Chapter 39 - 39

He didn't run red lights, driving smoothly like a regular citizen. As I followed and monitored him, Locks was calling David inside the car. "Did it work?" "Yes, the kidnapping went smoothly, and we're heading to the safe house now." "Contact me immediately upon arrival; we'll act in sync." "Understood. Be careful, success is essential." "Okay, let's have one last drink after this is done." As a safety measure in case revenge fails, Swan was used as a bargaining chip—her safety was the condition, and if necessary, the two men could be dragged back in. 'It has to succeed.' Locks sincerely hoped to complete this final operation for David, who was sacrificing himself for revenge. They had already agreed to end their lives together after achieving revenge. After David's demise, these people who had completed their revenge had no reason to live. Having lost their most precious companions, they were nothing more than walking corpses barely clinging to life for revenge. Their hearts were already dead, destined to return to silence. — 'Will Swan be attacked upon arrival?' I, having hacked into the car's communication system, was caught in a dilemma. Once Swan reaches the safe house, my parents will be attacked. Rescuing Swan would prevent me from helping my parents, while helping them would make Swan bait for the enemy's next move. Either way, these two scenarios are a dilemma. Should I resolve the current crisis, or wait until Swan becomes a hostage before rescuing him? Both are risky, but I must immediately determine which situation is more urgent. The kidnapping vehicle has entered a deserted road and is about to reach the so-called safe house. 'Prioritize rescuing Swan.' After weighing the options, I finally decided to rescue Swan first. Engaging in combat would expose my identity and prevent me from fully committing, and the invisibility potion would lose its effect upon contact with the enemy. It would be better to wait until my parents are exhausted from the fight before intervening to prevent them from falling into a new crisis. 'With the equipment, they should be able to hold out.' My parents are wearing the protective gear I gave them, enough to withstand explosive damage and grant immunity to gunfire for five minutes. Even if injured, they can instantly recover with the [Wish Ring]. As long as I can finish the fight quickly during this time, I can subdue the kidnappers without taking any damage. 'Continue tracking.' Fortunately, the attack wouldn't start before Swan reached the safe house, and after rescuing her, I could use my [demigod body] to quickly reach my parents. Thinking of this, I actually hoped the vehicle would arrive as soon as possible. As long as I could finish the job quickly, I could just give Swan a phone to contact his family. Just as I was thinking this, the SUV began to slow down and slowly drove into the garage of the two-story house. "We're here." After confirming that the target had entered the most respectable building in the slums, I jumped onto the roof to begin the rescue preparations. Since subduing the thugs would inevitably involve physical contact, the transparent potion was useless. The immediate priority was to solve the problem of being naked at this moment. "There are quite a few styles." Fortunately, I could buy ordinary casual clothes at the store, so I chose an all-black outfit. "Of course, you have to wear black for stealth." Anyway, I had a tool that could instantly clean up bloodstains, so getting dirty didn't matter. Next, I needed a mask to conceal my face—since the thugs had tried to kidnap me, they must recognize my face. To rescue Swann, I mustn't reveal my identity, lest my parents discover my whereabouts later. [Cognitive Interference Mask] - The wearer's facial features will be unrecognizable to others. This plain black mask, devoid of any decoration, blends seamlessly with my attire, looking incredibly cool. 'Ready.' After finally acquiring a communication phone, I silently crept towards the target building. 'System, how many people are inside?' [Five mercenaries besides the target.] Remembering my past record of instantly eliminating ten enemies, half the forces in this confined space were nothing to fear. 'I must subdue them silently.' I could hear human activity around the building; I had to handle it as quietly as possible. I looked around for an entrance, ultimately deciding that the garage those guys had entered was the most suitable. Although the windows were secured with security locks, making a sound when opened, the garage door could be silently entered using the system. 'Open the garage door.' [Opening.] The AI, already hacked into the entire building's system, silently opened the garage door according to my request. I confirmed through my sensory field that there were no enemies here. Holding my breath, I stepped inside and immediately sensed one more person inside. 'Two on the first floor, three on the second.' Focusing intently on my sensory field, I pinpointed the enemy's location. Although I don't often use the sensory abilities of my [Demigod Body], recent frequent use has allowed me to master this level. Feeling my senses sharper than before, I quietly approached the mercenary. The male mercenary on guard duty was holding a gun and guarding the entrance. As he sat in a chair guarding the door, I snapped his neck from behind. "Ugh!" Covering his mouth and breaking his cervical spine, the mercenary died without much noise. After confirming his death, I sensed the location of the remaining person on the first floor approaching silently. - Drizzling sound. The last guy seemed to be using the bathroom; I could hear the sound of water. Breaking down the door directly might alert him. Just as I hesitated, a conversation from upstairs forced me to act immediately. 'We've arrived at the safe house.' - We've also completed our attack preparations. 'We must succeed in our revenge.' "Don't worry, even if we fail, you'll be spared." Hearing that the enemy was about to attack, this place was no place to linger. Thinking I needed to finish this quickly and get to my parents, I kicked open the door and aimed straight for the enemy sitting on the toilet, aiming for his throat. "Cough!" This experienced guy rolled aside the moment the door opened, dodging the attack. "Who goes there!" Seeing him about to cry for help, I lunged forward and pierced his heart with my bare hands. "Ugh..." The enemy's pupils dilated and gradually grew cold. -Thump thump thump. Rapid footsteps came from upstairs, clearly the commotion had given away the attack. After rushing out of the bathroom, I lay in ambush at the bottom of the stairs. Holding my breath, I waited as a giant mercenary cautiously descended the stairs. "Cough!" I suddenly twisted the barrel of his gun, which was pointing at the ceiling, and simultaneously grabbed his throat. The suddenly restrained enemy tried to pry my hands off, but with my [demigod body], how could he possibly resist? -Crack. "Ugh..."The moment he crushed his cervical vertebrae with a burst of force, he died instantly. Fearing reinforcements might arrive, thankfully, due to Operation Swan, the enemy didn't send any more. 