The General of Human Fall

Lately, rather tedious days had dragged on. While the nearby great sects and masters had formed an alliance to hold off the monsters' invasion, concentrating all their forces in one place made their eventual collapse all the more devastating. The fall was as agonizingly painful as the sheer weight of what they carried on their backs.

With all their Samgeuk experts dead, a counterattack was out of the question. They had no choice but to pack up their sects' treasures and flee. Of course, even that was a luxury reserved only for those capable of it.

Except for a few sects that possessed the strength to fend off the pursuers or were lucky enough to shake off the encirclement, escaping unscathed was ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠practically impossible. Especially since Gang Hayun—who had recently officially received the title of **General of Human Fall** and the status of Elder—refused to let them escape. It was as if he harbored some secret, deep-seated hatred for humanity, slaughtering the fleeing cultivators with terrifying momentum.

And he didn't just chase them down and kill them. He bought up all other human captives, even paying a premium, yet he didn't indulge in sadism to satisfy some twisted pleasure. He killed as if the act of killing itself was the sole purpose, without a single word of mockery.

Among the soldiers, rumors spread that the general had been consumed by demonic nature while ascending to Samgeuk, or that he was possessed by an evil spirit. While monsters who hated humans were everywhere, and most monsters loved killing humans, this went far beyond the norm.

Hence, his title: **Inrak**, the **Human Fall**. It came from the way he made the lives of human cultivators fall like autumn leaves.

Of course, the man himself felt wronged. Seriously, of all the cool titles out there, why did they have to give me this one? The supposedly ruthless General of Human Fall had complained, "Well, it's not like I can kill my fellow monsters, can I?" But naturally, as stories passed from mouth to mouth, they were bound to be distorted.

Before long, the rumor mutated into: The General of Human Fall is on the verge of going mad with bloodlust, but since he can't kill his allies, he's barely holding himself back by slaughtering humans instead. When Hayun heard this, he was dumbfounded, but since he had been hunting down humans like rats, he had no excuse and simply ignored it.

Honestly, he was the one who played a major role in crushing the alliance and committing mass slaughter, and he didn't just hunt down the fleeing survivors—he poured money into buying them up. From an outsider's perspective, it was a perfectly reasonable conclusion. He couldn't exactly complain and say, Actually, I'm killing them to awaken the Demon King sealed inside my body.

Thus, the great enemy of humanity, suffering from this slander that wasn't quite slander—the worst monster in human history, a ticking time bomb of war filled with uncontrollable hatred and bloodlust—the General of Human Fall was visited by a group of Dokkaebi.

Considering his terrifying reputation made even fellow monsters reluctant to approach his quarters, this was highly unusual. However, upon seeing the Gang family banner fluttering openly for all to see, everyone nodded in understanding. The higher-ups must have something to discuss.

"Welcome, Inner Hall Elder. If I recall correctly, your name is Gi Susa."

"I would like to tell you to treat me comfortably, but I cannot do so."

Hayun clinked his teacup as he brewed tea, lost in thought. What? Is he saying he's going to ruin me so I can't be comfortable? No, that can't be. He shook off the absurd delusion. Lately, with the experience point fever time open, he had been killing so much that his thoughts naturally drifted in that direction.

In a case like this, it usually meant an authority higher than himself was involved. Sure enough, the square-jawed, middle-aged man, Gi Susa, pulled an elegant bamboo scroll from his robes, unfurled it, and began to speak in a booming voice.

"From this moment, I speak not only by the order of the Family Head but also as the messenger of the allied forces of Yagwi City's three great factions. Know that the words from my mouth represent the will of the Gang family and the three great powers."

"Yes. I am listening."

He wondered if he should kneel like in historical dramas, but judging by the reaction, that didn't seem necessary. Well, unless it was the City Lord, it would be a bit much to ask a fellow Samgeuk practitioner to kneel. In this world, whether monster or human, the higher a cultivator's realm, the higher their pride.

If you had to keep bowing and scraping and kneeling even after reaching Samgeuk, you'd rather just leave and start your own faction out of sheer disgust. Still, since the messenger carried the backing of the three great factions, he couldn't just stand there stiffly. He showed just enough courtesy to avoid looking servile, which seemed to satisfy the elder.

"...These rewards shall be granted as compensation for this war, and we hope you will continue to devote yourself to becoming a pillar of our race. Here is your General's Token and the rewards from the three great factions."

"Ah, I accept them with gratitude. The alliance's generosity is truly extraordinary."

He hadn't actually heard what the rewards were. The Qi Circulation realm lackeys standing politely behind the elder had set down some chests, but he could check those later.

'Are they helpful to me?'

'Aw, the rewards are too stingy.'

Considering the Samgeuk experts he had killed and the scale of the city they had captured, it felt a bit lacking.

Well, if it were him, he would have consumed any precious elixir immediately too. Putting his disappointment aside, Gi Susa adopted a slightly more relaxed posture. He then dismissed the attendants lined up behind him.

"You may leave now. From this point on, this is an affair of the Gang family, not the alliance."

"Yes, Elder."

"Museo. Bring that."

"Yes, Elder."

The attendants busied themselves and left. Finally, only members of the Gang family remained in the house. Elder Gi cast a subtle glance toward the ceiling, seemingly noticing Hayun's women in the room above.

"Are they all members of the Gang family? Haha, I sense a few who are not Dokkaebi."

"They are all my women and my people. Do not worry."

"If you say so, then I shall speak freely."

He shed some of his earlier solemnity. However, he soon pulled a letter from his robes and handed it over. Under his expectant, heavy gaze, Hayun unfurled it with a snap.

