I Have Returned, but I Cannot Lay down My Gun

Chapter 234

[General] Should I just go ahead and like this for everyone who stayed up all night watching the stream but has to get up in the morning?

<Image of a morning alarm set for 7 AM>

Well, if there are no regrets, hit that like button, lol.

[All Comments] [Sorted by Date]

• Liked this with a wail, lololololol.
• Isn’t it obvious? How can you not watch this live????? ? For real, lol.
• Bring out the sewing machine!!!!!!!!!
• Damn, since I started watching this stream, my wallet’s empty, and I gained 5 kg, so I signed up for the gym. ?You too? ?Spent $70 on late-night snacks this month alone. This is hell, lolololol. ?Looks like a group of pigs gathered here, lololol.
• This is the first time in my life that I’ve envied unemployed bums. ?Get wrecked, wage slaves, wwwwwwww. ?Do you get it now? The center of Tricky’s audience is the 'unemployed'... ?I’m earning money just to watch Eugene’s stream comfortably, but I’m too busy making money to watch it live. What’s the point? lolol. ?DAMN IT!!!!!!!!!
• What are people who didn’t watch today’s stream even living for? ? For real, lolol. ?This is how the real fans roll.
• I’m on duty in the military, and time flew by, lololol. ?Does the military let you use your phone on duty these days? The world’s really ending. ?I’m the officer on duty, by the way. ?Oh, lololol. ?Sergeant gay here, lolol.
• Two in the morning? I could still go for a while. ? Bedtime’s at 10 AM, for real. ?One man’s night is another man’s day. ?So true, lol. Too many people with no appreciation for bedtime culture.
• Today’s stream was seriously packed with good stuff.
• I’m heading straight to bed for some sweet sleep, lolol.
• Can’t wait to rewatch it over breakfast. This is it, lol.

[General] Wow, Tricky’s stream replay hit a million views in just one day, lolol.

<Proof screenshot>

You guys are insane????

[All Comments] [Sorted by Date]

• This crazy girl played through the new Incursion True Scenario nonstop with her old teammates, and you’re telling me not to watch? Insane! ?Damn, talking with perfect logic, lolol. ?With a combo like this, even the patriotic YouTube channels need to learn from this. ?How could anyone resist watching this, lolol.
• I thought the growth had peaked, but it just keeps going up, wwwwww. ? For real, lol. ? How long is this rise going to last?! Stop already!
• Harmony, who got on the Eugene coin from day one, though, lololol. ?And now she’s skyrocketing with him, lol. ?A monster with tea-drinking skills that even Eugene’s old pals praise. ?This return is like Google-level early investment, lol.
• If your skills are that good, that alone makes you a draw...Noted.
• He’s world-class now.
• In just three months, it’s gotten so big, lolol.
• Fact: The Final Championship is still on the horizon. ?What happens if he wins that too? ?Damn, lolol. ?He’d become a star no one can touch, lol.
• We’re living through the era of Eugene.
• A record like this will never come around again, lol. ?Fact: He’s already waiting for his Guinness World Record. ?Insane, lol. ?Of course, lol.

"...It’s gotten pretty chilly lately."

"Yeah, but did you really have to dress that warmly? You look like you can’t even move."

"It’s cold…."

Creak.

As November ended and December began, the dropping temperatures forced everyone into heavier clothing. Even the fashion-minded ones were bundled up in thick padding.

Today, December 1st, Anker Light stood in front of a quiet café in Seoul registered under Snake Keeper’s operational name. Seeing the massive bundle of clothing in front of him, he let out an incredulous laugh. Was it a person or just a pile of clothes? Even the café staff inside couldn’t hold back their laughter.

"What do you want to order while we chat?"

"Just give me something sweet, a full liter."

"Your taste hasn’t changed, I see."

After ordering a liter of chocolate latte, they moved to a secluded, quiet seat where no one could overhear. As Eugene unwrapped himself from the thick white padded coat, he revealed a heavy fleece turtleneck under a white coat. He likely had a few more layers underneath.

Finally, unwrapping his tail-padded coat and scarf, he hung them over the chair with a sigh of relief.

"Ah, that’s better. It was freezing on the way here."

"A tail-padded coat, huh? That’s the strangest thing I’ve ever seen."

"Believe it or not, it’s surprisingly effective."

Simultaneously, the café’s soundproofing and cloaking features activated.

A place that could host a HuMint (Human Intelligence) meeting needed to have a few unique features.

Anker Light glanced around before placing his laptop on the table.

"You look a bit off. Anything up? Is it because of the Dark Zone?"

"Yeah, something like that. I’m not sure what’s behind it, but they know my past. It’s been a busy few weeks because of it."

"Out of all things, you’re making a fortune off streaming rather than a PMC or a tactical consulting firm. Who would’ve thought?"

"Sigh."

A brief laugh.

But it quickly faded as Eugene continued.

"Unfortunately, the friends I have stationed back home haven’t made much progress. If there’s anything interesting, it’s that whatever solutions we find are likely tied to your Icarus gear."

