Ch.174[Episode 174] Gacha World in Crisis

The entrance to Gacha World.

“All units retreat immediately! Fall back and regroup at the next defense line…ARGH!”

“The squad leader is down! I’ll carry her, the rest of you move to the next rally point now!”

The passage connecting the wasteland to Gacha World had fallen into enemy hands.

Zombies swarmed around the androids, tearing at them with their teeth.

While androids couldn’t be infected due to their nature, their internal wiring and endoskeletons were now exposed.

The one called squad leader had put a bullet between the eyes of one of the zombies and ordered a retreat, but she was hit by a sniper’s bullet and dropped her pistol.

Retreat. Retreat. Endless retreat.

The Governor gritted his teeth.

In Gacha Land, you don’t die as long as you have value.

The same applied to the fallen androids.

Instead of dying completely, they would be declared “heavily damaged” and transferred to the Governor’s repair facility.

Yet the Governor was glaring at the enemy command post with murderous intent.

Why was the Governor so angry?

Because of the high repair costs? Unlikely. The Governor was someone who had pulled an early version of the “Sir Dominic” card.

Because his lovingly raised androids were being defeated so meaninglessly? Perhaps.

More precisely, the reason for his anger was… the fact that he had been completely outmaneuvered both tactically and strategically.

The Governor began to reflect on the enemy’s recent offensive.

…

Dawn was breaking over the wasteland.

A legion of zombies waited just outside firing range, poised to charge at any moment.

“Are they planning to rush all at once?”

The Governor muttered, stroking his chin.

“They must know that coming through that narrow entrance is pointless.”

The entrance to Gacha World wasn’t particularly small, but it could only accommodate a few dozen people at once.

Even in the darkness of night with limited visibility, hadn’t the Governor’s forces successfully held back the zombies?

Now, as the sun rose and visibility improved, there was even less to worry about.

“This really does feel like a final offensive…”

Perhaps that’s why the Governor made such a terrible misjudgment.

The misjudgment that the enemies before him would attack in exactly the same way as before.

Because of this, the Governor unfortunately failed to notice several units moving among the zombie forces.

Units that were pressed tightly against Gacha World’s tall, colorful fence, also known as the firewall.

When the sun fully rose and momentarily blinded the Governor, the zombie forces began to move.

Explosives started flying from the artillery positions set up on the hills, and snipers waited in silence, ready for any head that might pop out of the trenches.

And… several mixed units of zombies and humans scaled the walls of Gacha World.

The Governor had assumed the walls of Gacha World would never be breached as they were protected by the system, but that assumption proved wrong.

Gacha World was an early content of Gacha Land, and its security at that time was terrible.

While it was remarkably advanced by the standards of its time, now, after so much time had passed, this security system could be breached by anyone with a decent level of skill.

This was the mistake of Don Castello and the Governor who had put too much faith in the system.

Whether aware of this fact or not, the Governor was only watching the zombies approaching from the front.

The androids were doing the same.

At least, until screams were heard from the support unit behind the Governor.

“Kyaaak!”

The Governor turned his head at the sound of screaming from behind.

“What on earth—”

The Governor began to ask about the situation but quickly fell silent.

The rear area had instantly become a mess.

Attackers with swords and guns were burning supply tents and aid stations.

The zombies persistently targeted androids undergoing repairs, while those who appeared to be officers planted flags in place.

After devastating the rear in an instant, the zombie legion turned and rushed toward the entrance.

“Everyone retreat! We must retreat!”

The Governor shouted urgently.

“Governor? What do you—”

The machine gunner watching the front from the nearest trench turned her head.

And what she saw was a zombie’s rotting mouth, wide open, aimed at her face.

“…Eh?”

Chomp. One machine gunner went down.

“Retreat! Retreat!”

The Governor desperately shouted toward the front.

In the current situation, hesitation would likely result in total annihilation from attacks coming from both directions.

Fortunately, the Governor’s forces were veterans who had fought alongside him for a long time.

Understanding the meaning behind the Governor’s words, the trenches were quickly emptied under the leadership of the senior soldiers.

