Chapter 502: The Cliché: Growing Soon After Collapsing (5) |
‘So what are you going to do, you pig?’
His thoughts are praiseworthy, but Park Deok-Gu wouldn’t be able to get anything done. I felt kind of bad for saying this, but even if he suddenly awakened, there was a high chance that the situation would remain unchanging.
If he were Legendary, he would be between mid and low Legendary, so there was no way he could fight a Semi-Mythic monster. He was capable of being a special meat shield, but I was extremely familiar with his limits.
I knew too well he wouldn’t be able to do anything beyond being a meatshield.
‘Stay out of it, Deok-Gu. That’s the answer to situations like this.’
It wasn’t just Park Deok-Gu. Right now, fighting Donovan’s army would be too much for everyone in the 17th base. If he were the only Semi-Mythic rank demon, then Cha Hee-Ra and a few others could stop him, but there were quite a few high-ranked hard-liner demons with him.
I sent a few soft-liners to Donovan’s army just in case, but I felt like those few soft-liners wouldn’t be enough. Right now, the best thing to do was to abandon the 17th base and retreat to reorganize the troops.
However, the problem was that the people in the 17th base looked like they didn’t want to retreat. The base had already received news that Donovan of the Four Heavenly Kings was going to attack them, so they were busy preparing for the upcoming siege.
‘I knew that they would do something like this, but I’m sure they also realized that they can’t be pushed back any further.’
Based on her personality, Lee Ji-Hye would probably choose a slower method to tackle all this. However, the golden time was running out, so Cha Hee-Ra definitely didn’t want to make the troops retreat from here.
‘All they have to do is to stop them…’
If they succeeded, then they would profit a lot.
The biggest profit would be vanquishing the depressing atmosphere of the base.
Unfortunately, it would be difficult to achieve that.
After all, Jung Ha-Yan and Kim Hyun-Sung weren’t in their right minds, and the morale of the troops was at its lowest.
The situation was different from when the Continental Union fought Donovan at the 41st, 42nd, and 43rd bases. To make things worse, Donovan was charging toward the base with quite a few powerful demons, so this was a nerve-wracking situation for them.
‘Why is this situation getting worse? Damn it…!’
I thought we were near the end, but the unchanging truth it seemed that one still couldn’t have their cake and eat them, too.
Seeing that there were several things on the line, this type of crisis was to be expected, but humans would always prefer the easiest method to achieve their goals.
I sighed. I couldn’t help but think that I had to start moving.
“I’m going to head toward the 17th base.”
- Will you be leading the troops yourself?
“No, that’s not… I just want to be ready for any unexpected situations. Please tell Mr. Donovan to slow down the march. Actually, tell him to turn back and come back here with the troops…” I ordered.
- We’ve warned him about doing things that are not in the script, but he decided to charge on his own. It looks like he turned off the communication line as well. All he said was that he was going to bring results…
‘Seriously, he’s trolling...’
Considering his current location, Donovan would arrive at our headquarters than at the 17th base. There were a few hours of travel time between Donovan’s army and my current location, but I wasn’t sure if Kim Hyun-Sung, Jung Ha-Yan, or even that pig would be safe in the interim.
I had told them that there were people that they shouldn’t kill, no matter what, but I wasn’t sure if that idiot Donovan actually memorized the list of people that I had told him.
‘Man, what is Kim Hyun-Sung doing? That dummy…’
If he got back up and took up his sword, then I wouldn’t be able to guarantee what would happen next.
Time was running out…
I thought about infiltrating the 17th base as Bitch Ki-Yeon and giving him a few knuckle sandwiches as treatment, but I had no idea how to get my hands on a fairy, and there was no way I could infiltrate the 17th base.
I thought hard and long about it, but physically, it was an impossible task.
I spoke urgently, and a demon in the situation room definitely realized that things weren’t going well because they sounded nervous.
“I’ll be going there right now. Please prepare a carriage, and I’d be grateful if you could move this situation room right into the carriage. I’d also like someone with enough experience controlling familiars to come with me…” I requested.
- I’ll go, Advisor Lee Ki-Young. Additionally, how many guards…
“I don’t think I’ll need any, but…” I paused.
- Then how about taking Miss Lonovera?
“That’s not a bad idea. I’ll leave that to you,” I replied.
- Okay, I’ll do my best.
They mentioned Lonovera, so it seemed that she had told them something.
She probably told them that she would pay them back later for the favor or…
‘Are they affiliated with Lonovera?’
It didn’t really matter.
Arriving at the 17th base as soon as possible was more important than that.
Soon, I saw the carriage that I had requested. Lonovera flapped her wings happily as if she were about to go on a leisurely trip. However, she spoke nervously upon seeing me.
- Mr. Lee Ki-Young!
“Ah! Miss Lonovera. Thank you very much for agreeing to come with me. Let’s talk inside the carriage,” I suggested.
- By the way, a-are you okay? You look really tired. I heard you’ve been staying in the situation room, but you look like you’ve lost weight.
“It’s because there’s a small problem. I just haven’t been getting enough sleep. Anyway, don’t worry about it,” I replied.
- Is our journey to the 17th base related to that?
“Yes. I’m not sure if you heard, but Dono—”
- Mr. Donovan. I knew he’d cause trouble one day, but who could have known that he would pull something like that this time? I wonder how long Belial will continue working with an ignorant demon like him.
“Ha… haha. I believe that he’s just more enthusiastic than others,” I commented.
- It’s not something you can think positively about. You can talk to me comfortably. He must be thinking that Belial will praise him for his contribution if he charges in ignorantly. He still has no idea that times have changed. A demon should act like a demon to be a demon. You were right.
‘You’re right…’
I wanted to applaud and cheer, but I couldn’t do that.
