Chapter 36
Mogs have various species, and new ones are still being discovered even at this very moment.
And among those species, there were some that were extremely troublesome.
The most representative of them was the Behemoth.
The moment it appeared, it altered the very structure and terrain of a planet; its existence was akin to a natural disaster.
While not quite on the level of a Behemoth, there were entities capable of driving Humanity into a corner.
"If it's a Ghost Bat, do you mean that Ghost Bat?"
The Ghost Bat was one of them.
First of all, the Ghost Bat could fly like a bat, and its flight capabilities were outstanding.
And this flight capability was extremely troublesome, precisely because of the difficulty of using fighter jets.
The higher the performance of a fighter jet, the more it needs the assistance of various systems, including radar. However, due to the unique environments of each planet, there are not many places suitable for operating such fighter jets.
Planet Amotia was the same. Operating fighter jets here, where even Wireless Communication was often unreliable depending on the situation, carried far too much risk. Therefore, when truly necessary, aerial issues were resolved by requesting support from a Space Battleship on standby in Space.
The problem was that currently, Planet Amotia was not receiving proper Space Battleship support.
That wasn't all.
"The one that vomits up Corrosion Worms?"
The Ghost Bat vomited up the Corrosion Worms it raised inside its body, and these Corrosion Worms dealt a fatal blow to most of the metals used by Humanity.
It possessed a level of power akin to shooting water at foam.
Of course, it also dealt highly effective damage to human bodies.
The only thing relatively less affected was the Behemoth Scale, which was the reason the Agent Suit was made from an alloy utilizing Behemoth Scales.
"The one with the Stealth Ability?"
However, the most troublesome aspect was that the Ghost Bat possessed a Stealth Ability.
It was somewhat distinguishable in broad daylight, but at night, it was impossible to identify its presence with the naked eye.
It couldn't even be caught on thermal imaging cameras.
The reason was unknown, but in the Space Age, where Prophet's Relics and Psychers appeared, asking why was meaningless.
Anyway, for these reasons, the Space Marines gave the Ghost Bat the nickname Battle Tank Killer.
At the same time, Space Law dictated that upon discovery, a warning must immediately be issued to every Nation established on that planet.
"Isn't it hard to spot?"
"It is."
Such a Ghost Bat was not a creature one could easily see.
"Because even I have only seen it five times."
To the point that even Kim Seojun, who had experienced all kinds of hell and had seen a Behemoth twice, had only seen a Ghost Bat five times on the Battlefield.
"What? Staff Sergeant Kim, you've seen it five times?"
"…Staff Sergeant Kim, just what kind of military life did you lead?"
"Oh my God, you've seen it five times?"
Of course, from the perspective of the three people present, it was something to be astonished about.
To their reactions, Kim Seojun replied.
"I will summarize the situation. A Ghost Bat has appeared, and, having been identified by the the Japan Headquarters, it has begun its attack on humanity. If we leave the Ghost Bat alone in a situation where we cannot receive support from a Space Battleship, the Survivors on Planet Amotia will inevitably suffer a massive blow."
At those words, everyone's expressions hardened.
They knew.
What Kim Seojun was going to say next.
"Therefore, we must deal with it as quickly as possible."
The expected words came out, and at that, everyone's expressions hardened even more.
It went without saying, but hunting the Ghost Bat would be a fiercer and more dangerous battle than any Kim Seojun's Group had experienced so far.
"Um, Staff Sergeant Kim, I think it's too dangerous."
Even if it was Kim Seojun, who had produced astonishing results so far, it was questionable whether he could successfully hunt the Ghost Bat.
"Doesn't the Ghost Bat fly around? Catching something that flies is on a completely different level of difficulty."
In particular, the Ghost Bat was no different from a fighter jet, and hitting such a creature with a gun or a cannon was like shooting a bullet through the eye of a needle.
"I know. Going to hunt the Ghost Bat at this point is far too dangerous. That's why I have no intention of hunting it."
"Excuse me?"
To everyone, Kim Seojun said.
"Then what are you going to deal with?"
"We will deal with the Chinese Headquarters."
For Major Lin Jia'ai, an unbelievable report was what awaited her upon returning to the Secret Headquarters after visiting the Chinese Headquarters.
"The Secret Headquarters was attacked, the Thunder was stolen, and the Lightweight Cyclops was dead."
When she heard the report, Major Lin Jia'ai didn't say, "Are you kidding me right now?"
She met the reporter's eyes, and in that moment, she knew the reporter was absolutely not lying.
And she knew that the current situation wouldn't improve just by scolding a subordinate or kicking a subordinate's shin.
Furthermore, this was a very serious matter.
What is happening on Planet Amotia right now is an operation the Chinese Communist Party is pouring its heart and soul into.
