Chapter 393
War is a series of continuous battles.
After a battle that leaves behind countless deaths and bloodshed, the outcome is determined, and those who survive gather to prepare for the next one.
The reason why the Sichuan Eastern and Western Front’s leadership had gathered in one place was for this very purpose.
“The damage is too great.”
The first to speak was a middle-aged soldier in his forties, his voice weary. Dressed in a uniform stained with dried blood, he continued in a fatigued tone.
“We barely managed to hold the high ground… but in just one day, we’ve lost over three thousand troops.”
A Pyrrhic victory. [1]
While the loss of three thousand soldiers was staggering, the bigger issue was that over 30% of the fallen were hunters, and among them were high-ranking officers, including the commander.
Even considering the threefold difference in troop numbers, the blow was severe.
“Has there been any word from the higher-ups?”
“Of course. After an internal meeting, they’ve decided to send a new commander before dawn.”
“Well, at least that’s a relief. Do we know who the new commander is…?”
Amid the somber atmosphere, as people exchanged conversation, someone suddenly spoke up.
“A relief? Do you all really think so?”
“…!”
When someone who had remained silent finally speaks, their words carry more weight. And when that person is an S-rank hunter and a hero who survived the Great Upheaval, even more so.
“Half of the command, including the general, was ripped apart by flying monsters. The rest of the troops were thrown into chaos, which only worsened the damage. Can we really call that a relief?”
His gaze, charged with a presence none could resist, caused those around him to flinch.
“Well, that’s…”
“You must realize this too, if you’re trying to make excuses. But…”
A cold voice slipped from his red lips.
Pai Chen’s gaze swept through the room before stopping at one particular man.
“And why don’t you have an excuse?”
After a moment of silence, Wu Haixing swirled the wine in his crystal glass.
“Why would I need to make excuses?”
“If you’re asking why, well…”
Pai Chen’s eyes darkened.
“Perhaps because some idiot abandoned his post, allowing the flying monsters to tear through the command center?”
“I left to support the front lines.”
Wu Haixing’s response was nothing more than a weak excuse. When he had abandoned the rear, Pai Chen’s forces at the front had been successfully holding off the endless waves of monsters.
“Oh, right. And because you, like a fool, rushed in too deep to make a name for yourself, the formation broke. Did you know the soldiers who chased after you couldn’t even recover their bodies?”
“Life and death are common on the battlefield.”
“Of course. Very common.”
Pai Chen spoke in a low voice.
“And it’s even more common for people like you to die without anyone noticing. Back during the Great Upheaval, if it were then…”
But Pai Chen couldn’t finish her sentence.
*Crash!*
The sharp sound of glass shattering echoed through the room.
Wu Haixing had smashed his crystal glass and was slowly rising to his feet.
“That’s enough.”
“Enough? You’re speaking quite informally.”
“There’s a limit to my patience, Pai Chen.”
“Keep going. The shorter your words, the shorter your lifespan, too.”
“How dare a Hong Kong traitor…!”
“Oh, if you mean the Hong Kong ‘traitor’ who had to clean up the mess you made, then yes, I suppose that’s me.”
*Whoosh.*
The intense aura emitted by the two people filled the room, suffocating everyone present. The overwhelming pressure made it hard for anyone to breathe.
The brief confrontation between the two S-rank hunters ended the moment a sneer crept onto Pai Chen’s lips.
“Scared, exhausted, and desperate to make a name for yourself. It’s only natural that you become more reckless, isn’t it?”
“What?”
“Kid, that’s how war is. It always pushes people to the edge and tests them. To survive in this hell, you need mental fortitude. Someone like you, who’s lived life however he pleases, can’t handle it.”
“…!”
Wu Haixing’s face twisted in anger. Every word from Pai Chen cut deep into him.
“S-rank hunter? So what? Mentally, you’re still nothing more than a seven-year-old child. You’re worse than useless in a war like this.”
“Shut up! What do you know—”
“Oh, are you asking me that question?”
