[Translator - Night]
[Proofreader - Gun]
Chapter 130: Siege Warfare (5)
How to Survive a Siege
When it comes to "capturing a fortress," there's only one way to do it:
Defend my fortress from other factions and seize theirs.
But that's only true when the target is a "fortress"—a "limited resource."
【3】Occupy the Magic Circle (+30p)
A magic circle, however, is a different story.
"……I'll leave it to you."
"Then, excuse me."
[Target: Lee Eunho. Attempting to occupy the magic circle.]
[Starting countdown!]
Flash!
A red spear of light appeared in the air between the magic circle and the towering sky.
The countdown started, ticking down from 10.
「3」
「2」
「1」
As soon as the number hit zero, a message popped up.
[Siege success!]
[Magic circle occupied. (+30p)]
Gained 30 points with ease.
That was the obvious part.
The real issue was…
【3】Defend the Magic Circle (+30p)
There was no penalty for the defending side failing to hold it.
Which meant…
"I can take turns exploiting this."
Tack!
Saito let out a heavy sigh and stepped onto the magic circle with a hardened expression.
[Defense failed!]
[Magic circle has been taken.]
Ten seconds later, another alert popped up, and I stepped onto the circle again.
Then, the system announcement rang out once more.
[Siege success!]
[Magic circle occupied. (+30p)]
"That's 60 points now."
"This… actually works."
Saito's usually expressionless face showed a rare flicker of astonishment.
"They designed this rule to make people tear each other apart… but I guess no one ever thought to use it like this."
I had come up with the idea after watching people struggle like they were trapped in quicksand.
By exploiting the loophole of repeatedly capturing and losing the same objective, we could farm points endlessly.
"Of course, there's a risk."
Even knowing the method, it's not something just anyone could pull off.
For one, we'd have to leave the path to the central tower open for the opponent.
On top of that, we'd need absolute confidence that we could reclaim the fortress even after handing it over.
"……Thanks for trusting me. We got our fortress back thanks to you."
"I should be the one thanking you. I handed my fortress over to you, after all."
Wasn't this what they called "corporate favoritism"?
Either way…
"I bet the host’s expression is priceless right now."
"……!"
We just flipped the game board.
[Siege success!]
[Magic circle occupied. (+30p)]
[Defense failed!]
[Magic circle has been taken.]
[Siege success!]
[Magic circle occupied. (+30p)]
…
【'Investigation Bureau's Brain' is speechless, saying this is the first time they've seen someone grind their way through a siege!】
Call it grinding or whatever…
"If we win, that's all that matters."
【'Prince of the Investigation Bureau' scoffs, saying that’s not what the special mission was meant for.】
【'External Affairs Department's Rookie' scratches their head, wondering what on earth they were doing all this time.】
【'Sales Bureau Top Performer' warns that the organizers will probably patch this soon, so we should hurry.】
【Sponsored 1,000 welfare points!】
【Multiple observers are shocked by Lee Eunho’s cunning!】
【Sponsored 2,000 welfare points!】
The observer response was explosive.
A flood of admiration, donations, and new viewers.
But…
"They’re getting excited too soon."
Because…
──── ────
ㆍRecipient: Lee Eunho
ㆍSender: Kim Jieun
ㆍEveryone is spread out, farming points in China, Turkey, and the U.S. We'll come pick you up once we’re done!
──── ────
This "point duplication factory" wasn't just happening here.
【'Investigation Bureau Kitty' gasps in shock at Lee Eunho's sheer persistence!】
【'Sales Bureau Old-Timer’ slaps their forehead, saying Eunho could probably chew up tree roots for sustenance.】
【A new observer has joined.】
【A new observer has joined.】
【A new observer has joined.】
…
And so, amid the overwhelming flood of messages…
[Time limit reached.]
[Final mission, siege warfare, has ended.]
The final mission had come to a close.
[Due to an unprecedented performance, the calculation of contribution points is delayed.]
[Please wait a moment!]
* * *
After reuniting at the Chinese fortress, thanks to Jieun…
As soon as I arrived, Yura ran over to me at full speed.
"Uncle! Where did you go?"
"I was working. What about you? Were you good while I was gone?"
"Yeah… But that oppa cried!"
"That oppa?"
I followed her gaze and saw a familiar child peeking out from behind someone.
