Chapter 826: The Last (59)

It was a simple trick.

It was so easy to do that it wasn’t even necessary to explain it.

It was just that the player changed in the middle. It wasn’t complicated, and it wasn’t that I had come up with a unique idea.

However, if anyone asked me if it was simple from the standpoint of that demon summoner, I could confidently say no.

Who could have predicted that a player who was playing the game would change his or her disposition in an instant or that the person would change at all in the first place?

In this case especially, if one did a build-up like this, even he would naturally be easily backstabbed. Rather, if he had been stupid, if he hadn’t been confident in himself, there would have been no room for him to struggle, but he had already finished his interpretation of Cho Hyejin.

Of course, there would be a checking process, and he would still be going through it.

I remembered hearing from somewhere that he had a history of ruining his life when he was caught by bluffing habitually.

I didn’t know if he was reliving that precious lesson, but he continued to go through the process of getting to know Cho Hyejin carefully.

He was no different at this moment. He was constantly reflecting over and over again about who Cho Hyejin was, what kind of personality she had, her beliefs, how she managed the troops and confirming his thoughts about her.

He probably already completely trusted his judgment by now, but the way he accumulated information from time to time still looked dignified.

Regardless, I could guarantee that all his judgments would come to one conclusion.

‘Because she’s just too transparent.’

Where else in the world could there be an idiot like Hyejin who was pure, clean, and only looked forward?

Who else lived without lies and with honor and faith in their hearts?

She was like a straight bamboo, like a spear that never wavered.

She never hid her true self, and she constantly moved towards what she thought was right.

Hyejin didn’t yield to injustice, lies, and power and didn’t back down when it came to her values.

That tendency of hers was reflected in her fighting style and the way she managed her troops.

Even if I tried to look for something wrong or suspicious, I couldn’t find any. She had nothing to hide in the first place.

As she herself said, she didn’t fit in this place where all the conspiracies and disgusting things were going on. Jin Qing himself would understand it better than anyone else.

[The commanders of the human faction say there is nothing they can do. Sometimes they appeal to choose to abandon our troops. They say that even if they send in reinforcements, things won’t get better.]

-Don’t abandon them.

[The commanders of the human faction praise your courage and justice, but they say it’s a stupid choice. They say that if the damage accumulates, we will eventually lose this war. Everyone shouts that the wise decision is to abandon Castle Rock. They convince you that there will be no soldiers to assist them on their way there.]

-We will send people to support them.

[The player gives the quest to the named entity Holy Spear Cho Hyejin. She nods and grabs the spear. She gathers those who will be with her and organizes a detached force. They understand that they might lose their lives in that mission. Everyone says it’s a stupid choice. She says we sometimes have to make stupid choices.]

‘Look at this. Who wouldn’t believe her when she does this?’

[The people of the continent unite and praise the Holy Spear’s courage. Named entity Cho Hyejin shakes her head. She shouts that it doesn’t take courage. She says anyone would have made the same choice.]

‘My ass, no one would do that.’

The fact that Dummy Hyejin and Cho Hyejin had similar tendencies was perfect for us.

In the meantime, I could see Cho Hyejin nodding. She agreed with Dummy Hyejin that anyone would have made the same choice.

—Do you know? You too…

-Humans are willing to give their lives for what they value. Anyone would have made the same choice.

—If you die, nothing will be resolved. After you lose your life, its value will be a piece of paper, and in the end, no one will remember the value you had.

-It doesn’t matter how someone remembers me. The most important thing is that I am not ashamed of myself.

—You’ve never met real malice, so you can talk like that. You can’t even feel what really disgusting and mean malevolence is, so you can still say that you can make sacrifices or uphold your values.

-Just because you broke down for that reason doesn’t mean I will. As you say, I may regret it, and things I value may become worthless, but so what?

—…

-Are you satisfied now that you have abandoned your values and honor? Regardless of the consequences of all your actions, are you satisfied with the way you are now?

—…

Jin Qing’s face was clearly wrinkled after being hit in the most painful spot.

He moved his lips a bit as if he wanted to continue this verbal battle, but in the end, he had nothing to say and silently continued giving commands.

What more could Jin Qing say there?

The guy who valued honor more than anyone else stomped on his honor on the ground and smashed it with his feet.

What could the guy who was paying the price for that behavior say to Cho Hyejin now?

Rather, he would be angry. Maybe he wanted to prove that Cho Hyejin was wrong with his actions.

He might want to say, ‘can you keep your composure in the face of true malice, and can you show who you are despite filthy temptations and deception?’

Not surprisingly, I could see that the army of the Demon Summoner, who had abandoned their honor, was playing tricks on humans.

However, Hyejin’s eyes didn’t tremble.

-We can solve this situation. It is possible if we unite our forces.

[Soldiers of the human faction gain a bit of hope from the player’s words. Named entity Oscar agrees. Special skill Speech is activated. The named entity Park Deokgu activates the special skill Incitement. Ahn Ki-mo and Kim Ye-ri of the Blue Guild support him. The coalition skill Continental Incitement is activated.]

-We can win.

[The humans gain courage. Songs of victory and hope resound endlessly. They say it can be done.]

—That is useless…

“He said… it’s useless. It’s like he’s spouting lines of a third-rate villain. Let’s show courage and the power of hope! Hyejin!”

She looked like she was telling me to shut up, but I kept muttering for now.

“You have to change later. Get ready.”

[Jung Jinho of the demon faction meets Cho Hyejin of the human faction.]

[Their battle has begun.]

