Trust is truly a word with a pleasant resonance. Nothing gives people more strength than the trust formed between individuals.
However, in some relationships, trust is nothing more than a castle built on sand.
'I knew it…'
Baek Cheon bit his lip tightly.
Who could dare argue that Jang Ilso is the one you must never trust in this murim world? The one you should never rely on?
Yet, the reason Baek Cheon momentarily let down his guard was because of the fierce battle and the image Jang Ilso had shown. The feeling of comrades-in-arms often overcomes all conflicts, even if just for a moment.
But Jang Ilso is still Jang Ilso. That sinister snake was someone who should never be trusted until the very end.
"Sasuk…"
"…Yes."
Baek Cheon drew his sword heavily.
The forces of the Black Ghost Fortress closing in seemed to number over two hundred. If the Red Dogs, who guarded Jang Ilso, joined them, their numbers would increase even more.
Considering these were elite fighters carefully selected and trained by Black Ghost Fort and the Ten Thousand People Clan, the roughly ten disciples of Mount Hua were no match. But…
"We have to fight."
Baek Cheon's eyes burned coldly. A desperate situation was nothing new. Had there ever been a battlefield they passed through that wasn't desperate?
'We just need to open a path.'
There was no need to fight them head-on. They just had to break through this encirclement and cross the Yangtze River. Though the distance from Hangzhou to the Yangtze was brutally long, that was a problem for later. First, they had to escape this place.
Baek Cheon's burning gaze shot toward Jang Ilso. Seeing him glare so fiercely, Jang Ilso chuckled softly.
"You're a naughty kid, shooting someone with eyes like that."
In truth, Baek Cheon was glaring at Jang Ilso to provoke him, but his attention was entirely on Chung Myung.
Mount Hua's strength was almost intact. Namgung Do-Wei, who had broken the path at the front, was nearly exhausted, and Hae Yeon had also greatly depleted his internal qi, but they could still keep up the pursuit.
The biggest problem now was none other than Chung Myung. Baek Cheon glanced at his back.
'Can he even take a step?'
Objectively, it was impossible. Even the visible wounds were so severe that survival was miraculous. Considering Chung Myung's nature of not groaning even when near death, the internal injuries were likely far worse than the external ones.
But Baek Cheon was certain.
The moment the battle began, Chung Myung would charge at Jang Ilso without looking back. That was Chung Myung's way.
But this time, no matter what, they had to stop Chung Myung from rampaging. So that only they would survive and not wail over Chung Myung's corpse.
Then, the only one who could take Chung Myung's role here was Baek Cheon.
At the very moment Baek Cheon's eyes grew cold with killing intent, Jang Ilso, who was watching the elite Black Ghost Fort forces closing in with a strange gaze, slowly spoke.
"A very… appropriate encirclement. I almost want to compliment you."
With a crooked smile, he fixed his gaze on one spot.
"But… I don't think I ever gave such an order. Hmm? Desolate Gold Elder."
At those words, Baek Cheon instinctively turned his gaze. Though he knew he must never take his eyes off Jang Ilso, his eyes instinctively followed Desolate Gold Elder.
Among the elite Black Ghost Fortress, Desolate Gold Elder walked forward with one sleeve torn and fluttering. Unlike the battered Chung Myung and Jang Ilso, he maintained a clean appearance without a single wound.
Receiving Jang Ilso's gaze, Desolate Gold Elder spoke without changing his expression, his voice utterly emotionless.
"Generally… a good subordinate anticipates and acts according to their superior's will."
"Ha ha."
Jang Ilso let out an ambiguous laugh. It was hard to tell if it was from approval or displeasure.
"Those guys are dangerous."
Desolate Gold Elder's gaze left Jang Ilso and fixed on the Mount Hua disciples. Faced with his emotionless stare, the disciples bit their lips unconsciously.
"Alliance Lord must have felt it too, right? Those guys are different from the fools in the Justice faction who are drunk on their power and just occupy positions. Someday, they will surely hold you back."
"…"
"Before it's too late, they must be eliminated here and now. A tiger cub must be caught and killed while it's young."
Hearing that, Jang Ilso slowly scanned the Mount Hua disciples. His gaze finally landed on Chung Myung.
"That's certainly a reasonable statement from you."
"I…"
Baek Cheon clenched his teeth tightly. As if savoring the words, Jang Ilso slowly nodded.
"A tiger must be caught and killed while it's young… Yes, that's true. But…"
A sinister aura began to cloud Jang Ilso's face as he looked at Desolate Gold Elder.
"Don't you think it's a bit late to be saying that now?"
Baek Cheon sensed something strange at that moment.
Neither Jang Ilso's gaze at Desolate Gold Elder nor Desolate Gold Elder's gaze back showed even a shred of goodwill typical of allies.
It was more like the eyes of beasts staring down an intruder in their territory.
'Could it be?'
At that moment, Jang Ilso spoke again. His words gave Baek Cheon certainty.
"There's no way such a grand encirclement was set up just to catch these guys. So… Desolate Gold Elder."
