“…Yes, that’s the end of the broadcast. Tomorrow’s operation time is the same as usual. Um… any special updates or questions?”

Squad leader Bu Yeonggeon asked in a dry, expressionless voice. The squad members sitting around him showed no sign of unsealing their lips. Must’ve glued their mouths shut.

“Then I’ll wrap up tonight’s roll call. It’s getting chilly. Cover up in your sleeping bags and sleep well.”

It was already night of the 46th day of the expedition. The cozy autumn was long gone, and winter was showing its face here and there.

‘A little over halfway. If I last as long as I’ve come, I can go home.’

A glance at his digital watch: November 7th. It felt like just yesterday they’d greeted October in this northern land, and now a week of November had already slipped by. Time moved in strange ways.

“Mr. Byeonggap. You’re on watch duty again tonight, right?”

“Yes. Please put me down for it.”

Porter Kim Daeyeop asked. He was sorting out the night-watch rotation.

The porters stood watch from ten at night until seven in the morning. Three hours per person. Go Byeonggap always insisted on taking the second shift.

“You pull second watch every night—aren’t you tired? Want me to take it today?”

“No, it’s fine. Just put me down for second.”

Anyone who’d been in the army would get it. There was a hierarchy among watch shifts.

First and last were the best. The poor bastard who had to wake up in the middle and then try to fall back asleep was doomed to be dragging all the next day.

Go Byeonggap was no different. If he’d had his way, he’d have taken first or last watch.

But he had a solid reason for clinging to second shift.

“Byeonggap, hand me a bottle of water, will you?”

“Huh? What for?”

“Gotta brush my teeth.”

“You know they handed out cups for washing up at dinner, right? What happened to that?”

At Byeonggap’s question, Jeong Seongyeong’s face went sheepish. She scratched her temple and gave an awkward grin.

“Accidentally spilled it.”

“Jeez.”

“Ah, don’t be stingy—just toss me one bottle. I can’t sleep without brushing, it’s gross.”

“That’s rich, coming from someone who wakes up at dawn to chain-smoke.”

Even as he said it, Byeonggap handed over a bottle of water. They had enough—resupply was in three days anyway.

“Thanks!”

Byeonggap sent Seongyeong off and headed straight to his tent. He had plenty to do in the early morning, so he needed to fall asleep fast.

“Ah, freezing.”

His sleeping bag was ice-cold. Byeonggap cracked a couple of hand warmers, then burrowed inside. As the heat spread, a heavy drowsiness wrapped around him.

He sank into sleep before he could fight it.

* * *

Beep-beep-beep! Beep-beep-beep!

“Ugh…”

His digital watch spat out a tinny 8-bit alarm. Byeonggap opened his eyes, pitying his own sorry fate.

The world around him was deathly still.

The time was 23:15. Considering his shift didn’t start until 1 a.m., it was way too early to wake up.

No time to complain. Byeonggap quickly dressed and stepped outside.

A small campfire burned in the middle of the campsite. Kim Daeyeop, on first watch, was sitting there blankly. He turned his head.

“Up early again today. Going out, are you?”

“Haha. Yeah, something like that.”

“Take care out there.”

Daeyeop said it like it was routine. He didn’t even bother asking where anymore.

Byeonggap slipped out of the campsite. Then, letting his mana surge, he took off at a sprint.

His eyes gleamed like a cat’s, like a predator’s. The thick darkness couldn’t stop him.

‘Should be around here.’

After a stretch of hard running, his legs slowed to a stop.

Scattered black lumps lay strewn among the collapsed thatched huts. Every single one was a monster carcass. In other words, goblin chow.

“So this is the burden of being a breadwinner. Never even married, and I’ve got three hundred mouths to feed… Well, I guess my lot’s never been ordinary.”

Grumbling under his breath, Go Byeonggap moved briskly all the same. He picked up the monster bodies littering the ground one by one and sent them into Asvillam.

It’d be far easier to put the goblins to work, but right now it was their sleeping time. Byeonggap didn’t want to wake the little bastards.

‘Good thing these ones are big chunks.’

Thirty to forty minutes of steady gathering would net enough meat for a few meals. Truth be told, the stockpile in Asvillam was already substantial.

But still, Byeonggap never skipped this chore except for supply errands. If something happened to him personally, he might not be able to deliver meat for days.

And while he was at it, he could skim off some magic stones on the side.

“I wonder if the kids are doing all right. I ought to check in on them more often.”

It had already been four days since he last visited Asvillam. With the expedition keeping him busy, he simply hadn’t found the time.