"Mmh."

The content, as expected, started with generic praise and compliments. He thought monsters would be more straightforward, but they still maintained formal etiquette. In other words, it was a pain to read. Still, at least they didn't beat around the bush, which was a relief.

"What do you think?"

"I accept. It is only natural that I should do so."

Gi Susa nodded happily, as if he hadn't even considered the possibility of a refusal. Well, there wasn't much to it anyway. It was basically an invitation to come to the main estate for his official Elder appointment ceremony.

The Gang family must be in a tight spot. They knew he would eventually reach Samgeuk, but who could have guessed it would happen this quickly? They were probably just as flustered. They had warned him not to aim for the position of Young Patriarch, but now that he had practically crippled Gang Su-gong and Gang So-ye during this war, they would have a lot to say.

Of course, he was completely unbothered. If he declared that Sister Hayeon was the Young Patriarch he supported, what could they do about it? They were busy with the war; were they really going to punish him? He'd just play the victim. If they tried to suppress him, he'd desert on the spot.

"However, please give me a little time."

"Why is that? Being appointed as an Elder of the family is an immense honor... Just by being appointed, you will be allowed to take one item of your choice from the main family's Gold-grade library."

I've already been there once. Hayun offered a genial smile, taking a leisurely sip of his tea as if there was absolutely no rush.

"Since I have just reached this realm, my foundation is not yet fully stable, and I wish to consolidate my current insights. Furthermore, given my current position, I cannot simply leave my post immediately."

"Then how much time will you require?"

He paused as if contemplating, though internally he was busy consulting Ryeo-ah.

'Hey, should we run?'

'How much?'

He found it absurd how Ryeo-ah spoke of advancing realms as if calling a stray dog, but he couldn't deny her logic. Having reached the extreme of Qi, it was now time to reach the extreme of the Body.

Since he had been preparing diligently for a long time, and by scraping together the massive rewards and spoils of war, he was confident he could make the breakthrough smoothly. He had originally intended to reach Samgeuk through his physical body, only to end up reaching it through Qi first by chance.

"Please give me just one ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠year to settle things."

"Understood."

He accepted surprisingly readily. Ah, right—their lifespans were ridiculously long. Unlike those in the Qi Circulation realm, to someone guaranteed longevity like a Samgeuk practitioner, a year was barely a blink of an eye.

After seeing Gi Susa off, Hayun immediately began sorting through the massive pile of treasures in his storage.

Although buying up the captives had cost a fortune, his pockets were even deeper. He hadn't sold a single one of his truly precious treasures.

Using his authority as a General, he visited a famous alchemist whose appointments were booked solid for the next ten years. A month later, he left with his newly refined pills, sent off respectfully by the alchemist.

"Why didn't you refine this yourself instead of leaving it to someone else?"

Calling it a trivial chore was a bit much, considering the master alchemist had been sweating bullets and looking utterly overwhelmed.

"I'm counting on you."

"Do not worry, just focus on your cultivation."

"As long as you keep your promise, I will protect you even at the cost of my life."

"This concubine will not take her eyes off you for even a single moment."

Before attempting his breakthrough, he entered secluded cultivation and asked them to guard him. To the outside world, he was merely stabilizing his realm and recovering.

The ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠reliable faces offered him encouraging smiles, and Hayun settled comfortably into a lotus position before swallowing the pills.

The pills made from the inner cores of the two flame eagle spirit beasts. Various body-nourishing elixirs plundered from the storehouses of the human cultivator alliance. A special solution made from rare monster parts and unique catalysts designed to ease the physical body past its limits.

With Ryeo-ah's assistance on top of all that... this might actually be easier than when he broke through the limits of Qi.

Rumble— The three mountain peaks merged in perfect harmony. Perhaps because he had already reached the extreme of controlling Qi, guiding the three distinct elemental peaks to melt and seep into his physical body felt remarkably smooth.

Several hurdles that would have definitely given him a hard time before he reached the extreme of Qi now seemed like mere minor obstacles.

'Well, she did say my chances were quite high to begin with.'

With an even richer array of auxiliary elixirs than before, combined with the insight and experience of already having reached Samgeuk once, it was only natural.

'I will absolutely succeed!'

Sometime later, a terrifying explosion echoed from the residence of the General of Human Fall, Gang Hayun. Various rumors began to circulate, but in the end, no one ever reached the truth—that he had achieved the second extreme of Samgeuk just a few months after reaching the first. Instead, the rumors of the blood-crazed General of Human Fall only grew wilder.

"Welcome, Hayun! My son! No, wait, Elder Gang Hayun!"

Why the hell are you here? Right after completing a thrilling breakthrough, a wild Gang Baek-jin had been rocket-delivered right in front of him. Fuck. He had a bad feeling about this.

"F— Father?"

"Haha! Since you seem to prefer the intimacy of our father-son relationship, I shall address you comfortably, my son!... By the way, Hayun."

"Uh... since it's been a while, how about giving your admirable son some allowance?"

Gang Baek-jin placed a hand on his shoulder. Though his mouth was curved into a warm, fatherly smile, he couldn't quite hide the bewilderment and suspicion in his eyes.

"Unless my eyes are playing tricks on me, it looks like you've reached the second extreme, not just the first... Care to explain?"

Hayun pondered for a moment, then cupped his hands politely like a child begging for pocket money, his eyes sparkling with feigned innocence.

"I'll tell you if you give me some allowance."

".....Fine. Follow me for now."

Please just fuck off.