Chapter 34

The mission panel displayed a stiff phrase.

[Premonition, (Unknown) crisis]

[You are facing the downfall of the Surro Clan.]

Actions for mission completion

Preferred deed: Assist the Surro Clan in suppressing the rebellion……

Qing immediately closed the mission panel.

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice? Not happening.

Honestly, I couldn’t care less.

Even if they droned on about how it would influence the world, I wasn’t buying it anymore.

What kind of big deal is influencing the world?

Just by breathing, I’ve probably taken a chunk out of it myself, so there, I’ve influenced the world.

Anyway, rather than do something stupid just for a slight reward, I’d rather do as I please.

Master, this is how your disciple lives…….

I wonder if my schoolgirl buddy is doing alright.

Ignoring the mission panel, Qing went on with her day.

Then, the mission panel popped back up.

Qing felt a surge of annoyance.

What’s this, trying to provoke me now?

Will it keep popping up until I read it?

Show off those skip skills honed through countless second runs?

[Blood Beast City Armageddon Approaches, Final Chapter. Last Crisis]

[You have finally encountered the true mastermind behind the cruel conspiracy after a long pursuit. It is the destroyer of all living under the sky and the end of the world.]

Eliminate Unyeonjeong for the sake of the world.

*Blood Poison Body: Annihilate all who lived alongside Unyeonjeong.

[The fate of the world rests upon your shoulders.]

But the wording was totally different from before.

Plus, it was in a format I’d never seen.

While scrolling through the mission panel, Qing caught sight of Unyeonjeong.

Final Chapter. Last Crisis.

The destroyer of everyone and the end of the world.

So, is that brat the final boss or what?

Wait, why’s the boss showing up already?

The mission said to meet after a long pursuit, didn’t it?

Or is it just vibes?

Suddenly, Qing felt a wave of amusement wash over her.

She was just looking to have a nice dinner and maybe see some blood while she was at it.

Somehow, like a rudderless ship lost its way, she’d drifted here, alongside a real rudderless boat.

Qing had no clue about any conspiracy.

The mastermind? She didn’t even know that was a thing.

Never tracked anyone in her life.

And what was this grand display unfurling?

Mission? That ain’t worth a dime.

If this was some silly output triggered by something, then honestly, no need to stress.

“Hey. Unyeonjeong. Hey there.”

“Oh my. Are you calling for me?”

“Yeah. Why, you don’t like it?”

“Oh my! How could you be so confident all of a sudden? Your trembling moments were rather cute, you know.”

“So, you don’t dislike me?”

“No, not at all. I actually like it. Have you perhaps opened your heart a little?”

Unyeonjeong flashed a smile.

Qing grinned back and asked.

“You said you’d protect me, right?”

“Of course! As long as I’m here, you are the safest person in the world!”

“But needing to protect me means there are dangerous things out there, right?”

“With Jiangshi and Blood Beasts around, and especially since the Cannibal Demon is directly involved, our delicate Young Lady Seomun wouldn’t last even a few rounds.”

“Cannibal Demon? That sounds familiar.”

After muttering the name a few times without it clicking, Qing just gave up. Maybe she heard it while passing by.

But if it’s a Cannibal Demon, whoa! The nickname alone is terrible.

But there was something even more important.

Qing smoothly followed up with a question.

“So, do you really like me that much?”

“More than words can express. You have no idea what you mean to me.”

“Is it because my body is special?”

Unyeonjeong’s eyes widened dramatically.

Her previously elegant expression switched entirely.

“Did you know?”

“I just found out. But if someone like me pops up in the world, would that mean I wouldn’t be needed anymore?”

Unyeonjeong smiled that exact cute smile that made Qing want to melt.

“Oh dear, Young Lady Seomun must understand how wondrous and miraculous your body truly is.”

“Miraculous?”

“To count to billions just once, and repeat that countless times—that’s you.”

“So, I’m the only one in the world?”

“Exactly. Only you.”

Qing nodded thoughtfully.

Seriously, it’s infuriatingly arrogant.

At the very least, if you want to be friendly, you should at least say some sweet nothings.

Blatantly stating, “Your body is my goal,” is not how you win friends.

But then again, it seems like this gives her a free pass to act all sassy.

Qing’s sense of balance pushed her right off to the end where Unyeonjeong was just a tool.

All thanks to a well-crafted character.

By the way, are you the one writing all those guides again?

If I end up going back there, I might owe you big time. You’ve saved my life a few times over.

—-

Listen up, heroes of the Yangtze River!

Some call us bandits, others insult us by saying we’re like parasites living in the water.

But is that really the case?

There was a time when it was true.

Once a barbarian, I saw raiders on the river, witnessed the flowing blood, and ultimately lost my master to the heartbreak and hatred that followed.

With a bandit for a father and a mother taken away by plundering, the lessons that child learns are pure hatred and twisted carnage.

The father is ashamed while the son is disgusted.

This pain is why we have changed!

But we have changed, indeed!

Who established the laws of the Yangtze?

It was us. We are the masters of the Yangtze!

We became proper fathers and mothers, earning respect from land-dwellers as honorable heroes!

