Chapter 1596: It's Not Even Funny (Part 1)

After an overwhelming victory, the Evil Tyrant Alliance began to retreat. It was as if the accomplishments of the past few dozen days were all lies. [not sure]

"...Hurry up."

Ho Gakmyung, who had briefly bitten his lips, urged his subordinates. It was difficult to accept Jang Ilso's orders, but going against Ryeonju-nim's command was even more unthinkable, especially on a battlefield like this.

As the heat of the battlefield subsided, a nauseating stench and chill started to fill the void left behind.

"...Preparations are complete, Ryeonju-nim."

"Hmm. So?"

Jang Ilso glanced briefly. The distant figure of Chung Myung, standing with a clear view, was visible.

Facing each other at a distance, Jang Ilso turned around, almost as if exposing his 'back.' It was a provocation, challenging Chung Myung to come and stab him.

Smiling leisurely, Jang Ilso spoke in a teasing manner.

"Let's go. If we increase the dose any more, his throat might really catch fire."

Chuckling, he moved on, and the massive army followed, leaving the blood-soaked ground without hesitation.

Thud.

Chung Myung, standing alone, just watched the scene with bitten lips.

Why wouldn't he want to rush forward?

He wanted to cut that guy's throat right now.

But he couldn't. No, he mustn't. Chung Myung knew this better than anyone else.

His nails dug into his palm, droplets of blood seeping out and falling to the ground one by one.

Beside Chung Myung, Hye Yeon and Yoo Iseol approached and stood silently. Neither of them could say anything.

They could've poured out their anger if Jang Ilso and his group were still in sight, but they had already escaped. What anger could they vent against that?

All they could do was watch this horrifying scene in despair.

Thud.

The sound of Chung Myung grinding his teeth was faintly heard. Yoo Iseol looked at Chung Myung with worried eyes.

"Sajil..."

Finally, a voice smothered by anger escaped from Chung Myung's tightly clenched lips.

"Fuck...damn it."

Truly powerless.

❀ ❀ ❀

Jang Ilso wiped his face, drenched in blood, with an unsatisfied expression.

He used his nails to pick at the dried blood on his lips.

"He was really was terribly persistent. If I had made a wrong move, I could have died."

He spoke lightly, but in reality, Beopjeong was indeed strong. Anyone who witnessed their fight would not dare to deny the battle's fierceness.

However, most would probably be more surprised by Jang Ilso's attitude than Beopjeong's martial arts. This man, who won this tremendous battle and retreated without a care, and his strange demeanor of examining the wounds on his face rather than the situation on the battlefield.

Of course, those who served under the Evil Tyrant Alliance dared not point out such facts.

But there were those present who were not affiliated with the Evil Tyrant Alliance. They could not accept such behavior.

"What on earth are you doing?"

"Hmm?"

Jang Ilso, who had been gazing at the magnificent scene, turned his eyes with a somber look.

Someone with a face full of anger was glaring at him.

"He's the Lord of Southern Sea Sun Palace, Ryeonju."

Hastily running up, the Thousand-Faced Gentleman informed Jang Ilso of his identity. Jang Ilso's eyes narrowed briefly.

"You must have come from quite far away. I should have at least greeted you..."

"Greetings are unnecessary!"

"Hmm?"

"I'll ask again. What is this all about?"

"Sovereign!"

The Thousand-Faced Gentleman panicked, trying to block the Sun Sovereign, but Jang Ilso raised his hand, gesturing for the Thousand-Faced Gentleman to stop. Then he shrugged.

"What is this all about...What are you so displeased about?"

At first glance, it seemed like he genuinely didn't know. The Sun Sovereign gnashed his teeth so fiercely everyone around could hear.

"Withdrawing because of just one person in that situation?"

"..."

"Are you out of your mind?"

Jang Ilso's face turned cold like ice. Similarly, the faces of the Honggyeon guarding Jang Ilso exuded a chilly hostility.

"Dare..."

"Tsk."

However, when Jang Ilso lightly clicked his tongue, the fierce energy that surged disappeared as if washed away.

Ho Gakmyung and the Honggyeon managed to suppress their anger, but Jang Ilso, who had been insulted, laughed with a very amused expression.

"Well, am I really in my right mind?"

