Chapter 189

〈Chapter 189〉 Part 1, Chapter 9, Section 23

<11:38 PM, Qinghai Province, China, Near Qinghai Lake.>

The First Interception Zone, Qinghai Lake, was flooded with heroes from around the world. Naturally, the largest contingent hailed from China, but also present were heroes dispatched from neighboring nations like India and Russia.

“This is troublesome…”

Over a hundred Korean special ability users landed nearby, only to find all the prime spots already taken. Geographically, Central Asian countries had an easier time reaching this location compared to Korea, whose forces had to traverse half of China aboard the *Baegnaroh*.

“Haha! Still, we got here faster than Japan, so no complaints, right?”

“Old man, stop saying meaningless things! We’re in deep trouble as it is!”

“Should we try asking for help? Maybe the Hero Association can mediate?”

While various heroes scrambled to secure advantageous defensive positions, chaos erupted elsewhere among their ranks. A group of blonde Westerners argued heatedly with black-haired Easterners through translation devices.

“We arrived here first! This position is officially recognized by the Hero Association!”

“But your strength is too weak! What if even one S-Rank *Heuk Jeon-jal* shows up? Ten B-Rank heroes won’t be enough! Just share the frontline already!”

“No way! We need to earn Cores here!”

“Ah, seriously! You don’t understand! If this line breaks, the monsters will reach populated areas immediately!”

Arguments weren’t isolated to just one spot. Despite the best efforts of Association staff trying to mediate, the territorial disputes between thousands of heroes proved impossible to resolve entirely.

“Executioner, where should we go from here?”

Hwakwon Lee Seung-hyeong asked on behalf of the group. Baek Hee-a served not only as captain of the airship but also as commander of the expeditionary force.

“…”

Yet Baek Hee-a remained lost in thought since disembarking, showing no signs of snapping out of it. Though others hesitated to disturb her mutterings, someone finally stepped up to shake her from her reverie.

“Executioner Ma’am?”

“Hwakwon, have you ever fought against a ‘Phoenix’?”

“…No, unfortunately never. But Harang… Seol Hwarang fought them during her S-Rank days, didn’t she? She might have some experience.”

“But Seol Hwarang is currently…”

Baek Hee-a turned her head away, scanning the night sky. Flying amidst the mountains surrounding Qinghai Lake, a giant ice butterfly constructed walls of frost.

“With her occupied like this, there’s no way to consult her. So why did you bring up Phoenixes?”

“…Never mind. I was just curious.”

Though concerned about the immediate threat posed by the *Heuk Jeon-jal*, Baek Hee-a decided not to voice her worries aloud. Hoping her fears were mere speculation, she flagged down a passing Association official.

“This is Executioner Baek Hee-a of the Republic of Korea Hero Association. We’ve brought reinforcements – 107 heroes led by S-Rank Hwakwon.”

“Ah, South Korea…”

The official appeared grateful yet uneasy, glancing around nervously. Nearby heroes began grumbling at the arrival of the Korean delegation.

“That Beast Tamer took two S-Rank cores alone; now they want more? Isn’t that excessive?”

“After Seoul’s Dimensional Gate incident, their core exports nearly tripled. It’s ridiculous how far they’ll go to mine cores, even coming here…”

“At least Seol Hwarang made concessions. Phew.”

“Looks like we’re getting criticized pretty heavily…”

<Tempest Lady> Yang Seonyu stiffened upon hearing the murmurs spreading through the crowd. Other heroes shared similar expressions.

“Don’t worry about it. We didn’t come here to collect cores anyway!”

“Fighting the *Heuk Jeon-jal* will make for great experience.”

Hwakwon and Unsah stretched their limbs, mentally preparing themselves. Their minds held no ulterior motives—only the desire to protect humanity by defeating these monsters.

“But if we work hard and catch a lot, people will criticize us for taking too many cores. And yet, we can’t afford to leave them behind either.”

“If we came all this way, shouldn’t we at least get reimbursed? Naturally, that means we’ll likely end up assigned tougher positions.”

As senior members like Usa and Pungbaek pointed out practical concerns while gesturing toward their feet, Executioner calmly nodded before addressing the official again.

