Chapter 312
Chapter 312
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 312
>Chapter Title: Yacha Strikes Sango
>-----------------------------------------------------------------
Just as in the South, the vast Khan Empire was also infiltrated by transmigrators.
One such transmigrator, Han Sang-im, had been settled in Khan for some time now and had just arrived at the Adventurer's Guild in the mid-sized city of Sango.
Creak...
"......"
As he pushed open the door, the guild's atmosphere hit him all at once. No, it was probably like this everywhere these days.
Eyes of defeated soldiers.
Eyes of fugitives.
Those dead stares fixed on Han Sang-im.
He ignored them as best he could and checked the guild's community board.
(New) [Post by 'HowMuchSango' user]
[Posted: Just now]
[Title: Why are the adventures in Sango so worthless?]
Did something happen around here?
Adventures suck and the pay's shit.
- Nearby trade cities all collapsed hard.
- What? That Hahoe mask again?
- Hahoe mask lololol anyway, wherever that guy shows up, all the infrastructure blows up and everything's ruined.
- We used to have big merchant caravans and major mercenary groups here, all the transmigrators flocked here lol.
- Where'd they all go?
- TT (dead).
(New) [Post by 'TooManySango' user]
[Posted: Just now]
[Title: Gotta admit it, right?]
Khan is fucking done for.
Doesn't matter how it looks from outside, inside it's all rotting and visible.
- No, it can't collapse ㅡㅡ I paid a broker so much to get here.
- How much?
- One platinum coin.
- Crazy bastard, I paid two.
- From the South?
- Nah, I'm from the North.
- North's always expensive lololol Federation's been cracking down on brokers hard, crossing over ain't easy.
- For real? Guess it wasn't a total scam then.
- But it is a scam, go die.
- Fuck.
(New) [Post by 'SangoNoFunBros' user]
[Posted: Just now]
[Title: It wasn't like this back in my day...]
Sango was packed, all the trade routes booming. For real, just until recently... that masked fucker ruined it all ㅡㅡ The transmigrator massacre too, that guy's fault. And that popular dragon among the dragonkin, Seolhong or whatever, got wrecked by the mask too.
- Yeah, heard. Rumors that Yongseok guy was a transmigrator, but got his head smashed equally by the demon.
- But now transmigrators are sneaking into Yongseok territory a lot.
- Why?
- Ghosts got beat up fighting the dragonkin, all shredded.
- Oh right! But what do you think of that Taeyul adventure? Says they're gathering transmigrators to catch the masked action guy.
- Why does that mask have so many nicknames lolol anyway, don't recommend. Never seen transmigrators come out of it well. Most transmigrators won't touch those adventures.
- Ah...
- That's why tons of ninja deserters in Khan now. But honestly, everywhere's the same lolol from what I hear, all hellholes.
- Fuck... When Pandea dropped, the scenery made my heart swell, didn't think camping in nature would be daily life...
- Heart's shrinking...
Han Sang-im scrolled a bit more through the community, then sat in a corner of the guild.
"Fucking pathetic, really..."
"Why complain all the time but never leave?"
"Khan's huge as hell. Everywhere I go, they welcome me with open arms?"
"You idiot..."
Transmigrators at the next table chuckled.
Sizzle... sizzle...
Hooo...
Han Sang-im lit a cigarette and listened to the chatter around him.
"Khan's a good place to live, sure, but now it's a place I don't wanna live anymore. How long do we have to stay flat on our stomachs like this? Sigh... Is the world really forcing my hand to draw my sword?"
"Those ghosts or whatever... way scarier than monsters. You seen one?"
"Nah, just rumors—they talk and mimic humans... but worse, they crossed the line with the brutality."
"Cities they take over, they impale bodies on stakes..."
"Enough of that shit, let's stop there."
"Yeah, okay."
Han Sang-im sank deeper into his chair and took a long drag.
"But I heard the joint ops with the central army are decent? Rewards are surprisingly good..."
"They're about to collapse, now's not the time to be picky. But even if you go, what are transmigrators but cheerleaders?"
"Vanguards just end up as meat shields, and support jobs? Rolling with adventurers or the central army ain't much different, right?"
"Nah, it is."
"Huh?"
"Central army won't betray you. Transmigrators stab each other in the back all the time, you know that."
"Oh... yeah. Fuck, got my head bashed flat because of that."
"You too?"
"Heh..."
Han Sang-im rubbed the back of his head.
"But this time the dragonkin are pretty aggressive."
"They're just bailing water from flooded buildings they inherited."
"That dragon strife or whatever... saw it coming from the clusterfuck. Life's all about real combat."
"But folks still see dragonkin the same as dragon strife rankings."
