The Support Ate it All - Chapter 596: Strike the Grass, Startle the Snake (1)

The next day.

We gathered in one place with the Twin Heroes of the Dang Family—fully prepared—and the Hyeseong Group employees.

And before we set out, we took some time to brief the operation.

“As I told you, our primary objective is to search for the Blood Cult. After that, our decisions will depend on the situation.”

If I ended up chasing ghosts and found nothing?

Then we could just treat it as a rare change of pace and an outing.

What mattered was what happened if we discovered traces of the Blood Cult—or ran into them.

I extended my fingers one by one.

“First: if the scale is too small, we won’t step in directly. We’ll stop at informing the Alliance.”

Say it was just a handful of small-fry Blood Cult martial artists?

Other sects or guilds could handle that easily.

There was no need for A-rank strength to waste manpower and time.

‘And it’s not like kicking up a fuss helps.’

If the Blood Cult sensed our movement, there was a high chance they’d just go to ground again.

In the worst case, they could even lay a trap in reverse.

Moving quietly was the best policy.

Then I extended a second finger.

“On the other hand, if the Blood Cult’s forces are too large, we’ll immediately disengage and return. Same if an unexpected situation occurs.”

“How large, exactly?” Ahn Jeongmi asked.

I answered right away.

“If our odds are anything below a hundred percent—and if we’d take casualties even if we win—I classify that as ‘large.’”

“A very safe standard.”

“It’s a plan built to gain profit, after all.”

If I intended to fight a life-or-death bloodbath, it would be better to wait for a full-scale war instead.

For Ahn Jeongmi, the top priority was Seo Ye-in not being put in danger, so my judgment seemed to suit them.

Finally, I raised a third finger.

“If it falls somewhere in the middle—neither small nor large, but an appropriate size—we’ll engage.”

The Dang twins spoke in turn.

“If we pick off a force of that size one by one, it will be no small help when the full-scale war comes.”

“However, it is somewhat doubtful that a situation matching your conditions will appear.”

“What is there to worry about? Either way, merely discovering them is profit.”

“……True. You will judge properly on your own.”

“You seem to have an eye for it, at least.”

I smiled faintly.

“Thank you for trusting me. Next are the places we’ll be checking.”

I took out a map and spread it open, marking the locations of the most likely candidates.

A product of big data accumulated over graduating hundreds of times.

The Blood Cult hadn’t targeted only Sichuan every time, but whenever they set foot here, these were places they often occupied.

The categories ranged widely—from restaurants to gyms, arcades, and theaters.

Of course, the most common of them all was—

‘Sects.’

If martial artists needed somewhere to hide and disguise themselves, there was nothing more suitable than a place where other martial artists already lived.

Especially minor sects. They didn’t have many people, and the level of their strongest expert was lower.

From the Blood Cult’s perspective, they were perfect prey.

A strange light rose in the Dang twins’ eyes.

“Mukcheon Lodge, Hoseon Gate……. We received reports that something felt off.”

“I thought it was strange the Mukcheon Lodge Master hasn’t made contact lately. Perhaps something happened.”

“I heard Palun Lodge is still operating normally.”

“However, reality is another matter.”

I nodded in agreement.

“As you say. Going in person to confirm is the most accurate method.”

“Then where will we start?”

“I plan to leave the start to luck.”

Then I motioned Seo Ye-in over.

“Lucky Charm, come here for a moment.”

“I’m here.”

“Where should we go first?”

“……?”

Seo Ye-in tilted her head.

Well, just looking at the map might not tell her much.

So I offered the next-best option.

“Close your eyes and point anywhere.”

“Okay.”

Seo Ye-in covered her eyes with my hand, then used her other hand to feel around the map before pressing down on one spot.

<Jinmu Gate>

After that, I drew a line from Jinmu Gate to the nearest location, then to the next nearest, then to the next.

“For now, we’ll move along this route. Any questions?”

“…….”

“Doesn’t seem like it. Then we’ll depart.”

*****

After crossing through the city for a while and heading toward the outskirts, a manor sat boldly erected between modern buildings.

Compared to the Dang family, it was shabby—but objectively, it wasn’t small.

On the front gate hung a signboard in a vigorous, commanding script.

<Jinmu Gate>

If everyone swarmed in, even Blood Cult members who weren’t there would run—so we decided to minimize the number of people visiting.

The Hyeseong Group employees took positions in nearby high-rise buildings. The judgment was that it was better for them to provide support from afar than go # Nоvеlight # in together and fight at close range.

Dang Gyu-young—who knew when they learned the skill—slipped into my shadow.

That left the Twin Heroes, me, and Seo Ye-in.

Four people was small enough to count as a minimal party.

Dang Ilbi stepped forward first and approached the gate, and a guard stationed nearby raised his eyes.

“Twin Hero Dang, what brings you here?”

“I was passing by and thought I’d stop in. It’s been quite some time since I last shared conversation with the Gate Master.”

Then the guard’s face showed both welcome and awkwardness.

“I know you and the Gate Master are close, but the timing is not good right now.”

“……Did something happen?”

“It is not a matter I am permitted to mention.”

