Blood Demon of the Past Life – Chapter 146

Chapter 146: Controversy （2）

Two weeks of free time.

Unlike the others, Kang San couldn’t enjoy the break.

He immediately got into a taxi heading to Pohang and checked the information provided by Dark Moon on the way.

『Within Pohang City, North Gyeongsang Province, there are two locations that meet the conditions you provided: Yongsan and Gokumsan. As is widely known, the mountainous terrain isn’t suitable for hikers, but due to several abnormal phenomena in the past three years, hikers have stopped visiting. According to the city hall, there wasn’t any significant damage, but rather rumors spread among hikers that the terrain was changing, making it ominous. Below, I’ve attached more detailed information.』

The locations were narrowed down to two.

Kang San carefully examined the data.

Dark Moon had indeed earned their payment, as they had investigated not only Yongsan and Gokumsan but also every mountain in Pohang City, North Gyeongsang Province. They even provided detailed explanations for why other mountains were excluded from the candidate list.

This was a matter Kang San had to consider carefully.

If he failed to pinpoint the location…

The monsters emerging from the Abyss would indiscriminately slaughter the people nearby in an instant.

That would be the end of the Trial.

The death toll would rise before Kang San could even react, quickly exceeding the Trial’s failure condition of over ten thousand casualties. He had to be at the scene of the disaster from the very beginning. Only by facing the incoming waves of monsters head-on could he buy people the minimum time needed to evacuate.

His mouth went dry.

From the moment he saw a glimpse of the future, Kang San had lived with a tension like a tightly stretched rubber band.

‘When will this dreadful Trial finally end?’

This was the twenty-fifth time.

There was no end in sight.

Like running a marathon with no finish line, the exhaustion of the ordeal weighed down his entire body.

“Pull yourself together. You have to do it. You must succeed.”

The Kitakyushu incident.

It had become a turning point for him to rearm his spirit.

This S-rank Outbreak might lead to even more devastating consequences than the horrific disaster in Japan. He had no intention of standing by and watching. A sense of duty, as a fellow Korean, arose within him.

The scenery outside the window flew by.

Military facilities were visible everywhere.

People used to say that it was so peaceful that it was hard to believe Korea was a divided country, but Kang San, born in the era of disasters, couldn’t relate to their reminiscing about the past. This was Kang San’s era. An era of disasters, where death and fear were a part of daily life, as if peace was a word that never existed.

He lost himself in thought.

And by the time he came to his senses, he had already arrived in Pohang.

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The first destination, Yongsan.

Kang San’s honest impression upon arriving at the site was that no matter how he looked at it, it didn’t meet the conditions he had envisioned.

‘For an event on the scale of an S-rank Outbreak, there should be sufficient warning signs in the terrain. The mountains aren’t that steep, and despite hikers avoiding the area, there are still occasional sightings of ordinary people like herb gatherers. If an Outbreak were to occur here, there’s a very high probability that it would have left some kind of evidence.’

Fragmentary memories.

They didn’t match the image of the future.

In truth, if he had been able to provide more detailed information to the Information Guild, Dark Moon’s intelligence network might have found the perfect match. But that wasn’t possible. The Trial’s description explicitly forbade revealing any information, so he couldn’t even hint that it was a terrain conducive to an Outbreak.

He immediately moved to the next location.

This time, it was Gokumsan.

The moment he arrived, Kang San felt overwhelmed by the rugged terrain.

“…What is this?”

Densely overgrown bushes.

Mountain trails that refused human passage.

He had confirmed it through the information, but the visual impact was far more striking.

In fact, the taxi driver had mentioned on the way that the Gokumsan area had experienced frequent Link incidents recently, which was why people avoided it. His heart pounded. Even without any concrete information, his instincts seemed to be suggesting that ‘something from the distant future’ was about to happen.

It was instinct.

Memories etched into his very cells.

Goosebumps erupted all over his body, and Kang San knew that this was the starting point of the disaster.

