Chapter 52
Chapter 52
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 52
Chapter Title: Kakrita Valley (2)
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Government support guaranteed many things. One of the biggest advantages was Power Armor. Military-grade Power Armor was superior to civilian models in most cases.
That said, Suhyun had no intention of requesting something like a Black Bear. In fact, Power Armor wasn't really necessary for this job.
Either way, working with the government was generally more convenient than a private company handling everything on its own. The government took care of most of the support.
Jo Seung-hyun was confident he could procure even illegal weapons if Suhyun wanted them for this mission. It was a government operation, but they tended to turn a blind eye to such matters. There was no upside to nitpicking life-or-death jobs.
But Suhyun's request was just one thing.
“Salt and... rock salt rounds. I brought them because you asked, but what the hell are these for? You could've just requested them from the government.”
“You could have, but no need to hand over info for free. The government's not the type to stab you in the back easily, but it's smart to stay cautious....”
Once they entered Kakrita Valley and uncovered what was inside, the government would try to figure out how they'd done it. Of course, since they were working together, the information would be shared eventually—but there was no reason to expose their edge prematurely.
“Nothing else you really need? Power Armor or even explosives?”
“We're leaving the Power Armor behind this time.”
“?!”
“It's useless anyway.”
“You that confident about Kakrita Valley?”
“Why else would I be doing this?”
Jo Seung-hyun was convinced Suhyun knew something. There was no other explanation for his attitude. What an enigmatic guy. What kind of childhood had he endured to know so much about the unexplored corners of Cameron Planet?
“I've said it a million times—we're in the same boat. Trust me till the end.”
“I'm trusting you plenty already. If I didn't, why would I back this job?”
Suhyun smirked at that. He'd been a bit surprised when the entire Team 1 said they'd follow him. It wasn't like they hadn't heard about the risks. They'd heard and still decided Suhyun had a plan.
A solid team. They still had plenty of rough edges individually, but this kind of blind trust was a rare talent.
‘Then I need to reward that faith.’
If this job went off without a hitch, Uncle Jo Company would be thrust into the spotlight, like it or not. Solving an unsolved government mission carried that much weight.
* * *
“You've heard this already, but this job is dangerous.”
The team members shot him looks like, *Why repeat the obvious?*
“But you know that part. Let me get real with you. Everyone here came chasing a quick fortune. Right?”
They nodded silently in response. Suhyun nodded back and continued.
“You'll probably get that jackpot if we pull this off.”
“How much we talking?”
“No idea.”
Truth was, Suhyun had a rough estimate. But he couldn't admit that here.
“Worst case... at least ten billion per person. That's the floor if we succeed. Guaranteed.”
On jobs like this, payouts usually favored the team leader and any superpowered users first. But Uncle Jo Company had no superpowered users besides Suhyun, and they split profits almost equally. Which meant the team members stood to rake in absurd sums.
“Might fall a bit short of a true 'jackpot,' but more than enough to walk away happy.”
“What're you getting at?”
“If anyone wants to retire after this, I'll make it happen. Cashing out and living easy ain't a bad life, right?”
These jobs were usually superpowered users' domain. No need to look far—Jindo Dog Team 1 proved it. They rarely took on non-superpowered members.
Superpowered folks pulling in that kind of money for this work? Nothing strange about it.
But these guys weren't superpowered.
The last job had been the same—if they succeeded this time, it'd be thanks to Suhyun, not their own skills. And they all knew it.
“Wouldn't the boss be a little short-handed if some of us bailed?”
“You think I'd bring it up if that bothered me? I'm not some altruist. People leave? No big deal. I'll recruit more.”
“I'm in till the end. Good luck prying me loose.”
“?!”
“A man makes up his mind, he sees it through. You don't bail after one win. We've got a shot at generational wealth—let's ride it out.”
Kim Chang-sik was sold on Suhyun. *This guy's the real deal.* He'd landed the opportunity of a lifetime; quitting after a taste didn't sit right with him. If he was going, he was going all the way.
Besides, they'd gotten this far riding Suhyun's talents entirely. Bailing after grabbing their share? That'd be gutless. Jo Seung-hyun wouldn't have picked anyone like that to begin with.
“I'm with you till the end too.”
“Me as well!”
Suhyun grinned. What a team. He'd tossed out the question partly to test them, sure—but now he had confirmation.
‘Locked in. A couple of them have to be superpowered. At least one or two.’
