Chapter 175
Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 175
Chapter Title: Engagement
With Jeon Ji-in's voice warning, an arrow marked the direction of the enemy.
Na Gang-in whipped his body around.
The mercenary he'd grabbed by the neck and flung aside when leaving the warehouse was still sprawled on the ground. But the other one who'd crashed into him was now drawing a pistol.
Na Gang-in fired at the man pulling his pistol. Two bullets tore through the enemy's shoulder.
"Argh!"
The slide on Na Gang-in's pistol locked back.
Na Gang-in turned around.
Anderson had ditched the hostages and fled.
Na Gang-in had targeted the others first because Anderson didn't have a pistol.
Anderson had come here with Yang Yong-jun. To avoid arousing Yang Yong-jun's suspicions until the security systems were disabled, he hadn't carried a gun.
Na Gang-in walked forward and snatched the pistol from the hand of the mercenary collapsed beside the hostages.
The mercenary only had the one pistol—no spare mags. Na Gang-in grabbed another from a nearby body.
"Positions of the rest?"
"If this guy's the last one, it'd make things easy, but there are probably more, right?"
"I'll clean up here first."
The captured employees had been terrified just moments ago.
But right before their eyes, a fierce gunfight had erupted out of nowhere. Before they could even process it, five mercenaries lay shot and down.
The employees stood there, mouths agape in shock.
"Wh-who...?"
"Infighting among them?"
"An attack from a rival group?"
Fear gripped them again.
"They're gonna shoot us all too?"
Yang Yong-jun spotted Na Gang-in and shouted.
"You! You're that damn driver...!"
Yang Yong-jun cut off mid-curse. His eyes darted rapidly.
Those five terrifying mercenaries had gone down in seconds to gunfire. And they all had pistols but hadn't fired a single shot.
The man who'd shot them was Na Gang-in, standing right there. And now he was dual-wielding pistols.
"Th-the driver guy?"
"Use proper respect if you behave?"
Yang Yong-jun bristled instantly.
"N-no, that's not it! Why are you coming out of that warehouse, sir?"
"Came to rescue Soo-yeon."
Yang Yong-jun's face lit up.
"So you're not like those bastards! You came to save us!"
"Not you."
"Bringing Soo-yeon was a stroke of genius!"
Na Gang-in scowled.
"Wanna die? You dragged Soo-yeon into this—how dare you say that?"
The guy who'd just dropped five men was glaring with dual pistols in hand, asking if he wanted to die. It didn't sound like a joke to Yang Yong-jun. He hunched his shoulders immediately.
"N-no... sir."
Meanwhile, the employees' faces brightened.
"He's one of ours!"
"We're saved!"
Na Gang-in asked the employees.
"Anyone here who served active duty in the military?"
Five out of the seven employees raised their hands.
Na Gang-in glanced at Yang Yong-jun. He had his hand up too.
"I got honorably discharged as a sergeant!"
Na Gang-in told the employees.
"Three pistols left, so the best shooters take one each. Safety on before combat to avoid accidents."
The employees exchanged looks. Three lowered their hands, leaving two.
"I have pistol experience from the military."
"I was in a division recon unit."
Only two of the five. Na Gang-in looked at Yang Yong-jun again. Hand still up.
"You from recon too?"
"Not exactly, but I want to take responsibility..."
"Fine."
The two dashed to the warehouse entrance, grabbed a pistol each, and returned.
Yang Yong-jun snatched the nearest one. But when he checked, its mag was empty.
"Why's mine out of ammo?!"
"Grab two or three rounds from the others."
Yang Yong-jun loaded eight rounds—four each—from others into his empty mag and asked.
"Now we go hunt those bastards together, right?"
Na Gang-in smirked.
"Take you? You'd just be dead weight."
"Huh? Then why pick people who can shoot?"
Na Gang-in told the employees.
"Use that warehouse as your defensive position. It's sturdy, your firepower's decent, and only one entrance. Hold your nerve, and you can defend it fine."
Yang Yong-jun's face brightened.
"That's all?"
"Hey, your excitement shows on your face."
"N-no! I'm feeling responsible right now!"
"You stay inside and look after Soo-yeon. If she goes down, you're dead by my hand. Be a good servant and watch her."
"Huh? Ack! Soo-yeon!"
Yang Yong-jun yelled and bolted into the warehouse.
Na Gang-in told the other employees.
"I'm going after the rest. Stay inside the warehouse and shoot anyone who comes in before it's over."
The recon vet suggested.
"Going alone's dangerous. I'll back you up."
"I prefer solo."
Kwon Soo-yeon sat behind the warehouse door.
She'd tried to stop Na Gang-in when he said he'd fight alone if anyone opened the door. But when he went outside to fight, she'd secretly peeked at the action.
He'd told her not to look, but she was too worried not to.
She couldn't see everything from inside. Still, Na Gang-in's relentless shooting, the two guards collapsing, and Anderson's panicked flight were crystal clear.
"Thank goodness."
She sighed in relief just as Yang Yong-jun burst in.
"Soo-yeon!"
"Don't yell. Too loud."
"Do you know how worried I was? Don't worry anymore. I'll protect you..."
"If I had any strength in my arms right now, you'd be dead."
