Chapter 218

—

India’s Loktak Field, a Hell on Earth!

Bold headlines swept across the globe a few days later.

The news had begun in China, rapidly circling the world before reaching South Korea. The article taglines alone were enough to grab anyone’s attention.

—The Disgusting Truth About India’s Massive Asura Guild

—A World of Human Experiments

—Slum-Dwellers Turned into Magic Beasts

It seemed every headline tried to outdo the last.

In most cases, an article itself was not nearly as exciting as its headline. This time, however, the shocking revelations lived up to the clickbait titles. Each article delivered a cascade of horrors that no single tagline could fully capture.

𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

The Asura Guild’s crimes were staggering, leaving readers reeling in fury.

—My god!

They kidnapped the poor and used them for human experiments?

—That’s World War II stuff right there...

—

At least there was a war going on back then.

They did this to their own people!

—

How could they do this?

Humans are worse than monsters.

The world was in an uproar talking about the incidents in India.

“Do whatever it takes to stop this news from spreading! At this rate, our country’s reputation will be in tatters!”

“I-it’s not that simple!”

The Indian government scrambled to contain the damage, but it was a losing battle. Since the reports originated from the Chinese government, which was already in a tense border conflict with India, any Indian countermeasures only fueled the flames.

—The Indian government is scrambling to save face, but it’s too late.

—But everyone is dead already.

—Yeah, it’s too late to go back, isn’t it?

—The government is trying to save people who are already dead,

just like its sense of morality.

—Even the families who would mourn them are gone.

—People are still dying even now!

Worse yet, the Loktak Field remained uncleared and teeming with danger. The Indian government urgently summoned all the hunters within its borders to deal with the dungeon breaks that the Asura Guild had left untouched.

It wasn’t as easy as it sounded, however. Not even the government could force their own hunters to enter dangerous dungeons. It simply wasn’t allowed by international law.

“The Loktak Field? Are you out of your mind? Why would we risk our lives for that?”

“We’re already busy enough as it is clearing nearby dungeons! Loktak isn’t the only problem. The dungeons we’re clearing now also need to be dealt with. We can’t just drop them!”

Hunter guilds across India flatly rejected the government’s pleas.

“Isn’t this what the Indian Hunters Association is for?”

“Exactly. Let them handle it.”

The burden ultimately fell to the Indian Hunters Association, whose members were left dumbfounded by the directive.

“Ha! Do they think we’re cats with nine lives? We value our lives too!”

“Clearing that massive field of Naga would take an army! We don’t have nearly enough people!”

One of the hunters addressed the head of the association. “Sir, Can’t we request aid from abroad? Even mercenaries would help!”

The Loktak Field spanned a vast area around Loktak Lake in Manipur, India. It was a zone of unprecedented danger, where five separate dungeon breaks had occurred at the same time.

Everyone had initially been happy to hear the Asura Guild was willing to deal with it, but as it turned out, their intervention came with a malicious secret agenda. Though the guild had paid for its sins when it was wiped out, their absence left chaos in its wake.

Despite everything the Asura Guild was responsible for, they had at least done

something

inside the field. They had given out the so-called Star Fragment necklaces to ensure that citizens did not turn into mist burns, and they’d also kept magic beasts away from urban regions. They had done this by squeezing the guilds of Imphal dry, of course, instead of going to the trouble themselves. But at least the bare minimum had been handled.

With the destruction of the Asura Guild, however, issues were cropping up everywhere. The field’s monsters became even more ferocious, rampaging with unmatched aggression.

“Talk about hell on earth...”

“Damn it. If I’d known, I never would’ve joined the association.”

“They offered us free basic equipment sets and association items, but it’s not worth it. I should never have fallen for that lure. I should have put together a private assault team instead.”

“Hey, hey, enough complaining... Stay alive, everyone. That’s all we can do.”

Despite their grumblings, the hunters who had enlisted with the Indian Hunters Association stepped into the Loktak Field, their faces grim with resolve.

Meanwhile, the world’s focus wasn’t on these brave hunters, but on the identities of those who had destroyed the Asura Guild. This was the hottest topic, and China was stoking the flames.

—Liu Zhigang, the Six-Star Hunter from China

—The Great Chinese Hunter Who Destroyed the Asura Guild

—Liu Zhigang Crosses Indian Border, Saving Innocent Lives

International law forbade powerful hunters like Liu Zhigang from crossing borders without permission, as such actions could escalate into a major diplomatic crisis. However, just as with Thomas Andre’s sudden visit to South Korea in the past, such rules meant little to the strongest hunters. There was simply no way to stop them if they made up their mind to go.

There was a fine line between hunters and villains. The only distinction was whether they followed the law. If they chose to act, nations could only hope to minimize the fallout through negotiation, appeals to emotion, or bribery.

Initially, the Chinese government had been uneasy about Liu Zhigang’s unsanctioned move into India, fearing he’d stir trouble. Fortunately for them, Manu Kijal, the governor of Imphal, had walked into China of his own accord and revealed the Asura Guild’s atrocities.

China seized the narrative, fanning the flames of international outrage while basking in the acclaim for Liu’s heroics. The tactic was proving surprisingly effective.

—Wow.

Liu’s power is unreal!

—He soloed the entire Asura Guild? That’s insane.

—Isn’t India’s top hunter, Siddharth Bachchan, also an S-rank? How is Liu so much stronger?

—You didn’t know?

China’s star system ranks Liu even higher than an international S-rank.

An S-rank hunter in China is given five stars.

Liu is the only one who reached six!

