Chapter 37
Another week passed.
After a battle ended...
Suhyeok returned to camp.
He removed his blood-covered iron armor.
When mealtime began...
Complaints filled the area.
“Damn those other races.”
One soldier spat.
“It already pisses me off that they live on our land.”
He frowned.
“And now they start a war too?”
Another soldier groaned.
“We should just wipe them all out.”
He looked exhausted.
“Do you know how many bodies I carried today?”
Then he shuddered.
“When that barbarian charged at me earlier, I thought I was dead.”
This was the western front of the Aen Empire.
Taesu and the others had all been assigned to different fronts.
Unless someone deserted...
They would not meet easily.
Even Leon had been completely prevented from entering this Hidden Dungeon.
Seong-a appeared beside Suhyeok in spirit form.
[Daddy, are you okay?]
She looked worried.
[Do you want me to pat you?]
She looked different now.
When Suhyeok first met her...
She looked like a young child.
Now...
She appeared around thirteen.
Her speech had improved too.
It seemed Thanatos’s help had accelerated her growth.
I’m fine.
Suhyeok gave her a faint smile.
Seong-a smiled back brightly.
Then she disappeared.
Suhyeok quietly unfolded the map he had brought from the barracks.
The western territory was marked clearly.
The Forest of the World Tree.
The Barbarian Territory.
Both were located close together.
Currently...
The Aen Empire was like a shrimp caught between two whales.
The soldiers here had been drafted because of that war.
Suhyeok looked around.
“Urgh! AAAAAH!”
“This won’t work!”
Someone shouted.
“Bring more bandages!”
“Hurry!”
Medics struggled desperately with severely wounded soldiers.
Many had been badly injured.
Fear.
Exhaustion.
Helplessness.
All of it showed on their faces.
More died than I expected.
Suhyeok studied the camp.
About half the force is injured.
The Hidden Dungeon Suhyeok had entered...
Was based on the history of the 20th Floor from hundreds of years ago.
In other words...
This was a story with a predetermined ending.
The Aen Empire would win.
Of course it would.
The Empire itself had secretly caused the war.
The soldiers on this western front...
Were nothing more than chess pieces.
Their purpose was to keep the two races fighting.
The Empire planned to wait until both sides exhausted themselves...
Then take the western territory.
A voice echoed across the camp.
“If everyone is finished eating, return to your barracks.”
The commander of Suhyeok’s First Battalion spoke.
He was old...
But his fierce expression showed years of experience.
Everyone immediately hurried to finish their food.
“......”
For one brief moment...
Suhyeok exchanged a look with him.
Then he gave a slight nod.
He returned to his tent.
Soon...
Someone entered.
“Whew.”
A muscular man with a thick beard appeared.
“I thought I’d die waiting.”
He carried a bloodstained mace on one shoulder.
He dropped onto the bed beside Suhyeok.
“Squad Leader, what took you so long?”
His name was Kasar.
He grinned.
“Don’t tell me you forgot.”
Kasar cracked his neck.
“You promised to spar with me.”
Suhyeok replied,
“I never made that promise.”
Kasar ignored him.
“Whatever.”
He stood.
“Get ready and come outside.”
His grin widened.
“My hands are itching.”
Kasar kept talking loudly.
Then...
One of the soldiers lying beneath a blanket spoke.
“You’ve been noisy for too long.”
The blanket lowered slightly.
Dark circles surrounded the man’s eyes.
His gaze was cold.
“Shut up before I cut out that useless tongue.”
His name was Ventus.
Kasar looked offended.
He immediately swung his mace.
BOOM!
Dust exploded.
“You bastard.”
Kasar glared.
“Did someone hit you in the head on the battlefield?”
He raised his mace.
“Want me to smack you again until your brain starts working?”
Ventus drew his sword.
Shing!
“Your movements are too slow.”
His eyes became dangerous.
“I doubt you can.”
Then he said,
“If you truly want to die that badly...”
He raised the blade.
“I’ll kill you.”
Both looked ready to fight.
Suhyeok finally stood.
“That’s enough.”
The two froze.
“If you keep making noise...”
Suhyeok looked at them.
“I’ll transfer both of you to another squad.”
Silence.
The two glanced at each other.
Eventually...
Kasar lowered his mace first.
“Tch.”
He pointed at Ventus.
“You’re lucky.”
Kasar sneered.
“If the Squad Leader wasn’t here, you’d be dead.”
Ventus lowered his sword too.
“You should be thanking him.”
His voice remained calm.
“If he had been one second later...”
Ventus looked at Kasar’s neck.
“Your head would already be cleaning the floor.”
This was Squad Ten.
Only three people belonged to it.
Suhyeok.
Kasar.
Ventus.
Kasar and Ventus were two of the strongest soldiers in the First Battalion.
During the past week...
Suhyeok’s performance in battle had impressed the Battalion Commander.
That was why Suhyeok had been made Squad Leader.
There was only one reason he accepted a squad containing two people desperate to kill each other.
If Suhyeok’s memory was correct...
The Crown Prince would soon visit both races.
Officially...
The purpose would be reconciliation and peace.
In reality...
He was merely a hostage offered by the weak Imperial faction to the noble faction.
Choi Wonseok probably cleared this by encouraging the elves and barbarians to destroy each other.
The Crown Prince was meant to become the excuse the Empire needed to continue the war.
In other words...
The Crown Prince had to die at the hands of another race.
That would increase the people’s hatred even further.
Suhyeok stood.
“I have to meet the Battalion Commander.”
He looked at them.
“Behave while I’m gone.”
Kasar frowned.
“That old man again?”
He clicked his tongue.
“All he does is order us around from above.”
Kasar stretched.
“Want me to come with you, Squad Leader?”
Suhyeok stared at him.
“No.”
Then he added,
“Just don’t cause trouble.”
After preparing himself...
Suhyeok walked to the Battalion Commander’s tent.
He saluted.
“First Battalion, Squad Ten Leader Daniel Crocus.”
His voice became formal.
“Reporting to the Battalion Commander.”
When Suhyeok entered the Hidden Dungeon...
He had been overlaid onto the identity of a real historical person.
Daniel Crocus.
The oldest of five sons from a tenant farmer family.
Only everyone’s perception had changed.
Suhyeok himself remained the same.
The Battalion Commander kept writing something.
“You’re here.”
He did not look up.
“I called you because I have an important mission.”
The Commander continued writing.
“His Highness the Crown Prince will soon visit the other races as an envoy.”
He sighed.
“As you know, no one wants to volunteer as his escort.”
Then he finally looked at Suhyeok.
“And you caught my attention.”
He finished writing.
Then pressed a seal onto the paper.
The document was handed to Suhyeok.
A discharge certificate.
“If you complete this mission properly...”
The Commander leaned back.
“I’ll discharge you immediately.”
He smiled.
“And you’ll receive a reward.”
His eyes narrowed.
“Enough money and land to live comfortably for the rest of your life.”
Then he added,
“But only if you do one thing properly.”
A powerless Crown Prince.
No one wanted to escort him.
A common-born soldier showing exceptional ability.
The mission was obvious.
The Commander leaned closer.
“On the way back from the escort mission...”
His voice became cold.
“Kill the Crown Prince.”
Suhyeok’s expression did not change.
The Commander continued.
“Don’t worry.”
