AHEIAID Chapter 47: What I Care About Is That You Will Be Sad
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A backward, chaotic, crime-ridden city, full of scoundrels and lowlifes.
Here, it’s not unusual for an old lady to brandish a gun over an egg dispute or for an old man to get into a brawl over vegetables.
The big ones are big scoundrels, the small ones are small scoundrels, and the old ones are old scoundrels.
The one thing this place doesn’t lack is criminals. They thrive on breaking laws, devoid of morality and justice, abiding only by the rules set by violence and more violence.
This city maintains order through brute force, a place where civilization should have taken root but instead follows the law of the jungle.
The number of local criminals far exceeds those dispatched by various factions to hunt down the former emperor or assassinate him.
Thus, when Garius and his team arrived here to search for the emperor, they encountered unimaginable obstacles. Many agents who tried to hinder them ended up provoking the local gangs instead, turning the entire situation into a chaotic three-way battle.
And despite the city's lawlessness, its residents are fiercely proud. They look down on outsiders, viewing them as weaklings, making it extremely difficult for foreigners to obtain information from the local informants.
After haggling with an informant for what felt like forever, the usually good-tempered Saxis was on the verge of losing it. If his teammates hadn’t held him back, he might have smashed the informant’s head in!
Garius, hiding his true identity, placed a hand on his shoulder. The slight pressure made the red-faced Saxis instantly freeze.
"Sir..."
"This city is unique. Find His Majesty quickly and raise the stakes."
"...Understood. Apologies, sir. I lost my composure."
Taking a deep breath, Saxis admitted his mistake.
He could still feel the firm grip on his shoulder and silently reflected—he was still too inexperienced. Even someone as strict and disciplined as Lord Heine remained composed here, while he had lost his temper.
Unacceptable. Completely unacceptable.
Calm down. He must remain calm!
Adjusting his expression, he turned to face the smug informant who had been deliberately making things difficult. "There's no deal that can't be made, only offers that aren't tempting enough. Name your price, and let's talk."
The uniquely dressed informant smirked.
Leaning back with a cocky tilt of his head, he studied the masked individuals before him. As someone who made a living selling information, he already knew who they were.
But he wasn’t afraid of outsiders—especially not when they needed his help.
Seeing his prey take the bait, the informant was pleased, though he maintained his aloof demeanor, casually swinging his leg.
"Tsk, since you guys are so sincere about making a deal, I suppose it’s not impossible."
Saxis was relieved.
"Tell me, how much?"
After all, the District 13 was never short on money.
To his surprise, the informant rolled his eyes and wagged a finger. "No, no, no—not money."
Saxis frowned. "Then what—"
"Heh." The informant grinned, showing a mouthful of white teeth, before saying something shocking: "I want pictures of humans. Full-body shots. Personal photos."
"......"
"You see, our city isn’t under the jurisdiction of any district, so external official sites don’t grant us access. Getting pictures of humans is nearly impossible. Tsk, in Sunset City, human pictures are rare treasures. So? You outsiders must have some. After all, who doesn't like humans?"
"......"
"I just want one to stick on my wall—or maybe make a body pillow out of it to cuddle at night."
"......"
As the informant waggled his eyebrows suggestively, Saxis could feel the weight on his shoulder increase, as if it would crush his bones.
The rest of the team looked at him with expressions of disbelief, while the informant, puzzled, waited for a response.
Turning back, Saxis sincerely advised his superior, "Stay calm. Please, sir, stay calm."
The elegant yet icy man exuded an unmistakable chill.
"Isn't it just a photo of Madam...? I think we could—"
Crack—his shoulder bones nearly snapped under the pressure.
"......"
Saxis fell silent for a few seconds before decisively retreating, covering his eyes and speaking with genuine concern, "Sir, please leave him alive."
—
A few minutes later.
Saxis followed behind his commander, who strode swiftly through the filthy alleys, holding a blood-stained piece of paper in silence.
His teammates caught up, glancing at the paper.
Reina whispered, "Man, that was brutal."
Shulman nodded furiously. "Yeah, real brutal!"
The usually honest Bard rubbed his eyes, wincing at the memory.
Their commander was elegant, yes. Cold and composed, yes.
But when he fought? Damn. His swordplay was so breathtakingly beautiful that the informant had literally spent an entire minute airborne before finally hitting the ground.
Of course, they had always known that Lord Heine was a ruthless force.
But perhaps, after spending so much time with humans, they had started to forget.
They had gotten used to opening the office door to see a bright-eyed, giggling little human climbing into their commander's arms, deliberately nuzzling his throat with his soft curls.
A man as cold as an ice god would lower his head, his lips curving into a faint, indulgent smile…
Saxis hesitated, then murmured, "Lord Heine has become much gentler this past year."
Riena, Schulman, and Bard exchanged glances and chuckled.
