28
Chapter 28
February 27, 2028, 2:14 PM.
Our trio of Alteration-type Mages had come to Yongin Central Market. We were ransacking the market streets along with the armband-wearing Military Police. Even though their guns were unloaded and just hanging from their slings, the intimidation factor was overwhelming.
*Clack, clack, clack.*
Whenever the synchronized sound of combat boots rang out, people would slowly back away, disappearing into the alleyways. It was like a game of Whack-a-Mole. There were no friendly greetings, nor the lively shouts of vendors you'd typically expect in a traditional market.
Instead, Shin Na-in, wearing earphones and humming a hymn, would silently point his index finger in a certain direction.
Then, the Military Police's gazes would simultaneously snap toward the targeted individual. They would yank their slings and grip their rifles, approaching the accused man with a terrifyingly silent warning.
"We will conduct a search. Hands up."
"W-What right do you have!"
"Martial law has been declared across all of Gyeonggi-do. If you refuse the search, you'll be court-martialed."
"No... You at least have to tell me what I did wrong!"
Rough words naturally breed a rough atmosphere.
As the standoff between the Military Police and the unnamed man began, the people who had been hiding or holding their breath slowly peeked their heads out. A few even took out their phones to record, but the Military Police maintained their stoic tones, completely unfazed.
"There is suspicion of illegal Military Note trading. We received a tip-off, so we'd appreciate your smooth cooperation."
"...."
The unnamed man—this prime suspect presumed to be a Military Note black marketeer—looked to be in his mid-thirties, wearing a beanie pulled down low and a long padded jacket.
The suspect glanced back and forth between the Military Police and us before clicking his tongue in annoyance and obediently holding out his hands. I thought he'd make a run for it or pull some kind of trick, but he was much more compliant than expected.
Just as I was feeling somewhat satisfied with the suspect's sense of civic duty, Shin Na-in placed a hand on my shoulder and whispered.
"He seems to have connections with the military unit in Yongin. He knows he'll be released."
"So it's basically WWE."
I turned my head to look at Shin Na-in and Lee Se-jun, and they shared similar sentiments. It seemed Shin Na-in had already shared this fact with Lee Se-jun. Lee Se-jun crossed his arms, narrowed his eyes, and let out a deep sigh, while Shin Na-in turned up the volume on his earphones and resumed humming.
Anyway, we had successfully completed our objective of capturing the Military Note black marketeer here at Yongin Central Market.
Our Alteration-type trio followed the Military Police while keeping an eye on our surroundings, and I racked my brain, doing some mental math along the way.
Adding the 20 Military Notes I had hoarded as an emergency fund to the 15 Military Notes I received for being on standby for the past 5 days, minus food expenses, I'd have about 30 left. And if I added the 15 or so Military Notes from this compensation to that...
Risking my life on a major operation for a big score was one option, but if I wanted something steady and safe, these trivial tasks seemed to be the better choice.
I was having these thoughts as we exited the market alleys and neared the entrance. The Military Police sat the black marketeer down at a nearby food stall table, checked their wristwatches, and looked at our trio.
"We have about 30 minutes to spare until the vehicle arrives, so feel free to roam around, Operators."
I wondered if that was really okay, but Shin Na-in patted my shoulder to get my attention.
When I turned around, both Shin Na-in and Lee Se-jun were pointing their thumbs deeper into the market, raising their eyebrows. I reflexively followed them back into the market, and Lee Se-jun grumbled as he opened his mouth.
"It seems like Baek Jemin really just holes himself up and doesn't hear a single piece of outside news."
"What outside news is there other than the Seoul Blockade Line?"
Rumors regarding the situation at the Front Line were strictly ominous.
It was to the point that even someone like me, who couldn't care less about rumors, heard them vaguely through the grapevine. According to the rumors, they had successfully devastated the outskirts of Seoul, turning it into a concrete graveyard, but as a result, approaching that area was now difficult without a Mage skilled in detection.
The number of Monsters had decreased significantly, but instead, they were using the scant concrete debris, sinkholes, and abandoned sewers to lay in ambush and launch surprise attacks.
There was also a rumor that casualties had already reached the thousands over the past month.
