CH 264

At the start of the coup, Tao Chen’s players created a large barrier around the presidential palace. The non-players inside the barrier were gathered and evacuated. Gi-Gyu crossed his arms and watched them.

To him, they looked like a swarm of ants. Tao Chen’s players helped countless Chinese citizens escape, setting the plan in motion and filling the air with tension.

But!

Standing next to Gi-Gyu, Tao Chen mumbled, “I guess it’s just as we expected.”

They had anticipated this situation. Gi-Gyu’s arrival in China was a well-publicized event. Gi-Gyu and Tao Chen’s goal was clear to their enemies, yet nothing that could hinder them or their plan had happened.

“This will be difficult.” Tao Chen looked worried. Not being attacked until now was bad because it meant that their enemy was on the defensive, ready to face whatever they had planned head-on.

It looked like their enemies weren’t worried at all.

“I agree…” Gi-Gyu was busy detecting energies inside the presidential palace by expanding his senses. He could sense big power clusters inside, but they were too vague to recognize.

Gi-Gyu continued, “I think the space inside exists in a different dimension.”

“...”

“Andras probably used his skill to create a barrier and formed a separate dimension. Its environment most likely resembles hell. This will be a tough battle for us,” Gi-Gyu added.

Before establishing Eden in the Bukhan River region, Gi-Gyu had to destroy the Caravan Guild’s secret branch there. At the time, the entire Bukhan River area had become part of a different dimension. He suspected this was a similar situation.

“Thank you.” Tao Chen turned toward Gi-Gyu and gave him a fist-in-palm salute.

Gi-Gyu was the emergency shield for Tao Chen’s group and the spear that could pierce anything and everything. Tao Chen knew the success rate of his plan would plunge without him.

"You’re a contradictory figure, Kim Gi-Gyu.” Tao Chen smiled. His aura was, simply put, incredible, which told Gi-Gyu that Tao Chen had grown even stronger during his stay in Eden and the Shaolin Temple.

After another fist-in-palm salute to show his appreciation, Tao Chen announced, “Then I will see you later.”

He turned around. The fight was finally beginning. A thousand players waited to follow him into the field of honor.

Some non-players screamed in panic, “Kyaaaa!”

But Tao Chen’s players reassured them, “Please calm down and move this way!”

Hundreds of thousands of people were being evacuated. The players were using their skills and their own bodies to create a safe passage for these people. And in the middle of this group was a path created by the people stepping aside. Tao Chen and his army walked toward the presidential palace using this path.

An evacuee non-player spotted Tao Chen and yelled, “Please save us!”

It was an impossible request to understand, but no one questioned this man. With valiance and determination-filled nerves, Tao Chen’s group marched forward.

“It’s coming,” Tao Chen announced when he felt a change from the presidential palace. Players, who looked like the palace guards, appeared from the presidential palace one by one, heading toward Tao Chen’s army.

These guards ignored the evacuating non-players. It seemed that they didn’t care about them.

‘They aren’t humans,’ Tao Chen thought as he watched his enemies. The energy these creatures gave off was incredible. He had heard that many players worked as palace guards here. Tao Chen suspected that demons had stolen those palace guards’ bodies.

‘Yes, I can tell that they are all demon players.’ Tao Chen guessed that these were demons brought to earth by Andras. The demons and Tao Chen eyed each other as they moved to get ready for a battle.

The pace of the evacuation process increased. The players in the support category created additional barriers to protect the non-players, but the looming danger was growing.

“It’s not helping much,” Bodhidharma, standing next to Gi-Gyu, muttered. Gi-Gyu still hadn’t decided what to call him, so he called him "monk” for now.

Bodhidharma added, “These people will end up getting hurt very badly at this rate.”

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The monk didn’t seem very concerned about the evacuees’ safety, but this wasn’t because he didn’t value human lives.

“Kwerrrk!” Loud scream-like roars could be heard from the guards changing shapes. Their energies also transformed as they turned into demons.

