Chapter 86
Chapter 86
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 86
Chapter Title: Descendants of Dangun
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After parting ways with Yoo Chan-seok, Lee Ha-yoon stared at his retreating back and spoke up.
"That bastard's an ungrateful beast, boss. If it weren't for us, he'd be dead right now."
And deep down, Lee Ha-yoon had been hoping for exactly that.
"Doubt it."
The man in the military hood replied, then fired an arrow into the ground. It was right where Yoo Chan-seok had been clashing with the undead moments before.
A low rumble echoed as the shockwave rippled through the earth.
"...?!"
The moment the arrow struck, the entire ground in the area collapsed.
"That guy's definitely still alive."
He didn't have the power to cause that kind of destruction with a single blow yet. But if he'd held out for another thirty minutes or so, the outcome would've been different.
He'd been stacking impacts into the ground amid the fighting. Not randomly, but meticulously, setting it up so one final strike in the key spot would bring the whole section down.
Like a sinkhole, sort of. Not exactly the same, but close enough.
Anyway, the undead he'd been facing would've all plummeted into the sudden crater, and he'd have slipped out in the chaos.
"We helped, sure, but he didn't desperately need it. Tough bastard."
The hooded man muttered as he slowly turned away. Even in that situation, he'd found a way to survive—and probably succeeded.
If his comrades, who had pulled back to rest, rejoined him, they could've bought another thirty minutes... and after that, he could've just bolted through the gap in the collapsed ground like mad.
"Then we had no reason to interfere in the first place."
Seo Yeon-ju shot back, and the man answered.
"He'd survive with or without us. But you wanna abandon Harbin?"
She fell silent at his retort. True enough—if the guy was going to make it anyway, they couldn't just ditch Harbin.
"So... where are we headed?"
Lee Ha-yoon asked, and the hooded man inspected his bow as he replied.
"All the Descendants of Dangun have been rallied in Shenyang."
Even grunts from the Immortal Legion had died.
"Beijing's corpses might start moving too."
"You gonna handle that as well?!"
Seo Yeon-ju gaped in disbelief. Just saving the bastard who'd turned Kim Ji-hyun into that was making her sick to her stomach—and now they had to neutralize a potential threat too?
"It's already been cleared with the government. Last time, Lee Ha-yoon. No more personal feelings in matters of national interest."
"Aren't you pissed, boss?"
The military-hooded man responded.
"Kim Ji-hyun was a comrade who'd fought by my side for years."
His grip on the bow was so tight his knuckles were white, and a faint cracking sound came intermittently.
"...Sorry."
"We do what we have to. Waiting for the perfect chance is foolish, but forcing it at the wrong time is even more so."
With that, the man in the military hood walked off without another word. Lee Ha-yoon, Seo Yeon-ju, and the others followed in silence.
Anyway, Harbin was ours now, thankfully. We'd wanted it as our base from the start, so mission accomplished.
"So that's where those guys came in. Didn't see that coming."
Han Sang-ah's comment had me smacking my lips and scratching my head.
"From their perspective, their goals trumped personal grudges."
Even after the guy crippled their comrade and later killed him.
"Pretty common for an organization moving with a unified objective."
That's why sayings like "cut off personal grudges on the battlefield" or "rivals in May, allies in June" exist. No matter how much you hate someone, if the situation demands it, you help.
"Still, weird bunch."
Jung O-hun, who'd overheard our chat and learned about the Descendants of Dangun's aims, looked amazed.
"What's weird? First Korean nationalist group you've seen?"
He gave me a vague look at my words.
"Nah, our country's doing great anyway. What's there to complain about?"
I kinda felt the same, honestly.
"People who already have a lot always want more. Just look at your grandpa."
Han Sang-ah's point made Jung O-hun and me both go "Ah" and nod.
"How strong are they?"
"Pretty solid. Their boss could probably take me out by the truckload solo."
Jung O-hun let out a low whistle.
"Hard to buy that."
"Doesn't mean you'd drop without a fight."
Right now, I could probably drag it out for an hour or so.
Jung O-hun rubbed his chin thoughtfully before speaking.
"So, there's this group called Descendants of Dangun, their leader's way stronger than you, and you crippled one of their members before killing him later?"
