CLS-Chapter 424

Chapter 424:

“Ryeo-gun!”

Wu-il screamed as she watched So Ryeo-gun being dragged along by someone’s hand.

The appearance of her younger sister, whom she was seeing for the first time in a year, was utterly wretched.

She looked like she hadn’t eaten properly, with her skin clinging to her bones, and she appeared not to have grown much for her age. Her eyes, wandering here and there without knowing where to go, showed just how anxious she was feeling right now.

Wu-il found herself rushing forward without realizing it.

She knew that acting rashly right now was not the right thing to do. The current situation here was entirely controlled by Wei Yan-ho. Creating variables would not be the right thing to do.

But that was just what her head was thinking.

Her body was already rushing forward the moment she saw So Ryeo-gun.

In an instant, the warriors of the Zhuge Family blocked Wu-il’s path as she rushed toward So Ryeo-gun.

“Stand aside.”

“This…”

“I said stand aside.”

The moment she saw those cold eyes, the strength drained from Wu-il’s shoulders. With her power, she couldn’t overcome these people.

“Ryeo-gun!”

Just as she was about to stamp her feet in frustration, So Ryeo-gun raised her head.

“…Sister?”

Even though she was wearing a mask, blood relations cannot be deceived.

Though it had been a year since they’d seen each other, So Ryeo-gun seemed to recognize Wu-il’s identity. Tears welled up in So Ryeo-gun’s eyes.

“Sister!”

“Ryeo-gun!”

As the two called out to each other and hesitantly approached, Zhuge Zong-ming’s face contorted.

“Can’t you hear what I’m saying?”

As he released his fighting spirit, So Ryeo-gun’s face was instantly colored with fear. Wu-il could only watch So Ryeo-gun’s reaction with pitying eyes…

“Hey, it’s been a while since they’ve met, so why don’t you let them see each other? Don’t you have any compassion?”

At that moment, a nonchalant voice came from behind.

Zhuge Zong-ming turned his head in surprise. Before he knew it, Wei Yan-ho had come down behind him and was yawning so widely his mouth seemed ready to tear.

“Move aside.”

“Ah, no…”

“I said move aside.”

“…”

Zhuge Zong-ming bit his lip tightly and stepped back.

He already knew who the man before his eyes was. No, everyone here did.

No matter how much of a mask he wore, how could they not recognize him?

Though there were countless people in the world, there was only one person under heaven who would invade Zhuge Family territory and show this kind of attitude.

‘What on earth is the Elder thinking?’

Instead of immediately striking down this bastard who deserved to be cut down, he went up to the pavilion to have a conversation with him, and then sent the guy back down with all his limbs intact.

Since he was an Elder-level figure, he must be seeing far places that he couldn’t think of, but it was completely incomprehensible.

Wei Yan-ho took So Ryeo-gun’s hand and brought her to Wu-il.

“I brought her.”

“Ah…”

Wu-il reached out to grab So Ryeo-gun’s shoulder and pulled her toward herself.

Then she embraced So Ryeo-gun in her arms.

“Ryeo-gun!”

“Sister!”

Even someone who didn’t know the situation would feel their nose tingle watching the scene of the two sisters’ reunion. That’s how much longing was emanating from both of them.

But there was someone here who had no such thing as sentiment.

“Hey, let’s save the reunion for later. You don’t seem to grasp the situation at all – this is still enemy territory, you know?”

“I’m sorry… Young Hero.”

Wu-il quickly came to her senses and straightened her body. Even so, she didn’t forget to pull So Ryeo-gun into her embrace.

‘I was never suited to be an intelligence agent in the first place.’

Wu-il knew that she had made far too many mistakes.

Why was it so?

Why was Wu-il, who had been called a promising talent, committing such foolish acts?

Wu-il quietly looked at Wei Yan-ho.

It was because of that person.

A person with someone to rely on and a person with no one to rely on could not be the same. Wei Yan-ho had become a reliable mountain for her to lean on.

Even though outwardly he seemed like someone you couldn’t trust at all.

In any case, thanks to Wei Yan-ho stepping forward, she had gotten back her younger sister who had been captured by the Zhuge Family. This was something she couldn’t have even dreamed of doing alone. She didn’t know what Wei Yan-ho’s ulterior motives were, but it was a clear fact that she owed Wei Yan-ho a debt of gratitude that she couldn’t repay even if she spent her whole life trying.

‘If only we could escape now.’

Was this really the right choice?

Wu-il looked around with a tense expression. Though they had temporarily stopped fighting through Wei Yan-ho’s authority, thanks to that, their surroundings were already surrounded by a solid wall of people.

Zhuge Family had called in all available combatants. No matter how much of a person Wei Yan-ho was, could he escape from here?

‘It’s impossible.’

If Zhuge Family had been a place that lived only by their brains, they wouldn’t have dared call themselves a ‘Family.’ Though they didn’t match other prestigious families, they too possessed enough martial power to call themselves a martial family.

Even if there was the problem of not being able to use formations, if it was a place that could be pushed back by one person, they wouldn’t have been able to obtain the name ‘Family’ in the first place.

Unless that Great Demon returned, it seemed impossible to escape this encirclement.

“Well then…”

Wei Yan-ho looked around and whistled.

“Things look pretty ominous. Looks like they’re about to come at me with swords any moment? Am I seeing something wrong?”

“Insolent bastard.”

Zhuge Zong-ming ground his teeth.

This was a statement that could only be made by openly disrespecting Zhuge Family. If one was disrespected, shouldn’t paying it back be the way of a martial artist?

