Chapter 30
Doctor Space, who would become the most famous figure in human history, had everything about him drawing humanity's attention.
His family was no different.
Moreover, Doctor Space had far more children than anyone imagined. Officially, over 23 individuals were recognized as his offspring, and unofficially, there were even more.
Among these children, quite a few were brilliant enough to be called geniuses.
His grandchildren were no different, and one of them was Jennifer Jo.
Doctor Space, who wouldn't acknowledge even most geniuses as true geniuses, and wouldn't acknowledge his own children if he didn't deem them worthy, once said:
“Jennifer, that child has a few things in common with me.”
This implied two things.
First, she was a genius to the extent that Doctor Space acknowledged her.
Second, she was as eccentric as Doctor Space himself.
In any case, she was a genius recognized by Doctor Space, and naturally, the entire world coveted her genius. It was America that ultimately secured her talent.
That was the story of Jennifer Jo, and naturally, most of humanity had no reason to be involved with her.
Kim Seojun was no exception.
He had no particular interest in Jennifer Jo, nor in Doctor Space.
He only came to know her name because of his younger sister.
One day, after he had finished his active service and returned to Earth to live peacefully, his younger sister came to him and said:
Jennifer Jo had covered a famous singer's song, and she sang it incredibly well. It was amazing.
To that, Kim Seojun replied, “Enough, go get me some water.” Afterward, his sister retorted, “That’s why you can’t get a girlfriend, Oppa!” Their ensuing playful bickering was how he came to know Jennifer Jo’s name.
“Did you say Jennifer Jo is on Planet Amotia?”
But the moment he heard that Jennifer Jo was now on Planet Amotia with them, Kim Seojun naturally thought:
“Isn’t that false information?”
The possibility existed that this wasn't true.
At the Emergency Meeting, Private First Class Park Boseop, who was present, exclaimed in surprise at Kim Seojun’s words:
“Staff Sergeant Kim, are you saying American Headquarters is lying right now?”
According to his common sense, such a thing was impossible.
“For now, I also consider that a high possibility.”
“Huh?”
However, Private First Class Park Boseop's expression turned to surprise at Major Lee Hyena's subsequent reply.
At that point, Kim Seojun explained.
“People will tell any lie to survive. It’s common to use a celebrity’s name.”
Kim Seojun knew better than anyone that there was no end to what cornered humans would do.
“Moreover, it’s America. If American Headquarters sent a Rescue Request, which country do you think would go to help?”
Crucially, America was a nation that had never received help from anyone.
More precisely, no other country dared to ask America, “Do you need help?”
The only country that might have been was China, but China had already issued a Declaration of War.
In many ways, it was only natural for the Survivors at American Headquarters to use every means available to send a Rescue Request.
That wasn't strange.
“So, Staff Sergeant Kim, what do you intend to do?”
What mattered was Kim Seojun's decision. He pondered for a moment and then gave his answer.
“We will ignore the Support Request.”
Everyone fell silent at his decision.
That was all.
No one could refute him.
If American Headquarters had to send a Rescue Request, it was proof that an absurd Mog Legion had arrived there.
It would be absurd to confront them with the troop strength available at Poland Headquarters.
*“We have enough problems of our own.”*
More importantly, Poland Headquarters itself was currently in danger.
Are we moving troops for support when China or the Mog could attack at any moment?
It wouldn't be strange if, just as they were returning after a successful rescue, a radio message came from Poland Headquarters screaming, “Save us!”
Of course, there was one thing.
“Staff Sergeant Kim, what if it really is Jennifer Jo?”
“Then we’ll formulate a Rescue Plan. If it truly is Jennifer Jo, America will move to save her, using any means necessary.”
If that were true and the rescue succeeded, the chances of Kim Seojun's group returning to Earth would significantly increase.
In any case, it wasn't a decision that needed to be made immediately, and Planet Amotia provided the basis for Kim Seojun's judgment.
“Major Jan! It’s an Emergency Situation!”
A Staff member from Poland Headquarters rushed into the Emergency Meeting and urgently announced.
“The Mog Legion is coming!”
“What’s the Troop Strength?”
His subordinate replied to the follow-up question.
“We don’t know exactly, but we’ve confirmed five Tank Beetles!”
The moment Kim Seojun heard that the Mog Legion was coming again, the first thing that came to his mind was a question.
They had clearly defeated a significant number of troops last time.
And the Mog, by its nature, wouldn't launch another attack unless it could muster more than three times the Troop Strength.