'Two left.' Muttering to himself as he stepped onto the stairs— -- "Who goes there!" "!!!" Locke and Olivia, who were on the phone with David reporting the successful kidnapping of Swan and arrival at the safe house, heard their companion's scream downstairs. This strictly confidential hideout should only be known to their accomplices. Since they had been attacked, the intruders could only be enemies. "Guests have arrived." Realizing they had been ambushed, he signaled to Olivia to have their companion prepare for battle. Once ready, Locke winked at one of his companions to go downstairs to scout. Since Swan was only locked in the room and not yet properly restrained, someone had to stay behind. Nodding and watching his companion leave, Locke nervously guessed the attackers' identities. "It can't be Swan's guards." Their target of revenge—the Swan Guard—couldn't have found this place. After all, their accomplices had been continuously tracking their movements. According to David's report, the guards were still unaware, wandering elsewhere. Most likely, Chairman Lang had hired mercenaries elsewhere. "Does that old man have experts of that level under his command?" He hadn't received any intelligence about a powerful enemy capable of silently breaching the security. The skilled infiltration team was currently gathered at the hotel where their target's son was staying. The appearance of an unknown and powerful enemy forced him to be on high alert regarding Olivia. "Be careful, the loss of two people means this opponent is not simple." "Understood." Since there was noise coming from the bathroom, their companion guarding the entrance was likely in grave danger. Just as they were tense because of the enemy's ability to instantly kill two people— -crack! A chilling sound of bones breaking was heard downstairs. The two slowly descended the stairs. The lack of news meant their companion was likely dead. Assuming the attacker could silently eliminate three skilled individuals, they warily peered down the stairs. The moment they stepped onto the stairs, the attacker reacted immediately to launch a counterattack. -gulp! Due to extreme tension, the sound of him swallowing was clearly audible. Holding their breath and aiming their guns at the stairs, the two waited patiently for a long time without seeing anyone, then decided to remain on guard. After all, facing a highly skilled opponent, going downstairs would put them at a disadvantage. They remained in this stalemate, peering down the stairs, for an unknown amount of time— -whoosh! Suddenly, a dark shadow darted up the stairs from below, startling them into opening fire. *Thud! Thud!* To avoid a commotion, our side returned fire with silenced pistols, bullets whizzing as they struck the unidentified attacker. Despite the attacker's incredible speed, the stairs blocked their path. The two men, firing continuously, quickly turned pale—the enemy had ascended the last step unscathed, as if the barrage of bullets had never existed. EP0478 As the enemy climbed the stairs, the two witnessed an absurd scene—the enemy dodged every bullet. They cautiously distanced themselves. "Olivia!" "Get behind Lockes!" Among the Skull Mercenaries, Lockes specialized in infiltration and kidnapping, his combat abilities were not outstanding. Knowing this, Olivia stepped in front of him, confronting the figure in black, his face distorted as if pixelated. "Who hired you?" "Olivia felt a chill run down her spine as she faced the masked male opponent's question. 'No chance in close combat,' her years of mercenary experience honed her instincts, warning her that the man before her was far beyond her capabilities. Just being calmly stared at by him sent shivers down her spine. As a relatively late member of the Skull Mercenary Group, yet a warrior who had repeatedly risked her life to avenge her comrades, she instinctively realized—this man was beyond reason. Fighting him alone was impossible, even with Lockes' assistance… but this man was a monster who could dodge bullets. Whether Lockes' bullets would hit was entirely uncertain." "…" Silently, I ascended the steps, confronting them. 'I can finish this in a few moves,' the assessment was instantly complete. The woman named Olivia, though possessing some skill, was ultimately still human. Facing this transcendent [demigod body], they had no chance. 'Let's finish this quickly.' "They're enemies either way, no need for words." Determined to quickly rescue Swann and reunite with my parents, I acted swiftly. "Ugh!" Olivia, who tried to dodge the moment her target moved, couldn't keep up with the terrifying speed. The instant she was struck in the abdomen, she didn't even see how she was sent flying. 'Completely too late to react...' In the excruciating pain of shattered organs, she realized that this punch had completely extinguished her life. - Boom! "Captain... please complete the revenge..." As she crashed into the wall, with a prayer for the captain's successful revenge, she fell into eternal darkness. "Olivia!!" - Bang! Seeing his comrade sent flying by a single punch, Rocks immediately fired, but froze on the spot because of what happened next—the other person caught the bullet fired at him with their bare hands! - The bullet was crushed into a flat piece in the bare palm and fell to the ground. This scene beyond common sense made Rocks realize completely: any resistance was futile. "Cough!" A black-masked man closed in instantly, grabbing his throat. Olivia, motionless behind him, was clearly unconscious. 'Is this the end…' Before the sound of cracking neck bones rang out, Rocks silently apologized to the leader: 'Sorry… I couldn't hold on until the end…' - *snap* "It's over." Having snapped Rocks' neck, I looked at the limp Olivia in the distance. The blow to her abdomen had ruptured her internal organs; her head and neck had hit the wall first—too late. I cleaned up the scene in less than ten minutes and kicked open the door to Swan's cell. - Crash! Although it had a sturdy lock, I easily broke it. Inside, Swan, blindfolded and gagged, was struggling desperately. "Ugh! Ugh—!!" She had clearly heard the commotion outside but was panicked by the unknown situation. As I ripped off her blindfold and untied her restraints, she asked tremblingly, "Who… who are you…?" My tight black clothes accentuated my muscular physique, and my eerie black mask created a visually disruptive effect. Faced with such a presence, she, who had been kidnapped here, couldn't help but feel fear. "Please, save me! Take me away from here!" Her voice was filled with despair. "I'm here to save you." With a brief reply, I untied the ropes binding her wrists. "Really? You won't kill me, will you? You definitely won't?" "I don't intend to." I handed her a pre-prepared phone. "Contact your grandfather; he'll be here soon." Hearing the keyword "grandfather," her tense nerves finally relaxed: "Did your grandfather send you?" "That's a secret. I'll take my leave now." "You...you're leaving?! Where to?" Hearing the masked man's declaration that he would leave her alone, she cried out in terror, but her legs went weak with fear, unable to stop him. "There are no enemies around; just wait patiently." "No, no! I'm scared to be alone!" "I also have urgent business to attend to." "Please! Don't leave me!!" Looking at the swan crying incessantly, I sighed—I had to get to my parents' aid as soon as possible. 'Letting her escape would be detrimental to me.' Although she was temporarily unable to move due to her weak legs, who knew what trouble she would cause once she regained her mobility. Her face, revealed after removing the blindfold, was indeed beautiful, but the sight of her now streaming with tears and snot was truly a headache. 'So troublesome.' If it weren't for my parents' perilous situation, which would have allowed me to gain some goodwill, I wouldn't have had the time now. "Ugh!" I delivered a sharp chop to her hand as she panicked at being alone. It was easier to knock her unconscious than to waste time calming her down and getting her to contact reinforcements. "I'll call myself faster." Having the rescue team come and take the unconscious Swan directly was clearly more efficient. Anyway, I'd confirmed there were no enemies nearby, so there was no danger. The silencer suppressed the gunfire; it was safe for now. "System, give me her grandfather's phone number." [Saved to phone contacts] After obtaining Swan's grandfather's contact information through the system, I briefly sent a text message with the location and kidnapping details, then rushed out of the building. "System, what's the situation now?" [Attack in progress; user's parents are surrounded] "Fuck them!" In just ten minutes of suppressing the enemy, the attack had already begun. I pulled up the surveillance footage—the bulletproof car my parents were in was overturned on the roadside, gunfire erupting all around. One of my three companions seemed to have been knocked unconscious by the explosion, while the other two were still standing. Fortunately, my parents didn't appear