Eternally Regressing Knight - Chapter 29: I Want to Live Too

“You really intend to go further? This is madness.”

The rough-looking soldier who had been closely following Encrid spoke.

After the initial successful ambush, the scouting team, now under Encrid’s leadership instead of Andrew’s, attempted two more ambushes.

The second battle involved five enemy soldiers, while the third had over fifteen.

Both were tough.

In the second battle, there was a particularly skilled enemy.

In the third, they were simply outnumbered.

Despite their efforts, only seven soldiers remained from their original group.

They had lost two more.

‘I can’t save any more of them.’

No matter what he did, some things were beyond his control.

Encrid knew he wasn’t a saint.

Repeating today to save the three who had died was a pipe dream.

Thanks to Encrid’s efforts, they had managed this much.

Of course, the allied soldiers fought fiercely too.

One had lost an eye.

Andrew had a scar on his face.

He had wrapped a linen bandage around his left cheek, and if he survived, it would be a good badge of honor.

Despite this, Encrid was heading further in.

It seemed like a reckless charge without considering a retreat.

From a typical perspective, it was indeed madness.

The rough-looking soldier wasn’t lacking in skill or experience.

Even in this situation, he hadn’t lost his sense of direction.

He realized that Encrid was heading toward the enemy stronghold.

Seeing this, Encrid nodded inwardly.

‘Not bad.’

Compared to Rem or other squad members, he might be lacking, but he was quite useful.

If he set his mind to it, he could at least become a platoon leader.

“From now on, we can catch our breath.”

Encrid said, and the rough-looking soldier frowned.

“That’s not what I meant.”

“As I said earlier, insubordination is—”

“Insubordination or not, if it means going on a suicide mission, I’ll find a way to survive, even if it means stabbing you in the back.”

This guy was too reckless with his words.

What would he do if they survived and he had to face them later?

He didn’t flinch, even when stared at. He was brazen.

It made sense.

A person’s life comes first, not the mission.

Especially someone like him, who joined the army for a specific purpose.

Andrew and his own life would be his top priority.

Encrid looked up to check the position of the sun and then stopped walking.

Naturally, the soldiers also halted. Everyone listened intently to Encrid and the rough-looking soldier’s conversation.

Among the soldiers catching their breath, Encrid spoke.

“If we go back now, we’ll die. Behind us is nothing but enemy soldiers swarming like mad dogs.”

As he spoke, Encrid loosened his handguards.

The leather-padded guards were useful, but wearing them for too long made his hand muscles feel crushed.

Wearing them loosely would be dangerous in battle.

“How do you know that? They don’t even know we exist, so how can they have already blocked our retreat?”

The rough-looking soldier saw Encrid loosening his handguards and frowned deeply.

He seemed displeased with Encrid’s nonchalant attitude.

Encrid had faced this moment dozens of times.

It was a day he had repeated many times.

The enemy was numerous, and once they detected the ambush, they would inevitably block the retreat. Relentlessly.

He didn’t know who the commander was, but it seemed they were determined to keep their ambush hidden.

That was always the case.

In the tall grass, the allies crouched uneasily.

They followed behind blindly, but hearing the conversation now, they felt like they were in the middle of a dangerous battlefield.

Even so, no one stepped forward.

They just pricked their ears.

Encrid looked up again, calculating the time in his mind.

In three or four hours, darkness would fall.

Then a way out would open.

But first, he had to convince them here.

It would be good to use force, but that wasn’t an option with these people.

Nor could it be resolved through intimidation alone.

Intimidation and violence had brought them this far.

Ambush, escape, ambush.

He had driven the squad to this point, but now it was time to wait.

As they waited, doubts arose.

There was no need to go to great lengths to persuade them.

“Don’t you realize it’s too late to turn back now?”

That was true. It was already too late.

Going back now would be even more foolish.

The rough-looking soldier chewed his lip.

He looked like he wanted to say, ‘What kind of lunatic is this?’

But instead of saying that, he rolled his eyes and asked,

“Do you have a plan?”

Encrid looked into his eyes and then met the eyes of each ally, including Enri and Andrew.

Their eyes were filled with doubt and anxiety.

As they caught their breath, they gained some composure.

Composure made them think.

They knew it was too late.

Encrid had no intention of explaining rational reasons.

In fact, he couldn’t even explain it properly.

How could he say he had seen the future by repeating today?

That to end this repeated day and move on to tomorrow, they had to follow his lead?

Who would believe that?

So he could only say one thing.

“I want to live too.”

A short statement, but it conveyed everything.

It meant he wasn’t fighting to die.

A desire to live.

It wasn’t just these soldiers who had it.

He wanted to make sure they knew he felt the same way.

Of course, Encrid could just die and start the day over.

‘I won’t stagnate.’

No matter who the ferryman was.

No matter how high and solid the wall before him.

He wouldn’t stop.

For Encrid, the repeated day was a mountain to climb and conquer.

