Chapter 166
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 166
Chapter Title: Garuda's Elite Guard
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“Haaaaah!!!”
With a fierce twist of his hips, he unleashed what he'd been holding back in a thick torrent. Shiranui Mai stuck out her tongue, writhing in the throes of ecstasy.
Third time? Fourth? He'd lost count, but it felt like quite a few. At first, she'd clung to him boldly, but after he'd pinned her down a few times using his mana, her face had completely melted into bliss.
Han Minguk savored the afterglow of his release for a moment before lightly smacking Shiranui's ass. Her twitching body slowly rose from the bed.
“Excuse me.”
Her eyes half-lidded, she stared at his member, still coated in sticky fluids, then took it into her mouth.
“Mmm... not bad?”
A wave of pleasant pleasure washed over him from her devoted tongue work, drawing an involuntary sigh of admiration. He grabbed her head and thrust a bit roughly, but a delightful moan escaped her lips.
Glancing outside midway, he noticed the sun had already dipped low.
Around 7 or 8 p.m.?
After neatly wrapping up his tryst with Shiranui Mai, Minguk threw on some clothes and stepped into the hallway. He quietly checked the other rooms. Not a single member of the GGW raid team, including Hyun-ah, had returned to the dorms yet.
“Jeez.”
Was grinding dungeons non-stop for a week really that exhausting?
They seemed to be hanging out together, killing time. Or maybe gossiping over sweet desserts for hours. It felt like they'd found a brief moment of peace at the heart of the diffusion phenomenon.
Just then, urgent footsteps pounded up the stairs.
“Hup!”
A woman marching up the stairs bumped into Minguk and let out a scream-like gasp. She was a soldier. His eyes flicked to her shoulder.
'Sergeant?'
The familiar insignia caught his eye first. Chinese military rank—equivalent to a corporal or sergeant in the Korean army, maybe.
She rolled her eyes in momentary shock at the handsome man in just a T-shirt and shorts, then addressed him.
“Are you Han Minguk, raid leader of the GGW team, by any chance?”
“Uh? Yeah.”
Minguk nodded at the sudden question.
For some reason, the soldier seemed to have business with him. And sure enough, she did. She saluted sharply and spoke urgently the moment he confirmed his identity.
“I'm Lü Weiyun from the 3182 Patrol Battalion. The battalion commander is urgently looking for you, Raid Leader.”
The 3182 Patrol Battalion—the unit escorting them.
He knew their commander too. They'd spoken a few times while clearing temporary dungeons. Come to think of it, this soldier looked vaguely familiar as well.
But there was no reason for such a sudden summons.
'Did something happen?'
Too many possibilities came to mind.
Monsters moving in massive swarms near Qingdao, temporary dungeons multiplying beyond control, or worst case, another dungeon break.
Any of them demanded immediate action.
“Let's head there right away.”
“Ah! Then, uh, your clothes...”
At Lü Weiyun's words, Minguk glanced down. In his fun with Shiranui Mai, he'd only thrown on a white tee and shorts.
“Ah.”
He instantly got her meaning.
Wandering around like this was like a woman in the old world strutting through a military base in a crop top showing her navel and hot pants. A stunning one at that. It'd be overly stimulating for soldiers with brains full of lust.
Minguk quickly dressed properly and followed Lü Weiyun.
Shiranui Mai tagged along. As a GGW hero, Lü Weiyun didn't bat an eye.
The base felt heavy with tension upon arrival.
Ironically, the rank-and-file were enjoying their downtime. But officers bustled about on the other side—mostly higher-ups with ranks.
Guided by Lü Weiyun into the command tent, several officers turned to eye Minguk.
“You've arrived?”
Minguk shook the hand extended by the middle-aged woman. She was the 3182 Battalion commander he'd spoken with multiple times during temporary dungeon clears.
“Sorry to drag you here so suddenly during your rest.”
“Nah, it's fine.”
Minguk waved it off at her overly apologetic expression.
Given the circumstances, this was nothing. Plus, as a discharged corporal, he was used to being called out during off-hours.
“So, what's with the urgent summons? Something happen?”
“Yes.”
She nodded gravely, and the briefing began.
It was long-winded, but short version: big trouble. Huge trouble. Another dungeon break near Vietnam.
