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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 20
Chapter Title: Seoul Station, Unlucky Event - 2
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Approximately 10 minutes before the gate appeared.
Yongsan, 3rd Anti-Monster Brigade Headquarters, Brigade Commander's Office.
"...What? Lieutenant Colonel Kim, what kind of nonsense are you spouting now?"
Kim Kang-seok, commander of the 1st Battalion of the 3rd Anti-Monster Brigade, was being reprimanded.
The one yelling at him was Colonel Goo Jin-tae, the Chief of Staff of the 3rd Anti-Monster Brigade.
"Chief of Staff, I have given this serious thought before speaking."
"This isn't a matter of being serious, man!"
Kim Kang-seok had just reported on three recent incidents to the Brigade Commander and Chief of Staff.
The goblin gate incident on base, the kobold gate incident in Itaewon-2 dong, and the orc gate incident at Namsan Mountain.
And he had not failed to mention that at the center of it all was the F-rank Player, Lee Hyun-wook.
The reaction had been quite positive up to that point.
He had even received praise for how well-trained his soldiers were.
But…
When he concluded by expressing his desire to train Lee Hyun-wook as an officer, the atmosphere turned ice-cold.
"Who in their right mind would agree to commissioning a soldier, an F-rank at that, as an officer?"
"..."
"Ha... Do you really think this makes any sense?"
Amidst the Chief of Staff's scolding, Kim Kang-seok looked toward the 3rd Anti-Monster Brigade Commander, General Choi Jeong-cheol.
"..."
He sat with his legs crossed, saying nothing.
However, the fact that he didn't stop Goo Jin-tae's harsh words meant he was in some agreement.
But Kim Kang-seok did not back down.
"Chief of Staff, I do not believe that the qualifications of an A.M.T officer are determined by Player abilities randomly assigned by the game."
"What?"
"...Rather, it is the will to overcome this entire system, the will to fight in any situation... I am certain that soldier possesses that quality."
"Hey! Kim Kang-seok! Do you think we pull our troops out of thin air? As it is, all the Player Training Center graduates are going to private guilds. If an F-rank gets commissioned as an officer, who in the world would apply to be an A.M.T officer? You know as well as I do that this could lead to calls for the A.M.T to be abolished!"
If an F-rank becomes an officer, it will tarnish the A.M.T's honor. That was what Goo Jin-tae believed.
*It's unfortunate, but he has a point.*
Kim Kang-seok had to admit it.
The war against monsters was no longer driven by a sense of duty to save humanity.
Powerful Players wanted fame and money.
Creating an environment that could satisfy them… was undoubtedly one of the A.M.T's greatest challenges.
But to ask officer candidates to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with an F-rank Player…
*...They wouldn't be pleased.*
Just then, Choi Jeong-cheol slowly raised his left hand.
"...Chief of Staff, hold on a moment."
"Brigade Commander, this is really not…"
Goo Jin-tae tried to argue, but he stopped short upon seeing Choi Jeong-cheol's smile.
It was a good-natured smile, to be sure… but to them, it felt entirely different.
"Chief of Staff, I'd like to say something too."
"Ah! My apologies. Please, speak, Brigade Commander."
Goo Jin-tae, who had been fuming, bowed his head deeply.
Brigadier General Choi Jeong-cheol, Commander of the A.M.T's 3rd Anti-Monster Brigade.
With his short, stocky build, balding head, and a cute appearance reminiscent of an old bulldog—especially sitting in front of the bear-like Kim Kang-seok, which made him look exceptionally small—no Player, no matter how distinguished, would dare disrespect him.
The reason was simple.
He was an A-rank Player, ranked 31st in South Korea.
Not only that, he was one of the few 'tactical weapons' capable of casting 'large-scale area-of-effect magic' on his own. Anyone who knew of the time he incinerated an entire island on the South Coast conquered by 'Fishmen', roasting hundreds of them alive…
"Hmm, interesting. To see commanders getting so worked up over an F-rank, ho ho…"
…would be able to read the terror hidden behind his gentle face.
Even Kim Kang-seok felt the man's gravitas, growing tense without realizing it.