However, the rumor Lee Se-jun wanted to talk about didn't seem to be this one. Behind Lee Se-jun's exhausted expression, Shin Na-in stopped reciting his hymn, pulled out his earphones, and shrugged.
"The rumor Se-jun is talking about isn't about that. It's about the black market."
Shin Na-in explained things in a boastful, rambling manner, but to sum it up simply:
"In other words. Rather than trying to directly squeeze the civilian economy, the military is only interested in suppressing the leakage of firearms, controlling medical supplies to prevent a drug epidemic, and maintaining the value of the Military Note."
"They may have switched to a wartime economy, but it'll be a disaster if they don't eventually let things flow. Besides, the military monopolizes the most expensive and valuable goods."
That was Shin Na-in's argument.
Whether the underground civilian economy in Gyeonggi-do used the Korean Won—which would have plummeted in value—or conversely, US Dollars—which could be used anywhere overseas—it was none of the military's concern.
Evacuation Priority. As long as the military monopolized the right to evacuate to a safer rear area through legal authorization, the value of Military Notes among the citizens of Gyeonggi-do was somewhat guaranteed.
By controlling the supply of Military Notes, the military secured indirect control over the civilian population, while also making it possible to issue them as a way to reduce resentment over the requisitioning of goods.
This was why Civilian Operators received more Military Notes as compensation than others. The goal was to guarantee economic benefits by turning a blind eye so they could purchase enough supplies on the black market even within Gyeonggi-do, while simultaneously delaying their purchase of the Evacuation Priority permitted to them due to their civilian status.
Demanding Military Notes for the gear and consumables needed to survive was also part of the effort to delay the purchase of Evacuation Priority and keep them tied to the Secondary Blockade Line. If a Civilian Operator still insisted on buying Evacuation Priority despite this, they would be allowed to purchase it for one person.
However, Shin Na-in's theory was that they would then subtly hike up the price of Evacuation Priority under the excuse of inflation and value control.
"Therefore, exchanging Military Notes and shopping here at Yongin Central Market, where a black market has formed, is a good thing for both the military and us."
"Baek Jemin, let's just grab some chicken. We can finish a bird in 30 minutes, right?"
Somehow, there was a reason why these guys had lugged their stuffed Duffle Bags all the way here.
My sigh of regret at coming empty-handed was brief. I gestured to the two of them and whispered.
"I'm planning to buy a whole chunk of Zero Cola. How about we stuff them in your Duffle Bags?"
"As long as you include my share."
"Deal."
I reached a smooth compromise with Lee Se-jun.
However, the problem, as always, was Shin Na-in.
"I'll stick with regular Coca-Cola. I heard Zero is bad for your gut microbiome."
"Phew. You're really going to drink sugar water?"
"Cola without sugar is nothing but muddy water. Whether it's sweet muddy water or sugar water is determined by the sugar itself."
Reluctantly, I nodded with the resigned acceptance of an old steward looking after his servants.
Like that, our trio tore into an alleyway chicken each, packed our Duffle Bags to the brim with Zero Cola and regular cola, and returned to where the Military Police were waiting.
We bought roughly 64 bottles of cola and devoured a whole chicken, yet it only cost us 6 Military Notes.
I had even generously tipped an extra Military Note to the elderly man guarding the Mart, and he thanked me with tears welling up in his wrinkled eyes, saying that thanks to this, his grandchild could evacuate.
My heart felt quite heavy.
Still, our Duffle Bags were filled with sweet carbonation, and perhaps thanks to the greasy chicken we hadn't had in a while, our stomachs were full. The old man's grandchild was happy to evacuate, and we were happy to be full.
If this wasn't true patriotism, what was?
Instead, when we returned, three Military Trucks were lined up and waiting in front of the Military Police, and the suspect—who had been sitting quietly slumped over—was now trembling violently.
The black marketeer demanded an explanation from the Military Police.
"Hey. Hey... what's going on here? I'm Lieutenant Colonel Baek Dae-san's nephew, you know?"
"You have been implicated in illegal evacuation."
"Hey! Is it that much of a crime to take some money for sneaking people out!?"
By the time the black marketeer tried to make a run for it, it was already too late.
