I only realized what had happened when—
Drip, drip.
Thud!
Han So-young, who had been running with her arms wide open, suddenly stopped short and sank down, blocked by a spreading crimson barrier.
“Gasp.”
A sudden pang of regret hit me. Hadn’t this happened before?
I glanced down discreetly and saw Han So-young’s stunned face. She was staring at the red veil with confused eyes. I was probably making the same expression.
An awkward silence fell abruptly.
But it didn’t last long.
“Mercenary… Lord…?”
A cold voice, each word clipped like a biting winter wind, cut through the quiet. That’s when I realized I couldn’t afford to be idle.
Her face was flushed a deep, angry red—as if it might explode at any moment. Yet the eyes looking up from the floor burned with a fierce, icy glare. It was a look that seemed on the verge of tears or fury. Han So-young was glaring at me with a face streaked with embarrassment and rage.
No, putting myself in her shoes, I’d be mortified enough to want to die after what just happened.
Buzz!
Suddenly, the orb in my hand vibrated sharply, snapping me back to my senses. I looked at the volcano of anger that was Han So-young and hurriedly spoke.
“Wait! Istantel Low Lord.”
“…”
“I understand. You must be very embarrassed. I would be too. But I’m also wronged here. Please, just give me a moment to explain what happened.”
“…”
Did my desperate plea work? Han So-young, who had been trembling, seemed to calm down a bit. Her Adam’s apple bobbed as if she was swallowing something. Taking that as silent permission, I quickly reached into my pocket and held out the orb like a peace offering.
“This little guy did it.”
“W-what?!”
“This is one of the recent upgrades I got. It’s a kind of equipment with its own consciousness. It’s very smart, but it’s overly protective of me and keeps creating these red barriers at the worst times.”
“…A sentient piece of equipment?”
“Yes, exactly. Actually, something similar happened not long ago. The clan members who rushed at me back then were stopped just like this. It’s still young and can’t judge situations well. It’s this little guy.”
“…Hmph.”
As I spoke, I pressed the orb a little harder. It sulked, vibrating softly before deactivating its protective shield. For a brief moment, the red barrier faded, and Han So-young’s eyes lit up with curiosity.
Thanks to her extrasensory ability, she seemed to believe my explanation. Her tense shoulders relaxed, and the fiery gleam in her eyes returned to normal. But then, her eyes, like black obsidian, began to glisten with unshed tears. She still bit her lower lip tightly, clearly not fully appeased.
After a few heavy breaths, Han So-young finally spoke quietly.
“I see… so that’s what’s been going on.”
“You understand?”
“No.”
“…”
She shook her head firmly.
“As you said, Mercenary Lord, I’m feeling very conflicted right now. I’m already embarrassed, ashamed, and so mortified I want to run away. Do you admit that?”
“Yes, yes. I do.”
“But your story doesn’t sound like a lie. I can see you have your grievances.”
“Of course. I never meant for any of this to happen.”
“Still, I’m very upset. No matter how hard I try, I can’t calm down.”
“…”
What do you want me to do then?!
Just as I thought this, Han So-young narrowed her eyes slightly.
“So, taking everything into account, I’m going to give you a chance.”
“A chance?”
“Yes. I’m giving you one minute.”
“One minute…?”
I asked in disbelief, and she took a deep breath, nodding.
“Yes. One minute. You can do whatever you want. During this time, try to calm me down however you can.”
“Y-yes?”
“I’m tired of you pretending not to hear me. Oh, and the countdown started a little while ago.”
“W-wait, that’s…”
“57 seconds. And if you fail—or if you don’t do anything at all during the remaining time…”
“F-fail…?”
Han So-young’s glare was terrifying as she trailed off. I swallowed hard, unable to protest.
“You’d better be prepared.”
With that, she sealed her lips and sank down completely, as if daring me to do whatever I wanted. A storm of confusion swirled in my mind.
The room was silent. The uncomfortable quiet made me want to bolt. How much time was left? A few seconds?
Unable to withstand her unwavering gaze, I hurriedly grabbed Han So-young and helped her to her feet. She didn’t react much but surprisingly allowed herself to be pulled up.
‘What now?’
Time was slipping away, and I could tell by the way her eyes were narrowing. Maybe less than ten seconds left. Realizing this, I suddenly hugged her tightly.
“…!”
