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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 28
Chapter Title: Cheongdam-dong, Red Gate - 1
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"...Everyone, disembark."
Lee Hyun-wook and the rest of the Special Assault Squad stepped out of the transport truck.
The moment they did, a red light washed over their faces. When they turned toward its source...
"Whoa..."
They were utterly overwhelmed.
The crimson rift blazed like a demon's eye.
"So that's... a Red Gate..."
Before departing, Lieutenant Seo Eun-ha and Warrant Officer Cheon Myeong-ho had given them a crash course on the 'Red Gate' and some of the most basic 'raid tactics' they would need inside the dungeon.
Of course, Hyun-wook already knew all of it, and in some cases, knew even more details.
"Whew... they said it was a Gnoll dungeon. I can already smell the stench of beasts from somewhere."
Just as Ahn Min-tae said, a foul odor wafted through the air.
It seemed they had used flame magic to burn the gnolls that had poured out during the initial eruption.
The monsters emerging from this gate were 'Gnolls.'
Gnolls were canine-like beastmen, smaller than orcs but larger than humans.
As such, they possessed incredibly resilient physical abilities.
'And most importantly, there are a lot of them.'
That was the biggest headache.
They swarmed out in droves, like a veritable pack of dogs.
The company commander, Captain Gwak Yong-jun, and the 1st Platoon leader, Lieutenant Lee Taek-ham, got out of a military sedan that arrived shortly after.
"Hey, everyone's out, right?"
"Yes, sir. We're ready."
"Good, let's move."
In reality, these two had no direct involvement in the operation; they were essentially chaperones.
Still, it looked better to have officer-level personnel at the forefront when liaising with an outside organization.
"You there, are you the A.M.T. assault squad?"
As they arrived at the building construction site, a man in a black suit approached them with an indifferent expression.
He appeared to be an employee of the Cheonghwa Guild.
"Yes, we are."
"Right, head over there."
Although it was a joint operation, the Cheonghwa Guild was managing the site, so they had to follow their instructions.
Near the entrance of the construction site, a few shipping containers had been placed.
There wasn't even a place to sit, so they were forced to stand around awkwardly, holding their weapons.
They were getting the cold shoulder from the very beginning.
"Ahem, you guys wait here for a bit. We have some business to attend to."
Gwak Yong-jun and Lee Taek-ham, the two officers, disappeared somewhere.
Watching them leave, Ahn Min-tae and Choi Tae-yong whispered to each other.
"Hmm, don't you think the company commander is acting suspicious again?"
"Well, everyone knows he's trying to cozy up to Cheonghwa..."
"But I didn't expect the 1st Platoon leader to be in on it... There were rumors he was transferring to lead another battalion's assault squad, but is he already planning his discharge? Most guys at least make captain before they get out..."
It was similar to how high-ranking public officials would join related industries as executives after retirement; it was common for A.M.T. officers to move to private guilds before being promoted to major.
Hyun-wook remembered that Gwak Yong-jun would indeed join the Cheonghwa Guild after the 4th Wave.
It was a bit distasteful to see him sucking up this early, but... honestly, it was an understandable decision.
'After the 4th Wave, the 1st Battalion was, for all intents and purposes, wiped from existence...'
As they waited in solitude, they began to hear a conversation nearby.
"Hey, look at those guys over there."
"Huh? Heh... it's the A.M.T., isn't it? They actually came."
They were players from the Cheonghwa Guild.
"...But what can they even do? They're not even NCOs, just privates doing a raid?"
"I heard they were the ones who protected the civilians during that dome incident at Seoul Station."
At those words, someone snorted.
"Ha, they've been hyping that up on TV and the internet like crazy lately. Honestly, they probably just got lucky. It's common sense; if we can't do it, how are they supposed to be of any help? Unbelievable..."
They seemed to be the Cheonghwa Guild's raid team, the one they would be entering the gate with.
To be gossiping so openly like this...
They hadn't expected a warm welcome, but it was impossible not to feel offended.
The A.M.T. members felt their spirits sink, their eyes darting around nervously.
And then...
"Hey, what? Yo! Aren't you Ahn Min-tae?"
One of the guild members who had been talking trash shouted out.
Ahn Min-tae turned his head, a look of surprise on his face.
"...Huh?"
"Whoa, this is crazy! What are the odds of running into you here?"
A young man approached with a friendly face.
But his attire was incredibly... out of place.
From head to toe, wrist to finger, he was decked out in luxury brands.