A mere gatekeeper couldn’t exactly run his mouth saying, something like this happened to our sect and the Gate Master ended up like that.

He let out a small sigh and turned away.

“I will send word inside, at least.”

“Thank you.”

Leaving Dang Hanbi’s thanks behind, he went in.

While we waited, I whispered to Seo Ye-in.

“Now that you’ve seen it in person, what do you think?”

“Suspicious-suspicious.”

“Do you feel any evil blood-red energy?”

“……Maybe.”

“Would it be clearer if we go inside?”

“……Probably?”

But whether they’d let us in was another question.

If the Blood Cult truly had the place under their control, there was a good chance they’d tell us to leave.

Of course, the more suspicious it got, the more we’d confirm it by other means—but still.

Fortunately, the guard returned with a positive response.

“He says he will at least offer you a cup of tea. This way.”

We crossed the gate and stepped into the manor.

As we followed the gatekeeper, I looked around here and there.

‘Something definitely happened.’

For a manor this size, very few people were coming and going—and their expressions were oddly stiff.

There were also cracks in walls and fences, scattered stone debris, and sword marks—things that hadn’t been fully cleaned up, visible in places.

The Dang twins seemed to sense something similar. They exchanged glances, but outwardly acted as if nothing was wrong.

Soon we arrived at the guest reception hall.

Not long after we sat to wait, a middle-aged man appeared at the seat.

His pallid complexion only hardened our suspicion further.

When our eyes met, the Twin Heroes offered greetings first.

“Thank you for making time for us, Gate Master.”

“Haha. When Twin Heroes Dang come to visit after so long, how could I send you away?”

“We worried we might be forcing the issue when you should be resting.”

The Jinmu Gate Master smiled calmly.

“There is no need to worry. I merely overdid it somewhat during training. I will recover soon.”

“Then that is fortunate.”

The atmosphere warmed, but I—and everyone else—seemed to notice the same thing.

‘A lie.’

And it also felt like eyes were watching us from somewhere.

To see if the Gate Master would say anything strange. To see if we’d come here to dig something up.

“…….”

Seo Ye-in’s gaze flicked toward a few spots, then she quickly pretended to stare blankly at somewhere else.

Our conversation with the Jinmu Gate Master was short.

Just as promised, he gave only enough time for a single cup of tea.

The content was also brief—introductions for me and Seo Ye-in, and a few exchanged words about how we’d been.

Then, with a bitter smile, he issued an order to see a guest out.

“It was a short meeting, but a pleasant one. I ask that you understand my condition does not allow more.”

“Of course. We pray for your swift recovery.”

The Twin Heroes maintained polite expressions and manners to the very end.

Then, the moment we stepped out of the manor, they spoke in turn.

“Looks like we found something from the start.”

“The Gate Master’s internal injuries looked severe.”

“He says he merely overdid it, but…….”

“He’s not a complete amateur. It makes no sense that he’d end up in that state from overtraining.”

“There is a strong chance he suffered it while facing an enemy.”

Nine times out of ten, against Blood Cult elites.

Then they looked at me and asked.

“What will you do? I want to storm in immediately.”

“It would be best to hold back this time.”

After answering with a shake of my head, I asked Seo Ye-in to confirm.

“There wasn’t one, right? An expert.”

“There wasn’t.”

It was clear the Blood Cult had seized Jinmu Gate, but for now, all we’d seen were a few people keeping watch.

Charging in now would yield little profit.

I continued.

“As I said before we left, we’ll just toss it and move on.”

The Twin Heroes hardened their faces and looked back toward the manor, then nodded unwillingly.

“I am worried about the Gate Master, but—”

“We must also know how to distinguish what matters more.”

“And we cannot ruin an operation we have only just begun.”

We had more than one or two places to check. If we caused a commotion already, the Blood Cult was likely to catch on.

If they hunkered down, the search would become difficult, and the more bases we failed to locate, the more allied casualties would rise later.

For now, enduring it and moving on was the best play.

Still, as if regret lingered, a heavy look remained on the twins’ faces.

I spoke to them.

“Thank you for understanding. We’ll move immediately.”

*****

We continued moving along the route we’d set in advance, confirming candidate Blood Cult bases.

Just like with Jinmu Gate, we visited various sects—or checked gyms, theaters, taverns, and more.

Contrary to my big data, there were many places where we couldn’t find even the Blood Cult’s shadow.

But in quite a few, traces remained.

For the Dang twins, the sheer number seemed far more than expected—enough to shock them.

They let out sighs and spoke one line each.

“Have their claws already reached this far?”

“To think we were completely unaware until now. We were blind.”

“It’s already terrible, and if we’d left it any longer…….”

Then they offered me a formal salute.

“Even reclaiming only the places confirmed today would yield no small gain. As martial artists of the Dang family, we express our gratitude.”

“I’ll accept thanks after everything is finished.”

“……That is true. In that case.”

They added that after driving out the Blood Cult, it might be best to hold a banquet.

The next place we arrived at carried a faint sense of familiarity.

Maybe because it looked similar to the one in the Dungeon Island entertainment district.

Seo Ye-in’s gray eyes sparkled.

“Arcade.”