Chapter 128

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

Chapter 128: Siege Warfare (3)

‘T-That…’

Wei covered his mouth.

The metallic scent rising from the blood soaking his body made his head spin.

‘…I need to run.’

Thanks to hiding among the corpses, he had not been discovered yet.

But it was only a matter of time.

Even knowing that, Wei's legs trembled too much for him to walk or even crawl away.

This battle was fiercer than anything he had ever witnessed.

Sun Ming had been the strongest warrior raised by the Party, yet even he was no match for him.

If only he hadn’t started with a missing right arm.

Would it have been different?

‘…No.’

Even in meaningless speculation, there was no hope.

The boy was not naïve enough to cling to baseless optimism.

His sharp eyes were not foolish enough to ignore the overwhelming evidence of defeat.

‘There’s actually someone stronger than Sun Ming…?’

Unlike Sun Ming, who was desperately gathering his last remnants of strength with bloodshot eyes, Lee Eunho's gaze remained unwavering.

A man who created a blazing inferno yet walked through it as if treading a calm stream.

Once the fight ended, he would come for him.

Would he kill him?

Of course, he would.

Wei trembled violently at the thought.

【The "Divine Move" of the External Cooperation Bureau sympathizes with the suffering of the wretched soul.】

【The "Gambler of the Investigation Bureau" wishes for one last move.】

It reminded him of the day he first joined Public Security...

No, this was worse—far worse.

He had always played the board when told, placed the stones when commanded.

‘I hate this. I’m done!’

Clatter!

He reached into a translucent case and pulled out an equally translucent Go stone.

Hiding among blood-soaked corpses.

Slide—

He placed a black stone in the center of the territory he had built.

A notification immediately appeared.

[Would you like to end the game?]

A game, huh?

A game without an opponent.

This was the end.

【Many observers refuse to accept "Wei’s" defeat.】

【They insist that the endgame has yet to be played!】

【1,000 welfare points donated!】

"…Are you all idiots? It’s a molpan (no chance of winning)!"

No matter where he looked, the remaining Chinese were either dead, dying, or about to die.

An overwhelming victory for the other side.

A molpan.

So—

Tock!*

Wei placed the final stone with a relieved heart.

[Go Player "Wei" resigns by uncounted loss.]

[Ending the game.]

Flash!

The Go board and stones disappeared like a mirage.

‘Haa…’

He took a deep breath and began to crawl.

Taking advantage of the distraction caused by the intense battle.

‘If I can just make it to the stairs! Please…!’

His elbows and knees ached from crawling along the rough ground.

His palms felt like sharp stones were embedded in them.

Suppressing the urge to cry, he finally reached the wooden staircase.

Creak.

The worn wooden stairs let out a creaking sound.

‘D-Did someone hear that?’

Thud!

Panicking, Wei stumbled backward and fell on his rear.

Then—

"Hic!"

He trembled violently in fear.

He was done for.

Someone must have heard him.

What should he do? What should he do? He was terrified!

"S-Save me! Please, save—"

As he shut his eyes tight, begging for his life—

Shff!

A tiny hand suddenly reached out toward him.

"…Huh?!"

Wei’s eyes widened.

A girl had appeared out of nowhere in the empty air.

[You have entered "Kim Yura’s" Hide-and-Seek Domain.]

"W-Who are you?!"

"Me? Kim Yral! Five years old!"

"?!?"

Hic!

Startled, Wei hiccupped.

The little girl stared at him curiously and tilted her head.

"Are you crying?"

"W-Who’s crying? I’m not crying!"

Wei shook his head, thinking she was a strange child.

"Really?"

She blinked her large eyes before peeking out again.

"Hmm…."

Then, she leaned in and asked once more.

"Then why are you crying?"

"I—I told you, I’m not!"

"Really?"

…She was truly a strange one.

* * *

A tiger leaves its skin when it dies, a person leaves their name, and a swordsman leaves their blade.

‘Why is there so much of it?’

I stared at the fallen body of the escort warrior, who had left behind not only many thoughts but also an overwhelming number of messages.

Then—

Swipe.

I gently closed the warrior’s bloodshot eyes.

At that moment, hurried footsteps approached.

"Eunho!"

"Y-Young man! Are you alright?!"

My companions rushed over, their battles finally finished.

All of them were battered and bloodied.

Even after just a few steps, they were gasping for breath.

"What about Wei? Have you found him?"

