WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Hydrogen B.
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
Chapter 75: 075
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First, I called Han Seonga.
-Ring. Click.
She answered after only one ring.
I immediately started talking.
“Han Seonga. China, Russia, and Japan have invaded.”
-What?
“I'll handle them all, so have the National Intelligence Service take care of the cleanup. Ah, and send some agents to protect my sister and the unconscious Rachel at my house. Rachel tried to kidnap me, by the way. So arrest her or whatever.”
-Mr. Baek Jiho?! We'll dispatch agents there immediately. Please explain in more detail...
“Japan will probably attack National Intelligence Service headquarters soon. Their objective is to recover the Mind Control Artifact. I'll clean up the Chinese and Russian bastards quickly and go support you, so hold on for a little while.”
-Mr. Baek Jiho!
“I don't have time. I'll hang up for now.”
Click.
After ending the call, I called the next person.
The person I called was none other than Choi Yejin.
Choi Yejin was also one of China's targets.
I had to warn her in advance.
-Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring...
The ringing went on for a long time.
But she wouldn't pick up.
Well, it was nearly midnight.
It wouldn't be strange if she was asleep.
How many times did I call again?
-What the fuck... Why are you calling at this hour, you piece of shit?
Fortunately, she answered.
I immediately got to the point.
“Ordinary Choi Yejin. Four Chinese Highest Floors Hunters, Committee Members, are heading your way. Prepare for battle quickly.”
-What? What are you talking about? Why would the Chinese come here? And Highest Floors Hunters? What the...?
“They invaded to target you and me. They said they're going to kill every Hard-rank Hunter in our country. Anyway, sober up quickly and get ready to fight. Be careful. I'll clean up the Russian bastards here and head over to support you right away.”
-Hey! What are you talking about? Explain properly...
Click.
After hanging up, I picked up the documents.
The documents Rachel had brought.
They contained operational intelligence on China, Russia, and Japan, information that even the National Intelligence Service had failed to collect.
If I used this information, hunting the enemy would be much easier.
As I looked through the documents, I muttered quietly.
“First, Russia is coming straight here. China is targeting Choi Yejin first. Japan is attacking the National Intelligence Service headquarters...”
Three countries had invaded on the same day.
Their objectives were all different.
China simply wanted revenge.
To restore China's national prestige after being beaten down by me, they intended to kill every Hard-rank Hunter in King Korea.
They had deployed four Committee Members for that purpose.
They were the most dangerous enemy.
Russia was targeting me.
They wanted to kidnap me, the Republic of Korea's presumed sixth Hard-rank Hunter, and use me as a worker on their Points farm.
Russia had dispatched the Zaslon Group for that purpose.
In terms of strength, they were not very different from the Chinese Ministry of State Security special operations unit that had invaded before.
They were only High Floor Hunters, after all.
Still, I couldn't let my guard down.
I had heard they conducted operations more thoroughly and systematically than the Ministry of State Security.
Unlike the Ministry of State Security bastards who had played homebody warlord in Southeast Asia and India, these were people with countless real combat experiences, having fought all kinds of European Union special forces in Eastern Europe.
Even if they were ordinary High Floor Hunters, carelessness was forbidden.
Lastly, Japan's CIRO.
Their objective was to recover the artifact they had lost, the Mind Control Artifact.
For reference, they were complete pushovers.
They had only deployed a Hunter special operations unit made up of a few dozen Middle Floors Hunters, and they reportedly did not have much combat experience either.
I could sweep them aside easily.
Rustle.
After organizing the documents, I muttered quietly.
“First, I'll deal with Russia nearby, then China, then finish with Japan.”
Russia was deploying forces right nearby.
China had landed at Incheon International Airport and was heading to Itaewon-dong, where Choi Yejin was.
Japan was gathering near Naegok-dong in Seocho-gu, where the National Intelligence Service was located.
What an absurd situation.
“You crazy neighboring-country bastards. Did someone coat Seoul in honey? Why are you all swarming here on the same day?”
At this rate, even three of me would not be enough.
I had to hunt Russians here in Jungnang-gu, hunt Chinese in Itaewon-dong, then go to Seocho-gu and hunt Japanese.
It wasn't like I was going on a Seoul tour...
I would have to move around nonstop.
