No Longer a Trap
Closing the Gold-rank Gate that opened in the Dunhuang Desert.
Han Suchang showed me every detail of the request from the Chinese government.
“How will you handle this?”
“Before I answer, I’d like to hear your opinion first, Team Leader.”
“To be honest with you, the government sees this as a golden opportunity to put China in their debt. They’re pressuring the Association hard.”
“Pressure, huh.”
I smiled faintly.
It meant the Association and the government weren’t on the same page.
“Please convey my thanks to the Association President.”
“Then, as expected, we’ll reject—”
“You may proceed.”
“Pardon?”
“This job. The Guryong-bang is almost certainly behind it.”
“You’re talking about the Ping Lei recruitment.”
Han Suchang’s face darkened slightly.
“Jinho-nim, this request might be a trap.”
“Not might. It’s one hundred percent a trap.”
“If you know that, why are you saying you’ll go through with it?”
“Because the moment you understand the intent behind a trap, it stops being a trap.”
I answered as if it were no big deal.
They went through the trouble of inviting me. It’d be rude not to show up.
“You’re bold.”
“Tell the Association President to wait a little longer.”
“Do you need time to think it over?”
“Think? Hardly. If I know it’s a trap, I just need to prepare my own countermeasures.”
I smiled slyly.
After Han Suchang left, I immediately summoned the guild members.
The Yellow Storm and Mugeuk team members whose names had been added to the roster gathered in one place as well.
One space. Three separate groups eyeing one another warily.
“Whoa, it’s the Yellow Storm folks! Karla, let’s go get autographs together!”
“Not interested.”
“Come on. It’s embarrassing to go alone.”
Everyone except Jiyoung, who was excitedly bouncing around alone in the awkward atmosphere.
Hong Yunsu and Shin Junseok.
After losing the bet, they had even brought their entire teams into the guild.
While it was the result of the bet, the individual wills of the team members hadn’t been reflected. That was also why I had avoided calling the Yellow Storm and Mugeuk members together as much as possible.
They are like water and oil, are they not?
“That will have to change from now on.”
Clap, clap, clap—.
The sound of applause drew every guild member’s gaze.
“This is the first time we’ve all gathered in one place.”
“Junior, it must be something important if you’re calling everyone together.”
“It is, Senior.”
I affirmed Shin Junseok’s words and calmly explained the details of the Chinese government’s request.
As time passed, the expressions of both the Yellow Storm and Mugeuk team members grew increasingly doubtful.
When I finished, Hong Yunsu raised his hand.
“Yes, please speak.”
“Guild Master, I believe the Chinese government’s true intentions are unclear.”
“They would be. This is most likely a trap the Guryong-bang created with the government’s cooperation.”
The guild house lobby stirred with murmurs.
The Guryong-bang’s reputation was well known even in Korea. It was a guild so massive that even the nation’s top three guilds would have to yield to it. Its master, Jang Wufei, was a player counted among the best in the world.
“Junior, does telling us this mean you intend to accept China’s proposal?”
“Yes, Senior.”
“Reckless. How very like you.”
Shin Junseok gave a faint smile.
As expected. He had seen through my aim instantly.
“I arranged this gathering because I wish to borrow all of your strength.”
Hong Yunsu shook his head from side to side. Without hiding his displeasure, he raised his voice.
“You’re saying you’ll walk right into a trap the Guryong-bang prepared with full intent?”
“Correct.”
“The opponent is the Guryong-bang—and Jang Wufei.”
“If the entire guild combines its power, there’s nothing we cannot overcome.”
Hong Yunsu let out a quiet sigh, then spoke.
“I have a condition.”
“Please tell me.”
“If you can withstand a joint attack from myself and Shin Junseok, I will follow your will.”
“Team Leader. Even if the Yeokcheon Guild Master has been making a name for himself lately, how could he possibly defeat the two of you working together?”
One of the team members tried to dissuade him, but Hong Yunsu ignored it completely.
“Very well.”
I nodded.
* * *
A spar against two rankers.
At first glance, the proposal seemed impulsive and reckless.
However.
“Thank you.”
I called the two rankers aside and bowed my head.
“I wondered what strange request you were making, but you’ve gone and done something completely outrageous.”
“It’s all thanks to Senior laying the groundwork.”
“I was the one who set the wind in motion. I hope you haven’t forgotten that.”
Hong Yunsu laughed playfully.
We had already discussed everything in advance.
Surprisingly, both Shin Junseok and Hong Yunsu actively hoped their team-focused operations would merge into the Yeokcheon Guild.
“Didn’t you seniors dislike belonging to any organization?”
“It’s a hassle. But if I stay by your side, Junior, I feel I can grow further.”
“The Guild Master seems to have an excellent eye for spotting raw potential.”
Hong Yunsu added.
That made sense. Lee Jiyoung, Ping Lei, Enrique—every one of them possessed the qualities of a top-tier player. Facts proven by the history before my regression. From their perspective, my insight must have looked exceptional.
I answered with an awkward smile.
The spar was meant to unify the opinions of the Yellow Storm and Mugeuk members.
The stage was the same uninhabited island where I had fought Ellen before.
-Hohoho, I never imagined I would help in this manner.
Ellen Taylor’s laughter echoed in my ears.
