Chapter 169

*Crack!*

“Kuaaaargh!”

*Crunch! Snap!*

“Kuaaargh!”

In Russia.

A horrific scene was unfolding at the entrance to Moscow, the heart of Russia.

Dozens of guards were being torn apart, their flesh ripped from their bodies while still alive, by the hands of countless corpses swarming from all directions. It was a terrifying spectacle.

“S-save me!”

Though the guards were accustomed to monster attacks, they couldn’t help but shudder at the sight of rotting corpses reanimating to assault them.

Moreover, among those corpses were some who had been their friends or family just a short while ago…

Facing such horrors, the guards were utterly beside themselves, unable to even scream properly.

“Diiieee!”

*Rat-a-tat-a-tat!*

*Thud-thud-thud!*

A few of them desperately pulled the triggers of their rifles, firing wildly at the endless horde of corpses.

Rotten blood spurted, and flailing limbs were severed and flew off.

“Kuaaargh!”

However, the corpses seemed only more agitated by the attacks, charging forward with renewed frenzy.

“Aaaargh!”

The Moscow guards panicked, turning to flee.

For them, who were not Hunters, these corpses were an impossible foe to kill.

*Snap!*

But as one guard turned to run, his head suddenly floated into the air.

His eyes, wide with terror, stared blankly, seemingly unaware of what had just happened to him.

*Thud!*

His body, which had been running towards the city, collapsed in the same running posture, now headless.

*Whoosh!*

At that moment, another spray of blood erupted nearby.

“W-what was that?!”

The guards who had witnessed their comrade’s instant death stared in shock and horror. Then, their expressions twisted in revulsion.

A skeleton.

Despite being a mere skeleton, it blazed with a crimson light from its hollow eye sockets, wielding a sharp sword and slaughtering the guards.

“You bastard!”

*Rat-a-tat-a-tat!*

The guards, seeing the skeleton, pulled their triggers.

*Swish-swish-swish!*

But in an instant, the barrels of their rifles were cleanly sliced in half.

“Huh…”

And their necks, as they stood there dumbfounded, were likewise severed, sliding off.

Blood.

It was him.

Behind Blood, countless corpses ripped apart and devoured the guards, pushing deeper into Moscow.

“Well, shall we go?”

Kang Yuseong watched the scene unfold, a cold smile on his face.

Moscow’s main gate had been breached.

Now, all that remained was to pass through it boldly.

Kang Yuseong and Kim Do-jin entered Moscow through the gate the corpses had opened.

*Whoosh—*

A bone-chilling wind swept past them.

* * * * *

Death descended upon Moscow.

An unexpected massacre enveloped the city, causing immense chaos.

*Rat-a-tat-a-tat!*

Some tried to overcome their fear with guns, others screamed and fled, while some, unable to contain their surging adrenaline, cursed loudly and charged forward.

All these scenes converged to paint a single, tragic picture.

Screams echoed, and the stench of blood hung heavy in the air.

But what was happening in Moscow now was a catastrophe of an entirely different magnitude than any war they had experienced before.

The dead had risen, attacking the living, tearing and devouring their flesh.

Corpses, just moments ago torn apart, now stirred their tattered bodies, once more lunging at the living.

Such unbelievable events were unfolding at this very moment.

As the aura of death covered Moscow, the city’s guard units were deployed. When they arrived, armed with light tanks and anti-tank missiles, a sense of relief spread across the citizens’ faces. However, that relief quickly turned to horror and despair.

*Shuaaaat!*

*Boom! Boom!*

Massive explosions roared, and intense flames erupted across Moscow.

The aftermath of the tank shells and anti-tank missiles fired at the corpses sharply scarred the streets of Moscow.

As thick smoke rose, people hoped to find all the corpses lying still.

They desperately wanted to escape this unbelievable terror as quickly as possible.

“…!”

But as the smoke gradually cleared, what appeared on the citizens’ faces was horror.

And deep despair…

“It can’t be…”

The corpses.

They were still moving, despite being shattered by missiles and torn apart by shells.

As if a stronger power controlled them, they showed no sign of stopping their advance.

Oozing viscous blood, they crawled across the ground, limping and dragging broken, twisted limbs. Yet, a strong crimson glow shone uniformly in their eyes.

Hatred for the living, and a thirst for vengeance.

The anti-tank missiles and tank shells, instead of destroying their bodies, had ignited an immense thirst for revenge within them.

“My God…”

When one’s beliefs crumble, utter despair sets in.

The worst state, where nothing, absolutely nothing, can be done.

That was precisely the state of Moscow’s citizens now.

And it wasn’t just them.

The soldiers who had operated the tank turrets and fired shells, and the missile operators who had launched missiles with the resolve to tear the corpses to shreds, were all in deep shock.

These weren’t monsters; they were corpses.

And not only were these corpses enduring formidable firepower, but they were approaching with even greater malice.

“R-retreat! Ev… everyone!”

Finally, a retreat order was issued by the defense commander.

This was beyond their capabilities, beyond anything they could handle.

The soldiers, too, were seized with fear and slowly retreated.

