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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 45
Chapter Title: Seoul, City of the Fourth Wave - 3
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At 7:15 PM, the Steel Company arrived in front of Dongdaemun Station, Line 1.
It wasn't far from where they had previously fought, but escorting the 814 civilians isolated at the Jangchung-dong Community Center inevitably took some time.
Thankfully, no monsters appeared on their way here.
This was thanks to having dealt with the Siren Zombie, which had drawn in and allowed them to wipe out all the zombies in the area.
- *Chk*— Line up the civilians in the center of this road and block the alley entrances with vehicles. Over—
They blocked every alley to prioritize protecting the civilians from any potential attacks.
The A.M.T. troops and Lee Jeong-jun's party surrounded them, creating a tight protective formation.
Meanwhile, Lee Hyun-wook was looking toward the entrance of the Dongdaemun Station shelter. Since shelters were typically built within subway stations, from the outside, it just looked like a regular subway entrance.
"Mr. Lee Jeong-jun, is that the right entrance?"
"Yes, if you go down there, it connects directly to the shelter entrance."
The Dongdaemun Station shelter was large enough to sustain 8,000 people for three days. If all the entrances to the underground station were sealed off and the entire station was utilized, it could accommodate up to 12,000 people for two days.
Lee Jeong-jun's party had said there were about 2,000 people inside when they left, so there was still plenty of room.
"Ahn Min-tae, take two men and check that entrance."
"Yes, sir. … You all heard him. Let's go!"
All entrances to Dongdaemun Station were sealed with mana barriers.
If they had any intention of opening the door, someone would have been waiting there.
Soon, a radio call came from Ahn Min-tae's direction. As expected, he reported that no one was there.
*'They have no intention of letting us in.'*
Just then, two mage Players—communications specialists—approached Lee Hyun-wook.
They prepared to activate the 'Mana Messenger'.
"We'll begin mana communications now."
It could send voice messages to nearby Mana Messengers using mana.
And the Dongdaemun shelter was sure to have multiple Mana Messengers of its own.
*Chk—*
"This is the A.M.T. We are currently protecting a large number of civilians and request entry into the shelter. There are no threats in the vicinity. Dongdaemun shelter, please respond immediately. Over—"
The comms specialist sent the message, but… there was no response.
"Try again."
But no matter how many times they tried, no answer came.
*'So they don't even intend to talk… Just as Lee Jeong-jun said, they're incredibly stubborn.'*
At this, Lee Jeong-jun sighed and wiped his face.
"…They're definitely in there. They must have seen us coming and are ignoring us on purpose."
Lee Jeong-jun expressed his deep distrust of the people inside.
And for good reason.
He and his comrades had risked their lives to save others, yet the people inside had sent others to their deaths just to save their own skins.
It was impossible not to feel disgusted…
"Comms, give me the Mana Messenger."
"Yes, here you go!"
Lee Hyun-wook decided to send a message himself, with a slightly different tone.
"This is the A.M.T. operation commander. If you do not respond, we will forcibly breach the magic barrier to ensure the safety of the civilians. I'll give you five minutes. We begin the forced breach in five minutes. Over—"
The tone was markedly different from the message the comms specialist had sent.
Blunt, authoritative, an ultimatum—
Yes, his message was clearly a threat.
Lee Jeong-jun watched him with an anxious expression.
Lee Hyun-wook, this man… was not the type to back down.
And the people on the other side weren't likely to yield either.
*'A clash is… inevitable.'*
The situation was a powder keg waiting to explode.
Five minutes passed quickly.
Still, no response came.
"…Five minutes are up. Bring out the Living Armors and prepare the Aether Drill."
At Lee Hyun-wook's command, four Living Armors activated,
and three privates retrieved something from a truck.
The Aether Drill. It was an extremely expensive piece of magical engineering specialized for piercing magic barriers.
The battalion only had one, but the Steel Company had brought it for this operation.
"…Uh, are you really going to breach it?"
The 1st Platoon Leader, Sergeant Kim Se-hee, asked.
"Yes, we are. Command the tankers in the rear to prepare for entry."
"But… do we really have to? There's another shelter just a little further down this road. I know they're being stubborn, but I'm not sure it's wise to waste time here."
She offered her opinion as a platoon leader, and her point was certainly valid.
Creating conflict and spending time here was a waste.
They only had four days left; there was no time for this.
"That's true, but there's another Zombie Troll nearby. If it shows up, things will get complicated, especially now that we have civilians with us."
