A Player Who Eats Metal

Chapter 49: The Center of Hell

< Chapter 49: The Center of Hell – 1 >

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―Sergeant Lee Hyunwook, are you certain?

From the Mana Messenger, Kim Kang-seok’s voice emerged.

There was unmistakable astonishment in it.

―Are you sure the object you eliminated is the ‘Erosion Factor'?

Although he fully trusted Lee Hyunwook and had formed the Steel Battalion to engage in the operation, the wave was still an overwhelming catastrophe. And while Lee Hyunwook’s steel rain was useful, it wasn't omnipotent. They were hopeful but didn't hold too high expectations.

But now, he heard a report that the first Erosion Factor was eliminated in just a day.

So, he kept asking multiple times to ensure he hadn’t misheard.

In response, Lee Hyunwook confidently answered.

"Yes, I've confirmed it. I identified and destroyed the Erosion Factor in the form of a World Stone that was burrowing into the ground. Right after, I received a system message stating that the World Stone was destroyed."

If he saw the system message, it was undeniably true, unless he was lying.

Finally, Kim Kang-seok chuckled.

It was a laugh filled with admiration and disbelief.

―Sergeant Lee Hyunwook, I've always believed in you… but it seems my trust might have been insufficient.

"No. There are still three left. I will stay focused and complete the mission."

―Good. And soon, the brigade headquarters’ ‘Strategy Squad' will also be mobilized.

It seemed that the Brigade Headquarters, commanded by General Choi Jung-chul, had finally taken care of the gate in the territory.

In fact, dealing with four gates in one day was a significant achievement.

It was only that the First Battalion, where Lee Hyunwook stayed, was just overwhelmingly fast.

‘If the Brigade Commander's direct Strategy Squad is deployed, it will be a significant help in the final battle.’

The strategy battalion was composed of 3 to 4 strategic units, and it was the pinnacle of power for the 3rd Marine Brigade.

They would be helpful for the ‘additional event' that occurs after removing three or more Erosion Factors.

"Yes, understood. Then I will continue the solo operation until further orders."

―Of course. Right now, you're the best. Do as you wish. Oh, do you need anything else?

"There's nothing immediate, but if supplies run low, I'll request a resupply."

―Alright. The Brigade Commander has said he will fully support the Steel Battalion. We'll send supplies via airdrop, so use everything you have.

"Understood."

After the report, Lee Hyunwook checked the time.

01:06

Having been fighting almost nonstop since dawn, he really needed a break.

But there was one urgent matter.

"Since we need to find the users who took the beast transformation potion, please gather all the Priest players."

Lee Hyunwook, with the help of Lee Jung-Joon and the station guards, gathered as many priests as possible and identified those affected by the beast curse. Fortunately, this process didn’t take long.

When they filtered out those who had contacted the shrine manager, there were only a few.

After this task, everyone was ordered to sleep.

At 1:40 a.m.,

The members of the Steel Battalion, exhausted, sprawled in the station corridor to sleep.

But, as they say, love blooms even on a battlefield, and babies are born.

Men and women huddled together; somewhere, a whisper and giggle could be heard.

"Hey! If you don’t sleep, I can put you to sleep. So, please keep your mouths shut…"

As Kim Se-Hee uttered a few words in annoyance, the place quickly became silent.

* * *

At 2:50 in the early morning, Lee Hyunwook was sitting in the station's guardroom, having voluntarily taken the night watch duty.

This was because he needed to firmly plan the operational route for tomorrow.

In addition, he occasionally needed to review his abilities.

‘If I'm not clearly aware of my level, I might make mistakes in the heat of battle.'

So, Lee Hyunwook had a habit of periodically checking his stats whenever he took a break.

[ Current controllable ‘metal' weight: 78,658g ]

-Enhanced Sense(+30%) is applied.

-Strong Bone(+10%) is applied.

‘Sure enough, an additional effect has been added.'

Strong Bone Level 1, it was the power of ‘Mogley'.

Mogley's first skill, ‘Strong Bone', was a ‘passive skill' concept that not only enhanced physical abilities but also increased overall power. For Lee Hyunwook, his ‘metal control' also fell into this category of power.

‘With this, I've gained an additional 40% control.'

After confirming his abilities, he took out the military PDA and checked the map of Seoul.

‘There are a total of 4 erosion factors created in the Seoul wave zone. I just destroyed one of them. If things go as originally planned, the An-Yang duo will tackle the erosion factor near Yeonshinnae, so I don't need to worry about that.'

