772

 [Chapter 198]

[Goeshini]

The recapture force split into two routes to depart for Uijeongbu.

The attack and communication units planned to enter Uijeongbu along the old Line 1.

The supply unit planned to head straight to Uijeongbu Arts Center along Seobu-ro.

From now on we need to maintain close contact with other units. We need to match the timing for the supply unit to enter Uijeongbu.

Seobu-ro was wide and well-maintained, making it suitable to serve as a supply line.

Therefore, once Seobu-ro is occupied, supplies can be delivered quickly.

That was the priority objective for the supply unit.

The problem was afterwards.

After occupying Seobu-ro, they couldn't rashly enter Uijeongbu.

The supply unit carrying supplies couldn't set foot in Uijeongbu alone where high-rank monsters roamed openly.

Cooperation from other units was needed.

"Seo-na and Ariel, keep paying attention to communications coming from the communication unit. Where the attack unit is currently, whether the supply unit can enter Uijeongbu now, etc."

"Don't worry, I'm already doing that."

"Since Seo-na is doing it, then I just need to give instructions to the squad right? It's hard to contact the communication unit way over there."

"Dew."

"I'll pay close attention! Don't worry! Trust Ariel!"

"Don't use third person speech."

"Tch, No Eun-ha always does this only to me. Only praising Seo-na..."

To this, Eun-ha gave instructions to Jin Seo-na and Ariel.

Though Ariel wasn't reliable, she could be trusted and entrusted with the task.

Though her words and actions were clumsy, she had never made mistakes as a telepathist.

Her skills can be trusted.

It would be good if her conduct could be trusted too...

Eun-ha lightly hit Ariel's head.

She went back to her position while acting up.

"Why don't you hit me?"

"Why should I hit you? You're not Ariel. You're doing well."

Then Jin Seo-na pouted her lips.

She who was mainly in charge of relaying Eun-ha's messages throughout the recapture war grumbled beside him.

Eun-ha smiled faintly.

She who envied such a trivial thing seemed quite cute.

To this, Eun-ha─

"─Alright, doggy. Work hard, and make sure to bark woof woof to let me know if any strange signals appear, okay?"

"Would it kill you to do it normally... Ah, I want to curse. I can't even curse openly since other people are watching."

"I calculated all that too. Anyway, I'll trust you."

"Sigh, fine, just trust me."

Eun-ha stroked her head.

Just like petting a puppy.

Whether Jin Seo-na got annoyed or not.

Eun-ha didn't mind much.

He rather liked it more.

But he couldn't keep touching her with other people around.

Eun-ha withdrew his hand.

Soon he looked out at Seobu-ro.

""""...""""

Other players seemed to sense presences approaching from far ahead too.

They composed themselves.

Shortly after, monsters appeared.

They were swarming over in droves.

Not stopping there, monsters were popping out from the left and right of the road too.

There were quite a lot of them.

"From now on we need to clear all of those and secure the supply line safely..."

Players wait for the supply unit commander's signal.

Eun-ha looked at the monsters forming a confrontation.

[─All supply unit members prepare for battle. Subjugate monsters while protecting supply goods as top priority. That was the supply unit commander's message.]

[Battle will commence in 30 seconds. 29, 28, 27...]

Telepathy was heard.

Telepathy from the supply unit.

Eun-ha placed his hands on two swords and opened his mouth.

"Jin Seo-na. Tell all unit members to avoid destroying the road as much as possible. We need to manage the road well since it will be used as a supply route later."

"Got it."

"Jin Parang. When battle breaks out, take on the role of connecting the vanguard and middle guard. Don't needlessly become unable to use telepathy by using <Beast >."

"I can use telepathy even in <Beast > state now, but alright!"

"Twin navigators."

"Wow, that's mean. I have a name, Meiling... Clan Lord! Isn't this too much?"

"That's right! That's right! Unnie, let's scold our Clan Lord. We should whisper at his pillow to make him remember our names..."

