Chapter 170: Three Major Factions
Chapter 170: Three Major Factions
Demar wanted to keep laughing, but when he saw Fang Jing’s increasingly cold gaze, his laughter died in his throat.
Just being stared at by Fang Jing made his mind replay how he had been crushed and dominated by the other.
Uncontrollably, a trace of fear emerged in his heart.
Yes, even as a monster like a Corpse Hound, he couldn’t help feeling fear toward this man.
“Tell me the information about ‘Jawtooth Mark’…”
“Why should I honestly…”
His tone quickly stopped, because he noticed Fang Jing starting to clench his fist.
“No problem, I will honestly explain everything.”
Demar swiftly changed his tune. He found he truly couldn’t hold his head up before this man, and could only relay the information truthfully to Fang Jing.
According to him, the Corpse Hound Nocturnal Race was currently divided domestically into three factions: the “Oblique Tooth,” “Phantom Jaw,” and “Wild Fang” factions. Each was the most prestigious among Corpse Hounds, inheriting the bloodline of ancient species.
“The three major factions are the core of the Corpse Hound race. Among the Corpse Hound clans, the purer the inherited blood, the more powerful they are; the ones with the purest bloodline in each faction are regarded as ‘King’s Nightmare.’ Their identity is as leaders of the clan; while some Corpse Hounds with weaker bloodlines, if they live long enough, can also trace back their bloodline and improve in power, these are the ‘Elders.’”
The Elders and King’s Nightmare formed the core of the Corpse Hound clans. Many King’s Nightmares in the Corpse Hound clans were selected and cultivated by the Elders, and the Elders also assisted the King’s Nightmare. The “Oblique Tooth,” “Phantom Jaw,” and “Wild Fang” each had their own Elder councils.
Hearing Demar talk up to this point, Fang Jing’s mind also began to turn.
…Right, Corpse Hounds create new offspring through transformation rituals. Now that he thought about it, Brown Glasses had tried to persuade him before.
But for Fang Jing, this was something impossible to accept.
Just the fact that they had to eat human flesh to survive was something he couldn’t agree with, not to mention clear threats like the Fang Hunters and Exorcism Blade.
“You, you’re probably not a descendant of the three major factions, right?”
He then thought of Demar’s identity and asked another question.
“Correct. Aside from the three major factions, there are also some sub-factions, essentially split-offs from the three major factions. I am one of them, but the King’s Nightmare of my sub-faction was eliminated in the last great war.”
Demar said that he hadn’t been a Corpse Hound for long, only about twenty years.
About forty years ago, a great war occurred. The Fang Hunters attacked a stronghold of the three major factions, causing severe losses to them. Later, there were continuous battles that wiped out many clans.
Although “Oblique Tooth,” “Phantom Jaw,” and “Wild Fang” were hurt badly, they weren’t completely wiped out. After the last great war ended, the survivors chose to disperse, some fleeing overseas, some hiding in remote mountains and forests, lying low and waiting for an opportunity.
Twenty years later, these three major factions gradually recovered, their power slowly rebuilding and growing stronger.
“The Phantom Jaw faction is quite powerful. They have some brutal rules, for instance, killing all enemies; as long as someone opposes them, they will eliminate the enemy root and branch—”
“That sounds rather reasonable, doesn’t it?”
Fang Jing wasn’t too moved. Since they were dealing with enemies, thinking that way didn’t seem unreasonable.
“Well, their idea is this: if they encounter two enemies, they should kill both, and absolutely not let even one escape. Simply killing the opponents is far from enough. Doing that only leaves behind hatred, resentment, and loathing. If two people are your enemies, you should kill twenty, thirty; if ten people are your enemies, you should kill a hundred. They aim to eliminate everything that could pose a threat to the clan, anything that could become dangerous!”
Demar continued explaining: “Simply put, as long as you become an enemy of the Phantom Jaw faction, they will specifically target and kill everyone around you. In the past, the Phantom Jaw faction, to avenge one Fang Hunter, brutally massacred an entire town’s population. The Phantom Jaw faction, even among the three major factions, is truly, utterly insane…”
Corpse Hounds are a Nocturnal Species, demons, monsters, also mad alien beasts. But even from the perspective of the Corpse Hound race, the Phantom Jaw faction is an exceptionally abnormal group.
“Jawtooth Mark is considered a unique ability of the Phantom Jaw faction. They can pass the mark through blood onto the enemy who killed them. The ‘Jawtooth Mark’ planted on a foe forms a pattern on the neck. At the same time, this enemy emits a scent that only Corpse Hounds can detect!”
Hearing this, Fang Jing understood the trouble with this “Jawtooth Mark.”
“So, any Corpse Hound within a three-kilometer radius of me could smell my scent and determine I’m an enemy.”
“Exactly. This mark lets ordinary Corpse Hounds know a Fang Hunter’s location. At the same time, if it’s a Corpse Hound from the Phantom Jaw faction, they would keenly realize it’s their own enemy.”
Corpse Hounds have an exceptionally strong sense of smell and can detect scents that humans can’t perceive. Jawtooth Mark generates this special odor. This smell cannot be removed, and only Corpse Hounds are aware of it.
“Alright, so regarding this ‘Jawtooth Mark,’ is there any way to remove it…”
Fang Jing realized that having this mark on him brought no benefit, only added trouble.
