Chapter 132

In the northeastern part of the Empire, at the Dendero Province relay station.

Currently guarding this place was a young drug addict.

“The numbers don’t match. This just can’t be right.”

The hell?

As Leon was counting the dwindling supply of his narcotics, he let out a curse.

It had been three days since he went AWOL.

During this time, Leon Rothe Dale had endured countless hardships.

He was sure he was heading to the State, intending to meet Anais there, but because he had taken a wrong turn, he found himself drifting further away from his destination.

However, there was a bigger issue at hand.

The numbers for Monglongyi and Bulongyi weren’t matching up.

“Morphine tablets, three. Ephedrine tablets, six.”

Why doesn’t it break down evenly at a one-to-one ratio?

Until now, Leon had never needed to worry about such inconsistencies.

As long as he took the drugs supplied by the supervisors, everything was perfectly tranquil. There were times before missions when the ratio of Bulongyi was increased, but during ordinary days, it was always a one-to-one ratio. One Bulongyi and one Monglongyi. Such a fair and blissful combination.

“But now I have to manage it myself. Both the lieutenant colonel and the captain let me go this way, so I can’t complain. I already feel bad about the killings.”

Still, the frustration gnawed at him.

If he had to pick, he preferred the taste of Bulongyi. It made his heart race and gave him that tingling sensation.

Not just a simple tingle but more of a continuous tingle.

However, that didn’t diminish the value of Monglongyi. They were equal in worth.

Just like a loving couple or even a happy married pair.

“But the numbers still don’t match?”

This simply cannot be.

Leon Rothe Dale checked again, hoping against hope the numbers would change. He knew better, though. Still, he thought trying might change the outcome because where there’s effort, there’s always a way.

One, two, three, four…?

“Ah!”

There was one more Monglongyi. Three turned to four.

But correspondingly, there was one less Bulongyi.

Though the increase in Monglongyi was pleasant, it wasn’t enough to justify the decrease in Bulongyi. Was this a case of bittersweet relief? Consuming in a 1:1 ratio meant that, in the end, Leon would be left with just one Bulongyi.

“Wait a second!”

Leon flinched and looked at the tablets again.

Then he realized his mistake.

He had mistaken the slightly yellowish Bulongyi for Monglongyi due to the wrong counting, a misjudgment likely caused by his wishful thinking.

The ratio remained unchanged at 3:6. Clearly, there was a difference in color if he looked closely. The error embarrassed him.

“Hmph.”

With a sigh, Leon stowed the drugs away.

Though he wanted to count again,

there were more pressing matters.

To head to the State as quickly as possible, meet Senior—or Junior—Anais, and ask them not to interfere with his supply. Lastly, to request Mr. Alan for a mysterious drug rumored to be ten times stronger than previous narcotics.

“Hm!”

With renewed vigor, Leon stood up.

His expression brightened momentarily,

but soon grew somber again.

“Ah.”

The grim sight of numerous corpses strewn around him was responsible.

A total of eight bodies.

They were once the soldiers who guarded this relay station.

Unfortunately, Leon himself was the one who had killed them.

Not intentionally, though.

“I didn’t mean to kill them. I just wanted them to take me to the State.”

The guards were also partly at fault. When asked point-blank if he was a deserter, and he admitted as much, they immediately brandished their weapons and menaced him.

Leon had only intended to knock them out with his sword’s sheath, but they all fell easily, almost pitifully.

He knew well that no excuses could justify it, but it was a mistake nonetheless.

Four men killed just before deserting.

Three others, mistaken in an attempt to ask for directions.

And now, eight more here.

Frankly, he was worried. Would explaining he had no intention to kill suffice? What if this incident was used as a reason to withhold the drugs? It felt wrong to expect anything free after causing so much death, but what could he do?

If this is as far as he could come,

and he had killed for the drugs,

then failing to secure them would make him just another ruthless murderer. Though he had gotten into trouble accidentally, receiving new drugs would set things right. It would prove he deserved forgiveness.

Just then, the sound of hooves approaching.

“Let’s ask for a ride!”

Thinking it was perfect timing, Leon stepped outside. Although free rides might be unlikely, the money he had lifted from the deserted relay station would surely do the trick. He knew stealing was wrong, but it was necessary under the circumstances.

The cart was getting closer, but then…

“Dead bodies! Dead bodies!”

“Don’t stop! Pass through as fast as we can!”

Clatter, clatter.

Ignoring Leon, the cart sped past without stopping.

“Seriously?!”

Leon looked crestfallen.

