Chapter 106
Chapter 106
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 106
Chapter Title: Battle Preparation (3)
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‘To those cocky bastards, a single mercenary team must look like easy pickings.’
For people backed by a nation’s support, a lone mercenary team honestly couldn’t help but seem like pushovers. And in truth, Suhyun had deliberately baited them into thinking that way.
Hiding behind the facade of a new company, hiding behind the Jin Doggy name... He’d kept his identity concealed to milk it for as long as possible, but even that would reach its limit soon.
‘Can’t avoid standing out eventually.’
The people who needed to know already did. A few more feats, and he’d surface for sure. He wanted to recoup his investment before then.
And this situation was exactly that opportunity.
* * *
“Mercenaries, huh? They’re setting traps.”
“Did the elves call them in?”
“Looks like it.”
“What idiots...”
“What should we do?”
“Which merc company?”
“Not in the database.”
“Bunch of nobodies, then.”
When operating in Korean or American territories, merc companies were often more worrisome than their armies. A well-equipped major merc outfit rivaled a military force. Not to be underestimated.
But if they weren’t in the database, they were small fry. Just one of the countless fly-by-night outfits popping up everywhere.
“Check the traps first, then prep the gear. If the elves called them, they’ll come out soon enough.”
He’d created a threatening atmosphere, then tried approaching through another company to secure a contract, but the jittery elves had gone and stirred up trouble.
“Take them out?”
“Yeah. If everyone they call in ends up dead, they’ll be even more terrified. Actually works in our favor.”
“What about the traps?”
“What kind?”
“Monster lures. Looks like they’ve got a hunter on the team. They didn’t process them right, so not anti-personnel.”
“Then leave ’em. No need to scare ourselves over nothing.”
* * *
“Ugh, this tastes so damn healthy.”
“Quit complaining and eat. I’ve had way blander meals with the team leader here.”
Kim Chang-sik scolded the muttering squad member. In fact, aside from not suiting their tastes, the elves’ provided meals were nutritionally impeccable—prepared in advance to host humans. Flavor hadn’t been a priority, though.
“You’ve been here with the team leader before?”
‘Oops.’
No good would come of admitting he’d made extra cash selling troll blood to these guys. They’d bleed him dry for sure.
“Y-yeah, back during a recon...”
“When was that?”
“Did that happen?”
‘These sharp-eared bastards.’
Kim Chang-sik scrambled to change the subject.
“Enough food talk. Eat up and let’s get to work. Team leader’s already out patrolling.”
“Doesn’t he ever get tired?”
While the squad ate, Suhyun had climbed a low hill and closed his eyes. No need for binoculars. He was using Farsight to scout useful terrain nearby. Daytime bred complacency.
‘Found it.’
The enemy hadn’t anticipated a superpower like Farsight. Deep in the jungle sector, a convincingly camouflaged temporary base came into view.
‘Six of them. Probably not the full roster. Stealth gear...’
He’d expected the stealth equipment—it was essential for this kind of covert op. But something unidentified caught his eye.
‘?’
A black-painted, hefty metal crate. Not a superpower nullifier. The way the combatants handled it gingerly screamed important.
‘What is that? Some new Chinese government tech?’
Suhyun felt a twinge of confusion. He prided himself on knowing most of China’s secret developments. He’d tangled with plenty of their teams—and from much later timelines, too.
‘Not Chinese? No... the gear’s definitely theirs.’
So, genuine unknown tech? Amid the bewilderment, Suhyun kept observing closely. Looked like they planned to deploy it.
‘Gotta chase ’em down and snag it.’
Suhyun turned at the sounds from behind. The squad had finished eating and was heading out to carry out his orders.
His instructions were simple: Stick together and patrol the area. He didn’t expect an immediate attack, but he wanted to prod them.
-Why me?
-Dark elf might raise suspicions. Luiril passes as elf, but you’ve got monsters too. Stay in the village.
Shaina sulked inside the village, but the others patrolled in Power Armor. Sure enough, the enemy was watching those movements closely.
‘Their reaction... They recognize the Black Bear.’
* * *
“They’ve got Power Armor.”
“So what? One or two won’t matter. Lure ’em in and bomb them. Not our first rodeo.”
“No, it looks like the Korean military’s Black Bear model in development.”
“What? For real?”
The Chinese team leader snatched the binoculars and focused. His subordinate was right. Moving among the mercs was unmistakably the Black Bear Power Armor from public reports. They kept tabs on Korean military tech—especially Power Armor. No mistaking it.
“How the hell do those punks have that?”
“Prototypes get scrapped during dev, right? Maybe they smuggled one out under that pretext.”