I entered the carriage with an awkward smile, and the carriage moved immediately as soon as I entered. It felt like the carriage was moving faster than I thought, but I knew that Donovan would reach the 17th base in just a few hours, so I felt anxious.
It would be nice if he decided to create a camp in front of the base and repaired their gear before entering, but an incompetent guy like him would never do something like that.
I was sure that he would charge right in to seize the victory and boast about it once he won.
I decided to check up on Kim Hyun-Sung and saw that he was still the same.
‘Shit.’
Kim Ye-Ri, Park Yeon-Joo, Jo Hye-Jin, Elena, and the other guild members had visited him. They all said touching words, but Kim Hyun-Sung still looked out of it.
Naturally, I started to feel frustrated.
In the end, everyone definitely decided to defend the base without Kim Hyun-Sung because no one visited him anymore. I was sure they thought that leaving him alone would be more effective than talking to him.
The guild members were definitely as frustrated as me, and they looked anxious about the upcoming battle.
Their anxiety had spread throughout the entire camp.
I saw Cha Hee-Ra gathering the troops and giving a nice speech, but all it did was encourage the troops a little bit. Everyone was doing their best to finish the preparations, but a few of them looked as if they had lost the will to fight.
‘Damn it.’
Naturally, a complicated thought popped into my head.
I realized that they couldn’t avoid this battle.
‘What the hell can I do even if I get there?’
I thought of ways to turn the table, but nothing came to mind.
I thought that stopping Donovan was the most important task, but I wouldn’t be able to stop him with my weak body.
In addition, even if I were to stop him, the expedition team and the troops in the 17th base would definitely not believe that I was the one who had stopped Donovan.
It would be absurd that the corrupted Honorary Cardinal of the Sacred Democratic Country was suddenly on the same side as them and was fighting with them.
I couldn’t choose that method because not only would it confuse the audience, but it would also waste Doom Ki-Young’s potential.
‘What in the world is that bitch Benigoa doing? She still hasn’t recovered yet?’
It would be nice if she intervened in Kim Hyun-Sung’s life by giving him a quest or showing him a miracle.
She should have had enough holy power by now, but it seemed that she was still a runaway. I couldn’t stop myself from cursing her. I was so annoyed by her incompetence that I started thinking that perhaps I would be a more efficient manager of this continent.
I thought that she would recover completely once the ongoing situation ended, but it seemed that she was only receiving a small amount of holy power despite the effort I had put into this continent.
‘Seriously, man. She’s not helpful at all. Maybe I should use this chance to work with Belial.’
If the offers that she would present to me after all this was over weren’t satisfactory, then I would throw my holy power into the trash. The Alchemist of Light job was disappointing compared to the Dark Plaguelord job.
I kept on staring at the magic holograms with a frustrated look.
Lonovera saw that and spoke.
- A-Are you okay?
“Yes, I’m fine, Miss Lonovera,” I answered.
- You don’t look so good… More importantly, you look kind of exhausted, so how about a light nap for a bit?
“Ugh. I shouldn’t sleep in this situation, and I feel like I won’t be able to sleep, anyway,” I replied.
- Hey, if you work while under stress, things that could have gone right would go wrong. Please take a nap. I’m sure you’ll fall asleep as soon as you close your eyes. Have you forgotten about my race?
“Well, that’s—ah…!”
- I’m not just any demon. I’m a succubus. What kind of dream would you like to have? I’m confident that I can give you a dream that’s way beyond your imagination. If you wake up after spending a lovely time that you can’t even imagine in the real world, I’m sure you will feel refreshed as if you have been sleeping for four days straight. Obviously, I won’t be taking your energy, so there’s no need to worry about that! B-But if you give it to me, then I’ll gladly accept…
“Miss Lonovera!” I shouted.
- Huh? Ah! Yes? I-If you suddenly grab me like that… If you’d like to use a different method to rest, I’ll need time to prepare…
“Ah, no. It’s nothing like that,” I told her.
Before I could even start speaking, however, Cha Hee-Ra’s grand speech interrupted me through the magic hologram.
Her speech signaled the start of the battle.
- We’re going to win today. Kill the demons, and we’ll be able to bring back the symbol of the continent. This battle will go down in history. Today, we will prove that we still haven’t lost the light.
- There are still many of those pesky humans. This loyal priest of Belial—Donovan of the Four Heavenly Kings—will be your opponent! I’ll put all my heart and soul into ripping all of you apart. I’ll use your souls as gifts to give to my close friend.
- I’m sure you’re scared. I have no intention of criticizing those who are afraid of his threat and want to hide. However, think about it—think carefully about what’s right! Will you live in hiding for the rest of your life or die with honor? Think again and again about which one is more honorable to you! Mankind… Mankind will win here today…!
- Grrrrrr! Rooooooooar!!!
- We will win!
However, speaking to Lonovera was more important to me right now.
“Are you able to enter the dream of someone that’s kind of far away? Or if they’re unconscious? I’m asking if I can, even if it’s not you,” I asked.
Lonovera nodded slowly.
I hugged her in joy. I pushed away the trembling Lonovera, and I managed to finally fall asleep after following her instructions.
‘Hyun-Sung, your hyung is coming!’
When it came to breaking down the Berlin Wall standing tall in Kim Hyun-Sung’s mind, a true friend would be better than a heroine.
I wasn’t sure if I was currently in his mind, but I felt like I was being sucked away.
When I came to his senses, I saw him cowering in a corner.
I approached him slowly, and he raised his head.
“Mr… Ki-Young?” Kim Hyun-Sung questioned.
He stared at me in disbelief and started crying.
I clenched my fists at the sight.
“Yes, it’s me. Ha… ha…” I chuckled. ‘That’s right, damn it… your hyung is here, you bastard!’
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