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chapter 137
Somewhere in Beijing
The door to Luuchen’s room swung wide open.
“Excuse me for disturbing your rest! There’s an enemy ambush—!”
The secretary, bowing low, startled at what he saw. Luuchen was sitting by the window in a martial arts uniform, gazing at the moon, a cup of deeply fragrant tea in his hand.
It was as if he had been waiting for someone’s arrival.
A surreal, almost immortal-like figure, as if he had stepped out of a celestial painting.
For a moment, the secretary found himself staring blankly.
“Is this about the Tianjin matter?”
“Y-Yes!”
He quickly snapped back to attention, straightening his posture.
Had he mentioned Tianjin?
Luuchen’s eyes held an almost supernatural depth, as if reading souls.
At that moment, the secretary recalled the rumor circulating among the assistants: Luuchen had little interest in the world, but he always observed it from a detached, god-like perspective.
“Indeed… it’s about time to wrap that up as well.”
Thunk!
Muttering something incomprehensible, Luuchen set down his teacup—a brew reminiscent of the incense he had given to Xichangyou.
“Tell everyone they needn’t worry too much about that matter.”
“B-But Qinglei’s attacks are relentless! And Astrad is involved too! If we leave it unchecked, Pingxin’s base could—!”
“Exactly why I said to leave it be.”
Luuchen glanced back lightly, smiling faintly. Yet in the moonlight, that smile struck the secretary as unnervingly intimidating.
“Wouldn’t my partner be unworthy if they couldn’t overcome such hardships?”
When Xichangyou first met him, he requested only one thing: a strategic partnership. Support me, and I’ll return the favor. Luuchen had merely nodded.
That was the way of the Dojo: give as much as you receive, and if you cannot, walk away and wait for the next connection.
“However…”
Of course, from the perspective of a secretary on the Committee’s payroll, such a command was hard to understand. Pingxin was one of the Committee’s key assets. If even one faltered, Luuchen could fall out of favor with the Party.
But Luuchen said nothing, simply looking at the secretary with calm, deep eyes.
“…Understood. I’ll relay your instructions.”
“And for the wounded, send them here immediately. They are innocent. Don’t discriminate between friend or foe, and don’t refuse anyone just because they are Qinglei’s.”
Before earning the title Dojo (道祖), he had been called Medical Immortal (醫仙), and it was only when speaking of treatment that his eyes seemed to regain a glimmer of life.
The secretary bowed slightly and withdrew, thinking how difficult and incomprehensible it was to serve such a superior.
Whoooosh—!
A blast of scorching wind swept across the area.
Thud!
Lucas fell, his head crushed. Archem clicked his tongue, observing.
“…As expected, Mr. Ji-Hyun is no easy opponent, now or then.”
Beneath the hood of his robe, eyes as dull as ash revealed no emotion. Simultaneously:
[Myth: “Earth-Eating Matron” activates Skill: Womb of the Grave!]
The ground trembled, and sharp thorns erupted from it, forming a forest. The moment Lucas collapsed, Ji-Hyun launched himself forward.
Kaboom!
Lightning struck but failed to pierce the dense thorns, scattering in all directions. Dust filled the air, sparks crackling and fading. Amidst it all, Ji-Hyun had vanished.
Fwoom!
[Emerging from darkness, treading the twilight!]
He reappeared behind Archem. Unaware or indifferent, Archem continued speaking:
“Thanks to you, unbeliever, we now have a daily ration your lord would appreciate.”
Screeeech!
Crack!
Ji-Hyun’s axe severed Archem’s neck in a single swing. The head floated in the air—but no blood gushed. Instead, decayed maggots poured out, as if from a corpse long dead.
“Should I thank you, perhaps?”
And the head continued speaking, a grin forming on its lips.
[Myth: “Earth-Eating Matron” casts Skill: Touch of Weathering!]
The headless corpse’s hands shot forward like lightning, blackened and dripping with toxic energy. Everything they touched corroded. Ji-Hyun struck down with his iron blade, colliding with the poison to create a haze of toxic mist.
Mistaken breaths could corrode the lungs, but:
[Poison Immunity (S) activated: immune to all toxins!]
Ji-Hyun advanced, pressing the advantage, delivering a flurry of chaotic strikes.
Kaboom! Kaboom!
Archem’s limbs were battered, bones exposed, flesh shredded. Yet he still moved, as if controlled by unseen forces.
[Myth: “Earth-Eating Matron” activates Power: Testament of Earth to resurrect “Lucas Montenegro”!]
Mana swirled; the severed head began to reconnect. Ji-Hyun tried to shatter it with his iron blade, when suddenly:
Bang!