The sudden embrace made her tense briefly, but then she relaxed, leaning into me as if entrusting herself. A subtle, intoxicating scent filled my nose. As a tickling warmth spread down my neck, a soft voice whispered in my ear.
“Four seconds. You said I could do anything… but if you’re going to hug me, at least do it properly. This isn’t like holding a hedgehog.”
Hearing “four seconds” sent a shiver down my spine, and I hugged her even tighter. The warmth and gentle pressure of her body were unmistakable. Finally, I fully realized I was holding Han So-young. Her unique feminine scent wrapped around my frazzled mind like a soft blanket.
“Mm.”
Han So-young slowly tilted her head back as she hugged me from behind. Her eyes, slightly provocative, fixed on me.
“Getting this far was really hard.”
“I-I’m sorry…”
“But you did well this time. Not perfect, but not bad for a mercenary lord.”
“T-thank you…”
I wasn’t sure what I was thankful for, but I nodded gratefully.
“Anyway, I think I know what to do from now on. Let’s call it even for today.”
“Y-yes?”
“Since you don’t seem to get hints, I guess I’ll have to teach you step by step. And one more thing—don’t pretend not to understand me when I speak. Ever again.”
“…I will.”
My heart skipped a beat, and I answered obediently. Han So-young smiled faintly, leaned back, and closed her eyes.
“For now, let’s just stay like this. Is that okay?”
“Yes.”
“Oh, and you can move your right hand. Like when you brushed my hair back at the Steel Mountains, gently run your fingers through it.”
“Understood.”
One by one, she gave me orders like a commander, and I followed obediently. Holding her slender waist with my left hand, I began to delicately stroke her silky hair with my right.
Han So-young finally let out a satisfied sigh. The sweet, sticky scent wrapped around me, making my head spin.
A little later.
“Mercenary Lord… you’ll have to keep working hard if you want to make me happy…”
She murmured dreamily, as if a weight had been lifted.
After the third summit, the situation around Atlanta began to shift rapidly. Most notably, the Eastern Expedition officially withdrew, and the Mercenary clan was chosen as the new representative clan. That alone had a huge impact. Aside from that, since most things had already been decided, the final distribution process went smoothly.
First, the Istantel Low clan of the Southern Expedition chose a city in the east. It was the least devastated area, filled with ancient ruins. Among the four outer cities, it was considered the best, and users thought it natural that Istantel Low claimed it.
The Northern Expedition took the western outer city. Interestingly, the north didn’t have a single representative clan. Like the old Koran Union managing a city, multiple clans formed an alliance to govern it. However, it was somewhat surprising that Gong Chan-ho was selected as the alliance’s first commander—even if only as a figurehead.
The Western outer city was assigned to the Hamill clan from the west. The northern city was closest to the Steel Mountains and was somewhat of a no-man’s land internally. But thanks to Hamill Lord Kim Yoo-hyun’s strong desire to focus on the Steel Mountains in the future, the west took it under their wing.
In the end, the southern city was handed over to the Missionary Clan. It was widely known as the most underdeveloped city in the south. Aside from a massive colosseum, the rest of the city was mostly made up of military facilities.
When the Missionary Clan took charge of the city, rumors and concerns spread among the users. Unlike other cities, which were managed on a regional basis, the Missionary Clan was basically starting from scratch. On one hand, some saw it as a land of opportunity, but reality tends to be harsh.
Yet, Kim Soo-hyun, who was put in charge of the southern city, seemed unfazed. Despite the worried glances from everyone around, he simply smiled faintly and appeared satisfied as he walked away. Meanwhile, a user claimed to have spotted Han So-young kissing Kim Soo-hyun on the cheek in a secluded alley, sparking renewed speculation about their past relationship and fueling rumors that Istanbul Row might be backing him.
No one really knew what Kim Soo-hyun was thinking or how he planned to develop the city. But those familiar with his past achievements watched the southern city with keen interest.
With that, the situation in Atlanta settled—for now.
A new continent.
A new city.
New buildings.
A new clan taking root.
As a result, users who weren’t part of any clan or belonged to subordinate clans began a fierce game of maneuvering and alliances.
Everyone understood one thing:
Before long, the northern continent would no longer be the center of activity.
From now on, the spotlight would be on this new stage called Atlanta, where the game would be reshaped in entirely new ways.
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=
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