"Of course! And not just him—tons of people in the District 13 have secretly warmed up to little Joey. Everyone likes him!"
"Yeah."
Saxis looked at their commander’s tall, unwavering figure. "Let’s finish this mission quickly, then go find Joey."
"Haha, absolutely! I already ordered a bunch of new toys!"
"Shululu got neutered too..."
"Hehe, I’m gonna teach him how to shoot this time. He’ll love me for sure—"
Listening to his teammates chatter about the little human they all adored, Saxis couldn’t help but smile.
—
When Joey woke up, the system immediately bombarded him with a chaotic flood of information, both facts and its own guesses.
That was how Joey learned why he was in such a strange place—and why he had seen Garius.
Apparently, the former emperor had foolishly decided to visit this crime-ridden city for an inspection. He got ambushed and injured, barely managing to escape with the help of his loyal guards, who hid him in an abandoned factory.
They planned to lay low and contact reinforcements once things settled down.
But fate had other plans.
That factory? It belonged to one of the city's local crime lords. And the moment the gang discovered the intruders, they nearly turned them into dinner.
To make matters worse, multiple assassination squads tracked the emperor down, and in their attempts to eliminate him, they unknowingly provoked the gang.
The result?
A full-scale war.
[The local boss: "Kill these bastards!"]
[Agent Squad A: "Kill the criminals—assassinate the emperor!"]
[Agent Squad B: "Kill the criminals and Squad A—assassinate the emperor!"]
[Agent Squad C: "Kill the criminals and Squads A and B—assassinate the emperor!"]
And so, the city erupted into an all-out, chaotic battlefield.
Mechs and combat robots ran wild.
Gunfire crackled like firecrackers in a village festival.
Laser beams flashed like nightclub disco lights.
Ironically, in the middle of this chaos, the emperor was still alive—huddled in a reinforced glass safe room, trembling amid the destruction.
“…Damn, seriously. Unbelievable.”
He’s still alive.
What a ridiculously lucky bastard!
Then, snapping back to reality, Joey suddenly remembered the most important thing and urgently asked the system, "Wait—what about me?"
His dark, round eyes stared at the glowing screen, fixated on Garius, as if he wanted to fly straight to the man’s side.
The system went silent for a moment before replying:
【Compared to him, you’re in a much worse situation.】
Joey: ?
System: 【For some reason, Harry seems to know this place very well. After arriving in Sunset Town, he stuffed your unconscious body straight into the arms cache of the faction leader—inside a combat mech.
Not long after, Garius and his team arrived as well. The agents he brought scattered immediately, leaving only the faction leader and District 13 fighting each other.】
"And then?"
【…Then Harry activated the mech’s auto-attack mode and released it—with you inside.】
Oh.
Wait—WHAT?!
"Holy shit! Don’t tell me he’s—"
Joey's eyes widened in horror.
【Yes, it’s exactly what you think.】 The system practically spat the words out through gritted teeth. 【That psychotic bastard wants Garius to unknowingly kill you with his own hands!】
"…"
"…"
That’s sick. That’s seriously sick.
Joey’s face went pale as a sheet.
On the screen, Garius moved through the battlefield like a deadly spirit, leaping nimbly between the towering combat mechs. His movements were fluid yet powerful, his combat style breathtakingly precise—one thrust of his sword was enough to make an enemy mech explode.
A dull ache settled in Joey’s lower abdomen.
He and Garius were getting dangerously close to each other.
He had no idea how to operate these machines. Even if he did, he was tied up like a damn mummy, barely able to move inside the cramped cockpit. He definitely didn’t have the superhuman physique of the Ottoman soldiers, who were practically walking Captain Americas.
If Garius stabbed this mech—he was dead. Absolutely, completely dead.
Was Joey scared?
Of course he was.
He didn’t want to die.
He didn’t want to die by the hands of the man he loved most.
Even more, he didn’t want to see Garius’s face when he learned the truth…
Just imagining it—this man, so strong yet so careful, who didn’t even dare touch his belly too roughly… This man, who sometimes, without a word, would quietly lean in and rub his nose against Joey’s cheek like a spoiled child…
Imagining that same man, in the heat of battle, suddenly glancing down and seeing a familiar, shattered corpse among the ruins—Joey’s heart twisted in unbearable pain.
No.
No!
Killing his own lover and unborn child with his own hands—Harry was trying to drive Garius insane!!
"Don’t come any closer, Garius—don’t come any closer!"
Joey’s lips trembled as he shouted desperately at the screen, his eyes red with panic. He frantically searched the control panel, twisting and straining against his restraints to press any button he could reach.
【It’s useless.】 The system’s voice was filled with frustration. 【This is auto-mode. You can’t disable it. And he can’t hear you.】
"Then is there any other way?!"
Seeing Garius and Saxis getting closer and closer, Joey was so anxious that tears spilled from his eyes. "Something—anything! Can we stop this mech? Or at least—at least make sure I don’t die by his hands? Even if I get hit by a stray bullet instead! Hell, just destroy my face or something so he won’t recognize me!"
