HBWnovel Chapter 386: The Sixth Return, Earth (3)
Chapter 386: The Sixth Return, Earth (3)
A week later, the wave would begin. The faces of the people hardened as they started preparing for it, looking tense and serious.
The first step in their preparation was to establish connections with other groups.
In the case of India, since they hadn’t properly communicated with them, it was essential to first talk to the groups from North Asia. Fortunately, unlike India, they readily accepted the proposal.
A few hard mode players, including Kim Hwi-yeon, met with Kang Taesan and several players from North Asia.
“I am the leader of this group and an Erelon mode player from Russia. Viktor Stanichin. Just call me Viktor.”
“I’m Kim Hwi-yeon. I’m a hard mode player.”
“Hard mode?”
Viktor tilted his head slightly in confusion.
“I thought there were quite a few Erelon mode players among you. Why are you the leader?”
“It’s not that I want to be the leader.”
Taesan replied calmly, and Viktor turned his gaze to him.
“...Are you the one that Oliver spoke about?”
“Oliver? You mean Oliver Khan?”
“We were friends long before this world became what it is now. We shared many conversations, most of which were about you.”
Viktor quietly looked at Taesan and spoke.
“We are willing to cooperate with you. To be precise, we will move according to your will. In this situation, it is better to act under one clear leader than to have multiple leaders.”
Kim Hwi-yeon’s eyes widened.
“Is that true?”
“It doesn’t matter, as our numbers are not great. Compared to you, we are pitifully small.”
North Asia originally had a sparse population. Even with Russia included, they had barely as many as Japan. Viktor spoke calmly.
“The larger group consumes the smaller group. That’s only natural.”
“Thank you.”
Kim Hwi-yeon sighed in relief.
Seeing the Indian players reject them made her think that the Russians might be similar, but fortunately, the talks were going well.
“However, there is one condition.”
“A condition...?”
“I want to test Kang Taesan. The one Oliver Khan spoke of as the strongest player on Earth.”
Taesan gazed at him blankly. Viktor sent a distrustful look toward Taesan.
“...You’re the one he mentioned, right?”
“Oliver said that the monster named Amelia was so strong that we couldn’t defeat it even if all the players from America joined forces.”
Viktor was not convinced by that claim.
“If you’re that strong, how come you’re only able to survive to this extent?”
“That’s because...”
Kim Hwi-yeon struggled to find the words. Even if she explained that it was due to the overwhelming monsters, it wouldn’t be taken seriously.
Viktor spoke with intensity.
“We came here with all our strength. We defeated monsters, and we arrived here without relying on anyone. We survived as humans.”
His voice was filled with deep pride.@@@@
Kim Hwi-yeon couldn’t understand that.
“...How can you have such pride?”
“What?”
“How can you still afford to have that kind of pride?”
They had no room for such pride.
In the face of terrible despair, they had been too busy just surviving, and without relying on Taesan, they would all have gone insane.
“What do you mean by that?”
“...Never mind.”
Kim Hwi-yeon kept quiet and looked at Taesan. He nodded.
“It doesn’t matter. What will you do?”
“Come with me.”
Viktor stood up.
Following him, they arrived where numerous players were waiting.
“All those here are hard mode players. Among them, about three thousand are at the top tier. You just have to endure their attacks for an hour.”
Viktor explained, as if justifying the request.
“Don’t think it’s too much. Ultimately, we must entrust our lives to you. I want to see your full strength firsthand.”
“That’s not enough.”
Taesan murmured as he shook his arms.
“Can we start?”
Viktor, surprised by the lack of hesitation, responded.
“Don’t you need any preparation time?”
“Why would I need that? We only have a week left. Let’s finish this quickly, so let’s get started.”
“...”
Just as Kim Hwi-yeon was about to give up and try again.
“How noisy.”
A person emerged from among the crowd.
He was dressed in a remarkably extravagant manner. Adorned with luxury that was out of place in the current situation, he looked like a nouveau riche with a necklace made of jewels.
“...Who are you?”
“I am a Brahmin.”
The caste system of India sprang to Kim Hwi-yeon’s mind. The highest caste was the Brahmins.
The man before her held considerable influence.
Kim Hwi-yeon resolved to persuade him.
“I understand that you have been victorious thus far. But this time, it is different. With us...”
“Get lost.”
He interrupted her.
Clicking his tongue, he gave her a look full of disdain.
“You, who are weak, cowardly,
and untrustworthy, I won’t talk with you.”
“...What?”
“Worshipping a human as if he is a deity. How shameful. Do you dare to speak to us?”
His expression dripped with limitless contempt and scorn.
Kim Hwi-yeon’s face hardened.
“You are weak, so you only look to someone to help you. I won’t let you work with such weaklings. Leave.”
“...You!”
The face of the hard mode player behind her flushed red.
It was an insult to their lives and struggles. They could not overlook such mockery.
But Kim Hwi-yeon raised her hand to block him.
She asked with a firm face.
“Clearly, you don’t have any intention of talking to us. Where is Harlan?”
“...Harlan, you mean.”
The man frowned.
“I asked him to bring some information, yet it seems he only brought useless chatter. This is why the lowly ones can’t be trusted.”
Harlan claimed to be their leader.
But now, the man’s attitude showed no respect or esteem toward him.
“He is our leader. I can’t let you speak with him. I won’t allow it. Go back.”
“What do you mean?”
Kim Hwi-yeon found it absurd. If that was the case, then what was the purpose of coming to meet them alone?
Before she could press the issue, the man turned away as if there was nothing more to say.
“If the wave starts, you who are unable to survive without relying on anyone will perish. I have no interest in speaking with the dead. If you survive, I may listen to you a little.”
“Ha.”
Kim Hwi-yeon let out a hollow laugh.
---
* * *
Kim Hwi-yeon returned empty-handed.
She was not the only one to attempt conversation. Other hard mode players, as well as Lee Tae-yeon and Kang Jun-hyuk, had also tried to engage with them.
But each time, the same lavishly dressed individuals claiming to be Brahmins appeared to block their conversations.
They mocked them and spouted all manner of contemptuous remarks. What began as an attempt to endure their taunts had slowly begun to build anger in the others.
“Can’t you do something, brother?”
“There’s no need for that.”
Taesan said indifferently.
He had no intention of consuming his mental strength over something that would eventually resolve itself with time.
As feelings began to accumulate between them, Kim Hwi-yeon bit her lip. She couldn’t bear to abandon those who had survived. While she thought of ways to resolve the situation, Kim Jung-geun entered her tent.
“Oh. Jung-geun. What’s up?”
“There’s someone who wants to see you, noona.”
“...Huh?”
Kim Hwi-yeon’s eyes widened.
It was Harlan, the leader of India. He entered her tent with a gloomy face.
“How did you get here? They were preventing anyone from meeting us...”
“Despite appearances, I am the strongest here in India. I can manage to avoid them for a moment.”
Harlan sighed as he spoke.
Realizing that, Kim Hwi-yeon asked, “So you think differently from them?”
Harlan nodded.
“Can you call Taesan over? And any other Erelon mode players as well.”