The World Does Not Exist for ■■

Translator: FenrirTL
Editor: ford53
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< Chapter 36: The World After the Prologue >

After the fall of the Soviet Union, Siberia became a land overrun by all sorts of monsters.

Surrounded by a colossal mana barrier, it was a place where ordinary people couldn’t even approach.

The dwarves who survived the Gulag called it the Land of Sorrow.

Beyond the continent, the Americans who won the Cold War referred to it as Stalin’s Arrogance.

Moscow and Europeans preferred to call it a colossal mistake.

All names were literary and cautionary.

Names that could be given only by those who didn’t suffer from the monsters and could watch the spectacle from beyond the barrier.

The Manchurians despised such names.

To them, Siberia and its monsters were a reality that struck right before their eyes.

“…Although the reason is unknown, the mana barrier surrounding Siberia is particularly thin at the point where it borders Manchuria.”

Commonly referred to as the Manchurian Rift.

“Thanks to that, to the Manchurians, Siberia is synonymous with hell. A hell that spews out demons destroying their homes and taking their lives.”

After explaining up to that point, Tian Lin glanced at Cheon Yeomyeong.

Sitting in the military transport truck, Yeomyeong was listening to him without any complaints.

For a rookie, it would be normal to feel nauseous from the terrible ride quality of the military truck.

Yeomyeong, however, wore a serene expression as if sitting in an ordinary chair.

“I worry that I might have babbled on unnecessarily. It must have been a boring story for a young guy like you.”

When Tian Lin said that, Yeomyeong shook his head.

“Not at all. I was so absorbed I didn’t notice the time pass.”

“Hah, flattery from a rookie.”

Just as Tian Lin spoke with a smile, the military truck jolted up and down. It seemed to have run over one of the many rocks scattered across the Manchurian plains.

For Yeomyeong and Tian Lin, it was just a slight pain in the rear, but for Kim Mansoo, who was sprawled beside them, it was no different from the hammer of hell.

As soon as the truck’s shaking subsided, he retched, dry-heaving. Since he had already vomited once earlier, nothing came out.

“Oh dear, Vice-Commander. Why on earth did you come along when you get motion sickness so badly?”

“Ugh, the instructor must follow the rookie…”

“Then you should have taken your motion sickness medicine and gotten some sleep like usual. Do you know it’s harder on us watching you?”

“If I fall asleep, who will look after the rook… Urgh!”

‘Ah, right. So, this rookie is that important.’

Turning his attention away from Kim Mansoo, who had his head out the truck, Tian Lin scrutinized Yeomyeong with renewed interest.

He had a somewhat muscular build, a neat⅞ posture, and even a sharp aura.

To exaggerate a bit, he looked like a well-polished sword.

He was so impressive that if one didn’t know he was a rookie, they might mistake him for a superhuman. It was understandable why the vice-captain put so much effort into him.

“Hey rookie, aren’t you nervous?”

“…Should I be nervous?”

“Well, most people usually are. But you don’t seem to be like most people.”

Tian Lin took out a cigarette from his pocket. It was a habit he picked up along with the despair of realizing he could never become a superhuman.

“Were you an aspiring superhuman by any chance?”

Yeomyeong didn’t respond and gave a vague smile. Tian Lin interpreted the smile in his own way.

‘Must have failed the academy entrance exam, like I did.’

He felt as if he had inadvertently poked at an old wound. Scratching the back of his head awkwardly, he changed the subject.

“Do you know what this mission is exactly about?”

“…I understand that it’s a support mission for the expedition team going to Northern Manchuria.”

At least he remembered the mission name accurately. Tian Lin nodded, taking a deep drag of his cigarette.

“You don’t know the exact details of the mission, do you?”

“…No, I only know that Northern Manchuria is right in front of the rift.”

“I’ve been wasting time with idle chatter instead of telling you the important stuff.”

With a sigh, the smoke from Tian Lin’s mouth was swept away by the cold wind.

“Like you said, Northern Manchuria is right at the forefront of the rift. It’s practically the front line.”

“….”

“The problem is, there are so many monsters that they have formed their own ecosystem. If we don’t regularly clean them out, they multiply and move south.”

Monsters moving south would inevitably head towards civilian areas, as if it were a given. The victims of monsters were always the weak.

“…So, the expedition team is made up of mercenaries sent to clean out the monsters.”

Tian Lin nodded in affirmation.

“Well, don’t worry too much. It’s nothing special, just an annual event. We just need to fire off bullets and shells, and it’ll be over.”

“Is there anything we need to be particularly careful about?”

“Occasionally, out-of-the-ordinary monsters appear, but the superhumans stationed in Northern Manchuria will take care of them. If things get really bad…”

Tian Lin trailed off, looking at Kim Mansoo who still hadn’t pulled himself together.

“…Just stick close to the vice-captain. At least you won’t die that way.”

