Return of The Mount Hua – Chapter 1263. I won't let you go alive (3)
Editor: Hoamzz
Co-Translator: Xoxo
"Heuaaaapp!"
Gwak Hwanso swung his sword with every ounce of strength he could muster.
The sheer force of his attack left the Ghost Platoon member visibly flustered. Immediately, sword energy like a fierce wave engulfed their entire front.
"Aaaaaah!"
The Ghost Platoon member, his entire body slashed, screamed as he staggered backward. It was hard to believe that he was the same level of martial artist who had just playfully blocked Gwak Hwanso's sword.
'This is...!'
Gwak Hwanso gripped his sword tightly.
'This is Mount Hua's acting sect leader!'
The difference was night and day.
Beside him, Lee Jayang was also caught up in the moment, slashing wildly in a near trance-like state. It was likely the same for all the others following Gwak Hwanso.
'No, it’s not!'
In truth, the expression 'Following Gwak Hwanso' wasn’t appropriate. The one these people were chasing now wasn't Gwak Hwanso but Baek Cheon!
Gwak Hwanso bellowed at the top of his lungs.
"Push forward!"
"Understood!"
The Ghost Platoon members ground their teeth watching Hainan Sect attack with all their momentum.
"You fucking dog-like island bumpkins!"
Their fierce, bloodshot eyes seemed to ignite with fury. ut that lasted only a moment.
"Aaaaaaah!"
Before they could turn their anger into action, a spine-chilling scream erupted from behind them. Instinctively, they turned their heads, only to see a cascade of red petals sweeping toward them.
Even for the infamous Ghost Platoon, who had endured the brutal training of Myriad Man Manor, maintaining their composure while being attacked from both the front and back was nearly impossible.
And the biggest problem of all was that swordsmanship.
"Aaaargh!"
"D- Damn it!"
If Baek Cheon’s sword technique coming from behind had been as straightforward as the offensive style employed by most Righteous Sects, they might have been able to suppress their panic and focus on dealing with Hainan Sect first.
After all, they could buy some time while the rear guard was cut down.
But Baek Cheon's sword wasn't such an obvious power. Those swirling, fluttering sword energies couldn’t all be blocked. Even using those behind as shields couldn't free them completely.
Thus...
"Kuaaaaack!"
"Keuk! M- My back..."
Sword energy fluttering like flower petals penetrated between the Ghost Platoon's ranks, repeatedly embedding in the flesh. The petals were thin and small so most of the resulting wounds were superficial cuts, but depending on where the injuries landed, it would clearly lead to fatal wounds from excessive bleeding.
It was obvious that the pouring would lead to fatal injuries.
Truly maddening, wasn't it? With sword energy constantly raining down on them from behind, burrowing into every crevice, how could they possibly focus on the enemies in front of them?
Thus, they had no choice but to struggle even against young greenhorns who normally wouldn't have been a match. While the brats only needed to focus on the Ghost Platoon in front of them, the Ghost Platoon had to endure relentless assaults from both the front and back.
"Damn it all!"
Frustration with nowhere to go finally erupted. One Ghost Platoon member shouted toward those behind him:
"Fuck! It's just one man, why the hell can’t you deal with him, you fucking idiots!"
"What?"
“Trip him up or something! Stop trying to save your worthless hides like a bunch of cowards!”
"You dog bastard!"
The anger that should have been directed at their enemies turned instead toward their comrades. Though proper arguments couldn't break out during the intense battle, under normal circumstances, this would have led to bloodshed between them.
To begin with, these men weren’t united by camaraderie but by submission to power. Now, with their lives hanging by a thread, there was no room for concern or compassion for others.
The emotional fracture that emerged was enough to instantly shatter what remained of the Ghost Platoon's momentum.
"Uoooohhhhh!"
Seeing the enemy waver, Hainan Sect's disciples charged forward with renewed vigor.
From behind came a voice adding courage,
"Show no mercy to these evildoers! This is Hainan!"
The moment Hainan Sect Leader Geum Yangbaek's magnificent voice erupted, Hainan's swords grew even sharper.
The sight of Hainan Sect surging like an unstoppable wave left Heo Maeng pale and desperate.
'N- No!'
Something had to be done immediately.
The Ghost Platoon had their backs to the sea, holding a near-linear formation. Naturally, if their center was breached, the platoon members would be split in two.
If that happened, the divided groups would be surrounded and overwhelmed by superior numbers. And this while their already inferior numbers would be split and their momentum broken further.
Not even the Ghost Platoon's grandfather could handle that, let alone the platoon itself. After all, the most efficient method for numerous weaker opponents to face fewer stronger ones was to surround them from all sides, preventing the strong from exercising their full power.
Therefore, they absolutely had to prevent that center from being breached. However...
Kagang!
"Keuk..."
"You dare look away when I'm right in front of you, bastard?"
The rough-haired young Mount Hua’s disciple blocking his front wouldn't let him go. No, it was more than just not letting go. One wrong move and the young man's sword would pierce his throat.
The Mount Hua disciple narrowed his eyes and sneered.
"What? Want to go over there? Ah, sure, you can."
A thick sneer spread across Jo-Gol's lips.
“If you kill me, that is. But can you?”
“Stop running your mouth and just fight, Gol-ah!”
“Ugh, really!”
Jo-Gol, failing in his attempt to act cool, scrunched his face and instantly swung his sword at Heo Maeng.
Paaaat!
The lightning-fast strike barely missed Heo Maeng, grazing his cheek as he twisted his head violently to avoid it.
He felt the sting as the blade grazed his cheek, splitting his skin and drawing blood.
Cold sweat ran down Heo Maeng's forehead.
'Just what are these bastards?'
Where would anyone be surprised at the strength of Mount Hua Sect?
