A Village Appeared on My Desktop

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Chapter 97 – Consumption and Evolution (7)

“Look over there. That person is personally making the path for us.”

“O-oh…”

To him, it was just clicking the mouse, but for the residents, the defense towers appearing with a flash of light felt as reassuring as streetlights standing firmly guarding the road.

And this miracle brought some relief to the weary hearts of those who could not fully rejoice in their victory due to the sacrifices of their companions and the fierce battles fought.

‘This moment is also worth recording.’

Barun, whose face was pale from expending too much mana while fighting, weakly smiled and pulled out the bundle of paper he always carried.

Ever since he got paper and ink, he had been consistently documenting everything he saw and everything the residents experienced.

Although everyone vividly remembers this moment now, he knew well that they wouldn’t in the future.

The descendants would look at this record and vividly imagine how they pioneered this land and what aid they received from the Guardian Deity. He had been inspired to imitate the scriptures about the Dark Blood world he heard from Riena.

‘After fending off numerous monsters attacking the Fortress of the Northern Region, that person summoned many defense towers to illuminate the path.’

He recorded not only today’s fierce battle but also the assistance given by the Guardian Deity during the process.

From a written perspective, it might sound like absurd mythology, but because there are those who actually experience it, mythology gains power.

“Chieftain, the bridges given to us by the deity… are extending towards their nests.”

“His will is our will. Those who have finished reorganizing should hurry to the monsters’ nests.”

As Rakum approached, Barun tucked the paper away. Their purpose was to attack before the enemy base, now emptied out after the defense, could be filled again.

“The monsters’ nests should surely be empty. However, as they are cunning and wicked creatures, if it feels like a hassle, retreat decisively.”

Barun split the remaining troops into three groups, excluding those who would take care of the injured, handle the scene, and protect the fortress.

Dividing troops carries a high risk, but it was unavoidable if they were to strike the three empty hives simultaneously.

The tasked troops were to eliminate the remaining enemy and dismantle the now likely empty hives.

Both the warriors and soldiers set off towards the hives.

“We’re going too. The defense towers set up by that person are illuminating the path.”

Rakum took command of one of the divided forces. His younger brother Rasen and Shura, who was coordinating with Rasen, were also included under Rakum’s command.

Although tired and strained, they hurriedly moved forward, driven by a glimmer of hope. Fortunately, the defense turrets, like streetlights, automatically detected and attacked the enemies nearby, easing their vigilance.

Moreover, the bugs, whose whole forces were mobilized, had already been reduced to remnants after the main forces were wiped out.

With the defense turrets automatically taking out enemies and the enemy numbers not being excessive, the troops led by Rakum easily made their way through the forest to the hives.

“Th-these monsters…”

They were horrified as they gazed at the hives. The area around the massive hole created by the nest, right in the middle of the green forest, was barren land devoid of any living beings.

It was clear that if they gave time to the monsters that consumed all life indiscriminately, they would quickly reproduce again.

“We’re entering their hive. Warriors in the front!”

Rakum rearranged the formation to enter the monsters’ stronghold. He left troops to guard the entrance and led the warriors deep into the deeply dug tunnels.

As a warrior himself, he stood at the forefront wielding a spear. The dark interior of the hive, which should have been teeming with bugs, was now as silent as the outside.

“Rasen, light it up.”

Having previously farmed the Essence of Monsters together in the underground world of sandbox crafting, Rakum asked Rasen to illuminate the area.

Responding to that request, Rasen raised his staff and cast a spell. A round ball of light sprung from the tip of the staff, floating like a firefly as it moved ahead, illuminating the tunnels.

However, even in the revealed hive, the enemies did not seem to appear.

“H-huh, could it be that the monsters guarding the hive all popped out and died?”

“I doubt it. When we attacked the first hive last time, there seemed to be leftover defensive troops.”

A hopeful prediction was made, but Rakum tried to proceed cautiously. He was convinced that the bugs, evolving with each repeated battle, wouldn’t act so foolishly.

“Look over there!”

And that prediction turned out to be correct. The bugs had not been exterminated. Now that they were facing attackers, they had prepared defenses as defenders.

In the queen’s chamber, a kind of production factory, the bugs stationed there, ready to guard their breach, had lined up for defense, waiting for them.

“I expected as much. Everyone, raise your weapons!”

Rakum commanded without backing down from the beasts’ defensive stance.

This time, as attackers, they charged forward, gritting their teeth and wielding their weapons.

“Of course, there’s no reason to charge in first. Fire arrows!”

But the residents still had one effective advantage—their range. Lacking any significant long-range attack options, the bugs faced relentless fire from arrows, thrown spears, and magic from the residents.

