Chapter 93
Chapter 93
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 93
Chapter Title: Control Tower Secured
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“……Aidos. Activate all tower defense facilities effective immediately.”
[Aidos: Activating all tower defense facilities per Kim Cheonjae’s command.]
[Missile Turret Auto Mode ON]
[Electric Barrier Auto Mode ON]
[Flame Projector Auto Mode ON]
Aidos began activating every defense facility attached to the tower.
The flame projectors incinerated the giants pressing in close. Next, giants swinging their clubs at the tower recoiled, convulsing from high-voltage shocks.
As the monsters fell back, the missile turrets locked on precisely to their heads and unleashed a barrage.
Boom! Kaboom!
The strikes were even more precise than human control, delivering rapid impacts.
The electric barrier packed a different voltage punch altogether—shocked giants couldn’t regain their senses.
Whoosh!
The flame projectors scorched the ground, heating it to the point where even the giants couldn’t tread on it.
-Kuooooh!
The giants retreated one by one. One in particular drew the missile turrets’ focused fire.
Missiles hammered its head relentlessly until its health bar turned gray, signaling death.
Thud!
As one fell, the others resisted even more fiercely.
Realizing they couldn’t get close, they poured all their strength into hurling their clubs at the tower.
A club sliced through the air and smashed into a missile turret.
Clang!
The launcher bent, angling the missiles skyward. With no proper trajectory, the turret ceased firing.
“……Aidos, deploy the combat mechs.”
[Aidos: Deploying combat mechs per Kim Cheonjae’s command.]
[Activating mechs dormant across the city.]
[Combat mechs: 12/12]
Vrooooom—
A roar echoed throughout Mechania. Jet engine-like hums rose from every direction.
[Combat mechs ready.]
[Commencing giant hunt effective immediately.]
Rumble!
In the dark night, twelve robots soared into the sky. Unlike Dr. Ojiming’s crude contraptions.
At a glance, they seemed modeled after human forms, with fluid joints.
The kind of machines you’d see in childhood super robot anime.
The mechs gripped machine guns in both hands and flew via back-mounted engines, despite lacking wings.
‘Only twelve mechs?’
For full-scale combat, we’d need at least double that. It was a shame.
Still, better than nothing….
The combat mechs streaked in like jets, machine guns trained on the giants.
[Combat mechs reporting to Kim Cheonjae.]
[Enemies detected. Executing annihilation protocol.]
[Confirmed enemies: 19]
[Mission success rate: 75%]
[Issue command to begin combat.]
[Start / Abort]
I smiled and tapped the hologram before me.
[Start]
A metallic clack rang from the mechs’ machine guns, followed by muzzle flashes. The gunfire was deafening—prolonged exposure would shred eardrums.
Rat-tat-tat-tat-tat!
The combat mechs’ arrival sent the giants fleeing. Their firepower dwarfed the tower’s, making resistance futile even in numbers.
-Kuweeek!
The mechs pursued, guns blazing, while giants shielded their backs with wooden clubs and bolted for the city outskirts. Some fell to the mechs along the way.
Most escaped, though.
One thing was clear.
The event’s difficulty had ramped up, but so had the combat mechs’ power.
Watching the fleeing giants, I issued a command to Aidos.
“Aidos, halt pursuit and maintain the tower. Prepare for the impending major battle.”
[Aidos: Order received. Combat mechs aborting pursuit and returning to tower.]
[Your group has succeeded in the ‘Protect the Control Tower! (SSS+)’ mission.]
[Reward: ‘Giant’s Soul’ granted.]
[Giant’s Soul]
-The soul containing the power of a massive demon from hell.
* * * * *
Jo Youngki returned to the factory after completing his mission.
He sought out Ma Jeongwoo and relayed the outside situation along with Kim Cheonjae’s orders.
Once finished, Ma Jeongwoo roused the sleeping residents, gathering them one by one.
“Everyone, wake up! We’re moving!”
No Hyoman, who had been sitting with his mask off, blocked their path.
“What do you think you’re doing?”
“Evacuating the residents to safety.”
“Evacuating? Right now?”
Jeongwoo scowled, clearly annoyed by his attitude.
“Yeah.”
“……And where exactly is this ‘safe place’? You think there’s anywhere safe in this city?”
No Hyoman’s expression made it clear he wasn’t asking sincerely—it was sarcastic, like ‘And such a place exists?’
“I found one.”
“You found one? Where?”
“The Control Tower at Mechania’s center. That’s where we’re all heading.”
The residents gasped in shock at his words.
They stared at Jeongwoo in disbelief, faces twisted in absurdity at the idea they could enter the tower.
-Wait, what’s this guy saying? Us riffraff entering the tower?
-Yeah, right. He’s gotta be lying.
-Why lie, though? Probably true. Let’s trust him.
Opinions split.
Some trusted Ma Jeongwoo and wanted to go, while others planned to stay with No Hyoman, wait out the search mission, and head through the gate later.
From the murmurs, most fell under No Hyoman’s influence. Staying seemed safer.
Going with Jeongwoo offered far higher survival odds, but No Hyoman had earned the residents’ trust first.
“Then everyone stays here.”
“Huh? Some want to go—why not?”
“More want to stay, don’t they?”
“So minority opinions get ignored?”