injured and were confronting the attackers. "There's still time." The armored vehicles specially made by the military-industrial complex significantly reduced the impact of the explosion. Seeing that they hadn't used any equipment yet, I breathed a slight sigh of relief and sped towards the battlefield. — While Lee Jin-seok was dealing with the kidnappers and rescuing Swan in the safe house, the mercenary team led by Park Ha-eun and Lee Jong-wook grew increasingly anxious: "Still haven't found her?" "Shouldn't we split up to search?" An hour had passed since Swan's escape, and they hadn't found a trace, not even a clue. Just as everyone was arguing amongst themselves, Lee Jong-wook, gripping the steering wheel, sternly declared: "Absolutely no splitting up!"As the team leader and the planner, he held the power. What Lee Jong-wook was truly wary of was that a force was watching his family. With an unknown enemy lurking, dispersal meant being picked off one by one. "Ha... so we'll just keep going in circles aimlessly?" Chris was growing impatient with the inefficient search. "Enemy attack ahead!!" Park Ha-eun in the passenger seat had just warned when an RPG blast hit the tire. Boom—! Despite Lee Jong-wook's sharp turn, the vehicle was still thrown into the air by the explosion. "Cough..." Fortunately, this was a top-of-the-line bulletproof vehicle specially made by Kate Military Industries for the chairman's granddaughter. "Ha-eun!" After confirming that his wife was unharmed, Lee Jong-wook immediately checked on his team: "Who's injured?" "Chris is unconscious, everyone else is fine." While marveling at the military technology, he quickly ordered: "Everyone evacuate from the trunk, watch out for enemy activity ahead." An enemy of unknown size was approaching, and they called for help from PMC and Chairman Lang while using the overturned vehicle as cover. "It would be so much easier if Oliver were here." "What's the use of saying that now? Focus on communication." Oliver's absence, being an expert in equipment, meant they had to manually send distress signals. After settling the unconscious Chris, the group concealed themselves behind the armor wreckage. "Enemy size?" "Not sure, only saw two people ahead." Since they were searching a sparsely populated area, they didn't see any injured personnel from the explosion. Of course, they had to take care of themselves first. "There's been a terrorist attack; the US should be taking action too." "It'll take a long time for those SWAT teams to arrive; our team's support will be much faster." In places with sparse population movement, waiting for SWAT support takes a considerable amount of time. Even analyzing the situation takes time, and with the previous explosion drawing attention, the support here is arriving much faster. "There might be enemies nearby. Stay alert and get to your positions." "Executing." Just as they were surveying their surroundings, trying to confirm the enemy situation ahead— Boom! Bang! Explosions came from afar, and the mercenaries who heard the noise immediately realized that the other side was serious. Explosions erupted in various locations after the attack, likely an attempt to divert attention. The fact that these unidentified individuals had targeted them instilled a profound sense of crisis in everyone. "Those who can go this far are no ordinary people," Park Ha-eun thought, following her increasingly alarming instincts as she looked around. Usually, at times like this, she could at least sense a relatively safe direction. But now, every direction was filled with a sense of foreboding, and her face darkened, a feeling she had experienced on the battlefield before. "We're surrounded." "What?!" The pervasive sense of danger meant they were under threat from all sides. When she told her teammates the situation, they looked around in panic. Moments later, when they confirmed that heavily armed groups were rushing in from all directions, these battle-hardened mercenaries realized that this was more dangerous than any other moment in their careers. EP0479 In large-scale battlefields, usually operated by mercenaries, such a situation of being surrounded is rare. Unless it's a small group on a dangerous mission—something typically handled by underworld mercenaries—most people organize large-scale operations. But now, without the numerous reinforcements of before, we, just five men, must break through the encirclement. "This could be the end of us..." Faced with such a desperate situation, Ross looked around, mentally preparing himself for possible sacrifice today. Although he had long considered dying on the battlefield as a mercenary, he never expected to die in the heart of the American capital. As he loaded his gun, he asked Lee Jong-wook, "John, which way to break out?" "Wait a bit." Lee Jong-wook racked his brains for the best solution. The slight dizziness caused by the explosion was insignificant in this life-or-death situation. He had to analyze the enemy's strength more calmly than ever before to find a way out. "That way." He pointed to a narrow alley extending from the open road. Even if there were pursuers, they couldn't all rush in at once, enough to maneuver. But what seemed like the safest route might actually be a trap. So Lee Jong-wook looked at his wife, Park Ha-eun—her intuition should be able to tell the difference. "Looks fine." After briefly observing the direction her husband pointed, Park Ha-eun felt her ominous premonition lessen slightly and nodded in agreement. "Everyone prepare smoke grenades, move on signal." Smoke grenades are essential for mercenaries; they conceal their presence and obstruct the enemy's vision, making them more valuable than grenades. "Throw them in all directions." Fortunately, although one of the five was unconscious, the mission required everyone to carry smoke grenades, providing sufficient cover. After throwing grenades in all directions simultaneously, the last one was taken from the unconscious Chris's equipment and thrown into the target alley. The location was already known, so even the thick smoke wouldn't hinder movement. [Encrypted communication code] - A hissing sound accompanied by a sigh of relief, and the smoke began to spread. When visibility was partially obscured, he gave the signal: "Move!" Lee Jong-wook led the way, assisted by the highly skilled Park Ha-eun. The strong Ross carried the unconscious Chris in the center, while the quick-thinking Rachel brought up the rear. "Phew, so heavy." Carrying the limp Chris, Ross joked to ease the tension. - Enemy fire began in the billowing smoke, but thankfully, no one was hit as they moved using cover. "We're here." Lee Jong-wook, having safely reached the alleyway, stood at the fork in the road and looked at Park Ha-eun. "That way." She instinctively pointed to the safe route. "In here." Following her directions, the group arrived at a three-story abandoned building. "Phew..." They caught their breath after entering the building. "What's next?" "A counterattack is most advantageous here." "Won't we still get surrounded?" "The concrete structure can buy time until reinforcements arrive." Their primary objective wasn't to annihilate the enemy, but to buy time. Continuing to move with the unconscious Chris would only allow them to be caught; holding the counterattack point was the best strategy. "Is all the equipment ready?" "Weapons are working." "I'm fine too." "Good condition..." Their habit of always carrying equipment ensured they had ample supplies. A group vehicle-based operation was the optimal solution—a dispersed search would have been hampered by a lack of supplies long ago. "Impressive," Ross secretly admired John's thorough preparations. Although an attack was unexpected, given that the attackers were after Kate's granddaughter, this level of preparedness was reasonable. His contingency plans for various contingencies were truly admirable. As he pondered— "What are they?" Lee Jong-wook considered the attackers' identities. Were they after the swan? Or targeting him and his wife? Last time, when his son was almost kidnapped, he judged there to be two opposing