Chapter 125
Chapter 125
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 125
Chapter Title: Dawn of the Purge
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D-day AM 02:00.
The operation to subjugate the constellation Slaughter King finally kicked off right on schedule at 2:00 a.m. in the dead of night.
Missile bases scattered across South Korea, artillery units in the capital region and Gangwon Province, and air force squadrons took to the skies in unison.
Satellite footage and drone surveillance had pinpointed the Scavengers' strongholds—five undercities in Kaesong, Wonsan, Nampo, Pyongyang, and Hamhung. Missile barrages and fighter jet strikes hammered them simultaneously. Even in the pitch-black night, the undercities where they caroused with slaves turned into seas of fire in no time.
Whiiiiiing! KABOOOM! Fwoooom!
Whistles slicing through the air, explosions of every kind, and raging infernos followed one after another, filling the night with human screams.
Scavengers who had stripped down nearly naked after a day's routine, slaves draped over them as they swigged booze, grumbled at the sudden assault and tremors but kept right on drinking.
“Damn it, what the hell's going on in the middle of the night?”
“As expected, you dumb bitch. Don't piss yourself! This is just daily life, daily life. Keep going, you whore. We ain't dying.”
“Yeah. They blow shit up when they're bored... You think we're idiots with no prep? Heh heh. Idiots...”
The undercities' surface levels were wrecked, but this wasn't their first rodeo. The Scavengers stayed eerily calm—far more than anyone would expect.
They'd patched things up quick after past hits, expanding North Korea's old regime bunkers and air raid shelters or repurposing them entirely as bases. Missile strikes barely fazed them.
Of course, not all the bunkers were invincible.
“Shit, this thing's gonna collapse!”
“That's why I said we should reinforce it once.”
Some were ancient, others left crumbling from prior attacks. A few even took upgraded bunker-busters designed to detonate from within—real threats.
But even then, Scavengers didn't drop dead easily.
“Nah, just one spell fixes it~ Land Swamp! Better than wasting magic stones on construction.”
“Hmm~ And that's exactly what you blew it all on—buying slaves, right?”
“Fuck you! You use it too, you dick! Wanna get buried with it?”
Ruuuuumble!
One Scavenger, senses sharper than any human's, detected incoming missiles and turned the ground to mud with a spell, flushing the bunker-buster deeper underground before detonating it.
Meanwhile, another in a shallower bunker clawed through collapsed concrete and dirt, spat, and bitched nonstop.
“Ah, for real! My house I paid tribute for, and the blonde slave! Fuckers wrecked it! Damn it! Grrrrr!”
“Huh? You cockroach, heh heh! You survived?”
“If shit like this killed me, I'd be dead ages ago. Grrrr! Problem is the slave bitch got crushed—pisses me off.”
He was like Pyongyang's ruler Park Sukja—part fur, part demonic skin. His regen and defenses shrugged off missile blasts easy.
Still, pissed at his hard-earned house in ruins and slave buried alive, he dropped his transformation, pulled spare clothes from his inventory, and suited up.
“But this level of pounding? Those bastards mean business this time. Barrage ain't like usual—it's a full-on downpour. Still pouring, even.”
Whiiiiiing! Whiiiiiing!
Bombs kept falling as the two Scavengers chatted.
No panic, though. They bantered casually and started heading somewhere, natural as could be.
“Well, works for us. Total level-up bonanza, right? Kee hee hee. Body's already itching.”
“Thrilling sacrifice fest! This time, I'm hitting B-rank for sure!”
“Everyone's probably scrambling now? Anyway, boss called a meet~ Let's go. The hotel basement's fine, no sweat~”
Most of Slaughter King's Scavengers survived the missiles and bombs. They grabbed weapons and gear, then made for Kaesong's luxury hotel.
As everyone knew, humans contracted to Slaughter King leveled up not just via dungeons but by offering human flesh as tribute.
So this massive invasion? Crisis on one hand, but for them, it was hunting season—monsters with XP gift-wrapped at their door.
***
D-day AM 04:00.
Two hours post-preemptive strike, military units and guild trailers idling in Seoul and Gangwon surged forward together.
They blew past minor dungeons, blasted clinging low-level wild monsters with mana rounds, and prioritized seizing Kaesong, Wonsan, and Nampo.
Up front: around 100,000 troops. Veterans of grueling North Advance drills hit Kaesong smooth, diving straight into occupation.
“Eyes sharp, everyone! We're in enemy territory now! Pre-strike softened 'em, but Scavenger remnants might lurk. Report anything suspicious! Even bathroom breaks—two-man teams only! Got it?”
“Yes, sir!”
“Hunter guilds ahead will hit dungeons and set portal detectors. We guard the generators and lock this ruin down perfect! Stay alert!”
“Yes, sir!”
Per orders, troops fanned out fast through the shell-shocked city ruins, rigging lights while sweeping for survivors or Scavengers.
Guild trailers parked near armored vehicles: clear teams dove into dungeons, strike teams scanned for Scavengers hard.
“Hmm... Nothing. Detect Magic shows zip. Night vision?”
“Group fleeing over there! Heading Pyongyang way, looks like.”
“Notify command! We hold here. Pyongyang push has its own force!”
“Yes!”
They spotted Scavenger movement but held position, reporting up first.
Command, getting updates on the strike's progress and smooth coordination with Dragon-Phoenix King constellation and Russian Hunter forces, nodded at the solid start.
“Kaesong secured. Wonsan, Nampo ETA soon. Most enemy Scavengers evacuating to Pyongyang!”
“Hm... Russians and Dragon-Phoenix King units advancing on their fronts too. Smooth sailing so far.”
“Engagements?”
“None yet. Hunter dungeon clears and portal detectors on track.”
Jo Pilseong, ops commander, eyed the situation board and nodded.
Beside him, Go Cheonsu Guild Master tracked no Arc Demon Beast pings yet, absorbing guild and association reports, watching close.
***
D-day AM 10:00.
Eight hours since war started, six since advance began.
Kaesong, Nampo, Wonsan occupations ongoing; dungeon clears and portal setups smooth.
Command pondered next moves.
“Scavengers mostly fled to Pyongyang or Hamhung undercities. We're at a crossroads: fortify Kaesong-Nampo-Wonsan line, or push Pyongyang? Human-level dilemma.”
“Hmm... Other nations?”
“Similar. Russian Hunters taking Manchuria, Dragon-Phoenix King's force Yodong—swift entry, then dig in.”
“Scavengers?”
“Military and guild reports: most fled cities. Wild monsters handled easy, dungeons clearing with minor losses.”
“Hmm... No Arc Demon Beasts, Scavengers moving too neat and tidy...”
Things going too smooth irked Jo Pilseong.
Scavengers' discipline especially fishy—barbarians and bandits acting this organized?
“What's your take, Go Cheonsu Guild Master?”
“Obvious: regrouping, then plotting escape. Cannibals, sure, but sly as foxes at survival. North had ships, subs maybe—likely massing in Pyongyang, then bolt from Hamhung by sea.”
Go Cheonsu judged coldly off maps of their routes.
No fights, just flight—they smelled East Sea exit.
“Ditching Core Dungeons?”
“Not easy to crack. Can't exit till cleared, and Arc Demon Beasts guard inside. If those survive, Slaughter King's Scavengers are golden.”
“Cowards...!”
“Cowards can't be Scavengers. Hell, 'coward' means Scavenger—tautology. Anyway, General, your thoughts?”
“Chase and wipe 'em if we can. Letting 'em flee stretches lines, invites guerrilla hits. Pump more firepower, strike hard, push Pyongyang—bag as many as possible!”
Weighing intel and foresight, Jo Pilseong decided. Go Cheonsu nodded—guild would sync—prepped to head out, telling the general:
“Understood. If ops call for it, I'll take our top Hunters and upper guilds to Pyongyang. Pin down fire support times and coords firm.”
“Of course. We'll shift reserve legions up, reinforce Kaesong now. Good hunting, Go Cheonsu Guild Master!”
Go Cheonsu bolted command, rousing resting Go Cheonyong and Chae Jiyeong, heading to Blue Dragon Guild's dedicated craft.
‘Too quiet—no fights yet? Feels off. But no sweat. We planned for their coward tricks.’
Enemy plays limited.
Flee Korea, guerrilla with Arc Demon Beasts, or last stand—pick one.
Go Cheonsu boarded the guild jet at association HQ airstrip, tablet in hand tracking battlefield, anticipating moves, refining tactics as underlings loaded.
‘Scavengers with infighting showing this teamwork? Fine, they got emergency comms maybe. Some resistance? Welcome it.’
Expected rat-scatter, but survivors stuck tight.
Still Scavengers.
SS-rank himself, guild vets of countless brawls—Go Cheonsu trusted they'd crush it, waiting for boarding.