A Veteran Player is Needed in the Apocalypse

Chapter 38: Gates of Hell

“…What did you say was in front of our camp?”

Lucas, puzzled, asked for clarification as the two cadets who had gone on reconnaissance began to stammer, eager to explain.

“We were about to start scouting, but there was something in front of our camp.”

“At first, we thought it was just a small pile of snow…”

“But then it started moving!!”

“When we looked closer, it was a kid, all tied up and struggling.”

“I couldn’t believe my eyes.”

“So, you’re saying that was Hayden?”

Lucas raised his hand to silence the excited chatter and asked calmly. The two cadets nodded vigorously.

“Hayden’s the only child in the training ground right now.”

“But why would Hayden be tied up and left in front of our camp like that?”

“Well… it looks like he was abandoned.”

“Abandoned?”

Lucas frowned, and another cadet spoke up.

“Shouldn’t we go check it out?”

“Hmm…”

It reeked of a trap.

But hearing that Hayden was tied up and abandoned in front of their camp meant they had to investigate.

If it was a trap, then the rest of Team A might be lying in ambush nearby, giving them a chance to turn the tables and take them all out at once.

…And Lucas also wanted to see it for himself.

To be honest, he thought the recon team must have made a mistake.

Until he saw it with his own eyes.

“…It’s real?”

Team B’s cadets were shocked to see that there really was a small child, bound and lying on the snow.

“What the hell is this?”

“Did they actually abandon him like this?”

“How could they…”

“Even if it’s a trap, this is going too far.”

Like the other cadets, Lucas was momentarily stunned, but he quickly snapped out of it and started giving orders.

“They might be lying in wait nearby, so you guys check the perimeter. The rest, cover me.”

“Sir!”

Lucas hurried over to Hayden, who was tied up.

When he got closer, he saw that not only was Hayden’s body bound, but his eyes and mouth were also covered with cloth.

‘What the…!’

Despite what he had said earlier about it being a trap, Lucas was now visibly shaken.

‘Was this really necessary?’

This was just a training simulation.

Hayden had already proven his abilities in the previous simulation with those cadets, so even if he won this time, the most he’d gain would be restoring the honor of his teammates.

Why would the Commander’s only heir go to such lengths to sacrifice himself for the honor of the cadets who lost to him?

Besides.

‘If even one of Hayden’s teammates dies, the training is over.’

If Team B decided to kill the defenseless Hayden, the game would end.

‘This isn’t a trap. It’s something else.’

With that conclusion, Lucas quickly lifted Hayden up and removed the blindfold and gag.

“Hayden! Are you okay?”

Hayden, barely able to open his eyes, responded in a faint voice.

“It’s… so cold…”

“Damn it.”

Lucas picked Hayden up and stood.

The cadets who had been checking the perimeter returned to Lucas’ side.

“There’s nothing around. Doesn’t seem like a trap.”

“Then what the hell is this? Did Team A really…?”

“He’s shivering. We should take him back to camp.”

“What? Take him back to camp?”

A cadet voiced his opposition to the idea.

“But Hayden is still on Team A. Does it make sense to take him to our camp?”

“If we take him as a prisoner, it should be fine, right? We haven’t fully untied him yet, just to be safe.”

“What?”

Only now did it seem to dawn on the cadets that Hayden was still partially tied up.

“Wait… is this okay?”

“Aren’t you going to untie him?”

“No, untying him seems even stranger.”

While they discussed what to do, Hayden continued to shiver violently.

Lucas sighed and said, “Let’s take him back.”

* * *

Back at the camp, they warmed Hayden up with blankets and a fire. When Hayden finally spoke, it left the cadets of Team B in shock.

“Right at the start of the training… they tied you up?”

“Yes… It’s embarrassing, but…”

Hayden, unable to lift his head, spoke in a small, timid voice.

“They said they never agreed to the rule that losing one member meant defeat… That if I was so eager to lose, they’d offer me up as a sacrifice. That even if they won by killing a child first, Team B wouldn’t be able to brag about it…”

The cadets of Team B were dumbfounded.

“Wow… What kind of scum would do that…?”

“No wonder. I was surprised they even showed up to the training ground.”

“They probably just wanted to get revenge on Hayden because they knew they couldn’t win.”

“So, how long are we going to keep him tied up? We should untie him now.”

One of the cadets, feeling pity for Hayden after hearing his story, suggested they untie him, but the others hesitated.

“I feel bad too, but untying him seems…”

“He may be pitiful, but this is still a training exercise. We can’t just let the enemy loose in the middle of our camp.”

“What? Didn’t you hear what Hayden said? He doesn’t want to help those guys win either. Or do you still think this is a trap? Are you seriously doubting Hayden? Even now?”

