Chapter 24
7.
“Staff Sergeant Kim, no matter how I look at it, this seems like a crazy act.”
As Kim Seojun explained the operation, Major Lee Hyena and Private First Class Park Boseop wore expressions of utter disbelief. Kim Seojun fully understood their feelings.
“Have any of my actions so far been conventional?”
However, both of them, surprisingly, immediately accepted it at Kim Seojun’s words.
“All command authority has been transferred to Staff Sergeant Kim Seojun. We will follow his orders without question.”
*Above all, they were Soldiers, and they had to follow the Commander’s orders, no matter what.*
“However, I have a question.”
At this point, Major Lee Hyena simply voiced her opinion.
“Even in an Invisibility State, if you fire a gun, your position will eventually be detected. The Mogs will rush you then. What will you do about that?”
“That’s right. They’ll come to where the gunshots came from. Definitely.”
Kim Seojun answered her question.
“Whether there are mines there or not.”
And the moment they heard that answer, there were no more questions.
“There’s nothing easier to deal with than something that comes just by hearing a sound.”
On the contrary, she was convinced. This operation might produce even more astonishing results than expected.
“Then, let’s commence the operation.”
8.
*Kieeeeee!*
The number of Mog Legion members rushing towards Poland Headquarters was immense. First, the number of Mogdogs was considerable. It seemed to be well over 5,000. The number of Thorn Snakes also reached the thousands. Among them, the most imposing presence was, of course, the colossal Tank Beetles. The might of such a Legion was tremendous, but conversely, because of their sheer numbers, their movement speed was not as fast as one might expect.
*Kieeeeee!*
So, the fastest Mogdogs were constantly advancing and then stopping. It was a very tedious and irritating task, and the Mogdogs’ nerves were more frayed than ever.
It was then.
*Pwoosh!*
A bullet struck the head of a Mogdog moving at the very front, causing it to explode.
*Kie!
*Kiii!
At this, the Mogdogs immediately assumed an Attack Stance and began scanning their surroundings.
*Pwoosh, Pwoosh!*
And one after another, the heads of Mogdogs began to explode. When their numbers easily surpassed ten, the Mogdogs reacted.
*Kieeeeee!*
One hundred Mogdogs began to charge with all their might in the direction the bullet had come from.
*Thump!*
As they ran, the heads of the Mogdogs exploded continuously by bullets.
*Thump, Thump, Thump!*
The number of Mogdogs dying was enormous, and without exception, all of them had their heads blown off. Nevertheless, the Mogdogs’ Charge was relentless. At this moment, the Mogdogs focused only on the fact that bullets were coming from the same place. It was proof that a human, who had killed their comrades, was at the source of those bullets.
*Kieeeeee!*
As the gunshots grew closer, the Mogdogs began to let out cries filled with rage. Soon, they could see it.
*Kie?*
Nothing but a barren wasteland.
*Kiii, Kiii!*
At this, the Mogdogs stopped in their tracks, utterly bewildered, and scanned their surroundings. It was at that moment.
*Tat-tat-tat-tat-tat!*
Gunshots repeatedly rang out from a slightly distant spot, about 200 meters away, and another dozen Mogdogs had their heads explode with those gunshots, turning into corpses. Meanwhile, the remaining 33 Mogdogs once again ran towards the source of the gunshots.
*Kieeeeee!*
However, the cries of the charging Mogdogs were tinged more with doubt and surprise than with rage. It couldn’t be helped.
*Kieee!*
No matter how far they ran, there was nothing visible. There was no target.
*Tat-tat-tat-tat-tat!*
At that point, a Barrage of Gunshots erupted once more, and when that Barrage of Gunshots ended, there were no Mogdogs left. Silence fell.
[Mogdog eliminated!]
In that silence, Kim Seojun, hearing the notification, immediately maintained his Invisibility State and aimed his gun once more at the Mog Legion in the distance.
*Tat-tat-tat!*
After that, he fired exactly as he had before, and the Mog Legion responded in the same way as before. They sent a group of Mogdogs. However, unlike before, this time their number was a staggering 300, and despite the continuous gunshots, their numbers did not easily dwindle. When they reached the source of the gunshots, half of them, 150 Mogdogs, still remained, unlike before. And by this point, the Mogdogs also knew. Their opponent was invisible. So, they had to focus on sound.
*Tat-tat-tat-tat-tat!*
At that moment, gunshots were heard, and the Mogdogs began to rush with all their might towards them. This time, instead of charging in a straight line, they ran in an arc, as if trying to encircle.
*Kie!*
And then, they let out a cry of certainty the moment they simultaneously converged on the source of the gunshots.
*Boom!*
The Claymore Mines buried in the ground began to explode with tremendous noise. Because the Mogdogs had gathered in one place, the damage from the explosion was greater than ever. In an instant, 44 Mogdogs were virtually dead on the spot. Those that survived had Claymore Pellets embedded in or piercing various parts of their bodies, leaving them unable to display their usual aggression.
