I Have Returned, but I Cannot Lay down My Gun

Chapter 120 – Harmony Vengeance

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“Moni-ya! How did you survive?”

“What? You survived that? That’s incredible!”

“Haha, somehow. It’s because you guys kept pushing till the end.”

Well, I survived. I sent everyone who tried to kill me on an express trip to the afterlife, so I guess I survived. When the adrenaline that had surged to the top of my head drained, I suddenly felt extremely tired, but still.

I barely managed to break through the vanguard and joined the reinforcements. At some point, Kimstone, Limit, and Hotteok, who had been resurrected, also arrived. I wasn’t sure if this game had a spectating feature or not, but from what I gathered from their words, it definitely didn’t.

Anyway, it seemed like I could finally breathe a sigh of relief.

“No spectating feature, so we don’t know what happened, lololololol.”

“Hey, everyone, shut up!!!!!!!”

“Of course, we survived, hahaha.”

“Survived (annihilated).”

“Isn’t Harmony’s skill insane?????????????”

Meanwhile, at that moment.

Unlike Harmony’s fellow streamers, who didn’t know what trials and tribulations she had gone through or how she skillfully took down the vanguard chasing her due to the lack of a spectating feature, her chat room was in utter chaos.

It was a sort of déjà vu. Just like when Yoo Jin had fully displayed her skills in the AP Preliminary Rank, Harmony’s skills, which had been hidden in her shadow until now, were completely exposed to the public. The reaction was always predictable.

‘Even though I thought she wouldn’t be a pushover since she rolled with Yoo Jin, I didn’t expect her to be this good.’

People knew that Harmony spent a lot of time with Yoo Jin—furthermore, there was a bit of a flirtation even before the stream started—but no one anticipated that this connection could turn a general game streamer into such a skilled player.

It was only natural since the training Harmony received from Yoo Jin was an advanced culmination even beyond that of modern US military training—written in the ink of countless comrades’ blood from numerous battles.

To write a single page, a paragraph, and a sentence, one line of text backed by someone’s death piled up, eventually forming a thick book of data.

Some of that was ingrained in Harmony’s body.

“While we were dead, we discussed a bit, but in the meantime, the power balance shifted again. We can push into B with this timing, right?”

“I’m good with it.”

Meanwhile, team chat continued. It was connected separately from squad chat.

A soft voice chimed in. It was from the same team, a different squad—or in other words, a viewer’s voice. The result of many viewers, over 30,000 of them, queuing up simultaneously to be on the same team.

He spoke again as if it was familiar to him.

“Right now, we have twelve allies alive, and three of the enemy team are still waiting to respawn. We have enough resources, so if eight of us go to B, and one team goes to C, it should work out. How about my team goes?”

Hmm.

That’s what I heard.

In the meantime, despite not being very familiar with it, Harmony’s mind was piecing together the situation based on her experience. After a brief thought, she came to a conclusion. There were many variables, but one thing was certain: C was likely empty.

As Hotteok shared the squad leader’s authority, Harmony had enough influence—and confidence. She didn’t think they would lose in a head-to-head fight with eight versus eight.

“I agree. No matter what choice we make now, we have the advantage, right?”

“Oh, really?”

“Wow, you’ve already adapted to Domination? Impressive.”

“Let’s see….”

After a brief thought, Hotteok nodded and added.

“Okay. So, Charlie Squad will flank to C? If our team loses the frontal fight, can you abandon C and flank from behind?”

“Of course, Hotteok.”

“Haha, you’re reliable.”

A woman character, who looked like a white tiger, spoke in an unexpectedly hearty tone. She grabbed her gun and set a waypoint. The main road to B was their chosen path.

They moved quietly, coordinating with Bravo Team. Moving eight people at once was tricky, so they naturally chose to move in squad units.

They would exploit any weak points that appeared.

Thus, one squad went to C, and two squads to sector B.

The clock was ticking.

───Ratatatata!

“Wow!”

“There’s a turret in front! Take cover!”

Of course, hitting a well-established defensive line was always tough.

While Harmony’s squad was lingering at A, the enemy squad’s mechanics had fortified B with sturdy pillboxes and advanced turrets, which proved troublesome. Pre-installed high-tech turrets began targeting and firing grenades at allied mechanics from afar.

This naturally resulted in Kimstone’s abilities being neutralized.

“Ugh, those damn bastards…!”

“The turrets are too strong. Hotteok, what did Bravo Squad say?”

“Uh…they’re in a similar situation. Should we hold here until Charlie Squad can flank?”

Tracer bullets mixed with regular rounds created a chaotic scene. The thick bullets from the turret’s chaingun whipped through the air, turning exposed areas into kill zones.

In the meantime, Kimstone, stuck between cover, clutched his head in frustration.

“Damn it, we made a bad choice───!”

Glance.

At that moment, Harmony’s eyes began to shine—what had appeared was not the pulse or turret she had seen before but an M32 grenade launcher.

Hotteok and Limit were chuckling at the sight.

“Okay, after this round, I’m reporting Kimstone as a troll.”

