Late at night.
Pitter-patter, pitter-patter!
The sky, which had been heavy with dark clouds since morning, only began to drizzle after dusk. During the day, the air had been thick with humidity, making the atmosphere stifling, but as the rain started to fall, the oppressive discomfort gradually eased.
At first, the raindrops dotted the ground lightly, but as time passed, the rain intensified, pouring down like a curtain and soaking everything in sight.
In the heart of the northern continent’s forward base, standing before a vast forest, there was a single unusually large tent of a pale grayish hue, unlike the smaller structures around it.
A raindrop slid down the triangular roof, catching the faint light spilling from inside the tent and shimmering briefly. For a fleeting moment, the surface of the droplet reflected a glimpse of the interior: a pure white glow… a table… two figures…
Clack!
Suddenly, the white light emanating from a crystal orb resting on the table flickered and went out with a faint static noise.
“The connection’s been cut.”
The voice was sharp and clipped, spoken in a strictly businesslike tone. The woman who gathered the crystal orb into her arms was Lee Hyo-eul.
“Well, you must have heard the conversation by now. It took a bit longer than expected, but… the southern expeditionary force has completed their second assault and begun constructing the fortress.”
Hyo-eul’s brow furrowed slightly as she spoke. It wasn’t because of the harsh, unpleasant breathing coming from across the tent. Rather, it was the attitude of the man before her since he arrived at the forward base that had been quietly irksome.
He wasn’t rude exactly, but he showed almost no reaction to anything. Having engaged in deep discussions with Jo Seong-ho and Han So-young earlier, Hyo-eul couldn’t help but feel a certain awkwardness.
Puff, puff…
Still, she didn’t voice her frustration outright. Though not a timid woman by nature, she knew well enough whom to provoke and whom to leave alone.
From that perspective, the burly man across from her, arms folded and silent, was definitely someone not to be trifled with.
“…”
His hair hung in tangled strands, dripping rain haphazardly, and his bulging muscles looked as if they might burst with the slightest touch. His eyes were tightly shut, but watching him was like observing a wild beast crouched, waiting for its chance.
Most unsettling of all was the ominous aura faintly emanating from the jet-black spear strapped to his back—a palpable tension that thickened the air between them.
If Kim Soo-hyun was a user you didn’t want to provoke, this man was one you couldn’t predict what he might do if crossed.
“So, the northern expeditionary force must begin their third assault soon… When do you plan to advance, Commander-in-Chief, or rather, User Gong Chan-ho?”
Just as Hyo-eul thought this and prepared to leave, the man—no, Gong Chan-ho—suddenly snorted sharply and snapped his eyes open. The wild, feral glare froze Hyo-eul in place, her entire body stiffening as she met his fierce gaze.
Then, his lips parted slightly, and a low, beast-like growl escaped.
“…Now.”
“…Yes?”
“Let’s move immediately.”
“U-User…”
Before Hyo-eul could finish, Gong Chan-ho rose to his feet. The nearly two-meter-tall giant’s movement cast a dark shadow over Hyo-eul’s stunned face.
With a piercing look, Gong Chan-ho lowered his gaze to her. That was all.
Moments later, without hesitation, he turned his back and strode out of the tent. Hyo-eul’s eyes widened like saucers as she watched him go.
“W-wait! User Gong Chan-ho! It’s late, and it’s raining outside! What are you—”
But when she hurriedly got up and followed him outside, she was immediately overwhelmed. Sharp, piercing gazes seemed to stab from all directions, forcing her to halt abruptly.
When did they all arrive?
Outside the central tent, over five thousand users stood in neat formation. Despite the steady rain, they held their positions in silence. Their solemnity bordered on something grand and unfathomable.
But what was going on here?
The total number of combat users in the northern continent expedition was estimated at around fifteen thousand. So, each expeditionary force should average between three to four thousand combatants.
Yet, the northern expeditionary force Gong Chan-ho was leading now numbered over five thousand combat users. What on earth had happened?