‘It perfectly matches the conditions I had in mind. And if the first sign is an earthquake on the east coast, the probability increases even further. After all, the Gokumsan area is surrounded by the sea on three sides.’

He stared blankly at the mountain.

He ran through the sequence of events in his mind.

Kwaaang━

Kwaaarrrrruuummble!

The Outbreak occurred.

Monsters would surge from Gokumsan like a tidal wave, and he, alone, would have to face them. How should he respond?

‘Firstly, quick reinforcements are impossible. Stopping an S-rank Dark Lord would require a comparable force, and realistically, outside the Seoul metropolitan area, there’s no way to get rapid S-rank support in Korea. Ultimately, we’d have to summon forces through the Teleport Gate. Unfortunately, Pohang doesn’t have a Teleport Gate, so they would have to travel from Seoul to Busan before coming to assist. Even if they grasped the situation and deployed immediately, it would take at least 2-3 hours to reach the scene. By then…’

The screams of people echoed in his ears.

A horrific massacre would unfold.

The monsters Kang San couldn’t completely stop would spread through Pohang, killing countless people.

He gritted his teeth.

This disaster…

It was different from Kitakyushu.

Back then, due to a type advantage, B-rank Kang San had been able to defeat the S-rank Evil Spirit, but he could never handle an S-rank Dark Lord who controlled the undead. He couldn’t deceive his companions and bring them here either. They would be caught in the midst of the disaster without knowing why, and their deaths would only add to his burden of karma and guilt.

Ultimately…

He had to bear it alone.

It was wise to assume that he wouldn’t last even an hour.

‘Preparing for the worst allows me to adapt to any variables.’

Once the incident broke out…

And people became aware of the problem…

The crucial point would be to make it known that he was single-handedly holding back the monsters here. Just like the initial plan. Those who were interested in him would hastily assemble a rescue team. Cheonsang, Daeyang, and others. If it normally took 2-3 hours to travel here, they would likely shorten the travel time at an unbelievable speed.

That would be the start.

Only when the forces arrived one by one and joined him in fighting the disaster could the casualties be kept below ten thousand.

‘For the next three months, I need to grow as much as possible and make thorough preparations, but it’s also crucial to raise my value even further.’

The recent issues surrounding him…

He hadn’t intended to exploit them.

But the current situation was different.

A plan for the future rapidly formed in Kang San’s mind.

✦✦✦✦✦✦

Kang San remained in Pohang for several days.

He wanted to thoroughly assess the Gokumsan area.

He examined the terrain, the surroundings, and compiled information he could utilize, checking everything with his own eyes. The most important aspect was the population density in the vicinity. Pohang was a city of 300,000 people, but fortunately, not many lived near Gokumsan.

‘Immediately after the incident occurs, I’ll need the help of the local officials to quickly evacuate the citizens of Pohang.’

This had been part of his plan from the beginning.

If Kang San was just an ordinary nobody, how would the officials react if he told them that an S-rank Outbreak was happening? They would probably think it was a prank call. It was an unprecedented event globally, so they would likely be slow to confirm the truth, missing the crucial window of opportunity known as the golden time.

Therefore…

Building trust with the local officials was essential.

He needed to ensure that a single phone call from him would prompt them to evacuate the citizens, even if they weren’t entirely certain.

Pohang’s mayor, Park Mundo, stared at Kang San with wide eyes.

“…100 million won?”

“Yes. Pohang is actually my hometown of the heart. I want this place to remain safe, so I’ll be donating 100 million won annually, however small it may be. I hope this money can contribute to the safety of Pohang, even if just a little.”

“Oh my, it will be a great help indeed. I’m truly grateful.”

Park Mundo beamed.

Kang San’s sudden visit…

He knew Kang San was a name that had been circulating in the media lately, but he couldn’t help but be pleased by the unexpected offer of a 100 million won donation. Of course, a mere 100 million won wouldn’t significantly improve Pohang’s budget. However, he was touched by the goodwill gesture.