The premise that Mount Hua Sect was strong was already firmly established within Myriad Man Manor. In the first place, they were Evil Sects. Naturally, Evil Sects members living on the battlefield wouldn't have survived this long if they couldn't properly gauge their opponents' strength.
Even spread out across the wide battlefield, unable to exchange glances or signals, their movements were seamless as if they were communicating with each other through shouts only they could hear.
As soon as that pale-skinned brat started leading the disorganized Hainan Sect, the other Mount Hua’s disciple started to block support heading in that direction as if they had known all along.
‘How is this even possible?’
Strategic maneuvers have little to do with individual ability. Even someone skilled in tactics and strategy can’t always fully utilize their abilities in the chaos of battle.
There's a world of difference between bookworms drawing diagrams and looking down from above versus grasping the situation in the middle of a battlefield where sharpened weapons fly.
This was a realm that only those who had experienced countless battlefields could barely grasp, so how could these young brats display such movements?
"Oho!"
Paaaaat!
At that moment, a blade flew in and pierced Heo Maeng’s shoulder.
“Urgh!”
Heo Maeng frantically threw his body backward. Blood gushed from his punctured shoulder.
“Don’t get distracted when you’re in front of me! You weakling Evil Sects twerp!”
"Eek, you damned bastard...!"
"If you're upset, then win!"
Jo-Gol's words might have seemed flippant, but the icy killing intent radiating from his eyes was anything but light.
Meanwhile, similar situations were unfolding elsewhere.
“Uoooooh!”
Kuuung!
"Eeuuuaaapp!"
Kwaaaaang!
The Ghost Platoon hadn't gained its name as Myriad Man Manor's combat force through gambling. They understood perfectly well that they needed to stop Hainan Sect’s vanguard from breaking through their center.
“Uaaaaaah!”
But what poured forth toward those trying to stop them somehow was Hye Yeon's golden Buddha-light, Namgung Dowi's cannon-like white sword energy, and Tang Pae's pink poison powder covering even the sky.
"Th- This..."
No matter how bold one might be, who could advance while braving Shaolin's force power, Namgung's sword energy, and Tang Family's poison? That was nothing more or less than suicide.
And so, despite witnessing their formation collapsing before their eyes, the Ghost Platoon could do nothing to stop it.
As chaos reigned and the Ghost Platoon faltered for a brief moment, Hainan Sect’s vanguard finally broke through the center of their formation!
'Th- This...'
Heo Maeng's face instantly turned pale.
'Damn that daeju!'
The daeju who should have given quick orders at times like this had already had his neck severed by Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword’s blade. This left no one else to take charge of the situation.
"F- Fall back! We're being surrounded. Change formation…”
Paaaaaat!
Heo Maeng’s words were cut short as he twisted his body desperately to avoid Jo-Gol’s blade, which once again narrowly missed and cut a long gash across his face.
"You keep looking elsewhere?"
"This son of a beast!"
Despair crept across Heo Maeng’s face. If things continued this way, their fate was already sealed. Once Hainan Sect and those Heavenly Comrade Alliance bastards who had pierced their center changed direction and surrounded them, it would be the end...
But it was then.
"Charge! Board the ship!"
"Understood!"
Instead of changing their direction to encircle the enemy, those who had broken through the center of the Ghost Platoon ran straight toward the shore. They leaped onto the anchored ship without hesitation.
"There may be enemies aboard! Stay alert and seize control!"
"Understood!"
At Geum Yangbaek's swift command, Hainan Sect's disciples jumped up and started to occupy the ship with even more speed.
'What?'
Heo Maeng unconsciously gaped.
What nonsense was this? Not destroying the ship, but boarding it?
Does that mean these lunatics brought all their forces here and launched this attack against the Ghost Platoon just to get on that ship?
'But why?'
This is Hainan Island.
Ships are as common here as carts on land. On such an island, what could possibly justify such insane behavior?
No, more than that...
‘They had the chance to surround us, but they just let it slip away like this?’
With their main force boarding the ship, the Ghost Platoon left on the shore would have time to regroup.
It was a judgment that can only be considered crazy by common sense.
"Wh- What are you doing?"
Though he wouldn't get a straight answer even if he asked, it was so bewildering that the words just slipped out. However, the young Mount Hua swordsman facing him was clearly not in his right mind either.
“Your ship is now ours.”
"...Ship?"
"Yeah. Drives you mad, huh?"
"....."
For a moment, Heo Maeng’s mind went completely blank, unsure how to respond. It wasn’t as if they were in any position to exchange words anyway.
He couldn't understand why they were targeting the ship. But at least he could instantly understand why they hadn't surrounded them.
"They're coming!"
"Huh?"
At someone's shout, Heo Maeng hurriedly raised his head.
The forest beyond the shore was shaking violently.
"A...."
A cry mixed with helpless joy and fear burst from Heo Maeng's mouth.
"Advisor! It's the main force! The main force has arrived!"
Kureureureung!
As trees exploded as if hit by cannons, an enormous number of Myriad Man Manor martial artists revealed themselves. At their center was Myriad Man Manor Strategic Advisor, Ho Ga-myeong, who surveyed the shore with cold and calculating eyes.
His gaze stopped at one corner of the shore. More precisely, on one person standing there leisurely.
Ho Gamyeong slowly opened his mouth.
"...I didn't expect to meet in a place like this."
He continued speaking without a flicker of emotion on his face.
“What brings you to such a remote island, Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword?”
At this, Chung Myung looked at Ho Gamyeong with a steady gaze before tilting his head slightly.
"Ah... Sorry."
"Hm?"
"Who are you again?"
There was a moment of silence. Ho Gamyeong’s thick eyebrows twitched ever so slightly.
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