### Chapter 287 – Room 204, Mission Room – ‘Hotel Cinema’ (10)
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– Kim Sanghyun
—
As the door to the lodging creaked open, a small wooden table appeared, laden with quite a colorful meal. I couldn’t help but chuckle. So predictable.
Well, maybe “predictable” isn’t the right word considering Songee had shown it once before. With the nature of films, boring scenes often just got cut, so why suddenly a dining scene now?
Immediately after Songee (who had never appeared before) showed up, I felt a sense of discomfort. I’d advise everyone else to take note of that. Right now, I’d bet my bottom dollar that there’s poison in this meal in front of me.
—
“Uh… can we not have others speaking like Sanghyun?”
“That dude might make jokes, but his advice is solid, so everyone remember. When a scene shows up out of nowhere, it’s a sign of danger.”
Songee replied with confidence, “There’s no such thing as boring scenes in movies! Just keep that in your mind, everyone.”
—
After wrapping up my conscious remarks, I called for a servant outside to double-check the meal.
Sure enough, within a minute, there was a hubbub outside. After fending off the ‘poisoning attempt event,’ the next order was patrols of the ramparts and a conference with the generals.
“Tomorrow, the forces on the Trilan Plains are—”
“Murthani’s army is poised over the hill—”
“There were suggestions to rotate—”
“You damn fools! Instead of defending the ramparts—”
The generals were in total chaos. The elderly man sitting at the head table, likely the overall commander, looked weary.
The reports flowing in were straightforward. The enemy leader, Murthani, had devised treacherous tactics—he cut off supply lines and blocked communication with the home country.
Given this situation, the proposal was to launch a counter-attack against Murthani and the nomadic army before things worsened. Of course, many voiced opinions that it would be more rational to defend the walls while waiting for support from the home country.
Every now and then, the surrounding generals would turn their heads as if seeking my opinion.
In this scenario, it seemed like if I spoke up, I could take the lead in the conference. After all, being the protagonist, I’m in a role as a trusted general.
But I kept my mouth shut. What do I know about pre-modern warfare?
When it comes to modern warfare, I can chat for three days and nights. But making decisions in a fight with spears and swords is a whole different ball game. While I remained silent, the meeting leaned towards launching a desperate counter-attack against Murthani.
Is this decision truly wise? I’m uncertain.
I don’t have any knowledge of pre-modern warfare strategies, and neither does anyone else here. However, havingchosen the option of rotation over defense, if we fail, it’s fine for the others to try the defensive strategy instead.
As the elderly man struck the table, the space quivered, shifting to the next scene.
—
When I snapped back to reality, I found myself dropped right in the middle of a battlefield, mounted on a massive black horse!
Oh, MOTHER FUCKER! Did I just see that plot twist? For real, you Hotel BUG idiots, is this really how it goes? I’d like at least a heads-up before a war kicks off—
Breathe, breathe!
Quickly pulling on the reins to steer toward the hill behind—
— Whoosh!
“Grrr! YOU BASTARD! You parent-less little shits shooting arrows from behind—”
Even though I was decked out in sturdy armor due to my rank as a general, I almost cried out in pain from the sudden sting. Even the gigantic black horse I was riding seemed to be getting hyper excited!
Seriously? Can’t blame a horse for acting like a dumb animal! As long as I’m riding it, I can’t control it charging into enemy territory anyway, can I? I jumped off, hurriedly running backward.
Sure, I felt a touch of embarrassment for not acting very general-like, but at this point, dying riding a horse I can’t tame would be ugliest death ever.
“General! Where are you leading us—”
Do I look like I know?
I rushed up to a hilly spot, catching my breath, scanning the battlefield. What I could see through the waving flags was—
No freakin’ clue, damnit!
Like I’d know anything about this ridiculous old-school combat! Just a dusty landscape mixed with shrieks filling the air, the sound of clashing metal all around, and the stench of blood. That’s my view.
—
“S-Sanghyun?”
The excited voices and curses leaping off the giant screen left everyone speechless. Ahri finally chimed in, shaking herself back to reality.
“Calm down. For us, it’s narration, but for him, it’s just ‘thoughts,’ you know? Things are chaotic and it seems so hard to control his own thoughts amid battle.”