forces, but this time it was difficult to distinguish. "Perhaps both." Adhering to the principle of erroneous assumptions, he thought it might be a double conspiracy—using the pursuit of the swan as an opportunity to eliminate them. Just as he adjusted his breathing to prepare for the attack— "They're here." Park Ha-eun heard the dense footsteps in the distance as a warning. "How many?" "Judging from the noise, at least ten." "This is troublesome." At least ten meant possibly more than twenty. With the unconscious man in tow, fighting against more than ten enemies was already extremely difficult. The enemy was a high-powered group equipped with rocket-propelled grenades; even with the concrete building as cover, the firepower disparity was too great. "The only saving grace is the narrow entrance." "But we can't just focus on that side." Thankfully, it was an abandoned building; the narrow entrance was perfect for blocking any intruding enemies. However, as Park Ha-eun said, there were other entrances, and they couldn't afford to be careless. "Take Chris to the safe zone first." "I'll be right back." Protecting the unconscious Chris while fighting more than ten enemies was a challenge even for top mercenaries. Therefore, they decided to settle this burden first before focusing on the main battle. While Ross settled Chris, Park Ha-eun approached Lee Jong-wook. "Any feasible solutions?" "No, for now we can only seal the entrance and buy time." "If they launch rocket-propelled grenades again, we're finished." "You're right, although we're unsure how much stock we have, we should at least have one left." "Is there really no other way?" "It's hard to formulate tactics without familiarity with the terrain." "Ha... let's seal the entrance first." While discussing countermeasures, Rachel, who was guarding the entrance, suddenly warned: "Enemy attack!" When they rushed to check, they estimated that more than ten enemies were aiming their guns at the entrance. "We'll have to deal with about twenty people at the main entrance." The enemy wouldn't be stupid enough to ignore the other entrances; they must have split up to encircle them. Just as they were racking their brains over the unexpectedly large number of enemy soldiers— Boom!! A violent explosion at the entrance shattered all the windows. "Damn it..." They had intended to defend using the narrow passage, but the enemy had violently widened the entrance. Judging from the sound of the explosion, the enemy had obviously used rocket-propelled grenades to force their way through. They must not be intimidated by the enemy's firepower. Li Zhongxu, staring at the three breaches, gave orders: "I'll hold the left flank." "Leave the middle to me." "I'll handle the right flank." Fortunately, there were no further explosions; they only needed to hold these three positions firmly. They could also guard against a rear attack once Ross returned. Just then—click-click. Hearing the slowly approaching footsteps, everyone immediately opened fire. Bang! Rat-a-tat-tat! The gunfire in the confined space was deafening. Realizing they had been ambushed, the enemy stopped advancing and began throwing something. "Damn it...""These are the smoke grenades they used to escape earlier. Hiss— The moment the thick smoke flooded the passage, Li Zhongxu decisively decided to abandon the position. The smoke not only obscured visibility but also masked footsteps. Holding out here was pointless; they might even be caught in a sniper's trap. "Make a brief attempt to stall, then retreat." He decided to launch a feint attack and immediately move on. Hiss— Crackling. Footsteps mixed with the sound of deflating air. Although difficult to discern, the crisp sound of stepping on broken glass gave away the enemy's position. "Fire!" Rat-a-tat!! Hearing the noise, everyone immediately fired towards the designated location. "Ugh!" "Aaaaaah!!" The screams proved that the target had been hit. Li Zhongxu pulled a grenade from his tactical vest: "Down!" After issuing a warning to avoid shrapnel damage, he threw the grenade into the smoke screen. Boom!! "Crack!" "Aaaaaah!!" "An explosion followed by painful screams. 'Retreat.' After determining that they had bought enough time, Lee Jong-wook signaled Park Ha-eun and Rachel to retreat. Although they could still hold their own, they had to be wary of lurking snipers. Bang! The assessment was as accurate as a prophecy. Just as they left their positions, a bullet struck the wall beside them. After spotting a sniper in the flowerbed on the left, he quickly dodged. Their mission was to hold out until reinforcements arrived; there was no need for a direct confrontation. 'Why is everyone running this way?' While moving along the wall, Ross, who had just settled Chris, heard the explosion and rushed over to ask. 'The enemy widened the entrance with explosives and also placed smoke grenades.' 'The preparations are more thorough than expected.' Hearing that they were going to fight a guerrilla war, Ross swallowed hard and nodded. 'The specific plan?' 'Prioritize using the second floor to buy time. There might be an ambush at the back door; don't go that way.' 'Understood.'" "The enemy likely flanked them during the firefight at the main gate. To avoid an ambush, Lee Jong-wook chose a safer route. Tap, tap, tap. As they moved slowly along the wall, they heard a flurry of footsteps on the stairs. They thought they had eliminated many enemies, but the noise indicated that their numbers were still considerable. Just as they were looking for a new position— "Take cover!!" Boom!! The enemy, who had already flanked them, used rocket-propelled grenades to blow away their pre-selected cover. "Cough!" "Ah!" Following Park Ha-eun's instructions, they rolled to the side, luckily avoiding a direct hit, but the shockwave of the explosion still engulfed them. EP0480 - Beep "We must... stay alert." "The close-range explosion of the rocket created a deafening roar. Although not directly hit, the shockwave from the explosion behind completely destroyed the entire formation. — Dudu The enemy clearly realized the bomb had broken the defensive formation and quickly closed in before they could recover. They had used up all their smoke grenades while fleeing on the highway, and now they had none left. In this critical moment, Lee Jong-wook's first action was to check if any of his comrades were injured. Looking at Park Ha-eun, who had just managed to get up beside him, she seemed to have no obvious wounds. Fortunately, Rachel on the other side was also unharmed and was slowly getting up to check her weapons. The most seriously injured was Ross in the epicenter of the explosion— Lee Jong-wook turned to look in the direction he had been thrown by the blast wave and saw the blood-covered man struggling to his feet. As the person closest to the epicenter, his pained expression was clearly not feigned, but his strong physique allowed him to slowly get up. —Are you alright? After exchanging glances to signal his concern, Ross nodded slightly to indicate that he was unharmed." Although his head was still bleeding, thankfully it shouldn't affect his fighting ability. "Can you move?" "No problem." He asked his wife, who had come to his side, and she was fully conscious. "What do we do now?" "It's dangerous, but we have to move." "More than ten enemies are visible from the front, and footsteps indicate at least ten more are circling towards the rear entrance. Staying will only lead to being surrounded; we must change positions quickly." After conveying his intentions to Rachel and Ross with a glance, the two immediately nodded in understanding. Seeing that everyone had reached a consensus, Lee Jong-wook began to prepare to move while suppressing the approaching enemies with gunfire. —Rat-a-tat! Warning shots caused the advancing enemies to instantly take cover. After confirming that the suppression was effective, Lee Jong-wook pulled the pin on his grenade, creating a moving opportunity for his comrades on the other side. —Clang! With the sound of the safety pin hitting the ground, the action of raising the grenade was immediately understood