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Hey everyone...
So, I need to have a heart-to-heart with you all.
I'm not sure if you've noticed, but my main account got hit with a restriction that basically cut its reach off at the root. (Literally, the new story's reach is 90% lower than the others, and it doesn't even show up in the mobile rankings). This was a huge blow and has made everything much, much harder for me.
I'm genuinely sad about this situation because I love what I do. This project started as something from a fan, for fans. I dedicate my time and affection to it because, just like you, I'm addicted to fanfics and novels. All the stories I bring are ones that I'm either currently reading or plan to read after stocking up some chapters, which is why I started to invest in it.
And speaking of investing, keeping the translations online is a very expensive endeavor. Just to buy the chapters, I spend between 100 and 150 dollars a month, which is a lot when converted to my currency (and that's not even counting the API usage, which can increase the cost depending on the chapter length). This is money that comes from the help we receive on P@treon. To ensure even better quality and consistency, we also use a paid AI system, which makes the translations much more fluid and faithful.
With this restriction, our ability to cover these costs has been severely compromised. That's also why, unfortunately, we can only maintain a pace of one chapter per day. We'd love to release more, but the cost would double, and in the current situation, it's simply impossible.
It's heartbreaking to see all this happen after so much effort. But we wanted to be transparent and share this with you. The support and understanding from each of you are what give us the strength not to give up.
I know many of you can't help, and I thank you all the same; your comments and engagement are what keep the stories going. But if you want to support me in continuing this project, subscribing to P@treon helps me cover the production costs, no matter which tier you choose.
👻 P - Walnutchan
Thank you for being with us, really. ❤️
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Following Belle, I entered a very well-hidden tent. The unassuming exterior belied an interior that was a whole different world.
But no matter how unique it was, if the operators were fast asleep, it was completely useless.
Looking at the three individuals who seemed more comatose than asleep, I shot a questioning glance at the innocent-looking Belle.
"Exactly how much sleeping powder did you use?"
"..."
Belle didn't say a word, just silently held up one of Eous's hands.
"One pack?"
Still no reply. Belle just shook her head in silence.
"One hand... so five packs?!"
The amount was a little excessive, but not entirely unacceptable.
But Belle didn't agree. She just slowly and firmly shook her head again.
"No. I just kept pouring."
Holy crap. So the situation back then was more like they found a trace amount of air mixed into a cloud of sleeping powder, huh?
No wonder they were sleeping so deeply. They didn't even react after the whole fight with the autonomous mecha was over.
"Well... I used five packs and they didn't react... so I just kept pouring until they fell asleep."
Just to be safe, Belle had basically gone for a lethal dose. She scratched her head, a little embarrassed. She had completely used up all the sleeping powder she had stored in Eous's backpack.
Andrew looked at the three with a hint of pity, hoping they wouldn't be too confused when they woke up in a Public Security holding cell.
Meanwhile, Shi Bin Jia, who was preparing to retreat, saw Andrew enter the command tent. When he spotted Li Long lying on the ground, fate unknown, his eyes instantly turned crimson. He raised his Ether Heavyblade and prepared to charge.
He hadn't taken two steps before his teammate, Shi Bin Yi, grabbed his arm.
"Jia, you don't have to face an opponent you can't possibly beat!"
Hearing Shi Bin Yi's words, memories of all the times Li Long had looked out for him flashed before his eyes. Shi Bin Jia couldn't help but tighten his grip on his long blade.
"'Can't possibly beat'? I don't know what you're talking about!"
Watching Jia charge fearlessly toward Andrew, Shi Bin Yi felt a surge of inspiration and followed right behind him, rushing at Andrew as well.
————
The ground around Andrew was littered with knocked-out soldiers. Shi Bin Jia and Shi Bin Yi were, naturally, among them.
Now that he had captured the highest-ranking officer, the colonel, it didn't really matter if the remaining regular soldiers escaped.