“I don’t know what you were thinking when you invaded this place, but you’d better not think about returning with your body intact. There are limits to showing mercy because we’re from the same Orthodox Faction. You might be able to preserve your life. But give up the thought of returning with your limbs intact.”

“You speak really scary words.”

Wei Yan-ho grinned.

“And what do you mean, same Orthodox Faction? Who do you think I am to call us the same Orthodox Faction?”

“This bastard, to the very end!”

Not only Zhuge Zong-ming’s face but the faces of those around him flared with anger.

“Today I’ll teach you what manners are.”

“Eh, that’s impossible.”

Wei Yan-ho waved his hand lightly.

“Not only did my father give up on that, but my master gave up on it too. He said that since you were hopeless at learning manners to act like a human being from the start, you should at least be good at fighting. He said that way, you could live without being treated like an idiot wherever you went.”

“…”

Zhuge Zong-ming stared at Wei Yan-ho, at a loss for words.

What kind of master would say such things? And if he was told such things by his teacher, just how hopeless was this bastard?

“So I do need to check something.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Whether being good at fighting really gets you treated like a human being. Actually, up until now, I haven’t been properly treated like a human anywhere I’ve gone. My father too, and except for my mother and older brother, there weren’t many people who treated me like a human being. So…”

“Young Hero, if you say any more…”

“Oh right, that’s true.”

Wei Yan-ho scratched the back of his head at Wu-il’s restraint. Come to think of it, he was supposed to be hiding his identity…

“What a troublemaker.”

Zhuge Zong-ming felt that continuing to exchange words with Wei Yan-ho was meaningless.

“Elder, please give permission. If you give the order, I will cripple this bastard and then hold his family responsible. Furthermore, I intend to hold the Righteous Martial Alliance responsible as well.”

Zhuge Wu quietly looked at Zhuge Zong-ming and then opened his mouth.

“I will withdraw from this matter.”

“What?”

Zhuge Zong-ming looked up at Zhuge Wu with eyes full of bewilderment. Zhuge Wu, sitting on the edge of the eaves, spoke in a low voice.

“Exactly as I said. From now on, I will not involve myself in this matter. Whether you let him go as he is, or subdue him, do as you please.”

“E-Elder!”

Zhuge Zong-ming screamed.

What the hell was he saying? For the person who should be commanding in this situation to withdraw?

‘Wh-who’s the next in command?’

Just as Zhuge Zong-ming was hurriedly trying to find the next in the hierarchy, a low voice came from behind him.

“Let’s subdue him first and think later.”

“I don’t know what the Elder is thinking, but in this situation, there can’t be two choices. First, shouldn’t we capture that bastard and then discuss his treatment?”

“Actually, those Righteous Martial Alliance bastards have been overrated. That Demon-Slaying Sword Wei San-ho was defeated in the end too. The rumors about Wei Yan-ho must also be mixed with exaggeration. Besides, even if it’s not exaggeration, what would change? Even if he were at the pinnacle of martial arts, he couldn’t escape from here.”

Those voices gave Zhuge Zong-ming courage.

‘That’s not wrong.’

First, they could capture Wei Yan-ho and think later. If he gave orders here, the situation would change. And perhaps Zhuge Zong-ming’s status, having taken command, could rise dramatically.

Having finished his calculations, Zhuge Zong-ming raised his voice.

“Immediately capture this bastard…”

“Pinnacle of martial arts?”

At that moment, Wei Yan-ho opened his mouth.

Apparently, he was bothered by the words about even someone at the pinnacle of martial arts not being able to escape.

“Huh, these old men… you really don’t grasp reality. What’s this about the pinnacle of martial arts?”

“…”

“I heard that smart people are useless in reality, and that seems to be true. It looks like you gentlemen need to take a look at what reality is like.”

Wei Yan-ho turned his head to look at Zhuge Wu.

He seemed to understand why Zhuge Wu had made such a request. Living in Sichuan and only exchanging opinions among themselves, these gentlemen had collectively become frogs in a well.

“I was going to take it easy, but I guess that isn’t going to work. From now on, I’ll show you what kind of person someone at the pinnacle of martial arts is, so learn properly.”

“What nonsense are you spouting…”

Thwooom!

It sounded like hitting a leather bag full of water with a hammer.

Clear yet resonant.

A heavy sound that naturally made the listener feel good echoed out.

But no one was smiling. Because that sound had resonated from a human body.

It was the sound made when Wei Yan-ho’s right fist drove into Zhuge Zong-ming’s solar plexus.

“…Guhk.”

A sound like air escaping came from Zhuge Zong-ming’s mouth. But as if this wasn’t the end, Wei Yan-ho raised his head and grinned broadly.

“Let’s begin. The work of confirming whether a scoundrel really gets treated like a human being just by being good at fighting.”

Wei Yan-ho’s right hand went back.

Crack crack crack.

The sound of bones twisting in his spine slowly flowed out. Everyone was just staring at the scene as if their souls had left them.

Wei Yan-ho’s right hand, which had been bent back to its limit, quickly snapped forward and delivered a devastating blow to Zhuge Zong-ming.

“Gyaaaaaaaaaak!”

Zhuge Zong-ming’s body spun like a top as it flew forward. And those caught up in the aftermath got tangled up with Zhuge Zong-ming’s body and began screaming together.

“Waaaaaaaak!”

“We’re getting dragged in! Waaaaah!”

In an instant, dozens of martial artists got tangled up and crashed into the pavilion.

Rumble rumble rumble rumble!

With a sound like thunder, the pavilion collapsed completely.

Gulp.

Watching this scene, Zhuge Wu swallowed dry saliva.

‘I think I made a mistake?’

It was already too late.