C175
Cale unfolded the map.
It showed the interior of the fortress. Ron had crafted it, of course, based on Hoya's words.
Cale's gaze landed on Hoya.
"Is it as Hoya said?"
When Cale smiled maliciously, Candidate Hoya seemed to force an uncomfortable smile, his face turning pale.
'It's strange.'
Watching this scene, Cale felt a strange sensation.
'He's stronger than I thought.'
Candidates Hoya and Yun obediently bowed down to Cale's strengthened Dominating Aura without offering any real resistance after facing it.
'So far, the people I've met didn't become so submissive so quickly to this aura.'
Was that strengthened Dominating Aura really so extraordinary?
'Or is this power particularly effective on them?'
He didn't think the candidates were acting. The terror in their faces seemed genuine.
If they were capable of pretending, the Blood Cult would have destroyed the Central Plains long ago.
'Once I meet the other candidates and people from the Blood Cult, I'll have an answer.'
The strengthened Dominating Aura. He could take his time to figure out its true nature.
-Human, keep quiet!
Cale nodded at Raon's words in his head and looked back at the map.
The vast terrain had a peculiar shape. When they managed to infiltrate through the Protective Formation, they saw a high wall that seemed specially designed for defense, forming a large rectangle. And within that, the buildings were arranged in a spiral pattern that gradually narrowed, like the shape of a snail shell. In the midst of all that, there was a solitary building at the bottom of the circle, standing out in the southward direction.
"Did they say this is where Baek No resides?"
Sniff.
The sound of Raon sniffing echoed in the air.
-Human, the smell here is unpleasant.
It smelled of all kinds of medicinal ingredients.
He hadn't noticed it outside the fortress, but now that he was inside, the smell was truly overwhelming.
-Moreover, the stench is unbearable.
-It seems there's even dead mana somewhere.
Raon chattered non-stop.
For now, the atmosphere was quite calm.
Cale and the others walked at a leisurely pace.
The reason was simple.
Firstly, they had taken the less-traveled path and were heading around the outskirts to their destination.
"Who...?"
Even when patrols occasionally appeared,
"Oh, Miss Yun!"
The patrol agents would tense up and straighten their posture upon seeing Yun at the front. The patrol agents didn't dare to question her sudden appearance due to their low rank. And when the agents did appear that way...
Bang~
"Kugh."
One by one, Ron silently stunned them.
It was a natural process, and like flowing water, Cale's steps never stopped.
Without noise, without a commotion, without anyone complaining.
As if they were taking a stroll.
That's how they advanced.
Of course, Hoya and Yun's expressions darkened, but that was none of Cale's concern.
Rather, he asked Hoya.
"Are there rankings among the Jiangshis?"
It was the question Cale threw out when they reached the marked point on the map. But then, he took a step back.
The place had a particularly cold air. He observed the wall of the nearby building. There were small windows at the top and bottom. Choi Jung Soo crouched down to look at one of the small windows at foot level.
"...Mmm."
He saw numerous feet. Feet crammed into a narrow space. They were the feet of the Jiangshis.
"Yes, there are classifications," responded Hoya with a tense expression.
"Jiangshi, Living Jiangshi, and True Jiangshi. They are divided into these three categories."
"The farther back, the stronger they are?"
"Yes."
Cale pointed at the map.
"It looks like there are three places where they make Jiangshis. Are they divided based on these classifications?"
"Yes, that's correct."
"Then, are the ones inside this only regular Jiangshis?"
"Yes, that's correct."
Hoya answered quickly without thinking, as Cale's gaze became colder.
"It seems there are also Jiangshis stored underground here."
Although the building next to Cale was only three stories, they all had small windows of the same type.
"How many Jiangshis are there inside this fortress in total? Adding everything up."
Hoya hurriedly answered under Cale's icy gaze.
"Uh, I'm not sure. Probably, if we only count the guards ready for combat, it should be around 100,000 to 150,000."
Hah~
Cale sighed.
Then, he raised his hand.
Thud!
He directly hit the back of Hoya's neck. Even though Hoya knew it was a common, slow move with no combat skills, he couldn't help but take the hit head-on. He could feel the disdain in Cale's gaze.
"If they're fit for combat, are there also Jiangshis incapable of fighting?"
"W-well..."
Hoya, hesitating to answer, quickly opened his mouth as Cale raised his hand again.
"Well, there are some Jiangshis kept as experiments. Also, children and the elderly are not fit for combat even if they turn into Jiangshis..."
Thud!
Hoya had to grab the back of his neck again.
Whether he liked it or not, Cale frowned as he shook his sore hand away.
'These guys are insane.'
Inside this fortress, as large as a city, there were as many guards as normal residents in a typical city. Of course, it might be because this place was a central area for Jiangshi production along with the North Sea, but still...
-Human, that's too many...
Cale couldn't react to Raon's puzzled words. He had already confirmed that the expressions of his companions had hardened in the blink of an eye.
At that moment, Choi Han spoke.
"How is it possible for them to create so many Jiangshis?"
His gaze was full of anger directed at Hoya. Hoya frowned at that look, not liking a subordinate giving him such an expression. However, after checking Cale's reaction, he opened his mouth.
"How should I know? These Jiangshis have accumulated over decades. I don't deal with such trivial tasks. If they are True Jiangshis, then maybe I'd know."
Hah~
Choi Han sighed as if impressed.
He was speechless.
When he heard, it seemed like they had caught people of all ages and genders and turned them into Jiangshis. How could they treat them so irresponsibly?
His strength entered his hands almost involuntarily.
At that moment, Sui Khan muttered.
"For decades... And no one noticed?"
"That was due to proper management."
If so many Jiangshis had been created all of a sudden, it would surely have been noticed by the Imperial Family or elsewhere. But if for decades they had been secretly taking people to turn them into Jiangshis, it might have been difficult to notice.
