The Survival Show
Kim Jun stared at the pristine white screen filled with the footage, utterly speechless.
Choi Muhyun was slumped over, bound to a chair.
Strength surged through Kim Jun's body, and he clenched his jaw without realizing it. His fists cracked audibly.
The thugs reacted with playful jabs: "What the hell is this? Put on some porn instead," and "Got some hot stuff on the bus? Bring it here?"
At that moment, Yeon Mu-jin received a phone call.
"Everyone scatter and hide. If anyone screws up today, I'll bury you right here in this lot. Keep your mouths shut until I say otherwise."
The rough thugs grumbled but dispersed, ducking behind containers and into the shadows.
One thug leaped into the bushes, sniffed the liquid on the leaves, and yelled, "Who the fuck pissed here?" Laughter erupted from afar—the culprits cackling.
Kim Jun moved toward the containers as well.
Just then, a car pulled into the clearing.
Stepping out of the car, Yeon Mu-jin frowned at the approaching man.
'Why is Yeon Mingyun here? If he's shown up, that means the Yeonmudae is in motion.'
Yeonmudae was originally a place for honing martial prowess, but the Yeon Family had assembled elite Raiders into an exclusive group called Yeonmudae.
Only those in Yeonmudae could learn the Cheonroegeom techniques, making it the envy of every Yeon clansman.
The sole qualification for entry: a recommendation from the family head.
Yeon Mu-jin himself was a Yeonmudae alum.
"You've arrived. We've been waiting."
Yeon Mingyun bowed his head.
"Waiting?"
"The family head ordered me to assist you."
"...The family head did?"
Yeon Mu-jin sighed and scanned Yeon Mingyun's body. A real sword hung at his waist.
"Where's Choi Muhyun?"
"In a safe place."
"What?"
"The family head's orders. I figured you'd want confirmation, so I prepared this."
Yeon Mingyun pointed at the screen. With a nod from him, the man beside the projector pressed a button.
The screen filled with footage.
Seeing Choi Muhyun bound to the chair, Yeon Mu-jin frowned.
"...Why's he like that?"
"We were ordered to handle him safely."
Yeon Mingyun hid behind the "orders" again.
"From now on, I give the orders. Got it?"
"Yes, Team Leader."
He answered, but with a sly smirk.
Yeon Mu-jin nearly punched that smug face. If not for the critical moment at hand, he would have stomped it flat.
'The family head plans to use me and discard me. Not content with installing that bastard Yeon Jong-ho as acting head, now he wants him on the throne—and I'm the obstacle. I was a fool. Falling for that absurd tale. Truth be told... the old man masterfully exploited my desire to become the Cheonroegeom Master.'
"Turn off that footage."
"Understood, Team Leader."
Yeon Mingyun pulled out the remote and pressed the button. The projector shut off.
Then, the phone rang.
Yeon Mingyun answered. Pocketing it, he glanced at Yeon Mu-jin.
"They're arriving soon. The site is yours now, Team Leader. Good luck."
He handed over the projector remote and retreated into the darkness.
Yeon Mu-jin sighed and pulled out his phone.
Standing at the edge of a protruding rock on the cliff, Yeon Un-jae drew his bowstring as his phone rang.
Left hand thrust forward with power.
Right hand gripping the string, pulled to his ear.
Calming his mind and channeling inner energy through his eyes activated the archer's skill, Thousand-Li Eyes. Yeon Mu-jin, standing anxiously in the clearing's center, phone to his ear, appeared as vivid as through a sniper rifle's scope.
Releasing the string and setting the bow aside, Yeon Un-jae raised his phone and hit the call button.
―I never expected this from you. How could the family head...
Yeon Un-jae cut him off sharply.
"Nor did I expect this from you. Obsessed with the Cheonroegeom or not, resorting to kidnapping? Tsk tsk, you're a real monster. Your greed has driven you mad."
―What are you talking about?
"Did you think I wouldn't know? You underestimated me. I've watched you closely since the Cheonroegeom surfaced, worried your greed might harm the family.
And sure enough, you've gone and done it. If young Muhyun turns up dead, the blame falls on you. The Yeon name would be dragged through the mud.
Fortunately, it's not too late. Return the Cheonroegeom safely to the family, with no one hurt in the process, and I'll overlook it—just this once."
Silence stretched.
Yeon Un-jae smiled faintly.
'That should make him grasp the situation. He's sharp. Time for the killing blow.'
"Think of your mother. There's no other path. Retrieve the Cheonroegeom, and you'll become this era's Cheonroegeom Master."
The silence dragged on.
Yeon Un-jae waited. He savored this moment immensely. The warrior's pride that had defied the family's will time and again was breaking now.
Once broken, a man stays broken for life.
―...Understood.
"There's something you must do."
After detailing instructions, Yeon Un-jae hung up with a smile.
Then, he picked up his bow.
This time, he nocked an arrow.
A Hummer-like military vehicle rolled into the clearing's center and stopped.
Stepping out, Choi Min-su scanned the area and spotted Yeon Mu-jin approaching.
"Where's the Cheonroegeom?"
Yeon Mu-jin asked first.
"Where's my son?"
