Chapter 155. The Imbalance

A helicopter soared over the skies of Shanghai, carrying a reporter from a Chinese news agency. While the towering black coffin barred entry, the surrounding area was still visible. Thankfully, the shadow soldiers were not flying monsters, allowing for a closer approach.

The encroaching devastation of Shanghai could clearly be seen.

“The black tide is growing more intense! Our Hunters are fighting valiantly across the city, but the shadow soldiers’ ferocity is overwhelming! The Eight Dragons Association is rallying their elites to the black coffin as we spea—

Huh?

What is that!”

The source of the commotion came into view. Briefly, confusion reigned as monsters fought monsters, an unusual sight for anyone watching.

“

Oh!

We've just received confirmation that these monsters belong to South Korea's S-rank Hunter, Kim Do-Joon!”

However, as the chaos subsided, the situation began to stabilize. The summoned creatures were systematically tearing through the shadow soldiers, rescuing civilians in the process.

“With Kim Do-Joon’s intervention, could this crisis possibly—

oh... wow

... oh my goodness.”

The reporter momentarily forgot they were on air, left speechless by the unfolding spectacle.

Shadow soldiers, which had taken a collective effort from Hunters to bring down, were being destroyed so helplessly by these monsters.

Viewers watching the broadcast were similarly stunned, their jaws hanging open. Yet, amidst the disbelief, another emotion began to rise within them—it was hope.

If Shanghai were to fall, the surrounding cities would be next. In the worst-case scenario, the entirety of China could be swallowed by shadows. Yet, seeing Kim Do-Joon's summoned creatures carve through the darkness gave them a glimmer of hope.

***

Meanwhile, Kim Do-Joon arrived at the black coffin with Ashunaga.

“You’re late, you punk. I was about to grow roots waiting for you,” came a voice, laced with mock irritation.

“Sorry about that,” Kim Do-Joon replied with a slight bow.

Standing there, waiting for him, was Jecheon Seong. Jecheon Seong had come straight here from a hiking trip when the crisis erupted, defeating every shadow soldier in his path. Meanwhile, Kim Do-Joon took the time to save as many people as possible, traveling a far greater distance and dealing with far more enemies.

Now that they had joined forces, there was no time to waste. Together with the Naga, the two men advanced toward the black coffin.

“Halt!”

Suddenly, a group of individuals moved to block their path. They were Hunters, each wearing uniforms emblazoned with a dragon emblem—the unmistakable mark of the Eight Dragons Association.

What are these people doing here?

Kim Do-Joon thought, narrowing his eyes.

Earlier, Kim Do-Joon had encountered countless Chinese Hunters fighting to save civilians, some of them appearing to be students.

However, the Hunters before him were an entirely different breed, exuding a far greater strength. Each of them seemed even more formidable than the Ghost Slayer Division, who unfolded the Celestial Trap before.

Such a concentrated assembly of power could only mean one thing.

They’re planning an assault.

Rather than endlessly defending against the enemy tide outside, they had decided to strike directly at the source. It was a sound strategy, which Kim Do-Joon himself had employed by entrusting the rear guard to his summoned creatures and the Mahal Tribe.

One of the Hunters stepped forward.

“You must be Kim Do-Joon and Jecheon Seong of Korea, yes?” he asked in halting Korean with a calm voice that carried authority.

He was Wang Lifei. After Yang Huai had been incapacitated, he became the leader of the Eight Dragons Association’s elite task force.

Kim Do-Joon nodded. Under normal circumstances, he’d have lightheartedly complimented Wang Lifei’s Korean skills.

“No outsiders are allowed beyond this point,” said Wang Lifei, his voice stern. “If you’re here for glory, turn back now and focus on saving civilians. That should be enough to satisfy your reputation.”

“What?” Kim Do-Joon's brow furrowed.

“Even that alone will make the world admire you,” Wang Lifei continued, looking down at Kim Do-Joon with thinly veiled disdain.

To Wang Lifei, Kim Do-Joon and Jecheon Seong were unwelcome hassles. Most foreign Hunters had long since returned to their home countries, yet these two had remained like scavenging hyenas waiting for scraps.

