Chapter 155: We made a mistake…! (1)

Destroy it.

There was only one thought on the mind of the Unorthodox faction's famous trash.

'They're destroying everything.'

Crash!

A window was destroyed.

Boom.

A door was sent flying and broke.

Crack, crack!

All sorts of things were destroyed, sent flying, and scattered.

Sima Jung would normally like this sort of chaos and create them himself, but he could not do anything.

"Hooo."

The Pinnacle Demon, who was gasping next to him, also seemed to be feeling the same way.

The old lady who was out of her mind and had gone crazy with experiments could only blankly drop her jaw.

And although Sima Jung was not aware of it, he was politely clasping his hands in front of him.

Young master Kim Hae-il…

His people were moving without anything being able to get in their way.

They just destroyed anything that tried.

"Aaaaaah!"

"R, run!"

"What the hell is going on!"

The people of the Pure Silver Merchant guild were feeling quite a bit of chaos at this sudden turn of events.

This branch of the Pure Silver Merchant guild was completely flipped over.

"Just what is going on-"

"What is going on all of a sudden?!"

"Ahhh! Excuse me, but why are esteemed experts of the Martial Arts world persecuting merchants like us?!"

Some people tried to stop young master Kim's people, but…

"You look like you know something."

"Excuse me? Ugh!"

They suppressed those people with stoic looks on their faces.

"He does look useful."

No, they knocked them unconscious.

"Hmm. Looks like you tried to run away with the ledger. I guess there's something you are guilty about in there?"

Knocked unconscious again.

They slowly knocked everybody out and took over the first floor before heading to the second floor.

Sima Jung peeked out the window before gulping.

"Ahhhhh-"

"Uuuuuuugh!"

People were falling out the window.

They were obviously people from the second or third floors.

Sima Jung thought about how the two people who were said to be father and son, the man carrying the greatsword and the man with half-white hair, went upstairs first.

'Now that I think about it…'

His close friend, Du Kang… He had excitedly walked up first as well. He slammed into anything in front of him with his body and destroyed it.

'Kahahaha! It is finally starting!'

That was what he had said.

Sima Jung had sighed when he heard Du Kang say that.

It was because Du Kang… That bastard was probably feeling frustrated while being under young master Kim.

'Too upright.'

That was what he had felt while looking at young master Kim's people.

'They are like water.'

Quiet and as if they did not exist… People who flowed along with the current…

Of course, he knew that young master Kim's subordinates were strong.

He had not seen the spar between the Sword Demon and young master Kim's subordinate, but he had heard the loud explosions they had caused and the traces they had left behind.

However, he saw them as moderate people who didn't like to fight.

'I thought that the boss, no, young master Kim was that kind of person.'

The personalities of a group were bound to be significantly influenced by the leader of the group.

Baaaaang—!

An explosion louder than before made Sima Jung flinch before looking toward the sound.

He made eye contact with the Sword Demon, who had a bamboo hat on his head, and heard him speaking in a bright voice.

"This looks like it has important information inside. Haha."

The Sword Demon then ripped a safe out of the wall and carried it over his shoulder.

He looked around.

Starting with Choi Han, they all thoroughly and efficiently took over the building while making sure not to miss a single person or item.

They seemed quite used to this.

Yes, these people…

They seemed very experienced with destroying and looting.

Honestly speaking, he could feel the hands of experts.

Sima Jung, the trash of the Unorthodox faction…

Honestly speaking, he was not used to something like this.

He grew up in a rougher situation than the rising stars of the Orthodox faction, but that was throwing fits and fighting as he pleased.

It was different from setting a target and efficiently suppressing them.

Baaaaang!

Boom!

Crash!

Just take a look.

They destroyed only the things that needed to be destroyed without any hesitation.

They were experts.

Because they were from the Imperial Palace and they were almost certain that young master Kim was a member of the Imperial Family…

And because they normally seemed like peaceful people…

He thought that they had lived without doing rough things like this.

He thought that was the reason they were dragging in people from the Orthodox faction, Unorthodox faction, and Demon Cult to stand in the vanguard.

However, he was wrong.

"Haaaa. I was mistaken."

Sima Jung heard the Pinnacle Demon's scoff-like voice and agreed with this old woman who had lost her mind for the first time.

Young master Kim and his people…

They were people who fought in front of everybody, completed numerous missions and faced all sorts of difficulties.

At that moment, Sima Jung saw someone, the person who seemed to be the only one living at a different speed, turning around.

"What were you mistaken about, ma'am?"

Young master Kim Hae-il…

He stopped leisurely walking and turned around.

"Ahem."

The Pinnacle Demon scoffed and avoided his gaze.

"It's nothing."

Sima Jung felt as if he knew why the Pinnacle Demon was acting like this.

He subconsciously avoided young master Kim's gaze as well.

'They were scary people.'

He had realized it.

The person who had let him be despite thinking that his fits were annoying was actually an extremely scary person.

His people as well.

'I knew that they were strong, but…'

They showed their abilities and it was clear that they were very strong.

