Chapter 281: Episode 281

The great battle on the Naksen Plains dragged on. The Ain Kart Holy Kingdom was baiting them into a prolonged siege, while the Peshant Empire pushed for a decisive, all-out war at the capital’s gates. This endless stalemate was rapidly depleting the Empire’s resources. Despite its central location, the Holy Kingdom was a long way from the Empire’s southern heartland. Their entire campaign depended on a constant stream of supplies, and if that line were to be severed, a proper siege would become impossible. If their food ran out, morale would shatter.

’First, I disguised the attacks as the work of wild monsters,’ Gelix thought, recapping his strategy. ’I deliberately left behind torn corpses and claw marks on the carriages.’

The Empire had taken Jebelin Fortress, which was surrounded by mountains. An occasional monster attack was to be expected. But when supply units were annihilated time and time again, even the most complacent commander would start to see a pattern.

“They must be suspicious by now,” Gelix muttered. “The routes, the timing… the attacks have been too precise.”

“What are you mumbling about?” Chanhee snapped. “They’re going to find us!”

“Calm down. I don’t know how I got saddled with the likes of you.” He clicked his tongue.

“That’s my line! Aaaargh! I’m going to lose my mind!”

Security around the supply lines was tightening. With knights now joining the patrols, simple ambushes would no longer suffice. Gelix ground his cigarette into the dirt, his decision made.

“Then I’ll make you lose it completely,” he declared. “It’s time to reveal our forces. Prepare your main army and the undead.”

“A-are you crazy? If we show our hand now, I’ll be killed!”

“No. Their focus is on the Holy Kingdom; they don’t have the resources to spare for your dungeon. Besides, as I’ve said before—and I hate to admit it—that Taehyun Yoo is brilliant. He will have already prepared for this contingency.”

“Ugh! I don’t care! Do whatever you want!” Chanhee yelled, giving up completely as he set down a summoning marker.

Most of the Hollamont Dungeon’s soldiers were A-rank. Even against knights and scouts, they had more than enough power to annihilate them. As the undead soldiers began to materialize, Gelix consulted his map, re-examining the supply routes.

—

[Hollamont Dungeon soldiers have attacked supply unit A.]

[Hollamont Dungeon soldiers have attacked supply unit C.]

[Hollamont A-rank Hero Guardian Python has installed a Seed of Hellfire.]

The plan was to assassinate Commander Karen Deike by exploiting the war. Believing a direct attempt on the Naksen Plains was impossible, Gelix had shifted his immediate objective.

’He’s using the supply lines as bait,’ Taehyun concluded. ’But Karen Deike is no fool. He’ll change the routes and schedules to try and catch them in the act.’

Deike was preoccupied with the war, and while he wouldn’t want the distraction, his supply lines were critical. He would try to resolve this problem swiftly. But Gelix hadn’t become a branch manager by chance. He would undoubtedly have countermeasures prepared, and he would continue to hammer the supply units relentlessly. Taehyun left the matter of Karen Deike entirely in Gelix’s hands and turned his attention to a more pressing issue.

[Rough Rock Tribe Discontent: 75%]

[Balak Soldiers Discontent: 67%]

[Balak Main Forces Discontent: 75%]

[Dungeon Residents Discontent: 77%]

The discontent levels had risen sharply. In game terms, it was like a stress index. Nothing like this had ever happened before, but the situation had changed. The problem was Hyena. After regaining some of her memories, she had shown a flicker of reliability, but her entitled attitude remained unchanged. Worse, Taehyun’s decision to turn a blind eye simply because she was his sister had allowed the problem to fester into a crisis.

“Master Taehyun, we have a problem,” Riel said, her voice grave. “The dwarves of the Rough Rock Tribe have begun to protest openly.”

Taehyun remained silent.

“And that’s not all. The elves, the beastmen, even the dungeon residents are voicing their complaints. Your last announcement had a tremendous impact. The main forces are in an uproar.”

