Political Statement (2)
A Gate had appeared!
In cases like this, the first place people called was, of course, 112 or 119. Their roles were undeniably crucial—evacuating civilians, transporting the injured, maintaining public order. But when it came to dealing with the bizarre phenomena, Abominations, and zombies spilling out of a Gate, they had their limits.
In truth, the military was the first line of response to any Gate outbreak. Awakeners often awakened in life-or-death moments right inside those Gates. Thanks to that, the military always had the largest pool of fresh Awakeners. A good chunk of the Awakeners active in society today had awakened during their service.
And among those, some chose not to leave for civilian life as hunters, sticking with the military instead. There was no guarantee that becoming a civilian hunter meant better pay. But enlisting as an Awakener soldier offered job security, promotion opportunities, and social status. So plenty stayed on.
The military had gathered these Awakeners into specialized units. One such unit was the Bari Unit.
Ju Kang-rim had come all the way to Sejong City to visit the Bari Unit.
Not a place I miss one bit.
As he drove along the road near the Nonsan Army Training Center, unwelcome memories flooded back. Fresh recruits, barely settled in, marched in formation along the roadside.
Ju Kang-rim himself was draft-eligible. Rumors were already swirling in political circles about imposing martial law and conscription amid the chaos in Gangbuk.
What a load of bullshit.
No amount of cannon fodder soldiers could close a Gate. Only Awakeners could take down the Gate's core and the Abominations guarding it. Maintaining order? The current military size could handle that just fine.
But politicians weren't complete idiots. This was exactly why talk of the Awakener Management Act had started gaining traction.
We've gotta hammer out a solid Awakener Management Act before it's too late.
Ju Kang-rim recalled the headaches caused by the half-baked version from his previous timeline. It might require some aggressive moves, but with the Vito family and Gerald in the mix, this was a prime chance to tie up loose ends.
Screeech.
He pulled over near a wooded hill outside Nonsan. Still some distance from the Bari Unit, but he had no intention of going deeper. Pulling out his phone, he checked his memo app.
It contained a timeline of events and incidents from his past life—things he'd jotted down as they came to mind, since memories could fade anytime.
The most recent entry was for today. Nothing major; it wrapped up without casualties. But Ju Kang-rim was focused on one of the key players involved. What could have been a disaster had been neatly resolved thanks to that person.
"Hmm... about time."
Rumble.
No sooner had the words left his mouth than a thunderous roar echoed from beyond the ridge. The sky warped and shattered grotesquely, the air churning in response.
"It's starting."
The boundary between the underworld and the living world was blurring. A Gate was opening.
***
Gates appeared more frequently than you'd think. As Yeomra had said, "stable" ones opened nearly every night. They were just passages for underworld beings to come and go—no big deal.
"Unstable" Gates, where the boundary visibly thinned, popped up now and then too, but their durations varied wildly.
Short as ten minutes, long as weeks—or permanent if you're unlucky, like with Bukhansan.
Ju Kang-rim leaped toward what he guessed was the Gate's center atop the mountain, mind racing. In the original timeline, this Nonsan Gate had lasted about half a day before closing. Not a huge one. The issue? Korea's administrative capital was nearby, and a densely packed Army training center sat right next door.
They drilled for Gate responses, so no major problems, but it was still dicey.
If things follow the original history, it'll end without a hitch...
Ju Kang-rim's goal was to reach the center before it fully closed.
"Ttakkachi."
Shhk. Ttakkachi seeped out from his suit like ink, taking flight. Since he was meeting non-immortals now, Ju Kang-rim had opted for a plain suit like Yoo Wol-ryeong's to blend in.
"Find a group of about ten. One'll be a woman, military, around 185 cm tall, dressed light. Get me her position."
Unmistakable traits. Ttakkachi shot skyward without a word. Birds burst from the trees as the whole mountain shuddered like jelly. A convulsive roar filled the air.
Less than thirty seconds later, the report came.
"Northwest, under the cliff with the pine hanging off it!"
Ju Kang-rim nodded—then froze. It wasn't her usual telepathic ping. He'd actually heard her voice.
Turning, he saw her circling overhead, staring down.
"What? You could talk this whole time?"
A wave of pity hit him from her—strong and clear.