Out of the 4 erosion factors, the ‘An-Yang duo' was expected to handle one.

‘So… next, we head towards Gangnam.'

And right there, the divine weapon ‘Misteltein' lay dormant.

The villains would surely aim to obtain it first, so he needed to act quickly.

At that moment, Kim Se-Hee appeared from the end of the corridor.

She yawned and walked over with a tired look.

"Sergeant Kim, where are you going again by yourself?"

"Going to the bathroom. Why? Do you want to accompany me out of camaraderie?"

He frowned at her response.

"No… I was just wondering if you were going to fight with the spirit again."

"…Don't just accept and consume anything someone offers you in the middle of the night because you're tired."

Even though Lee Hyunwook was technically the commander, she didn't hold back her words.

‘Sure enough, judging by her temperament, she could argue and bicker with the spirit.'

Lee Hyunwook nodded and returned his attention to the map once again.

Kim Se-Hee, who came back from the bathroom, approached Lee Hyunwook's side.

Lee Hyun-wook lowered his head and looked at the map again.

There were droplets of water falling from her face, probably from washing it.

"…Yes?"

"I'm next in the rotation. Didn't you know?"

"Um, isn't there still time left?"

Without replying, Kim Se-Hee leaned against the wall and let out a sigh.

"…Nobody died."

"Pardon?"

"During this operation, no one died. I'm saying you commanded well."

Confused by her statement, Lee Hyunwook simply nodded. Kim Se-Hee continued.

"But yesterday… 19 of our squad members died. At the hands of those bastards."

The five murderers had massacred the emergency response squad.

And then, a sudden onslaught by skeletons led to more losing their lives.

That was something even Lee Hyunwook couldn't prevent.

"Damn…"

Looking again, her face was filled with fatigue.

Despite her petite and pretty appearance, she had a notably strong, if not rough, temperament.

Yet, it seemed that losing her comrades had a profound impact on her.

"…So, from now on, please make sure that no one dies."

"Well, of course, that's the goal."

"If you do that… I'll trust and follow you to the end."

She said, bowing her head deeply and looking at the ground.

She clearly wasn't the type to easily express such feelings.

But amidst the fierce battles, was she unknowingly becoming shaken?

‘Well, she is remarkable, but she's still in her early 20s after all…'

Lee Hyunwook turned off the PDA and looked up at Kim Se-Hee.

"Of course, I will strive to ensure that no one dies… but there may come a time when someone inevitably has to."

His response was starkly realistic.

Lee Hyunwook had once harbored the same hopes as Kim Se-Hee, but after numerous experiences, he had realized its impossibility.

* * *

Dawn broke, and preparations to move began.

However, as AMT started to get ready to depart, Congressman Park Gil-Sang and his entourage seemed quite pleased.

For a while, they had been subdued, but now they huddled together, whispering and casting sly smiles.

‘…If we leave them be, they'll surely cause trouble. They're a risk.'

Although the Wave closure period was only 5 days, rescuing everyone would inevitably take much longer.

Monsters controlling the streets needed to be cleared for safety, and then evacuations could begin from the outer regions. Therefore, it might be necessary to hold out in this shelter for several months…

‘They probably think of this shelter as a small kingdom, planning to live comfortably until the end of the Wave.'

At any rate, they seemed unable to let go of their privilege and ‘power play.'

However, Lee Hyunwook wasn't planning to let them act as they pleased.

He called over the captain of the guards.

"Captain, as you might know, we'll be leaving as soon as daylight breaks."

"Yes, thank you for everything you've done. And about that time… I apologize sincerely."

The captain blushed, bowing his head.

He was remorseful for having doubted AMT's abilities and acting skeptical.

"I never… never dreamed you all would be this incredible."

"It's nothing."

Lee Hyunwook gave a modest smile, then got to the point.

"However… I'm concerned that other issues might arise after we leave. Did you ever notice someone who was particularly close to the shrine manager, in constant contact with him?"

"Huh? Wait, are you saying… there might be an accomplice?"

The captain recalled the shrine manager, Gong Hyun-joon, and his horrendous plan, swallowing hard.

If not for AMT, everyone in this shelter would have become prey to the Hell Rats.

"No, it's not necessarily that, but it's worth considering."

"Hmm, I'm not sure. I hardly spoke to him before the Wave happened…"

At that moment, Lee Hyunwook leaned in and whispered something to the captain.

