Chapter 156: It's Already War.
The hunters backed out of the rotary step by step, keeping a wary eye on the rear. Their movements were cautious, but their mouths were anything but. Curses flew thick and fast between them.
"You fucking idiot! Why the hell did you touch that thing?! Can't you follow one simple order?!"
"You even human? Huh? I said just don't touch it! That's all you had to do! Your ears clogged or what?!"
"No wonder shit was going too smooth. Thought there were no trolls, but nah, it was you, you little shit!"
"Dickhead!"
The hunter on the receiving end protested his innocence.
"How was I supposed to know it'd turn out like that? I just grazed it! Hell, they should've warned us from the start. Honestly, skipping a key order like that? Doesn't make sense. It's 'cause a non-hunter's leading the raid. They don't explain shit—how am I supposed to know?"
"You, I'm gonna crack that skull wide open. Worthless trash hunter like you yapping away? Wanna lose that tongue? No excuses."
"Shut it before I rip out your ribs and use 'em as a pickaxe in the Ao-ji coal mine."
"……."
Having been thoroughly dressed down in the choicest northern profanity, the hunter slunk to the corner of the party without another word.
"Enough. We haven't failed yet. There's a plan, so stay calm and focus on the retreat."
Kang Moo-hyuk cut off the hunters' bickering. It wasn't about defending the screw-up. He was just smoothing over anything that could fracture the raid team's unity and create another variable.
While the high-rankers bought time from the rear, Kang Moo-hyuk called in Hyeon Jeong-geon. They filled the gap he'd left with every available tanker.
"What is it? We're kinda busy here."
"Let's spin those bastards around a bit."
"Spin 'em...?"
"We need time to regroup the raid team. Lure them away, Hyeon Jeong-geon Hunter."
"Hey, Raid Leader? I'm an assassin build here."
"Yes. I know."
"You want me to kite that monster horde? Normal kiting's for ranged DPS, right? That's the meta."
"So, who do we sub in for ranged DPS here?"
Kang Moo-hyuk gestured at the hunters.
Hyeon Jeong-geon glanced around and sighed. Plenty of archers, but none he trusted. He doubted any could pull off basics like a proper backpedal shot mid-movement.
Seizing the opening while the man was stumped, Kang Moo-hyuk laid out the solution.
"Isn't that the meta? Fast on your feet. Mobility skills, escapes, survival tools—you've got the full kit. Melee DPS, but you're handy with flying needles. Plenty on you too. Area-throw skills, and if push comes to shove, you've got your ace up your sleeve, right?"
"F-Flying needles... ace?"
"You were once the ace assassin Ma Tae-soo Vice Guild Master cherished. Figure you've got something."
Hyeon Jeong-geon broke out in a cold sweat.
The mention of an "ace" brought back the hidden technique he'd used against Jang Jung-shin in Sinuiju.
'Does Raid Leader know about my needle arts? Never showed him. Nah, can't be. Even Ma Tae-soo doesn't know. He's just fishing. ...But it's Kang Moo-hyuk. People die from "no way."'
Hyeon Jeong-geon studied Kang Moo-hyuk's face. Pure poker face. He'd seemed more human before, but now it felt like staring at a wall.
Unable to read him, he had no comeback. He changed the subject instead.
"Let's be real. Things go south, this was Plan A from the jump, right?"
"Why say it? You know. We've worked together more than a couple years."
"Yeah, a couple years."
"Two intense ones. Worth ten for anyone else."
"Damn, forgot the risks. Shouldn't have joined up."
In Hyeon Jeong-geon's mind, the old Titan days overlapped with the current Kang Moo-hyuk.
Back when he was deputy strategic team leader.
Kang Moo-hyuk had been a touch more sociable then, but just as sharp—and ice-cold in ops.
No Titan member dared defy those cool-headed orders, no matter how brutal the mission. Even those who sneered at a civilian team leader kept their mouths shut.
He didn't exploit weaknesses or tug heartstrings. Wasn't some charisma-zero guy begging favors either.
He just presented a situation you couldn't refuse.
Kang Moo-hyuk never argued logic with hunters. He showed options and let you pick. Even if they were "A or A."
Tasting a classic Kang Moo-hyuk command after so long, Hyeon Jeong-geon surrendered.
"Fine. Where to, how long?"
"Da Hong Dan County outskirts. Till your needles run dry."
Hyeon Jeong-geon patted himself down, eyeing the finger-sized flying needles tucked into his belt, boots, armor coat lining—everywhere.
"All of 'em?"
"Yes. All."
"Man, that'll take all day spinning!"
"Huff... huff... They ain't chasing anymore?"
"We led 'em elsewhere, sirs."
Yi Suk-young and the other hunters finally exhaled in relief.
Hundreds of monsters thundering down the road in a pack was nightmare fuel. Among them loomed a colossal beast flanked by three smaller—but still massive compared to the rest—monsters that screamed "instant death in a 1v1."
"Who the hell was that guy?"
Mention of "that guy," and every hunter pictured the same man.
The one chased by—luring—the monster horde.
They'd been shocked at first by the swarm, but spotting the man effortlessly dodging and taunting them mid-flight had them rubbing their eyes, wondering if it was a hallucination.
