Chapter 250
Chapter 250
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 250
Chapter Title: 103. Struggle (6)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Leading the charge were Kang Han-min and Na Hye-in, and it was early days when the existence of Awakeners became known to the world, with new ones following in their footsteps appearing one after another.
Our Old School Hunters still held the core of the Hunter world and remained the most crucial presence on the monster frontlines.
Even though every indicator suggested we relics of the old era were destined to be swept away, we came up with our own plans for survival.
Among them, the majority were obvious ideas that anyone could think of but required massive costs and time: more efficient tactics, development of futuristic gear like exosuits, or deploying cutting-edge Chinese-style drones.
However, there were also radical proposals like enhancement drugs or genetic modification tech.
It's true that most of our self-preservation strategies focused on strengthening Old School Hunters themselves, as in the examples I just listed. But behind the scenes, some rather chilling methodologies were proposed as well.
The idea was to classify all Awakeners as mutated beings and include them in the category of enemies we needed to kill.
It might sound thoroughly Chinese in hindsight, but this movement actually originated in the United States first.
To give a brief backstory: a massive corporation raking in monster-hunting profits was on the verge of bankruptcy with the emergence of Awakeners, so they lobbied politicians, who in turn pressured the military and Hunter organizations. The same old story.
We had developed tactics against Awakeners too.
I didn't dive in personally, but I know it was conducted quite seriously under Jang Gi-young's lead.
That is, until the budget got cut and we shifted to the Awakener system, leaving everyone jobless.
Still, a few valuable lessons from that time linger in my mind.
How detection-type Awakeners perceive humans, how x-ray vision users see through objects and their limits, ways to hide your true intentions from Awakeners with limited mind-reading, and theoretical countermeasures against level 5 or higher Awakeners.
I have no idea what grade of Awakeners are approaching me now.
They're showing low-level signs, but there could be level 5+ among them.
But it won't make much difference.
The battlefield I've chosen is a narrow maze of debris and stone cover, perfect for close-quarters ambushes at every turn.
"He's in there! Alone!"
The atmosphere was definitely different from before.
Unlike the previous silent, stealthy hunt to take down their prey and slip away, this time they'd brought numbers specifically to kill me outright.
"Aaaack!"
A faint scream echoed from beyond the wall.
They'd triggered a trap.
At minimum, an ankle was wrecked, and they'd either die on the spot or succumb to a fatal infection.
The traps were packed with rusted metal shards and filthy glass fragments, embedded like beast fangs.
Sneakers wouldn't stand a chance—straight through the insole and into the sole of the foot.
"Aaaaack! Fuck! It hurts so much! It hurts!"
The agonized wails continued, confirming once again how young the victim was.
Youth doesn't make someone good or pure.
In my view, human purity isn't innate—it's the result of education and care.
Ignorance and inexperience are surprisingly often mistaken for purity.
"......"
I waited silently in place for the enemy who would soon appear before me.
In anti-Awakener tactics, the most threatening were transcendent spec freaks like Kang Han-min, but realistically, detection-types were the biggest pain.
We'd researched ways to turn their detection against them extensively, and the conclusions were similar.
No matter what, you couldn't escape their sight, so instead, use their abilities in reverse.
Knowing an enemy's position doesn't guarantee victory.
Victory goes to the one better trained and prepared.
Time to teach these kids that lesson.
Thud-
The enemies approached the outpost.
I waited quietly for them.
"He's inside!"
The first floor of the outpost had no windows.
It was sealed by thick concrete walls on all sides.
No rifle could punch through them no matter how long you fired.
Creeeak--
They opened the door.
At that moment, I clocked at least eight enemies closing in on the outpost.
A massive gap.
But I decided not to think about the numbers.
My job was simple.
Kill each one that shows its face before me.
"There, beyond the wall!"
Bam!
They kicked the door.
But I'd locked it.
On purpose.
Make it hard to enter so they don't suspect traps.
Couldn't fool the most paranoid one, maybe, but what could they do?
Unlike the sealed bunker underground, smoking them out was less efficient here, and I had a military gas mask ready by my side anyway.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Gunshots targeted the lock.
A weak creak echoed from beyond the wall as the door swung open.
"There. There. He's there."
Whispers drifted in.
Who would come first?
Scuff-
Slow, sliding footsteps extended from the door into the hallway.
One—no, two.
They tried to muffle their steps, but in this confined space, at this short range, it meant nothing.
Unless they were completely off-guard, anyone tensed up—even untrained—could sense it.
Right now, I sat on a backless stool with my eyes closed.
Not into cosplay, but it was my way of signaling against x-ray vision users.
I'm weak. No fight left in me.
If I had to compare, it's like those emoticon comments "Kelton" spams on every Red Archive post dominating the boards.
Few can stay free of adrenaline surges on a life-or-death battlefield, and it fuels rash judgments more than usual.
For reference, mine secretes less than most.
Thud-
Right in front of me.
I opened my eyes and raised my gun.
But they didn't stop.
I'd find out why soon.
A shield.
Probably jury-rigged from an armored vehicle door.
Heavy, so the wielder was massively built.
His body wasn't visible yet beyond the wall, but the shield's position told me.
At least 190cm of hulking man.
The moment I saw the shield, I dropped flat.
"Kill him!"
A massive shadow charged in behind the shield with a stomping thud.
At a slight delay, I spotted another man with a pistol.
The shield guy pressed in tight to cover his burly frame completely,
but
bang!
Should've brought a longer one.
"Aaaack!"
I slammed a bullet into the gap revealed by his charging, shaking shield—right into the left ankle bone.