"……Wei?"
A small, round head with puffy, swollen eyes—he had clearly been crying.
"You…."
I almost blurted out ‘Why are you here?’ but held back.
The way he was shrinking into himself, hiding behind a pillar like a guilty child…
"You were the one who worked on the magic circles?"
"……Huh?"
Letting out a long sigh, I asked.
Beside me, Jaehyuk lowered his voice and answered.
"Yes, sir! That kid helped me with the magic circle work. He was surprisingly dedicated."
"Is that so?"
?"
"Yes. It's kind of unsettling that he doesn't complain even when things are tough... It's not very childlike."
Hmm.
Nodding at Jaehyuk's briefing, I put Yura down on the ground.
As soon as I let go, Yura ran off.
Unlike her, Wei was still behind the pillar.
"Are you going to stay there?"
As if he were waiting for something.
"...Can I go?"
Wei blinked, standing still.
His reaction was as if he had no doubt I would capture him, torment him, or even kill him.
So—
"Well, for now?"
I answered lightly.
He was an enemy, but an incredibly talented one.
I wanted to leave room for possibilities.
──┤Strategist Wang Wei├──
[Go (Lv.17)], [House Building (Lv.9)]
──────────────
Of course, I had confirmed that he had no threatening abilities outside of Go.
And his Go skills wouldn't pose a threat to someone standing right next to him.
A clean and calculated judgment.
"...You're not going to kill me? Even though I'm an enemy?"
But Wei seemed deep in thought, unable to be as clear-cut about it.
He lowered his head.
So I said—
"You lost, didn't you?"
"...What?"
"You declared a loss by resignation, didn't you?"
Wei looked up.
His face held a serious question, not at all childlike.
"No need to kill someone who already surrendered. Unless we go for a review match, that is."
"...!"
"If you're grateful, pay me back later. Give me something good if you have it. Got it?"
It was half a joke.
But this kid—
"...Something good."
—looked like he'd never heard a joke in his life.
He thought seriously, then finally answered.
"...I'll look for something."
"Alright, alright."
Leaving him behind, I approached my group.
Jaehyuk shook his head and spoke.
"Point grinding... How did you even come up with that idea?"
[Translator - Night]
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"Well… it just happened. The score?"
"We earned close to 900 points, hyung! We must have gone back and forth nearly thirty times!"
"That should be a safe range. Good job."
"Oh, I could do it a hundred more times. The others worked harder than I did."
Three hours of constant movement, battles, and grinding.
While Jaehyuk was still full of energy, the others sat on the ground, panting.
Then—
"Come on, we barely did anything. We survived thanks to them!"
The security guard waved his hand dismissively and pointed to the corner of the tower.
He muttered,
"Still amazes me."
Following his finger—
Clatter!
A line of skeleton soldiers stood stiffly, rattling.
The forces I had brought to guard the central tower in my absence.
"You've returned... Captain!"
"Mission complete... We've been waiting!"
Their tightly clenched jawbones trembled awkwardly, but their spirits were high.
It was a strange sight.
"When the young man said he was bringing friends, I didn’t expect... skeletons."
"Oh… yeah, well."
Friends or not, it didn’t really matter to me.
I answered vaguely.
But the skeleton soldiers seemed to think differently.
"Friends...?"
Their bony hands paused mid-movement, and a blue light flickered in their hollow eye sockets.
[The skeleton soldiers are deeply moved by their commander’s words!]
[The drop in loyalty due to time apart has been instantly restored. (95% → 100%)]
...They might have misunderstood, but I let it slide.
Now that I had a moment, I could finally take a good look at them.
"You look... better than before?"
I still remembered vividly—
Bones so dry they crumbled in the wind.
The source of this c𝓸ntent is frёeweɓηovel.coɱ.
Joints creaking even when still.
Patches of mold growing in places.
After all, I had personally pieced them back together with my own hands.
But now—
"Thanks to you... Captain!"
"Indeed...!"
Their bones had a faint sheen, as if polished, and their movements were much smoother.
Curious, I checked their status window.