*Tat-tat-tat-tat-tat!*
In that state, gunshots rained down again, mercilessly blowing off the heads of the remaining Mogdogs. At that point, the Mog Legion’s movement stopped. With over 400 Mogdogs suddenly dead, the Mog Legion could not advance.
*Kie!*
This time, too, the Mogdogs began to run. The number running this time was 900.
*Tat-tat-tat-tat-tat!*
Even if Mogdogs exploded and died from the repeated gunshots every second, their numbers were so vast that it barely made a dent! Moreover, this time the Mogdogs did not come from a single direction. The moment the gunshots erupted, 900 Mogdogs rushed towards the sound from various directions.
*Crunch!*
And the Thorn Snakes also dug their tails into the ground, preparing to fire their spines.
*Tat-tat-tat-tat-tat!*
Thus, all the Mogs began to rush madly towards the source of the gunshots. The Mogs were convinced. This time, they would definitely catch their target. And it was then.
*Vroooom!*
Suddenly, a Hoverbike came speeding at an incredible pace, easily bypassing the Mogdogs, and arrived directly at the source of the sound.
“Staff Sergeant!”
“Go.”
Private First Class Park Boseop, who had just appeared, immediately sprinted with all his might the moment he heard the voice from behind.
*Vwoooom!*
The Hoverbike Uryong let out a sound that anyone would recognize as high-powered and sped away.
*Kie?*
The Mogdogs, who had been charging, stopped in their tracks, not daring to even think of pursuing due to the explosive speed. They simply stared blankly at where the Hoverbike had disappeared.
“Wow!”
An exclamation escaped Private First Class Park Boseop’s lips as he sped away, leaving the Mogs behind in an instant.
“Uryong is no joke! It's fast, yet so stable! It’s insane! I’ve never ridden a Hoverbike like this!”
First, he exclaimed in admiration for Uryong. The power and performance Uryong offered were beyond imagination. But what was even more surprising was this:
“Staff Sergeant Kim is amazing too! You must have taken down roughly over 400 of them?”
Kim Seojun had achieved astonishing results in this single engagement, which lasted less than 10 minutes.
“To be exact, 477.”
And Kim Seojun knew his achievements precisely. He couldn’t not know.
[477 Mogdogs eliminated. 477 points awarded.][332 Mogdogs eliminated with single shots. 664 points awarded for one-shot-one-kill.][Over 400 kills achieved in this battle. 400 points awarded for Multi-kill Bonus.]
His Status Window provided him with astonishingly accurate information and points. Furthermore, that wasn’t the only achievement. “Their advance has stopped. It will take them a considerable amount of time to resume. Furthermore, that wasn’t the only achievement.
“Their advance has stopped. It will take them a considerable amount of time to resume their march.”
He had significantly delayed the time it would take for that Legion to reach Poland Headquarters. It was then.
[Invisibility Skill deactivated.]
Kim Seojun’s invisible body began to become visible, and he spoke in that state.
“We’ll engage again in 6 hours.”
Upon hearing those words, Private First Class Park Boseop was speechless instead of answering. He then thought:
If I do this a few more times... could Staff Sergeant Kim really take them all down by himself?
He wondered if Kim Seojun might not just delay and deplete their forces, but actually end the battle. Of course, that was too preposterous. Kim Seojun thought the same.
Even if we engage again, it’ll only be about three more times at most.
Considering the current movement speed of the Mog Legion, it would take them about 19 hours to reach Poland Headquarters. Given that the Invisibility Skill’s cooldown was 6 hours, he could fight about three more times. There was nothing bad about that. Mathematically, if he took down 500 Mogs in one engagement, then with good luck, he could take down nearly 2,000 Mogdogs, including those already eliminated!
It won’t be easy.
Conversely, it also meant that they still had to fight a defensive battle against about 3,000 Mogdogs, 1,000 Thorn Snakes, and 2 Tank Beetles. And the troublesome ones here were the Thorn Snakes and Tank Beetles. The Headquarters couldn’t move, after all. It was then.
“Huh? Staff Sergeant! A Sandstorm is coming!”
In front of them, as they were speeding along, came a Sandstorm, a specialty of Planet Amotia.
“It’s huge!”
A Sandstorm that made it impossible to see anything, whether Mog or human, when encountered!
“Damn it, of all times!”
And Kim Seojun said in front of that Sandstorm.
“Luck is on our side.”
“Huh?”
“It’s an opportunity.”
“What kind of opportunity?”
“A very good opportunity to take down the Thorn Snakes.”
After that, Kim Seojun immediately found a suitable position, and the moment the Sandstorm arrived, he aimed his sniper rifle at the Thorn Snakes. Nothing was visible.
