Chapter 316: Game
Chapter 316: Game
Chirp. Chirp.
A round moon hung in the sky, and from the edges of the campsite, the faint chirping of grasshoppers could be heard. Beneath a night sky studded with beautifully shining stars, I sat in a wide grassy field, smoking a cigarette.
It was actually my turn for the night watch. But when it was time for the shift change, I asked the other Users on duty for a moment and stepped away. I had something else to take care of.
I took a deep drag from my cigarette and glanced to one side. Before me stood Ko Yeonju, straight and tall, and kneeling in front of her was a man. His posture, looking up at her, seemed drained of all strength. His face was indescribably haggard, and his eyes, tinged with a pale ash-gray, held a vacant look.
“So, you’re saying that out of the eight, all but two resent Baek Seoyeon?”
“They don’t show it openly, so I’m not sure if it’s resentment. But sometimes, it seems like they have complaints. I do, too.”
“Right, right. It must be so sad, getting stuck in the pursuit team and not being able to plunder anything. Isn’t it? So, what’s the relationship between those two and Baek Seoyeon?”
“Yes. They are Lee Haein and Lee Gain. I understand Lee Haein has been with her since the Rite of Passage, and Baek Seoyeon personally turned Lee Gain into a Vagabond. I don’t know the detailed circumstances, but the two of them have always shown a close relationship, to the point where you could call them Baek Seoyeon’s confidants. They’re known for having somewhat unusual personalities among the Vagabonds, but that’s also why they have followers…”
A satisfied smile on her face, Ko Yeonju slowly turned to look at me. When I gave a single nod, she blinked a couple of times and waved her hand lightly. The man’s eyes instantly regained their original light, and he immediately slammed his head to the ground. The sound of his ragged breathing reached me from here; it seemed he had been through quite an ordeal.
“Good work. Leave him here and go on ahead.”
“What about you, Soohyun?”
“I’ll just grab a few things and follow you.”
Ko Yeonju tilted her head for a moment but then turned on her heel and began to walk away briskly. The man’s shoulders were still heaving. I gave him a passing glance and started walking toward the campsite.
The campsite, shrouded in darkness, was quiet. The User on night watch glanced over, but upon recognizing me, he turned his gaze back to the campfire. The occasional snore could be heard, but I moved carefully so as not to wake my companions as I gathered what I needed: a bowl of beast-meat stew leftover from dinner, a bottle of clean water, and a healing potion. Just as I finished gathering everything and was about to head toward the other watch members, a voice stopped me.
“I wanna go too.”
A youthful voice tugged at my collar. It was the young assassin girl who often played with Ahn Sol. Perhaps she was bored standing watch alone, as her face, illuminated by the campfire, was etched with boredom. I refused flatly.
“No.”
“Why?”
“You’re still too young.”
Since capturing the Vagabonds, the night watch had been changed to a three-shift system with four people each. However, since something special was planned for tonight, the Vagabonds had been separated. We couldn’t just post all the guards in one spot, and we needed at least one person to protect the campsite. The assassin girl had drawn the short straw.
“I’ll send the people watching the Vagabonds over here soon, so play with them.”
“No. They’re no fun. I’m going too.”
“If you keep whining, I won’t let you play with Ahn Sol anymore.”
“Ch-cheap.”
The assassin girl, who had stood up with a grimly determined expression, sat back down at my words. The pouting face she made as she looked at me was, I thought, quite cute. I smiled inwardly and activated the Third Eye.
〈 Player Status 〉
1. Name: Koo Yeji (Year 1 User)
2. Class: Assassin (Normal, Assassin, Runner)
3. True Name · Nationality: Still a Pure Girl · Republic of Korea
4. Sex: Female (15)
5. Alignment: Neutral · Good
[Strength 52] [Durability 65] [Agility 81] [Stamina 63] [Magic Power 67] [Luck 58]
(You have 4 remaining stat points.)
A Year 1 User… Not bad.
“Hmph. Leaving me out. I hate you, Oppa.”
Hearing the girl’s resentful words, I immediately turned and walked over to the collapsed Vagabond. He was still on the ground, unable to lift his head. After being tormented by the Users for well over two weeks, it was no wonder he was exhausted.
“Get up.”
I was about to kick his head but changed my mind, grabbing his arm to help him up. He stood immediately. Surprised that I had helped him, the Vagabond blinked several times before his nose began to twitch. He must have smelled the warm meat stew. I pretended to eat, scooping a large piece of meat onto a spoon, then glanced at him.
