Chapter 50
Chapter 50
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 50
Chapter Title: Return, New Seodaemun-gu (4)
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8.
“But right now isn't the time for a welcome, so have a seat first, will you?”
The seats were all taken.
I stood up right away from my spot.
“……?”
“……?”
“……?”
At that moment, two others rose almost in sync with me.
Queen Do Su-jin.
And the leader of Support Team 1.
No way?
Their expressions gave it away.
Were those two survivors of the first raid too? If so, they were all high-ranking now.
“I’ll yield.”
I gave a polite nod.
“You two hold positions. I’m not the leader or anything.”
“No need. The star of the show was you, old man.”
“You were the raid’s MVP. Shin Tae-yeop.”
“Come on.”
Shin Tae-yeop waved it off, but I shook my head stubbornly.
“Without you, the fight wouldn’t have even started.”
I wouldn’t have made it to the end either. Start to finish, Shin Tae-yeop had set the stage.
“And if you hadn’t kept everyone safe till the last, I never would’ve dreamed of taking on a Subordinate.”
“Well…….”
“Hey, sit down already. Without the boss, we’d all be goners back then.”
Hong Byeong-gyu more or less forced Shin Tae-yeop back into his seat.
“Ah, no way. What’d I even do…….”
Humble to the bitter end.
That was Shin Tae-yeop.
Maybe that’s why he still commanded endless respect and affection.
“Feels kinda bad…… Your back must hurt, being old and all.”
Shin Tae-yeop glanced up at me with a playful jab.
“I’m still in my twenties, punk.”
“Thirty the day after tomorrow.”
We traded smirks. He muttered just soft enough for my ears alone.
“Thanks…… yesterday too. The time before. And now.”
By then, Choi Uk rapped the table, pulling all eyes to him.
“Time to get down to business.”
Choi Uk gave a nod to Seo Hwa-yun.
Seo Hwa-yun……
She’d made it back alive too.
But now, something like madness flickered in her eyes—unlike before.
“Arishelrap’s rampage has turned the old city into hell on earth. One silver lining: the Heteromorphs are taking the full hit too.”
This time, Choi Uk nodded to Choi Jeong-gyun, National Army Leader, seated to the left.
“I’ll hand it over to Choi Jeong-gyun, who’s overseeing recon.”
Choi Jeong-gyun wore a grumpy look. Could’ve been the lost squadmates. Or the star Hunters’ return. Hard to say.
“Keeping it brief. Post-raid failure, Arishelrap didn’t head back to Gyeonghui Palace.”
“…………?!”
“It’s still prowling the old city, charging like mad at any Hunter it spots.”
“Top priority: nail down its exact position.”
Choi Uk picked up from Choi Jeong-gyun.
“After that, thinking small bait team lure like last time.”
“…………!”
“Key part: stage a one-on-one with the Subordinate. But last spot’s burned out now.”
“………….”
“Any better ideas? Speak now.”
Five seconds passed.
Shin Tae-yeop raised a hand.
“Mind if I ask something?”
“Go ahead.”
“Details on the last lure op? Success? Casualties?”
Choi Uk laid out the lure-extermination framework with startling brevity. Shin Tae-yeop let out a whistle.
“Wow. Brilliant…… but two limits for a repeat. Hope that doesn’t sting.”
“Not at all.”
“First off, revolvers and ammo—how long can we keep those coming? Modern tech.”
“……?!”
“And reloading under fire? Way too dicey. We need a permanent stand-in.”
“Battlefield comms alternative?”
“Trumpet.”
It slipped out before I knew it. The room went dead quiet in a flash. I cleared my throat to cover the awkwardness.
“Battle trumpets have signaled in combat since forever, right? One-handed use. That’s what got me thinking.”
A beat of silence.
But one voice shot it down flat: Shin Tae-yeop.
“Trumpet…… big flaw: gotta blow it with your mouth.”
“……Fair.”
“One-hand, no mouth…… Ah!”
Shin Tae-yeop snapped his fingers.
“What about a bell?”
“Bell?”
“<Blacksmith> sells ‘em, yeah? Tried one—curious why they even had it. Sound carries crystal clear, miles out. Perfect fit.”
Shin Tae-yeop swept back his coat, patted his pocket.
“Hip or coat pocket, ready to go. One hand’s all it takes.”
Oh…… sharp move.
Frees up combat flow, plus easy to build a sound-code system.
Admiration rippled around the round table.
Choi Uk nodded, pleased. Shin Tae-yeop pressed on.
“Next…… once the Subordinate shows outside, why send bait to lure?”
“How else you gonna draw it?”
“I’ll whip up a massive inferno.”
Inferno?
“Launch the extermination right in the flames. Our turf—make it come to us.”
Ah…… perfect!
Yeah, that’d do it.
Arishelrap was Hunter-hunting anyway.
“Sounds messy in words. Get over here. Map time.”
Choi Uk and Shin Tae-yeop put heads together. The op skeleton assembled at breakneck speed.
Choi Uk had that high-stakes commander vibe. Shin Tae-yeop? Precision staff officer, layering in tweaks.