Anyway.
“It's hunting time.”
First, Russia nearby.
I put on my coat.
* * *
“The troops have been deployed.”
Dmitry Andreyevich Sokolov, team leader of Russia's SVR Zaslon Group, nodded at his subordinate's report.
“Begin the engagement. But remember this. Baek Jiho must be captured alive. Do not kill him under any circumstances.”
“We understand.”
“Put on your gas masks. Prepare the gas shells.”
At Team Leader Dmitry's order, the Zaslon Group members began moving in perfect coordination.
-Huff. Huff.
-Clank. Click.
They pulled out their gas masks and put them on.
One after another, they raised grenade launchers.
“We will attempt Plan A first.”
Plan A.
Administer anesthetic and neutralize the target.
The method was simple.
“Gas. Gas. Gas.”
They only had to fire high-concentration anesthetic gas into Baek Jiho's home.
Thunk! Thunk! Thunk! Thunk!
Multiple shells fired from grenade launchers cut through the air.
-Crash!
They shattered the semi-basement windows and slammed into the house.
-Hissssss!
Pink smoke billowed up from inside the semi-basement windows.
The shells were gas shells.
They had fired shells that released large amounts of anesthetic gas into Baek Jiho's home.
Watching, Team Leader Dmitry muttered quietly.
“It is anesthetic poison from the Highest Floors. Even a Hard-rank Hunter will never endure it.”
Ordinary sleeping gas did not work on Hunters from the High Floors and above.
They were superhumans who had already exceeded human limits.
Modern Earth's chemical gases could not inflict significant damage on them.
At most, they could excessively irritate the mucous membranes and make them shed lots of tears and mucus.
But the various poisons found on the Highest Floors of the Tower were different.
Anesthetic poison that even worked on massive monsters.
This was anesthetic gas made by refining and vaporizing it.
No matter if Baek Jiho was a Hard-rank Hunter, he had only just entered the High Floors.
He could not help being neutralized quickly.
Then, at that moment, something unexpected happened.
-Whooooooosh!
“What?!”
“Where did that sudden gale come from?!”
A fierce gale suddenly began pouring out of Baek Jiho's semi-basement villa.
-Whoosh!
The billowing pink smoke instantly rushed out of the house and rose high into the sky.
Dmitry furrowed his brow.
“What is this?! Why is there suddenly such a violent wind...?”
“All the gas has been driven out of the house.”
“Does he have an artifact that controls wind? What a strange artifact... It can't be helped. Begin Plan B.”
Because of the fierce gale that had suddenly poured out, the gas quickly dispersed.
The anesthetic gas would not have had any effect.
Now it was time to deploy the troops directly.
“Team Granite, move in. Team Sokol, provide cover.”
“Understood.”
-Clank. Shing.
Twelve special operations members holding guns and swords approached Baek Jiho's villa.
Their longswords were Grade 2 artifacts, and their guns were loaded with high-concentration anesthetic rounds.
They intended to engage him with swords while subduing him with anesthetic rounds.
Just as they reached the villa entrance.
-Creak.
“!”
The villa door suddenly opened.
There was no one at the open door.
Only an empty entrance stood there.
But Zaslon's special operations members had experienced similar situations many times in Eastern Europe's battlefields.
They understood immediately.
“It's an invisibility artifact!”
“Suppressive fire!”
The Zaslon Hunters sensed Baek Jiho's appearance.
They began attacking all at once.
-Bang bang bang bang bang!
Large-caliber rifles loaded with anti-Hunter anesthetic rounds spewed flames without pause.
Countless bullets tore through the air.
Tracers glittering like starlight ripped through the darkness.
Deafening gunshots echoed through Seoul in the middle of the night.
But not one of the hundreds of bullets they fired hit its target.
-Kwrrrrsh!
“What?! Water?”
“What is this?!”
A huge amount of water had suddenly been summoned.
It swirled like a vortex, deflecting every bullet and carrying them away.
Tsk.
Dmitry clicked his tongue quietly.
“An artifact that controls wind, an artifact that controls water, and even an invisibility artifact... He has a pile of ridiculous artifacts. Did the Korean government provide them? No. Korea, a weak climbing nation, should not possess artifacts like these...”
“The bullets don't work, and we can't even see him. What do we do?”
