Murim Login - Chapter 413

*Whomp, Boom!*

A massive greatsword smashed into the ground, narrowly missing by a mere half-hand’s length as Wu Haixing dodged, his body springing up like lightning.

*Thwack!*

The blade he thrust into the ogre’s chin pierced all the way up, emerging from the top of its head.

A precise and flawless strike. As Wu Haixing pulled out his sword and stepped on the falling ogre’s shoulder, he descended into the midst of the monsters.

The sword in his hand traced countless lines through the air.

**[Sibiheollageom (Twelve Blood Veil Sword)]**

Some people condemned the Cultural Revolution, which lasted from 1966 to 1976, as an act worthy of the gods’ wrath, while others saw it as a golden opportunity.

Wu Haixing’s grandfather, a longtime political ally of Mao Zedong, soared to prominence during this period, amassing astronomical wealth and smuggling countless cultural relics and ancient books, using his son, a member of the Red Guards, as a stepping stone.

Among the many treasures acquired during this time was the **Sibiheollageom**, the sword art Wu Haixing had mastered.

*Swish, swish, swish!*

Twelve lines of sword energy unfolded like a net, covering a radius of ten meters.

The red aura of the net sliced through skin, flesh, and bone alike. Dozens of high-level monsters were reduced to pieces.

A truly remarkable display worthy of an S-rank hunter. Fired up, Wu Haixing shouted,

*「What are the Hongweibang (Red Guards) doing?! Wipe them all out, you bastards!」*

*「Yes, sir!」*

The powerful command, laced with mana, reverberated across the battlefield.

The three hundred elite hunters of the Hongweibang, trained and fostered as Wu Haixing’s private army, charged into the gaps without hesitation.

*Swish, swish, swish! Splat!*

*Screech, slash!*

*— Grrrk, grrraaagh!*

*「Aaaahh!」*

The battlefield was filled with the mingling cries of humans and monsters, and the scent of blood filled the air.

The Hongweibang hunters, who had been held in reserve until now, were certainly powerful, but so were the high-level monsters they faced.

The elite monsters that had been positioned in the rear weaved through the thick fog, clashing with the hunters. Though the Hongweibang were skilled, they were outnumbered three to one.

Yet…

*「You filthy, stinking beasts dare to challenge me?!」*

*Bang!*

The presence of an S-rank hunter like Wu Haixing was enough to turn the tide of a losing battle.

Though his reckless behavior and personality had drawn much criticism, he was undoubtedly a genius who had grown up in the best possible environment.

Moreover, Wu Haixing had become even more seasoned, having survived numerous battlefields filled with death. His skills had also advanced.

*’I can do this! I’m Wu Haixing!’*

Feeling a surge of exhilaration welling up from deep within, Wu Haixing swung his sword relentlessly.

He was facing an army of tens of thousands of monsters. At first, he had been afraid, but now he had come this far.

Whenever he was injured or tired, he downed expensive potions like water, and when necessary, he used the Hongweibang hunters as shields to save himself.

And now, there wasn’t a single monster capable of stopping his red aura blade.

*’I’ll make sure no one ever looks down on me again. Lei Fei, that damn fool. No one else…’*

As Wu Haixing gritted his teeth, recalling the humiliating memories of Lei Fei, something happened.

*Swish! Thunk!*

A spear flew through the air at blinding speed, skewering three hunters like kabobs before embedding itself deep in the ground.

It was a three-meter-long lance, the kind rarely seen on a battlefield like this.

Wu Haixing turned his head in alarm to confirm the source of the attack, his eyes widening.

*「A Death Knight!」*

Riding on a skeletal horse and cutting through the battlefield, it was undoubtedly a Death Knight. And not just one—there were two.

Another Death Knight, newly revealed, raised its spear while mounted on its skeletal steed.

*「Everyone, be careful—!」*

*Swish! Thunk!*

Before he could finish the warning, a second lance tore through the air, impaling seven hunters who had been clustered together.

Limbs flew into the air, and bodies collapsed, their torsos severed cleanly, even through their high-grade armor.

The sudden appearance of the Death Knights and the horrific sight that unfolded before their eyes left the Hongweibang hunters frozen in shock.

*— Dark Vine!*

The eerie voice, like the sound of metal scraping, spread through the air, signaling the start of something worse.

*Crack, crackle!*

The once-solid ground split apart like a spiderweb, and from the gaps, black vines surged up.

Saturated with magic, the vines writhed like living creatures, wrapping around the hunters’ limbs and bodies, or piercing through the gaps in their armor.

*Shlick! Thwack!*

*「Kyaaahh!」*

*「Dark magic! It’s dark magic!」*

*「Don’t panic! Cut the vines and get out of range!」*

Screams and shouts rang out from all directions.

Wu Haixing gritted his teeth and ripped the vines off his body, tossing them aside like tree roots.

It wasn’t the deaths of his hunters that bothered him. It was the meaning behind this sudden development.

“Lich…?”

Wu Haixing’s suspicions were correct.

High above, on a giant wyvern circling the gray sky, a deathly wizard raised a staff made of bones and pointed it at the ground.

*— Confusing!*

*Whoooosh!*

With that eerie command, a cloud of black magic descended like a storm, covering the area.

Hunters struggling to free themselves from the black vines suddenly found themselves trapped in hallucinations and delusions, thrashing helplessly. They became easy prey for the monsters lurking nearby.

*— Squeeeal!*
*— Grrraaaaagh!*

*Thud! Crack!*

*「Grrk!」*
*「Save… me!」*
*「Mother! Don’t go! Please, Mother!」*

Some fell, crying out in despair. Even in death, they couldn’t escape the hallucinations, their voices filled with agony.

But among them were a few who managed to resist the magic’s influence through sheer willpower.