"No… We searched everywhere, but he’s gone. Did he escape?"

The Only Silver Lining.

──── ────

ㆍRecipient: Lee Eunho

ㆍSender: Yeon Bora

ㆍOppa! The siege match is over! We'll try to hold off the other guys as much as possible. Looks like they're Americans, but too—

──── ────

The siege from the opposing country that had been targeting our castle had ended.

…Though other nations were still around.

"Is it over?"

"Yes! For now… no one is attacking anymore."

"Good. Then, everyone, come this way."

"Yes!"

Flash—!

A massive magic circle, filled with countless symbols, unreadable letters, and lines tangled at different angles, radiated a pure blue light.

In an instant, the entire top floor of the central tower was engulfed in brilliant light.

And then—

[Congratulations!]

[ROK region has acquired a new castle!]

[Check your merit points!]

A cheerful announcement rang out, declaring the change of castle ownership.

Flap!

The flag at the top of the central tower was replaced.

【Attacking Side - ROK】

【Defending Side - CN】

【Successful Siege!】

A blue notification screen appeared before everyone inside the castle.

"It's over…"

"Is everyone alright?"

"Phew… I never thought we'd end up fighting like this."

"I didn't expect them to charge in like maniacs either."

Everyone was exhausted.

Even the guard, finally relaxing his tension, staggered slightly.

But it seemed too early to fully let their guard down.

Uwoooooooh—!

The roar of a crowd echoed from beyond the shattered windows.

"People are coming!"

"They're Chinese!"

They had lost their castle with their eyes wide open—of course, they'd come rushing in, eyes burning with fury.

It was a predictable danger.

Which is why—

"Jieun!"

"I'm on it!"

We had prepared in advance.

Tap! Tap!

Jieun, who had slipped out through the blasted wall, ignited the fuse she had secretly attached to the lower part of the central tower.

Fwoosh—!

The spark raced along the long fuse, reaching its destination.

Boom—!

An explosion erupted.

…No, a chain of explosions.

Kuwaaang—!

The bombs surrounding the central tower went off one after another.

"W-What?! When did they set bombs…?!"

"Kyaaaaaa!"

The invaders, who had been charging in full force, froze in place.

Seeing their hesitation, Jieun stopped her hand.

The dazzling explosions had intimidated them.

No one wanted to charge into an area where they could be blown up at any moment.

Our bluff had worked perfectly.

"Young man! The threat worked!"

"They've stopped, boss!"

They had indeed stopped.

However—

"Is that it? Damn, are we really okay with this?"

"Of course not."

We were not okay.

"The real defense battle starts now."

Because the roles of attackers and defenders had switched.

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

* * *

Boom—!

[The castle gate has been destroyed!]

[You have failed to earn defense points.]

The castle gate, which had held on for so long, finally collapsed.

Screams, indistinguishable from friend or foe, mixed with a cloud of dust.

"Bora! Ladders are up on the south wall! What should we do?!"

"We're out of things to throw! Can’t you use your ability to bring in more rocks or boulders?"

"Bora! Help me here! They're breaking through!"

The wall defense team was barely hanging on, and their leader, Yeon Bora, was already half out of her mind.

"Bora!"

"Bora!"

"Bora-nim!"

'Ugh!'

Her name was being called endlessly, making her want to cry.

She had never imagined that leading so many people in battle would be this hard.

"Hey! Yeon Bora, stop! You're gonna collapse!"

"I'm fine. It's okay."

"Damn it, your nose is bleeding!"

"…I’ll just drink a stamina potion."

Though people tried to stop her, Bora couldn't afford to rest.

'Oppa entrusted this to me. I have to do it!'

She gritted her teeth and shouted,

"Five people from the east wall, go support the south! I'll head to the west!"

Meanwhile, the situation at the castle gate was even worse.

Bang—!

"Kyaaaah! T-They have guns! I got shot!"

"C-Captain! Gaaahhh!"

"M-My leg…! It's trapped…!"

Desperate cries for help came from all around.

Even Bora, standing atop the castle walls, felt her head pounding.

For Park Gongchan, leading the gate defense, it must have been overwhelming.

Yet, the national representatives showed no hesitation.

"They don’t have many bullets. Ranged fighters! Take out the ones with guns first! Wounded, over here! Get treated first!"

"Urgh…!"

"The rest of you, stay alert and hold the front! We can still hold!"

"Yes!"

"Not a single ant gets through!"