Pai Chen’s mocking laugh made Wu Haixing’s face turn red with rage.
Though Wu Haixing was born into wealth and power, his opponent was a war hero who had survived the Great Upheaval.
While Pai Chen had been discriminated against in the media due to her Hong Kong background, in terms of experience, she was in a league far beyond Wu Haixing.
“Why aren’t you answering?”
Grinding his teeth, Wu Haixing looked around the room.
Though no one dared say it aloud, the look in their eyes mirrored Pai Chen’s.
‘These damn…!’
The most infuriating part was that even some members of the Crown Prince Party, Wu Haixing’s own faction, shared that look.
The Crown Prince Party was the largest faction within the Chinese Communist Party, and Wu Haixing, as one of its most influential members, felt an overwhelming sense of betrayal.
“I’ll remember today very clearly…”
Leaving that parting shot, Wu Haixing stormed out, his steps heavy with the scent of alcohol.
From behind him, Pai Chen’s calm voice followed like a sharp blade.
“Remember this as well. Today’s childish display of bravado ends here. If something like this happens again… I won’t forgive you.”
*Crack.*
As he clenched his teeth, Wu Haixing returned to his quarters and immediately began smashing everything in sight.
*Bang! Bang! Bang!*
“That Hong Kong bastard! Those traitorous scumbags!”
In his chaotic rage, even the expensive furniture he had imported on a private plane was destroyed.
Shouting in frustration and destroying everything he could see, Wu Haixing finally collapsed onto his bed, gasping for breath.
“Damn it.”
His anger refused to subside.
If anything, the more he thought about it, the angrier he became. His heart pounded, and his vision blurred with fury.
‘How dare they treat me like this?’
He had been born into one of the most powerful families in China.
Since becoming an S-rank hunter, the world had been his for the taking.
Even when he caused major incidents, he had always been let off with a scolding from his father. The scorn and criticism from others had never mattered to him.
‘I’m Wu Haixing. Wu Haixing!’
As an S-rank hunter, he was a national symbol, a reflection of a nation’s power. No matter how much the public criticized him, that fact would never change, and that was reality.
Perhaps that was why he had become more interested in media interviews and parties than in dirty raids. It was also why he had given up training and started dabbling in drugs.
But the war he was now facing was unlike anything he had ever experienced. The endless waves of monsters made him feel suffocated.
For someone like Wu Haixing, who had lived a life of luxury, this environment was unbearably harsh.
And there was another reason behind his repeated failures: a certain individual.
‘Jin Tae-Kyung.’
The second person in his life to make him feel intense jealousy, even more so than Lei Fei, a rival he had long envied.
The shadow cast by Jin Tae-Kyung was vast and dark.
The fear that had been seared deep into his mind from his one-sided defeat would never leave as long as Jin Tae-Kyung remained.
‘Yes, as long as that bastard doesn’t disappear…’
Wu Haixing’s eyes glinted as he stared up at the ceiling, his mind racing.
Recalling the conversation he had with Lee Jung-Ryong on the night of his humiliating defeat, Wu Haixing smiled. The burning anger within him had long since cooled.
‘Let’s see who has the last laugh.’
As his mind calmed, the exhaustion he had forgotten about came crashing down, and his heavy eyelids began to close.
Just before sleep overtook him, Wu Haixing had a fleeting thought.
‘Damn it. How many more battles like today’s will I have to fight?’
A moment later, Wu Haixing drifted off to sleep, completely unaware of the massive movement happening under the cover of darkness.
Unseen by all, a vast number of monster forces were retreating from the front lines.
Simultaneously, a great migration was occurring across all fronts in Sichuan Province.
—
*Huff…*
Xiao Shen let out a deep breath, his eyes bloodshot.
After spending the night under a blood transfusion, he had only regained consciousness two hours ago.
The moment he opened his eyes, Xiao Shen flew into a rage, swearing to kill General Liao, which had caused Jin Tae-Kyung and Captain Choi to break out in a cold sweat trying to calm him down.