Diffusion phenomena spotted near the Thai border just two hours ago—right when Minguk was deep into Shiranui Mai.
“Estimated break time: between 3 and 4 p.m.”
“Temporary dungeons should start popping up soon, then.”
The commander nodded at Minguk's words.
The World Hero Association must be in chaos. Dealing with China's diffusion, and now this. Vietnam was surely hell.
'Jeez... talk about bad luck.'
In the old world, Japan took most natural disasters. Here, Vietnam seemed cursed with them.
But something nagged.
“Even if Vietnam's heroes are lacking...”
It'd been less than half a year since their last break. After so many deaths, how'd they mismanage the dungeon timer again?
The commander pondered before answering.
“I don't have details, but higher-ups suspect ties to the Tower of Birds.”
“...An artificial explosion, then.”
“That's the estimate.”
Her voice was heavy. She knew what that implied better than anyone.
Garuda, one of the 12 Calamities, hadn't abandoned his ambitions. Things were spiraling badly.
The all-out war with that darkness monster everyone dreaded felt imminent. The oppressive tension weighed on him. Minguk fell silent.
'War breaking out already would be trouble...'
He hadn't leveled up enough.
Raid experience aside, his base specs were lacking. Hero rank still at 5 stars.
From what he knew, you'd need at least 9 stars for a 12 Calamity trial. Minimum.
Even grinding like a shut-in, it'd take over a year.
Assuming quests from Ppuu and Qyuu♡ for rewards. As he pondered, he asked the commander.
“Got it. Big mess in Vietnam.”
What he wondered: why tell him? Urgently summoning him, no less.
“GGW team's and 3182 Battalion's ops zone changed. We're heading...”
“Wait. We're going to Vietnam?”
Minguk's face twisted in disbelief. Bad news.
They'd come for China's diffusion, not Vietnam. Anywhere but there—he'd die before going.
- Back off. Don't touch them. Kill my children, and you won't get away!
Garuda's curse-like scream still rang in his ears. Lingering grudge like that? Vietnam now?
Who knew what'd happen. And her words confirmed his dread.
“Yes. The break's from a 【B-3】 dungeon. Manageable, at least. Higher-ups predict most temps will be 【A-8】s and 【A-9】s, not higher like 【A-5】.”
Minguk nodded reluctantly.
“And for GGW...”
GGW cleared 【A-8】/【A-9】s unmatched. He got why the Association and Chinese military wanted them in Vietnam.
'Still, no way to Vietnam.'
No brainer.
No desire to get marked by Garuda and end his short life. At 9 stars, maybe—but 5-star scrub? Nah.
As Minguk geared to refuse...
'What?'
A translucent window popped before Minguk's eyes, jiggling like jelly. Ppuu, Chaos's lackey, appeared.
《Minguk! You must go!!!》
Three exclamation points. But Minguk flatly refused despite the emphasis.
'No way. Wanna die to Garuda?'
《No. Garuda used all her mana on the break. No direct threat. Worst case, she rages like last time.》
'That sounds worse...'
Ppuu's chat-like response carried odd urgency.
The commander watched silently as Minguk conversed mentally, seeming to mull the Vietnam deploy.
'Why Vietnam specifically? China's diffusion isn't even cleared.'
《...Because of Garai.》
'Garai?'
Rang a bell.
Digging memory: during temp clears, he'd caught Garai's Elite Wyvern. Ppuu's chat followed.
《Garuda's right-hand.》
'Right-hand, huh...'
Trial-level boss vibe just from the name. Gatekeeper type. As a 12 Calamity's minion, top-tier monster for sure. Not for his underleveled self.
'At least...'
Needed elite teams like White House or Tencent—humanity's aces. The chat rippled in panic at his thought.
《Qu-quest! Can't a quest sway you? This is prime chance to nab Garai.》
'Prime chance?'
《Guy's a heavy hitter. Garuda's minion—clip him, you clip her wing.》
'Send someone else...'
《No one else can take him. Not a single raider here...》
Frustration oozed from the chat. No illusion—Ppuu must've fumed watching this world's heroes raid. The begging was palpable in text alone.
Ppuu couldn't pass up Garai's emergence. Sorry, but Minguk wanted no unprepared risks.
Then, a quest appeared before his eyes.