They were practically blocking the shattered castle gate with their own bodies.

It was like trying to plug a broken jar with their bare hands— a desperate tug-of-war.

"One slipped through!"

Sometimes, a few enemies managed to break through.

Like water slipping through fingers.

"Shoot!"

Ta-at! Puhwaak!

Every time, Park Gongchan would hurl rocks to fend off the intruders…

"Explosion!"

"!!"

This time, it was impossible.

Whooosh—!

A massive glove covered the enemy's hand.

Sparks burst from the glove, followed by an immense surge of flames.

"A r-rocket punch!"

"Formation!"

The moment he identified the enemy, he immediately raised an earthen wall.

His intention was to block not only the oncoming projectile but also the entire body of the American hurtling towards them like a cannonball.

But—

"Quite the fascinating trick, I must say."

The enemy slowed down mid-air, raised his gloved hand, and brought the roaring flames in his palm close to the wall before shouting:

"Explosion!"

Kwaang—!

"!!"

"Careful… Kyaaaaah!!"

The explosion was so powerful that even the people standing on the ramparts staggered.

There was no way an unreinforced wall of earth could withstand such destructive force.

Crumble, crumble, crumble—

The outer wall collapsed.

"Damn it…"

Along with the wall, the people's hopes and resolve crumbled.

"Should we… just give up?"

"We're all going to die at this rate!"

"I… I can't do this anymore… Even the student who's been healing everyone is about to collapse!"

"W-what if we just surrender the fortress and beg for our lives?"

Completely, utterly, despair set in.

'…Give up?'

Yeon Bora bit her lower lip.

'If only my oppa were here… No, if only I were as strong as him… It wouldn’t have come to this.'

Tears welled up in her eyes from frustration.

At that moment—

Whooosh—!

A cold wind blew.

Thud—!

The American, who had been relentlessly causing explosions and tearing down the walls, crashed into the ground, his face buried in the dirt.

"Yeon Bora! Are you okay?"

Lee Eunho.

He had returned.

"M-my glove! Who the hell did this?! Aaaaargh!!"

With the rocket puncher’s agonized screams—

"Oppa!!"

Overwhelming relief flooded her.

Her frustration had vanished, but rather than drying up, her tears overflowed even more.

"What the— why are you crying?"

"Hic… I thought you wouldn’t come back…!"

Pat!

Eunho’s large palm ruffled Bora’s bangs.

"You kept sending messages—how could I not come?"

"Messages…?"

──── ────

ㆍOppa! The big battle is over! We’ll hold them off as best as we can. Looks like they’re Americans, but there are too—

──── ────

"You just stopped at ‘they’re Americans, but there are too—’ That’s pretty worrying."

"Oh… I meant there are too many of them…."

"There’s a 50-character limit. Keep it short next time."

"…Okay."

Eunho said nothing more, but his face spoke for him.

A warm gaze that seemed to say, You did well.

At that look, all the tension that had been gripping her body from head to toe seemed to unravel.

And then—

‘Wait.’

She suddenly realized the situation.

"What about the Chinese fortress…? If both you and unnie are here… isn’t that dangerous?"

"It’s fine. I called some friends."

"Huh? Friends? What friends?"

Startled by his sudden words, she blinked at him in confusion, but Eunho simply continued as if it wasn’t important.

"More importantly… Bora, put up a wall."

At that, Yeon Bora lowered her head.

Like someone who had committed a crime.

"It’s useless… That blast or explosion skill of his will tear it down in one hit."

Just like before.

But Eunho, as if he didn’t care whether the wall got destroyed or not, urged her again.

"We’re not trying to stop them. Just do it."

"Huh?"

"We need a boundary."

Outside the fortress was barren wasteland.

A land closer to a desert than a grassy plain, an empty nothingness.

There was no need for a boundary line in such an area, unless he was planning some sort of land-grabbing contest.

Then—

"Summon."

Something round appeared in Eunho’s palm.

Fwoosh—!

A snow globe filled with sand instead of snow.

"T-that! The one from the induction ceremony… Is that it?!"

"Yeah, that one."

An item she had begged to see during the induction ceremony but hadn’t laid eyes on since.

‘If it’s that…!’

Her wide eyes met Eunho’s gaze, filled with certainty.

"We can definitely turn this around!"

Wiping away her remaining tears, Yeon Bora smiled brightly.

"Let’s finish this quickly. I’m tired."

"…Yes! Sounds good!"

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]