The Military Police were already pressing down firmly on his shoulders to keep him in place, and four more Military Police were climbing down from the trucks and approaching us. I craned my neck to get a better look inside the truck beds, wondering what those trucks were for, and saw people with all sorts of appearances.
There was a middle-aged woman with permed hair praying with her hands clasped together, a Monk with thin lips wearing traditional robes and a shaved head, and a man quietly reading a book with Handcuffs on his wrists—they were all completely different from one another.
Yet, every single one of them possessed an indescribable sense of resolve, or perhaps tension.
Even the man reading his book, seemingly undisturbed by the clinking of his Handcuffs, seemed to have his mind elsewhere, simply flipping the same page back and forth over and over.
Since our Alteration-type trio had no idea what was going on, we decided to ask the Military Police we were at least vaguely acquainted with.
"Who are those people?"
At that, the eyes hidden beneath the intimidating status and Helmet of the Military Police were finally revealed.
Unlike his prickly demeanor as a Military Police officer, he had a very naive and friendly appearance. He was a young-looking officer with freckle-like marks on his cheeks, and he thumped the black marketeer's shoulder with his fist as he spoke.
"Have you ever played gacha games?"
"Excuse me?"
"I mean, have you ever played those games where you spend money on your phone to pull characters."
"I tried one a long time ago but quit, so I don't know much about it..."
I asked who those people were, so why was he bringing up gacha games? I wondered if this guy was just a massive nerd, but his expression was unusually serious.
He was glaring at me as if he were Liu Bei betrayed by Guan Yu and Zhang Fei. I had no idea why this young-looking Military Police officer felt so betrayed by me, and it was incredibly irritating.
However, it seemed Lee Se-jun had caught on immediately, as he gasped and swallowed a breath.
"By any chance, is that...?"
"Why is Se-jun the only one who gets it?"
As Shin Na-in and I looked at him in bewilderment and turned our heads, Lee Se-jun stared at the truck with a stiffly frozen face and spoke.
"It's a Fog Gacha."
"Fog Gacha?"
Meanwhile, the black marketeer's resistance had grown even more intense.
The Military Police suppressed him just as ruthlessly. With both of his arms held tight, the black marketeer was busy thrashing about as he was dragged away.
"Let go! Hey, you... I said let go! Argh!"
It was only after seeing the black marketeer forcefully thrown into the Military Truck like a sack of potatoes that I realized what 'Fog Gacha' meant.
They were trying to make Mages.
Whether it was criminals or volunteering religious figures, they were just trying to fill the quota.
It had become clear that they couldn't solely rely on existing cutting-edge or electronic equipment to deal with the Monsters running rampant in Seoul, such as the Amalgam and Predatory Spine. In particular, the appearance of entities that survived biochemical warfare during the recent Suwon Station Underground sweep must have played a huge part.
Attacks utilizing sound. An unknown power that could neutralize even reconnaissance drones.
The military, having witnessed all that, no longer had the luxury to consider the potential dangers of magic.
The emergence of the Taegeuk Jesus Descent Eastern Academy was one thing, but it made me think they might have been driven into a corner much worse than I had imagined in places I didn't know about. With a slightly dampened mood, our Alteration-type trio boarded the back of the truck where the Military Police were seated.
It was then that one of the Military Police nodded and expressed his gratitude.
"Thank you for your cooperation, Operators. And this is my personal thanks."
Though his eyes were obscured by the shadow of his Helmet, the Military Police officer rummaged through his gear and pulled out a slightly crumpled pack of cigarettes. It was already missing one cigarette, though.
As I reflexively took it and looked at the officer, he adjusted his uniform and added,
"My younger brother participated in the Suwon Station Underground platform sweep operation."
I smiled and passed the pack with one missing cigarette to Lee Se-jun.
"I'll share it with these guys."
***
February 28, 2028, 8:06 AM.
After checking the time on my phone with its cracked screen, I gathered our Alteration-type trio and went to look for Captain Kim Ho-un and First Lieutenant Shin Han-gi.
My passion for magic remained, but South Korea was in such deep shit that I figured I should be patriotic one more time. Of course, I also had the minor desire to go exploring in the fog while I was at it.
Besides, the three of us Alteration-types had all agreed on something.
