196. Our Guild Master Asked Me to Relay This
The Songhua River originated from Heaven Lake at Baekdu Mountain and flowed northwest. It passed through Jilin City, merged streams at Sanjiahe in the northwest, changed course northeast, flowed past Harbin where it joined the Mudan River, continued through Jiamusi, and finally met the Amur River (Heilong River).
Coincidentally, the gates that the Hwangryong Guild had tried to force open were all linked to this Songhua River basin.
"That's all ancient history now. The terrain's changed a lot. Hardly anyone knows this route besides me."
Do Dae-cheol nodded at the explanation from the Makyung guide, who spoke with a Yanbian dialect. The landscape unfolding before him was nothing like what he'd seen on maps.
He'd operated in Makyung before, but this place was one he'd only heard about in stories. Without guild master Baek Gwi's orders, he might never have come here. Its notoriety was that severe.
"This used to be flatland, right?"
"Not just any flatland. It was black soil. Fertile enough that anything planted there grew like crazy."
"And now mountains have popped up?"
The middle and lower reaches of the Songhua River had been drastically altered by Makyung's mana interference and past rampages of massive monsters.
The prime agricultural zone, one of China's best, had vanished entirely, replaced by towering mountains.
The range undulated with peaks rising and falling dramatically. Between them, the old riverbed of the Songhua snaked through canyons. The fierce currents were infamous—even hunters who fell in faced dire consequences.
The rugged terrain bred powerful monsters in abundance. Yet hunters rarely ventured here. Strong monsters meant high value, but still...
With so few visitors, naturally few knew the paths.
Do Dae-cheol had struggled to hire this guide, offering not just a premium but top-tier gear as well.
The guide gestured through the air along the ridgeline as he spoke.
"The mountains rose ages ago, and they've shifted even more since the Little War. That's why so few know the ways now."
"Why avoid it? Where's a better hunting ground?"
"You asking 'cause you don't know? This is that place."
"That place? Oh, you mean the Old Nine Dragon Tombs?"
"Ancient history. Old hunters shuddered at Nine Dragon Tombs raids, but most young ones don't even know this is it."
"So what's it called now?"
"The Graveyard. Hunters who know it call it that."
"Graveyard? Whose grave?"
"Just the Graveyard. Monsters, hunters—everything ends up buried in bones."
The rumors Do Dae-cheol had overheard now took concrete shape as a name.
Graveyard...
Even if half the tales were true, no name fit better. Countless hunters had perished here.
That's why China and Russia steered clear. Only money-mad ethnic Koreans or fearless unified Korea hunters came.
Honestly, Do Dae-cheol felt uneasy too. Without the guide, he'd have skipped it.
But a mission was a mission.
He steeled himself, focusing on Baek Gwi's command.
The boss said the Jilin monster den leader headed to the old Nine Dragon Tombs site. Can't waste a good card like that. Nail this plan, and we'll reclaim our former glory.
The Hwangryong Guild had come here hunting the gate boss with the same idea, only to retreat without landing a hit.
That failure led them to conclude they couldn't control the boss, prompting their decision to leave the Shenyang gate sealed.
But we're different. We have methods they don't know.
Do Dae-cheol relaxed, reviewing their prepared approach. If they executed properly, Baek Gwi's grand scheme would succeed.
He stepped forward, reaffirming his resolve.
"Lead on. We need to hurry to make the timing."
Sim Wol was ultimately caught by Kamenisky.
"The old man's quick on his feet."
She had no choice but to fight on. Moments later, Igor joined. Sim Wol prepared a powerful skill to escape again.
She planned to bluff with a high-damage skill and slip away, but they weren't fools to fall for the same trick twice.
"Hey now, where you off to?"
"Out of my way, you tyrant!"
"Keep running, and I'll be offended."
Avatar
Igor's body elongated. It swelled massively. In an instant, he towered at 20 meters—a giant.
Ignoring conservation of mass with his ability, Sim Wol ground her teeth.
"If I hadn't fought the Reaper. If my body were intact. I wouldn't suffer this humiliation from you."
"What hunter fights considering the opponent's circumstances? I expected more from Namsan's infamous demon, but you're just a high-rank paper tiger."
"Shut up!"
Sim Wol's spear whipped wildly. Centered on her, the shaft traced a crescent.
Thousand-Armed Guanyin
Her grip seemed to multiply into dozens of hands. Accordingly, dozens of spears manifested.
If even this fails, I'm done for.
Linked skill.
Void Spear - Linked Strikes
Dozens of spears shot forth like beams, engulfing Igor.