“Is this really Korea’s designated area?”

“Yes. The Association’s central command requests that you assist Seol Hwarang on the final defense line.”

Heroes from various countries formed a crescent-shaped perimeter around the lake. Korea’s assigned sector lay smack in the middle of one curved wing—a position flanked by water.

“So what you’re calling a ‘request’ is actually an order, huh? Looks like we’re stuck cleaning up scraps.”

“At least we’ll get scraps. At this rate, we might not catch anything at all. Did you see how many S-Rank heroes other countries sent?”

“…Are we really going back empty-handed?”

Muttered complaints started rippling through the hero ranks. While Hwakwon and Unsah attempted to soothe tempers, most heroes prioritized thinking about the spoils they’d gain from hunting *Heuk Jeon-jal* over justice.

“Damn it. This is all because that Mr. X refused Association support. Now we can’t raise our voices anywhere. For eight years, heroes haven’t been dispatched anywhere—not even urgent requests regarding the late Grandmaster Light Blade were acknowledged, and this is the result.”

“But maybe things are slowly starting to change?”

Executioner crouched near the riverbank.

“Let’s give the whole world something to talk about. Show those villains watching somewhere just how powerful we heroes truly are!”

At Executioner’s lofty words, the heroes responded with shoulder shrugs or dismissive head shakes. Everyone wanted to demonstrate their strength, but the current circumstances didn’t allow for such grand displays.

“So our position is…”

“With the lake blocking direct approaches, it seems we won’t accomplish much.”

Rather than facing the lake with their backs turned, the defensive lines stretched along its length. This setup aimed to split incoming *Heuk Jeon-jal* into two groups, maximizing use of water—an element considered disadvantageous to the beasts.

“I personally find this terrain quite favorable…”

“To maximize hunts, though, it’s definitely the worst spot.”

Why were they assigned here? Because of Cheongnyeon. Though he operated independently of any nation, other countries still viewed him as Korean. Thus, they lumped him together with the Korean heroes when making judgments.

“Just let us handle it somehow.”

“Don’t worry. Even leftovers will suffice.”

Executioner tried boosting morale, but the heroes’ spirits had already sunk too low to recover easily.

“What’s gotten everyone so gloomy?”

An icy butterfly descended from above. Having finished setting up the defensive perimeter, Seol Hwarang noticed the somber atmosphere and approached directly.

“How’s the defense line looking?”

“All set. Though upon reflection, the positioning… isn’t ideal.”

Seol Hwarang immediately grasped the source of their melancholy. Having surveyed the entire battlefield from above, he too felt slightly irritated by how Korea’s heroes seemed sidelined.

“One moment.”

Seol Hwarang pressed his watch to contact someone. To everyone’s surprise—including Executioner—the recipient turned out to be Mo Taegyeong, Director of the Monster Control Department.

“Excuse me, why is Korea’s position here?”

[…It’s supposedly one of the better spots…]

Mo Taegyeong’s response, heavy with dark circles under his eyes, further annoyed the Korean heroes. However, his next statement left them speechless.

“‘He’ said this would be the easiest place for you to catch monsters.]

“Huh?”

[Go ask him yourself. Heh. I need to focus on our own deployment, so I’ll hang up now.]

Click.

After Mo Taegyeong ended the call, Seol Hwarang sighed deeply, rubbing his temples. His blue butterfly hairpin shimmered faintly even in the darkness. After roughly a minute, he chuckled wryly.

“Wow, that guy really…”

“Seol Hwarang, who exactly is ‘he’?”

Executioner fixed him with a stern gaze. The other heroes mirrored her expression. Since the failure of the Seoul Recovery Operation and Master Light Blade’s death, Seol Hwarang’s actions grew increasingly unilateral—even within the Round Table.

“Oh, him? Hmm… Should I call him older brother, or that brat? Hard to describe properly. …Does it matter if I tell you?”

Seol Hwarang stroked his chin while channeling mana.

“He knows everything, so just stay put here. It’ll work out fine.”

With that, Seol Hwarang spread his wings once more and ascended into the sky. At the very rear of the defensive line, he stood atop the towering ice wall he created, vigilantly scanning below for any *Heuk Jeon-jal* attempting to breach urban areas.