One of the more emotional cadets snapped, but Lucas quickly calmed him down.

“We’re not doubting Hayden. But training should be conducted as if it were real. We have to be cautious.”

“I get that, but…”

Seeing that some of the cadets were still uncomfortable, one of them, who had initially opposed bringing Hayden back to camp, scoffed.

“If you really want to untie him, why not just kill him and end the training?”

But everyone immediately protested.

“That would just play into Team A’s hands!”

“Could you go around bragging about winning by killing Hayden?”

“Well, why not? You guys think just like Hayden.”

“Bones!!”

“Enough.”

Lucas, unable to watch any longer, intervened.

“Are you really going to cause a division over this? Let’s just leave him tied up. Hayden probably expected this much.”

“Sir! Are you serious? We’re proud cadets of this Academy. Are you really suggesting we leave a child like Hayden tied up because we’re scared?”

“Proud cadets, my foot. I guess you’d spare a child begging for mercy on the battlefield too?”

“What?!”

Despite Lucas’ warning, the cadets continued to argue heatedly over whether to untie Hayden.

Sensing that this was causing division within the team, the cadets who had stayed out of the argument began to feel anxious and turned to Lucas for guidance.

“Sir… this is getting out of hand…”

“Lucas, do something.”

Lucas scowled as the arguing cadets looked to him for a decision.

“Yes! Let’s follow Lucas’ lead!”

The cadet who had been pleading to untie Hayden looked at Lucas with desperate eyes.

“You’ll untie him, right? Yes? Lucas, sir?”

“Don’t untie him. Just kill him!”

“Are you insane?!”

Just as their voices were about to rise again, a young voice cut through the tension.

“Kill me.”

Because the one who said it was Hayden, the cadets of Team B turned to him in shock.

Hayden looked defeated.

“Kill me and end the training.”

“No, Hayden. Are you serious?”

“I was too reckless. I acted out of arrogance after just one success, so I deserve this. Just kill me and end it.”

The cadets exchanged confused glances.

“But… we don’t want to win through such dishonorable means. Shooting a prisoner who doesn’t resist…”

“I’ll explain what happened to the other cadets. I’m so embarrassed that it came to this.”

“Hayden…”

Even with Hayden himself suggesting that they kill him, the cadets hesitated. None of them were willing to take that step, even though he had offered to explain everything after the training.

Even the cadet who had been arguing to kill him fell silent, his expression conflicted.

“Lucas… what do we do?”

At someone’s question, Lucas sighed softly and drew his military knife.

Seeing this, a few cadets panicked.

“Lucas!”

“You’re not really going to kill him, are you?”

Even those who had opposed untying Hayden were visibly uncomfortable at the thought of winning the training by killing a bound child.

Though they knew untying him was unwise, they didn’t want to win like this.

“…Lucas!”

Finally, the cadet who had argued to kill Hayden spoke up.

“I think I was wrong. We shouldn’t kill him. We can untie him and just keep a close watch. We still need someone to guard the flag, after all.”

“Yes, that’s right, Lucas!”

“I’ll stay with Cohen.”

“Yeah, Harry and Cohen are trustworthy.”

With the consensus forming to untie Hayden and keep him under watch, Lucas stared at Hayden with an unreadable expression.

“Hayden.”

“Yes…?”

“Training is no joke. I trust you understand that now.”

With those words, Lucas tightened his grip on his knife, causing the cadets to cry out in alarm.

“Lucas…!”

“Hey!”

The cadets who thought Lucas was about to stab Hayden were relieved when he instead sheathed his knife and began cutting Hayden’s bonds.

Hayden, looking bewildered, watched as Lucas untied him.

“Why… didn’t you just kill me…”

“I’ll untie you

, but you’ll be under guard.”

“Are you sure? I’m still on the enemy team…”

“Whether you’re on the enemy team or not isn’t your concern, Hayden.”

Lucas curtly replied and then turned to his team.

“Harry, Cohen. You two stay here. If anything happens, fire a flare. If Hayden does anything suspicious, don’t hesitate to kill him.”

“Of course, sir.”

Hayden looked ashamed.

“I really don’t know what to say. I’ve caused so much trouble… for all of you.”

“It’s nothing. Those bastards need to be taught a lesson.”

“Rest here, Hayden. We’ll handle those dishonorable punks ourselves.”

“Yes… thank you, everyone.”

The cadets, a little embarrassed after Hayden thanked them, picked up their gear.

“Harry and Cohen stay, the rest of us head to Team A’s camp. Let’s finish this quickly.”

And so…

The gates of hell opened for Team B.