◈ Episode 203

This operation will be carried out solely by detection and combat personnel.

The professor, who would normally lead the agents as a field commander, was excluded from the team because there was no suitable role for her. Since it was a simple operation, there was no need for professional command.

You must quickly achieve your goal and escape.

There is always a risk that someone will drop out during the process. That is why taking someone like a professor who is "unlikely to be abandoned" carries a huge risk.

'I don't have any means to protect myself like Leila.'

To put it bluntly, it's more of a hindrance than a help.

Although it may be a bit odd for a professor to accompany me, Kushan has decided to accompany me.

"I'm sorry, but I can't send you to the exact location of the Emperor. I don't know the layout of the Shiran Palace very well. I guess I can only give you rough coordinates."

"I don't even want to go that far. I just want to be able to enter the palace."

"From now on, I will guide you."

None other than as a navigation tool.

"I was taken to the palace a while ago. The structure hasn't changed much since before. It might be difficult to find the secret passage, but I know where everything is."

"Yes, if that's so."

Altair readily accepted Kim Ihyeon's request.

Naturally, this would be an act of interference in the secular world. It would be a backlash, just like when the godmother ran wild. But she showed no sign of hesitation.

Vidia is a race with extremely shallow connections to the world. Therefore, they take each and every promise seriously. Above all, Kim Ihyeon was a benefactor to all of Vidia.

Boom, boom.

When I cut my palm, blood gushed out.

Altair's curse turned the blood into mucus. The mucus, which had previously covered only a single car, spread farther out, covering the area like a curtain.

Some of the agents swallowed dry saliva without realizing it. It was because they remembered the fierce battle with the Great Mother. Even Kushan stuck out his tongue as he stared at the lingering darkness.

"What a mysterious, if strange, spell…."

"Is it unusual even when you look at it with your own eyes?"

"Isn't that obvious? Transcending space? That's way beyond the normal categories."

"I see."

If so, that's good.

Kim Lee-hyun snickered while wearing a gas mask.

"If you don't know, the emperor won't know either."

The tip of the sword has already reached the Emperor's chin.

"Right, now that you mention it, you can do it round trip, right?"

"I am a flexible woman."

"Okay. Then let's get going."

The entire operation team boarded the vehicle.

The outfit where everyone is wearing a gas mask. Even if it's an obvious trick, it has meaning. As long as there's no evidence left behind that Cellbrox Lab and Dustborn were involved, that's all that matters.

'As long as there is no clear justification for accusing us, that's fine.'

From then on, it was a battle for influence.

The one with the loudest voice becomes the truth.

"Everyone, please close your eyes."

Following Altair's guidance, the armored vehicle began to run through the swamp.

The interior of the moving car was as quiet as a mouse. There was no useless chatter coming from the radio. It was evidence that the agents were tense. A moderate amount of tension was helpful.

Kim Lee-hyun finally reminded us of one thing.

"There is only one target, the Emperor. Ignore non-combatants. It is a humanitarian response, a matter of priority. Since time is limited, we cannot afford to be unnecessarily held back."

The time limit is until the palace troops arrive.

"Break and run in a straight line to break through."

And then one hour, two hours.

As the flow of time becomes ambiguous, the tension begins to loosen.

"I have arrived."

Altair's one word signaled the start of the operation.

Hwaaaaak―!

The mucus covering the line was torn apart, and the world returned to its original state. The sound of tires rolling on the ground, natural light hitting his eyelids. Kim Yi-hyun opened his eyes and looked out the car window.

The view had changed 180 degrees.

The time is the end of dawn, when dawn is just beginning. The place is a garden full of colorful flowers. Coincidentally, it was a familiar place. Later in the event story, the professor is invited by the First Princess to visit.

In other words, the intrusion was a success.

"This is the garden of the Ruby Palace. It's pretty close to the Emperor's Palace. Just keep going straight!"

Booooooo!

Following Kushan's instructions, the armored vehicles raced along the stone pavement. The loud noise of the vehicles broke the silence of the dawn. It would not be strange if those with keen ears immediately noticed the change.

As we left the garden of the Ruby Palace, we began to see human figures here and there. Guards and servants on night duty. Even in the dim light, it was easy to read their confusion.

'I can't help but be surprised.'

From their perspective, it was as if an armored vehicle had suddenly appeared in the middle of the palace. They soon realized what was happening and were seen running off somewhere. Kim Yi-hyeon immediately withdrew his attention from them.

"Let it go. Chasing it is just a waste of time."

There is no time to even glance or look around.

This operation was a total waste of secrecy from the beginning. What good would it do to silence witnesses? It would be better to advance a little further before the troops arrive.

'They're probably coming soon.'

In the game, the Shiran Palace is depicted as a kind of den. The Executors stationed throughout Shiran are Executors, but there are even more monsters lurking in the Palace. Conflict with them is unavoidable.

As expected.

Boom, boom!

The armored vehicle was showered with bullets. The body of the vehicle shook with each hit, but that was all. The additional iron plate easily withstood the gunfire. Kim Yi-hyeon held onto his seat and acknowledged the enemy through the window.

"They don't even sleep. They woke up so quickly."

A black cloth covering the lower part of the face. A monotonous uniform without any cumbersome gold stripes or draperies. Men and women dressed in identical attire, as if they were exact replicas, were gathering one after another.