Not to mention the countless piercings covering his ears...
It was an unfitting getup for someone about to undertake a raid, but it was actually a very common sight.
Successful players were treated like celebrities, and many couldn't contain their desire to show off. A look at their social media would reveal countless photos taken in front of gates.
"Man, you guys' uniforms look cool."
"...Ah, Tae-seop. It's been a while."
Ahn Min-tae's reply lacked its usual cheerful tone.
It seemed they weren't on the best of terms.
But then...
"Hey, Lee Hyun-wook!"
It was the 1st Platoon leader, Lee Taek-ham.
He beckoned him over.
"The strategy meeting is about to start. You need to be in there, too."
"Yes, sir."
That was slightly incorrect. It wasn't 'you too'; in reality, Hyun-wook was the only one who needed to be there.
"Ahn Min-tae, I'm going to the meeting. Wait here with the others."
"Ah, yes... understood."
"Wow, so formal. Min-tae, is that guy your leader?"
Ahn Min-tae's acquaintance asked, but Hyun-wook paid him no mind and headed to the meeting area.
In the space between two containers, a screen and a makeshift table had been set up.
"...Hahaha, of course, that's something Cheonghwa will handle on their end."
The voice of Company Commander Gwak Yong-jun could be heard.
He was smiling pleasantly while talking with the Cheonghwa Guild representatives. His counterpart was...
'...Yoo Hae-na.'
As the Head of the Seoul Raid Division, it was only natural for her to be present at events like this.
But right now, Captain Gwak Yong-jun was respectfully accepting Yoo Hae-na's business card with both hands.
'Tsk, looks like Captain Gwak Yong-jun has been caught in the spider's web.'
Carelessly taking that bait would lead to tears of blood one day.
Just then, Yoo Hae-na noticed Hyun-wook and gave him a slight smile. Gwak Yong-jun turned his head.
"Ah! Director Yoo, this is the soldier in command of our Special Assault Squad. He was also instrumental during the recent Unlucky Event at Seoul Station. He's F-rank, but he gained a power boost through an achievement, and well, he's been doing a great job with everything lately. Hahaha-"
"Ah, an achievement? That explains why..."
At Gwak Yong-jun's introduction, she nodded as if she now understood why Hyun-wook didn't seem like an F-rank.
The 'Achievement System' was a convenient excuse that anyone would easily accept.
The meeting began shortly after.
'...This is all useless information.'
They discussed the operation overview, who would take the lead, the distribution of profits, and other such matters.
For Hyun-wook, who already knew everything, it was all just empty talk.
About twenty minutes later, the meeting concluded.
"Alright, we will begin gate entry in one hour. Please be ready by then."
"Yes, of course. We can go in anytime. Just let us know when the Cheonghwa side is ready."
Captain Gwak Yong-jun practically groveled as he shook hands with a bald man introduced as a manager.
Just as Hyun-wook was about to leave...
"You there, Corporal? A moment, please."
Yoo Hae-na called out to him separately.
At her words, Gwak Yong-jun also froze and sat back down.
However, when Yoo Hae-na shot him a displeased look, he could only get up with an awkward expression.
And so, only Hyun-wook and Yoo Hae-na remained.
"Corporal... or should I call you the Special Assault Squad Leader now?"
She rested her chin on her hand and slowly crossed her legs.
"...Either is fine."
"Still so stiff, I see. To think we'd meet again like this. It must be fate."
Oh, it was fate, alright. A horribly tangled fate.
'You kill Seo Eun-ha, and I kill you.'
Hyun-wook swallowed those words and gave her a look that said, 'What do you want?'
"Hmm, you people didn't come here because you wanted to, did you?"
"What does a soldier's personal will have to do with being deployed on a mission?"
He didn't know much about the soldier's spirit, but he gave a response along those lines.
"Well, anyway, what I want to say is this. Once we're inside the gate, you and your men should just... stay on the sidelines. Don't do anything."
She smiled faintly with an arrogant expression.
Then she placed a hand on the table and tapped her index finger rhythmically against it.
Tap- tap-
That posture and habit—a deliberate display of leisure and arrogance. It was a tic of Yoo Hae-na's that emerged when she wanted to flaunt her power in front of someone.
"...Look, we may have failed three times, but this time we've prepared enough to succeed without any issues. You guys were just dragged out here because you couldn't say no to some three-star geezer in his stuffy office, right? I know all about it."
A three-star geezer in his stuffy office. She was referring to Jeong Sang-sik, the A.M.T. Seoul Operations Commander.
