Chapter 174
Chapter 174
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 174
Chapter Title: The War Is (2)
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The presence of my kin faded into the distance.
Kyle and Hecate were retreating. I had no idea how they were moving, but they were pulling away from us at a speed I couldn't hope to match.
Propped up by Yoon, I stared blankly down at Sion's corpse.
I'll give him a proper funeral.
Even if I have to do it alone.
"You need treatment."
Yoon glanced at me and muttered.
"Or you'll be following him soon enough."
"I'd like that."
The words slipped out unbidden.
Only after they left my mouth did I realize it was a mistake. No one likes hearing that kind of thing.
But because it was sincere, it weighed even heavier on the listener.
If it had been Ami in front of me, her round eyes would have filled with pain and worry. Ricardo would have snapped irritably. Karl probably would have sighed.
Sophia wouldn't have cared, though.
But the one who'd heard my inner thoughts was Yoon, and he didn't seem particularly surprised.
He wasn't shaken at all.
"Is that so?"
He replied calmly, then lifted me up.
Seniors came running from behind, but he didn't even glance their way.
"I'm used to dealing with people in your state."
Can you retrieve Sion's body?
I was about to say that when his words made my eyes widen in shock.
What?
It was all too obvious who he meant.
"Ye-hyeon?"
A chill ran through me.
"Is he in that bad a shape? Why?"
"Weren't you about to say something?"
Yoon asked in a flat voice.
The seniors stopped behind us.
I couldn't spare them any attention. From the corner of my eye, they all looked fine. That was a relief. I didn't have the energy to even speak to them.
"Can you retrieve the body?"
I pleaded quietly.
"I'll handle everything once I'm a bit better...."
"No reason we can't."
Yoon neither took offense nor seemed puzzled.
In that moment, I was grateful that the one accepting my request in this situation was Choi Yoon. He didn't worry about me or empathize with my pain. He didn't rage at my words or feel betrayed.
His response without any emotional turbulence put me at ease.
Yoon turned his head.
"Retrieve that body."
Only then did I get a clear look at the seniors' faces.
Ricardo and Sophia were staring straight at me. I couldn't quite read the emotions in their eyes.
Ami and Karl were looking at Yoon.
The two nodded and dashed toward Sion's body.
I felt the strength drain from my entire body.
"Thank you."
"Sordi."
Yoon turned to Ricardo.
"Contact Samuel Han."
Ricardo nodded wordlessly.
Yoon supported me as we moved to the portal zone.
The surroundings had suddenly gone quiet. Once Ricardo finished his report, the silence deepened. I pressed on, inhaling the stench of decay that filled the air in place of noise.
No one spoke. Sophia followed silently behind without a word.
Thanks for not talking to me.
I don't have the face to cry.
Those thoughts crossed my mind before I blacked out.
***
"Ten minutes left!"
A sharp shout jolted me awake.
"Hang in there just a bit longer!"
I woke up quick, at least.
I thought as I stared up at the tent ceiling.
Ten minutes until the territorial reclamation battle ended.
I'd woken up before the three hours were up.
It was surprising there were still creatures around.
Why are they wasting their forces like this? I wondered, listening to the sounds of battle filtering through the tent. The core must be nearly complete by now. Probably just the upper part open, the bottom fully sealed.
Even if they breached all the barriers, my kin wouldn't win.
The outcome was already decided, so why keep throwing in creatures?
And what had they succeeded at?
Sequoia's words nagged at me.
I blinked a couple times, then hauled my heavy upper body upright.
"Where do you think you're going, kid?"
Samuel's gruff voice flew at me.
You're here.
"It's almost over, so you don't need to go."
"I want to see it end."
"You'd go even if I tried to stop you, huh?"
The doctor seemed to have me all figured out by now.
He stood from his chair with a bored expression and walked over to my bed. I grinned at his weary face.
The edge of his tablet smacked my head.
"Ow!"
"Go on, then."
His voice had an odd rasp to it.
