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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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“Cheonhwa Department Store, Black Dragon Restaurant, Xiao Market… still no contact!”
“We’ve received a distress call from Sahwa Pavilion!”
“Urgent report! The Obsidian Unit stationed at Black Dragon Bank has clashed with the culprits!”
The simultaneous attacks on all affiliates, despite the late hour, were immediately reported, thanks to the widespread nature of the assault and the activation of the Guardian System’s emergency network in some of the targeted locations.
As a result, the Leviathan, the command center and logistical hub of the Black Dragon Clan, was in a frenzy.
“Orders, please!”
“Where do we send reinforcements?”
But the Black Dragon Clan members, though bustling with activity, hesitated to act.
It wasn’t just because they were unsure how to respond to this absurd situation, with all attackers being Duke-level players, and seemingly the same Duke-level player.
It was because the general manager, Yo Ouin, the brain of this operation, remained silent.
“General Manager!”
Unable to bear the suspense, a warrior called out, a blatant act of insubordination that could have resulted in immediate execution under the Seven Dragons Association’s strict hierarchy.
Yet, he risked his life to request orders, a testament to the dire situation at the affiliates.
But Yo Ouin didn’t get angry or issue orders.
He simply said quietly,
“Stand by.”
“In this situation?”
“Yes. There will be no reinforcements. And inform the other staff, including the Silent Dragon Unit. Full alert, but no action without orders.”
“Why?!”
Yo Ouin calmly replied to the bewildered warrior,
“Do I need to explain myself?”
“…My apologies.”
The warrior fell silent and retreated.
It wasn’t just because he realized that questioning orders was a grave disrespect to the chain of command, that no general explained their reasoning to every soldier.
It was the oppressive aura surrounding Yo Ouin that silenced him.
Yo Ouin smiled wryly, unseen by the others.
‘This is troublesome.’
The warrior wouldn’t understand why Yo Ouin had used his psionic energy to silence him. It wasn’t just to maintain his authority as general manager, it was because Yo Ouin himself didn’t know the exact reason.
It was negligence at best, intentional inaction or even betrayal at worst.
‘Princess, you’re putting this old man in a difficult position.’
He was doing this because it was Li Chingwei’s direct order after he informed her of the attacks.
Of course, it wasn’t a valid excuse.
In the past, it might have been different, but with the princess’s diminished authority, he wouldn’t be able to escape responsibility for abandoning the affiliates, even if it was her order.
But Yo Ouin didn’t change his mind. He was a member of the Black Dragon Clan before he was the general manager of the Leviathan.
He was a warrior of the Seven Dragons Association, bound by duty to prioritize the princess’s will above all else.
‘Of course, I understand you have your reasons…’
Furthermore, Yo Ouin was one of the few who knew Li Chingwei’s intelligence and meticulous nature.
A seasoned veteran himself, he knew she wouldn’t issue such an order without reason.
He could guess the meaning behind it, what she was aiming for. But even so, he couldn’t feel at ease, ignoring the urgent reports and pleas for help from the affiliates.
‘To feel this anxious at my age… I lack discipline.’
Lamenting inwardly, Yo Ouin straightened his back and listened to the incoming reports.
“Silent Dragon Unit, standing by!”
“Distress call from the Cheonhwa Department Store security team…”
“Urgent report from the Shanghai Royal Family’s Martial Force Unit…”
“From the Covert Unit…”
As he listened to the constant stream of urgent reports…
Rumble!
…a tremor shook the building.
Weeeee!
And amidst the chaos, the silent alarm finally blared.
“This is…?!”
“Impossible!”
“Confirm the situation, quickly!”
As the Black Dragon Clan members panicked, their faces a mixture of shock and disbelief, Yo Ouin spoke quietly,
“Silent Dragon Unit, assemble in the lobby.”
His voice was calm and low, yet the order cut through the noise, stopping everyone in their tracks.
Yo Ouin said coldly to those who turned to look at him,
“Prepare to receive our guest.”
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A lone figure strolled leisurely through the darkened streets. A loose hoodie, ripped jeans revealing one thigh, a guitar slung over her back… She looked like any ordinary street musician.
Eugene was contemplating.
‘What to do?’
The current commander, the man with braided hair, had ordered them to cause as much chaos as possible, within reasonable limits.
It was the simplest and most appealing mission she had received lately. Her only concern was where and how to cause this chaos.
It was a surprisingly complex question.
Unlike Ryu Kang-chul, who could attack multiple locations simultaneously, Eugene could only target one. It would be difficult to meet the chaos criteria.
“This is it.”
