NOVEL NEXT Chapter 200
Chapter 200 – Internal Enemy (10)
‘Here we go for real.’
It’s almost the first time I’ve come here without a cloak and mask, isn’t it? This isn’t the battered building that Lee So-Yeon now uses as her personal office, but rather a proper building in a bustling downtown area.
This is the headquarters of KUM, the company that partnered with the government to rally and control domestic users. Despite the urgent situation of residents facing war, they made a point to bring their laptops and come here for a crucial project led by her.
There must be important discussions that won’t be broadcast. I wanted to hear them directly rather than just from Lee So-Yeon.
“The Guardians can enter first. This way.”
‘That person…’
Among the crowd of people, there they were.
When I turned at the voice of another employee, I saw several individuals moving with tense expressions.
They were some of the chosen Guardians, selected by users governing Earth, and among them, I spotted a familiar face.
I recognized her as the woman who was on the verge of dying the last time a new bug infiltrated, had I not rushed in.
After facing such a crisis, one would think she would flee or hide, but she returned here, seemingly determined to fight once more.
‘Well, the protagonists are ultimately them.’
Their invitation was certainly necessary.
The project’s core was about creating a new system to oppose bugs, where users and Guardians working together would coexist in this world.
The key player here isn’t users like me, but rather the ever-increasing Guardians. Just as the residents on screen slowly grow in strength.
“Now that we’re about to start, please take your seats.”
“What about the broadcast? It’s not live, right?”
As the schedule progressed, the people jam-packed in the hall and hallway were soon swept into the auditorium. I was one of them.
“The number of Guardians is increasing worldwide. This is an anticipated phenomenon, as users prioritize raising the number of Guardians they can influence.”
Even if we live in different worlds, and even if we’re in different environments, the system remains the same. It likely means that the users governing Earth are just as likely to act like us.
“In particular, as bugs in colonies evolve at their unique rapid pace, the chance of resisting the military’s firepower is increasing. Whether using energy mats or developing carapaces resistant to flames and shocks… in situations like this, ultimately, Guardians must step up. Isn’t that their duty in the first place?”
Lee So-Yeon, standing before numerous pairs of eyes and cameras, gestured towards the attending Guardians. From my corner, obstructed, all I could see was their backs, but could anyone truly deny her words?
“We can provide help. Equipment, potions, scrolls imbued with magic, etc. The users observing Earth will have their own methods, but we also need to think of how to protect ourselves.”
Lee So-Yeon proposed a system where the government, users, and Guardians all unite. The idea was to work together from the start rather than dabble blindly as we have been.
‘Is there any reason to refuse?’
I thought about it; neither the government, users, nor Guardians had any reason to reject this proposal. It was to protect their own land and family, after all.
“You said we need to eradicate the evolved ones, and then keep a close watch to prevent them from regaining power. Is that truly everything?”
“Based on our observations so far? That’s why international cooperation is vital.”
Lee So-Yeon answered the ongoing questions based on the info I provided. I knew that few users had successfully eliminated a colony before their full-scale explosion.
It was true that after removing the colossal brain at the heart of the colony, their activities had drastically decreased. I conveyed that fact to Lee So-Yeon.
“…Is it really over?”
But the truth was, there still lingered a shred of doubt. I wondered whether the terrifying obsession and madness the bugs displayed could just vanish like that.
Even if we thoroughly monitored them to prevent them from regaining their strength, I couldn’t shake the uneasy thought that they would eventually find a way to crawl back out.
“We can proceed with detailed discussions later. I’ve shared everything we can provide.”
The atmosphere didn’t seem too bad overall. It reflected the seriousness of the situation, with people dying horrifically at the hands of monsters.
Thinking I had seen enough, I stood up. It was time to go home and look at the screen again.
“The gate has opened. Right nearby!”
That was when a stir spread through the crowd. A gate opened nearby, leading to the bugs.
*
“Come on, hurry!”
She reflexively dashed forward, moving without thinking.
“Ah!”
In her haste, she bumped into someone and fell to the floor. Of course, being a being beyond humans, she wasn’t hurt, but now had to worry for the other party.
“No, Eunha, you stay here.”
