Chapter 230

From a player’s perspective, any enemy-held territory counted as a dungeon, and any human enemies encountered in a dungeon or quest were treated as monsters. In other words, regular soldiers were simply classified as humanoids. They had weaker stealth detection than most other species, but that hardly made infiltration easy. Their dulled senses were compensated for by stealth-detection devices placed throughout the area.

The border guard garrison Tanto was trying to infiltrate was no exception. The sentries stationed at the watch posts had elevated stealth detection levels. The lights illuminating the base reduced his effective stealth level.

On top of that, there were countless other things to worry about. Tanto had to control the noise he made, track which way the enemies were facing, and even judge how alert they were. This was no longer a virtual reality MMORPG. He had to treat it like a stealth action game on extreme difficulty.

Tanto quietly vaulted the wall at a point where the guards’ vision and the illuminating light were weakest. He stayed careful even while climbing. His physical abilities were more than enough, but jumping over in a single motion could cause noise on landing.

It’s brighter inside, he noted.

It wasn’t bright like daytime, but it was bright enough to make his stomach tighten for a stealth operation. Still, there was some good news as not all of the lighting devices were active. About half of them were turned off. Although there were some lit torches, their brightness was far weaker than the mana-powered lighting devices.

Maybe it’s because we robbed their mana stones so many times.

Tanto’s guess was close to the truth. They already consumed an enormous amount of mana stones. After suffering multiple large-scale thefts, supply problems were inevitable.

Tanto mapped out the infiltration route created by their earlier acts of sabotage.

I just have to jump from here to there and hide in the shadows and wait for a moment. Only those two on the opposite side can see this path, so I can pass even if it was bright.

With that, Tanto moved. In infiltration, there were moments when one had to be decisively bold. Trusting his passive skills to reduce his footstep noise, he sprinted forward.After locating the target building, Tanto climbed the wall. According to information from the revolutionary forces, the third floor served as both Riccardo’s residence and office.

Damn, he’s a soldier who lives on base with no days off.

From the subordinates’ perspective, there probably was no more terrifying monster than that.

Tanto carefully climbed to the third floor and peered through the window of a lit room. The light was still on even at dawn. Was he still working? Or, with the war going on, was he meeting with his subordinates?

As Tanto moved closer, he planned to confirm the enemy’s location, wait until he was alone, slip the note inside, and get out. However, the window suddenly flew open. It was Riccardo, just like in the portraits. The strong smell of alcohol poured out, and it seemed he had been drinking rather than meeting with his subordinates.

Tanto held his breath. Riccardo probably just wanted some fresh air, so he decided to wait it out.

“Isn’t it tiring hanging there like that?”

Riccardo spoke directly to Tanto while looking up at the dark night sky.

He noticed me already, even from this distance? In that split second, countless thoughts flashed through Tanto’s mind. Fuck, should I run? Should I try to subdue him?

Riccardo was currently a lieutenant colonel, and he had once reached the rank of a general. There was no way to quietly subdue someone like that. However, Do-Jin was counting on him to see this through.

Riccardo spoke first to put him at ease. “Don’t worry. I also prefer to avoid a commotion. Let’s just have a brief talk.”

Confusion washed over Tanto, but since he had been spotted anyway, he might as well go through with it. Tanto slid along the wall and moved closer to Riccardo. He tossed the note through the open window. Then, he bolted like a madman.

“Hahaha...”

Once the figure had vanished far enough into the darkness that even he could no longer follow it with his eyes, Riccardo let out a hollow laugh. Then he bent down and picked up the note the intruder had left behind. Holding it for a moment, he carefully unfolded it.

***

Tanto returned. The three who had been waiting in tense silence welcomed him when he came back safely.

“What happened?” Do-Jin asked as soon as Tanto arrived.

As all eyes turned to him, he admitted, “I got spotted.”

Theresa let out a small, helpless sound. “Ah...”

“Then you escaped after being discovered?” Do-Jin asked.

Tanto shook his head. “I made it all the way to where Riccardo was. But at the end, he noticed me first. I was still deciding what to do when he spoke to me first. He said we should talk for a bit. I panicked, threw in the note, and ran.”

“I see.”

After hearing Tanto’s explanation, Do-Jin saw the situation as favorable.

Noticing the approach and seeing through the stealth was a variable, but the fact that he didn’t take a hostile stance even after that...

That meant there was a good chance things would play out as he planned.

“As long as it was delivered, that’s enough. Now we just have to wait.”

Do-Jin’s group waited quietly. If enemies swarmed in, they would run. They would lose one hideout, but that was something they could accept. On the other hand, if this worked, they would gain a great deal. It was a gamble worth taking.

***

After twenty-two hours, when the day had passed and night had fallen once more, Riccardo appeared alone.