A gunshot rang from behind. Ji-Hyun narrowly avoided the bullet, which struck the wall.
“…Lucas Montenegro. You resurrected him again, huh?”
Lucas, recently dead, now aimed a gun with vacant eyes—resurrected via the Testament of Earth, a sacred power of the Jijeo Church, usable only by select bishops or cardinals. Even though the revived’s power is slightly reduced, it retains much of its former strength.
Archem laughed grotesquely, his headless body showing no major difference from before. Torn robes indicated the previous battle’s events.
“Because of that, one bishop died… the exorcism lightning was painful to witness.”
Ji-Hyun’s eyes darkened.
“Do you realize that if you remember that, you must also be ready to die the same way?”
“Hmph… I can martyr myself for him many times, but I don’t favor pain. It still hurts, as before.”
Archem touched his scorched neck; the burn marks still smarted.
“So this body can’t last long either. Unbeliever, have you learned a curse spell?”
Ji-Hyun had applied tailored curse inscriptions: for Lucas, delayed perception; for Archem, enhanced exorcism and lightning for maximum demon suppression.
“Well…”
“Indeed, hard to explain to an enemy, I suppose.”
“I still don’t understand why…”
“Why you allied with the Committee.”
Ji-Hyun narrowed his eyes, axe over his shoulder.
“The City Cartel is desperate after Goblin Market closed in Korea, but you have no such reason, do you?”
Archem kept talking without fighting, testing the waters, circling around.
“Do you suspect I have another motive?”
“Speak plainly. Or die.”
Ji-Hyun’s eyes glimmered sharply.
“Ha… Indeed, Unbeliever, you are sharp… terrifyingly so. Chillingly clever.”
Archem, smiling wide, continued:
“Yes, we came with another purpose. I am a messenger.”
“Messenger?”
“To deliver something to the Mountain Deity.”
Ji-Hyun remained silent, analyzing Archem’s intentions.
“Ha… no need to suspect. You only need to deliver this letter.”
Archem threw something at Ji-Hyun—it was a sealed letter on medieval-style parchment, dark red wax seal ominous in the center.
“It should have been delivered to Team Y in South Africa, but our bishop was blinded by encountering you…”
Archem bowed politely.
“The bishop, newly appointed, lacked judgment. On behalf of our church, I apologize.”
The Jijeo Church’s priests and followers were all consumed by fanaticism. Their deity, the Matron, is inherently imperfect; thus, their devotion is equally unstable. Hunger and thirst plagued them, leading to rituals of sacrifice or cannibalism.
“The negligent bishop has been dealt with. Please forgive any misunderstandings.”
Ji-Hyun thought: They intended to try me first, then eat me if convenient; otherwise, only Lucas.
The battlefield overflowed with casualties, making even a few slaves valuable.
“We considered visiting Korea ourselves, but would have been turned away. Hence, we took this opportunity.”
Ji-Hyun pondered: Do I destroy this letter or not? He had already expended significant mana against Chulwoo and Lucas, and fighting Archem’s revived army would strain him further.
Better to send the letter away, but…
Flare!
He burned the letter with a dispassionate gaze; black ash scattered.
“…Refusing your messenger duty?”
“No. I just won’t do it.”
“What’s the difference—”
“It’s significant.”
Ji-Hyun gritted his teeth.
“If you take my companions like last time, that’s unacceptable.”
“Just for that reason?”
“For that reason alone.”
Crackle! Lightning danced across Ji-Hyun’s shoulders. His body glowed cyan-white, a column of light piercing the sky—his power manifesting.
[Power: Skull of the Thunder God unlocked!]
Fwoosh!
Cyan-white lightning crackled everywhere. Ji-Hyun, heated, unleashed the Thunder Skull.
Originally planned to use it on Changu, but now I’ll strike him first.
The Thunder Skull’s signature: one-strike kill. He intended to sweep his enemies away.
“…In this case, I have no choice. I’ll find another way to deliver the letter to the Mountain Deity.”
Archem smiled maliciously, feet stomping; his torn mouth looked demonic.
Thud!
Suddenly, the ground bubbled and vomited humans—Lucas, Chulwoo, Choi Youngho, and other central base hunters were resurrected.
“You shall join them, Ji-Hyun.”
At that moment,
“Enough. I’ll handle introductions myself from now on.”
A massive echo boomed from above:
[Myth: “Ruler of All Things” proclaims Power: Dominion of the Frozen Wastes!]
Fwoooosh!!
A sudden blizzard swept across, freezing all cyan lightning and even Archem’s summoned army.
This chapter ends with Ji-Hyun’s power neutralizing Archem’s army and freezing the battlefield.