“Use your head. Money buys a lot, but you think the military lets custom Power Armor walk out for cash?”
The squad member bowed his head in shame. He had no idea he’d nailed the truth.
“Thought we’d just scare the elves, but this is a bonus. We’re taking that.”
“Yes, sir!”
They never dreamed someone was herding them.
* * *
“Such a hassle. Why not just find them first and strike?”
Luiril asked, baffled. She vaguely knew about Suhyun’s superpower. At his level, he could massacre them solo.
“Something I want.”
A preemptive strike would expose them, leading to a pitched battle with whoever came out fighting. Revealing his full strength would tip off the rearguard—they’d destroy their gear and bolt.
‘Greed makes it tough.’
“Remember this. Bring it back.”
“......”
Luiril nodded reluctantly at Suhyun’s blatant exploitation.
“Don’t wanna? I’ll do it.”
“No, you stay put. Instant teleport’s perfect for this.”
Shaina offered, then pouted at rejection. Suhyun patted her shoulder.
“I’ll give you work later. Timing’s off now.”
He had the squad patrol the same route repeatedly. By now, they’d have a plan. Things could pop off anytime.
‘Gone.’
The base was empty. They’d moved to the patrol route to set up.
“Let’s go! Hunt’s on!”
At Suhyun’s shout, the squad nodded grimly. Days of boring patrols had them itching. They wanted to see their own handiwork. After all the grinding Suhyun put them through, it was natural.
* * *
No idiot ambushed Power Armor users in open plains. The op would kick off the moment they entered the forest.
‘How’ll they start?’
Suhyun peered into the woods with keen curiosity. He’d routed the patrol through it to invite attack. Too airtight, and they might try something else.
Sniper fire? Useless against his Telekinesis. Frontal assault with superpowers? Unlikely with Power Armor—they’d take heavy losses.
‘Gotta pin their feet. What’re they waiting for?’
The ones supposed to attack weren’t, leaving the waiter antsy. Suhyun mentally urged them on.
Thud, thud, thud, thud—
“?”
Distant rumbles. The sound of monsters charging. Suhyun gauged their numbers from the noise alone. In this forest, pack hunters moving that fast...?
‘Ames Raptors?!”
Suhyun’s mind raced. He’d wiped them out here ages ago. Their return wasn’t weird, but a horde now? Too contrived.
“Team leader, engage?”
The squad had been prepped for raiders, so they stayed cautious. No fear of monsters anymore—not after all they’d faced. Ames Raptors wouldn’t faze them.
“Hold. Power Armor solos those. The real threat’s...”
Suhyun began dispersing poison into the air. With Poison Arts, no need for wind artifacts.
“Gahk!”
“Krrgh!”
Screams and blood as the air twisted. Stealth-suited rushers collapsed.
“There we go.”
The squad reacted instantly. Suhyun didn’t give them fancy artifacts unfit for their style—simple, reliable ones matching their ways.
No need for fireballs or lightning spears; it was a rout. Half were already combat-ineffective from his poison.
That’s why poison terrified in PvP. Even without Poison Arts like Suhyun’s, anyone wielding it could potentially drop top superpowered foes.
“What...?”
The raider leader’s face hardened in shock. He hadn’t screwed up. They’d lured the enemy into their kill zone—not vice versa. No way for unknown poison here. Spraying it with friendlies around took time.
“Mm......”
Suhyun was mildly thrown too. His elaborate prep felt wasted. He’d braced for anything, even self-destructing the Black Bears if captured.
But this...?
‘This easy?’
Overpreparing was Suhyun’s style. He hadn’t always been untouchable—especially against Chinese units he’d nearly lost to sans luck.
“Gahk, gahk!”
One gasping trooper ripped off his mask, groaning. Stealth suits had basic detox, but not for Suhyun’s custom brew.
Their leader turned to flee. Suhyun’s Telekinesis reflexively slammed him down.
Situation wrapped before the raptors arrived. The snarling pack shredded under Power Armor fire.
“Team leader?”
“Huh? Oh, yeah. Round ’em up... process them. No runners.”
With the rear guard nabbed, none bolted. Even as Luiril hauled the black crate, Suhyun pondered. The squad bustled.
“Brought it.”
“......”
“Brought! It!”
“Ah, geez.”
“What’re you spacing out for? Mission accomplished.”
The crate hummed annoyingly. Suhyun quickly powered it down, then scanned the fallen foes again.
“Didn’t realize I still hadn’t adjusted...”
“Random much?”
“Nah, nothing. Good work.”
He didn’t need interrogation to guess. He’d heard rumors: an experimental monster controller, scrapped for side effects.
Monster control experiment.