“Shouldn’t we secretly move positions?”

“Don’t know. Only five minutes left; can we even manage?”

“Is this actually a sweet spot?”

The heroes grew restless but realized there was no time left to negotiate further.

“Even if Seol Hwarang joined the Round Table, he’s still a Korean hero. There’s no way he’d betray or trap us. Let’s trust him.”

Executioner’s declaration prompted the heroes to reluctantly accept their fate. Whether Seol Hwarang’s words rang true or not, they resolved to defend this seemingly suboptimal position.

“Hey, doesn’t this remind you of something?”

“What do you mean, old man?”

“The mountain there’s Gwanaksan, and this place is Anyang. Didn’t we split into two groups during the Seoul Recovery Operation?”

“Back then we had more land to work with. Sigh, Seunghyeong, what are you implying? Are you suggesting we retreat again?”

“Senior!”

Veterans teased Lee Seunghyeong to ease tensions. Gradually, faint tremors began emanating from beneath their feet—not natural earthquakes, but vibrations caused by massive monsters charging toward them.

“All units, prepare for battle. Hold your positions and suppress any monsters that slip through.”

Executioner clenched her eyes shut, silently praying that at least a few *Heuk Jeon-jal* would reach the rear lines.

* * *

<Meanwhile, Hospital Room - Blue Wind Sect Temporary Secret Base.>

“Isn’t this setup ensuring they won’t catch anything?”

Deokbae pointed out the Korean heroes’ predicament. Flanking them were clusters of ability users, each positioning themselves to maximize catches while simultaneously keeping an eye on their neighbors.

“That’s right. With both sides blocked off like this, it’s unlikely any *Heuk Jeon-jal* will even make it through. Will even one manage to break through?”

“Of course.”

“On what basis?”

I pointed toward the horde of *Heuk Jeon-jal* rushing toward the lake while casually munching on a fruit cut by Gaeul. Though crudely sliced, I refrained from commenting.

“The current formation assumes the *Heuk Jeon-jal* will split into two groups following the shoreline. If that premise collapses, the frontlines will naturally shift, won’t they?”

“You mean they won’t disperse left and right?”

“Exactly.”

One minute remained. The vanguard of the *Heuk Jeon-jal* had almost reached the water’s edge. Heroes stationed at the lake’s entrance began gathering mana, readying themselves for the impending clash.

“They’ll probably split now…”

Splash!

On-screen, the *Heuk Jeon-jal* began jumping into the water, swimming across the lake faster than they ran. The heroes’ startled reactions were clearly visible.

“*Heuk Jeon-jal* thrive in deserts, so it was a misconception that they couldn’t swim. Turns out they’re quite adept.”

In fact, they swam even faster than their desert-running speed. The heroes, anticipating land-based confrontations, froze in confusion as the *Heuk Jeon-jal* ignored them completely and headed straight for the opposite shore.

“Oh dear, looks like everyone underestimated them. I assumed everyone knew, so I never mentioned it.”

The spear-like formation of swimming *Heuk Jeon-jal* pointed directly toward the Korean heroes. Deokbae and Gaeul exchanged meaningful glances with me, prompting a casual shrug in response.

“Hmph, pretending to ignore them while subtly helping out, huh? Guess you do care about fellow Koreans after all.”

“…I’m not helping them specifically.”

Rather, I pitied Eun Yuhwa, who invested everything in Korea’s hero hunting efforts. Plus, it was convenient to observe Park Ra-on’s performance, and I felt sorry for Baek Hee-a’s distressed expression.

“…Should we check it out directly? What if an accident happens?”

“Calm down? With Seol Hwarang there, accidents are unlikely, right?”

“…True?”

Though concerned about the safety of several thousand dark-suited individuals, our main priority rested with two specific people. If anyone got hurt, I’d personally shove an espresso tube down their esophagus.

“Whoever you’re worrying about, relax. Someone else went too, remember?”

“Who?”

“Hwanryong.”

“…Did Bonghyo follow?”

Please let nothing happen.

About thirty minutes later, the *Heuk Jeon-jal* breached the shore.

The first hero to greet them was Hwakwon Lee Seunghyeong.