Chapter 71: Silver-haired Exorcist (2)
Kim Hye-na searched up information on the smartphone and reported some facts to Kang-jun.
"There are no reports of evil spirits here but there have been a few suicides in recent days. Three people jumped off the roof of a nearby parking garage for no reason.”
Although articles appeared, the evil spirits were so terrifying that news of the suicides weren’t noticed.
‘Suicide. They must be doing it.’
Kang-jun glanced around coldly.
“I’ll have a look while you guys stay here.”
“Yes, Boss-nim.”
“Be careful, Boss-nim.”
The secretary and bodyguards didn’t follow Kang-jun.
It was because they knew they would just be a hindrance.
In the meantime, as Kang-jun approached, a fuss came from one side of the fog. Many shadows with gleaming eyes started looking at Kang-jun.
Of course, the average people couldn’t see them. Kang-jun couldn’t grasp the details in reality but he saw their rough forms.
However, he would be able to see them clearly on the battlefield.
[The enemy’s attack has automatically activated the battle field.]
Sususu.
The moment that fog covered the area entirely, Kang-jun stood in a space that wasn’t the parking lot.
It was dark but he could see.
Upon entering the battlefield, Kang-jun was equipped with the Ghoul Lord’s Heavy Armour.
Chachak! Chak!
Additionally, the Vampire Lord’s Sword, gifted to him by Commander Grania, appeared in his right hand.
“Kiiii!”
“Kikikiki!”
The ones approaching Kang-jun were bone skeletons.
Their bodies were made of solid bones. Only two red lights flashed in their skulls and they were over two metres tall.
The skeletons holding swords, axes and even spears seemed tough.
The unusual thing was that there was a huge cage behind the skeletons with three people trapped in it!
They cried out urgently after seeing Kang-jun.
"P-please save me!”
“Huuk! Please spare me!”
A skeleton, that looked like a jailer, whipped them.
"Kikiki! Won’t you be quiet?”
Jjak! Jjak!
"Ack!"
“Kuaack!”
Who were they? Why were they caught by the skeletons?
The story Kang-jun heard from Kim Hye-na flashed through his head then. Recently, three people had jumped from the roof of the parking garage.
Were they those people?
Obviously, their suicides were related to the skeletons. It seemed like the souls of the dead were trapped in that prison.
Kang-jun looked at the skeletons and cried out.
"Why are things like you leaving Hwanmong? Anyway, after being caught by my eyes, you are all dead.”
“Kikikiki! What are you saying?”
“Kukaka! I will make you a slave and exploit you forever.”
The skeletons surrounded Kang-jun quickly. There were no gaps anywhere on the left or the right.
Of course, Kang-jun didn’t care about being surrounded.
It was a good situation to test his new skill.
‘Heavenly Unyielding Slash!’
Flash!
Just like when he used Heavenly Cut, his sword flashed.
However, the flash didn’t aim for the front but spread in a circular wave around Kang-jun.
Pak! Papak! Papapak...!
The skeletons trembled as they were hit by the wave and turned into powder.
[43 nodes have been gained.]
[32 nodes have been gained.]
[One small moonstone has been acquired.]
[One intermediate health potion has been acquired.]
From the beginning, they weren’t fit to be Kang-jun’s opponents.
Still, he didn’t know they would all be wiped out with one skill.
It was a wide range skill, so he thought it had weak damage and would need to be used twice.
He killed 31 of them but only one small moonstone dropped.
It was like that even with his good luck increased by one.
‘Heksia did say that the drop rate would be lowered.’
Now, there was only one enemy left.
The skeleton guarding the prison.
“Kiiii! Die!”
The skeleton guard ran up with a gleaming axe. Other creatures might had fled in this situation but skeletons had no fear.
Kwajik!
Kang-jun smashed his sword into its skull.
Once the last skeleton collapsed, the iron prison holding the three souls melted away.
At the same time, a bright light started to emerge from the three souls.
“Thank you very much."
"Thanks to you, we are free.”