The spearheading demon, most likely a seat holder, had almost fully transformed. Looking like a grotesque monster, it spewed fire from its mouth.

Repugnant magic and sorcerous energy exploded from it. It seemed powerful enough to destroy the surroundings and the barrier.

Thankfully, someone came to their rescue.

“Flash.” Tao Chen swung his Green Dragon Crescent Blade calmly.

Fwoosh…

The attack was enough to counter the demon’s fire, which seemed powerful enough to melt everything around it.

And that wasn’t the end.

“Ugh…!” The attack even killed the demon. Despite being a lower seat holder, the demon couldn’t even form coherent words before its death.

“It has finally begun,” Tao Chen announced. Indeed, the real battle had only started now. This fight could change not only China but also the entire world. The fate of millions depended on the outcome of this war.

“Shall we go as well?” Gi-Gyu asked Bodhidharma.

“I am here to do your bidding. I am willing to walk into hell to fulfill your wish,” Bodhidharma replied earnestly. His loyalty didn’t stem from their sync alone. Being a Kronos copy, he had near-infinite love for his son.

Gi-Gyu smiled awkwardly, stepped forward, and just vanished. Bodhidharma smiled proudly.

“My boy is so fast.”

Gi-Gyu and Bodhidharma’s goal wasn’t to attack the presidential palace like the others. Gi-Gyu didn’t know the proper name of his destination, but it was a type of factory.

According to Lou, Leviathan and the other hell kings were being cloned there.

“I guess I can call it a… hatchery?” Gi-Gyu mumbled. He needed to get there to figure out what was happening and destroy the place. This was Gi-Gyu and Bodhidharma’s priority, at least unless Ha Song-Su appeared.

While Tao Chen and his army rushed toward the presidential palace, Gi-Gyu and Bodhidharma went the other way.

***

The hatchery, also could be called the factory, wasn’t located too far away. In fact, it was located where everyone was heading anyway.

‘It’s in the basement of the presidential palace.’ 

This was what Go Hyung-Chul had reported before. “There is something in the basement of the presidential palace. The president only leaves his palace to go to the basement.”

Tao Chen’s spies’, who had risked their lives to infiltrate the presidential palace, had delivered similar information.

“Hmm?” Gi-Gyu suddenly stopped. He was about to enter the presidential palace with Bodhidharma through the back door. This was only possible because the duo had inordinate skills and abilities.

“What’s wrong?” Bodhidharma asked.

Gi-Gyu looked nervous but brightened up a little soon.

“Ah. I think it’s working now.” Gi-Gyu replied.

“What do you mean?” Bodhidharma seemed curious.

“I’m referring to our sync. I didn’t feel my power improve when we synced, but now I can feel my power increasing accordingly.”

Gi-Gyu could use his Egos’ skills and attributes since their shells were connected. However, something changed the day he fought Jupiter.

Gi-Gyu explained, “Ever since I became one with Jupiter, I haven’t been able to access my Egos’ attributes.”

This was something he had already discussed with the beings in Eden. As Gi-Gyu had stated, he hadn’t been able to use all of his Egos’ powers. His Egos had grown by leaps and bounds, but he had felt no change hitherto.

The biggest surprise came the day Gi-Gyu synced with Bodhidharma. It was said Bodhidharma used to hold unreal power, so just that fragment should have been a huge power-up. And he was even possessing his original body now.

Bodhidharma lacked player skills, but he held incredible magic. The player system had instantly leveled him up when he synced with Gi-Gyu.

But despite this, Gi-Gyu hadn’t felt any improvement.

“I think it’s because of the change in my shell. I hoped time would fix it, and I’m glad it did.”

“That’s a relief,” Bodhidharma replied.

Since his shell had changed, it was normal to experience side effects like this. But even though Gi-Gyu didn’t look as worried now, he had been nervous.

‘It’s not much.’ The increase in Gi-Gyu’s attributes was too small compared to how powerful the monk was.

