Thousand Faces Scholar Dam Yeohae's eyes flickered with a bluish light as he dashed through the darkness.
His throat felt parched, or perhaps he felt an insatiable hunger; he licked his dry lips incessantly.
Some might criticize his recklessness.
But anyone, upon witnessing the perfect situation unfolding before them, would feel a similar thirst.
'Alliance Lord.'
Did he truly know? The precise moment when the main forces of the Four Tyrants Alliance would arrive? From which direction they would charge?
It was unlikely.
Yet, the unbelievable was happening right now. Jang Ilso seemed to be issuing orders as if he had him right beside him, creating the perfect scenario for Underhanded Gate to rampage.
A giant enemy, writhing in agony as its limbs were severed, lay before them. They could tear open its belly and feast on its steaming entrails even now.
"Infiltrate!"
"Yes!"
Internal strength coiled around Dam Yeohae's hands.
Since when had it begun?
He, once dismissed as a madman, but now unable to even utter a word of reproach, had begun to paint this grand picture.
How long had he waited?
Without a shred of doubt, this was the moment to drive the sharp blade of 'Taeyang Palace' into the backs of the charging enemies!
The regions of Yunnan and Sichuan were seized for this very move. To conceal this final blow, as if a thunderbolt striking Hubei!
Could they even dare to imagine this colossal and wicked scheme?
"Destroy them all! Show the power of South Sea to those arrogant individuals from the Central Plains!"
A deafening roar echoed.
The term 'individuals from the Central Plains' might sound somewhat abrasive, but it was acceptable. The voice, filled with internal strength, would instill even greater fear in the enemies.
And truthfully, one particular phrase resonated with him.
Whiiiing!
The internal strength coiled around Dam Yeohae's hands surged like a storm.
With a force that would strip the skin off one's face, Dam Yeohae, fueled by his unleashed power, struck with all his might.
"It's time to seize control of the Central Plains!"
Underhanded Gate and Taeyang Palace.
The two blades, honed for so long by Jang Ilso, surged forward towards the ensnared prey.
"Ha, it's Underhanded Gate! Underhanded Gate has appeared!"
"And there's another one! Unidentifiable individuals are present!"
"Sect leader, the situation has changed! Please give orders, sect leader!"
Despite the shouts echoing from all directions, Jongli Hyeong merely stood there, absentmindedly watching the approaching figures.
'Taeyang Palace?'
He had anticipated Underhanded Gate. But the unexpected turn of events was even more bizarre. It made no sense for those who boldly represented one of the pillars of the Four Tyrants Alliance to not appear when the alliance lord was in mortal danger.
Yet, Jongli Hyeong had managed to lead everyone here, confident that even with Underhanded Gate joining the fray, they wouldn't be at a disadvantage.
"Why... why would they take the side of the Four Tyrants Alliance?"
One belief shattered into countless pieces, all thanks to the appearance of Taeyang Palace.
The Five Foreign Palaces. Though not aligned with the righteous sects, and even further removed from the evil sects, why would they suddenly come to the aid of the Four Tyrants Alliance? Why?
"Sect leader!"
Once again, a desperate cry snapped Jongli Hyeong back to reality.
'He must escape...'
He had to flee.
Even standing their ground in their current formation would be an overwhelming challenge.
But to face them in such a chaotic situation? The outcome was as clear as fire.
He couldn't bear it.
But the escape route was precarious.
Myriad Man House and Black Ghost Fort still clung to their ankles like starving jackals. Furthermore, the command structure had long since collapsed, leaving Jongli Hyeong's orders unable to reach his disciples.
How on earth could he escape from this situation?
"This... this is my fault... It's not my fault! I didn't do anything wrong..."
"Sect leader!"
Someone grabbed his shoulders and shook him forcefully.
"Pull yourself together, sect leader! If you don't give immediate orders, everyone will die!"
At that moment, Jongli Hyeong witnessed it.
Underhanded Gate and Taeyang Palace, charging forward across the vast expanse of land like a swarm of ants, plunged into the tangled battlefield with the same momentum.
"Ah-a-a-a-agh!"
"Aa-a-a-agh!"
Countless bodies and limbs soared through the air.
They didn't discriminate between enemy and ally. Rather than trying to discern friend from foe, they simply killed anyone they could lay their eyes on.
It was truly a ruthless and brutal strategy, but it was equally effective.
The raw shock and terror overwhelmed the disciples of the Nine Sects. Jongli Hyeong was no exception.
"Retreat."
"Sect leader!"
"Run! We must immediately escape from here! Immediately!"
"Please, sect leader, calm down! First..."
"You fool! Can't you see the enemies behind us? What do you mean by calming down!"
Jongli Hyeong infused his sword with internal strength, snarling.
They were not afraid of the fierce attackers charging at them.
What Jongli Hyeong feared was, rather, the rear forces creeping up with this opportunity.
Once surrounded, there would be no escape. They wouldn't hesitate to leave no survivors. The righteous sects present here would try to kill every last one of them without mercy.
"Elders, clear the way! We must somehow escape from here. Cut through them all and open up a path!"
Jongli Hyeong's eyes flashed. It was a mixture of venom and terror.
Even their honed abilities, piled up in front of the fear of facing death for the first time, became useless.