“Deploy smoke. First, we need to reveal him.”
“Throw smoke grenades!”
Thud. Thud thud. Tap.
Multiple smoke grenades flew in and landed throughout the villa neighborhood.
-Hiss! Hissssss!
White smoke billowed up.
The area around the villa was quickly covered in choking smoke.
Then they saw it.
A transparent shadow moving through the smoke.
“There he is! Fire!”
-Bang bang bang bang bang!
A hail of bullets flew out.
In Jungnang-gu, Seoul, in the middle of the night, countless gunshots and explosions began ringing out.
* * *
I gritted my teeth.
“These crazy Russian bastards. They play dirty as hell.”
It started when I was gathering the coins I would use for Railgun.
The windows of our house suddenly shattered.
Then something like grenades slammed into the house and began spewing pink gas everywhere.
Those crazy Russian bastards had thrown gas shells through our windows!
Startled, I immediately used wind-element magic.
I drove the gas outside.
Once I stepped out of the villa, a barrage of gunfire came pouring down.
They quickly realized I was using an invisibility artifact and tried to suppress me with concentrated fire.
I barely managed to block the bullet storm with Water-Protective Aura.
Then came the smoke barrage.
To neutralize my invisibility artifact, they spread smoke to reveal me.
Because of that...
-Bang bang bang bang bang!!!
Bullets rushed at me from every direction.
From the front, the sides, above.
They fired from every position they had taken.
I blocked them with Protective Aura.
At this point, I had to admit it.
“Those Russians. They said they fought European special forces a lot in Eastern Europe, right? They definitely fight much better than the Chinese bastards.”
The Chinese and Russian special operations members.
They were both said to be at the same High Floors level, so I had assumed they would be around the same level.
Just as I had ground up the Chinese special operations members, I thought I would be able to dispose of the Russian special operations members without much trouble.
But that was not the case.
Their combat ability might have been similar to the Chinese special operations members...
But their movements and organization were different.
Unlike the Chinese bastards who had huddled inside a shopping district and helplessly been massacred by me, they were clearly moving in a systematic and thorough way.
Gas, smoke.
They freely used every kind of supporting weapon.
They occupied every direction and pressured me constantly with crossfire.
Was this the difference in elite quality?
Still...
“They're pretty good for Normal-rank ordinary bastards. But that's all.”
Who was I?
The Extreme Lunatic Hell Wizard Hunter!
And wizards had the greatest utility.
They could come at me with cheap tricks like gas and smoke all they wanted.
When it came to utility, I was far more versatile.
I immediately cast magic.
“First, let's clear away the smoke that's exposing me.”
-Whoooooosh!
I used wind-element magic to clear the smoke around me.
A powerful gale blew in and scattered the billowing smoke.
The figure that had been exposed by the smoke blended into the background and disappeared again.
The Russian Hunters panicked.
“Damn it! That fucking wind artifact!”
“We can't see him!”
“Keep firing! Predict where he'll move and spray the area!”
-Bang bang bang bang bang!!!
Once the smoke was gone and I disappeared from view, they began firing bullets wildly.
The walls and windows of nearby villas were completely wrecked.
Countless holes were punched into parked cars.
The residents were going to suffer a lot of property damage.
I should compensate them with my own money later.
No. Would the government handle it for me?
Anyway.
“Railgun.”
After clearing the smoke, I used Railgun.
I held a coin in my hand and created a virtual rail.
Then I poured electricity into it.
-Boooom!
A thunderous roar rang out.
Intense sparks flew.
A flashing burst of light.
A blue trajectory pierced the darkness.
The projectile, traveling far beyond the speed of sound, pierced the head of a Russian Hunter on the rooftop.
-Splat.
His head burst, scattering a mist of blood.
The gun in his hand fell helplessly down from the building.
As I moved quickly, I fired Railgun repeatedly.
-Boooom!
-Boom!
-Boom!
Blue trails pierced the air one after another.
Each time, Russian Hunters' heads and chests exploded.
Blood splattered everywhere, staining the streets red.
“Every time we throw smoke, a gale blows it away!”
“Fuck...! It can't be helped. Throw grenades!”
“Fire the grenade launchers!”
Had they decided that guns alone could not subdue me?
