107. Evacuation (3)
Boom. Explosions from detonating bombs echoed across the battlefield in rapid succession. Rifles loaded with Bahamut Bullets spat fire, unleashing the true power of the ammunition. Wherever the bullets struck, flames erupted, engulfing the targets and their surroundings in roaring infernos.
"They're stronger than regular zombies. But still weaker than variant zombies!"
"Then we just blast 'em away!"
The enemies were tougher than zombies. Unlike mindless zombies, they wielded weapons and shields, and their movements and strength surpassed those of ordinary undead. But that was where it ended. Against the Balhut Cult, hardened by countless victories, they couldn't breach the wall of shields. Once the restriction on Bahamut Bullets was lifted, the skeletons were either flung into the air or crumpled amid the blasts.
Yet among them lurked commander units akin to variant zombies—high-ranking skeletons—introducing variables. But...
"No skeletons to block me? Time to die!"
Jin A-yeon boldly charged into the heart of the skeleton horde, backed by the Balhut Cult's firepower. She targeted and shattered the hidden commanders one by one. Her spear thrust shattered a skull—it had been a powerful sergeant-type leading the pack, but it stood no chance against Ulsan Airport's strongest Awakener.
"Whoa, she's brave, huh?"
"Pushing through that skeleton swarm without flinching. She's just like the boss."
Truth be told, these sergeant-types weren't easy prey. Elite skeleton guards always flanked them, and their combined assaults could overwhelm even Jin A-yeon if she didn't one-shot them, forcing her to weather the barrage.
"Fire support! Snipe those elite skeletons so A-yeon can take 'em down easier!"
"Roger."
But clumped-up foes like these were child's play for the Balhut Cult. Bahamut Bullets infused with fire magic vaporized the elite guards in one hit, clearing paths for Jin A-yeon to smash the commanders' skulls.
It sounded simple, but from her perspective, it was terrifying—those powerful rounds hurtling toward her too.
"That was close...! These guys are no joke!"
Jin A-yeon flashed a grin despite her surprise at the cult's firepower. But...
"I get why you allied with these folks, old man!"
Far from scared, she felt relieved having such strong allies. Her steps didn't falter; she pressed forward with surging confidence—reckless, perhaps. The cult's strikes only cleared the immediate threats, leaving the approaching horde unscathed.
At this rate, the skeletons would swallow her whole. But...
"Keep firing! We have to take out their leader!"
Son Sang-hee instinctively read Jin A-yeon's bold move and ordered the troops to intensify the barrage. It was a risky call that could ensnare their own, but the cult soldiers fired without hesitation.
The ground quaked as dirt and bones exploded skyward. Still, Jin A-yeon's advance never stopped.
"Found you!"
Her target was singular: the army's core commander. From past fights, she knew decapitating the undead overseer turned the horde into a rabble. Sergeants were the mouthpieces; this commander was the brain.
A wall of bones guarded it, of course. But...
"Die already!"
Charging the commander, Jin A-yeon spun mid-stride, channeling centrifugal force into a devastating spear throw. The projectile whistled through the air, piercing the bone wall and embedding in the commander's skull.
It was a high undead overseer, so it didn't drop from one hit. As it clawed at the spear...
"Move!"
At her shout, the spear thrashed wildly inside its head, pulverizing the interior. Immense force rippled through its bones. With a pop, the spear yanked free.
"Swing!"
She gestured like wielding a whip, and the spear whipped around, smashing the skull. Neck bones shattered; head and body parted, the former rolling limply across the dirt.
Jin A-yeon dodged incoming skeletons while...
"Come back!"
...recalling her spear flawlessly. It pierced the bone wall again, rocketing to her hand and settling perfectly in her palm.
"Sis! They're leaderless rabble now! Let's wipe 'em out!"
"Copy that. I see it. All units—switch to offensive posture!"
With the commander slain, the undead faltered, some devolving into disorganized mobs lashing out wildly. No better than wild beasts now, they faced the full assault of the Balhut Cult and Ulsan Airport allies shifting from defense to attack.
Bahamut Bullets flew as brave souls provided cover fire. When ammo ran dry, they charged with greatswords or rifle butts, crushing skulls and stomping remains. Boots pulverized fallen bones as they advanced...
"I ain't falling behind."
Back at base after felling the commander, Jin A-yeon plunged into another skeleton cluster.
Thus, the Balhut Cult and Ulsan Airport coalition crushed the vanguard and moved to mop up the remnants.
"First clash went smooth. But where'd these new bastards come from?"
"Plenty of detour routes here, right? Maybe troops from Otovalley or Iero. Or they were hidden all along?"
As the allies handled stragglers, Son Sang-hee sighed at reports of another ambush. How had so many undead slipped their watch?
Jin A-yeon had the answer.
"Hide 'em?"
"Those fields over there. Perfect for stashing boneheads like these."
She pointed out the roadside farmlands as ideal cover.
"So..."
"They dumped 'em like corpses. Without a necromancer pumping mana, they're just bones. No one'd suspect even if spotted."
"That's why they dodged mana detection!"
Unlike zombies groaning through vocal cords, silent skeletons made no noise. Sound scouting worked on zombies, but stealthy skeletons were a nightmare to hunt. Inactive, they passed as mere bones—even evading detection-types like Son Sang-hee.
When the cult first spotted the field bones, they'd dismissed them as a mass grave, puzzled but moving on.
One takeaway from Jin A-yeon's intel:
"So without a summoner, they can't rise?"
"Yeah. No summoner, no army. Got that from grilling some small fry—not gospel, but close enough."
These needed a summoner to exist. No necromancer, no skeletons here—which meant one was nearby.
"Summoner's in the area, then."
"Yup. And those mana tricks scream Immortal Cult. One of theirs is close."
They scanned warily. Jin A-yeon pegged the culprits as Immortal Cult.
"Immortal Cult... Why target refugees?"
"Dunno. But they hoard the living. Needed 'em for something."
No clue on motives. Better to build rep through battles or talks, yet they'd struck civilians. Pointless, Son Sang-hee thought. Jin A-yeon cited recent cult moves: they craved live humans.
"Live people... as sacrifices?"
"Don't spook me like that, sis! But... yeah, probably. Seen hints before."
Son Sang-hee shuddered at the idea, but Jin A-yeon half-agreed reluctantly. Shaking it off, she refocused practically.
"Issue is, no survivors around here. We've swept it already. Unless they snuck in via detours."
"Yeah. Evac was announced today. Immortal Cult deploying on short notice via backroads? Nah."
The area was under cult surveillance and cleared. Infiltration unlikely. Timing too perfect, Jin A-yeon noted.
"Prefer thinking a spy hid in the refugees."
"Frankly, this timing screams infiltrator tracking us and springing a pre-set trap. Easier than dispatching agents."
For her, sabotage from within beat sending outsiders. Neither cult nor airport could vet thousands fully—prime for Immortal Cult plants or long-term moles.
"Same here. Easy to slip one spy into four thousand."
"Plan?"
"Head to Gyeongju with a spy aboard?"
That'd plant one in the capital. They could hunt post-arrival, or outsource to Balhut IRS for a "tax audit." But...
"No. Root 'em out here."
"Can you?"
It demanded admin muscle—wasteful for one spy. Better now.
"Raising skeletons uses magic, right?"
"Mana-intensive."
"I'm detection-type. I can log that mana signature. Lure 'em to a fight-friendly spot, memorize the pattern during chaos, then sniff out the spy."
Perfect—Son Sang-hee's skills fit. Track the puppeteer's mana.
In other words...
"We fight again?"
Until she memorized it, more ambushes loomed. But Jin A-yeon gripped her spear with a trusty grin.
Son Sang-hee smiled lightly.
"Reinforcements in under an hour. Won't take long."
"Leave it to me. I'll lop off the next commander's head."
"Counting on you."
A true hero. Son Sang-hee thought of Baek Seol-hwa battling the ghost fleet off the East Sea and focused her mind.