantly changed.

The fighting spirit of the high-rank warriors, who had prepared themselves to die, rose again.

“Damn it!”

“They deceived us!”

The masked people quickly assessed the situation at the appearance of the two masters.

No matter how strong they were, they could not guarantee victory against a Blood Star and a Venerable One.

The massive masked fist practitioner moved first and shouted.

“Retreat!”

Deciding that they were at a disadvantage, they tried to retreat.

Then it happened.

A figure descended from the right cliff with incredible speed, walking upright down its sheer face in a marvelous display of movement skill. In an instant, the figure blocked the path of the fleeing masked people.

The enormously built man who made the masked people look like children was Evil Heaven.

In one of Evil Heaven's hands was the severed head of a middle-aged person, its tongue hanging out.

Blood dripped from it, enough to send chills through everyone present.

I heard the masked fist practitioner at the front mutter,

“...Bizarre Oddity.”

“Did you think you could buy this one's time with such a wretch?”

Evil Heaven roughly tore off his upper garment and tossed aside the severed head.

Evil Heaven's entire body turned a deep bronze.

It was Golden Blood Body, Evil Heaven's unique Martial Arts.

“Hmph! If you wish to pass before this one from now on, you must offer up your neck.”

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