"Huh? What?"
Kwon Soo-yeon snapped fiercely.
"You drag me to a dangerous place like this—what makes you think you can brag?"
"No, I got tricked by Anderson too..."
"His name really Anderson?"
"Uh, I guess?"
Yang Yong-jun had a question too.
"Ah! How'd you figure out Anderson was bad and slip away?"
"I know a researcher at Omega Tech. Asked about Anderson being here. They said no way—he's in Australia right now. So I figured I'd head somewhere safe and ask my friend if I should report it..."
The warehouse door had been left slightly ajar then. A worker who'd been out front had been dragged off by a mercenary.
She'd ducked inside in a hurry and called Na Gang-in, but the line cut after a few words.
Yang Yong-jun pointed outside.
"That your friend?"
"Yeah."
Kwon Soo-yeon beamed.
"I just called, and he came to save me."
Yang Yong-jun was curious.
"What's that guy's deal? How's he that good at fighting?"
Kwon Soo-yeon didn't know either. But she didn't want to admit it.
She'd heard from Lee Yeon-ji that Na Gang-in was a famous martial arts director. Lee Yeon-ji had bragged about his insane combat skills.
Kwon Soo-yeon answered.
"He's a hero, that's why."
"Hero? What kinda nonsense is that?"
"It makes sense. Because..."
A memory surfaced.
"To me, he's always been a hero."
The employees had all fallen back to Special Warehouse 4 and set up a defensive line. They left just enough gap in the steel door for one person and mostly sealed it.
The five mercenaries Na Gang-in had taken down were bound hand and foot with thick cable ties and dragged inside.
Na Gang-in glanced back at the warehouse as he headed elsewhere.
"No RPGs or grenade launchers on those guys, so three reservists with three pistols should hold it fine."
Na Gang-in moved out, pistols in both hands, hunting the enemy. First stop: main gate guard post.
"He still there?"
He raised his right pistol, aiming at the post. His left hand braced under it like a rest for better accuracy.
Aiming steady, he strode forward step by step.
Jeon Ji-in highlighted the enemy's movement behind the post's thin wall—toward the side.
Na Gang-in swung his muzzle that way. Just then, a pistol poked out from beside the post.
- Weapon Disarmed
Na Gang-in's shot struck the enemy's pistol, knocking it flying.
Na Gang-in charged forward, rounding the post's side with pistol trained. The mercenary clutched his right hand, face twisted in pain, crouched low.
"Argh!"
Na Gang-in kicked the enemy's jaw. His head snapped back, slamming him into the post's corner.
He checked the enemy's pistol. The gun was wrecked, but the mag was fine. The round in the chamber was jammed by the dented slide. He pocketed just the mag and said.
"This one's got a radio?"
"So he was ambushing here, waiting for me?"
"But from inside the post, you can't see anyone approaching from inside the facility. How'd he know I was coming..."
Na Gang-in dodged behind the post instantly. Bullets immediately hammered where he'd stood.
"Ji-in?"
Jeon Ji-in only saw what Na Gang-in saw and heard what he heard. She could analyze and sharpen it, zoom in, but not see what he couldn't.
"Yeah. Right. So it's my fault for eyes only facing forward?"
The warehouse building beyond the post wall appeared semi-transparent, like x-ray vision through it.
A human silhouette showed behind a parked car nearby.
The mercenary aimed his pistol at the post from behind the car, cursing.
"Does that bastard have eyes in the back of his head?!"
He'd radioed the post merc about Na Gang-in's approach—not exact spot, just direction, whispered. Then he'd flattened on the back seat, playing dead.
He figured the post merc's suppressive fire would force Na Gang-in to cover, then he'd slip out quietly during the noise and shoot him in the back.
But Na Gang-in neutralized the post merc too fast.
Afterward, Na Gang-in just stood there in front of the post. The merc thought the distance was manageable for a shot.
But the moment he cracked the car door, Na Gang-in moved toward the post. He fired desperately, but missed wide.
The mercenary aimed at the post and muttered.
"Still, if he comes out, I'll get him first..."
Suddenly, just a pistol barrel emerged from the post, spraying bullets. 9mm rounds poured toward the car where he hid.
Firing blind, but hits were scarily accurate. Glass shattered, metal punched through.
One bullet could kill. The merc scrambled behind the car, hunching tight.
"Eek!"
Na Gang-in kept up suppressive fire as he exited the post. The enemy couldn't even peek.
He advanced on the car, still shooting. Nine rounds flew in a blink; right pistol's mag emptied.
Two pistols. He kept firing with the left while dropping the right's mag. Then tapped his pocket—the post mag popped out. He flicked the pistol, slapping it home perfectly mid-air.
The merc huddled behind the car.
Not armored. Bullets kept smashing glass and piercing panels—who knew when one would hit? Tires burst right beside him.
Terror-struck, he ducked lower.
Then the shooting stopped. He guessed why.
'About twenty rounds fired?'
Their compact pistols held ten per mag.
'Out of ammo!'
He gripped his pistol tight, starting to rise.
"You bastard! My turn now..."
But he couldn't stand. As he lifted his head from cover, Na Gang-in's shoe filled his vision.
"Huh?"