Still, they’d been doing fine when he last dropped by, so there was no need to worry too much.

Go Byeonggap, busy gathering meat, glanced at his watch. 11:55 PM.

‘Should I just pop in for a quick look?’

Go check on the kids while they slept? He mulled it over for a moment, then made up his mind.

He opened a gate to cross into Asvillam. Right at that instant.

‘!?’

He spun on his heel, snapping into a combat stance. The presence of a living creature — moving — right in his immediate vicinity.

Instead of stepping into Asvillam, he drew his sword.

‘A monster left behind? Or just an animal?’

Byeonggap swept his sharp gaze across the ruins, corner to corner. If there was a monster — and worse, a sizable group — he’d have to sprint back to camp and report immediately.

He kept his senses on edge for a few seconds. Then, a strange feeling crept over him.

‘This presence…’

A remarkably familiar aura.

«Kkeureuk?»

A sound came from behind him. Byeonggap whirled around to look.

There stood a normal goblin, holding a cute little hand axe. In its other hand was a chunk of monster meat.

The little thing was staring up at him with blank, dumbfounded eyes.

«Ah, you scared me! What are you doing awake? No, more importantly — when did you cross over? I didn’t see you come out!»

«L-Lord?»

«Aish, you almost gave me a heart attack! Tch! Get back over there right now. And don’t come out without my say-so. What, no fear in you?»

«Go? Where?»

«Where else, you idiot. Asvillam.»

«A-Asvillam!?»

The normal goblin yelped in surprise.

«Asvillam. I want to go!»

«……»

Only then did Go Byeonggap catch the strange vibe.

The normal goblin before him—on closer inspection, it was pitifully ragged. Its limbs were stick-thin, its whole appearance no better than a vagrant’s.

There were no goblins that shabby in Asvillam. They all ate well and slept well, their coats glossy.

‘Did this one pop out of a monster wave? …Of course it did.’

Byeonggap sheathed his blade and walked toward the goblin. The little thing flinched, scared, but it didn’t run.

«Hey, Tiny.»

«Tiny?»

«You alone? Where are the others?»

The creature was still dazed, its reactions sluggish. Even so, it reached out an arm and pointed in one direction.

«There. More.»

«How many? How many heads, I’m asking?»

«Uh… uhhh……»

The normal goblin started folding its fingers, counting. Byeonggap cursed himself for asking a pointless question and tucked the thing under his arm.

«This way?»

«Uhh. Yeah.»

«Stay still.»

«Hwik!»

Byeonggap took off at a sprint. The normal goblin trembled violently, clutching his sleeve.

‘Not good. This direction is another squad’s assigned zone.’

His expression hardened. They were heading in the exact opposite direction from the encampment. And it wasn’t even his jurisdiction.

He had no idea if the area had been cleared yet. Judging by the fact that goblins were still alive here, it was probably the latter.

«What were you doing way out here?»

«Get. Meat. …Hungry.»

«If you were coming, why didn’t you all come together?»

«Goblins. Hurt. Me. Not hurt.»

«Hurt? Why?»

«Monsters. Eat. Us.»

«What?»

Byeonggap, who had been running smoothly, came to an abrupt halt. He scrunched up his face and repeated the question.

«Eat you? What bastards?»

«Big monsters. Strong monsters. …We. Can’t beat ‘em.»

«Damn it. Let’s move!»

Byeonggap pushed his speed further. The bulging muscles in his legs churned out monstrous thrust.

He covered an immense distance in no time. Soon he reached the destination—a half-collapsed building.

Unusually large for these parts. Probably used as a government office before North Korea fell. He sensed numerous life signs inside the two-story structure.

«There?»

«Uh-huh.»

Byeonggap hurried into the building. The stench of stale mold and coppery blood hung thick in the air.

«Ugh!»

Right at the entrance, a withered goblin corpse greeted him. From the state of it, it had been dead at least ten days.

Swallowing the surge of anger, he pulled the lantern from his belt and clicked it on. With every step, goblin corpses nudged against his feet.

«A living kin. Above.»

«…Yeah. Let’s go that way.»

Go Byeonggap climbed to the second floor. After a short walk down the corridor, a wide space opened up. He shone the lantern into the darkness that had settled there…

«Kerruk…»

«Augh…»

Over a hundred goblins lay stricken, and the stench of rot filled the air. Rage surged through Byeonggap’s chest at the wretched sight.

A sudden flash of light drew their stares. The goblins gawked when they spotted Go Byeonggap, their eyes going wide.

«L-Lord!?»

