Chapter 453
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 453
Chapter Title: The World Has Always Been Like That
"What is it?"
Ha Mu-baek's gaze turned toward Han Seol-bing, who was staring straight at him.
"The world just feels so unfair."
Han Seol-bing said with a wry smile.
Ha Mu-baek nodded.
"You're right. It is unfair. The world has always been like that."
Han Seol-bing was momentarily stunned by how matter-of-factly he said it, opening her mouth to retort.
But Ha Mu-baek spoke first.
"There are kids who had to hide away, covering their mouths to stifle their sobs while their mothers were defiled and killed by those Blood Cult and Demonic Cult bastards. Then there are kids who grow up pampered under good parents. And kids who wander as beggars, or kids who beat those beggars senseless."
"Ah..."
Han Seol-bing trailed off, unable to continue.
She knew exactly who that unfortunate child was that Ha Mu-baek spoke of so casually, as if it were someone else's story.
Truly.
For the young Ha Mu-baek, the world must have been filled with all sorts of injustices.
And to such a man...
She had whined that the world was unfair because he was too strong, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't reach his level.
Han Seol-bing quietly shut her mouth.
"If it weren't for Seol-ran... I probably would have died that day too."
If his parents hadn't hidden Ha Mu-baek and Ha Seol-ran deep in the house, begging him somehow to look after Ha Seol-ran.
If that hadn't been the last words of his cruelly and miserably slain parents.
Ha Mu-baek wouldn't have forcibly endured that harsh and grueling life.
Ha Mu-baek's gaze turned toward the Mountain-Crossing Demonic Forest.
They were already quite close.
At full speed in his current condition, it seemed like it would take just a day.
Ha Mu-baek circulated his inner energy to evaporate the sweat from his body and donned his outer robe.
"From now on, we run at full speed toward the Mountain-Crossing Demonic Forest."
"Pardon?"
Han Seol-bing asked in surprise at this completely different approach from before.
"I've got a bad feeling. It feels like a nasty aura is surging wildly from that direction."
Under the dark night sky.
It felt like an energy even darker than the thick gloom was roiling up from somewhere in the Mountain-Crossing Demonic Forest.
The night deepened.
Everyone except for the few on night watch had fallen into deep sleep.
Even though the Mountain-Crossing Demonic Forest had almost no jiangshi.
Perhaps due to the tension, they slept deeply even on the forest floor.
As Man Ya-do patrolled to check on the night watchmen, his gaze lingered on where Group Seven was sleeping before moving on.
'Damn it...'
It was regrettable, but he couldn't do more.
The Fierce Dragon Corps members were one thing, but these guys were stronger than expected.
Just as he resolved to settle it once they reached headquarters and turned to leave...
Ha Seol-ran suddenly snapped her eyes open and bolted upright.
"D-danger! Everyone, we have to move now!"
She let out a sharp cry.
Man Ya-do stared at her in disbelief.
'Is she crazy?'
What kind of stunt was this, waking up like that out of nowhere?
But then.
The moment she shouted, the Group Seven members around her jumped up and urgently asked her.
"What is it?"
Dang Jin-san asked frantically.
"O-over there. Jiangshi are swarming from that direction."
Ha Seol-ran replied in a rush.
Her face was pale with fear.
"How many?"
"An enormous number. It feels like every jiangshi in the Mountain-Crossing Demonic Forest is coming at once."
She hadn't sensed them during their previous visit.
But based on that experience...
This number suggested all the jiangshi that had vanished from the Mountain-Crossing Demonic Forest were charging in.
"All of them? Every single one?"
Ha Seol-ran nodded at Dang Jin-san's question.
Group Seven's faces filled with dismay.
All of them meant even the Dark Iron Jiangshi and Bloodshadow Jiangshi.
"M-more than that... Th-there's an incredibly powerful jiangshi... It's leading at tremendous speed. W-we have to evade now."
The Fierce Dragon Corps members began waking one by one amid the commotion, tuning into the conversation.
"How strong?"
Baek Ri-pyeong interjected urgently.
"In this place... only two people can handle it..."
Group Seven's faces went white at Ha Seol-ran's answer.
As Baek Ri-pyeong opened his mouth to speak...
"Hey! What nonsense is this? It's bedtime—what's with the racket? Back to sleep, all of you. Stop the crazy talk!"
Man Ya-do bellowed furiously.
But no one paid him any mind.
Instead...
They asked Ha Seol-ran again.
"What should we do?"
Yeon Ha-min's calm question.
Seeing her composure, Ha Seol-ran barely steadied her panic.
"F-first, we need as many people together as possible. There are quite a few in the Mountain-Crossing Demonic Forest right now. The strongest are over there."
Ha Seol-ran pointed in one direction.
Yeon Ha-min nodded.
"It's approaching fast. Estimated time?"
"If we move at full speed now, we'll link up and meet them shortly after."
"Got it. Everyone hear that? Gear up and move out."
The Fierce Dragon Corps ignored Man Ya-do completely and sprang into action.
They didn't know about Ha Seol-ran's ability.
Only Group Seven and Joo Woo-myeong knew.
But they knew two things.
That Group Seven was incredibly strong, and they weren't the type to spout nonsense.
So they moved in perfect unison.
"Look here! What do you think you're doing? That's an order! Halt, all of you! Disobeying orders! You'll be punished under corps rules!"
Man Ya-do shouted with fierce authority.
But no one obeyed.
After long periods of group training.
They trusted what Group Seven had shown.
Man Ya-do and his two subordinates couldn't handle them.