This meant he practically had to find a remote island to hide on. Otherwise, whenever he went out, he could expose his “condition” and become the prime target in the eyes of Corpse Hounds.
Jawtooth Mark should be removable; otherwise, those Fang Hunters wouldn’t be able to hunt Corpse Hounds. Just by moving around, Corpse Hounds would be able to sense their location, making such secretive hunting operations impossible.
“Well… Jawtooth Mark cannot be removed by conventional methods.”
Demar became hesitant, holding back.
Fang Jing quietly added: “Alright, don’t try any tricks. Fang Hunters have been fighting you all along. If Jawtooth Mark couldn’t be removed, the Fang Hunters would be completely finished. There must be some way to remove it!”
“Yes, yes… I didn’t say it couldn’t be removed, just that conventional methods don’t work.”
Demar made a bitter face and continued: “I don’t know about the Fang Hunters’ situation, but the simplest method is for the Fang Hunter marked with ‘Jawtooth Mark’ to retire, leave the front lines. Also, they probably know some strange rituals and spells that can mask the ‘scent’… However, I don’t think the Fang Hunters have a way to completely remove ‘Jawtooth Mark.’ Even if the Fang Hunter Organization has the capability, they probably have to pay a certain price.”
“Cannot be removed by conventional methods… meaning some unconventional means can be used?”
Fang Jing’s tone shifted as he asked this.
Demar felt Fang Jing’s expression change and a chill ran through his body, his hairs standing on end.
“Yes.”
This was intense killing intent. Demar honestly lowered his head.
“Currently, the only method I know is to find the Phantom Jaw faction’s ‘Clan Heir.’ Only by hunting the Clan Heir, taking the blood from his heart, and drinking it can you remove ‘Jawtooth Mark.’ However, this method is far too difficult.”
“‘Clan Heir,’ what does that mean? Explain in detail.”
“Clan Heir refers to the descendant within a faction who receives focused cultivation. They generally have a high potential to become ‘King’s Nightmare’…”
Demar showed a helpless bitter smile.
“Clan Heirs who qualify to be the next King’s Nightmare are never too weak. Even the Fang Hunter Organization would need to deploy three or more Named Weapons to possibly kill them.”
Fang Jing naturally knew this was important information.
“In the past, have you encountered a Fang Hunter with the ‘Jawtooth Mark’ scent?”
“No… I stayed abroad all along, only recently summoned to this country…”
Fang Jing asked several more questions in succession. Through these inquiries, some ideas formed in his mind. So, without wasting words, he extended a finger and, in an instant, touched Demar’s forehead. Then, black blood flowed from Demar’s nostrils, and the brain inside his skull was shattered by the penetrating force, causing him to die once again.
When performing this finger strike, Fang Jing also injected a large amount of Cadaveric Toxin.
However, Cadaveric Toxin only suppresses the Corpse Hound’s regeneration speed; it doesn’t truly kill them.
“First, collect some samples from this Corpse Hound, take them to a lab with equipment for examination.”
He wanted to understand “Corpse Hounds” from every angle, to know their nature and weaknesses.
Demar was indeed a precious specimen for him at the moment.
After sampling, he stuffed Demar back into the coffin, then ordered his subordinates to throw the coffin into a reservoir pit, and fill it with transported debris, burying Demar and the coffin alive in a five-meter deep pit.
The weight of the soil layer was something Demar couldn’t resist. Moreover, he had no way to dig a passage to the outside.
Sealing the Corpse Hound in such an environment would render even its regenerative ability useless.
When needed, he could dig him out; when not needed, bury him in the soil. This was a very simple and direct method of imprisonment.
Perhaps there were better “methods” to confine this Corpse Hound, but for now, this method required the least effort.
“The Phantom Jaw faction, huh?”
Demar had shared a lot of important information. Fang Jing needed some time to sort out his thoughts.
Through this information, he also gained a certain intuitive understanding of the Fang Hunter Organization and the three major factions of Corpse Hounds.
Corpse Hounds have the three major factions at the top, and there are many scattered sub-factions that split off from the “Oblique Tooth,” “Phantom Jaw,” and “Wild Fang” factions.
The most powerful trait of Corpse Hounds is that they can disguise themselves as humans.
Only “Fang Hunters” can recognize the difference between Corpse Hounds and humans. Ordinary people lack this ability; even instruments and equipment can’t distinguish them.
“If it were an ordinary person like me, unless they actively release hostility or show high-speed regeneration in battle, I wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between them and normal people…”
The enemy was hidden while he was exposed. This was quite troublesome.
His side was essentially in a hostile position against the Phantom Jaw faction among the Corpse Hounds.
As long as the “Jawtooth Mark” was exposed, nine times out of ten he would face pursuit and attacks from the Phantom Jaw and Corpse Hound factions.
“The problem is… I’m not a Fang Hunter either; I don’t have a Corpse Hunt hunting organization backing me up.”
Local small gangs like the Sunao-gumi and Iwamoto Group were completely unqualified to get involved in the predicament he faced. Even a slight misstep could drag them into danger, crushed to dust.
“No matter what, the most important thing for me now is to find a way to remove ‘Jawtooth Mark.’”
Earlier, Fang Jing had gotten a very important piece of information from Demar.
Recently, the three major factions would launch a raid on one of the Fang Hunter Organization’s research institutes.
And in this raid, there might very well appear Corpse Hounds of “Clan Heir” level.