«Hack!»

‘I’d better call the kids.’

Forty-five minutes left. Too tight to handle alone.

«A-am I seeing this wrong? Are you the Lord?»

That was when a goblin in relatively good condition approached and asked. Go Byeonggap’s eyes widened slightly.

‘A goblin priest?’

The creature before him was a goblin priest — a type so rare most never laid eyes on one. Monsters with healing abilities were few and far between, and among them, goblin priests were the scarcest of all.

Its rank was B, but it had virtually no combat ability.

There were many things he wanted to ask. But right now, he had to prioritize.

«Indeed. As you’ve sensed, I am your Lord. Are you the one leading these goblins?»

«Y-yes, that’s right.»

«Is this everyone here? Or are there more? We’re out of time. Answer quickly.»

«This is all of us.»

«Everyone, listen up!»

Go Byeonggap threw open the door to Asvillam and shouted.

«Beyond this lies Asvillam. Don’t ask questions — anyone who can move, get through now!»

«A-Asvillam?»

«No time for— What the—!?»

Go Byeonggap whipped his head around in shock. All that filled his view was a wall, but his gaze was fixed far beyond it.

A massive presence was surging toward this place. And it was alarmingly close!

Even the goblin priest seemed to sense something was off.

«It’s them!»

«Them?»

«The monsters that devour us. We’ve lost dozens of our kin to those bastards! We fought desperately, but we were no match for them.»

The creature’s eyes blazed with fury.

He couldn’t understand why monsters would eat each other, but that was a question for later.

«Hurry, then! Cross over now!»

At Go Byeonggap’s command, the goblins who could still move scrambled into action.

Go Byeonggap himself stepped straight into Asvillam.

The moment he set foot inside Asvillam, he headed for the encampment and bellowed at the top of his lungs.

«Everyone get up! All of you, on your feet! This is an emergency!»

«……»

«Everyone up! Damn it. Are you all still asleep?»

Silence settled over Asvillam like a thick fog.

It seemed like that stillness would never lift—

«Hm? Is that the Lord’s voice?»

«It’s the Lord’s voice!»

«Get up! My Lord is calling us!»

No. It lifted far too easily.

Had five seconds even passed? A flurry of movement rippled through Asvillam from every corner. In moments, goblins began spilling out from all directions.

«My Lord!»

«When did you arrive?»

The goblins crowded around with faces soaked in longing. Trading a few words with them after so long was pleasant enough—but right now, other matters pressed far more urgently.

«Ask nothing and focus! Focus!»

«Foc—us!»

«Raid Team and 1st Infantry, grab your weapons and cross through the door! There’s a big fight ahead. Understood?»

«Yes, sir! Understood!»

«And the 2nd Infantry—come over without weapons. The rest of you, stand by. Wounded goblins will be flooding in soon; treat them. Everyone understand?»

«No problem!»

«Then move, now!»

Go Byeonggap stepped back outside. The mass of presences he’d felt from a distance had drawn closer, pressing in on him.

‘Plenty of numbers. But none strong enough to overwhelm us!’

«Hah! My Lord, who are these?»

The goblins who’d followed him out flinched, wide-eyed, and asked.

Hundreds of goblins lay there, too badly wounded to even stir.

«2nd Infantry. You’ll carry these wounded back to Asvillam. Report to me the moment they’re all moved. Make it fast.»

«Uh—understood!»

«Raid team and 1st Infantry—follow me!»

Six from the raid team, and apart from them, the thirty of the 1st Infantry with the highest proficiency in the drill manual.

Including Go Byeonggap, thirty-seven fighters descended to the first floor.

Night had fallen, a heavy darkness settling over everything. In the distance, a thick cloud of dust rose into the air.

The source of the ground-shaking monster horde was a massive herd of bull-shaped creatures.

‘Gorgons!’

One-eyed monster bulls with horns sixty centimeters long. And there were at least a hundred and fifty of them.

Fortunately, Gorgons were C-rank. The numbers were lopsided, but it was still a fight they could win.

«Not a single one gets past the building! Everyone, prepare for battle!»

«Hyaaah!»

«Uwaaah!»

Dozens of long spears leveled forward. Go Byeonggap drew his sword and released his internal energy.

The collision between the two groups was imminent.

The early winter night air blazed hot in that moment as Go Byeonggap charged to the front and shouted.

«Let’s go! We take revenge for our kind!»

«Kreerrrk!»

«Make them feel the difference in station!»

A night with the moon high overhead.

Beneath the bright moonlight, a brutal slaughter unfolded.