"Ahung! Don't do this little sister, it tickles! Eik, I should do it too. Whisper whisper..."

"Be quiet and shut your mouths. When battle breaks out, you check the status of unit members, not monsters. Ha-yang will check the monsters' status, not you."

"Okay, leave it to me. I'm checking what the average rank of the group is now."

"Lastly Bong Gu-rae, Son Ga-yeon."

"What, honey?"

「Yes, Clan Lord.」

While giving instructions to clan members.

Eun-ha drew two swords.

And he pointed Winter that bloomed coldly at a huge monster mixed among them.

"That arrogantly standing one is probably the leader of the group. Snipe it right now."

"Is it that bosses recognize bosses? No, is it that arrogant ones recognize arrogant ones?"

"Bae Subin, you just pour bombardment after the snipers shoot that one. But to the rear of those guys where players aren't mixed in. Don't needlessly involve players too."

"I'm already preparing. I know too."

30 seconds passed quickly.

Shouts were heard from all over.

Monsters roared too.

A road stretching in a straight line.

Both sides clashed without leaking to other paths.

☆

At that time.

The attack and communication units were heading to Hoeryong Station.

There were several battles on the way, but no notable damage.

Battles were carried out quickly and decisively.

Thanks to many outstanding players gathered in the attack unit.

"─Whew, to think the day would come when I return here... It feels quite emotional. It's changed greatly, no, a lot from the past."

Soon they arrived at Hoeryong Station.

Platoon leader commanding the 5th Communication Platoon, Regulus Clan Lord Gu Yeon-su.

He took in the scenery of Hoeryong Station with narrowed eyes.

Quite a lot had changed from his memories.

Well, that was understandable since there was a lot of damage in the process of the 1st Uijeongbu Recapture Force retreating.

""""...""""

People who participated in the 1st Uijeongbu Recapture War were also briefly lost in memories.

Clap!

Then, Samra Clan Lord Chong Eun-ju clapped her hands loudly.

People woke from their thoughts.

Their gazes turned to her.

"Let's stop doing this here and move. We have a lot to do today."

"That's right. This isn't the time to be doing this. We can look around Uijeongbu after the recapture is over."

Chong Eun-ju's words were right.

Gu Yeon-su nodded.

Other people also expressed agreement and started moving busily again.

In the case of the communication platoon, they had to build a base at Hoeryong Station.

If Uijeongbu Arts Center serves as a foothold for pioneering northern Gyeonggi, Hoeryong Station will be the forward base for pacifying Uijeongbu.

Meanwhile, attack unit members also recalled the operation.

"Then we'll head to Millak-dong like this."

"The 3rd Attack Platoon will move too. KK Clan Lord, let's go together until partway."

3rd and 4th Attack Platoons.

The platoons commanded by Zenith and KK Clans decided to head east.

To this, other communication platoons also decided to follow them.

Right then─

[─This is an announcement from Tempest Clan. We discovered Uijeongbu residents in the direction of Beomgol Station.]

Telepathy arrived.

The platoon leaders' faces changed.

Faces as if saying what was expected had come.

They made stern expressions.

"─Then I wish you all good fortune in battle. KK Clan Lord, let's go."

"Yes, Zenith Clan Lord."

Before fully recapturing Uijeongbu.

They had to capture the Uijeongbu residents.

Ji Yong-hyeon wished them good fortune in battle.

Soon the 3rd and 4th Attack Platoons left and the Uijeongbu residents were captured.

☆

""""...""""

A heavy silence flowed.

The residents captured by rangers had their arms tied with ropes.

The residents who resisted at first were soon beaten harshly by players and brought obediently.

Then in front of the platoon leaders, they naturally knelt without anyone telling them to.

"Sigh... Thinking of these people really makes my blood boil."

Cheonho Clan Lord.

He who was in charge of the 1st Attack Platoon sighed looking down at the residents checking the situation.