An operation not meant to end as a one-off, but to write a new history befitting the Space Age!
But now, a fatal setback had occurred in that operation.
Here, Major Lin Jia'ai didn't think long.
She didn't even think things like: Why did this happen?
What she had to do now was to produce the planned results regardless of the process, and to achieve that, the very first thing she had to do was to move the Headquarters.
"Move everything here to the Chinese Headquarters."
Staying here when the Secret Base had already been exposed and breached was an act of foolishness.
"Senior Colonel Wang Lei."
"Major Lin Jia'ai, what is going on? I heard you are transferring everything here!"
Unlike last time, he welcomed Major Lin Jia'ai's return visit.
He couldn't help it.
\[Something has happened!\]
Major Lin Jia'ai returning like this meant a major setback had occurred in her plans!
\[It's a chance to make up for it.\]
And that also meant Major Lin Jia'ai had no choice but to bow her head to Senior Colonel Wang Lei and ask for a favor.
\[I'll make you pay the price for daring to look down on me.\]
Naturally, Senior Colonel Wang Lei had no intention of letting such a situation pass lightly.
He planned to help Major Lin Jia'ai this time, burdening her with a massive debt, and then to use that as an excuse to exploit her later.
He intended to turn it into a weakness.
"I have a favor to ask of you, Senior Colonel Wang Lei."
"Anything! Tell me anything!"
"I cannot tell you the detailed situation, but a problem has occurred. Therefore, I need the full support of the Chinese Headquarters on Planet Amotia right now."
"Of course! I will do whatever I can!"
\[Hehehe!\]
As he answered, a rosier future than ever before unfolded in Senior Colonel Wang Lei's mind.
Holding the weakness over a powerful figure from the Space Peace Committee, of all people?
It was something that would unfold a future of endless success!
So he spoke in a more joyful voice than ever.
"So, what do you need me to say?"
"It won't be an easy task."
"I am ready willingly to lay down my life for our People!"
At Senior Colonel Wang Lei's response, Major Lin Jia'ai smiled brighter than ever and spoke.
"I will not forget the heart of the People's Republic of China."
"Huh?"
The moment Senior Colonel Wang Lei felt something strange at those words and reacted, it happened.
Bang!
Along with the gunshot, Senior Colonel Wang Lei fell straight backward.
Having eliminated Senior Colonel Wang Lei in a single breath, Major Lin Jia'ai called the executives of the Chinese Headquarters and said:
"Senior Colonel Wang Lei has committed suicide. As of this moment, I will take over all authority here."
Of course, the Executives of the Chinese Headquarters did not believe those words.
The person least likely to commit suicide on this Planet Amotia was none other than Senior Colonel Wang Lei.
So it was obvious what had happened.
Therefore, everyone bowed his or her head.
"Yes, ma'am!"
Anyway, there wasn't a single person who genuinely respected and followed Senior Colonel Wang Lei.
Above all, in a situation where Major Lin Jia'ai was a much more powerful figure than Senior Colonel Wang Lei, there was no one who wouldn't bow his or her head.
Just like that, Major Lin Jia'ai dominated the Chinese Headquarters in an instant, and around that time, another disturbance occurred.
Someone identifying herself as Jennifer Jo revealed the Secret Experiment that China was conducting.
Of course, most people did not believe those words.
Rather, the moment that radio transmission spread, most of the Bases scattered across Planet Amotia had the same thought.
An American survivor currently in an air-raid shelter finally spouted crazy nonsense in a state of panic.
They were already a dead person.
However, Major Lin Jia'ai's thoughts were different.
"From now on, our goal is one."
The moment she heard it, she summoned all the Executives and spoke.
"Eliminate everyone on Planet Amotia. Do not leave a single person alive."
At those words, the Executives were horrified.
That was on a completely different level from making a Declaration of War.
If a Declaration of War was just starting a war as the expression implied, eliminating all the planet's Survivors was akin to Germany massacring Jews at Auschwitz during World War II.
It was an act that would inevitably bring terrifying repercussions.
"U-um, M-Major. T-that will not be easy."
And it was also a task with an extremely high level of difficulty.
"S-shouldn't we l-leave troops to defend the Headquarters?"
Currently, Planet Amotia is in a situation where support from Space cannot be expected, and a Queen exists.
In such a situation, moving troops to attack other Headquarters was too dangerous.
To that, Major Lin Jia'ai said.
"Do not worry about the Headquarters. The Mogs will not attack this place."
At those words, the Executive was surprised.
Such a thing was possible?
However, apart from that surprise, there was one more question.
The Mogs weren't China's only enemies here.
"U-um, what if another nation comes to attack our Headquarters?"
At that question, Major Lin Jia'ai smiled fishily and spoke.
"In this situation, do you think a human capable of such a thought, such a crazy bastard, is still alive?"
