Chapter 141: Follower
Hong Tao and the other Awakeners stared at Liang Xiaojun with baffled expressions.
‘What the hell?’
‘Why's he suddenly on his knees…’
Tears and snot streaming down his face, unable to contain his emotions. Liang Xiaojun wailed while gazing at Kim Minwoo, as if nothing in the world could be more heartbreaking.
Kim Minwoo was just as baffled. Still, he had some inkling of what was going on.
‘Follower…’
And wouldn't you know it, Liang Xiaojun here was an SS-rank Necromancer?
This had to be connected to the Death Lord somehow…
‘Deman.’
He prayed solemnly in his mind, then turned to the Chinese contingent.
“There's no need to do anything right now. Why don't you all take a break for a bit?”
“Uh… yes. Thank you for your consideration.”
Hong Tao replied with a dazed look, still clearly flustered.
With that, the Chinese group supported Liang Xiaojun and headed to the rest area in the center.
The moment they were a good distance away from Kim Minwoo, Liang Xiaojun snapped back to reality as if doused with cold water.
‘… Huh?’
What the hell had he just done?
He'd suddenly blacked out from a flood of memories and dropped to his knees.
And not content with that, he'd bawled his eyes out in front of Kim Minwoo.
What must the Nine Dragon Guild members have thought?
Liang Xiaojun's mind raced at the highest speed of his life.
If they just suspected mental illness, that'd be lucky.
But what if they started suspecting some shady connection to Kim Minwoo?
‘I'm screwed.’
A cold sweat drenched his back.
Just then.
Hong Tao, who had sat him on the sofa, asked with a worried expression.
“You okay? What was that all about…?”
“W-Well… ugh!”
The dizzying moment when memories from some unknown entity flooded in.
And the heartbreaking obligation to pledge loyalty to Kim Minwoo.
Recalling those feelings brought hot tears flowing on their own.
Weeping openly.
Liang Xiaojun said.
“The moment I saw that bastard Kim Minwoo's face… I realized how tragic our China's situation is… Thinking of how heartbroken our Chairman must be, I couldn't help but cry! I'm sorry!”
The Nine Dragon Guild members flinched at his words.
They were die-hard party loyalists, devoted to China in their own ways.
But none burned as hot as today's Liang Xiaojun.
‘… His loyalty to the Chairman runs that deep?’
To the point where just seeing Kim Minwoo made his legs give out and tears pour?
Hong Tao's eyes grew serious.
‘Our Nine Dragon Guild's intel network has blind spots after all.’
As befitting China's top guild, they always thoroughly vetted new recruits.
Especially for an SS-rank achievement holder.
Multiple layers of investigation were only natural.
According to that intel, Liang Xiaojun was nothing special. In other words, his patriotism and loyalty were average at best.
That's why Chairman Li Zemin had tasked Hong Tao and the intel team with constant surveillance.
‘… All that worry for nothing.’
That behavior just now.
And those hot tears.
Hong Tao had seen countless people in his time as Nine Dragon Guild Master.
So he could say with certainty.
That was pure, genuine sincerity.
Perhaps this young man had quietly hidden his true feelings all this time.
So thoroughly even the Nine Dragon Guild's intel couldn't detect it.
But today.
He'd finally revealed it all to the world. He must have a pure side he couldn't suppress.
“… I'm sorry. I'll be more careful from now on. Sniff.”
“… It's fine. Right now, don't hold back—cry it out.”
Hong Tao warmly patted Liang Xiaojun's shoulder.
‘Yeah, I can definitely groom him properly.’
‘I'm saved.’
The two men's contrasting thoughts crossed at the same moment.
* * *
Watching the break room, an intrigued smile played on Kim Minwoo's lips. Liang Xiaojun's reaction earlier had been undeniably real.
Dropping to his knees like he was pledging fealty.
‘If I play this right, it's like hitting the jackpot.’
And the best part?
Liang Xiaojun wasn't the only SS-rank Necromancer.
They'd spread quite a bit around the world.
Ten in total.
‘Even if half become followers…’
Talk about sweet.
With perfect luck, all ten could end up as followers.
And the Necromancer rally wasn't even fully over yet.
More SS-rankers would emerge over time, and some would surely choose Necromancer. The class’s prestige had risen considerably.
Achievement points and loyal retainers secured.
‘I need to step up my game even more.’
Of course, Kim Minwoo wasn't without complications.
What exactly was the Death Lord's scheme? Why were Death Lord connections popping up in reality too? What grand picture were these threads weaving?
He couldn't predict every ripple.
Worst case, this could all be the Death Lord plotting to seize his body and resurrect.
Merhen had shown that vicious side, after all.
‘But the train's already rolling.’
Necromancers?
Already everywhere.
Was he supposed to stop performing, avoid getting stronger out of fear of the Death Lord?
No.
Better to respond proactively, building power faster than sitting back.
That was Kim Minwoo's way.
Plus.
‘It's not just Necromancers with this setup.’
Other EX-class jobs probably had their own twists. Who said those folks didn't have schemes?
Since they all had to ride this out together, he might as well think it over on the train.
That's why.
He focused only on responses he could make now—and the gains from them.
Either way.
He had one more reason to hustle.
‘But that's that…’
If they kept dropping to their knees and bawling every meeting, it'd spell trouble for him too.
Once or twice, he could brush it off with excuses, but not forever. They'd suspect something shady.
He didn't care.
His cute followers were the issue.
From the perspective of using them well, wasting such powerful cards carelessly…
‘Would be no fun.’
Times like this called for one thing.
‘I trust you, Deman.’
Prayer.
The Death Lord must have set up the system properly. No way he'd overlook this.
Sure enough.
When the Chinese group reappeared, Liang Xiaojun looked over casually, as though he had not been sobbing uncontrollably moments earlier.
He flinched and averted his eyes when Kim Minwoo smiled at him.
Well, no plans to put him on the spot just yet.
The training period was long anyway. Plenty of time for quiet chats with Liang Xiaojun ahead.
“Alright, let's start the training. All five of you, come at me.”
Kim Minwoo drew his sword.
Hong Tao nodded seriously. He'd confirmed Kim Minwoo's skill long ago. Overpowered in just six exchanges. He had the right to be arrogant.
They'd been briefed beforehand, so the Nine Dragon Guild knew.
Class began.
Hours later.
Kim Minwoo looked around at them all and said.
“Good. That's enough for group review. From now on, one-on-one personal coaching. It's more efficient that way. Hong Tao?”
“Yes.”
“Follow me. The rest, come in one by one when the Guild Master comes out.”
“Got it.”
Liang Xiaojun paled as he watched Kim Minwoo and Hong Tao enter the private training room.
‘What? This wasn't the plan…’
Personal coaching?
They'd only been told about training, no detailed curriculum.
‘No way…’
Is he making an opening to dodge the others' eyes?
Please no.
After a few guild members, it was Liang Xiaojun's turn.
The moment he entered the training room and closed the door.
“Y-Yes, Liang Xiaojun.”
“…”
“We've got a lot to talk about, right? You think so too? Good thing this place is soundproofed, so relax.”
“W-What are you talking about? L-Let's just get on with the lesson…”
“You're my follower, aren't you?”
Thud!
Liang Xiaojun's heart sank coldly.
“Wonder what the setup is. Oh, could you grab those dumbbells over there?”
That instant.
An inexplicable pressure to obey compelled Liang Xiaojun's body to move on its own.
He walked to the dumbbells, picked them up, and gently placed them in Kim Minwoo's hand.
“W-What…! Why is my body…!”
Liang Xiaojun's pupils trembled wildly.
It felt grotesque, like a puppet being controlled by another.
“Fascinating. Obeys commands, huh? But your consciousness is fully intact.”
“W-What do you plan to do with me?”
“No plans to harm you, so don't worry. Why would I hurt my own follower?”
“…”
“Read off the skill description. Tell me what it summons too.”
Determined not to become a slave, Liang Xiaojun clamped his mouth shut and gritted his teeth. But the more he resisted, the tighter the bizarre pressure squeezed his heart, threatening to burst it.
Finally, unable to endure, Liang Xiaojun spoke.
“D-Death Lord's Follower…”
Kim Minwoo's reaction to the details was simple.
“That's basically my perfect sub-spec, huh?”
“… Pardon?”
“Barrian? He's the Dragon Knight's subordinate, right?”
“Y-Yeah…”
“And Cedric there is the Dragon Knight.”
“…?”
“He's my follower. So your summons are just the Legion Commanders' minions? Summon him. I'm curious.”
Liang Xiaojun summoned Barrian in silence.
Kim Minwoo summoned Cedric too. The sturdy skeleton resembling a Barbarian stared at Barrian.
Soon.
—Commander… I see… Nice to… meet…
Barrian bowed awkwardly, managing words.
—Barrian?
—Yes… I am… your… subordinate… Greetings to… the Great One's… successor…
A simple nod to Cedric.
A deep bow to this side.
Liang Xiaojun gaped, staring blankly.
He'd summoned Barrian countless times, but this was the first time the guy spoke that much.
Whatever.
Kim Minwoo asked Cedric.
“You two close?”
—Enemies. Once.
“Enemies?”
—I was a knight blocking the border barbarians. Barrian led them. He got subjugated, then the Lord petitioned to revive him later. Too good a talent to leave as a corpse.
—True… That's how… it was…
“No lingering grudges from that life?”
Cedric shrugged.
—Fought for 10 years. Served together for centuries. That answer your question?
Kim Minwoo nodded.
“Barrian.”
—You called… Great One's… successor…
“Just successor. Too long.”
—Understood… successor…
“If he and I give orders, whose comes first?”
—Great One… highest… successor… same… must obey…
Liang Xiaojun stared blankly at Barrian, his face a mix of sorrow and betrayal.
“Don't look so down. I'll respect your autonomy as much as possible.”
“… Yes.”
“By the way, you were kneeling and crying earlier. Something come back to you?”
“… Not sure. Unknown memories flooded in, but now they're super faint. Just… a sense of facing something immense remains.”
Kim Minwoo nodded.
Probably why he wasn't kneeling nonstop—the memories fading. Fine by him.
“Going to run some tests now.”
“Tests…?”
“How far my commands reach. How much autonomy you have. You should know too, right?”
… He didn't want to.
But no choice.
His follower status was out in the open.
If he were Kim Minwoo, he'd exploit a follower too.
‘Damn it…’
How'd his life twist like this?
Liang Xiaojun sighed deeply.
During their time in the training center, several tests were conducted.
Kim Minwoo's face lit up brighter with each one, while Liang Xiaojun's darkened.
Commands covered a vast range.
Autonomy could be overridden at will.
Frankly, this was slavery.
No matter how amazing the Death Lord.
Who'd like becoming a slave?
Liang Xiaojun was no different.
But the scarier part…
‘Damn. Damn…’
Every time he carried out Kim Minwoo's orders, an inexplicable massive spiritual satisfaction surged in.
The more complex and detailed the order, the stronger.
Kim Minwoo had noticed long ago. He'd issued commands and bombarded with questions during execution. After three days of verification.
“Liang Xiaojun.”
“… Yes.”
“You get it by now, but you can't escape me anyway.”
“… Probably.”
“So let's go together. I'll raise you up properly.”
“Raise me… what do you mean?”
“Let's aim big. Don't you want to try being China's Chairman?”
Kim Minwoo grinned and asked.