It wasn't just him.

Other players were the same.

"Bastards who should be shot dead."

""""...""""

They suffered great damage from being deceived by these people in the 1st Uijeongbu Recapture War.

People who sided with monsters.

That was the image branded on Uijeongbu residents.

Click

If they could have their way, they want to inflict violence on them.

Players pulled the slides on their pistols.

Pistols supplied to all recapture force members for suicide in case of emergency.

They pointed them at the residents instead of their own heads.

"P-please spare us!! We were wrong then! At that time we had no choice but to..."

"Make that excuse while prostrating and apologizing to my comrades after you die."

A resident instinctively cried out.

They instinctively sensed the guns in players' hands could kill them.

Then a player sneered.

This was a battlefield.

A battlefield where no repercussions would occur no matter what they did to enemies.

What use are laws of war in this era?

Some players cackled.

The madness of war paralyzed their reason.

"They say White Face died, but there's no guarantee a similar one won't appear, right?"

"Even if there's no one like White Face, they could have sided with other monsters."

"If they die, human. If they live, monster. Very simple."

""""...!!""""

One person's madness spreads.

They shrugged their shoulders.

As if they had become something.

Yes, they are conquerors.

And those are livestock.

The power of life and death over the residents kneeling on the ground now lies with them.

Engulfed by the madness of revenge.

Intoxicated by the thrill of conquest.

Players pointed gun muzzles at an old man sitting in front, probably the village chief.

"Choose. Will you die? Or will the kid trembling beside you now die?"

"You crazy bastard. How can he speak with a gun muzzle in his mouth?"

"Are you only going to kill one? I'm thinking of killing a few more as an example."

Players cackling.

In contrast, the old man's expression was calm.

The old man closed his eyes obediently.

He chose for himself to die.

To this, the player pulled the trig─

─Swish

Before pulling the trigger.

The player's arm was cut off.

The player didn't even realize until he saw his own arm dangling in the old man's mouth.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh!!!!"

""""...!!""""

An arm was cut off.

The player screamed.

The residents screamed in surprise, and other players were greatly flustered too.

Meanwhile, Blaze Clan Lord Kang Hyeon-cheol who suddenly cut off his arm─

"─You bastards, did you forget what the Fairy said? Don't forget those people are citizens of our country too. What are you doing now? Want to die?"

As if unsatisfied.

Kang Hyeon-cheol trampled on the fallen player's arm.

Even as the player screamed in pain, he didn't hesitate to keep his foot down even as blood stained his shoe.

Then─

"─Blaze Clan Lord. What on earth are you doing? Why are you cutting off arms when you just need to give a warning! Get away from Ji-hwan right now!"

"Oh?"

Players belonging to what seemed to be the player's clan got upset.

They pointed weapons at Kang Hyeon-cheol and manifested internal mana.

Kang Hyeon-cheol smiled belligerently.

"What? You want to fight me too? I'm fine with that. I was just getting bored only killing monsters."

""""Blaze Clan!!! Draw swords!!!!""""

""""Draw swords!!""""

Not just Kang Hyeon-cheol, but rough auras rose from behind him too.

Players and Blaze Clan.

A confrontation suddenly broke out.

A volatile situation where players could engage in bloody combat at any moment.

"─Both clans, put away your devices. If you don't want to see the sight of everyone getting holes in their heads."

""""...""""

The person who stepped forward to mediate the situation then was the Attack Unit Commander, Special Affairs Bureau Director Min Ji-a.

She gave instructions to players surrounding the two clans.

It was a warning that if the two clans engage in bloody combat, the surrounding players would attack them.

"Tch, we won't if you don't want us to."

To this, Kang Hyeon-cheol withdrew his momentum first and calmed Blaze Clan.

The opposing clan had no choice but to back down in the end.

The bureau directors currently serving as unit commanders were delegated the Fairy's authority.

They couldn't needlessly offend her and suffer disadvantages later.