Sure, me, Jeong Ha-kyeong, and the [National Army Headquarters] vets chimed in now and then.
But we were just regular folks.
Not them.
Born geniuses. A handful of pointers, and boom—polished plan.
“Kim Baek-jun.”
Choi Uk finally looked up from the map.
“You’re vanguard for the Subordinate takedown again.”
Eyes locked on once more.
Beyond last time’s unreal specs.
Questions, sure. Objections? None.
“Understood.”
Firm nod.
Has to be me. Only me.
“Stand by. When it pops during extermination, move out and crush it.”
“Yes, sir.”
“You pick the subjugation team.”
“How many?”
“Three. I’m on command with Shin Tae-yeop—no joining in.”
Tension blanketed the room.
All eyes on me. Deep breath.
“Naming them.”
Didn’t take long to settle it mentally.
“Im Yong-gon-ssi.”
The barrel-helmeted brute nodded.
“And Jeong Ha-kyeong-ssi.”
She nodded back.
Hong Byeong-gyu’s crew eyed me—hope mixed with revenge thirst.
“Last one.”
But no.
“Do Su-jin-ssi. That’s the trio.”
Dead silence hit like a hammer.
Last pick threw them. Choi Uk probed gently first.
“Three warrior Hunters? Wild combo. Sure about that?”
“Positive. Ideal lineup.”
“Your call, then.”
My tone sealed it.
Choi Uk nodded, closing the item.
“Op launches 1200 tomorrow sharp. Prep time—gear up. Assemble at Independence Gate on the dot. Dismissed.”
9.
“What’s going through your head?”
Meeting adjourned. Empty side chapel.
Fresh off Hong Byeong-gyu’s crew’s protest barrage, slumped in exhaustion. Then the Queen spoke up.
“Cut me some slack.”
“……Slack on what?”
“You saw. Byeong-gyu-ssi just hit me with the same question—sweated bullets.”
Do Su-jin had closed the gap before I knew.
Long black hair.
Cold, exquisite features.
Up close, her beauty hit different—stunning.
“Fair gripe, no? Why skip them for me?”
Her signature gaze: world-weary blank chill. Doubt danced in it.
“Why not?”
“Low level. No bond. Zero sync experience.”
Spot-on critique.
Echoed Hong Byeong-gyu’s beef exactly.
“Big deal? Su-jin-ssi’s plenty strong.”
“High-level types lording it, huh.”
“Not to diss. Picked you for the right traits, is all.”
Do Su-jin flicked her snow-white cloak back with fluid grace, perched askew on the desk. Locked eyes dead-on.
“What traits?”
“Staying cool with death around.”
Do Su-jin had steel nerves.
Memory checked out: no wobble even with Support 4 casualties mid-lure.
And tough as nails physically.
“Not everyone’s got that.”
“Your partner too?”
Jeong Ha-kyeong, yeah. Coolest head at Kim Gye-sang’s death.
“No one else?”
“Right. They’d crack facing a Subordinate. Rage-blind charge, dead. Won’t let that happen to them.”
“So I’m expendable?”
That how it landed?
I shrugged involuntarily. Do Su-jin sighed, shook her head.
“Kidding. You’re not the type. Saw it all in Muak-dong.”
Knew it…… Muak-dong survivor.
“Sorry, didn’t recognize you.”
“Water under. Rear guard. Figures.”
Shared history brews that weird rapport, emotions.
First meet? Nightmare. But now? Thawing fast.
“Dumb-brave guys like you misread fragile types like me—so heads-up.”
“Huh?”
Fragile my foot……
“Not detached. Just clamping down for the big goal. Hence the selfishness.”
“What goal?”
No real hope asking.
No ties, no spill.
But Do Su-jin stared blank at her gloved left palm, then just said it.
“Finding my little sister.”
“……In the Nightmare?”
Body recovery mindset?
“She’s alive. Somewhere in there.”
Wonder what face I made.
Do Su-jin rose with elegant sigh—probably caught the pity.
Door-bound, she halted abrupt.
“Anyway…….”
“……?”
“Last Subordinate fight…… feel anything off?”
……Off?
Too many to pick. Thing was a 30-page report of weird.
“Stronger than figured. That struck me odd.”
“Drop it. Forget I asked.”
Jeong Ha-kyeong stepped in right then.
Odd vibe though.
Jeong Ha-kyeong stared at Do Su-jin. Cold signature stare back.
“Ha-kyeong-ssi? Something up?”
Only then did they peel off separately.
“What’d you two chat about alone?”
“Why pick her, she asked. Answered.”
“That all?”
“Yeah?”
“Nothing deeper?”
“What’s with you suddenly…….”
Jeong Ha-kyeong glared silent at the door. Passed on Do Su-jin’s query.
“Ha-kyeong-ssi, anything weird off the Subordinate?”
She cocked her head.
Flash of recall—then shook it off.
“……Nah? Anyway, <Blacksmith> time, think.”
“Me?”
“Yeah. Kid there pitched a fit to see you. Knows the old man, swears.”