by his comrades. As Park Ha-eun simultaneously pulled the pin on her own grenade, Lee Jong-wook had already thrown the grenade towards the foremost cover. —Bang! The moment the second safety disengaged, the first grenade exploded. The lack of screams meant there were no casualties, and then Park Ha-eun's grenade whistled away. Taking advantage of the second wave of grenade explosions, Rachel and Ross sprinted forward at full speed, while Lee Jong-wook set up his gun to guard against any possible emergencies. —Boom! Fortunately, the enemy seemed to be stunned by the grenades and didn't dare to show their faces. "Can we move out immediately?" "No problem." "Me too." After receiving a response, Lee Jong-wook assigned Park Ha-eun, whose intuition was the sharpest, to be the vanguard, while he took charge of the rearguard. The veterans, without needing to speak, tacitly performed their duties. Once Rachel was in position to cover the rear, Lee Jong-wook also began to move towards a safe point. "How long will it take for reinforcements?" "About fifteen minutes." "Too late..." If it were only a direct confrontation, they could manage, but with enemies on multiple fronts, fifteen minutes felt like an eternity. They had only three grenades and a dwindling supply of ammunition—enough to barely cover the heavy firepower of an enemy force that was even using rocket launchers. "What to do..." Even if reinforcements arrived on time, breaking through the blockade would take extra time, requiring at least twenty minutes to hold out. —Bang! After repelling another wave of infiltrating enemies, he was gripped by deep anxiety. If the combat expert Chris were there, they could split their forces and outflank, but Chris was currently unconscious. The only escape route was the first floor; this situation was suffocating. "Is there no other way but to hold out?" After much deliberation, Lee Jong-wook decided to use mobile warfare to buy time and continue to block the enemy's advance. -- When his parents were attacked, "Faster!" Lee Jin-seok, rushing towards the abandoned building, stared at the system screen, his knuckles white from clenching his fists. The firepower gap between the terrorists and his parents was utterly hopeless—the enemy not only had long-range rockets but also a large number of grenades. As time passed, if his parents were cornered, even the most elite mercenaries would be doomed. The distance from where the swan was abducted to the abandoned building was vast, and every passing second intensified his unease. 'Protective gear isn't invincible.' Of the three pieces of equipment he gave his parents, only one was continuously effective. The rest were one-time use items, causing him immense worry. Worse still, without the invisibility potion, he couldn't directly participate in the battle. Although he was wary of revealing his abilities, he was prepared to risk everything if it truly came to a life-or-death situation. [Plenty of time, please remain calm.] The system's reassuring voice rang out as his speeding figure swept through the streets. "Estimated arrival time?" [Arrives within six minutes at the latest.] "That's too late." "Although my parents did their best to buy time, that rocket has now completely shattered the entire camp. The enemy seized the opportunity during the collapse and launched a fierce attack, and worse still, those who circled around to the rear. If we were just trapped in place, we would be completely surrounded by enemies emerging from behind, with no way to escape. Of course, Dad knew this and would be prepared, but there were very few places to escape in the abandoned building. Thinking that we would soon be completely surrounded and unable to avoid the battle, I acted even more urgently. c1hQbkVZV1ZObkNXNEI4WjRFQ0lwTHpBNFlrOGszakFmZmtsbjNyeHZDSUtQN0FaamQ0ZjRPKzhwakRTVDZyLw 'Arriving within three minutes.' This determination allowed me to arrive much faster than the system's estimated time. — 'It's been too long.' Because the two of us hid in the abandoned building, causing the delay, David frowned as he looked at the situation where the plan had deviated from its intended course." Although the strategy of deliberately choosing a secluded road and attacking with rockets was successful—surrounding those targets who hadn't yet recovered from the explosions would suffice—he hadn't anticipated that the armored vehicle's defensive capabilities far exceeded his expectations. 'It's completely undamaged.' After all, it was an armored vehicle personally developed by the chairman of a globally renowned military enterprise for his granddaughter. The rockets only caused the vehicle to overturn, and only one person inside was unconscious. Moreover, the overturning was only due to luck—a direct hit to the tires; otherwise, it might not have even overturned. 'My revenge was thwarted by that old geezer.' He even regretted not taking out the guards first. 'No…if there weren't opponents of that caliber, they wouldn't have even bothered to act.' David quickly dismissed this idea—if it weren't for someone of Chairman Lang's caliber, those two wouldn't have acted at all. To lure them into the trap, this level of loss was unavoidable. 'I must finish this off before reinforcements arrive.' The request for reinforcements must have been sent long ago. Although they were a bit far, they should be arriving soon. Realizing that it was a race against time, David notified his companions who had infiltrated from other entrances before entering: 'I wanted them to die in more agony…' He genuinely hoped that the enemy who indirectly took his family would suffer the most. David, feeling he still had time, secretly calculated. "Where are we?" - Almost to the second floor. The delay was due to unfamiliarity with the building's structure. Hearing they were on the second floor, David immediately ordered: "Enemy's most vigilant encirclement, quickly take position."-Understood. Imminent contact, please prepare. As expected of a veteran—they remain vigilant about our rear even without knowing our strength. This has taken considerable time for the encirclement, but it's fine now. Once our flanking comrades reach the second floor, we'll quickly form a pincer movement. 'Today, we'll settle this decade-long revenge…' Thinking of the revenge planned for over a decade about to be completed, David felt the pressure of his heart pounding, calmly applying the pressure. —-Rat-a-tat-tat!! We intercepted the enemy while spinning to break through the encirclement. The third floor is Chris's last line of defense, to be used only as a last resort. "How much ammo left?" "Two magazines." "I only have one left." "Three rounds left…" Continuous pincer movement has depleted our ammo. 'I only have two magazines left too…' The escort mission shouldn't have required carrying much ammo, but now it's become a fatal mistake. 'We won't last much longer.' With ammo running low, the flanking enemy should be appearing soon. The situation will become increasingly unfavorable after the formal engagement—insufficient ammo puts us at a complete disadvantage. -Thump, thump, thump. During the retreat, footsteps, other than gunfire, could be heard in the distance behind them. If not for the heightened senses from the battle, they wouldn't have been able to hear them at all. 'The enemy flanking us is closing in.' Realizing they were about to be surrounded, Lee Jong-wook decided to seize the best defensive position before being completely encircled. Unable to confirm the enemy's numbers and making a breakout impossible, he decided to hold his ground. "The enemy is approaching from behind; at this rate, we'll be surrounded." "What do we do?" Park Ha-eun, who had already sensed the unease, asked. "Charge over there and hold out to the death." "Understood..." The electronics store he chose offered ample cover—though abandoned, the numerous display tables made it an ideal defensive position. "Let's move now." Rachel, with her relatively abundant ammunition, provided cover, and after the group moved, they began their final resistance. --- Imminent contact. 