“Want a bite?”
The Vagabond hastily lowered his head. The abuse he’d endured had triggered an automatic refusal. But I didn’t miss the gulp in his throat, so I brought the spoon closer to his mouth.
“…”
The Vagabond didn’t take the bait right away. He just looked back and forth between me and the spoon, his face a mask of conflict.
A quiet silence flowed between us. After checking the Vagabond’s status with the Third Eye, I spoke calmly.
“You’re not going to eat?”
It was the moment I began to pull my hand back. The Vagabond squeezed his eyes shut and snatched the spoon into his mouth. An indescribable expression began to dawn on his face. Was it the ecstasy of eating a proper meal after so long, or was it sheer emotion? Ko Yeonju’s cooking skills were exceptional, and he had only been given just enough food and water to not die. His reaction was understandable.
“If you’re done eating, let’s go. Back to where you were.”
“…Thank you.”
I let out a short laugh at the Vagabond’s reply and turned toward the other members of the night watch.
Thank you, he says. I suddenly wondered if this was a situation to be thankful for.
*
After walking for about five minutes, a clearing and a light came into view. In the clearing, eight Vagabonds were kneeling in a single line. Having been deprived of proper food and sleep while being tormented by the Users, their situation might have seemed quite pitiful—if not for the fact that they were Vagabonds.
Ever since I’d destroyed their magic circuits, I hadn’t laid a single hand on the Vagabonds. To be more precise, I had simply stood by and watched the other Users’ actions.
Baek Seoyeon was not only one of the more famous Vagabonds from the first playthrough, but she was also a bitch with whom I had both direct and indirect connections. I knew her personality and traits to some extent and had planned accordingly. That was why I had tacitly approved of the Users’ actions until now. There was no need to stop them when their behavior aligned with my plan.
In any case, it was now time to take the first step.
“Soohyun. You’re here. But what’s that… Stew? Why did you bring it?”
As I entered the clearing, Ko Yeonju greeted me. I gave a slight nod and sent the Vagabond I’d brought with me to join the others.
The Users weren’t doing anything in particular. They seemed to be watching Ko Yeonju, holding back. When I placed the bowl and water in front of the kneeling Vagabonds, everyone’s eyes immediately focused on me. I turned for a moment to look at the other Users. Sensing something strange in my actions, they all wore puzzled expressions.
I spoke calmly, my tone conveying that I would not entertain any objections.
“Tonight, only Ko Yeonju and I will watch the Vagabonds. The rest of you, please return to the campsite and stand guard.”
There were a total of four Users here. Excluding Ko Yeonju and me, that left two: the one-armed User and the female priest who had been raped. Both of them turned away with dejected faces, clearly disappointed that they couldn’t properly torment the Vagabonds tonight. Just then, a thought occurred to me, and I stopped one of them.
“Priest-nim, just a moment.”
“Y-Yes?”
“Priest-nim, would you mind staying here for a bit?”
“…?”
The female priest looked at me blankly for a moment before reluctantly nodding and turning back. After confirming that the one-armed User was returning to the campsite alone and forlorn, I slowly surveyed my surroundings. The area was silent. My special guest and helper, Ko Yeonju. A priest, just in case. And nine Vagabonds. The stage was set.
I secretly moistened my lips and stood before the Vagabonds. They all looked up at me with pale faces. Just as I was about to speak, a voice cut me off.
“Stop this pathetic act.”
A cold voice stopped me in my tracks. I turned toward the source and saw Baek Seoyeon glaring at me sharply.
“A pathetic act? What should I stop?”
Baek Seoyeon looked at the stew and water placed before her and continued icily.
“I know what you’ve been doing, taking one of us away each night. If you think you can win us over with a measly bit of food, you’d better give up. We will never follow you, you demonic bastard.”
“That’s what you think. And a demon? That’s a bit harsh. I don’t recall ever touching you guys.”
“Ha. You killed our comrades and destroyed our magic circuits, didn’t you? You’re the one who put us in this state, so what are you even talking about?”
I didn’t answer right away. Instead, I took a cigarette from my pocket, lit it, and let the moment hang.
“That’s quite funny. You were the ones who attacked the city in the first place, and you were the ones who pursued us. And you were captured as prisoners. Tell me, why shouldn’t I have killed my enemies and destroyed their magic circuits to transport them as prisoners in this situation?”