"I'll report this incident to the Fairy. Keep that in mind."

Surveillance Bureau Director <Abyss > Seon U Hwa-ryeong in charge of the Communication Unit also added words.

The opposing clan lord's face soured.

Meanwhile Kang Hyeon-cheol didn't seem to care.

"Grandfather, are you okay?"

"You are..."

"Was it 5 years ago... Anyway, we met once then, right?"

"...Thank you. Thank you for saving me. Really... thank you."

"Ah, why do you keep saying thank you? It's the word that suits me least... Ha, but it's fortunate that damn administrator isn't here. If he was..."

Soon Kang Hyeon-cheol helped the old man up.

The old man recognized Kang Hyeon-cheol's face and sobbed in his arms.

Kang Hyeon-cheol patted the old man's back while smiling bitterly.

"Sigh... I really can't live like this. No, would it kill you to take a different approach? Did you really need to cut off someone's arm like this?"

Meanwhile Park Hye-rim scolded Kang Hyeon-cheol.

Kang Hyeon-cheol's actions were excessive.

Fortunately she immediately reattached the man's arm as soon as the situation calmed down.

If not, Blaze Clan would have made many enemies over this incident.

To this, Kang Hyeon-cheol retorted─

"─Why did you reattach that? I was trampling on the arm to prevent it from being reattached."

"This guy really... What if you end up living under a mortgage to that player for life because of this?"

"Then I'll become penniless, what else? I'm fine as long as I can fight."

"No... Hyeon-cheol oppa, don't you think about your retirement at all?"

"If I become penniless, can't you support me then?"

"Ugh, so frustrating! Are you planning to mooch off me for life? Do I have to make furniture, make a house, and cook meals for you?"

"Hey, are you good at making seolleongtang?"

"Buy it yourself."

Park Hye-rim was exasperated.

In the end, she returned to Regulus Clan huffing and puffing.

☆

After subjugating White Face.

Fairy Im Ga-eul said to treat Uijeongbu residents as citizens.

But her words couldn't be followed exactly.

There was an underlying meaning to what she said.

"─Even if we treat them as citizens, we need to check if they've colluded with monsters."

As <Abyss > Seon U Hwa-ryeong said.

There was a matter that took precedence before accepting them as citizens.

Mental examination of Uijeongbu residents.

"Administer truth serum. Then make them spill everything they know about Uijeongbu's geography. And reveal that they haven't colluded with monsters."

Even Kang Hyeon-cheol couldn't do anything about this.

It was fortunate the truth serum was composed of substances harmless to the human body.

Moreover, Kang Hyeon-cheol couldn't stay here any longer.

"Cheonho Clan Lord. Please take good care of those people."

"...The Special Affairs Bureau Director will remain together. Though we may use violence if they don't listen, we won't take actions that cross the line."

Kang Hyeon-cheol commanding the 2nd Attack Platoon.

Kang Hyeon-cheol now had to lead his platoon members to subjugate Goeshini.

So he asked the Cheonho Clan Lord who would manage the residents.

"Then we'll depart now."

Soon after finishing preparations.

The attack and communication platoons that needed to go north, including the 2nd Attack Platoon, left Hoeryong Station.

And when they arrived at Uijeongbu Station─

"─We'll go up towards Yangju. I wish you all the best of luck."

"Do well, don't lose."

"You too Hyeon-cheol, don't get hurt. Well, I guess I can rest easy since the Pandora Clan Lord will be with you."

Under the wisteria tree.

The unit decided to split up again.

From here, Kang Hyeon-cheol and Park Hye-rim's platoons will kill Goeshini.

And platoons including Silla Clan will advance north to pioneer northern Gyeonggi.

Kang Hyeon-cheol shook hands with Lee Do-jin.

Lastly, Do Wan-jun─

"─I'll come back later, Yeon-ji."

Touching the wisteria tree once.

Do Wan-jun also moved his platoon to pioneer northern Gyeonggi.