He'd suspected as much for a while. In the future, Uncle Jo Company had built a reputation loud enough to reach even Suhyun's ears. Jo Seung-hyun wasn't the type to ditch people easily. And if these guys showed this kind of loyalty without peeling off?
That meant at least one or two of these members were behind that future fame. Future superpowered users, for sure.
‘Lee So-hee's the prime suspect.’
No proven genetic link to superpowers yet. But it wasn't zero. Plus, without Suhyun, Lee So-hee had been leader material from the start.
If she awakened, and one or two others followed... that was plenty of momentum to climb the ranks. That's likely how Uncle Jo Company had grown.
Suhyun's arrival had thrown them on a different path, but the people were the same. Give them the right trigger, and they'd awaken.
* * *
Kakrita Valley lay farther south from the Euterp region. It was the barrier blocking further development beyond the relatively tamed Euterp area.
The government had agreed to escort Uncle Jo Company through Euterp. The region was crawling with major mercenary outfits like Jindo Dog, and plenty of intel made transit straightforward.
“You really don't need any other support?”
“Told you, we're good.”
In the rattling vehicle, Policy Director Choi Hyun-min double-checked. This wasn't the first team to take a government-backed gig, but it was the first to demand such bare-minimum aid.
No Power Armor, no other military gear. Just ample rations and a robot to haul them. Spartan prep by historical standards.
‘They really gonna be okay?’
Choi Hyun-min eyed Suhyun up and down. Hard to buy him as the team leader—he looked *way* too young. Sure, the healing ability rumor checked out, but healing was a powerhouse support skill, not frontline firepower.
‘Just hope we don't lose another team.’
He was human too. No one enjoyed watching cocky squads go radio silent. Choi sighed. Luck or whatever—hoped this crew broke Kakrita Valley's bloody streak.
A modest outpost came into view, Euterp's southernmost base. The truck pulled up, and armed personnel emerged, recognizing them.
“You're on foot from here. You reviewed the intel?”
“Not much there, but yeah.”
Choi Hyun-min looked sheepish, glancing away. Embarrassing to offer guidance with nothing to give. But with no teams returning, what intel was there to share?
“Good luck out there. Head back here on success. If it goes south midway, pull out—no shame in it. Coming back alive means something.”
He meant it. Not mere humanitarianism—Kakrita Valley's intel vacuum was that dire.
Even failures could build knowledge if survivors reported back. Kakrita? Still a total blank.
“Alright then... let's head in.”
Choi Hyun-min watched Suhyun and the team stride off confidently, praying for their success.
* * *
Suhyun had chosen Kakrita Valley for a few reasons. The biggest? It was the easiest to clear.
Anyone who'd failed there—or their loved ones—would've screamed bloody murder at that. But for Suhyun, it was true.
Cameron Planet's dangers fell into two buckets. Places still deadly even with full intel, where one slip against powerhouse monsters cost lives.
And places that weren't so bad once you knew the score. Kakrita Valley was textbook second type.
“Alright, everyone got their shotguns?”
“We're really doing this with just these? If monsters show...”
Their trust in Suhyun was ironclad, but they were only human—anxiety crept in. Heading in with no Power Armor, just shotguns? Uneasy glances his way.
“Relax. These are plenty.”
“Can't we swap the ammo at least? Why rock salt rounds of all things?!”
What they'd chambered were rock salt rounds packed with salt grains. Lethality? Laughable compared to live ammo.
“Next up: salt. Rub it all over yourselves.”
“???”
“What, not getting it? Ears clogged?”
His voice dropped an octave, and the team snapped to attention, hurriedly dusting salt over their gear. They felt like total idiots, but Suhyun played loose usually—when he got serious, he was scarier than anyone.
‘What's this even for?’
“Can't tell us why...?”
“It's for your own good. Hurry it up.”
Kakrita Valley's string of disappearances stemmed from its unique trait: ghost-type monsters.
Ghost-types were rare and a nightmare to fight. Worst part? Standard physical attacks did jack squat. They weren't physically strong, which helped—but special abilities made that moot.
Superpowers were the reliable counter. Problem was, the sheer *numbers* of ghost monsters here defied belief. Charging in on superpower bravado was a classic trap.
A few easy wins at first, then stamina drain sets in, you're overwhelmed, total wipe. The most common pattern by far.
‘Gotta hit the weakness.’
The key was exploiting the foe's vulnerability efficiently. And for this region's ghost monsters, that weakness was salt.