“Head to the rear! Break through the encirclement and retreat to the second… no, the third defense line!”

The Governor picked up a submachine gun that had fallen to the ground and began leading the retreat.

The Governor’s personal guards formed a defensive formation around him and cleared a path.

More zombies and attackers appeared through the entrance.

If they delayed any longer, everyone might be annihilated here.

In fact, several units had already been isolated, swept up in the wave of zombies.

The second defense line was already meaningless.

Since enemies of unknown origin had already occupied the second defense line, the Governor’s forces had to push past it toward the third.

The Governor gritted his teeth.

This defeat was due to his complacency. That’s what he thought.

…

This was what the Governor’s forces had experienced so far.

“The third defense line is in sight!”

“Fortunately, it doesn’t seem to have fallen into enemy hands yet!”

The Governor came to his senses.

Yes. It wasn’t over yet.

The Governor, whose mouth had been dry with the bitter taste of defeat until just now, thought to himself.

The third defense line, created just in case, was quite far from the entrance, but had large guard posts and barricades set up on every major road leading to the Ferris wheel.

The Governor was proud of his past self who had decided to be as safe as possible, even while wondering if it would ever be needed.

“Regroup at the third defense line immediately. And instead of repelling them, focus on buying as much time as possible.”

The Governor glanced at the Ferris wheel.

Somehow, all the rides in this area had been restored.

As the power in this area connected to the Ferris wheel, the number 1/12 appeared.

Soon it became 2/12, and then a percentage reading of 1% appeared above the area where the Governor was located.

The Governor counted in his mind as he positioned the androids appropriately.

Forty-two. Forty-three. Forty-four.

Forty-five.

When he counted to 45, the percentage rose again.

Looking at the percentage indicating 2%, the Governor thought.

So we need to hold out for about 12 more hours.

The Governor looked at the fully regrouped androids and thought.

This might be doable.

No, it has to be doable.

…

“What is this…”

Sir Dominic and Sir Dominica wore confused expressions at the system message that appeared before them.

However, Don Castello sighed deeply rather than showing confusion.

“I’ll have to work harder.”

Don Castello picked up the documents again and began processing them about 20% faster than before.

The reason for this specific figure of 20% was literally because the percentage started rising about 20% faster.

“Sir Dominic and Sir Dominica, please guard me while I work. I’m worried that the entrance, which was our most effective blockade, has been breached.”

“That won’t be necessary, little brother.”

At that moment.

The office door opened, and someone who looked similar to Don Castello but with a more greedy face appeared.

It was Don Castello’s older brother, Don Cartello.

“You’re up to something quite interesting.”

“…Brother.”

Don Cartello glared at Don Castello with a face like a plump bulldog.

Don Castello stared back into Don Cartello’s eyes without backing down.

His hands were still in the middle of approving documents.

“My little brother, I don’t know why you’ve become so thin.”

Don Cartello clicked his tongue, looking at Don Castello with pity.

“If you had handed it over when I told you to, you would have been comfortable, wouldn’t you?”

“That is my rightful property that I worked for.”

Don Castello looked at Don Cartello with blazing eyes.

“Ha.”

Don Cartello laughed as if it were ridiculous.

“Soon the Boss and Z will be barging in here. Before that… as your older brother, I came to advise you to surrender.”

“Surrender? You once said that only cowards make such proposals, brother.”

The atmosphere was tense, with sparks flying between them.

That’s when it happened.

“Um, did you come alone?”

Sir Dominica looked at Don Cartello and asked.

“…Well, in a manner of speaking. I came as an envoy.”

I couldn’t come secretly with a large group, Don Cartello said.

“What does that matter?”

“Oh, it’s nothing really.”

Sir Dominica laughed awkwardly at Don Cartello’s question.

“I was just wondering what you were thinking, coming alone.”

Clang! Don Cartello felt a pain at the back of his head.

Don Cartello tried to turn his head to see what was happening, but somehow his legs gave way and he collapsed.

Fortunately, Don Cartello could see the face of his attacker.

Sir Dominic was looking at the falling Don Cartello, holding a shield.

With a very solemn expression.