After returning to the United States, she was staying near Saint Helens Volcano, which had become one of the 10 Great Demonic Realms.
“Well, is there anything worth salvaging?”
-Ashes and monsters. That’s all.
“It should be fine as long as you don’t approach the Demonic Realm itself.”
-Is that information you obtained from the Demonic Realm in Tunguska, Mr. Yu? Regrettably, the government cannot trust those words one hundred percent.
Every location where the Ten Great Demonic Realms appeared had become ruins. Other sites had low population density so the damage wasn’t severe, but the United States had lost Seattle—one of its major cities—and an entire state.
-Tower conquest is already going poorly enough as it is.
“When the time comes, I’ll lend my strength to the Demonic Realm subjugation.”
-Even if they’re empty words, they still feel good to hear.
Ellen answered refreshingly.
They weren’t empty words at all.
There was an essence that could be obtained from the Demonic Realm created at Saint Helens Volcano—also known as the Volcano of the Apocalypse.
At my current level I would burn to death before even reaching it, but if I devoured a few essences in advance, I would be able to withstand the volcano’s heat.
Barrier specialists dispatched from Gold Moon.
Just like last time, they rented the entire uninhabited island and activated dozens of layered barriers.
Before the spar, Shin Junseok and Hong Yunsu warmed up in their own ways.
“You’re really going to fight two rankers?”
“Yu Jinho is still Gold-rank, isn’t he?”
“After seeing the promotion match video, his skills are definitely exceptional.”
“Even so. I don’t think our team leader will lose.”
“Just lasting half the fight would be impressive.”
The team members who had been coordinating with the two rankers from Yellow Storm and Mugeuk watched me with half-doubtful eyes.
“Senior, the team members seem to think I’ll lose.”
“Do you really think words like that would make me let my guard down?”
Shin Junseok let out a short laugh.
His neat white dobok looked like it could barely function as armor, yet it was a Legend-grade artifact that reacted to his inner energy. He clearly intended to fight with full power.
Hong Yunsu had also equipped greaves on both legs.
“I expected a day like this would come, but it’s sooner than I thought.”
“Let’s do it as we prepared, Yunsu!”
“Understood. I’ll match our breathing from this side.”
The two exchanged meaningful glances with solemn expressions.
Oh boy. They had prepared for this spar in earnest.
-Do you not require Yeo’s assistance?
“I’ll ask for the blessing next time.”
The Blessing of the Night was a powerful buff, but I had no intention of receiving Nyx’s help in this spar.
The situation had changed since my first spar with Shin Junseok. This was the perfect opportunity to see exactly how much I had grown since then.
After activating the buff skills using the essences I had devoured, I looked at the two rankers.
“Let’s begin.”
“As your senior, I wanted to yield the first three seconds, but I cannot!”
BOOM!
The moment my words ended, Shin Junseok kicked off the ground.
Wow. They weren’t even conceding the first move in a joint attack?
* * *
Rising clouds of dust.
The instant he released the inner energy gathered at his toes, dust exploded upward from where Shin Junseok had stood.
An intense killing intent like facing a tiger head-on.
Behind Shin Junseok, who had leaped several meters into the air, the illusion of a great tiger flickered. A tiger’s face formed by condensed, materialized energy—the Explosive Tiger Divine Fist.
“Isn’t a frontal attack a little too obvious?”
An attack unleashed mid-leap. Powerful as it was, its trajectory was completely readable.
No matter how strong the technique, it was useless if it didn’t hit.
At that moment, a massive current of wind obstructed my movement.
A whirlwind manifested in an instant. The moment I sensed the flow of magic power, the wind prison had already formed and was tightening around my entire body.
“You won’t be able to dodge it.”
The wind coiling around Hong Yunsu’s feet. It was exquisite wind control worthy of the title Ruler of the Storm.
These two were going all out from the very beginning.
While warming up they had subtly raised their energy, then released it the instant the spar began. Their mana control was so subtle that even my senses couldn’t detect it beforehand. Truly the skill of future High Rankers.
That was enough admiration.
Baize Overlord Kick
The kick infused with inner energy shook the very axis of the earth. The axis collapsed and the wind scattered. The instant Hong Yunsu tried to move his feet again to seize control of the wind current—
I broke free from that spot and charged straight forward.
White fist energy slamming down from the air. The technique’s power had decreased slightly due to the faster release timing, but it was still threatening.
“Take this!”
If I retreated now, I would be caught by the wind Hong Yunsu had raised. To present a binary choice at this exact moment.
“Not bad, Senior!”
I had failed to read the flow of the wind, but I could clearly see where the energy Shin Junseok emitted was aiming.
Fist energy flying in, slicing through the air. Black inner energy gently wrapped around my outstretched palm. The wings of a great peng large enough to cover all creation. The technique that embodied that movement unfolded at my fingertips.
The fiercely spinning white fist energy was swept up in the great peng’s wing flap and veered off to the side.
KWAAAANG!
The whirlwind of white energy scraped across the ground, carving a massive furrow.
“Aren’t you being a bit too harsh on your much younger junior?”
I deliberately raised my voice as if angry.
“That’s not something you should say after dodging an all-out attack so easily, Junior.”
“Guild Master. We are going to fight seriously.”
All playfulness had vanished from their voices. After exchanging the first moves, the two men’s eyes had grown even more serious.