Chapter 88
The Haomun Leader, showing great competence, brought Mechanism Formation Experts in just three days.
But even with their arrival, there was still a problem.
“Two weeks… that’s not enough time. We won’t have enough time to build a High-Level Mechanism.”
The issue was time.
“Then we’ll just have to do something simple for now. We don’t need those mechanisms that shoot arrows pew-pew anyway.”
Jiangshis don’t feel pain anyway, and they won’t die from ordinary wounds or cuts.
“A mechanism that looks like solid ground but collapses the moment we activate it. You can make that, right?”
We would dig deep pits around our Mountain Stronghold where the Blood Demon Corpse King would invade. That alone should be enough to halt the jiangshis' advance to some extent.
“Ah, that much is possible within two weeks.”
“Good, then do that for now. If you’re short on hands, take our boys and use them.”
As I spoke and pointed, my Subordinates were working in perfect order.
The very day the Blood Demon Corpse King left, I immediately closed the Mountain Path and gathered my Subordinates at the Muak Mountain Stronghold.
It was painful not being able to do business for two weeks, but blocking the Blood Demon Corpse King’s attack without major casualties was more important than anything else.
“Everyone, move briskly. Got it?”
“Yes, sir!”
Most of the Subordinates gathered in one place were working on the Wooden Palisade of the Muak Mountain Stronghold.
This Wooden Palisade would ultimately serve as our castle wall.
The guys were continuing their siege defenses by repairing the Wooden Palisade and installing additional watchtowers.
The executives weren’t just playing around either.
I had ordered them to establish discipline.
Our Green Forest is not a Regular Military Organization. We are just Bandit bastards who snatch pocket change from civilians.
Furthermore, because we recently changed our line of work to the Service Industry, we haven’t had any proper Combat Experience since the Dokgoyeong Incident.
Training and actual combat are different. However, since Jeokyeom, Eungchil, and the other guys from the Muak Mountain Brotherhood were former Imperial Army soldiers, they were able to understand the men’s mentalities to some extent before the battle.
“Alright, everyone, this way.”
Just then, I spotted the Haomun Leader coming toward our Mountain Stronghold accompanied by numerous laborers.
Since I hadn’t given her any other specific tasks, I asked her with a questioning look.
“Hmm? Haomun Leader. What’s with those laborers? What are they bringing here?”
“Ah, I had Haomun deliver bows and arrows.”
“Bows and arrows?”
Hearing her words, I frowned for a moment.
That was only natural, as there was no way a flimsy weapon like an arrow would work on those jiangshis when even swords wouldn’t cut them properly without being imbued with Internal Energy.
But the Haomun Leader grinned as if she had expected my doubt and replied.
“Of course, I don’t think those weapons will work on the jiangshis.”
“Then…?”
“Please look at what’s behind the arrows.”
“…?”
Following her gesture, I looked behind them and saw some wooden barrels.
“What are those?”
“Oil.”
“Oh, don’t tell me…?”
Seeing the oil, I realized something, and the Haomun Leader nodded as if to confirm.
“Yes. No matter how sturdy they are, they are ultimately made of human bodies, so wouldn’t a Fire Attack work?”
“A Fire Attack…”
Why didn’t I think of that?
Perhaps my brain had been too buried in the murim mindset.
In a typical murim setting, people usually only fought with swords and sabers, and at most, weapons like spears and whips.
But the problem we were facing now wasn’t a simple fight; it had to be seen as a Defense Game.
Rather than short-reach weapons like swords and sabers, we needed siege weapons capable of Long-Range Shooting and an Anti-Personnel Strategy that could more reliably annihilate the enemy.
Feeling proud of the Haomun Leader for filling in my shortcomings, I patted her shoulder…
“Ah, good thinking. Haomun Leader, you’re the only one, as expected…, huh.”
…I ended up dropping my jaw at the sight of the object behind the bows and arrows and the oil barrels.
As I stared at it in surprise, the Haomun Leader explained it with a proud look.
“Ah, is this your first time seeing it, Great Hero? That is a New-Style Weapon currently being researched by the government…”
“…No, I know what that is. But why is that…”
…No matter how much we needed siege weapons, why was that suddenly appearing? With the appearance of 'that,' it felt like the murim worldview was collapsing.
Feeling a bit dumbfounded, I asked her…
“No, first of all, are we even allowed to use that when we aren’t officials? Still, as martial artists, there’s an unwritten rule…”
“I obtained it through legal means, so you can use it without worry. And…, what use is an unwritten rule in our current situation?”