Ninety-seven elite members.
All strong.
The Fierce Dragon Corps quickly packed up.
Dang Jin-san's gaze turned to Ha Seol-ran, and she kicked off the ground, sprinting ahead.
With her leading, the Fierce Dragon Corps charged at full speed into the pitch-black Mountain-Crossing Demonic Forest.
The three Demon-Sealing Corps members watched in a daze.
"Tch."
There was no choice.
They had to follow.
They were responsible for leading them.
And being left alone in the heart of the forest felt too risky.
Because of what Ha Seol-ran had shouted.
"Everyone, rise."
So Hwi-woong opened his eyes, sat up, and spoke lowly.
The Hocheon Corps instantly reformed ranks.
The Demon-Sealing Corps warriors rose one by one.
Sun Yu Valley's group did the same.
People's gazes turned to So Hwi-woong at his sudden action.
"Two groups approaching this way. One from over there—some distance, but fast. The other from here—close, but not as quick."
The Hocheon Corps' aura shifted immediately.
They began emanating a frost-like presence.
"This side is probably the Fierce Dragon Corps we discussed... That other aura feels ominous."
As So Hwi-woong shared what he'd sensed...
Gong Son Mu-oe cautiously said to Ma Jin-gi.
"Elder, could you take a look?"
"Not difficult. Supreme Valley Lord."
Ma Jin-gi pulled talismans from his bosom and tossed them into the air.
They burned up in flames instantly.
As he chanted a spell...
His eyes gleamed intensely.
"Hmm."
His face hardened after checking both directions.
Then he scanned all around the Mountain-Crossing Demonic Forest.
"This way, as Alliance Leader said, young warriors charging full speed toward us. Seems like our position is their goal. They look desperate, sensing something."
So Hwi-woong nodded slightly at Ma Jin-gi's words.
"That side... jiangshi. Enormous numbers. Feels like all the vanished ones banded together charging in. The leader is immense. Probably the one that attacked the walls."
Silence fell at Ma Jin-gi's words.
"Looks like we're the target after all."
"Hmm..."
So Hwi-woong swallowed a groan.
"Above all, quite a few Demon-Sealing Corps scattered that way. With others..."
He pointed to five directions.
"Troublesome."
So Hwi-woong frowned.
As if waiting for this moment.
All the jiangshi charging with the Heaven-Annihilating Jiangshi at the fore.
So Hwi-woong looked around.
'Can I hold them off?'
One Heaven-Annihilating Jiangshi, maybe.
But all the Mountain-Crossing Demonic Forest's jiangshi.
Including Dark Iron and Bloodshadow Jiangshi.
"Everyone, evacuate outside the western wall."
Finally.
Having organized his thoughts, So Hwi-woong spoke.
"The spells haven't been reinforced yet. That one might get over."
So Hwi-woong replied to Ma Jin-gi.
"I'll handle that one."
So Hwi-woong said, eyes gleaming.
"Dam Mu-hun."
"Yes."
Dam Mu-hun answered with resolute eyes at So Hwi-woong's call.
"Inform the Demon-Sealing Corps and Dragon Training Pavilion trainees of the situation and get them retreating beyond the Mountain-Crossing Great Wall as fast as possible. Move with four Hocheon Corps."
"B-but then..."
Only six Hocheon Corps would remain with So Hwi-woong.
"Eleven or six makes no difference."
So Hwi-woong said firmly.
"Confirm exact directions with Elder Ma and depart immediately."
Under So Hwi-woong's orders...
Dam Mu-hun had no choice but to obey.
He and the four Hocheon Corps, having confirmed precise positions from Ma Jin-gi, bowed toward So Hwi-woong.
"Please take care..."
With those words, their figures vanished.
"We move quickly too."
One Heaven-Annihilating Jiangshi alone, perhaps.
But if all the local jiangshi swarmed together.
Even So Hwi-woong needed the walls' aid.
"Then the Fierce Dragon Corps coming this way..."
Pung Geon cautiously spoke up.
They were probably the new batch assigned this time.
Natural to worry.
So Hwi-woong's gaze turned to Ma Jin-gi.
"From the leader's eyes, for some reason, it's clearly sensing us and heading here. If we change direction, it'll pursue."
At Ma Jin-gi's assurance, So Hwi-woong nodded and said,
"Full speed to the nearest wall!"
At his command...
They moved swiftly.
Leading were Gong Son Mu-oe and Ma Jin-gi.
The spells still active made their eyes the sharpest.
Rear guard: So Hwi-woong.
In case the enemies caught their tail.
He had to block.
"They've changed direction. Heading for the walls, it seems."
Yeon Ha-min nodded beside Ha Seol-ran.
"Mountain-Crossing Great Wall's spells. Smart move."
En route to the Mountain-Crossing Demonic Forest...
Man Ya-do had given a rough rundown on the great wall.
Including its spells.
Reassured by Yeon Ha-min's words, Ha Seol-ran turned direction.
The entire Fierce Dragon Corps followed suit.
"Distance?"
Ha Seol-ran focused at Yeon Ha-min's question.
"At this speed..."
With her aura sense over the entire Mountain-Crossing Demonic Forest...
Their group's speed and direction, including the strong ones.
The jiangshi horde's speed and direction.
Calculating it all...
"After we reach the wall, in about one to two ke. Then the jiangshi hit."
Yeon Ha-min nodded at Ha Seol-ran's answer.
"Good. Push harder."
"Right."
Ha Seol-ran kicked the ground even harder.
Suddenly, her face drained of color.
"Th-this... this is..."