Chapter 983
Chapter 983
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 983
Chapter Title: Radiant Ascension Path
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"The trial on the fifth floor will begin in one shichen from now. The trial is survival—lasting ten days. You cannot withdraw midway from the fifth floor trial. Anyone planning to quit, do so within the next shichen."
Several people muttered gravely, their faces etched with worry.
The Manmu Tower opened once every ten years, and as long as you met the age limit, repeat participation was allowed. The problem was that the trials changed each time, so prior experience offered little advantage.
"...I'll bow out. I've felt the limits of my skills and realized how lacking my talents are. I'm heading back home to till the fields."
"This Manmu Tower seems tougher than rumored. I'll aim for next time."
"I'm injured. If fighting breaks out, it'll just be a dog's death. I'm out."
A fair number chose to quit—around 5,000 by count. The departing ronin ebbed away like the tide, but plenty of tower entrants remained.
"The shichen has passed, as announced. The fifth floor trial begins now. Survive the ten days however you can."
General Baewoon vanished without a backward glance.
Silence blanketed the fifth floor.
"Yu-jin, what do we do?"
Sung Ji-gon asked. I scanned our surroundings. The air was sharp with tension—like a powder keg waiting for a spark. One explosion, and we might face hundreds or thousands.
"Check our emergency rations and drinking water. Especially the water. Otherwise, just stay vigilant."
"Got it. Rations should be fine—we've got what we brought plus the extras I prepped."
Sung Ji-gon returned shortly after.
"Emergency rations are plenty. Water's a bit short, though."
"How short?"
"We can easily last a week."
"Okay. I'll handle it."
"Yu-jin, want some of this? Tastes better than you'd think."
Sung Ji-gon held up a round pill. Biegok Pills—famous emergency rations in this world. High in calories, but tasting like dirt.
"Pass."
I whipped my head around and glared at a man. He froze mid-eavesdropping, then brazenly shuffled off. His clothes were ragged, skin grimy, hair unwashed for months at least.
No ordinary beggar ends up here. Beggar's Sect?
Beggar's Sect.
The beggar faction—one of the Nine Great Sects and Eight Great Clans common in wuxia tales. This world had them too, but they weren't as renowned as in those stories.
...Not every martial beggar belongs to the Sect, though.
I ignored the beggar. He wasn't the only one spying. We'd already become prime targets around here.
A day passed. I noticed more eyes on us.
These guys' food and water are running low. They're fine for now, but cornered rats bite. A barrier would help, but it's just open plains nearby. Others have claimed the trees...
Another day went by. Iron Ox Group's leader, Jin Gu-eon, looked gravely serious. He felt the murderous vibe too.
"Sung Yu-jin, sir. The mood's off. They might come at us for real. We need to prepare."
"Prepare how?"
I shot back.
"......"
Jin Gu-eon fell silent. The area was wide-open grassland—no cover, no options.
"Just keep a good night watch."
"Yes, sir."
Two more days passed. Things shifted on the fifth floor. Factions formed among the entrants, rallying people with food and water. Temporary alliances—or more like hires.
Trading some rations to protect the rest by hiring muscle.
They weren't idiots. Fighting over food risked injury, hurting only themselves. They were barely on the fifth floor—their minimum goal was the seventh for spirit weapons.
"Yu-jin, this is getting dangerous, right? If they all rush us at once, even we couldn't handle it."
Sung Ji-gon fidgeted with his sword hilt. Hungry eyes gleamed around us. One wrong move, and it'd erupt.
"Time to step up."
I strode forward boldly and bellowed.
"I'm selling food and water starting now! Cash or trade accepted!"
My booming voice drew stares. People swarmed like they'd been waiting.
"Selling food and water? Why buy when we can kill you and take it?"
"Perfect timing. No talk—hand it over for free."
"You think your numbers can take us all?"
They swaggered, banking on their crowd. I smirked.
"Fresh suicide squad, huh? Didn't you see on day one? What, brain-dead? Watched whatever-it-was explode against me?"
I raised my palm. Crackle-crackle. Blue lightning danced atop it—an impossibility for ordinary warriors. Their eyes wavered, tension spiking.
"I could slaughter every last one of you. But no point, so I'm not. If you ain't buying, scram."
I slammed the lightning to the ground. It erupted skyward like an inverted bolt—a pillar of thunder. Fear etched their faces.