"What..."

"Then, let me ask. What would our esteemed Sovereign like to do?"

The Sun Sovereign's fingertips trembled slightly. In the laughter-filled eyes of Jang Ilso, he felt a sense of humiliation that was hard to express.

He was of royal blood in the Sun Palace and a member of the Jin lineage's royal family. Innately, he had never received such looks from anyone.

What truly made the Sun Sovereign feel humiliated was realizing that Jang Ilso was mocking himself and not easily able to ignore it because of his own pride. [idc]

"It was a great victory."

The Sun Sovereign said as if spitting out the words. However, Jang Ilso's response remained indifferent.

"Is that so?"

The Sun Sovereign's face twisted.

'What on earth...'

He couldn't even guess his thoughts. The task expressed with a simple word like 'great victory' was not a simple one.

The Ten Great Sects were undoubtedly to be scattered and torn apart. Even if somehow they managed to maintain their form, they would not recover the same influence for at least a hundred years.

In other words, the era of the Ten Great Sects in his generation had come to an end.

Except for the extremely difficult Demonic Cult, no one dared to imagine such a tremendous achievement.

Yet, the one who accomplished this absurd feat was now saying such things.

The boiling Sun Sovereign couldn't hold back his anger and shouted with an explosive voice.

"An achievement! It's meaningless in itself! It only has meaning when everyone realizes and praises its greatness. Achievements that others don't acknowledge, evaluations that come late, are all worthless!"

"Hmm...Is that so?"

The Sun Sovereign's tone gradually became more refined, and Jang Ilso's gradually phrases became shorter.

"But if you withdraw like this, the allies find it difficult to feel the victory, and the enemies feel like they haven't truly lost. This is not the way to handle an army!"

The corners of Jang Ilso's mouth smoothly curled up.

"So?"

"Make them understand, make them feel it until they're sick of it! If it were me, I would never have retreated from there. Everyone wouldn't be able to take their eyes off the achievement of the Evil Tyrant Alliance until the corpses of their enemies rotted and became disgusting!"

If that happened, the allies would have been even more courageous, and the enemies' morale would have plummeted to the ground.

"Tear apart that arrogant guy and make an example of him."

The Sun Sovereign spoke with a growl.

Of course, it was more of a pretense pulled out to resist Jang Ilso's pressure than confidence in his own argument. However, he succeeded in eliciting sympathy from some of those present here.

Because what he said wasn't wrong.

Originally, victory had to touch the skin without leaving a single strand. And that had been the method Jang Ilso had adhered to until now.

When was the last time the Evil Tyrant Alliance truly engraved the three letters 'confidence' in their hearts?

It was in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River and Sichuan.

When they chased away the Ten Great Sects, conquered Sichuan, and pursued the rear of the Tang Family, they truly became the 'Evil Tyrant Alliance,' not just four ordinary Evil Sects.

"But if you just run away like this, it becomes a situation where you've run away just because of one person! Even if you retreat, you should have cut off his head!"

Despite the following valid points, Jang Ilso's expression didn't change. He just continued to smile, gazing at the Sun Sovereign's criticism.

That unique atmosphere was unbearable to Jinyoung.

"Listen to me...!"

"Ah."

Jang Ilso casually raised his hand, interrupting the Sun Sovereign.

"That's enough, that should do."

The Sun Sovereign was flipped inside out. He had to make an effort not to show his discomfort as he clenched his fist hidden in his sleeve.

If this war had occurred before, he wouldn't know, but now, the Lord of the Evil Tyrant Alliance, which had already swallowed the Ten Great Sects, was not someone that the Southern Sea Sun Palace could easily deal with alone.

Although he was an unpredictable person, he had some insight. If not, he wouldn't have survived as a royal family member.

"Example.."

Jang Ilso mumbled and then smiled slyly.

"All right. If you want it that way, I won't stop you."

"Will you..."

As the Sun Sovereign stopped speaking, he glanced at Jang Ilso.

"What did you just say?"

Seeing his bewildered face, Jang Ilso called Ho Gakmyung.

"Ahaha, Gakmyung-ah. It seems like the guest from afar may not understand the language."

Ho Gakmyung glanced at the Sun Sovereign and added an explanation.

