Seoul Recapture Operation (2)
Tang!
The explosive round hit dead center, and shards from the blast punched into the ceiling before raining down like hail.
My uniform was already soaked in sticky mucus. A nauseating stench wafted from every inch of my body.
No need to do laundry, I suppose.
This was my last day anyway.
"W-We got it…!"
It had been a brutal takedown, but the rookie had cleanly notched his first kill.
His expression seemed a little more relaxed now. Maybe catching one had given him a boost of confidence.
"A-Are you okay…?"
The rookie rushed to my side, checking on me. I'd been unlucky enough to take a direct hit from the scattered tentacle fragments.
"How's it feel?"
"I… don't really know."
He was still clumsy as ever, but I figured he'd be fine. Actually, getting hands-on experience killing a monster on your first mission out wasn't something most rookies could claim.
After taking down a total of six Black Chains, we finally reached our target.
[Conference Room].
I shoved open the massive door, fitting for its name.
Screeech! An unpleasant creak from the hinges, and pitch-black darkness swallowed my vision.
Power had been out for ages. In this vast, windowless space, expecting light was a pipe dream.
"F-Flare!"
Surprisingly quick on the uptake, the rookie yanked a specially modified indoor flare from his pocket and tossed it.
Normally, infrared detectors were the go-to for piercing the dark, but with our equipment shortages, that was a luxury we couldn't afford.
Sure, the flare would probably wake any dormant monsters in a pretty violent way, but we had no choice.
Fighting blind against anomalies was suicide.
Pop!
The special flare ignited, transforming the conference room into broad daylight in an instant.
I'd worried there might be too many for just the two of us, but…
"Support—requested! Support—requested!"
Luckily, there was only one monster this time too. Another Black Chain.
As grotesque as ever, but this one had a somewhat more human appearance as it glared at us.
"Support—requested! Support—requested!"
We were at a good distance, so the odds of a surprise attack were low.
I aimed my rifle squarely at it and took a closer look.
"Support—requested! Support—requested!"
Its last words, attire, and body condition were anything but ordinary. It was easy to tell the host had been a special forces operative from the initial recapture op.
"I-It doesn't rot…? It looks pretty old."
"Probably died about a year ago."
The weaknesses of Black Chains—that exploding the main tentacle attached to the host's heart makes them easy to kill, and that they repeat the dead host's final words—had only been confirmed around ten months ago.
"Support—requested! Support—requested!"
Unfortunately, soldiers back then who didn't know the countermeasures all ended up like this.
Tang!
I didn't want to look at him anymore, so I ended it quickly.
The monster's chest exploded, scattering tentacle fragments everywhere, and finally, its host found peace.
"Whew…."
I lowered my rifle and slowly scanned the surroundings. No anomalies turned up no matter how thoroughly I checked, so I turned to the rookie and said flatly,
"Report in. First-floor conference room secured."
"Y-Yes, sir!"
As he fumbled awkwardly with the radio, I glanced out toward the hallway.
We'd cleared it on the way in, but who knew if another monster might've slipped into that long corridor. Until we got word that the entire Base Station was secure, we couldn't let our guard down.
Thud.
Something emerged from the dim shadows of the hallway.
"C-Captain…?"
As surprising as any monster. He'd probably heard the report—Captain Kim Hoyeon was heading our way.
His steady bootsteps brimmed with an odd confidence. He didn't seem fazed by monsters at all. If he was that bold, why hadn't he joined the op until now?
He walked up silently and stopped right in front of me, casually draping an arm over my shoulder with a smile.
"Good work. Private…"
"Corporal, Shin Noeul."
"Right, Corporal Shin. Discharge tomorrow, yeah?"
"Yes, sir."
So he did know. I'd half-worried he'd forget my name and even my discharge date.
Especially since I'd heard competent soldiers sometimes got their service extended by force.
"You've been through a lot."
Being just average, like someone had advised, was turning out to be a blessing.
Snap, snap! The captain dropped his smile and beckoned the rookie with a flick of his fingers.
"Private! Kang! Seung! Min!"
The rookie, who had decent military bearing, hurried over. The captain jerked his chin without a word—step out.
It felt like he wanted to talk to me alone.
"…."
The rookie's eyes darted to me. He was clearly spooked at the thought of being alone if a monster showed up.
"Go on out. If anything happens, just burst back in."
"A-Alright, sir!"
The rookie gave an awkward salute and bolted outside.
Thud!
The door shut, leaving just me and the captain in the conference room.
A perfect sealed space. As the flare began to die out, the darkness thickened, making it hard to read his face.
