Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 1888

“The damage?”

“The branches…”

Chai Ke-chang paused, taking a deep breath. Holding back words in front of Hongwang was unthinkable, but now he had to try his best to avoid committing a greater offense.

“…Twenty-one branches were completely destroyed, and an additional two branches were half-destroyed. In the previous twenty-one branches, there were seven survivors, and in the two half-destroyed branches, there were two hundred survivors. The casualties number three hundred.”

Hongwang raised his head and looked at Chai Ke-chang.

“Why separate the two branches?”

“The former were the ones attacked, and the other two branches lost their strength while pursuing them and gave up the chase.”

“You did something unlike you, Chai Ke-chang.” Hongwang chuckled.

“You should have known that they weren’t the kind of people that branches could pursue. Did you lose your reason for a moment?”

“I canceled the preemptive order, but the situation was such that the order was not properly delivered. I apologize, Hongwang. It is my mistake.”

“Hmm.”

Hongwang’s eyes slightly narrowed.

‘Seven survivors from twenty-one branches…’

‘They let them go?’

‘That can’t be.’

It was impossible for those who had the ability to annihilate branches without even a scratch to let those who were running away escape. Even if all the members of the branches who saw them arrive had turned and fled in all directions, it would have been impossible for them to succeed in escaping.

An unlikely mistake. If not that…

“What is the condition of the survivors who fled earlier?”

“…Mentally, they seem to be pushed to their limits, but physically, they have no major injuries.”

“They let them go.”

So that they could spread the word about what they had experienced and the fear they felt with their own mouths.

“…I think so too.”

“A checkmate.”

Hongwang chuckled.

He understood their intentions, but it wasn’t like he had a countermeasure. If he thought about it simply, he could isolate the survivors and prevent them from contacting others, which might prevent the spread of fear.

But…

‘People aren’t that simple.’

The news that the branches had been annihilated would have already spread throughout the Hongwang faction, and everyone would know that only a few survivors remained.

In that situation, if they were to isolate the survivors, it would be inevitable that people would think that the higher-ups were trying to hide something.

If that happened, the fear would not subside but would only intensify.

“Don’t try to hide it clumsily, Chai Ke-chang.”

“Yes, Hongwang.”

Chai Ke-chang nodded as if agreeing with Hongwang’s words.

“The best way would be to inflict the same damage on them and let them know that we are not being unilaterally attacked. But… you said you can’t track them?”

“…Yes. Not at all.”

Chai Ke-chang bit his lip.

He had mobilized all the forces of the Hongwang faction to try to find their trail, fearing that this kind of thing would happen.

The moment a small number of strong individuals overwhelm a large number with force, it becomes impossible for the majority to resist. The Black King faction only needs to sneak in and carry out massacres when they feel like it, and then slip away when a counterattack begins.

‘They’re being eaten away.’

Their power?

No. Their spirit.

Right now, the outskirts are being hit, but to be honest, there isn’t really a way to stop them even if they were to attack the center. They could reduce the damage with stronger forces and better organization, but it would be just as difficult to catch those who slip away.

“Like flies.”

Hongwang frowned as if he didn’t like it.

He made a casual comparison, but he was not someone who didn’t know how bleak the current situation was.

“When their power is said to be equal to mine…”

“…Yes.”

“How many people are there who can at least grab their ankles and hold on?”

Chai Ke-chang swallowed hard.

He was also the one who moved the forces of the Hongwang faction, so there was no way he couldn’t answer this question. But the reality he had to report to Hongwang was so bleak that he couldn’t bring himself to speak.

“It won’t exceed… five.”

“Five…”

Hongwang chuckled softly.

It wasn’t that there were five beings of equal strength. It meant that the number of warriors who could literally risk their lives to hold down the opponent and wait for support did not exceed five.

“It’s hopeless.”

Hongwang groaned softly.

“Chai Ke-chang.”

“Yes, Hongwang.”

“For many years, I have been waiting for the moment when I would unify the Central Plains, gnawing on my own gall. And the now-dead Changwang would not have been much different.”

“Personally, he was a man I didn’t like, and someone I could never be with, but as an opponent, Changwang was a great man. I consider the time I was able to fight him an honor.”

“Hongwang…”

“But…”

A bitter expression appeared on Hongwang’s face.

“Looking back now, we were just playing on a chessboard laid out by the Black King.”

It was a situation where he should have said something to deny it, but Chai Ke-chang couldn’t bring himself to open his mouth. He knew that any comfort right now would just be a shallow excuse.

“So…”

“Yes!”

“What do you plan to do about the main force?”

Chai Ke-chang swallowed hard.

The enemy’s attack would not end with this one time.

They would naturally continue to attack. Through this battle, they would have confirmed that their calculations were correct, and they would have established a surefire method against the Hongwang faction.