“What’s the total number?”
“It’s not certain yet, but it doesn’t seem to exceed 10,000.”
However, the number of incoming troops fell short of that.
This wasn't how the Mog usually calculated things.
Of course, not everything always went according to calculation, but if it didn't, there was always a reason.
Only one thing was clear.
“We need to reduce their numbers as much as possible before they get here.”
Sitting around and racking their brains wouldn't make the Mog disappear.
“Private First Class Park Boseop, prepare.”
“Yes, Sir!”
With that, Kim Seojun's group immediately finished preparations and moved out.
There was no fear.
They had already experienced confronting similar forces.
“What’s the plan? Are we going with the same one as last time?”
“No.”
More importantly, Kim Seojun now had something new.
“We’ll use the Uroe to eliminate the Tank Beetles first.”
The Uroe, with its overwhelming range.
“Let’s move together.”
Additionally, Major Jan Zabłocki accompanied them this time.
They headed as quickly as possible towards the Mog Legion's location, with two people on each of the two Hoverbikes.
In truth, traveling by Hoverbike was by no means a wise decision.
Combat required many consumables, and a Hoverbike, apart from its Mobility, offered nothing else to rely on.
However, Kim Seojun was an exception.
His vast Inventory was now practically a walking armory.
Kim Seojun's group continued towards the Mog Legion's location and, at a certain point, stopped.
“Where are we?”
The moment they arrived at the location, Major Jan Zabłocki questioned.
“There’s nothing here, is there?”
Indeed, nothing was visible.
No signs were detected either.
It was the same for Kim Seojun.
Instead, Kim Seojun looked at:
“Private First Class Park Boseop.”
“It’s definite. I can hear them very clearly. They’re approaching rapidly.”
Kim Seojun nodded at Private First Class Park Boseop's subsequent words.
In such situations, there was nothing more reliable than Private First Class Park Boseop's hearing.
“I see.”
Major Jan Zabłocki, who knew of that ability, soon understood.
“You’re planning to lay mines here!”
Kim Seojun's group would set up ahead of the Mog Legion's path and reduce their numbers by laying explosives.
It was a very clever method, and indeed, the most frequently used by Hover Riders.
The effect wasn't bad either.
Kim Seojun then told Major Jan Zabłocki:
“We will use that method too.”
“That method *too*?”
Kim Seojun didn't explain to Major Jan Zabłocki, who was puzzled by that phrasing.
He simply showed him.
“Inventory.”
He pulled the Uroe from his vast Inventory, and the moment Major Jan Zabłocki saw it, he had a question.
What was the point of taking out the Uroe here, where the Mog Legion wasn't even properly visible yet?
Drrr-drrr-drrr, thunk!
*Meanwhile, the Uroe began to move, and soon its wheels locked into place.*
*“Lock?”*
While Major Jan Zabłocki pondered this, Kim Seojun, Private First Class Park Boseop, and Major Lee Hyena emerged and moved with urgency.
They pulled out heavy-looking metal blocks and began supporting the Uroe with them.
They began setting up supports for the Uroe.
And naturally, there was only one reason to set up such supports.
“W-wait, surely not?”
To withstand the recoil of the incredibly powerful railgun.
“H-here?”
The implication that they would be firing the railgun here, right now, filled Major Jan Zabłocki's face with horror.
“Y-you’re going to sh-shoot from here?”
Kim Seojun didn't answer the question.
For one, he didn't have the luxury of time.
Setting up the supports was taking quite a bit longer than expected, and even after setting them up, they would have to check them again after each shot.
*“Whether it works or not, we have to try.”*
More than anything, Kim Seojun himself didn't know if this would truly be effective or meaningful.
It was his first time using a railgun like this in actual combat, and there were no precedents for it.
Everything about the situation was unprecedented.
*“If it doesn”t work, we have to run.’*
If things didn't go well, they needed to be ready to retreat as quickly as possible and implement a different strategy.
There was no time for explanations or anything else.
“Get inside and aim! I’ll handle the rest of the work!”
“Thank you.”
Even this would have been impossible without Major Lee Hyena, the owner of Superhuman Strength.
Normally, it would take at least a dozen Combat Engineers to do this kind of work.
While the support work was underway, Kim Seojun and Private First Class Park Boseop re-entered the Uroe.
Afterward, Kim Seojun began to control the railgun.
It wasn't difficult.
