Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 1894

“N-3! N-3! The Guangzhou branch is under attack!”\n\nChaikeochang clenched his fist.\n\n”What’s the main force doing?”\n\n”They’ve just reported that they’re moving to intercept!”\n\n”Good!”\n\nChaikeochang turned his head sharply to look at the map.\n\n’Those bastards!’\n\nTheir behavior patterns are irregular.\n\nIt’s obvious. The Black King isn’t the type to give detailed instructions like the Crimson King or the Azure King.\n\n’It wouldn’t work anyway.’\n\nNo matter how great the Black King is, it’s impossible for him to give detailed orders to them.\n\nChaikeochang, who serves the Crimson King, knows this better than anyone.\n\nFor the Crimson King to submit to someone and become their subordinate?\n\nIt’s hard to imagine, but let’s say there’s a one in a million chance that such a thing could happen. But no matter how much he thinks about it, he can’t picture the Crimson King carrying out someone’s orders without complaint.\n\nTranscendent beings are like that from the start.\n\nTo gain that kind of power, one needs immense talent and an equally immense ego.\n\nThose who are used to conforming to what’s given can never break through the wall and transcend human limitations. The fact that he has so many of them under his command is certainly impressive, but….\n\n’There’s bound to be a limit.’\n\nThere is no impregnable fortress in the world.\n\nNo matter how perfect a fortress may seem, with enough time and effort, a way to conquer it will always be found. It’s just a matter of how much sacrifice one is willing to endure until then.\n\n”And that ego will surely affect the other Twelve Fiends around him.”\n\nThe destruction of the Shanghai branch was so shocking that it made them forget all previous losses.\n\nIf they are in a competitive relationship, someone will surely try to do something that has an equal or greater impact!\n\n’This is all going as expected.’\n\nChaikeochang roared.\n\n”Reinforce from the surrounding branches! And send the backup units on standby to move immediately! Right now!”\n\n”Yes!”\n\nChaikeochang muttered something incessantly.\n\n”…With the current forces, we absolutely can’t stop them. The key is how quickly we can reinforce. Think, think, Chaikeochang.”\n\nThe most frightening thing about the enemies is their irregularity.\n\nJust because the Guangzhou branch is under attack doesn’t mean that other surrounding branches won’t be attacked. If all the forces from the surrounding branches and the backup units that were dispatched from headquarters are deployed, there will be no way to prevent additional attacks.\n\n”There are two backup units nearby! Which one…”\n\n”Deploy both!”\n\nBut Chaikeochang shouted without hesitation.\n\nIt’s impossible to stop them all anyway.\n\n’Giving flesh to get bone? No. Giving bone to get flesh.’\n\nIt doesn’t matter.\n\nThe Crimson King’s faction is a giant. A giant of enormous size compared to them. Even if we cut off chunks of flesh, as long as we leave even a single scratch, the Black King’s faction, not the Crimson King’s, will collapse first.\n\nSo, right now, we must not consider sacrifices and deploy all available forces to leave a clear scar on the enemy.\n\n”Director, H-14 is also under attack!”\n\nChaikeochang’s head snapped around.\n\n’Damn it!’\n\nH-14 is not within the defense line he set up.\n\nBut this is unavoidable.\n\nThe phrase “select and focus” also means that there are places to give up and abandon.\n\n”Retreat them!”\n\n”But they’re currently fighting…”\n\n”No more talk, retreat them! Scatter in all directions and then regroup at the rear assembly point! Immediately!”\n\n”Yes!”\n\n*Crack.*\n\nChaikeochang gritted his teeth.\n\nThe retreat order will be given, but how many will survive from the branch? If more than ten survive, it’ll be a miracle.\n\n’Yes, bite them!’\n\nI’ll give as much as you want.\n\nBut in return, you must also be prepared for our teeth to sink into your flesh!\n\n”A-27 is also under attack!”\n\n”C-6 is out of contact! We can’t connect!”\n\nPanicked voices came from all directions, but Chaikeochang’s eyes remained deeply calm. He wasn’t stupid or foolish enough to panic again after experiencing it once.\n\n”Retreat everyone except for the designated branches!”\n\n”What about the other branches…”\n\n”No!”\n\nTo be the first to be bitten is the mark of an amateur.