Chapter 66 – Trap(3)
“It’s time for the military to take action!”
It was a parade of stars.
Everyone sitting at the huge table was a general.
“The Special Ability Management Team was organized for situations like this.”
In an atmosphere so tense it was hard to breathe, Shin Tae-gil calmly looked at the stars.
“What can those mere ability users do when they gather?”
“Those mere ability users are fighting monsters with superhuman strength.”
“They’ll all fall with just one bullet anyway.”
“That’s right! What are ability users in front of the military!?”
The meeting room was heated.
There was one topic of discussion.
Who would attack the base of the ‘Monster Power’ distributors.
“These guys are on a different level from the ability users we’ve seen so far. There’s no guarantee that the military can solve this.”
“Then is there a guarantee that those special ability users you’re in charge of can solve it?”
“No, there isn’t.”
“Are you joking right now?!”
“But we can subdue the enemy with a higher probability and less damage than if the military intervenes.”
In the middle of the heated debate, the person seated at the head of the table raised his hand.
“Enough.”
“But Mr. President! We’re under martialw now. In a situation that’s practically wartime…”
“I understand. I understand, so that’s enough.”
Everyone closed their mouths at President Han Seung-hoon’s words.
‘Sigh, this is giving me a headache.’
It wasn’t simply a power struggle between ability users and the military.
The Korean government.
The Special Ability Management Team.
The World Dungeon Management Organization.
What’smonly called the ‘Dungeon Management Organization’ wasn’t an organization belonging to Korea, but a global organization.
The one in Korea was just one of its branches.
In contrast, the Special Ability Management Team is an organization directly under the President.
‘The Dungeon Management Organization is maintaining a bystander’s position.’
However, the military fears losing its footing more and more.
Shin Tae-gil is a talented individual who shares the same views as President Han Seung-hoon while genuinely considering the country and ability users.
“I think it’s right for the military to step in this time.”
President Han Seung-hoon was a wise person. He responded quickly to the changing world and had already realized the importance of ability users early on.
‘This is the right decision now.’
But the power of ability users is not that strong yet. No matter how strong an ability user is, they die if a bullet pierces their head.
“This time, we must deal with those groups perfectly. We can’t let society fall into anxiety any longer.”
“Yes.”
“And… We must capture them alive.”
The meeting that hadsted for about an hour ended like that.
***
Ippotrantion
***
At the dark dawn of 3 AM.
While everyone was asleep, there were those who were moving busily.
“Assault team. Prepare for internal raid.”
These were the special forces in charge of the operation. At their superior’s order, they formed their ranks.
-Ting!
With a small noise, the door leading to the interior of the building opened, and simultaneously, the team members entered.
“All clear.”
“All clear.”
Team members who had searched their designated directions and confirmed no abnormalities reported back.
“Assault squad report.”
-Chik, Assault 2 entryplete.
-Assault 3 entryplete.
The assault team entered from three directions in total.
They all entered the building.
The captain, who hadpleted the upation of the first floor, turned on the radio.
“Cover team report.”
-Building rooftop upationplete.
“Sniper team report.”
-No unusual circumstances.
“Still can’t see inside the building?”
-Reporting no identifiable enemies.
The captain nodded after hearing reports from all squads.
“I’ll say it again, minimize fatalities. Especially, there’s an order to capture a man named Choi Min-joon alive.”
-Understood.
“Assault team, move out.”
The movements of the team members were stealthy yet agile.
It was natural, as they were the elite of the elite who had undergone harsh training for a long time.
-Chuk, chuk!
Those who entered the building didn’t say a word.
Theymunicated all intentions through concise hand signals and moved forward with not a single wasted motion.
‘This is strange…’
Although they were quickly upying the building’s interior, the captain’s expression was dark.
‘The target is definitely here. But why is it so quiet?’
There were no engagement reports.
The entire building was enveloped in silence.
“…!”
At that moment, the team member moving in front sent a stop signal.
-Unidentified male spotted ahead. He’s wearing a mask.
Everyone tensed up at the team member’s voiceing through the helmet.
-Oh no, position exposed!
“Subdue him!”
