novelraw Chapter 130
Chapter 130
Chapter 130
We wandered through this damn cave without a single break. In truth, I didn't feel very good. The cave was damp and smelled like rotting corpses.
On the walls, all sorts of disgusting insects, including cave crickets, were clicking their pincers, moving their long, spindly, hairy legs, and waving their filthy antennae around.
“Things are running quite well.”
From beyond the darkness settled in the cave, groans created by corpses squeezing their rotted vocal cords echoed. Dozens of eyes emitting a yellow glow stared at us through the gloom.
“Watch it over there.”
I said that and aimed my spear toward Han Sang-ah. The spear stretched out and poked the wall.
Along with a scream like metal being scraped, the cave wall shrieked.
Then, a large insect that had been camouflaged as the cave wall fell to the floor, struggled, and had its breath cut short.
It’s common for vermin to trick the eyes by taking on camouflage colors.
“…Thank you.”
“If you have time to be thankful, kill one more thing. And make sure you only make a mistake once.”
After finishing my sentence, I looked at the 3D map displayed by the crystal and commanded Ramin.
“Replenish archers and mages at East Guard Tower No. 3 on the outer wall. 300 archers and five mages. And replace the troops guarding the west wall with reserve forces.”
The battle above continued for about 40 minutes. Now, I could roughly estimate the skill and limits of the troops under Ramin’s command.
As my mind became more complicated, my instructions had no choice but to become increasingly dry.
The essence of a commander in war is ultimately holding a scale and weighing the weight of lives.
― The soldiers' morale is gradually dropping. They seem to be paralyzed with fear.
I smashed the twisted skeletons of the charging monsters and crushed their sunken heads as I spoke.
“Reinforcements will be sent soon. Summarily execute anyone who retreats without instructions.”
If one person begins to pull back, the soldiers nearby also want to retreat. Everything is a problem of the first person.
The First Penguin effect was being applied in a bad way.
Shall I give an example with training?
If one person drops out while everyone is receiving hard training, those who’ve been holding back despite wanting to drop out will also try to leave in large numbers.
To maintain the chain of command, the first person must be made an example of.
Ramin replied with a flustered voice at my words.
― But,
“But? You’ve got to be kidding me. If you aren't going to follow my instructions, just do whatever you want, and die together while hugging your soldiers.”
I’ve never been a virtuous leader. I’ve been called a brave general and a wise general, but I wasn't a virtuous one.
Monsters everywhere were dying after being hit by Jung Oh-hoon’s bullets, being fried crisp by Han Sang-ah’s lightning, and burning in the Paradoxical Flame I kindled.
“I’m not stubbornly insisting that you shouldn't retreat unconditionally when there’s no chance of winning.”
This wasn't a losing war. It was a winnable war. I couldn't let a winnable war be lost because of fleeing soldiers.
“Should I set up a temporary counseling center in the middle of this and counsel the fleeing soldiers one by one?”
At this point, even crazy talk is at the level of a comedy act.
― Understood.
After finishing the contact, I looked at Han Sang-ah and Jung Oh-hoon.
“Let’s scatter.”
We had to speed up the search of the cave.
If a person issued a no-retreat order to the soldiers, that person had to create a situation where the soldiers wouldn't have to retreat.
It’s the duty of a commander who holds the authority and gives orders.
I wasn't giving harsh orders just to make everyone die.
We had to find and destroy the devices interfering with teleportation as quickly as possible.
“It’ll be dangerous if we scatter.”
At Jung Oh-hoon’s words, I replied while resting the spear on my shoulder.
“Why, did you think they’d be selling walnut cakes inside an Erosion Core?”
We jumped into a Grade 1 Erosion Core. To remove it, we naturally had to face danger.
“I prefer butter-grilled baby potatoes, though.”
I looked at Han Sang-ah for a moment and then spoke.
“Scatter. We can communicate with each other through the in-ears anyway. Eliminate the monsters and report if you find something. Leave marks periodically every 50m on the path you pass.”
I would use my spear, Jung Oh-hoon his gun, and Han Sang-ah her sword. If marks were left, it would be impossible not to distinguish them.
When a contact came, we just had to trace back the path we walked to reach here, and then follow the marks left by the person who reported to join up.
“Alright. Then.”
We scattered immediately. The filthy cave was full of corpses and insects.
I didn't know where they were popping out from, but they were pouring out without rest.
As I stamped my foot, the floor smashed with a roar and my body was shot toward them like an arrow.
Along the path I sprinted, black flames spread out.
As I sprinted, I grabbed one bastard's body and threw it.
With thumping sounds, the body I threw bounced around like a tennis ball, hitting walls and monsters.
“Ah, looks like that’s it.”
I arrived at a space where an obelisk that looked suspicious at a glance was located.
I’d told Han Sang-ah and Jung Oh-hoon to report if they found something. But there was no need for me to do that too.
― That is far enough.
A corpse with yellow pus tumors stuck all over its body tried to stop me while holding a sword covered in green mucus.
What, are you some kind of guardian? I’m the type who likes having conversations too. But today….
“I’ve no time.”
Before the bastard could say anything more, I swung the black flames. The Paradoxical Flame covered him in an instant along the spear lodged in his body. Afterward, the bastard couldn't steady himself properly and plopped down on his butt.
He struggled to get up, but how could he? All the friction existing on his body had been burned away.
Dozens of spear strikes were lodged into the body of the slipping bastard. The guardian was dead, and….
“I should destroy this too.”
