106. Extraction Room (1)
They must have built a bunker here just like those Cheonan Warlords and done something.
Especially since there were no bullet marks here, it doesn't seem like the experiments failed like in Baek Hanmin's case.
And it doesn't look like they just half-assed the cleanup and left like they did at the Sejong Branch.
That means they succeeded in all the extractions within Chungju, succeeded in all the experiments, and subsequently succeeded in all the human extractions as well.
The IN Company Chungju Branch, which had succeeded.
It seemed certain that after their success, the IN Company researchers, INSS, and INRS were completely absorbed into the Chungju Defense Force.
I came out of the musty basement and headed to the rooftop of the building.
Quiet Chungju City.
It's quiet now, but it's a city where traces of the apocalypse remain everywhere.
Just in case, I did a lap around Chungju.
I didn't see anything unusual.
Nor did I see any places where people lived.
The only place in Chungju where people were was where the Chungju Defense Force was in the south.
Well, the warlords have survived for 7 months, so it's unlikely any other groups survived.
Even if there were, probably only individuals or small groups survived.
July 2nd, dawn.
Rooftop of a building overlooking the Chungju Southern Army.
I decided to watch this side for a few days.
Since the truck heading to the Naesu-eup gangsters opened a portal at the camping site in the north of Chungju City, surely the others must have moved that way too.
There was no reaction for 3 days, which means they cut ties, and there must be a reason for that.
#
I watched the Chungju Defense Force while stuffing my face with preserved food inside the building.
Countless military trucks going out.
Maybe... I suspect they are trading goods here and there.
What I'm looking for is the black truck.
However, I hadn't seen the black truck move for several days.
'It's definitely there, though.'
When does it move?
I watched for three days like that.
Third day.
July 5th.
I was finally able to find the black truck heading outside.
Took fucking forever.
There might be other trucks, too.
Or maybe a portal that opens inside.
It might have moved while I was sleeping, but since I was watching while taking catnaps, this was the first truck.
The truck heading upwards.
I followed it.
They headed to the south of Chungju.
Well, the camping site probably isn't the only route. Maybe... I suspect that where the important personnel are, they use a portal hidden deep inside the Defense Force.
If they have any brains, they'd open the portal where it can't be seen.
I'll try tracking this, and if that doesn't work, I'll just charge in.
If I cause a scene, they'll crawl out on their own.
The truck stopped at the lower reaches of the Namhan River.
Soldiers pile out.
I hid in a blind spot and waited.
If they have detection, I'd get caught, but if they do, I'll just subdue them all.
However, it didn't seem like they had detection.
Still, it was strange that they weren't talking at all.
Soldiers standing still while guarding the vehicle.
The person who looked like the officer in charge and the soldiers around him didn't say a word.
Humans standing there without any reaction, waiting for the portal that opens for 20 minutes.
'This feels familiar.'
It must be that. INRS or INSS that just changed their labels.
Soldiers entering the portal with the vehicle.
I followed them in.
#
It was obvious, but I couldn't help but get caught.
The portal is big, but obviously they'd do headcount checks and stuff.
What I see is a forest path.
'Is it an unpaved road?'
The soldiers all look at me at once, having followed them.
They aim their guns at me.
However, the guns didn't fire.
ㅡKkudeudeudeuk
Guns crumpling.
However, at that moment, I felt sharp things flying toward me at incredible speed.
They all bounced off my lv.6 metal barrier, though.
Is it Psychokinesis?
Is everyone who comes here unified with the Psychokinesis ability?
But his Psychokinesis didn't seem to be high level. Maybe level 4?
The guy with Psychokinesis had his head pierced.
ㅡPik, the man collapses.
I looked at them nervously, but there was no particular next response.
The guys looking at me helplessly as I floated in the air.
Then I subdued the soldiers in an instant.
Soldiers subdued by shredding their guns and vehicles.
However, the moment I subdued them, the soldiers died, bleeding from their mouths.
'......'
Well, that's how it goes.
IN Company bastards just dying on their own. I'm so curious about how that works every time I see it.
If I track these guys this time, I might be able to figure it out.
Now then, first, what are they doing?
Passenger seat and driver's seat. And there was nothing in the soldiers' arms for now.
These IN Company bastards are always consistent with this stuff.
However, there was something inside the truck.
A corpse tied up tightly and a drum behind it.
I went into the truck.
'It's not a corpse.'
When I got closer, I saw a pale woman with her body completely stiff, tied up.
A young woman in her 20s.
Do they call this suspended animation?
Just in case, I poked various sensitive parts of the human body, including her private parts, but there was no reaction at all.
Her body is completely cold.
Feels like she's about to get hypothermia. She doesn't seem dead yet, but to save her, I'd have to take her to Eun-bin or something.
'Why are they moving this woman?'
And using an IN Company vehicle, at that.
Is there something?
They're probably moving her to grind her up.
There's a drum right there in the open.
But why do they do this here instead of inside?
There must be something else near here.
I narrowed my eyes, looking at the dense forest surroundings.
I don't know where it is, though.
Should I have tracked them?
But that's impossible. I don't have some stealth ability to avoid tracking, and these guys would obviously know if I followed them through the portal.