As soon as the captain shouted, the team members sprang into action.
“Get down! Hands on your head!”
The team members who moved in perfect unison surrounded the man. However, the man remained calm even with gun barrels pointed at his face.
“I’ve been waiting all this time, and this is all you’ve got?”
“Get on your knees!”
“And if I refuse?”
“We don’t have time. Subdue him quickly and move on.”
At the captain’s order, the team members approached the man.
Or rather, they tried to approach.
“Huh…?”
“Captain. My body… My body won’t move.”
“What’s going on!?”
Even exerting all their strength, they couldn’t move a finger. All team members’ faces were filled with bewilderment.
-Ratatatatat!
-Kwang
Simultaneously, gunfire began to echo throughout the building.
“Has it begun?”
The man muttered quietly.
The captain couldn’t understand what situation was unfolding.
‘What kind of nonsense is this!’
The captain himself was a high-level ability user reaching level 40.
But he had never heard of a skill that could instantly and perfectly subdue multiple people like this.
“You… What are you…?”
The man didn’t answer the captain’s question. He simply walked past them.
“You bastard! Are you ignoring us!”
“I never thought you’d still be underestimating the situation like this. I couldn’t have imagined it.”
The tense captain shouted, but the man just muttered something to himself.
“Urgh, ugh!”
“Urrrgh.”
The captured team members suddenly started to groan.
Team members with pained expressions.
-Puk! Puk!
Their necks burst open one by one in order.
‘This can’t be…’
Until now, all that man had done was walk quietly.
Yet the best of the elite, all ability users, were dying without even being able to use their powers.
“Urrrgh…”
His thoughts didn’t go much further.
Soon it was his turn.
It felt like his neck was about to burst from the tremendous pressure.
‘I can’t die like this…’
***
Ippotrantion
***
“What’s the situation?”
“The entire assault team has justpleted entry.”
“Good.”
Major General In Moon-soo, overseeing themand.
He was currently monitoring the team members in real-time from themand and control room.
“We’ll finish the operation before dawn breaks.”
“Yes, sir.”
He was overflowing with confidence.
‘Ability users? Ridiculous. It’s more fitting to call them social misfits or psychopaths.’
He despised ability users.
Although he wouldn’t admit it, it was due to his inferiorityplex.
‘That so-called tutorial? What’s the big deal about killing a few monsters?’
At times like these, the military should be stronger.
The president constantly empowering ability users was tantamount to nurturing a cancerous tumor in society.
“They’ll learn something from this incident.”
“Pardon?”
“Nothing. What’s the current situation?”
“They’ve smoothly entered the building interior. However, they haven’t encountered any enemies yet.”
“Hmm.”
They had confirmed people inside the building beforehand. He didn’t think they could have escaped through their surveince in the meantime.
“Could there be a secret passage leading outside…”
“There’s none in the building’s design.”
It was when Major General In Moon-soo was deep in thought. Suddenly, an urgent voice was heard.
“Commander. It’s the enemy!”
“Where?”
“Assault Team 1.”
“Turn the camera.”
At themander’s order, the monitor screen switched to the camera worn by Team 1. Then, the figure of an unidentified man walking slowly came into view.
“Subdue him!”
With the shout, the team members rushed out and instantly surrounded the man. However, they did not move after that.
“What are you doing? Quickly subdue him and make him move.”
“We’ve already done that. But, our bodies won’t move…”
“What?”
Themander made a dumbfounded expression at the baffling answer.
At the same time, gunshots were heard from various ces.
“Tch, this is Assault Team 3 requesting support… Argh!”
“This is the Cover Team, we’re under ambush!”
“Help me!”
Screams could be heard from all directions.
All the cameras and speakers were going crazy.
“What’s going on?!”
“Team 1’s connection is lost!”
“Team 2 is down.”
“Team 3 as well…”
In an instant, all connections with the assault teams were cut off.
“Damn it! Send in additional support teams!”
“Yes, sir.”
The support teams were members who had been surrounding the building outside in case of emergency.
“The sniper team is to shoot anything that moves forward.”
“But sir, it could be civilians…”
“This is war now! Just shoot!”
