Chapter 11
Chapter 11
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 11
Chapter Title: I Decide What the Standard Is
----------------------------------------------------------------- ◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ 1.
The game had come to a halt after clearing the first field.
The second hand of the gray, frozen world.
The closed world’s time began to move the moment the Silent Swordmaster appeared.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙
You have cleared the Tutorial Field: Corpse Hill. From now on, you can select a field to challenge or change your strategy location midway. However, after a certain amount of time, unique events will automatically occur in each field. This may result in friendly NPCs dying or hostile NPCs being strengthened. Remember: the moment caution holds you back, someone will pay the price.
Hae Eung-eung thought.
Not bad. This game knows how to use its head.
'Famous games really are on another level.' Game structure premised on multiple playthroughs.
Players with weak skills.
They suffer losses during progression,
and challenge this brutal world again to create a better outcome.
On the other hand, the truly skilled.
They sharpen their blades to achieve results superior to anyone else's.
A timeline event system that captures both story and gameplay, creating Half-Demon Gorge's unique fun.
Thanks to that, choosing from the options that appeared right after leaving Corpse Hill was incredibly tricky. 【Three-Way Path Choice】 [1. Follow the collapsed fortress and the smell of rusted iron.] [2. Follow the dark red river downstream.] [3. Head to the shrine entrance marked by crimson torii gates.] Collapsed fortress and blood riverbank, path to the shrine.
Multiple choices evoke ominous imaginings.
Is there a right answer among them?
Anxiety that picking wrong might lead to disaster.
'There are hints.'
Intelligence boasting superior stats thanks to numerous spirit herbs.
Murim-era lofty intelligence now stuck at '[Intelligence] 35' due to body reset.
Even the remnants of intelligence that glimpsed heavenly principles revealed clues to the right answer. 【Story Characters】 1. Mysterious Wanderer 2. [Unavailable] (Unlock: Defeat the first boss.) 3. [Unavailable] (Unlock: Reach the Hermit's Temple.) 4. [Unavailable] (Unlock: Encounter the Swamp Sage.) *New Characters: Unlock all above to reveal conditions for new story characters. The unlock list seen during character creation.
For standard game progression,
it's a list telling what to aim for.
Among the three paths, the most fitting place.
The shrine entrance.
Find the Hermit's Temple, obtain what's prepared there for the player,
then head downstream to find the Swamp Sage.
That's probably the right answer.
Hae Eung-eung figured it was 80-90% likely.
'That's for newbie players. Has nothing to do with me.'
She already possessed martial arts.
Whatever was prepared for her,
she doubted if it was truly necessary.
Fixed timeline.
In this game where time is more precious than gold,
chasing uncertain aid,
might be better to just encounter the Swamp Sage directly.
'Shall we go, then.' [▶ Follow the dark red river downstream.] [Entering field 'Blood-Clogged Aqueduct'.] A decision made with calculations and conviction on her part.
Viewers exploding with hooks in real-time,
their outfits ripping from the shock.
Hae Eung-eung had no way of knowing their feelings.
2. ⚔ STATUS ⚔ [V-Tube New BJ] [Silent Swordmaster has started broadcasting.] [Game – Half-Demon Gorge (Similar)] [Playtime – 00:19:12] [Broadcast Time – 00:00:01] ⚔ STATUS ⚔ 👥 Followers: 10,522 👁 Viewers: 1,090 The Silent Swordmaster was back.
It had been a full ten days since the last broadcast, but viewers who had followed her channel swarmed in like enraged hyenas.
Viewers broke 1,000 instantly at start.
Most had watched other streamers' Half-Demon Gorge plays or tried the game themselves.
Knowing how hard it was, they rated the Silent Swordmaster even higher. 💬 Live Chat — Viewer ? — Viewer ? — Viewer Why not the shrine? The hooks didn't stop either.
This wasn't the standard route. — Viewer No way she's skipping skills!! — Viewer How far with starting items!! The Silent Swordmaster doesn't follow the standard.
Viewers knew that from the last broadcast.
Or thought they did. — Viewer Not going to the successor? — Viewer No brewing skill = no skills — Viewer Healing items? — Viewer Won't get 'em Even so, there's a limit.
Shrine entrance essential for first playthrough: items, unlocks, comfort.
Ignoring it all—can the game even progress?
Most viewers were gripped by doubt. — Viewer Thanks viewers for joining Silent Swordmaster mk1. See you soon with mk2. — Viewer Going there without poison resist brew lol ⭐ Top Comment — Viewer Silent Swordmaster class: charging braindead into fields others reach on 4th try — Viewer Didn't look up any guides huh — Viewer Love it actually — Viewer Smells like noob vibes, nice — Viewer How long till she lasts? — Viewer 1 min — Viewer But Swordmaster class, 5 min at least They acknowledged her physical prowess.
But.
Blood-Clogged Aqueduct crossed the line.
No tool unlocks,
no skill unlocks,
no blessings,
just base gear—too hard.
If she had a poison-resist brew strategy item, maybe—but no.
— Viewer: “One bad breath and you’re bleeding DoT to death.”
