Chapter 502: The Cliché: Growing Soon After Collapsing (5)
‘Well, what are you going to do, you bastard?’
I appreciated the thought, but Park Deokgu alone wouldn’t be enough.
It was a bit of a sad fact, but even if Park Deokgu could suddenly awaken, there was a high probability that the situation wouldn’t change.
There was no way he could do anything against a mythical monster supported by a guy in the lower or middle rank among the legendary grades.
If I was being generous, I could say he should be able to serve as a specialized shield, but his limit was too clear to do anything more than that.
‘Don’t do anything, Deokgu. In this situation, the answer is not to do anything.’
It wasn’t just Park Deokgu. In fact, considering the current situation, it was unreasonable for any of those at base 17 to confront Donovan’s army.
If Donovan was the only demon of the semi-mythic grade, then Cha Hee-ra and a few others might be able to stop him.
However, besides him, high-level hardliner demons were fighting in the frontlines as well.
Even though I planted some of the moderate guys, I had no choice but to feel that their force was insufficient.
The most obvious answer right at that moment was…
…To abandon base 17 and take the troops back again.
However, the problem was that those who entered that base were not thinking about retreating.
It had already been exposed to the information that one of the Four Guardian King Donovan was approaching and was busy preparing for the siege.
‘I really thought it would be like this.’
They must have been determined that they shouldn’t be pushed back any further.
Base 17 was a line. As a strategic point, it was no different from the Maginot Line before. Its advantages definitely proved to be enormous.
If it was abandoned, not only would they have to go back a long way, but they would not be able to promise the second federation recapture operation.
Perhaps Lee Jihye was making the same judgment.
If one were to look at the distant future of the war and base their plan on that, they would be able to throw the base away, but if they looked at the war’s current situation, they wouldn’t, of course, be able to abandon it.
I thought she could have chosen a slower method if it were to be her original personality, but Cha Hee-ra wouldn’t want to just pull her troops further back, not when the Golden Time was coming.
‘They just need to block the opponents…’
If they succeeded, it could bring them many benefits in many ways.
The biggest part was that it could elevate the atmosphere that was sinking to the floor.
However, no matter how much I thought about it, it was hard to think that it would turn out as I hoped. Jung Hayan wasn’t sane, and Kim Hyunsung wasn’t in the best condition either. The atmosphere of the troops was worse than worst.
The situation was marked differently from when the Continental Union met Donovan at bases 41, 42, and 43.
Even the other demons around him were advancing to the base, turning it into a situation dire enough to make me bite my nails.
‘Why do things keep getting complicated… Fuck.’
I thought I was running toward the end, but the unchanging truth that sweet fruits couldn’t be easily eaten remained unchanged.
It wasn’t unreasonable to have such a crisis if one were to recall that there weren’t just one or two things at stake, but most humans preferred to be comfortable rather than putting them under stress.
At first, I sighed and thought I had no choice but to raise my heavy body.
“I have to head towards the base 17.”
-Are you going to lead the troops?
“No. Not exactly… I just want to be prepared in case anything happens. Please tell Donovan to slow down the march. No, to turn the army back here…”
-He’s already been warned about actions that are not in the scenario, but he still chose to enter recklessly. He seems to have completely turned off the communication channel, and he asked me to tell you that he will bring home some results…
‘This troller bastard.’
Donovan’s troops headed to the base at a faster pace than it would take me to reach it.
The difference would be in about a few hours, but who knew whether the pig bastard, Kim Hyunsung, and Jung Hayan would be injured during those hours?
We talked about people who should never be killed, but it was unclear whether that stupid bastard had embedded the words in his head.
‘Kim Hyunsung, what are you really doing? You stupid guy! Really…’
Still, I couldn’t guarantee what would happen if he were to stand up and lift his sword again.
There was not much time left.