No Hyoman shrugged with an infuriating smirk.
Stubborn guy. Always prioritized his own views in conflicts.
“Didn’t you say you can’t enter without money?”
“You can now.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah. Cheonjae relayed the situation directly—it’s confirmed.”
The operations officer’s face darkened at the name.
“That guy’s in the tower now?”
“……Yeah.”
No Hyoman nodded with a dissatisfied look.
Without Kim Cheonjae around, his plans would go smoother.
Flashing a sour smile, he said,
“So that’s why Kim Cheonjae vanished.”
“He was undercover.”
“Why not tell me?”
“It was a covert op. No one was informed.”
No Hyoman’s expression soured further.
Even a secret op warranted telling him, apparently.
“Sorry, Jeongwoo, but I’ll protect the residents here myself. You all head to the Control Tower.”
“……I’m taking everyone here.”
“No. Moving now risks detection by giants—we’d be done for!”
No Hyoman refused flatly.
He yelled at Jo Youngki, who was herding residents.
“I said no!”
Ma Jeongwoo’s face hardened. His voice dropped cold.
“……What’s the reason?”
“I just told you. It’s dangerous.”
“Isn’t this drafty factory more dangerous?”
“With us here, why?”
“You haven’t fought them, so you don’t know—but you can’t beat giants.”
“Won’t know till we try.”
“You little….”
They glared, positions unyielding.
No Hyoman insisted on staying put; Jeongwoo argued it was now or never. Their argument dragged on.
Residents whispered.
-Wait…. Why not go to the tower first, then gate out with the soldiers? Why are they fighting…?
-Exactly! Soldier sir, let’s hide in the tower safely till tomorrow’s gate to your world.
-Yeah, if we can enter the tower, isn’t that safer?
No Hyoman shot them a glare, then turned to Jeongwoo.
“Saw multiple giants heading tower-ward earlier.”
“……They’re gone.”
“How do you know?”
“This guy confirmed it personally.”
Jo Youngki nodded in agreement.
“What if those ‘gone’ giants are out there now?”
“They’re not.”
“And if they are?”
Barbarian Warriors like most players ran hot-tempered. Ma Jeongwoo was no exception. Simmering rage boiled over, cutting talk short.
Ma Jeongwoo gathered aura in his fists.
“……Fine. You’re getting beat today.”
Crash!
Jeongwoo grabbed No Hyoman’s hair and slammed his face into the desk. A brutal solar plexus punch followed, then he hurled him to the ground.
Thump!
“Stay here and you’re all fucked, you dumb shit!”
“Urk….”
“What’s with you today, acting tough when you suck? Relying on your soldiers’ numbers?”
No Hyoman’s men glanced over but didn’t intervene. Kim Cheonjae’s group had sky-high rapport with Major Kim Juncheol’s troops.
“Fuck…. Return to your ruined village and you’re all dead.”
“You’re dying now.”
Jeongwoo hoisted No Hyoman by the collar into the air, like an adult dangling a child.
“Eeeek!”
“Michael, my axe.”
Michael fetched the axe.
“Here you go.”
“You’re losing an arm today, fucker.”
No Hyoman scanned the room. No help coming. Snapping to, he switched tactics abruptly.
“S-Sorry!”
Silence fell at the sudden apology.
Even Ma Jeongwoo seemed stunned, smashing the axe handle into No Hyoman’s crown before tossing him down.
Thwack!
Jo Youngki, who’d overheard, chimed in.
“What are you two doing? Just let people choose—goers go, stayers stay. Ask the residents directly.”
* * * * *
The giants had all left.
Jeongwoo brought the factory residents to the tower.
Headcount: under a hundred.
No Hyoman’s interference prevented more.
‘Fucking asshole.’
New arrivals cheered joyfully upon entering. I ordered the soldiers to distribute emergency rations.
Enough for full bellies and surviving the remaining day.
‘Just get through today….’
The event ends tonight.
Dawn broke.
Not the usual sun rising east to set west. Crimson light bled into the clouds, igniting the sky.
Light banished darkness in an instant.
Mechania lit up.
I led the group to Kim Suhyun’s top-floor room.
Of course, Jo Youngki and Kim Yeonhee too.
patter-patter—
Water dispensed from the cooler.
Everyone gulped down a cup and flopped onto sofas, beds, chairs—plenty available.
I approached Yoo Sora at the window, gazing outside.
“……Sora.”
She forced a smile.
“Yes?”
“Let’s talk.”
She hesitated, then nodded lightly.
“Sure.”
I met her eyes. Emerald-green, sparkling.
The system’s chosen ‘Opener’ companion.
“What’s your job, Sora?”
“Nurse.”
“No, not here. Your original job.”
No immediate answer.
I knew why.
So I waited silently.
“……Why do you ask?”
“May I guess first?”
“Guess what?”
“Your job.”
“……What is it?”
All eyes turned to us.
Ma Jeongwoo, Michael, Jo Youngki, Kim Yeonhee.
Jeongwoo knew, so no reaction.
The rest looked puzzled.
Yoo Sora flushed, like exposed shame. Up close, her quickened breaths were audible.
In a low voice, I said,
“Sora.”
“……Yes.”
“You’re one of the five original creators of this game, aren’t you?”
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