Chapter 336: The Defector
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 336: The Defector
Information is a crucial element in war. That’s true in modern warfare, and it’s no different on this continent. In fact, its importance is even greater here, not less. Beyond the status of each continent's weaponry or the number of troops, there is one other critical factor.
‘Who are their key figures?’
The existence of so-called Named individuals. Information on exceptionally strong entities is always vital. While it’s nearly impossible for a single person to change the tide of a war, it’s not entirely out of the question depending on the circumstances. The mage who cast a spell over this continent was one such example, as was I when I restored our army’s stamina and then incinerated the undead with the Flames of Ruin.
To draw a parallel to modern warfare, a Named individual is like a highly destructive missile, an aircraft carrier, or a stealth fighter. Where they are headed, where they are staying, and how they move were all critical factors in the war between humans and Green Skins.
In the North, they would have been watching the movements of the Werewolf, Silver Fang. In the South, the humans would have done their best to track the whereabouts of Sand Glave or Agar. When I was in the West, I too kept a close watch on the humans’ movements. The more information-savvy Green Skins were well-versed not only in the strong Green Skins but also in the powerful humans.
The biggest problem in the current war was our lack of information about the enemy.
We had no idea who was leading the undead or which of them might be considered Named. Possessing such information means you can use your own powerful figures to counter theirs, which in turn means victory in battle.
So, the news that a survivor had crossed over from the North was naturally something to rejoice about.
And yet, the atmosphere in the conference room was quite grim. To be more precise, it was incredibly tense.
It didn't take long for me to figure out why.
Not after I saw Choi Hee-chul of the Winter Weasel Clan, his head bowed low.
“I… I’m sorry.”
It seemed Choi Seulgi and I had walked in at a bad time. Everyone gathered in the room greeted me as soon as I entered.
“Are you feeling better?”
“Blood Dagger… you.”
Goff, Black Spear, the Werewolf from the North, Han So-hye, and numerous other Green Skin chieftains and human city leaders spoke to me. I accepted their greetings and took a seat. A kind of awe was etched in everyone’s eyes, which was understandable, considering what they had witnessed me do that day.
Choi Hee-chul also greeted me when I entered, but his expression was anything but bright.
“The survivor?”
It was Han So-hye who answered.
“She is currently undergoing various investigations. It’s welcome news, but we must consider all possibilities.”
Han So-hye was right. I immediately nodded. It was only natural to be cautious, as the defector could have been sent by the enemy with some ulterior motive.
“More importantly, we must first deal with this man’s punishment.”
“Hmm…”
“A survivor from the Northern Continent climbed the walls and knocked on the barracks door, and he remained completely unaware. It was his own sector, and he was personally on watch duty. Even considering the exceptional skill of the individual who crossed over, it is right to hold him accountable for his crime. Choi Hee-chul is a skilled magician. One can only conclude that he was slacking off during his shift.”
“Th-That’s…”
“This is a time of war, and your crime is punishable by death, at the very least. The only reason I’ve held back this long is because you, Choi Hee-chul, are the master of a large guild. If you were my direct subordinate, I would have taken your head this instant.”
At Han So-hye’s words, I felt Choi Seulgi’s expression turn a little murderous.
“Ha… that fucking bastard.”
Her eyes were filled with rage, and I couldn’t blame her.
“Un… No, Choi Seulgi, this is a place to question a crime, not to mete out punishment. Your bloodlust…”
“Your Majesty. What if it wasn’t a survivor from the North who came in, but an undead assassin? All the wounded would have been killed. At least one person would have died. I think we should chop off that bastard’s head and hang it on the castle gate.”
“…”
To be honest, I felt the same way as Choi Seulgi. But considering the unique circumstances, the man probably had a case to make for himself. This was a survivor from the Northern Continent, of all places. Assuming she possessed skills specialized in concealment, it wasn’t entirely unreasonable that the old man failed to notice her.
We had no way of knowing whether he was truly slacking off or not, but he was the leader of a guild with over ten thousand members. Executing him outright would inevitably cause an uproar. Since I had been sleeping soundly, Choi Seulgi must have imagined me being targeted by an enemy, but even if someone had breached the walls, the chances of them reaching my location were nonexistent.
Seeing how agitated Choi Seulgi was, I spoke up to try and clear the air.
“This is a survivor from the Northern Continent. It’s safe to assume she has a unique skill that allowed her to get here. It would be best for everyone to calm down a little.”
“…”
Choi Seulgi nodded, though her expression made it clear she hated to admit it.
“However, neglecting your duty is a crime. I ask you, Choi Hee-chul. Do you truly believe you are blameless?”
“N-No, sir. I… I am definitely responsible.”