"Whew… This fucking sucks, huh?" The captain let out a heavy breath and yanked off his gas mask.
Ting!
A sharp click, followed by a spark. A lighter. Captain Kim Hoyeon clamped a cigarette between his lips and puffed out thick clouds of smoke.
"Ah… Yes, sir."
"Want one?"
"I'm good, sir."
I'd quit cold turkey ages ago, and besides, smoking wasn't recommended in unreclaimed zones.
Thud.
"Where you headed after discharge?"
The captain circled me restlessly, peppering me with questions.
"Not sure. But probably Daejeon Special Protection City."
The provisional capital of Korea right now, and the safest spot on the peninsula.
Entry was strictly limited to the authorized, but "discharged soldier" was prime cred for getting a permit.
"No interest in officer training?"
Insane. Peeling off your rank here meant at least ten more years of service.
I'd turn it down even from the safer rear lines—let alone the front.
"…Sorry, sir."
"You tried contacting family?"
"Not sure."
Last call was probably six years ago, before conscription. Yeah, that tracks.
Civilians and soldiers weren't allowed contact. And things weren't stable enough for calls anyway.
Fizzle.
The flare finally went out, blanketing the room in thick darkness. Even the captain's cigarette glow faded.
Thud!
His circling boots stopped behind me.
I still couldn't figure it out. Why he wanted to talk to me alone.
The conversation had been utterly pointless so far, but he pressed on doggedly.
"You've been through a lot up till now."
"No, sir."
Another round of encouragement. I figured that was it—then he said something bizarre.
"So, I hope you'll keep suffering even more from here on out."
"…Pardon? What do you—"
Pop!
A suppressed shot. By the time my ears caught that faint sound, something had already gone terribly wrong.
Something trickled down my abdomen. My already filthy uniform now stained crimson.
Thud!
I crumpled to my knees and pitched forward.
Pressing against the cold floor, I realized it.
The captain had shot me.
The captain had come on this op just to kill me.
"Congrats."
"…What the."
"Corporal Shin, you're truly blessed. You'll be sacrificing your body for Korea's eternal glory."
Captain Kim Hoyeon spat the nonsense with a sneer, fumbling around before picking something up.
I sensed a repulsive wriggling nearby.
A tentacle from the Black Chain I'd just killed. The captain jammed the fragment into the hole in my body, making it look like I'd been ambushed by a monster in the dark.
Then he bellowed shamelessly,
"Shin coooorporal! Rookie!"
Bang!
"P-Private! Kang! Seung! Min!"
"Flare! Light a flare now!"
The rookie ignited another flare, flooding the conference room with light again.
"Wh-What the hell…."
"There was one more hidden monster. Fucking bastards… Why didn't you check thoroughly? I specifically ordered you to follow protocol—no need to stir up trouble!"
The captain barked, and the freshly conscripted rookie sensed something off but couldn't argue back.
"Sorry, sir!"
"Radio in right—"
With a face thick as steel, the captain hoisted me up.
The bleeding wouldn't stop, and the twitching tentacles—post-mortem nerve reflexes—thrashed inside me.
"…."
My consciousness faded bit by bit. I blacked out completely.
. . .
"A bit more…"
"Resistance… good…"
"………Transplant. Vitals…"
My vision felt unusually bright. I couldn't see anything, but light was pouring in—that much I knew.
And some metallic clinking wouldn't stop.
A sharp disinfectant smell stung my nose. Cold, hard surgical table under me.
My mind was hazy, but I could piece together fragments from the words around me.
Virus Resistance. And transplant.
I was probably the subject of an experiment.
So, I hope you'll keep suffering even more from here on out.
Only then did the captain's words make sense.
With my immunity to the monster virus, I was the perfect test subject.
Of course they wouldn't let someone like me discharge peacefully. I'd be forced to keep serving—in a way I never imagined.
"A bit more…"
"Dangerous………."
Something had gone wrong. The lab grew frantic.
I clung to my slipping consciousness and screamed inwardly.
I want to live…!
. . .
"……."
It felt like everything that just happened was a lie. My mind was strangely light.
I lifted my eyelids effortlessly—more like they snapped open.
"……."
By some miracle, I hadn't died. My body still drew breath.
…How?
I looked down to check my condition.
Drastically shortened arms and legs. And… bloodless, ghostly pale skin that no human could have.
The world was sharper than before. Even faint sounds rang crystal clear.
Sounds that shouldn't reach me drilled into my ears.
But sadly, I couldn't examine my changed body for long.
"You're awake. How's the body feel?"
An unidentified voice came from right beside me.