Chapter 202
Chapter 202
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 202
Chapter Title: Chapter 38 Scattered Puzzle (1)
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Most Meseos are located deep within pollution zones.
And the higher the grade of the pollution zone, the more monsters swarm in.
Competition between those monsters is fierce, and there are many evolved species that survive that competition.
That was why purifying higher-grade pollution zones took so much time.
‘Low-grade pollution zones can be breached via sky paths to smash the Meseo first.’
But with a 6-star pollution zone, there were simply too many monsters for that.
It was at a level where you had to fight a war, not a battle, just to reach the Meseo.
So after focusing solely on hunting for a good while, a strange phenomenon suddenly occurred on the map.
The Meseo, which should have stayed put in its place, had started moving.
The moment I detected the anomaly, I immediately gave chase.
‘If I don’t destroy that thing, I can’t clear the mission itself.’
Thanks to that, I got to witness the bizarre sight of general-grades—ones I didn’t even know had appeared—carrying the Meseo away in a group.
They even had some of their number fall back to buy time whenever the pursuit team closed in.
‘They delayed me a bit.’
Fortunately, I managed to catch up before the general-grades could escape the player camp at the western gathering point.
“In the end, you were gonna get caught like this, so why run so hard? You’re just tiring out the chasers.”
I wrapped the writhing arm of an 8-star general-grade around my own arm, like an earthworm.
Infection warnings popped up, but I ignored them cleanly.
After a few experiences, I’d gotten somewhat used to purifying infected bodies.
“Kyaaak! You leech! Kuruk, kuruk, kill the ones following us!”
The monster bellowed in annoyance and raised its opposite arm.
It swung with enough force to bisect me, a terrifying momentum.
But before its arm could even reach me.
“Kiaaak!”
“Kyaaruk!”
The bodies of two 7-star general-grades behind the 8-star crumbled. Simultaneously.
Four players burst out from the space where black blood gushed forth.
“Yes! Ambush success!”
“I got it first!”
“My overall count’s higher, though?”
“Less chatter, let’s take another one. A combo would’ve snagged two easy.”
Players hiding emblems of different affiliations in their own ways had paired up in twos to ambush a single general-grade.
Among them was Kim Yul, standing out with her particularly pink hair.
While they exchanged quips after their successful ambush, I sliced off the 8-star general-grade’s left arm with my spear.
That marked the point where the other players, lagging a step behind, started arriving one after another.
“Ugh, why’s everyone so damn fast?”
“Wind attribute. They’ve all got flight magic.”
“We can’t just sit around either—less chit-chat, let’s move!”
This was the pursuit team formed to recapture the Meseo from the fleeing general-grades.
“Support incoming!”
“Anyone with AoE skills?!”
“Sweep the trash mobs—get outta the way!”
My party members, Cello’s party from Club 249’s early days, and Kirishi’s party from the church connections had gathered, making for a solid number.
Plus the gold badges originally at the western gathering point, so we had the numbers.
‘With our current forces, we can handle twenty general-grades easy.’
Yang Tae-ho and Kim Yul alone could each take one.
So all I had to do was handle the 8-star in front of me.
I caught my breath in front of the approaching combat.
I’d taken down general-grades plenty of times before, but today was different.
My goal wasn’t to kill it.
‘Gotta control my strength.’
While I kept the 8-star busy in a contest of strength, the gold badges from the western gathering point and the pursuit team swiftly took their positions.
“What’re you doing? You gold badges here to play?”
“Block them before they escape! If they take the Meseo, all this suffering’s for nothing!”
Confirming their movements, I pulled the 8-star general-grade away from the battlefield.
One hand wrapped around its clearly Kerak-black arm.
Purifying the infected body in real time.
I kept threatening it with my spear, pushing it back, further back.
“Why’d you even pick that thing up and run?”
“Kuruk, kuruk! I’ll kill youuu!”
I sharply inhaled and urgently leaned back.
The general-grade had swept its empty arm horizontally.
A faint red line lingered above my Adam’s apple.
If I’d dodged even a bit slower, my head would’ve come off.
But I wasn’t just taking hits.
In exchange for that one exchange, I seized its other arm too.
No sooner had I tucked both of the 8-star general-grade’s arms under mine than it kicked off the ground and charged.
With its arms grabbed, hands tied and no escape, attack was all it had left.
I welcomed the beast charging with its maw wide open, more than happy to oblige.
* * *
「Congratulations! You have successfully completed MISSION - Pollution Zone Purification ★★★★★★(08-1633785).」
「Please select your reward.」
「You have contributed to the main scenario’s progress. Contribution: 5152 accumulated.」
The battle at the western gathering point had been quite fierce.
Dozens of general-grades, plus ordinary monsters numbering over ten thousand.
While that intense fight dragged on, we’d pierced toward the center from other gathering points and destroyed their Meseos.
And a step later, the western gathering point cleared theirs too.
‘Nothing slipped away. It’s certain.’
All the Meseos carried off by the general-grades were destroyed.
I’d checked the count periodically right after the map anomaly, so no doubt.
While the other players threw themselves into battle and Meseo destruction, I focused on just one thing.
And that one thing was.
“Talk.”