It was a subtle way of showing off her influence, implying she even knew the A.M.T.'s internal affairs.
"So, honestly, you probably haven't been properly trained, and it's dangerous, right? I'll do you a favor. If you just stay put and do nothing inside the dungeon, your superiors will never know."
This time, it was Hyun-wook who smiled faintly.
"Director Yoo?"
"Call me Catherine."
"Catherine, so... what exactly are you worried about?"
She tilted her head.
"Pardon? Worried? What would we have to be worried about?"
Hyun-wook chuckled, a subtle mockery in his tone, and crossed his arms.
He leaned back against his chair.
At that, Yoo Hae-na's expression hardened slightly.
"Ah... are you worried that *we* might kill the boss monster instead of the Cheonghwa Guild?"
Hyun-wook provoked her right back.
Yoo Hae-na's eyebrow twitched.
In this setting where her authority was clearly established, she had tried to dismiss and provoke Hyun-wook, but he seemed completely unfazed, exuding an air of calm. He even mirrored her arrogant posture.
Every aspect of his demeanor was bound to grate on her nerves.
Hyun-wook, with a faint smile, observed the subtle cracks forming in her expression.
'So easy.'
In his past life, he had frequently provoked this woman to make her move in the direction he wanted.
Yoo Hae-na would later become a 'Villain' and turn quite cruel, but for now, she was just a powerful and rich player with a slightly odd personality, not yet a ruthless monster.
"Pfft, you think... you're going to kill the boss monster?"
"Of course. Isn't that the whole point of a raid operation?"
Killing the boss monster meant clearing the dungeon. If the A.M.T. killed it first, it would be a massive slap in the face to the Cheonghwa Guild, which had already failed three times.
The old geezer in his office, General Jeong Sang-sik, would be ecstatic...
"Come on, there's no way that would happen."
"In that case..."
Hyun-wook stared intently into Yoo Hae-na's eyes.
"...What will you do if I kill the boss monster, Catherine?"
"..."
"If that happens, will you give me anything I want from the rewards obtained in the dungeon?"
It was another provocation.
A chill crept into Yoo Hae-na's eyes.
"What is this, are you trying to make a bet with me?"
"Ah, I guess it turned into one... Hmm, I think I got a bit competitive after being looked down on just now. If you don't want to, you don't have to."
A bet. A bet not on material goods, but on pride. There was no way Yoo Hae-na would refuse.
She scoffed as if it were absurd.
"I'm sorry, but while you may have guts and seem skilled for an F-rank... to be honest, it seems you still have a very narrow view of the world."
Yoo Hae-na raised her index finger and pointed behind her.
"You are aware of our raid team's roster when you're proposing this ridiculous bet, right?"
Where her finger pointed, about a dozen people were gathered.
It was the Cheonghwa Guild's raid team, assigned to the Red Gate.
"How about it? See a lot of familiar faces?"
As Hyun-wook glanced in their direction, she wore a smug expression.
"Three of the players selected for Players' Magazine's Top 100 Prospects of the Year are right over there."
After three failures, they must have invested heavily, bringing in a large number of promising talents.
But...
'...I don't recognize a single one.'
Even though Hyun-wook came from the future, he couldn't recognize a single person among them.
That was only natural.
Because today, by entering this Red Gate, their fame would come to an end.
Oblivious to this, Yoo Hae-na smiled and said.
"Ha, are you surprised?"
It seemed she had once again misinterpreted Hyun-wook's expression.
"So, what do you think? Had a change of heart?"
"..."
"Fine, if you want a bet, you've got one. But if you lose..."
She stood up from her seat and looked down at Hyun-wook.
"...You'll have to come work for me after you're discharged from the military."
"..."
"I told you I had a good impression of you, didn't I? Hmm, and you'll have to accept any position, without complaint. Sound good?"
"..."
"When you think about it, any position would be a stroke of luck for you. It's better than being an A.M.T. soldier, right?"
With that, she turned to leave, tossing one last remark over her shoulder.
"Looks like we'll be seeing a lot more of each other~"
Hyun-wook watched her back and nodded to himself.
'Just as you said, you will indeed be a stroke of luck for me.'
He fell into thought, contemplating which item he should ask Yoo Hae-na for.
***
"Ahn Min-tae, what's with that look on your face?"
"Ah... it's nothing, sir."
After he returned from the strategy meeting, the expressions on Ahn Min-tae and the other squad members were not good.