"Well, I'm sure the Battalion Commander has his reasons. But, it seems you've already seen something in that friend… In my opinion, I'd like him to undergo a few more tests. That should be fine, right?"
"Yes, of course."
"Good. An officer's commission isn't some colonial-era Japanese police armband that can be easily given and taken away, so I need to be certain too. You understand my thinking, right?"
He said, chuckling softly.
Even with this somewhat positive response, Kim Kang-seok's mind was not at ease.
*A test from the Brigade Commander… is practically impossible.*
While Kim Kang-seok prioritized a soldier's mentality above all else, Choi Jeong-cheol was a man who valued only skill. Failure to produce a perfect result would mean failing to win his approval.
It was then.
*Knock, knock.*
Someone knocked on the door of the commander's office and entered cautiously.
It was the Brigade Commander's aide.
For some reason, his expression was grim.
"Brigade Commander, there is a call for the 1st Battalion Commander. It seems urgent."
An urgent call… Kim Kang-seok instinctively rose to his feet.
"Go on, take the call, Battalion Commander."
"Yes, sir!"
Kim Kang-seok hurried outside.
A moment later, when he returned to the commander's office, his expression was dark.
He spoke without even sitting down.
"Brigade Commander, we have a report of a gate opening within the 1st Battalion's area of responsibility. But the location is…"
He paused and swallowed dryly.
"...Seoul Station."
"Seoul Station? That's not good at all."
"And I don't know how this happened, but…"
Kim Kang-seok handed a tablet PC he had brought from somewhere to the Brigade Commander.
A video began to play.
It was a live feed from a drone camera, but Seoul Station itself wasn't visible.
To be precise, Seoul Station was obscured by something.
"A dome?"
It was a black dome.
An enormous black dome had sealed off Seoul Station like a lid.
"Yes, sir. The entire station is enveloped in this black dome."
At this, even Choi Jeong-cheol frowned.
"This is serious. This is an
"Yes, sir, I believe so too. There seem to be various restrictions… It is estimated that nearly a thousand civilians are isolated inside."
A fundamental characteristic of an Unlucky Event was to 'isolate' a specific area.
"Tsk—There must be a level restriction for entry, right? If so, the station guards alone won't be able to hold out…"
"We'll need to confirm the exact details, but it's presumed such a condition is in place. I will report back as soon as it's confirmed."
Choi Jeong-cheol nodded and stood up from his seat.
"Ah! Speaking of which, that F-rank friend, he must be under level 15… How about we assign him to the rescue mission this time? As the test you mentioned."
"About that…"
Choi Jeong-cheol had proposed the test sooner than expected, but Kim Kang-seok could only wear a troubled expression.
"Why, is something wrong?"
"Brigade Commander, that soldier is already… inside the dome."
"...Hm?"
"I received a report that he arrived at Seoul Station with a female NCO while returning from leave. The Unlucky Event occurred immediately after."
Choi Jeong-cheol nodded.
"Oh dear, what a shame… Well, anyway, it can still be a test. If he can survive in there with just his own two hands, that'll be enough."
"..."
"Battalion Commander, get going. This is no ordinary matter. Many people will inevitably be sacrificed, but you must save every single person you can."
"Yes, sir!"
How ironic. To speak of a 'test' that gambled with someone's life, and then to speak of the 'duty' to protect lives.
But this was the realistic mindset a soldier had to have—to protect the lives of the people, even if it meant sacrificing and taking other lives.
***
*BOOM!*
With a deafening blast, pieces of the spider's skin exploded and scattered in all directions.
First its back, then its abdomen, followed by its legs, all bursting in sequence.
In the blink of an eye, the spider, its skin peeled away, looked like a freshly molted crayfish. Worse, the shattered skin fragments embedded themselves into its soft flesh, causing green fluid to ooze out.
*Screech! Screech! Screech! Screech!*
It was a pain that even a creature of its size couldn't endure, and it could only shriek weakly as it stumbled backward.
It was then.
*Thud-thud-thud-thump!*
A series of vibrations shook the floor.
It was coming from Hyun-wook's side.
Turning his head, he saw another spider charging toward him on its eight legs.
"Aah! Look out!"
Someone screamed.