☆

The long battle ended.

They pioneered Seobu-ro.

The supply unit rested on Seobu-ro before entering Uijeongbu.

Soon telepathy arrived.

[This is a message from the Attack Unit Commander. Currently the attack and communication units are interrogating Uijeongbu residents at Hoeryong Station. 30 minutes ago, the 1st Attack Platoon was left at Hoeryong Station and other attack platoon members headed to Uijeongbu Station.]

[─This is a transmission from the 2nd Attack Platoon. The 2nd Attack Platoon has safely arrived at Uijeongbu Station. We will now search for Goeshini.]

The attack and communication units entered Hoeryong Station and established a communication base.

In addition, they are in the process of capturing and interrogating Uijeongbu residents.

The operation was progressing smoothly.

Eun-ha stood up.

"We should depart soon too. Seo-na, relay to the platoon members."

"Okay. What should I relay?"

"Tell them we'll entrust the supplies to other platoons and enter Uijeongbu with just our bodies."

The 2nd Supply Platoon's role also included subjugating Goeshini.

On the other hand, it played the vanguard role of making the supply unit enter Uijeongbu.

Jin Seo-na relayed to platoon members, and platoon members stood up.

[We will now depart for Uijeongbu Arts Center.]

They couldn't fight Goeshini while carrying supplies.

So Eun-ha entrusted the supplies to other platoons.

They just needed to get the supplies back from those who would enter Uijeongbu after Goeshini was defeated.

Soon they ran along Seobu-ro and quickly arrived at the Arts Center.

"Ha-yang, tell some people to search the Arts Center. We need to store supplies there."

"Okay, got it."

In the process of retrieving the cocoon.

Eun-ha remembered Goeshini making its lair at the Arts Center.

So they needed to thoroughly investigate before making a supply base at the Arts Center.

[This is an announcement from the 5th Communication Platoon. Currently searching for Goeshini. Please notify us promptly when the 2nd Supply Platoon arrives at Uijeongbu Arts Center.]

Meanwhile, contact came from the communication platoon assigned to Regulus Clan.

Eun-ha had Jin Seo-na and Ariel exchange communications with the 2nd Attack Platoon and 5th Communication Platoon respectively.

"Kaede, take the rangers and find Goeshini. As soon as you discover it, don't engage and return to the platoon. Ah, take Seo Dam-bi or Kim Meri as telepathist."

"Got it. I'll do that. I'll take Meri as telepathist."

Eun-ha ordered the search for Goeshini.

Hoshimiya Kaede selected rangers from Pandora Clan and left to find Goeshini.

Where is it?

Eun-ha defeated a 4th rank monster inhabiting the Arts Center.

While waiting for telepathy.

The 2nd Supply Platoon, 2nd Attack Platoon, and 5th Communication Platoon were searching from 3 directions.

If Goeshini hadn't moved its territory, it should reveal itself soon.

Sure enough─

[─This is telepathist Kim Meri. We've identified Goeshini's location.]

Telepathy was conveyed.

According to Kim Meri's report, Goeshini was currently near the Arts Center.

Now Eun-ha was given two choices.

Whether to just track Goeshini until other platoons arrive, or fight first.

There was no need to deliberate.

The answer was set.

Eun-ha trusted Pandora Clan.

"Seo-na, Ariel."

"Okay, what should I relay?"

"Why! Why! Why! What should I do?"

"We'll subjugate it first by ourselves."

[This is an announcement from the 2nd Supply Platoon. We will now subjugate the 3rd rank over-rank monster Goeshini. This was telepathist Jin Seo-na.]

[The 2nd Supply Platoon is broadcasting to the 2nd Attack Platoon and 5th Communication Platoon! We've successfully identified Goeshini's location! Please check with navigator Jeong Ha-yang for Goeshini's detailed position! The 2nd Supply Platoon will subjugate Goeshini first! This was Ariel!]