"Guess they had some discernment after all?"
Rumble...
"Hm?"
"Fuck... you spilled it. Hey, stop shaking your leg."
"Bullshit. I ain't shaking, grandma beat me for bad luck vibes."
"Then what was that just now..."
Rumble rumble rumble...
This time the whole building shook.
"Outside!"
"What the hell!"
Guild staff and transmigrators rushed out of the building.
"Kyaaaaak!"
"Run!"
Han Sang-im stepped out and looked toward Sango's bustling streets. People were pouring out, fleeing in droves.
In every direction.
Meaning they were running from something no matter which way.
"......"
Soon, Han Sang-im joined the flow, sprinting backward.
Sango turned into pandemonium in an instant.
Zzzzzzt...
Because the masked one had appeared.
* * *
Thud thud thud thud...
A force of troops kicked up dust as they charged. At the lead was a goblin-like man with a black beard covering his face.
Khan's Shangjanggun, Eulryong.
"Turn the horses—head to Sango immediately."
"Yes!"
Familiar faces rode beside him.
Taeyul and his Yongseok subordinates.
And Sinyo with Jangdu.
Taeyul spoke from beside Shangjanggun Eulryong.
"Shangjanggun! We need to regroup our forces! The Yacha doesn't—"
"Don't interfere, Taeyul."
"......"
"I've followed your advice out of loyalty to repay Yongje's grace, but what has it gotten us?"
"That's..."
"We've just chased Yacha's tail, only to find countless imperial corpses."
It wasn't wrong.
Yacha was elusive.
Never stayed in one place long.
Even with Shangjanggun, they'd always arrived after Yacha had passed.
So both Eulryong and Taeyul had longed for a real clash. And finally, the moment had come.
'No... why now...'
Before hearing of Sango, Taeyul's forces with Eulryong had poured effort into retaking occupied cities.
Resulting in heavy losses, and they weren't even fully regrouped yet.
Clashing with Yacha like this was too risky.
"Shangjanggun, but the timing..."
"Tell me, Taeyul."
"I will."
"When is the perfect moment to face Yacha, in your view?"
"......"
Perfect moment.
Taeyul realized now he'd been chasing that illusion for a while.
'But... without perfect condition against Yacha...'
Eulryong never loosened his reins as he continued.
"One more question."
"I will answer."
"When that perfect moment you crave arrives, will any imperials still be breathing?"
"......"
No answer to either question.
A tiger and a dog think differently.
"Taeyul, you're an excellent man in my eyes. Upright, worthy of respect. Perhaps the one who inherited Yongje's blood most purely."
"......"
"You're a tiger. That's why you want to craft the perfect moment to hunt him."
Shangjanggun Eulryong.
Without looking back at Taeyul, he said,
"But don't forget this. I, Eulryong, am not fighting to win right now."
Only then did he glance at Taeyul.
"I'm fighting to protect."
Taeyul knew much about Eulryong.
Born in the streets, lowborn warrior who'd risen to this position against all odds.
"I was born without parents. Street women took turns nursing the abandoned me."
"......"
"They invited me for dinner every night so I wouldn't starve. Gave me a bed. Some might say I grew up without home or family, heartless. But that's not true."
Thud thud thud...
"Counting stars, I thought: they are my family, Khan my home. I... wasn't born a tiger. More like a dog. Became a warrior because it was my only skill, but to protect family. That resolve hasn't changed."
Eulryong bit his lip hard and said,
"I'm a mongrel dog, Eulryong. The kind that charges without regard at anything tormenting my master. Still gonna stop me?"
Taeyul bowed his head.
"As you will, Shangjanggun."
We must protect the imperials.
He knew that.
Protecting something could make it strength—or a weakness.
In this situation... clearly a weakness.
But he couldn't stop it.
Sinyo approached the Shangjanggun.
"Shangjanggun. We..."
"Enough. Seems the Shangjanggun is right. Sinyo."
Taeyul and Sinyo looked.
At the city ravaged by Yacha.
Stained with blood and corpses, traces of tears.
Even steadfast dragonkin, swept by endless storms, would waver.
They were already worn down.
Sinyo wanted to relay what her master in Socheon had told her, but he'd strictly forbidden any mention, so she clamped her mouth shut and watched.
"...Shangjanggun, please... save the imperials."
"If you help, it's possible."
"Of course."
"Kuhahaha! Let's go! I'll cleave that Yacha or ghost in one stroke!"
The Shangjanggun was stronger than Jangdu, Sinyo's Yongseok. The empire withstood the ghosts' assaults without foreign interference thanks to these frontline warriors and their legions.
Anxiety lingered, but he steeled himself.