As I swung my spear greatly, the smashed obelisk settled down, raising misty dust with a satisfying sound.
― Teleportation has become possible! What kind of troop types should we receive as support for the main force?
Ramin informed me what kind of troop types could be replenished.
General soldiers like archers or spearmen were counted as one person. Other than that, special troop types like mages and knights, or siege weapons like catapults and ballistae, each required different values.
Even items like arrows or stones for catapults required values to be consumed if they were to be supplied through teleportation.
Do I even have to choose the troop types? You should at least handle that much yourself.
I looked at the map through the crystal and spoke.
“Five catapults, ten ballistae, 1,500 archers, and the supplies these siege weapons and troops can use for 30 minutes. In addition, twenty mages, twenty priests, and 150 knights. Fill the rest with infantry.”
Surely you aren't an NPC and I don't have to tell you the numbers for supplies usable for 30 minutes one by one.
― Understood. I will take measures immediately.
Since catapults and ballistae aren't living creatures, we can designate the desired locations during teleportation.
“Finally, you do tell me good news occasionally.”
I thought it would consume an enormous amount of time to move and install the catapults and ballistae.
That’s a relief. I immediately designated the locations I’d thought of in advance.
As I continued to move, I received a contact from Jung Oh-hoon saying he’d found something strange.
It was a point where Ramin’s troops had dropped to around 20,000, and two hours had elapsed. This cave is truly damn wide.
― Heek! Heekik!
“Ah, what is that now.”
After joining at the location Jung Oh-hoon called, I put on an unpleasant expression.
“You should’ve just gone and played with Batman. What kind of wealth and honor are you trying to enjoy in a smelly cave.”
Clown dolls made of human skin were making bizarre sounds while twisting their necks here and there at freakish angles.
Occasionally, the dolls' bodies trembled violently, looking like someone was electrocuting them.
Insects flicked out from the mouth areas of the clown dolls and then went back inside.
Apparently, the insects filling that skin were wriggling and controlling the dolls.
“Don't destroy the teleportation device.”
At my words, Jung Oh-hoon let out a sound of disbelief and looked at me.
“Why?”
“We can still hold out with that number.”
I wasn't going to needlessly reinforce additional troops if we could hold out. It would just increase the number of people dying for nothing.
I intended to hold out as much as possible with the minimum number, and then open the teleportation devices one by one to reinforce only at dangerous moments….
“I’m going to destroy all the teleportation interference devices right before we destroy all the corrupted idols later.”
We had to push through by teleporting troops all at once.
“Wow. The guys holding out would be very sad to hear that story.”
“Whether they’re sad or happy has no significant impact on winning the war.”
It’s one of the funny things about war. Anyway, the information subordinates can know is limited.
In most situations, you can make them believe a losing war is being won depending on how the commander behaves.
“Let’s just take care of those clowns. Strike first.”
Jung Oh-hoon aimed his trigger toward the creaking clowns.
“The tip of my gun shines, and the trigger delivers judgment.”
I gave him a flick on the back of his head.
“Stop the bullshit and just pull the trigger, Mr. Jung.”
What kind of crap are you suddenly spouting. At my words, Jung Oh-hoon infused mana into his rifle and pulled the trigger.
In a split second, three bullets flew in different directions and angles.
After penetrating the heads of three clowns, they hit the cave walls and ricocheted.
The bouncing bullets hit each other or struck the walls, penetrating the bodies of the dazed clowns as if sewing them together.
― Hahak! Hahahaha-hihak! Uhek! Kek! Kuhek!
Sounds that were unclear whether they were laughing or crying echoed.
The gazes of those whose bodies were riddled with bullet holes shifted toward me.
“What are you staring at.”
What are you guys going to do if you stare like that.
As I swung my spear toward them while dodging the flicking daggers, they tried to avoid my attacks by performing acrobatics.
Grabbing the collar of a bastard doing a somersault, I smirked and gave him a kiss on the forehead.
“You little cutie. How dare you perform tricks in front of me.”
While holding his collar, I spun him around and threw him straight to the ground.
Along with a sound like a landmine exploding, his body was slammed into the cave floor.
Whether the insects hidden beneath the clown’s skin were completely crushed, a yellow sap dripped from the cracks in the skin.
After dealing with the bastard, I checked the 3D map and gave instructions to Ramin.
“What are you doing, stop the troops retreating on the south wall.”
― But the sacrifice will be too great if we do that!
I replied coldly.
“There is no victory without sacrifice. If you wanted that kind of victory, you should’ve been a diplomat, not a commander.”
While talking to Ramin, I was smashing the constantly charging clowns.
― Damn it, the soldiers are dying. They’re screaming for help, suffering! The corpses are eating the loyal soldiers alive!
“Do you feel sorry for them? Then go and die in their place.”
I replied like that while avoiding the insects popping out of a clown's mouth.
― Is that something you should say right now?
“That’s what I want to say.”
You’re the damn commander, is that something you should say right now? What the hell is this guy.
If I were on the battlefield with him right now, I would’ve arrested this bastard and thrown him in a cell immediately.
“No more time. Defend the wall. These are my orders, so if things go wrong, it’s all my responsibility. There is no fault on your part.”
― …Understood.
After finishing the contact, I snorted to myself. Cowardly bastard. They’re the lives of the subordinates under him, but he just doesn't want to take responsibility huh?
Yet he’s a commander despite that? It isn't even funny anymore. In my book, a bastard named Ramin is a failure.
Well, there are more than just one or two such bastards in the world after all.