Chapter 154

Rumble, rumble, rumble—

The clamor of tank treads echoed through Beijing.

Tanks bearing the South Korean Taegeukgi flag rumbled through Beijing’s streets, followed by countless corpses that fanned out, slaughtering every living creature they encountered.

Beijing, the city where China’s immense power was concentrated, was being utterly ravaged.

Meanwhile, dozens of men were rushing towards a certain destination.

Their target was the President’s Palace, where China’s Chairman, Wang Hao-ping, resided.

It was located in one of the most auspicious spots, according to feng shui masters.

A place that received such powerful positive energy, it was no exaggeration to say that the might of great China extended directly from this very palace.

However, to the discredit of the many feng shui masters who had lauded this auspicious location, Wang Hao-ping’s President’s Palace was now on the verge of being overrun by South Korea’s Northern Expeditionary Force.

But it wasn’t over yet.

Kang Yuseong gazed at the distant President’s Palace, lost in thought.

That palace possessed a defense system so formidable it was dubbed “another Beijing within Beijing.”

At the heart of this defense system were the five strongest Hunters, known as the Five Yellow Dragons.

Each of them possessed skills surpassing those of guild masters in other nations, and their combined attacks were truly terrifying.

Furthermore, the Yellow Dragon Guards they led also commanded significant combat power.

It was, in essence, the moment when the core of South Korea’s Hunters and the core of China’s Hunters were about to clash.

Boom!

Crash!

Rat-a-tat-tat!

Behind them, South Korean Black Panther Tanks and Chinese tanks exchanged fire in a fierce battle, while the relentless sound of defensive units continuously shooting at the swarming corpses echoed.

Beijing was utterly chaotic, like a disturbed hornet’s nest.

Thud, thud.

A sense of grim determination emanated from the attack unit as they traversed the fiery heart of Beijing, heading for the President’s Palace.

And finally, they arrived before the President’s Palace.

A colossal building, with the Five-star Red Flag fluttering above it.

Kang Yuseong stood before it and nodded.

He sensed an incredibly powerful force emanating from beyond.

“Attack Unit.”

“Yes, Commander!”

At Kang Yuseong’s words, the unit members all looked at him.

“Here, we end China.”

Everything of China.

That was this President’s Palace.

Kang Yuseong was about to dismantle the strongest China in history, a nation forged by Wang Hao-ping.

“Let’s go.”

Just as they were about to enter the President’s Palace.

Ring, ring, ring—

Suddenly, Kang Yuseong’s satellite phone rang.

Kang Yuseong frowned and pulled out his phone.

This was a direct hotline to the President, and a call had come in unexpectedly.

“Yes, this is Kang Yuseong.”

“– Commander-in-Chief. This is the President.”

The President’s voice, coming through the receiver, was subdued.

Kang Yuseong, sensing something was wrong, continued.

“What is it, sir?”

“– Listen carefully, Commander Kang Yuseong.”

The President paused for a moment, then continued.

“– Russia and the United States have strongly protested our Northern Expedition. Europe is also leaning towards supporting their stance.”

Kang Yuseong’s brow furrowed.

It meant the international situation was rapidly changing.

“– The UN Security Council has already been convened.”

Fast.

The great powers move with such swiftness when it suits them.

They turn a blind eye when they launch wars of aggression, but when a smaller nation like South Korea ’causes trouble,’ they quickly rally to suppress it.

“Is that so?”

Kang Yuseong replied dryly.

The Security Council.

It doesn’t really matter.

That so-called international alliance had lost its true power long ago anyway.

But their ulterior motives were infuriating.

‘So, it’s romance when you do it, but an affair when I do it? Heh, heh!’

Kang Yuseong chuckled bitterly to himself, then spoke into the receiver again.

“However, as Commander-in-Chief, I will now bring down China.”

“– As President, I support that, Commander Kang Yuseong. But…”

The President’s voice continued calmly.

