Ch.159159. The Reason for Return

The most brutal place in the Republic of Clark, where blood is deeply stained and corpses come out as if manufactured in a factory.

Detention Camp No. 1.

There are a total of five detention camps, but this is the largest and most technologically advanced among them.

If you survive for one year, you’re called strong-willed.

If you survive for two years, you’re said to have a naturally blessed body from God.

If you survive for three years, they say you must be a spy for the Republic.

In reality, no one could be considered to have survived three years among those who entered the camp.

At Detention Camp No. 1, the Republic’s thickest whip and a symbol of terror for citizens—

Eeeeeeeeeeng!

A siren was blaring loudly.

The prisoners wondered what was happening as they heard this warning sound for the first time in their lives.

Not only the longest-serving inmates but even the Republic’s guards working here had never heard the siren before.

It was a signal that someone had infiltrated Detention Camp No. 1.

And the culprit, Findenai, leader of the Junkyard, was running through the camp corridor with her white hair flowing behind her.

“I never imagined there would be heat sensors.”

Findenai responded with disbelief to the Junkyard member following behind her.

“These bastards are always serious about this kind of thing.”

Detention Camp No. 1 wasn’t just a simple detention facility but had symbolic meaning for the dictatorship, so they must be determined to prevent any breaches.

Gripping her axe tightly, Findenai glanced at the members following her.

She might lose most of them here. She knew that, but…

“Boss, don’t hesitate unnecessarily.”

“That’s right. We have to save the children, don’t we?”

“I never thought I’d be free and alive anyway.”

Seeing her companions showing such firm resolve, Findenai steeled her own heart.

Perhaps that’s why.

She put another cigarette from her pocket into her mouth.

She lit it and inhaled the aroma, exhaling smoke. With a feeling of calmness, she turned the corridor corner with the cigarette in her mouth.

In the distance, guards were already blocking the entire corridor with shields.

The moment they saw Findenai and the Junkyard members, they pointed their gun barrels through the shields and pulled the triggers.

The bullets were fired without a trace of mercy or hesitation, but…

“Bullets don’t work on me anymore.”

Findenai’s mana swirled, twisting the bullets’ trajectories and embedding them in the wall. This was the technique she was most satisfied with among those she had learned at Griffin.

“Huh?”

“T-the bullets curved!”

Findenai lunged toward the confused guards. Her floating feet pushed against the shields, breaking their formation.

Crash!

Simultaneously, her axe split a guard’s head and was quickly pulled out.

The other Junkyard members running behind her finished off the guards by stabbing spears or swords into their necks or heads as they ran.

It was a clean coordination.

After repeating this several times, there were no more guards blocking their way. It seemed they realized they would certainly lose in small-scale combat and were formulating a different plan, but…

“We’ll just push through.”

Findenai put another cigarette in her mouth and ran toward her destination.

Toward the place called the Kids Zone, where children were separately detained within Detention Camp No. 1.

“It’s right ahead!”

At the shout of a member who had already completed reconnaissance, Findenai put more strength into her legs.

Bright lights illuminated the end of the corridor. They had reached the Kids Zone, but…

Naturally, guards surrounded the entrance with guns pointed.

A shower of bullets came from all directions, like a sudden downpour.

This was an expected situation.

The members quickly created a storm of mana together with Findenai.

The Junkyard members hadn’t just been playing around at Griffin either, so they united to emit mana, and the bullets couldn’t reach them.

Or so they thought.

Bang!

The sound of simultaneous firing rang out.

A heavy noise that made one think cannons rather than bullets had been fired echoed, and…

Several members behind Findenai collapsed.

Snipers with human-sized rifles were aiming at them from the second-floor railing.

‘So we can’t block bullets with that much power.’

Findenai gritted her teeth and charged forward.

“Push inside! Make it so they can’t snipe freely!”

What followed was a chaotic melee.

The Junkyard members, accepting casualties, pushed through the enemy lines, fighting like dogs against the guards.

But the Junkyard members, accustomed to such chaotic battles, had the advantage over guards who were only used to swinging batons at powerless inmates.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Once again, thick bullets pierced through members.

Even Findenai had to twist her body urgently, and a bullet grazed her waist.

“These crazy bastards!”

“They’re shooting regardless of their own people?!”

Looking at the snipers who were firing indiscriminately even at their own allies in the chaotic situation, Findenai lowered her body.

The battle below was already turning in their favor. She just needed to deal with the snipers, so she infused mana into her legs and leaped toward the second-floor railing.

It was truly a graceful movement.

Even Findenai herself felt that her current condition and form were at their peak.

As she flew through the air, Findenai threw both axes. They embedded themselves in the snipers’ heads before they could dodge.

The destructive power didn’t just split their heads—it completely shattered them.

Landing on the second-floor railing where the snipers had been, she pulled out her axes and turned her attention to the other snipers.

They were fleeing, judging that the distance had closed too much, heading toward the exterior connected to the second-floor railing.

They planned to escape to another floor using a ladder installed on the outer wall.

Feeling the cold wind coming in through the entrance, Findenai put one axe at her waist, grabbed a sniper’s rifle, and pulled the trigger.