'Finally, we've cornered them.' Accelerating their advance due to the time constraint, they quickly completed the encirclement. With everyone prepared to die, they had about five minutes left. He grew increasingly excited, not considering retreat—revenge was about to be achieved. The thunderous pounding of his heart echoed in his mind. Living like a zombie since losing his family, he listened to his own pounding heart as he loaded the rocket. This was the last one he had treasured, meant to be used to corner the enemy—he had planned to use it to obliterate all cover and clear the area. Now, he raised the rocket launcher and aimed at the enemy. "Let's end this." Thinking of his children, who had died at the ages of seven and five, and his deceased wife, he pulled the trigger. —Whoosh! With a piercing whoosh, the rocket struck the cover directly in front of him. —Boom!! A deafening explosion shattered the surrounding cover, completely cutting off the enemy's hiding place. The EP0481 rocket-propelled grenade's blast radius was not very wide. To minimize its impact, it contained a small amount of propellant, detonating the warhead upon contact with the target, thus lacking armor-piercing capability. But compared to the firepower of firearms, it was an overwhelmingly powerful weapon. Look, a large number of bunkers had vanished without a trace, the shockwave from the explosion sending the enemies staggering. David slowly advanced into the building, convinced that his revenge was about to end. — "Ugh…" Lee Jong-wook, who had just taken cover to prepare for the attack, now truly understood what despair meant. He hadn't expected the enemy to have a second rocket. They had deliberately held back their attack to buy time, waiting for a final, fatal blow. 'I was too naive.' He hadn't expected the enemy to have prepared three of these weapons to deal with them. The only saving grace was that the front-line bunkers had withstood the explosion, and they were almost unharmed. But hope remained slim—the surrounding bunkers were destroyed, and their retreat route was blocked by the approaching enemy. 'Ha…maybe this is the end.' He had only wanted to complete the escort mission and reunite with his son as soon as possible, never expecting to find himself in such a desperate situation. As he helped his staggering wife to her feet, they both realized this was likely their last moment together. "Are you alright?" "I'm fine..." His wife's usually clear voice was unusually low, clearly having grasped reality earlier than he had. 'No...she must understand better than I do.' With her keen intuition, she must know how dire the situation was. Lee Jong-wook deliberately concealed his despair and comforted her: "Reinforcements will be here soon, just hold on a little longer." "Okay," Park Ha-eun replied with a smile, understanding her husband's intentions. This usually reserved and taciturn man was now preparing what might be her final farewell. "I love you, past, present, and future." "I love you too, darling." They heard Rachel and Ross's movements behind them; they needed to deal with the enemy attacking from behind—only the couple remained on the front line. Aiming at the enemy through the remaining cover, Lee Jong-wook gritted his teeth: 'I won't let you succeed so easily.' Even in dire straits, he refused to yield. His beautiful wife and son, more precious than life itself, were his reasons for fighting. —Thrown away by the shockwave, Park Ha-eun stared at her husband, her thoughts churning. 'What a blockhead.' His eyes and expression remained completely unmoved even at a time like this. How many people can maintain a poker face when facing death? 'This is terrible.' From the moment she stepped into this place, her intuition had been screaming alarm bells. A cold sweat trickled down her back; she had never felt such a strong sense of crisis in her career. Yet, when he said 'It's okay' to that wooden face, she felt a strange surge of strength. 'I was initially captivated by that expression.' In dire battlefield situations, he always managed to turn danger into safety with meticulous planning, completely different from her instinctive approach. But when this taciturn man suddenly said 'I love you,' she couldn't help but laugh. 'Despicable man.' Using such a confession to calm her nerves, he was incredibly cunning. But those eyes didn't lie—clear and resolute, radiating a fearless will. 'I love you too, darling.' In his reply, she secretly resolved to ensure the safety and reunion of her family. —When the Li couple were in dire straits, I, possessing the [demigod body], finally broke through my limits and arrived at the abandoned building. "Finally here." The moment I put on my mask and confirmed the situation, the system activated its full-scale assistance: [Abandoned building terrain and enemy positions marked] There were five enemies flanking from behind that needed to be dealt with first—there was still cover in front, but a surprise attack from behind could be fatal in an instant. Confirming the map showing the terrain of the abandoned building, I threw myself towards the location of the enemies silently approaching from behind. Due to long-term overexertion, my joints made a sound of unbearable strain with each run. Thanks to the physical strength gained from such brutal training, I was lucky enough to arrive before the guys surrounding my parents reached their location. "Those responsible for delaying the enemy at the front will finish the battle in one go." I heard their conversation from the front, planning to buy time to defeat the enemy in one fell swoop. "Die!" The moment I heard those words, I was filled with rage and silently approached the last enemy, snapping his neck with my bare hands. "Crack!" The enemy, unaware of his own death, fell with wide eyes. I relentlessly locked onto the next target. "Enemy attack from behind!" Just as I finished off one enemy and turned to the next, the enemy ahead reacted immediately upon hearing the sound of their comrade's throat breaking. "Reinforcements have arrived?!" The panicked enemy was about to turn and aim at me— "Crack!" After instantly eliminating the locked-on target, the remaining enemies immediately unleashed a hail of bullets at me. "Rat-a-tat-tat!" At such close range, there was no need for precise aiming; I could simply fire at the torso. This distance was enough to instantly kill a seasoned mercenary, but it meant nothing to me, who surpassed human limits. The trajectories of all the bullets were clearly visible to me, as if the whole world was in slow motion. While seeing the dozens of bullets coming towards me, I had already locked onto the next target. I swatted away the bullets with my hand and lunged in front of the enemy, my fist sending him flying with the sensation of breaking ribs. "Crack!" Confirming certain death, I turned to the remaining two enemies without hesitation. Seeing me unscathed despite being riddled with bullets at close range, they stared in horror. "You're wearing a bulletproof vest?!" "Stop standing there, get out of the way, you idiot!" "Uh!" I flashed in front of the stunned enemy and snapped his neck. As the last man frantically raised his gun— "Crack..." I broke his arm and neck much faster than I pulled the trigger. "Phew...""The most threatening enemy behind my parents has been temporarily eliminated. The seemingly long battle actually lasted less than a minute. But it's too early to relax now; the system indicator shows the enemy still has rocket launchers. Intense gunfire is coming from ahead; casualties could occur at any moment if left unchecked. The key is how to eliminate the enemy while remaining concealed. When I found a dusty toothpick container in the corner, I found the answer. — Rat-a-tat-tat! Lee Jong-oh realized the defensive line was about to collapse during the continuous firing. Ammunition was running out, and the enemy was difficult to eliminate due to cover. The disadvantage of four against ten was exacerbated by the harassment from the rear. Seeing Park Ha-eun changing the last magazine, he gritted his teeth and ordered: "Rachel! Ross! Abandon the rear to support the front!" Once they