And now, our cause is being shaken!

The weeds wanting to return to the age of plunder and cannibalism have revealed their true nature!

They are threatening our foundation, our family!

This is how it goes before a battle.

We are the good guys, and they are the bad guys.

Think of your families.

Let’s fight for something greater than life itself!

While hearing the speech, Qing thought to herself.

That guy’s quite the speaker.

Guess not everyone can be a chief, huh?

Watching the ready warriors filled with determination, she noticed Unyeonjeong, constantly trying to respond to something beside her.

She wanted to shout, “That’s the mastermind, she did everything!” but frankly, would that even matter?

After rescuing the chief’s son, they were treating her like royalty, so if she spoke up, it’d only lead to being called crazy.

What a talented maniacal murderer he must be.

So I guess that’s what you learn after a long tracking journey.

Qing grinned and moved closer.

“Are you really thinking Jiangshi don’t have weaknesses? You need to behead them or dismember them to neutralize them. They’re monsters, after all, and it takes a high level of mastery to injure them, but I can weaken the Jiangshi with my sorcery…”

Oh, looks like they were having a strategy meeting.

Having the enemy chief sitting down to figure out their weaknesses was clearly just ridiculous.

Qing gave a poke to a familiar-looking face in the crowd.

It was Ban, the courageous man from the Yangtze.

“Hey, mister.”

“Young Lady Seomun? What’s up? I’m quite busy right now.”

“Hand over my sword. You said when this is all over, you’d return it, right?”

“Just a little later, okay? We’re about to fight, so you should just stay safe.”

“How am I supposed to stay safe without a sword? You think enemies will just cut me some slack because I’ve got empty hands? What should I do, shout ‘I don’t care’?”

“Oh, right. Hey, Yoo-hyung, there’s a sword under my bed in the room. Can you fetch it?”

And just like that, Qing got her hands back on the Moonlight Sword (rank 8)!

Not long after, a solitary island emerged from the fog.

The main estate of the Surro Clan, known as Surro Castle.

At the dock, a throng was gathered, their faces showing they weren’t welcoming the return of their loved ones.

With weapons in hand, they stood in a line, clearly signaling they were ready for a fight.

As Qing held onto the railing, enjoying the view, suddenly the skies were filled with red arrows.

“Fire! Shields up! Prepare the fire-control team!”

Hundreds of flaming arrows.

With a cacophony of noise, arrows impaled the deck and hull, but they miraculously didn’t extinguish, continuing to flicker and burn.

What a mess!

Flaming arrows kept raining down, and people were tripping over each other, trying to dodge and putting out flames igniting on their bodies.

However, to Qing, the massive ship that practically acted like a floating fortress didn’t seem too bothered by all the chaos.

“Anchor down! Get down!”

The ship surged towards the sandy beach, a rather reckless and bold docking maneuver.

With the collision, the large vessel surged over the sand, like an earthquake shaking it.

As the stern opened, warriors tumbled onto the beach. Masters leaped off the deck and immediately dove into the crowd.

As arrows rained down upon the beach, people dropped like flies.

Even without firearms, it was quite the tense landing battle.

For Qing, it was quite the spectacle.

Just then, someone called out to her.

“Young Lady Seomun, you can wait here, right?”

“Wait, I thought you said you’d protect me?”

“These kids here will keep you safe.”

Simultaneously, from behind Unyeonjeong, several figures darted out.

They looked about ten years old—definitely kids.

Their eyes were entirely black, lacking any whites, making them alarmingly creepy. They were anything but normal.

“These kids? Aren’t I the one supposed to protect them?”

“Oh, they might seem like that, but they’re actually called Jiangsi, extremely powerful children! Each one can stand toe-to-toe with supreme masters.”

“Oh wow.”

They seemed to be the final boss’s escort or something.

They probably appeared as mini-bosses earlier.

“Well then, see you when this is all over.”

Unyeonjeong waved her hand.

Qing replied with a bright smile.

“I’d rather not.”

“Oh dear. Young Lady? This isn’t a request you know?”

Qing shook her head.

“You said the Cannibal Demon is the strongest? You promised to protect me, so we’re keeping that promise, right?”

“What do you…”

Ignoring her, Qing leapt off the edge.

A refreshing free fall. The soft sand of the beach cushioned her descent.

She channeled her True Energy through her feet.

Master said her inner strength was already unparalleled.

With immense True Energy propelling her, it felt as if the world was rushing past her.

Qing smiled.

What’s there to fear when the final boss is protecting me?

Hadn’t she already heard a solid confirmation?

Qing took a deep breath.

“Hey! Cannibal Demon! Sorry for introducing myself this way! I heard your mother passed! You little brat who’s hungry enough to eat your own family!”

Following that, a roar ripped through the air, shaking the very earth.

“What kind of girl do you think you are, daring to—!”

The anger felt tangible even from a distance.

Qing casually glanced back.

She saw Unyeonjeong, utterly flustered as she raced toward her, with five kids tailing closely behind.

Those kids were all supposed to be supreme masters.

Qing raised her voice again.

“I’m Seomun Qing! Let’s have a fair showdown, one-on-one!”

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