Chapter 71: New Human Alliance
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 71: New Human Alliance
The world is spinning.
No, the world is fine; it’s the Thunderblue we’re in that’s spinning.
After tumbling through the air in a dizzying blur, the Thunderblue slams down, and the impact reverberates through my entire body.
Crrruuunch—!
The vehicle bounces off the pavement several times before skidding to a halt with a harsh, metallic screech.
The windshield that Kwon Ye-jin used to polish religiously before every trip is completely shattered, and the bobblehead doll she’d attached to the ceiling—calling it "cute"—is now rolling around the floor.
The Thunderblue is upside down.
I clutch my throbbing head, struggling to clear the fog and regain my senses.
Kwon Ye-jin and Yoon A-young are unconscious.
Those idiots.
Even though they were in danger themselves, they hugged me to protect me.
Three magazines, one pistol.
Regretting the loss of the pistol that melted after taking down the Pharaoh, I quickly check my gear. Unlike other heroes, I’ve always preferred carrying a handgun for its portability. Good thing I did.
I aim through the gap where the glass used to be and fire at the ground.
A waist-high stone wall rises, providing cover. I quickly crawl out and pull the girls from the wreckage one by one.
Fortunately, it doesn't look like the car is going to explode.
Just as I’m pulling out the last one, Yoon A-young, who is bleeding from her head, a van screeches to a halt nearby. Staff members leap out, brandishing assault rifles.
"Hero Jeong Yeon-woo! Are you alright?!"
Even the regular staff have received combat training; they approach while maintaining a perimeter and toss a gear bag toward me.
With a grinding sound, the bag skids across the asphalt and slides to a stop. It opens in front of me with a beep.
Preparing for the worst, I grab an assault rifle capable of firing high-mass rounds. I load it and slip on a tactical vest filled with magazines.
"We were attacked by unidentified targets while returning to the clan. Current location is near Seongnae-ro 6-da-gil, Gangdong-daero."
A staff member immediately contacts the clan to request backup and medical aid.
As I tend to the two unconscious girls, I realize it’s already too late and aim my rifle.
"Ho, really? You actually sensed me?"
A woman perched atop the overturned Thunderblue looks down at me with a smirk.
"Freeze."
The staff members react late and try to aim their weapons, so I bark out a sharp command.
I was told I had full command authority, but since we hadn't practiced together, the driver still tries to level her gun.
Phut—
With a faint whistling sound, an invisible bolt of mana is fired at the staff member.
Bang!
"...Well, you just keep getting more surprising. You reacted to my skill? Are you really just D-rank?"
Honestly, it was so fast I didn't think I'd hit it, but luckily, my bullet collided with the mana, knocking the skill off course.
Sparks fly right in front of the staff member's face. She collapses, clutching a shallow cut on her cheek, completely bewildered.
"Hello, hello! I've come to pick up our cute little Yeon-yu-chan~"
A childish voice drifts from behind my back.
At least B-rank.
The aura radiating from her body is B-rank at the very least. Depending on her skills or personal abilities, she could easily be considered A-rank. Sweat trickles down my spine as I glance toward the van.
Boom—!
The van is tossed aside like a piece of crumpled paper as a giant of a woman approaches.
Her entire body is a mass of muscle; she looks formidable at a single glance.
"Hahaha! Muscle aside, how did you notice me? That wasn't just simple mana detection."
The woman wearing a colorful varsity jacket and a hat looks down at me from atop the Thunderblue and laughs.
Surrounded like this, there’s absolutely no escape.
"What is the purpose of this attack?"
"You."
Moja licks her lips, a predatory smile spreading across her face.
"Are you going to kill me?"
"No, no. We aren't that cruel."
"You're going to come with us and do something fun."
As Moja giggles, the childish voice from behind chimes in.
Every time I hear that voice—which sounds like a child who has just found a favorite new toy—goosebumps break out across my back.
It will take time for reinforcements to arrive here from Gangnam, where Square Garden is located.
There are no other heroes nearby, and no one is stepping up to help.
Three presumed A-ranks. On our side, there are three D-ranks and three staff members who have training but no real experience.
I can't even buy time.
I sigh and unclip the sling of the assault rifle.