“But…”
“You just came back moments ago. You need to rest now.”
Her companions forcibly held her in place. It wasn’t wrong to say don’t overdo it, so she could only watch as her comrades dashed forward without her.
“Are you okay?”
At that moment, she realized her mistake and turned to the person she collided with on the floor. He was a young man with an ordinary appearance, clearly carrying a backpack.
‘What’s this?’
Yet, Kim Eunha felt an odd sense of unease and jolted.
“I’m fine. I was just in a rush.”
Before she could even extend a hand, he sprang to his feet with a grin, looking at her as if he knew exactly who she was.
That made a certain sense. Since she began her proper Guardian work, she had gradually gained fame. Recently, she had grown accustomed to those kinds of gazes.
“There are others here, so no need to rush.”
“That…”
“I’ve already saved many people. So have I. You need to take care of yourself first to save more in the future.”
However, his following words soothed the fears and anxieties that had been nagging at Kim Eunha, making her eyes widen.
‘To think I’d hear something like this first from someone I’m speaking with for the first time.’
In truth, she wasn’t the only one startled by the surge of emotions hidden deep in her heart.
The speaker was also surprised. After all, this was something he had wanted to say to Lee Riena, whom he had watched struggling through hardships on screen, whenever they could communicate.
As a user, he had seen the growth of Riena and Kim Eunha unfold before him, and in his eyes, Kim Eunha was walking the same path Riena had taken.
People born with destinies to become heroes. That was their only commonality, but sometimes, that was all it took.
“In moments harder than now, the moments when people will search for you more desperately, you must take care of yourself. If you don’t flee, those moments will surely come.”
“If I break down then, many will die.”
“Then you must believe. While I might not know, surely there’s a being connected to you watching over you right now.”
He knew that the residents he had nurtured ignited with belief in him during their moments of crisis, and he looked up at the sky.
The nameless user was, at least to the Guardians, a dependable entity that granted miracles. A true ally with whom they shared their lives.
‘If people like Riena appeared here, that would offer such comfort.’
While he felt burdened by the faith sent from the residents, he now thought of how to utilize that faith when needed.
*
“Did we catch them all?”
“No, it seems we missed a few.”
“Well, that’s alright. Given how things are, nothing too crucial now. They can’t get back faster than us, anyway.”
At that time, while he chatted with the newbie hero, on the screen that only he could see, Riena, who had already proven herself, was carrying out her mission with her comrades.
They were capturing all the agents of the empire active in the western grasslands.
Most of them were merchants, and they panicked as a powerful force suddenly pursued and captured them, but the Arin tribe merely restrained them without immediately killing them.
“We will serve and cooperate with anything you wish! Please, just let us know what you desire!”
“Well, that’s simple. You’ll quietly be detained until the job is done.”
The clueless “actual” merchants and the agents of the empire mixed among them were bewildered and asked what the goal was, but Riena merely smiled softly and replied that they’d just be quietly detained.
“Hm?”
As they scoured the grasslands, a few warriors began to move involuntarily.
The warriors who knew what this was felt a mix of surprise and submitted their bodies to the force.
“W-Why are you doing this!? Aaaah!”
“The master has commanded that you be dealt with. These impure ones, hiding schemes!”
They slaughtered and pierced through the marked individuals with swords and spears. As they died, the victims could only mouth silent questions of how they knew.
“They were secretly attempting to contact someone.”
“…I see.”
Riena discovered crystals and letters for communication among them and chuckled.
He had ordered the ones among the hostile agents that were affiliated with the empire to be executed.
No matter how thoroughly disguised, even spies couldn’t slip past the Master Program.
“Did you see that? Our master knows what we can’t see. So think twice before harboring any ill intentions.”
“T-This can’t be. My deputy of 12 years…”
As Riena showed evidence of their betrayal, the merchants sighed at the sight of the emperor’s spies who had infiltrated them.
‘This operation is nearly over.’
As the advanced team Riena led laid the groundwork, the main forces were continuously assembling through the portals to the area.
It didn’t matter if intel slipped through via those they missed. Before the enemies could react, they would breach the barriers established by the empire and infiltrate deeper inside.