"Hmm… I see…"
Lee Hyun-wook's explanation was plausible, but his true intentions lay elsewhere.
*'Right below us… is the first Erosion Factor.'*
Erosion, the phenomenon that transformed Earth's terrain into that of another world. The point where it began was called an 'Erosion Factor,' and one of the four was budding right beneath this ground.
*'In four days, this land will be completely transformed, and Dongdaemun Station will become the entrance to a Labyrinth.'*
A Labyrinth, a 'massive dungeon' often found in eroded areas.
In other words, a dungeon created in reality, not inside a gate, that endlessly spawns monsters.
They would spread through Seoul's complex subway lines, ravaging every corner of the city.
That was the future awaiting Seoul.
*'In the future, by the time the Army's Holy Knights Order conquered it, this place would have spawned over a million monsters, resulting in an estimated hundreds of thousands of casualties.'*
Today, Lee Hyun-wook planned to lead his troops into that dark underground, burn the seed of hell, and put an early end to the coming disaster.
*'And… the Erosion Factor isn't the only thing I'm looking for here.'*
Eliminating an Erosion Factor would, of course, yield a special item.
And Lee Hyun-wook remembered the list of items obtainable during the Fourth Wave.
*'My second favorite weapon is sleeping right here.'*
At this point in time, it falls into the hands of a Villain, but later, Lee Hyun-wook defeats that Villain and claims it.
And it was, in Lee Hyun-wook's opinion, the weapon that had maximized his abilities the most.
If Sir Tristan's 'Failnaught' was a 'portable weapon' for auxiliary use, then the 'sword' sleeping below was a massive 'primary weapon' in its own right… no, it was something more.
He had to secure it.
*'If I get that first, dealing with the remaining Erosion Factors will be much easier.'*
Just then.
- *Chk*— Exit 5, someone's coming out!
It was a radio call from Ahn Min-tae's position.
It seemed Lee Hyun-wook's message had gotten through; they were responding.
"…Alright, I'm on my way."
Lee Hyun-wook, along with Kim Se-hee and Lee Jeong-jun, approached the exit.
A few people had already emerged from the shelter.
A large, burly man was shouting something at Ahn Min-tae.
"Hey! I'm asking you what the hell you think you're doing, showing up here all of a sudden!"
"Ah, well, you shouldn't be talking to me like this. The commander will be here soon…"
"Who is this commander? Tell me! Hey! I might even know him, you know?"
The man was armed with a shield and a greatsword. He was a Player.
However, judging by his plain clothes instead of a uniform, he didn't seem to be part of the shelter's security force.
Lee Jeong-jun explained who they were.
"That man is Gong Ik-tae, the puppet master of our guild and the head of security for that congressman. Ah, but he was fired a few hours ago, so I guess he's not my master anymore… Tsk—"
The man, Gong Ik-tae, turned his head this way, and his brow furrowed when he spotted Lee Jeong-jun's group.
His eyes were filled with venom. It was clear from his face that he had a nasty temper.
"Mr. Lee Jeong-jun, please stay back. He doesn't look like he's in the mood for a pleasant conversation."
"Yes, he's the type to throw a fit without thinking. That damn bastard…"
As Lee Hyun-wook approached, Gong Ik-tae crossed his arms and stared at him.
"I'm the A.M.T. operation commander. I'd like to speak with the person in charge of shelter security."
Instead of answering, Gong Ik-tae looked Lee Hyun-wook up and down.
Then he smirked and spoke.
"Hey, what's your rank?"
*Huh? What's with this arrogant attitude…*
Lee Hyun-wook hid his displeasure and stared at him wordlessly.
Gong Ik-tae smirked again.
"Don't be so stiff. I'm asking because I used to be an A.M.T. officer myself. I was discharged as a captain about three years ago, so that makes me your senior by a long shot, right? I'm just trying to get acquainted before we get down to business. What? You got a problem with that?"
The moment he heard this idiotic spiel, Lee Hyun-wook realized there was no need for a long conversation.
"I want to see the person in charge of the shelter. Right now."
Lee Hyun-wook glanced down the subway entrance stairs from which they had come.
Two large men were guarding the entrance to the station.
"Hey, kid, I just asked you. What's your rank? First Lieutenant, maybe? You seem to be leading too many troops for a lieutenant. Did all your superior officers die or something?"
"Over a thousand civilians are exposed to danger right now. We can talk about that later. For now, please follow regulations and open the shelter entrance so the civilians can take refuge."
"Ha… Regulations, right, regulations… You've got to be kidding me…"
The man scratched his head, grinning foolishly.