“Clairvoyance.”
However, Kim Seojun’s eyes could vaguely see the targets in a world where nothing else was visible, and that was enough.
*Thwack!* `[Thorn Snake eliminated!]`
Kim Seojun began sniping the Thorn Snakes through the Sandstorm. One-shot-one-kills didn’t happen because of the Sandstorm, but Kim Seojun didn’t mind. This situation was a Bonus Game anyway. Just inflicting damage was meaningful enough.
*Rumble-rumble-rumble!*
When the Sandstorm passed, Kim Seojun could hear:
[91 Thorn Snakes eliminated. 455 points acquired.]
[91 Thorn Snakes eliminated from over 500 meters. 910 points awarded for Sharpshooter Bonus.]
The moment he heard that notification, Kim Seojun quickly left the spot on Uryong without hesitation. He moved to the next point early and began charging there. There was no need for a Bunker.
“Here are the batteries and supplies.”
Kim Seojun’s Inventory was filled with Auxiliary Batteries to charge Uryong, as well as plenty of other supplies. After sufficient rest and resupply, Kim Seojun repeated exactly what he had done before. He harassed the Mog Legion while in an invisible state. Private First Class Park Boseop and Major Lee Hyena, watching from a distance, wore blank expressions.
“Major, it really seems like the Staff Sergeant might take them all down.”
“It seems so.”
There was simply no answer to Kim Seojun’s astonishing performance.
“At this rate, he might even take down the Tank Beetles.”
“That would be difficult.”
Of course, even for Kim Seojun, taking down a Tank Beetle seemed incredibly difficult. He had taken down three Tank Beetles before, but that was more of an accident than a hunt. It was hard to hope for such an accident to happen again.
“Yes, even I find what I’m saying absurd, Staff Serg—”
It was at that moment.
*Groooowl!*
Suddenly, a tremendous sound was heard, and Private First Class Park Boseop, who was observing the situation with binoculars, flinched in terror.
“Uh, uh, uh!”
He then shouted.
“One Tank Beetle is dead! I think the Staff Sergeant took it down!”
“What in the world!”
Major Lee Hyena also flinched at that report, and at that very moment, a voice came through.
- Private First Class Park Boseop. “Private First Class Park Boseop! Staff Sergeant Kim! Confirmed! Amazing! You even took down a Tank Beetle!”
Private First Class Park Boseop immediately showered Kim Seojun with every compliment he could think of over the radio. To him, Kim Seojun said:
- Not me.
“Huh?”
- I didn’t take it down.
“Th-then who did?”
- Something powerful flew in from a great distance, even farther than me, and eliminated the Tank Beetle.
“Is that even possible?”
It was at that moment that Major Lee Hyena, who had been listening to the conversation, spoke.
“Hawk Eye.”
“Huh? Ah? Oh!”
It was at that moment.
*Screeeech!*
Suddenly, harsh static began to crackle through the speakers of Kim Seojun, Private First Class Park Boseop, and Major Lee Hyena.
*Click!*
The static then stopped, and a voice was heard.
- Hey, friends. Sorry to interrupt your conversation so suddenly. But this is an important matter.
It was a woman’s voice. Quite sweet. But everyone who heard that voice froze on the spot. They had a premonition.
- So, I’ll ask you one thing, friends. Why do you have the supplies that were meant for me?
They realized the owner of this voice was Hawk Eye.
- Answer carefully. In America, if someone steals your property, shooting them on the spot is self-defense. And I’m a very good shot. Very.
Moreover, this warning was not just empty words. Hawk Eye, who could snipe from an even greater distance than Kim Seojun, and possessed the destructive power to even destroy a Tank Beetle, now had them in her sights. Furthermore, she was freely hijacking their communication channel, which practically meant she had pinpointed the location of Kim Seojun’s group. This implied that she could turn Kim Seojun’s story into an epilogue with a single pull of the trigger. It was a situation where an answer was more crucial than ever, and Kim Seojun replied:
- Chinese bastards.
“Huh?”
“What?”
The moment they heard that answer, the expressions vanished from the faces of Private First Class Park Boseop and Major Lee Hyena. Their thoughts had stopped. To them, Hawk Eye replied:
- Excellent answer. I like it. Now, I’ll send you the coordinates, so come there. We need to talk.
Kim Seojun said to that answer:
- We still need to deal with the Mog Legion advancing on Poland Headquarters. We will move to the coordinates after all combat has ended.
- Oh, that? That’s fine.
Hawk Eye replied to that answer:
- I’ll take care of the rest of them.
Thirty minutes later, Kim Seojun’s group could see it. The Mog Legion was utterly devastated, as if a bomber had swept through. A voice spoke to Kim Seojun’s group, who were dumbfounded by the sight:
- See? It’s all clean now, isn’t it? Now, come to the coordinates.