But I didn't have the mental leeway to guess why.
"Treatment right after the reclamation ends."
I nodded and slid off the bed.
I stepped out of the tent.
My view opened up. An unexpected sight unfolded before me.
A densely packed defensive line. A couple more barriers had been smashed. Badger teams were holding position in front of the broken ones.
The scent of slaughter carried on the chill wind.
The smells and gunfire told me the fight was still going. But the atmosphere was completely different from before.
I took in the smiles on the faces of the Badgers holding the line.
The smiles of soldiers on the cusp of victory.
"Five minutes—Third defensive line, withdraw!"
Ye-hyeon's voice rang out.
The Supreme Commander stood at the rear of the line with his aides.
I stopped in place and looked at my superior's face. Unlike the other Badgers, Ye-hyeon's expression showed no particular emotion.
He just looked a bit more at ease than when he'd gone out to face Kyle.
I turned my gaze from his pale, handsome face.
I spotted the seniors who'd faced my kin alongside me.
They were fighting amid the other Badgers in the line. I didn't see Karl or Yoon—probably Yoon was checking the core device or the portal status.
Most of the Badgers whose faces and names I knew were there. Lee Ho-chang. Barbie Winter. Asil Fisher. Jason Tvein and Richard Green. William Walker. Jonathan Kudo. Schu Diamond. Aki. Angela. Heshi and Tom.
Everyone's faces were brighter than before.
The seriously injured must have already pulled back.
I stood still, quietly watching the battle unfold.
Just as Samuel said, there was no need for me to join.
Five minutes flew by.
"Third defensive line—withdraw!"
At Ye-hyeon's command, a mass of Badgers pulled back en masse.
The medics seemed to be withdrawing with them. From behind, Samuel yelled, "Hey! You too, get back here quick!" as he headed to the portal zone.
I smiled at the doctor and nodded.
But I didn't move.
Moments later, Ye-hyeon shouted again.
"Second defensive line—withdraw!"
Another wave of Badgers vanished in a rush.
The seniors, barely holding their silence, wore clear smiles. I watched the Badgers marching in formation toward the portal zone. Covered in blood and dust, their faces couldn't have been brighter.
It's really ending now.
"First defensive line—withdraw!"
One minute left.
All the Badgers began falling back. The seniors withdrew cautiously, watching their rear. A few bursts of gunfire rang out, but not as fierce as before. Piles of corpses had naturally formed barricades, and the charging creatures weren't that numerous.
Richard Green stood at the rear of the first line, leading the retreat.
I observed them entering the portal zone.
Until Ye-hyeon, who hadn't moved, turned his head.
"Hilde."
The portal activated, and the Badgers returned.
Ye-hyeon stood on the blood-soaked ground, looking at me. His aides quietly watched me too.
He didn't ask why I was standing apart.
The Supreme Commander said softly.
"Let's go home."
The wind shook my hair.
I walked toward them.
As soon as I arrived, Sca grabbed my arm. He'd noticed my unsteady gait.
I gave a faint smile of thanks.
He stared at me intently.
But he didn't add any words. His combat suit was stained with sunset light and blood.
The evening breeze stirred the heavy air.
We started toward the portal zone.
"I have a report."
I muttered in a raspy voice, and Ye-hyeon nodded.
But he didn't reply until we reached the portal zone. He spun, shot a lunging creature, then looked at me.
"We'll talk after you're admitted."
Ah. Admission's a done deal, huh.
"After we get home."
Home.
I gave a bitter smile and nodded.
The command staff pretended not to notice the bitterness in my smile.
As per protocol that command staff withdraws last in reclamations, the aides stepped into the portal one step ahead.
Space shifted.
[2]
[1]
[0]
[Core generation complete.]
The artificial voice rang in my ears the moment I regained my sight, followed by an explosion of cheers.
"Woooooo!"
"We won!"
"It's over!"
"Rest!"
The excited shouts battered my ears.
I blinked in wide-eyed surprise.