Above all, they couldn’t allow any outsiders to witness what lay inside the black coffin.

Whatever the truth of this disaster, whatever Master Gao Lin’s intentions are, my role is clear.

Wang Lifei had sworn unwavering loyalty to Gao Lin. He’d do anything to cover or ensure Gao Lin’s unchallenged return to leadership, even if it meant killing his conscience.

Go back now. I don’t want to kill you, but if you step inside and see Gao Lin, I’ll have no choice.

Despite his calm exterior, Wang Lifei was prepared for the worst. He didn’t harbor any personal grudge against Kim Do-Joon, but loyalty demanded sacrifice, even if it left a bitter aftertaste.

Wang Lifei’s warning was clear. He was willing to give away the title

of savior of Shanghai, but he wasn’t willing to let them step inside.

Kim Do-Joon’s expression darkened, his jaw tightening. There was no way he could accept such terms. Without a word, he stepped forward. However, before he could take another step, a hand firmly gripped his shoulder.

“

Huh?

” Kim Do-Joon turned.

It was Jecheon Seong.

“You’re the leader of a guild now, aren’t you? A guild leader shouldn’t act recklessly,” Jecheon Seong said with a smirk.

“What are you even talking about?” Kim Do-Joon asked incredulously.

Jecheon Seong chuckled like a mischievous child. He was easily over a hundred years old, even without counting his years on the Sky Road. Kim Do-Joon sighed in exasperation.

With only three members in his "guild," he hardly felt like a proper leader, but being lectured by a man who had once led a religious cult only made it more absurd.

Ignoring Kim Do-Joon’s reaction, Jecheon Seong stepped forward.

Wang Lifei’s eyes narrowed as they fixed on the old man. From the moment he had arrived, this peculiar elder had been a thorn in his side. What was more, Gao Lin had once shown an inexplicable interest in him, which only deepened Wang Lifei’s unease.

“Stop him!” Wang Lifei barked.

The elite Hunters of the Eight Dragons Association drew their weapons and advanced. Jecheon Seong’s hand moved casually to his sword.

The air changed instantly. A suffocating pressure fell over the group, heavy and blistering, like the heat of a blazing desert sun. The elite Hunters froze, trembling in place. With a soft click, Jecheon Seong partially unsheathed his blade.

“

Ah!

” “Retreat!” “Get back!”

The Hunters scrambled away, retreating faster than any of them had ever moved. Their instincts screamed at them that even a second’s delay could mean their deaths.

“

Tsk

,” Jecheon Seong muttered, clicking his tongue in disappointment.

He had hoped they would put up a fight because he was dying to kill time. The shadow soldiers earlier weren’t even a challenge.

The elite Hunters gulped audibly, clutching their throats as if ensuring they were still intact. Even as the oppressive heat lingered, an icy chill ran down their spines.

If I’d taken a step further...

If I’d hesitated even a moment longer...

They shuddered, imagining the fate they had narrowly avoided. Wang Lifei himself felt the same cold sweat on his back. However, mixed with his fear was a seething rage.

Did I just run away... like a whipped dog?

Wang Lifei’s face flushed with humiliation and fury.

“Shall we go?” Jecheon Seong asked cheerfully, motioning for Kim Do-Joon and Ashunaga to follow.

“Yeah,” Kim Do-Joon replied with a calm voice.

The three walked forward, the path opening before them like Moses parting the Red Sea.

Wang Lifei gritted his teeth, unable to stop them until the end. He trembled with frustration as the trio disappeared into the black coffin.

“Gather everyone! We’re going in too!” Wang Lifei shouted.

After regrouping and making a quick preparation, Wang Lifei led his team into the black coffin.

“Enter!”

As they stepped inside, the world around them shifted.

“What...?” Wang Lifei muttered.

The crumbling remnants of Shanghai, consumed by shadow, were gone. Instead, they were surrounded by an endless expanse of thick, impenetrable black mist.

“Where is everyone?” he barked, his voice echoing hollowly.

The elite Hunters who were right behind him moments ago were nowhere to be found.

***

“

Hmm?

” Jecheon Seong’s voice broke the silence as he stepped into the black coffin.