A chance to face Yacha with someone of Shangjanggun's caliber wouldn't come again.
So confirm it now.
Yacha's true power.
And if it can be stopped.
If not...
'No way...'
It would be Khan's first defeat.
'No, I, Taeyul, won't let that happen.'
* * *
Not much time had passed since Sango became chaos. Most had escaped successfully.
"Kyahaha!"
"Chase 'em! Time for meat!"
They'd escaped the city, but not shaken the ghosts' pursuit.
"Kyaaaaak!"
"G-Get away!"
"Run!"
Huff... huff...
No matter how fast civilians ran, they couldn't outpace ghosts.
Crunch...
"Uwaaaak!"
"Tasty... so tasty!"
"No!"
Crunch... crunch...
"Kekeke... why not run? Soon you'll..."
Splurt-!
"......"
The ghost chewing suddenly went still, pupils dull. An arrow in its temple was why.
"Kyaaaaak!"
Thud thud thud thud!
Cavalry burst from the brush, charging the plain. Eulryong and Taeyul's group.
Taeyul held a longbow—clearly he'd sniped the ghost.
"Kill every last one! Vile scum preying on imperials!"
"Yes! Shangjanggun!"
Pew pew pew pew—
Humans shooting arrows at full gallop wielded immense combat power.
"Kraaaak!"
"Guheok!"
Arrows slamming into vitals.
"It's Taeyul! Taeyul!"
"We're saved!"
Imperials rushed toward the cavalry without getting trampled.
"Link up with them!"
"Yeah!"
Transmigrators turned back to support the cavalry. The tide turned instantly.
Kwashiiiik-!
Kwashik-!
The Shangjanggun's prowess was astounding.
"Guh..."
"Urk..."
Fwooooosh-!
Wielding his halberd while charging was like a heavenly general descended.
"R-Retreat!"
Even ghosts feared superiors.
Ghosts fleeing the Shangjanggun.
"Stand down!"
But then.
Dash dash dash... leap-!
The fleeing ghosts parted like the Red Sea.
"Shangjanggun! Too deep!"
"Follow!"
Eulryong pierced the ghost ranks like a sharp spear. Soon he saw why they'd scattered.
"......"
"Yacha... it's you."
Yacha stood blocking the path, silently staring at Eulryong. Or was it staring? Couldn't tell through the mask—what lay beyond?
Whooooom-!
Eulryong raised his halberd overhead, spinning it wildly.
[Eulryong uses Jecheonrae (震天雷).]
[Damage increases by spins and distance traveled.]
[Chance for lightning attribute extra damage.]
"Raaaaagh!"
Kaaaaang-!
Like thunder, Eulryong's halberd smashed into Yacha.
No—into Yacha's drawn sword.
Ziiiiing...
Suspicious vibrations traveled up the shaft.
Pak-!
Sensing danger, Eulryong yanked the halberd free.
Then circled Yacha on horseback, retreating.
"Creepy bastard. I'll judge you and hold you accountable for the harm to the empire..."
That instant.
Wobble...
Thud...
"Shangjanggun!"
"No!"
Eulryong fell from his horse.
"Strength... my strength... fading..."
Yacha's terror was stripping power from any foe, no matter how mighty. Top-tier foes might resist, but Eulryong couldn't.
Shing...
Yacha raised his sword.
"Save the Shangjanggun!"
"Jangdu!"
Jangdu and Taeyul's subordinates charged full tilt, but someone blocked them.
Crackle...
Sssss...
Yacha's aides: Yagwang-gwi and Maegu.
"No one approaches Yacha."
"Y-Yeah..."
As Yacha's sword aimed for Eulryong's heart.
Sizzle...
A burning smell wafted from somewhere.
Flames erupted between Yagwang-gwi and Maegu.
"What!"
Startled, they whipped around.
Kaaaaang-!
A strangely dressed knight clashed swords with Yacha.
Taeyul, Sinyo's group watching, and Yagwang-gwi with Maegu—all gaped.
Drip...
Yacha stepped back—for the first time.
Maegu's jaw dropped.
"...Impossible."
Rustle...
Rustle...
Three in rags slipped into the fray.
Swoosh...
They removed their hoods.
Taeyul and Sinyo's eyes widened.
No—everyone froze.
"Seolhong... are you Seolhong?"
Seolhong smiled faintly.
"Long time no see, big brother."
Booooom-!
With the roar, all eyes snapped back to Yacha.
Jangdu stammered.
"Th-Then that guy's... no way..."
Yacha's mask twitched.
A sorrowful expression on the mask.
Kang Seol smirked.
"Got held up gathering supplies, Yacha."
Roooar-!
Flames erupted across the plain.
"I'll save you right now."