\n\nThe fangs they have to face are not just one. They need to be held back so that they can properly target where they are aiming.\n\nIt can’t be helped if it seems cold-hearted. If they are swayed by sentimentality, they will have to endure even more damage.\n\n”N-3! What’s the situation at the Guangzhou branch?”\n\n”They are still fighting! The guerrilla units gathered below are entering the building, and the encirclement units are blocking the escape routes. But if support doesn’t arrive quickly, it’s hard to be optimistic about the situation!”\n\n”Tell them to hurry!”\n\n”We just gave the order…”\n\n”Again!”\n\n”Yes!”\n\nEveryone moved urgently and gave orders.\n\nChaikeochang pressed his temples. He had simulated it countless times, but the real battle is different. He had to think and think again to block as many variables as possible.\n\n”What about F-11? Still no news?”\n\n”Yes. Not yet…”\n\nChaikeochang bit his lip.\n\n’That can’t be.’\n\nIt’s there.\n\nIt definitely exists.\n\nSomeone will surely target F-11. With the Shanghai branch destroyed, this is inevitable.\n\n’They will definitely come!’\n\nTrend.\n\nThe important thing is the trend.\n\nChaikeochang’s hand gripped his thigh.\n\n’Wait. Not yet.’\n\nThey will definitely come.\n\nThis isn’t war, it’s a hunt. What a hunter needs more than anything is patience. Once a trap is set, you have to wait until the prey steps into it.\n\nIf you lack patience and peek around the trap, the prey will never come near.\n\n’So just a little more….’\n\nIt was at that moment.\n\n”Branch support has arrived in Guangzhou!”\n\n”Backup units are entering Guangzhou! Other backup units will enter within 5 minutes!”\n\n”F-11 is under attack! Reporting again! F-11 is under attack!”\n\n*Bang!*\n\nChaikeochang slammed his hand on the desk and stood up.\n\n”Report the situation at F-11 again!”\n\n”Yes! The report is that contact with the F-11 scouts has been lost! They haven’t entered the branch yet, but it seems they will enter soon!”\n\n*Clench!*\n\nChaikeochang clenched his fist without realizing it.\n\n’I’ve got you, you bastard!’\n\nHis gaze pierced the map.\n\nHis gaze first went to the Shanghai branch.\n\n’They like flashy things, do they?’\n\nThink about it.\n\nTo make those who can’t get along attack simultaneously from all over the country, what would you do?\n\nThis is a no-brainer. Divide the areas. Let them run wild freely within their assigned areas, but prevent them from encroaching on each other’s areas, and there will be no discord.\n\nNaturally, the Black King would have divided the areas for them.\n\n’Then it’s simple.’\n\nWhat would be the next move of the one who devoured the most delicious prey in the area in a flashy way?\n\n’The second city!’\n\nThe closest major city to Shanghai.\n\n”Hangzhou!”\n\nThis is the branch where Chaikeochang can set the most perfect trap. A trap that is incomparable to Guangzhou. A deadly trap that, once caught, will not only hold them back but also pierce their flesh and break their bones!\n\n”Send the preparation signal! Right now!”\n\n”Yes!”\n\nWatching his subordinates shout, Chaikeochang gritted his teeth.\n\n”You’re going to see hell.”\n\n”Hmm.”\n\nShin Chang swung his spear once and then stepped inside.\n\n”I smell something?”\n\nThe atmosphere is strange.\n\nHe had taken down two people blocking the main gate and entered. Then, he had taken down nearly ten people who rushed at him.\n\nWhat’s different?\n\n’It’s the same.’\n\nIt wasn’t much different from when he rampaged in Shanghai a while ago. Those who blocked him were still weak, and their reactions were all the same.\n\nSo what’s the problem?\n\n’That’s the problem.’\n\nThese are the Crimson King’s people.\n\nShin Chang didn’t underestimate them. They are people who are going against the flow of time. The existence of the Black King’s faction is an irregular one that shouldn’t exist in this world.\n\nIf they didn’t exist, the Crimson King’s faction would have unified China and remained the ruler of this era.\n\nHow difficult is it to unify the Central Plains [the historical heartland of China]?\n\nEven though the martial world isn’t what it used to be, to control all of this vast land is something that cannot be achieved with ordinary abilities. He wasn’t arrogant enough to openly disregard those who had accomplished such a feat.\n\nBut….