49. The Owl’s Call. (2)

Commander Sung Gyuhyeok smiled and looked around at everyone.

“Everyone, do you know your tasks? Head to your positions. Don’t forget to put on the Bluetooth earphones.”

He then held up his phone.

“I’ve turned on the group voice chat in the chat room.”

The team members put on their earphones.

It’s a bit awkward.

If we had real radios, it would look more professional, but we don’t have those. These Bluetooth earphones, obtained from electronics stores and phone shops near Seo-rae Village, are our radios now.

As I watched this mix of cool and makeshift, Sung Gyeon came up to me and tapped my shoulder.

“You need to put one on too.”

Ah, right.

I took out a Bluetooth earphone and put it in my ear. Commander Sung Gyuhyeok said:

“Can you hear me?”

His voice came through twice.

I, along with the team members and Sung Gyeon, nodded.

Commander Sung Gyuhyeok said:

“Good. To your positions.”

The team members responded and headed back to the building.

Sung Gyeon approached the survivors and said:

“Let’s go inside.”

The pharmacy auntie looked at Sung Gyeon in amazement and asked:

“How can such a young and beautiful woman be with those soldiers… Where should we go?”

Sung Gyeon smiled and said:

“You can stay in the break room as usual. The basement would be the safest, though…”

Park Sojang, walking with Song Jungsah, stopped.

Without turning to look, he said:

“No, it’s dangerous. Didn’t I tell you that?”

Sung Gyeon laughed and waved her hand.

“Yes, I know. You meant that the basement is usually the safest because it has many pillars, no windows, and a thick steel door.”

Park Sojang didn’t respond, just nodding slightly. Sung Gyeon asked him:

“But how dangerous is it really? We’ll be fine for the four hours the operation takes, right?”

Park Sojang turned his head slightly toward her but didn’t look at her.

His expression seemed to convey annoyance.

He glared at the air and then walked into the building.

Sung Gyeon watched his back, hands on her hips.

“…Song Jungsah, keep an eye on him.”

“Yes, Gyeon.”

Song Jungsah nodded and followed Park Sojang inside.

Sung Gyeon watched Park Sojang’s back as he walked up the stairs, looking displeased, then smiled and turned around.

“Let’s go. Leave this to us, the special forces.”

“Ah, yes…”

The old man and the women followed Sung Gyeon into the building, glancing at her.

Sung Gyeon said to me:

“I hope nothing happens.”

“Well, if nothing happens, I’ll have to go into the mountains. I can’t leave that thing behind. If I let it go and something happens to the power plant, I’d have to come back and kill it, but by then the plant would be destroyed, and people might get hurt or die. No, I have to kill it.”

I put my hands on my hips and looked at the distant mountains.

“I wish I could just lure that boar out and bring it here. That would be perfect.”

Sung Gyeon laughed and said:

“I didn’t mean that. I meant that person.”

She nodded toward the building.

Ah, Park Sojang.

He didn’t look good today, both in appearance and demeanor.

But honestly, my concern for Park Sojang has diminished.

The power plant is important to me, not Park Sojang.

Park Sojang has been confirmed multiple times by himself and Song Jungsah to be no threat to the power plant.

Song Jungsah, who has been with Park Sojang day and night, and who initially considered him a dangerous person, has given a very calm and accurate assessment.

Song Jungsah is confident that Park Sojang won’t do anything to harm the power plant.

I trust Song Jungsah’s judgment.

As long as Park Sojang doesn’t harm the power plant, I have no reason to be concerned about him.

Why would I waste my time thinking about a middle-aged man who isn’t even attractive?

As long as the power plant is intact, that’s enough for me.

But I can’t say that to Sung Gyeon.

I nodded and said softly:

“Song Jungsah is with him. Nothing will happen.”

“…I hope so…”

Sung Gyeon crossed her arms and looked at the building.

I wish she wouldn’t do that.

It makes her ample chest more noticeable.

I forced myself to look away, and then Commander Sung Gyuhyeok’s voice came through the earphone.

“Ten minutes until the operation starts. Team members to your positions.”

Sung Gyeon laughed and turned to me.

“We’re counting on you. Let’s go.”

She walked ahead.

…Her back view is impressive.

I watched her for a moment, took a deep breath, and walked into the building.

On the rooftop, the team members were each holding a minigun, positioned against the walls.

Commander Sung Gyuhyeok and one of the 2nd team members were sitting by the rooftop entrance, looking at the screen of a drone controller.

The reconnaissance drone was already in the air.

