The Tank That Never Misses
Kim Seo-jun felt a surge of confidence as he climbed into the battle tank.
'No reason I can't take down those immobile infected psykers.'
It wasn't baseless bravado.
He wasn't a tank gunner by trade, but he'd killed more Mogs in a battle tank than most veteran tankers could claim. He'd handled them plenty of times. He didn't have the license, sure, but he could drive one just fine.
Anyway, that gave him faith in his aim. And with his dynamic visual acuity, he figured he could do even better than before.
'It'll take some time, though.'
Still, he was bracing for a drawn-out fight. The kind where he'd burn through every shell in the tank and call for resupply.
'I'll make it work somehow. Losing the Polish base here would leave us screwed—no other options.'
It wouldn't be easy, but it was the only play with the cards they had.
Of course, all those worries evaporated the moment he settled into the gunner's seat and the red targeting reticle lit up.
They seemed laughable now.
Riding in a battle tank with perfect accuracy, picking off block-suited infected psykers who couldn't even move? What was there to agonize over? And he didn't need to close in for better accuracy, either.
Long range it was.
"Stop."
"Pardon? I must've misheard. You said stop?"
"You heard right."
"Here? I can't even see them!"
"I can."
Park Bo-seop, the private piloting the battle tank, was stunned by the distance—so far it was beyond the effective range of the tank's shells. Yet Kim Seo-jun gripped the controller without hesitation.
"Perfect."
Then he hit the button.
BOOM!
The tank shuddered with the thunderous roar the instant he pressed it. An indescribable vibration filled the air.
Normally, a long silence would follow. A battle tank needed time to re-aim after firing.
The reason was simple: low hit probability. The first shot was often just to gauge, and real skill showed on the second—whether it hit or not.
'Now Sergeant Kim will aim.'
That's what Private Park Bo-seop expected.
BOOM!
'Huh?'
But Kim Seo-jun shattered expectations, firing again immediately.
BOOM!
'What?'
The third shot came just the same.
This wasn't aiming. It was pulling the trigger the moment the shell loaded—indiscriminate barrage fire.
BOOM!
He even unleashed a fourth shell right away.
BEEP!
A warning light flashed inside the tank. Overheat from rapid fire—enter cooldown.
"S-Sergeant Kim!"
Silence finally fell, and in it, Private Park Bo-seop's voice trembled as he addressed Kim Seo-jun.
"Wh-what happened?"
He hadn't asked expecting an answer. He figured Kim Seo-jun had gone haywire with the barrage. This had to be an accident; he'd declare the fight a bust and issue new orders.
"Private Park Bo-seop, situation update."
Kim Seo-jun spoke to the stunned private.
"Combat with the infected is over."
"Pardon?"
To the shocked Park Bo-seop, Kim Seo-jun repeated.
"Just like I said. Got the infected psyker."
He avoided saying "killed" outright. Infected were tough. But declaring combat ended meant he was certain they were combat-ineffective, even if clinging to life. Limbs blown off or torso-only? No chance against an intact Major Lee Hye-na.
That's when it hit Kim Seo-jun's ear.
Combat has ended.
Mission triggered: All points tripled.
Feather-class Mog lifeform defeated. 3,000 points awarded.
First Feather-class Mog lifeform defeated. Gold Ticket awarded.
Mission conditions met. Platinum Ticket awarded.
Hearing that, Kim Seo-jun stated without doubt.
"Infected psyker down."
He broadcast to Major Lee Hye-na and the rest of the squad at a distance—this monster was done.
"Get ready."
Then he added.
"For the next fight."
Kim Seo-jun looked up as he finished.
Obviously, he hadn't missed the Cyclops's eerie vibration either. Far from it—he heard it clearer than most. His ears weren't superhuman, but threats to his life? He never overlooked them.
Anyway, he knew.
A terrifying Mog horde might swarm this place soon.
'Bring it.'
And he'd welcome it gladly. Confidence brimmed.
'With this battle tank, no way we lose. Hell, this is an opportunity. Points to farm.'
That's when it came again.
KIIIIIEEEE!
The Cyclops screeched once more.
"Fuckin' bastard! Cut it out already!"
Private Park Bo-seop cursed involuntarily. Just when he thought he could breathe—
Hell incoming!
"Private Park Bo-seop."
"Yes, Sergeant Kim! I'm ready! Let's go all the way this time!"
To the fired-up private, Kim Seo-jun said.
"Maintain alert status. But odds are no more Mog reinforcements."
"Huh? How do you know?"
"Just a feeling."
