After Ten Millennia in Hell

"Come on, hurry the hell up!"

"Call China and check the location of the Demon Cult!"

"Where is the meeting taking place? Plane—get a plane first!"

The Red Rose Guild was upside down. People were running in the lobby and offices, trying to figure out the current situation.

As Kang-Woo opened the office door, he saw Cha Yeon-Joo buried under a pile of documents.

"Hey." Yeon-Joo lifted her head. Unlike her usual self, she had a stiff expression.

Kang-Woo got close to her and asked, "I saw the news, but what's the exact situation?"

"A massive summoning took place in Vladivostok."

"A massive summoning? Then…"

She nodded with a heavy expression on her face. "We aren't sure about the exact number. But it seems like they've summoned three digits' worth of demons. A huge number of demonic beasts were also summoned."

"Three digits…."

The tip of his mouth was about to go up when he heard that number. But he managed to control himself.

'Well done!'

He was wondering how he was going to investigate a big country like Russia. But in that desperate situation, they'd solved the issue for him. He wanted to hug them for having pulled off the large-scale summoning.

Satisfied, Kang-Woo sat in the chair.

"Any casualties?"

"Not much. Not many people live around Vladivostok in the first place. But the problem is…"

"The demonic beasts are moving."

Yeon-Joo nodded, her expression serious. "At a quick pace too. They're also so strong that they swept away all of the SS-rank monsters around the Gate."

The second point was what worried Kang-Woo the most.

An SS-rank Gate.

Even though five years had passed since the Day of Calamity, the areas around the Gate had yet to recover because monsters who couldn't compare to those from other Gates had made it their territory.

Thankfully, they hadn't expanded to other areas. However, the area around the Gate was restricted to the public.

However, the demonic beasts had wiped out these SS-rank monsters. It was easy to see how strong the demons and demonic beasts that the Demon Cult had summoned were.

'But…'

Kang-Woo gulped and licked his lips. He felt hungry. To him, the army of demons just looked like a nutritious lunch box.

'I don't really need the demonic beasts, though.'

The effect of Reaper of Souls only applied to the souls of demons.

Demonic beasts, having lost their ego after being unable to control their desires, weren't worth absorbing.

'Maybe if it's a demonic beast like Halcyon.'

Halcyon—one of the few demonic beasts possessing intelligence.

Demonic beasts with intelligence were so strong that they could defeat the average demon. Some even possessed Authorities. These were worth devouring using the Authority of Predation.

But that was only if there were demonic beasts like Halcyon.

'Most of the demonic beasts shown in the video belong to the First to Third Hells.'

Among them, there probably weren't any variants with intelligence.

Variant demonic beasts mostly lived in the Eighth and Ninth Hells.

'Then I should prioritize targeting the demons.'

He didn't intend to let a single one live.

To check the effect of his new Trait, Reaper of Souls, he had to devour as many demons as possible.

"Where are the demonic beasts headed?"

"Toward the Manchurian Plain. They might stay on course to China, but they could also change their direction to Korea."

Vladivostok was close to North Korea and China.

Five years ago, during the Day of Calamity, North Korea had fallen. That's why a large-scale war would occur if they changed their direction to Korea.

"Hmm."

Kang-Woo narrowed his eyes.

A large-scale war could happen either in China or Korea, depending on the direction the demonic beasts moved.

In this situation, there was only one reasonable solution.

"How did China respond?"

"They requested an alliance with Korea. They're thinking of solving this issue in the Manchurian Plain before the number of civilian casualties increases."

"As expected."

Kang-Woo nodded.

Between China and Korea, they didn't know which direction the demons would move. If one side was attacked, there was a chance they could face damage that could be hard to handle. Therefore, joining forces and erasing the demons at once was the best possible decision.

'Although it will be unbalanced.'

China was the strongest country in East Asia. Since they had a large population, the number of Players was also high. There were also many Players who had the unique stat Qi, possibly due to the country's characteristics. So, their forces were quite strong.

Even if Korea and Japan joined forces, they wouldn't be able to face China.

'Well, it should be different if I'm there.'

Kang-Woo smirked.

It was ridiculous to think that a single person could make a difference in the strength of a country. But he wasn't being delusional. With Kang-Woo's presence, Korea would be able to compete with the USA in terms of strength.

"So, what's gonna happen?"

"A strategy meeting is going to take place in Harbin, and they asked us to participate. We're going to get a plane and head to Harbin with the Hwarang Corps and another major guild."

"I see."

"You're coming too, right, Kang-Woo?"

There was no need to ask. Kang-Woo nodded without hesitating.

"Of course."

A deep smile appeared on his face.

Feast time was drawing near.

* * *

Soon, Tian Suyan joined them. Kang-Woo and the rest boarded a plane that the Red Rose Guild had prepared and took off to Harbin.

"I could've given you a ride," said Echidna, sitting next to Kang-Woo while pulling on his clothes.

Kang-Woo patted her.

"It isn't a situation where we can do anything by arriving first, anyway."

The other major guild had also sent reinforcements to Harbin, and the strategy meeting would probably take place after all the forces had arrived.

"Haaa. To think something like this would happen when Father wasn't here…" Suyan sighed. One could see the worry in her expression.

"Why? Is there a problem?"

"Since Father isn't here, my uncle will probably lead the meeting… but he doesn't like Korea very much."

"Uncle?"

"Yes. Have you heard of Sword Wraith Tian Wuxian?"

"Nope."

