Chapter 15 – Special Mission

At present, the skill Jang Woo-hyun displayed was somewhere between the peak of a First-rate martial artist and Master level.

His strength was right below the elders, ranking among the few top leaders of the Demon Extermination Sect.

The expressions of his companions, who had looked at him as if he were insane, began to change.

Their faces now showed that they thought it was worth a try.

Jang Woo-hyun hadn’t even shown all his abilities, yet as people’s opinions began to shift, he threw out a second bait.

“If we capture the Five Monsters, we will evenly distribute all the merits.”

“……!”

“Huh!”

More astonished than when they heard about capturing the Five Monsters or when he displayed his skill.

The Five Monsters were the greatest enemies of the Demon Extermination Sect.

It was said that more people had died by their hands than by any other monster, so their reaction was inevitable.

Among the remnants of the Thousand Demon Sect, they were the strongest and the ones that caused the most damage.

Those were the Five Monsters.

If they captured them, they would receive an enormous amount of merit points.

Of course, those with higher status or superior martial arts would typically receive more merit points, but Jang Woo-hyun said he would distribute them equally.

The merit points they would receive from succeeding in this task would be more than all the points they had received from their time in the Demon Extermination Sect up to this point.

Thus, Jang Woo-hyun’s second bait was powerful.

“I’ll do it.”

The first to make up their mind was the Seon brothers, Seon Chan and Seon Min.

To capture the most problematic remnants of the Thousand Demon Sect and receive enormous merit points?

This was something they absolutely had to do.

“I’ll join as well. I have a feeling that if it’s with Master Jang, we can do it.”

“I’m not sure if this is the right move… but I’ll go along for now.”

Ma Choong-won and Hwang An also agreed to join.

Only one person remained.

“This is driving me crazy. Either we gain big or lose everything. No, it’s worse than losing everything; our lives are at stake. Ah, screw it! I’m in! Let’s just go for it!”

With Kwak Dong-ha’s decision, everyone agreed to join.

The group was ready to take on this mission, accepting the risks that came with it, as Kwak Dong-ha had implied.

However, Jang Woo-hyun’s thoughts were different.

The group’s displayed skills weren’t everything.

On the surface, they had one Platinum Token and five Silver Tokens.

But in reality, Jang Woo-hyun was at an elder level within the Demon Extermination Sect, and Hwang An, who was hiding his strength, was at least at a Gold Token level.

In addition, Ma Choong-won and the others with Silver Tokens made up four people.

The team had more than enough strength to carry out the mission.

With the current group, they could easily capture at least one of the Five Monsters.

“Good. Let’s go to the inn and continue discussing this while we eat.”

The group, having agreed to work together, went to a nearby inn to finish their conversation.

* * *

At an inn near the Demon Extermination Sect.

Ten martial artists were gathered there.

When the man sitting in the highest seat slightly nodded, someone who appeared to be his subordinate spoke.

“He is known as ‘The Blade that Slays the Monkey’ around here.”

“The Blade that Slays the Monkey?”

The man’s frown deepened upon hearing the nickname, which sounded absurd.

What kind of ridiculous nickname was that, ‘The Blade that Slays the Monkey’?

“Yes, it is said he earned that nickname after single-handedly capturing a massive Monkey-like monster.”

“Tsk, just like what those wandering warriors in the outskirts would do. So, how skilled is this guy who fought the Monkey?”

“Well… it’s assumed to be significant. The Iron Armor Monkey was also no ordinary monster. Although it may be somewhat exaggerated, he definitely appears to have real strength.”

“An Monkey monster, huh…”

Since he couldn’t gauge the monster’s strength, the situation was frustrating.

“What token does he carry?”

“No one knows for sure. He started with a Silver Token, but there’s speculation that he was recently promoted to a Gold Token or even higher, perhaps to the level of a Sect Leader.”

“A minimum of a Gold Token, and at most, a Sect Leader.”

That made things doable.

By martial arts standards, a Gold Token in the Demon Extermination Sect equated to an entry-level First-rate martial artist.

A Sect Leader was a skilled First-rate martial artist.

There were a few Sect Leaders who had reached the peak of First-rate, but if he were at that level, he would’ve been appointed as a Sect Leader long ago.

‘A First-rate martial artist should be manageable.’

They were not martial artists who fought head-on.

They were assassins who set traps and created situations to kill their targets.

Given the forces they had assembled, they could even deal with a Master level opponent if things went well.

With the information gathered by his subordinates, the middle-aged man decided on their course of action.

“Where is he headed?”

“It’s said he will soon go to Qinghai Province for a mission.”