I even thought that it would be possible to sneak in there as Bitch Kiyeon and throw a fixing punch at him, but there was no way to call in any fairy, and there were no openings to infiltrate the base.
No matter how much I thought about it, I could only think of it as physically impossible.
It was natural that I opened my mouth again in a hurry. As if he knew that things were going wrong, a demon in the control room nervously talked to me.
“I’m going now. I would be grateful if you could prepare a wagon and move the control room here as it is. If a person who is good at maneuvering a spirit could just follow me…”
-I’ll do it myself, external advisor. Besides, the escort…
“I don’t think I need one, but…”
-If so, how about going with Ronove?
“I don’t think that’s a bad idea. Please do that.”
-Yes. I will do my best to do what you have entrusted me with.
Considering that the control room staff mentioned Ronove, it seemed that he had received something from her. He might have received a message that he would definitely get something in return, or…
‘Is that guy from Ronove’s group?’
He might also be part of a corps that was being managed by Ronove.
However, that had nothing to do with the current situation. What was most important at that moment was to reach base 17 as soon as possible.
It didn’t take a long time for a carriage like the one I ordered to come into view.
As if Ronove thought we were going on a trip, she smiled wide and flapped her wings. However, she soon began to take on a worried expression.
-Lee Kiyoung!
“Ah! Ronove. Thank you so much for responding to such a sudden request. Let’s get on.”
-A-Are you okay? You look very tired. I’ve heard that you’ve been stuck in the control room all this time. Still, I didn’t expect your face to become this thin.
“That’s just because I couldn’t sleep properly, so you don’t have to worry about me.”
-Is heading to base 17 now related to this incident?
“Yes. I don’t know if you’ve heard of it, but um, Do…”
-Donovan. I knew he was going to cause trouble, but who knew he would do that again? Belial too, how long is he planning to keep such an ignorant person?
“Ha… haha. It seems that his personality is a little bit more ambitious than others.”
-It’s not at a level that we can let it slip. You can feel free to talk to me. If Donovan just keeps pushing them ignorantly, Belial will think he’s doing your favor. He doesn’t even know that the times have changed. A demon must act like a demon to be a demon, just like what Lee Kiyoung said.
‘You are right. Yes, you are most definitely right.’
If I could, I would have responded by clapping my hands, but I couldn’t. At this point, the wagon had now begun to move.
It seemed to be moving faster than I thought, but my lips went dry as I knew that Donovan would enter base 17 in a few hours.
I wanted him to go in after making a camp in front of the base and doing maintenance, but there was no way that ignorant guy would do just that.
I could be sure that he would rush right away to bring home victory as soon as possible.
worries, I still found time to look into Kim Hyunsung’s condition. Of course, he was still the same.
‘Sh*t.’
Kim Ye-ri, Park Yeon-joo, Cho Hyejin, and even Elena and the other Blue Guild members visited him and told him a couple of heartbreaking lines, and yet he remained in his vegetated state.
It wouldn’t be irrational to get annoyed.
In the end, they didn’t even look for him when the battle neared as if they had decided to defend without Kim Hyunsung.
It was clear that they would be more effective if they were to leave him alone for the time being.
The guild members’ faces, who all looked as frustrated as mine, were now draped in an unknown depth, and the terrible atmosphere was spreading throughout the main unit.
I noticed that Cha Hee-ra had gathered the army and gave a powerful speech, but it only managed to elevate the heavy atmosphere slightly.
She was trying her best to get ready for battle, but some guys seemed to have lost their will to fight.
‘Fuck.’
At that moment, complex thoughts naturally became stuck in my head. After visually checking Donovan’s troops approaching base 17, I had no choice but to accept that the battle was inevitable.
‘What on earth can I do when I get there?’
I had been thinking a lot about how to turn things over, but nothing ever entered my head.
I thought the top priority would be to stop Donovan, but how could I stop those ignorant bastards with my own fragile body?
Even if it were possible to stop him, it would look like an extremely unbelievable scene for the main unit.
