How to Survive as a Player Chapter 57

#57

“… “It must be a poisonous empire.”

Surely the king of the poisonous empire is also imprisoned here. High probability in a dungeon. The poisonous empire would have recklessly invaded to save such a king.

What the poisonous empire came through was the ‘invasion portal’. This is a portal that appears for empires that have reached empire level 3, and all empires have fought imperial wars and invaded through that portal.

The invasion portal had an identification number assigned to each empire. However, to avoid the risk of indiscriminate invasion, most empires did not expose their portal identification numbers to the outside world. Sehyun was like that too.

However, the fact that the poisonous empire invaded means that Ruhak intentionally revealed this to the poisonous empire. It was like setting a trap and waiting.

“… When the king of the poisonous empire was interrogated, I also participated… .”

“Not permitted.”

The atmosphere in the restaurant quickly became cold. Sehyeon looked at Ruhak without expression. A frighteningly clear gaze penetrated Sehyeon in detail.

“Let me correct a few things. According to what you said, there are a total of two places where the flue should be put in, and this includes the ruling empire as well as the monster empire. Also, they have now declared war once by flying an air fleet near Behia and aiming their guns at the empire.”

Sehyun’s eyes narrowed slightly. Monster Empire? I felt like I was missing something.

Yumka, a monster empire ranked third in the empire. It was a place where there was a ruler who built a concentration of monster colonies, and it was an empire that controlled and managed ‘all monsters’ with excellent alpha abilities and became a great nation.

It was a well-known fact that many empires fell victim to monsters with cruelty and brutality. Moreover, the monsters of the Monster Empire love to prey, so much so that it was even said that there would be nothing left after an imperial war. Especially the Celestial Race… .

“… … .”

Sehyun’s eyes were distantly closed.

… It’s Jaeyoung.

The reason I couldn’t return to the empire. Alpha ability. This means that the people of the empire do not have outstanding cognitive abilities. Now I understand everything.

“Also, matters related to interrogation are not under the king’s jurisdiction, are they?”

Ruhak has been like that since long ago. No, if you think about it, he was like that from the beginning. He disliked Sehyeon’s work and wanted him to focus on managing his vassals rather than on matters inside and outside the country. Because of this, Sehyun was naturally excluded from everything. All public and private duties were handled exclusively by Ruhak.

All Sehyeon’s job was to expand the building, and when a competent agency or department was created, was to find talented people and assign and raise retainers. A life of discovering talent and living for vassals. That was the most ideal king Ruhak hoped for.

Although they were allowed to participate in diplomacy, they were prohibited from directly engaging in any jurisdiction within the empire.

Sehyun only thought it was an action to keep me in check. A reorganization that moved people away from power and focused more on the power of the archduke rather than the king. It’s always been like that, and it’s never changed.

“If possible, put a flue in the monster empire side as well. “Both empires will accept our terms.”

“What evidence is there that it is not the king’s private opinion?”

It’s my personal opinion.

Seeing Ruhak coming out like that, the ‘negotiations’ might have already started.

If an empire captured the king of another empire, both empires had to negotiate when returning the king. The game system was like that.

The condition for negotiations to arise was from the moment the Archduke defined himself as a ‘threatening person.’ At that time, ‘negotiation’ became an indispensable means. The circumstances in which he was defined as a threatening person included situations where surrender was not applicable and special situations where the survival of the empire was at stake.

This was the case now. A situation where the ruling empire and the monster empire are aiming their guns at the Black Empire.

‘So I was trying to go quietly… .’

If only Lee Jae-young had been quietly brought in, it would have been kept in check, but negotiations would not have taken place. Before Se-hyeon collapsed in the nameless village, he brought up Baek Do-hyeon’s negotiations to Ruhak to protect his personal safety.

At least once negotiations are initiated, the captured king’s personal life will be completely protected.

But on the other hand, negotiation was never a good tool. This was because negotiations rarely ended well. This was because the conditions presented by the returning empire were absurd, and if things went badly wrong, it could have escalated into an armed war or the king could have been killed.

Ruhak was now pinching it. What if? The king of the empire must attend the negotiations, so he was aware of the risk. But this time, Sehyun couldn’t back down either.

