Chapter 176 – Xu Zhiping

[“If you go straight this way, you’ll reach our headquarters.”]

Tian Lisheng, who had unwillingly become a soul and appointed himself as a guide, couldn’t help but sneer inwardly.

‘So it’s true that bread-heads are stupid and easily deceived.’

It was laughable that his opponent not only sent a text message as instructed but was now walking straight to his own grave.

‘The boss must have already noticed the situation from my text and prepared for battle.’

Surely the hunters stationed at the headquarters would be armed and ready for a potential surprise attack.

‘Perhaps the entire force is on standby.’

As expected, there were more than 50 people gathered at the headquarters.

‘Everyone except Gao Zhihong is here!’

Tian Lisheng could no longer hide his laughter.

There was no need to hold back anymore.

[“Kuk kuk kuk kuk! Hahahahaha!”]

It was hilarious.

To think he had lured someone who couldn’t be caught even with his 3,000 agility into a trap with just his tongue.

His revenge was successful.

[“Hehehe, you stupid fool! Walking right into a trap! What? You’re going to annihilate our guild? Stop talking nonsense and just die quietly!”]

Though he mocked to his heart’s content, the Black Sea Guild master remained surprisingly calm.

In fact…

‘He’s smiling?’

The faint smile on his lips was somehow unsettling.

‘Tian Lisheng.’

[“What? If you’re thinking of begging for your life, it’s already too late…”]

‘Since you’ve trapped me, I’m canceling my promise to only kill the executives. I’ll kill all the subordinates here and make Xu Zhiping die as painfully as possible.’

[“What are you saying, you idiot?”]

Tian Lisheng had been laughing confidently, but his laughter disappeared in an instant.

Thud- Thud- Thud-

In the blink of an eye, guild members’ heads began falling off.

That marked the beginning of the battle.

Or rather, it was a one-sided massacre.

[“Th-this is insane…!”]

Watching his comrades die one after another, Tian Lisheng felt like he was losing his mind.

Especially the sight of over a dozen people being annihilated by a black beam was so surreal it felt like a dream.

‘Somehow his movements seem to be getting faster…’

Finally, when all 52 guild members had been killed, Tian Lisheng felt his soul leaving his body.

‘Impossible. To wipe them all out in less than a minute…’

Only then did Tian Lisheng realize that Min Do-jun’s words hadn’t been empty boasts.

[“Wh-who are you really?”]

How could there be someone this powerful in Korea?

[“Could your name be Shin Kyung-min?”]

‘What?’

Min Do-jun let out a hollow laugh.

‘So Shin Kyung-min is famous even in China.’

[“You’re saying it’s not him?”]

‘I’ll take that as encouragement to work harder.’

Min Do-jun adjusted his grip on his sword and walked toward the last remaining enemy.

[“Wh-what are you planning to do with the boss?”]

‘I told you earlier. I’ll make him die as painfully as possible.’

[“D-do you really think you can match the boss? Give up while you still can!”]

‘You think I’d lose to Xu Zhiping?’

[“O-of course!”]

‘You sound awfully worried for someone who thinks that.’

[“Ugh…!”]

‘Just watch quietly. See what happens to your boss.’

Min Do-jun left Tian Lisheng to observe the mental breakdown as he prepared to face the boss.

‘Someone like Xu Zhiping is no longer a match for me.’

As planned, he had killed the subordinates and filled his Battle Avatar stack to the maximum.

Thanks to that, his strength exceeded 4,600 and his agility surpassed 6,200.

He was confident he wouldn’t lose in terms of power and speed.

‘Moreover, now that I can see his weakness, there’s no reason for me to lose.’

Having gained the upper hand in combat power, Xu Zhiping was no longer a fearsome opponent.

‘He’s just a toy to play with.’

Though superior combat power doesn’t guarantee victory, the ability to conceal himself with invisibility gave him an overwhelming advantage.

‘Besides…’

[You have killed Hunter Wang Zihuan.]

[You have stolen the characteristic ‘Quick Judgment’.]

[You have stolen 9 pieces of equipment.]

[You have stolen 5 magic stones.]

[You have killed Hunter Zhang Wuyi.]

[You have stolen the characteristic ‘Advanced Stealth’.]

[You have stolen 9 pieces of equipment.]

[You have stolen 1 skill book.]

[You have killed Hunter Wu Gangwei.]

[You have stolen the characteristic ‘Tough Body’.]

[You have stolen 7 pieces of equipment.]

…

…

‘I’ve received a ton of characteristics and items from killing 52 people.’

The messages were appearing so quickly that he couldn’t even check what he had received, and there wasn’t time to confirm each one.

‘But with 52 new characteristics, I must have gotten stronger regardless.’

Even the most trivial characteristic would provide some benefit.

[Revenge characteristic effect increases damage by 2x.]

[Hunter Slayer characteristic effect increases damage by 2x.]

As he approached Xu Zhiping, the damage multiplier messages appeared.

‘Since you caused harm to my teacher, don’t expect an easy death.’

Min Do-jun readied his sword with a cold gleam in his eyes.

Seeing this, Xu Zhiping also raised his spear.

Facing what seemed like the grim reaper himself, Xu Zhiping felt his hair stand on end.

‘This feeling…! It’s been so long since I felt such tension.’

After days of monotonous boredom, today his blood was finally flowing.

Xu Zhiping gripped his spear tightly.

“Come, bread-…”

KWANG-!