"Actually, I'm not certain, but I heard something from the shrine manager."

"……Yes?"

"When I had him restrained, he mentioned that if I spared his life, I could receive favors from a high-ranking individual in this shelter. If we think about a high-ranking person here, um…."

"Gasp! Isn't it Congressman Park Gil-Sang? My goodness…"

Of course, this was an absolute lie, a kind of ruse.

‘But sometimes, one needs to act cunningly.'

If one's actions are constrained by morality, one wouldn't even be able to handle a single person like Park Gil-Sang, let alone a villain.

Lee Hyunwook was well aware that this is how the world is structured.

Before he knew it, the face of the captain of the guards had turned red and pale in quick succession.

"Damn! I knew from the start that man was shady—!"

Given the captain's immediate conviction without delving into the truth, he seemed to already have harbored ill feelings towards him.

After all, he and his subordinates were the victims who drank that coffee, so emotional reactions were inevitable.

"Of course, I'm not sure. The shrine manager could've said it out of desperation to save his life."

"Well… that might be true, but he is undoubtedly a dubious character. I've observed him."

"Yes, I think I understand that too."

"Darn it, I can't count the number of times he's turned away people knocking on the shelter's door…"

The captain of the guards lowered his head with a bitter expression.

It seemed like he didn't want to follow Park's orders but was forced to due to pressure.

"Remember, all authority in this shelter now rests with you, Captain. Don't forget that."

"……Yes, you're right."

That concluded their conversation.

The captain of the guards decisively left his seat.

And immediately after, he disarmed Park Gil-Sang's group and isolated them.

It appeared as if some pent-up anger had exploded.

"……You all are making a huge mistake!"

Park Sang-Gil yelled loudly, but the captain of the guards didn't even blink.

"No, you're the one who made a big mistake! Do you think anything will change after the Wave ends? The evil deeds you committed, we'll testify against them, and your political career will be over!”

Bewilderment spread across Park Sang-Gil's face.

"What, what? What did I supposedly do?"

"Damn it, where should I begin? Do you know how many shelter refugees you denied entry to? I was a fool to not oppose someone like you before, but not anymore!"

"You… Do you have evidence for that?"

Then, from all directions, voices of resentment began pouring out.

"You were the one who told us not to admit them!”

"That's right! We saw everything you plotted from inside!”

"How the hell did someone like you become a congressman?”

Perhaps these were discreet misdeeds he committed, but in such a cramped shelter, rumors spread quickly. Especially now that Lee Jung-Jun's group, who had an animosity against them, had returned.

Maybe, no matter how much one pretends, if their intentions are impure, the outcome can't be favorable…

Amidst the pouring criticism, Park Gil-Sang's face turned crimson up to his neck.

Suddenly, a flying tuna can hit him square in the head.

"Ouch!"

He tried to shout, but his voice was drowned out by the furious cries of the citizens.

Eventually, he slammed the door to the isolation office behind him.

The guards then sealed the entrance with a magical barrier.

Lee Hyunwook looked at the scene and smiled bitterly.

‘It's a bit extreme, but well, it's for the best.'

If Park Gil-Sang had continued to abuse his power, the shelter could have been in danger.

Meanwhile, while all this commotion was happening, the Steel Battalion finished their preparations to move.

"Sergeant Lee Hyunwook, we're ready.”

Lee Hyunwook stepped outside and surveyed the ranks in front of him.

‘Good, we've significantly strengthened in just a day.'

Now, including Lee Jung-Jun's group, they had added three more vehicles, forming a convoy of 13 vehicles in total.

This also meant the addition of 18 powerful players. Plus, the level of each squad member had increased substantially. Their experience and judgment would have also improved after several battles.

‘And above all, the effect of the Divine Blessing is tremendous.’

He recalled the event buff ‘Divine Blessing' he acquired right after hunting down the swarm of Hell Rats and checked its details.

[ Event buff ‘Divine Blessing’ is currently applied to the party. ]

-All weapons are imbued with ‘Holy Power'.

-Natural healing ability is significantly increased (+50%).

-Resistance against low-level dark curses is granted.

‘This is… a power-up of more than 2 times, exclusive for the 4th Wave.’

Given that the main monsters of the 4th Wave possess a ‘dark attribute', they've acquired the optimal weapon.

And with this, they could probably take a more proactive approach.

On another note, the massive greatsword ‘Mogley' was put on the roof of the command vehicle.

If anything blocked their path, like a shot from a cannon, he could launch this 55kg greatsword at it.

