Chapter 150. The Branch

The world was in uproar. It hadn’t been long since the Stem had appeared following the Root. But now, something new was surfacing—referred to ominously as the Branch.

With the roots came unknown monsters, leading to unimaginable destruction. The Stems brought more terror due to the involvement of the elves. No one could even guess what the branches would bring on, and assumed that the global panic was inevitable.

—Everything here has turned chaotic too. Every agency is out there, investigating where this phenomenon happened.

Son Chang-Il's serious voice could be heard from the other end of the line.

"Is Seoul still safe?" Kim Do-Joon asked.

—Thankfully, yes. I made sure they looked around your neighborhood especially thoroughly, and there were no strange occurrences.

Kim Do-Joon let out a long sigh of relief.

I’ve got that emergency necklace made from the Flame Totem, but still...

Even though he had some safety precautions, there was no better scenario than avoiding a crisis altogether.

Son Chang-Il went on.

—But it’s not just your neighborhood that’s untouched.

Kim Do-Joon's brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"

—Like I said, every organization’s combing the whole country. But nowhere, absolutely nowhere, is showing signs of these branches. From what our sources tell us, it’s the same in other countries. Maybe it just hasn’t been discovered yet...

"So you’re saying...?" Kim Do-Joon trailed off.

—There’s only one place where any kind of anomaly has been detected, Shanghai. And that is right where you are.

Silence lingered between them. So far, both the roots and Stems had been global phenomena, causing widespread chaos and destruction. However, this time, the world was peaceful, except for Shanghai.

And if there was any notable difference between Shanghai and the rest of the world, it was one thing: Gao Lin.

Kim Do-Joon remembered Gao Lin’s last moves, glimpsed through a live broadcast. Gao Lin had spread his shadow in the bustling district near the Black Dragon headquarters.

And the message about the branches appeared right after that...

It seemed impossible, yet all the signs pointed in one direction. Gao Lin was either the cause of this new threat or deeply connected to it.

—So that’s why I’m reaching out right now. There’s a request I’d like to make of you and Hunter Jecheon Seong.

"A request?" Kim Do-Joon asked.

—It’s... well...

The conversation continued for a few more exchanges, then the line went dead. As Kim Do-Joon set his phone down, Jecheon Seong, who had been waiting beside him with crossed arms, asked, “What did he say?"

"Thankfully, Seoul is safe," Kim Do-Joon replied.

Kim Do-Joon relayed everything that Son Chang-Il had shared.

"

Hmm...

" Jecheon Seong murmured, closing his eyes.

Kim Do-Joon could not help but sense a hint of relief from his companion. Then, Kim Do-Joon picked up the remote on the table and switched on the TV. He did not understand Mandarin, but he could at least see if Gao Lin’s actions had made the news.

Flipping through channel after channel, Kim Do-Joon found nothing. Finally, he turned the TV off with a beep, then moved to the window.

The hotel room looked over a vast stretch of the city. However, far in the distance, something unnatural stood out. It was a strange, dark structure that looked like a towering wall of shadows, almost like a black coffin.

Kim Do-Joon squinted at it, unsettled.

It’s like this again...

Kim Do-Joon thought, feeling a wave of nausea well up in him every time he looked at it.

Quietly, he stared at the dark, looming structure, struggling to shake off the deep, disconcerting feeling radiating from its shadowy form.

***

That night, Kim Do-Joon headed down to the hotel bar, where a gathering was taking place. Every Hunter staying at the Grand Carlton was in attendance, turning the space into something more like a strategic conference than a social event.

“Turn it on! China’s about to make an announcement!” someone urged.

“Alright, hold on!” another Hunter replied, scrambling with the remote.

The place was packed far beyond the usual crowd in the hotel bar. Many had no seats and leaned against the walls, arms crossed. Every eye turned to the TV when it flickered on, tuned to the news.

Shanghai’s shadowy black coffin was immediately displayed on screen. It was clear that this ominous structure was the so-called “branch” everyone had been talking about. So far, neither monsters nor elves had emerged, keeping the destruction contained. However, that didn’t mean they could ignore it. Everything caught within that shadowy coffin had simply vanished.

The Black Dragon Guild headquarters, all the Hunters stationed there, the shop owners, and the countless people on the streets were all unreachable. Besides, anyone attempting to call them got only the same message: out of service.

“Look! He’s out!”

“The Chairman’s on!”

The screen showed China's chairman, who stared directly into the camera, speaking in a steady, authoritative tone. However, soon, disgusted groans filled the room.

“What the hell...!” one Hunter cursed.

“They’re trying to keep this all to themselves!” another shouted.

“Didn’t I tell you? This is exactly what I expected from them,” another Hunter muttered.

Nearby, Daniel and Tyler, who sat across from Kim Do-Joon, muttered curses under their breath, making no effort to hide their frustration.

“What are they saying?” Kim Do-Joon asked one of the members in his raid team who had been his interpreter this whole time.