And that feeling proved right. The Cyclops moved off after screeching, and an hour later, no Mog signs.
Combat truly over.
2.
No further Mog horde assault.
Kim Seo-jun moved immediately upon confirming.
"Clear."
He finished off the infected inside the Polish base.
"Handle the Mog virus first. Activate sterilization systems."
Then came disinfection measures. All areas of the Polish base sealed sequentially, powerful sterilizing agents sprayed everywhere.
PSHHHH!
Survivors, suited up, grabbed sterilization foamers and doused infected corpses. Major Lee Hye-na went straight into isolation as precaution.
"Major, I know it's rough all around, but bear with us."
"Understood completely."
She showed no complaint, straight into her Agent Suit and the sterilant.
Meanwhile, Kim Seo-jun assessed.
"57 survivors. Who's the acting commander now?"
"That would be me."
Commander Yan Zabwotski—he was now interim base chief.
"My condolences."
"Thank you. And thanks for saving the Polish base."
For Yan, it was the worst. Everyone above him dead. All survivors' lives now on his shoulders.
Dizzying responsibility.
"Anything you need, say the word. As interim chief, I promise full support."
That freed Kim Seo-jun to act.
And he did.
"Prep for combat."
"Combat?"
"Yes."
Kim Seo-jun explained.
"A massive Mog horde's coming here soon."
Shock rippled through them.
"What do you mean? The Mogs retreated, didn't they? We saw the Cyclops pull back!"
Everyone exhaling in relief, thinking it done.
But Kim Seo-jun knew.
"Mogs I know don't retreat. This was a tactical withdrawal—to gather a bigger force."
What Mogs were like.
This wouldn't end here.
"Not a normal situation, of course. Just my prediction from experience. But right now, we prepare for anything suspicious."
Even if wrong, full prep was key.
Commander Yan nodded. If it turned out overkill, they'd celebrate.
"We'll prepare."
"One more thing."
Kim Seo-jun added upon that.
"I want to examine the infected Space Marines' bodies."
3.
Out of the sterilant came Major Lee Hye-na, greeted by Kim Seo-jun.
He led her to the morgue.
"Major."
He asked.
"This head wound—you make it?"
"Yes."
She nodded immediately.
"Problem?"
Kim Seo-jun replied.
"Only this one wound."
"One strike finish."
She brimmed with pride, but he pressed.
"Doesn't that seem off?"
"Off?"
"Infected usually get hit while suited, right? But these suited infected have no notable wounds."
Expressions shifted—Lee Hye-na's included. Doubt, then grim resolve. They got it.
"Sergeant Kim, you don't mean...?"
"Two possibilities. They suited up willingly after infection. Or got infected while suited."
Obvious, but rage-blinded infected wouldn't suit up orderly: "Everyone gear up to kill!" No.
Someone spread the Mog virus. Used that insane plague as a bioweapon.
Huge implications.
"Isn't weaponizing Mog virus banned?"
Post-outbreaks, Earth nations criminalized it heavily. Exposure meant global condemnation.
"Regulated. Like nukes back in the day."
Everyone, Kim Seo-jun included, knew regulations meant squat.
Weaponization was near-complete. Simple, too—no mods needed; deploy like any chem agent.
And Kim Seo-jun suspected.
"China's my prime suspect."
Few nations would. Only one fit now.
He sketched a scenario mentally.
'Gate destroyed, Queen appears—perfect Mog virus testbed.'
If tested on Amotia.
Just theory; he kept it internal.
"Stay cautious."
Clear: Amotia held dangers beyond Mogs. All present clenched jaws.
Of course, same thoughts.
'China, huh.'
'Probably China.'
'Gotta be China.'
Only one nation would weaponize and test it.
Not baseless—Mog virus origin: China secretly researching Queen corpse, ignoring treaties. Repeated secret Mog experiments drew global ire.
Even if true, proving it now? Impossible.
'Storming Chinese HQ? Suicide.'
They held Amotia's biggest force.
'Tight security—nothing we could do inside.'
Kim Seo-jun agreed. Suspicious, sure—but no plan.
So he shelved it.
'No point obsessing over the impossible. Focus on what's in front.'
Priority: Incoming Mog assault on Polish base.
'Must hold. Lose base, we're done. Can't even feed these survivors from bunkers.'
To that end, he'd deploy every means.
First, recent gains—the surest one.
"Use Platinum Ticket."
He figured it'd help big, whatever came.
Be satisfied.
Then the alert.
Stealth (F) obtained from Platinum Ticket.