Martial Arts Returnee’s Game Broadcast

Chapter 226

1.

There were dangerous turning points and traps, but Ha Eung Eung thwarted all the schemes of the high-ranking official.

• "Now, let's take his head."
• "Egg Ghost cut!"

To the defeated, death was a given.
There was no worse commander than one who waged war by recklessly sacrificing the lives of their subordinates and yet failed to take responsibility for their defeat.
In that regard, the high-ranking official was an excellent commander.
He did not deny his defeat.
He did not deny his responsibility.
The high-ranking official himself, feeling the weight of his failure, gave up on life and calmly sat in his seat.

[He acknowledges his defeat.]
[Please, take his head, and may the lives of the innocent commoners be spared.]

The fate of the high-ranking official now rested in the hands of the Silent Swordsman.
Onlookers gathered outside the magistrate’s office, each offering their opinion.

[This is nonsense not even worth listening to. Cut off the high-ranking official’s head, and annihilate the remaining commoners, my lord.]
[The blood spilled by the Fallen Ghosts must be repaid tenfold. Please grant us permission to massacre them, my lord!]
[This humble servant has already told you enough about how vile the monsters in the village are. I trust you remember that.]

The right-hand man of great strength, the monster knight, and the humble servant.
Unlike those who actively voiced their opinions, the silent swordsmen had been too preoccupied with healing Jinyo’s wounds to speak up during the war.
Now, the only remaining influential figure in the Silent Swordsman’s faction was Tuttak.

[Tuttak is suggesting an alliance!]
[Has this tiny little rat finally gone mad?]
[You’ve crossed the line, half-beast! Don’t speak recklessly just because you’re favored by our lord!]

The right-hand man and the monster knight reacted violently. They had felt firsthand the danger of the high-ranking official.
Had it not been for the Silent Swordsman, they would have suffered tremendous casualties and might have been slaughtered by the high-ranking official, who had obtained the Demon King’s artifact.

[Tuttak knows better than anyone the danger of the high-ranking official! It was Tuttak who first suggested this crusade!]

Ha Eung Eung, controlled by Story Mode, nodded her head.
The two generals, in a reluctant manner, closed their mouths, signaling they would listen to her.

[The high-ranking official is a monster who rose up for the sake of the commoners, as his words and actions show! Unlike the monsters in this town!]
[Indeed, I also found that point strange. It was contradictory.]
[What Tuttak says is right! It’s contradictory! I think the common monsters deceived the high-ranking official to gain his protection!]

The civilian monsters had deceived the high-ranking official.
It was an interesting story, to say the least.

[The high-ranking official is listening! The civilian monsters are terrible creatures that engage in cannibalism and devour their own kind! They are not innocent commoners!]
[Do you think I’m so foolish as to listen to the enemy’s words?]
[We have evidence! If we raid the monster’s base, we’ll find imprisoned wandering monsters and livestock humans!]

The monster knight, with his quick feet, ordered the warrior-spirit Cheong Baek to secure proof from a nearby village. By evening, they returned, bringing with them a larger number of livestock humans and wandering monsters than even the warrior-spirit army.

[The Silent Swordsman’s subordinates saved us!]
[Those cursed village monsters. As soon as they realized we were powerless wandering monsters, they pretended to offer us food, then attacked us at night!]
[These are all flesh-devouring monsters!]

Flesh-devouring monsters.
Greedy monsters that devour anything, whether human or monster.
They were definitely not to be mistaken for the kind of good-hearted commoners one might loosely regard them as.

[The Demon King deceived me.]
[The monsters I thought were protecting the commoners were in fact flesh-devouring monsters.]
[How dare they deceive me!]

A crimson glow of fury leaked from the emotionless face of the high-ranking official.
Ha Eung Eung thought to herself.
If the battle phase began, his face might change continuously.

"Could there be a pink color?"

If there was, it might be a little cute.
As she imagined how Min Woo-seong might react if he saw it, the moment Tuttak's persuasion became even more influential.

“Compared to the flesh-devouring monsters, our main forces, the warrior-spirits and the Fallen Ghosts, are the true underdogs who rose up from defeat. They are true commoners!”
“In the Silent Swordsman’s faction, we even have mole-humans, weak and powerless, who have endured oppression from giants and stubbornly clung to life like weeds!”
“If there are commoners we need to protect, they are in the Silent Swordsman’s faction, not the Demon King’s!”

• “Why is Tuttak so good at talking?”
• “He might be better at verbal duels than the high-ranking official.”

The high-ranking official, still dressed in his official attire, looked back at Ha Eung Eung and suddenly bowed his head.

