Episode 130: Return to the Demonic Academy
It was clear at a glance that Neung So-so was in bad shape.
Her lips were a ghastly blue, and her face was as pale as a sheet of paper.
As Sabi-gang reached out, the robe that Mae Seol-ran had discarded moments ago flew into his hand. He quickly rolled it up and placed it behind Neung So-so’s neck.
Then, without warning, he pinched her nose and pressed his lips to hers.
The cadets gathered around gasped in shock, exchanging bewildered glances.
“What on earth is he doing?”
“I… I have no idea.”
“Why is he suddenly kissing her…?”
Even Dang Ihyeop and Mae Seol-ran were equally perplexed. Mae Seol-ran squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head.
‘No, there must be a reason. He wouldn’t do something so perverse in such a dire situation.’
But the next moment, Mae Seol-ran couldn’t help but shout.
“What are you doing right now?”
Sabi-gang was now pressing down on Neung So-so’s chest. Even if he had some strange tendencies, kissing and touching her chest in this situation was beyond outrageous!
Yet Sabi-gang was too busy compressing her chest to respond.
After a while, as he leaned in to breathe into her mouth again, Mae Seol-ran protested,
“Look here! What are you doing to this critically ill child…!”
“Be quiet if you want to save her!”
Sabi-gang’s voice was sharper than ever, causing Mae Seol-ran to flinch and step back.
Only then did the others realize that Sabi-gang’s expression was different from usual. They couldn’t quite grasp what he was doing, but they could tell he was more serious than ever.
Sabi-gang continued to breathe into Neung So-so’s mouth and compress her chest repeatedly.
To those born and raised in the Central Plains, the scene might have seemed almost comical.
Finally.
“Ugh! Cough! Gasp, gasp!”
Neung So-so gasped for air, coughing violently as if in a fit.
The onlookers were taken aback, glancing between Sabi-gang and Neung So-so.
Only then did Sabi-gang collapse onto the ground, panting heavily.
He had exhausted more mana than necessary while dealing with the assassins, wanting to make a lasting impression on Salmak. The combination of depleted energy and anxiety had left him utterly drained.
“Are you… okay?”
Mae Seol-ran approached with a slightly apologetic expression.
Sabi-gang chuckled and offered a brief explanation.
“It’s called CPR. An emergency procedure I learned in the Demon Realm. You breathe into the mouth and compress the chest. It’s the simplest and most effective way to save someone who’s dying.”
Mae Seol-ran blushed with embarrassment for having misunderstood.
“I-I didn’t know. I’ve never heard of such a thing. I’m sorry for the misunderstanding.”
“Well, it’s understandable. I was baffled the first time I saw it too. Ihyeop, help So-so get some rest.”
“Understood.”
Dang Ihyeop quickly took Neung So-so away.
The other cadets followed, moving to a different spot.
As Sabi-gang stood up, Mae Seol-ran approached him with a question.
“What was that?”
She was asking about the identity of their attackers.
Sabi-gang’s gaze turned toward the river.
“Salmak.”
“What?”
Mae Seol-ran’s expression visibly faltered.
After all, Salmak was notorious. Once targeted by them, it was said that it was better to take one’s own life.
With a face as pale as a ghost, Mae Seol-ran asked,
“Why would Salmak target So-so…?”
“No, I’m the target.”
“Not So-so?”
“They took So-so as a hostage to get to me. Now that they know hostages won’t work, they won’t resort to such dirty tricks again.”
“Wait a minute. If Salmak is really after you…”
“They’ll come again. They won’t give up.”
“For how long…?”
Mae Seol-ran murmured in a daze, and Sabi-gang chuckled.
“You know, they won’t stop until I’m dead, right?”
“Oh my god.”
Mae Seol-ran stood there, speechless.
She inadvertently glanced at the frozen river.
The attackers today had all fallen to Sabi-gang.
But this wasn’t the end.
Salmak would only plan more meticulously and strike again.
‘What should I say in times like this?’
Should she offer comfort?
Share in his anger?
Encourage him to stay strong?
She didn’t know.
Just moments ago, improving the cadets’ skills seemed like the biggest problem.
But in the blink of an eye, a much larger issue had emerged.
‘Marrying a man like this would be the death of me.’
Startled by her own thoughts, she shook her head.
‘What am I thinking?’
Flustered, she tried to compose herself.
“Well, it’s actually a good thing. They came a bit earlier than expected, but still.”
Sabi-gang’s sudden remark made Mae Seol-ran turn to him with wide eyes.
Her expression asked what he meant.
Sabi-gang shrugged.
“I’ve always wanted to face them at least once.”
“Once? That one time could become a lifelong burden.”
“Then I’ll have to make sure it doesn’t get too tedious.”
“You’re always so confident.”
“Heh. To survive in this harsh world, you need at least that much confidence, don’t you think?”
Mae Seol-ran could only shake her head.