"Hey, young buck, you know what a Wave is? You know, that terrifying disaster that wiped out California overnight. Huh? You know about it? Ah, maybe you were too young to remember?"
"That's what's happening right now, and you're talking about regulations? What the fuck are you shoving that shit in my face for?" The threat was laced with profanity, but Lee Hyun-wook didn't even blink.
"Monopolizing a public shelter is a serious crime. This is your first warning. Open the shelter doors."
Warning. At that word, a crack began to spread across Gong Ik-tae's phony smile.
"…Warning? Hey, do you have any idea who the hell you're talking to?"
He spoke threateningly, but Lee Hyun-wook paid him no mind and took a step forward.
As the distance between them narrowed, a palpable tension filled the air.
Ahn Min-tae gripped his shield tightly, and Gong Ik-tae's subordinates slightly raised their weapons.
It looked like a fight could break out at any moment.
"...."
After a moment of silence, Lee Hyun-wook spoke.
"This is the second warning. Step aside. Now."
Gong Ik-tae's face twisted into a vicious scowl.
"Hey… What are you gonna do if I don't? What was that on the Mana Messenger? You'll force your way in? I came out because your blatant threats pissed me off, but what's this? A bunch of nobodies trying to act tough?"
"...."
"I used to be an A.M.T. company commander, you think I don't know your level? You think a swarm of pipsqueaks like you could ever break into the shelter, even if you banged on it for a hundred days? I know better than you!"
His relentless barrage of insults made everyone's hearts pound faster.
The Players from both sides, lined up and facing each other, glared intensely.
As if each was choosing their opponent…
But just then, completely at odds with the hostile atmosphere, Lee Hyun-wook smiled.
"Alright, two warnings. That's it."
"…What?"
"According to regulations, I'm authorized to kill you now. You know that, right?"
"What the f—*Gack*—!"
In the next instant, Lee Hyun-wook's right arm shot out and grabbed Gong Ik-tae by the throat,
lifted him into the air, flipped him over, and slammed him into the ground.
*Thud—*
—It was over in a flash.
No one had noticed, but Lee Hyun-wook had cast 'Body Hardening' on both his arms.
"…You bastard!"
The five Players standing behind Gong Ik-tae drew their weapons.
In that moment, a gust of wind blew, and someone appeared behind them.
A total of four daggers were pressed against the napes of the two archer Players.
It was Kim Se-hee, and the wind spirits she commanded were controlling the daggers.
"Be careful. I sharpened these this morning. Even the slightest pressure will pull out your esophagus and trachea like deveining a shrimp. If you don't believe me, I can demonstrate on one of you—"
Just like that, in the blink of an eye, Gong Ik-tae's gang was subdued,
and Lee Hyun-wook pinned Gong Ik-tae's thigh with his foot, immobilizing him.
"*Kghhhh*—"
With Body Hardening cast on his foot and his Metal Control ability infused into it, the pressure was far greater than his body weight alone.
"During a gate outbreak, when a person violates a legitimate order from an 'authorized controller,' the controller has two options for summary disposition: arrest or kill—"
"I get to decide which one, and it will largely depend on the next words out of your mouth."
Lee Hyun-wook was usually a calm person, but he truly despised this type of human.
He had seen countless lives lost every time scum like this were allowed to run rampant.
*'A completely unnecessary existence in every respect.'*
The last scene he witnessed in his past life was the catastrophic fall of Seoul.
The city, which had barely recovered from the Fourth Wave, was ultimately destroyed.
That couldn't be allowed to happen again.
"Ugh, hey! You… Do you know who I work for? Are you prepared to handle the consequences?"
At the pathetic threat, Lee Hyun-wook scoffed.
"Like you just said, this is a Wave. It wouldn't be strange for anyone to die, anywhere."
"*Ghk*..."
"And by the way, that was not a good answer. You know that, right?"
At those words, the color drained from Gong Ik-tae's face.
Just as he'd said, in a Wave Zone, humanity's surveillance systems and public security were effectively suspended.
Even if a murder occurred, in all this chaos, it would be written off as a monster attack.
No, they probably wouldn't even find the body…
*Clank— Clank—*
And before he knew it, giant suits of armor were striding up behind Lee Hyun-wook.
Four Living Armors, holding three-meter-long spears, stood tall behind him.
They stared down at the prone Gong Ik-tae like executioners.
Meeting their cold, blue gazes, his body began to tremble like a leaf.
*Gulp—*
Just then.