As Gong Chan-ho crossed the center, the users automatically parted to either side and began turning their backs one by one.
“In the end…”
Hyo-eul could only watch helplessly, unable to stop them.
The first assault by the eastern expedition took ten days.
The southern expedition’s second assault took fourteen days.
Now, twenty-four days after the initial assault began, the northern expedition was signaling the start of their third.
Whoosh!
A massive greatsword sliced through the air with a sharp whistle.
Slash!
The blade cleanly grazed Lee Hee-won’s neck. Blood erupted like a fountain, and his severed head flew through the air. His face bore an expression of resigned acceptance. An-hyun, staring blankly into space, turned pale.
“Execution complete.”
Yeon Hye-rim, who had carried out the execution, yawned quietly as she reported.
“This concludes the trial.”
Slowly, Han So-young rose to her feet. Following her lead, Shin Jae-ryong, Helena, and the other observing users began shifting their gazes—one by one—toward An-hyun.
“W-why… why…?”
An-hyun felt bewildered as all eyes fixed on him.
Clap!
A familiar applause was followed by a low voice.
“An-hyun.”
“Why did you make that choice?”
Turning to the side, An-hyun was speechless. Kim Soo-hyun had approached and was staring at him intently.
Not just Kim Soo-hyun—every user was glaring at him.
“I-I mean…”
An-hyun stammered, unable to hide his embarrassment. But Kim Soo-hyun and the others didn’t wait for his explanation.
“This world isn’t the modern era you came from. It’s the Whole Plane. So why act like that?”
“How long have you been here? A rookie? Three years in and you still can’t tell what’s going on?”
“Playing the good guy all alone. What a sucker.”
“What? You want to give her another chance? Seriously? The one who got betrayed is saying that? What a shameless brat!”
As if waiting for the trial to end, the accusations poured in relentlessly.
No! That’s not it!
An-hyun screamed inside, but for some reason, he couldn’t speak. He could only look helplessly at the users condemning him.
Finally, unable to bear it, he turned back toward Kim Soo-hyun—and was startled.
“!”
Kim Soo-hyun was now standing close, staring him down directly.
Before he could even steady himself—
“Want to dig yourself another hole?”
Kim Soo-hyun’s voice whispered sharply in his ear.
At that moment—
“Ugh!”
An-hyun’s eyes snapped open as he groaned and sat up. When the tent’s ceiling came into view, his startled eyes slowly softened.
“…It was just a dream.”
He muttered in a calmer voice.
It was definitely a dream. But it had been so vivid, and since the events following the trial’s conclusion weren’t real, An-hyun couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling. It was as if the dream had taken shape from the very anxieties he harbored inside.
The trial itself had ended two weeks ago, but the emotions from that time still lingered deep in An-hyun’s mind.
The archer woman had been executed on the spot.
The trial was over.
Yes. That was the end of it.
Struggling to gather his thoughts, An-hyun forced his eyes shut. But after tossing and turning for a while, he couldn’t suppress the turmoil inside and finally stepped out of the tent.
Outside, a cool breeze greeted him, drying the cold sweat on his brow. It was still the dim light of dawn, but morning was on its way.
As he stood in the early morning breeze, surveying the fortress still under construction, An-hyun felt his mood lift somewhat—not completely, but enough to feel better. Perhaps because it was early, no users were wandering around except for the guards.
He stopped at a suitable spot, raised his spear high, and assumed a stance. He planned to train, hoping that moving the spear would clear his troubled mind. At least while practicing, he wouldn’t have to think about anything else.
As An-hyun entered a state of focused meditation, time continued to flow on.
The morning sun gradually rose, casting warm rays over the slowly taking shape fortress. One by one, the residents began to stir, stepping out of their tents and starting their day.
Some prepared breakfast, others like Anhyeon engaged in their morning training, while groups of inhabitants gathered in threes and fives to discuss how they would continue building the fortress today.
Just as the savory aroma began to fill the entire stronghold—
“Hah, hah!”