The Pure Silver Merchant guild.

The moment he realized that the guards were at the level of the Imperial Palace's Embroidered Uniform Guard made Sima Jung realize that the Pure Silver Merchant guild was no normal merchant guilt. He could feel that they were a branch of the Blood Cult.

'They took them down in two hits.'

Choi Han and Lee Soo Hyuk had taken down those guards with just two moves.

Things had been the same inside the building as well.

Of course, the strong members of the Pure Silver Merchant guild started appearing from the top floors once they stopped being so shocked, but…

'They suppressed everyone.'

One person's face was completely destroyed by Du Kang's fist.

He also realized something else.

'That guy also went easy on me.'

That bastard Du Kang had not been serious whenever they had fought.

He just used it as a warm up.

"Crazy bastards-"

He subconsciously said that and quickly closed his mouth.

However, the reason he shut his mouth was not in front of him.

Kim Hae-il.

He was leisurely walking up to the second floor regardless of what was going on all around him.

Naturally, nothing could get in his way.

– Human, I will protect you!

The invisible Raon shouted, but…

Slice.

Boom.

Baaaaang!

Other members were already by his side cutting, destroying, and blocking everything.

Lee Soo Hyuk, Choi Jung Soo, and Choi Han…

They seemed to have set on an order as they took turns destroying anything that looked like it might get in Cale's way.

"Ah, this is nice."

Cale shared his honest sentiments while leisurely but not slowly walking up.

He then made eye contact with Ron who was coming down.

He asked Ron.

"Upstairs?"

The subject was missing but Ron answered properly.

"We only caught the branch manager, young master-nim."

"That's all?"

"Yes, young master-nim."

Cale nodded his head at the short response.

"I guess I'll have to go down."

Cale walked back down the stairs.

He then looked around before looking at the start of the stairs on the first floor.

He pulled at the door to the small storage room next to it.

– I'll open it for you!

Cale took three steps back after hearing Raon.

The door broke right away.

Crack!

The door that was crushed by mana flew away to the side.

Cale smiled after seeing the door heading to the basement.

"As I expected."

Ron stepped forward.

"I'll go first, young master-nim."

"Okay."

Ron efficiently headed down to the basement as soon as Cale gave the okay.

Screeeech. Screeeech.

Cale followed behind him down the narrow and old stairs.

Once he arrived at the basement, he could see through small flames someone trying to run away through a narrow cave.

And the five martial artists who had their swords out as if to protect that person…

Clang, clang!

The aura they were giving off was completely different from the people he had met until now.

If the guards were at the level of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, these guys were at least at the level of the squad leaders of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

Most importantly, the bastard trying to run away…

That guy seemed quite strong.

– Human! That bastard trying to run away has a lot of documents in his arms!

Raon urgently shouted again.

– Human, there is gunpowder all around us!

The basement of the Pure Silver Merchant guild…

It was quite wide but there was not much room for people to move around.

Most of the area was full of gunpowder.

"Hmm."

Cale calmly looked around.

"I guess you are the real person in charge here?"

The thing Cale was asking Ron about earlier was about the person in charge of leading this branch.

However, the branch manager on the third floor was not that person.

That person was not upstairs.

That meant that the answer was downstairs.

The Pure Silver Merchant guild was said to not have a basement, but of course they were lying.

Cale thought about the amount of gunpowder and mumbled to himself.

"Once you run away, the five people protecting you would light this place on fire."

He nodded his head.

"I guess they were planning on killing themselves, destroying this building, and getting rid of everybody around here. That would cause quite the issue and get rid of all evidence."

The Pure Silver Merchant guild's building would be lucky to have its framework remain if this large amount of gunpowder exploded.

"No wonder the building was so weak despite them making so much money."

Even if Cale's group was great at destroying things, they still had their limits.

How would it make sense for a hole to appear in the wall with a single punch from Toonka?

'Ah, actually, that does make sense.'

Cale flinched for a moment before considering Toonka to be an exception and continued to speak.

He asked the regular-looking middle-aged man who was trying to run away.

"You know who I am, don't you?"

The person did not respond.

He just tensed up.

"You do know me."

His silence told Cale a lot of things.

"I guess that is to be expected from a member of the Blood Cult."

None of the enemies responded to his nonchalant voice. The five swordsmen showed no emotions at all.

"Amazing."

Cale was a bit amazed.

Despite not being able to figure out the situation at the sudden turn of events, the way they immediately got ready to run away because they thought that they would get caught…

Furthermore, the way they did not fear death…

"I guess this is to be expected of crazed believers."

Cale quietly clapped before sighing.

"That is a flaming bottle you are pulling out of your pocket, isn't it?"

The bastard who looked like he was in charge of this place pulled out a flaming bottle from his shirt pocket.

"You want to die too?"

The administrator opened his mouth for the first time.

"And if I do?"

He calmly commented.

"The gunpowder here is made to explode with the smallest amount of shock."

Boom. Boom.

They heard lots of vibration above.

The administrator chuckled.

"Of course, it looks like the chaos will make these gunpowder go off even if I don't throw this flaming bottle."

