Book 12: Chapter 6: Fierce Battle

Chapter 281 middle reaches of the valley.

“Aaaah…” although the groans of those whose lifelines barely held on were heard, such people were but a minority, and most of the underworld gang members filled the alleyways in a miserable state.

“Cough, cough…!”

“Crazy repeating crossbows.”

An underworld executive, who had pushed his subordinates into that alley, spat on the ground while taking cover.

“Vice Leader. Doesn't it seem like the enemy's repeating crossbows have quieted down a bit now?”

“Is that so?”

At those words, the underworld executive called the Vice Leader wore a look of joy on his face.

“Indeed. No matter how repeating crossbows of the Sword Family they are, they cannot fire forever.”

He had heard that weapons with abnormally high power, like repeating crossbows, put a heavy load on each part and thus could not be used continuously for a long time.

“Then we should check—” along with those words, the executive called the Vice Leader gently pushed the subordinate who had spoken from behind.

“Yes, we must check.”

“Huh…?”

That was the subordinate's last words.

An iron bolt that flew in, tearing through the air with a sharp whoosh, had impaled the subordinate's body.

“Not yet, indeed.”

Goosebumps broke out on the bodies of the other subordinates at the calm voice of the executive, who turned his eyes away from the subordinate who had become another corpse pinned to the wall by the iron bolt.

“V-Vice Leader, then what do we do now?”

“What do we do, you ask?”

Grinning at his subordinates, the Vice Leader shouted toward their rear.

“Hey! The repeating crossbow attacks here have weakened! Let's charge right now!”

That shout was not meant for his own subordinates.

“What?”

“In that alley over there, they definitely said the repeating crossbow attacks have weakened!”

Those were the members of other organizations who were still constantly flocking up from the lower reaches.

“The Second Young Master promised a great reward to the organization that makes the first achievement by destroying the enemy's catapults!”

Pushing his hand up toward his subordinates to signal them to stay still, the Vice Leader shouted even more enthusiastically.

“The credit is now our Heukjeom Sect's!”

At that, the executives of other organizations who had panted their way up to the middle reaches from behind began to raise their voices at each other.

“N-No way!”

“Charge immediately! We must take the credit!”

Fallen for the Vice Leader's shallow trick, they swarmed into the alley.

Crunch!

“Aaack!”

“Keh-heok!”

Under the ruthlessly pouring iron bolts, those who had swarmed into the alley began to die in heaps.

Confirming the scene, a subordinate shouted with a joyful face.

“Vice Leader! The iron bolts have definitely decreased a lot compared to the beginning!”

“Good!”

The Vice Leader nodded.

“Let's lure the guys from other organizations a little more like this!”

Instantly, the Vice Leader of the Heukjeom Sect and his subordinates united as one and began to shout toward the rear.

“This way!”

“The repeating crossbow attacks on this side are over!”

“The credit is ours!”

Then, sure enough.

“Over there! They say the repeating crossbow attacks in that alley have stopped!”

“Charge! Charge right now!”

Seeing another group of members from other organizations take the bait, the Vice Leader and subordinates of the Heukjeom Sect giggled and shared insidious smiles with each other.

“Hey! This way!”

They even waved their hands to show their location to those who would become arrow shields in their place.

“Here! It's this alley!”

“It's over there!”

When those who spotted the Heukjeom Sect began to approach in droves.

Welcoming them, just when smiles spread across the faces of the Heukjeom Sect members.

“Hmm?”

The first to sense something strange was the quick-witted Vice Leader of the Heukjeom Sect.

“Something is strange.”

Toward him, the subordinate who had been luring the arrow shields expressed his doubt.

“Yes? What do you mean by strange—”

Boom—!

A giant boulder flew through the air and directly hit the running members of the other organizations.

“……?!”

Right before the eyes of the Heukjeom Sect.

Instantly.

Over ten people were crushed in an instant.

Limbs flew, and a dense storm of blood scattered along with the dirt dust.

There were no screams, no wailing.

Even if there were, nothing could have been heard over the impact and roar made by the boulder.

Crash!

The boulder that flew in next completely smashed a stone house unique to the valley and swept over those who followed behind.

Booom—!

Taking cover was useless, and finding shelter was meaningless.

Wherever the boulders flew, there was only death.

