Chapter 49: The Gates of Hell Open (3)

Hong Weimin smiled and raised a bottle of liquor.

"Have a drink."

"Thank you."

The man who politely raised his glass was a middle-aged man well past forty.

"I should have visited more often, but I've been busy with work, so I only came now. I'm ashamed."

The man waved his hand.

"How can you say such a thing? It's an honor that you came to see me."

"Haha! Of course, I was grateful just now. If you say it's showing my true feelings, there's nothing I can do about it."

"No, as a guardian of the school, it was my duty to suppress the turmoil within the campus."

"How can I not know that? I just wanted to express my gratitude as someone who also avoids unnecessary turmoil."

"There is no guardian who doesn't know your affection for the school."

The flattery between them went back and forth. Despite knowing that it was merely a formality, it was a conversation that could not be dispensed with.

This kind of conversation is like a scabbard. It serves to restrain each other from inflicting fatal wounds until the real sword is drawn.

If either of them thinks they have no business with the other, the sword will be drawn immediately.

A cold and ruthless blade that severs the relationship.

"Will the construction for the guest quarters be done by the Joyful Garden?"

"Of course."

"If you wish, you can tell me when. I will release our people at intervals."

For a moment, Hong Weimin's eyes sparkled.

A high-ranking official of the Criminal Law Hall is saying he will release the members during the construction of the guest quarters.

To an outsider, it might seem out of place, but to those in the know, it would be a shocking statement.

Releasing the members of the Criminal Law Hall to assist in construction means creating small secret spaces like small prisons in the residences of the magistrates.

The members of the Criminal Law Hall are all skilled craftsmen and experienced workers, which is why the information about the maze-like paths and prisons within the hall is kept strictly secret.

The corners of Hong Weimin's mouth turned up slightly.

'He must want something from me.'

In politics, there are no free gifts. If you give something, you must receive something in return, and if someone offers to give you something, you must consider what they need from you.

Those who break this unwritten rule don't last long. This is what Hong Weimin had learned over the years.

So he rejected the offer.

"It's fine."

"......Is that so?"

"Yes. But in return, could I have something else?"

"In return...... What would that be?"

At that moment, the middle-aged man's ears perked up. It seemed he received a whispered message from a member.

Hong Weimin smiled.

"Yes."

"......"

"Please keep the situation you are hearing about confidential."

"......Are you telling me to ignore this turmoil?"

"Yes."

The man's face became serious.

"You may not know, but many guardians have seen that situation."

"I see."

"......"

"That's why I think it can sufficiently replace the gift you originally intended to give me."

"......"

"What do you think? I still have many things left in my bag."

After a moment of consideration, the man nodded.

"I will keep it confidential."

"Thank you."

"But only up to that point. The names of the Demon King and the True Demon carry significant weight. If higher-ups get involved......"

"Then I will step in. You will not be harmed. And......"

"......"

"When the person I am targeting gets involved in this situation, it will be fine for the Criminal Law Hall to move. Then there will be no need for further discussion, right?"

The man smiled and raised his bottle.

"I will drink with you this time."

"Thank you."

The two men exchanged glasses of liquor.

In Hong Weimin's eyes, an invisible killing intent surged.

'I'll show you that not all battles are fought with swords.'

* * *

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The shower of blades looked like a heavy rain.

The number of blades is less terrifying than the surging killing intent. The reason Ma Dongfei's martial prowess, which repels all those threatening attacks with a single long sword, looks dazzling.

However, Ma Dongfei's condition is not good.

"Huff! Huff!"

His breathing is rough, and his body is covered in blood.

Each wound is not severe, but when they accumulate, they cause excessive bleeding, which would have made him collapse long ago if he hadn't stopped the bleeding with acupressure.

"Hey! Retreat now!"

"Stop being so agitated and compose yourself."

"You're dying, and you're still making noise! Come out, damn it!"

For a moment, Ma Dongfei seriously considered it. Should he knock Wei Honglian unconscious before dealing with the enemies in front of him?

"Shut up."

"Is this guy for real?"

"Because of you, my sword feels heavier... Hiss!"

Clang!

Ma Dongfei took another step back. The True Demon Corps member who swung his sword at him was thrown back over ten steps, disrupting the formation.

It was an incredible force. His martial arts focus on heavy and powerful swords, so even in his current state, his destructive power is exceptional.

However, Wei Honglian's face was contorted when she saw this.

"You! What are you doing?!"

"I told you to stop being so noisy."

"Do you think I can be quiet right now? If you're going to do it, why aren't you using lethal moves?"

That's right. Wei Honglian wasn't just making noise behind Ma Dongfei for no reason.

While withstanding the overwhelming attack of nearly fifty True Demon Corps members, Ma Dongfei never used lethal moves. If he had intended to, the battle would have been much easier.

Ma Dongfei spoke in his usual blunt tone.

"We only clashed because of the situation, but ultimately, we are guardians of the same school."

"Hey!"

"Moreover, I am the third captain of the Law Enforcement Hall. My sword is aimed at the enemies of our school, not at other guardians."

"......"

"Unless they are doing something that warrants death."

"Then we will die, damn it!"

"I won't let you die."

"This is a battle of life and death, not a simple conflict! What kind of idiot fights while considering the enemy's feelings?"

"They are not enemies but fellow guardians."

