Chapter 119
Chapter 119
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 119
Chapter Title: The Calm Before the Storm
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In the end, Kenyon had no choice but to cooperate with Lee Si-woo.
He'd felt a fleeting impulse to kill Si-woo right then and there, but changed his mind when Allen stood silently by Si-woo's side.
With the external threats of the Black Night and the Stragglers so close, internal strife would have surely led to an irreversible outcome.
However, despite Kenyon's decision to cooperate—which was tantamount to a declaration of surrender—Si-woo's expression was grim.
He had just checked the countdown to the white catastrophe, which was ticking down like a time bomb.
‘Only ten minutes left. Considering the distance between the plains with the burial mounds and Granada, we might have a little more leeway, but… there’s no time to make any detailed plans.’
Si-woo cleared his mind of all distractions and started with what he could do immediately.
He spoke to Karis, who was observing the situation from nearby.
“Karis. I need the best-performing firearm you have in the best condition, along with some explosives. As fast as you can.”
Karis, who had been smoking a cigarette and rolling a coin in his palm, gave an order to a subordinate, and in less than three minutes, the items Si-woo requested arrived.
Checking the rifle, grenades, and bombs Karis had brought, Si-woo let out a dry laugh despite the grim situation.
He hadn't expected to see an HK-416, a carbine assault rifle considered a masterpiece even on Earth in the Main Dimension.
And that wasn't all. Seeing that they even had C4, the king of military explosives, drove home the fact that Karis was a member of the Racists.
Pushing aside the thought of how much terror they must have caused with these items, Si-woo placed the sleek black rifle, grenades, and C4 into his inventory and spoke.
“Even the slums are a place where people live, so there must be a place to lock up criminals. Let’s go there.”
Kenyon, who had been watching Si-woo with a sullen expression as he acted as if Kenyon wasn't even there, asked.
“Didn’t you say you wanted to cooperate? Or what? Are you more at ease leaving us untrustworthy folks here like useless sacks of potatoes?”
“You won’t be able to stay put even if you wanted to. The Stragglers will be swarming in soon enough. So, the Magic Tower should take care of Granada. Evacuate people to safe places, control the chaos so it doesn't escalate, that sort of thing. Oh, and… Kenyon, I have something separate for you to do.”
At Si-woo's following words, Kenyon's expression turned strange.
He looked dumbfounded, as if thinking, *What kind of guy is this?*
* * *
The mages of the Old Tree and Wilderness Magic Towers began preparing their spells as soon as they arrived at the burial mounds, without needing to be told.
As hundreds of mages, floating in the air with flight artifacts, simultaneously channeled their magic, the atmosphere crackled with the surging mana around them.
Soon, the spells cast by the hundreds of mages engulfed the burial mounds.
A storm of fire swept through the area, and a rain of ice like awls embroidered the earth.
Watching the ground ripple like waves under the typhoon-like winds, the mages swallowed dryly, one and all.
For them, too, it was the first time seeing such a spectacle.
It might have been common during the racial wars of the past, but in recent times, it was almost unheard of for hundreds of mages to cast spells in unison.
Someone looking down at the burial mounds, now transformed into a bombed-out ruin in an instant, spoke.
“First magical bombardment complete. Second wave. Prepare the ‘harpoons’.”
The mages from each tower, having already heard from Kenyon about the Stragglers' immunity to magic, summoned iron harpoons from their inventories.
As the harpoons, about ten prepared per person, floated into the air, it looked as if thousands of needles were piercing the blue sky.
No matter how much manpower and wealth the Magic Towers possessed, it was impossible to procure non-mana explosives—a technology all but obsolete in the Main Dimension—in just a few hours.
So, as a last resort, they had prepared physical attacks using telekinesis powered by mana.
“Fire!”
Thousands of harpoons rained down on the burial mounds, kicking up clouds of dust.
The question of whether this would be effective against the countless corpses buried underground was fleeting; the mages mechanically summoned more iron harpoons from their inventories.
They had each prepared roughly a thousand iron harpoons.
They intended to repeat this process until their mana was completely dry and their minds were worn down by the monotony.
Just then, with a faint laugh, a woman wearing a black mask adorned with a golden spider appeared in the middle of the burial mounds.
“I’ll admit, you all were much faster than we anticipated. But harpoons…? My, my… it’s so pathetic that I’m embarrassed for even bothering to prepare for you.”
As soon as the woman finished speaking, the mounds of earth began to stir.
Long, white arms and legs poked out from the dirt, followed finally by human faces with glowing white eyes.
Soon, from the typhoon-ravaged earth, an innumerable horde of corpses began to stir, like a swarm of white ants.
Seeing the white wave emerge from the ocher mounds, the mages' faces turned deathly pale.
They had heard about it, but they never imagined their magical bombardment would be completely ineffective.
And that wasn't all. The harpoons, their last resort, were useless.
Their operation had been planned to last at least a full day.