“Understood…”
Something was going wrong.
Themander bit his lip hard, feeling the oing anxiety.
“We’re withdrawing.”
“Pardon?”
The subordinate made a dumbfounded expression at the sudden order.
“I said we’re withdrawing! Something’s gone wrong. We need to pull out now.”
Themander’s intuition was quite urate.
During his long time in the military, his instincts had helped him escape crises more than once.
“Prepare the vehicles immediately!”
The temporarymand post was not far from the scene.
Considering the superhuman speed of the ability users, they would surely reach this ce soon.
“Commander!”
“What now?!”
At that moment, an urgent voice was heard.
Commander In Moon-su’s head turned irritably.
“We can’t contact the support team.”
“What…?”
“Sir! The sniper team’smunication is also cut off.”
His head went nk as he heard the report.
‘Damn it, damn it! What the hell is going on!’
In an instant, allmunication with the team members was cut off.
Over 30 special forces members.
Each of them was a veteran with realbat experience.
‘We need to leave this ce immediately.’
His eyes, which had lost their way, shook violently.
The subordinates who met themander’s eyes also had eyes tainted with fear.
“Move! We’re withdrawing!”
The mission.
The safety ofrades.
Everything was important.
But the most important thing was his own life.
“Let’s go.”
Themander was the first to leave themand and control room. He was apanied only by the special task force in charge of security and the driver.
The subordinates were still organizing their equipment, but there was no time to wait for them.
Woong woong woong
As soon as themander got into the vehicle, the driver stepped hard on the elerator. However, only a rough engine sound was heard, and the vehicle didn’t budge.
“Sir, the vehicle won’t move…”
Along with the report, an explosion was heard from afar.
“What?”
“It’sing from the direction of the checkpoint!”
“Th-they’ve already broken through there?”
Themander, gripped by fear, trembled with both hands.
“How did I get to this position only to die?! Damn it, no!”
Surely it would take some time for them to break through the checkpoint and clear themand post.
At that time, they had to escape from here.
“We’ll move on foot!”
Themander hurriedly got out of the vehicle and drew his pistol.
“Everyone follow me!”
Themander with his protruding belly.
He couldn’t even remember thest time he ran at full speed.
“Huff, huff!”
But the will to live made even his severely obese body move quickly.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
However, the ugly escape didn’t even make it past ten steps.
“Are you themander?”
A strange man was already blocking themander’s path.
“You…!”
Commander In Moon-su recognized him.
The masked man.
He couldn’t not recognize him, having vividly watched his activities just minutes ago.
“As expected, you people, the world is rotten.”
As he spoke, the man took off his mask.
“Whew, I feel a bit better now.”
Themander recognized him at a nce.
Pale skin with sharp eyes.
A tall man with a thin body.
“Choi Min-jun!”
The man was none other than the ringleader of the enemies, Choi Min-jun. He matched exactly the description they had received in advance.
“Kill him!”
Choi Min-jun was the number one target to be captured alive. But now was not the time to consider such things.
“…”
“What are you doing?! I said shoot him!”
“Sir… Our bodies won’t move.”
“What nonsense is that?!”
The driver and the special task force.
They were all frozen in ce like mannequins.
“Aaaaah!”
Themander,pletely panicked, fired his gun wildly.
Bang, bang, bang!
But all the bullets were deflected by an invisible barrier that appeared in front of Choi Min-jun.
“Abandoning your subordinates and running away, you’re trash. Because of people like you, this society is rotting and will eventually head towards mutual destruction.”
Looking at him, themander tried to run away, but his body wouldn’t move.
“Ugh, guh!”
He could hear the sounds of his subordinates struggling to breathe beside him.
“Please, please spare me!”
Something started to tighten around his body.
It felt as if an invisible giant anaconda was wrapping around his body.
Themander’s pants became wet with fear.
“Spare me… I beg you…”
“Disgusting until the end. Die.”
“N-no…”
Pung!
Themander’s head, which was trying to say something, exploded in an instant.
“Now the preparations areplete.”
Choi Min-jun stared at the blood-stained ground for a while.
His eyes were flickering with a bizarre madness.