“Ah…, right. You’re right.”
…Listening to her words, I soon nodded.
Right now, we had to scrape together everything we had to minimize casualties. Who cares about unwritten rules or whatever?
“You did well bringing it. That will definitely help.”
Even if it was out of the blue, the destructive power of 'that' would be immense. I patted the Haomun Leader’s shoulder just like I did the first time. I even stroked her hair to show how proud I was of her.
“The other Subordinates won’t know how to use that weapon, so teach them.”
“I figured as much, so I brought a Combat Instructor for that weapon from the government.”
“Really? As expected of Wolhwa. Good job.”
“…Hehe.”
The Haomun Leader smiled softly, seemingly happy to have finally shaken off the 'incompetent' label from me. I stroked her hair to her heart’s content until she was satisfied.
She had certainly made a huge contribution to this matter.
While stroking her hair, I remembered another task I had given her and asked her.
“By the way, Wolhwa. Did you do the first thing I asked?”
“Yes, I issued a directive to all Haomun Branches across the world to spread the news of this matter far and wide. I also informed the Murim Alliance that a Heavenly Demon Cult Elder is attempting to invade Hunan Province. However…”
“However?”
“Even if they know our news, whether the Murim Alliance will readily help us is…”
“Ah, was that what you were worried about?”
I grinned at the Haomun Leader as if telling her not to worry.
“Of course they won’t help.”
“Of course…, excuse me? Ah…, had you already assumed they wouldn’t help?”
“There’s no way those selfish bastards would readily help us. They’re probably thinking it’s a sweet opportunity to Use Barbarians to Control Barbarians.”
“Then why did you go out of your way to inform the Murim Alliance that a Heavenly Demon Cult Elder is invading?”
The Haomun Leader looked like she couldn’t understand, but I had my own valid reasons.
“Because even if it isn’t now…, we’ll inevitably have to join forces later.”
“…Pardon?”
“…Never mind. It’s just something like that.”
Right now, we can only catch a glimpse of it, but the power the Heavenly Demon Cult would reveal in the future is absolutely not something the Murim Alliance can handle alone.
When that time comes, whether they want to or not, they will have no choice but to stand back-to-back with us.
“And even if the Murim Alliance doesn’t help… You never know. Someone else might come to help.”
“Is there anyone else besides the Murim Alliance who would help us?”
“One person does come to mind.”
Unlike in my past life, what kind of reaction would that guy show when he hears that the Heavenly Demon Cult is invading Hunan Province?
Perhaps…
This incident might be my first opportunity to face him.
Meeting that guy was something that had only ever happened in my imagination.
“Will he recognize me as a Reincarnator?”
“Phew…, no. It’s a pointless worry.”
I shook my head after pondering what I should say if I were to ever run into him.
What was important right now wasn’t that guy, but the Blood Demon Corpse King.
I needed to prepare more thoroughly to welcome that bastard.
“Still, it’s a relief to have you here for this. I’ll leave the rest of the work to you.”
“Yes, Great Hero.”
The Haomun Leader meticulously checked and took charge of even the parts I hadn’t been able to pay attention to. Knowing that too many cooks spoil the broth, I entrusted her with full authority over this matter and simply observed the situation.
Everyone was working hard at their respective tasks.
I was proudly watching that sight when…
“Wait, where did she go?”
…I quickly noticed that the most important party involved was missing.
* * *
“So you were here.”
“…”
“The other kids have closed the Mountain Path and are working hard right now, so what are you doing?”
“…”
The Imugi didn’t answer my question.
She was lying limply on the floor of her cave in her human form.
But the way she was lying down was a bit peculiar.
“But what’s with that posture?”
“…I have to take this posture to calm my mind and body.”
Even though the Imugi was currently in a human form, she had her body coiled up like a snake.
‘She’s that flexible even in her human form, huh.’
Feeling amazed, I called out to her.
“Yongyong.”
“…I told you not to call me by that childish name.”
Since Yongyong hated her name so much, we would call her either Yongyong or Imugi depending on her mood.
“Alright, Imugi. What are you doing here? The other older brothers and sisters are working their asses off. So, are you just slacking off?”
“…”
In truth, there wasn’t really anything the Imugi was needed for while preparing for the siege. I just said that to give her a hard time because it annoyed me that she was out of sight by herself.
However…
“…If I leave, would you guys not have to go through all this trouble?”
“…Hmm?”
An answer different from what I expected came from the Imugi.
Surprised by this, I looked at her and saw that her eyes looked quite gloomy.