Therefore,

“Trust me. We’re not on a path to death.”

He would earn their trust without any further explanation.

With their trust, he would twist the day to escape today and face tomorrow.

A desire to live, repeated battles, anxiety after the excitement subsided—under these circumstances, people would cling to even a straw.

Encrid’s brief words instilled a deep sense of trust in them.

He wanted to live too, and thus, they should trust him.

Also, they instinctively knew there was no other way.

What else could they do now?

The enemy soldiers swarmed all over the tall grass.

No way to escape was visible.

At times like this, the only option was to trust someone.

“I really want to live.”

Enri muttered.

With those words, everyone looked at Encrid and nodded.

The rough-looking soldier was the calmest, but even he had no other plan.

Andrew was the most shocked of all.

Despite the skill difference, Encrid seemed like a morally complete person.

In this moment, Encrid resembled the future Andrew had always dreamed of.

‘He’s composed even in such a situation.’

He never gave up and earned everyone’s trust.

How admirable.

“I believe in you too.”

Andrew said. His voice was no longer formal, and it didn’t feel awkward.

A warm wave of trust seemed to flow from the allies to Encrid.

“Then everyone.”

Receiving everyone’s attention, Encrid spoke.

“From now on, stay down like moles and make no sound until I give the signal.”

Having earned their trust, it was time to use it.

He led by example.

He crouched low to the ground and held his breath.

Everyone followed suit.

They wondered what he was doing instead of escaping, but they had just shared a powerful moment.

It was time to give him at least five minutes of trust.

The rough-looking soldier watched a bug hop off his nose and disappear, feeling incredulous.

‘This guy has amazing skills.’

His ability to handle people was extraordinary.

Was this how he managed the troublemaking squad?

It was a natural thought.

Rustle.

Then, the sound of grass being trampled was heard.

Everyone started to breathe cautiously.

They sensed movement nearby.

Not too close.

The tall grass was like a dense forest. Unless someone came right up, it was hard to find anyone.

It was a good place to hide.

The sound of grass being trampled echoed around.

The direction of the sound moved from front to back.

Those who had stopped couldn’t see the situation.

If there was a bird flying over the tall grass, it would witness a remarkable sight.

The area where Encrid’s team was hiding was surrounded by swaying grass, indicating the movement of enemies.

But the center, where Encrid’s team was, remained untouched.

It was as if the spot Encrid had chosen was a deserted island amidst the sea of enemies.

It was impossible to find such a gap among the enemy’s movements by mere luck.

It wasn’t luck at all.

It was a trick learned through countless repetitions of today.

As the sound of trampled grass faded, making it hard to discern the enemy’s position, Encrid spoke again.

“Move out. Everyone, advance in single file.”

It was time to move.

Encrid stood and slowly walked until the pins and needles in his legs subsided.

He thought about how useful the sensory training from Jaxon had been.

Judging distance by sound and determining direction.

It wasn’t a skill acquired through ordinary training, but Encrid had learned it while offering his neck to an assassin and repeatedly living through today in the grass.

‘We’ve passed the second objective.’

After repeating ambushes and escapes, letting the enemy flow past them.

It was the second key point in his plan for an escape route

.

Only the third point remained.

For that, he needed time.

Once the pins and needles subsided, he increased the pace.

No one complained and they kept up well.

Everyone was surprised internally.

Surrounded by enemies, how were they avoiding them so well?

Thinking back, the previous battles were strange too. It was as if he knew the enemy’s positions.

All the battles had started with their ambushes.

Thanks to that, they could fight from a favorable position. In every battle, Encrid was at the forefront, displaying extraordinary prowess.

He seemed like someone who disregarded his own life.

All the squad members following him knew he had fought with his life on the line. He took the most risks.

In the quiet grass, a peculiar warmth rose.

It was the fire in the hearts of the surviving allies.

Encrid didn’t notice this warmth.

He was focused on the next step.

‘Up to this point was easy.’

Honestly, it wasn’t difficult.

Nor should it have been.

He had experienced over fifty repetitions of this ‘today’ to reach this point.

So this was a natural outcome.

Why had he experienced over fifty repetitions of this day?

It was all for the next operation.

They were few, and the enemy was many.

Their intentions were unknown.

But one thing was clear.

The enemy commander didn’t want anyone who approached this area to survive.

At first, he had tried to break through to secure a retreat, gritting his teeth.

Naturally, he failed every time.

Would the outcome change with the help of the squad?

Not at all.

Then he changed his thinking.

‘What if something more troublesome than capturing us occurred?’

The sun was setting. The sky was turning orange as twilight descended.

The tall grass, illuminated by the sunset, looked like an orange lake.

It felt like stepping into an orange pearl rather than a green one.

The sky was clear today, and the sunset was warm.

The sun soon disappeared beyond the western horizon.

And darkness fell.

It was time for Encrid to execute the third and final objective of his escape plan.