"Paper tiger or not, S-rank's S-rank, huh? Hahaha!"
Igor assumed a Taekwondo straight punch stance.
Right fist clenched to his waist, shoulder pulled back. As his left hand yanked to his right hip, his right fist rotated forward.
At first, nothing. Then, an immense intangible force like a mountain filled the space.
Judgment of Zimyatlya
Igor's original skill, named after the Slavic earth god's power, clashed head-on with Sim Wol's assault.
Dazzling light blurred all forms, then erased them. The explosion dwarfed the one that had leveled Jilin city's heart.
The roar spread late, a mushroom cloud blooming skyward.
As settling dust cleared, the scene emerged.
The two S-rank hunters' clash had wrought devastation.
No traces of civilization remained.
On the barren earth, a crater hundreds of meters wide held two half-buried hunters.
"Kuhuhu! That was close. Your raw power's unmatched even in Russia."
Igor staggered up, gigantification faded. His special suit and gear lay shattered.
Sim Wol fared little better. Her prized Ghostwail Spear was bent; her full-body armor cracked everywhere. The helmet shrouding her face had split, dangling raggedly from her gorget.
But the key difference was,
"Damn tough. Not just a big lug, huh? Cough!"
Her internals were wrecked.
Twisted organs would need a year of rest to heal.
She vomited a mouthful of black blood, forcing herself upright.
He looks hurt, but he's barely scratched. Even at full strength, victory wasn't guaranteed.
Kamenisky had long been renowned, but yielding to this tyrant—who rose around the same time—was a blow to her pride.
Then she remembered the forgotten presence.
"Kamenis... kuh... ki."
Her body shook. She stared at the scythe protruding from her solar plexus. Her spine severed, her lower body went numb. Legs buckled; she knelt. Gritting her teeth, she turned.
"You sneaky old bastard..."
"I hunt more than monsters. Sneaky and cowardly's par for the course. That gap killed you."
"..."
"S-rank made you arrogant, Sim Wol. You should've hunted, not dueled or warred."
"You... ba..."
She heard no more. Kamenisky yanked the scythe free and severed her head.
Igor stopped the rolling head with his foot on the crater slope. He picked it up and climbed.
Kamenisky flicked blood from the scythe and sheathed it behind him.
His wounds from Sim Wol throbbed. Hastily treated during pursuit, bleeding resumed.
Organs damaged. Mana and stamina depleted. He's fresh, though. Am I that old?
Pain mingled with his words.
"My turn now?"
"Sharp for an old timer."
"Lately I've thought... you, your brother Darden. Maybe I should've eliminated you brothers long ago."
Igor loomed before Kamenisky. He carefully placed the severed head atop Sim Wol's upright corpse. It toppled, body and head tumbling down the slope.
Igor glanced once, then faced Kamenisky.
"I've thought the same forever. Without you old fogeys, things would've been smoother. We'd have pushed Vladivostok sooner, finished my revenge uninterrupted. You blocking us boils my blood."
"Just need a scapegoat?"
"Maybe."
"Killing me won't be easy."
"At full strength, maybe not. Now? Piece of cake."
"You don't look pristine either."
A woman's voice cut in as Igor poised to strike. He scowled in fury.
"Butting in again, witch?"
Joo Se-ah descended into view.
"No personal grudge—even if you're scum. Just business."
"What business? Killing me?"
"No. Saving someone."
Joo Se-ah pointed at Kamenisky.
"Korea. Iron Will's Joo Se-ah."
"S-rank. Korea had one?"
"Recent promotion."
Kamenisky eyed her curiously despite his brush with death. Fitting for a hunter who'd spent decades monster-slaying in the frozen wastes.
Joo Se-ah shoved away his interest with an open palm, stepping before Igor.
"Round two? Finish what Vladivostok started."
"Knew I'd target the old man from the start?"
"Our guild master asked me to relay this."
"That sly bastard. What'd he say?"
"Quit the games. Hunt monsters."
"Ha? Ballsy. You dare—"
"Pass this to your brother."
"..."
"My question now. Fight me? Or nah?"
"Expedition leader! Here! He's still alive!"
Seong Seon-je rushed over at So Sang-yeop's shout. So was pouring potion into a battered hunter's mouth.
Gam Woo-young fed another to a female hunter nearby, also on death's door.
"Hwangryong expedition team. Others?"
So shook his head. These two were the only survivors.
Seong Seon-je unpacked ampoule kits and Slayer Guild emergency meds, treating them.
They stabilized. Catching his breath, Seong Seon-je decided to withdraw from Jilin immediately.
"Back to the Tumen River."