“…”
Baek Seoyeon didn’t reply, merely glaring at me with murderous eyes. It didn’t bother me. Humans have always been skilled at self-justification.
“Well, it’s true I didn’t touch you, but I did stand by and watch. And I did have the Shadow Queen extract information from you every night. I personally believe you Vagabonds deserve to be treated that way.”
I paused, observing the Vagabonds’ reactions. An interesting fact was that I could glimpse a sense of expectation in some of them.
The Vagabonds had suffered terribly. For nearly three weeks, they had been deprived of sleep and tormented by the Users. Food and water were rationed to a bare minimum. Every night, their minds were contaminated by the Eyes of Temptation, accelerating their mental decay. And now, with the city so close, they must be feeling an ever-present anxiety.
In such a situation, the person with the ultimate authority to decide their fate had set the stage. I, who had shown not a shred of interest until now, was exuding a subtle nuance. In other words, the Vagabonds were likely harboring a sliver of hope, a ‘what if,’ that they might be able to live.
“But I heard something different recently. That even among Vagabonds, there are those with circumstances. For example, those who were kidnapped, or became Vagabonds due to some other situation…”
“Pfft. You’ve got to be kidding me. So, you’re going to spare those with such circumstances?”
“Baek Seoyeon. I’m not finished talking.”
“Oh, right? Sorry. But let me just say one more thing. Cut the bullshit. Who do you think would fall for your black-hearted scheme…”
“Shut your mouth.”
The moment I spoke, Baek Seoyeon’s shadow shot up and sealed her lips shut.
“From now on, if you interrupt without my permission, you die.”
As I infused my gaze with killing intent, I could see the Vagabonds flinch. I slowly retracted my killing intent and looked at the Vagabonds who were said to be dissatisfied with Baek Seoyeon. Their eyes, unlike before, were now utterly downcast.
“Listen carefully. I’m not saying I’ll take your circumstances into account. I have no interest in your personal stories, and they don’t erase your crimes. As soon as we return to the city, I plan to put all of you on trial according to the rules.”
“…”
“But among you, there might be some who feel even a little bit wronged. Or maybe there are Vagabonds who want to regain their status as Users and start fresh. In any case, what I’m saying is, I’m giving you a chance.”
A moment of silence passed. Well, not complete silence. I could hear Baek Seoyeon straining to speak.
“Then… are you saying you’ll let us live?”
It was then that a weary, cautious voice spoke up. I turned my head and saw the man who had eaten the stew earlier. I could hear Baek Seoyeon making muffled sounds beside him, but I paid her no mind. This was the crucial part. Rather than trying to coax them with empty words, I had to tell them as much of the truth as possible to open up a path.
With everyone’s eyes on me and the man, I slowly shook my head.
“Unfortunately, I can’t promise that. As I said before, I plan to put all of you on trial.”
“Umm…”
“Before that, let me introduce myself. I am Kim Soohyun, Lord of the Mercenary Clan. And that over there is the Shadow Queen, Ko Yeonju. Have you heard of us?”
“Yes. I’ve heard of you both.”
The Vagabond’s speech had definitively shifted to a formal tone. Feeling a sense of certainty, I continued nonchalantly.
“But if you’ve had a change of heart, it’s not entirely a dead end. To put it bluntly, for those Vagabonds who have changed their minds, I intend to defend you to the best of my ability. The Shadow Queen and I, the two of us.”
“Then…”
“The rest is entirely up to you. If you have a story of being wronged, it will be revealed. If you are guilty, you will have to perform deeds great enough to cover your sins.”
“Deeds… Are you telling us to sell information?”
“Think carefully. We’ve already figured out most of the information about this war. But I don’t think we know everything. As for Baek Seoyeon over there, she’ll be executed without a doubt… No, she’d be lucky if it’s just an execution. In any case, you all aren’t on her level. Will you be tortured until you spit out information and then die, or will you, whether by choice or not, fully defect and grab this lifeline? Oh, and it’s not much of a service, but I’ll guarantee you a relatively normal life as a prisoner until we reach the city. And…”
I paused for effect, then added in a low voice.
“As you can probably feel for yourselves, your magic circuits are still intact. It will take some time, but with the help of the temple, they can be fully restored.”
“W-Wait a minute…”
“That’s all I have to say. I won’t bring this up again… In any case, decide. You can commit suicide right here, suffer and die a dog’s death, or…”
I paused again, pushing the now-cold bowl of stew and the bottle of water a little closer.