Thunk! Thunk! Thunk! Thunk!
-Whoosh!
They began using grenades and shells.
They intended to kill me with the area damage from explosions.
If explosive weapons started going off everywhere, nearby residents were likely to get caught up in it.
I was not going to let that happen.
“Iing Iing, get rid of those bombs.”
-Iing Iing!
Iing Iing, who was in my arms, used telekinesis.
Twirling!
The shells and grenades fired by the Russian Hunters were seized by telekinesis and rose high into the sky.
Then.
-Boooom!
They exploded high in the air.
Tiny fragments rained down.
The Russian Hunters cried out in shock.
“Why are the grenades and shells in the sky?!”
“A telekinesis artifact?! How many artifacts does that bastard have?!”
“The United States is involved! Korea doesn't have that many artifacts!”
“We have no chance! Retreat!”
“Scatter and regroup at the extraction point!”
They gradually began pulling back.
They threw piles of grenades and smoke to delay me, then scattered from their positions one by one.
Of course, I had no intention of letting them go peacefully.
“Iing Iing. Up!”
-Iing Iing!
I was Longbow Apache.
The reaper of ground troops.
No foot soldier could escape me.
And the current me was not an ordinary Longbow Apache.
I possessed an invisibility artifact.
I had evolved into Stealth Longbow Apache!
“It's time for Stealth Longbow Apache!!!”
-Iing Iing!!!
Twirling.
With Iing Iing's telekinetic flight, I rose high into the sky.
I gave Iing Iing an order.
“Iing Iing. You know those guys who were speaking that strange language and ran away earlier? Chase them.”
-Iing Iing!
With Iing Iing's scouting ability and flight ability supporting me, I chased down and eliminated them.
The chase and elimination were incredibly easy and comfortable.
-Iing!
Whenever Iing Iing pointed somewhere with her tiny finger while flying, there was always a Russian Hunter running away in a panic.
-Boooom!
I only had to fire Railgun at them and punch a large hole through the back of their head.
Even though they had scattered and fled in different directions, they could not avoid the Railgun trails falling from the sky.
-Boooom!
-Boooom!
-Boom!
-Boom!...
Every time lightning flashed and explosions rang out, blue trails fell from the sky and pierced the heads and chests of the fleeing Russians.
-Boom!
“Guh...!”
Thud.
The last Russian Hunter fell.
A large hole had been punched through his chest, and he collapsed while thick blood poured from the wound.
I quietly looked down at his body and muttered.
“Han Seonga is going to have a hard time with this. The cleanup will be difficult.”
The previous battle with China had taken place in a remote commercial building, so the cleanup had been easy.
They only had to send agents and control the site.
But this battle had started in the middle of a Jungnang-gu villa neighborhood, then spread out in every direction.
Because of that...
“What is this?! Is there a war going on?!”
“Aaaah! There's a body here!”
“Call the police!”
Click! Click!
Camera shutters snapped.
“I saw it just now! A blue laser came down from the sky and pierced someone! It's an alien!”
“What are you talking about? An alien?”
“You got it on video, right? Right? If we upload this to MyTube, it definitely has ten million views written all over it.”
“You crazy bastard! Someone died, and you're talking about views?!”
There were too many witnesses.
People looking at the bodies of the Russian special operations members through their windows or from the streets.
The smartphone camera lenses in their hands gleamed as they reflected light.
By tomorrow, the news and internet would be in chaos.
Anyway.
“Russia is finished. Next is China.”
The Chinese bastards should have been fighting Choi Yejin by now.
I called Choi Yejin.
Then.
-Hey!!! Save me, fuck!!!
Choi Yejin's desperate scream came through.
Behind her voice came the sounds of battle.
-Bang bang. Thud. Boom boom boom!
It seemed the fight was in full swing.
Choi Yejin spoke urgently.
-The Chinese bastards really came, fuck!!! I can't hold on much longer!!! Help!!! Save me!!!
“...I'll be there soon.”
-Hurry!
She sounded desperate, but why did she somehow also sound relaxed?
Anyway, after hanging up.
“Iing Iing. Let's go to Choi Yejin's house.”
-Iing!
Together with Iing Iing, I headed for Itaewon-dong, where Choi Yejin lived.
After Russia came China.
Footnotes:
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