“– We have intelligence that forces from Russia’s and the United States’ Pacific Fleets have already been dispatched in your direction. It seems they cannot stand to see us succeed.”

A twisted smile played on Kang Yuseong’s lips.

This time, a strong glint of mockery shone in his eyes.

“So, the meddling flies, telling us what to do at someone else’s feast, have finally arrived. Very well, Mr. President.”

Kang Yuseong’s eyes flashed brightly.

“Anyone who dares to stand in my way will have to be prepared.”

At Kang Yuseong’s words, the President remained silent for a while.

Then, after a long moment, his voice was heard.

“– I will take responsibility for what happens next, Commander Kang Yuseong.”

Kang Yuseong offered a dry smile.

“I’ll contact you again.”

Click—

Kang Yuseong hung up the phone.

“Attack Unit.”

“Yes, Commander!”

“It seems things are about to get complicated. So…”

His eyes glowed with a cold light.

“We will secure the President’s Palace as quickly as possible.”

A look of grim determination also appeared on the faces of the attack unit members.

“Yes, Commander.”

“Team Leader Gil Hyeok-jun.”

“Here.”

“Take the lead. Clear anything that blocks our path. I will go directly for Wang Hao-ping.”

Gil Hyeok-jun grinned broadly.

“Leave it to me. Heh, heh!”

“Let’s go.”

Kang Yuseong nodded and resumed his stride.

Russia’s special Hunter attack unit and America’s proud Delta-Striker attack unit were heading this way. That was the hidden meaning behind the President’s earlier words.

‘It’s better this way. After all, your turn would have come soon enough anyway.’

When Kang Yuseong returned to the past, he hadn’t only considered Japan and China.

He had planned to conquer Russia, and eventually America, Europe, and the rest of the world.

But now, an uncontrollable current had begun to flow.

Kang Yuseong had two choices.

To be swept away by this current, or to swim against it.

Kang Yuseong chose to swim against the current.

Crash!

The sound of Gil Hyeok-jun kicking down a door echoed.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

At that moment, a barrage of arrows rained down on him.

Thwack, thwack, thwack!

But Gil Hyeok-jun blocked the attack by crossing his two greatswords, then grinned.

The men who had shot arrows at him faltered, intimidated by his bloodthirsty grin.

Roooooar!

Suddenly, a tremendous aura erupted from Gil Hyeok-jun’s entire body.

Boom—

The moment he stomped his foot, his body surged forward like an arrow.

Crash!

His greatsword cleaved through the air.

And a spray of blood splattered around. With a single strike, he had cut down two enemies.

That wasn’t the end of it.

Thump! Splat!

His two greatswords danced wildly through the air.

Thwack! Crunch! Slash!

In an instant, the entrance, blocked by numerous soldiers, was breached.

The vanguard seized the opportunity and entered.

“Attack Unit!”

Gil Hyeok-jun roared.

“Clear the way! The Commander is coming through!”

“Woooooah!”

Gil Hyeok-jun and the vanguard charged at the enemies like madmen.

The interior quickly devolved into pandemonium.

Clang! Thud!

The clamor of people killing and felling each other echoed everywhere.

Thud.

Through it all, one man passed.

A man with a sword in one hand.

His gaze was unwavering.

He passed through the spacious hall where fierce combat raged, and entered a corridor carpeted with a red runner.

“Stop!”

As he reached the corridor, several men in red hoods blocked his path.

They looked incredibly strong at a glance, but the man merely gave them a fleeting look.

Then, with an indifferent expression, he began to walk.

“Die!”

The hooded men lunged at him.

He was surrounded by hooded men attacking from all sides, but his steps did not falter.

Swish—

But then, a small, fiery sound was heard.

Tiny, yet distinct.

Slash!

Sliiiice!

And the sound gradually grew, forming a shape.

A storm of blades enveloped the man’s entire body!

Chakra, Storm Blade Dance!

Thump, thump, thump!

