Chapter 173. Return (1)
The Battle of Shanghai, which unfolded as a Scenario, had drawn the attention of countless Constellations from the very beginning.
But against Asmodeus’s overwhelming might, the Orthodox-Unorthodox Alliance had looked powerless.
Even Yang Weizheng and Jin Gahui, the leaders of the Orthodox and Unorthodox Factions, had fallen almost absurdly quickly.
Most Constellations expected the Scenario to end in Asmodeus’s victory.
The one who overturned those expectations was Kang Yujin, who had remained silent all this time.
Kang Yujin used an astonishing technique that absorbed Asmodeus’s power and returned it against him, defeating the Demon God.
Then he defeated Sabnock, who appeared afterward, as well.
This was not humanity’s victory.
It was Kang Yujin’s victory.
─ Hasn’t Kang Yujin gotten way too strong?
─ He defeated not only Asmodeus, but Sabnock too!
─ If you include Phenex from before, that’s three Demon God-class demons he’s killed.
─ Is he really human?
─ I told you, he’s already transcended humanity.
─ No, you watched the analysis video too. Kang Yujin’s personal power still isn’t enough.
─ Right. He defeated Asmodeus by stealing Asmodeus’s power and turning it back on him.
─ That’s what makes it amazing. What nonsense are you talking about?
─ If it looks that easy, you try it. Steal Asmodeus’s power and beat Asmodeus with it.
─ Is Kang Yujin the strongest human in the Material Realm now?
─ Hard to say. At least in Asia, couldn’t you call him the strongest?
─ Everyone would agree with that much.
─ What if you compare him to Western Contractors?
─ That’s... harder to say.
─ Obviously Kang Yujin is the strongest! Western Contractors? One punch from Kang Yujin and their heads would explode!
─ I’m voting for Kang Yujin too.
─ Kang Yujin, I believe in you!
─ At this rate, Kang Yujin is going to get his own religion.
─ If Kang Yujin dies right now, wouldn’t he become a Constellation?
Kang Yujin’s reputation among the Constellations continued rising without end.
“In this war... both the Orthodox and Unorthodox Factions suffered devastating losses.”
Inside a small restaurant in a Shanghai back alley, Zhang Siyuan of the White Forest Alliance sighed.
“Our White Forest Alliance and the Black Dragon Society both lost many executives.”
As a middle-ranking official of the White Forest Alliance, Zhang Siyuan had survived by sheer luck because he had been moving between various locations.
“We’re no longer in any position to keep fighting between the Orthodox and Unorthodox Factions.”
“That’s true.”
The one who answered was Liu Xianfei of the Black Dragon Society.
In the past, she had snarled at Zhang Siyuan every time they met.
Now, she didn’t even seem to have the energy for that.
The Black Dragon Society leadership had been annihilated.
Even her father, Liu Zhenping, was dead.
It couldn’t be helped.
“From now on, we’ll have to center everything around the Alliance...”
Zhang Siyuan spoke quietly.
“And defend this country together.”
“Against Pandemonium.”
“Pandemonium...”
Beside them, the huge man Guo Yunzhao scratched his beard.
“One fortunate thing, if you can call it that... is that Pandemonium has stopped advancing.”
Asmodeus and Sabnock were dead.
But the enormous military strength of Pandemonium’s Eastern Region First Command remained intact.
If Gremory mobilized those troops and began a full-scale invasion...
China’s Contractors would have little chance of stopping her.
But that didn’t happen.
Gremory had secretly proposed peace to the Alliance.
“Apparently, the demons are fighting among themselves in northern China right now.”
“It seems conflict broke out while Gremory was absorbing Asmodeus’s and Sabnock’s forces.”
“So we probably don’t need to worry about another Pandemonium invasion for a while.”
“Though we’ll still need to remain on guard...”
For now, they could breathe a little easier.
But that didn’t mean China was safe.
There were still countless monsters hostile to humanity roaming the country.
With their current strength, dealing with all of them would be difficult.
“If there’s one thing we can be thankful for...”
Liu Xianfei looked outside the window.
A fully armed group was patrolling the alley.
“Lord Ma Taesu called reinforcements from Korea.”
"..."
A long-haired man strode confidently through the Shanghai back streets with his subordinates following behind him.
“So in the end, the person who benefited most from this war was you, Ma Taesu?”
"..."
The chairman’s office on the top floor of the Black Dragon Society headquarters.
Ma Taesu, who was using it ‘temporarily,’ answered Kang Yujin’s question with a smile.
“You stayed one step removed during both the Orthodox-Unorthodox War and the battle against Asmodeus.”
Kang Yujin stared at him and spoke slowly.
“You never fought on the front lines.”
“You focused entirely on working behind the scenes.”
“I’m not Chinese.”
Ma Taesu shrugged.
“There was no reason for me to shed blood unnecessarily in China’s war.”
Ma Taesu had followed instructions from Belial and the Constellations while operating only from safe positions.
As a result...
even while the other Black Dragon Society executives were being massacred, Ma Taesu survived.
“And now you’ve ended up gaining real control over the Black Dragon Society.”
“Most of the executives are dead.”
“Liu Xianfei is still young and doesn’t carry enough weight.”
“They need the skills of the man who built the Black Dragon Society Korea Branch into what it is today.”
Ma Taesu smiled faintly.
“And I did make a major contribution to ending the Orthodox-Unorthodox War.”
The fact that he was sitting in the chairman’s office said enough.
Ma Taesu had now become one of the central figures of the Black Dragon Society.
If he truly took control of it...
he would also gain tremendous influence within the Orthodox-Unorthodox Alliance.
“Are you planning to become the central figure of China’s Contractor society?”
“That’s still a long way off.”
“I’ll prepare for it step by step.”
"..."
Kang Yujin bit his lip and glared at Ma Taesu.
It was true that Ma Taesu had helped him many times.
But thinking back...
this man had always secured his own interests with frightening efficiency.
In Korea’s central-western region, he had used Kang Yujin to destroy every rival organization.
In the Capital Region, he expanded his influence after the Eight Guardians system collapsed.
And now...
in China, he had suddenly climbed right into the center of power.
What exactly was this man?
“I’d appreciate it if you stopped glaring at me like that, Kang Yujin.”
“I don’t really understand what kind of person you are.”
“Is that so?”
Ma Taesu nodded without expression.
“Hmm. It is true that you’ve helped me a great deal until now.”
"..."
“Then, for the sake of our friendship... I’ll tell you the truth here.”
“The truth?”
“Yes.”
“My honest feelings.”
Ma Taesu interlaced his fingers and spoke slowly.
“To tell you the truth, I don’t care which side wins.”
“Humanity or Pandemonium.”
“What?”
“Why do you think I joined hands with Belial?”
Kang Yujin had wondered about that too.
“If Pandemonium swallowed this world again...”
“I planned to cling to Belial and secure a position for myself inside Pandemonium.”
"...!"
“Why are you so surprised?”
“I’m a representative figure of Korea’s Unorthodox Faction.”
“So everything the White Banner Order used to say about you was true?”
“The White Banner Order...”
Ma Taesu smiled at the nostalgic name.
“Yes.”
“Just as they claimed, I was prepared to sell humanity to Pandemonium.”
