Five days after departing Shika Manor, Seo Baek arrived at a village.
Along the way, he hadn't seen a single soul.
Even when he spotted the occasional settlement, it was deserted. The inhabitants had fled their homes to escape the revenant hordes that could strike at any moment.
This village was no different.
The roads were thick with dust, untouched by human feet for ages. Houses lined both sides of the streets, but there was no sign of life. It was as eerie as a ghost town.
Following the main road through the village center led him to the government office.
The office, where an imperial appointee collected taxes and maintained order, stood abandoned. Not a single guard patrolled the grounds. The front gate was smashed open, hanging crookedly.
Had rumors of an approaching revenant horde spread here?
True or false, it didn't matter. Once the whispers started, people—and even officials—panicked and fled into the night.
This was the reality of the Central Plains.
Yet inside the gate, dozens of people had gathered.
Seo Baek stepped through and entered.
The crowd split into two groups: about a dozen martial artists with swords or spears at their waists, and the rest ordinary folk who knew no martial arts.
The martial artists had formed a loose circle in front of the main office building, acting as if they owned the empty office.
They were from the Yi Hyeol Bang, a black path faction.
Calling them a faction was generous; before the revenants rampaged, they were bandits living off robbery. With officials and soldiers gone, they'd come down from the mountains to lord over the village.
Those who hadn't escaped had no choice but to obey the Yi Hyeol Bang's orders.
Resistance meant death.
Their leader, Jin Seok Pyeong, was a broad dao master with a diagonal scar across his face that gave him a savage look.
He bellowed at the crowd from his arrogant perch on a chair.
"We need to root out anyone infected by the revenants—line up, now!"
At Jin Seok Pyeong's bark, the people shuffled into a single file before him.
Bites from revenants caused infection. The infected turned into revenants and attacked the living. Once one appeared, they spread uncontrollably.
No place in the Central Plains was safe anymore.
For those without martial skills to flee, relying on martial artists was essential.
A small group might slip through revenant territory with good lightness skill, but only elite martial artists could manage that.
What chance did lifelong civilians have against a revenant horde?
In the end, the people meekly followed Jin Seok Pyeong's commands, hoping the Yi Hyeol Bang would clear a path to safety.
Even if they were bandits...
Seo Baek observed the scene at the office, his mind turning.
To reach the Central Plains from Shika Manor, crossing Hanzhong was the shortest route.
But Hanzhong was likely overrun, crawling with revenants—the same horde that had hit Shika Manor.
That left detouring through Sichuan, a long loop over layered mountain ranges. It would take over a month alone.
I'll travel with others from here on.
Seo Baek approached one of the Yi Hyeol Bang underlings nearby.
"If I line up, can I join your group on the road?"
"Yeah. If you don't wanna end up revenant chow, stick with us."
"It's a long way, so I suppose I will."
"Where you from?"
"I came via Mian Yang after descending the mountain."
Mian Yang was a decent-sized city north of the village.
"Mian Yang? You crossed it alone?"
"Yes."
The underling blinked in confusion, then burst out laughing.
"Hahaha, don't make me laugh! I passed through a few days ago—it was a total revenant fest. You must've panicked and mixed up villages."
But even as the man mocked him, Seo Baek nodded calmly.
"You're right. It'd been overrun for a while—no living souls left."
"..."
Seo Baek's nonchalant reply left the underling deflated. He eyed the boy up and down with a sour glare.
Sixteen at most.
The boy looked even younger than that, travel-worn and ragged.
But his outfit was strange.
"What's with the wraps on your wrists and ankles?"
"Beast-hide leggings and gaiters."
"Leggings and gaiters? Won't help much against the cold anyway, so why bother..."
The underling's gaze shifted to Seo Baek's back, and his words died. He'd overlooked it at first due to the size, but strapped there was unmistakably a sword.
Blade and hilt together, it was at least seven feet long.
The blade alone was wider than an adult's palm.
Excluding the sharp tip and double edges, it could pass for a horse-slaying sword.
"That sword on your back ain't yours, right?"
"It is."
"You're hilarious. If that's yours, then mine's Guan Yu's seventy-two catty Green Dragon Crescent Blade!"
The underling laughed again.
He figured the kid had stolen it amid the chaos.
"Offer it to the boss. Beg nice, and he'll let you join the caravan."
Seo Baek's eyes narrowed.
They're collecting tribute.
He was right.
The Yi Hyeol Bang was extorting gold, valuables, and metal from the refugees under the guise of protection. They'd hit three villages already—profits were rolling in.
"My master gave me this sword. I can't give it away."
"Oh, yeah?"
The underling snorted derisively.
"Everyone says that. 'Family heirloom,' 'prized weapon,' blah blah. Know what happens? They kneel before the boss, begging to join if he spares 'em. Offer anything."
"I see."
With nothing more to say, Seo Baek turned and strode to the end of the line.
The underling nodded to his comrades, pointing at Seo Baek.
"Hear that? Sword from his master."
"Martial world types are all the same—melt it down, it's just scrap metal, but they cling like it's treasure."
"Go easy. Kid's young; revenants probably broke his mind. Wrapped his wrists and ankles in hide to fend off the chill!"
"Hahaha!"
The Yi Hyeol Bang crew roared with laughter, a rare hearty one.
But one among them watched Seo Baek with a serious gaze, no mirth in his eyes.
The bushy-bearded middle-aged man was Wang Yi Sam.
He wasn't Yi Hyeol Bang or a villager.
A few days ago, he'd stopped by the village by chance and was about to leave when they showed up.
