Ch.402The Last Stronghold: Myers Highlands (2)

Sparkle, sparkle.

Today, the armor plating gleams exceptionally bright in the sunlight. There’s no special reason for it—it’s simply because the sun is right beside it.

The newly replaced armor plates and the original ones showed a noticeable color difference, creating a patchy appearance as if someone had stopped cleaning halfway. The march officers, desperate to put their soldiers to work, decided that since they had landed at a famous site with no plans to take off for several days, they would mobilize the troops to thoroughly clean the exterior armor for the day.

“This is a task sanctioned by the Sun! Those who oppose are heretics!”

“Why would the Sun order such a thing?!”

“HAH!!! If you don’t wish to be condemned as heretics, commence sun disinfection immediately!”

“Sob sob sob sob!”

The soldiers shed mercury-like tears, but they were already slaves to the march officers’ whips. The chronic weakness of the Sun’s Army was that disobeying the Sun’s authority didn’t just end with the brig or green camp—it often meant a high probability of dying in the line of duty.

So instead of guns, they wielded rags and disinfectant, much like those workers (whatever they’re called) who precariously hang on the exterior of high-rise apartments, scrubbing windows with long-handled mops.

Despite bearing the name of the Sun’s Army, the soldiers ultimately proved that they could not escape the three fundamentals of military equipment maintenance: cleaning, tightening, and oiling.

“Hmm. Everyone’s working hard.”

However, they couldn’t afford to clean halfheartedly, as their master was watching from behind, striking fear into their hearts. The soldiers had no choice but to cling to the armor plates and scrub diligently, terrified of not producing a squeaky-clean result.

Squeak! Squeak!

People might lie, but machines don’t—the soldiers realized how infuriating it was that the armor plates became smoother and shinier with each scrub.

On this day, Viktor was intoxicated by his soldiers’ military spirit, while his soldiers were intoxicated by the scent of bleach.

*

“It’s time we get going. Everyone mount your horses. We’re going to meet the dead.”

“Okay! I’m already excited about seeing the old Imperial fortifications!”

Today, they needed to venture into the Myers Hills. With the supply issues resolved and their current work being merely cosmetic, there was no reason to delay any longer.

The dwarf brothers were thrilled about seeing the architectural style of the old Empire’s war bases, and the Sun could tell that Simon was also thirsting for knowledge about siege warfare and the sociological insights into human communities pushed to extreme situations.

“Let’s go then. Countless knowledge awaits us.”

“Giddyup!”

Surrounded by the honor guard, the Iron Walker party spurred their horses and galloped mercilessly toward the hills.

This felt like workers from the main base, Sky Warden, searching for a new expansion while illuminating the fog of war. How strange to feel like being inside a game without actually playing one. Is this… divine synesthesia?

“Neeeiiigh!”

Clippity-clop! Clippity-clop!

Running freely after so long, Bruiser’s teeth gleamed white. Born to run, this warhorse might have risked its hooves rotting if it didn’t gallop enough to foam with surfactant.

Having only walked slowly lately, it was natural for Bruiser to enjoy breaking through the strong wind again.

Proving this point, despite the honor guard members gritting their teeth as they rode, Bruiser overtook them, continuously flaunting its burgundy mane.

Ivory and burgundy… colors that had practically become the Sun’s personal palette. These colors had strangely attracted him since childhood, so they truly were his personal colors.

Due to the strong sea breeze in Parcifal, Viktor still wore his long coat even in summer—ivory on the outside with burgundy lining—now imbued with an aura of divinity.

Even Bruiser’s body was remarkably colored with a perfect blend of ivory and burgundy, a half-entranced purchase. These colors had truly become Viktor’s signature.

Viktor smiled as he watched the sun rising higher in the sky.

Having arrived at the first famous site of the 11th continent, he wouldn’t have many more chances to see the rising sun from outside his throne.

[Myers Hills: A Historic Site of the Euphemia Continent]

As they rode against the wind, they quickly passed the sign declaring this a historic site, and the Iron Walker party arrived at Myers Hills—the final resistance point where the 1173rd Army Group made their last stand.

*

“Hills” refers to terrain with continuous elevations, and “hill country” describes an area composed of such hills.

True to this definition, the Army Group’s fortress was so complex from an outsider’s perspective that it could make one nauseous.

Each hill contained a fortress, and the gentle slopes had been reinforced with sheer concrete structures and sharp pikes, making them impossible to climb.

Inside each fortress were densely packed machine gun nests and artillery batteries, carefully spaced to prevent multiple guns from being disabled by a single hit. It’s hard to comprehend how insane it was that each fortress contained over 300 guns of various calibers.

Including machine guns, each small hill fortress had over 1,000 crew-served weapons. This is why they were able to withstand 160 sieges until the end.

“Just how many are there?”

“323 in total.”

“Insane.”

Even Viktor, a god, felt intimidated by the countless fortresses embedded in every hill, sending a chill down his spine.

If this was the feeling evoked by these abandoned, crumbling ruins with no defenders, how immense must have been the terror felt by both government forces and rebels when the first siege began?

“Hmm…”

Viktor drew his purifier and directed his power straight at a crumbling wall.

BOOM!

An enormous explosion filled the fortress, and Viktor was shocked to see that the wall had only developed large cracks and dents.

“A wall that withstands my full power…?”

That a structure, deteriorating after 51,200 years, could withstand a god’s sincere strike… If it had been newly built and maintained, it probably wouldn’t have even been scratched.

The other party members were equally astonished. Even though he had used pure physical force without divine powers, it was remarkable that the wall had only cracked against a god’s strike, which was incomparable to human strength.

“Truly amazing. Is this the technology of the Imperial era…”

“It’s the legacy of humanity’s golden age, to which they can never return… With walls like these, they could withstand 160 sieges.”

Viktor murmured as he stroked the cracked wall.

Typically, even the most impregnable fortress doesn’t withstand more than 10 sieges. In fact, 10 is generous—most fall after about 3.

Yet after enduring 160 sieges, only 115 soldiers remained out of 1.5 million. Their fighting spirit remains an example for modern soldiers to follow.

“Let’s continue. The energy is getting stronger, so be careful.”

“Can you hear their voices?”

“For now, I only hear murmurs. But the deeper we go—where more are buried—the murmurs will turn into voices…”

“I see…”

Viktor walked deeper inside, accompanied by the specters trying to reach his soul.

With each step, they saw increasingly ruined fortress structures and remnants of total war that had never been erased.

Despite seeing no bodies or blood, these intense traces of destruction created such powerful anxiety that instinct screamed “GET AWAY!!!” Simply put, it was eerie and frightening.

And knowing that over a million specters wandered this place would prove that instinct a hundred times right.

There’s a reason this famous site is deserted. People instinctively know that going further means doom.

Finally, as the Iron Walker party reached the place where the 115 soldiers had taken their own lives, the specters began to speak to them.