Mister Zero, Her Story: Chapter 54 – The Resolve to Die
“The western front line of the core district has collapsed. Three hundred and sixty-two of our defenders are dead.”
The battlefield report arrived, a string of cold numbers representing the loss of three hundred and sixty-two lives, an unbearable weight.
This meant that over three hundred families in Yan City had lost their loved ones…
These young lives, extinguished in the rain.
But Lin Cheng knew this wasn’t the time for grief.
If the western front line continued to collapse, the casualties would be far greater.
“Hold the line! We can’t let the enemy pierce through like a bayonet,” Lin Cheng replied calmly, then contacted Li Ping. “Li Ping, what’s your situation? Can you spare any more men?”
“…I’m sorry.”
Li Ping shook his head.
The Anomaly Management Bureau teams were currently supporting the Yan City army. Even ability users couldn’t completely ignore the New Era’s spiritually powered weapons.
Thanks to the “Ember’s” power, these weapons, originally designed for ability users, could be used by ordinary people, although less effectively.
But their sheer numbers could suppress the enemy.
Unfortunately… Dawn’s teams were composed entirely of “Ruin” level ability users or above. This level of firepower could only injure them, not kill them.
Unless they were closer to the “Ember,” where the weapons’ power increased significantly. Near the “Ember Furnace,” even “Peril” level ability users had to be cautious.
And the “Ember’s eruption”… that was a terrifying power that even “Peril” level ability users couldn’t withstand.
However… the closer the battle lines, the greater the damage to the core district, and the greater the strain on the “Ember.”
It was best to keep the enemy outside the city walls, or at least slow their advance, preventing them from reaching the “Ember” unscathed.
Unfortunately… Yan City didn’t have many ability users, and the Anomaly Management Bureau was always stretched thin. Supporting the city’s army was a struggle.
They could only reinforce the most crucial locations, like the southwestern front line, where Hua Qiling was currently stationed, the closest front line to the “Ember.”
“If you need help…” a woman’s voice suddenly interrupted the channel. “I can go.”
“Who?”
Lin Cheng’s heart sank, but Li Ping immediately recognized the voice and frowned.
“Miss Qin Wen, the relationship between the Sword Saint sect and Dawn isn’t exactly hostile, is it?”
Although Qin Wen was currently a team leader in the Yan City Apprehension Department, Frick, considering the relationship between the Sword Saint sect and Dawn, hadn’t assigned her any missions.
To avoid unnecessary conflict.
“Ah… it’s fine, it’s not like I’m close to Dawn, I don’t even know them,” Qin Wen said, scratching her head.
To be more precise, the relationship between Dawn and the Sword Saint sect…
Was more complicated than Li Ping and Lin Cheng realized.
After all, one of Dawn’s founders, the “Fifth Mister,” was the ancestor of the Sword Saint sect…
If they were to strictly adhere to seniority, many in Dawn would have to address Qin Wen with the utmost respect, as she was technically the Fifth Mister’s great-granddaughter.
But as Qin Wen said, she didn’t even know Dawn.
And this organization was now attacking the city where she worked. Qin Wen felt obligated to earn her keep.
Moreover…
“I slay demons because they harm people, they kill,” Qin Wen said seriously. “And ‘Dawn’ is killing people now, regardless of their reasons, they’ve killed many innocent people… How are they any different from demons?”
“If Old Man… the Sword Saint Sect Master doesn’t mind…” Li Ping hesitated.
But Lin Cheng made the decision immediately. “Alright, Qin Wen of the Apprehension Department, the Yan City government assigns you a mission: proceed to the western front line and assist in repelling Dawn’s attack! Execute immediately!”
“Lin Cheng!” Li Ping exclaimed.
Although they didn’t know the exact relationship between Dawn and the Sword Saint sect…
Li Ping remembered that his teacher (Old Man Sword) had often interacted with Dawn, and the Dawn members had been very respectful towards him.
And now, they were ordering Qin Wen to fight against Dawn…
“I know, what are you so worried about?” Lin Cheng said. “Qin Wen, do you accept this mission?”
“Of course!”
Qin Wen replied loudly, then closed the communication channel and headed towards the western front line.
“Lin Cheng, if Old Man Sword finds out about this, do you know the consequences?” Li Ping whispered. “He’s close to Dawn, and he values his adopted daughter…”
“So what? We both know Old Man Sword’s temper. He’ll just yell at us, what else can he do?” Lin Cheng shrugged.
“But… the Sword Saint sect…”
“It’s done, we’ll deal with the consequences later,” Lin Cheng shrugged again, then his eyes widened as he realized something. “Wait, how did Qin Wen access our channel just now?”
This was a top-secret channel, only accessible to Lin Cheng and Li Ping.
“Let me see,” Li Ping also realized this and checked the relay station logs, but found nothing. “Strange, could Qin Wen be an expert in this area as well? Able to silently infiltrate our channel?”
“If that’s the case, let’s change channels, just in case we’re being eavesdropped,” Lin Cheng switched to a backup channel.
If Qin Wen could hack into their communication, it meant Dawn could as well.
But in reality…
A short while ago.
“Master, I want to call Director-General Li, but I can’t get through (because Yan City’s relay stations were destroyed). What should I do?”
Qin Wen looked at the image of her master, projected by a talisman, her expression anxious.
“Oh dear, Wen’er… you summoned your old man just for this?” The old man wailed dramatically. “This talisman cost me three drops of blood essence! It’s a precious life-saving item!”
