Chapter 10

10. Itaewon 2-dong, Gate Sealing Operation - 2

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"Listen up, 5th Squad."

Inside the transport truck heading to the operation site, Lee Hyun-wook gathered the squad members' attention.

Among the troops in the truck, Lee Hyun-wook was the highest-ranking. This was because the deputy platoon leader, who was of a higher rank than Lee Hyun-wook, was sitting in the passenger seat.

"You've probably already heard, but today's operation target is the Kobold dungeon."

Kobold.

A small monster that lives in groups, similar to goblins in many ways. However, a closer look reveals that they are a much more troublesome bunch.

"If you encounter a Kobold, don't let their appearance fool you. They are quite cunning."

So much so that the number of casualties in battles against Kobolds was higher than in battles against orcs.

Of course, if you only consider the death rate, the latter would be overwhelmingly higher.

"Their weapons include various types of venomous stingers, especially paralyzing stingers. So, roll down your sleeves, raise your collars, and minimize the exposed skin area. Park Jun-mo, I'm talking to you. You don't want to have your eyes gouged out while still alive, do you?"

"Ah!"

Park Jun-mo hastily raised his collar.

"Also, since Kobolds are naturally cave-dwelling creatures, they move around stealthily through sewers. So, they can pop up anywhere, anytime."

"So, even our rear isn't safe, you're saying."

"Exactly. Today, we need to be more vigilant than ever."

The nine squad members looked at Lee Hyun-wook and nodded.

There was a different kind of tension and determination in the 5th Squad, a stark contrast to their usual demeanor. They all felt this difference.

To be precise, it was centered around Lee Hyun-wook.

'He's been speaking like a true squad leader since yesterday. And he's even very detailed. He sounds like an expert.'

Perhaps it was a minor change. The leader had become someone they could trust. But that alone had drastically changed the atmosphere of the group.

'With the current Lee Hyun-wook, I think I can fight with confidence.'

Even Ahn Min-tae, who thought of him as a good brother but couldn't rely on him, now looked at Lee Hyun-wook with a different perspective.

The transport truck soon came to a stop. They had arrived at the operation site.

Thud! Thud!

Someone knocked on the truck. It was a signal to disembark.

"Alright, let's get out."

As they got off the truck, the residential area of Itaewon 2-dong spread before them.

Vroom—

The small open space and parking lots of the residential area were filled with military vehicles, and over a dozen drones hovered in the sky.

This was the temporary base of the 2nd Battalion.

"Move quickly!"

Shouts echoed from all directions as troops moved in formation.

"1st Platoon is already preparing to enter."

As Ahn Min-tae said, the 1st Platoon, which had arrived first, had the 1st and 2nd Squads standing at the entrances of the alleys.

They were the core force of this operation, and they always were.

In contrast, the support squad...

"5th Squad! What are you doing? Get the gear out quickly!"

They were always just extras.

"1st Platoon needs to enter the operation within 5 minutes, so supply the antidote kits as quickly as possible!"

A lieutenant shouted as he approached.

Lieutenant Lee Hee-min, the platoon leader of the 2nd Platoon.

Following the order, the 5th Squad members began to unload their gear from the truck.

Then, someone called out.

"Lee Hyun-wook!"

"Lee Hyun-wook, where are you?"

It was Captain Kwak Yong-joon, the battalion commander, who was running over breathlessly.

"Here, sir! What is it?"

"Lee Hyun-wook! The battalion commander wants to see you! Go to the temporary command post right away!"

"Sir, the battalion commander?"

"Yes, he said he has an order for you before the operation. Hurry up!"

Kwak Yong-joon pointed to the center of the base as he shouted.

'Why does the battalion commander want to see me? And at this timing?'

Being called just before the operation started was unexpected.

Even with his experience of the future, Lee Hyun-wook couldn't guess the reason. Perhaps a new direction had begun after their last meeting.

It was unexpected, but there was no need to worry. After all, his goal was to change the future to his advantage.

'This is just part of the process.'

"Ahn Min-tae."

"Yes?"

"Take command of the squad until I return and finish the supply."

"Understood. Good luck."

Near where the first vehicle was parked, a military tent was set up, and the battalion commander was inside, looking at a map with his staff.

There was a familiar face next to him.

'It's Lieutenant Chun Myung-ho from the Black Tiger Unit.'

It was unclear why he was involved in this operation, but he was looking at Lee Hyun-wook, not the operation map.

"Reporting, Private Lee Hyun-wook, responding to the call."

Kim Gang-seok, who had been examining the operation map, looked up at Lee Hyun-wook.

"Private Lee Hyun-wook."

"Private Lee Hyun-wook, sir!"

"You have a different mission today."

It was a sudden announcement.

However, Lee Hyun-wook showed no change in expression, nodding and looking at Kim Gang-seok.

"From now on, you will take the place of the absent 1st Squad Leader and command the 1st Squad to seal the gate and prevent secondary and tertiary eruptions."

The staff members were surprised at Kim Gang-seok's words.