Bang!

Despite the rough recoil and thick gunpowder smell, it was masked by the aroma of the cigarette in her mouth.

One fleeing sniper’s chest was pierced, and he rolled on the floor.

Not intending to let the rest escape, Findenai also went outside through the second-floor railing, but…

Whoosh.

A strong wind blew.

And she saw Salvation Corps members gathered densely, waiting for them at the first-floor entrance.

“Ha.”

The sight was so overwhelming that she involuntarily let out a sigh. She knew immediately.

The children in the Kids Zone were bait. The guards fighting inside were just buying time.

Among them, the man commanding all the Salvation Corps members. Wearing a gray protective suit alone, he made eye contact with Findenai, sneering.

One of the three superhumans loyal to the Republic’s President.

Oskopf Valtan.

Military-style short hair and a long scar across his cheek. Already over 2m tall, but with the protective suit, he appeared nearly 3m tall, with numerous medals hanging on his chest.

In his hand was a saw-shaped greatsword that had harvested the lives of countless resistance fighters.

“Findenai, it’s been a while.”

Though Oskopf greeted her warmly, Findenai immediately bit down on her cigarette, grimacing.

Even though Detention Camp No. 1 was an important place, it wasn’t important enough for the superhuman Oskopf to be on standby with Salvation Corps members.

“Huh.”

They’ve really spread their net to finish us completely.

From sending Doberman to make her return to the Republic of Clark, this scene must have been in their plans all along.

She quickly turned to check inside the Kids Zone. Thanks to subduing the snipers, all the guards had become corpses, and the Junkyard members were rescuing the children.

“Boss! We’ve found all the kids!”

“Now we just need to escape!”

The members were smiling brightly, unaware of the situation outside.

If the Salvation Corps members opened the huge main gate of the Kids Zone on the first floor and entered, they would all be as good as dead.

“I’ll draw their attention, so try to escape on your own.”

“What? What do you mean?”

“Take the kids and run! That’s something worth risking your life for, isn’t it?”

At Findenai’s intense reaction, the quick-witted members anxiously asked.

“Boss, what’s… outside?”

“Hoo.”

She spat out the burnt-out cigarette from her mouth. Only two left.

Findenai took one out, lit it, and threw it to her comrades.

Thud.

The cigarette’s aroma spread around as it fell to the floor.

“For anyone who might die here. I’ll light some incense for you.”

It’s a really good one, so it will surely help you sleep peacefully.

“Boss! Boss! What are you saying!”

“Where are you going! Boss!”

“We’ll fight outside too!”

Hearing the members’ cries, Findenai struck the second-floor metal floor with her axe, collapsing it.

“You’ve done well.”

After saying her final farewell, Findenai jumped outside and stood in front of the Kids Zone main gate.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Then she struck the huge bolt on the main gate with her axe, bending it completely.

Now, unless someone broke down the door, no one could enter or exit.

“Well, are you done with your goodbyes?”

Between the Salvation Corps members aiming their guns at her, the 3m giant approached with his greatsword slung over his shoulder.

The heavy sneer on superhuman Oskopf’s lips couldn’t have been more irritating.

Even though she wanted to smoke her last cigarette, if she put her hand in her pocket, bullets would immediately fly.

With her mana now depleted to the point where she needed to conserve it, Findenai bit her lip and replied.

“Go to hell. Did you bring all these people because you couldn’t handle me alone?”

“Provocation? Hmm, not bad.”

Despite his words, there wasn’t a trace of emotion in Oskopf’s eyes.

“But I’m not foolish enough to ruin things with emotion like you.”

“…”

“Look at yourself, bringing all your comrades to save children who won’t help the revolution at all. I declare, the Junkyard closes today.”

“As long as you exist, we will never disappear.”

The Junkyard.

A place where useless, discarded things gather. They called each other worthless, but that’s why they cherished each other as comrades.

Right now, behind her, were her comrades who were like family.

The more time she bought, the more time they would have to escape.

“Second and third Junkyards will appear again.”

“Without you as the core, they’re just a rabble. White Wolf, why didn’t you just flee to the kingdom and forget everything, living there instead?”

“…”

“You could have had a chance to settle there, find work, meet a good person, and live an ordinary life.”

Perhaps such a future was possible.

Rather than forgetting everything and living together in Norsweden.

As that man’s maid, grumbling but laughing happily.

Yes, that would have been nice.

“Hey.”

But that…

“Stop talking nonsense.”

…couldn’t be called Findenai.

She had someone she loved.

Though it was just her guess, she thought he probably had some feelings for her too.

Because she was Findenai, leader of the Junkyard.

Because she was a woman who shouldered everything, fought and struggled, she could catch his eye.

But if she settled for life at Griffin and let everything go?

Could that be called Findenai?

Could she be considered the woman occupying a part of Deus Verdi’s heart?

“I didn’t come back because I gave up on him.”

Crunch.

Strength entered her hands gripping the axes.

As she took a deep breath, white breath escaped her lips.

“To remain forever as the woman he loved.”

Yes, to continue being the Findenai that Deus loved.

“That’s why I came here.”