“……” as the Vice Leader of the Heukjeom Sect stared at the scene, lost for words, he suddenly felt a chill on the back of his neck and looked back.

“……” overwhelming violence.

“……!”

In his vision, an exceptionally giant boulder was seen flying straight toward them.

‘Ah, I see.’

Only at that moment did he realize the true nature of the strange sensation he had felt.

‘Our side's naval gunfire had stopped…!’

And.

Before he could even utter any last words, the incoming boulder swallowed all members of the Heukjeom Sect.

* * *

The Third Dock.

“What on earth is the meaning of this?!”

Saliva sprayed from the mouth of the elder on the Second Young Master's side.

“Turn the ships back right now!”

Instead of the officer of the Fresh Blood Fleet who shrugged as if he had nothing to say, it was Elder Hahou, who was looking out the window, who spoke.

“Calm down.”

The bloodshot eyes of the elder on the Second Young Master's side glared at the back of Elder Hahou's head.

“Calm down?!”

Stridng over, he pointed out the window.

“Elder Hahou, can you really tell me to calm down after seeing that sight?!”

Having pushed back the Fresh Blood Fleet, the catapults on Yeon So-hyeon's side were ruthlessly launching boulders.

Since the roar and vibrations could be heard even here at the distant Third Dock what the state of the underworld gang members inside the valley was like was obvious even without looking closely.

“The Fresh Blood Fleet has already taken a heavy hit.”

Even as he watched the scene, Elder Hahou's tone was calm.

“But—” elder Hahou cut off his fellow elder's words.

“If we lose more ships here, how do you plan to break through the upper reaches of the Valley of Sin later?”

“T-That is…!”

At those words, the fellow elder was left speechless.

Right now.

Just entering the middle reaches from the lower reaches was already in this state.

What about breaking through from the middle reaches to the upper reaches, then?

Without support of the naval gunfire, it was as good as impossible.

“Since almost all the catapults are deployed in the middle reaches, wouldn't it be fine as long as we take over the middle reaches?”

“That is correct.”

Chewing on beef jerky, the officer of the Fresh Blood Fleet nodded at Elder Hahou's words.

“If we succeed in neutralizing only their catapults, it will also be possible to bring the ships closer to the shore and directly strike the upper reaches.”

The elders on the Second Young Master's side murmured.

“…That makes sense, but.”

“Would it be possible without the support of bombardment?”

Elder Hahou smiled bitterly after opening and reading a note he had just received from a messenger.

“It is a note sent by Grand Madame Ouyang.”

He passed the note to his fellow elders and turned his gaze back to the Valley of Sin.

“What?!”

“Only now has the Six Men Association deployed martial artists?!”

The angry shouts of the elders reading the note behind him rang out loudly.

“Have those bastards still not deployed their full strength?!”

“These damn bastards…!”

“……” instead of Elder Hahou, who looked far out at the Valley of Sin in silence, one of the elders stepped forward.

“Come now, everyone calm down. What is this disgraceful behavior from the elders of the Main Family?”

He calmed his fellow elders down.

“No matter how low the level of the underworld martial artists is, their numbers can never be ignored. Do we not all know that well?”

“Indeed.”

“In battle, numbers can never be ignored.”

Seeing his fellow elders nodding and calming down, he smiled.

“We will soon see the tide of battle change. Is that not so?”

His final question was directed at Elder Hahou, but

“……” whether he was lost in thought or did not agree with those words, no response came from Elder Hahou.

* * *

“Boulders are flying!”

As a sharp-eyed unorthodox martial artist shouted and threw himself first, the rest of the unorthodox martial artists scattered in an instant to dodge the falling boulders.

Boom—!

Although the blood of the gang members, who did not possess a single bit of internal energy, splattered and their bodies were crushed not a single one of the unorthodox martial artists suffered even a minor injury.

They arrived near the targeted alley assigned to them in an instant.

“It is just as the information said, Leader! The repeating crossbows are deployed at the end of the front alley!”

To the report of the subordinate sent as a scout, the leader's instruction was short and clear.

“Our Cheolhyeol Squad will launch a surprise attack on the enemy's repeating crossbow positions through the rooftops.”

The Cheolhyeol Squad was the elite armed organization of the Severed Finger Society, which occupied a seat in the Six Men Association.

“Since it is said that there are also many martial artists among the enemies, a fierce battle is expected.”

At the squad leader's words, everyone wore a cruel smile on their lips.

They were not even afraid.

They were those who were active in the underworld of Luoyang, where blood and flesh splattered every single day.

“Good, let's go.”

A second instruction was not even needed.

Clamping sabers in their mouths, they clung to the walls like spiders and began to spring up toward the rooftops in unison.

Having the power called internal energy, this tactic was possible because they could use the battlefield three-dimensionally rather than flat, without any preparation or tools.

Just then.

“Where are you going in such a hurry?”

The window on the wall they were climbing flung open, and a huge hand reminiscent of a bear's paw suddenly popped out.

‘Talking to the opponent before a surprise attack?’

Ridiculing the owner of that hand, the unorthodox martial artist of the Cheolhyeol Squad twisted his body in the air and dodged the hand.

“Foolish brat!”

At the same time, he drew and swung the saber he wore on his back toward that hand.

The ray-like blade seemed to cut off the bear-like hands at once.

However.

Clang!

“…What?!”

As if striking an opponent's weapon filled with internal energy his blade struck the opponent's golden-glowing wrist and bounced right back.

“You bastard. This is precisely what is called Shaolin's Vajra Art.”

Gong Dam-ung.

The secular disciple of the Shaolin Sect and the next successor of the Gong Family.

He leaned his upper body far out of the window and grabbed the collar of the unorthodox martial artist floating in midair with both hands.

“Heave-ho!”

Then, with a hearty shout, he slammed the unorthodox martial artist directly against the wall with his signature herculean strength.

“This bastard…?!”

As the head pinned to the wall split like a watermelon with a crunch, those who were climbing the wall changed their direction and rushed at him all at once.

“Kill him!”

The sight of the weapons and killing intent of dozens of unorthodox martial artists flashing toward him.

“Oops!”

Startled, Gong Dam-ung let go of the headless corpse and rolled backward from the window.

Crash!

The window frame where he had dodged was struck by the iron mace of an unorthodox martial artist and shattered to pieces.

“Chase him!”

Through the broken window frame, the unorthodox martial artists rushed indoors like arrows.

“Uh? Uh?”

As if the movements of the Cheolhyeol Squad martial artists were faster than expected, Gong Dam-ung made a panicked voice and fell flat on his back while running away.

“Pathetic bastard!”

“Cut off his limbs first!”

And mockingly charging at him, the moment the unorthodox martial artists lunged.

Click.

“……?!”

Since everyone present was a martial artist, they all heard that noise clearly.

However, no matter how much they were martial artists, they had no way to withstand the storm of hidden weapons pouring down with the momentum to sweep the entire hallway.

Shred!

Along with an explosive sound, the bodies of the Cheolhyeol Squad martial artists were torn into shreds of flesh.

“…As expected, is it a hidden weapon trap of the Sichuan Tang Family?”

Gong Dam-ung felt a chill run down his spine and quickly disappeared from the spot.

And such scenes were not unfolding only there.

“Chase them!”

A group of unorthodox martial artists was chasing two martial nuns of the Emei Sect on Yeon So-hyeon's side.

“Hup!”

The Emei martial nuns kicked off the left and right walls with elegant movement techniques and soared into the air.

Those who were pursuing them also kicked off the walls and leaped into the air in the same way.

“……?!”

Flung! Flung!

The windows of the left and right alleys flung open, and people holding bows revealed themselves.

They were the maids of the Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment Maid Division.

“D-Dodge—!”

How could they dodge arrows in midair where they could not even change direction?

At least those who were skilled swung their weapons to avoid vital spots but by the time they landed on the ground again, the Emei martial nuns and the members of the Maid Division holding bows had all disappeared.

“Damn it!”

“Heh heh heh.”

On a rooftop in the middle reaches of the valley, an old woman let out a wheezing laugh through her missing teeth.

“If you thought our martial artists would face you head-on, that is a miscalculation.”

The Crouching Dragon of Nanman.

The legendary military advisor who had tormented the military commanders of the State of Yue, the country of jungles.

Elder Gwak was a master of guerrilla warfare.

“Now, come deeper inside.”

The complex and tangled terrain of the Valley of Sin was no different from a jungle in her eyes.