If so, they could lead the situation to their extreme advantage simply by repeating the same attacks.

“There will definitely be another attack.”

“I suppose.”

“We will counterattack from there.”

Hongwang frowned slightly.

“Is a counterattack possible?”

“It’s impossible to avoid damage anyway. But Hongwang, we didn’t just suffer damage in this battle. At least, through this battle, we were able to confirm that they are afraid of losing their current power.”

“Afraid…”

“Yes!”

Chai Ke-chang said firmly.

“Considering the situation when they attacked, they could have done more than just destroy three branches. The fact that they retreated halfway means that they also don’t like being counterattacked.”

“And?”

“Considering the direction of the enemy’s attacks, whether it’s a matter of efficiency or personal preference, they don’t like combining their forces. In other words, the number of people who will attack next time will be one!”

“Even if we have to endure more damage than today, if we put all available forces into one place, it won’t be that difficult to catch one.”

“Are you saying you’d rather stab them to death than defend?”

“If we can’t stop them anyway, shouldn’t we at least make them leave with an arm?”

Hongwang chuckled softly.

A strategy befitting Chai Ke-chang.

Chai Ke-chang gritted his teeth.

“Perhaps this place is indeed on a chessboard created by the Black King.”

“But on a chessboard, there will eventually be a winner and a loser. No one can move both sides at the same time. If we can achieve victory, it doesn’t matter whether it’s a battlefield or a chessboard, Hongwang.”

At those words, Hongwang nodded.

“You’re right. I was momentarily not strong enough.”

“They are certainly powerful. But they have given us too much to maintain that power. From their perspective, the Hongwang faction’s warriors may be like ants, but even ants, if there are tens of thousands, can turn a person into bones.”

“Hmm.”

“The power we have achieved by unifying the Central Plains will be Hongwang’s shield and also his spear. Please trust me.”

Hongwang nodded and rose from his chair.

“There is no mistake in your words.”

Hongwang said in a booming voice.

“Just because their methods are different from mine doesn’t mean that what I have done so far is wrong. In the end, right and wrong will be judged by whose head falls first.”

“Prove that the Hongwang faction, which we have dedicated our lives to, is not a disorganized rabble that is frightened and runs away after a few attacks. Prove that the power we have achieved is the strongest in the Central Plains.”

“Yes, Hongwang!”

“And!”

Hongwang’s eyes flashed with golden light.

“If the Black King uses words to control them, then I will also become your words.”

“Th, that means…”

“I should catch at least one of them to save face. Place me in the attack route you expect. I will ease your burden.”

Chai Ke-chang bowed his head sharply.

“H, Hongwang, there’s no need for you to step forward…”

It was too early.

No, it might not be too early, but Hongwang was someone who had never stepped forward in a situation that was not yet ripe.

Such a Hongwang was now saying that he would become a bulwark himself when only an exploratory battle was taking place.

“Naive talk.”

Hongwang said firmly.

“If there is something the enemy is aiming for, you must stop it by any means. Changwang taught me that, and the Demon King made me realize that fact.”

“If the fact that I am behind you is not enough to create sufficient morale, then I will make everyone realize that the place where I am will never fall.”

“I, I am honored!”

Chai Ke-chang shouted loudly and bowed his head.

If they could block one place, they could return the situation to square one. And if they could subdue two places, the situation would become extremely advantageous. Being small in number was their advantage, but it was also their greatest weakness.

Because losing even one master would have a severe impact on their power.

“Carry out my orders.”

“Yes, Hongwang!”

Just as Chai Ke-chang’s mind was about to race, it happened.

“What about the General Assembly?”

“They say the support preparations are almost complete. They can move immediately if we request it…”

“The request?”

“Not yet…”

Hongwang frowned.

“Do you still have any unease or worries about the General Assembly?”

“That is absolutely not the case! It’s just that…”

Chai Ke-chang said softly.

“If there is something to receive, there must be something to give. I just want to delay their intervention as much as possible.”

“Hmm.”

Hongwang nodded.

“What you think is probably better than what I think.”

“But remember one thing, Chai Ke-chang. If there is nothing left, there is nothing to share.”

“I will keep that in mind!”

Hongwang nodded and sat back in his chair.

“Then I will take my leave.”

Hongwang nodded lightly, and Chai Ke-chang carefully rose and left the main hall.

Chai Ke-chang’s eyes sank heavily as he closed the door.

‘It was just a surprise attack.’

The damage to their power was negligible. How things unfold from now on is what matters most.

‘I will show you clearly that we are not an easy opponent, Black King!’

And…

To that General Assembly as well.

“Any requests for support?”

“None.”

Wiggins roughly stroked his beard, which had grown out like a gas plant.

“Is it a matter of pride, or do they think it’s not a big deal yet?”

“It’s more likely the former.”

“He wasn’t that foolish, was he?” Lee Hyun-soo shook his head.

