Solflare: The Painter's Secret

Chapter 277: You Did This

Yellow leaves danced through the main entrance of the Eastgate when the metal bars raised upward.

Birds’ chants and machinery filled the air as the Ghost Squad’s cargo truck rolled into the checkpoint and began moving on the main street of the Agatha Special Forces.

Soldiers straightened their shoulders and necks, then saluted the passing vehicle.

Inside the vehicle, Kim sat in the driver’s seat with her eyes locked on the road ahead. She caught every saluting soldier and gave them a side smile.

Beside her, Eun-woo’s right arm moved rhythmically up and down, like a king basking in the adoration of his subjects. "I never imagined I would also have this privilege to be saluted at."

He turned a joyous gaze at Kim but frowned when he saw her sidelong look. "What? Can’t I acknowledge these salutes and make them feel proud?"

Kim sighed, then shook her head.

Behind them, Seo-jun sat on the left side of the cargo area with legs crossed. ’That wasn’t the war suit he left in.’

He scanned Leon’s blackened suit as if it were something scraped out of the depths of hell. ’Or am I just seeing a different person instead of the Leon we rescued?’

He cleared his throat and smiled when Leon lifted his gaze from the metal floor.

"How was it?" Seo-jun asked in an intrigued voice, then uncrossed his legs.

Leon blinked once, then shifted his gaze slightly to the swords tucked at Seo-jun’s side.

Seo-jun shifted his glance between Leon and his new blade that was gifted to him by Hayes. "Do you like my sword?"

Seo-jun unwrapped the weapon from his side and stretched it toward him. "I can let you have it if you want it."

Leon’s throat rose and fell, and he swallowed hard. ’That sword.’

His God heart slammed harshly against his chest when he shifted his gaze to the blade of the curved sword that glowed as if it held two moons locked within.

"If you don’t want it, it’s fine." Seo-jun pulled the sword back and began nodding. ’Why did he look at me as if I am an enemy or something?’

A smile that did not touch Seo-jun’s lips appeared on his face when he shifted his gaze slightly to Leon and saw him still glancing at him.

Seo-jun nodded at Leon, then moved from across the cargo bed and sat right at Leon’s side. "I know how hard it is to return to a place where you once lost your teammates."

Leon shifted a sharp glance at Seo-jun and stopped breathing for a few seconds.

Chills ran down Seo-jun’s spine when he saw a mixture of gold, red, blue, and grey glow flicker in Leon’s pupils. "Chill out."

He moved his hands up, then moved back to his seat. He glanced at Leon for a little longer before shifting his gaze entirely to the square space at the top of the cargo. ’He is different and I can feel it. But I do not know how to tell him.’

Leon exhaled sharply. He turned his palms, then shifted glances between them. ’I hope you finally rest, Wu Ze, An Lang...’

He sighed heavily when Liu Yan’s smiling face appeared in his mind. ’You can finally rest, my friends.’

...

Soldiers marching at the front of the Bulwark Hall stopped when they saw the Ghost Squad’s cargo truck halt.

The Yanluos rushed out of the Bulwark Hall and stood at the front of the vehicle with their heads bowed.

Eun-woo pushed his door open and stepped out with swagger. "Hello, my lovely ladies."

He blew kisses at the Yanluos and the other female soldiers, causing their cheeks to redden.

Kim killed the engine and stepped out. She shook her head when she saw Eun-woo embracing the ladies as if they were his own. "Always treating them like he actually loves them. Hmph."

The Yanluos stepped aside and nodded at Seo-jun when he exited the vehicle. "Should we move it to the workshop?"

Seo-jun glanced at them, then shook his head. "Wait for him to exit."

’Wait for him?’ The same question reeled in the Yanluos’ heads as they exchanged confused glances.

Crows appeared from nowhere and landed on the branches of the trees behind the soldiers, crying out.

A wind that had no source began to spiral, whipping fallen leaves into the air like devils’ blades.

A cold breeze flew out of the vehicle when a creaking sound echoed from the metal steps.

The Yanluos’ faces paled, and they collapsed on the ground at once when they saw Leon’s face.

"IS THAT LEON!" The female soldiers embracing Eun-woo all loosened their grips from him and began trembling when they saw Leon step out completely.

Leon looked at the trembling Yanluos, the soldiers who were behaving as if they had seen an unseen God, then shifted his gaze to the crows. ’Why are they behaving as if I am new?’

He breathed once, then shifted his gaze back to Eun-woo’s frowning face, then sighed. ’At least it is worth it.’

Seo-jun walked toward Leon, then smiled. "Lord Hei Yung is waiting for you. And I do not think you would want to keep him waiting."

Leon’s eyes froze for a second. "Lord Hei Yung?"

Seo-jun smirked, then tapped on Leon’s shoulder. "There are more things you would want to find out for yourself."

He walked side-by-side with Leon as if they were brothers until they stopped at the front of the Blackscale Citadel.

Leon squinted at the shattered pillar of the tower. "When did that happen?"

Seo-jun glanced at the shattered pillar, then shook his head. "No one knows what caused that. But in the past five days, the world has not been steady."

He sighed and turned toward Leon. "Maybe you did it."

Leon’s head snapped back, and he shifted glances between Eun-woo and Kim, who also stood there staring at him with amused faces. "Me? How would I cause that? I was..."

Kim moved forward and leaned on Leon’s left side. "The same solar energy you showed in the Death Pit was felt five days ago and shook everything. Including the unbreakable pillars of the Blackscale Citadel."

Eun-woo smiled with a nod when Leon shifted a confused gaze at him.

Leon shifted his gaze to the jagged piece of the pillar, and for a second, he saw a flash of golden energy erupt from the titanium metal like smoke.