Chapter 91
“Leader, the Reload is complete.”
“Open Fire.”
“Open Fire!!”
B-b-b-boom-!!
Along with Dongryong’s resounding signal, the cannons spewed fire once again.
KABOOM-!
“Good, good.”
The effect was excellent this time as well. Firing cannonballs into the already intense flames triggered a truly massive explosion.
No matter how sturdy the Jiangshi were, it would be difficult for them to withstand that.
In fact, with only their silhouettes intermittently visible within the intense flames, the Jiangshi could no longer approach our Wooden Palisade.
“Ooooh!”
“Aha! You stupid bastards!”
At that sight, the Subordinates cheered in delight.
Dongryong, who was next to me, also smiled and looked at me.
However…
“Leader! They can’t approach anymo…”
“Wait.”
“Yes?”
“Wait a moment, Dongryong, just a moment…”
…Unlike the Subordinates, I couldn’t rejoice at the current sight.
I just stared intently into the flames. And, the moment I felt something strange inside, I drew my Saber…!
Paat-!
“Kuaaaaaah-!!”
…A Jiangshi that felt like a Master of Lightness Skill leaped straight through the flames toward our Wooden Palisade.
Pasasak-!
Having noticed this in advance, I swung my drawn Saber and unleashed Saber Qi at it.
Thanks to that, its neck was slashed and we moved past it without issue, but the impact it left was huge.
“How…, to come through those flames…”
As I saw a Jiangshi display the movements of a murim Master, Dongryong stiffened beside me with a serious face. I placed a hand on Dongryong’s shoulder and said.
“Dongryong, pull yourself together.”
“…Yes, Leader.”
“Those Hongi Cannons aren’t omnipotent. There will definitely be ones among the Jiangshi that can break through the flames like this one. You have to cut those ones down.”
“M-me?”
Dongryong asked back in surprise, as if he thought it was impossible, but because I believed in his abilities, I nodded with a sincere face.
“Use the Wind Wave Saber Art I taught you to generate Saber Wind and cut down the approaching Jiangshi. You can definitely do it.”
“Ah…”
Among the stances of the Wind Wave Saber Art, there was one that extended Saber Wind to intercept targets from afar. Realizing this, Dongryong trembled slightly and nodded.
“…I’ll try.”
“Spread this to the other executives too. Everyone needs to take their position and intercept the approaching Jiangshi.”
“Understood.”
After that, Dongryong ran to the other executives and relayed what I had just said, and the executives all scattered to their designated positions.
“They’re coming again!”
“Open Fire!”
“Open Fire!”
B-b-b-boom-!
After the Reload was finished like that, the third Artillery Bombardment followed…
Fwoosh-!
The flames soared into the sky once again, but…
“Kyaaaaak-!”
Just as I predicted, several Jiangshi survived the flames and approached our Wooden Palisade.
Crunch-!
Pasasak-!
The executives and I all swung our sabers and cut them down with Saber Wind.
And among them…
Pusuk-!
“Oh!”
…There was also the Haomun Leader, who threw a thick dagger and completely shattered a Jiangshi’s neck.
When I looked at her in surprise, the Haomun Leader grinned and said.
“I am this useful.”
“…”
…It seemed my earlier comment about Dagger Art being useless against Jiangshi had hurt her feelings.
It was surprising to think she was still dwelling on that. Her unexpectedly petty side made me laugh.
“Right! Let’s work a bit harder!”
“Yes, Great Hero!”
Like that, we laughed together and raised our respective sabers and daggers toward the approaching Jiangshi.
* * *
“Open Fire!”
B-b-b-boom-!
“Phew…”
How many artillery bombardments was this now?
‘Has it been about One Shichen by now?’
During that One Shichen, we relentlessly fired and slashed. Thanks to that, not a single Jiangshi directly touched our Mountain Stronghold’s Wooden Palisade.
Even so, the situation wasn’t positive.