But Hyun-wook didn't move an inch.
*Voom—*
Once again, he simply raised his left hand.
*Venomous Armored Spider. This is probably its first appearance.*
It was a monster appearing for the first time in this era.
But Hyun-wook already knew everything about the horrific creature.
*Its metallic body contains a poisonous gas. Bursting it recklessly would be a disaster.*
He focused his metal control toward his outstretched left hand.
He could sense metal without extending his hand, but this served as a kind of antenna.
It allowed him to concentrate his power on a more precise point.
He sensed the very heavy mass of metal there—the creature's hard skin.
"...You can't help but be in my grasp."
Hyun-wook muttered softly.
Monsters with metallic properties, regardless of their strength, were easy prey for him.
He could go beyond simply controlling their bodies to even pulverizing them like this.
*I can essentially dominate them.*
Hyun-wook gripped and shook the creature's skin as if tearing it off.
*Screech! Screech! Screech! Screech!*
With just that small gesture, the creature began to writhe in agony.
That was only the beginning.
*...Shatter!*
- Mana (131/159)
*BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!*
Again, the creature's hard shell shattered into tiny pieces, raining down in all directions.
"Huh, huff! Wh-what was that?"
The Seoul Station security team leader, standing awkwardly behind Hyun-wook, let out a gasp of astonishment.
"In, insane…"
From his perspective, it was an unbelievable scene.
An A.M.T Player, and a mere soldier at that, was able to subdue such a monstrous creature so easily…
*And that… that was definitely… a mechanism similar to an S-rank Player's ability!*
Players from E-rank to A-rank, whose traits were based on level growth, honestly couldn't display such overwhelming 'mystique'.
Of course, as their levels rose, they might eventually give off the impression of being 'superhuman'…
*...An Authority!*
But they couldn't evoke the feeling of a 'miracle' or 'authority' that transcended humanity.
S-ranks, however, were different.
The abilities they wielded were worthy of being called 'Authorities' rather than mere skills.
The ability to sweep across a battlefield with a single gesture, going beyond the role of a single outstanding warrior… a power that warranted being treated as a tactical or strategic weapon in the body of one person…
*It reminds me of when Inferno burned down a contaminated building in Busan two years ago.*
Of course, the power this man was displaying couldn't be compared in scale to the authority of the S-rank Player, Inferno. A detailed comparison would make it seem like a drop in the ocean.
But the impression was strikingly similar.
A certain mystique that transcended the superhuman—he caught a glimpse of it.
It was then.
As if intending to do something else, the man slowly raised both his hands.
*Shhh-shhh-shhh-shhh-shhh-*
The hard fragments of the spider's skin lying on the floor began to stir, one by one…
*Voom- voom- voom- voom- voom-*
The next moment, as if drawn by a magnet, they all shot up vertically into the air.
"...Hah!"
At the mystical sight, everyone gathered near the entrance raised their heads.
The uneven metal fragments glinted, reflecting the light from the ceiling's LED lamps.
"Wow…"
Someone breathed in awe.
Yes, at a glance, it was a beautiful scene.
Like some installation art made of crystal.
But the moment he dropped his raised hands toward the floor,
the genre shifted.
*SHWAAAA-!*
They instantly transformed into a ferocious swarm of hornets, flying toward the spiders.
*Screech! Screech! Screech! Screech! Screech! Screech!*
Hundreds of metal fragments began to rip and tear the spiders' thick flesh, bit by bit, all at once.
"Wow…"
"You there, are you with the Seoul Station security team?"
"...Yes?"
The security team leader, who had been watching the scene in a daze, met Lee Hyun-wook's eyes.
"Ah, yes! That's right!"
The team leader found himself speaking formally without even realizing it.
"Control the civilians and move up to the third floor. You won't be able to get out right now because of the 'Unlucky Event.' So you need to evacuate the civilians to a place where you can prepare for the second wave."
"Ah, you're right, we need to do that!"
"Oh, and that spider, it might release poison."
"...Poison, you say?"
"Yes, I saw something leaking from its shell. It's likely a gas."
"Ah, yes!"
Gas. The security chief understood this meant to prepare gas masks.