[Magic swordsman Jung Jinho laughs at Holy Spear Cho Hyejin. He looks down on her, saying that a boring opponent has appeared.]

A fight that began at the frontlines by interlocking the two opposing forces and named individuals. It seemed to me that it was impossible to defend against it.

[Named entity Cho Hyejin of the human faction is trying to evacuate the citizens of Castle Rock. Jung Jinho laughs at her.]

Actually, this battle wasn’t important. After all, Castle Rock had no choice but to collapse.

It was an operation to allow the isolated citizens in Castle Rock and the exhausted soldiers to escape.

It would be correct to interpret it as an operation to reduce casualties to a minimum rather than conserve power. Unsurprisingly, the scene where Dummy Hyejin and the gang risked their lives to let others escape while there was a pretty gruesome battle going on down there seemed a little sublime to me.

[Holy Spear Cho Hyejin is encouraging the troops. She claims that she can open the way. She rides the unicorn and leads the citizens and troops to break through enemy forces. The Castle Rock inhabitants are terrified. Named entity Cho Hyejin inspires the citizens. The troops march forward.]

‘She’s so cool.’

[Cho Hyejin opens the way. An army of demonic forces seizes the citizens of Castle Rock as they try to escape. They said that She and her companions would remain. She collides with Jung Jinho, allowing the citizens of Castle Rock escaped. She and her companions remain until the end to fight the enemies.]

‘She’s really cool.’

[Castle Rock will remember her.]

[Cho Hyejin, a named individual of the human faction, dies at the hands of Jung Jinho, a named entity of the demon faction, but he was fatally wounded. It seems that it will take quite some time for the wound to heal, making he’s indignant about his own mistake. He murmurs that she was not a negligible opponent and that he should have been a little more careful. He walks away.]

[The continent will remember the heroes.]

—Unexpected damage occurred, but… this is not the end.

[Citizens and exhausted soldiers of Castle Rock failed to escape. Soldiers from the demon faction ambushed and captured them. They will be used as their source of magic.]

—The results are not very good.

[The soldiers of the demon faction return with the soldiers and citizens of Castle Rock.]

—This is the reality. Anyone can say nice things. Faith, justice, and courage. Anyone can say… that you should fight for what you value… or do something you wouldn’t be ashamed of, but look. This is the result.

-…

—You didn’t gain a victory from the last battle, just mere self-satisfaction.

‘I don’t know if it’s because he got hit on the heart too much, but his tongue has gotten quite sharp.’

It seemed to me that he was defending himself. Cho Hyejin, biting her lip, looked mad.

She stared intently at the situation board for a long time as if she had nothing to say to Jin Qing. There was no way there’s no value in her actions.

[The human camp remembers the sacrifices of the Holy Spear Cho Hyejin and Castle Rock. The operation failed, but her sacrifice inspired many. A named entity from the human faction informs the player that we can win.]

—That’s not fun.

[The whole continent sings of her sacrifice. Citizens brought up arms, and those who fled in fear raised their shields.]

—It’s really not fun.

[The morale of the human faction rises, and their status increases. Some named entities unlocked special skills. The Blue Guild, engulfed in great sorrow, rises and raises their weapons.]

‘It’s a bit like a cartoon, but it’s not bad.’

I didn’t think Cho Hyejin even intended this. Seeing her with a bright expression on her unexpected result, she seemed happy about her faith not being betrayed.

It was a small game board, but what could make her happier than that? Moreover, that wasn’t the only advantage that came from her reckless behavior.

[An unidentified magic applied to the citizens of Castle Rock is activated.]

—Huh…

[Castle Rock citizens captured by the demon faction exploded.]

—What… What?

[Magic sources of the demon faction died.]

—What?

[Magic sources of the demon faction died.]

[Magic sources of the demon faction died.]

[Magic sources of the demon faction died.]

[The demon faction takes fatal damage. Many power sources had been slain. They don’t have enough magic power to sustain their troops. Their side is bewildered. Some black wizards scream. Lee Seolho of the demon faction murmurs that it was his mistake. He screams that he didn’t expect it.]

It was the noble result of their sacrifice. There’s no way I could forget it.

I untied Hyejin’s blue hair tie. It didn’t really mean anything but showmanship.

I turned my head naturally, tilted the chair back, and then crossed my legs. I then spoke to Jung Hayan, who was looking at me speechless.

“How are you, Hayan?”

—You… you… you!!!

Jung Hayan, who looked at me in disbelief, immediately began to shed thick tears.

It wasn’t my body, but I could tell that the atmosphere had changed.

Eventually, as if rushing into my arms, I felt her hugging me, more precisely, hugging Cho Hyejin.

Han Sora was looking at me with surprise on her face.

Seeing her murmuring, ‘Jung Hayan? Jung Hayan?’ It seemed that she didn’t understand exactly what was going on.

Oh, I had to say something to Deokgu too.

“Deokgu. Get a cup of coffee.”

“Hyung-nim… is that really you?”

“Answering the call of the Holy Spear, the Son of Light descended directly upon her body.”

“Is that really… ugh… you?”

—Yoooouu!!!!!

Finally, to this demon summoner too.

I needed to say something. I didn’t want to use Cho Hyejin like this, but I ended up smiling and lifting the tip of my chin.

I should speak to him as if it were too funny to bear, with the meanest and most despicable smile I could muster.

It felt great.

“Gosh… You were deceived again, commander.”

—Lee Kiyoouuuuuuung!!!!

“Puhehehehehehehehaha! Jin Qing! Fuck, how can you get fooled again?!”

I thought I was going to be addicted to this.

His reaction was definitely worth descending for.