Chapter 61
"Why in the world..."
The sudden appearance of Demonic Cult members, or more precisely, the Black Kill Squad of the Heavenly Demonic Cult, stood before them.
The distinctive skull tattoos engraved on their faces proved it.
The Black Kill Squad of the Heavenly Demonic Cult.
They were known as the human weapons that the Demonic Cult boasted of. It was also famous that once you became their target, you could hardly ever survive.
Yet they had clearly used the word "target" towards the Scholar Forest Group.
That meant...
"I'm truly grateful that you came out of the Peng Family so early, more than we expected."
The man who appeared to be the commander of the Black Kill Squad grinned.
There was a large scar on his mouth and one cheek, making his smile look very unnatural.
It was somewhat grotesque, sending chills down one's spine.
Anyway, the sudden appearance of Demonic Cult members greatly shocked Jo Min and the entire Scholar Forest Group.
Moreover, due to the sudden ambush, they were all in a state where they couldn't use their internal energy because of the poison.
Could there be a worse situation for martial artists than being unable to use internal energy?
"So. You're those little brats called the Scholar Forest Group, eh?"
Little brats.
Though they had all grown up now, it was true that compared to the average age of the Demonic Cult's Black Kill Squad, the Scholar Forest Group was overwhelmingly young.
*Damn it! This is not good, very not good!*
Jo Min's face turned deathly pale.
He couldn't see any way to survive the current situation.
Crisis. It was a crisis.
Perhaps the worst crisis since the Scholar Forest Group was formed had now arrived.
Finding themselves suddenly in such a terrible situation, the faces of the members who were always so arrogant turned ghostly white.
They too had heard the name of the Demonic Cult until they were sick of it.
After all, the Demonic Cult was the group that the Murim Alliance feared and antagonized the most.
Being unable to use internal energy at the moment and seeing Demonic Cult members right in front of them with gleaming eyes was not an experience anyone could easily endure, no matter how brave they were.
As a result,
"Ugh, uwaaaaah!"
One of the Scholar Forest Group members lost his mind and started running away with a terrified face.
"N-No! Come back!"
Jo Min shouted belatedly, but it was already too late.
Even if they could use internal energy for lightfoot skills, it was impossible to escape the pursuit of Demonic Cult masters who were more skilled than them. Simply running away on foot was madness.
He had clearly gone mad with fear.
"Well, look at that?"
Soon, black throwing knives appeared in the hand of one of the Demonic Cult members.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
Three black throwing knives flew quickly and pierced the vital points of the fleeing member.
"Guheeeek!"
Soon, the member who hadn't gotten far collapsed face-first onto the ground.
One of the talents cherished by the Murim Alliance had lost his life in such a pathetic way.
"Ugh. Uuugh."
The entire Scholar Forest Group was gripped by terror at their comrade's death.
They all trembled at the thought that the cold corpse lying on the ground could be any of them at any moment.
In fact, some of them felt even more chilled because they had almost started running like the member who just died, without even realizing it themselves.
"Uuuugh..."
That's how it is when such great fear suddenly strikes.
Unconsciously, whimpering moans escape one's mouth.
Seeing this, some of the Demonic Cult members snickered while others clicked their tongues.
"Commander. These guys were rotten from the start, weren't they?"
"Indeed. Not a single one looks useful."
The man called Commander laughed incredulously.
"If this were our Great Heavenly Demonic Cult, they would have all failed the initial selection. These are the talents nurtured by the Murim Alliance? Hmph. Even a passing dog would laugh."
"Well, I suppose the Orthodox Faction just has talented people coming out on their own every year?"
"Those rotten bastards only know how to speak flowery, flattering words. Tsk tsk."
Snicker.
Though they were freely disparaging them to their faces as if evaluating displayed goods, not a single member of the Scholar Forest Group dared to speak up.
Right now, petty pride wasn't important - simply surviving was what mattered.
No matter how much they usually flaunted their pride and acted wickedly, even they cherished their one and only life.
"Wh-What do you want?"
Jo Min gathered all his courage to speak up.
"What's that?"
"You must want something."
"Hmm, why do you think that?"
"Because you've kept us alive like this so far."
"Oh? So there is one with some wits among you."
That was true. If they had wanted to kill them, they would have done so already.
Like that foolish one who stupidly ran away trying to save himself and died.
But for some reason, they had kept Jo Min and the Scholar Forest Group alive so far.
There was only one thing that could mean.
*They clearly want something from us.*
He had to use that to the fullest extent possible.
That would be the key to somehow surviving this situation.
But then,
"From now on."
Soon, shocking words flowed from the Commander's mouth.
"We'll spare just one person who hands over information about the sects including your seniors the Mysterious Forest Group and Garden Forest Group, as well as the Alliance's secrets."
"Wh-What?"
"Of course, you'll have to become our spy afterwards. You'll be marked with our emblem and have to swallow Gu poison."
The eyes of the entire Scholar Forest Group widened immensely.
They all unconsciously shook their heads at the terrible proposal that should never be accepted.
If they did that, everything they had built up until now would become meaningless. And they would become the worst traitors.
Their proposal was truly absurd.
But,
"I'll say it once more, but except for that one person, all the rest will die here."
The Commander's next words mentally pressured everyone. No, those words were surely sincere.
They had already seen with their own eyes how casually they killed one of their members just moments ago.