“Oh... well,” the interpreter hesitated, “China is banning all foreign Hunters from entering. They said it’s a national disaster, and China will handle it alone. They even cited a special law, threatening to arrest anyone who comes too close.”

Kim Do-Joon’s brows furrowed. China was invoking the same law they had enacted during the first appearance of the Stems, claiming exclusive rights to control the Stems’ resources. Now they were applying it to the branches as well. However, this time, it was not merely a matter of economic gain.

“They’re trying to cover up Gao Lin’s involvement, aren’t they?” Kim Do-Joon asked.

“It definitely seems that way,” the interpreter replied.

China had probably hidden footage of Gao Lin’s last appearance and forbidding foreign access to keep control over the situation. They would go in first, perhaps to capture Gao Lin or erase any evidence of his involvement.

No one knew how a single Hunter could have triggered the emergence of a branch, yet it was evident Gao Lin had something to do with it. If this catastrophe spread, it would tarnish both Gao Lin’s reputation and China’s, turning them into international pariahs.

Besides, other nations were undoubtedly wary of a branch appearing within their own borders and would be desperate for answers. If Gao Lin held any information on the branches, securing him could be the key to understanding or even preventing further occurrences.

“

Tsk.

”

“What now?”

“Maybe we should just head back... It’s not like we can do anything here,” one Hunter grumbled.

Around the room, Hunters clicked their tongues in frustration. Most had probably been commissioned by their governments to gather any information on Gao Lin. Even Son Chang-Il’s mission had been the same—to secure Gao Lin if possible, or at least collect any information on him.

However, with the Chinese government’s stance, that mission was all but impossible to complete. There would not be any penalties for failing, but their expressions darkened as grim possibilities dawned on everyone.

“Well then, the Eight Dragons Association will get everything.”

“So China’s monopolizing all the information on the branch?”

“This is bad...”

In the worst-case scenario, if Gao Lin could trigger the Branch phenomenon at will, then China would possess a devastating weapon, capable of consuming entire cities without warning.

As everyone around him muttered grim predictions and clicked their tongues in anxiety, Kim Do-Joon placed his glass down with a deliberate thud. The sound cut through the murmurs, making several Hunters flinch and turn his way.

In the sudden lull, Kim Do-Joon spoke calmly. "Your worries are valid, but they all hinge on one underlying assumption."

“An underlying assumption?” someone asked.

“What’s he getting at?” another murmured.

The next moment, Kim Do-Joon’s gaze shifted to the TV, where the black, shadowy coffin of Shanghai filled the screen. Every time he saw it, his pulse quickened. His intense emotion didn’t come from fear or anxiety, but something else entirely.

One thing, however, was clear to him.

“The success of the Eight Dragons Association in retrieving Gao Lin is their assumption,” Kim Do-Joon continued. “If they fail, then all your concerns become meaningless, don’t they?”

A strange sense of certainty filled him. Despite the Eight Dragons Association’s efforts, he didn’t believe they would emerge victorious from that coffin.

“That may be true...” one of the Hunters began.

“But this is the Eight Dragons Association we’re talking about,” another scoffed. “Besides, even the Black Dragon headquarters is inside that barrier. Are you saying they can’t handle it?”

“Look, if the Eight Dragons Association can’t handle it, then we should be running for the hills already.”

Most around him were skeptical, unable to entertain the idea that China’s most powerful Eight Dragons Association could fail in their own backyard. Watching their reactions, Kim Do-Joon realized he was alone in his apprehension.

But why? Why am I the only one feeling this way? Could it be because of my connection to the Thorn of Searshader?

However, soon, he dismissed that thought.

No, that doesn’t feel right...

His instincts, honed over countless battles, told him to trust this feeling. He had never ignored it before, and he was not about to start now.

Meanwhile, few of the Hunters present took Kim Do-Joon’s words seriously while most dismissed them.

Perhaps... Kim Do-Joon is right

The Eight Dragons Association could potentially fail...

Hunter Kim Do-Joon wouldn’t say that for no reason.

Those who had seen Kim Do-Joon’s abilities firsthand, like Daniel and his raid team, watched him differently. Their eyes were filled with tense anticipation.

***

The next morning, the news headlines blared that the Eight Dragons Association had mobilized at dawn, entering the shadowy coffin in Shanghai. Officially, they claimed it was to investigate the mysterious “Branch” phenomenon, but everyone knew they were there to find Gao Lin.

However, there was nothing the Foreign Hunters could do. Kim Do-Joon spent the entire day monitoring the news and keeping an eye on the distant, ominous, dark coffin visible from his hotel room. For now, there was nothing to do but watch how the situation would unfold.

Then, that night, as Kim Do-Joon finally drifted into sleep, a vivid vision began to unfold before him. He found himself before a grand palace, with an open garden stretching out in front of him. In the middle of the garden stood a magnificent tree, and beside it, an elderly man tended to its branches with care.

Just then, a woman’s soft voice broke the silence.

—Father...