The underground portal zone.
In that vast space, countless Badgers were roaring in triumph. The noise echoed louder than any New Year's party.
People lost in ecstasy, hugging and jumping.
Flashes popped noisily somewhere.
The seniors' cheers drowned them out.
Screamers, criers, laughers.
The cheers swelled even more as command staff appeared.
"Great job!"
"You did it!"
"Territory! Reclaimed!"
"Reclaimed! Territory!"
"Give us leave!"
"Leave! Leave!"
"Uga! Uga!"
"Commander! Aides! Take leave!"
"Aides too! You earned a long break!"
"No more patrols!"
"Freedom!"
"Yeeeeeehaw!"
Have they all lost their minds?
I let out a hollow chuckle, watching the seniors go wild. Most were drunk on joy, out of their heads. No alcohol, yet screaming like they were wasted.
Some tossed helmets. Others struck poses for the reporters swarming outside the portal zone.
A few teams linked arms and spun in circles right there.
Command staff chuckled softly at their subordinates.
Ye-hyeon watched the hyped Badgers for a while.
Then, as the noise began to die down, he spoke.
"Good work."
His husky voice silenced the portal zone in an instant.
The rampaging Badgers froze, staring at the Supreme Commander.
Motion vanished in a heartbeat. The ensuing silence dominated the space. Even the reporters shoving mics forward and clamoring for interviews shut up.
I stepped back a couple paces from command staff and waited for what came next.
"You did too well. Thank you. Now rest."
Ye-hyeon spoke with a faint smile.
"The territorial reclamation is over."
His superior's smile widened.
"We won this one too."
Cheers.
Roars that shook the building.
I stood motionless amid the deafening cheers.
A strange sense of déjà vu washed over me. It wasn't hard to pinpoint the cause. I'd shouted cheers like this myself, and drawn them out from others.
This was the sound of victors.
The cry of the winners.
Once this thrill faded, they'd sweep over the spots left by the departed, tormented by guilt and loss. But before facing that reality, soldiers always got drunk on victory's high.
I knew exactly why Ye-hyeon gave the Badgers this simple time to rejoice.
Good.
Even as I thought it, a heavy loneliness enveloped me.
"Hilde!"
I'd been standing there dazed, apparently.
I snapped back only when someone called my name.
"Hildebert! We did it! We did it!"
"Not hurt anywhere? Why are you just standing there?"
Heshi slung an arm excitedly over my shoulder, while Tom eyed me with concern.
Pure joy sparkled in my weary recruits' eyes.
I met their thrilled gazes and grinned.
"I'm fine."
"You don't look fine. You are hurt, right?"
"It's not bad, and I'm heading to Samuel soon, so don't worry."
I laughed seeing Heshi flinch and pull his arm away.
I stopped Tom, who looked ready to drag me to the med bay.
"I'm really fine. I'm going now, so you guys keep having fun."
"Come with us. I'll help you walk."
"Want a piggyback? You up for carrying him?"
"I can really go alone."
"Aw...."
The drawn-out voice made me whip my head around.
Intense green eyes filled my view.
A tall man stood with hands in his pockets.
Ricardo smirked.
"I'll take him~... You chicks keep partying a bit longer...."
"Senior."
Tom looked startled at Ricardo.
At the same time, Heshi's eyes widened at the senior who'd come with Ricardo.
"Karl!"
Heshi's deputy handler didn't react to the shout, just looked straight at me.
"Hilde. He's in the med bay."
His blue eyes showed no tremor.
"Let's go."
You brought him.
I stood there blankly.
I couldn't find words until the green-eyed senior approached to support me. Even when Ami rushed up and gripped my hand tight, I barely responded.
I didn't want to face the emotions welling up.
But snap out of it.
Muttering recruits and responding seniors.
My body following the senior.
Only when the portal zone's cheers faded from earshot did I speak.
"Thank you."
Karl looked at me with his clear blue eyes, then nodded quietly.