“Actually, while it’s a matter of pride, it’s also a matter of practical benefit. Requesting support is a given, but the meaning changes entirely depending on when and at what timing you make that request.”

“That’s true, but…”

Wiggins slightly frowned.

‘If it were me, I wouldn’t want to risk even a little bit more.’

They know how powerful the Black King’s faction is, and so does the Red King’s faction. In a situation where they don’t know how the enemy will come out, strengthening their forces is basic common sense from his perspective.

“I don’t know what reason they’ll give, but their petty pride shouldn’t be more important than the lives of those who are dying, should it?”

“While it’s true that Chinese people tend to value face [reputation and social standing], it’s not just about face right now. From the perspective of someone giving orders, the biggest issue is that we won’t listen to them.”

“Hmm?”

Wiggins looked at Lee Hyun-soo as if asking what he meant.

“It’s simple. Right now, they’re being attacked from the outskirts. And the enemy will repeatedly annihilate branches in a short time and then retreat.”

“Hmm, I see.”

Wiggins nodded as if he understood.

Before support arrives from a nearby branch, the branch is destroyed. To resolve that situation, the only options are to increase the speed at which branches provide support or to strengthen the forces of each branch.

Since the General Assembly joining won’t speed up the branches’ support, to defend against this situation, they would have to tear apart the General Assembly’s support personnel and deploy them to each branch…

“That’s an offer they can’t accept.”

“Exactly.”

Wiggins quietly nodded. He had only thought about providing support, not deeply considering how the forces would be utilized.

“So, does that mean support is meaningless right now?”

“From the start, this is…”

Lee Hyun-soo narrowed his eyes, looking at the map of China spread out before him.

“Support is only meaningful when the enemy has a tangible presence. But what the Red King’s faction is facing right now is, in a way, an extreme form of guerrilla warfare that has never happened before in history.”

“…That’s right.”

“Guerrilla warfare is meaningful when a small number of people facing a stronger enemy use the advantages of terrain. But the Black King’s faction, though small in number, actually overwhelms the Red King’s faction in certain areas.”

“The more they try to confront them, the deeper they’ll fall into the mire.”

Wiggins looked at the map with a heavy gaze.

‘Indeed.’

There really is no countermeasure for this.

Catching just ten people in this vast China is incredibly difficult. Ten people out of 1.3 billion is like finding ten grains of sand on a vast beach.

Even if those grains of sand are special, if they look no different from other grains of sand, finding them is nearly impossible.

“Are they being eaten away?”

“Probably…”

Lee Hyun-soo stared intently at the map before opening his mouth.

“If it were me, that’s what I would do. It’s as if they’ve already found the most perfect way to defeat the enemy. If they slowly crumble from the outskirts, even the Red King’s faction, with its great cohesion, will inevitably develop cracks.”

“That’s true.”

“Then all they have to do is exploit those cracks.”

It’s easy to say.

Yes, it was too easy to say.

But this is a strategy that’s only possible because the Black King’s faction has overwhelming power in small numbers.

What if the General Assembly were to face the Red King’s faction in this way?

‘They would have to accept damage as much as they eat away.’

And unlike the Twelve Flying Blades [a reference to a group of highly mobile and skilled fighters], they wouldn’t be able to easily slip away from those coming to support. They would waste their power destroying branches, and from then on, they would have to endure a hellish pursuit again.

It’s not something they can do while accepting damage; it’s something that’s not even feasible from the start.

Then, what if they mobilized the directors, like Kang Jin-ho, who could do something similar?

‘The main force would be attacked.’

If it were Chai Ke-chang, he would attack the General Assembly’s main base with his main force without needing to defend the outskirts.

Then the directors, whose main force is far away, wouldn’t be able to withstand the Red King’s faction’s power. That’s what it means to divert the main force to the outskirts in the first place.

But the Black King’s faction has no main base to protect, nor anyone to defend. That’s why they can use such an absurd strategy.

‘It’s almost like cheating.’

One thing is certain.

Anyone who formulates a strategy is constrained by the wall of reality. If you can suddenly appear behind the enemy and attack, that strategy is bound to be advantageous.

But the reason why such strategies are rarely seen in reality is that it’s almost impossible to transport a significant number of troops behind the enemy without being detected.

Even if it were possible, it’s too difficult for the troops that entered the enemy’s territory to come out alive.

Anyone can devise a strategy to completely destroy the enemy. The problem is whether it can be achieved in reality.

In that sense, the Black King’s faction was one of the most free from the constraints of reality. They possess both incredible mobility and incredible power, and there are no parts that can be called weaknesses.

Lee Hyun-soo, realizing anew who they were dealing with, bit his lip slightly.

‘It’s not time to pity the Red King’s faction.’

This is a reality that has come not only to the Red King’s faction but also to them. Even if the Black King were to attack them in the same way, there isn’t a suitable countermeasure.

