Chapter 208
Chapter 208
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 208
Chapter Title: The Phoenix's Head, Xie (2)
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Seon Woo-jin swallowed hard.
His trembling eyes alone betrayed his anxiety, wondering just how much of his intentions I had seen through.
“Then I'll add a condition of my own.”
As I took a small step back, he let out a short sigh, as if the pressure had finally been lifted.
Unaware of the words that would follow.
“The deal is that you will cooperate with me unconditionally when we fight the Disaster that appears after this.”
“The Disaster...?”
“The more S-rank players we have to fight the Disaster, the better. If you can get a piece of the action, it won't be a bad deal for you either.”
“...”
Seeing Seon Woo-jin seem to hesitate, I deliberately spoke with a tone of annoyance.
“You're not in a position to choose in the first place. If you don't make a deal with me, your life will be hanging by a thread. You'd be wise to just accept it while I'm being reasonable.”
“Ah, I understand. I'll accept the condition.”
Flustered, Seon Woo-jin nodded.
His expression made it painfully obvious what he was thinking.
Since we didn't use a contract backed by the System's protection, he's probably thinking he can just ignore any dangerous orders I give him.
And just as I said, if he contributes even a little to subjugating the Disaster, he'll be able to earn a significant amount of coins.
He had no idea that the moment he thought that, he'd already fallen into my trap.
“Then I'll contact Sorim right away. They'll hurry here and start a fight. It's best to deal with Bonghwang after that.”
“Sorim hasn't even arrived in Korea yet. How are you going to contact them?”
“...Just in case something like this happened, I secured a way to contact Sorim in advance.”
With those words, Seon Woo-jin concealed himself as best he could and disappeared into an alleyway.
So he was preparing to abandon Bonghwang and switch sides all along.
As expected, he's the most untrustworthy type.
‘Still, the proposal itself is good.’
If Seon Woo-jin's plan succeeded and Sorim and Bonghwang were locked in a standoff, neither side would be able to make a rash move, and naturally, the number of undead wouldn't increase so easily.
When the Disaster appeared while they were stuck in a stalemate, they'd have to work together to defeat it just to survive. It would be possible to use them as disposable pawns.
***
The Sorim Guild arrived in just two hours.
Their numbers were no less than Bonghwang's.
They deliberately positioned themselves to sandwich Bonghwang, preventing them from moving carelessly. From Korea's perspective, it was like solving the problem without lifting a finger.
‘They must be furious.’
Seon Woo-jin's plan was bound to work.
Events that happen in a distant foreign country can easily have their truths concealed.
If they annihilated Bonghwang and blamed it on demonic beasts or a Disaster, they might face suspicion, but with no physical evidence, they would get away with it.
“Can we really do this with just us, Hyung?”
Jo Min-woo, who had followed me out, asked in a tense voice.
“Why? You think we can't?”
“I know you're incredibly strong, Hyung! But I heard our opponents are a handpicked elite. They said six S-rank players came to Korea this time...”
Half of all S-rank players in China belong to Bonghwang.
The first-generation player census alone listed eight of them, so who knows how many there are now that second-generation players like me have been added.
Even that number, six, was after leaving some behind in mainland China, so I could understand Jo Min-woo's concern.
“We have Min-ah and Ha-yeon-ssi, too.”
“...Am I the only A-rank?”
“Rank isn't just determined by unique abilities.”
“Th-that's right. You're plenty strong too, Min-woo! You were amazing last time!”
As Jo Min-ah quickly encouraged him, Jo Min-woo's expression immediately softened, and he grinned.
Looking at them, you couldn't tell who was the older brother and who was the older sister.
“It seems you're not just relying on your power to summon those soldiers.”
“Is that how it looks?”
“Whenever you're particularly confident, you've always had a plan, haven't you?”
So that's how it seemed.
Looks like I still have a long way to go with my poker face.
Just as Jeong Ha-yeon said, there was something else I was counting on besides brute force.
The information Seon Woo-jin and Ada gave me.