The scene before him was eerily similar to what Wang Lifei had encountered earlier. Visibility was near zero, shrouded by an oppressive black mist that dulled all senses. Even the flow of energy in the air was obscured, making it nearly impossible to detect any presence.

Kim Do-Joon and the Naga were nowhere to be seen. Still, Jecheon Seong could sense something. Not due to honed instincts, but because the presence ahead was impossible to ignore.

“You... are you truly human?”

From the darkness, a voice echoed.

The speaker stepped forward—it was Gao Lin. But calling him that seemed absurd because of his dramatic transformation.

Despite retaining a semblance of his human form, enormous wings of membranous black skin extended from his back. A spiked, serpentine tail swayed ominously behind him, while razor-sharp claws glinted in the dim light. Twisted black horns jutted from his head, and above them, a jagged, crown-like structure pulsed with malevolent energy.

“Impressive,” the figure said, his voice reverberating with power. “I’ve seen countless worlds, but a human body capable of containing such overwhelming energy... This is my first.”

Jecheon Seong’s lips curled into a smile.

So, this monster sees me as the strongest human he’s encountered? Interesting. I was just thinking the same about it.

It was the first time Jecheon Seong had seen a being as enormous as the monster before him.

“If my memory serves, the owner of this body was said to be one of the strongest in this world... but I suppose that was an exaggeration,” the figure mused, idly tapping his temple. “Yes... the strange imbalance I’ve felt since arriving here. It was you.”

Jecheon Seong tilted his head slightly, observing the creature’s musings. It seemed to be speaking more to himself than to Jecheon Seong.

“Marvelous,” the figure continued, his voice dripping with a cruel curiosity. “With a mind and body like yours, adaptation will be quick. You’ll serve me well.”

As the creature spoke, shadows began creeping up from the ground, slithering toward Jecheon Seong. Like greedy tendrils, they climbed his legs, coiling around his body. The weight of the shadows pressed down on him, heavy and suffocating, as if attempting to subdue him entirely.

Despite this, Jecheon Seong grinned.

“Well, at least you came to me directly. That saves me some trouble.”

With a calm hand, Jecheon Seong reached for the sword at his side. His blood hadn’t boiled like this in a long time—not since his sparring match with Kim Do-Joon after he acquired the Ice Crystal.

Though Jecheon Seong preferred peace and books, he had lived over a century as a martial artist. Beneath his calm demeanor burned a fierce battle spirit, an insatiable curiosity for testing his strength against worthy opponents. That drive had carried him to the pinnacle of his world.

“Let’s get this over with quickly,” he said, his grin widening. “I’d like to get home and see my grandchild.”

In the darkened void, the space around him erupted in radiant light as he drew his blade.

Swoosh—!

***

Meanwhile, Kim Do-Joon frowned as he surveyed his surroundings.

“They’re gone.”

He wasn’t informed about this. The Public Security Bureau chief told him to anticipate an urban battlefield, the remnants of Shanghai swallowed by shadow.

However, the city ruins were nowhere to be seen. Aside from scattered debris of concrete and steel, there were no signs of Shanghai at all. Dense black mist shrouded the area, limiting his vision to a few feet ahead.

Did he make things up?

After a while, Kim Do-Joon quickly shook his head. Had this been the black coffin’s true state all along, then the Eight Dragons Association would have suffered even more devastating losses. Their casualties had been severe, but not so catastrophic as to suggest they had wandered into a death trap blind.

In that case, the environment inside the black coffin must’ve evolved.

I should’ve pushed to enter earlier...

Kim Do-Joon thought, frustration bubbling up.

His ominous sense of urgency from before had been justified. Would things have turned out differently if he had gotten inside sooner?

However, there was no point dwelling on what-ifs. He had been blocked at every turn by the Chinese authorities, and even now, Wang Lifei and his men had tried to stand in their way. Were it not for Jecheon Seong, they’d still be outside, arguing.

Kim Do-Joon sighed and tightened his grip on his spear. He had no choice but to press forward. Finding Jecheon Seong and Ashunaga was his first priority.

The black mist swirled around him as he took deliberate steps into the unknown. Somewhere deeper in the coffin, Jecheon Seong was already locked in a standoff with the Shadow Lord.