816 - I Am This Murim’s Crazy B*tch

The Poisonous Cult Leader Hu Tianchi was seething with venom. This wasn’t some metaphorical expression; the actual poison had surged. Disgusting lines marred his exposed skin, a sign of lethal poison mixing with his blood, manifesting on the surface. Poison Person! Hu Tianchi had ascended to the realm of the Poison Person! An ultimate realm of mastery that every expert of poison arts yearned to reach—a level known as the Poison Person. However. Hu Tianchi did not particularly take pride in it. For it was a power not achieved through his own strength; in essence, it was merely a half-hearted Poison Person reached through vile means—a shortcut. Because of this, he could never reach the true realm of a complete Poison Person. Yet, there were no regrets. Because there were deeds to be done, revenge to be exacted. After the grand objective in Sichuan failed, leading to the gruesome deaths of many of Odokmun's disciples. Slaughtered horribly by a vicious slaughter demon. These were disciples of the highest order, cherished like children by their masters—what master wouldn't harbor venom in his heart for that? Her greatest enemy was that ferocious slaughter demon, Ximen Qing, who had completely ruined their plans. Her second enemy was the vile Sichuan Tang Clan. Her third enemy was Zhongyuan(Central Plains) itself, the invaders that dared to seize the land of their brethren. Thus, when the Blood Cult extended its sinister hand towards Odokmun, Hu Tianchi was willing to grasp it. And now, her second enemy was willingly walking into Odokmun’s domain. The offspring of the Tang Clan, none other than Tang Nanah, the most beloved of the entire Tang Clan. Moreover, rumor had it that her greatest enemy, Ximen Qing, was accompanying her. Though her face was covered, leaving no certainty, who else would be journeying with the Tang Clan's daughter if not the three-headed female swordswoman? In Hu Tianchi's eyes, fury flared. The malevolent poison clouded around him, a manifestation of a Poison Person’s lethal venom, billowing ominously from all his senses and spreading vehement resentment. Hu Tianchi gritted his teeth, speaking in a rough, growling voice to the person beside her. “The Ten-sided Ambush plan; is it complete?” The Ten-sided Ambush Plan! A strategy from the tale of Chu and Han, known for the grand battle between South China Sword of Flowers Xiang Yu and the infamously titled first emperor of the Han Dynasty, Liu Bang. Their target was Xiang Yu and his army of twenty-five thousand. The ambushers were ten commanders under Liu Bang, commanding a legion totaling three hundred thousand troops. Over ten times the numbers surrounded them from all directions (十面 → ten-sided), utilizing myriad ambush points to interpret the enemy's moves with precision. No matter how renowned a general, survival from this death trap seemed impossible. Except for Xiang Yu. Xiang Yu broke through. While it's debatable whether to call the ten-sided ambush a failure since Xiang Yu alone survived, given the intention to kill him, it was indeed a failure. In reality, the ten-sided ambush is a creation of later generations. (Of course, Xiang Yu was indeed mad enough to break through even an army twelve times larger with his insane martial prowess.) If Han Xin were asked about the ten-sided ambush, he would likely retort angrily. "What? You say I devised such a plan? Do I look like an idiot who'd need a plan for a troop that outnumbers twenty-five thousand by over twelve times? If the commander’s staff (부월 → commander’s baton) is being wielded by a dog instead of a man, they'd still win. Handling thirty thousand against twenty-five hundred doesn't require elaborate strategies. You don't even need weapons; the numbers assure victory. Later, the ancients, hailed as the original genius strategist of the era preceding Zhuge Liang, played by Zhang Liang, caused substantial mental distress by having the three hundred thousand soldiers sing simultaneously, forcing column-based noise pollution. Xiang Yu, unable to withstand the emotional turmoil from this, reportedly took his own life on account of the infamous "Songs of Chu from All Directions" 四面楚歌! The plan of generating mental collapse through noise from all sides is quite notable. Plus, no one can maintain sanity with noise coming from all sides—above, below, and both sides! Xiang Yu survived the ten-sided ambush but not the noise pollution. A segment demonstrating the severity of noise pollution as a societal issue. In any case. The Ten-sided Ambush Plan is a heinous strategy designed not just to corner but to annihilate the enemy, aiming for obliteration, not