His flawless timing on engages and disengages, the bold yet precise skill usage—all impressive. But kiting an entire monster army? That took guts few possessed.
Yi Suk-young answered their questions.
"Hyeon Jeong-geon Hunter. Iron Will Guild, North Pocheon. Direct subordinate of our Raid Leader."
"Our Raid Leader?"
"I joined Iron Will this time, Deputy."
The deputy looked stunned. No surprise—a northerner joining a southern guild was near impossible.
"No need to be shocked that much, sir. Even our Sinuiju comrades got liberated from the Chinese bastards this time. Recognized as Korean hunters, formed their own independent guild."
Her words left the deputy—and every northerner there—slack-jawed. Jaws on the floor, speechless.
Yi Suk-young lifted her chin proudly.
"All thanks to our great Leader Comrade's shining achievements. If you comrades wanna live, trust and follow our Leader alone. Under his guidance, manna falls from the sky even in your sleep."
The northern hunters nodded solemnly, faces etched with awe, while the southerners rolled their eyes at the outdated propaganda. An outsider might mistake Kang Moo-hyuk for a North Korean bigwig.
The southern hunters did respect Kang Moo-hyuk's rep, though.
Raid Leader of a guild with Joo Se-ah as Guild Master. Real power like a vice guild master—no ignoring him, civilian or not.
Plus, Iron Will's rise synced with his appointment: North Pocheon claim, rider wolves, orc tribe raid, hunter village opening. They'd swept recent Korean hunter news, fueling freelancer rumors of something extraordinary.
"Then let's head to city hall quick. Leader's got a plan."
Freelancers, bred to eye guilds and follow the flow, trailed Yi Suk-young without fuss.
They'd bail if it soured, but hunter world's rule was "follow the first mover"—no alternatives, so off to city hall.
And that choice saved their lives.
Thanks to Hyeon Jeong-geon's time-buy, Kang Moo-hyuk fortified around city hall.
Reorganized the hunters Yi Suk-young brought in—not for attack, but pure defense—then planned the next raid.
Returning without kills, the city officials eyed him anxiously. The mood screamed failure.
At least the hunters were safe?
Seeing Kang Moo-hyuk's grim face, no one dared optimism. Heavy silence fell.
He read their unease but offered no pep talk. No need to clutter heads with noise.
But interruption came from an unexpected quarter.
"Um... Kang Moo-hyuk Raid Leader?"
"Yes. Don't worry. We'll adapt with a new plan. Pulled back due to a surprise, but raid strength's intact. Target monsters—bar a few—we'll lure with..."
Kang Moo-hyuk started preempting rumors, but clocked it wasn't that.
"Something wrong?"
"Government memo came. From Guild Cooperation Office..."
The official trailed off, trembling as he handed over the paper.
Kang Moo-hyuk snatched and scanned it in seconds.
His eyes twitched now and then. Beside him, No Song-rin asked,
"What's it say? Mood's sour."
Kang Moo-hyuk passed it over.
"Musan's breached. Hoiryeong took heavy damage too. Won't hold much longer."
No Song-rin puzzled over Musan, then gaped at Hoiryeong's fall.
"Hoiryeong defense line crumbles... North Hamgyong Province is toast?"
"If Yuson County and Musan Township west of Hoiryeong hold, maybe. But as is, Yuson's days away. Da Hong Dan below's next."
"What the—? War breaking out?"
"Not breaking out. It's already here."
Kang Moo-hyuk glared at the ops room map.
The Tumen River line—from Baekdu Mountain, snaking through Da Hong Dan, Musan, Yuson, Hoiryeong, Hakpo, Jongseong, Pungin, Ao-ji, Josan-ri—was Korea's northernmost defense chain.
If it fell, North Hamgyong and Ryanggang Provinces crumbled.
'Low pop outside a few cities makes evac/defense feasible. Real issue's ripple to Jagang west or South Hamgyong. That's where...'
Gaema Plateau lay.
Like North Pocheon—a special zone.
Powerful mana cloaking the peaks kept monsters in, but deadly ones lurked within.
North Pocheon's upgraded twin.
'Mix those with Makyung hordes pushing down? Chaos.'
Makyung monsters settling Gaema could displace locals, sparking waves everywhere. Or same-species breeding booms.
'Either way, monster waves. Timing's the variable.'
That could push defenses to Myohyang Mountain.
Losing north/east Gaema—Hamgyong, Ryanggang, Jagang.
'That far? Even tier guilds all-in couldn't reclaim quick. Area's huge, hunting scattered mountain monsters exhausting. Gates popping in occupied zones mid-collapse? Hell. Economy secondary—civilian toll massive.'
Government needed resolve before worst-case.
But the memo screamed they'd botched it.
"These guys clueless how urgent? What bullshit?"
No Song-rin, slow-reader, finished and chuckled bitterly.
"Raid Leader, ignore this, we lose everything. Retreat to Baekam, Chongjin for defense? Even guild rescue fleets won't make it."
"Tumen line folks know that."
"Everyone knows—why don't Guild Coop? To hold, bury bones at Tumen."
"Guild Coop lacks authority."
"Huh?"
"Ministry of Defense call, probably."