The bodies of the masked men who had charged at him were caught in the storm, their remains scattering across the floor.

The man, Kang Yuseong, continued to walk forward with an unwavering expression.

More men emerged from the corridor to block him, but their fate was the same.

Swoosh—

Every time his sword swept through the air, someone inevitably fell.

A gruesome scene unfolded, with throats pierced, waists severed, and hearts bursting.

Thud, thud.

Behind Kang Yuseong, a crimson path stretched endlessly.

“Stop.”

But for the first time, Kang Yuseong’s steps came to an abrupt halt.

Before him stood a Hunter clad in yellow.

Wielding a large guandao, he looked incredibly powerful, and the character for ‘three’ was emblazoned on one side of his upper garment.

The Five Yellow Dragons.

One of them, the masterpieces created by Wang Hao-ping, had appeared.

But Kang Yuseong began to walk again.

Thump!

The Hunter frowned at him, then brought his guandao crashing down on Kang Yuseong.

Clang!

Sparks flew as Kang Yuseong met the attack with his sword.

Both the sword and the guandao were repelled.

However, while Kang Yuseong’s expression remained serene, the Hunter’s face was completely contorted.

Kang Yuseong stood his ground, while the Hunter had been pushed back about five paces.

“Call the others, all at once. Third Dragon.”

At that moment, Kang Yuseong’s low voice was heard.

The Hunter’s eyebrow twitched at his words.

At that instant, a cold smile appeared on Kang Yuseong’s lips.

“Even then, you won’t be able to stop me.”

“Grrrgh…!”

The Hunter, called Third Dragon, gritted his teeth at Kang Yuseong’s seemingly dismissive words.

“Yellow Dragon Guards! Stop him!”

The Yellow Dragon Guards, their last line of defense, poured out from all directions.

Third Dragon looked at Kang Yuseong and spoke.

“No further shall you pass.”

Kang Yuseong let out a scoff.

“That’s for me to decide, Third Dragon.”

Whoosh—

And at that moment, Kang Yuseong’s form blurred, then reappeared.

Clang!

Third Dragon instinctively raised his guandao to block the attack, but he couldn’t avoid the humiliation of being pushed back yet again.

“Grrrgh!”

Third Dragon shuddered, seeing the cold smile on Kang Yuseong’s lips as he appeared before him.

“Those aren’t words someone like you should dare to utter.”

At the same time, countless blades erupted around Kang Yuseong.

Sliiiice, slice, slice!

“Arrrgh!”

“Aargh!”

The Yellow Dragon Guards surrounding Kang Yuseong were torn to shreds by the blades.

“Seal him off!”

As Third Dragon roared, the Yellow Dragon Guards, who had been falling helplessly to the blades, gritted their teeth and threw themselves at Kang Yuseong.

Seeing the multitude of Yellow Dragon Guards rushing him at once, Kang Yuseong stood still, his expression terrifyingly indifferent.

Splash—

But at that moment, small droplets of water began to rise into the air.

… ?

Third Dragon wore a bewildered expression.

What in the world is this now?

Splash— Splish-splash— Splash—

The droplets rapidly multiplied, becoming countless.

Whoooosh!

And in an instant, they became a massive surge of water, sweeping through the surroundings.

Like a colossal tsunami, an immense wave rose around Kang Yuseong, engulfing everyone in the corridor.

Roar!

“Gaaah!”

The Yellow Dragon Guards were caught in the swirling current, dragged into the water.

Third Dragon’s jaw dropped in astonishment at the sight.

Sliiiice!

But he could no longer think.

Because a sword had suddenly burst forth, piercing straight through his chest.

Thud!

And he collapsed right there, crumbling to the ground.

Thud. Thud.

Leaving countless corpses behind, Kang Yuseong began to walk again.

Before his eyes, Wang Hao-ping’s quarters, the core of the President’s Palace, came into view.

Boom—

Kang Yuseong flung open the door.

A bright light streamed out.