C18 Human Ye Kong must Die

The village chief was seething with rage.

His stature was mountainous, his speed, gale-like.

He launched a punch.

The wind arrived even before the fist.

Yong Yue felt an immense pressure bearing down on him.

At the moment the fist made contact with the protective barrier, there was a sharp crack.

Yong Yue was sent flying, blue blood spraying from his mouth.

His face registered utter disbelief. "How can this be? This barrier was personally fortified by the Night King himself."

"Hmph, I might give the Night King a moment's pause, but to think his hastily cast barrier could stop me?"

The village chief swung his fist, pounding his chest.

As the crowd watched in astonishment, he grew even taller.

He soared to a staggering height of 500 meters.

With one stomp, a heap of ghouls lay dead.

"Chief, you catch the ringleader before the bandits. Take out that boastful dog doing all the talking, and the rest of the Darkling Spectres will fall easily."

"Sound advice."

The village chief grinned at Ye Kong, then quickly closed in on the Monarch of Yong Yue once more.

His fists moved like the wind, unleashing over a hundred punches in the blink of an eye.

A veritable hurricane swept through the Great Wall region.

Among the many onlookers, only a few veterans could keep up with the action.

From a distance, Fish marveled, "Such a formidable giant, such a formidable punch."

"No, it wasn't just one punch, but dozens," observed Yin Shisan, discerning the multitude of strikes.

Ming Yu's heart pounded with shock. "One hundred and eight punches in an instant, incredible."

Elder Chen dabbed the blood from his lips, whispering, "Three hundred and sixty Sky Opening Fists. The mark of a true master."

The Eternal Moon Monarch's chest had collapsed under the onslaught.

It was then he recognized the vast gulf between them.

With a voice tinged with a shiver of fear, he asked, "Are you the guardian clan's king of this era?"

"You're not entirely without insight."

"How could you possibly have left the Giant Valley?"

His blue eyes suddenly blazed with a purple glow.

Memories flickered before him.

After a moment, he cast a profound look towards Ye Kong, perched on Bardieg's shoulder.

His voice was as cold as millennia-old ice, "It's you, you're the one who unleashed the Giants. You're looking for death."

Ye Kong felt a shiver run through his entire body, a chilling sensation piercing his soul.

"Enough with the noise." The village chief delivered a resounding slap across Yong Yue's face.

"Scram, or you'll be staying here for good."

Yong Yue cast a reluctant glance at the crumbling city walls.

He had longed to lead his army south, where, he heard, countless humans awaited his command.

But he recognized the tide had turned.

He was no match for the Giant King; combat was not his forte, strategy was.

In the hierarchy of the 18 Monarchs serving under the Eternal Night Monarch, his martial prowess was near the bottom.

And with the Giants' cadre of formidable experts on alert, he knew it was time to leave.

"Hey, don't run off. If you're brave enough, stay and face me one-on-one," Bardieg bellowed, egged on by Ye Kong.

Yong Yue, his body slowly reassembling from being crushed, paid Bardieg no heed.

With a flick of his sword towards the heavens, Ye Kong's image hovered aloft.

A chilling voice declared, "Human Ye Kong, you are marked for death! Whoever slays him shall have free passage through the Northern Kingdom, and the Darkling Spectre shall part ways."

Damn it, Bardieg challenged you to a duel, why are you after me?

Ye Kong was at a loss for words.

"Retreat."

Yong Yue spurred his steed and sped off.

With that single command, all the Darkling Spectre withdrew.

Even the mindless ghouls quietly vacated the Great Wall.

There was no pursuit, no clamor.

Silence reigned over the Great Wall.

Then, suddenly, a fierce cheer erupted.

"They've pulled back, the Darkling Spectre are gone, the Great Wall stands!"

Those who survived were ecstatic, jumping for joy.

Zhang Guang, the commander of Black Castle, gazed up at the portrait in the sky.

He snapped a crisp military salute.

"Though I'm not sure what transpired, it must have been you who saved us, who saved the Great Wall."

In Ice Scar City, an officer watched the ghoul army recede like the ebbing tide.

He pondered aloud, "Ye Kong, who is he, really?"