And the fact that Bonghwang's guild master, Liang Xie, is a member of Salvatio.
Things were almost certain to proceed according to my plan.
“Ah, I think that's it over there.”
“Wow, that's a lot of barracks.”
Soon, Bonghwang's base came into view.
I noticed they had installed guardian stones in a circle around the base to prevent the undead from getting in.
‘I was wondering why I couldn't hear any fighting.’
They must have fought the undead a little, decided it was better not to, and set those up.
Once they've recovered their stamina, they'll probably try to break through at a single point and fight the Korean players again.
“Zeta. Destroy the guardian stones on the opposite side.”
Zeta emerged from the darkness and moved to the opposite side, silent and unseen.
If he broke the guardian stones on the side opposite to my attack, they wouldn't be able to focus on me.
*Crash!*
“What was that!?”
“A guardian stone broke!”
The other side grew noisy, and soon, people started rushing over there.
If they reinstalled the guardian stones, the undead would retreat, but that wasn't going to happen.
The soldiers I summoned are assassin types.
They hide in the shadows and destroy the guardian stones the moment they're installed.
Even an S-rank player would have a hard time finding Zeta once he's decided to erase all traces of his presence.
From the players' perspective, the guardian stones were breaking for no apparent reason.
[Groooaaar!!]
The moment the guardian stones failed, the 'Cradle of the Dead,' buried deep somewhere nearby, took effect.
After confirming the undead were swarming that way, I moved quickly.
“I'll go first. Follow me after a short delay.”
I entered from the east, where their numbers were relatively thin.
A few who spotted me tried to attack in a panic, but sentries composed of A and B-ranks were no match for me.
“It's a surprise attack! A surprise attack!”
“What!? Who? Is it Sorim!?”
“I don't know! I can't tell which direction they came from!”
They were already in disarray because of the swarming undead, so the mention of a surprise attack threw the entire place into chaos.
I could have covered my face and lied that I was from Sorim, but it was a lie that would be quickly exposed, so I decided against it.
“How dare this bastard come here alone!”
Still, perhaps because they didn't feel much of a threat from a single person, only those no different from the sentries charged at me.
Their weapons were different, but their movements were all similar.
It was the Vermilion Bird Step, something anyone in the Bonghwang Guild could learn.
Even in the game, there was an opportunity to ask, 'Bonghwang (Phoenix) and Jujak (Vermilion Bird) are clearly different, so why is it called the Vermilion Bird Step?'
The answer that came back was, 'It just came to mind.'
It was a short but unforgettable anecdote because of how absurd it was.
[Skill, 'Extreme Eye' is activated.]
Footwork and movement techniques follow the flow of mana.
In other words, if you know which direction the mana is moving, you know where they're going to move.
“Uh, ugh!?”
“Gah!”
I easily dodged the two attacks coming from both sides, then grabbed their weapons and threw them away.
At first, they couldn't grasp what had happened. Only after charging in again and suffering the same fate did they figure out the situation and break into a cold sweat.
“What's going on...?”
“Doesn't it seem like he's reading all our movements?”
“Next time,”
As I spoke for the first time, the two flinched and focused on my words.
“I won't hold back.”
The two exchanged glances.
Then, as if they'd reached an agreement, they nodded and showed a different kind of movement than before.
A joint attack technique, where two attack as one to increase their power.
“I told you clearly.”
I clicked my tongue lightly and moved, weaving between the two of them.
*Thwack!*
They each took a blow to the side and abdomen, then collapsed, drooling.
For all their effort, it was an anticlimactic end.
“Th-those two were taken down so easily?”
“He's not someone we can handle...!”
They busied themselves with backing away slowly under my gaze.
I was deliberately dragging this out to draw out the higher-ups, but there was still no reaction.
‘Then...’
I slowly released my mana.
If I showed them that someone with a certain level of power had appeared here, they'd have no choice but to crawl out.
“You idiots! You can't even handle one person?!”
I had barely released any when a familiar face walked out, annoyed.
Xiao Hui.
He's the one who had his Soushindan stolen right from under his nose.