"Choosing the hard path, are you?"
"Who started this path?"
Yeon Mu-jin sighed and pressed the remote button.
As his son appeared on the massive screen, Choi Min-su jolted in shock.
The slumped Choi Muhyun shuddered and lifted his head. His eyes were hazy, but his body seemed unharmed.
In that instant, his head detached from his body and rolled to the ground.
Choi Min-su's face drained of color.
Even Yeon Mu-jin was startled.
Surprised?
The head floated back up like it had been rewinded and reattached. It was CG.
'Yeon Jong-ho. Only that childish punk would pull something this juvenile.'
Yeon Mu-jin turned toward the tanker known as the pillar of Cheonhondan.
Choi Min-su was trembling with rage.
New subtitles appeared over the black screen.
Now, one thing I must tell you.
Is this footage live... or not?
Sleeping Prince in the Woods, wake up! //
As the "wake up" subtitle flashed, someone entered the frame from behind the camera and slapped the slumped Choi Muhyun's cheek hard.
Choi Muhyun jolted awake, looking around. His eyes still hazy. Then he faced forward, eyes widening.
―Dad?
"...You okay?"
Choi Min-su asked.
―Wh-where is this? Why am I tied up..., the arena!
Choi Muhyun barely recalled the trap the Yeon Family had set in their arena, his head pounding from the drug's aftereffects.
"Hang in there just a bit longer. I'll be there soon."
The screen went black again, subtitles emerging.
Originally, I was going to sever his head cruelly,
but I can't ignore a father's grief at losing his son,
so I've prepared something special!
Survival Show!
If you endure for one hour inside the glowing circle,
you might just save your son unharmed ^^
A green glow emanated from the ground at the clearing's center—a circle about a meter in diameter. Staying inside meant not dodging attacks.
"You've prepared thoroughly."
Choi Min-su stared past Yeon Mu-jin.
Turning, Yeon Mu-jin was speechless at the thugs creeping out from behind the containers.
Over a hundred by rough count, all gripping steel pipes, cleavers, and the like, subtly encircling Choi Min-su.
"Even if you'd brought the Cheonroegeom, the outcome wouldn't change. You planned this from the start. You want my head after all."
Choi Min-su's eyes blazed with killing intent.
Yeon Mu-jin was at a loss for words.
The thugs charged at Choi Min-su.
Kim Jun couldn't tear his eyes from Choi Min-su, single-handedly facing over a hundred foes.
Choi Min-su caught a steel pipe aimed at his head with one hand and yanked. As the thug stumbled in, a light shoulder shove sent him flying nearly five meters, motionless.
A wooden club fell toward his back from behind.
Choi Min-su sidestepped casually, kicking the hand gripping it with his left foot. Fingers snapped; the thug screamed and crumpled, then took a chest kick from Choi Min-su's right foot, tumbling away.
Weapons rained from all sides, yet within his one-meter circle, Choi Min-su evaded leisurely, countering. Any thug struck out cold.
'You can fight like that too.'
No flashy techniques needed.
Block, dodge, shove, flip, kick, throw.
Every motion flowed seamlessly like water.
As if scripted, attacks, defenses, counters followed perfect paths.
A dimension apart in combat skill.
Kim Jun forgot why he was there, aching to ask how one fought like that.
Snapping to, Kim Jun pushed through the thugs toward Choi Min-su. Early assailants charged roaring, only to scatter.
"He's alone! Kill him!"
One thug shouted, and they swarmed.
A cleaver flew from the front... a steel pipe from behind. Choi Min-su deflected the cleaver with his forearm and swung his elbow at the pipe.
Golden light flowed from the elbow; the pipe bent like weak wire on contact.
Choi Min-su uppercut the stunned thug's chest.
He soared nearly ten meters.
'That's Bang defense.'
Bang was a tanker's basic skill: momentarily expelling inner energy from a body part to form a shield. Rarely used in dungeon raids since it only protected the self.
As a blade dug into his side, golden light enveloped it.
The blade shattered on contact.
Fragments pierced the wielder's thigh and foot. Screams echoed.
Kim Jun was entranced by Choi Min-su's style: minimal inner energy to protect himself, steadily dropping foes one by one.
'Fighting like that with a tanker's basic skill. Incredible.'
But with weapons pouring in, Bang couldn't cover his whole body.
Then, his entire form glowed gold.
'Gap armor!'
Gap, another basic tanker skill: evolving Bang to shield the whole body. Rarely practical in dungeons.
Choi Min-su dodged most attacks but took a few hits inevitably. Pipes, clubs, cleavers mostly shattered on Gap, but his face darkened gradually.
He couldn't fully absorb the impacts.
Kim Jun pressed forward as close as he dared.
Finally nearby, Choi Min-su swept for his ankle with a leg reap.
Kim Jun yanked his foot up in surprise.
He evaded the reap but lost balance.
Choi Min-su's palm thrust toward his chest in the opening.
Instead of righting himself, Kim Jun spun like a top with the momentum, dodging.
Choi Min-su's lips twisted.
'This punk.'
Then, Kim Jun whispered.
"Mister, I'm Kim Jun. I came to rescue Muhyun."