It was amusing to see someone who couldn’t handle a bit of motion sickness, but he was a man who had risen to the position of vice-captain of the mercenary corps. His skills were reliable.

Yeomyeong glanced back and forth between Kim Mansoo and Tian Lin before giving an awkward smile.

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

* * *

In the mercenary district of the Manchurian base, in a narrow alleyway.

“Miss. Did you have to shoot me in the calf?”

The man with a noticeable receding hairline, Wallard, asked as he rubbed his calf. On the outside, he looked fine, but the bone still ached.

“What, would you have preferred I shot you in the chest?”

The answer came from right next to him, from the empty air.

“I’m not complaining, but there might have been a better way… that’s what I meant.”

“If I hadn’t shot, you would have been dead, one hundred percent. I could just use the invisibility cloak and run away, but you can’t, right?”

Despite the confident reply, Wallard’s expression remained strained. He furrowed his sharp nose and said,

“Couldn’t we have just shot a bullet into the back of his head?”

“Are you saying I should have killed him?”

“Isn’t that cheaper than giving away such a precious relic?”

A snicker came from beyond the invisibility cloak.

“Wallard, it’s that kind of thinking that keeps Mother from promoting you to an officer.”

“…”

“Let’s say I shot him in the back of the head, what if he didn’t die?”

Wallard turned his gaze to the empty space where the voice was coming from.

“Miss, no matter how superhuman someone is, if a .44 caliber magic bullet hits their head, they die.”

“Hah, do you know how many superhumans don’t die from a gunshot? Want me to list them for you right now?”

“Yes, well, there are such superhumans. But he wasn’t one of them. When we met in Incheon, he was evenly matched with Mortimer.”

“Evenly matched? Bullshit. Uncle Mortimer is still in the hospital, you know? Do you know how much it cost to reattach his severed arm?”

As the irritating voice hit a sore spot, Wallard recalled the recent events in Incheon.

The image of Yeomyeong slicing Mortimer’s chest and cutting off his arm with a hand blade.

“…So, even more reason to have killed him there, right?”

“Ah, really. Your tongue is long.”

“If it were any other members in the same situation, they’d say the same…”

As Wallard tried to argue, a revolver suddenly appeared from the split air.

“Hey, Wallard.”

She flaunted the revolver, spinning it around. The wobbly barrel made Wallard’s eyes dizzy.

“You can’t kill him. One hundred percent you can’t.”

“…”

“Whether you shoot him in the back of the head or snipe from afar, you can’t kill him. Do you still not understand what I’m saying?”

It was only then that Wallard understood the true meaning of her words. His eyes widened.

“No way, did you… use foresight?”

“Yeah.”

“But why on earth would you use foresight in a place like this?”

“What do you care if I use my ability?”

There was nothing to say in response. Wallard frowned and sighed.

“…Phew, so what exactly did you see?”

“Your neck breaking and you dying, and me running away with my arm cut off.”

“….”

“No matter where or how I shot him in the back of the head, the result was always the same. I wasted mana for nothing.”

The young lady in the invisibility cloak grumbled like that and spun the revolver once more. It was a trick you might see in a Western movie.

“Hmm, I think I can try one more time… Shall I predict that guy once more?”

As soon as she spoke playfully, Wallard was startled and waved his hands in protest.

“Miss, please! If the boss finds out, I’m dead!”

“How would your mother know I used foresight when she doesn’t even know I’m here? Just keep your mouth shut.”

From Wallard’s experience, there was nothing that could stop the stubborn young lady. At times like this, he could only wait quietly for the result.

But for some reason… the foresight did not come.

The previously lively voice was silent, and the revolver, which had been spinning wildly, floated still in the air.

‘Is the foresight blocked?’

After waiting for about 10 minutes, Wallard cautiously reached out to where the invisibility cloak had been. Just as his fingers were about to feel the soft silk texture.

A short scream came from the invisibility cloak.

“Miss?! What’s wrong?”

“Ah… It seems like we’re screwed.”

“S-Screwed?”

Wallard’s mouth opened at the crude word, but the young lady continued as if it didn’t matter.

“North Manchuria has fallen.”

‘North Manchuria has fallen?’

Realizing the meaning behind those words, Wallard’s expression hardened.

“…That can’t be. You were foreseeing that guy, weren’t you?”

“That guy is heading to North Manchuria now. He must have been a mercenary. No, why didn’t I think he could be a mercenary until now?”

“Miss, in the unlikely event that your foresight is wrong…”

Wallard asked, as if denying reality, but the young lady in the invisibility cloak cut off his hope.

“No. North Manchuria is either collapsing or has already collapsed. Run to the headquarters immediately and report this.”

“…Yes, I understand. But before that, you must evacuate, miss.”

“That’s not possible.”

“Not possible?”

“I… ha, enough with the explanation. I have to go to North Manchuria.”

“What on earth are you saying… Wait! Miss!”

Before he could finish his question, there were footsteps. Wallard reached out urgently, but all he caught was the sound of running footsteps.