An elder with an oak shield stared at the image above and murmured softly, "Could you be the next Divine King?"

Deep Lake Residence.

Following the triumph at Long Night Castle, the vast expanse of the Great Wall, stretching for thousands of miles, was finally free from the Darkling Spectre army. All that remained was the image hanging in the sky and a chilling proclamation echoing along the wall: "Human Ye Kong must be slain! Grant passage through the Northern Kingdom to his killer, and the Darkling Spectres will yield the way."

At Long Night Castle, the Darkling Spectres had departed, and the ghouls had withdrawn. Yet, the soldiers manning the walls were still deeply troubled. Across from them loomed a towering group of giants. Surely, they wouldn't also lay siege to the city?

Amidst the growing unease, a giant bellowed, "Old drunkard, where do you think you're running off to?" The old drunkard, who had just led Yvran beyond the Great Wall, turned around in alarm. The Village Chief's stern warning followed, "Take one more step, and I'll lead my men to raze the Great Wall to the ground." Frightened, the old drunkard hastily retracted his foot.

Under normal circumstances, the Great Wall might hold them off for a bit. But now, if the giants were to attack, the city's fall was certain. He would be blamed a thousandfold and, more crucially, escape would be impossible.

As the Village Chief's words hung in the air, the people who had just relaxed were once again gripped by anxiety. What to do now? The giants seemed poised to assault the Great Wall. Could it still be defended?

Ming Yu gestured, dispatching someone to intercept the old drunkard. His mind raced with a singular focus: they must not provoke the Giants at this critical juncture.

The tension was palpable, with both sides on the brink of conflict. Then, Ye Kong approached the city gate with a hearty laugh. "Relax, everyone. The Giants have come to aid us, not to attack," he assured them.

"Are you Ye Kong?" Ming Yu stepped forward to greet him at the gate.

"I am Ye Kong, Number 66 of the Death Squad, leading the Giants' army to the Great Wall's aid," Ye Kong declared, his voice resonant.

Upon realizing they were indeed saviors, Ming Yu couldn't contain his excitement and embraced Ye Kong. Elder Chen, weary from the ordeal, whispered to Ming Yu, "Whatever their terms may be, meet them. We cannot afford to incite the wrath of the Giants."

Ming Yu nodded with a smile that bloomed like a flower. "Brother Ye, you've put in tremendous effort this time. Is there anything in particular you need from us?"

"First things first, bring over the old drunkard! I've got some matters to discuss with him."

"Sure thing, he'll be here shortly." Ming Yu's sincerity was evident. "May I ask if the Giants have given any instructions?"

"We'll discuss that after my chat with the old drunkard, if that's okay with you?" Ye Kong replied with a smile.

"Of course."

Ming Yu arranged a room and assigned several people to guard Ye Kong.

"You should attend to your own affairs first. The war's just ended, and there's a heap of matters awaiting your attention!"

"Thanks for understanding." With that, Ming Yu departed.

Before long, the old drunkard was brought in.

Ye Kong chuckled, "Old drunkard, it's been a while."

"Not that long, just a month. Left the Great Wall on the 15th of August, back by the 15th of September. You sure have a knack for survival."

"I owe it to your good fortune."

"No, it's Brother Ye's boundless luck."

After exchanging a round of compliments, Ye Kong leaned in closer to the old drunkard.

"You never thought I'd make it back alive, did you?"

"Right." The old drunkard's response was crisp and clear.

"Why? You were certain I'd reach the Giant's Valley, yet you doubted my return?"

The old drunkard took his time, savoring a sip of his drink before answering.

"You've brought back quite a haul of obsidian and Valyrian steel, haven't you?"

"Mhm."

"Are you aware that in the North, those items are akin to ticking bombs?"

"What!" Ye Kong stood up, startled.

"Easy now, you're here in one piece, aren't you? Obsidian and Valyrian steel are lethal to Darkling Spectres, and they're particularly attuned to their presence. Even stashed away in a storage bag, they'd sniff them out. That's why I was certain you wouldn't make it back alive."

"So how come you always manage to return unscathed?"

The old drunkard grinned, "I'm just different."