Chapter 116

The three men, having left the guild headquarters, boarded a specially modified vehicle.

It was a Humvee, boasting massive wheels.

A vehicle with supreme durability, built to run through any adverse conditions.

The reason Kang Yuseong and his companions chose the Humvee was simple.

Due to the successive Shocks, a significant portion of the highway leading to Busan had been destroyed.

Vroom—

The car carrying the three quickly set off.

Kang Yuseong, at the wheel, meticulously scanned his surroundings.

No one knew what might happen, as the Shock had not yet ended.

Fortunately, nothing happened until they left Seoul and got onto the highway.

Yet, during that time, the three remained silent, their lips sealed.

The horrifying scenes visible outside the window…

Seeing the neglected, decaying corpses scattered everywhere, beyond the government’s reach, and the numerous bereaved families weeping over them, filled their hearts with a heavy sorrow.

They wanted to get out and help immediately, but that was the government’s responsibility.

Swallowing their sighs inwardly, the three continued towards Busan.

Whoosh—

As if reflecting Seoul’s extreme chaos, the highway was devoid of people.

Driving along a highway, partially destroyed and already desolate at such a late hour, was eerily chilling.

Abandoned vehicles scattered haphazardly…

Countless people who had perished inside them.

All of it weighed heavily on the three men’s hearts.

Thus, they quietly made their way to Busan.

However, as they drew closer to Busan, Kim Do-jin suddenly frowned deeply.

For him, who rarely showed much emotion, it was a significant change in expression.

At the same time, Kang Yuseong’s eyes also sharpened.

“You felt it too, didn’t you?”

Kim Do-jin slowly nodded.

And Gil Hyeok-jun, at some point, had begun to emit a thick killing intent.

Something was around the highway.

That ‘something’ wasn’t specifically targeting the vehicle Kang Yuseong was in.

If it were, their killing intent would have felt much stronger.

Nevertheless, an immense killing intent, no, even a chilling demonic aura, could be felt surrounding the road.

‘What are you… you bastards!’

Monsters?

No, that’s not it.

Kang Yuseong quickly shook his head.

The aura was too wicked and sinister for monsters.

While monsters are ferocious and cruel, the energy they emit is usually pure.

This is because they release pure energy driven by instinct.

But the aura felt now…

Just then, a strange energy was felt from the Humvee’s trunk.

It was an energy only Kang Yuseong among the three could recognize.

‘Blood.’

In fact, this car was a vehicle specially modified by Star Pharmaceuticals.

The trunk had been modified for Blood to ride in, and Blood, who was no different from Kang Yuseong’s personal guard, was also in the Humvee with the three men.

But now, Blood was visibly agitated.

The emotion Blood was feeling was akin to the hostility a predator would show towards another beast encroaching on its territory.

A fierce instinct, as if ready to leap out at any moment, bite the opponent’s throat, and end their life.

Kang Yuseong’s expression subtly hardened.

Blood was a creature of darkness.

Now, it was sensing an kindred energy from the outside.

‘Could it be…’

Between Baek Myeong-han’s words and this strange energy, Kang Yuseong felt an ominous premonition.

The act of gouging out human hearts and carelessly discarding corpses already gave a strong impression of *that* kind of presence, and as they approached the area, that sinister and dark feeling became blatantly palpable, which was unsettling.

Yet, somehow, the thought of a Necromancer didn’t quite fit.

Kindred, yet something else.

Like identical twins, sharing the same blood and appearance, but being entirely different beings.

Crackle!

At that moment, a crackling sound came from the radio installed in the Humvee.

It was a satellite radio, connected directly to Star Pharmaceuticals’ control room.

“Commander, this is Baek Myeong-han. Have you arrived?”

The one who sent the transmission was Baek Myeong-han.

He likely sent the message to check if they had arrived in Busan.

Kang Yuseong picked up the radio and replied.

“We’re almost there.”

“Ah, I see. Then I’ll contact my friend. His name is Park Cheol-gwon.”

“Yes… but, Team Leader Baek.”

“Yes, speak.”

Kang Yuseong sharply scanned his surroundings and sent another transmission.

“Did your friend… say anything else?”

“Anything else? Ah, no. He didn’t say anything beyond what I told the Commander. That’s everything.”

Kang Yuseong silently nodded.

As the night deepened, the unpleasant sensation emanating from their surroundings grew increasingly intense.

“Is that so? Understood. Please contact your friend.”

“Yes, Commander.”

The transmission cut off, but Kang Yuseong’s sharp gaze continued to meticulously survey his surroundings.

Not only that, Kim Do-jin adjusted his fedora, and Gil Hyeok-jun gripped the hilt of the greatsword he had casually rested against himself.

They, too, realized that something was seriously wrong.

‘This is no ordinary matter…’

Kang Yuseong quickly tried to recall if anything like this had happened in the past.

But no, there had been nothing like it. At least not that he remembered.

Then what on earth was going on?

‘Hmm…’

In truth, his memory wasn’t perfect.