But for some reason, many of the soldiers who had been shooting from a distance suddenly drew their Ether Heavyblades and charged in.
Less than five minutes later, every single soldier who had attempted an assault was now resting peacefully on the ground, the massive lumps on their heads a clear testament to the one-sided nature of the battle.
"You... you bastard... you're just relying on your tough armor and brute strength..."
Andrew shrugged at the pained words of the last soldier he'd felled with a single punch.
"You're not wrong. Most of my combat skills are for fighting monsters. I really don't have much experience in actual PvP."
With that said, he delivered another punch to the man's forehead, knocking him out cold.
————
Maybe it was the power of conviction, or maybe something else entirely, but Li Long, who had inhaled a massive amount of sleeping powder, actually managed to wake up.
He slowly opened his eyes to find the camp in total chaos.
As far as he could see, the ground was covered with his own men.
He remembered them. He remembered every single one of these young lads by name, and now, they were all lying here.
The sight made his entire body go limp. As he tremblingly tried to push himself up, his hand touched something familiar.
A crudely fashioned, somewhat worn, entirely handmade military insignia.
The hand-painted lacquer on the insignia was chipping in places, but its impeccably clean surface showed that its owner cared for it deeply.
Li Long knew who this insignia belonged to.
His mind wanted to deny it, but as a soldier, and more importantly, a colonel, he snuffed out the urge to flee from the truth before it could even fully form.
His gaze trembled as he looked up, and the young face of his Adjutant came into view.
Blood that had trickled from his forehead had since dried on his face, a silent explanation for his condition.
The last shred of hope in his heart shattered. His hands, which remained as steady as a mountain even when holding a heavy cannon, were now trembling uncontrollably.
He didn't dare to touch him. He only dared to pick up the insignia, using his fingers to gently wipe away the dust that had settled on it, his voice growing hoarse.
"Kid... Hey, kid? This isn't a funny joke. I promised your old man I'd take good care of you."
He scooped the Adjutant into his arms. The wrinkles on Li Long's face seemed to deepen, making his expression unreadable.
"If you check out before I do, how am I supposed to face your dad?!"
Li Long's eyes gradually turned bloodshot. He felt a clarity he'd never experienced before, a burning, desperate need to do something.
But before he could act, the Adjutant in his arms suddenly began to mumble something.
A surge of joy washed over Li Long. He quickly pressed his ear to the Adjutant's lips. Even if they were his last words, Li Long had to hear what he was saying.
"Old geezer... your colonel's seat is mine now... go bring me your hidden stash of good wine..."
The air suddenly grew still. Li Long's fists began to tremble once more.
But this time, it wasn't from grief. It was from rage.
Li Long, whose eyes had merely been red-rimmed a moment ago, now had a face as black as thunder. He checked the wound hidden by the hair; it wasn't the gunshot wound he'd imagined, just a small scrape from bumping his head on something.
Li Long scanned his surroundings again. Now free of his preconceived notions, a careful inspection revealed that every single soldier on the ground was still breathing.
It was just that the others weren't sleeping quite as peacefully as the Adjutant. The visible lumps on their heads and their pained expressions suggested their journey to dreamland had been less than gentle.
Looking closer, he could even make out the first row of soldiers who had gone silent at the very beginning of the fight.
"Creeaak."
With the sound of a door opening, the armored figure of Andrew pushed his way in, carrying the last two knocked-out soldiers on his shoulders.
Seeing that Li Long was awake, Andrew immediately went on guard. He dropped the soldiers from his shoulders, looking for an opportunity to turn this man's recent sweet dream into a nightmare.
Silence spread through the air, and the atmosphere grew thick with tension.
As the colonel, Li Long didn't know what to say. He just stared at Andrew's helmet, as if trying to see through the visor and figure out what kind of person was inside.
Just as the standoff was reaching its peak, with Li Long clenching his fists and Andrew preparing to strike, a sudden shout shattered the stalemate.
"Old geezer! Where's that booze I asked for?!"