After centuries of scouting, imperial spies had meticulously mapped the desert's outer reaches, granting special-operation units even more familiarity than locals had. But deeper in, the difficulty escalated exponentially, plunging imperial forces into utterly foreign territory.
Even Liver himself, experienced as he was, couldn't guarantee finding their "target." Yet, perhaps due to Lancer's presence, luck seemed to favor them this time.
"Captain, are you sure about this? That settlement has thousands at least—we have barely over ten men. Even if they just stood there, we couldn't kill them all. If they surround us…"
Though this was an official operation, Liver, as vice-captain, wielded extensive authority and commanded full autonomy. If he judged the risk too great, retreating or switching targets was still an option. But…
"Since we've found it, we can't just leave. We have to at least infiltrate and scout things out."
Liver's firm refusal left his subordinate no choice but to sigh in resignation. Once the sigh passed, though, the man's expression hardened again. If evasion wasn't an option, hesitation was useless.
"Alright. Since everyone agrees, I'll assign tasks. Lancer, since this is your first mission, you'll cover the perimeter. Kossel, Turgul, Hessler—you three stay with him. If we send the signal, come reinforce us. Otherwise, follow the original plan: withdraw and deliver our intel to the general!"
"Yes, sir!"
Liver's orders essentially gave them a lifeline. If necessary, they were fully authorized to abandon the others—but it was unavoidable. Their numbers were far too small. If encircled, escape would be impossible.
The dozen-man team split into three groups. Lancer's team took the outermost ring, tasked with support and extraction. Liver personally led the two strongest soldiers toward the settlement's core, aiming to assassinate its leader. According to his understanding of these tribal barbarians, once their leader fell, internal conflict would surely erupt.
The third team would investigate water sources and rig traps throughout the settlement, buying precious time if a hasty retreat became necessary.
As the other nine faded from view, Hessler placed a heavy hand on Lancer's shoulder.
"Stop staring. We've got our own job to do."
"Our job? What's that exactly?"
"…You'll see soon enough."
Lancer remembered Hessler as a silent, bronze-skinned giant who always seemed friendly, but the man's dark expression now made him almost unrecognizable.
When Lancer followed the trio into an area resembling a makeshift shantytown, he froze in disbelief. Previously encountered tribal settlements had homes that, though humble, were sturdy enough to survive desert storms.
But here? It felt more like ruins than a living space—collapsed walls everywhere, only a few structures still brightly lit.
As they moved deeper into the rubble, Lancer's eyes widened at what awaited him.
"What… what is this?"
His voice quivered despite his best effort at control.
"Them? Women abducted from villages near the border fortresses—along with the daughters they've given birth to here…"
"So, what do we do? Rescue them? But we don't have enough—"
"No. Our job is to kill them."
Hessler's words provoked an instinctive objection from Lancer, but Hessler cut him off first.
"Captain Liver mentioned you're new, unfamiliar with the border and the tribes. Let me explain clearly…"
Glancing at his watch, Hessler took a deep breath, steadying his voice as best he could.
"Those damned tribes raid border villages, taking men for forced labor and women purely as breeding stock. Boys born here are raised as tribal warriors; girls inevitably suffer their mothers' fate. For these women, death might be a mercy. In all my time, almost none remain sane—most lose their minds completely, or surrender to despair, becoming mere slaves. And slaves in settlements this deep in the desert… suffer worse than animals. Almost all end up broken beyond repair."
If before Lancer couldn't comprehend the empire's hatred toward the tribes, now he understood a little.
Yet, Lancer didn't immediately surrender. He desperately searched among the women for anyone still salvageable—but each attempt failed.
Even shaking them awake achieved nothing. They were either dead-eyed husks, barely conscious, or shamelessly pressing themselves against him, begging for affection. The sight nearly made him bite through his lip.
As the agreed-upon deadline approached, each failed attempt left Lancer even more shaken. He lost track of how many he'd tried to awaken…
"Lancer! Time's up! I know this is your first time—you probably can't do it yourself. Go deal with the guards and the men inside those buildings. As for these women… we'll give them their release."
"…Understood."
Lancer's voice cracked, raw and harsh—whether from speaking too much earlier or from something else entirely, even he wasn't sure.
Yet as he approached those buildings, the darkness in his eyes ignited, explosive as powder touched by a spark.
Liver's order was to create a distraction, buying precious time for the other teams. There was no longer any reason to hesitate!
Clack—!
His lance had rested unused for an entire month, strapped silently to his back. Now, grasping its cold shaft again, Lancer's frenzied mind steadied slightly. Yet rather than the weapon's familiar feel, he suspected it was the overwhelming bloodlust surging through him, clarifying exactly how he should fight efficiently—rather than just swinging recklessly.
Shield braced forward, lance shaft secured beneath his arm, right hand gripping the spear's forward end tightly, he stomped forward hard with his left foot, momentum rising swiftly, accelerating until—
BOOM!
With an explosive crash, the stone building—built to withstand desert storms—erupted with a massive hole. Inside, no one expected this sudden intrusion. Panicked, naked men scrambled to cover themselves, fumbling desperately for weapons—but all that awaited them was a sand-colored spear.
It had been painted as camouflage before departure. But clearly, that effort was wasted.
Tonight, its color would be dyed far more vividly.
---
T/N: AIEEEEEEEEEEEEE
T/N2: yeah no excuse this time :sob: WAIT NO I WAS STARTING NEW TLS SO HA! yeah sorrrey heres the 4 chapters!
bonus chaps
100 stones -> 1 chapter
200 stones -> 2 chapters
300 stones -> 3 chapters
and so on
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