"......We'll buy. What's the price?"
"Not much. I've got a conscience—fair rates. Oh, no cash or goods? Labor works too."
"Hiring us?"
"Problem?"
"None. That's what we want. But only till the fifth floor trial ends."
Over 800 gathered before me. No buyers—just hires. I took them all. When supplies dipped, I discreetly pulled more from inventory.
The tension eased.
Full bellies, no thirst—bodies relaxed. No blood needed shedding.
"Yu-jin, was this your plan all along?"
"Yeah. Fifth floor's survival, not competition. No need to swing swords."
"Saves hassle, but 800's too many. Half—no, 500 would've sufficed."
"The more lackeys, the better. Know where power comes from basically? Numbers. And..."
"And?"
"General Baewoon said survive. If nothing happens, a ten-day survival trial's boring."
"True. Even entry realm holds out ten days hungry—weakens you, but doesn't kill."
Day five of the trial. Trouble hit. At the plains' edge, demon dogs appeared—hundreds, tiger-sized with gray fur and blood-red eyes charging.
Manmu Tower unleashed them on purpose. Now it's a real trial.
Warriors drew swords in shock, clashing with the dogs.
"Demon dogs!!"
"Don't scatter! Group up! They're faster—aim for counters!"
"Bellies are weak points! Go for the guts!"
Most here were ronin, and no ronin lacked demon dog experience. Common beasts.
But their numbers overwhelmed. A few warriors died.
"Yu-jin, should we help?"
"Nah. They handle demon dogs themselves—that's why I fed and hired 'em."
"Damn, hands itching..."
"Bored? Go play. Won't stop you."
"......Be right back."
Sung Ji-gon had focused on absorbing spirit herbs since the fifth floor. Human nature—wanting to test gains. He charged the dogs, swinging his blade.
Ji-gon's at Release realm. Not facing hundreds alone—no big risk.
I sipped soda, watching quietly.
An hour later, it ended. Warriors slumped, panting. Faces grim.
They know this is just the start.
Halfway through the ten days. Half to go.
Next day, more dogs—over twenty warriors dead. The day after, shadow demons mixed in—over forty down. Grumbles erupted.
"Hey! Why aren't you fighting? You're the strongest here! If you'd joined, deaths would've been way less!"
A bandit-type barked at me. Not alone—rabble clustered behind, feigning boldness but reeking of fear.
A real bold one would've come solo.
I rose from my chair. They flinched.
"Why not me? Hired you to handle annoyances like this. You took precious food and water—earn it before complaining."
"...We just want some help from you."
"Oh? Answer's simple: no."
"That's how you treat us? We're the ones who'd be fine if we left."
"Doubt it. Leave if you want. Got anywhere to go? Food?"
"......"
"I hired you fair and square. Don't forget. Now back off and eat."
"You're the worst. Sung Yu-jin, right? You've got power, no honor. You'll regret this."
"What's your name?"
"...Great Axe Warm Hero Ha Mun-so. From Henan."
Great Axe Warm Hero. New nickname. Not all monikers mean elite—strongmen pick 'em up easy in the jianghu. Fame's separate, and most exaggerate.
"Hero in your title? Impressive. Got the honor, but no power showing. Quit showboating. Survived somehow so far, but powerless honor's just bluff."
"Plenty talked big to me. Most didn't last long."
"Must've met morons."
"...We'll follow for this trial—hired fact is fact. But not next floor."
Ha Mun-so turned. Two hundred trailed him. Quite the sight.
"Cool..."
Sung Ji-gon muttered beside me.
"Yu-jin, finally met a true hero!"
"True hero my ass. Pure politics."
"Still surprising. Why spare Great Axe Warm Hero? Numbers favor us—500 on our side."
Tsk.
I clicked my tongue, whispering to Sung Ji-gon alone.
"Ji-gon, you're misunderstanding. Our side's just you and me. Others are food-hired hires. They could turn blades on us anytime."
"Ah... Got why you spared him. But Iron Ox Group ain't ours?"
"They're tools. Bet they'll backstab first chance. Hey, you attached to them?"
"Nah. Can kill anytime. Lived with 'em—know now: non-family, no trust."
"Good. Ditch Iron Ox around seventh or eighth. That's their level. Prep till then."
Sung Ji-gon quietly gripped his sword hilt.