“You can listen to me, and eat.”
Just then, the man who had first spoken to me lunged forward and, without a shred of hesitation, buried his face in the bowl. As he began to devour the stew ravenously, Baek Seoyeon stared at him with eyes of disbelief, while the other Vagabonds watched with complex emotions. I watched the scene with a sense of satisfaction and said.
“Anyone else?”
“…”
“If not, so be it. Then…”
“W-Wait!”
*
I looked down with a sense of wonder. The full bowl of stew and the water bottle were empty, so clean they didn’t need washing. Turning my head, I saw the man smoking a cigarette with a look of relief, and a female Vagabond who had stepped forward later. Stew was smeared all over her mouth as she swallowed the water Ko Yeonju was giving her.
In the end, a total of two people had fallen for my words. The other seven remained where they were. A few of them looked tempted, but they seemed to be watching the furiously struggling Baek Seoyeon and hadn’t yet made a move.
This still wasn’t enough. To be honest, despite my grand words, I planned to kill them all later. The information I could get from Baek Seoyeon was worth more than a hundred of these Vagabonds. But I knew all too well how stubborn she was; breaking her spirit through conventional means would be difficult. Thus, I decided to execute the second part of my plan.
“Ko Yeonju. Unseal Baek Seoyeon’s mouth for a moment.”
“You stupid bastards! You fell for that worthless crap? How could you…!”
“Seal it again.”
“Mmph! Mmmph! Mmmmmmph!”
I dusted myself off and stood up. Then, I stepped back to create enough space and spoke to Ko Yeonju.
“Ko Yeonju, what’s our food and water situation?”
“We’re short on both. We can get more food through supply drops, but we’ll need to secure a water source in the near future.”
“Then we’ll need to reduce the number of mouths to feed. Since two have already come over, I don’t think we need the others…”
I let my words trail off deliberately as I swept my gaze over the Vagabonds.
“Ko Yeonju. I’m going to need to borrow some of your strength.”
“I’ll lend you as much as you want. But you’ll have to pay me back with interest.”
“How?”
“In bed.”
I shook my head at Ko Yeonju’s recurring sexual jokes. She giggled and approached me.
“How can I help you?”
“I’m thinking of playing a simple game.”
“A game?”
“You’ll see. For now, tie those two up by their legs and place them in the space in front.”
Ko Yeonju tilted her head but obediently followed my command. Soon, two women were lifted by shadows, their legs bound, and placed between me and the other Vagabonds. One was Lee Gain, known as Baek Seoyeon’s confidant, and the other was the woman who had responded to my offer.
“What’s next?”
“This is enough. Just keep them like that until the game is over.”
I finished speaking and immediately drew the Sun and Moon Divine Sword. I walked past the two women toward the remaining kneeling Vagabonds. The sword, reflecting the moonlight, cast a cold gleam on the faces of the remaining five. I placed my hand on the shoulder of a randomly chosen man.
“Listen carefully. You’re on the team of the woman on the left.”
“Wh-What… Uh, ugh!”
Stab!
With a light thrust to his stomach, the man let out a single scream and crumpled forward. I quickly moved to the next target, Lee Haein.
“You’re on the team of the woman on the right.”
“Ah…!”
Stab!
With the sword still in her abdomen, Lee Haein’s mouth opened and closed like a fish as she coughed up a stream of blood.
After withdrawing my sword, I took out the healing potion I had prepared. I held it up for everyone to see and spoke in a low voice.
“The game is a battle royale. The two of you will fight now.”
“Wh-What?”
“Fight. If you win, I’ll save this Vagabond. If you win, I’ll save this Vagabond.”
I gestured to the man and Lee Haein respectively, then looked at Baek Seoyeon.
“Mmmph! Mmmmmmmmmmph! Mmph mmph mmph!”
Baek Seoyeon was thrashing about, her eyes wide with frenzy. I put the potion back in my pocket and slowly continued.
“For your information, in their current state, they’ll both be dead in ten minutes. If you fight and win, one of them lives. Otherwise, they both die.”
Unable to bear it any longer, Baek Seoyeon shot to her feet. But she was immediately slammed back down; it seemed Ko Yeonju had worked her magic.
“Mmmph! Mmmmmmmmmmph!”
Meanwhile, Lee Gain and the other female Vagabond just stared at each other, their faces showing they had no idea what to do.