“Damn you bastards—the—uhh, I heard the mention of parent-less kids!”
“…”
Mukseong shrugged it off like it was nothing.
“What’s the big deal? It’s a battlefield, right? If you don’t get excited in that situation, you aren’t human.”
—
So, I kept running and running.
Just a bit ago, I stepped on something gelatinous underfoot, but I decided not to check. A while back, something gross splattered on my face, but I didn’t even bother to wipe it off.
… I feel like I’m losing my mind. What’s the point of this constant running?
Finally, leaning against a nearby tree, I turned back to assess the changed situation. It’s no longer just me aware of it; even the junior soldiers around me must have figured it out by now. There’s no avoidance left at this stage.
I heard indistinguishable cries from all directions. To the east, west, north—strange blaring horns from the enemy forces. Was it a mistake to venture outside the walls? No turning back now.
A huge shadow loomed in the distance. It approached, harvesting soldiers like a farmer reaping crops.
The leader of the Durkans, Murthani. His stallion carried over ten heads hanging from it. A few were recognizable—the heads of the generals who attended the meeting earlier.
It looks like he’s come to take my head. No way they wouldn’t recognize I’m someone unusual with this armor I’m wearing.
Breathing deep, I reminded myself of my abilities. Healing? Totally useless right now. Marksmanship? Astronaut skills? Even less useful.
… I couldn’t help but chuckle. I thought I’d trained so many abilities throughout my life, but none of them seem to apply here.
“GAAAH!”
A scream pierced the air. I decided it was time to stop running. For the sake of my comrades, I need to at least see how the enemy leader fights before I go.
Focusing my mind on observing Murthani’s prowess in combat was simply absurd.
As Murthani spun, his spear released a dark-blue energy. With one jab, the energy pierced the air, decimating the soldiers.
Is he a Jedi? Using the Force?
But that wasn’t the end. With a slight grunt, Murthani stabbed the ground, and the earth shook, sending hundreds of soldiers scrambling.
“TAH!”
Murthani’s voice boomed, and soldiers staggering from the quake began bleeding from their ears.
So this is why they lost! It’s no surprise they fell! How could an empire win when facing a monster like that in ancient warfare?
“How dull. Is there no one in Jinchun who can withstand this Murthani’s spear? Is this the power you boast about, the empire’s resources to defend the ramparts?”
It wasn’t even a very clever taunt, yet a general charged in, possibly feeling pressured. To be fair, at this point, it was a make-or-break moment.
Charging bravely, that general lasted about two stabs before being reduced to pieces. Murthani’s spinning spear shattered his horse in one blow, then crushed through his armor and body.
…
My apologies. That was an ugly sight. Honestly, I didn’t expect this movie to get so wild!
The second film, Guardian of the Rampart is a bit of a switch from the prince-taming scenarios. It’s all about brute force. I had said earlier that rotating or defending would be key, right?
Looking back, I realize it’s meaningless. Hiding behind the walls wouldn’t do a single thing against someone who can just pierce through them with a spear. Regardless of which choice we make, we are bound to clash with Murthani.
Someone stronger than him needs to burst in here!
“Pathetic. You dare to call yourself a general? The day the Jinchun Empire crumbles is not far off. I waste my strength on you.”
Murthani lightly reached out and clenched his fist. At that same moment, his entire body began to shatter.
“Ugh, AGHHHH!”
Amid the agony of my limbs being crushed, I begged and begged.
Oh my…. Father in Heaven, what sin have I committed to deserve this torture? I have lived my life diligently and saved many people.
So please grant me salvation. Deliver me from this hell. If that’s impossible, just kill me instead.
—
“…”
“…”
The theater filled with silence, the atmosphere too starkly different from the first film’s lively tone, leaving everyone at a loss for words. In that final moment, listening to Kim Sanghyun’s desperate plea while lost in pain, his comrades felt a wave of heaviness wash over them.
“Huhh!”
As tears began streaming down some faces, Kain felt the need to ease the situation.
“Calm down, everyone. The doctor isn’t completely dead. Those last words were just due to immense pain. Later… we can all have a meal and comfort each other.”
