Chapter 177 | A Warmth In The Cold

Chapter 177 | A Warmth In The ColdThis victory did more than instill a sense of belonging in the people—it filled them with newfound confidence, a belief that they could endure whatever wars lay ahead.

With Filio’s assistance, Athena had activated the teleportation array. Though the Imperial City was eager to learn the state of affairs, it would take time for any message to reach them. The array had been deactivated but remained under close surveillance.

At the very least, this action had quelled any rash impulses among the populace. Their trust in Athena and her companions had solidified.

While some chose to flee the growing tension, most stayed. This city, their home, held everything they cherished—family, life, and memories. Leaving it behind was no easy decision.

Moreover, there was now hope—hope brought by Athena herself.

Using the authority granted by her position, Athena succeeded in convening discussions with the craftsmen and specialists to negotiate the steps ahead.

The first priority: bolstering their firepower systems, followed closely by reconstructing the city walls.

As she studied the battle map, Athena noticed an unusual stillness in the surrounding area. If the system held any reliability, this silence could mean only one thing: an impending attack in three days.

Three days. Such a brief span of time—too tight, too narrow. Under normal circumstances, completing all these tasks within such a timeframe would have been sheer folly.

But these were not normal circumstances. Athena did not expect perfection; even incremental improvements would suffice.

With confidence, the artisans assured her they would work tirelessly to accomplish their tasks.

At this point, all she could do was place her trust in them—along with the necessary funds, of course.

And so, the rebuilding and reorganization began in earnest. As for the players who had arrived, Athena did not hesitate to assign those with special skills to the effort, effectively turning them into a pool of free labor.

Over a hundred players had arrived, scattered in small groups. Each one was, effectively, worth the labor of three ordinary workers—a timely arrival, indeed. Naturally, Athena kept a close eye on them, searching for those with unique abilities.

What troubled her most, however, were not the new recruits but the surviving taxi soldiers—those who had been gravely wounded. The medical supplies at their disposal were woefully insufficient for the staggering number of injured.

Despite having sent the elderly man to the infirmary for treatment, the urgent need for more medical care remained a pressing concern.

The true horrors of war were not confined to the battlefield but lay in its aftermath—in the infirmary. It was there, in that grim place, that the brutal truth of war became apparent.

The wounded lay sprawled on the floor or seated in chairs. Some had lost limbs, others their sight or hearing. Many had been so grievously harmed they seemed unrecognizable.

These soldiers bore terrible injuries, their bodies swathed in bloodstained bandages. The groans of pain were incessant—heartbreaking in their unyielding nature.

Their once-comfortable clothing clung to their wounds, as if fused with the very fabric of their flesh. Every attempt to remove it was an agonizing ordeal, a cruel reminder of their suffering.

Yet these soldiers did not falter. They gritted their teeth and endured the endless pain, clinging to the faint hope of recovery and the dream of returning to the fight.

Before entering, Athena had rehearsed countless words she might say. But as soon as she stepped into the room and met the soldiers' eyes, she found herself at a loss for words.

Some of them forced weak smiles, attempting to greet her with what little strength they had left.

She was not a leader in the traditional sense. Yet, after this battle, these soldiers saw her as one. They had entrusted their lives to her, their command, and their trust. They believed she could lead them to happiness, to victory.

Though she knew she had not given a single order that could be deemed wrong, and though the situation could have been far worse, the sight before her moved her.

Athena had witnessed countless deaths, yet in this moment, seeing these wounded men stirred something deep—a flicker of warmth within her cold heart.

She couldn’t help but wonder: if circumstances had been different, if her plans had been just a bit more flawless, perhaps fewer of them would lie here, suffering.

Outside, the celebration of victory raged, yet inside, it felt like a hell where death itself passed judgment.

As she looked over the wounded taxi soldiers, Athena knew they were brave, undaunted warriors.

She stepped forward and placed her hand gently on one soldier’s shoulder. “You are all valiant warriors,” she said softly. “Do not lose hope. We will do everything we can to help you recover.”

“We’ve won this battle! And we will win the next one!”

Though it was difficult for them to move, they summoned enough strength to respond to her, though none employed any special abilities in doing so.

Athena retreated to a quiet corner to collect her thoughts, only to be interrupted by the unmistakable sound of Paopao barging in, a large chicken leg in hand, looking at her with a confused expression.

“Go on, eat. I’ll be here a while longer,” she said with a soft smile.

Without a word, Paopao turned and left, his footsteps echoing. Athena noticed two younger ones hesitating to enter behind him. She smiled warmly.

...

[ World Chat Channel ]

051: “Wow, not only did we discover a city state, we entered it and triggered a mission! But honestly, I’m exhausted. All we’ve been doing is moving bricks!”

051: “We’ve got the corpse of a giant dragon here! I can’t even imagine… I’ve never seen anything like it before!”

076: “The city state here seems open to us too.”

059: “What the heck? Why isn’t it available to us?”

088: “We’re going to die! Our area’s under attack!”

...

A girl in a magic cloak struggled in the swamp, while a boy dressed in a similar cloak frantically tried to pull her out, to no avail.

True Heart couldn’t bear to watch any longer. He pulled out a potion, dropped two drops into the swamp, and finally managed to free her.

“Why didn’t you use this earlier? I had to deal with all this myself!” Magic King grumbled as he dragged his sister out.

As soon as Witch’s Cloak was removed, she cast a purification spell on herself, feeling a sense of relief. She didn’t stop her brother, but neither did she join in.

Nearby, a person riding a massive black snake rolled his eyes. “Idiots,” he muttered, patting the black phosphorous snake beneath him and signaling for it to hurry.

True Heart adjusted his glasses, his expression tightening. He decided not to engage with the lunatic; he had no time for such nonsense—he needed to find more players.

As others fled toward the battle’s edge or the white zone, they found themselves being pushed further into the black zone, searching for other players along the way. Sёarch* The Nôvel(F)ire.nёt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

No one knew what the system had in store for them.