Kang San spoke.

“I recently returned from Kitakyushu, Japan, where I witnessed the tragedy caused by the disaster. The survivors there told me that the disaster struck suddenly, without any warning. In this world, anything could happen at any moment. Mr. Mayor, I implore you to protect the citizens of Pohang.”

“It’s my duty. That’s why I hold the office of mayor.”

Kang San had subtly instilled a sense of unease.

And in doing so, he had established a relationship of trust.

His professed affection for Pohang, coupled with the 100 million won donation, would ensure that Park Mundo wouldn’t ignore his call for evacuation.

‘And mentioning it as my hometown of the heart will serve as a justification for any issues that might arise later.’

When the disaster struck…

People would question why Kang San was at the scene.

His current actions provided a sufficient alibi.

If he explained that he considered Pohang his hometown and happened to be there for a break when the disaster occurred, even if there were some inconsistencies, no one would be able to outright deny it.

That was enough.

Kang San was meticulously piecing together his plan.

He rose from his seat.

Mayor Park Mundo saw him out, and outside the building, an unexpected figure was waiting for Kang San.

“It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”

A group of people.

At their forefront stood Im Chan-yeong.

✦✦✦✦✦✦

In just a few months, Im Chan-yeong’s features had become noticeably sharper.

He scanned Kang San.

“I hear you went to Japan and dealt with an S-rank monster. Do you think the world is a joke? It hasn’t been long since we took the B-rank test together, and you’re spreading such lies without a shred of hesitation.”

After Kang San left for Japan…

Im Chan-yeong had passed the B-rank test with the support of the Drake Guild.

The same went for the former Cheonsang-affiliated Project A team.

They had all risen in rank thanks to the overwhelming support, and now, they stood in Kang San’s path alongside Im Chan-yeong. They weren’t the only ones. Aside from the familiar faces, there were others exuding an intense aura. Most of them were Drake members or A-rank Hunters brought in as mercenaries.

And…

There were also civilians with cameras.

Kang San grasped the situation, understanding how the game was being played.

Im Chan-yeong sneered.

“From now on, I intend to test you for the sake of the Korean people’s right to know. According to international Hunter regulations, a Hunter who defeats an S-rank monster can be granted S-rank status, but it’s unacceptable for a liar like you to receive such undeserved treatment, don’t you think? Make your choice. I’ve brought nine A-rank Hunters with me. If you include me and the Project A team’s strength, it roughly meets the requirements for an S-rank promotion test. How about it? Prove to us that you’re not a liar by facing us.”

Malice gleamed in Im Chan-yeong’s eyes.

Upon receiving the call from Jeong Mun-cheol, the Drake Guild had readily agreed to participate in this sensational drama.

Kang San’s refusal…

It had bruised Drake’s pride.

By accepting Im Chan-yeong and the Project A team, they had essentially decided to make Kang San their enemy. In this situation, they couldn’t tolerate Kang San’s S-rank promotion. They were actively trying to tarnish his reputation.

This situation…

It was a dead end.

If he accepted the challenge?

His lack of S-rank qualifications would be exposed.

But if he refused?

It would be tantamount to a confession, and the rumors about him would only intensify.

‘You’ll have no choice but to run away. Because in reality, you don’t have the power to defeat an S-rank monster.’

For the past few months…

Im Chan-yeong had trained with a vengeance.

Finally achieving B-rank status, he was grinding his teeth with seething resentment.

He waited for Kang San’s decision.

If Kang San refused, he planned to mock him to his face.

But…

“I accept your challenge.”

“What?”

There was something Im Chan-yeong didn’t know.

After identifying Gokumsan as the starting point of the disaster…

Kang San’s mindset had shifted.

Kang San looked past Im Chan-yeong, towards the cameras capturing the scene.

“Didn’t you hear me? If that’s what you want, I’ll take the S-rank test.”