If only the announcer had made some dumb noises to break the downtrodden mood, maybe it would’ve lightened things up. Unfortunately, the bare minimum requirement for success in the Hotel Cinema is ‘survival.’
Despite both failing, Elena lasted until the end, so the judges could provide feedback. But Sanghyun died, meaning the judges wouldn’t even show.
Instead, the screen dimmed, signaling the next person to enter. Ahri didn’t seem to care about anyone else and instead placed a hand on Jinchul’s shoulder.
“You think you can take him on?”
“… Murthani?”
“Yeah. This film is totally different from the first one. Sanghyun grasped the situation precisely in the end. It’s not a movie with some cunning plan involved. If we had to classify it….”
“It’s a martial arts film, an action film. While there might be phases for strategic thinking, fundamentally it’s about fighting a powerful enemy and winning.”
Gain pointed out an important point.
“The more horrible thing is, do you realize it’s only been thirty minutes since the film started?”
“There’s over two hours left.”
“In action films, does the final boss make their appearance just thirty minutes in?”
“… There must be something even more monstrous waiting in the wings.”
Gain muttered, looking back at Ahri.
“We really messed up, didn’t we?”
“Hmm?”
“It feels like Elena should’ve gone in here instead. Sure, Murthani’s combat prowess that was shown on screen is impressive, but I’m pretty sure Elena could’ve handled him.”
“Let’s not dwell on what’s already done. Given the situation, it looks like sending just about anyone in is a waste of chances.”
Gains nodded. If it’s a movie of this type, even Mukseong or Eunsol going in would serve no purpose. Murthani could easily take them both out with just a casual stab while yawning.
It wouldn’t be much different for Seungyub either. Luck sometimes yields bizarre results, but strength has its limits. If it were limitless, Seungyub would’ve already bagged a fortune or two.
Among the remaining members, only Han Kain, Cha Jinchul, and Kim Ahri were suitable to face such a being. Considering that something stronger is likely waiting behind that creature, the atmosphere grew even more ominous.
After some thought, Gain cautiously voiced an idea.
“My ability is sort of like an instant kill. When it works, I win; when it doesn’t, I lose, simple as that. So it all relies on whether possession works or not.”
“You think possession won’t work on Murthani?”
“No. Honestly, that’s not the case. As long as it’s not a being of demi-god tier, they can’t resist possession, and Murthani doesn’t seem to be of that caliber. What worries me is what’s coming afterward.”
At that moment, Cha Jinchul spoke up.
“I’ll give it a shot.”
“…”
“Well, it’s one thing to see it on screen, but aren’t all of them basically human? If I’m going in with a Blessing, I think I can take him down, even if it feels like death’s knocking.”
“That spear seemed to have some black whirlwinds flying around it, though.”
“I can just evade those.”
As everyone’s attention focused on Jinchul, he threw a light-hearted joke.
“Why is everyone looking at me like that? Isn’t this movie perfect for my skillset? I actually find horror films more demanding and less appealing. Clearly, in those movies, absurd monsters come out and cast bizarre curses. I’d rather take my chances against Murthani than suffer a punchline in a horror flick.”
With his words, Jinchul scanned the surroundings. Some displayed expressions of sympathy, while others looked worried. The atmosphere felt like they were reluctantly placing him in a daunting, painful task.
Amidst that—
Jinchul began to feel memories of madness he had long forgotten bubbling up within him. The first experience at Room 101, the absurd media was of grappling through flesh, blood, and bones.
Once, hadn’t his hand broken the neck of an enemy and crushed their limbs? Long ago, he had pierced the enemy’s throat with a tonfa.
Strangely enough, it didn’t feel unsettling at all. In fact, a wave of exhilaration surged up that he couldn’t quite place. He wanted to jump straight into the movie. He imagined himself dodging Murthani’s spear, ready for action.
“I’m going in. Guide me! I’m the Blessing. I can’t use the stars without a Blessing anyway.”
As he entered toward the screen, eerie laughter echoed in his ears. A throne riddled with swords, lava, and skulls. He felt the presence of a giant sitting atop it, seemingly delighted about his chosen warrior’s will to fight.
—
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