Wooddeudeuk!
The hand that had pierced his side pushed in even deeper.
"Kuaaaaaah!"
In unbearable pain surging through him, Desolate Gold Elder screamed as if he might vomit blood at any moment. But what tormented him most was neither the hand of Thousand Faced Scholar piercing his side nor the internal qi flowing from that hand, ravaging his entire body.
It was this utterly incomprehensible situation itself.
'How… could this be…?'
Why was Thousand Faced Scholar here? How on earth?
"Tsk tsk tsk."
Thousand Faced Scholar, disguised as Wei Chung, who had plunged his hand into Desolate Gold Elder's side, clicked his tongue in disdain.
"It seems you miscalculated things, Desolate Gold Elder."
"Ugh…"
Desolate Gold Elder's body trembled as if seized by chills. Then Thousand Faced Scholar, in Wei Chung's guise, smiled triumphantly.
"…You truly are an extraordinary tactician. It's almost admirable."
His words contained both recognition and mockery toward Desolate Gold Elder.
Desolate Gold Elder was definitely holding his sword with his left hand. But the moment he sensed Thousand Faced Scholar glaring at him from the right, he unconsciously tried to draw and swing his sword with a right hand that no longer existed.
Though he knew intellectually that his right hand was gone, his body, trained all his life with the right hand, repeated the most familiar action at the most dangerous moment.
"Cough…"
Thousand Faced Scholar gave a bitter smile.
Even though he had aimed for that fact, the moment Desolate Gold Elder's right shoulder flinched, a chill ran down his spine. Indeed, the reputation of the Evil Sect's Number One Swordsman was not earned lightly.
But…
"The state of the Evil Sect's Number One Swordsman now has become quite pitiful."
Thousand Faced Scholar mockingly twisted his wrist playfully.
Crack.
"Kuaaaaaah!"
At the same time, an uncontrollable scream burst from Desolate Gold Elder's mouth.
"E-elder!"
"You bastard!"
At the thunderous situation behind them, the elite warriors of the Black Ghost Fortress, who had been pressing Mount Hua and the Ten Thousand People Clan, stopped fighting and turned around. They glared at Thousand Faced Scholar, filled with all the killing intent they could muster, growling.
"No, this can't be."
But Thousand Faced Scholar leisurely shook the hand embedded in Desolate Gold Elder's side despite the pouring killing intent.
"Kk… Kkuuuuh…"
Desolate Gold Elder's complexion turned so pale it was almost blue. Blood foam bubbled at his mouth.
"If you don't want to see your sect leader's heart burst, wouldn't it be better to break the siege and retreat?"
Thousand Faced Scholar's sly voice pierced everyone's ears. Trembling gazes all turned toward the screaming Desolate Gold Elder.
"B-Break it… Aaaaaaah!"
Desolate Gold Elder's intended words were soon drowned by a desperate scream. The Black Ghost Fortress' warriors turned pale.
They knew they had to save Desolate Gold Elder.
But how could they save him when the enemy's hand was plunged into his side? Moreover, the one holding Desolate Gold Elder's leash was none other than Thousand Faced Scholar, the leader of the Lower District sect.
Isn't it easier to rescue a rabbit caught in a tiger's jaws?
Or should they break the encirclement and retreat as Thousand Faced Scholar suggested?
Would that save Desolate Gold Elder's life? Would Thousand Faced Scholar really let their fortress leader go so easily?
Caught in this dilemma, the Black Ghost Fortress's elites agonized in confusion. Then a sinister voice, like a snake threatening, brushed past their ears.
"What are you hesitating about?"
Their gazes, fixed on Desolate Gold Elder and Thousand Faced Scholar, suddenly swung back—to the most dangerous person here, no matter what anyone said.
"Loyalty is…"
Jang Ilso, the one who had drawn all the Black Ghost Fortress members' attention, slowly spoke.
"It's something you keep for the living."
His red lips formed a smooth curve.
"In your eyes… he still seems alive, doesn't he?"
At those words, everyone trembled.
Alive but not truly living. That was Desolate Gold Elder's current condition now. And theirs was not much different.
Even if they killed Jang Ilso here, without Desolate Gold Elder, they would have no chance to withstand the furious assault of the Ten Thousand People Clan and Lower District Sect.
"There's nothing to worry about."
Step.
Jang Ilso calmly took a step forward.
"I'm not such a heartless person. If we stop here, I won't blame you. Rather, under the name of the Four Sect Alliance, you'll gain more than you've enjoyed so far."
Anyone could tell.
Jang Ilso was not in a condition to fight them. Even the greatest general in the world, wounded so badly, would be no better than a third-rate warrior. Yet he calmly exposed himself to the Black Ghost Fortress's elites, which was tantamount to suicide.
But despite knowing this, no one dared to strike Jang Ilso.
One step.
Another step.
Jang Ilso approached the Black Ghost Fortress members with an utterly calm demeanor.
Though Jang Ilso had lost his strength, the pressure was now on the Black Ghost Fortress. They had lost their reason rushing at him moments ago, but now they couldn't even breathe easily.
"If you don't like that."
Finally, standing within arm's reach, Jang Ilso whispered with a sinister smile.
