Chapter 159
Chapter 159: End of Act One (2)
The typhoon that swept across the Central Plains wasn't only that.
Another gale that swept through the Martial World. That news came rushing from the west.
The fall of Heavenly Demon Castle.
The alliance of Hall of Gathering Evil and Potala Palace. And their sudden execution of a surprise attack.
Heavenly Demon Castle, which had been in a prolonged standoff with the Central Plains, collapsed in an instant due to the betrayal of their ally, Potala Palace. Moreover, Hall of Gathering Evil's military strength was also far more powerful than what had been known.
The allied forces of Hall of Gathering Evil and Potala Palace trampled Xinjiang without hesitation. Before even a month had passed, all of Xinjiang fell into the hands of Hall of Gathering Evil and Potala Palace.
Hall of Gathering Evil Palace Lord Kong Na-chu, who had occupied Xinjiang, fixed his position there. Although the Central Plains, which could be called their home base, was rapidly transforming into a wasteland, he did not return his army.
Was Hall of Gathering Evil satisfied with becoming the only remaining force among the Three Hegemons? Or was it because they had no confidence in stopping the undead legion?
Nothing was certain or knowable.
What was certain was the fact that the last force capable of saving the Central Plains had abandoned it.
Hall of Gathering Evil stood tall in Xinjiang as the sole remaining hegemon, reigning over the Western Heavens.
Neither the Orthodox Path nor the Demonic Path, but the world of Evil.
Though it was an incomplete unification, Hall of Gathering Evil had achieved a great feat that no one had accomplished in the thousand years since Heavenly Demon.
The Central Plains continued to be destroyed by Jiangshi, and the world fell into misery.
Regardless, Hall of Gathering Evil and Potala Palace paid no heed. But that didn't mean they simply remained still while maintaining their position. They too knew all too well that if things continued this way, the Jiangshi would completely devastate the Central Plains and come to Xinjiang and Tibet.
They began building incredibly high walls at all major passages from the Central Plains to Xinjiang and Tibet. In various spots along the walls, they installed all sorts of mechanical devices and deployed formations to prevent infiltrators who had learned Gecko Arts. They appeared to have chosen the path of isolating themselves and blocking the Jiangshi.
For this unprecedented large-scale construction project, they captured people who had fled to the border and enslaved them for forced labor.
Ten Thousand meters Great Wall.
The slaves called that wall by that name. Because it was a wall of despair and severance, they named it that way. Countless people died each day from the various forms of labor.
Yet these people were actually fortunate.
The Central Plains people who belatedly fled west to escape the Jiangshi could only despair before that high and grim cliff and turn back.
Die from running out of food, or die climbing the Ten Thousand meters Great Wall, or die caught by Jiangshi while turning back. In any case, most died.
In such circumstances, the vast majority of Central Plains people who survived fled south, south. In the north were Jiangshi, in the west was the Ten Thousand meters Great Wall, in the east was the sea. Now the only place they could go was south, so they went south.
The Jiangshi Disease that spread like an epidemic had a faster transmission rate than expected. Those who dawdled even a little or chose the wrong escape direction died or became Jiangshi from the disease before reaching the southern end.
Countless people headed south, but truly very few reached the border of the Great Viet Kingdom in the south.
However, the Central Plains people who arrived there after all their hardships had to despair once again.
The Great Viet Kingdom had already closed its borders. Precisely to prevent the spread of Jiangshi Disease in advance.
A small number of Central Plains people tried to secretly cross the border and became porcupines on the spot. To the Great Viet Kingdom, Central Plains people were now nothing more than potential Jiangshi.
Thus opinions diverged among the survivors.
Some insisted they must risk their lives to cross the Great Viet Kingdom's border, some said they should build ships and go out to sea, and others threw tantrums saying they should go to the northern end now and cross the desert.
Jiangshi were now rampant everywhere, and the spread of Jiangshi Disease was still fast.
Naturally, they didn't have much time.
When there's no time, divergence of opinions inevitably brings conflict and division.
Those who had united for the single goal of survival now scattered in all directions because of that goal.
People with matching opinions gathered together and disappeared here and there. Naturally, countless casualties occurred in the process.
But humans are animals of adaptation who survive by adapting in their own way whether lacking or struggling. That cruel era also became a stage for new heroes to be born.
Family Head Paeng of the Hebei Paeng Family who founded Five Tiger Gate-Breaking Saber, Hegemon Star Paeng Ho-ryu.
