Chapter 42
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Translator: Silver Dragon
Chapter: 43
Chapter Title: Armored Train Assault (2)
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A long while after Ghost vanished.
That voice lingered in Kellogg's ears for some time.
'We gave you power to turn the impossible into possible.'
Those words were a test for the rebels.
"..."
A heavy silence fell over the remaining resistance fighters.
What was the armored train Ares?
The weapon symbolizing the Federation's invincible myth.
A moving fortress.
The great artery carrying the blood and sweat of the Eldorado Continent.
Complex emotions flickered across the faces of the rebel members.
The overwhelming terror brought by the name Ares.
The sense of duty to carry out Ghost's message.
Kellogg knew his men were wavering.
"Boss... is it really possible?"
The youngest member pointed at the bundle of papers Ghost had left behind, his voice trembling.
Inside were densely packed details on Ares's rough features, explosive placement points, and troop deployments.
Another subordinate muttered in a whisper.
"We're up against that moving fortress..."
Kellogg was the first to regain his composure and break the silence.
He held up the bundle of papers and shouted to everyone.
"Are you scared?"
No one could answer.
Kellogg met each of their eyes one by one and continued.
"I'm scared too. Standing before that train, we might feel like nothing more than bugs."
The men's eyes wavered.
"But think about it! Have we ever taken the easy path even once? When we escaped the Federation's grasp, I thought survival itself was impossible! When we faced that bandit horde with our rusty muskets, we thought it might be our last day!"
His voice grew louder, resonating in the men's chests.
"But we survived! And we grew stronger! Who do we owe that to? Ghost! He gave us weapons, showed us the way! And now, he's pointing us to our greatest prey yet! This isn't a test—it's proof that he believes in us!"
He clenched his fist tightly.
"The success of this operation will be the first step proving we're the true liberation army capable of piercing the Trade Federation's heart! I believe in Ghost. And I believe in you all!"
As Kellogg's impassioned speech rang out, the wavering light in his men's eyes began to change.
Resolve and fighting spirit welled up where fear had been.
Hesitation melted away like snow.
They were rebels standing against the Federation.
Were they the type to back down from something like this?
"Alright, let's move! We've got the briefing and the map. From now on, prepare for the operation according to your assigned tasks!"
"Yes, Boss!"
While the resistance fighters steeled their resolve, Jinwoo approached the opposite side of the mountain range.
This was Death's Basin, known as the habitat of the Deathclaws.
An ominous place littered with massive beast bones bleached white like skulls in every direction.
'Time to start the cleanup.'
Jinwoo had Falcon wait in a safe spot, then climbed a rocky ridge to overlook the entire basin.
The sight unfolding before him was truly spectacular.
"Grrr..."
"Groo!"
Dozens of Deathclaws were basking in the sun on the rocks.
Crack! Crunch!
Some gnawed on withered bones, guarding their territory.
Bones that looked like they could belong to their own kind littered the area.
'As expected, the savage lore where they even eat their fellow kin.'
Deathclaws resembled massive lizards.
They had hard bony plates jutting from their backs, and their forelimbs ended in enormous claws that could tear steel like paper.
'Pistol rounds would just bounce off harmlessly.'
They were ferocious monsters that could shred even seasoned bounty hunters in an instant if they let their guard down.
'I need to deal with them now.'
Jinwoo scratched his chin as he counted their numbers.
Deathclaws were extremely sensitive with fierce territorial instincts.
They reacted maniacally to loud noises and vibrations, rampaging toward the source until it was obliterated.
'In two days, when Kellogg blows the bridge, these guys will all swarm that way at the sound.'
That would turn the operation into chaos.
The resistance would face not just the train but a horde of Deathclaws attacking from behind—the worst possible scenario.
Jinwoo couldn't tolerate such a variable.
'No need to kill them all. Just thin the numbers enough so they won't dare leave their territory.'
This was the real reason for taking on the Deathclaw extermination quest.
Beyond creating an alibi for infiltration without clashing with the Federation.
It allowed him to eliminate preemptive variables disrupting the plan, at his discretion.
Achieving two goals with one action—an utterly efficient judgment.
Jinwoo drew Hawk Eye.
'Their weakness is clear enough. Hard to spot up close in a fight, though.'
Unlike their thick back shells, the skin from under the throat to the chest was surprisingly soft.