Extracting information from the 8-star general-grade, whose limbs I’d severed to immobilize.
I twisted the short spear embedded in its abdomen and demanded an answer again.
“Why take it?”
“Kiaaak!”
Unfortunately, no real results.
Even after enough time had passed for the battle to reach a lull, the general-grade still wouldn’t talk.
“Kyaak!”
Far from opening its mouth, it kept trying to form Kerak bits to attack me in between.
Even with limbs severed and eyes gouged out, depriving it of vision, the general-grade never stopped resisting.
Stubbornly, for hours now, to the point of tedium.
Watching it dragged on my nerves.
A normal person would’ve spilled everything from the spear twisting in their gut.
But the monster just writhed in agony, roaring, never submitting.
That difference seemed to foretell the outcome of future wars.
“Didn’t they pull the same shit up north too? Doing it here the exact same way, huh?”
Yang Tae-ho approached while helping finish off a 7-star general-grade and asked.
“Yeah.”
Just as he said, something similar had happened in the north.
‘Info from Ethan.’
During the Somol Castle siege, there’d been too few Meseos.
‘They’d torn through Meseo-dense colonies and flipped the castle inside out searching.’
But the actual number found was far short of the mission count.
Then they spotted monster movement traces outside the castle and immediately sent a detachment from the church forces to pursue.
‘General-grades that were scarce during the fight had gathered en masse to transport Meseos.’
Knowing that, I’d assembled a pursuit team on my own the instant the Meseo moved.
‘Why the hell are they doing this?’
It hadn’t happened at Kalom or Bilea Castle.
‘No.’
Too early to conclude.
Maybe the timing hadn’t lined up there, so they hadn’t tried.
What I see isn’t the whole world.
I always had to keep in mind that unknown events could unfold out of sight.
‘At least it’s clear the monsters are securing 6-star Meseos.’
Twice now with coordinated group action—no room for doubt.
Now I needed to figure out why they were taking the Meseos.
But I had nothing solid to show for it.
‘Abandon this one and capture another?’
Last resort. No guarantee another 8-star would differ.
I opened the auction house on a whim.
To check for relics with unique effects.
But nothing. Par for the course, really.
‘My luck was freakishly good back when I tangled with Gallonic.’
Couldn’t expect that every time.
I’d check with Club 249, but no high hopes.
This time, I’d have to devise a way with what I already knew.
‘Gotta switch it up.’
Better to take a break from this inefficient interrogation, refresh my mind, and think of alternatives.
I sighed deeply, rising to my feet.
Not forgetting to secure the general-grade I’d been sitting on to prevent escape.
‘Cut off all limbs.’
But these monsters defied common sense plenty before.
I’d bound it with mana chains from restraint magic stones and pinned its body to the ground with the short spear.
All useless.
「Trait Capitalism activates.」
「System switches to support mode. Support target: Player Kang Hyun-woo.」
「Detecting abnormal connection. Attempting block.」
System messages suddenly appeared, and the general-grade’s chest split open as black blood sprayed upward.
I reflexively blocked in front of nearby Yang Tae-ho.
In the couple steps I retreated, the fountain-like blood sharpened into spikes.
Then it plummeted, shredding the 8-star general-grade to pieces.
Another impossibility, over in a flash.
Too fast to grasp or react.
Yet despite the suddenness, many witnessed it.
Players nearby buzzed at the abrupt event.
“Did you see that?”
“What just happened?”
“The blood…….”
Amid the scattered murmurs, I turned to Yang Tae-ho.
“Timer?”
Just in case a Kerak I missed lashed out or splashed him—possible infection.
He swallowed hard and shook his head.
Good enough. I sighed in relief, looking away.
All that remained where I’d been was shredded meat chunks.
“Damn it…….”
A chance to extract info gone up in smoke.
‘What the hell is that system doing?’
I’d chewed it out thoroughly on the way back from China last time.
Why repeat the same issue?
“Whew.”
Rage boiled inside, but too many eyes.
Not the moment to confront the system openly.
I crouched to examine the dead general-grade’s corpse.
‘Should’ve used Karos’s authority?’
Regret was fleeting.
‘Done’s done. Shake it off.’
Dwelling wasted my time.
Just don’t miss the next chance.
Don’t let it slip away so pointlessly.
Putting off to next time, I swallowed my anger as Yang Tae-ho, composure returning, muttered.
“What the…… Did it suicide?”
“Nah.”
No system message proved it.
Even without that, I wouldn’t call it suicide.
‘If it wanted death, it’d have gone at limb loss or when escape was cut off.’
Missed that timing? Plenty more chances—I hadn’t torn off its jaw.
Yet it endured hours instead of dying.
‘No way it suddenly suicides now.’
This was murder, any angle.
‘Gotta pin down that “abnormal connection” from the system too.’
Turning from the corpse, I checked a nearby destroyed Meseo instead of leaving.
Halved chunks, hole-punched odds and ends.
Now I could lift one-handed easy, but unthinkable back when Holes were a thing.
‘Never thought these heavy in 1- or 2-stars.’
Once carried one on my back for herd hunting.
But 3- and 4-star pollution zones made that impossible.
Meseos got too heavy, slowing movement.
Damn system