— Viewer: “Patterns brutal as hell too.”
— Viewer: “Silent Swordmaster’s human side…”
Even this insane physical newbie is human after all.
— Viewer: “?”
— Viewer: “?”
— Viewer: “One-shot? Why?”
— Viewer: “??”
— Viewer: “No DoT?”
Such predictions were absurdly betrayed.
Only then did viewers realize.
Whose broadcast they were watching.
Silent Swordmaster.
The master who carves her own path, unbound by others' standards.
3. [Story Mode] Vast riverbank.
Dark red-stained soil.
Blood-Clogged Aqueduct on the crimson riverbank.
Monstrous creatures coming and going.
Armed with bone-sharpened spears.
Covered in scales, membranes, gills.
Their repulsive name came to mind. [Water Ghost ??] Unlike the tutorial field,
a gloomy narration flowed, as if to instill fear. ⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [From the aqueduct where these unclean things reveal themselves, foul wind blows.] [The stench, undefeatable even by fishy water smells, permeates.] [Faint screams heighten the fear—this demonic realm is the Blood-Clogged Aqueduct.] Whoooosh ⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [And now.] [The wind shifts, carrying your scent to the Water Ghosts.] [Facing these crude spear-wielding Water Ghosts, you must decide.] [Chase the faint screams with courage] [Or retreat, deeming it a wind-borne warning.] The warning ended provocatively, returning body control. [Player Mode] An armed human is three times stronger than unarmed.
Overwhelming range advantage, no damage to self,
unilaterally inflicting harm.
And the foes are half-demons.
Unlike unarmed blood ghosts, spear-wielding Water Ghosts.
First-time players at Blood-Clogged Aqueduct struggle with spear reach.
'Not that impressive.'
Common trials have nothing to do with Hae Eung-eung.
Clashing spear and sword once gauged their power.
Despite fancy name Water Ghost,
no spear technique finesse,
water-bloated bodies can't exert proper strength.
Foes without skill or power?
Just toys.
Clang!
Water Ghost lost spear grip in one strike.
Unarmed Water Ghost's neck severed repeatedly.
Headless corpse suddenly ballooned like a balloon.
Suspicious? Avoid first.
Following Murim adage, she stepped back.
Corpse burst, spraying rotten gas and flesh everywhere.
Pour...
Plop plop.
A faint-hearted person might scream and faint.
Hae Eung-eung just frowned.
Good memories hard to recall.
Bad ones always quick.
Similar experience in Murim.
Infamous black path masters.
Known in jianghu as Black Path Three Kings.
One, Poison King Dugoseong, founded Poison King Sect after his title.
Poison Sect members emitted toxins rotting surrounding soil even in death.
'Disgusting trash.'
Viewing Nine Yin Vein Blockage patients as mere yin-tonic herbs.
Using disciples as expendables to claim her.
One-sided grudge from Dugoseong's greed ended after annihilating countless poison folk and one city.
'Different realm, same counter.'
Poison folk contaminating all touched ground.
To eradicate cursed kin,
slay their producer, the Poison King.
Water Ghosts akin to poison folk.
Find and kill the leader demon feeding them blood, turning them half-demon.
Sword tip angled.
Vibrating with resonant fury. — Viewer One bad breath and you're bleeding DoT to death — Viewer Patterns brutal af too — Viewer Silent Swordmaster's human side Silent Swordmaster's feat ends here,
viewers judged by common sense.
An unforeseen turn they couldn't predict. — Viewer ? — Viewer ? — Viewer No DoT? — Patriot Swordsman Yi He-chan Donated 10,000 won! Holding breath out of gas range, then one breath slices all Water Ghosts. No poison resist brew to block poison.
Expected to cough blood and die soon.
Silent Swordmaster’s survival.
— Viewer: “He-chan oppa simping again?”
— Viewer: “Insane, fighting while holding your breath?”
— Viewer: “How do you fight holding your breath?”
— Viewer: “Deep breath, then go ham.”
— Viewer: “Tried holding my breath at home, nearly died in 20 seconds.”
— Viewer: “Quit the smokes, dude.”
— Viewer: “So Swordmaster doesn’t smoke?”
— Viewer: “Oh.”
— Viewer: “Oh, she’s good lol.”
— Viewer: “One-shots everything anyway, holding breath is easy.”
— Viewer: “Lol, if not taking one minute per ghost like us, doable.”
No essential strategy items.
No skill unlocks for Water Ghost sweeps.
No strategy info gathering.
Not following a single standard,
combat established solely on Silent Swordmaster's skill. — 2Dahye Donated 10,000 won! Too many ghosts dying in one spot, clears gas mid-fight with sword pressure. — Left-Handed Donated 10,000 won! Uh don't go in there... all dead? Wait, shouldn't do that... all dead?? — BreakingNewsChung Donated 10,000 won! Breaking) Silent Swordmaster legend updating live Tutorial miracle.
Flawless prowess beyond perfect.
Unfolded once more in Blood-Clogged Aqueduct. ◇◇◇◆◇◇◇