Jinwoo aimed at one ambling nearby.
Red Eye Activated!
His vision tinted red.
The Deathclaw's slow yawning motion, mouth gaping wide.
The soft white skin under its throat stood out clearly.
Phsh!
A silent sniper shot. The bullet pierced the weak point precisely.
"Kraaaaaah!"
A shrill scream unfit for its massive bulk!
The Deathclaw collapsed on the spot, thrashing before going still.
The sudden death of their kin made the others nearby stand alert.
Jinwoo didn't hesitate.
Phsh! Phsh!
As another turned its head to scan around, a bullet lodged in the exposed throat weakness.
The one sunning on the rock had a hole blasted through its eye the moment it rose.
With Red Eye's corrections, Jinwoo's sniping was flawless.
Their behavior patterns were too predictable.
Just wait for the weakness to show and pull the trigger.
The basin plunged into chaos in an instant.
"Kyaoooo!"
"Kwaaaah!"
The Deathclaws had no idea where the attacks came from.
All they could do was slash wildly at the air in rage or tear at their dead kin in frenzy.
Jinwoo watched impassively, mechanically firing.
About twenty down, perhaps.
Finally, the survivors felt fear and began fleeing tail-tucked into the deepest caves of the basin.
'This should do it.'
Jinwoo lowered his gun.
He needed to collect proof for his alibi when exiting the mountains.
Jinwoo descended to the carnage and approached the corpse of the massive leader he'd dropped first.
He drew a dagger and severed its largest, sharpest claw.
A heavy, eerie trophy.
Red dust from the Crimson Mountains scattered on the wind.
A few days later, Kellogg's resistance group was finally wrapping up their busy work in the area Ghost had designated.
Before them stretched long rail lines and embankments.
And between them, an iron structure.
"This is... the iron bridge?"
Batu muttered in confusion.
Ahead lay a massive chasm tens of meters wide, carved out long ago by what seemed like a huge landslide.
Spanning the gouged earth was a rickety rail made of weathered wood and steel reinforcements.
"Combining local testimonies and Ghost's intel, it seems a past disaster one-sidedly carved out the path. The Federation threw this up as a hasty repair."
It looked less like a proper bridge and more like a steel cast over collapsed ground.
"Height's about 2 or 3 meters. Even if it falls, the train won't shatter completely."
Kellogg quickly surveyed the terrain.
He could see why Ghost had marked this as the weak point.
Those reinforced structures were barely holding Ares's immense weight. A precise strike on the weak links, and collapse was only a matter of time.
"Everyone, move! As Ghost instructed, plant explosives on the fourth and seventh bridge piers! Be as stealthy and swift as possible!"
At Kellogg's command, the members approached the structure over the chasm.
They skillfully attached Trade Federation high-performance dynamite to the most vulnerable parts of the rusted metal supports.
The rest scattered into the rocks and forests on either side of the path, forming a perfect ambush formation.
Their faces bore not the anxiety of days ago, but the honed resolve of a sharpened blade.
The eerie calm only those prepared for death could possess.
"We'll succeed no matter what!"
At the same time, Jinwoo had taken position at a perfect sniper perch overlooking the entire scene.
The cliff top about 500 meters from the bridge, dotted with small trees.
'Preparations are going smoothly. Not bad for rookies.'
He watched the resistance planting explosives through Hawk Eye's scope.
Their movements were precise, laced with desperation and grit.
'They've got more discipline than before?'
Jinwoo swung the scope toward the distant rail start point.
Nothing yet.
But there were omens.
"Kiek?"
Falcon, dozing flat on the ground with its head bobbing, lifted its head.
The faint ground vibrations only sensitive animals could detect.
The massive steel fortress was approaching.
'The show's about to start.'
Jinwoo pulled away from the scope and scratched Falcon's neck as it lay obediently beside him.
Falcon let out a satisfied, drowsy sound.
"Hang in there a bit longer. Once we deal with that noisy scrap heap, special treats tonight."
"Kiek..."
He fed it a piece of jerky from his pocket.
The resistance, finishing their explosive setup, returned to positions, and tense silence settled over the wasteland once more.
All preparations complete.
Jinwoo gripped Hawk Eye firmly again, awaiting the massive prey.
Rumble...!
A black, enormous silhouette began charging from afar, belching smoke.