Chapter 160
Chapter 160
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 159
Chapter Title: The Reason for Returning
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Even in the Clock Republic, this was the most brutal place, soaked in the stench of blood, where human corpses poured out like they were stamped from a factory.
Camp 1.
Out of the five camps in total, this was the largest and most advanced facility.
Survive a year, and you're called strong-willed.
Survive two years, and they say you have a body blessed by the gods.
Survive three years, and they figure you must be a Republic collaborator.
In truth, no one who entered the camp lasted three years.
To the Republic, it was their thickest whip; to the citizens, a symbol of terror.
Weeeeeeeng!
A deafening siren blared.
The prisoners, hearing this warning sound for the first time in their lives, wondered what was happening.
Not just the longest-serving inmates—even the Republic guards working here had never heard it before.
It was the signal that someone had infiltrated Camp 1.
And the culprit, the leader of the Scrap Merchants, Pindenai, dashed through the camp corridors, her white hair whipping behind her.
“I never imagined they’d have thermal sensors.”
Pindenai responded incredulously to the Scrap Merchant member following her.
“These bastards are only serious about crap like this.”
Camp 1 wasn’t just a prison; it held symbolic meaning for the dictatorship, so they’d never let it be breached.
Gripping her axe tightly, Pindenai glanced back at the members following her.
Most of them might die here. She knew that.
“Boss, don’t hesitate for no reason.”
“Exactly. We have to save the kids, right?”
“We never thought we’d walk out free anyway.”
Seeing their resolute determination, Pindenai steeled herself.
Maybe that’s why.
She pulled out another cigarette from her pocket and put it in her mouth.
Lighting it, she inhaled the scent and exhaled smoke. As her mind calmed, she rounded the corner with the cigarette still in her lips.
Far ahead, guards blocked the entire corridor with shields.
The moment they spotted Pindenai and the Scrap Merchants, they thrust gun barrels through the shields and pulled the triggers.
The bullets flew without a shred of mercy or hesitation.
“Guns don’t work on me anymore.”
Pindenai’s mana swirled, twisting the bullets’ trajectories and embedding them in the walls. It was the technique from Griffin she was most satisfied with.
“Huh?”
“The bullets curved!”
As the panicked guards faltered, Pindenai launched herself at them. Her floating foot slammed into a shield, shattering their formation.
Crash!
At the same time, her axe cleaved into a guard’s head and yanked free.
The other Scrap Merchants followed, thrusting spears or swords into necks or skulls to finish them off as they ran.
Clean teamwork.
Repeating this several times, no more guards blocked their path. They seemed to be planning something since small skirmishes meant certain defeat.
“We’re just pushing straight through.”
Pindenai lit another cigarette and raced toward their goal.
Toward the area in Camp 1 called the Kids’ Zone, where only children were held.
“It’s right ahead!”
At the shout from the member who’d already scouted it, Pindenai poured more strength into her legs.
Bright lights illuminated the corridor’s end. They’d reached the Kids’ Zone.
But of course, guards surrounded the entrance, guns trained on them.
A sudden hail of bullets rained down from all directions like a downpour.
It was expected.
The members quickly joined Pindenai in unleashing a mana storm.
The Scrap Merchants hadn’t just been playing around in Griffin; they pooled their mana, deflecting the bullets away.
Or so they thought.
Bang!
Simultaneous gunfire echoed.
The heavy booms sounded more like cannon fire than bullets.
Several members behind Pindenai collapsed.
Snipers on the second-floor railing aimed massive rifles at them.
‘Bullets with that much power can’t be deflected, huh.’
Grinding her teeth, Pindenai charged forward.
“Push inside! Don’t let them snipe freely!”
What followed was a chaotic melee.
The Scrap Merchants dove into the enemy ranks, accepting casualties, turning it into a brawl with the guards.
But the Scrap Merchants, seasoned in such fights, had the edge. The guards, used to swinging batons at powerless inmates, were no match.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Then thick rounds pierced more members.
Even Pindenai twisted desperately, a bullet grazing her waist.
“You crazy bastards!”
“They’re firing without caring about their own side?!”
Amid the chaos, glaring at the snipers who shot indiscriminately, Pindenai crouched low.
The fight below was already in their favor. Deal with the snipers, and it was over. She infused mana into her legs and leaped toward the second-floor railing.
A fluid, graceful movement.
Even Pindenai felt her condition and form were at their peak.
Mid-air, she hurled both axes. They embedded in the snipers’ heads before they could dodge.
Not just splitting skulls—utterly shattering them.
Landing on the second-floor railing, she yanked her axes free and turned to the others.
Judging the distance too close, they fled toward the exterior connected to the railing.
Planning to climb the outer wall ladders to another floor.