Wang Yi Sam was a sword-for-hire, renting out his skills for pay.
A rootless mercenary wandering the land.
With revenants everywhere, he'd traversed the Central Plains far and wide.
He knew them well.
As the Yi Hyeol Bang mocked the boy, Wang Yi Sam mocked them.
The kid's crazy? What nonsense.
Wrists and ankles were prime bite spots.
Revenants didn't die easily from neck chops. Swinging at relentless ones often led to wrist bites.
Wang Yi Sam had seen ankles chomped by "dead" revenants crawling back.
That's thorough revenant gear.
A boy not even in his twenties knowing so much about revenants was impressive.
His deep blue windbreaker robe had beast hide reinforcing the nape.
The neck—the easiest target!
Especially against hordes. Even Jin Seok Pyeong wrapped his in thick cloth.
Judging the leader by his men? The grunts here are worse than the boss.
In this revenant hell, who would outlast whom—the boy or the Yi Hyeol Bang?
If I bet coin, it's the boy.
Wang Yi Sam thought so.
Even he found the massive sword on the boy's back odd.
Revenants were faster than expected. A heavy greatsword invited encirclement by hordes.
Better trade it to them and join the group.
A useless sword was worth less than one's life.
He wondered what choice the boy would make.
Meanwhile, Seo Baek waited in line for his turn.
Jin Seok Pyeong continued berating the crowd from his haughty seat.
"Next! No time to waste!"
A corpulent man with long whiskers on chin and lip stepped forward, opening his pouch to reveal twenty silver taels.
"In these times, helping folks makes Yi Hyeol Bang true heroes. It's not much, but please take these."
Handing over twenty taels so readily, he seemed one of the village's wealthier sorts.
But Jin Seok Pyeong snorted.
"Hmph. Double it, and maybe."
"Forty?"
The rich man faltered.
"Don't want to? Fine."
"I don't have that much."
"Don't? Guess silver's worth more than your life."
After hesitating, the man steeled himself.
"Fine. Forty it is."
"On second thought, forty won't cut it. Eighty, and you're in."
"What? You said forty!"
"Knew it. You folded quick—means you've got more stashed. Hundred, maybe?"
"...!"
The rich man's jaw dropped, pierced clean.
"Want our help? Hand over every last tael."
"Th-that's..."
"Revenants'll make your silver worthless anyway. No? Beat it."
Face ashen, the man nodded weakly after a silence.
"Fine..."
"Everyone see that? Don't get greedy in front of Yi Hyeol Bang!"
Jin Seok Pyeong crowed triumphantly as the rich man slunk back into the crowd, head bowed.
Seo Baek watched quietly.
"Next!"
This time, a young woman supported an ailing grandmother as they approached.
Jin Seok Pyeong scowled at the ragged pair.
"What're you offering?"
"Our parents are gone—just me and Granny. We have nothing, but please..."
"Nothing? Not a single coin?"
"Yes."
As she nodded, Jin Seok Pyeong's face twisted openly in disgust.
"What's that wound?"
He pointed to the bloodstain on her shoulder. Her clothes were splattered everywhere.
"Fled a revenant, tumbled down a hill..."
"Not a bite?"
"No! Never bitten."
She startled at his grilling.
"Believe you? Strip."
"Pardon?"
"Deaf? Gotta check for bites."
"Here... now...?"
"Want in knowing you might be bitten? Who takes responsibility if you turn?"
The crowd's eyes chilled.
Harsh, but reality. Tales abounded of accepting bitten folk, dooming whole groups.
Unable to bear the cold stares, she began undressing.
"Keep the undies on, heh heh."
Jin Seok Pyeong grinned lewdly. His men snickered, ogling her.
Her snow-white skin emerged, bloodied but bite-free.
"Seems clean."
"Thank you..."
"You only. Not the hag—looks ready to croak anyway."
"I can't leave her!"
"Don't wanna hear it. Next!"
He waved her off irritably.
Then, unexpectedly, she lunged, clutching his robe.
"Leader! Mercy, please!"
"Let go, wench!"
He shoved her away.
Her grip tore his top, unraveling the cloth from his neck.
"You bitch...! Toss 'em both out—the wench and the hag!"
"Yes, sir!"
Underlings dragged the sobbing woman and grandmother outside.
Jin Seok Pyeong rewound the cloth around his neck, glaring fiercely. The crowd averted their eyes.
Seo Baek watched with an expressionless gaze.
"Next!"
It was Seo Baek's turn.
The boy, barely out of boyhood, stepped forward. Jin Seok Pyeong scanned him top to bottom, surprised.
"What're you offering?"
"What would you like?"
Seo Baek's low voice somehow echoed through every corner of the office.
Jin Seok Pyeong, scowling, spotted the sword on his back and widened his eyes.
"Ho, that's yours?"
"Yes."
"Give it up, you're in."
But Seo Baek shook his head.
"I refuse."
"What?"
"My master gave it to me. Can't give it away."
"..."
Stunned, Jin Seok Pyeong stared, then laughed.
"Ha! Master's gift, huh? Fine. Roll around and die alone—your funeral, hahaha!"
But Seo Baek didn't turn away. He stood until the laughter faded.
"What? Done? Scram!"
"Still business left."
"Such a pain, you..."
Jin Seok Pyeong never finished.
Fwip. Whoooosh.
A streak of light flashed, a gale whipping hair across faces.
Confused at first, the crowd soon gasped in horror.
Seo Baek had severed Jin Seok Pyeong's head with one stroke.