Chapter 1249

<Episode 1249> 1249. Dark Moon

I entrusted the three Dark Holes extracted from the dark mage’s corpse to a masked man who didn’t reveal his name. I couldn’t return to Squad 667 with the Dark Holes in my possession.

To cover this up, I deliberately shredded the dark mage’s body beyond recognition.

A week later, I received a lower-class medal for eliminating three terrorists. The medal gleamed silver on the palm of my hand.

My face remained expressionless as I stared at it. Normally, alongside the lower-class medal comes a modest cash reward. But all I was handed was the medal—the reward had vanished without a trace. It was likely either Venus took it or some higher-ups pocketed it.

There was no point in questioning it.

I am both a soldier and an experiment subject—a slave. The slave mark etched into my shoulder brands me as less than a soldier. Complaining would only bring ridicule.

‘What a pain.’

Not only was my reward stolen, but the fact that I received a medal just for capturing three terrorists irritated me.

I’ve carried out dozens of missions—far more dangerous and crucial ones than simply catching terrorists, which I’ve successfully completed numerous times. Yet, I’ve never been rewarded for any of them.

‘The only reason I got this medal is one: the king is paying attention to this case.’

In about half a year, they’ll announce the success of Phase 1 of the Battle Mage Project, and I’ll officially be assigned to a unit. Will my situation improve? Not a chance. The upper echelons will keep the slave mark intact, pretending to treat me like a soldier while milking me dry.

And when my usefulness ends, I’ll be tossed aside like garbage. Of course, as high-level manpower, I might receive some token treatment.

‘I don’t care about their charity scraps.’

I closed my eyes.

The sensation of mana serum flooding my system came along with excruciating pain. As the agony washed over me, I nurtured my surging desire for vengeance.

‘I will kill everyone involved in the Battle Mage Project. Especially Instructor Venus…!’

Instructor Venus is the field supervisor of the Battle Mage Project. He exploits resources, including myself, using his authority. Despite feigning dignity, he reeks of corruption.

“A White Lily Medal.”

Lexi suddenly appeared beside me, observing the medal. I snapped back to reality—I hadn’t noticed her approach.

“Lexi-sshi…”

“You looked so serious. Is receiving the medal meaningful to you?”

After locking eyes with me, Lexi smiled softly and hung her coat on the office wall before sitting at her desk and turning on her computer.

“What’s the point of it anyway?”

“Well, true, the lower-class medal doesn’t offer much benefit—it might get you a 3% discount at PX stores at best. Still, even a minor medal can positively influence performance reviews.”

“How many medals do you have, Lexi-sshi?”

“Four. That’s fairly decent among soldiers.”


“Hey there~ Sooo… this gal’s been causing a *ton* of trouble, which is why she hasn’t gotten promoted.”

Lexi cheerfully tossed a printed document onto the desk. Without thinking, I scanned it—and my eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.

It was a transfer order. A directive to report to the 2nd Division by next month. The 2nd Division is a military unit located in the capital region.

“You’re probably gonna be active as a special ops member. And… drumroll please!”

With a flourish, Lexi revealed another set of papers: her promotion orders. Next month, she’d not only be transferring units but also getting promoted to the rank of major.

“From corporal straight to major?!”

“Oh, didn’t I mention? My original rank was captain. Got demoted to corporal after some *incidents* and reassigned here to Unit 667. Most of the instructors here have similar stories.”

“What about Venus Instructor? Same deal?”

“That guy’s a bigwig. Heard he used to be a colonel… got busted for corruption involving military contracts or something. Rumor has it he embezzled credits worth 300 million.”

“Hold up—doesn’t that kinda warrant a discharge?”

300 million credits.

Considering the average monthly salary in this world is around 100k credits, that’s an astronomical sum.

“But Venus Instructor’s too skilled. Plus, he’s a Grade 5 Battle Mage—someone who can literally dominate small-scale battles. Given his track record, HQ couldn’t just let him go. Though from what I can tell, someone high up probably cut a deal with him.”

I quietly observed Lexi as she bustled about, uncharacteristically energetic.

“…Do you ever think about leaving the service?”

“Leaving? Thought about it sometimes back in the day. But now? Finally, there’s a way upward. No matter how screwed-up it gets, I gotta tough it out.”

I shut my mouth.

Today, I had planned to persuade her—to join me in rebellion and leave the army together. But seeing her so animated while typing away at the keyboard made me hesitate.

We’d grown far too close over time.

‘Even though I knew from the start that our positions were completely different…’

Lexi built her life around the military. Being a soldier wasn’t just her job—it was her identity. Freesell Kingdom was her homeland.