Feeling the cold wind blowing in from the entrance, Pindenai tucked one axe at her waist, grabbed a sniper’s rifle, and pulled the trigger.
Bang!
The harsh recoil and gunpowder scent filled the air, masked by her cigarette’s aroma.
One fleeing sniper’s chest exploded, sending him tumbling to the ground.
Not letting the rest escape, Pindenai followed them out onto the second-floor exterior.
Whoosh.
A fierce wind blew.
Her eyes caught the Extermination Squad members swarming at the first-floor entrance, waiting.
“Ha.”
She let out an exasperated sigh without realizing it. She knew instantly.
The kids in the Kids’ Zone were bait. The guards fighting inside were just stalling.
Among them, the man commanding all Extermination Squad members. Wearing gray Unbreakable Armor alone, he leered at Pindenai, locking eyes.
One of the three superhumans loyal to the Republic’s President.
Oscoff Baltan.
Military-short hair, a scar running down his cheek. Already over 2 meters tall, the armor made him nearly 3 meters, chest adorned with countless medals.
In his hand, a serrated greatsword that had reaped countless Resistance lives.
“Pindenai, long time no see.”
Oscoff greeted warmly, but Pindenai chewed her cigarette bitterly, face twisting.
No matter how vital Camp 1 was, a superhuman like Oscoff wouldn’t standby with Extermination Squad members constantly.
“Fuu.”
They’d laid the net perfectly to finish her off.
From sending Doberman to lure her back to the Clock Republic, this scene was part of their plan.
She spun to check inside the Kids’ Zone. With snipers down, guards were corpses, and members were rescuing the kids.
“Boss! We found all the kids!”
“Just escape now!”
The members smiled innocently, unaware of outside.
The moment Extermination Squad opened the massive front gate on the first floor, they were all dead.
“I’ll draw their attention. Escape on your own.”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“Take the kids and run! You can risk your lives for that much, right!”
The quick-witted members grew anxious at her agitation.
“Boss, what’s outside...?”
“Fuu.”
She spat out the burned-down cigarette. Two left.
Pindenai lit one and tossed it to her comrades.
Thud.
The cigarette’s smoke spread around.
“For anyone who dies here. At least this’ll ease you into sleep.”
It was premium stuff—sure to bring peaceful rest.
“Boss! Boss! What are you saying!”
“Where are you going! Boss!”
“We’ll fight outside too!”
Ignoring their cries, Pindenai smashed her axe into the second-floor metal floor, collapsing it.
“Good work.”
With her final farewell, she leaped out and landed before the Kids’ Zone gate.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
She hammered the massive bolt on the gate with her axe, bending it completely.
No one could enter or exit without breaking the door now.
“So, greetings over?”
A 3-meter giant approached through the gun-wielding Extermination Squad members, greatsword slung over his shoulder.
The heavy sneer on superhuman Oscoff’s lips was infuriating.
She wanted to smoke her last cigarette, but reaching into her pocket would draw bullets.
With mana nearly depleted, she bit her lip and replied.
“Fuck off. Couldn’t handle me alone, so you brought this swarm?”
“Taunt? Hah, not bad.”
His words said that, but Oscoff’s eyes showed no flicker.
“But I’m not foolish enough to screw up over emotions like you.”
“......”
“Look at you, dragging your comrades to save worthless brats that mean nothing to the revolution. I guarantee it—Scrap Merchants end today.”
“As long as you exist, we won’t disappear.”
Scrap Merchants.
A gathering of useless rejects. They insulted each other as worthless, yet cherished one another as comrades.
Right now, behind her—her family-like comrades.
The longer she stalled, the more time they had to escape.
“Scrap Merchants 2 and 3 will rise again.”
“Without you as the core, they’re rabble. White Wolf, why not forget everything and live in the kingdom when you fled there?”
“......”
“You could’ve settled, found work, met someone good, lived ordinarily.”
That future might’ve been possible.
Forget everything, live together in Northsweden.
Grumbling yet happily as that man’s maid.
Yeah, that would’ve been nice.
“Hey.”
But that.
“Cut the bullshit.”
Wouldn’t be Pindenai.
She had someone she loved.
It was a guess, but he probably had feelings for her too.
Because she was Pindenai, leader of the Scrap Merchants.
The woman who shouldered everything, fighting and struggling—that’s what caught his eye.
But if she settled into life in Griffin and let it all go?
Could she still be called Pindenai?
Could she still claim a piece of Deus Verdi’s heart?
“I didn’t return because I gave him up.”
Crunch.
Her hands tightened on the axe.
A deep breath, white mist escaping her lips.
“To remain the woman he loved, forever.”
Yes, to stay as the Pindenai that Deus loved.
“That’s why I came here.”