Chapter 113
Chapter
113 – Fierce Battle (3)
‘We will counterattack.’
Nearly half of the soldiers from the captured expedition force were those who had been following Chieftain Garhan. They had lost to Luke and were naturally absorbed under his command.
They weren’t loyal enough to flee to us, but also didn’t genuinely pledge loyalty to Luke, leaving them in a dubious situation.
According to their culture, in the event of defeat, they would have to submit and be absorbed, but it was hard to believe they genuinely served Luke.
It was more likely that they were forcibly rallied for the sake of their families and possessions caught in Luke’s grasp.
So if we persuaded them well, claiming we could help retrieve their families and belongings, we could turn them into allies.
“—!, –!!”
After smoothly deflecting the enemy’s attack, Barun had already dug a significant tunnel leading to the enemy’s territory for the counterattack.
There was no way he wouldn’t have thought about this after finishing a hard-fought victory and uniting the residents once again with a ritual.
Barun’s persuasive powers, fueled by the destruction of the recent battle and the grandeur of the ritual, worked as expected, causing the prisoners to begin turning to our side for both profit and honor.
‘Great effectiveness!’
To my eyes, it was starkly visible. Those previously neutral or hostile were quickly turning into allies marked by green borders after hearing Barun’s persuasion.
The ones marked as allies had genuinely been converted, so there was no need to worry about betrayal.
Their numbers were at least double ours. Altogether, we were amassing a force surpassing five thousand.
Charging through the tunnels prepared earlier, five thousand cavalry would soon surge from the rear. Even I had to admit that was a considerable destructive force.
I anticipated they wouldn’t have the capacity to fend off our counterattack after failing their expedition with an army of ten thousand.
“I don’t think we’ll be setting out today or tomorrow.”
Having sneakily checked the situation, I relaxed the tension I had been holding and stood up.
To launch a counterattack, thorough preparation was necessary, requiring more than a day.
In other words, it meant we would conserve our strength and prepare for the counterattack over the next day or two. The residents would rest and regroup, and I finally had time to breathe a little.
However, I couldn’t just lounge around. With the events in the background done, it was time to focus on reality.
“Let’s take the supplies and go visit early tomorrow morning.”
– Are you okay with that? I said no, but honestly, I’d probably be under scrutiny.
“Didn’t I just ask to work together recently? I can just say I saw that ad and came here unannounced.”
I planned to sell the items and potions I had gathered to Lee So-Yeon, just as I had envisioned. Then, she would resell them to those wanting to buy.
The items taken from the game were useful not just in the screen but also in reality.
‘Don’t be afraid, come and let’s overcome this crisis together. KUM.’
Packing my cloak and bag, I chuckled at the advertisement phrase I had seen on my phone.
The company that Lee So-Yeon created using the clan’s resources, negotiating with the nation, was established to help users like us. It aimed to act as an intermediary or administrator to assist hopeful users.
Now, the users of this land no longer had to worry about why they were chosen, what they needed to do, or how to secure jobs.
By rushing to the company and verifying them as users, Lee So-Yeon would help them using the manuals we created together and solve their practical problems.
We had already taken our first step. According to her, several new users had already visited the company.
‘This must keep rolling smoothly.’
Pulling my cloak down, I slipped past unnoticed and headed toward her office beyond the company’s main entrance.
The old shop building she had secured was renovated into a decent office in a short time.
“Ah, damn…”
There she was, gripping her head, sitting in front of the computer, struggling. She looked just like the me from moments ago.
“Looks like you’re having a tough time.”
“Ah! You scared me!”
As I spoke, she jumped up and banged her leg against the desk with a thud. But she didn’t show any signs of pain.
Like me, she was also growing alongside the residents.
“This is an HP potion. As you know, it’s a miraculous remedy that quickly heals wounds.”
“No need to worry. I’ve cast a defensive barrier.”
When I spoke a bit stiffly, she subtly touched the staff beside her and cast a spell. Instantly, a blue barrier enveloped us. I confirmed the signal was blocked and chuckled.
“I finished one major task, so I had some time to spare.”
“We’re right on the brink of something happening.”
She smiled too, and we naturally started discussing the residents in the background. It felt similar to parents chatting about their children.
I heard that her village was also on the brink of war. The neighboring territory had started trouble over territorial disputes.
“It’s incredibly frustrating. We barely have enough strength to face the bugs together.”