“I’m not telling you to touch me recklessly. I have no intention of harming the empire. “Why are you going to be imprisoned again while living your life causing trouble to someone who is busy protecting his power?”

Sehyun smiled and spoke. Ruhak said nothing. Even his gaze was dry. However, after a while, unexpectedly, permission was given.

“Let’s connect the two empires.”

“I’m going to Zeno right now, so get ready.”

I didn’t see it, but I could feel it rising. Many, not one. Sehyeon also looked down at the bowl of porridge and stood up.

It was time to go pick up Zenon.

***

Ulta’s dungeon was a 10-story underground prison built beneath the northern castle of Behia, the Black Empire. Each floor was detained based on the severity of the crime, and the lower the level, the more serious the offenders were imprisoned.

And the place where Zeno was detained was a prison on the 10th floor underground, where only those who received the capital punishment were imprisoned.

After wearing the protective magic stone on his wrist, Se-hyeon went down to the basement in the magic stone elevator along with Ruhak, Euncheong, and Ganjujik’s retainers. The dark dungeon was so thick with toxic gas that even visibility was blurred.

This was the reason why Sehyeon found Zeno before the rest of the group. This terrible toxin that eats away at your skin.

This poison was sprayed in the form of a mist from the depths of the 10th floor and slowly rose up to the first underground floor. It was a dungeon that became more diluted as you went up, and this was also a dungeon designed by Ruhak himself with the intention of hoping that people would suffer according to the severity of their sins.

Therefore, the prisoners detained on the 10th floor suffered from the pain of vomiting blood day and night. Of course, I didn’t know the exact story or situation. It was the first time Sehyun had set foot here since the expansion. And the bracelet that Sehyun was currently wearing was an artifact that prevented that toxicity.

Ugh-

When we reached the 10th underground floor, the elevator stopped. In the chill, Sehyun unconsciously shrugged his shoulders and brushed his arms. The thick smoke disappeared with a gesture from Ruhak. And beyond.

At the end of my clear vision was Zeno, who was detained in prison with his hands and feet bound.

“… ah… .”

The bound body was limp, with both arms pulled back. It was only when I saw the black rotting skin that I realized how scary this place was.

As I took a step closer, the cruel sight became clearer.

“I’m starving… uh… ?”

“It provided moisture.”

He was a person who cared about his vassals as much as Sehyeon. Although he may seem cruel in nature, he promised peace to those in his crooked arms, and his safety was his top priority.

There is only one thing he did this far.

“still… This… It’s too much… .”

He made a sacrifice to keep Sehyun so that he could never leave this place again.

This was a warning that if you leave, everyone will be like this. The price for leaving the empire went to the vassals, not Sehyeon. It was the worst punishment Ruhak could inflict.

Sehyun walked slowly into the prison, passing the vassal who opened the iron cage door. His hero was lying limp in a place filled with chills, acrid smoke, and stench.

“… “Zenon.”

I called him quietly. The limp body did not move at all. Sehyeon called Zeno’s name again. When he called it three times, Zeno’s black, rotten fingertips twitched.

From that point on, Zeno’s bowed head began to lift little by little. The face visible through the dull red hair was speechless.

Sehyeon slowly stretched out her arms to him.

“are you okay… Come on.”

Cheolkeong-

The iron chains that bound Zeno’s arms and legs broke as if pulled by a strong force. His limp body trembled as he got up from the floor and looked at Sehyeon. The eyes were unfocused, as if there was fog.

Sehyeon waited for him patiently. His blurry eyes seemed to close a few times, and then Zenon began to slowly approach Sehyeon, walking on his knees. His outstretched hand was trembling. The inside of his neck felt hot when he saw that. At the same time that Sehyun wrapped her hand, Zenon’s arm was strongly wrapped around Sehyeon’s waist.

“… as… de.”

Zeno’s eyes closed peacefully. Holding Sehyeon’s hand desperately, he rested in its embrace.

‘<Will to Heal>’

[This is an area where skills are not possible.]

Although I expected it, the skill did not activate. Sehyeon lowered his body and hugged Zenon’s shoulder tightly, brushing his hair and whispering.

“… I was very late. Because everything is okay now… “Let’s go out.”

Zeno’s red eyes followed Sehyeon. Sehyun smiled faintly and nodded her head.

“… yes.”

Zenon also showed a faint smile.