He immediately relayed Hyun-wook's instructions to his team members.
"Alright! Everyone, snap out of it and do your jobs! We have to protect the civilians!"
The seven station guards resumed their duties.
"Everyone! Please remain calm and listen to us!"
Controlling a panicked crowd of hundreds was no easy task, but the people of this era, accustomed to gate incidents as part of daily life, followed the Player's instructions without resistance.
"Okay, we will now proceed to the third floor! Please move slowly and in an orderly fashion!"
And so, hundreds of people began moving up the stairs to the third floor.
Meanwhile, as Hyun-wook continued his assault to finish off the two Venomous Armored Spiders, he was mentally mapping out his next steps.
*The second wave, the third wave. We have to survive at least two more waves before that dome will open.*
However…
*There's always a hidden path in a game.*
Lee Hyun-wook already knew another way.
***
The area affected by the Unlucky Event, with its hellish rules, wasn't that large.
Or perhaps, it should be said that Seoul Station was incredibly vast.
"Looks like only the second and third-floor waiting areas of Seoul Station are isolated."
One of the station guards remarked as they were evacuating to the third-floor waiting area.
And his assumption was correct.
But even so, the number of isolated civilians seemed to be well over 800.
Yet the station security force guarding that section consisted of only seven people… By all accounts, it was a worst-case scenario where they were all but guaranteed to be wiped out.
If an A.M.T soldier hadn't appeared out of nowhere and saved them all, that's surely what would have happened.
Everyone recognized this fact and felt a sense of relief, but…
"Fucking hell, shit…"
One of the trapped civilians, Yang Ju-seop, was not pleased by Lee Hyun-wook's appearance.
*Who the hell is that guy… Why is someone with that kind of power here?*
With blazing eyes, he glared at the Player, Lee Hyun-wook, who was finishing off the Venomous Armored Spiders.
At the same time, he read a line from a system message floating in his vision.
- (!) You have failed to achieve Main Quest '1' objective.
It was a notification that a quest assigned to him had failed, and it was because of Lee Hyun-wook.
*Agh, shit! Where the hell did that bastard pop out from? A Player with that much power wouldn't be taking the subway or a train, so why is he at Seoul Station? And an A.M.T soldier at that…*
That's right.
Yang Ju-seop was a 'Villain'.
At this point in time, the existence of Villains had not yet been clearly defined.
How they were born, what their objectives were—none of it had been made public… Villains were slowly, bit by bit, corroding the world by being assigned these 'quests'.
However, Yang Ju-seop was not yet an official Villain.
- You are currently a 'Villain Candidate'. Complete quests to raise your rank!
* Once a quest is accepted, failure to complete it properly will result in 'Game Over'.
Not just anyone could become a Villain.
For one, this quest to become a Villain Candidate wasn't given to just anyone.
Even if one received the quest, the clearance rate was not very high.
To top it off, the penalty for failing a quest was Game Over—in other words, death.
Only after completing several of these life-or-death missions could one become an official Villain and enter a certain 'secret organization' where true Villains gathered.
In Yang Ju-seop's case, if he could just complete one more quest here today, he would be promoted to a full-fledged Villain, but…
"That son of a bitch is about to ruin everything. If I get a chance, I'll stab him in the back…"
He was muttering to himself when he suddenly froze.
He had made eye contact with Lee Hyun-wook.
"..."
He had turned his head and was looking directly at Yang Ju-seop.
But his eyes, his pupils, were strange.
Within them, he could feel animosity… no, killing intent.
*Gulp—*
A chill ran down Yang Ju-seop's spine.
A sense of unease, far deeper than what he'd felt a year ago as an E-rank when he first faced an orc in a gate containment operation, pressed down on him.
*Wh-what is that… Is he glaring at me?*
He was momentarily intimidated, but he quickly scoffed and turned his head away.
"The hell do I care! He probably just glanced over by chance. There's no way he could know what I am, right?"
He chuckled as he said it.
After all, the world didn't know about Villains yet.
As long as he kept his wits about him and stuck to the plan, there was no way he could fail.
Thinking this, Yang Ju-seop secretly broke away from the group to complete his remaining quest.