‘Now there's no need to stop and confront something like a zombie troll.'

Lee Hyunwook double-checked the position of the sword one last time before boarding the command vehicle.

He then picked up the walkie-talkie.

"All units, move out."

At his brief command, the engines roared, and the vehicles started moving one by one.

Vroom vroom.

The long, robust convoy advanced westward, into the silent downtown of Seoul.

But at that moment…

[ A quest has arrived (!) ]

"What's this?"

A system message was displayed before everyone in the convoy.

[Event Quest]

[Expedition of Disaster, set sail, into the darkness…]

-Eliminate as many ‘Erosion Factors' as possible (In progress)

-Kill as many ‘Dark Attribute' monsters as possible! (In progress)

-Rescue as many ‘civilians' as possible! (In progress)

[Reward: Will be given based on performance.]

"What… is this?"

At Park Junmo's question, Lee Hyunwook smiled.

"…It's an opportunity within a crisis."

As always, tough challenges tend to hide sweet rewards.

"Advance, wiping out every monster in sight."

* * *

"……Yes, I'm counting on you. If not now during such times, then when will we step up?”

Kang Seo-yoon was inside the office, seemingly restless, moving about and making phone calls.

"That's right. We're doing our best now, but honestly… we need to prepare for the aftermath. That's why I secured a promise from Gordon for the support of four non-public major units. Yes, if the erosion progresses, we plan to penetrate with magical bombardments… to intercept that damned ‘Erosion Factor'. That's the best we can do."

She was requesting a post-disaster recovery operation from the secret organization she belonged to, <Guardian>.

However, the response from the Guardian's side was less than reassuring.

"……Ah— I already know that!”

They were those resisting the disasters created in this game, but they weren't unrealistic heroes filled with a sense of justice, who would blindly jump into the fire.

Instead, they meticulously planned covert operations, considering profits and losses like businessmen. In this respect, the majority opinion was to conserve their strength for the aftermath rather than confronting the Wave.

This was because so far, they had suffered massive casualties in responding to the Waves,

and due to those sacrifices, the power of the Guardians had significantly diminished.

Kang Seo-yoon was now hearing such reasons over the phone.

Her face was turning redder, and her breathing became increasingly labored.

"……Are you freaking—! Is that what you should be saying? Talking about switching nationalities? I've even wagered a legendary item for Seoul! I promised to hand over that thing worth as much as an aircraft carrier—!”

At that moment, the door burst open.

Kang Seo-yoon put down her phone with a frown.

She was on a confidential call, so she was quite on edge.

“Huff— Huff— Director Kang…"

The one who entered was the emergency communications officer.

However, for some reason, his expression was filled with urgency.

“……Officer, what is it?”

"That's…”

"I’m on a call, so spit it out quickly!”

“……We've received news that an Erosion Factor was terminated.”

"Excuse me?”

Kang Seo-yoon, taken aback, jumped to her feet.

And she hung up the phone.

"Who, who, who on earth did it—!”

The emergency communications officer caught his breath and nodded.

He had yet another surprising piece of news to deliver.

"It's AMT! The same 1st battalion based in Namsan I mentioned earlier. They managed to do it!”

"Really? AMT did? How, how did they… No, that's not the important part right now, whew—!”

She took a deep breath and, together with the emergency communications officer, headed out of the office.

"Officer, are you certain of this news? No, whether it's confirmation or whatever, we don't have time. Notify all players in contact within the Wave Zone immediately! We only have 3 days left!”

“Yes!”

"This is our only hope right now! A beacon of hope has emerged! And to think it's come about by annihilating an Erosion Factor… Great, we can completely change the course from now on."

Indeed, even if a high-ranked, high-leveled player stepped forward, most players within the Wave Zone would have likely prioritized their own survival.

But news that someone had removed an Erosion Factor was on a whole different level.

It would give genuine hope and courage…

The world was about to receive this uplifting news.

And one more thing…

“Ah, please announce this as well. Disclose to everyone inside and outside the Wave Zone that the reward offered by the <Zumnarae> guild is the ‘Gae Bolg'.”

“My goodness…"

"Yes, it's going to be a jaw-dropping revelation. Everyone would want the weapon that took down the ‘Twin Headed Ogre Champion' in a single blow during the ‘Blazing Ogre Battle'…"

Gae Bolg,

The spear that was said to be more valuable than an entire aircraft carrier was bound to ignite a tremendous spark of hope.