"Sir, what...?"

"Regional Magic Control Officer, please stand down. I have my reasons."

"Ah, yes, sir!"

It was an incredibly unconventional mission change. To command the 1st Squad, the core force of the 1st Platoon, and to do so as an F-rank soldier...

Moreover, the absent 1st Squad Leader he was to replace was none other than Corporal Choi Young-joon.

"Details will be provided by the 1st Platoon Leader. Since you can recite the AMT tactical manual in front of the battalion commander, I assume you know the basics of the gate sealing operation."

Lee Hyun-wook nodded confidently.

"Of course, I know. However, sir, I have a question."

"Go on."

"Why do I suddenly have to take on this mission? I don't understand the necessity."

Kim Gang-seok, with his hands clasped, placed his chin on them and nodded.

"I want to evaluate you."

With those words, Lee Hyun-wook understood Kim Gang-seok's intention.

'After our last meeting, he must have evaluated me much higher than I thought.'

Despite being F-rank, Kim Gang-seok had high hopes for Lee Hyun-wook.

It was understandable.

After all, Lee Hyun-wook had accurately understood Kim Gang-seok's preferences and targeted them in his speech...

'And the man standing next to him, Lieutenant Chun Myung-ho...'

They must have discussed Lee Hyun-wook, and their shared observations likely doubled their expectations for him.

For an F-rank to receive such attention from these influential figures was unprecedented at this point.

However, this situation wasn't entirely positive.

Lee Hyun-wook looked directly into Kim Gang-seok's eyes and spoke.

"Sir, may I speak freely as the current commander of the 5th Squad?"

"Go ahead."

Kim Gang-seok nodded, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.

He knew from experience that Lee Hyun-wook's words carried a serious judgment. He was still evaluating him at this moment.

"I have been part of the 5th Squad since my assignment, learning and performing support operations. Currently, I hold the most important role, that of squad leader."

Lee Hyun-wook tapped his green shoulder patch with his left index finger.

"Um, so?"

"I believe the 5th Squad can complete their mission perfectly even without me. However, leaving my role in a real combat situation and taking on the responsibility for the lives of another squad without proper verification..."

Lee Hyun-wook paused, shaking his head.

"...I don't want to seize this moment as an opportunity and put both the squad and the entire operation at risk."

"..."

Kim Gang-seok showed no change in expression.

He didn't respond, just staring intently at Lee Hyun-wook.

Lee Hyun-wook continued.

"...I don't think a soldier is an individual. And I believe that proving one's ability as a soldier doesn't necessarily mean achieving personal glory. I believe that."

"..."

"Sir, I appreciate your high regard for me. However, I respectfully request not to be evaluated now. Kobolds are cunning monsters with an intelligence of 0.68 and use venom, a difficult weapon. If not handled perfectly, someone will get hurt."

The subtle addition of his knowledge about the monsters was another way to appeal to the thorough military man, Kim Gang-seok.

"..."

Kim Gang-seok took a deep breath and leaned back in his field chair.

"Is that so..."

"Yes, sir."

The role of the 1st Squad Leader, the position of Corporal Choi Young-joon, was a significant opportunity. If he performed well in this central role of the battalion, his reputation would skyrocket.

But he didn't want to.

'In fact, today's key event will start in the rear, not the front.'

He already knew that the 'big catch' would appear in the rear today.

He couldn't miss it.

"5th Squad Leader."

Kim Gang-seok called him by his position, not his name.

"Private Lee Hyun-wook!"

"Yes, sir."

"Carry out your original mission. Since this is a real operation, perform your best task perfectly. We'll postpone the evaluation."

"Understood, sir."

"Alright, go."

Lee Hyun-wook saluted and turned around.

As he turned, Kim Gang-seok smiled and looked at Chun Myung-ho.

"Did you see that?"

"Yes, it was quite interesting. Not only his movements but also his way of speaking is impressive. However, it's surprising that you listened to his stubborn request. Didn't you put a lot of effort into ensuring the safety of this test?"

It wasn't a blind decision to deploy an F-rank soldier on the front lines. The battalion commander had the 'Assault Platoon' on standby, directly under his command, just in case.

"What can I say? I can't say he was wrong."

A satisfied smile spread across Kim Gang-seok's face.

"Lee Hyun-wook, he's more of a soldier than a warrior. A loyal and intelligent sheepdog."

Kim Gang-seok pushed his own impression of Lee Hyun-wook.

But Chun Myung-ho didn't back down. He slowly shook his head and smiled.

"But if you see him fight, you'll feel he's closer to a warrior. A sheepdog... he's not a dog but a leopard. A seasoned hunter who thoroughly exploits the weaknesses of his prey."

"Hahaha... Either way, he's a desirable asset."

Their gazes were fixed on Lee Hyun-wook's back.

***

- *Chirp* This is 1st Platoon, entering Red Ground. Over.

The voice of the 1st Platoon Leader came from Lee Hyun-wook's walkie-talkie.