While Sung Gyeon went to check on the team members with the miniguns, I approached Commander Sung Gyuhyeok.

“Seeing anything from the sky?”

Commander Sung Gyuhyeok shook his head.

“No, not yet. We’ve turned on the thermal camera, but there are a lot of trees, rocks, hills, and valleys in the mountains. It will take some time to properly scout the area.”

I nodded and leaned against the wall.

“I probably don’t need to say this, but I don’t fight small creatures.”

I have a limit to the number of attacks I can make.

If I have attacks left after killing the big one, I can kill smaller creatures as long as I have the attacks left.

However, I can’t afford to run out of attacks while dealing with small creatures and fail to kill the big one.

Commander Sung Gyuhyeok chuckled and said:

“Yes, you don’t need to say that. By the way, I’m curious-how many times can you use your ability?”

…What?

How does he know about that?

Surprised, I looked down, and Commander Sung Gyuhyeok met my gaze and said:

“When we were clearing out the stores and markets in Seo-rae Village, you couldn’t do it all at once, right? I remember you took quite a few breaks. Besides, if you could use it infinitely, I would have gone into the mountains to intercept the beast instead of waiting with the team.”

He smiled.

“I’ve been to Somalia and Ukraine a few times. Some of our team members have worked as mercenaries. We can tell these things pretty quickly.”

I slowly nodded.

These are people who have fought in various places, so they definitely have a good eye for combat abilities.

Even our mart building residents haven’t guessed that my abilities have limits.

I shrugged and said:

“Four hundred times per battle.”

Commander Sung Gyuhyeok and the team member looked at me simultaneously.

Their expressions changed.

“…Four hundred times? Does that mean four hundred beasts?”

A team member, who rarely interrupts conversations between Sung Gyuhyeok and me, asked me, clearly shocked.

I slowly nodded.

“Yes. In the case of human beasts, I can kill up to four hundred in one battle. For the giant beasts, I’m not sure. I have to keep attacking until they die, and each one is different.”

Commander Sung Gyuhyeok let out a low whistle.

“…That’s incredible. Four hundred. So, four hundred. And then, how long do you need to rest after that?”

“Five hours.”

Sung Gyuhyeok inhaled sharply.

“…Considering sleep, that means you can kill twelve hundred in a day. Wow.”

He rubbed his forehead and laughed.

“That’s amazing. If you had been in Somalia, pirates wouldn’t have been a problem at all.”

I laughed.

“I didn’t have these abilities before.”

Commander Sung Gyuhyeok looked at me intently.

“…Then, when did you get these abilities…?”

I crossed my arms.

“After the apocalypse started… I guess.”

Technically, it wasn’t after the apocalypse started. It was from the moment I was born.

I’ve seen the messages since I was born.

I was destined to be the Chosen One from birth.

The countdown ended, and I thought I was going to die, but then the apocalypse started, and I’ve been living breathlessly ever since, trying to survive and level up.

I’ve never thought about it this way, but it’s true that I was given this destiny.

I slowly looked up at the sky.

The apocalypse started, and I gained my abilities.

What does this mean…?

Commander Sung Gyuhyeok looked at me and asked:

“Seong-hun, does that mean… there might be other people with abilities like yours who appeared after the apocalypse started?”

…Huh?

I looked down at Commander Sung Gyuhyeok, surprised.

…I’ve never thought about it that way?

I am the Chosen One.

Could there be another Chosen One besides me…?

…No way.

I thought for a moment and shook my head.

“I don’t think so.”

“But you’re not sure, are you?”

Commander Sung Gyuhyeok’s expression was serious.

It makes sense.

If there are other ability users, it could be a blessing or a curse for the survivors.

I slowly nodded.

“Yes, I’m not sure. But… I don’t think so.”

Commander Sung Gyuhyeok looked at me seriously and asked:

“If there is someone with the same or any other ability, would you be able to recognize them?”

“I’m not sure…”

I rubbed my chin, thinking for a moment.

I didn’t know about my abilities until people could see them.

I frowned and said:

“I don’t think so. I probably wouldn’t be able to recognize them.”

Why is he suddenly asking this?

…Ah.

Maybe?

“Why are you suddenly asking this? Did someone with abilities contact you after the President’s broadcast?”

Commander Sung Gyuhyeok shook his head.

“No, not that I know of.”

He sighed softly and said:

“Actually, the President is trying to understand why all of this is happening. Why people have changed. Why beasts are eating each other and humans. Why they are growing. Why the world has come to this apocalypse.”