Everyone's eyes were shaking uncontrollably.
But then,
"I'll do it!"
Someone raised their hand high.
"That crazy bastard!"
"Hey, are you insane? Are you in your right mind?"
"Move!"
It was the man who had beaten the servant like a dog at the Peng Family for getting water on his clothes and even tried to hit Yul.
He stepped forward without hesitation.
He didn't seem to show even a moment's hesitation.
He didn't appear to feel any guilt about turning his back on the Murim Alliance and betraying his comrades.
That became the starting point.
In truth, pride as part of the Orthodox Faction, chivalry, and justice were never that important to the Scholar Forest Group members to begin with.
They simply couldn't let go of the brilliant future they could have by riding on the Murim Alliance's coattails.
In the meantime, as one person moved first, the others also started to feel urgent.
If the one who stepped forward first was chosen, the rest would all die. Then everything would be over.
Soon, everyone's eyes went wild and they started to act up.
They pushed each other aside, raised their hands, and stepped forward.
"I'll do it!"
"Me! Let me do it! I'll devote everything to serve the Heavenly Demonic Cult loyally!"
"No, I'd be better than those guys!"
"Move, you bastards! I raised my hand to volunteer first!"
It was truly the worst.
A scene that vividly showed the depths of human depravity unfolded before their eyes.
"Ha! What kind of creatures are these?"
Even from the Demonic Cult Black Kill Squad's perspective, it was absurd.
Of course, they were the ones who had incited the betrayal, but it was the first time they had seen such a sight where everyone, without exception, pushed each other aside to step forward, desperate to save themselves.
It was a beastly sight without even a shred of shame.
*No, there's still one left.*
Even as everyone was frantically volunteering to be a spy, only the leader Jo Min kept his mouth shut, taking in the current miserable situation with his eyes.
"Enough."
The Commander of the Demonic Cult Black Kill Squad cast a cold gaze towards the Scholar Forest Group members who were causing an uproar.
"As I said earlier, we don't need all of you. And if possible, we need someone who knows as much information as possible, so..."
The Commander's gaze turned to Jo Min.
"What do you say?"
"You mean me?"
Jo Min spoke up as the Black Kill Squad Commander's gaze turned to him.
"Yes. We'd prefer you if possible."
It was an obvious statement.
Rather than mere members, the leader Jo Min would naturally know more about the Alliance's internal affairs and have higher value for future use.
"No, how can this be right!"
"Right? We make the rules here."
At the Black Kill Squad Commander's firm words, the entire Scholar Forest Group's gaze turned to Jo Min.
In an instant, they had all become like dogs who had lost the chicken they were chasing.
Jo Min's gaze naturally turned towards the members.
The members shook their heads as if telling him to refuse.
*Selfish bastards*
Jo Min found it absurd.
It's not like he had expected friendship or camaraderie from the start, and such things didn't suit them anyway, but this was just...
He felt nauseous.
And he realized for certain.
Hah, so this is all we amount to. Us...
Well then.
*I should at least save myself.*
In that moment, Jo Min's eyes became firm.
He had made up his mind.
"...I'll do it."
"Leader! How could you!"
Having made his decision, Jo Min no longer looked at the members.
From the moment he accepted that proposal, they were no longer comrades.
They were just traitors who had abandoned each other.
"Come over here beside me."
At the Black Kill Squad Commander's words, Jo Min moved, ignoring the members.
The members frantically rushed at Jo Min, cursing and attacking him.
"Jo Min, you son of a bitch!"
"You piece of trash! You'll definitely go to hell!"
They charged at him in a frenzy, spewing anger as if it was all Jo Min's fault that they were going to die, but even that was blocked by the Black Kill Squad members and fizzled out.
Soon, Jo Min stood beside the Commander and spoke to him.
"I have a request."
"Oh? A request?"
As the Black Kill Squad Commander asked again, Jo Min nodded.
"What is it? Speak."
"Those people."
"Hm?"
"Please get rid of them all in front of me quickly."
"What? Ha! Hahahahaha! Alright. I understand. I'll do that for you. It's something we had to do anyway."
He was truly, thoroughly insane.
He was asking for those who were his members until just moments ago to be killed quickly.
The Black Kill Squad Commander thought that perhaps Jo Min was just the kind of talent suited for the Demonic Cult.
Soon, as the Commander nodded, the Black Kill Squad members began to move, raising their weapons.
"Ugh. Ugh. How. How could this happen."
"This is a dream. Damn it. This must be a dream."
The Scholar Forest Group members sensed that their fate was about to come to an end.
They had never imagined.
That the brilliant future they believed awaited them would end so miserably like this.
"It's not my fault. This couldn't be helped. It's not my fault."
Jo Min kept muttering with his eyes tightly shut.
Just as the Demonic Cult Black Kill Squad's blades were about to strike the Scholar Forest Group members,
"Ha. You've already sent one off like this. How quick."
Suddenly, a man's voice was heard.
As if on cue, everyone's gaze turned in that direction.
It was towards where the corpse of the Scholar Forest Group member who had run away and died lay.
A man was clicking his tongue while looking at that corpse, then stood up from his spot.
In his hand was the sword that the dead member had used.
Soon, he spoke with cold, gleaming eyes.
"To do such a thing in someone else's front yard, you must be prepared, right?"
It was Yeo Un-hwi.