"Did you say we are dealing with the Chinese Headquarters?"
The moment they heard Kim Seojun's words, everyone was astonished.
To think such a conclusion would come out here?
On the other hand, Kim Seojun was different.
The moment he heard the story about the Ghost Bat, his mind was filled with only one thought: they had to strike the Chinese Headquarters.
The reason was simple.
"China controls the Mogs. And perhaps the Ghost Bat is already being controlled."
Hearing that explanation, everyone could offer no rebuttal to the reason they had to strike China.
"Staff Sergeant Kim, it's too dangerous."
The problem was that the Chinese Headquarters possessed the most powerful force on Planet Amotia.
"China has far more troops stationed on Planet Amotia than are visible."
Even what was visible on the surface was merely the tip of the iceberg.
And yet they were going to invade the Chinese Headquarters?
It was akin to a suicidal act.
Kim Seojun knew it too.
No matter how much stronger he had become in various aspects, facing the mighty forces of the Chinese Headquarters was a crazy act.
Furthermore, it was highly likely that there were several powerful Psychers in the Chinese Headquarters.
"Yes, that's right. On top of that, the Chinese Headquarters can even control Mogs."
Crucially, the Chinese Headquarters possessed a Special Ability to achieve something beyond the troops it had.
"That is why the Chinese Headquarters' security will be more lax than expected."
"What do you mean?"
Conversely, Kim Seojun saw a loophole there.
"Think about it. China can send Mogs to places it wants to eliminate and deal a fatal blow. That means it can free itself from the threat of the Mogs."
The moment everyone heard those words, everyone who had been tilting his or her head soon made the exact same expression.
Everyone understood.
"Yes, you're right. China has no reason to leave troops at the Headquarters to block the Mogs."
The current state of the Chinese Headquarters was highly likely to be lax, just as Kim Seojun said.
Furthermore, Kim Seojun said.
"We can go, and if it doesn't seem right, we can just come back."
Kim Seojun had no intention of attacking the Chinese Headquarters with a Fight-to-the-Death resolve unconditionally.
"Or just shaking them up moderately can significantly reduce China's range of activity."
Above all, what made terrorism terrifying was that inflicting even a small amount of damage could instill a far greater fear than expected.
When they heard that explanation, no one harbored any opposing opinions anymore.
They were merely thinking.
How could they deal a greater blow to the Chinese Headquarters?
\[I have to help Staff Sergeant Kim somehow.\]
\[Whatever the mission is, I cannot allow Staff Sergeant Kim to die before me.\]
In addition, Private First Class Park Boseop and Major Lee Hyena desperately pondered ways to help Kim Seojun.
Of course, a method did not come easily.
"Um."
In that situation, the first to offer an answer was Jennifer Jo.
"May I share my opinion?"
"Ms. Jennifer Jo, please feel free to do so."
"Um, instead of that name, please just call me Jo I-Hyeon. Actually, I'm more used to this name. Ah, that's not what's important right now."
Stopping mid-sentence and shaking her head a few times, Jo I-Hyeon opened her mouth.
"So what I want to say is would you like me to do some tuning for you?"
The moment they heard those words, the three of them made questioning expressions, and seeing those expressions, Jo I-Hyeon said.
"Ah, I mean, the machines you currently have, I can do some proper tuning on them, if you just give me some time. That's my specialty."
"To what extent is it possible?"
"Uh, well, it depends on the machine, but if you leave the Uryong to me for Tuning, I can increase its output by 30 percent compared to now. The durability will drop a bit, but whatever, we can just Repair it."
"What?"
The moment he heard those words, Private First Class Park Boseop let out a shout with a dumbfounded expression.
"A 30 percent output increase from there?"
Private First Class Park Boseop, who had dreamed of becoming a car racer, knew better than anyone how ridiculous it was to increase a vehicle's output by 30 percent.
Of course, even a layman would know that such a figure was astronomical, so Kim Seojun also asked a question.
"Ms. Jo I-Hyeon, can you perhaps then tune a Battle Tank as well?"
"There are differences in spec upgrades depending on the model, but there's nothing I can't do, as long as there is enough time and budget. Ah, if it's a Black Panther, it's definitely possible. I've tinkered with them quite a bit."
In response to her confident reply, Kim Seojun said.
"It's not a Black Panther."
"Pardon? Then what is it?"
"It's the Thunder."
"…What did you say?"
And Jo I-Hyeon, who was horrified at the mention of the Thunder, was able to see it 10 minutes later.
"Crazy, it's really the Thunder!"
Kim Seojun asked the horrified woman.
"It's equipped with a railgun. If you were to modify it, in what way could you do so?"
"Take your pick."
At that question, Jo I-Hyeon held up two fingers and said.
"Whether you want to increase the range or reduce the loading time."