switch to pistols against rifle fire, annihilation is only a matter of time. "Abandon the rear?!" Ross questioned without a response—the most urgent task is to prevent the front from collapsing. "Retreating now will mean certain death! At least hold on!" John, usually so taciturn, spoke with unusual excitement, compelling his comrades to believe him. Just as everyone was sinking into despair, Park Ha-eun suddenly patted him on the shoulder: "The threat from behind is over." Lee Jong-oh frowned—without any reinforcement notification, how could they be safe? But trusting his comrade's intuition, he knew this comrade, who had saved the squad's lives multiple times, was not speaking carelessly. "Logically speaking, reinforcements shouldn't be able to arrive so quickly..." Their location was quite far from the PMC security group; even the abandoned building was situated in an extremely remote corner. Even if the other side set off immediately, there was no way the support troops could arrive here so quickly. No, if they had really arrived, she should have noticed long ago, but she had no such premonition at all. This meant that reinforcements hadn't arrived yet—but the sudden loss of unease behind her made her feel strange. "But it's certain." This intuition had saved her countless times on the battlefield. Since it had never been wrong, the safety of the rear must be a fact. Hearing Park Ha-eun's words, Lee Jong-wook, while keeping watch on the front lines, deduced a certain conclusion: "Could it be that other guys who have their eyes on us have invaded?" "Ever since those enemies who attempted to harm his son Chen Shi appeared, he suspected the existence of another force specifically targeting them. Although he couldn't confirm whether those people belonged to the same camp as the enemies before him, the possibility certainly existed. While pondering this, he immediately dismissed the idea—since Park Ha-eun had clearly stated there was no threat from behind, she wouldn't feel safe now if a new enemy had appeared. 'What exactly happened…' He couldn't find an answer to the unexpected turn of events involving those approaching from behind, and could only turn his attention back to the front. Just stopping the invading enemies was enough to cause him a lot of headaches. EP0482 - Rat-a-tat-tat bullets whistled through the abandoned building, hunting down every moving enemy. The direct firefight had lasted for five minutes, and David, witnessing John and Cathy struggling to hold on, gradually realized that time was running out. 'We've been dragging this out too long.' He had thought he could quickly subdue the four of them, but he hadn't expected the enemy's strength to far exceed his expectations. Watching his comrades at the front advance slowly but steadily, he contacted his teammates flanking him via radio: 'No time left. Where are you?'" "-.... "Lena, Eion, Krasi, answer me! How far have we progressed?" "-.... The rear squad was nowhere to be found. A surprise attack requires precise timing, but now even basic communication was impossible. These comrades, who had risked their lives for each other's revenge, would never betray them, but the eerie silence on the radio made David uneasy. 'Reinforcements have arrived? No, it can't be this fast.' If there were reinforcements, they should have been ambushed long ago. And his comrades, who were like brothers, wouldn't have all gone missing—unless something had happened. 'What happened?' He calmly assessed: it must be a third-party intervention, and capable of taking down five veteran mercenaries instantly without alerting the front lines—such experts are few and far between. 'Who is it...?' There were neither gunshots nor alarms, meaning the rear squad had been wiped out before any warning could be given. 'We can't continue.' Realizing that delay would only be detrimental to their side, he grabbed the last remaining rocket launcher and ordered: 'Prepare for rocket barrage, everyone take cover!'" He hesitated as he aimed: the warehouse structure was complex, and a single shot wouldn't be enough to cripple all the resistance points. Even more troublesome was the dispersed targets; he only had enough ammunition left to lock onto one person. 'Lock on Cathy.' Ultimately, he chose to let John experience the same pain of losing his wife as he had. 'Die.' With the trigger pulled, the rocket hurtled towards Cathy's hiding place. — As David aimed at Cathy, Lee Jong-wook faced a desperate choice. Ammunition was running out, and the escape route his wife had mentioned earlier was now his only chance of survival. The Base64 cipher "All to the rear—" The command abruptly stopped. He was horrified to discover that the enemy still had rocket launchers, now aimed at Park Ha-eun's position. "Ha-eun!!" A heart-wrenching cry escaped his lips; his wife had already sensed the danger, a farewell smile playing on her lips as she looked back. (I. Love. You.) "No!!" Lee Jong-wook sprinted through the hail of bullets. He calculated that if he used his body to block the blast's epicenter, he might be able to buy her life. "Get out of the way!!" Park Ha-eun struggled frantically as she was held tightly, but heard her husband's gentle reassurance: "I'm alright...""Don't move." A sharp whooshing sound announced the impending end. "Ha-eun, I love you." Just as Lee Jong-wook gave up resisting, thinking it was too late, the rocket warhead struck the area with his cry of "I love you." - Boom!!! "Cathy!!!" "John!!!" The rocket struck their location, causing an explosion. Rose and Rachel, witnessing the scene from behind, simultaneously cried out their names. A direct hit from such an blast would likely be fatal for both of them. "It's over..." David, watching from the sidelines, saw the two engulfed in the explosion and was certain—the two indirectly responsible for his family's deaths had finally perished together. "It's been too long..." It had been far too long. How many days had he honed his blade of hatred since hearing from James that these two had indirectly caused his family's deaths? Just as he rejoiced at the end of his revenge, the moment the storm's dust settled, an unbelievable sight came into view—the two who should have been pulverized in the explosion were standing perfectly intact, embracing each other. Normally, the impact of an explosion would be enough to rip limbs off and shatter the body, yet they showed not a single scratch. "Why...?" "The intense heat should have burned their hair long ago, yet the couple before him were completely unharmed. Witnessing this, David could only stammer out this question, uttering a survival miracle far beyond human comprehension that he couldn't believe. — 'Uh…?' Lee Jong-wook, who also thought he was surely dead, was surprised to find that he felt no pain. 'It doesn't hurt…' Being in the blast at close range should have killed him instantly, yet his heart was still beating in his chest. Just as he wondered if he was hallucinating after death, a voice from ahead pulled him back to reality: 'Husband…?' Although Lee Jong-wook had shielded her from the explosion with his back, Park Ha-eun knew she should also be seriously injured. Yet now she had neither missing limbs nor burning pain. Confused, she called out to her husband. Feeling a sudden tremor in her arms behind her, she finally confirmed— 'Still alive…' Before he could speak, her intuition told her: her husband was still alive, still protecting her with his arms. This realization caused Park Ha-eun to violently break free from his embrace and turn around. 