Revenant Commander Hunt (1)
Suddenly, Seo Baek locked eyes with Song Hyeon.
Their gazes met, and Song Hyeon nodded silently without a word. I'll leave it to you—do as you see fit.
Seo Baek raised his sword blade high.
Wang Yi Sam gulped at the sight.
He realized Seo Baek intended to bring down the watchtower.
Those left on the barge were underworld scum anyway.
Leave the watchtower intact until they crossed safely to the dock? Delay like that, and when the Chae-do hordes came over, it would all be over!
The underworld bastards might be a pity, but I need to save my own skin first.
But for some reason, instead of thrusting his sword down, Seo Baek spun it in a circle and lowered it.
Wang Yi Sam, baffled, asked,
"You gonna save 'em?"
"Yes."
"Even those underworld snakes who might stab us in the back anytime?"
"Doesn't matter. If they betray us, we'll deal with them then."
"Tch."
The assassins, oblivious that Seo Baek had raised and lowered his sword once, kept retreating while fending off the Chae-do.
Then they leaped back toward the mast.
Soon after, they landed on the dock via the mast and watchtower.
Once all the assassins had crossed, Seo Baek held his sword vertically and stabbed three times at the watchtower's connecting base.
Crack, crack, crack.
Kwajik. The pillar embedded deep in the ground shattered, spraying fragments as it snapped.
The barge was still drifting slowly forward, naturally pulling the tangled mast and watchtower sections in opposite directions.
The splintered pillar of the watchtower slowly began to rip free.
Kwajik. Wooduduk.
Once the pillar fully tore out, the bridge linking the dock and barge would vanish.
The Chae-do charged toward the mast, broad daos in hand.
But as they shoved and jostled to climb the fallen mast, they began tumbling one by one into the canal.
Splash. Kee-eek.
Yet the Chae-do kept charging onto the mast like they were sprinting across flat ground. The mast had grown even shakier and more unstable since Seo Baek first crossed.
In the end, the Chae-do could barely advance a few steps before repeatedly plummeting into the canal.
Watching this, Seo Baek thought,
Absorbing blood boosts their strength temporarily, but it has nothing to do with their martial prowess.
The mast and watchtower trembled like aspen leaves.
But with first-rate lightness skill, crossing would be no issue. Even second-rate would allow them to crawl across, ugly as it might be.
The Chae-do, however, kept blindly climbing the mast, failing to pass the tangled section with the watchtower, and falling in droves.
Their strength had surged enough to cleave an assassin's sword with broad daos. Yet it didn't mean their lightness skills, forms, or overall martial level had improved.
When facing blood-fed revenants in the future, avoid direct clashes, and it should be manageable.
Valuable intel.
As the Chae-do struggled to cross to the dock, the assassins sighed in relief.
"Phew, barely made it."
"Nice one, kid."
But unlike the others, Dohwa Gwang narrowed his eyes sharply and rasped,
"Kid, you were gonna drop that watchtower before we got here, right?"
At his words, the assassins squinted at Seo Baek.
Seo Baek replied indifferently,
"Yes."
"What? So you don't give a damn if we live or die?"
"Yes. Why should I?"
"You little...!"
Dohwa Gwang, about to explode, was left speechless.
Save your own neck first by cutting the bridge to block the enemy. Who cares about those left behind?
That was everyday life in the underworld, wasn't it?
Besides, he couldn't complain about it being heartless—they'd boarded the barge to kill Seo Baek.
"In the murim, everyone fends for themselves. Look after your own life."
"......"
Cold, unyielding words. Irrefutable ones at that.
From a boy not yet twenty, they carried the weight of a peak master who had secluded for decades before venturing into the jianghu.
As Seo Baek faced off with the assassins, Song Hyeon gestured with his chin and said,
"The situation isn't over yet."
Seo Baek had split one pillar, but the watchtower hadn't fully collapsed.
Built from tough wood with the pillar sunk deep into the earth, it clung stubbornly even as it crumbled.
This pulled the entangled mast, slowly dragging the barge toward shore.
Like tying a rope to the straight-drifting barge.
It veered gradually from the current, tracing a widening arc—straight toward the dock's side if unchanged.
But the real crisis was elsewhere.
The Su-ro-chae's Chae-do, shoving like blood ghosts to cross the mast.
Now they were crossing single file, one by one.
At the tricky tangled section, they clung to debris and lay flat. Then those behind stepped on their comrades' backs to cross.
As if the revenants had formed a human bridge with their bodies.