A special force directly under the Emperor.

They were extremely quiet. The commander did not shout or make any grand gestures. There was no sign of them even communicating with each other.

But the action was violent.

After silently pouring out bullets, he started running at full speed. The distance between him and the speeding armored vehicle was getting shorter by the second. Even though he knew that if he collided with it, he would not be able to recover his bones, he did not hesitate in his steps.

Thud, thud!

The car hit the body straight in the head.

To be exact, the enemies flung themselves like moths to a flame. The blades they struck carelessly scraped the bonnet as they collided. A woman sprang up with blood and hit the side with her broken arm.

Some of them were like leeches, squeezing into the car. They covered the front with their bodies and repeatedly stabbed the car window with their knives. Without even a single scream or shout. Their bloodshot red eyes were quite bizarre.

- What the heck, these crazy guys!?

Rosetta's voice came through the radio in a panic. It was a natural reaction. It was beyond bravery or recklessness, it was madness. The agents knew these enemies well.

- Are you a reinforcement soldier? You're doing the same thing as the Legion.

"Chelsea! Get that guy off me!"

"i know!"

Chelsea, leaning out of the gunner's seat, fired her rifle repeatedly. Her body, clinging to the car, trembled and was thrown away like trash. She rolled on the ground, bleeding profusely.

Even though it was a fatal wound that would not have been strange if it had killed him instantly, he immediately stood up and chased after him. A human barrier was erected in front of him, blocking his path. The special forces were trying to block the armored vehicle with their bare bodies.

"Just sweep it away."

"Are you sure it's okay!?"

"You just saw it. Are you still saying that?"

"Oh, sir, I don't know!"

The attached machine gun fired. There was no time to feel guilty. Every second was urgent, and they were people who had lost half their humanity due to long-term experiments and special drugs.

I have been given the honor of becoming a tool, not a human, and of guarding the Emperor's side.

You were simply given the opportunity to be as loyal as you wanted.

If you can't keep it, well, that would be a shame.

"Keep drilling."

The Imperial Palace is just around the corner.

* * *

Toodoodoodoo!

Gunshots rang out incessantly. The silence that had settled over the palace during the early morning hours had long since disappeared. As the emperor rose from his bedroom and opened the door, the guards and the royal guards were rushing in.

"Heinrich. What is the situation?"

"It's not known yet, but it's expected to be a terrorist attack."

"terrorism?"

The emperor frowned.

"We have strengthened security at the border and the capital to a level equivalent to a wartime situation. Are you saying that you have invaded the imperial palace without anyone knowing and are causing this commotion?"

"That is true."

"I can't believe it. What on earth did you do?"

"I also have doubts, but let's postpone the investigation. The special forces are responding, so I will attend to Your Majesty. First, you must ensure His safety..."

-Bang!

The imperial palace shook violently as the explosion occurred.

'this.'

Heinrich smelled the increasingly thick gunpowder. The intruder was approaching. The distance was already too close. The target must be the Emperor's head.

The Emperor is Shiran's present and future.

One hundred years, two hundred years from now. If the Emperor continues to reign as ruler, the Empire will eventually swallow up the continent, and the Emperor's hand will reach every corner of the Empire.

A glorious spring awaits. The great disaster is only one step in the process leading up to that day. The emperor still has many accomplishments to accomplish. He cannot face such a vain ending.

"We'll have to use the underground passage. It'll be safe there."

"I guess we should do that. Have you confirmed the size of the intruder?"

"As of now, it seems that there are about 20 to 30 confirmed cases."

"Where did that number come from?"

The emperor clicked his tongue in disapproval.

"Tell them to capture at least three of them alive."

The Emperor guessed that the current situation would be resolved soon. The absolute difference in military power was the biggest reason. There were many test subjects in the palace that even the high-ranking nobles were unaware of.

Actually, the calculation itself was not wrong.

It is impossible to 'conquer the palace' with only the Cellbrox Lab and Dustbone. The supplies brought, such as bullets and grenades, are also quickly consumed. When the time comes to fight with only spells, it is already a failure.

That is why it is a one-point breakthrough and a short-term decisive battle.

I was going down the stairs leading to the underground passage.

"Damn it, get out of here!"

Whaaaaang―!

The ceiling collapsed all at once.

Stone chips fell like corn and dust spread in all directions. Some of the guards were unable to avoid the stones and were crushed by the stones. The flames, flowing like lava, melted away their armor and entire bodies.

The emperor, protected by the guardian angel, coughed and looked ahead again.

Jiiing!

Following the sound of wires, a human silhouette fell.

"your majesty!"

Flames flickered in the dust. Gunshots rang out and the guards groaned. The emperor was able to avoid the disaster thanks to the hand of the guardian of the nation who made him lie down flat.

The Guardian, who realized that battle was inevitable, drew his sword. A sudden strong wind blew in, clearing away the dust that had been blocking his vision. With this, the Emperor finally caught sight of the terrorist.

'Legion's Gas Mask?'

A terrorist disguised as a long-fallen legion.

Standing with one foot on the rubble is extremely disrespectful.

Not only his face, but even his hair is not visible as it is covered by the hood.

Nevertheless, the emperor muttered a man's name.

"Kim Lee-hyun, you...!"

"Kim Lee-hyun?"

The terrorist tilted his head.

"Who is that?"