“Then we’ll strike when he moves. Keep an eye on the Demon Extermination Sect, and be ready to move as soon as he sets out.”

“Yes.”

The Autumn Soul Assassination Sect, who had been tracking Jang Woo-hyun under the orders of Sang Mun-cheon, the Deputy Leader of the Asura Sword Sect, had finally arrived at the Demon Extermination Sect.

* * *

Once they decided to carry out the special mission, the group moved quickly.

The first thing they did was to officially receive their mission, but to avoid drawing attention, they accepted a different mission on the surface.

The mission was to patrol the area around Qinghai Province.

It was time-consuming and dangerous, but the merit points were low, so people usually avoided it.

It was perfect for the group since they needed to search Qinghai Province for the Five Monsters anyway.

They also gathered information about the Five Monsters.

Once again, Hwang An, who was suspected to be from the Beggars’ Sect, came through.

After two days of preparation, the group packed their belongings and left the Demon Extermination Sect, heading to the branch sect.

The branch sect, located at the border between Qinghai Province and Sichuan, patrolled the area and tracked down the remnants of the Thousand Demon Sect.

Upon arrival, Hwang An and Ma Choong-won began to move.

Hwang An, being naturally sociable, and Ma Choong-won, with his long experience and connections, were able to gather information from those stationed at the branch sect.

At a nearby inn, Hwang An met with a Silver Token martial artist from the branch sect.

“The Five Monsters? Why are you looking for them?”

“Why else? To avoid them, of course. I came to the Demon Extermination Sect to make money, but what’s the point if I die? It’d be frustrating to die without even spending the money I’ve saved.”

“Well, true, but how could people like us ever face those monsters? Let’s see… there was a rumor that a monster was spotted recently.”

“A monster appeared? Ah, I forgot myself. Hey! Bring some drinks and snacks over here. Let’s talk over a drink.”

“Wow, you know how to treat someone properly.”

Hwang An smoothly struck up a conversation even with someone he had just met for the first time.

Though not as good as Hwang An, the others also went around gathering information in their own ways.

That night, the group reconvened at their lodging after gathering information separately.

The first to speak was Hwang An.

“About two hundred li west of here, there’s a place called Old Mount Hua, and some people said they encountered the Insect Monster nearby. Recently, there were also reports of sightings of the Fire Monster. Well, to be precise, they found traces of the Fire Monster.”

Four of the living Five Monsters were the One Monster, the Insect Monster, the Fire Monster, and the Elder Monkey Monster.

The One Monster was the leader of the Five Monsters.

The other four positions had changed over time, due to either the passage of time or the Demon Extermination Sect’s subjugations, but the One Monster had never been replaced.

It remained the greatest enemy of the Demon Extermination Sect, but they still hadn’t managed to capture it.

The Elder Monkey Monster was also known as Old Monster or Monkey Monster.

It was an old man who rode on the back of the Iron Armor Monkey and was one of the most active among the Five Monsters in fighting the Demon Extermination Sect.

The Insect Monster summoned a giant bee monster called Heum-won, which is why he was called the Insect Monster.

Lastly, the Fire Monster was the only female among the Five Monsters.

Rather than summoning monsters, she used Yin-Yang Five Elements Magic, specializing in fire spells.

Hence, she was called the Fire Monster or Red Flame Monster.

Even if one of the Five Monsters died, they were still referred to as the Five Monsters, not the Four Monsters, because there was always someone to fill the spot.

In any case, of the four, the Insect Monster and the Fire Monster were the ones recently spotted in the area, according to Hwang An.

“I heard something similar from a friend who I’ve worked with on previous missions. Lately, the Insect Monster has been appearing frequently. They even requested reinforcements from the main sect because of it.”

“Reinforcements? Is it that serious?”

“Not just the Insect Monster. Apparently, the remnants of the Thousand Demon Sect have been constantly attacking from the north as well. It’s possible they’re planning something.”

Nodding slightly at Ma Choong-won’s explanation, Jang Woo-hyun then asked Hwang An again.

“What about their strength? Any sign of them getting stronger or any sightings of new monsters?”

“Not yet. Based on what I’ve heard, in terms of martial strength, the Fire Monster is at the peak of First-rate. The Insect Monster’s strength varies depending on the number of bees he summons, ranging from the peak of First-rate to Master level. So, what do we do? Are we heading to Old Mount Hua where the Insect Monster was spotted?”

“Old Mount Hua, huh…”

“Boss, doesn’t this seem a bit too easy? We’re going to run into them as soon as we arrive. Were they always this easy to find?”