After that, he must have consumed some lesser elixir, because his stats were now just barely at S-rank.
As I stared at him, Xiao Hui scoffed.
“Are you nervous because you've met someone strong? Well, I guess a weakling needs eyes like that to survive.”
Oh, really?
“But even with those eyes, I won't go easy on you!”
Stomping his foot, moving his body, and attacking—the series of actions was executed swiftly.
It was an attack carrying power incomparable to the previous two, but.
*KWAANG!!*
“Keuk!?”
A single exchange was enough to subdue Xiao Hui.
I caught him as he charged and slammed him into the ground, causing him to vomit blood and pass out.
Silence fell upon the area.
Because the undead had swarmed in great numbers, Bonghwang's S-rank players had gathered there, leaving only the weaker ones on this side.
But there was one person.
Someone who wasn't involved in either side, just watching the situation.
‘If you still won't come out.’
I slowly drew my sword and aimed it at Xiao Hui.
And just as I was about to end his life.
*KWAAAANG!!*
A halberd slammed into the spot where I'd been standing, creating a massive shockwave.
“That's far enough.”
The voice from the video Besial had shown me.
And, as if to prove she had claimed the title of China's number one guild master through sheer force, an immense amount of mana pressed down on me.
Liang Xie.
She gave me a meaningful smile.
“Kim Se-hyeon.”
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that the outcome of a battle depends on the number of S-rank players.
Xiao Hui was a talent who would soon become an S-rank.
Bonghwang, unwilling to lose their title as China's number one guild, wouldn't just stand by and watch Xiao Hui die so pathetically.
“This 'Cradle of the Dead' is quite a headache.”
Xie tilted her head, twirling a strand of hair with her finger.
“Where on earth did you hide it? I know it's nearby, but I can't pinpoint the exact location.”
“There's a way.”
In the western residential area is the Machine King, Park Seong-woo.
He used his incredibly advanced scientific technology to hide the object in imaginary space, a method that still allowed its effects to extend into real space.
You could search all you want, but you'd never find it.
No one but the person who installed it can find it.
‘That Min Gyeong-hoon, I wondered what he'd been up to.’
I never imagined the two of them would have been collaborating so enthusiastically.
Thanks to him, Park Seong-woo's mad scientist tendencies have mostly vanished, leaving only his spirit of inquiry. Still, his developments have advanced so far beyond the current level of civilization that it makes me wonder, 'Is this really okay?'
“Whatever. It's not like we can't attack Korea just because a few undead have shown up.”
Xie smiled lightly.
That light smile was even unsettling.
“You were probably planning to rest up, build your strength, and then attack all at once.”
“That's right. It's an obvious but effective method. I just didn't expect you to attack us first like this.”
“I have business with you, too.”
“With me? Hmm. I'm curious what it is.”
“Salvatio.”
“...”
Behind me, Bonghwang's elites moved to surround me, but stopped when Xie raised her hand.
In fact, when Xie glared at them, they flinched and returned to the side with the undead.
“...That bitch. Not only did she get caught, but she even spilled information. This is why you can't trust those L Team bastards.”
Xie muttered something.
For a mutter, it was quite loud, so I managed to hear some of it.
Is she on bad terms with the L Team?
“Right. So you've figured that much out. So what?”
“I challenge you to a one-on-one duel.”
“A duel?”
Xie snorted.
“Are you an idiot? We have so many people here. Why would I give your side an advantage by agreeing to a duel?”
“Do you really think so?”
*Swoosh.*
Soldiers rose from the shadows.
Zeta, who had played his part perfectly, silently took his position behind me. Just then, the twins and Jeong Ha-yeon also appeared, their faces grim.
Xie's eyes narrowed.
Xie couldn't possibly be unaware that the forces I had just revealed were not to be taken lightly.
I smirked slightly.
“The loser will grant the winner any one request. How about it? That's a fair enough stake, isn't it?”
“...I like that. I'm in.”
As she bared her teeth in a grin, a piercing killing intent radiated from Xie.