Regardless of his will, the joint buckled, body collapsing. I sprang up like a coil and kicked the lead guy's shield aside.
The heavy brute, laden with gear, crashed straight into the follower.
As the two went down, I put two rounds into each from different angles.
Bang! Bang!
Two down.
After the gunfire's silence settled, a voice just past puberty echoed from beyond the door.
"Jong-han. Jong-han."
The dead don't speak.
The youthful voice called the next name.
"Bbak-gu. Bbak-gu!"
Big guy gets called by name, skinny one by a nickname.
Classic trait of immature peer groups.
"You, you bastard."
The boy who'd called his friends now addressed me.
"I'll kill you. You fuck. You don't even know what you've done? I won't kill you easy."
"......"
"You dogshit. Huh? I'll skin you alive, peel off your flesh bit by bit. Keep you alive over a month, neither dead nor living. Think I can't? I've done plenty. You fucking mutt. Huh?"
While the boy rambled his threats from hell's peak, I retrieved the shield from the corpse beyond the wall.
Before poking my upper body into the hallway to the door, I'd checked lines of fire with a mirror, but since I'd confirmed no guns aimed from there, it was smooth sailing.
I could gauge his position from his yapping.
"I'll pull your nails, gouge your eyes, rip your tongue......"
Shield secured, I grabbed the pistol next.
No end to his drivel, so I dragged the two bodies to my side.
Propped the big one in a seated position, stacked the small one on top.
A corpse barricade.
Old Chinese tactics flooded back as I finally spoke to the still-chattering boy.
"Good at pulling?"
"What?!"
"If you're good at pulling, do my gacha pulls for me."
His rambling stopped.
Instead, frantic footsteps approached.
The pattern matched exactly what I'd hoped for.
Group charge.
Rush in all at once to finish it.
The kind of idea rookies who rely on cheat powers and easy hunts would have.
I drew my ace.
Grenades.
Pulled pins on both with my hands, waited for them to ripen, then bounced them off the wall beyond the corpse barricade, outward-facing.
They showed right after.
Rat-tat-tat-tat-tat-bang!
Full auto.
Magazine emptied in seconds.
"Now! Rush him!"
"No, something fell?"
"What?"
Even then, one peeked around the wall—but that was it.
Boom! Kaboom!
The two grenades detonated.
No ordinary person survives ruthless blast pressure and the shrapnel storm it unleashes.
Before the echoes faded, I reloaded fast and charged into the dust-choked hallway.
"Grrghhh......"
A survivor twitched in the thick dust; ignored him and barreled on.
Open door ahead.
I burst out, scanning outside.
Three hazy figures stood through the fog, less dense than the dust.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Three—no, two down.
One dodged instinctively, avoiding a lethal hit.
I approached the boy bleeding out on the ground.
New face, but I easily pegged him as one of the attempted murderers from before.
Not just the faintly glowing eyes—the twisted soul within them screamed someone who'd shed their humanity.
"Fuck......"
Quick stock smash to the temple knocked him out, then a mercy shot from the fresh pistol.
Bang!
Checked elsewhere too.
Man got a hard kick to the groin; woman stomped till her neck snapped under my boot.
"......"
No reactions from either.
Back to the outpost for the same on the three still clinging to life.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Ended them, then sat on the chair to catch my breath.
Once breathing steadied, I reported by phone.
"This is Outpost 328. Just engaged a group of humans—all eliminated. No. Hold on. Lights approaching."
Thick lights pierced the fog.
A vehicle.
On the same route as the usual supply truck.
Asked into the phone.
"Did you send reinforcements by any chance?"
"N-no, sir. Nothing reported here."
Gun up, I climbed to the roof, prone, watching the vehicle's path intently.
Fifty-fifty odds.
No optimism here.
On this battlefield, you only meet killers or non-killers.
Maybe the fog slowed it, but the vehicle arrived under my zone slower than usual, fog lights on.
Soldiers with guns disembarked—visible.
"Government troops?"
Our main foes aren't human, and civilians don't come here, so no passwords needed.
Soldiers looked our way.
Finger stayed on the trigger as I watched.
"Mr. Park Gyu?"
One soldier asked.
"That's me."
My finger still hugged the trigger.
"Heard you were under attack."
"Yes."
Saw the soldiers scanning nervously.
"Where are the enemies?"
"Handled them. More importantly, where'd you come from?"
Finger still inside the guard.
They're not Man Hunters for sure, but doesn't mean they're not here to kill me.
A sergeant looked up.
Spotted my aimed gun, slight surprise, then blinked and spoke.
"......It's from the Savior."
"Savior......?"
I know the type.
But Savior as a proper title, not nickname?
Remembered some old grammar term—oxymoron—and waited for more.
"Sent by Savior Na Hye-in."
A title, then.
I snorted involuntarily.
"Na Hye-in?"
"Yes. Savior Na Hye-in personally attended the committee and requested aid."
"......"
Bitter smile as I eased my finger off the trigger.
"Where are the enemies?"
The sergeant asked tensely.
Slung my gun over my shoulder and walked slowly to the stairs.
"I'll show you."
Descending, blood and shit stench assaulted me, but my eyes saw something else—a vision.
Blue sky, vast open horizon rare in Korea, rail-like structures blooming with cosmos.
"So it was that guy after all."
99% certainty solidified into fact.
Recalled a hazy face from dim memories and murmured inwardly.
"......Good work."
Meaning I wasn't the only one fighting.
We each battled our realities from our posts, achieved our results.
Tomorrow looks promising, but first, clean up these bodies.
The truth about the young killers came out about nine hours later, that morning.