Kwak Dong-ha’s words made sense.

If they were this easy to encounter, the Demon Extermination Sect would have captured them long ago.

‘What’s making them move? They’ve been sighted frequently near the branch sect recently. Are they planning to attack it? Is that even possible?’

The Demon Extermination Sect prided itself on its numbers, and the branch sect was heavily populated with martial artists.

Since it was located on the front lines, there were no Iron Tokens or Wooden Tokens stationed there.

At the very least, only those with Bronze Tokens or higher were present.

‘On top of that, I heard the branch sect leader is quite skilled. It won’t be easy for them to attack outright.’

Although the Five Monsters had ambushed the Demon Extermination Sect warriors many times, they had never openly attacked a branch sect.

Perhaps he was worrying too much.

“It’s strange that they’re moving so boldly under the Sect Leader’s watch.”

“Ah…”

At Kwak Dong-ha’s casual remark, Jang Woo-hyun suddenly realized something.

“Senior Ma, do you know where the Sect Leader of the Demon Extermination Sect is right now?”

“I’m not sure.”

“That’s it!”

It was Hwang An who responded to the question.

He knew where the Sect Leader was.

“What do you mean?”

“The Sect Leader is currently in Sichuan, tracking down the Elder Monkey Monster.”

According to Hwang An, the Sect Leader had moved into Sichuan to capture the Elder Monkey Monster.

The Demon Extermination Sect Leader usually patrolled Qinghai Province, dealing with the remnants of the Thousand Demon Sect, but it seemed that the enemies had seized the opportunity while he was away.

“This seems like perfect timing for us. We’ve arrived at the ideal moment, just as the action is about to start.”

Though nothing was certain, Kwak Dong-ha’s words seemed to ring true.

With no answers likely to come from overthinking, the group decided to sleep early and set out for Old Mount Hua the next day.

Their destination was where the Insect Monster had been sighted.

* * *

As they made their way to Old Mount Hua, they encountered an unexpected situation in a small village along the way.

“The village seems deserted.”

Not a single sign of life could be sensed in the village.

An ominous atmosphere enveloped the area.

The group spread out to search the village and soon gathered in the center.

“There’s no one here.”

“Same over here.”

“No one here either.”

There wasn’t a single person—whether child, adult, or elder.

Even the dogs that were kept in the village were nowhere to be seen.

“The village is in this state, so what have the branch sect warriors been doing?”

Frustrated, Kwak Dong-ha kicked the ground.

But it was inevitable.

This was one of the Demon Extermination Sect’s weaknesses.

Since the majority of their members were wandering warriors, they tended to avoid major risks.

Especially those stationed at branch sects, who were even more inclined to do so.

No matter how many merit points they received, they knew it was pointless if they died, so most warriors only took on tasks they could handle.

Moreover, with the remnants of the Thousand Demon Sect causing a ruckus up north, the branch sect here likely had no manpower to spare.

“The people aren’t dead, but there’s not a single one left? Damn, are the monsters planning to use them as sacrifices?”

“I don’t think that’s the case.”

Hwang An refuted Kwak Dong-ha’s guess.

“How do you know that, brother?”

“I’ve never heard of the Thousand Demon Sect performing human sacrifices. Isn’t that right, Senior Ma?”

“True. I’ve never heard of such a thing either.”

“Then what is this? Did a band of thieves come and kidnap everyone?”

“I don’t think so.”

Ma Choong-won, who had been inspecting the village, began moving in a certain direction.

There were traces left behind.

Footprints could be seen all around.

They resembled the footprints of a monkey, and the size was quite large.

“It’s Ong-hwa.”

Ong-hwa was the monkey monster that the Thousand Demon Sect often commanded.

“See, I knew it. It’s those bastards. Now they’re even kidnapping people? They’re dead. They’re all dead.”

Kwak Dong-ha gritted his teeth, and the Seon brothers, who had lost their family to the Thousand Demon Sect, glared with killing intent.

“Can you tell where they went?”

“The trail is unclear, so it’s difficult to determine.”

In response to Jang Woo-hyun’s question, Ma Choong-won shook his head.

“Boss, why are you even asking? It’s obvious. We should head to Old Mount Hua and wipe them out…”

Jang Woo-hyun raised a finger, signaling Kwak Dong-ha to be quiet.

Startled by the sudden gesture, the group held their breath and focused.

Moments later, the others began to sense what Jang Woo-hyun, with his superior skill, had already noticed.

The sound of grumbling voices was gradually approaching.

The group quickly concealed their presence and hid.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep