Chapter 58: Heaven's Net (2)
“This is ridiculous.”
Murim Alliance Leader Yang Jeong-hak.
He narrowed his eyes at the ground.
Not long after starting the pursuit, his subordinates began summoning him.
The reason was simple.
It was because of the footprints visible on the ground right now.
Dozens of sets of footprints spreading out in all directions. Even the size of the footprints and the weight imprinted on the ground were almost identical.
It was so precise that even he had trouble distinguishing which were real.
If you're going to hide a tree, do it in the forest.
It was a perfect match for that saying.
At that moment.
Gu Yang-cheon scratched his head irritably.
“…Matching the weight this precisely? This bastard didn't just bolt impulsively. He set up the board properly.”
“…Exactly. And the bigger problem is…”
“That they completely mixed their footprints with those of the revenants. This is a real pain in the ass.”
Yang Jeong-hak nodded.
They had split into groups of fifty and scattered in all directions, stepping precisely on the footprints ahead. Even they wouldn't be able to track them like this.
Every direction was littered with a mess of indistinguishable footprints.
‘Can't tell them apart.’
It meant they had been trained extremely thoroughly.
Yang Jeong-hak tilted his head.
“…Is it even possible to train revenants this precisely?”
“The Leader of the Demonic Alliance over there would know.”
“…”
Baek Hak-seong stared at the ground with a stiff expression as well.
Soon, he spoke.
“It's possible to train them like this. But… it requires the revenants to be of a high level. At least jiangshi quality.”
“Then that means Baek So-cheon's level is that high?”
“No. They were a type of revenant I'd never seen before, but the energy they gave off wasn't that strong. Normally, low-grade revenants like that can't be trained.”
“But he did it. How?”
“…I don't know.”
“Damn it. In that case, we'll have to split our forces too.”
At Gu Yang-cheon's words, the other two nodded.
“We're searching every direction?”
“…There are directions they probably didn't go, but we don't know their escape route. We can't ignore even a single possibility.”
The two nodded at Baek Hak-seong's words. Sneaky bastards.
They might have gone in a direction that seemed unlikely to poke a hole in their defenses, or, with very low odds, they might not have moved from here at all.
It was a matter involving the key to ascension.
They couldn't overlook even the slightest risk.
Stroking his chin, Yang Jeong-hak spoke.
“Then we'll divide into groups of seven hundred. Search everywhere. Each group needs at least two elder-level members.”
There were no objections to the proposal.
They had gotten information about the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering from the third-place winner, Cho Won-hwi.
They had to kill all three until they remained.
The participants were the most promising young talents in the martial world. Not a single one was mediocre.
They all had skills and status that would make them prominent outside.
Yet the first and second-place winners had escaped.
And the first-place guy was known to command thousands of revenants.
If they sent groups made of mediocrity, they'd be devoured in no time.
They needed at least two elder-level members per group to buy time.
Fortunately, all three organizations that dominated the martial world were here.
Assigning like that wasn't difficult.
The only issue.
Was whether to mix the personnel or how to assign the search directions.
“The Demonic Cult takes this area.”
Looking at the map, Gu Yang-cheon pointed straight ahead.
At his words, the other two faces twisted.
“Ha, bullshit.”
“You think you're treating our Demonic Alliance like idiots?”
If those two escapees had chosen a direction, it was most likely straight ahead. They could veer off in any direction from there.
The outer directions, on the other hand, had more limited escape options if surrounded.
“So what do you want?”
Gu Yang-cheon asked, his face twisting as well.
Yang Jeong-hak gave the answer.
“We start from the ends and mix them up. Demonic Alliance, Murim Alliance, Demonic Cult order. Demonic, Murim, Demon, Demonic, Murim, Demon. Something like that.”
“You want to send the groups spaced out like that? They'll barely communicate, and if they don't screw each other over, it'll be a miracle?”
“If we assign one direction like you say, the ones taking the other directions besides straight ahead will complain. Isn't that right?”
“Ahem.”
Gu Yang-cheon cleared his throat awkwardly. It was a valid point.
“Besides, one group alone won't catch those two. If they're spotted, they'll need support from nearby. This way, all three organizations can pursue them.”
The two nodded.
With this setup, if one organization spotted them, the only nearby support would be from the other two.
Even if they called for help from their own far-off group.
‘They'll notice.’
If one group rushed to a spot, the others nearby would catch on and follow.
For equal opportunity, it was the best arrangement. Of course, efficiency-wise, it was a different story…
Efficiency was only for when success was in doubt.
‘We won't fail.’
The three thought the same.
Failure wasn't an option.
There was sure to be some distance to the escape point.
What if the escape point was close?
‘Then they wouldn't have wasted time on this crap.’
If it was close, they'd just run flat out instead of this nonsense.
Of course, being cunning bastards, they might do this even if close, but…
That was unavoidable. How do you catch them if escape is right there? So they didn't consider that case.
‘They'll be caught for sure.’
Nearly thirty thousand pursuers.
Wherever they went, there were sacred cities.
They had long since sent messenger birds to the cities, blocking passage for days and letting no one through.
Blocked from behind and ahead.
It might take longer, but the hunt would succeed.
“We've aligned opinions, so let's move. Time is of the essence.”
“Agreed.”
The three nodded.
Thus, the pursuit force was formed.
* * *
Human stamina has limits.
Even for top awakeners. After crossing several mountains in a day, his breath reached his throat.
He looked at Seo Yerim.
Fatigue showed on her face.
Her stats were higher than his, but that didn't mean she felt no exhaustion.
‘We need a short break.’
They'd run all day.
Plus, the fifty skeletons following had been scattered everywhere, so the pursuit should be in disarray.
They'd bought some time.
He looked around.
There was a suitable cave nearby.
“Whew. Let's rest there for a bit.”
He entered the cave with her and sat. Chewing an energy bar, he checked the map that came to mind.
[Progress: 20%]
[Remaining Distance: 80%]
‘We've come about 1/5.’
In other words, at this pace, four more runs to the destination. Some routes even passed through sacred cities, per the map.
And those cities were under Murim Alliance influence.
His head grew complicated.
Seo Yerim looked the same, her face complex.
“We've succeeded somewhat in disrupting the pursuit… but are we going straight?”
Straight-line route up.
Passing through the sacred city.
The map showed it was about city-sized.
Advantage: fastest travel.
Disadvantage…
‘By now, wanted posters with bounties are probably everywhere.’
Messenger birds were dozens of times faster than humans. They'd been scattered all over.
Going straight meant no quiet passage.
“I'm thinking about it. But detouring means they'll catch up faster.”
Straight vs. looping around.
Straight was obviously much quicker.
Detouring meant climbing mountains.
Stamina drain would be overwhelming.
“We haven't been pinpointed yet. Wouldn't it be better to loop and hide?”
“There's a problem. Skeletons get unsummoned if they go beyond a certain range.”
That range was surprisingly wide.
The issue was that as they kept sprinting ahead, the distance to the skeletons was widening fast.
‘…At best, half a day more?’
The farthest ones would start despawning first.
“…Whatever we do, the search will narrow down.”
“I never thought we'd go all the way clean. Besides, skeletons are slow. They'll be caught soon.”
Sure, his skeletons had decent stats from bone swaps, Death Lord, gear effects, etc., but they couldn't match martial artists trained in lightness skills.
And they were in heavy armor with bags.
‘I gave secondary orders…’
He'd ordered them to scatter and hide in mountains or caves as they went.
To be as annoying as possible.
The problem.
‘It's just buying time in the end.’
Conclusion.
Search would narrow, pursuit inevitable.
Seo Yerim's face darkened.
“20% after running all day… That's at least four more days… How long can the skeletons hold them?”
“Probably all thirty thousand split up. At most a day before all my summons are dead.”
“One day. Then max 40%.”
“That's because of the mountains. If we go straight through the city, we can hit 50%. On horses? Even more.”
“At least 50%…”
It sounded tempting; Seo Yerim's eyes glazed over.
Taking a sip of water, he said.
“The problem… is getting spotted and them using vehicles on flat ground.”
Can't ride through mountains.
Martial artists had to run on foot.
But only his side suffered?
No.
The pursuers were suffering too.
But on flat ground?
They had no issues.
Could ride horses or carriages.
Even swap for fresh horses midway.
His side? Acquiring horses, riding along roads—all burdensome.
With sky-high bounties, any suspicion would bring reports from everywhere.
“Hiding in a valley… Oh, no. Gate explodes…”
“Yeah. We'd all die.”
Gate explodes?
Clear fail.
All challengers inside die. A-grade gets three months for first clear.
Already a month gone?
Two months left.
Camp forever?
Impossible.
“Even if we survive somehow, holding out has no meaning. You think they'd abandon the clue after years?”
“…No.”
“Anyway, we need to choose now.”
Seo Yerim nodded and said.
“Let's summarize. Detour: spotted later but direction pinned eventually. Plus slower.”
“Yes.”
“Through city: fast, but pursuers swarm like dogs. Right?”
“And one more thing?”
“…?”
“Not just that city—there are cities along the whole route. Why?”
“…Pursuit from ahead too?”
“Yup. That's what makes it an A+ gate.”
“Sigh… Tough.”
Kim Minwoo nodded.
Recommended 30 people.
Not for nothing.
“But ahead won't be that strong. Elites are all at the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering.”
“…What do you want to do?”
“In my experience, when it's like this, you just charge straight without looking back.”
“Break through the city?”
“Yeah. Half-ass detouring and those three old monsters catch us, it's limb-scattering end.”
Seo Yerim shuddered.
“…Okay. Straight ahead.”
At that moment.
―Kkuu.
Hayangi flew into the cave.
Then it pecked the ground with its beak.
Seven pecks total.
With an X next to them.
Finally, it scratched the ground with its talons.
Eight lines drawn.
“Good boy. So clever. Daddy'll give you a snack.”
―Kkuu!
Hayangi devoured the element, eyes rolling back. Then it glanced slyly, asking for more.
“Daddy'll buy tons when we get out. Hold on for now, okay?”
―Kkuu!
Hayangi nodded vigorously.
Such a great divine beast.
He looked at Seo Yerim.
“Pursuers about seven hundred. Distance roughly eight hours. Good, no three old monsters.”
“…Hayangi told you?”
“Our divine beast handles this stuff. Alright, up we go.”
He stood with Seo Yerim.
Before more pursuers latched on, they had to break through the city.