They had been tense before, but now they seemed completely deflated.
And in the background, the Cheonghwa Guild's raid team was snickering...
'That guy must have come over and ruined the mood.'
It seemed something unpleasant had happened while Hyun-wook was away.
After questioning Ahn Min-tae a few times, he finally learned what had happened.
As expected, that guy Tae-seop, or whatever his name was, was the problem.
"...He basically just came over to subtly rub our noses in how great they are and bruise our egos."
That archer player over there, Kim Tae-seop, decked out in luxury brands and expensive items, had been in the same player training cohort as Ahn Min-tae, and even in the same squad.
"...On the day that bastard was chosen by the Cheonghwa Guild, I, of course, wasn't chosen by anyone. That's why I'm here... and seeing me in this state must have made his day."
It was their first meeting in a long time since completing player training, and to meet under such awkward circumstances had apparently delighted Kim Tae-seop, who had taken the opportunity to gloat.
"Ha, it's nothing new, but it's really pissing me off. Being looked down on like this..."
"Hey, calm down and focus on the dungeon raid. Pride won't matter if you're dead."
"...Yes, I'm sorry. I'll get my head straight."
Ahn Min-tae wiped his face with his palm.
One side was dressed in combat uniforms, the other adorned in luxury goods.
It was a situation that couldn't help but evoke a sense of relative deprivation.
The two teams soon stood side-by-side, facing the gate.
"Alright, the Cheonghwa Guild will enter first, so please get ready."
Employees from the Cheonghwa Guild took control of the situation.
Just then, Kim Tae-seop slyly sidled up next to Ahn Min-tae.
"Salute! Corporal Ahn Min-tae! Hahaha!"
He grinned and slapped Ahn Min-tae on the shoulder.
"Hey, Min-tae, you'd better protect me from the front, just like in training, you got it?"
"Yeah..."
"Aren't soldiers supposed to risk their lives to protect the people?"
"..."
"Honestly, if I get even a little scratched this time, you don't deserve to get paid with my tax money, right? Am I right?"
"I get it..."
His goading crossed the line. Ahn Min-tae suppressed his anger and nodded.
But at that moment...
"...Agh!"
Kim Tae-seop suddenly cried out, clutching his left arm.
"Huh? What's with him all of a sudden?"
His teammates came over, surprised.
"Agh! Wha-what? My, my watch is acting weird!"
"Huh? What's wrong with your watch? Is it broken? That's a thirty-million-won watch!"
"...N-No! It's suddenly squeezing my arm!"
It was such a ridiculous claim that everyone was momentarily stunned.
"Wow, do luxury watches come with a shiatsu massage function these days?"
When Hyun-wook asked with a perfectly straight face, chuckles broke out here and there.
Even some of the Cheonghwa Guild raid members snickered.
"What? What did you just..."
"Hey, hey, Kim Tae-seop, that's enough. Get over here now."
Kim Tae-seop glared at Hyun-wook, but the Cheonghwa raid leader stepped in before the situation could escalate.
"Hey, you little punk, what's this about your watch? Are you just trying to get out of entering the gate?"
"Ah, hyung! N-No, it's not like that!"
Kim Tae-seop took off his watch and turned away with an embarrassed look.
This was only possible because they were still unaware of Hyun-wook's abilities.
Hyun-wook looked at Ahn Min-tae and smiled faintly, and he too let out a small laugh.
Soon, the gate entry began.
"Alright, we'll go in first and clear the way, so feel free to take your time."
A Cheonghwa Guild member holding a shield said.
Despite having failed three times already, they were brimming with confidence.
It was a sign of how much effort they had put into this attempt.
"Sure, but always watch what's above you. You never know what might come flying down, right?"
Hyun-wook offered as advice.
But the Cheonghwa members just scoffed.
"Huh? Heh, who do you think you're telling to be careful? You guys should worry about saving your own skins."
But they didn't know.
That his advice was, in fact, the key to clearing this dungeon...
Soon, the Cheonghwa Guild's raid team of fourteen began to file into the red gate.
However, Hyun-wook's group had to wait a little longer.
"Alright, we will wait for 180 seconds starting now."
There was a rule to wait 180 seconds, or three minutes, after the first team entered.
This wasn't a system requirement, but a precaution. It was to create a time gap between groups in case any problems arose near the entrance.
Before entering, Hyun-wook looked back at his squad.
"Alright, we're about to go in. Watch your heads. And it goes without saying, but the tankers will be at the front. One will face forward, the other will enter with their shield raised above their head."
