Chapter 243: War, Breaks Out

“Have you been well?”

Nam Seohyang, who had entered the room, greeted him politely.

Lee Jaseung sent everyone else out of the room.

Once only the two of them remained, Lee Jaseung finally spoke.

“Thanks to you. I put the Black Ghost Eye you sent me to good use.”

“I’m glad an item that was only gathering dust in the warehouse was used in a precious place.”

Contrary to her words, the Black Ghost Eye was a treasure among treasures with incalculable value.

There was one reason she had so readily handed it over. Following the incident where Lee Jaseung saved her life, Nam Seohyang’s attitude had completely changed. She now considered Lee Jaseung her true lord.

She was a clever woman.

She had concluded that she had nothing to lose by serving Lee Jaseung sincerely.

However, there was one thing.

They had to win this war. If Lee Jaseung lost, the next target for the Demonic Cult’s removal would be the Golden Ants.

This was why she was monitoring the war so closely and moving so quickly.

“I came to see you because I thought you might need information about the Dark Noble Clan.”

“It’s information I happen to need right now.”

“That’s a relief. Then I’ll get straight to the point. Even we didn’t know that the Dark Noble Clan still existed in the Jianghu.”

The Dark Noble Clan had disappeared decades ago. It was before the Golden Ants had made a name for themselves.

“Judging by how they neutralized the Guizhou branch all at once, it seems they’ve built up considerable strength. While they might not be at their peak, I’d estimate their power to be at least twenty percent of the Murim Alliance’s current strength.”

Although twenty percent sounded small, considering the opponent was a single family, it was a truly formidable force.

The important thing was this.

“Why have they stepped forward only now?”

“I don’t know the exact reason, but I have a guess. The information I’m about to give you is the third most expensive piece of information we possess.”

Loyalty was loyalty, but one had to claim credit where credit was due.

The information was that precious. Information was extremely relative; something worth a fortune to one person might not be worth a single coin to another.

However, over long years of buying and selling information, objective standards were bound to arise. The information she was about to share was worth millions of silver coins in monetary terms.

Especially in the current situation, it was information of priceless value to Lee Jaseung.

“The grandson of the Dark Great Emperor, the head of the Dark Noble Clan, is being held hostage by the Demonic Cult.”

Lee Jaseung’s face hardened instantly.

“When was he taken?”

“When he was very young, only a few years old.”

At the mention that a child was being used as a hostage, Lee Jaseung was overcome with extreme irritation.

One might dig a despicable trap to kill an enemy. One might kill through a coordinated attack. One might use poison or shake an opponent’s mind with sweet words.

There’s nothing one cannot do when facing an enemy. One might even take a person hostage to catch a bigger foe.

However, taking a ‘family’ hostage was something that should never be done. It was something that didn’t exist in Lee Jaseung’s life to begin with. That sort of thing was only committed by truly low-class bastards. Furthermore, if the target was a young child, it wasn’t even worth mentioning.

The irritation he felt now resembled the disgust he felt when Jang Wonso had touched his disciple in the past.

There are various categories of villains.

There are just villains, and then there are truly wretched and filthy villains.

Both Jang Wonso and Yao Hong were villains who belonged to the latter.

Then again, one could guess Yao Hong’s true nature from the fact that he betrayed the Demonic Cult Leader who trusted him and declared independence.

At any rate, he could guess why the Dark Noble Clan had vanished and why they had reappeared. It was incredibly important information for Lee Jaseung.

“Do you know where he’s being held?”

“I don’t.”

“Can you find out?”

Nam Seohyang didn’t answer. Or rather, she couldn’t.

Would the Dark Noble Clan have sat idly until now after losing their grandson? They must have searched and searched. Despite that, it was a place they ultimately couldn’t find.

Furthermore, with the Dark Noble Clan having seized the Guizhou branch, it would be useless unless he was found as quickly as possible. How much time was there? Ten days? A month? He wondered if the location could be found within that time. He felt it would be difficult.

Of course, if she performed this near-impossible command, her relationship with Lee Jaseung would grow one step closer. She could truly become his right hand.

Nam Seohyang smiled and replied.

“I’ll contact you as quickly as possible.”

She intended to pour everything into it. Even if she failed, Lee Jaseung would recognize her effort. He was a man who was clear about rewards and punishments regarding merits and faults.

As she turned to leave, Lee Jaseung asked.

“If this is the third most expensive information, what’s the most expensive?”

Nam Seohyang smiled and replied.

“I can’t tell you.”

Lee Jaseung smiled with an expression of understanding. He wasn’t necessarily trying to get an answer; it was just a curiosity that had popped up.

As she was about to turn away, Nam Seohyang felt bad about leaving without saying anything, so she turned back and spoke.

“I’ll tell you the second most expensive information instead.”

“What is it?”

Nam Seohyang said with a smile.

“It’s your true identity, Alliance Leader.”

It was the information that the Murim Alliance Leader was the Black Way Alliance Leader.

It was a moment when he truly wondered what the first most expensive information could be.

* * *

The war began.

The Murim Alliance issued a formal declaration of war following the Asura Demon Sect.

People of the Orthodox Faction were greatly incensed by the news that the Demonic Humans had attacked the Guizhou branch.

As the rumors became reality, they knew the situation was now unavoidable. There were many martial artists who stepped forward bravely, just as there were those who were afraid.