I mean, it would be a ridiculous situation in which the Honorary Cardinal of the State, who had just fallen, suddenly joined the team and fought for their side.
I couldn’t choose such a method because Doom Kiyoung, who I designed myself, would become a waste.
‘Benignore, what the hell are you doing? Have you not recovered yet?’
At that point, would it be better to intervene with Kim Hyunsung and give him a quest, or at least, show some miracle?
I thought that they would’ve accumulated enough divinity already, but it seemed that she was still unable to escape the status of a fugitive. I couldn’t help but curse at this handicap.
Rather, I felt that it was more efficient for me to take charge of the continent.
After the project was over or a little more time passed, I thought she would definitely recover, but even if she recovered by then, it would be like locking the stable after the horse had been stolen.
‘Really, fuck. She’s not helpful at all. Should I join Belial instead?’
If I wasn’t satisfied with the negotiating table that would happen after all was over, I was ready to throw away the unnecessary divinity. What the Alchemist of Light was disappointed with was before he got the Dark Plaguelord.
While looking at the hologram with a sour face, Ronove, who was watching the situation next to me, spoke.
-A-Are you okay?
“Yes, I’m fine, Ronove.”
-You don’t look so well… instead, you seem a little tired, so why don’t you sleep for a while?
“We’re not in a situation where I can sleep, and I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep even if I wanted.”
-Come on. If you work while stressed, things that would work well will not. Don’t do that and just take a nap. If you just close your eyes, you’ll fall asleep soon. Have you already forgotten what kind of race I am?
“Well, dem… Ah!!!”
-Not just any demon. I’m also called a succubus. What kind of dream do you want to have? I have the confidence to make you have a dream more pleasant than you can ever imagine. If you wake up after having a time so delightful you can’t even begin to think of having it in reality, you will feel refreshed as if you have slept for three days. Of course, you can rest assured that your energy will not be lost! I would be grateful if you gave it to me, though…
“Ronove!”
-Ah? Oh! Yes? If you suddenly hold onto me like that… If you want to take a break in a different way, I’ll get ready…
“Ah. No. It’s not that. It’s not that.”
Cha Hee-ra’s speech, announcing the beginning of the battle, was heard through the magical hologram.
-We will win today. We’ll kill all the demons and bring back the symbol of the continent! This battle will be remembered, for it will be a battle that will prove that we haven’t lost the light yet.
-Insect humans talk too much. You dare stand against Belial’s loyal apostle, Donovan, one of the Four Demon Generals? I will tear you all up into pieces. I’ll do it to every single one of you carefully; and then I’ll bring you all back as a gift to my friend.
-It will be scary. It will be terrifying. I don’t want to blame those who want to hide and fear this threat. I never intend to blame those who are scared. But think! Carefully consider inside your head what is right. Think about whether you will live your entire life in hiding or die gloriously. Think about which one is more honorable! Humanity… humanity will win here today!
-Grrrrr! Grooooooaaarrr!!!
-We will win!!!
Still, it was more important to ask Ronove what I was feeling curious about.
“Is it possible to get me into the dream of someone who is a bit far away? Or the unconscious?”
Ronove slowly nodded.
I hugged her in joy, and before long, I left her shivering her body behind, and after going through some procedures, I fell into a deep sleep.
‘Hyunsung, fuck, I’m going!’
Breaking the Berlin Wall, where many had no choice but to return, was a friend who shared sincerity rather than a heroine who had to be saved.
I couldn’t check if the place I was in were his unconscious, but I could see him crouching after I felt like I was sucked into something. As soon as I approached him slowly, I noticed him raising his head.
“Kiyoung… ssi?”
The moment he looked at me as if he couldn’t believe it, his tears started to pour immediately, so I had no choice but to clench his fist.
“Yes, it’s me. Ha… ha…”
‘Yes, fuck… hyung is here. Bastard. ‘