*“It”s surprisingly simple.’*
The railgun's operation was so simple yet precise that it was hard to believe China had made it.
“They’re coming, they’re coming.”
Soon, as Private First Class Park Boseop called out the timing, they began to appear in Kim Seojun's sight as well.
“Confirmed.”
The Mog Legion was visible, swarming from an incredibly distant place, at least 10 kilometers away in straight-line distance.
Naturally, they weren't clearly visible.
Even to Kim Seojun, with his excellent eyesight, the Mogdogs and Thorn Snakes appeared as mere dots.
In fact, the only things truly visible were the Tank Beetles.
And that was enough.
Kim Seojun operated the railgun, aligning the Red Light with a Tank Beetle.
The moment that light connected, Kim Seojun shouted:
“Charge!”
Wiiiiiiiiiiing!
*At that moment, a high-frequency sound of something powerfully spinning began to be heard, and Kim Seojun, having completed his aiming to the very end, shouted:*
“Fire!”
Skoooong!
The moment the word left his lips, Kim Seojun and Private First Class Park Boseop's world shook violently.
It was like getting hit in the jaw during a boxing match and suffering a concussion.
It was a shock unlike any they had felt before, a shock that felt as if space itself was trembling.
“Ugh!”
This kind of shock was new, even for Kim Seojun, who had experienced almost every conceivable situation.
His head truly rang.
*“The recoil is insane.”*
He had thought the railgun's recoil wouldn't be ordinary, but the shock he felt up close was beyond that.
In many ways, it was astonishing.
*“To withstand this, the Uroe is truly insane.”*
And the Uroe's performance, which merely shook under this tremendous recoil without showing any abnormalities in the chassis itself, was also astonishing.
Normally, if a Battle Tank received this shock, its Electronic System components might malfunction, or the chassis itself could develop defects.
*“China didn”t make this.’*
Just as Private First Class Park Boseop had said, this was not something China could have created with its own capabilities.
Of course, the observations ended there.
Ultimately, the core value of any weapon is this:
Could it achieve results?
The Status Window Context: d. This was not something China could have created with its own capabilities.
Of course, the observations ended there.
Ultimately, the Core Value of any weapon is this:
Could it achieve results?
The Status Window provided the answer to that question.
\[Eliminated a Tank Beetle. Acquired 500 points.\]
\[Eliminated with a single shot. Acquired 1,000 points as a One-Shot-One-Kill Bonus.\]
\[Being eliminated from a dista provided the answer to that question.
\[Eliminated a Tank Beetle. Acquired 500 points.\]
\[Eliminated from a distance of 5 kilometers or more. Acquired 2,000 points as a Great Sharpshooter Bonus.\]
Notifications were received indicating that everything was over with a single shot.
Kim Seojun rejoiced at the notifications.
However, his joy wasn't about the points themselves.
It was the opportunity to take down a Tank Beetle with a single shot.
“Prepare to Reload!”
This opportunity must not be missed now.
“Huh?”
At Kim Seojun's words, Private First Class Park Boseop, still seemingly dazed, couldn't react properly.
“Aiming for the next target.”
“Huh? Huh?”
However, the moment he heard the subsequent words, Private First Class Park Boseop's expression changed.
Because he understood.
“D-did you really g-get it?”
Because aiming for the next target meant that the current target had been hit.
To Private First Class Park Boseop's surprised reaction, Kim Seojun said:
“66 seconds until reloading. Major Lee Hyena, please set up the supports again.”
“Ah, understood!”
Only then did Major Lee Hyena finally grasp the situation and begin to re-secure the position of the supports.
*Meanwhile, Kim Seojun aimed again and started the countdown.*
It was at that moment.
“Oh, oh-oh-oh!”
Private First Class Park Boseop, who had been watching the situation, shouted.
“A Special Individual has appeared! It’s at least a Featherweight!”
Kim Seojun bit his lip at that fact.
*“So this is why their calculations changed.”*
He understood why the Mog Legion showed a different strategy from its usual calculations coming here.
And he also realized that this was by no means positive for Kim Seojun's group and Poland Headquarters.
*“Truly unlucky.”*
As Kim Seojun once again ruminated on his cursed life, a notification sounded in his ear.
\[An Event Mission has occurred.\]
\[Reward will be given upon eliminating a Featherweight Tank Beetle with a One-Shot-One-Kill.\]
An absurd mission.
\[Mission Reward: Skill Upgrade Ticket (A).\]
And an absurd reward.