mere surrender. Otherwise known as Total Annihilation Formation! This was also the secret of 'greeting’ Hu Tianchi referred to. Questions might arise as to why they must meet them away from Odokmun’s main camp. However, if the Tang Clan's daughter were to die at Odokmun, it would cause significant problems. If their ties to the Blood Cult were uncovered, they would be assaulted by orthodox sects, and even the Blood Cult, intent on its own goals, would find it troublesome. But if the disappearance happens unknown to rat or bird, as an unfortunate incident on the roads, it would be tragic yet feasible. Thus, preparations for setting out were in full swing. Still, consulting every quarter and four shifts a day on the ambush's progress was surely overdoing it. “Brother, please wait a little longer. Just because tofu is needed urgently, you cannot consume soymilk instead, can you not?” Tofu must be strained and set from soy milk; urging wouldn't transform soymilk into tofu. It won’t solidify quickly just because one is impatient; the saying "Haste makes waste" holds true in Zhongyuan. “Are you not yet anxious? We don't know when those enemies might appear.” “I too, wish to tear those bastards apart, brother. But you've been awake for two whole days, haven’t you? You must live to exact revenge; otherwise, you’ll be the first to fall.” “Every time I close my eyes, I see my disciples, crying bloody tears, urging for vengeance to be taken. How complete is the formation? What about the poison? Was the blood poison sent by the Blood Cult?” “You're asking this every quarter, brother. It's difficult to eat hot tofu in haste, isn't it?” When hurriedness overtakes, hot tofu cannot be eaten. It correlates with the saying from Qing's homeland about taking a roundabout course when feeling rushed. “We must hurry. Not a single ant must escape. These damn bastards—I’d barely manage when I'd rather chew them alive—” "Rushing only breeds poison. Even for fermented tofu, it must properly mature to be of any worth—if it's under-fermented, it’s just spoiled tofu—" "Enough about the tofu! Stop ranting about tofu! Ugh, I better take a look myself. Our sect's arch-nemesis is walking right into our territory, yet why can’t we quicken our pace instead of dragging our feet? How, how—" "Oh, for heaven's sake..." Z3ZuaWdja0dkNXJtU283eC8xWlNuZTFFTERWUGowVWl5dmc5M0ZIY0lDTk1mRGlwOFRZb2VJWk9Vc0VNYXZGaw It seems like tonight will be a sleepless one for the members of the Poison Cult. Such is the night’s grievance added to prepare the fearsome Ten-sided Ambush, ready to welcome the guests. --- In the dead of night. Somewhere on the mountain slopes, the warriors of Odokmun were sweating profusely as they dug traps, set up formations, and constructed ambush positions. Meanwhile, Qing and her company were also out on a nocturnal stroll. In Zhongyuan, the night garb was pitch black. Logically, if clothing for night travel was intended, it should be white, yellow, or even fluorescent to avoid any misfortune during the night. With the night being so dark, how could one see when the clothes are equally dark? But in today's Zhongyuan, humanity had not yet mastered the night. Night was meant for sleep; there was no need to venture out. Thus, those who moved about at night were usually thieves, and naturally, their garb was inky black, designed for stealth. And Qing was currently clad in such night garb. With her chest securely bound, the fierce image of a three-headed woman had vanished, leaving only the figure of a tall thief standing there. "Damn, it's hard to breathe. Did I bind it too tight?" As she tugged at the bandages on her chest, Peng Daesan and Zhuge Leehyun awkwardly looked away. But why the sudden change to night garb? Has Qing suddenly decided her true calling was not as a martial artist but as a thief, intending to switch professions? Of course not. Because Qing had always been both a martial artist and a thief, originally a thief-woman by nature. Not just any thief, but the successor of the greatest thief under the heavens, the Shadow Thief. Unlike her predecessors, who stole wealth from the wicked, she preferred to steal lives. Still, if she stole from villains for the sake of the world’s good, wasn’t that in line with the spirit of the Shadow Thief? (Naturally, it was not.) "See, I told you something was suspicious, didn’t I?" Below, near the coal mine of the Jeongga family, several bright red torches were bobbing around. In principle, just like with night garb, a regular mine shouldn't require torch patrols at night unless there was something urgently in need of surveillance. Especially not mines still in development, without active mining