Especially in the Central Plains, where minor fights between strangers and between Factions happen almost every day, they don't care much about the dead. Moreover, he had heard that during the reign of the previous Emperor, the administration was in disarray. As the current Emperor had ascended to the throne not long ago, it would have been hard to figure out what had happened in that time. Besides, the civil war had given the Blood Cult an advantage.
"Hah~"
Choi Jung Soo sighed.
"If you include the North Sea, there are probably between 200,000 and 300,000 Jiangshis."
"Well, the North Sea is a bit less, it's too cold there, there are only about 70,000-"
Hoya was silenced by Cale's gaze.
Cale stepped away from Hoya and continued walking.
'Even if we were to purify them again...'
Unless they were Living Jiangshis, they would end up as corpses. Cale began to feel distressed. He also thought of the Jiangshis he had encountered on Planet Xiaolen.
'Are these Hunters crazy?'
Cale knew their goal was to create a new God, an Absolute God. But even if so, was it necessary to kill so many to achieve it? Cale didn't consider himself a great hero or someone with a sense of mission. However, after learning about this situation, he simply couldn't understand the Hunters. Did they really want to become Gods this way? What is a God anyway? Is it worth sacrificing multiple worlds to gain the position of a God?
"I just can't understand it," muttered Cale and came to a sudden stop. His gaze focused in front of him.
"There," he pointed.
He saw an isolated pavilion in the midst of darkness. There was no one in sight, but it was said that inside there was Old Baek and also True Jiangshis protecting him.
"True Jiangshis," Cale thought.
They were said to be beings superior to Living Jiangshis, and each one was practically a biological weapon in itself. What made them stand out even more was their ability to maximize their innate talent, making them difficult to create, but once completed, they became incomparable beings with Living Jiangshis.
"Well, in the end, they're Jiangshis," Cale ordered with an indifferent expression.
"Let's go."
Ron, Choi Han, and Choi Jung Soo disappeared into the darkness. Then, Cale headed towards Candidate Yun.
"Set up a Magic Formation to make it look like nothing is happening to people's eyes, understood?"
Yun vigorously nodded at the cold gaze that was completely different from before. Then, Cale spoke to Raon.
"Put a Sound Isolation Spell on the entire pavilion."
No matter how much they fight or what they do, let no noise be heard.
"Let's go!" and then Cale pointed to Sui Khan and Beacrox.
They walked slowly toward the pavilion.
Crash, crash.
While they heard Yun deploying the Magic Formation.
Woo-woo-woo-woo.
And as they saw a semi-transparent black barrier appearing around the pavilion due to Raon's spell.
Cale slowly approached the pavilion.
He hoped that by the time he arrived, things would already be somewhat organized.
It was a completely natural thought.
'It's said that the level of a True Jiangshi is comparable to an expert in the Profound Realm and three experts in the Unrestrained Realm.'
Given Choi Han, Choi Jung Soo, and Ron's levels, taking care of the True Jiangshis protecting Old Baek should be straightforward for them. And Cale hadn't ordered them to confront the True Jiangshis.
'Besides, that Old Baek hasn't learned martial arts.'
Just run fast.
Kwaaang!
The pavilion collapsed. Following Choi Han's Black Dragon, the White Dragon plowed through the ruined pavilion. Cale, standing amidst the chaos, could see it emerging through the dust clouds.
"Young Master."
Ron spoke with a kinder smile than usual.
"We've got him."
He had only ordered them to bring Old Baek quickly. So, while the two Choi Family members dealt with the True Jiangshis, he sent Ron to fetch Old Baek.
Woohoo---woohoo----
Just like when facing the candidates, Cale used his Dominating Aura to direct his gaze at Old Baek.
"Accursed humans! How dare you enter my home? Accursed vile creatures!"
The skinny old man twisted, trying to free himself from Ron's grip, and shouted desperately. Then, suddenly, he turned his gaze towards Cale, as if sensing something unusual.
"Ah!"
Then, he fell silent and stared at Cale.
"You... Are you human?!"
Cale's forehead furrowed momentarily.
'What is this crazy old man saying?'
However, before he could say anything, Old Baek's expression suddenly changed. Or rather, it relaxed. With a dazed expression on his face, he opened his mouth as if in a trance and couldn't look away from Cale.
And he said:
"Oh, it's beautiful..."
Cale spoke casually.
"He's gone crazy."
Indeed, the old man had lost his sanity.
"So, should we kill him?"
Cale momentarily paused at Ron's soft and kind words.
At that moment, Old Baek reached out towards Cale and exclaimed:
"To think that the Successor of the King, another vessel of God... is here again!"
What vessel? Cale frowned in disbelief.
"Hick!"
Suddenly, Hoya, the Blood Demon Successor Candidate, sharply inhaled and shrank, looking at Cale as he murmured:
"It can't be, another one like him? It's unimaginable!"
What are they saying now?
Cale frowned even more at the confusion, and at that moment:
"Kuh!"
Ron suddenly grabbed Old Baek's neck.
"Stay calm and respond calmly to our Young Master's words."
And then:
"Pwaack!"
Crack!
Beacrox hit the back of Hoya's head with the pommel of his sword.
"You too, speak in a way we can understand."
While adding these words indifferently.
Cale considered both the father and son scarier than the Gods.
Then, Ron released Old Baek, who was coughing, and said:
"He's still alive, and now, he's calm. That's good."
What a vicious old man.
It was then that Cale became fully aware of these father and son and how vicious they were.
Old Baek was a strong man.
He ignored Ron's warning and lunged at Cale.
His eyes rolled back, drooling.
"I'll turn you into a God!"
His eyes, full of a maddening desire, bore into Cale.
-