“Haa…, haa…”
“Dongryong, take a rest.”
“Yes? But…”
“I’ll take over, so get some rest, you punk.”
First of all, the executives' stamina had dropped too much due to the war of attrition that had lasted for One Shichen.
Not only that…
‘We’re gradually…, being pushed back.’
Right now, it looked like our Green Forest was blocking them well, but I could tell. The frontline that seemed deadlocked was actually being pushed back toward us little by little.
This was due to the endless sheer numbers of the Jiangshi.
So far, we have annihilated at least hundreds of Jiangshi. Even so, the number of Jiangshi has shown no signs of decreasing.
The pits we had dug were already completely filled with Jiangshi corpses. The flames that seemed like they would never go out had long since lost their embers, smothered by the Jiangshi corpses.
The sight before my eyes was truly a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood.
The Jiangshi were even using their comrades' corpses as barricades to defend against the Artillery Bombardment while inching forward bit by bit.
“O-Open Fire-!”
Whether the Subordinates were terrified by the gruesome sight before them or were slowly feeling a sense of crisis, their morale had also sunk.
There were even some who were trembling.
‘We’ll collapse at this rate…’
I still didn’t know the Blood Demon Corpse King’s exact military strength. Perhaps, there were more Jiangshi than we had cannonballs.
The only way to resolve this situation was to find and kill the Blood Demon Corpse King, who was controlling the Jiangshi from somewhere.
Seu-euk-.
Therefore, I looked up at the sky with a desperate wish.
“…Please.”
Like a high priest waiting for a revelation from the heavens…
“Hurry.”
…Endlessly, just endlessly.
And the moment I continued to stare at the sky with such an earnest heart…!
-I found him.
“…!”
…I was finally able to get the answer I wanted.
“Haomun Leader! Dongryong!”
I immediately called out to the two people commanding the frontline with me.
“Yes, Great Hero.”
“Yes, Leader.”
“I think I have to go now.”
“…”
I first placed a hand on the Haomun Leader’s shoulder, as the two of them stood momentarily dazed.
“Forget all the jokes I played before. I believe in you, who are more capable than anyone else. Use your extraordinary brain to lead my Subordinates.”
The Bandit bastards were too dumb for that. The only one who could command them was the Haomun Leader. When I asked her with sincerity, she nodded.
Next, I looked at Dongryong. To Dongryong, I only spoke briefly.
“Take good care of the guys.”
“Yes, Leader…Please return safely.”
“Of course, don’t you trust me?”
“Even if I can’t trust the Heavenly and Earthly Deities, I trust you, Leader.”
Satisfied with Dongryong’s answer, I grinned and raised one hand high.
This was an operation we had planned in advance. Even so, the Haomun Leader and Dongryong looked at me with anxious expressions.
After casually tossing a single remark at them,
“Hold out. I’ll be right back.”
Paat-!
-I found him, Muyeon! I found him!!
I soared straight into the sky, entrusting my body to Imugi’s claws as it snatched me up like a hawk hunting a rabbit.
“Is it far from here?”
-It’s not far; we’ll be there soon.
“Right…, let’s go see what he actually looks like in person.”
It was finally time to drive a blade into the neck of that hopeless Jiangshi Legion.
* * *
When I faced the Blood Demon Corpse King’s clone the other day, I extracted his demonic energy and trapped it within my body.
And prior to the battle, I let Imugi feel that demonic energy.
Feeling the Blood Demon Corpse King’s creepy demonic energy, Imugi trembled and asked me.
‘…It feels gross. What is this?’
‘The Blood Demon Corpse King’s demonic energy.’
‘Why are you showing this to me…’
‘When the battle starts, that guy will definitely hide his body and use Jiangshi Control. This fight will only end if we kill him. So you need to…’
Although my senses were on the excellent side, they couldn’t compare to a Beast’s, let alone a spiritual creature’s that had lived for hundreds of years.
‘…When the battle starts, find this guy from the sky.’