The system hesitated.
【Host…】
Joey tugged at the corners of his lips in a dry, helpless smile.
"System… help me. I won’t go home anymore, I’ll trade mission points or whatever it takes. I’m not afraid of dying anymore. Just—just make sure he doesn’t recognize me—"
【I can’t.】
"I don’t want him to be sad—"
【Joey, I can’t do it.】
"……"
Seconds passed. Joey’s expression slowly froze as he stared at the screen, at the man standing strong and unwavering, protecting the Empire and its people.
Tears pooled in his eyes and rolled down his cheeks one after another, quickly soaking his entire face.
"Don’t come closer…"
Joey cried miserably, helplessly.
His small, round face, now softer with weight, scrunched up, shoulders trembling.
Tears splattered onto his dirty pants, leaving dark stains.
"Don’t come closer…"
Garius, don’t come any closer.
…
Outside, the crumbling ruins were nearly leveled to the ground. Hundreds of identical mass-produced combat mechs had already been destroyed by Garius, Saxis’s squad, and the elite forces of District 13.
Sensing that the battle was lost, the enemy faction leader had already fled.
As a responsible commander, Garius remained at the front lines. He leaped lightly onto a mech’s chest, driving his energy sword straight into its core before kicking off just in time to avoid the explosion. He landed smoothly, his golden hair flowing behind him, enhancing the sharp and imposing air about him.
Before long, only a few clumsy combat mechs remained active.
Garius scanned the battlefield and turned his head slightly to give orders to his subordinates.
"You go rescue His Majesty first. Leave the rest to me. Make sure His Majesty’s safety is guaranteed."
"Yes, sir!"
"Yes, sir!"
Saxis and the elite squad of District 13 swiftly maneuvered through the oncoming attacks, racing toward the glass-walled safe house.
One by one, Garius cut down the remaining mechs. He dodged the bullets and energy blasts with practiced ease, though the dust and debris stained his once-pristine uniform. Without hesitation, he repeated the motion—thrusting his sword into the core of each enemy mech.
He knew these machines weren’t being piloted.
And even if they were, their pilots would be enemies.
He never showed mercy to his enemies!
The second-to-last mech collapsed. Garius flicked his energy sword clean and prepared to destroy the final combat mech—
Then, for some inexplicable reason, his heart suddenly clenched.
He hesitated for a brief moment, frowning slightly as he examined the mech before him, searching for anything unusual about it.
His earpiece crackled with Saxis’s report.
"Sir, His Majesty has been secured."
"Good. I’m almost done here, too."
From the corner of his eye, he saw the last clumsy combat mech slowly raise its cannon. Without a second thought, he leaped onto its chest, unaware that inside the cockpit, the small human who should have been waiting for him at the manor was staring at him in a daze…
Thick, long eyelashes.
Golden-green eyes, like an oasis of hope in a barren desert.
That tall, powerful figure—strong and breathtaking as ever, radiating a sense of safety and security.
This is the man I love most…
This is the face I love most…
Unexpectedly, seeing Garius from the enemy’s perspective, Joey found himself seeing beauty in his strength and ruthlessness. He felt… at peace.
The fear of impending death wasn’t as terrifying as he had imagined.
"Garius…"
Joey heard his own heartbeat slow, as if time had entered slow motion. Through the layers of steel and those golden-green eyes, he clung to this fleeting moment, his throat choked with emotion.
And then, finally, he smiled.
"I don’t blame you."
His voice was soft.
"The baby and I… we don’t blame you. We don’t hate you. So promise me—you won’t blame yourself either… Do you hear me? I… I really love you… I love you so much…"
The rest of his words dissolved into sobs.
But Joey had no regrets.
No regrets about coming here.
No regrets about meeting Garius.
Because Garius was the one and only bright, unforgettable scenery in the 24 years of his otherwise unfortunate life…
"Boom!"
The last combat mech collapsed. Its core was destroyed, triggering an internal explosion. The once towering war machine became nothing more than a heap of smoldering scrap, indistinguishable from the countless others littering the battlefield.
A sharp pain suddenly stabbed through Garius’s chest.
Am I injured?
No, I’m not.
Garius glanced down at his pristine armor, pressing a hand against his chest plate. Nothing. No wounds.
Then where is this strange, restless pain coming from?
…Forget it. There’s no time to dwell on this. I need to wrap this up quickly—Joey is still waiting for me.
After a few seconds of deep thought with no answers, Garius decided to return to the starship and have the medics examine him.
He pressed his earpiece to give further orders for the cleanup operation, his face cold and serious as he hurried away from the battlefield.
No one noticed the faint trace of exposed flesh hidden within the cracks of the broken mech shell…
T/N: Please give support on my ko-fi page, thank you🍊🍊🍊
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