Chapter 4: It was under construction!

“Do you have something to hide from me? I thought you were a patriotic soldier. That’s what I was told.”

“May I ask who provided that information?”

Mi-young Kang glanced at Jin-young Kang.

“My judgment can’t be wrong. How could I, Mi-young Kang, not recognize such a passionate and sophisticated talent!”

Mi-young Kang blocked Seong-han Lee’s path, as if she didn’t understand his feelings.

There are only three S-rank hunters in South Korea.

‘Is it because of Mi-young Kang?’

Seong-han Lee glared at Jin-young Kang, the source of the problem.

“Jin-young Kang.”

“Yes, sister.”

“Did you do something harmful?”

“Something harmful?”

Jin-young Kang tilted her head, resting her chin on her hand.

“I did try to push him a little before we came. He was so cute, all hesitant.”

“To what extent?”

“Hmm. Death threats, forced contract signing, recommending an increase in service duration, and other things?”

Mi-young Kang looked flustered.

[Mi-young Kang activates ‘Skill: Insight’ on Jin-young Kang.]

-Her statement is… true!

“I thought he would refuse no matter how much I persuaded him.”

That’s true.

If it was this kind of mission, he would have refused at all costs. The other side would have done everything to drag him along, but.

It was inevitable.

Jin-young Kang bridged the conversation.

“And there weren’t many qualified personnel. He’s probably the only unlicensed awakened individual. There’s no record of him either.”

Jin-young Kang winked lightly after finishing her words.

“I see.”

Mi-young Kang’s aura deflated like a cat splashed with cold water.

Whoosh.

She sighed as if she had experienced this many times.

“I apologize. It’s quite different from what I heard. But the more I see your performance, the more I think you’re a decent person. You’re definitely qualified to join the Hunter Management Bureau, don’t you think?”

“Are you sure you can guarantee my discharge?”

“Discharge?”

“Yes.”

“I guarantee it.”

“I’ll serve you with my life.”

“Good.”

Yes, discharge.

Just think about the discharge!

Go home, get a job.

Live a normal life like everyone else.

Not this life that’s worse than a s*ave’s!

They say that even if you enter a tiger’s den, you can survive if you keep your wits about you.

[Entering the Gray Tower.]

‘Discharge, please save me just this once.’

The prayer was answered.

In a bad way.

****

[1st Floor]

“Whew, this place always makes my stomach churn.”

Seong-han Lee felt unpleasant as soon as he opened his eyes.

Fruit flies touching his face.

An unpleasant feeling sticking to the roof of his mouth.

He was standing in the middle of a jungle.

“Sister. Don’t forget this sensation. Ah, Mr. Seong-han, follow behind my sister. Don’t think about deserting.”

Seong-han Lee secretly activated a skill.

One of [Auto Combat]’s detailed abilities.

[Recon]. When he opened his eyes, monsters were outlined in red.

He could see glimmers of light from the trees and bushes.

At least A-rank.

A difficult opponent for Seong-han Lee to deal with right now.

If it were alone, he would have a good chance of winning.

But if they were in a group?

He would be torn apart without a chance to react. He didn’t want to die in a place like this.

Beast-type.

Insect-type.

Plant-type.

And others.

There were various types of monsters.

Like America, the melting pot of races.

‘They’re not attacking.’

But they were just watching Seong-han Lee from afar.

As if to say it’s okay as long as it’s not their territory.

‘Is it because of the Kang sisters? They probably don’t want unnecessary bloodshed.’

Seong-han Lee shuddered.

Whoosh!

A sword wind blew in all directions.

The jungle was instantly cut down.

Along with the monsters in it.

“It’s noisy.”

When Mi-young Kang sheathed her sword, everything became quiet.

‘Wow, that’s brutal.’

A tanker and a dealer.

Mi-young Kang, the guardian of the balance between offense and defense.

It’s not for nothing that she’s an S-rank hunter.

“Where are we going?”

“There’s a base camp. The personnel and supplies are all stored there.”

It was decided to move to the base camp on the first floor for now.

“I’ll take the lead.”

With Mi-young Kang in the lead, they broke through the forest.

She was strong.

Strong enough to chew up most hunters.

Like an S-rank, she cleared the forest, and the rocks that blocked her path.

She completely smashed them. The monsters too.

“Ah, ahhhh!”

“Die.”

Whoosh!

Truly tremendous destructive power.

Seong-han Lee and Jin-young Kang followed closely behind.

Like chicks following their mother.

“Um… uh. Ahem!”

Jin-young Kang cleared her throat as soon as she felt a murderous gaze.

“Focus on your duties.”

“I’ll correct myself.”

“That includes you too, Jin-young Kang.”

Jin-young Kang puffed up her cheeks like a pufferfish.

“Hmph, if you brought someone along, you should take proper care of them.”

“…I really don’t like her. She’s so picky.”

“Says who.”

Tsk tsk.