It was impossible for a mere few thousand harpoons to have any effect on a horde numbering in the hundreds of thousands, and seeing some of the corpses moving without issue, as if a harpoon in their body was nothing more than a thorn in their foot, made them realize their efforts were likely futile from the start.
“And what’s more, the executives of the 5th Circle and above are conveniently absent. Tsk, looks like they got scared of any potential danger… Hehe, for the higher-ups who should be leading by example to act like this… what a sight. Then again, I suppose that’s why they’re rotting away in a backwater like this.”
The Spider Matriarch continued in her soft, lilting voice.
“Hmm, but it’s rather insolent of you to look down on me from up there.”
As if waiting for her words, a man in a black mask next to her asked.
“Shall I activate the barrier?”
“That would be best. At this rate, my pretty corpses won’t be able to touch them, will they?”
“Barrier. Activating.”
The moment the man finished speaking, a red, translucent membrane instantly covered the entirety of Granada.
And, with the barrier's activation, the mages floating in the sky began to falter. One by one, they started to fall.
The flight artifacts, which had been working perfectly just moments before, sparked and sputtered before suddenly dying.
Realizing that not only their flight artifacts but even their offensive ones were no longer functioning, the mages fell into chaos.
“Why, why aren't the artifacts working?”
“None of the artifacts are working! They’re all broken!”
“Everyone, calm down! We can still use magic even if the artifacts are down!”
“D-don’t tell me this is the legendary artifact-sealing barrier….”
The Spider Matriarch watched the mages flailing on the ground like wingless butterflies and spoke in a languid voice.
“My children. There are no more winged things in this city. Go now. It is… your time.”
Was it because they saw the white corpses charging toward them with monstrous shrieks?
The mages prepared for battle, their faces pale.
The wiser among them took out their iron harpoons again, while the more foolish habitually prepared to cast spells.
But, foolish or wise, they all sensed their end.
They knew it was pointless to resist the white tide rushing toward them with agility rivaling that of most beastmen.
A moment later, the hundreds of mages who once roamed Granada freely were devoured by the white wave.
Literally, every last bone and scrap of flesh.
* * *
With a haggard face, Karis watched indifferently as Si-woo emerged from the prison.
Instead of asking about the screams that had echoed from within the prison or Si-woo’s unusually dark expression, Karis reported the information he had gathered.
“We’ve lost contact with the mages from the Wilderness and Old Tree Magic Towers who went to the burial mounds. Also, a strange red barrier has covered the entire city, and all artifacts have stopped working. Even inventory artifacts. That’s made things much worse.”
“Did you keep your firearms in your inventories?”
“Firearms aren’t the only thing. In this day and age, it’s common sense to store food in inventories too. You don’t have to worry about expiration dates that way. Hmm, so we’ve lost our food and our weapons. What’s your plan now?”
“We won’t be short on food or weapons. I have it all.”
“…You do, Si-woo?”
Si-woo fiddled with his inventory ring. Perhaps because of the red barrier, the inventory wasn't functioning properly.
However, when Si-woo tapped the ring with his index finger, imbued with the Authority of Rupture, it began to spew out its contents ceaselessly, as if it had never been disabled.
Karis’s eyes widened as he saw the endless stream of firearms, ammunition, grenades, and C4 pouring out of the inventory.
“What in the world…?”
Si-woo had reaped the souls of every criminal in the slum prison.
They numbered over 200, and Si-woo had accessed Barathrum, using their souls with the Scales of Absurdity to duplicate a massive number of firearms and explosives.
Furthermore, according to the Universal Market, the price of items like the HK-416 and C4 averaged 100,000 points.
Considering a Circle Potion cost 50 billion points, the 200 souls Si-woo now possessed were more than enough to arm every citizen of Granada with firearms.
If he could get this many weapons, acquiring food? That was child's play for Si-woo.
Once again realizing just how overpowered Barathrum was, Si-woo spoke.
“First, arm the combat personnel in the slums with these firearms and explosives. Give the rest to the Magic Tower to arm the citizens of Granada. No ifs, ands, or buts…”
As he was speaking, Si-woo’s eyes fell upon the face of a slum gang member.
Seeing that one of the man's eyes had turned white, Si-woo gestured to Karis with his eyes.
Karis confirmed the face of his subordinate, frowned, picked up one of the guns scattered on the ground, and shot the man in the head.
*Bang!*
Having taken the life of one of his own subordinates in an instant, Karis spoke without batting an eye.
“The pupils turning white… it’s a sign of infection. Hmm, from now on, it would be best to deal with anyone whose eyes have turned white as a top priority.”
Si-woo nodded with a heavy expression.
“Unfortunately, there is no cure for this disease. So if their eyes turn white…”
“Yes. I’ll shoot them on sight. Ah, and Si-woo. A huge number of corpses… hmm, I mean Stragglers, are swarming in from the direction of the burial mounds. Thankfully, there’s some distance, so we still have some time before they arrive… but it’s a matter of dozens of minutes at most.”