“It’s fine, you have plenty of blood. I need to make this call.”
“…My heart is broken.”
“Even with a broken heart, I still need to make this call.”
“With a broken heart, I can’t remember how to make calls… Hey, hey, hey, Wen’er, don’t dispel the talisman! I’ll help you, I’ll help you… Wait, what’s going on? Are Yan City’s relay stations down?”
The old man tried to use the direct line from their settlement to Yan City headquarters, but it wasn’t working.
“Yes, there seems to be a battle in Yan City,” Qin Wen said. “Against Dawn.”
“Why would Dawn attack Yan City…? Never mind, I can probably guess. Mister must be nearing his end…”
The old man sighed, then turned serious. “Wen’er, are you planning to help Yan City against Dawn?”
“Why, is that a problem?” Qin Wen asked.
The old man’s expression became unusually serious.
“This is your decision. I won’t interfere, nor will I question it.”
“…Master?”
Qin Wen sensed something different about him.
“You’ve grown up now, you must walk your own path…”
The old man smiled, then snapped his fingers. “Alright, those two youngsters’ private channel is still the same as before. Connect to it, I’m leaving~”
The talisman dissipated.
And then, Qin Wen heard Lin Cheng and Li Ping’s voices from her communicator.
…
“The operation is proceeding smoothly. Two elite teams have successfully infiltrated the western districts, and the other fronts are also making progress,” Grifres reported softly. Still recovering from the aftereffects of the Forbidden Technique, he remained at the rear, assisting Rhine with the overall command.
As a mind-related ability user, although his power was unusually aggressive, his mental strength was still superior to Rhine’s, who was a Superpower type.
All battlefield information was relayed to Grifres for analysis, the key details then passed on to Rhine.
Rhine was still maintaining his ability, the heavy rain weakening Yan City’s core district defenses by at least a third.
As long as the rain continued, Yan City’s forces would be hampered.
“Good, Alyxsia has replaced Chris and is attacking the southwestern front line. Her ability is well-suited for siege warfare, and the western teams will soon join her,” Rhine sighed in relief. This was bad news for Yan City, but a step towards victory for Dawn.
“Casualties?” Rhine asked gravely.
“Over five hundred casualties on Yan City’s side. We have… twenty-six injured, three seriously, no deaths so far. They’ve all been brought back,” Grifres replied. “Awenna is treating them; they should be out of danger now.”
“That’s good,” Rhine nodded, then sighed. “I wonder how many of our brothers and sisters… will die in this war…”
Before he could finish, Rhine saw Grifres’s expression freeze, then turn serious.
“What’s wrong?” Rhine asked gravely.
“We have our first casualty,” Grifres said in a low voice. “Team Four, breaching the western defenses, encountered an Apprehension Department team and an ambush from the Yan City army. ‘Ruin’ level ability user Luo Leia is dead.
“He was… decapitated by a swordsman… He didn’t even have time to react.”
“…A moment of silence.” Rhine knelt briefly in prayer, then said, “Inform Alyxsia, all-out attack, immediately reinforce the trapped team.”
“Yes.”
…
A flash of sword light, and a head rolled to the ground.
The expressions of shock and terror hadn’t yet faded from the face.
“Luo Leia…”
Myers, the Dawn team leader, calmly reported the situation to headquarters, then picked up his weapon and looked at the tall, straight figure before him, and the dark figures behind her.
“Avenge Luo Leia,” he whispered, then charged silently.
The other Dawn team members followed, their silence a form of mourning.
Their objective had been to rendezvous at the southwestern front line. Penetrating the core district alone was dangerous.
And with the western front being the only breach, Yan City’s remaining forces would converge there.
This was war; casualties were inevitable, but they hadn’t expected it to happen so soon…
And the cause… was the tall woman before them.
She was incredibly powerful, capable of casually killing a “Ruin” level ability user.
And Myers recognized her. She was the “Demon Slayer” of the Endless Wasteland, the bane of all Devil’s minions.
—Sword Saint Qin Wen.
“So even the Sword Saint is on Yan City’s side…?”
Myers didn’t know what his superiors would think of the Sword Saint’s involvement, or if they would retreat out of caution, so he decided to keep it to himself.
“Whether you’re a Sword Saint or not, you killed my brother… and you will pay!”
Myers gritted his teeth, his “Peril” level power erupting, forcing the Yan City army to retreat.
But before he could unleash his full power, numerous spiritual energy pulse cannons lit up, countless beams of energy targeting his team.
“Damn it…”
These cannons weren’t a threat to Myers; they couldn’t even touch him.
But his team members couldn’t completely avoid them.
So, Myers had to deflect some of the blasts, creating space for his team to dodge.
But just then, Qin Wen moved.
Her eyes closed, six swords of varying designs materialized behind her.
A flash of sword light, and another head rolled to the ground.
Taking advantage of the pulse cannons’ distraction, Qin Wen had struck again, instantly killing another Dawn member.
With her ability, killing a “Ruin” level ability user without defensive measures was effortless.
And only Qin Wen could seize such a fleeting opportunity; Myers couldn’t protect all his team members at once.
“Ka… ren…” Myers looked at the fallen team member, his expression filled with grief and rage. “Sword Saint Qin Wen, I will… avenge you!”
“That’s strange… why would you think that?” Qin Wen opened her eyes, her expression puzzled. “Isn’t this war… started by you? Why are you angry?”
“Those who kill… should be prepared to be killed…”
Qin Wen closed her eyes again, six swords materializing.
“I’m prepared. Are you?”
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