Yeah, that summed it up. Guy had a knack for summaries.
"They must wanna kill you bad, then."
"Yep. They looked at me like a hyena eyeing rotten meat."
Jung O-hun scratched his head furiously, then grinned awkwardly.
"Where do I submit my resignation?"
"Bullshit."
He chuckled before sighing heavily.
"What a mess. Never had my life this tangled before."
"What're you talking about? Your nickname's 'Jung Noon Shit,' right?"
"Hey!" he yelled, then grinned. "Dirty life, sure. Tangled? Nah."
Anyway, the remaining undead were being mopped up by patrolling hunters, and Vladivostok had started shipping supplies in earnest after hearing we'd taken Harbin.
Harbin was just a foothold. Our real target was Jawun Valley.
And thanks to Jung O-hun's intel, we'd secured plenty of masks made from sulfur ferns, currently en route.
"Can't cover everyone."
Those ferns weren't crops we could farm. Wild plants from overseas. Even pushing hard, there were limits.
"Still, half should get masks. Lucky. What about Adakawa?"
"Resting now."
Makes sense after that barrage.
"Most things popping out of Jawun Valley's fog are formless."
Not corpses—wraiths. In a way, beings freed from flesh.
They excel at hiding and target the mind over the body.
"No issue for me."
Physically, I've got a long way to go. Body's not complete yet.
But mentally? That's soul territory, and the soul and mind in this body are rock-solid. No low-level ghosts can touch it.
Jawun Valley's fog and its ghosts? A walk in the park for me.
"Wonder about the others."
"Why're you looking at me and Sang-ah, then?"
Mental attacks suck to endure. They dredge up bad memories, nightmares, wearing you down.
You can train the body, but not the mind like that. No amount of kill drills preps you for that first murder shock.
"Eh, let's see how they handle it."
No one can help with that anyway.
"Can't you ward them off with those talismans?"
"Maybe, but it'd be nice if we could."
Still, they're from a rank-1 Erosion Core. Talismans might weaken them, but not block approach.
"Jung, watch out for getting seduced by ghosts."
He blinked. "What's that?"
I explained briefly, and he replied even briefer.
"Ghost babe comes as a hottie, hops in bed for some smooching? Why say no?"
"Ugh, just die."
Heard from Han Sang-ah he'd hit on Adakawa Nanami with a magical girl gimmick and bailed when it didn't work.
No need for consistency there.
"Anyway, rest today, prep for Jawun Valley tomorrow."
No time to waste.
"Too rushed?"
"The undead we fought were thralls. Bound by some overriding will, mostly."
Jung O-hun got serious. "Meaning Gunsalok noticed?"
"Probably."
Who knows if the damn Immortal Legion will actually move. Maybe not.
But we nearly had surprises even taking Harbin.
"Beijing and Changchun are pretty far, though."
Clear Jawun quick, cleanse this area's Erosion Zones. Monsters moving outside? Rare exceptions aside, unseen.
Han Sang-ah nodded. "Personally, I'd push straight through without resting."
"Everyone's beat."
She looked puzzled.
"You did all the heavy lifting. Rest just swept weaklings. Don't get why they're tired."
"Getting here was rough."
Still puzzled, she continued, leaning against a cracked wall.
"Anyway, day's rest it is."
"Polish your condition."
She nodded.
"Priority one's finding the Erosion Core somewhere in Changchun."
Jawun's unclaimed, location unknown.
First task: enter, pinpoint it.
"Needs to be quick."
Drag too long, might run into Gunsalok's Immortal Legion. Then we'd have to abandon Harbin and fall back.
I asked Jung O-hun, "What about your sight and bracelet?"
He pondered. "Depends on fog density. Light, it'd help. Thick? Just staring at clouds from above."
"Useless. Damn it."
He flipped me off. I yawned at the finger.
"Exhausted. Eat well, rest up."
Body aches from solo Harbin work.
"You good? Spitting blood like you were dying hours ago."
"Fine. Word it nicer."
"Reflect on your own mouth."
He tossed me a small packet of powder as he finished.
"What's this?"
"Tonic. My go-to. Decent effect. Dump it in, chase with water."
Not real tonic—emergency meds for injuries. I swallowed the powder with water.