While we were fighting a pitched battle with the Jiangshi, Imugi roamed the sky and diligently searched for the Blood Demon Corpse King’s location.
And…, it has faithfully carried out that mission just now.
-That guy is over there.
“Mhm, yeah. I can feel it too.”
Looking at the place Imugi pointed to with its claws, I could also feel a faint demonic energy.
“Good job, Yongyong.”
-Then I’ll quickly fly over there…
“No.”
-Hmm?
Having come up with a good idea, I grinned and made a request about it.
“Throw me over there.”
-…Ah?
“It’s fine, so hurry.”
-…Understood.
At my request, Imugi made an uncomfortable expression, but…
Whoosh-!! Papapapat-!
…It threw me like a fastball to where the Blood Demon Corpse King was.
Kwakwakwa-!
“Ah, that’s refreshing.”
The thought of finally meeting the Armchair Spectator made my frustrated chest feel relieved.
How stiff must the Blood Demon Corpse King’s body be from hiding in that stuffy grass, using Jiangshi Control like he is typing on a keyboard?
Just as I am feeling refreshed right now, I should make him feel refreshed too.
Seureung-.
I immediately drew my Saber and filled it with energy. And then…
Wind Wave Saber Art, Heavenly Thunder Falling Wind.
I swung my Saber just like that.
KWAKWAKWAKWA-!!!
The Saber Qi I swung kicked up a massive Saber Wind, literally half-destroying the Blood Demon Corpse King’s precious hideout.
* * *
“Phew, cough, cough.”
The place that had been overgrown with bushes instantly became a barren flatland. Naturally, there was bound to be an aftermath.
Countless shattered trees and a massive sandstorm that had kicked up were evident.
Thud!
Still, when I infused Internal Energy and performed an Advancing Step, the sandstorm obscuring the vicinity cleared, revealing a human figure before me.
“Hah…, haha…”
Some old geezer was currently looking at me from the front, looking completely dumbfounded.
“Hoo…”
He made a kinder impression than I had thought. Judging by his outward appearance, he didn’t look like a cruel Heavenly Demon Cult Elder who handled Jiangshi, but rather a friendly neighborhood grandpa.
Just in case, I smiled and asked him.
“Excuse me, old man. I’m trying to find someone. Could I ask for directions?”
“Haha…, it’s my first time here today too, but… Still, ask me anything.”
The Blood Demon Corpse King might be a more cheerful grandpa than I thought, seeing how he even played along with this skit
However, since we weren’t in a relationship where we could affectionately exchange jokes and laugh together, I raised my Saber and aimed it at him.
“I came to catch a voyeuristic pervert geezer bastard who puts Jiangshi in the front just watching while hiding in the back. Do you know where that bastard is?”
“Hmm…, a voyeuristic pervert geezer bastard…, ah! Are you perhaps talking about me?”
The Blood Demon Corpse King answered slyly like that and raised a staff that looked like it was made of dead wood. And then, still smiling, he asked me back.
“But…, can you handle me all by yourself?”
Seu-euk-.
As he raised his staff, bright red glowing eyes revealed themselves soon from the surroundings.
“Grrrrr-.”
“Kyaaaaak!”
…I could feel an Aura from them that couldn’t even be compared to the regular Jiangshi that had invaded our Mountain Stronghold.
There are at least dozens of Elite Jiangshi.
Right…, so he has something to rely on too, is that it?
But it was the same for me: to have something to rely on.
“Who said I was alone?”
“Hmm? Ah…”
When I said that, the Blood Demon Corpse King slowly looked toward the sky and spoke quietly.
“It wasn’t one person, but two, right?”
-Kuaaaaah-!!
From the direction where the Blood Demon Corpse King raised his head, Yongyong was charging down while letting out a roar.
And I too…
“It’s not two people; it’s one person and one Beast-! You bastard-!”
…I leaped up with my Saber in hand, matching its charge.