When the Tsukuyomi Attack Unit invaded, Kang Yuseong had been fighting a desperate, life-or-death battle in Seoul. At the same time the Tsukuyomi Attack Unit ravaged the south, a special attack unit dispatched from North Korea had ambushed Seoul, and Kang Yuseong had been fighting them.

So, his memories of that time weren’t complete.

What he knew clearly was that the Tsukuyomi Attack Unit had swiftly devastated Busan and laid waste to the southern regions.

The speed at which they did it was terrifyingly fast, making it a huge topic of discussion, and that was all.

Even so, if something this strange had happened, rumors surely would have spread, but there had been none at all.

Screech—

The Humvee soon stopped in front of a building.

A massive building that, just a few years ago, had stood proudly overlooking Busan.

It was in front of a building named Sejin Building.

This was the designated meeting spot with Park Cheol-gwon, Baek Myeong-han’s friend.

The entrance to the Sejin Building was firmly blocked by long benches and desks, with only a small opening, barely wide enough for one person, left accessible.

Even that was covered in tightly woven barbed wire, making casual entry difficult.

This was the headquarters where the surviving Hunters of the Busan area had gathered.

In Seoul, with the President and numerous prominent guild headquarters, recovery from battles with monsters had been swift. However, even a major city like Busan was in such a dire state that it had to establish its headquarters in such a humble place.

Click—

The three men quietly exited the car.

Even the Sejin Building had not escaped unscathed from the aftermath of the Second Shock.

Parts of the building were shattered, and it was eerily desolate, with all the lights out, suggesting a long power outage.

To make matters worse, the weather was poor that day, and the whistling wind only added to the grim atmosphere.

But the most chilling thing was that this sinister atmosphere wasn’t just a feeling; it was palpably real, pressing against their skin.

Caused by the immense evil lurking in Busan.

Just then, a bright flashlight beam blinked three times from inside the building.

Kang Yuseong also blinked the Humvee’s headlights three times.

Clank—

Then, the barbed wire covering the sole entrance retracted inward, revealing a group of figures.

They were men with long, unkempt hair and bushy beards.

Each held a weapon in hand, staring at Kang Yuseong and his companions with utterly savage eyes.

Kim Do-jin frowned slightly at their gazes, which seemed devoid of any emotion, as if all feeling had died within them, but he said nothing.

The horrific scenes of Busan they had witnessed on the way…

They knew that anyone who had survived such conditions must have endured unimaginable horrors.

“Who is Mr. Kang Yuseong?”

One of them barked out in a thick Gyeongsang-do accent.

Kang Yuseong raised his hand.

“That’s me. Are you Mr. Park Cheol-gwon?”

The Hunter gave a slight nod, then approached Kang Yuseong, shining his flashlight around him with wary eyes.

“Follow me.”

His tone was stark, devoid of any pleasantries like ‘Nice to meet you’ or ‘Thanks for coming’.

It was understandable.

Kang Yuseong gave a bitter smile and gestured to the two men standing behind him.

Then he gave a command to Blood, with whom he had a psychic link.

‘Blood.’

‘Yes, Master.’

Kang Yuseong’s eyes gleamed coldly.

‘Monitor this area thoroughly. If you deem anyone needs to be cut down, you have my permission.’

At his words, Blood’s primal killing intent could be felt slowly rising.

‘Understood, Master.’

For Blood, a creature of darkness, this place would be the most familiar.

Kang Yuseong, having entrusted Blood with guarding, followed Park Cheol-gwon’s lead into the Sejin Building.

As Kang Yuseong and his companions entered the building, under the unwelcoming gazes of Hunters chewing gum, they involuntarily shivered.

Inside, there were countless people.

In the dead of night, there were children sleeping soundly, old people, and in one corner, injured individuals tossing and turning, groaning in pain.

But the three men weren’t looking there.

Their gaze was fixed on a distant section, clearly visible even in the darkness.

‘Hmm…’

There, countless coffins were laid out.

On some coffins lay withered flower stems, on others, roughly fashioned crosses.

Kang Yuseong clenched his fist tightly.

This place…

It was the same Republic of Korea, yet Busan was starkly different from Seoul.

This bizarre scene, where life and death coexisted in one place, starkly revealed the current predicament of Busan.

“Didn’t want those bastards to tear them apart even in death.”

Park Cheol-gwon, who had approached unnoticed, said with a somber expression.

Kang Yuseong nodded heavily.

“I understand…”

He closed his eyes for a moment, then slowly opened them, looking at Park Cheol-gwon.

Park Cheol-gwon, who had inadvertently met his gaze, involuntarily shivered.

Kang Yuseong’s eyes had changed.

If before his gaze had been ordinary, now it emanated the fierce look of a savage beast that had survived countless bloody battles.

“Then, let’s hear it. What happened during…”

Kang Yuseong continued in a low voice.

“…that time.”

Park Cheol-gwon, who had been trembling at his suddenly transformed gaze, finally regained his composure and slowly nodded.

“I’ll tell you.”

And he opened his mouth, beginning his story.

As Park Cheol-gwon continued his tale, his fists trembled slightly.