The rifle hits the ground with a dull thud. I set down the pistol I was holding in my left hand and slowly stand up.
"Let's go."
"You're quite calm. Do you think you're in a position to give orders?"
"Please. I'll come quietly, so just leave these people alone."
When I speak, the childish voice behind me erupts into a peal of laughter.
"Ah—! So cute! A true apostle of justice! You're sacrificing yourself for this trash? Our Hero-nim works so hard. I should really lighten your load."
I turn around at the sound of that excited, youthful voice.
A girl with twintails that match her voice is sitting atop the stone wall I created.
She stares at me while sucking on a lollipop, then her smile stretches so wide it looks like her mouth might tear.
"Your eyes are quite charming. They say you'll kill me if I try anything funny. I wonder how long that intensity will last? Let's start with this bitch first."
Whiz—!
Shit, that hurts like hell.
She only flicked a pebble with her wrist, so why was it so heavy?
"Wow... seriously? Seriously? How did you react to that? Are you really D-rank?"
Twintails stares at me in excitement after I swat away the stone she threw at the staff member next to me.
Both Moja and Twintails keep asking if I'm really D-rank.
I pluck a shard of stone from my palm, toss it aside, and speak.
"It's because I'm C-rank starting tomorrow."
"Ahahaha! That's a terrible joke."
"Stop wasting time. Let's finish this and get out of here," the muscular woman says, and I turn my gaze toward her.
"If you touch these people, I will resist with everything I have."
"And if you do? What changes?"
"I'll struggle. Shall we see how far that struggle gets me?"
"...Damn, kid. You've got guts for a man."
When I glare and smirk, the muscular woman actually seems to like it.
"I'll go along with what he says."
"The stubborn Muscle, agreeing for once?"
Moja smirks at Muscle's words.
"I'll cast my vote for that, too."
"Ehh—? You're all leaving without killing them? Then can't I just stay behind and finish them off?"
"The rules."
At Moja's firm tone, Twintails scowls. She kicks the stone wall I made a few times before standing up.
"Ugh—I finally get to come out, and it's so boring."
"Stop talking nonsense and focus on the mission."
"Yeah, yeah. The oh-so-great and honorable mission of kidnapping a man, right?"
Muscle bristles at Twintails' sarcasm, but Moja stops her.
"Save the fighting for later. Jeong Yeon-woo, follow us."
Moja hops down from the Thunderblue and starts walking away without even checking to see if I'm following.
I make sure the other two are moving away from my people before I start walking. The staff member looks at me with a face full of frustration and resentment.
I nod to let her know it's okay. Once we're a good distance away, Twintails clings to me and hooks her arm through mine.
"Yeon-yu-chan, you know what?"
"... ..."
Twintails flashes a smile as pure as a young child's.
"I planted a bomb behind that stone wall~ An incendiary? Or was it So-hee? Anyway, I packed it with stuff that burns really well, so your unconscious party members are going to be roasted crisp. Isn't that exciting?"
Showing me the detonator, Twintails gives a wicked grin and tightens her grip on my arm.
I look at her as she holds me tight to prevent any escape and give her a smile back.
"I know."
Her wicked smile freezes.
Her thumb moves, pressing the switch, but no sound of an explosion comes from behind us.
"What the...?"
"Explosives are prone to malfunctioning. You really should leave them to the experts."
"Ahaha! The old hag got played! She acts like such a big-shot mage, yet she didn't even notice that?"
It seems Moja noticed.
I really can't gauge that woman's true skill level.
Using Presence Detection, I had felt them placing something strange behind me. Once I sensed the shape, I knew exactly what it was.
When I pulled the shard from my hand and tossed it, I secretly infused it with magic. Fortunately, no one noticed.
Except for Moja.
Twintails—the one they called "Old Hag"—now wore a face boiling with rage. As she tried to turn back, Muscle blocked her path.
"Move, you pig."
"Think about the priorities of the mission. And you just broke the rules. Know that I wouldn't mind taking you out right here and now."
"Huh? You? Me? This pig thinks she can talk tough just because she has some muscle?"
Fight! Fight!
While I was internally cheering them on, Moja shrugged, pulled a small cube from her pocket, and dropped it on the ground.
Flash—!