Wei Honglian bit her lip. This stubbornness, which seemed to be ingrained in her soul, was, in a way, impressive.

At that moment, a menacing laugh was heard.

"You're making a fuss."

Song Jing walked out from among the True Demon Corps members.

After a brief rest, his body was once again radiating a powerful demonic aura. He must have taken some internal injury medicine.

"What are you doing? Quickly grab that idiot's head and press it down!"

Song Jing wiggled his finger.

"Wei Honglian. Stop hiding behind that kid and come out now."

"Who's hiding, you bastard!"

"Come out immediately! When has the Demon King ever hidden behind someone and sucked their thumb?"

She was already frustrated to the point of dying because of Ma Dongfei. With Song Jing's provocation, her eyes rolled back.

Rumble!!

Ma Dongfei's eyes wavered.

A deep blue demonic aura spread from his back, more intense than ever.

"Leader Wei!"

"Son of a bitch!!"

Boom!

Ma Dongfei's eyes widened.

He tried to stop it, but he couldn't. In the blink of an eye, she ran past him and charged at Song Jing, showing no signs of the severe internal and external injuries she had sustained.

Song Jing growled.

"Good timing!"

Boom!

The palm force they both unleashed collided, creating a powerful shockwave. Over ten True Demon Corps members were forced to step back.

Wei Honglian's eyes were bloodshot.

Her arm ached as if it were about to break, but the pain only fueled her madness. Her whites turned red, and her pupils glowed a fierce blue.

A thick, intense madness rose from her entire body.

The madness stimulated her demonic arts, and the stimulated demonic arts shook the middle dantian, the center of the five desires and seven emotions. The shaken middle dantian gathered demonic aura, which reached the source of life, the original essence.

Song Jing's hand trembled.

Boom!

His face was thrown to the side.

Blue veins bulged on his neck. If it weren't for the demonic aura he had gathered with all his might and his tough muscles, his head would have been torn off by that blow.

'What is this?'

He avoided death, but his mind was still reeling. His vision blurred, and his legs felt weak.

'How can she have such strength when she was almost dead?'

Swoosh!

Instinctively, Song Jing swung his hand. The faint white light of the hand technique, the Snow Mountain Demon Sword, which he used with six layers of power, was still effective. It was indeed the martial prowess of a True Demon Corps leader.

But.

Crack!

"Ugh!"

Song Jing was forced to take another step back.

His wrist was dislocated at an odd angle, and his hand was torn and flayed.

The unexpected pain made him snap. His left arm, which was already broken, was now shattered at the wrist.

The only good thing was that he regained some strength in his legs and the dizziness subsided.

Song Jing lifted his head and looked ahead.

Wei Honglian, with a face twisted like a demon, was charging at him. Her right arm was also broken, but she showed no signs of pain.

Whizz!

Song Jing's eyes widened.

As Wei Honglian charged at him at an incredible speed, a blindingly intense blue demonic aura was emitted from her body.

It was a demonic aura of such high concentration that she had never shown even in her best state. It was the demonic aura that sustained her body, which she could not use at her current level.

'Could this be...?'

A look of fear appeared on Song Jing's face.

'Is she using her original essence? She's crazy!'

The original essence is the source of life. Wei Honglian was now drawing out the original essence that a person should use throughout their life to charge forward.

This was a mad act far beyond simply risking her life. Even if she survived this battle, she would likely end up a cripple due to the aftereffects.

'Is she so desperate to kill me?'

Song Jing bit his lip.

No matter what, he didn't want to use his original essence because of Wei Honglian. The original essence is not something that can be used at will.

Crack!

Song Jing shouted.

"I am the leader of the True Demon Corps!"

Boom!

With a deafening explosion, the two of them were thrown back.

The shockwave was so intense that even the True Demon Corps members, who had been relentlessly attacking Ma Dongfei, were startled and turned to look.

"Kweeek!"

Song Jing, with all his limbs broken, spat out a mouthful of blood.

"Cough!"

Wei Honglian also coughed up blood.

But it was fine. Although both her arms were broken, at least her legs were intact.

Rumble!!

The intense blue demonic aura surged again. Despite her body being in a state of extreme exhaustion, the demonic aura was even more intense.

"Roar!"

With a scream that was neither a roar nor a scream, Wei Honglian charged forward. Her appearance, as she charged forward, spraying blood, was reminiscent of a demon from hell.

A faint fear appeared on Song Jing's face. He didn't expect her to charge at him with such ferocity again.

"Stop her!"

The startled True Demon Corps members quickly blocked Song Jing's front. Despite the intense demonic aura, they were much faster than Wei Honglian, who was at the end of her strength.

Just as Wei Honglian was about to collide with the True Demon Corps members.

Boom!

"......?"

With a clear impact sound, Wei Honglian was thrown far away.

The True Demon Corps members looked bewildered. Why was Wei Honglian, who had been charging forward with the intent to kill everyone in sight, now rolling on the ground far away?

At that moment.

"Wei Honglian."

Everyone's eyes turned to the source of the voice.

There, a young man with a face contorted in rage was glaring at Wei Honglian.

Wei Honglian's eyes widened as she regained her senses.

The young man, Xuliang, roared.

"You son of a bitch!"

Whoosh!

With incredible speed, Xuliang charged at Wei Honglian and swung his fist.

Wei Honglian's eyes squeezed shut.