*「We must retreat!」*
*「Young master!」*

Despite the cries of the A-rank hunters surrounding him, Wu Haixing’s face had turned ashen white.

One question echoed in his mind.

*’What… what should I do?’*

A Lich in the sky, two Death Knights closing in on the ground.

Could they retreat? If they did, where and how would they escape?

He might be able to take on the two Death Knights by himself, but the Lich’s magic and the countless monsters surrounding them left no clear answer.

*’Damn it, this is a nightmare…’*

Grinding his teeth so hard they nearly cracked, Wu Haixing’s thoughts were suddenly interrupted.

*Whoosh, Boom!*

A beam of light shot up from the ground, tearing through the sky.

And in the next moment, the headless wyvern began to fall from the sky, its massive body crashing down.

*「What…?」*

Wu Haixing muttered in disbelief. Everyone around him looked up, their attention drawn to the sky.

What they saw was the massive body of the wyvern plummeting to the ground, along with a pile of black bones that had once been the Lich.

*「…This doesn’t make any sense.」*

The Lich had died. In just a single strike.

Piercing through dozens of defensive spells and striking a target in midair with perfect precision?

Even an S-rank hunter wouldn’t dare to guarantee such a feat. Wu Haixing had never witnessed an attack so fast and powerful.

Yet, for someone else, it was as effortless as breathing.

A short distance away from the battlefield, the man responsible for the strike glanced at the scene, then spoke calmly.

“It’s been a while since I’ve thrown a spear. I must be getting rusty.”

The man standing like a steel tower behind him replied in a firm tone.

“You were magnificent.”

“Hmm. No, I think I’m getting dull. It’s proof that I’m getting old.”

“That couldn’t possibly be the case.”

The head of the security team, ever the stoic, spoke in his usual monotone. The man—Lee Jung-ryong—smiled softly.

“I saw a couple of Death Knights.”

Seok Go-jun, standing silently, nodded.

“Yes, two in total.”

“Do you think Wu Haixing can handle them?”

“If you mean the Death Knights, he should be able to take them down without much trouble.”

Seok Go-jun added in a low voice,

“If there weren’t any other monsters around, that is.”

“Sounds like you’re saying it’ll be difficult.”

“Even though the dark magic’s influence has diminished, we’ve already suffered heavy losses, and there are still too many monsters.”

“Then we’ll have to struggle with all our might.”

“It’s going to be a brutal, difficult fight.”

“Well then, I suppose we should help them.”

“Wouldn’t it be better to watch a bit longer?”

Lee Jung-ryong raised an eyebrow at Seok Go-jun’s suggestion.

“Why is that?”

Seok Go-jun, who had been trained under Lee Jung-ryong since childhood, understood that every moment like this was a test from his master. He also knew the answer he was expected to give.

“In dire situations like this, they’ll be more grateful for the help.”

Satisfied with his disciple’s response, Lee Jung-ryong finally allowed a smile to creep onto his face. His tone shifted as well.

“Exactly, that’s the point.”

“Besides, the Hongweibang has always been a nuisance.”

“They’re quite the hypocrites, aren’t they? Shouting about the people and communism, but secretly running a private army of hunters.”

“However, the Taizidang (Crown Prince Party), who backs the Hongweibang, is quite friendly toward us, aren’t they?”

“That’s why the Hongweibang must be removed. They’ve enjoyed the shade of their trees for too long, and now that the trees are being uprooted, what will they do?”

“They’ll either need to find new trees or buy umbrellas.”

“We’ll become those new trees for them. And with that, even more opportunities will open up.”

Nodding in agreement, Seok Go-jun then asked,

“May I ask you one more question?”

“Go ahead.”

“Was your decision to involve Wu Haixing in this operation related to Jin Tae-kyung?”

This had been a lingering question in Seok Go-jun’s mind for some time.

Despite Wu Haixing being an S-rank hunter, why would his master bother with such a reckless and arrogant fool?

*’Even if Master intends to use him, what purpose could Wu Haixing possibly serve?’*

There were times when Seok Go-jun thought he had come to understand his master’s thoughts and actions, only to be confounded once again.

And in moments like these, Lee Jung-ryong always wore that enigmatic smile.

Just like now.

“Seok Team Leader.”

Lee Jung-ryong’s demeanor shifted, his voice and aura returning to that of the Vice Guild Leader of Ares Guild. Seok Go-jun bowed deeply.

“Yes, Vice Guild Leader.”

“It seems like your time to step in has come. What do you think?”

Seok Go-jun lifted his gaze, taking in the fierce battle unfolding beyond Lee Jung-ryong’s shoulder.

The elite hunters of the Hongweibang were being slaughtered by the monsters, and Wu Haixing had just finished taking down one of the two Death Knights.

“I believe it’s time I made my move.”

“Be careful not to get hurt.”

With a short bow in response, Seok Go-jun led the prepared Ares Guild members toward the battlefield.

They didn’t shout battle cries, but their overwhelming presence alone was enough to turn the tide.

*Crack! Slash!*

In an instant, a section of the monster army crumbled under their assault.

Watching with satisfaction as his forces tore through the monsters, Lee Jung-ryong caught the scent of blood carried on the wind.

A wind blowing from the west. And with it, came the sign of someone he had been waiting for.

“He’s arrived right on time.”

Muttering to himself, Lee Jung-ryong turned his gaze toward the distant horizon.

As his senses sharpened like a razor, he picked up a voice calling out amidst the chaos.

*— Damn it, kill them all! And the guy who keeps saying ‘ehhh,’ if you do it one more time, I’ll count you as a monster. Got it?*

Lee Jung-ryong chuckled softly and extended his hand.

Then, he clenched his fist toward the direction where Jin Tae-kyung was located.