Chapter 276. Agent (5)
“Nameless King... hurry... run...”
Golden Horn, who had taken the lightning strike head-on, lost consciousness and collapsed.
Supporting him, I glared at Wen Zhong.
“Wen Zhong...!”
“It’s unfortunate that we had to meet again like this, Nameless King.”
Lightning covered Wen Zhong’s entire body.
It wasn’t a power he had possessed while alive.
He had gained it after being invested as the ‘Nine Heavens Responding Origin Thunder Sound Universal Transformation Heavenly Venerable.’
The Nine Heavens Responding Origin Thunder Sound Universal Transformation Heavenly Venerable was a god of lightning and one of the highest-ranking deities in Taoism.
That meant when it came purely to controlling lightning...
Wen Zhong could probably be called the strongest among all Constellations.
This isn’t even comparable to Lee Hyeonje...!
Wen Zhong’s Contractor, Lee Hyeonje, had displayed tremendous combat power through lightning.
But the lightning surrounding Wen Zhong was on an entirely different level.
“Did you come here to kill me?”
I moved the unconscious Golden Horn aside as I asked.
Wen Zhong shook his head.
“That isn’t quite the right way to put it, Nameless King.”
“What?”
“I came to stop you.”
Wen Zhong raised one hand.
The weapon in it wasn’t the Golden Whip he had originally used.
It was the same God-Striking Whip Golden Horn had held earlier.
“What you are doing threatens the stability of this world.”
“You mean investigating Taigong Wang?”
“Do not speak that name carelessly.”
The third eye on Wen Zhong’s forehead flashed ominously.
“This place cannot be observed by ordinary Constellations, but you should still watch your words.”
“Even you’re afraid of Taigong Wang?”
I asked while carefully watching his reaction.
“Three thousand years ago, you led armies and Taoists into a life-and-death war against him.”
“You were practically sworn enemies.”
"..."
“And now you’re going to attack me for that same Taigong Wang?”
“You, who refused to bow to him even when you were being invested as a god?”
“You know nothing about that man.”
Wen Zhong’s voice was solemn.
“There is no existence capable of resisting him now.”
“What, did he become an absolute god or something?”
“An absolute god...”
“That may not be an inaccurate description.”
“In the past, we were called gods merely because our rank of existence was somewhat higher than that of humans.”
“But he has reached a realm far beyond anything comparable to us.”
“So that’s why you obey him?”
I glared at Wen Zhong.
“You gave up resisting.”
“You threw away your pride.”
“And now you’ve become Taigong Wang’s dog, attacking me on his behalf?”
“It is necessary for the stability of this world.”
“I’m disappointed, Grand Preceptor of the Golden Whip.”
I deliberately struck at his pride.
“So this is how you were always going to act?”
“Yet you spent all this time showing off about neutrality and everything else?”
"..."
“The King of Avengers must be crying in Hell right now.”
“He probably never imagined you’d turn out this pathetic.”
As I provoked him...
I searched for an opening.
I didn’t have a weapon with me.
Golden Horn had abducted me in the middle of my vacation.
That meant if I wanted to fight Wen Zhong...
I would have to use the new ‘power’ I had obtained.
But should I really use it here?
This was a power I had specifically prepared for my decisive battle against Taigong Wang.
Northern Siberia was an area ordinary Spirit Realm observation couldn’t reach...
but I still had to consider the possibility that someone might be watching.
It was fine when I fought Golden Horn because we were inside the Purple-Gold Red Gourd.
But now...
Normally, I might have held back.
But Wen Zhong was carrying the God-Striking Whip.
A weapon capable of erasing me from existence with a single graze.
Trying to preserve my trump card against an enemy like that was far too dangerous.
“That’s enough provocation, Nameless King.”
Wen Zhong spoke stiffly.
“After all...”
“it won’t change anything.”
"...!"
A bolt of lightning crashed down where I had been standing.
Fortunately, I had sensed it beforehand and thrown myself aside.
If I had hesitated for even an instant...
I would have ended up like Golden Horn.
As expected... he’s strong!
Lightning comparable to Lee Hyeonje’s full-power attacks continued raining down without pause.
I had to run at full speed just to avoid the continuous barrage.
But the truly dangerous part is...!
While dodging, I kept my eyes fixed on Wen Zhong.
If he decided to use the God-Striking Whip...
he would probably wrap himself in lightning and close the distance instantly, just like Lee Hyeonje.
I had seen it countless times through Lee Hyeonje.
Using lightning for movement produced speed that was almost beyond imagination.
Can I really react to Wen Zhong’s speed while he’s covered in lightning?
As that thought crossed my mind...
I noticed Wen Zhong’s leg shift slightly.
He’s coming!
There was no longer any time to hesitate.
I had no choice but to use my new ‘power’...
“Stop.”
At that exact moment...
a steel ball flew in with a forceful voice and smashed into Wen Zhong.
"...!"
My eyes widened as I turned.
A man stood atop a snow-covered hill.
“Kang Yujin!”
The moment I called his name...
Kang Yujin kicked off the ground and reached us almost instantly.
“Are you okay?”
“How did you get here?”
“I was nearby.”
I was still confused by his answer when another voice suddenly rang out.
“Brother!”
A silver-haired young man came rushing over and supported the unconscious Golden Horn.
Don’t tell me... Silver Horn?
But something looked strange.
His face was...
kind of crushed.
“You were trapped inside a gourd just like me.”
Kang Yujin spoke calmly when he saw my confusion.
“So I beat him up and got out.”
"..."
Only then did I understand what had happened.
Kang Yujin had met Silver Horn in Shanghai and been sealed inside a bottle just like I had.
Silver Horn brought the bottle here, just as Golden Horn had done, then entered it himself.
But unlike me...
Kang Yujin had beaten Silver Horn senseless inside the bottle and forced his way out.
Well... at least he got himself out.
Still, Silver Horn was now sobbing while supporting Golden Horn.
I felt a little sorry for him.
“Anyway...”
Kang Yujin glared at Wen Zhong, who had taken the flail strike.
Wen Zhong bit his lip and stared silently at us.
“I’ve seen that man before.”
“He’s Lee Hyeonje’s Constellation, right?”
“Yeah.”
“He’s the S-rank Constellation ‘Grand Preceptor of the Golden Whip,’ Wen Zhong.”
“I thought so.”
After hearing my answer...
Kang Yujin took a step toward Wen Zhong.
“I’ll fight him.”
“You sure?”