"You just need to cut my throat right now."
Step.
The one standing right before Jang Ilso looked up with a pale, frightened face.
He knew. If he wished, he could kill Jang Ilso immediately. But he froze and couldn't bring himself to reach out.
Jang Ilso's red lips curled in a twisted smile. His pale face stained with blood made him even more chilling.
"What will you do?"
The Black Ghost Fortress's elites, overwhelmed by Jang Ilso's presence, involuntarily stepped back. Perhaps it was the Evil Sect's instinct realizing the tide had turned in this war.
Jang Ilso smiled gently, unbefitting a battlefield, as if praising them for their spirit.
"Good. You're good children."
"…"
Step. Step.
Jang Ilso resumed walking. At the same time, the Black Ghost Fortress' elites surrounding him gradually stepped aside. A path toward Desolate Gold Elder began to open before him.
'That… madman…'
Mount Hua's group clenched their fists watching the scene.
The distance between the retreating Black Ghost Fortress' elites and Jang Ilso was only a few steps. In other words, Jang Ilso was calmly walking through the very midst of those who had risked their lives moments ago to cut off his breath.
No matter how fierce a general, is that really something a sane person would do?
But his slow steps never stopped.
Those who stood before his path scattered as if seeing a ghost, and no one dared to charge at him. They didn't even meet his gaze; all they did was bow their heads instead.
They submit and obey the strong. That is the Evil Sect's nature.
And at this moment, the Black Ghost Fortress' elites surely understood that. The strength they had endlessly debated was not merely personal power or world-shaking demonic schemes.
Strength also means the essence of humanity itself.
Ho Ga-Myung and the Red Dogs quickly followed behind Jang Ilso.
The Black Ghost Fortress, unable to handle even Jang Ilso's presence alone, could not block their path. Those who had been stepping back hesitantly could no longer hold and collapsed, opening the way wide.
The corner of Jang Ilso's mouth curled up.
The Black Ghost Fortress, who had blocked the way like a black curtain, opened a path. At the end of that path, Desolate Gold Elder, pierced through the side, looked at him with a distorted face.
How should one describe the light in his eyes? Distrust? Resignation? Or hatred?
No, perhaps all of those.
Passing the overwhelmed Black Ghost Fortress, Jang Ilso walked across the silent land and finally reached Desolate Gold Elder.
At that moment, Thousand Faced Scholar roughly pulled his hand out of Desolate Gold Elder's side.
"Kheuk!"
Desolate Gold Elder's body collapsed forward.
Desolate Gold Elder, who did not even try to stop the blood gushing from his side and buried his head in the ground, trembled all over like a trembling aspen. But anyone watching could tell.
What made Desolate Gold Elder tremble now was not pain from the wound.
What ruled him now was deep humiliation. And perhaps…
Desolate Gold Elder's jaw trembled as he looked up at Jang Ilso. His bloodshot eyes met Jang Ilso's cold gaze in the air.
At that moment, the thought dominating Desolate Gold Elder's mind was somewhat absurd.
Who else in the world could look down on someone so arrogantly better than this?
"Hmm."
At that moment, a sigh-like hiss escaped from Jang Ilso's lips.
Jang Ilso, looking down at Desolate Gold Elder expressionlessly, crooked the corner of his lips and asked.
"Who… made the mistake?"
Desolate Gold Elder's body convulsed as if struck by lightning.
"No, Desolate Gold Elder. Or should I say, Gong Ya-wol?"
Jang Ilso's bitter smile was clearly etched into Desolate Gold Elder's eyes.
"The one who made the mistake wasn't me, but you."
Jang Ilso slowly bent his waist.
Then he leaned his face close to Desolate Gold Elder's, who was barely supporting his upper body with his remaining arm as if he was about to collapse.
"Did you really think… I wouldn't know?"
"J-Jang Il…"
"Answer me, Gong Ya-wol. Did you really believe I didn't know you'd come to bite my throat? Huh?"
As Desolate Gold Elder's face twisted in agony, Jang Ilso's expression grew darker and indescribable. It looked like a demon in hell enjoying torturing a human.
Jang Ilso stretched out a large hand and grabbed Desolate Gold Elder's face.
Wooddeudeuk.
Gradually tightening his grip as if about to crush it, Jang Ilso whispered into Desolate Gold Elder's ear.
"Let me tell you something, Desolate Gold Elder."
"…"
"I…"
It was truly a soft and eerie voice.
"I never trust someone like you."
"Ugh…"
"You probably thought you understood everyone and calculated everything perfectly. But Gong Ya-wol… what now? It seems you left 'yourself' out of your calculations. How others think of you."
"Jang Il…so…"
Jang Ilso laughed like a demon.
"Doesn't it feel like your precious abacus has been shattered? Huh, Gong Ya-wol?"
In the end, the grief-stricken Desolate Gold Elder began to scream loudly.
"Jang Ilsooooooo!"
"Hahaha…"
Then Jang Ilso burst into wild laughter as if he couldn't hold it in.
"Hahahahahaha! Hahahahahaha! Hahahahahahaha!"
Desolate Gold Elder's scream like a wail and Jang Ilso's mad laughter echoed tragically across the silent land.