Anhyeon, who hadn’t paused once since starting his training, finally lowered his spear and stopped moving. The morning session was over at last.
Though breathing heavily, his face looked refreshed. He walked into a patch of shade and plopped down, wiping the sweat from his brow just as—
“Training looked great. You’ve improved remarkably.”
At the sound of the calm voice, Anhyeon suddenly felt a cool touch on his neck. Startled, he jumped up, then turned around and, without realizing it, let out a surprised “Oh.”
There stood Chasorim, smiling brightly, slightly bending her knees as she offered a water bottle glistening with droplets.
“So, Sorim noona?”
“Drink up. You must be thirsty.”
Anhyeon bowed his head politely and took the bottle. The chill from the ice inside was incredibly refreshing against his hand.
Parched, he gulped down the water eagerly. Chasorim calmly settled herself on the ground after smoothing the dirt beneath her.
A moment later, Anhyeon, having emptied more than half the bottle, let out a satisfied “Ahh, that’s the life,” his expression one of pure relief.
“Ah, it feels so good.”
“Training always leaves you feeling refreshed, doesn’t it?”
“Exactly, exactly… By the way, Sorim noona, how long have you been watching me?”
“Since about halfway through. I came out early thinking I might train myself, but your practice caught my attention before I knew it. If you don’t mind me asking, have you become one with your spear?”
“Become one with the spear?” Anhyeon repeated, a bit puzzled.
It was a gentle way of asking if he had achieved ‘spear-soul unity,’ a term commonly used among spearmen.
Having trained under Chasorim many times and being clanmates, Anhyeon nodded without hesitation. Chasorim’s face lit up with approval.
“I thought so. Lately, you’ve been training more frequently. When you first master a skill, you tend to want to keep holding and moving with your spear until it feels natural. It’s a good sign. Congratulations.”
“Oh, it’s nothing. I was just restless, so I moved around a bit. Heh…”
Anhyeon laughed lightly, shaking his head. Chasorim rested her chin on her folded knees and spoke softly.
“Restless… Could it be because of what happened two weeks ago?”
Anhyeon’s smile faltered.
“Well… I can’t exactly say no. But it doesn’t really matter. It’s all in the past now. It’s over.”
He scratched his head awkwardly.
Chasorim lowered her voice.
“Do you regret the decision you made back then?”
“Hm? No, not at all. If I’d accepted the punishment willingly, I’d probably be full of regret by now.”
Anhyeon answered firmly, and a flicker of surprise crossed Chasorim’s eyes.
“Honestly… I did struggle a lot. It was just a matter of nodding once to go along with the situation.”
“That’s right. And it was the reasonable thing to do. Of course, that’s just my personal opinion.”
“That’s exactly what I hated.”
“…Excuse me?”
This time, Chasorim questioned him.
Anhyeon slowly turned his gaze to meet hers directly.
“Because I didn’t want to change.”
---------------------------= Author’s Note =---------------------------
Anhyeon’s honest heart revealed!
Jeolchibushim Gong Chanho!
The sly Brain God!
The prim Kim Suhyun!
All of this awaits you in the next chapter…! (Bam! Bam!)
Ahem, ahem.
Yesterday’s comments exploded. (First, I sincerely apologize to those who were so upset with Anhyeon that they couldn’t focus on their work. Bow!) Now, let me channel my inner middle-aged woman for a moment. Of course, Anhyeon is still my son.
Royujin: No! You can’t say our Hyun is useless! Why are you trying to crush his spirit?
Reader: Die!
Reader: Hit him hard!
Royujin: GG.
Just kidding.
In truth, Lee Heewon’s execution was justified. He literally ran away thinking only of his own survival. That’s a very sensitive issue in the Whole Plain.
Still, even when almost everyone else said yes, Anhyeon alone said no because he had something he wanted to hold onto and protect. You could call it his final line of defense. This will be touched on only briefly at the start of the next chapter.
The Northern Expedition arrives in the next chapter. Before we fully dive into the main phase, I plan to release two parts per segment to keep the pace brisk. :)