He then pointed at Cale.

"Young master Kim. As expected, you were chasing us."

Cale stared at him as well. As the administrator smiled and it slowly became bigger…

Smile.

Cale smiled.

"You must be stalling."

He then looked at the cave beyond the administrator's shoulder.

"I guess one punk already ran away."

He then addressed Ron.

"Go get him."

"Yes, young master-nim."

The administrator got ready to fight after hearing that.

"No way!"

Raon gasped.

– Wow, human! That administrator is stronger than most Elders of the Orthodox faction! Elder Ho Song Yi will probably lose in five moves!

'Oh, he's that strong?'

Cale was a bit amazed.

"Heh."

The administrator laughed.

He then shouted.

"Explode the gunpowder!"

The five swordsmen… They all headed toward the piles of gunpowder.

And the administrator shouted toward the approaching Ron.

"It's a situation where we must set the gunpowder off no matter what!"

It was at that moment.

"What kind of nonsense are you spewing?"

Cale nonchalantly commented.

– Human, don't worry!

Just as Raon happily shouted…

The swordsmen all struck down toward the gunpowder.

Baaaaang! Bang! Baaaaang!

They were sent flying.

"Ugh!"

"Ugh!"

The five of them groaned and their bodies were pushed back.

The gunpowder was being firmly protected by a half-transparent black shield.

– Human! That shield will protect all of the gunpowder even if it is attacked from all directions!

'Yes, yes indeed.'

Cale calmly nodded his head and addressed the administrator as they made eye contact.

"Ah. You can try throwing that flaming bottle. It won't even reach near the gunpowder."

Screeeech. Creak.

Someone walked down the stairs at that moment. It was Choi Han.

Cale spoke to Choi Han.

'If that bastard is someone who will suppress Elder Ho Song Yi in five moves, Choi Han should take him down easily.

"Let's grab him."

"Yes, Hae-il-nim."

"Fuck!"

The moment the administrator swore…

Cale heard Ron's calm voice as Ron entered the cave.

"Oh dear."

"What is it?"

As Cale subconsciously asked…

Ron pointed inside the cave.

"There is gunpowder here as well, young master-nim."

It was at that moment.

A smile appeared on the administrator's face.

"Kahahaha!"

He laughed and threw the flaming bottle into the cave.

It was so swift that Ron and even Choi Han did not notice.

"Everything will crumble! Only the Blood Cult will stand firm!"

The administrator laughed and swung the sword at himself.

He looked ready to die.

The other swordsmen pointed their swords at themselves as well.

They looked as if they did not fear death.

Chhhhh-

They heard something that they did not recognize at that moment.

Something burst into the cave faster than the flaming bottle.

As the enemies got chills on their backs at the speed…

"Haaaaaaaa."

Cale sighed.

"Gunpowder usually doesn't work when it is wet."

Of course, the flaming bottle was stopped by the water as well.

Chhhhhhh-

Water suddenly appeared at the entrance of the cave and blocked it like a wall.

– Do I finally get to use some of my power too?

Cale listened to the voice of the Sky Eating Water and nodded his head.

"Alright, he shouldn't have made it out of the cave yet. Let's feed him some water."

'It should be easy to fill with water since it is a narrow cave.'

Cale leisurely sent a few more water spears into the cave.

Screeeech. Creak.

The Pinnacle Demon, who had cautiously walked down to the basement, flinched and asked as soon as she made eye contact with Cale.

"Umm, how is it?"

Cale answered as if it was nothing to her extremely cautious tone.

"It's perfect."

'Yes, let's just keep going like this.

Easily, easily, and overwhelmingly.'

The Triumvirate and the Imperial Palace… Cale, who had dragged in four factions, was planning on easily taking care of the fight with the Blood Cult.

'It's four against one even without me.

Good. I like it very much.'

It was basically the entire Central Plains against the Blood Cult.

'Even if the Blood Cult is strong, are they stronger than the entire Central Plains?

If that was the case, they would have fought them openly without pulling all of these schemes.

But they are not ,which is why they schemed and plotted in the shadows.'

Cale couldn't help but smile after turning all of the Central Plains into his allies to fight against the Blood Cult.

– Oh, human! It's been a while since I saw that smile!

Haha."

Cale laughed out loud after hearing Raon's comment.

– …Mm. Human, are you going to crack everything open?

He ignored Raon's voice that had quickly become quite unsettled.

'Finally!'

Cale's feelings were simple.

He had held back quite a bit in the Central Plains until now.

Yes he tried to take care of things nicely and kept his temper calm and fought as little as possible.

However, there was no need to do so any longer.

"Hahahaha–!"

Cale's loud laughter filled the basement.

He had no idea how the Pinnacle Demon and the members of the Blood Cult were looking at him.

—

Translator's Comments

He never does…lol.

***

If you find any errors or have suggestions, please feel free to provide feedback.

Thank you for reading!

[Author – Yu Ryeo Han]

[Translator – Anowa]

[Proofreader – Rai_Mayank]