Chapter 37, You Need to Suffer Properly
Jaha was about to scold Namgung Cheol, but instead pressed a finger against his temple.
No. I shouldn't think negatively. If it's the Martial Alliance's Vermilion Bird Unit, maybe it really is possible. On top of that, those bastards should have fought each other with everything they had. Their strength must be nearly exhausted. This could actually be my chance to take revenge on Hwancheonma.
Jaha looked over the proud appearance of the Vermilion Bird Unit and began calculating.
"What do you mean, we have a chance?"
Only then did Songrim reluctantly explain that Hwancheonma and the Black-Hearted Jade Demon Ma Gi were trapped inside the Heavenly Prison Formation.
"So you're saying this is our chance to capture them?"
"That's right. With around a hundred warriors from the Vermilion Bird Unit, it should be enough."
However, Un Daeryong, who had spent years fighting in real battlefields, had a thoughtful expression despite Dang Jong and Namgung Cheol's confident words.
He understood how many sacrifices might be required to capture two peak masters.
As Un Daeryong calculated how many of his subordinates might die, Dang Jong spoke.
"Surely the famous Commander Un isn't thinking of avoiding them because he's afraid?"
Un Daeryong smiled at Dang Jong's childish provocation.
"Young Master Dang is correct. They are frightening men. And my mission is to protect Miss Deung, not to capture them."
Jaha looked at Un Daeryong with approval.
Un Daeryong was not the kind of person who recklessly charged into battle because of competitiveness or a desire for fame.
He was a commander who thought first about how many of his subordinates would die if they fought.
Paeng Umyeong said,
"The Demon Cult's Hwancheonma, one of the Seven Heavenly Demons, is over there. The leader of the Western Gorge Sect, which has caused harm throughout the martial world, is also there. Are you really saying you're going to ignore them and leave?"
Paeng Umyeong shouted as if he were burning with righteous anger.
He had stepped forward because he thought this was the perfect opportunity to show Zhuge Yuyeon his manliness and heroic spirit.
However, to Zhuge Yuyeon, he only looked immature.
"That's right. This young master was not taught to behave like that."
"I, Namgung Cheol, wasn't taught that way by my family either! Even if death awaits us, I was taught that we must devote ourselves to driving out evil and destroying demons!"
Un Daeryong listened to the youngsters talking and quietly asked,
"Have you young masters ever watched a friend or companion die?"
Dang Jong, Namgung Cheol, and Paeng Umyeong had practiced martial matches and sparring within their families, but none of them had ever fought in a true battle where life and death were decided.
That was why they did not understand how terrifying Hwancheonma and Ma Gi really were.
"No. But I do know that even if we must choose death, we must not become cowards."
Watching them, Jaha muttered,
"All talk, as usual."
Jaha had experienced several battles where his life had been at risk, so he understood what Un Daeryong meant.
When you watched a subordinate or companion die in battle, it was like having a brand of fire burned into your soul.
That image remained as a pain that could not easily be forgotten.
They charged forward like this because they knew nothing about it.
"We will escort Miss Deung back to the Alliance."
Un Daeryong decided that there was no reason to fight an unnecessary battle.
Being the leader of a combat force did not mean he was someone who fought first and thought later.
He also had to consider the possibility that this battle might shatter the fragile peace that had existed between the Demon Cult and the Martial Alliance until now.
Dang Jong, Namgung Cheol, and Paeng Umyeong had raised their hopes high, but could not hide their disappointment after hearing Un Daeryong's answer.
Then it happened.
Three groups suddenly descended from somewhere.
"Please come with us, Young Family Head."
They were warriors from the Tang Clan, the Namgung Family, and the Paeng Family.
The faces of Dang Jong, Namgung Cheol, and Paeng Umyeong lit up.
Jaha nodded.
As expected. There were people secretly protecting them.
Jaha had already guessed that no family head would be stupid enough to let their young successor wander the martial world completely alone.
Who would trust reckless young fools like these?
The people who appeared were the Tang Clan's Five Heroes, the Namgung Seven Swords, and the Paeng Family's New Five Tiger Sabers.
They were warriors who had grown up and trained alongside the young family heads, almost like brothers.
The family heads believed it would be better to have companions who had trained together since childhood protect their successors.
"What? Don't tell me you've been secretly following us this whole time?"
Dang Jong asked in surprise.
In truth, they had recently begun regretting that they had not brought guards with them.
If they had guards, they believed they could beat down both Hwancheonma and Ma Gi.
"The Family Head ordered us never to reveal ourselves unless the Young Family Head's life was truly in danger, so we had no choice but to remain hidden."
"Seriously. Even so, if you'd shown yourselves sooner, we could've captured Hwancheonma already."
Namgung Cheol became full of confidence now that the Namgung Seven Swords had joined them.
"We don't even need the Vermilion Bird Unit. We can capture Hwancheonma and Ma Gi with our own strength."
Dang Jong raised his chin proudly.
Magae and Songrim, who had remained quiet until then, sighed.
Songrim had actually lost many subordinates while trying to rescue Deung Hwahong.
That was why he understood Un Daeryong's feelings and had remained silent.
The same was true for Magae. Most of the Beggar Sect members in the safe house had been disciples under his own command.
He did not speak about it, but seeing their corpses had weighed heavily on his heart. That was why he understood Un Daeryong's decision.
Yet the three young family heads saw their guards and suddenly acted as if they owned the entire world. There was no way Songrim and Magae could avoid sighing.
"You can all leave. We're going to capture Hwancheonma and Ma Gi."
Dang Jong, Namgung Cheol, and Paeng Umyeong took their guards and headed back toward the safe house.
Now that things had developed this way, Songrim and Magae could not simply watch.
"Commander Un, I don't think we can leave them like that. Since things have already come this far, let's lead the Vermilion Bird Unit and suppress the demonic forces."
Un Daeryong had thought that the three young family heads would also give up if he refused.
Instead, the appearance of their guards only made them more eager to fight. When they charged back toward battle, he let out a long sigh.
If one of the other Four Divine Unit commanders had been here, perhaps they might have agreed with the three young family heads.
However, Un Daeryong had started at the very bottom and climbed all the way to commander. He did not fight without orders from the Alliance.
He was not an extremist from the righteous path who attacked every demonic martial artist on sight.
But that did not mean he was a coward.
When he did fight, he was braver than anyone else. That was why Un Daeryong was known by the nickname Invincible Battle Demon.