His heavy-handed attempt to sweep the issue under the rug had backfired spectacularly. Taehyun sighed, checking the status of his main forces. Their favorability had plummeted. This was his mistake, no doubt about it. Finding his sister after losing his memories of his old life had clouded his judgment. The guilt he felt over Hyena’s past as a slave raider had led him to this disastrous error.

“Riel… what do you think?”

“Honestly, Master, I didn’t understand your decision,” she said softly but firmly. “The Taehyun I know would have considered the well-being of the entire dungeon and restored order. To overlook her actions simply because she is your sister… I believe that was a mistake.”

“But she’s my family, Riel. I finally found her. And I have so much to be sorry for. As her brother, I felt I had no choice…”

“Hah,” Riel sighed. “Master Taehyun, do you remember what you told me when we first met?”

“…That if I become the Demon King—if I achieve my goal—I can return to my original world?”

“Precisely. When you finally survive the succession war and become the Demon King, you will have achieved your goal. But will Hyena be able to return with you?”

The ultimate goal of a Dungeon Master. A brutal competition against tens of thousands of rivals for the throne. Even if he won, even if he achieved everything, only one person could go back: Taehyun Yoo, the Dungeon Master of Balak. The realization hit him like a physical blow, and his expression hardened. This was the reason he had fought so hard, endured so much. The reason he had let his old memories fade, killed his emotions, and become a ruthless demon. The reason he had used and consumed others. The reason he had clawed his way up, transforming Balak into an S-rank dungeon. It was all for that one, singular goal.

“In the end, you will return alone, Master,” Riel continued, her voice unwavering. “The rest of us will remain here. It will be a great sadness for us, but our deepest wish will be fulfilled when you become the Demon King. Right now, you are on the verge of sacrificing too much for Hyena. Please, do not forget your true purpose.”

With that final, devastating truth, Riel bowed and left the master room. She was right. Everything he had built was about to crumble, and he was the one holding the hammer.

Left alone, Taehyun stared into the silence, the concept of ’family’ weighing on him. He lifted his head.

’I took care of Hyena because she was family. And now, crushed by guilt, I’m spoiling her rotten.’

He had forgotten his duty. His focus should be on the dungeon, not on Hyena.

’I was doing so well, and then I let one girl—my sister—derail everything. I had already buried my guilt. What the hell am I doing?’

He was the man who would do anything to survive. The fact that he was so easily swayed by Hyena only proved how precious family was to him. But in the end, he had to go back alone. And if anyone, even family, stood in his way, they had to be dealt with. His decision made, Taehyun activated a communication device.

—”What is it, older brother?”

“Come to the master room. Now. We need to talk.”

—”Well, okay.”

This wasn’t his old world. It was a merciless dimension that didn’t tolerate mistakes made for the sake of sentiment. A Dungeon Master had to act like one. It was time to correct his sister’s bad habits.

[Hera has entered the master room.]

Taehyun looked up, his expression as cold as ice.

—

“Dark Knights from the left! Defensive barriers, now!” a soldier screamed.

“Foolish mortals! I’ll slaughter you all!” a Dark Knight bellowed.

“Aaaaaargh!”

The first supply unit was trapped. The Empire had recently reinforced its escorts with mages, but they were useless against the undead. The Dark Knights taught them the true meaning of terror as they systematically butchered every last soldier.

“Yes! That’s it! Kill them all!” Chanhee shrieked with glee.

“Hah. He’s actually enjoying this,” Gelix muttered with disgust. “I suppose when people go mad, they lose all sense of themselves. ’Tsk, tsk’.”

“Shut up!” Chanhee screamed, his eyes wild. “I can’t escape, so this is the only way I can feel better! Since it’s come to this, I’ll see it through to the bloody end!”

The Dungeon Master was more frenzied than his own soldiers. Shaking his head, Gelix activated his own communication device.

“What’s the status of the third supply unit?”

—”They should be in sight by now, according to the schedule, but there’s no sign of them.”

The third supply unit, the one that used the hill path, had vanished. That could only mean its route and schedule had been changed. Soon, the other units would follow suit. Gelix glanced at the carnage of the first unit’s escort and allowed a smirk.