Eugene decided to keep it simple. She would choose the most spectacular target.
Even she, who only cared about music, knew which of the Black Dragon Clan’s affiliates was the largest.
That was why, at this late hour, she appeared before a certain building.
“Too bad, your hospitality is lacking.”
Perhaps due to the state of emergency, the building’s entrance was sealed with a thick metal door.
Eugene reached behind her back, unslung her guitar, gripped it like a hammer in both hands, and raised it high.
“Open Sesame!”
With a cheerful shout, the surprisingly heavy guitar, which even Limon, a Sword Master, found weighty, slammed into the metal door.
KABOOM!
The thick door buckled, and the Leviathan trembled.
“What the…!”
The warriors guarding the lobby were stunned. They were supposed to be prepared for any contingency, but they never thought it would actually happen.
The metal door sealing the Leviathan was made of 330mm thick dungeon alloy, designed to withstand even a direct missile hit, practically indestructible.
Bang! Bang! Boom!
The sight of the buckling, crumpling door was unbelievable, like a scene from a dream. But what happened next shattered any illusion of unreality.
KABOOM!!!
“Wow… that’s tougher than I thought. As expected of Seven Dragons craftsmanship.”
The blonde woman kicked the mangled door inwards and strolled into the lobby, slinging her guitar over her shoulder.
Tilting her head, she asked,
“Why are there only two of you guarding this place? Shouldn’t there be more?”
It was a valid question.
Even if it was late at night, with the state of emergency and lockdown in effect, two guards seemed insufficient. But the two warriors didn’t answer.
They simply drew their swords, gritting their teeth.
“Die, villain!”
“You dare invade the Leviathan! Your life will…”
Thwack!
In a flash, the two warriors who had charged at Eugene were reduced to bloody pulps, plastered against the wall.
They weren’t weak, both were skilled warriors, capable of fighting even high-level players. The problem was, Eugene was too strong.
A single swing of her guitar had bypassed their defenses, shattering their swords and crushing their bodies.
“Huh? Why did they die in one hit?”
Eugene blinked, looking at the carnage she had wrought. Tilting her head, she muttered,
“Aren’t Seven Dragons warriors supposed to be stronger? Don’t they usually keep fighting even when mangled?”
Her words, a mixture of surprise and disappointment, would have made the dead warriors cough up blood, especially since she wasn’t being sarcastic, it was her genuine reaction. And though the warriors’ ghosts weren’t present, there was someone who could respond to her comment.
“Even experts are still human. How can they fight with their bodies crushed?”
“Who’s there?”
“Yo Ouin, general manager of this hotel.”
An elderly man in a suit, Yo Ouin, introduced himself calmly. He looked at Eugene with composed eyes.
“If you don’t mind, may I have your name?”
“No, that’s a secret.”
“That’s unfortunate.”
Yo Ouin accepted her refusal without missing a beat, as if he hadn’t expected anything else.
He continued quietly,
“I wanted to know the name of the strategist who orchestrated this attack, using diversionary tactics and feigned retreats to outmaneuver our clan.”
“What???”
“…It seems there’s a separate strategist after all.”
“We don’t have a strategist. Just a commander.”
“Anyone who successfully executed a plan to weaken the Leviathan’s forces by attacking our affiliates deserves to be called a strategist.”
Yo Ouin spoke with a sigh.
The reason behind the culprits’ relentless attacks on their affiliates for over a month was now clear.
It was a ploy to divert their attention and thin out their forces before attacking the Leviathan. And the plan had worked.
The Leviathan, usually guarded by three Martial Force Units and numerous warriors, was now defended by only one unit and a handful of guards.
Thanks to the Guardian’s efforts, the damage to the affiliates had been minimal, but if Limon’s predictions had been wrong, they would have had to deploy even those limited forces to the affiliates.
But Yo Ouin didn’t dwell on his regrets or relief. He simply raised a hand.
“Silent Dragon Unit.”
Figures emerged from the shadows throughout the lobby.
Thirty-two warriors, clad in dark robes emblazoned with dragons, their faces half-hidden by white masks, each radiating a sharp, blade-like aura.
“It seems our doormen’s welcome was insufficient. Allow us to offer you a proper reception.”
Drrrrrr!
Auras clashed.
Psionic energies intertwined.
The power of thirty-two master-level experts merged into one through a precise formation.
The lobby trembled, the air distorted by the surge of psionic energy.
Yo Ouin looked at Eugene with cold eyes.
“Experience the might of the Black Dragon Clan’s strongest Martial Force Unit.”
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Short chapter :c