The citizens had long since scattered, screaming in every direction.

If the army couldn’t protect them, there was nothing they could do.

*Creeeak—*

The tank unit formed a wall.

And in its center, missile operators with anti-tank missile launchers took their positions.

“We’ll die here if we have to!”

Regardless of the defense commander’s orders, the tank unit commander and support unit commander shouted with resolute expressions.

“Fire!”

*Boom!*

*Whoosh!*

The tank spewed fierce flames, and anti-tank missiles flew, trailing white smoke.

*Boom! Boom!*

*Rumble!*

Another massive explosion erupted, and a tremor so immense it felt as if all of Moscow was shaking reverberated through the air.

Flames rose, incinerating the corpses, and sharp shrapnel rained down from all directions, tearing their bodies apart.

Upon seeing the corpses falling from the second attack, the soldiers breathed a sigh of relief.

“The attack is working! Unleash everything!”

*Screech!*

The tank’s cannon rotated, and the anti-tank missile’s sight aimed at another corpse.

*Whoosh—*

But then, a faint whistling sound was heard from somewhere.

“Hmm?”

Who would be whistling nonchalantly amidst such chaos?

“L-look!”

Just then, someone pointed to the sky.

“What?”

The soldiers unconsciously looked up.

“…!”

And they were horrified.

Huge fireballs, filling the sky.

The whistling sound was coming from them.

“R-run!”

The tanks quickly executed evasive maneuvers, and the soldiers scattered in all directions.

Casualties mounted as some were crushed under the tank treads, but it was no time to dwell on that.

But the harbinger of death descended upon them far sooner than they anticipated.

*Shuaaaaat!*

*Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!*

A suffocating heat erupted.

And massive flames engulfed them all.

Turrets were shattered, cannons crumpled, treads were destroyed, and bodies were torn to pieces.

The immense explosive power obliterated everything so thoroughly it was beyond words.

The tanks were completely annihilated, beyond recognition, and the soldiers who had so proudly fired missiles at the corpses were utterly pulverized, vanishing into dust.

In a single moment.

Moscow lost the formidable defense force it had boasted.

All by one man, Kim Do-jin.

“Now that the bait has been cast, the prey should start appearing soon.”

Kang Yuseong smiled.

“Wasn’t that a bit much for bait? Couldn’t you have held back a little?”

Kim Do-jin let out a short laugh.

“Ah, I’m still getting the hang of controlling my power. Not everything in this world goes as planned, you know?”

“Excuses.”

Kang Yuseong smiled faintly, then looked straight ahead.

Instantly, a cold smile touched his lips.

“Quick reaction.”

Kim Do-jin seemed to sense something too, pulling his fedora lower and muttering.

“I really should have held back. *Sigh*.”

“What’s done is done. Besides… there are more people than I expected.”

Kang Yuseong said, looking at the dark shadows approaching in the distance.

“Tell me about it. Such thin-skinned people. Do they really have to swarm like this just because they got hit a little?”

Kim Do-jin grumbled.

“Can’t be helped. If you make a mess, you clean it up. Ready, Kim Do-jin?”

“Well, I’m always ready… C-Captain!”

Kim Do-jin replied casually at first, then suddenly called out to Kang Yuseong in a rush.

Kang Yuseong was already dashing away into the distance.

“Kim Do-jin, I’m counting on you!”

“Captain! What are you doing…!”

But Kang Yuseong had already vanished.

He had disappeared somewhere, leaving Kim Do-jin as bait.

Kim Do-jin stood silently for a moment, then scratched the back of his head.

“Hah. So this is what it feels like to be completely blindsided. Damn it.”

He clicked his tongue, then adjusted his fedora.

“Well, in that case, no choice then.”

From beneath his fedora, his eyes blazed with a cold fury.

“Nothing for it but to wipe them all out.”

*Kwoooosh!*

An immense surge of power erupted from his entire body.

A single flame.

That was Kim Do-jin.

“Kuaaargh!”

And guarding him, countless corpses advanced, emitting grotesque sounds.

“So this is another ‘gift’ you left me, huh? *Sigh*.”

Kim Do-jin frowned, looking at them.

“Anyway, we’ll talk when you get back, Captain.”

*Boom!*

And in that instant, a massive fireball exploded above Kim Do-jin’s head and shot forward.

*Boom! Boom!* That signaled the start of the battle.

* * * * *

Russia, too, was not an opponent to be underestimated.

The countless individuals who had just swarmed them were, in fact, highly trained Hunters.

Kang Yuseong had left Kim Do-jin to face them alone.

‘Well, he has the corpses with him.’

It bothered him a little, but what could he do?

For quick execution, such methods were necessary.

And Kim Do-jin was so capable that he trusted him with the task.

Kang Yuseong decided to think of it that way.

‘Right, that aside, what about the Kremlin Palace?’

He recalled the path he had ‘read’ through the eyes of the rats.

This was precisely the task that needed to be handled so swiftly, even if it meant leaving Kim Do-jin as bait.

The Kremlin Palace was within arm’s reach.

*Whoosh!*

Kang Yuseong dashed forward quickly.