031_Seoul's Dome (1)
I quickly scooped up the Silver Foam's core with a drone and handed it over to Han Seol.
[Don't lose this. Keep it safe.]
I'd already told the Union that I'd be taking the monster's corpse.
"Yes, sir!"
The news of our successful Silver Foam subjugation echoed out, and cheers erupted from the reserve units stationed at a distance—I could hear them even from here.
For now, I ordered the wounded to receive emergency treatment at the field hospital before being airlifted back to Nakyuan. Naturally, we wouldn't charge them for treatment.
Out of the vanguard's 100 members, 22 were injured and 4 had died. We stood before the bodies of those four brave Awakeners who'd fought valiantly and held a moment of silence.
They were people who'd laid down their lives for the greater good. The Union decided to pool resources and provide the families or those closest to the deceased with monthly rations of food and necessities so they'd never want for anything.
Discussions began on enacting the Union's first formal veterans' benefits law for meritorious service. Of course, individual warlords had handled family support internally before, but with our scale growing, codifying it into law made sense.
We extended that to include casualties from the Moon Dancer subjugation and the Yongsan battle, with rations scaled by contribution.
I kicked things off by pledging 2,000 cans of food, booze, smokes, and more to the fund. The Union execs followed suit, committing food and sundries.
[How long do you think it'll take?]
"Probably... about a week for all of us."
"Someone should stay behind afterward to handle communications."
"I'll stay."
[You sure?]
"Yes! Just leave it to me!"
[Don't want you alone, so I'll send some First Guard Company members tomorrow.]
"Thank you, sir!"
Im Jui, Han Seol, Han Byeol, and Jeong Su-hwan would handle cleanup for a week, then Jeong Su-hwan would stay on for the rest.
The battle was over, but work remained. We had to extract the silver fangs piled up in the Hyunshin Department Store basement.
Engineers, construction workers, and heavy machinery got to work clearing the ruins. I ordered them to prioritize safety and take it slow to avoid accidents from hasty extraction.
[I'm pulling the drones. Keep me posted via radio.]
"Yes, sir!"
Everyone lined up before the drone and saluted.
"Whew. Hm?"
I shut off the drones and opened my eyes to a floating message.
"Getting familiar now."
"Four monsters down, two named... yeah, veteran status checks out."
Something felt unlocked inside me. But first, points.
"Whoa...!"
My points had jumped to 91. I'd gotten 41 from the near-dead Moon Dancer, spent 40 on reconstruction, leaving 1. So 90 from Silver Foam.
"Moon Dancer felt tougher..."
Thinking it over, without the armory sword, Silver Foam would've been a nightmare beyond Moon Dancer. The overtech blade let us slice and core it—strategy win. No sword? We'd have had to pummel it with fists or hammers.
"Time to go."
I headed straight to basement level 2 and checked around. No changes on B1 or B2.
Heading up to 2F, I passed the drone room door and felt a strange pull. Creak—the door opened. The coating drone display cases were unlocked, and a new drone had been revealed.
Two of the four cases on 4F were open. An orange drone with a shimmering glow seemed to stare right at me.
"This is it."
◈ Aerial bombardment capabilities
◈ Unlocked after Silver Foam subjugation
The attack drone I'd waited for since the blue ones. Inflowing info gave basics, but details meant testing it out.
Another chunk of info flooded in. Creak.
"Hm... useful."
The server room lets you share drone views via monitors. Delegate control, and anyone in the chair can pilot like I do.
Running four drones drains mental stamina huge. Beyond that? Impossible for focus or skill. Teach Han Seol or Han Byeol, though, and efficiency skyrockets.
Since before Silver Foam, I'd planned something for new attack options. Once the sisters returned in a week, time to do it.
The 90 points from Silver Foam? Hospital reconstruction was locked in.
"All patients are out."
"Good work."
Na Hye-won, still recovering, slept in her wheelchair. Lee Kyung-min carried her out himself when she wouldn't wake.
Hospital was top priority for upgrades. We got lucky with few wounded this time, but endless wars meant surging demand.
Union food donations were thinning reserves, but food wasn't urgent—sell cheap water in bulk if needed. Hospital? Non-negotiable.
Building another crossed my mind, but upgrading for better specs won out.
Hospital Lv.1 / Cost: 50p
"Reconstruct."
Whoooong—the hospital glowed white.
"Ah...!"
Residents gasped, staring at the shining building.
"Ho...!"
Light faded; the two-story hospital was now five stories.
"Finally feels like a general hospital."
Hospital Lv.2 / Cost: 200p
"Too pricey..."
Lv3 would wait for point surplus.
"Director, doctors—take patients in."
"Yes!"
"Got it!"
Lee Kyung-min wheeled Na Hye-won inside.
"Layout changed?"
Old 1F: clinic, two 4-beds, two 2-beds, one 1-bed. Now: five 4-beds.
"Elevator time."
Buttons: B1·1·2·3·4·5. New basement. Effectively six stories now. Worth the points.
Basement first.
"OR moved down."
Same facilities as old 2F OR.
Checked 2F: three 2-beds, two 1-beds. Tucked Na Hye-won in a 1-bed, up to 3F.
3F: pharmacy stocked with drugs. Machines to compound more.
"Right, general hospital needs a pharmacy."
Not just meds—pharmacists needed now. OR drugs machine-dispensed but surgery-only. Pharmacy meds exportable: share, sell. Restock every six months via enhanced abilities. Na Hye-won's amp saved a year wait.
Shelves crammed with pre-apoc luxuries: syringes, kits, elite drugs.
"What's this?"
Handed Lee Kyung-min an English-labeled vial.
"Narcotic painkiller... Everything here's top-tier hospital exclusive."
No need for narcs here, but field hospitals in future wars? Game-changer.
"Need pharmacists too. 4F?"
"Whoa..."
I was meh, but doctors wowed. 4F: medical library, bunks like drama doctors' lounge. Water cooler, cookware.
Clinics had books, but not this.
"No more floor mats—crash here."
"Reminds me of residency lounge."
"5F last?"
"Yes!"
Lee Kyung-min and docs reminisced, smiling at the lounge.
"Hm..."
"Break room...?"
"Nah, this is the star."
Whole floor: luxury hotel suite. High-end dishware, furniture, ceiling projector to wall screen for movies.
Info flooded in on entry. 5F was the reconstruction MVP.
VIP Room — Superior to the old 1-bed that revived the dying.
"Revives the dead too...?"
Ordered Na Hye-won moved to VIP stat.
A week later, Im Jui, Han Seol, and Han Byeol returned. First Guard Company now at Hyunshin for silver fang ops awhile.
Regrettable restarting Im Jui's buffs, but couldn't pull a war hero mid-battle.
Na Hye-won woke healthy after 7 hours in VIP, nosebleed fatigue vanished like a lie.
"You all worked hard."
"Thank you, sir."
-Thank you.-
The three gazed at me with sparkling eyes.
"What... you want something?"
Han Byeol bowed her head.
"I-I want a bath..."
They could shower there, but rundown facilities vs. Nakyuan baths? No contest.
"Sure."
Soaked in our abundance once, a week outside left them ragged. For our war heroes, chefs prepped feasts post-bath.
Tomorrow: seafood, meat, smokes, booze crates to Jeong Su-hwan's crew for comfort.
Baths, dinner, board games, hospital tour—then home.
"New drone unlocked. Check it."
Intro'd it, took sisters to server room for piloting test.
Shared control—they flew like my view. Monitors showed Han Byeol's four drones.
Han Byeol had talent.
"So fun!"
"Yeah? Felt tiring to me."
She wasn't just good—racing game vibes, eyes closed, streaking night skies.
Han Seol? No gift.
"Sorry..."
"Huh? No need."
"Master, what's the bombardment drone do?"
"Haven't tested."
First test site? Locked in.
'Republic of Korea Government.'
Those bastards used Gangbuk civilians as bait to lure Silver Foam out. When we committed, they 'graciously' offered aid.
Galling. Post-battle, no backstab—would tank Gangnam support. With deaths, they'd stay quiet to honor the fallen.
But I wasn't psycho enough to bomb civilians.
"Tonight, six drones to National Assembly. You pilot the four blue ones, Han Byeol. I'll take the two bombarders."
"No way..."
"Yeah. Lure Dome Head out."
The named monster Dome Head slumbered around National Assembly—no residents, government troops blocking access. But drones high up? Untouchable.
Eye for eye. They wanted to test First Special Awakener Division? I'd oblige.