[This office, the high-ranking official, has acted disgracefully, being deceived by the Demon King and playing with the lives of those who should have been destroyed.]
[If there are commoners to protect, they are your subordinates, and if wisdom is needed, it is for your faction to show it.]
[If you accept me, I will do my best to assist, though I am lacking.]

Thud!

The high-ranking official slammed his head into the floor with all his strength, proving his sincerity.

Thud! Thud!

The powerful motion caused blood to flow from his forehead, making anyone watching feel a sharp pain. But in reality, his forehead remained untouched.
The effect of his recent promotion to a heroic monster leading an army of millions had made him stronger. His crown had grown longer and sturdier, and it was the crown that struck the ground, protecting his forehead.

• “He’s using a cheat with his hat.”
• “Does he know about it?”
• “Hahaha, if you’re upset, why not take his place as the high-ranking official?”
• “There’s a reason high-ranking officials wear tall hats.”
• “Was the long hat for preventing forehead injuries when slamming your head into the ground? Hahaha!”

[Interaction Options]
[How will you respond to the high-ranking official’s oath?]

1. Accept the high-ranking official’s oath (recruit).
2. Reject the high-ranking official’s oath (capture).
3. Cut off the high-ranking official’s head (execution).

Seeing the ridiculous sight, Ha Eung Eung’s heart softened a little.
Her gaze shifted to option 1, and the high-ranking official visibly relaxed.

‘Can he really recognize where my gaze is?’

She then shifted her gaze to option 2, and the high-ranking official’s crown shriveled, showing disappointment.
When she looked at option 3, his body trembled, displaying both rage and confusion, before he slumped as though he had given up on life.

“!”

Ha Eung Eung’s eyes sparkled like a cat that had just discovered a laser pointer.
A mischievous smile spread across her face as her gaze shifted up and down, like a tail wagging with excitement.

1313312313

The movements changed with the gaze.
The high-ranking official’s actions became exaggerated, like a bizarre dance.

• “What are you doing?”
• “Hahaha!”
• “Don’t enjoy it with that!”
• “Damn... I almost spit it out. How embarrassing!”
• “The new star of the ‘Hateful Official’ club, the high-ranking official!”

See? I’m not the only one enjoying this.
It was a playful punishment for the high-ranking official, who had tried to deceive the wandering merchant.
As his face turned a mix of bright red and dark blue, he finally showed his anger, and Ha Eung Eung made her decision.

[?1. Accept the high-ranking official’s oath.]

[Thank you for your generous decision...]

There was a creaking sound from his face as if something was cracking, but what of it?
The master-servant relationship had already been established.
Viewers thought to themselves.
If the high-ranking official had a face, he would likely regret his actions and have been handed over to an even worse villain.

3.
After the high-ranking official joined,
Although there were still tens of thousands of flesh-devouring monster soldiers left in the field, dealing with them was no longer a hassle.

[The high-ranking official used his strategy to efficiently massacre the remaining flesh-devouring monsters.]
[Automatic clearing complete.]

The notification appeared after the automatic clearing of the story mode ended.

[Achievement Unlocked]
[Recruit the Hidden Boss, the high-ranking official (Achieved)]
[Understand the True Nature of the Evil Village (Achieved)]
[Free the Imprisoned Wandering Monsters and Livestock Humans (Achieved)]

[Clear Rank: SSS]
[Subjugation Rank: AAA]
[Challenge Rank: SSS]
[Overall Rank: 6?/3? (+300%)]

[MORE THAN PERFECT]
[News of the fall of the Demon King’s stronghold spreads widely throughout the Half-Beast Valley.]

This was no longer just a simple field.
The field that was originally a small village encountered during the advance into the main territory was completely obliterated.
Ha Eung Eung had destroyed all the villages in the area, including the so-called Evil Village.

She had slaughtered a million flesh-devouring monsters, freed wandering monsters imprisoned as their prey, and accepted them as subordinates.
She had liberated the livestock humans and protected the innocent, untainted humans.

[If my lord permits, we can use the wandering monsters to educate and socialize the livestock humans and turn this into our faction’s base.]

The high-ranking official suggested securing a base and organizing the region.
Ha Eung Eung pondered.

‘While all this is happening, the pursuit team and special forces are likely following our army.’

Though her army was ahead for now, she didn’t think she could evade them forever.
As she approached the center of the Demon King’s power, resistance would grow fiercer, and soon, she would likely face a two-front battle if she didn’t clear the field in one turn.

‘Since we’ll face them eventually, it wouldn’t be bad to face them here. I can’t carry or abandon all those livestock humans.’

So, she made her decision.
In the heart of the enemy’s land.
The Demon King’s backline resource production area.
The Evil Village area.
Here, she would set up the first base for the Silent Swordsman’s faction.

‘After all, isn’t it always the most satisfying to take something from others?’

Whether it’s talent, resources, or bases.