"…H-Hold on a moment!"
Someone shouted as they scrambled up the stairs of the subway entrance.
Neatly combed hair, a well-pressed suit, and a gold lapel pin—he was clearly a man of high status.
He held up both hands, stepping in front of Lee Hyun-wook.
"My goodness, I'm not sure what's happening here, but I don't think there's any need for this! In such a dangerous situation, shouldn't we, as citizens, be working together?"
"...."
"Now, now, I am Congressman Park Gil-sang."
Right, according to Lee Jeong-jun, this man was the group's de facto leader.
Therefore, this whole commotion must have been his doing.
*'He was watching from inside and decided it wasn't going to work, so he changed his tune.'*
He approached Lee Hyun-wook without hesitation and offered an affable smile.
"Commander, this man works for me. Would you mind letting him up?"
Lee Hyun-wook removed the foot that was pinning Gong Ik-tae.
Park Gil-sang then helped Gong Ik-tae up and began to scold him.
"Honestly, you! I told you to go out and talk to them nicely, what is all this?"
"Huh? C-Congressman…"
"*Tsk tsk*, I knew you could be foolish, but I never thought it would come to this! Goodness…"
Gong Ik-tae was dumbfounded.
Park Gil-sang turned back to Lee Hyun-wook, once again wearing a friendly smile.
"Now then, night will be upon us soon. Shouldn't we hurry and get these citizens inside the shelter?"
He acted as if that had been his intention all along.
***
The interior of the Dongdaemun Station shelter looked like an ordinary subway station. However, following the evacuation signs for a gate outbreak led to a massive steel door.
*'A 15-centimeter-thick blast door made of various magical alloys.'*
That was the entrance to the 'Shelter'.
It was a magical space, a bunker created eight years ago through a massive public-private 'Shelter Construction Project,' capable of withstanding attacks from most monsters as long as its mana supply held.
"Now, there's still plenty of room inside the shelter. Please form a line and enter slowly."
Park Gil-sang guided the civilians, making such unnecessary comments.
He was clearly trying to project the image of a good person.
Meanwhile, Lee Hyun-wook was speaking with the 'Station Guard,' who wore blue uniforms similar to police officers.
During peacetime, they guarded the station; during a gate outbreak, they managed the shelter.
"Excuse me, I need to confirm a few things. Are all entrances, including ventilation shafts, properly sealed?"
"Yes, we haven't been able to deploy personnel there, but the magic barriers are functioning properly."
"Just in case, would it be alright if we double-checked them?"
"Ah, yes, yes, of course. We'd be grateful. Um, and…"
The guard captain glanced at Park Gil-sang before whispering in a low voice.
"…Not opening the shelter door was absolutely not our idea. We're sorry."
"Yes, I understand."
The picture was obvious without needing to see it. They must have succumbed to the pressure of the golden lapel pin.
Lee Hyun-wook instructed Kim Se-hee and Ahn Min-tae to inspect the entire station.
Meanwhile, he scanned the people scattered inside the shelter.
Because...
*'There's a Villain in here.'*
The Apostate.
*'That bastard grows immensely powerful right here.'*
If things had gone as scheduled, all the civilians who took refuge in this shelter would have been annihilated.
The Apostate, that Villain, had intended to use them as fodder for the Erosion Factor budding in this underground.
Just like this, Villains were mixed in throughout the Wave Zone, instigating Seoul's erosion.
As Lee Hyun-wook scanned them one by one…
*Vmmm—*
Suddenly, he felt a vibration.
It was from his inner pocket.
*'What's this?'*
There were two items in his inner pocket.
The 'Key No. 2 to the Akashic Armory,' which he obtained by interfering with the Villain quest during the Unlucky Event at Seoul Station, and the 'Secret Key (Event)' he had just gotten from the Zombie Troll.
The one vibrating was the slightly larger 'Secret Key (Event)'.
The meaning of this vibration…
*'Right, it's a hint.'*
It clearly meant that a 'treasure chest' that could be opened with this key was nearby.
It seemed he would be able to obtain one more thing in here besides his 'primary weapon'.
Lee Hyun-wook moved around slowly, searching for the spot where the vibrations grew stronger.
Not far away, he found a spot where the vibration pattern changed strangely.
*'Here.'*
It was a locker.
When he placed his hand on the Secret Key in front of it, one of the lockers glowed with a golden light.
- You have discovered the Treasure Chest (Event)!
*'I've found a stroke of luck in the middle of hell.'*
And it was by no means a small one.
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