Eternal Righteous Spirit.

There are things that don’t change no matter how much time passes. It’s the heart to protect justice and chivalry.

All the people of the Orthodox Faction rose up resolutely under the banner of overthrowing the Demonic Cult.

Specifically, when the news spread that the Murim Alliance Leader had moved directly toward Guizhou, everyone began to rush there.

Of course, it wasn’t only the righteous people who moved.

Hearing the news of war, Demonic Humans who were acting in secret throughout the Central Plains also began to gather at the Asura Demon Sect.

Fortunately, their numbers weren’t as great as those of the Orthodox Faction. There were still many Demonic Humans who didn’t recognize the Asura Demon Sect as the legitimate Demonic Cult, and many who looked forward to the revival of the Heavenly Demon Sect.

It wasn’t a war that would end in a month or two.

It was a war that might take several years, or even decades.

Rumbleeee!

Five wagons were racing down the official road.

Those wagons heading toward Guizhou were armored wagons used exclusively by the Murim Alliance Leader.

Lee Jaseung and Dan Woobin were riding in the second wagon.

Lee Jaseung was rushing toward the Guizhou branch. Since a branch of the Murim Alliance had been attacked and occupied, he couldn’t just sit at the main headquarters.

And there was another reason he decided to move.

The grandson of the Dark Noble Clan, who was being held hostage, would also likely be near the Demonic Cult’s territory.

Although the wagons were moving, news was being delivered to Dan Woobin one after another through emergency transmissions. One of the five wagons was occupied by information martial artists of the Three Eyed Pavilion.

There was also a wagon carrying Baek Seolyoung and Dan Ah, while Mujin and Ma Young-gi were riding in the other two wagons respectively.

New information was delivered to the wagon where Lee Jaseung and Dan Woobin were riding.

“News has come from the Guizhou branch. Fortunately, the damage doesn’t seem to be very large. Most of the martial artists are being held in the dungeon.”

“What do you think?”

“It seems the Dark Noble Clan doesn’t want to fight us.”

“That’s a relief.”

If so, they had gained a bit of time.

“The assessment seems accurate. Yao Hong likely threatened them. Saying he’d kill the grandson.”

“Or he promised to release the grandson.”

Regardless of the reason, it was meaningless unless they rescued him as quickly as possible.

If they rescued the grandson and returned him to them, they could bring the Dark Noble Clan over to their side. If their desire for revenge was added to a proper negotiation, it would be a great strength in the war against the Demonic Cult.

“We must find his whereabouts somehow.”

The person he could trust was Nam Seohyang. He hoped she could find out before it was too late.

“How should we handle the Guizhou branch?”

“First, concentrate forces near the Guizhou branch. However, only monitor them until my command is given.”

Lee Jaseung’s gaze turned out the window. Watching the outside scenery flash by, Lee Jaseung spoke calmly.

“There’s no need to fight when the opponent doesn’t want to.”

* * *

Yao Hong sat in the seat of honor.

This was a safe house for the Asura Demon Sect located not far from the Guizhou branch.

Among the safe houses, this was where the Cult Leader stayed, making it the most secret and ironclad in terms of security.

Men stood in a long line before him, and most of them were masters belonging to the Thirteen Great Asuras.

Directly below Yao Hong stood the Sword God, who was said to be the strongest in the Asura Demon Sect in terms of swordsmanship after Yao Hong. Next to him stood the five individuals known as the Five Evils, notorious for being extremely cruel even within the Demonic Cult.

Next to them was Jolsang, the head of the Ghost Soldiers, and on the opposite side stood the Three Asura Demons. The Strange Demon, the Water Demon, and the Wind Demon.

Besides them, various Demonic Humans filled the front of the room; truly, all the prominent figures of the Asura Demon Sect were gathered.

A voice was heard in that place.

“Lee Jaseung is heading toward Guizhou with his subordinates.”

Even in this situation, he didn’t reveal himself and only provided his voice. Since they knew well that he had been Yao Hong’s closest confidant for many years, no one considered him rude.

A person who immediately volunteered for the role of strategist whenever there was an important matter opened his mouth on behalf of Yao Hong.

“Is he trying to save Guizhou?”

The voice answered his question.

“I can’t be certain, but my guess is that isn’t the case.”

“The reason?”

“Although it was occupied, the actual damage to the Guizhou branch is negligible.”

“That means the Dark Noble Clan is harboring other intentions.”

“That isn’t necessarily the case.”

“Why is that?”

The man asked demandingly. He was someone who enjoyed showing that he handled matters thoroughly on behalf of Yao Hong.

“Are they not in a position where they only need to handle the task assigned to them anyway? There’s no reason for them to turn the Guizhou branch into a living hell and put themselves in danger.”

“Hmm.”

Since his words were entirely correct, the man couldn’t press further.

The owner of the voice spoke again.

“Not only the leaders of the Murim Alliance but all the Orthodox people are gathering near Guizhou.”

After a short pause, the voice said.

“It seems it’s time to carry out the prepared operation.”

This was the first full-scale move by the Asura Demon Sect following the Dark Noble Clan’s initial attack.

“The probability of success?”

Yao Hong spoke for the first time. Everyone’s gaze turned toward him.

The voice replied.

“Over ninety percent.”

Yao Hong closed his eyes and gave the command.

“Begin.”

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