“I’ll have to fix it later…” Gi-Gyu decided he would deal with this problem after the coup. He needed to address plenty of other issues, but he didn’t feel impatient. He was confident that his current status and strength could solve most of his problems.

“Let’s go.” Gi-Gyu began walking again.

Watching him, Bodhidharma murmured, “Is he really okay…?”

Life after life, the monk had prepared for this moment. But he was no longer the Bodhidharma of the past. He felt more like a manual his original self had created as an inheritance for his future descendants.

This was why the monk was worried that he might be missing something. His memories weren’t perfect, so perhaps there was something important he had forgotten.

-Aren’t you coming?

Gi-Gyu asked the monk telepathically. Bodhidharma moved immediately, deciding now wasn’t the time to contemplate.

'My worry will have to wait for now,’ thought the monk.

Kaboom!

He heard a loud explosion from the presidential palace’s entrance.

“Kwerrrk!” Suddenly, they heard an anguished scream. Gi-Gyu and Bodhidharma were finally facing an enemy.

Of course, the demon was no match for them.

“Let’s get going,” Gi-Gyu announced as he used his bare fist to deal with it.

Da da da da da.

A powerful vibration spread as the presidential palace began to change. This meant the enemy was ready to defend itself against Tao Chen’s army and Gi-Gyu and Bodhidharma’s invasion.

That day, hell appeared on Earth.

***

The presidential palace was changing. But unlike the boiling lava that had appeared in the Bukhan River region…

“I guess it’s ice this time,” Gi-Gyu muttered,

“Hurry!” Bodhidharma yelled.

The deadly cold whipped them, threatening to freeze their very being into nothingness. Gi-Gyu protected his body with his magic and dashed. The demon players trying to hinder him did nothing more than fail their one task. He needed to reach his destination before the palace finished its transformation. He could find the basement after the transformation, but that would require wasting time.

“Do you feel that?” Bodhidharma asked Gi-Gyu. They could feel the dark energy more clearly as they got closer to the basement.

“Yes.”

“Haa… I can’t believe how much evil exists in this world.” Bodhidharma sighed.

The place was filled with evil energy. It got thicker as they reached the basement.

“I guess Go Hyung-Chul was right.” Gi-Gyu didn’t even wonder how this was possible. Ha Song-Su was closest to being a successful Adam, a physical form to hold Jupiter.

If Andras could achieve this, cloning hell kings didn’t seem all that impossible.

“We must find out the truth,” Gi-Gyu declared. He needed to know the cloning process’ details and the final result of Project Adam.

And, of course, he needed to capture Ha Song-Su. Gi-Gyu prayed for Ha Song-Su to make an appearance here.

Suddenly, Gi-Gyu stopped; he was surrounded by ice. He punched the ice a few times, discovering it was harder than steel. The hard material was a nice surprise because he knew Old Man Hwang would love to have it.

‘I should take some.’ Gi-Gyu decided. Old Man Hwang had been thrilled when Gi-Gyu gave him some lava from the Bukhan River region hell. He had created a weapon using it. Apparently, the final result was even better than the blacksmith had anticipated.

So, Gi-Gyu was certain Old Man Hwang would love this material.

“I’ll do it,” Bodhidharma offered and took a step forward. The source of the thick evil energy was something below, which meant they had to go through this ice. The place was obviously well protected by Andras or whoever designed the presidential palace.

“No.” Gi-Gyu stopped Bodhidharma. “I want to test the new power I obtained.”

He wanted to test the power he had gained from syncing with Bodhidharma.

And…

“There is someone who is dying to get in on this action. He will be annoyed if I don’t call for him now.” Gi-Gyu raised his hand in the air.

The blue gate materialized quickly, and a voice muttered.

-What took you so long?

Lou was already annoyed.

“Sorry. Anyway, it’s time for you to get to work.” Gi-Gyu smiled at Lou.

-Hey, hey! What do you think you’re doing?!

Gi-Gyu promptly plunged Lou’s sword form into the ice floor.

Crack.

With a loud noise, Death began invading the thick ice sheet.