Si-woo said in a dry voice.
“The evacuation? Has it started properly?”
“We’re forcibly evacuating them toward the Granada city center. But the original city dwellers despise the slum residents, so there’s a lot of trouble, which is slowing things down.”
Hearing Karis’s report, Si-woo immediately called Rios, the chairman of the Dongbanhoe.
*Click.*
—I was just waiting for your call. The city is in an uproar. Those white corpses, or whatever they are, are appearing everywhere and causing havoc, and the damage is not insignificant. On top of that, neither magic nor magitech weapons work on them, making them incredibly difficult to deal with.
“Chairman, I’m sorry, but I don’t have time to explain everything from the beginning, so I’ll get straight to the point. The people from the slums are trying to enter the Granada city center, but it’s not going smoothly due to resistance from the original residents. So… I need you to mobilize your official authority.”
—…I heard humans are the source of the infection. Is there any reason for us to take such a risk? As it is, public opinion among the city’s residents is worsening by the minute. The resentment and anger toward humans, in particular, is immense.
“You’re right. You have no reason to do so, Chairman. But you must.”
—Must? Why is that?
“Because if you don’t let the people from the slums into the city, I won’t provide any firearms.”
—Firearms? Don’t tell me you have non-mana weapons? The kind that are supposedly the only thing effective against those white corpses?
“Yes. And I have enough to arm the entire Granada city police force. So let’s make a deal, like the businessmen we are. A warehouse, an abandoned factory district, I don’t care how poor the conditions are. Let as many humans as possible into the city center. If that’s not possible, then even outside the city will do. If you do that, I will give you my full support with firearms.”
—Hmm, an abandoned factory district… Alright. I’ll see what I can do. But… even for me, all of them is impossible. It’s inevitable that some of them will be left behind.
“I’m not an optimist or an idealist. Just do your best and show me your sincerity. I’ll take care of the rest. However… there is one thing you must know.”
Si-woo continued in a forceful voice.
“Without gums, the teeth get cold. The humans being sent into the city are non-combatants. The majority of the fighting force will remain in the slums to fight against the white corpses. But what if their families are abandoned by the citizens of Granada? How… do you think they will react?”
—…Are you threatening me right now?
“A threat? No, I’m stating a fact. So, Chairman, do your utmost and show me the results. Otherwise, just as Granada abandoned us humans, we will abandon Granada. No, it won’t just end with abandonment… we might just cause a scene. I mean, what do I know about what people with nothing to lose and nothing to protect might do? Isn’t that right?”
—Damn it… You know what? You’re a real bastard. Fine, I get it. I’ll do my best to accommodate ‘all’ the humans somehow. That way, you people won’t cause a scene. Are you satisfied now?
Finally hearing the answer he wanted, Si-woo twisted his lips into a smirk.
“As expected of a corporate chairman, you’re quick on the uptake. Yes. That will be sufficient.”
—But tell me… I just have to ask. Si-woo, were you always this kind of person? Have you always been the type to go to such lengths for your own kind? To be blunt, it would be a simple matter for you to save your own skin and abandon your people, wouldn't it? So why are you doing all this?
“I don’t know.”
—You don’t know?
“No, I don’t. I don’t know how I ended up like this either. To be honest, I still don’t understand why I’m here doing this.”
Why? Suddenly, the words of his master, Autoreu, came to mind.
—Even if I ensure my own safety, if my heart is not at ease, how can I be at peace, no matter where I am? In the end, a person is bound to act according to their heart….
Si-woo muttered in a voice that sounded as if he had given up on everything.
“So I decided to just take it easy. ‘Do what I can, and if it doesn’t work, I can just run away.’ My life? Of course, I have no intention of putting it on the line. But still… I’ll at least try my best. That way, even if I have regrets, I think I’ll have fewer of them.”
—…Tsk, you sure live a complicated life. Then again, humans have always been like that. They’re a species you can never quite figure out. Anyway, I understand. Leave this matter to me and focus on what you need to do over there. Hmm, I wish you luck.
As soon as Si-woo hung up, Karis spoke from beside him.
“They say the white corpses are about to reach Granada. Do we proceed as planned?”
“Yes. Send out the drivers immediately and herd them toward the slum district. After that… let’s just trust that Kenyon will do his part well.”
Si-woo clenched his fists.
His palms were damp with a burning tension.
His heart tightened with anxiety, and the heavy air made it difficult to breathe.
Si-woo couldn’t tell if it was because of the impending crisis or the crushing weight of responsibility on his shoulders.
‘…Relax. If things go south, just run. Yeah, if it all goes wrong, I’ll escape. That’ll be fine, right? So there’s no need to be scared. No need to be tense.’
But why?
At that moment, a vague premonition that not everything would go according to his will lingered in Si-woo’s mind.