Chapter 84

Chapter 84
## Chapter 84: Eternal Battalion

—

The fundamental formation of the Eternal Battalion begins with a count of fifty.

A single commander leads four sorcerers and forty-five combatants. Membership is restricted to the elite—undying ravagers who exist solely to extinguish those with warm blood in their veins.

Common human understanding often posits that the Distortion Cores and Blight Sectors across Northeast Asia generate primarily spectral entities because of the dark reach of Gonsal-ok.

This is a fallacy. It is not mere suggestion; Gonsal-ok simply refuses to tolerate any other form of life. Should a Distortion Core in the vicinity of Gonsal-ok give rise to anything other than the restless dead, the Eternal Battalion is dispatched to annihilate it immediately.

Consequently, the only active Distortion Cores remaining are those that churn out the hollowed and the damned.

“Give me the status.”

One figure, clutching a polearm, broke the silence. The entity was immaculate, wielding a pale spear detailed with golden draconic carvings—he looked nothing like a typical rotting corpse.

Furthermore, while other ghouls possessed voices that sounded like grinding stones from a dark pit, this individual spoke with clarity.

Save for a slightly ashen complexion, his hair and facial features were perfectly intact. He was a masterpiece of preservation.

“A strategic position is on the verge of being reclaimed by the living.”

“Had I anticipated this level of incompetence, I would not have left it to its own devices.”

“Is that not the compassion and grace of our sovereign, Seonghong?”

Cold toward the quick, yet kind to the frozen. Harbin served as a critical nexus, already occupied by the dead.

However, they were crude, talentless, and feeble remnants. Given the tactical importance of that city, it would have been logical to purge them and occupy the stronghold ourselves long ago.

Yet their master, in his infinite patience, had refrained from interfering with Harbin.

“Indeed. Our sovereign possesses that nature.”

The warrior identified as Seonghong stood up from his resting place.

“But that ends now.”

“Agreed. Our master will understand the necessity.”

The residents of Harbin were finished. They had cheated the grave to roam the world once more, only to be reduced to cinders in their failure.

“Harbin is an essential fortress.”

It did not hold the status of a provincial capital for no reason. Allowing the living to fortify it was unacceptable. Such an oversight would threaten Jaun Valley and create further friction on the path toward their sovereign’s grand design.

With a definitive motion, Seonghong struck the butt of his spear against the earth. A dull, heavy vibration rippled out.

“The objective is obvious, then.”

The benevolence of the lord they followed did not extend to those with heartbeats. Only through the gateway of death could one earn such favor.

“We shall execute our duty.”

“Advance.”

The fifty undying began their trek. In contrast to their deliberate, resonant speech, their gait was incredibly rapid.

The pressure radiating from them was so potent that the flora in their wake shriveled into yellowed husks.

◇◇◇◆◇◇◇

They are approaching. The sensation is far from pleasant.

“Am I preparing for a siege on Jaun Valley, or am I getting ready for some ridiculous interstellar voyage? The line is blurring.”

Why must there be so many hurdles? The massive signatures bearing down on us aren’t even attempting to mask their presence anymore.

“This is madness.”

By now, even Han Sang-ah had detected the oncoming force. The rest of the scouting party likely felt it too.

— The hostile force is closing in on Tiger Park.

Tsk, they’re moving fast. If we had attempted to retreat just now, we would have been caught from behind.

“We have to face them.”

If we don’t, there’s no telling where they might strike. Han Sang-ah flicked her blade, clearing it of viscous fluids and decayed remnants from previous kills, and took her stance.

— Do you require my assistance?

The query came from Jung No-hun.

“Stay back. Getting in close range just ensures you get thrashed without contributing much.”

— Blistering honesty. That’s a bit of a sting.

Better a bruised ego than a broken body. As we exchanged words, the unidentified host had already navigated the Songhua River.

— Contact is seconds away.

Just as the scouts gave the word, they manifested before us. They were the source of that suffocating, ominous pressure.

“What kind of bizarre cadavers are we dealing with?”

I hissed under my breath, my eyes scanning the monstrosities lining up in front of me.

“So, you are the four.”

A voice emanated from the lead entity, causing Han Sang-ah to tense up.

“It sounds like a human speaking.”

“It’s meant to.”

These were no ordinary shamblers. They were humanoid, clad in heavy plate and well-armed. Their armor appeared to have built-in arcane dampening and looked remarkably resilient.

Their gear all looked like high-tier craftsmanship. Specifically, the spear gripped by the leader was a work of art.

As a specialist in polearms, I knew immediately it was a masterpiece. If he weren’t so dangerous, I’d be plotting how to steal it.

Observing them, I let out a low whistle of genuine respect.

“No way—are all fifty of you sacrificial retainers?”

No, that wasn’t quite the right term.

They hadn’t been forced into the grave. They had walked into it of their own volition.

They weren’t fueled by a vendetta against the living, but by an unwavering loyalty to serve their master even beyond the veil, having been entombed alive.