Dragging her into my plans would mean asking her to abandon everything.

There was no guarantee she’d even agree to join me. So I stayed silent.

“Hmm… sorry, but today’s gonna be busy. Too much unfinished business to sort through.”

“No, it’s fine. Just… thinking about parting ways with you feels kind of bittersweet.”

“Yeah, we’ve known each other for years now. For me, it’s routine, but I get it might feel different for you. Don’t worry though—we’ll cross paths again. The military’s smaller than you think. And hey, remember my number? Once you get your posting, give me a shout. This older sister will buy you a proper drink!”

“…Looking forward to it.”

After meeting Lexi, the others seemed different somehow.

Unlike me, they appeared content with their current situation.

Roommate #202 eagerly researched military info, looking forward to their assignment in six months.

Firepower enthusiast #88 plotted ways to join the tank division.

Athletic #52 trained hard every chance they got.

Pink-braided #166 wrote diligently in her journal.

And busty #99 pampered herself with cosmetics.

They weren’t like me. While I spent every spare moment studying magic and building power, these folks enjoyed the present and anticipated the future. They lacked the thirst for vengeance that consumed me.

What sets us apart?

‘Is it because I’m an outsider—an anomaly brought into this game world?’

As I stood dazed in the hallway, someone tapped my shoulder. Turning around, I saw long brown-haired #212 smiling softly…


But then, she started walking down the hallway. This was a kind of signal. I quietly followed her from behind, heading towards the baths.

In the women’s changing room, we undressed. Bathing with my female comrades had become routine. While stripping, I called out to 212.

“212.”

“Hmm?”

“If… if we could successfully desert from the unit… would you do it?”

“Desertion? What nonsense is this? Don’t even joke about such things. You know very well that desertion isn’t possible.”

She pointed at the slave mark on her shoulder and the tracker embedded in her neck.

“So… hypothetically speaking, if we could desert successfully… would you do it?”

“Ugh… no. Although I was practically dragged here against my will… honestly, this life isn’t bad. If I hadn’t come here, have you ever thought about what might’ve happened to me?”

“…Hmm. Maybe you’d still be doing fine?”

212 unhooked her bra. Her ample breasts swayed. Did she notice my gaze? Her soft-looking nipples began to swell and harden.

“My mom’s a prostitute.”

“If I hadn’t come to this unit, I probably would’ve ended up as one too. Sure, it’s a bit suffocating here, but there’s plenty of food, they give us clothes and shelter. Most importantly, there’s no risk of being raped. And they teach us magic too.”

She slipped off her panties. Seeing her large, white buttocks made my blood rush south.

“…Is receiving mana semen injections okay with you?”

“I hate it so much it kills me. But it’ll pass eventually, right? Once we’re assigned to our units, we won’t have to endure those anymore. Though, it might not be the same for the next batch… but that’s their problem.”

“…Do the other girls think the same way as you?”

“About desertion? Probably not. This is a secret, but 52 almost got killed by beggars, 99 almost got molested by her father, and 166 nearly became an experiment subject for a dark mage. But now, we’re all fine. We even have magical powers. So…”

Naked 212 lunged at me. She wrapped her arms around my body. Her warmth eased my tension, and her warm breath excited me.

“Don’t entertain strange thoughts. 211, you’re exceptional. You might even have a shot at becoming an officer. If you don’t like the military, you can serve for about ten years and then retire.”

212’s lips approached. I didn’t dodge and explored her lips. Our tongues intertwined, and I faintly tasted orange in her saliva.

Despite the turmoil in my mind, my body craved her. I fondled her ample breasts and caressed her butt. My erect member pressed against her lower abdomen.

“211… I’m going to become an officer.”

“An officer?”

“Yeah. It seems pretty cool to command people, doesn’t it? What do you want to do in the future?”

I pondered for a moment before answering.

“…Business.”

Power. Wealth. Authority.

I wanted to possess them all. Becoming an officer might be the easiest route, but soldiers have too many unnecessary responsibilities. The chains of military duty were tiresome.

“I want to do business. I don’t have any specific product ideas yet, though.”

This world was fundamentally capitalist. With enough money, power would naturally follow.

“Hmm… sounds like you.”

212 smiled and led me into the bath.

As soon as she entered, she grabbed the wall and thrust her butt toward me.

“I want it from behind today. Is that okay?”

She pulled her own butt cheeks apart with one hand, revealing her pale pink slit and anus. Her tightly clenched opening glistened with arousal.

I stepped forward, grabbed her hips, and forcefully thrust my waist.

Ploosh!

My member plunged straight into her.

“Aaaahh!”