They smiled brightly toward Kang-jun before slowly fading away.
"Take care."
Kang-jun waved at them. Possessed people returned to normal but those who were already dead couldn’t survive.
This was the only thing Kang-jun could do.
If Kang-jun had found this place earlier, he could have prevented the situation. However, he was only one person.
The souls were now freed, so they could rest comfortably.
Sususu.
The battlefield started to disperse.
[You have won the battle.]
[50 points of black magic energy have been acquired.]
The black magic energy consumed for Heavenly Unyielding Slash was completely restored.
‘This is a very useful skill.’
Unlike Hwanmong, the advantage of the battle field was that black magic energy could be obtained after victory.
Even so, there was the inconvenience of having to travel to find other incidents. The speed of his levelling up would be slower than in Hwanmong.
“Wah! The fog is gone.”
“Oh! How can he do that?”
Kim Hye-na and Hwang Chang-min, who were watching from a distance, were amazed when the fog disappeared as soon as Kang-jun entered.
“Were there really evil spirits in the fog, Team Leader Hwang?”
Hwang Chang-min nodded at Kim Hye-na’s question.
"I’ve seen it, so there is no doubt. The evil spirits are so scared of his reputation that they disappeared.”
Since time flowed differently, they felt like it occurred instantly.
No matter how fierce the battle was, it seemed like it was instant.
Kang-jun came back and boarded the van.
"Now, let’s go to Geumho-dong.”
"Yes, Boss-nim.”
Kang-jun found a bright red dot on the Skia’s detection app.
The red colour showed signs of spirit possessions. The fact that it was so thick meant the creature there was very strong.
However, the dot became increasingly unusual. Before he knew it, the dot had become the deepest in Seoul.
No, it seemed to become the darkest in South Korea. Even if the map was extended towards China or Japan, no other similar places could be seen.
Right now, he was on his way to Geumho-dong.
‘Strange. Why is this area so dark? Don’t tell me that some type of lord showed up?’
Han Yeon-soo had said that wasn’t possible.
It was because they couldn’t afford the power required to enter reality.
‘Anyway, I will see when I get there.’
Several dots then appeared, showing evil spirit possessions. They were pale in colour.
This meant they were weak.
Kang-jun sent the addresses to Jang Seo-yeon.
[I have sent you several places where there are incidents of evil spirit possessions.]
After a while, he received a reply.
[Thank you ^^. There are some places that I haven’t identified yet.]
[The level of difficulty doesn’t seem high, so you can do it alone.]
[I’m going to Geumho-dong. Heh heh.]
[Why Geumho-dong?]
[There is a large uproar at that place. Anyway, thanks a lot. I’ll will head there afterwards.]
There was an uproar at Geumho-dong? Kang-jun asked for the address just in case.
[Perhaps, is it in front of K Mart in Geumho-dong?]
[Yes. ^^ You’ve already heard about it.]
[Wait! It is dangerous, so don’t go there. Or wait until I arrive.]
[I’ve already arrived. Don’t worry. Heh heh. I have plenty of troops. I’m not that weak. ㅠㅠ]
What was with the crying emoticon? It would be dangerous if her pride made her ignore Kang-jun’s warning.
In fact, she was quite aggressive.
She didn’t show it in front of Kang-jun but she wasn’t a person to back off.
Last time, she was the one leading the lizardmen and swinging her spear from the vanguard.
So, if she arrived, her personality would definitely make her rush straight into the mart.
Kang-jun sent her a message again.
[I’m not ignoring you. Just wait. I don’t think this is a place for you to enter.]
However, he didn’t receive a response.
She didn’t even pick up his phone call.
Right now, the two vans were on Dong-ho Bridge. It was because he had to cross the Han River to go from Apgujeong-dong to Geumho-dong.
However, the vans started to stop near the centre of the bridge.
"That’s strange, there shouldn’t be a traffic jam at this time.”
"It should move soon.”