The 1st and 2nd Squads of the 1st Platoon entered different alleys in single file. The 'tanks' were at the front and rear, with 'DPS' and 'healers' in the middle, forming a typical 'raid position.'

'Red Ground' referred to the area where the gate opened and an evacuation order was issued.

There was a low chance of monsters being inside now. The civilian guild 'Cheonghwa' had blocked the first eruption and was guarding the gate entrance.

But exceptions always existed, so they couldn't be complacent.

'Today is one of those exceptions.'

According to the initial report from 'Cheonghwa Guild,' 32 Kobolds appeared during the first eruption and were all suppressed, but they had responded as quickly as possible after the gate opened.

'After dealing with all the visible ones, there were 32.'

In other words, if some had hidden or scattered immediately, they could have been missed.

"Ugh-chah!"

Ahn Min-tae opened a manhole cover.

"Ugh!"

A foul odor rose.

"Smell... Do Kobolds really enjoy splashing around in such places?"

"You might have to go in there depending on the situation."

"Ah... I hope that doesn't happen."

"Install the sensors quickly."

"Understood!"

The squad members began installing 'motion detection sensors' in the sewers around the temporary base. This was one of the standard procedures for dealing with Kobolds.

At that moment, military trucks entered the temporary base in a line.

They were the follow-up troops.

"2nd Battalion!"

Someone said, and Ahn Min-tae, who was installing sensors in the sewers, turned his head.

"Oh! So the goddess from 2nd Battalion 2nd Squad is here too? Corporal Lee Se-hee, right?"

The 2nd Battalion was entirely composed of female soldiers.

As Korean players, they served in the AMT according to the 'mandatory service period,' which applied to female players as well.

"They're all wearing masks, so I can't see."

Nonetheless, the male soldiers of the 1st Battalion, like high school boys encountering female students on a school trip, rolled their eyes, and the female soldiers of the 2nd Battalion glanced at them.

"Ahn Min-tae, what did I say before the operation?"

"Huh? Oh! Right! What are you guys doing? Only roll your eyes when you're on guard duty!"

"Ahn Min-tae, you were the first to turn your head."

"Ah, I just checked for any movement. Haha..."

Meanwhile, the female soldiers of the 2nd Battalion began to disperse to set up barriers.

"2nd Platoon, we're moving! Lee Hyun-wook! Are the sensors installed?"

It was Lieutenant Lee Hee-min of the 2nd Platoon.

"Almost done, sir. Just one more to go. All are functioning normally."

He glanced at the 5th Squad, who were working with their brows furrowed.

'That look is clearly trying to find something to criticize.'

Lee Hee-min was that kind of person. A typical 'adversary' type of officer who never left his subordinates alone.

Moreover, given his close relationship with senior soldiers like Oh Sang-guk and Kwak Jin-cheol, who led the corruption, he likely disapproved of the current Lee Hyun-wook.

But finding no significant issues to criticize, he just clicked his tongue.

"Hmm, alright... Move to the intermediate checkpoint immediately."

"Understood, sir."

- *Chirp* 2nd Platoon, moving to the intermediate checkpoint. Over.

Lieutenant Lee Hee-min raised his hand.

The 5th Squad, along with the 2nd Platoon, focused their attention on him.

"2nd Platoon, move out!"

About 5 minutes after the 1st Platoon entered Red Ground,

The 3rd, 4th, and 5th Squads of the 2nd Platoon entered the alleys of the residential area, following the path the 1st Platoon had secured.

The 5th Squad, led by Lee Hyun-wook, entered in a double-file formation at the rear.

"Ahn Min-tae."

"Yes, sir."

"Keep the squad on high alert."

"Understood, sir."

Lee Hyun-wook walked forward, closing his eyes.

'...They're definitely here. And I can find them.'

With his eyes closed, he used his ability to sense the metal in the area.

The human world is made of metal, and their weights, masses, and shapes were mapped in Lee Hyun-wook's mind. Thus, even with his eyes closed, he could perceive the geography of the area as clearly as reading a map.

'Not on the surface. Deep underground.'

He shifted his senses underground.

Pipes, wires, various debris,

He scanned them.

'A little deeper, into the sewers.'

And at that moment, he detected them. A cluster of moving metals.

'Kobolds. A total of 14.'

Indeed.

The residual monsters that were not detected during the first eruption were moving beneath their feet.

"Park Jun-mo."

"Yes, sir."

"How many times can you use your lightning skill?"

Park Jun-mo used his lightning skill as a weapon.

However, unlike typical mage-type skills, he stored electricity in his body and released it. As an F-rank, his capacity was very limited.

"Um, only four times..."

Park Jun-mo answered dejectedly. As with other F-ranks, his confidence dropped when asked about his abilities.

"But if I push it, I might be able to do five."

He scratched his head and looked at Lee Hyun-wook.

And then he saw it.

Click—

Just like a few days ago during the guard duty,

Lee Hyun-wook switched the selector on his K2C1 rifle from 'safe' to 'single shot.'