“Bugs, surrounding forces, and real life. At least the company can help with real-world issues, so I’m satisfied there.”
Her comments, tinged with hardship, made me smile ruefully as I nodded. Honestly, the burden imposed on us by the system was excessive.
We were the only ones capable of caring for the residents in the background. However, we couldn’t ignore those creeping into reality.
For now, as long as the bugs appeared, the army could respond and manage, but I instinctively felt it was just the beginning.
“Our side is actually holding up pretty well. The problem is, if bugs from other countries establish nests, we might face the large-scale attacks we saw in the game right here.”
“Exactly. Bugs grow stronger over time. What started as sporadic appearances now lead to increasing numbers and multiple nests.”
The number of bugs appearing on Earth was rising rather than decreasing. It wouldn’t be solved simply by us holding the line. If a bug from another country opened a rift or established a nest, those spawned could one day come for us.
‘Is it actually possible to completely block this out?’
No matter how I thought about it, systematically nurturing residents from the beginning to fend off bugs seemed quite challenging, given the numerous variables.
If so, bugs would inevitably begin multiplying on Earth, making it impossible for even the military to handle every rift or nest, especially for the busy users to deal with one by one.
Moreover, the increase in users was not necessarily a good thing. As the number of users grew, so did the number of failures.
“This could be something that requires balancing, so let’s wait and see.”
I didn’t think the Master Program would set up a system so flimsy. I suggested to Lee So-Yeon that we handle our matters first and wait a bit. For now, we could still hold the line with the army.
“…What do you mean?”
– Special individuals have emerged. Those claiming to be chosen.
But it didn’t take long. Late that very night, just before washing up and going to bed, I received an urgent message from her using the community feature.
“…”
Soon, a link appeared through the international messenger app we shared. It was a recently uploaded foreign news article.
‘Invisible forces took them to a mystical space to fight against monsters, and upon defeating those monsters, they obtained superhuman abilities, which they consider a divine mandate. Killing the creatures dubbed “bugs” is our duty.’
A person appearing to be from an Islamic background delivered a speech to the media, showcasing the superpowers they had gained, conjuring flames from their empty hands.
Lee So-Yeon and I could do similar things, but that was because we operated the residents in the background and earned rewards.
“Is this for real?”
An absurd thought flashed through my mind. Only two types of beings could fight against the bugs: the users and the residents managed by the users.
But there was no rule stating that the people coexisting in this world couldn’t become those residents.
It didn’t seem impossible for users from another world to claim some humans as their residents.
– So then, who exactly are these users? According to that logic, are there people like us in the screen we manage?
“I don’t know. Based on the local residents not being aware of the existence of bugs, it seems there isn’t another user in the area…”
Feeling my head swirl, I shook it. Calmly considering this wasn’t particularly a big deal. Rather, viewed logically, it could be seen as advantageous that those who would lessen our burden had appeared.
Society might get more chaotic, but for me, who was already at the center of that chaos, it didn’t hold much significance.
“I have no choice but to handle what’s in front of me.”
Setting my phone and chat aside, I surveyed the quiet village late at night. Just moments earlier, fierce battles had been fought, but now silence filled the air.
While those awake kept watch with serious expressions all around, the night dragged on.
‘The north is still okay. If we can get through this war well, an expedition will be possible.’
I shifted my gaze to the second monitor. During this war, soldiers who had grit and didn’t sit idle made sure that the bugs occupying the northern lands wouldn’t dare advance, fortified by several defense turrets.
Had there been issues in the north during the war, I would have lost my head, but thankfully that didn’t happen.
I could only hope they’d keep calm like this until the counterattack.
If Barun’s plan succeeded and we could absorb most of the forces led by Garhan, the size of our army would multiply dramatically in an instant.
We had the technology and capabilities to sustain them all. It would be hectic and busy, but I needed their strength.
Leading an army over ten thousand strong to guard walls or raid bug nests was possible. If we developed all the talented individuals among those countless people, the collective strength would increase severalfold.
Having witnessed that entire process, I could say with certainty.
“Is this really the end…?”
I murmured, unable to be sure. Through Barun’s worries, I learned why the mage Rihar from the southern kingdom had stuck with Luke.
He sought to establish a new power in the region to check the Empire’s influence. He even said it would be impossible to hold out otherwise.
Hearing that made it impossible to ignore the anxiety. We had to fight the bugs, yet it felt like they wouldn’t leave us be, continuously antagonizing us in this vicinity.
