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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 26
Chapter Title: Cheongdam-dong, An Unexpected Incident - Part 1
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"...How was that possible?"
After Lee Hyun-wook finished his report, General Choi Jeong-cheol asked in a low voice.
"Hmm, your profile says you can control 300g, but from what you just reported, it sounds like you moved several times that amount. I didn't mishear, did I?"
He spoke calmly, a gentle smile on his warm face.
But Lee Hyun-wook knew well that he was by no means an easy man to deal with.
After all, in a few years, he would be known as one of the guardians of South Korea.
'The Necromancer was so wary of him that he even attempted an early assassination.'
Six years later, Choi Jeong-cheol would fend off the first invasion of the Necromancer's legion coming down from the north.
An undead army of ten thousand, an immortal legion that refused to die and persistently regenerated, he would sweep them away with an equally persistent blaze, reducing them to ashes beyond regeneration.
'If Inferno was a rocket launcher that could fire indefinitely, Choi Jeong-cheol was a tactical nuclear bomb in a single strike.'
As an 'Archmage,' the highest specialization among mages, he had forgone all other forms of magic to focus solely on range and destructive power, which made it all possible.
It was a lopsided build, but it made him a definitive military asset.
But in the end, the flames of Seoul and the flames of Busan,
both were extinguished, and the Korean peninsula was plunged into darkness.
...Finishing his brief thought, Lee Hyun-wook nodded and answered Choi Jeong-cheol's question.
"A little while ago, a message popped up saying I'd completed an achievement, and my abilities improved. As you mentioned, Brigadier General, it's not 300g anymore. I can now control 15kg and have gained a few skills."
15kg. He revealed a reasonable level of improvement.
"Hmm, an achievement..."
In this game, the 'achievement system' was as rare as 'quests'.
"To be precise, I earned an achievement called
He added the plausible details he had prepared in advance.
Choi Jeong-cheol seemed to ponder for a moment but soon retracted his suspicious gaze.
This was an era where there wasn't even a sliver of possibility that 'F-Ranks' could grow.
No matter how he thought about it, an achievement was the only plausible explanation.
"...Well, if it's an achievement like that, it's certainly a plausible story."
Choi Jeong-cheol turned to look at Kim Kang-seok.
And he gave a meaningful smile.
"Battalion Commander, then this young man can't really be considered an F-Rank anymore, can he?"
"Brigadier General, in my opinion, his qualities as a soldier have already far surpassed that limit."
"Hahaha, yes, I admit it. He's a young man worthy of the Battalion Commander's praise."
According to the formula that they couldn't grow, he was an F-Rank, but his actual combat power was C-Rank or higher.
With this, even the biggest obstacle to his officer commission had been removed... or so Kim Kang-seok thought.
"Corporal Lee Hyun-wook, I'll say it again: you've done an excellent job. You didn't just carry out your mission well as an A.M.T member; you protected countless lives... yes, you protected a part of our society..."
Choi Jeong-cheol reached out a short arm and patted Lee Hyun-wook's shoulder.
"Then there should be a reward, shouldn't there?"
Of course, it was expected.
"Is there any item you want? Say, magic armor or something. Just name it."
Unfortunately, he didn't know what items were in the brigade's armory.
'I don't need armor since I'll get something similar once Metal Absorption is complete.'
So he couldn't pinpoint a specific item...
'A weapon I'll need soon... yes, I should ask for that.'
Lee Hyun-wook nodded.
"Yes, thank you very much. There are... a few items I need."
"Alright, speak freely. I'll give the order."
"I would like weapons imbued with divine power. Two one-handed swords would be great."
Divine power (神聖力), literally, sacred power.
It was the fundamental power of priests and paladins, the antithesis of dark power.
In other words, it was highly effective against undead and ghost-type monsters.
'I need to steadily increase my divine power for the future.'
Again, it was because of a certain name that came to mind.
Meanwhile, Choi Jeong-cheol wore a puzzled expression.
"Hmm, your ability has nothing to do with divine power, does it?"
"That's right. However... I felt the need to have weapons of various attributes after this incident."
"Why is that?"
"The spider-like monster from the Unlucky Event was practically immune to physical damage. In A.M.T operations, we never know what kind of monsters with what traits and attributes we'll face... It suddenly occurred to me that it would be very difficult to deal with tenacious monsters like the undead, so I thought I should equip myself with weapons imbued with divine power."