We agreed that it was about time we checked out the situation near the Primary Blockade Line. Living like mercenaries inside the Secondary Blockade Line wasn't completely terrible, but neither I, Lee Se-jun, nor even Shin Na-in had become Mages just to maintain this lifestyle.
When we voiced this opinion, both Captain Kim Ho-un and First Lieutenant Shin Han-gi looked baffled, but they seemed to contact their superiors for the time being.
"Yes, yes. The Primary Blockade Line situation..."
Until the tedious reports and conversations came to an end, I absentmindedly stroked the Magic Special Lecture Booklet.
The frustration of having to chase after vague, unsubstantiated rumors without a single certainty, and the potent effects that relieved that very frustration, bounded through my mind.
Would I ever be able to learn the Ear or Heart Lines?
Were there still other lines left? Were the remaining magic spells really twenty-two, making a total of twenty-five spells? What would happen if I completed all of them?
As I waited amidst that pleasant thrill and anticipation, First Lieutenant Shin Han-gi finally pinned a hastily printed, warm piece of paper to the whiteboard with a magnet.
"Phew... This is genuinely dangerous; I didn't expect you to volunteer yourselves."
"So that's a yes, right?"
"From the military's perspective, it's definitely a good thing."
Lee Se-jun, Shin Na-in, and I narrowed our eyes as we read the official document.
Looking thoroughly pleased, Shin Na-in continuously muttered 'Amen', while Lee Se-jun fiddled with his rifle sling for no reason.
[Transport and Protection of Localized Invasive Structural Alteration Aptitude Candidates.]
The operational outline was simple.
It was a mission to escort the aptitude candidates to the northern vicinity of Seongnam-si, the area closest to the fog currently blanketing all of Seoul. However, flipping the page over revealed a dense list of precautions and warnings.
1. Strictly adhere to engagement protocols.
2. Based on testimonies from soldiers on the ground, it is presumed that two species of Unidentified Species are found within a 30m visibility range in the fog. It is extremely dangerous, so avoid them at all costs.
3. Unauthorized entry into indoor areas is strictly prohibited.
Etcetera, etcetera...
I pulled the printout from the magnet, feeling a thrilling shiver run through me.
The fear of not knowing what lurked ahead. The dread of potentially facing the mastermind that wrecked this country, even from a distance. The electrifying thrill of witnessing something so dangerous that dropping at least three Hydrogen Bombs was being seriously discussed.
And... the countless secrets and truths that would be left within.
To figure out whether Alteration-type Magic was truly an occult system of secret arts or operated on some other underlying principle, I had to take the risk.
"We're really going..."
Now that we were actually going, Lee Se-jun muttered to himself, his voice trembling with fear.
"Lord, your son now marches into a holy war."
Shin Na-in silently clasped his hands together in prayer.
They might have strong tendencies to act like lunatics, but fighting Monsters required a certain degree of madness.
I waved the printout at First Lieutenant Shin Han-gi and asked,
"When do we depart?"
Just then, completely unexpected individuals appeared.
The older man with the horn-rimmed glasses, his Taegeukgi cape fluttering, adjusted his spectacles and turned to look at us after glancing at the printout in my hand.
"First Lieutenant, I couldn't help but overhear... is it truly such a dangerous and arduous task?"
The Taegeuk Jesus Descent Eastern Academy.
They were staring at First Lieutenant Shin Han-gi with solemn expressions.
"Yes, but since it's an area where combat will take place, the experienced members of Aphorism will be..."
"Aphorism?!"
That wasn't a shout of defiance from the Taegeuk Jesus Descent Eastern Academy, but one that I had thrown out.
"They are the Supreme Mages."
"...The Supreme Mages of Aphorism have volunteered to step in, so it should be fine."
"Hah... First Lieutenant. How can you trust and entrust this to such young kids!"
The middle-aged man spoke while looking our way, his Taegeukgi cape fluttering and exposing the densely packed crosses drawn underneath.
"We shall accompany you. With great power comes great responsibility. And the more outstanding the talent, the more it must be accompanied by righteous teachings! It must be the Lord's providence that we, chosen as the Lord's Shepherds, will join you to guide those who are to become the Lord's new Shepherds!"
Uh, uhh.
Uhhhh!
End