Kang-jun smiled despite being in a hurry. In Seoul, cars were blocked every day. There was nothing else to do but to wait patiently.
Yiing.
Then the Skia rang. He was receiving a call. It was from Lawyer Han Yeon-soo.
"Hello."
-Lee Kang-jun? Where are you now?
“Dongho Bridge. What happened?”
-Ah, are you heading to Geumho-dong right now?
"Yes, I am on my way.”
Then Han Yeon-soo let out a relieved sigh.
-I’m glad. There is a problem there. A strong presence has emerged. It is impossible for anyone but you to solve this.
"In fact, I am curious. What has appeared?”
-It is the ghoul lord.
“Ghoul lord? Didn’t it die?”
Kang-jun was the one who killed it. He had smashed its skull.
-It is possible because the ghoul lord died.
“What does that mean?"
-The Second Demon King can revive the ghoul lord to a limited extent. It can only exist as an evil spirit.
“...!”
Han Yeon-soo continued.
-The Second Demon King has changed strategies. He will create confusion so that sovereigns like you will enter. The attack of the evil spirits will become stronger in the future.
Kang-jun’s expression stiffened.
"But it will be useless if I go against the ghoul lord.”
Kang-jun had fought directly with the ghoul lord. Even if his equipment and level had increased since then, it was impossible for him to win against the ghoul lord without the support of the commander.
-Rest assured. The ghoul lord is weaker than it originally was but it is still a disaster for ordinary sovereigns. Please join with the other sovereigns in order to remove him. This is what Heksia and the other army commanders said.
"They told you this?”
-Yes. They said they would give 300 achievement points if you succeed.
300 points.
That was the highest compensation ever given for a mission.
It meant this mission was difficult.
[Mission 13] Destroy the resurrected ghoul lord.
-Compensation: Experience, 8,000 nodes, 40 large moonstones
There was a mission. He had no choice.
Meanwhile, the cars started moving on the road again. Kang-jun’s vans started to speed up.
[Jang Seo-yeon, the ghoul lord is the one who showed up at the mart. If you see this then please wait.]
Kang-jun once again texted Jang Seo-yeon. Still, there was no answer.
Something must have happened.
Meanwhile, the car had entered the market. The front of his cars were being blocked again.
"Let me down here. I will run.”
Kang-jun jumped down from the car and ran toward the mart.
There were hundreds of people. There were staring at the mart across the street with uneasy expressions.
A group of people were surrounding the mart.
Among them was a familiar person. Jang Seo-yeon.
However, her body was bloody and she was stiff like she was stuck in place.
It wasn’t just her but the others as well.
Kang-jun knew that the people surrounding the mart were sovereigns.
Then he heard the grumbling of the nearby police.
“Shit! What is going on?”
"It is frustrating that we can’t even approach.”
The public couldn’t reach the mart due to a transparent shield around it.
Only those who were called exorcists could penetrate the shield. However, as soon as they entered, they stiffened like a statue and became bloody.
Kang-jun knew that the sovereigns were fighting the ghoul lord.
No, the battle was already over.
The sovereigns were already defeated and likely under the control of the ghoul lord.
Everybody had blank expressions like they were missing their souls.
“Wait! You shouldn’t go in there.”
“This is a controlled area.”
"Do you want to die? Why are you going in there?”
The police blocked Kang-jun’s path. Then Kim Hye-na, who had followed him, shouted.
"He is an exorcist, so please get out of the way.”
"Exorcist? Keuk! Please stop lying.”
“Look. Didn’t the police receive an official letter to cooperate with exorcists in cases like these? Will you become responsible if something big happens?”
The police responded with an embarrassed expression.
“It is true that an official document was received but all those people told me that and now, they are like this. Who else will be sent here?”
Kang-jun smiled.
“Don’t worry. I will fix it.”
"Who are you?”
Kim Hye-na replied.
"He is Lee Kang-jun, the silver-haired exorcist.”
The eyes of the policemen widened with shock. The people in the neighbourhood also stared at Kang-jun with surprise.