The moment the black cube touched the ground, it glowed brightly, scattering light everywhere.
So I finally get to see this.
Over-technology that’s only possible because this is a game world. An item that teleports you to a set coordinate.
My stomach churns slightly, and in an instant, the scenery before my eyes changes.
I’d wanted to experience it, but it happened so fast I barely felt a thing.
As I look around the fairly spacious room, a thick iron door swings open.
Seeing that the hallway beyond the door has a double-entry system, it seems they’ve reinforced it to block signals and prevent escape.
The person who walks through the door is a voluptuous middle-aged woman.
From the heavy scent of her perfume to her dress that boldly displays her cleavage, she is clearly putting every effort into seducing men.
"Welcome to the New Human Alliance."
Dammit. Of all the places, it had to be these Nazi bastards.
My expression crumples the moment I hear the name "New Human Alliance."
In truth, they have nothing to do with actual Nazis.
However, they share the same ideology of eugenics.
They are supremacists who believe that non-awakened commoners are inferior and that they—the "New Humans" or Awakened—should rule the world.
"Did you check his body?"
"Not yet. You check him, Madam."
The middle-aged woman Moja called "Madam" lightly licks her red lips as her eyes roam over my body.
Her hands brush against me with a somewhat suggestive touch, but since I can feel her mana at the same time, I feel more guarded than aroused.
"Fufu, relax your body and leave yourself to me."
"Is it Wave?"
"Oh my, you figured it out after just a brief touch? Impressive. You truly are the man she handpicked."
It just keeps getting better and better.
Wave... that’s a tricky skill to deal with.
Well, not that I could beat a single person here with my current stats anyway.
"He only had this one. Square Garden is surprisingly lax. Welcome to our factory."
Madam pulls out the tracker I had hidden under a magazine and crushes it between her fingers.
It wasn't lax; it was meant to track the equipment in the first place.
"What do you manufacture here?"
"There's only one thing a man and a woman can make together. A baby."
I don't know whether to be horrified or... well, mostly horrified.
She talks about kidnapping and rape so casually, calling it a "factory."
Madam takes me on a tour of the facility.
Twintails, seemingly furious that her bomb didn't go off, left to "rest" as soon as we arrived. Moja and Muscle follow behind me.
"You've heard of us, haven't you?"
"Yeah. A group of lunatics obsessed with eugenics."
"That image only exists because of a few extremists. We have nothing to do with them."
I threw that out there to see what kind of reaction I’d get, but she didn't even flinch.
But her words are pure bullshit.
You kidnap me and bring me to a place you proudly call a "factory" for forced breeding, and you claim you have nothing to do with extremists?
And that "few extremists" line pisses me off.
Always "a few." Suicide bombings are just "a few," corruption and sex crimes are just "a few," so don't blame the whole group—that logic is absurd every time I hear it.
You bastards, it’s your job to stop and monitor those "few" so they don't keep popping up.
When something happens, you just say, "We didn't know, they aren't with us," and that's it?
Trying to talk to her only makes me more annoyed.
"Yeon-yu-chan, do you prefer being alone? Or do you like having someone by your side?"
"That depends on who that someone is, doesn't it?"
"Fufu, you have a way with words. But wouldn't it be more comfortable and less stressful to have other men around? You can support each other when things get tough."
I hope that "support" isn't the kind of "support" I'm thinking of.
Just imagining the scene makes me want to gag.
"So you're basically asking if I want a solitary cell."
"A solitary cell? This isn't a prison."
Madam smirks and turns her head.
Beyond a set of iron bars sits a haggard-looking man.
The room has a TV and everything else one might need, but it lacks any semblance of privacy.
If this isn't a prison, what are the bars for?
I curse inwardly as I study the man's face. He looks familiar.
Is it him? The Awakened who lacked talent, quit being a hero, and became a successful celebrity.
There was a huge uproar when he suddenly vanished, with rumors of kidnapping flying everywhere. So he was here.
As I stare at the bars that leave the interior completely exposed, Madam lightly massages my shoulders.
"Don't worry too much. We are ladies, so we won't do anything harsh. As long as Yeon-yu doesn't do anything strange, that is."
My name is Yeon-woo, you bitch.
Even if I have to run, I’m definitely going to wreck you before I go.