‘If it keeps going like this, we can win easily.’

Rasen, as the only mage supporting their firepower through magic, smiled faintly.

The bugs were falling one by one from their attacks, and if they maintained this offense, it seemed they could eliminate the enemies without significant clashes.

“This is!”

“What the! They’re firing something!”

However, their one-sided assault did not last long. In a moment of eased tension, something shot from the enemies came flying towards them.

“P-poison stingers?”

One soldier gasped as he saw one impale his shield. It was a long, needle-like stinger made of black carapace, as thick as an adult’s forearm.

The evolution of the bugs, transforming from the data gathered from their previous battles, had now reached this point.

“AAAH!”

“Commander! They are starting to respond!”

Unlike the other bugs, these had spikes sprouting from their backs and continued to attack. With these vile creatures firing projectiles made of biological gas, the advantage they held was nullified.

“All forces, charge!”

Rakum made a decisive call. Engaging in a war of attrition would only be detrimental to his allies.

Rakum himself stood at the forefront, swinging his spear. The final battle erupted, with the positions of defenders and attackers reversed.

“Watch your back!”

Shura leapt forward, weapon in hand, as she bumped into Rasen’s body and passed by.

This chaotic battle was her specialty. Indeed, every time the two daggers she wielded glimmered, the enemies’ bodies were torn apart and scattered everywhere.

*

“Ugh, it’s chaotic.”

My one eye was watching many places where events were occurring. The game allowed for multiple windows to be open simultaneously, but the background was different.

After looking at one place, I had to switch to another screen. Of course, at this moment, I couldn’t use any buffs or chainsaws to input and execute commands, and I couldn’t set up defense towers inside the nest, so my options were limited.

‘The last resistance is annoying, but did we win, after all?’

The place led by Barun and Riena already seemed to have finished fighting.

Those under Barun fought calmly, taking out enemies one by one, while Riena, armed with the special dragon tooth sword, became a spear, breaking through the enemies’ defenses and slaughtering them outright.

Those led by Rakum were similarly steady against the enemies but had unfortunately picked the hive with the largest number of foes among the three.

‘They really need to avoid getting hurt or killed too much.’

I bit my lip as I watched that place where shouts and screams echoed. While the bugs’ corpses piled on the ground, our sacrifices continued to add up.

Thinking not only of the simple emotional toll of person against person but also of efficiency, losing people was a significant loss, as they were not easily replaceable resources.

If I could communicate, I would even want to urge them to value people more than equipment or resources.

“—!”

The rough battlefield does not discriminate against brave warriors, leaving wounds on all.

I sighed as I watched Rakum, who had been fighting valiantly in front, get pierced in the arm by a stinger shot from a newly appeared bug type.

I hurriedly used the virus healing program to treat his wound, but if he had taken a blow to a vital spot and died, I would not have been able to resurrect him.

‘Those pesky beings.’

While I couldn’t be certain if the ant-like bugs were inherently capable of evolving and growing in real-time, it indeed felt extremely troublesome.

Every battle seemed to hide one variable after another, making it impossible to relax my mind.

“—, –?”

“–.”

Rakum seemed taken aback by the wound and how quickly it healed. His younger brother, Rasen, rushed over in shock. Yet he grabbed his spear again. The battle was not over, and there were strong enemies that only the warriors could capture.

‘Death.’

In a fight where life was at stake, it was an inseparable element. I, too, felt my heart waver. For me, who had lived a smooth life until now, death was something unfamiliar, a terrifying and huge entity.

However, since becoming embroiled in this situation, I began gradually inching closer to death. Because I knew the residents on the screen were not just simple game data.

Barun, Riena… and those who were a bit closer to me could not escape that fate.

“—!”

‘Are they new immigrants?’

Of course, it wasn’t all dark and grim news. After closing all the gates in the enemy hives, I discovered new people approaching near the village from the west.

‘So many?’

Unlike the tumultuous northern region embroiled in war, this place seemed a little peaceful. As I counted their numbers while shifting the screen, I marveled.

Since Barun had established a pact with Chieftain Garhan, Garhan had accepted Barun’s request for people.

And those sent over, whom he deemed too many to support, were these newcomers.

They looked to be at least a thousand strong.

“—?”

Though weary, I dragged Barun out from where he was resting outside the hive and moved him to the village using the mouse.

He didn’t even think to take off his armor as he heard the news and went out to welcome the newcomers alongside the residents around him.

‘With this, we can replenish our numbers.’

This was the moment when the allies who were hit hard in the struggle against the bugs received new blood. New people arrived to fill the void of those who had sacrificed.

The negotiations with Garhan were beginning to take effect.