Before he could finish speaking, Xu Zhiping was pushed back.

His face filled with shock.

‘What is this…!’

He had merely blocked the sword, yet he was pushed back this far.

The spear shaft was still trembling.

‘I’m lucky I didn’t fall…’

BANG!

There was no time to think.

BANG! BANG!

His opponent swung his sword relentlessly.

Each time, Xu Zhiping barely managed to block with his spear.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

The sound of sword and spear colliding was deafeningly loud.

‘Insane. How strong is he?’

Even Xu Zhiping, whose strength exceeded 3,000, was astonished by his opponent’s overwhelming power.

With each clash, he felt his durability being stripped away.

‘At this rate, the spear shaft will break.’

Realizing that a prolonged fight would be disadvantageous, Xu Zhiping made a decision.

He would unleash all his attacks in a short time.

‘Pentaple Piercing!’

PAPAPAPAPAK!

Five attacks were unleashed in the blink of an eye.

‘Snake Grow!’

SHISHISHIK-!

The spear twisted like a snake, aiming for the neck.

‘Crescent Spear!’

HUUUNG!

The spear drew a crescent moon, bisecting the enemy… ‘Finish Spear!’

KWAKWAKWAKWANG!

The spear hit the ground, creating a cloud of dust.

It was a flawless combo that would turn any opponent into mincemeat.

However.

‘I should stop using the word “flawless.”‘

Xu Zhiping revised his thinking as he saw Min Do-jun standing unharmed.

‘To think he dodged every single attack…’

Though his opponent could have blocked with his sword, he deliberately chose to dodge everything, as if showing off.

‘Insane. Does he have agility around 5,000?’

Unfortunately for Xu Zhiping, Min Do-jun’s agility was actually 1,200 points higher than that.

‘He’s a monster.’

That was the only word that came to mind.

‘I’d believe it if someone said he ranked in the world’s top 100.’

Though Xu Zhiping’s assessment was generous, he didn’t know that his opponent hadn’t even revealed his true abilities yet.

KWANG!

The spear shaft broke.

The S-grade weapon that he had vowed would accompany him for life dissipated like smoke, having reached its durability limit.

Xu Zhiping lowered both hands.

CHUK-

Min Do-jun’s sword touched Xu Zhiping’s Adam’s apple.

“What? Are you giving up already?”

“…”

“Why not take out another spear and continue fighting?”

“Even if I did, the result wouldn’t change.”

Xu Zhiping had realized the gap between them.

There was an insurmountable wall separating the two.

“Giving up so soon makes this boring.”

Min Do-jun turned his back with a bored expression.

In that moment, Xu Zhiping felt an impulse.

‘An opening!’

Somehow, he felt he could thrust a spear into the back of his opponent’s neck.

TSEEEUT-

Quickly drawing another spear, Xu Zhiping aimed for the nape.

But Min Do-jun, who could detect killing intent, was well aware of this.

WHIK- POOK-

“KUHECK!”

Dodging the spear blade, Min Do-jun simultaneously thrust his sword into Xu Zhiping’s abdomen.

SHUUK- THUD-

As soon as he withdrew the sword, Xu Zhiping fell to his knees.

‘Ah, so this is how I die?’

But Min Do-jun had no intention of killing him just yet.

There was information he needed to extract.

“Answer my questions, and I’ll give you a painless death. What is your relationship with Justin Walker?”

“…!”

Xu Zhiping’s eyes widened.

He never imagined his opponent would mention Justin Walker.

After all, their relationship was a closely guarded secret.

“How did you know…?”

Xu Zhiping didn’t bother denying it.

The fact that Justin Walker’s name came up out of nowhere meant his opponent already knew something about their connection.

“Answer my question first.”

“Hehe, and if I refuse?”

Min Do-jun thrust his sword into Xu Zhiping’s abdomen again.

“KUHEHECK…!”

“If you don’t talk, I’ll keep stabbing you.”

“Kuhehe… And if I die, what then? Will you question my soul? Hehehe…”

“Yes.”

“…”

“But threats don’t work well on souls. You’d better use your brain like that Tian Lisheng fellow.”

“What are you talking about…”

“I’m saying I won’t kill you yet.”

Min Do-jun placed his hand on Xu Zhiping’s abdomen.

The wound rapidly healed.

Torn internal organs regenerated and recovered.

“Wh-what is this…!”

Xu Zhiping couldn’t hide his surprise.

He never imagined his opponent would have healing abilities.

After all, healing was only possible through characteristics, not skills.

‘W-wait. If his characteristic is healing, then…?’

Does that mean he lost to a healer?

What little remained of Xu Zhiping’s pride crumbled completely.

‘L-losing to a healer…’

But Xu Zhiping didn’t know.

The healing power Min Do-jun had displayed was just one of 87 characteristics he currently possessed.

“There, now you won’t die, right?”

“…”

“No need to thank me. You should despair instead.”

POOK-

“KUHUCK!”

“Talk. How do you two know each other?”

POOK- POOK-

SHAAAAA-

Xu Zhiping, who had been groaning in pain, looked down at his abdomen.

It was healed so perfectly that not even a scar remained, but.

‘Ugh, damn it.’

The healing couldn’t erase the pain he had experienced.

“Talk.”

POK- POOK-

“I’ll keep going until you talk. I have plenty of time.”

POK- POOK-

SHAAAAA-

After an hour of torture.

The exhausted Xu Zhiping finally opened his mouth.