Chapter 25 (1/2)

Episode 25

The people were watching the operation closely.

With companies that move in multiple team units, a situation control center was usually located outside the hunting area. The control center sent briefings, monitored action cam videos in real-time, and even directed operations in some cases.

QR was one of those companies.

Experienced hunters such as Yoon Kang-cheol were in control of the field without necessarily going to the front line themselves.

Today, as usual, the command was conducted without any problems. Each leader gave commands from the center with urgency in their voices.

“Send support right away to Section 02…!”

“All available waiting personnel are…!”

Yoon Kang-cheol put his hand on his forehead as he watched the Alpha Team members through the five large monitors in front of him.

The Alpha Team was not aware that he could watch them through their action cams.

However, the purpose of monitoring was for them to get support whenever they needed it.

They would handle the operation themselves, and the monitoring was just a fallback option. That way, their confidence could be built.

He observed the action cams and judged each Alpha Team members’ ability.

If the hunt were successful anyway, there would be no problem.

But right now, the Alpha Team was in the midst of a huge problem.

“Why the hell are you running away?!” He groaned as he watched the footage.

The Alpha Team members started running away when the second Whipper appeared.

Instead of saving Jang Yoong-cheol, they hurried to hide inside a building.

“These cowardly humans!” he yelled in frustration.

Were they really running from a 4-star Whipper?

He wasn’t expecting them to jeopardize their lives. Life was paramount.

However, the least they could do was to be courageous.

For example, when the second Whipper appeared.

If they had maintained formation, it would have been possible to save Yoong-cheol and take him into a building with the rest of them. Then, using the room’s advantage, they would have been able to disengage the Whippers’ tentacles.

Even if the facility was destroyed, the Alpha Team could have captured the two Whippers that had lost their tentacles.

He became tired of watching. He had worked so hard training that squad of Alpha Hunters over the months, spending money with devotion.

It had been a difficult and harsh training, but these members had completed it with minimal injuries.

Their problemwasn’t that of skill but mentality.

Yoon Kang-cheol recalled what happened ten years ago. He succeeded in hunting a 6-star Kargadon with like-minded colleagues.

There were only a few people on that team.

The equipment, the amount of CE, and the accumulated know-how were also considerably less in the past. The conditions for hunting were incomparable then and now.

However, the major difference between the old teams and this one was the members’ resolution. Those days, the hunters weren’t ‘honey’ jobbers that bragged about their strengths.

The death rate per operation was close to 40%. Everyone had felt afraid.

But that gave them more reason to be thorough and bold. Yoon Kang-cheol shook his head. The change in mentality down the years had always been vivid.

He had to focus on what was happening at the moment.

“Captain Jang, are you applying for support?” He asked urgently, though he already knew the answer.

Regardless of whether or not he applied, the end was already certain.

When the Whipper’s tentacles caught Jang Yoong-cheol, a silence filled the control room.

Even by today’s standards, the deaths of hunters weren’t uncommon.

It could even have been said that it was fortunate that nine people were still alive in the building. However, this was the Alpha team that he’d been training personally.

Watching them die could never be pleasant.

“Boss!” Someone shouted, and at the same time, Yoon Kang-cheol saw what was happening.

Yoo-seong appeared on Jang Yoong-cheol’s action cam.

He jumped and grabbed Yoong-cheol; then, he jumped alternately between power poles and the tentacles using the Spider Walk.

“Huh?!”

“Wow!”

When he was hit by the tentacles and crashed into the 6th-floor window, everyone in the room shouted in horror.

Then, after a few moments, they saw him approach the window.

Everyone gasped in relief. He was alive.

Even Yoon Kang-cheol found himself wiping his brow in relief.

Yoon Kang-cheol’s desire to recruit Yoo-seong grew even more intense. That special walk was definitely from Kim Sung-wook. He had seen it before.

Of course, what Yoo-seong displayed was nothing compared to Kim Sung-wook’s heydays.

However, it had only been two months. Even though the Aura level he had shown was small, it was remarkable considering the meager amount of time spent training.

He had to have Yoo-seong. A couple of plans had already formed in his mind.

Since he had saved Jang Yoong-cheol’s life, he could be given compensation and the right to participate in future hunts in return.

Or, he could form a new beta team and make him the leader.

“What?” an OB spoke suddenly.

“Why is he doing that?”

The murmur around him brought Yoon Kang-cheol out of his reverie.

The people in the control room stared at the action cam feed from Jang Yoong-cheol.

Yoo-seong went back to the window.

Suddenly, the signals from the action cams began to break. They could hardly see him; neither could they hear him.

“What happened?” Yoon asked. “Reset the Alpha Team’s communication frequency.”

The moment they were back online, they all watched Yoo-seong jump out of the window.

Everyone was horrified. Yoon Kang-cheol spoke into the communicator.

“Jang Yoong-cheol. Go up to the rooftop, right now!”

-But, sir, it isn’t safe out there.

“I said, go up to the roof. Don’t try to second-guess me.”

This time, he raised his voice – something he seldom did.

When he yelled, Jang Yoong-cheol and all the personnel in the control room held their breaths.

“Get to the roof with your action cam. Though I doubt you will be able to observe anything without fear of injury,” he said.

-Ahhh!

With the yell, Jang Yoong-cheol ran up to the rooftop.