"N-No way... that's possible...?"
Wang Yi Sam muttered, swallowing hard. The other assassins felt the same, even if silent.
Had their intelligence grown along with their strength?
How...?
Song Hyeon, as if answering their curiosity, said,
"A Commander is manipulating the revenants."
"Commander?"
"We call those revenants who control blood ghosts via mental command 'Commanders.'"
Dohwa Gwang asked, and Song Hyeon replied.
One assassin nodded and added,
"Heard rumors. Some revenants mentally control others."
"......"
As one assassin chimed in, they all swallowed and fell silent.
"Then we ain't got time! Let's haul ass!"
Wang Yi Sam shouted.
That sparked them all.
The group turned and bolted away from the barge.
The dock bordered a village nearby.
Village in name only—it was city-sized.
As a canal hub linking Anhui Province, its streets featured wide boulevards lined with countless buildings.
Yet no lights flickered, and the silence was so deep a pin drop would echo.
Eerie streets. With revenants rampant, people had fled or turned into them.
Wang Yi Sam glanced around and muttered,
"Damn, feels like ghosts gonna pop out."
Then the lead Seo Baek clenched his fist and halted. Signal to stop.
"Junior, what's up?"
"Revenants ahead. Not just one or two."
"......!"
Seo Baek explained three ways to evade revenants to the assassins.
As expected, Dohwa Gwang smirked and dismissed it.
"Hold your breath and stay blank-faced? That really fools 'em?"
"Yes."
"Come on, if dodging revenants was that easy, why's the Central Plains overrun?"
"Believe it or not, your call."
Seo Baek's group took a deep breath, held it, and resumed moving.
The assassins exchanged glances, then followed one by one.
Hard to buy it.
But ignore it and get caught? Their loss. Even if bullshit, no harm in trying.
As the other three followed, Dohwa Gwang shook his head and held his breath.
"Tch, can't be the only one sittin' out. Hup!"
Wang Yi Sam smirked at Dohwa Gwang's bravado crumbling, then startled—remembered the blank face. He bit his lip hard.
Seo Baek's trio plus four assassins—seven total—followed his signals through the darkened streets.
Seo Baek at front sent hand signs to those behind.
Fist clenched for danger—stop.
Index and middle fingers forward—no issue, advance.
Twist fingers for turns at forks.
Simple, perfect for directions.
Dawn was still hours away.
Streets pitch-black, grotesque shadows staggering in moonlight here and there.
Revenants patrolling the streets!
Seo Baek had halted his Shika Heart Method.
Activating it would clear his vision for easier travel. But with time limits, he saved it for necessities.
Even without, footsteps and presence let him dodge revenants easily.
Yet the dock village was vast—harder to gauge in darkness.
They'd traveled far but still navigated streets, not escaped the city.
Suddenly, Seo Baek stopped.
"Something's off."
Wang Yi Sam seized the chance to breathe and asked,
"What?"
"We're circling the same spot."
Seo Baek pointed to the left wall and right building.
"Passed here before a cup of tea ago, and we're back."
"I see."
Song Hyeon nodded too.
Wang Yi Sam saw just wall and building, but trusted them and shut up.
"Revenants block every fork, forcing turns—back where we started."
Dohwa Gwang sneered,
"No wonder it's taking forever. Lost, huh? Kekeke."
But Seo Baek replied flatly,
"Unlikely."
"Then what?"
"A hunt."
"What?"
"The revenants are herding us one way."
"......!"
Dohwa Gwang, mid-sneer, shut up in shock.
"The Commander."
"Seems so."
Song Hyeon spoke, and Seo Baek nodded agreement.
"That Commander you mentioned? The one mind-controlling revenants?"
"Yes. It's using them to trap us in the city."
"Damn, that can't be real..."
"As I said—believe or not, up to you."
Song Hyeon spoke indifferently, ignored Dohwa Gwang, and turned to Seo Baek.
"Stay put, and we'll be found. Keep moving."
"Where to?"
"This way first."
Song Hyeon took lead now.
The group followed.
He wove through alleys and corners, then halted and entered a house.
"We'll replan here."
The brick house was spacious inside—once home to wealth before the outbreak.
Sturdily built, windows intact; no revenant traces after checking rooms.
Perfect spot to catch breath and scheme evasion.
"As long as the Commander controls the horde, escaping the city won't be easy."
"So what now?"
"We'll find the Commander."
"What? How?"
"Simple."
Dohwa Gwang scowled, and Song Hyeon replied flatly,
"I know where it is."