He could chase it if he wanted. With his ability, swallowing a single Bulongyi would provide enough energy to catch up and board the cart. But it would likely lead to more killing.

People these days were too aggressive towards him.

‘Maybe I should just let it go.’

A feeling of helplessness washed over him.

Resentment for Mr. Alan bubbled up all of a sudden. Though he remembered that Anais was the one who had committed the wrongdoings, he wasn’t sure if the blame lay solely with her. Mr. Alan Medoff’s behavior was also somewhat disappointing.

“Anais should just be ignored and the drugs should be given directly.”

Shouldn’t good drugs naturally be given without any hassle? Was it necessary to provoke such incidents by refusing to help? If he were to secretly send someone to deliver the drugs, wouldn’t everyone be happy?

Mr. Alan was, indeed, a crafty man.

Leon swallowed another tablet to calm his regrets.

Since learning about the new drug, the old ones seemed less appealing.

Did the anticipation of the new, untested drug dim the allure of the old ones?

I really want it.

While muttering to himself, Leon stared into the sky.

The sky was an unusually clear blue that day, the breeze perfectly refreshing—ideal weather for indulging in drugs. Yet all he felt was a rising sense of frustration. It was frustrating to be left out while others possibly enjoyed better-quality drugs.

And his supply was nearly depleted.

“Ah?”

As he noticed the nearly empty stock,

Leon panicked and hastily left the relay station. Reaching the State was urgent, but restocking the drugs was even more critical.

*

At present, the upper echelons of the Imperial Army were in a state of panic.

The reason was, unsurprisingly, Leon Rothe Dale.

A lone terrorist was wreaking havoc across the empire.

“Another incident!”

“The logistics in Dendero Province have been paralyzed. There’s no exaggeration here! Two relay stations have been annihilated in just a few days, and fifteen soldiers are dead. An attack on a supply convoy has also been reported, which is believed to be the work of none other than Leon Rothe Dale!”

“We must declare a state of emergency in the northeastern region and locate Leon at once…!”

Generals were rushing to me, panicking.

Naturally, since I’d been granted full authority to pursue the AWOL soldier.

I understood their concern. A madman attacking supply terminals—pretending it didn’t happen would be far from normal. It’s like a missile hitting a compound logistics center.

It made sense that everyone was afraid.

“Leon is now engaging in a vendetta against the empire. Cornered, he may be on a rampage with a ‘let’s all die together’ mentality!”

However, I didn’t agree with this perspective.

What Leon seeks now is purely the drugs. At least, that’s what I believe.

Why he hasn’t headed straight for the State where Anais and I are, and instead wanders aimlessly around some provinces, I don’t know. But I can guarantee one thing: Leon has no grand scheme to dismantle the empire single-handedly.

His goal remains the same—drugs.

The accidents that have occurred are likely not malicious acts, but simply him being a walking disaster.

‘Sending troops to chase him would only worsen the situation.’

We can’t predict how many might die attempting to subdue him forcefully. Hundreds of innocents could perish, which would lead to further unrest. Responsibility would have to be assigned, making the situation even more dire.

Having considered all this, I addressed the murmuring officials.

“Leon’s supply of drugs will run out soon.”

“Comte, what do you mean?”

“The dead supervisors must’ve had some drugs on them, which Leon likely secured. But now, without supervision, he’s likely consuming them at his discretion and could have already run out.”

“…”

“Sometime soon, he will try to secure drugs again.”

None of the generals seemed to agree with me.

They probably think it’s impossible for anyone to search for supplies while fleeing and leaving dozens of people dead. But in my opinion, for an addict in despair, drugs will always come first.

There’s only one place Leon can turn to for drugs now.

The military bases.

“Infirmary facilities at battalion-level and above always have morphine, don’t they? Inform all units stationed in the eastern regions immediately.”

I gave the military a simple directive.

If Leon Rothe Dale is encountered, do not provoke him. Tell him you have morphine to offer (even if you’re actually giving it to him to pacify) and mention my name. Remind him quietly that new drugs will come from me if he stays calm. Everyone looked perplexed, but this was the simplest and safest way forward.

…

Two days later, news came that Leon had appeared.

The site of his emergence was the 10th Infantry Brigade.

That was the precise unit where Leon had killed four officers and escaped before. This time, the officers apparently handed him morphine and mentioned my name to calm him down, although a few more casualties occurred before he became tranquil.

“Even while rambling, he did settle down. Will you go yourself?”

Of course, I must go myself. With methamphetamine and heroin prepared, I immediately set out.

In sufficient quantity, each exceeding one gram.

It was time to guide this world’s protagonist to his final destination.

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