“Yes, alright. Our collaboration with Kimstone ends here! Pack your things! This store is closed!”

“Hey, you damn bastards!”

Of course, Harmony paid no mind to them.

Their eyes met momentarily—Kimstone read the burning determination in her green eyes. Naturally, unlike Yoo Jin, he wasn’t ready to trust and rely on her immediately, asking all sorts of questions first.

“What, are you good with this thing?”

“Just give it to me!”

“Hey, hey, wait! How can I trust you’re good? Limit, are you any good?”

Click.

The aim of the sticky bomb in Harmony’s hand shifted slightly toward Kimstone. It was only natural for him to flinch, realizing she wasn’t joking.

“Alright, alright! Why are you so scary now? Take it!”

Whoosh!

The revolver-style grenade launcher flew through the air. She caught it precisely, and six grenades landed at her feet.

Hotteok and Limit planned to at least disrupt the turret for a chance to advance.

That left no choice but to respond.

Since the Unauthorized Zone incident, Harmony’s repressed explosive tendencies were now burning brightly.

“Move as soon as it blows! There are a few more grenade bundles here, so use them if needed!”

No words were necessary.

With a strange metallic sound, the revolver cylinder opened. She loaded six rounds simultaneously and clicked it shut. The weight on her arm was not unpleasant, especially knowing the outcome.

She aimed at the pillbox still spewing fire through the unique sight. Her mind remained calm and cool. Three team members prepared to sprint. The weight of responsibility on her shoulders was substantial.

Despite that, the smile on her lips refused to leave.

───Thump! Thump! Thump!

And a rain of fire followed.

The grenades flew in precise arcs, landing inside the pillbox, causing the turret to shake and its fire to falter for the first time.

“Run───!!”

But it wasn’t over yet.

Another wave of grenades battered the thick walls, destroying everything they could. Though she tried to stay composed, the shockwave and deafening roar of the explosions sent her heart racing.

Tink. The spent shells fell to the ground, and the second salvo began. The next target was the enemy mechanic near the silenced pillbox.

What happened next was inevitable.

“Aaahh!!”

“Heh heh….”

Boom.

The enemy caught in the explosion was torn apart quickly.

She strapped the grenade launcher to her back, stuffed the remaining six grenades into her thigh pouch, and ran. It was time to apply the movement-and-aim technique she learned from Yoo Jin.

───Ratatatatata!

A dozen rounds cut through the winter air, forcing the enemy user who was peeking out to fire to retreat hastily.

But that wasn’t enough. The enemies were also advancing and retreating, using various covers to maintain the front line. An example was necessary at this point.

Patience was crucial. Managing risks was the most important thing in modern urban combat.

This too, was something Yoo Jin taught her.

With that in mind, she had to adjust the trajectories of Limit and Hotteok.

“Limit, can you flush out the guy hiding behind the generator on the left? Grenade or direct attack, whatever works.”

“…Alright, I’ll try!”

The result came soon.

Since it was about expulsion rather than suppression, Limit took the risk and threw a grenade. The only regrettable part was that there was no cooking, allowing the enemy to throw it back.

Of course, dealing with that was now my job.

───Thump!

“Aaagh!”

Then boom.

A polygonal severed wrist fell, and the rest followed. One enemy was blown up on the spot. With a gaping hole in their forces, the enemy couldn’t stop Alpha Squad, my team, from heading to B.

“Now

’s the time! Push forward!”

“This is so intense, wow, lololololol.”

“Why is this so fun? Why is this so fun? Why is this so fun? Why is this so fun?”

“Do all Yoo Jin’s trainees become incapable of normal gaming? lololololol.”

“Look at Harmony flying around like crazy, lololol.”

“I’m speechless, lol.”

Kicking through the snow-covered ground, she sprinted.

Crossing from cover to cover, she pierced through the crumbling defenses like a spear. Ahead, Limit, Hotteok, and Doldol were waiting. As she ran, she briefed them on the positions, and Limit, holding a ballistic shield, advanced.

She quickly joined him, sticking close to his back. It was now time to guide Limit properly. Activating the pulse, she spotted the remaining enemies. The reinforcements for the ones I killed had arrived, showing four traces.

She moved forward while covering.

She pulled out a newly supplied grenade and pulled the pin.

“Behind the car on the left! I’ll flush them out!”

“Hey, how can you throw a grenade from behind me! Wow!?”

“Focus forward!”

Why was this guy so jumpy? I should kick his shins…no, was this the feeling Yoo Jin had when she watched me?

As soon as the cooked grenade was thrown, the enemy hiding on the left fled. Limit continued to take hits from the front. Bullets smashed into the shield, crumpling and falling to the ground.

Peeking out, she switched to full auto.

It was time to rain fire on the enemy’s back.

───Drdrdrdrdrdrdr!

“Wow!”

Limit was startled by the shooting from behind.

Through the ballistic shield’s nano-machine plastic window, she saw the enemy who had taken a full magazine to the back collapse and disappear, dropping consumable items.

Limit’s exasperated comment finally came out.

“…Moni-ya. What on earth have you been doing…?”

There was no answer.

They broke open the path to sector B.

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