"...Sir? Above our heads?"
The main tanker, Ahn Min-tae, asked for clarification.
To hold a shield above one's head was by no means a normal command.
"That's right. We don't know what will happen the moment we step inside, so we prepare thoroughly."
"Yes, understood."
Though it was questionable, they now followed Hyun-wook's orders without complaint.
"Alright, the A.M.T. is entering now!"
At those words, everyone gave Hyun-wook one last look.
"Be tense, but don't panic."
With a nod from Hyun-wook, the front of the line began to step into the red hell.
Hyun-wook entered last, at the very back of the formation.
- Warning! This area is a
* Once you have entered, you cannot leave until certain conditions are met.
Pushing through the message, the moment he put his head inside the red rift...
*Hwoom-*
The world changed.
Time, temperature, smell...
It was bright, hot, and nauseating.
They were in the middle of some kind of wasteland.
And...
"-Aaaaargh!"
"Gack! He-Help me!"
Screams echoed from all directions.
It was the advance party, the voices of the Cheonghwa Guild raid team.
They were scattered about, having been struck down by some attack.
"Shields up!"
At Hyun-wook's shout, the tankers raised their shields.
*Thunk! Thunk! Thunk! Thunk!*
Something rained down from above, hammering against the shields.
Because they already had their shields up, they were able to react quickly.
"Dammit! Arrows, it's a never-ending rain of arrows!"
It was a volley of arrows.
Thousands of arrows were stuck in the dry wasteland, like weeds.
The squad hunkered down behind the shields.
'A hill, about three hundred of them...'
Hyun-wook identified the enemy from beyond the shield.
On top of a sand dune directly ahead, a large group of furry bipeds was gathered.
"Ugh! What are you doing! Help us!"
The Cheonghwa Guild members, who had already been hit by a volley of arrows, seemed to have taken serious damage.
They were scattered everywhere, precariously dodging the arrow rain.
Hyun-wook let out a deep sigh.
"I told you to watch what's above you..."
Hyun-wook had warned them, albeit indirectly.
He couldn't just tell them outright, as that would be impossible to explain, but as expected...
'This is why this dungeon was so hard to clear.'
The moment you pass through the gate, you're met with a volley of arrows that can nearly wipe out a team from the start.
And they weren't just any arrows; they were poisoned. If you managed to block them, a fire attack would follow.
'Gnolls are cunning. Especially a pack with an Old Alpha Male as its boss monster...'
Old Alpha Male.
Among the various boss monsters of the gnoll race, it was a high-tier individual.
As its name suggested, it was an aged alpha male with exceptional leadership and considerable wisdom.
After devouring the first raid team, it had realized that things periodically came through that hole. And so, it had set up a permanent ambush, ready to fire a volley of arrows at a moment's notice.
Taking such heavy damage right from the start made the chances of a successful clear extremely slim...
'But if we can just survive this, the rest is manageable.'
Hyun-wook placed a hand on Ahn Min-tae's shoulder.
Holding the heavy shield above his head seemed to be quite a strain.
"Ahn Min-tae, don't move. Stay right where you are."
"Ah, yes sir!"
With those words, Hyun-wook began to walk out from behind the shield.
"Huh? Co-Corporal Lee Hyun-wook!"
*Shwip- shwip- shwip- shwip- shwip-*
The moment he revealed himself, dozens, hundreds of arrows rained down on him.
At a glance, it looked like a suicide mission.
But the instant Hyun-wook stretched his left hand toward the sky-
*Woooong-*
The dense formation of arrows stopped dead in the air.
However, since Hyun-wook could only control the metal 'tips,' he couldn't bear the weight of the hundreds of shafts and fletchings, and they slowly began to sink toward the ground.
But then...
"Shatter."
*K-ch-ch-ch-ch-chank-*
Hundreds of arrowheads burst simultaneously, fragmenting into thousands of metal shards.
The shafts and fletchings fell to the ground, while the metal shards scattered in every direction before...
*Woong-*
They stopped in mid-air once more.
Now, they were perfectly within Hyun-wook's control.
"Wow..."
Everyone, especially the Cheonghwa Guild's raid team, stared blankly at the miraculous sight.
"The ones who need to watch what's above them..."
Then, his left hand, which had been pointing to the sky, slowly tilted toward the ground...
"...are you."
Upon the heads of the gnoll forces on the hill, an innumerable number of metal shards,
rained down like hail.