'Darling…!'" "Am I alive...?" "Darling!!" Hearing her husband's usual dull response, she could no longer contain her joy and hugged him tightly. Surviving such an explosion unscathed was nothing short of a miracle. "The enemy is still there." Suppressing the shock of surviving, Lee Jong-wook calmly reminded her and pushed his wife away. Looking around, even the enemy gunmen were stunned and stopped firing due to this illogical survival. They had to find cover before they recovered—thinking of this, he immediately pulled his wife back. "Kill them!!" A sudden roar from the enemy ranks brought the pursuers back to their senses. -Bang bang bang!! The belated gunfire could not reach the two who had taken cover. Although they had miraculously survived the explosion, facing the desperate situation of running out of ammunition and being outnumbered, "It's not over yet." After a brief moment of relief, Lee Jong-wook tensed up again, preparing to fight. Suddenly— "Ugh!!" "Ugh!" "Cough!!" "The enemy at the front lines screamed and fell to the ground one after another. Even before he could see what had happened, the sight made him cry out in his heart: 'Reinforcements!!' Judging that it was a sniper with a silencer, he shouted to boost morale: 'Reinforcements have arrived!! Hold on a little longer!!' Upon hearing this, the enemy formation was slightly disrupted. Taking advantage of this opening, the team members, having run out of ammunition, drew their pistols and returned fire. 'We survived…' Lee Jong-wook, who had also switched to a pistol, began firing in bursts. Meanwhile, the Skeleton Mercenary Group on the opposite side quickly regrouped—these desperate men, risking their lives for revenge, didn't care about reinforcements; they only wanted to fulfill their promise to David. The two determined teams continued to fight amidst the hail of bullets. 'Ugh!' 'Cough!'" "Even when their comrades in the front row fell to the ground, no one flinched, for this was the path they had chosen. — As my parents were struck by a rocket. Having just arrived at the scene, I almost forgot they were protected by the item and nearly rushed into the battlefield. [The user's parents are unharmed due to the item's effect] If it weren't for the system's timely reminder, I probably would have already pulverized the enemy ranks. Suppressing my anger, I slowly pulled a toothpick from the tube I had brought. 'Getting any closer will be dangerous.' Moving forward might alert my mother or expose me to the enemy. I maintained a distance from the enemy that wouldn't be detected, pinched a toothpick between my thumb and forefinger, and aimed at the enemy at the very front of the line. 'Stay calm.'" "If an ordinary person were to throw a toothpick with their bare hands, it would be impossible to harm an enemy wearing a bulletproof vest—but I'm different. With my strength, even a random piece of pebbles can become a deadly weapon. Even this slender toothpick can unleash terrifying destructive power. The only concern is that the toothpick's material is too fragile; I don't know if it can withstand my force—but through precise force control, the throwing power is just right to achieve instant kill. 'Crack!' A muffled thud of a sharp weapon piercing flesh came from afar. The enemy, his head pierced by a toothpick, let out a short scream and collapsed to the ground. 'Feels good.'" "After confirming the attack was effective, I flicked toothpicks from my fingers in quick succession, each shot precisely reaping the lives of the front-line enemies. EP0483 My comrades fell one after another to the guns of the enemy reinforcements, while the target of my revenge clung to life. "In the end... did I still fail..." David, who witnessed the entire scene, instinctively realized that his revenge plan had failed. Where did things go wrong? At what step did he go wrong? Was it because he couldn't eliminate the target of his revenge quickly enough? No, he had done everything he could. He had even used up all the RPGs he had reserved, yet the enemy miraculously survived the explosion. "Even the heavens are not on my side..." When he witnessed this miracle that should not have happened, he gritted his teeth in resentment, forcing himself to urge his comrades to continue the attack. But the miracle was not over—and ironically, enemy reinforcements arrived at that very moment. The sniping was so precise that its location was impossible to determine, demonstrating astonishing marksmanship. Watching his comrades fall one after another, he finally succumbed to utter despair. Why? Why does fate never favor him? They can create miracles, but his family can't receive such a blessing? Although Li Zhenshuo's parents survived thanks to the props, David could only see it as an injustice of fate. "Is it... over..." More than ten years of enduring hardship and biding his time to avenge his family, now everything had vanished. "David! Reinforcements have arrived! We must retreat immediately!" "..." "David!!!" James, who had been assisting in the revenge the entire time, roared, but his body felt like it was filled with lead and he couldn't move. No, he didn't want to move. He had clearly planned a long-term strategy of kidnapping the protected target, but now he couldn't even take a step to retreat. Ever since he saw the man and woman unharmed in the explosion, his will had completely collapsed. "Ugh!" "Thud!" Sniper bullets continued to reap the lives of his comrades. "Damn it! Everyone retreat!!" James grabbed his arm and dragged him along. The other survivors began to evacuate as well. The wounded at the entrance had to be abandoned—no one knew how many more enemy troops the enemy would commit. David just stood there, watching everything. — "Phew..." When the intimidation of the toothpick headshot finally took effect and the enemy began to retreat, I finally breathed a sigh of relief. The moment I unleashed the RPG on my parents, I almost lost control and went berserk. If it weren't for the system's restraint, I probably would have already revealed my abilities and killed them all. In that case, explaining the whole story to my parents would have taken a lot of effort. "Thanks, system, I'm so grateful for you." "[You flatter me, dear user]" The system responded to my gratitude with a steady electronic voice. Just as I was catching my breath—I heard a flurry of footsteps coming from downstairs. 'The reinforcements have finally arrived.' After confirming my parents' safety, I quietly left the scene. Now that the main character had left, there was no need to continue the charade. 'Time to take care of the aftermath.' Through the system's monitoring, I saw David leading his remaining troops away from the ruins. If I didn't eliminate them completely, my parents would be in danger again. While tracking them, I took a moment to check on Swan's situation—she was returning home with her guards. 'Good that she's home safely.' With a sense of accomplishment from completing my escort mission, I stealthily followed the fleeing soldiers. — 'They survived...'Only after the enemy had completely disappeared did Lee Jong-wook truly feel the reality of surviving a catastrophe. "Ah..." The exhaustion from escaping death left his limbs weak. But the thought of another enemy attack forced him to tense up. The clicking sound of a large number of people rushing into the building made him instinctively raise his gun. "Relax, they're our people." Park Ha-eun shook her head to stop her husband. He looked at his wife, whom he always trusted—her temples were damp with sweat and dust, yet she was still breathtakingly beautiful. Lee Jong-wook suddenly stepped forward and hugged her tightly. "T-what's wrong?" Faced with her husband's unusual behavior, which rarely showed his emotions, Park Ha-eun was momentarily bewildered. "Because I love you." "What are you saying..." She went from surprise to a smile, finally responding with an equally tight hug. "Reinforcements have arrived!" Krom's voice came from downstairs, breaking the brief moment of tenderness. They were supposed to be under attack and engaged in a firefight, but when they went upstairs, there wasn't a single enemy in sight. The unease of not being able to hear even the gunshots made him run frantically, then he stopped abruptly at the sight before him—two men and women were embracing each other, while two other men and women were slumped on the ground resting. "Damn...looks like I'm too late..." The bodies of enemies they had just fought lay scattered around them. Realizing the situation was hopeless, he slowly walked towards the resting group. Seeing Krom approach, Park Ha-eun, who had broken free from Lee Jong-wook's embrace, thanked him: "Thank you for c