“Xiao Shen, are you okay now?” Jin Tae-Kyung asked.
“Yeah, have you calmed down a bit?” Captain Choi added.
Xiao Shen replied, “Yes. When I first woke up, I didn’t have any strength, but I feel better now. Good enough to rip that bastard’s head off.”
He might have said he was calm, but the fact that his fists were still trembling suggested he wasn’t planning to go golfing with General Liao’s head anytime soon.
“For the last time, I didn’t want to do that to you. The timing was just bad.”
Xiao Shen remained silent for a moment before nodding slightly.
“I know, brother. I also know that you stepped in for me.”
“When did you hear that?”
“The captains told me. They said that in a fit of rage, you broke General Liao’s arms and legs.”
“…It wasn’t the right thing to do, considering I was the one trying to stop you. But, well, that’s how things turned out.”
Captain Choi cut in with his usual stern tone. “If it wasn’t the right thing to do, why did you do it?”
“Well, you know… I kinda lost my temper in the heat of the moment.”
“With the current state of things, it’s lucky nothing bigger came of it. You could’ve caused a major incident.”
“Good thing it’s chaotic times, then. If it wasn’t, I’d have killed that bastard myself a long time ago.”
Everyone knew that an incompetent commander was more dangerous than the enemy.
General Liao, who had cost the lives of nearly a thousand soldiers and botched the operation, deserved death. The fact that he was still talking about “victories” was infuriating.
“At least things worked out in the end. The potion healed him up, and they’re staying quiet because they know they’re in the wrong,” Jin Tae-Kyung said.
Captain Choi, however, didn’t seem so convinced. “Grudges last a long time, Tae-Kyung. General Liao is a high-ranking officer in the Central Military Commission, and he’s part of the Crown Prince Party, notorious for holding grudges. There’s a good chance this will cause problems later.”
“What can we do? It’s water under the bridge now. If problems come up, we’ll deal with them when the time comes.”
As Jin Tae-Kyung shrugged and gave a relaxed response, Captain Choi shook his head in exasperation. Then, Xiao Shen spoke up in a low, determined voice.
“Don’t worry, Captain Choi. The issue you’re concerned about won’t happen.”
“Huh?”
“Xiao Shen, did you hear something?” Jin Tae-Kyung asked.
Xiao Shen hesitated for a moment before shaking his head. “No… it’s just my personal thought.”
‘That’s suspicious,’ Jin Tae-Kyung thought, exchanging glances with Captain Choi. Before they could press further, someone called from outside the tent.
“C-Can I come in?”
“What’s wrong with your voice? Come in already.”
At Jin Tae-Kyung’s command, a familiar face cautiously entered the tent. It was one of General Liao’s aides, the same one who had been shaking in fear the day before when Jin Tae-Kyung broke Liao’s limbs.
“Well, if it isn’t the little piss pants from yesterday. What do you want?” Jin Tae-Kyung teased.
“S-Sir…”
“Spit it out already. What do you want to say?”
The aide flinched, swallowed hard, and finally blurted out, “A guest has arrived.”
“A guest?”
“Yes.”
“What kind of guest? Can they even have visitors here?”
For a brief moment, Jin Tae-Kyung wondered if it could be his mother or Ha-Yeon. The idea was ridiculous, but before he could think more about it, the aide spoke again.
“Hunter Magic Johnson from the United States is here.”
Jin Tae-Kyung immediately sensed the tension from Captain Choi, who stood nearby, as if his butt had stiffened at the mention of that name.
***
Footnotes:
[1] A Pyrrhic victory is a victory that comes at such a devastating cost to the victor that it is nearly equivalent to defeat. The term is derived from King Pyrrhus of Epirus, who, after defeating the Romans in 279 BC, reportedly said, “If we are victorious in one more battle with the Romans, we shall be utterly ruined,” due to the heavy losses his army suffered.