The heroine who excellently led and guided the survivors, Fairy of the Martial World Namgung Hye.
The disciple of Murim Alliance Secret Service Lord Soldier Eccentric, Pyeong Wi-rang.
And various other young heroes.
The front waves of the Yangtze River suddenly dried up, but the rear waves naturally filled that place.
Though it was a small hope, the Central Plains ultimately survived.
As a side note, later historians agreed that the reason these rising stars survived and could lead others was because of 'Dong Guang-chuan's death.'
However, the conflicting opinions on whether it was a true sacrifice or a coincidence that occurred as an extension of slaughter became a topic that would never cease even in the 'New Murim' that would later be revived.
***
"Heavenly Madness."
"Yes, Mubon. Please command me."
"It has been nearly a thousand years since I died today."
"..."
"The Grand Plan has failed."
"...I am deeply sorry."
"No. It is my fault for not anticipating that someone like me... a comrade and a descendant of Heavenly Demon would appear again in this era. I endured and waited for truly such a long time. Holding my breath and waiting for a thousand years..."
"..."
"I must wait another thousand years. Right here in this tall mausoleum."
"I shall protect it."
"Do so. In any case, to spend another long, long time of a thousand years, one needs at least one comrade to endure together. However."
Mubon paused for a moment.
"I don't know if the other young ones can endure it. They're all full of youthful vigor."
"I shall silence them all."
"Hoo hoo hoo. There will be no need for that. The world is already ruined. Those things called Jiangshi that I never anticipated have occupied the world. Moreover, infectious Jiangshi... Isn't it a truly terrifying world? If they cannot bear it and want to roam the world, let them do so. However, dying and becoming Jiangshi will also be their own choice and responsibility. If Gwang-un were here, it would have been good if that child could have joined us, but without that child... now you alone are sufficient as my conversation partner."
"Yes, Mubon. I accept your command."
"In any case, from this moment, Mubon temporarily ceases activity. Until I awaken again."
Could he properly and safely revive after a thousand years?
It was still unknown. That was a story for a distant thousand years later.
Mubon thus fell into another long, long sleep.
Thus the time of the Central Plains would flow on.
***
Hoooooowwwl.
Wind blows across the wilderness.
It might have been somewhat warm wind in the past, but not anymore.
Biting wind whoosh-whoosh swept between the small huts spread across the field. Signs of people could be felt inside the huts, but no one came outside.
Like a village of the dead.
Clop-clop clop-clop.
A group on horseback appeared in the village.
There were people peeking out with just their eyes from outside the huts, but most hid in corners inside their homes.
But it was useless.
Because they were bandits.
"Sweep up all the food and if there are any fresh women, catch them too and bring them here immediately. If any bastard takes a taste first, this Heavenly Demon will not forgive them."
The bandit leader who arbitrarily used the arrogant epithet of Heavenly Demon. With his murderous command, the bandits poured into the huts like mad.
"Gyaaaah, no!"
"Fuck. Stay still, you bitches! Unless you want to die right here on the spot."
Sorrow and shouts echoed across the wilderness but soon dispersed. There was no one here who could help the villagers. If there were, only Jiangshi. They had hidden this far south to avoid them, and if those things appeared, it would be even more terrifying.
Soon food and women were brought before the bandit leader.
A very small amount of withered grain, stinking dried meat of wild beasts, and emaciated women.
As expected, neither the food nor the women were in very good nutritional condition.
"Damn. How do you live eating these things?"
The women were trembling. Some among them stood with completely resigned faces. In this south, even the place where the Great Viet Kingdom had been, such incidents were commonplace after being swept by Jiangshi, just as much as in the Central Plains. They should consider themselves fortunate just to be alive and breathing. If Jiangshi appeared, even this would become a luxury.
"Bring that one over. She looks the freshest at least."
The leader pointed to a young girl in the corner.
Though somewhat thin, as the leader said, she was a seventeen or eighteen-year-old girl who retained at least a little of youth's freshness.
"N-no..."
"What do you mean no? Think of it as being eaten a little early since you'll be eaten by other guys soon anyway. Or die."
A woman who appeared to be her mother stepped forward, but was soon restrained by bandits standing behind her and collapsed to the ground.
The girl walked tremblingly but firmly to stand before the leader.
"Turn around."
She silently turned around.
She had steeled herself. But the trembling couldn't be helped.
"Strip."