\n\nThose who have been attacked once can’t cope with an obvious attack?\n\nThey allow the same attack again without any change?\n\n”Something smells fishy.”\n\nShin Chang curled up the corners of his mouth.\n\n’It’s a trap.’\n\nConsidering the opponent’s abilities, it’s only natural.\n\nThen he has two choices.\n\nOne is to turn back. To not engage with the trap the opponent has set and to mock them.\n\nAnd the other is….\n\n”Let’s see how well they’ve set up this trap.”\n\nShin Chang whistled and headed towards the stairs.\n\nFrom the beginning, he didn’t expect to come here without resistance. Even so, the reason he attacked in an obvious direction was because he was confident that he could break through any trap they set.\n\nArrogance. Yes, arrogance.\n\nSometimes arrogance is called foolishness. But even if he is called a fool, his pride would not allow him to back down against mere underlings.\n\nIf he didn’t have that much pride, he wouldn’t be called Shin Chang.\n\n”Where…”\n\n*Kwaaaang!*\n\nThe firmly closed iron door was torn apart like a piece of paper by the lightly swung spear.\n\n”…is no one.”\n\nShin Chang, having confirmed that there was no one left on the second floor, went up the next set of stairs.\n\n*Kwaaaang!*\n\nThere was no one on the third floor either.\n\n”Look at this?”\n\nIt’s not that there are no people in this building. He can clearly feel the presence of people above. However, they are giving up on fighting him and running to the upper floors.\n\n”Hmm, are they planning to jump down?”\n\nThat would be impossible.\n\nIt’s impossible for a person to jump from a high floor and show a healthy appearance to those around them.\n\nIt’s not Shin Chang who is turning this building into a death trap. And it’s not the height either. It was the laws that were binding them.\n\n”…How foolish.”\n\nShin Chang, feeling a pointless irritation, jumped up three floors at once. He plans to reach the place where he feels the presence of people in one go.\n\nBut his intention was not fulfilled.\n\n”…this way.”\n\nShin Chang’s movement, as he was running up the stairs, suddenly stopped.\n\n’What?’\n\nHis head snapped to the side.\n\nA firmly closed iron door.\n\nIt’s just an iron door like the ones he’s seen so far.\n\nThe problem is that he heard a voice calling him from beyond this iron door.\n\n’I didn’t notice?’\n\nSomeone is definitely there, but he didn’t feel it?\n\nA chill ran down his spine.\n\nShin Chang, shuddering at the sense of incongruity that swept over him, slowly walked towards the iron door. Then, he lightly reached out and grabbed the handle.\n\n*Squeak.*\n\nAs he turned the handle, the door, which was not locked in the first place, opened with a metallic sound.\n\nAt the same time, Shin Chang saw it.\n\nThe one who was welcoming him.\n\nThe one who was waiting for him.\n\n*Clink.*\n\nThe man places the glass he was holding on the table. Next to the glass, a bottle of liquor that looks luxurious at a glance catches the eye.\n\nShin Chang’s gaze, which had reached the liquor bottle, turned to the man who had put down the glass. At the same time, a bright expression appeared on his face.\n\nA look as if he had encountered something he had longed for so much. Also, a look as if he had seen something he didn’t want to see at all.\n\nThose expressions, which were close to opposites, were mixed up haphazardly, distorting his face.\n\nEven so….\n\nShin Chang couldn’t take his eyes off the man.\n\nA large body, and a golden dragon robe covering that body.\n\nA huge sense of intimidation that cannot be described is felt from his expressionless face.\n\n”…Crimson King?”\n\nThe corners of the man’s mouth formed a slight arc.\n\n”Ha… haha, is that really the Crimson King?”\n\nShin Chang looked at the Crimson King as if he was dumbfounded.\n\n’This is absurd.’\n\nNo way… to encounter the Crimson King at this early stage.\n\nIt was the moment he realized that the place he thought was a trap was actually the bottom of hell.\n\nBut….\n\n”I don’t know if I should say I’m unlucky, or….”\n\nShin Chang twisted his mouth and smiled.\n\n”…if I should say I’m lucky.”\n\nThe Crimson King slowly rose from his seat.\n\n”I will give you that conclusion.”\n\nGolden light surged from the Crimson King’s eyes.\n\n”I will make you pay the price for daring to touch my subordinates.”\n\n”Hahahaha! Good!”\n\nShin Chang burst into laughter and grabbed his spear.