〔Skeleton Soldier (Unit 1)〕
Affiliation: Eunho Lee (Temporary) Guard, 1st Squad
Rank: Squad Leader Trainee
Stats: Health (12), Strength (9), Intelligence (14), Judgment (11), Agility (10), Endurance (18)
Trait: The Dead
Skills: [Rattling (Lv.99)], [Dislocation (Lv.3)], [Self-Destruct (Lv.4)], [Basic Swordsmanship (Lv.7)]
A returnee from the River of Three Crossings. Once doomed to weather away, but through years of swordsmanship training and the commander’s touch, he has overcome his natural limits.
‘Swordsmanship training and the commander’s touch?’
The swordsmanship part made sense—I had left them in the care of an instructor.
Though it was shocking that their level had surpassed mine, they had plenty of time to train in the academy.
But "the commander’s touch"?
‘What did I even do?’
I furrowed my brows, deep in thought—
[Attention all new recruits in District 13.]
[At precisely 1 PM, the final evaluation results and award ceremony will take place.]
[All recruits are to gather in the auditorium.]
Flash!
A giant map appeared in front of me.
* * *
"It's not too far. If we fly, we'll get there quickly!"
"Should we head there in advance, hyung?"
"Ah, give me ten minutes first."
I stood up, asking the group for a brief delay.
Ten minutes.
It would fly by in an instant.
But—
"Let's go."
"Go... where?"
"To finish our beginner swordsmanship lesson."
Inside the academy, things were different.
‘I should've done this sooner, but there was too much going on.’
I had seen the extent of Sun Ming’s sword aura.
Just recalling that deep crimson energy sent shivers down my spine.
If not for the shock-absorbing breastplate, the fight wouldn't have been so easy.
If I had no barrier—
It would’ve been a completely different story.
Just thinking about that dark crimson aura still makes my hair stand on end.
Thanks to the breastplate infused with electrical discharge, I finished it easily, but without the barrier, I wouldn't have been so composed.
For a mere Lv.1 skill.
──┤Swordsman Sun Ming├──
[Intermediate Swordsmanship (Lv.2)], [Sword Energy (Lv.4)],
[Sword Aura (Lv.1)]
─────────────
I want it.
No, I have to have it.
To do that—
"I need to finish the swordsmanship class and unlock the Swordsman trait."
"Swordsmanship class...?"
"Yeah. You saw it before, right? Taking down Drosera, Mealworm, and the Giant Bee."
"Oh...?"
Since they had seen the status board as well, they should understand.
'Ten minutes here equals ten hours in the training center. That should be enough.'
Just as I finished my quick assessment and was about to take out my course ticket—
Skeleton Soldier No.1 clattered its jaw open.
"It's... all done!"
Clatter!
It even clapped its bony fingers together in something resembling applause.
"All done? What do you mean all—"
As I was about to question it, an announcement came through, faster than No.1's reply.
[ Loyalty has reached its maximum level. ]
[ The skeleton soldier squad pledges to assist their commander’s path. ]
[ The squad’s accomplishments beyond their limits are credited to their commander! ]
Huh?
This wording seems familiar.
Now that I think about it, last time…
[ Loyalty has reached its maximum level. ]
[ The skeleton soldier squad dedicates all achievements to their commander! ]
The Drosera they had defeated had been credited as my achievement.
Since I hadn’t received any further notifications after that, I thought it was just a one-time benefit.
'If this keeps happening...'
Before I knew it, a smirk crept onto my face.
Ding!
A notification rang out.
[ Congratulations! ]
[ You have completed all the objectives of the ‘Beginner Swordsmanship’ class! ]
'!!'
[ Please check your status board! ]
A cheerful, welcoming notification.
〔Class Objectives (Lee Eun-ho)〕
Defeat a rooted enemy (100/100)
Defeat a moving enemy (50/50)
Defeat a winged enemy (10/10)
"…You guys were pretty diligent, huh?"
"Commander… we just followed your teachings…!"
[ The skeleton soldier squad is delighted by their commander’s praise! ]
Their cheekbones twitched as they watched my reaction.
They seemed quite pleased with themselves.
So, that means…
[ Congratulations! ]
[ You have completed the ‘Beginner Swordsmanship’ class. ]
[ Subject: ‘Lee Eun-ho.’ Unlocking ‘Swordsman’ trait. ]
All that’s left… is to claim my rewards, right?
[ Swordsmanship-related unique skills have been unlocked. ]
[ Please check your skill list! ]
[Translator - Night]
[Proofreader - Gun]