The more she got to know him, the more enigmatic he became.
Even when targeted by an organization everyone feared, he was grinning.
Sabi-gang squinted at the frozen riverbank in the distance.
Salmak.
They were an organization that hadn’t shown themselves even during the Demon Realm’s invasion.
They remained solely focused on their assassination missions, even when the martial world of the Central Plains was on the brink of annihilation.
That’s why he wanted to confront them even more.
‘They’re not an organization to embrace, but they can be a sword to wield.’
His eyes deepened with resolve.
“Becoming their target is the most accurate way for me to make contact with Salmak.”
**
Clatter. Clatter.
The key figures of the Justice Alliance, bound in Gongjin iron, were being transported in a caged cart.
Their disheveled hair, ragged clothes, and bruised faces made them look every bit the part of prisoners.
The Gongjin iron, specially crafted by the Blood Demon Sect, not only prevented the use of internal energy but also sapped their strength.
As a result, the Justice Alliance members being transported were in a state no better than invalids.
Even the slightest jolt sent waves of pain through their bodies.
How long had they been traveling like this?
The Blood Demon Sect group, upon reaching a stream, halted at the command of Akcheon Goe to take a break and quench their thirst.
Seok Ji-pyeong, his lips parched and cracked, turned his head at the faint sound of the stream, despite the blazing sun overhead.
Though it wasn’t the height of summer, his weakened state made him desperately thirsty.
Gulp.
He swallowed dryly.
Gripping the bars of the cage, Seok Ji-pyeong called out to a nearby warrior.
“Excuse me. Could you do me a favor?”
The Blood Demon Sect warrior glanced at him.
“Could you spare me a cup of water? Please.”
Seok Ji-pyeong tried to maintain his dignity as he politely requested.
“Are you that thirsty?”
“My throat feels as cracked as a dry field. Please, I beg you.”
“Alright, I’ll help you quench your thirst.”
“Oh, thank you. Thank you…”
Seok Ji-pyeong’s words trailed off as he watched the man suddenly undo his trousers.
The man brazenly exposed himself and began urinating in front of Seok Ji-pyeong.
“What the…! What are you doing?”
Seok Ji-pyeong, now drenched in urine, shouted in outrage, but the man just laughed.
“You said you were thirsty, so I gave you something to drink. It’s not something I can offer often, so savor it. Hahaha.”
Seok Ji-pyeong glared at him, but there was nothing more he could do.
In all his years as a warrior of the Justice Alliance, he had never faced such humiliation.
He looked around at the other key figures in the cages.
‘This is dire. We might not make it out alive.’
By now, the main branch of the Justice Alliance would have heard of their defeat.
But it would be too late for them to mount a rescue.
‘Are we really going to be dragged all the way to the Blood Demon Sect’s headquarters?’
A long sigh escaped him.
**
“Alright, let’s take a break here.”
Finally, the word “rest” came from Sabi-gang’s lips.
“Oh, thank goodness.”
“Ah, how long has it been since we last rested?”
“I really want to go home now.”
The cadets groaned and collapsed onto the ground.
Even the female cadets, who had once been picky about where they sat, now plopped down anywhere as long as it wasn’t filthy.
Sabi-gang chuckled as he watched them.
It was a good sign.
To truly maintain one’s dignity, one must know when to let go of everything.
The cadets had stopped at a hill overlooking a steep gorge.
After marching relentlessly, complaints had begun to surface among them.
Moreover, having faced a major crisis while crossing the river, the cadets were on edge.
Of course, Sabigang brushed off the matter as if it were nothing.
“Instructor, how far are we going?”
“Isn’t this place a bit too dangerous? The world is already in chaos because of the Great War…”
“Soso almost got seriously hurt crossing the river.”
Grumbles echoed from all around.
But such complaints never reached Sabigang.
“Quiet down. When I was your age, I used to deliberately seek out the lairs of the outlaws and take down their leaders. Don’t whine over something this trivial.”
Yet, none of the cadets believed him.
“He’s definitely lying.”
“How can we ever tell what’s true with the instructor?”
Meanwhile, Sabigang silently surveyed the surroundings.
The narrow gorge below the steep slope was so shadowed that even at midday, little light penetrated.
If the future hadn’t changed drastically, soon the warriors of the Blood Alliance would pass through here.
Leading the defeated leaders of the Righteous Alliance.
‘Hmm. Joksan has prepared well.’
Sabigang’s gaze fell on a pile of stones at the edge of the hill.
It must have been prepared by Gojoksan and the Guiyache warriors, following his orders.
Heaps of stones were piled at both the entrance and exit of the gorge, enough to block the path.
Nodding faintly, Sabigang turned to the cadets.
“Alright, have you all rested enough? Today, we’ll start our lesson on the terrain. Pay attention!”
Unaware of what lay ahead, the cadets gathered in front of Sabigang, ready for the lesson.