“Then we will resolve this our way. Your crime is negligence. I’ve heard that human armies have something called a disciplinary training unit. As it happens, we Green Skins operate a similar system. As punishment, I propose that after the war, those who were negligent in their duties spend time in our Green Skin training camp. What do you say?”
He would surely think it was better than losing his head. At my suggestion, the man nodded his head frantically.
His clean admission was rather pleasing to see, so I smiled at Choi Hee-chul.
It looked like the Green Skin training camp would be getting a new recruit after a long time. Choi Seulgi, who seemed to have a rough idea of what I was thinking, nodded and spoke in my stead.
“I agree.”
“I agree.”
“I agree.”
Voices of agreement echoed from all around. The worry on Choi Hee-chul’s face began to fade, but honestly, I was certain that if he ever set foot in that place, he’d be spewing every curse imaginable. For all I knew, he might even get a beating from his own guild members.
“Th-Thank you for your mercy.”
Choi Hee-chul’s matter was more or less settled. He was sentenced to additional confinement, but it was a reasonable decision for both him and us. The members of the Winter Weasel Guild might not be exceptionally skilled, but there were quite a lot of them.
Though they hadn't stood out, I heard they had fought with considerable passion during the siege. He also seemed to have a decent reputation, as his guild members followed their master well. Taking his head could have led to other problems, so gifting him a new form of hell seemed like the best option.
Of course, the most important thing right now wasn’t Choi Hee-chul’s future but what information the survivor possessed. From examinations by the elven mental mages to various interrogations, they were doing their best to determine her purpose, but if her goal was truly just survival, it would be easier to bring her here and hear her out directly.
Han So-hye and the others seemed to share my thoughts, as they eventually summoned the survivor to the room. Soon, I was able to lay my eyes on the person who had breached our massive walls.
“Hmm…”
Whether she was a woman or a man wasn’t important, but she had the appearance of a female. Her entire body was bound by magic, and she wore an extremely anxious expression. As all the Green Skins and humans stared at her, she blinked repeatedly, clearly unnerved.
There must have been someone on the human side with a unique ability for restraining others, as magical ropes bound her body completely. The only strange thing was…
‘Why a turtle tie…?’
It seemed to make the survivor even more anxious, but perhaps that particular method of binding was more effective. The fact that the magician who cast it didn't enter the room with her said it all.
Her mouth was also completely gagged, leaving her unable to speak. Deciding it was best to hear her out, Han So-hye raised her hand, and the magical ropes binding her instantly dissipated.
“Your name?”
“Wing Lin… is my name.”
“Your purpose.”
“I… I came here to… to survive.”
As expected, she seemed to be Chinese. It didn’t look like she was lying. Her face was worn from hardship, and her anxious eyes and trembling body seemed to confirm her words. More than that, she was skin and bones. She clearly hadn’t eaten properly for a long time. Han So-hye sighed and gestured to someone nearby. At her signal, people from outside began bringing in simple things to eat.
The moment she saw the food, she frantically grabbed it with her hands and shoved it down her throat. You could have told me she’d been starving for days, or even months, and I would have believed it. After stuffing the simple food down her throat, she looked for water and gasped for breath.
She blushed with embarrassment, but her eyes remained fixed on the food. Thinking it best to let her be for a while, I and the other Green Skins watched Wing Lin in a strange silence. Only after some time had passed was she finally in a state to talk.
What was a little unusual was that I couldn't sense anything from her body. She had very little magic, and even with my eyes, I couldn't see anything special. She didn't have immense muscles, nor did she have a warrior's physique like Han So-hye. It didn't seem like she was hiding herself; it was more like there was nothing there to begin with.
‘I see…’
I nodded, thinking she must have at least one trick up her sleeve to have escaped the Northern Continent on her own.
A master so skilled that even my eyes couldn't see through her. It was highly likely she had allowed herself to be captured.
“Th-Thank you. I… I haven’t been able to eat anything proper for… for months…”
“There’s no need for unnecessary talk. Let’s get straight to the point. As you know, we are currently fighting the undead that have crossed over from the Northern Continent. We need detailed information about the North. I want you to tell us everything you know, starting with your position there.”
At Han So-hye’s words, a look of bewilderment appeared on Wing Lin’s face. She looked like she didn’t know how to begin.
“A p-position… I don’t have…”
It seemed she didn’t have a proper position. Just as I was thinking she must have been an assassin secretly raised by a guild, she spoke.
“Any word you can use to introduce yourself will do.”
An absurd answer came out.
“I… I am Wing… Wing Lin, a milkmaid from the village of Howl in the southern outskirts…”
At her words, I involuntarily spat out the tea I was drinking. Seeing this, Choi Seulgi muttered again.
“I knew it… We should have just cut that bastard’s head off…”
It was a sentiment I couldn’t help but nod along to.