Kang-Woo shook his head.

"He hasn't become that famous because of my father. But still, he's one of China's strongest martial artists. He's also the vice leader of the Heavenly Sword Clan."

"Hmm. Then is his influence in the Heavenly Sword Clan bigger than yours?"

"I'm ashamed… But yes."

Suyan bit her lips. The absence of Tian Wuchen felt too big.

"I'm sure it'll work out one way or another."

Kang-Woo leaned back on the chair. He wasn't worried. If things didn't work out, he would just make them work. It was as simple as that.

* * *

The flight to Harbin didn't take long.

After disembarking the plane, Kang-Woo and the rest got in the car provided by the Chinese and went toward the Chinese Player Management Office.

'This place is enormous too.'

Kang-Woo exclaimed in surprise.

As expected from East Asia's strongest country. The Player Management Office was quite massive. It reminded him of the Forbidden City located in Beijing. Furthermore, the office was so massive it made one wonder if one were in the middle of a Chinese martial arts novel.

Kang-Woo walked inside the Player Management Office while looking around.

"Hmm?"

"What's everyone doing over there?"

They were walking toward the meeting room when they saw a group of people gathered in front of a giant door.

Yeon-Joo quickly looked at their faces.

"They're from the Onnuri Guild and Angel Wings Guild."

After the disbandment of Hanul and Mir, Red Rose and the other two guilds had become Korea's three great guilds.

Yeon-Joo approached a middle-aged woman angrily pacing in front of the entrance.

"What's going on, Hyun-Joo ajumma[1]?"

"Who the hell are you calling ajum—Oh, it's you, Yeon-Joo."

Jeong Hyun-Joo was the guildmaster of Angel Wings, a guild made of high-quality healers.

The generous-looking woman said while frowning, "These guys are out of their minds. What the hell are they thinking after calling us all the way out here?"

"What is it?"

"They aren't letting us join the meeting after we came all the way here and are telling us to do as they say later."

"What?"

Yeon-Joo laughed in disbelief.

Not allowed to participate in the meeting and just to do as they were ordered?

To put it bluntly, they were saying that even if Koreans were placed on the front line, they should follow their orders.

"They're goddamn insane."

The Chinese weren't their superiors. Yet, they were saying they should follow their orders. What kind of nonsense was this?

Yeon-Joo walked toward the meeting room while emitting strong bloodlust.

Two Chinese Players blocked Yeon-Joo.

"Move."

"Master Tian Wuxian is in the middle of a meeting. You cannot enter. You will be informed of the meeting results later," the Chinese Player said in awkward Korean.

"Did you not hear me telling you to move?"

"Master Tian Wuxian had mentioned that he would need to reconsider the alliance between China and Korea if the Koreans do not follow the instructions."

"Sons of bitches…"

Intense mana flew out of Yeon-Joo's body. An immense tension weighed down on their surroundings.

"… Dammit."

Yeon-Joo cursed. In the end, she withdrew her power.

China was not the strongest country in East Asia for nothing. They were not ones to be crossed recklessly.

Instead of Yeon-Joo, Suyan walked to the front.

"What is the meaning of this? These people came all the way here to help us stop the Demon Cult's invasion. Step aside now."

"I apologize. Master Tian Wuxian had specifically mentioned that, no matter what, they were not to be let in until the meeting was over."

"Hah, you must be joking. If my father hears about this—"

"Master Tian Wuxian's orders take priority when Master Tian Wuchen is absent."

"…"

Suyan remained silent. What she had been worried about had become reality. She turned around and said to Kang-Woo, "I'm sorry. I will use the emergency communication network to call my father imm—"

"Oh, there's no need."

Kang-Woo leisurely stopped her.

Yeon-Joo and Suyan looked at him in surprise.

"Are you planning on just staying out here, then?"

"No way."

"What? Then how are you going to…"

He smirked and walked forward.

There was only one thing he could do in a situation of no compromise.

As Kang-Woo neared the door, the Chinese Players blocking the entrance took out their weapons.

"If you come any clos—"

Kang-Woo moved his hands. After grabbing their heads, he threw the two toward the meeting room door.

Crash!

The door was destroyed, and the meeting room became visible.

There were many major Chinese guilds gathered around the Heavenly Sword Clan representative.

"What the…"

The people inside the meeting room frowned.

Near the entrance, a muscular giant of a man stood up.

"Who dares to interrupt this sacred meeting?!"

While letting out a strong bloodlust, he walked toward Kang-Woo. The man swung a fist, which was about the size of a normal person's head, at Kang-Woo.

The fist was covered in materialized mana, the sign of a Ranker.

Tap.

Kang-Woo lightly grabbed his fist.

"Huh?"

A confused voice escaped the giant's mouth.

Kang-Woo pulled back the fist he was holding, causing the giant to lean forward as if falling. Kang-Woo tried to grab the man's head, but his hands slipped because the man was bald.

'Bald people sure have high survivability.'

They gained power in exchange for their hair.

Kang-Woo grabbed his neck instead.

Slam!

He slammed the man's head into the table.

With a loud explosion sound, the table made of hardwood was destroyed.

Kang-Woo sat in the place where the man had just stood up from.

"…"

A heavy silence fell in the meeting room.

They looked at Kang-Woo with their mouths wide open.

"What are you doing?"

Kang-Woo put one leg over the other while sitting in the chair.

"Continue the meeting."

1. 'Ajumma' is a way that young people address middle-aged women. ☜