“It’s because she’s never dated a man. Everyone just looks at her appearance and runs away. Well, I’m the same.”

She rolled her eyes, sighing.

In fact, Seong-han Lee wasn’t unaware.

But to just turn down a beauty like Major Kang.

Is the world really coming to an end.

An S-rank hunter with guaranteed performance.

An influencer with the popularity of a celebrity.

Isn’t she the spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense?

-There were rumors that female awakened individuals had thousands of times more sexual desire.

But it was a story without scientific credibility.

Personally, Mi-young Kang was a top-tier marriage candidate.

“I think Major is cool. I was actually a fan of yours.”

“A fan?”

Jin-young Kang tilted her head when she heard that.

She pointed at herself with a face that truly couldn’t understand.

“You think my sister is cool? That bum who just rolls around in her room?! I do things that are 1,000 times cooler!”

Unlike Jin-young Kang, who was full of confidence.

Mi-young Kang, who was cutting and splitting monsters in the lead, wiped the blood from her cheek.

Because a monster had just ambushed her.

And a quick defeat.

About 100 of them.

Even a mere swarm couldn’t stop the Iron-blooded Empress.

“Quiet.”

Mi-young Kang slowly descended the mountain of corpses she had created.

As soon as she came down, she stared deeply at Seong-han Lee, who had a blank expression, and sighed.

“Harassing a superior officer can lead to court-martial. Especially when a man does it to a woman. I’ll let it go just this once.”

“Thank you.”

“We’re increasing our speed.”

Mi-young Kang took the lead again.

Now that I look at it, both her ears were red.

Did she sweat too much?

He felt awkward for saying unnecessary things.

“…Anyway, back to the main point. It would be good to announce the target of the hunt according to the contract, right?”

“What’s the target?”

“Hmm.”

While Jin-young Kang was strangely stalling.

[Acquired recon data.]

Data came in at the right time.

It was one of the functions of [Auto Combat].

Seong-han Lee carefully examined the data while waiting for Jin-young Kang’s answer.

‘Yeah, you’d die in an instant if you didn’t know anything.’

It’s like a maze created by the natural environment. No. Is it the work of the tower’s managers? The ones who invaded Earth and created the system and monsters.

Traps were set up everywhere.

It seemed like one wrong step could lead to disaster.

“To put it simply, the target is a hatchling.”

“Ah.”

Seong-han Lee stopped in his tracks.

The Kang sisters also stopped.

“You’ve already come this far, shouldn’t you do your best?”

“Honestly, I wouldn’t have come if I knew.”

Seong-han Lee scratched his head, expressing his predicament.

“Of course. You want me to catch a dragon? I’d rather put a bullet in my head.”

“That’s a harsh way to put it.”

“It’s that kind of monster.”

Hatchling.

It refers to a baby dragon before it becomes a dragon.

Very fragile, but protected by its kind.

Unconditionally!

In other words, to be discharged, he has to kill the hatchling + dragon!

I guess I have to become a human weapon.

[Specifying the coordinates of the hatchling.]

A blue arrow appearing on the ground.

The hatchling is at the end of that arrow. Ah, having to go through hardships is the same in society or the military.

“By the way, it was around here.”

“What was?”

“The forward base. More precisely, the supply depot! You can get equipment with magic stones from here, but can you find it, sister?”

Mi-young Kang nodded.

“Of course. If I follow the flow of magic, I’ll definitely find the supply depot. How are you holding up?”

“I’m fine.”

“Let’s move.”

Mi-young Kang, the guide, started walking again, crossing the hill.

It was the same direction as the arrow.

Seong-han Lee decided to think about it after arriving.

Huge tree trunks that soared like in MapleStory’s Ellinia.

Leaves and plants that covered the sky.

Rainwater flowing along the contours.

And black smoke visible between the gaps.

‘I have a bad feeling.’

Seong-han Lee adjusted the sight of the automatic rifle he was holding.

[Identified 192 entities presumed to be hostile.]

[Will you engage in combat?]

Ambush.

Seong-han Lee’s body moved lightly.

[Detected system access by an unidentified entity.]

[Deploying ‘Mental Barrier’.]

Crackling!

“What?!”

There was also a strange intruder mixed in.

Seong-han Lee skillfully aimed his breath.

Something black was flying beyond the horizon.

[Attack detected!]

An acid sphere flying straight at me. It exploded in mid-air before he could activate [Auto Combat].

“That was dangerous. Are you acting too rashly for a man?”

Mi-young Kang quickly deflected the acid sphere. With her body, at that. The acid sphere flowed down Mi-young Kang’s coat.

Whoosh.

The coat melted, and Mi-young Kang took it off without delay.

“Are you okay?”

“Major. Your coat.”

“The coat is not important. The safety of a soldier is the duty of an officer.”

More monsters were coming.

“You two. Go ahead.”

Mi-young Kang wiped her blade with a cloth and took a stance.