"I figured. I’ll be in the States in a few weeks, so it’s just a matter of waiting."

"Time takes care of many things. It’s the reason you met me and the Dagger Team. Just stay calm and let things play out."

"That’s enough for me."

Tap, tap.

At that moment, there was a knock on the soundproof window. The two glanced up to see a massive chocolate bottle topped with a mountain of whipped cream. Eugene chuckled as he accepted it and stirred with a straw.

"That stuff will give you trouble later."

"I monitor my health with my gear all the time."

"Of course."

Click.

Without waiting for another word, Anker Light flipped open his bulletproof laptop. The already-active screen glowed, displaying pages filled with English text—completely comprehensible to both of them.

Eugene’s military career was nearing its end. Ninety-plus mission approval files were laid out as PDFs, all signed directly by high-ranking officials. Over half had the Secretary of Defense’s personal signature.

After a few seconds, the window closed, replaced by a status report on current cyber operations.

"I scattered warnings about information leaks across multiple channels. It should be better than a month ago. Anything off?"

"The frequency of contact has dropped. I’m not sure if the Secretary of Defense needs to drop hints through an official spokesperson, though…."

"There’s a political edge to it. It’s the perfect blade to cut out those who don’t benefit the nation. Fewer consequences if they brought it on themselves. The Iron Lady’s been in a much better mood lately because of it."

A wry smile crossed his lips.

A knife is as good as its wielder. The higher you climb, the stronger the political winds. Politics is about crushing other opinions and asserting your own, and it hasn’t changed.

An appropriately timed hand was dealt. The knife came through Eugene, and Janet wielded it in the Department of Defense. But they didn’t need to say that. For Eugene, this was an advantage.

But enough of that. Anker Light looked at her with a playful expression and added,

"Should we call a military band before we get to Kennedy Airport?"

"Please don’t embarrass me like that."

"Haha, just a joke."

They exchanged a few words.

Time in reality flew, and Eugene’s chocolate bottle was already empty. Yet the conversation didn’t end.

The topic soon shifted to the U.S.

"Pentagon, NSA, DARPA… Am I visiting these as the representative of Korea or the soon-to-be President of the United States?"

"Dagger’s been to more places than you can count. They don’t call it ‘Dagger’ for nothing. Dagger Team is Icarus’ sharpest blade, not a clandestine Black Ops run by some intelligence agency."

"Aha."

A short laugh.

He continued without a pause.

"It won’t be long. Your tournament won’t be affected. You’ll just be apart from the group for a day or two."

"That’s fine."

"Either Sirkins or Kissinger will welcome you. As former Dagger members, they’ll be around…they’ll come from all directions. Deal with it."

"Haha, you mad you can’t go home?"

"Damn it, the next team to take over isn’t due until next year."

Anker Light scratched his head while Eugene chuckled.

After this comedic exchange, they briefly summarized: Dark Zone, her own background, and upcoming U.S. visits. It barely scratched the surface, but it was enough for now.

Things rarely went as planned.

"DARPA will be your first stop. The researchers there are eager to recreate past glories with the blueprints in your gear. It’ll be quite the spectacle."

"Looking forward to it."

"I’ll be in touch if anything changes. Got time? Let’s grab a meal; I haven’t had lunch."

"Sounds good. Got money?"

"I’ve got plenty of expense funds. What do you want?"

"Hmm, let’s see—."

The bell above the door jingled as they left.

That day, Anker Light received a receipt for a 3-million-won barbecue bill.

• [Alert: Skill Modification Initiated // Scorching Turret Modification Complete.]
• [Alert: Reclassifying Confidential Level for Experiment Recording.]

"Didn’t someone mention the Geneva Convention around this point before?"

"What kind of fuel did they use to get this firepower? I’ve never seen a flammable compound like this."

"Stop! Stop! The pig’s charring black! Shut it down!"

The smell of sizzling protein filled the lab. As DARPA engineers vented the room with a button press, they chatted while others dissected a well-roasted pig. Their reactions were all the same—utter disbelief.

"Did future DARPA use devils from hell as fuel? This efficiency is mind-blowing."

"It’s not just that. Internal alloy steel, external carbon nanotubes, optical camo coating, transformation mechanisms, ground support efficiency, ammunition storage—it’s all tech that skips an entire paradigm. They nailed user convenience and durability."

"The sniper turret’s efficiency—so it was compatible with special ammo due to its rifling structure. If we had the production facilities, we could start making these right now."

They were all part of an institution staffed with the world’s brightest. They had seen top-tier equipment, with no regard for cost-efficiency.

They were shocked because of the blueprints stored in Eugene’s gear and the equipment made from them. The balance of tech, production, and combat practicality was rare.

This could only function under Icarus Network’s control, but reverse-engineering the tech alone would yield immense advancements.

It was beyond imagination.

Such thoughts ran through everyone’s mind.

"...Let’s at least file a classified report."

One of the chief researchers, half in shock, added.

And so it was.

A day when the Secretary of Defense, sleeping a few kilometers away, rushed to DARPA before dawn.