Do-Jin stepped forward to face him. “Did you know in advance that we would approach you?”

“How could I? I was honestly surprised. I didn’t expect my turn to come, not for an old, washed-up soldier like me. I only thought that, given the situation, someone might try to make contact like this.”

“You could have assumed it was a simple assassination attempt.”

“I didn’t think anyone would bother assassinating a relic like me. I have no child trying to hurry along their inheritance, and I have no wife who wants to run off to find a new love.”

The joke from a soldier crossing from middle age into old age was sharp and bitter. Still, his first statement showed real insight. Although he left many things unsaid, it was clear that he understood the situation very well.

Do-Jin quickly got to the point. “You are responsible for guarding part of the border, so I assume you have seen it.”

“I have.”

Not only that, orders had come down to deploy it within his own unit as well. Riccardo had ignored that order and hadn’t placed it anywhere.

“If you have seen it, then I trust that you also understand that the current government of the Rumanus Republic is essentially finished. The Consul has crossed a point of no return, and he will meet his end soon.”

Riccardo didn’t deny it. Instead, he asked, “Have you ever considered that you bear a significant share of the blame for things turning out this way?”

“Perhaps a very small amount.”

“A very small amount, you say.” Riccardo didn’t appear angry. He simply looked at Do-Jin as if asking him to explain.

“I don’t believe the current situation happened because the revolutionary forces or anyone else provoked and incited the Consul.”

“Then what?”

“You left him untreated. Surgery works best when it’s done early. If one fears the immediate pain and misses the moment when the bleeding should be stopped, the only thing that increases is the chance of dying on the operating table.”

Riccardo felt as if he had been stabbed by a blade. The truth hurt that much.

It’s natural to fear the blood that will be shed. It will not be only my blood, but the blood of many others.

On top of that, he was nothing more than a sidelined officer. What difference would it have made if he had stepped in? Others must have thought the same. One thought built on another until they created the situation they faced now. The young man’s words weren’t wrong.

“Why me, out of all people?”

“The reason for your demotion was your disobedience during the mine collapse incident, when you ignored orders and initiated a rescue operation. That was enough,” Do-Jin explained.

“Then what do you want from me?”

“I want you to become the fuse for others who think like you.”

Those who had been content with their pay while cursing the revolutionary forces would have no choice but to think differently once they saw that Humanoid Chimera, even more so if they learned the truth behind it.

“You know, that Chimera, just think about it. If its construction is that grotesque, then its production efficiency can only be just as grotesque. It would take at least thirty humans to make a single one.”

For the first time, emotion flashed across Riccardo’s face, his eyes widening in shock and fury. “Is that... really true?”

“I wish it was a lie, but that is the minimum estimation.”

As Riccardo fell silent, Do-Jin continued. “If you don’t want to hand this country over as burial money for a Consul whose end is already decided, then should you not do everything you can, even right now?”

“Do you not think that is far too heavy a burden to place on the shoulders of an old man who is only a lieutenant colonel?”

He looked at Riccardo’s shoulders. The old man looked nothing like his age suggested. His shoulders were broad enough to make that obvious. From the way he had seen through Tanto’s stealth from a distance alone, it was obvious he was a monster in a fight.

“I think that you carry an even heavier burden.” Riccardo didn’t give a clear answer and his eyes still showed hesitation. However, that wasn’t real hesitation. He already knew what he had to do.

“This country needs a spark of hope. Please become that spark.” After saying his piece, Do-Jin withdrew, leaving the silent soldier behind.

Do-Jin returned to the hideout, where the revolutionary forces had already finished preparing for battle. After waiting a short while, he set out with them. Most of the armed fighters were men, but there were also quite a few women among them, including mothers who wanted to give their children a better future. He led them toward the sector guarded by Riccardo’s unit.

“Are you sure this is all right?” the commander asked while fully armed, wondering whether it was really acceptable to advance without defenses.

“If fighting breaks out, we will fight. However... the moment bullets start flying at us, this country is finished.”

If they refused surgery even now, then there was nothing more to be done. The Republic was dying too quickly to choose a new figure or a new method as an alternative.

Do-Jin started forward at a slow, steady pace. Theresa quickened her step just enough to move ahead of him, and the others followed close behind. In the suffocating silence, the only sound was the march of the revolutionary forces.

The distance closed, and soon, they were within range to shoot each other. Yet no cannon fire or gunshots rang out. No soldiers even raised their rifles. Do-Jin crossed the Republic’s border without receiving a single attack or obstruction.

A soldier with his rank insignia concealed stepped forward. As the officer in charge of this area, he addressed the “mage” and relayed the message he had received from his superior.

“Lieutenant Colonel Riccardo sends his regards. It is already very late, but he hopes it isn’t too late.”

Do-Jin took the young soldier’s hand and said, “It’s never too late to make this happen.”