A wicked and deadly light poured from Jang Ilso's eyes. Just looking at them chilled the soul.
"Which side are you truly hunting here though?"
"…"
"These guys? No, no. That can't be."
Jang Ilso bared his teeth and laughed.
"It's me, isn't it?"
"…"
"Or maybe not?"
Desolate Gold Elder silently stared at Jang Ilso with indifferent eyes. Receiving that gaze, Jang Ilso spoke as if amused.
"Come to think of it, it's a good opportunity. Yes, a really good opportunity. I'm completely exhausted leading this small group."
"…"
"But… I never thought the great Desolate Gold Elder would do something so foolish. Did your much-boasted abacus get completely smashed by the hands of the demonic cult? Do you truly think someone like you can take my place if I disappear? Seriously?"
"Place?"
Desolate Gold Elder, who had been quietly listening, retorted coldly.
"That's unworthy of the Hegemony Lord."
"…"
"I don't care about places. The Four Sects Alliance was created out of necessity. If you disappear, Southern Lands will just return to its original state."
Those words were a perfect wedge, making everyone here fully understand the situation they were in.
The encirclement prepared by Desolate Gold Elder was not to capture the Mount Hua disciples. His true target was none other than Jang Ilso.
"You're talking nonsense."
Jang Ilso looked coldly at Desolate Gold Elder and spoke slowly.
"Do you think the Justice Faction will leave Gangnam alone after the Four Sects Alliance disappears?"
"You're the one mistaken, Jang Ilso."
Desolate Gold Elder no longer called Jang Ilso 'Alliance Lord'.
"Mistaken?"
"What they hate is not the Desolate Gold Elder, but you and the Ten Thousand People Clan."
"…"
"Even now, those obsessed with power have no reason to waste effort on Southern Lands without you. It's not because of you that they don't attack the Southern lands; it's because of you that they might."
It was a painful point. Even Jang Ilso couldn't refute it and let out a bitter laugh.
But Desolate Gold Elder's words were not finished.
"And… why should I care about that in the first place?"
"Hmm?"
A cold smile appeared on Desolate Gold Elder's face.
"Even if the day comes when the Four Sects Alliance you belong to rules the world, I doubt there will be a place for me there."
"…"
"Isn't that so?"
Listening to Desolate Gold Elder's speculation go on, Jang Ilso gave a faintly strange smile. Desolate Gold Elder met his gaze with an equally chilling aura.
"When the hunt is over, the hunting dog goes into the pot. There is only one way for the hunting dog to survive."
Desolate Gold Elder's voice spread coldly over the desolate land.
"Either bite the hand and run before the master suspects, or bite the master's neck first."
"…"
"What do you think, Jang Ilso?"
This time, everyone's gaze turned to Jang Ilso. He scratched the back of his head in a somewhat exaggerated manner and clicked his tongue shortly.
"Tsk."
Then his long eyes traced a curve.
"I thought you'd at least wait until the Shaolin retreated…"
"You never underestimate your enemies. But… not considering me an enemy anymore was your mistake."
Desolate Gold Elder glared at Jang Ilso with murderous eyes.
"If you wanted to tear me apart, you should have at least properly leashed me. Did you really think I was like the dogs I've trained all this time?"
"That's a painful truth."
"In the murim world, regret is never too late. If you misjudge something, you must pay the price. That's the law of the Evil Sects."
Desolate Gold Elder nodded toward Jang Ilso, Red Dogs, and Mount Hua.
"Leave no one alive. Kill them all."
"Alliance Lord…"
"No need to capture alive. Kill them. Leave no aftermath."
"Understood!"
With intense killing intent, the elite Black Ghost Fortress slowly tightened the encirclement at the same steady pace as before. Their cautious approach, without a hint of carelessness, only increased the pressure.
"Tsk."
Jang Ilso clicked his tongue shortly and glanced at Chung Myung.
"Since the situation has come to this, we have no choice but to join forces, huh?"
Then Chung Myung glanced at him with indifferent eyes.
"You talk so big, yet you can't even watch over one subordinate. Stupid bastard."
"When someone falls into a pit, shouldn't you naturally help? Not spit on them and stomp for fun. Seriously, you have a terrible personality, Taoist."
Hearing that he had a bad personality from an Evil sect member, Chung Myung shook his head and gripped his sword.
Though he was bluffing, this was a real crisis. Both he and Jang Ilso could barely stand now.
However, Chung Myung's gaze turned to the backs of the Mount Hua disciples. They guarded him tightly, surrounding him without a gap.
Just like Dang Bo did in the past, they were protecting him here now. Or perhaps, every time he fought.
Looking at the back that had grown much larger than before, Chung Myung turned his gaze to Desolate Gold Elder. Forcing down the surge of anger in his chest, he spoke coldly.
"As expected from an Evil Sect bastard, you still don't know anything. Then I'll have to teach you."
Chung Myung bared his teeth fiercely.
"No one who turned Mount Hua into an enemy ever survived."
At that moment, the swords held by the Mount Hua disciples simultaneously surged with sword qi.