’A futile effort. It only buys you a little time. Your supply problems remain, Karen Deike.’

He had finally revealed his dungeon soldiers, yet the commander himself had not appeared. Deike had to know how vital his supplies were. His inaction meant he had another card to play.

’Screeeech.’

As if to prove his point, the carriage of the first supply unit was found to be completely empty. The real cargo was being transported in double or triple loads via a different unit’s route. Gelix spread out his map and began making adjustments.

“So, this route is a bust. You’re sending twice, three times the cargo along a revised route. This is starting to get fun, Karen Deike.”

The man’s judgment was sharp—he minimized his losses while remaining focused on the war with the Holy Kingdom. He was certainly worthy of his title, but that was all. Gelix had already anticipated every move. Now, he would target the supply lines with even greater precision. He let out a dark, mocking laugh, which quickly turned into a sigh.

“Die, die, just die, you worthless worms!”

The key player in his grand plan was currently stomping on corpses, lost in a frenzy of sadistic pleasure. Gelix looked at Chanhee and sighed again, the sound heavy with weariness.

—

“It was always about my grades. The college entrance exams. My brothers ignored me, looked at me with such cold eyes. I’m so sorry. I really am. I never realized how precious family was.”

“I feel like I just threw tantrums, making pathetic excuses and taking my stress out on them. I treated them like strangers. I was a terrible sister, wasn’t I?”

According to Hyena, her relationship with her brothers had been bleak. The return of her memories had prompted a heartfelt apology; she had clearly undergone a significant change. But that was as far as it went. She claimed to have matured, but she was still the same naive girl, using her status as “the little sister” to cause chaos wherever she went.

The joy of their reunion had been intoxicating, but it was time for a reckoning.

“So, what’s up?” Hyena asked, breezing into the room. “Did you miss me already?”

“No. It’s time for you to get serious,” Taehyun said, his voice devoid of warmth. “I’ve been acting like a fool.”

“You were a fool back in our world, too,” she teased. “Don’t be so dramatic. Ahem.”

“Consider this the last chance I’m giving you as your brother.”

The doting older brother was gone, replaced by the Dungeon Master of Balak. He watched Hyena tilt her head in confusion as he laid out his terms.

“You will go to every single person you have troubled and you will apologize. Then you will come back here. And I don’t want a half-hearted apology. You will be sincere, and you will personally clean up every mess you have made. This is not a command. It is a request. If you can’t do it, tell me now.”

“…And if I can’t?” she asked, her playful tone gone.

“Then I will confiscate your equipment and banish you from Balak. If you can’t change your ways, I have no other choice. If you are truly my sister, you will do as I ask.”

“B-Brother!”

“Do not test my patience further. And regardless of your choice, there will be punishment. You made a mistake, and you will pay the price. I will also admit my own mistake, apologize, and provide compensation to those affected. You are not an exception. Now, choose.”

He looked at her as he would any other soldier. Hyena’s face crumpled, her eyes welling with tears, but it was no use. Taehyun’s resolve was absolute.

“…(Sniffle). I’ll go. I’ll go, is that what you want to hear?”

“I will be watching. Apologize to everyone, then return.”

“Fine.”

Hyena left the master room. Her tear-streaked face and slumped shoulders were a pitiful sight, but he could not afford to be swayed. Watching her on the monitor, he began preparing the compensation packages.

“Riel, tomorrow, gather everyone who was harmed by Hyena’s actions.”

—’You plan to offer them reparations, I assume.’

“Wrongs must be righted. This was my mistake, too.”

—’Understood.’

The creation of the ancient artifact was nearing completion. As the territory stabilized, he had to resolve these internal issues quickly.

’Once Karen Deike is dealt with, I need to reorganize the dungeon army.’

He had to address the weaknesses exposed by the Hyacinth raid party and shore up his defenses. On the screen, Hyena was bowing her head deeply to a group of dwarves. Taehyun watched, a flicker of cold satisfaction in his eyes.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep