Chapter 177
Chapter 177
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 177
Chapter Title: Raiding the Research Facility
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[I'll handle the inside myself. Hmm... You lot take care of anyone who comes out. Especially grab every single one carrying data or documents.]
“Got it~”
“Don’t worry about a thing. Hunting humans is our specialty.”
The pastor ripped open the steel-sealed entrance with brute force, then slowly stepped inside.
Alarms were already blaring within, and the guards and hunters stationed there were mobilizing. But with a snap of his fingers, a portal tore open, unleashing a flood of Slaughter King-affiliated demon monsters.
He couldn’t summon large ones due to the indoor conditions, which was a shame, but even these smaller hunter demons would make short work of securing the facility.
“Monsters!”
“Get the military here quick...!”
“Argh!”
Rat-tat-tat! Boom-boom-boom!
The skirmish began between the demons sent ahead and the security forces.
The hunters were holding their own well enough, deploying firearms along with cold weapons and blunt instruments. But they were still outnumbered and outmatched against the relentless summoning by Yi Moksa, an apostle-level servant of a constellation.
He leisurely dispatched demons throughout the base while scouting the interior.
[Muuum... What if there’s a self-destruct device or something?]
『This isn’t some eighties comic! Besides, do you think these guys even realize they’re the bad ones? Self-destruct? At worst, they’ll just wipe the data!』
[That’d be a problem too.]
Park Sookja chimed in over the comms as he muttered to himself, but he ignored her and pressed on, seizing control of the facility.
He’d ordered his demons to wipe out any resisting humans and capture the rest alive.
The demons obeyed, slaughtering everyone except non-combatants. They even captured some alive for fresh meat, handling it routinely, but the resistance in this key facility was fierce.
“Damn it! What the hell are these demons? Weren’t the exorcists supposed to handle this?”
“They don’t seem like wild monsters either!”
“Has backup arrived? This feels like an S-rank threat! What about Nishizaki?”
“Nishizaki’s squad is locked in combat with monsters right now too. As you know, this facility wasn’t built expecting monsters, so our armaments are...”
Right—as a secret research site, it had been constructed in a monster-free zone with portal detectors. They’d assumed intruders would be humans after data, so defenses were geared toward anti-hunter combat.
But the invaders were demons. Slaughter King’s minions, fearless in their hunger for blood and flesh.
With thick hides, impenetrable skin, and senses that could track anything hiding, the demons cut through the lab hunters like leaves in the wind.
“Where the hell did these come from? Gah! Someone get this thing off me!”
[Grrrrowl! Grrowl!]
“Captain! Damn it! Die! Die, you trash!”
They fought back with furious roars, but it was hopeless. Without specialized gear or preparations, they couldn’t overcome the apostle’s endless waves of evil-aligned forces.
In the end, the researchers inside began evacuating swiftly from the main research building.
“To the shelter! Follow protocol. Since it’s monsters, we can leave the data and equipment behind!”
“Yes, Dr. Hanamura! I’ll activate the recording too.”
They fled while enabling internal cameras for later strategic review.
They also initiated “disposal protocols” on the children and hunters held as test subjects, flooding their areas with poison gas to ensure no secrets leaked.
[Mmm... Judging by their response, they think I’m just the boss of some hunting monster pack.]
And that played right into Yi Moksa’s hands.
What he wanted was the experimental data, subjects, equipment, and parts for his human ranch project. Preserving the data and systems intact was ideal.
He directed the demons to carefully dismantle equipment and parts while he covered the tougher sections.
“Hyah, set the traps. Lay the traps~ booby traps down~ la la la~”
“Everyone else complains about how annoying that is, but you’re having the time of your life.”
“The more grunt work you do, the easier the hunt. Looks like~ we’ve got company over here too.”
Kwak Youngho, busy rigging traps, glanced skyward and spotted the special forces choppers providing support.
Unless they planned indiscriminate airstrikes, sending in troops meant his prepped traps gave them the edge. Plus, they had heavy hitters waiting outside—dragonkin butchers and giant butchers too big for indoors.
“Yeah. Pastor said the underground facility’s intact too. They think we’re just monsters.”
“Perfect then. Let’s have some fun hunting today.”
“Right. Let’s get started.”
Park Sookja and Kwak Youngho split up, vanishing among the monsters as they eyed the special forces hunters rappelling from the transports.
Preparations were complete.
As always, to offer more sacrifices to their constellation, Slaughter King, the two began their hunt.
***
One month later, Iron Fortress.
Despite all the whining, the government had no choice but to station troops and hunters along Yoo Seongwon’s barrier.
It was the bare minimum to safeguard the region and nation.
Meanwhile, Yoo Seongwon had been stabilizing the three S-rank hunters rescued from Japan while teaching them Korean. Whether because they were kids or just smart, basic communication came quickly.
“But learning words isn’t enough—they need someone to teach them social skills...”
“That’s why we assigned Miss Ayoung. Peers make the best guides.”
Ayoung was 19, a bit older, but the perfect age to lead them.
Her outgoing, proactive personality helped immensely with human relations. And though their paths had crossed unethically, as fellow S-ranks, she was motivated too—a win-win.
“She’s something else. From the facility herself, and younger S-ranks too, but she bonded with them right away.”
“More importantly, Your Majesty, what about their names?”
“Oh... right! Argh! They asked me to name them! Damn it!”
Called only by numbers before, the three kids had begged Yoo Seongwon to give them names.
He’d been stumped but couldn’t refuse their earnest pleas. Now he was agonizing over fitting choices.
“They even want the ‘Yoo’ surname.”
“Urgh~ Not even married, and now I’ve got three kids?”
“Four including the prospective one. Hurry up and tie the knot. The territory’s stabilizing, isn’t it?”
“Ah, that. We’re already talking about it. I’ll make it happen before the year’s out.”
He’d been gradually planning his lifelong commitment with Shin Somi amid his busy schedule.
Not a fiery romance, but a steady, considerate partnership where they leaned on each other—a unique pace, but progressing nonetheless.
“That’s a relief. Quite the progress.”
“What, you think I’m impotent? Anyway, finally feeling a bit relaxed. But the frontline city’s expanding again? How many people are flocking here? This isn’t some regular new town! I said no more...!”
“What can we do when they keep trying to get in? We’re catching more and more sneaking attempts daily. Even scavengers disguising themselves to use outer routes and dying in the process.”
“...They’ve all lost their minds.”
Yoo Seongwon stared at the reports in disbelief.
Word of how livable it was had spread, and everyone wanted in.
Stock prices and staffing surged for companies partnering with or entering the frontline city. It was all veering from his vision, giving him a headache.
“The conglomerates who skipped the hearing demanded fair entry too...”
“Crazy bastards.”
“That’s human greed for you. Easier to steal than build. Honestly, Your Majesty did too well.”
“...Agh, my head. Doing too well is the problem?”
With Slaughter King looming, Iron Fortress prioritized ironclad security—a baseline for survival. Fine so far. But then came the investments.
Like a waterfall of cash, they poured funds into massive convenience facilities, housing, and construction. Workers got paid handsomely, money flowed, and results snowballed.
Scammers and crime syndicates drawn by the boom? Expelled or summarily executed under “city safety” pretexts, bypassing normal law—or tossed into the underground prison.
“The people don’t need much: fair taxes, just trials, a good life, and safety with justice. Frontline City strives for all that. Most places? Just dreams, tangled in interests and math.”
“...Ah, yeah. Start some shady redevelopment, and the pusher’s mysteriously invested big in the real estate. Sigh~”
Not here.
Due to the city’s purpose and risks, all real estate belonged to operator Yoo Seongwon—no private sales, only rentals, applied universally. Justice was truly impartial. No pull from big corps or connected kids worked.
“Even with expansion, plan long-term population growth here only—no more outsiders. They’ll demand we expand across Korea next. Sheesh~”
“It’s happening. Word’s spreading domestically and abroad. They want in, or for us to rule their ‘undercities’ like this.”
“Crazy? Who even thinks that? Next they’ll want me as king.”
“With territory, subjects, and army, you basically are. Though to me, you’ve been Your Majesty since summoning.”
“That’s why more people call me that! Online, it’s all memes! Government even asked if I’m seceding! Should’ve nailed down titles from the start...”
“You’ve got a holy city and throne— just declare it, Your Majesty. Haha!”
Yoo Cheong, oblivious, only poked the wound further.
Not demanding understanding over differing values, but Yoo Seongwon lectured him anyway, insisting he’d eventually disband the city to avoid escalation.
“...However, Your Majesty, for that to happen, the Slaughter King threat must vanish. Meaning, clear the core dungeon.”
“Easy to enter, hard to leave? Sigh~”
[???]
[1/???]
At that moment, the tactless status window popped up again before Yoo Seongwon’s eyes.
He scowled and swatted it away, but it reappeared.
He knew what it meant but stubbornly ignored it.