"He means that if you think it's right, he won't stop you from enjoying that glory of the Sun Palace."

The Sun Sovereign's face became blank.

Not stop?

"The Southern Sea Sun Palace did lend a hand in this war, so you have enough qualifications to enjoy that glory. If you wish, go back to the battlefield and act as you see fit."

Ho Gakmyung stated bluntly.

The Sun Sovereign reflexively turned around at that moment.

The smell of blood seemed to reach even this place. A battlefield that seemed like hell had unfolded, quite literally.

The temptation of being able to seize the spoils of war under the name 'war' entirely on one's own was something that the Sun Sovereign found difficult to endure.

"Go and see."

Jang Ilso whispered like a snake.

"Permission granted."

"⋯⋯."

"Quickly."

A tempting voice.

The two words "permission granted" grated on his nerves, but to the Sun Sovereign in his current state, it was a trivial matter. The reason why he didn't immediately nod his head was simply because Jang Ilso's voice felt strangely ominous, as if coaxing a child.

At that moment, something peculiar caught the Sun Sovereign's eyes as he gazed at the battlefield. The landscape that seemed frozen like a painting began to change.

'What on earth...'

At that moment, something peculiar caught the eyes of the Sun Sovereign as he gazed at the battlefield. The scenery before him, which seemed to be frozen like a painting forever, began to change.

'What is that...?'

As if hearing the unspoken question in the Sun Sovereign's mind, Ho Gakmyung calmly stated.

"The Heavenly Comrade Alliance."

"That's not all."

Jang Ilso added. Hearing this, Ho Gakmyung narrowed his eyes sharply. Lo and behold, not far from where the Heavenly Comrade Alliance appeared, another group revealed itself.

Though unfamiliar, it wasn't difficult to guess their identity.

"The Jaegal Family and Moyong Family."

Ho Gakmyung stated.

Those who had not yet let the sparks of war extinguish were now fiercely pursuing the battlefield that had already cooled down.

Only then did the Sun Sovereign grasp the situation and feel a chill run down his spine. Cold sweat dampened his back and waist. If he had pushed his way back there again...

Perhaps the Sun Palace would have been annihilated under the wrathful Heavenly Comrade Alliance and the combined assault of the Jaegal Family and Moyong Family.

"Why are you like that? Have you had a change of heart?"

The Sun Sovereign's face, as he turned to look at Jang Ilso, was noticeably different from before.

'Did he already know...?'

Both sides were exhausted.

Despite being elevated to the position of a victor, winning battles and enduring another confrontation with formidable opponents in a situation where sacrifices had already been made would have made the outcome of the battle difficult to predict.

Jang Ilso withdrew without a moment's hesitation, as if already knowing how things would turn out. Unlike him, who had no qualms about the victory he had already achieved, the Sun Palace Lord momentarily was momentarily blinded.

The smile in Jang Ilso's eyes was chilling. Before a gaze that seemed to pierce through one's heart, the Sun Sovereign suffered silently.

"I..."

It was difficult to even open his mouth. What could he say?

"Hmm. Well, it seems you don't seem to have any intention of leaving."

Jang Ilso murmured. It was at that moment, amid the feelings of defeat and humiliation, that the Sun Sovereign shivered.

"Welcome."

Jang Ilso extended his hand graciously. For a moment, the Sun Sovereign, not fully understanding his intention, hesitated. Jang Ilso smiled and spoke again.

"Welcome to the Evil Tyrant Alliance."

Without realizing it, the Sun Sovereign reached out to grasp his hand. The reason he couldn't afford to make such a mistake was simple. He felt a chilling aura emanating from Ho Gakmyung, who had been silently observing them.

Instead of taking Jang Ilso's outstretched hand, the Sun Sovereign bowed his head. It was rare for a royal to adopt such a posture. However, his survival instinct continued to scream at him.

Do not oppose him.

Forcing his heavy mouth open, Jinyoung managed to spit out the words.

"Thank... you for your hospitality, Ryeonju."

Jang Ilso glanced down at Jinyoung, who had bowed his head deferentially. Then, his crimson lips twisted eerily.

"What a good child."

His gaze quickly lost interest in Jinyoung and turned away toward the distant battlefield.

"Different from others... in many ways."