operations. And certainly not if it was a coal mine, a volatile place where even the smallest spark could be hazardous, often using expensive glass lamps to avoid fire risks. "Anyway, I'm off. Wouldn't have minded if you hadn't come all the way here." Qing waved at her companions, crouched low in the mountain’s brush. The only visible part from beneath her masked face were her eyes, reflecting a pretty crescent moon. Since they accompanied her insisting they would assist at any sign of trouble, well, though amateurs they were, the sentiment was appreciated and admirable. Even a sheet of paper is lighter when lifted by two, though carrying a single sheet by two people could be more bothersome, right? Regardless, when push comes to shove, any aid could become beneficial, yes, comforting... certainly comforting... It wasn't difficult for Qing to bypass the sentries holding torches as she made her way toward the mine. The current Shadow Thief, Cheon Yu-hak’s teaching. Don’t be deterred just because there are many guards. If a place is heavily guarded, it's less likely for thieves to invade precisely because of the security. Thus, becoming lazy in spirit, thinking thieves won’t dare attempt, allows direct and bold approaches. It's about exploiting psychological weaknesses. Additionally, sentinels holding torches face their own issues. Torches are neither light nor easy to carry all shift, leading them to extend their arms, further holding the torch forward. And when a torch is held forward in the dark, it becomes more a hindrance than help. When something bright is in view, the surrounding darkness intensifies, blinding sight further, particularly as humans naturally focus on fire. So how could they catch Qing who stealthily glided behind miner accommodations and supply tents? Especially a master of the Transcendent realm, moving without a sound or trace, slipping through shadows. Thus, reaching the mine entrance with relative ease. On either side of the mine entrance stood two sentinels fairly disciplined in their vigilance. Yet even this had a method. Qing climbed directly up the cliff. The drilling skill of the Lesser Demon Technique penetrated rock like tofu, allowing her to scale the cliff without reliance on jutting rocks. After ascending for some time, Qing moved sideways. Then, sliding downward, she eventually arrived precisely above the mine entrance. A person doesn’t have eyes on their crown, so they can’t view overhead. Who'd inspect above while standing guard? Qing clung inverted on the mine's ceiling, creeping stealthily inward. Only after distancing herself into the darkened surroundings did she softly land in the interior of the mine. Mine infiltration, complete. Quite easy, isn’t it? The peculiar burning smell of coal permeated into her being. Despite its discomfort, it oddly brought a sense of familiar peace—why could that be? Qing didn’t realize it, but that was the scent of civilization. A remnant aroma from the internal combustion engines of the city she came from, unbeknownst to even those living there. Qing advanced deeper without pause. While exterior defenses posed a semblance of formidability, the interior was devoid of any noticeable presence. For darkness itself offered sufficient protection. Several steps from the entrance, the world became obscured in shadow, with nothing visible to the eye. Qing's body transcended human limitations, even her night vision was beyond human capability — akin to having built-in night-vision goggles. Yet, even this required a sliver of light, some faint source of glow to see. It wasn't capable of piercing through absolute darkness devoid of any luminescence. But Qing had her methods. A dim starlight emanated from her hand. It wasn't the frivolous talk of twinkling lights; rather, it was the faint radiance of one's internal energy, the personal starlight of someone who could generate their own light. Barely sufficient to qualify as a light source, this faint starlight, coupled with Qing's exceptional night vision and the spatial awareness granted by her Enlightenment Divine Arts (각성신공), provided ample illumination. Thus, she traversed deep beneath the earth, guided by the faint starlight for quite a distance. Sniff. What is this smell? Qing's eyebrows twitched at the subtle stench that penetrated her nostrils. Upon realization, the previous acrid scent of coal had long vanished, replaced with a faint but oddly repulsive odor. It was a scent she was quite familiar with, one she had encountered many times during her rookie year in the martial world. The smell of decay as something alive becomes dead and begins to rot. In other words, corpse stench (시취屍臭).