That means I have to search around here.
'Like the reason IN Company is moving.'
I went up into the air.
Several mountains.
I see lights in the distance.
'Looks like that's it.'
Did they build something in the mountains?
It was fucking suspicious. Isn't that the lab? Like the Cheonan lab I saw before.
But if I go there, the woman down there will probably die.
'......'
It's a dilemma.
That woman probably has a decent ability too. Should I just take the portal back, take her to Eun-bin, and try to save her?
Or, should I go to that building now and raid it?
Obviously, I have to go there and raid it.
I first untied the woman, piled up the clothes of the dead soldiers in several layers, and stood up.
If she's lucky, she'll live; if she's unlucky, she'll die.
After roughly figuring out the location, I flew into the sky.
#
A white building is visible.
An unfamiliar white building.
But it was different from the branch buildings I knew. It's a small building that doesn't even look like it's 2 stories high.
In the forest.
A building built in a place with nothing but forest around it.
There are even drums piled up in a row next to it.
'......'
I saw INSS wearing special forces uniforms at the guard post in front.
'What kind of place is this?'
Can't even ask.
Because INSS die if I subdue them.
It obviously wouldn't be on the map.
'Did they make it with a Construction ability?'
Or a Bunker ability?
Either way, it was certain that it was built after the apocalypse.
Maybe there's a bunker under here.
And since they came from the Chungju Defense Force, Assemblyman Jeong Myung-chul and Brigade Commander Choi Gwang-shin might be there.
Well, aren't people's thoughts all similar?
I drove iron spikes into the heads of two INSS, put on a gas mask, and descended.
#
The door opened.
What I see are INSS.
There weren't many, but one died,
ㅡBang!
As a loud noise rang out, guys popped out from all over the 1st and 2nd floors.
There were nearly thirty of them.
Their gun barrels turned.
People trying to use their respective abilities when the guns didn't fire.
Some abilities had already been used.
Paralysis ability.
Binding ability.
They are certainly good abilities.
Though they aren't very good abilities in a fight between superpowered individuals.
ㅡKkudeudeudeuk
The guns they were holding disassembled and pierced their heads.
Several corpses were created.
A space where everyone is dead.
ㅡSplosh
ㅡSplosh
I waited for more enemies to come out.
Because there might be more, as expected of an IN Company base.
However, nothing else came out.
'......'
The 1st floor was mainly a lobby and waiting room. Inside the waiting room, weapons were piled up immensely. There were tons of military supplies like radios, gas masks, etc.
'Radios?'
Maybe reinforcements could come.
No. They can't come. It takes 20 minutes just for the portal to open.
That means I still have 20 minutes of spare time.
I went up to the 2nd floor.
The 2nd floor had several rooms.
I opened one and it was a residential area. It seems like the place where the INSS here use.
'......'
Well, I suppose so.
I found the way to the basement.
'Found it.'
Since there was no need to step on the iron stairs anymore, I floated down.
Quite deep.
'It's almost 5 stories high.'
The place that looks like an underground bunker that appeared like that.
I ripped the door off and entered inside.
#
Basement.
As I entered the basement entrance, I saw a long hallway.
Glass tubes are visible on the side, and they are filled with strange liquid inside.
I walked through the center of it, feeling tense.
The place I ended up at was....
"......"
[Innovation Nexus Corporation]
I looked at the sign and entered inside.
An interior with white and green lights turned on.
Smelling the thick scent of blood, I looked around.
ㅡTak
ㅡTak
Inside the glass tubes embedded in the walls were full of unknown appendages of Infected, one place had drums, and inside the transparent freezers and refrigerators were familiar flasks.
'......'
And next to that, a space where people were floating.
I saw humans who had died with their necks and various parts severed, and large chairs that seemed to have been involved in their deaths.
Chairs with hands, feet, and necks tied, and multiple syringes attached.
'It's a chair like a torture device.'
I could see exactly what it would be used for just by looking.
A lab... no, a torture chamber that you'd only see in movies.
This doesn't seem right either.
Right.
Extraction Room.
There are no people.
Well, if they succeeded in extraction, it's enough to leave the rest to the INSS and INRS.
ㅡGiiiing
Next to it is a large freezer/refrigerator. I opened it and it's full of familiar flasks.
In front, it's full of things written 13.3, 14.5, 16.7....
The problem is there's nothing above 70?
'......'
And.
It's also full of things written 1, 2, 3.
First, I picked up one of the ones with decimals, and familiar text appeared.
Innovation Nexus Corporation.
Checking Nexus Energy.
Compatibility: 16.7%
User Compatibility: 97.2%
Nexus Core: Improve Stamina available.
Nexus Core: Metallokinesis lv.6 can be replaced with Nexus Core: Improve Stamina lv.1.
Do you want to replace it?
Y/N
Well, that's obvious.
Then what is this?
I picked up one marked 1.
Innovation Nexus Corporation.
Checking Nexus Energy.
User Compatibility: 97.2%
Nexus Core: Metallokinesis lv.6 [0/100]
Nexus Core energy capacity exceeded.
Nexus Core upgrade is impossible.
...Core upgrade?