—That’s amazing.

So China could have conquered India by force whenever they wanted?

—You idiot.

That would mean actual war.

The World Hunters Association wouldn’t let that happen.

Hunters are the shields of humanity, not weapons of war!

“It’s a success!”

“The whole world is praising China!”

“Haha, that’s more like it! Long live the People’s Republic of China!”

Buoyed by global approval, the Chinese government began to take things a step further.

“Deploy every drone camera we have and send them to India! Livestream Liu Zhigang’s exploits in real time!”

“Are... Are you sure about this? Sending drones into another country’s airspace without permission would be a violation of international—”

“Who cares? Don’t let trivial laws get in the way! If something happens to him in that zone, what will we do then?

“Ah...”

“Liu is obviously going to a lot of trouble across the border. We should do everything we can to keep an eye on him. Perhaps provide him with well-balanced meals, for instance!”

“Understood!”

Thousands of Chinese drones crossed the border into India, blatantly violating international law.

China expected that India would be powerless to retaliate, and they were right. The moment the drones crossed into India, they were over the Loktak Field, a completely lawless zone.

—China’s

started a live feed!

—Holy cow! Seriously? Isn’t this illegal?

—What does that matter?

This is great! I’ve been dying to see Liu in action.

China had already completely won over the public. With the global press now hanging on their every word—a rare occurrence—the Chinese government intensified their use of drones, relentlessly searching for Liu’s location.

Viewers worldwide, glued to their screens, gasped or marveled at the sight of the terrifying Naga rampaging across the field. The Chinese officials were overjoyed.

“We’re getting viewer ratings like it’s the Olympics!”

“Good! Let’s show them what China can do! Have you found Liu?”

“Y-yes!”

The moment everyone had been waiting for had arrived.

Countless drone cameras zoomed in, capturing Liu locked in combat against maddened, vicious Naga. The enormous creatures fell, screaming and helpless, as the energy from his swords struck them. The ground shook.

Liu ran a hand through his disheveled white hair, frowning up at the drones hovering above. When he spotted another magic beast, however, he surged forward, his blades slicing cleanly through the air.

—That’s so cool... OMG...

—That old man... He’s something else!

—I think he’s stronger than Thomas Andre!

—Why even mention Thomas Andre?

He’s been arrested for murder. He’ll rot in a cell until he dies.

—Isn’t this India?

Where are all the Indian hunters at?

The Chinese government, keenly monitoring public reactions, recognized a golden opportunity.

“Yes! Don’t just focus on Liu with the drones—highlight the Indian Hunters Association’s ineffective response too. Let’s show the contrast between their efforts and ours!”

“Understood! We’ll spread the drones as far as possible!”

Grasping the moment, they widened the drones’ coverage, broadcasting the events across the Loktak Field to the entire world.

—Now THIS is the content I want on a streaming platform.

—I know this is illegal, but I can’t stop watching.

Eventually, the drones found what they were looking for.

As expected, the Indian hunters were scattered across the field, locked in combat with various magic beasts. Though skilled and impressive in their own right, their tactics paled compared to Liu’s relentless offense.

While Liu charged at monsters with reckless abandon, the Indian hunters strictly followed protocol. Their tankers held the front lines, their damage dealers attacked from the rear, and they supported one another in a tightly coordinated effort.

Unfortunately, to viewers already enthralled by Liu Zhigang’s fearlessness, the Indian hunters looked cowardly by comparison.

—They’re playing it too safe.

—This is for their country, isn’t it? They really should try harder.

—Huh?

Is that a boss?

The Indian hunters had just encountered a gigantic Naga far larger than any of the other magic beasts.

“Goddamn it! It’s a boss monster!”

They were in trouble. Not only was it enormous, but it exuded an overwhelming aura of strength that made it clear it was far more powerful than a usual Naga. It seemed to have absorbed so much of the blue mist that its scales had changed color, and the mana emanating from its body felt alien and dangerous.

The hulking creature let out an ear-splitting roar, charging forward with astonishing speed. Even the constant online chatter briefly fell silent.

“Everyone, scatter!”

The Indian hunters scrambled to avoid the oncoming beast, knowing they would be instantly trampled if it reached them. Yet not everyone could escape in time— healers, buff providers, and less agile hunters were about to be crushed.

—Look!

It’s Liu!

Liu Zhigang rushed toward the commotion, unleashing a burst of energy from his swords.

“Stop right there!”

The mana-infused energy struck the Naga’s broad back with an explosive force. It shrieked as a massive wound opened, blood spilling from the gash.

—Is it dead?

—Are you insane?

There’s no way a boss monster would die that easily.

Unfortunately, Liu’s attack only seemed to anger the Naga more. It raised its massive body, poised to strike down on the hunters who couldn’t escape in time.

“Oh, no!”

At that life-or-death moment, everyone closed their eyes, bracing for the end.

A sudden breeze swept past.

“Phew. I nearly let someone take my experience points.”

In the blink of an eye, Suho appeared in front of the hunters. He readied his stance, clenching his hand into a tight fist. A fiery energy surged from his heart, causing his forearm to swell with power.

“I’ll take it out in one shot.”

With piercing eyes locked onto the target, he launched his fist forward.

The moment the fist connected with the Naga, the air seemed to explode. The monster’s thick scales, hardened skin, and even its internal organs were torn apart and blown away in the resulting gust.

“Ha!”

Liu let out an incredulous laugh.

The once-ferocious Naga had been charging at Suho, but now half its body was obliterated. A miracle had unfolded before the eyes of the world.