Those who were once proud soldiers before coming here had now become beasts struggling for survival. Amidst this chaos, even Jongli Hyeong's resolve snapped, and the suppressed fear burst forth.
"Let's retreat!"
"We'll die! We'll all die like this!"
Now, hell had unfolded in a different sense.
This wasn't just sparring or a few people dueling with swords.
It was simply war. The side that lost momentum would lose.
Yet, they lacked the experience to know this fact, and they crumbled without even trying to hold themselves together.
Fear poured in like a torrent. Swept away, they scattered in all directions like sparks flying from a large bonfire, a moment when the cave's tactics collapsed completely, in an instant.
"No-o-o-o!"
Despite screaming until his throat was raw, Beok Gye's voice didn't reach.
Without any chance to do anything, the disciples of the cave began to scatter in all directions.
It was a choice that should never have been made.
Even when they were clustered together, the situation was dangerous. To scatter now was akin to offering themselves up for slaughter.
Why did they do such an unreasonable thing?
"Senior brother! The enemies...!"
Beside him, a voice continued to urge him. Beok Gye's eyes widened in panic.
What should he do? What should he do?
They had clearly pushed them back.
But South Sea Sun Palace, which should have been so far away from here, suddenly appeared. In other words, this place was a trap that the Four Tyrants Alliance had been preparing for a long time.
How was such a thing possible? How could people...?
"Senior brother!"
Eventually, a voice mixed with anger pierced his ears. Beok Gye bit his lip until it bled.
It was meaningless. Such thoughts were now worthless.
What he needed to do was somehow reverse this situation. And somehow overcome it.
It wasn't entirely collapsed yet; there would still be a chance to recover. Surely...!
"Elders, follow me! First..."
But it was at that moment.
"Where are you going?"
Grrr...
With a sharp sound, as if scraping the ground, someone slowly approached Beok Gye.
Beok Gye's face stiffened.
Jeok Ho.
It was finally the one who had been holding Beok Gye back with just momentum that moved.
"This..."
"You don't seem too pleased. Compared to the esteemed monks of Shaolin, your body may be lacking, but it shouldn't be receiving such disrespect."
Jeok Ho let out a tao name (刀鳴), his intention to not let Beok Gye go clear.
"Yet if you continue to disregard, I have no choice but to prove myself."
Jeok Ho's eyes, like those of a wild beast, bore down on Beok Gye. Soon, the Red Dogs led by Jeok Ho also revealed this, pressuring the elders of Shaolin.
Beok Gye's face began to flush.
Even though their main forces were being overrun without any resistance, they hadn't left Jang Ilso's side.
So Beok Gye naturally believed their purpose was to rescue Jang Ilso and kill Beok Jeong. What else could he think?
But their purpose lay elsewhere.
At this moment, their aim was to hinder those who would come to catch the faltering Nine Sects. That had been their purpose all along, even in the face of such great sacrifice.
It was nothing short of thorough manipulation. And Beok Gye's inference was correct. At this moment, Peng Yeob was also surrounded by the Red Dogs.
Beok Gye clenched his fists tightly.
To deceive the enemy, one must first deceive their allies. Jang Ilso had executed that plan himself.
So it wasn't noticed from their side either. The screams of agony, the vividly expressed fear, and the conflicted expressions of those momentarily considering escape were all real.
"It's not over yet. If I take your life and kill Jang Ilso, the result will be the same."
"You're right."
Killing Jang Ilso.
While it might have been blasphemous to Jeok Ho, surprisingly, he simply nodded in agreement. His loyalty to Jang Ilso was different from the erratic ones who would react to trivial matters.
Jeok Ho chuckled mercilessly and said, "But you still can't grasp it."
"What do you mean?"
"The answer should have been different. Right now, you should be wary not only of me but also of the alliance lord."
Doubt flickered in Beok Gye's eyes. Then suddenly, he realized that all of this might just be a delaying tactic. As he was about to protest to shut that mocking mouth, Jeok Ho's thick lips parted first.
"While I don't particularly favor him, I have to admit, there's no denying. In this battlefield, the most dangerous man is..."
"What?"
It was at that moment.
*Bang*
A gigantic flag was hoisted towards the sky.
Amidst the various flags rising in the enemy camp, the figure of a man standing in the center was visible.
That person was...
"Hu Jiaming?"
Poisonous Heart Rakshasa, Hu Jiaming.
As the military advisor of the Four Tyrants Alliance, he surveyed the battlefield with a soul-piercing gaze. His voice, devoid of any emotion, resonated from his lips.
"Hold up the red flag."
"Yes, military advisor!"
With the order given, the red flag rose high into the sky.
Suddenly, the red and black army of the Four Tyrants Alliance moved decisively amidst the confusion of the enemy. Like a giant snake tightening its grip around its prey, they enveloped the enemy.
Breathless, Hu Jiaming looked down upon the battlefield. What he saw with his eyes wasn't a battlefield teeming with people but merely an enormous chessboard. His eyes, like those of a seasoned player, were sharp and cold.
"Hoist the green flag. Surround the enemy. Maintain the front line! Trip up their ankles."
"Yes, military advisor!"
The multicolored banners fluttered behind Hu Jiaming.
It was a chance seized at the end of despair. Passing through that time, Beok Gye had resolved himself with a sharp edge. Hu Jiaming poured everything he had into this moment.
"Not a single one... shall escape."