‘Korea is smaller than China, so we wouldn’t be swayed like that.’

There aren’t really any branches either.

But the fact that defense is fundamentally impossible doesn’t change.

“Then…”

Wiggins stroked his chin.

“The Black King is going to destroy the Red King’s faction like this?”

“Yes, probably.”

“Hmm.”

Wiggins looked at the map with a displeased expression.

“Do you think differently?”

“Rather than different…”

Wiggins’ eyes grew increasingly somber.

“I think we need to address the fundamental issue.”

“The fundamental issue?”

“Is this really a war between the Black King’s faction and the Red King’s faction?”

Lee Hyun-soo, not understanding the intention of the question, looked up at Wiggins with a blank stare.

‘War?’

Numerous people have already died, and they are desperately trying to kill each other. If this isn’t war, then what is it?

Wiggins opened his mouth as if understanding that look.

“The intention is different.”

“Intention, you mean…”

“Is the Black King’s faction’s goal really to destroy the Red King’s faction and win?”

Lee Hyun-soo closed his mouth.

“If that were their intention, there would have been no reason to wait quietly until now. There must be another intention.”

Lee Hyun-soo nodded.

The Black King’s faction had gained the upper hand so easily that he hadn’t thought that far.

“Are you saying they’re aiming for something else?”

“I don’t know either. But one thing bothers me.”

“What…”

“The Lord said it. He said they wouldn’t move as we expect.”

Kang Jin-ho had indeed said that.

“If their goal is a complete victory, they would slowly destroy the Red King’s faction as you said. In a situation where they can only gain benefits without risk, no one with even a little bit of sense would choose to increase the speed.”

“I agree.”

“But what if their goal isn’t victory over the Red King’s faction?”

“Something will happen, something unexpected.”

Lee Hyun-soo looked at the map with a stiff face.

Somehow, the map of China seemed to be burning.

Shanghai.

A city with the largest population in China, surpassing the capital Beijing, and the center of China’s economy.

The towering buildings were like symbols proving how remarkably China had developed over the past years.

A man slowly enters one of the buildings that easily exceeds 50 stories at a glance.

As soon as the man, who passed through the glass door, entered, the desk staff guarding the first floor looked at him with cold eyes.

Sneakers, light-colored jeans, a black round-neck t-shirt, a lightly worn flannel shirt, and a baseball cap on his head…

He looked like an ordinary young man, nothing particularly special, someone you could see anywhere.

“Hey! Who told you to come in!”

But the voices of those welcoming the young man were not kind.

“This is off-limits to the public! Get out now!”

Harsh voices.

Large guards wearing black suits and sunglasses approached menacingly. Anyone else would have been intimidated and immediately backed away, but the young man, seemingly not intimidated, calmly took off the backpack he was carrying on his back and placed it on the floor.

“Didn’t you hear me?”

“I heard you.”

Ziiiiip.

The man opened the zipper of his backpack and took out something that looked like a long metal rod.

The guards’ faces slightly hardened. But the object he took out didn’t look particularly dangerous.

“Get out before we drag you out!”

“Don’t worry. I’ll be out soon.”

The man smiled faintly.

At that moment.

Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack!

Another part popped out from the long metal rod the man had taken out, and soon it formed a long spear-like shape that looked to be two meters long.

“What…”

The man reached into his backpack again and took something else out. Those who realized that what he had taken out was a sharp spearhead were startled and hardened their faces.

Click!

The man attached the spearhead to the end of the metal rod. Soon, a two-meter-long spear was created.

Thud!

The man lightly tapped the floor with the spear as if placing it down and smiled faintly.

“If I kill you all, I’ll leave even if you tell me not to, so don’t worry.”

The guards’ faces contorted.

“You bastard! Do you know where this is?”

“I know. It’s where the Red King’s bastards make their money.”

The guards closed their mouths.

The fact that the name Red King’s faction came out meant that the person was not just anyone.

“N-no way…”

“Hmm, let’s see.”

The man looked up.

“Everyone in this building is part of the Red King’s faction, right?”

It was a statement that should be ignored.

But for some reason, those who heard it opened their mouths.

“T-there are civilians here too! There are people who have nothing to do with it!”

“Oh, really?”

The man.

The Divine Spear smiled faintly.

“It doesn’t matter.”

Thud!

The spearhead, which had hit the floor once, was aimed at the guards.

“I’m not the kind of person who cares about such things.”

Guards, instinctively sensing that something was about to happen, shouted.

“Stop him!”

Someone pressed an alarm, and sirens began to sound throughout the building. And as if the siren was a signal, the guards rushed at the Divine Spear.

The corners of the Divine Spear’s mouth twisted up strangely.

“If you want to stop me, bring out someone at the level of the Red King.”

With a devilish smile, he charged at the guards.