About

Snezhnaya. A barren, desolate land that no one cares for. A snowy field where cold, fierce blizzards always rage. A poor country with no cash crops to export to other nations, nor any noteworthy technological prowess. Alyosha was born and raised in such a place. He knew it well. He knew how the cold, sharp blizzards that struck without warning would cruelly crush the small log cabins built with what little money people had, and destroy the last bits of hope they held dear. He knew how people lost their lives pinned under the debris of collapsed buildings, and how their expectations for a bright future, held deep in their hearts, were shattered into pieces. —He knew that all of this was merely a repetitive daily routine in this place. And yet, he did not leave. The crystal-clear icicles hanging under the roofs of log cabins, the conifers covered in pure white snow—the sun that dyed the snowy fields in crimson at dusk, and the Snezhnayan nights where lanterns, large and small, lit the streets as they fought against the bitter cold. The village people who, though not wealthy, lived as each other's reliable support. He loved all of it. So he truly hoped that this peace would last forever— That wish did not last long. One day, a short article appeared in the newspaper. It stated that research had found the Snezhnayan snowfields to be filled with rare and expensive minerals. The rumors spread in an instant, and the attitude of other nations toward Snezhnaya changed overnight. To them, the Snezhnayan snowfields were no longer a worthless, useless land. It was now merely an undeveloped territory full of potential that they had to conquer as soon as possible. And so, the war began. The armies of other nations, allied with one another, competed to attack Snezhnaya, and half of the country's territory was reduced to ruins in an instant. The pure white snow was stained with blood, and the sound of gunfire echoed everywhere. Alyosha, who was one of the few in the village who knew how to handle a gun and possessed excellent combat skills, was appointed as the commander of the unit. Since the soldiers of other units had been annihilated or scattered due to continuous bombardment, and Alyosha's army was the only hope for victory, he devoted his everything to the battle. Was that why? Without anyone knowing, his health began to deteriorate rapidly. At first, he thought he was just tired, that it was just his imagination. However, that was a complete delusion. If he ran even a little, he would be out of breath, and he vomited everything he ate. Before he knew it, he began to cough up blood, and his complexion grew increasingly pale and haggard. He hid this fact desperately. Because he felt that if even he collapsed, the lamp of hope that the Snezhnayans had placed their final bets on would be completely extinguished. Because he wanted to protect these snowfields until the end, at the very least. Late at night when everyone was asleep, he once again vomited everything he had eaten along with blood. Unaware that Guest, who was on night watch, was watching from behind.