As he gave his plausible excuse, Choi Jeong-cheol nodded.
"Oh... you're a thorough one. You also know how to learn from experience. Very good!"
"Thank you."
"Alright, I'll tell the supply depot to pick out a few decent ones for you. You can take as many as you want."
Choi Jeong-cheol didn't place much importance on military bearing, so these words wouldn't score high with him, but Kim Kang-seok was smiling contentedly, pleased with every single word.
"...Ah! And shouldn't we add another stripe to his chest this time, Battalion Commander?"
"Yes, I was just about to ask you about that. If you permit it, I will process it."
One more stripe on a Corporal's rank meant Sergeant.
In other words, a special promotion.
His regular promotion was about two months away.
'This... it feels like they're laying the groundwork to make me an officer...'
Lee Hyun-wook realized the intention behind their special promotion.
But sorry, he had no intention of falling for their plan.
"Then you'll be Sergeant Lee Hyun-wook in a few days?"
"Thank you. I will work even harder from now on."
"Hmm, no. If you work any harder than you are now, we'll be in trouble, son!"
"...Pardon?"
"You'd have to take down at least a Drake to do that! Hahaha!"
Choi Jeong-cheol joked and laughed heartily.
***
Lee Hyun-wook made one more request to the Brigadier General.
'Brigadier General, I'd prefer if my face wasn't revealed to the public because of this incident.'
There was nothing to be gained from his face being revealed to the world.
But this was a welcome decision from the A.M.T's perspective as well.
It would be tiresome if civilian guilds started eyeing a soldier they were trying to nurture.
Therefore, Lee Hyun-wook's existence was not revealed in the news covering the incident.
- ...Tips about the heroic actions of an A.M.T soldier during the Seoul Station Unlucky Event are pouring in. It is reported that a single soldier saved over eight hundred citizens from monsters before the Fist King, Han Tae-san, entered. However, the identity of this soldier has not been confirmed.
- ...Citizens who were trapped at Seoul Station are saying in unison that the A.M.T soldier was the one who truly saved them, even more so than the Fist King, and that this hero deserves the spotlight.
Of course, there were also movements to investigate the story in more detail.
It was only natural, as it was currently the public's biggest interest...
'In four days, a huge story will break that will bury all of this anyway.'
The Seoul Station Unlucky Event was literally a precursor.
The true beginning of the 4th Wave that was about to start...
All the gossip up to now was about to become irrelevant.
And Lee Hyun-wook, too, was planning to prepare for that time starting now.
However...
- Time remaining until Metal Absorption is complete (16:19:59).
"Half a day..."
The 'Secret Armor of Manannán mac Lir' was not an easy item to digest.
Even though he was running his internal furnace at 150% efficiency, just enough to function in daily life, it still required another 16 hours.
"Whew... a Hero-grade item is still a bit much for me to absorb."
Of course, there were many things to take care of in the meantime.
First, he planned to cash out the 'Reward Points' given by the Brigadier General.
'I got 8,000 points from this reward...'
In cash, that was about 12 million won.
And yesterday, his salary came in, adding another 2.3 million won.
Lee Hyun-wook bought a large number of items from the PX item shop that could be converted to cash.
He then called Park Cheol-su, who came for a visit that very evening.
It was possible because the distance from Singil to Namsan wasn't too far.
Lee Hyun-wook sat across from Park Cheol-su in the visitation room.
"Hyung, sorry for making you come all this way. I'm in a position where I can't move around..."
"It's fine. What's up?"
Lee Hyun-wook first handed him a paper bag.
It contained four cans of the highest-quality baby formula.
"Here, take this first. They said it's the best. I don't know what the baby eats, but I picked it out."
"Ah, you shouldn't have... thank you."
Next, he handed over the orbs and asked him to cash them all out and invest in stocks.
"Ah, and hyung, I have one more favor to ask. I need you to go to the blacksmith alley."
"Blacksmith alley? Why there?"
He handed over Master Kang Jeong-du's business card with a note of what he wanted to order.
"Steel beads... imbued with divine power? Uh, okay. Why do you need something like that?"
"They have their uses. Just tell Master Kang my name, and he'll take care of it."
"First the investment in holy water manufacturing, and now items imbued with divine power are about to go up in price... Ah, don't tell me you're hoarding?"