"I've always been talking! You just couldn't understand!"
Her pronunciation was off, awkward from her beak. But thanks to their shared will, the meaning came through crystal clear.
Recalling his official Grim Reaper status, it clicked.
Chatting with the dead feels like picking up a new language overnight.
Her mental link was fast but imprecise. Actual speech promised better communication.
"You trying to chit-chat now?"
No time. He bolted northwest.
Clank, boom!
As the cliff came into view, a deafening blast shook the mountain—like a tank cannon. Gunfire crackled alongside, like popping popcorn.
His target was there. And as he closed in, the Gate's effects rippled toward him.
Whoosh.
Dodging a flying rock, Ju Kang-rim swung his hand axe hard into a tree ahead.
Bam.
The tree shuddered; something screeched from above, dropping down. Long arms, short legs—a grotesque lifeform dubbed a "Ssengseong."
One of the most common Abominations in Gate zones.
One Ssengseong down, and more howled from all sides, hurling rocks and branches. Some charged on foot.
"Piss off."
He swatted away a grabbing arm and stomped its face. Crunch. Leaves, mud, and vines spilled out—not blood.
Ssengseongs aren't real lifeforms.
Cobbled from local materials, they were makeshift constructs. No one knew why or how they formed, but despite their mob-like vibe, they were a pain—especially since their forms and properties varied by environment.
At least the mountain-forest ones are easy.
Just rocks, leaves, twigs. Urban ruins versions with rebar and debris? Nightmare fuel.
These were simple. Ju Kang-rim smashed through the nearby ones, pushing forward. No time to fight every last one swarming in.
Clank, boom!
Another blast rattled the woods. The shockwave scattered leaves; some Ssengseongs convulsed and dropped.
The noise was closing in—close enough to hear voices.
"Recruits, keep formation! Shoulder to shoulder, hold position!"
Down the ridge, trainees clustered, scanning the surroundings. Unarmed or wielding blades instead of rifles. Gray lotus emblems on their chests—Bari Unit recruits, all Awakeners.
At the center, a sergeant with a translucent sphere shield blocked incoming projectiles.
The recruits didn't look too tense. Trusting the shield? Ju Kang-rim saw otherwise.
They're itching for a fight.
One Ssengseong battered the shield with a stick. A recruit fired a quick flame burst. The leaf-and-twig thing ignited instantly.
"Ha! Straw dummy bitch!"
The recruit laughed—then caught the sergeant's glare.
"I said don't move, damn it!"
The "stay put" order wasn't to prevent panic—it was to stop them jumping in recklessly. New Awakeners brimmed with baseless confidence, overestimating their powers. Industry slang called it "peak of stupidity."
The sergeant's worry proved spot-on. Instead of burning out, the Ssengseong thrashed wildly, spreading flames. Late autumn leaves were tinder waiting to ignite.
The firebug recruit panicked, backing up. Smoke warped the shield's formation.
"You idiots...!"
Someone tried ice to douse it, but choking smoke forced them back.
Ju Kang-rim considered stepping in—but shook his head. This wasn't even a crisis. And the star of the show hadn't arrived.
Clank, boom!
The mountain-shaking roar hit again. A fierce gust scattered the smoke.
A tall woman emerged from the haze. Thin top exposing her shoulders—odd for late fall. Steam billowed fiercely from her right arm, veined with red cracks.
"Sergeant Jeong. Quit hovering over the kids—let 'em fight."
She griped at the shield sergeant.
Sergeant Jeong shot back incredulously. "You gonna throw recruits into combat? They can't even follow a dog-simple order."
"We're breeding pit bulls here. Better they learn to fight than sit pretty."
She grinned, then punted an approaching Ssengseong to bits.
Thud, splat.
Even a rock-and-wood one shattered effortlessly. Her right hand was a metal prosthetic. Some might romanticize it as high-tech magic, but Ju Kang-rim knew it was just a legit prosthetic.
But that wasn't her real weapon. No knuckles, no blade—just her body, turning every swing into a steel nightmare.
Watching her fight, Ju Kang-rim's pulse quickened.
The S-rank Awakener who held the line till humanity's bitter end. A legend alongside Gerald.
Bari Unit captain, Park Ha-yuri.