“Keen observation. We pledged our service for all eternity.”

The leader, resting his gold-trimmed spear against his shoulder, spoke with a hint of genuine astonishment.

He evaluated me, then leveled his weapon.

“I am Seonghong.”

The moment the introduction ended, his blade lunged for my windpipe. I parried the strike, and his frame rotated fluidly into a rapid succession of stabs.

Damn, the man is a virtuoso with that spear. He knows how to balance weight and speed perfectly. Even when he disengaged, the point of his blade stayed locked onto my vitals.

In a mere three seconds, we traded nearly fifty strikes. Just as his subordinates behind him prepared to swarm, he raised a hand to check their advance.

“Wait, stand down. This one possesses true talent.”

At Seonghong’s decree, the attackers-in-waiting went still. I immediately gave my own orders.

“Sang-ah, don’t move. And inform Jung No-hun: no sniper support.”

Seonghong let out a deep, resonant laugh at my instructions.

“You are a dead man regardless, but your bravery is noted.”

“How about a bet, you walking corpse?”

He countered immediately.

“I anticipate your proposal. And the answer is no.”

He shut down the gamble before I could even frame the terms.

“You have caught my eye, it’s true. But I will not risk our lord’s monumental mission for the fleeting amusement of a nameless traveler. This is a distraction. Every soul that stepped into Harbin shall be silenced.”

Tsk, he wouldn’t bite. At least he’s disciplined enough to stick to the plan.

“What, are you trembling?”

I threw out a light taunt, but Seonghong merely snorted. The stubborn corpse.

“I am not so easily swayed by such trivialities, Seonghong.”

Good. If I could keep this captain occupied, it might afford the fleeing hunters a few extra minutes.

“You, a mortal chained to a dying form, wagering your short-lived existence. Demonstrate your skill. I have never encountered anyone in this realm who wields a spear with such grace.”

As he spoke, the spiritual energy radiating from Seonghong’s frame doubled. Indeed, his warrior’s pride was piqued now that he’d found a peer.

“Let’s see what you’ve got.”

No one has ever accused me of being poor with a spear. Regardless, the goal here is to buy time, and if he’s willing to dance, I’m not turning him down.

The duel raged for thirty minutes. Between Seonghong and myself, there was nothing but a blur of kinetic energy and steel. The terrain beneath us was turned to dust.

Our weapons moved like cyclones, tearing the atmosphere apart. I had managed to tag him several times with Paradox Flame. His blade, conversely, hadn’t found my skin.

“Remarkable. Your technical mastery of the spear eclipses my own.”

“That should be obvious, kid.”

He looked down at the Paradox Flame eating away at his armor. I was pushing the intensity to its limit to bypass his magical defenses.

However, actually turning him to ash would require at least another sixty minutes of sustained combat.

“And you possess a most peculiar gift as well.”

He studied the flames on his chest, then swept his spear to the side.

“Have you had your fill?”

“One final offer. A rare opportunity.”

What, is he buying time for me now? Much appreciated. I had no reason to decline.

“I’m listening.”

He gave a solemn nod.

“Our lord prizes the gifted. However, he offers no clemency to those who breathe.”

I could see the direction of his pitch. Keep it coming.

“Perish here. I shall ensure your remains stay pristine and deliver you to our lord in Beijing. There, you shall cast off your fragile skin and become something whole.”

Seonghong spoke with an almost religious fervor.

“I have witnessed your capability. Our sovereign would find great use for you. You are prime material. I believe you could command a legion of at least fifty thousand.”

“So I’d be your superior, then?”

He inclined his head.

“In that case, you would owe your commander the utmost deference.”

So, deliver my corpse to Beijing. Now the picture of these entities was becoming clear.

“So you are the famous Eternal Battalion from the Beijing sector.”

Elite monsters from one of the Great Eight. And this guy was merely a mid-level officer.

I was aware that even within the rank-1 category, there were massive disparities. But seeing it in person, “disparity” didn’t cover it. Those Fridge Slimes? Any one of the footmen behind him could probably solo five of them.

Beijing was crawling with these terrifying undead, unlike the mindless husks in Harbin. It might take a nuclear strike. Though, honestly, they’d probably just walk through the blast.

“There’s a long way to go.”

I’d gained valuable intel. But dying here just meant becoming a well-informed zombie.

“Your conclusion?”

“Go rot, you over-glorified skeleton.”

Choosing to be buried alive for a dead master? These guys aren’t just fanatical—they’re deranged. Sending the others away was the right call. They would have just been obstacles, and too many casualties would have derailed the Jaun Valley mission entirely.

If we failed and crawled back to Korea… the public isn’t known for being forgiving toward losers.

Seonghong made a clicking sound with his tongue at my refusal.

“A waste.”

His suppressed energy flared back to life. As if triggered by his mood, the idle undead unsheathed their blades and shifted into combat forms.

Han Sang-ah drew her steel in a synchronized motion. Now, it was a battle to the end—until one side was erased.