Connecting it to the stocks Lee Hyun-wook told him to invest in... he was quick on the uptake.
However, since he hadn't told him the crucial part, there was no way he could grasp the full picture.
"No, can you really hoard with just 3 million won?"
"Hmm, anyway, I get it. But those stocks... are they really going to rise? I haven't seen any related news."
"Hyung, just wait a little. And you should invest too."
"..."
"Hyung, trust me."
"Okay, I will."
Because once the great disaster begins, they'll skyrocket like Bitcoin back in the day...
Lee Hyun-wook swallowed those words.
***
"What, why is no one here?"
When Lee Hyun-wook returned from the visitation room, the barracks were empty.
He had planned to take everyone for training. Had they all gone to the PX or something? With that thought, he grabbed his water bottle and went outside.
His internal furnace was running, but he couldn't neglect his workout.
He had to wear his combat uniform to use the training grounds, so Lee Hyun-wook changed.
And on the way to the training grounds...
"...Oh! You're here?"
Near the pull-up bars, Ahn Min-tae and the other squad members were gathered.
There were quite a few soldiers from other squads as well.
At Lee Hyun-wook's appearance, they all turned their heads as if on cue.
And one by one, they began to greet him.
"Ah, Corporal Lee Hyun-wook! Good work!"
"G-Good work, hehe..."
This, no matter how he looked at it...
'I feel like I'm getting a lot of attention from these sweaty guys.'
Lee Hyun-wook couldn't help but feel a strange pressure.
Anyway, that was why there were a dozen or so people crowded around four pull-up bars.
It was saturated.
Just a few days ago, there wasn't a single person here...
"...Hmm, what's going on? Why are there so many people?"
"Ah! Are you going to use this bar?"
A Private First Class from the 4th Squad said as he got off the pull-up bar.
"No, you use it. I'm heading to the training grounds."
"Oh? Then may I come with you?"
The guy followed Lee Hyun-wook with an awkward expression.
They usually didn't even acknowledge each other, but now he was being overtly friendly.
But it wasn't just one guy; there were three or four of them.
That was the number openly following him, and there were others trailing subtly from a distance.
'...What's with these guys?'
Ahn Min-tae grinned and stuck closest to him.
"Wow, they look like kids following a candy seller. Look at their faces, hoping a piece of candy will drop."
"What's with that analogy, Ahn Min-tae... Are you from the generation that followed candy sellers?"
"Well, I imagine that's what it looked like, right?"
But when they arrived at the training grounds, Lee Hyun-wook heard a funny story.
"...Jun-mo did duel training?"
"Yes, he did. That's why he just went to the infirmary."
Whenever a new batch of recruits arrived, the seniors had a bad habit that would kick in.
They would make the new recruits have duel training against each other.
Park Jun-mo had also been such a plaything until he became a Private First Class, and his record was... all losses.
He really had no talent for it.
"Hah, the infirmary? Did he get beaten again?"
"Haha, no. It's the opposite."
"...Huh?"
"He broke the opponent's nose and then electrocuted him, knocking him flat on his back."
...Oh, what's this?
When Lee Hyun-wook made that face, Ahn Min-tae chuckled and explained.
"That guy, Park Jun-mo, has been going crazy lately, saying he wants to be like you, Corporal Lee. He's even doing 5 sets of 7-8 pull-ups and training his ability diligently. It's quite admirable."
Come to think of it, his skill with electricity seemed to have improved quite a bit at Seoul Station.
"Ah, so that's why..."
Lee Hyun-wook looked around.
These guys who were tagging along... after seeing him change completely, and now even Park Jun-mo showing some improvement, did they think he had some kind of secret?
'It's like... I feel like a top-tier cram school instructor from Daechi-dong...'
Lee Hyun-wook didn't know it, but a joke was going around the company: "Ride the Lee Hyun-wook coin, and you'll go to the moon."
Just then, someone else approached.
"Um..."
It was the large Private First Class, Lee Won-seok.
He was carrying a training greatsword on one shoulder.
"...Corporal Lee Hyun-wook?"
As his deep voice rumbled, everyone nearby couldn't help but tense up.
They thought the relationship between the two, who had recently fought, was not good.
Lee Hyun-wook also wondered if the guy hadn't learned his lesson and was trying to pick another fight.
"..."
