Chapter 23: Thank You, Bad Man

Morin slowly withdrew the bayonet. The Lieutenant Colonel Battalion Commander, who had moments ago been celebrating his survival, slumped softly to the ground, his face frozen in an expression of disbelief.

Morin used Juan’s relatively clean uniform to wipe the viscous blood from the bayonet, then returned it to the scabbard. The entire sequence—from the moment he struck to cleaning the blade—was fluid and natural, without any hesitation. Throughout the process, Morin felt no discomfort. Perhaps because the target was such an utter scumbag, he felt no psychological burden whatsoever, only the calm after clearing away rubbish.

“We’ve secured some very valuable intelligence on this run; a decent haul,” Morin turned to Corporal Bowman, his voice perfectly steady, unlike someone who had just killed a man. “But now, we need to figure out how to get back.”

The two men returned to the empty room next door. The three rescued girls were still huddled together. Seeing them enter, they involuntarily shrank back, their eyes filled with lingering terror. Morin could completely understand their fear; given their young age, it would be strange if they weren’t terrified after such an ordeal. Fortunately, Morin and his men had acted quickly, and the officers hadn’t had time to inflict worse harm; the girls were only severely traumatized.

Morin slowed his steps and crouched a few feet away from them, making his voice as gentle as possible. “Don’t be afraid. The bad men have been dealt with, and no one will harm you anymore.”

The three girls were silent for a moment. One, slightly bolder, looked up and asked timidly: “Are you… from the National Army?”

Morin shook his head.

The girl seemed puzzled, then gathered her courage to ask again: “Then are you the… the International Brigades, who the grown-ups say came from other places to help?”

Morin shook his head again.

The girl hesitated. She looked at Morin’s unfamiliar uniform, then at Corporal Bowman, who stood behind him as silent as an iron tower. Finally, she asked in a near-whisper: “Then… are you a good person?”

The question caught Morin by surprise. He smiled in response. “What do you think?”

The three girls exchanged glances and softly nodded. The leading girl quietly said, “You look very fierce, but you must be good people.”

“No.” Morin still shook his head, though the smile on his face didn’t fade. “Actually, I’m not really a good person either…”

This answer completely bewildered the girls. They didn’t understand why this man, who had saved them, refused to admit he was a good person. Corporal Bowman and the others were also confused, as they didn’t understand the conversation, hearing only the words for ‘good person’ and ‘bad person.’

“Then… why did you save us?”

“Because I can’t stand to see these things happen,” Morin said earnestly. “And I have to live up to the Red Scarf and the Party Badge I once wore.”

The unfamiliar words Morin uttered confused the three girls even more. But for some reason, his deliberately serious, eccentric reply eased their terror, and their strained nerves slowly began to relax.

“Alright, listen closely to what I’m about to say.” Morin dropped the playful expression and spoke seriously. “What you must do now is immediately and quietly return to your families! Then, you must find a way to leave this city with your family or find a safe place to hide!” He paused, emphasizing his point: “Although those scumbags are dead, I expect their accomplices will soon come looking for trouble. Staying here will only put you in greater danger. Do you understand?”

The girls nodded, half-understanding.

Morin stood up, walked to the window, and carefully peeled back a corner of the curtain to look outside. On the street, the civilians who had been forced back by the guns had long dispersed, and the Royal Army soldiers had returned to their respective positions. They were gathered in small groups, smoking, chatting, playing cards, and eating their stolen meals. No one was paying attention to the two-story building anymore.

After confirming their safety, Morin turned and held out his hand to the four soldiers other than Bowman. “Each of you give me two of your grenades.”

Though somewhat confused, the soldiers immediately took the ball-type grenades from the clips on their belts, all eight of which were handed to Morin. Under the curious gaze of his men, Morin got to work. He found some fine thread for sewing in the room, then dismantled a few pieces of broken furniture for thin iron wire. He carefully concealed these grenades in the stairwell and under the two bodies in the middle room.

He skillfully used the fine thread and iron wire to connect the grenade pins to the staircase railing and even to the corpses themselves.

“Sir, what are you doing?” Corporal Bowman leaned closer, confusion written all over his face.

Morin didn’t look up: “Leaving a little surprise for those who come later.”

Having set his trap, Morin and his team, guiding the three terrified girls, quietly left the two-story building through the back door. Using the ‘all-map view’ provided by the system map, they easily bypassed the sightlines of all nearby Royal Army soldiers, winding through several alleys until they escorted the girls to a relatively safe district.

Morin: “Alright, there are no Royal Army soldiers in this vicinity. Do you all know how to get home?”

The three girls nodded at Morin’s words.

“Good. Remember what I said. Hurry home and go with your families to a safe place.” Morin instructed the girls.

The girls bowed gratefully to them, then helped each other and walked toward the other end of the alley. The slightly bolder girl turned back, looked at Morin, and finally managed a smile.

“Thank you, bad man!”

Watching their backs disappear without a word, Morin waved his hand and led his small team to stealthily move toward the city outskirts.

“Sir, why did she thank a ‘bad man’? Did I mishear?” Corporal Bowman finally couldn’t hold it in as they left the city.

Morin: “After all, to the civilians of the Kingdom of Aragon, foreign armies like us are theoretically invaders.”

Corporal Bowman paused, clearly not expecting that answer. After a moment, he asked hesitantly: “But aren’t we fighting in this country to ‘break the Britannian energy monopoly and allow all nations to share in the progress of industrial technology’?”

“Mmm, you’re right. Maybe that is the case.” Morin nodded, then, seeing the conflicted expression on Corporal Bowman’s face, he smiled and patted his shoulder. “Ah, why think so much? As a soldier, your duty is to obey orders and complete your missions. Don’t worry about all that other stuff.”

After resolving Corporal Bowman’s confusion, the group quickened their pace, though a complex look lingered in Morin’s eyes. A typical imperialist nation intervening militarily in another country for its own national interest and internal interference… Morin found it difficult to attribute much ‘righteousness’ to such a military operation; it was merely a game between great powers.

Of course, this was largely a case of ‘where you stand is where you sit’ (perspective determined by position). All Morin could do now was focus on keeping himself and his men alive in this war.

Thanks to the Royal Army’s nearly nonexistent control and vigilance over the main roads, their withdrawal was unusually smooth. Before long, the team returned, safe and sound, to the hill where they had hidden their bicycles.

Pushing the bicycles out from the bushes, Morin did not immediately order them to leave.

“Bowman, come back up with me for a final look.”

The two quietly climbed back up to the crest. Morin raised his binoculars for one last scan of the distant enemy positions, confirming whether the enemy had made any new movements.

This time, Morin’s gaze locked again on the plateau where the Aetherium Crystal Cannons were deployed. The number of people on the plateau seemed to have increased by a few. His six-power binoculars only allowed him to clearly see that they were high-ranking Royal Army officers and a few individuals in simple robes with a distinct demeanor.

However, the system map in his field of vision began to flash wildly, and a series of high-lighted icons and information popped up.

[Critical targets detected]

[Aragon Royal Army 24th Infantry Division Commander: General José Sanjurjo]

[Holy Britannian Empire Highland Mage Corps: High Mentor – Eldridge]

[Holy Britannian Empire Highland Mage Corps: Mage Apprentice x 3]

[24th Infantry Division Staff Officer x 4]

In an instant, Morin’s heart skipped a beat. This was no mere addition of a few people; this was an entire Manchu Han Imperial Feast laid out before him!

(End of Chapter 23)