Chapter 40 (1/2)

Chapter 40: Consumables (3)

TL: emptycube

Editor: Obelisk

They weren’t wearing military uniforms. They were wearing stiff, think pants, s.h.i.+rts and suspenders like the ones Choi Hyuk’s group had obtained from the supplies. It was highly likely that their original uniforms had melted from monster blood when they fought.

Even without their uniforms, their short hair, 20-year-old faces, personal weapons and tactical movements were enough for one to think, ‘They are soldiers!’ with a glance.

“So the military was here~”

Lee Jinhee exclaimed.

“They probably came here along with us. They most likely had to carry out a mission somewhere else for a long time. Look at how they fight. They are so experienced.”

Baek Seoin speculated.

“Are they Korean soldiers? They could be Chinese or j.a.panese soldiers…”

Chu Youngjin had his doubts.

Still, the three showed interest and seemed to want to approach the troops. It was obvious. This was the military that had disappeared. Wasn’t that the biggest question the world currently had?

However, Choi Hyuk calmly made a decision.

“… I don’t think there’s a need to approach them.”

The three’s gazes focused on him. Choi Hyuk raised his hand and pointed at a distant hill. In the middle of the ocean where everything was submerged in water, a hill protruded out of the water. Although it wasn’t very tall, it had the grandeur of Paektu Mountain[1].

He said.

“Our target destination.”

The slope of the hill became steeper the higher it went but, at some point, it just stopped. It seemed like there was a basin as monsters came up over it. They didn’t charge forward but instead closely gathered together on the hill. The arrow was indicating the basin beyond them.

“Ah… So we’re slowly coming to the final battle?”

Lee Jinhee revealed a nervous expression. When they were about to face such a large battle, it was obvious they didn’t have the time to try to become friends with the soldiers.

Baek Seoin groaned.

“That’s that but… there are already 93 people with just them. A small-scale squadron… Might they become a problem?

Choi Hyuk nodded.

Lee Jinhee became surprised and lifted her head.

“Ah right! Now that I think about it, didn’t they say there were only around 100 targets?”

To activate a return code, they needed to take down a target. However, with just the squadron and Choi Hyuk’s group, there were already 97 people.

Not only that, there were still at least a thousand aliens rus.h.i.+ng towards the hill.

“… Is it another battle royale?”

Chu Youngjin mumbled as he sincerely sympathized with the soldiers. He could tell just by looking at their fighting figures. They were a group that had survived by closely cooperating with each other. However, soon, that group would break apart. Perhaps they would even kill each other as there were a thousand compet.i.tors and only a hundred return codes.

Choi Hyuk nodded.

“Full speed ahead.”

Captain Lee Kangjin, the leader of the special force squadron, couldn’t forget that day.

He had just begun his morning activities when he discovered an ominous omen in the sky above the building.

“What is that…?’

Like a paper that was lit on fire, the edges of the sky were starting to turn brown. Black holes started to appear from various places. The clouds disappeared and not long after the sun disappeared as well. The world turned yellow as if it was covered in yellow dust[2]. The ground changed strangely as if it was entangled with corpses. It was dark-red like a dried squid.

The buildings turned to ash and scattered. The only things remaining were the dazed expressions of the special force soldiers, their weapons, and supplies.

This had all occurred within a span of a few minutes.

——————–

[Cut off the enemy supply route]

The path the monsters tread, Karuh Kapkun – 102.

Defend the highlands for 30 days.

——————–

A sudden message appeared in front of his eyes. First Sergeant Jang Sudong, who was walking next to the confused Captain Lee Kangjin, tapped his shoulder and called out to him. He handed him a pair of binoculars.

“Captain, please take a look. It’s not my eyes that are weird, right?”

The fences and buildings had all disappeared. Even the mountain disappeared and the strange new ground had a gentle slope. As Captain Lee Kangjin was already standing on the highlands, he was able to look down the slope. Countless troops were spread across the slope. There looked to be at least 30,000 people.

“Ah, yes. Let’s see… that’s the 21st division.”

He replied calmly when he looked into the binoculars that had been handed him. The 21st infantry division. Also known as the Paektu Mountain troops. Though it was definitely weird that he could see the frontlines general outpost troops from here, what could possibly shock him after seeing the sky and ground change, and buildings disappear? It wasn’t that he was calm but simply rather stupefied.

“They are the Chinese troops, American troops, the j.a.panese Self-Defense Forces… even the North Korean People’s Army. Huh, d.a.m.n. What about Russia? Oh… there they are. Even all the Northeast Asian countries are gathered here. Haha.”

While Captain Lee Kangjin was laughing like a fool, First Sergeant Jang Sudong tapped him once more and said.

“Captain. If this isn’t a dream… I think we’re f.u.c.ked.”

The first sergeant was pointing to something below the slope. Clouds were gathering at that point. No, bizarre creatures were chaotically charging towards the troops spread across the slope. Their ferocity sent s.h.i.+vers down his spine as looked at them through the binoculars.

The North Korean People’s Army, which was located the furthest down the slope, became chaotic. Though they were a few kilometers away, he could easily see their bustling movements.

Captain Lee Kangjin, who wasn’t able to believe what was happening, suddenly woke up from his dazed state. It was as if a bucket of cold water had been poured on him. Though unbelievable things occurred one after another, a fact became concrete the moment he saw the monsters.

Everything he saw, even the air that brushed against his skin and the sounds and scents, everything was emitting a vicious sense of ill will and hostility.

Danger grounded them in reality. In his mind, the thought, ‘Just what is happening?’ was quickly replaced with an urgent desire to seek solutions. ‘What do I do now?’ The answer was simple.

Captain Lee Kangjin and the First Sergeant Jang Sudong shouted at the same time.

“Ammunition technician!!”

The war continued for a month.

Numerous troops were annihilated and reorganized. At some point, even ranks became insignificant. Commanders kept dying one after another so they just let whoever was good at commanding be the commander.

There would be a casualty at every pa.s.sing moment. Everyone was desperate. Soldiers searched around, looking for any dropped rations whilst shoving weapons of annihilated troops into their Handy Bags that they had obtained through killing monsters. They desperately protected functioning heavy firearms and endured again and again.

If it wasn’t for the occasional supplies and the items dropped from the monster corpses, they wouldn’t have been able to avoid annihilation. They fought like that for a month.

‘Still, we united and won.’

That was what Captain Lee Kangjin thought.

How many times have troops been annihilated and reorganized in that mess? Although the only original member of his troop that was still with him was the First Sergeant Jang Sudong, they still won in the end. Then, they left that h.e.l.l and received a new mission.

It wasn’t any less… No, it was more h.e.l.lish than before but they had hope this time.