But he looked quite different from before.
Most notably, the cronies he used to have around him like a backdrop, his fellow recruits, were standing far off, hesitantly watching them.
"If you have a moment, there's something I'd like to ask."
"What is it?"
"...Would you... would you have another duel with me?"
At that statement, someone swallowed nervously.
Could it be that he'd been sharpening his blades since his last defeat and was now requesting a 'rematch'?
"..."
A moment of silence...
Then, Lee Won-seok's expression turned flustered.
"Ah! N-no, I mean... I'm not trying to pick a fight or anything. To be honest..."
"..."
"I, uh... I want to learn from you what my weaknesses are!"
Lee Won-seok bowed his head deeply.
"I-I want to apply to be a non-commissioned officer, but I feel like I'm severely lacking!"
"..."
This was just as bewildering a situation.
The guy who used to hang out with Oh Sang-guk and Gwak Jin-cheol, acting like a thug, was now swallowing his pride and asking for a lesson from Lee Hyun-wook, the one who had beaten him up...
Lee Hyun-wook let out a small laugh.
"Perfect."
"Pardon?"
"I was just thinking I could use a live training partner. Get up here."
Lee Hyun-wook said as he climbed into the combat box.
"Ah, uh... huh..."
Lee Won-seok's face turned pale.
The nightmare from last time came flooding back.
"What, you don't want to?"
"N-no, sir! You can beat me as much as you want if you'll teach me! But, Corporal Lee Hyun-wook? Could you... p-please not choke me...?"
Lee Hyun-wook glared.
"Higher-tier orcs sometimes use grappling and ground techniques. As a tanker, are you planning to run away if you meet one?"
"Ah..."
At that, the guy slapped his own cheeks a few times and then jumped straight into the combat box.
"Yes! Then I'll be ready to get knocked out!"
This phenomenon, the attention and requests from his company members, was honestly quite a hassle.
However...
'It's very useful.'
Lee Hyun-wook thought it was actually a good thing.
The 4th Wave...
To survive the long, drawn-out hell that was about to begin, he needed to utilize the battalion's forces.
According to the original history, the number of survivors from the 1st Company, 1st Battalion after the 4th Wave was...
'...only seven people, including me.'
Yes, it was practically a wipeout.
'But this time will be different.'
Lee Hyun-wook looked at the company members training hard.
'If they follow my lead, we won't just survive...'
He loosened his wrists and faced Lee Won-seok.
'...we might be able to devour the 4th Wave whole.'
If controlling and clearing a single gate was like sea fishing, the 4th Wave was like hunting and butchering a massive whale.
In other words, it was not a problem that could be solved alone. Like operating a whaling ship across the ocean, it required the combined strength of a large crew.
And as if to support his ambition, a system message appeared before his eyes.
- Metal Absorption complete. (Secret Armor of Manannán mac Lir)
* Controllable metal weight has increased: 2,961g
'The Hero-grade armor... I've finally absorbed it.'
- Current controllable 'metal' weight: 21,358g
A 2.9kg increase in an instant. His metal control had surpassed 20kg.
But this was only the beginning.
- Congratulations! You have met special conditions, and the 'Solidify' skill will be significantly enhanced!
Since the absorbed metal was an 'armor' item, it naturally fused with the similar 'Solidify' skill.
The various options attached to the Hero-grade armor—some of them must have been converted into skills.
Just as Lee Hyun-wook was about to check the details...
- *BEEP* Ah, this is a broadcast from the administration office...
Something unexpected began.
- ...Corporal Lee Hyun-wook, Corporal Lee Hyun-wook, please report to the Battalion Commander's office immediately. You are summoned by the Battalion Commander. End of transmission.
A summons from the Battalion Commander on a Saturday morning? He couldn't even begin to guess what it was about.
Lee Hyun-wook immediately headed for the commander's office.
And the moment he opened the door to the office,
"...If you send them there, my men will all die!"
Kim Kang-seok's voice was like a roar.
Lee Hyun-wook was momentarily stunned.
He had never seen Kim Kang-seok shout before.
Someone was sitting in front of him.
It was Warrant Officer Cheon Myeong-ho, a raid tactics instructor from the Black Tiger Unit.
The two men turned their heads to look at Lee Hyun-wook.
Their faces were grim and tense.
...Anyway, what did he mean, they would all die?